49 CFR 178.337-17 - Marking.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Containers for Motor Vehicle Transportation § 178.337-17 Marking. (a) General. Each cargo tank certified... inspection. If the specification plate is attached to the chassis rail, then the cargo tank serial number... plate permanently attached to the cargo tank by brazing, welding, or other suitable means on the left...

49 CFR 178.337-17 - Marking.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Containers for Motor Vehicle Transportation § 178.337-17 Marking. (a) General. Each cargo tank certified... inspection. If the specification plate is attached to the chassis rail, then the cargo tank serial number... plate permanently attached to the cargo tank by brazing, welding, or other suitable means on the left...

49 CFR 178.338-18 - Marking.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Specifications for Containers for Motor Vehicle Transportation § 178.338-18 Marking. (a) General. Each cargo tank... specification plate permanently attached to the cargo tank by brazing, welding, or other suitable means on the left side near the front, in a place accessible for inspection. If the specification plate is attached...

Environmental Assessment (EA): Proposed Rail Spur, Utah Test And Training Range

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-19

National Guard, Camp Navajo Tim Cowan, Director of Ammunition Operations, (928) 773-3250 EMAssist, Inc. Mark Kaschmitter, Air Regulatory Analysis, (801...Tribe of Montana, w/o attachments Eastern Shoshone Tribe, w/o attachments Hopi Tribe, w/o attachments Navajo Nation , w/o attachments Northern Arapaho...w/o attachments Navajo Nation , w/o attachments Northern Arapaho Tribe, w/o attachments Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation , w/o attachments

Sex-Biased Ratio of Avoidant/Ambivalent Attachment in Middle Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Del Giudice, Marco

2008-01-01

In this study, new evidence is presented of marked sex differences in the distribution of insecure attachment patterns in middle childhood. Attachment was assessed with the Manchester Child Attachment Story Task (MCAST) in a sample of 122 Italian 7-year-olds. The four-way distribution of attachment patterns was significantly unbalanced, with…

A novel member of the SAF (scaffold attachment factor)-box protein family inhibits gene expression and induces apoptosis

PubMed Central

Chan, Ching Wan; Lee, Youn-Bok; Uney, James; Flynn, Andrea; Tobias, Jonathan H.; Norman, Michael

2007-01-01

The SLTM [SAF (scaffold attachment factor)-like transcription modulator] protein contains a SAF-box DNA-binding motif and an RNA-binding domain, and shares an overall identity of 34% with SAFB1 {scaffold attachment factor-B1; also known as SAF-B (scaffold attachment factor B), HET [heat-shock protein 27 ERE (oestrogen response element) and TATA-box-binding protein] or HAP (heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1-interacting protein)}. Here, we show that SLTM is localized to the cell nucleus, but excluded from nucleoli, and to a large extent it co-localizes with SAFB1. In the nucleus, SLTM has a punctate distribution and it does not co-localize with SR (serine/arginine) proteins. Overexpression of SAFB1 has been shown to exert a number of inhibitory effects, including suppression of oestrogen signalling. Although SLTM also suppressed the ability of oestrogen to activate a reporter gene in MCF-7 breast-cancer cells, inhibition of a constitutively active β-galactosidase gene suggested that this was primarily the consequence of a generalized inhibitory effect on transcription. Measurement of RNA synthesis, which showed a particularly marked inhibition of [3H]uridine incorporation into mRNA, supported this conclusion. In addition, analysis of cell-cycle parameters, chromatin condensation and cytochrome c release showed that SLTM induced apoptosis in a range of cultured cell lines. Thus the inhibitory effects of SLTM on gene expression appear to result from generalized down-regulation of mRNA synthesis and initiation of apoptosis consequent upon overexpressing the protein. While indicating a crucial role for SLTM in cellular function, these results also emphasize the need for caution when interpreting phenotypic changes associated with manipulation of protein expression levels. PMID:17630952

14 CFR 45.11 - Marking of products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AIRCRAFT IDENTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION MARKING Marking of Products and Articles § 45.11 Marking of products. (a) Aircraft. A manufacturer of aircraft covered under § 21.182 of this chapter must mark each aircraft by attaching a...

14 CFR 45.11 - Marking of products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AIRCRAFT IDENTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION MARKING Marking of Products and Articles § 45.11 Marking of products. (a) Aircraft. A manufacturer of aircraft covered under § 21.182 of this chapter must mark each aircraft by attaching a...

14 CFR 45.11 - Marking of products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AIRCRAFT IDENTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION MARKING Marking of Products and Articles § 45.11 Marking of products. (a) Aircraft. A manufacturer of aircraft covered under § 21.182 of this chapter must mark each aircraft by attaching a...

Effects of Coating a Titanium Alloy with Fibronectin on the Expression of Osteoblast Gene Markers in the MC3T3 Osteoprogenitor Cell Line

PubMed Central

Rapuano, Bruce E.; Hackshaw, Kyle M.; Schniepp, Hannes C.; MacDonald, Daniel E.

2013-01-01

Purpose A number of environmental and patient-related factors contribute to implant failure. A significant fraction of these failures can be attributed to limited osseointegration resulting from poor bone healing responses. The overall goal of this study was to determine whether surface treatment of a titanium-aluminum-vanadium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) implant material with a biomimetic protein coating could promote the differentiation of attached osteoblastic cells. The specific aims of the study were to investigate whether osteoprogenitor cells cultured on a rigorously cleaned implant specimen showed a normal pattern of differentiation and whether preadsorbed fibronectin accelerated or enhanced osteoblast differentiation. Materials and Methods Ti-6Al-4V disks were rigorously cleaned, passivated in nitric acid, and dry heat–sterilized; some of the disks were then coated with 1 nmol/L fibronectin. MC3T3 osteoprogenitor cells were then cultured on the pretreated disks for several weeks. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to measure changes over time in the mRNA levels of osteoblast genes. Results Fibronectin increased the peak expression of all analyzed osteoblast gene markers. “Early” genes that normally mark the proliferative phase (0 to 10 days) of osteoblastic development showed peak expression within the first 10 days after cell attachment to the titanium alloy. In contrast, “late” genes that normally mark the differentiation (10 to 20 days) and mineralization (20 to 36 days) phases of osteoblastogenesis achieved peak expression only after approximately 3 to 4 weeks of culture. Conclusions Osteoprogenitors cultured on a rigorously cleaned Ti-6Al-4V alloy were found to demonstrate a normal pattern of osteoblast differentiation. Preadsorbed fibronectin was observed to stimulate osteoblast differentiation during the mineralization phase of osteoblastogenesis. PMID:23057020

25 CFR 308.4 - Revocation of privilege of attaching certificates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Revocation of privilege of attaching certificates. 308.4 Section 308.4 Indians INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS BOARD, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR REGULATIONS FOR USE OF CERTIFICATES OF THE INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS BOARD TO BE ATTACHED TO THEIR TRADE-MARKS BY INDIAN ENTERPRISES...

Placement in Foster Care Enhances Quality of Attachment among Young Institutionalized Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smyke, Anna T.; Zeanah, Charles H.; Fox, Nathan A.; Nelson, Charles A.; Guthrie, Donald

2010-01-01

This study examined classifications of attachment in 42-month-old Romanian children (N = 169). Institutionalized since birth, children were assessed comprehensively, randomly assigned to care as usual (CAU) or to foster care, and compared to family-reared children. Attachment classifications for children in foster care were markedly different from…

27 CFR 19.605 - Additional marks on portable containers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... manufacturing bonded warehouses, transfer to foreign-trade zones or supplies for certain vessels and aircraft... plant control data. However, marks or attachments shall not conceal, obscure, interfere with or conflict...

19 CFR 134.43 - Methods of marking specific articles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... origin by cutting, die-sinking, engraving, stamping, or some other permanent method. The indelible... metal or plastic tag indelibly marked with the country of origin and permanently attached to the article... crafts must be indelibly marked with the country of origin by means of cutting, die-sinking, engraving...

19 CFR 134.43 - Methods of marking specific articles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... origin by cutting, die-sinking, engraving, stamping, or some other permanent method. The indelible... metal or plastic tag indelibly marked with the country of origin and permanently attached to the article... crafts must be indelibly marked with the country of origin by means of cutting, die-sinking, engraving...

7 CFR 1755.505 - Buried services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... water pipes, heating ducts, and other heat sources. (9) Wire and cable attachments to buildings for... Pair Tip Color of insulation Color of marking Ring Color of insulation Color of marking 1 White Blue...

Effects of radio marking on prairie falcons: Attachment failures provide insights about survival

USGS Publications Warehouse

Steenhof, Karen; Bates, Kirk K.; Fuller, Mark R.; Kochert, Michael N.; McKinley, J.O.; Lukacs, Paul M.

2006-01-01

From 1999-2002, we attached satellite-received platform transmitter terminals (PTTs) to 40 adult female prairie falcons (Falco mexicanus) on their nesting grounds in the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (NCA) in southwest Idaho. We used 3 variations of a backpack harness design that had been used previously on raptors. Each radiomarked falcon also received a color leg band with a unique alphanumeric code. We monitored survival of birds using radiotelemetry and searched for marked birds on their nesting grounds during breeding seasons after marking. Because 6 falcons removed their harnesses during the first year, we were able to compare survival rates of birds that shed PTTs with those that retained them. We describe a harness design that failed prematurely as well as designs that proved successful for long-term PTT attachment. We resighted 21 marked individuals on nesting areas 1-5 years after they were radiomarked and documented 13 mortalities of satellite-tracked falcons. We used a Cormack-Jolly-Seber model to estimate apparent survival probability based on band resighting and telemetry data. Platform transmitter terminals had no short-term effects on falcons or their nesting success during the nesting season they were marked, but birds that shed their transmitters increased their probability of survival. Estimated annual survival for birds that shed their transmitters was 87% compared to 49% for birds wearing transmitters. We discuss possible reasons for differences in apparent survival rates and offer recommendations for future marking of falcons.

Investigations of belukha whales in coastal waters of western and northern Alaska, 1982-1983: marking and tracking of whales in Bristol Bay

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

Frost, K.J.; Lowry, L.F.; Nelson, R.R.

1983-12-01

A 2-year study was conducted in Bristol Bay, Alaska, to develop and test techniques for marking belukha whales with visual and radio tags. Information was also gathered on belukha distribution and abundance, foods and feeding, and rates and causes of mortality. Two types of radio packages were developed: an OAR backpack designed to be bolted through the dorsal ridge, and a Telonics barnacle tag with an umbrella-stake attachment. Testing of tags and attachments revealed that the more-powerful OAR radio could be received at longer distances and lower antenna heights, and the the umbrella-stake attachment penetrated too deeply for reliable usemore » on belukhas.« less

19 CFR 112.27 - Marking of vehicles and vessels.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... shall appear in letters and figures not less than 3 inches high. (c) Place of marking—(1) Carts, trucks... the vehicle, or by the permanent attachment of signs bearing the required marking. However, if such marking is found by the port director to be impractical, he may designate some other conspicuous place...

19 CFR 112.27 - Marking of vehicles and vessels.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... shall appear in letters and figures not less than 3 inches high. (c) Place of marking—(1) Carts, trucks... the vehicle, or by the permanent attachment of signs bearing the required marking. However, if such marking is found by the port director to be impractical, he may designate some other conspicuous place...

16 CFR 1508.9 - Identifying marks, warning statement, and compliance declaration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... shall appear in block letters, shall contrast sharply with the background (by color, projection, and/or... affixed, fastened, or attached thereto by means of a tag, token, or other suitable medium. The markings...

49 CFR 172.304 - Marking requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... be durable, in English and printed on or affixed to the surface of a package or on a label, tag, or... labels or attachments; and (4) Must be located away from any other marking (such as advertising) that...

Understanding religious behavior.

PubMed

Levin, S

1979-01-01

The attached (to mother) fetus-infant finds his religious expression in Buddhism. The attached (to group) juvenile finds his religious expression in Judaism and other tribalisms. The attached (to spouse) adult finds his religious expression in agnosticism and secularism. Attached phases are placid and of progressively decreasing emotional intensity. The three detaching phases are hurtful and hence soteriological, and are also of progressively decreasing emotional intensity. The toddler-young child finds his religious expression in Christianity, the adolescent in atheism and/or Marxism, and the aged, sick or dying plucks at any religious or secular aid.

16 CFR 1509.11 - Identifying marks, caution statement, and compliance declaration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... shall appear in block letters, shall contrast sharply with the background (by color, projection, and/or..., fastened, or attached thereto by means of a tag, token, or other suitable medium. The markings shall not be...

16 CFR 1509.11 - Identifying marks, caution statement, and compliance declaration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... shall appear in block letters, shall contrast sharply with the background (by color, projection, and/or..., fastened, or attached thereto by means of a tag, token, or other suitable medium. The markings shall not be...

Classification of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) attack marks on Great Lakes lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush)

USGS Publications Warehouse

King, Everett Louis

1980-01-01

Criteria for the classification of marks inflicted by sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) into nine categories were developed from laboratory studies in an attempt to refine the classification system used in field assessment work. These criteria were based on characteristics of the attachment site that could be identified under field conditions by unaided visual means and by touching the attachment site. Healing of these marks was somewhat variable and was influenced by the size of lamprey, duration of attachment, severity of the wound at lamprey detachment, season and water temperature, and by other less obvious factors. Even under laboratory conditions staging of some wounds was difficult, especially at low water temperatures. If these criteria are to be used effectively and with precision in the field, close examination of individual fish may be required. If the feeding and density of specific year-classes of sea lampreys are to be accurately assessed on an annual basis, close attention to the wound size (as it reflects the size of the lamprey's oral disc) and character of wounds on fish will be required as well as consideration of the season of the year in which they are observed.Key words: sea lamprey, attack marks, lake trout, Great Lakes

Effects of radiomarking on prairie falcons: Attachment failures provide insights about survival

USGS Publications Warehouse

Steenhof, Karen; Bates, Kirk K.; Fuller, Mark R.; Kochert, Michael N.; McKinley, James O.; Lukacs, Paul M.

2006-01-01

From 1999–2002, we attached satellite-received platform transmitter terminals (PTTs) to 40 adult female prairie falcons (Falco mexicanus) on their nesting grounds in the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (NCA) in southwest Idaho. We used 3 variations of a backpack harness design that had been used previously on raptors. Each radiomarked falcon also received a color leg band with a unique alphanumeric code. We monitored survival of birds using radiotelemetry and searched for marked birds on their nesting grounds during breeding seasons after marking. Because 6 falcons removed their harnesses during the first year, we were able to compare survival rates of birds that shed PTTs with those that retained them. We describe a harness design that failed prematurely as well as designs that proved successful for long-term PTT attachment. We resighted 21 marked individuals on nesting areas 1–5 years after they were radiomarked and documented 13 mortalities of satellite-tracked falcons. We used a Cormack-Jolly-Seber model to estimate apparent survival probability based on band resighting and telemetry data. Platform transmitter terminals had no short-term effects on falcons or their nesting success during the nesting season they were marked, but birds that shed their transmitters increased their probability of survival. Estimated annual survival for birds that shed their transmitters was 87% compared to 49% for birds wearing transmitters. We discuss possible reasons for differences in apparent survival rates and offer recommendations for future marking of falcons.

30 CFR 7.49 - Approval marking.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... MINING PRODUCTS TESTING BY APPLICANT OR THIRD PARTY Battery Assemblies § 7.49 Approval marking. Each approved battery assembly shall be identified by a legible and permanent approval plate inscribed with the assigned MSHA approval number and securely attached to the battery box. ...

30 CFR 7.49 - Approval marking.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... MINING PRODUCTS TESTING BY APPLICANT OR THIRD PARTY Battery Assemblies § 7.49 Approval marking. Each approved battery assembly shall be identified by a legible and permanent approval plate inscribed with the assigned MSHA approval number and securely attached to the battery box. ...

30 CFR 7.49 - Approval marking.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... MINING PRODUCTS TESTING BY APPLICANT OR THIRD PARTY Battery Assemblies § 7.49 Approval marking. Each approved battery assembly shall be identified by a legible and permanent approval plate inscribed with the assigned MSHA approval number and securely attached to the battery box. ...

ATTACHMENT AND CORE RELATIONSHIP THEMES: WISHES FOR AUTONOMY AND CLOSENESS IN THE NARRATIVES OF SECURELY AND INSECURELY ATTACHED ADULTS

PubMed Central

Waldinger, Robert J.; Seidman, Ethan L.; Gerber, Andrew J.; Liem, Joan H.; Allen, Joseph P.; Hauser, Stuart T.

2006-01-01

This study examines links between attachment states of mind and relationship schemas in a sample of 40 young adults, half of whom were hospitalized as adolescents for psychiatric treatment. Participants were interviewed about their closest relationships, and, using the Core Conflictual Relationship Theme method, their narratives about these relationships were analyzed for the relative frequency with which they expressed wishes for closeness and for autonomy in relation to others. Participants were also administered the Adult Attachment Interview and were classified with respect to security of attachment. Security of attachment was associated with the relative frequency with which participants expressed wishes for autonomy in their narratives about close relationships, even after accounting for current levels of psychological functioning and history of serious psychopathology in adolescence. Security of attachment was not associated with the relative frequency with which participants expressed wishes for closeness. The study suggests that core relational wishes for autonomy are linked specifically with subtypes of insecure attachment. These findings extend what is known about connections between the representation of early attachment relationships and the wishes and needs expressed in current relationships with significant others. PMID:16946799

Silencing by nuclear matrix attachment distinguishes cell-type specificity: association with increased proliferation capacity.

PubMed

Linnemann, Amelia K; Krawetz, Stephen A

2009-05-01

DNA loop organization by nuclear scaffold/matrix attachment is a key regulator of gene expression that may provide a means to modulate phenotype. We have previously shown that attachment of genes to the NaCl-isolated nuclear matrix correlates with their silencing in HeLa cells. In contrast, expressed genes were associated with the lithium 3,5-diiodosalicylate (LIS)-isolated nuclear scaffold. To define their role in determining phenotype matrix attached regions (MARs) on human chromosomes 14-18 were identified as a function of expression in a primary cell line. The locations of MARs in aortic adventitial fibroblast (AoAF) cells were very stable (r = 0.909) and 96% of genes attached at MARs are silent (P < 0.001). Approximately one-third of the genes uniquely expressed in AoAF cells were associated with the HeLa cell nuclear matrix and silenced. Comparatively, 81% were associated with the AoAF cell nuclear scaffold (P < 0.001) and expressed. This suggests that nuclear scaffold/matrix association mediates a portion of cell type-specific gene expression thereby modulating phenotype. Interestingly, nuclear matrix attachment and thus silencing of specific genes that regulate proliferation and maintain the integrity of the HeLa cell genome suggests that transformation may at least in part be achieved through aberrant nuclear matrix attachment.

21 CFR 872.3730 - Pantograph.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... lower jaw. (b) Classification. Class I (general controls). The device is exempt from the premarket... intended to be attached to a patient's head to duplicate lower jaw movements to aid in construction of restorative and prosthetic dental devices. A marking pen is attached to the lower jaw component of the device...

37 CFR 2.22 - Filing requirements for a TEAS Plus application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... signed by a person properly authorized to sign on behalf of the owner pursuant to § 2.193(e)(1); (12) A... attach a digitized image of the mark in .jpg format. If the mark includes color, the drawing must show...

Exploring Identity in Muslim Moroccan and Pakistani Immigrant Women

PubMed Central

Giuliani, Cristina; Tagliabue, Semira

2015-01-01

This study presents a qualitative investigation of how Muslim Moroccan and Pakistani female immigrants living in Italy conceptualize their cultural identity. Ten Moroccan and 10 Pakistani (adolescent and adult) women were interviewed through in-depth semi-structured interviews. The interviewees expressed a strong attachment to their culture of origin: their religion is a crucial aspect of their identity, along with certain cultural rules and traditional values. At the same time, both Moroccan and Pakistani participants were ambivalent toward and experienced difficulties in developing a connection to the host country, although the two groups exhibit their lack of connection to their host country in different ways: Moroccans’ self-representation is marked by a sense of foreignness and by a lack of an emotional connection with places where they are living while Pakistanis tend to express cultural distance and conflict with the host culture’s values. For both the Moroccan and Pakistani groups, the challenge of integration and biculturalism seems demanding in the Italian context and is marked by a deep feeling of emptiness, a lack of an emotional bond with the new country, and a strong cultural ambivalence. Finally, narrative themes are articulated across four interrelated dimensions (cultural, religious, gendered, spatial), revealing interesting differences based on national origin and generation. PMID:27247642

Silencing by nuclear matrix attachment distinguishes cell-type specificity: association with increased proliferation capacity

PubMed Central

Linnemann, Amelia K.; Krawetz, Stephen A.

2009-01-01

DNA loop organization by nuclear scaffold/matrix attachment is a key regulator of gene expression that may provide a means to modulate phenotype. We have previously shown that attachment of genes to the NaCl-isolated nuclear matrix correlates with their silencing in HeLa cells. In contrast, expressed genes were associated with the lithium 3,5-diiodosalicylate (LIS)-isolated nuclear scaffold. To define their role in determining phenotype matrix attached regions (MARs) on human chromosomes 14–18 were identified as a function of expression in a primary cell line. The locations of MARs in aortic adventitial fibroblast (AoAF) cells were very stable (r = 0.909) and 96% of genes attached at MARs are silent (P < 0.001). Approximately one-third of the genes uniquely expressed in AoAF cells were associated with the HeLa cell nuclear matrix and silenced. Comparatively, 81% were associated with the AoAF cell nuclear scaffold (P < 0.001) and expressed. This suggests that nuclear scaffold/matrix association mediates a portion of cell type-specific gene expression thereby modulating phenotype. Interestingly, nuclear matrix attachment and thus silencing of specific genes that regulate proliferation and maintain the integrity of the HeLa cell genome suggests that transformation may at least in part be achieved through aberrant nuclear matrix attachment. PMID:19276204

30 CFR 7.309 - Approval marking.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... MINING PRODUCTS TESTING BY APPLICANT OR THIRD PARTY Electric Motor Assemblies § 7.309 Approval marking. Each approved motor assembly shall be identified by a legible and permanent approval plate inscribed.... The plate shall be securely attached to the motor assembly in a manner that does not impair any...

Highly accurate articulated coordinate measuring machine

DOEpatents

Bieg, Lothar F.; Jokiel, Jr., Bernhard; Ensz, Mark T.; Watson, Robert D.

2003-12-30

Disclosed is a highly accurate articulated coordinate measuring machine, comprising a revolute joint, comprising a circular encoder wheel, having an axis of rotation; a plurality of marks disposed around at least a portion of the circumference of the encoder wheel; bearing means for supporting the encoder wheel, while permitting free rotation of the encoder wheel about the wheel's axis of rotation; and a sensor, rigidly attached to the bearing means, for detecting the motion of at least some of the marks as the encoder wheel rotates; a probe arm, having a proximal end rigidly attached to the encoder wheel, and having a distal end with a probe tip attached thereto; and coordinate processing means, operatively connected to the sensor, for converting the output of the sensor into a set of cylindrical coordinates representing the position of the probe tip relative to a reference cylindrical coordinate system.

25 CFR 308.3 - Conditions of eligibility to attach certificates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Section 308.3 Indians INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS BOARD, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR REGULATIONS FOR USE OF CERTIFICATES OF THE INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS BOARD TO BE ATTACHED TO THEIR TRADE-MARKS BY INDIAN ENTERPRISES... such products as meet the standards of quality prescribed by the Indian Arts and Crafts Board at the...

The eye of the begetter: predicting infant attachment disorganization from women's prenatal interpretations of infant facial expressions.

PubMed

Bernstein, Rosemary E; Tenedios, Catherine M; Laurent, Heidemarie K; Measelle, Jeffery R; Ablow, Jennifer C

2014-01-01

Infant-caregiver attachment disorganization has been linked to many long-term negative psychosocial outcomes. While various prevention programs appear to be effective in preventing disorganized attachment, methods currently used to identify those at risk are unfortunately either overly general or impractical. The current investigation tested whether women's prenatal biases in identifying infant expressions of emotion--tendencies previously shown to relate to some of the maternal variables associated with infant attachment, including maternal traumatization, trauma symptoms, and maternal sensitivity--could predict infant attachment classification at 18 months postpartum. Logistic regression analyses revealed that together with women's adult history of high betrayal traumatization, response concordance with a normative reference sample in labeling infant expressions as negatively valenced, and the number of infant facial expressions that participants classified as "sad" and "angry" predicted subsequent infant attachment security versus disorganization. Implications for screening and prevention are discussed. © 2014 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

The Effect of Secure Attachment State and Infant Facial Expressions on Childless Adults' Parental Motivation.

PubMed

Ding, Fangyuan; Zhang, Dajun; Cheng, Gang

2016-01-01

This study examined the association between infant facial expressions and parental motivation as well as the interaction between attachment state and expressions. Two-hundred eighteen childless adults (M age = 19.22, 118 males, 100 females) were recruited. Participants completed the Chinese version of the State Adult Attachment Measure and the E-prime test, which comprised three components (a) liking, the specific hedonic experience in reaction to laughing, neutral, and crying infant faces; (b) representational responding, actively seeking infant faces with specific expressions; and (c) evoked responding, actively retaining images of three different infant facial expressions. While the first component refers to the "liking" of infants, the second and third components entail the "wanting" of an infant. Random intercepts multilevel models with emotion nested within participants revealed a significant interaction between secure attachment state and emotion on both liking and representational response. A hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to examine the unique contributions of secure attachment state. Findings demonstrated that, after controlling for sex, anxious, and avoidant, secure attachment state positively predicted parental motivations (liking and wanting) in the neutral and crying conditions, but not the laughing condition. These findings demonstrate the significant role of secure attachment state in parental motivation, specifically when infants display uncertain and negative emotions.

46 CFR 169.545 - Markings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Markings. 169.545 Section 169.545 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) NAUTICAL SCHOOLS SAILING SCHOOL VESSELS Lifesaving and... material attached on its front side and at least 200 sq. cm. on its back side. If the personal flotation...

46 CFR 169.545 - Markings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Markings. 169.545 Section 169.545 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) NAUTICAL SCHOOLS SAILING SCHOOL VESSELS Lifesaving and... material attached on its front side and at least 200 sq. cm. on its back side. If the personal flotation...

46 CFR 169.545 - Markings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Markings. 169.545 Section 169.545 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) NAUTICAL SCHOOLS SAILING SCHOOL VESSELS Lifesaving and... material attached on its front side and at least 200 sq. cm. on its back side. If the personal flotation...

46 CFR 169.545 - Markings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Markings. 169.545 Section 169.545 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) NAUTICAL SCHOOLS SAILING SCHOOL VESSELS Lifesaving and... material attached on its front side and at least 200 sq. cm. on its back side. If the personal flotation...

46 CFR 169.545 - Markings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Markings. 169.545 Section 169.545 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) NAUTICAL SCHOOLS SAILING SCHOOL VESSELS Lifesaving and... material attached on its front side and at least 200 sq. cm. on its back side. If the personal flotation...

The effect of milk fat globules on adherence and internalization of Salmonella Enteritidis to HT-29 cells.

PubMed

Guri, A; Griffiths, M; Khursigara, C M; Corredig, M

2012-12-01

Milk fat globules were extracted from bovine and goat milk and incubated with HT-29 human adenocarcinoma cells to assess the attachment and internalization of Salmonella Enteritidis. Because the expression of bacterial adhesins is highly affected by the presence of antibiotic, the attachment was studied with and without antibiotic in the cell growth medium. Although no inhibitory effect of the fat globules was observed in the presence of the antibiotic, milk fat globules significantly inhibited the binding and internalization of Salmonella in medium free of antibiotic. The fat globules from both bovine and goat milk markedly reduced bacterial binding and invasion compared with controls, and the cells treated with goat milk-derived fat globules demonstrated greater protective properties than those derived from bovine milk. The effect of heat treatment on bovine fat globules was also investigated, and it was shown that the fat globules from heated milk had a higher degree of inhibition than those from unheated milk. Copyright © 2012 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of radio transmitters on migrating wood thrushes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Powell, L.A.; Krementz, D.G.; Lang, J.D.; Conroy, M.J.

1998-01-01

We quantified the effects of radio transmitters on Wood Thrushes (Hylocichla mustelina) using 4 yr of banding and telemetry data from Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Flight performance models suggest that the 1.6-g transmitter shortens the migratory range of Wood Thrushes by only 60 km, and the estimated migratory range is adequate to accomplish migration even with limited fat stores. We used two strengths of line, 5- and 9-kg test-strength braided Dacron, to attach the transmitters using the thigh-harness method. We recaptured 13 returning radio-marked Wood Thrushes, seven of which were still marked. Six of the seven birds marked with the 5-kg test harnesses lost their transmitters within 1 yr while all six of the 9-kg test harnesses were still attached up to 21 mo later. Radio-marking did not reduce the return rates of adults and immatures, and the transmitters did not cause radio-marked birds to lose more mass than banded-only birds. Wood Thrushes can successfully carry a transmitter during migration with no detectable negative effects. We recommend continued use of the thigh-harness method, but we encourage the use of 5-kg cotton line.

Interaction of herpes simplex virus glycoprotein gC with mammalian cell surface molecules.

PubMed Central

Tal-Singer, R; Peng, C; Ponce De Leon, M; Abrams, W R; Banfield, B W; Tufaro, F; Cohen, G H; Eisenberg, R J

1995-01-01

The entry of herpes simplex virus (HSV) into mammalian cells is a multistep process beginning with an attachment step involving glycoproteins gC and gB. A second step requires the interaction of glycoprotein gD with a cell surface molecule. We explored the interaction between gC and the cell surface by using purified proteins in the absence of detergent. Truncated forms of gC and gD, gC1(457t), gC2(426t), and gD1(306t), lacking the transmembrane and carboxyl regions were expressed in the baculovirus system. We studied the ability of these proteins to bind to mammalian cells, to bind to immobilized heparin, to block HSV type 1 (HSV-1) attachment to cells, and to inhibit plaque formation by HSV-1. Each of these gC proteins bound to conformation-dependent monoclonal antibodies and to human complement component C3b, indicating that they maintained the same conformation of gC proteins expressed in mammalian cells. Biotinylated gC1(457t) and gC2(426t) each bind to several cell lines. Binding was inhibited by an excess of unlabeled gC but not by gD, indicating specificity. The attachment of gC to cells involves primarily heparan sulfate proteoglycans, since heparitinase treatment of cells reduced gC binding by 50% but had no effect on gD binding. Moreover, binding of gC to two heparan sulfate-deficient L-cell lines, gro2C and sog9, both of which are mostly resistant to HSV infection, was markedly reduced. Purified gD1 (306t), however, bound equally well to the two mutant cell lines. In contrast, saturating amounts of gC1(457t) interfered with HSV-1 attachment to cells but failed to block plaque formation, suggesting a role for gC in attachment but not penetration. A mutant form of gC lacking residues 33 to 123, gC1(delta 33-123t), expressed in the baculovirus system, bound significantly less well to cells than did gC1(457t) and competed poorly with biotinylated gC1(457t) for binding. These results suggest that residues 33 to 123 are important for gC attachment to cells. In contrast, both the mutant and wild-type forms of gC bound to immobilized heparin, indicating that binding of these proteins to the cell surface involves more than a simple interaction with heparin. To determine that the contribution of the N-terminal region of gC is important for HSV attachment, we compared several properties of a mutant HSV-1 which contains gC lacking amino acids 33 to 123 to those of its parental virus, which contains full-length gC. The mutant bound less well to cells than the parental virus but exhibited normal growth properties.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS) PMID:7769707

Neurofeedback, Affect Regulation and Attachment: A Case Study and Analysis of Anti-Social Personality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Sebern F.

2007-01-01

This case study examines the effects of neurofeedback (EEG biofeedback) training on affect regulation in a fifty-five year-old man with a history marked by fear, rage, alcoholism, chronic unemployment and multiple failed treatments. He had been diagnosed with ADHD and attachment disorder and met criteria for anti-social personality disorder. The…

46 CFR 160.062-5 - Markings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...″ stainless steel tag of a minimum thickness of 0.032 inches. This tag shall be permanently attached to a hydraulic release with a single stainless steel link made of wire 3/16″ in diameter. This link shall provide... shall be permanently attached to a hydraulic release with a single stainless steel link made of wire 3...

46 CFR 160.062-5 - Markings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...″ stainless steel tag of a minimum thickness of 0.032 inches. This tag shall be permanently attached to a hydraulic release with a single stainless steel link made of wire 3/16″ in diameter. This link shall provide... shall be permanently attached to a hydraulic release with a single stainless steel link made of wire 3...

Maternal Attachment Representation and Neurophysiological Processing during the Perception of Infants’ Emotional Expressions

PubMed Central

Leyh, Rainer; Heinisch, Christine; Behringer, Johanna; Reiner, Iris; Spangler, Gottfried

2016-01-01

The perception of infant emotions is an integral part of sensitive caregiving within the mother-child relationship, a maternal ability which develops in mothers during their own attachment history. In this study we address the association between maternal attachment representation and brain activity underlying the perception of infant emotions. Event related potentials (ERPs) of 32 primiparous mothers were assessed during a three stimulus oddball task presenting negative, positive and neutral emotion expressions of infants as target, deviant or standard stimuli. Attachment representation was assessed with the Adult Attachment Interview during pregnancy. Securely attached mothers recognized emotions of infants more accurately than insecurely attached mothers. ERPs yielded amplified N170 amplitudes for insecure mothers when focusing on negative infant emotions. Secure mothers showed enlarged P3 amplitudes to target emotion expressions of infants compared to insecure mothers, especially within conditions with frequent negative infant emotions. In these conditions, P3 latencies were prolonged in insecure mothers. In summary, maternal attachment representation was found associated with brain activity during the perception of infant emotions. This further clarifies psychological mechanisms contributing to maternal sensitivity. PMID:26862743

Maternal Attachment Representation and Neurophysiological Processing during the Perception of Infants' Emotional Expressions.

PubMed

Leyh, Rainer; Heinisch, Christine; Behringer, Johanna; Reiner, Iris; Spangler, Gottfried

2016-01-01

The perception of infant emotions is an integral part of sensitive caregiving within the mother-child relationship, a maternal ability which develops in mothers during their own attachment history. In this study we address the association between maternal attachment representation and brain activity underlying the perception of infant emotions. Event related potentials (ERPs) of 32 primiparous mothers were assessed during a three stimulus oddball task presenting negative, positive and neutral emotion expressions of infants as target, deviant or standard stimuli. Attachment representation was assessed with the Adult Attachment Interview during pregnancy. Securely attached mothers recognized emotions of infants more accurately than insecurely attached mothers. ERPs yielded amplified N170 amplitudes for insecure mothers when focusing on negative infant emotions. Secure mothers showed enlarged P3 amplitudes to target emotion expressions of infants compared to insecure mothers, especially within conditions with frequent negative infant emotions. In these conditions, P3 latencies were prolonged in insecure mothers. In summary, maternal attachment representation was found associated with brain activity during the perception of infant emotions. This further clarifies psychological mechanisms contributing to maternal sensitivity.

Association between Adult Romantic Attachment Styles and Family-of-Origin Expressive Atmosphere

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Shannon D.; Ng, Kok-Mun

2009-01-01

This study examined the associations between attachment quality and perceived family-of-origin expressive atmosphere (FOEA) in a convenience sample of 279 participants. Multivariate analysis of variance (MAN-OVA) was used to examine the associations between attachment style and FOEA, and hierarchical regression was used to analyze FOEA as a…

Continuing Bonds in Bereavement: An Attachment Theory Based Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Field, Nigel P.; Gao, Beryl; Paderna, Lisa

2005-01-01

An attachment theory based perspective on the continuing bond to the deceased (CB) is proposed. The value of attachment theory in specifying the normative course of CB expression and in identifying adaptive versus maladaptive variants of CB expression based on their deviation from this normative course is outlined. The role of individual…

76 FR 54738 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Vessel and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-02

... Collection; Comment Request; Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Vessel and Gear Marking AGENCY: National... vessel numbers on their vessels. Flotation devices and high- flyers attached to certain fishing gears must also be marked with the vessel's number to identify the vessel to which the gear belongs. These...

Laser Marking of the Meridian of Retinal Breaks at the Ora: A Novel Technique for Pneumatic Retinopexy.

PubMed

Yan, Peng; Minaker, Samuel; Mandelcorn, Efrem D

2016-06-01

Localization of retinal breaks in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) after pneumatic retinopexy (PR) can be challenging once the retina is reattached. Laser can be applied to the pigmented and always-attached ora serrata in the meridian of the retinal breaks prior to pneumatic retinopexy, resulting in subsequent rapid localization of the breaks even in the presence of a gas bubble or media opacity. Ten cases of indirect laser photocoagulation marking at the ora prior to intraocular gas injection in PR for RRD. Subsequent laser retinopexy was completed 48 hours after utilizing the landmarks at the ora to localize the reattached retinal breaks. In all 10 cases, laser photocoagulation marking was easily applied to the ora in the meridian of the retinal breaks prior to gas injection with no complications. The retinal breaks were subsequently identified 48 hours after gas injection. Laser marking of the ora prior to pneumatic retinopexy is a rapid and effective way to localize the re-attached retina breaks. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2016;47:570-572.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

Escherichia coli strains expressing H12 antigens demonstrate an increased ability to attach to abiotic surfaces as compared with E. coli strains expressing H7 antigens.

PubMed

Goulter, Rebecca M; Taran, Elena; Gentle, Ian R; Gobius, Kari S; Dykes, Gary A

2014-07-01

The role of Escherichia coli H antigens in hydrophobicity and attachment to glass, Teflon and stainless steel (SS) surfaces was investigated through construction of fliC knockout mutants in E. coli O157:H7, O1:H7 and O157:H12. Loss of FliC(H12) in E. coli O157:H12 decreased attachment to glass, Teflon and stainless steel surfaces (p<0.05). Complementing E. coli O157:H12 ΔfliC(H12) with cloned wildtype (wt) fliC(H12) restored attachment to wt levels. The loss of FliCH7 in E. coli O157:H7 and O1:H7 did not always alter attachment (p>0.05), but complementation with cloned fliC(H12), as opposed to cloned fliCH7, significantly increased attachment for both strains compared with wt counterparts (p<0.05). Hydrophobicity determined using bacterial adherence to hydrocarbons and contact angle measurements differed with fliC expression but was not correlated to the attachment to materials included in this study. Purified FliC was used to functionalise silicone nitride atomic force microscopy probes, which were used to measure adhesion forces between FliC and substrates. Although no significant difference in adhesion force was observed between FliC(H12) and FliCH7 probes, differences in force curves suggest different mechanism of attachment for FliC(H12) compared with FliCH7. These results indicate that E. coli strains expressing flagellar H12 antigens have an increased ability to attach to certain abiotic surfaces compared with E. coli strains expressing H7 antigens. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Expression of adrenomedullin 2/intermedin in human adrenal tumors and attached non-neoplastic adrenal tissues.

PubMed

Morimoto, Ryo; Satoh, Fumitoshi; Murakami, Osamu; Hirose, Takuo; Totsune, Kazuhito; Imai, Yutaka; Arai, Yoichi; Suzuki, Takashi; Sasano, Hironobu; Ito, Sadayoshi; Takahashi, Kazuhiro

2008-07-01

Adrenomedullin 2/intermedin (AM2/IMD) is a new member of calcitonin/calcitonin gene-related peptide family. AM is expressed in various tumors including adrenocortical tumors and modulates tumor growth. The AM2/IMD expression has not been studied, however, in adrenal tumors. The expression of AM2/IMD and AM was therefore studied in human adrenal tumors and attached non-neoplastic adrenal tissues by immunocytochemistry (ICC). Immunoreactive (IR)-AM2/IMD was measured by RIA. Furthermore, the expression of AM2/IMD and its receptor components, calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CRLR), and receptor activity-modifying proteins (RAMPs) 1, 2, and 3 mRNA in these tissues was studied by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR). ICC showed that AM2/IMD and AM immunoreactivities were localized in adrenocortical tumors and pheochromocytomas. AM2/IMD and AM immunoreactivities were detected in medulla of attached non-neoplastic tissues, while the degree of immunoreactivity for AM2/IMD and AM in cortices of attached adrenals was relatively weak or undetectable. RIA detected IR-AM2/IMD in adrenal tumors (0.414+/-0.12 to 0.786+/-0.27 pmol/g wet weight, mean+/-S.E.M.) and attached adrenal tissues (0.397+/-0.052 pmol/g wet weight). Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography showed one broad peak eluted in the similar position to synthetic AM2/IMD with several minor peaks. RT-PCR showed expression of AM2/IMD, CRLR, and RAMP1, RAMP2, and RAMP3 mRNA in tissues of adrenal tumors and attached adrenal glands. In conclusion, AM2/IMD is expressed in human adrenal tumors and attached non-neoplastic adrenal tissues and may play (patho-)physiological roles in normal and neoplastic adrenals as an autocrine/paracrine regulator.

Attachment style predicts affect, cognitive appraisals, and social functioning in daily life.

PubMed

Sheinbaum, Tamara; Kwapil, Thomas R; Ballespí, Sergi; Mitjavila, Mercè; Chun, Charlotte A; Silvia, Paul J; Barrantes-Vidal, Neus

2015-01-01

The way in which attachment styles are expressed in the moment as individuals navigate their real-life settings has remained an area largely untapped by attachment research. The present study examined how adult attachment styles are expressed in daily life using experience sampling methodology (ESM) in a sample of 206 Spanish young adults. Participants were administered the Attachment Style Interview (ASI) and received personal digital assistants that signaled them randomly eight times per day for 1 week to complete questionnaires about their current experiences and social context. As hypothesized, participants' momentary affective states, cognitive appraisals, and social functioning varied in meaningful ways as a function of their attachment style. Individuals with an anxious attachment, as compared with securely attached individuals, endorsed experiences that were congruent with hyperactivating tendencies, such as higher negative affect, stress, and perceived social rejection. By contrast, individuals with an avoidant attachment, relative to individuals with a secure attachment, endorsed experiences that were consistent with deactivating tendencies, such as decreased positive states and a decreased desire to be with others when alone. Furthermore, the expression of attachment styles in social contexts was shown to be dependent upon the subjective appraisal of the closeness of social contacts, and not merely upon the presence of social interactions. The findings support the ecological validity of the ASI and the person-by-situation character of attachment theory. Moreover, they highlight the utility of ESM for investigating how the predictions derived from attachment theory play out in the natural flow of real life.

Father attachment, father emotion expression, and children's attachment to fathers: The role of marital conflict.

PubMed

Bi, Shuang; Haak, Eric A; Gilbert, Lauren R; El-Sheikh, Mona; Keller, Peggy S

2018-06-01

The current study examined relations between father attachment to spouses and child attachment to fathers in middle childhood, focusing on father emotion expressions in father-child interactions as mediators and marital conflict as a moderator of relations. Participants were 199 children between 6 and 12 years of age and their fathers. Fathers completed questionnaires about their attachment to their spouses, and both fathers and mothers reported on their marital conflict. Fathers also discussed a difficult topic with their children for 5 min, and fathers' positive and negative emotion expression during the discussions were coded. Children completed questionnaires through an interview about their attachment to their father. Father insecure attachment interacted with marital conflict in predicting more negative emotions and less positive emotions during father-child interactions. Specifically, in the context of higher marital conflict in this community sample, fathers who reported greater preoccupied attachment to their spouses exhibited more negative emotions and less positive emotions when interacting with their children. In turn, more father negative emotions and less positive emotions were associated with children's less secure attachment to fathers. In contrast, father fearful attachment interacted with marital conflict to predict less negative emotion and more positive emotion during interactions with children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Expression of adhesion and extracellular matrix genes in human blastocysts upon attachment in a 2D co-culture system.

PubMed

Aberkane, A; Essahib, W; Spits, C; De Paepe, C; Sermon, K; Adriaenssens, T; Mackens, S; Tournaye, H; Brosens, J J; Van de, Velde H

2018-05-26

What are the changes in human embryos, in terms of morphology and gene expression, upon attachment to endometrial epithelial cells? Apposition and adhesion of human blastocysts to endometrial epithelial cells are predominantly initiated at the embryonic pole and these steps are associated with changes in expression of adhesion and extracellular matrix (ECM) genes in the embryo. Both human and murine embryos have been co-cultured with Ishikawa cells, although embryonic gene expression associated with attachment has not yet been investigated in an in-vitro implantation model. Vitrified human blastocysts were warmed and co-cultured for up to 48 h with Ishikawa cells, a model cell line for receptive endometrial epithelium. Six-days post fertilisation (6dpf) human embryos were co-cultured with Ishikawa cells for 12 h, 24 h (7dpf) or 48 h (8dpf) and attachment rate and morphological development investigated. Expression of 84 adhesion and ECM genes was analysed by quantitative PCR. Immunofluorescence microscopy was used to assess the expression of three informative genes at the protein level. Data are reported on 115 human embryos. Mann-Whitney U was used for statistical analysis between two groups, with P < 0.05 considered significant. The majority of embryos attached to Ishikawa cells at the level of the polar trophectoderm; 41% of co-cultured embryos were loosely attached after 12 h and 86% firmly attached after 24 h. Outgrowth of hCG-positive embryonic cells at 8dpf indicated differentiation of trophectoderm into invasive syncytiotrophoblast. Gene expression analysis was performed on loosely attached and unattached embryos co-cultured with Ishikawa cells for 12 h. In contrast to unattached embryos, loosely attached embryos expressed THBS1, TNC, COL12A1, CTNND2, ITGA3, ITGAV, and LAMA3 and had significantly higher CD44 and TIMP1 transcript levels (P = 0.014 and P = 0.029, respectively). LAMA3, THBS1 and TNC expression was validated at the protein level in firmly attached 7dpf embryos. Thrombospondin 1 (THBS1) resided in the cytoplasm of embryonic cells whereas laminin subunit alpha 3 (LAMA3) and tenascin C (TNC) were expressed on the cell surface of trophectoderm cells. Incubation with a neutralizing TNC antibody did not affect the rate of embryo attachment or hCG secretion. None. This in-vitro study made use of an endometrial adenocarcinoma cell line to mimic receptive luminal epithelium. Also, the number of embryos was limited. Contamination of recovered embryos with Ishikawa cells was unlikely based on their differential gene expression profiles. Taken together, we provide a 'proof of concept' that initiation of the implantation process coincides with the induction of specific embryonic genes. Genome-wide expression profiling of a larger sample set may provide insights into the molecular embryonic pathways underlying successful or failed implantation. A.A. was supported by a grant from the "Instituut voor Innovatie door Wetenschap en Technologie" (IWT, 121716, Flanders, Belgium). This work was supported by the "Wetenschappelijk Fonds Willy Gepts" (WFWG G142 and G170, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel). The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Do doctors' attachment styles and emotional intelligence influence patients' emotional expressions in primary care consultations? An exploratory study using multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Cherry, M Gemma; Fletcher, Ian; Berridge, Damon; O'Sullivan, Helen

2018-04-01

To investigate whether and how doctors' attachment styles and emotional intelligence (EI) might influence patients' emotional expressions in general practice consultations. Video recordings of 26 junior doctors consulting with 173 patients were coded using the Verona Coding Definition of Emotional Sequences (VR-CoDES). Doctors' attachment style was scored across two dimensions, avoidance and anxiety, using the Experiences in Close Relationships: Short Form questionnaire. EI was assessed with the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test. Multilevel Poisson regressions modelled the probability of patients' expressing emotional distress, considering doctors' attachment styles and EI and demographic and contextual factors. Both attachment styles and EI were significantly associated with frequency of patients' cues, with patient- and doctor-level explanatory variables accounting for 42% of the variance in patients' cues. The relative contribution of attachment styles and EI varied depending on whether patients' presenting complaints were physical or psychosocial in nature. Doctors' attachment styles and levels of EI are associated with patients' emotional expressions in primary care consultations. Further research is needed to investigate how these two variables interact and influence provider responses and patient outcomes. Understanding how doctors' psychological characteristics influence PPC may help to optimise undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Attachment within life history theory: an evolutionary perspective on individual differences in attachment.

PubMed

Szepsenwol, Ohad; Simpson, Jeffry A

2018-03-15

In this article, we discuss theory and research on how individual differences in adult attachment mediate the adaptive calibration of reproductive strategies, cognitive schemas, and emotional expression and regulation. We first present an integration of attachment theory and life history theory. Then, we discuss how early harsh and/or unpredictable environments may promote insecure attachment by hampering parents' ability to provide sensitive and reliable care to their children. Finally, we discuss how, in the context of harsh and/or unpredictable environments, different types of insecure attachment (i.e. anxiety and avoidance) may promote evolutionary adaptive reproductive strategies, cognitive schemas, and emotional expression and regulation profiles. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Attachment behaviors in mothers of premature infants: a descriptive study in Thai mothers.

PubMed

Tilokskulchai, Fongcum; Phatthanasiriwethin, Sopida; Vichitsukon, Kannikar; Serisathien, Yaowalak

2002-12-01

Prematurity and the associated maternal-infant separation after birth can affect the attachment process. The role of nurses in facilitating the process of attachment should be based on an understanding of these behaviors. This descriptive study explored the attachment behaviors demonstrated by mothers during their first visit with their premature infant in the neonatal care unit. The results revealed that all mothers demonstrated most attachment behaviors (ie, inspection, facial expression, touching, verbal expression, and eye-to-eye contact) except holding during their first visit. However, some mothers spent little time with their infant. The findings suggest that nurses should encourage mothers to interact with their infants in order to enhance maternal-infant attachment.

49 CFR Appendix G to Subchapter B... - Minimum Periodic Inspection Standards

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... or broken cable strands. (b) Improper clamps or clamping. f. Saddle-Mounts. (1) Method of attachment... axle. (6) A tube-type radial tire without radial tube stem markings. These markings include a red band around the tube stem, the word “radial” embossed in metal stems, or the word “radial” molded in rubber...

Attachment style predicts affect, cognitive appraisals, and social functioning in daily life

PubMed Central

Sheinbaum, Tamara; Kwapil, Thomas R.; Ballespí, Sergi; Mitjavila, Mercè; Chun, Charlotte A.; Silvia, Paul J.; Barrantes-Vidal, Neus

2015-01-01

The way in which attachment styles are expressed in the moment as individuals navigate their real-life settings has remained an area largely untapped by attachment research. The present study examined how adult attachment styles are expressed in daily life using experience sampling methodology (ESM) in a sample of 206 Spanish young adults. Participants were administered the Attachment Style Interview (ASI) and received personal digital assistants that signaled them randomly eight times per day for 1 week to complete questionnaires about their current experiences and social context. As hypothesized, participants’ momentary affective states, cognitive appraisals, and social functioning varied in meaningful ways as a function of their attachment style. Individuals with an anxious attachment, as compared with securely attached individuals, endorsed experiences that were congruent with hyperactivating tendencies, such as higher negative affect, stress, and perceived social rejection. By contrast, individuals with an avoidant attachment, relative to individuals with a secure attachment, endorsed experiences that were consistent with deactivating tendencies, such as decreased positive states and a decreased desire to be with others when alone. Furthermore, the expression of attachment styles in social contexts was shown to be dependent upon the subjective appraisal of the closeness of social contacts, and not merely upon the presence of social interactions. The findings support the ecological validity of the ASI and the person-by-situation character of attachment theory. Moreover, they highlight the utility of ESM for investigating how the predictions derived from attachment theory play out in the natural flow of real life. PMID:25852613

Effects of Lectins on initial attachment of cariogenic Streptococcus mutans.

PubMed

Ito, Takashi; Yoshida, Yasuhiro; Shiota, Yasuyoshi; Ito, Yuki; Yamamoto, Tadashi; Takashiba, Shogo

2018-02-01

Oral bacteria initiate biofilm formation by attaching to tooth surfaces via an interaction of a lectin-like bacterial protein with carbohydrate chains on the pellicle. This study aimed to find naturally derived lectins that inhibit the initial attachment of a cariogenic bacterial species, Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), to carbohydrate chains in saliva in vitro. Seventy kinds of lectins were screened for candidate motifs that inhibit the attachment of S. mutans ATCC 25175 to a saliva-coated culture plate. The inhibitory effect of the lectins on attachment of the S. mutans to the plates was quantified by crystal violet staining, and the biofilm was observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis was performed to examine the binding of S. mutans to carbohydrate chains and the binding of candidate lectins to carbohydrate chains, respectively. Moreover, binding assay between the biotinylated-lectins and the saliva components was conducted to measure the lectin binding. Lectins recognizing a salivary carbohydrate chain, Galβ1-3GalNAc, inhibited the binding of S. mutans to the plate. In particular, Agaricus bisporus agglutinin (ABA) markedly inhibited the binding. This inhibition was confirmed by SEM observation. SPR analysis indicated that S. mutans strongly binds to Galβ1-3GalNAc, and ABA binds to Galβ1-3GalNAc. Finally, the biotinylated Galβ1-3GalNAc-binding lectins including ABA demonstrated marked binding to the saliva components. These results suggest that ABA lectin inhibited the attachment of S. mutans to Galβ1-3GalNAc in saliva and ABA can be useful as a potent inhibitor for initial attachment of oral bacteria and biofilm formation.

Kindler syndrome.

PubMed

Ashton, G H S

2004-03-01

Kindler syndrome is a rare, autosomal recessive skin fragility disorder characterized by blistering in infancy, followed by photosensitivity and progressive poikiloderma. Ultrastructural examination reveals marked basement membrane reduplication and variable levels of cleavage at the dermal-epidermal junction. The molecular pathology underlying Kindler syndrome has recently been shown to involve loss-of-function mutations in a novel gene, KIND1, encoding kindlin-1. Immunofluorescence, gene expression and cell biology studies have shown that kindlin-1 is expressed mainly in basal keratinocytes and plays a role in the attachment of the actin cytoskeleton via focal contacts to the extracellular matrix. Thus, Kindler syndrome is the first genodermatosis caused by a defect in actin-extracellular matrix linkage rather than the classic keratin-extracellular matrix linkage underlying the pathology of other inherited skin fragility disorders such as epidermolysis bullosa. This article reviews the clinical features as well as the molecular and cellular pathology of Kindler syndrome and highlights the importance of the new protein, kindlin-1, in cell-matrix adhesion and its intriguing link to photosensitivity.

Inhibitory effects of OK-432 (Picibanil) on cellular proliferation and adhesive capacity of breast carcinoma cells.

PubMed

Horii, Yoshio; Iino, Yuichi; Maemura, Michio; Horiguchi, Jun; Morishita, Yasuo

2005-02-01

We investigated the potent inhibitory effects of OK-432 (Picibanil) on both cellular adhesion and cell proliferation of estrogen-dependent (MCF-7) or estrogen-independent (MDA-MB-231) breast carcinoma cells. Cellular proliferation of both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells was markedly inhibited in a dose-dependent manner, when the carcinoma cells were exposed to OK-432. Cell attachment assay demonstrated that incubation with OK-432 for 24 h reduced integrin-mediated cellular adhesion of both cell types. However, fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis revealed that incubation with OK-432 for 24 h did not decrease the cell surface expressions of any integrins. These results suggest that the binding avidity of integrins is reduced by OK-432 without alteration of the integrin expression. We conclude that OK-432 inhibits integrin-mediated cellular adhesion as well as cell proliferation of breast carcinoma cells regardless of estrogen-dependence, and that these actions of OK-432 contribute to prevention or inhibition of breast carcinoma invasion and metastasis.

Surface Density of the Hendra G Protein Modulates Hendra F Protein-Promoted Membrane Fusion: Role for Hendra G Protein Trafficking and Degradation

PubMed Central

Whitman, Shannon D.; Dutch, Rebecca Ellis

2007-01-01

Hendra virus, like most paramyxoviruses, requires both a fusion (F) and attachment (G) protein for promotion of cell-cell fusion. Recent studies determined that Hendra F is proteolytically processed by the cellular protease cathepsin L after endocytosis. This unique cathepsin L processing results in a small percentage of Hendra F on the cell surface. To determine how the surface densities of the two Hendra glycoproteins affect fusion promotion, we performed experiments that varied the levels of glycoproteins expressed in transfected cells. Using two different fusion assays, we found a marked increase in fusion when expression of the Hendra G protein was increased, with a 1:1 molar ratio of Hendra F:G on the cell surface resulting in optimal membrane fusion. Our results also showed that Hendra G protein levels are modulated by both more rapid protein turnover and slower protein trafficking than is seen for Hendra F. PMID:17328935

Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) inhibition reverses low cell activity on hydrophobic surfaces.

PubMed

Tian, Yu Shun; Kim, Hyun Jung; Kim, Hyun-Man

2009-08-28

Hydrophobic polymers do not offer an adequate scaffold surface for cells to attach, migrate, proliferate, and differentiate. Thus, hydrophobic scaffolds for tissue engineering have traditionally been physicochemically modified to enhance cellular activity. However, modifying the surface by chemical or physical treatment requires supplementary engineering procedures. In the present study, regulation of a cell signal transduction pathway reversed the low cellular activity on a hydrophobic surface without surface modification. Inhibition of Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) by Y-27632 markedly enhanced adhesion, migration, and proliferation of osteoblastic cells cultured on a hydrophobic polystyrene surface. ROCK inhibition regulated cell-cycle-related molecules on the hydrophobic surface. This inhibition also decreased expression of the inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases such as p21(cip1) and p27(kip1) and increased expression of cyclin A and D. These results indicate that defective cellular activity on the hydrophobic surface can be reversed by the control of a cell signal transduction pathway without physicochemical surface modification.

Epigenetic Marks Define the Lineage and Differentiation Potential of Two Distinct Neural Crest-Derived Intermediate Odontogenic Progenitor Populations

PubMed Central

Gopinathan, Gokul; Kolokythas, Antonia

2013-01-01

Epigenetic mechanisms, such as histone modifications, play an active role in the differentiation and lineage commitment of mesenchymal stem cells. In the present study, epigenetic states and differentiation profiles of two odontogenic neural crest-derived intermediate progenitor populations were compared: dental pulp (DP) and dental follicle (DF). ChIP on chip assays revealed substantial H3K27me3-mediated repression of odontoblast lineage genes DSPP and dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) in DF cells, but not in DP cells. Mineralization inductive conditions caused steep increases of mineralization and patterning gene expression levels in DP cells when compared to DF cells. In contrast, mineralization induction resulted in a highly dynamic histone modification response in DF cells, while there was only a subdued effect in DP cells. Both DF and DP progenitors featured H3K4me3-active marks on the promoters of early mineralization genes RUNX2, MSX2, and DLX5, while OSX, IBSP, and BGLAP promoters were enriched for H3K9me3 or H3K27me3. Compared to DF cells, DP cells expressed higher levels of three pluripotency-associated genes, OCT4, NANOG, and SOX2. Finally, gene ontology comparison of bivalent marks unique for DP and DF cells highlighted cell–cell attachment genes in DP cells and neurogenesis genes in DF cells. In conclusion, the present study indicates that the DF intermediate odontogenic neural crest lineage is distinguished from its DP counterpart by epigenetic repression of DSPP and DMP1 genes and through dynamic histone enrichment responses to mineralization induction. Findings presented here highlight the crucial role of epigenetic regulatory mechanisms in the terminal differentiation of odontogenic neural crest lineages. PMID:23379639

Establishment of highly metastatic KRAS mutant lung cancer cell sublines in long-term three-dimensional low attachment cultures

PubMed Central

Nakano, Tomoyuki; Kanai, Yoshihiko; Amano, Yusuke; Yoshimoto, Taichiro; Matsubara, Daisuke; Shibano, Tomoki; Tamura, Tomoko; Oguni, Sachiko; Katashiba, Shizuka; Ito, Takeshi; Murakami, Yoshinori; Fukayama, Masashi; Murakami, Takashi; Endo, Shunsuke; Niki, Toshiro

2017-01-01

Decreased cell-substratum adhesion is crucially involved in metastasis. Previous studies demonstrated that lung cancer with floating cell clusters in histology is more likely to develop metastasis. In the present study, we investigated whether cancer cells in long-term, three-dimensional low attachment cultures acquire high metastatic potential; these cells were then used to examine the mechanisms underlying metastasis. Two KRAS-mutated adenocarcinoma cell lines (A549 and H441) were cultured and selected on ultra-low attachment culture dishes, and the resulting cells were defined as FL (for floating) sublines. Cancer cells were inoculated into NOD/SCID mice via an intracardiac injection, and metastasis was evaluated using luciferase-based imaging and histopathology. In vitro cell growth (in attachment or suspension cultures), migration, and invasion were assayed. A whole genomic analysis was performed to identify key molecular alterations in FL sublines. Upon detachment on low-binding dishes, parental cells initially formed rounded spheroids with limited growth activity. However, over time in cultures, cells gradually formed smaller spheroids that grew slowly, and, after 3–4 months, we obtained FL sublines that regained prominent growth potential in suspension cultures. On ordinary dishes, FL cells reattached and exhibited a more spindle-shaped morphology than parental cells. No marked differences were observed in cell growth with attachment, migration, or invasion between FL sublines and parental cell lines; however, FL cells exhibited markedly increased growth potential under suspended conditions in vitro and stronger metastatic abilities in vivo. A genomic analysis identified epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and c-Myc amplification in A549-FL and H441-FL cells, respectively, as candidate mechanisms for metastasis. The growth potential of FL cells was markedly inhibited by lentiviral ZEB1 knockdown in A549-FL cells and by the inhibition of c-Myc through lentiviral knockdown or the pharmacological inhibitor JQ1 in H441-FL cells. Long-term three-dimensional low attachment cultures may become a useful method for investigating the mechanisms underlying metastasis mediated by decreased cell-substratum adhesion. PMID:28786996

Captive and field-tested radio attachments for bald eagles

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buehler, D.A.; Fraser, J.D.; Fuller, M.R.; McAllister, L.S.; Seegar, J.K.D.

1995-01-01

The effects of two radio transmitter attachment techniques on captive and one attachment technique on wild Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) were studied. A Y-attachment method with a 160-g dummy transmitter was less apt to cause tissue damage on captive birds than an X-attachment method, and loosely fit transmitters caused less damage than tightly fit transmitters Annual survival of wild birds fitted with 65-g transmitters via an X attachment was estimated at 90-95%. As a result of high survival, only five wild birds marked as nestlings were recovered.Two of these birds had superficial pressure sores from tight-fitting harnesses It is recommended that a 1.3-cm space be left between the transmitter and the bird's b ack when radio-tagging post-fiedging Bald Eagles. Additional space, perhaps up to 2.5 cm, is required for nestlings to allow for added growth and development.

Child Maltreatment Is Associated with a Reduction of the Oxytocin Receptor in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

PubMed Central

Krause, Sabrina; Boeck, Christina; Gumpp, Anja M.; Rottler, Edit; Schury, Katharina; Karabatsiakis, Alexander; Buchheim, Anna; Gündel, Harald; Kolassa, Iris-Tatjana; Waller, Christiane

2018-01-01

Background: Child maltreatment (CM) and attachment experiences are closely linked to alterations in the human oxytocin (OXT) system. However, human data about oxytocin receptor (OXTR) protein levels are lacking. Therefore, we investigated oxytocin receptor (OXTR) protein levels in circulating immune cells and related them to circulating levels of OXT in peripheral blood. We hypothesized reduced OXTR protein levels, associated with both, experiences of CM and an insecure attachment representation. Methods: OXTR protein expressions were analyzed by western blot analyses in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and plasma OXT levels were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in 49 mothers. We used the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) to assess adverse childhood experiences. Attachment representations (secure vs. insecure) were classified using the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP) and levels of anxiety and depression were assessed with the German version of the Hospital Depression and Anxiety scale (HADS-D). Results: CM-affected women showed significantly lower OXTR protein expression with significantly negative correlations between the OXTR protein expression and the CTQ sum score, whereas plasma OXT levels showed no significant differences in association with CM. Lower OXTR protein expression in PBMC were particularly pronounced in the group of insecurely attached mothers compared to the securely attached group. Anxiety levels were significantly higher in CM-affected women. Conclusion: This study demonstrated a significant association between CM and an alteration of OXTR protein expression in human blood cells as a sign for chronic, long-lasting alterations in this attachment-related neurobiological system. PMID:29535656

MIB-1 Is Required for Spermatogenesis and Facilitates LIN-12 and GLP-1 Activity in Caenorhabditis elegans.

PubMed

Ratliff, Miriam; Hill-Harfe, Katherine L; Gleason, Elizabeth J; Ling, Huiping; Kroft, Tim L; L'Hernault, Steven W

2018-05-01

Covalent attachment of ubiquitin to substrate proteins changes their function or marks them for proteolysis, and the specificity of ubiquitin attachment is mediated by the numerous E3 ligases encoded by animals. Mind Bomb is an essential E3 ligase during Notch pathway signaling in insects and vertebrates. While Caenorhabditis elegans encodes a Mind Bomb homolog ( mib-1 ), it has never been recovered in the extensive Notch suppressor/enhancer screens that have identified numerous pathway components. Here, we show that C. elegans mib-1 null mutants have a spermatogenesis-defective phenotype that results in a heterogeneous mixture of arrested spermatocytes, defective spermatids, and motility-impaired spermatozoa. mib-1 mutants also have chromosome segregation defects during meiosis, molecular null mutants are intrinsically temperature-sensitive, and many mib-1 spermatids contain large amounts of tubulin. These phenotypic features are similar to the endogenous RNA intereference (RNAi) mutants, but mib-1 mutants do not affect RNAi. MIB-1 protein is expressed throughout the germ line with peak expression in spermatocytes followed by segregation into the residual body during spermatid formation. C. elegans mib-1 expression, while upregulated during spermatogenesis, also occurs somatically, including in vulva precursor cells. Here, we show that mib-1 mutants suppress both lin-12 and glp-1 ( C. elegans Notch) gain-of-function mutants, restoring anchor cell formation and a functional vulva to the former and partly restoring oocyte production to the latter. However, suppressed hermaphrodites are only observed when grown at 25°, and they are self-sterile. This probably explains why mib-1 was not previously recovered as a Notch pathway component in suppressor/enhancer selection experiments. Copyright © 2018 by the Genetics Society of America.

Attachment and biofilm formation by various serotypes of Salmonella as influenced by cellulose production and thin aggregative fimbriae biosynthesis.

PubMed

Jain, Sudeep; Chen, Jinru

2007-11-01

This study was undertaken to quantify thin aggregative fimbriae and cellulose produced by Salmonella and to evaluate their roles in attachment and biofilm formation on polystyrene and glass surfaces. Thin aggregative fimbriae and cellulose produced by four wild-type and two pairs of Salmonella, representing four different colony morphotypes (rdar: red, dry, and rough; pdar: pink, dry, and rough; bdar: brown, dry, and rough; and saw: smooth and white), were quantified. The ability of the Salmonella cells to attach and form biofilms on the selected surfaces was evaluated in Luria-Bertani (LB) broth with or without salt (0.5%) or glucose (2%) at 28 degrees C during a 7-day period. The cells expressing the rdar or pdar colony morphotypes produced significantly greater amounts of thin aggregative fimbriae and cellulose on LB no salt agar, respectively. The cells expressing the rdar colony morphotype attached in higher numbers and formed more biofilm than did the cells expressing the pdar colony morphotype. The members of the pairs expressing the bdar colony morphotype attached more efficiently and formed more biofilm on the tested surfaces than did their counterparts expressing the saw colony morphotype. These results indicated that thin aggregative fimbriae impart attachment ability to Salmonella and, upon coexpression with cellulose, enhance biofilm formation on certain abiotic surfaces. The knowledge acquired in the study may help develop better cleaning strategies for food processing equipment.

Development of Three-Dimensional Multicellular Tissue-Like Constructs for Mutational Analysis Using Macroporous Microcarriers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jordan, Jacqueline A.; Fraga, Denise N.; Gonda, Steve R.

2002-01-01

A three-dimensional (3-D), tissue-like model was developed for the genotoxic assessment of space environment. In previous experiments, we found that culturing mammalian cells in a NASA-designed bioreactor, using Cytodex-3 beads as a scaffold, generated 3-D multicellular spheroids. In an effort to generate scaffold-free spheroids, we developed a new 3-D tissue-like model by coculturing fibroblast and epithelial cell in a NASA bioreactor using macroporous Cultispher-S(TradeMark) microcarriers. Big Blue(Registered Trademark) Rat 2(Lambda) fibroblasts, genetically engineered to contain multiple copies (>60 copies/cell) of the Lac I target gene, were cocultured with radio-sensitive human epithelial cells, H184F5. Over an 8-day period, samples were periodically examined by microscopy and histology to confirm cell attachment, growth, and viability. Immunohistochemistry and western analysis were used to evaluate the expression of specific cytoskeletal and adhesion proteins. Key cell culture parameters (glucose, pH, and lactate concentrations) were monitored daily. Controls were two-dimensional mono layers of fibroblast or epithelial cells cultured in T-flasks. Analysis of 3-D spheroids from the bioreactor suggests fibroblast cells attached to and completely covered the bead surface and inner channels by day 3 in the bioreactor. Treatment of the 3-day spheroids with dispase II dissolved the Cultisphers(TradeMark) and produced multicellular, bead-less constructs. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the presence of vi.mentin, cytokeratin and E-cadherin in treated spheroids. Examination of the dispase II treated spheroids with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) also showed the presence of desmosomes. These results suggest that the controlled enzymatic degradation of an artificial matrix in the low shear environment of the NASA-designed bioreactor can produce 3-D tissue-like spheroids. 2

Resilience of bacterial quorum sensing against fluid flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emge, Philippe; Moeller, Jens; Jang, Hongchul; Rusconi, Roberto; Yawata, Yutaka; Stocker, Roman; Vogel, Viola

2016-09-01

Quorum sensing (QS) is a population-density dependent chemical process that enables bacteria to communicate based on the production, secretion and sensing of small inducer molecules. While recombinant constructs have been widely used to decipher the molecular details of QS, how those findings translate to natural QS systems has remained an open question. Here, we compare the activation of natural and synthetic Pseudomonas aeruginosa LasI/R QS systems in bacteria exposed to quiescent conditions and controlled flows. Quantification of QS-dependent GFP expression in suspended cultures and in surface-attached microcolonies revealed that QS onset in both systems was similar under quiescent conditions but markedly differed under flow. Moderate flow (Pe > 25) was sufficient to suppress LasI/R QS recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli, whereas only high flow (Pe > 102) suppressed QS in wild-type P. aeruginosa. We suggest that this difference stems from the differential production of extracellular matrix and that the matrix confers resilience against moderate flow to QS in wild-type organisms. These results suggest that the expression of a biofilm matrix extends the environmental conditions under which QS-based cell-cell communication is effective and that findings from synthetic QS circuits cannot be directly translated to natural systems.

