Adaptation effects in static postural control by providing simultaneous visual feedback of center of pressure and center of gravity.

PubMed

Takeda, Kenta; Mani, Hiroki; Hasegawa, Naoya; Sato, Yuki; Tanaka, Shintaro; Maejima, Hiroshi; Asaka, Tadayoshi

2017-07-19

The benefit of visual feedback of the center of pressure (COP) on quiet standing is still debatable. This study aimed to investigate the adaptation effects of visual feedback training using both the COP and center of gravity (COG) during quiet standing. Thirty-four healthy young adults were divided into three groups randomly (COP + COG, COP, and control groups). A force plate was used to calculate the coordinates of the COP in the anteroposterior (COP AP ) and mediolateral (COP ML ) directions. A motion analysis system was used to calculate the coordinates of the center of mass (COM) in both directions (COM AP and COM ML ). The coordinates of the COG in the AP direction (COG AP ) were obtained from the force plate signals. Augmented visual feedback was presented on a screen in the form of fluctuation circles in the vertical direction that moved upward as the COP AP and/or COG AP moved forward and vice versa. The COP + COG group received the real-time COP AP and COG AP feedback simultaneously, whereas the COP group received the real-time COP AP feedback only. The control group received no visual feedback. In the training session, the COP + COG group was required to maintain an even distance between the COP AP and COG AP and reduce the COG AP fluctuation, whereas the COP group was required to reduce the COP AP fluctuation while standing on a foam pad. In test sessions, participants were instructed to keep their standing posture as quiet as possible on the foam pad before (pre-session) and after (post-session) the training sessions. In the post-session, the velocity and root mean square of COM AP in the COP + COG group were lower than those in the control group. In addition, the absolute value of the sum of the COP - COM distances in the COP + COG group was lower than that in the COP group. Furthermore, positive correlations were found between the COM AP velocity and COP - COM parameters. The results suggest that the novel visual feedback training that incorporates the COP AP -COG AP interaction reduces postural sway better than the training using the COP AP alone during quiet standing. That is, even COP AP fluctuation around the COG AP would be effective in reducing the COM AP velocity.

Workshop on Energy Research Opportunities for Physics Graduates & Postdocs

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

Kate Kirby

Young people these days are very concerned about the environment. There is also a great deal of interest in using technology to improve energy efficiency. Many physics students share these concerns and would like to find ways to use their scientific and quantitative skills to help overcome the environmental challenges that the world faces. This may be particularly true for female students. Showing physics students how they can contribute to environmental and energy solutions while doing scientific research which excites them is expected to attract more physicists to work on these very important problems and to retain more of themore » best and the brightest in physical science. This is a major thrust of the 'Gathering Storm' report, the 'American Competitiveness Initiative' report, and several other studies. With these concerns in mind, the American Physical Society (APS) and more specifically, the newly formed APS Topical Group on Energy Research and Applications (GERA), organized and conducted a one-day workshop for graduate students and post docs highlighting the contributions that physics-related research can make to meeting the nation's energy needs in environmentally friendly ways. A workshop program committee was formed and met four times by conference call to determine session topics and to suggest appropriate presenters for each topic. Speakers were chosen not only for their prominence in their respective fields of energy research but also for their ability to relate their work to young people. The workshop was held the day before the APS March Meeting on March 14, 2009 in Portland, OR. The workshop was restricted to approximately 80 young physicists to encourage group discussion. Talks were planned and presented at a level of participants with a physics background but no special knowledge of energy research. Speakers were asked to give a broad overview of their area of research before talking more specifically about their own work. The format was designed with plenary talks but allowed significant time for questions and answers, and discussion. A 'Lunch with the Experts' and a 'Networking Reception' were held specifically to provide opportunities for participants to interact with the presenters and to network with each other. These proved to be very successful activities, as noted in the follow-up participant survey that was conducted shortly after the workshop.« less

Long-term prognostic impact of the attenuated plaque in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

PubMed

Okura, Hiroyuki; Kataoka, Toru; Yoshiyama, Minoru; Yoshikawa, Junichi; Yoshida, Kiyoshi

2016-01-01

Several intravascular ultrasound studies have reported that culprit lesion-attenuated plaque (AP) is related to slow flow/no reflow after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Long-term prognostic impact of the AP is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate acute and long-term clinical impact of the AP in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). A total of 110 ACS patients who underwent successful PCI were enrolled. Acute and long-term clinical outcomes were compared between patients with AP (AP group: n = 73) and those without AP (non-AP group: n = 37). Long-term cardiac event was defined as a composite of death and ACS. Baseline characteristics in 2 groups were similar. AP was associated with higher TIMI frame count immediately after the first balloon inflation. After thrombectomy and intracoronary drug administration, final TIMI frame count became similar between AP and non-AP group. Although AP was associated with higher incidence of fatal arrhythmia during hospitalization, in-hospital mortality did not differ between the 2 groups. During follow-up (median 6.2 years), cardiac event-free survival did not differ between the 2 groups. Despite the initial unfavorable effect on coronary reflow, presence of AP did not affect acute as well as long-term clinical outcome in patients with ACS.

Anti-Hypertensive Effects of Acacia Polyphenol in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

PubMed Central

Ikarashi, Nobutomo; Toda, Takahiro; Hatakeyama, Yusuke; Kusunoki, Yoshiki; Kon, Risako; Mizukami, Nanaho; Kaneko, Miho; Ogawa, Sosuke; Sugiyama, Kiyoshi

2018-01-01

We have previously demonstrated that acacia polyphenol (AP) exerts strong anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, and anti-atopic dermatitis effects. In the present study, we investigated the anti-hypertensive effects of AP. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) with hypertension and control Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) were used. WKY and SHR were fed AP-containing food or AP-free food (control group) ad libitum for 4 weeks, and their blood pressures were measured. After AP administration, both systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly lower in the SHR group than in the control group. There were no differences in the systolic or diastolic blood pressure of WKY between the AP group and the control group. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase expression, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in SHR kidneys were not altered by AP administration. Blood SOD activity in SHR was significantly higher in the AP group than in the control group. AP exerts anti-hypertensive effects on hypertension but has almost no effect on normal blood pressure. The anti-hypertensive effects of AP may be related to the anti-oxidative effects of increased blood SOD activity. PMID:29494506

Agriculture, Food Production, and Rural Land Use in Advanced Placement® Human Geography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moseley, William G.; Watson, Nancy H.

2016-01-01

''Agriculture, Food, and Rural Land Use" constitutes a major part of the AP Human Geography course outline. This article explores challenging topics to teach, emerging research trends in agricultural geography, and sample teaching approaches for concretizing abstract topics. It addresses content identified as "essential knowledge"…

The effects of roflumilast on the pancreas and remote organs in a cerulein-induced experimental acute pancreatitis model in rats.

PubMed

Uslukaya, Omer; Turkoglu, Ahmet; Yazgan, Umit Can; Kaplan, Ibrahim; Ibiloglu, Ibrahim; Kapan, Murat; Gumus, Metehan

2016-12-01

Systemic damage in acute pancreatitis (AP) can be characterized by oxidative stress and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Roflumilast has been shown to be a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of roflumilast in cerulein-induced AP. Thirty-two male rats were divided into four groups: group 1 (sham), group 2 (Roflumilast), group 3 (AP), and group 4 (AP + Roflumilast). AP was induced by injecting 4 × 75 μg/kg of body weight at an interval of 1 h. Rats were killed after 12 h following the last cerulein administration. AP was confirmed by measuring the serum amylase level and inflammatory features. Morphological changes were observed in the pancreas. Amylase levels were higher in the AP and AP + Roflumilast groups than the sham and Roflumilast groups. The serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 increased in the AP group, whereas they decreased in the Roflumilast group. The total oxidant activity (TOA) was higher and the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was lower in the AP group. The administration of roflumilast decreased the TOA and increased the TAC in comparison with the AP group (p < 0.05 for both). Roflumilast significantly decreases oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators in the plasma, pancreas, and lung in cerulein-induced AP rats.

Coverage of Developed and Developing Nations in American Wire Services to Asia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giffard, C. Anthony

A study was conducted to contrast the news coverage of developed and developing nations, and of the United States specifically, as transmitted to Asia by the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI). A total of 556 AP reports and 453 UPI reports drawn from a 6-week period were coded for more than 100 variables and 47 topics. The…

Patent foramen ovale and atrial septal aneurysm can cause ischemic stroke in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome.

PubMed

Tanaka, Yasutaka; Ueno, Yuji; Miyamoto, Nobukazu; Shimada, Yoshiaki; Tanaka, Ryota; Hattori, Nobutaka; Urabe, Takao

2013-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the contributions of embolic etiologies, patent foramen ovale (PFO) and atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) to the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). We performed transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) examination for consecutive stroke patients who had been diagnosed with APS (APS group) to detect potential embolic sources. APS was diagnosed based on the modified Sapporo criteria. The control stroke group comprised age- and sex-matched cryptogenic stroke patients undergoing TEE. We assessed and compared the clinical characteristics and TEE findings between stroke patients with APS and control stroke groups. Among 582 patients, nine patients (nine women; mean age, 50 ± 18 years) were classified into the APS group. In 137 patients undergoing TEE, 41 age-matched female stroke patients were recruited to the control stroke group. Prevalences of PFO and ASA were significantly higher in the APS group than in the control stroke group (89 vs. 41 %, p = 0.027; 67 vs. 20 %, p = 0.015, respectively). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that PFO (odds ratio (OR), 13.71; 95 % confidence interval (CI), 1.01-185.62; p = 0.049) and ASA (OR, 8.06; 95 % CI, 1.17-55.59; p = 0.034) were independently associated with the APS group. PFO and ASA were strongly associated with the APS group, and could thus represent potential embolic sources in ischemic stroke patients with APS.

Apical Periodontitis and Endodontic Treatment in Patients with Type II Diabetes Mellitus: Comparative Cross-sectional Survey.

PubMed

Smadi, Leena

2017-05-01

The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of apical periodontitis (AP) in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients compared with nondiabetic patients and to examine the effect of glycemic control on the prevalence of AP. Radiographs of a group of DM patients were compared with those of a matched nondiabetic group to identify AP. The diabetic group was subdivided according to the level of glycemic control into two subgroups: A well-controlled DM and a poorly controlled DM. The periapical index score was used to assess the periapical status. All groups were compared in regard to the presence of AP lesions, the number of end-odontically treated teeth (ET), and the percentage of failure of endodontically treated teeth (AP/ET ratio). Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 20.0, Chicago, Illinois, USA) was used for all the analyses; p ≤ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. The prevalence of AP was higher in diabetic group than in the nondiabetic group (13.5 vs 11.9% respectively). Diabetic group had more teeth with endodontic treatment ET compared with nondiabetic group (4.18 vs 1.82% respectively); this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.001) along with higher AP/ET ratio (27.7 vs 19.3 respectively). The poorly controlled DM group had a higher prevalence of AP lesions compared with the well-controlled DM group (18.29 vs 9.21 respectively). This difference was statistically significant (p = 0.001); they also had a higher percentage of ET (5.55 vs 3.13% respectively) and AP/ ET ratio (32.0 vs 21.8% respectively). This survey demonstrates a higher prevalence of AP in DM patients compared with nondiabetic group, with an increased prevalence of persistent chronic AP. Compared with a well-controlled diabetic group, a poor glycemic control may be associated with a higher prevalence of AP and increased rate of endodontic failures. Counseling diabetic patients, particularly those with poor glycemic control, about the risk of failure of endodontic treatment can be part of planning management, which could include refereeing diabetic patients who need endodontic treatment for consultant care.

Pterostilbene is equally potent as resveratrol in inhibiting 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate activated NFkappaB, AP-1, COX-2, and iNOS in mouse epidermis.

PubMed

Cichocki, Michal; Paluszczak, Jaroslaw; Szaefer, Hanna; Piechowiak, Adriana; Rimando, Agnes M; Baer-Dubowska, Wanda

2008-06-01

Resveratrol, a phytoalexin present in grapes, has been reported to inhibit multistage mouse skin carcinogenesis. Recent studies showed that topically applied resveratrol significantly inhibited cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) induced by tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in mouse epidermis. The aim of the present study was to further explore the effect of resveratrol on TPA-induced signaling pathways in mouse epidermis and to compare with its dimethylether, pterostilbene. Resveratrol and pterostilbene significantly reduced activator protein 1 (AP-1) and NF-kappaB activation. In the case of AP-1, the binding of c-Jun subunit was particularly affected, while only slight effect on c-Fos binding to TPA-responsive element (AP-1 binding consensus sequence) (TRE) site was observed. Both stilbenes inhibited the activation of NF-kappaB by blocking the translocation of p65 to the nucleus and increasing the retention of IkappaBa in the cytosol. The latter might be related to decreased activity of IkappaB kinase and/or proteasome 20S. Reduced activation of transcription factors decreased the expression and activity of COX-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). In most assays, pterostilbene was either equally or significantly more potent than resveratrol. Pterostilbene might show higher biological activity due to its possible better bioavailability, since substitution of hydroxy with methoxy group increases lipophilicity.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids Reduce Bone Resorption While Promoting Bone Generation in Rat Apical Periodontitis.

PubMed

Azuma, Mariane Maffei; Gomes-Filho, João Eduardo; Ervolino, Edilson; Pipa, Camila Barbosa; Cardoso, Carolina de Barros Morais; Andrada, Ana Cristina; Kawai, Toshihisa; Cintra, Luciano Tavares Angelo

2017-06-01

This study evaluated the effects of the dietary supplement omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) on pulp exposure-induced apical periodontitis (AP) in rats. Twenty-eight male rats were divided into groups: control untreated rats (C), control rats treated with ω-3 PUFAs alone (C-O), rats with pulp exposure-induced AP, and rats with pulp exposure-induced AP treated with ω-3 PUFAs (AP-O). The ω-3 PUFAs were administered orally, once a day, for 15 days before pulp exposure and, subsequently, 30 days after pulp exposure. Rats were killed 30 days after pulp exposure, and jaws were subjected to histologic and immunohistochemical analyses. Immunohistochemical analyses were performed to detect tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive osteoclasts and osteocalcin-positive osteoblasts on the bone surface of periapical area. Results were statistically evaluated by using analysis of variance and Tukey honestly significant difference, and P < .05 was considered statistically significant. The bone resorption lesion was significantly larger in the AP group compared with AP-O, C, and C-O groups (P < .05). The level of inflammatory cell infiltration was significantly elevated, and the number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive osteoclasts was significantly higher in the periapical lesions of the AP group compared with AP-O, C, and C-O groups (P < .05). The number of osteocalcin-positive osteoblasts was significantly increased in the AP-O group compared with the AP group (P > .05). Supplementation with ω-3 PUFAs not only suppresses bone resorption but also promotes new bone formation in the periapical area of rats with AP in conjunction with downregulation of inflammatory cell infiltration into the lesion. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DL-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid protects primary neurons from oxygen-glucose deprivation induced injury.

PubMed

Cui, Di; Xu, Jun; Xu, Quanyi; Zuo, Guokun

2017-02-21

Cerebral infarction is a type of ischemic stroke and is one of the main causes of irreversible brain damage. Although multiple neuroprotective agents have been investigated recently, the potential of DL-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid (DL-AP3) in treating oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)-induced neuronal injury, has not been clarified yet. This study was aimed to explore the role of DL-AP3 in primary neuronal cell cultures. Primary neurons were divided into four groups: (1) a control group that was not treated; (2) DL-AP3 group treated with 10 μM of DL-AP3; (3) OGD group, in which neurons were cultured under OGD conditions; and (4) OGD + DL-AP3 group, in which OGD model was first established and then the cells were treated with 10 μM of DL-AP3. Neuronal viability and apoptosis were measured using Cell Counting Kit-8 and flow cytometry. Expressions of phospho-Akt1 (p-Akt1) and cytochrome c were detected using Western blot. The results showed that DL-AP3 did not affect neuronal viability and apoptosis in DL-AP3 group, nor it changed p-Akt1 and cytochrome c expression (p > 0.05). In OGD + DL-AP3 group, DL-AP3 significantly attenuated the inhibitory effects of OGD on neuronal viability (p < 0.001), and reduced OGD induced apoptosis (p < 0.01). Additionally, the down-regulation of p-Akt1 and up-regulation of cytochrome c, induced by OGD, were recovered to some extent after DL-AP3 treatment (p < 0.05 or p < 0.001). Overall, DL-AP3 could protect primary neurons from OGD-induced injury by affecting the viability and apoptosis of neurons, and by regulating the expressions of p-Akt1 and cytochrome c.

Effects of organic acids and essential oils blend on growth, gut microbiota, immune response and disease resistance of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) against Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

PubMed

He, Wangquan; Rahimnejad, Samad; Wang, Ling; Song, Kai; Lu, Kangle; Zhang, Chunxiao

2017-11-01

An 8-week feeding trial was undertaken to evaluate supplemental effects of AviPlus ® (AP), a blend of organic acids [citric acid, 25%; sorbic acid, 16.7%] and essential oils [thymol, 1.7%; vanillin, 1.0%], on growth, gut microbiota, innate immunity and disease resistance of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) against Vibrio parahaemolyticus. A basal experimental diet was formulated and supplemented with 0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9 and 1.2 g kg -1  AP to produce five test diets (Con, AP0.3, AP0.6, AP0.9 and AP1.2). Each diet was fed to triplicate groups of shrimp (0.2 ± 0.01 g, mean ± SE) to apparent satiation three times daily. Growth performance and survival rate were not significantly influenced by AP supplementation (P > 0.05). Significantly (P < 0.05) higher serum total protein was found in groups fed ≥ 0.6 g kg -1  AP compared to control. Serum alkaline phosphatase and phenoloxidase activities were significantly increased in AP0.9 and AP1.2 groups. Also, the group received AP0.6 diet showed significantly higher glutathione peroxidase activity than control. Expression of gut pro-inflammatory genes including TNF-α, LITAF and RAB6A were down-regulated by AP administration. Gut microbiota analysis showed the significant enhancement of the operational taxonomic unit (OTU) diversity and richness indices by AP application. AP supplementation led to increased abundance of Firmicutes and a reduction in abundance of Proteobacteria. Also, dietary inclusion of 1.2 g kg -1  AP led to a significant increase in the abundance of Lactobacillus in shrimp gut. The group offered AP0.3 diet showed significantly higher disease resistance than control group. Furthermore, AP application significantly enhanced relative expression of immune related genes including lysozyme, penaeidin and catalase at 48 h post challenge. In conclusion, these findings show that the tested organic acids and essential oils mixture beneficially affects intestinal microflora and improves immune response and disease resistance of L. vannamei. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

Shi Haibin, E-mail: shihb@vip.sina.com; Yang Zhengqiang; Liu Sheng

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of cyanoacrylate glue embolization in the treatment of severe arterioportal shunt (APS) presenting with hepatofugal portal venous flow in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Between July 2000 and January 2010, 27 HCC patients with severe APS presenting with hepatofugal portal venous flow underwent transarterial angiography and treatment. Among them, four patients were excluded from the study. Twelve patients underwent transarterial chemoperfusion and embolization of APS with cyanoacrylate glue between January 2006 and January 2010 (Emb group), and the other 11 patients undergoing only transarterial chemoperfusion without embolization of APS between July 2000 and December 2005more » served as a control group (non-Emb group). The change of APS, survival rates, and procedure related complications were analyzed. In the Emb group, APS was improved in all of the 12 patients after initial glue embolization; long-term APS improvement with hepatopetal portal flow was achieved in 80 % (8 of 10) patients who underwent follow-up angiography. Survival rates in the Emb group were 67 % at 6 months, 33 % at 1 year, and 8 % at 2 years, whereas those in the non-Emb group were 0 % at 6 months (P < 0.05). Median survival time in the Emb group was 275 days, which was longer than that of 107 days in the non-Emb group (P = 0.001). There were no major complications in both groups. The preliminary experience suggests that glue embolization may be an effective and safe therapy in the management of severe APS accompanied by HCC and also improve patient survival.« less

Effect of acute pancreatitis on the pharmacokinetics of Chinese herbal ointment Liu-He-Dan in anaesthetized rats.

PubMed

Zhao, Xian-Lin; Xiang, Jin; Wan, Mei-Hua; Yu, Qin; Chen, Wei-wei; Chen, Guang-Yuan; Tang, Wen-Fu

2013-01-09

Chinese herbal preparation of Liu-He-Dan ointment has been adapted for acute pancreatitis in external application for many years in West China. To investigate the effect of acute pancreatitis on the pharmacokinetics of Liu-He-Dan ointment in rats while it was used externally on belly. Twelve male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into acute pancreatitis model group (n=6) and normal group as a control (n=6). Chinese herbal Liu-He-Dan ointment was used externally on belly. Emodin, rhein, aloe emodin, physcion and chrysophanol in plasma and pancreas (at 48 h) were detected and quantified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Amylase in plasma were determined with iodide process. Among the five components, only emodin, aloe emodin and physcion from Liu-He-Dan were detected in plasma and pancreas. The absorption of each component was tended to decrease in acute pancreatitis group after topically management with Liu-He-Dan ointment on rats' abdomen. The T(max), C(max) and area under curve (AUC) of each component were distinctly lower in AP group than those in normal group (p<0.05). However, the T(1/2α) and mean retention time (MRT) of emodin lasted longer in acute pancreatitis group than those in normal group (p<0.05). There was no statistical difference in the MRT of aloe emodin and physcion between the two groups. Emodin could be detected in all rats' pancreas at 48 h in both groups, while its mean pancreatic concentration was higher in acute pancreatitis model group than in normal group (0.91 ± 0.68, 0.41 ± 0.36, respectively). Physcion could be detected in pancreas of most acute pancreatitis models, but not in normal rats. Aloe emodin was found in all pancreas from acute pancreatitis models while only one in normal group. The level of amylase in Liu-He-Dan group was obviously lower than that in the AP model group (p=0.0055). We concluded that acute pancreatitis may significantly affect the pharmacokinetics of Liu-He-Dan while external applied on belly, which indicated the dosage modification in AP. However, acute pancreatitis seems to promote the distribution of the detected components into pancreas. The ointment could help relieve the disease of pancreatitis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cerebral infarction in the left hemisphere compared with the right hemisphere increases the risk of aspiration pneumonia.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Keiichi; Koh, Hideo; Shimada, Hiroyuki; Takeuchi, Jun; Yamakawa, Yoshihiro; Kawamura, Mayumi; Miki, Takami

2014-12-01

Aspiration pneumonia (AP) following cerebral infarction (CI) has been considered as one of its most serious complications. Nevertheless, there are no reports on the association between the type or location of CI and the incidence of AP. In addition, the association between dysphagia, which leads to aspiration, and the type or location of CI has never been investigated. Therefore we hypothesized that the laterality of CI affects the development of both dysphagia and AP. We performed a retrospective cohort study to examine the association between the laterality of CI and the incidence of dysphagia and AP in 133 patients. AP was found in 6.0% of the group with left CI and in 0.8% of the group with right CI. A univariate logistic regression analysis revealed that left CI was a significant predictor of AP (hazard ratio, 8.81; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-72.59; p = 0.043). Left CI was a significant predictor of AP even after adjusting for age, sex, CI type, or presence of diabetes mellitus. In addition, although the frequency of dysphagia as the direct cause of AP did not differ according to laterality, the frequency of AP that ensued from dysphagia in the left CI group was greater than that observed in the right CI group. The group with left CI from the motor cortex to the internal capsule complicated by dysphagia exhibited a high risk of AP.

Severe hypertriglyceridemia and factors associated with acute pancreatitis in an integrated health care system.

PubMed

Rashid, Nazia; Sharma, Puza P; Scott, Ronald D; Lin, Kathy J; Toth, Peter P

2016-01-01

To evaluate patient characteristics, treatment patterns, comorbidities, and risk factors associated with the development of acute pancreatitis (AP) in patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) in an integrated health care delivery system. We identified a retrospective cohort of severe HTG patients with a fasting triglyceride level ≥ 1000 mg/dL during January 1, 2007 to June 30, 2013 (index date) in an integrated health care delivery system. Patients were aged ≥18 years on index date and had 12 months of continuous membership and drug eligibility before the index date and during postindex including index date. Baseline patient characteristics, comorbidities, and risk factors were evaluated during 12-month preindex. Outcomes such as development of AP, treatment patterns, adherence to index therapy, and change in triglyceride (TG) laboratory levels were evaluated during postindex. Descriptive statistics were used to identify differences between patients developing AP vs no development of AP. A stepwise multivariate logistic regression and backward elimination method were used to assess statistically significant predictive factors associated with development of AP vs no AP. We identified 5550 patients with severe HTG, and 5.4% of these patients developed AP during postindex. Patients were mostly male (≥70%) in both groups; however, younger in the AP group (45 years ± 10.6) vs no AP group (50 years ± 11.4) with P value < .0001. The AP group had higher baseline Charslon Comorbidity Index score, alcohol abuse history (42.2%), any pancreatitis history (51.5%), diabetes (47%), and hypertension (55%), vs the no AP group (P values < .05). Patients in the AP group had higher baseline mean TG levels (2148, SD ± 1578) vs the no AP group (1559, SD ± 861), P value < .0001. Over 50% of the patients were prescribed their index therapy by a primary care provider. Predictive factors associated with the development of AP included younger age, alcohol use, and prior history of any pancreatitis, hypertension, renal disease stage 4, and other prescriber specialty. From parameters estimates, for each 100 mg/dL unit of increase in the TG level above 1000 mg/dL, there was a 3 percent increase in risk of developing AP. Patients with severe HTG are at a higher risk of developing AP. A number of comorbidities, risk factors, and baseline TG levels are associated with an increased incidence of AP. Patients with severe HTG are underdiagnosed, undertreated and are nonadherent to their index lipid therapy. There is a need to better define optimal approaches to treating severe HTG so as to reduce the incidence of AP. Economic studies are also needed to evaluate the burden of AP on various health care systems. Copyright © 2016 National Lipid Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Anti-Obesity and Anti-Diabetic Effects of Acacia Polyphenol in Obese Diabetic KKAy Mice Fed High-Fat Diet

PubMed Central

Ikarashi, Nobutomo; Toda, Takahiro; Okaniwa, Takehiro; Ito, Kiyomi; Ochiai, Wataru; Sugiyama, Kiyoshi

2011-01-01

Acacia polyphenol (AP) extracted from the bark of the black wattle tree (Acacia meansii) is rich in unique catechin-like flavan-3-ols, such as robinetinidol and fisetinidol. The present study investigated the anti-obesity/anti-diabetic effects of AP using obese diabetic KKAy mice. KKAy mice received either normal diet, high-fat diet or high-fat diet with additional AP for 7 weeks. After the end of administration, body weight, plasma glucose and insulin were measured. Furthermore, mRNA and protein expression of obesity/diabetic suppression-related genes were measured in skeletal muscle, liver and white adipose tissue. As a result, compared to the high-fat diet group, increases in body weight, plasma glucose and insulin were significantly suppressed for AP groups. Furthermore, compared to the high-fat diet group, mRNA expression of energy expenditure-related genes (PPARα, PPARδ, CPT1, ACO and UCP3) was significantly higher for AP groups in skeletal muscle. Protein expressions of CPT1, ACO and UCP3 for AP groups were also significantly higher when compared to the high-fat diet group. Moreover, AP lowered the expression of fat acid synthesis-related genes (SREBP-1c, ACC and FAS) in the liver. AP also increased mRNA expression of adiponectin and decreased expression of TNF-α in white adipose tissue. In conclusion, the anti-obesity actions of AP are considered attributable to increased expression of energy expenditure-related genes in skeletal muscle, and decreased fatty acid synthesis and fat intake in the liver. These results suggest that AP is expected to be a useful plant extract for alleviating metabolic syndrome. PMID:21799697

Acute pancreatitis with gradient echo T2*-weighted magnetic resonance imaging

PubMed Central

Tang, Meng Yue; Chen, Tian Wu; Huang, Xiao Hua; Li, Xing Hui; Wang, Si Yue; Liu, Nian

2016-01-01

Background To study gradient recalled echo (GRE) T2*-weighted imaging (T2*WI) for normal pancreas and acute pancreatitis (AP). Methods Fifty-one patients without any pancreatic disorders (control group) and 117 patients with AP were recruited. T2* values derived from T2*WI of the pancreas were measured for the two groups. The severity of AP was graded by the magnetic resonance severity index (MRSI) and the Acute Physiology and Chronic Healthy Evaluation II (APACHE II) scoring system. Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between the T2* values and AP severity. The usefulness of the T2* value for diagnosing AP and the relationship between the T2* values and the severity of AP were analyzed. Results On GRE-T2*WI, the normal pancreas showed a well-marinated and consistently homogeneous isointensity. Edematous AP, as well as the non-necrotic area in necrotizing AP, showed ill-defined but homogeneous signal intensity. AP with pancreatic hemorrhage showed a decreased T2* value and a signal loss on the signal decay curve. The T2* value of pancreas in the AP group was higher than that of the control group (t=−8.20, P<0.05). The T2* value tended to increase along with the increase in MRSI scores but not with the APACHE II scores (P>0.05). AP was associated with a one standard deviation increment in the T2* value (OR =1.37; 95% CI: 1.216–1.532). Conclusions T2*WI demonstrates a few characteristics of the normal pancreas and AP, which could potentially be helpful for detecting hemorrhage, and contributes to diagnosing AP and its severity. PMID:27190768

Evaluation of the relationship between anteroposterior translation of a posterior cruciate ligament-retaining total knee replacement and functional outcome.

PubMed

Seah, R B; Pang, H N; Lo, N N; Chong, H C; Chin, P L; Chia, S L; Yeo, S J

2012-10-01

The success of total knee replacement (TKR) depends on optimal soft-tissue balancing, among many other factors. The objective of this study is to correlate post-operative anteroposterior (AP) translation of a posterior cruciate ligament-retaining TKR with clinical outcome at two years. In total 100 patients were divided into three groups based on their AP translation as measured by the KT-1000 arthrometer. Group 1 patients had AP translation < 5 mm, Group 2 had AP translation from 5 mm to 10 mm, and Group 3 had AP translation > 10 mm. Outcome assessment included range of movement of the knee, the presence of flexion contractures, hyperextension, knee mechanical axes and functional outcome using the Knee Society score, Oxford knee score and the Short-Form 36 questionnaire. At two years, patients in Group 2 reported significantly better Oxford knee scores than the other groups (p = 0.045). A positive correlation between range of movement and AP translation was noted, with patients in group 3 having the greatest range of movement (mean flexion: 117.9° (106° to 130°)) (p < 0.001). However, significantly more patients in Group 3 developed hyperextension > 10° (p = 0.01). In this study, the best outcome for cruciate-ligament retaining TKR was achieved in patients with an AP translation of 5 mm to 10 mm.

Epidural anaesthesia restores pancreatic microcirculation and decreases the severity of acute pancreatitis

PubMed Central

Demirag, Alp; Pastor, Catherine M; Morel, Philippe; Jean-Christophe, Copin; Sielenkämper, Andreas W; Güvener, Nilgun; Mai, Gang; Berney, Thierry; Frossard, Jean-Louis; Bühler, Leo H

2006-01-01

AIM: To investigate the effect of epidural anaesthesia (EA) on pancreatic microcirculation during acute pancreatitis (AP). METHODS: AP was induced by injection of sodium taurocholate into the pancreatic duct of Sprague-Dawley rats. To realize EA, a catheter was introduced into the epidural space between T7 and T9 and bupivacaine was injected. Microcirculatory flow was measured by laser Doppler flowmetry. Arterial blood gas analyses were performed. At the end of the experiment (≤ 5 h), pancreas was removed for histology. The animals were divided into three groups: Group 1 (n = 9), AP without EA; Group 2 (n = 4), EA without AP; and Group 3 (n = 6), AP treated by EA. RESULTS: In Group 1, pancreatic microcirculatory flow prior to AP was 141 ± 39 perfusion units (PU). After AP, microcirculatory flow obviously decreased to 9 ± 6 PU (P < 0.05). Metabolic acidosis developed with base excess (BE) of - 14 ± 3 mmol/L. Histology revealed extensive edema and tissue necrosis. In Group 2, EA did not significantly modify microcirculatory flow. BE remained unchanged and histological analysis showed normal pancreatic tissue. In Group 3, AP initially caused a significant decrease in microcirculatory flow from 155 ± 25 to 11 ± 7 PU (P < 0.05). After initiation of EA, microcirculatory flow obviously increased again to 81 ± 31 PU (P < 0.05). BE was -6 ± 4 mmol/L, which was significantly different compared to Group 1 (P < 0.05). Furthermore, histology revealed less extensive edema and necrosis in pancreatic tissue in Group 3 than that in Group 1. CONCLUSION: AP caused dramatic microcirculatory changes within the pancreas, with development of metabolic acidosis and tissue necrosis. EA allowed partial restoration of microcirculatory flow and prevented development of tissue necrosis and systemic complications. Therefore, EA should be considered as therapeutic option to prevent evolution from edematous to necrotic AP. PMID:16521220

Diadenosine tetraphosphate improves adrenergic anti-glaucomatous drug delivery and efficiency.

PubMed

Loma, Patricia; Guzman-Aranguez, Ana; Perez de Lara, Maria Jesus; Pintor, Jesus

2015-05-01

The effect of the dinucleotide P(1), P(4)-Di (adenosine-5') tetraphosphate (Ap4A) in improving adrenergic anti-glaucomatous delivery by modifying the tight junction proteins of the corneal epithelium was evaluated. Stratified human corneal epithelial cells (HCLE) were treated with Ap4A (100 μM) for 5 min and TJ protein levels and barrier function were analysed by western blotting and transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), respectively. Western blot experiments showed a significant reduction at 2 h (45% reduction of ZO-1 and 65% reduction of occludin protein levels) as compared to non-treated (control) cells. Two hours after Ap4A treatment, TEER values were significantly reduced (65% as compared to control levels (p < 0.001)), indicating an increase in corneal barrier permeability. Topical application of Ap4A in New Zealand white rabbits two hours before the instillation of the hypotensor compounds (the α2-adrenergic receptor agonist, brimonidine and the β-adrenergic receptor antagonist, timolol), improved the delivery of these compounds to the anterior chamber as well as their hypotensive action on the intraocular pressure. The results obtained showed that, when Ap4A was topically applied two hours before the adrenergic compounds, the concentration of brimonidine in the aqueous humour increased from 64.3 ± 5.3 nM to 240.6 ± 8.6 nM and from 58.9 ± 9.2 nM to 183.7 ± 6.8 nM in the case of timolol, which also produces a more profound effect on IOP. Therefore, Ap4A treatment results in a better entrance of adrenergic anti-glaucomatous compounds within the eye and consequently improved therapeutic efficiency by increasing corneal epithelial barrier permeability. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A glossary of terms for understanding political aspects in the implementation of Health in All Policies (HiAP).

PubMed

Oneka, Goldameir; Vahid Shahidi, Faraz; Muntaner, Carles; Bayoumi, Ahmed M; Mahabir, Deb Finn; Freiler, Alix; O'Campo, Patricia; Shankardass, Ketan

2017-08-01

Health in All Policies (HiAP) is a strategy that seeks to integrate health considerations into the development, implementation and evaluation of policies across various non-health sectors of the government. Over the past 15 years, there has been an increase in the uptake of HiAP by local, regional and national governments. Despite the growing popularity of this approach, most existing literature on HiAP implementation remains descriptive rather than explanatory in its orientation. Moreover, prior research has focused on the more technical aspects of the implementation process. Thus, studies that aim to 'build capacity to promote, implement and evaluate HiAP' abound. Conversely, there is little emphasis on the political aspects of HiAP implementation. Neglecting the role of politics in shaping the use of HiAP is problematic, since health and the strategies by which it is promoted are partially political.This glossary addresses the politics gap in the existing literature by drawing on theoretical concepts from political, policy, and public health sciences to articulate a framework for studying how political mechanisms influence HiAP implementation. To this end, the glossary forms part of an on-going multiple explanatory case study of HiAP implementation, HARMONICS (HiAP Analysis using Realist Methods on International Case Studies, harmonics-hiap.ca), and is meant to expand on a previously published glossary addressing the topic of HiAP implementation more broadly. Collectively, these glossaries offer a conceptual toolkit for understanding how politics explains implementation outcomes of HiAP. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Mononuclear phagocytic system in acute pancreatitis.

PubMed

Abdo, E E; Gonçalez, Y; Machado, M C; Aguirre-Costa, P L; Gonçalez, F; Sampietri, S N; Pinotti, H W

1993-03-01

1. Functional alterations of the mononuclear phagocytic system (MPS) may be an important factor in the pathogenesis of infection in acute pancreatitis (AP). In the present study, MPS activity was investigated in rats and hepatic blood flow (HBF) was also determined. 2. A total of 122 male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: 1, AP group (N = 51); 2, sham-operated (SO) (N = 49); 3, intact group (IG) (N = 22). AP was induced by retrograde injection of 0.5 ml of 2.5% sodium taurocholate saline into the main biliopancreatic duct under ketamine chloride anesthesia. SO animals were submitted to the same surgical steps as AP animals except for AP induction. 3. Each experimental group was subdivided into two subgroups. The first subgroup was submitted to the study of MPS activity as follows: each group was injected with colloidal 198Au and liver clearance parameters were determined 2 h (N = 11), 12 h (N = 10) and 24 h (N = 10) later in the AP group, and 2 h (N = 9), 12 h (N = 10) and 24 h (N = 11) later in the SO group. In the second subgroup, HBF was assessed using 131I-bromosulphalein at 2 h (N = 10) and 24 h (N = 10) in the AP group and at 2 h (N = 10) and 24 h (N = 10) in the SO group. The IG was submitted to both radioactive tracer studies. Each animal was used for only one experiment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of Artemisia Princeps Supplementation on Bone Metabolism in Ovariectomized Rats.

PubMed

Cho, H-J; Kim, J-W; Ju, S-Y; Park, Y-K

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Artemisia princeps (AP) extract on bone metabolism and its potential role in the prevention of osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats. Twenty-six female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups and treated as follows: sham-operated control group (SHAM); ovariectomized control group (OVX), ovariectomized group treated by gavage with 10 mg/kg/day alendronate (ALEN); ovariectomized group treated by gavage with 100 mg/kg/day Artemisia princeps (AP100); ovariectomized group treated by gavage with 300 mg/kg/day Artemisia princeps (AP300). Treatment of ovariectomized rats with AP extracts for 15 weeks prevented the reduction in bone thickness and trabecular bone mineral density caused by urinary Ca and Cr excretion, and also prevented the increase in bone turnover by maintaining the serum Ca/P ratio. As a result, the microarchitecture of the trabecular bone and cortical bone after ovariectomy was markedly improved by administration of AP extracts. In conclusion, AP prevented bone loss and osteoclast activity associated with high bone turnover in ovariectomized rats by controlling the serum Ca/P ratio and through anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Our data implicate AP as a promising therapeutic option for the improvement of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

[Inhibitory effect and the mechanism of Astragalus polysaccharide combined with cisplatin on growth of inplanted Lewis lung carcinoma in mice].

PubMed

Zhuang, Mengjie; Liu, Dan; Chen, Yanwen; Ming, Haixia; Li, Yang

2017-04-01

Objective To observe the effect of Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) combined with cisplatin (DDP) on the expressions of cytochrome C (CytC) and high temperature required serine protease A2 (Omi/HtrA2) in the mice with Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) transplantated tumors. Methods Ninty C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normal control group, model group, and (50, 100, 200) μg/mL APS groups, 6 mg/kg DDP group, 3 mg/kg DDP combined with (50, 100, 200) μg/mL APS groups. Each group included 10 mice. Except the mice in the normal group, the rest mice were inoculated subcutaneously with LLC cells (1×10 7 mL) at the right fore axillary fossa to establish tumor-bearing mouse models. In the second day of building models, the mice in the treatment group were given intraperitoneal injection of 0.3 mL of the drug. DDP was given once a week, and the other drugs once a day. The mice in the normal group and the model group were administrated the same amount of saline injection for continuous 20 days. All mice were killed at the 21st day. The pathological changes of tumor tissues were observed by HE staining. The expressions and location of CytC and Omi/HtrA2 proteins in the transplanted tumor tissues were detected by immunohistochemical staining and image analysis. Results The mass of tumor decreased in the mice of (100, 200) μg/mL APS group and 3 mg/kg DDP combined with (100, 200) μg/mL APS group. Compared with the model group, the necrosis of tumor tissues in 200 μg/mL APS combined with 3 mg/kg DDP group was the most obvious. The expressions of CytC and Omi/HtrA2 increased in the treatment groups, and the increase was the most remarkable in 200 μg/mL APS combined with 3 mg/kg DDP group. Conclusion APS and APS combined with DDP can restrain the growth of Lewis Lung cancer in C57BL/6J mice, which may be related to the increased expressions of CytC and Omi/HtrA2.

CFTR and/or pancreatitis susceptibility genes mutations as risk factors of pancreatitis in cystic fibrosis patients?

PubMed

Gaitch, Natacha; Hubert, Dominique; Gameiro, Christine; Burgel, Pierre-Régis; Houriez, Florence; Martinez, Brigitte; Honoré, Isabelle; Chapron, Jeanne; Kanaan, Reem; Dusser, Daniel; Girodon, Emmanuelle; Bienvenu, Thierry

2016-01-01

Currently, factors that promote the occurrence of pancreatitis episodes in patients affected with cystic fibrosis (CF) and pancreatic sufficiency (PS) are largely unknown. Six genes involved in pancreatitis or in ion transport into the pancreatic duct were investigated by next generation sequencing in 59 adult CF-PS patients with two identified CF mutations. Data on predisposing environmental factors were also recorded. 19 experienced at least one episode of acute pancreatitis (AP) (AP+) and 40 patients did not (AP-). No influence of environmental factor was evidenced. No specific CFTR genotype was found predictive of pancreatitis. Patients sharing the same CFTR genotype may or may not experience AP episodes. Frequent and rare missense variants were found in 78.9% patients in group AP+ and 67.5% in group AP- but a few of them were pathogenic. AP or recurrent AP (RAP) is a frequent complication in our series of adult CF-PS patients. The majority of mild CFTR mutations found in group AP+ were located in the first transmembrane region. No clear other genetic factor could be found predictive of AP/RAP. Further experiments in large homogenous cohorts of CF-PS patients, including whole genome sequencing, may identify genetic predisposing factors to pancreatitis. Copyright © 2016 IAP and EPC. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An update of safety of clinically used atypical antipsychotics.

PubMed

Orsolini, L; Tomasetti, C; Valchera, A; Vecchiotti, R; Matarazzo, I; Vellante, F; Iasevoli, F; Buonaguro, E F; Fornaro, M; Fiengo, A L C; Martinotti, G; Mazza, M; Perna, G; Carano, A; De Bartolomeis, A; Di Giannantonio, M; De Berardis, D

2016-10-01

The atypical antipsychotic (APs) drugs have become the most widely used agents to treat a variety of psychoses because of their superiority with regard to safety and tolerability profile compared to conventional/'typical' APs. We aimed at providing a synthesis of most current evidence about the safety and tolerability profile of the most clinically used atypical APs so far marketed. Qualitative synthesis followed an electronic search made inquiring of the following databases: MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Library from inception until January 2016, combining free terms and MESH headings for the topics of psychiatric disorders and all atypical APs as following: ((safety OR adverse events OR side effects) AND (aripiprazole OR asenapine OR quetiapine OR olanzapine OR risperidone OR paliperidone OR ziprasidone OR lurasidone OR clozapine OR amisulpride OR iloperidone)). A critical issue in the treatment with atypical APs is represented by their metabolic side effect profile (e.g. weight gain, lipid and glycaemic imbalance, risk of diabetes mellitus and diabetic ketoacidosis) which may limit their use in particular clinical samples. Electrolyte imbalance, ECG abnormalities and cardiovascular adverse effects may recommend a careful baseline and periodic assessments.

Apelin-13 increased food intake with serum ghrelin and leptin levels in male rats.

PubMed

Saral, S; Alkanat, M; Sumer, A; Canpolat, S

2018-01-01

In this study, we aimed to explain the role of apelin-13 on body weight, food and water intake with serum leptin, ghrelin, neuropeptid Y (NPY) and peptid YY (PYY) levels in male rat. Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley male rats were used for the study. The rats were injected SP (0.9 %) intraperitoneally (i.p) in the control group and 30 (AP30), 100 (AP100) and 300 (AP300) µg/kg apelin-13 in the study groups, respectively, 10 min before the transition to dark period, for 10 days. During the experimental period, with light and dark periods of food and water intake, body weights were recorded in rats. Rats were euthanized and serum samples were obtained. In serum samples leptin, ghrelin, NPY and PYY levels were measured with specific ELISA kit. Apelin-13 was increased body weights in all three (AP30, AP100 and AP300) groups compared with the control group. AP100 and AP300 groups had increased food intake in the dark and the cumulative period, but in the light period food intake values were not significantly increased (p > 0.05). As for the value of water intake, compared with the control group, all dose of apelin-13 increased water intake during the dark and the cumulative period. There was no significant change in water intake in the light period. On the other hand, compared with the control group, serum leptin levels were found to increase in the groups administered 100 and 300 µg/kg of apelin-13 (p < 0.05). Ghrelin levels were found high in all groups treated with apelin-13. Serum levels of NPY decreased only in the 300 µg/kg apelin-13 treated group (p 0.05). Apelin-13 increases body weight in rats as well as food and water intake (dark and cumulative period). Additionally, ghrelin can mediate the orexigenic effect of apelin-13 in the regulation of food intake (Fig. 4, Ref. 37).

Design and Implementation of an Interface Editor for the Amadeus Multi- Relational Database Front-end System

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-03-25

application of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) and Human-Computer Interface (HCI) design principles. Knowledge gained from each topic has been incorporated...through the ap- plication of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) and Human-Computer Interface (HCI) design principles. Knowledge gained from each topic has...programming and Human-Computer Interface (HCI) design. Knowledge gained from each is applied to the design of a Form-based interface for database data

The protective role of melatonin on L-arginine-induced acute pancreatitis in adult male albino rats.

PubMed

Sadek, A S; Khattab, R T

2017-01-01

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory disease that has an increasing incidence worldwide. AP is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates ranging 15-40% in its severe form. Oxidative stress plays an important role in pancreatic acinar cell injury in case of AP. Melatonin (Mel) is proven to have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of the work was to investigate the protective role of Mel against L-arginine (L-arg)-induced AP in adult male albino rats. Thirty-six adult male albino rats were used in this study. Animals were divided into four groups; Control group (Group A; n = 6), Mel group (Group B; n = 6), L-arg group (Group C; n = 12) receiving two doses of L-arg injection with 1 h interval in-between, and L-arg+Mel group (Group D; n = 12) receiving Mel 1 h after each L-arg injection. 24 h after the second L-arg injection, the serum levels of amylase (AM), lipase (LP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrotic factor-alpha (TNF-α) were determined. Then, pancreatic specimens were processed for histological and immunohistochemical staining with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the area percentage of VEGF and collagen content were measured by digital image analysis. Microscopic examination revealed that animals received L-arg only (Group C) showed loss of the pancreatic lobular architecture with marked fibrosis, acinar degeneration, inflammatory reaction and marked oedema with vascular congestion. Also, L-arg-induced AP caused a significant elevation of the serum levels of AM, LP, IL-6. All these histo-pathological and serological parameters were markedly improved by Mel administration. Melatonin exhibits strong therapeutic effects in the course of AP. Hence, the use of Mel as adjuvant treatment in AP is recommended.

Thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor and clot lysis time in pregnant patients with antiphospholipid syndrome: relationship with pregnancy outcome and thrombosis.

PubMed

Martinez-Zamora, Maria Angeles; Tassies, Dolors; Carmona, Francisco; Espinosa, Gerard; Cervera, Ricard; Reverter, Juan Carlos; Balasch, Juan

2009-12-01

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) pregnancies are associated with thrombotic obstetric complications, despite treatment. This study evaluated Thrombin Activatable Fibrinolysis Inhibitor (TAFI) levels, TAFI gene polymorphisms and Clot Lysis Time (CLT) in pregnant patients with APS in relation to pregnancy outcome and thrombosis. Group 1 consisted of 67 pregnant patients with APS. Group 2 included 66 pregnant patients with uneventful term pregnancies and delivery. Patients were sampled during each trimester and at baseline. TAFI antigen and CLT and two polymorphisms of the TAFI gene, Ala147Thr and +1542C/G, were determined. Significantly prolonged CLT was found at baseline in Group 1. Allele distribution of the TAFI gene polymorphisms was similar in both groups. Basal TAFI and CLT in patients with APS having an adverse or a good obstetrical outcome were similar. Comparison of TAFI and CLT baseline levels in patients with APS with or without previous thrombosis showed no statistical differences. Patients with APS have impairment in fibrinolysis evidenced by prolonged CLT at baseline. TAFI and CLT do not seem to be useful as markers of obstetric outcome or risk of thrombosis in patients with APS.

Blood pressure and heart rate response to posteriorly directed pressure applied to the cervical spine in young, pain-free individuals: a randomized, repeated-measures, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

PubMed

Yung, Emmanuel; Wong, Michael; Williams, Haddie; Mache, Kyle

2014-08-01

Randomized clinical trial. Objectives To compare the blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) response of healthy volunteers to posteriorly directed (anterior-to-posterior [AP]) pressure applied to the cervical spine versus placebo. Manual therapists employ cervical spine AP mobilizations for various cervical-shoulder pain conditions. However, there is a paucity of literature describing the procedure, cardiovascular response, and safety profile. Thirty-nine (25 female) healthy participants (mean ± SD age, 24.7 ± 1.9 years) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups. Group 1 received a placebo, consisting of light touch applied to the right C6 costal process. Group 2 received AP pressure at the same location. Blood pressure and HR were measured prior to, during, and after the application of AP pressure. One-way analysis of variance and paired-difference statistics were used for data analysis. There was no statistically significant difference between groups for mean systolic BP, mean diastolic BP, and mean HR (P >.05) for all time points. Within-group comparisons indicated statistically significant differences between baseline and post-AP pressure HR (-2.8 bpm; 95% confidence interval: -4.6, -1.1) and between baseline and post-AP pressure systolic BP (-2.4 mmHg; 95% confidence interval: -3.7, -1.0) in the AP group, and between baseline and postplacebo systolic BP (-2.6 mmHg; 95% confidence interval: -4.2, -1.0) in the placebo group. No participants reported any adverse reactions or side effects within 24 hours of testing. AP pressure caused a statistically significant physiologic response that resulted in a minor drop in HR (without causing asystole or vasodepression) after the procedure, whereas this cardiovascular change did not occur for those in the placebo group. Within both groups, there was a small but statistically significant reduction in systolic BP following the procedure.

Diadenosine tetraphosphate protects sympathetic terminals from 6-hydroxydopamine-induced degeneration in the eye.

PubMed

Hoyle, C H V; Pintor, J J

2010-06-01

To examine diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap(4)A) for its ability to protect the eye from neurodegeneration induced by subconjunctival application of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Intraocular neurodegeneration of anterior structures was induced by subconjunctival injections of 6-OHDA. Animals were pre-treated with topical corneal applications of Ap(4)A or saline. 6-OHDA caused miosis, abnormal pupillary light reflexes, a precipitous drop in intraocular pressure and loss of VMAT2-labelled (vesicle monoamine transporter-2, a marker for sympathetic neurones) intraocular neurones. Pre-treatment with Ap(4)A prevented all of these changes from being induced by 6-OHDA, demonstrably preserving the sympathetic innervation of the ciliary processes. This neuroprotective action of Ap(4)A was not shared with the related compounds adenosine, ATP or diadenosine pentaphosphate. P2-receptor antagonists showed that the effects of Ap(4)A were mediated via a P2-receptor. Ap4A is a natural component of tears and aqueous humour, and its neuroprotective effect indicates that one of its physiological roles is to maintain neurones within the eye. Ap(4)A can prevent the degeneration of intraocular nerves, and it is suggested that this compound may provide the basis for a therapeutic intervention aimed at preventing or ameliorating the development of glaucoma associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, subconjunctival application of 6-OHDA provides a useful model for studying diseases that cause ocular sympathetic dysautonomia.

Determination of L-AP4-bound human mGlu8 receptor amino terminal domain structure and the molecular basis for L-AP4’s group III mGlu receptor functional potency and selectivity

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

Schkeryantz, Jeffery M.; Chen, Qi; Ho, Joseph D.

Here, L-2-Amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (L-AP4) is a known potent and selective agonist for the Group III mGlu receptors. However, it does not show any selectivity among the individual group III mGlu subtypes. In order to understand the molecular basis for this group selectivity, we solved the first human mGlu8 amino terminal domain (ATD) crystal structures in complex with L-glu and L-AP4. In comparison with other published L-glu-bound mGlu ATD structures, we have observed L-glu binds in a significantly different manner in mGlu1. Furthermore, these new structures provided evidence that both the electronic and steric nature of the distal phosphate of L-AP4more » contribute to its exquisite Group III functional agonist potency and selectivity.« less

[Peculiarities of the course of arterial hypertension in patients with atherosclerotic stenoses of brachiocephalic arteries before and after surgery on carotid arteries].

PubMed

Kosacheva, N B; Tuev, A V

2013-01-01

Study aim was to investigate relationship between atherosclerosis of carotid arteries (CA) and the presence of arterial hypertension (AH) and possibilities of correction of AH after surgery. We examined 70 patients with episodes of elevation of arterial pressure (AP) scheduled for surgical interventions on brachiocephalic arteries (BCA) because of CA stenoses (n=50, group 1) or anomalies of BCA development (n=20, group 2). Before operation patients of group 1 had higher mean AP than patients of group 2 (103.6+/-11.3 and 91.7+/-6.6 mm Hg, respectively, p=0.00007). This difference disappeared after surgery. In postoperative period in patients with CA stenoses levels of both systolic and diastolic AP decreased (from 145.1+/-14.7 to 135.6+/-12.3, p=0.02; and from 83.3+/-10.2 78.1+/-9.7 mm Hg, =0.02, respectively). In group 2 no significant AP reduction was observed. Thus AP elevation in patients with involvement of BCA to a considerable degree is caused by CA stenosis. Surgical treatment of these patients facilitates lowering of AP.

Symposium: Ionic and Respiratory Interaction in Aquatic Animals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Physiologist, 1976

1976-01-01

Presented are eight abstracts of a symposium held in conjunction with the American Physiological Society (APS) and the American Society of Zoologists (ASZ). Fish gill structure and function, renal function, acid-base balance and ionic sensitivity are topics discussed. (EB)

Antioxidant Activity of Syringic Acid Prevents Oxidative Stress in l-arginine–Induced Acute Pancreatitis: An Experimental Study on Rats

PubMed Central

Cikman, Oztekin; Soylemez, Omer; Ozkan, Omer Faruk; Kiraz, Hasan Ali; Sayar, Ilyas; Ademoglu, Serkan; Taysi, Seyithan; Karaayvaz, Muammer

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible protective role of antioxidant treatment with syringic acid (SA) on l-arginine–induced acute pancreatitis (AP) using biochemical and histopathologic approaches. A total of 30 rats were divided into 3 groups. The control group received normal saline intraperitoneally. The AP group was induced by 3.2 g/kg body weight l-arginine intraperitoneally, administered twice with an interval of 1 hour between administrations. The AP plus SA group, after having AP induced by 3.2 g/kg body weight l-arginine, was given SA (50 mg kg−1) in 2 parts within 24 hours. The rats were killed, and pancreatic tissue was removed and used in biochemical and histopathologic examinations. Compared with the control group, the mean pancreatic tissue total oxidant status level, oxidative stress index, and lipid hydroperoxide levels were significantly increased in the AP group, being 30.97 ± 7.13 (P < 0.05), 1.76 ± 0.34 (P < 0.0001), and 19.18 ± 4.91 (P < 0.01), respectively. However, mean total antioxidant status and sulfhydryl group levels were significantly decreased in the AP group compared with the control group, being 1.765 ± 0.21 (P < 0.0001) and 0.21 ± 0.04 (P < 0.0001), respectively. SA reduces oxidative stress markers and has antioxidant effects. It also augments antioxidant capacity in l-arginine–induced acute toxicity of pancreas in rats. PMID:26011211

Antioxidant Activity of Syringic Acid Prevents Oxidative Stress in l-arginine-Induced Acute Pancreatitis: An Experimental Study on Rats.

PubMed

Cikman, Oztekin; Soylemez, Omer; Ozkan, Omer Faruk; Kiraz, Hasan Ali; Sayar, Ilyas; Ademoglu, Serkan; Taysi, Seyithan; Karaayvaz, Muammer

2015-05-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible protective role of antioxidant treatment with syringic acid (SA) on l-arginine-induced acute pancreatitis (AP) using biochemical and histopathologic approaches. A total of 30 rats were divided into 3 groups. The control group received normal saline intraperitoneally. The AP group was induced by 3.2 g/kg body weight l-arginine intraperitoneally, administered twice with an interval of 1 hour between administrations. The AP plus SA group, after having AP induced by 3.2 g/kg body weight l-arginine, was given SA (50 mg kg(-1)) in 2 parts within 24 hours. The rats were killed, and pancreatic tissue was removed and used in biochemical and histopathologic examinations. Compared with the control group, the mean pancreatic tissue total oxidant status level, oxidative stress index, and lipid hydroperoxide levels were significantly increased in the AP group, being 30.97 ± 7.13 (P < 0.05), 1.76 ± 0.34 (P < 0.0001), and 19.18 ± 4.91 (P < 0.01), respectively. However, mean total antioxidant status and sulfhydryl group levels were significantly decreased in the AP group compared with the control group, being 1.765 ± 0.21 (P < 0.0001) and 0.21 ± 0.04 (P < 0.0001), respectively. SA reduces oxidative stress markers and has antioxidant effects. It also augments antioxidant capacity in l-arginine-induced acute toxicity of pancreas in rats.

Associations between the incidence of antiphosphatidylserine and antiphosphatidylethanolamine antibodies and clinical manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus.

PubMed

Butkiewicz, Filip; Kaszuba, Michał; Brzeziński, Michał; Iżbicki, Jan; Kubiś, Marek; Lopiński, Hubert; Borowiak, Michał; Szelepajło, Michał; Fischer, Katarzyna; Fliciński, Jacek

2014-01-01

Antiphosphatidylethanolamine antibodies (aPE) and antiphosphatidylserine antibodies (aPS) belong to a group of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) that occur in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of this study was to examine associations between the elevated serum concentration of aPE/aPS, the clinical manifestations of SLE, and the presence of other autoantibodies. The study group included 71 patients with SLE. The control group comprised 36 healthy volunteers. In both groups, serum aPS and aPE concentrations were measured with enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assays. Clinical data, including clinical manifestations and the laboratory markers of SLE, were obtained from medical records. The study revealed a higher prevalence of aPE in patients with SLE than in controls (54.93% vs. 5.56%). aPS were observed in the study group less frequently compared with aPE (12.68% vs. 54.93%) and were absent in controls. Anticardiolipin antibodies and APS were found to be associated with the presence of aPS. Thrombocytopenia, Raynaud phenomenon, and myocardial infarction were observed more frequently among aPS‑positive patients. The presence of aPE was also associated with the occurrence of mucosal ulcers in the mouth cavity. A positive correlation between aPS and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was also observed. The serum concentration of aPE inversely correlated with red blood cell count and positively with ESR. The presence of aPS in patients with SLE is associated with thrombocytopenia, Raynaud phenomenon, and cardiac complications.

Realising their potential? Exploring interprofessional perceptions and potential of the advanced practitioner role: a qualitative analysis

PubMed Central

Powell, Tom; Watkins, Dianne; Kelly, Daniel

2015-01-01

Objectives To explore perceptions of the current practice and future potential of advanced practitioners (APs) from the perspectives of different professional groups in Wales UK. Design A qualitative study consisting of nine focus group interviews. Methods Initially verbatim transcriptions of each focus group interviews were analysed thematically before themes were merged to represent perceptions for the whole data set. Participants Data were gathered from a total of 67 stakeholders—including APs from a variety of professional groups (eg, nursing, physiotherapy, paramedics) as well as managers, workforce developers, educators and medical staff who have a role developing and supporting APs in practice. Results The results are presented in four themes: (1) demand, policy context and future priorities, (2) role clarity and standardisation, (3) agreement and understanding of the role and (4) interprofessional working. The context within which current and future AP roles were considered was influenced by inexorable demands for healthcare and the requirements to meet health policy priorities. Developing AP roles were hampered currently by a lack of shared understanding and ‘joined-up’ working between different groups such as medical practitioners, managers, commissioners and educators. Conclusions For the AP role to flourish more ‘joined-up’ thinking, support and development opportunities are required between APs, managers, senior clinicians, commissioners and educators. Working together to plan and deliver education, innovation and service delivery is of prime importance to meeting ever increasing complex health needs. This will ensure that future APs are adequately prepared and supported to reach their full potential and help deliver necessary innovations in current models of care delivery. PMID:26656024

[Case-control study on minimally invasive percutaneous locking compression plate internal fixation for the treatment of type II and III pilon fractures].

PubMed

Zhang, Zhi-Da; Ye, Xiu-Yi; Shang, Li-Yong; Xu, Rong-Ming; Zhu, Yan-Zhao

2011-12-01

To explore the clinical efficacy of delayed open reduction and internal fixation with minimally invasive percutaneous locking compression plate for the treatment of type II and III Pilon fractures. From January 2007 to September 2009, 32 patients with type II and III Pilon fractures were treated with open reduction and anatomic plate fixation (AP group) and minimally invasive percutaneous locking compression plate osteosynthesis (LCP group). There were 11 males and 6 females in AP group, with an average age of (37.4 +/- 13.3) years (ranged, 19 to 55 years). And there were 10 males and 5 females in LCP group, with an average age of (34.6 +/- 11.3) years(ranged, 21 to 56 years). The operating time, fracture healing time, aligned angulation and ankle function were compared between the two groups. All the patients were followed up, and the during ranged from 12 to 25 months, with a mean of (15.0 +/- 1.7) months. The average operation time was (76.5 +/- 8.3) min for AP group and (58.3 +/- 3.4) min for LCP group; the average time of fracture healing was (20.5 +/- 0.4) weeks for AP group and (15.7 +/- 0.2) weeks for LCP group; the total angulation between anterior posterior film and lateral film was averaged (6.6 +/- 0.5) degrees for AP group and (3.6 +/- 0.2) degrees for LCP group. As to above index, the results of LCP group were better than those of AP group (P < 0.05). According to Kofoed criteria for ankle joint, the results of LCP group were better than those of AP group in ankle joint pain, wakling and ankle joint function (P < 0.05). The method of minimally invasive percutaneous locking compression plate internal fixation is effective in the treatment of Pilon fracture with less invasion, faster bone union, more stabilized fixation, quicker recovery of ankle function and fewer complications, which is more advantaged for type II and III Pilon fractures.

Necroptosis: a potential, promising target and switch in acute pancreatitis.

PubMed

Wang, Gang; Qu, Feng-Zhi; Li, Le; Lv, Jia-Chen; Sun, Bei

2016-02-01

Pancreatic acinar cell death is the major pathophysiological change in early acute pancreatitis (AP), and the death modalities are important factors determining its progression and prognosis. During AP, acinar cells undergo two major modes of death, including necrosis and apoptosis. Acinar necrosis can lead to intensely local and systemic inflammatory responses, which both induce and aggravate the lesion. Necrosis has long been considered an unregulated, and passive cell death process. Since the effective interventions of necrosis are difficult to perform, its relevant studies have not received adequate attention. Necroptosis is a newly discovered cell death modality characterized by both necrosis and apoptosis, i.e., it is actively regulated by special genes, while has the typical morphological features of necrosis. Currently, necroptosis is gradually becoming an important topic in the fields of inflammatory diseases. The preliminary results from necroptosis in AP have confirmed the existence of acinar cell necroptosis, which may be a potential target for effectively regulating inflammatory injuries and improving its outcomes; however, the functional changes and mechanisms of necroptosis still require further investigation. This article reviewed the progress of necroptosis in AP to provide a reference for deeply understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of AP and identifying new therapeutic targets.

Diadenosine polyphosphates in the tears of aniridia patients.

PubMed

Peral, Assumpta; Carracedo, Gonzalo; Pintor, Jesús

2015-08-01

To quantify diadenosine polyphosphate levels in tears of congenital aniridia patients to estimate the ocular surface changes associated with congenital aniridia compared to normal individuals. Fifteen patients diagnosed with congenital aniridia and a control group of forty volunteers were studied. Tears were collected to quantify the levels of diadenosine polyphosphates Ap4 A and Ap5 A by high-performance liquid chromatography (H.P.L.C). Break-up time (BUT), corneal staining, McMonnies questionnaire and the Schirmer I test were applied to both groups. Dinucleotides in congenital aniridia patients were higher than in control subjects. For the congenital aniridia group, under 15 years old, the values were 0.77 ± 0.01 μm and 0.17 ± 0.02 μm for Ap4 A and Ap5 A, respectively. The group aged from 15 to 40 years old provided concentrations of 4.37 ± 0.97 μm and 0.46 ± 0.05 μm for Ap4 A and Ap5 A, the group over 40 gave concentrations of 11.17 ± 5.53 μm and 0.68 ± 0.17 μm for Ap4 A and Ap5 A. Dinucleotide concentrations increased with age, being statistically significant different among the three age groups (p < 0.05). Congenital aniridia patients showed a normal tear secretion and no dry eye McMonnies scores, except for the group over 40 years old. BUT values decreased and corneal staining increased with age and correlated with the levels of diadenosine polyphosphates (p < 0.05). The levels of dinucleotides in tears increase in aniridia patients compared with healthy subjects, and they seem to be related with the progression of corneal disorders in aniridia patients, both of which increase with ageing. © 2014 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

SU-E-T-14: A Feasibility Study of Using Modified AP Proton Beam for Post-Operative Pancreatic Cancer Therapy

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

Ding, X; Witztum, A; Kenton, O

2014-06-01

Purpose: Due to the unpredictability of bowel gas movement, the PA beam direction is always favored for robust proton therapy in post-operative pancreatic cancer treatment. We investigate the feasibility of replacing PA beam with a modified AP beam to take the bowel gas uncertainty into account. Methods: Nine post-operative pancreatic cancer patients treated with proton therapy (5040cGy, 28 fractions) in our institution were randomly selected. The original plan uses PA and lateral direction passive-scattering proton beams. Beam weighting is about 1:1. All patients received weekly verification CTs to assess the daily variations(total 17 verification CTs). The PA direction beam wasmore » replaced by two other groups of AP direction beam. Group AP: takes 3.5% range uncertainty into account. Group APmod: compensates the bowel gas uncertainty by expanding the proximal margin to 2cm more. The 2cm margin was acquired from the average bowel diameter in from 100 adult abdominal CT scans near pancreatic region (+/- 5cm superiorly and inferiorly). Dose Volume Histograms(DVHs) of the verification CTs were acquired for robustness study. Results: Without the lateral beam, Group APmod is as robust as Group PA. In Group AP, more than 10% of iCTV D98/D95 were reduced by 4–8%. LT kidney and Liver dose robustness are not affected by the AP/PA beam direction. There is 10% of chance that RT kidney and cord will be hit by AP proton beam due to the bowel gas. Compared to Group PA, APmod plan reduced the dose to kidneys and cord max significantly, while there is no statistical significant increase in bowel mean dose. Conclusion: APmod proton beam for the target coverage could be as robust as the PA direction without sacrificing too much of bowel dose. When the AP direction beam has to be selected, a 2cm proximal margin should be considered.« less

Chemical synthesis of 5'-pyrophosphate and triphosphate derivatives of 3'-5' ApA, ApG, GpA and GpG. CD study of the effect of 5'-phosphate groups on the conformation of 3'-5' GpG.

PubMed Central

Tomasz, J; Simoncsits, A; Kajtár, M; Krug, R M; Shatkin, A J

1978-01-01

A simple, two-step method is described for the synthesis of the 5'-pyro- and triphosphate derivatives of 3'-5' ApA, ApG, GpA and GpG. The readily accessible 2'(3')-5' ApA, ApG, GpA and GpG were converted in one step to the corresponding 5'-phosphoramidate derivatives which were then transformed to the 5'-pyro- and triphosphates. CD spectra of 3'-5' pn GpG (n = 0,1,2 or 3) derivatives, measured at pH 1, indicated stabilization of the (syn) G+p (anti)G conformation by the 5'-phosphate groups. PMID:211490

Effects of aspiration pneumonia on the intensive care requirements and in-hospital mortality of hospitalised patients with acute cerebrovascular disease.

PubMed

Güngen, Adil Can; Aydemir, Yusuf; Güngen, Belma Dogan; Yazar, Esra Ertan; Yağız, Orhan; Aras, Yeşim Güzey; Gümüş, Hatice; Erkorkmaz, Ünal

2017-08-01

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of the development of aspiration pneumonia (AP) on the intensive care unit (ICU) requirements and in-hospital mortality of patients hospitalised in the neurology ward due to an acute cerebrovascular accident (CVA). Five hundred and three patients hospitalised in the neurology ward following an acute CVA were retrospectively analysed. The patients were divided into two groups: those with AP (group 1) and those without AP (group 2). Demographic characteristics and physical and radiological findings, including the localisation, lateralisation and aetiology of the infarction, in addition to ICU requirements and mortality, were evaluated. Aspiration pneumonia was detected in 80 (15.9%) patients during the in-hospital stay. Transfer to the ICU for any reason was required in 37.5% of the patients in group 1 and 4.7% of those in group 2 ( p < 0.001). In-hospital mortality occurred in 7.5% and 1.4% of the patients in group 1 and group 2, respectively ( p = 0.006). The incidence of AP was highest in patients with an infarction of the medial cerebral artery (MCA) ( p < 0.001). The AP was associated with older age ( p < 0.001), hypertension ( p = 0.007), echocardiography findings ( p = 0.032) and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score ( p < 0.001). Our findings suggest that the requirement rate for transfer to the ICU and the mortality rate appear to be significantly higher in patients with a diagnosis of AP. Precautions should be taken, starting from the first day of hospitalisation, to decrease the incidence of AP in patients with acute CVA, focusing especially on older patients and those with a severe mRS score.

Metabolomic profiles illuminate the efficacy of Chinese herbal Da-Cheng-Qi decoction on acute pancreatitis in rats.

PubMed

Li, Juan; Zhu, Shi-Feng; Zhao, Xian-Lin; Liu, Yi-Xia; Wan, Mei-Hua; Guo, Hui; Liu, Yi-Ling; Gong, Han-Lin; Chen, Guang-Yuan; Tang, Wen-Fu

2015-01-01

Chinese herbal drug Da-Cheng-Qi decoction (DCQD) has been widely used for decades to treat acute pancreatitis (AP). Previous trials are mostly designed to state the potential mechanisms of the therapeutic effects rather than to detect its whole effect on metabolism. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of DCQD on metabolism in AP. Twenty-two male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into three groups. AP was induced by retrograde ductal infusion of 3.5% sodium taurocholate solution in DCQD and AP group, while 0.9% saline solution was used in sham operation (SO) group. Blood samples were obtained 12 h after drug administration and a 600 MHz superconducting Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometer was used to detected plasma metabolites. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis after Orthogonal Signal Correction (OSC-PLS-DA) were applied to analyze the Longitudinal Eddy-delay (LED) and Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) spectra. Differences in concentrations of metabolites among the three groups were detected by OSC-PLS-DA of 1HNMR spectra (both LED and CPMG). Compared with SO group, DCQD group had higher levels of plasma glycerol, glutamic acid, low density lipoprotein (LDL), saturated fatty acid (FA) and lower levels of alanine and glutamine, while the metabolic changes were reversed in the AP group. Our results demonstrated that DCQD was capable of altering the changed concentrations of metabolites in rats with AP and 1HNMR-based metabolomic approach provided a new methodological cue for systematically investigating the efficacies and mechanisms of DCQD in treating AP. Copyright © 2015 IAP and EPC. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

α-Synuclein inclusions in the skin of Parkinson's disease and parkinsonism.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Leyva, Ildefonso; Calderón-Garcidueñas, Ana Laura; Jiménez-Capdeville, María E; Rentería-Palomo, Ana Arely; Hernandez-Rodriguez, Héctor Gerardo; Valdés-Rodríguez, Rodrigo; Fuentes-Ahumada, Cornelia; Torres-Álvarez, Bertha; Sepúlveda-Saavedra, Julio; Soto-Domínguez, Adolfo; Santoyo, Martha E; Rodriguez-Moreno, José Ildefonso; Castanedo-Cázares, Juan Pablo

2014-07-01

The presence in the brain of α-synuclein containing Lewy neurites, or bodies, is the histological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD). The discovery of α-synuclein aggregates in nerve endings of the heart, digestive tract, and skin has lent support to the concept of PD as a systemic disease. Our goals were, first, to demonstrate the presence of α-synuclein inclusions in the skin and, second, to detect quantitative differences between patients with PD and atypical parkinsonism (AP). Skin biopsies were taken from 67 patients and 20 controls. The biopsies underwent immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF) testing for α-synuclein, whereupon its presence was quantified as the percentage of positive cells. Patients were divided into those with PD and those with AP. AP patients included AP with neurodegenerative disease (proteinopathies) and secondary AP. Sixty-seven patients (34 with PD) and 20 controls were recruited. In the PD group, α-synuclein was detected in 58% of the cells in the spinous cell layer (SCL), 62% in the pilosebaceous unit (PSU), and 58% in the eccrine glands (EG). The AP-proteinopathies group showed 7%, 7%, and 0% expression of α-synuclein, respectively. No expression was found in the skin of the control group. The expression of α-synuclein in the skin was relatively high in the PD group, scarce in AP, and null for the individuals in the control group. While these findings require further confirmation, this minimally invasive technique may aid in the improvement of the accuracy of PD diagnoses.

The importance of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography in the diagnosis and clinical course of acute pancreatitis.

PubMed

Kaya, Muhsin; Değirmenci, Serdar; Göya, Cemil; Tuncel, Elif Tuba; Uçmak, Feyzullah; Kaplan, Mehmet Ali

2018-05-01

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is characterized by acute inflammation of the pancreas and it has a highly variable clinical course. The aim of our study was to evaluate the value of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography in the diagnosis and clinical course of AP. Consecutive patients with a diagnosis of AP (patients group) and healthy subject (control group) were prospectively enrolled to the study. Demographic features and clinical, laboratory, and radiological data were recorded. Virtual Touch Tissue Quantification (VTQ) was used to implement ARFI elastography. The tissue elasticity is proportional to the square of the wave velocity (SWV). A total of 108 patients (age, 57±1.8 y) and 79 healthy subjects (age, 53.6±1.81 y) were included in the study. There were 100 (92.5%) edematous and 8 (7.4%) necrotizing AP. The mean SWV was significantly higher in the patient group than in the control group (2.43±0.08 vs. 1.27±0.025 m/s, p < 0.001). There was not significant difference between patient and control group regarding age and gender. SWV cutoff value of 1.63 m/s was associated with 100% sensitivity and 98% specificity for the diagnosis of AP. There was not significant difference between patients with and without complications and patients with edematous and necrotizing AP regarding mean SWV value. There was also not significant correlation between mean SWV value and age, mean length of hospital stay, and mean amylase level. ARFI elastography may be a feasible method for the diagnosis of AP, but it has no value for the prediction of clinical course of AP.

Conjugated bile acids in gallbladder bile and serum as potential biomarkers for cholesterol polyps and adenomatous polyps.

PubMed

Zhao, Mei-Fen; Huang, Peng; Ge, Chun-Lin; Sun, Tao; Ma, Zhi-Gang; Ye, Fei-Fei

2016-02-28

To identify conjugated bile acids in gallbladder bile and serum as possible biomarkers for cholesterol polyps (CPs) and adenomatous polyps (APs). Gallbladder bile samples and serum samples were collected from 18 patients with CPs (CP group), 9 patients with APs (AP group), and 20 patients with gallstones (control group) from March to November, 2013. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay with ultraviolent detection was used to detect the concentration of 8 conjugated bile acids (glycocholic acid, GCA; taurocholic acid, TCA; glycochenodeoxycholic acid, GCDCA; taurochenodeoxycholic acid, TCDCA; glycodeoxycholic acid, GDCA; taurodeoxycholic acid, TDCA; taurolithocholic acid, TLCA; tauroursodeoxycholic acid, TUDCA) in bile samples and serum samples. The diagnostic efficacy of serum GCA, GCDCA and TCDCA was evaluated. These 8 conjugated bile acids in gallbladder bile and serum were completely identified within 10 minutes with good linearity (correlation coefficient: R>0.9900; linearity range: 3.91-500 µg/mL). Among these conjugated bile acids, the levels of gallbladder bile GCDCA and TCDCA in the CP group were significantly higher than those in the AP group (p<0.05). Furthermore, serum GCDCA and TCDCA as well as GCA were significantly higher in the AP group than the CP group (p<0.05). Serum GCDCA alone (≤12 µg/mL) had relatively better diagnostic efficacy than the other conjugated bile acids. The levels of serum GCA, GCDCA and TCDCA may be valuable for differentiation of APs and CPs.

Tackling Misconceptions about Linear Associations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huey, Maryann E.; Baker, Deidra L.

2015-01-01

Many teachers of required secondary school mathematics classes are introducing statistics and probability topics traditionally relegated to college or AP Statistics courses. As a result, they need guidance in preparing lesson plans and orchestrating effective classroom discussions. In this article, the authors will describe the students' learning…

Induction of Severe Chronic Hyperplastic Candidiasis in Rat by Opportunistic Infection of C. albicans through Combination of Diabetes and Intermittent Prednisolone Administration.

PubMed

Terayama, Yui; Matsuura, Tetsuro; Ozaki, Kiyokazu

2017-08-01

Chronic hyperplastic candidiasis progresses from squamous cell hyperplasia to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC); however, the oncogenic mechanism remains unclear. In the present study, we attempted to induce opportunistic Candida albicans infection and establish chronic hyperplastic candidiasis in rats by combining diabetic condition and prednisolone administration, followed by analysis of the inflammatory cells involved in the disease progression. Female Wistar Bunn/Kobori (WBN/Kob) rats were divided into 3 groups: alloxan-induced diabetic rats (A group) along with diabetic (AP group) and nondiabetic (P group) rats intermittently treated with prednisolone. Animals were euthanized at 42 weeks of age. Squamous cell hyperplasia following C. albicans infection in the forestomach was observed in almost all AP and A group rats. The lesions in the AP group were significantly more severe than those in the A group. In addition, SCC was detected in 1 AP group animal. Cluster of differentiation (CD)4-positive T cell and CD68-positive macrophage infiltration in the AP group was significantly stronger than that in the A group. These findings suggest that the combination of diabetes and intermittent prednisolone administration could induce chronic hyperplastic candidiasis without direct C. albicans inoculation and that CD4-positive T cells and CD68-positive macrophages may be highly involved in the pathogenesis of these hyperplastic lesions.

Loss of body weight and fat and improved lipid profiles in obese rats fed apple pomace or apple juice concentrate.

PubMed

Cho, Kyung-Dong; Han, Chan-Kyu; Lee, Bog-Hieu

2013-09-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of apple pomace (AP) and apple juice concentrate (AC) supplementation on body weight and fat loss as well as lipid metabolism in obese rats fed a high-fat diet. Diet-induced obese rats were assigned to three groups (n=8 for each group): high fat diet (HFD) control, HFD containing 10% (w/w) AP, and HFD containing 10% (w/w) AC. There was also a normal diet group (n=8). After 5 weeks, body weight gain, adipose tissue weight, serum and hepatic lipid profiles, liver morphology, and adipocyte size were measured. Body weight gain, white adipose tissue (WAT) weight, serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations, epididymal adipocyte size, and lesion scores were significantly lower and serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration and brown adipose tissue weights were significantly higher in the AP and AC groups compared with the HFD group. In addition, atherogenic indices in the AP and AC groups were significantly lower than in the HFD group. These results indicate that supplementing apple products such as AP and AC may help suppress body weight and WAT gain, as well as improve lipid profiles in diet-induced obese rats.

Loss of Body Weight and Fat and Improved Lipid Profiles in Obese Rats Fed Apple Pomace or Apple Juice Concentrate

PubMed Central

Cho, Kyung-Dong; Han, Chan-Kyu

2013-01-01

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of apple pomace (AP) and apple juice concentrate (AC) supplementation on body weight and fat loss as well as lipid metabolism in obese rats fed a high-fat diet. Diet-induced obese rats were assigned to three groups (n=8 for each group): high fat diet (HFD) control, HFD containing 10% (w/w) AP, and HFD containing 10% (w/w) AC. There was also a normal diet group (n=8). After 5 weeks, body weight gain, adipose tissue weight, serum and hepatic lipid profiles, liver morphology, and adipocyte size were measured. Body weight gain, white adipose tissue (WAT) weight, serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations, epididymal adipocyte size, and lesion scores were significantly lower and serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration and brown adipose tissue weights were significantly higher in the AP and AC groups compared with the HFD group. In addition, atherogenic indices in the AP and AC groups were significantly lower than in the HFD group. These results indicate that supplementing apple products such as AP and AC may help suppress body weight and WAT gain, as well as improve lipid profiles in diet-induced obese rats. PMID:23909905

Amelioration of CCl4-induced liver injury in rats by selenizing Astragalus polysaccharides: Role of proinflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress and hepatic stellate cells.

PubMed

Hamid, Mohammed; Liu, Dandan; Abdulrahim, Yassin; Liu, Yunhuan; Qian, Gang; Khan, Alamzeb; Gan, Fang; Huang, Kehe

2017-10-01

Selenizing Astragalus polysaccharides (sAPS) were prepared by nitric acid-sodium selenite method. Effect of sAPS on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury and the underlying mechanisms were investigated in the rat. Forty male Wistar rats were divided into five equal groups as follows: control group; CCl 4 group; CCl 4 +Astragalus polysaccharides group; CCl 4 +sodium selenite group and CCl 4 +selenizing Astragalus polysaccharides group. The results showed that sAPS significantly decreased the levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase in the serum, malondialdehyde and hydroxyproline content in liver (P<0.01), and increased the levels of total protein, total antioxidant capacity, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase in liver of rats induced by CCl 4. In addition, expression levels of antioxidant-related genes (GPX1, SOD1, and Nrf2) were significantly increased following supplementation of the sAPS (P<0.01). Furthermore, sAPS effectively ameliorated CCl 4 induced hepatic necrosis and inflammation, and it also reduced the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines including TNF-α, IL-6, COX-2 and NFκB (P<0.01) . Moreover, sAPS significantly decreased the expression levels of α-smooth muscle actin, collagen 1, TGF-β1, but increased the Bcl-2/Bax mRNA ratio in rats administered CCl 4 (P<0.01). Taken together, it could be concluded that sAPS could increase the activities of Astragalus polysaccharides and sodium selenite to protect the liver from damage by attenuating hepatic inflammation, oxidative stress, fibrogenesis, and induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in hepatic stellate cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Arsenic may be involved in fluoride-induced bone toxicity through PTH/PKA/AP1 signaling pathway.

PubMed

Zeng, Qi-bing; Xu, Yu-yan; Yu, Xian; Yang, Jun; Hong, Feng; Zhang, Ai-hua

2014-01-01

Chronic exposure to combined fluoride and arsenic continues to be a major public health problem worldwide, affecting thousands of people. In recent years, more and more researchers began to focus on the interaction between the fluorine and the arsenic. In this study, the selected investigation site was located in China. The study group was selected from people living in fluoride-arsenic polluted areas due to burning coal. The total number of participants was 196; including the fluoride-arsenic anomaly group (130) and the fluoride-arsenic normal group (63). By observing the changes in gene and protein expression of PTH/PKA/AP1 signaling pathway, the results show that fluoride can increase the expression levels of PTH, PKA, and AP1, but arsenic can only affect the expression of AP1; fluoride and arsenic have an interaction on the expression of AP1. Further study found that fluoride and arsenic can affect the mRNA expression level of c-fos gene (AP1 family members), and have an interaction on the expression of c-fos, but not c-jun. The results indicate that PTH/PKA/AP1 signaling pathway may play an important role in bone toxicity of fluoride. Arsenic can affect the expression of c-fos, thereby affecting the expression of transcription factor AP1, indirectly involved in fluoride-induced bone toxicity. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Preventive effects of ACTICOA powder, a cocoa polyphenolic extract, on experimentally induced prostate hyperplasia in Wistar-Unilever rats.

PubMed

Bisson, Jean-François; Hidalgo, Sophie; Rozan, Pascale; Messaoudi, Michaël

2007-12-01

Plant extracts are useful in the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This study investigates whether ACTICOA (Barry Callebaut France, Louviers, France) powder (AP), a cocoa polyphenolic extract, could prevent prostate hyperplasia induced by testosterone propionate (TP) in rats. Male Wistar-Unilever rats were randomly divided in four groups of 12 rats: one negative control group receiving subcutaneous injections of corn oil and treated with vehicle and three groups injected subcutaneously with TP and treated with the vehicle (positive control) or AP at 24 (AP24) and 48 (AP48) mg/kg/day. Treatments were given orally and started 2 weeks before the induction of prostate hyperplasia. The influence of TP and AP on body weights and food and water consumption of rats was examined. On day 36, rats were sacrificed, and the prostates were removed, cleaned, and weighed. The prostate size ratio (prostate weight/rat body weight) was then calculated. TP significantly influenced the body weight gain of the rats and their food and water consumption, while AP at both doses tested reduced significantly these differences. TP significantly increased prostate size ratio (P < .001), and this induced increase was significantly inhibited in AP-treated rats in comparison with positive controls (P < .001) in a dose-dependent manner. We conclude that AP can prevent TP-induced prostate hyperplasia and therefore may be beneficial in the management of BPH.

Genome-Wide Identification of AP2/ERF Transcription Factors in Cauliflower and Expression Profiling of the ERF Family under Salt and Drought Stresses

PubMed Central

Li, Hui; Wang, Yu; Wu, Mei; Li, Lihong; Li, Cong; Han, Zhanpin; Yuan, Jiye; Chen, Chengbin; Song, Wenqin; Wang, Chunguo

2017-01-01

The AP2/ERF transcription factors (TFs) comprise one of the largest gene superfamilies in plants. These TFs perform vital roles in plant growth, development, and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, 171 AP2/ERF TFs were identified in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis), one of the most important horticultural crops in Brassica. Among these TFs, 15, 9, and 1 TFs were classified into the AP2, RAV, and Soloist family, respectively. The other 146 TFs belong to ERF family, which were further divided into the ERF and DREB subfamilies. The ERF subfamily contained 91 TFs, while the DREB subfamily contained 55 TFs. Phylogenetic analysis results indicated that the AP2/ERF TFs can be classified into 13 groups, in which 25 conserved motifs were confirmed. Some motifs were group- or subgroup- specific, implying that they are significant to the functions of the AP2/ERF TFs of these clades. In addition, 35 AP2/ERF TFs from the 13 groups were selected randomly and then used for expression pattern analysis under salt and drought stresses. The majority of these AP2/ERF TFs exhibited positive responses to these stress conditions. In specific, Bra-botrytis-ERF054a, Bra-botrytis-ERF056, and Bra-botrytis-CRF2a demonstrated rapid responses. By contrast, six AP2/ERF TFs were showed to delay responses to both stresses. The AP2/ERF TFs exhibiting specific expression patterns under salt or drought stresses were also confirmed. Further functional analysis indicated that ectopic overexpression of Bra-botrytis-ERF056 could increase tolerance to both salt and drought treatments. These findings provide new insights into the AP2/ERF TFs present in cauliflower, and offer candidate AP2/ERF TFs for further studies on their roles in salt and drought stress tolerance. PMID:28642765

[Effectiveness of a self-management program using goal setting based on a G-AP for patients after a stroke].

PubMed

Park, Min Gyeong; Ha, Yeongmi

2014-10-01

This study was conducted to develop a self-management program using goal setting for patients after a stroke. The program was based on a theory-based Goal setting and Action Planning framework (G-AP), and the effectiveness of the program was examined. A non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. The experimental group (n=30) received the self-management program using goal setting based on the G-AP over 7 weeks. The education was delivered individually with a specifically designed stroke workbook. The control group (n=30) received only patient information leaflets about stroke. There were significant differences between the two groups. Stroke knowledge, self-efficacy, and health behavior compliance were significantly higher (all p<.001), and hospital anxiety (p<.001) and depression (p<.001) were significantly lower in the experimental group compared to the control group. This self-management program using goal setting based on a G-AP was found to be useful and beneficial for patients in stroke rehabilitation settings.

Flexible Unicast-Based Group Communication for CoAP-Enabled Devices †

PubMed Central

Ishaq, Isam; Hoebeke, Jeroen; Van den Abeele, Floris; Rossey, Jen; Moerman, Ingrid; Demeester, Piet

2014-01-01

Smart embedded objects will become an important part of what is called the Internet of Things. Applications often require concurrent interactions with several of these objects and their resources. Existing solutions have several limitations in terms of reliability, flexibility and manageability of such groups of objects. To overcome these limitations we propose an intermediately level of intelligence to easily manipulate a group of resources across multiple smart objects, building upon the Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP). We describe the design of our solution to create and manipulate a group of CoAP resources using a single client request. Furthermore we introduce the concept of profiles for the created groups. The use of profiles allows the client to specify in more detail how the group should behave. We have implemented our solution and demonstrate that it covers the complete group life-cycle, i.e., creation, validation, flexible usage and deletion. Finally, we quantitatively analyze the performance of our solution and compare it against multicast-based CoAP group communication. The results show that our solution improves reliability and flexibility with a trade-off in increased communication overhead. PMID:24901978

Complexity and Synchronicity of Resting State BOLD FMRI in Normal Aging and Cognitive Decline

PubMed Central

Liu, Collin Y; Krishnan, Anitha P; Yan, Lirong; Smith, Robert X; Kilroy, Emily; Alger, Jeffery R; Ringman, John M; Wang, Danny JJ

2012-01-01

Purpose To explore the use of approximate entropy (ApEn) as an index of the complexity and the synchronicity of resting state BOLD fMRI in normal aging and cognitive decline associated with familial Alzheimer’s disease (fAD). Materials and Methods Resting state BOLD fMRI data were acquired at 3T from 2 independent cohorts of subjects consisting of healthy young (age 23±2 years, n=8) and aged volunteers (age 66±3 years, n=8), as well as 22 fAD associated subjects (14 mutation carriers, age 41.2±15.8 years; and 8 non-mutation carrying family members, age 28.8±5.9 years). Mean ApEn values were compared between the two age groups, and correlated with cognitive performance in the fAD group. Cross-ApEn (C-ApEn) was further calculated to assess the asynchrony between precuneus and the rest of the brain. Results Complexity of brain activity measured by mean ApEn in gray and white matter decreased with normal aging. In the fAD group, cognitive impairment was associated with decreased mean ApEn in gray matter as well as decreased regional ApEn in right precuneus, right lateral parietal regions, left precentral gyrus, and right paracentral gyrus. A pattern of asynchrony between BOLD fMRI series emerged from C-ApEn analysis, with significant regional anti-correlation with cross-correlation coefficient of functional connectivity analysis. Conclusion ApEn and C-ApEn may be useful for assessing the complexity and synchronicity of brain activity in normal aging and cognitive decline associated with neurodegenerative diseases PMID:23225622

Therapeutic effect of ACTICOA powder, a cocoa polyphenolic extract, on experimentally induced prostate hyperplasia in Wistar-Unilever rats.

