Influence of hydrogen on the stability of iron phases under pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skorodumova, N. V.; Ahuja, R.; Johansson, B.

2004-04-01

The influence of hydrogen presence on the stability of iron phases (bcc, hcp, dhcp, fcc, simple cubic) in a wide pressure interval at 0 K has been studied by the first-principles projector augmented-wave (PAW) method. Hydrogen is shown to occupy different interstitial lattice positions depending on the type of structure and pressure. An introduction of hydrogen impurities (˜6 at. %) leads to a stabilization of the close-packed iron structures, shifting the calculated pressure of the bcc-hcp transition from ˜9 GPa for pure iron to 7 GPa for Fe (6 at. % H). This tendency is further enhanced in the iron hydride structures. The iron hydrides in the close-packed structures (hcp, dhcp, fcc) are essentially degenerate in energy and found to be most stable in the whole pressure range.

Carbon diffusion in molten uranium: an ab initio molecular dynamics study

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

Garrett, Kerry E.; Abrecht, David G.; Kessler, Sean H.

In this work we used ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) within the framework of density functional theory (DFT) and the projector-augmented wave (PAW) method to study carbon diffusion in liquid uranium at temperatures above 1600 K. The electronic interactions of carbon and uranium were described using the local density approximation (LDA). The self-diffusion of uranium based on this approach is compared with literature computational and experimental results for liquid uranium. The temperature dependence of carbon and uranium diffusion in the melt was evaluated by fitting the resulting diffusion coefficients to an Arrhenius relationship. We found that the LDA calculated activationmore » energy for carbon was nearly twice that of uranium: 0.55±0.03 eV for carbon compared to 0.32±0.04 eV for uranium. Structural analysis of the liquid uranium-carbon system is also discussed.« less

Carbon in iron phases under high pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, L.; Skorodumova, N. V.; Belonoshko, A. B.; Johansson, B.; Ahuja, R.

2005-11-01

The influence of carbon impurities on the properties of iron phases (bcc, hcp, dhcp, fcc) has been studied using the first-principles projector augmented-wave (PAW) method for a wide pressure range. It is shown that the presence of ~6 at. % of interstitial carbon has a little effect on the calculated structural sequence of the iron phases under high pressure. The bcc -> hcp transition both for pure iron and iron containing carbon takes place around 9 GPa. According to the enthalpies comparison, the solubility of carbon into the iron solid is decreased by high pressure. The coexistence of iron carbide (Fe3C) + pure hcp Fe is most stable phase at high pressure compared with other phases. Based on the analysis of the pressure-density dependences for Fe3C and hcp Fe, we suggest that there might be some fraction of iron carbide present in the core.

[Application of injection test in confirming the ideal position of esophageal balloon catheter].

PubMed

Chen, Han; Xu, Ming; Yang, Yanlin; He, Xuan; Zhou, Jianxin

2017-09-01

To evaluate the safety and feasibility of injection test which is used to locate esophageal balloon catheter. A prospective study was conducted. The patients undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) admitted to general intensive care unit (ICU) of Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from May 2015 and March 2017 were enrolled. The commercially available esophageal balloon catheter was modified to perform injection test. The catheter was withdrawn step by step and the injection test was repeated until the presence disturbance wave presented, which indicated that the balloon had just entered the esophagus. The position where disturbance wave appears was named 0 cm. End-expiratory occlusions were performed at the positions of +15, +10, +5, 0, -5, -10 and -15 cm, respectively, and the changes of esophageal pressure (Pes) and airway pressures (Paw) were measured in the spontaneous breathing and passive ventilation, and the ratio between the changes (ΔPes/ΔPaw) was calculated. A total of 20 patients were enrolled, of which 15 patients finished both the spontaneous and the passive ventilation parts, and 2 patients finished only the spontaneous part and 3 patients finished only passive part. (1) Disturbance waves could be induced by injection test in all patients. The average depth of disturbance wave in spontaneous breathing was deeper than that in passive ventilation (cm: 42.4±3.8 vs. 41.8±3.3), but there was no significant difference between the two ventilation settings (P = 0.132). No adverse events occurred during the study period. (2) Pes increased with the stepwise withdraw of esophageal catheter, reached the maximal value at +5 cm, and then decreased when the catheter was further withdrawn, no matter in the spontaneous or the passive ventilation. In spontaneous breathing, the ΔPes/ΔPaw was within the ideal range (0.8-1.2) at the positions of 0, -5 and -10 cm. The ΔPes/ΔPaw was closest to unity at the positions of 0 cm (0.98±0.15). The ΔPes/ΔPaw at -15 cm (0.66±0.26) was significantly lower than that at 0 cm (P < 0.05). For passive ventilation, the ΔPes/ΔPaw was within the ideal range at the positions of -5 cm and -10 cm, and the ΔPes/ΔPaw was closest to unity at the positions of -10 cm (0.94±0.12). The ΔPes/ΔPaw at 0 cm and -5 cm was significantly higher than that at -10 cm (1.43±0.31 and 1.12±0.14, respectively); while the ΔPes/ΔPaw at -15 cm (0.68±0.23) was significantly lower than that at -10 cm (all P < 0.01). Ideal position of the esophageal balloon catheter could be determined quickly and easily by using injection test. The method is safe and clinically feasible. Clinical Trials, NCT02446938.

Atomic adsorption on pristine graphene along the Periodic Table of Elements - From PBE to non-local functionals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pašti, Igor A.; Jovanović, Aleksandar; Dobrota, Ana S.; Mentus, Slavko V.; Johansson, Börje; Skorodumova, Natalia V.

2018-04-01

The understanding of atomic adsorption on graphene is of high importance for many advanced technologies. Here we present a complete database of the atomic adsorption energies for the elements of the Periodic Table up to the atomic number 86 (excluding lanthanides) on pristine graphene. The energies have been calculated using the projector augmented wave (PAW) method with PBE, long-range dispersion interaction corrected PBE (PBE+D2, PBE+D3) as well as non-local vdW-DF2 approach. The inclusion of dispersion interactions leads to an exothermic adsorption for all the investigated elements. Dispersion interactions are found to be of particular importance for the adsorption of low atomic weight earth alkaline metals, coinage and s-metals (11th and 12th groups), high atomic weight p-elements and noble gases. We discuss the observed adsorption trends along the groups and rows of the Periodic Table as well some computational aspects of modelling atomic adsorption on graphene.

Structural and magnetic properties of FeHx (x=0.25; 0.50; 0.75)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikhaylushkin, A. S.; Skorodumova, N. V.; Ahuja, R.; Johansson, B.

2006-05-01

The structural and magnetic properties of the FeHx (x=0.25; 0.50; 0.75) compounds have been studied using the projector augmented wave (PAW) method within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). We compare the hcp, dhcp and fcc structures and find that for the considered concentrations of hydrogen the hcp structure is most stable in a wide pressure range. The magnetic behavior of iron is crucially influenced by hydrogen. In particular, the local moment on a Fe atom depends on the number of hydrogen atoms in the atom surroundings. Iron atoms, which are crystallographically equivalent in their original structures (hcp, fcc) but have different number of hydrogen neighbors, are shown to have different local magnetic moments. This finding suggests that the experimental observations of two magnetic moments in iron hydride can be explained by nonstoichiometry of the hydride and might not be a direct evidence for the presence of the dhcp phase.

Calculation of the X-Ray emission K and L 2,3 bands of metallic magnesium and aluminum with allowance for multielectron effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ovcharenko, R. E.; Tupitsyn, I. I.; Savinov, E. P.; Voloshina, E. N.; Dedkov, Yu. S.; Shulakov, A. S.

2014-01-01

A procedure is proposed to calculate the shape of the characteristic X-ray emission bands of metals with allowance for multielectron effects. The effects of the dynamic screening of a core vacancy by conduction electrons and the Auger effect in the valence band are taken into account. The dynamic screening of a core vacancy, which is known to be called the MND (Mahan-Nozeieres-De Dominics) effect, is taken into account by an ab initio band calculation of crystals using the PAW (projected augmented waves) method. The Auger effect is taken into account by a semiempirical method using the approximation of a quadratic dependence of the level width in the valence band on the difference between the level energy and the Fermi energy. The proposed calculation procedure is used to describe the X-ray emission K and L 2,3 bands of metallic magnesium and aluminum crystals. The calculated spectra agree well with the experimental bands both near the Fermi level and in the low-energy part of the spectra in all cases.

Clean Os(0001) electronic surface states: A first-principle fully relativistic investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urru, Andrea; Dal Corso, Andrea

2018-05-01

We analyze the electronic structure of the Os(0001) surface by means of first-principle calculations based on Fully Relativistic (FR) Density Functional Theory (DFT) and a Projector Augmented-Wave (PAW) approach. We investigate surface states and resonances analyzing their spin-orbit induced energy splitting and their spin polarization. The results are compared with previously studied surfaces Ir(111), Pt(111), and Au(111). We do not find any surface state in the gap similar to the L-gap of the (111) fcc surfaces, but find Rashba split resonances that cross the Fermi level and, as in the recently studied Ir(111) surface, have a characteristic downward dispersion. Moreover, for some selected surface states we study the spin polarization with respect to k∥, the wave-vector parallel to the surface. In some cases, such as the Rashba split resonances, the spin polarization shows a smooth behavior with slow rotations, in others the rotation is faster, due to mixing and anti-crossing of the states.

Hubbard physics in the PAW GW approximation

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

Booth, J. M., E-mail: jamie.booth@rmit.edu.au; Smith, J. S.; Russo, S. P.

It is demonstrated that the signatures of the Hubbard Model in the strongly interacting regime can be simulated by modifying the screening in the limit of zero wavevector in Projector-Augmented Wave GW calculations for systems without significant nesting. This modification, when applied to the Mott insulator CuO, results in the opening of the Mott gap by the splitting of states at the Fermi level into upper and lower Hubbard bands, and exhibits a giant transfer of spectral weight upon electron doping. The method is also employed to clearly illustrate that the M{sub 1} and M{sub 2} forms of vanadium dioxidemore » are fundamentally different types of insulator. Standard GW calculations are sufficient to open a gap in M{sub 1} VO{sub 2}, which arise from the Peierls pairing filling the valence band, creating homopolar bonds. The valence band wavefunctions are stabilized with respect to the conduction band, reducing polarizability and pushing the conduction band eigenvalues to higher energy. The M{sub 2} structure, however, opens a gap from strong on-site interactions; it is a Mott insulator.« less

The PAW/GIPAW approach for computing NMR parameters: a new dimension added to NMR study of solids.

PubMed

Charpentier, Thibault

2011-07-01

In 2001, Mauri and Pickard introduced the gauge including projected augmented wave (GIPAW) method that enabled for the first time the calculation of all-electron NMR parameters in solids, i.e. accounting for periodic boundary conditions. The GIPAW method roots in the plane wave pseudopotential formalism of the density functional theory (DFT), and avoids the use of the cluster approximation. This method has undoubtedly revitalized the interest in quantum chemical calculations in the solid-state NMR community. It has quickly evolved and improved so that the calculation of the key components of NMR interactions, namely the shielding and electric field gradient tensors, has now become a routine for most of the common nuclei studied in NMR. Availability of reliable implementations in several software packages (CASTEP, Quantum Espresso, PARATEC) make its usage more and more increasingly popular, maybe indispensable in near future for all material NMR studies. The majority of nuclei of the periodic table have already been investigated by GIPAW, and because of its high accuracy it is quickly becoming an essential tool for interpreting and understanding experimental NMR spectra, providing reliable assignments of the observed resonances to crystallographic sites or enabling a priori prediction of NMR data. The continuous increase of computing power makes ever larger (and thus more realistic) systems amenable to first-principles analysis. In the near future perspectives, as the incorporation of dynamical effects and/or disorder are still at their early developments, these areas will certainly be the prime target. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The anti-inflammatory effect of diclofenac is considerably augmented by topical capsaicinoids-containing patch in carrageenan-induced paw oedema of rat.

PubMed

Ercan, Nilufer; Uludag, Mecit Orhan; Agis, Erol Rauf; Demirel-Yilmaz, Emine

2013-12-01

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most used drugs in musculoskeletal disorders, but their systemic adverse effects limit their therapeutic benefit in local inflammation. On the other hand, topical preparations of capsaicinoids are widely used for musculoskeletal disorders as a complementary therapy. In this study, the effects of both topical capsaicinoids-containing patch and local subcutaneous capsaicin application on the anti-inflammatory action of NSAID were examined. Carrageenan-induced paw oedema of rats was used as the inflammation model. The volume and weight of the paw oedema and plasma extravasation in the paw were determined after carrageenan injection. The systemic application of diclofenac (3 mg/kg), which is an NSAID, significantly decreased the volume and weight of the paw oedema. Topical capsaicinoids-containing patch application or local capsaicin injection (2, 10, 20 μg/paw) alone did not cause any effect on oedema volume and weight. However, the combination of diclofenac with topical capsaicinoids-containing patch significantly increased the effectiveness of diclofenac on inflammation. Evans blue content of the paws that represents plasma extravasation was decreased by capsaicinoids-containing patch with and without diclofenac and diclofenac combination with the lowest dose of capsaicin injection. The results of this study indicate that topical application of capsaicinoids-containing patch enhances the anti-inflammatory effect of diclofenac and its beneficial effect may not purely relate to its capsaicin content. In the treatment of local inflammatory disorders, the combination of NSAID with topical capsaicinoids-containing patch could increase the anti-inflammatory efficiency of drug without systemic side effects.

Evaluation of fatty acid amides in the carrageenan-induced paw edema model.

PubMed

Wise, Laura E; Cannavacciulo, Roberta; Cravatt, Benjamin F; Martin, Billy F; Lichtman, Aron H

2008-01-01

While it has long been recognized that Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive constituent of cannabis, and other cannabinoid receptor agonists possess anti-inflammatory properties, their well known CNS effects have dampened enthusiasm for therapeutic development. On the other hand, genetic deletion of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the enzyme responsible for degradation of fatty acid amides, including endogenous cannabinoid N-arachidonoyl ethanolamine (anandamide; AEA), N-palmitoyl ethanolamine (PEA), N-oleoyl ethanolamine (OEA), and oleamide, also elicits anti-edema, but does not produce any apparent cannabinoid effects. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether exogenous administration of FAAs would augment the anti-inflammatory phenotype of FAAH (-/-) mice in the carrageenan model. Thus, we evaluated the effects of the FAAs AEA, PEA, OEA, and oleamide in wild-type and FAAH (-/-) mice. For comparison, we evaluated the anti-edema effects of THC, dexamethasone (DEX), a synthetic glucocorticoid, diclofenac (DIC), a nonselective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor, in both genotypes. A final study determined if tolerance to the anti-edema effects of PEA occurs after repeated dosing. PEA, THC, DEX, DIC elicited significant decreases in carrageenan-induced paw edema in wild-type mice. In contrast OEA produced a less reliable anti-edema effect than these other drugs, and AEA and oleamide failed to produce any significant decreases in paw edema. Moreover, none of the agents evaluated augmented the anti-edema phenotype of FAAH (-/-) mice, suggesting that maximal anti-edema effects had already been established. PEA was the most effective FAA in preventing paw edema and its effects did not undergo tolerance. While the present findings do not support a role for AEA in preventing carrageenan-induced edema, PEA administration and FAAH blockade elicited anti-edema effects of an equivalent magnitude as produced by THC, DEX, and DIC in this assay.

Accurate critical pressures for structural phase transitions of group IV, III-V, and II-VI compounds from the SCAN density functional

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahi, Chandra; Sun, Jianwei; Perdew, John P.

2018-03-01

Most of the group IV, III-V, and II-VI compounds crystallize in semiconductor structures under ambient conditions. Upon application of pressure, they undergo structural phase transitions to more closely packed structures, sometimes metallic phases. We have performed density functional calculations using projector augmented wave (PAW) pseudopotentials to determine the transition pressures for these transitions within the local density approximation (LDA), the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) generalized gradient approximation (GGA), and the strongly constrained and appropriately normed (SCAN) meta-GGA. LDA underestimates the transition pressure for most of the studied materials. PBE under- or overestimates in many cases. SCAN typically corrects the errors of LDA and PBE for the transition pressure. The accuracy of SCAN is comparable to that of computationally expensive methods like the hybrid functional HSE06, the random phase approximation (RPA), and quantum Monte Carlo (QMC), in cases where calculations with these methods have been reported, but at a more modest computational cost. The improvement from LDA to PBE to SCAN is especially clearcut and dramatic for covalent semiconductor-metal transitions, as for Si and Ge, where it reflects the increasing relative stabilization of the covalent semiconducting phases under increasing functional sophistication.

Energy band gap and spectroscopic studies in Mn{sub 1-x}Cu{sub x}WO{sub 4} (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.125)

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

Mal, Priyanath; Rambabu, P.; Turpu, G. R.

2016-05-06

A study on the effect of nonmagnetic Cu{sup 2+} substitution at Mn{sup 2+} site on the structural and energy band gap of the MnWO{sub 4} is reported. Convenient solid state reaction route has been adopted for the synthesis of Mn{sub 1-x}Cu{sub x}WO{sub 4}. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern showed high crystalline quality of the prepared samples. Raman spectroscopic studies were carried out to understand the structural aspects of the doping. 15 Raman active modes were identified out of 18, predicted for wolframite type monoclinic structure of MnWO{sub 4}. UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra were recorded and analyzed to get energy band gapmore » of the studied system and are found in the range of 2.5 eV to 2.04 eV with a systematic decrease with the increase in Cu{sup 2+} concentration. Energy band gap values are verified by Density Functional Theory calculations based on projector augmented wave (PAW) method. The calculated values are in good agreement with the experimental data.« less

First principle study on generalized-stacking-fault energy surfaces of B2-AlRE intermetallic compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shaorong; Wang, Shaofeng; Wang, Rui

2011-12-01

First-principles calculations are used to predict the generalized-stacking-fault energy (GSFE) surfaces of AlRE intermetallics. The calculations employ the projector augmented-wave (PAW) method within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) using the density functional theory (DFT). GSFE curves along <1 1 1> {1 1 0} direction, <1 1 0> {1 1 0} direction and <1 0 0> {1 1 0} direction have been calculated. The fitted GSFE surfaces have been obtained from the Fourier series based on the translational symmetry. In order to illuminate the reasonable of our computational accuracy, we have compared our theoretical results of B2 intermetallics YCu with the previous calculated results. The unstable-stacking-fault energy (γus) on the {1 1 0} plane has the laws of AlPr, <1 1 0> and <1 1 1> directions. For the antiphase boundary (APB) energy, that of AlSc is the lowest in the calculated AlRE intermetallics. So the superdislocation with the Burgers vector along <1 1 1> direction of AlSc will easily split into two superpartials.

New perspectives in the PAW/GIPAW approach: J(P-O-Si) coupling constants, antisymmetric parts of shift tensors and NQR predictions.

PubMed

Bonhomme, Christian; Gervais, Christel; Coelho, Cristina; Pourpoint, Frédérique; Azaïs, Thierry; Bonhomme-Coury, Laure; Babonneau, Florence; Jacob, Guy; Ferrari, Maude; Canet, Daniel; Yates, Jonathan R; Pickard, Chris J; Joyce, Siân A; Mauri, Francesco; Massiot, Dominique

2010-12-01

In 2001, Pickard and Mauri implemented the gauge including projected augmented wave (GIPAW) protocol for first-principles calculations of NMR parameters using periodic boundary conditions (chemical shift anisotropy and electric field gradient tensors). In this paper, three potentially interesting perspectives in connection with PAW/GIPAW in solid-state NMR and pure nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) are presented: (i) the calculation of J coupling tensors in inorganic solids; (ii) the calculation of the antisymmetric part of chemical shift tensors and (iii) the prediction of (14)N and (35)Cl pure NQR resonances including dynamics. We believe that these topics should open new insights in the combination of GIPAW, NMR/NQR crystallography, temperature effects and dynamics. Points (i), (ii) and (iii) will be illustrated by selected examples: (i) chemical shift tensors and heteronuclear (2)J(P-O-Si) coupling constants in the case of silicophosphates and calcium phosphates [Si(5)O(PO(4))(6), SiP(2)O(7) polymorphs and α-Ca(PO(3))(2)]; (ii) antisymmetric chemical shift tensors in cyclopropene derivatives, C(3)X(4) (X = H, Cl, F) and (iii) (14)N and (35)Cl NQR predictions in the case of RDX (C(3)H(6)N(6)O(6)), β-HMX (C(4)H(8)N(8)O(8)), α-NTO (C(2)H(2)N(4)O(3)) and AlOPCl(6). RDX, β-HMX and α-NTO are explosive compounds. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Evaluation of fatty acid amides in the carrageenan-induced paw edema model

PubMed Central

Wise, Laura E.; Cannavacciulo, Roberta; Cravatt, Benjamin F.; Martin, Billy F.; Lichtman, Aron H.

2008-01-01

While it has long been recognized that Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive constituent of cannabis, and other cannabinoid receptor agonists possess anti-inflammatory properties, their well known CNS effects have dampened enthusiasm for therapeutic development. On the other hand, genetic deletion of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the enzyme responsible for degradation of fatty acid amides, including endogenous cannabinoid N-arachidonoyl ethanolamine (anandamide; AEA), N-palmitoyl ethanolamine (PEA), N-oleoyl ethanolamine (OEA), and oleamide, also elicits anti-edema, but does not produce any apparent cannabinoid effects. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether exogenous administration of FAAs would augment the anti-inflammatory phenotype of FAAH (-/-) mice in the carrageenan model. Thus, we evaluated the effects of the FAAs AEA, PEA, OEA, and oleamide in wild-type and FAAH (-/-) mice. For comparison, we evaluated the anti-edema effects of THC, dexamethasone (DEX), a synthetic glucocorticoid, diclofenac (DIC), a nonselective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor, in both genotypes. A final study determined if tolerance to the anti-edema effects of PEA occurs after repeated dosing. PEA, THC, DEX, DIC elicited significant decreases in carrageenan-induced paw edema in wild type mice. In contrast OEA produced a less reliable anti-edema effect than these other drugs, and AEA and oleamide failed to produce any significant decreases in paw edema. Moreover, none of the agents evaluated augmented the anti-edema phenotype of FAAH (-/-) mice, suggesting that maximal anti-edema effects had already been established. PEA was the most effective FAA in preventing paw edema and its effects did not undergo tolerance. While the present findings do not support a role for AEA in preventing carrageenan-induced edema, PEA administration and FAAH blockade elicited anti-edema effects of an equivalent magnitude as produced by THC, DEX, and DIC in this assay. PMID:17675189

Thermal transport properties of bulk and monolayer MoS2: an ab-initio approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bano, Amreen; Khare, Preeti; Gaur, N. K.

2017-05-01

The transport properties of semiconductors are key to the performance of many solid-state devices (transistors, data storage, thermoelectric cooling and power generation devices, etc). In recent years simulation tools based on first-principles calculations have been greatly improved, being able to obtain the fundamental ground-state properties of materials accurately. The quasi harmonic thermal properties of bulk and monolayer of MoS2 has been computed with ab initio periodic simulations based of density functional theory (DFT). The temperature dependence of bulk modulus, specific heat, thermal expansion and gruneisen parameter have been calculated in our work within the temperature range of 0K to 900K with projected augmented wave (PAW) method using generalized gradient approximation (GGA). Our results show that the optimized lattice parameters are in good agreement with the earlier reported works and also for thermoelastic parameter, i.e. isothermal bulk modulus (B) at 0K indicates that monolayer MoS2 (48.5 GPa)is more compressible than the bulk structure (159.23 GPa). The thermal expansion of monolayer structure is slightly less than the bulk. Similarly, other parameters like heat capacity and gruneisen parameter shows different nature which is due to the confinement of 3 dimensional structure to 2 dimension (2D) for improving its transport characteristics.

First-principles study of defects and phase transition in UO(2).

PubMed

Yu, Jianguo; Devanathan, Ram; Weber, William J

2009-10-28

Defect properties and phase transition in UO(2) have been studied from first principles by the all-electron projector-augmented-wave (PAW) method. The generalized gradient approximation with empirical self-interaction correction, (GGA)+U, formalism has been used to account for the strong on-site Coulomb repulsion among the localized U 5f electrons. The Hubbard parameter U(eff), magnetic ordering, chemical potential and heat of formation have been systematically examined. By choosing an appropriate U(eff) = 3.0 eV it is possible to consistently describe structural properties of UO(2) and model the phase transition processes. The phase transition pressure for UO(2) is about 20 GPa, which is less than the experimental value of 42 GPa but better than the LDA+U value of 7.8 GPa. Meanwhile our results for the formation energies of intrinsic defects partly confirm earlier calculations for the intrinsic charge neutral defects but reveal large variations depending on the determination of the chemical potential and whether the environment is O-rich or U-rich. Moreover, the results for extrinsic defects of Xe, which are representative of mobile insoluble fission product in UO(2), are consistent with experimental data in which Xe prefers to be trapped by Schottky defects.

Pressure induced structural transitions in Lead Chalcogenides and its influence on thermoelectric properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petersen, John; Spinks, Michael; Borges, Pablo; Scolfaro, Luisa

2012-03-01

Lead chalcogenides, most notably PbTe and PbSe, have become an active area of research due to their thermoelectric (TE) properties. The high figure of merit (ZT) of these materials has brought much attention to them, due to their ability to convert waste heat into electricity, with a possible application being in engine exhaust. Here, we examine the effects of altering the lattice parameter on total ground state energy and the band gap using first principles calculations performed within Density Functional Theory and the Projector Augmented Wave approach and the Vienna Ab-initio Simulation Package (VASP-PAW) code. Both PbTe and PbSe, in NaCl, orthorhombic, and CsCl structures are considered. It is found that altering the lattice parameter, which is analogous to applying external pressure on the material experimentally, has notable effects on both ground state energy and the band gap. The implications of this behavior in the TE properties of these materials are analyzed.

Non-auditory, electrophysiological potentials preceding dolphin biosonar click production.

PubMed

Finneran, James J; Mulsow, Jason; Jones, Ryan; Houser, Dorian S; Accomando, Alyssa W; Ridgway, Sam H

2018-03-01

The auditory brainstem response to a dolphin's own emitted biosonar click can be measured by averaging epochs of the instantaneous electroencephalogram (EEG) that are time-locked to the emitted click. In this study, averaged EEGs were measured using surface electrodes placed on the head in six different configurations while dolphins performed an echolocation task. Simultaneously, biosonar click emissions were measured using contact hydrophones on the melon and a hydrophone in the farfield. The averaged EEGs revealed an electrophysiological potential (the pre-auditory wave, PAW) that preceded the production of each biosonar click. The largest PAW amplitudes occurred with the non-inverting electrode just right of the midline-the apparent side of biosonar click generation-and posterior of the blowhole. Although the source of the PAW is unknown, the temporal and spatial properties rule out an auditory source. The PAW may be a neural or myogenic potential associated with click production; however, it is not known if muscles within the dolphin nasal system can be actuated at the high rates reported for dolphin click production, or if sufficiently coordinated and fast motor endplates of nasal muscles exist to produce a PAW detectable with surface electrodes.

Ab initio study on rare-earth iron-pnictides RFeAsO (R = Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd) in low-temperature Cmma phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eryigit, Resul; Gurel, Tanju; Erturk, Esra; Lukoyanov, A. V.; Akcay, Guven; Anisimov, V. I.

2014-03-01

We present density functional theory calculations on iron-based pnictides RFeAsO (R = Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd). The calculations have been carried out using plane-waves and projector augmented wave (PAW) pseudopotential approach. Structural, magnetic and electronic properties are studied within generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and also within GGA+U in order to investigate the influence of electron correlation effects. Low-temperature Cmma structure is fully optimized by GGA considering both non-magnetic and magnetic cells. We have found that spin-polarized structure improves the agreement with experiments on equilibrium lattice parameters, particularly c lattice parameter and Fe-As bond-lengths. Electronic band structure, total density of states, and spin-dependent orbital-resolved density of states are also analyzed in the frameworks of GGA and GGA+U and discussed. For all materials, by including on-site Coulomb correction, rare earth 4f states move away from the Fermi level and the Fermi level features of the systems are found to be mostly defined by the 3d electron-electron correlations in Fe. This work was supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK Project No. TBAG-111T796) and the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Project No. 12-02-91371-CT_a).

NMR shieldings from density functional perturbation theory: GIPAW versus all-electron calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Wijs, G. A.; Laskowski, R.; Blaha, P.; Havenith, R. W. A.; Kresse, G.; Marsman, M.

2017-02-01

We present a benchmark of the density functional linear response calculation of NMR shieldings within the gauge-including projector-augmented-wave method against all-electron augmented-plane-wave+local-orbital and uncontracted Gaussian basis set results for NMR shieldings in molecular and solid state systems. In general, excellent agreement between the aforementioned methods is obtained. Scalar relativistic effects are shown to be quite large for nuclei in molecules in the deshielded limit. The small component makes up a substantial part of the relativistic corrections.

NMR shieldings from density functional perturbation theory: GIPAW versus all-electron calculations.

PubMed

de Wijs, G A; Laskowski, R; Blaha, P; Havenith, R W A; Kresse, G; Marsman, M

2017-02-14

We present a benchmark of the density functional linear response calculation of NMR shieldings within the gauge-including projector-augmented-wave method against all-electron augmented-plane-wave+local-orbital and uncontracted Gaussian basis set results for NMR shieldings in molecular and solid state systems. In general, excellent agreement between the aforementioned methods is obtained. Scalar relativistic effects are shown to be quite large for nuclei in molecules in the deshielded limit. The small component makes up a substantial part of the relativistic corrections.

Predicting equilibrium uranium isotope fractionation in crystals and solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schauble, E. A.

2015-12-01

Despite the rapidly growing interest in using 238U/235U measurements as a proxy for changes in oxygen abundance in surface and near-surface environments, the present theoretical understanding of uranium isotope fractionation is limited to a few simple gas-phase molecules and analogues of dissolved species (e.g., 1,2,3). Understanding uranium isotope fractionation behavior in more complicated species, such as crystals and adsorption complexes, will help in the design and interpretation of experiments and field studies, and may suggest other uses for 38U/235U measurements. In this study, a recently developed first-principles method for estimating the nuclear volume component of field shift fractionation in crystals and complex molecular species (4) is combined with mass-dependent fractionation theory to predict equilibrium 38U/235U fractionations in aqueous and crystalline uranium compounds, including uraninite (UO2). The nuclear field shift effect, caused by the interaction of electrons with the finite volume of the positive charge distribution in uranium nuclei, is estimated using Density Functional Theory and the Projector Augmented Wave method (DFT-PAW). Tests against relativistic electronic structure calculations and Mössbauer isomer shift data indicate that the DFT-PAW method is reasonably accurate, while being much better suited to models of complex and crystalline species. Initial results confirm previous predictions that the nuclear volume effect overwhelms mass depdendent fractionation in U(VI)-U(IV) exchange reactions, leading to higher 238U/235U in U(IV) species (i.e., for UO2 xtal vs. UO22+aq, ln αNV ≈ +1.8‰ , ln αMD ≈ -0.8‰, ln αTotal ≈ +1.0‰ at 25ºC). UO2 and U(H2O)94+, are within ~0.4‰ of each other, while U(VI) species appear to be more variable. This suggests that speciation is likely to significantly affect natural uranium isotope fractionations, in addition to oxidation state. Tentatively, it appears that uranyl-type (UO22+-bearing) structures will tend to have higher 238U/235U than uranate-type structures that lack strong U=O bonds. References: 1. Bigeleisen (1996) JACS 118:3676; 2. Schauble (2006) Eos 87:V21B-0570; 3. Abe et al. (2008) J Chem Phys 128:144309, 129:164309, & Abe et al. (2010) J Chem Phys 133:044309; 4. Schauble (2013) PNAS 110:17714.

Arterial Wave Reflection and Aortic Valve Calcification in an Elderly Community-Based Cohort

PubMed Central

Sera, Fusako; Russo, Cesare; Iwata, Shinichi; Jin, Zhezhen; Rundek, Tatjana; Elkind, Mitchell S.V.; Homma, Shunichi; Sacco, Ralph L.; Di Tullio, Marco R.

2015-01-01

Background Aortic valve calcification (AVC) without stenosis is common in the elderly, is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and may progress to aortic valve stenosis. Arterial stiffness and pulse wave reflection are important components of proximal aortic hemodynamics, but their relationship with AVC is not established. Methods To investigate the relationship of arterial wave reflection and stiffness with AVC, pulse wave analysis and AVC evaluation by echocardiography were performed in 867 participants from the Cardiovascular Abnormalities and Brain Lesions (CABL) study. Participants were divided into 4 categories based on the severity and extent of AVC: 1) none or mild focal AVC; 2) mild diffuse AVC; 3) moderate-severe focal AVC; and 4) moderate-severe diffuse AVC. Central blood pressures and pulse pressure, total arterial compliance, augmentation index, and time to wave reflection were assessed using applanation tonometry. Results Indicators of arterial stiffness and wave reflection were significantly associated with AVC severity, except for central systolic and diastolic pressures and time to reflection. After adjustment for pertinent covariates (age, sex, race/ethnicity, and eGFR), only augmentation pressure (P = .02) and augmentation index (P = .002) were associated with the severity of AVC. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that augmentation pressure (odds ratio per mmHg = 1.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.02–1.27; P = .02) and augmentation index (odds ratio per percentage point = 1.07; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.13; P = .02) were associated with an increase risk of moderate-severe diffuse AVC, even when central blood pressure value was included in the same model. Conclusions Arterial wave reflection is associated with AVC severity, independent of blood pressure values. Increased contribution of wave reflection to central blood pressure could be involved in the process leading to AVC. PMID:25600036

Sample Design, Sample Augmentation, and Estimation for Wave 2 of the NSHAP

PubMed Central

English, Ned; Pedlow, Steven; Kwok, Peter K.

2014-01-01

Objectives. The sample for the second wave (2010) of National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) was designed to increase the scientific value of the Wave 1 (2005) data set by revisiting sample members 5 years after their initial interviews and augmenting this sample where possible. Method. There were 2 important innovations. First, the scope of the study was expanded by collecting data from coresident spouses or romantic partners. Second, to maximize the representativeness of the Wave 2 data, nonrespondents from Wave 1 were again approached for interview in the Wave 2 sample. Results. The overall unconditional response rate for the Wave 2 panel was 74%; the conditional response rate of Wave 1 respondents was 89%; the conditional response rate of partners was 84%; and the conversion rate for Wave 1 nonrespondents was 26%. Discussion. The inclusion of coresident partners enhanced the study by allowing the examination of how intimate, household relationships are related to health trajectories and by augmenting the size of the NSHAP sample size for this and future waves. The uncommon strategy of returning to Wave 1 nonrespondents reduced potential bias by ensuring that to the extent possible the whole of the original sample forms the basis for the field effort. NSHAP Wave 2 achieved its field objectives of consolidating the panel, recruiting their resident spouses or romantic partners, and converting a significant proportion of Wave 1 nonrespondents. PMID:25360016

Controllable parabolic-cylinder optical rogue wave.

PubMed

Zhong, Wei-Ping; Chen, Lang; Belić, Milivoj; Petrović, Nikola

2014-10-01

We demonstrate controllable parabolic-cylinder optical rogue waves in certain inhomogeneous media. An analytical rogue wave solution of the generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equation with spatially modulated coefficients and an external potential in the form of modulated quadratic potential is obtained by the similarity transformation. Numerical simulations are performed for comparison with the analytical solutions and to confirm the stability of the rogue wave solution obtained. These optical rogue waves are built by the products of parabolic-cylinder functions and the basic rogue wave solution of the standard nonlinear Schrödinger equation. Such rogue waves may appear in different forms, as the hump and paw profiles.

CXCL10 Controls Inflammatory Pain via Opioid Peptide-Containing Macrophages in Electroacupuncture

PubMed Central

Wang, Ying; Gehringer, Rebekka; Mousa, Shaaban A.; Hackel, Dagmar; Brack, Alexander; Rittner, Heike L.

2014-01-01

Acupuncture is widely used for pain treatment in patients with osteoarthritis or low back pain, but molecular mechanisms remain largely enigmatic. In the early phase of inflammation neutrophilic chemokines direct opioid-containing neutrophils in the inflamed tissue and stimulate opioid peptide release and antinociception. In this study the molecular pathway and neuroimmune connections in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced hind paw inflammation and electroacupuncture for peripheral pain control were analyzed. Free moving Wistar rats with hind paw inflammation were treated twice with electroacupuncture at GB30 (Huan Tiao - gall bladder meridian) (day 0 and 1) and analyzed for mechanical and thermal nociceptive thresholds. The cytokine profiles as well as the expression of opioid peptides were quantified in the inflamed paw. Electroacupuncture elicited long-term antinociception blocked by local injection of anti-opioid peptide antibodies (beta-endorphin, met-enkephalin, dynorphin A). The treatment altered the cytokine profile towards an anti-inflammatory pattern but augmented interferon (IFN)-gamma and the chemokine CXCL10 (IP-10: interferon gamma-inducible protein) protein and mRNA expression with concomitant increased numbers of opioid peptide-containing CXCR3+ macrophages. In rats with CFA hind paw inflammation without acupuncture repeated injection of CXCL10 triggered opioid-mediated antinociception and increase opioid-containing macrophages. Conversely, neutralization of CXCL10 time-dependently decreased electroacupuncture-induced antinociception and the number of infiltrating opioid peptide-expressing CXCR3+ macrophages. In summary, we describe a novel function of the chemokine CXCL10 - as a regulator for an increase of opioid-containing macrophages and antinociceptive mediator in inflammatory pain and as a key chemokine regulated by electroacupuncture. PMID:24732949

Classification and determination of cerebral biovailability of psychotropic drugs by quantitative "pharmaco-EEG" and psychometric investigations (studies with AX-A411-BS).

PubMed

Saletu, B; Grünberger, J; Linzmayer, L

1977-10-01

Utilizing computerized quantitative analysis of the human scalp recorded electroencephalogram (EEG), it is possible to classify psychotropic drugs. While neuroleptic compounds produce an increase of slow and decrease of fast activities, anxiolytic substances induce an augmentation of fast waves, decrease of alpha waves and--according to the sedative properties of the drug--an increase or decrease of slow waves. Antidepressants produce a concomitant augmentation of slow and fast activities as well as an attenuation of alpha waves. Nootropic substances attenuate slow activities, augment alpha and slow beta waves and decrease fast beta waves. The latter alterations are quite opposite to age-related changes. Since the main psychopharmacological classes seem to have characteristic pharmaco-EEG profiles, the method proved to be useful for determination of psychoactivity and cerebral bioavailability of newly developed substances as for instance AX-A411-BS, a new benzodiazepine. The latter substance was found to be CNS-active and was classified as anxiolytic. It induced dosedependent changes, which were barely visible in the 2nd hour post-drug, became quite obvious in the 4th hour and increased until the 8th hour after oral administration of one single dose. In the higher dosage range, slow activities came to the fore, indicating aoditional sedative properties. Psychometric tests measuring attention, psychomotor activity. mood, vigilance, extroversion, concentration aith a long-lasting effect. The implications of these methods are discussed.

Investigation of half-metallic ferromagnetism in Heusler compounds Co2VZ (Z = Ga, Ge, As, Se)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Jiajia; Wang, Zhengwei; Xu, Weiwei; Wang, Cuiping; Liu, Xingjun

2017-11-01

The electronic structures and magnetic properties of 3d transition metal-based full Heusler compounds Co2VZ (Z = Ga, Ge, As, Se) are investigated using the projector augmented wave (PAW) pseudopotential method. By considering the strong localization of Co 3d-states and V 3d-states at the Fermi level, these Co2VZ (Z = Ga, Ge, As, Se) compounds were treated in the framework of the generalized gradient approximation (GGA)+U method, and the results from the conventional GGA method are presented for comparison. The results that were obtained from the density of states with the GGA+U and GGA methods show that the Co2VGa compound is a half-metallic ferromagnet. For the Co2VGe and Co2VAs compounds, the GGA+U method predicts that these two compounds are half-metallic ferromagnetic by shifting the Fermi level to a lower value with respect to the gap in the minority states, when compared to the conventional GGA method. The energy gaps are determined to be 0.283 eV and 0.425 eV, respectively. However, these results show that the density of states of the Co2VSe compound has a metallic character, although the 3d states were corrected when using the GGA+U method. We found that the characteristic of half-metallic ferromagnetism is attributed to the interaction between the V 3d-states other than Co 3d-states. The calculated total magnetic moments are 2.046 μB, 3.054 μB and 4.012 μB respectively for the Co2VZ (Z = Ga, Ge, As) compounds with the GGA+U method. The relationship between total spin magnetic moment per formula unit and total number of valence electrons of these Heusler compounds is in agreement with the Slater-Pauling rule.

A combined representation method for use in band structure calculations. 1: Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Friedli, C.; Ashcroft, N. W.

1975-01-01

A representation was described whose basis levels combine the important physical aspects of a finite set of plane waves with those of a set of Bloch tight-binding levels. The chosen combination has a particularly simple dependence on the wave vector within the Brillouin Zone, and its use in reducing the standard one-electron band structure problem to the usual secular equation has the advantage that the lattice sums involved in the calculation of the matrix elements are actually independent of the wave vector. For systems with complicated crystal structures, for which the Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker (KKR), Augmented-Plane Wave (APW) and Orthogonalized-Plane Wave (OPW) methods are difficult to apply, the present method leads to results with satisfactory accuracy and convergence.

Ab Initio study on structural, electronic, magnetic and dielectric properties of LSNO within Density Functional Perturbation Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petersen, John; Bechstedt, Friedhelm; Furthmüller, Jürgen; Scolfaro, Luisa

LSNO (La2-xSrxNiO4) is of great interest due to its colossal dielectric constant (CDC) and rich underlying physics. While being an antiferromagnetic insulator, localized holes are present in the form of stripes in the Ni-O planes which are commensurate with the inverse of the Sr concentration. The stripes are a manifestation of charge density waves with period approximately 1/x and spin density waves with period approximately 2/x. Here, the spin ground state is calculated via LSDA + U with the PAW method implemented in VASP. Crystal structure and the effective Hubbard U parameter are optimized before calculating ɛ∞ within the independent particle approximation. ɛ∞ and the full static dielectric constant (including the lattice polarizability) ɛ0 are calculated within Density Functional Perturbation Theory.

Realistic Reflections for Marine Environments in Augmented Reality Training Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

Static Backgrounds. Top: Agua Background. Bottom: Blue Background.............48 Figure 27. Ship Textures Used to Generate Reflections. In Order from...Like virtual simulations, augmented reality trainers can be configured to meet specific training needs and can be restarted and reused to train...Wave Distortion, Blurring and Shadow Many of the same methods outlined in Full Reflection shader were reused for the Physics shader. The same

UV-vis spectroscopy study of plasma-activated water: Dependence of the chemical composition on plasma exposure time and treatment distance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Jun-Seok; Szili, Endre J.; Ogawa, Kotaro; Short, Robert D.; Ito, Masafumi; Furuta, Hiroshi; Hatta, Akimitsu

2018-01-01

Plasma-activated water (PAW) is receiving much attention in biomedical applications because of its reported potent bactericidal properties. Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) that are generated in water upon plasma exposure are thought to be the key components in PAW that destroy bacterial and cancer cells. In addition to developing applications for PAW, it is also necessary to better understand the RONS chemistry in PAW in order to tailor PAW to achieve a specific biological response. With this in mind, we previously developed a UV-vis spectroscopy method using an automated curve fitting routine to quantify the changes in H2O2, NO2 -, NO3 - (the major long-lived RONS in PAW), and O2 concentrations. A major advantage of UV-vis is that it can take multiple measurements during plasma activation. We used the UV-vis procedure to accurately quantify the changes in the concentrations of these RONS and O2 in PAW. However, we have not yet provided an in-depth commentary of how we perform the curve fitting procedure or its implications. Therefore, in this study, we provide greater detail of how we use the curve fitting routine to derive the RONS and O2 concentrations in PAW. PAW was generated by treatment with a helium plasma jet. In addition, we employ UV-vis to study how the plasma jet exposure time and treatment distance affect the RONS chemistry and amount of O2 dissolved in PAW. We show that the plasma jet exposure time principally affects the total RONS concentration, but not the relative ratios of RONS, whereas the treatment distance affects both the total RONS concentration and the relative RONS concentrations.

Post-discharge evolution of reactive species in the water activated by a surface air plasma: a modeling study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Z. C.; Liu, D. X.; Chen, C.; Liu, Z. J.; Yang, A. J.; Rong, M. Z.; Chen, H. L.; Kong, M. G.

2018-05-01

Plasma-activated water (PAW) has been reported to sustain a bactericidal ability for months. However, many reactive species regarded as the main antibacterial agents in PAW have short lifetimes of less than one second. In order to explain the prolonged antibacterial ability of PAW and predict how to extend its effective time, we studied the post-discharge evolution of reactive species in PAW based on a system-level model reported previously. Three common storage conditions for PAW were considered within the post-discharge time of 14 d: (I) leaving the residual gas and PAW in the sealed reactor; (II) leaving PAW in the open air; (III) sealing the container of PAW. In comparison, storage condition III was the best condition to preserve the long-lived species including H2O2 and HNO2/, whereas storage condition I was the best method to preserve the short-lived species including OH, HO2 and ONOOH/ONOO‑. It suggests that the gas–liquid mass transfer plays an important role in the evolution of reactive species. We also found that O2NOOH/O2NOO‑ had an almost one order of magnitude higher concentration and a longer residue time than those of ONOOH/ONOO‑. This distinction suggests that the biological effect of O2NOOH/O2NOO‑ may be important.

Detonation wave augmentation of gas turbines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wortman, A.