Probe penetration in relation to the connective tissue attachment level: influence of tine shape and probing force.

PubMed

Bulthuis, H M; Barendregt, D S; Timmerman, M F; Loos, B G; van der Velden, U

1998-05-01

Previous research has shown that probing force and probe tine shape influence the clinically assessed probing depth. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of tine shape and probing force on probe penetration, in relation to the microscopically assessed attachment level in untreated periodontal disease. In 22 patients, scheduled for partial or full mouth tooth extraction and no history of periodontal treatment, 135 teeth were selected. At mesial and distal sites of the teeth reference marks were cut. Three probe tines, mounted in a modified Florida Probe handpiece, were tested: a tapered, a parallel and a ball-ended; tip-diameter 0.5 mm. The three tines were distributed at random over the sites. At each site increasing probing forces of 0.10 N, 0.15 N, 0.20 N, 0.25 N were used. After extraction, the teeth were cleaned and stained for connective tissue fiber attachment. The distance between the reference mark and the attachment level was determined using a stereomicroscope. The results showed that the parallel and ball-ended tine measured significantly beyond the microscopically assessed attachment level at all force levels; with increasing forces, the parallel tine measured 0.96 to 1.38 mm and the ball-ended tine 0.73 to 1.06 mm deeper. The tapered tine did not deviate significantly from the microscopic values at the forces of 0.15, 0.20 and 0.25 N. It can be concluded that for the optimal assessment of the attachment level in inflamed periodontal conditions, a tapered probe with a tip diameter of 0.5 mm and exerting a probing force of 0.25 N may be most suitable.

46 CFR 98.25-15 - Markings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... safety relief valves, liquid level gaging devices and pressure gages shall be labeled to designate whether they terminate in the vapor or liquid space. Labels of noncorrosive material may be attached to...

46 CFR 98.25-15 - Markings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... safety relief valves, liquid level gaging devices and pressure gages shall be labeled to designate whether they terminate in the vapor or liquid space. Labels of noncorrosive material may be attached to...

46 CFR 98.25-15 - Markings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... safety relief valves, liquid level gaging devices and pressure gages shall be labeled to designate whether they terminate in the vapor or liquid space. Labels of noncorrosive material may be attached to...

46 CFR 98.25-15 - Markings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... safety relief valves, liquid level gaging devices and pressure gages shall be labeled to designate whether they terminate in the vapor or liquid space. Labels of noncorrosive material may be attached to...

46 CFR 98.25-15 - Markings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... safety relief valves, liquid level gaging devices and pressure gages shall be labeled to designate whether they terminate in the vapor or liquid space. Labels of noncorrosive material may be attached to...

Investigation of energy gene expressions and community structures of free and attached acidophilic bacteria in chalcopyrite bioleaching.

PubMed

Zhu, Jianyu; Jiao, Weifeng; Li, Qian; Liu, Xueduan; Qin, Wenqing; Qiu, Guanzhou; Hu, Yuehua; Chai, Liyuan

2012-12-01

In order to better understand the bioleaching mechanism, expression of genes involved in energy conservation and community structure of free and attached acidophilic bacteria in chalcopyrite bioleaching were investigated. Using quantitative real-time PCR, we studied the expression of genes involved in energy conservation in free and attached Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans during bioleaching of chalcopyrite. Sulfur oxidation genes of attached A. ferrooxidans were up-regulated while ferrous iron oxidation genes were down-regulated compared with free A. ferrooxidans in the solution. The up-regulation may be induced by elemental sulfur on the mineral surface. This conclusion was supported by the results of HPLC analysis. Sulfur-oxidizing Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and ferrous-oxidizing Leptospirillum ferrooxidans were the members of the mixed culture in chalcopyrite bioleaching. Study of the community structure of free and attached bacteria showed that A. thiooxidans dominated the attached bacteria while L. ferrooxidans dominated the free bacteria. With respect to available energy sources during bioleaching of chalcopyrite, sulfur-oxidizers tend to be on the mineral surfaces whereas ferrous iron-oxidizers tend to be suspended in the aqueous phase. Taken together, these results indicate that the main role of attached acidophilic bacteria was to oxidize elemental sulfur and dissolution of chalcopyrite involved chiefly an indirect bioleaching mechanism.

The Role of Adult Attachment Style in Forgiveness Following an Interpersonal Offense

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawler-Row, Kathleen A.; Younger, Jarred W.; Piferi, Rachel L.; Jones, Warren H.

2006-01-01

The role of attachment style in relation to forgiveness was investigated in 2 betrayal interviews. Blood pressure and heart rate were assessed, along with attachment style, forgiveness, empathy, and emotional expressiveness. Securely attached individuals were more forgiving of the specific offense, had higher levels of trait forgiveness, and…

Types of Breast Pumps

MedlinePlus

... nipple (the areola). b. Pump: creates the gentle vacuum that expresses milk. The pump may be attached to the breast-shield or ... out of a larger tube to create a vacuum that expresses milk and collects it in an attached container. Another type of manual pump, called a bicycle horn pump, consists of a ...

STAT3 Regulates Uterine Epithelial Remodeling and Epithelial-Stromal Crosstalk During Implantation

PubMed Central

Pawar, Sandeep; Starosvetsky, Elina; Orvis, Grant D.; Behringer, Richard R.; Bagchi, Indrani C.

2013-01-01

Embryo implantation is regulated by a variety of endometrial factors, including cytokines, growth factors, and transcription factors. Earlier studies identified the leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), a cytokine produced by uterine glands, as an essential regulator of implantation. LIF, acting via its cell surface receptor, activates the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in the uterine epithelial cells. However, the precise mechanism via which activated STAT3 promotes uterine function during implantation remains unknown. To identify the molecular pathways regulated by STAT3, we created SWd/d mice in which Stat3 gene is conditionally inactivated in uterine epithelium. The SWd/d mice are infertile due to a lack of embryo attachment to the uterine luminal epithelium and consequent implantation failure. Gene expression profiling of uterine epithelial cells of SWd/d mice revealed dysregulated expression of specific components of junctional complexes, including E-cadherin, α- and β-catenin, and several claudins, which critically regulate epithelial junctional integrity and embryo attachment. In addition, uteri of SWd/d mice exhibited markedly reduced stromal proliferation and differentiation, indicating that epithelial STAT3 controls stromal function via a paracrine mechanism. The stromal defect arose from a drastic reduction in the production of several members of the epidermal growth factor family in luminal epithelium of SWd/d uteri and the resulting lack of activation of epidermal growth factor receptor signaling and mitotic activity in the stromal cells. Collectively, our results uncovered an intricate molecular network operating downstream of STAT3 that regulates uterine epithelial junctional reorganization, and stromal proliferation, and differentiation, which are critical determinants of successful implantation. PMID:24100212

Relation between premorbid personality and patterns of emotion expression in mid- to late-stage dementia.

PubMed

Magai, C; Cohen, C I; Culver, C; Gomberg, D; Malatesta, C

1997-11-01

Twenty-seven nursing home patients with mid- to late-stage dementia participated in a study of the relation between preillness personality, as indexed by attachment and emotion regulation style, and current emotional behavior. Preillness measures were completed by family members and current assessments of emotion were supplied by nursing home aides and family members; in addition, emotion was coded during a family visit using an objective coding system for facial emotion expressions. Attachment style was found to be related to the expression of positive affect, with securely attached individuals displaying more positive affect than avoidantly attached individuals. In addition, high ratings on premorbid hostility were associated with higher rates of negative affect and lower rates of positive affect. These findings indicate that premorbid aspects of personality show continuity over time, even in mid- to late-stage dementia.

Keratinocyte growth factor expression in human gingival fibroblasts and stimulation of in vitro gene expression by retinoic acid.

PubMed

Mackenzie, I C; Gao, Z

2001-04-01

Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) is a stromally derived growth factor of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family with paracrine effects targeted to influence the growth and differentiation of epithelia. Regional and temporal changes in KGF expression play important roles in the development and maintenance of epithelial structures and in epithelial wound healing. Differing patterns of expression of KGF by fibroblasts in the gingival region could therefore be related to the observed regional variation in the differentiation and behavior of gingival epithelia. The in vitro and in vivo patterns of expression of KGF mRNA in human gingival and periodontal fibroblasts were examined using reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR) and in situ hybridization with digoxigenin-labeled riboprobes. The patterns observed for human gingiva were compared with those for human skin and for murine tissues. Gingival and periodontal fibroblasts showed expression of KGF transcripts in vitro, and the degree of expression was markedly influenced by the presence of retinoic acid, an agent known to influence patterns of epithelial differentiation. Sections of human and murine gingiva and skin showed regionally variable expression of transcripts with the cells expressing KGF in the subepithelial, rather than the deeper, connective tissues and periodontium. The results point to a role of KGF in the maintenance of normal growth and differentiation of gingival epithelia. A lack of KGF expression by periodontal fibroblasts in vivo is expected to hinder apical epithelial migration and thus stabilize the epithelial attachment. The effects of retinoic acid (RA) on KGF expression in vitro provide an indirect mechanism by which RA may regulate the growth and differentiation of gingival epithelia.

Integrin Expression Regulates Neuroblastoma Attachment and Migration1

PubMed Central

Meyer, Amy; van Golen, Cynthia M.; Kim, Bhumsoo; van Golen, Kenneth L.; Feldman, Eva L.

2004-01-01

Abstract Neuroblastoma (NBL) is the most common malignant disease of infancy, and children with bone metastasis have a mortality rate greater than 90%. Two major classes of proteins, integrins and growth factors, regulate the metastatic process. We have previously shown that tumorigenic NBL cells express higher levels of the type I insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-IR) and that β1 integrin expression is inversely proportional to tumorigenic potential in NBL. In the current study, we analyze the effect of β1 integrin and IGF-IR on NBL cell attachment and migration. Nontumorigenic S-cells express high levels of β1 integrin, whereas tumorigenic N-cells express little β1 integrin. Alterations in β1 integrin are due to regulation at the protein level, as translation is decreased in N-type cells. Moreover, inhibition of protein synthesis shows that β1 integrin is degraded more slowly in S-type cells (SHEP) than in N-type cells (SH-SY5Y and IMR32). Inhibition of α5β1 integrin prevents SHEP (but not SH-SY5Y or IMR32) cell attachment to fibronectin and increases SHEP cell migration. Increases in IGF-IR decrease β1 integrin expression, and enhance SHEP cell migration, potentially through increased expression of αvβ3. These data suggest that specific classes of integrins in concert with IGF-IR regulate NBL attachment and migration. PMID:15256055

Implicit Attitude Toward Caregiving: The Moderating Role of Adult Attachment Styles

PubMed Central

De Carli, Pietro; Tagini, Angela; Sarracino, Diego; Santona, Alessandra; Parolin, Laura

2016-01-01

Attachment and caregiving are separate motivational systems that share the common evolutionary purpose of favoring child security. In the goal of studying the processes underlying the transmission of attachment styles, this study focused on the role of adult attachment styles in shaping preferences toward particular styles of caregiving. We hypothesized a correspondence between attachment and caregiving styles: we expect an individual to show a preference for a caregiving behavior coherent with his/her own attachment style, in order to increase the chance of passing it on to offspring. We activated different representations of specific caregiving modalities in females, by using three videos in which mothers with different Adult Attachment states of mind played with their infants. Participants' facial expressions while watching were recorded and analyzed with FaceReader software. After each video, participants' attitudes toward the category “mother” were measured, both explicitly (semantic differential) and implicitly (single target-implicit association task, ST-IAT). Participants' adult attachment styles (experiences in close relationships revised) predicted attitudes scores, but only when measured implicitly. Participants scored higher on the ST-IAT after watching a video coherent with their attachment style. No effect was found on the facial expressions of disgust. These findings suggest a role of adult attachment styles in shaping implicit attitudes related to the caregiving system. PMID:26779060

Sources of somatization: Exploring the roles of insecurity in relationships and styles of anger experience and expression

PubMed Central

Liu, Liang; Cohen, Shiri; Schulz, Marc S.; Waldinger, Robert J.

2011-01-01

Research in the U.S. has shown strong connections between insecure attachment in close relationships and somatization. In addition, studies have demonstrated connections between somatic symptoms and anger experience and expression. In this study, we integrate perspectives from these two literatures by testing the hypothesis that proneness to anger and suppression of anger mediate the link between insecurity in relationships and somatization. Between 2000 and 2003, a community-based sample of 101 couples in a large U.S. city completed self-report measures, including the Somatic Symptom Inventory, the Relationship Scales Questionnaire, the Multidimensional Anger Inventory, the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Controlling for age, income, and recent intimate partner violence, analyses showed that the link between insecure attachment and somatization was partially mediated by anger proneness for men and by anger suppression for women. Findings are consistent with the hypothesis that men who are insecurely attached are more prone to experience anger that in turn fosters somatization. For women, findings suggest that insecure attachment may influence adult levels of somatization by fostering suppression of anger expression. Specific clinical interventions that help patients manage and express angry feelings more adaptively may reduce insecurely attached individuals’ vulnerability to medically unexplained somatic symptoms. PMID:21907475

Seasonal and pandemic human influenza viruses attach better to human upper respiratory tract epithelium than avian influenza viruses.

PubMed

van Riel, Debby; den Bakker, Michael A; Leijten, Lonneke M E; Chutinimitkul, Salin; Munster, Vincent J; de Wit, Emmie; Rimmelzwaan, Guus F; Fouchier, Ron A M; Osterhaus, Albert D M E; Kuiken, Thijs

2010-04-01

Influenza viruses vary markedly in their efficiency of human-to-human transmission. This variation has been speculated to be determined in part by the tropism of influenza virus for the human upper respiratory tract. To study this tropism, we determined the pattern of virus attachment by virus histochemistry of three human and three avian influenza viruses in human nasal septum, conchae, nasopharynx, paranasal sinuses, and larynx. We found that the human influenza viruses-two seasonal influenza viruses and pandemic H1N1 virus-attached abundantly to ciliated epithelial cells and goblet cells throughout the upper respiratory tract. In contrast, the avian influenza viruses, including the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus, attached only rarely to epithelial cells or goblet cells. Both human and avian viruses attached occasionally to cells of the submucosal glands. The pattern of virus attachment was similar among the different sites of the human upper respiratory tract for each virus tested. We conclude that influenza viruses that are transmitted efficiently among humans attach abundantly to human upper respiratory tract, whereas inefficiently transmitted influenza viruses attach rarely. These results suggest that the ability of an influenza virus to attach to human upper respiratory tract is a critical factor for efficient transmission in the human population.

The Relations among Maternal Depressive Disorder, Maternal Expressed Emotion, and Toddler Behavior Problems and Attachment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gravener, Julie A.; Rogosch, Fred A.; Oshri, Assaf; Narayan, Angela J.; Cicchetti, Dante; Toth, Sheree L.

2012-01-01

Direct and indirect relations among maternal depression, maternal Expressed Emotion (EE: Self- and Child-Criticism), child internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and child attachment were examined. Participants were mothers with depression (n = 130) and comparison mothers (n = 68) and their toddlers (M age = 20 mo.; 53% male). Assessments…

Resolving Alliance Ruptures from an Attachment-Informed Perspective.

PubMed

Miller-Bottome, Madeleine; Talia, Alessandro; Safran, Jeremy D; Muran, J Christopher

2018-04-01

In this article, we examine how the different attachment patterns enable or hinder the resolution of ruptures in the therapeutic alliance. We try to show that secure and insecure patients alike may experience ruptures in the therapeutic alliance, but that their ability to participate in resolving such ruptures differ markedly. Recent findings with the Patient Attachment Coding System (PACS) show that attachment classifications manifest in psychotherapy as distinct ways of communicating about present internal experience. Secure patients disclose their present experience openly and invite attunement from the therapist, while insecure patients either minimize their contributions to the dialogue (avoidant) or the contributions of the therapist (preoccupied). Using examples from session transcripts, we demonstrate how secure patients are particularly responsive to resolution strategies that focus on here-and-now experience, while insecure patients' characteristic ways of communicating pose significant challenges to the resolution process.

Cellular viability and genetic expression of human gingival fibroblasts to zirconia with enamel matrix derivative (Emdogain®)

PubMed Central

Kwon, Yong-Dae; Choi, Hyun-jung; Lee, Heesu; Lee, Jung-Woo; Weber, Hans-Peter

2014-01-01

PURPOSE The objective of this study was to investigate the biologic effects of enamel matrix derivative (EMD) with different concentrations on cell viability and the genetic expression of human gingival fibroblasts (HGF) to zirconia surfaces. MATERIALS AND METHODS Immortalized human gingival fibroblasts (HGF) were cultured (1) without EMD, (2) with EMD 25 µg/mL, and (3) with EMD 100 µg/mL on zirconia discs. MTT assay was performed to evaluate the cell proliferation activity and SEM was carried out to examine the cellular morphology and attachment. The mRNA expression of collagen type I, osteopontin, fibronectin, and TGF-β1 was evaluated with the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS From MTT assay, HGF showed more proliferation in EMD 25 µg/mL group than control and EMD 100 µg/mL group (P<.05). HGFs showed more flattened cellular morphology on the experimental groups than on the control group after 4h culture and more cellular attachments were observed on EMD 25 µg/mL group and EMD 100 µg/mL group after 24h culture. After 48h of culture, cellular attachment was similar in all groups. The mRNA expression of type I collagen increased in a concentration dependent manner. The genetic expression of osteopontin, fibronectin, and TGF-β1 was increased at EMD 100 µg/mL. However, the mRNA expression of proteins associated with cellular attachment was decreased at EMD 25 µg/mL. CONCLUSION Through this short term culture of HGF on zirconium discs, we conclude that EMD affects the proliferation, attachment, and cell morphology of HGF cells. Also, EMD stimulates production of extracellular matrix collagen, osteopontin, and TGF-β1 in high concentration levels. CLINICAL RELEVANCE With the use of EMD, protective barrier between attached gingiva and transmucosal zirconia abutment may be enhanced leading to final esthetic results with implants. PMID:25352963

The secure base script and the task of caring for elderly parents: implications for attachment theory and clinical practice.

PubMed

Chen, Cory K; Waters, Harriet Salatas; Hartman, Marilyn; Zimmerman, Sheryl; Miklowitz, David J; Waters, Everett

2013-01-01

This study explores links between adults' attachment representations and the task of caring for elderly parents with dementia. Participants were 87 adults serving as primary caregivers of a parent or parent-in-law with dementia. Waters and Waters' ( 2006 ) Attachment Script Assessment was adapted to assess script-like attachment representation in the context of caring for their elderly parent. The quality of adult-elderly parent interactions was assessed using the Level of Expressed Emotions Scale (Cole & Kazarian, 1988 ) and self-report measures of caregivers' perception of caregiving as difficult. Caregivers' secure base script knowledge predicted lower levels of negative expressed emotion. This effect was moderated by the extent to which participants experienced caring for elderly parents as difficult. Attachment representations played a greater role in caregiving when caregiving tasks were perceived as more difficult. These results support the hypothesis that attachment representations influence the quality of care that adults provide their elderly parents. Clinical implications are discussed.

Development of Measurement Device of Working Radius of Crane Based on Single CCD Camera and Laser Range Finder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nara, Shunsuke; Takahashi, Satoru

In this paper, what we want to do is to develop an observation device to measure the working radius of a crane truck. The device has a single CCD camera, a laser range finder and two AC servo motors. First, in order to measure the working radius, we need to consider algorithm of a crane hook recognition. Then, we attach the cross mark on the crane hook. Namely, instead of the crane hook, we try to recognize the cross mark. Further, for the observation device, we construct PI control system with an extended Kalman filter to track the moving cross mark. Through experiments, we show the usefulness of our device including new control system of mark tracking.

Inflammatory cytokine response to titanium chemical composition and nanoscale calcium phosphate surface modification.

PubMed

Hamlet, Stephen; Ivanovski, Saso

2011-05-01

Nanoscale surface modification of titanium dental implants with calcium phosphate (CaP) has been shown to achieve superior bone wound healing and osseointegration compared with smooth or microrough titanium surfaces alone. As bone healing has been shown to be influenced by the action of cytokines, this study examined whether changes in cytokine gene expression from RAW 264.7 cells cultured on commercially pure and titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) microrough or nanoscale crystalline CaP-modified surfaces, may influence downstream events in bone wound healing and osseointegration. Whilst no significant difference in the attachment or proliferation of RAW 264.7 cells was observed, the nanoscale CaP-modified surface elicited a gene expression profile with marked down-regulation of a number of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Inflammatory cytokine gene expression was further influenced by chemical composition, with lower levels of pro-inflammatory markers noted following exposure of the macrophage-like cells to titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) compared with the commercially pure titanium surface. Down-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine gene expression (confirmed at the protein level for TNFα and CCL5), may thus facilitate the enhanced bone wound healing and osseointegration observed clinically with nanoscale calcium phosphate-modified implant surfaces. Copyright © 2011 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Embolic complications by ink clots removed from syringes during cerebral angiography].

PubMed

Kohyama, Shinya; Ishihara, Shoichiro; Yamane, Fumitaka; Ishihara, Hideaki; Kanazawa, Ryuzaburo; Suzuki, Masanori; Neki, Hiroaki; Ohkawara, Mai

2009-01-01

We noted, during cerebral angiography, that the contrast medium was contaminated with numerous small black ink clots from gradation marks on syringes. In this report, we show that ink can be removed from syringes in solid form, and that they may result in embolic complications during cerebral angiography. To demonstrate that the ink from gradation marks on syringes can come off in a solid form and attach itself to the gloves during cerebral angiography, syringes were gripped many times (just as in an angiographic procedure) after immersion in contrast medium or 0.9% saline for 10 minutes. To see if difference of contrast medium and syringes could affect the removing of ink, five types of nonangiographic syringes and one type of angiographic syringe were rubbed with gauze after certain time periods after immersing them in four kinds of contrast medium or 0.9% saline. Ink attached itself to the gloves in a solid form by repeated gripping due to adherence of contrast medium. Ink was removed from all nonangiographic syringes by rubbing after immersion in any type of contrast medium for two hours. Gradation marks on angiographic syringes were stable with all types of contrast medium. Thus, ink for gradation marks on nonangiographic syringes, which is easily removed in a solid form due to contrast medium, can be the source of embolic complication during cerebral angiography.

Maternal Mental State Language and Preschool Children's Attachment Security: Relation to Children's Mental State Language and Expressions of Emotional Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mcquaid, Nancy; Bigelow, Ann E.; McLaughlin, Jessica; MacLean, Kim

2008-01-01

Mothers' mental state language in conversation with their preschool children, and children's preschool attachment security were examined for their effects on children's mental state language and expressions of emotional understanding in their conversation. Children discussed an emotionally salient event with their mothers and then relayed the…

Three newly identified galectin homologues from triangle sail mussel (Hyriopsis cumingii) function as potential pattern-recognition receptors.

PubMed

Zhao, Ling-Ling; Hui, Kaimin; Wang, Yu-Qing; Wang, Yue; Ren, Qian; Li, Xin-Cang

2018-05-01

Galactoside-binding lectins, also known as galectins, play crucial roles in innate immune response in invertebrates. In this study, three cDNA sequences from Hyriopsis cumingii were identified and collectively called HcGalec genes. Each of the three deduced HcGalec proteins contained a galactose-binding lectin domain or a GLECT domain. All the three HcGalec genes are mainly present in the hepatopancreas and gills, and their expression is induced at 24 h after bacterial challenge. Three recombinant HcGalec proteins can bind and agglutinate (Ca 2+ -dependent) various microorganisms, including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. These proteins can attach to mannan and peptidoglycan. Meanwhile, the expression of the three HcGalec genes in the gills were significantly down-regulated after dsRNA interference (HcGalec1-RNAi, HcGalec2-RNAi, and HcGalec3-RNAi) and Vibrio parahaemolyticus injection. The expression levels of some antimicrobial peptides, including lysozyme 1 and lysozyme 2, were also markedly decreased after dsRNA interference. Overall, these results suggested that these three HcGalec proteins may function as potential receptors participating in the innate immune responses of H. cumingii against bacterial infection. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reduced chondrocyte proliferation and chondrodysplasia in mice lacking the integrin-linked kinase in chondrocytes.

PubMed

Terpstra, Leonieke; Prud'homme, Josée; Arabian, Alice; Takeda, Shu; Karsenty, Gérard; Dedhar, Shoukat; St-Arnaud, René

2003-07-07

Chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation requires their attachment to the collagen type II-rich matrix of developing bone. This interaction is mediated by integrins and their cytoplasmic effectors, such as the integrin-linked kinase (ILK). To elucidate the molecular mechanisms whereby integrins control these processes, we have specifically inactivated the ILK gene in growth plate chondrocytes using the Cre-lox methodology. Mice carrying an ILK allele flanked by loxP sites (ILK-fl) were crossed to transgenic mice expressing the Cre recombinase under the control of the collagen type II promoter. Inactivation of both copies of the ILK-fl allele lead to a chondrodysplasia characterized by a disorganized growth plate and to dwarfism. Expression of chondrocyte differentiation markers such as collagen type II, collagen type X, Indian hedgehog and the PTH-PTHrP receptor was normal in ILK-deficient growth plates. In contrast, chondrocyte proliferation, assessed by BrdU or proliferating cell nuclear antigen labeling, was markedly reduced in the mutant growth plates. Cell-based assays showed that integrin-mediated adhesion of primary cultures of chondrocytes from mutant animals to collagen type II was impaired. ILK inactivation in chondrocytes resulted in reduced cyclin D1 expression, and this most likely explains the defect in chondrocyte proliferation observed when ILK is inactivated in growth plate cells.

Embryoid body attachment to reconstituted basement membrane induces a genetic program of epithelial differentiation via jun N-terminal kinase signaling.

PubMed

Ho, Hoang-Yen; Moffat, Ryan C; Patel, Rupal V; Awah, Franklin N; Baloue, Kaitrin; Crowe, David L

2010-09-01

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are derived from early stage mammalian embryos and have broad developmental potential. These cells can be manipulated experimentally to generate cells of multiple tissue types which could be important in treating human diseases. The ability to produce relevant amounts of these differentiated cell populations creates the basis for clinical interventions in tissue regeneration and repair. Understanding how embryonic stem cells differentiate also can reveal important insights into cell biology. A previously reported mouse embryonic stem cell model demonstrated that differentiated epithelial cells migrated out of embryoid bodies attached to reconstituted basement membrane. We used genomic technology to profile ES cell populations in order to understand the molecular mechanisms leading to epithelial differentiation. Cells with characteristics of cultured epithelium migrated from embryoid bodies attached to reconstituted basement membrane. However, cells that comprised embryoid bodies also rapidly lost ES cell-specific gene expression and expressed proteins characteristic of stratified epithelia within hours of attachment to basement membrane. Gene expression profiling of sorted cell populations revealed upregulation of the BMP/TGFbeta signaling pathway, which was not sufficient for epithelial differentiation in the absence of basement membrane attachment. Activation of c-jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1) and increased expression of Jun family transcription factors was observed during epithelial differentiation of ES cells. Inhibition of JNK signaling completely blocked epithelial differentiation in this model, revealing a key mechanism by which ES cells adopt epithelial characteristics via basement membrane attachment. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

46 CFR 199.175 - Survival craft and rescue boat equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... equivalent device, either permanently installed or attached to the boat by a lanyard or chain, must be provided for each oar. Each oar should have the vessel's name marked on it in block letters. (21) Painter...

46 CFR 199.175 - Survival craft and rescue boat equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... equivalent device, either permanently installed or attached to the boat by a lanyard or chain, must be provided for each oar. Each oar should have the vessel's name marked on it in block letters. (21) Painter...

46 CFR 199.175 - Survival craft and rescue boat equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... equivalent device, either permanently installed or attached to the boat by a lanyard or chain, must be provided for each oar. Each oar should have the vessel's name marked on it in block letters. (21) Painter...

Act resilient.

PubMed

Joseph, Genie; Bice-Stephens, Wynona

2014-01-01

Attendees have reported changing from being fearful to serene, from listless to energized, from disengaged to connected, and becoming markedly less anxious in a few weeks. Anecdotally, self-reported stress levels have been reduced by over 50% after just one class. Attendees learn not to be afraid of their feelings by working with emotions in a playful manner. When a person can act angry, but separate himself from his personal story, the emotional energy exists in a separate form that is not attached to specific events, and can be more easily dealt with and neutralized. Attendees are taught to "take out the emotional trash" through expressive comedy. They become less intimated by their own emotional intensity and triggers as they learn how even metaphorical buckets of anger, shame, guilt and hurt can be emotionally emptied. The added benefit is that this is accomplished without the disclosure of personal information of the requirement to reexperience past pain which can trigger its own cascade of stress.

The ubiquitin-specific protease USP15 promotes RIG-I-mediated antiviral signaling by deubiquitylating TRIM25.

PubMed

Pauli, Eva-Katharina; Chan, Ying Kai; Davis, Meredith E; Gableske, Sebastian; Wang, May K; Feister, Katharina F; Gack, Michaela U

2014-01-07

Ubiquitylation is an important mechanism for regulating innate immune responses to viral infections. Attachment of lysine 63 (Lys(63))-linked ubiquitin chains to the RNA sensor retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I) by the ubiquitin E3 ligase tripartite motif protein 25 (TRIM25) leads to the activation of RIG-I and stimulates production of the antiviral cytokines interferon-α (IFN-α) and IFN-β. Conversely, Lys(48)-linked ubiquitylation of TRIM25 by the linear ubiquitin assembly complex (LUBAC) stimulates the proteasomal degradation of TRIM25, thereby inhibiting the RIG-I signaling pathway. Here, we report that ubiquitin-specific protease 15 (USP15) deubiquitylates TRIM25, preventing the LUBAC-dependent degradation of TRIM25. Through protein purification and mass spectrometry analysis, we identified USP15 as an interaction partner of TRIM25 in human cells. Knockdown of endogenous USP15 by specific small interfering RNA markedly enhanced the ubiquitylation of TRIM25. In contrast, expression of wild-type USP15, but not its catalytically inactive mutant, reduced the Lys(48)-linked ubiquitylation of TRIM25, leading to its stabilization. Furthermore, ectopic expression of USP15 enhanced the TRIM25- and RIG-I-dependent production of type I IFN and suppressed RNA virus replication. In contrast, depletion of USP15 resulted in decreased IFN production and markedly enhanced viral replication. Together, these data identify USP15 as a critical regulator of the TRIM25- and RIG-I-mediated antiviral immune response, thereby highlighting the intricate regulation of innate immune signaling.

The Ubiquitin-Specific Protease USP15 Promotes RIG-I–Mediated Antiviral Signaling by Deubiquitylating TRIM25

PubMed Central

Pauli, Eva-Katharina; Chan, Ying Kai; Davis, Meredith E.; Gableske, Sebastian; Wang, May K.; Feister, Katharina F.; Gack, Michaela U.

2014-01-01

Ubiquitylation is an important mechanism for regulating innate immune responses to viral infections. Attachment of lysine 63 (Lys63)–linked ubiquitin chains to the RNA sensor retinoic acid–inducible gene-I (RIG-I) by the ubiquitin E3 ligase tripartite motif protein 25 (TRIM25) leads to the activation of RIG-I and stimulates production of the antiviral cytokines interferon-α (IFN-α) and IFN-β. Conversely, Lys48-linked ubiquitylation of TRIM25 by the linear ubiquitin assembly complex (LUBAC) stimulates the proteasomal degradation of TRIM25, thereby inhibiting the RIG-I signaling pathway. Here, we report that ubiquitin-specific protease 15 (USP15) deubiquitylates TRIM25, preventing the LUBAC-dependent degradation of TRIM25. Through protein purification and mass spectrometry analysis, we identified USP15 as an interaction partner of TRIM25 in human cells. Knockdown of endogenous USP15 by specific small interfering RNA markedly enhanced the ubiquitylation of TRIM25. In contrast, expression of wild-type USP15, but not its catalytically inactive mutant, reduced the Lys48-linked ubiquitylation of TRIM25, leading to its stabilization. Furthermore, ectopic expression of USP15 enhanced the TRIM25- and RIG-I–dependent production of type I IFN and suppressed RNA virus replication. In contrast, depletion of USP15 resulted in decreased IFN production and markedly enhanced viral replication. Together, these data identify USP15 as a critical regulator of the TRIM25- and RIG-I–mediated antiviral immune response, thereby highlighting the intricate regulation of innate immune signaling. PMID:24399297

Variation in the Oxytocin Receptor Gene Predicts Brain Region Specific Expression and Social Attachment

PubMed Central

King, Lanikea B.; Walum, Hasse; Inoue, Kiyoshi; Eyrich, Nicholas W.; Young, Larry J.

2015-01-01

Background Oxytocin (OXT) modulates several aspects of social behavior. Intranasal OXT is a leading candidate for treating social deficits in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and common genetic variants in the human oxytocin receptor (OXTR) are associated with emotion recognition, relationship quality and ASD. Animal models have revealed that individual differences in Oxtr expression in the brain drive social behavior variation. Our understanding of how genetic variation contributes to brain OXTR expression is very limited. Methods We investigated Oxtr expression in monogamous prairie voles, which have a well characterized OXT system. We quantified brain region-specific levels of Oxtr mRNA and OXTR protein with established neuroanatomical methods. We used pyrosequencing to investigate allelic imbalance of Oxtr mRNA, a molecular signature of polymorphic genetic regulatory elements. We performed next-generation sequencing to discover variants in and near the Oxtr gene. We investigated social attachment using the partner preference test. Results Our allelic imbalance data demonstrates that genetic variants contribute to individual differences in Oxtr expression, but only in particular brain regions, including the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), where OXTR signaling facilitates social attachment. Next-generation sequencing identified one polymorphism in the Oxtr intron, near a putative cis-regulatory element, explaining 74% of the variance in striatal Oxtr expression specifically. Males homozygous for the high expressing allele display enhanced social attachment. Discussion Taken together, these findings provide convincing evidence for robust genetic influence on Oxtr expression and provide novel insights into how non-coding polymorphisms in the OXTR might influence individual differences in human social cognition and behavior PMID:26893121

An Attachment Perspective on Anger among Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Konishi, Chiaki; Hymel, Shelley

2014-01-01

Extending John Bowlby's hypothesis that dysfunctional anger is a predictable outcome of insecure attachments to parents, this study investigated the relationship between current parent-adolescent attachment and both the experience and expression of anger. Participants included 776 students (379 boys and 397 girls) in grades 8-12. As predicted by…

[The Munich Attachment and Effectiveness Study: Study Design and a Case Example].

PubMed

Hörz-Sagstetter, Susanne; Minow, Anna-Rahel; Erhardt, Ingrid; Barten-Hohn, Julia; Denscherz, Claudia; Buchheim, Anna; Taubner, Svenja; Mertens, Wolfgang

2016-03-01

The "Munich Attachment and Effectiveness Study" is a prospective psychotherapy study examining process and outcome of psychoanalytic psychotherapies. The study design and results are exemplified in a single case. At 6 points in time audio-taped and transcribed therapy sessions are evaluated using process instruments (e. g. Psychotherapy Process Q-Set PQS) and interviews (e. g. Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnostics OPD, Heidelberg Structural Change Scale HSCS, Adult Attachment Interview AAI). In the single case, findings from the psychotherapeutic process (e. g. "therapist is empathic" according to PQS) complement the achieved changes. 5 HSCS problem foci reached level of "restructuring", on the Reflective Functioning Scale a marked change of RF took place and the attachment classification changed over time. The instruments employed in this study corresponded well in assessing change processes in spite of differing theoretical background. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Integration of multiple cell-matrix interactions into alginate scaffolds for promoting cardiac tissue regeneration.

PubMed

Sapir, Yulia; Kryukov, Olga; Cohen, Smadar

2011-03-01

Cardiac tissue engineering aims to repair damaged myocardial tissues by applying heart patches created in vitro. Herein, we explored the possible role of a combination of two matrix-attached peptides, the adhesion peptide G(4)RGDY and heparin-binding peptide G(4)SPPRRARVTY (HBP) in cardiac tissue regeneration. Neonatal rat cardiac cells were seeded into unmodified, single peptide or double peptide-attached alginate scaffolds, all having the same physical features of porosity, hydrogel forming and matrix stiffness. The cardiac tissue developed in the HBP/RGD-attached scaffolds revealed the best features of a functional muscle tissue, as judged by all studied parameters, i.e., immunostaining of cardiac cell markers, histology, western blot of protein expressions and metabolic activity. By day 7, well-developed myocardial fibers were observed in these cell constructs. At 14 days the HBP/RGD-attached constructs presented an isotropic myofiber arrangement, while no such arrangement was seen in the other constructs. The expression levels of α-actinin, N-cadherin and Connexin-43, showing preservation and an increase in Connexin-43 expression (Cx-43) with time, further supported the formation a contractile muscle tissue in the HBP/RGD-attached scaffolds. Collectively, the attachment of combinatorial peptides representing different signaling in ECM-cell interactions proved to play a key role, contributing to the formation of a functional cardiac muscle tissue, in vitro. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Classes of crude drugs and its distribution of producing area in the attached illustrations in Ben cao tu jing (Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica)].

PubMed

Xu, T; Peng, H S

2016-03-01

Ben cao tu jing (Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica) is the earliest extant atlas book of materia medica in China, with 933 attached drawings. Among them, the largest portion, amounting to 670, are herbaceous plants, mostly commonly used, with definite marks of the origin producing areas, distributed across 149 administrative divisions(prefectures and counties) of the Song Dynasty, most of them in Northern area which were distributed denser than those in Southern area. The densest ones were located in Southern Shanxi, Eastern Sichuan and Eastern Anhui. In the attached drawings, the frequency of highest occurrence appeared in this Classic are three prefectures, Chuzhou, Shizhou and Guangzhou.

MCP-1-Induced Protein Promotes Endothelial-Like and Angiogenic Properties in Human Bone Marrow Monocytic Cells

PubMed Central

Wang, Kangkai; Zhelyabovska, Olga; Saad, Yasser; Kolattukudy, Pappachan E.

2013-01-01

Monocytic cells enhance neovascularization by releasing proangiogenic mediators and/or by transdifferentiating into endothelial-like cells. However, the mechanisms that govern this transdifferentiation process are largely unknown. Recently, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1)-induced protein (MCPIP) has been identified as a novel CCCH-type zinc-finger protein expressed primarily in monocytic cells. Here, we analyzed whether MCPIP might exert angiogenic effects by promoting differentiation of monocytic cells into endothelial cell (EC)-like phenotype. The expression of MCPIP increased during MCP-1-induced transdifferentiation in human bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMNCs). Knockdown of MCPIP with small interfering RNA (siRNA) abolished MCP-1-induced expression of EC markers Flk-1 and Tie-2 in human BMNCs. BMNCs transfected with MCPIP expression vector displayed EC-like morphology accompanied by downregulation of monocytic markers CD14 and CD11b, upregulation of EC markers Flk-1 and Tie-2, induction of cadherin (cdh)-12 and -19, activation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and autophagy. Knockdown of cdh-12 or cdh-19 markedly inhibited MCPIP-induced enhancement of cell attachment and EC-marker expression. Inhibition of ER stress by tauroursodeoxycholate abolished MCPIP-induced expression of EC markers. Inhibition of autophagy by knockdown of Beclin-1 with siRNA or by an autophagy inhibitor 3′-methyladenine inhibited MCPIP-induced expression of EC markers. Expression of MCPIP in BMNCs enhanced uptake of acetylated low-density lipoprotein (acLDL), formation of EC-colony, incorporation of cells into capillary-like structure on Matrigel, and exhibited increased neovascularization in the ischemic hindlimb in mice. These results demonstrate that MCPIP may be an important regulator of inflammatory angiogenesis and provide novel mechanistic insights into the link between MCP-1 and cardiovascular diseases. PMID:24008336

Emotional and Adrenocortical Regulation in Early Adolescence: Prediction by Attachment Security and Disorganization in Infancy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spangler, Gottfried; Zimmermann, Peter

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study was to examine differences in emotion expression and emotion regulation in emotion-eliciting situations in early adolescence from a bio-psycho-social perspective, specifically investigating the influence of early mother-infant attachment and attachment disorganization on behavioural and adrenocortical responses. The…

Sense of place among Atlanta public housing residents.

PubMed

Tester, Griff; Ruel, Erin; Anderson, Angela; Reitzes, Donald C; Oakley, Deirdre

2011-06-01

For almost two decades now, cities around the country have been demolishing traditional public housing and relocating residents to subsidized private market rental housing. In this paper, we examine sense of place, consisting of both community and place attachment, among a sample of Atlanta public housing residents prior to relocation (N = 290). We find that 41% of the residents express place attachment, and a large percentage express some level of community attachment, though residents of senior public housing are far more attached than residents of family public housing. Positive neighborhood characteristics, such as collective efficacy and social support, are associated with community attachment, and social support is also associated with place attachment. Negative neighborhood characteristics, such as social disorder and fear of crime, are not consistently associated with sense of place. We argue that embodied in current public housing relocation initiatives is a real sense of loss among the residents. Policy makers may also want to consider the possibilities of drawing upon residents' sense of place as a resource for renovating and revitalizing public housing communities rather than continuing to demolish them and relocating residents to other neighborhoods.

16 CFR 309.14 - Recordkeeping.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Distributors of Non-Liquid Alternative Vehicle Fuels (other Than Electricity) and of Electric Vehicle Fuel... vehicle fuels (other than electricity) and for electric vehicle fuel dispensing systems. You also must... for your certification on a permanent marking or permanent label attached to the electric vehicle fuel...

16 CFR 309.14 - Recordkeeping.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Distributors of Non-Liquid Alternative Vehicle Fuels (other Than Electricity) and of Electric Vehicle Fuel... vehicle fuels (other than electricity) and for electric vehicle fuel dispensing systems. You also must... for your certification on a permanent marking or permanent label attached to the electric vehicle fuel...

16 CFR 309.14 - Recordkeeping.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Distributors of Non-Liquid Alternative Vehicle Fuels (other Than Electricity) and of Electric Vehicle Fuel... vehicle fuels (other than electricity) and for electric vehicle fuel dispensing systems. You also must... for your certification on a permanent marking or permanent label attached to the electric vehicle fuel...

30 CFR 18.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., or association that designs, manufactures, assembles, or controls the assembly of an electrical... attachment of an approval plate so indicating. Approval plate means a metal plate, the design of which meets... approved (permissible) equipment. Certification label means a plate, label, or marking, the design of which...

30 CFR 18.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., or association that designs, manufactures, assembles, or controls the assembly of an electrical... attachment of an approval plate so indicating. Approval plate means a metal plate, the design of which meets... approved (permissible) equipment. Certification label means a plate, label, or marking, the design of which...

30 CFR 18.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., or association that designs, manufactures, assembles, or controls the assembly of an electrical... attachment of an approval plate so indicating. Approval plate means a metal plate, the design of which meets... approved (permissible) equipment. Certification label means a plate, label, or marking, the design of which...

30 CFR 18.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., or association that designs, manufactures, assembles, or controls the assembly of an electrical... attachment of an approval plate so indicating. Approval plate means a metal plate, the design of which meets... approved (permissible) equipment. Certification label means a plate, label, or marking, the design of which...

16 CFR 309.14 - Recordkeeping.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Distributors of Non-Liquid Alternative Vehicle Fuels (other Than Electricity) and of Electric Vehicle Fuel... vehicle fuels (other than electricity) and for electric vehicle fuel dispensing systems. You also must... for your certification on a permanent marking or permanent label attached to the electric vehicle fuel...

Use of a journal club and letter-writing exercise to teach critical appraisal to medical undergraduates.

PubMed

Edwards, R; White, M; Gray, J; Fischbacher, C

2001-07-01

There is growing interest in methods of teaching critical appraisal skills at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. We describe an approach using a journal club and subsequent letter writing to teach critical appraisal and writing skills to medical undergraduates. The exercise occurs during a 3-week public health medicine attachment in the third year of the undergraduate curriculum. Students work in small groups to appraise a recently published research paper, present their findings to their peers in a journal club, and draft a letter to the journal editor. Evaluation took place through: informal and formal feedback from students; number of letters written, submitted and published, and a comparison of marks obtained by students submitting a literature review assignment with and without critical appraisal teaching during the public health attachment. Feedback from students was overwhelmingly positive. In the first 3(1/2) years, 26 letters have been published or accepted for publication, and 58 letters published on the Internet. There were no significant differences in overall marks or marks for the critical appraisal component of the literature review assignments between the two student groups. We believe our approach is an innovative and enjoyable method for teaching critical appraisal and writing skills to medical students. Lack of difference in marks in the literature review between the student groups may reflect its insensitivity as an outcome measure, contamination by other critical appraisal teaching, or true ineffectiveness.

Slab rupture and delamination under the Betics and Rif constrained from receiver functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mancilla, Flor de Lis; Booth-Rea, Guillermo; Stich, Daniel; Pérez-Peña, José Vicente; Morales, José; Azañón, José Miguel; Martin, Rosa; Giaconia, Flavio

2015-11-01

We map the lithospheric structure under the westernmost Mediterranean convergent setting interpreting P-receiver functions obtained from a dense seismic network. No orogenic root occurs under the eastern and great part of the central Betics. However, the subducted South Iberian continental lithosphere is found beneath the western Betics where the Iberian Moho reaches depths of approximately 65 km, dipping gently towards the SE. Meanwhile, at the Rif, strong crustal and lithospheric thickness contrasts occur across the Nekor NW-SE sinistral fault that overlies the region of present slab tearing. East of the Nekor fault there is no orogenic root and the crust has been thinned to approximately 22 km, whilst to the west the crust reaches 55 km thickness and the Maghrebian continental lithosphere is attached to the lithospheric slab imaged by tomography under the Alboran basin. These data suggest that subduction rollback under the Alboran and Algerian basins, together with continental slab tearing or detachment producing edge delamination under the Betics and Rif have been the main tectonic mechanisms driving extension, magmatism and regional uplift in the westernmost Mediterranean since the Late Miocene until present. The surface expression of edge-delamination and slab tearing is marked by regional uplift, denudation of HP rocks in elongated core-complex type domes, late Miocene volcanism in the Eastern Betics and Rif, and by large NE-SW strike-slip transfer faults like the Alpujarras, Crevillente, Torcal or Nekor faults that accommodate strong gradients in crustal displacements. The Iberian slab is still attached to the oceanic slab imaged under the Alboran basin at the western Betics where intermediate depth seismicity, recent dextral strike-slip faulting and folding, could reflect slab tearing. Meanwhile, active faulting and differential GPS-measured displacements would mark slab tearing beneath the Rif coinciding with the trace of the sinistral Nekor fault.

An attack of the plant parasite Cuscuta reflexa induces the expression of attAGP, an attachment protein of the host tomato.

PubMed

Albert, Markus; Belastegui-Macadam, Xana; Kaldenhoff, Ralf

2006-11-01

Dodder or Cuscutaceae are holoparasitic plants subsisting on other dicotyledonous plants. The infection process is initiated by adherence of Cuscuta prehaustoria to the host surface, followed by penetration attempts by hyphae. In the case of a successful infection, these organs connect the parasite's vascular tissue to that of the host. Here we show that contact of Cuscuta reflexa prehaustoria to tomato induces the expression of a new arabinogalactan protein (AGP), attAGP, in the tomato precisely at the site of dodder attack. We show that attAGP is a plasma membrane-bound cell wall-localized protein. Using the RNAi technique and attAGP-targeted virus-induced gene silencing, we observed a correlation between attAGP expression level and force of attachment of the parasite to host tomatoes. If the expression level of attAGP was reduced, the C. reflexa attachment capability was significantly reduced, too. We conclude that C. reflexa infection induced a signal in the host leading to expression of tomato attAGP, which promotes the parasite's adherence.

Attachment and couple satisfaction as predictors of expressed emotion in women facing breast cancer and their partners in the immediate post-surgery period.

PubMed

Favez, Nicolas; Cairo Notari, Sarah; Antonini, Tania; Charvoz, Linda

2017-02-01

To investigate expressed emotion (EE) in couples facing breast cancer in the immediate post-surgery period. EE may be predictive of psychological disturbances that hinder both partners' capacities to cope with the stress of the disease. Severity of the disease, attachment tendencies, and couple satisfaction were tested as predictors of EE. The design was cross-sectional. Couples (N = 61) were interviewed 2 weeks after the women's breast surgery. Expressed emotion was assessed in women and in partners with the Five-Minute Speech Sample, with a focus on overt and covert criticisms. Self-reported EE, attachment tendencies, and couple satisfaction were assessed with questionnaires. Hierarchical regression analyses were performed to test the predictors and possible interactions between them. Both partners expressed overt and covert criticisms; women expressed more overt criticisms than did their partners. Cancer stage was inversely related to the number of overt criticisms in women and to the number of covert criticisms in partners. Regression analyses showed that in women, higher attachment anxiety and lower couple satisfaction were positive predictors of overt criticisms; in partners, a higher cancer stage was a negative predictor of overt and covert criticisms. Practitioners should pay attention to the couple relationship in breast cancer. EE is most likely to appear when the cancer stage is low, showing that even when the medical prognosis is optimal, relational and emotional disturbances may occur. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? The couple relationship is of paramount importance in breast cancer. Expressed emotion (EE) is related to negative individual and relational psychological outcomes in psychiatric and somatic diseases. Expressed emotion has not yet been studied in the context of breast cancer. What does this study add? Expressed emotion is present in breast cancer situations, especially when the cancer stage is low. There was more EE in women than in their partners. Cancer stage, attachment tendencies, and couple satisfaction are predictors of EE. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

The relations among maternal depressive disorder, maternal Expressed Emotion, and toddler behavior problems and attachment

PubMed Central

Gravener, Julie A.; Rogosch, Fred A.; Oshri, Assaf; Narayan, Angela J.; Cicchetti, Dante; Toth, Sheree L.

2015-01-01

Direct and indirect relations among maternal depression, maternal Expressed Emotion (EE: Self- and Child-Criticism), child internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and child attachment were examined. Participants were mothers with depression (n = 130) and comparison mothers (n = 68) and their toddlers (M age = 20 mo.; 53% male). Assessments included the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (maternal depression); the Five Minute Speech Sample (EE); the Child Behavior Checklist (toddler behavior problems); the Strange Situation (child attachment). Direct relations were significant linking: 1) maternal depression with both EE and child functioning; 2) Child-Criticism with child internalizing and externalizing symptoms; 3) Self-Criticism with child attachment. Significant indirect relations were found linking maternal depression with: 1) child externalizing behaviors via Child-Criticism; 2) child internalizing behaviors via Self- and Child-Criticism; and 3) child attachment via Self-Criticism. Findings are consistent with a conceptual model in which maternal EE mediates relations between maternal depression and toddler socio-emotional functioning. PMID:22146899

Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris strain JFR1 attenuates Salmonella adhesion to human intestinal cells in vitro.

PubMed

Zhang, Justina Su; Guri, Anilda; Corredig, Milena; Morales-Rayas, Rocio; Hassan, Ashraf; Griffiths, Mansel; LaPointe, Gisèle

2016-12-01

Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris JFR1 has been studied in reduced fat cheese due to its ability to produce exopolysaccharides (EPS) in situ, contributing to improved textural and organoleptic properties. In this study, the effect of strain JFR1 on virulence gene expression and attachment of Salmonella to HT-29 human colon carcinoma cells was investigated. Overnight cultures of L. lactis subsp. cremoris JFR1 containing EPS, grown in M17 media with 0.5% glucose supplementation, decreased attachment as well as down regulated virulence gene expression in Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica when tested on HT-29 cells. However, EPS isolated from milk fermented with L. lactis subsp. cremoris JFR1 did not affect Salmonella virulence gene expression or attachment to HT-29 cells. These results suggest that EPS does not contribute to the attachment of Salmonella to human intestinal cells. However, the possibility that the isolation process may have affected the structural features of EPS cannot be ruled out. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Colonization of Bacteria on the Surfaces of Cold-Sprayed Copper Coatings Alters Their Electrochemical Behaviors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suo, Xinkun; Abdoli, Leila; Liu, Yi; Xia, Peng; Yang, Guanjun; Li, Hua

2017-04-01

Copper coatings were fabricated on stainless steel plates by cold spraying. Attachment and colonization of Bacillus sp. on their surfaces in artificial seawater were characterized, and their effects on anticorrosion performances of the coatings were examined. Attached bacteria were observed using field emission scanning electron microscopy. Electrochemical behaviors including potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy with/without bacterial attachment were evaluated using commercial electrochemical analysis station Modulab. Results show that Bacillus sp. opt to settle on low-lying spots of the coating surfaces in early stage, followed by recruitment and attachment of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secreted through metabolism of Bacillus sp. The bacteria survive with the protection of EPS. An attachment model is proposed to illustrate the bacterial behaviors on the surfaces of the coatings. Electrochemical data show that current density under Bacillus sp. environment decreases compared to that without the bacteria. Charge-transfer resistance increases markedly in bacteria-containing seawater, suggesting that corrosion resistance increases and corrosion rate decreases. The influencing mechanism of bacteria settlement on corrosion resistance of the cold-sprayed copper coatings was discussed and elucidated.

Mothers who are securely attached in pregnancy show more attuned infant mirroring at 7 months postpartum

PubMed Central

Kim, Sohye; Fonagy, Peter; Allen, Jon; Martinez, Sheila; Iyengar, Udita; Strathearn, Lane

2014-01-01

This study contrasted two forms of mother-infant mirroring: the mother's imitation of the infant's facial, gestural, or vocal behavior (i.e., “direct mirroring”) and the mother's ostensive verbalization of the infant's internal state, marked as distinct from the infant's experience (i.e., “intention mirroring”). Fifty mothers completed the Adult Attachment Interview during the third trimester of pregnancy. Mothers returned with their infants 7 months postpartum and completed a modified still-face procedure. While direct mirroring did not distinguish between secure and insecure/dismissing mothers, secure mothers were observed to engage in intention mirroring more than twice as frequently as did insecure/dismissing mothers. Infants of the two mother groups also demonstrated differences, with infants of secure mothers directing their attention toward their mothers at a higher frequency than did infants of insecure/dismissing mothers. The findings underscore marked and ostensive verbalization as a distinguishing feature of secure mothers’ well-attuned, affect-mirroring communication with their infants. PMID:25020112

Maternal and paternal infant representations: a comparison between parents of term and preterm infants.

PubMed

Tooten, Anneke; Hall, Ruby A S; Hoffenkamp, Hannah N; Braeken, Johan; Vingerhoets, Ad J J M; van Bakel, Hedwig J A

2014-08-01

Research on parental attachment representations after preterm birth is limited and inconclusive. The present study is the first in which maternal and paternal attachment representations after term, moderately and very preterm birth are compared. In addition, special attention was directed toward disrupted attachment representations. Mothers and fathers of term infants (≥ 37 weeks of gestational age, n=71), moderately preterm infants (≥ 32-37 weeks of gestational age, n=62) and very preterm infants (<32 weeks of gestational age, n=56) participated in the present study. Attachment representations (balanced, disengaged, distorted) about their infants were evaluated with the Working Model of the Child Interview (WMCI). To asses disrupted representations the coding of the WMCI was extended with the disrupted scale (WMCI-D). The three main classifications of attachment representations were not affected by preterm birth. In addition, there were no gender differences in the rate of balanced representations. In case of non-balanced representations however, maternal representations were more often distorted, whereas fathers showed more often disengaged representations. Results further revealed that maternal disrupted attachment representations were marked by role/boundary confusion or disorientation, whereas paternal disrupted attachment representations were characterized by withdrawal. Given the gender differences it is essential to tailor interventions according to the attachment representations of the parent, in order to be able to alter their non-balanced and/or disrupted attachment representations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ascorbate-apatite composite and ascorbate-FGF-2-apatite composite layers formed on external fixation rods and their effects on cell activity in vitro.

PubMed

Wang, Xiupeng; Ito, Atsuo; Sogo, Yu; Li, Xia; Tsurushima, Hideo; Oyane, Ayako

2009-09-01

Ascorbate-apatite and ascorbate-fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2)-apatite composite layers were successfully formed on anodically oxidized Ti rods clinically used for external fixation by a one-step procedure at 25 degrees C, using a metastable supersaturated calcium phosphate solution supplemented with l-ascorbic acid phosphate magnesium salt n-hydrate (AsMg) and FGF-2. The AsMg-apatite and AsMg-FGF-2-apatite composite layers were evaluated in vitro using fibroblastic NIH3T3 and osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. The AsMg-FGF-2-apatite composite layer markedly enhanced the NIH3T3 cell proliferation and procollagen type capital I, Ukrainian gene expression. Without FGF-2, the AsMg-apatite composite layer whose ascorbate content was 3.64+/-1.27microgcm(-2) obviously enhanced osteoblastic proliferation and differentiation. However, the AsMg-FGF-2-apatite composite layers whose FGF-2 contents were from 0.15+/-0.03 to 0.31+/-0.04microgcm(-2) inhibited osteoblastic differentiation in vitro. Thus, the AsMg-FGF-2-apatite composite layer should be precipitated on the surface of external fixators attached to skin and soft tissue. On the other hand, the AsMg-apatite composite layer should be precipitated at the part attached to bone tissue.

DSN command system Mark III-78. [data processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stinnett, W. G.

1978-01-01

The Deep Space Network command Mark III-78 data processing system includes a capability for a store-and-forward handling method. The functions of (1) storing the command files at a Deep Space station; (2) attaching the files to a queue; and (3) radiating the commands to the spacecraft are straightforward. However, the total data processing capability is a result of assuming worst case, failure-recovery, or nonnominal operating conditions. Optional data processing functions include: file erase, clearing the queue, suspend radiation, command abort, resume command radiation, and close window time override.

Grinding Away Microfissures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Booth, Gary N.; Malinzak, R. Michael

1990-01-01

Treatment similar to dental polishing used to remove microfissures from metal parts without reworking adjacent surfaces. Any variety of abrasive tips attached to small motor used to grind spot treated. Configuration of grinding head must be compatible with configurations of motor and workpiece. Devised to eliminate spurious marks on welded parts.

Methods for assessing Phytophthora ramorum chlamydospore germination

Treesearch

Joyce Eberhart; Elilzabeth Stamm; Jennifer Parke

2013-01-01

Germination of chlamydospores is difficult to accurately assess when chlamydospores are attached to remnants of supporting hyphae. We developed two approaches for closely observing and rigorously quantifying the frequency of chlamydospore germination in vitro. The plate marking and scanning method was useful for quantifying germination of large...

5 CFR 1312.28 - Transmission of classified material.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... CLASSIFICATION, DOWNGRADING, DECLASSIFICATION AND SAFEGUARDING OF NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION Control and... outer covers or envelopes. The inner cover will be sealed and marked with the classification, and the... Confidential material) will be attached to or placed within the inner envelope to be signed by the recipient...

5 CFR 1312.28 - Transmission of classified material.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... CLASSIFICATION, DOWNGRADING, DECLASSIFICATION AND SAFEGUARDING OF NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION Control and... outer covers or envelopes. The inner cover will be sealed and marked with the classification, and the... Confidential material) will be attached to or placed within the inner envelope to be signed by the recipient...

5 CFR 1312.28 - Transmission of classified material.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... CLASSIFICATION, DOWNGRADING, DECLASSIFICATION AND SAFEGUARDING OF NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION Control and... outer covers or envelopes. The inner cover will be sealed and marked with the classification, and the... Confidential material) will be attached to or placed within the inner envelope to be signed by the recipient...

5 CFR 1312.28 - Transmission of classified material.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... CLASSIFICATION, DOWNGRADING, DECLASSIFICATION AND SAFEGUARDING OF NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION Control and... outer covers or envelopes. The inner cover will be sealed and marked with the classification, and the... Confidential material) will be attached to or placed within the inner envelope to be signed by the recipient...

Sonar Locator Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

An underwater locator device called a Pinger is attached to an airplane's flight recorder for recovery in case of a crash. Burnett Electronics Pinger Model 512 resulted from a Burnett Electronics Laboratory, Inc./Langley Research Center contract for development of a search system for underwater mines. The Pinger's battery-powered transmitter is activated when immersed in water, and sends multidirectional signals for up to 500 hours. When a surface receiver picks up the signal, a diver can retrieve the pinger and the attached airplane flight recorder. Other pingers are used to track whales, mark underwater discoveries and assist oil drilling vessels.

Expression and Regulation of Attachment-Related Emotions in Children with Conduct Problems and Callous-Unemotional Traits.

PubMed

Dadds, Mark R; Gale, Nyree; Godbee, Megan; Moul, Caroline; Pasalich, Dave S; Fink, Elian; Hawes, David J

2016-08-01

Callous-unemotional traits (CU) are defined by low responsiveness to, and unfeeling disregard for the emotions of others. There is controversial evidence, however, that children with high CU traits can demonstrate affective responsiveness under certain conditions, namely those associated with attachment threat. We tested this using 'fear + amusing' and 'attachment rich' stimuli from the Lion King film. Of N = 76, 4-14 years old children, 56 were clinic-referred children divided into high and low CU traits groups, and 20 children were drawn from the community. Participants watched film sequences of fearful, attachment-related and neutral stimuli and their affective responses and emotion-regulation strategies were coded by independent observers. Children in the high CU traits group were able to disengage from the fear stimuli by showing more 'happiness' to a brief slapstick interlude. In the attachment scenario, high CU children expressed similar or trends toward higher emotional responses and emotion regulation strategies, compared to low-CU children and control children. The results support the idea that high CU children may have the potential for emotional responsiveness to complex emotional stimuli in attachment contexts. Implications of these results for the development of interventions are discussed.

BIOPSY PROVEN MEDULLARY SPONGE KIDNEY: Clinical findings, histopathology, and role of osteogenesis in stone and plaque formation

PubMed Central

Evan, Andrew P.; Worcester, Elaine M.; Williams, James C.; Sommer, Andre J.; Lingeman, James E.; Phillips, Carrie L.; Coe, Fredric L.

2015-01-01

Medullary sponge kidney (MSK) is associated with recurrent stone formation, but the clinical phenotype is unclear because patients with other disorders may be incorrectly labeled MSK. We studied 12 patients with histologic findings pathognomonic of MSK. All patients had an endoscopically recognizable pattern of papillary malformation, which may be segmental or diffuse. Affected papillae are enlarged and billowy, due to markedly enlarged inner medullary collecting ducts (IMCD), which contain small, mobile ductal stones. Patients had frequent dilation of Bellini ducts, with occasional mineral plugs. Stones may form over white (Randall’s) plaque, but most renal pelvic stones are not attached, and have a similar morphology as ductal stones, which are a mixture of calcium oxalate and apatite. Patients had no abnormalities of urinary acidification or acid excretion; the most frequent metabolic abnormality was idiopathic hypercalciuria. Although both Runx2 and Osterix are expressed in papillae of MSK patients, no mineral deposition was seen at the sites of gene expression, arguing against a role of these genes in this process. Similar studies in idiopathic calcium stone formers showed no expression of these genes at sites of Randall’s plaque. The most likely mechanism for stone formation in MSK appears to be crystallization due to urinary stasis in dilated IMCD with subsequent passage of ductal stones into the renal pelvis where they may serve as nuclei for stone formation. PMID:25615853

Change in surface properties of zirconia and initial attachment of osteoblastlike cells with hydrophilic treatment.

PubMed

Watanabe, Hiroaki; Saito, Kensuke; Kokubun, Katsutoshi; Sasaki, Hodaka; Yoshinari, Masao

2012-01-01

The objectives of this study were to characterize change in surface properties of tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (TZP) after hydrophilic treatment, and to determine the effect of such changes on initial attachment of osteoblast-like cells. Roughened surfaces were produced by alumina-blasting and acid-etching. Hydrophilic treatment comprised application of immediately after blasting and acid-etching (Blast/Etch), oxygen plasma (O2-Plasma), ultraviolet light (UV). Specimens stored in air were used as a control. The water contact angle was determined and surface analysis was performed using an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Blast/Etch, O2-Plasma and UV specimens showed superhydrophilicity, and these hydrophilic treatments to TZP elicited a marked decrease in carbon content and an increase in hydroxyl groups. Hydrophilic treatments enhanced initial attachment of osteoblast-like cells and a change in cell morphologies. These results indicate that Blast/Etch, O2-Plasma, or UV treatment has potential in the creation and maintenance of superhydrophilic surfaces and enhancing initial attachment of osteoblast-like cells.

Couple relationship quality and offspring attachment security: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

PubMed

Tan, Evelyn S; McIntosh, Jennifer E; Kothe, Emily J; Opie, Jessica E; Olsson, Craig A

2018-08-01

This paper provides a meta-analytic examination of strength and direction of association between parents' couple relationship quality and early childhood attachment security (5 years and under). A comprehensive search of four EBSCOhost databases, Informit, Web of Science, and grey literature yielded 24 studies meeting eligibility criteria. Heterogeneity of the couple quality construct and measurement was marked. To disaggregate potentially differentially acting factors, we grouped homogeneous studies, creating two predictor variables defined as "positive dyadic adjustment" and "inter-parental conflict". Associations of each construct with offspring attachment security were examined in two separate meta-analyses. Inter-parental conflict was inversely associated (8 studies, k = 17, r = -0.28, CI = [-0.39 to -0.18]), and dyadic adjustment was not associated with offspring attachment security (5 studies, k = 12, r = 0.14, CI = [-0.03 to 0.32]). The study supports finer distinctions of couple relationship constructs and measurement in developmental research, assessment, and intervention.

Would you like to play together? Adults' attachment and the mirror game.

PubMed

Feniger-Schaal, Rinat; Noy, Lior; Hart, Yuval; Koren-Karie, Nina; Mayo, Avraham E; Alon, Uri

2016-01-01

Why is it easy for some people to play together and difficult for others? In this interdisciplinary pilot study, we looked at dyadic interaction in motion as a paradigm to explore the expression of attachment in adulthood. We used a device that gives simple, quantitative and automated indicators for the quality of interaction while playing the mirror game. Forty-seven participants played the mirror game with the same gender-matched expert players. In addition, participants were interviewed on the Adult Attachment Interview to assess their quality of attachment. Using high resolution kinematic measures, we found that secure attachment was correlated with high complexity of the game and low synchrony compared to insecure attachment. The findings suggest that security of attachment is related to a more exploratory and less rigid game than insecure-dismissing attachment. These preliminary findings imply that high resolution analysis of simple movement interaction could carry information about attachment behavior.

Progesterone and DNA Damage Encourage Uterine Cell Proliferation and Decidualization through Up-regulating Ribonucleotide Reductase 2 Expression during Early Pregnancy in Mice*

PubMed Central

Lei, Wei; Feng, Xu-Hui; Deng, Wen-Bo; Ni, Hua; Zhang, Zhi-Rong; Jia, Bo; Yang, Xin-Ling; Wang, Tong-Song; Liu, Ji-Long; Su, Ren-Wei; Liang, Xiao-Huan; Qi, Qian-Rong; Yang, Zeng-Ming

2012-01-01

Embryo implantation into the maternal uterus is a crucial step for the successful establishment of mammalian pregnancy. Following the attachment of embryo to the uterine luminal epithelium, uterine stromal cells undergo steroid hormone-dependent decidualization, which is characterized by stromal cell proliferation and differentiation. The mechanisms underlying steroid hormone-induced stromal cell proliferation and differentiation during decidualization are still poorly understood. Ribonucleotide reductase, consisting of two subunits (RRM1 and RRM2), is a rate-limiting enzyme in deoxynucleotide production for DNA synthesis and plays an important role in cell proliferation and tumorgenicity. Based on our microarray analysis, Rrm2 expression was significantly higher at implantation sites compared with interimplantation sites in mouse uterus. However, the expression, regulation, and function of RRM2 in mouse uterus during embryo implantation and decidualization are still unknown. Here we show that although both RRM1 and RRM2 expression are markedly induced in mouse uterine stromal cells undergoing decidualization, only RRM2 is regulated by progesterone, a key regulator of decidualization. Further studies showed that the induction of progesterone on RRM2 expression in stromal cells is mediated by the AKT/c-MYC pathway. RRM2 can also be induced by replication stress and DNA damage during decidualization through the ATR/ATM-CHK1-E2F1 pathway. The weight of implantation sites and deciduoma was effectively reduced by specific inhibitors for RRM2. The expression of decidual/trophoblast prolactin-related protein (Dtprp), a reliable marker for decidualization in mice, was significantly reduced in deciduoma and steroid-induced decidual cells after HU treatment. Therefore, RRM2 may be an important effector of progesterone signaling to induce cell proliferation and decidualization in mouse uterus. PMID:22403396

46 CFR 169.675 - Generators and motors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... with a nameplate of corrosion-resistant material marked with the following information as applicable... having only electrically driven fire and bilge pumps must have two generators. One of these generators... at the lowest part of the frame for attaching a drain pipe or drain plug. (f) Except as provided in...