PubMed

Bisson, Jean-François; Hidalgo, Sophie; Rozan, Pascale; Messaoudi, Michaël

2007-12-01

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a non-malignant enlargement of the prostate that results in obstructive lower urinary tract symptoms. Plant extracts are frequently used to treat BPH rather than therapeutics that can cause severe side effects. ACTICOA() (Ba0rry Callebaut France, Louviers, France) powder (AP) is a cocoa polyphenolic extract, and we have shown in a previous study that oral treatment with AP prevented prostate hyperplasia. This study investigated whether AP could improve established prostate hyperplasia using the same testosterone propionate (TP)-induced prostate hyperplasia model in rats. Male Wistar-Unilever rats were randomly divided in four groups of 12 rats: one group injected with corn oil and orally treated with the vehicle (negative control) and three groups injected subcutaneously with TP and orally treated with the vehicle (positive control) or AP at 24 (AP24) and 48 (AP48) mg/kg/day. Treatments started 1 week after the start of the induction of prostate hyperplasia and lasted for 2 weeks. The influence of TP and AP on body weights, food and water consumptions, plasma polyphenolic concentration, and serum dihydrotestoterone (DHT) level of rats was examined. At completion of the study, rats were sacrificed, and the prostates were removed, cleaned, and weighed. The prostate size ratio (prostate weight/rat body weight) was then calculated. TP significantly influenced the body weight gain of the rats and their food and water consumptions, while AP reduced significantly these differences in a dose-dependent manner. AP significantly reduced serum DHT level and prostate size ratio in comparison with positive controls also dose-dependently. In conclusion, AP orally administered was effective for reducing established prostate hyperplasia, especially at the dose of 48 mg/kg/day.

Theoretical and Numerical Study of Anomalous Turbulent Transport in Plasmas

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-02-05

Balescu -Lenard equation in the classical limit. This result was presented at the APS Topical Conference on Plasma Astrophysics at Santa Fe in September...itself, which can be Incorporated as the effect of renormali- zation of the particle mass. 2 Tho derived equa- tion reduces to the Balescu -Lenard

Beijing: A City in Search of Its Destiny

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monk, Liliana B.

2015-01-01

This article on the development of Beijing can introduce students to many topics found in the urban geography section of the AP Human Geography course outline published in 2013. The author provides lesson plans and a PowerPoint presentation as resources for teaching a unit about the city.

The effects of working memory load and attention refocusing on delay discounting rates in alcohol use disorder with comorbid antisocial personality disorder.

PubMed

Gunn, Rachel L; Gerst, Kyle R; Lake, Allison J; Finn, Peter R

2018-02-01

Executive working memory capacity (eWMC) is central to adaptive decision-making. Research has revealed reduced eWMC and higher rates of impulsive decision making in individuals with alcohol use disorders (AUDs: DSM-IV Alcohol Dependence of Alcohol Abuse) and antisocial psychopathology (AP). Recent work has shown that placing a load on working memory (WM) further increases impulsive decision making on the delay discounting (DD) task in those with AUDs and AP. The current study examined the effects of an attention refocusing manipulation to offset the effects of this WM-load on DD rates in control subjects, those with AUDs without AP, and AUDs with AP (AUD-AP). Results revealed that 1) the AUD-AP group had higher DD rates (i.e., more impulsive decision-making) than the AUD group, followed by controls, and 2) attention refocusing after a load is placed on WM was associated with lower DD rates compared to the load without refocusing in both AUD groups, but not controls. Results suggest that refocusing attention after a cognitive load may be an effective cognitive strategy for reducing the impulsivity-enhancing effects of cognitive load on decision making in individuals with AUDs and AP. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Creation of aorto-pulmonary window with pulmonary artery band is not good palliation for hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

PubMed

Hosein, Riad B M; Mehta, Chetan; Stickley, John; Mcguirk, Simon P; Jones, Timothy J; Brawn, William J; Barron, David J

2007-11-01

A small sub-group of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) have normal-sized ascending aorta and arch. An alternative to the Norwood I procedure in these patients is the creation of an aorto-pulmonary (AP) window with a distal pulmonary artery band (PAB). We reviewed our experience with this technique and compared outcomes to the Norwood procedure for HLHS. All patients treated for HLHS in a single institution between 1992 and 2005 were analysed. This identified 13 patients treated with AP window and PAB compared to 333 patients undergoing stage I Norwood procedure. An unrestrictive AP window was created and the main PA was banded. Patient records and echocardiograms were analysed. Median follow-up was 10 (IQR 0-655) days and 100% complete. There were seven early deaths (54%) in the AP window group and two conversions to Norwood circulation. This was a significantly worse outcome than for the Norwood procedure over the same period, which had an early mortality of 29% (p=0.03). Kaplan-Meier actuarial analysis demonstrated a continued survival benefit of the Norwood group at 6 months (p=0.0005). Deaths were due to either low cardiac output syndrome (n=4) or sudden unheralded arrest (n=3). This occurred despite aortic cross-clamp and circulatory arrest times being significantly lower in the AP window group compared to the Norwood group (35+/-27 vs 55+/-16 min, p<0.01 and 16+/-29 vs 55+/-20 min, p<0.01, respectively). No differences in arterial saturations or systolic blood pressure existed between the groups, but diastolic blood pressure was significantly lower in the AP window group at 27+/-10 mmHg compared to 42+/-8 mmHg in the Norwood group (p=0.01) with evidence of flow reversal in the descending aorta. Differences in diastolic blood pressure between groups were abolished after conversion to stage II. Despite favourable anatomy and shorter ischaemic times, the AP window/PAB technique has a poor outcome compared to the Norwood procedure for HLHS. Low diastolic blood pressure with reversal of descending aortic flow in diastole was a feature of the AP window/PAB circulation. We recommend the Norwood procedure for these sub-types. This may have implications for newer 'hybrid' procedures for HLHS which create a similar palliative circulation.

Do scientists trace hot topics?

PubMed

Wei, Tian; Li, Menghui; Wu, Chensheng; Yan, Xiao-Yong; Fan, Ying; Di, Zengru; Wu, Jinshan

2013-01-01

Do scientists follow hot topics in their scientific investigations? In this paper, by performing analysis to papers published in the American Physical Society (APS) Physical Review journals, it is found that papers are more likely to be attracted by hot fields, where the hotness of a field is measured by the number of papers belonging to the field. This indicates that scientists generally do follow hot topics. However, there are qualitative differences among scientists from various countries, among research works regarding different number of authors, different number of affiliations and different number of references. These observations could be valuable for policy makers when deciding research funding and also for individual researchers when searching for scientific projects.

Do scientists trace hot topics?

PubMed Central

Wei, Tian; Li, Menghui; Wu, Chensheng; Yan, Xiao-Yong; Fan, Ying; Di, Zengru; Wu, Jinshan

2013-01-01

Do scientists follow hot topics in their scientific investigations? In this paper, by performing analysis to papers published in the American Physical Society (APS) Physical Review journals, it is found that papers are more likely to be attracted by hot fields, where the hotness of a field is measured by the number of papers belonging to the field. This indicates that scientists generally do follow hot topics. However, there are qualitative differences among scientists from various countries, among research works regarding different number of authors, different number of affiliations and different number of references. These observations could be valuable for policy makers when deciding research funding and also for individual researchers when searching for scientific projects. PMID:23856680

Do scientists trace hot topics?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Tian; Li, Menghui; Wu, Chensheng; Yan, Xiao-Yong; Fan, Ying; di, Zengru; Wu, Jinshan

2013-07-01

Do scientists follow hot topics in their scientific investigations? In this paper, by performing analysis to papers published in the American Physical Society (APS) Physical Review journals, it is found that papers are more likely to be attracted by hot fields, where the hotness of a field is measured by the number of papers belonging to the field. This indicates that scientists generally do follow hot topics. However, there are qualitative differences among scientists from various countries, among research works regarding different number of authors, different number of affiliations and different number of references. These observations could be valuable for policy makers when deciding research funding and also for individual researchers when searching for scientific projects.

Comparison of different threshold values r for approximate entropy: application to investigate the heart rate variability between heart failure and healthy control groups.

PubMed

Liu, Chengyu; Liu, Changchun; Shao, Peng; Li, Liping; Sun, Xin; Wang, Xinpei; Liu, Feng

2011-02-01

Approximate entropy (ApEn) is widely accepted as a complexity measure of the heart rate variability (HRV) signal, but selecting the criteria for the threshold value r is controversial. This paper aims to verify whether Chon's method of forecasting the r(max) is an appropriate one for the HRV signal. The standard limb lead ECG signals of 120 subjects were recorded for 10 min in a supine position. The subjects were divided into two groups: the heart failure (22 females and 38 males, median age 62.4 ± 12.6) and healthy control group (33 females and 27 males, median age 51.5 ± 16.9). Three types of ApEn were calculated: the ApEn(0.2) using the recommended constant r = 0.2, the ApEn(chon) using Chon's method and the ApEn(max) using the true r(max). A Wilcoxon rank sum test showed that the ApEn(0.2) (p = 0.267) and the ApEn(max) (p = 0.813) had no statistical differences between the two groups, while the ApEn(chon) (p = 0.040) had. We generated a synthetic database to study the effect of two influential factors (the signal length N and the ratio of short- and long-term variability sd(1)/sd(2)) on the empirical formula in Chon's method (Chon et al 2009 IEEE Eng. Med. Biol. Mag. 28 18-23). The results showed that the empirical formula proposed by Chon et al is a good method for analyzing the random signal, but not an appropriate tool for analyzing nonlinear signals, such as the logistic or HRV signals.

Intraperitoneal administration of apigenin in liver ischemia/reperfusion injury protective effects.

PubMed

Tsaroucha, Alexandra K; Tsiaousidou, Anastasia; Ouzounidis, Nikolaos; Tsalkidou, Evanthia; Lambropoulou, Maria; Giakoustidis, Dimitrios; Chatzaki, Ekaterini; Simopoulos, Constantinos

2016-11-01

Hepatic injury caused by ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) is a clinical problem associated with major liver surgery. Among other flavonoids, apigenin has shown a promising effect on I/R cases. In this study, we have investigated the effects of apigenin after liver I/R injury in rats. Forty eight rats were randomized into the following eight groups: (1) Control-sham group: rats subjected to the surgical procedure, except for liver I/R; (2) DMSO group: rats subjected to surgery, except for liver I/R given the apigenin solvent dimethyl-sulfoxide intraperitoneally; (3) C60 group; (4) C120 group; (5) C240 group: rats underwent liver ischemia for 45 min followed by reperfusion for 60 min, 120 min, and 240 min; (6) AP60 group; (7) AP120 group; (8) AP240 group: rats underwent liver ischemia for 45 min, and then given apigenin (5 mg) intraperitoneally followed by reperfusion for 60 min, 120 min, and 240 min. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed on liver tissues to measure BCL-2/BAX expression, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure M30/M65 and ICAM-1. Immunohistochemistry was used to identify M30 biomarker in liver tissues. Quantitative variables were tested by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, repeated measures analysis of variance/Friedman test. Gene levels were assessed by Student's t-test/Mann-Whitney U-test. BCL-2 levels were significantly higher in I/R apigenin groups than in I/R control groups. BAX levels were lower in the AP240 group than in C240 group. Prolongation of reperfusion resulted in increased activation of M30. ICAM-1 levels were lower in the AP240 group than in C240 group. Apigenin seems to inhibit the process of apoptosis and ameliorate the hepatic I/R injury.

Fatigue-related firing of distal muscle nociceptors reduces voluntary activation of proximal muscles of the same limb.

PubMed

Kennedy, David S; McNeil, Chris J; Gandevia, Simon C; Taylor, Janet L

2014-02-15

With fatiguing exercise, firing of group III/IV muscle afferents reduces voluntary activation and force of the exercised muscles. These afferents can also act across agonist/antagonist pairs, reducing voluntary activation and force in nonfatigued muscles. We hypothesized that maintained firing of group III/IV muscle afferents after a fatiguing adductor pollicis (AP) contraction would decrease voluntary activation and force of AP and ipsilateral elbow flexors. In two experiments (n = 10) we examined voluntary activation of AP and elbow flexors by measuring changes in superimposed twitches evoked by ulnar nerve stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex, respectively. Inflation of a sphygmomanometer cuff after a 2-min AP maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) blocked circulation of the hand for 2 min and maintained firing of group III/IV muscle afferents. After a 2-min AP MVC, maximal AP voluntary activation was lower with than without ischemia (56.2 ± 17.7% vs. 76.3 ± 14.6%; mean ± SD; P < 0.05) as was force (40.3 ± 12.8% vs. 57.1 ± 13.8% peak MVC; P < 0.05). Likewise, after a 2-min AP MVC, elbow flexion voluntary activation was lower with than without ischemia (88.3 ± 7.5% vs. 93.6 ± 3.9%; P < 0.05) as was torque (80.2 ± 4.6% vs. 86.6 ± 1.0% peak MVC; P < 0.05). Pain during ischemia was reported as Moderate to Very Strong. Postfatigue firing of group III/IV muscle afferents from the hand decreased voluntary drive and force of AP. Moreover, this effect decreased voluntary drive and torque of proximal unfatigued muscles, the elbow flexors. Fatigue-sensitive group III/IV muscle nociceptors act to limit voluntary drive not only to fatigued muscles but also to unfatigued muscles within the same limb.

Absolute pitch memory: its prevalence among musicians and dependence on the testing context.

PubMed

Wong, Yetta Kwailing; Wong, Alan C-N

2014-04-01

Absolute pitch (AP) is widely believed to be a rare ability possessed by only a small group of gifted and special individuals (AP possessors). While AP has fascinated psychologists, neuroscientists, and musicians for more than a century, no theory can satisfactorily explain why this ability is so rare and difficult to learn. Here, we show that AP ability appears rare because of the methodological issues of the standard pitch-naming test. Specifically, the standard test unnecessarily poses a high decisional demand on AP judgments and uses a testing context that is highly inconsistent with one's musical training. These extra cognitive challenges are not central to AP memory per se and have thus led to consistent underestimation of AP ability in the population. Using the standard test, we replicated the typical findings that the accuracy for general violinists was low (12.38 %; chance level = 0 %). With identical stimuli, scoring criteria, and participants, violinists attained 25 % accuracy in a pitch verification test in which the decisional demand of AP judgment was reduced. When the testing context was increasingly similar to their musical experience, verification accuracy improved further and reached 39 %, three times higher than that for the standard test. Results were replicated with a separate group of pianists. Our findings challenge current theories about AP and suggest that the prevalence of AP among musicians has been highly underestimated in prior work. A multimodal framework is proposed to better explain AP memory.

Hydrocortisone at stress-associated concentrations helps maintain human heart rate variability during subsequent endotoxin challenge.

PubMed

Rassias, Athos J; Guyre, Paul M; Yeager, Mark P

2011-12-01

We evaluated the differential impact of stress-associated vs high pharmacologic concentrations of hydrocortisone pretreatment on heart rate variability (HRV) during a subsequent systemic inflammatory stimulus. Healthy volunteers were randomized to receive placebo (Control) and hydrocortisone at 1.5 μg/kg per minute (STRESS) or at 3.0 μg/kg per minute (PHARM) as a 6-hour infusion. The STRESS dose was chosen to replicate the condition of physiologic adrenal cortical output during acute systemic stress. The PHARM dose was chosen to induce a supraphysiologic concentration of cortisol. The next day, all subjects received 2 ng/kg Escherichia coli endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide). Heart rate variability was analyzed with the statistic approximate entropy (ApEn). A lower ApEn correlates with decreased HRV. At the 3-hour nadir, the decrease in ApEn in the STRESS group was significantly less compared to placebo (P < .03), whereas ApEn in the PHARM group was not statistically different. We also found that the maximal decrease in ApEn preceded maximal increase in heart rate in all groups. The decrease in R-R interval was maximal at 4 hours, whereas the ApEn nadir was 1 hour earlier at 3 hours. Pretreatment with a stress dose of hydrocortisone but not a higher pharmacologic dose maintained a significantly higher ApEn after endotoxin exposure when compared to a placebo. In addition, decreases in ApEn preceded increases in heart rate. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Changes of neuronal acetylcholine receptor alpha 7 of peritoneal macrophage in experimental acute pancreatitis treated by Chaiqin Chengqi Decoction ().

PubMed

Xue, Ping; Guo, Jia; Yang, Xiao-nan; Huang, Wei; Xia, Qing

2014-10-01

To investigate effect of Chaiqin Chengqi Decoction (, CQCQD) on changes of neuronal acetylcholine receptor alpha 7 (nAChRα7) of peritoneal macrophages in acute pancreatitis (AP). Eighteen Kunming mice were equally randomized into the control group, AP group and CQCQD treatment group. AP was induced by two intraperitoneal injections of 4 g/kg L-arginine at 1 h apart, while control mice received saline injections. At 72 h after the first injection of L-arginine, mice in the treatment group were intragastrically administered 0.1 mL/10 g CQCQD every 2 h for 3 times, whilst mice in the other two groups received the same amount of saline feeding. Mice were sacrificed by cervical dislocation 2 h after the last feeding of either CQCQD or saline. Peritoneal macrophages were collected for determination of nAChRα7 mRNA and protein expression. Serum was collected for detection of interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-10 and acetylcholine (ACh) levels, and pancreas was for histopathology analysis. The CQCQD treatment significantly ameliorated the severity of AP as evidenced by reducing the pancreatic histopathology score (4.5±0.5 vs. 6.2±1.7, P<0.05) and the serum IL-6 levels (1228.3±419.2 pg/mL vs. 1589.6±337.3 pg/mL, P<0.05). The mRNA and protein expression of nAChRα7 of the peritoneal macrophages in the AP group were similar to the control group (P>0.05), but were significantly up-regulated after the CQCQD treatment (P<0.05). The serum ACh levels in the AP group were significantly lower than those in the control group (3.1±0.6 μg/mL vs 4.8±0.7 μg/mL P<0.05), but were significantly increased after the CQCQD treatment (5.6±1.5 μg/mL vs 3.1±0.6 μg/mL, P<0.05). CQCQD is protective against L-arginine-induced AP through mechanisms involving nAChRα7 of peritoneal macrophages.

Fatty acids of erythrocyte membrane in acute pancreatitis patients.

PubMed

Kuliaviene, Irma; Gulbinas, Antanas; Cremers, Johannes; Pundzius, Juozas; Kupcinskas, Limas; Dambrauskas, Zilvinas; Jansen, Eugene

2013-09-14

To evaluate changes in the fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membrane phospholipids during severe and mild acute pancreatitis (AP) of alcoholic and nonalcoholic etiology. All consecutive patients with a diagnosis of AP and onset of the disease within the last 72 h admitted to the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences between June and December 2007 were included. According to the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) scale, the patients were subdivided into the mild (APACHE II score < 7, n = 22) and severe (APACHE II score ≥ 7, n = 17) AP groups. Healthy individuals (n = 26) were enrolled as controls. Blood samples were collected from patients on admission to the hospital. Fatty acids (FAs) were extracted from erythrocyte phospholipids and expressed as percentages of the total FAs present in the chromatogram. The concentrations of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase were measured in erythrocytes. We found an increase in the percentages of saturated and monounsaturated FAs, a decrease in the percentages of total polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) and n-3 PUFAs in erythrocyte membrane phospholipids of AP patients compared with healthy controls. Palmitic (C16:0), palmitoleic (C16:1n7cis), arachidonic (C20:4n6), docosahexaenoic (DHA, C22:6n3), and docosapentaenoic (DPA, C22:5n3) acids were the major contributing factors. A decrease in the peroxidation and unsaturation indexes in AP patients as well as the severe and mild AP groups as compared with controls was observed. The concentrations of antioxidant enzymes in the mild AP group were lower than in the control group. In severe AP of nonalcoholic etiology, the percentages of arachidic (C20:0) and arachidonic (C20:4n6) acids were decreased as compared with the control group. The patients with mild AP of nonalcoholic etiology had the increased percentages of total saturated FAs and gama linoleic acid (C18:3n6) and the decreased percentages of elaidic (C18:1n9t), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5n3), DPA (C22:5n3), DHA (C22:6n3) as well as total and n-3 PUFAs in erythrocyte membrane phospholipids. The composition of FAs in erythrocyte membranes is altered during AP. These changes are likely to be associated with alcohol consumption, inflammatory processes, and oxidative stress.

Fatty acids of erythrocyte membrane in acute pancreatitis patients

PubMed Central

Kuliaviene, Irma; Gulbinas, Antanas; Cremers, Johannes; Pundzius, Juozas; Kupcinskas, Limas; Dambrauskas, Zilvinas; Jansen, Eugene

2013-01-01

AIM: To evaluate changes in the fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membrane phospholipids during severe and mild acute pancreatitis (AP) of alcoholic and nonalcoholic etiology. METHODS: All consecutive patients with a diagnosis of AP and onset of the disease within the last 72 h admitted to the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences between June and December 2007 were included. According to the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) scale, the patients were subdivided into the mild (APACHE II score < 7, n = 22) and severe (APACHE II score ≥ 7, n = 17) AP groups. Healthy individuals (n = 26) were enrolled as controls. Blood samples were collected from patients on admission to the hospital. Fatty acids (FAs) were extracted from erythrocyte phospholipids and expressed as percentages of the total FAs present in the chromatogram. The concentrations of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase were measured in erythrocytes. RESULTS: We found an increase in the percentages of saturated and monounsaturated FAs, a decrease in the percentages of total polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) and n-3 PUFAs in erythrocyte membrane phospholipids of AP patients compared with healthy controls. Palmitic (C16:0), palmitoleic (C16:1n7cis), arachidonic (C20:4n6), docosahexaenoic (DHA, C22:6n3), and docosapentaenoic (DPA, C22:5n3) acids were the major contributing factors. A decrease in the peroxidation and unsaturation indexes in AP patients as well as the severe and mild AP groups as compared with controls was observed. The concentrations of antioxidant enzymes in the mild AP group were lower than in the control group. In severe AP of nonalcoholic etiology, the percentages of arachidic (C20:0) and arachidonic (C20:4n6) acids were decreased as compared with the control group. The patients with mild AP of nonalcoholic etiology had the increased percentages of total saturated FAs and gama linoleic acid (C18:3n6) and the decreased percentages of elaidic (C18:1n9t), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5n3), DPA (C22:5n3), DHA (C22:6n3) as well as total and n-3 PUFAs in erythrocyte membrane phospholipids. CONCLUSION: The composition of FAs in erythrocyte membranes is altered during AP. These changes are likely to be associated with alcohol consumption, inflammatory processes, and oxidative stress. PMID:24039361

Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) for application of ascorbyl palmitate.

PubMed

Uner, M; Wissing, S A; Yener, G; Müller, R H

2005-08-01

The aim of this study was to improve the chemical stability of ascorbyl palmitate (AP) in a colloidal lipid carrier for its topical use. For this purpose, AP-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN), nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) and for comparison, a nanoemulsion (NE) were prepared employing the high pressure homogenization technique and stored at room temperature (RT), 4 degrees C and 40 degrees C. During 3 months, physical stability of these formulations compared to placebo formulations which were prepared by the same production method, was studied including recrystallization behaviour of the lipid with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), particle size distribution and storage stability with photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) and laser diffractometry (LD). After evaluating data indicating excellent physical stability, AP-loaded SLN, NLC and NE were incorporated into a hydrogel by the same production method as the next step. Degradation of AP by HPLC and physical stability in the same manner were investigated at the same storage temperatures during 3 months. As a result, AP was found most stable in both the NLC and SLN stored at 4 degrees C (p > 0.05) indicating the importance of storage temperature. Nondegraded AP content in NLC, SLN and NE was found to be 71.1% +/- 1.4, 67.6% +/- 2.9 and 55.2% +/- 0.3 after 3 months, respectively. Highest degradation was observed with NE at all the storage temperatures indicating even importance of the carrier structure.

Analogue patients' self-reported engagement and psychophysiological arousal in a video-vignettes design: Patients versus disease-naïve individuals.

PubMed

Visser, Leonie N C; Tollenaar, Marieke S; Bosch, Jos A; van Doornen, Lorenz J P; de Haes, Hanneke C J M; Smets, Ellen M A

2016-10-01

The ecological validity of video-vignettes design investigating patient-provider communication hinges on the engagement of analogue patients (APs) with the vignette. The present study aimed to compare engagement in two commonly utilized groups of APs, patients and disease-naïve individuals. Engagement was assessed by self-report and in the form of physiological arousal. Cancer patients (N=22) and disease-naïve individuals (N=24) were recruited as APs. APs completed the Video Engagement Scale after watching a vignette of a oncologic bad news consultation. Electrodermal and cardiovascular activity were assessed continuously during watching the vignette, and cortisol levels were assessed in four saliva samples. Patients reported higher engagement with the vignette than disease-naïve individuals (t=2.46, p<0.05) and showed a larger blood pressure response (systolic: F=5.87, p<0.01 and diastolic: F=4.00, p<0.05). However, these differences disappeared after adjusting for age. No group differences were found on other psychophysiological parameters. Our results suggest that patients and disease-naïve individuals are equally engaged when viewing video vignettes. When group differences were found, older age turned out to be a more prominent predictor of engagement. Researchers may consider other arguments besides APs' disease history when selecting an AP group. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of pain among residents in Japanese nursing homes: a descriptive study.

PubMed

Takai, Yukari; Yamamoto-Mitani, Noriko; Chiba, Yumi; Nishikawa, Yuri; Sugai, Yuichi; Hayashi, Kunihiko

2013-06-01

It is often observed that pain causes substantial problems for nursing home residents. However, there has been little research about the prevalence of pain for nursing home residents in Japan. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of pain in older adults living in nursing homes in Japan by using self-reporting and the Abbey Pain Scale-Japanese version (APS-J) and to explore factors related to pain. This is a descriptive study. Residents in two Special Nursing Homes for the Elderly in Tokyo, Japan, were asked to participate in this study, with the exclusion of short-term temporary residents. Data collected from participating residents included their demographics and the results from the Barthel Index, the Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination, the APS-J, and the Verbal Descriptor Scale for pain. The residents were divided into two groups: residents able to report their pain (self-report group) and residents not able to report their pain. The second group was assessed by using the APS-J (APS-J group). The Mann-Whitney U test, the χ2 test, and logistic analyses were performed to derive factors related to pain prevalence. Data were obtained from 171 residents. The prevalence of pain in the self-report group (n = 96) was 41.7%. For the 75 residents unable to report their pain, 52.0% were assessed by the APS-J to have pain. The overall pain prevalence of all residents was 46.2%. Age, Barthel Index score, and length of time of institutionalization were significantly associated with residents' pain in the APS-J group. Logistic regression analysis showed that contracture (odds ratio 3.8) and previous injury (odds ratio 3.4) were associated with residents' pain in the self-report group, whereas only the length of nursing home stay (odds ratio 1.03) was a predictor for pain in the APS-J group. Nearly one-half of residents had pain when they moved or were moved. Pain assessment and management is needed for residents. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Perspectives on Population in AP® Human Geography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lu, Max; Keller, Kenneth

2016-01-01

A study of human geography begins with the human population. In fact, demographic topics frequently relate to other units in the AP Human Geography course. The three main concepts elaborated upon in this article are (1) the demographic transition model, (2) Malthusian theory and its critics, and (3) pronatalist and antinatalist policies that might…

Lower regulatory frequency for postural control in patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

PubMed

Rasouli, Omid; Vasseljen, Ottar; Fors, Egil A; Lorås, Håvard W; Stensdotter, Ann-Katrin

2018-01-01

As many similar symptoms are reported in fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), underlying defcits may potentially also be similar. Postural disequilibrium reported in both conditions may thus be explained by similar deviations in postural control strategies. 75 females (25/group FM, CFS and control, age 19-49 years) performed 60 s of quiet standing on a force platform in each of three conditions: 1) firm surface with vision, 2) firm surface without vision and, 3) compliant surface with vision. Migration of center of pressure was decomposed into a slow and a fast component denoting postural sway and lateral forces controlling postural sway, analyzed in the time and frequency domains. Main effects of group for the antero-posterior (AP) and medio-lateral (ML) directions showed that patients displayed larger amplitudes (AP, p = 0.002; ML, p = 0.021) and lower frequencies (AP, p < 0.001; ML, p < 0.001) for the slow component, as well as for the fast component (amplitudes: AP, p = 0.010; ML, p = 0.001 and frequencies: AP, p = 0.001; ML, p = 0.029) compared to controls. Post hoc analyses showed no significant differences between patient groups. In conclusion, both the CFS- and the FM-group differed from the control group. Larger postural sway and insufficient control was found in patients compared to controls, with no significant differences between the two patient groups.

Lower regulatory frequency for postural control in patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome

PubMed Central

Rasouli, Omid; Vasseljen, Ottar; Fors, Egil A.; Lorås, Håvard W.

2018-01-01

As many similar symptoms are reported in fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), underlying defcits may potentially also be similar. Postural disequilibrium reported in both conditions may thus be explained by similar deviations in postural control strategies. 75 females (25/group FM, CFS and control, age 19–49 years) performed 60 s of quiet standing on a force platform in each of three conditions: 1) firm surface with vision, 2) firm surface without vision and, 3) compliant surface with vision. Migration of center of pressure was decomposed into a slow and a fast component denoting postural sway and lateral forces controlling postural sway, analyzed in the time and frequency domains. Main effects of group for the antero-posterior (AP) and medio-lateral (ML) directions showed that patients displayed larger amplitudes (AP, p = 0.002; ML, p = 0.021) and lower frequencies (AP, p < 0.001; ML, p < 0.001) for the slow component, as well as for the fast component (amplitudes: AP, p = 0.010; ML, p = 0.001 and frequencies: AP, p = 0.001; ML, p = 0.029) compared to controls. Post hoc analyses showed no significant differences between patient groups. In conclusion, both the CFS- and the FM-group differed from the control group. Larger postural sway and insufficient control was found in patients compared to controls, with no significant differences between the two patient groups. PMID:29617424

An extended affinity propagation clustering method based on different data density types.

PubMed

Zhao, XiuLi; Xu, WeiXiang

2015-01-01

Affinity propagation (AP) algorithm, as a novel clustering method, does not require the users to specify the initial cluster centers in advance, which regards all data points as potential exemplars (cluster centers) equally and groups the clusters totally by the similar degree among the data points. But in many cases there exist some different intensive areas within the same data set, which means that the data set does not distribute homogeneously. In such situation the AP algorithm cannot group the data points into ideal clusters. In this paper, we proposed an extended AP clustering algorithm to deal with such a problem. There are two steps in our method: firstly the data set is partitioned into several data density types according to the nearest distances of each data point; and then the AP clustering method is, respectively, used to group the data points into clusters in each data density type. Two experiments are carried out to evaluate the performance of our algorithm: one utilizes an artificial data set and the other uses a real seismic data set. The experiment results show that groups are obtained more accurately by our algorithm than OPTICS and AP clustering algorithm itself.

Beta-hydroxybutyrate Concentrations in Dogs with Acute Pancreatitis and Without Diabetes Mellitus.

PubMed

Hurrell, F E; Drobatz, K J; Hess, R S

2016-05-01

β-hydroxybutyrate (BOHB) concentrations have not been quantified in dogs with acute pancreatitis (AP). The aim of this study was to investigate BOHB concentrations in dogs with AP. A total of 154 client-owned dogs without DM. Prospective clinical study. Dogs were enrolled into 1 of 3 groups: AP, sick without an AP diagnosis, or fasted. Dogs were diagnosed with AP (44) if they had vomiting or anorexia, and either ultrasonographic findings consistent with AP or increased pancreatic lipase. Sick dogs without AP (68) had vomiting or anorexia but a diagnosis of AP was either not suspected or was excluded based on ultrasonographic findings or a normal pancreatic lipase. Dogs without anorexia or vomiting that were fasted for over 10 hours for a procedure were also enrolled (42). BOHB was measured on whole blood with a portable ketone meter. The Kruskal-Wallis test was performed to compare BOHB in the 3 groups. Pair-wise comparisons were performed using the Mann-Whitney test and Bonferroni corrected P-values are reported. Median BOHB concentration was significantly higher in dogs with AP (0.3 mmol/L, range 0-2.9 mmol/L) compared to sick dogs without AP (0.20 mmol/L, range 0-0.9 mmol/L, P = .007) and fasted dogs (0.1 mmol/L, range 0-0.4 mmol/L, P = .0001). Median BOHB concentration was significantly higher in sick dogs without AP compared to fasted dogs (P = .0002). In dogs without DM, BOHB is significantly higher in dogs with AP compared to other dogs. The diagnostic utility of this finding remains to be investigated. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Spontaneous grafting: a novel approach to graft diazonium cations on gold nanoparticles in aqueous medium and their self-assembly on electrodes.

PubMed

Kesavan, Srinivasan; John, S Abraham

2014-08-15

The spontaneous grafting of aminophenyl groups on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) by reaction with in situ generated 4-aminophenyl diazonium cations (APD) in an aqueous medium was described. The spontaneous grafting was likely to proceed by transfer of electrons from AuNPs to the APD cations to form an aminophenyl radical and subsequent attachment with AuNPs. The aminophenyl (AP) functionalized gold nanoparticles (AP-AuNPs) were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, high resolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The absence of characteristic vibrational bands corresponding to diazonium group in the FT-IR spectrum confirmed the reduction of the aminophenyl diazonium cations at the surface of AuNPs. The spontaneous attachment of AP on AuNPs was confirmed by XPS from the observed binding energy values for -NH2 at 399.4 eV and -N=N- at 400.2 eV. The SERS spectrum reveals the presence Au-C (437 cm(-1)) bond on AP-AuNPs. Further, the AP-AuNPs were self-assembled on GC/ITO electrode (AP-AuNPs modified electrode) with the aid of free amine groups present on the surface of AP-AuNPs via Michael's nucleophilic addition reaction. The AP-AuNPs modified electrode was characterized by cyclic voltammetry, impedance spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Impedance studies show that the electron transfer reaction of [Fe(CN)6](3-/4-) was higher at the AP-AuNPs modified electrode (1.81×10(-4) cm s(-1)) than at bare (3.77×10(-5) cm s(-1)) GC electrode. Finally, the electrocatalytic activity of the AP-AuNPs modified electrode was demonstrated by studying the oxidation of dopamine (DA). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinical Outcomes of Knee Osteoarthritis Treated With an Autologous Protein Solution Injection: A 1-Year Pilot Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Kon, Elizaveta; Engebretsen, Lars; Verdonk, Peter; Nehrer, Stefan; Filardo, Giuseppe

2018-01-01

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating disease resulting in substantial pain and functional limitations. A novel blood derivative has been developed to concentrate both growth factors and antagonists of inflammatory cytokines, with promising preliminary findings in terms of safety profile and clinical improvement. To investigate if one intra-articular injection of autologous protein solution (APS) can reduce pain and improve function in patients affected by knee OA in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, saline-controlled study. Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 2. Forty-six patients with unilateral knee OA (Kellgren-Lawrence 2 or 3) were randomized into the APS group (n = 31), which received a single ultrasound-guided injection of APS, and the saline (control) group (n = 15), which received a single saline injection. Patient-reported outcomes and adverse events were collected at 2 weeks and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months through visual analog scale (VAS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Short Form-36 (SF-36), Clinical Global Impression of Severity/Change (CGI-S/C), Patient Global Impression of Severity/Change (PGI-S/C), and Outcome Measures in Rheumatology-Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OMERACT-OARSI) responder rate. Imaging evaluation was also performed with radiograph and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before and after treatment (12 months and 3 and 12 months, respectively). The safety profile was positive, with no significant differences in frequency and severity of adverse events between groups. The improvement from baseline to 2 weeks and to 1, 3, and 6 months was similar between treatments. At 12 months, improvement in WOMAC pain score was 65% in the APS group and 41% in the saline group ( P = .02). There were no significant differences in VAS pain improvement between groups. At 12 months, APS group showed improved SF-36 Bodily Pain subscale ( P = .0085) and Role Emotional Health subscale ( P = .0410), as well as CGI-C values ( P = .01) compared with saline control. Significant differences between groups were detected in change from baseline to 12 months in bone marrow lesion size as assessed on MRI and osteophytes in the central zone of the lateral femoral condyle, both in favor of the APS group ( P = .041 and P = .032, respectively). There were no significant differences between APS and control groups in other measured secondary endpoints. This study provides evidence to support the safety and clinical improvement at 1-year follow-up of a single intra-articular injection of APS in patients affected by knee OA. Treatment with APS or a saline injection provided significant pain relief over the course of the study with differences becoming apparent at between 6 and 12 months after treatment. NCT02138890 ( ClinicalTrials.gov identifier).

Evidence for effective structure-based neuromodulatory effects of new analogues of neurosteroid allopregnanolone.

PubMed

Taleb, O; Patte-Mensah, C; Meyer, L; Kemmel, V; Geoffroy, P; Miesch, M; Mensah-Nyagan, A-G

2018-02-01

The neurosteroid allopregnanolone (AP) modulates neuroendocrine/neurobiological processes, including hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical activities, pain, anxiety, neurogenesis and neuroprotection. These observations raised the hope of developing AP-based therapies against neuroendocrine and/or neurodegenerative disorders. However, the pleiotropic actions of AP, particularly its cell-proliferation-promoting effects, hamper the development of selective/targeted therapies. For example, although AP-induced neurogenesis may serve to compensate neuronal loss in degenerative brains, AP-evoked cell-proliferation is contraindicated for steroid-sensitive cancer patients. To foster progress, we synthesised 4 novel AP analogues of neurosteroids (ANS) designated BR053 (12-oxo-epi-AP), BR297 (O-allyl-epi-AP), BR351 (O-allyl-AP) and BR338 (12-oxo-AP). First, because AP is well-known as allosteric modulator of GABAA receptors (GABAA-R), we used the electrophysiological patch-clamp technique to determine the structure-activity relationship of our ANS on GABAA-activated current in NCB20 cells expressing functional GABAA-R. We found that the addition of 12-oxo-group did not significantly change the respective positive or negative allosteric effects of 3α-AP or 3β-(epi)-AP analogues. Importantly, substitution of the 3α-hydroxyl-group by 3α-O-allyl highly modified the ANS activities. Unlike AP, BR351 induced a long-lasting desensitisation/inhibition of GABAA-R. Interestingly, replacement of the 3β-hydroxyl by 3β-O-allyl (BR297) completely reversed the activity from negative to positive allosteric action. In a second step, we compared the actions of AP and ANS on SH-SY5Y neuronal cell viability/proliferation using MTT-reduction assays. Different dose-response curves were demonstrated for AP and the ANS. By contrast to AP, BR297 was totally devoid of cell-proliferative effect. Finally, we compared AP and ANS abilities to protect against oxidative stress-induced neuronal death pivotally involved in neurodegenerative diseases. Both BR351 and BR297 had notable advantages over AP in protecting SH-SY5Y cells against oxidative stress-induced death. Thus, BR297 appears to be a potent neuroprotective compound devoid of cell-proliferative activity. Altogether, our results suggest promising perspectives for the development of neurosteroid-based selective and effective strategies against neuroendocrine and/or neurodegenerative disorders. © 2017 British Society for Neuroendocrinology.

Early Rehabilitation in Elderly after Arthroplasty versus Internal Fixation for Unstable Intertrochanteric Fractures of Femur: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Yoo, Jun Il; Ha, Yong Chan; Lim, Jae Young; Kang, Hyun; Yoon, Byung Ho; Kim, Hyunho

2017-05-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes focusing on the functional outcome and clinical results of replacement arthroplasty (AP) vs. internal fixation (IF) for the treatment of unstable intertrochanteric femoral fracture in elderly. Systematic review and meta-analysis were performed on 10 available clinical studies (2 randomized controlled trials and 8 comparative studies). Subgroup analysis was performed by type of methodological quality. Partial weight bearing time in AP group was earlier than that in IF group (SMD = -0.86; 95% CI = -0.42, 1.29; P = 0.050). The overall outcomes such as mortality, reoperation rate, and complication showed no significant diffrence between the 2 groups (AP vs. IF). Therefore, this systematic review demonstrates that AP provides superior functional outcomes especially earlier mobilization, as compared to IF in elderly patients with an unstable intertrochanteric femoral fracture. © 2017 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.

Correlation of nitric oxide and other free radicals with the severity of acute pancreatitis and complicated systemic inflammatory response syndrome.

PubMed

Que, Ri-sheng; Cao, Li-ping; Ding, Guo-ping; Hu, Jun-an; Mao, Ke-jie; Wang, Gui-feng

2010-05-01

To investigate the correlation of nitric oxide (NO) and other free radicals with the severity of acute pancreatitis (AP) and complicated systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Fifty AP patients (24 simple AP patients and 26 patients with AP complicated by SIRS) were involved in the study. Fifty healthy volunteers were included as controls. Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores were evaluated, and plasma NO, plasma lipid peroxides, plasma vitamin E, plasma beta-carotene, whole-blood glutathione (GSH), and the activity of plasma GSH peroxidase were measured. Compared with the control group, the APACHE II scores heightened in the AP group, and the SIRS group had the highest APACHE II scores (P < 0.005, P < 0.001, respectively). Plasma NO and plasma lipid peroxides increased with the heightening APACHE II scores, demonstrating a significant linear positive correlation (r = 0.618, r = 0.577, respectively; P < 0.001). Plasma vitamin E, plasma beta-carotene, whole-blood GSH, and the activity of plasma GSH peroxidase decreased with the heightening APACHE II scores, demonstrating a significant linear negative correlation (r = -0.600, r = -0.609, r = -0.559, r = -0.592, respectively; P < 0.001). Nitric oxide and other free radicals take part in the aggravation of oxidative stress and oxidative injury and may play important roles in the pathogenesis of AP and SIRS. It may be valuable to measure free radicals to predict the severity of AP.

Nonlinear parameters of surface EMG in schizophrenia patients depend on kind of antipsychotic therapy

PubMed Central

Meigal, Alexander Yu.; Miroshnichenko, German G.; Kuzmina, Anna P.; Rissanen, Saara M.; Georgiadis, Stefanos D.; Karjalainen, Pasi A.

2015-01-01

We compared a set of surface EMG (sEMG) parameters in several groups of schizophrenia (SZ, n = 74) patients and healthy controls (n = 11) and coupled them with the clinical data. sEMG records were quantified with spectral, mutual information (MI) based and recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) parameters, and with approximate and sample entropies (ApEn and SampEn). Psychotic deterioration was estimated with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and with the positive subscale of PANSS. Neuroleptic-induced parkinsonism (NIP) motor symptoms were estimated with Simpson-Angus Scale (SAS). Dyskinesia was measured with Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS). We found that there was no difference in values of sEMG parameters between healthy controls and drug-naïve SZ patients. The most specific group was formed of SZ patients who were administered both typical and atypical antipsychotics (AP). Their sEMG parameters were significantly different from those of SZ patients taking either typical or atypical AP or taking no AP. This may represent a kind of synergistic effect of these two classes of AP. For the clinical data we found that PANSS, SAS, and AIMS were not correlated to any of the sEMG parameters. Conclusion: with nonlinear parameters of sEMG it is possible to reveal NIP in SZ patients, and it may help to discriminate between different clinical groups of SZ patients. Combined typical and atypical AP therapy has stronger effect on sEMG than a therapy with AP of only one class. PMID:26217236

Nonlinear parameters of surface EMG in schizophrenia patients depend on kind of antipsychotic therapy.

PubMed

Meigal, Alexander Yu; Miroshnichenko, German G; Kuzmina, Anna P; Rissanen, Saara M; Georgiadis, Stefanos D; Karjalainen, Pasi A

2015-01-01

We compared a set of surface EMG (sEMG) parameters in several groups of schizophrenia (SZ, n = 74) patients and healthy controls (n = 11) and coupled them with the clinical data. sEMG records were quantified with spectral, mutual information (MI) based and recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) parameters, and with approximate and sample entropies (ApEn and SampEn). Psychotic deterioration was estimated with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and with the positive subscale of PANSS. Neuroleptic-induced parkinsonism (NIP) motor symptoms were estimated with Simpson-Angus Scale (SAS). Dyskinesia was measured with Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS). We found that there was no difference in values of sEMG parameters between healthy controls and drug-naïve SZ patients. The most specific group was formed of SZ patients who were administered both typical and atypical antipsychotics (AP). Their sEMG parameters were significantly different from those of SZ patients taking either typical or atypical AP or taking no AP. This may represent a kind of synergistic effect of these two classes of AP. For the clinical data we found that PANSS, SAS, and AIMS were not correlated to any of the sEMG parameters. with nonlinear parameters of sEMG it is possible to reveal NIP in SZ patients, and it may help to discriminate between different clinical groups of SZ patients. Combined typical and atypical AP therapy has stronger effect on sEMG than a therapy with AP of only one class.

Baseline grey matter volume of non-transitioned "ultra high risk" for psychosis individuals with and without attenuated psychotic symptoms at long-term follow-up.

PubMed

Cropley, Vanessa L; Lin, Ashleigh; Nelson, Barnaby; Reniers, Renate L E P; Yung, Alison R; Bartholomeusz, Cali F; Klauser, Paul; Velakoulis, Dennis; McGorry, Patrick; Wood, Stephen J; Pantelis, Christos

2016-06-01

Two thirds of individuals identified as ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis do not transition to psychosis over the medium to long-term (non-transition; UHR-NT). Nevertheless, many of these individuals have persistent attenuated psychotic symptoms (APS). The current study examined whether there were differences in baseline grey matter volume (i.e. at initial identification as UHR) in UHR-NT individuals whom had APS compared to those without APS (No-APS) at medium to long-term follow-up. Participants were help-seeking individuals who were identified as being at UHR for psychosis between 2 and 12years previously (mean=7.5). The sample consisted of 109 participants who underwent a Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan at baseline and who had not been observed to develop a psychotic disorder over the follow-up period (UHR-NT). Using voxel-based morphometry, baseline grey matter volume (GMV) was compared between participants with (N=30) and without (N=79) APS at follow-up. At baseline, the APS and No-APS groups were clinically indistinguishable. At follow-up, the APS group had significantly worse symptoms and impaired functioning. Individuals with APS had reduced baseline GMV in frontal, temporal, posterior and cingulate regions compared to those without APS at follow-up. Reduced GMV was associated with more severe positive, negative and depressive symptoms and lower global functioning in the combined UHR-NT cohort. These associations were independent of later APS outcome. This study found that differences in regional GMV are discernible at an early stage of UHR and may be specific to individuals who have APS and psychopathology at follow-up. Our findings suggest that lower GMV at baseline may confer neurobiological risk for later APS and/or increased psychopathology while the absence of these structural abnormalities might be protective. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Dual Perspective on AP, Dual Enrollment, and Honors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camp, Heather C.; Walters, Giovanna E.

2016-01-01

As co-authors of this response to Annmarie Guzy's essay, these authors provide different vantage points on prior-credit programs that arise from their distinct roles on campus, and together they suggest the appropriate way forward for honors. To represent their unique perspectives and to mimic the ongoing back-and-forth on this topic on their…

Antioxidant Effect of Ukrain Versus N-Acetylcysteine Against Acute Biliary Pancreatitis in An Experimental Rat Model.

PubMed

Zeren, Sezgin; Bayhan, Zulfu; Koçak, Cengiz; Koçak, Fatma Emel; Metineren, Mehmet Huseyin; Savran, Bircan; Kocak, Havva; Algin, Mustafa Cem; Kahraman, Cuneyt; Kocak, Ahmet; Cosgun, Suleyman

2017-04-01

Purpose/Aim: Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis (AP). We compared the therapeutic effects of Ukrain (NSC 631570) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in rats with AP. Forty male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups: controls; AP; AP with NAC; and AP with Ukrain. AP was induced via the ligation of the bile-pancreatic duct; drugs were administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) 30 min and 12 h after AP induction. Twenty-four hours after AP induction, animals were sacrificed and the pancreas was excised. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO), and activity levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were measured in tissue samples. Total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), and total bilirubin, as well as activity levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), amylase and lipase were measured in serum samples. Pancreatic tissue histopathology was also evaluated. Test drugs reduced levels of MDA, NO, TNF-α, total bilirubin, AST, ALT, TOS and MPO, amylase and lipase activities (P < 0.001), and increased TAS (P < 0.001). Rats treated with test drugs attenuated AP-induced morphologic changes and decreased pancreatic damage scores compared with the AP group (P < 0.05). Both test drugs attenuated pancreatic damage, but the therapeutic effect was more pronounced in rats that received Ukrain than in those receiving NAC. These results suggest that treatment with Ukrain or NAC can reduce pancreatic damage via anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Maintaining Apical Patency Does Not Increase Postoperative Pain in Molars with Necrotic Pulp and Apical Periodontitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Yaylali, Ibrahim Ethem; Kurnaz, Safa; Tunca, Yasar Meric

2018-03-01

This prospective, single-center, single-blind, randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate whether maintaining apical patency (AP) during endodontic treatment increases postoperative pain in molar teeth with necrotic pulp and apical periodontitis. Three hundred twenty qualified patients between 21 and 45 years of age were randomized into 1 of 2 groups (the AP group and the nonapical patency [NAP] group) using a series of random numbers in a 1:1 ratio. Qualified patients were selected from patients who had necrotic pulp and apical periodontitis in the maxillary or mandibular molar teeth. The primary outcome was to assess postoperative pain severity, and the secondary outcome was to evaluate analgesic consumption during the 7-day follow-up period using the visual analog scale (VAS). The VAS consisted of a 100-mm line. Pain severity was evaluated as no pain (0-4 mm), mild pain (5-44 mm), moderate pain (45-74 mm), and severe pain (75-100 mm). The Student t test was used to identify statistically significant differences between the study groups (P < .05). The mean VAS scores were significantly lower in the AP group in the first 5 postoperative days (P < .05); after which, it was nonsignificant. In the NAP group, the postoperative pain increased between 12 and 24 hours, whereas the postoperative pain decreased in the AP group during that period. At 12 and 24 hours, the mean VAS scores for the AP group were 42.90 and 37.78 mm, respectively. The mean VAS scores for the NAP group were 64.46 and 65.74 mm, respectively. None of the patients had severe postoperative pain during the follow-up period. No significant difference was found in analgesic consumption (P > .05) between the groups. The maintenance of AP in molar teeth with necrotic pulp and apical periodontitis was associated with less postoperative pain when compared with NAP. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Acute pancreatitis decreases the sensitivity of pancreas-projecting dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus neurones to group II metabotropic glutamate receptor agonists in rats

PubMed Central

Babic, Tanja; Travagli, R Alberto

2014-01-01

Recent studies have shown that pancreatic exocrine secretions (PES) are modulated by dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) neurones, whose activity is finely tuned by GABAergic and glutamatergic synaptic inputs. Group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR) decrease synaptic transmission to pancreas-projecting DMV neurones and increase PES. In the present study, we used a combination of in vivo and in vitro approaches aimed at characterising the effects of caerulein-induced acute pancreatitis (AP) on the vagal neurocircuitry modulating pancreatic functions. In control rats, microinjection of bicuculline into the DMV increased PES, whereas microinjections of kynurenic acid had no effect. Conversely, in AP rats, microinjection of bicuculline had no effect, whereas kynurenic acid decreased PES. DMV microinjections of the group II mGluR agonist APDC and whole cell recordings of excitatory currents in identified pancreas-projecting DMV neurones showed a reduced functional response in AP rats compared to controls. Moreover, these changes persisted up to 3 weeks following the induction of AP. These data demonstrate that AP increases the excitatory input to pancreas-projecting DMV neurones by decreasing the response of excitatory synaptic terminals to group II mGluR agonist. PMID:24445314

77 FR 22622 - AP Henderson Group, BPO Management Services, Inc., Capital Mineral Investors, Inc...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-16

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [File No. 500-1] AP Henderson Group, BPO Management Services, Inc., Capital Mineral Investors, Inc., CardioVascular BioTherapeutics, Inc., and 1st Centennial... that there is a lack of current and accurate information concerning the securities of 1st Centennial...

Genome-Wide Analysis of the AP2/ERF Gene Family in Physic Nut and Overexpression of the JcERF011 Gene in Rice Increased Its Sensitivity to Salinity Stress

PubMed Central

Tang, Yuehui; Qin, Shanshan; Guo, Yali; Chen, Yanbo; Wu, Pingzhi; Chen, Yaping; Li, Meiru; Jiang, Huawu; Wu, Guojiang

2016-01-01

The AP2/ERF transcription factors play crucial roles in plant growth, development and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. A total of 119 AP2/ERF genes (JcAP2/ERFs) have been identified in the physic nut genome; they include 16 AP2, 4 RAV, 1 Soloist, and 98 ERF genes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that physic nut AP2 genes could be divided into 3 subgroups, while ERF genes could be classed into 11 groups or 43 subgroups. The AP2/ERF genes are non-randomly distributed across the 11 linkage groups of the physic nut genome and retain many duplicates which arose from ancient duplication events. The expression patterns of several JcAP2/ERF duplicates in the physic nut showed differences among four tissues (root, stem, leaf, and seed), and 38 JcAP2/ERF genes responded to at least one abiotic stressor (drought, salinity, phosphate starvation, and nitrogen starvation) in leaves and/or roots according to analysis of digital gene expression tag data. The expression of JcERF011 was downregulated by salinity stress in physic nut roots. Overexpression of the JcERF011 gene in rice plants increased its sensitivity to salinity stress. The increased expression levels of several salt tolerance-related genes were impaired in the JcERF011-overexpressing plants under salinity stress. PMID:26943337

Genome-Wide Analysis of the AP2/ERF Gene Family in Physic Nut and Overexpression of the JcERF011 Gene in Rice Increased Its Sensitivity to Salinity Stress.

PubMed

Tang, Yuehui; Qin, Shanshan; Guo, Yali; Chen, Yanbo; Wu, Pingzhi; Chen, Yaping; Li, Meiru; Jiang, Huawu; Wu, Guojiang

2016-01-01

The AP2/ERF transcription factors play crucial roles in plant growth, development and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. A total of 119 AP2/ERF genes (JcAP2/ERFs) have been identified in the physic nut genome; they include 16 AP2, 4 RAV, 1 Soloist, and 98 ERF genes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that physic nut AP2 genes could be divided into 3 subgroups, while ERF genes could be classed into 11 groups or 43 subgroups. The AP2/ERF genes are non-randomly distributed across the 11 linkage groups of the physic nut genome and retain many duplicates which arose from ancient duplication events. The expression patterns of several JcAP2/ERF duplicates in the physic nut showed differences among four tissues (root, stem, leaf, and seed), and 38 JcAP2/ERF genes responded to at least one abiotic stressor (drought, salinity, phosphate starvation, and nitrogen starvation) in leaves and/or roots according to analysis of digital gene expression tag data. The expression of JcERF011 was downregulated by salinity stress in physic nut roots. Overexpression of the JcERF011 gene in rice plants increased its sensitivity to salinity stress. The increased expression levels of several salt tolerance-related genes were impaired in the JcERF011-overexpressing plants under salinity stress.

Effects of delayed treatment with combined GDNF and continuous electrical stimulation on spiral ganglion cell survival in deafened guinea pigs.

PubMed

Scheper, Verena; Paasche, Gerrit; Miller, Josef M; Warnecke, Athanasia; Berkingali, Nurdanat; Lenarz, Thomas; Stöver, Timo

2009-05-01

Electrical stimulation (ES) of spiral ganglion cells (SGC) via a cochlear implant is the standard treatment for profound sensor neural hearing loss. However, loss of hair cells as the morphological correlate of sensor neural hearing loss leads to deafferentation and death of SGC. Although immediate treatment with ES or glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) can prevent degeneration of SGC, only few studies address the effectiveness of delayed treatment. We hypothesize that both interventions have a synergistic effect and that even delayed treatment would protect SGC. Therefore, an electrode connected to a pump was implanted into the left cochlea of guinea pigs 3 weeks after deafening. The contralateral untreated cochleae served as deafened intraindividual controls. Four groups were set up. Control animals received intracochlear infusion of artificial perilymph (AP/-). The experimental groups consisted of animals treated with AP in addition to continuous ES (AP/ES) or treated with GDNF alone (GDNF/-) or GDNF combined with continuous ES (GDNF/ES). Acoustically and electrically evoked auditory brain stem responses were recorded. All animals were killed 48 days after deafening; their cochleae were histologically evaluated. Survival of SGC increased significantly in the GDNF/- and AP/ES group compared with the AP/- group. A highly significant increase in SGC density was observed in the GDNF/ES group compared with the control group. Additionally, animals in the GDNF/ES group showed reduced EABR thresholds. Thus, delayed treatment with GDNF and ES can protect SGC from degeneration and may improve the benefits of cochlear implants.

Anti-emetic effect of oculo-acupuncture on dogs with xylazine induced vomiting.

PubMed

Liu, Jianzhu; Lee, Yoo-Teak; Lee, Sang-Eun; Lee, Jung-Yeon; Kim, Duck-Hwan

2007-01-01

The present study was conducted in order to clarify the anti-emetic effect of oculo-acupuncture (OA) on dogs with xylazine-induced vomiting, and also to compare the anti-emetic effect of OA and body acupuncture (AP). Twelve dogs induced to vomit by xylazine were selected from total 29 mongrel dogs in preliminary experiment and were used as subjects in this study. This study was comprised of two experiments. In experiment 1, the anti-emetic effects of OA on dogs were examined in the stomach/spleen region (experimental group I), the zhongjiao region (experimental group II), and the stomach/spleen region plus the zhongjiao region (experimental group III) using 12 dogs induced to vomit for one week interval repeatedly. On the other hand, needle acupuncture (AP) (BL20 + BL21, experimental group A) and OA (stomach/spleen and zhong jiao regions) combined with needle AP (BL20 + BL21) (experimental group B) were examined using 6 vomiting dogs, for one week interval repeatedly in experiment 2. As a result, the vomiting rates of experimental group I (50%, p < 0.05), experimental group II (58.3%) and experimental group III (41.6%, p < 0.01) were lower than that of control (100%), respectively in experiment 1. The vomiting rates of both experimental group A (50%, p < 0.05) and experimental group B (50%, p < 0.05) were lower than that of control (100%) in experiment 2. The starting vomiting time in experimental groups was similar to that of the control groups in experiment 1 and 2. This study demonstrated that OA had anti-emetic effects on dogs with xylazine-induced vomiting and OA in the stomach/spleen region plus the zhongjiao region was the most effective in anti-emesis among the experimental groups. In addition, body AP and OA combined with body AP had a similar anti-emetic effect on dogs with xylazine-induced vomiting.

Pseudobulbar Affect Correlates With Mood Symptoms in Parkinsonian Disorders but Not Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

PubMed

Patel, Neepa; Combs, Hannah; York, Michele; Phan, Cecile; Jimenez-Shahed, Joohi

2018-03-05

Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is a syndrome of affective disturbance associated with inappropriate laughter and crying, independent of mood. PBA is common in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and increasingly recognized in Parkinson's disease (PD) and atypical parkinsonism (aP). Correlates of PBA have not been systematically studied. The purpose of this study was to determine whether cognitive and psychiatric comorbidities correlated with patient-reported symptoms of PBA by using the Center for Neurological Study-Lability Scale among patients with ALS, PD, and aP. A total of 108 patients (PD, N=53; aP, N=29; ALS, N=26) completed a cognitive screener and self-reported measures of lability, depression, anxiety, apathy, and quality of life. Statistical analyses included one- and two-way analyses of covariance to evaluate group differences, Pearson's correlations to determine relationships between PBA symptoms and comorbidities, multiple regression for predicting PBA symptom severity in clinical correlates, and chi-square t tests for predicting demographic variables. PBA symptom severity did not vary between the three groups. Younger age and worse anxiety correlated with PBA symptom severity in all three groups, whereas depression and poor mental health/quality of life only correlated with PBA symptom severity in the PD and aP groups. PD and aP patients may be more likely to benefit from treatment with antidepressants. Increased PBA symptoms were associated with declines in cognitive functioning in the aP group, but sufficient numbers of PD and ALS patients with cognitive dysfunction may not have been recruited. The results suggest the possibility of an alternate pathophysiologic mechanism for PBA, which may vary between neurological disorders and disease progression. Mood and cognition are of particular relevance and should be evaluated when symptoms of PBA are suspected.

Exploitation of phosphorescent labelling reagent of fullerol-fluorescein isothiocyanate and new method for the determination of trace alkaline phosphatase as well as forecast of human diseases.

PubMed

Liu, Jia-Ming; Huang, Xiao-Mei; Liu, Zhen-Bo; Lin, Shao-Qin; Li, Fei-Ming; Gao, Fei; Li, Zhi-Ming; Zeng, Li-Qing; Li, Lian-Ying; Ouyang, Ying

2009-08-26

A new phosphorescent labelling reagent consisting of fullerol, fluorescein isothiocyanate and N,N-dimethylaniline (F-ol-(FITC)(n)-DMA) was developed. The mode of action is based on the reactivity of the active -OH group in F-ol with the -COOH group of FITC to form an F-ol-(FITC)(n)-DMA complex containing several FITC molecules. F-ol-(FITC)(n)-DMA increased the number of luminescent molecules in the biological target of WGA-AP-WGA-F-ol-(FITC)(n)-DMA (WGA and AP are wheat germ agglutinin and alkaline phosphatase, respectively) which improved the sensitivity using solid substrate room temperature phosphorimetry (SSRTP) detection. The proposed method provided high sensitivity and strong specificity for WGA-AP. The limit of detection (LD) was 0.15 ag AP spot(-1) for F-ol and 0.097 ag AP spot(-1) for FITC in F-ol-(FITC)(n)-DMA, which was lower than the method using single luminescent molecules of F-ol-DMA and FITC-DMA to label WGA (0.20 ag AP spot(-1) for F-ol-DMA and 0.22 ag AP spot(-1) for FITC-DMA). Results for the determination of AP in human serum were in good agreement with those obtained by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mechanism of F-ol-(FITC)(n)-DMA labelling of WGA was discussed.

DiAs User Interface: A Patient-Centric Interface for Mobile Artificial Pancreas Systems

PubMed Central

Keith-Hynes, Patrick; Guerlain, Stephanie; Mize, Benton; Hughes-Karvetski, Colleen; Khan, Momin; McElwee-Malloy, Molly; Kovatchev, Boris P.

2013-01-01

Background Recent in-hospital studies of artificial pancreas (AP) systems have shown promising results in improving glycemic control in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The next logical step in AP development is to conduct transitional outpatient clinical trials with a mobile system that is controlled by the patient. In this article, we present the user interface (UI) of the Diabetes Assistant (DiAs), an experimental smartphone-based mobile AP system, and describe the reactions of a round of focus groups to the UI. This work is an initial inquiry involving a relatively small number of potential users, many of whom had never seen an AP system before, and the results should be understood in that light. Methods We began by considering how the UI of an AP system could be designed to make use of the familiar touch-based graphical UI of a consumer smartphone. After developing a working prototype UI, we enlisted a human factors specialist to perform a heuristic expert analysis. Next we conducted a formative evaluation of the UI through a series of three focus groups with N = 13 potential end users as participants. The UI was modified based upon the results of these studies, and the resulting DiAs system was used in transitional outpatient AP studies of adults in the United States and Europe. Results The DiAs UI was modified based on focus group feedback from potential users. The DiAs was subsequently used in JDRF- and AP@Home-sponsored transitional outpatient AP studies in the United States and Europe by 40 subjects for 2400 h with no adverse events. Conclusions Adult patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus are able to control an AP system successfully using a patient-centric UI on a commercial smartphone in a transitional outpatient environment. PMID:24351168

Magnetic versus manual catheter navigation for ablation of free wall accessory pathways in children.

PubMed

Kim, Jeffrey J; Macicek, Scott L; Decker, Jamie A; Kertesz, Naomi J; Friedman, Richard A; Cannon, Bryan C

2012-08-01

Transcatheter ablation of accessory pathway (AP)-mediated tachycardia is routinely performed in children. Little data exist regarding the use of magnetic navigation (MN) and its potential benefits for ablation of AP-mediated tachycardia in this population. We performed a retrospective review of prospectively gathered data in children undergoing radiofrequency ablation at our institution since the installation of MN (Stereotaxis Inc, St. Louis, MO) in March 2009. The efficacy and safety between an MN-guided approach and standard manual techniques for mapping and ablation of AP-mediated tachycardia were compared. During the 26-month study period, 145 patients underwent radiofrequency ablation for AP-mediated tachycardia. Seventy-three patients were ablated with MN and 72 with a standard manual approach. There were no significant differences in demographic factors between the 2 groups with a mean cohort age of 13.1±4.0 years. Acute success rates were equivalent with 68 of 73 (93.2%) patients in the MN group being successfully ablated versus 68 of 72 (94.4%) patients in the manual group (P=0.889). During a median follow-up of 21.4 months, there were no recurrences in the MN group and 2 recurrences in the manual group (P=0.388). There were no differences in time to effect, number of lesions delivered, or average ablation power. There was also no difference in total procedure time, but fluoroscopy time was significantly reduced in the MN group at 14.0 (interquartile range, 3.8-23.9) minutes compared with the manual group at 28.1 (interquartile range, 15.3-47.3) minutes (P<0.001). There were no complications in either group. MN is a safe and effective approach to ablate AP-mediated tachycardia in children.

Efficacy of bupropion alone and in combination with nicotine gum

PubMed Central

Piper, Megan E.; Federman, E. Belle; McCarthy, Danielle E.; Bolt, Daniel M.; Smith, Stevens S.; Fiore, Michael C.; Baker, Timothy B.

2010-01-01

In this double-blind placebo-controlled smoking cessation treatment study, 608 participants were randomly assigned to receive active bupropion and active 4-mg gum (AA, n = 228), active bupropion and placebo gum (AP, n = 224), or placebo bupropion and placebo gum (PP, n = 156). Relative to the PP group, the AA and AP groups were each significantly more likely to be abstinent at one week, end of treatment and six months, but not twelve months post-quit. After the first week post-quit there were no differences in abstinence rates between the AA and AP groups. There were no significant individual difference variables that moderated outcome beyond one week post-quit. PMID:17763111

Chemical applications of synchrotron radiation: Workshop report

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

Not Available

1989-04-01

The most recent in a series of topical meetings for Advanced Photon Source user subgroups, the Workshop on Chemical Applications of Synchrotron Radiation (held at Argonne National Laboratory, October 3-4, 1988) dealt with surfaces and kinetics, spectroscopy, small-angle scattering, diffraction, and topography and imaging. The primary objectives were to provide an educational resource for the chemistry community on the scientific research being conducted at existing synchrotron sources and to indicate some of the unique opportunities that will be made available with the Advanced Photon Source. The workshop organizers were also interested in gauging the interest of chemists in the fieldmore » of synchrotron radiation. Interest expressed at the meeting has led to initial steps toward formation of a Chemistry Users Group at the APS. Individual projects are processed separately for the data bases.« less

Evaluation of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-lymphocyte ratio and red blood cell distribution width-platelet ratio as early predictor of acute pancreatitis in pregnancy.

PubMed

İlhan, Mehmet; İlhan, Gülşah; Gök, Ali Fuat Kaan; Bademler, Süleyman; Verit Atmaca, Fatma; Ertekin, Cemalettin

2016-01-01

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a state of inflammation. It has been widely known that neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) to platelet ratio (RPR) reflect systemic inflammation. The aim of this study is to investigate whether these inflammatory markers could be used as reliable markers in early prediction of AP in pregnancy and if there is a relationship between disease severity and these markers. The study group consisted of 14 patients, who developed AP in ongoing pregnancy, and the control group consisted of 30 healthy pregnant women. NLR, PLR and RPR were calculated for both the groups. NLR was significantly elevated in the AP group when compared with the controls (p = 0.00), but there was no statistically significant difference in terms of PLR and RPR (p > 0.05). ROC curve analysis results for NLR showed that there was a significant prediction power of NLR for AP (R(2) = 0.842; p < 0.001). For NLR parameter, if cut-off value is chosen to be 4.1030, then sensitivity is 71.4% and specificity is 100.0%. There was statistically significant and positive correlation between C-reactive protein (CRP) and glucose with NLR (p = 0.001, p = 0.043). It was seen that Ranson was close to be significant (p = 0.051). NLR might be used as an early marker of AP and may have a role in prediction of disease severity.

Astragalus polysaccharides attenuate PCV2 infection by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress in vivo and in vitro.

PubMed

Xue, Hongxia; Gan, Fang; Qian, Gang; Hu, Junfa; Hao, Shu; Xu, Jing; Chen, Xingxiang; Huang, Kehe

2017-01-10

This study explored the effects of Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) on porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) infections and its mechanism in vivo and vitro. First, fifty 2-week-old mice were randomly divided into five groups: a group without PCV2 infection and groups with PCV2 infections at 0, 100, 200 or 400 mg/kg APS treatments. The trial lasted for 28 days. The results showed that APS treatments at 200 and 400 mg/kg reduced the pathological injury of tissues, inhibited PCV2 infection and decreased glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and GADD153/CHOP gene mRNA and protein expression significantly (P < 0.05). Second, a study on endoplasmic reticulum stress mechanism was carried out in PK15 cells. APS treatments at 15 and 45 μg/mL significantly reduced PCV2 infection and GRP78 mRNA and protein expression (P < 0.05). Tunicamycin supplementation increased GRP78 mRNA and protein expression and significantly attenuated the APS-induced inhibition of PCV2 infection (P < 0.05). Tauroursodeoxycholic acid supplementation decreased GRP78 mRNA and protein expression and significantly inhibited PCV2 infection (P < 0.05). In addition, fifty 2-week-old mice were randomly divided into five groups: Con, PCV2, APS + PCV2, TM + PCV2 and TM + APS + PCV2. The results were similar to those in PK15 cells. Taken together, it could be concluded that APS suppresses PCV2 infection by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Astragalus polysaccharides attenuate PCV2 infection by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress in vivo and in vitro

PubMed Central

Xue, Hongxia; Gan, Fang; Qian, Gang; Hu, Junfa; Hao, Shu; Xu, Jing; Chen, Xingxiang; Huang, Kehe

2017-01-01

This study explored the effects of Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) on porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) infections and its mechanism in vivo and vitro. First, fifty 2-week-old mice were randomly divided into five groups: a group without PCV2 infection and groups with PCV2 infections at 0, 100, 200 or 400 mg/kg APS treatments. The trial lasted for 28 days. The results showed that APS treatments at 200 and 400 mg/kg reduced the pathological injury of tissues, inhibited PCV2 infection and decreased glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and GADD153/CHOP gene mRNA and protein expression significantly (P < 0.05). Second, a study on endoplasmic reticulum stress mechanism was carried out in PK15 cells. APS treatments at 15 and 45 μg/mL significantly reduced PCV2 infection and GRP78 mRNA and protein expression (P < 0.05). Tunicamycin supplementation increased GRP78 mRNA and protein expression and significantly attenuated the APS-induced inhibition of PCV2 infection (P < 0.05). Tauroursodeoxycholic acid supplementation decreased GRP78 mRNA and protein expression and significantly inhibited PCV2 infection (P < 0.05). In addition, fifty 2-week-old mice were randomly divided into five groups: Con, PCV2, APS + PCV2, TM + PCV2 and TM + APS + PCV2. The results were similar to those in PK15 cells. Taken together, it could be concluded that APS suppresses PCV2 infection by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress. PMID:28071725

Genomic and transcriptomic analysis of the AP2/ERF superfamily in Vitis vinifera

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The AP2/ERF protein family contains transcription factors that play a crucial role in plant growth and development and in response to biotic and abiotic stress conditions in plants. Grapevine (Vitis vinifera) is the only woody crop whose genome has been fully sequenced. So far, no detailed expression profile of AP2/ERF-like genes is available for grapevine. Results An exhaustive search for AP2/ERF genes was carried out on the Vitis vinifera genome and their expression profile was analyzed by Real-Time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) in different vegetative and reproductive tissues and under two different ripening stages. One hundred and forty nine sequences, containing at least one ERF domain, were identified. Specific clusters within the AP2 and ERF families showed conserved expression patterns reminiscent of other species and grapevine specific trends related to berry ripening. Moreover, putative targets of group IX ERFs were identified by co-expression and protein similarity comparisons. Conclusions The grapevine genome contains an amount of AP2/ERF genes comparable to that of other dicot species analyzed so far. We observed an increase in the size of specific groups within the ERF family, probably due to recent duplication events. Expression analyses in different aerial tissues display common features previously described in other plant systems and introduce possible new roles for members of some ERF groups during fruit ripening. The presented analysis of AP2/ERF genes in grapevine provides the bases for studying the molecular regulation of berry development and the ripening process. PMID:21171999

Experimental demonstration of the possible role of Acanthamoeba polyphaga in the infection and disease progression in Buruli Ulcer (BU) using ICR mice

PubMed Central

Azumah, Bright K.; Addo, Phyllis G.; Dodoo, Alfred; Awandare, Gordon; Mosi, Lydia; Boakye, Daniel A.

2017-01-01

The transmission of Buruli ulcer (BU), caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU), remains puzzling although a number of hypothesis including through bites of infected aquatic insects have been proposed. We report the results of experiments using ICR mice that give credence to our hypothesis that Acanthamoeba species may play a role in BU transmission. We cocultured MU N2 and MU 1615 which expresses red fluorescent protein (RFP) and Acanthamoeba polyphaga (AP), and confirmed infected AP by Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) staining. We tested for viability of MU inside AP and observed strong RFP signals inside both trophozoites and cysts after 3 and 42 days of coculturing respectively. ICR mice were topically treated, either on shaved intact or shaved pinpricked rumps, with one of the following; MU N2 only (2.25 x 106 colony forming units [CFU] / ml), MU N2:AP coculture (2.96 x 104 CFU: 1.6 x 106 cells/ml), AP only (1.6 x 106 cells/ml), PYG medium and sterile distilled water. Both MU N2 only and MU N2:AP elicited reddening on day (D) 31; edema on D 45 and D 44 respectively, and ulcers on D 49 at pinpricked sites only. To ascertain infectivity and pathogenicity of MU N2 only and MU N2:AP, and compare their virulence, the standard mouse footpad inoculation method was used. MU N2:AP elicited reddening in footpads by D 3 compared to D 14 with MU N2 only of the same dose of MU N2 (2.96 x 104 CFU). ZN-stained MU were observed in both thin sectioned and homogenized lesions, and aspirates from infected sites. Viable MU N2 were recovered from cultures of the homogenates and aspirates. This study demonstrates in ICR mice MU transmission via passive infection, and shows that punctures in the skin are prerequisite for infection, and that coculturing of MU with AP enhances pathogenesis. PMID:28329001

Decreased allopregnanolone levels in cerebrospinal fluid obtained during status epilepticus.

PubMed

Meletti, Stefano; Lucchi, Chiara; Monti, Giulia; Giovannini, Giada; Bedin, Roberta; Trenti, Tommaso; Rustichelli, Cecilia; Biagini, Giuseppe

2017-02-01

Neuroactive steroids are increasingly considered as relevant modulators of neuronal activity. Especially allopregnanolone (AP) and pregnenolone sulfate (PS) have been shown to possess, respectively, anticonvulsant or proconvulsant properties. In view of the potential role of these steroids, we aimed at evaluating AP and PS levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood samples obtained from patients with status epilepticus (SE). To this purpose, we enrolled 41 patients affected by SE and 41 subjects investigated for nonepileptic neurologic disorders. Liquid chromatographic procedures coupled with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry and routine laboratory investigations were performed. Significantly lower AP levels were found in the CSF of patients affected by SE (-30%; p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney test). Notably, AP was not detectable in 28 of 41 patients affected by SE (p < 0.01 vs. controls, Fisher's exact test). In serum, AP levels did not differ in the two considered groups. Conversely, PS was present at similar levels in the investigated groups. Finally, differences in AP levels could not be explained by a variation in CSF albumin content. These findings indicate that AP is defective in the CSF of patients affected by SE. This phenomenon was not dependent on carriers for steroids, such as albumin. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 International League Against Epilepsy.

Experimental Evaluation of Unicast and Multicast CoAP Group Communication

PubMed Central

Ishaq, Isam; Hoebeke, Jeroen; Moerman, Ingrid; Demeester, Piet

2016-01-01

The Internet of Things (IoT) is expanding rapidly to new domains in which embedded devices play a key role and gradually outnumber traditionally-connected devices. These devices are often constrained in their resources and are thus unable to run standard Internet protocols. The Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) is a new alternative standard protocol that implements the same principals as the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), but is tailored towards constrained devices. In many IoT application domains, devices need to be addressed in groups in addition to being addressable individually. Two main approaches are currently being proposed in the IoT community for CoAP-based group communication. The main difference between the two approaches lies in the underlying communication type: multicast versus unicast. In this article, we experimentally evaluate those two approaches using two wireless sensor testbeds and under different test conditions. We highlight the pros and cons of each of them and propose combining these approaches in a hybrid solution to better suit certain use case requirements. Additionally, we provide a solution for multicast-based group membership management using CoAP. PMID:27455262

Action potential propagation recorded from single axonal arbors using multi-electrode arrays.

PubMed

Tovar, Kenneth R; Bridges, Daniel C; Wu, Bian; Randall, Connor; Audouard, Morgane; Jang, Jiwon; Hansma, Paul K; Kosik, Kenneth S

2018-04-11

We report the presence of co-occurring extracellular action potentials (eAPs) from cultured mouse hippocampal neurons among groups of planar electrodes on multi-electrode arrays (MEAs). The invariant sequences of eAPs among co-active electrode groups, repeated co-occurrences and short inter-electrode latencies are consistent with action potential propagation in unmyelinated axons. Repeated eAP co-detection by multiple electrodes was widespread in all our data records. Co-detection of eAPs confirms they result from the same neuron and allows these eAPs to be isolated from all other spikes independently of spike sorting algorithms. We averaged co-occurring events and revealed additional electrodes with eAPs that would otherwise be below detection threshold. We used these eAP cohorts to explore the temperature sensitivity of action potential propagation and the relationship between voltage-gated sodium channel density and propagation velocity. The sequence of eAPs among co-active electrodes 'fingerprints' neurons giving rise to these events and identifies them within neuronal ensembles. We used this property and the non-invasive nature of extracellular recording to monitor changes in excitability at multiple points in single axonal arbors simultaneously over several hours, demonstrating independence of axonal segments. Over several weeks, we recorded changes in inter-electrode propagation latencies and ongoing changes in excitability in different regions of single axonal arbors. Our work illustrates how repeated eAP co-occurrences can be used to extract physiological data from single axons with low electrode density MEAs. However, repeated eAP co-occurrences leads to over-sampling spikes from single neurons and thus can confound traditional spike-train analysis.

Growth, optical, ICP and thermal studies of nonlinear optical single crystal: Sodium acid phthalate (NaAP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahadevan, M.; Arivanandhan, M.; Elangovan, K.; Anandan, P.; Ramachandran, K.

2017-07-01

Good quality single crystals of sodium acid phthalate (NaAP) were grown by slow evaporation technique. Single crystal X-ray diffraction study of the grown crystal reveals that the crystal belongs to orthorhombic system with space group B2ab. Fourier transform infrared spectrum confirms the presence of the functional groups of the grown material. Inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy analysis is used to confirm the presence of Na element in the sample. Thermal analysis of the NaAP crystal shows that the crystal is stable up to 140°C. Optical transmittance of the grown crystal was recorded in the wavelength range from 200 and 800 nm using UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer. The second harmonic generation of NaAP was analysed using Kurtz powder technique.

Yon Gid Pou Tout Refijye K'ap Viv nan Peyi Etanzini (A Guide to Resettlement in the United States). Haitian Creole.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Applied Linguistics, Washington, DC.

The guide, designed for speakers of Haitian Creole who are immigrants to the United States, offers basic information on daily life, customs, and social behavior expectations. It begins with information about immigration laws and requirements, and proceeds to these topics: employment types and practices; employment benefits; taxes; job search;…

A Simple Test Tube-Based ELISA Experiment for the High-School Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brokaw, Ann; Cobb, Brian A.

2009-01-01

Immunology is gaining prominence both in the media as well as on the Advanced Placement (AP) exam in Biology. One of the challenges of teaching modern biological topics such as immunology and biochemistry in the high-school setting is the increased reliance on expensive technology in the research world. To begin to bridge this widening gap, we…

48 CFR 302.7000 - Common HHSAR acronyms and abbreviations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... they are cited only in one HHSAR part, subpart, section, or in reference to a particular topic, are not...) 304.803-70(b). AHRQ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 301.270(b). AP Acquisition Plan 301.606....1300(c). PSC Program Support Center (in OS) 301.270(b). R&D research and development 301.607-72(b). RFI...

48 CFR 302.7000 - Common HHSAR acronyms and abbreviations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... they are cited only in one HHSAR part, subpart, section, or in reference to a particular topic, are not...) 304.803-70(b). AHRQ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 301.270(b). AP Acquisition Plan 301.606....1300(c). PSC Program Support Center (in OS) 301.270(b). R&D research and development 301.607-72(b). RFI...

48 CFR 302.7000 - Common HHSAR acronyms and abbreviations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... they are cited only in one HHSAR part, subpart, section, or in reference to a particular topic, are not...) 304.803-70(b). AHRQ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 301.270(b). AP Acquisition Plan 301.606....1300(c). PSC Program Support Center (in OS) 301.270(b). R&D research and development 301.607-72(b). RFI...

48 CFR 302.7000 - Common HHSAR acronyms and abbreviations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... they are cited only in one HHSAR part, subpart, section, or in reference to a particular topic, are not...) 304.803-70(b). AHRQ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 301.270(b). AP Acquisition Plan 301.606....1300(c). PSC Program Support Center (in OS) 301.270(b). R&D research and development 301.607-72(b). RFI...

A combined paging alert and web-based instrument alters clinician behavior and shortens hospital length of stay in acute pancreatitis.

PubMed

Dimagno, Matthew J; Wamsteker, Erik-Jan; Rizk, Rafat S; Spaete, Joshua P; Gupta, Suraj; Sahay, Tanya; Costanzo, Jeffrey; Inadomi, John M; Napolitano, Lena M; Hyzy, Robert C; Desmond, Jeff S

2014-03-01

There are many published clinical guidelines for acute pancreatitis (AP). Implementation of these recommendations is variable. We hypothesized that a clinical decision support (CDS) tool would change clinician behavior and shorten hospital length of stay (LOS). Observational study, entitled, The AP Early Response (TAPER) Project. Tertiary center emergency department (ED) and hospital. Two consecutive samplings of patients having ICD-9 code (577.0) for AP were generated from the emergency department (ED) or hospital admissions. Diagnosis of AP was based on conventional Atlanta criteria. The Pre-TAPER-CDS-Tool group (5/30/06-6/22/07) had 110 patients presenting to the ED with AP per 976 ICD-9 (577.0) codes and the Post-TAPER-CDS-Tool group (5/30/06-6/22/07) had 113 per 907 ICD-9 codes (7/14/10-5/5/11). The TAPER-CDS-Tool, developed 12/2008-7/14/2010, is a combined early, automated paging-alert system, which text pages ED clinicians about a patient with AP and an intuitive web-based point-of-care instrument, consisting of seven early management recommendations. The pre- vs. post-TAPER-CDS-Tool groups had similar baseline characteristics. The post-TAPER-CDS-Tool group met two management goals more frequently than the pre-TAPER-CDS-Tool group: risk stratification (P<0.0001) and intravenous fluids >6L/1st 0-24 h (P=0.0003). Mean (s.d.) hospital LOS was significantly shorter in the post-TAPER-CDS-Tool group (4.6 (3.1) vs. 6.7 (7.0) days, P=0.0126). Multivariate analysis identified four independent variables for hospital LOS: the TAPER-CDS-Tool associated with shorter LOS (P=0.0049) and three variables associated with longer LOS: Japanese severity score (P=0.0361), persistent organ failure (P=0.0088), and local pancreatic complications (<0.0001). The TAPER-CDS-Tool is associated with changed clinician behavior and shortened hospital LOS, which has significant financial implications.

Three-Catheter Technique for Ablation of Left-Sided Accessory Pathways in Wolff-Parkinson-White is Less Expensive and Equally Successful When Compared to a Five-Catheter Technique.

PubMed

Capone, Christine A; Ceresnak, Scott R; Nappo, Lynn; Gates, Gregory J; Schechter, Clyde B; Pass, Robert H

2015-12-01

To compare the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of a three-catheter approach with a conventional five-catheter approach for the mapping and ablation of supraventricular tachycardia in pediatric patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome (WPW) and concealed accessory pathways (APs). A retrospective review from 2008 to 2012 of patients less than 21 years with WPW who underwent a three-catheter radiofrequency (RF) ablation of a left-sided AP (ablation, right ventricular [RV] apical, and coronary sinus [CS] decapolar catheters) was performed. The three-catheter group was compared to a control group who underwent a standard five-catheter (ablation, RV apical, CS decapolar, His catheter, and right atrial catheter) ablation for the treatment of left-sided WPW or concealed AP. Demographics, ablation outcomes, and costs were compared between groups. Twenty-eight patients met inclusion criteria with 28 control patients. The groups did not differ in gender, age, weight, or body surface area. Locations of the AP on the mitral annulus were similar between the groups. All patients were ablated via transseptal approach. Note that 28 of 28 in the three-catheter group (100%) and 27 of 28 (96%) controls were acutely successfully ablated (P = 0.31). No complications were encountered. There was no difference in procedural time, time to loss of AP conduction, or number of RF applications. Use of the three-catheter technique resulted in a total savings of $2,465/case, which includes the $680 savings from using fewer catheters as well as the savings from a shortened procedure time. Ablation in patients with WPW and a left-sided AP can be performed using three catheters with similar efficacy and safety while offering significant cost savings compared to a conventional five-catheter approach. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Incidence and Genetic Diversity of Apple Mosaic Virus (ApMV) and Prune Dwarf Virus (PDV) in Prunus Species in Australia

PubMed Central

Constable, Fiona E.; Nancarrow, Narelle; Rodoni, Brendan

2018-01-01

Apple mosaic virus (ApMV) and prune dwarf virus (PDV) are amongst the most common viruses infecting Prunus species worldwide but their incidence and genetic diversity in Australia is not known. In a survey of 127 Prunus tree samples collected from five states in Australia, ApMV and PDV occurred in 4 (3%) and 13 (10%) of the trees respectively. High-throughput sequencing (HTS) of amplicons from partial conserved regions of RNA1, RNA2, and RNA3, encoding the methyltransferase (MT), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), and the coat protein (CP) genes respectively, of ApMV and PDV was used to determine the genetic diversity of the Australian isolates of each virus. Phylogenetic comparison of Australian ApMV and PDV amplicon HTS variants and full length genomes of both viruses with isolates occurring in other countries identified genetic strains of each virus occurring in Australia. A single Australian Prunus infecting ApMV genetic strain was identified as all ApMV isolates sequence variants formed a single phylogenetic group in each of RNA1, RNA2, and RNA3. Two Australian PDV genetic strains were identified based on the combination of observed phylogenetic groups in each of RNA1, RNA2, and RNA3 and one Prunus tree had both strains. The accuracy of amplicon sequence variants phylogenetic analysis based on segments of each virus RNA were confirmed by phylogenetic analysis of full length genome sequences of Australian ApMV and PDV isolates and all published ApMV and PDV genomes from other countries. PMID:29562672

Diadenosine polyphosphates Ap3A and Ap4A, but not Ap5A or Ap6A, induce proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells.

PubMed

Bobbert, Peter; Schlüter, Hartmut; Schultheiss, Heinz Peter; Reusch, Hans Peter

2008-05-15

Depending on the number of phosphate groups, diadenosine polyphosphates (ApnA, Ap3A, Ap4A, Ap5A and Ap6A) differ in properties such as proliferation, apoptosis, vasoconstriction and vasodilatation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Possible signaling pathways leading to effects such as proliferation are still unknown. This study examined the proliferative effects of diadenosine polyphosphates on VSMCs and their intracellular pathways. Proliferation of VSMCs was measured by the cell count and [(3)H] thymidine incorporation. Phosphorylation of the MAP kinases ERK1/2 was determined by Western blotting. Single-cell [Ca(2+)](i) measurements were done to determine the influence of [Ca(2+)](i) on intracellular signaling. Stress fiber formation was assessed by fluorescence microscopy to detect an influence of G alpha(12). Ap3A and Ap4A, but not Ap5A or Ap6A, were shown to increase proliferation of VSMCs by activating P2Y receptors, which leads to stimulation of the Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK1/2 cascade. Ap3A- and Ap4A-induced activation of the MAP kinases ERK1/2 was dependent on a signaling pathway that included the EGF receptor, PKC, PLCbeta and the increase of [Ca(2+)](i). In conclusion, Ap3A and Ap4A, but not Ap5A or Ap6A, induce proliferation of VSMCs by a signaling pathway that begins with activation of P2Y receptors and leads to stimulation of the MAP kinases ERK1/2.

Effect of L-cysteine on remote organ injury in rats with severe acute pancreatitis induced by bile-pancreatic duct obstruction.

PubMed

Yang, Li-Juan; Wan, Rong; Shen, Jia-Qing; Shen, Jie; Wang, Xing-Peng

2013-08-01

Remote organ failure occurs in cases of acute pancreatitis (AP); however, the reports on AP induced by pancreatic duct obstruction are rare. In this study we determined the effect of L-cysteine on pancreaticobiliary inflammation and remote organ damage in rats after pancreaticobiliary duct ligation (PBDL). AP was induced by PBDL in rats with 5/0 silk. Sixty rats were randomly divided into 4 groups. Groups A and B were sham-operated groups that received injections of saline or L-cysteine (10 mg/kg) intraperitoneally (15 rats in each group). Groups C and D were PBDL groups that received injections of saline or L-cysteine (10 mg/kg) intraperitoneally (15 rats in each group). The tissue samples of the pancreas and remote organs such as the lung, liver, intestine and kidney were subsequently examined for pathological changes under a light microscope. The samples were also stored for the determination of malondialdehyde and glutathione levels. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), plasma amylase, ALT and AST levels were determined spectrophotometrically using an automated analyzer. Also, we evaluated the effect of L-cysteine on remote organ injury in rats with AP induced by retrograde infusion of 3.5% sodium taurocholate (NaTc) into the bile-pancreatic duct. Varying degrees of injury in the pancreas, lung, liver, intestine and kidney were observed in the rats 24 hours after PBDL. The severity of injury to the lung, liver and intestine was attenuated, while injury status was not changed significantly in the pancreas and kidney after L-cysteine treatment. Oxidative stress was also affected by L-cysteine in PBDL-treated rats. The concentration of tissue malondialdehyde decreased in the pancreas and remote organs of PBDL and L-cysteine administrated rats, and the concentration of glutathione increased more significantly than that of the model control group. However, L-cysteine administration reduced the severity of injury in remote organs but not in the pancreas in rats with NaTc-induced AP. L-cysteine treatment attenuated multiple organ damage at an early stage of AP in rats and modulated the oxidant/antioxidant imbalance.