1984-01-01

The results of a feasibility study that examined the effects of using detonation waves to augment the performance of gas turbines are reported. The central ideas were to reduce compressor requirements and to maintain high performance in jet engines. Gasdynamic equations were used to model the flows associated with shock waves generated by the detonation of fuel in detonator tubes. Shock wave attenuation to the level of Mach waves was found possible, thus eliminating interference with the compressor and the necessity of valves and seals. A preliminary parametric study of the performance of a compressor working at a 4:1 ratio in a conceptual design of a detonation wave augmented jet engine in subsonic flight indicated a clear superiority over conventional designs in terms of fuel efficiency and thrust.

PAWS/STEM - PADE APPROXIMATION WITH SCALING AND SCALED TAYLOR EXPONENTIAL MATRIX (VAX VMS VERSION)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, R. W.

1994-01-01

Traditional fault-tree techniques for analyzing the reliability of large, complex systems fail to model the dynamic reconfiguration capabilities of modern computer systems. Markov models, on the other hand, can describe fault-recovery (via system reconfiguration) as well as fault-occurrence. The Pade Approximation with Scaling (PAWS) and Scaled Taylor Exponential Matrix (STEM) programs provide a flexible, user-friendly, language-based interface for the creation and evaluation of Markov models describing the behavior of fault-tolerant reconfigurable computer systems. PAWS and STEM produce exact solutions for the probability of system failure and provide a conservative estimate of the number of significant digits in the solution. The calculation of the probability of entering a death state of a Markov model (representing system failure) requires the solution of a set of coupled differential equations. Because of the large disparity between the rates of fault arrivals and system recoveries, Markov models of fault-tolerant architectures inevitably lead to numerically stiff differential equations. Both PAWS and STEM have the capability to solve numerically stiff models. These complementary programs use separate methods to determine the matrix exponential in the solution of the model's system of differential equations. In general, PAWS is better suited to evaluate small and dense models. STEM operates at lower precision, but works faster than PAWS for larger models. The mathematical approach chosen to solve a reliability problem may vary with the size and nature of the problem. Although different solution techniques are utilized on different programs, it is possible to have a common input language. The Systems Validation Methods group at NASA Langley Research Center has created a set of programs that form the basis for a reliability analysis workstation. The set of programs are: SURE reliability analysis program (COSMIC program LAR-13789, LAR-14921); the ASSIST specification interface program (LAR-14193, LAR-14923), PAWS/STEM reliability analysis programs (LAR-14165, LAR-14920); and the FTC fault tree tool (LAR-14586, LAR-14922). FTC is used to calculate the top-event probability for a fault tree. PAWS/STEM and SURE are programs which interpret the same SURE language, but utilize different solution methods. ASSIST is a preprocessor that generates SURE language from a more abstract definition. SURE, ASSIST, and PAWS/STEM are also offered as a bundle. Please see the abstract for COS-10039/COS-10041, SARA - SURE/ASSIST Reliability Analysis Workstation, for pricing details. PAWS/STEM was originally developed for DEC VAX series computers running VMS and was later ported for use on Sun computers running SunOS. The package is written in PASCAL, ANSI compliant C-language, and FORTRAN 77. The standard distribution medium for the VMS version of PAWS/STEM (LAR-14165) is a 9-track 1600 BPI magnetic tape in VMSINSTAL format. It is also available on a TK50 tape cartridge in VMSINSTAL format. Executables are included. The standard distribution medium for the Sun version of PAWS/STEM (LAR-14920) is a .25 inch streaming magnetic tape cartridge in UNIX tar format. Both Sun3 and Sun4 executables are included. PAWS/STEM was developed in 1989 and last updated in 1991. DEC, VAX, VMS, and TK50 are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. SunOS, Sun3, and Sun4 are trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T Bell Laboratories.

PAWS/STEM - PADE APPROXIMATION WITH SCALING AND SCALED TAYLOR EXPONENTIAL MATRIX (SUN VERSION)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, R. W.

1994-01-01

Traditional fault-tree techniques for analyzing the reliability of large, complex systems fail to model the dynamic reconfiguration capabilities of modern computer systems. Markov models, on the other hand, can describe fault-recovery (via system reconfiguration) as well as fault-occurrence. The Pade Approximation with Scaling (PAWS) and Scaled Taylor Exponential Matrix (STEM) programs provide a flexible, user-friendly, language-based interface for the creation and evaluation of Markov models describing the behavior of fault-tolerant reconfigurable computer systems. PAWS and STEM produce exact solutions for the probability of system failure and provide a conservative estimate of the number of significant digits in the solution. The calculation of the probability of entering a death state of a Markov model (representing system failure) requires the solution of a set of coupled differential equations. Because of the large disparity between the rates of fault arrivals and system recoveries, Markov models of fault-tolerant architectures inevitably lead to numerically stiff differential equations. Both PAWS and STEM have the capability to solve numerically stiff models. These complementary programs use separate methods to determine the matrix exponential in the solution of the model's system of differential equations. In general, PAWS is better suited to evaluate small and dense models. STEM operates at lower precision, but works faster than PAWS for larger models. The mathematical approach chosen to solve a reliability problem may vary with the size and nature of the problem. Although different solution techniques are utilized on different programs, it is possible to have a common input language. The Systems Validation Methods group at NASA Langley Research Center has created a set of programs that form the basis for a reliability analysis workstation. The set of programs are: SURE reliability analysis program (COSMIC program LAR-13789, LAR-14921); the ASSIST specification interface program (LAR-14193, LAR-14923), PAWS/STEM reliability analysis programs (LAR-14165, LAR-14920); and the FTC fault tree tool (LAR-14586, LAR-14922). FTC is used to calculate the top-event probability for a fault tree. PAWS/STEM and SURE are programs which interpret the same SURE language, but utilize different solution methods. ASSIST is a preprocessor that generates SURE language from a more abstract definition. SURE, ASSIST, and PAWS/STEM are also offered as a bundle. Please see the abstract for COS-10039/COS-10041, SARA - SURE/ASSIST Reliability Analysis Workstation, for pricing details. PAWS/STEM was originally developed for DEC VAX series computers running VMS and was later ported for use on Sun computers running SunOS. The package is written in PASCAL, ANSI compliant C-language, and FORTRAN 77. The standard distribution medium for the VMS version of PAWS/STEM (LAR-14165) is a 9-track 1600 BPI magnetic tape in VMSINSTAL format. It is also available on a TK50 tape cartridge in VMSINSTAL format. Executables are included. The standard distribution medium for the Sun version of PAWS/STEM (LAR-14920) is a .25 inch streaming magnetic tape cartridge in UNIX tar format. Both Sun3 and Sun4 executables are included. PAWS/STEM was developed in 1989 and last updated in 1991. DEC, VAX, VMS, and TK50 are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. SunOS, Sun3, and Sun4 are trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T Bell Laboratories.

Peripheral Antinociception Induced by Aripiprazole Is Mediated by the Opioid System

PubMed Central

Ferreira, Renata Cristina Mendes; Almeida-Santos, Ana Flávia; Aguiar, Daniele C.; Moreira, Fabricio A.

2017-01-01

Background Aripiprazole is an antipsychotic drug used to treat schizophrenia and related disorders. Our previous study showed that this compound also induces antinociceptive effects. The present study aimed to assess the participation of the opioid system in this effect. Methods Male Swiss mice were submitted to paw pressure test and hyperalgesia was induced by intraplantar injection of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2, 2 μg). Aripiprazole was injected 10 min before the measurement. Naloxone, clocinnamox, naltrindole, nor-binaltorphimine, and bestatin were given 30 min before aripiprazole. Nociceptive thresholds were measured in the 3rd hour after PGE2 injection. Results Aripiprazole (100 μg/paw) injected locally into the right hind paw induced an antinociceptive effect that was blocked by naloxone (50 μg/paw), a nonselective opioid receptor antagonist. The role of μ-, δ-, and κ-opioid receptors was investigated using the selective antagonists, clocinnamox (40 μg/paw), naltrindole (15, 30, and 60 μg/paw), and nor-binaltorphimine (200 μg/paw), respectively. The data indicated that only the δ-opioid receptor antagonist inhibited the peripheral antinociception induced by aripiprazole. Bestatin (400 μg), an aminopeptidase-N inhibitor, significantly enhanced low-dose (25 μg/paw) aripiprazole-induced peripheral antinociception. Conclusion The results suggest the participation of the opioid system via δ-opioid receptor in the peripheral antinociceptive effect induced by aripiprazole. PMID:28758123

Determination of NMR chemical shifts for cholesterol crystals from first-principles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kucukbenli, Emine; de Gironcoli, Stefano

2011-03-01

Solid State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is a powerful tool in crystallography when combined with theoretical predictions. So far, empirical calculations of spectra have been employed for an unambiguous identification. However, many complex systems are outside the scope of these methods. Our implementation of ultrasoft and projector augmented wave pseudopotentials within ab initio gauge including projector augmented plane wave (GIPAW) method in Quantum Espresso simulation package allows affordable calculations of NMR spectra for systems of thousands of electrons. We report here the first ab initio determination of NMR spectra for several crystal structures of cholesterol. Cholesterol crystals, the main component of human gallstones, are of interest to medical research as their structural properties can shed light on the pathologies of gallbladder. With our application we show that ab initio calculations can be employed to aid NMR crystallography.

Long thermal interactions of PAW with normal tooth structure and different dental biomaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bostǎnaru, Andra-Cristina; Hnatiuc, Eugen; Roşca, Irina; Vasiliu, Ana Lavinia; Doroftei, Mirela; Ursu, Laura; Ailincǎi, Luminiţa Iuliana; Nǎstasǎ, Valentin; Mareş, Mihai

2016-12-01

Plasma activated water (PAW) has been widely considered to be an effective method for decontamination. Recently, numerous studies report that plasma-activated water (PAW) also has antibacterial ability to prevent or treat dental caries and periodontal related diseases. In this context, this study presents the first report to evaluate the plasma activated water effect on vital teeth enamel and different dental biomaterials. In this context, this study presents the first report to evaluate long thermal interactions of plasma activated water effect on vital teeth enamel and different dental biomaterials without organic substrate. The results suggest that the long-thermal of treatment with PAW of enamel without organic substrate can dissolve the apatite crystallites which are highly organized hierarchical structures.

Reappraisal of the corticothalamic and thalamocortical interactions that contribute to the augmenting response in the rat.

PubMed

Mishima, K; Ohta, M

1992-01-01

In urethane-anesthetized rats, low frequency electrical stimulation of the thalamic radiation (TR) evoked an augmenting response in the somatosensory cortex (SCx) which was followed by rhythmic slow waves. The augmenting response mainly consists of the incremental secondary response (II-response). Simultaneously, augmentation also occurs in the ventrobasal nucleus of thalamus (VB) on the late component responses, C- and D-waves, to TR stimulation. The latencies of these augmented responses were shorter for the C-wave and the accompanying unit discharges in the VB relay neurons than for the D-wave and the II-response. We hypothesized that the thalamo-cortico-thalamic reverberating circuit was crucial in generating the augmenting response in the SCx. To test this hypothesis, an attempt was made to block temporarily the corticothalamic glutamatergic transmission by means of microinjections of kynurenate (KYN), an antagonist of glutamate, into the VB with a dose of more than 2 mM. This local procedure blocked all of the augmenting phenomena completely with a full recovery after the duration that depended on the dose of KYN. Besides, in the stage of complete blocking of the II-response to the test TR stimuli, the augmentation was able to be restored by adding a short train of high frequency TR stimuli that mimicked a burst discharge of VB relay neurons. These results in support of the hypothesis would reappraise the functional significance of the reverberating circuit in augmentation that has recently been controversial.

Automatic algorithm for monitoring systolic pressure variation and difference in pulse pressure.

PubMed

Pestel, Gunther; Fukui, Kimiko; Hartwich, Volker; Schumacher, Peter M; Vogt, Andreas; Hiltebrand, Luzius B; Kurz, Andrea; Fujita, Yoshihisa; Inderbitzin, Daniel; Leibundgut, Daniel

2009-06-01

Difference in pulse pressure (dPP) reliably predicts fluid responsiveness in patients. We have developed a respiratory variation (RV) monitoring device (RV monitor), which continuously records both airway pressure and arterial blood pressure (ABP). We compared the RV monitor measurements with manual dPP measurements. ABP and airway pressure (PAW) from 24 patients were recorded. Data were fed to the RV monitor to calculate dPP and systolic pressure variation in two different ways: (a) considering both ABP and PAW (RV algorithm) and (b) ABP only (RV(slim) algorithm). Additionally, ABP and PAW were recorded intraoperatively in 10-min intervals for later calculation of dPP by manual assessment. Interobserver variability was determined. Manual dPP assessments were used for comparison with automated measurements. To estimate the importance of the PAW signal, RV(slim) measurements were compared with RV measurements. For the 24 patients, 174 measurements (6-10 per patient) were recorded. Six observers assessed dPP manually in the first 8 patients (10-min interval, 53 measurements); no interobserver variability occurred using a computer-assisted method. Bland-Altman analysis showed acceptable bias and limits of agreement of the 2 automated methods compared with the manual method (RV: -0.33% +/- 8.72% and RV(slim): -1.74% +/- 7.97%). The difference between RV measurements and RV(slim) measurements is small (bias -1.05%, limits of agreement 5.67%). Measurements of the automated device are comparable with measurements obtained by human observers, who use a computer-assisted method. The importance of the PAW signal is questionable.

Computational investigations of the band structure, and thermodynamic and optical features of thorium-based oxide ThGeO4 using the full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave plus local orbital approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiker, F.; Khachai, H.; Mathieu, C.; Bin-Omran, S.; Kada, Belkacem; Sun, Xiao-Wei; Sandeep; Rai, D. P.; Khenata, R.

2018-05-01

In this study, first-principles investigations were performed using the full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave method of the structural and optoelectronic properties of thorium germinate (ThGeO4), a high-K dielectric material. Under ambient conditions, the structural properties calculated for ThGeO4 in the zircon phase were in excellent agreement with the available experimental data. Furthermore, using the modified Becke -Johnson correction method, the calculated band gaps and optical constants accurately described this compound. Finally, the thermal properties were predicted over a temperature range of 0-700 K and pressures up to 11 GPa using the quasi-harmonic Debye model, where the variations in the heat capacity, primitive cell volume, and thermal expansion coefficients were determined successfully.

Arterial stiffness is associated to cardiorespiratory fitness and body mass index in young Swedish adults: The Lifestyle, Biomarkers, and Atherosclerosis study.

PubMed

Fernberg, Ulrika; Fernström, Maria; Hurtig-Wennlöf, Anita

2017-11-01

Background Early changes in the large muscular arteries are already associated with risk factors as hypertension and obesity in adolescence and young adulthood. The present study examines the association between arterial stiffness measurements, pulse wave velocity and augmentation index and lifestyle-related factors, body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness, in young, healthy, Swedish adults. Design This study used a population-based cross-sectional sample. Methods The 834 participants in the study were self-reported healthy, non-smoking, age 18-25 years. Augmentation index and pulse wave velocity were measured with applanation tonometry. Cardiorespiratory fitness was measured by ergometer bike test to estimate maximal oxygen uptake. Body mass index (kg/m 2 ) was calculated and categorised according to classification by the World Health Organisation. Results Young Swedish adults with obesity and low cardiorespiratory fitness have significantly higher pulse wave velocity and augmentation index than non-obese young adults with medium or high cardiorespiratory fitness. The observed U-shaped association between pulse wave velocity and body mass index categories in women indicates that it might be more beneficial to be normal weight than underweight when assessing the arterial stiffness with pulse wave velocity. The highest mean pulse wave velocity was found in overweight/obese individuals with low cardiorespiratory fitness. The lowest mean pulse wave velocity was found in normal weight individuals with high cardiorespiratory fitness. Cardiorespiratory fitness had a stronger effect than body mass index on arterial stiffness in multiple regression analyses. Conclusions The inverse association between cardiorespiratory fitness and arterial stiffness is observed already in young adults. The study result highlights the importance of high cardiorespiratory fitness, but also that underweight individuals may be a possible risk group that needs to be further studied.

Tachycardia-dependent augmentation of "notched J waves" in a general patient population without ventricular fibrillation or cardiac arrest: not a repolarization but a depolarization abnormality?

PubMed

Aizawa, Yoshifusa; Sato, Masahito; Kitazawa, Hitoshi; Aizawa, Yoshiyasu; Takatsuki, Seiji; Oda, Eiji; Okabe, Masaaki; Fukuda, Keiichi

2015-02-01

J waves can be observed in individuals of the general population, but electrocardiographic characteristics are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the J-wave dynamicity in a general patient population. The responses of J waves (>0.1 mV above the isoelectric line in 2 contiguous leads) to varying RR intervals were analyzed. Patients with aborted sudden cardiac death, documented ventricular fibrillation, or a family history of sudden cardiac death were excluded. The J-wave amplitude was measured at baseline, in beats with short RR intervals in conducted atrial premature beats (APBs) or atrial stimulation during the electrophysiology study, and in the beats next to APBs with prolonged RR intervals. Mainly notched J waves were identified in 94 of 701 (24.5%) general patients (13.4%), and APBs were present in 23 of 94 (24.5%) patients. The mean baseline amplitude of J waves was 0.20 ± 0.06 mV at the baseline RR interval of 853 ± 152 ms, 0.25 ± 0.11 mV at the RR interval in the conducted APB of 545 ± 133 ms (P = .0018), and 0.19 ± 0.08 mV at the RR interval of 1146 ± 314 ms (P = .3102). The clinical characteristics were not different between patients with and without tachycardia-dependent augmentation of J waves. Augmentation of J waves was confirmed by the electrophysiology study: 0.28 ± 0.12 mV vs 0.42 ± 0.11 mV at baseline and in the beats of atrial stimulation, respectively (P = .0001). However, no bradycardia-dependent augmentation (>0.05 mV) was observed. Such tachycardia-dependent augmentation can represent depolarization abnormality rather than repolarization abnormality. J waves in a general patient population were augmented at shorter RR intervals, but not at prolonged RR intervals. Mechanistically, conduction delay is most likely responsible for this. Copyright © 2015 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cellular prion protein protects from inflammatory and neuropathic pain

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Cellular prion protein (PrPC) inhibits N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Since NMDA receptors play an important role in the transmission of pain signals in the dorsal horn of spinal cord, we thus wanted to determine if PrPC null mice show a reduced threshold for various pain behaviours. We compared nociceptive thresholds between wild type and PrPC null mice in models of inflammatory and neuropathic pain, in the presence and the absence of a NMDA receptor antagonist. 2-3 months old male PrPC null mice exhibited an MK-801 sensitive decrease in the paw withdrawal threshold in response both mechanical and thermal stimuli. PrPC null mice also exhibited significantly longer licking/biting time during both the first and second phases of formalin-induced inflammation of the paw, which was again prevented by treatment of the mice with MK-801, and responded more strongly to glutamate injection into the paw. Compared to wild type animals, PrPC null mice also exhibited a significantly greater nociceptive response (licking/biting) after intrathecal injection of NMDA. Sciatic nerve ligation resulted in MK-801 sensitive neuropathic pain in wild-type mice, but did not further augment the basal increase in pain behaviour observed in the null mice, suggesting that mice lacking PrPC may already be in a state of tonic central sensitization. Altogether, our data indicate that PrPC exerts a critical role in modulating nociceptive transmission at the spinal cord level, and fit with the concept of NMDA receptor hyperfunction in the absence of PrPC. PMID:21843375

Experimental Investigation of Turbojet Thrust Augmentation Using an Ejector

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

mechanisms in which a particle can exchange energy. Thrust augmenting devices can be divided into two categories: ones that exchange net work or heat and...two categories from the energy equation discussion above. Thrust augmentation is achieved through turbulent entrainment where work and/or heat is...front sustained by compression waves from a trailing reaction zone. A deflagration wave is a subsonic flame front sustained by heat transfer

Probing ionization potential, electron affinity and self-energy effect on the spectral shape and exciton binding energy of quantum liquid water with self-consistent many-body perturbation theory and the Bethe-Salpeter equation.

PubMed

Ziaei, Vafa; Bredow, Thomas

2018-05-31

An accurate theoretical prediction of ionization potential (IP) and electron affinity (EA) is key in understanding complex photochemical processes in aqueous environments. There have been numerous efforts in literature to accurately predict IP and EA of liquid water, however with often conflicting results depending on the level of theory and the underlying water structures. In a recent study based on hybrid-non-self-consistent many-body perturbation theory (MBPT) Gaiduk et al (2018 Nat. Commun. 9 247) predicted an IP of 10.2 eV and EA of 0.2 eV, resulting in an electronic band gap (i.e. electronic gap (IP-EA) as measured by photoelectron spectroscopy) of about 10 eV, redefining the widely cited experimental gap of 8.7 eV in literature. In the present work, we show that GW self-consistency and an implicit vertex correction in MBPT considerably affect recently reported EA values by Gaiduk et al (2018 Nat. Commun. 9 247) by about 1 eV. Furthermore, the choice of pseudo-potential is critical for an accurate determination of the absolute band positions. Consequently, the self-consistent GW approach with an implicit vertex correction based on projector augmented wave (PAW) method on top of quantum water structures predicts an IP of 10.2, an EA of 1.1, a fundamental gap of 9.1 eV and an exciton binding (Eb) energy of 0.9 eV for the first absorption band of liquid water via the Bethe-Salpeter equation (BSE). Only within such a self-consistent approach a simultanously accurate prediction of IP, EA, Eg, Eb is possible.

Probing ionization potential, electron affinity and self-energy effect on the spectral shape and exciton binding energy of quantum liquid water with self-consistent many-body perturbation theory and the Bethe–Salpeter equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ziaei, Vafa; Bredow, Thomas

2018-05-01

An accurate theoretical prediction of ionization potential (IP) and electron affinity (EA) is key in understanding complex photochemical processes in aqueous environments. There have been numerous efforts in literature to accurately predict IP and EA of liquid water, however with often conflicting results depending on the level of theory and the underlying water structures. In a recent study based on hybrid-non-self-consistent many-body perturbation theory (MBPT) Gaiduk et al (2018 Nat. Commun. 9 247) predicted an IP of 10.2 eV and EA of 0.2 eV, resulting in an electronic band gap (i.e. electronic gap (IP-EA) as measured by photoelectron spectroscopy) of about 10 eV, redefining the widely cited experimental gap of 8.7 eV in literature. In the present work, we show that GW self-consistency and an implicit vertex correction in MBPT considerably affect recently reported EA values by Gaiduk et al (2018 Nat. Commun. 9 247) by about 1 eV. Furthermore, the choice of pseudo-potential is critical for an accurate determination of the absolute band positions. Consequently, the self-consistent GW approach with an implicit vertex correction based on projector augmented wave (PAW) method on top of quantum water structures predicts an IP of 10.2, an EA of 1.1, a fundamental gap of 9.1 eV and an exciton binding (Eb) energy of 0.9 eV for the first absorption band of liquid water via the Bethe–Salpeter equation (BSE). Only within such a self-consistent approach a simultanously accurate prediction of IP, EA, Eg, Eb is possible.

Assessment of central haemomodynamics from a brachial cuff in a community setting

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Large artery stiffening and wave reflections are independent predictors of adverse events. To date, their assessment has been limited to specialised techniques and settings. A new, more practical method allowing assessment of central blood pressure from waveforms recorded using a conventional automated oscillometric monitor has recently been validated in laboratory settings. However, the feasibility of this method in a community based setting has not been assessed. Methods One-off peripheral and central haemodynamic (systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) and pulse pressure) and wave reflection parameters (augmentation pressure (AP) and index, AIx) were obtained from 1,903 volunteers in an Austrian community setting using a transfer-function like method (ARCSolver algorithm) and from waveforms recorded with a regular oscillometric cuff. We assessed these parameters for known differences and associations according to gender and age deciles from <30 years to >80 years in the whole population and a subset with a systolic BP < 140 mmHg. Results We obtained 1,793 measures of peripheral and central BP, PP and augmentation parameters. Age and gender associations with central haemodynamic and augmentation parameters reflected those previously established from reference standard non-invasive techniques under specialised settings. Findings were the same for patients with a systolic BP below 140 mmHg (i.e. normotensive). Lower values for AIx in the current study are possibly due to differences in sampling rates, detection frequency and/or averaging procedures and to lower numbers of volunteers in younger age groups. Conclusion A novel transfer-function like algorithm, using brachial cuff-based waveform recordings, provides robust and feasible estimates of central systolic pressure and augmentation in community-based settings. PMID:22734820

New method for rekindling the nonlinear solitary waves in Maxwellian complex space plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, G. C.; Sarma, Ridip

2018-04-01

Our interest is to study the nonlinear wave phenomena in complex plasma constituents with Maxwellian electrons and ions. The main reason for this consideration is to exhibit the effects of dust charge fluctuations on acoustic modes evaluated by the use of a new method. A special method (G'/G) has been developed to yield the coherent features of nonlinear waves augmented through the derivation of a Korteweg-de Vries equation and found successfully the different nature of solitons recognized in space plasmas. Evolutions have shown with the input of appropriate typical plasma parameters to support our theoretical observations in space plasmas. All conclusions are in good accordance with the actual occurrences and could be of interest to further the investigations in experiments and satellite observations in space. In this paper, we present not only the model that exhibited nonlinear solitary wave propagation but also a new mathematical method to the execution.

An adaptive sparse deconvolution method for distinguishing the overlapping echoes of ultrasonic guided waves for pipeline crack inspection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Yong; Zi, Yanyang; Zhao, Jiyuan; Yang, Zhe; He, Wangpeng; Sun, Hailiang

2017-03-01

In guided wave pipeline inspection, echoes reflected from closely spaced reflectors generally overlap, meaning useful information is lost. To solve the overlapping problem, sparse deconvolution methods have been developed in the past decade. However, conventional sparse deconvolution methods have limitations in handling guided wave signals, because the input signal is directly used as the prototype of the convolution matrix, without considering the waveform change caused by the dispersion properties of the guided wave. In this paper, an adaptive sparse deconvolution (ASD) method is proposed to overcome these limitations. First, the Gaussian echo model is employed to adaptively estimate the column prototype of the convolution matrix instead of directly using the input signal as the prototype. Then, the convolution matrix is constructed upon the estimated results. Third, the split augmented Lagrangian shrinkage (SALSA) algorithm is introduced to solve the deconvolution problem with high computational efficiency. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, guided wave signals obtained from pipeline inspection are investigated numerically and experimentally. Compared to conventional sparse deconvolution methods, e.g. the {{l}1} -norm deconvolution method, the proposed method shows better performance in handling the echo overlap problem in the guided wave signal.

Childhood Obesity Associates Haemodynamic and Vascular Changes That Result in Increased Central Aortic Pressure with Augmented Incident and Reflected Wave Components, without Changes in Peripheral Amplification

PubMed Central

Castro, Juan M.; García-Espinosa, Victoria; Curcio, Santiago; Arana, Maite; Chiesa, Pedro; Giachetto, Gustavo; Zócalo, Yanina; Bia, Daniel

2016-01-01

The aims were to determine if childhood obesity is associated with increased central aortic blood pressure (BP) and to characterize haemodynamic and vascular changes associated with BP changes in obese children and adolescents by means of analyzing changes in cardiac output (stroke volume, SV), arterial stiffness (aortic pulse wave velocity, PWV), peripheral vascular resistances (PVR), and net and relative contributions of reflected waves to the aortic pulse wave amplitude. We included 117 subjects (mean/range age: 10 (5–15) years, 49 females), who were obese (OB) or had normal weight (NW). Peripheral and central aortic BP, PWV, and pulse wave-derived parameters (augmentation index, amplitude of forward and backward components) were measured with tonometry (SphygmoCor) and oscillometry (Mobil-O-Graph). With independence of the presence of dyslipidemia, hypertension, or sedentarism, the aortic systolic and pulse BP were higher in OB than in NW subjects. The increase in central BP could not be explained by the elevation in the relative contribution of reflections to the aortic pressure wave and higher PVR or by an augmented peripheral reflection coefficient. Instead, the rise in central BP could be explained by an increase in the amplitude of both incident and reflect wave components associated to augmented SV and/or PWV. PMID:26881081

Structural, vibrational and thermodynamic properties of Mg2SiO4 and MgSiO3 minerals from first-principles simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernández, E. R.; Brodholt, J.; Alfè, D.

2015-03-01

In this paper we report a computational study of the structural and vibrational properties of the Mg-end members forsterite, wadsleyite and ringwoodite of Mg2SiO4 , and akimotoite, majorite and the perovskite phase of MgSiO3 . Our calculations have been carried out in the framework of Density Functional Theory (DFT) using a plane wave basis set and the Projector-augmented Wave (PAW) method to account for the core electrons. All structures have been fully relaxed at a series of volumes corresponding to the pressure range relevant to the transition zone in the Earth's mantle, and at each volume the phonon frequencies have been obtained and classified. Using the quasi-harmonic approximation, we have estimated a series of thermodynamic properties for each structure, including the Gibbs free energy, from which we have computed approximate phase diagrams for Mg2SiO4 and MgSiO3 . In spite of our reliance on the quasi-harmonic approximation, which is expected to break down at high temperatures, our calculated phase diagrams qualitatively reproduce the main features expected from diagrams fitted to experimental data. For example, from the computed phase diagram for Mg2SiO4 we obtain a post-spinel boundary at P = 22.1 GPa at T = 1873 K, with a slope of -3.4 MPa/K.This supports experimental results suggesting a relatively large slope rather than those favouring a much flatter one. It also suggests that vertical deflections of the 660 km discontinuity due to thermal signatures from plumes and slabs should be similar to those at the 410 km, and that a deflection of 35 km as seen in recent seismic studies could be caused by a thermal anomaly as small as 330 K. We also identify the triple point between the ringwoodite, ilmenite (plus periclase) and perovskite (plus periclase) phases to be at P = 22.9 GPa and T = 1565 K. Our results clearly illustrate the stringent requirements made on theoretical models in order to extract predictions compatible with the available experimental data.

Asynchronous arterial systolic expansion as a marker of vascular aging: assessment of the carotid artery with velocity vector imaging.

PubMed

Yang, Woo-In; Shim, Chi Y; Bang, Woo D; Oh, Chang M; Chang, Hyuk J; Chung, Namsik; Ha, Jong-Won

2011-12-01

Arterial elastic properties change with aging. Measurements of pulse wave velocity and augmentation index are useful for the evaluation of arterial stiffness. However, they likely represent only global characteristics of the arterial tree rather than local vascular alterations. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether local vascular properties assessed by velocity vector imaging differed with aging. Vascular properties of carotid arteries with ages were assessed in 100 healthy volunteers (52 men) ranging from 20 to 68 years using velocity vector imaging. The peak circumferential strain and strain rate of the six segments in left common carotid arteries were analyzed and the standard deviation of the time to peak circumferential strain and strain rate of the six segments, representing the synchronicity of the arterial expansion, were calculated. Central blood pressure, augmentation index and pulse wave velocity were assessed by commercially available radial artery tonometry, the SphygmoCor system (AtCor Medical, West Ryde, Australia). A validated generalized transfer function was used to acquire the central aortic pressures and pressure waveforms. Pulse wave velocity, augmentation index and velocity vector imaging parameters showed significant changes with age. However, the age-related changes in pulse wave velocity, augmentation index and velocity vector imaging parameters were different. The increase in pulse wave velocity was more prominent in older individuals, whereas the changes in augmentation index and carotid strain and strain rate were evident earlier, at the age of 30 years. Unlike augmentation index, which showed little change in older individuals, the standard deviation of time to peak strain and strain rate showed a steady increase from younger to older individuals. Asynchronous arterial expansion could be a useful discriminative marker of vascular aging independent of individual's age.

Aortic stiffness predicts functional outcome in patients after ischemic stroke.

PubMed

Gasecki, Dariusz; Rojek, Agnieszka; Kwarciany, Mariusz; Kubach, Marlena; Boutouyrie, Pierre; Nyka, Walenty; Laurent, Stephane; Narkiewicz, Krzysztof

2012-02-01

Increased aortic stiffness (measured by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity) and central augmentation index have been shown to independently predict cardiovascular events, including stroke. We studied whether pulse wave velocity and central augmentation index predict functional outcome after ischemic stroke. In a prospective study, we enrolled 99 patients with acute ischemic stroke (age 63.7 ± 12.4 years, admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score 6.6 ± 6.6, mean ± SD). Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity and central augmentation index (SphygmoCor) were measured 1 week after stroke onset. Functional outcome was evaluated 90 days after stroke using the modified Rankin Scale with modified Rankin Scale score of 0 to 1 considered an excellent outcome. In univariate analysis, low carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (P=0.000001) and low central augmentation index (P=0.028) were significantly associated with excellent stroke outcome. Age, severity of stroke, presence of previous stroke, diabetes, heart rate, and peripheral pressures also predicted stroke functional outcome. In multivariate analysis, the predictive value of carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (<9.4 m/s) remained significant (OR, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.06-0.79; P=0.02) after adjustment for age, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score on admission, and presence of previous stroke. By contrast, central augmentation index had no significant predictive value after adjustment. This study indicates that aortic stiffness is an independent predictor of functional outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Arterial wave reflection and aortic valve calcification in an elderly community-based cohort.

PubMed

Sera, Fusako; Russo, Cesare; Iwata, Shinichi; Jin, Zhezhen; Rundek, Tatjana; Elkind, Mitchell S V; Homma, Shunichi; Sacco, Ralph L; Di Tullio, Marco R

2015-04-01

Aortic valve calcification (AVC) without stenosis is common in the elderly, is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and may progress to aortic valve stenosis. Arterial stiffness and pulse-wave reflection are important components of proximal aortic hemodynamics, but their relationship with AVC is not established. To investigate the relationship of arterial wave reflection and stiffness with AVC, pulse wave analysis and AVC evaluation by echocardiography were performed in 867 participants from the Cardiovascular Abnormalities and Brain Lesions study. Participants were divided into four categories on the basis of the severity and extent of AVC: (1) none or mild focal AVC, (2) mild diffuse AVC, (3) moderate to severe focal AVC, and (4) moderate to severe diffuse AVC. Central blood pressures and pulse pressure, total arterial compliance, augmentation index, and time to wave reflection were assessed using applanation tonometry. Indicators of arterial stiffness and wave reflection were significantly associated with AVC severity, except for central systolic and diastolic pressures and time to reflection. After adjustment for pertinent covariates (age, sex, race/ethnicity, and estimated glomerular filtration rate), only augmentation pressure (P = .02) and augmentation index (P = .002) were associated with the severity of AVC. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that augmentation pressure (odds ratio per mm Hg, 1.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.27; P = .02) and augmentation index (odds ratio per percentage point, 1.07; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.13; P = .02) were associated with an increased risk for moderate to severe diffuse AVC, even when central blood pressure value was included in the same model. Arterial wave reflection is associated with AVC severity, independent of blood pressure values. Increased contribution of wave reflection to central blood pressure could be involved in the process leading to AVC. Copyright © 2015 American Society of Echocardiography. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Augmented shock wave fracture/severance of materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schimmel, Morry L. (Inventor); Bement, Laurence J. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

The present invention related generally to severing materials, and more particularly to severing or weakening materials through explosively induced, augmented shock waves. Explosive cords are placed in grooves on the upper surface of the material to be severed or weakened. The explosive cords are initiated simultaneously to introduce explosive shock waves into the material. These shock waves progress toward the centerline between the explosive cords and the lower surface of the material. Intersecting and reflected waves produce a rarefaction zone on the centerline to fail the material in tension. A groove may also be cut in the lower surface of the material to aid in severing or weakening the material.

Vitex negundo inhibits cyclooxygenase-2 inflammatory cytokine-mediated inflammation on carrageenan-induced rat hind paw edema

PubMed Central

Chattopadhyay, Pronobesh; Hazarika, Soilyadhar; Dhiman, Sunil; Upadhyay, Aadesh; Pandey, Anurag; Karmakar, Sanjeev; Singh, Lokendra

2012-01-01

Background: Vitex negundo L. (Verbenaceae) is a hardy plant widely distributed in the Indian subcontinent and used for treatment of a wide spectrum of health disorders in traditional and folk medicine, some of which have been experimentally validated. In present study, we aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of V. negundo in carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats, and to investigate the probable mechanism of anti-inflammatory action. Materials and Methods: Paw edema was produced by injecting 1% solution of carrageenan, and the paw volume was measured before and after carrageenan injection up to 5 h. V. negundo leaf oil was extracted using a Clevenger apparatus and administered by a trans-dermal route to Wistar rats and the percentage of inhibition of inflammation was observed using a Plethysmometer by comparing a compound aerosol-based formulation with 1 mg diclofinac diethylamine BP and 7 mg methyl salicylate IP/kg body weight served as a standard drug whereas paraffin oil served as the placebo group. After withdrawing of blood, serum was separated and cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 inhibitory activities were measured by the enzyme immuno assay (EIA) method by using a COX inhibitor screening assay kit. Results and Discussion: V. negundo leaf oil significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the carrageenan-induced paw edema as compared to the placebo group (paraffin oil) and 1 mg diclofinac diethylamine BP and 7 mg methyl salicylate IP showed the maximum inhibition of paw edema as compared to the V. negundo leaf oil treated group and the control group. Also in the present study V. negundo leaf oil showed significantly (P < 0.05) inhibits COX-1 pathways rather than COX-2 pathways as compared to the V. negundo leaf oil treated group. Conclusion: It is suggested that the V. negundo leaf oil is a potent anti-inflammatory agent and acts via inhibition of COX-2 without much interfering COX-1 pathways. PMID:22923950

Evolutionary Origins of a Bioactive Peptide Buried within Preproalbumin[C][W

PubMed Central

Elliott, Alysha G.; Delay, Christina; Liu, Huanle; Phua, Zaiyang; Rosengren, K. Johan; Benfield, Aurélie H.; Panero, Jose L.; Colgrave, Michelle L.; Jayasena, Achala S.; Dunse, Kerry M.; Anderson, Marilyn A.; Schilling, Edward E.; Ortiz-Barrientos, Daniel; Craik, David J.; Mylne, Joshua S.

2014-01-01

The de novo evolution of proteins is now considered a frequented route for biological innovation, but the genetic and biochemical processes that lead to each newly created protein are often poorly documented. The common sunflower (Helianthus annuus) contains the unusual gene PawS1 (Preproalbumin with SFTI-1) that encodes a precursor for seed storage albumin; however, in a region usually discarded during albumin maturation, its sequence is matured into SFTI-1, a protease-inhibiting cyclic peptide with a motif homologous to unrelated inhibitors from legumes, cereals, and frogs. To understand how PawS1 acquired this additional peptide with novel biochemical functionality, we cloned PawS1 genes and showed that this dual destiny is over 18 million years old. This new family of mostly backbone-cyclic peptides is structurally diverse, but the protease-inhibitory motif was restricted to peptides from sunflower and close relatives from its subtribe. We describe a widely distributed, potential evolutionary intermediate PawS-Like1 (PawL1), which is matured into storage albumin, but makes no stable peptide despite possessing residues essential for processing and cyclization from within PawS1. Using sequences we cloned, we retrodict the likely stepwise creation of PawS1’s additional destiny within a simple albumin precursor. We propose that relaxed selection enabled SFTI-1 to evolve its inhibitor function by converging upon a successful sequence and structure. PMID:24681618

A Gauss-Newton full-waveform inversion in PML-truncated domains using scalar probing waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pakravan, Alireza; Kang, Jun Won; Newtson, Craig M.

2017-12-01

This study considers the characterization of subsurface shear wave velocity profiles in semi-infinite media using scalar waves. Using surficial responses caused by probing waves, a reconstruction of the material profile is sought using a Gauss-Newton full-waveform inversion method in a two-dimensional domain truncated by perfectly matched layer (PML) wave-absorbing boundaries. The PML is introduced to limit the semi-infinite extent of the half-space and to prevent reflections from the truncated boundaries. A hybrid unsplit-field PML is formulated in the inversion framework to enable more efficient wave simulations than with a fully mixed PML. The full-waveform inversion method is based on a constrained optimization framework that is implemented using Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) optimality conditions to minimize the objective functional augmented by PML-endowed wave equations via Lagrange multipliers. The KKT conditions consist of state, adjoint, and control problems, and are solved iteratively to update the shear wave velocity profile of the PML-truncated domain. Numerical examples show that the developed Gauss-Newton inversion method is accurate enough and more efficient than another inversion method. The algorithm's performance is demonstrated by the numerical examples including the case of noisy measurement responses and the case of reduced number of sources and receivers.

Parallelization of the FLAPW method and comparison with the PPW method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canning, Andrew; Mannstadt, Wolfgang; Freeman, Arthur

2000-03-01

The FLAPW (full-potential linearized-augmented plane-wave) method is one of the most accurate first-principles methods for determining electronic and magnetic properties of crystals and surfaces. In the past the FLAPW method has been limited to systems of about a hundred atoms due to the lack of an efficient parallel implementation to exploit the power and memory of parallel computers. In this work we present an efficient parallelization of the method by division among the processors of the plane-wave components for each state. The code is also optimized for RISC (reduced instruction set computer) architectures, such as those found on most parallel computers, making full use of BLAS (basic linear algebra subprograms) wherever possible. Scaling results are presented for systems of up to 686 silicon atoms and 343 palladium atoms per unit cell running on up to 512 processors on a Cray T3E parallel supercomputer. Some results will also be presented on a comparison of the plane-wave pseudopotential method and the FLAPW method on large systems.

Central arterial stiffness is associated with systemic inflammation among Asians with type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiao; Liu, Jian Jun; Fang Sum, Chee; Ying, Yeoh Lee; Tavintharan, Subramaniam; Ng, Xiao Wei; Su, Chang; Low, Serena; Lee, Simon Bm; Tang, Wern Ee; Lim, Su Chi

2016-07-01

To examine the relationship between inflammation and central arterial stiffness in a type 2 diabetes Asian cohort. Central arterial stiffness was estimated by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity and augmentation index. Linear regression model was used to evaluate the association of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products with pulse wave velocity and augmentation index. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein was analysed as a continuous variable and categories (<1, 1-3, and >3 mg/L). There is no association between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and pulse wave velocity. Augmentation index increased with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein as a continuous variable (β = 0.328, p = 0.049) and categories (β = 1.474, p = 0.008 for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein: 1-3 mg/L and β = 1.323, p = 0.019 for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein: >3 mg/L) after multivariable adjustment. No association was observed between augmentation index and soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products. Each unit increase in natural log-transformed soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products was associated with 0.328 m/s decrease in pulse wave velocity after multivariable adjustment (p = 0.007). Elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and decreased soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products are associated with augmentation index and pulse wave velocity, respectively, suggesting the potential role of systemic inflammation in the pathogenesis of central arterial stiffness in type 2 diabetes. © The Author(s) 2016.

Effect of Wave Reflection and Arterial Stiffness on the Risk of Development of Hypertension in Japanese Men.

PubMed

Tomiyama, Hirofumi; Komatsu, Shunsuke; Shiina, Kazuki; Matsumoto, Chisa; Kimura, Kazutaka; Fujii, Masatsune; Takahashi, Lisa; Chikamori, Taishiro; Yamashina, Akira

2018-05-08

We conducted analyses of repeated-measures data to examine whether pressure wave reflection acts additively or synergistically with arterial stiffness in the pathogenesis of hypertension. In 3172 middle-aged (42±9 years) healthy Japanese men without hypertension at the study baseline, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, and radial augmentation index were measured annually during a 9-year study period. Of these, 474 participants (15%) developed hypertension by the end of the study period. Binary logistic regression analysis demonstrated significant individual odds ratios for both baseline brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and radial augmentation index for the development of hypertension. The rate of onset of hypertension during the study period was highest in the participant group with high values for both brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and radial augmentation index at study baseline (262 of 965 participants: 27%). The generalized estimating equation analysis revealed that both radial augmentation index (estimate=0.06, SE=0.03, P =0.05) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (estimate=0.07×10 -1 , SE=0.02×10 -1 , P <0.01) showed significant longitudinal association with new onset of hypertension, with no significant interaction. In Japanese men, abnormal wave reflection and increased arterial stiffness may be additively associated with the risk of new onset of hypertension. Abnormal wave reflection and elevated central blood pressure may be longitudinally associated with increase in arterial stiffness, and this longitudinal association may be a mechanism underlying the additive effect of these 2 variables on the risk of new onset of hypertension. © 2018 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

Adaptation of the projector-augmented-wave formalism to the treatment of orbital-dependent exchange-correlation functionals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Xiao; Holzwarth, N. A. W.

2011-10-01

This paper presents the formulation and numerical implementation of a self-consistent treatment of orbital-dependent exchange-correlation functionals within the projector-augmented-wave method of Blöchl [Phys. Rev. BPRBMDO1098-012110.1103/PhysRevB.50.17953 50, 17953 (1994)] for electronic structure calculations. The methodology is illustrated with binding energy curves for C in the diamond structure and LiF in the rock salt structure, by comparing results from the Hartree-Fock (HF) formalism and the optimized effective potential formalism in the so-called KLI approximation [Krieger, Li, and Iafrate, Phys. Rev. APLRAAN1050-294710.1103/PhysRevA.45.101 45, 101 (1992)] with those of the local density approximation. While the work here uses pure Fock exchange only, the formalism can be extended to treat orbital-dependent functionals more generally.

Cd in SnO: Probing structural effects on the electronic structure of doped oxide semiconductors through the electric field gradient at the Cd nucleus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Errico, Leonardo A.; Rentería, Mario; Petrilli, Helena M.

2007-04-01

We perform an ab initio study of the electric field gradient (EFG) at the nucleus of Cd impurities at substitutional Sn sites in crystalline SnO. The full-potential linearized-augmented plane wave and the projector augmented wave methods used here allow us to treat the electronic structure of the doped system and the atomic relaxations introduced by the impurities in the host in a fully self-consistent way using a supercell approach in a state-of-the-art way. Effects of the impurity charge state on the electronic and structural properties are also discussed. Since the EFG is a very subtle quantity, its determination is very useful to probe ground-state properties such as the charge density. We show that the EFG is very sensitive to structural relaxations induced by the impurity. Our theoretical predictions are compared with available experimental results.