49 CFR 571.225 - Standard No. 225; Child restraint anchorage systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... strength steel tether hook for attachment to the tether anchorage. The tether hook meets the specifications... systems to ensure their proper location and strength for the effective securing of child restraints, to... manufactured on or after September 1, 1999, shall comply with the configuration, location, marking and strength...

49 CFR 571.225 - Standard No. 225; Child restraint anchorage systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... strength steel tether hook for attachment to the tether anchorage. The tether hook meets the specifications... systems to ensure their proper location and strength for the effective securing of child restraints, to... manufactured on or after September 1, 1999, shall comply with the configuration, location, marking and strength...

49 CFR 571.225 - Standard No. 225; Child restraint anchorage systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... strength steel tether hook for attachment to the tether anchorage. The tether hook meets the specifications... systems to ensure their proper location and strength for the effective securing of child restraints, to... manufactured on or after September 1, 1999, shall comply with the configuration, location, marking and strength...

Towards a Quantitative Analysis of the Temperature Dependence of Electron Attachment Processes

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-24

from an Arrhenius law should become pronounced when the temperature range would be extended considerably. Such experiments then were done as reported...in Ref. 13. Indeed marked deviations from the Arrhenius law became visible and, in addition, very good agreement with predictions from our “kinetic

25 CFR 308.1 - Penalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Penalties. 308.1 Section 308.1 Indians INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS BOARD, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR REGULATIONS FOR USE OF CERTIFICATES OF THE INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS BOARD TO BE ATTACHED TO THEIR TRADE-MARKS BY INDIAN ENTERPRISES CONCERNED WITH THE PRODUCTION AND...

46 CFR 160.023-5 - Labeling and marking.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) EQUIPMENT, CONSTRUCTION, AND MATERIALS... thoroughly dry. The label shall be attached to the signal and then protected by a transparent moisture... equivalent words: “Keep under cover in a dry place.” Note: Compliance with the labeling requirements of this...

STS-98 crewmember move rack into U.S. Laboratory / Destiny module

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-02-07

STS098-322-0001 (7-20 February 2001) --- Three STS-98 astronauts move a rack into position aboard the newly attached Destiny laboratory. From the left to right are astronauts Robert L. Curbeam, mission specialist; Mark L. Polansky, pilot; and Kenneth D. Cockrell, mission commander.

The Macrophage Galactose-Type Lectin Can Function as an Attachment and Entry Receptor for Influenza Virus

PubMed Central

Ng, Wy Ching; Liong, Stella; Tate, Michelle D.; Irimura, Tatsuro; Denda-Nagai, Kaori; Brooks, Andrew G.; Londrigan, Sarah L.

2014-01-01

Specific protein receptors that mediate internalization and entry of influenza A virus (IAV) have not been identified for any cell type. Sialic acid (SIA), the primary attachment factor for IAV hemagglutinin, is expressed by numerous cell surface glycoproteins and glycolipids, confounding efforts to identify specific receptors involved in virus infection. Lec1 Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) epithelial cells express cell surface SIA and bind IAV yet are largely resistant to infection. Here, we demonstrate that expression of the murine macrophage galactose-type lectin 1 (MGL1) by Lec1 cells enhanced Ca2+-dependent IAV binding and restored permissivity to infection. Lec1 cells expressing MGL1 were infected in the presence or absence of cell surface SIA, indicating that MGL1 can act as a primary receptor or as a coreceptor with SIA. Lec1 cells expressing endocytosis-deficient MGL1 mediated Ca2+-dependent IAV binding but were less sensitive to IAV infection, indicating that direct internalization via MGL1 can result in cellular infection. Together, these studies identify MGL1 as a cell surface glycoprotein that can act as an authentic receptor for both attachment and infectious entry of IAV. PMID:24257596

Expression patterns of tight junction components induced by CD24 in an oral epithelial cell-culture model correlated to affected periodontal tissues.

PubMed

Ye, P; Yu, H; Simonian, M; Hunter, N

2014-04-01

Previously we demonstrated uniformly strong expression of CD24 in the epithelial attachment to the tooth and in the migrating epithelium of the periodontitis lesion. Titers of serum antibodies autoreactive with CD24 peptide correlated with reduced severity of periodontal disease. Ligation of CD24 expressed by oral epithelial cells induced formation of tight junctions that limited paracellular diffusion. In this study, we aimed to reveal that the lack of uniform expression of tight junction components in the pocket epithelium of periodontitis lesions is likely to contribute to increased paracellular permeability to bacterial products. This is proposed as a potential driver of the immunopathology of periodontitis. An epithelial culture model with close correspondence for expression patterns for tight junction components in periodontal epithelia was used. Immunohistochemical staining and confocal laser scanning microscopy were used to analyse patterns of expression of gingival epithelial tight junction components. The minimally inflamed gingival attachment was characterized by uniformly strong staining at cell contacts for the tight junction components zona occludens-1, zona occludens-2, occludin, junction adhesion molecule-A, claudin-4 and claudin-15. In contrast, the pocket epithelium of the periodontal lesion showed scattered, uneven staining for these components. This pattern correlated closely with that of unstimulated oral epithelial cells in culture. Following ligation of CD24 expressed by these cells, the pattern of tight junction component expression of the minimally inflamed gingival attachment developed rapidly. There was evidence for non-uniform and focal expression only of tight junction components in the pocket epithelium. In the cell-culture model, ligation of CD24 induced a tight junction expression profile equivalent to that observed for the minimally inflamed gingival attachment. Ligation of CD24 expressed by gingival epithelial cells by lectin-like receptors of commensal oral streptococci could mediate the phenotype of health, whereas pathogenic organisms associated with periodontal disease might not signal effectively through CD24. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The histology of tendon attachments to bone in man.

PubMed Central

Benjamin, M; Evans, E J; Copp, L

1986-01-01

Based on a parallel study of a wide range of human tendons from embalmed dissecting room subjects and from a study of dried bones, an explanation is offered for the well known similarity in gross appearance between the markings left by certain tendons (e.g. those of the rotator cuff) and by articular surfaces on dried bones. Epiphyseal tendons leave markings on bones that look like those left by articular surfaces. These tendons have a prominent zone of fibrocartilage at their attachment site and the deepest part of this is calcified, just as the deepest part of articular hyaline cartilage is calcified. After maceration of the soft tissues, the calcified (fibro) cartilage is left attached to the bone at articular surfaces and at the sites of tendon attachment. In all cases, the tissues separate at the basophilic tidemark between the calcified and uncalcified regions. This tidemark is smooth where there is much overlying uncalcified (fibro) cartilage and it is the smoothness that gives the typical appearance of the dried bone. Blood vessels do not generally traverse the tendon fibrocartilage plugs. Hence the areas are devoid of vascular foramina. The functional significance of tendon fibrocartilage is discussed with particular reference to supraspinatus. It is suggested that the uncalcified fibrocartilage ensures that the tendon fibres do not bend, splay out or become compressed at a hard tissue interface, and are thereby offered some protection from wear and tear. It is also suggested that the fibrocartilage plug of supraspinatus prevents the tendon from rubbing on the head of the humerus. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7 PMID:3693113

Hormonal treatment reduces psychobiological distress in gender identity disorder, independently of the attachment style.

PubMed

Colizzi, Marco; Costa, Rosalia; Pace, Valeria; Todarello, Orlando

2013-12-01

Gender identity disorder may be a stressful situation. Hormonal treatment seemed to improve the general health as it reduces psychological and social distress. The attachment style seemed to regulate distress in insecure individuals as they are more exposed to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system dysregulation and subjective stress. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the presence of psychobiological distress and insecure attachment in transsexuals and to study their stress levels with reference to the hormonal treatment and the attachment pattern. We investigated 70 transsexual patients. We measured the cortisol levels and the perceived stress before starting the hormonal therapy and after about 12 months. We studied the representation of attachment in transsexuals by a backward investigation in the relations between them and their caregivers. We used blood samples for assessing cortisol awakening response (CAR); we used the Perceived Stress Scale for evaluating self-reported perceived stress and the Adult Attachment Interview to determine attachment styles. At enrollment, transsexuals reported elevated CAR; their values were out of normal. They expressed higher perceived stress and more attachment insecurity, with respect to normative sample data. When treated with hormone therapy, transsexuals reported significantly lower CAR (P < 0.001), falling within the normal range for cortisol levels. Treated transsexuals showed also lower perceived stress (P < 0.001), with levels similar to normative samples. The insecure attachment styles were associated with higher CAR and perceived stress in untreated transsexuals (P < 0.01). Treated transsexuals did not expressed significant differences in CAR and perceived stress by attachment. Our results suggested that untreated patients suffer from a higher degree of stress and that attachment insecurity negatively impacts the stress management. Initiating the hormonal treatment seemed to have a positive effect in reducing stress levels, whatever the attachment style may be. © 2013 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Histological evidence for muscle insertion in extant amniote femora: implications for muscle reconstruction in fossils.

PubMed

Petermann, Holger; Sander, Martin

2013-04-01

Since the 19th century, identification of muscle attachment sites on bones has been important for muscle reconstructions, especially in fossil tetrapods, and therefore has been the subject of numerous biological and paleontological studies. At the microscopic level, in histological thin sections, the only features that can be used reliably for identifying tendon-bone or muscle-tendon-bone interactions are Sharpey's fibers. Muscles, however, do not only attach to the bone indirectly with tendons, but also directly. Previous studies failed to provide new indicators for muscle attachment, or to address the question of whether muscles with direct attachment can be identified histologically. However, histological identification of direct muscle attachments is important because these attachments do not leave visible marks (e.g. scars and rugosities) on the bone surface. We dissected the right hind limb and mapped the muscle attachment sites on the femur of one rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), one Alligator mississippiensis, and one turkey (Meleagris cuniculus). We then extracted the femur and prepared four histological thin sections for the rabbit and the turkey and five histological thin sections for the alligator. Sharpey's fibers, vascular canal orientation, and a frayed periosteal margin can be indicators for indirect but also direct muscle attachment. Sharpey's fibers can be oriented to the cutting plane of the thin section at high angles, and two Sharpey's fibers orientations can occur in one area, possibly indicating a secondary force axis. However, only about 60% of mapped muscle attachment sites could be detected in thin sections, and frequently histological features suggestive of muscle attachment occurred outside mapped sites. While these insights should improve our ability to successfully identify and reconstruct muscles in extinct species, they also show the limitations of this approach. © 2013 The Authors Journal of Anatomy © 2013 Anatomical Society.

Histological evidence for muscle insertion in extant amniote femora: implications for muscle reconstruction in fossils

PubMed Central

Petermann, Holger; Sander, Martin

2013-01-01

Since the 19th century, identification of muscle attachment sites on bones has been important for muscle reconstructions, especially in fossil tetrapods, and therefore has been the subject of numerous biological and paleontological studies. At the microscopic level, in histological thin sections, the only features that can be used reliably for identifying tendon–bone or muscle–tendon-bone interactions are Sharpey's fibers. Muscles, however, do not only attach to the bone indirectly with tendons, but also directly. Previous studies failed to provide new indicators for muscle attachment, or to address the question of whether muscles with direct attachment can be identified histologically. However, histological identification of direct muscle attachments is important because these attachments do not leave visible marks (e.g. scars and rugosities) on the bone surface. We dissected the right hind limb and mapped the muscle attachment sites on the femur of one rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), one Alligator mississippiensis, and one turkey (Meleagris cuniculus). We then extracted the femur and prepared four histological thin sections for the rabbit and the turkey and five histological thin sections for the alligator. Sharpey's fibers, vascular canal orientation, and a frayed periosteal margin can be indicators for indirect but also direct muscle attachment. Sharpey's fibers can be oriented to the cutting plane of the thin section at high angles, and two Sharpey's fibers orientations can occur in one area, possibly indicating a secondary force axis. However, only about 60% of mapped muscle attachment sites could be detected in thin sections, and frequently histological features suggestive of muscle attachment occurred outside mapped sites. While these insights should improve our ability to successfully identify and reconstruct muscles in extinct species, they also show the limitations of this approach. PMID:23439026

Shadows alter facial expressions of Noh masks.

PubMed

Kawai, Nobuyuki; Miyata, Hiromitsu; Nishimura, Ritsuko; Okanoya, Kazuo

2013-01-01

A Noh mask, worn by expert actors during performance on the Japanese traditional Noh drama, conveys various emotional expressions despite its fixed physical properties. How does the mask change its expressions? Shadows change subtly during the actual Noh drama, which plays a key role in creating elusive artistic enchantment. We here describe evidence from two experiments regarding how attached shadows of the Noh masks influence the observers' recognition of the emotional expressions. In Experiment 1, neutral-faced Noh masks having the attached shadows of the happy/sad masks were recognized as bearing happy/sad expressions, respectively. This was true for all four types of masks each of which represented a character differing in sex and age, even though the original characteristics of the masks also greatly influenced the evaluation of emotions. Experiment 2 further revealed that frontal Noh mask images having shadows of upward/downward tilted masks were evaluated as sad/happy, respectively. This was consistent with outcomes from preceding studies using actually tilted Noh mask images. Results from the two experiments concur that purely manipulating attached shadows of the different types of Noh masks significantly alters the emotion recognition. These findings go in line with the mysterious facial expressions observed in Western paintings, such as the elusive qualities of Mona Lisa's smile. They also agree with the aesthetic principle of Japanese traditional art "yugen (profound grace and subtlety)", which highly appreciates subtle emotional expressions in the darkness.

Using Bacterial Extract along with Differential Gene Expression in Acropora millepora Larvae to Decouple the Processes of Attachment and Metamorphosis

PubMed Central

Siboni, Nachshon; Abrego, David; Seneca, Francois; Motti, Cherie A.; Andreakis, Nikos; Tebben, Jan; Blackall, Linda L.; Harder, Tilmann

2012-01-01

Biofilms of the bacterium Pseudoalteromonas induce metamorphosis of acroporid coral larvae. The bacterial metabolite tetrabromopyrrole (TBP), isolated from an extract of Pseudoalteromonas sp. associated with the crustose coralline alga (CCA) Neogoniolithon fosliei, induced coral larval metamorphosis (100%) with little or no attachment (0–2%). To better understand the molecular events and mechanisms underpinning the induction of Acropora millepora larval metamorphosis, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, migration, adhesion and biomineralisation, two novel coral gene expression assays were implemented. These involved the use of reverse-transcriptase quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and employed 47 genes of interest (GOI), selected based on putative roles in the processes of settlement and metamorphosis. Substantial differences in transcriptomic responses of GOI were detected following incubation of A. millepora larvae with a threshold concentration and 10-fold elevated concentration of TBP-containing extracts of Pseudoalteromonas sp. The notable and relatively abrupt changes of the larval body structure during metamorphosis correlated, at the molecular level, with significant differences (p<0.05) in gene expression profiles of 24 GOI, 12 hours post exposure. Fourteen of those GOI also presented differences in expression (p<0.05) following exposure to the threshold concentration of bacterial TBP-containing extract. The specificity of the bacterial TBP-containing extract to induce the metamorphic stage in A. millepora larvae without attachment, using a robust, low cost, accurate, ecologically relevant and highly reproducible RT-qPCR assay, allowed partially decoupling of the transcriptomic processes of attachment and metamorphosis. The bacterial TBP-containing extract provided a unique opportunity to monitor the regulation of genes exclusively involved in the process of metamorphosis, contrasting previous gene expression studies that utilized cues, such as crustose coralline algae, biofilms or with GLW-amide neuropeptides that stimulate the entire onset of larval metamorphosis and attachment. PMID:22655067

The Multimodal Assessment of Adult Attachment Security: Developing the Biometric Attachment Test.

PubMed

Parra, Federico; Miljkovitch, Raphaële; Persiaux, Gwenaelle; Morales, Michelle; Scherer, Stefan

2017-04-06

Attachment theory has been proven essential for mental health, including psychopathology, development, and interpersonal relationships. Validated psychometric instruments to measure attachment abound but suffer from shortcomings common to traditional psychometrics. Recent developments in multimodal fusion and machine learning pave the way for new automated and objective psychometric instruments for adult attachment that combine psychophysiological, linguistic, and behavioral analyses in the assessment of the construct. The aim of this study was to present a new exposure-based, automatic, and objective adult-attachment assessment, the Biometric Attachment Test (BAT), which exposes participants to a short standardized set of visual and music stimuli, whereas their immediate reactions and verbal responses, captured by several computer sense modalities, are automatically analyzed for scoring and classification. We also aimed to empirically validate two of its assumptions: its capacity to measure attachment security and the viability of using themes as placeholders for rotating stimuli. A total of 59 French participants from the general population were assessed using the Adult Attachment Questionnaire (AAQ), the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP), and the Attachment Multiple Model Interview (AMMI) as ground truth for attachment security. They were then exposed to three different BAT stimuli sets, whereas their faces, voices, heart rate (HR), and electrodermal activity (EDA) were recorded. Psychophysiological features, such as skin-conductance response (SCR) and Bayevsky stress index; behavioral features, such as gaze and facial expressions; as well as linguistic and paralinguistic features, were automatically extracted. An exploratory analysis was conducted using correlation matrices to uncover the features that are most associated with attachment security. A confirmatory analysis was conducted by creating a single composite effects index and by testing it for correlations with attachment security. The stability of the theory-consistent features across three different stimuli sets was explored using repeated measures analysis of variances (ANOVAs). In total, 46 theory-consistent correlations were found during the exploration (out of 65 total significant correlations). For example, attachment security as measured by the AAP was correlated with positive facial expressions (r=.36, P=.01). AMMI's security with the father was inversely correlated with the low frequency (LF) of HRV (r=-.87, P=.03). Attachment security to partners as measured by the AAQ was inversely correlated with anger facial expression (r=-.43, P=.001). The confirmatory analysis showed that the composite effects index was significantly correlated to security in the AAP (r=.26, P=.05) and the AAQ (r=.30, P=.04) but not in the AMMI. Repeated measures ANOVAs conducted individually on each of the theory-consistent features revealed that only 7 of the 46 (15%) features had significantly different values among responses to three different stimuli sets. We were able to validate two of the instrument's core assumptions: its capacity to measure attachment security and the viability of using themes as placeholders for rotating stimuli. Future validation of other of its dimensions, as well as the ongoing development of its scoring and classification algorithms is discussed. ©Federico Parra, Raphaële Miljkovitch, Gwenaelle Persiaux, Michelle Morales, Stefan Scherer. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 06.04.2017.

The Multimodal Assessment of Adult Attachment Security: Developing the Biometric Attachment Test

PubMed Central

Miljkovitch, Raphaële; Persiaux, Gwenaelle; Morales, Michelle; Scherer, Stefan

2017-01-01

Background Attachment theory has been proven essential for mental health, including psychopathology, development, and interpersonal relationships. Validated psychometric instruments to measure attachment abound but suffer from shortcomings common to traditional psychometrics. Recent developments in multimodal fusion and machine learning pave the way for new automated and objective psychometric instruments for adult attachment that combine psychophysiological, linguistic, and behavioral analyses in the assessment of the construct. Objective The aim of this study was to present a new exposure-based, automatic, and objective adult-attachment assessment, the Biometric Attachment Test (BAT), which exposes participants to a short standardized set of visual and music stimuli, whereas their immediate reactions and verbal responses, captured by several computer sense modalities, are automatically analyzed for scoring and classification. We also aimed to empirically validate two of its assumptions: its capacity to measure attachment security and the viability of using themes as placeholders for rotating stimuli. Methods A total of 59 French participants from the general population were assessed using the Adult Attachment Questionnaire (AAQ), the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP), and the Attachment Multiple Model Interview (AMMI) as ground truth for attachment security. They were then exposed to three different BAT stimuli sets, whereas their faces, voices, heart rate (HR), and electrodermal activity (EDA) were recorded. Psychophysiological features, such as skin-conductance response (SCR) and Bayevsky stress index; behavioral features, such as gaze and facial expressions; as well as linguistic and paralinguistic features, were automatically extracted. An exploratory analysis was conducted using correlation matrices to uncover the features that are most associated with attachment security. A confirmatory analysis was conducted by creating a single composite effects index and by testing it for correlations with attachment security. The stability of the theory-consistent features across three different stimuli sets was explored using repeated measures analysis of variances (ANOVAs). Results In total, 46 theory-consistent correlations were found during the exploration (out of 65 total significant correlations). For example, attachment security as measured by the AAP was correlated with positive facial expressions (r=.36, P=.01). AMMI’s security with the father was inversely correlated with the low frequency (LF) of HRV (r=−.87, P=.03). Attachment security to partners as measured by the AAQ was inversely correlated with anger facial expression (r=−.43, P=.001). The confirmatory analysis showed that the composite effects index was significantly correlated to security in the AAP (r=.26, P=.05) and the AAQ (r=.30, P=.04) but not in the AMMI. Repeated measures ANOVAs conducted individually on each of the theory-consistent features revealed that only 7 of the 46 (15%) features had significantly different values among responses to three different stimuli sets. Conclusions We were able to validate two of the instrument’s core assumptions: its capacity to measure attachment security and the viability of using themes as placeholders for rotating stimuli. Future validation of other of its dimensions, as well as the ongoing development of its scoring and classification algorithms is discussed. PMID:28385683

Integrins β1 and β3 are biomarkers of uterine condition for embryo transfer.

PubMed

Chen, Guowu; Xin, Aijie; Liu, Yulin; Shi, Changgen; Chen, Junling; Tang, Xiaofeng; Chen, Ying; Yu, Min; Peng, Xiandong; Li, Lu; Sun, Xiaoxi

2016-10-26

Clinical ovulation induction induces blood estrogen (E 2 ) in excess of physiological levels, which can hinder uterine receptivity. In contrast, progesterone produces the opposite clinical effect, suggesting that it might be capable of recovering the lost receptivity resulting from exposure to high estrogen levels. Integrins are the most widely used biological markers for monitoring uterine conditions. We studied progesterone-induced changes in integrin β expression patterns as biomarkers for changes in uterine receptivity in response to increased estrogen levels. Endometrial biopsy samples from patients were screened for their estrogen (E 2 ) and progesterone (P4) content and expressing levels of integrin β1 and β3. Uterine receptivity was evaluated using human endometrial adenocarcinoma cells in an embryo attachment model. The respective and concatenated effects of embryo attachment and changes in the integrin β1 and β3 expression patterns on the adenocarcinoma cell plasma membranes in response to 100 nM concentrations of E 2 and P4 were evaluated. Increased blood E 2 concentrations were associated with significantly decreased the levels of integrin β3 expression in uterine biopsy samples. In vitro experiments revealed that a 100 nM E 2 concentration inhibited the distribution of integrin β3 on the plasma membranes of human endometrial adenocarcinoma cells used in the embryo attachment model, and resulted in decreased rates of embryo attachment. In contrast, P4 enhanced the expression of integrin β1 and promoted its distribution on the plasma membranes. Furthermore, P4 recovered the embryo attachment efficiency that was lost by exposure to 100 nM E 2 . Blood E2 and P4 levels and integrin β3 and β1 expression levels in uterine biopsy samples should be considered as biomarkers for evaluating uterine receptivity and determining the optimal time for embryo transfer. Trial registration Trial number: ChiCTR-TRC-13003777; Name of registry: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry; Date of registration: 4 September 2013; Date of enrollment of the first study participant: 15 October 2013.

Mothers who are securely attached in pregnancy show more attuned infant mirroring 7 months postpartum

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study contrasted two forms of mother–infant mirroring: the mother's imitation of the infant's facial, gestural, or vocal behavior (i.e., "direct mirroring") and the mother's ostensive verbalization of the infant's internal state, marked as distinct from the infant's own experience (i.e., "inten...

Some Growth Aspects of Seymeria cassioicies

Treesearch

Charles M. Stangle; Lytton J. Musselman

1981-01-01

The root parasite, Seymeria cassioides, will not initiate height growth without attachment to a host root when grown under normal fertility conditions, although the seedling may remain alive for 40 days or more without a host. During this time the roots elongate markedly. Fresh pine root segments do not influence the direction of root growth. Although S....

Differentiation and characteristics of the enhanced green fluorescent protein gene transgenic goat neural stem cells cultured in attached and non-attached plates.

PubMed

Zheng, Yue-Mao; Dang, Yong-Hui; Qiu, Shuang; Qi, Ying-Pei; Xu, Yong-Ping; Sai, Wu-Jia-Fu

2011-08-01

The aims of this study were (i) to determine whether NSCs (neural stem cells) could be isolated from the brain of embryonic day 98 fetal goat, (ii) to determine if these stem cells have the capability of multipotent differentiation following transfection with a reporter gene, EGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein) and (iii) to study the characteristics of the stem cells cultured in attached and non-attached plates. NSCs were isolated from embryonic day 98 fetal goat brain, transfected with EGFP gene using lipofection, and subcultured in attached and non-attached plates respectively. The transgenic stem cells were induced to differentiate into osteogenic and endothelial cells in vitro respectively. Markers associated with undifferentiated NSCs and their differentiated cells were tested by RT-PCR (reverse transcription-PCR). The results demonstrated that stem cells could be isolated from embryonic day 98 fetal goat brain, and EGFP gene could be transfected into the cells. The transgenic NSCs were capable of self-renewal, a defining property of stem cells, and were grown as free-floating neurospheres in non-attached plates. When the neurospheres were transferred and cultured in attached plates, cells migrate from the neurospheres and are grown as spindle cells. The stem cells were grown as quasi-circular cells when the single stem cells were cultured in attached plates. Both the NSCs cultured in non-attached and attached plates could express Hes1 (hairy and enhancer of split 1), Oct4 (octamer-binding protein 4), Nanog, Sox2 [SRY (sex-determining region Y)-box 2] and Nestin, while following differentiation cells expressed markers for osteogenic cells (Osteocalcin+ and Osteonectin+) and endothelium (CD34+ and eNOS+). The results demonstrated that the goat EGFP gene transgenic NSCs have the capability of multipotent differentiation, which means that the transgenic NSCs may be useful in cell transplantation studies in future.

Space thermostat for the sight handicapped

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

Odom, J.A. Jr.; Wolfe, N.T.

1986-04-15

A space thermostat is described for the sight handicapped comprising a base member adapted to be mounted on a wall of a space, temperature responsive control means mounted on the base member adapted to control temperature conditioning apparatus supplying temperature conditioned medium to a space, temperature control point adjusting means attached to the base member and connected to the temperature responsive control means for adjusting the temperature to be maintained in the space, the adjusting means having a raised control temperature reference portion, indicia support means attached to the base member and cooperating with the reference portion, raised indicia meansmore » on the indicia support means corresponding with temperature whereby a person with sight handicap can feel the reference portion and the indicia means to position the reference portion to the desired temperature control set point, the indicia support means comprises a cover ring mounted on the base member and surrounding the adjusting means, and raised indication marks on the cover ring between raised reference temperature numbers, the marks corresponding to two temperature degree steps in the movement of the adjusting means.« less

Several fibroblast growth factors are expressed during pre-attachment bovine conceptus development and regulate interferon-tau expression from trophectoderm.

PubMed

Cooke, Flavia N T; Pennington, Kathleen A; Yang, Qien; Ealy, Alan D

2009-02-01

The trophectoderm-derived factor interferon tau (IFNT) maintains the uterus in a pregnancy-receptive state in cattle and sheep. Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are implicated in regulating IFNT expression and potentially other critical events associated with early conceptus development in cattle. The overall objectives of this work were to identify the various FGFs and FGF receptors (FGFRs) expressed in elongating pre-attachment bovine conceptuses and determine if these FGFs regulate conceptus development and/or mediate IFNT production. In vitro-derived bovine blastocysts and in vivo-derived elongated conceptuses collected at day 17 of pregnancy express at least four FGFR subtypes (R1c, R2b, R3c, R4). In addition, transcripts for FGF1, 2, and 10 but not FGF7 are present in elongated bovine conceptuses. The expression pattern of FGF10 most closely resembled that of IFNT, with both transcripts remaining low in day 8 and day 11 conceptuses and increasing substantially in day 14 and day 17 conceptuses. Supplementation with recombinant FGF1, 2 or 10 increased IFNT mRNA levels in bovine trophectoderm cells and bovine blastocysts and increased IFNT protein concentrations in trophectoderm-conditioned medium. Blastocyst development was not affected by any of the FGFs. In summary, at least four FGFRs reside in pre- and peri-attachment bovine conceptuses. Moreover, conceptuses express at least three candidate FGFs during elongation, the time of peak IFNT expression. These findings provide new insight for how conceptus-derived factors such as FGF1, 2, and 10 may control IFNT expression during early pregnancy in cattle.

Adult attachment style. II: Its relationship to psychosocial depressive-vulnerability.

PubMed

Bifulco, A; Moran, P M; Ball, C; Lillie, A

2002-02-01

A range of studies show adult attachment style is associated with depressive-vulnerability factors such as low self-esteem, poor support and childhood adversity. However, there is wide inconsistency shown in the type of insecure style most highly associated. Few studies have examined attachment style in relation to clinical depression together with a range of such factors in epidemiological series. The present study uses an interview measure of adult attachment which differentiates type of attachment style and degree of insecurity of attachment, to see: (a) if it adds to other vulnerability in predicting depression and (b) if there is specificity of style to type of vulnerability. Two hundred and twenty-two high-risk and 80 comparison women were selected from questionnaire screenings of London GP patient lists and intensively interviewed. The Attachment Style Interview (ASI) differentiated five styles (Enmeshed, Fearful, Angry-dismissive, Withdrawn and Standard) as well as the degree to which attitudes and behaviour within such styles were dysfunctional ('non-standard'). Attachment style was examined in relation to low self-esteem, support and childhood experience of neglect or abuse, and all of these examined in relation to clinical depression in a 12-month period. The presence of any 'non-standard' style was significantly related to poor support, low self-esteem and childhood adversity. Some specificity of type of style and type of vulnerability was observed. Logistic regression showed that non-standard Enmeshed, Fearful and Angry-dismissive styles, poor support and childhood neglect/abuse provided the best model for clinical depression. Non-standard attachment in the form of markedly Enmeshed, Fearful or Angry-dismissive styles was shown to be associated with other depressive-vulnerability factors involving close relationships, self-esteem and childhood adversity and added to these in modelling depression.

Titania-polymeric powder coatings with nano-topography support enhanced human mesenchymal cell responses.

PubMed

Mozumder, Mohammad Sayem; Zhu, Jesse; Perinpanayagam, Hiran

2012-10-01

Titanium implant osseointegration is dependent on the cellular response to surface modifications and coatings. Titania-enriched nanocomposite polymeric resin coatings were prepared through the application of advanced ultrafine powder coating technology. Their surfaces were readily modified to create nano-rough (<100 nm) surface nano-topographies that supported human embryonic palatal mesenchymal cell responses. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy confirmed continuous and homogenous coatings with a similar composition and even distribution of titanium. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed complex micro-topographies, and atomic force microscopy revealed intricate nanofeatures and surface roughness. Cell counts, mitochondrial enzyme activity reduction of yellow 3-(4,5-dimethythiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) to dark purple, SEM, and inverted fluorescence microscopy showed a marked increase in cell attachment, spreading, proliferation, and metabolic activity on the nanostructured surfaces. Reverse Transcription- Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) analysis showed that type I collagen and Runx2 expression were induced, and Alizarin red staining showed that mineral deposits were abundant in the cell cultures grown on nanosurfaces. This enhancement in human mesenchymal cell attachment, growth, and osteogenesis were attributed to the nanosized surface topographies, roughness, and moderate wetting characteristics of the coatings. Their dimensional similarity to naturally occurring matrix proteins and crystals, coupled with their increased surface area for protein adsorption, may have facilitated the response. Therefore, this application of ultrafine powder coating technology affords highly biocompatible surfaces that can be readily modified to accentuate the cellular response. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Novel Injectable Magnesium/Calcium Sulfate Hemihydrate Composite Cement for Bone Regeneration

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Objective. A novel injectable magnesium/calcium sulfate hemihydrate (Mg/CSH) composite with improved properties was reported here. Methods. Composition, setting time, injectability, compressive strength, and bioactivity in simulated body fluid (SBF) of the Mg/CSH composite were evaluated. Furthermore, the cellular responses of canine bone marrow stromal cells (cBMSCs) and bone formation capacity after the implantation of Mg/CSH in tibia defects of canine were investigated. Results. Mg/CSH possessed a prolonged setting time and markedly improved injectability and mechanical property (p < 0.05). Mg/CSH samples showed better degradability than CSH in SBF after 21 days of soaking (p < 0.05). Moreover, the degrees of cell attachment, proliferation, and capability of osteogenic differentiation on the Mg/CSH specimens were higher than those on CSH, without significant cytotoxicity and with the increased proliferation index, ALP activity, and expression levels of integrin β1 and Coll I in cBMSCs (p < 0.05). Mg/CSH enhanced the efficiency of new bone formation at the tibia defect area, including the significantly elevated bone mineral density, bone area fraction, and Coll I expression level (p < 0.05). Conclusions. The results implied that this new injectable bone scaffold exhibited promising prospects for bone repair and had a great potential in bone tissue engineering. PMID:26114102

Mutation of praR in Rhizobium leguminosarum enhances root biofilms, improving nodulation competitiveness by increased expression of attachment proteins

PubMed Central

Frederix, Marijke; Edwards, Anne; Swiderska, Anna; Stanger, Andrew; Karunakaran, Ramakrishnan; Williams, Alan; Abbruscato, Pamela; Sanchez-Contreras, Maria; Poole, Philip S; Downie, J Allan

2014-01-01

In Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae, quorum-sensing is regulated by CinR, which induces the cinIS operon. CinI synthesizes an AHL, whereas CinS inactivates PraR, a repressor. Mutation of praR enhanced biofilms in vitro. We developed a light (lux)-dependent assay of rhizobial attachment to roots and demonstrated that mutation of praR increased biofilms on pea roots. The praR mutant out-competed wild-type for infection of pea nodules in mixed inoculations. Analysis of gene expression by microarrays and promoter fusions revealed that PraR represses its own transcription and mutation of praR increased expression of several genes including those encoding secreted proteins (the adhesins RapA2, RapB and RapC, two cadherins and the glycanase PlyB), the polysaccharide regulator RosR, and another protein similar to PraR. PraR bound to the promoters of several of these genes indicating direct repression. Mutations in rapA2, rapB, rapC, plyB, the cadherins or rosR did not affect the enhanced root attachment or nodule competitiveness of the praR mutant. However combinations of mutations in rapA, rapB and rapC abolished the enhanced attachment and nodule competitiveness. We conclude that relief of PraR-mediated repression determines a lifestyle switch allowing the expression of genes that are important for biofilm formation on roots and the subsequent initiation of infection of legume roots. PMID:24942546

Polymer-attached zanamivir inhibits synergistically both early and late stages of influenza virus infection

PubMed Central

Lee, Chia Min; Weight, Alisha K.; Haldar, Jayanta; Wang, Ling; Klibanov, Alexander M.; Chen, Jianzhu

2012-01-01

Covalently conjugating multiple copies of the drug zanamivir (ZA; the active ingredient in Relenza) via a flexible linker to poly-l-glutamine (PGN) enhances the anti-influenza virus activity by orders of magnitude. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms of this phenomenon. Like ZA itself, the PGN-attached drug (PGN-ZA) binds specifically to viral neuraminidase and inhibits both its enzymatic activity and the release of newly synthesized virions from infected cells. Unlike monomeric ZA, however, PGN-ZA also synergistically inhibits early stages of influenza virus infection, thus contributing to the markedly increased antiviral potency. This inhibition is not caused by a direct virucidal effect, aggregation of viruses, or inhibition of viral attachment to target cells and the subsequent endocytosis; rather, it is a result of interference with intracellular trafficking of the endocytosed viruses and the subsequent virus-endosome fusion. These findings both rationalize the great anti-influenza potency of PGN-ZA and reveal that attaching ZA to a polymeric chain confers a unique mechanism of antiviral action potentially useful for minimizing drug resistance. PMID:23185023

Shadows Alter Facial Expressions of Noh Masks

PubMed Central

Kawai, Nobuyuki; Miyata, Hiromitsu; Nishimura, Ritsuko; Okanoya, Kazuo

2013-01-01

Background A Noh mask, worn by expert actors during performance on the Japanese traditional Noh drama, conveys various emotional expressions despite its fixed physical properties. How does the mask change its expressions? Shadows change subtly during the actual Noh drama, which plays a key role in creating elusive artistic enchantment. We here describe evidence from two experiments regarding how attached shadows of the Noh masks influence the observers’ recognition of the emotional expressions. Methodology/Principal Findings In Experiment 1, neutral-faced Noh masks having the attached shadows of the happy/sad masks were recognized as bearing happy/sad expressions, respectively. This was true for all four types of masks each of which represented a character differing in sex and age, even though the original characteristics of the masks also greatly influenced the evaluation of emotions. Experiment 2 further revealed that frontal Noh mask images having shadows of upward/downward tilted masks were evaluated as sad/happy, respectively. This was consistent with outcomes from preceding studies using actually tilted Noh mask images. Conclusions/Significance Results from the two experiments concur that purely manipulating attached shadows of the different types of Noh masks significantly alters the emotion recognition. These findings go in line with the mysterious facial expressions observed in Western paintings, such as the elusive qualities of Mona Lisa’s smile. They also agree with the aesthetic principle of Japanese traditional art “yugen (profound grace and subtlety)”, which highly appreciates subtle emotional expressions in the darkness. PMID:23940748

Identifying Dynamic Protein Complexes Based on Gene Expression Profiles and PPI Networks

PubMed Central

Li, Min; Chen, Weijie; Wang, Jianxin; Pan, Yi

2014-01-01

Identification of protein complexes from protein-protein interaction networks has become a key problem for understanding cellular life in postgenomic era. Many computational methods have been proposed for identifying protein complexes. Up to now, the existing computational methods are mostly applied on static PPI networks. However, proteins and their interactions are dynamic in reality. Identifying dynamic protein complexes is more meaningful and challenging. In this paper, a novel algorithm, named DPC, is proposed to identify dynamic protein complexes by integrating PPI data and gene expression profiles. According to Core-Attachment assumption, these proteins which are always active in the molecular cycle are regarded as core proteins. The protein-complex cores are identified from these always active proteins by detecting dense subgraphs. Final protein complexes are extended from the protein-complex cores by adding attachments based on a topological character of “closeness” and dynamic meaning. The protein complexes produced by our algorithm DPC contain two parts: static core expressed in all the molecular cycle and dynamic attachments short-lived. The proposed algorithm DPC was applied on the data of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the experimental results show that DPC outperforms CMC, MCL, SPICi, HC-PIN, COACH, and Core-Attachment based on the validation of matching with known complexes and hF-measures. PMID:24963481

Attachment anxiety is related to Epstein–Barr virus latency

PubMed Central

Fagundes, Christopher P.; Jaremka, Lisa M.; Glaser, Ronald; Alfano, Catherine M.; Povoski, Stephen P.; Lipari, Adele M.; Agnese, Doreen M.; Yee, Lisa D.; Carson, William E.; Farrar, William B.; Malarkey, William B.; Chen, Min; Kiecolt-Glaser, Janice K.

2015-01-01

Attachment theory provides a framework for understanding individual differences in chronic interpersonal stress. Attachment anxiety, a type of relationship insecurity characterized by worry about rejection and abandonment, is a chronic interpersonal stressor. Stress impacts cellular immunity, including herpes-virus reactivation. We investigated whether attachment anxiety was related to the expression of a latent herpesvirus, Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), when individuals were being tested for breast or colon cancer and approximately 1 year later. Participants (N = 183) completed a standard attachment questionnaire and provided blood to assess EBV viral capsid antigen (VCA) IgG antibody titers. Individuals with more attachment anxiety had higher EBV VCA IgG antibody titers than those with less attachment anxiety. The strength of the association between attachment anxiety and antibody titers was the same at both assessments. This study is the first to show an association between latent herpesvirus reactivation and attachment anxiety. Because elevated herpesvirus antibody titers reflect poorer cellular immune system control over the latent virus, these data suggest that high attachment anxiety is associated with cellular immune dysregulation. PMID:24945717

Emotional responses to a romantic partner's imaginary rejection: the roles of attachment anxiety, covert narcissism, and self-evaluation.

PubMed

Besser, Avi; Priel, Beatriz

2009-02-01

These studies tested the associations between responses to an induced imaginary romantic rejection and individual differences on dimensions of attachment and covert narcissism. In Study 1 (N=125), we examined the associations between attachment dimensions and emotional responses to a vignette depicting a scenario of romantic rejection, as measured by self-reported negative mood states, expressions of anger, somatic symptoms, and self-evaluation. Higher scores on attachment anxiety, but not on attachment avoidance, were associated with stronger reactions to the induced rejection. Moreover, decreased self-evaluation scores (self-esteem and pride) were found to mediate these associations. In Study 2 (N=88), the relative contributions of covert narcissism and attachment anxiety to the emotional responses to romantic rejection were explored. Higher scores on covert narcissism were associated with stronger reactions to the induced rejection. Moreover, covert narcissism seemed to constitute a specific aspect of attachment anxiety.

Type XVII collagen (BP180) can function as a cell-matrix adhesion molecule via binding to laminin 332

PubMed Central

Van den Bergh, F.; Eliason, S.L.; Giudice, G.J.

2010-01-01

Collagen XVII (COL17) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that is expressed on the basal surface of basal epidermal keratinocytes. Previous observations have led to the hypothesis that an interaction between COL17 and laminin 332, an extracellular matrix protein, contributes to the attachment of the basal keratinocyte to the basement membrane. In order to isolate and manipulate COL17 interactions with ECM components, we induced COL17 expression in two cells lines, SK-MEL1 and K562, that exhibit little or no capacity to attach to our test substrates, including laminin 332, types I and IV collagen, and fibronectin. Cells expressing high levels of COL17 preferentially adhered to a laminin 332 matrix, and, to a lesser extent, type IV collagen, while showing little or no binding to type I collagen or fibronectin. A quantitative analysis of cell adhesive forces revealed that, compared with COL17-negative cells, COL17-positive cells required over 7-fold greater force to achieve 50% detachment from a laminin 332 substrate. When a cell preparation (either K562 or SK-MEL1) with heterogeneous COL17 expression levels was allowed to attach to a laminin 332 matrix, the COL17-positive and COL17-negative cells differentially sorted to the bound and unbound cell fractions, respectively. COL17-dependent attachment to laminin 332 could be reduced or abolished by siRNA-mediated knockdown of COL17 expression or by adding to the assay wells specific antibodies against COL17 or laminin 332. These findings provide strong support for the hypothesis that cell surface COL17 can interact with laminin 332 and, together, participate in the adherence of a cell to the extracellular matrix. PMID:21034821

Hapten-derivatized nanoparticle targeting and imaging of gene expression by multimodality imaging systems.

PubMed

Cheng, C-M; Chu, P-Y; Chuang, K-H; Roffler, S R; Kao, C-H; Tseng, W-L; Shiea, J; Chang, W-D; Su, Y-C; Chen, B-M; Wang, Y-M; Cheng, T-L

2009-01-01

Non-invasive gene monitoring is important for most gene therapy applications to ensure selective gene transfer to specific cells or tissues. We developed a non-invasive imaging system to assess the location and persistence of gene expression by anchoring an anti-dansyl (DNS) single-chain antibody (DNS receptor) on the cell surface to trap DNS-derivatized imaging probes. DNS hapten was covalently attached to cross-linked iron oxide (CLIO) to form a 39+/-0.5 nm DNS-CLIO nanoparticle imaging probe. DNS-CLIO specifically bound to DNS receptors but not to a control single-chain antibody receptor. DNS-CLIO (100 microM Fe) was non-toxic to both B16/DNS (DNS receptor positive) and B16/phOx (control receptor positive) cells. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging could detect as few as 10% B16/DNS cells in a mixture in vitro. Importantly, DNS-CLIO specifically bound to a B16/DNS tumor, which markedly reduced signal intensity. Similar results were also shown with DNS quantum dots, which specifically targeted CT26/DNS cells but not control CT26/phOx cells both in vitro and in vivo. These results demonstrate that DNS nanoparticles can systemically monitor the expression of DNS receptor in vivo by feasible imaging systems. This targeting strategy may provide a valuable tool to estimate the efficacy and specificity of different gene delivery systems and optimize gene therapy protocols in the clinic.

Partners' Empathy Increases Pain Ratings: Effects of Perceived Empathy and Attachment Style on Pain Report and Display

PubMed Central

Hurter, Sarah; Paloyelis, Yannis; de C. Williams, Amanda C.; Fotopoulou, Aikaterini

2014-01-01

Pain can be influenced by its social context. We aimed to examine under controlled experimental conditions how empathy from a partner and personal attachment style affect pain report, tolerance, and facial expressions of pain. Fifty-four participants, divided into secure, anxious, and avoidant attachment style groups, underwent a cold pressor task with their partners present. We manipulated how much empathy the participants perceived that their partners had for them. We observed a significant main effect of perceived empathy on pain report, with greater pain reported in the high perceived empathy condition. No such effects were found for pain tolerance or facial display. We also found a significant interaction of empathy with attachment style group, with the avoidant group reporting and displaying less pain than the secure and the anxious groups in the high perceived empathy condition. No such findings were observed in the low empathy condition. These results suggest that empathy from one's partner may influence pain report beyond behavioral reactions. In addition, the amount of pain report and expression that people show in high empathy conditions depends on their attachment style. Perspective Believing that one's partner feels high empathy for one's pain may lead individuals to rate the intensity of pain as higher. Individual differences in attachment style moderate this empathy effect. PMID:24953886

Attachment anxiety moderates the relationship between childhood maltreatment and attention bias for emotion in adults

PubMed Central

Davis, Jennifer S; Fani, Negar; Ressler, Kerry; Jovanovic, Tanja; Tone, Erin B.; Bradley, Bekh

2014-01-01

Research indicates that some individuals who were maltreated in childhood demonstrate biases in social information processing. However, the mechanisms through which these biases develop remain unclear—one possible mechanism is via attachment-related processes. Childhood maltreatment increases risk for insecure attachment. The internal working models of self and others associated with insecure attachment may impact the processing of socially relevant information, particularly emotion conveyed in facial expressions. We investigated associations among child abuse, attachment anxiety and avoidance, and attention biases for emotion in an adult population. Specifically, we examined how self-reported attachment influences the relationship between childhood abuse and attention bias for emotion. A dot probe task consisting of happy, threatening, and neutral female facial stimuli was used to assess possible biases in attention for socially relevant stimuli. Our findings indicate that attachment anxiety moderated the relationship between maltreatment and attention bias for happy emotion; among individuals with a child abuse history, attachment anxiety significantly predicted an attention bias away from happy facial stimuli. PMID:24680873

Measurement of "g" Using a Flashing LED

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terzella, T.; Sundermier, J.; Sinacore, J.; Owen, C.; Takai, H.

2008-01-01

In one of the classic free-fall experiments, a small mass is attached to a strip of paper tape and both are allowed to fall through a spark timer, where sparks are generated at regular time intervals. Students analyze marks (dots) left on the tape by the timer, thereby generating distance-versus-time data, which they analyze to extract the…

A Stroboscopic Light Source for Experiments in Mechanics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayer, V. V.; Varaksina, E. I.

2017-01-01

We propose to attach a small stroboscopic light source to a moving object and connect the source to a pulse generator with the help of insulated thin flexible multi-cored wires. Students can assemble such a device independently in a school laboratory. The device can be used to obtain trajectories with time marks in students' research projects in…

Parent-Child-Caregiver: The Attachment Triangle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caldwell, Bettye

2005-01-01

One of the most consistently recurring themes in great literature is the love triangle--Arthur and Guinevere and Lancelot, Tristan and Isolde and King Mark, and countless others. No one has produced an immortal story about it; but a love triangle plays itself out day after day in the lives of parents, young children, and caregivers. In this…

37 CFR 2.53 - Requirements for drawings filed through the TEAS.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... attach a digitized image of the mark to the TEAS submission that meets the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section. (c) Requirements for digitized image: The image must be in .jpg format and scanned... crowded, and produce a high quality image when copied. [68 FR 55764, Sept. 26, 2003, as amended at 70 FR...

37 CFR 2.53 - Requirements for drawings filed through the TEAS.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... attach a digitized image of the mark to the TEAS submission that meets the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section. (c) Requirements for digitized image: The image must be in .jpg format and scanned... crowded, and produce a high quality image when copied. [68 FR 55764, Sept. 26, 2003, as amended at 70 FR...

37 CFR 2.53 - Requirements for drawings filed through the TEAS.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... attach a digitized image of the mark to the TEAS submission that meets the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section. (c) Requirements for digitized image: The image must be in .jpg format and scanned... crowded, and produce a high quality image when copied. [68 FR 55764, Sept. 26, 2003, as amended at 70 FR...

37 CFR 2.53 - Requirements for drawings filed through the TEAS.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... attach a digitized image of the mark to the TEAS submission that meets the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section. (c) Requirements for digitized image: The image must be in .jpg format and scanned... crowded, and produce a high quality image when copied. [68 FR 55764, Sept. 26, 2003, as amended at 70 FR...

Faculty Collaboration: How a Wiki Enhanced Communication, Organization, Accessibility, and Management of Writing a Book

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Vivian H.; Burnham, Joy J.; Hooper, Lisa M.

2012-01-01

Faculty members have collaborated on research studies, manuscripts, books, teaching pedagogies, and ideas for years. From exchanging marked-up paper copies to exchanging email attachments, as technology has progressed so have the techniques and methods of collaborating. However, often, faculty adhere to traditional methods of sharing work and thus…

27 CFR 53.2 - Attachment of tax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... sale on credit, the tax attaches whether or not the purchase price is actually collected. (d) Where a... passes is dependent upon the intention of the parties as gathered from the contract of sale and the attendant circumstances. In the absence of expressed intention, the legal rules of presumption followed in...

An Exploratory Study of Young Persons' Attachment Styles and Perceived Reasons for Parental Divorce.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Tavi R.; Ehrenberg, Marion F.

1998-01-01

Explored relationship between undergraduate students' perceptions of the reasons for their parents' divorces and their own feelings of security in romantic relationships. Found that 73% described insecure attachment styles. Perceived reasons for divorce involving expressions of overt anger, involvement of children, and extramarital affairs were…

Global assessment of small RNAs reveals a non-coding transcript involved in biofilm formation and attachment in Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 17978

PubMed Central

Pérez, Astrid; Gómez, Manuel J.; Gayoso, Carmen; Vallejo, Juan A.; Ohneck, Emily J.; Valle, Jaione; Actis, Luis A.; Beceiro, Alejandro; Bou, Germán

2017-01-01

Many strains of Acinetobacter baumannii have been described as being able to form biofilm. Small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) control gene expression in many regulatory circuits in bacteria. The aim of the present work was to provide a global description of the sRNAs produced both by planktonic and biofilm-associated (sessile) cells of A. baumannii ATCC 17978, and to compare the corresponding gene expression profiles to identify sRNAs molecules associated to biofilm formation and virulence. sRNA was extracted from both planktonic and sessile cells and reverse transcribed. cDNA was subjected to 454-pyrosequencing using the GS-FLX Titanium chemistry. The global analysis of the small RNA transcriptome revealed different sRNA expression patterns in planktonic and biofilm associated cells, with some of the transcripts only expressed or repressed in sessile bacteria. A total of 255 sRNAs were detected, with 185 of them differentially expressed in the different types of cells. A total of 9 sRNAs were expressed only in biofilm cells, while the expression of other 21 coding regions were repressed only in biofilm cells. Strikingly, the expression level of the sRNA 13573 was 120 times higher in biofilms than in planktonic cells, an observation that prompted us to further investigate the biological role of this non-coding transcript. Analyses of an isogenic mutant and over-expressing strains revealed that the sRNA 13573 gene is involved in biofilm formation and attachment to A549 human alveolar epithelial cells. The present work serves as a basis for future studies examining the complex regulatory network that regulate biofilm biogenesis and attachment to eukaryotic cells in A. baumannii ATCC 17978. PMID:28763494

Solar radio-transmitters on snail kites in Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Snyder, N.F.R.; Beissinger, S.R.; Fuller, M.R.

1989-01-01

The effectiveness and safety of one- and two-stage solar radio-transmitters in tracking the movements and survival of adult and fledgling Snail Kites (Rostrhamus sociabilis) were evaluated between 1979 and 1983 in southern Florida. Transmitters were attached to birds with back-pack arrangements using teflon ribbon straps. Accessory plastic shields minimized feather coverage of the solar cells. Intact transmitters were seen on birds up to 47 mo after installation. Operating lives ranged from 8 to 21 mo for one-stage, and 10 to 14 mo for two-stage transmitters. Because survival of adult and nestling radio-marked kites was high, we conclude that our transmitter-attachment method had little effect on the birds.

Adherence of Trichomonas vaginalis to cell culture monolayers.

PubMed

Martinotti, M G; Martinetto, P; Savoia, D

1986-06-01

The in vitro adherence to WISH cells of a pathogenic Trichomonas vaginalis strain was studied with a method utilizing thymidine-labeled protozoa. A marked dose-related adherence was observed. Glutaraldehyde fixed trichomonads were not adherent. The presence of fetal calf serum during the assay did not influence attachment. Concanavalin A inhibited adherence of protozoa. Complete or partial inhibition of adherence was achieved by preincubating WISH cells with Lactobacillus fermentum or Streptococcus agalactiae. Finally, pretreatment of cells with alpha-estradiol, beta-estradiol, progesterone and estrone influenced attachment of protozoa, whereas estriol was ineffective. These results suggest that adherence of Trichomonas vaginalis is dependent on different factors, whose manipulation may have clinical relevance in preventing recurrence of trichomonad vaginitis.

Adult attachment style as mediator between childhood neglect/abuse and adult depression and anxiety.

PubMed

Bifulco, Antonia; Kwon, Junghye; Jacobs, Catherine; Moran, Patricia M; Bunn, Amanda; Beer, Nils

2006-10-01

There has been little prospective investigation of the relationship between adult attachment style and clinical levels of anxiety and major depression. This paper seeks to address this, as well as examining the potentially mediating role of adult insecure attachment styles in the relationship between childhood adverse experience and adult disorder. 154 high-risk community women studied in 1990-1995, were followed-up in 1995-1999 to test the role of insecure attachment style in predicting new episodes of anxiety and/or major depressive disorder. The Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse (CECA) and the Attachment Style Interview (ASI) were administered at first interview and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) administered at first and follow-up interview. Major depression and clinical level anxiety disorders (GAD, Social Phobia or Panic and/or Agoraphobia) were assessed at first contact and for the intervening follow-up period. 55% (85/154) of the women had at least one case level disorder in the follow-up period. Only markedly or moderately (but not mildly) insecure attachment styles predicted both major depression and case anxiety in follow-up. Some specificity was determined with Fearful style significantly associated both with depression and Social Phobia, and Angry-Dismissive style only with GAD. Attachment style was unrelated to Panic Disorder and/or Agoraphobia. In addition, Fearful and Angry-Dismissive styles were shown to partially mediate the relationship between childhood adversity and depression or anxiety. In order to correctly interpret lifespan models of adult psychiatric disorder, it is necessary to test for mediating factors. Attachment theory provides a framework for explaining how dysfunctional interpersonal style arising from early childhood perpetuates vulnerability to affective disorders. This has implications for intervention and treatment to break cycles of risk.

Quiet Spike(TradeMark) Build-up Ground Vibration Testing Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spivey, Natalie D.; Herrera, Claudia Y.; Truax, Roger; Pak, Chan-gi; Freund, Donald

2007-01-01

Flight tests of the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation s Quiet Spike(TradeMark) hardware were recently completed on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Dryden Flight Research Center F-15B airplane. NASA Dryden uses a modified F-15B (836) airplane as a testbed aircraft to cost-effectively fly flight research experiments that are typically mounted underneath the airplane, along the fuselage centerline. For the Quiet Spike(TradeMark) experiment, instead of a centerline mounting, a forward-pointing boom was attached to the radar bulkhead of the airplane. The Quiet Spike(TradeMark) experiment is a stepping-stone to airframe structural morphing technologies designed to mitigate the sonic-boom strength of business jets flying over land. Prior to flying the Quiet Spike(TradeMark) experiment on the F-15B airplane several ground vibration tests were required to understand the Quiet Spike(TradeMark) modal characteristics and coupling effects with the F-15B airplane. Because of flight hardware availability and compressed schedule requirements, a "traditional" ground vibration test of the mated F-15B Quiet Spike(TradeMark) ready-for-flight configuration did not leave sufficient time available for the finite element model update and flutter analyses before flight-testing. Therefore, a "nontraditional" ground vibration testing approach was taken. This report provides an overview of each phase of the "nontraditional" ground vibration testing completed for the Quiet Spike(TradeMark) project.

Mutation of praR in Rhizobium leguminosarum enhances root biofilms, improving nodulation competitiveness by increased expression of attachment proteins.

PubMed

Frederix, Marijke; Edwards, Anne; Swiderska, Anna; Stanger, Andrew; Karunakaran, Ramakrishnan; Williams, Alan; Abbruscato, Pamela; Sanchez-Contreras, Maria; Poole, Philip S; Downie, J Allan

2014-08-01

In Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae, quorum-sensing is regulated by CinR, which induces the cinIS operon. CinI synthesizes an AHL, whereas CinS inactivates PraR, a repressor. Mutation of praR enhanced biofilms in vitro. We developed a light (lux)-dependent assay of rhizobial attachment to roots and demonstrated that mutation of praR increased biofilms on pea roots. The praR mutant out-competed wild-type for infection of pea nodules in mixed inoculations. Analysis of gene expression by microarrays and promoter fusions revealed that PraR represses its own transcription and mutation of praR increased expression of several genes including those encoding secreted proteins (the adhesins RapA2, RapB and RapC, two cadherins and the glycanase PlyB), the polysaccharide regulator RosR, and another protein similar to PraR. PraR bound to the promoters of several of these genes indicating direct repression. Mutations in rapA2, rapB, rapC, plyB, the cadherins or rosR did not affect the enhanced root attachment or nodule competitiveness of the praR mutant. However combinations of mutations in rapA, rapB and rapC abolished the enhanced attachment and nodule competitiveness. We conclude that relief of PraR-mediated repression determines a lifestyle switch allowing the expression of genes that are important for biofilm formation on roots and the subsequent initiation of infection of legume roots. © 2014 The Authors. Molecular Microbiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 wrinkly spreader biofilm requires attachment factor, cellulose fibre and LPS interactions to maintain strength and integrity.

PubMed

Spiers, Andrew J; Rainey, Paul B

2005-09-01

The wrinkly spreader (WS) isolate of Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 forms a substantial biofilm at the air-liquid interface. The biofilm is composed of an extracellular partially acetylated cellulose-fibre matrix, and previous mutagenesis of WS with mini-Tn5 had identified both the regulatory and cellulose-biosynthetic operons. One uncharacterized WS mutant, WS-5, still expressed cellulose but produced very weak biofilms. In this work, the mini-Tn5 insertion site in WS-5 has been identified as being immediately upstream of the tol-pal operon. Like Tol-Pal mutants of other Gram-negative bacteria, WS-5 showed a "leaky-membrane" phenotype, including the serendipitous ability to utilize sucrose, increased uptake of the hydrophilic dye propidium iodide, and the loss of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) expression. WS-5 cells were altered in relative hydrophobicity, and showed poorer recruitment and maintenance in the biofilm than WS. The WS-5 biofilm was also less sensitive to chemical interference during development. However, growth rate, cellulose expression and attachment were not significantly different between WS and WS-5. Finally, WS-5 biofilms could be partially complemented with WS-4, a biofilm- and attachment-deficient mutant that expressed LPS, resulting in a mixed biofilm with significantly increased strength. These findings show that a major component of the WS air-liquid biofilm strength results from the interactions between LPS and the cellulose matrix of the biofilm--and that in the WS biofilm, cellulose fibres, attachment factor and LPS are required for biofilm development, strength and integrity.

A comparative study of fine polished stainless steel, TiN and TiN/Ag surfaces: adhesion and attachment strength of Listeria monocytogenes as well as anti-listerial effect.

PubMed

Skovager, Anne; Whitehead, Kathryn; Wickens, David; Verran, Joanna; Ingmer, Hanne; Arneborg, Nils

2013-09-01

Magnetron sputtering was used to produce nanocomposite TiN and TiN/Ag coatings on stainless steel surfaces. The surface chemistry (EDX), physicochemical properties (contact angles), topography and roughness parameters (WLP and AFM) of the fine polished stainless steel (FPSS), TiN and TiN/8.6 at.% Ag surfaces were examined. Real-time initial adhesion of two Listeria monocytogenes strains (EGDe and 64) to the three surfaces was determined under flow conditions, and their attachment strength after adhesion was measured using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The anti-listerial properties of the surfaces were determined using LIVE/DEAD staining. Our results demonstrate that FPSS, TiN and TiN/8.6 at.% Ag possessed different surface properties, which may influence both attachment strength and anti-listerial properties. There were no significant (p>0.05) differences in the initial adhesion of the two L. monocytogenes strains to the three different surfaces. Attachment studies showed that the two L. monocytogenes strains did not attach to FPSS under wetted conditions. However, both strains attached to TiN and TiN/8.6 at.% Ag surfaces, although with less strength to TiN/8.6 at.% Ag than to TiN surfaces. The TiN/8.6 at.% Ag surface showed marked anti-listerial properties as compared with FPSS and TiN. Initial adhesion, attachment strength and anti-listerial properties were found to be strain dependent. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phorbol esters alter alpha4 and alphad integrin usage during eosinophil adhesion to VCAM-1.

PubMed

Kikuchi, Matsuo; Tachimoto, Hiroshi; Nutku, Esra; Hudson, Sherry A; Bochner, Bruce S

2003-01-01

We examined the effect of the protein kinase C activator phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) on the human eosinophil adhesion molecule phenotype and attachment to VCAM-1 via alpha4 and alphad integrins under static and flow conditions. PMA increased surface expression of alphad integrins and decreased alpha4 integrin expression. Under static conditions, eosinophils bound well to VCAM-1, primarily via alpha4beta1 integrins, with a minor alphadbeta2 integrin component. Unexpectedly, PMA-stimulated eosinophils bound equally well to VCAM-1 and albumin in a temperature- and divalent cation-dependent manner, yet adhesion was independent of beta1 and beta2 integrins. Under flow conditions, eosinophils readily attached to VCAM-1, and adhesion was inhibited by both alpha4 and alphad mAbs (95 and 50% inhibition, respectively). Many fewer PMA-stimulated eosinophils bound to VCAM-1 under flow conditions, but both alpha4 and alphad mAbs inhibited adhesion equally. Thus, PMA alters eosinophil integrin expression and the relative contributions of alpha4 and alphad integrins during attachment to VCAM-1.

Furosemide- and bumetanide-sensitive ion transport and volume control in primary astrocyte cultures from rat brain.

PubMed

Kimelberg, H K; Frangakis, M V

1985-12-30

K+ and Cl- transport using 42K+ and 36Cl- was studied in primary astrocyte cultures prepared from neonatal rat brains. A component of 42K+ uptake was sensitive to both furosemide and bumetanide with maximum inhibition being obtained at 1 and 0.01 mM concentrations of the inhibitors, respectively. Furosemide and bumetanide also markedly inhibited uptake of 36Cl-. 42K+ uptake in the presence of ouabain was also sensitive to the omission of medium Na+ and Cl-. These results suggest the existence of a K+ + Na+ + Cl- cotransport system in astrocyte cultures which in many cells has been shown to be involved in volume regulation. We studied volume changes using uptake of [14C]3-O- methyl-D-glucose ([14C]3-OMG), and also ion transport, in attached cells in response to exposure to hyper- or hypotonic medium. Exposure to medium made hypertonic with mannitol resulted in shrinkage of the [14C]3-OMG space of the cells, but did not affect 36Cl- content, expressed as nmol/mg protein. Exposure to hypotonic medium led to a marked increase in the [14C]3-OMG space, rapidly followed by a decrease towards control values. After the cells were then exposed to isotonic medium there was an immediate decrease followed by a slower increase in the [14C]3-OMG space. The increase in the [14C]3-OMG space was partially inhibited by 1 mM furosemide.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Epigenetic modification: possible approach to reduce Salmonella enterica serovar enteritidis susceptibility under stress conditions.

PubMed

Soleimani, A F; Zulkifli, I; Hair-Bejo, M; Ebrahimi, M; Jazayeri, S D; Hashemi, S R; Meimandipour, A; Goh, Y M

2012-01-01

Stressors may influence chicken susceptibility to pathogens such as Salmonella enterica. Feed withdrawal stress can cause changes in normal intestinal epithelial structure and may lead to increased attachment and colonization of Salmonella. This study aimed to investigate modulatory effects of epigenetic modification by feed restriction on S. enterica serovar Enteritidis colonization in broiler chickens subjected to feed withdrawal stress. Chicks were divided into four groups: ad libitum feeding; ad libitum feeding with 24-h feed withdrawal on day 42; 60% feed restriction on days 4, 5, and 6; and 60% feed restriction on days 4, 5, and 6 with 24-h feed withdrawal on day 42. Attachment of S. Enteritidis to ileal tissue was determined using an ex vivo ileal loop assay, and heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) expression was evaluated using sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and western blotting. Feed withdrawal stress increased S. Enteritidis attachment to ileal tissue. However, following feed withdrawal the epigenetically modified chickens had significantly lower attachment of S. Enteritidis than their control counterparts. A similar trend with a very positive correlation was observed for Hsp70 expression. It appears that epigenetic modification can enhance resistance to S. Enteritidis colonization later in life in chickens under stress conditions. The underlying mechanism could be associated with the lower Hsp70 expression in the epigenetically modified chickens.

Attachment system for silica tiles. [thermal protection for space shuttle orbiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dotts, R. L.; Holt, J. W. (Inventor)

1982-01-01

An improved method for markedly increasing the bond strength between a rigid, porous refractory material and non-rigid substrate by densifying the face of the rigid material opposing the substrate is discussed. Densification is accomplished by wetting the refractory material and then impregnating it with a composite slurry having a particle size to fill voids of the porous material.

The Stigmatization of Problem Drug Users: A Narrative Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lloyd, Charlie

2013-01-01

Background: A stigma is a long-lasting mark of social disgrace that has a profound effect on interactions between the stigmatized and the unstigmatized. Factors governing the extent of stigmatization attached to an individual include the perceived danger posed by that person and the extent to which she/he is seen as being to blame for the stigma.…

46 CFR 160.062-5 - Markings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...″ stainless steel tag of a minimum thickness of 0.032 inches. This tag shall be permanently attached to a hydraulic release with a single stainless steel link made of wire 3/16″ in diameter. This link shall provide... of manufacture with a 2″ by 31/2″ stainless steel tag of a minimum thickness of 0.032 inch. This tag...

46 CFR 160.062-5 - Markings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...″ stainless steel tag of a minimum thickness of 0.032 inches. This tag shall be permanently attached to a hydraulic release with a single stainless steel link made of wire 3/16″ in diameter. This link shall provide... of manufacture with a 2″ by 31/2″ stainless steel tag of a minimum thickness of 0.032 inch. This tag...

46 CFR 160.062-5 - Markings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...″ stainless steel tag of a minimum thickness of 0.032 inches. This tag shall be permanently attached to a hydraulic release with a single stainless steel link made of wire 3/16″ in diameter. This link shall provide... of manufacture with a 2″ by 31/2″ stainless steel tag of a minimum thickness of 0.032 inch. This tag...

A Multi-Week Behavioral Sampling Tag for Sound Effects Studies: Design Trade-Offs and Prototype Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-30

Doug Gillespie, SMRU/U. St. Andrews Mark Johnson, SMRU/U. St. Andrews Holger Klink, U. Oregon Phil Lovell , SMRU/U. St. Andrews David Mann, U. South...be be sourced from an ’ AA ’ size Lithium primary (non- rechargable) cell while the tag is attached to an animal and then from a rechargeable Lithium-ion

Space Shuttle Projects

NASA Image and Video Library

1989-05-05

The STS-30 mission launched aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis on May 4, 1989 at 2:46:59pm (EDT) carrying a crew of five. Aboard were Ronald J. Grabe, pilot; David M. Walker, commander; and mission specialists Norman E. Thagard, Mary L. Cleave, and Mark C. Lee. The primary payload for the mission was the Magellan/Venus Radar mapper spacecraft and attached Inertial Upper Stage (IUS).