[Environment and the "Health in All Policies" approach-an overview].

PubMed

Zeeb, Hajo; Hilderink, Henk; Forberger, Sarah

2018-06-01

One quarter of the global disease burden could be avoided with management strategies for environmental risk factors such as air and water pollution, food contamination, injuries and poor road safety. Many decisions influencing health are made outside the health sector; thus, the joint consideration and implementation of health and environmental factors in the relevant policies are becoming increasingly important. By means of a selective literature search, we identified important policy documents and selected research articles as a basis for the introduction and current discussion of the Health in All Policies (HiAP) approach. Parallels with the Environment in All Policies (EIAP) approach are debated. The consideration and reinforcement of environmental topics in HiAP and the link with health in the EiAP approach increase the chances of policies with mutually positive effects, especially with regard to the significance of social factors for health and the environment. The UN Sustainable Development Goals provide a good starting point for a joint strategy for reinforcing health and environmental aspects. Health and Environmental Impact Assessments are accepted procedures in many countries. The HiAP strategy implemented in South Australia provides a well-documented institutional approach to the integration and linkage of health and environmental issues. These examples can be used as well-established starting points for a definition of HiAP incorporating the equitable involvement of environmental issues. Barriers to this goal relate, for example, to the particular interests of the various participating sectors.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: X-ray observations of HCG galaxies (Tzanavaris+, 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tzanavaris, P.; Hornschemeier, A. E.; Gallagher, S. C.; Lenkic, L.; Desjardins, T. D.; Walker, L. M.; Johnson, K. E.; Mulchaey, J. S.

2016-04-01

In this paper we study a sample of 15 compact groups (CGs) observed with Chandra/ACIS, Swift/UVOT and Spitzer/IRAC-MIPS for which archival data exist, allowing us to obtain SFRs, stellar masses, sSFRs and X-ray fluxes and luminosities. Table 1 shows the group sample, including redshifts, luminosity distances and group evolutionary types. Allowing for the fact that some galaxies do not fall in the field of view of all three instruments, the total number of CG galaxies analyzed is 47. Details on the Swift and Spitzer observations and data for systems in this sample can be found in Tzanavaris et al. (2010ApJ...716..556T) and (L. Lenkic et al. 2015, in preparation). For Chandra/ACIS observations we refer the reader to Tzanavaris et al. (2014, J/ApJS/212/9) and Desjardins et al. (2013ApJ...763..121D; 2014ApJ...790..132D). (2 data files).

Actively Paranoid Patients with Schizophrenia Over Attribute Anger to Neutral Faces

PubMed Central

Pinkham, Amy E.; Brensinger, Colleen; Kohler, Christian; Gur, Raquel E.; Gur, Ruben C.

2010-01-01

Previous investigations of the influence of paranoia on facial affect recognition in schizophrenia have been inconclusive as some studies demonstrate better performance for paranoid relative to non-paranoid patients and others show that paranoid patients display greater impairments. These studies have been limited by small sample sizes and inconsistencies in the criteria used to define groups. Here, we utilized an established emotion recognition task and a large sample to examine differential performance in emotion recognition ability between patients who were actively paranoid (AP) and those who were not actively paranoid (NAP). Accuracy and error patterns on the Penn Emotion Recognition test (ER40) were examined in 132 patients (64 NAP and 68 AP). Groups were defined based on the presence of paranoid ideation at the time of testing rather than diagnostic subtype. AP and NAP patients did not differ in overall task accuracy; however, an emotion by group interaction indicated that AP patients were significantly worse than NAP patients at correctly labeling neutral faces. A comparison of error patterns on neutral stimuli revealed that the groups differed only in misattributions of anger expressions, with AP patients being significantly more likely to misidentify a neutral expression as angry. The present findings suggest that paranoia is associated with a tendency to over attribute threat to ambiguous stimuli and also lend support to emerging hypotheses of amygdala hyperactivation as a potential neural mechanism for paranoid ideation. PMID:21112186

Speech recognition-based and automaticity programs to help students with severe reading and spelling problems.

PubMed

Higgins, Eleanor L; Raskind, Marshall H

2004-12-01

This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of two programs developed by the Frostig Center Research Department to improve the reading and spelling of students with learning disabilities (LD): a computer Speech Recognition-based Program (SRBP) and a computer and text-based Automaticity Program (AP). Twenty-eight LD students with reading and spelling difficulties (aged 8 to 18) received each program for 17 weeks and were compared with 16 students in a contrast group who did not receive either program. After adjusting for age and IQ, both the SRBP and AP groups showed significant differences over the contrast group in improving word recognition and reading comprehension. Neither program showed significant differences over contrasts in spelling. The SRBP also improved the performance of the target group when compared with the contrast group on phonological elision and nonword reading efficiency tasks. The AP showed significant differences in all process and reading efficiency measures.

Deoxynivalenol induced mouse skin cell proliferation and inflammation via MAPK pathway

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

Mishra, Sakshi; Department of Biochemistry, Banaras Hindu University; Tripathi, Anurag

Several toxicological manifestations of deoxynivalenol (DON), a mycotoxin, are well documented; however, dermal toxicity is not yet explored. The effect of topical application of DON to mice was studied using markers of skin proliferation, inflammation and tumor promotion. Single topical application of DON (84–672 nmol/mouse) significantly enhanced dermal hyperplasia and skin edema. DON (336 and 672 nmol) caused significant enhancement in [{sup 3}H]-thymidine uptake in DNA along with increased myeloperoxidase and ornithine decarboxylase activities, suggesting tissue inflammation and cell proliferation. Furthermore, DON (168 nmol) caused enhanced expression of RAS, and phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt, ERK, JNK and p38 MAPKs. DON exposuremore » also showed activation of transcription factors, c-fos, c-jun and NF-κB along with phosphorylation of IkBα. Enhanced phosphorylation of NF-κB by DON caused over expression of target proteins, COX-2, cyclin D1 and iNOS in skin. Though a single topical application of DMBA followed by twice weekly application of DON (84 and 168 nmol) showed no tumorigenesis after 24 weeks, however, histopathological studies suggested hyperplasia of the epidermis and hypertrophy of hair follicles. Interestingly, intestine was also found to be affected as enlarged Peyer's patches were observed, suggesting inflammatory effects which were supported by elevation of inflammatory cytokines after 24 weeks of topical application of DON. These results suggest that DON induced cell proliferation in mouse skin is through the activation of MAPK signaling pathway involving transcription factors NFκB and AP-1, further leading to transcriptional activation of downstream target proteins c-fos, c-jun, cyclin D1, iNOS and COX-2 which might be responsible for its inflammatory potential. - Highlights: • Topical application of DON enhanced epidermal inflammation and cell proliferation. • DON follows PI3K/Akt/MAPK signaling cascade, with activation of AP-1 and NF-κB. • DON caused over expression of target proteins, COX-2, cyclin D1 and iNOS in skin. • No tumor promotion was observed up to 24 weeks of topical application of DON. • Enhanced Peyer's patches and inflammatory cytokines suggested inflammation in skin.« less

Dual energy spectral CT imaging for the evaluation of small hepatocellular carcinoma microvascular invasion.

PubMed

Yang, Chuang-Bo; Zhang, Shuang; Jia, Yong-Jun; Yu, Yong; Duan, Hai-Feng; Zhang, Xi-Rong; Ma, Guang-Ming; Ren, Chenglong; Yu, Nan

2017-10-01

To study the clinical value of dual-energy spectral CT in the quantitative assessment of microvascular invasion of small hepatocellular carcinoma. This study was approved by our ethics committee. 50 patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent contrast enhanced spectral CT in arterial phase (AP) and portal venous phase (VP) were enrolled. Tumour CT value and iodine concentration (IC) were measured from spectral CT images. The slope of spectral curve, normalized iodine concentration (NIC, to abdominal aorta) and ratio of IC difference between AP and VP (RIC AP-VP : [RIC AP-VP =(IC AP -IC VP )/IC AP ]) were calculated. Tumours were identified as either with or without microvascular invasion based on pathological results. Measurements were statistically compared using independent samples t test. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of tumours microvascular invasion assessment. The 70keV images were used to simulate the results of conventional CT scans for comparison. 56 small hepatocellular carcinomas were detected with 37 lesions (Group A) with microvascular invasion and 19 (Group B) without. There were significant differences in IC, NIC and slope in AP and RIC AP-VP between Group A (2.48±0.70mg/ml, 0.23±0.05, 3.39±1.01 and 0.28±0.16) and Group B (1.65±0.47mg/ml, 0.15±0.05, 2.22±0.64 and 0.03±0.24) (all p<0.05). Using 0.188 as the threshold for NIC, one could obtain an area-under-curve (AUC) of 0.87 in ROC to differentiate between tumours with and without microvascular invasion. AUC was 0.71 with CT value at 70keV and improved to 0.81 at 40keV. Dual-energy Spectral CT provides additional quantitative parameters than conventional CT to improve the differentiation between small hepatocellular carcinoma with and without microvascular invasion. Quantitative iodine concentration measurement in spectral CT may be used to provide a new method to improve the evaluation for small hepatocellular carcinoma microvascular invasion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Diadenosine tetraphosphate induces tight junction disassembly thus increasing corneal epithelial permeability.

PubMed

Loma, P; Guzman-Aranguez, A; Pérez de Lara, M J; Pintor, J

2015-02-01

Here, we have studied the effects of the dinucleotide P(1), P(4)-Di (adenosine-5') tetraphosphate (Ap4 A) on corneal barrier function conferred by the tight junction (TJ) proteins and its possible involvement in ocular drug delivery and therapeutic efficiency. Experiments in vitro were performed using human corneal epithelial cells (HCLEs) treated with Ap4 A (100 μM) for 5 min. Western blot analysis and transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) were performed to study the TJ protein levels and barrier function respectively. Intracellular pathways involved were determined using an ERK inhibitor and P2Y(2) receptor siRNAs. In in vivo assays with New Zealand rabbits, TJ integrity was examined by zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) staining. The hypotensive compound 5-methoxycarbonylamino-N-acetyltryptamine (5-MCA-NAT) was used to assess improved delivery, measuring its levels by HPLC and measuring intraocular pressure using 5-MCA-NAT, P2Y receptor antagonists and P2Y2 siRNAs. Two hours after Ap4 A pretreatment, TJ protein levels in HCLE cells were reduced around 40% compared with control. TEER values were significantly reduced at 2 and 4 h (68 and 52% respectively). TJ reduction and ERK activation were blocked by the ERK inhibitor U012 and P2Y(2) siRNAs. In vivo, topical application of Ap4 A disrupted ZO-1 membrane distribution. 5-MCA-NAT levels in the aqueous humour were higher when Ap4 A was previously instilled and its hypotensive effect was also increased. This action was reversed by P2Y receptor antagonists and P2Y(2) siRNA. Ap4 A increased corneal epithelial barrier permeability. Its application could improve ocular drug delivery and consequently therapeutic efficiency. © 2014 The British Pharmacological Society.

The aspartic proteinase family of three Phytophthora species

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Phytophthora species are oomycete plant pathogens with such major social and economic impact that genome sequences have been determined for Phytophthora infestans, P. sojae and P. ramorum. Pepsin-like aspartic proteinases (APs) are produced in a wide variety of species (from bacteria to humans) and contain conserved motifs and landmark residues. APs fulfil critical roles in infectious organisms and their host cells. Annotation of Phytophthora APs would provide invaluable information for studies into their roles in the physiology of Phytophthora species and interactions with their hosts. Results Genomes of Phytophthora infestans, P. sojae and P. ramorum contain 11-12 genes encoding APs. Nine of the original gene models in the P. infestans database and several in P. sojae and P. ramorum (three and four, respectively) were erroneous. Gene models were corrected on the basis of EST data, consistent positioning of introns between orthologues and conservation of hallmark motifs. Phylogenetic analysis resolved the Phytophthora APs into 5 clades. Of the 12 sub-families, several contained an unconventional architecture, as they either lacked a signal peptide or a propart region. Remarkably, almost all APs are predicted to be membrane-bound. Conclusions One of the twelve Phytophthora APs is an unprecedented fusion protein with a putative G-protein coupled receptor as the C-terminal partner. The others appear to be related to well-documented enzymes from other species, including a vacuolar enzyme that is encoded in every fungal genome sequenced to date. Unexpectedly, however, the oomycetes were found to have both active and probably-inactive forms of an AP similar to vertebrate BACE, the enzyme responsible for initiating the processing cascade that generates the Aβ peptide central to Alzheimer's Disease. The oomycetes also encode enzymes similar to plasmepsin V, a membrane-bound AP that cleaves effector proteins of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum during their translocation into the host red blood cell. Since the translocation of Phytophthora effector proteins is currently a topic of intense research activity, the identification in Phytophthora of potential functional homologues of plasmepsin V would appear worthy of investigation. Indeed, elucidation of the physiological roles of the APs identified here offers areas for future study. The significant revision of gene models and detailed annotation presented here should significantly facilitate experimental design. PMID:21599950

Complement-mediated opsonization of invasive group A Streptococcus pyogenes strain AP53 is regulated by the bacterial two-component cluster of virulence responder/sensor (CovRS) system.

PubMed

Agrahari, Garima; Liang, Zhong; Mayfield, Jeffrey A; Balsara, Rashna D; Ploplis, Victoria A; Castellino, Francis J

2013-09-20

Group A Streptococcus pyogenes (GAS) strain AP53 is a primary isolate from a patient with necrotizing fasciitis. These AP53 cells contain an inactivating mutation in the sensor component of the cluster of virulence (cov) responder (R)/sensor (S) two-component gene regulatory system (covRS), which enhances the virulence of the primary strain, AP53/covR(+)S(-). However, specific mechanisms by which the covRS system regulates the survival of GAS in humans are incomplete. Here, we show a key role for covRS in the regulation of opsonophagocytosis of AP53 by human neutrophils. AP53/covR(+)S(-) cells displayed potent binding of host complement inhibitors of C3 convertase, viz. Factor H (FH) and C4-binding protein (C4BP), which concomitantly led to minimal C3b deposition on AP53 cells, further showing that these plasma protein inhibitors are active on GAS cells. This resulted in weak killing of the bacteria by human neutrophils and a corresponding high death rate of mice after injection of these cells. After targeted allelic alteration of covS(-) to wild-type covS (covS(+)), a dramatic loss of FH and C4BP binding to the AP53/covR(+)S(+) cells was observed. This resulted in elevated C3b deposition on AP53/covR(+)S(+) cells, a high level of opsonophagocytosis by human neutrophils, and a very low death rate of mice infected with AP53/covR(+)S(+). We show that covRS is a critical transcriptional regulator of genes directing AP53 killing by neutrophils and regulates the levels of the receptors for FH and C4BP, which we identify as the products of the fba and enn genes, respectively.

Ketamine versus alfentanil combined with propofol for sedation in colonoscopy procedures: a randomized prospective study.

PubMed

Türk, Hacer Şebnem; Aydoğmuş, Meltem; Ünsal, Oya; Işıl, Canan Tülay; Citgez, Bülent; Oba, Sibel; Açık, Mehmet Eren

2014-12-01

Different drug combinations are used for sedation in colonoscopy procedures. A ketamine-propofol (ketofol) mixture provides effective sedation and has minimal adverse effects. Alfentanil also provides anesthesia for short surgical procedures by incremental injection as an adjunct. However, no study has investigated the use of ketofol compared with an opioid-propofol combination in colonoscopic procedures. A total of 70 patients, ASA physical status I-II, scheduled to undergo elective colonoscopy, were enrolled in this prospective randomized study and allocated to two groups. After premedication, sedation induction was performed with 0.5 mg/kg ketamine +1 mg/kg propofol in Group KP, and 10 mg/kg alfentanil +1 mg/kg propofol in Group AP. Propofol was added when required. Demographic data, colonoscopy duration, recovery time, discharge time, mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), peripheral oxygen saturation, Ramsey Sedation Scale values, colonoscopy patients' satisfaction scores, and complications were recorded. The need for additional propofol doses was significantly higher in Group AP than in Group KP. MAP at minute 1 and 5, Ramsey Sedation Scale at minute 5, and discharge time were significantly higher in Group KP than in Group AP. Additional propofol doses and total propofol dose were significantly lower in Group KP than in Group AP. Ketofol provided better hemodynamic stability and quality of sedation compared with alfentanil-propofol combination in elective colonoscopy, and required fewer additional propofol; however, it prolonged discharge time. Both combinations can safely be used in colonoscopy sedation.

The effect of MgSO4 addition and the increasing doses of calcium and phosphorus during ending drying period on the occurrence of hypocalcaemia and hypophosphataemia in dairy cows.

PubMed

Bodarski, R; Kinal, S; Preś, J; Slupczyńska, M; Twardoń, J

2013-01-01

The aim of the presented study was the estimation of optimal Ca and P levels applied before calving together with anionic salt addition, as an element of hypocalcaemia and hypophosphataemia prevention. The experiment was carried out during the dry period on 48 cows with similar milk yield in the previous lactation. Cows were divided into four groups. In group I (control) the amount of minerals was in accordance to NRC standards. In experimental groups (groups II-IV), two weeks before calving, cows received 140 g/day/head of hydrated magnesium sulphate to achieve dietary cation-anion difference at the level of about 50 mEq/kg DM. In groups II and III cows received calcium carbonate (100 g/day) 10 days a.p. (antepartum) (group II), or 5 days a.p. (group III), while cows in IV group received dicalcium phosphate (100 g/day) for 5 days a.p. Application of MgSO4 x 7H20 significantly affected the urine pH of cows from group III and IV 4-5 d. before calving - 6.45 and 6.81, respectively. The acidification of urine was observed after calving in group IV (7.13). In cows from group II (100 CaCO3 10 days a.p.) urine pH decline was not found (7.97-7.75). In that group the incidences of hypophosphatemia were noted (blood serum inorganic P level 1.41-1.46 mmol/1). Addition of magnesium sulphate prevented hypocalcaemia occurrence -- 4-5 d. before calving the concentration of ionized Ca in blood serum was 1.11, 1.13 and 1.16 mmol/1 (respectively for group II, III and IV). Reproductive functions were significantly improved after the application of CaCO3 and CaHPO4 for 5 days a.p. in comparison with control and group II -- progesterone concentration in the blood serum on the 45th day of lactation was 1.396 - 1.409 versus 0.799 - 0.401. The correlation between progesterone and inorganic P level in serum was almost significant. Based on the obtained results a treatment optimal in prevention of hypocalcaemia and hypophosphataemia is the application of 50 g CaCO3 and 50 g of CaHPO4 for the last 5 days of the dry period together with MgSO4 x 7H20 given for 14 days a.p.

Developing an undue influence screening tool for Adult Protective Services.

PubMed

Quinn, Mary Joy; Nerenberg, Lisa; Navarro, Adria E; Wilber, Kathleen H

2017-03-01

The study purpose was to develop and pilot an undue influence screening tool for California's Adult Protective Services (APS) personnel based on the definition of undue influence enacted into California law January 1, 2014. Methods included four focus groups with APS providers (n = 33), piloting the preliminary tool by APS personnel (n = 15), and interviews with four elder abuse experts and two APS administrators. Social service literature-including existing undue influence models-was reviewed, as were existing screening and assessment tools. Using the information from these various sources, the California Undue Influence Screening Tool (CUIST) was developed. It can be applied to APS cases and potentially adapted for use by other professionals and for use in other states. Implementation of the tool into APS practice, policy, procedures, and training of personnel will depend on the initiative of APS management. Future work will need to address the reliability and validity of CUIST.

The α-MSH analogue AP214 attenuates rise in pulmonary pressure and fall in ejection fraction in lipopolysaccharide-induced systemic inflammatory response syndrome in pigs.

PubMed

Kristensen, Jens; Jonassen, Thomas E N; Rehling, Michael; Tønnesen, Else; Sloth, Erik; Nielsen, Søren; Frøkiaer, Jørgen

2011-01-01

The effect of an α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) analogue (AP214) on experimentally endotoxin-induced systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) was studied, because α-MSH in rodent models has shown promise in attenuating inflammatory response markers and associated organ damage in SIRS. SIRS is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Consequently, new treatment modalities are still warranted to address the different aspects of the pathophysiological process. SIRS was induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (Escherichia coli endotoxin) infusion in anaesthetized Danish Landrace pigs (20-25 kg). The pigs received an α-MSH analogue (AP214) or saline as a bolus at the initiation of the LPS infusion. The hemodynamic response was registered as well as echocardiographic indices of left ventricular function. The cardiovascular response was recorded together with echocardiographic indices of left ventricular function in control and in intervention animals. AP214 reduced the early peak in pulmonary pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance by approximately 33%. Furthermore, AP214 prevented the decline in left ventricular fractional shortening as observed in the control group. Mean change and standard deviation in fractional shortening (ΔFS) in control group: - 7·3 (4·7), AP214 (low dose): 0·9 (8·2) and AP214 (high dose) 4·1 (6·0), P < 0·05 for both intervention groups versus control. In the porcine model, the peak increase in pulmonary pressure was attenuated, and the LPS-induced decline in left ventricular function was prevented. © 2010 The Authors. Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging © 2010 Scandinavian Society of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine.

The mixed blessing of treating symptoms in acute vestibular failure--evidence from a 4-aminopyridine experiment.

PubMed

Beck, Roswitha; Günther, Lisa; Xiong, Guoming; Potschka, Heidrun; Böning, Guido; Bartenstein, Peter; Brandt, Thomas; Jahn, Klaus; Dieterich, Marianne; Strupp, Michael; la Fougère, Christian; Zwergal, Andreas

2014-11-01

Early symptomatic treatment of acute unilateral vestibulopathy is thought to impede the course of ensuing central vestibular compensation (VC). Despite the great clinical importance of this hypothesis there is no experimental evidence of its validity. The present study addressed this question by investigating the direct effect of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) on ocular motor and postural symptoms in acute unilateral vestibulopathy as well as its long-term consequences for VC in a rat model of chemical unilateral labyrinthectomy (UL). After UL, one group of Sprague-Dawley rats was treated with 4-AP p.o. (1mg/kg/day), another with 0.9% NaCl solution p.o. for 3days. Behavioural testing for symptoms of vestibular tone imbalance was done 1day before and 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 15, 21, and 30days after UL. In addition, sequential whole-brain [(18)F]-FDG-μPET was performed before and 1, 3, 7, 15, and 30days after UL to examine and visualize 4-AP-induced modulation of VC. Administration of 4-AP on days 1-3 significantly improved postural imbalance 2h after administration compared to that in controls. This effect was only transient. Remarkably, the 4-AP group had a prolonged and impaired course of postural compensation compared to that of controls. The μPET revealed a significant increase of regional cerebral glucose metabolism (rCGM) in the vestibulocerebellum 2h after administration of 4-AP. However, the 4-AP group exhibited a persistent asymmetry of rCGM after day 3 in the vestibular nuclei and posterolateral thalami. In conclusion, this study confirms the hypothesis that early pharmacological abatement of vestibular symptoms impedes VC. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of age, sex and arm on the precision of arm position sense—left-arm superiority in healthy right-handers

PubMed Central

Schmidt, Lena; Depper, Lena; Kerkhoff, Georg

2013-01-01

Position sense is an important proprioceptive ability. Disorders of arm position sense (APS) often occur after unilateral stroke, and are associated with a negative functional outcome. In the present study we assessed horizontal APS by measuring angular deviations from a visually defined target separately for each arm in a large group of healthy subjects. We analyzed the accuracy and instability of horizontal APS as a function of age, sex and arm. Subjects were required to specify verbally the position of their unseen arm on a 0-90° circuit by comparing the current position with the target position indicated by a LED lamp, while the arm was passively moved by the examiner. Eighty-seven healthy subjects participated in the study, ranging from 20 to 77 years, subdivided into three age groups. The results revealed that APS was not a function of age or sex, but was significantly better in the non-dominant (left) arm in absolute errors (AE) but not in constant errors (CE) across all age groups of right-handed healthy subjects. This indicates a right-hemisphere superiority for left APS in right-handers and neatly fits to the more frequent and more severe left-sided body-related deficits in patients with unilateral stroke (i.e. impaired APS in left spatial neglect, somatoparaphrenia) or in individuals with abnormalities of the right cerebral hemisphere. These clinical issues will be discussed. PMID:24399962

Effects of Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) and chitooligosaccharides (COS) on growth, immune response and disease resistance of juvenile largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides.

PubMed

Lin, Shi-Mei; Jiang, Yu; Chen, Yong-Jun; Luo, Li; Doolgindachbaporn, Sompong; Yuangsoi, Bundit

2017-11-01

The effects of oral administration of Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) and chitooligosaccharides (COS), single or combined, on the growth performance, immunity and disease resistance of M. salmoides were investigated. Largemouth bass juvenile were divided into 4 groups and each group was fed with diets supplemented with or without immunostimulant for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks of feeding trial, five fish per tank were sampled for immunity determination, ten fish per tank were challenged by A. hydrophila. The results showed that the largemouth bass fed with two immunostimulants alone or in combination significantly enhanced the final weight and specific growth rate (SGR), decreased feed conversion ratio (FCR) (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences (P < 0.05) in specific growth rate (SGR) between dietary COS and dietary APS. In addition, both COS and APS upregulated respiratory burst activity (RBA), phagocytic activity (PA), lysozyme activity and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Meanwhile, COS also exhibited a increase in total leukocyte count, nitric oxide (NO) content and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity compared to the control. When challenged with A. hydrophila, the mortality of groups fed with COS and/or APS was lower than the control (P < 0.05). Under the experimental conditions, dietary APS and COS had a synergistic effect on lysozme activity, iNOS activity, NO content and disease resistance of fish (P < 0.05). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of age, sex and arm on the precision of arm position sense-left-arm superiority in healthy right-handers.

PubMed

Schmidt, Lena; Depper, Lena; Kerkhoff, Georg

2013-01-01

Position sense is an important proprioceptive ability. Disorders of arm position sense (APS) often occur after unilateral stroke, and are associated with a negative functional outcome. In the present study we assessed horizontal APS by measuring angular deviations from a visually defined target separately for each arm in a large group of healthy subjects. We analyzed the accuracy and instability of horizontal APS as a function of age, sex and arm. Subjects were required to specify verbally the position of their unseen arm on a 0-90° circuit by comparing the current position with the target position indicated by a LED lamp, while the arm was passively moved by the examiner. Eighty-seven healthy subjects participated in the study, ranging from 20 to 77 years, subdivided into three age groups. The results revealed that APS was not a function of age or sex, but was significantly better in the non-dominant (left) arm in absolute errors (AE) but not in constant errors (CE) across all age groups of right-handed healthy subjects. This indicates a right-hemisphere superiority for left APS in right-handers and neatly fits to the more frequent and more severe left-sided body-related deficits in patients with unilateral stroke (i.e. impaired APS in left spatial neglect, somatoparaphrenia) or in individuals with abnormalities of the right cerebral hemisphere. These clinical issues will be discussed.

Stress reactivity in childhood functional abdominal pain or irritable bowel syndrome.

PubMed

Gulewitsch, M D; Weimer, K; Enck, P; Schwille-Kiuntke, J; Hautzinger, M; Schlarb, A A

2017-01-01

Frequent abdominal pain (AP) in childhood has been shown to be associated with elevated experience of stress and with deficits in stress coping, but psychophysiological stress reactivity has been studied rarely. We examined whether children with frequent AP show altered reactions of the parasympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis during and following an afternoon laboratory social stress task in comparison to healthy children and children with anxiety disorders. Twenty-four children with frequent AP (18 with functional AP and six with irritable bowel syndrome; M = 9.9 years), and 24 healthy controls underwent stressful free speech and arithmetic tasks. Twelve children with anxiety disorders served as second comparison sample. Groups were compared regarding parasympathetic reaction and saliva cortisol concentration. We found no differences in parasympathetic withdrawal between the groups. Concerning the HPA axis, we detected an attenuated cortisol reactivity in children with AP compared to both other groups. This study provides preliminary evidence that childhood AP is not associated with altered parasympathetic withdrawal during stress. It seems to be related to a down-regulated reactivity of the HPA axis. This pattern was ascertained in comparison to healthy children and also in comparison to children with anxiety disorders. Childhood abdominal pain could be related to down-regulated HPA axis reactivity to stress but not to altered parasympathetic reaction. Children with abdominal pain and children with anxiety disorders exhibit a divergent stress-related HPA axis reaction. © 2016 European Pain Federation - EFIC®.

New method for estimating clustering of DNA lesions induced by physical/chemical mutagens using fluorescence anisotropy.

PubMed

Akamatsu, Ken; Shikazono, Naoya; Saito, Takeshi

2017-11-01

We have developed a new method for estimating the localization of DNA damage such as apurinic/apyrimidinic sites (APs) on DNA using fluorescence anisotropy. This method is aimed at characterizing clustered DNA damage produced by DNA-damaging agents such as ionizing radiation and genotoxic chemicals. A fluorescent probe with an aminooxy group (AlexaFluor488) was used to label APs. We prepared a pUC19 plasmid with APs by heating under acidic conditions as a model for damaged DNA, and subsequently labeled the APs. We found that the observed fluorescence anisotropy (r obs ) decreases as averaged AP density (λ AP : number of APs per base pair) increases due to homo-FRET, and that the APs were randomly distributed. We applied this method to three DNA-damaging agents, 60 Co γ-rays, methyl methanesulfonate (MMS), and neocarzinostatin (NCS). We found that r obs -λ AP relationships differed significantly between MMS and NCS. At low AP density (λ AP  < 0.001), the APs induced by MMS seemed to not be closely distributed, whereas those induced by NCS were remarkably clustered. In contrast, the AP clustering induced by 60 Co γ-rays was similar to, but potentially more likely to occur than, random distribution. This simple method can be used to estimate mutagenicity of ionizing radiation and genotoxic chemicals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cell Death and DAMPs in Acute Pancreatitis

PubMed Central

Kang, Rui; Lotze, Michael T; Zeh, Herbert J; Billiar, Timothy R; Tang, Daolin

2014-01-01

Cell death and inflammation are key pathologic responses of acute pancreatitis (AP), the leading cause of hospital admissions for gastrointestinal disorders. It is becoming increasingly clear that damage-associated molecular pattern molecules (DAMPs) play an important role in the pathogenesis of AP by linking local tissue damage to systemic inflammation syndrome. Endogenous DAMPs released from dead, dying or injured cells initiate and extend sterile inflammation via specific pattern recognition receptors. Inhibition of the release and activity of DAMPs (for example, high mobility group box 1, DNA, histones and adenosine triphosphate) provides significant protection against experimental AP. Moreover, increased serum levels of DAMPs in patients with AP correlate with disease severity. These findings provide novel insight into the mechanism, diagnosis and management of AP. DAMPs might be an attractive therapeutic target in AP. PMID:25105302

Auditory processing in absolute pitch possessors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKetton, Larissa; Schneider, Keith A.

2018-05-01

Absolute pitch (AP) is a rare ability in classifying a musical pitch without a reference standard. It has been of great interest to researchers studying auditory processing and music cognition since it is seldom expressed and sheds light on influences pertaining to neurodevelopmental biological predispositions and the onset of musical training. We investigated the smallest frequency that could be detected or just noticeable difference (JND) between two pitches. Here, we report significant differences in JND thresholds in AP musicians and non-AP musicians compared to non-musician control groups at both 1000 Hz and 987.76 Hz testing frequencies. Although the AP-musicians did better than non-AP musicians, the difference was not significant. In addition, we looked at neuro-anatomical correlates of musicianship and AP using structural MRI. We report increased cortical thickness of the left Heschl's Gyrus (HG) and decreased cortical thickness of the inferior frontal opercular gyrus (IFO) and circular insular sulcus volume (CIS) in AP compared to non-AP musicians and controls. These structures may therefore be optimally enhanced and reduced to form the most efficient network for AP to emerge.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Brown dwarf surface gravities with Keck/NIRSPEC (Martin , 2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, E. C.; Mace, G. N.; McLean, I. S.; Logsdon, S. E.; Rice, E. L.; Kirkpatrick, J. D.; Burgasser, A. J.; McGovern, M. R.; Prato, L.

2017-10-01

In this paper, we follow up on prior NIR spectroscopy by our group and use a modified Allers & Liu (A13, 2013ApJ...772...79A) method to determine surface gravities for 228 M, L, and T dwarfs. We present medium-resolution (R~20000) J-band spectra of 85 M dwarfs, 92 L dwarfs, and 51 T dwarfs obtained as part of the Keck NIRSPEC Brown Dwarf Spectroscopic Survey (BDSS). Ninety-seven spectra were published previously in McLean+ (2003ApJ...596..561M), Burgasser+ (2003ApJ...592.1186B), McGovern+ (2004ApJ...600.1020M), Rice+ (2010ApJS..186...63R), Kirkpatrick+ (2010, J/ApJS/190/100), Luhman (2012ARA&A..50...65L), Thompson+ (2013PASP..125..809T), Mace+ (2013, J/ApJS/205/6), Mace+ (2013ApJ...777...36M), and Kirkpatrick+ (2014, J/ApJ/783/122), and the remaining 131 are presented here for the first time. Observation information (spanning 1999 Apr to 2015 Mar) for all of the targets in our sample is listed in Table 1. (4 data files).

Probing the Origin of the Compromised Catalysis of E. coli Alkaline Phosphatase in its Promiscuous Sulfatase Reaction

PubMed Central

Catrina, Irina; O'Brien, Patrick J.; Purcell, Jamie; Nikolic-Hughes, Ivana; Zalatan, Jesse G.; Hengge, Alvan C.; Herschlag, Daniel

2008-01-01

The catalytic promiscuity of E. coli alkaline phosphatase (AP) and many other enzymes provides a unique opportunity to dissect the origin of enzymatic rate enhancements via a comparative approach. Here we use kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) to explore the origin of the 109-fold greater catalytic proficiency by AP for phosphate monoester hydrolysis relative to sulfate monoester hydrolysis. The primary 18O KIEs for the leaving group oxygen atoms in the AP-catalyzed hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl phosphate (pNPP) and p-nitrophenylsulfate (pNPS) decrease relative to the values observed for nonenzymatic hydrolysis reactions. Prior linear free energy relationship results suggest that the transition states for AP-catalyzed reactions of phosphate and sulfate esters are ‘loose’ and indistinguishable from that in solution, suggesting that the decreased primary KIEs do not reflect a change in the nature of the transition state but rather a strong interaction of the leaving group oxygen atom with an active site Zn2+ ion. Furthermore, the KIEs for the two reactions are identical within error, suggesting that the differential catalysis of these reactions cannot be attributed to differential stabilization of the leaving group. In contrast, AP perturbs the KIE for the nonbridging oxygen atoms in the reaction of pNPP but not pNPS, suggesting a differential interaction with the transferred group in the transition state. These and prior results are consistent with a strong electrostatic interaction between the active site bimetallo Zn2+ cluster and one of the nonbridging oxygen atoms on the transferred group. We suggest that the lower charge density of this oxygen atom on a transferred sulfuryl group accounts for a large fraction of the decreased stabilization of the transition state for its reaction relative to phosphoryl transfer. PMID:17411045

Amorphous silicon photovoltaic manufacturing technology, phase 2A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duran, G.; Mackamul, K.; Metcalf, D.

1995-01-01

Utility Power Group (UPG), and its lower-tier subcontractor, Advanced Photovoltaic Systems, Inc. (APS) have conducted efforts in developing their manufacturing lines. UPG has focused on the automation of encapsulation and termination processes developed in Phase 1. APS has focused on completion of the encapsulation and module design tasks, while continuing the process and quality control and automation projects. The goal is to produce 55 watt (stabilized) EP50 modules in a new facility. In the APS Trenton EUREKA manufacturing facility, APS has: (1) Developed high throughput lamination procedures; (2) Optimized existing module designs; (3) Developed new module designs for architectural applications; (4) Developed enhanced deposition parameter control; (5) Designed equipment required to manufacture new EUREKA modules developed during Phase II; (6) Improved uniformity of thin-film materials deposition; and (7) Improved the stabilized power output of the APS EP50 EUREKA module to 55 watts. In the APS Fairfield EUREKA manufacturing facility, APS has: (1) Introduced the new products developed under Phase 1 into the APS Fairfield EUREKA module production line; (2) Increased the extent of automation in the production line; (3) Introduced Statistical Process Control to the module production line; and (4) Transferred-progress made in the APS Trenton facility into the APS Fairfield facility.

Relationship between antipsychotics and weight in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome.

PubMed

Elliott, Jennifer Padden; Cherpes, Gregory; Kamal, Khalid; Chopra, Ishveen; Harrison, Chelsea; Riedy, Mary; Herk, Brandon; McCrossin, Matt; Kalarchian, Melissa

2015-03-01

Individuals with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) are at increased risk for developing behavioral and psychiatric disorders, often requiring antipsychotics (APs). Contrary to significant AP-associated weight gain observed in the general population, existing literature suggests weight loss in patients with PWS. To evaluate the relationship between AP use and body mass index (BMI) at admission, change in BMI during inpatient stay, and length of stay (LOS) in patients admitted to an inpatient PWS treatment program. Retrospective case-control study. Hospital-based, inpatient PWS treatment program serving nationally and internationally referred children and adults with PWS. Cases consisted of 52 pediatric patients with PWS who were taking APs at admission and during their stay, 97 adults with PWS who were taking APs at admission and during their stay, and 11 pediatric and adult patients with PWS who were AP naïve at admission and subsequently started an AP during their stay; all cases were matched with patients with PWS who were AP naïve at admission and during their stay by age (yrs), sex, and race-ethnicity (controls). Between- and within-group differences in admission BMI, BMI change from admission to discharge, and LOS were analyzed. Admission BMI was lower (mean ± SD 36.8 ± 11.9 kg/m(2) vs 46.7 ± 12.5 kg/m(2) , p<0.001) and LOS longer (mean ± SD 75.9 ± 38.5 days vs 57.8 ± 23.2 days, p=0.005) for pediatric cases with AP exposure at admission and during their stay compared with matched controls. All groups experienced significant decreases in BMI from admission to discharge (p≤0.001 for all comparisons), except for pediatric cases with AP exposure at admission and during their stay. Cases that were AP naïve at admission and subsequently started an AP during their inpatient stay experienced a significantly smaller decrease in BMI from admission to discharge than matched controls (-3.011 vs -7.288 kg/m(2) , p=0.027). No other comparisons between cases and controls were significantly different. On average, patients with PWS who were prescribed APs lost weight during their inpatient stay, but this varied with patient age and duration of AP use. © 2015 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

Physics Flash August 2016

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

Kippen, Karen Elizabeth

Physics Flash is the newsletter for the Physics Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory. This newsletter is for August 2016. The following topics are covered: "Accomplishments in the Trident Laser Facility", "David Meyerhofer elected as chair-elect APS Nominating Committee", "HAWC searches for gamma rays from dark matter", "Proton Radiography Facility commissions electromagnetic magnifier", and "Cosmic ray muon computed tomography of spent nuclear fuel in dry storage casks."

Forum: What Has Actually Changed in Physics Departments in the Situation for Women, Graduate Students and Other People?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulvey, Patrick; Ivie, Rachel; Campbell, David; Murnane, Margaret; Kirby, Kate; Catlla, Anne

2006-03-01

The decade of the 90's was a period of intense scrutiny of climate issues in physics departments, e.g. the status of women, the job situation for new Ph.D.'s and postdocs, and the preparation of physicists for careers inside and outside of physics. There were many conference sessions on these topics, and both APS members and leadership instigated important efforts to focus on specific areas. These efforts included the program of visiting committees to departments to examine the situation for women by the Committee on the Status of Women in Physics, the AIP's various studies of a statistical nature, and the creation by the APS of a Committee on Careers and the Forum on Graduate Student Affairs, as well as the recent APS-AAPT task force on graduate education. This forum patterned after similar sessions 10 years ago - will examine how physics departments have changed as a result of such efforts. It will begin with short (12-minute) talks by a panel of experts to describe what has happened in key areas. The greater part of the session will be a period of observations, questions, and discussion from the audience and the panel together. The purpose is to have an interchange on these interrelated topics from which we can all learn. THE TOPICS TO BE INTRODUCED IN THE SHORT TALKS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SESSION ARE: 1) changes in graduate enrollment, composition, and subsequent jobs (Patrick Mulvey); 2) women in physics and astronomy departments 2005 (Rachel Ivie); 3) changes in graduate curricula and environment (David Campbell); 4) CSWP site visits to physics departments what’s been accomplished and learned (Margaret Murnane); 5) survey of ethical issues in physics departments and the physics profession: results and reactions (Kate Kirby); and (6) physics departments from the point of view of younger physicists (Anne Catlla). The bulk of the session will be a public forum, on these and related issues, among the audience and the panel.

Symptomatic and neuroprotective effects following activation of nigral group III metabotropic glutamate receptors in rodent models of Parkinson's disease

PubMed Central

Austin, PJ; Betts, MJ; Broadstock, M; O'Neill, MJ; Mitchell, SN; Duty, S

2010-01-01

Background and purpose: Increased glutamatergic innervation of the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNpr) and pars compacta (SNpc) may contribute to the motor deficits and neurodegeneration, respectively, in Parkinson's disease (PD). This study aimed to establish whether activation of pre-synaptic group III metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors reduced glutamate release in the SN, and provided symptomatic or neuroprotective relief in animal models of PD. Experimental approach: Broad-spectrum group III mGlu receptor agonists, O-phospho-l-serine (l-SOP) and l-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate (l-AP4), were assessed for their ability to inhibit KCl-evoked [3H]-d-aspartate release in rat nigral prisms or inhibit KCl-evoked endogenous glutamate release in the SNpr in vivo using microdialysis. Reversal of akinesia in reserpine-treated rats was assessed following intranigral injection of l-SOP and l-AP4. Finally, the neuroprotective effect of 7 days' supra-nigral treatment with l-AP4 was examined in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesioned rats. Key results: l-SOP and l-AP4 inhibited [3H]-d-aspartate release by 33 and 44% respectively. These effects were blocked by the selective group III mGlu antagonist (RS)-α-cyclopropyl-4-phosphonophenylglycine (CPPG). l-SOP also reduced glutamate release in the SNpr in vivo by 48%. Injection of l-SOP and l-AP4 into the SNpr reversed reserpine-induced akinesia. Following administration above the SNpc, l-AP4 provided neurochemical, histological and functional protection against 6-OHDA lesion of the nigrostriatal tract. Pretreatment with CPPG inhibited these effects. Conclusions and implications: These findings highlight group III mGlu receptors in the SN as potential targets for providing both symptomatic and neuroprotective relief in PD, and indicate that inhibition of glutamate release in the SN may underlie these effects. PMID:20649576

Crystal structures of Salmonella typhimurium propionate kinase and its complex with Ap4A: evidence for a novel Ap4A synthetic activity.

PubMed

Simanshu, Dhirendra K; Savithri, H S; Murthy, M R N

2008-03-01

Propionate kinase catalyses the last step in the anaerobic breakdown of L-threonine to propionate in which propionyl phosphate and ADP are converted to propionate and ATP. Here we report the structures of propionate kinase (TdcD) in the native form as well as in complex with diadenosine 5',5'''-P1,P4-tetraphosphate (Ap4A) by X-ray crystallography. Structure of TdcD obtained after cocrystallization with ATP showed Ap4A bound to the active site pocket suggesting the presence of Ap4A synthetic activity in TdcD. Binding of Ap4A to the enzyme was confirmed by the structure determination of a TdcD-Ap4A complex obtained after cocrystallization of TdcD with commercially available Ap4A. Mass spectroscopic studies provided further evidence for the formation of Ap4A by propionate kinase in the presence of ATP. In the TdcD-Ap4A complex structure, Ap4A is present in an extended conformation with one adenosine moiety present in the nucleotide binding site and other in the proposed propionate binding site. These observations tend to support direct in-line transfer of phosphoryl group during the kinase reaction. 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Structure of the endonuclease IV homologue from Thermotoga maritima in the presence of active-site divalent metal ions

PubMed Central

Tomanicek, Stephen J.; Hughes, Ronny C.; Ng, Joseph D.; Coates, Leighton

2010-01-01

The most frequent lesion in DNA is at apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites resulting from DNA-base losses. These AP-site lesions can stall DNA replication and lead to genome instability if left unrepaired. The AP endonucleases are an important class of enzymes that are involved in the repair of AP-site intermediates during damage-general DNA base-excision repair pathways. These enzymes hydrolytically cleave the 5′-phosphodiester bond at an AP site to generate a free 3′-­hydroxyl group and a 5′-terminal sugar phosphate using their AP nuclease activity. Specifically, Thermotoga maritima endonuclease IV is a member of the second conserved AP endonuclease family that includes Escherichia coli endonuclease IV, which is the archetype of the AP endonuclease superfamily. In order to more fully characterize the AP endonuclease family of enzymes, two X-­ray crystal structures of the T. maritima endonuclease IV homologue were determined in the presence of divalent metal ions bound in the active-site region. These structures of the T. maritima endonuclease IV homologue further revealed the use of the TIM-barrel fold and the trinuclear metal binding site as important highly conserved structural elements that are involved in DNA-binding and AP-site repair processes in the AP endonuclease superfamily. PMID:20823514

Prediction of three-dimensional femoral offset from AP pelvis radiographs in primary hip osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Merle, C; Waldstein, W; Pegg, E C; Streit, M R; Gotterbarm, T; Aldinger, P R; Murray, D W; Gill, H S

2013-08-01

In pre-operative planning for total hip arthroplasty (THA), femoral offset (FO) is frequently underestimated on AP pelvis radiographs as a result of inaccurate patient positioning, imprecise magnification, and radiographic beam divergence. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of predicting three-dimensional (3-D) FO from standardised AP pelvis radiographs. In a retrospective cohort study, pre-operative AP pelvis radiographs, AP hip radiographs and CT scans of a consecutive series of 345 patients (345 hips, 146 males, 199 females, mean age 60 (range: 40-79) years, mean body-mass-index 27 (range: 19-57)kg/m(2)) with primary end-stage hip OA were reviewed. Patients were positioned according to a standardised protocol and all images were calibrated. Using validated custom programmes, FO was measured on corresponding radiographs and CT scans. Measurement reliability was evaluated using intra-class-correlation-coefficients. To predict 3-D FO from AP pelvis measurements and to assess the accuracy compared to CT, the entire cohort was randomly split into subgroups A and B. Gender specific regression equations were derived from group A (245 patients) and the accuracy of prediction was evaluated in group B (100 patients) using Bland-Altman plots. In the entire cohort, mean FO was 39.2mm (95%CI: 38.5-40.0mm) on AP pelvis radiographs, 44.1mm (95%CI: 43.4-44.9mm) on AP hip radiographs and 44.6mm (95%CI: 44.0-45.2mm) on CT scans. In group B, we observed no significant difference between gender specific predicted FO (males: 48.0mm, 95%CI: 47.1-48.8mm; females: 42.0mm, 95%CI: 41.1-42.8mm) and FO as measured on CT (males: 47.7mm, 95%CI: 46.1-49.4mm, p=0.689; females: 41.6mm, 95%CI: 40.3-43.0mm, p=0.607). The present study suggests that FO can be accurately and reliably predicted from AP pelvis radiographs in patients with primary end-stage hip osteoarthritis. Our findings support the surgeon in pre-operative templating on AP-pelvis radiographs and may improve offset and limb length restoration in THA without the routine performance of additional radiographs or CT. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Actively paranoid patients with schizophrenia over attribute anger to neutral faces.

PubMed

Pinkham, Amy E; Brensinger, Colleen; Kohler, Christian; Gur, Raquel E; Gur, Ruben C

2011-02-01

Previous investigations of the influence of paranoia on facial affect recognition in schizophrenia have been inconclusive as some studies demonstrate better performance for paranoid relative to non-paranoid patients and others show that paranoid patients display greater impairments. These studies have been limited by small sample sizes and inconsistencies in the criteria used to define groups. Here, we utilized an established emotion recognition task and a large sample to examine differential performance in emotion recognition ability between patients who were actively paranoid (AP) and those who were not actively paranoid (NAP). Accuracy and error patterns on the Penn Emotion Recognition test (ER40) were examined in 132 patients (64 NAP and 68 AP). Groups were defined based on the presence of paranoid ideation at the time of testing rather than diagnostic subtype. AP and NAP patients did not differ in overall task accuracy; however, an emotion by group interaction indicated that AP patients were significantly worse than NAP patients at correctly labeling neutral faces. A comparison of error patterns on neutral stimuli revealed that the groups differed only in misattributions of anger expressions, with AP patients being significantly more likely to misidentify a neutral expression as angry. The present findings suggest that paranoia is associated with a tendency to over attribute threat to ambiguous stimuli and also lend support to emerging hypotheses of amygdala hyperactivation as a potential neural mechanism for paranoid ideation. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Relation of Angina Pectoris to Outcomes, Quality of Life and Response to Exercise Training in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure (from HF-ACTION)

PubMed Central

Parikh, Kishan S.; Coles, Adrian; Schulte, Phillip J.; Kraus, William E.; Fleg, Jerome L.; Keteyian, Steven J.; Piña, Ileana L.; Fiuzat, Mona; Whellan, David J.; O’Connor, Christopher M.; Mentz, Robert J.

2016-01-01

Angina pectoris (AP) is associated with worse outcomes in heart failure (HF). We investigated the association of AP with health-related quality of life (HRQoL), exercise capacity, and clinical outcomes, and its interaction with exercise training in a HF population. We grouped 2,331 HF patients with reduced ejection fraction (EF) in the HF-ACTION trial of usual care +/− exercise training according to whether they had self-reported AP by Canadian classification score (CCS). HRQoL and clinical outcomes were assessed by AP status. In HF-ACTION, 406 (17%) patients had AP at baseline (44% with CCS ≥ II) with HF severity similar to those without AP. Patients with AP had similar baseline exercise capacity but worse depressive symptoms and HRQoL. AP was associated with 22% greater adjusted risk for all-cause mortality/hospitalizations, driven by hospitalizations. There was significant interaction between baseline AP and exercise training peak VO2 change (P=0.019), but not other endpoints. Exercise training was associated with greater peak VO2 improvement after 3 months in patients with AP (treatment effect=1.25 mL/kg/min, 95% CI=0.6–1.9). In conclusion, AP was associated with worse HRQoL and depressive symptoms. Despite greater peak VO2 improvement with exercise training, patients with AP experienced more adverse outcomes. PMID:27561194

Correlation of social cognition and neurocognition on psychotic outcome: a naturalistic follow-up study of subjects with attenuated psychosis syndrome

PubMed Central

Zhang, TianHong; Cui, HuiRu; Tang, YingYing; Xu, LiHua; Li, HuiJun; Wei, YanYan; Liu, XiaoHua; Chow, Annabelle; Li, ChunBo; Jiang, KaiDa; Xiao, ZePing; Wang, JiJun

2016-01-01

Neurocognitive decline has been observed in patients with psychosis as well as attenuated psychosis syndrome (APS). We tested the hypothesis that APS increases dependence on neurocognition during the interpretation of others’ mental states and that a combination index of Theory of Mind (ToM) and neurocognition improves the predictive accuracy of psychosis conversion. A sample of 83 APS individuals and 90 healthy controls (HC) were assessed by comprehensive cognitive tests. The cohort also completed a one-year follow-up. In the APS group, ToM was associated with an apparent increase in neurocognition, but this trend was not evident in the HC group. Using the new index of combined neurocognition and ToM scores, the sensitivity for predicting psychosis-proneness was 75% and the specificity was 69%. Our data suggest that the correlations between ToM function and neurocognition in APS subjects were stronger than those in healthy controls. A composite index of neurocognition and ToM could improve the predictive validity of a future conversion to psychosis. PMID:27721394

Performance and Return to Sport After Sports Hernia Surgery in NFL Players

PubMed Central

Jack, Robert A.; Evans, David C.; Echo, Anthony; McCulloch, Patrick C.; Lintner, David M.; Varner, Kevin E.; Harris, Joshua D.

2017-01-01

Background: Recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of athletic pubalgia (AP), also known as sports hernia, once underrecognized and undertreated in professional football, are becoming more common. Surgery as the final treatment for sports hernia when nonsurgical treatment fails remains controversial. Given the money involved and popularity of the National Football League (NFL), it is important to understand surgical outcomes in this patient population. Hypothesis: After AP surgery, players would: (1) return to sport (RTS) at a greater than 90% rate, (2) play fewer games for fewer years than matched controls, (3) have no difference in performance compared with before AP surgery, and (4) have no difference in performance versus matched controls. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Internet-based injury reports identified players who underwent AP surgery from January 1996 to August 2015. Demographic and performance data were collected for each player. A 1:1 matched control group and an index year analog were identified. Control and case performance scores were calculated using a standardized scoring system. Groups were compared using paired Student t tests. Results: Fifty-six NFL players (57 AP surgeries) were analyzed (mean age, 28.2 ± 3.1 years; mean years in NFL at surgery, 5.4 ± 3.2). Fifty-three players were able to RTS. Controls were in the NFL longer (P < .05) than players who underwent AP surgery (3.8 ± 2.4 vs 3.2 ± 2.1 years). Controls played more games per season (P < .05) than post-AP players (14.0 ± 2.3 vs 12.0 ± 3.4 games per season). There was no significant (P > .05) difference in pre- versus post-AP surgery performance scores and no significant (P > .05) difference in postoperative performance scores versus controls post-index. Conclusion: There was a high RTS rate after AP surgery without a significant difference in postoperative performance, though career length and games per season after AP surgery were significantly less than that of matched controls. PMID:28451612

Performance and Return to Sport After Sports Hernia Surgery in NFL Players.

PubMed

Jack, Robert A; Evans, David C; Echo, Anthony; McCulloch, Patrick C; Lintner, David M; Varner, Kevin E; Harris, Joshua D

2017-04-01

Recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of athletic pubalgia (AP), also known as sports hernia, once underrecognized and undertreated in professional football, are becoming more common. Surgery as the final treatment for sports hernia when nonsurgical treatment fails remains controversial. Given the money involved and popularity of the National Football League (NFL), it is important to understand surgical outcomes in this patient population. After AP surgery, players would: (1) return to sport (RTS) at a greater than 90% rate, (2) play fewer games for fewer years than matched controls, (3) have no difference in performance compared with before AP surgery, and (4) have no difference in performance versus matched controls. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Internet-based injury reports identified players who underwent AP surgery from January 1996 to August 2015. Demographic and performance data were collected for each player. A 1:1 matched control group and an index year analog were identified. Control and case performance scores were calculated using a standardized scoring system. Groups were compared using paired Student t tests. Fifty-six NFL players (57 AP surgeries) were analyzed (mean age, 28.2 ± 3.1 years; mean years in NFL at surgery, 5.4 ± 3.2). Fifty-three players were able to RTS. Controls were in the NFL longer ( P < .05) than players who underwent AP surgery (3.8 ± 2.4 vs 3.2 ± 2.1 years). Controls played more games per season ( P < .05) than post-AP players (14.0 ± 2.3 vs 12.0 ± 3.4 games per season). There was no significant ( P > .05) difference in pre- versus post-AP surgery performance scores and no significant ( P > .05) difference in postoperative performance scores versus controls post-index. There was a high RTS rate after AP surgery without a significant difference in postoperative performance, though career length and games per season after AP surgery were significantly less than that of matched controls.

On the Connection of Gamma-Ray Bursts and X-Ray Flashes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ripa, J.; Meszaros, A.

2017-12-01

Classification of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) into groups has been intensively studied by various statistical tests since 1998. It has been suggested that next to the groups of short/hard and long/soft GRBs there could be another class of intermediate durations. For the Swift/BAT database Veres et al. 2010 (ApJ, 725, 1955) it was found that the intermediate-duration bursts might be related to X-ray flashes (XRFs). On the other hand, Ripa and Meszaros 2016 (Ap&SS, 361, 370) and Ripa et al. 2012 (ApJ, 756, 44) found that the intermediate-duration GRBs in the RHESSI database are spectrally too hard to be given by XRFs. Also, in the BATSE database the intermediate-duration GRBs can be only partly populated by XRFs. The key ideas of the Ripa and Meszaros 2016 (Ap&SS, 361, 370) article are summarized in this poster.

Advanced placement math and science courses: Influential factors and predictors for success in college STEM majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoepner, Cynthia Colon

President Obama has recently raised awareness on the need for our nation to grow a larger pool of students with knowledge in science mathematics, engineering, and technology (STEM). Currently, while the number of women pursuing college degrees continues to rise, there remains an under-representation of women in STEM majors across the country. Although research studies offer several contributing factors that point to a higher attrition rate of women in STEM than their male counterparts, no study has investigated the role that high school advanced placement (AP) math and science courses play in preparing students for the challenges of college STEM courses. The purpose of this study was to discover which AP math and science courses and/or influential factors could encourage more students, particularly females, to consider pursuing STEM fields in college. Further, this study examined which, if any, AP math or science courses positively contribute to a student's overall preparation for college STEM courses. This retrospective study combined quantitative and qualitative research methods. The survey sample consisted of 881 UCLA female and male students pursuing STEM majors. Qualitative data was gathered from four single-gender student focus groups, two female groups (15 females) and two male groups (16 males). This study examined which AP math and science courses students took in high school, who or what influenced them to take those courses, and which particular courses influenced student's choice of STEM major and/or best prepared her/him for the challenges of STEM courses. Findings reveal that while AP math and science course-taking patterns are similar of female and male STEM students, a significant gender-gap remains in five of the eleven AP courses. Students report four main influences on their choice of AP courses; self, desire for math/science major, higher grade point average or class rank, and college admissions. Further, three AP math and science courses were highlighted throughout the study. First, AP Chemistry was described as a foundational course necessary for the challenges of STEM courses. AP Calculus was considered a course with practical benefits across STEM majors. Finally, AP Biology was found to be a gateway course, which inspired students to continue to pursue STEM majors in college. All three courses were strongly recommended to high school students considering a STEM major. The findings will help grow a larger and equally prepared pool of females and males and help sustain a more even distribution of women across STEM fields.

Retrospective study of the clinical effects of acupuncture on cervical neurological diseases in dogs.

PubMed

Liu, Ching Ming; Chang, Fang Chia; Lin, Chung Tien

2016-09-30

This study was conducted to evaluate new acupuncture protocols for the clinical treatment of cervical spinal cord diseases in 19 dogs. Three treatment options containing Jing-jiaji (cervical jiaji) were developed to treat neck pain, hemiparesis, and tetraparesis depending on the severity. The interval between the neurological disease onset and treatment (duration of signs), time to improvement after treatment, and recovery time were compared in dogs by body weight, age, and dry needle acupuncture (AP) with or without electro-AP (EAP). The duration of signs was longer in dogs weighing greater than 10 kg than in those weighing less than 10 kg (p＜ 0.05). Improvement and recovery times did not vary by body weight. Additionally, improvement and recovery times did not vary by age. The improvement and recovery times were longer in the AP+EAP group than the AP group (p＜ 0.05). Acupuncture with Jing-jiaji was effective in cervical spinal cord diseases in different sized dogs and in middle-aged and senior dogs. This report standardized AP treatment containing Jing-jiaji for canine cervical problems and evaluated its effects. The newly standardized AP methodology offers clinical practitioners an effective way to improve the outcomes of cervical neurological diseases in dogs.

Protective Effects of Lithospermum erythrorhizon Against Cerulein-Induced Acute Pancreatitis.

PubMed

Choi, Sun Bok; Bae, Gi-Sang; Jo, Il-Joo; Seo, Seung-Hee; Kim, Dong-Goo; Shin, Joon-Yeon; Hong, Seung-Heon; Choi, Byung-Min; Park, Sang-Hyun; Song, Ho-Joon; Park, Sung-Joo

2015-01-01

We aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and inhibitory effects of Lithospermum erythrorhizon (LE) on cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis (AP) in a mouse model. Acute pancreatitis was induced via intraperitoneal injection of cerulein (50 μg/kg) every hour for 6 times. In the LE, water extract (100, 250, or 500 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally 1 hour before the first injection of cerulein. Six hours after AP, blood, the pancreas, and the lung were harvested for further examination. In addition, pancreatic acinar cells were isolated using a collagenase method, and then, we investigated the acinar cell viability and cytokine productions. Treatment with LE reduced pancreatic damage and AP-associated lung injury and attenuated the severity of AP, as evidenced by the reduction in neutrophil infiltration, serum amylase and lipase levels, trypsin activity, and proinflammatory cytokine expression. In addition, treatment with LE inhibited high mobility group box 1 expression in the pancreas during AP. In accordance with in vivo data, LE inhibited the cerulein-induced acinar cell death, cytokine productions, and high-mobility group box 1 expression. Furthermore, LE also inhibited the activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases. These results suggest that LE plays a protective role during the development of AP by inhibiting the activation of p38.

Protective Effects of Lithospermum erythrorhizon Against Cerulein-Induced Acute Pancreatitis

PubMed Central

Choi, Sun Bok; Bae, Gi-Sang; Jo, Il-Joo; Seo, Seung-Hee; Kim, Dong-Goo; Shin, Joon-Yeon; Hong, Seung-Heon; Choi, Byung-Min; Park, Sang-Hyun; Song, Ho-Joon; Park, Sung-Joo

2015-01-01

Objectives We aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and inhibitory effects of Lithospermum erythrorhizon (LE) on cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis (AP) in a mouse model. Methods Acute pancreatitis was induced via intraperitoneal injection of cerulein (50 μg/kg) every hour for 6 times. In the LE, water extract (100, 250, or 500 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally 1 hour before the first injection of cerulein. Six hours after AP, blood, the pancreas, and the lung were harvested for further examination. In addition, pancreatic acinar cells were isolated using a collagenase method, and then, we investigated the acinar cell viability and cytokine productions. Results Treatment with LE reduced pancreatic damage and AP-associated lung injury and attenuated the severity of AP, as evidenced by the reduction in neutrophil infiltration, serum amylase and lipase levels, trypsin activity, and proinflammatory cytokine expression. In addition, treatment with LE inhibited high mobility group box 1 expression in the pancreas during AP. In accordance with in vivo data, LE inhibited the cerulein-induced acinar cell death, cytokine productions, and high-mobility group box 1 expression. Furthermore, LE also inhibited the activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases. Conclusions These results suggest that LE plays a protective role during the development of AP by inhibiting the activation of p38. PMID:25102438

A simple process based on NH2- and CH3-terminated monolayers for low contact resistance and adherent Au electrode in bottom-contact OTFTs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdur, Rahim; Lim, Jeongeun; Jeong, Kyunghoon; Rahman, Mohammad Arifur; Kim, Jiyoung; Lee, Jaegab

2016-03-01

An efficient process for the low contact resistance and adherent source/drain Au electrode in bottom-contact organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) was developed. This was achieved by using two different surface-functional groups of self-assembled monolayers, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS), and octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS), combined with atmospheric-pressure (AP) plasma treatment. Prior to the deposition of Au electrode, the aminoterminated monolayer self-assembles on SiO2 dielectrics, enhancing the adhesion of Au electrode as a result of the acid-base interaction of Au with the amino-terminal groups. AP plasma treatment of the patterned Au electrode on the APS-coated surface activates the entire surface to form an OTS monolayer, allowing the formation of a high quality pentacene layer on both the electrode and active region by evaporation. In addition, negligible damage by AP plasma was observed for the device performance. The fabricated OTFTs based on the two monolayers by AP plasma treatment showed the mobility of 0.23 cm2/Vs, contact resistance of 29 kΩ-cm, threshold voltage of -1.63 V, and on/off ratio of 9.8 × 105, demonstrating the application of the simple process for robust and high-performance OTFTs. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Molecular cloning and functional characterization of multiple NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductases from Andrographis paniculata.

PubMed

Lin, Huixin; Wang, Jian; Qi, Mengdie; Guo, Juan; Rong, Qixian; Tang, Jinfu; Wu, Yisheng; Ma, Xiaojing; Huang, Luqi

2017-09-01

Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Wall. ex Nees is widely used as medicinal herb in Southern and Southeastern Asia and andrographolide is its main medicinal constituent. Based on the structure of andrographolide, it has been proposed that cytochrome P450 enzymes play vital roles on its biosynthesis. NADPH:cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) is the most important redox partner of multiple P450s. In this study, three CPRs were identified in the genomic data of A. paniculata (namely ApCPR1, ApCPR2, and ApCPR3), and their coding regions were cloned. They varied from 62% to 70% identities to each other at the amino acid sequence level. ApCPR1 belongs to Class I of dicotyledonous CPR while both ApCPR2 and ApCPR3 are grouped to Class II. The recombinant enzymes ApCPR1 and ApCPR2 reduced cytochrome c and ferricyanide in an NADPH-dependent manner. In yeast, they supported the activity of CYP76AH1, a ferruginol-forming enzyme. However, ApCPR3 did not show any enzymatic activities either in vitro or in vivo. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that both ApCPR1 and ApCPR2 expressed in all tissues examined, but ApCPR2 showed higher expression in leaves. Expression of ApCPR2 was inducible by MeJA and its pattern matched with andrographolide accumulation. Present investigation suggested ApCPR2 involves in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites including andrographolide. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The redox status of experimental hemorrhagic shock as measured by cyclic voltammetry.

PubMed

Mittal, Anubhav; Göke, Friederike; Flint, Richard; Loveday, Benjamin P T; Thompson, Nichola; Delahunt, Brett; Kilmartin, Paul A; Cooper, Garth J S; MacDonald, Julia; Hickey, Anthony; Windsor, John A; Phillips, Anthony R J

2010-05-01

Hemorrhagic shock (HS) leads to reactive oxygen species production. However, clinicians do not have access to bedside measurements of the redox status during HS. Cyclic voltammetry (CyV) is a simple electrochemical method of measuring redox status. The aims of this study were to 1) report the first application of cyclic voltammetry to measure the acute changes in serum redox status after HS, 2) to contrast it with another severe systemic disease with a different redox pathology (acute pancreatitis [AP]), and 3) to describe the response of CyV over time in a resolving model of AP. In the acute study, 24 male Wistar rats were randomized into three groups: groups 1 (control), 2 (AP), and 3 (HS). In the time-course study, 28 rats were randomized to a sham-control as well as 6 and 24 h post-AP cohorts, respectively.Cyclic voltammetry was performed using a three-electrode system. In the acute study, the first and second voltammetric peaks increased significantly in HS. In contrast, within the AP group, only the first voltammetric peak showed a significant increase. The first voltammetric peak correlated with plasma protein carbonyls (PCs) and with thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, whereas the second voltammetric peak correlated positively with plasma protein carbonyls. In the second study, the first voltammetric peak correlated with physiological improvements. Here, we showed that serum CyV could respond to the serum redox change in HS and AP. Cyclic voltammetry warrants evaluation as a potential real-time beside measure of a patient's redox status during shock.

AP4M1 is abnormally expressed in oxygen-glucose deprived hippocampal neurons.

PubMed

Zhang, J; Cheng, X Y; Sheng, G Y

2014-03-20

AP4M1 mutations have been suggested to be associated with autosomal recessive cerebral palsy syndrome. But the pathogenic mechanism remains uncertain. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether and how AP4M1 expression is changed in injured neurons. Primary cultured hippocampal neurons were prepared for this experiment. They were subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) leading to apoptosis, mimicking brain ischemia. Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) was labeled immunofluorescently to confirm that the purity of neuron was higher than 90%. Real-time PCR and western blotting were performed to measure the gene expression. AP4M1 was labeled with MAP2 or Tau-1 to observe the distribution. We found that the AP4M1 protein levels immediately after the procedure were similar between the OGD group and the sham group. However, down-regulation was observed 12h after the reperfusion, and became more notable at 24h. The real-time PCR showed similar results, except that the down-regulation of mRNA was able to be detected immediately after the OGD. Immunofluorescent labeling revealed AP4M1 distributed in the dendrites of normal neurons, but it redistributed to the axons after the OGD procedure. In conclusion, AP4M1 is not only down-regulated at both the mRNA and protein levels, but also redistributed from dendrites to axons in oxygen-glucose deprived hippocampal neurons. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Values and DSM-5: looking at the debate on attenuated psychosis syndrome.

PubMed

Gonçalves, Arthur Maciel Nunes; Dantas, Clarissa de Rosalmeida; Banzato, Claudio E M

2016-01-20

Although values have increasingly received attention in psychiatric literature over the last three decades, their role has been only partially acknowledged in psychiatric classification endeavors. The review process of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) received harsh criticism, and was even considered secretive by some authors. Also, it lacked an official discussion of values at play. In this perspective paper we briefly discuss the interplay of some values in the scientific and non-scientific debate around one of the most debated DSM-5 category proposals, the Attenuated Psychosis Syndrome (APS). Then, we point out some ethical consequences of a facts-plus-values perspective in psychiatric classification. Different stakeholders participated in the APS-debate and for analytical purposes we divided them into four groups: (i) researchers in the field of high-risk mental states; (ii) the DSM-5 Psychotic Disorders Work Group; (iii) patient, carers and advocacy groups; and (iv) external stakeholders, not related to the previous groups, but which also publicly expressed their opinions about APS inclusion in DSM-5. We found that each group differently stressed the role of values we examined in the APS-debate. These values were ethical, but also epistemic, political, economic and ontological. The prominence given to some values, and the lack of discussion about others, generated divergent positions among stakeholders in the debate. As exemplified by the APS discussion, although medicine is primarily an ethical endeavor, values of different kinds that take part in it also shape to a large extent the profession. Thus, it may be strategic to openly discuss values at play in the elaboration of diagnostic tools and classificatory systems. This task, more than scientifically or politically significant, is ethically important.

Resistance exercise induces region-specific adaptations in anterior pituitary gland structure and function in rats.

PubMed

Kraemer, William J; Flanagan, Shawn D; Volek, Jeff S; Nindl, Bradley C; Vingren, Jakob L; Dunn-Lewis, Courtenay; Comstock, Brett A; Hooper, David R; Szivak, Tunde K; Looney, David P; Maresh, Carl M; Hymer, Wesley C

2013-12-01

The anterior pituitary gland (AP) increases growth hormone (GH) secretion in response to resistance exercise (RE), but the nature of AP adaptations to RE is unknown. To that end, we examined the effects of RE on regional AP somatotroph GH release, structure, and relative quantity. Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to one of four groups: 1) no training or acute exercise (NT-NEX); 2) no training with acute exercise (NT-EX); 3) resistance training without acute exercise (RT-NEX); 4) resistance training with acute exercise (RT-EX). RE incorporated 10, 1 m-weighted ladder climbs at an 85° angle. RT groups trained 3 days/wk for 7 wk, progressively. After death, trunk blood was collected, and each AP was divided into quadrants (ventral-dorsal and left-right). We measured: 1) trunk plasma GH; 2) somatotroph GH release; 3) somatotroph size; 4) somatotroph secretory content; and 5) percent of AP cells identified as somatotrophs. Trunk GH differed by group (NT-NEX, 8.9 ± 2.4 μg/l; RT-NEX, 9.2 ± 3.5 μg/l; NT-EX, 15.6 ± 3.4 μg/l; RT-EX, 23.4 ± 4.6 μg/l). RT-EX demonstrated greater somatotroph GH release than all other groups, predominantly in ventral regions (P < 0.05-0.10). Ventral somatotrophs were larger in NT-EX and RT-NEX compared with RT-EX (P < 0.05-0.10). RT-NEX exhibited significantly greater secretory granule content than all other groups but in the ventral-right region only (P < 0.05-0.10). Our findings indicate reproducible patterns of spatially distinct, functionally different somatotroph subpopulations in the rat pituitary gland. RE training appears to induce dynamic adaptations in somatotroph structure and function.

Prevalence of apical periodontitis and endodontic treatment in a Kosovar adult population.

PubMed

Kamberi, Blerim; Hoxha, Veton; Stavileci, Miranda; Dragusha, Edmond; Kuçi, Astrit; Kqiku, Lumnije

2011-11-29

Despite numerous studies on the prevalence of apical periodontitis (AP) and endodontic treatment in diverse geographical populations, there are currently no data on the prevalence of these conditions in populations of adults native to Kosovo. Therefore, little is known about how widespread these conditions are, and whether there is any correlation between root canal treatment and AP. The purpose of our research was to address this anomaly by investigating AP and endodontic treatment in an adult Kosovar population based on radiographic examination. The sample used for this study consisted of randomly selected individuals referred to the University Dentistry Clinical Center of Kosovo in the years 2006-2007. Orthopantomographs of 193 patients were evaluated. The periapical status of all teeth (with the exception of third molars) was examined according to Ørstavik's Periapical Index. The quality of the root canal filling was rated as 'adequate' or 'inadequate' based on whether all canals were filled, the depth of fill relative to the radiographic apex and the quality of compaction (absence/presence of voids). Data were analyzed statistically using the Chi-square test and calculation of odds ratios. Out of 4131 examined teeth, the prevalence of apical periodontitis (AP) and endodontic treatment was 12.3% and 2.3%, respectively. Of 95 endodontically-treated teeth, 46.3% were associated with AP. The prevalence of AP increased with age. The prevalence in subjects aged over 60 years old (20.2%) was higher than in other age groups. A statistically significant difference was found for the frequency of endodontically-treated teeth associated with AP in the 40-49 year age group (P < 0.001). Of some concern was the discovery that only 30.5% of the endodontically-treated teeth examined met the criteria of an acceptable root canal filling. Inadequately root-filled teeth were associated with an increased AP risk. The prevalence of AP and the frequency of endodontically-treated teeth with AP in this Kosovar population are higher than those found in other countries. Inadequate root canal fillings were associated with an increased prevalence of AP.

The University of Amsterdam at TREC 2012

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-11-01

lady , weight, ap, loss, major, insurance, rate, role, response, plays, atlanta, rising, oprah, childhood, crescent Table 5: Example topics and their...by the CLARIN-nl program, the Dutch national program COMMIT, the ESF Research Net- work Program ELIAS, the Elite Network Shifts project funded by the...Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences (KNAW), and the Netherlands eScience Center under project number 027.012.105. 6 References [1] Balasubramanian, N. and

The effects of acetazolamide on arterial pressure variability during REM sleep in the rat.

PubMed

Sone, M; Sei, H; Morita, Y; Ogura, T; Sone, S

1998-01-01

During rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the arterial pressure (AP) undergoes large fluctuations in the rat, cat, and other mammals, including humans, and it has been suggested that this effect originates in the forebrain. In addition, acetazolamide (ACTZ), a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, is known to be effective in the treatment of central sleep apnea or epilepsy. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of ACTZ on EEG theta rhythm and AP variability during REM sleep in rats. Treatment consisted of intraperitoneal injection of 5 mg of ACTZ in 0.5 mL of saline (n = 6) or 0.5 mL of vehicle alone (n = 6). We then recorded and analyzed the mean AP (MAP) variations during different sleep phases, using a telemetric system. Our results show: 1) Significant decreases in the coefficient of variation of MAP, in the very-low frequency (0.025 - 0.225 Hz) component of the power spectral density of the AP and in theta frequency in the electroencephalogram, were seen in the ACTZ-treated group during REM sleep compared with controls, whereas no significant difference was found between the two groups in non-REM sleep. There was no significant difference in sleep duration, average MAP, and heart rate between the groups. Our data suggest that ACTZ may act as a stabilizing factor preventing AP fluctuations during REM sleep.

Preparation, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of diadenosine tetraphosphate hydrolase from Shigella flexneri 2a.

PubMed

Hu, Wenxin; Wang, Qihai; Bi, Ruchang

2005-12-01

Diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A) hydrolase (EC 3.6.1.41) hydrolyzes Ap4A symmetrically in prokaryotes. It plays a potential role in organisms by regulating the concentration of Ap4A in vivo. To date, no three-dimensional structures of proteins with significant sequence homology to this protein have been determined. The 31.3 kDa Ap4A hydrolase from Shigella flexneri 2a has been cloned, expressed and purified using an Escherichia coli expression system. Crystals of Ap4A hydrolase have been obtained by the hanging-drop technique at 291 K using PEG 550 MME as precipitant. Ap4A hydrolase crystals diffract X-rays to 3.26 A and belong to space group P2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 118.9, b = 54.6, c = 128.5 A, beta = 95.7 degrees.

Implications of culture positivity in acute pancreatitis: does the source matter?

PubMed

Rao, Chalapathi; Bhasin, Deepak Kumar; Rana, Surinder Singh; Gupta, Rajesh; Gautam, Vikas; Singh, Kartar

2013-05-01

Sepsis is an important complication and cause of morbidity and mortality in acute pancreatitis (AP). The source of sepsis may be infected pancreatic and peripancreatic collections and/or necrosis or extrapancreatic including infections in the bloodstream or respiratory and urinary tracts. We studied the implications of the source of sepsis on various outcome parameters in AP like persistent organ failure (POF), length of hospital (LOH) stay, and mortality. A retrospective analysis of culture reports of AP patients was done, and the outcome parameters were recorded. Three hundred fifty-seven patients (229 M; age: 40.3 ± 14.04 years) of AP who had detailed culture reports were included. Eighty-four (23.5%) patients had pancreatic (or peripancreatic) source (group 1), 52 (14.6%) patients had other (extrapancreatic) sources (group 2), 20 (5.6%) patients were noted to have positive cultures from sources, which were both pancreatic and extrapancreatic (combined) sources (group 3), while 201 patients had sterile cultures. POF was seen in 147 (48%) patients (group 1: 67.8%; group 2: 65%; group 3: 90%; group 4: 34% [P < 0.001]). The mean LOH stay was 22.1 ± 20.26 days (group 1: 30.2 ± 20.64 days; group 2: 26.4 ± 26.82 days; group 3: 47.3 ± 32.60 days; group 4: 15.2 ± 11.34 days [P < 0.001]). Seventy (19.7%) patients succumbed to their illness (group 1 [22.9%]; group 2 [36.5%]; group 3 [40%]; group 4 [12%] [P < 0.001]). POF and LOH stay were more common in patients with combined pancreatic and extrapancreatic sources of sepsis. Mortality was significantly higher in patients with sepsis (groups 1, 2, 3) compared with sterile groups. © 2013 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Monitoring anticoagulant therapy with vitamin K antagonists in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome.

PubMed

Isert, Mecki; Miesbach, Wolfgang; Schüttfort, Gundolf; Weil, Yvonne; Tirneci, Vanessa; Kasper, Alexander; Weber, Adele; Lindhoff-Last, Edelgard; Herrmann, Eva; Linnemann, Birgit

2015-08-01

Because of the possible interference of antiphospholipid antibodies (APL) with the phospholipid component of thromboplastin reagents, concerns have been raised about the validity of international normalized ratio (INR) testing to monitor anticoagulant therapy with vitamin K antagonists in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). To investigate the reliability of the INR, we determined the INR using various prothrombin time (PT) assays and compared the results with those of a chromogenic factor X (CFX) assay. The study cohort consisted of 40 APS patients and 100 APL-negative patients who were on anticoagulant therapy for reasons other than APS. The agreement (i.e. the percentage of patients with a difference ≤0.5 INR units) between the PT-derived INR and CFX-derived INR equivalents was only moderate in both patient groups. The best agreement with CFX-derived INR equivalents was observed for the Thromborel S reagent in APS patients (69.1 %) and for Neoplastin Plus in APL-negative patients (72.0 %). Regarding the results for the point-of-care system CoaguChek XS, an agreement between the INR and the CFX-derived INR equivalent was less frequently observed in the APS patients (55.6 vs. 67.8 %; p = 0.050). When considering all 3058 pairs of INR tests within the international sensitivity index (ISI)-calibrated range of 1.5 to 4.5 s, we did not observe a higher variability of INR values in either the APS patient group or the subgroup of APS patients positive for lupus coagulants compared with the APL-negative controls. In conclusion, monitoring vitamin K antagonists (VKA) therapy with laboratory INR measurements seems to be suitable for the majority of APS patients.

Eosinophilic Esophagitis in Children and Adolescents with Abdominal Pain: Comparison with EoE-Dysphagia and Functional Abdominal Pain.

PubMed

Gunasekaran, Thirumazhisai; Prabhakar, Gautham; Schwartz, Alan; Gorla, Kiranmai; Gupta, Sandeep; Berman, James

2016-01-01

Aim. Compare EoE-AP with EoE-D for clinical, endoscopy (EGD), histology and outcomes and also with FAP-N. Method. Symptoms, physical findings, EGD, histology, symptom scores, and treatments were recorded for the three groups. Cluster analysis was done. Results. Dysphagia and abdominal pain were different in numbers but not statistically significant between EoE-AP and EoE-D. EGD, linear furrows, white exudates were more in the EoE-D and both combined were significant (p < 0.05). EoE-D, peak and mean eosinophils (p  0.06) and eosinophilic micro abscesses (p  0.001) were higher. Follow-Up. Based on single symptom, EoE-AP had 30% (p  0.25) improvement, EoE-D 86% (p < 0.001) and similar with composite score (p  0.57 and <0.001, resp.). Patients who had follow-up, EGD: 42.8% with EoE-AP and 77.8% with EoE-D, showed single symptom improvement and the eosinophil count fell from 38.5/34.6 (peak and mean) to 31.2/30.4 (p  0.70) and from 43.6/40.8 to 25.2/22.8 (p < 0.001), respectively. FAP-N patients had similar symptom improvement like EoE-D. Cluster Analysis. EoE-AP and FAP-N were similar in clinical features and response to treatment, but EoE-D was distinctly different from EoE-AP and FAP-N. Conclusion. Our study demonstrates that EoE-AP and EoE-D have different histology and outcomes. In addition, EoE-AP has clinical features similar to the FAP-N group.

Eosinophilic Esophagitis in Children and Adolescents with Abdominal Pain: Comparison with EoE-Dysphagia and Functional Abdominal Pain

PubMed Central

Gorla, Kiranmai; Gupta, Sandeep

2016-01-01

Aim. Compare EoE-AP with EoE-D for clinical, endoscopy (EGD), histology and outcomes and also with FAP-N. Method. Symptoms, physical findings, EGD, histology, symptom scores, and treatments were recorded for the three groups. Cluster analysis was done. Results. Dysphagia and abdominal pain were different in numbers but not statistically significant between EoE-AP and EoE-D. EGD, linear furrows, white exudates were more in the EoE-D and both combined were significant (p < 0.05). EoE-D, peak and mean eosinophils (p  0.06) and eosinophilic micro abscesses (p  0.001) were higher. Follow-Up. Based on single symptom, EoE-AP had 30% (p  0.25) improvement, EoE-D 86% (p < 0.001) and similar with composite score (p  0.57 and <0.001, resp.). Patients who had follow-up, EGD: 42.8% with EoE-AP and 77.8% with EoE-D, showed single symptom improvement and the eosinophil count fell from 38.5/34.6 (peak and mean) to 31.2/30.4 (p  0.70) and from 43.6/40.8 to 25.2/22.8 (p < 0.001), respectively. FAP-N patients had similar symptom improvement like EoE-D. Cluster Analysis. EoE-AP and FAP-N were similar in clinical features and response to treatment, but EoE-D was distinctly different from EoE-AP and FAP-N. Conclusion. Our study demonstrates that EoE-AP and EoE-D have different histology and outcomes. In addition, EoE-AP has clinical features similar to the FAP-N group. PMID:27610357

Resting state functional connectivity of the ventral auditory pathway in musicians with absolute pitch.

PubMed

Kim, Seung-Goo; Knösche, Thomas R

2017-08-01

Absolute pitch (AP) is the ability to recognize pitch chroma of tonal sound without external references, providing a unique model of the human auditory system (Zatorre: Nat Neurosci 6 () 692-695). In a previous study (Kim and Knösche: Hum Brain Mapp () 3486-3501), we identified enhanced intracortical myelination in the right planum polare (PP) in musicians with AP, which could be a potential site for perceptional processing of pitch chroma information. We speculated that this area, which initiates the ventral auditory pathway, might be crucially involved in the perceptual stage of the AP process in the context of the "dual pathway hypothesis" that suggests the role of the ventral pathway in processing nonspatial information related to the identity of an auditory object (Rauschecker: Eur J Neurosci 41 () 579-585). To test our conjecture on the ventral pathway, we investigated resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) from musicians with varying degrees of AP. Should our hypothesis be correct, RSFC via the ventral pathway is expected to be stronger in musicians with AP, whereas such group effect is not predicted in the RSFC via the dorsal pathway. In the current data, we found greater RSFC between the right PP and bilateral anteroventral auditory cortices in musicians with AP. In contrast, we did not find any group difference in the RSFC of the planum temporale (PT) between musicians with and without AP. We believe that these findings support our conjecture on the critical role of the ventral pathway in AP recognition. Hum Brain Mapp 38:3899-3916, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A voxel-based approach to gray matter asymmetries.

PubMed

Luders, E; Gaser, C; Jancke, L; Schlaug, G

2004-06-01

Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to analyze gray matter (GM) asymmetries in a large sample (n = 60) of male and female professional musicians with and without absolute pitch (AP). We chose to examine these particular groups because previous studies using traditional region-of-interest (ROI) analyses have shown differences in hemispheric asymmetry related to AP and gender. Voxel-based methods may have advantages over traditional ROI-based methods since the analysis can be performed across the whole brain with minimal user bias. After determining that the VBM method was sufficiently sensitive for the detection of differences in GM asymmetries between groups, we found that male AP musicians were more leftward lateralized in the anterior region of the planum temporale (PT) than male non-AP musicians. This confirmed the results of previous studies using ROI-based methods that showed an association between PT asymmetry and the AP phenotype. We further observed that male non-AP musicians revealed an increased leftward GM asymmetry in the postcentral gyrus compared to female non-AP musicians, again corroborating results of a previously published study using ROI-based methods. By analyzing hemispheric GM differences across our entire sample, we were able to partially confirm findings of previous studies using traditional morphometric techniques, as well as more recent, voxel-based analyses. In addition, we found some unusually pronounced GM asymmetries in our musician sample not previously detected in subjects unselected for musical training. Since we were able to validate gender- and AP-related brain asymmetries previously described using traditional ROI-based morphometric techniques, the results of our analyses support the use of VBM for examinations of GM asymmetries.

West Europe Report No. 2139

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-05-09

Ap-PDP, 2; UCD, 1. Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Voters: 438,618. Seats: 30 (Tenerife, 15; La Palma, 8; Gomera, 4 and Hierro , 3). Deputies 28 October 1982...Canaries, have aroused the interest of independent groups that normally operate on the peripheral islands, such as Gomera and Hierro . 113 During the...Independent Gomera Electoral Group: Esteban Bethencourt. Hierro : PSOE: Jose Francisco Armas. AP-PDP-UL: Manuel Fernandez Gonzalez. PCE: Aurelio Ayala

Determinants of muscle metaboreflex and involvement of baroreflex in boys and young men.

PubMed

Dipla, Konstantina; Papadopoulos, Stavros; Zafeiridis, Andreas; Kyparos, Antonios; Nikolaidis, Michalis G; Vrabas, Ioannis S

2013-04-01

This study aimed to assess the arterial pressure (AP) determinants during the muscle metaboreflex in boys and men and to investigate the contribution of baroreflex and sympathovagal function to the metaboreflex-induced responses. Fourteen pre-adolescent boys and 13 men performed a protocol involving: baseline, isometric handgrip exercise, circulatory occlusion, and recovery. The same protocol was repeated without occlusion. During baseline, boys had lower beat-to-beat AP, higher heart rate (HR), and lower low/high frequency HR variability. During exercise, a parasympathetic withdrawal was evident in both groups. In adults, HR was the key contributor to the pressure response, with no changes in stroke volume, whereas in boys, the lower HR increase was counterbalanced by an increase in stroke volume, resulting in similar relative increases in AP in both groups. In recovery, boys exhibited a faster rate of HR-decay, rapid vagal reactivation, and greater decrease in TPR than men. An overshoot in baroreceptor sensitivity was observed in men. The isolated metaboreflex resulted in a similar AP elevation in both age groups (by ~15 mmHg), and attenuated spontaneous baroreceptor sensitivity. However, during the metaboreflex, pre-adolescent males exhibited a lower increase in peripheral resistance and a greater bradycardic response than adults, and a fast restoration of vagal activity to non-occlusion levels. During metaboreflex, boys were capable of eliciting a pressure response similar to the one elicited by men; however, the interplay of the mechanisms underlying the rise in AP differed between the two groups with the vagal contribution being greater in the younger participants.

Foreword: 18th Aps-Sccm and 24th Airapt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, Gilbert; Moore, David S.; Yoo, Choong-Shik

2014-05-01

This second joint conference between the APS Topical Group on Shock Compression of Condensed Matter and the International Association for the Advancement of High Pressure Science and Technology (AIRAPT) demonstrates that static and dynamic compression of condensed matter continues to be a vibrant field of science and engineering. It is also by its nature an interdisciplinary field, incorporating chemistry, materials science, solid mechanics, plasma physics, and condensed matter physics, and utilizes theoretical, computational, and experimental tools. Recent years have brought about many advances in loading platforms, diagnostics, and computations that are leading to the emergence of many new avenues of research. These advances are also breathing new life into traditional topics such as equations of state, phase transformations, and chemistry at extreme conditions. The plenary lectures by Gennady Kanel, Karl Syassen, David Ceperley, Jon Eggert, Duck Young Kim, and Richard Kraus spanned the disciplines of static and dynamic high pressure physics and illustrated the breadth of the field. They also showed that interesting and important problems remain for researchers of the future to solve. The main guiding principal in the organization of this conference was to intertwine static and dynamical experimental alongside computational and theoretical studies of similar materials. To achieve this goal, we arranged the conference to include static, dynamic, and computational components in the same sessions, quite often taking presenters out of their comfort zone. The three special sessions on Deep Carbon Budget (organized by Giulia Galli and Rus Hemley), High Energy Density Materials (organized by Raymond Jeanloz and Jon Eggert), and Dynamic Response of Materials (organized by Yogendra Gupta and John Sarrao) furthered this guiding principal. We also endeavored to represent the breadth of static and dynamic high pressure science and technology, notably beyond that done at national laboratories. To this end, a significant fraction of the plenary, invited and contributed presentations showcased work done in academia, defense laboratories and industry, as well as internationally. Although travel distance and visa issues always present difficulties, the conference had strong representation from a record number of international participants, including sizable groups from Russia and China (thanks to Tony Zocher and Frank Cherne), as well as Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Germany, Israel, and Italy. It is our sincere hope that international interactions that occurred at the conference will lead to further collaborations in the future. Finally, we strived to increase student participation at the conference. Through the leadership of Scott Alexander and his committee, a new all-day student symposium was held the day before the main conference, with only student attendees and presenters, in order to acclimate the students to conference participation and help them network with their peers. In cooperation with the APS Topical Group and the AIRAPT and with additional support from DTRA and the AWE, the conference was able to provide financial assistance to a large number of students to attend the conference and present their research. This aid helped increase the number of student attendees significantly over previous conferences. Finally, the conference sponsored a networking lunch for students and representatives from a number of laboratories and other institutions, which was well attended. Seattle proved itself to be an excellent venue for the conference. The international flavor of the city provided ample dining options and numerous activity choices outside of the conference sessions. The major international airport made travel as easy as possible, as Seattle is a convenient central location for attendees from Europe and Asia. The conference was truly a team effort with critical contributions from many individuals. We deeply appreciate their contributions to the success of the conference and the publication of these proceedings. Gilbert (RIP) Collins David S Moore Choong-Shik Yoo

Comparison of seven techniques for typing international epidemic strains of Clostridium difficile: restriction endonuclease analysis, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, PCR-ribotyping, multilocus sequence typing, multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis, amplified fragment length polymorphism, and surface layer protein A gene sequence typing.