Noxious heat threshold temperature and pronociceptive effects of allyl isothiocyanate (mustard oil) in TRPV1 or TRPA1 gene-deleted mice.

PubMed

Tékus, Valéria; Horváth, Ádám; Hajna, Zsófia; Borbély, Éva; Bölcskei, Kata; Boros, Melinda; Pintér, Erika; Helyes, Zsuzsanna; Pethő, Gábor; Szolcsányi, János

2016-06-01

To investigate the roles of TRPV1 and TRPA1 channels in baseline and allyl isothiocyanate (AITC)-evoked nociceptive responses by comparing wild-type and gene-deficient mice. In contrast to conventional methods of thermonociception measuring reflex latencies, we used our novel methods to determine the noxious heat threshold. It was revealed that the heat threshold of the tail measured by an increasing-temperature water bath is significantly higher in TRPV1(-/-), but not TRPA1(-/-), mice compared to respective wild-types. There was no difference between the noxious heat thresholds of the hind paw as measured by an increasing-temperature hot plate in TRPV1(-/-), TRPA1(-/-) and the corresponding wild-type mice. The withdrawal latency of the tail from 0°C water was prolonged in TRPA1(-/-), but not TRPV1(-/-), mice compared to respective wild-types. In wild-type animals, dipping the tail or paw into 1% AITC induced an 8-14°C drop of the noxious heat threshold (heat allodynia) of both the tail and paw, and 40-50% drop of the mechanonociceptive threshold (mechanical allodynia) of the paw measured by dynamic plantar esthesiometry. These AITC-evoked responses were diminished in TRPV1(-/-), but not TRPA1(-/-), mice. Tail withdrawal latency to 1% AITC was significantly prolonged in both gene-deleted strains. Different heat sensors determine the noxious heat threshold in distinct areas: a pivotal role for TRPV1 on the tail is contrasted with no involvement of either TRPV1 or TRPA1 on the hind paw. Noxious heat threshold measurement appears appropriate for preclinical screening of TRP channel ligands as novel analgesics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Theoretical investigations on structural, elastic and electronic properties of thallium halides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Rishi Pal; Singh, Rajendra Kumar; Rajagopalan, Mathrubutham

2011-04-01

Theoretical investigations on structural, elastic and electronic properties, viz. ground state lattice parameter, elastic moduli and density of states, of thallium halides (viz. TlCl and TlBr) have been made using the full potential linearized augmented plane wave method within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). The ground state lattice parameter and bulk modulus and its pressure derivative have been obtained using optimization method. Young's modulus, shear modulus, Poisson ratio, sound velocities for longitudinal and shear waves, Debye average velocity, Debye temperature and Grüneisen parameter have also been calculated for these compounds. Calculated structural, elastic and other parameters are in good agreement with the available data.

Wave energy patterns of counterpulsation: a novel approach with wave intensity analysis.

PubMed

Lu, Pong-Jeu; Yang, Chi-Fu Jeffrey; Wu, Meng-Yu; Hung, Chun-Hao; Chan, Ming-Yao; Hsu, Tzu-Cheng

2011-11-01

In counterpulsation, diastolic augmentation increases coronary blood flow and systolic unloading reduces left ventricular afterload. We present a new approach with wave intensity analysis to revisit and explain counterpulsation principles. In an acute porcine model, a standard intra-aortic balloon pump was placed in descending aorta in 4 pigs. We measured pressure and velocity with probes in left anterior descending artery and aorta during and without intra-aortic balloon pump assistance. Wave intensities of aortic and left coronary waves were derived from pressure and flow measurements with synchronization correction. We identified predominating waves in counterpulsation. In the aorta, during diastolic augmentation, intra-aortic balloon inflation generated a backward compression wave, with a "pushing" effect toward the aortic root that translated to a forward compression wave into coronary circulation. During systolic unloading, intra-aortic balloon pump deflation generated a backward expansion wave that "sucked" blood from left coronary bed into the aorta. While this backward expansion wave translated to reduced left ventricular afterload, the "sucking" effect resulted in left coronary blood steal, as demonstrated by a forward expansion wave in left anterior descending coronary flow. The waves were sensitive to inflation and deflation timing, with just 25 ms delay from standard deflation timing leading to weaker forward expansion wave and less coronary regurgitation. Intra-aortic balloon pumps generate backward-traveling waves that predominantly drive aortic and coronary blood flow during counterpulsation. Wave intensity analysis of arterial circulations may provide a mechanism to explain diastolic augmentation and systolic unloading of intra-aortic balloon pump counterpulsation. Copyright © 2011 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Lateral bias and temperament in the domestic cat (Felis silvestris).

PubMed

McDowell, Louise J; Wells, Deborah L; Hepper, Peter G; Dempster, Martin

2016-11-01

Research points to a relationship between lateralization and emotional functioning in humans and many species of animal. The present study explored the association between paw preferences and emotional functioning, specifically temperament, in a species thus far overlooked in this area, the domestic cat. Thirty left-pawed, 30 right-pawed, and 30 ambilateral pet cats were recruited following an assessment of their paw preferences using a food-reaching challenge. The animals' temperament was subsequently assessed using the Feline Temperament Profile (FTP). Cats' owners also completed a purpose-designed cat temperament (CAT) scale. Analysis revealed a significant relationship between lateral bias and FTP and CAT scale scores. Ambilateral cats had lower positive (FTP+) scores, and were perceived as less affectionate, obedient, friendly, and more aggressive, than left or right-pawed animals. Left and right pawed cats differed significantly on 1 trait on the CAT scale, namely playfulness. The strength of the cats' paw preferences was related to the animals' FTP and CAT scores. Cats with a greater strength of paw preference had higher FTP+ scores than those with a weaker strength of paw preference. Animals with stronger paw preferences were perceived as more confident, affectionate, active, and friendly than those with weaker paw preferences. Results suggest that motor laterality in the cat is strongly related to temperament and that the presence or absence of lateralization has greater implications for the expression of emotion in this species than the direction of the lateralized bias. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The ontogenesis of lateralized behavior in the domestic cat, Felis silvestris catus.

PubMed

Wells, Deborah L; Millsopp, Sarah

2012-02-01

For the first time, the development of paw preferences in the domestic cat, Felis silvestris catus, is explored. Twelve cats were tested at ages 12 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year on a challenge requiring them to use one of their paws to retrieve food. To control for repeated testing of the same cats at different ages, the subjects' paw preferences were compared with those of cats tested just once, at 6 months (n = 11) or 1 year (n = 14) of age. Analysis revealed a significant effect of age on the distribution of cats' paw preferences. Cats were significantly more likely to be ambilateral than paw preferent at 12 weeks and at 6 months but more likely to display a lateral bias in paw use at 1 year. There was a significant positive correlation between cats' paw preferences at 6 months and at 1 year. Lateralized behavior was strongly sex related. Females had a greater preference for using their right paw; males were significantly more inclined to adopt their left. Analysis revealed no significant difference in the direction or strength of paw preferences of cats tested longitudinally or cross-sectionally at 6 months or 1 year of age. Findings indicate that cats develop paw preferences by 1 year and hint at a relative stability in preferred paw use over time. The strong sex effect observed strengthens the case for the influence of a biological mechanism in the emergence of motor asymmetry in cats.

Posture does not matter! Paw usage and grasping paw preference in a small-bodied rooting quadrupedal mammal.

PubMed

Joly, Marine; Scheumann, Marina; Zimmermann, Elke

2012-01-01

Recent results in birds, marsupials, rodents and nonhuman primates suggest that phylogeny and ecological factors such as body size, diet and postural habit of a species influence limb usage and the direction and strength of limb laterality. To examine to which extent these findings can be generalised to small-bodied rooting quadrupedal mammals, we studied trees shrews (Tupaia belangeri). We established a behavioural test battery for examining paw usage comparable to small-bodied primates and tested 36 Tupaia belangeri. We studied paw usage in a natural foraging situation (simple food grasping task) and measured the influence of varying postural demands (triped, biped, cling, sit) on paw preferences by applying a forced-food grasping task similar to other small-bodied primates. Our findings suggest that rooting tree shrews prefer mouth over paw usage to catch food in a natural foraging situation. Moreover, we demonstrated that despite differences in postural demand, tree shrews show a strong and consistent individual paw preference for grasping across different tasks, but no paw preference at a population level. Tree shrews showed less paw usage than small-bodied quadrupedal and arboreal primates, but the same paw preference. Our results confirm that individual paw preferences remain constant irrespective of postural demand in some small-bodied quadrupedal non primate and primate mammals which do not require fine motoric control for manipulating food items. Our findings suggest that the lack of paw/hand preference for grasping food at a population level is a universal pattern among those species and that the influence of postural demand on manual lateralisation in quadrupeds may have evolved in large-bodied species specialised in fine manipulations of food items.

Inhibition of carrageenin-induced rat paw oedema by crotapotin, a polypeptide complexed with phospholipase A2.

PubMed Central

Landucci, E C; Antunes, E; Donato, J L; Faro, R; Hyslop, S; Marangoni, S; Oliveira, B; Cirino, G; de Nucci, G

1995-01-01

1. The effect of purified crotapotin, a non-toxic non-enzymatic chaperon protein normally complexed to a phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in South America rattlesnake venom, was studied in the acute inflammatory response induced by carrageenin (1 mg/paw), compound 48/80 (3 micrograms/paw) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) (3 micrograms/paw) in the rat hind-paw. The effects of crotapotin on platelet aggregation, mast cell degranulation and eicosanoid release from guinea-pig isolated lung were also investigated. 2. Subplantar co-injection of crotapotin (1 and 10 micrograms/paw) with carrageenin or injection of crotapotin (10 micrograms/paw) into the contralateral paw significantly inhibited the carrageenin-induced oedema. This inhibition was also observed when crotapotin (10-30 micrograms/paw) was administered either intraperitoneally or orally. Subplantar injection of heated crotapotin (15 min at 60 degrees C) failed to inhibit carrageenin-induced oedema. Subplantar injection of crotapotin (10 micrograms/paw) also significantly inhibited the rat paw oedema induced by compound 48/80, but it did not affect 5-HT-induced oedema. 3. In adrenalectomized animals, subplantar injection of crotapotin markedly inhibited the oedema induced by carrageenin. The inhibitory effect of crotapotin was also observed in rats depleted of histamine and 5-HT stores. 4. Crotapotin (30 micrograms/paw) had no effect on either the histamine release induced by compound 48/80 in vitro or on the platelet aggregation induced by both arachidonic acid (1 nM) and platelet activating factor (1 microM) in human platelet-rich plasma. The platelet aggregation and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) release induced by thrombin (100 mu ml-1) in washed human platelets were also not affected by crotapotin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID:7537590

Antinociceptive and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Bridelia retusa Methanolic Fruit Extract in Experimental Animals

PubMed Central

Kumar, Tekeshwar; Jain, Vishal

2014-01-01

Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory potentials of methanolic extract of Bridelia retusa fruit (BRME) were evaluated against different animal models in rodents. Antinociceptive effects of BRME were assessed in mice using the acetic acid-induced writhing and formalin test. Anti-inflammatory effects of BRME in three different doses, namely, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, were evaluated by utilizing different animal models representing various changes associated with inflammation, namely, carrageenan-induced paw oedema, histamine and serotonin-induced paw oedema, arachidonic acid-induced paw oedema, formalin-induced paw oedema, TPA-induced ear oedema, acetic acid-induced vascular permeability, total WBC count in paw fluid, and myeloperoxidase assay. Also BRME was phytochemically evaluated using chromatographic method. The BRME did not exhibit any signs of toxicity up to a dose of 2000 mg/kg. The extract showed statistical significant inhibition of induced nociception and inflammation in dose dependent manner. The higher dose of extract significantly inhibited pain and inflammation against control (P < 0.001). HPLC results revealed the presence of gallic acid and ellagic acid as phytoconstituents in BRME and it was proven as anti-inflammatory agents. The present study scientifically demonstrated the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory potential of fruit of B. retusa methanolic extract. These effects may be attributed to the presence of polyphenolic phytoconstituents in the extract. PMID:25506619

Evaluation of anti-inflammatory potential of leaf extracts of Skimmia anquetilia

PubMed Central

Kumar, Vijender; Bhat, Zulfiqar Ali; Kumar, Dinesh; Khan, NA; Chashoo, IA

2012-01-01

Objective To evaluate anti-inflammatory potential of leaf extract of Skimmia anquetilia by in-vitro and in-vivo anti-inflammatory models. Methods Acute toxicity study was carried out to determine the toxicity level of different extract using acute toxic class method as described in Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development Guidelines No.423. Carrageenan (1% w/w) was administered and inflammation was induced in rat paw. The leaf extracts of Skimmia anquetilia were evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity by in-vitro human red blood cell (HRBC) membrane stabilization method and in-vivo carrangeenan-induced rat paw edema method. Results The in-vitro membrane stabilizing test showed petroleum ether (PE), chloroform (CE), ethyl acetate (EE), methanol (ME) and aqueous extracts (AE) showed 49.44%, 59.39%, 60.15%, 68.40% and 52.18 % protection, respectively as compared to control groups. The in-vivo results of CE, EE and ME showed 58.20%, 60.17% and 67.53% inhibition of inflammation after 6h administration of test drugs in albino rats. The potency of the leaf extracts of Skimmia anquetilia were compared with standard diclofenac (10 mg/kg) which showed 74.18% protection in in-vitro HRBC membrane stabilization test and 71.64% inhibition in in-vivo carrangeenan-induced rat paw edema model. The ME showed a dose dependent significant (P< 0.01) anti-inflammatory activity in human red blood cell membrane stabilization test and reduction of edema in carrageenan induced rat paw edema. Conclusions The present investigation has confirmed the anti-inflammatory activity of Skimmia anquetilia due to presence of bioactive phytoconstitutes for the first time and provide the pharmacological evidence in favor of traditional claim of Skimmia anquetilia as an anti- inflammatory agent. PMID:23569983

Reactive radical-driven bacterial inactivation by hydrogen-peroxide-enhanced plasma-activated-water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Songjie; Zhang, Qian; Ma, Ruonan; Yu, Shuang; Wang, Kaile; Zhang, Jue; Fang, Jing

2017-08-01

The combined effects of plasma activated water (PAW) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), PAW/HP, in sterilization were investigated in this study. To assess the synergistic effects of PAW/HP, S. aureus was selected as the test microorganism to determine the inactivation efficacy. Also, the DNA/RNA and proteins released by the bacterial suspensions under different conditions were examined to confirm membrane integrity. Additionally, the intracellular pH (pHi) of S. aureus was measured in our study. Electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR) was employed to identify the presence of radicals. Finally, the oxidation reduction potential (ORP), conductivity and pH were measured. Our results revealed that the inactivation efficacy of PAW/HP is much greater than that of PAW, while increased H2O2 concentration result in higher inactivation potential. More importantly, as compared with PAW, the much stronger intensity ESR signals and higher ORP in PAW/HP suggests that the inactivation mechanism of the synergistic effects of PAW/HP: more reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), especially OH and NO radicals, are generated in PAW combined with H2O2 resulting in more deaths of the bacteria.

Noxious mechanical heterotopic stimulation induces inhibition of the spinal dorsal horn neuronal network: analysis of spinal somatosensory-evoked potentials.

PubMed

Meléndez-Gallardo, J; Eblen-Zajjur, A

2016-09-01

Most of the endogenous pain modulation (EPM) involves the spinal dorsal horn (SDH). EPM including diffuse noxious inhibitory controls have been extensively described in oligoneuronal electrophysiological recordings but less attention had been paid to responses of the SDH neuronal population to heterotopic noxious stimulation (HNS). Spinal somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEP) offer the possibility to evaluate the neuronal network behavior, reflecting the incoming afferent volleys along the entry root, SDH interneuron activities and the primary afferent depolarization. SEP from de lumbar cord dorsum were evaluated during mechanical heterotopic noxious stimuli. Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 12) were Laminectomized (T10-L3). The sural nerve of the left hind paw was electrically stimulated (5 mA, 0.5 ms, 0.05 Hz) to induce lumbar SEP. The HNS (mechanic clamp) was applied sequentially to the tail, right hind paw, right forepaw, muzzle and left forepaw during sural stimulation. N wave amplitude decreases (-16.6 %) compared to control conditions when HNS was applied to all areas of stimulation. This effect was more intense for muzzle stimulation (-23.5 %). N wave duration also decreased by -23.6 %. HNS did not change neither the amplitude nor the duration of the P wave but dramatically increases the dispersion of these two parameters. The results of the present study strongly suggest that a HNS applied to different parts of the body is able to reduce the integrated electrical response of the SDH, suggesting that not only wide dynamic range neurons but many others in the SDH are modulated by the EPM.

Anti-inflammatory effect of bee pollen ethanol extract from Cistus sp. of Spanish on carrageenan-induced rat hind paw edema

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Bee pollen, a honeybee product, is the feed for honeybees prepared themselves by pollens collecting from plants and has been consumed as a perfect food in Europe, because it is nutritionally well balanced. In this study, we aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of bee pollen from Cistus sp. of Spanish origin by a method of carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats, and to investigate the mechanism of anti-inflammatory action and also to elucidate components involved in bee pollen extracted with ethanol. Methods The bee pollen bulk, its water extract and its ethanol extract were administered orally to rats. One hour later, paw edema was produced by injecting of 1% solution of carrageenan, and paw volume was measured before and after carrageenan injection up to 5 h. The ethanol extract and water extract were measured COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitory activities using COX inhibitor screening assay kit, and were compared for the inhibition of NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The constituents of bee pollen were purified from the ethanol extract subjected to silica gel or LH-20 column chromatography. Each column chromatography fractions were further purified by repeated ODS or silica gel column chromatography. Results The bee pollen bulk mildly suppressed the carrageenan-induced paw edema and the water extract showed almost no inhibitory activity, but the ethanol extract showed relatively strong inhibition of paw edema. The ethanol extract inhibited the NO production and COX-2 but not COX-1 activity, but the water extract did not affect the NO production or COX activities. Flavonoids were isolated and purified from the ethanol extract of bee pollen, and identified at least five flavonoids and their glycosides. Conclusions It is suggested that the ethanol extract of bee pollen show a potent anti-inflammatory activity and its effect acts via the inhibition of NO production, besides the inhibitory activity of COX-2. Some flavonoids included in bee pollen may partly participate in some of the anti-inflammatory action. The bee pollen would be beneficial not only as a dietary supplement but also as a functional food. PMID:20573205

Repeatability of quantitative sensory testing in healthy cats in a clinical setting with comparison to cats with osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Addison, Elena S; Clements, Dylan N

2017-12-01

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the repeatability of quantitative sensory tests (QSTs) in a group of healthy untrained cats (n = 14) and to compare the results with those from cats with osteoarthritis (n = 7). Methods Peak vertical force (PVF) and vertical impulse were measured on a pressure plate system. Thermal sensitivity was assessed using a temperature-controlled plate at 7°C and 40°C. Individual paw lifts and overall duration of paw lifts were counted and measured for each limb. Paw withdrawal thresholds were measured using manual and electronic von Frey monofilaments (MVF and EVF, respectively) applied to the metacarpal or metatarsal pads. All measurements were repeated twice to assess repeatability of the tests. Results In healthy cats all tests were moderately repeatable. When compared with cats with osteoarthritis the PVF was significantly higher in healthy hindlimbs in repeat 1 but not in repeat 2. Cats with osteoarthritis of the forelimbs showed a decrease in the frequency of paw lifts on the 7°C plate compared with cats with healthy forelimbs, and the duration of paw lifts was significantly less than healthy forelimbs in the first repeat but not in the second repeat. Osteoarthritic limbs had significantly lower paw withdrawal thresholds with both MVF and EVF than healthy limbs. Conclusions and relevance QSTs are moderately repeatable in untrained cats. Kinetic gait analysis did not permit differentiation between healthy limbs and those with osteoarthritis, but thermal sensitivity testing (cold) does. Sensory threshold testing can differentiate osteoarthritic and healthy limbs, and may be useful in the diagnosis and monitoring of this condition in cats in the clinical setting.

Stress formulation in the all-electron full-potential linearized augmented plane wave method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagasako, Naoyuki; Oguchi, Tamio

2012-02-01

Stress formulation in the linearlized augmented plane wave (LAPW) method has been proposed in 2002 [1] as an extension of the force formulation in the LAPW method [2]. However, pressure calculations only for Al and Si were reported in Ref.[1] and even now stress calculations have not yet been fully established in the LAPW method. In order to make it possible to efficiently relax lattice shape and atomic positions simultaneously and to precisely evaluate the elastic constants in the LAPW method, we reformulate stress formula in the LAPW method with the Soler-Williams representation [3]. Validity of the formulation is tested by comparing the pressure obtained as the trace of stress tensor with that estimated from total energies for a wide variety of material systems. Results show that pressure is estimated within the accuracy of less than 0.1 GPa. Calculations of the shear elastic constant show that the shear components of the stress tensor are also precisely computed with the present formulation [4].[4pt] [1] T. Thonhauser et al., Solid State Commun. 124, 275 (2002).[0pt] [2] R. Yu et al., Phys. Rev. B 43, 6411 (1991).[0pt] [3] J. M. Soler and A. R. Williams, Phys. Rev. B 40, 1560 (1989).[0pt] [4] N. Nagasako and T. Oguchi, J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 80, 024701 (2011).

Building a Personalized Education Portal: Get a Behind-the-Scenes Look at LSU's Award-Winning System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ethridge, Robin R.; Hadden, Cynthia M; Smith, Michael P.

2000-01-01

Describes the Personal Access Web Services (PAWS) at Louisiana State University, a portal application which offers enterprise, workgroup, and personal services. The paper highlights: PAWS project planning; PAWS as a portal; PAWS implementation; account accreditation; user authentication; legacy integration; mapping credentials; transmission of…

Using a Photon Beam for Thermal Nociceptive Threshold Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, Azida; Anderson, Jeffery; Sherwood, Spencer

In humans, risk of diabetes and diabetic complications increases with age and duration of prediabetic state. In an effort to understand the progression of this disease scientists have evaluated the deterioration of the nervous system. One of the current methods used in the evaluation of the deterioration of the nervous system is through thermal threshold experiments. An incremental Hot / Cold Plate Analgesia Meter (IITC Life Science,CA is used to linearly increase the plate temperature at a rate of 10 ºC min-1 with a cutoff temperature of 55 ºC. Hind limb heat pain threshold (HPT) will be defined as a plate temperature at which the animal abruptly withdraws either one of its hind feet from the plate surface in a sharp move, typically followed by licking of the lifted paw. One of the disadvantages of using this hot plate method is in determining the true temperature at which the paw was withdrawn. While the temperature of the plate is known the position of the paw on the surface may vary; occasionally being cupped resulting in a temperature differentiation between the plate and the paw. During experiments the rats may urine onto the plate changing the temperature of the surface again resulting in reduced accuracy as to the withdrawal threshold. We propose here a new method for nociceptive somatic experiments involving the heat pain threshold experiments. This design employs the use of a photon beam to detect thermal response from an animal model. The details of this design is presented. Funded by the Undergraduate Research Council at the University of Central Arkansas.

Development of Integrated and Flexible Ultrasonic Transducers for Aerospace Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Kuo-Ting

2011-12-01

High temperature (HT) integrated (IUTs) and flexible ultrasonic transducers (FUTs) for potential aerospace applications in the area of nondestructive testing (NDT) and structural health monitoring (SHM) are developed. The main merits are that IUTs can be fabricated on-site and FUTs are feasible and attractive for on-site installation. The piezoelectric composite films of these HT ultrasonic transducers (HTUTs) are made by sol-gel spray fabrication. Lead-zirconate titanate composite (PZT-c), bismuth titanate composite (BIT-c), or lithium niobate composite (LiNbO3-c) films were coated onto metallic substrates with planar and curved surfaces and investigated as IUTs. Their maximum operating temperatures were demonstrated at up to 150°C, 400°C, and 800°C, respectively. PZT-c or BIT-c films were coated onto 75 mum or 38 mum thick metallic membranes and were investigated as FUTs. They can be bonded onto flat or curved surfaces for NDT and SHM. An FUT made of BIT-c film coated onto a stainless steel membrane glued onto a steel plate was performed at up to 300°C. Besides being coated onto metallic materials, sol-gel sprayed composite films were also coated onto graphite/epoxy (Gr/Ep) plates as IUTs and 50 mum thick polyimide films as FUTs for the thickness and delamination evaluation. Using acoustic mode conversion techniques, HTUTs for shear (S) wave, surface acoustic wave (SAW), and plate acoustic wave (PAW), have been developed. HT ultrasonic probes simultaneously producing one longitudinal (L) and two orthogonally polarized S waves were demonstrated in metallic and Plexiglas probes. The potential applications of these probes were discussed. Also applying mode conversion approaches, HT symmetrical, anti-symmetrical, and shear horizontal (SH) PAWs UTs for NDT and SHM were developed. The results showed that the SH PAWs may be the best candidate for NDT and SHM purposes for plate structures. Generation and detection of guided acoustic waves for NDT were demonstrated by using IUTs or FUTs with metallic wedges, mechanical gratings or interdigital transducers as well. The experiments with these three approaches were performed at up to 300°C. Furthermore, two non-contact ultrasonic measurement techniques by sol-gel sprayed composite films were presented in this thesis. One is using lasers to generate ultrasound and IUTs as receivers, and the other is using induction-based non-contact ultrasonic measurement technique with IUTs. NDT of bonded composite patches on aluminum plates was performed using laser generated ultrasound and IUT receivers. The induction-based ultrasonic measurement of a Gr/Ep composite plate rotated at 1000 rpm was demonstrated. The IUTs and FUTs developed in this thesis are able to provide signals with good signal-to-noise ratios at elevated temperature on structures and parts having a curved surface. They are light weight and miniature in size. They may be used for real-time, in situ, nondestructive local and global (large area) damage detection and assessment in aerospace NDT and SHM applications.

Why I Love Pseudopotentials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleinman, Leonard

2001-03-01

The history of pseudopotentials from 1934 to the present time will be discussed. The speaker's personal involvement will be described but not to the neglect of the many others who have made huge contributions to the field. We end with the question, 'Is it possible that pseudopotential calculations could be more accurate than those made using the full potential augmented plane wave method?'.

Protective effects of radon inhalation on carrageenan-induced inflammatory paw edema in mice.

PubMed

Kataoka, Takahiro; Teraoka, Junichi; Sakoda, Akihiro; Nishiyama, Yuichi; Yamato, Keiko; Monden, Mayuko; Ishimori, Yuu; Nomura, Takaharu; Taguchi, Takehito; Yamaoka, Kiyonori

2012-04-01

We assessed whether radon inhalation inhibited carrageenan-induced inflammation in mice. Carrageenan (1% v/v) was injected subcutaneously into paws of mice that had or had not inhaled approximately 2,000 Bq/m(3) of radon for 24 h. Radon inhalation significantly increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities and significantly decreased lipid peroxide levels in mouse paws, indicating that radon inhalation activates antioxidative functions. Carrageenan administration induced paw edema and significantly increased tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and nitric oxide in serum. However, radon inhalation significantly reduced carrageenan-induced paw edema. Serum TNF-α levels were lower in the radon-treated mice than in sham-treated mice. In addition, SOD and catalase activities in paws were significantly higher in the radon-treated mice than in the sham-treated mice. These findings indicated that radon inhalation had anti-inflammatory effects and inhibited carrageenan-induced inflammatory paw edema.

Catecholamine plasma levels, IFN-γ serum levels and antibodies production induced by rabies vaccine in dogs selected for their paw preference.

PubMed

Siniscalchi, Marcello; Cirone, Francesco; Guaricci, Antonio Ciro; Quaranta, Angelo

2014-01-01

To explore the possible role of the sympathetic nervous activity in the asymmetrical crosstalk between the brain and immune system, catecholamine (E, NE) plasma levels, Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) serum levels and production of antibodies induced by rabies vaccine in dogs selected for their paw preference were measured. The results showed that the direction of behavioural lateralization influenced both epinephrine levels and immune response in dogs. A different kinetic of epinephrine levels after immunization was observed in left-pawed dogs compared to both right-pawed and ambidextrous dogs. The titers of antirabies antibodies were lower in left-pawed dogs than in right-pawed and ambidextrous dogs. Similarly, the IFN-γ serum levels were lower in left-pawed dogs than in the other two groups. Taken together, these findings showed that the left-pawed group appeared to be consistently the different group stressing the fundamental role played by the sympathetic nervous system as a mechanistic basis for the crosstalk between the brain and the immune system.

Distribution of paw preference in mongrel and tortoise-shell cats and the relation of hemispheric weight to paw preference: sexual dimorphism in paw use and its relation to hemispheric weight.

PubMed

Tan, U

1993-06-01

The distribution of the right minus left (R - L) paw use and its relation to hemispheric weight was studied in tortoise-shell cats. Paw preference was assessed by a food reaching test. All males (N = 9) were left-preferent; females (N = 13) were predominantly right-preferent. There was an inverse relationship between the degree of left-paw preference and the right-brain weight in males (no correlation with left-brain weight). In females, the R - L paw use showed a negative linear correlation with the right- and left-brain weights: the right-pawedness decreased and the left-pawedness increased as the right- and left-brain weights increased. The distributions of the R - L paw use as well as the relationships between brain-weight and pawedness exhibited sexual dimorphism. The results suggest that mainly the genetic and hormonal factors may play an important role in emergence of motor asymmetry in cats. Annett's right shift theory of handedness was also discussed in light of these results.

Plasma-activated water: a new and effective alternative for duodenoscope reprocessing.

PubMed

Bălan, Gheorghe G; Roşca, Irina; Ursu, Elena-Laura; Doroftei, Florica; Bostănaru, Andra-Cristina; Hnatiuc, Eugen; Năstasă, Valentin; Şandru, Vasile; Ştefănescu, Gabriela; Trifan, Anca; Mareş, Mihai

2018-01-01

Duodenoscopes have been widely used for both diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography procedures. Numerous outbreaks of duodenoscope-associated infections involving multidrug-resistant bacteria have recently been reported. Plasma activated water (PAW) has been widely considered an effective agent for surface decontamination and is increasingly used for disinfection of medical equipment. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the duodenoscopes currently on market are suited for the repeated use of PAW and to test the efficacy of PAW for their disinfection. In order to evaluate the disinfection efficacy and the required time of contact, the duodenoscope samples were contaminated by immersing them in fasted-state simulated intestinal fluid containing Escherichia coli , Klebsiella pneumoniae , Acinetobacter baumannii , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa , prior to PAW exposure. In order to test the duodenoscope polymer compatibility with PAW, a challenge test was conducted by immersing the samples in PAW for 30 minutes daily for 45 consecutive days. Significant reductions in bacterial populations were achieved after 30 minutes of PAW treatment, indicating a high-level disinfection. Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to demonstrate that repeated PAW treatment of duodenoscope coating polymer samples did not result in significant differences in morphological surface between the treated and untreated samples. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis also showed no significant differences between the elemental composition of the duodenoscope coating polymer samples before and after repeated PAW treatment. Considering these preliminary results, PAW could be considered as a new alternative for duodenoscope reprocessing.

Short-term and long-term memory deficits in handedness learning in mice with absent corpus callosum and reduced hippocampal commissure.

PubMed

Ribeiro, Andre S; Eales, Brenda A; Biddle, Fred G

2013-05-15

The corpus callosum (CC) and hippocampal commissure (HC) are major interhemispheric connections whose role in brain function and behaviors is fascinating and contentious. Paw preference of laboratory mice is a genetically regulated, adaptive behavior, continuously shaped by training and learning. We studied variation with training in paw-preference in mice of the 9XCA/WahBid ('9XCA') recombinant inbred strain, selected for complete absence of the CC and severely reduced HC. We measured sequences of paw choices in 9XCA mice in two training sessions in unbiased test chambers, separated by one-week. We compared them with sequences of paw choices in model non-learner mice that have random unbiased paw choices and with those of C57BL/6JBid ('C57BL/6J') mice that have normal interhemispheric connections and learn a paw preference. Positive autocorrelation between successive paw choices during each session and change in paw-preference bias between sessions indicate that 9XCA mice have weak, but not null, learning skills. We tested the effect of the forebrain commissural defect on paw-preference learning with the independent BTBR T+ tf/J ('BTBR') mouse strain that has a genetically identical, non-complementing commissural trait. BTBR has weak short-term and long-term memory skills, identical to 9XCA. The results provide strong evidence that CC and HC contribute in memory function and formation of paw-preference biases. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Noradrenaline activates the NO/cGMP/ATP-sensitive K(+) channels pathway to induce peripheral antinociception in rats.

PubMed

Romero, Thiago R L; Guzzo, Luciana S; Perez, Andrea C; Klein, André; Duarte, Igor D G

2012-03-31

Despite the classical peripheral pronociceptive effect of noradrenaline (NA), recently studies showed the involvement of NA in antinociceptive effect under immune system interaction. In addition, the participation of the NO/cGMP/KATP pathway in the peripheral antinociception has been established by our group as the molecular mechanism of another adrenoceptor agonist xylazine. Thus the aim of this study was to obtain pharmacological evidences for the involvement of the NO/cGMP/KATP pathway in the peripheral antinociceptive effect induced by exogenous noradrenaline. The rat paw pressure test was used, with hyperalgesia induced by intraplantar injection of prostaglandin E(2) (2μg/paw). All drugs were locally administered into the right hind paw of male Wistar rats. NA (5, 20 and 80ng/paw) elicited a local inhibition of hyperalgesia. The non-selective NO synthase inhibitor l-NOarg (12, 18 and 24μg/paw) antagonized the antinociception effect induced by the highest dose of NA. The soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitor ODQ (25, 50 and 100μg/paw) antagonized the NA-induced effect; and cGMP-phosphodiesterase inhibitor zaprinast (50μg/paw) potentiated the antinociceptive effect of NA low dose (5ng/paw). In addition, the local effect of NA was antagonized by a selective blocker of an ATP-sensitive K(+) channel, glibenclamide (20, 40 and 80μg/paw). On the other hand, the specifically voltage-dependent K(+) channel blocker, tetraethylammonium (30μg/paw), Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channel blockers of small and large conductance types dequalinium (50μg/paw) and paxilline (20μg/paw), respectively, were not able to block local antinociceptive effect of NA. The results provide evidences that NA probably induces peripheral antinociceptive effects by activation of the NO/cGMP/KATP pathway. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

TRPA1, NMDA receptors and nitric oxide mediate mechanical hyperalgesia induced by local injection of magnesium sulfate into the rat hind paw.

PubMed

Srebro, Dragana P; Vučković, Sonja M; Savić Vujović, Katarina R; Prostran, Milica Š

2015-02-01

Previous studies have shown that while magnesium, an antagonist of the glutamate subtype of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors, possesses analgesic properties, it can induce writhing in rodents. The aim of this study was to determine the effect and mechanism of action of local (intraplantar) administration of magnesium sulfate (MS) on the paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) to mechanical stimuli. The PWT was evaluated by the electronic von Frey test in male Wistar rats. Tested drugs were either co-administered intraplantarly (i.pl.) with MS or given into the contralateral paw to exclude systemic effects. MS at doses of 0.5, 1.5, 3 and 6.2 mg/paw (i.pl.) induced a statistically significant (as compared to 0.9% NaCl) and dose-dependent mechanical hyperalgesia. Only isotonic MS (250 mmol/l or 6.2% or 6.2 mg/paw) induced mechanical hyperalgesia that lasted at least six hours. Isotonic MS-induced mechanical hyperalgesia was reduced in a dose-dependent manner by co-injection of camphor, a non-selective TRPA1 antagonist (0.3, 1 and 2.5 μg/paw), MK-801, a NMDA receptor antagonist (0.001, 0.025 and 0.1 μg/paw), L-NAME, a non-selective nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor (20, 50 and 100 μg/paw), ARL 17477, a selective neuronal NOS inhibitor (5.7 and 17 μg/paw), SMT, a selective inducible NOS inhibitor (1 and 2.78 μg/paw), and methylene blue, a guanylate cyclase inhibitor (5, 20 and 125 μg/paw). Drugs injected into the contralateral hind paw did not produce significant effects. These results suggest that an i.pl. injection of MS produces local peripheral mechanical hyperalgesia via activation of peripheral TRPA1 and NMDA receptors and peripheral production of NO. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A simple approach to the joint inversion of seismic body and surface waves applied to the southwest U.S.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

West, Michael; Gao, Wei; Grand, Stephen

2004-08-01

Body and surface wave tomography have complementary strengths when applied to regional-scale studies of the upper mantle. We present a straight-forward technique for their joint inversion which hinges on treating surface waves as horizontally-propagating rays with deep sensitivity kernels. This formulation allows surface wave phase or group measurements to be integrated directly into existing body wave tomography inversions with modest effort. We apply the joint inversion to a synthetic case and to data from the RISTRA project in the southwest U.S. The data variance reductions demonstrate that the joint inversion produces a better fit to the combined dataset, not merely a compromise. For large arrays, this method offers an improvement over augmenting body wave tomography with a one-dimensional model. The joint inversion combines the absolute velocity of a surface wave model with the high resolution afforded by body waves-both qualities that are required to understand regional-scale mantle phenomena.

The Use of Steady and Unsteady Detonation Waves for Propulsion Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adelman, Henry G.; Menees, Gene P.; Cambier, Jean-Luc; Bowles, Jeffrey V.; Cavolowsky, John A. (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

Detonation wave enhanced supersonic combustors such as the Oblique Detonation Wave Engine (ODWE) are attractive propulsion concepts for hypersonic flight. These engines utilize detonation waves to enhance fuel-air mixing and combustion. The benefits of wave combustion systems include shorter and lighter engines which require less cooling and generate lower internal drag. These features allow air-breathing operation at higher Mach numbers than the diffusive burning scramjet delaying the need for rocket engine augmentation. A comprehensive vehicle synthesis code has predicted the aerodynamic characteristics and structural size and weight of a typical single-stage-to-orbit vehicle using an ODWE. Other studies have focused on the use of unsteady or pulsed detonation waves. For low speed applications, pulsed detonation engines (PDE) have advantages in low weight and higher efficiency than turbojets. At hypersonic speeds, the pulsed detonations can be used in conjunction with a scramjet type engine to enhance mixing and provide thrust augmentation.

Release of endogenous opioids following transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation in an experimental model of acute inflammatory pain.

PubMed

Sabino, George S; Santos, Cristiane M F; Francischi, Janetti N; de Resende, Marcos Antônio

2008-02-01

Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) is a noninvasive treatment used in physiotherapy practice to promote analgesia in acute and chronic inflammatory conditions. The aim of the present study was to investigate the action mechanism of TENS at high (HF: 130 Hz) and low (LF: 10 Hz) frequencies in an inflammation model produced by the injection of carrageenan in rat paws (Cg; 250 microg). After carrageenan administration (0 time), either HF or LF TENS was applied to the inflamed paw of rats for 20 minutes, and hyperalgesia was assessed hourly using the modified Randall-Selitto method (1957). HF and LF TENS inhibited the carrageenan-induced hyperalgesia by 100%. Pretreatment of animals with intraplantar naltrexone (Nx; 50 microg) reversed the analgesic effect of the LF TENS but did not alter the effect of HF TENS. The application of HF and LF TENS to the contralateral paw reversed the hyperalgesia of the inflamed paw similar to that observed when TENS was applied to the inflamed paw. However, LF TENS presented a longer-lasting analgesic effect than HF TENS. Our data demonstrate that HF and LF TENS induced antihyperalgesia. We also report that the antihyperalgesia provoked by LF TENS is partially due to the local release of endogenous opioids. This study offers important information about physiotherapy practices aimed at pain relieving. TENS is a noninvasive treatment that promotes analgesia in acute and chronic inflammatory conditions. Scientists, patients, and the general population may benefit from this knowledge.

Impact of seasonality and air pollutants on carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity and wave reflection in hypertensive patients

PubMed Central

Stea, Francesco; Massetti, Luciano; Taddei, Stefano; Ghiadoni, Lorenzo; Modesti, Pietro Amedeo

2017-01-01

Objective The effects of seasonality on blood pressure (BP) and cardiovascular (CV) events are well established, while the influence of seasonality and other environmental factors on arterial stiffness and wave reflection has never been analyzed. This study evaluated whether seasonality (daily number of hours of light) and acute variations in outdoor temperature and air pollutants may affect carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) and pressure augmentation. Design and method 731 hypertensive patients (30–88 years, 417 treated) were enrolled in a cross-sectional study during a 5-year period. PWV, central BP, Augmentation Index (AIx) and Augmentation Pressure (AP) were measured in a temperature-controlled (22–24°C) room. Data of the local office of the National Climatic Data Observatory were used to estimate meteorological conditions and air pollutants (PM10, O3, CO, N2O) exposure on the same day. Results PWV (mean value 8.5±1.8 m/s) was related to age (r = 0.467, p<0.001), body mass index (r = 0.132, p<0.001), central systolic (r = 0.414, p<0.001) and diastolic BP (r = 0.093, p = 0.013), daylight hours (r = -0.176, p<0.001), mean outdoor temperature (r = -0.082, p = 0.027), O3 (r = -0.135, p<0.001), CO (r = 0.096, p = 0.012), N2O (r = 0.087, p = 0.022). In multiple linear regression analysis, adjusted for confounders, PWV remained independently associated only with daylight hours (β = -0.170; 95% CI: -0.273 to -0.067, p = 0.001). No significant correlation was found between pressure augmentation and daylight hours, mean temperature or air pollutants. The relationship was stronger in untreated patients and women. Furthermore, a positive, independent association between O3 levels and PWV emerged in untreated patients (β: 0.018; p = 0.029; CI: 0.002 to 0.034) and in women (β: 0.027; p = 0.004; CI: 0.009 to 0.045). Conclusions PWV showed a marked seasonality in hypertensive patients. Environmental O3 levels may acutely reduce arterial stiffness in hypertensive women and in untreated patients. PMID:28231259

Cafestol, a coffee-specific diterpene, induces peripheral antinociception mediated by endogenous opioid peptides.

PubMed

Guzzo, Luciana S; Perez, Andrea C; Romero, Thiago Rl; Azevedo, Adolfo O; Duarte, Igor Dg

2012-05-01

The opioid peptides have been implicated in peripheral antinociception induced by non-opioidergic compounds, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and α(2) -adrenoceptor agonists. The aims of the present study were to investigate the possible peripheral antinociceptive effect of cafestol, a diterpene present in the oil derived from coffee beans, and to evaluate the involvement of opioid peptides in its effect. The rat paw pressure test was used to assess antinocipeptive effects. Hyperalgesia was induced by intraplantar injection of prostaglandin E(2) (2 μg/paw). All drugs were locally administered into the hind-paws of male Wistar rats. Intraplantar injection of cafestol (20, 40 and 80 μg) induced peripheral antinociception. The antinociceptive effect of cafestol was due to a local action because the higher dose (80 μg/paw) did not produce any effect in the contralateral paw. The opioid receptor antagonist naloxone (25, 50 and 100 μg/paw) prevented the action of cafestol (80 μg/paw), whereas the aminopeptidase inhibitor bestatin (400 μg/paw) potentiated the antinociceptive effect of cafestol (40 μg/paw). The results of the present study provide evidence that cafestol treatment has a peripheral antinociceptive effect and suggest that this effect is mediated by the release of endogenous opioids. © 2012 The Authors Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Contribution to the Chemistry of Plasma-Activated Water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Julák, J.; Hujacová, A.; Scholtz, V.; Khun, J.; Holada, K.

2018-01-01

Plasma-activated water (PAW) was prepared by exposure to nonthermal plasma produced by a positive dc corona discharge in a transient spark regime. The activation of water was performed in atmosphere of various surrounding gases (air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and argon). This PAW retains its biological activity, measured on the mouse neuroblastoma cells culture, even after storage for more than one year. The highest hydrogen peroxide content was found for PAWs prepared in the atmospheres of argon or carbon dioxide, whereas the PAWs prepared in air and nitrogen exhibited lower hydrogen peroxide content. The acidity of PAWs mediated by nitric and nitrous acid formation displayed an opposite trend. It is concluded that the long-lasting biological effect of PAW is mediated by hydrogen peroxide in acid milieu only, whereas other possible active components decompose rapidly.

Ab Initio Theory of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Shifts in Metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Avezac, Mayeul; Marzari, Nicola; Mauri, Francesco

2005-03-01

A comprehensive approach for the first-principles determination of all-electron NMR shifts in metallic systems is presented. Our formulation is based on a combination of density-functional perturbation theory and all-electron wavefunction reconstruction, starting from periodic-boundary calculations in the pseudopotential approximation. The orbital contribution to the NMR shift (the chemical shift) is obtained by combining the gauge-including projector augmented-wave approach (GIPAW), originally developed for the case of insulatorsootnotetextC. J. Pickard, Francesco Mauri, Phys. Rev. B, 63, 245101(2001), with the extension of linear-response theory to the case of metallic systemsootnotetextS. de Gironcoli, Phys. Rev. B, 51, 6773(1995). The spin contribution (the Knight shift) is obtained as a response to a finite uniform magnetic field, and through reconstructing the hyperfine interaction between the electron-spin density and the nuclear spins with the projector augmented-wave method (PAWootnotetextC. G. Van de Walle, P. E. Blöchl, Phys. Rev. B, 47, 4244(1993)). Our method is validated with applications to the case of the homogeneous electron gas and of simple metals. (Work supported by MURI grant DAAD 19-03-1-0169 and MIT-France)

Aloperine attenuated neuropathic pain induced by chronic constriction injury via anti-oxidation activity and suppression of the nuclear factor kappa B pathway

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

Xu, Ya-Qiong; Jin, Shao-Ju; Luohe Medical College, Luohe 462002, Henan Province

Highlights: • Aloperine has anti-nociceptive effects on neuropathic pain induced CCI. • Aloperine reduces ROS in neuropathic pain mice. • Aloperine down-regulates the expression of NF-κB and its downstream pro-inflammatory cytokines in neuropathic pain mice. - Abstract: Objective: To investigate whether aloperine (ALO) has antinociceptive effects on neuropathic pain induced by chronic constriction injury, whether ALO reduces ROS against neuropathic pain, and what are the mechanisms involved in ALO attenuated neuropathic pain. Methods: Mechanical and cold allodynia, thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia and spinal thermal hyperalgesia were estimated by behavior methods such as Von Frey filaments, cold-plate, radiant heat, paw pressuremore » and tail immersion on one day before surgery and days 7, 8, 10, 12 and 14 after surgery, respectively. In addition, T-AOC, GSH-PX, T-AOC and MDA in the spinal cord (L4/5) were measured to evaluate anti-oxidation activity of ALO on neuropathic pain. Expressions of NF-κB and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β) in the spinal cord (L4/5) were analyzed by using Western blot. Results: Administration of ALO (80 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly increased paw withdrawal threshold, paw pressure, paw withdrawal latencies, tail-curling latencies, T-AOC, GSH-PX and T-SOD concentration, reduced the numbers of paw lifts and MDA concentration compared to CCI group. ALO attenuated CCI induced up-regulation of expressions of NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β at the dose of 80 mg/kg (i.p.). Pregabalin produced similar effects serving as positive control at the dose of 10 mg/kg (i.p.). Conclusion: ALO has antinociceptive effects on neuropathic pain induced by CCI. The antinociceptive effects of ALO against neuropathic pain is related to reduction of ROS, via suppression of NF-κB pathway.« less

Two proteins for the price of one: Structural studies of the dual-destiny protein preproalbumin with sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1.