Analysis of the signal for attachment of a glycophospholipid membrane anchor

PubMed Central

1989-01-01

The COOH terminus of decay accelerating factor (DAF) contains a signal that directs attachment of a glycophospholipid (GPI) membrane anchor. To define this signal we deleted portions of the DAF COOH terminus and expressed the mutant cDNAs it CV1 origin-deficient SV-40 cells. Our results show that the COOH-terminal hydrophobic domain (17 residues) is absolutely required for GPI anchor attachment. However, when fused to the COOH terminus of a secreted protein this hydrophobic domain is insufficient to direct attachment of a GPI anchor. Additional specific information located within the adjacent 20 residues appears to be necessary. We speculate that by analogy with signal sequences for membrane translocation, GPI anchor attachment requires both a COOH- terminal hydrophobic domain (the GPI signal) as well as a suitable cleavage/attachment site located NH2 terminal to the signal. PMID:2466848

Infant bonding and attachment to the caregiver: Insights from basic and clinical science

PubMed Central

Sullivan, Regina; Perry, Rosemarie; Sloan, Aliza; Kleinhaus, Karine; Burtchen, Nina

2011-01-01

The bonding and early life attachment between the infant and caregiver is a dynamic, bidirectional process involving caregiver nurturing of the infant, as well as complementary infant behavior that elicits parental care. Attachment appears to have a dual function. The first function is to ensure the infant remains close to the caregiver in order to receive necessary care for survival. Interestingly, animal research has shown that both nurturing and painful stimuli associated with the caregiver support attachment. Secondly, the quality of attachment and its associated sensory stimuli organize the brain to define the infant's cognitive and emotional development. Specifically, the patterning and quality of care regulate the infant's brain function and behavioral expression that determines long-term emotional regulation. These issues, presented within an historical view of infant attachment, highlight the importance of integrating human and animal research in understanding infant care. PMID:22107895

19 CFR 122.48 - Air cargo manifest.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... aircraft, except that a more complete description of the cargo shipped may be provided by attaching to the... air express or freight shall be manifested as other air express or freight. (e) Accompanied baggage in...

Adult Attachment Styles Associated with Brain Activity in Response to Infant Faces in Nulliparous Women: An Event-Related Potentials Study.

PubMed

Ma, Yuanxiao; Ran, Guangming; Chen, Xu; Ma, Haijing; Hu, Na

2017-01-01

Adult attachment style is a key for understanding emotion regulation and feelings of security in human interactions as well as for the construction of the caregiving system. The caregiving system is a group of representations about affiliative behaviors, which is guided by the caregiver's sensitivity and empathy, and is mature in young adulthood. Appropriate perception and interpretation of infant emotions is a crucial component of the formation of a secure attachment relationship between infant and caregiver. As attachment styles influence the ways in which people perceive emotional information, we examined how different attachment styles associated with brain response to the perception of infant facial expressions in nulliparous females with secure, anxious, and avoidant attachment styles. The event-related potentials of 65 nulliparous females were assessed during a facial recognition task with joy, neutral, and crying infant faces. The results showed that anxiously attached females exhibited larger N170 amplitudes than those with avoidant attachment in response to all infant faces. Regarding the P300 component, securely attached females showed larger amplitudes to all infant faces in comparison with avoidantly attached females. Moreover, anxiously attached females exhibited greater amplitudes than avoidantly attached females to only crying infant faces. In conclusion, the current results provide evidence that attachment style differences are associated with brain responses to the perception of infant faces. Furthermore, these findings further separate the psychological mechanisms underlying the caregiving behavior of those with anxious and avoidant attachment from secure attachment.

History, race, and attachment to place among elders in the rural all-black towns of Oklahoma.

PubMed

McAuley, W J

1998-01-01

This research examines place attachment among older residents of the all-Black towns of Oklahoma. Social-historical occurrences, personal experiences associated with race, and expressed differences between social-historical groupings of older African Americans influence the level of social and autobiographical insideness among the elderly residents. The findings extend current conceptualizations of place attachment by showing that (a) place attachment is not a constant, even among long-term residents; (b) social-historical factors can play an important role in the level of place attachment; (c) race can be a salient element of place attachment; (d) experiences outside the community, such as racial discrimination, can influence the level of social and autobiographical bonding to the community; and (e) subgroup identity within minority groups can be associated with variations in community place attachment. The findings point to the value of carefully examining the issues of history and race in research focusing on older minority group members.

Evidence of femtosecond-laser pulse induced cell membrane nanosurgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katchinskiy, Nir; Godbout, Roseline; Elezzabi, Abdulhakem Y.

2017-02-01

The mechanism of femtosecond laser nanosurgical attachment is investigated in the following article. Using sub-10 femtosecond laser pulses with 800 nm central wavelength were used to attach retinoblastoma cells. During the attachment process the cell membrane phospholipid bilayers hemifuse into one shared phospholipid bilayer, at the location of attachment. Transmission electron microscopy was used in order to verify the above hypothesis. Based on the imaging results, it was concluded that the two cell membrane coalesce to form one single shared membrane. The technique of cell-cell attachment via femtosecond laser pulses could potentially serve as a platform for precise cell membrane manipulation. Manipulation of the cellular membrane is valuable for studying diseases such as cancer; where the expression level of plasma proteins on the cell membrane is altered.

Family environment and adult attachment as predictors of psychopathology and personality dysfunction among inpatient abuse survivors.

PubMed

Riggs, Shelley A; Sahl, Gayla; Greenwald, Ellen; Atkison, Heather; Paulson, Adrienne; Ross, Colin A

2007-01-01

The current study explored the role of early family environment and adult attachment style in explaining long-term outcomes among child abuse survivors. Adult patients (N = 80) in a trauma treatment program were assessed for clinical diagnosis and administered a multiscale questionnaire. Hierarchical regression analyses were significant for dissociative identity disorder (DID), substance abuse, anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress, somatization, and six personality disorder dimensions. Adult attachment styles were significant predictors of most outcome variables. Of particular note was the strong contribution of attachment avoidance to DID. Five family environment scales (Independence, Organization, Control, Conflict, Expressiveness) also contributed to various psychopathological outcomes. Evidence emerged supporting a mediating role for attachment style in the link between family independence and five personality disorder dimensions.

Educational videos for practitioners attending Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative workshops supporting breastfeeding positioning, attachment and hand expression skills: Effects on knowledge and confidence.

PubMed

Wallace, Louise M; Ma, Yuanying; Qiu, Li Qian; Dunn, Orla M

2018-04-26

UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative (BFHI) is the global standard for maternity and community services requiring all practitioners to be trained to support mothers in the essential skills of supporting positioning and attachment, and hand expression. These studies aim to rigorously assess knowledge in nurses, midwives, and doctors in these skills, tested before and after watching short videos demonstrating these skills. Practitioners were attending BFHI education, and the video study was additional. In Phase 1 clinicians in England were randomised to one of two videos (practitioner role play or clinical demonstration). The results showed improvements in knowledge and confidence, and a preference for clinical demonstration by mothers and infants. The clinical demonstration video was evaluated in China in Phase 2 where expert trainers viewed the video after completing the BHFI workshop, and in Phase 3 practitioners viewed the video before the BHFI workshop. Phase 2 with expert trainers only showed improvement in knowledge of hand expression but not positioning and attachment. In Phase 3 clinicians showed improved knowledge for both skills. In all Phases there were statistically significant improvements in confidence in practice in both skills. Viewing short videos increased knowledge, particularly about teaching hand expression, and confidence in both skills. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Imaging mass spectrometry detection of gangliosides species in the mouse brain following transient focal cerebral ischemia and long-term recovery.

PubMed

Whitehead, Shawn N; Chan, Kenneth H N; Gangaraju, Sandhya; Slinn, Jacqueline; Li, Jianjun; Hou, Sheng T

2011-01-01

Gangliosides, a member of the glycosphingolipid family, are heterogeneously expressed in biological membranes and are particularly enriched within the central nervous system. Gangliosides consist of mono- or poly-sialylated oligosaccharide chains of variable lengths attached to a ceramide unit and are found to be intimately involved in brain disease development. The purpose of this study is to examine the spatial profile of ganglioside species using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) imaging (IMS) following middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) reperfusion injury in the mouse. IMS is a powerful method to not only discriminate gangliosides by their oligosaccharide components, but also by their carbon length within their sphingosine base. Mice were subjected to a 30 min unilateral MCAO followed by long-term survival (up to 28 days of reperfusion). Brain sections were sprayed with the matrix 5-Chloro-2-mercaptobenzothiazole, scanned and analyzed for a series of ganglioside molecules using an Applied Biosystems 4800 MALDI TOF/TOF. Traditional histological and immunofluorescence techniques were performed to assess brain tissue damage and verification of the expression of gangliosides of interest. Results revealed a unique anatomical profile of GM1, GD1 and GT1b (d18:1, d20:1 as well as other members of the glycosphingolipid family). There was marked variability in the ratio of expression between ipsilateral and contralateral cortices for the various detected ganglioside species following MCAO-reperfusion injury. Most interestingly, MCAO resulted in the transient induction of both GM2 and GM3 signals within the ipsilateral hemisphere; at the border of the infarcted tissue. Taken together, the data suggest that brain region specific expression of gangliosides, particularly with respect to hydrocarbon length, may play a role in neuronal responses to injury.

Loneliness and depression in middle and late childhood: the relationship to attachment and parental styles.

PubMed

Richaud de Minzi, María Cristina

2006-06-01

In this study, the author analyzed the relationship between (a) parenting and attachment and (b) self-competence, loneliness, and depression in children aged 8-12 years. The author administered (a) the Argentine Scale of Perception of the Relationships with Parents (M. C. Richaud de Minzi, 2004), (b) the Kerns' Security Scale (K. A. Kerns, L. Klepac, & A. K. Cole, 1996; M. C. Richaud de Minzi, C. Sacchi, & J. E. Moreno, 2001, Argentine adaptation), (c) the Self-Perception Profile for Children (S. Harter, 1985; M. C. Richaud de Minzi et al.), (d) the Dimensions of Depression Profile for Children and Adolescents (S. Harter & M. Nowakowski, 1987), and (e) the Louvain Loneliness Scale for Children and Adolescents (A. Marcoen, L. Goossens, & P. Caes, 1987; M. C. Richaud de Minzi et al.) to 1,019 children (8-12 years of age, 483 boys, 536 girls). Results indicated that attachment and parent-child relationship styles were differentiated constructs. Parents' acceptance promoted secure attachment and positive outcomes in children. Moreover, fathers' lack of interest had a marked negative effect. The author found differences in the perceptions and influences of fathers and mothers, which follow the cultural patterns of gender attribution.

Lightning attachment patterns and flight conditions experienced by the NASA F-106B airplane from 1980 to 1983

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, B. D.; Plumer, J. A.

1984-01-01

The direct lightning strike data and associated flight conditions recorded from 1980 to 1983 during 742 thunderstorm penetrations with a NASA F-106B in Oklahoma and Virginia are studied with an emphasis on aircraft protection design. The individual lightning attachment spots were plotted on isometric projections of the aircraft to identify lightning entry and exit points and swept flash patterns. The altitudes, ambient temperatures, turbulence, and precipitation at which the strikes occurred are summarized and discussed. It was noted that peak strike rates (0.81 strikes/min and 3 strikes/penetration) occurred at altitudes between 11 km and 11.6 km corresponding to ambient temperatures between -40 C and -45 C. The data confirmed that initial entry and exit points most frequently occur at aircraft extremities, in this case the nose boom, the wing tips, the vertical fin cap, and the afterburner. The swept-flash attachment paths and burn marks found in this program indicate that the mid-span areas of swept aircraft may be more susceptible to lightning than previously thought. It was also found that lightning strikes may attach to spots within the engine tail pipe.

Fucoidan promotes early step of cardiac differentiation from human embryonic stem cells and long-term maintenance of beating areas.

PubMed

Hamidi, Sofiane; Letourneur, Didier; Aid-Launais, Rachida; Di Stefano, Antonio; Vainchenker, William; Norol, Françoise; Le Visage, Catherine

2014-04-01

Somatic stem cells require specific niches and three-dimensional scaffolds provide ways to mimic this microenvironment. Here, we studied a scaffold based on Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide known to influence morphogen gradients during embryonic development, to support human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) differentiation toward the cardiac lineage. A macroporous (pore 200 μm) Fucoidan scaffold was selected to support hESCs attachment and proliferation. Using a protocol based on the cardiogenic morphogen bone morphogenic protein 2 (BMP2) and transforming growth factor (TGFβ) followed by tumor necrosis factor (TNFα), an effector of cardiopoietic priming, we examined the cardiac differentiation in the scaffold compared to culture dishes and embryoid bodies (EBs). At day 8, Fucoidan scaffolds supported a significantly higher expression of the 3 genes encoding for transcription factors marking the early step of embryonic cardiac differentiation NKX2.5 (p<0.05), MEF2C (p<0.01), and GATA4 (p<0.01), confirmed by flow cytometry analysis for MEF2C and NKX2.5. The ability of Fucoidan scaffolds to locally concentrate and slowly release TGFβ and TNFα was confirmed by Luminex technology. We also found that Fucoidan scaffolds supported the late stage of embryonic cardiac differentiation marked by a significantly higher atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) expression (p<0.001), although only rare beating areas were observed. We postulated that absence of mechanical stress in the soft hydrogel impaired sarcomere formation, as confirmed by molecular analysis of the cardiac muscle myosin MYH6 and immunohistological staining of sarcomeric α-actinin. Nevertheless, Fucoidan scaffolds contributed to the development of thin filaments connecting beating areas through promotion of smooth muscle cells, thus enabling maintenance of beating areas for up to 6 months. In conclusion, Fucoidan scaffolds appear as a very promising biomaterial to control cardiac differentiation from hESCs that could be further combined with mechanical stress to promote sarcomere formation at terminal stages of differentiation.

The role of alginate in Pseudomonas aeruginosa EPS adherence, viscoelastic properties and cell attachment.

PubMed

Orgad, Oded; Oren, Yoram; Walker, Sharon L; Herzberg, Moshe

2011-08-01

Among various functions, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) provide microbial biofilms with mechanical stability and affect initial cell attachment, the first stage in the biofilm formation process. The role of alginate, an abundant polysaccharide in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms, in the viscoelastic properties and adhesion kinetics of EPS was analyzed using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) monitoring technology. EPS was extracted from two P. aeruginosa biofilms, a wild type strain, PAO1, and a mucoid strain, PAOmucA22 that over-expresses alginate production. The higher alginate content in the EPS originating from the mucoid biofilms was clearly shown to increase both the rate and the extent of attachment of the EPS, as well as the layer's thickness. Also, the presence of calcium and elevated ionic strength increased the thickness of the EPS layer. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) showed that the presence of calcium and elevated ionic strength induced intermolecular attractive interactions in the mucoid EPS molecules. For the wild type EPS, in the presence of calcium, an elevated shift in the distribution of the diffusion coefficients was observed with DLS due to a more compacted conformation of the EPS molecules. Moreover, the alginate over-expression effect on EPS adherence was compared to the effect of alginate over-expression on P. aeruginosa cell attachment. In a parallel plate flow cell, under similar hydraulic and aquatic conditions as those applied for the EPS adsorption tests in the QCM-D flow cell, reduced adherence of the mucoid strain was clearly observed compared to the wild type isogenic bacteria. The results suggest that alginate contributes to steric hindrance and shielding of cell surface features and adhesins that are known to promote cell attachment. © 2011 Taylor & Francis

How light-harvesting semiconductors can alter the bias of reversible electrocatalysts in favor of H2 production and CO2 reduction.

PubMed

Bachmeier, Andreas; Wang, Vincent C C; Woolerton, Thomas W; Bell, Sophie; Fontecilla-Camps, Juan C; Can, Mehmet; Ragsdale, Stephen W; Chaudhary, Yatendra S; Armstrong, Fraser A

2013-10-09

The most efficient catalysts for solar fuel production should operate close to reversible potentials, yet possess a bias for the fuel-forming direction. Protein film electrochemical studies of Ni-containing carbon monoxide dehydrogenase and [NiFeSe]-hydrogenase, each a reversible electrocatalyst, show that the electronic state of the electrode strongly biases the direction of electrocatalysis of CO2/CO and H(+)/H2 interconversions. Attached to graphite electrodes, these enzymes show high activities for both oxidation and reduction, but there is a marked shift in bias, in favor of CO2 or H(+) reduction, when the respective enzymes are attached instead to n-type semiconductor electrodes constructed from CdS and TiO2 nanoparticles. This catalytic rectification effect can arise for a reversible electrocatalyst attached to a semiconductor electrode if the electrode transforms between semiconductor- and metallic-like behavior across the same narrow potential range (<0.25 V) that the electrocatalytic current switches between oxidation and reduction.

Effects of Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies on the Affective Network of Adolescents with Internet Gaming Disorder.

PubMed

Kang, Kyoung Doo; Jung, Tae Woon; Park, In Hui; Han, Doug Hyun

2018-04-26

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) has been suggested to be a mental health disorder. Attachment and emotional status in IGD patients are important for understanding the etiology and progression of IGD because both parameters are considered to be associated with the affective network. Equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) have been reported to improve emotional status and attachment in subjects. We hypothesized that EAAT would improve attachment in IGD adolescents with insecure attachment issues and increase functional connectivity (FC) within the affective network. Subjects completed a demographic questionnaire, the Korean Experiences in Close Relationships Scale Revised version (K-ECRS), the Child Depression Inventory, Young's Internet Addiction Scale, the Korean Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale, and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging at baseline at the end of EAAT. Fifteen IGD adolescents with insecure attachment issues and 15 healthy comparison adolescents with secure attachment agreed to participate in this study. After 7 days of EAAT, K-ECRS avoidance and anxiety scores improved in all adolescents. K-ECRS avoidance scores of the IGD group showed marked improvement compared with those of the healthy group. In all participants, FC from the left amygdala to the left parahippocampal gyrus, left medial frontal gyrus, and left inferior frontal gyrus, as well as from the right amygdala to the left caudate, right claustrum, and left inferior frontal gyrus increased. In IGD adolescents, FC from the left amygdala to the left frontal orbital gyrus, as well as from the right amygdala to the right corpus callosum also increased. These findings suggested that EAAT improves attachment, which could lead to a decrease in the severity of IGD symptoms in IGD patients with insecure attachment issues. In addition, EAAT increases FC within the affective network, which was associated with attachment not only in healthy adolescents but also in adolescents with IGD.

Quantification of Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58 attachment to Arabidopsis thaliana roots.

PubMed

Petrovicheva, Anna; Joyner, Jessica; Muth, Theodore R

2017-10-02

Agrobacterium tumefaciens is the causal agent of crown gall disease and is a vector for DNA transfer in transgenic plants. The transformation process by A. tumefaciens has been widely studied, but the attachment stage has not been well characterized. Most measurements of attachment have used microscopy and colony counting, both of which are labor and time intensive. To reduce the time and effort required to analyze bacteria attaching to plant tissues, we developed a quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay to quantify attached A. tumefaciens using the chvE gene as marker for the presence of the bacteria. The qPCR detection threshold of A. tumefaciens from pure culture was 104 cell equivalents/ml. The A. tumefaciens minimum threshold concentration from root-bound populations was determined to be 105 cell equivalents/ml inoculum to detect attachment above background. The qPCR assay can be used for measuring A. tumefaciens attachment in applications such as testing the effects of mutations on bacterial adhesion molecules or biofilm formation, comparing attachment across various plant species and ecotypes, and detecting mutations in putative attachment receptors expressed in plant roots. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

76 FR 17448 - Subpart A (“General Provisions”) and Subpart B (“Confined and Enclosed Spaces and Other Dangerous...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-29

..., messenger, or courier service: When using this method, you must submit your comments and attachments to the... for submitting comments. Facsimile: If your comments, including attachments, are not longer than 10... Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. Deliveries (hand, express mail, messenger, and courier service) are...

Self-Expression on Social Media: Do Tweets Present Accurate and Positive Portraits of Impulsivity, Self-Esteem, and Attachment Style?

PubMed

Orehek, Edward; Human, Lauren J

2017-01-01

Self-expression values are at an all-time high, and people are increasingly relying upon social media platforms to express themselves positively and accurately. We examined whether self-expression on the social media platform Twitter elicits positive and accurate social perceptions. Eleven perceivers rated 128 individuals (targets; total dyadic impressions = 1,408) on their impulsivity, self-esteem, and attachment style, based solely on the information provided in targets' 10 most recent tweets. Targets were on average perceived normatively and with distinctive self-other agreement, indicating both positive and accurate social perceptions. There were also individual differences in how positively and accurately targets were perceived, which exploratory analyses indicated may be partially driven by differential word usage, such as the use of positive emotion words and self- versus other-focus. This study demonstrates that self-expression on social media can elicit both positive and accurate perceptions and begins to shed light on how to curate such perceptions.

Ruxolitinib and Polycation Combination Treatment Overcomes Multiple Mechanisms of Resistance of Pancreatic Cancer Cells to Oncolytic Vesicular Stomatitis Virus

PubMed Central

Felt, Sébastien A.; Droby, Gaith N.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is a promising oncolytic virus (OV). Although VSV is effective against a majority of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell (PDAC) cell lines, some PDAC cell lines are highly resistant to VSV, and the mechanisms of resistance are still unclear. JAK1/2 inhibitors (such as ruxolitinib and JAK inhibitor I) strongly stimulate VSV replication and oncolysis in all resistant cell lines but only partially improve the susceptibility of resistant PDACs to VSV. VSV tumor tropism is generally dependent on the permissiveness of malignant cells to viral replication rather than on receptor specificity, with several ubiquitously expressed cell surface molecules playing a role in VSV attachment to host cells. However, as VSV attachment to PDAC cells has never been tested before, here we examined if it was possibly inhibited in resistant PDAC cells. Our data show a dramatically weaker attachment of VSV to HPAF-II cells, the most resistant human PDAC cell line. Although sequence analysis of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor (LDLR) mRNA did not reveal any amino acid substitutions in this cell line, HPAF-II cells displayed the lowest level of LDLR expression and dramatically lower LDL uptake. Treatment of cells with various statins strongly increased LDLR expression levels but did not improve VSV attachment or LDL uptake in HPAF-II cells. However, LDLR-independent attachment of VSV to HPAF-II cells was dramatically improved by treating cells with Polybrene or DEAE-dextran. Moreover, combining VSV with ruxolitinib and Polybrene or DEAE-dextran successfully broke the resistance of HPAF-II cells to VSV by simultaneously improving VSV attachment and replication. IMPORTANCE Oncolytic virus (OV) therapy is an anticancer approach that uses viruses that selectively infect and kill cancer cells. This study focuses on oncolytic vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) against pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells. Although VSV is effective against most PDAC cells, some are highly resistant to VSV, and the mechanisms are still unclear. Here we examined if VSV attachment to cells was inhibited in resistant PDAC cells. Our data show very inefficient attachment of VSV to the most resistant human PDAC cell line, HPAF-II. However, VSV attachment to HPAF-II cells was dramatically improved by treating cells with polycations. Moreover, combining VSV with polycations and ruxolitinib (which inhibits antiviral signaling) successfully broke the resistance of HPAF-II cells to VSV by simultaneously improving VSV attachment and replication. We envision that this novel triple-combination approach could be used in the future to treat PDAC tumors that are highly resistant to OV therapy. PMID:28566376

Primary human osteoblasts grow into porous tantalum and maintain an osteoblastic phenotype.

PubMed

Welldon, Katie J; Atkins, Gerald J; Howie, Donald W; Findlay, David M

2008-03-01

Porous tantalum (Ta) has found application in orthopedics, although the interaction of human osteoblasts (HOB) with this material has not been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction of primary HOB with porous tantalum, using 5-mm thick discs of porous tantalum. Comparison was made with discs of solid tantalum and tissue culture plastic. Confocal microscopy was used to investigate the attachment and growth of cells on porous Ta, and showed that HOB attached successfully to the metal "trabeculae," underwent extensive cell division, and penetrated into the Ta pores. The maturation of HOB on porous Ta was determined in terms of cell expression of the osteoblast phenotypic markers, STRO-1, and alkaline phosphatase. Despite some donor-dependent variation in STRO-1/AlkPhos expression, growth of cells grown on porous Ta either promoted, or did not impede, the maturation of HOB. In addition, the expression of key osteoblastic genes was investigated after 14 days of culture. The relative levels of mRNA encoding osteocalcin, osteopontin and receptor activator of NFkappaB ligand (RANKL) was not different between porous or solid Ta or plastic, although these genes were expressed differently by cells of different donors. However, bone sialoprotein and type I collagen mRNA species showed a decreased expression on porous Ta compared with expression on plastic. No substrate-dependent differences were seen in the extent of in vitro mineralization by HOB. These results indicate that porous Ta is a good substrate for the attachment, growth, and differentiated function of HOB. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

In Vitro Studies on the Degradability, Bioactivity, and Cell Differentiation of PRP/AZ31B Mg Alloys Composite Scaffold.

PubMed

Zou, Jian; Shi, Zhongmin; Xu, Hongwei; Li, Xiaolin

2017-01-01

In recent years, more and more methods have been developed to improve the bioactivity of the biodegradable materials in bone tissue regeneration. In present study, we used rat mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs) to evaluate the outcomes of Mg alloys (AZ31B, Magnesium, and Aluminum) and Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)/Mg alloys on rMSCs biocompatibility and osteogenic differentiation. Water absorption experiments indicated that both bare AZ31B and PRP/AZ31B were capable of absorbing large amounts of water. But the water absorption ratio for PRP/AZ31B was significantly higher than that for bare AZ31B. The degradability experiments implied that both samples degraded at same speed. rMSCs on the surface of AZ31B distributed more and better than those on the AZ31B scaffold. In ALP activity experiment, the activity of rMSCs on the PRP/AZ31B was markedly higher than that on the AZ31B scaffolds on the 7th day and 14th day. qRT-PCR also showed that OPN and OCN were expressed in both samples. OPN and OCN expression in PRP/AZ31B sample were higher than those in bare AZ31B samples. In summary, the in vitro study implied that AZ31B combined with PRP could remarkably improve cell seeding, attachment, proliferation, and differentiation.

Adult Attachment Styles Associated with Brain Activity in Response to Infant Faces in Nulliparous Women: An Event-Related Potentials Study

PubMed Central

Ma, Yuanxiao; Ran, Guangming; Chen, Xu; Ma, Haijing; Hu, Na

2017-01-01

Adult attachment style is a key for understanding emotion regulation and feelings of security in human interactions as well as for the construction of the caregiving system. The caregiving system is a group of representations about affiliative behaviors, which is guided by the caregiver’s sensitivity and empathy, and is mature in young adulthood. Appropriate perception and interpretation of infant emotions is a crucial component of the formation of a secure attachment relationship between infant and caregiver. As attachment styles influence the ways in which people perceive emotional information, we examined how different attachment styles associated with brain response to the perception of infant facial expressions in nulliparous females with secure, anxious, and avoidant attachment styles. The event-related potentials of 65 nulliparous females were assessed during a facial recognition task with joy, neutral, and crying infant faces. The results showed that anxiously attached females exhibited larger N170 amplitudes than those with avoidant attachment in response to all infant faces. Regarding the P300 component, securely attached females showed larger amplitudes to all infant faces in comparison with avoidantly attached females. Moreover, anxiously attached females exhibited greater amplitudes than avoidantly attached females to only crying infant faces. In conclusion, the current results provide evidence that attachment style differences are associated with brain responses to the perception of infant faces. Furthermore, these findings further separate the psychological mechanisms underlying the caregiving behavior of those with anxious and avoidant attachment from secure attachment. PMID:28484415

Mother-stranger comparisons of social attention in jealousy context and attachment in HFASD and typical preschoolers.

PubMed

Bauminger-Zviely, Nirit; Bauminger-Zvieli, Nirit; Kugelmass, Dana Shoham

2013-02-01

Affective bonding, social attention, and intersubjective capabilities are all conditions for jealousy, and are deficient in autism. Thus, examining jealousy and attachment may elucidate the socioemotional deficit in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Jealousy was provoked in 30 high-functioning children with ASD (HFASD) and 30 typical children (ages 3-6 years) through two triadic social (storybook-reading) scenarios - mother-child-rival and stranger-child-rival. A control nonsocial scenario included mother/stranger-book. For both groups, higher jealousy expressions emerged for mother than stranger, and for social than nonsocial scenarios. Attachment security (using Attachment Q-Set) was lower for HFASD than typical groups, but attachment correlated negatively with jealous verbalizations for both groups and with jealous eye gazes for HFASD. Implications for understanding jealousy's developmental complexity and the socioemotional deficit in ASD are discussed.

Support of Mark III Optical Interferometer

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-11-01

error, and low visibility* pedestal, and the surface of a zerodur sphere attached to the mirror errors are not entirely consistent. as shown in Fig. 7...of’ stellar usually associated with the primary mirror of a large astronomical interferometers at Mt. Wilson Observatory. The first instrument...the two siderostats is directed toward the central building by fixed mirrors . These fixed mirrors are necessary to keep the polarization - vectors

29 CFR 1915.158 - Lifesaving equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... floating vessels under 200 feet (61 m) in length, at least one 30-inch (0.76 m) U.S. Coast Guard approved ring life buoy with line attached shall be located at the gangway. (3) At least one 30-inch (0.76 m) U... pursuant to 46 CFR part 160 (Type I, II, III, or V PFD) and marked for use as a work vest, for commercial...

29 CFR 1915.158 - Lifesaving equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... floating vessels under 200 feet (61 m) in length, at least one 30-inch (0.76 m) U.S. Coast Guard approved ring life buoy with line attached shall be located at the gangway. (3) At least one 30-inch (0.76 m) U... pursuant to 46 CFR part 160 (Type I, II, III, or V PFD) and marked for use as a work vest, for commercial...

29 CFR 1915.158 - Lifesaving equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... floating vessels under 200 feet (61 m) in length, at least one 30-inch (0.76 m) U.S. Coast Guard approved ring life buoy with line attached shall be located at the gangway. (3) At least one 30-inch (0.76 m) U... pursuant to 46 CFR part 160 (Type I, II, III, or V PFD) and marked for use as a work vest, for commercial...

Space Shuttle Projects

NASA Image and Video Library

1988-04-26

Five astronauts composed the STS-30 crew. Pictured (left to right) are Ronald J. Grabe, pilot; David M. Walker, commander; and mission specialists Norman E. Thagard, Mary L. Cleave, and Mark C. Lee. The STS-30 mission launched aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis on May 4, 1989 at 2:46:59pm (EDT). The primary payload was the Magellan/Venus Radar mapper spacecraft and attached Inertial Upper Stage (IUS).

Individual marking of soft-bodied subtidal invertebrates in situ – A novel staining technique applied to the giant plumose anemone Metridium farcimen (Tilesius, 1809)

PubMed Central

Sebens, Kenneth P.

2017-01-01

The ability to recognize individuals and track growth over time is crucial to population dynamics research as well as studies of animal behavior. Invertebrates are particularly difficult to track as they often molt, have regenerative capabilities, or lack hard parts to attach markers. We tested, in laboratory and field studies, a new way of marking sea anemones (order Actiniaria) by injection of three vital stains (i.e., neutral red, methylene blue, and fluorescein). Neutral red and methylene blue did not affect growth or survival, but fluorescein was lethal at high concentrations. Marked individuals could be identified up to seven months after injection with neutral red, six weeks with methylene blue, and three days with low concentrations of fluorescein. Neutral red could be used for long-term monitoring of growth and survival in the field, and in combination with methylene blue could be used to mark individuals in distinguishable patterns for short-term studies such as examining predator-prey interactions, movement of individuals, and recruitment survival. PMID:29161292

Impaired Attention to the Eyes of Attachment Figures and the Developmental Origins of Psychopathy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dadds, Mark R.; Jambrak, Jasmin; Pasalich, Dave; Hawes, David J.; Brennan, John

2011-01-01

Background: A pervasive failure to attend and respond to emotionally salient stimuli is a core feature of psychopathy. We hypothesise that this begins early in life and is expressed most importantly as a failure to attend to core emotional features (viz., the eyes) of attachment figures. The current study tested whether impaired eye contact is a…

Monocyte-specific Accessibility of a Matrix Attachment Region in the Tumor Necrosis Factor Locus*

PubMed Central

Biglione, Sebastian; Tsytsykova, Alla V.; Goldfeld, Anne E.

2011-01-01

Regulation of TNF gene expression is cell type- and stimulus-specific. We have previously identified highly conserved noncoding regulatory elements within DNase I-hypersensitive sites (HSS) located 9 kb upstream (HSS−9) and 3 kb downstream (HSS+3) of the TNF gene, which play an important role in the transcriptional regulation of TNF in T cells. They act as enhancers and interact with the TNF promoter and with each other, generating a higher order chromatin structure. Here, we report a novel monocyte-specific AT-rich DNase I-hypersensitive element located 7 kb upstream of the TNF gene (HSS−7), which serves as a matrix attachment region in monocytes. We show that HSS−7 associates with topoisomerase IIα (Top2) in vivo and that induction of endogenous TNF mRNA expression is suppressed by etoposide, a Top2 inhibitor. Moreover, Top2 binds to and cleaves HSS−7 in in vitro analysis. Thus, HSS−7, which is selectively accessible in monocytes, can tether the TNF locus to the nuclear matrix via matrix attachment region formation, potentially promoting TNF gene expression by acting as a Top2 substrate. PMID:22027829

RNA-seq transcriptional profiling of Herbaspirillum seropedicae colonizing wheat (Triticum aestivum) roots.

PubMed

Pankievicz, V C S; Camilios-Neto, D; Bonato, P; Balsanelli, E; Tadra-Sfeir, M Z; Faoro, H; Chubatsu, L S; Donatti, L; Wajnberg, G; Passetti, F; Monteiro, R A; Pedrosa, F O; Souza, E M

2016-04-01

Herbaspirillum seropedicae is a diazotrophic and endophytic bacterium that associates with economically important grasses promoting plant growth and increasing productivity. To identify genes related to bacterial ability to colonize plants, wheat seedlings growing hydroponically in Hoagland's medium were inoculated with H. seropedicae and incubated for 3 days. Total mRNA from the bacteria present in the root surface and in the plant medium were purified, depleted from rRNA and used for RNA-seq profiling. RT-qPCR analyses were conducted to confirm regulation of selected genes. Comparison of RNA profile of root attached and planktonic bacteria revealed extensive metabolic adaptations to the epiphytic life style. These adaptations include expression of specific adhesins and cell wall re-modeling to attach to the root. Additionally, the metabolism was adapted to the microxic environment and nitrogen-fixation genes were expressed. Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) synthesis was activated, and PHB granules were stored as observed by microscopy. Genes related to plant growth promotion, such as auxin production were expressed. Many ABC transporter genes were regulated in the bacteria attached to the roots. The results provide new insights into the adaptation of H. seropedicae to the interaction with the plant.

Attachment Avoidance Is Significantly Related to Attentional Preference for Infant Faces: Evidence from Eye Movement Data

PubMed Central

Jia, Yuncheng; Cheng, Gang; Zhang, Dajun; Ta, Na; Xia, Mu; Ding, Fangyuan

2017-01-01

Objective: To determine the influence of adult attachment orientations on infant preference. Methods: We adopted eye-tracking technology to monitor childless college women’s eye movements when looking at pairs of faces, including one adult face (man or woman) and one infant face, with three different expressions (happy, sadness, and neutral). The participants (N = 150; 84% Han ethnicity) were aged 18–29 years (M = 19.22, SD = 1.72). A random intercepts multilevel linear regression analysis was used to assess the unique contribution of attachment avoidance, determined using the Experiences in Close Relationships scale, to preference for infant faces. Results: Women with higher attachment avoidance showed less infant preference, as shown by less sustained overt attentional bias to the infant face than the adult face based on fixation time and count. Conclusion: Adult attachment might be related to infant preference according to eye movement indices. Women with higher attachment avoidance may lack attentional preference for infant faces. The findings may aid the treatment and remediation of the interactions between children and mothers with insecure attachment. PMID:28184210

Attachment Avoidance Is Significantly Related to Attentional Preference for Infant Faces: Evidence from Eye Movement Data.

PubMed

Jia, Yuncheng; Cheng, Gang; Zhang, Dajun; Ta, Na; Xia, Mu; Ding, Fangyuan

2017-01-01

Objective: To determine the influence of adult attachment orientations on infant preference. Methods: We adopted eye-tracking technology to monitor childless college women's eye movements when looking at pairs of faces, including one adult face (man or woman) and one infant face, with three different expressions (happy, sadness, and neutral). The participants ( N = 150; 84% Han ethnicity) were aged 18-29 years ( M = 19.22, SD = 1.72). A random intercepts multilevel linear regression analysis was used to assess the unique contribution of attachment avoidance, determined using the Experiences in Close Relationships scale, to preference for infant faces. Results: Women with higher attachment avoidance showed less infant preference, as shown by less sustained overt attentional bias to the infant face than the adult face based on fixation time and count. Conclusion: Adult attachment might be related to infant preference according to eye movement indices. Women with higher attachment avoidance may lack attentional preference for infant faces. The findings may aid the treatment and remediation of the interactions between children and mothers with insecure attachment.

All bonds are not alike: A psychoendocrine evaluation of infant attachment.

PubMed

Gaudin, Sabrina; Chaillou, Elodie; Wycke, Marie-Anne; Cornilleau, Fabien; Moussu, Chantal; Calandreau, Ludovic; Lainé, Anne-Lyse; Nowak, Raymond

2018-01-01

Characteristics of attachment were assessed in peer- and object-reared lambs, and compared to mothered subjects by taking into consideration distress, proximity seeking, and exploration during two separation-reunion tests in both the familiar and a novel environment. Plasma cortisol and oxytocin were assayed as physiological indicators of stress and being comforted during the separation-reunion test. Rewarding properties of the familiar figures were also determined in a conditioned place preference-like paradigm. Between-group analysis revealed the existence of secure attachment with the mother, alteration of secure attachment with the peer and weaker attachment with the object. Weaker attachment was expressed by a lack of distress during separation in the home pen and no preference for the place conditioned with the familiar object. Elevated basal plasma oxytocin levels, but not cortisol, observed in maternally deprived lambs were more likely linked to the absence of a maternal figure rather than social comfort during reunion. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Autobiographical memory development from an attachment perspective: the special role of negative events.

PubMed

Chae, Yoojin; Goodman, Gail S; Edelstein, Robin S

2011-01-01

The authors propose a novel model of autobiographical memory development that features the fundamental role of attachment orientations and negative life events. In the model, it is proposed that early autobiographical memory derives in part from the need to express and remember negative experiences, a need that has adaptive value, and that attachment orientations create individual differences in children's recollections of negative experiences. Specifically, the role of attachment in the processing of negative information is discussed in regard to the mnemonic stages of encoding, storage, and retrieval. This model sheds light on several areas of contradictory data in the memory development literature, such as concerning earliest memories and children's and adults' memory/suggestibility for stressful events.

Factorial microarray analysis of zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha: Dreissenidae, Bivalvia) adhesion

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) has been well known for its expertise in attaching to substances under the water. Studies in past decades on this underwater adhesion focused on the adhesive protein isolated from the byssogenesis apparatus of the zebra mussel. However, the mechanism of the initiation, maintenance, and determination of the attachment process remains largely unknown. Results In this study, we used a zebra mussel cDNA microarray previously developed in our lab and a factorial analysis to identify the genes that were involved in response to the changes of four factors: temperature (Factor A), current velocity (Factor B), dissolved oxygen (Factor C), and byssogenesis status (Factor D). Twenty probes in the microarray were found to be modified by one of the factors. The transcription products of four selected genes, DPFP-BG20_A01, EGP-BG97/192_B06, EGP-BG13_G05, and NH-BG17_C09 were unique to the zebra mussel foot based on the results of quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). The expression profiles of these four genes under the attachment and non-attachment were also confirmed by qRT-PCR and the result is accordant to that from microarray assay. The in situ hybridization with the RNA probes of two identified genes DPFP-BG20_A01 and EGP-BG97/192_B06 indicated that both of them were expressed by a type of exocrine gland cell located in the middle part of the zebra mussel foot. Conclusions The results of this study suggested that the changes of D. polymorpha byssogenesis status and the environmental factors can dramatically affect the expression profiles of the genes unique to the foot. It turns out that the factorial design and analysis of the microarray experiment is a reliable method to identify the influence of multiple factors on the expression profiles of the probesets in the microarray; therein it provides a powerful tool to reveal the mechanism of zebra mussel underwater attachment. PMID:20509938

The C-type Lectin Langerin Functions as a Receptor for Attachment and Infectious Entry of Influenza A Virus

PubMed Central

Ng, Wy Ching; Londrigan, Sarah L.; Nasr, Najla; Cunningham, Anthony L.; Turville, Stuart; Brooks, Andrew G.

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT It is well established that influenza A virus (IAV) attachment to and infection of epithelial cells is dependent on sialic acid (SIA) at the cell surface, although the specific receptors that mediate IAV entry have not been defined and multiple receptors may exist. Lec2 Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are SIA deficient and resistant to IAV infection. Here we demonstrate that the expression of the C-type lectin receptor langerin in Lec2 cells (Lec2-Lg) rendered them permissive to IAV infection, as measured by replication of the viral genome, transcription of viral mRNA, and synthesis of viral proteins. Unlike SIA-dependent infection of parental CHO cells, IAV attachment and infection of Lec2-Lg cells was mediated via lectin-mediated recognition of mannose-rich glycans expressed by the viral hemagglutinin glycoprotein. Lec2 cells expressing endocytosis-defective langerin bound IAV efficiently but remained resistant to IAV infection, confirming that internalization via langerin was essential for infectious entry. Langerin-mediated infection of Lec2-Lg cells was pH and dynamin dependent, occurred via clathrin- and caveolin-mediated endocytic pathways, and utilized early (Rab5+) but not late (Rab7+) endosomes. This study is the first to demonstrate that langerin represents an authentic receptor that binds and internalizes IAV to facilitate infection. Moreover, it describes a unique experimental system to probe specific pathways and compartments involved in infectious entry following recognition of IAV by a single cell surface receptor. IMPORTANCE On the surface of host cells, sialic acid (SIA) functions as the major attachment factor for influenza A viruses (IAV). However, few studies have identified specific transmembrane receptors that bind and internalize IAV to facilitate infection. Here we identify human langerin as a transmembrane glycoprotein that can act as an attachment factor and a bone fide endocytic receptor for IAV infection. Expression of langerin by an SIA-deficient cell line resistant to IAV rendered cells permissive to infection. As langerin represented the sole receptor for IAV infection in this system, we have defined the pathways and compartments involved in infectious entry of IAV into cells following recognition by langerin. PMID:26468543

Adult Attachment Affects Neural Response to Preference-Inferring in Ambiguous Scenarios: Evidence From an fMRI Study

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xing; Ran, Guangming; Xu, Wenjian; Ma, Yuanxiao; Chen, Xu

2018-01-01

Humans are highly social animals, and the ability to cater to the preferences of other individuals is encouraged by society. Preference-inferring is an important aspect of the theory of mind (TOM). Many previous studies have shown that attachment style is closely related to TOM ability. However, little is known about the effects of adult attachment style on preferences inferring under different levels of certainty. Here, we investigated how adult attachment style affects neural activity underlying preferences inferred under different levels of certainty by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The fMRI results demonstrated that adult attachment influenced the activation of anterior insula (AI) and inferior parietal lobule (IPL) in response to ambiguous preference-inferring. More specifically, in the ambiguous preference condition, the avoidant attached groups exhibited a significantly enhanced activation than secure and anxious attached groups in left IPL; the anxious attached groups exhibited a significantly reduced activation secure attached group in left IPL. In addition, the anxious attached groups exhibited a significantly reduced activation than secure and avoidant attached groups in left AI. These results were also further confirmed by the subsequent PPI analysis. The results from current study suggest that, under ambiguous situations, the avoidant attached individuals show lower sensitivity to the preference of other individuals and need to invest more cognitive resources for preference-reasoning; while compared with avoidant attached group, the anxious attached individuals express high tolerance for uncertainty and a higher ToM proficiency. Results from the current study imply that differences in preference-inferring under ambiguous conditions associated with different levels of individual attachment may explain the differences in interpersonal interaction. PMID:29559932

Transpositional inactivation of gadW enhances curli production and biofilm formation in Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 has been shown to produce variants that either express or are repressed in the expression of curli fimbriae promoting bacterial attachment, aggregation, and biofilm formation. The variant expression of curli fimbriae in some instances could result fr...

[Play therapy for a child with separation anxiety disorder].

PubMed

Wu, Y Y; Chiu, Y N; Soong, W T

1995-06-01

Separation anxiety disorder is characterized by severe and exceeding anxiety and fear when a child is facing separation with attachment objects. More over, it affected the child in language, emotional and social interest and development. These children usually brought to physician's attention due to refusal to go to school, social withdraw or multiple somatic complaints with attachment behavior wanted to be nearby or closed to the attachment objects. A child's early attachment relationship and previous separation experience play a major role in the formation of separation anxiety disorder. This report presents a psychoanalytically-oriented play therapy for a 2-year-8-month-old boy in 17 months period total of 54 sessions. According to the main themes in each session the process can be divided into 4 stages, namely establishing therapeutic relationship, expressing repressed emotions, management of transference, attachment and conflict in therapy, and self growth and termination. The formulation of this case and management were discussed.

Electron microscopic evidence for the myosin head lever arm mechanism in hydrated myosin filaments using the gas environmental chamber

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

Minoda, Hiroki; CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012; Okabe, Tatsuhiro

2011-02-25

Research highlights: {yields} We succeeded in recording structural changes of hydrated myosin cross-bridges. {yields} We succeeded in position-marking the cross-bridges with site-directed antibodies. {yields} We recorded cross-bridge movement at different regions in individual cross-bridge. {yields} The movement was smallest at the cross-bridge-subfragment two boundary. {yields} The results provide evidence for the cross-bridge lever arm mechanism. -- Abstract: Muscle contraction results from an attachment-detachment cycle between the myosin heads extending from myosin filaments and the sites on actin filaments. The myosin head first attaches to actin together with the products of ATP hydrolysis, performs a power stroke associated with release ofmore » hydrolysis products, and detaches from actin upon binding with new ATP. The detached myosin head then hydrolyses ATP, and performs a recovery stroke to restore its initial position. The strokes have been suggested to result from rotation of the lever arm domain around the converter domain, while the catalytic domain remains rigid. To ascertain the validity of the lever arm hypothesis in muscle, we recorded ATP-induced movement at different regions within individual myosin heads in hydrated myosin filaments, using the gas environmental chamber attached to the electron microscope. The myosin head were position-marked with gold particles using three different site-directed antibodies. The amplitude of ATP-induced movement at the actin binding site in the catalytic domain was similar to that at the boundary between the catalytic and converter domains, but was definitely larger than that at the regulatory light chain in the lever arm domain. These results are consistent with the myosin head lever arm mechanism in muscle contraction if some assumptions are made.« less

Silencing expression of UO-44 (CUZD1) using small interfering RNA sensitizes human ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin in vitro.

PubMed

Leong, C T C; Ong, C K; Tay, S K; Huynh, H

2007-02-08

Ovarian cancer is currently the second leading cause of gynecological malignancy and cisplatin or cisplatin-based regimens have been the standard of care for the treatment of advance epithelial ovarian cancers. However, the efficacy of cisplatin treatment is often limited by the development of drug resistance either through the inhibition of apoptotic genes or activation of antiapoptotic genes. We have previously reported the overexpression of human UO-44 (HuUO-44) in ovarian cancers and the HuUO-44 antisera markedly inhibited NIH-OVCAR3 ovarian cancer cell attachment and proliferation (Oncogene 23: 5707-5718, 2004). In the present study, we observed through the cancer cell line profiling array that the expression of HuUO-44 was suppressed in the ovarian cancer cell line (SKOV-3) after treatment with several chemotherapeutic drugs. Similarly, this suppression in HuUO-44 expression was also correlated to the cisplatin sensitivity in two other ovarian cancer cell lines NIH-OVCAR3 and OV-90 in a dose-dependent manner. To elucidate the function of HuUO-44 in cisplatin chemoresistance in ovarian cancer cell, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) were employed to mediate HuUO-44 silencing in ovarian cancer cell line, NIH-OVCAR3. HuUO-44 RNA interference (RNAi) resulted in the inhibition of cell growth and proliferation. Importantly, HuUO-44 RNAi significantly increased sensitivity of NIH-OVCAR3 to cytotoxic stress induced by cisplatin (P<0.01). Strikingly, we have also demonstrated that overexpression of HuUO-44 significantly conferred cisplatin resistance in NIH-OVCAR3 cells (P<0.05). Taken together, UO-44 is involved in conferring cisplatin resistance; the described HuUO-44-specific siRNA oligonucleotides that can potently silence HuUO-44 gene expression may prove to be valuable pretreatment targets for antitumor therapy or other pathological conditions that involves aberrant HuUO-44 expression.

High density grids

DOEpatents

Cohen, Aina E.; Baxter, Elizabeth L.

2018-01-16

An X-ray data collection grid device is provided that includes a magnetic base that is compatible with robotic sample mounting systems used at synchrotron beamlines, a grid element fixedly attached to the magnetic base, where the grid element includes at least one sealable sample window disposed through a planar synchrotron-compatible material, where the planar synchrotron-compatible material includes at least one automated X-ray positioning and fluid handling robot fiducial mark.

USSR Report, Sociological Studies.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-10-21

on family legal problems. The following offices are in operation at all the advice bureaus: female infertility (this office accounts for the...explain such a discrepancy? In our opinion, the percentage of those who marked a measure (attribute) attests rather to its "popularity" than to...indispensable condition of the organization of a brigade—"the attachment to the brigade of areas and equipment"—according to the percentage of those who

Peptide nanotube-modified electrodes for enzyme-biosensor applications.

PubMed

Yemini, Miri; Reches, Meital; Gazit, Ehud; Rishpon, Judith

2005-08-15

The fabrication and notably improved performance of composite electrodes based on modified self-assembled diphenylalanine peptide nanotubes is described. Peptide nanotubes were attached to gold electrodes, and we studied the resulting electrochemical behavior using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The peptide nanotube-based electrodes demonstrated a direct and unmediated response to hydrogen peroxide and NADH at a potential of +0.4 V (vs SCE). This biosensor enables a sensitive determination of glucose by monitoring the hydrogen peroxide produced by an enzymatic reaction between the glucose oxidase attached to the peptide nanotubes and glucose. In addition, the marked electrocatalytic activity toward NADH enabled a sensitive detection of ethanol using ethanol dehydrogenase and NAD+. The peptide nanotube-based amperometric biosensor provides a potential new tool for sensitive biosensors and biomolecular diagnostics.

Syntactic and Prosodic Computations in the Resolution of Relative Clause Attachment Ambiguity by English-French Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dekydtspotter, Laurent; Donaldson, Bryan; Edmonds, Amanda C.; Fultz, Audrey Liljestrand; Petrush, Rebecca A.

2008-01-01

This study investigates the manner in which syntax, prosody, and context interact when second- and fourth-semester college-level English-French learners process relative clause (RC) attachment to either the first noun phrase (NP1) or the second noun phrase (NP2) in complex nominal expressions such as "le secretaire du psychologue qui se promene"…

Assortativity and leadership emerge from anti-preferential attachment in heterogeneous networks.

PubMed

Sendiña-Nadal, I; Danziger, M M; Wang, Z; Havlin, S; Boccaletti, S

2016-02-18

Real-world networks have distinct topologies, with marked deviations from purely random networks. Many of them exhibit degree-assortativity, with nodes of similar degree more likely to link to one another. Though microscopic mechanisms have been suggested for the emergence of other topological features, assortativity has proven elusive. Assortativity can be artificially implanted in a network via degree-preserving link permutations, however this destroys the graph's hierarchical clustering and does not correspond to any microscopic mechanism. Here, we propose the first generative model which creates heterogeneous networks with scale-free-like properties in degree and clustering distributions and tunable realistic assortativity. Two distinct populations of nodes are incrementally added to an initial network by selecting a subgraph to connect to at random. One population (the followers) follows preferential attachment, while the other population (the potential leaders) connects via anti-preferential attachment: they link to lower degree nodes when added to the network. By selecting the lower degree nodes, the potential leader nodes maintain high visibility during the growth process, eventually growing into hubs. The evolution of links in Facebook empirically validates the connection between the initial anti-preferential attachment and long term high degree. In this way, our work sheds new light on the structure and evolution of social networks.

Assortativity and leadership emerge from anti-preferential attachment in heterogeneous networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sendiña-Nadal, I.; Danziger, M. M.; Wang, Z.; Havlin, S.; Boccaletti, S.

2016-02-01

Real-world networks have distinct topologies, with marked deviations from purely random networks. Many of them exhibit degree-assortativity, with nodes of similar degree more likely to link to one another. Though microscopic mechanisms have been suggested for the emergence of other topological features, assortativity has proven elusive. Assortativity can be artificially implanted in a network via degree-preserving link permutations, however this destroys the graph’s hierarchical clustering and does not correspond to any microscopic mechanism. Here, we propose the first generative model which creates heterogeneous networks with scale-free-like properties in degree and clustering distributions and tunable realistic assortativity. Two distinct populations of nodes are incrementally added to an initial network by selecting a subgraph to connect to at random. One population (the followers) follows preferential attachment, while the other population (the potential leaders) connects via anti-preferential attachment: they link to lower degree nodes when added to the network. By selecting the lower degree nodes, the potential leader nodes maintain high visibility during the growth process, eventually growing into hubs. The evolution of links in Facebook empirically validates the connection between the initial anti-preferential attachment and long term high degree. In this way, our work sheds new light on the structure and evolution of social networks.

Basic mechanism for biorientation of mitotic chromosomes is provided by the kinetochore geometry and indiscriminate turnover of kinetochore microtubules

PubMed Central

Zaytsev, Anatoly V.; Grishchuk, Ekaterina L.

2015-01-01

Accuracy of chromosome segregation relies on the ill-understood ability of mitotic kinetochores to biorient, whereupon each sister kinetochore forms microtubule (MT) attachments to only one spindle pole. Because initial MT attachments result from chance encounters with the kinetochores, biorientation must rely on specific mechanisms to avoid and resolve improper attachments. Here we use mathematical modeling to critically analyze the error-correction potential of a simplified biorientation mechanism, which involves the back-to-back arrangement of sister kinetochores and the marked instability of kinetochore–MT attachments. We show that a typical mammalian kinetochore operates in a near-optimal regime, in which the back-to-back kinetochore geometry and the indiscriminate kinetochore–MT turnover provide strong error-correction activity. In human cells, this mechanism alone can potentially enable normal segregation of 45 out of 46 chromosomes during one mitotic division, corresponding to a mis-segregation rate in the range of 10−1–10−2 per chromosome. This theoretical upper limit for chromosome segregation accuracy predicted with the basic mechanism is close to the mis-segregation rate in some cancer cells; however, it cannot explain the relatively low chromosome loss in diploid human cells, consistent with their reliance on additional mechanisms. PMID:26424798

The effect of cellulose overproduction on binding and biofilm formation on roots by Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

PubMed

Matthysse, Ann G; Marry, Mazz; Krall, Leonard; Kaye, Mitchell; Ramey, Bronwyn E; Fuqua, Clay; White, Alan R

2005-09-01

Agrobacterium tumefaciens growing in liquid attaches to the surface of tomato and Arabidopsis thaliana roots, forming a biofilm. The bacteria also colonize roots grown in sterile quartz sand. Attachment, root colonization, and biofilm formation all were markedly reduced in celA and chvB mutants, deficient in production of cellulose and cyclic beta-(1,2)-D-glucans, respectively. We have identified two genes (celG and cell) in which mutations result in the overproduction of cellulose as judged by chemical fractionation and methylation analysis. Wild-type and chvB mutant strains carrying a cDNA clone of a cellulose synthase gene from the marine urochordate Ciona savignyi also overproduced cellulose. The overproduction in a wild-type strain resulted in increased biofilm formation on roots, as evaluated by light microscopy, and levels of root colonization intermediate between those of cellulose-minus mutants and the wild type. Overproduction of cellulose by a nonattaching chvB mutant restored biofilm formation and bacterial attachment in microscopic and viable cell count assays and partially restored root colonization. Although attachment to plant surfaces was restored, overproduction of cellulose did not restore virulence in the chvB mutant strain, suggesting that simple bacterial binding to plant surfaces is not sufficient for pathogenesis.

Gene-environment interactions and the neurobiology of social conflict.

PubMed

Suomi, Stephen J

2003-12-01

Recent research has disclosed marked individual differences in biobehavioral responses to social conflicts exhibited by rhesus monkeys across the life span. For example, approximately 5-10% of rhesus monkeys growing up in the wild consistently exhibit impulsive and/or inappropriately aggressive responses to mildly stressful situations throughout development; those same individuals also show chronic deficits in their central serotonin metabolism. These characteristic patterns of biobehavioral response emerge early in life and remain remarkably stable from infancy to adulthood. Laboratory studies have demonstrated that although these characteristics are highly heritable, they are also subject to major modification by specific early experiences, particularly those involving early social attachment relationships. Moreover, genetic and early experience factors can interact, often in dramatic fashion. For example, a specific polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene is associated with deficits in early neurobehavioral functioning and serotonin metabolism, extreme aggression, and excessive alcohol consumption among monkeys who experienced insecure early attachment relationships, but not in monkeys who developed secure attachment relationships with their mothers during infancy. Because daughters tend to develop the same type of attachment relationships with their own offspring that they experienced with their mothers early in life, such early experiences provide a possible nongenetic mechanism for transmitting these patterns to subsequent generations.

Adhesion of glucosyltransferase phase variants to Streptococcus gordonii bacterium-glucan substrata may involve lipoteichoic acid.

PubMed

Vickerman, M M; Jones, G W

1992-10-01

Growing Streptococcus gordonii Spp+ phase variants, which have normal levels of glucosyltransferase (GTF) activity, use sucrose to promote their accumulation on surfaces by forming a cohesive bacterium-insoluble glucan polymer mass (BPM). Spp- phase variants, which have lower levels of GTF activity, do not form BPMs and do not remain in BPMs formed by Spp+ cells when grown in mixed cultures. To test the hypothesis that segregation of attached Spp+ and unattached Spp- cells was due to differences in adhesiveness, adhesion between washed, [3H]thymidine-labeled cells and preformed BPM substrata was measured. Unexpectedly, the results showed that cells of both phenotypes, as well as GTF-negative cells, attached equally well to preformed BPMs, indicating that attachment to BPMs was independent of cell surface GTF activity. Initial characterization of this binding interaction suggested that a protease-sensitive component on the washed cells may be binding to lipoteichoic acids sequestered in the BPM, since exogenous lipoteichoic acid inhibited adhesion. Surprisingly, the adhesion of both Spp+ and Spp- cells was markedly inhibited in the presence of sucrose, which also released lipoteichoic acid from the BPM. These in vitro findings suggest that, in vivo, sucrose and lipoteichoic acid may modify dental plaque development by enhancing or inhibiting the attachment of additional bacteria.

Adhesion of glucosyltransferase phase variants to Streptococcus gordonii bacterium-glucan substrata may involve lipoteichoic acid.

PubMed Central

Vickerman, M M; Jones, G W

1992-01-01

Growing Streptococcus gordonii Spp+ phase variants, which have normal levels of glucosyltransferase (GTF) activity, use sucrose to promote their accumulation on surfaces by forming a cohesive bacterium-insoluble glucan polymer mass (BPM). Spp- phase variants, which have lower levels of GTF activity, do not form BPMs and do not remain in BPMs formed by Spp+ cells when grown in mixed cultures. To test the hypothesis that segregation of attached Spp+ and unattached Spp- cells was due to differences in adhesiveness, adhesion between washed, [3H]thymidine-labeled cells and preformed BPM substrata was measured. Unexpectedly, the results showed that cells of both phenotypes, as well as GTF-negative cells, attached equally well to preformed BPMs, indicating that attachment to BPMs was independent of cell surface GTF activity. Initial characterization of this binding interaction suggested that a protease-sensitive component on the washed cells may be binding to lipoteichoic acids sequestered in the BPM, since exogenous lipoteichoic acid inhibited adhesion. Surprisingly, the adhesion of both Spp+ and Spp- cells was markedly inhibited in the presence of sucrose, which also released lipoteichoic acid from the BPM. These in vitro findings suggest that, in vivo, sucrose and lipoteichoic acid may modify dental plaque development by enhancing or inhibiting the attachment of additional bacteria. PMID:1398940

Influence of various superhydrophilic treatments of titanium on the initial attachment, proliferation, and differentiation of osteoblast-like cells.

PubMed

Yamamura, Keisuke; Miura, Tadashi; Kou, I; Muramatsu, Takashi; Furusawa, Masahiro; Yoshinari, Masao

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of superhydrophilic treatments of titanium on the behavior of osteoblastlike cells. Superhydrophilic specimens were prepared with sandblast and acid-etching (DW), oxygen plasma (Plasma) and ultraviolet light (UV), and were stored in distilled water for 3 days immediately after these treatments. Specimens stored in air for 3 weeks were used as a control Air group. Initial cell attachment, proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity, and osteocalcin secretion of mouse osteoblast-like cells MC3T3-E1 were enhanced more on superhydrophilic groups than were Air specimens. On confocal laser scanning microscope images of cell morphology, the expression of actin filaments was observed on the superhydrophilic groups, whereas relatively little actin filament expression was seen on the Air surfaces on all culture periods. These results indicate that DW, Plasma, or UV treatment has potential for the creation and maintenance of superhydrophilic surfaces and the enhancement of the initial attachment, proliferation, and differentiation of osteoblast-like cells.

Earth Observations Capabilities of the International Space Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eppler, Dean B.; Scott, Karen P.

The International Space Station (ISS) is presently being assembled through the joint efforts of the United States, Russia, Canada, Japan, the European Space Agency and Brazil, and will be an orbiting, multi-use facility expected to remain on-orbit into the next decade. The orbital inclination of 51.6 degrees allows the ISS to overfly approximately 75% of the Earth's land area and approximately 95% of the Earth's population. Due to the westward precession of orbit tracks, the ISS will overfly the same location approximately every three days, with the identical lighting conditions being repeated every three months. The ISS has two basic capabilities for Earth observations: a fused silica window in the Destiny laboratory, and sites on the external truss and partner modules that accommodate external payloads. The Destiny laboratory has a window port built into its nadir facing side. The window consists of 3 panes of Corning 7940 fused silica which are approximately 56 cm in diameter, providing an approximately 51 cm clear aperture. In 1996, the ISS Program agreed to upgrade the glass in the Destiny window to a set of stringent optical performance requirements. The window has a wavefront error of 1/15 wavelength peak-to-valley over a 15.2 cm aperture relative to a reference wavelength of 632.8 nm, which will allow up to a 30 cm telescope to be flown. The flight article window was radiometrically calibrated in May of 2000, indicating that the window had better than 95% transmittance in the visible region, with a steep drop-off in the ultraviolet and a gradual drop-off in the infrared from the visible through the near and short wave infrared spectra. Utilization of the optical performance of the Destiny window requires the use of the Window Observational Research Facility (WORF). The WORF is essentially an Express rack with a 0.8 m^3 payload volume centered on the Destiny window. The payload volume provides mounting surfaces for window payload hardware, including a stiff lower payload shelf designed to minimize transmission of ISS vibrations into the payload. The interior of the WORF will be sealed by means of an aisle-side hatch. The interior of the payload volume will be painted flat black, to allow investigations of faint upper atmosphere phenomenon such as aurora. WORF will provide power, data and cooling water for up to three payloads simultaneously. Power will be 28 Volts DC. WORF will also provide an average downlink data on the order of 2 Mpbs. Investigators will be able to operate their payloads autonomously from their institution, with data going through the Huntsville Operations Support Center at Marshall Space Flight Center. It is generally expected that WORF payloads will operate autonomously, although crewmembers can operate payloads from the Destiny laboratory aisle using an externally mounted laptop. The WORF design accommodates crew observations as well. The WORF includes a variety of crew stabilization devices, as well as brackets to allow vibration-free operation of still cameras and video recorders. The four external payload accommodations that will be discussed are the USOS Truss Segment 3 (S3), the EXPRESS Pallet System (ExPS) when mounted on S3, the Columbus Exposed Payload Facility (CEPF), and the Japanese Experiment Module - Exposed Facility (JEM-EF). The S3 has four sites available for payloads. Two of these sites are on the nadir side of the truss and provide terrestrial viewing. The current NASA long-term plans are to mount an EXPRESS Pallet on each of the sites The ExPS is a facility that can be attached at the NASA primary external locations on the S3 Truss to support up to six smaller payloads. The ExPS consists of the EXPRESS Pallet, the EXPRESS Pallet Controller and the EXPRESS Pallet Adapters. User developed payloads are attached and interfaced to the EXPRESS Pallet Adapter and through this EXPRESS Pallet Adapter, the EXPRESS Pallet System provides the payloads with an attachment location, power, and data. The CEPF consists of two mounted structures attached to the starboard end-cone of the Columbus module. Each of these structures has accommodations for attaching two external payloads. One of the four sites provides and excellent nadir view and two of the other sites provides a significant nadir viewing opportunity. The mechanical attachment is compatible with that of the EXPRESS Pallet. The JEM-EF is module-sized structure attached to port end-cone of the JEM Pressurized Module. There are ten locations for attaching payloads and each of the locations provides simultaneous nadir and zenith viewing.

Quantitative Comparison of the Microscopic Anatomy of the Human ACL Femoral and Tibial Entheses

PubMed Central

Beaulieu, Mélanie L.; Carey, Grace E.; Schlecht, Stephen H.; Wojtys, Edward M.; Ashton-Miller, James A.

2015-01-01

The femoral enthesis of the human anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is known to be more susceptible to injury than the tibial enthesis. To determine whether anatomic differences might help explain this difference, we quantified the microscopic appearance of both entheses in 15 unembalmed knee specimens using light microscopy, toluidine blue stain and image analysis. The amount of calcified fibrocartilage and uncalcified fibrocartilage, and the ligament entheseal attachment angle were then compared between the femoral and tibial entheses via linear mixed-effects models. The results showed marked differences in anatomy between the two entheses. The femoral enthesis exhibited a 3.9-fold more acute ligament attachment angle than the tibial enthesis (p < 0.001), a 43% greater calcified fibrocartilage tissue area (p < 0.001), and a 226% greater uncalcified fibrocartilage depth (p < 0.001), with the latter differences being particularly pronounced in the central region. We conclude that the ACL femoral enthesis has more fibrocartilage and a more acute ligament attachment angle than the tibial enthesis, which provides insight into why it is more vulnerable to failure. PMID:26134706

Three-photon-excited luminescence from unsymmetrical cyanostilbene aggregates: morphology tuning and targeted bioimaging.

PubMed

Mandal, Amal Kumar; Sreejith, Sivaramapanicker; He, Tingchao; Maji, Swarup Kumar; Wang, Xiao-Jun; Ong, Shi Li; Joseph, James; Sun, Handong; Zhao, Yanli

2015-05-26

We report an experimental observation of aggregation-induced enhanced luminescence upon three-photon excitation in aggregates formed from a class of unsymmetrical cyanostilbene derivatives. Changing side chains (-CH3, -C6H13, -C7H15O3, and folic acid) attached to the cyanostilbene core leads to instantaneous formation of aggregates with sizes ranging from micrometer to nanometer scale in aqueous conditions. The crystal structure of a derivative with a methyl side chain reveals the planarization in the unsymmetrical cyanostilbene core, causing luminescence from corresponding aggregates upon three-photon excitation. Furthermore, folic acid attached cyanostilbene forms well-dispersed spherical nanoaggregates that show a high three-photon cross-section of 6.0 × 10(-80) cm(6) s(2) photon(-2) and high luminescence quantum yield in water. In order to demonstrate the targeted bioimaging capability of the nanoaggregates, three cell lines (HEK293 healthy cell line, MCF7 cancerous cell line, and HeLa cancerous cell line) were employed for the investigations on the basis of their different folate receptor expression level. Two kinds of nanoaggregates with and without the folic acid targeting ligand were chosen for three-photon bioimaging studies. The cell viability of three types of cells incubated with high concentration of nanoaggregates still remained above 70% after 24 h. It was observed that the nanoaggregates without the folic acid unit could not undergo the endocytosis by both healthy and cancerous cell lines. No obvious endocytosis of folic acid attached nanoaggregates was observed from the HEK293 and MCF7 cell lines having a low expression of the folate receptor. Interestingly, a significant amount of endocytosis and internalization of folic acid attached nanoaggregates was observed from HeLa cells with a high expression of the folate receptor under three-photon excitation, indicating targeted bioimaging of folic acid attached nanoaggregates to the cancer cell line. This study presents a paradigm of using organic nanoaggregates for targeted three-photon bioimaging.

Session 2: Personalised nutrition. Epigenomics: a basis for understanding individual differences?

PubMed

Mathers, John C

2008-11-01

Epigenetics encompasses changes to marks on the genome that are copied from one cell generation to the next, which may alter gene expression but which do not involve changes in the primary DNA sequence. These marks include DNA methylation (methylation of cytosines within CpG dinucleotides) and post-translational modifications (acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation and ubiquitination) of the histone tails protruding from nucleosome cores. The sum of genome-wide epigenetic patterns is known as the epigenome. It is hypothesised that altered epigenetic marking is a means through which evidence of environmental exposures (including nutritional status and dietary exposure) is received and recorded by the genome. At least some of these epigenetic marks are remembered through multiple cell generations and their effects may be revealed in altered gene expression and cell function. Altered epigenetic marking allows plasticity of phenotype in a fixed genotype. Despite their identical genotypes, monozygotic twins show increasing epigenetic diversity with age and with divergent lifestyles. Differences in epigenetic markings may explain some inter-individual variation in disease risk and in response to nutritional interventions.