PubMed

Killgore, George; Thompson, Angela; Johnson, Stuart; Brazier, Jon; Kuijper, Ed; Pepin, Jacques; Frost, Eric H; Savelkoul, Paul; Nicholson, Brad; van den Berg, Renate J; Kato, Haru; Sambol, Susan P; Zukowski, Walter; Woods, Christopher; Limbago, Brandi; Gerding, Dale N; McDonald, L Clifford

2008-02-01

Using 42 isolates contributed by laboratories in Canada, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States, we compared the results of analyses done with seven Clostridium difficile typing techniques: multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA), amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), surface layer protein A gene sequence typing (slpAST), PCR-ribotyping, restriction endonuclease analysis (REA), multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). We assessed the discriminating ability and typeability of each technique as well as the agreement among techniques in grouping isolates by allele profile A (AP-A) through AP-F, which are defined by toxinotype, the presence of the binary toxin gene, and deletion in the tcdC gene. We found that all isolates were typeable by all techniques and that discrimination index scores for the techniques tested ranged from 0.964 to 0.631 in the following order: MLVA, REA, PFGE, slpAST, PCR-ribotyping, MLST, and AFLP. All the techniques were able to distinguish the current epidemic strain of C. difficile (BI/027/NAP1) from other strains. All of the techniques showed multiple types for AP-A (toxinotype 0, binary toxin negative, and no tcdC gene deletion). REA, slpAST, MLST, and PCR-ribotyping all included AP-B (toxinotype III, binary toxin positive, and an 18-bp deletion in tcdC) in a single group that excluded other APs. PFGE, AFLP, and MLVA grouped two, one, and two different non-AP-B isolates, respectively, with their AP-B isolates. All techniques appear to be capable of detecting outbreak strains, but only REA and MLVA showed sufficient discrimination to distinguish strains from different outbreaks.

Morbidity and mortality in the antiphospholipid syndrome during a 10-year period: a multicentre prospective study of 1000 patients.

PubMed

Cervera, R; Serrano, R; Pons-Estel, G J; Ceberio-Hualde, L; Shoenfeld, Y; de Ramón, E; Buonaiuto, V; Jacobsen, S; Zeher, M M; Tarr, T; Tincani, A; Taglietti, M; Theodossiades, G; Nomikou, E; Galeazzi, M; Bellisai, F; Meroni, P L; Derksen, R H W M; de Groot, P G D; Baleva, M; Mosca, M; Bombardieri, S; Houssiau, F; Gris, J-C; Quéré, I; Hachulla, E; Vasconcelos, C; Fernández-Nebro, A; Haro, M; Amoura, Z; Miyara, M; Tektonidou, M; Espinosa, G; Bertolaccini, M L; Khamashta, M A

2015-06-01

To assess the prevalence of the main causes of morbi-mortality in the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) during a 10-year-follow-up period and to compare the frequency of early manifestations with those that appeared later. In 1999, we started an observational study of 1000 APS patients from 13 European countries. All had medical histories documented when entered into the study and were followed prospectively during the ensuing 10 years. 53.1% of the patients had primary APS, 36.2% had APS associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and 10.7% APS associated with other diseases. Thrombotic events appeared in 166 (16.6%) patients during the first 5-year period and in 115 (14.4%) during the second 5-year period. The most common events were strokes, transient ischaemic attacks, deep vein thromboses and pulmonary embolism. 127 (15.5%) women became pregnant (188 pregnancies) and 72.9% of pregnancies succeeded in having one or more live births. The most common obstetric complication was early pregnancy loss (16.5% of the pregnancies). Intrauterine growth restriction (26.3% of the total live births) and prematurity (48.2%) were the most frequent fetal morbidities. 93 (9.3%) patients died and the most frequent causes of death were severe thrombosis (36.5%) and infections (26.9%). Nine (0.9%) cases of catastrophic APS occurred and 5 (55.6%) of them died. The survival probability at 10 years was 90.7%. Patients with APS still develop significant morbidity and mortality despite current treatment. It is imperative to increase the efforts in determining optimal prognostic markers and therapeutic measures to prevent these complications. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

[Primary investigation of the relationship between glucocorticoid induced leucine zipper and inflammatory reaction].

PubMed

Bai, Xiang-jun; Li, Bo; Wang, Hai-ping; Yang, Zhao-hui; Li, Si-qi

2007-01-01

To investigate the mechanism of the action of glucocorticoid induced leucine zipper (GILZ) in inflammatory reaction. Human monocyte cell line THP-1 cells were divided into two groups and cultured in non-serum RPMI1640 medium.In one group the cells were treated with dexamethasone (DEX). Twelve hours later total RNA and total protein were abstracted in both two groups. The mRNA encoding for expression of GILZ was semiquantitatively detected by reserve transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Protein expression of nuclear factor-KappaB (NF-KappaB) p65 and activator protein-1 (AP-1) were assessed by Western blotting. Peripheral blood of 10 trauma patients [injury severity score (ISS) >or=16 scores] were collected and the leukocytes were isolated within 24 hours after trauma. The leukocytes were divided into two groups and cultured in non-serum medium. In one group the cells were treated with DEX. Twelve hours later total RNA and total protein were abstracted in both two groups. The mRNA encoding for expression of GILZ was semiquantitatively detected by RT-PCR. Protein expression of NF-KappaB p65 and AP-1 were assessed by Western blotting. Stimulated by DEX, the expression of GILZ mRNA was increased both in THP-1 cells and the leukocytes of trauma patients compared with those of control groups (both P<0.01). Whereas, protein expressions of NF-KappaB p65 and AP-1 of THP-1 cells and leukocytes in peripheral blood of trauma patients were decreased in the stimulation groups compared with those of control groups (all P<0.01). The expression of GILZ gene is up-regulated by glucocorticoid. Overexpression of GILZ inhibits NF-KappaB and AP-1 activities, suggesting that GILZ possesses anti-inflammatory function.

Tooth Whitening And Temperature Rise With Two Bleaching Activation Methods

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

Abu-ElMagd, D. M.; El-Sayad, I. I.; Abd El-Gawad, L. M.

2009-09-27

To measure the tooth whitening and the surface and Intrapulpal temperature increase in vitro on freshly extracted upper human central incisors after chemical, Zoom AP light and diode laser activated bleaching. Thirty caries-free upper human incisors were selected. Teeth were divided into three equal groups according to the methods of activation of the bleaching agent (n = 10). A whitening gel containing hydrogen peroxide was applied to the buccal surface of all teeth. Group I was bleached using chemically activated hydrogen peroxide gel, for three applications of 15 min each. Group II was bleached with high intensity advanced power Zoommore » activation light (Zoom AP), for three applications of 15 min each. Group III was bleached with diode laser activation technique, where the teeth were irradiated with 2 Watt diode laser for three applications of 30 sec each. The whitening degree was assessed using an image analysis system, while temperature rise was recorded using a thermocouple on the external tooth surface and Intrapulpal. The degree of whitening increased significantly in all groups. However, the percentage of whitening was not statistically significantly different between the three groups. In addition, group II showed statistically significant higher mean rise in both surface and pulp temperatures than group I and group III. Chemical bleaching produces the same whitening effect as Zoom AP light and laser, with no surface or pulpal temperature rise. Laser application is faster and produces less surface and pulp temperature increase than Zoom AP light. Diode laser used to activate bleaching gels is not considered dangerous to the vitality of dental pulp using power settings of 2 W.« less

Apple mosaic virus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Apple mosaic virus (ApMV), a member of the ilarvirus group, naturally infects Betula, Aesculus, Humulus, and several crop genera in the family Rosaceae (Malus, Prunus, Rosa and Rubus). ApMV was first reported in Rubus in several blackberry and raspberry cultivars in the United States and subsequentl...

Simultaneous interaction with base and phosphate moieties modulates the phosphodiester cleavage of dinucleoside 3',5'-monophosphates by dinuclear Zn2+ complexes of di(azacrown) ligands.

PubMed

Wang, Qi; Lönnberg, Harri

2006-08-23

Five dinucleating ligands (1-5) and one trinucleating ligand (6) incorporating 1,5,9-triazacyclododecan-3-yloxy groups attached to an aromatic scaffold have been synthesized. The ability of the Zn(2+) complexes of these ligands to promote the transesterification of dinucleoside 3',5'-monophosphates to a 2',3'-cyclic phosphate derived from the 3'-linked nucleoside by release of the 5'-linked nucleoside has been studied over a narrow pH range, from pH 5.8 to 7.2, at 90 degrees C. The dinuclear complexes show marked base moiety selectivity. Among the four dinucleotide 3',5'-phosphates studied, viz. adenylyl-3',5'-adenosine (ApA), adenylyl-3',5'-uridine (ApU), uridylyl-3',5'-adenosine (UpA), and uridylyl-3',5'-uridine (UpU), the dimers containing one uracil base (ApU and UpA) are cleaved up to 2 orders of magnitude more readily than those containing either two uracil bases (UpU) or two adenine bases (ApA). The trinuclear complex (6), however, cleaves UpU as readily as ApU and UpA, while the cleavage of ApA remains slow. UV spectrophotometric and (1)H NMR spectroscopic studies with one of the dinucleating ligands (3) verify binding to the bases of UpU and ApU at less than millimolar concentrations, while no interaction with the base moieties of ApA is observed. With ApU and UpA, one of the Zn(2+)-azacrown moieties in all likelihood anchors the cleaving agent to the uracil base of the substrate, while the other azacrown moiety serves as a catalyst for the phosphodiester transesterification. With UpU, two azacrown moieties are engaged in the base moiety binding. The catalytic activity is, hence, lost, but it can be restored by addition of a third azacrown group on the cleaving agent.

Structures of yeast Apa2 reveal catalytic insights into a canonical AP₄A phosphorylase of the histidine triad superfamily.

PubMed

Hou, Wen-Tao; Li, Wen-Zhe; Chen, Yuxing; Jiang, Yong-Liang; Zhou, Cong-Zhao

2013-08-09

The homeostasis of intracellular diadenosine 5',5″'-P(1),P(4)-tetraphosphate (Ap4A) in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is maintained by two 60% sequence-identical paralogs of Ap4A phosphorylases (Apa1 and Apa2). Enzymatic assays show that, compared to Apa1, Apa2 has a relatively higher phosphorylase activity towards Ap3A (5',5″'-P(1),P(3)-tetraphosphate), Ap4A, and Ap5A (5',5″'-P(1),P(5)-tetraphosphate), and Ap4A is the favorable substrate for both enzymes. To decipher the catalytic insights, we determined the crystal structures of Apa2 in the apo-, AMP-, and Ap4A-complexed forms at 2.30, 2.80, and 2.70Å resolution, respectively. Apa2 is an α/β protein with a core domain of a twisted eight-stranded antiparallel β-sheet flanked by several α-helices, similar to the galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (GalT) members of the histidine triad (HIT) superfamily. However, a unique auxiliary domain enables an individual Apa2 monomer to possess an intact substrate-binding cleft, which is distinct from previously reported dimeric GalT proteins. This cleft is perfectly complementary to the favorable substrate Ap4A, the AMP and ATP moieties of which are perpendicular to each other, leaving the α-phosphate group exposed at the sharp turn against the catalytic residue His161. Structural comparisons combined with site-directed mutagenesis and activity assays enable us to define the key residues for catalysis. Furthermore, multiple-sequence alignment reveals that Apa2 and homologs represent canonical Ap4A phosphorylases, which could be grouped as a unique branch in the GalT family. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

4-aminopyridine restores vertical and horizontal neural integrator function in downbeat nystagmus.

PubMed

Kalla, Roger; Glasauer, Stefan; Büttner, Ulrich; Brandt, Thomas; Strupp, Michael

2007-09-01

Downbeat nystagmus (DBN), the most common form of acquired fixation nystagmus, is often caused by cerebellar degeneration, especially if the vestibulo-cerebellum is involved. The upward ocular drift in DBN has a spontaneous and a vertical gaze-evoked component. Since cerebellar involvement is suspected to be the underlying pathomechanism of DBN, we tested in 15 patients with DBN whether the application of the potassium-channel blocker 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), which increases the excitability of cerebellar Purkinje cells as shown in animal experiments, reduces the vertical ocular drift leading to nystagmus. Fifteen age-matched healthy subjects served as the control group. 4-AP may affect spontaneous drift or gaze-evoked drift by either enhancing visual fixation ability or restoring vision-independent gaze holding. We therefore recorded 3D slow-phase eye movements using search coils during attempted fixation in nine different eye positions and with or without a continuously visible target before and 45 min after ingestion of 10mg 4-AP. Since the effect of 4-AP may depend on the associated etiology, we divided our patients into three groups (cerebellar atrophy, n = 4; idiopathic DBN, n = 5; other etiology, n = 6). 4-AP decreased DBN during gaze straight ahead in 12 of 15 patients. Statistical analysis showed that improvement occurred predominantly in patients with cerebellar atrophy, in whom the drift was reduced from -4.99 +/- 1.07 deg/s (mean +/- SE) before treatment to -0.60 +/- 0.82 deg/s afterwards. Regression analysis of slow-phase velocity (SPV) in different eye positions revealed that vertical and horizontal gaze-evoked drift was significantly reduced independently of the patient group and caused perfect gaze holding on the average. Since the observed improvements were independent of target visibility, 4-AP improved fixation by restoring gaze-holding ability. All in all, the present study demonstrates that 4-AP has a differential effect on DBN: drift with gaze straight ahead was predominantly reduced in patients with cerebellar atrophy, but less so in the remaining patients; 4-AP on the average improved neural integrator function, i.e. gaze-evoked drift, regardless of etiology. Our results thus show that 4-AP was a successful treatment option in the majority of DBN patients, possibly by increasing Purkinje cell excitability in the cerebellar flocculi. It may work best when DBN is associated with cerebellar atrophy. Furthermore, 4-AP may be a promising treatment option for patients with a dominant gaze-evoked component of nystagmus, regardless of its etiology.

D{sub 2} dopamine receptor gene and behavioral characteristics in nicotine dependence

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

Noble, E.P.; Fitch, R.J.; Syndulko, K.

1994-09-01

The D{sub 2} dopamine receptor (DRD2) A1 allele has been recently associated with nicotine dependence. In the present study, TaqI A alleles (the minor A1 and the major A2 allele) of the DRD2 were determined in medically-ill subjects. The sample was composed of 41 non-smokers (N), 69 ex-smokers (X) and 63 active smokers (A). The relationships of DRD2 alleles to personality (Eysenick`s Addictive Personality [AP]), depression and nicotine dependence (Fagerstroem) scores were ascertained. A significant (P = 0.002) group effect prevailed in the AP scores, with the A group having the highest scores. Moreover, a significant (P = 0.025) allelemore » by group interaction was found, with A1 allelic subjects in group A showing the highest AP scores. Significant group effects were also found in both the depression (P = 0.0004) and the nicotine dependence (P = 0.0003) scores, with the A group again showing the highest scores. However, in contrast to the AP scores, no significant allele by group interaction was found either in the depression or the nicotine dependence scores. In conclusion, the present findings suggest a role for the DRD2 gene in personality of smokers. However, relationship of the DRD2 gene to the degree of depression or nicotine dependence was not found. The data indicate the importance of using behavioral and genetic variables in dissecting the complex set of variables associated with the smoking habit, and thus in achieving a better understanding of the biobehavioral bases of this addiction.« less

Intrauterine hematomas in the second and third trimesters associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes: a retrospective study.

PubMed

Ji, Wanqing; Li, Weidong; Mei, Shanshan; He, Ping

2017-09-01

To carry out a retrospective study of the clinical features of patients with intrauterine hematoma in the second and third trimesters, and discuss the risk factors for poor pregnancy outcomes. A total of 398 patients who underwent routine examination in our hospital from January 2011 to December 2015 were classified into normal pregnancy (NP) group (N = 265) and adverse pregnancy (AP) group (N = 133), according to their pregnancy outcomes. Maternal clinical demographics, gestational age, location of hematoma, volume of hematoma, and accompanying contraction and vaginal bleeding were recorded. The average age of pregnant women in the NP and AP groups was 28.25 ± 4.06 and 29.5 ± 5.06 years, respectively (p = 0.007). Gestational age at first detection of hematoma was 15.11 ± 5.13 weeks in the NP group compared with 21.22 ± 8.25 weeks in the AP group (p < 0.001). In the AP group, the incidence of retroplacental hematoma (54.1%) and palpable contractions (62.8%) was significantly higher than in the NP group (25.7% and 12.1%, respectively; p < 0.01). However, similar maternal parity or history of delivery, volume of hematoma and incidence of vaginal bleeding were found. Intrauterine hematoma in the second and third trimesters is a sign of pathological pregnancy, resulting in adverse outcomes. Maternal age, gestational age at first diagnosis, location of hematoma and accompanying contraction are risk factors for poor pregnancy outcomes.

Mice with experimental antiphospholipid syndrome display hippocampal dysfunction and a reduction of dendritic complexity in hippocampal CA1 neurones.

PubMed

Frauenknecht, Katrin; Katzav, Aviva; Weiss Lavi, Ronen; Sabag, Avishag; Otten, Susanne; Chapman, Joab; Sommer, Clemens J

2015-08-01

The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by high titres of auto-antibodies (aPL) leading to thrombosis and consequent infarcts. However, many affected patients develop neurological symptoms in the absence of stroke. Similarly, in a mouse model of this disease (eAPS), animals consistently develop behavioural abnormalities despite lack of ischemic brain injury. Therefore, the present study was designed to identify structural alterations of hippocampal neurones underlying the neurological symptoms in eAPS. Adult female Balb/C mice were subjected to either induction of eAPS by immunization with β2-Glycoprotein 1 or to a control group. After sixteen weeks animals underwent behavioural and cognitive testing using Staircase test (experiment 1 and 2) and Y-maze alternation test (experiment 1) and were tested for serum aPL levels (both experiments). Animals of experiment 1 (n = 7/group) were used for hippocampal neurone analysis using Golgi-Cox staining. Animals of experiment 2 (n = 7/group) were used to analyse molecular markers of total dendritic integrity (MAP2), presynaptic plasticity (synaptobrevin 2/VAMP2) and dendritic spines (synaptopodin) using immunohistochemistry. eAPS mice developed increased aPL titres and presented with abnormal behaviour and impaired short term memory. Further, they revealed a reduction of dendritic complexity of hippocampal CA1 neurones as reflected by decreased dendritic length, arborization and spine density, respectively. Additional decrease of the spine-associated protein expression of Synaptopodin points to dendritic spines as major targets in the pathological process. Reduction of hippocampal dendritic complexity may represent the structural basis for the behavioural and cognitive abnormalities of eAPS mice. © 2014 British Neuropathological Society.

Evidence for Lipid Packaging in the Crystal Structure of the GM2-Activator Complex with Platelet Activating Factor

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

Wright, Christine S.; Mi, Li-Zhi; Rastinejad, Fraydoon

2010-11-16

GM2-activator protein (GM2-AP) is a lipid transfer protein that has the ability to stimulate the enzymatic processing of gangliosides as well as T-cell activation through lipid presentation. Our previous X-ray crystallographic studies of GM2-AP have revealed a large lipid binding pocket as the central overall feature of the structure with non-protein electron density within this pocket suggesting bound lipid. To extend these studies, we present here the 2 {angstrom} crystal structure of GM2-AP complexed with platelet activating factor (PAF). PAF is a potent phosphoacylglycerol whose toxic patho-physiological effects can be inhibited by GM2-AP. The structure shows an ordered arrangement ofmore » two bound lipids and a fatty acid molecule. One PAF molecule binds in an extended conformation within the hydrophobic channel that has an open and closed conformation, and was seen to contain bound phospholipid in the low pH apo structure. The second molecule is submerged inside the pocket in a U-shaped conformation with its head group near the single polar residue S141. It was refined as lyso-PAF as it lacks electron density for the sn-2 acetate group. The alkyl chains of PAF interact through van der Waals contacts, while the head groups bind in different environments with their phosphocholine moieties in contact with aromatic rings (Y137, F80). The structure has revealed further insights into the lipid binding properties of GM2-AP, suggesting an unexpected unique mode of lipid packaging that may explain the efficiency of GM2-AP in inhibiting the detrimental biological effects of PAF.« less

Quality of life and nutritional consequences after aboral pouch reconstruction following total gastrectomy for gastric cancer: randomized controlled trial CCG1101.

PubMed

Ito, Yuichi; Yoshikawa, Takaki; Fujiwara, Michitaka; Kojima, Hiroshi; Matsui, Takanori; Mochizuki, Yoshinari; Cho, Haruhiko; Aoyama, Toru; Ito, Seiji; Misawa, Kazunari; Nakayama, Hiroshi; Morioka, Yuki; Ishiyama, Akiharu; Tanaka, Chie; Morita, Satoshi; Sakamoto, Junichi; Kodera, Yasuhiro

2016-07-01

Total gastrectomy has detrimental effects on postoperative nutritional status and quality of life (QOL), but it is often unavoidable in the treatment of gastric cancer. Roux-en-Y (RY) is the most common reconstruction method following total gastrectomy. Trials to explore other means of reconstruction have been conducted but have failed to identify a method that is globally accepted. Aboral pouch reconstruction (AP), in which an anisoperistaltic jejunal pouch is created in the Y limb of the RY reconstruction, is considered effective and technically feasible. A prospective randomized trial was conducted to compare AP with RY. Gastric cancer patients requiring total gastrectomy for R0 resection were randomly assigned during surgery to receive either RY (n = 51) or AP (n = 49). Postoperative QOL as assessed by the EORTC QLQ-C30 and STO22, body composition, and morbidity were compared between the two reconstruction methods. The physical functioning score of the QLQ-C30 was selected as the primary endpoint. The incidences of postoperative complications were similar between the two groups (29 % in the RY group and 27 % in the AP group). No significant difference was observed in the physical functioning score, and the superiority of AP was demonstrated only for the nausea and vomiting score at 12 months (p = 0.041) and the reflux score at 1 month (p = 0.036). No significant differences were observed in body composition or serum biochemistry. Although AP was safely implemented, no increased benefits in nutritional or QOL-related parameters were observed for this method over RY within 12 months postoperatively.

Extrahepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury reduces hepatic oxidative drug metabolism as determined by serial antipyrine clearance.

PubMed

Gurley, B J; Barone, G W; Yamashita, K; Polston, S; Estes, M; Harden, A

1997-01-01

All transplanted solid organs experience some degree of ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) injury. This I-R injury can contribute to graft dysfunction which stems in part from the acute phase response and a resultant host of cytokines. Recent evidence suggests that organs remote to the site of I-R injury can be affected by circulating cytokines originating from these I-R injuries. Since many of these acute phase cytokines inhibit hepatic cytochrome P-450 (CYP) enzymes, we chose to investigate whether extrahepatic I-R injuries could influence hepatic oxidative drug metabolism. Fifteen dogs were divided into three surgical groups: (I) sham I-R; (II) bilateral normothermic renal I-R; and (III) normothermic intestinal I-R. Antipyrine (AP) was selected as a model substrate and administered intravenously at a dose of 10 mg/kg. AP serum concentrations were determined by HPLC and cytokine activity (IL-1, IL-6, and TNFalpha) was measured via bioassay. Serial AP clearance and serum cytokine concentrations were determined 3 days prior to and at 4 hr, 24 hr, 3 days and 7 days after surgery. Hematology and blood chemistries were monitored throughout the study period. AP clearance was significantly reduced in groups II and III at 4 and 24 hrs post-l-R injury, while AP binding and apparent volume of distribution were unaffected. Peak levels of TNF and IL-6 activity occurred at 1 and 4 hours, respectively. IL-I activity was not detected in any group. AP clearance correlated strongly to circulating levels of IL-6 (r = -0.789, p = 0.0002). Our findings indicate that extrahepatic I-R injury can affect hepatic oxidative drug metabolism and this effect is mediated in part by circulating cytokines.

Impact of Antithrombotic Regimen on Mortality, Ischemic, and Bleeding Outcomes after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

PubMed

Varshney, Anubodh; Watson, Ryan A; Noll, Andrew; Im, KyungAh; Rossi, Jeffrey; Shah, Pinak; Giugliano, Robert P

2018-05-19

Optimal antithrombotic therapy after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remains unclear. We evaluated the association between antithrombotic regimens and outcomes in TAVR patients. We retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients who underwent TAVR at a single academic center from April 2009 to March 2014. Antithrombotic regimens were classified as single or dual antiplatelet therapy (AP), single antiplatelet plus anticoagulant (SAC), or triple therapy (TT). The primary endpoint was a composite of death, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and major bleeding. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were obtained with best subset variable selection methods using bootstrap resampling. Of 246 patients who underwent TAVR, 241 were eligible for analysis with 133, 88, and 20 patients in the AP, SAC, and TT groups, respectively. During a median 2.1-year follow-up, 53.5% had at least one endpoint-the most common was death (68%), followed by major bleeding (23%), stroke (6%), and MI (3%). At 2 years, the composite outcome occurred in 70% of TT, 42% of SAC, and 31% of AP patients. Compared to AP, adjusted HRs for the composite outcome were 2.88 [95% Confidence intervals (CI) (1.61-5.16); p = 0.0004] and 1.66 (95% CI [1.13-2.42]; p = 0.009) in the TT and SAC groups, respectively. Mortality rates at 2 years were 61% in the TT, 32% in the SAC, and 26% in the AP groups (p = 0.005). The risk of the composite outcome of death, MI, stroke, or major bleeding at 2-year follow-up was significantly higher in TAVR patients treated with TT or SAC versus AP, even after multivariate adjustment.

Preventing smoking relapse via Web-based computer-tailored feedback: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Elfeddali, Iman; Bolman, Catherine; Candel, Math J J M; Wiers, Reinout W; de Vries, Hein

2012-08-20

Web-based computer-tailored approaches have the potential to be successful in supporting smoking cessation. However, the potential effects of such approaches for relapse prevention and the value of incorporating action planning strategies to effectively prevent smoking relapse have not been fully explored. The Stay Quit for You (SQ4U) study compared two Web-based computer-tailored smoking relapse prevention programs with different types of planning strategies versus a control group. To assess the efficacy of two Web-based computer-tailored programs in preventing smoking relapse compared with a control group. The action planning (AP) program provided tailored feedback at baseline and invited respondents to do 6 preparatory and coping planning assignments (the first 3 assignments prior to quit date and the final 3 assignments after quit date). The action planning plus (AP+) program was an extended version of the AP program that also provided tailored feedback at 11 time points after the quit attempt. Respondents in the control group only filled out questionnaires. The study also assessed possible dose-response relationships between abstinence and adherence to the programs. The study was a randomized controlled trial with three conditions: the control group, the AP program, and the AP+ program. Respondents were daily smokers (N = 2031), aged 18 to 65 years, who were motivated and willing to quit smoking within 1 month. The primary outcome was self-reported continued abstinence 12 months after baseline. Logistic regression analyses were conducted using three samples: (1) all respondents as randomly assigned, (2) a modified sample that excluded respondents who did not make a quit attempt in conformance with the program protocol, and (3) a minimum dose sample that also excluded respondents who did not adhere to at least one of the intervention elements. Observed case analyses and conservative analyses were conducted. In the observed case analysis of the randomized sample, abstinence rates were 22% (45/202) in the control group versus 33% (63/190) in the AP program and 31% (53/174) in the AP+ program. The AP program (odds ratio 1.95, P = .005) and the AP+ program (odds ratio 1.61, P = .049) were significantly more effective than the control condition. Abstinence rates and effects differed per sample. Finally, the results suggest a dose-response relationship between abstinence and the number of program elements completed by the respondents. Despite the differences in results caused by the variation in our analysis approaches, we can conclude that Web-based computer-tailored programs combined with planning strategy assignments and feedback after the quit attempt can be effective in preventing relapse 12 months after baseline. However, adherence to the intervention seems critical for effectiveness. Finally, our results also suggest that more research is needed to assess the optimum intervention dose. Dutch Trial Register: NTR1892; http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=1892 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/693S6uuPM).

An Anatomic Study on Whether the Immature Patella is Centered on an Anteroposterior Radiograph.

PubMed

Kyriakedes, James C; Liu, Raymond W

2017-03-01

In the operating room, after first obtaining a proper lateral radiograph with the condyles superimposed, a 90-degree rotation of the intraoperative fluoroscopy unit does not always produce an anteroposterior (AP) image with the patella centered. The orthogonality of these 2 views has not been well determined in children. This study was comprised of a radiographic group (35 knees) and a cadaveric group (59 knees). Both cadaveric and clinical images were obtained by resting or positioning the femur with the posterior condyles overlapped, and then taking an orthogonal AP image. Centering of the patella was calculated and multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the relationship between patellar centering and age, sex, ethnicity, mechanical lateral distal femoral angle (mLDFA), medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA), and contralateral centering. Mean patellar centering, expressed as the lateral position of the patella with respect to the total condylar width, was 0.08±0.10 in the radiographic group and 0.06±0.03 in the cadaveric group. Positive (lateral) patellar centering in 1 knee had a statistically significant correlation with positive patellar centering in the contralateral knee in both the radiographs and the cadavers. In the radiographic group, there was a statistically significant correlation between femoral varus and valgus deformities and positive patellar centering. In the cadaveric group, there was a statistically significant correlation between tibial valgus and negative (medial) patellar centering. The patella in an immature knee is rarely perfectly centered on a true AP image, and is usually seated slightly laterally within the femoral condyles. Obtaining a true AP intraoperative radiograph is critical to analyzing and correcting valgus and varus deformities, and in the proper placement of implants. When addressing knee deformity one should consider obtaining an AP view orthogonal either to a perfect lateral of the knee or orthogonal to the flexion axis of the knee, particularly when evaluating distal femoral deformity.

Experimental, Pathologic, and Clinical Findings of Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation of Para-Hisian Region From the Right Ventricle in Dogs and Humans.

PubMed

Xue, Yumei; Zhan, Xianzhang; Wu, Shulin; Wang, Hongyue; Liu, Yang; Liao, Zili; Deng, Hai; Duan, Xuejing; Zeng, Shaoying; Liang, Dongpo; Elvan, Arif; Fang, Xianhong; Liao, Hongtao; Ramdat Misier, Anand R; Smit, Jaap Jan J; Metzner, Andreas; Heeger, Christian-Hendrik; Liu, Fangzhou; Wang, Feng; Zhang, Zhiwei; Kuck, Karl-Heinz; Yen Ho, Siew; Ouyang, Feifan

2017-06-01

Ablation of para-Hisian accessory pathway (AP) poses high risks of atrioventricular block. We developed a pacing technique to differentiate the near-field (NF) from far-field His activations to avoid the complication. Three-dimensional mapping of the right ventricle was performed in 15 mongrel dogs and 23 patients with para-Hisian AP. Using different pacing outputs, the NF- and far-field His activation was identified on the ventricular aspect. Radiofrequency application was delivered at the NF His site in 8 (group 1) and the far-field His site in 7 dogs (group 2), followed by pathologic examination after 14 days. NF His activation was captured with 5 mA/1 ms in 10 and 10 mA/1 ms in 5 dogs. In group 1, radiofrequency delivery resulted in complete atrioventricular block in 3, right bundle branch block with HV (His-to-ventricular) interval prolongation in 1, and only right bundle branch block in 2 dogs, whereas no changes occurred in group 2. Pathologic examination in group-1 dogs showed complete or partial necrosis of the His bundle in 4 and complete necrosis of the right bundle branch in 5 dogs. In group 2, partial necrosis in the right bundle branch was found only in 1 dog. Using this pacing technique, the APs were 5.7±1.2 mm away from the His bundle located superiorly in 20 or inferiorly in 3 patients. All APs were successfully eliminated with 1 to 3 radiofrequency applications. No complications and recurrence occurred during a follow-up of 11.8±1.4 months. Differentiating the NF His from far-field His activations led to a high ablation success without atrioventricular block in para-Hisian AP patients. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Dapsone for topical use in extemporaneous preparations.

PubMed

Wohlrab, Johannes; Michael, Julia

2018-01-01

The sulfone dapsone has an established role in systemic therapy. Its pharmacological and toxicological properties are well known. Topically, dapsone is used in a gel formulation for the treatment of acne vulgaris. In addition, there have been individual case reports on the efficacy of topical dapsone preparations in the treatment of various neutrophilic dermatoses. To date, no finished medicinal product for topical use has been available in Germany. Against this background, we set out to develop extemporaneous preparations containing dapsone (5 %) that meet the quality requirements of the European Pharmacopoeia as well as the manufacturing requirements of the German Ordinance on the Operation of Pharmacies (ApBetrO). These formulations included the incorporation of dapsone in a hydrophobic cream base ("hydrophobe Basiscreme DAC") as well as in methylprednisolone aceponate 0.1 % ointment (alternatively, in the latter's cream base without active ingredient). Tests aimed at investigating the physical, chemical, and microbiological stability of these formulations showed them to meet the aforementioned quality requirements. The extemporaneous formulations presented herein broaden the therapeutic options for topical treatment, in particular for patients with chronic inflammatory dermatoses associated with a neutrophilic pathogenesis. © 2017 Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft (DDG). Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Left-hemisphere activation is associated with enhanced vocal pitch error detection in musicians with absolute pitch

PubMed Central

Behroozmand, Roozbeh; Ibrahim, Nadine; Korzyukov, Oleg; Robin, Donald A.; Larson, Charles R.

2014-01-01

The ability to process auditory feedback for vocal pitch control is crucial during speaking and singing. Previous studies have suggested that musicians with absolute pitch (AP) develop specialized left-hemisphere mechanisms for pitch processing. The present study adopted an auditory feedback pitch perturbation paradigm combined with ERP recordings to test the hypothesis whether the neural mechanisms of the left-hemisphere enhance vocal pitch error detection and control in AP musicians compared with relative pitch (RP) musicians and non-musicians (NM). Results showed a stronger N1 response to pitch-shifted voice feedback in the right-hemisphere for both AP and RP musicians compared with the NM group. However, the left-hemisphere P2 component activation was greater in AP and RP musicians compared with NMs and also for the AP compared with RP musicians. The NM group was slower in generating compensatory vocal reactions to feedback pitch perturbation compared with musicians, and they failed to re-adjust their vocal pitch after the feedback perturbation was removed. These findings suggest that in the earlier stages of cortical neural processing, the right hemisphere is more active in musicians for detecting pitch changes in voice feedback. In the later stages, the left-hemisphere is more active during the processing of auditory feedback for vocal motor control and seems to involve specialized mechanisms that facilitate pitch processing in the AP compared with RP musicians. These findings indicate that the left hemisphere mechanisms of AP ability are associated with improved auditory feedback pitch processing during vocal pitch control in tasks such as speaking or singing. PMID:24355545

THE M-RNA, EXPRESSION OF SERCA2 AND NCX1 IN THE PROCESS OF PHARMACOLOGICAL CELL PROTECTION IN EXPERIMENTAL ACUTE PANCREATITIS INDUCED BY TAUROCHOLATE.

PubMed

Vasques, Enio Rodrigues; Cunha, José Eduardo Monteiro; Kubrusly, Marcia Saldanha; Coelho, Ana Maria; Sanpietri, Sandra N; Nader, Helena B; Tersariol, Ivarne L S; Lima, Marcelo A; Chaib, Eleazar; D'Albuquerque, Luiz Augusto Carneiro

2018-06-21

Intracellular calcium overload is known to be a precipitating factor of pancreatic cell injury in acute pancreatitis (AP). Intracellular calcium homeostasis depends of Plasmatic Membrane Calcium ATPase (PMCA), Sarcoplasmic Endothelial Reticulum Calcium ATPase 2 (SERCA 2) and the Sodium Calcium Exchanger (NCX1). The antioxidant melatonin (Mel) and Trisulfate Disaccharide (TD) that accelerates NCX1 action could reduce the cell damage determined by the AP. To evaluate m-RNA expressions of SERCA2 and NCX1 in acute pancreatitis induced by sodium taurocholate in Wistar rats pre-treated with melatonin and/or TD. Wistar rats were divided in groups: 1) without AP; 2) AP without pre-treatment; 3) AP and Melatonin; 4) AP and TD; 5) AP and Melatonin associated to TD. Pancreatic tissue samples were collected for detection of SERCA2 and NCX1 m-R NA levels by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Increased m-RNA expression of SERCA2 in the melatonin treated group, without increase of m-RNA expression of the NCX1. The TD did not affect levels of SERCA2 and NCX1 m-RNA expressions. The combined melatonin and TD treatment reduced the m-RNA expression of SERCA2. The effect of melatonin is restricted to increased m-RNA expression of SERCA2. Although TD does not affect gene expression, its action in accelerating calcium exchanger function can explain the slightest expression of SERCA2 m-RNA when associated with Melatonin, perhaps by a joint action of drugs with different and but possibly complementary mechanisms.

A nonmusical paradigm for identifying absolute pitch possessors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ross, David A.; Olson, Ingrid R.; Marks, Lawrence E.; Gore, John C.

2004-09-01

The ability to identify and reproduce sounds of specific frequencies is remarkable and uncommon. The etiology and defining characteristics of this skill, absolute pitch (AP), have been very controversial. One theory suggests that AP requires a specific type of early musical training and that the ability to encode and remember tones depends on these learned musical associations. An alternate theory argues that AP may be strongly dependent on hereditary factors and relatively independent of musical experience. To date, it has been difficult to test these hypotheses because all previous paradigms for identifying AP have required subjects to employ knowledge of musical nomenclature. As such, these tests are insensitive to the possibility of discovering AP in either nonmusicians or musicians of non-Western training. Based on previous literature in pitch memory, a paradigm is presented that is intended to distinguish between AP possessors and nonpossessors independent of the subjects' musical experience. The efficacy of this method is then tested with 20 classically defined AP possessors and 22 nonpossessors. Data from these groups strongly support the validity of the paradigm. The use of a nonmusical paradigm to identify AP may facilitate research into many aspects of this phenomenon.

A nonmusical paradigm for identifying absolute pitch possessors.

PubMed

Ross, David A; Olson, Ingrid R; Marks, Lawrence E; Gore, John C

2004-09-01

The ability to identify and reproduce sounds of specific frequencies is remarkable and uncommon. The etiology and defining characteristics of this skill, absolute pitch (AP), have been very controversial. One theory suggests that AP requires a specific type of early musical training and that the ability to encode and remember tones depends on these learned musical associations. An alternate theory argues that AP may be strongly dependent on hereditary factors and relatively independent of musical experience. To date, it has been difficult to test these hypotheses because all previous paradigms for identifying AP have required subjects to employ knowledge of musical nomenclature. As such, these tests are insensitive to the possibility of discovering AP in either nonmusicians or musicians of non-Western training. Based on previous literature in pitch memory, a paradigm is presented that is intended to distinguish between AP possessors and nonpossessors independent of the subjects' musical experience. The efficacy of this method is then tested with 20 classically defined AP possessors and 22 nonpossessors. Data from these groups strongly support the validity of the paradigm. The use of a nonmusical paradigm to identify AP may facilitate research into many aspects of this phenomenon.

Diadenosine tetraphosphate induces tight junction disassembly thus increasing corneal epithelial permeability

PubMed Central

Loma, P; Guzman-Aranguez, A; Pérez de Lara, M J; Pintor, J

2015-01-01

Background and Purpose Here, we have studied the effects of the dinucleotide P1, P4-Di (adenosine-5′) tetraphosphate (Ap4A) on corneal barrier function conferred by the tight junction (TJ) proteins and its possible involvement in ocular drug delivery and therapeutic efficiency. Experimental Approach Experiments in vitro were performed using human corneal epithelial cells (HCLEs) treated with Ap4A (100 μM) for 5 min. Western blot analysis and transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) were performed to study the TJ protein levels and barrier function respectively. Intracellular pathways involved were determined using an ERK inhibitor and P2Y2 receptor siRNAs. In in vivo assays with New Zealand rabbits, TJ integrity was examined by zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) staining. The hypotensive compound 5-methoxycarbonylamino-N-acetyltryptamine (5-MCA-NAT) was used to assess improved delivery, measuring its levels by HPLC and measuring intraocular pressure using 5-MCA-NAT, P2Y receptor antagonists and P2Y2 siRNAs. Key Results Two hours after Ap4A pretreatment, TJ protein levels in HCLE cells were reduced around 40% compared with control. TEER values were significantly reduced at 2 and 4 h (68 and 52% respectively). TJ reduction and ERK activation were blocked by the ERK inhibitor U012 and P2Y2 siRNAs. In vivo, topical application of Ap4A disrupted ZO-1 membrane distribution. 5-MCA-NAT levels in the aqueous humour were higher when Ap4A was previously instilled and its hypotensive effect was also increased. This action was reversed by P2Y receptor antagonists and P2Y2 siRNA. Conclusions and Implications Ap4A increased corneal epithelial barrier permeability. Its application could improve ocular drug delivery and consequently therapeutic efficiency. PMID:25297531

Nuclear Reactor Safety--The APS Submits its Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Physics Today, 1975

1975-01-01

Presents the summary section of the American Physical Society (APS) report on the safety features of the light-water reactor, reviews the design, construction, and operation of a reactor and outlines the primary engineered safety features. Summarizes the major recommendations of the study group. (GS)

Physics Flash December 2016

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

Kippen, Karen Elizabeth

This is the December 2016 issue of Physics Flash, the newsletter of the Physics Division of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). In this issue, the following topics are covered: Novel liquid helium technique to aid highly sensitive search for a neutron electrical dipole moment; Silverleaf: Prototype Red Sage experiments performed at Q-site; John L. Kline named 2016 APS Fellow; Physics students in the news; First Entropy Engine quantum random number generator hits the market; and celebrating service.

Use of the Thin-Walled Torsion Specimen

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-08-01

similar to the 316 stainless steel but the shear, stress shows a region of lower 16 strain hardening during the reversal. This behavor has been observed...oscillations and match the axial stress seen in experiment. Among these proposals are: the use of the Green -Naghdi stress rate,22 and the formulation of...other references on the topic. In this section, calculations using Jaumann, Green -Naghdi, and plastic spin motivated stress rates ap- plied to

The role of anaerobes in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia and aspiration pneumonia: a prospective study.

PubMed

Marik, P E; Careau, P

1999-01-01

Aspiration of oropharyngeal material, with its high concentration of anaerobic bacteria, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of both ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and aspiration pneumonitis (AP). Consequently, patients with these disorders are usually treated with antimicrobial agents with anaerobic activity. To determine the incidence of anaerobic bacteria in patients with VAP and AP. Prospective, nonrandomized, interventional study. University-affiliated community teaching hospital. We performed sequential blind protected specimen brush (PSB) sampling and mini-BAL in 143 patients with 185 episodes of suspected VAP and 25 patients with AP who required mechanical ventilation. Quantitative aerobic and anaerobic cultures were performed on all specimens. Pneumonia was considered to be present when either > 500 cfu/mL cultured from blind PSB sampling or > 5,000 cfu/mL cultured from mini-BAL were present. Using the predefined criteria, bacterial pneumonia was diagnosed in 63 of 185 suspected VAP episodes (34%) and 12 of 25 patients with AP (48%). At least one dose of an antibiotic was given in the 24 h prior to bacteriologic sampling in 106 suspected VAP episodes (57%) and in 12 patients with AP (48%). More than one pathogen was isolated from 11 VAP and four AP patients. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and enteric Gram-negative organisms were isolated most frequently from patients with VAP. In the patients with AP, enteric Gram-negative organisms were isolated in patients with GI disorders and Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae predominated in patients with "community-acquired" aspiration. Only one anaerobic organism was isolated from the entire group of patients; Veillonella paravula was isolated from a blind PSB specimen in a patient with suspected aspiration pneumonia. Despite painstaking effort, we were able to isolate only one anaerobic organism (nonpathogenic) from this group of patients. The spectrum of aerobes in patients with VAP was similar to that reported in the literature. The organisms found in patients with AP was a reflection of the organisms likely to colonize the oropharynx. The use of antibiotics with anaerobic coverage may not be necessary in patients with suspected VAP and AP. Furthermore, penicillin G and clindamycin may not be the antibiotics of choice in patients with AP.

In vitro and in vivo antioxidant potential of milks, yoghurts, fermented milks and cheeses: a narrative review of evidence.

PubMed

Fardet, Anthony; Rock, Edmond

2018-06-01

The antioxidant potential (AP) is an important nutritional property of foods, as increased oxidative stress is involved in most diet-related chronic diseases. In dairy products, the protein fraction contains antioxidant activity, especially casein. Other antioxidants include: antioxidant enzymes; lactoferrin; conjugated linoleic acid; coenzyme Q10; vitamins C, E, A and D3; equol; uric acid; carotenoids; and mineral activators of antioxidant enzymes. The AP of dairy products has been extensively studied in vitro, with few studies in animals and human subjects. Available in vivo studies greatly differ in their design and objectives. Overall, on a 100 g fresh weight-basis, AP of dairy products is close to that of grain-based foods and vegetable or fruit juices. Among dairy products, cheeses present the highest AP due to their higher protein content. AP of milk increases during digestion by up to 2·5 times because of released antioxidant peptides. AP of casein is linked to specific amino acids, whereas β-lactoglobulin thiol groups play a major role in the AP of whey. Thermal treatments such as ultra-high temperature processing have no clear effect on the AP of milk. Raw fat-rich milks have higher AP than less fat-rich milk, because of lipophilic antioxidants. Probiotic yoghurts and fermented milks have higher AP than conventional yoghurt and milk because proteolysis by probiotics releases antioxidant peptides. Among the probiotics, Lactobacillus casei/acidophilus leads to the highest AP. The data are insufficient for cheese, but fermentation-based changes appear to make a positive impact on AP. In conclusion, AP might participate in the reported dairy product-protective effects against some chronic diseases.

Duplication in CHIT1 gene and the risk for Aspergillus lung disease in CF patients.

PubMed

Livnat, Galit; Bar-Yoseph, Ronen; Mory, Adi; Dagan, Efrat; Elias, Nael; Gershoni, Ruth; Bentur, Lea

2014-01-01

Aspergillus often persists in the respiratory tract of patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and may cause allergic broncho-pulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). Chitinases are enzymes that digest the chitin polymer. Plants use chitinase as a defense mechanism against fungi. Chitotriosidase (CHIT1) is the major chitinase in human airways. Variation in the coding region with 24-bp duplication allele results in reduced CHIT1 activity. Recently, CHIT1 duplication heterozygocity was found in 6/6 patients with severe asthma and fungal sensitization (SAFS). Our aim was to evaluate the link between CHIT1 duplication in CF patients and the predisposition to Allergic broncho-pulmonary mycosis (ABPM) or persistent Aspergillus positive sputum (APS). CHIT1 duplication was assessed in three CF groups. Group 1: patients who had neither ABPM nor APS in the past (control group). Group 2: patients with persistent APS (≥2/year), without ABPA. Group 3: patients with current or past ABPM. Forty patients with CF were included in the analysis, CHIT1 duplication heterozygocity was found in 3/6 (50%) of the patients in the ABPM group, 3/12 (25%) in the APS group, and 7/22 (31.8%) in the control group (P > 0.05). Eleven patients carried W1282X mutation, 90.9% were negative for CHIT1 duplication, five of them were homozygous for W1282X; none of them had CHIT1 duplication or ABPM. CHIT1 duplication is not found in all CF patients with ABPM in contrast to patients with SAFS. These results suggest that CHIT1 duplication cannot be the sole explanation for Aspergillus positive sputum in CF patients. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Kinetic and thermodynamic studies of bovine serum albumin interaction with ascorbyl palmitate and ascorbyl stearate food additives using surface plasmon resonance.

PubMed

Fathi, Farzaneh; Mohammadzadeh-Aghdash, Hossein; Sohrabi, Yousef; Dehghan, Parvin; Ezzati Nazhad Dolatabadi, Jafar

2018-04-25

Ascorbyl palmitate (AP) and ascorbyl stearate (AS) are examples of food additives, which have extensive use in food industry. In this study, we evaluated the interaction of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with AP and AS using surface plasmon resonance (SPR). In order to immobilize BSA, carboxymethyl dextran hydrogel (CMD) Au chip was used. After activation of carboxylic groups, BSA was immobilized onto the CMD chip through covalent amide binding formation. AP and AS binding to immobilized BSA at different concentrations was assessed. The dose-response sensorgrams of BSA upon increasing concentration of AP and AS have been shown. The low value of equilibrium dissociation constant or affinity unit (K D ) showed high affinity of both AP and AS to BSA. The K D value for binding of AP and AS to BSA were 4.09 × 10 -5 and 1.89 × 10 -5 , at 25 °C. Overall, the attained results showed that AP and AS molecules can bind to BSA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of the disease severity on the risk of developing new-onset diabetes after acute pancreatitis.

PubMed

Tu, Jianfeng; Yang, Yue; Zhang, Jingzhu; Yang, Qi; Lu, Guotao; Li, Baiqiang; Tong, Zhihui; Ke, Lu; Li, Weiqin; Li, Jieshou

2018-06-01

Endocrine pancreatic insufficiency secondary to acute pancreatitis (AP) drew increasing attention in the recent years. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of pancreatic necrosis and organ failure on the risk of developing new-onset diabetes after AP.The follow-up study was conducted for patients recovered from AP in the treatment center of Jinling Hospital. Endocrine function was evaluated by simplified oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Pancreatic necrosis was examined by abdominal contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) scan during hospitalization. The data including APACHE II score, Balthazar's score, organ failure (AKI and ARDS) was also collected from the medical record database. All patients were divided into group diabetes mellitus (DM) and group non-DM according to the endocrine function and group pancreatic necrosis (PN) and persistent organ failure (OF), group PN and non-OF, group non-PN and OF, and group non-PN and non-OF according to the occurrence of pancreatic necrosis and persistent organ failure.Around 256 patients were included for the final analysis. 154 patients (60.2%) were diagnosed with DM (include impaired glucose tolerance, IGT), while 102 patients (39.8%) were deemed as normal endocrine function. APACHE II score and Balthazar score of the patients in the group DM were significant higher than those in the non-DM group (F = 6.09, P = .01; F = 10.74, P = .001). The incidence of pancreatic necrosis in group DM and group non-DM was, respectively, 64.7% and 53.0% (χ = 3.506, P = .06). The patients underwent necrosis debridement by percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) and/or the operative necrosectomy (ON) were more likely to developed new onset DM than the patients without PCD or ON (χ = 2.385, P = .02). The morbidity of new-onset DM after AP gradually increased from group non-PN and non-OF, group non-PN and OF, group PN and non-OF to group PN and OF in order (χ = 4.587, P = .03). The value of HOMA-IR of patients at follow-up time was significant higher in group DM than group non-DM (F = 13.414, P = .000).Patients with both PN and persistent OF may were at increased risk of developing new-onset diabetes after AP. Insulin resistance could be the pivotal mechanism of the development of diabetes.

An analysis of predictors of enrollment and successful achievement for girls in high school Advanced Placement physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Depalma, Darlene M.

A problem within science education in the United States persists. U.S students rank lower in science than most other students from participating countries on international tests of achievement (National Center for Education Statistics, 2003). In addition, U.S. students overall enrollment rate in high school Advanced Placement (AP) physics is still low compared to other academic domains, especially for females. This problem is the background for the purpose of this study. This investigation examined cognitive and motivational variables thought to play a part in the under-representation of females in AP physics. Cognitive variables consisted of mathematics, reading, and science knowledge, as measured by scores on the 10th and 11th grade Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests (FCAT). The motivational factors of attitude, stereotypical views toward science, self-efficacy, and epistemological beliefs were measured by a questionnaire developed with questions taken from previously proven reliable and valid instruments. A general survey regarding participation in extracurricular activities was also included. The sample included 12th grade students from two high schools located in Seminole County, Florida. Of the 106 participants, 20 girls and 27 boys were enrolled in AP physics, and 39 girls and 20 boys were enrolled in other elective science courses. Differences between males and females enrolled in AP physics were examined, as well as differences between females enrolled in AP physics and females that chose not to participate in AP physics, in order to determine predictors that apply exclusively to female enrollment in high school AP physics and predictors of an anticipated science related college major. Data were first analyzed by Exploratory Factor Analysis, followed by Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), independent t-tests, univariate analysis, and logistic regression analysis. One overall theme that emerged from this research was findings that refute the ideas that females have lower achievement scores, lower attitude, lower self-efficacy, and more stereotypical views regarding science than males. Secondly, the only significant differences found between males and females enrolled in AP physics were for stereotypical views toward science and one factor from the epistemological views questions, both of which favored females. Although the non AP boys significantly outscored non AP girls on science FCAT scores, the only other significant differences found between these groups of students were related to attitude, with the girls scoring higher than the boys on both counts. There were significant differences found for numerous variables between AP and non AP females, however, most of the same differences were found between the two ability groups of male students as well. This leads to the conclusion that these factors certainly play an important role in AP physics enrollment for both genders. But the few significant differences found exclusively between the two female ability groups; reading ability, stereotypical views toward science, and the epistemological beliefs regarding branches of physics being related by common principles and aspects of physics need to be inferred instead of directly measured, may play a more important role in increasing enrollment numbers of females.

The effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on severity of acute pancreatitis and pancreatic necrosis.

PubMed

Baxter, K A; Pucher, P H; Berry, D P; Elberm, H; Abu-Hilal, M; Marangoni, G; Hamady, Zzr

2018-03-01

Introduction Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common emergency presentation and can be disabling. There is significant morbidity and mortality associated with AP, and it places a considerable burden on the healthcare system. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been shown to have a protective effect in some elective contexts. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the effect of NSAIDs on the course of AP and the severity of the disease. Methods A retrospective analysis was carried out of 324 patients admitted as an emergency with a diagnosis of AP to two UK hospitals. Patients were divided into two groups: those already taking NSAIDs for other co-morbidities and those not taking NSAIDs. Variables compared included: admission to a high dependency or intensive care unit; pancreatic necrosis; pseudocyst development; need for surgery; serum inflammatory markers; modified early warning scores on days 1, 3 and 5; length of stay; and mortality. Results Patients not taking NSAIDs were more likely to have a C-reactive protein level of ≥150mg/l (p=0.007). Patients in the NSAID group experienced less pancreatic necrosis (p=0.019) and lower rates of pseudocyst formation (p=0.010). Other variables showed no difference between the two groups, specifically length of stay and mortality. Conclusions Routine NSAID use may exert a protective effect on the development of AP, its severity, and complications. Therapeutic use of NSAIDs in acute presentations with pancreatitis should be further evaluated.

Topical methotrexate pretreatment enhances the therapeutic effect of topical 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy on hamster buccal pouch precancers.

PubMed

Yang, Deng-Fu; Lee, Jeng-Woei; Chen, Hsin-Ming; Hsu, Yih-Chih

2014-09-01

Topical 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) is effective for treatment of human oral precancerous lesions. This animal study aimed to assess whether topical methotrexate (MTX) pretreatment could enhance the therapeutic effect of topical ALA-PDT on hamster buccal pouch precancerous lesions. Twenty hamster buccal pouch precancerous lesions were treated with either topical ALA-PDT with topical MTX pretreatment (topical MTX-ALA-PDT group, n = 10) or topical ALA-PDT alone (topical ALA-PDT group, n = 10). The intracellular protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) level in another 12 precancerous lesions (n = 6 for either the topical MTX-ALA or topical ALA group) was monitored by fluorescence spectroscopy. The intracellular PpIX reached its peak level in precancerous lesions 6.5 hours and 2.5 hours after topical ALA application for the topical MTX-ALA group (5.63-fold higher in the lesion than in the normal mucosa) and topical ALA group (2.42-fold higher in the lesion than in the normal mucosa), respectively. The complete response rate of precancerous lesions was 80% for the topical MTX-ALA-PDT group and 70% for the topical ALA-PDT group. In addition, the topical MTX-ALA-PDT group required a significantly lower mean treatment number (2.1 ± 0.6) to achieve complete response than the topical ALA-PDT group (4.4 ± 1.3, p < 0.001)). Moreover, the topical MTX-ALA-PDT group had a lower recurrence rate (12.5%) than the topical ALA-PDT group (28.6%). We conclude that topical MTX-pretreatment can increase intracellular PpIX production in hamster buccal pouch precancerous lesions and significantly improves the outcomes of the precancerous lesions treated with topical ALA-PDT. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Single Versus Multi-visit Endodontic Treatment of Teeth with Apical Periodontitis: An in vivo Study with 1-year Evaluation

PubMed Central

Gill, GS; Bhuyan, AC; Kalita, C; Das, L; Kataki, R; Bhuyan, D

2016-01-01

Background: Apical periodontitis (AP) is one of the most prevalent diseases of the teeth. Treatment of AP is based on the removal of the cause, i.e., bacteria from the root canals. Achievement of adequate bacterial eradication in one appointment treatment remains a controversy. Aim: This prospective study was conducted with the objective to compare the periapical healing of teeth with AP treated in (a) single visit versus (b) two visits, either with or without Vitapex as an intracanal medicament. Subjects and Methods: Patients were selected randomly from the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics. Forty-three patients (81 teeth) met the inclusion criteria, i.e., AP (both symptomatic and asymptomatic) visible radiographically size ≥2 mm × 2 mm, not suffering from any immune-compromising disease, age between 16 and 65 years and tooth not accessed previously. Patients were randomly divided into three groups, i.e., single-visit group (Group 1), multi-visit group without any intracanal medicament (Group 2), and multi-visit group with Vitapex as interim intracanal medicament (Group 3). Comparison was done radiographically using periapical index (PAI). The primary outcome measure was the change in periapical radiolucency after 1 year assessed by PAI scores. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to evaluate differences between groups at baseline (immediate postoperative) and at the 12-month follow-up evaluation. Change in PAI score for each group from baseline to 12-month follow-up evaluation was tested with the Wilcoxon signed rank test. The secondary outcome measures, proportion of teeth in each group that could be considered improved (decreased PAI score) or healed (PAI <2), were assessed with the Chi-square test. Results: No statistically significant difference in periapical healing was found between three groups. Conclusion: After 1-year evaluation, no difference in periapical healing was found between single-visit treatment and multi-visit treatment groups with the given sample size. PMID:27144072

Single Versus Multi-visit Endodontic Treatment of Teeth with Apical Periodontitis: An in vivo Study with 1-year Evaluation.

PubMed

Gill, G S; Bhuyan, A C; Kalita, C; Das, L; Kataki, R; Bhuyan, D

2016-01-01

Apical periodontitis (AP) is one of the most prevalent diseases of the teeth. Treatment of AP is based on the removal of the cause, i.e., bacteria from the root canals. Achievement of adequate bacterial eradication in one appointment treatment remains a controversy. This prospective study was conducted with the objective to compare the periapical healing of teeth with AP treated in (a) single visit versus (b) two visits, either with or without Vitapex as an intracanal medicament. Patients were selected randomly from the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics. Forty-three patients (81 teeth) met the inclusion criteria, i.e., AP (both symptomatic and asymptomatic) visible radiographically size ≥2 mm × 2 mm, not suffering from any immune-compromising disease, age between 16 and 65 years and tooth not accessed previously. Patients were randomly divided into three groups, i.e., single-visit group (Group 1), multi-visit group without any intracanal medicament (Group 2), and multi-visit group with Vitapex as interim intracanal medicament (Group 3). Comparison was done radiographically using periapical index (PAI). The primary outcome measure was the change in periapical radiolucency after 1 year assessed by PAI scores. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to evaluate differences between groups at baseline (immediate postoperative) and at the 12-month follow-up evaluation. Change in PAI score for each group from baseline to 12-month follow-up evaluation was tested with the Wilcoxon signed rank test. The secondary outcome measures, proportion of teeth in each group that could be considered improved (decreased PAI score) or healed (PAI <2), were assessed with the Chi-square test. No statistically significant difference in periapical healing was found between three groups. After 1-year evaluation, no difference in periapical healing was found between single-visit treatment and multi-visit treatment groups with the given sample size.

Health-related quality of life and sense of coherence among the unemployed with autotelic, average, and non-autotelic personalities: a cross-sectional survey in Hiroshima, Japan.

PubMed

Hirao, Kazuki; Kobayashi, Ryuji

2013-01-01

Unemployment is known to have a negative effect on the quality of life (QOL) of individuals. However, the influence of an autotelic personality on QOL and SOC of unemployed individuals remains unclear. Our study compared health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and sense of coherence (SOC) among 3 groups: (i) an autotelic personality group (AP), which tends to "go with the flow," (ii) an average group (AV), and (iii) a non-autotelic personality group (NAP). In October 2010, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among 140 job trainees not receiving unemployment benefits in Hiroshima, Japan. We collected 134 completed questionnaires. Autotelic personality was investigated using the Flow Experience Checklist, health-related quality of life was assessed using the Short Form (SF-8) Health Survey, and SOC was measured using the University of Tokyo Health Sociology version of the SOC3 scale (SOC3-UTHS). The average age of participants was 36.14±11.54 year. Participants were classified into 3 groups based on daily activity values: 4+ for AP (n = 22), 1-3 for AV (n = 82), and 0 for NAP (n = 30). Significant differences were observed in mental component summary (MCS) score and SOC3-UTHS total scores in the ranking order of AP (highest), AV, and NAP. Our findings indicate a need to develop programs for facilitating AP among unemployed people to enhance mental QOL and SOC.

Using the international classification of functioning to examine the impact of trigger finger.

PubMed

Langer, Danit; Maeir, Adina; Michailevich, Michael; Applebaum, Yael; Luria, Shai

2016-12-01

To evaluate the impact of trigger finger (TF) on hand motor function, activity and participation (A&P) and quality of life (QOL), and to evaluate the association between personal factors (age and gender, disease severity) and body functions (dexterity and strength) with A&P and QOL in patients with TF. Sixty-six patients with TF (study group) and 66 healthy volunteers (control group) participated in the study. TF symptoms were graded using the Quinnell classification. A&P was evaluated using the Disabilities of Arm Shoulder and Hand questionnaire and the QOL using the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire. Dexterity was evaluated using the Functional Dexterity Test and the Purdue Pegboard Test; hand strength was evaluated using the Jamar Dynamometer and Pinch Gauge. The comparisons between the study and control groups revealed significant differences in all measures. The study group reported lower perceived QOL, A&P and reduced hand strength and dexterity. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that (a) the severity of TF contributed significantly to the explained variance of QOL, while demographics and hand functioning did not; (b) demographics, TF severity and hand function all contributed significantly to the explained variance of A&P. The findings of the study point to the importance of addressing the functional implications and QOL of individuals with TF. Implications for Rehabilitation Although trigger finger is considered to be a mild hand pathology, it has a wide-ranging impact on hand functioning, daily activities and quality of life. Clinicians should include assessments of these outcomes in the treatment of individuals with trigger finger. Treatment efficacy should be evaluated with International Classification of Functioning outcomes, and not limited to symptomatology.

Differences in postural tremor dynamics with age and neurological disease.

PubMed

Morrison, Steven; Newell, Karl M; Kavanagh, Justin J

2017-06-01

The overlap of dominant tremor frequencies and similarly amplified tremor observed for Parkinson's disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET) means differentiating between these pathologies is often difficult. As tremor exhibits non-linear properties, employing both linear and non-linear analyses may help distinguish between the tremor dynamics of aging, PD and ET. This study was designed to examine postural tremor in healthy older adults, PD and ET using standard linear and non-linear metrics. Hand and finger postural tremor was recorded in 15 healthy older adults (64 ± 6 years), 15 older individuals with PD (63 ± 6 years), and 10 persons with ET (68 ± 7 years). Linear measures of amplitude, frequency, and between-limb coupling (coherence) were performed. Non-linear measures of regularity (ApEn) and coupling (Cross-ApEn) were also used. Additionally, receiver operating characteristic analyses were performed for those measures that were significantly different between all groups. The results revealed that the linear measures only showed significant differences between the healthy adults and ET/PD persons, but no differences between the two neurological groups. Coherence showed higher bilateral coupling for ET but no differences in inter-limb coupling between PD and healthy subjects. However, ApEn values for finger tremor revealed significant differences between all groups, with tremor for ET persons being more regular (lower ApEn) overall. Similarly, Cross-ApEn results also showed differences between all groups, with ET persons showing strongest inter-limb coupling followed by PD and elderly. Overall, our findings point to the diagnostic potential for non-linear measures of coupling and tremor structure as biomarkers for discriminating between ET, PD and healthy persons.

5-Substituents in the uridine moiety and their effect on the conformation of ApU-type dinucleoside phosphates.

PubMed

Hillen, W; Gassen, G

1978-03-29

The ApU analogues ApT, Apcl5U, Apbr5U, Apa5U and Apno5(2)U were synthesized with the aid of ribonuclease U2 starting from 2',3'-cyclic Ap and the respective uridine derivatives. For these compounds the ultraviolet data, the difference spectra, the hypochromism and the temperature dependence of the CD spectra are reported. The dimerisation shifts of the pyrimidine protons which were obtained from the 100 MHz PMR spectra confirm the optical results. The influence of the substituents in the 5 position of the uracil ring on base-base interaction and the conformation of the dinucleoside phosphates is discussed with respect to the van der Waals radii and the electronic effects of these groups. As calculated from the hypochromism the dinucleoside phosphates can be arranged according to decreasing base-base interaction: Apno5(2)U greater than Apbr5U approximately ApT greater than Apcl5U greater than ApU greater than Apa5U.

Structure and Properties of Polymer Interphases

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-09-30

substrate primed with a dilute aqueous solution of y -aminopropyltriethoxy- silane (’APS), there was little reaction between the primer and adhesive and...of y -aminopropyltriethoxysilane (- Y -APS) at pH 10.4 for one minute, withdrawn, and blown dry with a stream of nitrogen gas. The resulting primer...cm-1 is due to the C= N stretching mode of imine groups formed by oxidation of the amino groups in the primer. The negative peak near 1740 cm𔃻 is due

Saccadic entropy of head impulses in acute unilateral vestibular loss.

PubMed

Hsieh, Li-Chun; Lin, Hung-Ching; Lee, Guo-She

2017-10-01

To evaluate the complexity of vestibular-ocular reflex (VOR) in patients with acute unilateral vestibular loss (AUVL) via entropy analysis of head impulses. Horizontal head impulse test (HIT) with high-velocity alternating directions was used to evaluate 12 participants with AUVL and 16 healthy volunteers. Wireless electro-oculography and electronic gyrometry were used to acquire eye positional signals and head velocity signals. The eye velocity signals were then obtained through differentiation, band-pass filtering. The approximate entropy of eye velocity to head velocity (R ApEn ) was used to evaluate chaos property. VOR gain, gain asymmetry ratio, and R ApEn asymmetry ratio were also used to compare the groups. For the lesion-side HIT of the patient group, the mean VOR gain was significantly lower and the mean R ApEn was significantly greater compared with both nonlesion-side HIT and healthy controls (p < 0.01, one-way analysis of variance). Both the R ApEn asymmetry ratio and gain asymmetry ratio of the AUVL group were significantly greater compared with those of the control group (p < 0.05, independent sample t test). Entropy and gain analysis of HIT using wireless electro-oculography system could be used to detect the VOR dysfunctions of AUVL and may become effective methods for evaluating vestibular disorders. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Antiphospholipid antibodies and non-thrombotic manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus.

PubMed

İlgen, U; Yayla, M E; Ateş, A; Okatan, İ E; Yurteri, E U; Torgutalp, M; Keleşoğlu, A B D; Turgay, T M; Kınıklı, G

2018-04-01

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the association between antiphospholipid antibodies and non-thrombotic and non-gestational manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus. Methods Systemic lupus erythematosus patients with persistently positive antiphospholipid antibodies or lupus anticoagulant were identified and grouped as systemic lupus erythematosus with antiphospholipid syndrome (SLE-APS), systemic lupus erythematosus with positive antiphospholipid antibodies/lupus anticoagulant without antiphospholipid syndrome (SLE-aPL), and systemic lupus erythematosus with negative aPLs (SLE-No aPL). Groups were compared in terms of non-thrombotic systemic lupus erythematosus manifestations and laboratory features retrospectively. Results A total of 150 systemic lupus erythematosus patients, 26 with SLE-APS, 25 with SLE-aPL, and 99 with SLE-No aPL, were identified. Livedo reticularis, neurologic involvement, and thrombocytopenia were more common in antiphospholipid antibody positive systemic lupus erythematosus cases. Malar rash, arthritis, and pleuritis were more common in the SLE-No aPL, SLE-APS, and SLE-aPL groups, respectively. Positivity rates and titers of specific antiphospholipid antibodies did not differ between the SLE-APS and SLE-aPL groups. Conclusions Presence of antiphospholipid syndrome or persistent antiphospholipid antibodies may be related to non-thrombotic and non-gestational systemic lupus erythematosus manifestations. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus plus antiphospholipid syndrome and persistent antiphospholipid antibodies without antiphospholipid syndrome also differ in terms of systemic lupus erythematosus manifestations.

Conceptual studies on the integration of a nuclear reactor system to a manned rover for Mars missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

El-Genk, Mohamed S.; Morley, Nicholas J.

1991-01-01

Multiyear civilian manned missions to explore the surface of Mars are thought by NASA to be possible early in the next century. Expeditions to Mars, as well as permanent bases, are envisioned to require enhanced piloted vehicles to conduct science and exploration activities. Piloted rovers, with 30 kWe user net power (for drilling, sampling and sample analysis, onboard computer and computer instrumentation, vehicle thermal management, and astronaut life support systems) in addition to mobility are being considered. The rover design, for this study, included a four car train type vehicle complete with a hybrid solar photovoltaic/regenerative fuel cell auxiliary power system (APS). This system was designed to power the primary control vehicle. The APS supplies life support power for four astronauts and a limited degree of mobility allowing the primary control vehicle to limp back to either a permanent base or an accent vehicle. The results showed that the APS described above, with a mass of 667 kg, was sufficient to provide live support power and a top speed of five km/h for 6 hours per day. It was also seen that the factors that had the largest effect on the APS mass were the life support power, the number of astronauts, and the PV cell efficiency. The topics covered include: (1) power system options; (2) rover layout and design; (3) parametric analysis of total mass and power requirements for a manned Mars rover; (4) radiation shield design; and (5) energy conversion systems.

Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE II) and Medicare reimbursement

PubMed Central

Wagner, Douglas P.; Draper, Elizabeth A.

1984-01-01

This article describes the potential for the acute physiology score (APS) of acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II, to be used as a severity adjustment to diagnosis-related groups (DRG's) or other diagnostic classifications. The APS is defined by a relative value scale applied to 12 objective physiologic variables routinely measured on most hospitalized patients shortly after hospital admission. For intensive care patients, APS at admission is strongly related to subsequent resource costs of intensive care for 5,790 consecutive admissions to 13 large hospitals, across and within diagnoses. The APS could also be used to evaluate quality of care, medical technology, and the response to changing financial incentives. PMID:10311080

Physics and Hard Disk Drives-A Career in Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lambert, Steven

2014-03-01

I will participate in a panel discussion about ``Career Opportunities for Physicists.'' I enjoyed 27 years doing technology development and product support in the hard disk drive business. My PhD in low temperature physics was excellent training for this career since I learned how to work in a lab, analyze data, write and present technical information, and define experiments that got to the heart of a problem. An academic position did not appeal to me because I had no passion to pursue a particular topic in basic physics. My work in industry provided an unending stream of challenging problems to solve, and it was a rich and rewarding experience. I'm now employed by the APS to focus on our interactions with physicists in industry. I welcome the chance to share my industrial experience with students, post-docs, and others who are making decisions about their career path. Industrial Physics Fellow, APS Headquarters.

Career Skills Workshop: Achieving Your Goals Through Effective Communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2017-01-01

Physics students graduate with a huge array of transferrable skills, which are extremely useful to employers (particularly in the private sector, which is the largest employment base of physicists at all degree levels). However, the key to successfully connecting with these opportunities lies in how well graduates are able to communicate their skills and abilities to potential employers. The ability to communicate effectively is a key professional skill that serves scientists in many contexts, including interviewing for jobs, applying for grants, or speaking with law and policy makers. In this interactive workshop, Crystal Bailey (Careers Program Manager at APS) and Gregory Mack (Government Relations Specialist at APS) will lead activities to help attendees achieve their goals through better communication. Topics will include writing an effective resume, interviewing for jobs, and communicating to different audiences including Congress, among others. Light refreshments will be served.

[Effects of acupotomy, electroacupuncture or round-sharp acupuncture needle interventions on expression of Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3 proteins of rectus femoris in rabbits with knee ostarthritis].

PubMed

Huang, Yi-Ran; Jin, Ying-Li; Li, Na; Lei, Lin-Dan; Yu, Fei; Li, Yu-Bo; Tao, Lin; Zhang, Qian; Guo, Chang-Qing

2014-04-01

To observe the effect of acupotomy, electroacupuncture (EA) or round-sharp acupuncture needle intervention on the expression of Bcl-2,Bax and Caspase-3 proteins in the rectus femoris in rabbits with knee ostarthritis (KOA), so as to explore their mechanisms underlying improvement of braking-induced joint damage from the cellular apoptosis. Forty-five New Zealand rabbits were equally and randomized into control group, model group, acupotomy (AP) group, EA group and round-sharp acupuncture needle (RSAN) group (n = 9 in each group). The knee-joint injury model was established by fixing the left knee joint in extention position with plaster bandage. EA (2 Hz/100 Hz, 3 mA, 20 min each time) was applied to the left "Yanglingquan" (GB 34)- "Yinlingquan" (SP 9) and left "Neixiyan" (EX-LE 4)- "Waixiyan"(ST 35) for rabbits in the EA group. The EA treatment was given once daily, 3 times a week, 3 weeks in total. For rabbits of the AP group, a needle-knife was held to insert into the front edge of the midpoint, the starting point and the stopping point of the left medial collateral ligamen, lateral collateral ligament and the patellar ligament of the knee to make a loosening manipulation for 5 times in a session of treatment, once a week, 3 times altogether. For rabbits of the RSAN group, a round-sharp needle was performed in the same way to the needle-knife including the stimulation point, the manipulation method and treatment sessions. At the end of the experiment, the left rectus femoris was taken out for detecting the expression of Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3 proteins with Western blot. In comparison with the control group, the passive range of motion (PROM) level was significantly decreased 4, 8 and 12 weeks after modeling (P < 0.01), and the expression levels of Bax and Caspase-3 proteins in the rectus femoris were considerably upregulated in the model group (P < 0.05), while the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax was notably down-regulated (P < 0.05) in the model group. Compared with the model group, the PROM level at week 12 after modeling in the AP, EA and RSAN groups were significantly increased (P < 0.01); while Bax and Caspase-3 expression levels in both AP and RSAN groups were considerably downregulated (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found among the five groups in Bcl-2 expression levels (P > 0.05), and between the EA and model groups in Bax and Caspase-3 expression levels and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax (P > 0.05). AP, RSAN and EA interventions are effective in improving the knee-joint motion range in KOA rabbits, and this effect of both AP and RSAN is closely associated with their actions in lowering the expression of Bax and Caspase-3 proteins of the rectus femoris and in raising ratio of Bcl-2/Bax protein (reducing muscular cellular apoptosis). The mechanism of EA intervention in improving PROM may be different.

Endotoxin- and ATP-neutralizing activity of alkaline phosphatase as a strategy to limit neuroinflammation

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Alkaline phosphatase (AP) is a ubiquitously expressed enzyme which can neutralize endotoxin as well as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), an endogenous danger signal released during brain injury. In this study we assessed a potential therapeutic role for AP in inhibiting neuroinflammation using three complementary approaches. Methods Mice were immunized to induce experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and treated with AP for seven days during different phases of disease. In addition, serological assays to determine AP activity, endotoxin levels and endotoxin-reactive antibodies were performed in a cohort of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and controls. Finally, the expression of AP and related enzymes CD39 and CD73 was investigated in brain tissue from MS patients and control subjects. Results AP administration during the priming phase, but not during later stages, of EAE significantly reduced neurological signs. This was accompanied by reduced proliferation of splenocytes to the immunogen, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide. In MS patients, AP activity and isoenzyme distribution were similar to controls. Although endotoxin-reactive IgM was reduced in primary-progressive MS patients, plasma endotoxin levels were not different between groups. Finally, unlike AP and CD73, CD39 was highly upregulated on microglia in white matter lesions of patients with MS. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that: 1) pre-symptomatic AP treatment reduces neurological signs of EAE; 2) MS patients do not have altered circulating levels of AP or endotoxin; and 3) the expression of the AP-like enzyme CD39 is increased on microglia in white matter lesions of MS patients. PMID:23231745

The Fatty Acid Profile and Oxidative Stability of Meat from Turkeys Fed Diets Enriched with n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Dried Fruit Pomaces as a Source of Polyphenols.

PubMed

Juskiewicz, Jerzy; Jankowski, Jan; Zielinski, Henryk; Zdunczyk, Zenon; Mikulski, Dariusz; Antoszkiewicz, Zofia; Kosmala, Monika; Zdunczyk, Przemyslaw

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of different dietary fruit pomaces in reducing lipid oxidation in the meat of turkeys fed diets with a high content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Over a period of 4 weeks before slaughter, turkeys were fed diets with the addition of 5% dried apple, blackcurrant, strawberry and seedless strawberry pomaces (groups AP, BP, SP and SSP, respectively) and 2.5% linseed oil. Pomaces differed in the content (from 5.5 in AP to 43.1 mg/g in SSP) and composition of polyphenols Proanthocyanidins were the main polyphenolic fraction in all pomaces, AP contained flavone glycosides and dihydrochalcones, BP contained anthocyanins, and SP and SSP-ellagitannins. The n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio in all diets was comparable and lower than 2:1. In comparison with groups C and AP, the percentage of n-3 PUFAs in the total fatty acid pool of white meat from the breast muscles of turkeys in groups BP, SP and SSP was significantly higher, proportionally to the higher content of α-linolenic acid in berry pomaces. The fatty acid profile of dark meat from thigh muscles, including the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio, was similar and lower than 3:1 in all groups. Vitamin A levels in raw breast muscles were higher in group AP than in groups C and BP (P<0.05). The addition of fruit pomaces to turkey diets lowered vitamin E concentrations (P = 0.001) in raw breast muscles relative to group C. Diets supplemented with fruit pomaces significantly lowered the concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in raw, frozen and cooked meat. Our results indicate that the dietary application of dried fruit pomaces increases the oxidative stability of meat from turkeys fed linseed oil, and strawberry pomace exerted the most desirable effects due to its highest polyphenol content and antioxidant potential.

The Fatty Acid Profile and Oxidative Stability of Meat from Turkeys Fed Diets Enriched with n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Dried Fruit Pomaces as a Source of Polyphenols

PubMed Central

Juskiewicz, Jerzy; Jankowski, Jan; Zielinski, Henryk; Zdunczyk, Zenon; Mikulski, Dariusz; Antoszkiewicz, Zofia; Kosmala, Monika; Zdunczyk, Przemyslaw

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of different dietary fruit pomaces in reducing lipid oxidation in the meat of turkeys fed diets with a high content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Over a period of 4 weeks before slaughter, turkeys were fed diets with the addition of 5% dried apple, blackcurrant, strawberry and seedless strawberry pomaces (groups AP, BP, SP and SSP, respectively) and 2.5% linseed oil. Pomaces differed in the content (from 5.5 in AP to 43.1 mg/g in SSP) and composition of polyphenols Proanthocyanidins were the main polyphenolic fraction in all pomaces, AP contained flavone glycosides and dihydrochalcones, BP contained anthocyanins, and SP and SSP—ellagitannins. The n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio in all diets was comparable and lower than 2:1. In comparison with groups C and AP, the percentage of n-3 PUFAs in the total fatty acid pool of white meat from the breast muscles of turkeys in groups BP, SP and SSP was significantly higher, proportionally to the higher content of α-linolenic acid in berry pomaces. The fatty acid profile of dark meat from thigh muscles, including the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio, was similar and lower than 3:1 in all groups. Vitamin A levels in raw breast muscles were higher in group AP than in groups C and BP (P<0.05). The addition of fruit pomaces to turkey diets lowered vitamin E concentrations (P = 0.001) in raw breast muscles relative to group C. Diets supplemented with fruit pomaces significantly lowered the concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in raw, frozen and cooked meat. Our results indicate that the dietary application of dried fruit pomaces increases the oxidative stability of meat from turkeys fed linseed oil, and strawberry pomace exerted the most desirable effects due to its highest polyphenol content and antioxidant potential. PMID:28076425

Prospective, Multicentre, Nationwide Clinical Data from 600 Cases of Acute Pancreatitis

PubMed Central

Párniczky, Andrea; Kui, Balázs; Szentesi, Andrea; Balázs, Anita; Szűcs, Ákos; Mosztbacher, Dóra; Czimmer, József; Sarlós, Patrícia; Bajor, Judit; Gódi, Szilárd; Vincze, Áron; Illés, Anita; Szabó, Imre; Pár, Gabriella; Takács, Tamás; Czakó, László; Szepes, Zoltán; Rakonczay, Zoltán; Izbéki, Ferenc; Gervain, Judit; Halász, Adrienn; Novák, János; Crai, Stefan; Hritz, István; Góg, Csaba; Sümegi, János; Golovics, Petra; Varga, Márta; Bod, Barnabás; Hamvas, József; Varga-Müller, Mónika; Papp, Zsuzsanna; Sahin-Tóth, Miklós; Hegyi, Péter

2016-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to analyse the clinical characteristics of acute pancreatitis (AP) in a prospectively collected, large, multicentre cohort and to validate the major recommendations in the IAP/APA evidence-based guidelines for the management of AP. Design Eighty-six different clinical parameters were collected using an electronic clinical research form designed by the Hungarian Pancreatic Study Group. Patients 600 adult patients diagnosed with AP were prospectively enrolled from 17 Hungarian centres over a two-year period from 1 January 2013. Main Results With respect to aetiology, biliary and alcoholic pancreatitis represented the two most common forms of AP. The prevalence of biliary AP was higher in women, whereas alcoholic AP was more common in men. Hyperlipidaemia was a risk factor for severity, lack of serum enzyme elevation posed a risk for severe AP, and lack of abdominal pain at admission demonstrated a risk for mortality. Abdominal tenderness developed in all the patients with severe AP, while lack of abdominal tenderness was a favourable sign for mortality. Importantly, lung injury at admission was associated with mortality. With regard to laboratory parameters, white blood cell count and CRP were the two most sensitive indicators for severe AP. The most common local complication was peripancreatic fluid, whereas the most common distant organ failure in severe AP was lung injury. Deviation from the recommendations in the IAP/APA evidence-based guidelines on fluid replacement, enteral nutrition and timing of interventions increased severity and mortality. Conclusions Analysis of a large, nationwide, prospective cohort of AP cases allowed for the identification of important determinants of severity and mortality. Evidence-based guidelines should be observed rigorously to improve outcomes in AP. PMID:27798670

Altered distribution of ATG9A and accumulation of axonal aggregates in neurons from a mouse model of AP-4 deficiency syndrome

PubMed Central

De Pace, Raffaella; Damme, Markus; Mattera, Rafael; Jarnik, Michal; Hoffmann, Victoria; Morris, H. Douglas; Han, Tae-Un; Mancini, Grazia M. S.; Buonanno, Andrés

2018-01-01

The hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSP) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by progressive lower limb spasticity. Mutations in subunits of the heterotetrameric (ε-β4-μ4-σ4) adaptor protein 4 (AP-4) complex cause an autosomal recessive form of complicated HSP referred to as “AP-4 deficiency syndrome”. In addition to lower limb spasticity, this syndrome features intellectual disability, microcephaly, seizures, thin corpus callosum and upper limb spasticity. The pathogenetic mechanism, however, remains poorly understood. Here we report the characterization of a knockout (KO) mouse for the AP4E1 gene encoding the ε subunit of AP-4. We find that AP-4 ε KO mice exhibit a range of neurological phenotypes, including hindlimb clasping, decreased motor coordination and weak grip strength. In addition, AP-4 ε KO mice display a thin corpus callosum and axonal swellings in various areas of the brain and spinal cord. Immunohistochemical analyses show that the transmembrane autophagy-related protein 9A (ATG9A) is more concentrated in the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and depleted from the peripheral cytoplasm both in skin fibroblasts from patients with mutations in the μ4 subunit of AP-4 and in various neuronal types in AP-4 ε KO mice. ATG9A mislocalization is associated with increased tendency to accumulate mutant huntingtin (HTT) aggregates in the axons of AP-4 ε KO neurons. These findings indicate that the AP-4 ε KO mouse is a suitable animal model for AP-4 deficiency syndrome, and that defective mobilization of ATG9A from the TGN and impaired autophagic degradation of protein aggregates might contribute to neuroaxonal dystrophy in this disorder. PMID:29698489

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of Shengjiang decoction in rats with acute pancreatitis for protecting against multiple organ injury

PubMed Central

Zhu, Lv; Li, Jun-Yi; Zhang, Yu-Mei; Kang, Hong-Xin; Chen, Huan; Su, Hang; Li, Juan; Tang, Wen-Fu

2017-01-01

AIM To explore the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of Shengjiang decoction (SJD) in rats with acute pancreatitis (AP) for protecting against multiple organ injury. METHODS An AP model was established by retrograde perfusion of 3.5% sodium taurocholate into the biliopancreatic duct, and a control group (CG) received 0.9% sodium chloride instead. Twelve male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a CG treated with SJD (CG + SJD) and a model group treated with SJD (MG + SJD), both of which were orally administered with SJD (5 g/kg) 2 h after surgery. Blood samples were collected via the tail vein at 10, 20, and 40 min and 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 12 h after a single dose of SJD to detect its main components using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The pharmacokinetic parameters were compared. In the pharmacodynamic experiment, 18 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a CG, an AP model group (MG), and an SJD treated AP group (SJDG). Serum amylase, lipase, and inflammatory cytokines were measured, and heart, lung, liver, spleen, pancreas, kidney, and intestine tissues were collected for pathological examination. RESULTS The MG + SJD displayed significantly shorter mean residence time (MRT) and higher clearance (CL) for emodin and aloe-emodin; significantly shorter time of maximum concentration and T1/2 and a lower area under curve (AUC) for aloe-emodin; a significantly higher AUC and lower CL for rhein; and longer MRT and lower CL for chrysophanol than the CG + SJD. In the pharmacodynamic experiment, the amylase, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels in the MG were higher than those in the CG (P < 0.05). After the herbal decoction treatment, the SJDG had higher IL-10 and lower TNF-α levels than the MG (P < 0.05). The MG had the highest pathological scores, and the pathological scores of the lung, pancreas, kidney, and intestine in the SJDG were significantly lower than those in the MG (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION AP may have varying effects on the pharmacokinetics of the major SJD components in rats. SJD might alleviate pathological injuries of the lung, pancreas, kidney, and intestine in rats with AP via regulating pro- and anti- inflammatory responses, which might guide the clinical application of SJD for AP treatment. PMID:29290653

Evaluating the periapical status of teeth with irreversible pulpitis by using cone-beam computed tomography scanning and periapical radiographs.

PubMed

Abella, Francesc; Patel, Shanon; Duran-Sindreu, Fernando; Mercadé, Montse; Bueno, Rufino; Roig, Miguel

2012-12-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the prevalence of apical periodontitis (AP) on individual roots of teeth with irreversible pulpitis viewed with periapical (PA) radiographs and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans. PA radiographs and CBCT scans were taken of 138 teeth in 130 patients diagnosed with irreversible pulpitis (symptomatic and asymptomatic). Two calibrated examiners assessed the presence or absence of AP lesions by analyzing the PA and CBCT images. A consensus was reached in the event of any disagreement. The data were analyzed using the hypothesis test, and significance was set at P ≤ .05. Three hundred seven paired roots were assessed with both PA and CBCT images. A comparison of the 307 paired roots revealed that AP lesions were present in 10 (3.3%) and absent in 297 (96.7%) pairs of roots when assessed with PA radiography. When the same 307 sets of roots were assessed with CBCT scans, AP lesions were present in 42 (13.7%) and absent in 265 (86.3%) paired roots. The prevalence of AP lesions detected with CBCT was significantly higher in the symptomatic group compared with the asymptomatic group (P < .05). An additional 22 roots were identified with CBCT alone. The present study highlights the advantages of using CBCT for detecting AP lesions, especially in teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. Copyright © 2012 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ethnic and geographic variations in the incidence of pancreatitis and post-pancreatitis diabetes mellitus in New Zealand: a nationwide population-based study.

PubMed

Pendharkar, Sayali A; Mathew, Juby; Zhao, Jinfeng; Windsor, John A; Exeter, Daniel J; Petrov, Maxim S

2017-02-17

To determine the incidence of acute pancreatitis (AP), chronic pancreatitis (CP), and post-pancreatitis diabetes mellitus (DP) in New Zealand, and the effect of ethnic and geographic variations. Data were collected from all district health boards in New Zealand by the Ministry of Health (Manatū Hauora). Diagnosis of AP, CP and DP was determined by the International Classification of Diseases-10 codes. Incidence rates per 100,000 population per year were calculated using incident AP, CP and DP cases as the numerator, and the adult resident population of New Zealand as the denominator. Poisson distribution was used to estimate 95% confidence intervals. The district health board domicile codes and corresponding incidence rates were used to map geographical variations for AP, CP and DP. On average, 2,072 new cases of AP, CP and DP were diagnosed in New Zealand every year. The crude incidence of AP was 58.42 [57.55, 59.30], CP - 3.97 [3.74, 4.20], and DP - 7.95 [7.62, 8.27] per 100,000 population per year. Māori had the highest incidence of AP (95.21 [91.74, 98.68] per 100,000 population per year), CP (6.27 [5.37, 7.16] per 100,000 population per year), and DP (18.23 [16.71, 19.76] per 100,000 population per year). Incidence of AP and DP was at least 1.8 and 2.6 times higher in Māori than New Zealand Europeans in every age group, and incidence of DP was at least 1.9 times higher in Pacific people than New Zealand Europeans in every age group. Auckland/Northland had the highest incidence of AP (135.25 [134.82, 135.68] per 100,000 population), and CP (9.03 [8.60, 9.46] per 100,000 population), while Lakes/Waikato had the highest incidence of DP (20.64 [20.21, 21.07] per 100,000 population) in New Zealand. New Zealanders have a very high incidence rate of AP, with Māori having the highest reported incidence of AP worldwide. There is a significant geographic variation in incidence of pancreatic diseases, with the Upper North Island having the highest incidence rates of AP, CP and DP in the country. Future high-quality studies are required to understand the mechanisms of pancreatitis and DP in order to develop preventive and therapeutic strategies that would benefit New Zealanders in general and Māori in particular.