PubMed

Franke, Bastian; James, Amy M; Mobli, Mehdi; Colgrave, Michelle L; Mylne, Joshua S; Rosengren, K Johan

2017-07-28

Seed storage proteins are both an important source of nutrition for humans and essential for seedling establishment. Interestingly, unusual napin-type 2S seed storage albumin precursors in sunflowers contain a sequence that is released as a macrocyclic peptide during post-translational processing. The mechanism by which such peptides emerge from linear precursor proteins has received increased attention; however, the structural characterization of intact precursor proteins has been limited. Here, we report the 3D NMR structure of the Helianthus annuus PawS1 ( p repro a lbumin w ith s unflower trypsin inhibitor- 1 ) and provide new insights into the processing of this remarkable dual-destiny protein. In seeds, PawS1 is matured by asparaginyl endopeptidases (AEPs) into the cyclic peptide SFTI-1 ( s un f lower t rypsin i nhibitor- 1 ) and a heterodimeric 2S albumin. The structure of PawS1 revealed that SFTI-1 and the albumin are independently folded into well-defined domains separated by a flexible linker. PawS1 was cleaved in vitro with recombinant sunflower HaAEP1 and in situ using a sunflower seed extract in a way that resembled the expected in vivo cleavages. Recombinant HaAEP1 cleaved PawS1 at multiple positions, and in situ , its flexible linker was removed, yielding fully mature heterodimeric albumin. Liberation and cyclization of SFTI-1, however, was inefficient, suggesting that specific seed conditions or components may be required for in vivo biosynthesis of SFTI-1. In summary, this study has revealed the 3D structure of a macrocyclic precursor protein and provided important mechanistic insights into the maturation of sunflower proalbumins into an albumin and a macrocyclic peptide. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Effect of the Combined Use of Tramadol and Milnacipran on Pain Threshold in an Animal Model of Fibromyalgia

PubMed Central

Song, Junhwa; Mun, Hyunil; Park, Keon Uk

2009-01-01

Background/Aims Acidic saline injections produce mechanical hyperresponsiveness in male Sprague-Dawley rats. We investigated the effect of milnacipran in conjunction with tramadol on the pain threshold in an acidic saline animal model of pain. Methods The left gastrocnemius muscle of 20 male rats was injected with 100 µL of saline at pH 4.0 under brief isoflurane anesthesia on days 0 and 5. Rats administered acidic saline injections were separated into four study subgroups. After determining the pre-drug pain threshold, rats were injected intraperitoneally with one of the following regimens; saline, milnacipran alone (60 mg/kg), milnacipran (40 mg/kg) plus tramadol (20 mg/kg), or milnacipran (40 mg/kg) plus tramadol (40 mg/kg). Paw withdrawal in response to pressure was measured at 30 min, 120 min, and 5 days after injection. Nociceptive thresholds, expressed in grams, were measured with a Dynamic Plantar Aesthesiometer (Ugo Basile, Italy) by applying increasing pressure to the right or left hind paw until the rat withdrew the paw. Results A potent antihyperalgesic effect was observed when tramadol and milnacipran were used in combination (injected paw, p=0.001; contralateral paw, p=0.012). This finding was observed only at 30 min after the combination treatment. Conclusions We observed potentiation of the antihyperalgesic effect when milnacipran and tramadol were administered in combination in an animal model of fibromyalgia. Further research is required to determine the efficacy of various combination treatments in fibromyalgia in humans. PMID:19543493

Aromatase inhibitors augment nociceptive behaviors in rats and enhance the excitability of sensory neurons

PubMed Central

Robarge, Jason D.; Duarte, Djane B.; Shariati, Behzad; Wang, Ruizhong; Flockhart, David A.; Vasko, Michael R.

2016-01-01

Although aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are commonly used therapies for breast cancer, their use is limited because they produce arthralgia in a large number of patients. To determine whether AIs produce hypersensitivity in animal models of pain, we examined the effects of the AI, letrozole, on mechanical, thermal, and chemical sensitivity in rats. In ovariectomized (OVX) rats, administering a single dose of 1 or 5 mg/kg letrozole significantly reduced mechanical paw withdrawal thresholds, without altering thermal sensitivity. Repeated injection of 5 mg/kg letrozole in male rats produced mechanical, but not thermal, hypersensitivity that extinguished when drug dosing was stopped. A single dose of 5 mg/kg letrozole or daily dosing of letrozole or exemestane in male rats also augmented flinching behavior induced by intraplantar injection of 1000 nmol of adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP). To determine whether sensitization of sensory neurons contributed to AI-induced hypersensitivity, we evaluated the excitability of neurons isolated from dorsal root ganglia of male rats chronically treated with letrozole. Both small and medium-diameter sensory neurons isolated from letrozole-treated rats were more excitable, as reflected by increased action potential firing in response to a ramp of depolarizing current, a lower resting membrane potential, and a lower rheobase. However, systemic letrozole treatment did not augment the stimulus-evoked release of the neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) from spinal cord slices, suggesting that the enhanced nociceptive responses were not secondary to an increase in peptide release from sensory endings in the spinal cord. These results provide the first evidence that AIs modulate the excitability of sensory neurons, which may be a primary mechanism for the effect of these drugs to augment pain behaviors in rats. PMID:27072527

Parallelization of the FLAPW method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canning, A.; Mannstadt, W.; Freeman, A. J.

2000-08-01

The FLAPW (full-potential linearized-augmented plane-wave) method is one of the most accurate first-principles methods for determining structural, electronic and magnetic properties of crystals and surfaces. Until the present work, the FLAPW method has been limited to systems of less than about a hundred atoms due to the lack of an efficient parallel implementation to exploit the power and memory of parallel computers. In this work, we present an efficient parallelization of the method by division among the processors of the plane-wave components for each state. The code is also optimized for RISC (reduced instruction set computer) architectures, such as those found on most parallel computers, making full use of BLAS (basic linear algebra subprograms) wherever possible. Scaling results are presented for systems of up to 686 silicon atoms and 343 palladium atoms per unit cell, running on up to 512 processors on a CRAY T3E parallel supercomputer.

Transition operators in electromagnetic-wave diffraction theory. II - Applications to optics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hahne, G. E.

1993-01-01

The theory developed by Hahne (1992) for the diffraction of time-harmonic electromagnetic waves from fixed obstacles is briefly summarized and extended. Applications of the theory are considered which comprise, first, a spherical harmonic expansion of the so-called radiation impedance operator in the theory, for a spherical surface, and second, a reconsideration of familiar short-wavelength approximation from the new standpoint, including a derivation of the so-called physical optics method on the basis of quasi-planar approximation to the radiation impedance operator, augmented by the method of stationary phase. The latter includes a rederivation of the geometrical optics approximation for the complete Green's function for the electromagnetic field in the presence of a smooth- and a convex-surfaced perfectly electrically conductive obstacle.

Decomposing Large Inverse Problems with an Augmented Lagrangian Approach: Application to Joint Inversion of Body-Wave Travel Times and Surface-Wave Dispersion Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reiter, D. T.; Rodi, W. L.

2015-12-01

Constructing 3D Earth models through the joint inversion of large geophysical data sets presents numerous theoretical and practical challenges, especially when diverse types of data and model parameters are involved. Among the challenges are the computational complexity associated with large data and model vectors and the need to unify differing model parameterizations, forward modeling methods and regularization schemes within a common inversion framework. The challenges can be addressed in part by decomposing the inverse problem into smaller, simpler inverse problems that can be solved separately, providing one knows how to merge the separate inversion results into an optimal solution of the full problem. We have formulated an approach to the decomposition of large inverse problems based on the augmented Lagrangian technique from optimization theory. As commonly done, we define a solution to the full inverse problem as the Earth model minimizing an objective function motivated, for example, by a Bayesian inference formulation. Our decomposition approach recasts the minimization problem equivalently as the minimization of component objective functions, corresponding to specified data subsets, subject to the constraints that the minimizing models be equal. A standard optimization algorithm solves the resulting constrained minimization problems by alternating between the separate solution of the component problems and the updating of Lagrange multipliers that serve to steer the individual solution models toward a common model solving the full problem. We are applying our inversion method to the reconstruction of the·crust and upper-mantle seismic velocity structure across Eurasia.· Data for the inversion comprise a large set of P and S body-wave travel times·and fundamental and first-higher mode Rayleigh-wave group velocities.

Salient features of solitary waves in dusty plasma under the influence of Coriolis force

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

Das, G. C.; Nag, Apratim; Department of Physics, G. C. College, Silchar-788004

The main interest is to study the nonlinear acoustic wave in rotating dusty plasma augmented through the derivation of a modified Sagdeev potential equation. Small rotation causes the interaction of Coriolis force in the dynamical system, and leads to the complexity in the derivation of the nonlinear wave equation. As a result, the finding of solitary wave propagation in dusty plasma ought to be of merit. However, the nonlinear wave equation has been successfully solved by the use of the hyperbolic method. Main emphasis has been given to the changes on the evolution and propagation of soliton, and the variationmore » caused by the dusty plasma constituents as well as by the Coriolis force have been highlighted. Some interesting nonlinear wave behavior has been found which can be elaborately studied for the interest of laboratory and space plasmas. Further, to support the theoretical investigations, numeric plasma parameters have been taken for finding the inherent features of solitons.« less

Influence of arterial wave reflection on carotid blood pressure and intima-media thickness in older endurance trained men and women with pre-hypertension.

PubMed

Heffernan, Kevin S; Jae, Sae Young; Tomayko, Emily; Ishaque, Muhammad R; Fernhall, Bo; Wilund, Kenneth R

2009-05-01

Increased carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) with aging is a significant predictor of mortality. Older endurance trained (ET) individuals have lower carotid artery stiffness but similar carotid IMT when compared to sedentary (SED) age-matched peers. The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of arterial wave reflections to carotid hemodynamics and IMT in older ET and SED with pre-hypertension. Subjects consisted of endurance-trained master athletes and age-matched sedentary controls (mean age 67 years). Carotid artery Beta-stiffness index and IMT was assessed with ultrasonography. Carotid pressure and augmented pressure from wave reflections (obtained from pulse contour analysis) was measured with applanation tonometry. Carotid systolic blood pressure (SBP) and IMT were not different between groups (P>0.05). Carotid stiffness was significantly lower in ET versus SED (7.3 +/- 0.8 versus 9.9 +/- 0.6, P<0.05). Augmented pressure was significantly greater in ET versus SED (17.7 +/- 1.6 versus 13.3 +/- 1.5 mmHg, P<0.05). When adjusting for differences in resting heart rate, there were no group differences in augmented pressure. In conclusion, older ET persons with pre-hypertension have reduced carotid artery stiffness, but similar carotid SBP and carotid IMT when compared to SED. The lack of change in carotid SBP and IMT in older ET may be related to the inability of chronic exercise training to reduce bradycardia-related augmented pressure from wave reflections with aging.

Peripheral Antinociception Induced by Aripiprazole Is Mediated by the Opioid System.

PubMed

Ferreira, Renata Cristina Mendes; Almeida-Santos, Ana Flávia; Duarte, Igor Dimitri Gama; Aguiar, Daniele C; Moreira, Fabricio A; Romero, Thiago Roberto Lima

2017-01-01

Aripiprazole is an antipsychotic drug used to treat schizophrenia and related disorders. Our previous study showed that this compound also induces antinociceptive effects. The present study aimed to assess the participation of the opioid system in this effect. Male Swiss mice were submitted to paw pressure test and hyperalgesia was induced by intraplantar injection of prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 , 2  μ g). Aripiprazole was injected 10 min before the measurement. Naloxone, clocinnamox, naltrindole, nor-binaltorphimine, and bestatin were given 30 min before aripiprazole. Nociceptive thresholds were measured in the 3rd hour after PGE 2 injection. Aripiprazole (100  μ g/paw) injected locally into the right hind paw induced an antinociceptive effect that was blocked by naloxone (50  μ g/paw), a nonselective opioid receptor antagonist. The role of μ -, δ -, and κ -opioid receptors was investigated using the selective antagonists, clocinnamox (40  μ g/paw), naltrindole (15, 30, and 60  μ g/paw), and nor-binaltorphimine (200  μ g/paw), respectively. The data indicated that only the δ -opioid receptor antagonist inhibited the peripheral antinociception induced by aripiprazole. Bestatin (400  μ g), an aminopeptidase-N inhibitor, significantly enhanced low-dose (25  μ g/paw) aripiprazole-induced peripheral antinociception. The results suggest the participation of the opioid system via δ -opioid receptor in the peripheral antinociceptive effect induced by aripiprazole.

Effects of phosphoric acid sprayed into an incinerator furnace on the flue gas pressure drop at fabric filters.

PubMed

Takahashi, Shigetoshi; Hwang, In-Hee; Matsuto, Toshihiko

2016-06-01

Fabric filters are widely used to remove dust from flue gas generated by waste incineration. However, a pressure drop occurs at the filters, caused by growth of a dust layer on the filter fabric despite regular cleaning by pulsed-jet air. The pressure drop at the fabric filters leads to energy consumption at induced draft fan to keep the incinerator on negative pressure, so that its proper control is important to operate incineration facility efficiently. The pressure drop at fabric filters decreased whenever phosphoric acid wastewater (PAW) was sprayed into an incinerator for treating industrial waste. Operational data obtained from the incineration facility were analyzed to determine the short- and long-term effects of PAW spraying on the pressure drop. For the short-term effect, it was confirmed that the pressure drop at the fabric filters always decreased to 0.3-1.2kPa within about 5h after spraying PAW. This effect was expected to be obtained by about one third of present PAW spraying amount. However, from the long-term perspective, the pressure drop showed an increase in the periods of PAW spraying compared with periods for which PAW spraying was not performed. The pressure drop increase was particularly noticeable after the initial PAW spraying, regardless of the age and type of fabric filters used. These results suggest that present PAW spraying causes a temporary pressure drop reduction, leading to short-term energy consumption savings; however, it also causes an increase of the pressure drop over the long-term, degrading the overall operating conditions. Thus, appropriate PAW spraying conditions are needed to make effective use of PAW to reduce the pressure drop at fabric filters from a short- and long-term point of view. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parallel decrease in arterial distensibility and in endothelium-dependent dilatation in young women with a history of pre-eclampsia.

PubMed

Pàez, Olga; Alfie, José; Gorosito, Marta; Puleio, Pablo; de Maria, Marcelo; Prieto, Noemì; Majul, Claudio

2009-10-01

Pre-eclampsia not only complicates 5 to 8% of pregnancies but also increases the risk of maternal cardiovascular disease and mortality later in life. We analyzed three different aspects of arterial function (pulse wave velocity, augmentation index, and flow-mediated dilatation), in 55 nonpregnant, normotensive women (18-33 years old) according to their gestational history: 15 nulliparous, 20 with a previous normotensive, and 20 formerly pre-eclamptic pregnancy. Former pre-eclamptic women showed a significantly higher augmentation index and pulse wave velocity (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively) and lower flow-mediated dilatation (p = 0.01) compared to control groups. In contrast, sublingual nitroglycerine elicited a comparable vasodilatory response in the three groups. The augmentation index correlated significantly with pulse wave velocity and flow-mediated dilatation (R = 0.28 and R = -0.32, respectively, P < 0.05 for both). No significant correlations were observed between augmentation index or flow-mediated dilatation with age, body mass index (BMI), brachial blood pressure, heart rate, or metabolic parameters (plasma cholesterol, glucose, insulin, or insulin resistance). Birth weight maintained a significantly inverse correlation with the augmentation index (R = -0.51, p < 0.002) but not with flow-mediated dilatation. Our findings revealed a parallel decrease in arterial distensibility and endothelium-dependent dilatation in women with a history of pre-eclampsia compared to nulliparous women and women with a previous normal pregnancy. A high augmentation index was the most consistent alteration associated with a history of pre-eclampsia. The study supports the current view that the generalized arterial dysfunction associated with pre-eclampsia persists subclinically after delivery.

Divergent effects of laughter and mental stress on arterial stiffness and central hemodynamics.

PubMed

Vlachopoulos, Charalambos; Xaplanteris, Panagiotis; Alexopoulos, Nikolaos; Aznaouridis, Konstantinos; Vasiliadou, Carmen; Baou, Katerina; Stefanadi, Elli; Stefanadis, Christodoulos

2009-05-01

To investigate the effect of laughter and mental stress on arterial stiffness and central hemodynamics. Arterial stiffness and wave reflections are independent predictors of cardiovascular risk. Chronic psychological stress is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events, whereas acute stress deteriorates vascular function. Eighteen healthy individuals were studied on three occasions, according to a randomized, single-blind, crossover, sham procedure-controlled design. The effects of viewing a 30-minute segment of two films inducing laughter or stress were assessed. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity was used as an index of arterial stiffness; augmentation index was used as a measure of wave reflections. Laughter decreased pulse wave velocity (by 0.30 m/sec, p = .01), and augmentation index (by 2.72%, p = .05). Conversely, stress increased pulse wave velocity (by 0.29 m/sec, p = .05) and augmentation index (by 5.1%, p = .005). Laughter decreased cortisol levels by 1.67 microg/dl (p = .02), soluble P-selectin by 26 ng/ml (p = .02) and marginally von Willebrand factor (by 2.4%, p = .07) and increased total oxidative status (by 61 micromol/L, p < .001). Stress decreased interleukin-6 (by 0.11 pg/ml, p = .04) and increased total oxidative status (by 44 micromol/L, p = .007). Soluble CD40 ligand and fibrinogen remained unchanged. Positive (laughter) and negative (stress) behavioral interventions have divergent acute effects on arterial stiffness and wave reflections. These findings have important clinical implications extending the spectrum of lifestyle modifications that can ameliorate arterial function.

Investigation on physicochemical properties of plasma-activated water for the application of medical device sterilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abuzairi, Tomy; Ramadhanty, Savira; Puspohadiningrum, Dini Fithriaty; Ratnasari, Anita; Poespawati, Nji Raden; Purnamaningsih, Retno Wigajatri

2018-02-01

Plasma activated water (PAW) is a new approach to bacterial inactivation while ensuring safety and maintaining the properties of the material sterilized. Reported research imply that PAW has been effective for inactivation of bacteria. In this paper, plasma treatment using atmospheric pressure plasma was demonstrated. Physicochemical properties such as pH, temperature, ORP, and nitrite concentration were assessed. The results suggest that plasma treatment causes acidification on water and generate reactive species, creating an environment suitable for killing bacteria. Therefore, plasma activated water is an assuring method for medical devices sterilization.

Effect of long-term ketamine administration on vocalization to paw pressure and on spinal wind-up activity in monoarthritic rats.

PubMed

Pelissier, Teresa; Alvarez, Pedro; Hernández, Alejandro

2003-09-01

The antinociceptive effect of long-lasting ketamine administration (mini-osmotic pump) was studied in monoarthritic rats by using hindpaw pressure testing and wind-up measurement in a C-fiber reflex paradigm. Chronic ketamine induced antinociception in the monoarthritic paw and significantly suppressed mechanical hyperalgesia during the 14-day treatment period. The treatment also reduced C-reflex wind-up in the monoarthritic hindpaw. After pump removal, vocalization thresholds and spinal wind-up scores from the monoarthritic paw returned to control values, while hyperalgesia developed in the normal paw. Results suggest that ketamine upregulates NMDA receptors upon long-term administration, resulting in hyperalgesic response in the normal paw after drug withdrawal.

A novel method for delivering ramped cooling reveals rat behaviours at innocuous and noxious temperatures: A comparative study of human psychophysics and rat behaviour.

PubMed

Dunham, James P; Hulse, Richard P; Donaldson, Lucy F

2015-07-15

Thermal sensory testing in rodents informs human pain research. There are important differences in the methodology for delivering thermal stimuli to humans and rodents. This is particularly true in cold pain research. These differences confound extrapolation and de-value nociceptive tests in rodents. We investigated cooling-induced behaviours in rats and psychophysical thresholds in humans using ramped cooling stimulation protocols. A Peltier device mounted upon force transducers simultaneously applied a ramped cooling stimulus whilst measuring contact with rat hind paw or human finger pad. Rat withdrawals and human detection, discomfort and pain thresholds were measured. Ramped cooling of a rat hind paw revealed two distinct responses: Brief paw removal followed by paw replacement, usually with more weight borne than prior to the removal (temperature inter-quartile range: 19.1 °C to 2.8 °C). Full withdrawal was evoked at colder temperatures (inter quartile range: -11.3 °C to -11.8 °C). The profile of human cool detection threshold and cold pain threshold were remarkably similar to that of the rat withdrawals behaviours. Previous rat cold evoked behaviours utilise static temperature stimuli. By utilising ramped cold stimuli this novel methodology better reflects thermal testing in patients. Brief paw removal in the rat is driven by non-nociceptive afferents, as is the perception of cooling in humans. This is in contrast to the nociceptor-driven withdrawal from colder temperatures. These findings have important implications for the interpretation of data generated in older cold pain models and consequently our understanding of cold perception and pain. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Electronic structure of Pt-substituted clathrate silicides Ba{sub 8}Pt{sub x}Si{sub 46–x}(x = 4–6)

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

Borshch, N. A., E-mail: n.a.borshch@ya.ru

The results of calculation of the electronic structure of Si-based Pt-substituted clathrates are reported. Calculation is carried out by the linearized-augmented-plane-wave method. The effect of the number of substitutions and their crystallographic position in the unit cell on the electron-energy spectrum and the electronic properties of Pt-substituted clathrates is analyzed.

First principle study of structural, electronic and fermi surface properties of aluminum praseodymium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shugani, Mani; Aynyas, Mahendra; Sanyal, S. P.

2018-05-01

We present a structural, Electronic and Fermi surface properties of Aluminum Praseodymium (AlPr) using First-principles density functional calculation by using full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method within generalized gradient approximation (GGA). The ground state properties along with electronic and Fermi surface properties are studied. It is found that AlPr is metallic and the bonding between Al and Pr is covalent.

NMR Shielding in Metals Using the Augmented Plane Wave Method

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

We present calculations of solid state NMR magnetic shielding in metals, which includes both the orbital and the complete spin response of the system in a consistent way. The latter contains an induced spin-polarization of the core states and needs an all-electron self-consistent treatment. In particular, for transition metals, the spin hyperfine field originates not only from the polarization of the valence s-electrons, but the induced magnetic moment of the d-electrons polarizes the core s-states in opposite direction. The method is based on DFT and the augmented plane wave approach as implemented in the WIEN2k code. A comparison between calculated and measured NMR shifts indicates that first-principle calculations can obtain converged results and are more reliable than initially concluded based on previous publications. Nevertheless large k-meshes (up to 2 000 000 k-points in the full Brillouin-zone) and some Fermi-broadening are necessary. Our results show that, in general, both spin and orbital components of the NMR shielding must be evaluated in order to reproduce experimental shifts, because the orbital part cancels the shift of the usually highly ionic reference compound only for simple sp-elements but not for transition metals. This development paves the way for routine NMR calculations of metallic systems. PMID:26322148

Evaluation of antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties of methanolic crude extract of Lophopetalum javanicum (bark).

PubMed

Ansari, Prawej; Badhan, Sanjeeda Sarmin; Azam, Shofiul; Sultana, Nasrin; Anwar, Sabbir; Mohamed Abdurahman, Mohamed Sheikh; Hannan, J M A

2016-06-01

The aim of the current study was to investigate the scientific basis of the traditional application of Lophopetalum javanicum for measuring anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity and phytochemical screening. Present study includes the preliminary screening of the phytochemical composition and in vivo analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of methanolic extract of L. javanicum (MELJ). Hot-plate test and tail immersion method were used to investigate acute analgesic effects of L. javanicum, and the potency in inhibition of chronic inflammation in mice was tested by carrageenan-induced paw edema and formalin-induced edema method. One hour after the administration of carrageenan, rat's paw was inflamed, and after treating it with 500 mg/kg dose, increase in the significant inhibitory effect on paw was observed. At the third hour after carrageenan injection, extreme inhibition (55.61%±0.015%; p<0.001) resulted by methanolic extract. By using hot plate method, it was found that L. javanicum increases pain tolerance time up to 17.89±0.079 min, whereas the compared standard's interval was 21.48±0.397 min. In tail immersion method, the pain threshold was 3.02±0.074 (p<0.001) at 400 mg/kg by L. javanicum at 90 min of experiment. This study manifested that the methanolic extract of L. javanicum is efficient in inhibiting pain mediators to release, and conceivably, this report should get priority while searching for a new analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent.

Wave Augmented Diffuser for Centrifugal Compressor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Skoch, Gary J. (Inventor); Paxson, Daniel E. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

A wave augmented diffuser for a centrifugal compressor surrounds the outlet of an impeller that rotates on a drive shaft having an axis of rotation. The impeller brings flow in in an axial direction and imparts kinetic energy to the flow discharging it in radial and tangential directions. The flow is discharged into a plurality of circumferentially disposed wave chambers. The wave chambers are periodically opened and closed by a rotary valve such that the flow through the diffuser is unsteady. The valve includes a plurality of valve openings that are periodically brought into and out of fluid communication with the wave chambers. When the wave chambers are closed, a reflected compression wave moves upstream towards the diffuser bringing the flow into the wave chamber to rest. This action recovers the kinetic energy from the flow and limits any boundary layer growth. The flow is then discharged in an axial direction through an opening in the valve plate when the valve plate is rotated to an open position. The diffuser thus efficiently raises the static pressure of the fluid and discharges an axially directed flow at a radius that is predominantly below the maximum radius of the diffuser.

The importance of brain PGE2 inhibition versus paw PGE2 inhibition as a mechanism for the separation of analgesic and antipyretic effects of lornoxicam in rats with paw inflammation.

PubMed

Futaki, Nobuko; Harada, Masahiro; Sugimoto, Masanori; Hashimoto, Yuki; Honma, Yusuke; Arai, Iwao; Nakaike, Shiro; Hoshi, Keiko

2009-05-01

Lornoxicam is a non-selective cyclooxygenase inhibitor that exhibits strong analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects but a weak antipyretic effect in rat models. Our aim was to investigate the mechanism of separation of potencies or analgesic and antipyretic effects of lornoxicam in relation to its effect on prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production in the inflammatory paw and the brain. A model of acute or chronic paw inflammation was induced by Freund's complete adjuvant injection into the rat paw. Lornoxicam (0.01-1 mg/kg), celecoxib (0.3-30 mg/kg) or loxoprofen (0.3-30 mg/kg) was administered orally to the rats and the analgesic and antipyretic effects were compared. The paw hyperalgesia was assessed using the Randall-Selitto test or the flexion test. Dorsal subcutaneous body temperature was measured as indicator of pyresis. After the measurement of activities, the rats were sacrificed and the PGE2 content in the paw exudate, cerebrospinal fluid or brain hypothalamus was measured by enzyme-immunoassay. In a chronic model of arthritis, lornoxicam, celecoxib and loxoprofen reduced hyperalgesia with an effective dose that provides 50% inhibition (ED50) of 0.083, 3.9 and 4.3 mg/kg respectively, whereas the effective dose of these drugs in pyresis was 0.58, 0.31 and 0.71 mg/kg respectively. These drugs significantly reduced the PGE2 level in paw exudate and the cerebrospinal fluid. In acute oedematous rats, lornoxicam 0.16 mg/kg, celecoxib 4 mg/kg and loxoprofen 2.4 mg/kg significantly reduced hyperalgesia to a similar extent. On the other hand, lornoxicam did not affect the elevated body temperature, whereas celecoxib and loxoprofen significantly reduced the pyrexia to almost the normal level. These drugs significantly reduced the PGE2 level in inflamed paw exudate lo almost the normal level. On the other hand, lornoxicam did not change PGE2 level in the brain hypothalamus, whereas celecoxib and loxoprofen strongly decreased it. Lornoxicam exhibits strong analgesic but weak antipyretic effects in rats with paw inflammation. Such a separation of effects is related to its efficacy in the reduction of PGE2 levels in the paw and brain hypothalamus.

Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Activities of Topical Formulations of Pterocarpus Santalinus Powder in Rat Model of Chronic Inflammation

PubMed Central

Gupta, Amit O; Jain, Sourav; Dawane, Jayshree Shriram

2017-01-01

Introduction The incidence of arthritis is quite high and there is a need for the search of natural products to halt the progression of disease or provide symptomatic relief without significant adverse effects. Aim This study aimed at evaluating the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of topical Pterocarpus santalinus in an animal model of chronic inflammation. Materials and Methods Albino rats of either sex were divided into five groups of six rats each (Group I – Control, Group II –Gel base, Group III –P. santalinus paste, Group IV –P. santalinus gel, Group V– Diclofenac gel). Chronic inflammation was induced on day 0 by injecting 0.1 ml Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA) in sub-plantar tissue of left hind paw of the rats. Topical treatment was started from day 12 till day 28. Body weight and paw volume (Plethysmometer) were assessed on day 0, 12 and 28. Pain assessment was done using Randall and Selitto paw withdrawal method. Data was analysed using GraphPad Prism version 5. Unpaired students t-test and ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test was used for comparison among groups. Results Only topical P.santalinus gel significantly reduced the body weight (p=0.02) due to reduction in inflammatory oedema of the left limb. P. santalinus gel also showed significant reduction (p=0.03) in paw volume of rats compared to the other groups. There was significant reduction in pain threshold (gm/sec) due to chronic inflammation, with all the study drugs (p<0.05) but with P. santalinus gel, this reduction was less (p<0.001). Conclusion Gel showed significant anti-inflammatory and mild analgesic activity on topical application in rat model of chronic inflammation. PMID:28892928

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

Suryanarayana, Phanish, E-mail: phanish.suryanarayana@ce.gatech.edu; Phanish, Deepa

We present an Augmented Lagrangian formulation and its real-space implementation for non-periodic Orbital-Free Density Functional Theory (OF-DFT) calculations. In particular, we rewrite the constrained minimization problem of OF-DFT as a sequence of minimization problems without any constraint, thereby making it amenable to powerful unconstrained optimization algorithms. Further, we develop a parallel implementation of this approach for the Thomas–Fermi–von Weizsacker (TFW) kinetic energy functional in the framework of higher-order finite-differences and the conjugate gradient method. With this implementation, we establish that the Augmented Lagrangian approach is highly competitive compared to the penalty and Lagrange multiplier methods. Additionally, we show that higher-ordermore » finite-differences represent a computationally efficient discretization for performing OF-DFT simulations. Overall, we demonstrate that the proposed formulation and implementation are both efficient and robust by studying selected examples, including systems consisting of thousands of atoms. We validate the accuracy of the computed energies and forces by comparing them with those obtained by existing plane-wave methods.« less

Magnetic nanogel polymer of bupivacaine for ankle block in rats.

PubMed

Nadri, Sedigheh; Mahmoudvand, Hormoz; Eatemadi, Ali

2016-11-01

In an effort of designing an alternative method for local nerve block, we demonstrated the possibility of inducing ankle block in the rat with intravenous (IV) injection of magnetic nanoparticles conjugated bupivacaine and application of a magnet at the ankle. The anaesthetic effect of magnet-directed bupivacaine-associated MNPs (NIPAAM-MAA-bupivacaine) was tested in rat using paw withdrawal latencies from thermal stimuli on the hind paw. Thirteen (13) experimental animals were grouped into two; untreated left hind paw (control group) and test group with treated right hind paw. The morphology of the synthesised nanogel was analysed using scanning electron micrograph (SEM), chemical characterisation using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and finally the in vivo drug release using UV spectroscopy. UV spectroscopy result show that, at 37 °C a sharp increase was observed from 24-72 h (40-75%) cumulative drug release at pH 5.3, a steady increase from 21-60% and 20-40% at pH 6.8 and 7.4m respectively. At 43 °C, a steady increase was observed at the three pH, 37-72%, 20-35% and 10-19% at pH 5.3, 6.8 and 7.4, respectively. It was shown also that drug release at higher pH (6.8 and 7.4) does not become significantly faster when temperature is high, compared to the release at a pH of 5.3. This depicts that the decreasing pH has more impact on the speed of the release of drug than increasing temperature. NMR and FTIR results displayed a comparable chemical structure as expected. The NMR peak displayed high purity of the final product. Morphology using SEM showed that the nanocomposite size is slightly greater than that of the nanogel, and the nanocomposite particles are nearly mono dispersed. Paw withdrawal latency highest peak of 15% was observed for NG/PU/30 at 40hours, and lowest peak for NG/30 at 50 h for the left paw. Group BU0.15 at 30 h shows the highest peak (20%) and NG/30 at 120 h shows the lowest peak for the right treated paw, which is significantly difference from the untreated left paw group (p< 0.0001). However, there wasn't a significant difference amongst NG/30, NG/Pub/15, or NG/Pub/60. The current study verifies the findings that we can induce ankle block in rat through IV injection administration of NIPAAM-MAA-bupivacaine complexes and the application of magnet at the ankle. We however suggest a lower temperature and pH for optimum release of this nanoanaesthetics, there is a probability of translating this mechanism to clinical practise.

Advanced millimeter-wave security portal imaging techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheen, David M.; Bernacki, Bruce E.; McMakin, Douglas L.

2012-03-01

Millimeter-wave (mm-wave) imaging is rapidly gaining acceptance as a security tool to augment conventional metal detectors and baggage x-ray systems for passenger screening at airports and other secured facilities. This acceptance indicates that the technology has matured; however, many potential improvements can yet be realized. The authors have developed a number of techniques over the last several years including novel image reconstruction and display techniques, polarimetric imaging techniques, array switching schemes, and high-frequency high-bandwidth techniques. All of these may improve the performance of new systems; however, some of these techniques will increase the cost and complexity of the mm-wave security portal imaging systems. Reducing this cost may require the development of novel array designs. In particular, RF photonic methods may provide new solutions to the design and development of the sequentially switched linear mm-wave arrays that are the key element in the mm-wave portal imaging systems. Highfrequency, high-bandwidth designs are difficult to achieve with conventional mm-wave electronic devices, and RF photonic devices may be a practical alternative. In this paper, the mm-wave imaging techniques developed at PNNL are reviewed and the potential for implementing RF photonic mm-wave array designs is explored.

Exploring the Use of Alfven Waves in Magnetometer Calibration at Geosynchronous Orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bentley, John; Sheppard, David; RIch, Frederick; Redmon, Robert; Loto'aniu, Paul; Chu, Donald

2016-01-01

An Alfven wave is a type magnetohydrodynamicwave that travels through a conducting fluid under the influence of a magnetic field. Researchers have successfully calculated offset vectors of magnetometers in interplanetary space by optimizing the offset to maximize certain Alfvenic properties of observed waves (Leinweber, Belcher). If suitable Alfven waves can be found in the magnetosphere at geosynchronous altitude then these techniques could be used to augment the overall calibration plan for magnetometers in this region such as on the GOES spacecraft, possibly increasing the time between regular maneuvers. Calibration maneuvers may be undesirable because they disrupt the activities of other instruments. Various algorithms to calculate an offset using Alfven waves were considered. A new variation of the Davis-Smith method was derived because it can be mathematically shown that the Davis-Smith method tolerates filtered data, which expands potential applications. The variant developed was designed to find only the offset in the plane normal to the main field because the overall direction of Earth's magnetic field rarely changes, and theory suggests the Alfvenic disturbances occur transverse to the main field. Other variations of the Davis-Smith method encounter problems with data containing waves that propagate in mostly the same direction. A searching algorithm was then designed to look for periods of time with potential Alfven waves in GOES 15 data based on parameters requiring that disturbances be normal to the main field and not change field magnitude. Final waves for calculation were hand-selected. These waves produced credible two-dimensional offset vectors when input to the Davis-Smith method. Multiple two-dimensional solutions in different planes can be combined to get a measurement of the complete offset. The resulting three dimensional offset did not show sufficient precision over several years to be used as a primary calibration method, but reflected changes in the offset fairly well, suggesting that the method could be helpful in monitoring trends of the offset vector when maneuvers cannot be used.

Mechanisms underlying the antinociceptive effect of mangiferin in the formalin test.

PubMed

Izquierdo, Teresa; Espinosa de los Monteros-Zuñiga, Antonio; Cervantes-Durán, Claudia; Lozada, María Concepción; Godínez-Chaparro, Beatriz

2013-10-15

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible antinociceptive effect of mangiferin, a glucosylxanthone present in Mangifera indica L., in inflammatory pain. Furthermore, we sought to investigate the possible mechanisms action that contributes to these effects. The ipsilateral local peripheral (1-30 µg/paw), intrathecal (1-30 µg/rat) and oral (1-30 mg/kg) administration of mangiferin produced a dose-dependent reduction in formalin-induced nociception. The antinociceptive effect of this drug was similar to that induced by diclofenac after oral and local peripheral administration. Furthermore, mangiferin was also able to reduce 0.1% capsaicin- and serotonin-induced nociceptive behavior. The local peripheral antinociceptive effect of mangiferin in the formalin test was blocked by naloxone (50 μg/paw), naltrindole (1 μg/paw), 5-guanidinonaltrindole (5-GNTI, 1 μg/paw), N(G)-L-nitro-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 100 µg/paw), 1H-(1,2,4)-oxadiazolo [4,2-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ, 50 µg/paw) and glibenclamide (50 μg/paw), but not by methiothepin (30 μg/paw). These results suggest that the antinociceptive effects induced by mangiferin are mediated by the peripheral opioidergic system involving the activation of δ, κ, and probably µ, receptors, but not serotonergic receptors. Data also suggests that mangiferin activates the NO-cyclic GMP-ATP-sensitive K(+) channels pathway in order to produce its local peripheral antinociceptive effect in the formalin test. Mangiferin may prove to be effective in treating inflammatory pain in humans. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genome signature analysis of thermal virus metagenomes reveals Archaea and thermophilic signatures

PubMed Central

Pride, David T; Schoenfeld, Thomas

2008-01-01

Background Metagenomic analysis provides a rich source of biological information for otherwise intractable viral communities. However, study of viral metagenomes has been hampered by its nearly complete reliance on BLAST algorithms for identification of DNA sequences. We sought to develop algorithms for examination of viral metagenomes to identify the origin of sequences independent of BLAST algorithms. We chose viral metagenomes obtained from two hot springs, Bear Paw and Octopus, in Yellowstone National Park, as they represent simple microbial populations where comparatively large contigs were obtained. Thermal spring metagenomes have high proportions of sequences without significant Genbank homology, which has hampered identification of viruses and their linkage with hosts. To analyze each metagenome, we developed a method to classify DNA fragments using genome signature-based phylogenetic classification (GSPC), where metagenomic fragments are compared to a database of oligonucleotide signatures for all previously sequenced Bacteria, Archaea, and viruses. Results From both Bear Paw and Octopus hot springs, each assembled contig had more similarity to other metagenome contigs than to any sequenced microbial genome based on GSPC analysis, suggesting a genome signature common to each of these extreme environments. While viral metagenomes from Bear Paw and Octopus share some similarity, the genome signatures from each locale are largely unique. GSPC using a microbial database predicts most of the Octopus metagenome has archaeal signatures, while bacterial signatures predominate in Bear Paw; a finding consistent with those of Genbank BLAST. When using a viral database, the majority of the Octopus metagenome is predicted to belong to archaeal virus Families Globuloviridae and Fuselloviridae, while none of the Bear Paw metagenome is predicted to belong to archaeal viruses. As expected, when microbial and viral databases are combined, each of the Octopus and Bear Paw metagenomic contigs are predicted to belong to viruses rather than to any Bacteria or Archaea, consistent with the apparent viral origin of both metagenomes. Conclusion That BLAST searches identify no significant homologs for most metagenome contigs, while GSPC suggests their origin as archaeal viruses or bacteriophages, indicates GSPC provides a complementary approach in viral metagenomic analysis. PMID:18798991

Genome signature analysis of thermal virus metagenomes reveals Archaea and thermophilic signatures.

PubMed

Pride, David T; Schoenfeld, Thomas

2008-09-17

Metagenomic analysis provides a rich source of biological information for otherwise intractable viral communities. However, study of viral metagenomes has been hampered by its nearly complete reliance on BLAST algorithms for identification of DNA sequences. We sought to develop algorithms for examination of viral metagenomes to identify the origin of sequences independent of BLAST algorithms. We chose viral metagenomes obtained from two hot springs, Bear Paw and Octopus, in Yellowstone National Park, as they represent simple microbial populations where comparatively large contigs were obtained. Thermal spring metagenomes have high proportions of sequences without significant Genbank homology, which has hampered identification of viruses and their linkage with hosts. To analyze each metagenome, we developed a method to classify DNA fragments using genome signature-based phylogenetic classification (GSPC), where metagenomic fragments are compared to a database of oligonucleotide signatures for all previously sequenced Bacteria, Archaea, and viruses. From both Bear Paw and Octopus hot springs, each assembled contig had more similarity to other metagenome contigs than to any sequenced microbial genome based on GSPC analysis, suggesting a genome signature common to each of these extreme environments. While viral metagenomes from Bear Paw and Octopus share some similarity, the genome signatures from each locale are largely unique. GSPC using a microbial database predicts most of the Octopus metagenome has archaeal signatures, while bacterial signatures predominate in Bear Paw; a finding consistent with those of Genbank BLAST. When using a viral database, the majority of the Octopus metagenome is predicted to belong to archaeal virus Families Globuloviridae and Fuselloviridae, while none of the Bear Paw metagenome is predicted to belong to archaeal viruses. As expected, when microbial and viral databases are combined, each of the Octopus and Bear Paw metagenomic contigs are predicted to belong to viruses rather than to any Bacteria or Archaea, consistent with the apparent viral origin of both metagenomes. That BLAST searches identify no significant homologs for most metagenome contigs, while GSPC suggests their origin as archaeal viruses or bacteriophages, indicates GSPC provides a complementary approach in viral metagenomic analysis.

Anti-inflammatory effect of bee pollen ethanol extract from Cistus sp. of Spanish on carrageenan-induced rat hind paw edema.

PubMed

Maruyama, Hiroe; Sakamoto, Takashi; Araki, Yoko; Hara, Hideaki

2010-06-23

Bee pollen, a honeybee product, is the feed for honeybees prepared themselves by pollens collecting from plants and has been consumed as a perfect food in Europe, because it is nutritionally well balanced. In this study, we aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of bee pollen from Cistus sp. of Spanish origin by a method of carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats, and to investigate the mechanism of anti-inflammatory action and also to elucidate components involved in bee pollen extracted with ethanol. The bee pollen bulk, its water extract and its ethanol extract were administered orally to rats. One hour later, paw edema was produced by injecting of 1% solution of carrageenan, and paw volume was measured before and after carrageenan injection up to 5 h. The ethanol extract and water extract were measured COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitory activities using COX inhibitor screening assay kit, and were compared for the inhibition of NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The constituents of bee pollen were purified from the ethanol extract subjected to silica gel or LH-20 column chromatography. Each column chromatography fractions were further purified by repeated ODS or silica gel column chromatography. The bee pollen bulk mildly suppressed the carrageenan-induced paw edema and the water extract showed almost no inhibitory activity, but the ethanol extract showed relatively strong inhibition of paw edema. The ethanol extract inhibited the NO production and COX-2 but not COX-1 activity, but the water extract did not affect the NO production or COX activities. Flavonoids were isolated and purified from the ethanol extract of bee pollen, and identified at least five flavonoids and their glycosides. It is suggested that the ethanol extract of bee pollen show a potent anti-inflammatory activity and its effect acts via the inhibition of NO production, besides the inhibitory activity of COX-2. Some flavonoids included in bee pollen may partly participate in some of the anti-inflammatory action. The bee pollen would be beneficial not only as a dietary supplement but also as a functional food.

In vivo and in vitro anti-inflammatory effects of Sophora flavescens residues.