The flagellar protein FLAG1/SMP1 is a candidate for Leishmania-sand fly interaction.

PubMed

Di-Blasi, Tatiana; Lobo, Amanda R; Nascimento, Luanda M; Córdova-Rojas, Jose L; Pestana, Karen; Marín-Villa, Marcel; Tempone, Antonio J; Telleria, Erich L; Ramalho-Ortigão, Marcelo; McMahon-Pratt, Diane; Traub-Csekö, Yara M

2015-03-01

Leishmaniasis is a serious problem that affects mostly poor countries. Various species of Leishmania are the agents of the disease, which take different clinical manifestations. The parasite is transmitted by sandflies, predominantly from the Phlebotomus genus in the Old World and Lutzomyia in the New World. During development in the gut, Leishmania must survive various challenges, which include avoiding being expelled with blood remnants after digestion. It is believed that attachment to the gut epithelium is a necessary step for vector infection, and molecules from parasites and sand flies have been implicated in this attachment. In previous work, monoclonal antibodies were produced against Leishmania. Among these an antibody was obtained against Leishmania braziliensis flagella, which blocked the attachment of Leishmania panamensis flagella to Phlebotomus papatasi guts. The protein recognized by this antibody was identified and named FLAG1, and the complete FLAG1 gene sequence was obtained. This protein was later independently identified as a small, myristoylated protein and called SMP1, so from now on it will be denominated FLAG1/SMP1. The FLAG1/SMP1 gene is expressed in all developmental stages of the parasite, but has higher expression in promastigotes. The anti-FLAG1/SMP1 antibody recognized the flagellum of all Leishmania species tested and generated the expected band by western blots. This antibody was used in attachment and infection blocking experiments. Using the New World vector Lutzomyia longipalpis and Leishmania infantum chagasi, no inhibition of attachment ex vivo or infection in vivo was seen. On the other hand, when the Old World vectors P. papatasi and Leishmania major were used, a significant decrease of both attachment and infection were seen in the presence of the antibody. We propose that FLAG1/SMP1 is involved in the attachment/infection of Leishmania in the strict vector P. papatasi and not the permissive vector L. longipalpis.

Relationships between self-reported childhood traumatic experiences, attachment style, neuroticism and features of borderline personality disorders in patients with mood disorders.

PubMed

Baryshnikov, Ilya; Joffe, Grigori; Koivisto, Maaria; Melartin, Tarja; Aaltonen, Kari; Suominen, Kirsi; Rosenström, Tom; Näätänen, Petri; Karpov, Boris; Heikkinen, Martti; Isometsä, Erkki

2017-03-01

Co-occurring borderline personality disorder (BPD) features have a marked impact on treatment of patients with mood disorders. Overall, high neuroticism, childhood traumatic experiences (TEs) and insecure attachment are plausible aetiological factors for BPD. However, their relationship with BPD features specifically among patients with mood disorders remains unclear. We investigated these relationships among unipolar and bipolar mood disorder patients. As part of the Helsinki University Psychiatric Consortium study, the McLean Screening Instrument (MSI), the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R), the Short Five (S5) and the Trauma and Distress Scale (TADS) were filled in by patients with mood disorders (n=282) in psychiatric care. Correlation coefficients between total scores of scales and their dimensions were estimated, and multivariate regression (MRA) and mediation analyses were conducted. Spearman's correlations were strong (rho=0.58; p<0.001) between total scores of MSI and S5 Neuroticism and moderate (rho=0.42; p<0.001) between MSI and TADS as well as between MSI and ECR-R Attachment Anxiety. In MRA, young age, S5 Neuroticism and TADS predicted scores of MSI (p<0.001). ECR-R Attachment Anxiety mediated 33% (CI=17-53%) of the relationships between TADS and MSI. Cross-sectional questionnaire study. We found moderately strong correlations between self-reported BPD features and concurrent high neuroticism, reported childhood traumatic experiences and Attachment Anxiety also among patients with mood disorders. Independent predictors for BPD features include young age, frequency of childhood traumatic experiences and high neuroticism. Insecure attachment may partially mediate the relationship between childhood traumatic experiences and borderline features among mood disorder patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Child anger proneness moderates associations between child-mother attachment security and child behavior with mothers at 33 months.

PubMed

McElwain, Nancy L; Holland, Ashley S; Engle, Jennifer M; Wong, Maria S

2012-02-01

Child-mother attachment security, assessed via a modified Strange Situation procedure (Cassidy & Marvin, with the MacArthur Attachment Working Group, 1992), and parent-reported child proneness to anger were examined as correlates of observed child behavior toward mothers during a series of interactive tasks (N = 120, 60 girls). Controlling for maternal sensitivity and child gender and expressive language ability, greater attachment security, and lower levels of anger proneness were related to more child responsiveness to maternal requests and suggestions during play and snack sessions. As hypothesized, anger proneness also moderated several security-behavior associations. Greater attachment security was related to (a) more committed compliance during clean-up and snack-delay tasks for children high on anger proneness, (b) more self-assertiveness during play and snack for children moderate or high on anger proneness, and (c) more help-seeking during play and snack for children moderate or low on anger proneness. Findings further our understanding of the behavioral correlates of child-mother attachment security assessed during late toddlerhood via the Cassidy-Marvin system and underscore child anger proneness as a moderator of attachment-related differences in child behavior during this developmental period.

Identifying protein complex by integrating characteristic of core-attachment into dynamic PPI network.

PubMed

Shen, Xianjun; Yi, Li; Jiang, Xingpeng; He, Tingting; Yang, Jincai; Xie, Wei; Hu, Po; Hu, Xiaohua

2017-01-01

How to identify protein complex is an important and challenging task in proteomics. It would make great contribution to our knowledge of molecular mechanism in cell life activities. However, the inherent organization and dynamic characteristic of cell system have rarely been incorporated into the existing algorithms for detecting protein complexes because of the limitation of protein-protein interaction (PPI) data produced by high throughput techniques. The availability of time course gene expression profile enables us to uncover the dynamics of molecular networks and improve the detection of protein complexes. In order to achieve this goal, this paper proposes a novel algorithm DCA (Dynamic Core-Attachment). It detects protein-complex core comprising of continually expressed and highly connected proteins in dynamic PPI network, and then the protein complex is formed by including the attachments with high adhesion into the core. The integration of core-attachment feature into the dynamic PPI network is responsible for the superiority of our algorithm. DCA has been applied on two different yeast dynamic PPI networks and the experimental results show that it performs significantly better than the state-of-the-art techniques in terms of prediction accuracy, hF-measure and statistical significance in biology. In addition, the identified complexes with strong biological significance provide potential candidate complexes for biologists to validate.

Auditory Demonstrations for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Outreach

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

were placed on a foam rubber pad. The bone vibrators were not attached to headbands, allowing students to freely experiment with the devices. Soft ...This bookmark is a visual representation of various common sounds that range from soft to very loud, with the corresponding intensity level marked...other pathway is called bone conduction. In bone conducted hearing, sound waves in bone and soft tissue are transmitted directly to the internal ear

Production version of the extended NASA-Langley Vortex Lattice FORTRAN computer program. Volume 1: User's guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lamar, J. E.; Herbert, H. E.

1982-01-01

The latest production version, MARK IV, of the NASA-Langley vortex lattice computer program is summarized. All viable subcritical aerodynamic features of previous versions were retained. This version extends the previously documented program capabilities to four planforms, 400 panels, and enables the user to obtain vortex-flow aerodynamics on cambered planforms, flowfield properties off the configuration in attached flow, and planform longitudinal load distributions.

On-Chip Timing of Solid State QUBITS

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-11-13

NDC is well pronounced – with the increase of some 100 mT the gap is considerably quenched and single electron tunneling re-emerges. Apparently we...quantum dots contain roughly 10 - 100 electrons and are attached to metallic leads by tunneling barriers. The main advantage of heterostructures is the...blockade of transport at the peak marked B. The resonances left and right indicate single electron tunneling (A) and a quantum dot state with a

Gene expression profile of the plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa during biofilm formation in vitro.

PubMed

de Souza, Alessandra A; Takita, Marco A; Coletta-Filho, Helvécio D; Caldana, Camila; Yanai, Giane M; Muto, Nair H; de Oliveira, Regina C; Nunes, Luiz R; Machado, Marcos A

2004-08-15

A biofilm is a community of microorganisms attached to a solid surface. Cells within biofilms differ from planktonic cells, showing higher resistance to biocides, detergent, antibiotic treatments and host defense responses. Even though there are a number of gene expression studies in bacterial biofilm formation, limited information is available concerning plant pathogen. It was previously demonstrated that the plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa could grow as a biofilm, a possibly important factor for its pathogenicity. In this study we utilized analysis of microarrays to specifically identify genes expressed in X. fastidiosa cells growing in a biofilm, when compared to planktonic cells. About half of the differentially expressed genes encode hypothetical proteins, reflecting the large number of ORFs with unknown functions in bacterial genomes. However, under the biofilm condition we observed an increase in the expression of some housekeeping genes responsible for metabolic functions. We also found a large number of genes from the pXF51 plasmid being differentially expressed. Some of the overexpressed genes in the biofilm condition encode proteins involved in attachment to surfaces. Other genes possibly confer advantages to the bacterium in the environment that it colonizes. This study demonstrates that the gene expression in the biofilm growth condition of the plant pathogen X. fastidiosa is quite similar to other characterized systems.

Gene expression analysis of microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 2 in non-small cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Marshall, Erin A; Ng, Kevin W; Anderson, Christine; Hubaux, Roland; Thu, Kelsie L; Lam, Wan L; Martinez, Victor D

2015-12-01

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, and has a five-year survival rate of 18% [1]. MARK2 is a serine/threonine-protein kinase, and is a key component in the phosphorylation of microtubule-associated proteins [2], [3]. A recent study published by Hubaux et al. found that microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 2 (MARK2) showed highly frequent DNA and RNA level disruption in lung cancer cell lines and independent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cohorts [4]. These alterations result in the acquisition of oncogenic properties in cell lines, such as increased viability and anchorage-independent growth. Furthermore, a microarray-based transcriptome analysis of three short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated MARK2 knockdown lung adenocarcinoma cell lines (GEO#: GSE57966) revealed an association between MARK2 gene expression and cell cycle activation and DNA damage response. Here, we present a detailed description of transcriptome analysis to support the described role of MARK2 in promoting a malignant phenotype.

Meiosis genes in Daphnia pulex and the role of parthenogenesis in genome evolution.

PubMed

Schurko, Andrew M; Logsdon, John M; Eads, Brian D

2009-04-21

Thousands of parthenogenetic animal species have been described and cytogenetic manifestations of this reproductive mode are well known. However, little is understood about the molecular determinants of parthenogenesis. The Daphnia pulex genome must contain the molecular machinery for different reproductive modes: sexual (both male and female meiosis) and parthenogenetic (which is either cyclical or obligate). This feature makes D. pulex an ideal model to investigate the genetic basis of parthenogenesis and its consequences for gene and genome evolution. Here we describe the inventory of meiotic genes and their expression patterns during meiotic and parthenogenetic reproduction to help address whether parthenogenesis uses existing meiotic and mitotic machinery, or whether novel processes may be involved. We report an inventory of 130 homologs representing over 40 genes encoding proteins with diverse roles in meiotic processes in the genome of D. pulex. Many genes involved in cell cycle regulation and sister chromatid cohesion are characterized by expansions in copy number. In contrast, most genes involved in DNA replication and homologous recombination are present as single copies. Notably, RECQ2 (which suppresses homologous recombination) is present in multiple copies while DMC1 is the only gene in our inventory that is absent in the Daphnia genome. Expression patterns for 44 gene copies were similar during meiosis versus parthenogenesis, although several genes displayed marked differences in expression level in germline and somatic tissues. We propose that expansions in meiotic gene families in D. pulex may be associated with parthenogenesis. Taking into account our findings, we provide a mechanistic model of parthenogenesis, highlighting steps that must differ from meiosis including sister chromatid cohesion and kinetochore attachment.

Meiosis genes in Daphnia pulex and the role of parthenogenesis in genome evolution

PubMed Central

Schurko, Andrew M; Logsdon, John M; Eads, Brian D

2009-01-01

Background Thousands of parthenogenetic animal species have been described and cytogenetic manifestations of this reproductive mode are well known. However, little is understood about the molecular determinants of parthenogenesis. The Daphnia pulex genome must contain the molecular machinery for different reproductive modes: sexual (both male and female meiosis) and parthenogenetic (which is either cyclical or obligate). This feature makes D. pulex an ideal model to investigate the genetic basis of parthenogenesis and its consequences for gene and genome evolution. Here we describe the inventory of meiotic genes and their expression patterns during meiotic and parthenogenetic reproduction to help address whether parthenogenesis uses existing meiotic and mitotic machinery, or whether novel processes may be involved. Results We report an inventory of 130 homologs representing over 40 genes encoding proteins with diverse roles in meiotic processes in the genome of D. pulex. Many genes involved in cell cycle regulation and sister chromatid cohesion are characterized by expansions in copy number. In contrast, most genes involved in DNA replication and homologous recombination are present as single copies. Notably, RECQ2 (which suppresses homologous recombination) is present in multiple copies while DMC1 is the only gene in our inventory that is absent in the Daphnia genome. Expression patterns for 44 gene copies were similar during meiosis versus parthenogenesis, although several genes displayed marked differences in expression level in germline and somatic tissues. Conclusion We propose that expansions in meiotic gene families in D. pulex may be associated with parthenogenesis. Taking into account our findings, we provide a mechanistic model of parthenogenesis, highlighting steps that must differ from meiosis including sister chromatid cohesion and kinetochore attachment. PMID:19383157

Some properties of human neuronal alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors fused to the green fluorescent protein.

PubMed

Palma, Eleonora; Mileo, Anna M; Martinez-Torres, Ataulfo; Eusebi, Fabrizio; Miledi, Ricardo

2002-03-19

The functional properties and cellular localization of the human neuronal alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine (AcCho) receptor (alpha7 AcChoR) and its L248T mutated (mut) form were investigated by expressing them alone or as gene fusions with the enhanced version of the green fluorescent protein (GFP). Xenopus oocytes injected with wild-type (wt), mutalpha7, or the chimeric subunit cDNAs expressed receptors that gated membrane currents when exposed to AcCho. As already known, AcCho currents generated by wtalpha7 receptors decay much faster than those elicited by the mutalpha7 receptors. Unexpectedly, the fusion of GFP to the wt and mutated alpha7 receptors led to opposite results: the AcCho-current decay of the wt receptors became slower, whereas that of the mutated receptors was accelerated. Furthermore, repetitive applications of AcCho led to a considerable "run-down" of the AcCho currents generated by mutalpha7-GFP receptors, whereas those of the wtalpha7-GFP receptors remained stable or increased in amplitude. The AcCho-current run-down of mutalpha7-GFP oocytes was accompanied by a marked decrease of alpha-bungarotoxin binding activity. Fluorescence, caused by the chimeric receptors expressed, was seen over the whole oocyte surface but was more intense and abundant in the animal hemisphere, whereas it was much weaker in the vegetal hemisphere. We conclude that fusion of GFP to wtalpha7 and mutalpha7 receptors provides powerful tools to study the distribution and function of alpha7 receptors. We also conclude that fused genes do not necessarily recapitulate all of the properties of the original receptors. This fact must be borne close in mind whenever reporter genes are attached to proteins.

Emotional Processing of Infants Displays in Eating Disorders

PubMed Central

Cardi, Valentina; Corfield, Freya; Leppanen, Jenni; Rhind, Charlotte; Deriziotis, Stephanie; Hadjimichalis, Alexandra; Hibbs, Rebecca; Micali, Nadia; Treasure, Janet

2014-01-01

Aim The aim of this study is to examine emotional processing of infant displays in people with Eating Disorders (EDs). Background Social and emotional factors are implicated as causal and maintaining factors in EDs. Difficulties in emotional regulation have been mainly studied in relation to adult interactions, with less interest given to interactions with infants. Method A sample of 138 women were recruited, of which 49 suffered from Anorexia Nervosa (AN), 16 from Bulimia Nervosa (BN), and 73 were healthy controls (HCs). Attentional responses to happy and sad infant faces were tested with the visual probe detection task. Emotional identification of, and reactivity to, infant displays were measured using self-report measures. Facial expressions to video clips depicting sad, happy and frustrated infants were also recorded. Results No significant differences between groups were observed in the attentional response to infant photographs. However, there was a trend for patients to disengage from happy faces. People with EDs also reported lower positive ratings of happy infant displays and greater subjective negative reactions to sad infants. Finally, patients showed a significantly lower production of facial expressions, especially in response to the happy infant video clip. Insecure attachment was negatively correlated with positive facial expressions displayed in response to the happy infant and positively correlated with the intensity of negative emotions experienced in response to the sad infant video clip. Conclusion People with EDs do not have marked abnormalities in their attentional processing of infant emotional faces. However, they do have a reduction in facial affect particularly in response to happy infants. Also, they report greater negative reactions to sadness, and rate positive emotions less intensively than HCs. This pattern of emotional responsivity suggests abnormalities in social reward sensitivity and might indicate new treatment targets. PMID:25463051

Adhesion of mesenchymal stem cells to polymer scaffolds occurs via distinct ECM ligands and controls their osteogenic differentiation.

PubMed

Chastain, Sara R; Kundu, Anup K; Dhar, Sanjay; Calvert, Jay W; Putnam, Andrew J

2006-07-01

The osteogenic potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) cultured on poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) or poly(caprolactone) (PCL), two widely used polymeric biomaterials that have been reported to differentially support osteogenic differentiation, was compared in these studies. Here we report that MSCs cultured in 3-D PLGA scaffolds for up to 5 weeks significantly upregulate osteocalcin gene expression levels. By contrast, osteocalcin expression was markedly downregulated in 3-D PCL-based constructs over the same time course. We hypothesized that differential adsorption of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins present in serum-containing culture medium and subsequent differences in integrin-mediated adhesion are responsible for these differences, and tested this hypothesis using thin (2-D) polymeric films. Supporting this hypothesis, significant amounts of fibronectin and vitronectin deposited onto both materials in serum-containing osteogenic media, with type-I collagen present in lower amounts. Adhesion-blocking studies revealed that MSCs adhere to PCL primarily via vitronectin, while type-I collagen mediates their attachment to PLGA. These adhesive mechanisms correlated with higher levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity after 2 weeks of monolayer culture on PLGA versus PCL. These data suggest that the initial adhesion of MSCs to PLGA via type-I collagen fosters osteogenesis while adhesion to PCL via vitronectin does not, and stress the need for an improved molecular understanding of cell-ECM interactions in stem cell-based therapies. Copyright (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Implantation failure in mice with a disruption in Phospholipase C beta 1 gene: lack of embryonic attachment, aberrant steroid hormone signalling and defective endocannabinoid metabolism

PubMed Central

Filis, Panayiotis; Kind, Peter C.; Spears, Norah

2013-01-01

Phospholipase C beta 1 (PLCβ1) is a downstream effector of G-protein-coupled receptor signalling and holds central roles in reproductive physiology. Mice with a disruption in the Plcβ1 gene are infertile with pleiotropic reproductive defects, the major reproductive block in females being implantation failure. Here, PLCβ1 was demonstrated at the luminal and glandular epithelia throughout the pre- and peri-implantation period, with transient stromal expression during 0.5–1.5 days post coitum (dpc). Examination of implantation sites at 4.5 dpc showed that in females lacking functional PLCβ1 (knock-out (KO) females), embryos failed to establish proper contact with the uterine epithelium. Proliferating luminal epithelial cells were evident in KO implantation sites, indicating failure to establish a receptive uterus. Real-time PCR demonstrated that KO implantation sites had aberrant ovarian steroid signalling, with high levels of estrogen receptor α, lactoferrin and amphiregulin mRNA, while immunohistochemistry revealed very low levels of estrogen receptor α protein, possibly due to rapid receptor turnover. KO implantation sites expressed markedly less fatty acid amide hydrolase and monoacylglycerol lipase, indicating that endocannabinoid metabolism was also affected. Collectively, our results show that PLCβ1 is essential for uterine preparation for implantation, and that defective PLCβ1-mediated signalling during implantation is associated with aberrant ovarian steroid signalling and endocannabinoid metabolism. PMID:23295235

Electronic spectra of 2- and 3-tolunitrile in the gas phase. I. A study of methyl group internal rotation via rovibronically resolved spectroscopy

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

Ruiz-Santoyo, José Arturo; Álvarez-Valtierra, Leonardo, E-mail: leoav@fisica.ugto.mx; Wilke, Josefin

2016-01-28

Rotationally resolved fluorescence excitation spectra of the origin bands in the S{sub 1}←S{sub 0} transition of 2-tolunitrile (2TN) and 3-tolunitrile (3TN) have been recorded in the collision-free environment of a molecular beam. Analyses of these data provide the rotational constants of each molecule and the potential energy curves governing the internal rotation of the attached methyl groups in both electronic states. 2TN exhibits much larger barriers along this coordinate than 3TN. Interestingly, the electronic transition dipole moment in both molecules is markedly influenced by the position of the attached methyl group rather than the position of the cyano group; possiblemore » reasons for this intriguing behavior are discussed.« less

Priming the Secure Attachment Schema Affects the Emotional Face Processing Bias in Attachment Anxiety: An fMRI Research

PubMed Central

Tang, Qingting; Chen, Xu; Hu, Jia; Liu, Ying

2017-01-01

Our study explored how priming with a secure base schema affects the processing of emotional facial stimuli in individuals with attachment anxiety. We enrolled 42 undergraduate students between 18 and 27 years of age, and divided them into two groups: attachment anxiety and attachment secure. All participants were primed under two conditions, the secure priming using references to the partner, and neutral priming using neutral references. We performed repeated attachment security priming combined with a dual-task paradigm and functional magnetic resonance imaging. Participants’ reaction times in terms of responding to the facial stimuli were also measured. Attachment security priming can facilitate an individual’s processing of positive emotional faces; for instance, the presentation of the partner’s name was associated with stronger activities in a wide range of brain regions and faster reaction times for positive facial expressions in the subjects. The current finding of higher activity in the left-hemisphere regions for secure priming rather than neutral priming is consistent with the prediction that attachment security priming triggers the spread of the activation of a positive emotional state. However, the difference in brain activity during processing of both, positive and negative emotional facial stimuli between the two priming conditions appeared in the attachment anxiety group alone. This study indicates that the effect of attachment secure priming on the processing of emotional facial stimuli could be mediated by chronic attachment anxiety. In addition, it highlights the association between higher-order processes of the attachment system (secure attachment schema priming) and early-stage information processing system (attention), given the increased attention toward the effects of secure base schema on the processing of emotion- and attachment-related information among the insecure population. Thus, the following study has applications in providing directions for clinical treatment of mood disorders in attachment anxiety. PMID:28473796

Priming the Secure Attachment Schema Affects the Emotional Face Processing Bias in Attachment Anxiety: An fMRI Research.

PubMed

Tang, Qingting; Chen, Xu; Hu, Jia; Liu, Ying

2017-01-01

Our study explored how priming with a secure base schema affects the processing of emotional facial stimuli in individuals with attachment anxiety. We enrolled 42 undergraduate students between 18 and 27 years of age, and divided them into two groups: attachment anxiety and attachment secure. All participants were primed under two conditions, the secure priming using references to the partner, and neutral priming using neutral references. We performed repeated attachment security priming combined with a dual-task paradigm and functional magnetic resonance imaging. Participants' reaction times in terms of responding to the facial stimuli were also measured. Attachment security priming can facilitate an individual's processing of positive emotional faces; for instance, the presentation of the partner's name was associated with stronger activities in a wide range of brain regions and faster reaction times for positive facial expressions in the subjects. The current finding of higher activity in the left-hemisphere regions for secure priming rather than neutral priming is consistent with the prediction that attachment security priming triggers the spread of the activation of a positive emotional state. However, the difference in brain activity during processing of both, positive and negative emotional facial stimuli between the two priming conditions appeared in the attachment anxiety group alone. This study indicates that the effect of attachment secure priming on the processing of emotional facial stimuli could be mediated by chronic attachment anxiety. In addition, it highlights the association between higher-order processes of the attachment system (secure attachment schema priming) and early-stage information processing system (attention), given the increased attention toward the effects of secure base schema on the processing of emotion- and attachment-related information among the insecure population. Thus, the following study has applications in providing directions for clinical treatment of mood disorders in attachment anxiety.

Induction of virulence factors in Giardia duodenalis independent of host attachment

PubMed Central

Emery, Samantha J.; Mirzaei, Mehdi; Vuong, Daniel; Pascovici, Dana; Chick, Joel M.; Lacey, Ernest; Haynes, Paul A.

2016-01-01

Giardia duodenalis is responsible for the majority of parasitic gastroenteritis in humans worldwide. Host-parasite interaction models in vitro provide insights into disease and virulence and help us to understand pathogenesis. Using HT-29 intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) as a model we have demonstrated that initial sensitisation by host secretions reduces proclivity for trophozoite attachment, while inducing virulence factors. Host soluble factors triggered up-regulation of membrane and secreted proteins, including Tenascins, Cathepsin-B precursor, cystatin, and numerous Variant-specific Surface Proteins (VSPs). By comparison, host-cell attached trophozoites up-regulated intracellular pathways for ubiquitination, reactive oxygen species (ROS) detoxification and production of pyridoxal phosphate (PLP). We reason that these results demonstrate early pathogenesis in Giardia involves two independent host-parasite interactions. Motile trophozoites respond to soluble secreted signals, which deter attachment and induce expression of virulence factors. Trophozoites attached to host cells, in contrast, respond by up-regulating intracellular pathways involved in clearance of ROS, thus anticipating the host defence response. PMID:26867958

The effect of surface characteristics on the transport of multiple Escherichia coli isolates in large scale columns of quartz sand.

PubMed

Lutterodt, G; Basnet, M; Foppen, J W A; Uhlenbrook, S

2009-02-01

Bacteria properties play an important role in the transport of bacteria in groundwater, but their role, especially for longer transport distances (>0.5 m) has not been studied. Thereto, we studied the effects of cell surface hydrophobicity, outer surface potential (OSP), cell sphericity, motility, and Ag43 protein expression on the outer cell surface for a number of E. coli strains, obtained from the environment on their transport behavior in columns of saturated quartz sand of 5 m height in two solutions: demineralized (DI) water and artificial groundwater (AGW). In DI water, sticking efficiencies ranged between 0.1 and 0.4 at the column inlet, and then decreased with transport distance to 0.02-0.2. In AGW, sticking efficiencies were on average 1log-unit higher than those in DI (water). Bacteria motility and Ag43 expression affected attachment with a (high) statistical significance. In contrast, hydrophobicity, OSP and cell sphericity did not significantly correlate with sticking efficiency. However, for transport distances more than 0.33 m, the correlation between sticking efficiency, Ag43 expression, and motility became insignificant. We concluded that Ag43 and motility played an important role in E. coli attachment to quartz grain surfaces, and that the transport distance dependent sticking efficiency reductions were caused by motility and Ag43 expression variations within a population. The implication of our findings is that less motile bacteria with little or no Ag43 expression may travel longer distances once they enter groundwater environments. In future studies, the possible effect of bacteria surface structures, like fimbriae, pili and surface proteins on bacteria attachment need to be considered more systematically in order to arrive at more meaningful inter-population comparisons of the transport behavior of E. coli strains in aquifers.

Children's Family Drawings as Expressions of Attachment Representations Across Cultures: Possibilities and Limitations.

PubMed

Gernhardt, Ariane; Keller, Heidi; Rübeling, Hartmut

2016-07-01

The present study explored the cross-cultural appropriateness of children's family drawings as a measure for attachment quality. The sample consisted of 63 children aged 6 years from two diverse ecosocial contexts: middle-class families from Berlin, Germany (n = 32) and rural farming families from small villages around Kumbo, Cameroon (n = 31). The analysis of drawings with two classical attachment procedures, the Checklist of Drawing Signs (Kaplan & Main, 1986) and the Global Rating Scales (Fury, 1996), revealed substantial cultural differences. The results thus substantiated children's drawings as important cultural documents. Implications of the findings, however, are discussed in consideration of culture-specific conceptions of attachment relationships as indicated by cultural variations in mother's socialization goals. © 2016 The Authors. Child Development © 2016 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Chitosan-functionalized silk fibroin 3D scaffold for keratocyte culture.

PubMed

Guan, Linan; Tian, Pei; Ge, Hongyan; Tang, Xianling; Zhang, Hong; Du, Lingling; Liu, Ping

2013-10-01

The goal of this study was to evaluate the potential suitability of an artificial membrane composed of silk fibroin (SF) functionalized by different ratios of chitosan (CS) as a substrate for the stroma of the cornea. Keratocytes were cultured on translucent membranes made of SF and CS with different ratios. The biophysical properties of the silk fibroin and chitosan (SF/CS) membrane were examined. The SF/CS showed tensile strengths that increased as the CS concentration increased, but the physical and mechanical properties of chitosan-functionalized silk fibroin scaffolds weakened significantly compared with those of native corneas. The resulting cell scaffolds were evaluated using western blot in addition to light and electron microscopy. The cell attachment and proliferation on the scaffold were similar to those on a plastic plate. Keratocytes cultured in serum on SF/CS exhibited stellate morphology along with a marked increase in the expression of keratocan compared with identical cultures on tissue culture plastics. The biocompatibility was tested by transplanting the acellular membrane into rabbit corneal stromal pockets. There was no inflammatory complication detected at any time point on the macroscopic level. Taken together, these results indicate that SF/CS holds promise as a substrate for corneal reconstruction.

Introduction: transnational lesbian cultures.

PubMed

Bauer, Heike; Mahn, Churnjeet

2014-01-01

This special issue examines the transnational shape and shaping of lesbian lives and cultures in and across China, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It uses the expression "transnational lesbian cultures" to suggest that despite sometimes radically different sociopolitical and cultural contexts, the lived experiences of same-sex desire and their emotional attachments create particular affinities between women who love women, affinities that reach across the distinct cultural and social contexts that shape them. The articles brought together explore lesbian subcultures, film, graphic novels, music, and online intimacies. They show that as a cultural and political signifier and as an analytical tool, lesbian troubles and complicates contemporary sexual politics, not least by revealing some of the gendered structures that shape debates about sexuality in a range of critical, cultural and political contexts. While the individual pieces cover a wide range of issues and concerns-which are often highly specific to the historical, cultural, and political contexts they discuss-together they tell a story about contemporary transnational lesbian culture: one that is marked by intricate links between norms and their effects and shaped by the efforts to resist denial, discrimination, and sometimes even active persecution.

Surface phosphatase in Rhinocladiella aquaspersa: biochemical properties and its involvement with adhesion.

PubMed

Kneipp, Lucimar F; Magalhães, Andressa S; Abi-Chacra, Erika A; Souza, Lucieri O P; Alviano, Celuta S; Santos, André L S; Meyer-Fernandes, José R

2012-08-01

Rhinocladiella aquaspersa is an etiologic agent of chromoblastomycosis, a subcutaneous chronic infectious disease. In the present work, we found that the three morphological forms of this fungus (conidia, mycelia and sclerotic bodies) expressed different levels of ecto-phosphatase activity. Our results demonstrated that surface conidial enzyme is an acid phosphatase, inhibited by sodium salts of molybdate, orthovanadate and fluoride and that the inhibition caused by orthovanadate and molybdate was irreversible. The conidial ecto-phosphatase efficiently released phosphate groups from different phosphorylated substrates, causing a higher rate of phosphate removal when p-nitrophenylphosphate was used as substrate. This ecto-enzyme of R. aquaspersa is modulated by Co(2 +) ions and inorganic phosphate (Pi). Accordingly, removal of Pi from the culture medium resulted in a marked (121-fold) increase of ecto-phosphatase activity. Surface phosphatase activity is apparently involved in fungal adhesive properties, since the attachment of R. aquaspersa to epithelial cells was reversed by the pre-treatment of the conidia with orthovanadate, molybdate and anti-phosphatase antibody. Corroborating this finding, conidia with greater ecto-phosphatase activity (grown in Pi-depleted medium) showed higher adherence to epithelial cells than fungi cultivated in the presence of Pi.

The C-type Lectin Langerin Functions as a Receptor for Attachment and Infectious Entry of Influenza A Virus.

PubMed

Ng, Wy Ching; Londrigan, Sarah L; Nasr, Najla; Cunningham, Anthony L; Turville, Stuart; Brooks, Andrew G; Reading, Patrick C

2016-01-01

It is well established that influenza A virus (IAV) attachment to and infection of epithelial cells is dependent on sialic acid (SIA) at the cell surface, although the specific receptors that mediate IAV entry have not been defined and multiple receptors may exist. Lec2 Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are SIA deficient and resistant to IAV infection. Here we demonstrate that the expression of the C-type lectin receptor langerin in Lec2 cells (Lec2-Lg) rendered them permissive to IAV infection, as measured by replication of the viral genome, transcription of viral mRNA, and synthesis of viral proteins. Unlike SIA-dependent infection of parental CHO cells, IAV attachment and infection of Lec2-Lg cells was mediated via lectin-mediated recognition of mannose-rich glycans expressed by the viral hemagglutinin glycoprotein. Lec2 cells expressing endocytosis-defective langerin bound IAV efficiently but remained resistant to IAV infection, confirming that internalization via langerin was essential for infectious entry. Langerin-mediated infection of Lec2-Lg cells was pH and dynamin dependent, occurred via clathrin- and caveolin-mediated endocytic pathways, and utilized early (Rab5(+)) but not late (Rab7(+)) endosomes. This study is the first to demonstrate that langerin represents an authentic receptor that binds and internalizes IAV to facilitate infection. Moreover, it describes a unique experimental system to probe specific pathways and compartments involved in infectious entry following recognition of IAV by a single cell surface receptor. On the surface of host cells, sialic acid (SIA) functions as the major attachment factor for influenza A viruses (IAV). However, few studies have identified specific transmembrane receptors that bind and internalize IAV to facilitate infection. Here we identify human langerin as a transmembrane glycoprotein that can act as an attachment factor and a bone fide endocytic receptor for IAV infection. Expression of langerin by an SIA-deficient cell line resistant to IAV rendered cells permissive to infection. As langerin represented the sole receptor for IAV infection in this system, we have defined the pathways and compartments involved in infectious entry of IAV into cells following recognition by langerin. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Multiplexing clonality: combining RGB marking and genetic barcoding

PubMed Central

Cornils, Kerstin; Thielecke, Lars; Hüser, Svenja; Forgber, Michael; Thomaschewski, Michael; Kleist, Nadja; Hussein, Kais; Riecken, Kristoffer; Volz, Tassilo; Gerdes, Sebastian; Glauche, Ingmar; Dahl, Andreas; Dandri, Maura; Roeder, Ingo; Fehse, Boris

2014-01-01

RGB marking and DNA barcoding are two cutting-edge technologies in the field of clonal cell marking. To combine the virtues of both approaches, we equipped LeGO vectors encoding red, green or blue fluorescent proteins with complex DNA barcodes carrying color-specific signatures. For these vectors, we generated highly complex plasmid libraries that were used for the production of barcoded lentiviral vector particles. In proof-of-principle experiments, we used barcoded vectors for RGB marking of cell lines and primary murine hepatocytes. We applied single-cell polymerase chain reaction to decipher barcode signatures of individual RGB-marked cells expressing defined color hues. This enabled us to prove clonal identity of cells with one and the same RGB color. Also, we made use of barcoded vectors to investigate clonal development of leukemia induced by ectopic oncogene expression in murine hematopoietic cells. In conclusion, by combining RGB marking and DNA barcoding, we have established a novel technique for the unambiguous genetic marking of individual cells in the context of normal regeneration as well as malignant outgrowth. Moreover, the introduction of color-specific signatures in barcodes will facilitate studies on the impact of different variables (e.g. vector type, transgenes, culture conditions) in the context of competitive repopulation studies. PMID:24476916

MARK1 is a Novel Target for miR-125a-5p: Implications for Cell Migration in Cervical Tumor Cells.

PubMed

Natalia, Martinez-Acuna; Alejandro, Gonzalez-Torres; Virginia, Tapia-Vieyra Juana; Alvarez-Salas, Luis Marat

2018-01-01

Aberrant miRNA expression is associated with the development of several diseases including cervical cancer. Dysregulation of miR-125a-5p is present in a plethora of tumors, but its role in cervical cancer is not well understood. The aim was to analyze the expression profile of miR-125a-5p in tumor and immortal cell lines with further target prediction, validation and function analysis. MiR-125a-5p expression was determined by real-time RT-PCR from nine cervical cell lines. In silico tools were used to find target transcripts with an miR-125-5p complementary site within the 3'UTR region. Further target selection was based on gene ontology annotation and ΔG analysis. Target validation was performed by transfection of synthetic miR-125a-5p mimics and luciferase assays. Functional evaluation of miR-125a-5p on migration was performed by transwell migration assays. Differential miR-125a-5p expression was observed between immortal and tumor cells regardless of the human papillomavirus (HPV) content. Thermodynamic and ontological analyses showed Microtubule-Affinity-Regulating Kinase1 (MARK1) as a putative target for miR-125a-5p. An inverse correlation was observed among miR-125a-5p expression and MARK1 protein levels in tumor but not in immortal cells. Luciferase assays showed direct miR-125a-5p regulation over MARK1 through recognition of a predicted target site within the 3'-UTR. HeLa and C-33A cervical tumor cells enhanced migration after transfection with miR-125a-5p mimics and stimulation of cell migration was reproduced by siRNA-mediated inhibition of MARK1. The results showed MARK1 as a novel functional target for miR-125a-5p with implications on cell migration of tumor cervical cancer cells. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Histone deacetylase inhibition modulates histone acetylation at gene promoter regions and affects genome-wide gene transcription in Schistosoma mansoni

PubMed Central

Anderson, Letícia; Gomes, Monete Rajão; daSilva, Lucas Ferreira; Pereira, Adriana da Silva Andrade; Mourão, Marina M.; Romier, Christophe; Pierce, Raymond

2017-01-01

Background Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease infecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Treatment depends on a single drug, praziquantel, which kills the Schistosoma spp. parasite only at the adult stage. HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) such as Trichostatin A (TSA) induce parasite mortality in vitro (schistosomula and adult worms), however the downstream effects of histone hyperacetylation on the parasite are not known. Methodology/Principal findings TSA treatment of adult worms in vitro increased histone acetylation at H3K9ac and H3K14ac, which are transcription activation marks, not affecting the unrelated transcription repression mark H3K27me3. We investigated the effect of TSA HDACi on schistosomula gene expression at three different time points, finding a marked genome-wide change in the transcriptome profile. Gene transcription activity was correlated with changes on the chromatin acetylation mark at gene promoter regions. Moreover, combining expression data with ChIP-Seq public data for schistosomula, we found that differentially expressed genes having the H3K4me3 mark at their promoter region in general showed transcription activation upon HDACi treatment, compared with those without the mark, which showed transcription down-regulation. Affected genes are enriched for DNA replication processes, most of them being up-regulated. Twenty out of 22 genes encoding proteins involved in reducing reactive oxygen species accumulation were down-regulated. Dozens of genes encoding proteins with histone reader motifs were changed, including SmEED from the PRC2 complex. We targeted SmEZH2 methyltransferase PRC2 component with a new EZH2 inhibitor (GSK343) and showed a synergistic effect with TSA, significantly increasing schistosomula mortality. Conclusions/Significance Genome-wide gene expression analyses have identified important pathways and cellular functions that were affected and may explain the schistosomicidal effect of TSA HDACi. The change in expression of dozens of histone reader genes involved in regulation of the epigenetic program in S. mansoni can be used as a starting point to look for possible novel schistosomicidal targets. PMID:28406899

Effect of targeted magnetic nanoparticles containing 5-FU on expression of bcl-2, bax and caspase 3 in nude mice with transplanted human liver cancer

PubMed Central

Wang, Jian-Ming; Xiao, Bao-Lai; Zheng, Jian-Wei; Chen, Hai-Bing; Zou, Sheng-Quan

2007-01-01

AIM: To investigate the anti-tumor effect and mechanisms of magnetic nanoparticles targeting hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: Human hepatocellular carcinoma was induced in nude mice, and the mice were randomly divided into group A receiving normal saline, group B receiving magnetic nanoparticles containing 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), group C receiving 5-FU, and group D receiving magnetic nanoparticles containing 5-FU with a magnetic field built in tumor tissues. The tumor volume was measured on the day before treatment and 1, 4, 7, 10 and 13 d after treatment. Tumor tissues were isolated for examination of the expression of bcl-2, bax and caspase 3 by immunohistochemical method, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. RESULTS: The tumor volume was markedly lower in groups C and D than in groups A and B (group C or D vs group A or B, P < 0.01). The volume was markedly lower in group D than in group C (P < 0.05). The expression of protein and mRNA of bcl-2 was markedly lower in groups C and D than in groups A and B (group C or D vs group A or B, P < 0.01), and was markedly lower in group D than in group C (P < 0.01). The expression of bax and caspase 3 in groups C and D was significantly increased, compared with that in groups A and B (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The targeted magnetic nanoparticles containing 5-FU can improve the chemotherapeutic effect of 5-FU against hepatocellular carcinoma by decreasing the expression of bcl-2 gene, and increasing the expression of bax and caspase 3 genes. PMID:17589894

The sodium pump α1 sub-unit: a disease progression–related target for metastatic melanoma treatment

PubMed Central

Mathieu, Véronique; Pirker, Christine; Martin de Lassalle, Elisabeth; Vernier, Mathieu; Mijatovic, Tatjana; DeNeve, Nancy; Gaussin, Jean-François; Dehoux, Mischael; Lefranc, Florence; Berger, Walter; Kiss, Robert

2009-01-01

Melanomas remain associated with dismal prognosis because they are naturally resistant to apoptosis and they markedly metastasize. Up-regulated expression of sodium pump α sub-units has previously been demonstrated when comparing metastatic to non-metastatic melanomas. Our previous data revealed that impairing sodium pump α1 activity by means of selective ligands, that are cardiotonic steroids, markedly impairs cell migration and kills apoptosis-resistant cancer cells. The objective of this study was to determine the expression levels of sodium pump α sub-units in melanoma clinical samples and cell lines and also to characterize the role of α1 sub-units in melanoma cell biology. Quantitative RT-PCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to determine the expression levels of sodium pump α sub-units. In vitro cytotoxicity of various cardenolides and of an anti-α1 siRNA was evaluated by means of MTT assay, quantitative videomicroscopy and through apoptosis assays. The in vivo activity of a novel cardenolide UNBS1450 was evaluated in a melanoma brain metastasis model. Our data show that all investigated human melanoma cell lines expressed high levels of the α1 sub-unit, and 33% of human melanomas displayed significant α1 sub-unit expression in correlation with the Breslow index. Furthermore, cardenolides (notably UNBS1450; currently in Phase I clinical trials) displayed marked anti-tumour effects against melanomas in vitro. This activity was closely paralleled by decreases in cMyc expression and by increases in apoptotic features. UNBS1450 also displayed marked anti-tumour activity in the aggressive human metastatic brain melanoma model in vivo. The α1 sodium pump sub-unit could represent a potential novel target for combating melanoma. PMID:19243476

Isolation of a Novel Human Gene, MARKL1, Homologous to MARK3 and Its Involvement in Hepatocellular Carcinogenesis1

PubMed Central

Kato, Tatsushi; Satoh, Seiji; Okabe, Hiroshi; Kitahara, Osamu; Ono, Kenji; Kihara, Chikashi; Tanaka, Toshihiro; Tsunoda, Tatsuhiko; Yamaoka, Yoshio; Nakamura, Yusuke; Furukawa, Yoichi

2001-01-01

Abstract Activation of the Wnt-signaling pathway is known to play a crucial role in carcinogenesis of various human organs including the colon, liver, prostate, and endometrium. To investigate the mechanisms underlying hepatocellular carcinogenesis, we attempted to identify genes regulated by β-catenin/Tcf complex in a human hepatoma cell line, HepG2, in which an activated form of β-catenin is expressed. By means of cDNA microarray, we isolated a novel human gene, termed MARKL1 (MAP/microtubule affinity-regulating kinase-like 1), whose expression was downregulated in response to decreased Tcf/LEF1 activity. The transcript expressed in liver consisted of 3529 nucleotides that contained an open reading frame of 2256 nucleotides, encoding 752 amino acids homologous to human MARK3 (MAP/microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 3). Expression levels of MARKL1 were markedly elevated in eight of nine HCCs in which nuclear accumulation of β-catenin was observed, which may suggest that MARKL1 plays some role in hepatocellular carcinogenesis. PMID:11326310

The role of endothelial cell attachment to elastic fibre molecules in the enhancement of monolayer formation and retention, and the inhibition of smooth muscle cell recruitment.

PubMed

Williamson, Matthew R; Shuttleworth, Adrian; Canfield, Ann E; Black, Richard A; Kielty, Cay M

2007-12-01

The endothelium is an essential modulator of vascular tone and thrombogenicity and a critical barrier between the vessel wall and blood components. In tissue-engineered small-diameter vascular constructs, endothelial cell detachment in flow can lead to thrombosis and graft failure. The subendothelial extracellular matrix provides stable endothelial cell anchorage through interactions with cell surface receptors, and influences the proliferation, migration, and survival of both endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells. We have tested the hypothesis that these desired physiological characteristics can be conferred by surface coatings of natural vascular matrix components, focusing on the elastic fiber molecules, fibrillin-1, fibulin-5 and tropoelastin. On fibrillin-1 or fibulin-5-coated surfaces, endothelial cells exhibited strong integrin-mediated attachment in static conditions (82% and 76% attachment, respectively) and flow conditions (67% and 78% cell retention on fibrillin-1 or fibulin-5, respectively, at 25 dynes/cm2), confluent monolayer formation, and stable functional characteristics. Adhesion to these two molecules also strongly inhibited smooth muscle cell migration to the endothelial monolayer. In contrast, on elastin, endothelial cells attached poorly, did not spread, and had markedly impaired functional properties. Thus, fibrillin-1 and fibulin-5, but not elastin, can be exploited to enhance endothelial stability, and to inhibit SMC migration within vascular graft scaffolds. These findings have important implications for the design of vascular graft scaffolds, the clinical performance of which may be enhanced by exploiting natural cell-matrix biology to regulate cell attachment and function.

Effects of a petunia scaffold/matrix attachment region on copy number dependency and stability of transgene expression in Nicotiana tabacum.

PubMed

Dietz-Pfeilstetter, Antje; Arndt, Nicola; Manske, Ulrike

2016-04-01

Transgenes in genetically modified plants are often not reliably expressed during development or in subsequent generations. Transcriptional gene silencing (TGS) as well as post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) have been shown to occur in transgenic plants depending on integration pattern, copy number and integration site. In an effort to reduce position effects, to prevent read-through transcription and to provide a more accessible chromatin structure, a P35S-ß-glucuronidase (P35S-gus) transgene flanked by a scaffold/matrix attachment region from petunia (Petun-SAR), was introduced in Nicotiana tabacum plants by Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation. It was found that Petun-SAR mediates enhanced expression and copy number dependency up to 2 gene copies, but did not prevent gene silencing in transformants with multiple and rearranged gene copies. However, in contrast to the non-SAR transformants where silencing was irreversible and proceeded during long-term vegetative propagation and in progeny plants, gus expression in Petun-SAR plants was re-established in the course of development. Gene silencing was not necessarily accompanied by DNA methylation, while the gus transgene could still be expressed despite considerable CG methylation within the coding region.

Identification of differential pathways in papillary thyroid carcinoma utilizing pathway co-expression analysis.

PubMed

Qiu, Wei-Hai; Chen, Gui-Yan; Cui, Lu; Zhang, Ting-Ming; Wei, Feng; Yang, Yong

2016-01-01

To identify differential pathways between papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients and normal controls utilizing a novel method which combined pathway with co-expression network. The proposed method included three steps. In the first step, we conducted pretreatments for background pathways and gained representative pathways in PTC. Subsequently, a co-expression network for representative pathways was constructed using empirical Bayes (EB) approach to assign a weight value for each pathway. Finally, random model was extracted to set the thresholds of identifying differential pathways. We obtained 1267 representative pathways and their weight values based on the co-expressed pathway network, and then by meeting the criterion (Weight > 0.0296), 87 differential pathways in total across PTC patients and normal controls were identified. The top three ranked differential pathways were CREB phosphorylation, attachment of GPI anchor to urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) and loss of function of SMAD2/3 in cancer. In conclusion, we successfully identified differential pathways (such as CREB phosphorylation, attachment of GPI anchor to uPAR and post-translational modification: synthesis of GPI-anchored proteins) for PTC using the proposed pathway co-expression method, and these pathways might be potential biomarkers for target therapy and detection of PTC.

Attachment of Pathogenic Prion Protein to Model Oxide Surfaces

PubMed Central

Jacobson, Kurt H.; Kuech, Thomas R.; Pedersen, Joel A.

2014-01-01

Prions are the infectious agents in the class of fatal neurodegenerative diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, which affect humans, deer, sheep, and cattle. Prion diseases of deer and sheep can be transmitted via environmental routes, and soil is has been implicated in the transmission of these diseases. Interaction with soil particles is expected to govern the transport, bioavailability and persistence of prions in soil environments. A mechanistic understanding of prion interaction with soil components is critical for understanding the behavior of these proteins in the environment. Here, we report results of a study to investigate the interactions of prions with model oxide surfaces (Al2O3, SiO2) using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring and optical waveguide light mode spectroscopy. The efficiency of prion attachment to Al2O3 and SiO2 depended strongly on pH and ionic strength in a manner consistent with electrostatic forces dominating interaction with these oxides. The N-terminal portion of the protein appeared to facilitate attachment to Al2O3 under globally electrostatically repulsive conditions. We evaluated the utility of recombinant prion protein as a surrogate for prions in attachment experiments and found that its behavior differed markedly from that of the infectious agent. Our findings suggest that prions preferentially associate with positively charged mineral surfaces in soils (e.g., iron and aluminum oxides). PMID:23611152

78 FR 31549 - Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-24

... Board of Governors. Interested persons may express their views in writing to the Reserve Bank indicated..., Dallas, Texas 75201-2272: 1. Ray Mark Bain, Lubbock, Texas, individually, as co-trustee of the RMB 2012 Family Trust, trustee of the Ray Mark Bain 2007 Trust, and trustee of the Ray Mark Bain Children's Trust...

Method for regenerating magnetic polyamine-epichlorohydrin resin

DOEpatents

Kochen, Robert L.; Navratil, James D.

1997-07-29

Magnetic polymer resins capable of efficient removal of actinides and heavy metals from contaminated water are disclosed together with methods for making, using, and regenerating them. The resins comprise polyamine-epichlorohydrin resin beads with ferrites attached to the surfaces of the beads. Markedly improved water decontamination is demonstrated using these magnetic polymer resins of the invention in the presence of a magnetic field, as compared with water decontamination methods employing ordinary ion exchange resins or ferrites taken separately.

Method for regenerating magnetic polyamine-epichlorohydrin resin

DOEpatents

Kochen, R.L.; Navratil, J.D.

1997-07-29

Magnetic polymer resins capable of efficient removal of actinides and heavy metals from contaminated water are disclosed together with methods for making, using, and regenerating them. The resins comprise polyamine-epichlorohydrin resin beads with ferrites attached to the surfaces of the beads. Markedly improved water decontamination is demonstrated using these magnetic polymer resins of the invention in the presence of a magnetic field, as compared with water decontamination methods employing ordinary ion exchange resins or ferrites taken separately. 9 figs.

The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A Hopeless Case for U.S. Policy in the Middle East?

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-24

of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, “for Jews, whose attachment to the Land the Bible , the West Bank is Judea and Samaria, is sacred land. For Jews...ww d.edu/marshall/crsreports/crsdocuments/RL31119_09102001.pdf Harman Institute of Contemporary Jewry, Hebrew University, 2001). 149 See Kenneth...Jewry, Hebrew University, 2001 Perry, Mark. A Fire in Zion: The Israeli-Palestinian Search for Peace. New York, William Morrow and Company, 1994

Translations on North Korea, Number 525.

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-04-28

Recounted ( Kim Tong-i; NODONG CH’ ONGNYOI, 28 Jan 77) 7 Struggle of ’Sea of Blood’ Guards in Speed Battle Described. (Han Yong -il; MIWJU CHOSON, 5...Praised as Invincible ( Kim Ik-hyon; MINJU CHOSON, Feb 77) 28 Foreign Attaches, Newsmen in DPRK Mark Kim Il-song Birthday (KCWA, 9 Apr 77) 3...Relay Racers Arrive in Pyongyang With Loyalty Letter (KCNA, 11 Apr 77) 35 Japanese Companies Offer Birthday Gifts to Kim Il-song (KCNA, 12

Characterization and Imaging of Antibody-Coated Gold Nanoparticles for Targeted Treatment of Microbial Keratitis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahan, Matthew

Microbial keratitis (MK) is an infection of the cornea by pathogenic organisms that causes inflammation and irritation. It can lead to full or partial blindness if left untreated. Current clinical treatment methods rely on high frequency application of topical drugs which are subject to the issues of patient compliance and microbial resistance. In this work, gold nanoparticles (AuNP) were proposed as an alternative treatment method in light-based therapies. Particle formulation methods were investigated and assessed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis). AuNP of 20 nm diameter were used as platforms to attach monoclonal antibodies anti-FLAG or anti-F1 to enhance their cell-targeting ability as well as polyethylene glycol to reduce non-specific binding and protein adsorption. These functionalized particles were qualitatively assessed using UV-Vis. The antibody-functionalized AuNP were then assessed for their ability to attach directly to Pseudomonas aeruginosa, expressing FLAG peptide, or Aspergillus fumigatus, expressing the F1 receptor. Attachment was imaged using dark field microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and fluorescence microscopy.

Characterization of chemical sputtering using the Mark II DiMES porous plug injector in attached and semi-detached divertor plasmas of DIII-D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLean, A. G.; Davis, J. W.; Stangeby, P. C.; Allen, S. L.; Boedo, J. A.; Bray, B. D.; Brezinsek, S.; Brooks, N. H.; Fenstermacher, M. E.; Groth, M.; Haasz, A. A.; Hollmann, E. M.; Isler, R. C.; Lasnier, C. J.; Mu, Y.; Petrie, T. W.; Rudakov, D. L.; Watkins, J. G.; West, W. P.; Whyte, D. G.; Wong, C. P. C.

2009-06-01

An improved, self-contained gas injection system for the divertor material evaluation system (DiMES) on DIII-D has been employed for in situ study of chemical erosion in the tokamak divertor environment. To minimize perturbation to local plasma, the Mark II porous plug injector (PPI) releases methane through a porous graphite surface at the outer strike point at a rate precisely controlled by a micro-orifice flow restrictor to be approximately equal as that predicted for intrinsic chemical sputtering. Effective photon efficiencies resulting from CH 4 are found to be 58 ± 12 in an attached divertor ( ne ˜ 1.5 × 10 13/cm 3, Te ˜ 25 eV, Tsurf ˜ 450 K), and 94 ± 20 in a semi-detached cold divertor ( ne ˜ 6.0 × 10 13/cm 3, Te ˜ 2-3 eV, Tsurf ˜ 350 K). These values are significantly more than previous measurements in similar plasma conditions, indicating the importance of the injection rate and local re-erosion for the integrity of this analysis. The contribution of chemical versus physical sputtering to the source of C + at the target is assessed through simultaneous measurement of CII line, and CD plus CH-band emissions during release of CH 4 from the PPI, then compared with that seen in intrinsic sputtering.

Effect of biological activated carbon pre-treatment to control organic fouling in the microfiltration of biologically treated secondary effluent.

PubMed

Pramanik, Biplob Kumar; Roddick, Felicity A; Fan, Linhua

2014-10-15

Biological activated carbon (BAC) filtration was investigated as a pre-treatment for reducing the organic fouling of a microfiltration membrane (0.1 μm polyvinylidene fluoride) in the treatment of a biologically treated secondary effluent (BTSE) from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. BAC treatment of the BTSE resulted in a marked improvement in permeate flux, which was attributed to the effective removal of organic foulants and particulates. Although the BAC removed significantly less dissolved organic carbon than the granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment which was used as a control for comparison, it led to a markedly greater flux. This was attributed to the effective removal of the very high molecular weight substances such as biopolymers by the BAC through biodegradation and adsorption of those molecules on the biofilm. Size exclusion chromatography showed the BAC treatment led to approximately 30% reduction in these substances, whereas the GAC did not greatly remove these molecules. The BAC treatment led to a greater reduction of loosely-attached and firmly-attached membrane surface foulant, and this was confirmed by attenuated total reflection-fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. This study demonstrated the potential of BAC pre-treatment for reducing organic fouling and thus improving flux for the microfiltration of BTSE. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

File Server-Based CD-ROM Networking: Using SCSI Express.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McQueen, Howard

1992-01-01

Provides guidelines for evaluating SCSI Express Novell 386, a new product allowing CD-ROM drives to be attached to a Netware 3.11 file server, increasing CD-ROM networking capability. Specific limitations concerning software, hardware, and human resources are outlined, as well as its unique features and potential for future networking uses. (EA)

Altered polymorphonuclear leukocyte Fc gamma R expression contributes to decreased candicidal activity during intraabdominal sepsis

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

Simms, H.H.; D'Amico, R.; Monfils, P.

We investigated the effects of untreated intraabdominal sepsis on polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) candicidal activity. Two groups of swine were studied. Group I (n=6) underwent sham laparotomy, group II (n=7) underwent cecal ligation and incision. Untreated intraabdominal sepsis resulted in a progressive decrease in PMN candicidal activity. Concomitant rosetting and phagocytosis assays demonstrated a decrease in both the attachment and phagocytosis of Candida albicans opsonized with both normal and septic swine serum by PMNs in group II. Iodine 125-labeled swine immunoglobulin G (IgG) and fluorescein isothioalanate (FITC)-labeled swine IgG were used to investigate Fc gamma receptor ligand interactions. Scatchard analyses demonstratedmore » a progressive decline in both the binding affinity constant and number of IgG molecules bound per PMN. Stimulation of the oxidative burst markedly reduced 125I-labeled IgG binding in both group I and group II, with a greater decrement being seen in animals with intraabdominal sepsis. Further, in group II, PMN recycling of the Fc gamma receptor to the cell surface after generation of the oxidative burst was reduced by postoperative day 4. Binding of monoclonal antibodies to Fc gamma receptor II, but not Fc gamma receptor I/III markedly reduced intracellular candicidal activity. Immunofluorescence studies revealed a homogeneous pattern of FITC-IgG uptake by nearly all group I PMNs, whereas by postoperative day 8 a substantial number of PMNs from group II failed to internalize the FITC-IgG. These studies suggest that untreated intraabdominal sepsis reduces PMN candicidal activity and that this is due, in part, to altered PMN Fc gamma receptor ligand interactions.« less

Ablation of ceramide synthase 2 exacerbates dextran sodium sulphate-induced colitis in mice due to increased intestinal permeability.

PubMed

Kim, Ye-Ryung; Volpert, Giora; Shin, Kyong-Oh; Kim, So-Yeon; Shin, Sun-Hye; Lee, Younghay; Sung, Sun Hee; Lee, Yong-Moon; Ahn, Jung-Hyuck; Pewzner-Jung, Yael; Park, Woo-Jae; Futerman, Anthony H; Park, Joo-Won

2017-12-01

Ceramides mediate crucial cellular processes including cell death and inflammation and have recently been implicated in inflammatory bowel disease. Ceramides consist of a sphingoid long-chain base to which fatty acids of various length can be attached. We now investigate the effect of alerting the ceramide acyl chain length on a mouse model of colitis. Ceramide synthase (CerS) 2 null mice, which lack very-long acyl chain ceramides with concomitant increase of long chain bases and C16-ceramides, were more susceptible to dextran sodium sulphate-induced colitis, and their survival rate was markedly decreased compared with that of wild-type littermates. Using mixed bone-marrow chimeric mice, we showed that the host environment is primarily responsible for intestinal barrier dysfunction and increased intestinal permeability. In the colon of CerS2 null mice, the expression of junctional adhesion molecule-A was markedly decreased and the phosphorylation of myosin light chain 2 was increased. In vitro experiments using Caco-2 cells also confirmed an important role of CerS2 in maintaining epithelial barrier function; CerS2-knockdown via CRISPR-Cas9 technology impaired barrier function. In vivo myriocin administration, which normalized long-chain bases and C16-ceramides of the colon of CerS2 null mice, increased intestinal permeability as measured by serum FITC-dextran levels, indicating that altered SLs including deficiency of very-long-chain ceramides are critical for epithelial barrier function. In conclusion, deficiency of CerS2 influences intestinal barrier function and the severity of experimental colitis and may represent a potential mechanism for inflammatory bowel disease pathogenesis. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

Polysialic acid enters the cell nucleus attached to a fragment of the neural cell adhesion molecule NCAM to regulate the circadian rhythm in mouse brain.

PubMed

Westphal, Nina; Kleene, Ralf; Lutz, David; Theis, Thomas; Schachner, Melitta

2016-07-01

In the mammalian nervous system, the neural cell adhesion molecule NCAM is the major carrier of the glycan polymer polysialic acid (PSA) which confers important functions to NCAM's protein backbone. PSA attached to NCAM contributes not only to cell migration, neuritogenesis, synaptic plasticity, and behavior, but also to regulation of the circadian rhythm by yet unknown molecular mechanisms. Here, we show that a PSA-carrying transmembrane NCAM fragment enters the nucleus after stimulation of cultured neurons with surrogate NCAM ligands, a phenomenon that depends on the circadian rhythm. Enhanced nuclear import of the PSA-carrying NCAM fragment is associated with altered expression of clock-related genes, as shown by analysis of cultured neuronal cells deprived of PSA by specific enzymatic removal. In vivo, levels of nuclear PSA in different mouse brain regions depend on the circadian rhythm and clock-related gene expression in suprachiasmatic nucleus and cerebellum is affected by the presence of PSA-carrying NCAM in the cell nucleus. Our conceptually novel observations reveal that PSA attached to a transmembrane proteolytic NCAM fragment containing part of the extracellular domain enters the cell nucleus, where PSA-carrying NCAM contributes to the regulation of clock-related gene expression and of the circadian rhythm. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Endogenous oxytocin is necessary for preferential Fos expression to male odors in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in female Syrian hamsters.

PubMed

Martinez, Luis A; Levy, Marisa J; Petrulis, Aras

2013-09-01

Successful reproduction in mammals depends on proceptive or solicitational behaviors that enhance the probability of encountering potential mates. In female Syrian hamsters, one such behavior is vaginal scent marking. Recent evidence suggests that the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) may be critical for regulating this behavior. Blockade of OT receptors in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) or the medial preoptic area (MPOA) decreases vaginal marking responses to male odors; lesion data suggest that BNST, rather than MPOA, mediates this effect. However, how OT interacts with sexual odor processing to drive preferential solicitation is not known. To address this issue, intact female Syrian hamsters were exposed to male or female odors and their brains processed for immunohistochemistry for Fos, a marker of recent neuronal activation, and OT. Additional females were injected intracerebroventricularly (ICV) with an oxytocin receptor antagonist (OTA) or vehicle, and then tested for vaginal marking and Fos responses to sexual odors. Colocalization of OT and Fos in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus was unchanged following exposure to male odors, but decreased following exposure to female odors. Following injections of OTA, Fos expression to male odors was decreased in BNST, but not in MPOA or the medial amygdala (MA). Fos expression in BNST may be functionally relevant for vaginal marking, given that there was a positive correlation between Fos expression and vaginal marking for BNST, but not MPOA or MA. Together, these data suggest that OT facilitation of neuronal activity in BNST underlies the facilitative effects of OT on solicitational responses to male odors. © 2013.

Closed membrane shapes with attached BAR domains subject to external force of actin filaments.

PubMed

Mesarec, Luka; Góźdź, Wojciech; Iglič, Veronika Kralj; Kralj, Samo; Iglič, Aleš

2016-05-01

Membrane deformations induced by attached BAR superfamily domains could trigger or facilitate the growth of plasma membrane protrusions. The BAR domain family consists of BAR, F-BAR and I-BAR domains, each enforcing a different local curvature when attached to the membrane surface. Our theoretical study mainly focuses on the role of I-BAR in the membrane tubular deformations generated or stabilised by actin filaments. The influence of the area density of membrane attached BAR domains and their intrinsic curvature on the closed membrane shapes (vesicles) was investigated numerically. We derived an analytical approximative expression for the critical relative area density of BARs at which the membrane tubular protrusions on vesicles are most prominent. We have shown that the BARs with a higher intrinsic curvature induce thinner and longer cylindrical protrusions. The average orientation of the membrane attached BARs is altered when the vesicle shape is subjected to external force of growing actin rod-like structure inside a vesicle. The average orientation angle of membrane attached BARs may indicate whether the actin filaments are just stabilising the protrusion or generating it by stretching the vesicle. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[The linguistic marks in the theory of mind: intersubjectivity and enunciation in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder].

PubMed

Gallardo-Paúls, B

2008-01-01

The tests that are commonly used to analyse whether a subject has developed mentalistic and intersubjective capacities (theory of mind) are restricted to tasks that assess comprehension, without taking into account the active, expressive marks of those capacities. Taking Benveniste's pragmatic theory of enunciation as our framework, we analyse texts written by children who have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in order to confirm the presence of formal marks of enunciation. We distinguish between the explicit marks in a text (verb or noun phrases that refer to mental states and also diction) and marks embedded within the text (dialogues, allusions to other texts, textual polyphony). The corpus of data used for this analysis consisted of 170 narrative and argumentative texts written by children aged between 9 and 11 years, of whom those who had been diagnosed as suffering from combined-type ADHD constituted a subgroup. The theory of enunciation provides a suitable framework for studying the expressive, active manifestation of the intersubjective capacity of children.

Ventral striatum dysfunction in children and adolescents with reactive attachment disorder: functional MRI study

PubMed Central

Takiguchi, Shinichiro; Fujisawa, Takashi X.; Mizushima, Sakae; Saito, Daisuke N.; Okamoto, Yuko; Shimada, Koji; Koizumi, Michiko; Kumazaki, Hirokazu; Jung, Minyoung; Kosaka, Hirotaka; Hiratani, Michio; Ohshima, Yusei; Teicher, Martin H.

2015-01-01

Background Child maltreatment is a major risk factor for psychopathology, including reactive attachment disorder (RAD). Aims To examine whether neural activity during reward processing was altered in children and adolescents with RAD. Method Sixteen children and adolescents with RAD and 20 typically developing (TD) individuals performed tasks with high and low monetary rewards while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging. Results Significantly reduced activity in the caudate and nucleus accumbens was observed during the high monetary reward condition in the RAD group compared with the TD group (P=0.015, family-wise error-corrected cluster level). Significant negative correlations between bilateral striatal activity and avoidant attachment were observed in the RAD and TD groups. Conclusions Striatal neural reward activity in the RAD group was markedly decreased. The present results suggest that dopaminergic dysfunction occurs in the striatum of children and adolescents with RAD, leading towards potential future risks for psychopathology. Declaration of interest None. Copyright and usage © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2015. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Non-Commercial, No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) licence. PMID:27703736

Quantitative comparison of the microscopic anatomy of the human ACL femoral and tibial entheses.

PubMed

Beaulieu, Mélanie L; Carey, Grace E; Schlecht, Stephen H; Wojtys, Edward M; Ashton-Miller, James A

2015-12-01

The femoral enthesis of the human anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is known to be more susceptible to injury than the tibial enthesis. To determine whether anatomic differences might help explain this difference, we quantified the microscopic appearance of both entheses in 15 unembalmed knee specimens using light microscopy, toluidine blue stain and image analysis. The amount of calcified fibrocartilage and uncalcified fibrocartilage, and the ligament entheseal attachment angle were then compared between the femoral and tibial entheses via linear mixed-effects models. The results showed marked differences in anatomy between the two entheses. The femoral enthesis exhibited a 3.9-fold more acute ligament attachment angle than the tibial enthesis (p<0.001), a 43% greater calcified fibrocartilage tissue area (p<0.001), and a 226% greater uncalcified fibrocartilage depth (p<0.001), with the latter differences being particularly pronounced in the central region. We conclude that the ACL femoral enthesis has more fibrocartilage and a more acute ligament attachment angle than the tibial enthesis, which provides insight into why it is more vulnerable to failure. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A taste of the unfamiliar. Understanding the meanings attached to food by international postgraduate students in England.

PubMed

Brown, Lorraine; Edwards, John; Hartwell, Heather

2010-02-01

Using findings from semi-structured interviews with international postgraduate students in England, this paper explores the meanings attached to the food they eat in a new culture. Our study, using interviews, aimed to uncover student responses to both the food they eat whilst abroad and to the food they have left behind. Many students criticised local English food as bland, fattening, and unhealthy; nevertheless, most showed an openness to new foods, trying not only local food but also dishes prepared by their international friends, but this sat alongside a strong attachment to their home country dishes. Eating together was a popular leisure activity, and food of the origin country or region was the most popular cuisine. Eating home country food offered emotional and physical sustenance; students felt comforted by familiar taste, and that their physical health was stabilised by the consumption of healthier food than was available locally. Despite acknowledgement of the importance of food to cultural identity and overall quality of life in the anthropology and nutrition literatures, there is a dearth of research into this aspect of the international student experience; this study, therefore, marks an important beginning. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tracing ancient evolutionary divergence in parasites.