Glutathione-S-transferase profiles in the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis.

PubMed

Rajarapu, Swapna Priya; Mittapalli, Omprakash

2013-05-01

The emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire is a recently discovered invasive insect pest of ash, Fraxinus spp. in North America. Glutathione-S-transferases (GST) are a multifunctional superfamily of enzymes which function in conjugating toxic compounds to less toxic and excretable forms. In this study, we report the molecular characterization and expression patterns of different classes of GST genes in different tissues and developmental stages plus their specific activity. Multiple sequence alignment of all six A. planipennis GSTs (ApGST-E1, ApGST-E2, ApGST-E3, ApGST-O1, ApGST-S1 and ApGST-μ1) revealed conserved features of insect GSTs and a phylogenetic analysis grouped the GSTs within the epsilon, sigma, omega and microsomal classes of GSTs. Real time quantitative PCR was used to study field collected samples. In larval tissues high mRNA levels for ApGST-E1, ApGST-E3 and ApGST-O1 were obtained in the midgut and Malpighian tubules. On the other hand, ApGST-E2 and ApGST-S1 showed high mRNA levels in fat body and ApGST-μ1 showed constitutive levels in all the tissues assayed. During development, mRNA levels for ApGST-E2 were observed to be the highest in feeding instars, ApGST-S1 in prepupal instars; while the others showed constitutive patterns in all the developmental stages examined. At the enzyme level, total GST activity was similar in all the tissues and developmental stages assayed. Results obtained suggest that A. planipennis is potentially primed with GST-driven detoxification to metabolize ash allelochemicals. To our knowledge this study represents the first report of GSTs in A. planipennis and also in the family of wood boring beetles. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Expression pattern of NMDA receptors reveals antiepileptic potential of apigenin 8-C-glucoside and chlorogenic acid in pilocarpine induced epileptic mice.

PubMed

Aseervatham, G Smilin Bell; Suryakala, U; Doulethunisha; Sundaram, S; Bose, P Chandra; Sivasudha, T

2016-08-01

The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of apigenin 8-C-glucoside (Vitexin) and chlorogenic acid on epileptic mice induced by pilocarpine and explored its possible mechanisms. Intraperitonial administration of pilocarpine (85mg/kg) induced seizure in mice was assessed by behavior observations, which is significantly (p>0.05) reduced by apigenin 8-C-glucoside (AP8CG) (10mg/kg) and chlorogenic acid (CA) (5mg/kg), similar to diazepam. Seizure was accompanied by an imbalance in the levels of Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate in the pilocarpine administered group. Moreover, convulsion along with reduced acetylcholinesterase, increased monoamine oxidase and oxidative stress was observed in epileptic mice brain. AP8CG and CA significantly restored back to normal levels even at lower doses. Further, increased lipid peroxidation and nitrite content was also significantly attenuated by AP8CG and CA. However, CA was found to be more effective when compared to AP8CG. In addition, the mRNA expression of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), mGluR1 and mGlu5 was significantly (P≤0.05) inhibited by AP8CG and CA in a lower dose. The mRNA expression of GRIK1 did not differ significantly in any of the group and showed a similar pattern of expression. Our result shows that AP8CG and CA selectively inhibit NMDAR, mGluR1 and mGlu5 expression. Modification in the provoked NMDAR calcium response coupled with neuronal death. Hence, these findings underline that the polyphenolics, AP8CG and CA have exerted antiepileptic and neuroprotective activity by suppressing glutamate receptors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Left-hemisphere activation is associated with enhanced vocal pitch error detection in musicians with absolute pitch.

PubMed

Behroozmand, Roozbeh; Ibrahim, Nadine; Korzyukov, Oleg; Robin, Donald A; Larson, Charles R

2014-02-01

The ability to process auditory feedback for vocal pitch control is crucial during speaking and singing. Previous studies have suggested that musicians with absolute pitch (AP) develop specialized left-hemisphere mechanisms for pitch processing. The present study adopted an auditory feedback pitch perturbation paradigm combined with ERP recordings to test the hypothesis whether the neural mechanisms of the left-hemisphere enhance vocal pitch error detection and control in AP musicians compared with relative pitch (RP) musicians and non-musicians (NM). Results showed a stronger N1 response to pitch-shifted voice feedback in the right-hemisphere for both AP and RP musicians compared with the NM group. However, the left-hemisphere P2 component activation was greater in AP and RP musicians compared with NMs and also for the AP compared with RP musicians. The NM group was slower in generating compensatory vocal reactions to feedback pitch perturbation compared with musicians, and they failed to re-adjust their vocal pitch after the feedback perturbation was removed. These findings suggest that in the earlier stages of cortical neural processing, the right hemisphere is more active in musicians for detecting pitch changes in voice feedback. In the later stages, the left-hemisphere is more active during the processing of auditory feedback for vocal motor control and seems to involve specialized mechanisms that facilitate pitch processing in the AP compared with RP musicians. These findings indicate that the left hemisphere mechanisms of AP ability are associated with improved auditory feedback pitch processing during vocal pitch control in tasks such as speaking or singing. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Differences in health-related quality of life by academic performance in children of the city of Cordoba-Argentina.

PubMed

Degoy, Emilse; Berra, Silvina

2018-06-01

The purpose of the study was to assess the differences in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) according to academic performance (AP) in children who attend public schools in the city of Cordoba, Argentina. Cross-sectional study carried out in a sample of 494 children aged 9-12 years (mean = 9.5; standard deviation [SD] = 0.65; IQR 1) who attended 4th grade of public schools in the city of Córdoba, Argentina in 2014. HRQoL was assessed by self-administration of the KIDSCREEN-52 child version in classroom. AP was established with the final grades in language and mathematics obtained from the school records. Marginal means and SD's of the HRQoL scores were compared between AP groups by calculating the effect size (ES), and linear mixed effect models were used to evaluate the (independent) association of AP with HRQoL. Statistically significant differences were found in the psychosocial dimensions of the HRQoL between the AP groups. The main differences in HRQoL between children with very good-excellent grades and those with unsatisfactory AP were found in school environment (ES = 0.69), parent relation and home life (ES = 0.61), autonomy (ES = 0.61), self-perception (ES = 0.49), and social acceptance (ES = 0.48). Children with very good-excellent grades scored better in all of these dimensions. Children with very good-excellent grades in language and mathematics scored better in the psychosocial domains of HRQoL. AP is an important factor in the analysis of the social and psychological aspects of children's health. Further research is required to explore more deeply the direction and characteristics of this association.

The effects of academic grouping on student performance in science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scoggins, Sally Smykla

The current action research study explored how student placement in heterogeneous or homogeneous classes in seventh-grade science affected students' eighth-grade Science State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) scores, and how ability grouping affected students' scores based on race and socioeconomic status. The population included all eighth-grade students in the target district who took the regular eighth-grade science STAAR over four academic school years. The researcher ran three statistical tests: a t-test for independent samples, a one-way between subjects analysis of variance (ANOVA) and a two-way between subjects ANOVA. The results showed no statistically significant difference between eighth-grade Pre-AP students from seventh-grade Pre-AP classes and eighth-grade Pre-AP students from heterogeneous seventh-grade classes and no statistically significant difference between Pre-AP students' scores based on socioeconomic status. There was no statistically significant interaction between socioeconomic status and the seventh-grade science classes. The scores between regular eighth-grade students who were in heterogeneous seventh-grade classes were statistically significantly higher than the scores of regular eighth-grade students who were in regular seventh-grade classes. The results also revealed that the scores of students who were White were statistically significantly higher than the scores of students who were Black and Hispanic. Black and Hispanic scores did not differ significantly. Further results indicated that the STAAR Level II and Level III scores were statistically significantly higher for the Pre-AP eighth-grade students who were in heterogeneous seventh-grade classes than the STAAR Level II and Level III scores of Pre-AP eighth-grade students who were in Pre-AP seventh-grade classes.

Genome-Wide Analysis of the AP2/ERF Family in Eucalyptus grandis: An Intriguing Over-Representation of Stress-Responsive DREB1/CBF Genes

PubMed Central

SanClemente, H.; Mounet, F.; Dunand, C.; Marque, G.; Marque, C.; Teulières, C.

2015-01-01

Background The AP2/ERF family includes a large number of developmentally and physiologically important transcription factors sharing an AP2 DNA-binding domain. Among them DREB1/CBF and DREB2 factors are known as master regulators respectively of cold and heat/osmotic stress responses. Experimental Approaches The manual annotation of AP2/ERF family from Eucalyptus grandis, Malus, Populus and Vitis genomes allowed a complete phylogenetic study for comparing the structure of this family in woody species and the model Arabidopsis thaliana. Expression profiles of the whole groups of EgrDREB1 and EgrDREB2 were investigated through RNAseq database survey and RT-qPCR analyses. Results The structure and the size of the AP2/ERF family show a global conservation for the plant species under comparison. In addition to an expansion of the ERF subfamily, the tree genomes mainly differ with respect to the group representation within the subfamilies. With regard to the E. grandis DREB subfamily, an obvious feature is the presence of 17 DREB1/CBF genes, the maximum reported to date for dicotyledons. In contrast, only six DREB2 have been identified, which is similar to the other plants species under study, except for Malus. All the DREB1/CBF and DREB2 genes from E. grandis are expressed in at least one condition and all are heat-responsive. Regulation by cold and drought depends on the genes but is not specific of one group; DREB1/CBF group is more cold-inducible than DREB2 which is mainly drought responsive. Conclusion These features suggest that the dramatic expansion of the DREB1/CBF group might be related to the adaptation of this evergreen tree to climate changes when it expanded in Australia. PMID:25849589

Understanding and treating amotivation in people with psychosis: An experimental study of the role of guided imagery.

PubMed

Cox, Charlotte; Jolley, Suzanne; Johns, Louise

2016-12-30

Psychological models propose that the amotivational negative symptoms (ANS) of psychosis are influenced by expectations of future events; both anticipatory success (believing one can achieve something, AS) and anticipatory pleasure (mentally pre-creating potential future experiences of enjoyment, AP). Mental imagery manipulations have been shown to change expectations across a range of settings, and may therefore enhance psychological interventions for ANS in people with psychosis. We set out to investigate the impact of a guided imagery manipulation on AS and AP in this group. Forty-two participants with psychosis and ANS completed measures of ANS severity, before random allocation to either a positive or neutral imagery manipulation. AS and AP towards a dart-throwing task were measured before and after the manipulation. Greater ANS severity was associated with lower levels of AS, but not of AP, irrespective of task performance. AS, but not AP, improved during both positive and neutral imagery manipulations, with no effect of imagery type. Anticipatory success is a candidate psychological factor influencing the severity of ANS in psychosis that may be changed by guided imagery manipulation. Imagery interventions are feasible and acceptable for this group: further investigation is needed of their mechanism of action and potential to improve functioning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

On-line atomic data access

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, David R.; Nash, Jeffrey K.

1996-07-01

The need for atomic data is one which continues to expand in a wide variety of applications including fusion energy, astrophysics, laser-produced plasma research, and plasma processing. Modern computer database and communications technology enables this data to be placed on-line and obtained by users over the INTERNET. Presented here is a summary of the observations and conclusions regarding such on-line atomic data access derived from a forum held at the Tenth APS Topical Conference on Atomic Processes in Plasmas.

Combined soft and hard X-ray ambient pressure photoelectron spectroscopy studies of semiconductor/electrolyte interfaces

DOE PAGES

Starr, David E.; Favaro, Marco; Abdi, Fatwa F.; ...

2017-05-18

The development of solar fuel generating materials would greatly benefit from a molecular level understanding of the semiconductor/electrolyte interface and changes in the interface induced by an applied potential and illumination by solar light. Ambient pressure photoelectron spectroscopy techniques with both soft and hard X-rays, AP-XPS and AP-HAXPES respectively, have the potential to markedly contribute to this understanding. In this paper we initially provide two examples of current challenges in solar fuels material development that AP-XPS and AP-HAXPES can directly a ddress. This will be followed by a brief description of the distinguishing and complementary characteristics of soft and hardmore » X-ray AP-XPS and AP-HAXPES and best approaches to achieving monolayer sensitivity in solid/aqueous electrolyte studies. In particular we focus on the detection of surface adsorbed hydroxyl groups in the presence of aqueous hydroxide anions in the electrolyte, a common situation when investigating photoanodes for solar fuel generating applications. Finally, the article concludes by providing an example of a combined AP-XPS and AP-HAXPES study of a semiconductor/aqueous electrolyte interface currently used in water splitting devices specifically the BiVO 4/aqueous potassium phosphate electrolyte interface.« less

Antibiotic prophylaxis for endoscopic retrograde chlangiopancreatography increases the detection rate of drug-resistant bacteria in bile.

PubMed

Minami, Tomoyuki; Sasaki, Tamito; Serikawa, Masahiro; Ishigaki, Takashi; Murakami, Yoshiaki; Chayama, Kazuaki

2014-09-01

No consensus has yet been reached regarding the utility of antibiotic prophylaxis for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). However, there has been little discussion of potential adverse effects of antibiotic use. This study investigated the impact of antibiotic prophylaxis on overall levels of bacterial infiltration of the biliary tract and the prevalence of drug-resistance among that population. Ninety-three patients, from whom intraoperative bile samples were collected after performing ERCP, were assigned to either an antibiotic-prophylaxis group (AP, n = 58) or a no-antibiotic-prophylaxis group (NAP, n = 35). Detection rates of biliary bacteria and antibiotic resistance were determined for each group. Multivariate analysis was also performed to identify risk factors for the development of drug-resistant biliary bacteria. The bile contamination rate was 37.1% for the NAP group and 55.2% for the AP group (P = 0.09). Drug-resistant bacteria were found in 5.7% of the NAP group and 29.3% of the AP group (P = 0.006). Biliary drainage and antibiotic prophylaxis for ERCP were identified as risk factors for the presence of drug-resistant bacteria. Administration of antibiotic prophylaxis prior to ERCP can be a risk factor for the selection of drug-resistant bacteria in the biliary tract. © 2014 Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery.

Influence of artificial accelerated ageing on the colour stability of paints used for ocular prosthesis iris painting.

PubMed

Mundim, Fabrício M; Antunes, Pedro L; Sousa, Ana Beatriz S; Garcia, Lucas F R; Pires-de-Souza, Fernanda C P

2012-06-01

To evaluate the colour stability of paints used for ocular prosthesis iris painting submitted for accelerated artificial ageing (AAA). Forty specimens of acrylic resin for sclera (16 × 2 mm) were made and separated into eight groups (n = 10) according to the type of paint (gouache, GP; oil, OP; acrylic AP; and composite resin for characterisation, CR) and the colours used (blue/brown). After drying (72 h), a new layer of colourless acrylic resin was applied and the initial colour readout was performed (Spectrophotometer PCB 6807). New colour readouts were performed after AAA, and ΔE was calculated. Statistical analysis (two-way anova-Bonferroni, p < 0.05) demonstrated that the brown colour showed lower ΔE means in comparison with the blue colour, with statistically significant difference for AP only. Blue colour showed no statistically significant difference with regard to the type of paint used. Brown AP showed lower ΔE than the other groups, with significant difference for OP and GP. GP showed greater alteration in ΔE for the brown colour, being statistically similar only to OP. Only the AP group for brown pigment shows clinically acceptable values for colour stability after AAA. © 2011 The Gerodontology Society and John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Modeling Instruction in AP Physics C: Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belcher, Nathan Tillman

This action research study used data from multiple assessments in Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism to determine the viability of Modeling Instruction as a pedagogy for students in AP Physics C: Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism. Modeling Instruction is a guided-inquiry approach to teaching science in which students progress through the Modeling Cycle to develop a fully-constructed model for a scientific concept. AP Physics C: Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism are calculus-based physics courses, approximately equivalent to first-year calculus-based physics courses at the collegiate level. Using a one-group pretest-posttest design, students were assessed in Mechanics using the Force Concept Inventory, Mechanics Baseline Test, and 2015 AP Physics C: Mechanics Practice Exam. With the same design, students were assessed in Electricity and Magnetism on the Brief Electricity and Magnetism Assessment, Electricity and Magnetism Conceptual Assessment, and 2015 AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Practice Exam. In a one-shot case study design, student scores were collected from the 2017 AP Physics C: Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism Exams. Students performed moderately well on the assessments in Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism, demonstrating that Modeling Instruction is a viable pedagogy in AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism.

Repetitive head impacts do not affect postural control following a competitive athletic season.

PubMed

Murray, Nicholas G; Grimes, Katelyn E; Shiflett, Eric D; Munkasy, Barry A; D'Amico, Nathan R; Mormile, Megan E; Powell, Douglas W; Buckley, Thomas A

2017-10-03

Evidence suggests that Repetitive Head Impacts (RHI) directly influence the brain over the course of a single contact collision season yet do not significantly impact a player's performance on the standard clinical concussion assessment battery. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in static postural control after a season of RHI in Division I football athletes using more sensitive measures of postural control as compared to a non-head contact sports. Fourteen Division I football players (CON) (age=20.4±1.12years) and fourteen non-contact athletes (NON) (2 male, 11 female; age=19.85±1.21years) completed a single trial of two minutes of eyes open quiet upright stance on a force platform (1000Hz) prior to athletic participation (PRE) and at the end of the athletic season (POST). All CON athletes wore helmets outfitted with Head Impact Telemetry (HIT) sensors and total number of RHI and linear accelerations forces of each RHI were recorded. Center of pressure root mean square (RMS), peak excursion velocity (PEV), and sample entropy (SampEn) in the anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) directions were calculated. CON group experienced 649.5±496.8 mean number of impacts, 27.1±3.0 mean linear accelerations, with ≈1% of total player impacts exceeded 98g over the course of the season. There were no significant interactions for group x time RMS in the AP (p=0.434) and ML (p=0.114) directions, PEV in the AP (p=0.262) and ML (p=0.977) directions, and SampEn in the AP (p=0.499) and ML (p=0.984) directions. In addition, no significant interactions for group were observed for RMS in the AP (p=0.105) and ML (p=0.272) directions, PEV in the AP (p=0.081) and ML (p=0.143) directions, and SampEn in the AP (p=0.583) and ML (p=0.129) directions. These results suggest that over the course of a single competitive season, RHI do not negatively impact postural control even when measured with sensitive non-linear metrics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lifting the weight of a diagnosis-related groups family change: a comparison between refined and non-refined DRG systems for top-down cost accounting and efficiency indicators.

PubMed

Zlotnik, Alexander; Cuchi, Miguel Alfaro; Pérez Pérez, Maria Carmen

Public healthcare providers in all Spanish Regions - Autonomous Communities (ACs) use All Patients Diagnosis-Related Groups (AP-DRGs) for billing non-insured patients, cost accounting and inpatient efficiency indicators. A national migration to All Patients Refined Diagnosis-Related Groups (APR-DRGs) has been scheduled for 2016. The analysis was performed on 202,912 inpatient care episodes ranging from 2005 to 2010. All episodes were grouped using AP-DRG v25.0 and APR-DRG v24.0. Normalised DRG weight variations for an AP-DRG to APR-DRG migration scenario were calculated and compared. Major differences exist between normalised weights for inpatient episodes depending on the DRGs family used. The usage of the APR-DRG system in Spain without any adjustments, as it was developed in the United States, should be approached with care. In order to avoid reverse incentives and provider financial risks, coding practices should be reviewed and structural differences between DRG families taken into account.

Therapeutic and prognostic value of chromosomal AP classification at the blastic phase of Ph-positive chronic myeloid leukemia: comparison of data from Nagasaki University, Japan and Roswell Park Memorial Institute, U.S.A.

PubMed

Sadamori, N; Yao, E; Mine, M; Tokunaga, S; Matsunaga, M; Nakamura, H; Sasagawa, I; Itoyama, T; Kawachi, T; Sandberg, A A

1991-01-01

To assess parameters of therapeutic response and survival after the onset of the blastic phase (BP) in 47 patients with Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a number of clinical hematologic, and cytogenetic data at the BP were evaluated. Among the eleven parameters examined, only the chromosomal findings correlated with the therapeutic response and survival after onset of the BP. The patients were divided into three groups on the basis of the chromosome findings in the bone marrow: one, with only a Ph (PP), another with two different clones, i.e., one clone with Ph only and another with additional karyotypic changes (AP), and a third group with only abnormal clones containing karyotypic abnormalities in addition to the Ph (AA). The number of patients with AA was 12, 18 with AP, and 17 with PP. The results were as follows: (1) The percentage of patients with a good therapeutic response was 25% (3/12) in AA, 22% (4/18) in AP, and 76% (13/17) in PP; (2) The median survival after the onset of the BP was 1.5 mo for AA, 2.4 mo for AP, and 7.3 mo for PP. Statistically, there was a significant difference between PP and the other two groups (p < 0.05). These data were reevaluated and compared to those of 64 patients with Ph-positive CML in Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) who had been reported earlier in 1983.

Hypergravity and estrogen effects on avian anterior pituitary growth hormone and prolactin levels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fiorindo, R. P.; Negulesco, J. A.

1980-01-01

Developing female chicks with fractured right radii were maintained for 14 d at either earth gravity (1 g) or a hypergravity state (2 g). The birds at 1 g were divided into groups which received daily injections of (1) saline, (2) 200 micrograms estrone, and (3) 400 micrograms estrone for 14 d. The 2-g birds were divided into three similarly treated groups. All 2-g birds showed significantly lower body weights than did 1-g birds. Anterior pituitary (AP) glands were excised and analyzed for growth hormone and prolactin content by analytical electrophoresis. The 1-g chicks receiving either dose of daily estrogen showed increased AP growth hormone levels, whereas hypergravity alone did not affect growth hormone content. Chicks exposed to daily estrogen and hypergravity displayed reduced growth hormone levels. AP prolactin levels were slightly increased by the lower daily estrogen dose in 1-g birds, but markedly reduced in birds exposed only to hypergravity. Doubly-treated chicks displayed normal prolactin levels. Reduced growth in 2-g birds might be due, in part, to reduced AP levels of prolactin and/or growth hormone.

Celebrating the First One Hundred Years of The American Physical Society

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merzbacher, Eugen

1998-11-01

In the past few years physicists have had the occasion to observe a number of centennials: the one hundredth anniversaries of the discoveries of x rays, the electron, and radioactivity, and other milestones. The first Nobel Prize in Physics was given to Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen in 1901. The first meeting of The American Physical Society was held on 20 May 1899 at 10:30 a.m. The centenary of the Society will be celebrated at an extraordinary meeting on 20-26 March, 1999, in Atlanta. All units of the APS - Divisions, Topical Groups, Forums, as well as Sections - will contribute special symposia and exhibits, highlighting the achievements of physicists and the role played by the Society in this century. The Centennial Meeting and the concurrent Festival of Physics in the City of Atlanta are intended to appeal to the entire physics community and to the students, who will carry the torch of science into the next century.

Health-Related Quality of Life and Sense of Coherence among the Unemployed with Autotelic, Average, and Non-Autotelic Personalities: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Hiroshima, Japan

PubMed Central

Hirao, Kazuki; Kobayashi, Ryuji

2013-01-01

Background Unemployment is known to have a negative effect on the quality of life (QOL) of individuals. However, the influence of an autotelic personality on QOL and SOC of unemployed individuals remains unclear. Our study compared health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and sense of coherence (SOC) among 3 groups: (i) an autotelic personality group (AP), which tends to “go with the flow,” (ii) an average group (AV), and (iii) a non-autotelic personality group (NAP). Methods In October 2010, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among 140 job trainees not receiving unemployment benefits in Hiroshima, Japan. We collected 134 completed questionnaires. Autotelic personality was investigated using the Flow Experience Checklist, health-related quality of life was assessed using the Short Form (SF-8) Health Survey, and SOC was measured using the University of Tokyo Health Sociology version of the SOC3 scale (SOC3–UTHS). Results The average age of participants was 36.14±11.54 year. Participants were classified into 3 groups based on daily activity values: 4+ for AP (n = 22), 1–3 for AV (n = 82), and 0 for NAP (n = 30). Significant differences were observed in mental component summary (MCS) score and SOC3–UTHS total scores in the ranking order of AP (highest), AV, and NAP. Conclusion Our findings indicate a need to develop programs for facilitating AP among unemployed people to enhance mental QOL and SOC. PMID:24069249

Approximate Entropies for Stochastic Time Series and EKG Time Series of Patients with Epilepsy and Pseudoseizures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vyhnalek, Brian; Zurcher, Ulrich; O'Dwyer, Rebecca; Kaufman, Miron

2009-10-01

A wide range of heart rate irregularities have been reported in small studies of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy [TLE]. We hypothesize that patients with TLE display cardiac dysautonomia in either a subclinical or clinical manner. In a small study, we have retrospectively identified (2003-8) two groups of patients from the epilepsy monitoring unit [EMU] at the Cleveland Clinic. No patients were diagnosed with cardiovascular morbidities. The control group consisted of patients with confirmed pseudoseizures and the experimental group had confirmed right temporal lobe epilepsy through a seizure free outcome after temporal lobectomy. We quantified the heart rate variability using the approximate entropy [ApEn]. We found similar values of the ApEn in all three states of consciousness (awake, sleep, and proceeding seizure onset). In the TLE group, there is some evidence for greater variability in the awake than in either the sleep or proceeding seizure onset. Here we present results for mathematically-generated time series: the heart rate fluctuations ξ follow the γ statistics i.e., p(ξ)=γ-1(k) ξ^k exp(-ξ). This probability function has well-known properties and its Shannon entropy can be expressed in terms of the γ-function. The parameter k allows us to generate a family of heart rate time series with different statistics. The ApEn calculated for the generated time series for different values of k mimic the properties found for the TLE and pseudoseizure group. Our results suggest that the ApEn is an effective tool to probe differences in statistics of heart rate fluctuations.

Continuously measured renal blood flow does not increase in diabetes if nitric oxide synthesis is blocked.

PubMed

Bell, Tracy D; DiBona, Gerald F; Biemiller, Rachel; Brands, Michael W

2008-11-01

This study used 16 h/day measurement of renal blood flow (RBF) and arterial pressure (AP) to determine the role of nitric oxide (NO) in mediating the renal vasodilation caused by onset of type 1 diabetes. The AP and RBF power spectra were used to determine the autoregulatory efficiency of the renal vasculature. Rats were instrumented with artery and vein catheters and a Transonic flow probe on the left renal artery and were divided randomly into four groups: control (C), diabetes (D), control plus nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; CL), and diabetes plus L-NAME (DL). Mean AP averaged 90 +/- 1 and 121 +/- 1 mmHg in the D and DL groups, respectively, during the control period, and RBF averaged 5.9 +/- 1.2 and 5.7 +/- 0.7 ml/min, respectively. Respective C and CL groups were not different. Onset of diabetes (streptozotocin 40 mg/kg iv) in D rats increased RBF gradually, but it averaged 55% above control by day 14. In DL rats, on the other hand, RBF remained essentially constant, tracking with RBF in the nondiabetic C and CL groups for the 2-wk period. Diabetes did not change mean AP in any group. Transfer function analysis revealed impaired dynamic autoregulation of RBF overall, including the frequency range of tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF), and L-NAME completely prevented those changes as well. These data strongly support a role for NO in causing renal vasodilation in diabetes and suggest that an effect of NO to blunt RBF autoregulation may play an important role.

Continuously measured renal blood flow does not increase in diabetes if nitric oxide synthesis is blocked

PubMed Central

Bell, Tracy D.; DiBona, Gerald F.; Biemiller, Rachel; Brands, Michael W.

2008-01-01

This study used 16 h/day measurement of renal blood flow (RBF) and arterial pressure (AP) to determine the role of nitric oxide (NO) in mediating the renal vasodilation caused by onset of type 1 diabetes. The AP and RBF power spectra were used to determine the autoregulatory efficiency of the renal vasculature. Rats were instrumented with artery and vein catheters and a Transonic flow probe on the left renal artery and were divided randomly into four groups: control (C), diabetes (D), control plus nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME; CL), and diabetes plus l-NAME (DL). Mean AP averaged 90 ± 1 and 121 ± 1 mmHg in the D and DL groups, respectively, during the control period, and RBF averaged 5.9 ± 1.2 and 5.7 ± 0.7 ml/min, respectively. Respective C and CL groups were not different. Onset of diabetes (streptozotocin 40 mg/kg iv) in D rats increased RBF gradually, but it averaged 55% above control by day 14. In DL rats, on the other hand, RBF remained essentially constant, tracking with RBF in the nondiabetic C and CL groups for the 2-wk period. Diabetes did not change mean AP in any group. Transfer function analysis revealed impaired dynamic autoregulation of RBF overall, including the frequency range of tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF), and l-NAME completely prevented those changes as well. These data strongly support a role for NO in causing renal vasodilation in diabetes and suggest that an effect of NO to blunt RBF autoregulation may play an important role. PMID:18753304

Randomized controlled trial of accelerated rehabilitation versus standard protocol following surgical repair of ruptured Achilles tendon.

PubMed

Porter, Mark D; Shadbolt, Bruce

2015-05-01

There is no consensus regarding the optimal management of the acutely ruptured Achilles tendon (TA). Functional bracing alone achieves outcomes similar to those of surgical repair. Surgical repair combined with immediate mobilization may improve the clinical outcome further. The purpose of our study was to determine if an accelerated rehabilitation programme following surgical repair of the ruptured TA could improve clinical outcome, relative to the standard protocol. Patients with an acutely ruptured TA were randomly allocated to undergo an accelerated programme (AP) or standard programme (SP), following surgery. Outcome was assessed at 12 months post-surgery using the Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS), the heel-raise height and the time taken to return to running. Fifty-one patients completed the study, 25 in the AP group and 26 in the SP group. At 12 months post-surgery, the ATRS results were similar in the two treatment groups (87.46 in AP with standard error (SE) of 0.735 versus 87.12 in SP with SE of 0.75) while the AP group had less lengthening of the TA (0.385 cm, SE 0.166 versus 1.00 cm, SE 0.169) and a more rapid return to running (17.231 weeks, SE 0.401 versus 21.08 weeks, SE 0.409), than the SP group. The accelerated rehabilitation programme resulted in less tendon lengthening, more rapid return to running, but similar ATRS relative to the standard rehabilitation. Immobilization following TA repair may prolong recovery. © 2014 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

Adiponectin attenuates kidney injury and fibrosis in deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt and angiotensin II induced CKD mice.

PubMed

Tian, Mi; Tang, Li; Wu, Yuanyuan; Beddhu, Srinivasan; Huang, Yufeng

2018-06-06

Adiponectin (ApN) is a multifunctional adipokine. However high, rather than low, concentrations of ApN are unexpectedly found in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) via an as yet unknown mechanism and the role of ApN in CKD is unclear. We, herein, investigated the effect of ApN overexpression on the progressive renal injury resulted from deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt (DOCA) and angiotensin II (Ang-II) infusion using a transgenic, inducible ApN-overexpressing mouse model. Three groups of mice (wild type receiving no infusion (WT), WT and cyp1a1 ApN transgenic mice (ApN-Tg) receiving DOCA+Ang-II infusion (WT/DOCA+Ang-II and ApN-Tg/DOCA+Ang-II)) were assigned to receive a normal food containing 0.15% of the transgene inducer indol-3-carbinol (I3C) for 3 weeks. The I3C-induced ApN-Tg/DOCA+Ang-II mice, not the WT or WT/DOCA+Ang-II mice, overexpressing ApN in liver resulted in 3.15-fold increases in circulating ApN than non-transgenic controls. Of note, these transgenic mice receiving DOCA+Ang-II infusion were still hypertensive but had much less albuminuria and glomerular and tubulointerstitial fibrosis, which were associated with ameliorated podocyte injury determined by ameliorated podocyte loss and foot process effacement; and alleviated tubular injury determined by ameliorated mRNA overexpression of KIM-1 and NGAL and mRNA decreases of cubilin and megalin in tubular cells, compared with WT/DOCA+Ang-II mice. In addition, renal production of NF-kB-p65, NAPDH oxidase-2 and p47phox, and MAPK-related cellular proliferation, which were induced in WT/DOCA+Ang-II mice, were markedly reduced in ApN-Tg/DOCA+Ang-II mice. These results indicate that elevated ApN in CKD mouse model is renal protective. Enhancing adiponectin production or signaling may have therapeutic potential for CKD.

Heart rate informed artificial pancreas system enhances glycemic control during exercise in adolescents with T1D.

PubMed

DeBoer, Mark D; Cherñavvsky, Daniel R; Topchyan, Katarina; Kovatchev, Boris P; Francis, Gary L; Breton, Marc D

2017-11-01

To evaluate the safety and performance of using a heart rate (HR) monitor to inform an artificial pancreas (AP) system during exercise among adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D). In a randomized, cross-over trial, adolescents with T1D age 13 - 18 years were enrolled to receive on separate days either the unmodified UVa AP (stdAP) or an AP system connected to a portable HR monitor (AP-HR) that triggered an exercise algorithm for blood glucose (BG) control. During admissions participants underwent a structured exercise regimen. Hypoglycemic events and CGM tracings were compared between the two admissions, during exercise and for the full 24-hour period. Eighteen participants completed the trial. While number of hypoglycemic events during exercise and rest was not different between visits (0.39 AP-HR vs 0.50 stdAP), time below 70 mg dL -1 was lower on AP-HR compared to stdAP, 0.5±2.1% vs 7.4±12.5% (P = 0.028). Time with BG within 70-180 mg dL -1 was higher for the AP-HR admission vs stdAP during the exercise portion and overall (96% vs 87%, and 77% vs 74%), but these did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.075 and P = 0.366). Heart rate signals can safely and efficaciously be integrated in a wireless AP system to inform of physical activity. While exercise contributes to hypoglycemia among adolescents, even when using an AP system, informing the system of exercise via a HR monitor improved time <70 mg dL -1 . Nonetheless, it did not significantly reduce the total number of hypoglycemic events, which were low in both groups. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Use and Characteristics of Antipsychotic/Methylphenidate Combination Therapy in Children and Adolescents with a Diagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

PubMed

Scholle, Oliver; Banaschewski, Tobias; Enders, Dirk; Garbe, Edeltraut; Riedel, Oliver

2018-05-16

Children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) frequently have comorbidities that are potential indications for antipsychotics (APs). Some studies have suggested that the combined use of methylphenidate (MPH) and APs is increasing in this population group. Longitudinal analyses and in-depth investigations on the substance level are lacking. This study aimed to estimate the cumulative proportion of concomitant AP/MPH use in children and adolescents with ADHD over a follow-up of up to 9 years and to describe patient characteristics stratified by specific AP drug. Based on claims data, concomitant AP/MPH use was identified among 67,595 children and adolescents with ADHD starting MPH treatment between 2005 and 2013. Characteristics and diagnoses-including those indicating appropriateness of AP use according to approved indications and/or guidelines-were examined at the time of first AP/MPH combination therapy. In addition, subsequent use of AP/MPH combination therapy was evaluated. The cumulative proportion of individuals with any AP/MPH combination therapy rose to over 6% within 9 years after initiating MPH. The most frequent APs first used in combination with MPH were risperidone (72%), pipamperone (15%), and tiapride (8%). Percentages of psychiatric hospitalization in the year preceding the first combination therapy with MPH were 33%, 43%, and 19%, respectively. The proportion of individuals with potentially appropriate use was high (>72%) in risperidone/MPH and tiapride/MPH and low (15%) in pipamperone/MPH combination users. Conduct disorders and tic disorders were frequent in users who were prescribed MPH with risperidone and tiapride, respectively. One-quarter of patients with AP/MPH combination therapy were one-time-only combination users. Our study suggests that a considerable proportion of children and adolescents with ADHD receive MPH in combination with APs and that this is a factor not only during the first years of MPH treatment. ADHD guidelines should specify algorithms concerning the use of AP medication.

Antibiotic prophylaxis audit and questionnaire study: Traffic Light Poster improves adherence to protocol in gastrointestinal surgery.

PubMed

Cameron, Michaella; Jones, Stacey; Adedeji, Olufunso

2015-07-01

To measure adherence to antibiotic prophylaxis (AP) protocol amongst surgeons and anesthetists and explore their understanding of AP prescribing in practice. A prospective audit of AP in gastrointestinal surgery and re-audit after intervention. A questionnaire survey of practice. 58 (38%- clean; 62%- clean contaminated) operations were audited and 73 (48%-clean; 51%-clean contaminated) operations were re-audited after intervention with "Traffic Light Poster" (TFP) .55 colleagues (32 consultants and 23 trainees) were recruited for questionnaire survey in three West Midlands hospitals. Audit and Re-Audits. Only 31% of procedures followed the protocol correctly in the initial audit and this increased to 73% in the re-audit. 73% of patients undergoing clean procedures received AP inappropriately in the initial audit but reduced significantly to 20% (p < 0.002) in the re-audit. In the initial audit, 62% of clean contaminated procedures did not receive the appropriate first line AP but this fell to 35% (p < 0.05) in the re-audit. Questionnaire Survey- Only 30% of respondents would not give AP in clean surgery as recommended. 45% would use appropriate AP for clean-contaminated wounds. 73% of respondents will give AP at induction, 20% 1 h pre op and 7% just before incision. There is poor compliance with AP protocols in gastrointestinal surgery in part due to general lack of awareness. An educational intervention in the form of a 'Traffic Light Poster' improved adherence to AP protocol two fold. There was improved rationalizing of AP. Clean procedures, in particular, had less inappropriate prescribing. Copyright © 2015 IJS Publishing Group Limited. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Serum alkaline phosphatase activity during zinc deficiency and long-term inflammatory stress.

PubMed

Naber, T H; Baadenhuysen, H; Jansen, J B; van den Hamer, C J; van den Broek, W

1996-05-30

A decrease in serum zinc can be caused by a real zinc deficiency but can also be caused by an apparent zinc deficiency, e.g. in inflammatory stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic power of serum alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity in the discrimination between pathophysiologic states of "real" and "apparent" zinc deficiency. A decrease in serum zinc was induced in growing and adult rats, by providing a diet low in zinc and by causing inflammatory stress. AP activity was determined using reagents low or enriched in zinc. Serum AP was decreased in zinc-deficient adult rats (P < 0.01). In zinc-deficient growing rats AP activity was not different from normal rats but AP activity decreased rapidly. In the same growing rats a significant difference was found in AP activities determined using buffers low and enriched in zinc (P < 0.001) between both groups of rats. After inducing inflammatory stress a decrease in AP activity (P < 0.01) and serum zinc (P < 0.001) was seen during the first few days. After the initial phase of inflammation AP activity normalized, serum zinc showed a rise which after correction for the decrease in serum albumin reached the level of the control rats. A difference in AP activity in buffers low and enriched in zinc was observed only during the first few days after induction of inflammatory stress (P < 0.001). Probably the method of measurement of the difference in enzyme activity, using buffers low and enriched in zinc, can be used as an indication for zinc deficiency in situations with changing AP enzyme concentrations. AP activity is decreased during the initial phase of inflammatory stress due to a decrease in serum zinc.

New Atlanta Classification of acute pancreatitis in intensive care unit: Complications and prognosis.

PubMed

Pintado, María-Consuelo; Trascasa, María; Arenillas, Cristina; de Zárate, Yaiza Ortiz; Pardo, Ana; Blandino Ortiz, Aaron; de Pablo, Raúl

2016-05-01

The updated Atlanta Classification of acute pancreatitis (AP) in adults defined three levels of severity according to the presence of local and/or systemic complications and presence and length of organ failure. No study focused on complications and mortality of patients with moderately severe AP admitted to intensive care unit (ICU). The main aim of this study is to describe the complications developed and outcomes of these patients and compare them to those with severe AP. Prospective, observational study. We included patients with acute moderately severe or severe AP admitted in a medical-surgical ICU during 5years. We collected demographic data, admission criteria, pancreatitis etiology, severity of illness, presence of organ failure, local and systemic complications, ICU length of stay, and mortality. Fifty-six patients were included: 12 with moderately severe AP and 44 with severe. All patients developed some kind of complications without differences on complications rate between moderately severe or severe AP. All the patients present non-infectious systemic complications, mainly acute respiratory failure and hemodynamic failure. 82.1% had an infectious complication, mainly non-pancreatic infection (66.7% on moderately severe AP vs. 79.5% on severe, p=0.0443). None of the patients with moderately severe AP died during their intensive care unit stay vs. 29.5% with severe AP (p=0.049). Moderately severe AP has a high rate of complications with similar rates to patients with severe AP admitted to ICU. However, their ICU mortality remains very low, which supports the existence of this new group of pancreatitis according to their severity. Copyright © 2016 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tension pneumocephalus following suboccipital sitting craniotomy in the pediatric population.

PubMed

Daszkiewicz, P; Dziedzic, D

Sitting craniotomy often results in entrapment of air in fluid-filled intracranial cavities. Gas under pressure exerts a deleterious effect on adjacent nervous tissue, resulting in clinical deterioration. To assess the incidence of tension pneumocephalus (TP) and to define risk factors associated therewith. Analysis included 100 consecutive patients (57 boys, 43 girls, mean age 9.7 y) undergoing suboccipital sitting craniotomy since 2012 to 2014. In our material (n=100) TP was seen in 7 cases, asymptomatic pneumocephalus (AP) in 77 and no pneumocephalus (NP) in 16. Tumor types encountered were typical for pediatric population. In the TP group (n=7) the ratio of low-grade to high-grade tumors was 5:2, in the AP group (n=77) 2:1 and in the NP group (n=16) 1:1. Preoperative hydrocephalus was present in 21 cases (21%, mean incidence), thereof 3 in the TP group (3/7; 42.8%), 12 in AP group (12/77; 15.5%) and 6 in the NP group (6/16; 37.5%). All TP patients received an emergency external drainage, thereof 4 required a permanent ventriculo-peritoneal shunt (57.1%), while AP and NP patients combined (n=93) required a permanent shunt in 4 cases only (4.3%). TP-associated morbidity (n=2) consisted in a significant deterioration of neurological condition. TP is a relatively rare but potentially serious complication of suboccipital sitting craniotomy. Risk factors for TP are low-grade tumor and pre-existing long-standing hydrocephalus. TP requires emergency decompression by temporary external drainage. TP patients significantly more often require a permanent CSF shunt. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o.

Group III mGluR regulation of synaptic transmission at the SC-CA1 synapse is developmentally regulated

PubMed Central

Ayala, Jennifer E.; Niswender, Colleen M.; Luo, Qingwei; Banko, Jessica L.; Conn, P. Jeffrey

2008-01-01

Summary Group III metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) reduce synaptic transmission at the Schaffer collateral-CA1 (SC-CA1) synapse in rats by a presynaptic mechanism. Previous studies show that low concentrations of the group III-selective agonist, L-AP4, reduce synaptic transmission in slices from neonatal but not adult rats, whereas high micromolar concentrations reduce transmission in both age groups. L-AP4 activates mGluRs 4 and 8 at much lower concentrations than those required to activate mGluR7, suggesting that the group III mGluR subtype modulating transmission is a high affinity receptor in neonates and a low affinity receptor in adults. The previous lack of subtype selective ligands has made it difficult to test this hypothesis. We have measured fEPSPs in the presence of novel subtype selective agents to address this question. We show that the effects of L-AP4 can be blocked by LY341495 in both neonates and adults, verifying that these effects are mediated by mGluRs. In addition, the selective mGluR8 agonist, DCPG, has a significant effect in slices from neonatal rats but does not reduce synaptic transmission in adult slices. The mGluR4 selective allosteric potentiator, PHCCC, is unable to potentiate the L-AP4-induced effects at either age. Taken together, our data suggest that group III mGluRs regulate transmission at the SC-CA1 synapse throughout development but there is a developmental regulation of the subtypes involved so that that both mGluR8 serves this role in neonates but not adults whereas mGluR7 is involved in regulating transmission at this synapse in throughout postnatal development. PMID:18255102

The Use of Platelets to Affect Functional Healing of an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Autograft in a Caprine ACL Reconstruction Model

PubMed Central

Spindler, Kurt P.; Murray, Martha M.; Carey, James L.; Zurakowski, David; Fleming, Braden C.

2009-01-01

Many anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions have increased laxity postoperatively. We hypothesized that enhancing an ACL graft with a collagen-platelet composite (CPC) would improve knee laxity and graft structural properties. We also hypothesized the platelet concentration in the CPC would affect these parameters. Twelve goats underwent ACL reconstruction with autologous patellar tendon graft. In six goats, a collagen-platelet composite was placed around the graft (CPC group). In the remaining six goats, the collagen scaffold only was used (COLL group). Three goats were excluded due to complications. After 6 weeks in vivo, anterior–posterior (AP) laxity and tensile properties of the ACL reconstructed knees were measured and normalized against the contralateral intact knee. At a knee flexion angle of 30°, the average increase in AP laxity was 40% less in the CPC group than the COLL group (p = 0.045). At 60°, the AP laxity was 30% less in the CPC group, a difference that was close to statistical significance (p = 0.080). No differences were found between treatment groups with respect to the structural properties (p > 0.30). However, there were significant correlations between serum platelet concentration and AP laxity (R2 = 0.643; p = 0.009), maximum load (R2 = 0.691; p = 0.006), and graft stiffness (R2 = 0.840; p < 0.001). In conclusion, use of a CPC to enhance healing of an allograft ACL reconstruction inversely correlated with early sagittal plane laxity and the systemic platelet count was highly predictive of ACL reconstruction graft strength and stiffness at 6 weeks. These findings emphasize the importance of further research on delineating the effect of platelets in treating of ACL injuries. PMID:19009602

Effect of phase-encoding direction on group analysis of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Mori, Yasuo; Miyata, Jun; Isobe, Masanori; Son, Shuraku; Yoshihara, Yujiro; Aso, Toshihiko; Kouchiyama, Takanori; Murai, Toshiya; Takahashi, Hidehiko

2018-05-17

Echo-planar imaging is a common technique used in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), however it suffers from image distortion and signal loss because of large susceptibility effects that are related to the phase-encoding direction of the scan. Despite this relationship, the majority of neuroimaging studies have not considered the influence of phase-encoding direction. Here, we aimed to clarify how phase-encoding direction can affect the outcome of an fMRI connectivity study of schizophrenia. Resting-state fMRI using anterior to posterior (A-P) and posterior to anterior (P-A) directions was used to examine 25 patients with schizophrenia (SC) and 37 matched healthy controls (HC). We conducted a functional connectivity analysis using independent component analysis and performed three group comparisons: A-P vs. P-A (all participants), SC vs. HC for the A-P and P-A datasets, and the interaction between phase-encoding direction and participant group. The estimated functional connectivity differed between the two phase-encoding directions in areas that were more extensive than those where signal loss has been reported. Although functional connectivity in the SC group was lower than that in the HC group for both directions, the A-P and P-A conditions did not exhibit the same specific pattern of differences. Further, we observed an interaction between participant group and the phase-encoding direction in the left temporo-parietal junction and left fusiform gyrus. Phase-encoding direction can influence the results of functional connectivity studies. Thus, appropriate selection and documentation of phase-encoding direction will be important in future resting-state fMRI studies. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

[Health survey of plant workers for an occupational exposure to ammonium perchlorate].

PubMed

Chen, Hong-xia; Shao, Yuan-peng; Wu, Feng-hong; Li, Yang-ping; Peng, Kai-liang

2013-01-01

To understand the occupational hazards of ammonium perchlorate dust on operating workers and to provide the basis preventive measures for protecting the workers' health. 36 workers exposed to ammonium perchlorate dust and 48 unexposed workers from one factory were selected as the exposure and control groups. Investigations on the general condition, sampling of dust in the workplaces and a special medical examination were conducted for two groups, including occupational history, clinical manifestations, blood routine test, hepatic and renal functions, indexes of thyroid hormone, spirometric test and chest X-ray. The total dust concentration of AP in the batch plant reached to 51.63 ± 43.27 mg/m(3), exceeding the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) permission exposure limits. The systolic blood pressure in the exposure group was higher than that of the control group (146.14 ± 21.03 VS 134.67 ± 18.58), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The detection rates of the cumulative total symptoms, short of breath and skin itch symptoms in the exposure group were significantly higher than those in the control group (86.11% VS 66.67%; 30.56% VS 12.50%) (P < 0.05), respectively. FT(3) level in the exposure group significantly lowered than the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01); The pulmonary function result showed that FEV1/FVC% in the exposure group was lower than that in the control group (106.50 ± 28.99 VS 111.70 ± 19.72), but the difference was not significant. X-ray examination revealed one case of pulmonary X-ray abnormalities in the exposure group, diagnosis of pneumoconiosis, and one case with about 1.0 × 1.0 small nodules detected on the left of lung door area in the control group. The systolic blood pressure of workers in the exposure group was significantly higher, which could not exclude related to the exposure to AP dust; The T(3) levels in the exposure workers were lower than those in the control group, which may due to AP exposure, suggesting that long-term chronic exposure to AP dust may affect thyroid function.

Fernblock (Polypodium leucotomos Extract): Molecular Mechanisms and Pleiotropic Effects in Light-Related Skin Conditions, Photoaging and Skin Cancers, a Review

PubMed Central

Parrado, Concepcion; Mascaraque, Marta; Gilaberte, Yolanda; Juarranz, Angeles; Gonzalez, Salvador

2016-01-01

Healthier life styles include increased outdoors time practicing sports and walking. This means increased exposure to the sun, leading to higher risk of sunburn, photoaging and skin cancer. In addition to topical barrier products, oral supplementations of various botanicals endowed with antioxidant activity are emerging as novel method of photoprotection. Polypodium leucotomos extract (PL, commercial name Fernblock®, IFC Group, Spain) is a powerful antioxidant due to its high content of phenolic compounds. PL is administered orally, with proven safety, and it can also be used topically. Its mechanisms include inhibition of the generation and release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by ultraviolet (UV) light. It also prevents UV- and ROS-induced DNA damage with inhibition of AP1 and NF-κB and protection of natural antioxidant enzyme systems. At the cellular level, PL decreases cellular apoptosis and necrosis mediated UV and inhibits abnormal extracellular matrix remodeling. PL reduces inflammation, prevents immunosuppression, activates tumor suppressor p53 and inhibits UV-induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme expression. In agreement with increased p53 activity, PL decreased UV radiation-induced cell proliferation. PL also prevents common deletions mitochondrial DNA damage induced by UVA, and MMP-1 expression induced Visible Light and Infrared Radiation. These cellular and molecular effects are reflected in inhibitions of carcinogenesis and photoaging. PMID:27367679

Fernblock (Polypodium leucotomos Extract): Molecular Mechanisms and Pleiotropic Effects in Light-Related Skin Conditions, Photoaging and Skin Cancers, a Review.

PubMed

Parrado, Concepcion; Mascaraque, Marta; Gilaberte, Yolanda; Juarranz, Angeles; Gonzalez, Salvador

2016-06-29

Healthier life styles include increased outdoors time practicing sports and walking. This means increased exposure to the sun, leading to higher risk of sunburn, photoaging and skin cancer. In addition to topical barrier products, oral supplementations of various botanicals endowed with antioxidant activity are emerging as novel method of photoprotection. Polypodium leucotomos extract (PL, commercial name Fernblock(®), IFC Group, Spain) is a powerful antioxidant due to its high content of phenolic compounds. PL is administered orally, with proven safety, and it can also be used topically. Its mechanisms include inhibition of the generation and release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by ultraviolet (UV) light. It also prevents UV- and ROS-induced DNA damage with inhibition of AP1 and NF-κB and protection of natural antioxidant enzyme systems. At the cellular level, PL decreases cellular apoptosis and necrosis mediated UV and inhibits abnormal extracellular matrix remodeling. PL reduces inflammation, prevents immunosuppression, activates tumor suppressor p53 and inhibits UV-induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme expression. In agreement with increased p53 activity, PL decreased UV radiation-induced cell proliferation. PL also prevents common deletions mitochondrial DNA damage induced by UVA, and MMP-1 expression induced Visible Light and Infrared Radiation. These cellular and molecular effects are reflected in inhibitions of carcinogenesis and photoaging.

Frequency and correlates of DSM-5 attenuated psychosis syndrome in a sample of adolescent inpatients with nonpsychotic psychiatric disorders.

PubMed

Gerstenberg, Miriam; Hauser, Marta; Al-Jadiri, Aseel; Sheridan, Eva M; Kishimoto, Taishiro; Borenstein, Yehonatan; Vernal, Ditte L; David, Lisa; Saito, Ema; Landers, Sara E; Carella, Morgan; Singh, Sukhbir; Carbon, Maren; Jiménez-Fernández, Sara; Birnbaum, Michael L; Auther, Andrea; Carrión, Ricardo E; Cornblatt, Barbara A; Kane, John M; Walitza, Susanne; Correll, Christoph U

2015-11-01

DSM-5 conceptualized attenuated psychosis syndrome (APS) as self-contained rather than as a risk syndrome, including it under "Conditions for Further Study," but also as a codable/billable condition in the main section. Since many major mental disorders emerge during adolescence, we assessed the frequency and characteristics of APS in adolescent psychiatric inpatients. Consecutively recruited adolescents hospitalized for nonpsychotic disorders (September 2009-May 2013) were divided into APS youth versus non-APS youth, based on the Structured Interview of Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS) and according to DSM-5 criteria, and compared across multiple characteristics. Of 89 adolescents (mean ± SD age = 15.1 ± 1.6 years), 21 (23.6%) had APS. Compared to non-APS, APS was associated with more comorbid disorders (2.7 ± 1.0 vs 2.2 ± 1.3), major depressive disorder (61.9% vs 27.9%), oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder (52.4% vs 25.0%), and personality disorder traits (57.1% vs 7.4%, the only diagnostic category surviving Bonferroni correction). APS youth were more severely ill, having higher SIPS total positive, negative, and general symptoms; Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale total and positive scores; depression and global illness ratings; and lower Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF). Conversely, Young Mania Rating Scale scores, suicidal behavior, prescribed psychotropic medications, and mental disorder awareness were similar between APS and non-APS groups. In multivariable analysis, lowest GAF score in the past year (odds ratio [OR] = 51.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.46-2,439.0) and social isolation (OR = 27.52; 95% CI, 3.36-313.87) were independently associated with APS (r(2) = 0.302, P < .0001). Although psychotic disorders were excluded, 65.2% (APS = 57.1%, non-APS = 67.7%, P = .38) received antipsychotics. One in 4 nonpsychotic adolescent inpatients met DSM-5 criteria for APS. APS youth were more impaired, showing a complex entanglement with a broad range of psychiatric symptoms and disorders, including depression, impulse-control, and, especially, emerging personality disorders. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01383915. © Copyright 2015 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

High incidence of athletic pubalgia symptoms in professional athletes with symptomatic femoroacetabular impingement.

PubMed

Hammoud, Sommer; Bedi, Asheesh; Magennis, Erin; Meyers, William C; Kelly, Bryan T

2012-10-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence of symptoms consistent with athletic pubalgia (AP) in athletes requiring surgical treatment for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) and the frequency of surgical treatment of both AP and FAI in this group of patients. Thirty-eight consecutive professional athletes, with a mean age of 31 years, underwent arthroscopic surgery for symptomatic FAI that limited their ability to play competitively. In all cases a cam and/or focal rim osteoplasty with labral refixation or debridement was performed. In 1 case concomitant intramuscular lengthening of the psoas was performed. Retrospective data regarding prior AP surgery and return to play were collected. Thirty-two percent of patients had previously undergone AP surgery, and 1 patient underwent AP surgery concomitantly with surgical treatment of FAI. No patient returned to his previous level of competition after isolated AP surgery. Thirty-nine percent had AP symptoms that resolved with FAI surgery alone. Of the 38 patients, 36 returned to their previous level of play; all 12 patients with combined AP and FAI surgery returned to professional competition. The mean duration before return to play was 5.9 months (range, 3 to 9 months) after arthroscopic surgery. There is a high incidence of symptoms of AP in professional athletes with FAI of the hip. This study draws attention to the overlap of these 2 diagnoses and highlights the importance of exercising caution in diagnosing AP in a patient with FAI. Level IV, therapeutic, retrospective case series. Copyright © 2012 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The relationship between approaches to study and academic performance among Australian undergraduate occupational therapy students.

PubMed

Brown, Ted; Murdolo, Yuki

2017-06-01

The academic success and degree completion of tertiary students depends on their academic performance (AP), commonly measured by the percentage grades for the units they complete. No research has examined whether occupational therapy students' approaches to study are predictive of their AP. This study investigated whether approaches to study were predictive of the AP among a group of Australian undergraduate occupational therapy students. A total of 376 undergraduate occupational therapy students completed the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST). Regression analysis was conducted using a range of demographic characteristics and the ASSIST scores as independent variables with students' self-reported by their self-reported mean percentage grade range (as a proxy indicator of their AP) as the dependent variable. The deep and the strategic approaches to study were not significantly correlated with occupational therapy students' AP. The ASSIST fear of failure subscale of the surface approach to study had a unique contribution to AP, accounting for 1.3% of its total variance. Occupational therapy students' year level of enrolment made a unique contribution to their AP, accounting for 4.2% of the total variance. Age and gender made a unique contribution to AP as well although their impact was small. Undergraduate occupational therapy students' approaches to study were predictive of their AP to a very limited degree. However, their AP was predicted by a number of demographic variables, including age, gender and year level of enrolment. Further study in this area is recommended. © 2016 Occupational Therapy Australia.

The Effect of Obstacle Training in Water on Static Balance of Chronic Stroke Patients

PubMed Central

Jung, JaeHyun; Lee, JiYeun; Chung, EunJung; Kim, Kyoung

2014-01-01

[Purpose] This study evaluated the effects of water and land-based obstacle training on static balance of chronic stroke patients. [Subjects] The subjects were randomly allocated to an aqua group (n=15) and a land group (n=15). [Methods] Both groups trained for 40 minutes, 3 times a week for 12 weeks. Static balance was assessed by measuring the mean velocities of mediolateral (ML) and anteroposterior (AP), and sway area with the eyes closed. [Results] Following the intervention, both groups showed significant changes in ML velocity, AP velocity, and sway area. The static balance of the aqua group was significantly better than the land group. [Conclusion] The results of this study suggest the feasibility and suitability of obstacle training in water for stroke patients. PMID:24707102

Alkaline phosphatase in nasal secretion of cattle: biochemical and molecular characterisation.

PubMed

Ghazali, M Faizal; Koh-Tan, H H Caline; McLaughlin, Mark; Montague, Paul; Jonsson, Nicholas N; Eckersall, P David

2014-09-05

Nasal secretion (NS) was investigated as a source of information regarding the mucosal and systemic immune status of cattle challenged by respiratory disease. A method for the collection of substantial volumes (~12 ml) of NS from cattle was developed to establish a reference range of analytes that are present in the NS of healthy cattle. Biochemical profiles of NS from a group of 38 healthy Holstein-Friesian cows revealed high alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity of up to 2392 IU/L. The character and source of the high activity of AP in bovine NS was investigated. Histochemical analysis confirmed the localization of the AP enzyme activity to epithelial cells and serous glands of the nasal respiratory mucosa. Analysis of mRNA levels from nasal mucosa by end point RT-PCR and PCR product sequencing confirmed that the AP was locally produced and is identical at the nucleotide level to the non-specific AP splice variant found in bovine liver, bone and kidney. Analysis by isoelectric focussing confirmed that AP was produced locally at a high level in nasal epithelium demonstrating that AP from nasal secretion and nasal mucosa had similar pI bands, though differing from those of the liver, kidney, bone and intestine, suggesting different post-translational modification (PTM) of AP in these tissues. A nasal isozyme of AP has been identified that is present at a high activity in NS, resulting from local production and showing distinctive PTM and may be active in NS as an anti-endotoxin mediator.

JANNAF 35th Combustion Subcommittee and 17th Propulsion Systems Hazards Subcommittee Meeting: Joint Sessions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fry, Ronald S. (Editor); Gannaway, Mary T. (Editor); Rognan, Melanie (Editor)

1998-01-01

This publication is a compilation of 15 unclassified/unlimited technical papers presented at the 1998 meeting of the Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force (JANNAF) Combustion Subcommittee (CS) and Propulsion Systems Hazards Subcommittee (PSHS) held jointly with the Airbreathing Propulsion Subcommittee (APS). The meeting was held on 7 - 11 December 1 998 at Raytheon Systems Company and the Marriott Hotel, Tucson, AZ. Topics covered include advanced ingredients and reaction kinetics in solid propellants and experimental diagnostic techniques.

Comparison of air-displacement plethysmography with hydrostatic weighing and bioelectrical impedance analysis for the assessment of body composition in healthy adults.

PubMed

Biaggi, R R; Vollman, M W; Nies, M A; Brener, C E; Flakoll, P J; Levenhagen, D K; Sun, M; Karabulut, Z; Chen, K Y

1999-05-01

Over the past decade, considerable attention has been paid to accurately measuring body composition in diverse populations. Recently, the use of air-displacement plethysmography (AP) was proposed as an accurate, comfortable, and accessible method of body-composition analysis. The purpose of this study was to compare measurements of percentage body fat (%BF) by AP and 2 other established techniques, hydrostatic weighing (HW) and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), in adults. The sample consisted of healthy men (n = 23) and women (n = 24). %BF was measured by AP, HW, and BIA. In the total group, %BF(AP) (25.0+/-8.9%) was not significantly different from %BF(HW) (25.1+/-7.7%) or %BF(BIA) (23.9+/-7.7%), and %BF(AP) was significantly correlated with %BF(HW) (r = 0.944, P < 0.001) and with %BF(BIA) (r = 0.859, P < 0.01). Compared with HW, AP underestimated %BF in men (by -1.24+/-3.12%) but overestimated %BF in women (by 1.02+/-2.48%), indicating a significant sex effect (P < 0.05). The differences in estimation between AP and BIA and between BIA and HW were not significantly different between the sexes. AP is an accurate method for assessing body composition in healthy adults. Future studies should assess further the cause of the individual variations with this new method.

Adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein, aP2, alters late atherosclerotic lesion formation in severe hypercholesterolemia.

PubMed

Boord, Jeffrey B; Maeda, Kazuhisa; Makowski, Liza; Babaev, Vladimir R; Fazio, Sergio; Linton, MacRae F; Hotamisligil, Gökhan S

2002-10-01

The adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein, aP2, has important effects on insulin resistance, lipid metabolism, and atherosclerosis. Its expression in macrophages enhances early foam cell formation and atherosclerosis in vivo. This study was designed to determine whether aP2 deficiency has a similar effect in the setting of advanced atherosclerosis and severe hypercholesterolemia. Mice deficient in aP2 and apolipoprotein E (aP2(-/-)apoE(-/-) mice) and apolipoprotein E-deficient control mice (apoE(-/-) mice) were fed a Western diet for 14 weeks. No significant differences in fasting serum levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, or free fatty acids were found between groups for each sex. Compared with apoE(-/-) control mice, male and female aP2(-/-)apoE(-/-) mice had significant reductions in mean atherosclerotic lesion size in the proximal aorta, en face aorta, and innominate/right carotid artery. Feeding the Western diet in the apoE-deficient background did not cause a significant reduction in insulin sensitivity in vivo, as determined by steady-state serum glucose levels and insulin tolerance testing. These data demonstrate an important role for aP2 expression in the advanced stages of atherosclerotic lesion formation. Thus, aP2 provides an important physiological link between different features of the metabolic syndrome and is a potential target for therapy of atherosclerosis.

Cardiovascular effects, induction and recovery characteristics and alfaxalone dose assessment in alfaxalone versus alfaxalone-fentanyl total intravenous anaesthesia in dogs.

PubMed

Dehuisser, Virginie; Bosmans, Tim; Kitshoff, Adriaan; Duchateau, Luc; de Rooster, Hilde; Polis, Ingeborgh

2017-11-01

To compare cardiovascular effects and anaesthetic quality of alfaxalone alone or in combination with a fentanyl constant rate infusion (CRI) when used for total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) in dogs. Prospective, blinded, randomized, experimental study. A group of 12 intact female dogs. Following intramuscular dexmedetomidine (10 μg kg -1 ) and methadone (0.1 mg kg -1 ) administration, anaesthesia was induced intravenously with alfaxalone (2 mg kg -1 ) (group AP) or alfaxalone (2 mg kg -1 ) preceded by fentanyl (2 μg kg -1 ) (group AF). Anaesthetic maintenance was obtained with an alfaxalone variable rate infusion (VRI) started at 0.15 mg kg -1 minute -1 (group AP) or an alfaxalone VRI (same starting rate) combined with a CRI of fentanyl (10 μg kg -1 hour -1 ) (group AF). The alfaxalone VRI was adjusted every 5 minutes, based on clinical assessment. Cardiovascular parameters (recorded every 5 minutes) and recovery characteristics (using a numerical rating scale) were compared between groups. A mixed model statistical approach was used to compare the mean VRI alfaxalone dose and cardiovascular parameters between groups; recovery scores were analysed using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test (α = 0.05). The mean CRI alfaxalone dose for anaesthetic maintenance differed significantly between treatments [0.16 ± 0.01 mg kg -1 minute -1 (group AP) versus 0.13 ± 0.01 mg kg -1 minute -1 (group AF)]. Overall heart rate, systolic, mean and diastolic arterial pressures were lower in group AF than in group AP (p < 0.0001, p = 0.0058, p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001, respectively. Recovery quality scores did not differ significantly and were poor in both groups. In combination with a fentanyl CRI, an alfaxalone TIVA provides a cardiovascular stable anaesthesia in dogs. The addition of fentanyl results in a significant dose reduction. The quality of anaesthetic recovery remains poor. Copyright © 2017 Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists and American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ethnic and Gender Differences in Advanced Placement Exam Performance: A Multiyear National Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Maria Alexander

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze ethnic and gender differences in Advanced Placement (AP) exam performance of U.S. high school students. Specifically, the extent to which differences exist in overall AP exam performance scores within and between four ethnic groups (i.e., Asian, Black, Hispanic, and White) was investigated. Within…

Military Assistance Advisory Group-Vietnam (1954-1963): The Battle of Ap Bac

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-08

division that could have scored a victory had it not been led by pusillanimous officers.233 — Stanley Karnow, Vietnam: A History The above quote...Department of Defense assets. Captain Ly Tong Ba Commanded the 4th Squadron 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment during the Battle of Ap Bac. The squadron was...

Metal-backed versus all-polyethylene tibial components in primary total knee arthroplasty

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background and purpose The choice of either all-polyethylene (AP) tibial components or metal-backed (MB) tibial components in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains controversial. We therefore performed a meta-analysis and systematic review of randomized controlled trials that have evaluated MB and AP tibial components in primary TKA. Methods The search strategy included a computerized literature search (Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) and a manual search of major orthopedic journals. A meta-analysis and systematic review of randomized or quasi-randomized trials that compared the performance of tibial components in primary TKA was performed using a fixed or random effects model. We assessed the methodological quality of studies using Detsky quality scale. Results 9 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2000 and 2009 met the inclusion quality standards for the systematic review. The mean standardized Detsky score was 14 (SD 3). We found that the frequency of radiolucent lines in the MB group was significantly higher than that in the AP group. There were no statistically significant differences between the MB and AP tibial components regarding component positioning, knee score, knee range of motion, quality of life, and postoperative complications. Interpretation Based on evidence obtained from this study, the AP tibial component was comparable with or better than the MB tibial component in TKA. However, high-quality RCTs are required to validate the results. PMID:21895503

ITC-CMA partnership and data needs for alkylphenols and ethoxylates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rattner, B.A.; Rice, C.P.; Walker, J.D.

1996-01-01

The ITC has been an independent advisory committee to the EPA Administrator since enactment of the Toxics Substances Control Act (TSCA) in 1976. The ITC identifies and coordinates U.S. Government data needs for TSCA-regulable chemicals, and makes recommendations to the Administrator for priority testing consideration. Chemicals recommended by the ITC are added to the TSCA Priority Testing List that is revised semi-annually in Reports to the Administrator. In recent Reports, the ITC added alkylphenols (APs) and ethoxylates to the Priority Testing List. About 500 million pounds are produced annually for industrial processing, cleaning and personal care products. APs have been detected in the tissues of fish from the Great Lakes, and one AP (nonylphenol) causes vitellogenin gene expression in trout hepatocytes. Numerous APs and ethoxylates were recommended by the ITC because data are needed on: (1) chemical composition, (2) environmental fate of parent chemicals and impurities, and (3) health and ecological effects (including toxicokinetics and endocrine-modulating effects). In response to the ITC's recommendations, two activities have ensued. First, the EPA promulgated rules requiring manufacturers, importers and processors of APs and ethoxylates to submit production and exposure reports, and unpublished health and safety studies, for review. Second, the Alkylphenols and Ethoxylates Panel of Chemical Manufacturers Association (CMA) and the ITC formed a Dialogue Group to discuss the data needs. Data needs and activities initiated by the Dialogue Group will be presented.

Genome-Wide Investigation and Expression Profiling of AP2/ERF Transcription Factor Superfamily in Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica L.)

PubMed Central

Lata, Charu; Mishra, Awdhesh Kumar; Muthamilarasan, Mehanathan; Bonthala, Venkata Suresh; Khan, Yusuf; Prasad, Manoj

2014-01-01

The APETALA2/ethylene-responsive element binding factor (AP2/ERF) family is one of the largest transcription factor (TF) families in plants that includes four major sub-families, namely AP2, DREB (dehydration responsive element binding), ERF (ethylene responsive factors) and RAV (Related to ABI3/VP). AP2/ERFs are known to play significant roles in various plant processes including growth and development and biotic and abiotic stress responses. Considering this, a comprehensive genome-wide study was conducted in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.). A total of 171 AP2/ERF genes were identified by systematic sequence analysis and were physically mapped onto nine chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis grouped AP2/ERF genes into six classes (I to VI). Duplication analysis revealed that 12 (∼7%) SiAP2/ERF genes were tandem repeated and 22 (∼13%) were segmentally duplicated. Comparative physical mapping between foxtail millet AP2/ERF genes and its orthologs of sorghum (18 genes), maize (14 genes), rice (9 genes) and Brachypodium (6 genes) showed the evolutionary insights of AP2/ERF gene family and also the decrease in orthology with increase in phylogenetic distance. The evolutionary significance in terms of gene-duplication and divergence was analyzed by estimating synonymous and non-synonymous substitution rates. Expression profiling of candidate AP2/ERF genes against drought, salt and phytohormones revealed insights into their precise and/or overlapping expression patterns which could be responsible for their functional divergence in foxtail millet. The study showed that the genes SiAP2/ERF-069, SiAP2/ERF-103 and SiAP2/ERF-120 may be considered as potential candidate genes for further functional validation as well for utilization in crop improvement programs for stress resistance since these genes were up-regulated under drought and salinity stresses in ABA dependent manner. Altogether the present study provides new insights into evolution, divergence and systematic functional analysis of AP2/ERF gene family at genome level in foxtail millet which may be utilized for improving stress adaptation and tolerance in millets, cereals and bioenergy grasses. PMID:25409524

Intestinal alkaline phosphatase in the colonic mucosa of children with inflammatory bowel disease

PubMed Central

Molnár, Kriszta; Vannay, Ádám; Szebeni, Beáta; Bánki, Nóra Fanni; Sziksz, Erna; Cseh, Áron; Győrffy, Hajnalka; Lakatos, Péter László; Papp, Mária; Arató, András; Veres, Gábor

2012-01-01

AIM: To investigate intestinal alkaline phosphatase (iAP) in the intestinal mucosa of children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). METHODS: Colonic biopsy samples were taken from 15 newly diagnosed IBD patients and from 10 healthy controls. In IBD patients, specimens were obtained both from inflamed and non-inflamed areas. The iAP mRNA and protein expression was determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting analysis, respectively. Tissue localization of iAP and Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 was investigated by immunofluorescent staining. RESULTS: The iAP protein level in the inflamed mucosa of children with Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) was significantly decreased when compared with controls (both P < 0.05). Similarly, we found a significantly decreased level of iAP protein in the inflamed mucosa in CD compared with non-inflamed mucosa in CD (P < 0.05). In addition, the iAP protein level in inflamed colonic mucosa in patients with UC was decreased compared with non-inflamed mucosa in patients with CD (P < 0.05). iAP protein levels in the non-inflamed mucosa of patients with CD were similar to controls. iAP mRNA expression in inflamed colonic mucosa of children with CD and UC was not significantly different from that in non-inflamed colonic mucosa with CD. Expression of iAP mRNA in patients with non-inflamed mucosa and in controls were similar. Co-localization of iAP with TLR4 showed intense staining with a dotted-like pattern. iAP was present in the inflamed and non-inflamed mucosa of patients with CD, UC, and in control biopsy specimens, irrespective of whether it was present in the terminal ileum or in the colon. However, the fluorescent signal of TLR4 was more pronounced in the colon compared with the terminal ileum in all groups studied. CONCLUSION: Lower than normal iAP protein levels in inflamed mucosa of IBD patients may indicate a role for iAP in inflammatory lesions in IBD. Based on our results, administration of exogenous iAP enzyme to patients with the active form of IBD may be a therapeutic option. PMID:22783049

Genome-wide investigation and expression profiling of AP2/ERF transcription factor superfamily in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.).

PubMed

Lata, Charu; Mishra, Awdhesh Kumar; Muthamilarasan, Mehanathan; Bonthala, Venkata Suresh; Khan, Yusuf; Prasad, Manoj

2014-01-01

The APETALA2/ethylene-responsive element binding factor (AP2/ERF) family is one of the largest transcription factor (TF) families in plants that includes four major sub-families, namely AP2, DREB (dehydration responsive element binding), ERF (ethylene responsive factors) and RAV (Related to ABI3/VP). AP2/ERFs are known to play significant roles in various plant processes including growth and development and biotic and abiotic stress responses. Considering this, a comprehensive genome-wide study was conducted in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.). A total of 171 AP2/ERF genes were identified by systematic sequence analysis and were physically mapped onto nine chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis grouped AP2/ERF genes into six classes (I to VI). Duplication analysis revealed that 12 (∼7%) SiAP2/ERF genes were tandem repeated and 22 (∼13%) were segmentally duplicated. Comparative physical mapping between foxtail millet AP2/ERF genes and its orthologs of sorghum (18 genes), maize (14 genes), rice (9 genes) and Brachypodium (6 genes) showed the evolutionary insights of AP2/ERF gene family and also the decrease in orthology with increase in phylogenetic distance. The evolutionary significance in terms of gene-duplication and divergence was analyzed by estimating synonymous and non-synonymous substitution rates. Expression profiling of candidate AP2/ERF genes against drought, salt and phytohormones revealed insights into their precise and/or overlapping expression patterns which could be responsible for their functional divergence in foxtail millet. The study showed that the genes SiAP2/ERF-069, SiAP2/ERF-103 and SiAP2/ERF-120 may be considered as potential candidate genes for further functional validation as well for utilization in crop improvement programs for stress resistance since these genes were up-regulated under drought and salinity stresses in ABA dependent manner. Altogether the present study provides new insights into evolution, divergence and systematic functional analysis of AP2/ERF gene family at genome level in foxtail millet which may be utilized for improving stress adaptation and tolerance in millets, cereals and bioenergy grasses.

Analytical performance specifications for external quality assessment - definitions and descriptions.

PubMed

Jones, Graham R D; Albarede, Stephanie; Kesseler, Dagmar; MacKenzie, Finlay; Mammen, Joy; Pedersen, Morten; Stavelin, Anne; Thelen, Marc; Thomas, Annette; Twomey, Patrick J; Ventura, Emma; Panteghini, Mauro

2017-06-27

External Quality Assurance (EQA) is vital to ensure acceptable analytical quality in medical laboratories. A key component of an EQA scheme is an analytical performance specification (APS) for each measurand that a laboratory can use to assess the extent of deviation of the obtained results from the target value. A consensus conference held in Milan in 2014 has proposed three models to set APS and these can be applied to setting APS for EQA. A goal arising from this conference is the harmonisation of EQA APS between different schemes to deliver consistent quality messages to laboratories irrespective of location and the choice of EQA provider. At this time there are wide differences in the APS used in different EQA schemes for the same measurands. Contributing factors to this variation are that the APS in different schemes are established using different criteria, applied to different types of data (e.g. single data points, multiple data points), used for different goals (e.g. improvement of analytical quality; licensing), and with the aim of eliciting different responses from participants. This paper provides recommendations from the European Federation of Laboratory Medicine (EFLM) Task and Finish Group on Performance Specifications for External Quality Assurance Schemes (TFG-APSEQA) and on clear terminology for EQA APS. The recommended terminology covers six elements required to understand APS: 1) a statement on the EQA material matrix and its commutability; 2) the method used to assign the target value; 3) the data set to which APS are applied; 4) the applicable analytical property being assessed (i.e. total error, bias, imprecision, uncertainty); 5) the rationale for the selection of the APS; and 6) the type of the Milan model(s) used to set the APS. The terminology is required for EQA participants and other interested parties to understand the meaning of meeting or not meeting APS.

Effect of the 3-halo substitution of the 2'-deoxy aminopyridinyl-pseudocytidine derivatives on the selectivity and stability of antiparallel triplex DNA with a CG inversion site.

PubMed

Wang, Lei; Taniguchi, Yosuke; Okamura, Hidenori; Sasaki, Shigeki

2017-07-15

Triplex formation against a target duplex DNA has the potential to become a tool for the genome research. However, there is an intrinsic restriction on the duplex DNA sequences capable of forming the triplex DNA. Recently, we demonstrated the selective formation of the stable antiparallel triplexes containing the CG inversion sites using the 2'-deoxy-1-methylpseudocytidine derivative (ΨdC), whose amino group was conjugated with the 2-aminopyridine at its 5-position as an additional hydrogen bonding unit (AP-ΨdC). The 1-N of 2-aminopyridine was supposed to be protonated to form the hydrogen bond with the guanine of the CG inversion site. In this study, to test the effect of the 3-substitution of the 2-aminopyridine unit of AP-ΨdC on the triplex stability, we synthesized the 3-halogenated 2-aminopyridine derivatives of AP-ΨdC. The pKa values 1-N of the 2-aminopyridine unit of AP-ΨdC as the monomer nucleoside were determined to be 6.3 for 3-CH 3 ( Me AP-ΨdC), 6.1 for 3-H (AP-ΨdC), 4.3 for 3-Cl ( Cl AP-ΨdC), 4.4 for 3-Br ( Br AP-ΨdC), and 4.7 for 3-I ( I AP-ΨdC), suggesting that all the halogenated AP-ΨdCs are not protonated under neutral conditions. Interestingly, although the recognition selectivity depends on the sequence context, the TFO having the sequence of the 3'-G-( I AP-ΨdC)-A-5' context showed the selective triplex formation with the CG inversion site. These results suggest that the protonation at the 1-N position plays an important role in the stable and selective triplex formation of AP-ΨdC derivatives in any sequences. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance, Physiological, and Acceptance Tests of a 1500 KCAL emergency/Assault Food Packet Diet in a Cold Weather Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-11-01

acket (E/AP) and to assess performance and physiological effects of t he ration at two different ca loric levels. During a f ive-day exercise in a...PACKET FIELD FEEDING RAT IONS DIET(S) PHYSIOLOG ICAL EMERGENCY RATIONS COMPRESSED FOODS TESTS FREEZE DRIED FOODS COLD WEATH ER PERFORMANCE...cold-weather climate, one group of Marines was issued the standard C ration (3550 kca l) while half of a second group were issued one E/AP per day

Health in All Urban Policy: city services through the prism of health.

PubMed

Corburn, Jason; Curl, Shasa; Arredondo, Gabino; Malagon, Jonathan

2014-08-01

In April, 2014, the City of Richmond, California, became one of the first and only municipalities in the USA to adopt a Health in All Policies (HiAP) ordinance and strategy. HiAP is increasingly recognized as an important method for ensuring policy making outside the health sector addresses the determinants of health and social equity. A central challenge facing HiAP is how to integrate community knowledge and health equity considerations into the agendas of policymakers who have not previously considered health as their responsibility or view the value of such an approach. In Richmond, the HiAP strategy has an explicit focus on equity and guides city services from budgeting to built and social environment programs. We describe the evolution of Richmond's HiAP strategy and its content. We highlight how this urban HiAP was the result of the coproduction of science policy. Coproduction includes participatory processes where different public stakeholders, scientific experts, and government sector leaders come together to jointly generate policy goals, health equity metrics, and policy drafting and implementation strategies. We conclude with some insights for how city governments might consider HiAP as an approach to achieve "targeted universalism," or the idea that general population health goals can be achieved by targeting actions and improvements for specific vulnerable groups and places.

Periapical and endodontic status of type 2 diabetic patients in Catalonia, Spain: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

López-López, José; Jané-Salas, Enric; Estrugo-Devesa, Albert; Velasco-Ortega, Eugenio; Martín-González, Jenifer; Segura-Egea, Juan José

2011-05-01

The aim of this study was to investigate radiographically the prevalence of apical periodontitis (AP) and endodontic treatment in a sample of adult type II diabetic patients and control subjects. In a cross-sectional study, the radiographic records of 50 adult patients reporting a history of well-controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) (study group) and 50 age- and sex-matched subjects who reported no history of DM (control group) were examined. Periapical status of all teeth was assessed using the periapical index score. The average number of teeth per patient in the diabetic and control groups was 21.9 and 24.6 teeth, respectively (P = .012). AP in one or more teeth was found in 37 diabetic patients (74%) and in 21 control subjects (42%) (odds ratio = 3.9, P = .002). One or more root-filled teeth were found in 35 (70%) and 25 (50%) of diabetic and control subjects, respectively (odds ratio = 2.3, P = .043). Among diabetic patients with root-filled teeth, 16 (46%) had AP affecting at least one treated tooth. Among controls with root-filled teeth, 6 (24%) had AP affecting at least one treated tooth (P > .05). Adjusting for teeth number, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that periapical status (odds ratio = 3.3, P = .0071) and the number of root-filled teeth (odds ratio = 1.7; P = .0035) were significantly associated with diabetic status. The results showed that in adult patients, type 2 DM is significantly associated with an increased prevalence of AP and endodontic treatment. Copyright © 2011 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Autonomic modulation of arterial pressure and heart rate variability in hypertensive diabetic rats.

PubMed

Farah, Vera de Moura Azevedo; De Angelis, Kátia; Joaquim, Luis Fernando; Candido, Georgia O; Bernardes, Nathalia; Fazan, Rubens; Schaan, Beatriz D'Agord; Irigoyen, Maria-Claudia

2007-08-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the autonomic modulation of the cardiovascular system in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), evaluating baroreflex sensitivity and arterial pressure and heart rate variability. Male SHR were divided in control (SHR) and diabetic (SHR+DM, 5 days after STZ) groups. Arterial pressure (AP) and baroreflex sensitivity (evaluated by tachycardic and bradycardic responses to changes in AP) were monitored. Autoregressive spectral estimation was performed for systolic AP (SAP) and pulse interval (PI) with oscillatory components quantified as low (LF:0.2-0.6Hz) and high (HF:0.6-3.0Hz) frequency ranges. Mean AP and heart rate in SHR+DM (131+/-3 mmHg and 276+/-6 bpm) were lower than in SHR (160+/-7 mmHg and 330+/-8 bpm). Baroreflex bradycardia was lower in SHR+DM as compared to SHR (0.55+/-0.1 vs. 0.97+/-0.1 bpm/mmHg). Overall SAP variability in the time domain (standard deviation of beat-by-beat time series of SAP) was lower in SHR+DM (3.1+/-0.2 mmHg) than in SHR (5.7+/-0.6 mmHg). The standard deviation of the PI was similar between groups. Diabetes reduced the LF of SAP (3.3+/-0.8 vs. 28.7+/-7.6 mmHg2 in SHR), while HF of SAP were unchanged. The power of oscillatory components of PI did not differ between groups. These results show that the association of hypertension and diabetes causes an impairment of the peripheral cardiovascular sympathetic modulation that could be, at least in part, responsible for the reduction in AP levels. Moreover, this study demonstrates that diabetes might actually impair the reduced buffer function of the baroreceptors while reducing blood pressure.

Absolute pitch: evidence for early cognitive facilitation during passive listening as revealed by reduced P3a amplitudes.

PubMed

Rogenmoser, Lars; Elmer, Stefan; Jäncke, Lutz

2015-03-01

Absolute pitch (AP) is the rare ability to identify or produce different pitches without using reference tones. At least two sequential processing stages are assumed to contribute to this phenomenon. The first recruits a pitch memory mechanism at an early stage of auditory processing, whereas the second is driven by a later cognitive mechanism (pitch labeling). Several investigations have used active tasks, but it is unclear how these two mechanisms contribute to AP during passive listening. The present work investigated the temporal dynamics of tone processing in AP and non-AP (NAP) participants by using EEG. We applied a passive oddball paradigm with between- and within-tone category manipulations and analyzed the MMN reflecting the early stage of auditory processing and the P3a response reflecting the later cognitive mechanism during the second processing stage. Results did not reveal between-group differences in MMN waveforms. By contrast, the P3a response was specifically associated with AP and sensitive to the processing of different pitch types. Specifically, AP participants exhibited smaller P3a amplitudes, especially in between-tone category conditions, and P3a responses correlated significantly with the age of commencement of musical training, suggesting an influence of early musical exposure on AP. Our results reinforce the current opinion that the representation of pitches at the processing level of the auditory-related cortex is comparable among AP and NAP participants, whereas the later processing stage is critical for AP. Results are interpreted as reflecting cognitive facilitation in AP participants, possibly driven by the availability of multiple codes for tones.

Photochemical Transformation and Phototoxicity of 1-Aminopyrene

PubMed Central

Zeng, Kui; Hwang, Huey-Min; Dong, Shiming; Shi, Xiaochun; Wilson, Kaneytta; Green, Jacinta; Jiao, Yuguo; Yu, Hongtao

2013-01-01

1-Aminopyrene (1-AP) is an environmental mutagen and a metabolite of the mutagenic environmental pollutant, 1-nitropyrene (1-NO2P). Upon light irradiation, 1-AP transforms into oxidation products with a half-life of 7.1 min in 10% methanolic buffer. The presence of free radical/singlet oxygen scavengers DTT, histidine, or NaN3, slows down 1-AP photochemical reaction. The reaction is also slower in the presence of DNA. The photoproducts identified include 1-hydroxyaminopyrene, 1-nitrosopyrene, 1-NO2P, 1-amino-x-hydroxypyrene, and three covalent dimers. The progressive oxidation of the amino group to hydroxyamino, nitroso, and finally nitro is the reverse of the enzymatic reduction of 1-NO2P in living systems. Since it is known that 1-NO2P and 1-nitrosopyrene are genotoxic and 1-hydroxyaminopyrnene can react with DNA to form covalent adducts, the toxicity of 1-AP and its photoproducts and light-induced DNA covalent adduct formation were studied. Using Mutatox® Test, it is found that the lowest effective observable concentrations for 1-AP, 1-AP photoproducts, and 1-NO2P are 1.25, 10, and NA (not applicable) in the direct medium (no S-9) and NA, 5, and 0.625 μM in the S-9 medium, respectively. Therefore, 1-AP photoproducts are more genotoxic than 1-AP itself in the S-9 medium and more mutagenic than 1-NO2P in the direct medium. Thus 1-NO2P alone cannot account for all the mutagenicity of the photoproducts. Irradiation of 1-AP together with DNA leads to covalent DNA adduct formation possibly via the 1-hydroxyaminopyrene intermediate. This suggests that photolysis not only transforms 1-AP into more mutagenic compounds, but also forms DNA covalent adducts. PMID:15376525

Neuropsychological correlates of transcription factor AP-2Beta, and its interaction with COMT and MAOA in healthy females.

PubMed

Schabram, Ina; Eggermann, Thomas; Siegel, Steven J; Gründer, Gerhard; Zerres, Klaus; Vernaleken, Ingo

2013-01-01

The transcription factor AP-2β has been shown to impact clinical and neuropsychological properties. Apparently, it regulates the transcription of genes that code for molecules which are part of the catecholaminergic transmission system. This investigation focuses on possible effects of the transcription factor AP-2β intron 2 polymorphism on cognitive performance parameters. This hypothesis-driven investigation examined the effects and interactions of the transcription factor AP-2β intron 2 polymorphism, the Val158Met catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) polymorphism, and the variable number of tandem repeat polymorphism of monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) on cognitive performance parameters within a group of 200 healthy women (age: mean ± SD, 23.93 ± 3.33 years). The AP-2β polymorphism significantly influenced cognitive performance (in particular, the Trail Making Test part B), whereas the MAOA and COMT polymorphisms did not. However, there was an interaction effect of the AP-2β × MAOA × COMT genotypes on the decision bias β of the degraded-stimulus version of the continuous performance task. Only the Val158Met COMT polymorphism showed an influence on personality questionnaires (openness and self-transcendence; NEO Five-Factor Inventory, Temperament and Character Inventory). The transcription factor AP-2β intron 2 polymorphism had more influence on cognition than the MAOA and COMT polymorphisms. Possibly, the AP-2β genotype might influence cognition through pathways other than those that regulate MAOA and COMT transcription. Interactions of transcription factor AP-2β, COMT, and MAOA polymorphisms suggest higher leverage effects of transcription factor AP-2β in subjects with high dopamine availability. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Feasibility and clinical utility of the Japanese version of the Abbey pain scale in Japanese aged care.