PubMed

Ma, Hongyan; Huang, Qi; Qu, Wenshan; Li, Linyuan; Wang, Min; Li, Shao; Chu, Fujiang

2018-06-15

The dried roots of Sophora flavescens Ait. (Leguminosae) is traditionally used as antipyretic medicine to reduce inflammation. It is well known that alkaloids and flavonoids are the main constituents of S. flavescens. However, the clinical researches and applications of S. flavescens is mainly based on its water-extracted alkaloids, its flavonoids may still remain in residues and have been underused. With development and manufacturing of S. flavescens in recent years, more herb residues are being produced. Since they are typically treated as waste and dumped openly in landfill sites, which can cause pollution, there is a great need to explore these wastes as recyclable resources and increase their added value. To date, whether other bioactive components would be found in the residues of S. flavescens is still unknown. If the extraction method of these active ingredients was established, the residues of S. flavescens could be turned from the harm to a benefit and make great sense of the comprehensive utilization of S. flavescens resources. This study aimed to establish an extraction method of the residues of S. flavescens and investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of it both in vivo and in vitro. Dried S. flavescens were decocted with distilled water firstly, then the residues were powdered and extracted with ethyl acetate by using ultrasonic wave. HPLC was utilized to analyze the chemical constituents of the water extracts of S. flavescens (WSF) and the ethyl acetate extracts of residues of S. flavescens (RSF). In vivo, the anti-inflammatory effect of WSF and RSF were evaluated using the xylene-induced auricle edema, acetic acid-induced peritoneal permeability and carrageenan-induced hind paw edema methods. In vitro, the inhibitory activities of WSF and RSF on NO, TNF-α, IL-6 and MCP-1 production of LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells were measured. The major ingredients of RSF were flavonoids, while WSF almost had no flavonoids. In vivo, WSF and RSF (200mg/kg) could significantly inhibit the edema in the xylene-induced mice auricle edema and carrageenan-induced hind paw edema as well as the peritoneal permeability increased by acetic acid. They can also lower production levels of PGE 2 in inflamed paw tissues. In vitro experimental results showed that RSF (25, 50, 100μg/mL) could significantly inhibit the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines NO, TNF-α, IL-6 and MCP-1 on LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. The in vitro suppress effect of WSF had no dose-response relationship. The residues of S. flavescens had obvious flavonoids with anti-inflammatory activity. This study provided evidence for the reuse of residues from S. flavescens in the food additive, medicine and cosmetic industries. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Novel phenanthridine (PHE-4i) derivative inhibits carrageenan-induced rat hind paw oedema through suppression of hydrogen sulfide.

PubMed

George, Leema; Ramasamy, Tamizhselvi; Manickam, Venkatraman; Iyer, Sathiyanarayanan Kulathu; Radhakrishnan, Vidya

2016-08-01

This study was conducted to assess the anti-inflammatory effect of a novel synthesized phenanthridine alkaloid (PHE-4i) and to examine the possible involvement of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in anti-inflammatory mechanism. The synthesized phenanthridine derivative PHE-4i (2, 5, and 10 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally to rats. One hour following treatment, inflammation was induced by intraplantar injection of carrageenan (1 %), in the hind paw. Paw volume as the index of inflammation was measured before and after carrageenan injection. Neutrophil sequestration into the hind paw was quantified by measuring tissue myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and was compared for the inhibition of H2S production. Pretreatment with PHE-4i significantly reduced carrageenan-induced hind paw weight, MPO activity, leukocyte infiltration, and H2S production in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.001). These results indicate that the anti-inflammatory effect of PHE-4i on carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema could be via the inhibition of the gaseous mediator H2S.

The PAWS and STEM reliability analysis programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, Ricky W.; Stevenson, Philip H.

1988-01-01

The PAWS and STEM programs are new design/validation tools. These programs provide a flexible, user-friendly, language-based interface for the input of Markov models describing the behavior of fault-tolerant computer systems. These programs produce exact solutions of the probability of system failure and provide a conservative estimate of the number of significant digits in the solution. PAWS uses a Pade approximation as a solution technique; STEM uses a Taylor series as a solution technique. Both programs have the capability to solve numerically stiff models. PAWS and STEM possess complementary properties with regard to their input space; and, an additional strength of these programs is that they accept input compatible with the SURE program. If used in conjunction with SURE, PAWS and STEM provide a powerful suite of programs to analyze the reliability of fault-tolerant computer systems.

A bulk viscosity approach for shock capturing on unstructured grids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shoeybi, Mohammad; Larsson, Nils Johan; Ham, Frank; Moin, Parviz

2008-11-01

The bulk viscosity approach for shock capturing (Cook and Cabot, JCP, 2005) augments the bulk part of the viscous stress tensor. The intention is to capture shock waves without dissipating turbulent structures. The present work extends and modifies this method for unstructured grids. We propose a method that properly scales the bulk viscosity with the grid spacing normal to the shock for unstructured grid for which the shock is not necessarily aligned with the grid. The magnitude of the strain rate tensor used in the original formulation is replaced with the dilatation, which appears to be more appropriate in the vortical turbulent flow regions (Mani et al., 2008). The original form of the model is found to have an impact on dilatational motions away form the shock wave, which is eliminated by a proposed localization of the bulk viscosity. Finally, to allow for grid adaptation around shock waves, an explicit/implicit time advancement scheme has been developed that adaptively identifies the stiff regions. The full method has been verified with several test cases, including 2D shock-vorticity entropy interaction, homogenous isotropic turbulence, and turbulent flow over a cylinder.

A theoretical NMR study of selected benzazoles: Comparison of GIPAW and GIAO-PCM (DMSO) calculations.

PubMed

Marín-Luna, Marta; Alkorta, Ibon; Elguero, José

2018-03-01

This paper compares the absolute shieldings obtained by gauge-including-projected-augmented-wave (GIPAW) to those obtained by gauge-invariant atomic orbital/Becke, 3-parameter, Lee-Yang-Parr (GIAO/B3LYP)/6-311++G(d,p)-polarizable continuum model (PCM, dimethyl sulfoxide) for nine benzazoles (benzimidazoles, indazoles, and benzotriazoles) recorded in the solid-state. Three nuclei were explored, 13 C, 15 N, and 19 F, and the gauge-including-projected-augmented-wave approach only proved better for 15 N MAS NMR. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The involvement of peripheral alpha 2-adrenoceptors in the antihyperalgesic effect of oxcarbazepine in a rat model of inflammatory pain.

PubMed

Tomić, Maja A; Vucković, Sonja M; Stepanović-Petrović, Radica M; Ugresić, Nenad D; Paranos, Sonja Lj; Prostran, Milica S; Bosković, Bogdan

2007-11-01

We studied whether peripheral alpha2-adrenergic receptors are involved in the antihyperalgesic effects of oxcarbazepine by examining the effects of yohimbine (selective alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist), BRL 44408 (selective alpha(2A)-adrenoceptor antagonist), MK-912 (selective alpha2C-adrenoceptor antagonist), and clonidine (alpha2-adrenoceptor agonist) on the antihyperalgesic effect of oxcarbazepine in the rat model of inflammatory pain. Rats were intraplantarly (i.pl.) injected with the proinflammatory compound concanavalin A (Con A). A paw-pressure test was used to determine: 1) the development of hyperalgesia induced by Con A; 2) the effects of oxcarbazepine (i.pl.) on Con A-induced hyperalgesia; and 3) the effects of i.pl. yohimbine, BRL 44408, MK-912 and clonidine on the oxcarbazepine antihyperalgesia. Both oxcarbazepine (1000-3000 nmol/paw; i.pl.) and clonidine (1.9-7.5 nmol/paw; i.pl.) produced a significant dose-dependent reduction of the paw inflammatory hyperalgesia induced by Con A. Yohimbine (260 and 520 nmol/paw; i.pl.), BRL 44408 (100 and 200 nmol/paw; i.pl.) and MK-912 (10 and 20 nmol/paw; i.pl.) significantly depressed the antihyperalgesic effects of oxcarbazepine (2000 nmol/paw; i.pl.) in a dose-dependent manner. The effects of antagonists were due to local effects since they were not observed after administration into the contralateral hindpaw. Oxcarbazepine and clonidine administered jointly in fixed-dose fractions of the ED(50) (1/4, 1/2, and 3/4) caused significant and dose-dependent reduction of hyperalgesia induced by Con A. Isobolographic analysis revealed an additive antihyperalgesic effect. Our results indicate that the peripheral alpha2A and alpha2C adrenoceptors could be involved in the antihyperalgesic effects of oxcarbazepine in a rat model of inflammatory hyperalgesia.

Acute and chronic nociceptive phases observed in a rat hind paw ischemia/reperfusion model depend on different mechanisms.

PubMed

Klafke, J Z; da Silva, M A; Rossato, M F; de Prá, S Dal Toé; Rigo, F K; Walker, C I B; Bochi, G V; Moresco, R N; Ferreira, J; Trevisan, G

2016-02-01

Complex regional pain syndrome type 1 (CRPS1) may be evoked by ischemia/reperfusion, eliciting acute and chronic pain that is difficult to treat. Despite this, the underlying mechanism of CRPS1 has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, the goal of this study is to evaluate the involvement of inflammation, oxidative stress, and the transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) channel, a chemosensor of inflammation and oxidative substances, in an animal model of chronic post-ischemia pain (CPIP). Male Wistar rats were subjected to 3 h hind paw ischemia/reperfusion (CPIP model). Different parameters of nociception, inflammation, ischemia, and oxidative stress were evaluated at 1 (acute) and 14 (chronic) days after CPIP. The effect of a TRPA1 antagonist and the TRPA1 immunoreactivity were also observed after CPIP. In the CPIP acute phase, we observed mechanical and cold allodynia; increased levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (hind paw), ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) (serum), protein carbonyl (hind paw and spinal cord), lactate (serum), and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE, hind paw and spinal cord); and higher myeloperoxidase (MPO) and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAGase) activities (hind paw). In the CPIP chronic phase, we detected mechanical and cold allodynia and increased levels of IMA (serum), protein carbonyl (hind paw and spinal cord), and 4-HNE (hind paw and spinal cord). TRPA1 antagonism reduced mechanical and cold allodynia 1 and 14 days after CPIP, but no change in TRPA1 immunoreactivity was observed. Different mechanisms underlie acute (inflammation and oxidative stress) and chronic (oxidative stress) phases of CPIP. TRPA1 activation may be relevant for CRPS1/CPIP-induced acute and chronic pain.

Treatment with adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells and their conditioned media reverse carrageenan induced paw oedema in db/db mice.

PubMed

Shree, Nitya; Venkategowda, Sunil; Venkatranganna, M V; Bhonde, Ramesh R

2017-06-01

Mesenchymal stem cells are known for anti inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of human adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADMSCs) and its conditioned media (CM) on carrageenan induced acute inflammation in db/db mice. We injected 5×10 5 ADMSCs or the CM in the inflamed paw. We assessed the paw volume, serum IL6 levels and histopathology of the paw to reveal the anti inflammatory effect. We observed a single injection of hADMSCs or CM could reverse the inflammation within 24h as evidenced by reduction in paw volume, IL6 levels and histological examination. Our result equivocally demonstrates the role of CM in normalising the inflammation better than hADMSCs. This study will pave way for an alternative to anti inflammatory drugs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Microstructure and Low-Temperature Mechanical Properties of 304 Stainless Steel Joints by PAW + GTAW Combined Welding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Kun; Li, Yajiang; Wang, Juan

2016-10-01

The combined double-pass process of plasma arc welding (PAW) + gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) was performed on 304 austenitic stainless steel with the thickness of 12 mm. Results indicated that two different morphologies of ferrite (e.g., lathy δ-ferrite and skeletal δ-ferrite) were formed within the austenite matrix in PAW weld metal (PAW-WM). GTAW weld metal (GTAW-WM) was mainly composed of fine austenite and skeletal δ-ferrite. In transition zone between PAW-WM and GTAW-WM, epitaxial growth contributed to cellular dendritic crystals transforming into columnar crystals. The tensile strength of joint is about 700 MPa. The impact toughness of WM varied from 281 J (20 °C) to 122 (-196 °C), while the impact toughness of heat-affected zone (HAZ) varied from 205 J (20 °C) to 112 J (-196 °C).

Arterial pulse wave velocity but not augmentation index is associated with coronary artery disease extent and severity: implications for arterial transfer function applicability.

PubMed

Hope, Sarah A; Antonis, Paul; Adam, David; Cameron, James D; Meredith, Ian T

2007-10-01

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that coronary artery disease extent and severity are associated with central aortic pressure waveform characteristics. Although it is thought that central aortic pressure waveform characteristics, particularly augmentation index, may influence cardiovascular disease progression and predict cardiovascular risk, little is known of the relationship between central waveform characteristics and the severity and extent of coronary artery disease. Central aortic waveforms (2F Millar pressure transducer-tipped catheters) were acquired at the time of coronary angiography for suspected native coronary artery disease in 40 patients (24 male). The severity and extent of disease were assessed independently by two observers using two previously described scoring systems (modified Gensini's stenosis and Sullivan's extent scores). Relationships between disease scores, aortic waveform characteristics, aorto-radial pulse wave velocity and subject demographic features were assessed by regression techniques. Both extent and severity scores were associated with increasing age and male sex (P < 0.001), but no other risk factors. Both scores were independently associated with aorto-radial pulse wave velocity (P < 0.001), which entered a multiple regression model prior to age and sex. This association was not dependent upon blood pressure. Neither score was associated with central aortic augmentation index, by either simple or multiple linear regression techniques including heart rate, subject demographic features and cardiovascular risk factors. Aorto-radial pulse wave velocity, but not central aortic augmentation index, is associated with both the extent and severity of coronary artery disease. This has potentially important implications for applicability of a generalized arterial transfer function.

A study of oxidative stress induced by non-thermal plasma-activated water for bacterial damage

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

Zhang, Qian; Ma, Ruonan; Tian, Ying

2013-05-20

Ar/O{sub 2} (2%) cold plasma microjet was used to create plasma-activated water (PAW). The disinfection efficacy of PAW against Staphylococcus aureus showed that PAW can effectively disinfect bacteria. Optical emission spectra and oxidation reduction potential results demonstrated the inactivation is attributed to oxidative stress induced by reactive oxygen species in PAW. Moreover, the results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic absorption spectrometry, and transmission electron microscopy suggested that the chemical state of cell surface, the integrity of cell membrane, as well as the cell internal components and structure were damaged by the oxidative stress.

Varieties of paw and digit movement during spontaneous food handling in rats: postures, bimanual coordination, preferences, and the effect of forelimb cortex lesions.

PubMed

Whishaw, I Q; Coles, B L

1996-05-01

This study describes how rats use their paws and digits when handling a wide range of foodstuffs, including food pellets, grapes, sunflower seeds, shelled and unshelled peanuts, and different sized pastas, etc. Analysis of videorecordings show that the rats display digit postures that include variations in the spacing of the digits, differences in the relative use of different digits, and interlimb differences in paw and digit posture. The rats also display limb preferences in that one paw is used in a supporting function while the other rotates, flips, or pushes the food as is required by the shape of the item. There is a significant correlation between the paw used for manipulation and food items of similar shape but no correlation between the limb used for manipulation and that used for skilled reaching. Small unilateral lesions to the forepaw area of somatic sensorimotor cortex produced impairments in use of the paw contralateral to the lesions. These results: (1) reveal a surprising complexity in the way in which rats use their paws and digits in manipulating food; (2) show that rats have limb preferences in spontaneous food handling; and (3) show that manipulatory dexterity is dependent upon the integrity of the forelimb area of motor cortex. The results are discussed in relation to the evolution of motor skill, the use of rats for investigating questions of motor system organization, neural plasticity, and recovery of function after brain damage.

Physical exercise, fitness and dietary pattern and their relationship with circadian blood pressure pattern, augmentation index and endothelial dysfunction biological markers: EVIDENT study protocol

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Healthy lifestyles may help to delay arterial aging. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship of physical activity and dietary pattern to the circadian pattern of blood pressure, central and peripheral blood pressure, pulse wave velocity, carotid intima-media thickness and biological markers of endothelial dysfunction in active and sedentary individuals without arteriosclerotic disease. Methods/Design Design: A cross-sectional multicenter study with six research groups. Subjects: From subjects of the PEPAF project cohort, in which 1,163 who were sedentary became active, 1,942 were sedentary and 2,346 were active. By stratified random sampling, 1,500 subjects will be included, 250 in each group. Primary measurements: We will evaluate height, weight, abdominal circumference, clinical and ambulatory blood pressure with the Radial Pulse Wave Acquisition Device (BPro), central blood pressure and augmentation index with Pulse Wave Application Software (A-Pulse) and SphymgoCor System Px (Pulse Wave Analysis), pulse wave velocity (PWV) with SphymgoCor System Px (Pulse Wave Velocity), nutritional pattern with a food intake frequency questionnaire, physical activity with the 7-day PAR questionnaire and accelerometer (Actigraph GT3X), physical fitness with the cycle ergometer (PWC-170), carotid intima-media thickness by ultrasound (Micromax), and endothelial dysfunction biological markers (endoglin and osteoprotegerin). Discussion Determining that sustained physical activity and the change from sedentary to active as well as a healthy diet improve circadian pattern, arterial elasticity and carotid intima-media thickness may help to propose lifestyle intervention programs. These interventions could improve the cardiovascular risk profile in some parameters not routinely assessed with traditional risk scales. From the results of this study, interventional approaches could be obtained to delay vascular aging that combine physical exercise and diet. Trial Registration Clinical Trials.gov Identifier: NCT01083082 PMID:20459634

Post-exercise effects on aortic wave reflection derived from wave separation analysis in young- to middle-aged pre-hypertensives and hypertensives.

PubMed

Millen, Aletta M E; Woodiwiss, Angela J; Norton, Gavin R

2016-07-01

Decreases in brachial blood pressure (BP) may occur for several hours following a bout of exercise. Although aortic backward waves predict cardiovascular damage independent of brachial BP, whether decreases in aortic backward waves also occur post-exercise in young-to-middle-aged hypertensives, the extent to which these changes exceed brachial BP changes, and the best method of identifying these changes is uncertain. We examined aortic function at baseline and 15-min post-exercise in 20 pre-hypertensive or hypertensive men and women (age 45 ± 7 years). Central aortic pressure, forward (Pf) and backward (Pb) wave pressures, the reflection index (RI) and augmentation pressure (AP) and index (AIx) were determined using applanation tonometry, and SphygmoCor software. Decreases in central aortic (p < 0.001) but not brachial systolic BP and pulse pressure (PP) occurred post-exercise. In addition, decreases in post-exercise (baseline versus post-exercise) Pb (19 ± 4 vs 13 ± 3 mm Hg p < 0.0001), RI (72.9 ± 22.1 vs 47.6 ± 12.8 %, p < 0.0001), AIx (26.3 ± 10.8 vs 7.8 ± 11.6 %, p < 0.0001) and AP (9.9 ± 3.9 vs 2.8 ± 3.9 mm Hg, p < 0.0001), but not Pf, were noted. However, decreases in AIx were not correlated with decreases in Pb, and whilst decreases in aortic PP correlated with decreases in Pb (p < 0.0001), no correlations were noted with decreases in AP or AIx. In young-to-middle-aged pre-hypertensive and hypertensive individuals, aortic backward waves decrease post-exercise; this change is not reflected in brachial BP measurements and is poorly indexed by measures of pressure augmentation.

Quantitative subsurface analysis using frequency modulated thermal wave imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subhani, S. K.; Suresh, B.; Ghali, V. S.

2018-01-01

Quantitative depth analysis of the anomaly with an enhanced depth resolution is a challenging task towards the estimation of depth of the subsurface anomaly using thermography. Frequency modulated thermal wave imaging introduced earlier provides a complete depth scanning of the object by stimulating it with a suitable band of frequencies and further analyzing the subsequent thermal response using a suitable post processing approach to resolve subsurface details. But conventional Fourier transform based methods used for post processing unscramble the frequencies with a limited frequency resolution and contribute for a finite depth resolution. Spectral zooming provided by chirp z transform facilitates enhanced frequency resolution which can further improves the depth resolution to axially explore finest subsurface features. Quantitative depth analysis with this augmented depth resolution is proposed to provide a closest estimate to the actual depth of subsurface anomaly. This manuscript experimentally validates this enhanced depth resolution using non stationary thermal wave imaging and offers an ever first and unique solution for quantitative depth estimation in frequency modulated thermal wave imaging.

["Animal hypnosis" and defensive dominant, behavioral aspect].

PubMed

Pavlygina, R A; Galashina, A G; Bogdanov, A V

2002-01-01

A stationary excitation focus produced in the sensorimotor cortex of a rabbit by rhythmic electrodermal paw stimulation was manifested in the reaction to a testing sound stimulus earlier indifferent for the animal. Regardless of the stimulated paw (left or right), reactions to the testing stimuli appeared approximately in the equal percent of cases (70.7% and 71.5%, respectively). After a single-trial induction of the "animal hypnosis" state, it was difficult to produce the dominant focus by simulation of the left paw, whereas the results of the right-paw stimulation did not differ from those obtained during control stimulation. Consequently, the influence of hypnosis on defensive stationary excitation foci in different hemispheres was not the same.

Fucoxanthin Inhibits the Inflammation Response in Paw Edema Model through Suppressing MAPKs, Akt, and NFκB.

PubMed

Choi, Jun-Hui; Kim, Na-Hyun; Kim, Sung-Jun; Lee, Hyo-Jeong; Kim, Seung

2016-03-01

Undaria pinnatifida is a well-known traditional Korean food with a variety of biological activities. Carrageenan (carr) is commonly used to induce paw edema in animal models. This study was designed to elucidate the processes underlying the anti-inflammatory effect of fucoxanthin isolated from the sporophyll of U. pinnatifida in carr-induced paw edema in ICR mice. Fucoxanthin significantly decreased carr-induced increased nitric oxide levels in the plasma of mice with carr-induced paw edema. Fucoxanthin protected catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity against disruption in mice with carr-induced paw edema. In addition, fucoxanthin repressed carr-induced activation of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and nuclear factor kappa B, as well as carr-induced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, p38, and protein kinase B/Akt. These results suggest that fucoxanthin may have therapeutic potential as a treatment for patients with inflammatory diseases. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

How does the canine paw pad attenuate ground impacts? A multi-layer cushion system.

PubMed

Miao, Huaibin; Fu, Jun; Qian, Zhihui; Ren, Luquan; Ren, Lei

2017-12-15

Macroscopic mechanical properties of digitigrade paw pads, such as non-linear elastic and variable stiffness, have been investigated in previous studies; however, little is known about the micro-scale structural characteristics of digitigrade paw pads, or the relationship between these characteristics and the exceptional cushioning of the pads. The digitigrade paw pad consists of a multi-layered structure, which is mainly comprised of a stratified epithelium layer, a dermis layer and a subcutaneous layer. The stratified epithelium layer and dermal papillae constitute the epidermis layer. Finite element analyses were carried out and showed that the epidermis layer effectively attenuated the ground impact across impact velocities of 0.05-0.4 m/s, and that the von Mises stresses were uniformly distributed in this layer. The dermis layer encompassing the subcutaneous layer can be viewed as a hydrostatic system, which can store, release and dissipate impact energy. All three layers in the paw pad work as a whole to meet the biomechanical requirements of animal locomotion. These findings provide insights into the biomechanical functioning of digitigrade paw pads and could be used to facilitate bio-inspired, ground-contacting component development for robots and machines, as well as contribute to footwear design. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Gelam Honey Attenuates Carrageenan-Induced Rat Paw Inflammation via NF-κB Pathway

PubMed Central

Hussein, Saba Zuhair; Mohd Yusoff, Kamaruddin; Makpol, Suzana; Mohd Yusof, Yasmin Anum

2013-01-01

The activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) plays a major role in the pathogenesis of a number of inflammatory diseases. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory mechanism of Gelam honey in inflammation induced rats via NF-κB signalling pathway. Rats paw edema was induced by subplantar injection of 1% carrageenan into the right hind paw. Rats were pre-treated with Gelam honey at different doses (1 or 2 g/kg, p.o.) and NSAID Indomethacin (10 mg/kg, p.o.), in two time points (1 and 7 days). Our results showed that Gelam honey at both concentrations suppressed the gene expressions of NF-κB (p65 & p50) and IκBα in inflamed rats paw tissues. In addition, Gelam honey inhibited the nuclear translocation and activation of NF-κB and decreased the cytosolic degradation of IκBα dose dependently in inflamed rats paw tissues. The immunohistochemical expressions of pro-inflammatory mediators COX-2 and TNF-α were also decreased in inflamed rats paw tissues when treated with Gelam honey. The results of our findings suggest that Gelam honey exhibits its inhibitory effects by attenuating NF-κB translocation to the nucleus and inhibiting IκBα degradation, with subsequent decrease of inflammatory mediators COX-2 and TNF-α. PMID:24015236

Anti-inflammatory, Analgesic and Antiulcer properties of Porphyra vietnamensis

PubMed Central

Bhatia, Saurabh; Sharma, Kiran; Sharma, Ajay; Nagpal, Kalpana; Bera, Tanmoy

2015-01-01

Objectives: Aim of the present work was to investigate the anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antiulcer effects of red seaweed Porphyra vietnamensis (P. vietnamenis). Materials and Methods: Aqueous (POR) and alcoholic (PE) fractions were successfully isolated from P. vietnamenis. Further biological investigations were performed using a classic test of paw edema induced by carrageenan, writhing induced by acetic acid, hot plate method and naproxen induced gastro-duodenal ulcer. Results: Among the fractions POR showed better activity. POR and PE significantly (p < 0.05) reduced carrageenan induced paw edema in a dose dependent manner. In the writhing test POR significantly (p < 0.05) reduced abdominal writhes than PE. In hot plate method POR showed better analgesic activity than PE. POR showed comparable ulcers reducing potential (p<0.01) to that of omeprazole, and has more ulcer reducing potential then PE. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrated that P. vietnamenis aqueous fraction possesses biological activity that is close to the standards taken for the treatment of peripheral painful or/and inflammatory and ulcer conditions. PMID:25767759

Spatial Variability of Plant Available Water, Soil Organic Carbon, and Microbial Biomass under Divergent Land Uses: A Comparison among Regression-Kriging, Cokriging, and Regression-Cokriging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiani, M.; Hernandez Ramirez, G.; Quideau, S.

2016-12-01

Improved knowledge about the spatial variability of plant available water (PAW), soil organic carbon (SOC), and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) as affected by land-use systems can underpin the identification and inventory of beneficial ecosystem good and services in both agricultural and wild lands. Little research has been done that addresses the spatial patterns of PAW, SOC, and MBC under different land use types at a field scale. Therefore, we collected 56 soil samples (5-10 cm depth increment), using a nested cyclic sampling design within both a native grassland (NG) site and an irrigated cultivated (IC) site located near Brooks, Alberta. Using classical statistical and geostatistical methods, we characterized the spatial heterogeneities of PAW, SOC, and MBC under NG and IC using several geostatistical methods such as ordinary kriging (OK), regression-kriging (RK), cokriging (COK), and regression-cokriging (RCOK). Converting the native grassland to irrigated cultivated land altered soil pore distribution by reducing macroporosity which led to lower saturated water content and half hydraulic conductivity in IC compared to NG. This conversion also decreased the relative abundance of gram-negative bacteria, while increasing both the proportion of gram-positive bacteria and MBC concentration. At both studied sites, the best fitted spatial model was Gaussian based on lower RSS and higher R2 as criteria. The IC had stronger degree of spatial dependence and longer range of spatial auto-correlation revealing a homogenization of the spatial variability of soil properties as a result of intensive, recurrent agricultural activities. Comparison of OK, RK, COK, and RCOK approaches indicated that cokriging method had the best performance demonstrating a profound improvement in the accuracy of spatial estimations of PAW, SOC, and MBC. It seems that the combination of terrain covariates such as elevation and depth-to-water with kriging techniques offers more capability for incorporating explicit ancillary information in predictive soil mapping. Overall, identification of spatial patterns of soil properties in agricultural lands gives a bird's eye view to land owners to implement and improve management practices which lead to more sustainable production.

Tight-Binding study of Boron structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGrady, Joseph W.; Papaconstantopoulos, Dimitrios A.; Mehl, Michael J.

2014-10-01

We have performed Linearized Augmented Plane Wave (LAPW) calculations for five crystal structures (alpha, dhcp, sc, fcc, bcc) of Boron which we then fitted to a non-orthogonal tight-binding model following the Naval Research Laboratory Tight-Binding (NRL-TB) method. The predictions of the NRL-TB approach for complicated Boron structures such as R105 (or β-rhombohedral) and T190 are in agreement with recent first-principles calculations. Fully utilizing the computational speed of the NRL-TB method we calculated the energy differences of various structures, including those containing vacancies using supercells with up to 5000 atoms.

Physicochemical Properties, Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Activities of Crude Extracts and Fractions from Phyllanthus amarus

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Van Tang; Sakoff, Jennette A.; Scarlett, Christopher J.

2017-01-01

Background: Phyllanthus amarus (P. amarus) has been used as a medicinal plant for the prevention and treatment of chronic ailments such as diabetes, hepatitis, and cancer. Methods: The physicochemical properties, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of crude extracts and fractions from P. amarus were determined using spectrophotometric method. Results: The P. amarus methanol (PAM) extract had lower levels of residual moisture (7.40%) and water activity (0.24) and higher contents of saponins, phenolics, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidins (1657.86 mg escin equivalents, 250.45 mg gallic acid equivalents, 274.73 mg rutin equivalents and 61.22 mg catechin equivalents per g dried extract, respectively) than those of the P. amarus water (PAW) extract. The antioxidant activity of PAM extract was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of the PAW extract, PAM fractions, and phyllanthin (known as a major compound in the P. amarus). Higher cytotoxic activity of PAM extract based on MTT assay on different cell lines including MiaPaCa-2 (pancreas), HT29 (colon), A2780 (ovarian), H460 (lung), A431 (skin), Du145 (prostate), BE2-C (neuroblastoma), MCF-7 (breast), MCF-10A (normal breast), and U87, SJ-G2, SMA (glioblastoma) was observed in comparison to the PAW extract and PAM fractions. The cytotoxic potential of the PAW extract (200 μg/mL), based on the CCK-8 assay on a pancreatic cancer cell line (MiaCaPa2) was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than those of gemcitabine (50 nM) and a saponin-enriched extract from quillajia bark at 200 μg/mL (a commercial product), but was significantly higher than that of phyllanthin at 2 μg/mL. Conclusions: The results achieved from this study reveal that the PA extracts are a potential source for the development of natural antioxidant products and/or novel anticancer drugs. PMID:28930257

First characterization of bacterial pathogen, Vibrio alginolyticus, for Porites andrewsi White syndrome in the South China Sea.

PubMed

Zhenyu, Xie; Shaowen, Ke; Chaoqun, Hu; Zhixiong, Zhu; Shifeng, Wang; Yongcan, Zhou

2013-01-01

White syndrome, a term for scleractinian coral disease with progressive tissue loss, is known to cause depressed growth and increased morality of coral reefs in the major oceans around the world, and the occurrence of this disease has been frequently reported in the past few decades. Investigations during April to September in both 2010 and 2011 identified widespread Porites andrewsi White syndrome (PAWS) in Xisha Archipelago, South China Sea. However, the causes and etiology of PAWS have been unknown. A transmission experiment was performed on P. andrewsi in the Qilianyu Subgroup (QLY). The results showed that there was a significant (P ≤ 0.05) difference between test and control groups after 28 days if the invalid replicates were excluded. Rates of tissue loss ranged from 0.90-10.76 cm(2) d(-1) with a mean of 5.40 ± 3.34 cm(2) d(-1) (mean ± SD). Bacterial strains were isolated from the PAWS corals at the disease outbreak sites in QLY of the Xisha Archipelago, South China Sea, and included in laboratory-based infection trials to satisfy Koch's postulates for establishing causality. Following exposure to bacterial concentrations of 10(5) cells mL(-1), the infected colonies exhibited similar signs to those observed in the field. Using phylogenetic 16S rRNA gene analysis, classical phenotypic trait comparison, Biolog automatic identification system, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and MALDI Biotyper method, two pathogenic strains were identified as Vibrio alginolyticus . This is the first report of V. alginolyticus as a pathogenic agent of PAWS in the South China Sea. Our results point out an urgent need to develop sensitive detection methods for V. alginolyticus virulence strains and robust diagnostics for coral disease caused by this and Vibrio pathogenic bacterium in the South China Sea.

First Characterization of Bacterial Pathogen, Vibrio alginolyticus, for Porites andrewsi White Syndrome in the South China Sea

PubMed Central

Chaoqun, Hu; Zhixiong, Zhu; Shifeng, Wang; Yongcan, Zhou

2013-01-01

Background White syndrome, a term for scleractinian coral disease with progressive tissue loss, is known to cause depressed growth and increased morality of coral reefs in the major oceans around the world, and the occurrence of this disease has been frequently reported in the past few decades. Investigations during April to September in both 2010 and 2011 identified widespread Porites andrewsi White syndrome (PAWS) in Xisha Archipelago, South China Sea. However, the causes and etiology of PAWS have been unknown. Methodology/Principal Findings A transmission experiment was performed on P . andrewsi in the Qilianyu Subgroup (QLY). The results showed that there was a significant (P ≤ 0.05) difference between test and control groups after 28 days if the invalid replicates were excluded. Rates of tissue loss ranged from 0.90-10.76 cm2 d-1 with a mean of 5.40 ± 3.34 cm2 d-1 (mean ± SD). Bacterial strains were isolated from the PAWS corals at the disease outbreak sites in QLY of the Xisha Archipelago, South China Sea, and included in laboratory-based infection trials to satisfy Koch’s postulates for establishing causality. Following exposure to bacterial concentrations of 105 cells mL-1, the infected colonies exhibited similar signs to those observed in the field. Using phylogenetic 16S rRNA gene analysis, classical phenotypic trait comparison, Biolog automatic identification system, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and MALDI Biotyper method, two pathogenic strains were identified as Vibrio alginolyticus . Conclusion/Significance This is the first report of V . alginolyticus as a pathogenic agent of PAWS in the South China Sea. Our results point out an urgent need to develop sensitive detection methods for V . alginolyticus virulence strains and robust diagnostics for coral disease caused by this and Vibrio pathogenic bacterium in the South China Sea. PMID:24086529

Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of Cuscuta chinensis seeds in mice.

PubMed

Liao, Jung-Chun; Chang, Wen-Te; Lee, Meng-Shiou; Chiu, Yung-Jia; Chao, Wei-Kai; Lin, Ying-Chih; Lin, Ming-Kuem; Peng, Wen-Huang

2014-01-01

The seeds of Cuscuta chinensis, Cuscutae Semen, are commonly used as a medicinal material for treating the aching and weakness of the loins and knees, tonifying the defects of the liver and the kidney, and treating the diarrhea due to hypofunction of the kidney and the spleen. Since aching and inflammation are highly correlated with such diseases, the aim of this study is to investigate the possible antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of the seeds of C. chinensis. The antinociceptive effect of the seeds of C. chinensis was evaluated via the acetic acid-induced writhing response and formalin-induced paw licking methods. The anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated via the λ-carrageenan induced mouse paw edema method. The results found that 100 and 500 mg/kg of the methanol extract of the seeds of C. chinensis( CC MeOH ) significantly decreased (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001, respectively) the writhing response in the acetic acid assay. Additionally, 20-500 mg/kg of CC MeOH significantly decreased licking time at the early (20 and 100 mg/kg, p < 0.001) and late phases (100 mg/kg, p < 0.01; 500 mg/kg, p < 0.001) of the formalin test, respectively. Furthermore, CC MeOH (100 and 500 mg/kg) significantly decreased (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001, respectively) edema paw volume four hours after λ-carrageenan had been injected. The results in the following study also revealed that the anti-inflammatory mechanism of CC MeOH may be due to declined levels of NO and MDA in the edema paw by increasing the activities of SOD, GPx and GRd in the liver. In addition, CC MeOH also decreased IL-1β, IL-6, NF-κB, TNF-α, and COX-2 levels. This is the first study to demonstrate the possible mechanisms for the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of CC MeOH in vivo. Thus, it provides evidence for the treatment of Cuscutae Semen in inflammatory diseases.

Gait changes precede overt arthritis and strongly correlate with symptoms and histopathological events in pristane-induced arthritis

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Introduction Pristane-induced arthritis (PIA) in the rat has been described as an animal model of inflammatory arthritis which exhibits features similar to rheumatoid arthritis in humans, such as a chronic, destructive, and symmetrical involvement of peripheral joints. However, so far little is known about the earliest inflammatory events and their influence on locomotor behaviour during the course of PIA. To investigate this issue a detailed analysis of the pathologic changes occurring during the prodromal and early stages of PIA was performed. Methods Arthritis was induced in DA.rats by injection of 150 μl 2,6,10,4-tetramethyl-pentadecane (pristane) at the base of the tail and changes in locomotor behaviour of the affected paws were monitored using the CatWalk quantitative gait analysis system. The pathologic events occurring in the joints of pristane-injected animals were studied before onset, at onset, and during acute phase of arthritis by histological methods. Results Gait analysis revealed that changes in locomotion such as reduced paw print areas and stance phase time are already apparent before the onset of clinically discernible arthritis symptoms (erythema, paw swelling) and correlate with PIA scores. In agreement with these findings, inflammatory tenosynovitis could be observed by histology already before the onset of erythema and swelling of the respective paws. In the most heavily affected rats also irregularities in step sequence patterns occurred A kinetic analysis of clinical and histological findings demonstrated that gait changes precede the pathological changes occurring during the acute phase of pristane-induced arthritis. Conclusions Gait analysis allows for pinpointing the initial inflammatory changes in experimental arthritis models such as pristane-induced arthritis. Analysis of early clinically relevant symptoms in arthritis models may facilitate the search for novel therapeutics to interfere with pain, inflammation and joint destruction in patients suffering from inflammatory arthritis. PMID:20222952

Fluidically Augmented Nozzles for Pulse Detonation Engine Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

25 captured the flow soon after the leading shock wave passed through the diverging section of the nozzle. As can be seen, the “pillow” has begun to...35 Figure 25. Initial Detonation Wave Enters the Diverging Section of the Nozzle...charging the combustor with an appropriate fuel/air mixture. This mixture is then ignited, producing a flame that is initially a deflagration wave . A

Viscosity and compressibility of diacylglycerol under high pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malanowski, Aleksander; Rostocki, A. J.; Kiełczyński, P.; Szalewski, M.; Balcerzak, A.; Kościesza, R.; Tarakowski, R.; Ptasznik, S.; Siegoczyński, R. M.

2013-03-01

The influence of high pressure on viscosity and compressibility of diacylglycerol (DAG) oil has been presented in this paper. The investigated DAG oil was composed of 82% of DAGs and 18% TAGs (triacylglycerols). The dynamic viscosity of DAG was investigated as a function of the pressure up to 400 MPa. The viscosity was measured by means of the surface acoustic wave method, where the acoustic waveguides were used as sensing elements. As the pressure was rising, the larger ultrasonic wave attenuation was observed, whereas amplitude decreased with the liquid viscosity augmentation. Measured changes of physical properties were most significant in the pressure range near the phase transition. Deeper understanding of DAG viscosity and compressibility changes versus pressure could shed more light on thermodynamic properties of edible oils.

Electron-positron momentum density in Tl 2Ba 2CuO 6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbiellini, B.; Gauthier, M.; Hoffmann, L.; Jarlborg, T.; Manuel, A. A.; Massidda, S.; Peter, M.; Triscone, G.

1994-08-01

We present calculations of the electron-positron momentum density for the high- Tc superconductor Tl 2Ba 2CuO 6, together with some preliminary two-dimensional angular correlation of the annihilation radiation (2D-ACAR) measurements. The calculations are based on the first-principles electronic structure obtained using the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FLAPW) and the linear muffin-tin orbital (LMTO) methods. We also use a linear combination of the atomic orbitals-molecular orbital method (LCAO-MO) to discuss orbital contributions to the anisotropies. Some agreement between calculated and measured 2D-ACAR anisotropies encourage sample improvement for further Fermi surface investigations. Indeed, our results indicate a non-negligle overlap of the positron wave function with the CuOo 2 plane electrons. Therefore, this compound may be well suited for investigating the relevant CuO 2 Fermi surface by 2D-ACAR.

Ab initio study on structural stability of uranium carbide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahoo, B. D.; Joshi, K. D.; Gupta, Satish C.

2013-06-01

First principles calculations have been performed using plane wave pseudopotential and full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) methods to analyze structural, elastic and dynamic stability of UC under hydrostatic compression. Our calculations within pseudopotential method suggest that the rocksalt (B1) structure will transform to body centered orthorhombic (bco) structure at ˜21.5 GPa. The FP-LAPW calculations put this transition at 23 GPa. The transition pressures determined from our calculations though agree reasonably with the experimental value of 27 GPa, the high pressure bco structure suggested by theory differs slightly from the experimentally reported pseudo bco phase. The elastic stability analysis of B1 phase suggests that the B1 to bco transition is driven by the failure of C44 modulus. This finding is further substantiated by the lattice dynamic calculations which demonstrate that the B1 phase becomes dynamically unstable around the transition pressure and the instability is of long wavelength nature.

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

Verma, U. P.; Nayak, V.

Quantum mechanical first principle calculations have been performed to study the electronic and structural properties of TiN and TiAs in zinc blende (ZB) and rock salt (RS) structures. The full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method has been used within the framework of density functional theory (DFT). The exchange correlation functional has been solved employing generalized gradient approximation (GGA). Our predicted results for lattice constants are in good agreement with the earlier findings. The electronic band structures of TiX are metallic in both the phases.

Neonatal transection of the corpus callosum affects paw preference lateralization of adult Swiss mice.

PubMed

Manhães, Alex C; Krahe, Thomas E; Caparelli-Dáquer, Egas; Ribeiro-Carvalho, Anderson; Schmidt, Sergio L; Filgueiras, Cláudio C

2003-09-11

In the present work, the hypothesis that the ontogenetic development of the corpus callosum (CC) affects the establishment of behavioral lateralization was tested by studying paw preference performance in adult Swiss mice that were subjected to mid-sagittal transection of the CC on the first postnatal day. Magnitude and direction of laterality were evaluated independently. No significant differences between groups were found for the magnitude of paw preference. On the other hand, the transected group presented a significant populational bias favoring the left paw that was not present in the control groups. These results lend support to the hypothesis that the development of the CC plays a role in the establishment of the normal pattern of behavioral lateralization.

Intermolecular shielding contributions studied by modeling the 13C chemical-shift tensors of organic single crystals with plane waves

PubMed Central

Johnston, Jessica C.; Iuliucci, Robbie J.; Facelli, Julio C.; Fitzgerald, George; Mueller, Karl T.

2009-01-01

In order to predict accurately the chemical shift of NMR-active nuclei in solid phase systems, magnetic shielding calculations must be capable of considering the complete lattice structure. Here we assess the accuracy of the density functional theory gauge-including projector augmented wave method, which uses pseudopotentials to approximate the nodal structure of the core electrons, to determine the magnetic properties of crystals by predicting the full chemical-shift tensors of all 13C nuclides in 14 organic single crystals from which experimental tensors have previously been reported. Plane-wave methods use periodic boundary conditions to incorporate the lattice structure, providing a substantial improvement for modeling the chemical shifts in hydrogen-bonded systems. Principal tensor components can now be predicted to an accuracy that approaches the typical experimental uncertainty. Moreover, methods that include the full solid-phase structure enable geometry optimizations to be performed on the input structures prior to calculation of the shielding. Improvement after optimization is noted here even when neutron diffraction data are used for determining the initial structures. After geometry optimization, the isotropic shift can be predicted to within 1 ppm. PMID:19831448

SARA - SURE/ASSIST RELIABILITY ANALYSIS WORKSTATION (VAX VMS VERSION)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, R. W.

1994-01-01

SARA, the SURE/ASSIST Reliability Analysis Workstation, is a bundle of programs used to solve reliability problems. The mathematical approach chosen to solve a reliability problem may vary with the size and nature of the problem. The Systems Validation Methods group at NASA Langley Research Center has created a set of four software packages that form the basis for a reliability analysis workstation, including three for use in analyzing reconfigurable, fault-tolerant systems and one for analyzing non-reconfigurable systems. The SARA bundle includes the three for reconfigurable, fault-tolerant systems: SURE reliability analysis program (COSMIC program LAR-13789, LAR-14921); the ASSIST specification interface program (LAR-14193, LAR-14923), and PAWS/STEM reliability analysis programs (LAR-14165, LAR-14920). As indicated by the program numbers in parentheses, each of these three packages is also available separately in two machine versions. The fourth package, which is only available separately, is FTC, the Fault Tree Compiler (LAR-14586, LAR-14922). FTC is used to calculate the top-event probability for a fault tree which describes a non-reconfigurable system. PAWS/STEM and SURE are analysis programs which utilize different solution methods, but have a common input language, the SURE language. ASSIST is a preprocessor that generates SURE language from a more abstract definition. ASSIST, SURE, and PAWS/STEM are described briefly in the following paragraphs. For additional details about the individual packages, including pricing, please refer to their respective abstracts. ASSIST, the Abstract Semi-Markov Specification Interface to the SURE Tool program, allows a reliability engineer to describe the failure behavior of a fault-tolerant computer system in an abstract, high-level language. The ASSIST program then automatically generates a corresponding semi-Markov model. A one-page ASSIST-language description may result in a semi-Markov model with thousands of states and transitions. The ASSIST program also includes model-reduction techniques to facilitate efficient modeling of large systems. The semi-Markov model generated by ASSIST is in the format needed for input to SURE and PAWS/STEM. The Semi-Markov Unreliability Range Evaluator, SURE, is an analysis tool for reconfigurable, fault-tolerant systems. SURE provides an efficient means for calculating accurate upper and lower bounds for the death state probabilities for a large class of semi-Markov models, not just those which can be reduced to critical-pair architectures. The calculated bounds are close enough (usually within 5 percent of each other) for use in reliability studies of ultra-reliable computer systems. The SURE bounding theorems have algebraic solutions and are consequently computationally efficient even for large and complex systems. SURE can optionally regard a specified parameter as a variable over a range of values, enabling an automatic sensitivity analysis. SURE output is tabular. The PAWS/STEM package includes two programs for the creation and evaluation of pure Markov models describing the behavior of fault-tolerant reconfigurable computer systems: the Pade Approximation with Scaling (PAWS) and Scaled Taylor Exponential Matrix (STEM) programs. PAWS and STEM produce exact solutions for the probability of system failure and provide a conservative estimate of the number of significant digits in the solution. Markov models of fault-tolerant architectures inevitably lead to numerically stiff differential equations. Both PAWS and STEM have the capability to solve numerically stiff models. These complementary programs use separate methods to determine the matrix exponential in the solution of the model's system of differential equations. In general, PAWS is better suited to evaluate small and dense models. STEM operates at lower precision, but works faster than PAWS for larger models. The programs that comprise the SARA package were originally developed for use on DEC VAX series computers running VMS and were later ported for use on Sun series computers running SunOS. They are written in C-language, Pascal, and FORTRAN 77. An ANSI compliant C compiler is required in order to compile the C portion of the Sun version source code. The Pascal and FORTRAN code can be compiled on Sun computers using Sun Pascal and Sun Fortran. For the VMS version, VAX C, VAX PASCAL, and VAX FORTRAN can be used to recompile the source code. The standard distribution medium for the VMS version of SARA (COS-10041) is a 9-track 1600 BPI magnetic tape in VMSINSTAL format. It is also available on a TK50 tape cartridge in VMSINSTAL format. Executables are included. The standard distribution medium for the Sun version of SARA (COS-10039) is a .25 inch streaming magnetic tape cartridge in UNIX tar format. Both Sun3 and Sun4 executables are included. Electronic copies of the ASSIST user's manual in TeX and PostScript formats are provided on the distribution medium. DEC, VAX, VMS, and TK50 are registered trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. Sun, Sun3, Sun4, and SunOS are trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. TeX is a trademark of the American Mathematical Society. PostScript is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated.