PubMed

Tinsley, Richard C; Tinsley, Matthew C

2016-12-01

For parasitic platyhelminths that generally lack a fossil record, there is little information on the pathways of morphological change during evolution. Polystomatid monogeneans are notable for their evolutionary diversification, having originated from ancestors on fish and radiated in parallel with tetrapod vertebrates over more than 425 million years (My). This study focuses on the genus Polystomoides that occurs almost worldwide on freshwater chelonian reptiles. Morphometric data show a major divergence in structural adaptations for attachment; this correlates with a dichotomy in micro-environmental conditions in habitats within the hosts. Species infecting the urinary tract have attachment organs with large hamuli and small suckers; species in the oro-nasal tract differ fundamentally, having small hamuli and large suckers. Zoogeographical and molecular evidence supports ancient separation of these site-specific clades: a new genus is proposed - Uropolystomoides - containing urinary tract species distinct from Polystomoides sensu stricto in oro-nasal sites. Aside from differences in attachment adaptations, body plans have probably changed little over perhaps 150 My. This case contrasts markedly with polystomatids in other vertebrate groups where major morphological changes have evolved over much shorter timescales; the chelonian parasites show highly stable morphology across their global distribution over a long period of evolution, exemplifying 'living fossils'.

KSC-2009-1725

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-19

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- With the fairing door off, Orbital Sciences' Glenn Weigle and Brett Gladish maneuver into position to take the GN2 flow reading from NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO, spacecraft. At left, Jose Castillo and Mark Neuse stand by to replace the fairing door when the OCO operation is complete. The spacecraft sits atop Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket. At right is a portion of the umbilical tower attached to the upper stack. The spacecraft sits atop Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket. At right is a portion of the umbilical tower attached to the upper stack. The spacecraft will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists will analyze OCO data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important greenhouse gas. Photo courtesy of Jim Stowers, Orbital Sciences

In vitro adhesion and biocompatability of osteoblast-like cells to poly(methylmethacrylate) and poly(ethylmethacrylate) bone cements.

PubMed

Dalby, M J; Di Silvio, L; Harper, E J; Bonfield, W

2002-03-01

A bone cement, poly(ethylmethacrylate)/n-butylmethacrylate (PEMA/nBMA) has been developed with lower exotherm and monomer leaching compared to the traditional poly(methylmethacrylate)/methylmethacrylate (PMMA/MMA) cement. This study compares the in vitro biological response to the cements using primary human osteoblast-like cells (HOB). Cell attachment was qualified by immunolocalization of vinculin and actin cytoskeleton, showing more organization on PEMA/nBMA compared to PMMA/MMA. Proliferation was assessed using tritiated thymidine incorporation, and phenotype expression determined by measuring alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. An increase in proliferation and ALP activity was observed on PEMA/nBMA compared to PMMA/MMA. The results confirm the biocompatability of PEMA/nBMA, and an enhanced cell attachment and expression of differentiated cell phenotype.

The α5β1 Integrin Mediates Elimination of Amyloid-β Peptide and Protects Against Apoptosis

PubMed Central

Matter, Michelle L.; Zhang, Zhuohua; Nordstedt, Christer; Ruoslahti, Erkki

1998-01-01

The amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) can mediate cell attachment by binding to β1 integrins through an arg-his-asp sequence. We show here that the α5β1 integrin, a fibronectin receptor, is an efficient binder of Aβ, and mediates cell attachment to nonfibrillar Aβ. Cells engineered to express α5β1 internalized and degraded more added Aβ1-40 than did α5β1-negative control cells. Deposition of an insoluble Aβ1-40 matrix around the α5β1-expressing cells was reduced, and the cells showed less apoptosis than the control cells. Thus, the α5β1 integrin may protect against Aβ deposition and toxicity, which is a course of Alzheimer's disease lesions. PMID:9585419

TIM-1 Promotes Hepatitis C Virus Cell Attachment and Infection.

PubMed

Wang, Jing; Qiao, Luhua; Hou, Zhouhua; Luo, Guangxiang

2017-01-15

Human TIM and TAM family proteins were recently found to serve as phosphatidylserine (PS) receptors which promote infections by many different viruses, including dengue virus, West Nile virus, Ebola virus, Marburg virus, and Zika virus. In the present study, we provide substantial evidence demonstrating that TIM-1 is important for efficient infection by hepatitis C virus (HCV). The knockdown of TIM-1 expression significantly reduced HCV infection but not HCV RNA replication. Likewise, TIM-1 knockout in Huh-7.5 cells remarkably lowered HCV cell attachment and subsequent HCV infection. More significantly, the impairment of HCV infection in the TIM-1 knockout cells could be restored completely by ectopic expression of TIM-1 but not TIM-3 or TIM-4. Additionally, HCV infection and cell attachment were inhibited by PS but not by phosphatidylcholine (PC), demonstrating that TIM-1-mediated enhancement of HCV infection is PS dependent. The exposure of PS on the HCV envelope was confirmed by immunoprecipitation of HCV particles with a PS-specific monoclonal antibody. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that TIM-1 promotes HCV infection by serving as an attachment receptor for binding to PS exposed on the HCV envelope. TIM family proteins were recently found to enhance infections by many different viruses, including several members of the Flaviviridae family. However, their importance in HCV infection has not previously been examined experimentally. The TIM family proteins include three members in humans: TIM-1, TIM-3, and TIM-4. The findings derived from our studies demonstrate that TIM-1, but not TIM-3 or TIM-4, promotes HCV infection by functioning as an HCV attachment factor. Knockout of the TIM-1 gene resulted in a remarkable reduction of HCV cell attachment and infection. PS-containing liposomes blocked HCV cell attachment and subsequent HCV infection. HCV particles could also be precipitated with a PS-specific monoclonal antibody. These findings suggest that TIM-1 and its binding ligand, PS, may serve as novel targets for antiviral intervention. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Impact of Monochorionicity and Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome on Prenatal Attachment, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms.

PubMed

Beauquier-Maccotta, Berengere; Chalouhi, Gihad E; Picquet, Anne-Laure; Carrier, Aude; Bussières, Laurence; Golse, Bernard; Ville, Yves

2016-01-01

Monochronioric (MC) twin pregnancies are considered as high-risk pregnancies with potential complications requiring in-utero interventions. We aimed to assess prenatal attachment, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive symptoms in MC pregnancies complicated with Twin-To-Twin-transfusion syndrome (TTTS) in comparison to uncomplicated monochorionic (UMC) and dichorionic pregnancies (DC). Auto-questionnaires were filled out at diagnosis of TTTS and at successive milestones. Prenatal attachment, PTSD, anxiety and perinatal depression were evaluated respectively by the Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI) completed for each twin, the Post-traumatic Checklist Scale (PCLS), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Edinburgh Perinatal Depression Scale (EPDS). There was no significant difference in the PAI scores between the two twins. In the DC and UMC groups, PAI scores increased throughout pregnancy, whilst it didn't for TTTS group. TTTS and DC had a similar prenatal attachment while MC mothers expressed a significantly higher attachment to their fetuses and expressed it earlier. At the announcement of TTTS, 72% of the patients present a score over the threshold at the EPDS Scale, with a higher score for TTTS than for DC (p = 0.005), and UMC (p = 0.007) at the same GA. 30% of mothers in TTTS group have PTSD during pregnancy. 50% of TTTS- patients present an anxiety score over the threshold (STAI-Scale), with a score significantly higher in TTTS than in UMC (p<0.001) or DC (p<0.001). The proportion of subject with a STAI-State over the threshold is also significantly higher in TTTS than in DC at 20 GW (p = 0.01) and at 26 GW (p<0.05). The STAI-state scores in UMC and DC increase progressively during pregnancy while they decrease significantly in TTTS. TTTS announcement constitutes a traumatic event during a pregnancy with an important risk of PTSD, high level of anxiety and an alteration of the prenatal attachment. These results should guide the psychological support provided to these patients.

Long noncoding RNA PANDA and scaffold-attachment-factor SAFA control senescence entry and exit.

PubMed

Puvvula, Pavan Kumar; Desetty, Rohini Devi; Pineau, Pascal; Marchio, Agnés; Moon, Anne; Dejean, Anne; Bischof, Oliver

2014-11-19

Cellular senescence is a stable cell cycle arrest that limits the proliferation of pre-cancerous cells. Here we demonstrate that scaffold-attachment-factor A (SAFA) and the long noncoding RNA PANDA differentially interact with polycomb repressive complexes (PRC1 and PRC2) and the transcription factor NF-YA to either promote or suppress senescence. In proliferating cells, SAFA and PANDA recruit PRC complexes to repress the transcription of senescence-promoting genes. Conversely, the loss of SAFA-PANDA-PRC interactions allows expression of the senescence programme. Accordingly, we find that depleting either SAFA or PANDA in proliferating cells induces senescence. However, in senescent cells where PANDA sequesters transcription factor NF-YA and limits the expression of NF-YA-E2F-coregulated proliferation-promoting genes, PANDA depletion leads to an exit from senescence. Together, our results demonstrate that PANDA confines cells to their existing proliferative state and that modulating its level of expression can cause entry or exit from senescence.

Translational errors in expression of Shiga toxin from pathogenic Escherichia coli as measured by MALDI-TOF-TOF and Orbitrap mass spectrometry

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Introduction: Shiga toxin (Stx) is an AB5 toxin expressed by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and Shigella dysenteriae. The Stx holotoxin attaches to surface receptors of eukaryotic cells. After cellular envelopment, the toxin disrupts ribosomal protein synthesis causing cell death. Variations i...

Maternal Emotional Expressiveness and Attachment Security: Links to Representations of Relationships and Social Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laible, Deborah

2006-01-01

The goal of this study was to examine whether the security of the relationship between mothers and children influenced the relation between maternal emotional expressiveness and aspects of children's social development. Fifty-one preschool children (M age = 52.80 months) and their mothers took part in the study. At their homes, mothers completed…

Quiet Spike(TradeMark) Build-up Ground Vibration Testing Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spivey, Natalie D.; Herrera, Claudia Y.; Truax, Roger; Pak, Chan-gi; Freund, Donald

2007-01-01

Flight tests of Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation s Quiet Spike(TradeMark) hardware were recently completed on the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center F-15B airplane. NASA Dryden uses a modified F-15B airplane as a testbed aircraft to cost-effectively fly flight research experiments that are typically mounted underneath the F-15B airplane, along the fuselage centerline. For the Quiet Spike(TradeMark) experiment, however, instead of a centerline mounting, a relatively long forward-pointing boom was attached to the radar bulkhead of the F-15B airplane. The Quiet Spike(TradeMark) experiment is a stepping-stone to airframe structural morphing technologies designed to mitigate the sonic-boom strength of business jets over land. The Quiet Spike(TradeMark) boom is a concept in which an aircraft s noseboom would be extended prior to supersonic acceleration. This morphing effectively lengthens the aircraft, thus reducing the peak sonic-boom amplitude, but is also expected to partition the otherwise strong bow shock into a series of reduced-strength, noncoalescing shocklets. Prior to flying the Quiet Spike(TradeMark) experiment on the F-15B airplane several ground vibration tests were required to understand the Quiet Spike(TradeMark) modal characteristics and coupling effects with the F-15B airplane. However, due to the flight hardware availability and compressed schedule requirements, a "traditional" ground vibration test of the mated F-15B Quiet Spike(TradeMark) ready-for- flight configuration did not leave sufficient time available for the finite element model update and flutter analyses before flight testing. Therefore, a "nontraditional" ground vibration testing approach was taken. This paper provides an overview of each phase of the "nontraditional" ground vibration testing completed for the Quiet Spike(TradeMark) project which includes the test setup details, instrumentation layout, and modal results obtained in support of the structural dynamic modeling and flutter analyses.

EVA 1 - Grunsfeld and Smith during RSU changeout

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-12-22

STS-103 mission specialist John M. Grunsfeld (attached to a workstation on the RMS arm) and payload commander Steven L. Smith (free-floating) perform a changeout of the Rate Sensor Units (RSU) in one of the bays of -V3 plane of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). This repair was performed during the first of three extravehicular activities (EVAs) of the mission. Grunsfeld is distinguished by having no marks on his EMU and Smith is distinguished by the red strip on the pants of his EMU.

Removal of radioactive materials and heavy metals from water using magnetic resin

DOEpatents

Kochen, R.L.; Navratil, J.D.

1997-01-21

Magnetic polymer resins capable of efficient removal of actinides and heavy metals from contaminated water are disclosed together with methods for making, using, and regenerating them. The resins comprise polyamine-epichlorohydrin resin beads with ferrites attached to the surfaces of the beads. Markedly improved water decontamination is demonstrated using these magnetic polymer resins of the invention in the presence of a magnetic field, as compared with water decontamination methods employing ordinary ion exchange resins or ferrites taken separately. 9 figs.

Removal of radioactive materials and heavy metals from water using magnetic resin

DOEpatents

Kochen, Robert L.; Navratil, James D.

1997-01-21

Magnetic polymer resins capable of efficient removal of actinides and heavy metals from contaminated water are disclosed together with methods for making, using, and regenerating them. The resins comprise polyamine-epichlorohydrin resin beads with ferrites attached to the surfaces of the beads. Markedly improved water decontamination is demonstrated using these magnetic polymer resins of the invention in the presence of a magnetic field, as compared with water decontamination methods employing ordinary ion exchange resins or ferrites taken separately.

Mitotic Recombination in the Heterochromatin of the Sex Chromosomes of DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

PubMed Central

Ripoll, P.; Garcia-Bellido, A.

1978-01-01

The frequency of spontaneous and X-ray-induced mitotic recombination involving the Y chromosome has been studied in individuals with a marked Y chromosome arm and different XY compound chromosomes. The genotypes used include X chromosomes with different amounts of X heterochromatin and either or both arms of the Y chromosome attached to either side of the centromere. Individuals with two Y chromosomes have also been studied. The results show that the bulk of mitotic recombination takes place between homologous regions. PMID:100372

Inflammation Stimulates the Expression of PCSK9

PubMed Central

Feingold, Kenneth R.; Moser, Arthur H.; Shigenaga, Judy K.; Patzek, Sophie M.; Grunfeld, Carl

2008-01-01

Inflammation induces marked changes in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. Proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin 9 (PCSK9) plays an important role in regulating LDL receptor degradation. Here we demonstrate that LPS decreases hepatic LDL receptor protein but at the same time hepatic LDL receptor mRNA levels are not decreased. We therefore explored the effect of LPS on PCSK9 expression. LPS results in a marked increase in hepatic PCSK9 mRNA levels (4 hours-2.5 fold increase; 38 hours-12.5 fold increase). The increase in PCSK9 is a sensitive response with 1 ug LPS inducing a ½ maximal response. LPS also increased PCSK9 expression in the kidney. Finally, zymosan and turpentine, other treatments that induce inflammation, also stimulated hepatic expression of PCSK9. Thus, inflammation stimulates PCSK9 expression leading to increased LDL receptor degradation and decreasing LDL receptors thereby increasing serum LDL, which could have beneficial effects on host defense. PMID:18638454

Role of a bacillus Calmette-Guérin fibronectin attachment protein in BCG-induced antitumor activity.

PubMed

Zhao, W; Schorey, J S; Bong-Mastek, M; Ritchey, J; Brown, E J; Ratliff, T L

2000-04-01

Intravesical Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Gu*erin (BCG) is the treatment of choice for superficial bladder cancer. Previous studies showed that attachment of BCG to fibronectin within the bladder was necessary for mediation of the antitumor response. Further studies identified a bacterial receptor, fibronectin attachment protein (FAP), as an important mediator of BCG attachment to fibronectin. In vitro studies showed that a stable BCG/fibronectin interaction was dependent on FAP binding to fibronectin; however, no role for FAP in the attachment of BCG in vivo has been characterized. We now report the cloning of the M. bovis BCG FAP (FAP-B) and demonstrate an important role for FAP in the in vivo attachment of BCG to the bladder wall and in the induction of BCG-mediated antitumor activity. The predicted amino acid sequence for FAP-B shows 61% and 71% homology, respectively, with Mycobacterium avium FAP (FAP-A) and Mycobacterium leprae FAP (FAP-L). Rabbit polyclonal antibodies against Mycobacterium vaccae FAP (FAP-V) reacted with all 3 recombinant FAP proteins on Western blots. Functional studies show FAP-B to bind fibronectin via the highly conserved attachment regions previously identified for FAP-A and FAP-L and also to competitively inhibit attachment of BCG to matrix fibronectin. In vivo studies show FAP to be a necessary protein for the stable attachment of BCG to the bladder wall. Moreover, stable binding of BCG via FAP was shown to be necessary for the expression of BCG-induced antitumor activity. Our results demonstrate a biological role for FAP in the mediation of BCG-induced antitumor activity.

Transportation-markings foundations. Part A, volume I, first studies

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-01-01

This book is about "Transportation-Markings" (hereafter T-M). A T-M can be defined as "any device which aids a mode of transportation (ship, plane, auto, train) by giving guidance, by expressing regulations, or by giving warnings." That includes the ...

Murine Stem Cell-Based Retrovirus Production for Marking Primary Mouse Mammary Cells for Metastasis Studies.

PubMed

Beverly, Levi J; Podsypanina, Katrina

2016-02-01

Since the introduction of retroviral vector technology, permanent genetic marking of cells has considerably contributed to the understanding of different physiological and disease processes in vivo. Recent marking strategies aim to elucidate the contribution of cells on the clonal level, and the advent of fluorescent proteins has opened new avenues for the in vivo analysis of gene-marked cells. Gene-modified cells are easily identifiable (e.g., via the introduced fluorescent protein) within whole organ structures, allowing one to measure the contribution of transduced cells to malignant outgrowth. In our laboratory, we use the tetracycline-inducible system to study oncogene cooperation in metastatic progression. We use bicistronic retroviruses expressing the tetracycline transactivator (tTA) and the candidate gene (MIT-gene) or the tTA alone (MIT-Rx) to infect primary mammary cells from mice harboring tetracycline-inducible transgenes. This allows for constitutive expression of the candidate gene and tTA-dependent expression of the inducible oncogene. We also use MIG-based vectors, which allow for constitutive expression of the candidate gene and a green fluorescent protein. Here we describe how to produce retroviral particles carrying both MIT- and MIG-based vectors. Because of the fragility of the retroviral envelope, we do not attempt to concentrate the virus, and we directly use packaging cell media to infect primary epithelial cells (either normal or tumor). Infected cells can be transplanted into recipient mice to investigate metastatic colonization. © 2016 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Attachment, invasion, chemotaxis, and proteinase expression of B16-BL6 melanoma cells exhibiting a low metastatic phenotype after exposure to dietary restriction of tyrosine and phenylalanine.

PubMed

Uhlenkott, C E; Huijzer, J C; Cardeiro, D J; Elstad, C A; Meadows, G G

1996-03-01

We previously reported that low levels of tyrosine (Tyr) and phenylalanine (Phe) alter the metastatic phenotype of B16-BL6 (BL6) murine melanoma and select for tumor cell populations with decreased lung colonizing ability. To more specifically characterize the effects of Tyr and Phe restriction on the malignant phenotype of BL6, we investigated in vitro attachment, invasion, proteinase expression, and chemotaxis of high and low metastatic BL6 variants. High metastatic variant cells were isolated from subcutaneous tumors of mice fed a nutritionally complete diet (ND cells) and low metastatic variant cells were isolated from mice fed a diet restricted in Tyr and Phe (LTP cells). Results indicate that attachment to reconstituted basement membrane (Matrigel) was significantly reduced in LTP cells as compared to ND cells. Attachment to collagen IV, laminin, and fibronectin were similar between the two variants. Invasion through Matrigel and growth factor-reduced Matrigel were significantly decreased in LTP cells as compared to ND cells. Zymography revealed the presence of M(r) 92,000 and M(r) 72,000 progelatinases, tissue plasminogen activator, and urokinase plasminogen activator in the conditioned medium of both variants; however, there were no differences in activity of these secreted proteinases between the two variants. Growth of the variants on growth factor-reduced Matrigel similarly induced expression of the M(r) 92,000 progelatinase. The variants exhibited similar chemotactic responses toward laminin. However, the chemotactic response toward fibronectin by LTP cells was significantly increased. MFR5, a monoclonal antibody which selectively blocks function of the alpha 5 chain of the alpha 5 beta 1 integrin, VLA-5, decreased the chemotactic response toward fibronectin of ND cells by 37%; the chemotactic response by LTP cells was reduced by 49%. This effect was specific for fibronectin-mediated chemotaxis since the chemotaxis toward laminin and invasion through Matrigel were not altered by the presence of MFR5. The surface expression of VLA-5 was significantly increased in LTP cells as compared to ND cells by flow cytometric analysis. These observations suggest that limitation of Tyr and Phe either directly modifies BL6 or selects for subpopulations with altered in vitro invasion, chemotaxis, and integrin expression.

Computerized tool mark comparison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feigin, Gavriel; Aperman, Arie; Springer, Eliot; Jungmann, Noam

1995-09-01

The computerized toolmark comparison system is based on a cross correlation between a striation mark left by a tool on a lock and a test mark made by a suspect or the data base. The cross correlation is applied in the frequency domain for time saving. The area to be correlated is defined by the toolmark expert. A profile line is calculated and displayed based on the defined area. The two compared images may appear relatively shifted to one another, or only part of the toolmark that appears in the other. The same length of profiles is chosen from the two samples for entering to the updated correlation process. All possible correlations are checked by cutting and shifting through all cobinations. The database contains the defined images and the profiles calculated from them. The system consists of a 486 PC with a frame grabber and a video camera attached to a microscope. Results show that if the striation marks are clear and are wider than a minimum pixel limit, the correlation result higher than 0.6 is a possible match and has to be checked by the expert for a final decision. Future plans are to implement a 2D correlation. This method will enable us to deal with combinations of striations which are found frequently in real case work.

Marked Body Shape Concerns in Female Patients Suffering from Eating Disorders: Relevance of a Clinical Sub-Group.

PubMed

Gailledrat, Lucie; Rousselet, Morgane; Venisse, Jean-Luc; Lambert, Sylvain; Rocher, Bruno; Remaud, Manon; Guilleux, Alice; Sauvaget, Anne; Eyzop, Emeline; Grall-Bronnec, Marie

2016-01-01

Concerns about body shape and weight are core diagnostic criteria for eating disorders although intensity varies between patients. Few studies have focused on the clinical differences relative to the intensity of these concerns. Nonetheless, they might have a prognostic value. This study was aimed at identifying the characteristics associated with marked body shape concerns in patients with an eating disorder. Data was collected from a systematic and standardized clinical assessment of outpatients seeking treatment in our department for eating disorders. Only female patients, suffering from anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa, and with "no / mild" or "marked" body shape concerns according to the Body Shape Questionnaire, were included for the present study. We focused on sociodemographic characteristics, eating disorder characteristics, axis 1 disorders, types of attachment, self-esteem and dissociation. A multiple logistic regression was performed to identify factors related to "marked" body shape concerns. In our sample (123 participants, with a mean age of 24.3 years [range 16-61]), 56.9% had marked concerns with body shape. Marked body shape concerns were associated with a major depressive episode (OR = 100.3), the use of laxatives (OR = 49.8), a high score on the item "body dissatisfaction" of the Eating Disorders Inventory scale (OR = 1.7), a higher minimum body mass index (OR = 1.73), and a high score on the item "loss of control over behavior, thoughts and emotions" from the dissociation questionnaire (OR = 10.74). These results are consistent with previous studies, and highlight the importance of denial.

Children’s Marking of Verbal –s by Nonmainstream English Dialect and Clinical Status

PubMed Central

Cleveland, Lesli H.; Oetting, Janna B.

2015-01-01

Purpose Children’s marking of verbal –s was examined by their dialect (African American English [AAE] vs. Southern White English [SWE]) and clinical status (specific language impairment [SLI] vs. typically developing [TD]) and as a function of 4 linguistic variables (verb regularity, negation, expression of a habitual activity, and expression of historical present tense). Method The data were language samples from 57 six-year-olds who varied by their dialect and clinical status (AAE: SLI = 14, TD = 12; SWE: SLI = 12, TD = 19). Results The AAE groups produced lower rates of marking than did the SWE groups, and the SWE SLI group produced lower rates of marking than did the SWE TD group. Although low numbers of verb contexts made it difficult to evaluate the linguistic variables, there was evidence of their influence, especially for verb regularity and negation. The direction and magnitude of the effects were often (but not always) consistent with what has been described in the adult dialect literature. Conclusion Verbal –s can be used to help distinguish children with and without SLI in SWE but not in AAE. Clinicians can apply these findings to other varieties of AAE and SWE and other dialects by considering rates of marking and the effects of linguistic variables on marking. PMID:23813205

Role of fibronectin in intravesical BCG therapy for superficial bladder cancer.

PubMed

Ratliff, T L; Kavoussi, L R; Catalona, W J

1988-02-01

Intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) has been demonstrated to be effective both for prophylaxis and treatment of superficial bladder cancer. In order to identify the progression of events that result in BCG-mediated antitumor activity, studies were performed to evaluate the mechanism of binding of BCG within the bladder. Histological and quantitative studies in a mouse model revealed that BCG attached to the bladder wall only in areas of urothelial damage. Preliminary in vitro data showed that BCG attached to surfaces coated with extracellular matrix proteins. Further studies were then performed using purified extracellular matrix proteins to identify the proteins responsible for attachment. BCG were observed to attach to surfaces coated only with purified fibronectin (FN) but not to other purified proteins including laminin, collagen or fibrinogen. The attachment of BCG to purified FN in vitro was dose dependent and was inhibited by anti-FN antibodies. Moreover, BCG attachment in vivo to bladders with damaged urothelial surfaces was inhibited more than 95% by anti-FN antibodies, but binding was not affected by anti-laminin antibodies or preimmune serum. A survey of commercially available BCG vaccines (Pasteur, Tice, Glaxo, Connaught) showed that only Glaxo BCG did not attach to FN-coated surfaces. Glaxo BCG also was shown to express inferior antitumor activity suggesting that the absence of FN binding by Glaxo may have been associated with the absence of antitumor activity of the vaccine.

Characterization of femtosecond-laser pulse induced cell membrane nanosurgical attachment.

PubMed

Katchinskiy, Nir; Godbout, Roseline; Elezzabi, Abdulhakem Y

2016-07-01

This article provides insight into the mechanism of femtosecond laser nanosurgical attachment of cells. We have demonstrated that during the attachment of two retinoblastoma cells using sub-10 femtosecond laser pulses, with 800 nm central wavelength, the phospholipid molecules of both cells hemifuse and form one shared phospholipid bilayer, at the attachment location. In order to verify the hypothesis that hemifusion takes place, transmission electron microscope images of the cell membranes of retinoblastoma cells were taken. It is shown that at the attachment interface, the two cell membranes coalesce and form one single membrane shared by both cells. Thus, further evidence is provided to support the hypothesis that laser-induced ionization process led to an ultrafast reversible destabilization of the phospholipid layer of the cellular membrane, which resulted in cross-linking of the phospholipid molecules in each membrane. This process of hemifusion occurs throughout the entire penetration depth of the femtosecond laser pulse train. Thus, the attachment between the cells takes place across a large surface area, which affirms our findings of strong physical attachment between the cells. The femtosecond laser pulse hemifusion technique can potentially provide a platform for precise molecular manipulation of cellular membranes. Manipulation of the cellular membrane is an important procedure that could aid in studying diseases such as cancer; where the expression level of plasma proteins on the cell membrane is altered.

Measuring attachment and parental bonding in psychosis and its clinical implications.

PubMed

Mathews, S; Onwumere, J; Bissoli, S; Ruggeri, M; Kuipers, E; Valmaggia, L

2016-04-01

Attachment theory proposes that psychological functioning and affect regulations are influenced by the attachment we form with others. Early relationships with parents or caregivers lay the foundations for attachment styles. These styles are proposed to influence how we relate to others during our life can be modified by the relationships and events we experience in our lifespan. A secure attachment style is associated with a capacity to manage distress, comfort with autonomy and the ability to form relationships with others, whereas insecure attachment can lead to dysfunctional relationships, emotional and behaviour avoidance. Attachment theory provides a useful framework to inform our understanding of relationship difficulties in people with psychosis. This paper aims to complement recent systematic reviews by providing an overview of attachment theory, its application to psychosis, including an understanding of measurement issues and the clinical implications offered. A narrative review was completed of the measures of attachment and parental bonding in psychosis. Its clinical implications are also discussed. The paper also explores the link between insecure attachment styles and illness course, social functioning and symptomatology. The following questions are addressed: What are the key attachment measures that have been used within the attachment and psychosis literature? What are the results of studies that have measured attachment or parental bonding in psychosis and what clinical implications can we derive from it? What are some of the key questions for future research from these findings in relation to the onset of psychosis research field? The most commonly used measures of attachment in psychosis research are reviewed. Self-report questionnaires and semi-structured interviews have mainly been used to examine attachment styles in adult samples and in recent years comprise a measure specifically developed for a psychosis group. The review suggests that insecure attachment styles are common in psychosis samples. Key relationships were observed between insecure, avoidant and anxious attachment styles and psychosis development, expression and long-term outcome. Attachment theory can provide a useful framework to facilitate our understanding of interpersonal difficulties in psychosis that may predate its onset and impact on observed variability in outcomes, including treatment engagement. Greater attention should be given to the assessment of attachment needs and to the development of interventions that seek to compensate for these difficulties. However, further investigations are required on specifying the exact mechanisms by which specific attachment styles impact on the development of psychosis and its course.

AmphiFoxQ2, a novel winged helix/forkhead gene, exclusively marks the anterior end of the amphioxus embryo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yu, Jr-Kai; Holland, Nicholas D.; Holland, Linda Z.

2003-01-01

A full-length FoxQ-related gene (AmphiFoxQ2) was isolated from amphioxus. Expression is first detectable in the animal/anterior hemisphere at the mid blastula stage. The midpoint of this expression domain coincides with the anterior pole of the embryo and is offset dorsally by about 20 degrees from the animal pole. During the gastrula stage, expression is limited to the anterior ectoderm. By the early neurula stage, expression remains in the anterior ectoderm and also appears in the adjacent anterior mesendoderm. By the early larval stages, expression is detectable in the anteriormost ectoderm and in the rostral tip of the notochord. AmphiFoxQ2 is never expressed anywhere except at the anterior tip of amphioxus embryos and larvae. This is the first gene known that exclusively marks the anterior pole of chordate embryos. It may, therefore, play an important role in establishing and/or maintaining the anterior/posterior axis.

Genetically modified pigs produced with a nonviral episomal vector

PubMed Central

Manzini, Stefano; Vargiolu, Alessia; Stehle, Isa M; Bacci, Maria Laura; Cerrito, Maria Grazia; Giovannoni, Roberto; Zannoni, Augusta; Bianco, Maria Rosaria; Forni, Monica; Donini, Pierluigi; Papa, Michele; Lipps, Hans J; Lavitrano, Marialuisa

2006-01-01

Genetic modification of cells and animals is an invaluable tool for biotechnology and biomedicine. Currently, integrating vectors are used for this purpose. These vectors, however, may lead to insertional mutagenesis and variable transgene expression and can undergo silencing. Scaffold/matrix attachment region-based vectors are nonviral expression systems that replicate autonomously in mammalian cells, thereby making possible safe and reliable genetic modification of higher eukaryotic cells and organisms. In this study, genetically modified pig fetuses were produced with the scaffold/matrix attachment region-based vector pEPI, delivered to embryos by the sperm-mediated gene transfer method. The pEPI vector was detected in 12 of 18 fetuses in the different tissues analyzed and was shown to be retained as an episome. The reporter gene encoded by the pEPI vector was expressed in 9 of 12 genetically modified fetuses. In positive animals, all tissues analyzed expressed the reporter gene; moreover in these tissues, the positive cells were on the average 79%. The high percentage of EGFP-expressing cells and the absence of mosaicism have important implications for biotechnological and biomedical applications. These results are an important step forward in animal transgenesis and can provide the basis for the future development of germ-line gene therapy. PMID:17101993

Enhancement of expression of survivin promoter-driven CD/TK double suicide genes by the nuclear matrix attachment region in transgenic gastric cancer cells.

PubMed

Niu, Ying; Li, Jian-Sheng; Luo, Xian-Run

2014-01-25

This work aimed to study a novel transgenic expression system of the CD/TK double suicide genes enhanced by the nuclear matrix attachment region (MAR) for gene therapy. The recombinant vector pMS-CD/TK containing the MAR-survivin promoter-CD/TK cassette was developed and transfected into human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells. Expression of the CD/TK genes was detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and Western blot. Cell viability and apoptosis were measured using the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay and flow cytometry. When the MAR fragment was inserted into the upstream of the survivin promoter, the qPCR result showed that the expression of the CD/TK genes significantly increased 7.7-fold in the transgenic SGC-7901 cells with plasmid pMS-CD/TK compared with that without MAR. MTT and flow cytometry analyses indicated that treatment with the prodrugs (5-FC+GCV) significantly decreased the cellular survival rate and enhanced the cellular apoptosis in the SGC-7901 cells. The expression of the CD/TK double suicide genes driven by the survivin promoter can be enhanced by the MAR fragment in human gastric cancer cells. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the Impact of Handling and Logger Attachment on Foraging Parameters and Physiology in Southern Rockhopper Penguins

PubMed Central

Ludynia, Katrin; Dehnhard, Nina; Poisbleau, Maud; Demongin, Laurent; Masello, Juan F.; Quillfeldt, Petra

2012-01-01

Logger technology has revolutionised our knowledge of the behaviour and physiology of free-living animals but handling and logger attachments may have negative effects on the behaviour of the animals and their welfare. We studied southern rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome) females during the guard stage in three consecutive breeding seasons (2008/09−2010/11) to evaluate the effects of handling and logger attachment on foraging trip duration, dive behaviour and physiological parameters. Smaller dive loggers (TDRs) were used in 2010/11 for comparison to larger GPS data loggers used in all three seasons and we included two categories of control birds: handled controls and PIT control birds that were previously marked with passive integrative transponders (PITs), but which had not been handled during this study. Increased foraging trip duration was only observed in GPS birds during 2010/11, the breeding season in which we also found GPS birds foraging further away from the colony and travelling longer distances. Compared to previous breeding seasons, 2010/11 may have been a period with less favourable environmental conditions, which would enhance the impact of logger attachments. A comparison between GPS and TDR birds showed a significant difference in dive depth frequencies with birds carrying larger GPS data loggers diving shallower. Mean and maximum dive depths were similar between GPS and TDR birds. We measured little impact of logger attachments on physiological parameters (corticosterone, protein, triglyceride levels and leucocyte counts). Overall, handling and short-term logger attachments (1–3 days) showed limited impact on the behaviour and physiology of the birds but care must be taken with the size of data loggers on diving seabirds. Increased drag may alter their diving behaviour substantially, thus constraining them in their ability to catch prey. Results obtained in this study indicate that data recorded may also not represent their normal dive behaviour. PMID:23185623

Administration of probiotics influences F4 (K88)-positive enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli attachment and intestinal cytokine expression in weaned pigs.

PubMed

Daudelin, Jean-François; Lessard, Martin; Beaudoin, Frédéric; Nadeau, Eric; Bissonnette, Nathalie; Boutin, Yvan; Brousseau, Jean-Philippe; Lauzon, Karoline; Fairbrother, John Morris

2011-05-23

This study evaluated the effect of the probiotics Pediococcus acidilactici and Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii on the intestinal colonization of O149 enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli harbouring the F4 (K88) fimbriae (ETEC F4) and on the expression of ileal cytokines in weaned pigs. At birth, different litters of pigs were randomly assigned to one of the following treatments: 1) control without antibiotics or probiotics (CTRL); 2) reference group in which chlortetracycline and tiamulin were added to weanling feed (ATB); 3) P. acidilactici; 4) S. cerevisiae boulardii; or 5) P. acidilactici + S. cerevisiae boulardii. Probiotics were administered daily (1 × 10(9) CFU per pig) during the lactation period and after weaning (day 21). At 28 days of age, all pigs were orally challenged with an ETEC F4 strain, and a necropsy was performed 24 h later. Intestinal segments were collected to evaluate bacterial colonization in the small intestine and ileal cytokine expressions. Attachment of ETEC F4 to the intestinal mucosa was significantly reduced in pigs treated with P. acidilactici or S. cerevisiae boulardii in comparison with the ATB group (P = 0.01 and P = 0.03, respectively). In addition, proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6, were upregulated in ETEC F4 challenged pigs treated with P. acidilactici alone or in combination with S. cerevisiae boulardii compared with the CTRL group. In conclusion, the administration of P. acidilactici or S. cerevisiae boulardii was effective in reducing ETEC F4 attachment to the ileal mucosa, whereas the presence of P. acidilactici was required to modulate the expression of intestinal inflammatory cytokines in pigs challenged with ETEC F4.

Electrospun biomimetic scaffold of hydroxyapatite/chitosan supports enhanced osteogenic differentiation of mMSCs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Hongju; Yin, Zi; Liu, Huanhuan; Chen, Xiao; Feng, Bei; Yuan, Huihua; Su, Bo; Ouyang, Hongwei; Zhang, Yanzhong

2012-12-01

Engaging functional biomaterial scaffolds to regulate stem cell differentiation has drawn a great deal of attention in the tissue engineering and regenerative medicine community. In this study, biomimetic composite nanofibrous scaffolds of hydroxyapatite/chitosan (HAp/CTS) were prepared to investigate their capacity for inducing murine mesenchymal stem cells (mMSCs) to differentiate into the osteogenic lineage, in the absence and presence of an osteogenic supplementation (i.e., ascorbic acid, β-glycerol phosphate, and dexamethasone), respectively. Using electrospun chitosan (CTS) nanofibrous scaffolds as the control, cell morphology, growth, specific osteogenic genes expression, and quantified proteins secretion on the HAp/CTS scaffolds were sequentially examined and assessed. It appeared that the HAp/CTS scaffolds supported better attachment and proliferation of the mMSCs. Most noteworthy was that in the absence of the osteogenic supplementation, expression of osteogenic genes including collagen I (Col I), runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and osteocalcin (OCN) were significantly upregulated in mMSCs cultured on the HAp/CTS nanofibrous scaffolds. Also increased secretion of the osteogenesis protein markers of alkaline phosphatase and collagen confirmed that the HAp/CTS nanofibrous scaffold markedly promoted the osteogenic commitment in the mMSCs. Moreover, the presence of osteogenic supplementation proved an enhanced efficacy of mMSC osteogenesis on the HAp/CTS nanofibrous scaffolds. Collectively, this study demonstrated that the biomimetic nanofibrous HAp/CTS scaffolds could support and enhance the adhesion, proliferation, and particularly osteogenic differentiation of the mMSCs. It also substantiated the potential of using biomimetic nanofibrous scaffolds of HAp/CTS for functional bone repair and regeneration applications.

Phenotypic Heterogeneity and the Evolution of Bacterial Life Cycles.

PubMed

van Gestel, Jordi; Nowak, Martin A

2016-02-01

Most bacteria live in colonies, where they often express different cell types. The ecological significance of these cell types and their evolutionary origin are often unknown. Here, we study the evolution of cell differentiation in the context of surface colonization. We particularly focus on the evolution of a 'sticky' cell type that is required for surface attachment, but is costly to express. The sticky cells not only facilitate their own attachment, but also that of non-sticky cells. Using individual-based simulations, we show that surface colonization rapidly evolves and in most cases leads to phenotypic heterogeneity, in which sticky and non-sticky cells occur side by side on the surface. In the presence of regulation, cell differentiation leads to a remarkable set of bacterial life cycles, in which cells alternate between living in the liquid and living on the surface. The dominant life stage is formed by the surface-attached colony that shows many complex features: colonies reproduce via fission and by producing migratory propagules; cells inside the colony divide labour; and colonies can produce filaments to facilitate expansion. Overall, our model illustrates how the evolution of an adhesive cell type goes hand in hand with the evolution of complex bacterial life cycles.

Modulation of flagellum attachment zone protein FLAM3 and regulation of the cell shape in Trypanosoma brucei life cycle transitions

PubMed Central

Sunter, Jack D.; Benz, Corinna; Andre, Jane; Whipple, Sarah; McKean, Paul G.; Gull, Keith; Ginger, Michael L.; Lukeš, Julius

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT The cell shape of Trypanosoma brucei is influenced by flagellum-to-cell-body attachment through a specialised structure – the flagellum attachment zone (FAZ). T. brucei exhibits numerous morphological forms during its life cycle and, at each stage, the FAZ length varies. We have analysed FLAM3, a large protein that localises to the FAZ region within the old and new flagellum. Ablation of FLAM3 expression causes a reduction in FAZ length; however, this has remarkably different consequences in the tsetse procyclic form versus the mammalian bloodstream form. In procyclic form cells FLAM3 RNAi results in the transition to an epimastigote-like shape, whereas in bloodstream form cells a severe cytokinesis defect associated with flagellum detachment is observed. Moreover, we demonstrate that the amount of FLAM3 and its localisation is dependent on ClpGM6 expression and vice versa. This evidence demonstrates that FAZ is a key regulator of trypanosome shape, with experimental perturbations being life cycle form dependent. An evolutionary cell biology explanation suggests that these differences are a reflection of the division process, the cytoskeleton and intrinsic structural plasticity of particular life cycle forms. PMID:26148511

Human Matrix Attachment Regions Are Necessary for the Establishment but Not the Maintenance of Transgene Insulation in Drosophila melanogaster

PubMed Central

Namciu, Stephanie J.; Fournier, R. E. K.

2004-01-01

Human matrix attachment regions (MARs) can insulate transgene expression from chromosomal position effects in Drosophila melanogaster. To gain insight into the mechanism(s) by which chromosomal insulation occurs, we studied the expression phenotypes of Drosophila transformants expressing mini-white transgenes in which MAR sequences from the human apoB gene were arranged in a variety of ways. In agreement with previous reports, we found that a single copy of the insulating element was not sufficient for position-independent transgene expression; rather, two copies were required. However, the arrangement of the two elements within the transgene was unimportant, since chromosomal insulation was equally apparent when both copies of the insulator were upstream of the mini-white reporter as when the transcription unit was flanked by insulator elements. Moreover, experiments in which apoB 3′ MAR sequences were removed from integrated transgenes in vivo by site-specific recombination demonstrated that MAR sequences were required for the establishment but not for the maintenance of chromosomal insulation. These observations are not compatible with the chromosomal loop model in its simplest form. Alternate mechanisms for MAR function in this system are proposed. PMID:15542833

Probiotics inhibit enteropathogenic E. coli adherence in vitro by inducing intestinal mucin gene expression.

PubMed

Mack, D R; Michail, S; Wei, S; McDougall, L; Hollingsworth, M A

1999-04-01

Probiotic agents, live microorganisms with beneficial effects for the host, may offer an alternative to conventional antimicrobials in the treatment and prevention of enteric infections. The probiotic agents Lactobacillus plantarum 299v and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG quantitatively inhibited the adherence of an attaching and effacing pathogenic Escherichia coli to HT-29 intestinal epithelial cells but did not inhibit adherence to nonintestinal HEp-2 cells. HT-29 cells were grown under conditions that induced high levels of either MUC2 or MUC3 mRNA, but HEp-2 cells expressed only minimal levels of MUC2 and no MUC3 mRNA. Media enriched for MUC2 and MUC3 mucin were added exogenously to binding assays and were shown to be capable of inhibiting enteropathogen adherence to HEp-2 cells. Incubation of L. plantarum 299v with HT-29 cells increased MUC2 and MUC3 mRNA expression levels. From these in vitro studies, we propose the hypothesis that the ability of probiotic agents to inhibit adherence of attaching and effacing organisms to intestinal epithelial cells is mediated through their ability to increase expression of MUC2 and MUC3 intestinal mucins.

Marked point process for modelling seismic activity (case study in Sumatra and Java)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratiwi, Hasih; Sulistya Rini, Lia; Wayan Mangku, I.

2018-05-01

Earthquake is a natural phenomenon that is random, irregular in space and time. Until now the forecast of earthquake occurrence at a location is still difficult to be estimated so that the development of earthquake forecast methodology is still carried out both from seismology aspect and stochastic aspect. To explain the random nature phenomena, both in space and time, a point process approach can be used. There are two types of point processes: temporal point process and spatial point process. The temporal point process relates to events observed over time as a sequence of time, whereas the spatial point process describes the location of objects in two or three dimensional spaces. The points on the point process can be labelled with additional information called marks. A marked point process can be considered as a pair (x, m) where x is the point of location and m is the mark attached to the point of that location. This study aims to model marked point process indexed by time on earthquake data in Sumatra Island and Java Island. This model can be used to analyse seismic activity through its intensity function by considering the history process up to time before t. Based on data obtained from U.S. Geological Survey from 1973 to 2017 with magnitude threshold 5, we obtained maximum likelihood estimate for parameters of the intensity function. The estimation of model parameters shows that the seismic activity in Sumatra Island is greater than Java Island.

SSTY proteins colocalize with the postmeiotic sex chromatin and interact with regulators of its expression

PubMed Central

Comptour, Aurélie; Moretti, Charlotte; Serrentino, Maria-Elisabetta; Auer, Jana; Ialy-Radio, Côme; Ward, Monika A.; Touré, Aminata; Vaiman, Daniel; Cocquet, Julie

2014-01-01

In mammals, X- and Y-encoded genes are transcriptionally shut down during male meiosis, but the expression of many of them is (re)activated, after meiosis, in spermatids. Postmeiotic XY gene expression is timely regulated by active epigenetic marks, which are de novo incorporated in the sex chromatin of spermatids, and by repressive epigenetic marks inherited from meiosis; alteration in this process leads to male infertility. In the mouse, postmeiotic XY gene expression is known to depend on genetic information carried by the male specific region of the Y chromosome long arm (MSYq). The MSYq gene Sly has been shown to be a key regulator of postmeiotic sex chromosome gene expression and necessary for the maintenance/recruitment of repressive epigenetic marks on the sex chromatin, but studies suggest that another MSYq gene may be required. The best candidate to date is Ssty, an MSYq multicopy gene of unknown function. Here, we show that SSTY proteins are specifically expressed in round and elongating spermatids and colocalize with the postmeiotic sex chromatin. Moreover, SSTY proteins interact with SLY protein and its X-linked homolog SLX/SLXL1, and may be required for the localization of SLX/SLY proteins in the spermatid nucleus and sex chromatin. Our data suggest that SSTY is a second MSYq factor involved in the control of XY gene expression during sperm differentiation. As Slx/Slxl1 and Sly genes have been shown to be involved in the XY intragenomic conflict which affects the offspring sex-ratio, Ssty might constitute another actor of this conflict. PMID:24456183

Mapping of the Interaction Between Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Vanda Kasem's Delight Orchid Protocorm-Like Bodies.

PubMed

Gnasekaran, Pavallekoodi; Subramaniam, Sreeramanan

2015-09-01

Physical contact between A. tumefaciens and the target plant cell walls is essential to transfer and integrate the transgene to introduce a novel trait. Chemotaxis response and attachment of Agrobacterium towards Vanda Kasem's Delight (VKD) protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) were studied to analyse the interaction between Agrobacterium and PLB during the transformation event. The study shows that initially A. tumefaciens reversibly attached to PLB surface via polar and lateral mode of adherence followed by the irreversible attachment which involved the production of cellulosic fibril by A. tumefaciens. Cellulosic fibril allows formation of biofilm at the tip of trichome. Contrarily, attachment mutant Escherichia coli strain DH5α was significantly deficient in the attachment process. Spectrophotometric GUS assay showed the mean value of attachment by A. tumefaciens was 8.72 % compared to the negative control E. coli strain DH5α that produced 0.16 %. A. tumefaciens swarmed with sharper and brighter edge when severe wounding was applied to the PLBs producing the highest swarming ratio of 1.46 demonstrating the positive effect of the plant exudates on bacterial movement. The study shows that VKD's PLBs are the suitable explants for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation since the bacteria expressed higher competency rate.

Laminin and Fibronectin in Cell Adhesion: Enhanced Adhesion of Cells from Regenerating Liver to Laminin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlsson, Roland; Engvall, Eva; Freeman, Aaron; Ruoslahti, Erkki

1981-04-01

Laminin, a basement membrane glycoprotein isolated from cultures of mouse endodermal cells and rat yolk sac carcinoma cells, promoted the attachment of liver cells obtained from regenerating mouse liver. Cells from normal mouse liver attached readily to dishes coated with fibronectin but attached poorly to surfaces coated with laminin. Both proteins efficiently promoted the attachment of cells from livers undergoing regeneration. After regeneration, the attachment to laminin returned to the low levels found in animals not subjected to partial hepatectomy but attachment to fibronectin remained high. Immunofluorescent staining of sections of normal liver with antilaminin revealed the presence of laminin in or adjacent to the walls of the bile ducts and blood vessels. After induction of regeneration by partial hepatectomy, increased amounts of laminin appeared in the sinusoidal areas. After carbon tetrachloride poisoning, staining for laminin was especially pronounced in the necrotic and postnecrotic areas around the central veins. This additional expression of laminin was transient. It reached a maximum around 5-6 days after the injury and then gradually disappeared. These findings show that laminin is an adhesive protein. The increase of laminin in regenerating liver and the adhesiveness of cells from such livers to laminin suggest a role for laminin in the maintenance of a proper tissue organization during liver regeneration.

The Capsular Polysaccharide of Staphylococcus aureus Is Attached to Peptidoglycan by the LytR-CpsA-Psr (LCP) Family of Enzymes*

PubMed Central

Chan, Yvonne Gar-Yun; Kim, Hwan Keun; Schneewind, Olaf; Missiakas, Dominique

2014-01-01

Envelope biogenesis in bacteria involves synthesis of intermediates that are tethered to the lipid carrier undecaprenol-phosphate. LytR-CpsA-Psr (LCP) enzymes have been proposed to catalyze the transfer of undecaprenol-linked intermediates onto the C6-hydroxyl of MurNAc in peptidoglycan, thereby promoting attachment of wall teichoic acid (WTA) in bacilli and staphylococci and capsular polysaccharides (CPS) in streptococci. S. aureus encodes three lcp enzymes, and a variant lacking all three genes (Δlcp) releases WTA from the bacterial envelope and displays a growth defect. Here, we report that the type 5 capsular polysaccharide (CP5) of Staphylococcus aureus Newman is covalently attached to the glycan strands of peptidoglycan. Cell wall attachment of CP5 is abrogated in the Δlcp variant, a defect that is best complemented via expression of lcpC in trans. CP5 synthesis and peptidoglycan attachment are not impaired in the tagO mutant, suggesting that CP5 synthesis does not involve the GlcNAc-ManNAc linkage unit of WTA and may instead utilize another Wzy-type ligase to assemble undecaprenyl-phosphate intermediates. Thus, LCP enzymes of S. aureus are promiscuous enzymes that attach secondary cell wall polymers with discrete linkage units to peptidoglycan. PMID:24753256

Evaluation of Alternative Technologies to Supply Drinking Water to Marines in Forward Deployed Locations

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

Mark N. Goltz , PE, Ph.D. (Chairman) Date //signed// 25 March 2010...I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Dr. Mark N. Goltz for his patience, support and guidance throughout this process. His...OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON Mark N.  Goltz  (ENV) a. REPORT U  b. ABSTRAC T U  c. THIS PAGE U  19b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (Include area code) (937) 255-3636

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

Anders, Paul

This appendices covers the following reports: (1) Previous ISRP Reviews (Project 199004400) Implement Fisheries Enhancement Opportunities-Coeur d'Alene Reservation; (2) Step 1 review of the hatchery master plan (Memorandum from Mark Fritsch, Fish Production Coordinator, Draft version March 10, 2000); (3) Coeur d'Alene Tribe response to ISRP comments on Project No. 199004402; includes attachment A Water Quantity Report. This is an incomplete document Analysis of Well Yield Potential for a Portion of the Coeur d'Alene Reservation near Worley, Idaho, February 2001; (4) Coeur d'Alene Tribe Fisheries Program, Rainbow Trout Feasibility Report on the Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation prepared by Ronald L.more » Peters, February 2001; (5) Coeur d'Alene Tribe response letter pursuant to the questions raised in the Step 1 review of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe Trout Production Facility from Ronald L. Peters, March 27, 2001 ; includes attachments Water quantity report (this is the complete report), Appendix A Logs for Test Wells and 1999 Worley West Park Well, letters from Ralston, Appendix B Cost of Rainbow Purchase Alternative; (6) NPPC response (memorandum from Mark Fritsch, March 28, 2001); (7) Response to NPPC (letter to Frank Cassidy, Jr., Chair, from Ernest L. Stensgar, April 18, 2001); (8) Final ISRP review (ISRP 2001-4: Mountain Columbia Final Report); (9) Response to ISRP comment (letter to Mark Walker, Director of Public Affairs, from Ronald Peters, May 7, 2001); (10) Final comments to the Fish 4 committee; (11) Scope of Work/Budget FY 2001-2004; (12) Letter from City of Worley concerning water service; (13) Letter to BPA regarding status of Step 1 package; (14) Fisheries Habitat Evaluation on Tributaries of the Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation, 1990 annual report; (15) Fisheries Habitat Evaluation on Tributaries of the Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation, 1991 annual report; and (16) Fisheries Habitat Evaluation on Tributaries of the Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation, 1992 annual report.« less

Epigenetic Influence of Dam Methylation on Gene Expression and Attachment in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Stephenson, Stacy Ann-Marie; Brown, Paul D

2016-01-01

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are among the most frequently encountered infections in clinical practice globally. Predominantly a burden among female adults and infants, UTIs primarily caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) results in high morbidity and fiscal health strains. During pathogenesis, colonization of the urinary tract via fimbrial adhesion to mucosal cells is the most critical point in infection and has been linked to DNA methylation. Furthermore, with continuous exposure to antibiotics as the standard therapeutic strategy, UPEC has evolved to become highly adaptable in circumventing the effect of antimicrobial agents and host defenses. Hence, the need for alternative treatment strategies arises. Since differential DNA methylation is observed as a critical precursor to virulence in various pathogenic bacteria, this body of work sought to assess the influence of the DNA adenine methylase (dam) gene on gene expression and cellular adhesion in UPEC and its potential as a therapeutic target. To monitor the influence of dam on attachment and FQ resistance, selected UPEC dam mutants created via one-step allelic exchange were transformed with cloned qnrA and dam complement plasmid for comparative analysis of growth rate, antimicrobial susceptibility, biofilm formation, gene expression, and mammalian cell attachment. The absence of DNA methylation among dam mutants was apparent. Varying deficiencies in cell growth, antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation, alongside low-level increases in gene expression (recA and papI), and adherence to HEK-293 and HTB-9 mammalian cells were also detected as a factor of SOS induction to result in increased mutability. Phenotypic characteristics of parental strains were restored in dam complement strains. Dam's vital role in DNA methylation and gene expression in local UPEC isolates was confirmed. Similarly to dam-deficient Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), these findings suggest unsuccessful therapeutic use of Dam inhibitors against UPEC or dam-deficient UPEC strains as attenuated live vaccines. However, further investigations are necessary to determine the post-transcriptional influence of dam on the regulatory network of virulence genes central to pathogenesis.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells attached to a surface display a typical proteome early as 20 minutes of incubation

PubMed Central

Crouzet, Marc; Claverol, Stéphane; Lomenech, Anne-Marie; Le Sénéchal, Caroline; Costaglioli, Patricia; Barthe, Christophe; Garbay, Bertrand; Bonneu, Marc

2017-01-01

Biofilms are present in all environments and often result in negative effects due to properties of the biofilm lifestyle and especially antibiotics resistance. Biofilms are associated with chronic infections. Controlling bacterial attachment, the first step of biofilm formation, is crucial for fighting against biofilm and subsequently preventing the persistence of infection. Thus deciphering the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in attachment could allow discovering molecular targets from it would be possible to develop inhibitors against bacterial colonization and potentiate antibiotherapy. To identify the key components and pathways that aid the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa in attachment we performed for the first time a proteomic analysis as early as after 20 minutes of incubation using glass wool fibers as a surface. We compared the protein contents of the attached and unattached bacteria. Using mass spectrometry, 3043 proteins were identified. Our results showed that, as of 20 minutes of incubation, using stringent quantification criteria 616 proteins presented a modification of their abundance in the attached cells compared to their unattached counterparts. The attached cells presented an overall reduced gene expression and characteristics of slow-growing cells. The over-accumulation of outer membrane proteins, periplasmic folding proteins and O-antigen chain length regulators was also observed, indicating a profound modification of the cell envelope. Consistently the sigma factor AlgU required for cell envelope homeostasis was highly over-accumulated in attached cells. In addition our data suggested a role of alarmone (p)ppGpp and polyphosphate during the early attachment phase. Furthermore, almost 150 proteins of unknown function were differentially accumulated in the attached cells. Our proteomic analysis revealed the existence of distinctive biological features in attached cells as early as 20 minutes of incubation. Analysis of some mutants demonstrated the interest of this proteomic approach in identifying genes involved in the early phase of adhesion to a surface. PMID:28678862

Comparative analysis of conditional reporter alleles in the developing embryo and embryonic nervous system.

PubMed

Ellisor, Debra; Koveal, Dorothy; Hagan, Nellwyn; Brown, Ashly; Zervas, Mark

2009-10-01

A long-standing problem in development is understanding how progenitor cells transiently expressing genes contribute to complex anatomical and functional structures. In the developing nervous system an additional level of complexity arises when considering how cells of distinct lineages relate to newly established neural circuits. To address these problems, we used both cumulative marking with Cre/loxP and Genetic Inducible Fate Mapping (GIFM), which permanently and heritably marks small populations of progenitors and their descendants with fine temporal control using CreER/loxP. A key component used in both approaches is a conditional phenotyping allele that has the potential to be expressed in all cell types, but is quiescent because of a loxP flanked Stop sequence, which precedes a reporter allele. Upon recombination, the resulting phenotyping allele is 'turned on' and then constitutively expressed. Thus, the reporter functions as a high fidelity genetic lineage tracer in vivo. Currently there is an array of reporter alleles that can be used in marking strategies, but their recombination efficiency and applicability to a wide array of tissues has not been thoroughly described. To assess the recombination/marking potential of the reporters, we utilized CreER(T) under the control of a Wnt1 transgene (Wnt1-CreER(T)) as well as a cumulative, non-inducible En1(Cre) knock-in line in combination with three different reporters: R26R (LacZ reporter), Z/EG (EGFP reporter), and Tau-Lox-STOP-Lox-mGFP-IRES-NLS-LacZ (membrane-targeted GFP/nuclear LacZ reporter). We marked the Wnt1 lineage using each of the three reporters at embryonic day (E) 8.5 followed by analysis at E10.0, E12.5, and in the adult. We also compared cumulative marking of cells with a history of En1 expression at the same stages. We evaluated the reporters by whole-mount and section analysis and ascertained the strengths and weaknesses of each of the reporters. Comparative analysis with the reporters elucidated complexities of how the Wnt1 and En1 lineages contribute to developing embryos and to axonal projection patterns of neurons derived from these lineages.

Modulation of fibronectin-mediated Bacillus Calmette-Guérin attachment to murine bladder mucosa by drugs influencing the coagulation pathways.

PubMed

Hudson, M A; Brown, E J; Ritchey, J K; Ratliff, T L

1991-07-15

Adjuvant intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has proved to be an effective treatment for superficial bladder cancer. Intraluminal attachment of BCG organisms via binding to the extracellular matrix protein, fibronectin (FN), appears to be required for expression of the antitumor efficacy of BCG against a murine bladder tumor. Initial studies demonstrated that radiolabeled FN localized to the acutely injured urothelium but not to intact urothelium. These studies also demonstrated that exogenous administration of FN enhanced BCG attachment to the injured but not to the intact urothelium. Because FN has been shown to be an integral part of clot formation at sites of urothelial injury, drugs known to affect fibrin clot formation were tested for their effects on BCG attachment and antitumor efficacy in a murine bladder tumor model. A stabilizer of fibrin clot formation was shown to enhance both BCG attachment and antitumor efficacy in the same model. An increased number of BCG organisms were also retained in the lymph nodes and spleens of mice receiving fibrin clot stabilizers, suggesting indirectly that immunological mechanisms are involved in the antitumor efficacy of BCG. The data presented herein provide further support for the hypothesis that BCG attachment to the injured bladder is mediated by FN. Furthermore, modulation of BCG-FN attachment is demonstrated to be possible with drugs influencing the coagulation pathway. This attachment is shown to be required for the antitumor efficacy in a murine bladder tumor model, and thus modulation of BCG-FN attachment appears to have significant influence on the antitumor efficacy of BCG in the murine bladder tumor model.

Bone regeneration performance of surface-treated porous titanium.

PubMed

Amin Yavari, Saber; van der Stok, Johan; Chai, Yoke Chin; Wauthle, Ruben; Tahmasebi Birgani, Zeinab; Habibovic, Pamela; Mulier, Michiel; Schrooten, Jan; Weinans, Harrie; Zadpoor, Amir Abbas

2014-08-01

The large surface area of highly porous titanium structures produced by additive manufacturing can be modified using biofunctionalizing surface treatments to improve the bone regeneration performance of these otherwise bioinert biomaterials. In this longitudinal study, we applied and compared three types of biofunctionalizing surface treatments, namely acid-alkali (AcAl), alkali-acid-heat treatment (AlAcH), and anodizing-heat treatment (AnH). The effects of treatments on apatite forming ability, cell attachment, cell proliferation, osteogenic gene expression, bone regeneration, biomechanical stability, and bone-biomaterial contact were evaluated using apatite forming ability test, cell culture assays, and animal experiments. It was found that AcAl and AnH work through completely different routes. While AcAl improved the apatite forming ability of as-manufactured (AsM) specimens, it did not have any positive effect on cell attachment, cell proliferation, and osteogenic gene expression. In contrast, AnH did not improve the apatite forming ability of AsM specimens but showed significantly better cell attachment, cell proliferation, and expression of osteogenic markers. The performance of AlAcH in terms of apatite forming ability and cell response was in between both extremes of AnH and AsM. AcAl resulted in significantly larger volumes of newly formed bone within the pores of the scaffold as compared to AnH. Interestingly, larger volumes of regenerated bone did not translate into improved biomechanical stability as AnH exhibited significantly better biomechanical stability as compared to AcAl suggesting that the beneficial effects of cell-nanotopography modulations somehow surpassed the benefits of improved apatite forming ability. In conclusion, the applied surface treatments have considerable effects on apatite forming ability, cell attachment, cell proliferation, and bone ingrowth of the studied biomaterials. The relationship between these properties and the bone-implant biomechanics is, however, not trivial. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Systems Level Analysis Reveals Transcriptomic and Proteomic Complexity in Ixodes Ricinus Midgut and Salivary Glands During Early Attachment and Feeding*

PubMed Central

Schwarz, Alexandra; Tenzer, Stefan; Hackenberg, Michael; Erhart, Jan; Gerhold-Ay, Aslihan; Mazur, Johanna; Kuharev, Jörg; Ribeiro, José M. C.; Kotsyfakis, Michail

2014-01-01

Although pathogens are usually transmitted within the first 24–48 h of attachment of the castor bean tick Ixodes ricinus, little is known about the tick's biological responses at these earliest phases of attachment. Tick midgut and salivary glands are the main tissues involved in tick blood feeding and pathogen transmission but the limited genomic information for I. ricinus delays the application of high-throughput methods to study their physiology. We took advantage of the latest advances in the fields of Next Generation RNA-Sequencing and Label-free Quantitative Proteomics to deliver an unprecedented, quantitative description of the gene expression dynamics in the midgut and salivary glands of this disease vector upon attachment to the vertebrate host. A total of 373 of 1510 identified proteins had higher expression in the salivary glands, but only 110 had correspondingly high transcript levels in the same tissue. Furthermore, there was midgut-specific expression of 217 genes at both the transcriptome and proteome level. Tissue-dependent transcript, but not protein, accumulation was revealed for 552 of 885 genes. Moreover, we discovered the enrichment of tick salivary glands in proteins involved in gene transcription and translation, which agrees with the secretory role of this tissue; this finding also agrees with our finding of lower tick t-RNA representation in the salivary glands when compared with the midgut. The midgut, in turn, is enriched in metabolic components and proteins that support its mechanical integrity in order to accommodate and metabolize the ingested blood. Beyond understanding the physiological events that support hematophagy by arthropod ectoparasites, we discovered more than 1500 proteins located at the interface between ticks, the vertebrate host, and the tick-borne pathogens. Thus, our work significantly improves the knowledge of the genetics underlying the transmission lifecycle of this tick species, which is an essential step for developing alternative methods to better control tick-borne diseases. PMID:25048707

Inactivated Recombinant Rabies Viruses Displaying Canine Distemper Virus Glycoproteins Induce Protective Immunity against Both Pathogens

PubMed Central

da Fontoura Budaszewski, Renata; Hudacek, Andrew; Sawatsky, Bevan; Krämer, Beate; Yin, Xiangping

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The development of multivalent vaccines is an attractive methodology for the simultaneous prevention of several infectious diseases in vulnerable populations. Both canine distemper virus (CDV) and rabies virus (RABV) cause lethal disease in wild and domestic carnivores. While RABV vaccines are inactivated, the live-attenuated CDV vaccines retain residual virulence for highly susceptible wildlife species. In this study, we developed recombinant bivalent vaccine candidates based on recombinant vaccine strain rabies virus particles, which concurrently display the protective CDV and RABV glycoprotein antigens. The recombinant viruses replicated to near-wild-type titers, and the heterologous glycoproteins were efficiently expressed and incorporated in the viral particles. Immunization of ferrets with beta-propiolactone-inactivated recombinant virus particles elicited protective RABV antibody titers, and animals immunized with a combination of CDV attachment protein- and fusion protein-expressing recombinant viruses were protected from lethal CDV challenge. However, animals that were immunized with only a RABV expressing the attachment protein of CDV vaccine strain Onderstepoort succumbed to infection with a more recent wild-type strain, indicating that immune responses to the more conserved fusion protein contribute to protection against heterologous CDV strains. IMPORTANCE Rabies virus and canine distemper virus (CDV) cause high mortality rates and death in many carnivores. While rabies vaccines are inactivated and thus have an excellent safety profile and high stability, live-attenuated CDV vaccines can retain residual virulence in highly susceptible species. Here we generated recombinant inactivated rabies viruses that carry one of the CDV glycoproteins on their surface. Ferrets immunized twice with a mix of recombinant rabies viruses carrying the CDV fusion and attachment glycoproteins were protected from lethal CDV challenge, whereas all animals that received recombinant rabies viruses carrying only the CDV attachment protein according to the same immunization scheme died. Irrespective of the CDV antigens used, all animals developed protective titers against rabies virus, illustrating that a bivalent rabies virus-based vaccine against CDV induces protective immune responses against both pathogens. PMID:28148801

Lactoferrin and lactoferrin chimera inhibit damage caused by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli in HEp-2 cells.

PubMed

Flores-Villaseñor, Héctor; Canizalez-Román, Adrian; de la Garza, Mireya; Nazmi, Kamran; Bolscher, Jan G M; Leon-Sicairos, Nidia

2012-09-01

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is an important cause of infant diarrhea in developing countries. It produces a characteristic intestinal histopathological lesion on enterocytes known as 'attaching and effacing' (A/E), and these two steps are mediated by a type-III secretory system. In the present study, we evaluated the effect on the initial host cell attachment step produced by bovine lactoferrin (bLF) and three synthetic peptides: lactoferricin (LFcin), lactoferrampin (LFampin) and LFchimera. A special focus was given to the hemolytic activity and EPEC-induced actin polymerization in HEp-2 cells, as well as to the espA gene expression, which produces the protein responsible for primary contact with the host cells. Results show that EPEC attachment to HEp-2 cells was significantly suppressed by bLF and LFchimera at 125 and 40 μM, respectively. EPEC-mediated actin polymerization was blocked by bLF and LFchimera at 88 and 99%, respectively. LFchimera inhibited the attachment and A/E lesion caused by EPEC in a dose-dependent manner. In the presence of 125 μM bLF, the expression level of the espA gene was decreased by 50% compared to the untreated control. LFchimera at concentrations of 20 μM and 40 μM diminished the level of espA gene expression 100 and 1000 fold, respectively (P < 0.001). Although bLF, LFchimera, LFcin, and LFampin all significantly blocked the hemolysis produced by EPEC (P < 0.001), the two former compounds produced this effect at lower concentrations. These two compounds, bLF and LFchimera, were able to inhibit the first steps of the mechanism of the damage used by EPEC. This data suggests that LFchimera could provide protection against enteropathogens that share this mechanism. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Pathogenic bacteria induce colonic PepT1 expression: an implication in host defense response

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Hang Thi Thu; Dalmasso, Guillaume; Powell, Kimberly R.; Yan, Yutao; Bhatt, Shantanu; Kalman, Daniel; Sitaraman, Shanthi; Merlin, Didier

2009-01-01

Background & Aims Expression of the di/tripeptide transporter PepT1 has been observed in the colon under inflammatory conditions, however, the inducing factors and underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we address the effects of pathogenic bacteria on colonic PepT1 expression together with its functional consequences. Methods Human colonic HT29-Cl.19A cells were infected with the attaching and effacing (A/E) enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC). Wild-type and PepT1 transgenic mice or cultured colonic tissues derived from these mice were infected with Citrobacter rodentium, a murine A/E pathogen related to EPEC. Results EPEC induced PepT1 expression and activity in HT29-Cl.19A cells by intimately attaching to host cells through lipid rafts. Induction of PepT1 expression by EPEC required the transcription factor Cdx2. PepT1 expression reduced binding of EPEC to lipid rafts, as well as activation of NF-κB and MAP kinase and production of IL-8. Accordingly, ex vivo and in vivo experiments revealed that C. rodentium induced colonic PepT1 expression and that, compared to their wild-type counterparts, PepT1 transgenic mice infected with C. rodentium exhibited decreased bacterial colonization, production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and neutrophil infiltration into the colon. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate a molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of colonic PepT1 expression under pathological conditions and reveal a novel role for PepT1 in host defense via its capacity to modulate bacterial-epithelial interactions and intestinal inflammation. PMID:19549526

Gene and protein expressions of vimentin and desmin during embryonic development of the mylohyoid muscle.