PubMed

Takai, Yukari; Yamamoto-Mitani, Noriko; Chiba, Yumi; Kato, Ayako

2014-06-01

Active usage of observational pain scales in Japanese aged-care facilities has not been previously described. Therefore, to examine the feasibility and clinical utility of the Abbey Pain Scale-Japanese version (APS-J), this study examined the interrater reliability of the APS-J among a researcher, nurses, and care workers in aged-care facilities in Japan. This study also aimed to obtain nurses' and care workers' opinions on use of the scale. The following data were collected from 88 residents of two aged-care facilities: demographics, Barthel Index, Folstein Mini-Mental Examination (MMSE), 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), and APS-J for pain. The researchers, nurses, and care workers independently assessed the residents' pain by using the APS-J, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for interrater reliability and Cronbach alpha for internal consistency were examined. The ICC between researchers and nurses, researchers and care workers, and nurses and care workers were 0.68, 0.74, and 0.76, respectively. Nurses and care workers were invited for focus group interviews to obtain their opinions regarding APS-J use. During these interviews, nurses and care workers stated that the observational points of APS-J subscales were the criteria they normally used to evaluate residents' pain. Several nurses and care workers reported a gap between the estimated pain intensity and APS-J score. Unclear APS-J criteria, difficulties in observing residents, and insufficient practice guidelines were also reported. Our findings indicate that the APS-J has moderate reliability and clinically utility. To facilitate APS-J usage, education and clinical guidelines for pain management may be required for nurses and care workers. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A four-component model of the action potential in mouse detrusor smooth muscle cell

PubMed Central

Brain, Keith L.; Young, John S.; Manchanda, Rohit

2018-01-01

Background and hypothesis Detrusor smooth muscle cells (DSMCs) of the urinary bladder are electrically connected to one another via gap junctions and form a three dimensional syncytium. DSMCs exhibit spontaneous electrical activity, including passive depolarizations and action potentials. The shapes of spontaneous action potentials (sAPs) observed from a single DSM cell can vary widely. The biophysical origins of this variability, and the precise components which contribute to the complex shapes observed are not known. To address these questions, the basic components which constitute the sAPs were investigated. We hypothesized that linear combinations of scaled versions of these basic components can produce sAP shapes observed in the syncytium. Methods and results The basic components were identified as spontaneous evoked junction potentials (sEJP), native AP (nAP), slow after hyperpolarization (sAHP) and very slow after hyperpolarization (vsAHP). The experimental recordings were grouped into two sets: a training data set and a testing data set. A training set was used to estimate the components, and a test set to evaluate the efficiency of the estimated components. We found that a linear combination of the identified components when appropriately amplified and time shifted replicated various AP shapes to a high degree of similarity, as quantified by the root mean square error (RMSE) measure. Conclusions We conclude that the four basic components—sEJP, nAP, sAHP, and vsAHP—identified and isolated in this work are necessary and sufficient to replicate all varieties of the sAPs recorded experimentally in DSMCs. This model has the potential to generate testable hypotheses that can help identify the physiological processes underlying various features of the sAPs. Further, this model also provides a means to classify the sAPs into various shape classes. PMID:29351282

A four-component model of the action potential in mouse detrusor smooth muscle cell.

PubMed

Padmakumar, Mithun; Brain, Keith L; Young, John S; Manchanda, Rohit

2018-01-01

Detrusor smooth muscle cells (DSMCs) of the urinary bladder are electrically connected to one another via gap junctions and form a three dimensional syncytium. DSMCs exhibit spontaneous electrical activity, including passive depolarizations and action potentials. The shapes of spontaneous action potentials (sAPs) observed from a single DSM cell can vary widely. The biophysical origins of this variability, and the precise components which contribute to the complex shapes observed are not known. To address these questions, the basic components which constitute the sAPs were investigated. We hypothesized that linear combinations of scaled versions of these basic components can produce sAP shapes observed in the syncytium. The basic components were identified as spontaneous evoked junction potentials (sEJP), native AP (nAP), slow after hyperpolarization (sAHP) and very slow after hyperpolarization (vsAHP). The experimental recordings were grouped into two sets: a training data set and a testing data set. A training set was used to estimate the components, and a test set to evaluate the efficiency of the estimated components. We found that a linear combination of the identified components when appropriately amplified and time shifted replicated various AP shapes to a high degree of similarity, as quantified by the root mean square error (RMSE) measure. We conclude that the four basic components-sEJP, nAP, sAHP, and vsAHP-identified and isolated in this work are necessary and sufficient to replicate all varieties of the sAPs recorded experimentally in DSMCs. This model has the potential to generate testable hypotheses that can help identify the physiological processes underlying various features of the sAPs. Further, this model also provides a means to classify the sAPs into various shape classes.

A prospective study on the effectiveness of cotton versus waterproof cast padding in maintaining the reduction of pediatric distal forearm fractures.

PubMed

Robert, Christopher E; Jiang, Jimmy J; Khoury, Joseph G

2011-03-01

Distal forearm fractures, one of the most common fractures seen in the pediatric population, are regularly treated by closed reduction and casting. Our study investigates the effectiveness of Gore-Tex-lined casting in maintaining the reduction of 100% displaced distal forearm fractures compared with traditional cotton-lined casts. We screened all patients from February 2007 to July 2009 who presented to Children's Hospital in Birmingham, AL with a distal radius fracture. Only patients with 100% displaced distal radius fractures were eligible to be assigned to either the cotton-lined or Gore-Tex-lined cast groups. Power analysis was performed to identify an adequate patient sample size. The mean maximum change between initial post-reduction x-rays and follow-up x-rays for anterior-posterior (AP) angulation, AP displacement, lateral angulation, and lateral displacement of the radius were calculated for both cotton and Gore-Tex groups. The rate of subsequent intervention and/or unacceptable results for each group was also analyzed. Seven hundred and twenty-two patients were treated with distal radius fractures at our hospital with 59 patients eligible for inclusion in our study. Thirty-six of our patients were treated with cotton-lined casts, and 23 patients were treated with Gore-Tex-lined cast. The mean maximum change in AP angulation, AP displacement, lateral angulation, and lateral displacement of the radius after initial reduction was 9.2 degrees, 6.9%, 13.9 degrees, and 13.6%, respectively, for the cotton-lined cast group and 7.7 degrees, 6.1%, 14.6 degrees, and 9.6%, respectively, for the Gore-Tex-lined cast group. There were no statistical differences between the means of the 4 measurements (P=0.33, 0.69, 0.73, and 0.10, respectively). There were also no significant differences between groups for final AP and lateral angulation and displacement. Subgroup analysis showed no significant differences in all measurements between cotton and Gore-Tex groups. Gore-Tex and cotton-lined casts are equally effective in their ability to maintain the reduction of 100% displaced distal forearm fractures. Thus, Gore-Tex-lined casts can be offered to pediatric patients immediately after closed reduction of distal radius fractures of any severity. Therapeutic level II.

Online anatomy and physiology: piloting the use of an anatomy and physiology e-book-VLE hybrid in pre-registration and post-qualifying nursing programmes at the University of Salford.

PubMed

Raynor, Michael; Iggulden, Helen

2008-06-01

Anatomy and physiology (A&P) teaching and learning in nursing curricula poses problems for educators because of the often varying levels of students' background knowledge. This study reports on a pilot project that attempted to normalize these differentials by delivering A&P teaching using an online interactive e-book-virtual learning environment (VLE) hybrid. Evaluate the effectiveness of using an online interactive resource to deliver A&P teaching. Data were collected from pre-registration and post-qualifying students by questionnaire and observation, and from lecturers by structured interviews. Scale-up issues were identified and documented as part of support for the ongoing pilot. The pre-registration group encountered problems accessing the resource and yielded evidence to suggest that inexperienced learners require a high level of direction to use the resource effectively. The post-qualifying group benefited from the resource's interactive elements and 24/7 availability. There was clear evidence that the group were able to relate knowledge gained from the resource to practice. This hybrid has great potential to add value to A&P learning on nursing programmes at post-qualifying level. The resource could replace its printed equivalent; however, negotiations need to take place between institutions and publishers in order to resolve scale-up issues.

Effects of attention bias modification with short and long stimulus-duration: A randomized experiment with individuals with subclinical social anxiety.

PubMed

Liang, Chi-Wen; Hsu, Wen-Yau

2016-06-30

This study investigated the differential effects of two attention bias modification (ABM) with different stimulus durations. Seventy-two undergraduates with subclinical social anxiety were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: an ABM condition with either a 100-ms or a 500-ms stimulus duration (ABM-100/ ABM-500) or an attention placebo (AP) condition with either a 100-ms or a 500-ms stimulus duration (AP-100/ AP-500). Participants completed the pre-assessments, eight attentional training sessions, and post-assessments. A modified Posner paradigm was used to assess changes in attentional processing. After completion of attentional training, the ABM-100 group significantly speeded up their responses to 100-ms invalid trials, regardless of the word type. The ABM-100 group also exhibited significant reduced latencies to 500-ms invalid social threat trials and a marginally significant reduced latencies to 500-ms invalid neutral trials. The ABM-500 group showed significant reduced latencies to 500-ms invalid social threat trials. Both ABMs significantly reduced participants' fear of negative evaluations and interactional anxiousness relative to their comparative AP. The effects on social anxiety did not differ between the two ABMs. This study suggests that although both ABMs using short and long stimulus durations reduce some aspects of social anxiety, they influence participants' attentional disengagement in different ways. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

pH at the micellar interface: synthesis of pH probes derived from salicylic acid, acid-base dissociation in sodium dodecyl sulfate micelles, and Poisson-Boltzmann simulation.

PubMed

Souza, T P; Zanette, D; Kawanami, A E; de Rezende, L; Ishiki, H M; do Amaral, A T; Chaimovich, H; Agostinho-Neto, A; Cuccovia, I M

2006-05-01

The study of the H+ concentration at the micellar interface is a convenient system for modeling the distribution of H+ at interfaces. We have synthesized salicylic acid derivatives to analyze the proton dissociation of both the carboxylic and phenol groups of the probes, determining spectrophotometrically the apparent pK(a)'s (pK(ap)) in sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS, micelles with and without added salt. The synthesized probes were 2-hydroxy-5-(2-trimethylammoniumacetyl)benzoate; 2-hydroxy-5-(2-dimethylhexadecylammoniumacetyl)benzoate; 2-hydroxy-5-(2-dimethylhexadecylammoniumhexanoyl)benzoate; 2-hydroxy-5-(2-dimethylhexadecylammoniumundecanoyl)benzoate; 2-hydroxy-5-acetylbenzoic acid; and 2-hydroxy-5-dodecanoylbenzoic acid. Upon incorporation into SDS micelles the pK(ap)'s of both carboxylic and phenol groups increased by ca. 3 pH units and NaCl addition caused a decrease in the probe-incorporated pK(ap). The experimental results were fitted with a cell model Poisson-Boltzmann (P-B) equation taking in consideration the effect of salt on the aggregation number of SDS and using the distance of the dissociating group as a parameter. The conformations of the probes were analyzed theoretically using two dielectric constants, e.g., 2 and 78. Both the P-B analysis and conformation calculations can be interpreted by assuming that the acid groups dissociate very close to, or at, the interface. Our results are consistent with the assumption that the intrinsic pK(a)'s of both carboxylic and phenol groups of the salicylic acid probes used here can be taken as those in water. Using this assumption the micellar and salt effects on the pK(ap)'s of the (trialkylammonium)benzoate probes were described accurately using a cell model P-B analysis.

Postural control strategies related to anticipatory perturbation and quick perturbation in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

PubMed

Kuo, Fang-Chuan; Hong, Chang-Zern; Lai, Chung-Liang; Tan, Shih-Hsin

2011-05-01

Cross-sectional study. To investigate the automatic balance correction related to anticipatory perturbation (AP) and quick backward perturbation in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Most previous studies on AIS patients focused on posture sway and lacked analysis of muscle activated patterns in dynamic standing control. Thirty-two AIS patients and 23 age-matched normal subjects received perturbation balance tests on an unstable platform. The tilting angle of the platform and the muscle activity of the bilateral lumbar multifidi, gluteus medii, and gastrocnemii muscles were recorded. Electromyographic (EMG) amplitude, onset latencies, and duration were calculated with software accompanied with machine. The AIS group had less posture tilting but higher muscle activities than normal subjects under both perturbation conditions (P < 0.05). Under the AP test, AIS showed earlier onset and prolonged activation of left multifidus and right gastrocnemius compared with normal subjects (P < 0.05). The latency of the multifidus on the lumbar convex side occurred earlier than on the concave side. However, the asymmetric onset timing of the gastrocnemius was the opposite of the multifidi in the AIS group (P < 0.05). In contrast to the AP condition, bilateral leg and trunk muscles activated at similar latencies and durations in the AIS group (P < 0.05). Under the quick backward perturbation test, the control group had longer active duration of right multifidus and bilateral gastrocnemii than AIS to cope with larger platform tilting. In addition, asymmetric onset of gluteus medii and duration of multifidi was observed in the control group (P < 0.05). There were significant differences in posture control patterns between AIS and normal subjects. AIS subjects have asymmetric habitual muscle activities for AP, whereas when coping with sudden balance threats, they react with synchronized recruitment of bilateral postural muscles.

Approximate Entropy Values Demonstrate Impaired Neuromotor Control of Spontaneous Leg Activity in Infants with Myelomeningocele

PubMed Central

Smith, Beth A.; Teulier, Caroline; Sansom, Jennifer; Stergiou, Nicholas; Ulrich, Beverly D.

2012-01-01

Purpose One obstacle to providing early intervention to infants with myelomeningocele (MMC) is the challenge of quantifying impaired neuromotor control of movements early in life. Methods We used the nonlinear analysis tool Approximate Entropy (ApEn) to analyze periodicity and complexity of supine spontaneous lower extremity movements of infants with MMC and typical development (TD) at 1, 3, 6 and 9 months of age. Results Movements of infants with MMC were more regular and repeatable (lower ApEn values) than movements of infants with TD indicating less adaptive and flexible movement patterns. For both groups ApEn values decreased with age, and the movements of infants with MMC were less complex than movements of infants with TD. Further, for infants with MMC, lesion level and age of walking onset correlated negatively with ApEn values. Conclusions Our study begins to demonstrate the feasibility of ApEn to identify impaired neuromotor control in infants with MMC. PMID:21829116

Using ProHits to store, annotate and analyze affinity purification - mass spectrometry (AP-MS) data

PubMed Central

Liu, Guomin; Zhang, Jianping; Choi, Hyungwon; Lambert, Jean-Philippe; Srikumar, Tharan; Larsen, Brett; Nesvizhskii, Alexey I.; Raught, Brian; Tyers, Mike; Gingras, Anne-Claude

2012-01-01

Affinity purification coupled with mass spectrometry (AP-MS) is a robust technique used to identify protein-protein interactions. With recent improvements in sample preparation, and dramatic advances in MS instrumentation speed and sensitivity, this technique is becoming more widely used throughout the scientific community. To meet the needs of research groups both large and small, we have developed software solutions for tracking, scoring and analyzing AP-MS data. Here, we provide details for the installation and utilization of ProHits, a Laboratory Information Management System designed specifically for AP-MS interaction proteomics. This protocol explains: (i) how to install the complete ProHits system, including modules for the management of mass spectrometry files and the analysis of interaction data, and (ii) alternative options for the use of pre-existing search results in simpler versions of ProHits, including a virtual machine implementation of our ProHits Lite software. We also describe how to use the main features of the software to analyze AP-MS data. PMID:22948730

Structural Determinants of DNA Binding by a P. falciparum ApiAP2 Transcriptional Regulator

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

Lindner, Scott E.; De Silva, Erandi K.; Keck, James L.

2010-11-05

Putative transcription factors have only recently been identified in the Plasmodium spp., with the major family of regulators comprising the Apicomplexan Apetala2 (AP2) proteins. To better understand the DNA-binding mechanisms of these transcriptional regulators, we characterized the structure and in vitro function of an AP2 DNA-binding domain from a prototypical Apicomplexan AP2 protein, PF14{_}0633 from Plasmodium falciparum. The X-ray crystal structure of the PF14{_}0633 AP2 domain bound to DNA reveals a {beta}-sheet fold that binds the DNA major groove through base-specific and backbone contacts; a prominent {alpha}-helix supports the {beta}-sheet structure. Substitution of predicted DNA-binding residues with alanine weakened ormore » eliminated DNA binding in solution. In contrast to plant AP2 domains, the PF14{_}0633 AP2 domain dimerizes upon binding to DNA through a domain-swapping mechanism in which the {alpha}-helices of the AP2 domains pack against the {beta}-sheets of the dimer mates. DNA-induced dimerization of PF14{_}0633 may be important for tethering two distal DNA loci together in the nucleus and/or for inducing functional rearrangements of its domains to facilitate transcriptional regulation. Consistent with a multisite binding mode, at least two copies of the consensus sequence recognized by PF14{_}0633 are present upstream of a previously identified group of sporozoite-stage genes. Taken together, these findings illustrate how Plasmodium has adapted the AP2 DNA-binding domain for genome-wide transcriptional regulation.« less

[Indices of 24-hour monitoring of arterial blood pressure in patients with neurogenic syncope and patients with chronic constitution- dependent hypotension].

PubMed

Musaeva, Z A; Khapaev, B A; Fedotova, A V; Oknin, V Iu

1999-01-01

Clinical-psychologic study, spectral analysis of heart rate variability, 24-h monitoring of arterial pressure (AP) were performed in 20 patients with chronic constitutional arterial hypotension and in 18 patients with neurogenic syncopal states. Both groups were characterised by considerable manifestations of the syndrome of autonomic dystonia, by emotional-personal disorders that correlated with elevated level of slow-waves of the second order in heart rhythms' spectrum. That testified activation of supersegmental sympathetic-adrenal systems. Disorders in sympathetic-parasympathetic correlations were specific in each group. In patients with arterial hypotension disorder of circadian rhythm was observed in the form of superfluous decrease of diastolic AP during sleep. Circadian rhythms in patients with neurogenic syncopes have parameters characteristic for normals showing a preverved chronobiologic AP regulation. A role of the alterations revealed in pathogenesis of arterial hypotensionis discussed.

Evaluation of the prognostic value of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in patients with hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis.

PubMed

Wang, Yuchen; Fuentes, Harry E; Attar, Bashar M; Jaiswal, Palash; Demetria, Melchor

Recent studies attribute promising prognostic values to various inflammatory biomarkers in acute pancreatitis, including the following: the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and red cell distribution width (RDW). We aimed to determine the performance of these biomarkers for detecting disease severity in patients with hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis (HTG-AP). We retrospectively reviewed 110 patients with HTG-AP and compared the NLR, PLR, and RDW in different severity groups. We performed receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to identify the optimal cut-off value for NLR to predict severe AP. NLR was significantly higher in patients with severe AP than mild and moderately severe AP (14.6 vs. 6.9, p < 0.001), and higher with organ failure upon presentation (9.1 vs. 7.1, p = 0.026). After dichotomization by the optimal cut-off value of 10 as determined by the ROC curve, the high-NLR group had a significantly longer length of stay (9.1 vs. 6.6 days, p = 0.001), duration of nil per os (4.9 vs. 3.7 days, p = 0.007), and higher rates of complications, including systemic inflammatory response syndrome (81.5% vs. 44.6%, p = 0.001) and persistent acute kidney injury (25.9% vs. 3.6%, p < 0.001). High NLR independently predicted severe acute pancreatitis in multivariate analysis (Odds ratio 6.71, p = 0.019). NLR represents an inexpensive, readily available test with a promising value to predict disease severity in HTG-AP. Among the three inflammatory biomarkers, NLR has the highest discriminatory capacity for severe HTG-AP, with an optimal cut-off value of 10. Copyright © 2017 IAP and EPC. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mechanistic and Evolutionary Insights from Comparative Enzymology of Phosphomonoesterases and Phosphodiesterases across the Alkaline Phosphatase Superfamily

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Naively one might have expected an early division between phosphate monoesterases and diesterases of the alkaline phosphatase (AP) superfamily. On the contrary, prior results and our structural and biochemical analyses of phosphate monoesterase PafA, from Chryseobacterium meningosepticum, indicate similarities to a superfamily phosphate diesterase [Xanthomonas citri nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (NPP)] and distinct differences from the three metal ion AP superfamily monoesterase, from Escherichia coli AP (EcAP). We carried out a series of experiments to map out and learn from the differences and similarities between these enzymes. First, we asked why there would be independent instances of monoesterases in the AP superfamily? PafA has a much weaker product inhibition and slightly higher activity relative to EcAP, suggesting that different metabolic evolutionary pressures favored distinct active-site architectures. Next, we addressed the preferential phosphate monoester and diester catalysis of PafA and NPP, respectively. We asked whether the >80% sequence differences throughout these scaffolds provide functional specialization for each enzyme’s cognate reaction. In contrast to expectations from this model, PafA and NPP mutants with the common subset of active-site groups embedded in each native scaffold had the same monoesterase:diesterase specificities; thus, the >107-fold difference in native specificities appears to arise from distinct interactions at a single phosphoryl substituent. We also uncovered striking mechanistic similarities between the PafA and EcAP monoesterases, including evidence for ground-state destabilization and functional active-site networks that involve different active-site groups but may play analogous catalytic roles. Discovering common network functions may reveal active-site architectural connections that are critical for function, and identifying regions of functional modularity may facilitate the design of new enzymes from existing promiscuous templates. More generally, comparative enzymology and analysis of catalytic promiscuity can provide mechanistic and evolutionary insights. PMID:27670607

Cross-cultural examination of the structure of the Revised American Pain Society Patient Outcome Questionnaire (APS-POQ-R).

PubMed

Botti, Mari; Khaw, Damien; Jørgensen, Emmy Brandt; Rasmussen, Bodil; Hunter, Susan; Redley, Bernice

2015-08-01

This study investigated the cross-cultural factor stability and internal consistency of the Revised American Pain Society Patient Outcome Questionnaire (APS-POQ-R), a measure of the quality of postoperative pain management used internationally. We conducted exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of APS-POQ-R data from 2 point prevalence studies comprising 268 and 311 surveys of Danish and Australian medical-surgical patients, respectively. Parallel analysis indicated 4- and 3-factor solutions for Danish and Australian patients, respectively, which accounted for 58.1% and 52.9% of variance. Internal consistency was unsatisfactory among both Danish (Cronbach α = .54) and Australian (Cronbach α = .63) cohorts. There was a high degree of between-group similarity in item-factor loadings of variables coded as "pain experience," but not "pain management." This finding reflected cross-cultural differences in ratings of treatment satisfaction. For Danish patients, satisfaction was associated with the degree of pain severity and activity interference, whereas for Australian patients, satisfaction was associated with their perceived ability to participate in treatment. To facilitate further cross-cultural comparison, we compared our findings with past research conducted in the United States and Iceland. EFA supported the construct validity of the APS-POQ-R as a measure of "pain experience" but indicated that items measuring "pain management" may vary cross-culturally. Findings highlighted the need for further validation of the APS-POQ-R internationally. This study revealed the APS-POQ-R as a valid measure of postoperative pain experience for Danish and Australian patients. Measures of patients' perception of pain management were not robust to group differences in treatment expectations and demonstrated cross-cultural instability. Results highlighted the difficulties in establishing stable cross-cultural, cross-population subscales for the APS-POQ-R. Copyright © 2015 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adverse drug events-Analysis of a decade. A Portuguese case-study, from 2004 to 2013 using hospital database.

PubMed

Scripcaru, Gianina; Mateus, Ceu; Nunes, Carla

2017-01-01

The goal of this study was to characterise adverse drug events (ADE), including both adverse drug reaction (ADR) and accidental poisoning by drugs (AP), considering age, gender, length of stay (LOS), number of deaths and year, during the period 2004-2013. Additionally distributions of the ten's most frequent ADR and AP were characterized, considering age-group and gender. A retrospective descriptive nationwide study was conducted, based on the hospital discharges database in Portugal from 2004 to 2013, using ICD-9. Events were identified based on the following codes: from E930 to E949.9 and from E850 to E858.9. A total of 9 320 076 patients were discharged within this period, with 133 688 patients (1.46%) having at least one ADE, 4% of them related with AP. The mean age of these patients was 63.79 years (SD 21.31), 54.50% were female and the mean LOS was 14.05 days (SD 22.19). Patient with AP had a mean age of 41.06 years (SD 34.05), 54.70% were female and LOS was 7.15 days (SD 19.42). We have identified 10.691 deaths that represent 8.00% from the total of patients with an ADE. The patients above 65 years were more affected by ADR and children below 18 were more affected by AP. In the last decade an increasing trend of ADR were observed and an AP pattern relatively stable. Elderly people and children were the age groups most affected. Antibiotics (in ADR) and benzodiazepine-based tranquilizers (in AP) were the major problems. This is a huge, increasing and challenging problem. Further research, using individual and contextual risk factors should be developed to understand spatiotemporal variability, promoting tailored interventions, within and across countries.

In vivo toxic and lethal cardiovascular effects of a synthetic polymeric 1,3-dodecylpyridinium salt in rodents

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

Grandic, Marjana; Sepcic, Kristina; Turk, Tom

2011-08-15

APS12-2 is one in a series of synthetic analogs of the polymeric alkylpyridinium salts isolated from the marine sponge Reniera sarai. As it is a potential candidate for treating non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we have studied its possible toxic and lethal effects in vivo. The median lethal dose (LD{sub 50}) of APS12-2 in mice was determined to be 11.5 mg/kg. Electrocardiograms, arterial blood pressure and respiratory activity were recorded under general anesthesia in untreated, pharmacologically vagotomized and artificially ventilated rats injected with APS12-2. In one group, the in vivo effects of APS12-2 were studied on nerve-evoked muscle contraction.more » Administration of APS12-2 at a dose of 8 mg/kg caused a progressive reduction of arterial blood pressure to a mid-circulatory value, accompanied by bradycardia, myocardial ischemia, ventricular extrasystoles, and second degree atrio-ventricular block. Similar electrocardiogram and arterial blood pressure changes caused by APS12-2 (8 mg/kg) were observed in animals pretreated with atropine and in artificially ventilated animals, indicating that hypoxia and cholinergic effects do not play a crucial role in the toxicity of APS12-2. Application of APS12-2 at sublethal doses (4 and 5.5 mg/kg) caused a decrease of arterial blood pressure, followed by an increase slightly above control values. We found that APS12-2 causes lysis of rat erythrocytes in vitro, therefore it is reasonable to expect the same effect in vivo. Indeed, hyperkalemia was observed in the blood of experimental animals. Hyperkalemia probably plays an important role in APS12-2 cardiotoxicity since no evident changes in histopathology of the heart were found. However, acute lesions were observed in the pulmonary vessels of rats after application of 8 mg/kg APS12-2. Predominant effects were dilation of interalveolar blood vessels and lysis of aggregated erythrocytes within their lumina. - Highlights: > LD{sub 50} estimated in mice (11.5 mg/kg) revealed that toxicity of APS12-2 is low. > APS12-2 causes dose dependent hemolysis of rat erythrocytes in vivo and in vitro. > Cardiac arrest by APS12-2 is caused by the high blood potassium concentration. > APS12-2 causes mild acute pulmonary edema.« less

[Growth inhibition effection of perlecan anti-sense cDNA on human laryngeal carcinoma xnograft in nude mice].

PubMed

Chen, Guangli; Gong, Shusheng; Chen, Pei; Luo, Linghui

2014-09-01

To observe growth inhibition effect of perlecan anti-sense cDNA (pAP) on human laryngeal carcinoma xnografted in nude mice. To vertify its antitumor effect and mechanism in vivo, and it may be useful as a biomarker in carcinoma of larynx cancer. Created the model of human laryngeal carcinoma xnograft in nude mice. To observe growth of those xnografts in nude mice and draw growth curve of xnografted. The expression of perlecan mRNA and portein in xnografts were examined by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Volume of xnografts in the group transfected by the plasmids of pAP were significant small as compared with other two groups made by the wild type cells and phpApr-neol cells (P < 0.05). It was showed that the expression of perlecan mRNA and protein were significantly reduced in the tumor of pAP transfected Hep-2 cells as compared with the tumors transfected by the wild type cells and phβApr-neol cells (P < 0.01). These data raise the possibility that pAP many play key roles in the growth of those xnografts in nude mice.

Are there socioeconomic differences in myocardial infarction event rates and fatality among patients with angina pectoris?

PubMed Central

Manderbacka, Kristiina; Hetemaa, Tiina; Keskimäki, Ilmo; Luukkainen, Pekka; Koskinen, Seppo; Reunanen, Antti

2006-01-01

Background Systematic socioeconomic differences in mortality have been reported among myocardial infarction (MI) patients in many countries, including Finland. The findings have been similar irrespective of country, study period, age group, or length of follow up, but few studies have examined the disparities among other groups of coronary patients. This study examined whether similar socioeconomic differences in outcomes exist among patients with angina pectoris (AP). Methods The data were based on individual register linkages among a population based 40–79 year‐old cohort of 61 350 patients with incident AP or MI during 1995–1998 in Finland. Two year coronary heart disease mortality and one year MI incidence and its 28 day case fatality was studied among AP patients using Cox's and logistic regression analysis, and the results compared with those of the MI patient group. Results A clear socioeconomic pattern was found in two year coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality: the lower the socioeconomic group the higher the mortality risk. The socioeconomic patterning of mortality was similar to that found among MI patients. Controlling for comorbidity or disease severity did not change the results. Among AP patients a similar pattern was also found in MI incidence during the follow up, but no systematic socioeconomic differences were detected in its 28 day case fatality. Conclusions Socioeconomic differences in CHD outcomes also exist among angina patients. These results suggest that targeted measures of secondary prevention are needed among CHD patients with lower socioeconomic status to reduce socioeconomic disparities in fatal and non‐fatal coronary events. PMID:16614336

Changes in diadenosine polyphosphates during alignment-fit and orthokeratology rigid gas permeable lens wear.

PubMed

Carracedo, Gonzalo; González-Méijome, José Manuel; Pintor, Jesús

2012-07-03

To evaluate the levels of dinucleotides diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap(4)A) and diadenosine pentaphosphate (Ap(5)A) in tears of patients wearing rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lenses on a daily wear basis and of patients wearing reverse-geometry RGP lenses overnight for orthokeratology treatment. Twenty-two young volunteers (10 females, 12 males; 23.47 ± 4.49 years) were fitted with an alignment-fit RGP lens (paflufocon B) for a month, and after a 15-day washout period they were fitted with reverse-geometry RGP lenses for corneal reshaping (paflufocon D) for another month. During each period, tears were collected at baseline day 1, 7, 15, and 28. Ap(4)A and Ap(5)A were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Additionally, corneal staining, break-up time (BUT), Schirmer test, and dryness symptoms were evaluated. Ap(4)A concentrations increased significantly from baseline during the whole period of daily wear of RGP lenses (P < 0.001); concentration was also significantly higher than in the orthokeratology group, which remained at baseline levels during the study period except at day 1 (P < 0.001) and day 28 (P = 0.041). While BUT and Schirmer remained unchanged in both groups, discomfort and dryness were significantly increased during alignment-fit RGP daily wear but not during the orthokeratology period. Daily wear of RGP lenses increased the levels of Ap(4)A due to mechanical stimulation by blinking of the corneal epithelium, and this is associated with discomfort. Also, orthokeratology did not produce symptoms or signs of ocular dryness, which could be a potential advantage over soft contact lenses in terms of contact lens-induced dryness.

Effect of inhibition of prostaglandin E2 production on pancreatic infection in experimental acute pancreatitis

PubMed Central

Coelho, Ana Maria M.; Sampietre, Sandra; Patzina, Rosely; Jukemura, Jose; Cunha, Jose Eduardo M.; Machado, Marcel C.C.

2007-01-01

Objective. Acute pancreatitis is one the important causes of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). SIRS results in gut barrier dysfunction that allows bacterial translocation and pancreatic infection to occur. Indomethacin has been used to reduce inflammatory process and bacterial translocation in experimental models. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of inhibition of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production on pancreatic infection. Materials and methods. An experimental model of severe acute pancreatitis (AP) was utilized. The animals were divided into three groups: sham (surgical procedure without AP induction); pancreatitis (AP induction); and indomethacin (AP induction plus administration of 3 mg/kg of indomethacin). Serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10, PGE2, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were measured 2 h after the induction of AP. We analyzed the occurrence of pancreatic infection with bacterial cultures performed 24 h after the induction of AP. The occurrence of pancreatic infection (considered positive when the CFU/g was >105), pancreatic histologic analysis, and mortality rate were studied. Results. In spite of the reduction of IL-6, IL-10, and PGE2 levels in the indomethacin group, TNF-α level, bacterial translocation, and pancreatic infection were not influenced by administration of indomethacin. The inhibition of PGE2 production did not reduce pancreatic infection, histologic score, or mortality rate. Conclusion. The inhibition of PGE2 production was not able to reduce the occurrence of pancreatic infection and does not have any beneficial effect in this experimental model. Further investigations will be necessary to discover a specific inhibitor that would make it possible to develop an anti-inflammatory therapy. PMID:18345325

National survey of fluid therapy in acute pancreatitis: current practice lacks a sound evidence base.

PubMed

Haydock, Matthew D; Mittal, Anubhav; van den Heever, Marc; Rossaak, Jeremy I; Connor, Saxon; Rodgers, Michael; Petrov, Maxim S; Windsor, John A

2013-10-01

Fluid therapy (FT) is a critical intervention in managing acute pancreatitis (AP). There is a paucity of evidence to guide FT and virtually no data on current prescribing practice. This survey aims to characterize current practice and opinion with regard to FT in AP throughout New Zealand. Information was collected on fluid selection, administration, and goal-directed FT. The survey was distributed online and in print to all doctors employed in General Surgery Departments in New Zealand on 1 May 2012. Monthly email reminders were sent for 6 months. The overall response rate was 47 % (n = 190/408). Crystalloids were the preferred initial fluid for all categories of severity; however, colloid use increased with severity (p < 0.001). Fluid volume also increased with severity (p = 0.001), with 74 % of respondents prescribing >4 L for AP with organ failure (OF). Clinicians treating 26-50 patients per year with AP were less likely to prescribe colloid for AP with OF (8 vs 43 %) (p = 0.001). Rate of fluid administration in AP with OF varied according to physicians' seniority (p = 0.004); consultants prescribed >4 L more than other groups (83 vs 68 %). Only 17 % of respondents reported the use of guidelines. This survey reveals significant variation in prescription of FT for AP, and aggressive FT is commonly prescribed for AP with OF. There is little adherence to published guidelines or best available evidence.

Adipocyte Fatty Acid–Binding Protein, aP2, Alters Late Atherosclerotic Lesion Formation in Severe Hypercholesterolemia

PubMed Central

Boord, Jeffrey B.; Maeda, Kazuhisa; Makowski, Liza; Babaev, Vladimir R.; Fazio, Sergio; Linton, MacRae F.; Hotamisligil, Gökhan S.

2014-01-01

Objective The adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein, aP2, has important effects on insulin resistance, lipid metabolism, and atherosclerosis. Its expression in macrophages enhances early foam cell formation and atherosclerosis in vivo. This study was designed to determine whether aP2 deficiency has a similar effect in the setting of advanced atherosclerosis and severe hypercholesterolemia. Methods and Results Mice deficient in aP2 and apolipoprotein E (aP2−/−apoE−/− mice) and apolipoprotein E-deficient control mice (apoE−/− mice) were fed a Western diet for 14 weeks. No significant differences in fasting serum levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, or free fatty acids were found between groups for each sex. Compared with apoE−/− control mice, male and female aP2−/−apoE−/− mice had significant reductions in mean atherosclerotic lesion size in the proximal aorta, en face aorta, and innominate/right carotid artery. Feeding the Western diet in the apoE-deficient background did not cause a significant reduction in insulin sensitivity in vivo, as determined by steady-state serum glucose levels and insulin tolerance testing. Conclusions These data demonstrate an important role for aP2 expression in the advanced stages of atherosclerotic lesion formation. Thus, aP2 provides an important physiological link between different features of the metabolic syndrome and is a potential target for therapy of atherosclerosis. PMID:12377750

A Novel GLP1 Receptor Interacting Protein ATP6ap2 Regulates Insulin Secretion in Pancreatic Beta Cells*

PubMed Central

Dai, Feihan F.; Bhattacharjee, Alpana; Liu, Ying; Batchuluun, Battsetseg; Zhang, Ming; Wang, Xinye Serena; Huang, Xinyi; Luu, Lemieux; Zhu, Dan; Gaisano, Herbert; Wheeler, Michael B.

2015-01-01

GLP1 activates its receptor, GLP1R, to enhance insulin secretion. The activation and transduction of GLP1R requires complex interactions with a host of accessory proteins, most of which remain largely unknown. In this study, we used membrane-based split ubiquitin yeast two-hybrid assays to identify novel GLP1R interactors in both mouse and human islets. Among these, ATP6ap2 (ATPase H+-transporting lysosomal accessory protein 2) was identified in both mouse and human islet screens. ATP6ap2 was shown to be abundant in islets including both alpha and beta cells. When GLP1R and ATP6ap2 were co-expressed in beta cells, GLP1R was shown to directly interact with ATP6ap2, as assessed by co-immunoprecipitation. In INS-1 cells, overexpression of ATP6ap2 did not affect insulin secretion; however, siRNA knockdown decreased both glucose-stimulated and GLP1-induced insulin secretion. Decreases in GLP1-induced insulin secretion were accompanied by attenuated GLP1 stimulated cAMP accumulation. Because ATP6ap2 is a subunit required for V-ATPase assembly of insulin granules, it has been reported to be involved in granule acidification. In accordance with this, we observed impaired insulin granule acidification upon ATP6ap2 knockdown but paradoxically increased proinsulin secretion. Importantly, as a GLP1R interactor, ATP6ap2 was required for GLP1-induced Ca2+ influx, in part explaining decreased insulin secretion in ATP6ap2 knockdown cells. Taken together, our findings identify a group of proteins that interact with the GLP1R. We further show that one interactor, ATP6ap2, plays a novel dual role in beta cells, modulating both GLP1R signaling and insulin processing to affect insulin secretion. PMID:26272612

Group Discussion Topics. Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Area Education Agency 7, Cedar Falls, IA.

A collection of group disussion topics, developed and field-tested by a group of Iowa teachers, is presented in this guide. Twenty-eight topics for K-6 students, 24 topics for K-12 students, and 7 topics for students in grades 7-12 are included. Warm-up activities are given for introducing some of the topics, and lists of questions to provoke…

Natural antimicrobial peptides as promising anti-HIV candidates

PubMed Central

Wang, Guangshun

2015-01-01

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection remains to be one of the major global health problems. It is thus necessary to identify novel therapeutic molecules to combat HIV-1. Natural antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been recognized as promising templates for developing topical microbicides. This review systematically discusses over 80 anti-HIV peptides annotated in the antimicrobial peptide database (http://aps.unmc.edu/AP). Such peptides have been discovered from bacteria, plants, and animals. Examples include gramicidin and bacteriocins from bacteria, cyclotides from plants, melittins and cecropins from insects, piscidins from fish, ascaphins, caerins, dermaseptins, esculentins, and maximins from amphibians, and cathelicidins and defensins from vertebrates. These peptides appear to work by different mechanisms and could block viral entry in multiple ways. As additional advantages, such anti-HIV peptides may possess other desired features such as antibacterial, antiparasital, spermicidal, and anticancer activity. With continued optimization of peptide stability, production, formulation and delivery methods, it is anticipated that some of these compounds may eventually become new anti-HIV drugs. PMID:26834391

Clinical and microbiological evaluation of biofilm-gingival interface classification in patients with generalized forms of periodontitis.

PubMed

Kowalski, Jan; Górska, Renata

2014-01-01

In 2008 a new division of periodontal diseases based on the concept of biofilm-gingival interface (BGI), was presented. The aim of this study was to assess whether the proposed BGI categories could be useful in diagnosing patients with generalized forms of both aggressive (gAP) and chronic (gCP) periodontitis. DESIGN AND KEY METHODS: The study group consisted of 40 individuals (17 with gAP and 23 with gCP). All patients were divided into three groups according to the BGI scale: 4 patients with P1 (pockets deeper than 4 mms with bleeding index below 10%), 20 individuals with P2 (pockets deeper than 4 mms with bleeding index 10-50%) and 16 individuals with P3 (pockets deeper than 4 mms with bleeding index above 50%). The presence of bacteria in subgingival plaque was analyzed using the polymerase chain reaction method. Statistically significant differences with respect to all parameters measured were found when patients were grouped according to the BGI scale--they were higher in P3 group. In gAP group A. actinomycetemcomitans and C. rectus were found in a higher numbers. No such differences were observed between P2 and P3 groups. The BGI scale seems to be helpful in effective and quick classifying of patients into adequate clinical subgroups.

Mutational Hotspots in the Mitochondrial D-Loop Region of Cancerous and Precancerous Colorectal Lesions in Egyptian Patients

PubMed Central

El-Guendy, Nadia; Tantawy, Marwa; Abdelhady, Hala; El-Ghor, Akmal; Abdel Wahab, Abdel Hady

2011-01-01

Mutations in the mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) are associated with different types of cancer, specifically colorectal cancer (CRC). However, few studies have been performed on precancerous lesions, such as ulcerative colitis (UC) lesions and adenomatous polyps (AP). The aim of this study was to identify mtDNA mutations in the cancerous and precancerous lesions of Egyptian patients. An analysis of the mutations found in six regions of the mtDNA genome (ND1, ND5, COI, tRNAser, D-loop 1, and 2) in 80 Egyptian patients (40 CRC, 20 UC, and 20 AP) was performed using polymerase chain reaction–single-strand conformational polymorphism techniques and followed up by direct sequencing. The overall incidence of mutations was 25%, 25%, and 35% in CRC, UC, and AP cases, respectively. Although there was no common mutation pattern within each group, a large number of mutations were detected in the D-loop region in all of the groups. Some mutations (e.g., T414G) were detected repeatedly in precancerous (UC and AP) and cancerous lesions. Mutations detected in patients with CRC were predominantly found in the ND1 gene (40%). Our preliminary study suggests that Egyptian patients with CRC have a large number of mtDNA mutations, especially in the D-loop region, which have not been previously reported. Mutations in the mtDNA of precancerous lesions (i.e., AP and UC) may contribute to transformation events that lead to CRC. PMID:21612400

Extended Antiphospholipid Antibodies Screening in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients.

PubMed

Dima, Alina; Caraiola, Simona; Jurcut, C; Balanescu, Eugenia; Balanescu, P; Ramba, Doina; Badea, Camelia; Pompilian, V; Ionescu, R; Baicus, Anda; Baicus, C; Dan, G A

2015-01-01

The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is one of the most encountered autoimmunity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and pathogenesis of these two seems to be intricate. To investigate the association of antiphospholipid antibodies (APLAs) titer with the presence of secondary APS diagnosis in SLE patients. 65 patients fulfilling the 2012 Systemic Lupus Collaborating International Clinics (SLICC) SLE's criteria were included. The APS diagnosis was sustained according to the 2006 Sydney APS's criteria. Three groups of patients were defined: SLE patients with secondary APS, SLE with history of positive "criteria" APLAs but without APS clinical features, respectively SLE patients without positive APLAs or clinical APS criteria. An extended APLAs panel was searched in all cases: both IgM and IgG of anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL), anti-P2 glycoprotein I antibodies (aβ2GPI), antiphosphatidylethanolamine antibodies (aPE), antiphosphatidylserine antibodies (aPS), respectively antiprothrombin antibodies (aPT). Results. Only the aβ2GPI, both IgM and IgG serotypes, had significantly higher titers in patients with SLE and secondary APS compared to no APS (with/ without positive APLAs): median (min; max) 7.0 (0.0-300.0) vs. 1.0 (0.0-28.0) vs. 1.0 (0.0-12.0), respectively 3.0 (0.0-79.0) vs. 1.0 (0.0-3.0) vs. 1.0 (0.0-12.0) (p<0.001, Kruskal-Wallis test)]. Also, in regression logistic models, only the aβ2 GPI (IgG and IgM ) were identified as risk factors for secondary APS diagnosis in the SLE patients: OR(95%CI) 5.9 (2.2-15.7), respectively 1.3 (1.1-1.5). In regard with the SLE markers, the IgG serotypes of the "non-criteria" APLAs analyzed (aPS, aPT, aPE) were correlated with the antiDNA titers while the IgM serotypes inversely associated with the complement C3 levels. IgG aβ2 GPI are accompanied by almost 6-fold increase risk of secondary APS when screening SLE patients. On the contrary, the "non-criteria" APLAs do not seem associated with the APS diagnosis in SLE patients. Some correlates of the "non-criteria" APLAs with the antiDNA and complement C3 levels were also observed.

Trinuclear alkyl hydrido rare-earth complexes supported by amidopyridinato ligands: synthesis, structures, C-Si bond activation and catalytic activity in ethylene polymerization.

PubMed

Lyubov, Dmitry M; Cherkasov, Anton V; Fukin, Georgy K; Ketkov, Sergey Yu; Shavyrin, Andrey S; Trifonov, Alexander A

2014-10-14

The reaction of Ap(9Me)Lu(CH2SiMe3)2(thf) (Ap(9Me) = (2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)[6-(2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl)pyridine-2-yl]amido ligand) with two molar equivalents of PhSiH3 affords a trinuclear alkyl-hydrido cluster [(Ap(9Me)Lu)3(μ(2)-H)3(μ(3)-H)2(CH2SiMe3)(thf)2]. The analogous reactions with Ap(9Me)Ln(CH2SiMe3)2(thf) (Ln = Y, Yb) are more complex and result in the formation of mixtures of two types of trinuclear alkyl-hydrido complexes [(Ap(9Me)Ln)3(μ(2)-H)3(μ(3)-H)2(CH2SiMe3)(thf)2] and [(Ap(9Me)Ln)3(μ(2)-H)3(μ(3)-H)2(CH2SiH2Ph)(thf)2] differing in the alkyl group. The DFT calculations of [(Ap*Y)3(μ(2)-H)3(μ(3)-H)2(CH2SiMe3)(thf)2] (Ap* = (2,6-diisopropylphenyl)[6-(2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl)pyridine-2-yl]amido ligand) confirm localization of the HOMO on the Ap*-Y(1A)-CH2SiMe3 fragment, thus explaining its enhanced reactivity. Analysis of the electron density distribution reveals the Y-H and H-H bonding interactions in the (Y)3(μ(2)-H)3(μ(3)-H)2 moiety. The NMR studies of diamagnetic complexes [(Ap(9Me)Lu)3(μ(2)-H)3(μ(3)-H)2(CH2SiMe3)(thf)2] and [(Ap*Y)3(μ(2)-H)3(μ(3)-H)2(CH2SiMe3)(thf)2] demonstrated that the trinuclear cores are retained in the solution and revealed exchange between μ(3)- and μ(2)-bridging hydrido ligands. Complexes [(Ap*Ln)3(μ(2)-H)3(μ(3)-H)2(CH2SiMe3)(thf)2], the cationic yttrium hydrido cluster [(Ap*Y)3(μ(2)-H)3(μ(3)-H)2(thf)3](+)[B(C6F5)4](-) as well as [(Ap(9Me)Ln)3(μ(2)-H)3(μ(3)-H)2(CH2SiMe3)(thf)2] proved to be active in catalysis of ethylene polymerization under mild conditions.

Genome-wide analysis of the AP2/ERF family in Musa species reveals divergence and neofunctionalisation during evolution

PubMed Central

Lakhwani, Deepika; Pandey, Ashutosh; Dhar, Yogeshwar Vikram; Bag, Sumit Kumar; Trivedi, Prabodh Kumar; Asif, Mehar Hasan

2016-01-01

AP2/ERF domain containing transcription factor super family is one of the important regulators in the plant kingdom. The involvement of AP2/ERF family members has been elucidated in various processes associated with plant growth, development as well as in response to hormones, biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, we carried out genome-wide analysis to identify members of AP2/ERF family in Musa acuminata (A genome) and Musa balbisiana (B genome) and changes leading to neofunctionalisation of genes. Analysis identified 265 and 318 AP2/ERF encoding genes in M. acuminata and M. balbisiana respectively which were further classified into ERF, DREB, AP2, RAV and Soloist groups. Comparative analysis indicated that AP2/ERF family has undergone duplication, loss and divergence during evolution and speciation of the Musa A and B genomes. We identified nine genes which are up-regulated during fruit ripening and might be components of the regulatory machinery operating during ethylene-dependent ripening in banana. Tissue-specific expression analysis of the genes suggests that different regulatory mechanisms might be involved in peel and pulp ripening process through recruiting specific ERFs in these tissues. Analysis also suggests that MaRAV-6 and MaERF026 have structurally diverged from their M. balbisiana counterparts and have attained new functions during ripening. PMID:26733055

Genome-wide analysis of the AP2/ERF family in Musa species reveals divergence and neofunctionalisation during evolution.

PubMed

Lakhwani, Deepika; Pandey, Ashutosh; Dhar, Yogeshwar Vikram; Bag, Sumit Kumar; Trivedi, Prabodh Kumar; Asif, Mehar Hasan

2016-01-06

AP2/ERF domain containing transcription factor super family is one of the important regulators in the plant kingdom. The involvement of AP2/ERF family members has been elucidated in various processes associated with plant growth, development as well as in response to hormones, biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, we carried out genome-wide analysis to identify members of AP2/ERF family in Musa acuminata (A genome) and Musa balbisiana (B genome) and changes leading to neofunctionalisation of genes. Analysis identified 265 and 318 AP2/ERF encoding genes in M. acuminata and M. balbisiana respectively which were further classified into ERF, DREB, AP2, RAV and Soloist groups. Comparative analysis indicated that AP2/ERF family has undergone duplication, loss and divergence during evolution and speciation of the Musa A and B genomes. We identified nine genes which are up-regulated during fruit ripening and might be components of the regulatory machinery operating during ethylene-dependent ripening in banana. Tissue-specific expression analysis of the genes suggests that different regulatory mechanisms might be involved in peel and pulp ripening process through recruiting specific ERFs in these tissues. Analysis also suggests that MaRAV-6 and MaERF026 have structurally diverged from their M. balbisiana counterparts and have attained new functions during ripening.

Cardiovascular regulation during head-up tilt in healthy 20-30-year-old and 70-75-year-old men.

PubMed

Gabbett, T J; Weston, S B; Barrett, R S; Gass, G C

2001-02-01

This study compared the heart rate, finger arterial pressure (AP) and electromyographic (EMG) activity of selected anti-gravity muscles during the initial and prolonged phases of orthostatic stress in healthy young and older men. Beat-by-beat recordings of heart rate, finger systolic pressure, diastolic pressure and mean AP were made during supine rest and 5 min of 90 degrees head-up tilt (HUT) in 18 young (23+/-1 years) and 15 older (73+/-1 years) men. The EMG activity of the soleus, tibialis anterior and vastus medialis muscles was recorded. During the first 30 s following 90 degrees HUT (immediate response), the young men exhibited significant (P<0.05) decreases in finger systolic pressure, diastolic pressure and mean AP, followed by a sustained increase in finger AP during the 5 min following 90 degrees HUT (prolonged response). The immediate and prolonged finger AP and diastolic pressure responses were not significantly different (P>0.05) from the values at supine rest for the older men. The mean root mean square EMG activity of the soleus, tibialis anterior and vastus medialis muscles during 90 degrees HUT was not significantly different (P>0.05) from that at supine rest for either group. These results demonstrate that, when compared with healthy older men, young men show larger reductions in finger AP during the initial phase of orthostatic stress. However, during the prolonged phase of orthostatic stress, older men maintain resting finger AP, whereas young men demonstrate a reflex overshoot in finger AP. Finally, differences in lower-limb anti-gravity muscle activation do not account for the contrasting finger AP responses of healthy young and older men.

Genome-wide identification and phylogenetic analysis of the AP2/ERF gene superfamily in sweet orange (Citrus sinensis).

PubMed

Ito, T M; Polido, P B; Rampim, M C; Kaschuk, G; Souza, S G H

2014-09-26

Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) plays an important role in the economy of more than 140 countries, but it is grown in areas with intermittent stressful soil and climatic conditions. The stress tolerance could be addressed by manipulating the ethylene response factor (ERF) transcription factors because they orchestrate plant responses to environmental stress. We performed an in silico study on the ERFs in the expressed sequence tag database of C. sinensis to identify potential genes that regulate plant responses to stress. We identified 108 putative genes encoding protein sequences of the AP2/ERF superfamily distributed within 10 groups of amino acid sequences. Ninety-one genes were assembled from the ERF family containing only one AP2/ERF domain, 13 genes were assembled from the AP2 family containing two AP2/ERF domains, and four other genes were assembled from the RAV family containing one AP2/ERF domain and a B3 domain. Some conserved domains of the ERF family genes were disrupted into a few segments by introns. This irregular distribution of genes in the AP2/ERF superfamily in different plant species could be a result of genomic losses or duplication events in a common ancestor. The in silico gene expression revealed that 67% of AP2/ERF genes are expressed in tissues with usual plant development, and 14% were expressed in stressed tissues. Because the AP2/ERF superfamily is expressed in an orchestrated way, it is possible that the manipulation of only one gene may result in changes in the whole plant function, which could result in more tolerant crops.

Venous access and long-term pacemaker lead failure: comparing contrast-guided axillary vein puncture with subclavian puncture and cephalic cutdown.

PubMed

Chan, Ngai-Yin; Kwong, Nim-Pong; Cheong, Adrian-Piers

2017-07-01

Existing data on the relationship between venous access and long-term pacemaker lead failure (PLF) are scarce and inconsistent. We aim to study the hypothesis that contrast-guided axillary vein puncture (AP) is better than subclavian puncture (SP) and similar to cephalic vein cutdown (CV) in the incidence of PLF and the success rate of AP is higher than CV. The case records of 409 patients with 681 implantable pacemaker leads were reviewed. Two hundred and fifty-two, 217, and 212 leads were implanted via AP, CV, and SP, respectively. With a mean follow-up of 73.6 ± 33.1 months, 20 (2.9%) PLF occurred. Three (1.2%), 5 (2.3%), and 12 (5.6%) PLF occurred in the AP, CV, and SP groups, respectively. On multivariate Cox regression analysis, the only independent predictor for PLF was the use of SP instead of AP (AP vs. SP; hazard ratio: 0.261; 95% confidence interval: 0.071-0.954, P = 0.042). The success rate of CV (78.2%) was significantly lower than those of AP (97.6%) and SP (96.8%) (P < 0.001). Compared with SP, the use of AP but not CV independently predicted a lower risk of PLF. The success rates in achieving venous accesses were similar between AP and SP, but significantly lower for CV. Axillary vein puncture may thus be considered the venous access of choice for pacemaker lead implantation. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Experience with monocomponent acellular pertussis combination vaccines for infants, children, adolescents and adults--a review of safety, immunogenicity, efficacy and effectiveness studies and 15 years of field experience.

PubMed

Thierry-Carstensen, Birgit; Dalby, Tine; Stevner, Michael A; Robbins, John B; Schneerson, Rachel; Trollfors, Birger

2013-10-25

Combination vaccines containing a monocomponent acellular pertussis (aP) vaccine, manufactured at Statens Serum Institut (SSI), Denmark, have successfully controlled Bordetella pertussis infections in Denmark since 1997. The efficacy of this aP vaccine was 71% in a double-blind, randomised and controlled clinical trial. Its safety and immunogenicity have been demonstrated in infants, children, adolescents and adults. In approximately 500,000 children it was effective against pertussis requiring hospitalisation (VE: 93% after 3 doses) and against pertussis not requiring hospitalisation (VE: 78% after 3 doses). IgG antibodies against pertussis toxin (IgG anti-PT) response rates after booster vaccination of adults with tetanus, diphtheria and aP combination vaccine (TdaP) were considerably higher for this monocomponent aP vaccine containing 20μg pertussis toxoid, inactivated by hydrogen peroxide (92.0%), than for two multicomponent aP vaccines inactivated by formaldehyde and/or glutaraldehyde: 3-component aP with 8μg pertussis toxoid (77.2%) and 5-component aP with 2.5μg pertussis toxoid (47.1%), without compromising the safety profile. In Denmark where this monocomponent aP vaccine has been the only pertussis vaccine in use for 15 years, there has been no pertussis epidemic since 2002 (population incidence 36 per 100,000), in contrast to neighbouring countries, where epidemics have occurred. This monocomponent aP vaccine can be used in combination vaccines for primary and booster vaccination against pertussis in all age groups and is an important tool for successful pertussis control. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Exercise Intensity and Technical Demands of Small-Sided Soccer Games for Under-12 and Under-14 Players: Effect of Area per Player.

PubMed

Martone, Domenico; Giacobbe, Moreno; Capobianco, Adriano; Imperlini, Esther; Mancini, Annamaria; Capasso, Mario; Buono, Pasqualina; Orrù, Stefania

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of 6 different areas per player (AP) on exercise intensity (EI) measured during small-sided games (SSGs) and expressed as percentage of maximal heart rate (%MHR) and technical actions (TAs) involvement with the ball, crosses, headers, tackles, shots on goal, dribbling, passing, and target passing-in U-12 and U-14 soccer players during SSGs. Seventeen male U-12 soccer players (age 10.0 ± 0.5 years, body mass 39.3 ± 5.3 kg, and height 143.8 ± 4.6 cm) and 16 male U-14 soccer players (age 13.2 ± 0.3 years, body mass 46.6 ± 11.9 kg, and height 154.8 ± 8.5 cm) performed SSGs with different AP: 40, 50, 66.7, 90, 112.5, and 150 m. Our results indicate that at larger AP, the U-12 group's mean EI values were significantly higher than those at smaller AP (p ≤ 0.05); in addition, intergroup comparison showed that EI was higher in U-12 than that in U-14 players when AP of 112.5 and 150 m were considered (p ≤ 0.05). Technical action analysis evidenced that moving from smaller to larger AP, U-14 players adapted better to AP changes. In conclusion, these results suggest that AP influences differently EI and TAs in U-12 and U-14 players. Our results could be taken into account by conditioning coaches to better tailor the physiological and technical training in young players through the modulation of AP.

AP Trends: Tests Soar, Scores Slip--Gaps between Groups Spur Equity Concerns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cech, Scott J.

2008-01-01

More students are taking Advanced Placement tests, but the proportion of tests receiving what is deemed a passing score has dipped, and the mean score is down for the fourth year in a row. Data released here this week by the New York City-based nonprofit organization that owns the AP brand shows that a greater-than-ever proportion of students…

Identification and molecular characterization of the switchgrass AP2/ERF transcription factor superfamily, and overexpression of PvERF001 for improvement of biomass characteristics for biofuel

DOE PAGES

Wuddineh, Wegi A.; Mazarei, Mitra; Turner, Geoffry B.; ...

2015-07-20

The APETALA2/ethylene response factor (AP2/ERF) superfamily of transcription factors (TFs) plays essential roles in the regulation of various growth and developmental programs including stress responses. Members of these TFs in other plant species have been implicated to play a role in the regulation of cell wall biosynthesis. Here, we identified a total of 207 AP2/ERF TF genes in the switchgrass genome and grouped into four gene families comprised of 25 AP2-, 121 ERF-, 55 DREB (dehydration responsive element binding)-, and 5 RAV (related to API3/VP) genes, as well as a singleton gene not fitting any of the above families. Themore » ERF and DREB subfamilies comprised seven and four distinct groups, respectively. Analysis of exon/intron structures of switchgrass AP2/ERF genes showed high diversity in the distribution of introns in AP2 genes versus a single or no intron in most genes in the ERF and RAV families. The majority of the subfamilies or groups within it were characterized by the presence of one or more specific conserved protein motifs. In silico functional analysis revealed that many genes in these families might be associated with the regulation of responses to environmental stimuli via transcriptional regulation of the response genes. Moreover, these genes had diverse endogenous expression patterns in switchgrass during seed germination, vegetative growth, flower development, and seed formation. Interestingly, several members of the ERF and DREB families were found to be highly expressed in plant tissues where active lignification occurs. These results provide vital resources to select candidate genes to potentially impart tolerance to environmental stress as well as reduced recalcitrance. Furthermore, overexpression of one of the ERF genes ( PvERF001) in switchgrass was associated with increased biomass yield and sugar release efficiency in transgenic lines, exemplifying the potential of these TFs in the development of lignocellulosic feedstocks with improved biomass characteristics for biofuels.« less

Chemoprevention of azoxymethane-induced colon cancer by ascorbylpalmitate, carbenoxolone, dimethylfumarate and p-methoxyphenol in male F344 rats.

PubMed

Rao, C V; Rivenson, A; Kelloff, G J; Reddy, B S

1995-01-01

The chemopreventive effect of 40 and 80% maximum tolerated dose (MTD) levels of ascorbylpalmitate (AP), carbenoxolone (CBX), dimethylfumarate (DMF) and p-methoxyphenol (p-MP) administrated in the diet before and during initiation and postinitiation phases of azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colon carcinogenesis was studied in male F344 rats. The MTD levels of AP, CBX, DMF and p-MP were determined in male F344 rats and found to be 5000 1500, 1000 and 1000 ppm, respectively, in modified AIN-76A diet. Based on these MTD values, 40 and 80% MTD levels of each agent was tested for their efficacy in color carcinogenesis. At 5 weeks of age, groups of animals were fed the control (modified AIN-76A diet or diets containing 40 and 80% MTD levels of each AP, CBX, DMF and p-MP. At 7 weeks of age, all animals, except those in the vehicle (normal saline)-treated groups, were given two weekly s.c. injections of AOM at a dose rate of 15 mg/kg body weight/week. All groups were continued on their respective dietary regimen until the termination of the experiment 52 weeks after the carcinogen treatment. Colonic tumors were evaluated histopathologically. The results indicate that dietary administration of 40% MTD of AP significantly inhibited multiplicities (tumor/animal) of noninvasive and total (invasive plus noninvasive) adenocarcinoma of the colon (P < 0.05) and 80% MTD of AP significantly inhibited the incidence (% animals with tumors) and the multiplicities of invasive and total adenocarcinomas of the colon (P < 0.01). Dietary CBX at 40 and 80% MTD levels suppressed the incidence and multiplicities of invasive and total adenocarcinomas (P < 0.05 to 0.001) whereas 40 and 80% MTD of DMF and p-MP had significantly inhibited invasive adenocarcinoma incidence and multiplicity (P < 0.05 to 0.001). However, DMF and p-MP had no significant effect on noninvasive and total adenocarcinoma incidence and multiplicity (P > 0.05). These results suggest that AP and CBX possess potential chemopreventive properties against colon cancer.

Effects of oral administration of yogurt fermented with Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus OLL1073R-1 and its exopolysaccharides against influenza virus infection in mice.

PubMed

Nagai, Takayuki; Makino, Seiya; Ikegami, Shuji; Itoh, Hiroyuki; Yamada, Haruki

2011-12-01

Yogurt fermented with Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus OLL1073R-1 (1073R-1) has been shown to reduce the risk of catching cold in the healthy elderly (Makino et al., Br. J. Nutr., 104, 998-1006, 2010). In addition, the exopolysaccharides (EPS) produced by 1073R-1 were also reported to exert immunostimulatory effects in mice such as the augmentation of NK cell activity (Makino et al., J. Dairy Sci., 89, 2873-81, 2006). So, we investigated anti-influenza virus effects of this yogurt and EPS in mice. The yogurt (0.4 ml/day) and EPS (20 μg/day) were orally administered to BALB/c mice for 21 days prior to intranasal infection with influenza virus A/PR/8/34 (H1N1). As a result, the survival periods were prolonged in both yogurt- and EPS-treated groups compared to the water-treated group. Moreover, in these groups, we observed significant decrease of influenza virus titer and significant increase of anti-influenza virus antibodies (IgA, IgG(1)) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid at 4 days post infection NK cell activity of splenocytes in both groups was also increased significantly. EPS was further fractionated into neutral EPS (NPS) and acidic EPS (APS), and the NPS (20 μg/day) or the APS (20 μg/day) was orally administered to mice for 21 days prior to the intranasal infection. The survival periods were prolonged in APS-treated group, but not in NPS-treated group. Consequently, we concluded that the yogurt fermented with 1073R-1 exerted anti-influenza virus effects in mice by its immunopotentiating activity, and suggested that the APS produced by 1073R-1 was one of active ingredients. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Soft X-Ray Projection Lithography. Organization of the Photonics Science Topical Meetings Held in Monterey, California on May 10-12, 1993

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-05-10

00 pm MA3 Two aspheric mirror system design development MB2 Condenser optics for SXPL, Steve Vernon. Vernon Ap- for SXPL, T. E Jewell. Optical Design...Consultant A generalized plied Physics, Gary Sommargren. Lynn Seppala. David Gaines, procedure for an optical design of a two aspheric mirror system...necessary to develop high-rollectance, tionat Laboratories: J. E, B3jorkhotm. R. R. Freeman, M. 0. Himet, normaltýincidence x-ray mirrors tar projection

A comprehensive review of on-board State-of-Available-Power prediction techniques for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farmann, Alexander; Sauer, Dirk Uwe

2016-10-01

This study provides an overview of available techniques for on-board State-of-Available-Power (SoAP) prediction of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in electric vehicles. Different approaches dealing with the on-board estimation of battery State-of-Charge (SoC) or State-of-Health (SoH) have been extensively discussed in various researches in the past. However, the topic of SoAP prediction has not been explored comprehensively yet. The prediction of the maximum power that can be applied to the battery by discharging or charging it during acceleration, regenerative braking and gradient climbing is definitely one of the most challenging tasks of battery management systems. In large lithium-ion battery packs because of many factors, such as temperature distribution, cell-to-cell deviations regarding the actual battery impedance or capacity either in initial or aged state, the use of efficient and reliable methods for battery state estimation is required. The available battery power is limited by the safe operating area (SOA), where SOA is defined by battery temperature, current, voltage and SoC. Accurate SoAP prediction allows the energy management system to regulate the power flow of the vehicle more precisely and optimize battery performance and improve its lifetime accordingly. To this end, scientific and technical literature sources are studied and available approaches are reviewed.

Health in All Policies: From rhetoric to implementation and evaluation - the Finnish experience.

PubMed

Ståhl, Timo

2018-02-01

The principles of the Health in All Policies (HiAP) approach are not new. Their international roots can be traced back to 1978 and the Alma-Ata Declaration and the 1986 Ottawa Charter. In Finland, the roots of HiAP go back to 1972 when the Economic Council of Finland, chaired by the Prime Minister, launched the 'Report of the working group exploring the goals of health'. The paper discusses the history, rationale, and implementation of the principles underlying the umbrella concept of HiAP. A rationale for implementing a new concept - HiAP in 2006 during the Finnish European Union presidency - is given. The focus here will be on implementation of HiAP. International material supporting the implementation is introduced and practical examples from Finland presented. The Benchmarking System for Health Promotion Capacity Building is introduced, since it has been used as a primary source of information for monitoring and evaluating HiAP in Finland at the local level. The experience from Finland clearly indicates that HiAP as an approach and as a way of working requires long-term commitment and vision. For working across sectors it is crucial to have data on health and health determinants and analyses of the links between health outcomes, health determinants, and policies across sectors and levels of governance. Intersectoral structures, processes, and tools for the identification of problems and solutions, decisions, and implementation across sectors are prerequisites of HiAP. Legislative backing has proven to be useful, especially in providing continuation and sustainability.

Enhanced cortical connectivity in absolute pitch musicians: a model for local hyperconnectivity.

PubMed

Loui, Psyche; Li, H Charles; Hohmann, Anja; Schlaug, Gottfried

2011-04-01

Connectivity in the human brain has received increased scientific interest in recent years. Although connection disorders can affect perception, production, learning, and memory, few studies have associated brain connectivity with graded variations in human behavior, especially among normal individuals. One group of normal individuals who possess unique characteristics in both behavior and brain structure is absolute pitch (AP) musicians, who can name the appropriate pitch class of any given tone without a reference. Using diffusion tensor imaging and tractography, we observed hyperconnectivity in bilateral superior temporal lobe structures linked to AP possession. Furthermore, volume of tracts connecting left superior temporal gyrus to left middle temporal gyrus predicted AP performance. These findings extend previous reports of exaggerated temporal lobe asymmetry, may explain the higher incidence of AP in special populations, and may provide a model for understanding the heightened connectivity that is thought to underlie savant skills and cases of exceptional creativity.

Enhanced Cortical Connectivity in Absolute Pitch Musicians: A Model for Local Hyperconnectivity

PubMed Central

Loui, Psyche; Charles Li, Hui C.; Hohmann, Anja; Schlaug, Gottfried

2010-01-01

Connectivity in the human brain has received increased scientific interest in recent years. Although connection disorders can affect perception, production, learning, and memory, few studies have associated brain connectivity with graded variations in human behavior, especially among normal individuals. One group of normal individuals who possess unique characteristics in both behavior and brain structure is absolute pitch (AP) musicians, who can name the appropriate pitch class of any given tone without a reference. Using diffusion tensor imaging and tractography, we observed hyperconnectivity in bilateral superior temporal lobe structures linked to AP possession. Furthermore, volume of tracts connecting left superior temporal gyrus to left middle temporal gyrus predicted AP performance. These findings extend previous reports of exaggerated temporal lobe asymmetry, may explain the higher incidence of AP in developmental disorders, and may provide a model for understanding the heightened connectivity that is thought to underlie savant skills and cases of exceptional creativity. PMID:20515408

Analysis of EEG signals related to artists and nonartists during visual perception, mental imagery, and rest using approximate entropy.

PubMed

Shourie, Nasrin; Firoozabadi, Mohammad; Badie, Kambiz

2014-01-01

In this paper, differences between multichannel EEG signals of artists and nonartists were analyzed during visual perception and mental imagery of some paintings and at resting condition using approximate entropy (ApEn). It was found that ApEn is significantly higher for artists during the visual perception and the mental imagery in the frontal lobe, suggesting that artists process more information during these conditions. It was also observed that ApEn decreases for the two groups during the visual perception due to increasing mental load; however, their variation patterns are different. This difference may be used for measuring progress in novice artists. In addition, it was found that ApEn is significantly lower during the visual perception than the mental imagery in some of the channels, suggesting that visual perception task requires more cerebral efforts.

Study of pulsations of chemically peculiar a stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sachkov, M. E.

2014-01-01

Rapidly oscillating chemically peculiar A stars (roAp) pulsate in high-overtone, low degree p-modes and form a sub-group of chemically peculiar magnetic A stars (Ap). Until recently, the classical asteroseismic research, i.e., frequency analysis, of these stars was based on photometric observations both ground-based and space-based. Significant progress has been achieved by obtaining uninterrupted, ultra-high precision data from the MOST, COROT, and Kepler satellites. Over the last ten years, a real breakthrough was achieved in the study of roAp stars due to the time-resolved, high spectral resolution spectroscopic observations. Unusual pulsational characteristics of these stars, caused by the interaction between propagating pulsationwaves and strong stratification of chemical elements, provide an opportunity to study the upper roAp star atmosphere in more detail than is possible for any star but the Sun, using spectroscopic data. In this paper the results of recent pulsation studies of these stars are reviewed.

Attachment of 3-(Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane on silicon oxide surfaces: dependence on solution temperature.

PubMed

Pasternack, Robert M; Rivillon Amy, Sandrine; Chabal, Yves J

2008-11-18

Parameters important to the self-assembly of 3-(aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) on chemically grown silicon oxide (SiO 2) to form an aminopropyl silane (APS) film have been investigated using in situ infrared (IR) absorption spectroscopy. Preannealing to approximately 70 degrees C produces significant improvements in the quality of the film: the APS film is denser, and the Si-O-Si bonds between the molecules and the SiO 2 surface are more structured and ordered with only a limited number of remaining unreacted ethoxy groups. In contrast, post-annealing the functionalized SiO 2 samples after room temperature reaction with APTES (i.e., ex situ annealing) does not lead to any spectral change, suggesting that post-annealing has no strong effect on the horizontal polymerization as suggested earlier. Both IR and ellipsometry data show that the higher the solution temperature, the denser and thinner the APS layer is for a given immersion time. Finally, the APS layer obtained by preannealing the solution at 70 degrees C exhibits a better stability in deionized water than the APS layer prepared at room temperature.

Comparative study of topical vs. intravenous tranexamic acid regarding blood loss in total knee arthroplasty.

PubMed

Zekcer, Ari; Priori, Ricardo Del; Tieppo, Clauber; Silva, Ricardo Soares da; Severino, Nilson Roberto

2017-01-01

To compare topical vs. intravenous tranexamic acid (TA) in total knee arthroplasty regarding blood loss and transfusion. Ninety patients were randomized to receive TA intravenously (20 mg/kg in 100 mL of saline; group IV), topically (1.5 g in 50 mL of saline, sprayed over the operated site, before release of the tourniquet; topical group), or intravenous saline (100 mL with anesthesia; control group). The volume of drained blood in 48 h, the amount of transfused blood, and the serum levels of hemoglobin and hematocrit before and after surgery were evaluated. The groups were similar for gender, age, weight, laterality, and preoperative hemoglobin and hematocrit levels ( p  > 0.2). The hemoglobin level dropped in all groups when comparing the preoperative and the 48-h evaluations: the control group decreased 3.8 mg/dL on average, while the IV group had a decrease of 3.0, and the topical group, of 3.2 ( p  = 0.019). The difference between the control and IV groups was confirmed by Bonferroni test ( p  = 0.020). The difference between the control group and the topical group was not significant ( p  = 0.130), although there was less reduction in hemoglobin in the topical group; the comparison between the IV group and the topical group was also not significant ( p  = 1.000). Using topic and IV tranexamic acid decreased blood loss and the need for transfusion in total knee arthroplasty. Topical application showed results similar to IV use regarding the need for blood transfusion, but without the possible side effects of IV administration.

Group III metabotropic glutamate receptors and exocytosed protons inhibit L-type calcium currents in cones but not in rods.

PubMed

Hosoi, Nobutake; Arai, Itaru; Tachibana, Masao

2005-04-20

Light responses of photoreceptors (rods and cones) are transmitted to the second-order neurons (bipolar cells and horizontal cells) via glutamatergic synapses located in the outer plexiform layer of the retina. Although it has been well established that postsynaptic group III metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) of ON bipolar cells contribute to generating the ON signal, presynaptic roles of group III mGluRs remain to be elucidated at this synaptic connection. We addressed this issue by applying the slice patch-clamp technique to the newt retina. OFF bipolar cells and horizontal cells generate a steady inward current in the dark and a transient inward current at light offset, both of which are mediated via postsynaptic non-NMDA receptors. A group III mGluR-specific agonist, L-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (L-AP-4), inhibited both the steady and off-transient inward currents but did not affect the glutamate-induced current in these postsynaptic neurons. L-AP-4 inhibited the presynaptic L-type calcium current (ICa) in cones by shifting the voltage dependence of activation to more positive membrane potentials. The inhibition of ICa was most prominent around the physiological range of cone membrane potentials. In contrast, L-AP-4 did not affect L-type ICa in rods. Paired recordings from photoreceptors and the synaptically connected second-order neurons confirmed that L-AP-4 inhibited both ICa and glutamate release in cones but not in rods. Furthermore, we found that exocytosed protons also inhibited ICa in cones but not in rods. Selective modulation of ICa in cones may help broaden the dynamic range of synaptic transfer by controlling the amount of transmitter release from cones.

Dementia alters standing postural adaptation during a visual search task in older adult men.

PubMed

Jor'dan, Azizah J; McCarten, J Riley; Rottunda, Susan; Stoffregen, Thomas A; Manor, Brad; Wade, Michael G

2015-04-23

This study investigated the effects of dementia on standing postural adaptation during performance of a visual search task. We recruited 16 older adults with dementia and 15 without dementia. Postural sway was assessed by recording medial-lateral (ML) and anterior-posterior (AP) center-of-pressure when standing with and without a visual search task; i.e., counting target letter frequency within a block of displayed randomized letters. ML sway variability was significantly higher in those with dementia during visual search as compared to those without dementia and compared to both groups during the control condition. AP sway variability was significantly greater in those with dementia as compared to those without dementia, irrespective of task condition. In the ML direction, the absolute and percent change in sway variability between the control condition and visual search (i.e., postural adaptation) was greater in those with dementia as compared to those without. In contrast, postural adaptation to visual search was similar between groups in the AP direction. As compared to those without dementia, those with dementia identified fewer letters on the visual task. In the non-dementia group only, greater increases in postural adaptation in both the ML and AP direction, correlated with lower performance on the visual task. The observed relationship between postural adaptation during the visual search task and visual search task performance--in the non-dementia group only--suggests a critical link between perception and action. Dementia reduces the capacity to perform a visual-based task while standing and thus, appears to disrupt this perception-action synergy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ethnic analogies and differences in fetal heart rate variability signal: A retrospective study.

PubMed

Tagliaferri, Salvatore; Esposito, Francesca Giovanna; Fagioli, Rosa; Di Cresce, Marco; Sacchi, Lucia; Signorini, Maria Gabriella; Campanile, Marta; Martinelli, Pasquale; Magenes, Giovanni

2017-02-01

We aimed to analyze computerized cardiotocographic (cCTG) parameters (including fetal heart rate baseline, short-term variability, Delta, long-term irregularity [LTI], interval index [II], low frequency [LF], movement frequency [MF], high frequency [HF], and approximate entropy [ApEn]) in physiological term pregnancies in order to correlate them with ethnic differences. The clinical meaning of numerical parameters may explain physiological or paraphysiological phenomena that occur in fetuses of different ethnic origins. A total of 696 pregnant women, including 384 from Europe, 246 from sub-Saharan Africa, 45 from South-East Asia, and 21 from South America, were monitored from the 37th to the 41st week of gestation. Statistical analysis was performed with the analysis of variance test, Pearson correlation test and receiver-operator curves (P < 0.05). Our results showed statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) between white and black women for Delta, LTI, LF, MF, HF, and ApEn; between white and Asian women for Delta, LTI, MF, and the LF/(HF + MF) ratio; and between white and Latina women for Delta, LTI, and ApEn. In particular, Delta and LTI performed better in the white group than in the black, Asian, and Latina groups. Instead, LF, MF, HF, and ApEn performed better in the black than in the white group. Our results confirmed the integrity and normal functionality of both central and autonomic nervous system components for all fetuses investigated. Therefore, CTG monitoring should include both linear and nonlinear components of fetal heart rate variability in order to avoid misinterpretations of the CTG trace among ethnic groups. © 2016 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Green tea catechin plus caffeine supplementation to a high-protein diet has no additional effect on body weight maintenance after weight loss.

PubMed

Hursel, Rick; Westerterp-Plantenga, Margriet S

2009-03-01

Green tea (epigallocatechin gallate + caffeine) and protein each were shown to improve body weight maintenance after weight loss. We investigated the effect of a green tea-caffeine mixture added to a high-protein (HP) diet on weight maintenance (WM) after body weight loss in moderately obese subjects. A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind parallel trial was conducted in 80 overweight and moderately obese subjects [age (mean +/- SD): 44 +/- 2 y; body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)): 29.6 +/- 2.0] matched for sex, age, BMI, height, body mass, and with a habitually low caffeine intake. A very-low-energy diet intervention during 4 wk was followed by 3 mo of WM; during the WM period, the subjects received a green tea-caffeine mixture (270 mg epigallocatechin gallate + 150 mg caffeine/d) or placebo, both in addition to an adequate protein (AP) diet (50-60 g protein/d) or an HP diet (100-120 g protein/d). Subjects lost 7.0 +/- 1.6 kg, or 8.2 +/- 2.0%, body weight (P < 0.001). During the WM phase, WM, resting energy expenditure, and fat-free mass (FFM) increased relatively in both the HP groups and in the AP + green tea-caffeine mixture group (P < 0.05), whereas respiratory quotient and body fat mass decreased, all compared with the AP + placebo group. Satiety increased only in both HP groups (P < 0.05). The green tea-caffeine mixture was only effective with the AP diet. The green tea-caffeine mixture, as well as the HP diet, improved WM independently through thermogenesis, fat oxidation, sparing FFM, and, for the HP diet, satiety; a possible synergistic effect failed to appear.

Antioxidant genes of the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis): gene characterization and expression profiles.

PubMed

Rajarapu, Swapna Priya; Mamidala, Praveen; Herms, Daniel A; Bonello, Pierluigi; Mittapalli, Omprakash

2011-06-01

Phytophagous insects frequently encounter reactive oxygen species (ROS) from exogenous and endogenous sources. To overcome the effect of ROS, insects have evolved a suite of antioxidant defense genes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX). The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire), an exotic invasive insect pest from Asia has killed millions of ash trees and continues to invade North America at a rapid pace. From an on-going expressed sequence tag (EST) project of A. planipennis larval tissues, we identified ESTs coding for a Cu-Zn SOD (ApSOD1), a CAT (ApCAT1) and a GPX (ApGPX1). A multiple sequence alignment of the derived A. planipennis sequences revealed high homology with other insect sequences at the amino acid level. Phylogenetic analysis of ApSOD1 grouped it with Cu-Zn SODs of other insect taxa. Quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis in different larval tissues (midgut, fat body, Malpighian tubule and cuticle) revealed high mRNA levels of ApCAT1 in the midgut. Interestingly, high mRNA levels for both ApSOD1 and ApGPX1 were observed in the Malpighian tubules. Assay of mRNA levels in developmental stages (larva, prepupa and adults) by qRT-PCR indicated high transcript levels of ApCAT1 and ApGPX1 in larval and prepupal stages with a decline in adults. On the other hand, the transcript levels of ApSOD1 were observed to be constitutive in all the developmental stages assayed. Results obtained reflect a plausible role of these A. planipennis antioxidant genes in quenching ROS from both diet (ash allelochemicals) as well as endogenous sources. These studies further help in understanding the adaptation/invasiveness of A. planipennis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Elderly fall risk prediction using static posturography

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Maintaining and controlling postural balance is important for activities of daily living, with poor postural balance being predictive of future falls. This study investigated eyes open and eyes closed standing posturography with elderly adults to identify differences and determine appropriate outcome measure cut-off scores for prospective faller, single-faller, multi-faller, and non-faller classifications. 100 older adults (75.5 ± 6.7 years) stood quietly with eyes open and then eyes closed while Wii Balance Board data were collected. Range in anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) center of pressure (CoP) motion; AP and ML CoP root mean square distance from mean (RMS); and AP, ML, and vector sum magnitude (VSM) CoP velocity were calculated. Romberg Quotients (RQ) were calculated for all parameters. Participants reported six-month fall history and six-month post-assessment fall occurrence. Groups were retrospective fallers (24), prospective all fallers (42), prospective fallers (22 single, 6 multiple), and prospective non-fallers (47). Non-faller RQ AP range and RQ AP RMS differed from prospective all fallers, fallers, and single fallers. Non-faller eyes closed AP velocity, eyes closed VSM velocity, RQ AP velocity, and RQ VSM velocity differed from multi-fallers. RQ calculations were particularly relevant for elderly fall risk assessments. Cut-off scores from Clinical Cut-off Score, ROC curves, and discriminant functions were clinically viable for multi-faller classification and provided better accuracy than single-faller classification. RQ AP range with cut-off score 1.64 could be used to screen for older people who may fall once. Prospective multi-faller classification with a discriminant function (-1.481 + 0.146 x Eyes Closed AP Velocity—0.114 x Eyes Closed Vector Sum Magnitude Velocity—2.027 x RQ AP Velocity + 2.877 x RQ Vector Sum Magnitude Velocity) and cut-off score 0.541 achieved an accuracy of 84.9% and is viable as a screening tool for older people at risk of multiple falls. PMID:28222191

Elderly fall risk prediction using static posturography.

PubMed

Howcroft, Jennifer; Lemaire, Edward D; Kofman, Jonathan; McIlroy, William E

2017-01-01

Maintaining and controlling postural balance is important for activities of daily living, with poor postural balance being predictive of future falls. This study investigated eyes open and eyes closed standing posturography with elderly adults to identify differences and determine appropriate outcome measure cut-off scores for prospective faller, single-faller, multi-faller, and non-faller classifications. 100 older adults (75.5 ± 6.7 years) stood quietly with eyes open and then eyes closed while Wii Balance Board data were collected. Range in anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) center of pressure (CoP) motion; AP and ML CoP root mean square distance from mean (RMS); and AP, ML, and vector sum magnitude (VSM) CoP velocity were calculated. Romberg Quotients (RQ) were calculated for all parameters. Participants reported six-month fall history and six-month post-assessment fall occurrence. Groups were retrospective fallers (24), prospective all fallers (42), prospective fallers (22 single, 6 multiple), and prospective non-fallers (47). Non-faller RQ AP range and RQ AP RMS differed from prospective all fallers, fallers, and single fallers. Non-faller eyes closed AP velocity, eyes closed VSM velocity, RQ AP velocity, and RQ VSM velocity differed from multi-fallers. RQ calculations were particularly relevant for elderly fall risk assessments. Cut-off scores from Clinical Cut-off Score, ROC curves, and discriminant functions were clinically viable for multi-faller classification and provided better accuracy than single-faller classification. RQ AP range with cut-off score 1.64 could be used to screen for older people who may fall once. Prospective multi-faller classification with a discriminant function (-1.481 + 0.146 x Eyes Closed AP Velocity-0.114 x Eyes Closed Vector Sum Magnitude Velocity-2.027 x RQ AP Velocity + 2.877 x RQ Vector Sum Magnitude Velocity) and cut-off score 0.541 achieved an accuracy of 84.9% and is viable as a screening tool for older people at risk of multiple falls.

Neuropsychiatric Features of a Cohort of Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

PubMed Central

Moraes-Fontes, Maria Francisca; Lúcio, Isabel; Santos, Céu; Campos, Maria Manuel; Riso, Nuno; Vaz Riscado, Manuel

2012-01-01

In order to establish if neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) can be identified by any characteristic other than those used to diagnose the neuropsychiatric (NP) disease itself, we retrospectively reviewed 98 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients followed over a mean period of 10 years. NPSLE was identified in 22 patients. Stroke and generalized seizures were the most frequent NP manifestations. The NPSLE and non-NPSLE groups were similar with regard to demographic characteristics, ACR criteria, serum autoantibodies, and frequency of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. Of note, compared to the non-NPSLE group, NPSLE was associated with a higher frequency of smoking (78 versus 26%), organ damage (73 versus 34%), and cumulative mortality rate (14 versus 7%). The series of patients was further analysed according to the presence of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Significantly, the interval between the onset of NP disease and SLE diagnosis was shorter in the APS− (0.3 ± 1 years) than in the APS+ (5 ± 7 years) groups. Recurrence and/or persistence of NP events were only documented in the APS− group. Overall cumulative mortality was highest in NPSLE and in APS+ patients with inadequate anticoagulation control, identifying an aspect that requires improved vigilance and the development of novel therapeutic modalities. PMID:23227358

Recognition of American Physiological Society members whose research publications had a significant impact on the discipline of physiology.

PubMed

Tipton, Charles M

2013-03-01

Society members whose research publication during the past 125 yr had an important impact on the discipline of physiology were featured at the American Physiological Society (APS)'s 125th Anniversary symposium. The daunting and challenging task of identifying and selecting significant publications was assumed by the Steering Committee of the History of Physiology Interest Group, who requested recommendations and rationales from all Sections, select Interest Groups, and active senior APS members. The request resulted in recommendations and rationales from nine Sections, one Interest Group, and 28 senior members, identifying 38 publications and 43 members for recognition purposes. The publication recommendations included 5 individuals (Cournand, Erlanger, Gasser, Hubel, and Wiesel) whose research significantly contributed to their selection for the Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology, 4 individuals who received multiple recommendations [i.e., Cannon (3), Curran (2), Fenn (3), and Hamilton (2)], and 11 members who had been APS Presidents. Of the recommended articles, 33% were from the American Journal of Physiology, with the earliest being published in 1898 (Cannon) and the latest in 2007 (Sigmund). For the brief oral presentations, the History of Physiology Steering Committee selected the first choices of the Sections or Interest Group, whereas rationales and representation of the membership were used for the presentations by senior members.

Therapeutic effects of a horse riding simulator in children with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Silva e Borges, Maria Beatriz; Werneck, Maria José da Silva; da Silva, Maria de Lourdes; Gandolfi, Lenora; Pratesi, Riccardo

2011-10-01

To evaluate the efficacy of horse ridding simulator on the sitting postural control of children with spastic diplegia. Forty children were randomly divided in a group using the simulator (RS) and a group performing conventional physical therapy (CT). FScan/Fmat equipment was used to register maximal displacement in antero-posterior (AP) and medio-lateral (ML) directions with children in sitting position. At the pre and post intervention stage both groups were classified according to the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and, after intervention, by the AUQEI questionnaire (Autoquestionnaire Qualité de vie Enfant Image). Comparison between groups disclosed statistically significant pos-intervention improvement both in the AP (p<0.0001) as in the ML (p<0.0069) direction in the RS group. The horse ridding simulator produced significant improvement in the postural control of children in sitting position, additionally showing a higher motor functionality and a better acceptance of the therapeutic intervention.

Interactions of the GM2 activator protein with phosphatidylcholine bilayers: a site-directed spin-labeling power saturation study.

PubMed

Mathias, Jordan D; Ran, Yong; Carter, Jeffery D; Fanucci, Gail E

2009-09-02

The GM2 activator protein (GM2AP) is an accessory protein that is an essential component in the catabolism of the ganglioside GM2. A function of GM2AP is to bind and extract GM2 from intralysosomal vesicles, forming a soluble protein-lipid complex, which interacts with the hydrolase Hexosaminidase A, the enzyme that cleaves the terminal sugar group of GM2. Here, we used site-directed spin labeling with power saturation electron paramagnetic resonance to determine the surface-bound orientation of GM2AP upon phosphatidylcholine vesicles. Because GM2AP extracts lipid ligands from the vesicle and is undergoing exchange on and off the vesicle surface, we utilized a nickel-chelating lipid to localize the paramagnetic metal collider to the lipid bilayer-aqueous interface. Spin-labeled sites that collide with the lipid-bound metal relaxing agent provide a means for mapping sites of the protein that interact with the lipid bilayer interface. Results show that GM2AP binds to lipid bilayers such that the residues lining the lipid-binding cavity lie on the vesicle surface. This orientation creates a favorable microenvironment that can allow for the lipid tails to flip out of the bilayer directly into the hydrophobic pocket of GM2AP.

Dose and time dependent ototoxicity of aspartame in rats.

PubMed

Ozturan, Orhan; Dogan, Remzi; Tugrul, Selahattin; Gedik, Ozge; Sjostrand, Alev Pektas; Yildirim, Yavuz Selim

2017-04-01

Low-dose administration of Aspartame (Ap) did not produce a significant ototoxic effect at the end of the 6th month. However, duration of the ototoxic effect is shortened and severity of the effect is increased as dose and duration of Ap administration is increased. While Ap toxicity has been studied in short- and long-term studies, its effects on hearing have not been investigated. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of long-term consumption of Ap administered in various doses on hearing status of rats. The study included 54 female Wistar Albino rats. Ap was given for 6 months to the rats. The groups were assigned according to levels of Ap dosage. DPOAE and ABR tests were utilized for serial hearing evaluations. Serial hearing measurement times were designed as baseline, 1st week, 2nd week, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 6th months. While audiological parameters deteriorated with 100 mg/kg/day dose after the 3rd month, ABR thresholds were elevated and DPOAE values were significantly decreased in 500 mg/kg/day and 1000 mg/kg/day applications after the 2nd month. In 2000 mg/kg/day and 4000 mg/kg/day applications, deteriorations in audiological parameters were detected as early as the first and second months; respectively.

Prediction of acute pancreatitis risk based on PIP score in children with cystic fibrosis.