SARA - SURE/ASSIST RELIABILITY ANALYSIS WORKSTATION (UNIX VERSION)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, R. W.

1994-01-01

SARA, the SURE/ASSIST Reliability Analysis Workstation, is a bundle of programs used to solve reliability problems. The mathematical approach chosen to solve a reliability problem may vary with the size and nature of the problem. The Systems Validation Methods group at NASA Langley Research Center has created a set of four software packages that form the basis for a reliability analysis workstation, including three for use in analyzing reconfigurable, fault-tolerant systems and one for analyzing non-reconfigurable systems. The SARA bundle includes the three for reconfigurable, fault-tolerant systems: SURE reliability analysis program (COSMIC program LAR-13789, LAR-14921); the ASSIST specification interface program (LAR-14193, LAR-14923), and PAWS/STEM reliability analysis programs (LAR-14165, LAR-14920). As indicated by the program numbers in parentheses, each of these three packages is also available separately in two machine versions. The fourth package, which is only available separately, is FTC, the Fault Tree Compiler (LAR-14586, LAR-14922). FTC is used to calculate the top-event probability for a fault tree which describes a non-reconfigurable system. PAWS/STEM and SURE are analysis programs which utilize different solution methods, but have a common input language, the SURE language. ASSIST is a preprocessor that generates SURE language from a more abstract definition. ASSIST, SURE, and PAWS/STEM are described briefly in the following paragraphs. For additional details about the individual packages, including pricing, please refer to their respective abstracts. ASSIST, the Abstract Semi-Markov Specification Interface to the SURE Tool program, allows a reliability engineer to describe the failure behavior of a fault-tolerant computer system in an abstract, high-level language. The ASSIST program then automatically generates a corresponding semi-Markov model. A one-page ASSIST-language description may result in a semi-Markov model with thousands of states and transitions. The ASSIST program also includes model-reduction techniques to facilitate efficient modeling of large systems. The semi-Markov model generated by ASSIST is in the format needed for input to SURE and PAWS/STEM. The Semi-Markov Unreliability Range Evaluator, SURE, is an analysis tool for reconfigurable, fault-tolerant systems. SURE provides an efficient means for calculating accurate upper and lower bounds for the death state probabilities for a large class of semi-Markov models, not just those which can be reduced to critical-pair architectures. The calculated bounds are close enough (usually within 5 percent of each other) for use in reliability studies of ultra-reliable computer systems. The SURE bounding theorems have algebraic solutions and are consequently computationally efficient even for large and complex systems. SURE can optionally regard a specified parameter as a variable over a range of values, enabling an automatic sensitivity analysis. SURE output is tabular. The PAWS/STEM package includes two programs for the creation and evaluation of pure Markov models describing the behavior of fault-tolerant reconfigurable computer systems: the Pade Approximation with Scaling (PAWS) and Scaled Taylor Exponential Matrix (STEM) programs. PAWS and STEM produce exact solutions for the probability of system failure and provide a conservative estimate of the number of significant digits in the solution. Markov models of fault-tolerant architectures inevitably lead to numerically stiff differential equations. Both PAWS and STEM have the capability to solve numerically stiff models. These complementary programs use separate methods to determine the matrix exponential in the solution of the model's system of differential equations. In general, PAWS is better suited to evaluate small and dense models. STEM operates at lower precision, but works faster than PAWS for larger models. The programs that comprise the SARA package were originally developed for use on DEC VAX series computers running VMS and were later ported for use on Sun series computers running SunOS. They are written in C-language, Pascal, and FORTRAN 77. An ANSI compliant C compiler is required in order to compile the C portion of the Sun version source code. The Pascal and FORTRAN code can be compiled on Sun computers using Sun Pascal and Sun Fortran. For the VMS version, VAX C, VAX PASCAL, and VAX FORTRAN can be used to recompile the source code. The standard distribution medium for the VMS version of SARA (COS-10041) is a 9-track 1600 BPI magnetic tape in VMSINSTAL format. It is also available on a TK50 tape cartridge in VMSINSTAL format. Executables are included. The standard distribution medium for the Sun version of SARA (COS-10039) is a .25 inch streaming magnetic tape cartridge in UNIX tar format. Both Sun3 and Sun4 executables are included. Electronic copies of the ASSIST user's manual in TeX and PostScript formats are provided on the distribution medium. DEC, VAX, VMS, and TK50 are registered trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. Sun, Sun3, Sun4, and SunOS are trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. TeX is a trademark of the American Mathematical Society. PostScript is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated.

Gelam Honey Inhibits the Production of Proinflammatory, Mediators NO, PGE2, TNF-α, and IL-6 in Carrageenan-Induced Acute Paw Edema in Rats

PubMed Central

Hussein, Saba Zuhair; Mohd Yusoff, Kamaruddin; Makpol, Suzana; Mohd Yusof, Yasmin Anum

2012-01-01

Natural honey is well known for its therapeutic value and has been used in traditional medicine of different cultures throughout the world. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of Malaysian Gelam honey in inflammation-induced rats. Paw edema was induced by a subplantar injection of 1% carrageenan into the rat right hind paw. Rats were treated with the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) Indomethacin (10 mg/kg, p.o.) or Gelam honey at different doses (1 or 2 g/kg, p.o.). The increase in footpad thickness was considered to be edema, which was measured using a dial caliper. Plasma and paw tissue were collected to analyze the production of inflammatory mediators, such as NO, PGE2, TNF-α, and IL-6, as well as iNOS and COX-2. The results showed that Gelam honey could reduce edema in a dose-dependent fashion in inflamed rat paws, decrease the production of NO, PGE2, TNF-α, and IL-6 in plasma, and suppress the expression of iNOS, COX-2, TNF-α, and IL-6 in paw tissue. Oral pretreatment of Gelam honey at 2 g/kg of body weight at two time points (1 and 7 days) showed a significantly decreased production of proinflammatory cytokines, which was similar to the effect of the anti-inflammatory drug Indomethacin (NSAID), both in plasma and tissue. Thus, our results suggest that Gelam honey has anti-inflammatory effects by reducing the rat paw edema size and inhibiting the production of proinflammatory mediators. Gelam honey is potentially useful for treating inflammatory conditions. PMID:22919407

Marine bioactive compounds: stereospecific anti-inflammatory activity of natural and synthetic cordiachromene A.

PubMed

Benslimane, A F; Pouchus, Y F; Verbist, J F; Petit, J Y; Khettab, E N; Welin, L; Brion, J D

1992-01-01

A new synthesis is proposed for cordiachromene A (CCA), a bioactive component of the ascidian Aplidium antillense Gravier, using a method producing a racemic mixture. The anti-inflammatory activities of a natural extract and a chemically synthetic form of CCA were assessed in vivo by carrageenan-induced rat-paw edema. The activity of synthetic CCA was confirmed by a test on kaolin-induced granuloma in the rat. Strong activities were measured for both CCA, but comparison of results of the first test suggests that only the natural optically active isomer has an anti-inflammatory effect. CCA is similar to indomethacin in its effect on carrageenan-induced rat-paw edema and ten times as active as phenylbutazone.

Intrathecal oxotremorine affects formalin-induced behavior and spinal nitric oxide synthase immunoreactivity in rats.

PubMed

Przewlocka, B; Mika, J; Capone, F; Machelska, H; Pavone, F

1999-03-01

The present research was undertaken to investigate, by behavioral and immunohistochemical methods, the effects of intrathecal (i.th.) injection of the muscarinic agonist oxotremorine on the response to the long-lasting nociceptive stimulus induced by injection of formalin into the rat hind paw. Formalin injection induced a biphasic, pain-induced behavioral response (paw jerks), as well as an increase in the number of nitric oxide (NO) synthase-labeled neurons in laminae I-III, IV, and X, but not in laminae V-VI. Oxotremorine (0.1-10 ng, i.th.) inhibited paw-jerk frequency in both phases of formalin-induced behavior. The immunohistochemical results showed that i.th.-injected oxotremorine differently affected the level of NO synthase in lumbar part of the spinal cord: no change or increase after the dose of 1 ng, and a significant reduction of nitric oxide synthase neurons after the higher dose (10 ng). These results evidenced a role of cholinergic system in the modulation of tonic pain and in nitric oxide synthase expression at the spinal cord level, which further suggests that these two systems could be involved in phenomena induced by long-lasting nociceptive stimulation.

Antiedematogenic and antioxidant properties of high molecular weight protein sub-fraction of Calotropis procera latex in rat.

PubMed

Chaudhary, Priyanka; de Araújo Viana, Carolina; Ramos, Marcio V; Kumar, Vijay L

2015-03-01

The aim was to evaluate the effect of high molecular weight protein fraction of Calotropis procera latex on edema formation and oxidative stress in carrageenan-induced paw inflammation. A sub-plantar injection of carrageenan was given to induce edema in the hind paw of the rat. The inhibitory effect of high molecular weight protein fraction of C. procera latex was evaluated following intravenous administration (5 and 25 mg/kg body weight) and was compared with that of diclofenac given orally (5 mg/kg). The levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were measured in the inflamed paw tissue at the end of the study. The high molecular weight protein fraction obtained from the latex of C. procera produced a dose-dependent inhibition of edema formation that was accompanied by normalization of levels of oxidative stress markers (GSH and TBARS) and MPO, a marker for neutrophils in the paw tissue. The high molecular weight protein fraction of C. procera latex ameliorates acute inflammation in the paw through its antioxidant effect.

Effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on central arterial stiffness and arterial wave reflections in young and older healthy adults

PubMed Central

Monahan, Kevin D; Feehan, Robert P; Blaha, Cheryl; McLaughlin, Daniel J

2015-01-01

Increased central arterial stiffness and enhanced arterial wave reflections may contribute to increased risk of cardiovascular disease development with advancing age. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3) ingestion may reduce cardiovascular risk via favorable effects exerted on arterial structure and function. We determined the effects of n-3 supplementation (4 g/day for 12 weeks) on important measures of central arterial stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity; PWV) and arterial wave reflection (central augmentation index) in young (n = 12; 25 ± 1-year-old, mean ± SE) and older (n = 12; 66 ± 2) healthy adults. We hypothesized that n-3 supplementation would decrease carotid-femoral PWV and central augmentation index in older adults. Our results indicate that carotid-femoral PWV and central augmentation index were greater in older (988 ± 65 cm/sec and 33 ± 2%) than in young adults (656 ± 16 cm/sec and 3 ± 4%: both P < 0.05 compared to older) before the intervention (Pre). N-3 supplementation decreased carotid-femoral PWV in older (Δ-9 ± 2% Precompared to Post; P < 0.05), but not young adults (Δ2 ± 3%). Central augmentation index was unchanged by n-3 supplementation in young (3 ± 4 vs. 0 ± 4% for Pre and Post, respectively) and older adults (33 ± 2 vs. 35 ± 3%). Arterial blood pressure at rest, although increased with age, was not altered by n-3 supplementation in young or older adults. Collectively, these data indicate that 12 weeks of daily n-3 supplementation decreases an important measure of central arterial stiffness (carotid-femoral PWV) in older, but not young healthy adults. The mechanism underlying decreased central arterial stiffness with n-3 supplementation is unknown, but appears to be independent of effects on arterial blood pressure or arterial wave reflections. PMID:26109192

Tachycardia-Induced J-Wave Changes in Patients With and Without Idiopathic Ventricular Fibrillation.

PubMed

Aizawa, Yoshiyasu; Takatsuki, Seiji; Nishiyama, Takahiko; Kimura, Takehiro; Kohsaka, Shun; Kaneko, Yoshiaki; Inden, Yasuya; Takahashi, Naohiko; Nagase, Satoshi; Aizawa, Yoshifusa; Fukuda, Keichi

2017-07-01

To know the underlying mechanisms of J waves, the response to atrial pacing was studied in patients with idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF) and patients with non-IVF. In 8 patients with IVF, the J-wave amplitude was measured before, during, and after atrial pacing. All patients had episodes of ventricular fibrillation without structural heart disease. The responses of J waves were compared with those of the 17 non-IVF control subjects who revealed J waves but no history of cardiac arrest and underwent electrophysiological study. The IVF patients were younger than the non-IVF patients (28±10 versus 52±14 years, respectively; P =0.002) and had larger J waves with more extensive distribution. J waves decreased from 0.35±0.26 to 0.22±0.23 mV ( P =0.025) when the RR intervals were shortened from 782±88 to 573±162 ms ( P =0.001). A decrease (≥0.05 mV) in the J-wave amplitude was observed in 6 of the 8 patients. In addition, 1 patient showed a distinct reduction of J waves in the unipolar epicardial leads. In contrast, J waves were augmented in the 17 non-IVF subjects from 0.27±0.09 to 0.38±0.10 mV ( P <0.001): augmented in 9 and unchanged in the 8 subjects. The different response patterns of J waves to rapid pacing suggest different mechanisms: early repolarization in IVF patients and conduction delay in non-IVF patients. The response to atrial pacing was different between the IVF and non-IVF patients, which suggests the presence of different mechanisms for the genesis of J waves. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

The Diurnal Profile of Central Hemodynamics in a General Uruguayan Population.

PubMed

Boggia, José; Luzardo, Leonella; Lujambio, Inés; Sottolano, Mariana; Robaina, Sebastián; Thijs, Lutgarde; Olascoaga, Alicia; Noboa, Oscar; Struijker-Boudier, Harry A; Safar, Michel E; Staessen, Jan A

2016-06-01

No previous population study assessed the diurnal profile of central arterial properties. In 167 participants (mean age, 56.1 years; 63.5% women), randomly recruited in Montevideo, Uruguay, we used the oscillometric Mobil-O-Graph 24-h PWA monitor to measure peripheral and central systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP), and pulse (PP) pressures and central hemodynamics standardized to a heart rate of 75 bpm, including aortic pulse wave velocity, systolic augmentation (first/second peak × 100), and pressure amplification (peripheral PP/central PP). Over 24 hours, day and night, peripheral minus central differences in SBP/DBP and in PP averaged 12.2/-1.1, 14.0/-0.7, and 9.7/0.2mm Hg and 12.6, 14.7, and 9.5mm Hg, respectively (P < 0.001 except for nighttime DBP (P = 0.38)). The central-to-peripheral ratios of SBP, DBP, and PP were 0.89, 1.00, and 0.70 unadjusted, but after accounting for anthropometric characteristics decreased to 0.74, 0.97, and 0.63, respectively, with strong influence of height for SBP and DBP and of sex for PP. From day (10-20h) to nighttime (0-6h), peripheral (-10.4/-10.5 mm Hg) and central (-6.0/-11.3mm Hg) SBP/DBP, pulse wave velocity (-0.7 m/s) and pressure amplification (-0.05) decreased (P < 0.001), whereas central PP (+5.3mm Hg) and systolic augmentation (+2.3%) increased (P < 0.001). The diurnal rhythm of central pressure runs in parallel with that of peripheral pressure, but the nocturnal fall in SBP is smaller centrally than peripherally. pulse wave velocity, systolic augmentation, and pressure amplification loop through the day with high pulse wave velocity and pressure amplification but low systolic augmentation in the evening and opposite trends in the morning. © American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd 2015. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Dissecting the contribution of knee joint NGF to spinal nociceptive sensitization in a model of OA pain in the rat

PubMed Central

Sagar, D.R.; Nwosu, L.; Walsh, D.A.; Chapman, V.

2015-01-01

Summary Objective Although analgesic approaches targeting nerve growth factor (NGF) for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) pain remain of clinical interest, neurophysiological mechanisms by which NGF contribute to OA pain remain unclear. We investigated the impact of local elevation of knee joint NGF on knee joint, vs remote (hindpaw), evoked responses of spinal neurones in a rodent model of OA pain. Design In vivo spinal electrophysiology was carried out in anaesthetised rats with established pain behaviour and joint pathology following intra-articular injection of monosodium iodoacetate (MIA), vs injection of saline. Neuronal responses to knee joint extension and flexion, mechanical punctate stimulation of the peripheral receptive fields over the knee and at a remote site (ipsilateral hind paw) were studied before, and following, intra-articular injection of NGF (10 μg/50 μl) or saline. Results MIA-injected rats exhibited significant local (knee joint) and remote (lowered hindpaw withdrawal thresholds) changes in pain behaviour, and joint pathology. Intra-articular injection of NGF significantly (P < 0.05) increased knee extension-evoked firing of spinal neurones and the size of the peripheral receptive fields of spinal neurones (100% increase) over the knee joint in MIA rats, compared to controls. Intra-articular NGF injection did not significantly alter responses of spinal neurones following noxious stimulation of the ipsilateral hind paw in MIA-injected rats. Conclusion The facilitatory effects of intra-articular injection of NGF on spinal neurones receiving input from the knee joint provide a mechanistic basis for NGF mediated augmentation of OA knee pain, however additional mechanisms may contribute to the spread of pain to remote sites. PMID:25623624

Dissecting the contribution of knee joint NGF to spinal nociceptive sensitization in a model of OA pain in the rat.

PubMed

Sagar, D R; Nwosu, L; Walsh, D A; Chapman, V

2015-06-01

Although analgesic approaches targeting nerve growth factor (NGF) for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) pain remain of clinical interest, neurophysiological mechanisms by which NGF contribute to OA pain remain unclear. We investigated the impact of local elevation of knee joint NGF on knee joint, vs remote (hindpaw), evoked responses of spinal neurones in a rodent model of OA pain. In vivo spinal electrophysiology was carried out in anaesthetised rats with established pain behaviour and joint pathology following intra-articular injection of monosodium iodoacetate (MIA), vs injection of saline. Neuronal responses to knee joint extension and flexion, mechanical punctate stimulation of the peripheral receptive fields over the knee and at a remote site (ipsilateral hind paw) were studied before, and following, intra-articular injection of NGF (10 μg/50 μl) or saline. MIA-injected rats exhibited significant local (knee joint) and remote (lowered hindpaw withdrawal thresholds) changes in pain behaviour, and joint pathology. Intra-articular injection of NGF significantly (P < 0.05) increased knee extension-evoked firing of spinal neurones and the size of the peripheral receptive fields of spinal neurones (100% increase) over the knee joint in MIA rats, compared to controls. Intra-articular NGF injection did not significantly alter responses of spinal neurones following noxious stimulation of the ipsilateral hind paw in MIA-injected rats. The facilitatory effects of intra-articular injection of NGF on spinal neurones receiving input from the knee joint provide a mechanistic basis for NGF mediated augmentation of OA knee pain, however additional mechanisms may contribute to the spread of pain to remote sites. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Electronic structure and defect properties of selenophosphate Pb2P2Se6 for γ-ray detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kontsevoi, Oleg Y.; Im, Jino; Wessels, Bruce W.; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G.; Freeman, Arthur J.

Heavy metal chalco-phosphate Pb2P2Se6 has shown a significant promise as an X-ray and γ-ray detector material. To assess the fundamental physical properties important for its performance as detector, theoretical calculations were performed for the electronic structure, band gaps, electron and hole effective masses, and static dielectric constants. The calculations were based on first-principles density functional theory (DFT) and employ the highly precise full potential linearized augmented plane wave method and the projector augmented wave method and include nonlocal exchange-correlation functionals to overcome the band gap underestimation in DFT calculations. The calculations show that Pb2P2Se6 is an indirect band gap material with the calculated band gap of 2.0 eV, has small effective masses, which could result in a good carrier mobility-lifetime product μτ , and a very high static dielectric constant, which could lead to high mobility of carriers by screening of charged scattering centers. We further investigated a large set of native defects in Pb2P2Se6 to determine the optimal growth conditions for application as γ-ray detectors. The results suggest that the prevalent intrinsic defects are selenium vacancies, followed by lead vacancies, then phosphorus vacancies and antisite defects. The effect of various chemical environments on defect properties was examined and the optimal conditions for material synthesis were suggested. Supported by DHS (Grant No. 2014-DN-077-ARI086-01).

Numerical Study of Flow Augmented Thermal Management for Entry and Re-Entry Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, Gary C.; Neroorkar, Kshitij D.; Chen, Yen-Sen; Wang, Ten-See; Daso, Endwell O.

2007-01-01

The use of a flow augmented thermal management system for entry and re-entr environments is one method for reducing heat and drag loads. This concept relies on jet penetration from supersonic and hypersonic counterflowing jets that could significantly weaken and disperse the shock-wave system of the spacecraft flow field. The objective of this research effort is to conduct parametric studies of the supersonic flow over a 2.6% scale model of the Apollo capsule, with and without the counterflowing jet, using time-accurate and steady-state computational fluid dynamics simulations. The numerical studies, including different freestream Mach number angle of attack counterflowing jet mass flow rate, and nozzle configurations, were performed to examine their effect on the drag and beat loads and to explore the counternowing jet condition. The numerical results were compared with the test data obtained from transonic blow-down wind-tunnel experiments conducted independently at NASA MSFC.

Ground Truth, Magnitude Calibration, and Regional Phase Propagation and Detection in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

Arabian Shield. Background The Arabian Shield consists of a late Proterozoic crystalline basement overlain by Tertiary and Quaternary volcanic...mantle structure under the Arabian Shield using body waves, we measured and inverted relative travel times from stations in Arabia. We augmented the...Rodgers, and A. Al-Amri (2008). S wave velocity structure of the Arabian Shield upper mantle from Rayleigh wave tomography, Geochem. Geophys

Global convergence of inexact Newton methods for transonic flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, David P.; Melvin, Robin G.; Bieterman, Michael B.; Johnson, Forrester T.; Samant, Satish S.

1990-01-01

In computational fluid dynamics, nonlinear differential equations are essential to represent important effects such as shock waves in transonic flow. Discretized versions of these nonlinear equations are solved using iterative methods. In this paper an inexact Newton method using the GMRES algorithm of Saad and Schultz is examined in the context of the full potential equation of aerodynamics. In this setting, reliable and efficient convergence of Newton methods is difficult to achieve. A poor initial solution guess often leads to divergence or very slow convergence. This paper examines several possible solutions to these problems, including a standard local damping strategy for Newton's method and two continuation methods, one of which utilizes interpolation from a coarse grid solution to obtain the initial guess on a finer grid. It is shown that the continuation methods can be used to augment the local damping strategy to achieve convergence for difficult transonic flow problems. These include simple wings with shock waves as well as problems involving engine power effects. These latter cases are modeled using the assumption that each exhaust plume is isentropic but has a different total pressure and/or temperature than the freestream.

Xylitol and Your Dog: Danger, Paws Off

MedlinePlus

... Home For Consumers Consumer Updates Xylitol and Your Dog: Danger, Paws Off Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it ... vitamins mouthwash toothpaste Why is Xylitol Dangerous to Dogs, but Not People? In both people and dogs, ...

New Hybridized Surface Wave Approach for Geotechnical Modeling of Shear Wave Velocity at Strong Motion Recording Stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kayen, R.; Carkin, B.; Minasian, D.

2006-12-01

Strong motion recording (SMR) networks often have little or no shear wave velocity measurements at stations where characterization of site amplification and site period effects is needed. Using the active Spectral Analysis of Surface Waves (SASW) method, and passive H/V microtremor method we have investigated nearly two hundred SMR sites in California, Alaska, Japan, Australia, China and Taiwan. We are conducting these studies, in part, to develop a new hybridized method of site characterization that utilizes a parallel array of harmonic-wave sources for active-source SASW, and a single long period seismometer for passive-source microtremor measurement. Surface wave methods excel in their ability to non-invasively and rapidly characterize the variation of ground stiffness properties with depth below the surface. These methods are lightweight, inexpensive to deploy, and time-efficient. They have been shown to produce accurate and deep soil stiffness profiles. By placing and wiring shakers in a large parallel circuit, either side-by-side on the ground or in a trailer-mounted array, a strong in-phase harmonic wave can be produced. The effect of arraying many sources in parallel is to increase the amplitude of waves received at far-away spaced seismometers at low frequencies so as to extend the longest wavelengths of the captured dispersion curve. The USGS system for profiling uses this concept by arraying between two and eight electro-mechanical harmonic-wave shakers. With large parallel arrays of vibrators, a dynamic force in excess of 1000 lb can be produced to vibrate the ground and produce surface waves. We adjust the harmonic wave through a swept-sine procedure to profile surface wave dispersion down to a frequency of 1 Hz and out to surface wave-wavelengths of 200-1000 meters, depending on the site stiffness. The parallel-array SASW procedure is augmented using H/V microtremor data collected with the active source turned off. Passive array microtremor data reveal the natural and resonance characteristics of the ground by capturing persistent natural vibrations. These microtremors are the result of the interaction of surface waves arriving from distant sources and the stiffness structure of the site under investigation. As such, these resonance effects are effective in constraining the layer thicknesses of the SASW shear wave velocity structure and aid in determining the depth of the deepest layer. Together, the hybridized SASW and H/V procedure provides a complete data set for modeling the geotechnical aspects of ground amplification of earthquake motions. Data from these investigations are available at http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/geotech.

Synergistic antinociceptive interaction between palmitoylethanolamide and tramadol in the mouse formalin test.

PubMed

Déciga-Campos, Myrna; Ramírez-Marín, Pamela Moncerrat; López-Muñoz, Francisco Javier

2015-10-15

Pharmacological synergism has been used to obtain a higher efficacy using drug concentrations at which side effects are minimal. In this study, the pharmacological antinociceptive interaction between N-palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and tramadol was investigated. The individual concentration-response curves for PEA (0.1-56.2 μg/paw) and tramadol (1-56.2 μg/paw) were evaluated in mice in which nociception was induced by an intraplantar injection of 2% formalin. Isobolographic analysis was used to evaluate the pharmacological interaction between PEA (EC50=23.7±1.6 μg/paw) and tramadol (EC50=26.02±2.96 μg/paw) using the EC50 and a fixed 1:1 ratio combination. The isobologram demonstrated that the combinations investigated in this study produced a synergistic interaction; the experimental values (Zexp=9.5±0.2 μg/paw) were significantly smaller than those calculated theoretically (Zadd=24.8±0.2 μg/paw). The antinociceptive mechanisms of the PEA and tramadol combination involved the opioid receptor, transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-α). The sedative effect of the combination of PEA and tramadol was less than that generated by individual treatments. These findings suggest that the PEA and tramadol combination produced enhanced antinociceptive efficacy at concentrations at which side effects are minimal. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

From plane waves to local Gaussians for the simulation of correlated periodic systems

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

Booth, George H., E-mail: george.booth@kcl.ac.uk; Tsatsoulis, Theodoros; Grüneis, Andreas, E-mail: a.grueneis@fkf.mpg.de

2016-08-28

We present a simple, robust, and black-box approach to the implementation and use of local, periodic, atom-centered Gaussian basis functions within a plane wave code, in a computationally efficient manner. The procedure outlined is based on the representation of the Gaussians within a finite bandwidth by their underlying plane wave coefficients. The core region is handled within the projected augment wave framework, by pseudizing the Gaussian functions within a cutoff radius around each nucleus, smoothing the functions so that they are faithfully represented by a plane wave basis with only moderate kinetic energy cutoff. To mitigate the effects of themore » basis set superposition error and incompleteness at the mean-field level introduced by the Gaussian basis, we also propose a hybrid approach, whereby the complete occupied space is first converged within a large plane wave basis, and the Gaussian basis used to construct a complementary virtual space for the application of correlated methods. We demonstrate that these pseudized Gaussians yield compact and systematically improvable spaces with an accuracy comparable to their non-pseudized Gaussian counterparts. A key advantage of the described method is its ability to efficiently capture and describe electronic correlation effects of weakly bound and low-dimensional systems, where plane waves are not sufficiently compact or able to be truncated without unphysical artifacts. We investigate the accuracy of the pseudized Gaussians for the water dimer interaction, neon solid, and water adsorption on a LiH surface, at the level of second-order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory.« less

Anti-inflammatory effect of combined tetramethylpyrazine, resveratrol and curcumin in vivo.

PubMed

Chen, Long; Liu, Tianjun; Wang, Qiangsong; Liu, Juan

2017-04-27

Resveratrol and curcumin, as natural flavones products, have good therapeutic effect in acute and chronic inflammation; on the other hand, tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) has angiogenesis and vessel protection effect as well as anti-inflammatory function. In this paper, the anti-inflammatory effect of the tetramethylpyrazine, resveratrol and curcumin (TRC) combination in acute and chronic inflammation was reported in vivo. The dose of the combined three natural products was optimized based on the acute paw swelling mouse model with a Uniform Design methodology. The therapeutic effect of TRC combination on chronic inflammation was investigated by using the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rat model based upon the following indexes: the volume of paw swelling, arthritis score, serum mediators and histological examination as well as immunohistochemical staining. The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) in serum were measured and the pathological sections of liver and kidney were analysed. LD 50 was measured based on the acute oral toxicity (AOT) standard method. The best formulation was the three components combined at the same mass proportion revealed by the Uniform Design methodology. This combination could significantly reduce the paw swelling in acute paw swelling mouse model, could reduce paw swelling and alleviate the damage in joint structural of ankle, cartilages and fibrous tissue in CIA rat model. The dose relationship was clear in both cases. Immunohistochemical staining of ankle tissue revealed that TRC combination was able to inhibit the expression of NF-κB p65 and TNF-α which were closely related to the inflammatory process. Analysis of serum mediators revealed TRC combination could inhibit the production of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in the serum. Toxic study revealed this formulation was low toxic, LD 50 was larger than 5 g/kg, both the level of ALT and AST and histopathology in the liver and kidney exhibited no distinctions between the TRC combination and the blank group, no mortality occurred at the administered doses of 5 g/kg. The results showed this formulation could provide a novel potent treatment for acute and chronic inflammation (RA) without side effect like gastric injury occurring in NSAIDs.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation attenuates CFA-induced hyperalgesia and inhibits spinal ERK1/2-COX-2 pathway activation in rats

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a non-pharmacologic treatment for pain relief. In previous animal studies, TENS effectively alleviated Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA)- or carrageenan-induced inflammatory pain. Although TENS is known to produce analgesia via opioid activation in the brain and at the spinal level, few reports have investigated the signal transduction pathways mediated by TENS. Prior studies have verified the importance of the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signal transduction pathway in the spinal cord dorsal horn (SCDH) in acute and persistent inflammatory pains. Here, by using CFA rat model, we tested the efficacy of TENS on inhibiting the expressions of p-ERK1/2 and of its downstream cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and the level of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) at spinal level. Methods Rats were randomly divided into control, model and TENS groups, and injected subcutaneously with 100 μl CFA or saline in the plantar surface of right hind paw. Rats in the TENS group were treated with TENS (constant aquare wave, 2 Hz and 100 Hz alternating frequencies, intensities ranging from 1 to 2 mA, lasting for 30 min each time) at 5 h and 24 h after injection. Paw withdrawal thresholds (PWTs) were measured with dynamic plantar aesthesiometer at 3d before modeling and 5 h, 6 h, and 25 h after CFA injection. The ipsilateral sides of the lumbar spinal cord dosral horns were harvested for detecting the expressions of p-ERK1/2 and COX-2 by western blot analysis and qPCR, and PGE2 by ELISA. Results CFA-induced periphery inflammation decreased PWTs and increased paw volume of rats. TENS treatment significantly alleviated mechanical hyperalgesia caused by CFA. However, no anti-inflammatory effect of TENS was observed. Expression of p-ERK1/2 protein and COX-2 mRNA was significantly up-regualted at 5 h and 6 h after CFA injection, while COX-2 and PGE2 protein level only increased at 6 h after modeling. Furthermore, the high expression of p-ERK1/2 and COX-2, and over-production of PGE2 induced by CFA, were suppressed by TENS administration. Conclusions TENS may be an effective therapy in controlling inflammatory pain induced by CFA. Its analgesic effect may be associated with the inhibition of activation of the spinal ERK1/2-COX-2 pathway. PMID:23768044

Near-to-eye electroholography via guided-wave acousto-optics for augmented reality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jolly, Sundeep; Savidis, Nickolaos; Datta, Bianca; Smalley, Daniel; Bove, V. Michael

2017-03-01

Near-to-eye holographic displays act to directly project wavefronts into a viewer's eye in order to recreate 3-D scenes for augmented or virtual reality applications. Recently, several solutions for near-to-eye electroholography have been proposed based on digital spatial light modulators in conjunction with supporting optics, such as holographic waveguides for light delivery; however, such schemes are limited by the inherent low space-bandwidth product available with current digital SLMs. In this paper, we depict a fully monolithic, integrated optical platform for transparent near-to-eye holographic display requiring no supporting optics. Our solution employs a guided-wave acousto-optic spatial light modulator implemented in lithium niobate in conjunction with an integrated Bragg-regime reflection volume hologram.

A study of the anti-inflammatory effect of the leaves of Psidium guajava Linn. on experimental animal models

PubMed Central

Dutta, Sarmistha; Das, Swarnamoni

2010-01-01

Introduction: The aim is to study the anti-inflammatory effect of the ethanolic extract of the leaves of Psidium guajava(PGE) on experimental animal models. Materials and Methods: Fresh leaves were collected, air-dried, powdered, and percolated in 95% ethanol. Acute toxicity test was done according to OECD guidelines. Four groups of animals of either sex, weighing 150–200g of the species Rattus norvegicus were taken for the study (n = 6). Group A was taken as control (3% gum acacia in 10 mL/kg body weight), Group B as test group (PGE 250 mg/kg body weight), Group C as test group (PGE 500 mg/kg body weight), and Group D as standard (Aspirin 100 mg/kg body weight). The animals were studied for acute inflammation by Carrageenan-induced rat paw edema, subacute inflammation by Granuloma pouch method, and chronic inflammation by Freund’s adjuvant-induced arthritis method. Statistical analysis was done by one-way analysis of variance followed by multiple comparison tests. Results: In acute inflammation, there was significant inhibition of paw edema in Groups B, C, and D in comparison with Group A (P < 0.05). In subacute inflammation, there was significant inhibition of exudate formation in Groups B, C, and D in comparison to Group A (P < 0.05). In chronic inflammation, there was significant inhibition of paw edema and inhibition of weight reduction in Groups B, C, and D compared with Group A. Downregulation of arthritis index was also significant in Groups B, C, and D in comparison with Group A (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The ethanolic extract of PGE has significant anti-inflammatory activity. PMID:21589759

Gait Analysis in Rats with Single Joint Inflammation: Influence of Experimental Factors

PubMed Central

Ängeby Möller, Kristina; Kinert, Susanne; Størkson, Rolf; Berge, Odd-Geir

2012-01-01

Disability and movement-related pain are major symptoms of joint disease, motivating the development of methods to quantify motor behaviour in rodent joint pain models. We used observational scoring and automated methods to compare weight bearing during locomotion and during standing after single joint inflammation induced by Freund's complete adjuvant (0.12–8.0 mg/mL) or carrageenan (0.47–30 mg/mL). Automated gait analysis was based on video capture of prints generated by light projected into the long edge of the floor of a walkway, producing an illuminated image of the contact area of each paw with light intensity reflecting the contact pressure. Weight bearing was calculated as an area-integrated paw pressure, that is, the light intensity of all pixels activated during the contact phase of a paw placement. Automated static weight bearing was measured with the Incapacitance tester. Pharmacological sensitivity of weight-bearing during locomotion was tested in carrageenan-induced monoarthritis by administration of the commonly used analgesics diclofenac, ibuprofen, and naproxen, as well as oxycodone and paracetamol. Observational scoring and automated quantification yielded similar results. We found that the window between control rats and monoarthritic rats was greater during locomotion. The response was more pronounced for inflammation in the ankle as compared to the knee, suggesting a methodological advantage of using this injection site. The effects of both Freund's complete adjuvant and carrageenan were concentration related, but Freund's incomplete adjuvant was found to be as effective as lower, commonly used concentrations of the complete adjuvant. The results show that gait analysis can be an effective method to quantify behavioural effects of single joint inflammation in the rat, sensitive to analgesic treatment. PMID:23071540

Antinociceptive and antiedematogenic effect of pecan (Carya illinoensis) nut shell extract in mice: a possible beneficial use for a by-product of the nut industry.

PubMed

Trevisan, Gabriela; Rossato, Mateus F; Hoffmeister, Carin; Müller, Liz G; Pase, Camila; Córdova, Marina M; Rosa, Fernanda; Tonello, Raquel; Hausen, Bruna S; Boligon, Aline A; Moresco, Rafael N; Athayde, Margareth L; Burguer, Marilise E; Santos, Adair R; Ferreira, Juliano

2014-01-27

Abstract Background: Interest in pecan (Carya illinoensis) nut shells, a by-product of the nut industry, has increased due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. The goal of this study was to evaluate the antinociceptive and antiedematogenic activity and the mechanisms of the pecan shell aqueous extract (AE). Methods: First, we performed fingerprinting of C. illinoensis AE. The antinociceptive and antiedematogenic effects of AE intragastric (i.g.) administration in mice (male Swiss mice 20-30 g) were evaluated using the acetic acid test or after subcutaneous (s.c.) paw injection of diverse transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) agonists, including hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), allyl isothiocyanate, or cinnamaldehyde. We also observed AE antinociceptive and antiedematogenic effects after carrageenan s.c. paw injection and measured H2O2 production. Moreover, we observed the development of adverse effects after AE i.g. treatment. Results: The high-performance liquid chromatography fingerprinting of AE showed the presence of rutin. AE or rutin i.g. treatment produced antinociception in the acetic acid test and reduced the nociception and edema mediated by H2O2 s.c. hind paw injection or nociception induced by other TRPA1 agonists. Moreover, AE or rutin reduced the hyperalgesia, edema, and H2O2 production induced by carrageenan s.c. paw injection. No motor, gastric, or toxicological alterations were observed after AE administration. Conclusions: Collectively, the present results show that AE and its constituent rutin produced antinociceptive and antiedematogenic action in models of acute and persistent inflammatory nociception and it seems to be related to the inhibition of TRPA1 receptor activation.

Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Activities of Topical Formulations of Pterocarpus Santalinus Powder in Rat Model of Chronic Inflammation.

PubMed

Dhande, Priti Pravin; Gupta, Amit O; Jain, Sourav; Dawane, Jayshree Shriram

2017-07-01

The incidence of arthritis is quite high and there is a need for the search of natural products to halt the progression of disease or provide symptomatic relief without significant adverse effects. This study aimed at evaluating the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of topical Pterocarpus santalinus in an animal model of chronic inflammation. Albino rats of either sex were divided into five groups of six rats each (Group I - Control, Group II -Gel base, Group III - P. santalinus paste, Group IV - P. santalinus gel, Group V- Diclofenac gel). Chronic inflammation was induced on day 0 by injecting 0.1 ml Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) in sub-plantar tissue of left hind paw of the rats. Topical treatment was started from day 12 till day 28. Body weight and paw volume (Plethysmometer) were assessed on day 0, 12 and 28. Pain assessment was done using Randall and Selitto paw withdrawal method. Data was analysed using GraphPad Prism version 5. Unpaired students t-test and ANOVA followed by Tukey's test was used for comparison among groups. Only topical P.santalinus gel significantly reduced the body weight (p=0.02) due to reduction in inflammatory oedema of the left limb. P. santalinus gel also showed significant reduction (p=0.03) in paw volume of rats compared to the other groups. There was significant reduction in pain threshold (gm/sec) due to chronic inflammation, with all the study drugs (p<0.05) but with P. santalinus gel, this reduction was less (p<0.001). Gel showed significant anti-inflammatory and mild analgesic activity on topical application in rat model of chronic inflammation.

Comparison of plasma generated nitrogen fertilizer to conventional fertilizers ammonium nitrate and sodium nitrate for pre-emergent and seedling growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andhavarapu, A.; King, W.; Lindsay, A.; Byrns, B.; Knappe, D.; Fonteno, W.; Shannon, S.

2014-10-01

Plasma source generated nitrogen fertilizer is compared to conventional nitrogen fertilizers in water for plant growth. Root, shoot sizes, and weights are used to examine differences between plant treatment groups. With a simple coaxial structure creating a large-volume atmospheric glow discharge, a 162 MHz generator drives the air plasma. The VHF plasma source emits a steady state glow; the high drive frequency is believed to inhibit the glow-to-arc transition for non-thermal discharge generation. To create the plasma activated water (PAW) solutions used for plant treatment, the discharge is held over distilled water until a 100 ppm nitrate aqueous concentration is achieved. The discharge is used to incorporate nitrogen species into aqueous solution, which is used to fertilize radishes, marigolds, and tomatoes. In a four week experiment, these plants are watered with four different solutions: tap water, dissolved ammonium nitrate DI water, dissolved sodium nitrate DI water, and PAW. Ammonium nitrate solution has the same amount of total nitrogen as PAW; sodium nitrate solution has the same amount of nitrate as PAW. T-tests are used to determine statistical significance in plant group growth differences. PAW fertilization chemical mechanisms are presented.

Antihyperalgesic Effects of Indomethacin, Ketorolac, and Metamizole in Rats: Effects of Metformin.

PubMed

Guzmán-Priego, Crystell Guadalupe; Méndez-Mena, Roberto; Baños-González, Manuel Alfonso; Araiza-Saldaña, Claudia Ivonne; Castañeda-Corral, Gabriela; Torres-López, Jorge Elías

2017-03-01

Preclinical Research Metformin-dependent mechanisms have been implicated in the antinociceptive effect of some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). In this study, the effect of local peripheral or systemic administration of metformin on the local peripheral or systemic antinociception induced by indomethacin, ketorolac and metamizole was assessed in the rat carrageenan-induced thermal hyperalgesia model. Rats were injected with carrageenan (1%, 50 µl) into the right hindpaw which reduced paw withdrawal latency, a measure of thermal hyperalgesia. Local peripheral or systemic administration of indomethacin, ketorolac or metamizole dose-dependently reduced carrageenan-induced thermal hyperalgesia. Local peripheral pre-treatment with metformin (800 µg/paw) partially inhibited the anti-hyperalgesic effect of indomethacin (200 µg/paw) and metamizole (200 µg/paw), but not that of ketorolac (200 µg/paw). In contrast, systemic pre-treatment with metformin (200 mg/kg) attenuated the antihyperalgesic effect of metamizole (10 mg/kg), but not that observed with either indomethacin (10 mg/kg) or ketorolac (10 mg/kg). These findings suggest that some but not all NSAIDs have effects mediated by metformin-dependent mechanisms. Drug Dev Res 78 : 98-104, 2017. ©2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of bedding material and running wheel surface on paw wounds in male and female Syrian hamsters.

PubMed

Beaulieu, A; Reebs, S G

2009-01-01

The present study investigated the effects of bedding material (pine shavings versus beta chip) and running wheel surfaces (standard metal bars versus metal bars covered with a plastic mesh) on the occurrence of wounds on the paws of male and female Syrian (golden) hamsters, Mesocricetus auratus. Four groups of 10 males and 10 females were each assigned to one of the following treatments: pine/no mesh, pine/mesh, chips/no mesh and chips/mesh. Each hamster paw was observed at 1-3-day intervals for 60 days. A total of 1-3 wounds, separate in time, developed on the paws (mostly the hind ones) of almost all animals. Wounds appeared as small pinpricks, cuts or scabs, mostly on the palms. Females ran 15% less than males, yet their front paws were more commonly affected and their wounds tended to last longer. Hamsters with plastic mesh inside their wheels took longer to develop wounds but once they appeared, the wounds were larger and lasted longer. Hamsters on pine shavings developed fewer wounds and had more wound-free days. Hamsters kept running at high levels and many wounds did not heal during the study, suggesting a need for veterinary intervention.

HPLC and anti-inflammatory studies of the flavonoid rich chloroform extract fraction of Orthosiphon stamineus leaves.

PubMed

Yam, Mun Fei; Lim, Vuanghao; Salman, Ibrahim Muhammad; Ameer, Omar Ziad; Ang, Lee Fung; Rosidah, Noersal; Abdulkarim, Muthanna Fawzy; Abdullah, Ghassan Zuhair; Basir, Rusliza; Sadikun, Amirin; Asmawi, Mohd Zaini

2010-06-21

The aim of the present study was to verify the anti-inflammatory activity of Orthosiphon stamineus leaf extracts and to identify the active compound(s) contributing to its anti-inflammatory activity using a developed HPLC method. Active chloroform extract of O. stamineus was fractionated into three fractions using a dry flash column chromatography method. These three fractions were investigated for anti-peritoneal capillary permeability, in vitro nitric oxide scavenging activity, anti-inflammatory and nitric oxide (NO) inhibition using carrageenan-induced hind paw edema method. The flavonoid rich chloroform extract fraction (CF2) [containing sinensetin (2.86% w/w), eupatorin (5.05% w/w) and 3'-hydroxy-5,6,7,4'-tetramethoxyflavone (1.101% w/w)], significantly reduced rat hind paw edema, NO and decreased dye leakage to peritoneal cavity at p < 0.05. IC(50) of in vitro NO scavenging of CF2 was 0.3 mg/mL. These results suggest that the anti-inflammatory properties of these CF2 may possibly be due to the presence of flavonoid compounds capable of affecting the NO pathway.