PubMed

Kishi, Asuka; Yamamoto, Masahito; Kikuchi, Akihito; Iwanuma, Osamu; Watanabe, Yutaka; Ide, Yoshinobu; Abe, Shinichi

2012-09-01

Meckel's cartilage is known to be involved in formation of the prenatal mandible. However, the relationship between Meckel's cartilage and the embryonic mylohyoid muscle during growth and development has been investigated only rarely. This study examined the expression of intermediate filaments in Meckel's cartilage and the embryonic mylohyoid muscle in fetal mice during morphological development. Specimens of E12-16 ICR mice sectioned in the frontal direction were subjected to immunohistochemistry for vimentin and desmin. Hematoxylin and eosin sections showed that the immature mylohyoid muscle began to grow along Meckel's cartilage during fetal development. Weak vimentin expression was detected in the mylohyoid muscle and surrounding tissues at E12. Desmin expression was detected specifically in the mylohyoid, and strong expression was evident after E13, and increased with age. It was inferred that the mylohyoid muscle is one the tissues developing from Meckel's cartilage, the latter exerting a continuous influence on the growth of the former. In the early stage, the surrounding mesenchymal tissues expressing vimentin formed a scaffold for the developing mylohyoid muscle. Muscle attachment at E13 showed steady desmin expression, which continued until maturity. This study suggested the possibility that Meckel's cartilage has an influence not only on the mandibular bone, but also on the development of the mylohyoid muscle attached to the mandibular bone. Furthermore, it revealed a stage of the developmental process of the mylohyoid muscle in which the expression of vimentin, which is a common protein in the surrounding tissue such as muscle and bone, induces the morphological formation of the mylohyoid muscle, cooperating with the surrounding structures.

Automatic alignment method for calibration of hydrometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Y. J.; Chang, K. H.; Chon, J. C.; Oh, C. Y.

2004-04-01

This paper presents a new method to automatically align specific scale-marks for the calibration of hydrometers. A hydrometer calibration system adopting the new method consists of a vision system, a stepping motor, and software to control the system. The vision system is composed of a CCD camera and a frame grabber, and is used to acquire images. The stepping motor moves the camera, which is attached to the vessel containing a reference liquid, along the hydrometer. The operating program has two main functions: to process images from the camera to find the position of the horizontal plane and to control the stepping motor for the alignment of the horizontal plane with a particular scale-mark. Any system adopting this automatic alignment method is a convenient and precise means of calibrating a hydrometer. The performance of the proposed method is illustrated by comparing the calibration results using the automatic alignment method with those obtained using the manual method.

Synthesis and evaluation of novel multimeric neurotensin(8-13) analogs.

PubMed

Hultsch, Christina; Pawelke, Beate; Bergmann, Ralf; Wuest, Frank

2006-09-01

Neurotensin(8-13) is a hexapeptide with subnanomolar affinity to the neurotensin receptor 1 which is expressed with high incidence in several human tumor entities. Thus, radiolabeled neurotensin(8-13) might be used for tumor targeting. However, its application is limited by insufficient metabolic stability. The present study aims at improving metabolic stability by the synthesis of multimeric neurotensin(8-13) derivatives rather than commonly employed chemical modifications of the peptide itself. Thus, different dimeric and tetrameric peptides carrying C- or N-terminal attached neurotensin(8-13) moieties have been synthesized and their binding affinity toward the neurotensin receptor has been determined. The results demonstrate that branched compounds containing neurotensin(8-13) attached via its C-terminus only show low receptor affinities, whilst derivatives with neurotensin(8-13) attached via the N-terminus show IC50 values in the nanomolar range. Moreover, within the multimeric neurotensin(8-13) derivatives with neurotensin(8-13) attached via the N-terminus an increasing number of branching units lead to higher binding affinities toward the neurotensin receptor.

The role of social relationships in bipolar disorder: a review.

PubMed

Greenberg, Sarah; Rosenblum, Katherine L; McInnis, Melvin G; Muzik, Maria

2014-10-30

Social relationships and attachment are core developmental elements of human existence and survival that evolve over the lifetime of an individual. The internal and external factors that influence them include the presence of illness in the individual or in their immediate environment. The developmental aspects of attachment and social relationships have become increasingly of interest and relevance in light of early developmental epigenetic modification of gene expression patterns that may influence subsequent behavioral patterns and outcomes. This review examines extant literature on attachment and social relationships in bipolar cohorts. Despite many methodological challenges, the findings indicate that social relationships and capacity for attachment are significantly compromised in individuals with bipolar disorder compared to other mood disorders and normal controls. Though extant research is limited, research clearly points toward the importance of social relationships on the etiology, course, and consequences of bipolar disorder. We highlight a number of key considerations for future research. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advances in pancreatic islet monolayer culture on glass surfaces enable super-resolution microscopy and insights into beta cell ciliogenesis and proliferation

PubMed Central

Phelps, Edward A.; Cianciaruso, Chiara; Santo-Domingo, Jaime; Pasquier, Miriella; Galliverti, Gabriele; Piemonti, Lorenzo; Berishvili, Ekaterine; Burri, Olivier; Wiederkehr, Andreas; Hubbell, Jeffrey A.; Baekkeskov, Steinunn

2017-01-01

A robust and reproducible method for culturing monolayers of adherent and well-spread primary islet cells on glass coverslips is required for detailed imaging studies by super-resolution and live-cell microscopy. Guided by an observation that dispersed islet cells spread and adhere well on glass surfaces in neuronal co-culture and form a monolayer of connected cells, we demonstrate that in the absence of neurons, well-defined surface coatings combined with components of neuronal culture media collectively support robust attachment and growth of primary human or rat islet cells as monolayers on glass surfaces. The islet cell monolayer cultures on glass stably maintain distinct mono-hormonal insulin+, glucagon+, somatostatin+ and PP+ cells and glucose-responsive synchronized calcium signaling as well as expression of the transcription factors Pdx-1 and NKX-6.1 in beta cells. This technical advance enabled detailed observation of sub-cellular processes in primary human and rat beta cells by super-resolution microscopy. The protocol is envisaged to have broad applicability to sophisticated analyses of pancreatic islet cells that reveal new biological insights, as demonstrated by the identification of an in vitro protocol that markedly increases proliferation of primary beta cells and is associated with a reduction in ciliated, ostensibly proliferation-suppressed beta cells. PMID:28401888

Gene transfer of Hodgkin cell lines via multivalent anti-CD30 scFv displaying bacteriophage.

PubMed

Chung, Yoon-Suk A; Sabel, Katja; Krönke, Martin; Klimka, Alexander

2008-04-16

The display of binding ligands, such as recombinant antibody fragments, on the surface of filamentous phage makes it possible to specifically attach these phage particles to target cells. After uptake of the phage, their internal single-stranded DNA is processed by the host cell, which allows transient expression of an encoded eukaryotic gene cassette. This opens the possibility to use bacteriophage as vectors for targeted gene therapy, although the transduction efficiency is very low. Here we demonstrate the display of an anti-CD30 single chain variable fragment fused to the major coat protein pVIII on the surface of bacteriophage. These phage particles showed an improved binding and transduction efficiency of CD30 positive Hodgkin-lymphoma cells, compared to bacteriophage with the anti-CD30 single chain variable fragment fused to the minor coat protein pIII. We can conclude from the results that the postulated multivalency of the anti-CD30-pVIII displaying bacteriophage combined with disseminated display of the anti-CD30 scFv on the whole particle surface is responsible for the improved gene transfer rate. These results mark an important step towards the use of phage particles as a cheap and safe gene transfer vehicle for the gene delivery of the desired target cells via their specific surface receptors.

ATAD2 is an epigenetic reader of newly synthesized histone marks during DNA replication.

PubMed

Koo, Seong Joo; Fernández-Montalván, Amaury E; Badock, Volker; Ott, Christopher J; Holton, Simon J; von Ahsen, Oliver; Toedling, Joern; Vittori, Sarah; Bradner, James E; Gorjánácz, Mátyás

2016-10-25

ATAD2 (ATPase family AAA domain-containing protein 2) is a chromatin regulator harboring an AAA+ ATPase domain and a bromodomain, previously proposed to function as an oncogenic transcription co-factor. Here we suggest that ATAD2 is also required for DNA replication. ATAD2 is co-expressed with genes involved in DNA replication in various cancer types and predominantly expressed in S phase cells where it localized on nascent chromatin (replication sites). Our extensive biochemical and cellular analyses revealed that ATAD2 is recruited to replication sites through a direct interaction with di-acetylated histone H4 at K5 and K12, indicative of newly synthesized histones during replication-coupled chromatin reassembly. Similar to ATAD2-depletion, ectopic expression of ATAD2 mutants that are deficient in binding to these di-acetylation marks resulted in reduced DNA replication and impaired loading of PCNA onto chromatin, suggesting relevance of ATAD2 in DNA replication. Taken together, our data show a novel function of ATAD2 in cancer and for the first time identify a reader of newly synthesized histone di-acetylation-marks during replication.

Mucin (MUC1) Expression and Function in Prostate Cancer Cells

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-09-01

Interactions at the Cell Surface of Mouse Uterine Epithelial Cells and Periimplantation -Stage Embryos. Trophoblast Res., 4:211-241, 1990. 37. Dutt...and Julian, J. Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycan Expression by Periimplantation Stage Embryos. Dev. Biol. 155:97-106,1993. 56. Rohde, L.H., and Carson...Modulators of Embryo-Uterine Epithelial Cell Attachment. In: S.K. Dey (ed.), Molecular and Cellular Aspects of Periimplantation Processes, Springer

Identification and Classification of Childhood Developmental Difficulties in the Context of Attachment Relationships

PubMed Central

Cameron, Catherine Ann

2008-01-01

Objective This paper addresses challenges in identification and classification of childhood difficulties in the context of the current psychological literature on early attachment relations and normative development. Method A review of the literature on childhood development and attachment relationships was conducted in relation to recent advances in developmental psychology. Results Findings include recommendations for studying the child in ecological context, focusing on positive assets and resiliency, and seeing children as active participants in the construction of their own environmental niches. Studying the active strong child in context involves taking an integrative view by investigating the interactions of all basic biopsychosocial facets of the child’s world, recognizing the delicate balance between pathologizing and insisting that all behaviour and psychological states are equally valid expressions of a normative developmental course. Further, developmental science now has amassed the requisite data to establish the need for taking attachment relationships into careful account in assessing a child or youth’s biopsychosocial wellbeing. Conclusions It is thus argued here that identification of children in psychological distress requires an holistic, contextually inclusive, examination of their early and subsequent attachment experiences and positive relations if a diagnosis is to lead to appropriate, efficacious, intervention. PMID:18516307

Dynamic formation of microenvironments at the myotendinous junction correlates with muscle fiber morphogenesis in zebrafish

PubMed Central

Snow, Chelsi J.; Henry, Clarissa A.

2009-01-01

Muscle development involves the specification and morphogenesis of muscle fibers that attach to tendons. After attachment, muscles and tendons then function as an integrated unit to transduce force to the skeletal system and stabilize joints. The attachment site is the myotendinous junction, or MTJ, and is the primary site of force transmission. We find that attachment of fast-twitch myofibers to the MTJ correlates with the formation of novel microenvironments within the MTJ. The expression or activation of two proteins involved in anchoring the intracellular cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix, Focal adhesion kinase (Fak) and β-dystroglycan is up-regulated. Conversely, the extracellular matrix protein Fibronectin (Fn) is down-regulated. This degradation of Fn as fast-twitch fibers attach to the MTJ results in Fn protein defining a novel microenvironment within the MTJ adjacent to slow-twitch, but not fast-twitch, muscle. Interestingly, however, Fak, laminin, Fn and β-dystroglycan concentrate at the MTJ in mutants that do not have slow-twitch fibers. Taken together, these data elucidate novel and dynamic microenvironments within the MTJ and indicate that MTJ morphogenesis is spatially and temporally complex. PMID:18783736

Attachment sites of the coracoclavicular ligaments are characterized by fibrocartilage differentiation: a study on human cadaveric tissue.

PubMed

Ockert, B; Braunstein, V; Sprecher, C; Shinohara, Y; Kirchhoff, C; Milz, S

2012-02-01

We analyzed the immunohistochemical labeling patterns of the extracellular matrix of the coracoclavicular ligaments (CCL) in order to relate the molecular composition of the attachment sites to their mechanical environment. Ligaments were exposed from 12 fresh-frozen human cadaveric samples (four males, mean age: 48.6 ± 12.1 years). Cryosection of methanol-fixed and decalcified tissue was cut and sections were labeled with a panel of monoclonal antibodies directed against collagens, proteoglycans and proteins of vascular components. Attachment sites of both ligaments showed characteristic fibrocartilaginous labeling of collagen type II, aggrecan and link protein in all samples. Labeling for type II collagen was most conspicuous at the insertion of the coracoid process. Morphometry of adjacent samples revealed a fibrocartilage zone of 10-15% in relationship with the ligament proper, where labeling for type II collagen, aggrecan and link protein was negative. The presence of fibrocartilage at both entheses of the trapezoid and conoid ligament suggests that the CCL complex is subject to shear/compression forces. A variable fibrocartilage differentiation at the entheses of both ligaments may be related to the marked change in loading and insertion angle that the ligaments undergo during shoulder movement. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Tissue response to peritoneal implants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Picha, G. J.

1980-01-01

Peritoneal implants were fabricated from poly 2-OH, ethyl methacrylate (HEMA), polyetherurethane (polytetramethylene glycol 1000 MW, 1,4 methylene disocynate, and ethyl diamine), and untreated and sputter treated polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The sputter treated PTFE implants were produced by an 8 cm diameter argon ion source. The treated samples consisted of ion beam sputter polished samples, sputter etched samples (to produce a microscopic surface cone texture) and surface pitted samples (produced by ion beam sputtering to result in 50 microns wide by 100 microns deep square pits). These materials were implanted in rats for periods ranging from 30 minutes to 14 days. The results were evaluated with regard to cell type and attachment kinetics onto the different materials. Scanning electron microscopy and histological sections were also evaluated. In general the smooth hydrophobic surfaces attracted less cells than the ion etched PTFE or the HEMA samples. The ion etching was observed to enhance cell attachment, multinucleated giant cell (MNGC) formation, cell to cell contact, and fibrous capsule formation. The cell responsed in the case of ion etched PTFE to an altered surface morphology. However, equally interesting was the similar attachment kinetics of HEMA verses the ion etched PTFE. However, HEMA resulted in a markedly different response with no MNGC's formation, minimal to no capsule formation, and sample coverage by a uniform cell layer.

Shear Stress Regulates Adhesion and Rolling of CD44+ Leukemic and Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells on Hyaluronan

PubMed Central

Christophis, Christof; Taubert, Isabel; Meseck, Georg R.; Schubert, Mario; Grunze, Michael; Ho, Anthony D.; Rosenhahn, Axel

2011-01-01

Leukemic cells and human hematopoietic progenitor cells expressing CD44 receptors have the ability to attach and roll on hyaluronan. We investigated quantitatively the adhesion behavior of leukemic cell lines and hematopoietic progenitor cells on thin films of the polysaccharides hyaluronan and alginate in a microfluidic system. An applied flow enhances the interaction between CD44-positive cells and hyaluronan if a threshold shear stress of 0.2 dyn/cm2 is exceeded. At shear stress ∼1 dyn/cm2, the cell rolling speed reaches a maximum of 15 μm/s. Leukemic Jurkat and Kasumi-1 cells lacking CD44-expression showed no adhesion or rolling on the polysaccharides whereas the CD44-expressing leukemic cells KG-1a, HL-60, K-562, and hematopoietic progenitor cells attached and rolled on hyaluronan. Interestingly, the observations of flow-induced cell rolling are related to those found in the recruitment of leukocytes to inflammatory sites and the mechanisms of stem-cell homing into the bone marrow. PMID:21806926

Lentivirus Vectors Incorporating the Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain Enhancer and Matrix Attachment Regions Provide Position-Independent Expression in B Lymphocytes

PubMed Central

Lutzko, Carolyn; Senadheera, Dinithi; Skelton, Dianne; Petersen, Denise; Kohn, Donald B.

2003-01-01

In the present studies we developed lentivirus vectors with regulated, consistent transgene expression in B lymphocytes by incorporating the immunoglobulin heavy chain enhancer (Eμ) with and without associated matrix attachment regions (EμMAR) into lentivirus vectors. Incorporation of these fragments upstream of phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) or cytomegalovirus promoters resulted in a two- to threefold increase in enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) in B-lymphoid but not T-lymphoid, myeloid, fibroblast, or carcinoma cell lines. A 1-log increase in EGFP expression was observed in B-lymphoid cells (but not myeloid cells) differentiated from human CD34+ progenitors in vitro transduced with Eμ- and EμMAR-containing lentivectors. Lastly, we evaluated the expression from the EμMAR element in mice 2 to 24 weeks posttransplant with transduced hematopoietic stem cells. In mice receiving vectors with the Eμ and EμMAR elements upstream of the PGK promoter, there was a 2- to 10-fold increase in EGFP expression in B cells (but not other cell types). Evaluation of the coefficient of variation of expression among different cell types demonstrated that consistent, position-independent transgene expression was observed exclusively in B cells transduced with the EμMAR-containing vector and not other cells types or vectors. Proviral genomes with the EμMAR element had increased chromatin accessibility, which likely contributed to the position independence of expression in B lymphocytes. In summary, incorporation of the EμMAR element in lentivirus vectors resulted in enhanced, position-independent expression in primary B lymphocytes. These vectors provide a useful tool for the study of B-lymphocyte biology and the development of gene therapy for disorders affecting B lymphocytes, such as immune deficiencies. PMID:12805432

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans regulates the expression of integrins and reduces cell adhesion via integrin α5 in human gingival epithelial cells.

PubMed

Kochi, Shinsuke; Yamashiro, Keisuke; Hongo, Shoichi; Yamamoto, Tadashi; Ugawa, Yuki; Shimoe, Masayuki; Kawamura, Mari; Hirata-Yoshihara, Chiaki; Ideguchi, Hidetaka; Maeda, Hiroshi; Takashiba, Shogo

2017-12-01

Gingival epithelial cells form a physiological barrier against bacterial invasion. Excessive bacterial invasion destroys the attachment between the tooth surface and the epithelium, resulting in periodontitis. Integrins play a significant role in cell attachment; therefore, we hypothesized that bacterial infection might decrease the expressions of these integrins in gingival epithelial cells, resulting in reduced cell adhesion. Immortalized human gingival epithelial cells were co-cultured with Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans Y4 (Aa Y4), and the gene expression levels of IL-8, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and integrins (α2, α3, α5, β4, and β6) were measured using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Expression of PCNA and integrins, except integrin α5, was significantly downregulated, while expression of IL-8 and integrin α5 was significantly upregulated in the cells co-cultured with Aa Y4. The number of adherent cells significantly decreased when co-cultured with Aa Y4, as determined using cell adhesion assays. In the cells co-cultured with Aa Y4 and an integrin α5 neutralizing antibody, there was no effect on the expression of IL-8 and PCNA, while the expressions of integrins α2, α3, β4, and β6, and the number of adherent cells did not decrease. The number of invading bacteria in the cells was reduced in the presence of the antibody and increased in the presence of TLR2/4 inhibitor. Therefore, integrin α5 might be involved in Aa Y4 invasion into gingival epithelial cells, and the resulting signal transduction cascade reduces cell adhesion by decreasing the expression of integrins, while the TLR2/4 signaling cascade regulates IL-8 expression.

STS-98 and Expedition One crew with rack in U.S. Laboratory / Destiny module

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-02-11

STS98-E-5159 (11 February 2001) --- Astronaut Mark L. Polansky, STS-98 pilot, works inside the newly attached Destiny laboratory onboard the International Space Station (ISS). After the Destiny hatch was opened early in the day, members of both the shuttle and station crews went to work quickly inside the new module, activating air systems, fire extinguishers, alarm systems, computers and internal communications. The crews also took some photos and continued equipment transfers from the shuttle to the station. The scene was taken with a digital still camera.

Studies of regional and global tectonics and the rotation of the earth using very-long baseline interferometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shapiro, Irwin I.

1989-01-01

Progress in the areas of data analysis, atmospheric delay calibration and software conversion is reported. Over 800 very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) experiments were analyzed in the last 6 months. Reprocessing of the Mark III VLBI data set is almost completed. Results of analysis of the water-vapor radiometer (WVR) data were submitted and a preprint of a related paper is attached. Work on conversion of the VLBI analysis software from HP1000 to Unix based workstations is continuing.

Target Acquisition: Human Observer Performance Studies and TARGAC Model Validation

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-01

complete Scenario I run were displayed on a monitor. A transparent sheet was attached to the face of the monitor, the approach route was sketched on...track, passed a mark on the monitor face , the target was at a stop-sign location. The IRIG-B time of that instance was noted, and, since the distance of...route right 100- 80- 60 - 40 C.) 20 [- ion, A20 recognitio 0 0 . identification,C.) . 1I . I - - -• , 4) 1000 2000 3000 4000 SP Target G Q Target I0

Oestrogen upregulates the expression levels and functional activities of duodenal mucosal CFTR and SLC26A6.

PubMed

Jin, Hai; Wen, Guorong; Deng, Shili; Wan, Shuo; Xu, Jingyu; Liu, Xuemei; Xie, Rui; Dong, Hui; Tuo, Biguang

2016-11-01

What is the central question of this study? Duodenal ulcer is a common disease. A sex-based difference in the incidence of duodenal ulcer has long been observed clinically, but the cause is unclear. What is the main finding and its importance? Duodenal mucosal bicarbonate secretion is the most important protective factor in duodenal mucosa against acid-induced damage. The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and the solute-linked carrier 26 gene family A6 (SLC26A6) are two key bicarbonate transport proteins that mediate duodenal mucosal bicarbonate secretion. We demonstrate that endogenous oestrogen upregulates the expression levels and functional activities of duodenal mucosal CFTR and SLC26A6, which contributes to the sex difference in the prevalence of duodenal ulcer. The incidence of duodenal ulcer is markedly lower in women than men, but the cause of the sex difference is not clear. The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and the solute-linked carrier 26 gene family A6 (SLC26A6) are two key bicarbonate transport proteins that mediate duodenal mucosal bicarbonate secretion, which is an important protective factor against acid-induced duodenal injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of oestrogen on the expressions and functional activities of CFTR and SLC26A6 in duodenal mucosa. We found that the expression levels of duodenal CFTR and SLC26A6 were markedly higher in young (20- to 30-year-old) women than in young men and old (60- to 70-year-old) women and men. The expression levels of CFTR and SLC26A6 in young women were markedly higher in preovulatory phases than in premenstrual phases, which was consistent with the changes of serum estradiol concentrations. Further results showed that duodenal CFTR and SLC26A6 expression levels in female mice were markedly decreased after ovariectomy, and supplementation with estradiol reversed the changes in CFTR and SLC26A6. 17β-Estradiol increased CFTR and SLC26A6 expression levels of human duodenocytes in experiments in vitro. Functional experiments showed that basal and forskolin- and prostaglandin E 2 -stimulated duodenal bicarbonate secretion in ovariectomized mice was markedly decreased and, likewise, supplementation with 17β-estradiol reversed the changes. In conclusion, endogenous oestrogen upregulates the expressions and functional activities of CFTR and SLC26A6 in duodenal mucosa, which could contribute to protection of the duodenum and explain the sex difference in the prevalence of duodenal ulcer. © 2016 The Authors. Experimental Physiology © 2016 The Physiological Society.

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

Adachi, Atsuo; Takahashi, Tomosaburo, E-mail: ttaka@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp; Ogata, Takehiro

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NFAT5 protein expression is downregulated during cardiomyogenesis. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Inhibition of NFAT5 function suppresses canonical Wnt signaling. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Inhibition of NFAT5 function attenuates mesodermal induction. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NFAT5 function is required for cardiomyogenesis. -- Abstract: While nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 (NFAT5), a transcription factor implicated in osmotic stress response, is suggested to be involved in other processes such as migration and proliferation, its role in cardiomyogenesis is largely unknown. Here, we examined the role of NFAT5 in cardiac differentiation of P19CL6 cells, and observed that it was abundantly expressed in undifferentiated P19CL6 cells, and its protein expressionmore » was significantly downregulated by enhanced proteasomal degradation during DMSO-induced cardiomyogenesis. Expression of a dominant negative mutant of NFAT5 markedly attenuated cardiomyogenesis, which was associated with the inhibition of mesodermal differentiation. TOPflash reporter assay revealed that the transcriptional activity of canonical Wnt signaling was activated prior to mesodermal differentiation, and this activation was markedly attenuated by NFAT5 inhibition. Pharmacological activation of canonical Wnt signaling by [2 Prime Z, 3 Prime E]-6-bromoindirubin-3 Prime -oxime (BIO) restored Brachyury expression in NFAT5DN-expressing cells. Inhibition of NFAT5 markedly attenuated Wnt3 and Wnt3a induction. Expression of Dkk1 and Cerberus1, which are secreted Wnt antagonists, was also inhibited by NFAT5 inhibition. Thus, endogenous NFAT5 regulates the coordinated expression of Wnt ligands and antagonists, which are essential for cardiomyogenesis through the canonical Wnt pathway. These results demonstrated a novel role of NFAT5 in cardiac differentiation of stem cells.« less

Cigarette smoke extract modulates human beta-defensin-2 and interleukin-8 expression in human gingival epithelial cells.

PubMed

Mahanonda, R; Sa-Ard-Iam, N; Eksomtramate, M; Rerkyen, P; Phairat, B; Schaecher, K E; Fukuda, M M; Pichyangkul, S

2009-08-01

Human gingival epithelial cells (HGECs) are continually exposed to oral bacteria and to other harmful agents. Their responses to stimuli are critical in maintaining periodontal homeostasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the modulating effect of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on the innate immune responses of HGECs. Toll-like receptor (TLR) expression of HGECs was determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The effect of CSE or nicotine on the expression of the antimicrobial peptide human beta-defensin-2 (hBD-2) and the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-8 in stimulated HGEC cultures was evaluated by RT-PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The HGECs expressed mRNA of TLRs 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, and minimally of TLR4, but not of TLRs 7 or 8. Stimulation of HGECs with highly purified TLR2, 3 or 5 ligands led to expression of hBD-2 and of IL-8. Enhancement of hBD-2 and IL-8 was observed in HGECs after combined stimulation with Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide (TLR2 ligand) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha, compared with stimulation using either agent alone. After CSE exposure, hBD-2 expression was markedly reduced in stimulated HGEC cultures, whereas IL-8 expression was markedly increased. These effects were also observed, but were markedly attenuated, upon nicotine treatment. Human gingival epithelial cells play a critical role in orchestrating the innate immune responses of periodontal tissue via TLR signalling. Our results represent the first demonstration that CSE can modulate HGEC function by suppressing hBD-2 and enhancing IL-8 production, and this may be, in part, a possible mechanism which promotes periodontal disease.

The human phospholamban gene: structure and expression.

PubMed

McTiernan, C F; Frye, C S; Lemster, B H; Kinder, E A; Ogletree-Hughes, M L; Moravec, C S; Feldman, A M

1999-03-01

Phospholamban, through modulation of sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium-ATPase activity, is a key regulator of cardiac diastolic function. Alterations in phospholamban expression may define parameters of muscle relaxation. In experimental animals, phospholamban is differentially expressed in various striated and smooth muscles, and within the four chambers of the heart. Decreased phospholamban expression within the heart during heart failure has also been observed. Furthermore, regulatory elements of mammalian phospholamban genes remain poorly defined. To extend these studies to humans, we (1) characterized phospholamban expression in various human organs, (2) isolated genomic clones encoding the human phospholamban gene, and (3) prepared human phospholamban promoter/luciferase reporter constructs and performed transient transfection assays to begin identification of regulatory elements. We observed that human ventricle and quadriceps displayed high levels of phospholamban transcripts and proteins, with markedly lower expression observed in smooth muscles, while the right atria also expressed low levels of phospholamban. The human phospholamban gene structure closely resembles that reported for chicken, rabbit, rat, and mouse. Comparison of the human to other mammalian phospholamban genes indicates a marked conservation of sequence for at least 217 bp upstream of the transcription start site, which contains conserved motifs for GATA, CP1/NFY, M-CAT-like, and E-box elements. Transient transfection assays with a series of plasmids containing deleted 5' flanking regions (between -2530 and -66 through +85) showed that sequences between -169 and the CP1-box at -93 were required for maximal promoter activity in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. Activity of these reporters in HeLa cells was markedly lower than that observed in rat cardiomyocytes, suggesting at least a partial tissue selectivity of these reporter constructs.

Attachment of Porphyromonas gingivalis to corroded commercially pure titanium and titanium-aluminum-vanadium alloy.

PubMed

Barão, Valentim A R; Yoon, Cheon Joo; Mathew, Mathew T; Yuan, Judy Chia-Chun; Wu, Christine D; Sukotjo, Cortino

2014-09-01

Titanium dental material can become corroded because of electrochemical interaction in the oral environment. The corrosion process may result in surface modification. It was hypothesized that a titanium surface modified by corrosion may enhance the attachment of periodontal pathogens. This study evaluates the effects of corroded titanium surfaces on the attachment of Porphyromonas gingivalis. Commercially pure titanium (cp-Ti) and titanium-aluminum-vanadium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) disks were used. Disks were anodically polarized in a standard three-electrode setting in a simulated oral environment with artificial saliva at pH levels of 3.0, 6.5, or 9.0. Non-corroded disks were used as controls. Surface roughness was measured before and after corrosion. Disks were inoculated with P. gingivalis and incubated anaerobically at 37°C. After 6 hours, the disks with attached P. gingivalis were stained with crystal violet, and attachment was expressed based on dye absorption at optical density of 550 nm. All assays were performed independently three times in triplicate. Data were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance, the Tukey honestly significant difference test, t test, and Pearson's correlation test (α = 0.05). Both cp-Ti and Ti-6Al-4V alloy-corroded disks promoted significantly more bacterial attachment (11.02% and 41.78%, respectively; P <0.0001) than did the non-corroded controls. Significantly more (11.8%) P. gingivalis attached to the cp-Ti disks than to the Ti-6Al-4V alloy disks (P <0.05). No significant difference in P. gingivalis attachment was noted among the corroded groups for both cp-Ti and Ti-6Al-4V alloy (P >0.05). There was no significant correlation between surface roughness and P. gingivalis attachment. A higher degree of corrosion on the titanium surface may promote increased bacterial attachment by oral pathogens.

miR-34 increases in vitro PANC-1 cell sensitivity to gemcitabine via targeting Slug/PUMA.

PubMed

Zhang, Qing-An; Yang, Xu-Hai; Chen, Dong; Yan, Xiang; Jing, Fu-Chun; Liu, Hong-Qian; Zhang, Ronghua

2018-01-01

miR-34 was deregulated in tumor tissues compared with corresponding noncancerous tissue samples. Furthermore, miR-34 may contribute to cancer-stromal interaction associated with cancer progression. However, whether miR-34 could decrease chemoresistance of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agent remains unclear. In our study, we examined whether overexpression of miR-34 could sensitize gemcitabine -mediated apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells. We found that miR-34 markedly induced gemcitabine -mediated apoptosis in PANC-1 cells. miR-34 induced down-regulation of Slug expression and upregulation of p53 up-regulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA) expression. The over-expression of Slug or downregulation of PUMA by Slug cDNA or PUMA siRNA transfection markedly blocked miR-34-induced gemcitabine sensitization. Furthermore, miR-34 induced PUMA expression by downregulation of Slug. Taken together, our study demonstrates that miR-34 enhances sensitization against gemcitabine-mediated apoptosis through the down-regulation of Slug expression, and up-regulation of Slug-dependent PUMA expression.

The EphA8 Receptor Regulates Integrin Activity through p110γ Phosphatidylinositol-3 Kinase in a Tyrosine Kinase Activity-Independent Manner

PubMed Central

Gu, Changkyu; Park, Soochul

2001-01-01

Recent genetic studies suggest that ephrins may function in a kinase-independent Eph receptor pathway. Here we report that expression of EphA8 in either NIH 3T3 or HEK293 cells enhanced cell adhesion to fibronectin via α5β1- or β3 integrins. Interestingly, a kinase-inactive EphA8 mutant also markedly promoted cell attachment to fibronectin in these cell lines. Using a panel of EphA8 point mutants, we have demonstrated that EphA8 kinase activity does not correlate with its ability to promote cell attachment to fibronectin. Analysis using EphA8 extracellular and intracellular domain mutants has revealed that enhanced cell adhesion is dependent on ephrin A binding to the extracellular domain and the juxtamembrane segment of the cytoplasmic domain of the receptor. EphA8-promoted adhesion was efficiently inhibited by wortmannin, a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) inhibitor. Additionally, we found that EphA8 had associated PI 3-kinase activity and that the p110γ isoform of PI 3-kinase is associated with EphA8. In vitro binding experiments revealed that the EphA8 juxtamembrane segment was sufficient for the formation of a stable complex with p110γ. Similar results were obtained in assay using cells stripped of endogenous ephrin A ligands by treatment with preclustered ephrin A5-Fc proteins. In addition, a membrane-targeted lipid kinase-inactive p110γ mutant was demonstrated to stably associate with EphA8 and suppress EphA8-promoted cell adhesion to fibronectin. Taken together, these results suggest the presence of a novel mechanism by which the EphA8 receptor localizes p110γ PI 3-kinase to the plasma membrane in a tyrosine kinase-independent fashion, thereby allowing access to lipid substrates to enable the signals required for integrin-mediated cell adhesion. PMID:11416136

Mechanical Forces Exacerbate Periodontal Defects in Bsp-null Mice

PubMed Central

Soenjaya, Y.; Foster, B.L.; Nociti, F.H.; Ao, M.; Holdsworth, D.W.; Hunter, G.K.; Somerman, M.J.

2015-01-01

Bone sialoprotein (BSP) is an acidic phosphoprotein with collagen-binding, cell attachment, and hydroxyapatite-nucleating properties. BSP expression in mineralized tissues is upregulated at onset of mineralization. Bsp-null (Bsp-/-) mice exhibit reductions in bone mineral density, bone turnover, osteoclast activation, and impaired bone healing. Furthermore, Bsp-/- mice have marked periodontal tissue breakdown, with a lack of acellular cementum leading to periodontal ligament detachment, extensive alveolar bone and tooth root resorption, and incisor malocclusion. We hypothesized that altered mechanical stress from mastication contributes to periodontal destruction observed in Bsp-/- mice. This hypothesis was tested by comparing Bsp-/- and wild-type mice fed with standard hard pellet diet or soft powder diet. Dentoalveolar tissues were analyzed using histology and micro–computed tomography. By 8 wk of age, Bsp-/- mice exhibited molar and incisor malocclusion regardless of diet. Bsp-/- mice with hard pellet diet exhibited high incidence (30%) of severe incisor malocclusion, 10% lower body weight, 3% reduced femur length, and 30% elevated serum alkaline phosphatase activity compared to wild type. Soft powder diet reduced severe incisor malocclusion incidence to 3% in Bsp-/- mice, supporting the hypothesis that occlusal loading contributed to the malocclusion phenotype. Furthermore, Bsp-/- mice in the soft powder diet group featured normal body weight, long bone length, and serum alkaline phosphatase activity, suggesting that tooth dysfunction and malnutrition contribute to growth and skeletal defects reported in Bsp-/- mice. Bsp-/- incisors also erupt at a slower rate, which likely leads to the observed thickened dentin and enhanced mineralization of dentin and enamel toward the apical end. We propose that the decrease in eruption rate is due to a lack of acellular cementum and associated defective periodontal attachment. These data demonstrate the importance of BSP in maintaining proper periodontal function and alveolar bone remodeling and point to dental dysfunction as causative factor of skeletal defects observed in Bsp-/- mice. PMID:26130257

Overcoming resistance to beta-lactamase inhibitors: comparing sulbactam to novel inhibitors against clavulanate resistant SHV enzymes with substitutions at Ambler position 244.

PubMed

Thomson, Jodi M; Distler, Anne M; Bonomo, Robert A

2007-10-09

Amino acid changes at Ambler position R244 in class A TEM and SHV beta-lactamases confer resistance to ampicillin/clavulanate, a beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combination used to treat serious infections. To gain a deeper understanding of this resistance phenotype, we investigated the activities of sulbactam and two novel penem beta-lactamase inhibitors with sp2 hybridized C3 carboxylates and bicyclic R1 side chains against a library of SHV beta-lactamase variants at the 244 position. Compared to SHV-1 expressed in Escherichia coli, all 19 R244 variants exhibited increased susceptibility to ampicillin/sulbactam, an important difference compared to ampicillin/clavulanate. Kinetic analyses of SHV-1 and three SHV R244 (-S, -Q, and -L) variants revealed the Ki for sulbactam was significantly elevated for the R244 variants, but the partition ratios, kcat/kinact, were markedly reduced (13 000 -->

CfaE tip mutations in enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli CFA/I fimbriae define critical human intestinal binding sites.

PubMed

Baker, K K; Levine, M M; Morison, J; Phillips, A; Barry, E M

2009-05-01

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) use colonization factors to attach to the human intestinal mucosa, followed by enterotoxin expression that induces net secretion and diarrhoeal illness. ETEC strain H10407 expresses CFA/I fimbriae, which are composed of multiple CfaB structural subunits and a CfaE tip subunit. Currently, the contribution of these individual fimbrial subunits in intestinal binding remains incompletely defined. To identify the role of CfaE in attachment in the native ETEC background, an R181A single-amino-acid substitution was introduced by recombination into the H10407 genome. The substitution of R181A eliminated haemagglutination and binding of intestinal mucosa biopsies in in vitro organ culture assays, without loss of CFA/I fimbriae expression. Wild-type in trans plasmid-expressed cfaE restored the binding phenotype. In contrast, in trans expression of cfaE containing amino acid 181 substitutions with similar amino acids, lysine, methionine and glutamine did not restore the binding phenotype, indicating that the loss of the binding phenotype was due to localized areas of epitope disruption. R181 appears to have an irreplaceable role in the formation of a receptor-binding feature on CFA/I fimbriae. The results specifically indicate that the CfaE tip protein is a required binding factor in CFA/I-mediated ETEC colonization, making it a potentially important vaccine antigen. © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Young Children's Understanding of Markedness in Non-Verbal Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liebal, Kristin; Carpenter, Malinda; Tomasello, Michael

2011-01-01

Speakers often anticipate how recipients will interpret their utterances. If they wish some other, less obvious interpretation, they may "mark" their utterance (e.g. with special intonations or facial expressions). We investigated whether two- and three-year-olds recognize when adults mark a non-verbal communicative act--in this case a pointing…

Mark Twain--Proponent of Oral Expression: His Theories and Methods on Oral Reading.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vallin, Marlene Boyd

Mark Twain was a strong proponent of the superiority of the spoken word. Realizing the importance of conversational style, Twain derived from and acted in accordance with the principles of communication effectiveness which subsequently formed theoretical bases for communication instruction by such scholars as James Winans and Charles Woolbert. An…

Expression of the Flp proteins by Haemophilus ducreyi is necessary for virulence in human volunteers.

PubMed

Janowicz, Diane M; Cooney, Sean A; Walsh, Jessica; Baker, Beth; Katz, Barry P; Fortney, Kate R; Zwickl, Beth W; Ellinger, Sheila; Munson, Robert S

2011-09-22

Haemophilus ducreyi, the causative agent of the sexually transmitted disease chancroid, contains a flp (fimbria like protein) operon that encodes proteins predicted to contribute to adherence and pathogenesis. H. ducreyi mutants that lack expression of Flp1 and Flp2 or TadA, which has homology to NTPases of type IV secretion systems, have decreased abilities to attach to and form microcolonies on human foreskin fibroblasts (HFF). A tadA mutant is attenuated in its ability to cause disease in human volunteers and in the temperature dependent rabbit model, but a flp1flp2 mutant is virulent in rabbits. Whether a flp deletion mutant would cause disease in humans is not clear. We constructed 35000HPΔflp1-3, a deletion mutant that lacks expression of all three Flp proteins but has an intact tad secretion system. 35000HPΔflp1-3 was impaired in its ability to form microcolonies and to attach to HFF in vitro when compared to its parent (35000HP). Complementation of the mutant with flp1-3 in trans restored the parental phenotype. To test whether expression of Flp1-3 was necessary for virulence in humans, ten healthy adult volunteers were experimentally infected with a fixed dose of 35000HP (ranging from 54 to 67 CFU) on one arm and three doses of 35000HPΔflp1-3 (ranging from 63 to 961 CFU) on the other arm. The overall papule formation rate for the parent was 80% (95% confidence interval, CI, 55.2%-99.9%) and for the mutant was 70.0% (95% CI, 50.5%-89.5%) (P = 0.52). Mutant papules were significantly smaller (mean, 11.2 mm2) than were parent papules (21.8 mm2) 24 h after inoculation (P = 0.018). The overall pustule formation rates were 46.7% (95% CI 23.7-69.7%) at 30 parent sites and 6.7% (95% CI, 0.1-19.1%) at 30 mutant sites (P = 0.001). These data suggest that production and secretion of the Flp proteins contributes to microcolony formation and attachment to HFF cells in vitro. Expression of flp1-3 is also necessary for H. ducreyi to initiate disease and progress to pustule formation in humans. Future studies will focus on how Flp proteins contribute to microcolony formation and attachment in vivo. © 2011 Janowicz et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Dysregulation of the Caregiving System in the Context of Maternal Depression: The Role of Mistrust in the Development and Causation of Abusive Parenting Behavior.

PubMed

Ostler, Teresa

2015-01-01

This qualitative, case-based study drew on attachment and ethological theories to explore the role of mistrust, a severe attachment attitude, in the development and causation of abusive parenting behavior in mothers with severe, recurrent depression. The study analyzed a priori codes from redacted comprehensive assessments of eight women with depression and child protective services involvement to explore how mistrust was expressed; its links to extreme defenses and reported childhood experiences; and its consequences for relationships and help seeking. Analyses also identified specific stimuli that elicited abusive parenting behaviors and explored the context of depression in relation to women's attachment and caregiving histories and mental health care follow-through. Linked to suppressed feelings of vulnerability, mistrust was expressed in suspicions about support and in feelings of abandonment and betrayal. It was associated with an absence of support, family violence, role reversal, and parental mental illness. Mistrust affected mothers' ability to maintain supportive relationships and to get help for their depression, which was a persistent part of their lives. A child's cries, lack of support, partner abuse, and threats of abandonment triggered abusive parenting behavior, likely by tapping into core attachment pains related to unacknowledged longings for support. Unprepared to deal with these feelings, mothers became frustrated and redirected or displaced their anger onto their children. Mistrust may play a role in the dynamics of abusive parenting in mothers with severe, recurrent depression. Early identification and preventive intervention efforts that address this attitude could be beneficial for parenting.

Hormone regulates endometrial function via cooperation of endoplasmic reticulum stress and mTOR-autophagy.

PubMed

Yang, Diqi; Jiang, Tingting; Liu, Jianguo; Hong, Jin; Lin, Pengfei; Chen, Huatao; Zhou, Dong; Tang, Keqiong; Wang, Aihua; Jin, Yaping

2017-12-05

In ruminant, the receptive endometrium and the elongation of the hatched blastocyst are required to complete the process of implantation. However, the mechanisms regulating goat endometrial function during the peri-implantation period of pregnancy are still unclear. In this study, EECs were treated with progesterone, estradiol, and interferon-tau (IFNT). We have found that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress was activated under hormones treatment. To identify the cellular mechanism of regulation of endometrial function, we investigated the effect of ER stress activator thapsigargin (TG) and inhibitor 4 phenyl butyric acid (4-PBA) on EECs. We found that TG, which activated the three branches of UPR, increased the expression of genes associated with promoting conceptus elongation and cellular attachment, significantly up-regulated the spheroid attachment rate and PGE 2 /PGF 2α ratio. 4-PBA pre-treatment inhibited UPR and inhibited promoting conceptus elongation and cellular attachment related genes, but the spheroid attachment rate and PGE 2 /PGF 2α ratio were not changed significantly. Moreover, knockdown of ATF6 via shATF6 promoted the conceptus elongation related genes, but increased the dissolution of the corpus luteum. Besides, blocking ATF6 attenuated autophagy by activating mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. Moreover, rapamycin (mTOR inhibitor) pre-treatment inhibited the expression of promoting conceptus elongation and increased PGE 2 /PGF 2α ratio. Taken together, our study indicated that physiological level of ER stress may contribute to early pregnancy success, and ATF6 signaling pathway cooperated with autophagy to regulate endometrial function by modulating mTOR pathway. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The role of negative cognitions, emotion regulation strategies, and attachment style in complex post-traumatic stress disorder: Implications for new and existing therapies.

PubMed

Karatzias, Thanos; Shevlin, Mark; Hyland, Philip; Brewin, Chris R; Cloitre, Marylene; Bradley, Aoife; Kitchiner, Neil J; Jumbe, Sandra; Bisson, Jonathan I; Roberts, Neil P

2018-06-01

We set out to investigate the association between negative trauma-related cognitions, emotional regulation strategies, and attachment style and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). As the evidence regarding the treatment of CPTSD is emerging, investigating psychological factors that are associated with CPTSD can inform the adaptation or the development of effective interventions for CPTSD. A cross-sectional design was employed. Measures of CPTSD, negative trauma-related cognitions, emotion regulation strategies, and attachment style were completed by a British clinical sample of trauma-exposed patients (N = 171). Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the predictive utility of these psychological factors on diagnosis of CPTSD as compared to PTSD. It was found that the most important factor in the diagnosis of CPTSD was negative trauma-related cognitions about the self, followed by attachment anxiety, and expressive suppression. Targeting negative thoughts and attachment representations while promoting skills acquisition in emotional regulation hold promise in the treatment of CPTSD. Further research is required on the development of appropriate models to treat CPTSD that tackle skills deficit in these areas. Results suggest that cognitive-behavioural interventions might be useful for the treatment of CPTSD. Targeting negative thoughts and attachment representations while promoting skills acquisition in emotional regulation hold promise in the treatment of CPTSD. © 2018 The British Psychological Society.

Release of Mps1 from kinetochores is crucial for timely anaphase onset.

PubMed

Jelluma, Nannette; Dansen, Tobias B; Sliedrecht, Tale; Kwiatkowski, Nicholas P; Kops, Geert J P L

2010-10-18

Mps1 kinase activity is required for proper chromosome segregation during mitosis through its involvements in microtubule-chromosome attachment error correction and the mitotic checkpoint. Mps1 dynamically exchanges on unattached kinetochores but is largely removed from kinetochores in metaphase. Here we show that Mps1 promotes its own turnover at kinetochores and that removal of Mps1 upon chromosome biorientation is a prerequisite for mitotic checkpoint silencing. Inhibition of Mps1 activity increases its half-time of recovery at unattached kinetochores and causes accumulation of Mps1 protein at these sites. Strikingly, preventing dissociation of active Mps1 from kinetochores delays anaphase onset despite normal chromosome attachment and alignment, and high interkinetochore tension. This delay is marked by continued recruitment of Mad1 and Mad2 to bioriented chromosomes and is attenuated by Mad2 depletion, indicating chronic engagement of the mitotic checkpoint in metaphase. We propose that release of Mps1 from kinetochores is essential for mitotic checkpoint silencing and a fast metaphase-to-anaphase transition.

Protein Attachment on Nanodiamonds.

PubMed

Lin, Chung-Lun; Lin, Cheng-Huang; Chang, Huan-Cheng; Su, Meng-Chih

2015-07-16

A recent advance in nanotechnology is the scale-up production of small and nonaggregated diamond nanoparticles suitable for biological applications. Using detonation nanodiamonds (NDs) with an average diameter of ∼4 nm as the adsorbents, we have studied the static attachment of three proteins (myoglobin, bovine serum albumin, and insulin) onto the nanoparticles by optical spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and dynamic light scattering, and electrophoretic zeta potential measurements. Results show that the protein surface coverage is predominantly determined by the competition between protein-protein and protein-ND interactions, giving each protein a unique and characteristic structural configuration in its own complex. Specifically, both myoglobin and bovine serum albumin show a Langmuir-type adsorption behavior, forming 1:1 complexes at saturation, whereas insulin folds into a tightly bound multimer before adsorption. The markedly different adsorption patterns appear to be independent of the protein concentration and are closely related to the affinity of the individual proteins for the NDs. The present study provides a fundamental understanding for the use of NDs as a platform for nanomedical drug delivery.

ERP Responses to Violations in the Hierarchical Structure of Functional Categories in Japanese Verb Conjugation.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Yuki; Sugioka, Yoko; Ito, Takane

2018-02-01

An event-related potential experiment was conducted in order to investigate readers' response to violations in the hierarchical structure of functional categories in Japanese, an agglutinative language where functional heads like Negation (Neg) as well as Tense (Tns) are realized as suffixes. A left-lateralized negativity followed by a P600 was elicited for the anomaly of attaching a Neg morpheme outside a Tns-marking suffix (i.e., syntactic violation of the form *[[V - Tns] - Neg]), while only P600 was observed for the anomalous form with a purely morphological/morpho-phonological violation, i.e., a Neg morpheme attached to ren'yo form instead of Neg-selecting form. The findings suggest that the syntactic structure involving Tns and Neg in Japanese, realized within a word as a sequence of suffixes, is processed in a similar manner to the syntactic structures that are phrasally realized in well-studied European languages like English.

CD147 promotes the formation of functional osteoclasts through NFATc1 signalling

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

Nishioku, Tsuyoshi, E-mail: nishiokut@niu.ac.jp; Department of Pharmaceutical Care and Health Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fukuoka University, 8-19-1 Nanakuma, Jonan-ku, Fukuoka 814-0180; Terasawa, Mariko

CD147, a membrane glycoprotein of the immunoglobulin superfamily, is highly upregulated during dynamic cellular events including tissue remodelling. Elevated CD147 expression is present in the joint of rheumatoid arthritis patients. However, the role of CD147 in bone destruction remains unclear. To determine whether CD147 is involved in osteoclastogenesis, we studied its expression in mouse osteoclasts and its role in osteoclast differentiation and function. CD147 expression was markedly upregulated during osteoclast differentiation. To investigate the role of CD147 in receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption activity, osteoclast precursor cells were transfected with CD147 siRNA. Decreasedmore » CD147 expression inhibited osteoclast formation and bone resorption, inhibited RANKL-induced nuclear translocation of the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) c1 and decreased the expression of the d2 isoform of vacuolar ATPase Vo domain and cathepsin K. Therefore, CD147 plays a critical role in the differentiation and function of osteoclasts by upregulating NFATc1 through the autoamplification of its expression in osteoclastogenesis. - Highlights: • CD147 expression was markedly upregulated during osteoclast differentiation. • Downregulation of CD147 expression inhibited osteoclastgenesis and bone resorption. • Decreased CD147 expression inhibited RANKL-induced nuclear translocation of NFATc1.« less

Disinfection methods for spores of Bacillus atrophaeus, B. anthracis, Clostridium tetani, C. botulinum and C. difficile.

PubMed

Oie, Shigeharu; Obayashi, Akiko; Yamasaki, Hirofumi; Furukawa, Hiroyuki; Kenri, Tsuyoshi; Takahashi, Motohide; Kawamoto, Keiko; Makino, Sou-ichi

2011-01-01

To evaluate disinfection methods for environments contaminated with bioterrorism-associated microorganism (Bacillus anthracis), we performed the following experiments. First, the sporicidal effects of sodium hypochlorite on spores of five bacterial species were evaluated. Bacillus atrophaeus was the most resistant to hypochlorite, followed in order by B. anthracis, Clostridium botulinum and Clostridium tetani, and Clostridium difficile. Subsequently, using B. atrophaeus spores that were the most resistant to hypochlorite, the sporicidal effects of hypochlorite at lower pH by adding vinegar were evaluated. Hypochlorite containing vinegar had far more marked sporicidal effects than hypochlorite alone. Cleaning with 0.5% (5000 ppm) hypochlorite containing vinegar inactivated B. atrophaeus spores attached to vinyl chloride and plywood plates within 15 s, while that not containing vinegar did not inactivate spores attached to cement or plywood plates even after 1 h. Therefore, the surfaces of cement or plywood plates were covered with gauze soaked in 0.5% hypochlorite containing vinegar, and the sporicidal effects were evaluated. B. atrophaeus spores attached to plywood plates were not inactivated even after 6 h, but those attached to cement plates were inactivated within 5 min. On the other hand, covering the surfaces of plywood plates with gauze soaked in 0.3% peracetic acid and gauze soaked in 2% glutaral inactivated B. atrophaeus spores within 5 min and 6 h, respectively. These results suggest that hypochlorite containing vinegar is effective for disinfecting vinyl chloride, tile, and cement plates contaminated with B. anthracis, and peracetic acid is effective for disinfecting plywood plates contaminated with such microorganism.

Intrinsic and extrinsic approaches for detecting genes in a bacterial genome.

PubMed Central

Borodovsky, M; Rudd, K E; Koonin, E V

1994-01-01

The unannotated regions of the Escherichia coli genome DNA sequence from the EcoSeq6 database, totaling 1,278 'intergenic' sequences of the combined length of 359,279 basepairs, were analyzed using computer-assisted methods with the aim of identifying putative unknown genes. The proposed strategy for finding new genes includes two key elements: i) prediction of expressed open reading frames (ORFs) using the GeneMark method based on Markov chain models for coding and non-coding regions of Escherichia coli DNA, and ii) search for protein sequence similarities using programs based on the BLAST algorithm and programs for motif identification. A total of 354 putative expressed ORFs were predicted by GeneMark. Using the BLASTX and TBLASTN programs, it was shown that 208 ORFs located in the unannotated regions of the E. coli chromosome are significantly similar to other protein sequences. Identification of 182 ORFs as probable genes was supported by GeneMark and BLAST, comprising 51.4% of the GeneMark 'hits' and 87.5% of the BLAST 'hits'. 73 putative new genes, comprising 20.6% of the GeneMark predictions, belong to ancient conserved protein families that include both eubacterial and eukaryotic members. This value is close to the overall proportion of highly conserved sequences among eubacterial proteins, indicating that the majority of the putative expressed ORFs that are predicted by GeneMark, but have no significant BLAST hits, nevertheless are likely to be real genes. The majority of the putative genes identified by BLAST search have been described since the release of the EcoSeq6 database, but about 70 genes have not been detected so far. Among these new identifications are genes encoding proteins with a variety of predicted functions including dehydrogenases, kinases, several other metabolic enzymes, ATPases, rRNA methyltransferases, membrane proteins, and different types of regulatory proteins. Images PMID:7984428

Role for chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycan in NEDD9-mediated breast cancer cell growth.

PubMed

Iida, Joji; Dorchak, Jesse; Clancy, Rebecca; Slavik, Juliana; Ellsworth, Rachel; Katagiri, Yasuhiro; Pugacheva, Elena N; van Kuppevelt, Toin H; Mural, Richard J; Cutler, Mary Lou; Shriver, Craig D

2015-01-15

There are lines of evidence demonstrating that NEDD9 (Cas-L, HEF-1) plays a key role in the development, progression, and metastasis of breast cancer cells. We previously reported that NEDD9 plays a critical role for promoting migration and growth of MDA-MB-231. In order to further characterize the mechanisms of NEDD9-mediated cancer migration and growth, stable cells overexpressing NEDD9 were generated using HCC38 as a parental cell line which expresses low level of endogenous NEDD9. Microarray studies demonstrated that core proteins of CD44 and Serglycin were markedly upregulated in HCC38(NEDD9) cells compared to HCC38(Vector) cells, while those of Syndecan-1, Syndecan-2, and Versican were downregulated in HCC38(NEDD9). Importantly, enzymes generating chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycans (CS) such as CHST11, CHST15, and CSGALNACT1 were upregulated in HCC38(NEDD9) compared to HCC38(Vector). Immunofluorescence studies using specific antibody, GD3G7, confirmed the enhanced expression of CS-E subunit in HCC38(NEDD9). Immunoprecipitation and western blotting analysis demonstrated that CS-E was attached to CD44 core protein. We demonstrated that removing CS by chondroitinase ABC significantly inhibited anchorage-independent colony formation of HCC38(NEDD9) in methylcellulose. Importantly, the fact that GD3G7 significantly inhibited colony formation of HCC38(NEDD9) cells suggests that CS-E subunit plays a key role in this process. Furthermore, treatment of HCC38(NEDD9) cells with chondroitinase ABC or GD3G7 significantly inhibited mammosphere formation. Exogenous addition of CS-E enhanced colony formation and mammosphere formation of HCC38 parental and HCC38(Vector) cells. These results suggest that NEDD9 regulates the synthesis and expression of tumor associated glycocalyx structures including CS-E, which plays a key role in promoting and regulating breast cancer progression and metastasis and possibly stem cell phenotypes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Some properties of human neuronal α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors fused to the green fluorescent protein

PubMed Central

Palma, Eleonora; Mileo, Anna M.; Martínez-Torres, Ataúlfo; Eusebi, Fabrizio; Miledi, Ricardo

2002-01-01

The functional properties and cellular localization of the human neuronal α7 nicotinic acetylcholine (AcCho) receptor (α7 AcChoR) and its L248T mutated (mut) form were investigated by expressing them alone or as gene fusions with the enhanced version of the green fluorescent protein (GFP). Xenopus oocytes injected with wild-type (wt), mutα7, or the chimeric subunit cDNAs expressed receptors that gated membrane currents when exposed to AcCho. As already known, AcCho currents generated by wtα7 receptors decay much faster than those elicited by the mutα7 receptors. Unexpectedly, the fusion of GFP to the wt and mutated α7 receptors led to opposite results: the AcCho-current decay of the wt receptors became slower, whereas that of the mutated receptors was accelerated. Furthermore, repetitive applications of AcCho led to a considerable “run-down” of the AcCho currents generated by mutα7-GFP receptors, whereas those of the wtα7-GFP receptors remained stable or increased in amplitude. The AcCho-current run-down of mutα7-GFP oocytes was accompanied by a marked decrease of α-bungarotoxin binding activity. Fluorescence, caused by the chimeric receptors expressed, was seen over the whole oocyte surface but was more intense and abundant in the animal hemisphere, whereas it was much weaker in the vegetal hemisphere. We conclude that fusion of GFP to wtα7 and mutα7 receptors provides powerful tools to study the distribution and function of α7 receptors. We also conclude that fused genes do not necessarily recapitulate all of the properties of the original receptors. This fact must be borne close in mind whenever reporter genes are attached to proteins. PMID:11891308

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin toxicity in the zebrafish embryo: altered regional blood flow and impaired lower jaw development.

PubMed

Teraoka, Hiroki; Dong, Wu; Ogawa, Shuji; Tsukiyama, Shusaku; Okuhara, Yuji; Niiyama, Masayoshi; Ueno, Naoto; Peterson, Richard E; Hiraga, Takeo

2002-02-01

The effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) exposure on regional red blood cell (RBC) perfusion rate, as an index of blood flow, and lower jaw development were investigated quantitatively in zebrafish embryos (Danio rerio) during early development. As revealed by observation of live embryos and alcian-blue staining, TCDD retarded lower jaw development in a concentration-dependent manner with only a minor inhibitory effect on total body length. Both inhibitory effects were significant as early as 60 h postfertilization (hpf), at which time the area of goosecoid (gsc) mRNA expression was clearly reduced in the lower jaw. To examine effects of TCDD on RBC perfusion rate, time-lapse recording was performed using a digital video camera attached to a light microscope. TCDD did not show marked effects on RBC perfusion rate until 72 hpf, when vessel-specific effects emerged. TCDD severely inhibited RBC perfusion rate in intersegmental arteries of the trunk, but only modestly and slightly inhibited RBC perfusion rate in certain vessels of the head such as the central arteries and optic vein. Conversely, at both 72 and 84 hpf, TCDD significantly increased RBC perfusion rate in the hypobranchial artery branching to the lower jaw primordia, and then reduced it at 96 hpf. RBC perfusion rate in all vessels examined in TCDD-exposed embryos was inhibited at 96 hpf. The zebrafish aryl hydrocarbon receptor 2 (zfAhR2) mRNA was strongly expressed in the lower jaw primordia at 48 hpf, and expression of this transcript was augmented by TCDD treatment. Thus, TCDD exposure of the zebrafish embryo has a disruptive effect on local circulation and lower jaw cartilage growth. Initially, TCDD may act directly on the lower jaw primordia to impair lower jaw development. Reductions in hypobranchial RBC perfusion rate occurred well after the initial retardation in lower jaw development had become apparent, and may contribute further to the effect.

Expression of hemidesmosomal and extracellular matrix proteins by normal and malignant human prostate tissue.

PubMed Central

Nagle, R. B.; Hao, J.; Knox, J. D.; Dalkin, B. L.; Clark, V.; Cress, A. E.

1995-01-01

The progression of prostate carcinoma may be influenced by the biochemical nature of the basal lamina surrounding the primary carcinoma cells. As a first step toward understanding this process, the composition and structure of the basal lamina in normal prostate, prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, and human carcinoma were determined. In addition, a comparison was made between the attachments of the normal basal cell to its underlying basal lamina and those made by primary prostate carcinoma. The normal basal cells form both focal adhesions and hemidesmosomal-like structures as observed by transmission electron microscopy. The normal basal cells exhibited a polarized distribution of hemidesmosomal associated proteins including BP180, BP230, HD1, plectin, laminin-gamma 2(B2t), collagen VII, and the corresponding integrin laminin receptors alpha 6 beta 1 and alpha 6 beta 4. The expression and distribution pattern of these proteins were retained in the prostate intraepithelial neoplasia lesions. In contrast, the carcinoma cells uniformly lacked hemidesmosomal structures, the integrin alpha 6 beta 4, BP180, laminin-gamma 2 (B2t), and collagen VII but did express BP230 (30%), plectin, HD1 (15%), and the integrin laminin receptors alpha 3 beta 1 and alpha 6 beta 1. These results suggest that, although a detectable basal lamina structure is present in carcinoma, its composition and cellular attachments are abnormal. The loss of critical cellular attachments may play a role in influencing the progression potential of prostate carcinoma. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 PMID:7778688

The Scaffold Attachment Factor SAFB1: A New Player in G2/M Checkpoint Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-04-01

RNA was obtained from locally advanced breast tumors in 24 patients before they underwent four cycles of neoadjuvant docetaxel treatment . Gene...expression analysis was performed and correlated to the treatment response to determine genes that are differentially expressed in docetaxel-sensitive...decreased sensitivity to drugs, depending on the chemotherapeutic agent used 2) Association of SAFB1 loss with resistance to docetaxel treatment , both

Oxytocin inhibits ox-LDL-induced adhesion of monocytic THP-1 cells to human brain microvascular endothelial cells.

PubMed

Liu, Shuyan; Pan, Shengying; Tan, Jing; Zhao, Weina; Liu, Fengguo

2017-12-15

The attachment of monocytes to human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMVEs) caused by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) is associated with an early event and the pathological progression of cerebrovascular diseases. Oxytocin (OT) is a human peptide hormone that is traditionally used as a medication to facilitate childbirth. However, little information is available regarding the physiological function of OT in brain endothelial dysfunction. In the present study, our results indicate that the oxytocin receptor (OTR) was expressed in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMVEs) and was upregulated in response to ox-LDL in a concentration-dependent manner. Notably, OT significantly suppressed ox-LDL-induced attachment of THP-1 monocytes to HBMVEs. Furthermore, we found that OT reduced the expression of adhesion molecules, such as VCAM-1 and E-selectin. Interestingly, it was shown that OT could restore ox-LDL-induced reduction of KLF4 in HBMVEs. Importantly, knockdown of KLF4 abolished the inhibitory effects of OT on ox-LDL-induced expressions of VCAM-1 and E-selectin as well as the adhesion of human monocytic THP-1 cells to endothelial HBMVEs. Mechanistically, we found that the stimulatory effects of OT on KLF4 expression are mediated by the MEK5/MEF2A pathway. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Changing pattern of the subcellular distribution of erythroblast macrophage protein (Emp) during macrophage differentiation.

PubMed

Soni, Shivani; Bala, Shashi; Kumar, Ajay; Hanspal, Manjit

2007-01-01

Erythroblast macrophage protein (Emp) mediates the attachment of erythroid cells to macrophages and is required for normal differentiation of both cell lineages. In erythroid cells, Emp is believed to be involved in nuclear extrusion, however, its role in macrophage differentiation is unknown. Information on the changes in the expression level and subcellular distribution of Emp in differentiating macrophages is essential for understanding the function of Emp. Macrophages of varying maturity were examined by immunofluorescence microscopy and biochemical methods. Our data show that Emp is expressed in all stages of maturation, but its localization pattern changes dramatically during maturation: in immature macrophages, a substantial fraction of Emp is associated with the nuclear matrix, whereas in more mature cells, Emp is expressed largely at cell surface. Pulse-chase experiments show that nascent Emp migrates intracellularly from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane more efficiently in mature macrophages than in immature cells. Incubation of erythroid cells with macrophages in culture shows that erythroid cells attach to mature macrophages but not to immature macrophage precursors. Together, our data show that the temporal and spatial expression of Emp correlates with its role in erythroblastic island formation and suggest that Emp may be involved in multiple cellular functions.

*CHANGING PATTERN OF THE SUBCELLULAR DISTRIBUTION OF ERYTHROBLAST MACROPHAGE PROTEIN (EMP) DURING MACROPHAGE DIFFERENTIATION

PubMed Central

Soni, Shivani; Bala, Shashi; Kumar, Ajay; Hanspal, Manjit

2007-01-01

Erythroblast macrophage protein (Emp), mediates the attachment of erythroid cells to macrophages, and is required for normal differentiation of both cell lineages. In erythroid cells Emp is believed to be involved in nuclear extrusion however, its role in macrophage differentiation is unknown. Information on the changes in the expression level and subcellular distribution of Emp in differentiating macrophages is essential for understanding the function of Emp. Macrophages of varying maturity were examined by immunofluorescence microscopy and biochemical methods. Our data shows that Emp is expressed in all stages of maturation, but its localization pattern changes dramatically during maturation: in immature macrophages, a substantial fraction of Emp is associated with the nuclear matrix, whereas in more mature cells, Emp is expressed largely at cell surface. Pulse-chase experiments show that nascent Emp migrates intracellularly from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane more efficiently in mature macrophages than in immature cells. Incubation of erythroid cells with macrophages in culture show that erythroid cells attach to mature macrophages but not to immature macrophage precursors. Together, our data shows that the temporal and spatial expression of Emp correlates with its role in erythroblastic island formation, and suggests that Emp may be involved in multiple cellular functions. PMID:17071116

Phenotypic Heterogeneity and the Evolution of Bacterial Life Cycles

PubMed Central

van Gestel, Jordi; Nowak, Martin A.

2016-01-01

Most bacteria live in colonies, where they often express different cell types. The ecological significance of these cell types and their evolutionary origin are often unknown. Here, we study the evolution of cell differentiation in the context of surface colonization. We particularly focus on the evolution of a ‘sticky’ cell type that is required for surface attachment, but is costly to express. The sticky cells not only facilitate their own attachment, but also that of non-sticky cells. Using individual-based simulations, we show that surface colonization rapidly evolves and in most cases leads to phenotypic heterogeneity, in which sticky and non-sticky cells occur side by side on the surface. In the presence of regulation, cell differentiation leads to a remarkable set of bacterial life cycles, in which cells alternate between living in the liquid and living on the surface. The dominant life stage is formed by the surface-attached colony that shows many complex features: colonies reproduce via fission and by producing migratory propagules; cells inside the colony divide labour; and colonies can produce filaments to facilitate expansion. Overall, our model illustrates how the evolution of an adhesive cell type goes hand in hand with the evolution of complex bacterial life cycles. PMID:26894881

Enhancing the reproducibility of ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials by use of a visual target originating from a head-mounted laser.