PubMed

Terlizzi, V; Tosco, A; Tomaiuolo, R; Sepe, A; Amato, N; Casale, A; Mercogliano, C; De Gregorio, F; Improta, F; Elce, A; Castaldo, G; Raia, V

2014-09-01

Currently no tools to predict risk of acute (AP) and recurrent pancreatitis (ARP) in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) are available. We assessed the prevalence of AP/ARP and tested the potential role of Pancreatic Insufficiency Prevalence (PIP) score in a cohort of children with CF. We identified two groups of children, on the basis of presence/absence of AP/ARP, who were compared for age at diagnosis, clinical features, genotypes and sweat chloride level. PIP score was calculated for each patient. 10/167 (5.9%) experienced at least one episode of AP during follow up; 10/10 were pancreatic sufficient (PS). Patients with AP/ARP showed a PIP score ≤0.25 more frequently (6/10) than patients without AP/ARP. The odds ratio (95% CI) of developing pancreatitis was 4.54 (1.22-16.92) for patients with PIP <0.25 when compared with those who have a PIP score >0.25 (p 0.0151). PIP score was correlated with sweat chloride test (p < 0.01). PIP score, PS status and normal/borderline sweat chloride levels could be applied to predict pancreatitis development in children with CF. ARP could lead to pancreatic insufficiency. Copyright © 2014 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Comparative Study of High School Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment Programs Using a Mixed Methods Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haley, Katrina A.

2013-01-01

This study provides an in-depth analysis of whether students who take dual enrollment and/or AP classes have higher ACT test scores compared to a group of their peers that did not take dual enrollment or AP courses. The study also identified the demographic characteristics (ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic status) of students with a 3.0 or…

Safety and immunogenicity of a combined Tetanus, Diphtheria, recombinant acellular Pertussis vaccine (TdaP) in healthy Thai adults.

PubMed

Sirivichayakul, Chukiat; Chanthavanich, Pornthep; Limkittikul, Kriengsak; Siegrist, Claire-Anne; Wijagkanalan, Wassana; Chinwangso, Pailinrut; Petre, Jean; Hong Thai, Pham; Chauhan, Mukesh; Viviani, Simonetta

2017-01-02

An acellular Pertussis (aP) vaccine containing recombinant genetically detoxified Pertussis Toxin (PTgen), Filamentous Hemagglutinin (FHA) and Pertactin (PRN) has been developed by BioNet-Asia (BioNet). We present here the results of the first clinical study of this recombinant aP vaccine formulated alone or in combination with tetanus and diphtheria toxoids (TdaP). A phase I/II, observer-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted at Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand in healthy adult volunteers aged 18-35 y. The eligible volunteers were randomized to receive one dose of either BioNet's aP or Tetanus toxoid-reduced Diphtheria toxoid-acellular Pertussis (TdaP) vaccine, or the Tdap Adacel® vaccine in a 1:1:1 ratio. Safety follow-up was performed for one month. Immunogenicity was assessed at baseline, at 7 and 28 d after vaccination. Anti-PT, anti-FHA, anti-PRN, anti-tetanus and anti-diphtheria IgG antibodies were assessed by ELISA. Anti-PT neutralizing antibodies were assessed also by CHO cell assay. A total of 60 subjects (20 per each vaccine group) were enrolled and included in the safety analysis. Safety laboratory parameters, incidence of local and systemic post-immunization reactions during 7 d after vaccination and incidence of adverse events during one month after vaccination were similar in the 3 vaccine groups. One month after vaccination, seroresponse rates of anti-PT, anti-FHA and anti-PRN IgG antibodies exceeded 78% in all vaccine groups. The anti-PT IgG, anti-FHA IgG, and anti-PT neutralizing antibody geometric mean titers (GMTs) were significantly higher following immunization with BioNet's aP and BioNet's TdaP than Adacel® (P< 0.05). The anti-PRN IgG, anti-tetanus and anti-diphtheria GMTs at one month after immunization were comparable in all vaccine groups. All subjects had seroprotective titers of anti-tetanus and anti-diphtheria antibodies at baseline. In this first clinical study, PTgen-based BioNet's aP and TdaP vaccines showed a similar tolerability and safety profile to Adacel® and elicited significantly higher immune responses to PT and FHA.

Tracheal Self-Expandable Metallic Stents: A Comparative Study of Three Different Stents in a Rabbit Model.

PubMed

Serrano, Carolina; Lostalé, Fernando; Rodríguez-Panadero, Francisco; Blas, Ignacio de; Laborda, Alicia; de Gregorio, Miguel Angel

2016-03-01

The objective of this study was to assess tracheal reactivity after the deployment of different self-expandable metal stents (SEMS). Forty female New Zealand rabbits were divided into four groups. Three groups received three different SEMS: steel (ST), nitinol (NiTi), or nitinol drug-eluting stent (DES); the fourth group was the control group (no stent). Stents were deployed percutaneously under fluoroscopic guidance. Animals were assessed by multi-slice, computed tomography (CT) scans, and tracheas were collected for anatomical pathology (AP) study. Data from CT and AP were statistically analyzed and correlated. The DES group had the longest stenosis (20.51±14.08mm vs. 5.84±12.43 and 6.57±6.54mm in NiTi and ST, respectively, day 30; P<.05), and higher granuloma formation on CT (50% of cases). The NiTi group showed the lowest grade of stenosis (2.86±6.91% vs. 11.28±13.98 and 15.54±25.95% in DES and ST, respectively; P<.05). The AP study revealed that the ST group developed intense proliferative reactivity compared to the other groups. In the DES group, a destructive response was observed in 70% of the animals, while the NiTi was the least reactive stent. CT was more effective in detecting wall thickening (positive correlation of 68.9%; P<.001) than granuloma (not significant). The ST group developed granulomas and significant stenosis. NiTi was the least reactive stent, while DES caused significant lesions that may be related to drug dosage. This type of DES stent is therefore not recommended for the treatment of tracheobronchial stenosis. Copyright © 2015 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of combination of glycolic acid peeling with topical regimen in treatment of melasma.

PubMed

Chaudhary, Savita; Dayal, Surabhi

2013-10-01

Various treatment modalities are available for management of melasma, ranging from topical and oral to chemical peeling, but none is promising alone. Very few studies are available regarding efficacy of combination of topical treatment with chemical peeling. Combination of chemical peeling and topical regimen can be a good treatment modality in the management of this recalcitrant disorder. To assess the efficacy of combination of topical regimen (2% hydroquinone, 1% hydrocortisone and 0.05% tretinoin) with serial glycolic acid peeling in the treatment of melasma in Indian patients. Forty Indian patients of moderate to severe epidermal variety melasma were divided into two groups of 20 each. One Group i.e. peel group received topical regimen (2% hydroquinone, 1% hydrocortisone and 0.05% tretinoin) with serial glycolic acid peeling and other group i.e. control group received topical regimen (2% hydroquinone, 1% hydrocortisone, 0.05% tretinoin). There was an overall decrease in MASI from baseline in 24 weeks of therapy in both the groups (P value < 0.05). The group receiving the glycolic acid peel with topical regimen showed early and greater improvement than the group which was receiving topical regimen only. This study concluded that combining topical regimen (2% hydroquinone, 1% hydrocortisone and 0.05% tretinoin) with serial glycolic acid peeling significantly enhances the therapeutic efficacy of glycolic acid peeling. The combination of glycolic acid peeling with the topical regimen is a highly effective, safe and promising therapeutic option in treatment of melasma.

Ubiquitin chain specificities of E6AP E3 ligase and its HECT domain.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Fuminori; Nishiuchi, Takumi; Takaki, Kento; Konno, Hiroki

2018-02-05

Ubiquitination of target proteins is accomplished by isopeptide bond formation between the carboxy group of the C-terminal glycine (Gly) residue of ubiquitin (Ub) and the ɛ-amino group of lysine (Lys) on the target proteins. The formation of an isopeptide bond between Ubs that gives rise to a poly-Ub chain on the target proteins and the types of poly-Ub chains formed depend on which of the seven Lys residues or N-terminal methionine (Met) residue on Ub is used for chain elongation. To understand the linkage specificity mechanism of Ub chains on E3, the previous study established an assay to monitor the formation of a free diubiquitin chain (Ub 2 chain synthesis assay) by HECT type E3 ligase. In this study, we investigated Ub 2 chain specificity using E6AP HECT domain. We here demonstrate the importance of the N-terminal domain of full length E6AP for Ub 2 chain specificity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Poly-Bioactive Compounds on Lipid Profile and Body Weight in a Moderately Hypercholesterolemic Population with Low Cardiovascular Disease Risk: A Multicenter Randomized Trial

PubMed Central

Solà, Rosa; Valls, Rosa-M; Puzo, José; Calabuig, José-Ramón; Brea, Angel; Pedret, Anna; Moriña, David; Villar, José; Millán, Jesús; Anguera, Anna

2014-01-01

A dietary supplement (AP, Armolipid Plus) that combines red yeast rice extract, policosanol, berberine, folic acid, coenzyme Q10 and asthaxantine can have beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD) biomarkers. The aim of this study was to assess whether the intake of AP, in combination with dietary recommendations, reduces serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) concentrations and other CVD biomarkers in patients with hypercholesterolemia. Eligible patients were recruited from the outpatient clinics of six Spanish hospitals Hospital Virgen del Rocío (Sevilla); Hospital San Jorge (Huesca); Hospital San Pedro (Logroño); Hospital Gregorio Marañón (Madrid), Hospital la Fe (Valencia) and Hospital Universitari Sant Joan (Reus) as recruiting and coordinating center. 102 participants (mean age ± SD; 50.91±11.61; 32 men) with low CVD, with mild-to-moderately elevated LDL-c (between 3.35 mmol/L and 4.88 mmol/L) without hypolipemic therapy were randomized in a double-blind, parallel, controlled, multicenter trial commencing January 2012 and ending December 2012. Among the exclusion criteria were any concomitant chronic disease, triglycerides (TG) >3.97 mmol/L, pregnant or lactating, and history of CVD. At 12 weeks, compared to placebo, AP reduced LDL-c by −6.9%, apolipoprotein (Apo) B-100 by −6.6% and total cholesterol/HDL-c ratio by −5.5%, the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio by −8.6%, while increasing ApoA1 by +2.5% (p<0.05). AP consumption was associated with modest mean weight loss of −0.93 kg (95%CI: -1.74 to -0.12; P = 0.02) compared with control group while dietary composition remained unchanged in the AP group. The AP product was well tolerated. In conclusion, AP, combined with dietary recommendations, reduced LDL-c levels as well as total cholesterol/HDL-c and ApoB/ApoA1 ratios, while increasing Apo A1, all of which are improvements in CVD risk indicators. AP is a product which could benefit patients having moderate hyperlipidemia and excess body weight. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01562080 PMID:25084280

Circulating microRNAs as biomarkers of disease and typification of the atherothrombotic status in antiphospholipid syndrome

PubMed Central

Pérez-Sánchez, Carlos; Arias-de la Rosa, Iván; Aguirre, María Ángeles; Luque-Tévar, María; Ruiz-Limón, Patricia; Barbarroja, Nuria; Jiménez-Gómez, Yolanda; Ábalos-Aguilera, María Carmen; Collantes-Estévez, Eduardo; Segui, Pedro; Velasco, Francisco; Herranz, María Teresa; Lozano-Herrero, Jesús; Hernandez-Vidal, María Julia; Martínez, Constantino; González-Conejero, Rocío; Radin, Massimo; Sciascia, Savino; Cecchi, Irene; Cuadrado, María José; López-Pedrera, Chary

2018-01-01

We aimed to identify the plasma miRNA profile of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) patients and to investigate the potential role of specific circulating miRNAs as non-invasive disease biomarkers. Ninety APS patients and 42 healthy donors were recruited. Profiling of miRNAs by PCR-array in plasma of APS patients identified a set of miRNAs differentially expressed and collectively involved in clinical features. Logistic regression and ROC analysis identified a signature of 10 miRNA ratios as biomarkers of disease. In addition, miRNA signature was related to fetal loss, atherosclerosis, and type of thrombosis, and correlated with parameters linked to inflammation, thrombosis, and autoimmunity. Hard clustering analysis differentiated 3 clusters representing different thrombotic risk profile groups. Significant differences between groups for several miRNA ratios were found. Moreover, miRNA signature remained stable over time, demonstrated by their analysis three months after the first sample collection. Parallel analysis in two additional cohorts of patients, including thrombosis without autoimmune disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus without antiphospholipid antibodies, each displayed specific miRNA profiles that were distinct from those of APS patients. In vitro, antiphospholipid antibodies of IgG isotype promoted deregulation in selected miRNAs and their potential atherothrombotic protein targets in monocytes and endothelial cells. Taken together, differentially expressed circulating miRNAs in APS patients, modulated at least partially by antiphospholipid antibodies of IgG isotype, might have the potential to serve as novel biomarkers of disease features and to typify patients’ atherothrombotic status, thus constituting a useful tool in the management of the disease. PMID:29545345

Nutritional Considerations in Pediatric Pancreatitis: A Position Paper from the NASPGHAN Pancreas Committee, ESPGHAN Pancreas Working Group.

PubMed

Abu-El-Haija, Maisam; Uc, Aliye; Werlin, Steven L; Freeman, A Jay; Georgieva, Miglena; Pavkov, Danijela Jojkić -; Kalnins, Daina; Kochavi, Brigitte; Koot, Bart G P; Van Biervliet, Stephanie; Walkowiak, Jaroslaw; Wilschanski, Michael; Morinville, Veronique D

2018-05-08

Wide variations exist in how physicians manage the nutritional aspects of children affected by acute pancreatitis (AP), acute recurrent pancreatitis (ARP) and chronic (CP) pancreatitis. Better consensus for optimal management is needed. This consensus statement on nutrition in pediatric pancreatic diseases was developed through a joint ESPGHAN-NASPGHAN working group that performed an evidence-based search of the literature on nutrition in AP, ARP, and CP with a focus on pediatrics. The literature was summarized, quality of evidence reviewed, and expert recommendations developed. The authorship met to discuss the evidence and statements. Voting on recommendations occurred over two rounds based on feedback. A consensus of at least 75% was required to approve a recommendation. Areas requiring further research were identified. The literature on nutrition in pediatric pancreatitis is limited. Children with mild AP benefit from starting an early nutritional regimen in the course of the attack. Early nutrition should be attempted in severe AP when possible; enteral nutrition is preferred over parenteral nutrition. Children with ARP are likely to tolerate and benefit from a regular diet. Children with CP need ongoing assessment for growth and nutritional deficiencies, exocrine and endocrine insufficiencies. This document presents the first authoritative recommendations on nutritional considerations in pediatric pancreatitis. Future research should address the gaps in knowledge particularly relating to optimal nutrition for AP in children, role of diet or dietary supplements on recurrent attacks of pancreatitis and pain episodes, monitoring practices to detect early growth and nutritional deficiencies in CP and identifying risk factors that predispose children to these deficiencies.

Metabotropic glutamate receptors mGluR4 and mGluR8 regulate transmission in the lateral olfactory tract-piriform cortex synapse

PubMed Central

Jones, Paulianda J.; Xiang, Zixiu; Conn, P. Jeffrey

2008-01-01

The piriform cortex (PC) is the primary terminal zone of projections from the olfactory bulb, termed the lateral olfactory tract (LOT). The PC plays a critical role in processing of olfactory stimuli and is also a highly seizure prone area thought to be involved in some forms of temporal lobe epilepsy. Pharmacological and immunohistochemical studies provide evidence for the localization of various metabotropic glutamate receptors (GluRs) in the PC. We employed whole cell patch clamp recordings from PC pyramidal cells to determine the roles of group III mGluRs in modulating synaptic transmission at the LOT–PC synapse. The group III mGluR agonist, L-AP4, induced a concentration-dependent inhibition of synaptic transmission at the LOT-PC synapse at concentrations that activate mGluR4 and mGluR8, but not mGluR7 or other mGluR subtypes (EC50 = 473 nM). In addition, the selective mGluR8 agonist, DCPG (300 nM), also suppressed synaptic transmission at the LOT synapse. Furthermore, the inhibitory actions of L-AP4 and Z-cyclopentyl-AP4, a selective mGluR4 agonist, were potentiated by the mGluR4 positive allosteric modulator, PHCCC (30 µM). The high potency of L-AP4, combined with the observed effects of DCPG and PHCCC, suggests that both mGluR4 and mGluR8 play a role in the L-AP4-induced inhibition of synaptic transmission at the LOT-PC synapse. PMID:18625254

LDA-Based Unified Topic Modeling for Similar TV User Grouping and TV Program Recommendation.

PubMed

Pyo, Shinjee; Kim, Eunhui; Kim, Munchurl

2015-08-01

Social TV is a social media service via TV and social networks through which TV users exchange their experiences about TV programs that they are viewing. For social TV service, two technical aspects are envisioned: grouping of similar TV users to create social TV communities and recommending TV programs based on group and personal interests for personalizing TV. In this paper, we propose a unified topic model based on grouping of similar TV users and recommending TV programs as a social TV service. The proposed unified topic model employs two latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) models. One is a topic model of TV users, and the other is a topic model of the description words for viewed TV programs. The two LDA models are then integrated via a topic proportion parameter for TV programs, which enforces the grouping of similar TV users and associated description words for watched TV programs at the same time in a unified topic modeling framework. The unified model identifies the semantic relation between TV user groups and TV program description word groups so that more meaningful TV program recommendations can be made. The unified topic model also overcomes an item ramp-up problem such that new TV programs can be reliably recommended to TV users. Furthermore, from the topic model of TV users, TV users with similar tastes can be grouped as topics, which can then be recommended as social TV communities. To verify our proposed method of unified topic-modeling-based TV user grouping and TV program recommendation for social TV services, in our experiments, we used real TV viewing history data and electronic program guide data from a seven-month period collected by a TV poll agency. The experimental results show that the proposed unified topic model yields an average 81.4% precision for 50 topics in TV program recommendation and its performance is an average of 6.5% higher than that of the topic model of TV users only. For TV user prediction with new TV programs, the average prediction precision was 79.6%. Also, we showed the superiority of our proposed model in terms of both topic modeling performance and recommendation performance compared to two related topic models such as polylingual topic model and bilingual topic model.

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

Wuddineh, Wegi A.; Mazarei, Mitra; Turner, Geoffry B.

The APETALA2/ethylene response factor (AP2/ERF) superfamily of transcription factors (TFs) plays essential roles in the regulation of various growth and developmental programs including stress responses. Members of these TFs in other plant species have been implicated to play a role in the regulation of cell wall biosynthesis. Here, we identified a total of 207 AP2/ERF TF genes in the switchgrass genome and grouped into four gene families comprised of 25 AP2-, 121 ERF-, 55 DREB (dehydration responsive element binding)-, and 5 RAV (related to API3/VP) genes, as well as a singleton gene not fitting any of the above families. Themore » ERF and DREB subfamilies comprised seven and four distinct groups, respectively. Analysis of exon/intron structures of switchgrass AP2/ERF genes showed high diversity in the distribution of introns in AP2 genes versus a single or no intron in most genes in the ERF and RAV families. The majority of the subfamilies or groups within it were characterized by the presence of one or more specific conserved protein motifs. In silico functional analysis revealed that many genes in these families might be associated with the regulation of responses to environmental stimuli via transcriptional regulation of the response genes. Moreover, these genes had diverse endogenous expression patterns in switchgrass during seed germination, vegetative growth, flower development, and seed formation. Interestingly, several members of the ERF and DREB families were found to be highly expressed in plant tissues where active lignification occurs. These results provide vital resources to select candidate genes to potentially impart tolerance to environmental stress as well as reduced recalcitrance. Furthermore, overexpression of one of the ERF genes ( PvERF001) in switchgrass was associated with increased biomass yield and sugar release efficiency in transgenic lines, exemplifying the potential of these TFs in the development of lignocellulosic feedstocks with improved biomass characteristics for biofuels.« less

Influence of plate fixation on cervical height and alignment after one- or two-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.

PubMed

Yu, Jaecheon; Ha, Yoon; Shin, Jun Jae; Oh, Jae Keun; Lee, Chang Kyu; Kim, Keung Nyun; Yoon, Do Heum

2017-10-26

To evaluate the efficacy of plate fixation on cervical alignment after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) using a stand-alone cage (ACDF-CA), compared to ACDF performed using a cage and plate fixation (ACDF-CP) and ACDF using autologous iliac bone graft and plate fixation (ACDF-AP), for the treatment of one- or two-level cervical degenerative disease. A second objective was to assess the clinical and radiological outcomes between the groups. A total of 247 patients underwent ACDF and were divided into three groups: those who underwent ACDF-CA (n = 76), ACDF-CP (n = 82) or ACDF-AP (n = 89). Fusion rate and time-to-fusion, global cervical and segmental angle, fused segment height, subsidence rate, and clinical outcomes, were measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry Neck Disability Index (NDI), and Robinson's criteria, assessed preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, and at least 24 months, postoperatively. ACDF-AP was associated with the shortest mean time-to-fusion, followed by ACDF-CP and ACDF-CA. Compared to the preoperative status, the fused segment height and segmental angle increased in all groups immediately postoperatively, being well-maintained in patients who underwent ACDF-AP, while decreasing in those who underwent ACDF-CP and ACDF-CA procedures. Global cervical lordosis increased with ACDF-AP, but decreased immediately postoperatively with ACDF-CP and ACDF-CA, and at the final follow-up. Univariate analysis confirmed that a change in fused segment height was positively associated with a change in both segmental and global cervical angles. Clinical outcomes, namely VAS and NDI scores, as well as Robinson's criteria, were comparable among the three techniques. Supplementation with plate fixation, especially using autologous iliac bone graft, is beneficial for maintaining the fused segment height and cervical spine curvature, as well as reducing time-to-fusion and subsidence rate.

Sulforaphane Protects Pancreatic Acinar Cell Injury by Modulating Nrf2-Mediated Oxidative Stress and NLRP3 Inflammatory Pathway

PubMed Central

Dong, Zhaojun; Shang, Haixiao; Chen, Yong Q.; Pan, Li-Long

2016-01-01

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is characterized by early activation of intra-acinar proteases followed by acinar cell death and inflammation. Cellular oxidative stress is a key mechanism underlying these pathological events. Sulforaphane (SFN) is a natural organosulfur antioxidant with undescribed effects on AP. Here we investigated modulatory effects of SFN on cellular oxidation and inflammation in AP. AP was induced by cerulean hyperstimulation in BALB/c mice. Treatment group received a single dose of 5 mg/kg SFN for 3 consecutive days before AP. We found that SFN administration attenuated pancreatic injury as evidenced by serum amylase, pancreatic edema, and myeloperoxidase, as well as by histological examination. SFN administration reverted AP-associated dysregulation of oxidative stress markers including pancreatic malondialdehyde and redox enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). In acinar cells, SFN treatment upregulated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression and Nrf2-regulated redox genes including quinoneoxidoreductase-1, heme oxidase-1, SOD1, and GPx1. In addition, SFN selectively suppressed cerulein-induced activation of the nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat containing family, pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, in parallel with reduced nuclear factor- (NF-) κB activation and modulated NF-κB-responsive cytokine expression. Together, our data suggested that SFN modulates Nrf2-mediated oxidative stress and NLRP3/NF-κB inflammatory pathways in acinar cells, thereby protecting against AP. PMID:27847555

Sulforaphane Protects Pancreatic Acinar Cell Injury by Modulating Nrf2-Mediated Oxidative Stress and NLRP3 Inflammatory Pathway.

PubMed

Dong, Zhaojun; Shang, Haixiao; Chen, Yong Q; Pan, Li-Long; Bhatia, Madhav; Sun, Jia

2016-01-01

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is characterized by early activation of intra-acinar proteases followed by acinar cell death and inflammation. Cellular oxidative stress is a key mechanism underlying these pathological events. Sulforaphane (SFN) is a natural organosulfur antioxidant with undescribed effects on AP. Here we investigated modulatory effects of SFN on cellular oxidation and inflammation in AP. AP was induced by cerulean hyperstimulation in BALB/c mice. Treatment group received a single dose of 5 mg/kg SFN for 3 consecutive days before AP. We found that SFN administration attenuated pancreatic injury as evidenced by serum amylase, pancreatic edema, and myeloperoxidase, as well as by histological examination. SFN administration reverted AP-associated dysregulation of oxidative stress markers including pancreatic malondialdehyde and redox enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). In acinar cells, SFN treatment upregulated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression and Nrf2-regulated redox genes including quinoneoxidoreductase-1, heme oxidase-1, SOD1, and GPx1. In addition, SFN selectively suppressed cerulein-induced activation of the nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat containing family, pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, in parallel with reduced nuclear factor- (NF-) κ B activation and modulated NF- κ B-responsive cytokine expression. Together, our data suggested that SFN modulates Nrf2-mediated oxidative stress and NLRP3/NF- κ B inflammatory pathways in acinar cells, thereby protecting against AP.

Development of the International Spinal Cord Injury Activities and Participation Basic Data Set.

PubMed

Post, M W; Charlifue, S; Biering-Sørensen, F; Catz, A; Dijkers, M P; Horsewell, J; Noonan, V K; Noreau, L; Tate, D G; Sinnott, K A

2016-07-01

Consensus decision-making process. The objective of this study was to develop an International Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Activities and Participation (A&P) Basic Data Set. International working group. A committee of experts was established to select and define A&P data elements to be included in this data set. A draft data set was developed and posted on the International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS) and American Spinal Injury Association websites and was also disseminated among appropriate organizations for review. Suggested revisions were considered, and a final version of the A&P Data Set was completed. Consensus was reached to define A&P and to incorporate both performance and satisfaction ratings. Items that were considered core to each A&P domain were selected from two existing questionnaires. Four items measuring activities were selected from the Spinal Cord Independence Measure III to provide basic data on task execution in activities of daily living. Eight items were selected from the Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique to provide basic data on the frequency of participation. An additional rating of satisfaction on a three-point scale for each item completes the total of 24 A&P variables. Collection of the International SCI A&P Basic Data Set variables in all future research on SCI outcomes is advised to facilitate comparison of results across published studies from around the world. Additional standardised instruments to assess activities of daily living or participation can be administered, depending on the purpose of a particular study.

Intestinal Fatty Acid Binding Protein and Citrulline as Markers of Gut Injury and Prognosis in Patients With Acute Pancreatitis.

PubMed

Goswami, Pooja; Sonika, Ujjwal; Moka, Praneeth; Sreenivas, Vishnubhatla; Saraya, Anoop

Severe acute pancreatitis (AP) is associated with high mortality due to systemic inflammatory response syndrome in the early phase and secondary infection in the later phase. Concomitant intestinal ischemia often results in gut injury. We studied intestinal fatty acid binding protein (IFABP) and citrulline levels as markers of gut injury to predict prognosis in AP. Acute pancreatitis patients at admission and controls were studied. Serum IFABP was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and plasma citrulline by high-performance liquid chromatography technique. Ultrastructural changes in duodenal biopsy were also compared between the 2 groups. The IFABP concentration was significantly higher in AP cases (n = 94) compared with controls (n = 100) (mean [standard deviation], 592.5 [753.6] vs 87.8 [67.6] pg/mL; P < 0.001) and in patients with severe AP versus mild AP (738.3 [955.3] vs 404.0 [263.3] pg/ mL, P = 0.03). Citrulline concentration was lower in AP versus controls (29.9 [33.8] vs 83.9 [60.1] μg/L, P < 0.001). We propose a model by which these biomarkers (IFABP >350 pg/mL and citrulline <18 μg/L) are able to predict poor prognosis in 33.9% of patients with AP. The gut injury was also validated via ultrastructural changes. Intestinal fatty acid binding protein is a promising prognostic marker in acute pancreatitis.

Novel findings in the management of acute pancreatitis.

PubMed

Bolado, Federico; de-Madaria, Enrique

2016-09-01

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a potentially serious disease whose incidence is on the increase. Pancreas divisum does not meet the required criteria to be considered an aetiological factor. Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction may be another cause of idiopathic AP. Less invasive methods cannot replace Sphincter of Oddi manometry in diagnosis. Almost half of patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome develop organ failure, but the mechanisms involved are not completely understood. Obesity is a risk factor for severity in AP; the cause could be the presence of free unsaturated fatty acids, which have pro-inflammatory activity. Prognosis is better in patients with isolated extra-pancreatic necrosis than in those with parenchymal necrosis or with both. The mortality rate among those with infected pancreatic necrosis is 15-20%. The "moderately severe" group is widely heterogeneous and this category may require redefinition. Laparoscopic treatment of pseudocysts is an alternative to endoscopic drainage and could be the first-line option in patients requiring cholecystectomy. The use of lumen-apposing metal stents to treat pancreatic necrosis is cost-effective. Quality of life in some patients following an attack of AP is significantly impaired even at 1 year. Aggressive fluid therapy is not superior to standard fluid therapy in preventing post-ERCP AP. The role of statins in AP prevention is still unclear. Aggressive fluid resuscitation and the use of lactated Ringer solution seem to be beneficial in the treatment of AP. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Effects of topical oxygen therapy on ischemic wound healing.

PubMed

Rao, Congqiang; Xiao, Liling; Liu, Hongwei; Li, Shenghong; Lu, Jinqiang; Li, Jiangxuan; Gu, Shixing

2016-01-01

[Purpose] This study evaluated the effects of topical oxygen therapy on the hind limb wounds of rats under ischemic conditions. [Subjects and Methods] Twelve injured rats were treated with topical oxygen on skin wounds located on the hind limb and compared with twelve injured control rats. Indexes including gross morphology of the wound, wound healing time, wound healing rate, and histological and immunohistochemical staining of sections of wound tissue were examined at different time points after intervention. [Results] The wound healing time was shorter in the topical oxygen therapy group than the control group. The wound healing rate and granulation tissue formation in the topical oxygen therapy group showed significant improvement on days 3, 7, and 14. Through van Gieson staining, the accumulation of collagen fiber in the topical oxygen therapy group was found to have improved when compared with the control group on day 7. Through semiquantitative immunohistochemical staining, many more new vessels were found in the topical oxygen therapy group compared with the model control group on day 7. [Conclusion] The results of the experiment showed that topical oxygen therapy improved ischemic wound healing.

Prevalence and risk factors of Coxiella burnetii seropositivity in Danish beef and dairy cattle at slaughter adjusted for test uncertainty.

PubMed

Paul, Suman; Agger, Jens F; Agerholm, Jørgen S; Markussen, Bo

2014-03-01

Antibodies to Coxiella burnetii have been found in the Danish dairy cattle population with high levels of herd and within herd seroprevalences. However, the prevalence of antibodies to C. burnetii in Danish beef cattle remains unknown. The objectives of this study were to (1) estimate the prevalence and (2) identify risk factors associated with C. burnetii seropositivity in Danish beef and dairy cattle based on sampling at slaughter. Eight hundred blood samples from slaughtered cattle were collected from six Danish slaughter houses from August to October 2012 following a random sampling procedure. Blood samples were tested by a commercially available C. burnetii antibody ELISA kit. A sample was defined positive if the sample-to-positive ratio was greater than or equal to 40. Animal and herd information were extracted from the Danish Cattle Database. Apparent (AP) and true prevalences (TPs) specific for breed, breed groups, gender and herd type; and breed-specific true prevalences with a random effect of breed was estimated in a Bayesian framework. A Bayesian logistic regression model was used to identify risk factors of C. burnetii seropositivity. Test sensitivity and specificity estimates from a previous study involving Danish dairy cattle were used to generate prior information. The prevalence was significantly higher in dairy breeds (AP=9.11%; TP=9.45%) than in beef breeds (AP=4.32%; TP=3.54%), in females (AP=9.10%; TP=9.40%) than in males (AP=3.62%; TP=2.61%) and in dairy herds (AP=15.10%; TP=16.67%) compared to beef herds (AP=4.54%; TP=3.66%). The Bayesian logistic regression model identified breed group along with age, and number of movements as contributors for C. burnetii seropositivity. The risk of seropositivity increased with age and increasing number of movements between herds. Results indicate that seroprevalence of C. burnetii is lower in cattle sent for slaughter than in Danish dairy cows in production units. A greater proportion of this prevalence is attributed to slaughtered cattle of dairy breeds or cattle raised in dairy herds rather than beef breeds. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antipsychotic-Induced Changes in Blood Levels of Leptin in Schizophrenia: A Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Potvin, Stéphane; Zhornitsky, Simon; Stip, Emmanuel

2015-01-01

Objectives: Weight gain is a major side effect of antipsychotics (APs), which contributes to poor treatment adherence and significant morbidity. The mechanisms involved in AP-induced weight gain are incompletely understood. Recently, it has been proposed that changes in leptin, an cadipocyte-derived hormone exerting anorexigenic effects, may be involved in AP-induced weight gain. Thus far, studies on leptin changes during AP treatment have produced inconsistent results, prompting our group to perform a meta-analysis. Method: A search of the literature was performed using PubMed and Embase. Studies were included only if reporting peripheral levels of leptin before and after AP treatment in schizophrenia. Effect size estimates were calculated with Hedges g and were aggregated using a random effects model as results were heterogeneous (P < 0.10). Meta-regression analyses were performed using study length and changes in body mass index (BMI) as moderator variables. Results: Twenty-eight studies were retrieved, including 39 comparisons. A moderate and positive effect size was observed across studies. Olanzapine, clozapine, and quetiapine produced moderate leptin elevations, whereas haloperidol and risperidone were associated with small (nonsignificant) leptin changes. Across studies, BMI changes were significantly associated with increases in leptin levels. There was no effect of sex on AP-induced changes in leptin. Conclusions: A physiological role of leptin in AP-induced weight gain is supported because the most significant leptin increases were observed with APs inducing the most weight gain and because of the observed association between leptin increases and BMI changes. The overall increase in leptin levels suggests that leptin acts as a negative feedback signal in the event of fat increase. PMID:25886677

Heterozygous disruption of activin receptor-like kinase 1 is associated with increased arterial pressure in mice

PubMed Central

González-Núñez, María; Riolobos, Adela S.; Castellano, Orlando; Fuentes-Calvo, Isabel; de los Ángeles Sevilla, María; Oujo, Bárbara; Pericacho, Miguel; Cruz-Gonzalez, Ignacio; Pérez-Barriocanal, Fernando; ten Dijke, Peter; López-Novoa, Jose M.

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT The activin receptor-like kinase 1 (ALK-1) is a type I cell-surface receptor for the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) family of proteins. Hypertension is related to TGF-β1, because increased TGF-β1 expression is correlated with an elevation in arterial pressure (AP) and TGF-β expression is upregulated by the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. The purpose of this study was to assess the role of ALK-1 in regulation of AP using Alk1 haploinsufficient mice (Alk1+/−). We observed that systolic and diastolic AP were significantly higher in Alk1+/− than in Alk1+/+ mice, and all functional and structural cardiac parameters (echocardiography and electrocardiography) were similar in both groups. Alk1+/− mice showed alterations in the circadian rhythm of AP, with higher AP than Alk1+/+ mice during most of the light period. Higher AP in Alk1+/− mice is not a result of a reduction in the NO-dependent vasodilator response or of overactivation of the peripheral renin-angiotensin system. However, intracerebroventricular administration of losartan had a hypotensive effect in Alk1+/− and not in Alk1+/+ mice. Alk1+/− mice showed a greater hypotensive response to the β-adrenergic antagonist atenolol and higher concentrations of epinephrine and norepinephrine in plasma than Alk1+/+ mice. The number of brain cholinergic neurons in the anterior basal forebrain was reduced in Alk1+/− mice. Thus, we concluded that the ALK-1 receptor is involved in the control of AP, and the high AP of Alk1+/− mice is explained mainly by the sympathetic overactivation shown by these animals, which is probably related to the decreased number of cholinergic neurons. PMID:26398936

Quality of life and health care consultation in 13 to 18 year olds with abdominal pain predominant functional gastrointestinal diseases.

PubMed

Devanarayana, Niranga Manjuri; Rajindrajith, Shaman; Benninga, Marc A

2014-08-21

Abdominal pain predominant functional gastrointestinal diseases (AP-FGD) are commonly seen in the paediatric age group. It has significant impact on daily activities of affected children. Main objective of this study was to assess the health related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with AP-FGD. This was a cross sectional survey conducted in children aged 13-18 years, in four randomly selected schools in Western province of Sri Lanka. Data was collected using a previously validated, self-administered questionnaire. It had questions on symptoms, HRQoL and health care consultation. AP-FGD were diagnosed using Rome III criteria. A total of 1850 questionnaires were included in the analysis [males 1000 (54.1%), mean age 14.4 years and SD 1.3 years]. Of them, 305 (16.5%) had AP-FGD [irritable bowel syndrome = 91(4.9%), functional dyspepsia = 11 (0.6%), abdominal migraine = 37 (1.9%) and functional abdominal pain = 180 (9.7%)]. Lower HRQoL scores for physical (83.6 vs. 91.4 in controls), social (85.0 vs. 92.7), emotional (73.6 vs. 82.7) and school (75.0 vs. 82.5) functioning domains, and lower overall scores (79.6 vs. 88.0) were seen in children with AP-FGD (p < 0.001). A weak but significant negative correlation was observed between HRQoL score and severity of abdominal pain (r = -0.24, p < 0.0001). Eighty five children (27.9%) had sought healthcare for AP-FGD. Factors determining healthcare seeking were presence of abdominal bloating and vomiting (p < 0.05). Children with AP-FGD have lower quality of life in all 4 domains. Those with severe symptoms have lower HRQoL. Approximately 28% of children with AP-FGD seek healthcare for their symptoms.

Proteinase-activated receptor-4 evoked colorectal analgesia in mice: an endogenously activated feed-back loop in visceral inflammatory pain.

PubMed

Annaházi, A; Dabek, M; Gecse, K; Salvador-Cartier, C; Polizzi, A; Rosztóczy, A; Róka, R; Theodorou, V; Wittmann, T; Bueno, L; Eutamene, H

2012-01-01

Activation of proteinase-activated receptor-4 (PAR-4) from the colonic lumen has an antinociceptive effect to colorectal distension (CRD) in mice in basal conditions. We aimed to determine the functional localization of the responsible receptors and to test their role in two different hyperalgesia models. Mice received PAR-4 activating peptide (PAR-4-AP, AYPGKF-NH(2)) or vehicle intraperitoneally (IP), and abdominal EMG response to CRD was measured. The next group received PAR-4-AP intracolonically (IC) with or without 2,4,6-triaminopyrimidine, a chemical tight junction blocker, before CRD. The SCID mice were used to test the role of lymphocytes in the antihyperalgesic effect. The effects of PAR-4-AP and PAR-4-antagonist (P4pal-10) were evaluated in water avoidance stress (WAS) model and low grade 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) colitis. Spinal Fos protein expression was visualized by immunohistochemistry. The antinociceptive effect of PAR-4-AP disappeared when was administrered IP, or with the blockade of colonic epithelial tight junctions, suggesting that PAR-4-AP needs to reach directly the nerve terminals in the colon. The CRD-induced spinal Fos overexpression was reduced by 43% by PAR-4-AP. The PAR-4-AP was antihyperalgesic in both hyperalgesia models and in mice with impaired lymphocytes. The PAR-4-antagonist significantly increased the TNBS, but not the WAS-induced colonic hyperalgesia. The antinociceptive effect of PAR-4-AP depends on its penetration to the colonic mucosa. The PAR-4 activation is endogenously involved as a feedback loop to attenuate inflammatory colonic hyperalgesia to CRD. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Evaluation of Effects of Topical Estradiol Benzoate Application on Cutaneous Wound Healing in Ovariectomized Female Mice

PubMed Central

Mukai, Kanae; Urai, Tamae; Asano, Kimi; Nakajima, Yukari; Nakatani, Toshio

2016-01-01

Estrogen promotes cutaneous wound healing in ovariectomized (OVX) female mice. However, the effects of topical estrogen application on wounds remain unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of topical estrogen application on wounds with standard treatment methods. Eight-week-old C57BL/6J female mice underwent OVX and received two full-thickness wounds four weeks later. Mice were divided into three groups: topical estradiol benzoate (EB) (0.75 μg/g/day) wound treatment, subcutaneous estradiol (E2) pellets (0.05 mg, 21 days), and topical E2 (0.01 g/day) skin application. Wound healing was observed until day 14. Wound area ratios were significantly smaller in the topical EB wound treatment group than in the subcutaneous E2 pellet group on days 1–14 (p < 0.05) and topical E2 skin application group on days 1–9 (p < 0.05). Neutrophil and macrophage numbers were significantly smaller in the topical EB wound treatment group than in the subcutaneous E2 pellet and topical E2 skin application groups on day 7 (p < 0.05). Moreover, the number of new blood vessels and ratio of myofibroblasts were significantly larger in the topical EB wound treatment group than in the subcutaneous E2 pellet and topical E2 application skin groups on day 7 (p < 0.05). These results demonstrate that the application of estrogen to wounds reduced inflammatory responses and promoted angiogenesis and wound contraction more than the two other standard treatment methods. PMID:27658263

Audio-visual interactions uniquely contribute to resolution of visual conflict in people possessing absolute pitch.

PubMed

Kim, Sujin; Blake, Randolph; Lee, Minyoung; Kim, Chai-Youn

2017-01-01

Individuals possessing absolute pitch (AP) are able to identify a given musical tone or to reproduce it without reference to another tone. The present study sought to learn whether this exceptional auditory ability impacts visual perception under stimulus conditions that provoke visual competition in the form of binocular rivalry. Nineteen adult participants with 3-19 years of musical training were divided into two groups according to their performance on a task involving identification of the specific note associated with hearing a given musical pitch. During test trials lasting just over half a minute, participants dichoptically viewed a scrolling musical score presented to one eye and a drifting sinusoidal grating presented to the other eye; throughout the trial they pressed buttons to track the alternations in visual awareness produced by these dissimilar monocular stimuli. On "pitch-congruent" trials, participants heard an auditory melody that was congruent in pitch with the visual score, on "pitch-incongruent" trials they heard a transposed auditory melody that was congruent with the score in melody but not in pitch, and on "melody-incongruent" trials they heard an auditory melody completely different from the visual score. For both groups, the visual musical scores predominated over the gratings when the auditory melody was congruent compared to when it was incongruent. Moreover, the AP participants experienced greater predominance of the visual score when it was accompanied by the pitch-congruent melody compared to the same melody transposed in pitch; for non-AP musicians, pitch-congruent and pitch-incongruent trials yielded equivalent predominance. Analysis of individual durations of dominance revealed differential effects on dominance and suppression durations for AP and non-AP participants. These results reveal that AP is accompanied by a robust form of bisensory interaction between tonal frequencies and musical notation that boosts the salience of a visual score.

Immobilization of alkaline phosphatase on solid surface through self-assembled monolayer and by active-site protection.

PubMed

Gao, En-Feng; Kang, Kyung Lhi; Kim, Jeong Hee

2014-06-01

Retaining biological activity of a protein after immobilization is an important issue and many studies reported to enhance the activity of proteins after immobilization. We recently developed a new immobilization method of enzyme using active-site protection and minimization of the cross-links between enzyme and surface with a DNA polymerase as a model system. In this study, we extended the new method to an enzyme with a small mono-substrate using alkaline phosphatase (AP) as another model system. A condition to apply the new method is that masking agents, in this case its own substrate needs to stay at the active-site of the enzyme to be immobilized in order to protect the active-site during the harsh immobilization process. This could be achieved by removal of essential divalent ion, Zn2+ that is required for full enzyme activity of AP from the masking solution while active-site of AP was protected with p-nitrophenyl phosphate (pNPP). Approximately 40% of the solution-phase activity was acquired with active-site protected immobilized AP. In addition to protection active-site of AP, the number of immobilization links was kinetically controlled. When the mole fraction of the activated carboxyl group of the linker molecule in self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 12-mercaptododecanoic acid and 6-mercapto-1-ethanol was varied, 10% of 12-mercaptododecanoic acid gave the maximum enzyme activity. Approximately 51% increase in enzyme activity of the active-site protected AP was observed compared to that of the unprotected group. It was shown that the concept of active-site protection and kinetic control of the number of covalent immobilization bonds can be extended to enzymes with small mono-substrates. It opens the possibility of further extension of the new methods of active-site protection and kinetic control of immobilization bond to important enzymes used in research and industrial fields.

Audio-visual interactions uniquely contribute to resolution of visual conflict in people possessing absolute pitch

PubMed Central

Kim, Sujin; Blake, Randolph; Lee, Minyoung; Kim, Chai-Youn

2017-01-01

Individuals possessing absolute pitch (AP) are able to identify a given musical tone or to reproduce it without reference to another tone. The present study sought to learn whether this exceptional auditory ability impacts visual perception under stimulus conditions that provoke visual competition in the form of binocular rivalry. Nineteen adult participants with 3–19 years of musical training were divided into two groups according to their performance on a task involving identification of the specific note associated with hearing a given musical pitch. During test trials lasting just over half a minute, participants dichoptically viewed a scrolling musical score presented to one eye and a drifting sinusoidal grating presented to the other eye; throughout the trial they pressed buttons to track the alternations in visual awareness produced by these dissimilar monocular stimuli. On “pitch-congruent” trials, participants heard an auditory melody that was congruent in pitch with the visual score, on “pitch-incongruent” trials they heard a transposed auditory melody that was congruent with the score in melody but not in pitch, and on “melody-incongruent” trials they heard an auditory melody completely different from the visual score. For both groups, the visual musical scores predominated over the gratings when the auditory melody was congruent compared to when it was incongruent. Moreover, the AP participants experienced greater predominance of the visual score when it was accompanied by the pitch-congruent melody compared to the same melody transposed in pitch; for non-AP musicians, pitch-congruent and pitch-incongruent trials yielded equivalent predominance. Analysis of individual durations of dominance revealed differential effects on dominance and suppression durations for AP and non-AP participants. These results reveal that AP is accompanied by a robust form of bisensory interaction between tonal frequencies and musical notation that boosts the salience of a visual score. PMID:28380058

On the Formation and Properties of Interstrand DNA-DNA Cross-links Forged by Reaction of an Abasic Site With the Opposing Guanine Residue of 5′-CAp Sequences in Duplex DNA

PubMed Central

Johnson, Kevin M.; Price, Nathan E.; Wang, Jin; Fekry, Mostafa I.; Dutta, Sanjay; Seiner, Derrick R.; Wang, Yinsheng; Gates, Kent S.

2014-01-01

We recently reported that the aldehyde residue of an abasic (Ap) site in duplex DNA can generate an interstrand cross-link via reaction with a guanine residue on the opposing strand. This finding is intriguing because the highly deleterious nature of interstrand cross-links suggests that even small amounts of Ap-derived cross-links could make a significant contribution to the biological consequences stemming from the generation of Ap sites in cellular DNA. Incubation of 21-bp duplexes containing a central 5′-CAp sequence under conditions of reductive amination (NaCNBH3, pH 5.2) generated much higher yields of cross-linked DNA than reported previously. At pH 7, in the absence of reducing agents, these Ap-containing duplexes also produced cross-linked duplexes that were readily detected on denaturing polyacrylamide gels. Cross-link formation was not highly sensitive to reaction conditions and, once formed, the cross-link was stable to a variety of work-up conditions. Results of multiple experiments including MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, gel mobility, methoxyamine capping of the Ap aldehyde, inosine-for-guanine replacement, hydroxyl radical footprinting, and LCMS/MS were consistent with a cross-linking mechanism involving reversible reaction of the Ap aldehyde residue with the N2-amino group of the opposing guanine residue in 5′-CAp sequences to generate hemiaminal, imine, or cyclic hemiaminal cross-links (7-10) that were irreversibly converted under conditions of reductive amination (NaCNBH3/pH 5.2) to a stable amine linkage. Further support for the importance of the exocyclic N2-amino group in this reaction was provided by an experiment showing that installation of a 2-aminopurine-thymine base pair at the cross-linking site produced high yields (15-30%) of a cross-linked duplex at neutral pH, in the absence of NaCNBH3. PMID:23215239

Views of academic and community partners regarding participant protections and research integrity: a pilot focus group study.

PubMed

Anderson, Emily E

2013-02-01

When community partners have direct interaction with human research participants, it is important to consider potential threats to participant protections and research integrity. Few studies have directly compared the views of academic and community partners. This pilot focus group study explores the views of academic partners (APs) and community partners (CPs) regarding challenges to the protection of research participants and research integrity in community-engaged research (CEnR). Data are analyzed to understand how APs and CPs define and think about ethical problems and how meaning and analysis may differ between the two groups. Findings have implications for the development of research ethics training materials for academic-community research partnerships and IRBs; best practices for CEnR; and future research on ethical issues in CEnR.

Pre-treatment with dexamethasone attenuates experimental ventilator-induced lung injury.

PubMed

Reis, Fernando Fonseca Dos; Reboredo, Maycon de Moura; Lucinda, Leda Marília Fonseca; Bianchi, Aydra Mendes Almeida; Rabelo, Maria Aparecida Esteves; Fonseca, Lídia Maria Carneiro da; Oliveira, Júlio César Abreu de; Pinheiro, Bruno Valle

2016-01-01

To evaluate the effects that administering dexamethasone before the induction of ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) has on the temporal evolution of that injury. Wistar rats were allocated to one of three groups: pre-VILI administration of dexamethasone (dexamethasone group); pre-VILI administration of saline (control group); or ventilation only (sham group). The VILI was induced by ventilation at a high tidal volume. Animals in the dexamethasone and control groups were euthanized at 0, 4, 24, and 168 h after VILI induction. We analyzed arterial blood gases, lung edema, cell counts (total and differential) in the BAL fluid, and lung histology. At 0, 4, and 24 h after VILI induction, acute lung injury (ALI) scores were higher in the control group than in the sham group (p < 0.05). Administration of dexamethasone prior to VILI induction decreased the severity of the lung injury. At 4 h and 24 h after induction, the ALI score in the dexamethasone group was not significantly different from that observed for the sham group and was lower than that observed for the control group (p < 0.05). Neutrophil counts in BAL fluid were increased in the control and dexamethasone groups, peaking at 4 h after VILI induction (p < 0.05). However, the neutrophil counts were lower in the dexamethasone group than in the control group at 4 h and 24 h after induction (p < 0.05). Pre-treatment with dexamethasone also prevented the post-induction oxygenation impairment seen in the control group. Administration of dexamethasone prior to VILI induction attenuates the effects of the injury in Wistar rats. The molecular mechanisms of such injury and the possible clinical role of corticosteroids in VILI have yet to be elucidated. Avaliar os efeitos da administração de dexametasona antes da indução de lesão pulmonar induzida por ventilação mecânica (LPIVM) na evolução temporal dessa lesão. Ratos Wistar foram alocados em um dos três grupos: administração de dexametasona pré-LPIVM (grupo dexametasona); administração de salina pré-LPIVM (grupo controle); e somente ventilação (grupo sham). A LPIVM foi realizada por ventilação com volume corrente alto. Os animais dos grupos dexametasona e controle foram sacrificados em 0, 4, 24 e 168 h após LPIVM. Analisamos gasometria arterial, edema pulmonar, contagens de células (totais e diferenciais) no lavado broncoalveolar e histologia de tecido pulmonar. Em 0, 4 e 24 h após LPIVM, os escores de lesão pulmonar aguda (LPA) foram maiores no grupo controle que no grupo sham (p < 0,05). A administração de dexametasona antes da LPIVM reduziu a gravidade da lesão pulmonar. Em 4 e 24 h após a indução, o escore de LPA no grupo dexametasona não foi significativamente diferente daquele observado no grupo sham e foi menor que o observado no grupo controle (p < 0,05). As contagens de neutrófilos no lavado broncoalveolar estavam aumentadas nos grupos controle e dexametasona, com pico em 4 h após LPIVM (p < 0,05). Entretanto, as contagens de neutrófilos foram menores no grupo dexametasona que no grupo controle em 4 e 24 h após LPIVM (p < 0,05). O pré-tratamento com dexametasona também impediu o comprometimento da oxigenação após a indução visto no grupo controle. A administração de dexametasona antes de LPIVM atenua os efeitos da lesão em ratos Wistar. Os mecanismos moleculares dessa lesão e o possível papel clínico dos corticosteroides na LPIVM ainda precisam ser elucidados.

Surfactant protein A (SP-A) inhibits agglomeration and macrophage uptake of toxic amine modified nanoparticles.

PubMed

McKenzie, Zofi; Kendall, Michaela; Mackay, Rose-Marie; Whitwell, Harry; Elgy, Christine; Ding, Ping; Mahajan, Sumeet; Morgan, Cliff; Griffiths, Mark; Clark, Howard; Madsen, Jens

2015-01-01

The lung provides the main route for nanomaterial exposure. Surfactant protein A (SP-A) is an important respiratory innate immune molecule with the ability to bind or opsonise pathogens to enhance phagocytic removal from the airways. We hypothesised that SP-A, like surfactant protein D, may interact with inhaled nanoparticulates, and that this interaction will be affected by nanoparticle (NP) surface characteristics. In this study, we characterise the interaction of SP-A with unmodified (U-PS) and amine-modified (A-PS) polystyrene particles of varying size and zeta potential using dynamic light scatter analysis. SP-A associated with both 100 nm U-PS and A-PS in a calcium-independent manner. SP-A induced significant calcium-dependent agglomeration of 100 nm U-PS NPs but resulted in calcium-independent inhibition of A-PS self agglomeration. SP-A enhanced uptake of 100 nm U-PS into macrophage-like RAW264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner but in contrast inhibited A-PS uptake. Reduced association of A-PS particles in RAW264.7 cells following pre-incubation of SP-A was also observed with coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy. Consistent with these findings, alveolar macrophages (AMs) from SP-A(-/-) mice were more efficient at uptake of 100 nm A-PS compared with wild type C57Bl/6 macrophages. No difference in uptake was observed with 500 nm U-PS or A-PS particles. Pre-incubation with SP-A resulted in a significant decrease in uptake of 100 nm A-PS in macrophages isolated from both groups of mice. In contrast, increased uptake by AMs of U-PS was observed after pre-incubation with SP-A. Thus we have demonstrated that SP-A promotes uptake of non-toxic U-PS particles but inhibits the clearance of potentially toxic A-PS particles by blocking uptake into macrophages.

Blocking pulmonary ICAM-1 expression ameliorates lung injury in established diet-induced pancreatitis.

PubMed

Lundberg, A H; Fukatsu, K; Gaber, L; Callicutt, S; Kotb, M; Wilcox, H; Kudsk, K; Gaber, A O

2001-02-01

To determine whether blocking the cell surface expression of intracellular adhesion molecules (ICAM-1) in established severe acute pancreatitis (AP) would ameliorate pulmonary injury. Lung injury in AP is in part mediated by infiltrating leukocytes, which are directed to lung tissue by ICAM-l. The authors' laboratory has previously demonstrated that AP results in overproduction of inflammatory cytokines, upregulation of pulmonary ICAM-1 expression, and a concomitant infiltration of neutrophils, which results in lung injury. Young female mice were fed a choline-deficient/ethionine-supplemented diet to induce AP and were treated with a blocking dose of monoclonal antibody specific to the ICAM-1 receptor. Antibody treatment was administered at 72, 96, and 120 hours after beginning the diet, and all animals were killed at 144 hours. The degree of pancreatitis was evaluated by serum biochemical and tumor necrosis factor alpha levels as well as histology. The dual radiolabeled monoclonal antibody method was used to quantitate ICAM-1 cell surface expression in pulmonary tissue. Lung injury was assessed histologically and by determining lung microvascular permeability by measuring accumulated 125I-radiolabeled albumin. Pulmonary neutrophil sequestration was determined by the myeloperoxidase assay. All mice developed severe AP, and pancreatic injury was equally severe in both treated and untreated groups. Pulmonary ICAM-1 expression was significantly upregulated in animals with AP compared with controls. Treatment with a blocking dose of anti-ICAM-1 antibody after the induction of AP resulted in inhibited ICAM-1 cell surface expression to near control levels. Compared to untreated animals with AP, mice treated with anti-ICAM-1 mice had significantly reduced histologic lung injury and neutrophil sequestration, and a decreased microvascular permeability by more than twofold. These results demonstrate for the first time that treatment targeting the cell surface expression of ICAM-1 after the induction of AP ameliorates pulmonary injury, even in the face of severe pancreatic disease.

Cloning and Characterization of a Wheat Homologue of Apurinic/Apyrimidinic Endonuclease Ape1L

PubMed Central

Grin, Inga R.; Zharkov, Dmitry O.; Ishenko, Alexander A.; Tudek, Barbara; Bissenbaev, Amangeldy K.; Saparbaev, Murat

2014-01-01

Background Apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonucleases are key DNA repair enzymes involved in the base excision repair (BER) pathway. In BER, an AP endonuclease cleaves DNA at AP sites and 3′-blocking moieties generated by DNA glycosylases and/or oxidative damage. A Triticum aestivum cDNA encoding for a putative homologue of ExoIII family AP endonucleases which includes E. coli Xth, human APE1 and Arabidopsis thaliana AtApe1L has been isolated and its protein product purified and characterized. Methodology/Principal Findings We report that the putative wheat AP endonuclease, referred here as TaApe1L, contains AP endonuclease, 3′-repair phosphodiesterase, 3′-phosphatase and 3′→5′ exonuclease activities. Surprisingly, in contrast to bacterial and human AP endonucleases, addition of Mg2+ and Ca2+ (5–10 mM) to the reaction mixture inhibited TaApe1L whereas the presence of Mn2+, Co2+ and Fe2+ cations (0.1–1.0 mM) strongly stimulated all its DNA repair activities. Optimization of the reaction conditions revealed that the wheat enzyme requires low divalent cation concentration (0.1 mM), mildly acidic pH (6–7), low ionic strength (20 mM KCl) and has a temperature optimum at around 20°C. The steady-state kinetic parameters of enzymatic reactions indicate that TaApe1L removes 3′-blocking sugar-phosphate and 3′-phosphate groups with good efficiency (k cat/K M = 630 and 485 μM−1·min−1, respectively) but possesses a very weak AP endonuclease activity as compared to the human homologue, APE1. Conclusions/Significance Taken together, these data establish the DNA substrate specificity of the wheat AP endonuclease and suggest its possible role in the repair of DNA damage generated by endogenous and environmental factors. PMID:24667595

External cardioversion in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation: a reappraisal of the effects of electrode pad position and transthoracic impedance on cardioversion success.

PubMed

Chen, Chien-Jen; Guo, G Bih-Fang

2003-11-01

The optimal methods to perform external cardioversion of atrial fibrillation (AF) have yet to be conclusively determined. This study was performed to examine the relative efficacy of different pad positions on cardioversion success and the relationship between the transthoracic impedance (TTI) and energy requirement for AF cardioversion. Seventy patients with persistent AF undergoing elective cardioversion were randomly assigned to an electrode pad position situated either over the ventricular apex-right infraclavicular area (AL group, n = 31 ) or over the right lower sternal border-left infrascapular area close to the spine (AP group, n = 39). Energy was delivered at an initial 100 joules (J) and then increased to 150 J, 200 J, 300 J, and 360 J if needed. Energy and TTI readings were recorded. Mean TTI was significantly lower in the AP group than in the AL group. However, the cumulative success rates at each energy level were similar in the two groups (23% vs 19.4%, 41% vs 45.2%, 66.7% vs 74.2%, 79.5% vs 77.4%, and 84.6% vs 83.9% at 100 J, 150 J, 200 J, 300 J and 360 J, respectively). In the AP group, converters showed slightly lower TTI compared to nonconverters. In the AL group, converters showed significantly lower TTI compared to nonconverters. However, for all patients as a group, TTI was the only predictor for cardioversion success and showed a significant relationship to the energy required for cardioversion, which can be described by a quadratic equation. Rather than pad position. TTI is the single factor that significantly affects cardioversion and correlates with energy requirement. The relationship between energy requirement and TTI further allows estimation of energy requirements to achieve a successfil cardioversion.

Fumagillin treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in rats: An in vivo study of antiangiogenesis

PubMed Central

Sheen, I-Shyan; Jeng, Kuo-Shyang; Jeng, Wen-Juei; Jeng, Chi-Juei; Wang, Yi-Ching; Gu, Shu-Ling; Tseng, Shin-Yun; Chu, Chien-Ming; Lin, Chia-Hui; Chang, Kuo-Ming

2005-01-01

AIM: To investigate the effect and possible mechanisms of antiangiogenesis therapy for HCC in rats. METHODS: Adult male LEW/SsN rats were divided into 3 groups, 25 animals each. Group A was the control group. Groups B and C were given diethylnitrosamine, 5 mg/kg/d. In addition, group C rats received an intraperitoneal injection of fumagillin, 30 mg/(kg·d). Five animals in each group were killed at 6th, 12th, 18th, 20th and 24th wk to evaluate the development of HCC and metastasis. Weight of the rats, liver tumors, and number of organs involved by HCC were measured at each stage. We compared methionine aminopeptidase-2 (MetAP-2) mRNA, Bcl-2 mRNA, telomerase mRNA, and telomerase activity at 24th wk in the liver tissue of group A rats and tumor tissue of HCC from group B and C rats. RESULTS: No HCC developed in group A, but tumors were present in group B and C rats by the 18th wk. At wk 20 and 24, the median liver weight in group B was 0.64 g (range: 0.58-0.70 g) and 0.79 g (range: 0.70-0.90 g) (P = 0.04), and that in group C was 0.37 g (range: 0.35-0.42 g) and 0.39 g (range: 0.35-0.47 g) (P = 0.67). The liver weight in group C rats was significantly lower than that in group B rats (P = 0.009). At the same time, the median metastasis score (number of organ systems involved) was 3 (range 2-3) in group B, and 1 (range 1-2) in group C, a significant difference between the groups (P = 0.007, 0.004). The levels of MetAP-2 mRNA were significantly higher in groups B and C than in group A (P = 0.025), and significantly higher in group C than in group B (P = 0.047). The level of Bcl-2 mRNA was significantly higher in group B than in group A (P = 0.024), but lower in group C than in group B, although not significantly (P = 0.072). Telomerase mRNA was significantly higher in group B than in group A (P = 0.025), but significantly lower in group C than in group B (P = 0.016). The same inter-group relationship was also true for telomerase activity (P = 0.025 and 0.046). CONCLUSION: Fumagillin effectively inhibits both liver tumor growth and metastasis in rats in vivo. A possible mechanism is fumagillin-induced inhibition of MetAP-2, which plays an essential role in endothelial cell proliferation. Inhibition of MetAP-2 also results in inhibition of Bcl-2 and telomerase activity. PMID:15682466

Human acylphosphatase cannot replace phosphoglycerate kinase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Van Hoek, P; Modesti, A; Ramponi, G; Kötter, P; van Dijken, J P; Pron, J T

2001-10-01

Human acylphosphatase (h-AP, EC 3.6.1.7) has been reported to catalyse the hydrolysis of the 1-phosphate group of 1,3-diphosphoglycerate. In vivo operation of this reaction in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae would bypass phosphoglycerate kinase and thus reduce the ATP yield from glycolysis. To investigate whether h-AP can indeed replace the S. cerevisiae phosphoglycerate kinase, a multi-copy plasmid carrying the h-AP gene under control of the yeast TDH3 promoter was introduced into a pgk1 delta mutant of S. cerevisiae. A strain carrying the expression vector without the h-AP cassette was used as a reference. For both strains, steady-state carbon- and energy-limited chemostat cultures were obtained at a dilution rate of 0.10 h(-1) on a medium containing a mixture of glucose and ethanol (15% and 85% on a carbon basis, respectively). Although the h-AP strain exhibited a high acylphosphatase activity in cell extracts, switching to glucose as sole carbon and energy source resulted in a complete arrest of glucose consumption and growth. The lack of a functional glycolytic pathway was further evident from the absence of ethanol formation in the presence of excess glucose in the culture. As h-AP cannot replace yeast phosphoglycerate kinase in vivo, the enzyme is not a useful tool to modify the ATP yield of glycolysis in S. cerevisiae.

Altered characteristics of balance control in obese older adults.

PubMed

Melzer, Itshak; Oddsson, Lars I E

2016-01-01

Obesity is one of the most significant epidemiological trends of the last decades. Recently it was found that obese individuals show postural instability. Balance control mechanisms in obese older adults were less studied. Therefore we aimed to investigate the effect of obesity on balance control mechanisms in older adults. Parameters from Stabilogram-Diffusion Analysis (SDA) and measures from summary statistics of foot centre-of-pressure (COP) displacements along the anterior-posterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) directions in eyes open and eyes closed conditions were used to characterize postural control in 22 obese (30-<35kg/m(2)), 26 overweight (25-<30kg/m(2)), and 18 normal weight subjects (18.5-<25kg/m(2)). Obese group subjects demonstrated significantly greater transition displacement, transition time interval, and short-term scaling exponent in the ML-direction compared with the normal weight group (eyes open and closed). In the AP-direction the obese group showed greater transition displacement (eyes open) and short-term scaling exponent (eyes open and closed). Average AP-COP and ML-COP ranges of COP sway were higher in the obese group compared with the normal weight group (eyes open and closed). This work indicates an altered postural control process in obese older adults. A greater sway displacement before closed-loop feedback mechanisms are called into play was seen in the ML direction that may lead to a higher risk of instability and fall events. Copyright © 2015 Asia Oceania Association for the Study of Obesity. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lack of evidence of a beneficial effect of azathioprine in dogs treated with prednisolone for idiopathic immune-mediated hemolytic anemia: a retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Piek, Christine J; van Spil, Willem Evert; Junius, Greet; Dekker, Aldo

2011-04-13

Azathioprine is used as an immunosuppressant in canine immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA), but this potentially toxic and carcinogenic drug has not been proven to be beneficial. The aim of this study was to determine the difference in outcome and survival of dogs with idiopathic IMHA treated with a protocol that included azathioprine and prednisolone versus a protocol that included prednisolone alone. The study included 222 dogs with a hematocrit lower than 0.30 L/L and either a positive Coombs' test or spherocytosis and no evidence of diseases that could trigger IMHA. The clinical and laboratory data at the time of diagnosis and the response to therapy and survival were compared in dogs treated according to the prednisolone and azathioprine protocol (AP protocol; n = 149) and dogs treated according to the prednisolone protocol (P protocol; n = 73). At study entry, the two groups were comparable, except that thrombocyte counts were significantly lower and clinical signs had been present significantly longer in the AP protocol group. No significant difference in survival was found between the two groups: the 1-year survival was 64% (95% CI 54 - 77%) in the P protocol group and 69% (95% CI 59-80%) in the AP protocol group, respectively. Azathioprine would appear not to be beneficial as standard treatment for all cases of IMHA; however, a blinded, randomized clinical trial is needed to establish whether outcome is different with the two treatment protocols.

A Statistical Characterization of Reflection and Refraction in the Atmospheres of sub-Saturn Kepler Planet Candidates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheets, Holly A.; Deming, Drake; Arney, Giada; Meadows, Victoria

2016-01-01

We present the results of our method to detect small atmospheric signals in Kepler's close-in, sub-Saturn planet candidate light curves. We detect an average secondary eclipse for groups of super-Earth, Neptune-like, and other sub-Saturn-sized candidates by scaling and combining photometric data of the groups of candidates such that the eclipses add constructively. This greatly increases the signal-to-noise compared to combining eclipses for individual planets. We have modified our method for averaging short cadence light curves of multiple planet candidates (2014, ApJ, 794, 133), and have applied it to long cadence data, accounting for the broadening of the eclipse due to the 30 minute cadence. We then use the secondary eclipse depth to determine the average albedo for the group. In the short cadence data, we found that a group of close-in sub-Saturn candidates (1 to 6 Earth radii) was more reflective (geometric A ~ 0.22) than typical hot Jupiters (geometric A ~ 0.06 to 0.11: Demory 2014, ApJL, 789, L20). With the larger number of candidates available in long cadence, we improve the resolution in radius and consider groups of candidates with radii between 1 and 2, 2 and 4, and 4 and 6 Earth radii. We also modify our averaging technique to search for refracted light just before and after transit in the Kepler candidate light curves, as modelled by Misra and Meadows (2014, ApJL, 795, L14).

Are our textbooks too good to be good? Let students own their textbooks to own the skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Xiuping

The two new yearlong high school courses, AP Physics 1 and 2, are equivalent to the two-semester algebra-based introductory Physics college course. The AP courses have more than 300 instruction hours, while the college course less than 100. This partially explains why college instructors always struggle to cover the important topics to not necessarily prepared students. To make it worse, many college students are not buying or reading textbooks and rely on instructors to get the course content. The fragmented reception is preventing students from getting a complete picture of the course. Not that there is a shortage of textbooks. There are many 1000-page tomes costing 200 or more, too good to be good. All the struggles contribute to U.S. students' relatively low STEM skills. I propose to let students own their books to own the skills. Students need much shorter (thus manageable) and much more affordable books, and they need to own it for good. Cross-culture comparison reveals that students learn better when they truly own their books (without planning to resell).

Diarylsulfonamides and their bioisosteres as dual inhibitors of alkaline phosphatase and carbonic anhydrase: Structure activity relationship and molecular modelling studies.

PubMed

Al-Rashida, Mariya; Ejaz, Syeda Abida; Ali, Sharafat; Shaukat, Aisha; Hamayoun, Mehwish; Ahmed, Maqsood; Iqbal, Jamshed

2015-05-15

The effect of bioisosteric replacement of carboxamide linking group with sulfonamide linking group, on alkaline phosphatase (AP) and carbonic anhydrase (CA) inhibition activity of aromatic benzenesulfonamides was investigated. A series of carboxamide linked aromatic benzenesulfonamides 1a-1c, 2a-2d and their sulfonamide linked bioisosteres 3a-3d, 4a-4d was synthesized and evaluated for inhibitory activity against bovine tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP), intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) and bCA II. A significant increase in CA inhibition activity was observed upon bioisosteric replacement of carboxamide linking group with a sulfonamide group. Some of these compounds were identified as highly potent and selective AP inhibitors. Compounds 1b, 2b, 3d, 4d 5b and 5c were found to be selective bTNAP inhibitors, whereas compounds 1a, 1c, 2a, 2c, 2d, 3a, 3c, 4a, 4b, 4c, 5a were found to be selective bIAP inhibitors. For most active AP inhibitor 3b, detailed kinetic studies indicated a competitive mode of inhibition against tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) and non-competitive mode of inhibition against intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP). Molecular docking studies were carried out to rationalize important binding site interactions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Progressive decline of cognition during the conversion from prodrome to psychosis with a characteristic pattern of the theory of mind compensated by neurocognition.

PubMed

Zhang, TianHong; Cui, HuiRu; Wei, YanYan; Tang, YingYing; Xu, LiHua; Tang, XiaoChen; Zhu, YiKang; Jiang, LiJuan; Zhang, Bin; Qian, ZhenYing; Chow, Annabelle; Liu, XiaoHua; Li, ChunBo; Xiao, ZePing; Wang, JiJun

2018-05-01

The association between neurocognition and the theory of mind (ToM) abilities during the progression of psychosis is unclear. This study included 83 individuals with attenuated psychosis syndrome (APS), from which 26 converted to psychosis (converters) after a follow up period of 18months. Comprehensive cognitive tests (including MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery, Faux-Pas Task, and Reading-Mind-in-Eyes Tasks) were administered at baseline. A structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was conducted to estimate the effects of neurocognition on the ToM functioning in both APS and healthy controls (HC) datasets. At baseline, the converters and non-converters groups differed significantly on several domains of cognitive performance. The SEM analysis demonstrated that the path from neurocognition to ToM was statistically significant in the APS dataset (p<0.001). However, in the HC dataset, the result of the same analysis was not significant (p=0.117). Positive correlations between neurocognition and ToM were observed, and the most obvious correlations were found in the converters group compared with the non-converters group (p=0.064) and compared with the HC group (p=0.002). The correlation between ToM abilities and neurocognition may be increased during the progression of the condition, especially for individuals who convert to psychosis after a short period. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

JANNAF Airbreathing Propulsion Subcommittee and 35th Combustion Subcommittee Meeting. Volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fry, Ronald S. (Editor); Gannaway, Mary T. (Editor); Rognan, Melanie (Editor)

1998-01-01

This document, CPIA Publication 682, Volume 1, is a compilation of 5 unclassified/unlimited technical papers (approved for public release) which were presented at the 1 998 meeting of the Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force (JANNAF) Airbreathing Propulsion Subcommittee (APS) and Combustion Subcommittee (CS) held jointly with the Propulsion Systems Hazards Subcommittee (PSHS). The meeting was held on 7-11 December 1998 at Raytheon Systems Company and the Marriott Hotel, Tucson, AZ. Topics covered include HyTech technology development, hydrocarbon fuel development for hypersonic applications, pulse detonation propulsion system development and arc heaters for direct-connect scramjet testing.

Renal nerves dynamically regulate renal blood flow in conscious, healthy rabbits.

PubMed

Schiller, Alicia M; Pellegrino, Peter R; Zucker, Irving H

2016-01-15

Despite significant clinical interest in renal denervation as a therapy, the role of the renal nerves in the physiological regulation of renal blood flow (RBF) remains debated. We hypothesized that the renal nerves physiologically regulate beat-to-beat RBF variability (RBFV). This was tested in chronically instrumented, healthy rabbits that underwent either bilateral surgical renal denervation (DDNx) or a sham denervation procedure (INV). Artifact-free segments of RBF and arterial pressure (AP) from calmly resting, conscious rabbits were used to extract RBFV and AP variability for time-domain, frequency-domain, and nonlinear analysis. Whereas steady-state measures of RBF, AP, and heart rate did not statistically differ between groups, DDNx rabbits had greater RBFV than INV rabbits. AP-RBF transfer function analysis showed greater admittance gain in DDNx rabbits than in INV rabbits, particularly in the low-frequency (LF) range where systemic sympathetic vasomotion gives rise to AP oscillations. In the LF range, INV rabbits exhibited a negative AP-RBF phase shift and low coherence, consistent with the presence of an active control system. Neither of these features were present in the LF range of DDNx rabbits, which showed no phase shift and high coherence, consistent with a passive, Ohm's law pressure-flow relationship. Renal denervation did not significantly affect nonlinear RBFV measures of chaos, self-affinity, or complexity, nor did it significantly affect glomerular filtration rate or extracellular fluid volume. Cumulatively, these data suggest that the renal nerves mediate LF renal sympathetic vasomotion, which buffers RBF from LF AP oscillations in conscious, healthy rabbits. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

[Association of Schizophrenia and its Clinical Implications with the NOS1AP Gene in the Colombian Population].

PubMed

Valencia, Jenny García; Duarte, Ana Victoria Valencia; Vila, Ana Lucía Páez; Kremeyer, Bárbara; Montoya, María Patricia Arbeláez; Linares, Andrés Ruiz; Acosta, Carlos Alberto Palacio; Duque, Jorge Ospina; Berrío, Gabriel Bedoya

2012-06-01

The nitric oxide synthase 1 adaptor protein (NOS1AP) gene is possibly implicated in schizophrenia etiopathogenesis. To determine the association of NOS1AP gene variants with schizophrenia and the relationship of variants with the clinical dimensions of the disorder in the Colombian population. It is a case-control study with 255 subjects per group. Markers within the NOS1AP gene were typified as well as other informative material of genetic origin so as to adjust by population stratification. A factorial analysis of the main components for each item in the Scales for Evaluating Negative Symptoms (SENS) together with the Scales for Evaluating Positive Symptoms (SEPS) to determine clinical dimensions. Association between the C/C genotype of the rs945713 marker with schizophrenia (OR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.13 - 2.84) was found. The C/C genotype of the rs945713 was related to higher scores in the "affective flattening and alogia" dimension; and the A/A genotype of the rs4657181 marker was associated to lower scores in the same dimension. Significant associations of markers inside the NOS1AP gene with schizophrenia and the "affective flattening and alogia" clinical dimension were found. These results are consistent with previous studies and support the possibility that NOS1AP influences schizophrenia susceptibility. Furthermore, NOS1AP might be a modifier of schizophrenia clinical characteristics. Copyright © 2012 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Risk of hemorrhagic transformation after ischemic stroke in patients with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.

PubMed

Mehta, Tapan; Hussain, Mohammed; Sheth, Khushboo; Ding, Yuchuan; McCullough, Louise D

2017-06-01

Several rheumatologic conditions including systemic lupus erythematosus, antiphospholipid antibody (APS) syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and scleroderma are known risk factors for stroke. The risk of hemorrhagic transformation after an acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in these patients is not known. We queried the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) data between 2010 and 2012 with ICD 9 diagnostic codes for AIS. The primary outcome was the development of hemorrhagic transformation. Multivariate predictors for hemorrhagic transformation were identified with a logistic regression model. Using SAS 9.2, Survey procedures were used to accommodate for hierarchical two stage cluster design of NIS. APS (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.14-5.81, p = 0.0228) independently predicted risk of hemorrhagic transformation in multivariate regression analysis. Similarly, in multivariate regression models for the outcome variables of total charges of the hospitalization and length of stay (LOS), patients with APS had the highest charges ($56,286, p = 0.0228) and LOS (3.87 days, p = 0.0164) compared to other co-variates. Univariate analysis showed increased mortality in the APS compared to the non-APS group (11.68% vs. 7.16%, p = 0.0024). APS is an independent risk factor for hemorrhagic transformation in both thrombolytic and non-thrombolytic treated patients. APS is also associated with longer length and cost of hospital stay. Further research is warranted to identify the unique risk factors in these patients to identify strategies to reduce the risk of hemorrhagic transformation in this subgroup of the population.

Differentiation of Colletotrichum species responsible for anthracnose of strawberry by arbitrarily primed PCR

USGS Publications Warehouse

Freeman, S.; Rodriguez, R.J.

1995-01-01

A collection of 39 isolates of Colletotrichum acutatum, C. fragariae and C. gloeosporioides, which cause anthracnose on strawberry, was grouped into species based on the arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (ap-PCR). All isolates used had previously been identified according to classical taxonomic morphology. Ap-PCR amplification of genomic DNA using four different primers allowed for reliable differentiation between isolates of C. acutatum, C. fragariae and two genotypes of C. gloeosporioides. Fifteen of the 18 C. acutatum isolates were very similar, although three isolates which produced a red pigment had distinctly different banding patterns. Nearly identical banding patterns were observed for all nine isolates of C. fragariae. The 12 C. gloeosporioides isolates were more diverse and two separate genotypes, Cgl-1 (six isolates) and Cgl-2 (five isolates) were distinguished by ap-PCR. An additional isolate did not conform to either the Cgl-1 or Cgl-2 genotypes. The utility of ap-PCR compared with other molecular techniques for reliable identification of Colletotrichum isolates pathogenic on strawberry is discussed.

Students' perceptions of the non-academic advantages and disadvantages of participation in Advanced Placement courses and International Baccalaureate programs.

PubMed

Foust, Regan Clark; Hertberg-Davis, Holly; Callahan, Carolyn M

2009-01-01

In-depth interviews of students with qualitative analysis of the responses were used to explore perceptions of the non-academic advantages and disadvantages of Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) program participation, and differences between the AP and IB programs in those perceptions. Results revealed that benefits of participation, including pride in completing more challenging work, similarity and special bonds among participants, better treatment (more respect and responsibility) from teachers, better overall class atmosphere, and preference for AP and IB courses were consistent across schools and between programs. Also consistent were the disadvantages students reported, with marked differences in the intensity of disadvantages between the AP and IB programs. Specifically, as the amount of time students spent in homogeneously grouped settings increased, so did the workload, the intensity of the perceived social/emotional disadvantages of the workload, the perceived range of negative feelings between participants and non-participants, and the perceived negativity of participant strereotypes.

Isolation of various genotypes of Clostridium difficile from patients and the environment in an oncology ward.

PubMed

Cohen, S H; Tang, Y J; Muenzer, J; Gumerlock, P H; Silva, J

1997-05-01

The epidemiology of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) is not well defined in nonepidemic situations because precise biotyping techniques have only recently become available. Arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) was used to determine strain identity of C. difficile isolates recovered on our oncology ward, at an incidence rate of 0.84%. Twenty-one strains of C. difficile, which were grouped into 18 different AP-PCR types, were isolated from patients' specimens. Forty-two C. difficile isolates recovered from the environment (33 toxigenic and 9 nontoxigenic) represented 9 different AP-PCR types. The most commonly found type, a toxigenic strain accounting for 29% of the environmental isolates, was widespread throughout the ward. None of the environmental types were found among the isolates from patients. Three patients' isolates were of the same AP-PCR type, and two of these patients had occupied neighboring rooms at the same time. The diversity of C. difficile isotypes suggests that endemic nosocomial CDAD is not necessarily clonally spread.

Nucleopolyhedroviruses (NPV) induce the expression of small heat shock protein 25.4 in Antheraea pernyi.

PubMed

Zhang, Congfen; Zhu, Baojian; Dai, Li Shang; Liu, Chaoliang; Luo, Xuegang

2016-10-15

Nucleopolyhedroviruses (NPVs) is one group of Baculoviruses. The infection of NPV in silkworm is often lethal. To investigate the effective measures to stop the infection of NPV, we cloned cDNA encoding small heat shock protein 25.4 in Antheraea pernyi (Ap-HSP25.4). The translated amino acid sequence consisted of 223 residues with a calculated molecular mass of 25.4kDa and an isoelectronic point (pI) of 4.93. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to investigate the expression patterns and distribution profiles of Ap-sHSP25.4 before and after challenged with NPV. We found that the inhibitors of eicosanoid synthesis could suppress the transcription of Ap-sHSP25.4 in the fat body in a dose dependent manner. And arachidonic acid induced the expression of Ap-sHSP25.4. Thus, we concluded that sHSPs may be promising candidates to boost insect immunity in practice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Atiyah-Patodi-Singer index from the domain-wall fermion Dirac operator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukaya, Hidenori; Onogi, Tetsuya; Yamaguchi, Satoshi

2017-12-01

The Atiyah-Patodi-Singer (APS) index theorem attracts attention for understanding physics on the surface of materials in topological phases. The mathematical setup for this theorem is, however, not directly related to the physical fermion system, as it imposes on the fermion fields a nonlocal boundary condition known as the "APS boundary condition" by hand, which is unlikely to be realized in the materials. In this work, we attempt to reformulate the APS index in a "physicist-friendly" way for a simple setup with U (1 ) or S U (N ) gauge group on a flat four-dimensional Euclidean space. We find that the same index as APS is obtained from the domain-wall fermion Dirac operator with a local boundary condition, which is naturally given by the kink structure in the mass term. As the boundary condition does not depend on the gauge fields, our new definition of the index is easy to compute with the standard Fujikawa method.

DOTA analogues with a phosphinate-iminodiacetate pendant arm: modification of the complex formation rate with a strongly chelating pendant.

PubMed

Procházková, Soňa; Kubíček, Vojtěch; Böhmová, Zuzana; Holá, Kateřina; Kotek, Jan; Hermann, Petr

2017-08-08

The new ligand H 6 do3aP ida combines the macrocyclic DOTA-like cavity and the open-chain iminodiacetate group connected through a coordinating phosphinate spacer. Its acid-base and coordination properties in solution were studied by potentiometry. Thermodynamic coordination characteristics of both chelating units are similar to those reported for H 4 dota and iminodiacetic acid themselves, respectively, so, macrocyclic and iminodiacetate units behave independently. The formation kinetics of the Ce(iii)-H 6 do3aP ida complex was studied by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Various out-of-cage intermediates were identified with 1 : 1, 1 : 2 and 2 : 1 ligand-to-metal ratios. The presence of the strongly coordinating iminodiacetate group significantly slows down the metal ion transfer into the macrocyclic cavity and, so, the formation of the in-cage complex is two orders of magnitude slower than that reported for the Ce(iii)-H 4 dota system. The kinetic inertness of the [Ce(do3aP ida )] 3- complex towards acid-assisted dissociation is comparable to that of the [Ce(dota)] - complex. The coordination modes of the ligand are demonstrated in the solid-state structure of [Cu 4 (do3aP ida )(OH)(H 2 O) 4 ]Cl·7.5H 2 O.

Barriers in detecting elder abuse among emergency medical technicians.

PubMed

Reingle Gonzalez, Jennifer M; Cannell, M Brad; Jetelina, Katelyn K; Radpour, Sepeadeh

2016-09-02

Elder abuse and neglect are highly under-reported in the United States. This may be partially attributed to low incidence of reporting among emergency medical technicians' (EMTs), despite state-mandated reporting of suspected elder abuse. Innovative solutions are needed to address under-reporting. The objective was to describe EMTs' experience detecting and reporting elder abuse. Qualitative data were collected from 11 EMTs and 12 Adult Protective Services (APS) caseworkers that participated in one of five semi-structured focus groups. Focus group data were iteratively coded by two coders. Findings suggest a number of barriers prevent EMTs from reporting elder abuse to APS. Participants suggested that limited training on elder abuse detection or reporting has been provided to them. EMTs suggested that training, creation of an automated reporting system or brief screening tool could be used to enhance EMT's ability to detect and communicate suspected cases of elder abuse to APS. Results from the present study suggest that EMTs may be uniquely situated to serve as elder abuse and neglect surveillance personnel. EMTs are eager to work with APS to address the under-reporting of elder abuse and neglect, but training is minimal and current reporting procedures are time-prohibitive given their primary role as emergency healthcare providers. Future studies should seek to translate these findings into practice by identifying specific indicators predictive of elder abuse and neglect for inclusion on an automated reporting instrument for EMTs.

Incidence and mortality of acute and chronic pancreatitis in the Netherlands: a nationwide record-linked cohort study for the years 1995-2005.

PubMed

Spanier, B W Marcel; Bruno, Marco J; Dijkgraaf, Marcel G W

2013-05-28

To analyze trends in incidence and mortality of acute pancreatitis (AP) and chronic pancreatitis (CP) in the Netherlands and for international standard populations. A nationwide cohort is identified through record linkage of hospital data for AP and CP, accumulated from three nationwide Dutch registries: the hospital discharge register, the population register, and the death certificate register. Sex- and age-group specific incidence rates of AP and CP are defined for the period 2000-2005 and mortality rates of AP and CP for the period 1995-2005. Additionally, incidence and mortality rates over time are reported for Dutch and international (European and World Health Organization) standard populations. Incidence of AP per 100000 persons per year increased between 2000 and 2005 from 13.2 (95%CI: 12.6-13.8) to 14.7 (95%CI: 14.1-15.3). Incidence of AP for males increased from 13.8 (95%CI: 12.9-14.7) to 15.2 (95%CI: 14.3-16.1), for females from 12.7 (95%CI: 11.9-13.5) to 14.2 (95%CI: 13.4-15.1). Irregular patterns over time emerged for CP. Overall mean incidence per 100000 persons per year was 1.77, for males 2.16, and for females 1.4. Mortality for AP fluctuated during 1995-2005 between 6.9 and 11.7 per million persons per year and was almost similar for males and females. Concerning CP, mortality for males fluctuated between 1.1 (95%CI: 0.6-2.3) and 4.0 (95%CI: 2.8-5.8), for females between 0.7 (95%CI: 0.3-1.6) and 2.0 (95%CI: 1.2-3.2). Incidence and mortality of AP and CP increased markedly with age. Standardized rates were lowest for World Health Organization standard population. Incidence of AP steadily increased while incidence of CP fluctuated. Mortality for both AP and CP remained fairly stable. Patient burden and health care costs probably will increase because of an ageing Dutch population.

Circulating microRNAs as biomarkers of disease and typification of the atherothrombotic status in antiphospholipid syndrome.

PubMed

Pérez-Sánchez, Carlos; Arias-de la Rosa, Iván; Aguirre, María Ángeles; Luque-Tévar, María; Ruiz-Limón, Patricia; Barbarroja, Nuria; Jiménez-Gómez, Yolanda; Ábalos-Aguilera, María Carmen; Collantes-Estévez, Eduardo; Segui, Pedro; Velasco, Francisco; Herranz, María Teresa; Lozano-Herrero, Jesús; Hernandez-Vidal, María Julia; Martínez, Constantino; González-Conejero, Rocío; Radin, Massimo; Sciascia, Savino; Cecchi, Irene; Cuadrado, María José; López-Pedrera, Chary

2018-05-01

We aimed to identify the plasma miRNA profile of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) patients and to investigate the potential role of specific circulating miRNAs as non-invasive disease biomarkers. Ninety APS patients and 42 healthy donors were recruited. Profiling of miRNAs by PCR-array in plasma of APS patients identified a set of miRNAs differentially expressed and collectively involved in clinical features. Logistic regression and ROC analysis identified a signature of 10 miRNA ratios as biomarkers of disease. In addition, miRNA signature was related to fetal loss, atherosclerosis, and type of thrombosis, and correlated with parameters linked to inflammation, thrombosis, and autoimmunity. Hard clustering analysis differentiated 3 clusters representing different thrombotic risk profile groups. Significant differences between groups for several miRNA ratios were found. Moreover, miRNA signature remained stable over time, demonstrated by their analysis three months after the first sample collection. Parallel analysis in two additional cohorts of patients, including thrombosis without autoimmune disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus without antiphospholipid antibodies, each displayed specific miRNA profiles that were distinct from those of APS patients. In vitro , antiphospholipid antibodies of IgG isotype promoted deregulation in selected miRNAs and their potential atherothrombotic protein targets in monocytes and endothelial cells. Taken together, differentially expressed circulating miRNAs in APS patients, modulated at least partially by antiphospholipid antibodies of IgG isotype, might have the potential to serve as novel biomarkers of disease features and to typify patients' atherothrombotic status, thus constituting a useful tool in the management of the disease. Copyright © 2018 Ferrata Storti Foundation.

Anti-inflammatory effects and the molecular pattern of the therapeutic effects of dietary seeds of Adenanthera Pavonina in albino rats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afolabi, Israel Sunmola; Olawole, Tolulope Dorcas; Adams, Khadijat Abiola; Shopeju, Omolola Ashiedu; Ezeaku, Mmaegbunem Chidera

2018-04-01

Adenanthera pavonina is a woody specie of Leguminosae-Mimosiodaea that is widely present across the globe. Little attention has been given to the dietary importance of the seeds, which have been linked with the traditional management of inflammatory conditions and several other diseases. This study determines the anti-inflammatory potential and the molecular effects of consuming the seeds compared to the commonly eaten Vigna uniguiculata (cowpea). The control, group administered with 10 g (AP-10), 20 g (AP-20) and 30 g (AP-30) of A. pavonina based diets; and those previously induced with inflammation administered with 20 kg of V. uniguiculata (BK/BM), normal saline (K-Sal), 20 g A. pavonina based diet (K-AP) and indomethacin (K-Ind) were examined for cyclooxygenase (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), soluble intracellular adhesion molecule (sICAM) levels in the serum and the effect of diets on the integrity of DNA using RAPD PCR analysis for monitoring their anti-inflammatory activity and the molecular effects. AP-30 based diets significantly reduced (P<0.05) serum sICAM-1 levels compared to that of cowpea. A. pavonina and V. uniguiculata diets exhibited similar ability to significantly reduced (P<0.05) the serum sICAM level of the inflammation induced rats compared with the K-Sal group. Both diet from A. pavonina and V. unguiculata significantly increases (P<0.05) COX-2 activity and the restoration of TNF-α activity. A. pavonina can act as a preventive food for inflammation and other diseases without damaging the DNA integrity in the kidney, liver and the heart.