Value of the QRS complex in assessing left ventricular ejection fraction.

PubMed

Askenazi, J; Parisi, A F; Cohn, P F; Freedman, W B; Braunwald, E

1978-03-01

The relation between electrocardiographic findings and the angiographic left ventricular ejection fraction and the augmented ejection fraction after a premature ventricular contraction was investigated in 73 patients with documented chronic coronary artery disease. The patients were separated into four groups according to the presence or absence of abnormal Q waves. Twenty-four patients had diaphragmatic myocardial infarction, 21 had anterior myocardial infarction, 15 had both and 13 had no myocardial infarction. There was no statistically significant differences in cardiac index, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure or number of coronary vessels showing critical narrowing in the four groups. The sum of R waves (in mv) in leads aVL, aVF and V1 to V6 (sigmaR) was correlated with the ejection fraction (EF) and the augmented ejection fraction (EFa). EF in percent = 6.6 sigmaR mv + 9.4 (no. =73, r = 0.61); and EFa in percent = 8.6 sigmaR mv + 11.0 (no. = 73, r = 0.77). Among patients with sigmaR of less than 4.0 mv, augmented ejection fraction was less than 0.45 in 73 percent; among patients with sigmaR of 4.0 mv or more the augmented ejection fraction was greater than 0.45 in 93 percent (P less than 0.001). Thus, the sigmaR, calculated from six precordial and two augmented leads in patients with chronic coronary artery disease, correlated with both ejection fraction and augmented ejection fraction. The electrocardiogram in patients with coronary artery disease may prove useful as a simple, readily available and noninvasive guide in the assessment of left ventricular function in patients with coronary artery disease.

Anti-inflammatory, Analgesic and Antiulcer properties of Porphyra vietnamensis.

PubMed

Bhatia, Saurabh; Sharma, Kiran; Sharma, Ajay; Nagpal, Kalpana; Bera, Tanmoy

2015-01-01

Aim of the present work was to investigate the anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antiulcer effects of red seaweed Porphyra vietnamensis (P. vietnamenis). Aqueous (POR) and alcoholic (PE) fractions were successfully isolated from P. vietnamenis. Further biological investigations were performed using a classic test of paw edema induced by carrageenan, writhing induced by acetic acid, hot plate method and naproxen induced gastro-duodenal ulcer. Among the fractions POR showed better activity. POR and PE significantly (p < 0.05) reduced carrageenan induced paw edema in a dose dependent manner. In the writhing test POR significantly (p < 0.05) reduced abdominal writhes than PE. In hot plate method POR showed better analgesic activity than PE. POR showed comparable ulcers reducing potential (p<0.01) to that of omeprazole, and has more ulcer reducing potential then PE. The results of this study demonstrated that P. vietnamenis aqueous fraction possesses biological activity that is close to the standards taken for the treatment of peripheral painful or/and inflammatory and ulcer conditions.

Electronic, thermoelectric and transport properties of cesium cadmium trifluoride: A DFT study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abraham, Jisha Annie; Pagare, G.; Sanyal, Sankar P.

2018-04-01

The full potential linearized augmented plane wave method based on density functional theory is employed to investigate the electronic structure of CsCdF3. The electronic properties of this compound have been studied from the band structure plot and density of states. The presence of indirect energy gap reveals its insulating nature. Using constant relaxation time, the electrical conductivity, electronic thermal conductivity, Seebeck coefficient and figure of merit are calculated by using Boltzmann transport theory. We have also studied the temperature dependence of thermoelectric properties of this compound.

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

Zuo, Zhiqi

The Full Potential Linear Augmented Plane Wave (FPLAPW or FLAPW) method is used for a spin-polarized band calculation for ordered Fe 3Pt. As major purpose, the momentum distributions of the spin-polarized electrons are calculated and compared with results from a magnetic Compton scattering measurement. To get related information, the electronic behavior is also analyzed by examining the partial densities of states and the spatial electron distributions; the role of alloying effects is then explored by studying the electrons in some related alloys: Fe 3Ni, Fe 3Pd, Ni 3Pt and Co 3Pt.

Pawedness Trait Test (PaTRaT)—A New Paradigm to Evaluate Paw Preference and Dexterity in Rats

PubMed Central

Cunha, Ana M.; Esteves, Madalena; das Neves, Sofia P.; Borges, Sónia; Guimarães, Marco R.; Sousa, Nuno; Almeida, Armando; Leite-Almeida, Hugo

2017-01-01

In rodents, dexterity is commonly analyzed in preference paradigms in which animals are given the chance to use either the left or the right front paws to manipulate food. However, paw preference and dexterity at population and individual levels are controversial as results are incongruent across paradigms. We have therefore developed a semi-quantitative method—the pawdeness trait test (PaTRaT)—to evaluate paw preference degree in rats. The PaTRaT consists in a classification system, ranging from +4 to −4 where increasingly positive and negative values reflect the bias for left or right paw use, respectively. Sprague-Dawley male rats were confined into a metal rectangular mesh cylinder, from which they can see, smell and reach sugared rewards with their paws. Due to its size, the reward could only cross the mesh if aligned with its diagonal, imposing additional coordination. Animals were allowed to retrieve 10 rewards per session in a total of four sessions while their behavior was recorded. PaTRaT was repeated 4 and 8 weeks after the first evaluation. To exclude potential bias, rats were also tested for paw fine movement and general locomotion in other behavioral paradigms as well as impulsivity (variable delay-to-signal, VDS), memory and cognitive flexibility (water maze). At the population level 54% of the animals presented a rightward bias. Individually, all animals presented marked side-preferences, >2 and <−2 for left- and right-sided bias, respectively, and this preference was stable across the three evaluations. Inter-rater consistency was very high between two experienced raters and substantial when two additional inexperienced raters were included. Left- and right-biased animals presented no differences in the ability to perform fine movements with any of the forelimbs (staircase) and general locomotor performance. Additionally, these groups performed similarly in executive function and memory tasks. In conclusion, PaTRaT is able to reliably classify rats’ pawedness direction and degree. PMID:29089877

Augmentation index is a better marker for cardiovascular risk in young Malaysian males. A comparison of involvement of pulse wave velocity, augmentation index, and C-reactive protein.

PubMed

Aminuddin, Amilia; Chellappan, Kalaivani; Maskon, Oteh; Zakaria, Zaiton; Karim, Aminuddin A; Ngah, Wan Z; Nordin, Nor Anita M

2014-02-01

To determine the association between carotid femoral pulse wave velocity (PWVCF) and augmentation index (AI) with future cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, and to assess whether high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is an important mediator towards these vascular changes, among young men. This cross-sectional study was conducted at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from July 2011 to December 2012. Two hundred and eleven young men were recruited. The PWVCF and AI were measured using Vicorder. High sensitivity C-reactive protein was measured by using immunological methods. The future CVD risk was assessed by Framingham risk score (FRS) and age adjusted FRS (A-FRS). Data for analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 15 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). The mean age of the subjects was 27.09 (95% confidence intervals [CI] 26.39-27.79) years old. Those with ≥2 risk factors had significantly higher AI [10.09 (95% CI: 9.06-11.12) versus 6.56 (95% CI: 5.54-7.57) (p=0.001), but not PWVCF 7.45 (95% CI: 7.29-7.61) m/s versus 7.29 (95% CI: 7.06-7.51) m/s, (p=0.90) when compared to the healthy subjects. High sensitivity C-reactive protein was not an independent determinant for PWVCF and AI. Only AI was significantly associated with FRS and A-FRS (p=0.0001). To assess the impact of risk factors on vascular damage and for future assessment of CVD risk among the young men, AI may be a better marker than PWVCF. The increase in AI among these subjects was not related to hs-CRP.

Inhibitory Effects of Medium Molecular Weight Heparinyl Amino Acid Derivatives on Ischemic Paw Edema in Mice.

PubMed

Takeda, Seiichi; Toda, Takao; Nakamura, Kazuki

2016-01-01

We investigated the radical-scavenging effects of heparin (HE), medium molecular weight heparinyl phenylalanine (MHF), and medium molecular weight heparinyl leucine (MHL) using ischemic paw edema in mice. We also examined the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) of mice that were administered these compounds as an index of their side-effects. HE had a preventative effect and significant reduced ischemic paw edema. However, its effect was not dose-dependent and the dose-response curve was bell-shaped. The effective dose of HE also exhibited a prolonged APTT. Pretreatment using MHF and MHL were effective against ischemic paw edema without a prolonged APTT. Remarkably, the action of MHF was not only preventively, but also therapeutically active. These results suggest that MHF and MHL are superior to HE as safe radical scavengers in vivo. Copyright © 2016 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

Sparse genetic tracing reveals regionally specific functional organization of mammalian nociceptors.

PubMed

Olson, William; Abdus-Saboor, Ishmail; Cui, Lian; Burdge, Justin; Raabe, Tobias; Ma, Minghong; Luo, Wenqin

2017-10-12

The human distal limbs have a high spatial acuity for noxious stimuli but a low density of pain-sensing neurites. To elucidate mechanisms underlying regional differences in processing nociception, we sparsely traced non-peptidergic nociceptors across the body using a newly generated Mrgprd CreERT2 mouse line. We found that mouse plantar paw skin is also innervated by a low density of Mrgprd + nociceptors, while individual arbors in different locations are comparable in size. Surprisingly, the central arbors of plantar paw and trunk innervating nociceptors have distinct morphologies in the spinal cord. This regional difference is well correlated with a heightened signal transmission for plantar paw circuits, as revealed by both spinal cord slice recordings and behavior assays. Taken together, our results elucidate a novel somatotopic functional organization of the mammalian pain system and suggest that regional central arbor structure could facilitate the "enlarged representation" of plantar paw regions in the CNS.

Functional significance of the pattern of renal sympathetic nerve activation.

PubMed

Dibona, G F; Sawin, L L

1999-08-01

To assess the renal functional significance of the pattern of renal sympathetic nerve activation, computer-generated stimulus patterns (delivered at constant integrated voltage) were applied to the decentralized renal sympathetic nerve bundle and renal hemodynamic and excretory responses determined in anesthetized rats. When delivered at the same integrated voltage, stimulus patterns resembling those observed in in vivo multifiber recordings of renal sympathetic nerve activity (diamond-wave patterns) produced greater renal vasoconstrictor responses than conventional square-wave patterns. Within diamond-wave patterns, increasing integrated voltage by increasing amplitude produced twofold greater renal vasoconstrictor responses than by increasing duration. With similar integrated voltages that were subthreshold for renal vasoconstriction, neither diamond- nor square-wave pattern altered glomerular filtration rate, whereas diamond- but not square-wave pattern reversibly decreased urinary sodium excretion by 25 +/- 3%. At the same number of pulses per second, intermittent stimulation produced faster and greater renal vasoconstriction than continuous stimulation. At the same number of pulses per second, increases in rest period during intermittent stimulation proportionally augmented the renal vasoconstrictor response compared with that observed with continuous stimulation; the maximum augmentation of 55% occurred at a rest period of 500 ms. These results indicate that the pattern of renal sympathetic nerve stimulation (activity) significantly influences the rapidity, magnitude, and selectivity of the renal vascular and tubular responses.

Do arterial stiffness and wave reflection underlie cardiovascular risk in ethnic minorities?

PubMed

Faconti, Luca; Nanino, Elisa; Mills, Charlotte E; Cruickshank, Kennedy J

2016-01-01

Increasing evidence indicates that remarkable differences in cardiovascular risk between ethnic groups cannot be fully explained by traditional risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes or dislipidemia measured in midlife. Therefore, the underlying pathophysiology leading to this "excess risk" in ethnic minority groups is still poorly understood, and one way to address this issue is to shift the focus from "risk" to examine target organs, particularly blood vessels and their arterial properties more directly. In fact, structural and functional changes of the vascular system may be identifiable at very early stages of life when traditional factors are not yet developed. Arterial stiffening, measured as aortic pulse wave velocity, and wave reflection parameters, especially augmentation index, seem to be an important pathophysiological mechanism for the development of cardiovascular disease and predict mortality independent of other risk factors. However, data regarding these arterial indices in ethnic minorities are relatively rare and the heterogeneity between populations, techniques and statistical methods make it difficult to fully understand their role.

Stabilization of cat paw trajectory during locomotion

PubMed Central

Klishko, Alexander N.; Farrell, Bradley J.; Beloozerova, Irina N.; Latash, Mark L.

2014-01-01

We investigated which of cat limb kinematic variables during swing of regular walking and accurate stepping along a horizontal ladder are stabilized by coordinated changes of limb segment angles. Three hypotheses were tested: 1) animals stabilize the entire swing trajectory of specific kinematic variables (performance variables); and 2) the level of trajectory stabilization is similar between regular and ladder walking and 3) is higher for forelimbs compared with hindlimbs. We used the framework of the uncontrolled manifold (UCM) hypothesis to quantify the structure of variance of limb kinematics in the limb segment orientation space across steps. Two components of variance were quantified for each potential performance variable, one of which affected it (“bad variance,” variance orthogonal to the UCM, VORT) while the other one did not (“good variance,” variance within the UCM, VUCM). The analysis of five candidate performance variables revealed that cats during both locomotor behaviors stabilize 1) paw vertical position during the entire swing (VUCM > VORT, except in mid-hindpaw swing of ladder walking) and 2) horizontal paw position in initial and terminal swing (except for the entire forepaw swing of regular walking). We also found that the limb length was typically stabilized in midswing, whereas limb orientation was not (VUCM ≤ VORT) for both limbs and behaviors during entire swing. We conclude that stabilization of paw position in early and terminal swing enables accurate and stable locomotion, while stabilization of vertical paw position in midswing helps paw clearance. This study is the first to demonstrate the applicability of the UCM-based analysis to nonhuman movement. PMID:24899676

Angiotensin peptides attenuate platelet-activating factor-induced inflammatory activity in rats.

PubMed

Sato, Akira; Yokoyama, Izumi; Ebina, Keiichi

2015-11-01

Angiotensin (Ang)--a peptide that is part of the renin-angiotensin system-induces vasoconstriction and a subsequent increase in blood pressure; Ang peptides, especially AngII, can also act as potent pro-inflammatory mediators. Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a potent phospholipid mediator that is implicated in many inflammatory diseases. In this study, we investigated the effects of Ang peptides (AngII, AngIII, and AngIV) on PAF-induced inflammatory activity. In experiments using a rat hind-paw oedema model, AngII markedly and dose-dependently attenuated the paw oedema induced by PAF. The inhibitory effects of AngIII and AngIV on PAF-induced paw oedema were lower than that of AngII. Two Ang receptors, the AT1 and AT2 receptors, did not affect the AngII-mediated attenuation of PAF-induced paw oedema. Moreover, intrinsic tyrosine fluorescence studies demonstrated that AngII, AngIII, and AngIV interact with PAF, and that their affinities were closely correlated with their inhibitory effects on PAF-induced rat paw oedema. Also, AngII interacted with metabolite/precursor of PAF (lyso-PAF), and an oxidized phospholipid, 1-palmitoyl-2-(5'-oxo-valeroyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POVPC), which bears a marked structural resemblance to PAF. Furthermore, POVPC dose-dependently inhibited AngII-mediated attenuation of PAF-induced paw oedema. These results suggest that Ang peptides can attenuate PAF-induced inflammatory activity through binding to PAF and lyso-PAF in rats. Therefore, Ang peptides may be closely involved in the regulation of many inflammatory diseases caused by PAF. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Antinociceptive Effect of Intrathecal Injection of Genetically Engineered Human Bone Marrow Stem Cells Expressing the Human Proenkephalin Gene in a Rat Model of Bone Cancer Pain.

PubMed

Sun, Yi; Tian, Yuke; Li, Haifeng; Zhang, Dengwen; Sun, Qiang

2017-01-01

Background . This study aimed to investigate the use of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) genetically engineered with the human proenkephalin (hPPE) gene to treat bone cancer pain (BCP) in a rat model. Methods . Primary cultured hBMSCs were passaged and modified with hPPE, and the cell suspensions (6 × 10 6 ) were then intrathecally injected into a rat model of BCP. Paw mechanical withdrawal threshold (PMWT) was measured before and after BCP. The effects of hPPE gene transfer on hBMSC bioactivity were analyzed in vitro and in vivo. Results . No changes were observed in the surface phenotypes and differentiation of hBMSCs after gene transfer. The hPPE-hBMSC group showed improved PMWT values on the ipsilateral side of rats with BCP from day 12 postoperatively, and the analgesic effect was reversed by naloxone. The levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1 β and IL-6 were ameliorated, and leucine-enkephalin (L-EK) secretion was augmented, in the hPPE-engineered hBMSC group. Conclusion . The intrathecal administration of BMSCs modified with the hPPE gene can effectively relieve pain caused by bone cancer in rats and might be a potentially therapeutic tool for cancer-related pain in humans.

Exact density functional and wave function embedding schemes based on orbital localization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hégely, Bence; Nagy, Péter R.; Ferenczy, György G.; Kállay, Mihály

2016-08-01

Exact schemes for the embedding of density functional theory (DFT) and wave function theory (WFT) methods into lower-level DFT or WFT approaches are introduced utilizing orbital localization. First, a simple modification of the projector-based embedding scheme of Manby and co-workers [J. Chem. Phys. 140, 18A507 (2014)] is proposed. We also use localized orbitals to partition the system, but instead of augmenting the Fock operator with a somewhat arbitrary level-shift projector we solve the Huzinaga-equation, which strictly enforces the Pauli exclusion principle. Second, the embedding of WFT methods in local correlation approaches is studied. Since the latter methods split up the system into local domains, very simple embedding theories can be defined if the domains of the active subsystem and the environment are treated at a different level. The considered embedding schemes are benchmarked for reaction energies and compared to quantum mechanics (QM)/molecular mechanics (MM) and vacuum embedding. We conclude that for DFT-in-DFT embedding, the Huzinaga-equation-based scheme is more efficient than the other approaches, but QM/MM or even simple vacuum embedding is still competitive in particular cases. Concerning the embedding of wave function methods, the clear winner is the embedding of WFT into low-level local correlation approaches, and WFT-in-DFT embedding can only be more advantageous if a non-hybrid density functional is employed.

Fatty acid composition and preclinical resarches on Anthemis wiedemanniana Fisch. & Mey.: Discovery of a new anti-inflammatory agent

PubMed Central

Gönenç, Tuba Mert; Akkol, Esra Küpeli; Süntar, Ipek; Erdoğan, Tuğçe Fafal; Kıvçak, Bijen

2014-01-01

Background: Anthemis species have been used for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, hemorrhoid, stomachache and inflammatory diseases in Turkish folk medicine. Anthemis wiedemanniana Fisch. And Mey. is an endemic plant used as painkiller, antispasmodic, sedative and for the treatment of urinary inflammations. Objective: The objective of the present study is to evaluate the anti-inflamatory activity of the extracts of A. wiedemanniana by using in vivo methods. Materials and Methods: Carrageenan-, PGE2- and serotonin-induced hind paw edema, 12-O-tetradecanoyl-13-acetate (TPA)-induced mouse ear edema and acetic acid-induced increase in capillary permeability models were used for the anti-inflammatory activity assessment. Moreover, the fatty acid composition of A. wiedemanniana was investigated by gas chromatography (GC). Results: n-Hexane, diethyl ether and total sesquiterpene lactone extracts exhibited significant inhibition in carrageenan-induced hind paw edema and acetic acid-induced increase in capillary permeability model. n-Hexane and total sesquiterperne lactone extracts showed anti-inflammatory activity in PGE2- and serotonin-induced hind paw edema model. However none of the extracts displayed significant activity in TPA-induced ear edema model in mice. C4:0 (Buthyric acid), C20:0 (Arachidic acid) and C16:1 (Palmitoleik acid) were found to be the major fatty acids in these species. Saturated fatty acids (SFA) were found in higher amounts than monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. SFAs were determined as 63.17%, UFAs as 20.89% and PuFAs as 15.95%. Conclusion: This study confirms the traditional usage of A. wiedemanniana for inflammatory diseases. PMID:24696546

Effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on central arterial stiffness and arterial wave reflections in young and older healthy adults.

PubMed

Monahan, Kevin D; Feehan, Robert P; Blaha, Cheryl; McLaughlin, Daniel J

2015-06-01

Increased central arterial stiffness and enhanced arterial wave reflections may contribute to increased risk of cardiovascular disease development with advancing age. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3) ingestion may reduce cardiovascular risk via favorable effects exerted on arterial structure and function. We determined the effects of n-3 supplementation (4 g/day for 12 weeks) on important measures of central arterial stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity; PWV) and arterial wave reflection (central augmentation index) in young (n = 12; 25 ± 1-year-old, mean ± SE) and older (n = 12; 66 ± 2) healthy adults. We hypothesized that n-3 supplementation would decrease carotid-femoral PWV and central augmentation index in older adults. Our results indicate that carotid-femoral PWV and central augmentation index were greater in older (988 ± 65 cm/sec and 33 ± 2%) than in young adults (656 ± 16 cm/sec and 3 ± 4%: both P < 0.05 compared to older) before the intervention (Pre). N-3 supplementation decreased carotid-femoral PWV in older (∆-9 ± 2% Precompared to Post; P < 0.05), but not young adults (∆2 ± 3%). Central augmentation index was unchanged by n-3 supplementation in young (3 ± 4 vs. 0 ± 4% for Pre and Post, respectively) and older adults (33 ± 2 vs. 35 ± 3%). Arterial blood pressure at rest, although increased with age, was not altered by n-3 supplementation in young or older adults. Collectively, these data indicate that 12 weeks of daily n-3 supplementation decreases an important measure of central arterial stiffness (carotid-femoral PWV) in older, but not young healthy adults. The mechanism underlying decreased central arterial stiffness with n-3 supplementation is unknown, but appears to be independent of effects on arterial blood pressure or arterial wave reflections. © 2015 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American Physiological Society and The Physiological Society.

Sub-Saharan Africa Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-01-06

of the implementation of [words indistinct] and 1986 emergency projects. 3. Economic rehabilitation of the province including cashew nut and timber... cashew , citrus, paw- paw and pineapples. The Bantaji pilot farm (in the North) recorded an in- crease in its rice production. In the Dugusi

Histamine paw edema of mice was increased and became H[sub 2]-antagonist sensitive by co-injection of nitric oxide forming agents, but serotonin paw edema was decreased

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

Oyanagui, Yoshihiko; Sato, Sachio

1993-01-01

Nitric oxide (NO) surprisingly caused the opposite effect on histamine and serotonin edema. The local injection of acidified nitrite (0.3-30 [mu]g/paw which correspond 10 [mu]g-1mg/kg) increased histamine edema of mice up to 45[plus minus]4% and suppressed serotonin edema to 90[plus minus]3%. Other NO-generators (nitroprusside sodium and hydroxylamine) showed similar effects. These results were in accordance with previous data on endogenous NO. Methylene blue (MB, 30ng/paw which corresponds to 1 [mu]g/kg) suppressed histamine edema (62[plus minus]3%) and increased serotonin edema (43[plus minus]3%) in normal mice, being reversed by acidified nitrite. This suggests the involvement of guanosine 3[prime], 5[prime]-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) formationmore » for the action of NO. Histamine edema became sensitive to H[sub 2]-antagonist, cimetidine, by co-injection of 30 [mu]g/paw (which corresponds to 1mg/kg) acidified nitrite (ED[sub 50] = 30 [mu]g/kg versus [much gt] 1mg/kg). NO seemed to modify the histamine receptor(s) or tautomeric form of histamine. NO, O[sup [minus

Microstructure and fatigue resistance of high strength dual phase steel welded with gas metal arc welding and plasma arc welding processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahiale, Godwin Kwame; Oh, Yong-Jun; Choi, Won-Doo; Lee, Kwang-Bok; Jung, Jae-Gyu; Nam, Soo Woo

2013-09-01

This study presents the microstructure and high cycle fatigue performance of lap shear joints of dual phase steel (DP590) welded using gas metal arc welding (GMAW) and plasma arc welding (PAW) processes. High cycle fatigue tests were conducted on single and double lap joints under a load ratio of 0.1 and a frequency of 20 Hz. In order to establish a basis for comparison, both weldments were fabricated to have the same weld depth in the plate thickness. The PAW specimens exhibited a higher fatigue life, a gentle S-N slope, and a higher fatigue limit than the GMAW specimens. The improvement in the fatigue life of the PAW specimens was primarily attributed to the geometry effect that exhibited lower and wider beads resulting in a lower stress concentration at the weld toe where cracks initiate and propagate. Furthermore, the microstructural constituents in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) of the PAW specimens contributed to the improvement. The higher volume fraction of acicular ferrite in the HAZ beneath the weld toe enhanced the PAW specimen's resistance to fatigue crack growth. The double lap joints displayed a higher fatigue life than the single lap joints without changing the S-N slope.

Rapid ultrasonic stimulation of inflamed tissue with diagnostic intent

PubMed Central

McClintic, Abbi M.; Dickey, Trevor C.; Gofeld, Michael; Ray Illian, P.; Kliot, Michel; Kucewicz, John C.; Loeser, John D.; Richebe, Philippe G.; Mourad, Pierre D.

2013-01-01

Previous studies have observed that individual pulses of intense focused ultrasound (iFU) applied to inflamed and normal tissue can generate sensations, where inflamed tissue responds at a lower intensity than normal tissue. It was hypothesized that successively applied iFU pulses will generate sensation in inflamed tissue at a lower intensity and dose than application of a single iFU pulse. This hypothesis was tested using an animal model of chronic inflammatory pain, created by injecting an irritant into the rat hind paw. Ultrasound pulses were applied in rapid succession or individually to rats' rear paws beginning at low peak intensities and progressing to higher peak intensities, until the rats withdrew their paws immediately after iFU application. Focused ultrasound protocols consisting of successively and rapidly applied pulses elicited inflamed paw withdrawal at lower intensity and estimated tissue displacement values than single pulse protocols. However, both successively applied pulses and single pulses produced comparable threshold acoustic dose values and estimates of temperature increases. This raises the possibility that temperature increase contributed to paw withdrawal after rapid iFU stimulation. While iFU-induction of temporal summation may also play a role, electrophysiological studies are necessary to tease out these potential contributors to iFU stimulation. PMID:23927192

Development and validation of the positive affect and well-being scale for the neurology quality of life (Neuro-QOL) measurement system.

PubMed

Salsman, John M; Victorson, David; Choi, Seung W; Peterman, Amy H; Heinemann, Allen W; Nowinski, Cindy; Cella, David

2013-11-01

To develop and validate an item-response theory-based patient-reported outcomes assessment tool of positive affect and well-being (PAW). This is part of a larger NINDS-funded study to develop a health-related quality of life measurement system across major neurological disorders, called Neuro-QOL. Informed by a literature review and qualitative input from clinicians and patients, item pools were created to assess PAW concepts. Items were administered to a general population sample (N = 513) and a group of individuals with a variety of neurologic conditions (N = 581) for calibration and validation purposes, respectively. A 23-item calibrated bank and a 9-item short form of PAW was developed, reflecting components of positive affect, life satisfaction, or an overall sense of purpose and meaning. The Neuro-QOL PAW measure demonstrated sufficient unidimensionality and displayed good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, model fit, convergent and discriminant validity, and responsiveness. The Neuro-QOL PAW measure was designed to aid clinicians and researchers to better evaluate and understand the potential role of positive health processes for individuals with chronic neurological conditions. Further psychometric testing within and between neurological conditions, as well as testing in non-neurologic chronic diseases, will help evaluate the generalizability of this new tool.

True amplitude wave equation migration arising from true amplitude one-way wave equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yu; Zhang, Guanquan; Bleistein, Norman

2003-10-01

One-way wave operators are powerful tools for use in forward modelling and inversion. Their implementation, however, involves introduction of the square root of an operator as a pseudo-differential operator. Furthermore, a simple factoring of the wave operator produces one-way wave equations that yield the same travel times as the full wave equation, but do not yield accurate amplitudes except for homogeneous media and for almost all points in heterogeneous media. Here, we present augmented one-way wave equations. We show that these equations yield solutions for which the leading order asymptotic amplitude as well as the travel time satisfy the same differential equations as the corresponding functions for the full wave equation. Exact representations of the square-root operator appearing in these differential equations are elusive, except in cases in which the heterogeneity of the medium is independent of the transverse spatial variables. Here, we address the fully heterogeneous case. Singling out depth as the preferred direction of propagation, we introduce a representation of the square-root operator as an integral in which a rational function of the transverse Laplacian appears in the integrand. This allows us to carry out explicit asymptotic analysis of the resulting one-way wave equations. To do this, we introduce an auxiliary function that satisfies a lower dimensional wave equation in transverse spatial variables only. We prove that ray theory for these one-way wave equations leads to one-way eikonal equations and the correct leading order transport equation for the full wave equation. We then introduce appropriate boundary conditions at z = 0 to generate waves at depth whose quotient leads to a reflector map and an estimate of the ray theoretical reflection coefficient on the reflector. Thus, these true amplitude one-way wave equations lead to a 'true amplitude wave equation migration' (WEM) method. In fact, we prove that applying the WEM imaging condition to these newly defined wavefields in heterogeneous media leads to the Kirchhoff inversion formula for common-shot data when the one-way wavefields are replaced by their ray theoretic approximations. This extension enhances the original WEM method. The objective of that technique was a reflector map, only. The underlying theory did not address amplitude issues. Computer output obtained using numerically generated data confirms the accuracy of this inversion method. However, there are practical limitations. The observed data must be a solution of the wave equation. Therefore, the data over the entire survey area must be collected from a single common-shot experiment. Multi-experiment data, such as common-offset data, cannot be used with this method as currently formulated. Research on extending the method is ongoing at this time.

Running multiple marathons is not a risk factor for premature subclinical vascular impairment.

PubMed

Pressler, Axel; Suchy, Christiane; Friedrichs, Tasja; Dallinger, Sophia; Grabs, Viola; Haller, Bernhard; Halle, Martin; Scherr, Johannes

2017-08-01

Background In contrast to the well-accepted benefits of moderate exercise, recent research has suggested potential deleterious effects of repeated marathon running on the cardiovascular system. We thus performed a comprehensive analysis of markers of subclinical vascular damage in a cohort of runners having finished multiple marathon races successfully. Design This was a prospective, observational study. Methods A total of 97 healthy male Munich marathon participants (mean age 44 ± 10 years) underwent detailed training history, cardiopulmonary exercise testing for assessment of peak oxygen uptake, ultrasound for assessment of intima-media-thickness as well as non-invasive assessments of ankle-brachial index, augmentation index, pulse wave velocity and reactive hyperaemia index. Results Runners had previously completed a median of eight (range 1-500) half marathons, six (1-100) full marathons and three (1-40) ultramarathons; mean weekly and annual training volumes were 59 ± 23 and 1639 ± 979 km. Mean peak oxygen uptake was 50 ± 8 ml/min/kg, and the Munich marathon was finished in 3:45 ± 0:32 h. Runners showed normal mean values for intima-media-thickness (0.60 ± 0.14 mm), ankle-brachial index (1.2 ± 0.1), augmentation index (17 ± 13%), pulse wave velocity (8.7 ± 1.4 cm/s) and reactive hyperaemia index (1.96 ± 0.50). Age was significantly and independently associated with intima-media-thickness ( r = 0.531; p < 0.001), augmentation index ( r = 0.593; p < 0.001) and pulse wave velocity ( r = 0.357; p < 0.001). However, no independent associations of peak oxygen uptake, marathon finishing time, number of completed races or weekly and annual training km with any of the vascular parameters were observed. Conclusions In this cohort of healthy male runners, running multiple marathon races did not pose an additional risk factor for premature subclinical vascular impairment beyond age.

Time-domain wavefield reconstruction inversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhen-Chun; Lin, Yu-Zhao; Zhang, Kai; Li, Yuan-Yuan; Yu, Zhen-Nan

2017-12-01

Wavefield reconstruction inversion (WRI) is an improved full waveform inversion theory that has been proposed in recent years. WRI method expands the searching space by introducing the wave equation into the objective function and reconstructing the wavefield to update model parameters, thereby improving the computing efficiency and mitigating the influence of the local minimum. However, frequency-domain WRI is difficult to apply to real seismic data because of the high computational memory demand and requirement of time-frequency transformation with additional computational costs. In this paper, wavefield reconstruction inversion theory is extended into the time domain, the augmented wave equation of WRI is derived in the time domain, and the model gradient is modified according to the numerical test with anomalies. The examples of synthetic data illustrate the accuracy of time-domain WRI and the low dependency of WRI on low-frequency information.

Electronic structure and defect properties of hybrid chalcohalides Hg3Q2I2 (Q =S, Se and Te) for radiation detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kontsevoi, Oleg Y.; He, Yihui; Wessels, Bruce W.; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G.

Heavy metal chalcohalides Hg3Q2I2 (Q =S, Se and Te) have shown significant promise as X-ray and γ-ray detector materials. To assess the fundamental physical properties important for their performance as detectors, theoretical calculations were performed for the electronic structure, band gaps, electron and hole effective masses, and native defect properties. The calculations were based on first-principles density functional theory (DFT) and employ the highly precise full potential linearized augmented plane wave method and the projector augmented wave method and include nonlocal exchange-correlation functionals to overcome the band gap underestimation in DFT calculations. The calculations show that Hg3Q2I2 have either indirect (Q =S, Se) or direct (Q =Te) band gaps within 1.9-2.25 range which is optimal for a detector material, and very small electron effective masses (0.19 m0 for Hg3Se2I2) which could result in a good carrier mobility-lifetime product μτ . We further investigated a large set of native defects in the most promising candidate material, Hg3Se2I2, to determine the optimal growth conditions for application as γ-ray detectors. The results suggest that the prevalent intrinsic defects are iodine vacancies, mercury vacancies, and selenium vacancies followed by antisite defects. The effect of various chemical environments on defect properties was examined and the optimal conditions for material synthesis were suggested. Supported by DHS (Grant No. 2014-DN-077-ARI086-01).

Temperate Tree Fruits

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

North America has four native temperate tree fruit genera that have each played key cultural roles due to their edible fruit, medicinal uses, as well as their value as hardwood: Malus (apple), Prunus (cherry, plum, peach, etc.), Diospyros (persimmon), and Asimina (paw paw). Native North American spe...

43. CAPE COD AIR STATION PAVE PAWS FACILITY WITH ...

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

43. CAPE COD AIR STATION PAVE PAWS FACILITY - WITH BUILDING METAL SIDING BEING APPLIED ON "C" FACE (RIGHT) AND "B" FACE BEING PREPARED FOR INSTALLATION. - Cape Cod Air Station, Technical Facility-Scanner Building & Power Plant, Massachusetts Military Reservation, Sandwich, Barnstable County, MA

Solid-state NMR as an effective method of polymorphic analysis: solid dosage forms of clopidogrel hydrogensulfate.

PubMed

Pindelska, Edyta; Szeleszczuk, Lukasz; Pisklak, Dariusz Maciej; Mazurek, Andrzej; Kolodziejski, Waclaw

2015-01-01

Clopidogrel hydrogensulfate (HSCL) is an antiplatelet agent, one of top-selling drugs in the world. In this paper, we have described a rapid and convenient method of verification which polymorph of HSCL is present in its final solid dosage form. Our methodology based on solid-state NMR spectroscopy and ab initio gauge-including projector-augmented wave calculations of NMR shielding constants is appropriate for currently available commercial solid dosage forms of HSCL. Furthermore, such structural characterization can assist with the development of new pharmaceutical products containing HSCL and also be useful in the identification of counterfeit drugs. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

A pediatric acute wound service: a novel approach in wound management.

PubMed

Bucher, B T; Seigel, J; Rosenblum, E; Nesslein, C; Keswani, S; Foglia, R P; Dillon, P A; Warner, B W; Keller, Martin S

2010-01-01

In 2001, in response to an overwhelming increase in patient visits for various pediatric abscesses, burns, and other wounds, an ambulatory burn and procedural sedation program (Pediatric Acute Wound Service, or PAWS) was developed to minimize operating room utilization. The purpose of this study is to report our initial 7-year experience with the PAWS program. The hospital records of all children managed through PAWS from 2001 to 2007 were reviewed. Outcomes measured include patient demographics, number and location of visits per patient, procedure information, cause of wounds, and reimbursement. chi(2) test and linear regression were performed using GraphPad Prism (GraphPad Software Inc, San Diego, CA). Overall, 7620 children (age 0-18 years) received wound care through PAWS from 2001 to 2007. There were no differences in patient age, race, and sex during this time period. Between 2001 and 2007, the percentage of patients seen as outpatients increased from 51% to 68% (P < .05), and the average number of visits per patient decreased from 3.9 to 2.4 (P = .05). In, 2007, 46% of the children required only 1 visit. In 2007, 74% of the visits were for management of wound and soft tissue infections, compared with only 9% in 2001 (P < .05). The contribution margin of a PAWS visit and total contribution margin in 2007 were $1052 and $4.0 million, respectively. The creation of PAWS has allowed for the transition in management of most pediatric skin and soft tissue wounds and infections to an independent ambulatory setting, alleviating the need for operating room resources, while functioning at a profitable cost margin for the hospital. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Role of soil sorption and microbial degradation on dissipation of mesotrione in plant-available soil water.

PubMed

Shaner, Dale; Brunk, Galen; Nissen, Scott; Westra, Phil; Chen, Wenlin

2012-01-01

Mesotrione is a carotenoid biosynthesis-inhibiting herbicide labeled for pre-emergence and postemergence weed control in corn production. Understanding the factors that influence the dissipation of mesotrione in soil and in the plant-available water (PAW) is important for the environmental fate assessment and optimal weed management practices. The present research investigated the role of soil properties and microbial activities on the interrelated sorption and degradation processes of mesotrione in four soils by direct measurements of PAW. We found that mesotrione bound to the soils time dependently, with approximately 14 d to reach equilibrium. The 24-h batch-slurry equilibrium experiments provided the sorption partition coefficient ranging from 0.26 to 3.53 L kg(-1), depending on soil organic carbon and pH. The dissipation of mesotrione in the soil-bound phase was primarily attributed to desorption to the PAW. Degradation in the PAW was rapid and primarily dependent on microbial actions, with half-degradation time (DT(50)) <3 d in all four soils tested. The rapid degradation in the PAW became rate limited by sorption as more available molecules were depleted in the soil pore water, resulting in a more slowed overall process for the total soil-water system (DT(50) <26 d). The dissipation of mesotrione in the PAW was due to microbial metabolism and time-dependent sorption to the soils. A coupled kinetics model calibrated with the data from the laboratory centrifugation technique provided an effective approach to investigate the interrelated processes of sorption and degradation in realistic soil moisture conditions. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

View of the PAVE PAWS radar from approach along Spencer ...

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

View of the PAVE PAWS radar from approach along Spencer Paul Road, looking northwest - Beale Air Force Base, Perimeter Acquisition Vehicle Entry Phased-Array Warning System, End of Spencer Paul Road, north of Warren Shingle Road (14th Street), Marysville, Yuba County, CA

42. CAPE COD AIR STATION PAVE PAWS FACILITY SHOWING ...

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

42. CAPE COD AIR STATION PAVE PAWS FACILITY - SHOWING BUILDING "RED IRON" STEEL STRUCTURE AT 46T DAY OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION. "BUILDING TOPPED OFF, 7 JULY, 1974. - Cape Cod Air Station, Technical Facility-Scanner Building & Power Plant, Massachusetts Military Reservation, Sandwich, Barnstable County, MA

Triglyceride to HDL-C Ratio and Increased Arterial Stiffness in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults

PubMed Central

Khoury, Philip R.; McCoy, Connie E.; Dolan, Lawrence M.; Daniels, Stephen R.; Kimball, Thomas R.

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Lipid levels are linked to early atherosclerosis. Risk stratification may be improved by using triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-C), which relates to arterial stiffness in adults. We tested whether TG/HDL-C was an independent predictor of arterial stiffness in youth. METHODS: Subjects 10 to 26 years old (mean 18.9 years, 39% male, 56% non-Caucasian, n = 893) had laboratory, anthropometric, blood pressure, and arterial stiffness data collected (brachial distensibility, augmentation index, carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity). Subjects were stratified into tertiles of TG/HDL-C (low, n = 227; mid, n = 288; high, n = 379). RESULTS: There was a progressive rise in cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and arterial stiffness across TG/HDL-C ratio. The high TG/HDL-C ratio group had the stiffest vessels (all P < .03 by analysis of variance). TG/HDL-C as a continuous variable was an independent determinant of brachial distensibility in CV risk factor adjusted model and for carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity in obese subjects, with trend for higher augmentation index. CONCLUSIONS: TG/HDL-C, an estimate of small, dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, is an independent determinant of arterial stiffness in adolescents and young adults, especially in obese youth. These data suggest that use of TG/HDL-C may be helpful in identifying young adults requiring aggressive intervention to prevent atherosclerotic CV diseases. PMID:23460684

The Third Wave of Democratization in Indonesia

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-03-01

Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (House of the Representatives) augmented by delegates from the regional territories and the groups in accordance with...unlimited THE THIRD WAVE OF DEMOCRATIZATION IN INDONESIA Azizan bin Md Delin Lieutenant Colonel, Malaysian Army LL B. (Hons), UiTM, Malaysia , 1996...Article 2(1) of the 1945 Constitution reads: "The Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat (People’s Consultative Assembly) shall consist of members of the

A Synthetic Self-Oscillating Vocal Fold Model Platform for Studying Augmentation Injection

PubMed Central

Murray, Preston R.; Thomson, Scott L.; Smith, Marshall E.

2013-01-01

Objective Design and evaluate a platform for studying the mechanical effects of augmentation injections using synthetic self-oscillating vocal fold models. Study Design Basic science. Methods Life-sized, synthetic, multi-layer, self-oscillating vocal fold models were created that simulated bowing via volumetric reduction of the body layer relative to that of a normal, unbowed model. Material properties of the layers were unchanged. Models with varying degrees of bowing were created and paired with normal models. Following initial acquisition of data (onset pressure, vibration frequency, flow rate, and high-speed image sequences), bowed models were injected with silicone that had material properties similar to those used in augmentation procedures. Three different silicone injection quantities were tested: sufficient to close the glottal gap, insufficient to close the glottal gap, and excess silicone to create convex bowing of the bowed model. The above-mentioned metrics were again taken and compared. Pre- and post-injection high-speed image sequences were acquired using a hemilarynx setup, from which medial surface dynamics were quantified. Results The models vibrated with mucosal wave-like motion and at onset pressures and frequencies typical of human phonation. The models successfully exhibited various degrees of bowing which were then mitigated by injecting filler material. The models showed general pre- to post-injection decreases in onset pressure, flow rate, and open quotient, and a corresponding increase in vibration frequency. Conclusion The model may be useful in further explorations of the mechanical consequences of augmentation injections. PMID:24476985

Programmable Automated Welding System (PAWS): Control of welding through software and hardware

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kline, Martin D.; Doyle, Thomas E.

1994-01-01

The ATD phase of the PAWS program ended in November 1992 and the follow-on ManTech program was started in September 1993. The system will be industrially hardened during the first year of this program. Follow-on years will focus upon the transition into specific end-user sites. These implementations will also expand the system into other welding processes (e.g. FCAW, GTAW, PAW). In addition, the architecture is being developed for application to other non-welding robotic processes (e.g. inspection, surface finishing). Future development is anticipated to encompass hardening for extreme environments, expanded exception handling techniques, and application to a range of manipulators.

Programmable Automated Welding System (PAWS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kline, Martin D.

1994-01-01

An ambitious project to develop an advanced, automated welding system is being funded as part of the Navy Joining Center with Babcock & Wilcox as the prime integrator. This program, the Programmable Automated Welding System (PAWS), involves the integration of both planning and real-time control activities. Planning functions include the development of a graphical decision support system within a standard, portable environment. Real-time control functions include the development of a modular, intelligent, real-time control system and the integration of a number of welding process sensors. This paper presents each of these components of the PAWS and discusses how they can be utilized to automate the welding operation.

Automated gait analysis in the open-field test for laboratory mice.

PubMed

Leroy, Toon; Silva, Mitchell; D'Hooge, Rudi; Aerts, Jean-Marie; Berckmans, Daniel

2009-02-01

In this article, an automated and accurate mouse observation method, based on a conventional test for motor function evaluation, is outlined. The proposed measurement technique was integrated in a regular open-field test, where the trajectory and locomotion of a free-moving mouse were measured simultaneously. The system setup consisted of a transparent cage and a camera placed below it with its lens pointing upward, allowing for images to be captured from underneath the cage while the mouse was walking on the transparent cage floor. Thus, additional information was obtained about the position of the limbs of the mice for gait reconstruction. In a first step, the camera was calibrated as soon as it was fixed in place. A linear calibration factor, relating distances in image coordinates to real-world dimensions, was determined. In a second step, the mouse was located and its body contour segmented from the image by subtracting a previously taken "background" image of the empty cage from the camera image. In a third step, the movement of the mouse was analyzed and its speed estimated from its location in the past few images. If the speed was above a 1-sec threshold, the mouse was recognized to be running, and the image was further processed for footprint recognition. In a fourth step, color filtering was applied within the recovered mouse region to measure the position of the mouse's paws, which were visible in the image as small pink spots. Paws that were detected at the same location in a number of subsequent images were kept as footprints-that is, paws in contact with the cage floor. The footprints were classified by their position relative to the mouse's outline as corresponding to the front left or right paw or the hind left or right paw. Finally, eight parameters were calculated from the footprint pattern to describe the locomotion of the mouse: right/left overlap, front/hind base, right/left front limb stride, and right/left hind limb stride. As an application, the system was tested using normal mice and mice displaying pentobarbital-induced ataxia. The footprint parameters measured using the proposed system showed differences of 10% to 20% between normal and ataxic mice.