PubMed

Jerin, Claudia; Bartl, Klaus; Schneider, Erich; Gürkov, Robert

2015-10-01

Ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMPs) represent extraocular muscle activity in response to vestibular stimulation. oVEMP amplitudes are known to increase with increasing upward gaze angle, while the patient fixates a visual target. We investigated two different methods of presenting a visual target during oVEMP recordings. 57 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. oVEMPs were elicited by 500 Hz air-conducted tone bursts while the subjects were looking upward at a marking which was either fixed on the wall or originated from a head-mounted laser attached to a headband, in either case corresponding to a 35° upward gaze angle. oVEMP amplitudes and latencies did not differ between the subjects looking at the fixed marking and the ones looking at the laser marking. The intra-individual standard deviation of amplitudes obtained by two separate measurements for each subject, however, as a measure of test-retest reliability, was significantly smaller for the laser headband group (0.60) in comparison to the group looking at the fixed marking (0.96; p = 0.007). The intraclass correlation coefficient revealed better test-retest reliability for oVEMP amplitudes when using the laser headband (0.957) than using the fixed marking (0.908). Hence, the use of a visual target originating from a headband enhances the reproducibility of oVEMPs. This might be due to the fact that the laser headband ensures a constant gaze angle and rules out the influence of small involuntary head movements on the gaze angle.

Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) parasite-host interactions in the Great Lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bence, James R.; Bergstedt, Roger A.; Christie, Gavin C.; Cochran, Phillip A.; Ebener, Mark P.; Koonce, Joseph F.; Rutter, Michael A.; Swink, William D.

2003-01-01

Prediction of how host mortality responds to efforts to control sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) is central to the integrated management strategy for sea lamprey (IMSL) in the Great Lakes. A parasite-host submodel is used as part of this strategy, and this includes a type-2 multi-species functional response, a developmental response, but no numerical response. General patterns of host species and size selection are consistent with the model assumptions, but some observations appear to diverge. For example, some patterns in sea lamprey marking on hosts suggest increases in selectivity for less preferred hosts and lower host survival when preferred hosts are scarce. Nevertheless, many of the IMSL assumptions may be adequate under conditions targeted by fish community objectives. Of great concern is the possibility that the survival of young parasites (parasitic-phase sea lampreys) varies substantially among lakes or over time. Joint analysis of abundance estimates for parasites being produced in streams and returning spawners could address this. Data on sea lamprey marks is a critical source of information on sea lamprey activity and potential effects. Theory connecting observed marks to sea lamprey feeding activity and host mortality is reviewed. Uncertainties regarding healing and attachment times, the probability of hosts surviving attacks, and problems in consistent classification of marks have led to widely divergent estimates of damages caused by sea lamprey. Laboratory and field studies are recommended to provide a firmer linkage between host blood loss, host mortality, and observed marks on surviving hosts, so as to improve estimates of damage.

Human Urine Decreases Function and Expression of Type 1 Pili in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli

PubMed Central

Greene, Sarah E.; Hibbing, Michael E.; Janetka, James; Chen, Swaine L.

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is the primary cause of community-acquired urinary tract infections (UTIs). UPEC bind the bladder using type 1 pili, encoded by the fim operon in nearly all E. coli. Assembled type 1 pili terminate in the FimH adhesin, which specifically binds to mannosylated glycoproteins on the bladder epithelium. Expression of type 1 pili is regulated in part by phase-variable inversion of the genomic element containing the fimS promoter, resulting in phase ON (expressing) and OFF (nonexpressing) orientations. Type 1 pili are essential for virulence in murine models of UTI; however, studies of urine samples from human UTI patients demonstrate variable expression of type 1 pili. We provide insight into this paradox by showing that human urine specifically inhibits both expression and function of type 1 pili. Growth in urine induces the fimS phase OFF orientation, preventing fim expression. Urine also contains inhibitors of FimH function, and this inhibition leads to a further bias in fimS orientation toward the phase OFF state. The dual effect of urine on fimS regulation and FimH binding presents a potential barrier to type 1 pilus-mediated colonization and invasion of the bladder epithelium. However, FimH-mediated attachment to human bladder cells during growth in urine reverses these effects such that fim expression remains ON and/or turns ON. Interestingly, FimH inhibitors called mannosides also induce the fimS phase OFF orientation. Thus, the transduction of FimH protein attachment or inhibition into epigenetic regulation of type 1 pilus expression has important implications for the development of therapeutics targeting FimH function. PMID:26126855

Targeting tumor-initiating cells: Eliminating anabolic cancer stem cells with inhibitors of protein synthesis or by mimicking caloric restriction

PubMed Central

Lamb, Rebecca; Harrison, Hannah; Smith, Duncan L.; Townsend, Paul A.; Jackson, Thomas; Ozsvari, Bela; Martinez-Outschoorn, Ubaldo E.; Pestell, Richard G.; Howell, Anthony; Lisanti, Michael P.; Sotgia, Federica

2015-01-01

We have used an unbiased proteomic profiling strategy to identify new potential therapeutic targets in tumor-initiating cells (TICs), a.k.a., cancer stem cells (CSCs). Towards this end, the proteomes of mammospheres from two breast cancer cell lines were directly compared to attached monolayer cells. This allowed us to identify proteins that were highly over-expressed in CSCs and/or progenitor cells. We focused on ribosomal proteins and protein folding chaperones, since they were markedly over-expressed in mammospheres. Overall, we identified >80 molecules specifically associated with protein synthesis that were commonly upregulated in mammospheres. Most of these proteins were also transcriptionally upregulated in human breast cancer cells in vivo, providing evidence for their potential clinical relevance. As such, increased mRNA translation could provide a novel mechanism for enhancing the proliferative clonal expansion of TICs. The proteomic findings were functionally validated using known inhibitors of protein synthesis, via three independent approaches. For example, puromycin (which mimics the structure of tRNAs and competitively inhibits protein synthesis) preferentially targeted CSCs in both mammospheres and monolayer cultures, and was ~10-fold more potent for eradicating TICs, than “bulk” cancer cells. In addition, rapamycin, which inhibits mTOR and hence protein synthesis, was very effective at reducing mammosphere formation, at nanomolar concentrations. Finally, mammosphere formation was also markedly inhibited by methionine restriction, which mimics the positive effects of caloric restriction in cultured cells. Remarkably, mammosphere formation was >18-fold more sensitive to methionine restriction and replacement, as directly compared to monolayer cell proliferation. Methionine is absolutely required for protein synthesis, since every protein sequence starts with a methionine residue. Thus, the proliferation and survival of CSCs is very sensitive to the inhibition of protein synthesis, using multiple independent approaches. Our findings have important clinical implications, since they may also explain the positive therapeutic effects of PI3-kinase inhibitors and AKT inhibitors, as they ultimately converge on mTOR signaling and would block protein synthesis. We conclude that inhibition of mRNA translation by pharmacological or protein/methionine restriction may be effective strategies for eliminating TICs. Our data also indicate a novel mechanism by which caloric/protein restriction may reduce tumor growth, by targeting protein synthesis in anabolic tumor-initiating cancer cells. PMID:25671304

Use of the 22C3 anti-PD-L1 antibody to determine PD-L1 expression in multiple automated immunohistochemistry platforms.

PubMed

Ilie, Marius; Khambata-Ford, Shirin; Copie-Bergman, Christiane; Huang, Lingkang; Juco, Jonathan; Hofman, Veronique; Hofman, Paul

2017-01-01

For non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), treatment with pembrolizumab is limited to patients with tumours expressing PD-L1 assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) using the PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx (Dako, Inc.) companion diagnostic test, on the Dako Autostainer Link 48 (ASL48) platform. Optimised protocols are urgently needed for use of the 22C3 antibody concentrate to test PD-L1 expression on more widely available IHC autostainers. We evaluated PD-L1 expression using the 22C3 antibody concentrate in the three main commercially available autostainers Dako ASL48, BenchMark ULTRA (Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.), and Bond-III (Leica Biosystems) and compared the staining results with the PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx kit on the Dako ASL48 platform. Several technical conditions for laboratory-developed tests (LDTs) were evaluated in tonsil specimens and a training set of three NSCLC samples. Optimised protocols were then validated in 120 NSCLC specimens. Optimised protocols were obtained on both the VENTANA BenchMark ULTRA and Dako ASL48 platforms. Significant expression of PD-L1 was obtained on tissue controls with the Leica Bond-III autostainer when high concentrations of the 22C3 antibody were used. It therefore was not tested on the 120 NSCLC specimens. An almost 100% concordance rate for dichotomized tumour proportion score (TPS) results was observed between TPS ratings using the 22C3 antibody concentrate on the Dako ASL48 and VENTANA BenchMark ULTRA platforms relative to the PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx kit on the Dako ASL48 platform. Interpathologist agreement was high on both LDTs and the PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx kit on the Dako ASL48 platform. Availability of standardized protocols for determining PD-L1 expression using the 22C3 antibody concentrate on the widely available Dako ASL48 and VENTANA BenchMark ULTRA IHC platforms will expand the number of laboratories able to determine eligibility of patients with NSCLC for treatment with pembrolizumab in a reliable and concordant manner.

Fighting with Reality: Considering Mark Johnson's Pragmatic Realism through Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Alexander David

2015-01-01

This dissertation considers the supportive and complementary relation between Mark Johnson's embodied realism and Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do as a philosophical practice. In exploring this relationship, the emphasis on one's embodiment condition and its relationship with metaphor and self-expression are the primary focus. First, this work involves…

Comprehensive microarray-based analysis for stage-specific larval camouflage pattern-associated genes in the swallowtail butterfly, Papilio xuthus

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Body coloration is an ecologically important trait that is often involved in prey-predator interactions through mimicry and crypsis. Although this subject has attracted the interest of biologists and the general public, our scientific knowledge on the subject remains fragmentary. In the caterpillar of the swallowtail butterfly Papilio xuthus, spectacular changes in the color pattern are observed; the insect mimics bird droppings (mimetic pattern) as a young larva, and switches to a green camouflage coloration (cryptic pattern) in the final instar. Despite the wide variety and significance of larval color patterns, few studies have been conducted at a molecular level compared with the number of studies on adult butterfly wing patterns. Results To obtain a catalog of genes involved in larval mimetic and cryptic pattern formation, we constructed expressed sequence tag (EST) libraries of larval epidermis for P. xuthus, and P. polytes that contained 20,736 and 5,376 clones, respectively, representing one of the largest collections available in butterflies. A comparison with silkworm epidermal EST information revealed the high expression of putative blue and yellow pigment-binding proteins in Papilio species. We also designed a microarray from the EST dataset information, analyzed more than five stages each for six markings, and confirmed spatial expression patterns by whole-mount in situ hybridization. Hence, we succeeded in elucidating many novel marking-specific genes for mimetic and cryptic pattern formation, including pigment-binding protein genes, the melanin-associated gene yellow-h3, the ecdysteroid synthesis enzyme gene 3-dehydroecdysone 3b-reductase, and Papilio-specific genes. We also found many cuticular protein genes with marking specificity that may be associated with the unique surface nanostructure of the markings. Furthermore, we identified two transcription factors, spalt and ecdysteroid signal-related E75, as genes expressed in larval eyespot markings. This finding suggests that E75 is a strong candidate mediator of the hormone-dependent coordination of larval pattern formation. Conclusions This study is one of the most comprehensive molecular analyses of complicated morphological features, and it will serve as a new resource for studying insect mimetic and cryptic pattern formation in general. The wide variety of marking-associated genes (both regulatory and structural genes) identified by our screening indicates that a similar strategy will be effective for understanding other complex traits. PMID:22651552

Extremely High Expression of Antisense RNA for Wilms' Tumor 1 in Active Osteoclasts: Suppression of Wilms' Tumor 1 Protein Expression during Osteoclastogenesis.

PubMed

Li, Yin-Ji; Kukita, Akiko; Kyumoto-Nakamura, Yukari; Kukita, Toshio

2016-09-01

Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1), a zinc-finger transcription regulator of the early growth response family, identified as the product of a tumor suppressor gene of Wilms' tumors, bears potential ability to induce macrophage differentiation in blood cell differentiation. Herein, we examined the involvement of WT1 in the regulation of osteoclastogenesis. We detected a high level of WT1 protein expression in osteoclast precursors; however, WT1 expression was markedly suppressed during osteoclastogenesis. We examined expression of WT1 transcripts in bone tissue by RNA in situ hybridization. We found a high level of antisense transcripts in osteoclasts actively resorbing bone in mandible of newborn rats. Expression of antisense WT1 RNA in mandible was also confirmed by Northern blot analysis and strand-specific RT-PCR. Overexpression of antisense WT1 RNA in RAW-D cells, an osteoclast precursor cell line, resulted in a marked enhancement of osteoclastogenesis, suggesting that antisense WT1 RNA functions to suppress expression of WT1 protein in osteoclastogenesis. High level expression of antisense WT1 RNA may contribute to commitment to osteoclastogenesis, and may allow osteoclasts to maintain or stabilize their differentiation state. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

RegA, an AraC-like protein, is a global transcriptional regulator that controls virulence gene expression in Citrobacter rodentium.

PubMed

Hart, Emily; Yang, Ji; Tauschek, Marija; Kelly, Michelle; Wakefield, Matthew J; Frankel, Gad; Hartland, Elizabeth L; Robins-Browne, Roy M

2008-11-01

Citrobacter rodentium is an attaching and effacing pathogen which causes transmissible colonic hyperplasia in mice. Infection with C. rodentium serves as a model for infection of humans with enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli. To identify novel colonization factors of C. rodentium, we screened a signature-tagged mutant library of C. rodentium in mice. One noncolonizing mutant had a single transposon insertion in an open reading frame (ORF) which we designated regA because of its homology to genes encoding members of the AraC family of transcriptional regulators. Deletion of regA in C. rodentium resulted in markedly reduced colonization of the mouse intestine. Examination of lacZ transcriptional fusions using promoter regions of known and putative virulence-associated genes of C. rodentium revealed that RegA strongly stimulated transcription of two newly identified genes located close to regA, which we designated adcA and kfcC. The cloned adcA gene conferred autoaggregation and adherence to mammalian cells to E. coli strain DH5alpha, and a kfc mutation led to a reduction in the duration of intestinal colonization, but the kfc mutant was far less attenuated than the regA mutant. These results indicated that other genes of C. rodentium whose expression required activation by RegA were required for colonization. Microarray analysis revealed a number of RegA-regulated ORFs encoding proteins homologous to known colonization factors. Transcription of these putative virulence determinants was activated by RegA only in the presence of sodium bicarbonate. Taken together, these results show that RegA is a global regulator of virulence in C. rodentium which activates factors that are required for intestinal colonization.

RegA, an AraC-Like Protein, Is a Global Transcriptional Regulator That Controls Virulence Gene Expression in Citrobacter rodentium▿

PubMed Central

Hart, Emily; Yang, Ji; Tauschek, Marija; Kelly, Michelle; Wakefield, Matthew J.; Frankel, Gad; Hartland, Elizabeth L.; Robins-Browne, Roy M.

2008-01-01

Citrobacter rodentium is an attaching and effacing pathogen which causes transmissible colonic hyperplasia in mice. Infection with C. rodentium serves as a model for infection of humans with enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli. To identify novel colonization factors of C. rodentium, we screened a signature-tagged mutant library of C. rodentium in mice. One noncolonizing mutant had a single transposon insertion in an open reading frame (ORF) which we designated regA because of its homology to genes encoding members of the AraC family of transcriptional regulators. Deletion of regA in C. rodentium resulted in markedly reduced colonization of the mouse intestine. Examination of lacZ transcriptional fusions using promoter regions of known and putative virulence-associated genes of C. rodentium revealed that RegA strongly stimulated transcription of two newly identified genes located close to regA, which we designated adcA and kfcC. The cloned adcA gene conferred autoaggregation and adherence to mammalian cells to E. coli strain DH5α, and a kfc mutation led to a reduction in the duration of intestinal colonization, but the kfc mutant was far less attenuated than the regA mutant. These results indicated that other genes of C. rodentium whose expression required activation by RegA were required for colonization. Microarray analysis revealed a number of RegA-regulated ORFs encoding proteins homologous to known colonization factors. Transcription of these putative virulence determinants was activated by RegA only in the presence of sodium bicarbonate. Taken together, these results show that RegA is a global regulator of virulence in C. rodentium which activates factors that are required for intestinal colonization. PMID:18765720

Antimicrobial Tolerance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms Is Activated during an Early Developmental Stage and Requires the Two-Component Hybrid SagS

PubMed Central

Gupta, Kajal; Marques, Cláudia N. H.; Petrova, Olga E.

2013-01-01

A hallmark characteristic of biofilms is their extraordinary tolerance to antimicrobial agents. While multiple factors are thought to contribute to the high level of antimicrobial tolerance of biofilms, little is known about the timing of induction of biofilm tolerance. Here, we asked when over the course of their development do biofilms gain their tolerance to antimicrobial agents? We demonstrate that in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, biofilm tolerance is linked to biofilm development, with transition to the irreversible attachment stage regulated by the two-component hybrid SagS, marking the timing when biofilms switch to the high-level tolerance phenotype. Inactivation of sagS rendered biofilms but not planktonic cells more susceptible to tobramycin, norfloxacin, and hydrogen peroxide. Moreover, inactivation of sagS also eliminated the recalcitrance of biofilms to killing by bactericidal antimicrobial agents, a phenotype comparable to that observed upon inactivation of brlR, which encodes a MerR-like transcriptional regulator required for biofilm tolerance. Multicopy expression of brlR in a ΔsagS mutant restored biofilm resistance and recalcitrance to killing by bactericidal antibiotics to wild-type levels. In contrast, expression of sagS did not restore the susceptibility phenotype of ΔbrlR mutant biofilms to wild-type levels, indicating that BrlR functions downstream of SagS. Inactivation of sagS correlated with reduced BrlR levels in biofilms, with the produced BrlR being impaired in binding to the previously described BrlR-activated promoters of the two multidrug efflux pump operons mexAB-oprM and mexEF-oprN. Our findings demonstrate that biofilm tolerance is linked to early biofilm development and SagS, with SagS contributing indirectly to BrlR activation. PMID:23995639

Formation of surface reaction products on bioactive glass and their effects on the expression of the osteoblastic phenotype and the deposition of mineralized extracellular matrix.

PubMed

el-Ghannam, A; Ducheyne, P; Shapiro, I M

1997-02-01

The objective of the study was to examine the effect of alkali ion release, pH control and buffer capacity on the expression of the osteoblastic phenotype. In addition we determined the importance of modifications of the surface of porous bioactive glass (BG) on the activity of rat calvaria osteoblasts in vitro. We found that at a low tissue culture medium (TCM) volume to BG surface area (Vol/SA) ratio, the products of glass corrosion elevated the pH of the TCM to a value that adversely affected cellular activity; thus, the matrix synthesized by the cells was non-mineralized. On the other hand, when the Vol/SA was high and the buffer capacity of the medium was not exceeded, the cells generated a mineralized extracellular matrix. Addressing the second issue, we observed that modification of the composition of the BG surface markedly influenced osteoblast activity. BG that was coated with either a calcium phosphate-rich layer only or a serum protein layer changed the phenotypic characteristics of the osteoblasts. The presence of either of these surfaces lowered the alkaline phosphatase activity of the attached cells; this finding indicated that the osteoblast phenotype was not conserved. However, when the BG was coated with a bilayer of calcium phosphate and serum proteins, the alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity was elevated and the extracellular matrix contained characteristic bone markers. Our findings indicate that the calcium phosphate-rich layer promotes adsorption and concentration of proteins from the TCM, and it is utilized by the osteoblasts to form the mineralized extracellular matrix.

The Ndc80 internal loop is required for recruitment of the Ska complex to establish end-on microtubule attachment to kinetochores.

PubMed

Zhang, Gang; Kelstrup, Christian D; Hu, Xiao-Wen; Kaas Hansen, Mathilde J; Singleton, Martin R; Olsen, Jesper V; Nilsson, Jakob

2012-07-01

The Ndc80 complex establishes end-on attachment of kinetochores to microtubules, which is essential for chromosome segregation. The Ndc80 subunit is characterized by an N-terminal region that binds directly to microtubules, and a long coiled-coil region that interacts with Nuf2. A loop region in Ndc80 that generates a kink in the structure disrupts the long coiled-coil region but the exact function of this loop, has until now, not been clear. Here we show that this loop region is essential for end-on attachment of kinetochores to microtubules in human cells. Cells expressing loop mutants of Ndc80 are unable to align the chromosomes, and stable kinetochore fibers are absent. Through quantitative mass spectrometry and immunofluorescence we found that the binding of the spindle and kinetochore associated (Ska) complex depends on the loop region, explaining why end-on attachment is defective. This underscores the importance of the Ndc80 loop region in coordinating chromosome segregation through the recruitment of specific proteins to the kinetochore.

PEG attachment to osteoblasts enhances mechanosensitivity.

PubMed

Hamamura, Kazunori; Weng, Yiming; Zhao, Jun; Yokota, Hiroki; Xie, Dong

2008-06-01

Fluid flow induces proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts, and fibrous structure like a primary cilium on a cell surface contributes to flow sensing and flow-driven gene regulation. We address a question: Does attachment of synthetic polymers on a cell surface enhance mechanosensitivity of osteoblasts? Using MC3T3 osteoblast cells (C4 clone) and a PEG polymer, one of whose termini was covalently linked to a succinimidyl succinate group (functionalized PEG-PEGSS), we examined attachment of PEGSS to osteoblasts and evaluated its effects on the mRNA expression of stress-responsive genes. AFM images exhibited globular PEGSS conformation of approximately 100 nm in size, and SEM images confirmed the attachment of a cluster of pancake-like PEGSS molecules on the osteoblast surface. Compared to control cells incubated with unfunctionalized PEG, real-time PCR revealed that RNA upregulation of c-fos, egr1, ATF3 and Cox2 genes was magnified in the cells incubated with PEGSS. These results support a PEG-induced increase in mechanosensitivity of osteoblasts and indicate that the described approach would be useful to accelerate growth and development of osteoblasts for bone repair and tissue engineering.

Extracellular matrix proteins in healthy and retained placentas, comparing hemochorial and synepitheliochorial placentas.

PubMed

Franczyk, M; Lopucki, M; Stachowicz, N; Morawska, D; Kankofer, M

2017-02-01

The placenta expresses structural and biologically active proteins. Their synthesis is mainly regulated by genomic or nongenomic signals and modulated by hormones. These protein profiles are altered during different stages of pregnancy. The biological properties of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins were defined and described in a number of tissues including placenta. These properties enable them to be the main players in the processes of attachment or invasion into the endometrium during initial placenta formation and its timely separation after delivery and detachment. In this review, we focused on the role of ECM proteins during attachment of the placenta to the uterine wall, its timely separation, and the implications of this process on retained or pathologically attached placenta. Although the amount of published information in this area is relatively scant, some of the key proteins and processes are well defined. We focused on the available data detailing the ECM protein profiles of human (histologically thin; hemochorial) and bovine (histologically thick; epitheliochorial) placentas and compared the shared and unique ECM proteins that are relevant to placental attachment and separation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of a highly efficient chevron-shaped anti-contamination device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiore, M.; Vermeersch, O.; Forte, M.; Casalis, G.; François, C.

2016-04-01

This paper is devoted to the characterization of an optimized chevron-shaped anti-contamination device (ACD). This device can prevent efficiently the propagation of turbulence from the fuselage along the attachment line (hypothetical streamline that spreads the flow going to suction side and the one going to pressure side) of swept wings and enables the development of a new laminar boundary layer downstream. More specifically, the aim is to prevent boundary-layer transition along the attachment line by a contamination process. This process is characterized by the typical Reynolds number overline{R} and the associated Poll's criterion. Thus, ACD efficiency will be expressed in terms of overline{R} values. Some experiments performed on a new numerically optimized ACD have shown its ability to prevent leading-edge contamination up to overline{R} values close to the natural transition process of the laminar boundary layer along the attachment line. The corresponding stability analysis of the laminar boundary layer is made using the Görtler-Hämmerlin stability approach. The study is completed with the different transition processes that can occur downstream the attachment line, around the airfoil, especially with crossflow analysis.

Environmental epigenetics in metal exposure

PubMed Central

Martinez-Zamudio, Ricardo

2011-01-01

Although it is widely accepted that chronic exposure to arsenite, nickel, chromium and cadmium increases cancer incidence in individuals, the molecular mechanisms underlying their ability to transform cells remain largely unknown. Carcinogenic metals are typically weak mutagens, suggesting that genetic-based mechanisms may not be primarily responsible for metal-induced carcinogenesis. Growing evidence shows that environmental metal exposure involves changes in epigenetic marks, which may lead to a possible link between heritable changes in gene expression and disease susceptibility and development. Here, we review recent advances in the understanding of metal exposure affecting epigenetic marks and discuss establishment of heritable gene expression in metal-induced carcinogenesis. PMID:21610324

Dynamics of gene expression with positive feedback to histone modifications at bivalent domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Rongsheng; Lei, Jinzhi

2018-03-01

Experiments have shown that in embryonic stem cells, the promoters of many lineage-control genes contain “bivalent domains”, within which the nucleosomes possess both active (H3K4me3) and repressive (H3K27me3) marks. Such bivalent modifications play important roles in maintaining pluripotency in embryonic stem cells. Here, to investigate gene expression dynamics when there are regulations in bivalent histone modifications and random partition in cell divisions, we study how positive feedback to histone methylation/demethylation controls the transition dynamics of the histone modification patterns along with cell cycles. We constructed a computational model that includes dynamics of histone marks, three-stage chromatin state transitions, transcription and translation, feedbacks from protein product to enzymes to regulate the addition and removal of histone marks, and the inheritance of nucleosome state between cell cycles. The model reveals how dynamics of both nucleosome state transition and gene expression are dependent on the enzyme activities and feedback regulations. Results show that the combination of stochastic histone modification at each cell division and the deterministic feedback regulation work together to adjust the dynamics of chromatin state transition in stem cell regenerations.

An Evolutionary Conserved Epigenetic Mark of Polycomb Response Elements Implemented by Trx/MLL/COMPASS.

PubMed

Rickels, Ryan; Hu, Deqing; Collings, Clayton K; Woodfin, Ashley R; Piunti, Andrea; Mohan, Man; Herz, Hans-Martin; Kvon, Evgeny; Shilatifard, Ali

2016-07-21

Polycomb response elements (PREs) are specific DNA sequences that stably maintain the developmental pattern of gene expression. Drosophila PREs are well characterized, whereas the existence of PREs in mammals remains debated. Accumulating evidence supports a model in which CpG islands recruit Polycomb group (PcG) complexes; however, which subset of CGIs is selected to serve as PREs is unclear. Trithorax (Trx) positively regulates gene expression in Drosophila and co-occupies PREs to antagonize Polycomb-dependent silencing. Here we demonstrate that Trx-dependent H3K4 dimethylation (H3K4me2) marks Drosophila PREs and maintains the developmental expression pattern of nearby genes. Similarly, the mammalian Trx homolog, MLL1, deposits H3K4me2 at CpG-dense regions that could serve as PREs. In the absence of MLL1 and H3K4me2, H3K27me3 levels, a mark of Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), increase at these loci. By inhibiting PRC2-dependent H3K27me3 in the absence of MLL1, we can rescue expression of these loci, demonstrating a functional balance between MLL1 and PRC2 activities at these sites. Thus, our study provides rules for identifying cell-type-specific functional mammalian PREs within the human genome. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Peptidoglycan and lipoteichoic acid, components of the streptococcal cell wall, have marked and differential effects on adhesion molecule expression and the production of reactive oxygen species in human whole blood leukocytes.

PubMed

Saetre, T; Kähler, H; Foster, S J; Lyberg, T

2000-07-01

To elucidate the pathophysiology of infections with Streptococcus pyogenes we applied flow cytometric techniques to study dose-response and time-related effects of the streptococcal cell-wall-derived components lipoteichoic acid (LTA 0.005 to 50 microg/ml) and peptidoglycan (10 and 100 microg/ml) on the expression of leukocyte adhesion molecules, the CD14 receptor, and the production of leukocyte reactive oxygen species (ROS). LTA (50 microg/ml, 1-2 h) markedly increased the expression of CD11b (approximately 5-fold), CD11c (approximately 2-fold) and CD11a. Concomitantly, CD62L was downregulated (60%). Peptidoglycan alone or in combination with LTA had little effect on adhesion molecules, except for an amplification of the downregulation of CD62L to 90%. Monocyte CD14 expression was doubled by LTA. Leukocyte ROS production was 10-fold and 5-fold increased by peptidoglycan in granulocytes and monocytes, respectively. LTA alone had no effect, while the combination of peptidoglycan with LTA doubled the increase in ROS caused by peptidoglycan. LTA and peptidoglycan had marked and differential effects: LTA caused mainly adhesion molecule modulation, whereas peptidoglycan mainly increased ROS production. These changes are important in inflammatory cell activation and recruitment, intracellular microbial killing and adverse tissue injury.

Oxytocin receptor antagonist treatments alter levels of attachment to mothers and central dopamine activity in pre-weaning mandarin vole pups.

PubMed

He, Zhixiong; Hou, Wenjuan; Hao, Xin; Dong, Na; Du, Peirong; Yuan, Wei; Yang, Jinfeng; Jia, Rui; Tai, Fadao

2017-10-01

Oxytocin (OT) is known to be important in mother-infant bonding. Although the relationship between OT and filial attachment behavior has been studied in a few mammalian species, the effects on infant social behavior have received little attention in monogamous species. The present study examined the effects of OT receptor antagonist (OTA) treatment on attachment behavior and central dopamine (DA) activity in male and female pre-weaning mandarin voles (Microtus mandarinus). Our data showed that OTA treatments decreased the attachment behavior of pups to mothers, measured using preference tests at postnatal day 14, 16, 18 and 20. OTA treatments reduced serum OT concentration in pre-weaning pups and decreased tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) levels in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), indicating a decrease in central DA activity. In male and female pups, OTA reduced DA levels, DA 1-type receptor (D1R) and DA 2-type receptor (D2R) protein expression in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc). Our results indicate that OTA treatment inhibits the attachment of pre-weaning pups to mothers. This inhibition is possibly associated with central DA activity and levels of two types of dopamine receptor in the NAcc. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stylostome organization in feeding Leptotrombidium larvae (Acariformes: Trombiculidae).

PubMed

Shatrov, Andrew B; Takahashi, Mamoru; Noda, Shinichi; Misumi, Hitoko

2014-01-01

The stylostome of larvae of the trombiculids Leptotrombidium scutellare (Nagayo et al.), Leptotrombidium fletcheri (Womersley et Heaslip) and Leptotrombidium deliense (Walch) was studied experimentally at different time intervals after larval attachment using the histological method. The stylostome of these species has the same organization and belongs to the epidermal combined with the mixed type, developing more in width than in length. Neither transverse nor conspicuous longitudinal layers are present within the stylostome walls, which stain predominantly in red with Azan, also showing longitudinal portions with blue staining. Larvae tend to attach closely to each other and scabs, consisting of the hyperkeratotic epidermal layers fusing with migrating inflammatory cells, develop around the attachment sites. The dermis shows inflammatory foci with dilated capillaries and inflammatory cells inserting in the connective tissue layer underneath the stylostome. The feeding cavity, which is moderately expressed, may be found either in the epidermis or in the dermis. It contains inflammatory cells and their debris in the liquefied host tissues. The stylostome length depends on the character of the attachment site (the thicker epidermis or scab the longer the stylostome), and does not directly correspond to the stages of larval feeding. Nevertheless, at the 48-h time interval, nearly all attached larvae are found to be fully fed and their midgut cells are filled with nutritional globules.

No evidence for induction of key components of the Notch signaling pathway (Notch-1, Jagged-1) by treatment with UV-B, 1,25(OH)(2)D(3), and/or epigenetic drugs (TSA, 5-Aza) in human keratinocytes in vitro.

PubMed

Reichrath, Sandra; Reichrath, Jörg

2012-01-01

Notch signaling is of high importance for growth and survival of various cell types. We now analyzed the protein expression of two key components of the Notch signaling pathway (Notch-1, Jagged-1) in spontaneously immortalized (HaCaT) and in malignant (SCL-1) human keratinocytes, using western analysis. We found that Notch-1 and its corresponding ligand Jagged-1 are expressed in both cell lines, with no marked change following UV-B treatment. Moreover, treatment of both cell lines before or after UV-B irradiation with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3), the biologically active form of vitamin D, and/or epigenetic modulating drugs (TSA; 5-Aza) did not result in a marked modulation of the protein expression of Notch-1 or Jagged-1. Under the experimental conditions of this study, treatment with 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) protected human keratinocytes in part against the antiproliferative effects of UV-B-radiation. In conclusion, our findings do not point at a differential expression of these two key components of Notch signaling in non-malignant as compared to malignant human keratinocytes, indicating that alterations in their expression are not of importance for the photocarcinogenesis of human squamous cell carcinomas. Moreover, our findings do not support the hypothesis that modulation of Notch signaling may be involved in the photoprotective effect of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3), that we and others reported previously. Additionally, we demonstrate that epigenetic modulating drugs (TSA, 5-Aza) do not markedly modulate the expression Notch-1 or Jagged-1 in UV-B-treated human keratinocytes in vitro.

A preliminary study on the role of the complement regulatory protein, cluster of differentiation 55, in mice with diabetic neuropathic pain.

PubMed

Nie, Fachuan; Su, Dong; Shi, Ying; Chen, Jinmei; Wang, Haihui; Qin, Wanxiang; Chen, Yaohua; Wang, Suxia; Li, Lei

2015-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the complement regulatory protein cluster of differentiation 55 (CD55) in the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP). Healthy adult male C57BL/6J mice were intraperitoneally injected with streptozotocin (STZ) in order to induce DNP. Peripheral blood glucose and protein, and the mRNA expression levels of C3 and CD55 in the spinal cord were determined. In addition, the behaviors of these mice were observed. The results showed that STZ‑treated mice displayed the clinical manifestations of diabetes mellitus, and that their peripheral blood glucose was markedly increased. On the 21st and 28th days following the STZ injection, the mechanical pain threshold and thermal pain threshold of the mice were dramatically reduced (P<0.05). |Additionally, 14 days post‑STZ injection, the mRNA expression of C3 in the spinal cord was significantly increased, which continued for 28 days. On the 21st and 28th days, the number of C3 positive cells in the spinal cord was markedly increased. Seven days after the STZ injection, the number of cells positive for CD55 was markedly reduced in the spinal dorsal horn and subsequently remained at a low level. The mRNA expression of CD55 also was significantly reduced (P<0.05) and remained so for 28 days. The reduction in the expression levels of CD55 occurred earlier than the changes in the expression of C3, suggesting that the downregulation of CD55 expression precedes, and has an important role regarding, the activation of C3 in the occurrence and development of DNP.

Minimizing marker mass and handling time when attaching radio-transmitters and geolocators to small songbirds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Streby, Henry M.; McAllister, Tara L.; Peterson, Sean M.; Kramer, Gunnar R.; Lehman, Justin A.; Andersen, David E.

2015-01-01

Radio-transmitters and light-level geolocators are currently small enough for use on songbirds weighing <15 g. Various methods are used to attach these markers to larger songbirds, but with small birds it becomes especially important to minimize marker mass and bird handling time. Here, we offer modifications to harness materials and marker preparation for transmitters and geolocators, and we describe deployment methods that can be safely completed in 20–60 s per bird. We describe a 0.5-mm elastic sewing thread harness for radio-transmitters that allows nestlings, fledglings, and adults to be marked with the same harness size and reliably falls off to avoid poststudy effects. We also describe a 0.5-mm jewelry cord harness for geolocators that provides a firm fit for >1 yr. Neither harness type requires plastic or metal tubes, rings, or other attachment fixtures on the marker, nor do they require crimping beads, epoxy, scissors, or tying knots while handling birds. Both harnesses add 0.03 g to the mass of markers for small wood-warblers (Parulidae). This minimal additional mass is offset by trimming transmitter antennas or geolocator connection nodes, resulting in no net mass gain for transmitters and 0.02 g added for geolocators compared with conventional harness methods that add >0.40 g. We and others have used this transmitter attachment method with several small songbird species, with no effects on adult and fledgling behavior and survival. We have used this geolocator attachment method on 9-g wood-warblers with no effects on return rates, return dates, territory fidelity, and body mass. We hope that these improvements to the design and deployment of the leg-loop harness method will enable the safe and successful use of these markers, and eventually GPS and other tags, on similarly small songbirds.

Definite differences between in vitro actin-myosin sliding and muscle contraction as revealed using antibodies to myosin head.

PubMed

Sugi, Haruo; Chaen, Shigeru; Kobayashi, Takakazu; Abe, Takahiro; Kimura, Kazushige; Saeki, Yasutake; Ohnuki, Yoshiki; Miyakawa, Takuya; Tanokura, Masaru; Sugiura, Seiryo

2014-01-01

Muscle contraction results from attachment-detachment cycles between myosin heads extending from myosin filaments and actin filaments. It is generally believed that a myosin head first attaches to actin, undergoes conformational changes to produce force and motion in muscle, and then detaches from actin. Despite extensive studies, the molecular mechanism of myosin head conformational changes still remains to be a matter for debate and speculation. The myosin head consists of catalytic (CAD), converter (CVD) and lever arm (LD) domains. To give information about the role of these domains in the myosin head performance, we have examined the effect of three site-directed antibodies to the myosin head on in vitro ATP-dependent actin-myosin sliding and Ca2+-activated contraction of muscle fibers. Antibody 1, attaching to junctional peptide between 50K and 20K heavy chain segments in the CAD, exhibited appreciable effects neither on in vitro actin-myosin sliding nor muscle fiber contraction. Since antibody 1 covers actin-binding sites of the CAD, one interpretation of this result is that rigor actin-myosin linkage is absent or at most a transient intermediate in physiological actin-myosin cycling. Antibody 2, attaching to reactive lysine residue in the CVD, showed a marked inhibitory effect on in vitro actin-myosin sliding without changing actin-activated myosin head (S1) ATPase activity, while it showed no appreciable effect on muscle contraction. Antibody 3, attaching to two peptides of regulatory light chains in the LD, had no significant effect on in vitro actin-myosin sliding, while it reduced force development in muscle fibers without changing MgATPase activity. The above definite differences in the effect of antibodies 2 and 3 between in vitro actin-myosin sliding and muscle contraction can be explained by difference in experimental conditions; in the former, myosin heads are randomly oriented on a glass surface, while in the latter myosin heads are regularly arranged within filament-lattice structures.

Definite Differences between In Vitro Actin-Myosin Sliding and Muscle Contraction as Revealed Using Antibodies to Myosin Head

PubMed Central

Sugi, Haruo; Chaen, Shigeru; Kobayashi, Takakazu; Abe, Takahiro; Kimura, Kazushige; Saeki, Yasutake; Ohnuki, Yoshiki; Miyakawa, Takuya; Tanokura, Masaru; Sugiura, Seiryo

2014-01-01

Muscle contraction results from attachment-detachment cycles between myosin heads extending from myosin filaments and actin filaments. It is generally believed that a myosin head first attaches to actin, undergoes conformational changes to produce force and motion in muscle, and then detaches from actin. Despite extensive studies, the molecular mechanism of myosin head conformational changes still remains to be a matter for debate and speculation. The myosin head consists of catalytic (CAD), converter (CVD) and lever arm (LD) domains. To give information about the role of these domains in the myosin head performance, we have examined the effect of three site-directed antibodies to the myosin head on in vitro ATP-dependent actin-myosin sliding and Ca2+-activated contraction of muscle fibers. Antibody 1, attaching to junctional peptide between 50K and 20K heavy chain segments in the CAD, exhibited appreciable effects neither on in vitro actin-myosin sliding nor muscle fiber contraction. Since antibody 1 covers actin-binding sites of the CAD, one interpretation of this result is that rigor actin-myosin linkage is absent or at most a transient intermediate in physiological actin-myosin cycling. Antibody 2, attaching to reactive lysine residue in the CVD, showed a marked inhibitory effect on in vitro actin-myosin sliding without changing actin-activated myosin head (S1) ATPase activity, while it showed no appreciable effect on muscle contraction. Antibody 3, attaching to two peptides of regulatory light chains in the LD, had no significant effect on in vitro actin-myosin sliding, while it reduced force development in muscle fibers without changing MgATPase activity. The above definite differences in the effect of antibodies 2 and 3 between in vitro actin-myosin sliding and muscle contraction can be explained by difference in experimental conditions; in the former, myosin heads are randomly oriented on a glass surface, while in the latter myosin heads are regularly arranged within filament-lattice structures. PMID:24918754

Effects of air polishing and an amino acid buffered hypochlorite solution to dentin surfaces and periodontal ligament cell survival, attachment, and spreading.

PubMed

Schmidlin, Patrick R; Fujioka-Kobayashi, Masako; Mueller, Heinz-Dieter; Sculean, Anton; Lussi, Adrian; Miron, Richard J

2017-06-01

The aim of this study is to examine morphological changes of dentin surfaces following air polishing or amino acid buffered hypochlorite solution application and to assess their influence on periodontal ligament (PDL) cell survival, attachment, and spreading to dentin discs in vitro. Bovine dentin discs were treated with either (i) Classic, (ii) Plus, or (iii) Perio powder (EMS). Furthermore, Perisolv® a hypochlorite solution buffered with various amino acids was investigated. Untreated dentin discs served as controls. Morphological changes to dentin discs were assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Human PDL cells were seeded onto the respectively treated discs, and samples were then investigated for PDL cell survival, attachment, and spreading using a live/dead assay, adhesion assay, and SEM imaging, respectively. Both control and Perisolv®-rinsed dentin discs demonstrated smooth surfaces at low and high magnifications. The Classic powders demonstrated the thickest coating followed by the Powder Plus. The Perio powder demonstrated marked alterations of dentin discs by revealing the potential to open dentinal tubules even before rinsing. Seeding of PDL cells demonstrated an almost 100 % survival rate on all samples demonstrating very high biocompatibility for all materials. Significantly higher PDL cell numbers were observed on samples treated with the Perio powder and the Perisolv® solution (approximately 40 % more cells; p < 0.05). SEM imaging revealed the potential for PDL cells to attach and spread on all surfaces. The results from the present study demonstrate that cell survival and spreading of PDL cells on root surfaces is possible following either air polishing or application with Perisolv®. Future in vitro and animal testing is necessary to further characterize the beneficial effects of either system in a clinical setting. The use of air polishing or application with Perisolv amino acid buffered hypochlorite solution was effective in treating root surfaces and allowed for near 100 % PDL cell survival, attachment, and spreading onto all root surfaces.

Bex2 regulates cell proliferation and apoptosis in malignant glioma cells via the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase pathway

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

Zhou, Xiuping, E-mail: xpzhou@xzmc.edu.cn; Lab of Neurosurgery, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, Jiangsu; Key Laboratory of Brain Disease Biology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, Jiangsu

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The expression levels of Bex2 markedly increased in glioma tissues. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Bex2 over-expression promoted cell proliferation, while its down-regulation inhibited cell growth. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Bex2 down-regulation promoted cell apoptosis via JNK/c-Jun signaling pathway. -- Abstract: The function of Bex2, a member of the Brain Expressed X-linked gene family, in glioma is controversial and its mechanism is largely unknown. We report here that Bex2 regulates cell proliferation and apoptosis in malignant glioma cells via the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway. The expression level of Bex2 is markedly increased in glioma tissues. We observed that Bex2 over-expression promotes cell proliferation, whilemore » down-regulation of Bex2 inhibits cell growth. Furthermore, Bex2 down-regulation promotes cell apoptosis and activates the JNK pathway; these effects were abolished by administration of the JNK specific inhibitor, (SP600125). Thus, Bex2 may be an important player during the development of glioma.« less

Epigenetic modifications and chromatin loop organization explain the different expression profiles of the Tbrg4, WAP and Ramp3 genes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Whey Acidic Protein (WAP) gene expression is specific to the mammary gland and regulated by lactogenic hormones to peak during lactation. It differs markedly from the more constitutive expression of the two flanking genes, Ramp3 and Tbrg4. Our results show that the tight regulation of WAP gene expre...

Notch3 marks clonogenic mammary luminal progenitor cells in vivo.

PubMed

Lafkas, Daniel; Rodilla, Veronica; Huyghe, Mathilde; Mourao, Larissa; Kiaris, Hippokratis; Fre, Silvia

2013-10-14

The identity of mammary stem and progenitor cells remains poorly understood, mainly as a result of the lack of robust markers. The Notch signaling pathway has been implicated in mammary gland development as well as in tumorigenesis in this tissue. Elevated expression of the Notch3 receptor has been correlated to the highly aggressive "triple negative" human breast cancer. However, the specific cells expressing this Notch paralogue in the mammary gland remain unknown. Using a conditionally inducible Notch3-CreERT2(SAT) transgenic mouse, we genetically marked Notch3-expressing cells throughout mammary gland development and followed their lineage in vivo. We demonstrate that Notch3 is expressed in a highly clonogenic and transiently quiescent luminal progenitor population that gives rise to a ductal lineage. These cells are capable of surviving multiple successive pregnancies, suggesting a capacity to self-renew. Our results also uncover a role for the Notch3 receptor in restricting the proliferation and consequent clonal expansion of these cells.

Notch3 marks clonogenic mammary luminal progenitor cells in vivo

PubMed Central

Lafkas, Daniel; Rodilla, Veronica; Huyghe, Mathilde; Mourao, Larissa; Kiaris, Hippokratis

2013-01-01

The identity of mammary stem and progenitor cells remains poorly understood, mainly as a result of the lack of robust markers. The Notch signaling pathway has been implicated in mammary gland development as well as in tumorigenesis in this tissue. Elevated expression of the Notch3 receptor has been correlated to the highly aggressive “triple negative” human breast cancer. However, the specific cells expressing this Notch paralogue in the mammary gland remain unknown. Using a conditionally inducible Notch3-CreERT2SAT transgenic mouse, we genetically marked Notch3-expressing cells throughout mammary gland development and followed their lineage in vivo. We demonstrate that Notch3 is expressed in a highly clonogenic and transiently quiescent luminal progenitor population that gives rise to a ductal lineage. These cells are capable of surviving multiple successive pregnancies, suggesting a capacity to self-renew. Our results also uncover a role for the Notch3 receptor in restricting the proliferation and consequent clonal expansion of these cells. PMID:24100291

Fisetin Induces Apoptosis Through p53-Mediated Up-Regulation of DR5 Expression in Human Renal Carcinoma Caki Cells.

PubMed

Min, Kyoung-Jin; Nam, Ju-Ock; Kwon, Taeg Kyu

2017-08-02

Fisetin is a natural compound found in fruits and vegetables such as strawberries, apples, cucumbers, and onions. Since fisetin can elicit anti-cancer effects, including anti-proliferation and anti-migration, we investigated whether fisetin induced apoptosis in human renal carcinoma (Caki) cells. Fisetin markedly induced sub-G1 population and cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), which is a marker of apoptosis, and increased caspase activation. We found that pan-caspase inhibitor (z-VAD-fmk) inhibited fisetin-induced apoptosis. In addition, fisetin induced death receptor 5 (DR5) expression at the transcriptional level, and down-regulation of DR5 by siRNA blocked fisetin-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, fisetin induced p53 protein expression through up-regulation of protein stability, whereas down-regulation of p53 by siRNA markedly inhibited fisetin-induced DR5 expression. In contrast, fisetin induced up-regulation of CHOP expression and reactive oxygen species production, which had no effect on fisetin-induced apoptosis. Taken together, our study demonstrates that fisetin induced apoptosis through p53 mediated up-regulation of DR5 expression at the transcriptional level.

Love is more than just a kiss: a neurobiological perspective on love and affection.

PubMed

de Boer, A; van Buel, E M; Ter Horst, G J

2012-01-10

Love, attachment, and truth of human monogamy have become important research themes in neuroscience. After the introduction of functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET), neuroscientists have demonstrated increased interest in the neurobiology and neurochemistry of emotions, including love and affection. Neurobiologists have studied pair-bonding mechanisms in animal models of mate choice to elucidate neurochemical mechanisms underlying attachment and showed possible roles for oxytocin, vasopressin, and dopamine and their receptors in pair-bonding and monogamy. Unresolved is whether these substances are also critically involved in human attachment. The limited number of available imaging studies on love and affection is hampered by selection bias on gender, duration of a love affair, and cultural differences. Brain activity patterns associated with romantic love, shown with fMRI, overlapped with regions expressing oxytocin receptors in the animal models, but definite proof for a role of oxytocin in human attachment is still lacking. There is also evidence for a role of serotonin, cortisol, nerve growth factor, and testosterone in love and attachment. Changes in brain activity related to the various stages of a love affair, gender, and cultural differences are unresolved and will probably become important research themes in this field in the near future. In this review we give a resume of the current knowledge of the neurobiology of love and attachment and we discuss in brief the truth of human monogamy. Copyright © 2011 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Novel isoprenylated proteins identified by an expression library screen.

PubMed

Biermann, B J; Morehead, T A; Tate, S E; Price, J R; Randall, S K; Crowell, D N

1994-10-14

Isoprenylated proteins are involved in eukaryotic cell growth and signal transduction. The protein determinant for prenylation is a short carboxyl-terminal motif containing a cysteine, to which the isoprenoid is covalently attached via thioether linkage. To date, isoprenylated proteins have almost all been identified by demonstrating the attachment of an isoprenoid to previously known proteins. Thus, many isoprenylated proteins probably remain undiscovered. To identify novel isoprenylated proteins for subsequent biochemical study, colony blots of a Glycine max cDNA expression library were [3H]farnesyl-labeled in vitro. Proteins identified by this screen contained several different carboxyl termini that conform to consensus farnesylation motifs. These proteins included known farnesylated proteins (DnaJ homologs) and several novel proteins, two of which contained six or more tandem repeats of a hexapeptide having the consensus sequence (E/G)(G/P)EK(P/K)K. Thus, plants contain a diverse array of genes encoding farnesylated proteins, and our results indicate that fundamental differences in the identities of farnesylated proteins may exist between plants and other eukaryotes. Expression library screening by direct labeling can be adapted to identify isoprenylated proteins from other organisms, as well as proteins with other post-translational modifications.

Negative and positive regulation by a short segment in the 5'-flanking region of the human cytomegalovirus major immediate-early gene

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

Nelson, J.A.; Reynolds-Kohler, C.; Smith, B.A.

1987-11-01

To analyze the significance of inducible DNase I-hypersensitive sites occurring in the 5'-flanking sequence of the major immediate-early gene of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), various deleted portions of the HCMV immediate-early promoter regulatory region were attached to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene and assayed for activity in transiently transfected undifferentiated and differentiated human teratocarcinoma cells, Tera-2. Assays of progressive deletions in the promoter regulatory region indicated that removal of a 395-base-pair portion of this element (nucleotides -750 to -1145) containing two inducible DNase I sites which correlate with gene expression resulted in a 7.5-fold increase in CAT activity in undifferentiated cells.more » However, in permissive differentiated Tera-2, human foreskin fibroblast, and HeLa cells, removal of this regulatory region resulted in decreased activity. In addition, attachment of this HCMV upstream element to a homologous or heterologous promoter increased activity three-to fivefold in permissive cells. Therefore, a cis regulatory element exists 5' to the enhancer of the major immediate-early gene of HCMV. This element negatively modulates expression in nonpermissive cells but positively influences expression in permissive cells.« less

Fluorescent Labeling of COS-7 Expressing SNAP-tag Fusion Proteins for Live Cell Imaging

PubMed Central

Provost, Christopher R.; Sun, Luo

2010-01-01

SNAP-tag and CLIP-tag protein labeling systems enable the specific, covalent attachment of molecules, including fluorescent dyes, to a protein of interest in live cells. These systems offer a broad selection of fluorescent substrates optimized for a range of imaging instrumentation. Once cloned and expressed, the tagged protein can be used with a variety of substrates for numerous downstream applications without having to clone again. There are two steps to using this system: cloning and expression of the protein of interest as a SNAP-tag fusion, and labeling of the fusion with the SNAP-tag substrate of choice. The SNAP-tag is a small protein based on human O6-alkylguanine-DNA-alkyltransferase (hAGT), a DNA repair protein. SNAP-tag labels are dyes conjugated to guanine or chloropyrimidine leaving groups via a benzyl linker. In the labeling reaction, the substituted benzyl group of the substrate is covalently attached to the SNAP-tag. CLIP-tag is a modified version of SNAP-tag, engineered to react with benzylcytosine rather than benzylguanine derivatives. When used in conjunction with SNAP-tag, CLIP-tag enables the orthogonal and complementary labeling of two proteins simultaneously in the same cells. PMID:20485262

[Biocompatibility of HA/TCP biphasic ceramics with co-cultured human osteoblasts in vitro].

PubMed

Lu, X; Li, S; Zhang, J; Zhang, Z; Lu, B; Bu, H; Li, Y; Cheng, J

2001-12-01

The biocompatibility of HA/TCP ceramic was evaluated by investigation of attachment and growth of osteoblasts on biomaterial, as well as monitoring the effects of biomaterial on expression of functional phenotypes of co-cultured osteoblasts in vitro. When co-cultured with HA/TCP ceramics, osteoblasts firstly attached to the surface of HA/TCP disk, then attached to notches and grew into the micropores of biomaterial during further culture period. At last, the ceramics were almost packed with osteoblasts. Additionally, osteoblasts co-cultured with HA/TCP were similar to osteoblasts cultured under normal condition in osteoblastic phenotypes; the secreted lots of collagen type I, possess strong activity of Alkaline Phosphatase and mineralized extracellular matrix. The fact that osteoblasts could grow well on HA/TCP ceramics and the biomaterial did not affect their physiological function suggest that HA/TCP ceramic is biocompatible with human osteoblasts.

Survival of salmonella transformed to express green fluorescent protein on Italian parsley as affected by processing and storage.

PubMed

Duffy, E A; Cisneros-Zevallos, L; Castillo, A; Pillai, S D; Ricke, S C; Acuff, G R

2005-04-01

To study the effect of processing and storage parameters on the survival of Salmonella on fresh Italian parsley, parsley bunches were dipped for 3 or 15 min in suspensions that were preequilibrated to 5, 25, or 35 degrees C and inoculated with Salmonella transformed to express enhanced green fluorescent protein. Loosely attached and/or associated, strongly attached and/or associated, and internalized and/or entrapped Salmonella cells were enumerated over 0, 1, and 7 days of storage at 25 degrees C and over 0, 1, 7, 14, and 30 days of storage at 4 degrees C using surface-plating procedures. Leaf sections obtained from samples after 0, 1, and 7 days of storage were examined using confocal scanning laser microscopy. Temperature of the dip suspension had little effect on the attachment and survival of Salmonella cells on parsley. Regardless of the temperature or duration of dip, Salmonella was internalized. Immersion for longer times resulted in higher numbers of attached and internalized cells. Microscopic observations supported these results and revealed Salmonella cells near the stomata and within cracks in the cuticle. Storage temperature had the greatest impact on the survival of Salmonella cells on parsley. When stored at 25 degrees C, parsley had a shelf life of 7 days, and Salmonella populations significantly increased over the 7 days of storage. For parsley stored at 4 degrees C, numbers of Salmonella cells decreased over days 0, 1, and 7. After 7 days of storage, there were no viable internalized Salmonella cells detected. Storage temperature represents an important control point for the safety of fresh parsley.

Comparative evaluation of different calcium phosphate-based bone graft granules - an in vitro study with osteoblast-like cells.

PubMed

Bernhardt, Anne; Lode, Anja; Peters, Fabian; Gelinsky, Michael

2013-04-01

Granule-shaped calcium phosphate-based bone graft materials are often required for bone regeneration especially in implant dentistry. Two newly developed bone graft materials are Ceracell(®) , an open-celled highly porous bioceramic from β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) under addition of bioglass and Osseolive(®) , an open porous glass ceramic with the general formula Ca2 KNa(PO4 )2 . The goal of this study was to characterize different modifications of the two bone graft materials in vitro in comparison to already established ceramic bone grafts Cerasorb M(®) , NanoBone(®) and BONIT Matrix(®) . Adhesion and proliferation of SaOS-2 osteoblast-like cells were evaluated quantitatively by determining DNA content and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and qualitatively by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, MTT cell-vitality staining was applied to confirm the attachment of viable cells to the different materials. Osteogenic differentiation was evaluated by measurement of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity as well as gene expression analysis of osteogenic markers using reverse transcriptase PCR. DNA content and LDH activity revealed good cell attachment and proliferation for Ceracell and Cerasorb M. When pre-incubated with cell-culture medium, also Osseolive showed good cell attachment and proliferation. Attachment and proliferation of osteoblast-like cells on NanoBone and BONIT Matrix was very low, even after pre-incubation with cell-culture medium. Specific ALP activity on Ceracell(®) , Osseolive (®) and Cerasorb M(®) increased with time and expression of bone-related genes ALP, osteonectin, osteopontin and bone sialoprotein II was demonstrated. Ceracell as well as Osseolive granules support proliferation and osteogenic differentiation in vitro and may be promising candidates for in vivo applications. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Expression of beta-dystroglycan is reduced or absent in many human carcinomas.

PubMed

Cross, S S; Lippitt, J; Mitchell, A; Hollingsbury, F; Balasubramanian, S P; Reed, M W R; Eaton, C; Catto, J W; Hamdy, F; Winder, S J

2008-11-01

Dystroglycan is an important structural and signalling protein that is expressed in most human cells. alpha-Dystroglycan has been investigated and found to be reduced in human cancers, but there is only one published study on the expression of beta-dystroglycan in human cancer and that was only on small numbers of breast and prostatic cancers. The aim was to conduct a comprehensive immunohistochemical survey of the expression of beta-dystroglycan in normal human tissues and common cancers. Triplicate tissue microarrays of 681 samples of normal human tissues and common cancers were stained using an antibody directed against the cytoplasmic component of beta-dystroglycan. beta-Dystroglycan was strongly expressed at the intercellular junctions and basement membranes of all normal human epithelia. Expression of beta-dystroglycan was absent or markedly reduced in 100% of oesophageal adenocarcinomas, 97% of colonic cancers, 100% of transitional cell carcinomas of the urothelium and 94% of breast cancers. In the breast cancers, the only tumours that showed any retention of beta-dystroglycan expression were small low-grade oestrogen receptor-positive tumours. The only cancers that showed retention of beta-dystroglycan expression were cutaneous basal cell carcinomas. There is loss or marked reduction of beta-dystroglycan expression (by immunohistochemistry) in the vast majority of human cancers surveyed. Since beta-dystroglycan is postulated to have a tumour suppressor effect, this loss may have important functional significance.

Regulation of virulence by a two-component system in group B streptococcus.

PubMed

Jiang, Sheng-Mei; Cieslewicz, Michael J; Kasper, Dennis L; Wessels, Michael R

2005-02-01

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is frequently carried in the gastrointestinal or genitourinary tract as a commensal organism, yet it has the potential to cause life-threatening infection in newborn infants, pregnant women, and individuals with chronic illness. Regulation of virulence factor expression may affect whether GBS behaves as an asymptomatic colonizer or an invasive pathogen, but little is known about how such factors are controlled in GBS. We now report the characterization of a GBS locus that encodes a two-component regulatory system similar to CsrRS (or CovRS) in Streptococcus pyogenes. Inactivation of csrR, encoding the putative response regulator, in two unrelated wild-type strains of GBS resulted in a marked increase in production of beta-hemolysin/cytolysin and a striking decrease in production of CAMP factor, an unrelated cytolytic toxin. Quantitative RNA hybridization experiments revealed that these two phenotypes were associated with a marked increase and decrease in expression of the corresponding genes, cylE and cfb, respectively. The CsrR mutant strains also displayed increased expression of scpB encoding C5a peptidase. Similar, but less marked, changes in gene expression were observed in CsrS (putative sensor component) mutants, evidence that CsrR and CsrS constitute a functional two-component system. Experimental infection studies in mice demonstrated reduced virulence of both CsrR and CsrS mutant strains relative to the wild type. Together, these results indicate that CsrRS regulates expression of multiple GBS virulence determinants and is likely to play an important role in GBS pathogenesis.

Jazz Style and Articulation: How to Get Your Band or Choir to Swing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tolson, Jerry

2012-01-01

The interpretation of jazz style is crucial to the element of swing in any jazz ensemble performance. Today, many charts for both large and small instrumental and vocal jazz ensembles are well marked with articulations and expression markings. However, in some cases, there is nothing to guide the musician. This article addresses some common jazz…

77 FR 24491 - Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-24

... Board of Governors. Interested persons may express their views in writing to the Reserve Bank indicated... co-trustee of the RMB 2012 Family Trust; trustee of the Ray Mark Bain 2007 Trust; and trustee of the Ray Mark Bain Children's Trusts; Michael Lewis Bain, Canyon, Texas, individually, as co-trustee of the...

NLS-RARα promotes proliferation and inhibits differentiation in HL-60 cells.

PubMed

Hu, Xiu-Xiu; Zhong, Liang; Zhang, Xi; Gao, Yuan-Mei; Liu, Bei-Zhong

2014-01-01

A unique mRNA produced in leukemic cells from a t(15;17) acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) patient encodes a fusion protein between the retinoic acid receptor α (RARα) and a myeloid gene product called PML. Studies have reported that neutrophil elastase (NE) cleaves bcr-1-derived PML-RARα in early myeloid cells, leaving only the nuclear localization signal (NLS) of PML attached to RARα. The resultant NLS-RARα fusion protein mainly localizes to, and functions within, the cell nucleus. It is speculated that NLS-RARα may act in different ways from the wild-type RARα, but its biological characteristics have not been reported. This study takes two approaches. Firstly, the NLS-RARα was silenced with pNLS-RARα-shRNA. The mRNA and protein expression of NLS-RARα were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot respectively. Cell proliferation in vitro was assessed by MTT assay. Flow cytometry (FCM) was used to detect the differentiation of cells. Secondly, the NLS-RARα was over-expressed by preparation of recombinant adenovirus HL-60/pAd-NLS-RARα. The assays of mRNA and protein expression of NLS-RARα, and cell proliferation, were as above. By contrast, cell differentiation was stimulated by all trans retinoic acid (ATRA) (2.5µmol/L) at 24h after virus infection of pAd-NLS-RARα, and then detected by CD11b labeling two days later. The transcription and translation of C-MYC was detected in HL-60/pAd-NLS-RARα cells which treated by ATRA. Our results showed that compared to the control groups, the expression of NLS-RARα was significantly reduced in the HL-60/pNLS-RARα-shRNA cells, and increased dramatically in the HL-60/pAd-NLS-RARα cells. The proliferation was remarkably inhibited in the HL-60/pNLS-RARα-shRNA cells in a time-dependent manner, but markedly promoted in the HL-60/pAd-NLS-RARα cells. FCM outcome revealed the differentiation increased in HL-60/pNLS-RARα-shRNA cells, and decreased in the HL-60/pAd-NLS-RARα cells treated with 2.5µmol/L ATRA. The expression of C-MYC increased strikingly in HL-60/pAd-NLS-RARα cells treated with 2.5µmol/L ATRA. Down-regulation of NLS-RARα expression inhibited the proliferation and induced the differentiation of HL-60 cells. On the contrary, over-expression of NLS-RARα promoted proliferation and reduced the ATRA-induced differentiation of HL-60 cells.

Inactivated Recombinant Rabies Viruses Displaying Canine Distemper Virus Glycoproteins Induce Protective Immunity against Both Pathogens.

PubMed

da Fontoura Budaszewski, Renata; Hudacek, Andrew; Sawatsky, Bevan; Krämer, Beate; Yin, Xiangping; Schnell, Matthias J; von Messling, Veronika

2017-04-15

The development of multivalent vaccines is an attractive methodology for the simultaneous prevention of several infectious diseases in vulnerable populations. Both canine distemper virus (CDV) and rabies virus (RABV) cause lethal disease in wild and domestic carnivores. While RABV vaccines are inactivated, the live-attenuated CDV vaccines retain residual virulence for highly susceptible wildlife species. In this study, we developed recombinant bivalent vaccine candidates based on recombinant vaccine strain rabies virus particles, which concurrently display the protective CDV and RABV glycoprotein antigens. The recombinant viruses replicated to near-wild-type titers, and the heterologous glycoproteins were efficiently expressed and incorporated in the viral particles. Immunization of ferrets with beta-propiolactone-inactivated recombinant virus particles elicited protective RABV antibody titers, and animals immunized with a combination of CDV attachment protein- and fusion protein-expressing recombinant viruses were protected from lethal CDV challenge. However, animals that were immunized with only a RABV expressing the attachment protein of CDV vaccine strain Onderstepoort succumbed to infection with a more recent wild-type strain, indicating that immune responses to the more conserved fusion protein contribute to protection against heterologous CDV strains. IMPORTANCE Rabies virus and canine distemper virus (CDV) cause high mortality rates and death in many carnivores. While rabies vaccines are inactivated and thus have an excellent safety profile and high stability, live-attenuated CDV vaccines can retain residual virulence in highly susceptible species. Here we generated recombinant inactivated rabies viruses that carry one of the CDV glycoproteins on their surface. Ferrets immunized twice with a mix of recombinant rabies viruses carrying the CDV fusion and attachment glycoproteins were protected from lethal CDV challenge, whereas all animals that received recombinant rabies viruses carrying only the CDV attachment protein according to the same immunization scheme died. Irrespective of the CDV antigens used, all animals developed protective titers against rabies virus, illustrating that a bivalent rabies virus-based vaccine against CDV induces protective immune responses against both pathogens. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Orientation dependence in fluorescent energy transfer between Cy3 and Cy5 terminally attached to double-stranded nucleic acids

PubMed Central

Iqbal, Asif; Arslan, Sinan; Okumus, Burak; Wilson, Timothy J.; Giraud, Gerard; Norman, David G.; Ha, Taekjip; Lilley, David M. J.

2008-01-01

We have found that the efficiency of fluorescence resonance energy transfer between Cy3 and Cy5 terminally attached to the 5′ ends of a DNA duplex is significantly affected by the relative orientation of the two fluorophores. The cyanine fluorophores are predominantly stacked on the ends of the helix in the manner of an additional base pair, and thus their relative orientation depends on the length of the helix. Observed fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) efficiency depends on the length of the helix, as well as its helical periodicity. By changing the helical geometry from B form double-stranded DNA to A form hybrid RNA/DNA, a marked phase shift occurs in the modulation of FRET efficiency with helix length. Both curves are well explained by the standard geometry of B and A form helices. The observed modulation for both polymers is less than that calculated for a fully rigid attachment of the fluorophores. However, a model involving lateral mobility of the fluorophores on the ends of the helix explains the observed experimental data. This has been further modified to take account of a minor fraction of unstacked fluorophore observed by fluorescent lifetime measurements. Our data unequivocally establish that Förster transfer obeys the orientation dependence as expected for a dipole–dipole interaction. PMID:18676615

Morphological alterations in the elastic fibers of the rabbit craniomandibular joint following experimentally induced anterior disk displacement.

PubMed

Ali, A M; Sharawy, M; O'Dell, N L; al-Behery, G

1993-01-01

Elastic fibers are important components of the connective tissue that attaches the articular disk of the craniomandibular joint (CMJ) to the skull and mandible. Biopsies of the articular disk proper and bilaminar zone (BZ) tissues from patients with anterior disk displacement (ADD) have shown previously that there is a marked loss of elastic fibers. In the present study, the effects of inducing ADD on the elastic fibers in the rabbit CMJ disk proper, BZ and condylar cartilage were investigated. The right CMJ was exposed surgically and the discal attachments were severed except for the BZ attachments. Then, the disk was displaced anteriorly and sutured to the zygomatic arch. The CMJs were removed after 1, 2 or 6 weeks and processed for histochemical demonstration of elastic fibers. The results showed osteoarthritic changes following ADD, and a significant decrease in the number of the elastic fibers in the disk proper and BZ. The remaining elastic fibers were abnormal in their appearance and orientation. In addition, ADD led to the appearance of fine elastic fibers among the chondrocytes in the hyaline cartilage of the condyle that were not present in the cartilage of the control condyle. We conclude that induced ADD can lead to a significant loss of elastic fibers in the articular disk, and result in the appearance of elastic fibers within the cartilage of the mandibular condyle.

Psychological profile of women with infertility: A comparative study

PubMed Central

Poddar, Shuvabrata; Sanyal, Nilanjana; Mukherjee, Urbi

2014-01-01

Background: An endeavour to probe into the psychological profile of infertile women in a comparative stance with the fertile women is not very common. This study is an attempt to explore the possible non-apparent personality factors which contribute to the unexplained pain of infertility. Methods: The main objectives of the present study were (a) to examine whether infertile women are different from fertile women in terms of selected psychological variables- narcissistic components, dimensions of attachment style and uses of defensive manoeuvres; and (b) whether the primary infertile women (n=18) are different from the secondary infertile women (n=12) with respect to those variables. A total of 60 individuals (30 infertile women and 30 matched fertile women) were assessed through Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ), Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) and Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ-40). General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) was administered on to the fertile women to rule out the psychiatric morbidity. Results: Findings revealed that infertile women group differed from fertile women group with respect to narcissism, dimensions of attachment style and uses of defense mechanism. The primary infertile group also showed marked difference from the secondary infertile group with respect to those variables. Conclusions: This study endeavours to enrich the knowledge regarding the personality dynamics of infertile women to design psychotherapeutic programme to aid their well-being, help them to cherish the flavour of parenthood and improve their quality of life. PMID:25788801