Antiphospholipid antibodies and antiphospholipid syndrome in patients presenting with immune thrombocytopenic purpura: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Diz-Küçükkaya, R; Hacihanefioğlu, A; Yenerel, M; Turgut, M; Keskin, H; Nalçaci, M; Inanç, M

2001-09-15

The pathogenetic role and the clinical importance of the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (APAs) in patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) are not clear. In this study, the prevalence and clinical significance of APAs were investigated in patients with ITP. Eighty-two newly diagnosed ITP patients were prospectively studied. They were evaluated for the presence of lupus anticoagulant (LA) and immunoglobulin G/M anticardiolipin antibodies (ACAs). Thirty-one patients (37.8%) were APA positive at diagnosis. No statistically significant differences were found between the APA-positive and APA-negative groups regarding gender, initial platelet counts, or response to methylprednisolone therapy. After 5 years of follow-up, cumulative thrombosis-free survival of APA-positive (n = 31) and APA-negative (n = 51) ITP patients was 39% and 97.7%, respectively. A significant difference was found between these groups by log-rank test (P =.0004). In addition, LA was an important risk marker for the development of thrombosis in ITP patients. After a median follow-up of 38 months, 14 ITP patients (45%) who had APA positivity developed clinical features (thrombosis or fetal losses) of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). There were no differences between the APA-positive patients with and without APS regarding the initial platelet counts, response to the therapy, or ACA positivity. The positivity rate for LA was significantly higher in those patients with ITP who developed APS (chi(2): P =.0036; relative risk 7.15; 95% confidence interval, 1.7-47). In conclusion, this study indicates that a significant proportion of patients initially presenting with ITP and APA positivity developed APS. In patients with ITP, the persistent presence of APAs is an important risk factor for the development of APS.

The area postrema does not modulate the long-term salt sensitivity of arterial pressure.

PubMed

Collister, J P; Osborn, J W

1998-10-01

The hindbrain circumventricular organ, the area postrema (AP), receives multiple signals linked to body fluid homeostasis. In addition to baroreceptor input, AP cells contain receptors for ANG II, vasopressin, and atrial natriuretic peptide. Hence, it has been proposed that the AP is critical in long-term adjustments in sympathetic outflow in response to changes in dietary NaCl. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that long-term control of arterial pressure over a range of dietary NaCl requires an intact AP. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly selected for lesion of the AP (APx) or sham lesion. Three months later, rats were instrumented with radiotelemetry transmitters for continuous monitoring of mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate and were placed in individual metabolic cages. Rats were given 1 wk postoperative recovery. The dietary salt protocol consisted of a 7-day period of 1.0% NaCl (control), 14 days of 4.0% NaCl (high), 7 days of 1.0% NaCl, and finally 14 days of 0.1% NaCl (low). The results are reported as the average arterial pressure observed on the last day of the given dietary salt period: APx (n = 7) 114 +/- 2 (1.0%), 110 +/- 3 (4.0%), 110 +/- 3 (1.0%), and 114 +/- 4 (0.1%) mmHg; sham (n = 6) 115 +/- 2 (1.0%), 114 +/- 3 (4.0%), 111 +/- 3 (1. 0%), and 113 +/- 2 (0.1%) mmHg. Neither group of rats demonstrated significant changes in MAP throughout the entire dietary salt protocol. Furthermore, no significant differences in MAP were detected between groups throughout the protocol. All lesions were histologically verified. These results suggest that the area postrema plays no role in long-term control of arterial pressure during chronic changes in dietary salt.

The clinical value of adipokines in predicting the severity and outcome of acute pancreatitis.

PubMed

Karpavicius, Andrius; Dambrauskas, Zilvinas; Gradauskas, Audrius; Samuilis, Arturas; Zviniene, Kristina; Kupcinskas, Juozas; Brimas, Gintautas; Meckovski, Artur; Sileikis, Audrius; Strupas, Kestutis

2016-08-22

Recent data shows that patients with severe acute pancreatic might benefit from early intensive therapy, enteral nutrition and timely transfer to specialized centers. The early prophylactic use of antibiotics in AP remains controversial. The role and need for new markers in stratification of acute pancreatitis is also uncertain. This study aims to evaluate the prognostic usefulness of adipokines in prediction of the severity and outcome of acute pancreatitis (AP). Prospective study was conducted in four clinical centers. The diagnosis and severity assessment of AP was established according to the revised 2012 Atlanta classification. Adipokines, IL-6 and CRP levels were measured at admission and on 3rd day of hospital stay and compared with the control group. The predictive accuracy of each marker was measured by area under the receiver operating curve. Forty healthy controls and 102 patients were enrolled in to the study. Twenty seven (26.5 %) patients had mild, 55 (53.9 %) - moderate and 20 (19.6 %) - severe AP. Only resistin (cut-off value 13.7 ng/ml) and IL-6 (cut-off value 473.4 pg/ml) were reliable early markers of SAP. IL-6 with cut-off value of 157.0 pg/ml was a predictor of necrosis. The peripancreatic necrosis volume of 112.5 ml was a marker of SAP and 433.0 ml cut-off value could be used to predict the need of interventions. The prognostic value of adipokines in AP is limited. Only admission resistin levels could serve as an early predictor for SAP. The Lithuanian Regional Ethics Committee approved the study protocol (permission No. L-12-02/1/2/3/4) and all the patients and the control group provided written informed consent.

Randomized clinical trial comparing 5% and 1% topical minoxidil for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in Japanese men.

PubMed

Tsuboi, Ryoji; Arano, Osamu; Nishikawa, Tooru; Yamada, Hidekazu; Katsuoka, Kensei

2009-08-01

Minoxidil is efficacious in inducing hair growth in patients with androgenetic alopecia by inducing hair follicles to undergo transition from the early to late anagen phase. Although the efficacy of 1% topical minoxidil has been confirmed in Japan, no controlled study of 5% topical minoxidil has been conducted using male Japanese subjects. The objective of this trial was to verify the superiority in clinical efficacy of 5% topical minoxidil to 1% topical minoxidil in a double-blind controlled study with male, Japanese androgenetic alopecia patients as the subjects. The trial included 300 Japanese male patients aged 20 years or older with androgenetic alopecia who were administered either 5% topical minoxidil (n = 150) or 1% topical minoxidil (n = 150) for 24 weeks. The mean change from the baseline in non-vellus hair/cm(2), the primary efficacy variable, was 26.4 (n = 142) in the 5% topical minoxidil group and 21.2 (n = 144) in the 1% topical minoxidil group at 16 weeks, the main time point for the evaluation. The difference between the groups was significant (P = 0.020). The incidence of adverse events was 8.7% (13/150) in the 5% group and 5.3% (8/150) in the 1% group, with no significant difference between the groups (chi(2)-test: P = 0.258). Our findings confirmed the superiority of 5% topical minoxidil to 1% topical minoxidil in treating Japanese men with androgenetic alopecia.

Different role of TTX-sensitive voltage-gated sodium channel (NaV 1) subtypes in action potential initiation and conduction in vagal airway nociceptors.

PubMed

Kollarik, M; Sun, H; Herbstsomer, R A; Ru, F; Kocmalova, M; Meeker, S N; Undem, B J

2018-04-15

The action potential initiation in the nerve terminals and its subsequent conduction along the axons of afferent nerves are not necessarily dependent on the same voltage-gated sodium channel (Na V 1) subunits. The action potential initiation in jugular C-fibres within airway tissues is not blocked by TTX; nonetheless, conduction of action potentials along the vagal axons of these nerves is often dependent on TTX-sensitive channels. This is not the case for nodose airway Aδ-fibres and C-fibres, where both action potential initiation and conduction is abolished by TTX or selective Na V 1.7 blockers. The difference between the initiation of action potentials within the airways vs. conduction along the axons should be considered when developing Na V 1 blocking drugs for topical application to the respiratory tract. The action potential (AP) initiation in the nerve terminals and its subsequent AP conduction along the axons do not necessarily depend on the same subtypes of voltage-gated sodium channels (Na V 1s). We evaluated the role of TTX-sensitive and TTX-resistant Na V 1s in vagal afferent nociceptor nerves derived from jugular and nodose ganglia innervating the respiratory system. Single cell RT-PCR was performed on vagal afferent neurons retrogradely labelled from the guinea pig trachea. Almost all of the jugular neurons expressed the TTX-sensitive channel Na V 1.7 along with TTX-resistant Na V 1.8 and Na V 1.9. Tracheal nodose neurons also expressed Na V 1.7 but, less frequently, Na V 1.8 and Na V 1.9. Na V 1.6 were expressed in ∼40% of the jugular and 25% of nodose tracheal neurons. Other Na V 1 α subunits were only rarely expressed. Single fibre recordings were made from the vagal nodose and jugular nerve fibres innervating the trachea or lung in the isolated perfused vagally-innervated preparations that allowed for selective drug delivery to the nerve terminal compartment (AP initiation) or to the desheathed vagus nerve (AP conduction). AP initiation in jugular C-fibres was unaffected by TTX, although it was inhibited by Na V 1.8 blocker (PF-01247324) and abolished by combination of TTX and PF-01247324. However, AP conduction in the majority of jugular C-fibres was abolished by TTX. By contrast, both AP initiation and conduction in nodose nociceptors was abolished by TTX or selective Na V 1.7 blockers. Distinction between the effect of a drug with respect to inhibiting AP in the nerve terminals within the airways vs. at conduction sites along the vagus nerve is relevant to therapeutic strategies involving inhaled Na V 1 blocking drugs. © 2018 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2018 The Physiological Society.

[INFLUENCE OF INHIBITION OF ACTIN POLYMERIZATION ON ADIPOGENIC DIFFERENTIATION OF RAT Achilles-DERIVED TENDON STEM CELLS IN VITRO].

PubMed

Chen, Bo; Tang, Kanglai; Zhang, Jiqiang; Guo, Yupeng; Liu, Xiangzhou; Shi, Youxin

2015-02-01

To investigate the effect of cytoskeleton modification on the adipogenic differentiation of rat Achilles-derived tendon stem cells (TSCs) in vitro. TSCs were isolated from the tendon tissue of male Sprague Dawley rats (aged 3 weeks) by enzymatic digestion method and cultured for 3 passages. After the 3rd passage cells were cultured with DMEM medium containing 15% fetal bovine serum and cytochalasin D (CYD) at the concentrations of 0, 50, 100, 500, and 1 000 ng/mL, the cell survival condition and morphology changes were observed by inverted phase contrast microscope, the cytoskeleton was observed through fibrous actin (F-actin) staining, and the ratio of F-actin/ soluble globular actin (G-actin) was detected and calculated through Western blot. According to the above results, the effective concentration of CYD was selected and used for next experiments. After TSCs were cultured for 3 and 7 days respectively with adipogenic induction media (induction group), adipogenic induction media containing CYD (CYD+induction group), ordinary medium (ordinary group), and ordinary medium containing CYD (CYD+ordinary group), the real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot were carried out to measure the mRNA and protein expressions of adipogenic differentiation-related markers, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor y (PPARγ), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), and fatty acid binding protein (aP2). The final CYD concentration of 100 ng/mL can inhibit effectively G-actin polymerization into F-actin, but could not affect TSCs survival, which was used for next experiments. qRT-PCR and Western blot suggested that the mRNA expressions of PPARγ, LPL, and aP2 and the protein expressions of PPARγ and aP2 were increased significantly in the CYD+induction group at 3 and 7 days when compared with the induction group (P < 0.05). In the CYD+ordinary group, there still was a significant increase in the mRNA expressions of PPARγ, LPL, and aP2 when compared with the ordinary group (P < 0.05). Inhibition of F-actin polymerization can increase adipogenic differentiation of rat Achilles-derived TSCs in vitro, and cytoskeleton modification is a pre-requisite for TSCs differentiation into adipocytes, which might have important implications for the mechanism research of tendinopathy.

Movement Variability Increases With Shoulder Pain When Compensatory Strategies of the Upper Body Are Constrained.

PubMed

López-Pascual, Juan; Page, Álvaro; Serra-Añó, Pilar

2017-10-13

This cross-sectional study analyzed the influence of chronic shoulder pain (CSP) on movement variability/kinematics during humeral elevation, with the trunk and elbow motions constrained to avoid compensatory strategies. For this purpose, 37 volunteers with CSP as the injured group (IG) and 58 participants with asymptomatic shoulders as the control group (CG) participated in the study. Maximum humeral elevation (Emax), maximum angular velocity (Velmax), variability of the maximum angle (CVEmax), functional variability (Func_var), and approximate entropy (ApEn) were calculated from the kinematic data. Patients' pain was measured on the visual analogue scale (VAS). Compared with the CG, the IG presented lower Emax and Velmax and higher variability (i.e., CVEmax, Func_var, and ApEn). Moderate correlations were achieved for the VAS score and the kinematic variables Emax, Velmax and variability of curve analysis, Func_varm, and ApEn. No significant correlation was found for CVEmax. In conclusion, CSP results in a decrease of angle and velocity and an increased shoulder movement variability when the neuromuscular system cannot use compensatory strategies to avoid painful positions.

Acupuncture and pharmacopuncture are as effective as morphine or carprofen for postoperative analgesia in bitches undergoing ovariohysterectomy.

PubMed

Luna, Stelio Pacca Loureiro; Martino, Irene Di; Lorena, Silvia Elaine Rodolfo de Sá; Capua, Maria Luisa Buffo de; Lima, Alfredo Feio da Maia; Santos, Bianca Paiva Costa Rodrigues dos; Brondani, Juliana Tabarelli; Vesce, Giancarlo

2015-12-01

To investigate the analgesic effect of acupuncture (AP) or micro-dose pharmacopuncture (PA), using carprofen or morphine, in bitches undergoing ovariohysterectomy (OHE). Thirty five dogs were randomly assigned to five groups after sedation with acepromazine IM: AP, 0.5 mg.kg(-1) of morphine subcutaneously (SC), 4 mg.kg(-1) of carprofen SC, and PA with 0.05 mg.kg(-1) of morphine or 0.4 mg.kg(-1) of carprofen. Anaesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with isoflurane. Pain was assessed after OHE by a blind observer for 24h, by dynamic visual analogue scale (DIVAS), Glasgow (CMPS-SF), Melbourne (UMPS) and Colorado University pain scale (CSU). Animals reaching 33% of the UMPS score received rescue analgesia with morphine IM. Non parametric data were analysed by Kruskal-Wallis or Friedman tests where applicable, followed by Dunn's test. Parametric data were analysed by two way ANOVA, followed by Tukey test. There were no differences among groups in number of rescue analgesia. Except for the DIVAS score where animals treated with morphine had the lowest score compared with AP and carprofen, at 1h after surgery, there were no other differences among groups. Acupuncture or pharmacopuncture were equally effective as morphine or carprofen to control postoperative pain in bitches undergoing ovariohysterectomy.

Clinical evaluation of endometriosis and differential response to surgical therapy with and without application of Oxiplex/AP* adhesion barrier gel.

PubMed

diZerega, Gere S; Coad, James; Donnez, Jacques

2007-03-01

To correlate parameters of endometriosis obtained during routine clinical evaluation with the subsequent formation of adhesions following surgical treatment by laparoscopy. Randomized, controlled, double-blind, clinical trial. Tertiary referral centers for the treatment of endometriosis. Thirty-seven patients (65 with adnexa) with stage I-III endometriosis; endometrioma-only patients were excluded. Laparoscopic surgical treatment of endometriosis, followed by randomization to Oxiplex/AP (FzioMed, Inc., San Luis Obispo, California) gel treatment (treated group) of adnexa, or surgery alone (control group); follow-up laparoscopy 6-10 weeks later. Adnexal Americn Fertility Society score, correlated with color and location of endometriosis, as well as stage of disease determined by masked review of videotapes. Control patients with at least 50% red lesions had a greater increase in ipsilateral adnexal adhesion scores than patients with mostly black or white and/or clear lesions. Treated patients with red lesions had a greater decrease in adnexal adhesion scores than control patients. There was a correlation between baseline endometriosis stage and postoperative adhesion formation in control patients, but not treated patients. Patients with red endometriotic lesions had greater increases in their adhesion scores than patients with only black, white, and/or clear lesions. Oxiplex/AP gel was effective in reducing adhesions, compared to surgery alone, in all groups.

Views of Academic and Community Partners Regarding Participant Protections and Research Integrity: A Pilot Focus Group Study

PubMed Central

Anderson, Emily E.

2013-01-01

When community partners have direct interaction with human research participants, it is important to consider potential threats to participant protections and research integrity. Few studies have directly compared the views of academic and community partners. This pilot focus group study explores the views of academic partners (APs) and community partners (CPs) regarding challenges to the protection of research participants and research integrity in community-engaged research (CEnR). Data are analyzed to understand how APs and CPs define and think about ethical problems and how meaning and analysis may differ between the two groups. Findings have implications for the development of research ethics training materials for academic-community research partnerships and IRBs; best practices for CEnR; and future research on ethical issues in CEnR. PMID:23485668

Two-level cervical corpectomy-long-term follow-up reveals the high rate of material failure in patients, who received an anterior approach only.

PubMed

Bayerl, Simon Heinrich; Pöhlmann, Florian; Finger, Tobias; Prinz, Vincent; Vajkoczy, Peter

2018-06-18

In contrast to a one-level cervical corpectomy, a multilevel corpectomy without posterior fusion is accompanied by a high material failure rate. So far, the adequate surgical technique for patients, who receive a two-level corpectomy, remains to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to determine the long-term clinical outcome of patients with cervical myelopathy, who underwent a two-level corpectomy. Outcome parameters of 21 patients, who received a two-level cervical corpectomy, were retrospectively analyzed concerning reoperations and outcome scores (VAS, Neck Disability Index (NDI), Nurick scale, modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association score (mJOAS), Short Form 36-item Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36)). The failure rate was determined using postoperative radiographs. The choice over the surgical procedures was exercised by every surgeon individually. Therefore, a distinction between two groups was possible: (1) anterior group (ANT group) with a two-level corpectomy and a cervical plate, (2) anterior/posterior group (A/P group) with two-level corpectomy, cervical plate, and additional posterior fusion. Both groups benefitted from surgery concerning pain, disability, and myelopathy. While all patients of the A/P group showed no postoperative instability, one third of the patients of the ANT group exhibited instability and clinical deterioration. Thus, a revision surgery with secondary posterior fusion was needed. Furthermore, the ANT group had worse myelopathy scores (mJOAS ANT group  = 13.5 ± 2.5, mJOAS A/P group  = 15.7 ± 2.2). Patients with myelopathy, who receive a two-level cervical corpectomy, benefitted from surgical decompression. However, patients with a sole anterior approach demonstrated a very high rate of instability (33%) and clinical deterioration in a long-term follow-up. Therefore, we recommend to routinely perform an additional posterior fusion after two-level cervical corpectomy.

Depression Effects on Hospital Cost of Heart Failure Patients in California: An Analysis by Ethnicity and Gender.

PubMed

Husaini, Baqar A; Taira, Deborah; Norris, Keith; Adhish, S Vivek; Moonis, Majaz; Levine, Robert

2018-01-01

Depression often interferes with self-management and treatment of medical conditions. This may result in serious medical complications and escalated health-care cost. Study distribution of heart failure (HF) cases estimates the prevalence of depression and its effects on HF-related hospital costs by ethnicity and gender. Secondary data files of California Hospital Discharge System for he year 2010 were examined. For patients with a HF diagnosis, details regarding depression, demographics, comorbid conditions, and hospital costs were studied. Age-adjusted HF rates and depression were examined for whites, blacks, Hispanics, and Asians/Pacific Islanders (AP) by comparing HF patients with depression (HF +D ) versus HF without depression (HF ND ). HF cases ( n = 62,685; average age: 73) included nearly an equal number of males and females. HF rates were higher ( P < 0.001) among blacks compared to Hispanics, AP, and whites and higher among males than females. One-fifth of HF patients had depression, higher among females and whites compared to males and other ethnic groups. Further, HF hospital costs for blacks and AP were higher ( P < 0.001) compared to other groups. The cost for HF +D was 22% higher compared to HF ND , across all gender and ethnic groups, largely due to higher comorbidities, more admissions, and longer hospitalization. Depression, ethnicity, and gender are all associated with increased hospital costs of HF patients. The higher HF and HF +D costs among blacks, AP, and males reflect additional burden of comorbidities (hypertension and diabetes). Prospective studies to assess if selective screening and treating depression among HF patients can reduce hospital costs are warranted.

The immune imbalance in the second hit of pancreatitis is independent of IL-17A.

PubMed

Thomson, John-Edwin; Brand, Martin; Fonteh, Pascaline

2018-04-01

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is characterised by two distinct clinical phases. Organ dysfunction and death is initially as a result of a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Systemic sepsis from infected pancreatic necrosis characterises the second phase, the so called 'second hit' of acute pancreatitis (AP). An immune imbalance during the second hit is postulated to contribute to the formation of the septic complications that occur in these patients. The pro-inflammatory T-helper (Th) 17 pathway has been shown to be an initiator of early SIRS in AP, however to date its role has not been established in the second hit in AP. Thirty-six patients with mild (n = 16), moderate (n = 10) and severe (n = 10) acute pancreatitis were enrolled. Peripheral blood samples were drawn on days 7, 9, 11 and 13 of illness for analysis of routine clinical markers as well as cytokine analysis. Flow cytometry and a IL-17A ELISA was performed to determine cytokine concentrations. There were no significant differences between days 7, 9, 11 and 13 for either the mild/moderate or SAP groups for IL-17A (CBA assay or ELISA), IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2 or IL-4. For each of the study days, the mean IL-6 and IL-10 concentrations were significantly higher in the SAP group compared to the mild/moderate group. WCC, CRP and PCT were all significantly higher in severe acute pancreatitis over the study days. An immune imbalance exists in patients with SAP, however secreted IL-17A is not responsible for the second hit in AP. Copyright © 2018 IAP and EPC. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Percutaneous ultrasound-guided drainage in the surgical treatment of acute severe pancreatitis].

PubMed

Delattre, J-F; Levy Chazal, N; Lubrano, D; Flament, J-B

2004-11-01

To report results of percutaneous ultrasound-guided drainage, performed by a surgeon, in the treatment of complications of acute pancreatitis (AP), and to determine the role of this technique in the therapeutic armamentarium of severe AP. From 1986 to 2001, 59 patients were included in this retrospective study. All patients initially had severe necrotizing AP (mean Ranson score = 4.1 ; range : 2-7). Anatomical lesions included pancreatic abscess in 6 patients and necrosis in 53 (17 stage D and 36 stage E according to Balthazar's classification). Necrosis was infected in 42 and sterile in 11 respectively. Drainage was performed under ultrasound guidance and local anaesthesia using small-diameter drains (7-14 French). Drainage was performed on average 23 days after onset of AP. Infection was proven by fine-needle aspiration in 47 (80 %) patients (41 infected necrosis and 6 localized abscess). In one patient, culture of aspirated fluid was negative but necrosis was infected (one false negative). Culture of aspirated fluid was negative and necrosis was sterile in 11 patients. Nineteen (32%) patients healed without subsequent surgery: 7 (16%) in the infected necrosis group, 6(55%) in the sterile necrosis group, and 6 (100%) in the abscess group. Forty (68%) patients had subsequent necrosectomy including 8 (14%) who died. Twenty (34 %) digestive fistulas healed spontaneously, except one treated by diversion stomia. Of the 16 (27 %) pancreatic fistulas, 6 needed subsequent interventional treatment. In selected patients, percutaneous drainage can represent an alternative to surgery with a 14% mortality rate. The high rate of subsequent necrosectomy suggests that drains with larger diameter, possibly associated with continuous irrigation, should be used.

PsychDT Working Group: Report Psychosocial Aspects of Artificial Pancreas Systems.

PubMed

Barnard, Katharine D; Venkat, Manu V; Close, Kelly; Heinemann, Lutz; Weissberg-Benchell, Jill; Hood, Korey K; Kubiak, Thomas; Kowalski, Aaron J; Laffel, Lori

2015-07-01

Diabetes technology is a cornerstone of diabetes management in the 21st century, with advances in available devices over recent years playing a central role in the way that health care has progressed. Psychosocial interventions have been shown to have a positive impact on glycemic control, reduce psychological distress and reduce costs of health care. Addressing and improving psychosocial outcomes that complement biomedical improvements and looking to the future are crucial to enhance patient acceptance of artificial pancreas (AP) systems. To achieve closer collaboration and comparability across different AP research trials, a working group was established. Existing measures fail to adequately capture the extent to which human and psychological factors play a role in the uptake and efficient use of AP systems. Understanding these factors will ultimately lead to the most benefit for users. Reliable measures of the psychosocial impact of AP systems for users is crucial to ensure that (1) regulatory authorities are able to robustly consider these aspects as part of their approval process, (2) government and private payers are able to factor these aspects into their decisions regarding reimbursement, and (3) persons with diabetes maximize benefits in terms of both glycemic control and quality of life to minimize the burden of diabetes in everyday life. This working group will serve as a platform to foster exchange, identify research needs, and guide and initiate collaborative research laying the groundwork for optimal utilization of diabetes technology in clinical diabetes care. A close collaboration among all key stakeholders is crucial to ensure that devices are designed, trialed, approved, and provided with minimal user burden and maximum beneficial effect. © 2015 Diabetes Technology Society.

Urinary aminopeptidase activities as early and predictive biomarkers of renal dysfunction in cisplatin-treated rats.

PubMed

Quesada, Andrés; Vargas, Félix; Montoro-Molina, Sebastián; O'Valle, Francisco; Rodríguez-Martínez, María Dolores; Osuna, Antonio; Prieto, Isabel; Ramírez, Manuel; Wangensteen, Rosemary

2012-01-01

This study analyzes the fluorimetric determination of alanyl- (Ala), glutamyl- (Glu), leucyl-cystinyl- (Cys) and aspartyl-aminopeptidase (AspAp) urinary enzymatic activities as early and predictive biomarkers of renal dysfunction in cisplatin-treated rats. Male Wistar rats (n = 8 each group) received a single subcutaneous injection of either saline or cisplatin 3.5 or 7 mg/kg, and urine samples were taken at 0, 1, 2, 3 and 14 days after treatment. In urine samples we determined Ala, Glu, Cys and AspAp activities, proteinuria, N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), albumin, and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL). Plasma creatinine, creatinine clearance and renal morphological variables were measured at the end of the experiment. CysAp, NAG and albumin were increased 48 hours after treatment in the cisplatin 3.5 mg/kg treated group. At 24 hours, all urinary aminopeptidase activities and albuminuria were significantly increased in the cisplatin 7 mg/kg treated group. Aminopeptidase urinary activities correlated (p<0.011; r(2)>0.259) with plasma creatinine, creatinine clearance and/or kidney weight/body weight ratio at the end of the experiment and they could be considered as predictive biomarkers of renal injury severity. ROC-AUC analysis was made to study their sensitivity and specificity to distinguish between treated and untreated rats at day 1. All aminopeptidase activities showed an AUC>0.633. We conclude that Ala, Cys, Glu and AspAp enzymatic activities are early and predictive urinary biomarkers of the renal dysfunction induced by cisplatin. These determinations can be very useful in the prognostic and diagnostic of renal dysfunction in preclinical research and clinical practice.

Public health within the EU policy space: a qualitative study of Organized Civil Society (OCS) and the Health in All Policies (HiAP) approach.

PubMed

Franklin, P K

2016-07-01

This article reviews how Organized Civil Society (OCS) groups in the field of public health work across the boundaries between European institutions and policy areas. In particular, it explores 1) how the Health in All Policies (HiAP) approach is conducted by these groups informally within the formal governance structures, and 2) how this advocacy work creates space for public health within the broader political determinants of health. A qualitative mixed-methods framework. Political ethnography, including 20 semi-structured interviews conducted with EU health strategy stakeholders and participant observations in public health events (n = 22) in Brussels over a three-year period (2012-2015), as well as four interviews with EU Member State representatives. Three additional semi-structured interviews were conducted with World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe staff members who had been involved in the drafting of the Health 2020 framework and strategy and the accompanying main implementation pillar, European Action Plan for Strengthening Public Health Capacities and Services (EAP-PHS). The findings provide an insight into OCS work in the field of European public health, offering an account of the experiences of HiAP work conducted by the research participants. The OCS groups perceive themselves as communicators between policy areas within European institutions and between local and supranational levels. The structures and political determinants of health that impose limitations on a public institution can at points be transcended by stakeholders, who conduct HiAP work at supranational level, thus negotiating space for public health within the competitive, globalized policy space. Copyright © 2016 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aging-associated changes in L-type calcium channels in the left atria of dogs.

PubMed

Gan, Tian-Yi; Qiao, Weiwei; Xu, Guo-Jun; Zhou, Xian-Hui; Tang, Bao-Peng; Song, Jian-Guo; Li, Yao-Dong; Zhang, Jian; Li, Fa-Peng; Mao, Ting; Jiang, Tao

2013-10-01

Action potential (AP) contours vary considerably between the fibers of normal adult and aged left atria. The underlying ionic and molecular mechanisms that mediate these differences remain unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the L-type calcium current (I Ca.L ) and the L-type Ca 2+ channel of the left atria may be altered with age to contribute to atrial fibrillation (AF). Two groups of mongrel dogs (normal adults, 2-2.5 years old and older dogs, >8 years old) were used in this study. The inducibility of AF was quantitated using the cumulative window of vulnerability (WOV). A whole-cell patch-clamp was used to record APs and I Ca.L in left atrial (LA) cells obtained from the two groups of dogs. Protein and mRNA expression levels of the a1C (Cav1.2) subunit of the L-type calcium channel were assessed using western blotting and quantitative PCR (qPCR), respectively. Although the resting potential, AP amplitude and did not differ with age, the plateau potential was more negative and the APD 90 was longer in the aged cells compared with that in normal adult cells. Aged LA cells exhibited lower peak I Ca.L current densities than normal adult LA cells (P<0.05). In addition, the Cav1.2 mRNA and protein expression levels in LA cells were decreased in the aged group compared with those in the normal adult group. The lower AP plateau potential and the decreased I Ca.L of LA cells in aged dogs may contribute to the slow and discontinuous conduction of the left atria. Furthermore, the reduction of the expression levels of Cav1.2 with age may be the molecular mechanism that mediates the decline in I Ca.L with increasing age.

Ethernet ring protection with managed FDB using APS payload

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Im, Jinsung; Ryoo, Jeong-dong; Joo, Bheom Soon; Rhee, J.-K. Kevin

2007-11-01

Ethernet ring protection (ERP) is a new technology based on OAM (operations, administration, and maintenance) being standardized by the ITU-T G.8032 working group. In this paper, we present the recent development of Ethernet ring protection which is called FDB (filtering database) flush scheme and propose a new Ethernet ring protection technique introducing a managed FDB using APS to deliver information how to fix FDB selectively. We discuss the current development of the ERP technology at ITU-T and performance comparisons between different proposals.

Effects of hyperbaric therapy on function and morphology of Guinea pig cochlea with endolymphatic hydrops.

PubMed

Chi, Fang-Lu; Liang, Qin; Wang, Zheng-Min

2004-07-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect on experimental endolymphatic hydrops in guinea pigs after hyperbaric therapy. The histopathologic character of Ménière's disease is the presence of endolymphatic hydrops. Endolymphatic hypertension could be one of the factors resulting from endolymphatic hydrops. Some treatments of Ménière's disease are aimed toward preventing the endolymphatic hypertension. Exposure to pressure change has risen in recent years. Thirty-two guinea pigs were operated on the right ears to induce endolymphatic hydrops by obliterating the endolymphatic sac through an extradural posterior cranial fossa approach. After 5 weeks' survival, 12 guinea pigs were put into a chamber with an absolute atmospheric pressure of 2.2 for 3 weeks (90 minutes once a day 5 times a week). We observed the morphologic and functional changes in guinea pig cochleae of the pressure group, 4-week hydrops group (n = 10), 8-week hydrops group (n = 10), and the normal group (n = 10). We measured the hearing threshold of the auditory brainstem response, the 70-dB SPL action potential (AP) latency, the ratio of 70-dB SPL summating potential magnitude to action potential magnitude (-SP/AP) of the electrocochleogram, and the maximum scala media area (SMA) ratio, respectively. The average 70-dB SPL-SP/AP magnitude of right ears (0.29 +/- 0.09) and the average maximum SMA ratio (2.23 +/- 0.20) in the pressure group were significantly less than that in the 8-week hydrops group (0.69 +/- 0.15 and 4.04 +/- 0.52, respectively) with the same survival time (p < 0.05). The results in the pressure group were almost as similar as that in the 4-week hydrops group (0.29 +/- 0.13 and 2.22 +/- 0.20, respectively) (p > 0.05). The average hearing threshold of ABR of right ears in the pressure group (36.67 +/- 14.30-dB SPL) was lower than that of the 8-week hydrops group (44 +/-1 4.30-dB SPL), but the difference was insignificant (p > 0.05). The average 70-dB SPL AP latency of right ears in the pressure group was not significantly different from those of the 8-week hydrops group, the 4-week hydrops group, or the normal group (p > 0.05). Our findings suggest hyperbaric therapy can significantly suppress the development of endolymphatic hydrops and improve cochlear function in guinea pigs. This study provided strong evidence for the development of pressure treatment of Ménière's disease without destroying the inner ear.

SnAP reagents for the one-step synthesis of medium-ring saturated N-heterocycles from aldehydes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vo, Cam-Van T.; Luescher, Michael U.; Bode, Jeffrey W.

2014-04-01

Interest in saturated N-heterocycles as scaffolds for the synthesis of bioactive molecules is increasing. Reliable and predictable synthetic methods for the preparation of these compounds, especially medium-sized rings, are limited. We describe the development of SnAP (Sn amino protocol) reagents for the transformation of aldehydes into seven-, eight- and nine-membered saturated N-heterocycles. This process occurs under mild, room-temperature conditions and offers exceptional substrate scope and functional-group tolerance. Air- and moisture-stable SnAP reagents are prepared on a multigram scale from inexpensive starting materials by simple reaction sequences. These new reagents and processes allow widely available aryl, heteroaryl and aliphatic aldehydes to be converted into diverse N-heterocycles, including diazepanes, oxazepanes, diazocanes, oxazocanes and hexahydrobenzoxazonines, by a single synthetic operation.

Diversity in membership and leadership positions in a regional vascular society.

PubMed

Satiani, Bhagwan; Vaccaro, Patrick S; Go, Michael R

2010-04-01

To determine diversity in the membership and analyze representation of private practitioners and ethnic and racial minorities/women in senior leadership roles in a regional vascular society. The program book distributed at the 2008 annual meeting was used to compile information on membership categories, academic status, gender, and ethnic origin of members. Excluded from further analysis were all but active and senior members (n = 386). Officers for President and current President-Elect (P, n = 31), Secretary (S, n = 10), Treasurer (T, n = 11), and Councilor (C, n = 33) over a 30-year period were scrutinized for similar information. Members were considered to be "academic" if they worked full time at an academic medical center or as faculty at a teaching hospital with a vascular fellowship and national recognition. Private practice (PP) or academic practice (AP) was determined by personal knowledge, mailing address, e-mail address, and search engines. Ethnic and racial origin was determined by name, personal knowledge, or a web search. Of the 386 active and senior members in the society, 86% were white, 13.7% were of various ethnic/racial groups, and 5.7% were women. Sixty-eight percent of members were in PP. Female members were more likely to be in AP compared with male members (68.1% vs 29.6%, P <.0002). White males made up 89.4% of all officers and 94.2% of all senior positions over the 30 years of the society. Seventy officer positions were occupied by those in AP (82.3%) vs 15 positions (18%) for the PP group. For the senior positions, 92.3% were from the AP group compared with the 8% from the PP group. (P < .0036) White male academics (WMAs) (23.7% of membership) occupied 86% of all senior leadership and 57% of C positions compared with 13% and 42%, respectively, for the rest of the membership (P < .0041). Of the 33 C positions, 66.6% were filled by members in AP. Of these 22 AP Councilors, 11 (50%) then moved up to senior leadership positions compared with two of 11 (18%) PP councilors (P = .07). Ethnic and racial minorities and women are under represented in the membership compared with the general population, medical school graduates, and faculty. PPs and non-white male academics are under represented in senior leadership positions. With changing demographics, a predicted shortage of vascular surgeons, the need for role models in leadership positions and a push to culturally competent care, regional and national societies must change course and promote a more diverse membership and representative senior leadership. Published by Mosby, Inc.

Combination treatment of oral terbinafine with topical terbinafine and 10% urea ointment in hyperkeratotic type tinea pedis.

PubMed

Shi, Tian-Wei; Zhang, Jiang-An; Zhang, Xian-Wei; Yu, Hong-Xing; Tang, Yong-Bo; Yu, Jian-Bin

2014-09-01

Hyperkeratotic-type tinea pedis is chronic and recalcitrant to topical antifungal agents. Some topical antifungal agents are effective; however, long duration of therapy is required, which often reduce the treatment compliance of patients. To seek for short period therapy of hyperkeratotic type tinea pedis, in this study, we observed the efficacy and safety of treatment of topical terbinafine and 10% urea ointment combined oral terbinafine. Participants with hyperkeratotic type tinea pedis were randomly assigned to two groups. Patients in group I were treated with oral terbinafine for 2 weeks and topical terbinafine and 10% urea ointment for 4 weeks, whereas in group II, only the above topical agents were applied for 12 weeks. Clinical improvement rates and fungal eradication rates were compared between the two groups at 24 weeks after the initiation of treatment. The group I had stopped the topical therapy 8 weeks earlier than group II. There were no significant differences in mycological eradication rates and clinical improvement rates between the two groups, besides, no major side effects were noted in both groups. The short combination therapy with oral terbinafine was effective and safe; it should be a valuable option for patients with hyperkeratotic type tinea pedis. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Stabilization of different types of transition states in a single enzyme active site: QM/MM analysis of enzymes in the alkaline phosphatase superfamily.

PubMed

Hou, Guanhua; Cui, Qiang

2013-07-17

The first step for the hydrolysis of a phosphate monoester (pNPP(2-)) in enzymes of the alkaline phosphatase (AP) superfamily, R166S AP and wild-type NPP, is studied using QM/MM simulations based on an approximate density functional theory (SCC-DFTBPR) and a recently introduced QM/MM interaction Hamiltonian. The calculations suggest that similar loose transition states are involved in both enzymes, despite the fact that phosphate monoesters are the cognate substrates for AP but promiscuous substrates for NPP. The computed loose transition states are clearly different from the more synchronous ones previously calculated for diester reactions in the same AP enzymes. Therefore, our results explicitly support the proposal that AP enzymes are able to recognize and stabilize different types of transition states in a single active site. Analysis of the structural features of computed transition states indicates that the plastic nature of the bimetallic site plays a minor role in accommodating multiple types of transition states and that the high degree of solvent accessibility of the AP active site also contributes to its ability to stabilize diverse transition-state structures without the need of causing large structural distortions of the bimetallic motif. The binding mode of the leaving group in the transition state highlights that vanadate may not always be an ideal transition state analog for loose phosphoryl transfer transition states.

Analysis of stratification of Cr with depth in the atmospheres of normal and CP stars.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savanov, I. S.

We present the results of analysis of stratification of Cr with depth in the atmospheres of normal, Am, HgMn and Ap stars. On the base of high resolution CCD-spectrograms obtained with spectrograph of 2.6-meter Shajn reflector using synthetic spectrum technique analysis of eight Cr II lines (30 multiplet) located in the wings of Hb Hydrogen line. For all investigated Am stars as well as for HgMn components of 46 Dra we suspect the similar small increase of Cr abundance in the upper atmosphere. For the hot spotted Ap stars α2 CVn and 17 Com we do not find evidence for the inhomogeneity distribution of Chromium while for the group of cool Ap stars (β CrB, HR 7575, 10 Aql and γ Equ) the increase of Cr abundance with depth was found. Detailed modelling of Cr II line profiles was performed in order to obtain vertical distributions of this element in the atmospheres of several Ap and Am stars. Our results for cool Ap stars were compared with vertical Cr distribution calculated by J.Babel using the diffusion theory and magnetically confined wind for Ap star 53 Cam (e.g. Astronomy and Astrophysics, v.258, p.449-463, 1992). It was shown that our observational material cannot be interpreted using hypothesis of depth-dependent microturbulent velocity. While the investigation of β CrB we demonstrate that obtained results insignificantly depend upon the uncertainties of the parameters of models of atmospheres.

Physical interaction between the strawberry allergen Fra a 1 and an associated partner FaAP: Interaction of Fra a 1 proteins and FaAP.

PubMed

Franz-Oberdorf, Katrin; Langer, Andreas; Strasser, Ralf; Isono, Erika; Ranftl, Quirin L; Wunschel, Christian; Schwab, Wilfried

2017-10-01

The strawberry fruit allergens Fra a 1.01E, Fra a 1.02 and Fra a 1.03 belong to the group of pathogenesis-related 10 (PR-10) proteins and are homologs of the major birch pollen Bet v 1 and apple allergen Mal d 1. Bet v 1 related proteins are the most extensively studied allergens but their physiological function in planta remains elusive. Since Mal d 1-Associated Protein has been previously identified as interaction partner of Mal d 1 we studied the binding of the orthologous Fra a 1-Associated Protein (FaAP) to Fra a 1.01E/1.02/1.03. As the C-terminal sequence of FaAP showed strong auto-activation activity in yeast 2-hybrid analysis a novel time resolved DNA-switching system was successfully applied. Fra a 1.01E, Fra a 1.02, and Fra a 1.03 bind to FaAP with K D of 4.5 ± 1.1, 15 ± 3, and 11 ± 2 nM, respectively. Fra a 1.01E forms a dimer, whereas Fra a 1.02 and Fra a 1.03 bind as monomer. The results imply that PR-10 proteins might be integrated into a protein-interaction network and FaAP binding appears to be essential for the physiological function of the Fra a 1 proteins. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Preventive Effect of Three Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Seeds Fractions on Cerulein-Induced Acute Pancreatitis in Mice

PubMed Central

Minaiyan, Mohsen; Zolfaghari, Behzd; Taheri, Diana; Gomarian, Mahdi

2014-01-01

Background: Acute pancreatitis (AP) refers to afflicted inflammation of pancreas with unfavorable adverse effects and developed multiple organ failures. Unfortunately, there is not a certain therapeutic method for this disease. Oxidative stress has a serious role in the pathogenesis of AP. Thus, decreasing of oxidative stress may prevent induction and progression of AP. Punica granatum L. has been extensively used in traditional medicine and possesses various active biological elements. Due to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of pomegranate, it could be considered as a good candidate alternative medicine with beneficial effects on AP. In this study, we decided to study the protective effect of three fractions of pomegranate seeds on cerulein-induced AP. Methods: AP was induced in male Syrian mice by five intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of cerulein (50 μg/kg) with 1 h intervals. Treatments with pomegranate freeze-dried powder (PFDP) and hydroalcoholic pomegranate seeds extract (PSE) at doses of 125, 250, 500 mg/kg (i.p.) were started 30 min before pancreatitis induction. Pomegranate seed oil fraction (PSOF) was orally administered (50, 100, 200 μL/kg) and continued for 10 days. Pancreatic tissue was evaluated for histopathological parameters and pancreatic myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity as well as lipase and amylase levels were measured in plasma. Results: The higher doses of three fractions (250 and 500 mg/kg for PFDP and PSE and doses of 100, 200 μL/kg for PSOF) significantly reduced amylase and lipase activity in serum (at least P < 0.01), pancreatic MPO activity (P < 0.001), edema, leukocyte infiltration and vacuolization in comparison to the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: These results propose that pomegranate seeds fractions can prevent and/or treat the AP. PMID:24829726

Apparent Genetic Complexity Generated by Developmental Thresholds: The Apterous Locus in DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

PubMed Central

Stevens, Mary E.; Bryant, Peter J.

1985-01-01

Mutations at the apterous (ap) locus in Drosophila melanogaster give rise to three distinct phenotypes: aberrant wings, female sterility and precocious adult death. The wing phenotype includes five types of abnormality: blistering, deficiencies, duplications, high-order repetitions and transformation of structures. The mildest phenotype is seen with homozygous apblt animals which have either normal or slightly blistered wings. Most alleles produce, in the homozygote, a deficient wing in which part or all of the wing margin and wing blade is missing, but wing hinge and notum regions are normal. Animals hemizygous for each of 20 ap alleles, as well as apID/apXa heterozygotes, show duplication of parts of the notum associated with complete wing deficiency. Animals heterozygous for apc and the other tested ap alleles show repetitions of parts of the anterior wing margin, an engrailed-like transformation of posterior wing margin into anterior margin or both. Both apblt and apc show similar phenotypes in homozygotes and hemizygotes, yet both produce a less extreme phenotype than that of the other hemizygotes, suggesting that neither mutation causes loss of the entire ap+ function. The 15 alleles that cause precocious death and female sterility occur in six complementation groups based on complementation for these phenotypes. This supports the previous conclusion that the effects of apterous mutations on the wing do not correlate with their effects on viability and fertility. We propose an explanation for the effects of apterous mutations on the wing in which quantitative reductions in the activity of gene product give rise to qualitatively different phenotypes because of different threshold requirements of the ap+ function for critical events in wing disc development. PMID:3924726

Cystathionine β-Synthase (CBS) Domain-containing Pyrophosphatase as a Target for Diadenosine Polyphosphates in Bacteria*

PubMed Central

Anashkin, Viktor A.; Salminen, Anu; Tuominen, Heidi K.; Orlov, Victor N.; Lahti, Reijo; Baykov, Alexander A.

2015-01-01

Among numerous proteins containing pairs of regulatory cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) domains, family II pyrophosphatases (CBS-PPases) are unique in that they generally contain an additional DRTGG domain between the CBS domains. Adenine nucleotides bind to the CBS domains in CBS-PPases in a positively cooperative manner, resulting in enzyme inhibition (AMP or ADP) or activation (ATP). Here we show that linear P1,Pn-diadenosine 5′-polyphosphates (ApnAs, where n is the number of phosphate residues) bind with nanomolar affinity to DRTGG domain-containing CBS-PPases of Desulfitobacterium hafniense, Clostridium novyi, and Clostridium perfringens and increase their activity up to 30-, 5-, and 7-fold, respectively. Ap4A, Ap5A, and Ap6A bound noncooperatively and with similarly high affinities to CBS-PPases, whereas Ap3A bound in a positively cooperative manner and with lower affinity, like mononucleotides. All ApnAs abolished kinetic cooperativity (non-Michaelian behavior) of CBS-PPases. The enthalpy change and binding stoichiometry, as determined by isothermal calorimetry, were ∼10 kcal/mol nucleotide and 1 mol/mol enzyme dimer for Ap4A and Ap5A but 5.5 kcal/mol and 2 mol/mol for Ap3A, AMP, ADP, and ATP, suggesting different binding modes for the two nucleotide groups. In contrast, Eggerthella lenta and Moorella thermoacetica CBS-PPases, which contain no DRTGG domain, were not affected by ApnAs and showed no enthalpy change, indicating the importance of the DTRGG domain for ApnA binding. These findings suggest that ApnAs can control CBS-PPase activity and hence affect pyrophosphate level and biosynthetic activity in bacteria. PMID:26400082

Abdominal Pain-Associated Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder Prevalence in Children and Adolescents with Celiac Disease on Gluten-Free Diet: A Multinational Study.

PubMed

Saps, Miguel; Sansotta, Naire; Bingham, Sean; Magazzu, Giuseppe; Grosso, Caterina; Romano, Simone; Pusatcioglu, Cenk; Guandalini, Stefano

2017-03-01

To test the hypothesis that children with celiac disease (CD) on gluten-free diet are at increased risk of abdominal pain (AP) associated-functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). This was a multinational cross-sectional study performed from 2014 to 2015. Patients 4-18 years of age with CD on gluten-free diet for longer than 6 months were recruited from pediatric CD clinics in US and Italy. Control groups included siblings of children with CD (with normal tissue transglutaminase levels) and unrelated controls. Subjects or parents completed the Questionnaire on Pediatric Gastrointestinal Symptoms-Rome III. Children (n = 289) were recruited (55% US, 45% Italy): 96 children with CD, 96 sibling controls, and 97 unrelated controls. Chronic AP was present in 30 (30.9%) subjects with CD, 22 (22.7%) sibling controls, and 21 (21.6%) unrelated controls (P = .26 patients with CD vs siblings; P = .18 patients with CD vs unrelated; P = .96 siblings vs unrelated). AP-FGIDs were present in 8 (8.2%) subjects with CD, 8 (8.2%) sibling controls, and 2 (2.1%) unrelated controls (P = 1.00 subjects with CD vs sibling controls; P = .06 subjects with CD vs unrelated controls; P = .06 sibling controls vs unrelated controls). This multinational study evaluated the prevalence of chronic abdominal pain and AP-FGIDs in the pediatric population with CD. We found that subjects with CD and controls have a similar prevalence of chronic AP and AP-FGIDs. This suggests that not all types of gastrointestinal inflammation result in AP-FGIDs in children. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

'First we go to the small doctor': first contact for curative health care sought by rural communities in Andhra Pradesh & Orissa, India.

PubMed

Gautham, Meenakshi; Binnendijk, Erika; Koren, Ruth; Dror, David M

2011-11-01

Against the backdrop of insufficient public supply of primary care and reports of informal providers, the present study sought to collect descriptive evidence on 1 st contact curative health care seeking choices among rural communities in two States of India - Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Orissa. The cross-sectional study design combined a Household Survey (1,810 households in AP; 5,342 in Orissa), 48 Focus Group Discussions (19 in AP; 29 in Orissa), and 61 Key Informant Interviews with healthcare providers (22 in AP; 39 in Orissa). In AP, 69.5 per cent of respondents accessed non-degree allopathic practitioners (NDAPs) practicing in or near their village; in Orissa, 40.2 per cent chose first curative contact with NDAPs and 36.2 per cent with traditional healers. In AP, all NDAPs were private practitioners, in Orissa some pharmacists and nurses employed in health facilities, also practiced privately. Respondents explained their choice by proximity and providers' readiness to make house-calls when needed. Less than a quarter of respondents chose qualified doctors as their first point of call: mostly private practitioners in AP, and public practitioners in Orissa. Amongst those who chose a qualified practitioner, the most frequent reason was doctors' quality rather than proximity. The results of this study show that most rural persons seek first level of curative healthcare close to home, and pay for a composite convenient service of consulting-cum-dispensing of medicines. NDAPs fill a huge demand for primary curative care which the public system does not satisfy, and are the de facto first level access in most cases.

Clinical characteristics and laboratory findings of 252 Chinese patients with anti-phospholipid syndrome: comparison with Euro-Phospholipid cohort.

PubMed

Shi, Hui; Teng, Jia-Lin; Sun, Yue; Wu, Xin-Yao; Hu, Qiong-Yi; Liu, Hong-Lei; Cheng, Xiao-Bing; Yin, Yu-Feng; Ye, Jun-Na; Chen, Pojen P; Yang, Cheng-de

2017-03-01

This study aims to characterize the Chinese Han patients with anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS) and compare the data with those of the Euro-Phospholipid cohort. We conducted a single center study consisting of 252 patients with definite APS from 2000 to 2015. We analyzed the clinical and laboratory characteristics of our cohort and compared the data with those of the Euro-Phospholipid cohort. Our cohort consisted of 216 females and 36 males, with a mean age at entry into this study of 41 years (range 11-74 years). Of these patients, 69 (27.4%) patients had primary APS, and 183 (72.6%) had secondary APS (SAPS), including 163 (64.7%) patients had systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Thrombotic events occurred in 190 (75.4%) patients, and the most common ones were deep vein thrombosis (40.1%) and stroke (23.8%), which were similar to the reports of the Euro-Phospholipid cohort. In contrast, our cohort had less pulmonary embolism (6.7%). Among 93 females with 299 pregnancy episodes, the rates of early (<10 weeks) and late fetal loss (≥10 weeks) were, respectively, 37.8% and 24.4%. The latter was significantly higher than that of the Euro-Phospholipid cohort. Moreover, 7 APS nephropathy patients (characterized histopathologically by thrombotic microangiopathy) and 8 catastrophic APS patients were found in our cohort. Anti-cardiolipin antibodies (aCL) were detected in 169 (67.1%) patients, lupus anti-coagulant (LA) was detected in 83 (32.9%), and anti-β2 glycoprotein I antibodies (anti-β2GPI) in 148 (58.7%) patients. These results show that some clinical manifestations of APS may vary among different racial groups.

Some ethylene biosynthesis and AP2/ERF genes reveal a specific pattern of expression during somatic embryogenesis in Hevea brasiliensis

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Ethylene production and signalling play an important role in somatic embryogenesis, especially for species that are recalcitrant in in vitro culture. The AP2/ERF superfamily has been identified and classified in Hevea brasiliensis. This superfamily includes the ERFs involved in response to ethylene. The relative transcript abundance of ethylene biosynthesis genes and of AP2/ERF genes was analysed during somatic embryogenesis for callus lines with different regeneration potential, in order to identify genes regulated during that process. Results The analysis of relative transcript abundance was carried out by real-time RT-PCR for 142 genes. The transcripts of ERFs from group I, VII and VIII were abundant at all stages of the somatic embryogenesis process. Forty genetic expression markers for callus regeneration capacity were identified. Fourteen markers were found for proliferating calli and 35 markers for calli at the end of the embryogenesis induction phase. Sixteen markers discriminated between normal and abnormal embryos and, lastly, there were 36 markers of conversion into plantlets. A phylogenetic analysis comparing the sequences of the AP2 domains of Hevea and Arabidopsis genes enabled us to predict the function of 13 expression marker genes. Conclusions This first characterization of the AP2/ERF superfamily in Hevea revealed dramatic regulation of the expression of AP2/ERF genes during the somatic embryogenesis process. The gene expression markers of proliferating callus capacity to regenerate plants by somatic embryogenesis should make it possible to predict callus lines suitable to be used for multiplication. Further functional characterization of these markers opens up prospects for discovering specific AP2/ERF functions in the Hevea species for which somatic embryogenesis is difficult. PMID:23268714

Societal costs of non-cardiac chest pain compared with ischemic heart disease - a longitudinal study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP) is a common complaint. Our aim was to present a detailed description of the costs of patients with NCCP compared to patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and Angina Pectoris (AP) from a societal perspective. Methods Data on healthcare utilization and annual societal costs, including direct healthcare costs and indirect costs due to productivity loss, were collected from different databases. The participants consisted of 199 patients from a general hospital in Sweden (99 with NCCP, 51 with AMI, 49 with AP), mean age of 67 years, 59% men. Results NCCP, AMI, and AP patients had on average 54, 50 and 65 primary care contacts and 3, 4, and 4 hospital admissions during a period of 2 years. Length of hospital stay was 6, 11 and 11 days. On average, 14%, 18%, and 25% of NCCP, AMI and AP patients were on sick-leave annually, and about 12% in each group received a disability pension. The mean annual societal costs of NCCP, AMI and AP patients were €10,068, €15,989 and €14,737. Conclusions Although the annual societal cost of NCCP patients was lower than in AMI and AP patients, the cost was still considerable (€10,068). Taken into account the high prevalence of NCCP, the cumulative annual national cost of these patients could be more than the double of AMI and AP if all patients incurred the same costs as in this study. Targeted interventions are important in order to support patients with NCCP and minimize healthcare utilization and costs. PMID:24107009

8-vinyl-deoxyadenosine, an alternative fluorescent nucleoside analog to 2'-deoxyribosyl-2-aminopurine with improved properties.

PubMed

Ben Gaied, Nouha; Glasser, Nicole; Ramalanjaona, Nick; Beltz, Hervé; Wolff, Philippe; Marquet, Roland; Burger, Alain; Mély, Yves

2005-01-01

We report here the synthesis and the spectroscopic characterization of 8-vinyl-deoxyadenosine (8vdA), a new fluorescent analog of deoxyadenosine. 8vdA was found to absorb and emit in the same wavelength range as 2'-deoxyribosyl-2-aminopurine (2AP), the most frequently used fluorescent nucleoside analog. Though the quantum yield of 8vdA is similar to that of 2AP, its molar absorption coefficient is about twice, enabling a more sensitive detection. Moreover, the fluorescence of 8vdA was found to be sensitive to temperature and solvent but not to pH (around neutrality) or coupling to phosphate groups. Though 8vdA is base sensitive and susceptible to depurination, the corresponding phosphoramidite was successfully prepared and incorporated in oligonucleotides of the type d(CGT TTT XNX TTT TGC) where N = 8vdA and X = A, T or C. The 8vdA-labeled oligonucleotides gave more stable duplexes than the corresponding 2AP-labeled sequences when X = A or T, indicating that 8vdA is less perturbing than 2AP and probably adopts an anti conformation to preserve the Watson-Crick H-bonding. In addition, the quantum yield of 8vdA is significantly higher than 2AP in all tested oligonucleotides in both their single strand and duplex states. The steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence parameters of 8vdA and 2AP were found to depend similarly on the nature of their flanking residues and on base pairing, suggesting that their photophysics are governed by similar mechanisms. Taken together, our data suggest that 8vdA is a non perturbing nucleoside analog that may be used with improved sensitivity for the same applications as 2AP.

8-vinyl-deoxyadenosine, an alternative fluorescent nucleoside analog to 2′-deoxyribosyl-2-aminopurine with improved properties

PubMed Central

Gaied, Nouha Ben; Glasser, Nicole; Ramalanjaona, Nick; Beltz, Hervé; Wolff, Philippe; Marquet, Roland; Burger, Alain; Mély, Yves

2005-01-01

We report here the synthesis and the spectroscopic characterization of 8-vinyl-deoxyadenosine (8vdA), a new fluorescent analog of deoxyadenosine. 8vdA was found to absorb and emit in the same wavelength range as 2′-deoxyribosyl-2-aminopurine (2AP), the most frequently used fluorescent nucleoside analog. Though the quantum yield of 8vdA is similar to that of 2AP, its molar absorption coefficient is about twice, enabling a more sensitive detection. Moreover, the fluorescence of 8vdA was found to be sensitive to temperature and solvent but not to pH (around neutrality) or coupling to phosphate groups. Though 8vdA is base sensitive and susceptible to depurination, the corresponding phosphoramidite was successfully prepared and incorporated in oligonucleotides of the type d(CGT TTT XNX TTT TGC) where N = 8vdA and X = A, T or C. The 8vdA-labeled oligonucleotides gave more stable duplexes than the corresponding 2AP-labeled sequences when X = A or T, indicating that 8vdA is less perturbing than 2AP and probably adopts an anti conformation to preserve the Watson–Crick H-bonding. In addition, the quantum yield of 8vdA is significantly higher than 2AP in all tested oligonucleotides in both their single strand and duplex states. The steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence parameters of 8vdA and 2AP were found to depend similarly on the nature of their flanking residues and on base pairing, suggesting that their photophysics are governed by similar mechanisms. Taken together, our data suggest that 8vdA is a non perturbing nucleoside analog that may be used with improved sensitivity for the same applications as 2AP. PMID:15718302

Diadenosine tetraphosphate as a potential therapeutic nucleotide to treat glaucoma.

PubMed

Fonseca, Begoña; Martínez-Águila, Alejandro; de Lara, María J Pérez; Pintor, Jesús

2017-06-01

Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease that produces blindness. The main factor associated with this disease is an abnormally elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). To date, some attempts have been made to demonstrate the role of nucleotides modulating IOP, but never in a model of glaucoma. The DBA/2J mouse is an animal that develops the pathology spontaneously, starting from the typical rise in IOP at 9 months of age. Using this animal model, together with a control mouse, C57BL/6J, it has been possible to monitor the elevation in IOP in the glaucomatous mice and to check the ability of the dinucleotide diadenosine tetraphosphate AKA Ap 4 A to reduce IOP. The topical application of Ap 4 A when IOP is maximal (9-12 months) reduced IOP 30.6 ± 6.6% in the DBA/2J and 17.9 ± 4.0% in the C57BL/6J mice. Concentration response curves in both animal strains produced similar pD2 values; these being 4.9 ± 0.5 and 5.1 ± 0.4 for the normotensive C57BL/6J and the glaucomatous DBA/2J respectively. Antagonist studies showed differences between the control and the glaucomatous animals. In particular, the main receptor reducing IOP in the control animal was the P2Y 1 receptor and in the glaucomatous model the P2Y 6 , although the participation of other P2 receptors cannot be ruled out. The long-term effect of Ap 4 A applied three times a week for 3 months showed a clear stop in the elevation of IOP in the glaucomatous model, thus indicating the possibility of using Ap 4 A as an effective compound for the treatment of glaucoma.

Trabecular trajectory in the articular processes of the human fourth cervical vertebra

PubMed Central

HERRERA, M.; PANCHÓN, A.; PEREZ-BACETE, M.

2001-01-01

The articular processes (AP) of the neural arch have been implicated in weight transmission through the cervical spine. To analyse the mechanism of weight transmission in the AP, we studied the direction of forces within it, in particular, the pattern of trabecular trajectories. Twenty-two AP from C4 vertebrae were studied in anatomical sections, and corresponding photoelastic models from selected sections were constructed and analysed. Anatomical and photoelastic findings show the subarticular spongiosa of the superior articular process (SAP) to be orthogonally arranged with vertical and oblique trabeculae in the direction of compressive forces and additional trabeculae always oriented perpendicular to the former. Vertical and oblique trabeculae are divided into rostral, middle and posterior groups. Rostral and middle trabeculae end in the anterior wall of the SAP and the transitional zone with the pedicle. Posterior trabeculae end in the subarticular spongiosa of the inferior articular process (IAP). The findings relating to trabecular trajectories in the SAP differ from previous descriptions and instead suggest that a part of the weight forces distributed within the AP transmit to the subchondral zone of the IAP. Knowledge of the trajectorial architecture of the AP may contribute to refining finite element analytical models for investigating its weight-bearing function. PMID:11554512

Clinical specialists and advanced practitioners in physical therapy: a survey of physical therapists and employers of physical therapists in ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Yardley, Darryl; Gordon, Robert; Freeburn, Ryan; So, Colleen; Beauchamp, David; Landry, Michel D; Switzer-McIntyre, Sharon; Evans, Cathy; Brooks, Dina

2008-01-01

Opportunities to expand the role of physical therapists (PTs) have evolved to include clinical specialists and advanced practitioners, although the literature on these roles is limited. We examined perceptions of PTs and PT employers in Ontario regarding clinical specialization and advanced practice. Using a modified Dillman approach, a cross-sectional survey was conducted with 500 PTs and 500 PT employers in Ontario. Questionnaires were tailored to address specific issues related to each cohort. Sixty percent of PTs and 53% of PT employers responded to the survey. Thirty-three percent of PT respondents already considered themselves "clinical specialists" (CS), and 8% considered themselves "advanced practitioners" (AP), although neither role is yet formally recognized in Canada. Both groups had substantial interest in pursuing formal recognition of CS and AP status. Respondents indicated that their primary motivation to pursue such roles was to enhance clinical reasoning skills with the goal of improving client outcomes (82% for the role of CS, 71% for the role of AP). Respondents supported the involvement of academic institutions in the process (60% for CS, 70% for AP). PTs and PT employers are supportive of the roles of the CS and AP within the profession, even though there is currently no formal recognition of either role in Canada.

Atypical Femoral Shaft Fractures in Female Bisphosphonate Users Were Associated with an Increased Anterolateral Femoral Bow and a Thicker Lateral Cortex: A Case-Control Study.

PubMed

Jang, Seung Pil; Yeo, Ingwon; So, Sang-Yeon; Kim, Keunbyuel; Moon, Young-Wan; Park, Youn-Soo; Lim, Seung-Jae

2017-01-01

The purpose of our study was to investigate the radiographic characteristics of atypical femoral shaft fractures (AFSFs) in females with a particular focus on femoral bow and cortical thickness. We performed a fracture location-, age-, gender-, and ethnicity-matched case-control study. Forty-two AFSFs in 29 patients and 22 typical osteoporotic femoral shaft fractures in 22 patients were enrolled in AFSF group and control group, respectively. With comparing demographics between two groups, radiographically measured femoral bow and cortical thicknesses of AFSF group were compared with control group. All AFSF patients were females with a mean age of 74.4 years (range, 58-85 years). All had a history of bisphosphonate (BP) use with a mean duration of 7.3 years (range 1-17 years). Femoral bow of AFSF group was significantly higher than control group on both anteroposterior (AP) and lateral radiographs after age correction. Mean femoral bow on an AP radiograph was 12.39° ± 5.38° in AFSF group and 3.97 ± 3.62° in control group ( P < 0.0001). Mean femoral bow on the lateral radiograph was 15.71° ± 5.62° in AFSF group and 10.72° ± 4.61° in control group (after age correction P = 0.003). And cortical thicknesses of AFSF group demonstrated marked disparity between tensile and compressive side of bowed femurs in this study. An adjusted lateral cortical thickness was 10.5 ± 1.4 mm in AFSF group and 8.1 ± 1.3 mm in control group (after age correction P < 0.0001) while medial cortical thickness of AFSF group was not statistically different from control group. Correlation analysis showed that the lateral femoral bow on the AP radiograph was solely related to lateral CTI ( R = 0.378, P = 0.002). AFSFs in female BP users were associated with an increased anterolateral femoral bow and a thicker lateral cortex of femurs.

Comparison of Outcomes in 3 Surgical Approaches for Dystrophic Cervical Kyphosis in Patients with Neurofibromatosis 1.

PubMed

Lin, Tao; Shao, Wei; Zhang, Ke; Gao, Rui; Zhou, Xuhui

2018-03-01

To compare outcomes of anterior-only (AO), posterior-only (PO), and anteroposterior (AP) surgical approaches for treatment of dystrophic cervical kyphosis in patients with neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1). This retrospective observational study included 81 patients with dystrophic cervical kyphosis secondary to NF1. Length of kyphosis, duration of halo traction, Cobb angle, C2-7-sagittal vertical axis (SVA), T1 slope, Neck Disability Index score, and postoperative complications were evaluated before and, if possible, after each surgical approach. AP approach provided the best outcomes (average spinal Cobb angle was corrected from 61.2 ± 9.1° to 5.7 ± 3.2°, P < 0.05); there was no significant difference between AO and PO approaches (P > 0.05). With regard to cervical sagittal balance, AP approach had the most improvements of C2-7-SVA (mean C2-7-SVA was corrected from 3.2 ± 9.2 mm to 12.8 ± 2.6 mm, P < 0.05); the difference between AO and PO approaches was not significant (P > 0.05). T1 slope results were similar to C2-7-SVA. Neck Disability Index score of all patients improved significantly after surgery (P < 0.05); specifically, patients who had an AP approach constituted the largest portion of the satisfied patient group. Postoperative junctional kyphosis occurred in 11 patients (1 AP approach, 6 AO approach, 4 PO approach); these findings correlated with patients with ≤5 fused segments. AP approach surgery provided the best correction of dystrophic cervical kyphosis and sagittal balance for patients with NF1. Patients undergoing an AP approach were more satisfied with their outcomes. Junctional kyphosis can be prevented effectively using an AP approach in patients with >5 fused segments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A beta-N-acetylglucosaminyl phosphate diester residue is attached to the glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor of human placental alkaline phosphatase: a target of the channel-forming toxin aerolysin.

PubMed

Fukushima, Keiko; Ikehara, Yukio; Kanai, Michiko; Kochibe, Naohisa; Kuroki, Masahide; Yamashita, Katsuko

2003-09-19

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins are ubiquitous in eukaryotes. The minimum conserved GPI core structure of all GPI-anchored glycans has been determined as EtN-PO4-6Manalpha1-2Manalpha1-6Manalpha1-4GlcN-myo-inositol-PO3H. Human placental alkaline phosphatase (AP) has been reported to be a GPI-anchored membrane protein. AP carries one N-glycan, (NeuAcalpha2-->3)2Gal2GlcNAc2Man3GlcNAc(+/-Fuc)GlcNAc, and a GPI anchor, which contains an ethanolamine phosphate diester group, as a side chain. However, we found that both sialidase-treated soluble AP (sAP) and its GPI-anchored glycan bound to a Psathyrella velutina lectin (PVL)-Sepharose column, which binds beta-GlcNAc residues. PVL binding of asialo-sAP and its GPI-anchored glycan was diminished by digestion with diplococcal beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase or by mild acid treatment. After sequential digestion of asialo-sAP with beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase and acid phosphatase, the elution patterns on chromatofocusing gels were changed in accordance with the negative charges of phosphate residues. Trypsin-digested sAP was analyzed by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and the structures of two glycopeptides with GPI-anchored glycans were confirmed as peptide-EtN-PO4-6Manalpha1-->2(GlcNAcbeta1-PO4-->6)Manalpha1-6(+/-EtN-PO4-->)Manalpha1-->4GlcN, which may be produced by endo-alpha-glucosaminidase. In addition to AP, GPI-anchored carcinoembryonic antigen, cholinesterase, and Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein also bound to a PVL-Sepharose column, suggesting that the beta-N-acetylglucosaminyl phosphate diester residue is widely distributed in human GPI-anchored glycans. Furthermore, we found that the beta-N-acetylglucosaminyl phosphate diester residue is important for GPI anchor recognition of aerolysin, a channel-forming toxin derived from Aeromonas hydrophila.

Effect of baroreceptor denervation on the autonomic control of arterial pressure in conscious mice.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Fernanda Luciano; de Oliveira, Mauro; Salgado, Helio Cesar; Fazan, Rubens

2011-09-01

This study evaluated the role of arterial baroreceptors in arterial pressure (AP) and pulse interval (PI) regulation in conscious C57BL mice. Male animals, implanted with catheters in a femoral artery and a jugular vein, were submitted to sino-aortic (SAD), aortic (Ao-X) or carotid sinus denervation (Ca-X), 5 days prior to the experiments. After basal recording of AP, the lack of reflex bradycardia elicited by administration of phenylephrine was used to confirm the efficacy of SAD, and cardiac autonomic blockade with methylatropine and propranolol was performed. The AP and PI variability were calculated in the time and frequency domains (spectral analysis/fast Fourier transform) with the spectra quantified in low- (LF; 0.25-1 Hz) and high-frequency bands (HF; 1-5 Hz). Basal AP and AP variability were higher after SAD, Ao-X or Ca-X than in intact mice. Pulse interval was similar among the groups, whereas PI variability was lower after SAD. Atropine elicited a slight tachycardia in control mice but did not change PI after total or partial denervation. The bradycardia caused by propranolol was higher after SAD, Ao-X or Ca-X compared with intact mice. The increase in the variability of AP was accompanied by a marked increase in the LF and HF power of the AP spectra after baroreceptor denervation. The LF and HF power of the PI were reduced by SAD and by Ao-X or Ca-X. Therefore, both sino-aortic and partial baroreceptor denervation in mice elicits hypertension and a remarkable increase in AP variability and cardiac sympathetic tonus. Spectral analysis showed an important contribution of the baroreflex in the power of LF oscillations of the PI spectra. Both sets of baroreceptors seem to be equally important in the autonomic regulation of the cardiovascular system in mice.

Traditional Chinese medicine Astragalus polysaccharide enhanced antitumor effects of the angiogenesis inhibitor apatinib in pancreatic cancer cells on proliferation, invasiveness, and apoptosis

PubMed Central

Wu, Jun; Wang, Jing; Su, Qiang; Ding, Wei; Li, Teng; Yu, Junxian; Cao, Bangwei

2018-01-01

Background Traditional chemotherapy and molecular targeted therapy have shown modest effects on the survival of patients with pancreatic cancer. The current study aimed to investigate the antitumor effects of apatinib, Astragalus polysaccharide (APS), and the combination of both the drugs in pancreatic cancer cells and further explore the molecular mechanisms in vitro. Materials and methods Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) in human pancreatic cancer cell lines ASPC-1, PANC-1, and SW1990 was detected by Western blotting. Cell proliferation was measured by MTS, and migration and invasion were detected by wound-healing and Transwell assays, respectively. Cell apoptosis rate was determined by flow cytometry and cellular autophagy level affected by apatinib, and APS was analyzed by Western blotting. Results Human pancreatic cancer cell lines ASPC-1 and PANC-1 expressed VEGFR-2, but VEGFR-2 was not detected in SW1990. Either apatinib or APS inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner in ASPC-1 and PANC-1. APS in combination with apatinib showed enhanced inhibitory effects on cell migration and invasion compared with apatinib monotherapy in ASPC-1 and PANC-1. Meanwhile, APS combined with apatinib strongly increased cell apoptosis percentage. Western blotting showed that the combination of APS and apatinib significantly enhanced the downregulation of phosphorylated protein kinase B (AKT) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) (p-AKT and p-ERK) as well as matrix metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9) expression. In addition, both apatinib and APS induced cellular autophagy. However, the expression of autophagy-related proteins was not further elevated in the combination group. Conclusion The study first demonstrated that apatinib showed potentially inhibitory effects in pancreatic cancer cells and that APS enhanced the antitumor effects of apatinib through further downregulating the expression of phosphorylation of AKT and ERK as well as MMP-9. PMID:29785118

Traditional Chinese medicine Astragalus polysaccharide enhanced antitumor effects of the angiogenesis inhibitor apatinib in pancreatic cancer cells on proliferation, invasiveness, and apoptosis.

PubMed

Wu, Jun; Wang, Jing; Su, Qiang; Ding, Wei; Li, Teng; Yu, Junxian; Cao, Bangwei

2018-01-01

Traditional chemotherapy and molecular targeted therapy have shown modest effects on the survival of patients with pancreatic cancer. The current study aimed to investigate the antitumor effects of apatinib, Astragalus polysaccharide (APS), and the combination of both the drugs in pancreatic cancer cells and further explore the molecular mechanisms in vitro. Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) in human pancreatic cancer cell lines ASPC-1, PANC-1, and SW1990 was detected by Western blotting. Cell proliferation was measured by MTS, and migration and invasion were detected by wound-healing and Transwell assays, respectively. Cell apoptosis rate was determined by flow cytometry and cellular autophagy level affected by apatinib, and APS was analyzed by Western blotting. Human pancreatic cancer cell lines ASPC-1 and PANC-1 expressed VEGFR-2, but VEGFR-2 was not detected in SW1990. Either apatinib or APS inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner in ASPC-1 and PANC-1. APS in combination with apatinib showed enhanced inhibitory effects on cell migration and invasion compared with apatinib monotherapy in ASPC-1 and PANC-1. Meanwhile, APS combined with apatinib strongly increased cell apoptosis percentage. Western blotting showed that the combination of APS and apatinib significantly enhanced the downregulation of phosphorylated protein kinase B (AKT) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) (p-AKT and p-ERK) as well as matrix metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9) expression. In addition, both apatinib and APS induced cellular autophagy. However, the expression of autophagy-related proteins was not further elevated in the combination group. The study first demonstrated that apatinib showed potentially inhibitory effects in pancreatic cancer cells and that APS enhanced the antitumor effects of apatinib through further downregulating the expression of phosphorylation of AKT and ERK as well as MMP-9.

Determination of the influence of C24 D/(2R)- and L/(2S)-isomers of the CER[AP] on the lamellar structure of stratum corneum model systems using neutron diffraction.

PubMed

Schmitt, Thomas; Lange, Stefan; Sonnenberger, Stefan; Dobner, Bodo; Demé, Bruno; Neubert, Reinhard H H; Gooris, Gert; Bouwstra, Joke A

2017-12-01

This study was able to investigate the different influence of the d- and l-ceramide [AP] on the lamellar as well as molecular nanostructure of stratum corneum simulating lipid model mixtures. In this case, neutron diffraction together with specifically deuterated ceramide was used as an effective tool to investigate the lamellar and the molecular nanostructure of the mixtures. It could clearly be demonstrated, that both isomers show distinctly different characteristics, even though the variation between both is only a single differently arranged OH-group. The l-ceramide [AP] promotes a crystalline like phase behaviour even if mixed with ceramide [NP], cholesterol and free fatty acids. The d-ceramide [AP] only shows crystalline-like features if mixed only with cholesterol and free fatty acids but adopts a native-like behaviour if additionally mixed with ceramide [NP]. It furthermore demonstrates that the l-ceramide [AP] should not be used for any applications concerning ceramide substitution. It could however possibly serve its own purpose, if this crystalline like behaviour has some kind of positive influence on the SC or can be utilized for any practical applications. The results obtained in this study demonstrate that the diastereomers of ceramide [AP] are an attractive target for further research because their influence on the lamellar as well as the nanostructure is exceptionally strong. Additionally, the results furthermore show a very strong influence on hydration of the model membrane. With these properties, the d-ceramide [AP] could be effectively used to simulate native like behaviour even in very simple mixtures and could also have a strong impact on the native stratum corneum as well as high relevance for dermal ceramide substitution. The unnatural l-ceramide [AP] on the other hand should be investigated further, to assess its applicability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The treatment of adult obesity through direct manipulation of specific eating behaviors.

PubMed

Rodriguez, L; Sandler, J

1981-06-01

The present study investigated the effects of three different conditions on weight loss in adult obese subjects. The three conditions were: (1) Monitoring-Contract (MC) in which subjects were reinforced by the return of a valued possession for changes in eating habits; (2) Monitoring (M); and Attention-Placebo (AP). Subjects in the MC group lost significantly more absolute weight and a significantly greater percentage of weight at the end of treatment than did the subjects in the M and AP groups. These changes were still manifested at a 2 month and a 6 month follow-up. The long-term advantages of a weight reduction program which focuses on a gradual and systematic weight loss through changes in eating habits are discussed.

Attention is associated with postural control in those with chronic ankle instability.

PubMed

Rosen, Adam B; Than, Nicholas T; Smith, William Z; Yentes, Jennifer M; McGrath, Melanie L; Mukherjee, Mukul; Myers, Sara A; Maerlender, Arthur C

2017-05-01

Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is often debilitating and may be affected by a number of intrinsic and environmental factors. Alterations in neurocognitive function and attention may contribute to repetitive injury in those with CAI and influence postural control strategies. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in attentional functioning and static postural control among groups of Comparison, Coper and CAI participants and assess the relationship between them within each of the groups. Recruited participants performed single-limb balance trials and completed the CNS Vital Signs (CNSVS) computer-based assessment to assess their attentional function. Center of pressure (COP) velocity (COPv) and maximum range (COPr), in both the anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) directions were calculated from force plate data. Simple attention (SA), which measures self-regulation and attention control was extracted from the CNSVS. Data from 45 participants (15 in each group, 27=female, 18=male) was analyzed for this study. No significant differences were observed between attention or COP variables among each of the groups. However, significant relationships were present between attention and COP variables within the CAI group. CAI participants displayed significant moderate to large correlations between SA and AP COPr (r=-0.59, p=0.010), AP COPv (r=-0.48, p=0.038) and ML COPr (r=-0.47, p=0.034). The results suggest a linear relationship of stability and attention in the CAI group. Attentional self-regulation may moderate how those with CAI control postural stability. Incorporating neurocognitive training focused on attentional control may improve outcomes in those with CAI. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Influence of thermalcycling on bonding durability of self-etch adhesives with dentin].

PubMed

Tian, Fu-cong; Wang, Xiao-yan; Gao, Xue-jun

2014-04-18

To investigate influence of thermalcycling on the bonding durability of two one-step products [Adper Prompt (AP) and G-bond (GB)] and one two-step self-etching adhesive [Clearfil SE bond (SE)] with dentin in vitro. Forty-two extracted human molars were selected. The superficial dentin was exposed by grinding off the enamel. The teeth were randomly distributed into six groups with varied bonding protocols. The adhesives were applied to the dentin surface. Composite crowns were built up, then the samples were cut longitudinally into sticks with 1.0 mm×1.0 mm bonding area [for microtensile bond strength (MTBS) testing] or 1.0 mm thick slabs (for nanoleakage observation). Bonding performance was evaluated with or without thermalcyling. For the MTBS testing, the strength values were statistically analysed using One-Way ANOVA. Four slabs in each group were observed for nanoleakage by SEM with a backscattered electron detector. Thermalcycling procedures affected MTBS. In the two one-step groups, the MTBS decreased significantly (P<0.05) after thermalcycling [AP group from (19.06±1.50) MPa to (12.62±2.10) MPa; GB group from (17.75±1.10) MPa to (6.24±0.42)MPa]. But in SE groups, MTBS did not significantly affect [(45.80±2.97) MPa compared with(40.60±5.76) MPa]. As a whole, one-step self-etching adhesives showed lower MTBS than two-step bonding system after aging.For AP and GB, continuous nanoleakage appearance was notable and more obvious than for SE. Thermalcycling can affect the bonding performance of self-etch adhesives including decrease of bond strength and nanoleakage pattern. one-step self-etch adhesives showed more obvious change compared with their two-step counterparts.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of a careful symptom evaluation and high sensitive troponin in patients with suspected stable angina pectoris without prior cardiovascular disease.

PubMed

Madsen, Debbie M; Diederichsen, Axel C P; Hosbond, Susanne E; Gerke, Oke; Mickley, Hans

2017-03-01

Typical angina pectoris (AP) and high-sensitive troponin I (hs-TnI) are independently associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) and future cardiovascular events (CVE). This study aimed to assess the individual and combined diagnostic and prognostic impact of symptoms and hs-TnI in stable chest pain patients without prior cardiovascular disease. During a one-year period, 487 patients with suspected stable AP underwent invasive or CT-coronary angiography (significant stenosis ≥50%). At study inclusion, a careful symptom evaluation was obtained, and patients were classified as having typical AP, atypical AP, or non-cardiac chest pain. Hs-TnI was measured in all patients and divided into tertiles for analysis. Follow-up was a median of 4.9 years with cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, unstable AP, ischemic stroke, coronary-artery-bypass-grafting, percutaneous coronary intervention, and peripheral vascular surgery as combined endpoint. Hs-TnI was detected in 486 patients (99.8%). By multivariate regression analysis, typical AP and hs-TnI elevation were associated with increased risk of having significant CAD (typical AP, OR: 3.46; 95% CI: 2.07-5.79; p < 0.0001, hs-TnI, OR: 1.50; 95% CI: 1.12-2.01; p = 0.007) and experiencing future CVE (typical AP, HR: 2.64; 95% CI: 1.74-3.99; p = 0.001, hs-TnI, HR: 1.26; 95% CI: 1.06-1.49; p = 0.008). Patients in the lowest hs-TnI tertile, without typical AP (n = 107) had a 1.9% absolute risk of significant CAD and a 3.7% absolute risk of long-term CVE. In clinical stable patients without known cardiovascular disease, a thorough chest-pain history in combination with hs-TnI testing can identify a significant low-risk group. The prognostic need for coronary angiography in these patients seems limited. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Delay Discounting of Losses in Alcohol Use Disorders and Antisocial Psychopathology: Effects of a Working Memory Load.

PubMed

Gerst, Kyle R; Gunn, Rachel L; Finn, Peter R

2017-10-01

Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are associated with increased discounting of delayed rewards and reduced executive working memory (eWM) capacity. This association is amplified when comorbid with antisocial psychopathology (AP). Furthermore, recent studies suggest that reduced WM capacity is associated with disinhibited decisions reflected by increased impulsive decision making on the delay discounting of rewards task. While discounting of delayed rewards is well studied, the discounting of delayed losses has received significantly less experimental attention. The current study investigated (i) the rate of discounting of delayed losses in individuals with AUD only (n = 61), AUD with comorbid AP (n = 79) and healthy controls (n = 64); (ii) the relationship between eWM capacity and discounting of delayed losses; and (iii) the effect of a WM load on discounting of delayed losses. Discounting performance was assessed using a computerized discounting of delayed losses task. Results showed that the AUD-only and AUD-AP groups had higher rates of discounting of delayed losses and lower eWM capacity compared to the control groups. Lower individual eWM capacity was associated with increased discounting of delayed losses. However, WM load did not increase discounting rates overall. These results support the hypothesis that greater discounting of delayed losses is associated with AUD and comorbid AP problems and lower individual eWM capacity. Copyright © 2017 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Macrophages promote coal tar pitch extract-induced tumorigenesis of BEAS-2B cells and tumor metastasis in nude mice mediated by AP-1.

PubMed

Zhang, Peng; Jin, Yue-Fei; Zhang, Qiao; Wu, Yi-Ming; Wu, Wei-Dong; Yao, Wu; Wu, Yong-Jun; Li, Zhi-Tao; Zhao, Yong; Liu, Yu; Feng, Fei-Fei

2014-01-01

We sought to evaluate the role of tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) on the promotion of coal tar pitch extract (CTPE)-induced tumorigenesis of human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) and tumor metastasis in nude mice, and related mechanisms. BEAS-2B cells were first treated with 2.4 mg/mL CTPE for 72 hours. After removal of CTPE, the cells were continuously cultured and passaged using trypsin-EDTA. THP-1 cells were used as macrophage-like cells. BEAS-2B cells under different conditions (n=6/ group) were injected into the back necks of nude mice, and alterations of tumor xenograft growth, indicative of tumorigenicity, and tumor metastasis were determined. Pathological changes (tumor nests and microvascular lesions) of HE-stained tumor tissues were also evaluated. The expression of AP-1(c-Jun) in xenografts and metastatic tumors was determined using immunohistochemistry. Tumor size and weight in nude mice transplanted with the mixture of CTPE-induced passage 30 BEAS-2B and THP-1 cells (2:1) were increased compared to those from the CTPE-treated BEAS-2B cells at passage 30 alone at different observation time points. Tumor metastasis to lymph nodes and liver was only detected after transplantation of a mixture the two kinds of cells. The numbers of tumor nests and microvascular lesions, and the expression levels of AP-1 (c-Jun) in tumors from the mixture of two kinds of cells were increased apparently in contrast to those in tumor from the CTPE-treated BEAS-2B cells of passage 30 alone. In addition, there was positive correlation between AP-1 (c-Jun) expression level and the number of microvascular lesions, or between AP-1 (c-Jun) expression level and tumor metastasis in these two groups. TAMs not only facilitate tumorigenesis transformation of CTPE-induced BEAS-2B cells, but also promote tumor growth, angiogenesis and metastasis in nude mice in vivo, which may be mediated by AP-1.

Molecular basis for methoxyamine initiated mutagenesis. 1H nuclear magnetic resonance studies of base-modified oligodeoxynucleotides.

PubMed

Stone, M J; Nedderman, A N; Williams, D H; Lin, P K; Brown, D M

1991-12-05

In order to reach a more detailed understanding of the mechanism of the mutagenic action of methoxyamine and of N4-methoxycytidine and its 2'-deoxyribo-analogue, the solution structures of the self-complementary octanucleotide, d(CGAATTCG) and its analogues, d(CGAATCCG), d(CGAATMCG) and d(CGAATPCG) (designated 8mer-AT, 8mer-AC, 8mer-AM, and 8mer-AP, respectively), were investigated by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; M is N4-methoxycytosine (mo4C) and P is an analogue, the bicyclic dihydropyrimido[4,5-c][1,2]oxazin-7-one, in which the N-O bond is held in the anti configuration with respect to N3 of the cytosine ring. Correlated spectroscopy and nuclear Overhauser spectroscopy allowed assignment of the base, anomeric and H2'/H2" protons in 8mers-AT, -AM and -AP, and showed that all three had features consistent with a regular B-DNA duplex structure. Duplex-to-coil transition temperatures were determined to be 52(+/- 2) degrees C (8mer-AT), 51(+/- 2) degrees C (8mer-AP), 32(+/- 2) degrees C (8mer-AM); on the chemical shift timescale, the melting transition was fast for 8mer-AT and 8mer-AP, but slow for 8mer-AM. Imino proton spectra were indicative of Watson-Crick base-pairing in 8mers-AT, -AP and -AM. The 8mer-AP duplex had a structure and melting characteristics virtually identical with those of the 8mer-AT duplex. The preferred syn configuration of the methoxyl group in M had a destabilising effect on the 8mer-AM duplex. At low temperatures, the A.M base-pair was in fast equilibrium between Watson-Crick and wobble configurations, with the methoxyl function anti-oriented, but the melting transition was accompanied by isomerization of the methoxyl group to the syn conformation. This syn-anti isomerization was the rate-determining step in the duplex-to-coil transition. The 8mer-AC oligomer did not form a stable duplex.

Characteristic conformation of Mosher's amide elucidated using the cambridge structural database.

PubMed

Ichikawa, Akio; Ono, Hiroshi; Mikata, Yuji

2015-07-16

Conformations of the crystalline 3,3,3-trifluoro-2-methoxy-2-phenylpropanamide derivatives (MTPA amides) deposited in the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) were examined statistically as Racid-enantiomers. The majority of dihedral angles (48/58, ca. 83%) of the amide carbonyl groups and the trifluoromethyl groups ranged from -30° to 0° with an average angle θ1 of -13°. The other conformational properties were also clarified: (1) one of the fluorine atoms was antiperiplanar (ap) to the amide carbonyl group, forming a staggered conformation; (2) the MTPA amides prepared from primary amines showed a Z form in amide moieties; (3) in the case of the MTPA amide prepared from a primary amine possessing secondary alkyl groups (i.e., Mosher-type MTPA amide), the dihedral angles between the methine groups and the carbonyl groups were syn and indicative of a moderate conformational flexibility; (4) the phenyl plane was inclined from the O-Cchiral bond of the methoxy moiety with an average dihedral angle θ2 of +21°; (5) the methyl group of the methoxy moiety was ap to the ipso-carbon atom of the phenyl group.

Oral tranexamic acid is equivalent to topical tranexamic acid without drainage in primary total hip arthroplasty: A double-blind randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Luo, Ze-Yu; Wang, Duan; Meng, Wei-Kun; Wang, Hao-Yang; Pan, Hui; Pei, Fu-Xing; Zhou, Zong-Ke

2018-05-01

To compare the efficacy of multiple doses of oral tranexamic acid (TXA) with topical TXA administration in reducing blood loss following total hip arthroplasty (THA). In this double-blinded trial, 117 patients undergoing primary THA were randomized to receive 2 g TXA orally 2 h preoperatively, and two doses of 1 g TXA postoperatively (oral group) or 3 g of TXA topical administration in the operating room (topical group). The primary outcome was a reduction in hemoglobin concentration. Other outcomes-such as blood loss, TXA-related cost (¥), length of hospital stay (days), complications such as pulmonary thromboembolism (PE), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and infection, blood coagulation and fibrinolysis, and hip function-were recorded. The mean reduction in hemoglobin level was similar between the oral and topical groups (3.07 g/dL compared with 3.12 g/dL; p = 0.85). Similarly, there was no significant difference in the mean total blood loss between oral and topical administration (863 mL compared with 902 mL; p = 0.62). Three patients received an allogeneic blood transfusion, including one patient in the oral group and two patients in the topical group (p = 0.55). The oral group had a significantly lower TXA-related cost than the topical group: ¥944 and ¥4359, respectively (p = 0.01). No PE, DVT, cardiac infarction or renal failure occurred during the 90-day follow-up. The coagulation and fibrinolysis parameters were similar between the two groups. Oral TXA is equivalent to topical TXA administration in the reduction of blood loss in the setting of primary THA without drainage. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.