Biomechanical Analysis of an Expandable Lumbar Interbody Spacer.

PubMed

Soriano-Baron, Hector; Newcomb, Anna G U S; Malhotra, Devika; Palma, Atilio E; Martinez-Del-Campo, Eduardo; Crawford, Neil R; Theodore, Nicholas; Kelly, Brian P; Kaibara, Taro

2018-06-01

Recently developed expandable interbody spacers are widely accepted in spinal surgery; however, the resulting biomechanical effects of their use have not yet been fully studied. We analyzed the biomechanical effects of an expandable polyetheretherketone interbody spacer inserted through a bilateral posterior approach with and without different modalities of posterior augmentation. Biomechanical nondestructive flexibility testing was performed in 7 human cadaveric lumbar (L2-L5) specimens followed by axial compressive loading. Each specimen was tested under 6 conditions: 1) intact, 2) bilateral L3-L4 cortical screw/rod (CSR) alone, 3) WaveD alone, 4) WaveD + CSR, 5) WaveD + bilateral L3-L4 pedicle screw/rod (PSR), and 6) WaveD + CSR/PSR, where CSR/PSR was a hybrid construct comprising bilateral cortical-level L3 and pedicle-level L4 screws interconnected by rods. The range of motion (ROM) with the interbody spacer alone decreased significantly compared with the intact condition during flexion-extension (P = 0.02) but not during lateral bending or axial rotation (P ≥ 0.19). The addition of CSR or PSR to the interbody spacer alone condition significantly decreased the ROM compared with the interbody spacer alone (P ≤ 0.002); and WaveD + CSR, WaveD + PSR, and WaveD + CSR/PSR (hybrid) (P ≥ 0.29) did not differ. The axial compressive stiffness (resistance to change in foraminal height during compressive loading) with the interbody spacer alone did not differ from the intact condition (P = 0.96), whereas WaveD + posterior instrumentation significantly increased compressive stiffness compared with the intact condition and the interbody spacer alone (P ≤ 0.001). The WaveD alone significantly reduced ROM during flexion-extension while maintaining the axial compressive stiffness. CSR, PSR, and CSR/PSR hybrid constructs were all effective in augmenting the expandable interbody spacer system and improving its stability. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Increased aortic wave reflection contributes to higher systolic blood pressure in adolescents born preterm.

PubMed

Kowalski, Remi R; Beare, Richard; Mynard, Jonathan P; Cheong, Jeanie L Y; Doyle, Lex W; Smolich, Joseph J; Cheung, Michael M H

2018-03-29

To evaluate the wave reflection characteristics in the aortic arch and common carotid artery of ex-preterm adolescents and assess their relationship to central blood pressure in a cohort followed prospectively since birth. Central blood pressures, pulse wave velocity, augmentation index, microvascular reactive hyperemia, arterial distensibility, compliance and stiffness index, and also aortic and carotid wave intensity were measured in 18-year-olds born extremely preterm at below 28 weeks' gestation (n = 76) and term-born controls (n = 42). Compared with controls, ex-preterm adolescents had higher central systolic (111 ± 11 vs. 105 ± 10 mmHg; P < 0.001) and diastolic blood pressures (73 ± 7 vs. 67 ± 7 mmHg; P < 0.001). Although conventional measures of arterial function and biomechanics such as pulse wave velocity and augmentation index were no different between groups, wave intensity analysis revealed elevated backward compression wave area (-0.39 ± 0.21 vs. -0.29 ± 0.17 W/m/s × 10; P = 0.03), backward compression wave pressure change (9.0 ± 3.5 vs. 6.6 ± 2.5 mmHg; P = 0.001) and reflection index (0.44 ± 0.15 vs. 0.32 ± 0.08; P < 0.001) in the aorta of ex-preterm adolescents compared with controls. These changes were less pronounced in the carotid artery. On multivariable analysis, forward and backward compression wave areas were the only biomechanical variables associated with central systolic pressure. Ex-preterm adolescents demonstrate elevated wave reflection indices in the aortic arch, which correlate with central systolic pressure. Wave intensity analysis may provide a sensitive novel marker of evolving vascular dysfunction in ex-preterm survivors.

White coat hypertension is more risky than prehypertension: important role of arterial wave reflections.

PubMed

Sung, Shih-Hsien; Cheng, Hao-Min; Wang, Kang-Ling; Yu, Wen-Chung; Chuang, Shao-Yuan; Ting, Chih-Tai; Lakatta, Edward G; Yin, Frank C P; Chou, Pesus; Chen, Chen-Huan

2013-06-01

Arterial aging may link cardiovascular risk to white coat hypertension (WCH). The aims of the present study were to investigate the role of arterial aging in the white coat effect, defined as the difference between office and 24-hour ambulatory systolic blood pressures, and to compare WCH with prehypertension (PH) with respect to target organ damage and long-term cardiovascular mortality. A total of 1257 never-been-treated volunteer subjects from a community-based survey were studied. WCH and PH were defined by office and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressures. Left ventricular mass index, carotid intima-media thickness, estimated glomerular filtration rate, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, carotid augmentation index, amplitude of the reflection pressure wave, and 15-year cardiovascular mortality were determined. Subjects with WCH were significantly older and had greater body mass index, blood pressure values, intima-media thickness, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, augmentation index, amplitude of the backward pressure wave, and a lower estimated glomerular filtration rate than PH. Amplitude of the backward pressure wave was the most important independent correlate of the white coat effect in multivariate analysis (model r(2)=0.451; partial r(2)/model r(2)=90.5%). WCH had significantly greater cardiovascular mortality than PH (hazard ratio, 2.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-7.91), after accounting for age, sex, body mass index, smoking, fasting plasma glucose, and total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol ratio. Further adjustment of the model for amplitude of the backward pressure wave eliminated the statistical significance of the WCH effect. In conclusion, the white coat effect is mainly caused by arterial aging. WCH carries higher risk for cardiovascular mortality than PH, probably via enhanced wave reflections that accompany arterial aging.

Kubo-Greenwood electrical conductivity formulation and implementation for projector augmented wave datasets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calderín, L.; Karasiev, V. V.; Trickey, S. B.

2017-12-01

As the foundation for a new computational implementation, we survey the calculation of the complex electrical conductivity tensor based on the Kubo-Greenwood (KG) formalism (Kubo, 1957; Greenwood, 1958), with emphasis on derivations and technical aspects pertinent to use of projector augmented wave datasets with plane wave basis sets (Blöchl, 1994). New analytical results and a full implementation of the KG approach in an open-source Fortran 90 post-processing code for use with Quantum Espresso (Giannozzi et al., 2009) are presented. Named KGEC ([K]ubo [G]reenwood [E]lectronic [C]onductivity), the code calculates the full complex conductivity tensor (not just the average trace). It supports use of either the original KG formula or the popular one approximated in terms of a Dirac delta function. It provides both Gaussian and Lorentzian representations of the Dirac delta function (though the Lorentzian is preferable on basic grounds). KGEC provides decomposition of the conductivity into intra- and inter-band contributions as well as degenerate state contributions. It calculates the dc conductivity tensor directly. It is MPI parallelized over k-points, bands, and plane waves, with an option to recover the plane wave processes for their use in band parallelization as well. It is designed to provide rapid convergence with respect to k-point density. Examples of its use are given.

Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of the Methanol Extract from Pogostemon cablin

PubMed Central

Lu, Tsung-Chun; Liao, Jung-Chun; Huang, Tai-Hung; Lin, Ying-Chih; Liu, Chia-Yu; Chiu, Yung-jia; Peng, Wen-Huang

2011-01-01

Pogostemon cablin (PC) is a herbal medicine traditionally applied to treat not only common cold, nausea and diarrhea but also headache and fever. The aim of this study was to investigate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of standardized PC methanol extract (PCMeOH) in vivo. Investigations were performed in mice with two analgesic models. One was acetic acid-induced writhing response and the other formalin-induced paw licking. The anti-inflammatory effect was tested by λ-carrageenan (Carr)-induced mice paw edema. These analgesic experimental results indicated that PCMeOH (1.0 g/kg) decreased the acetic acid-induced writhing responses and PCMeOH (0.5 and 1.0 g/kg) decreased the licking time in the second phase of the formalin test. Moreover, Carr-induced paw edema inflammation was significantly reduced in a dose-dependent manner when PCMeOH (0.5 and 1.0 g/kg) was administered 3 and 4 h after the Carr injection. Mechanistic studies showed that PCMeOH decreased the levels of malondialdehyde in the edema paw by increasing the activities of anti-oxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase, in the liver and decreasing the cyclooxygenase 2 and tumor necrosis factor-α activities in the edema paw. This study has demonstrated the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of PCMeOH, thus verifying its popular use in traditional medicine. PMID:19933324

Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Cinnamomum cassia Constituents In Vitro and In Vivo

PubMed Central

Liao, Jung-Chun; Deng, Jeng-Shyan; Chiu, Chuan-Sung; Hou, Wen-Chi; Huang, Shyh-Shyun; Shie, Pei-Hsin; Huang, Guang-Jhong

2012-01-01

We have investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of Cinnamomum cassia constituents (cinnamic aldehyde, cinnamic alcohol, cinnamic acid, and coumarin) using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated mouse macrophage (RAW264.7) and carrageenan (Carr)-induced mouse paw edema model. When RAW264.7 macrophages were treated with cinnamic aldehyde together with LPS, a significant concentration-dependent inhibition of nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels productions were detected. Western blotting revealed that cinnamic aldehyde blocked protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), nuclear transcription factor kappa B (NF-κB), and IκBα, significantly. In the anti-inflammatory test, cinnamic aldehyde decreased the paw edema after Carr administration, and increased the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the paw tissue. We also demonstrated cinnamic aldehyde attenuated the malondialdehyde (MDA) level and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in the edema paw after Carr injection. Cinnamic aldehyde decreased the NO, TNF-α, and PGE2 levels on the serum level after Carr injection. Western blotting revealed that cinnamic aldehyde decreased Carr-induced iNOS, COX-2, and NF-κB expressions in the edema paw. These findings demonstrated that cinnamic aldehyde has excellent anti-inflammatory activities and thus has great potential to be used as a source for natural health products. PMID:22536283

GABAergic mechanisms are involved in the antihyperalgesic effects of carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine in a rat model of inflammatory hyperalgesia.

PubMed

Stepanović-Petrović, Radica M; Tomić, Maja A; Vucković, Sonja M; Kocev, Nikola; Ugresić, Nenad D; Prostran, Milica S; Bosković, Bogdan

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the involvement of GABAergic mechanisms in the antihyperalgesic effect of carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine by examining the effect of bicuculline (GABA(A) receptor antagonist) on these effects of antiepileptic drugs. Rats were intraplantarly (i.pl.) injected with the proinflammatory compound concanavalin A (Con A). A paw-pressure test was used to determine: (1) the development of hyperalgesia induced by Con A; (2) the effects of carbamazepine/oxcarbazepine on Con A-induced hyperalgesia, and (3) the effects of bicuculline on the carbamazepine/oxcarbazepine antihyperalgesia. Intraperitoneally injected bicuculline (0.5-1 mg/kg, i.p.) exhibited significant suppression of the systemic antihyperalgesic effects of carbamazepine (27 mg/kg, i.p.) and oxcarbazepine (80 mg/kg, i.p.). When applied intraplantarly, bicuculline (0.14 mg/paw, i.pl.) did not produce any change in the peripheral antihyperalgesic effects of carbamazepine (0.14 mg/paw, i.pl.) and oxcarbazepine (0.5 mg/paw, i.pl.). Bicuculline alone did not produce an intrinsic effect in the paw-pressure test. These results indicate that the antihyperalgesic effects of carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine against inflammatory hyperalgesia involve in part the GABAergic inhibitory modulation of pain transmission at central, but not at peripheral sites, which is mediated via GABA(A) receptor activation. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Electronic structures of of PuX (X=S, Se, Te)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maehira, Takahiro; Sakai, Eijiro; Tatetsu, Yasutomi

2013-08-01

We have calculated the energy band structures and the Fermi surfaces of PuS, PuSe, and PuTe by using a self-consistent relativistic linear augmented-plane-wave method with the exchange and correlation potential in the local density approximation. In general, the energy bands near the Fermi level are mainly caused by the hybridization between the Pu 5 f and the monochalcogenide p electrons. The obtained main Fermi surfaces consisted of two hole sheets and one electron sheet, which were constructed from the band having both the Pu 5 f state and the monochalcogenide p state.

Thermographic evaluation of hind paw skin temperature and functional recovery of locomotion after sciatic nerve crush in rats

PubMed Central

Z. Sacharuk, Viviane; A. Lovatel, Gisele; Ilha, Jocemar; Marcuzzo, Simone; Severo do Pinho, Alexandre; L. Xavier, Léder; A. Zaro, Milton; Achaval, Matilde

2011-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Peripheral nerves are often damaged by direct mechanical injury, diseases, and tumors. The peripheral nerve injuries that result from these conditions can lead to a partial or complete loss of motor, sensory, and autonomic functions, which in turn are related to changes in skin temperature, in the involved segments of the body. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in hind paw skin temperature after sciatic nerve crush in rats in an attempt to determine whether changes in skin temperature correlate with the functional recovery of locomotion. METHODS: Wistar rats were divided into three groups: control (n = 7), sham (n = 25), and crush (n = 25). All groups were subjected to thermographic, functional, and histological assessments. RESULTS: ΔT in the crush group was different from the control and sham groups at the 1st, 3rd and 7rd postoperative days (p<0.05). The functional recovery from the crush group returned to normal values between the 3rd and 4th week post-injury, and morphological analysis of the nerve revealed incomplete regeneration at the 4th week after injury. DISCUSSION: This study is the first demonstration that sciatic nerve crush in rats induces an increase in hind paw skin temperature and that skin temperature changes do not correlate closely with functional recovery PMID:21876984

Effect of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) Essential Oil on Acute Inflammatory Response

PubMed Central

Cardia, Gabriel Fernando Esteves; Cavalcante, Heitor Augusto Otaviano; Cassarotti, Larissa Laila; Salvadego, Valter Eduardo Cocco; Spironello, Ricardo Alexandre; Bersani-Amado, Ciomar Aparecida

2018-01-01

Lavandula angustifolia is a plant of Lamiaceae family, with many therapeutic properties and biological activities, such as anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. essential oil (LEO) on acute inflammatory response. LEO was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) methods and showed predominance of 1,8-cineole (39.83%), borneol (22.63%), and camphor (22.12%). LEO at concentrations of 0.5, 1, 3, and 10 μg/ml did not present in vitro cytotoxicity. Additionally, LEO did not stimulate the leukocyte chemotaxis in vitro. The LEO topical application at concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/ear reduced edema formation, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and nitric oxide (NO) production in croton oil-induced ear edema model. In carrageenan-induced paw edema model, LEO treatment at doses of 75, 100, and 250 mg/kg reduced edema formation, MPO activity, and NO production. In dextran-induced paw edema model, LEO at doses of 75 and 100 mg/kg reduced paw edema and MPO activity. In conclusion, LEO presented anti-inflammatory activity, and the mechanism proposed of LEO seems to be, at least in part, involving the participation of prostanoids, NO, proinflammatory cytokines, and histamine. PMID:29743918

Success Is in the Details: Publishing To Validate Elementary Authors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chihak, Judy

1999-01-01

Describes Panther Paw Press, a school-based publishing program that is built on the efforts of teachers, parents, students, and a succession of supportive school principals. Discusses the details that make this publishing program work framed in the six goals articulated in the Panther Paw Press Handbook. (SR)

The PlayParty Project in Oberlin: A Family Affair

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Peggy D.

2006-01-01

This article focuses on the PlayParty family event held by the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio. Through PlayParties, families immersed themselves in singing and playing what became traditional singing games. PlayParty songs that are frequently use include Skip to My Lou, Paw Paw Patch and Punchinella.

17. CAPE COD AIR STATION PAVE PAWS FACILITY AERIAL VIEW ...

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

17. CAPE COD AIR STATION PAVE PAWS FACILITY AERIAL VIEW WITH PROJECT NEARING COMPLETION. VIEW SHOWS "A" FACE (LEFT) AND "B" FACE OF RADAR ARRAY SYSTEM. NOTE THAT NORTH IS GENERALLY TO RIGHT OF VIEW. - Cape Cod Air Station, Massachusetts Military Reservation, Sandwich, Barnstable County, MA

47. CAPE COD AIR STATION PAVE PAWS FACILITY AERIAL VIEW ...

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

47. CAPE COD AIR STATION PAVE PAWS FACILITY AERIAL VIEW OF "A" FACE (LEFT) WITH CLEANING SYSTEM INSTALLED (NOW REMOVED) AND "B" FACE (RIGHT) WITH CONSTRUCTION CRANE IN USE. - Cape Cod Air Station, Technical Facility-Scanner Building & Power Plant, Massachusetts Military Reservation, Sandwich, Barnstable County, MA

The 24-hour pulse wave velocity, aortic augmentation index, and central blood pressure in normotensive volunteers

PubMed Central

Kuznetsova, Tatyana Y; Korneva, Viktoria A; Bryantseva, Evgeniya N; Barkan, Vitaliy S; Orlov, Artemy V; Posokhov, Igor N; Rogoza, Anatoly N

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the pulse wave velocity, aortic augmentation index corrected for heart rate 75 (AIx@75), and central systolic and diastolic blood pressure during 24-hour monitoring in normotensive volunteers. Overall, 467 subjects (206 men and 261 women) were recruited in this study. Participants were excluded from the study if they were less than 19 years of age, had blood test abnormalities, had a body mass index greater than 2 7.5 kg/m2, had impaired glucose tolerance, or had hypotension or hypertension. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) with the BPLab® device was performed in each subject. ABPM waveforms were analyzed using the special automatic Vasotens® algorithm, which allows the calculation of pulse wave velocity, AIx@75, central systolic and diastolic blood pressure for “24-hour”, “awake”, and “asleep” periods. Circadian rhythms and sex differences in these indexes were identified. Pending further validation in prospective outcome-based studies, our data may be used as preliminary diagnostic values for the BPLab ABPM additional index in adult subjects. PMID:24812515

Shallow-water sloshing in a moving vessel with variable cross-section and wetting-drying using an extension of George's well-balanced finite volume solver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alemi Ardakani, Hamid; Bridges, Thomas J.; Turner, Matthew R.

2016-06-01

A class of augmented approximate Riemann solvers due to George (2008) [12] is extended to solve the shallow-water equations in a moving vessel with variable bottom topography and variable cross-section with wetting and drying. A class of Roe-type upwind solvers for the system of balance laws is derived which respects the steady-state solutions. The numerical solutions of the new adapted augmented f-wave solvers are validated against the Roe-type solvers. The theory is extended to solve the shallow-water flows in moving vessels with arbitrary cross-section with influx-efflux boundary conditions motivated by the shallow-water sloshing in the ocean wave energy converter (WEC) proposed by Offshore Wave Energy Ltd. (OWEL) [1]. A fractional step approach is used to handle the time-dependent forcing functions. The numerical solutions are compared to an extended new Roe-type solver for the system of balance laws with a time-dependent source function. The shallow-water sloshing finite volume solver can be coupled to a Runge-Kutta integrator for the vessel motion.

A 1D-2D Shallow Water Equations solver for discontinuous porosity field based on a Generalized Riemann Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrari, Alessia; Vacondio, Renato; Dazzi, Susanna; Mignosa, Paolo

2017-09-01

A novel augmented Riemann Solver capable of handling porosity discontinuities in 1D and 2D Shallow Water Equation (SWE) models is presented. With the aim of accurately approximating the porosity source term, a Generalized Riemann Problem is derived by adding an additional fictitious equation to the SWEs system and imposing mass and momentum conservation across the porosity discontinuity. The modified Shallow Water Equations are theoretically investigated, and the implementation of an augmented Roe Solver in a 1D Godunov-type finite volume scheme is presented. Robust treatment of transonic flows is ensured by introducing an entropy fix based on the wave pattern of the Generalized Riemann Problem. An Exact Riemann Solver is also derived in order to validate the numerical model. As an extension of the 1D scheme, an analogous 2D numerical model is also derived and validated through test cases with radial symmetry. The capability of the 1D and 2D numerical models to capture different wave patterns is assessed against several Riemann Problems with different wave patterns.

Analgesic activity of Nelsonia canescens (Lam.) Spreng.root in albino rats

PubMed Central

Mohaddesi, Behzad; Dwivedi, Ravindra; Ashok, B. K.; Aghera, Hetal; Acharya, Rabinarayan; Shukla, V. J.

2013-01-01

Present study was undertaken to evaluate analgesic activity of root of Nelsonia canescens (Lam.) Spreng, a folklore medicinal plant used as the one of the source plant of Rasna. Study was carried out at two dose levels (270 mg/kg and 540 mg/kg) in albino rats. Analgesic activity was evaluated in formalin induced paw licking, and tail flick methods whereas indomethacin and pentazocine were used as standard analgesic drugs, respectively. At both the dose levels, test drug non-significantly decreased paw licking response at both time intervals. In tail flick model, the administration of the test drug increased pain threshold response in a dose dependent manner. In therapeutically equivalent dose level, analgesic activity was observed only after 180 min while in TED ×2 treated group analgesia was observed at 30 min and lasted even up to 240 min. The results suggested that N.canescens root possess moderate analgesic activity. PMID:24250136

Effects of phenytoin on N100 augmenting/reducing and the late positive complex of the event-related potential: a topographic analysis.

PubMed

Pritchard, W S; Barratt, E S; Faulk, D M; Brandt, M E; Bryant, S G

1986-01-01

The effects of 100 mg of phenytoin on the topographic distribution of augmenting/reducing (amplitude response/nonresponse to increases in stimulus intensity) of the visual N100 component of the event-related potential (ERP) were examined. In normal subjects, visual N100 augmenting is associated with impulsivity and attentional distraction. Effects of phenytoin on the topographic distributions of the P300 and slow-wave cognitive ERP components were also examined. Subjects counted the total number of light flashes presented at two highly discriminable but equiprobable intensities. Results indicated that phenytoin had a significant reducing effect on the intensity response of N100 at the vertex and anterior temporal electrode sites, and approached significance at the frontal pole. That is, at these loci N100 showed less of an increase in amplitude (or, in some subjects, more of a decrease) in going from baseline to drug than in going from baseline to placebo. Results also indicated that phenytoin significantly enhanced the amplitude of the frontal, negative portion of slow wave, but not the posterior, positive portion or the P300 component. These findings are consistent with behavioral evidence that phenytoin reduces impulsivity and improves concentration.

Tight-binding study of stacking fault energies and the Rice criterion of ductility in the fcc metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehl, Michael J.; Papaconstantopoulos, Dimitrios A.; Kioussis, Nicholas; Herbranson, M.

2000-02-01

We have used the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) tight-binding (TB) method to calculate the generalized stacking fault energy and the Rice ductility criterion in the fcc metals Al, Cu, Rh, Pd, Ag, Ir, Pt, Au, and Pb. The method works well for all classes of metals, i.e., simple metals, noble metals, and transition metals. We compared our results with full potential linear-muffin-tin orbital and embedded atom method (EAM) calculations, as well as experiment, and found good agreement. This is impressive, since the NRL-TB approach only fits to first-principles full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave equations of state and band structures for cubic systems. Comparable accuracy with EAM potentials can be achieved only by fitting to the stacking fault energy.

Ocean Observations with EOS/MODIS: Algorithm Development and Post Launch Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gordon, Howard R.

1997-01-01

Significant accomplishments made during the present reporting period are as follows: (1) We developed a new method for identifying the presence of absorbing aerosols and, simultaneously, performing atmospheric correction. The algorithm consists of optimizing the match between the top-of-atmosphere radiance spectrum and the result of models of both the ocean and aerosol optical properties; (2) We developed an algorithm for providing an accurate computation of the diffuse transmittance of the atmosphere given an aerosol model. A module for inclusion into the MODIS atmospheric-correction algorithm was completed; (3) We acquired reflectance data for oceanic whitecaps during a cruise on the RV Ka'imimoana in the Tropical Pacific (Manzanillo, Mexico to Honolulu, Hawaii). The reflectance spectrum of whitecaps was found to be similar to that for breaking waves in the surf zone measured by Frouin, Schwindling and Deschamps, however, the drop in augmented reflectance from 670 to 860 nm was not as great, and the magnitude of the augmented reflectance was significantly less than expected; and (4) We developed a method for the approximate correction for the effects of the MODIS polarization sensitivity. The correction, however, requires adequate characterization of the polarization sensitivity of MODIS prior to launch.

An HLLC Riemann solver for resistive relativistic magnetohydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miranda-Aranguren, S.; Aloy, M. A.; Rembiasz, T.

2018-05-01

We present a new approximate Riemann solver for the augmented system of equations of resistive relativistic magnetohydrodynamics that belongs to the family of Harten-Lax-van Leer contact wave (HLLC) solvers. In HLLC solvers, the solution is approximated by two constant states flanked by two shocks separated by a contact wave. The accuracy of the new approximate solver is calibrated through 1D and 2D test problems.

Contribution of ionospheric monitoring to tsunami warning: results from a benchmark exercise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rolland, L.; Makela, J. J.; Drob, D. P.; Occhipinti, G.; Lognonne, P. H.; Kherani, E. A.; Sladen, A.; Rakoto, V.; Grawe, M.; Meng, X.; Komjathy, A.; Liu, T. J. Y.; Astafyeva, E.; Coisson, P.; Budzien, S. A.

2016-12-01

Deep ocean pressure sensors have proven very effective to quantify tsunami waves in real-time. Yet, the cost of these sensors and maintenance strongly limit the extensive deployment of dense networks. Thus a complete observation of the tsunami wave-field is not possible so far. In the last decade, imprints of moderate to large transpacific tsunami wave-fields have been registered in the ionosphere through the atmospheric internal gravity wave coupled with the tsunami during its propagation. Those ionospheric observations could provide a an additional description of the phenomenon with a high spatial coverage. Ionospheric observations have been supported by numerical modeling of the ocean-atmosphere-ionosphere coupling, developed by different groups. We present here the first results of a cross-validation exercise aimed at testing various forward simulation techniques. In particular, we compare different approaches for modeling tsunami-induced gravity waves including a pseudo-spectral method, finite difference schemes, a fully coupled normal modes modeling approach, a Fourier-Laplace compressible ray-tracing solution, and a self-consistent, three-dimensional physics-based wave perturbation (WP) model based on the augmented Global Thermosphere-Ionosphere Model (WP-GITM). These models and other existing models use either a realistic sea-surface motion input model or a simple analytic model. We discuss the advantages and drawbacks of the different methods and setup common inputs to the models so that meaningful comparisons of model outputs can be made to higlight physical conclusions and understanding. Nominally, we highlight how the different models reproduce or disagree for two study cases: the ionospheric observations related to the 2012 Mw7.7 Haida Gwaii, Canada, and 2015 Mw8.3 Illapel, Chile, events. Ultimately, we explore the possibility of computing a transfer function in order to convert ionospheric perturbations directly into tsunami height estimates.

Acute turpentine inflammation and kinin release in rat-paw thermic oedema.

PubMed Central

Limãos, E. A.; Borges, D. R.; Souza-Pinto, J. C.; Gordon, A. H.; Prado, J. L.

1981-01-01

Livers from rats at 2-3 days after s.c. injection of turpentine, when perfused, synthesized prekallikrein nearly 3 times faster than did livers from normal rats. On the other hand paw oedema, produced by heating to 46 degrees, in rats injured in this way was less marked. Likewise in such rats the amount of bradykinin release by 50 min. of coaxial perfusion of the paw was only 13.6 +/- 4.6 compared with 63.1 +/- 13.4 ng in normal rats. A possible explanation for the observed reduction in production of bradykinin may be inhibition of kallikrein due to an increased concentration of alpha 2-macroglobulin. PMID:6173056

HCMM/soil moisture experiment. [relationship between surface minus air temperature differential and available water according to crop type in Canada

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cihlar, J. (Principal Investigator)

1980-01-01

Progress in the compilation and analysis of airborne and ground data to determine the relationship between the maximum surface minus maximum air temperature differential (delta Tsa) and available water (PAW) is reported. Also, results of an analysis of HCMM images to determine the effect of cloud cover on the availability of HCMM-type data are presented. An inverse relationship between delta Tsa and PAW is indicated along with stable delta Tsa vs. PAW distributions for fully developed canopies. Large variations, both geographical and diurnal, in the cloud cover images are reported. The average monthly daytime cloud cover fluctuated between 40 and 60 percent.

On the importance of local orbitals using second energy derivatives for d and f electrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karsai, Ferenc; Tran, Fabien; Blaha, Peter

2017-11-01

The all-electron linearized augmented plane wave (LAPW) methods are among the most accurate to solve the Kohn-Sham equations of density functional theory for periodic solids. In the LAPW methods, the unit cell is partitioned into spheres surrounding the atoms, inside which the wave functions are expanded into spherical harmonics, and the interstitial region, where the wave functions are expanded in Fourier series. Recently, Michalicek et al. (2013) reported an analysis of the so-called linearization error, which is inherent to the basis functions inside the spheres, and advocated the use of local orbital basis functions involving the second energy derivative of the radial part (HDLO). In the present work, we report the implementation of such basis functions into the WIEN2k code, and discuss in detail the improvement in terms of accuracy. From our tests, which involve atoms from the whole periodic table, it is concluded that for ground-state properties (e.g., equilibrium volume) the use of HDLO is necessary only for atoms with d or f electrons in the valence and large atomic spheres. For unoccupied states which are not too high above the Fermi energy, HDLO systematically improve the band structure, which may be of importance for the calculation of optical properties.

Augmented design and analysis of computer experiments: a novel tolerance embedded global optimization approach applied to SWIR hyperspectral illumination design.

PubMed

Keresztes, Janos C; John Koshel, R; D'huys, Karlien; De Ketelaere, Bart; Audenaert, Jan; Goos, Peter; Saeys, Wouter

2016-12-26

A novel meta-heuristic approach for minimizing nonlinear constrained problems is proposed, which offers tolerance information during the search for the global optimum. The method is based on the concept of design and analysis of computer experiments combined with a novel two phase design augmentation (DACEDA), which models the entire merit space using a Gaussian process, with iteratively increased resolution around the optimum. The algorithm is introduced through a series of cases studies with increasing complexity for optimizing uniformity of a short-wave infrared (SWIR) hyperspectral imaging (HSI) illumination system (IS). The method is first demonstrated for a two-dimensional problem consisting of the positioning of analytical isotropic point sources. The method is further applied to two-dimensional (2D) and five-dimensional (5D) SWIR HSI IS versions using close- and far-field measured source models applied within the non-sequential ray-tracing software FRED, including inherent stochastic noise. The proposed method is compared to other heuristic approaches such as simplex and simulated annealing (SA). It is shown that DACEDA converges towards a minimum with 1 % improvement compared to simplex and SA, and more importantly requiring only half the number of simulations. Finally, a concurrent tolerance analysis is done within DACEDA for to the five-dimensional case such that further simulations are not required.

University Housing | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

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Perspectives on a Whole Class Mindfulness Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, George; Atkinson, Cathy

2017-01-01

This study sought to establish pupil and teacher views about a six-hour, whole-class mindfulness programme called Paws.b. Pupil post-intervention focus groups and teacher semi-structured interviews were used to ascertain what was interesting and useful about Paws.b, and how it could be developed. Audio recordings were transcribed and thematically…

45. CAPE COD AIR STATION PAVE PAWS FACILITY BUILDING ...

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

45. CAPE COD AIR STATION PAVE PAWS FACILITY - BUILDING ELEVATION VIEW WITH BUILDING METAL SIDING BEING APPLIED ON "A" FACE (LEFT) AND "B" FACE (RIGHT). NOTE THAT NORTH IS GENERALLY TO RIGHT OF VIEW. - Cape Cod Air Station, Technical Facility-Scanner Building & Power Plant, Massachusetts Military Reservation, Sandwich, Barnstable County, MA

Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate inhibits superoxide anion-induced pain and inflammation in the paw skin and spinal cord by targeting NF-κB and oxidative stress.

PubMed

Pinho-Ribeiro, Felipe A; Fattori, Victor; Zarpelon, Ana C; Borghi, Sergio M; Staurengo-Ferrari, Larissa; Carvalho, Thacyana T; Alves-Filho, Jose C; Cunha, Fernando Q; Cunha, Thiago M; Casagrande, Rubia; Verri, Waldiceu A

2016-06-01

We evaluated the effect of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) in superoxide anion-induced inflammatory pain. Male Swiss mice were treated with PDTC and stimulated with an intraplantar or intraperitoneal injection of potassium superoxide, a superoxide anion donor. Subcutaneous PDTC treatment attenuated mechanical hyperalgesia, thermal hyperalgesia, paw oedema and leukocyte recruitment (neutrophils and macrophages). Intraplantar injection of superoxide anion activated NF-κB and increased cytokine production (IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-10) and oxidative stress (nitrite and lipid peroxidation levels) at the primary inflammatory foci and in the spinal cord (L4-L6). PDTC treatment inhibited superoxide anion-induced NF-κB activation, cytokine production and oxidative stress in the paw and spinal cord. Furthermore, intrathecal administration of PDTC successfully inhibited superoxide anion-induced mechanical hyperalgesia, thermal hyperalgesia and inflammatory response in peripheral foci (paw). These results suggest that peripheral stimulus with superoxide anion activates the local and spinal cord oxidative- and NF-κB-dependent inflammatory nociceptive mechanisms. PDTC targets these events, therefore, inhibiting superoxide anion-induced inflammatory pain in mice.

Thrust Augmentation Measurements for a Pulse Detonation Engine Driven Ejector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pal, S.; Santoro, Robert J.; Shehadeh, R.; Saretto, S.; Lee, S.-Y.

2005-01-01

Thrust augmentation results of an ongoing study of pulse detonation engine driven ejectors are presented and discussed. The experiments were conducted using a pulse detonation engine (PDE) setup with various ejector configurations. The PDE used in these experiments utilizes ethylene (C2H4) as the fuel, and an equi-molar mixture of oxygen and nitrogen as the oxidizer at an equivalence ratio of one. High fidelity thrust measurements were made using an integrated spring damper system. The baseline thrust of the PDE engine was first measured and agrees with experimental and modeling results found in the literature. Thrust augmentation measurements were then made for constant diameter ejectors. The parameter space for the study included ejector length, PDE tube exit to ejector tube inlet overlap distance, and straight versus rounded ejector inlets. The relationship between the thrust augmentation results and various physical phenomena is described. To further understand the flow dynamics, shadow graph images of the exiting shock wave front from the PDE were also made. For the studied parameter space, the results showed a maximum augmentation of 40%. Further increase in augmentation is possible if the geometry of the ejector is tailored, a topic currently studied by numerous groups in the field.

Relationships between 24-h blood pressure variability and 24-h central arterial pressure, pulse wave velocity and augmentation index in hypertensive patients.

PubMed

Omboni, Stefano; Posokhov, Igor N; Rogoza, Anatoly N

2017-04-01

Twenty-four-h blood pressure variability (BPV) predicts cardiovascular complications in hypertension, but its association with pulse wave indices (central arterial pressure, pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIx)) is poorly understood. In the present study, we assessed the degree of the effect of 24-h BPV on 24-h pulse wave indices. Brachial blood pressure was measured non-invasively over the 24 h with an electronic, oscillometric, automated device (BPLab) in 661 uncomplicated treated or untreated hypertensive patients. Digitalized oscillometric waveforms were analyzed with a validated algorithm to obtain pulse wave indices. Twenty-four-h BPV was calculated as the unweighted (SDu) or weighted s.d. (SDw) of the mean blood pressure or as the average real variability (ARV). Twenty-four-h systolic BPV showed a direct and significant relationship with the central arterial systolic pressure (r=0.28 SDu, r=0.40 SDw, r=0.34 ARV), PWV (r=0.10 SDu, r=0.21 SDw, r=0.19 ARV) and AIx (r=0.17 SDu, r=0.27 SDw, r=0.23 ARV). After adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, antihypertensive treatment and 24-h systolic blood pressure, the relationship lost some power but was still significant for all measures, except for the AIx. Pulse wave indices were higher in patients with high BPV than in those with low BPV: after adjustment, these differences were abolished for the AIx. The diastolic BPV showed a weak association with the pulse wave indices. In conclusion, in hypertensive patients, 24-h systolic BPV is moderately and independently associated with 24-h central arterial pressure and stiffness.

Changes in Central Aortic Pressure Levels, Wave Components and Determinants Associated with High Peripheral Blood Pressure States in Childhood: Analysis of Hypertensive Phenotype.

PubMed

García-Espinosa, Victoria; Curcio, Santiago; Marotta, Marco; Castro, Juan M; Arana, Maite; Peluso, Gonzalo; Chiesa, Pedro; Giachetto, Gustavo; Bia, Daniel; Zócalo, Yanina

2016-10-01

The aims were to determine whether children's high peripheral blood pressure states (HBP) are associated with increased central aortic blood pressure (BP) and to characterize hemodynamic and vascular changes associated with HBP in terms of changes in cardiac output (stroke volume, SV), arterial stiffness (aortic pulse wave velocity, PWV), peripheral vascular resistances (PVR) and net and relative contributions of reflected waves to the aortic pulse amplitude. We included 154 subjects (mean age 11; range 4-16 years) assigned to one of two groups: normal peripheral BP (NBP, n = 101), defined as systolic and diastolic BP < 90th percentile, or high BP (HBP, n = 53), defined as average systolic and/or diastolic BP levels ≥90th percentile (curves for sex, age and body height). The HBP group included children with hypertensive and pre-hypertensive BP levels. After a first analysis, groups were compared excluding obese and dyslipidemic children. Peripheral and central aortic BP, PWV and pulse wave-derived parameters (augmentation index, forward and backward wave components' amplitude) were measured using gold-standard techniques, applanation tonometry (SphygmoCor) and oscillometry (Mobil-O-Graph). Independent of the presence of dyslipidemia and/or obesity, aortic systolic and pulse BP were higher in HBP than in NBP children. The increase in central BP could not be explained by an increase in the relative contribution of reflections to the aortic pressure wave, higher PVR or by an augmented peripheral reflection coefficient. Instead, the rise in central BP would be explained by an increase in the amplitude of both incident and reflected wave components.

Noninvasive Shock Wave Treatment for Capsular Contractures After Breast Augmentation: A Rabbit Study.

PubMed

Chen, Po Chou; Kuo, Shyh Ming; Jao, Jo Chi; Yang, Shiou Wen; Hsu, Ching Wen; Wu, Yu Chiuan

2016-06-01

Capsular contracture is the most common complication of breast augmentation. Although numerous procedures are intended to prevent capsular contracture, their efficacy does not satisfy surgeons or patients. In the present study, we used shock waves to develop innovative protocols to treat capsular contracture in rabbits. We used shock waves to treat capsular contracture in a rabbit model. Six clinical parameters were evaluated to determine the treatment efficacy of shock waves on the pathological histology of capsular contracture. Dual-flip-angle T1-mapping magnetic resonance imaging was used to confirm the pathological findings. Among the parameters, myxoid change, vascular proliferation, and lymphoplasma cell infiltration around the capsule increased more after treatment than they did in a control group. Capsular thickness, inner thinner collagen layer, and capsule wall collagen deposition decreased after shock wave treatment; only the inner thinner collagen layer and capsule wall collagen deposition changed significantly. The MRI findings for both scar thickness and water content were consistent with pathological biology findings. This was the first pilot study and trial to treat capsular contractures using shock waves. We found that shock waves can cause changes in the structure or the composition of capsular contracture. We conclude that the treatment could decrease water content, loosen structure, decrease collagen deposition, and might alleviate scar formation from capsular contracture. We believe that the treatment could be a viable remedy for capsular contractures. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Type 2 diabetes is associated with increased pulse wave velocity measured at different sites of the arterial system but not augmentation index in a Chinese population.

PubMed

Zhang, Minghua; Bai, Yongyi; Ye, Ping; Luo, Leiming; Xiao, Wenkai; Wu, Hongmei; Liu, Dejun

2011-10-01

Patients with type 2 diabetes have increased stiffness of central elastic arteries. However, whether peripheral muscular artery stiffness is equally affected by the disease remains sparsely examined. Moreover, the association between pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIx) in diabetes is poorly understood. Type 2 diabetes is associated with the alterations in arterial stiffness (PWV and AIx) in a community-based population. A total of 79 Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes and 79 sex-, age- (±3 years), and body mass index- (±2 kg/m(2) ) matched healthy controls were studied. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (CF-PWV), carotid-radial pulse wave velocity (CR-PWV), and carotid-ankle pulse wave velocity (CA-PWV) were calculated from tonometry waveforms and body surface measurements, whereas AIx was assessed using pulse wave analyses. In univariate analysis, patients with type 2 diabetes showed increased CF-PWV (P < 0.001), CR-PWV (P = 0.012), and CA-PWV (P = 0.016), and lower AIx (P = 0.017) than the control group. In multiple linear regression models adjusting for covariates, type 2 diabetes remained a significant determinant of CF-PWV. Fasting glucose was associated with CR-PWV but was not related to CA-PWV or AIx. Our findings suggest that patients with type 2 diabetes have increased central and peripheral artery stiffness, but preserved AIx compared to controls. Diabetes was a predictor of central artery stiffness, and glucose was a determinant of peripheral artery stiffness. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Crystal structures of tiotropium bromide and its monohydrate in view of combined solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance and gauge-including projector-augmented wave studies.

PubMed

Pindelska, Edyta; Szeleszczuk, Lukasz; Pisklak, Dariusz Maciej; Majka, Zbigniew; Kolodziejski, Waclaw

2015-07-01

Tiotropium bromide is an anticholinergic bronchodilator used in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The crystal structures of this compound and its monohydrate have been previously solved and published. However, in this paper, we showed that those structures contain some major errors. Our methodology based on combination of the solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and quantum mechanical gauge-including projector-augmented wave (GIPAW) calculations of NMR shielding constants enabled us to correct those errors and obtain reliable structures of the studied compounds. It has been proved that such approach can be used not only to perform the structural analysis of a drug substance and to identify its polymorphs, but also to verify and optimize already existing crystal structures. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Electromagnetic retroreflection augmented by spherical and conical metasurfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shang, Yuping; Shen, Zhongxiang

2017-11-01

The focus of this paper is on phase gradient metasurfaces conformal to spherical and conical bodies of revolution, with an aim of engineering retroreflections and therefore augmenting backscattering cross-sections of those three-dimensional geometries under the illumination of a plane electromagnetic wave. Based on the conducting sphere and cone, the effect of the geometric revolution property on the selection of the unit inclusion of metasurfaces is considered. The procedure for using the selected unit inclusion to implement the proper reflection phase gradient onto the illuminated surfaces of those objects is formulated in detail. Retroreflections resembling conducting plates under normal incidence are observed for both the conducting sphere and cone coated with conformal metasurfaces. As a result, the redirection-induced retroreflection effectively contributes to the backscattering cross-section enhancement. A good agreement between full-wave simulations and measurements demonstrates the validity and effectiveness of backscattering cross-section enhancement using spherical and conical metasurfaces.

The anti-allergic activity of the acetate fraction of Schinus terebinthifolius leaves in IgE induced mice paw edema and pleurisy.

PubMed

Cavalher-Machado, Simone Campos; Rosas, Elaine Cruz; Brito, Fabiola de Almeida; Heringe, Alan Patrick; de Oliveira, Rodrigo Rodrigues; Kaplan, Maria Auxiliadora Coelho; Figueiredo, Maria Raquel; Henriques, Maria das Graças Müller de Oliveira

2008-11-01

Schinus is a genus of the Anacardiaceae family and contains Schinus terebinthifolius, the Brazilian pepper tree that is widely used in folk medicine. We investigate the anti-allergic activity of the ethyl acetate fraction of S. terebinthifolius Raddi (ST fraction). HPLC analysis reveled that gallic acid, methyl gallate and 1,2,3,4,6-pentagalloylglucose are the major aromatic components of the fraction. Oral pre-treatment with the ST fraction (100 mg/kg) significantly inhibited paw edema induced by compound 48/80 (100 ng/paw) and to a lesser extent, the allergic paw edema (OVA, 3 microg/paw). The ST fraction (100 and 200 mg/kg) also inhibited the edema induced by histamine (100 microg/paw), preventing mast cell degranulation and, consequently, histamine release in Wistar rat peritoneal mast cells induced by C 48/80 (5 microg/mL). This histamine inhibition was also observed after mast cell pre-treatment with both methyl gallate and 1,2,3,4,6-pentagalloylglucose (100 microg/mL), the isolated compounds from the ethyl acetate fraction. Pre-treatment with the ST fraction (100 mg/kg) significantly inhibited total leukocyte and eosinophil accumulation in pleural cavities 24 h after the intrathoracic injection of OVA (12.5 microg/cavity). This effect was related to the inhibition of CCL11/eotaxin and CCL5/RANTES in pleural lavage fluid. Pre-treatment with this fraction (100 mg/kg) failed to reduce the cell influx that was observed after LPS-injection into pleural cavity (250 ng/cavity). These findings demonstrate the anti-allergic effect of the ST fraction, which includes the inhibition of edema formation and histamine release caused by mast cell degranulation and eosinophil influx into the pleural cavity probably reflected by the decreased levels of chemokines in recovered pleural lavage fluid.

Calycophyllum spruceanum BENTH ameliorates acute inflammation in mice.

PubMed

da Silva, Ana Paula Azevedo Barros; Amorim, Renata Morais Ferreira; de Freitas Lopes, Roberta; Mota, Mário Rogério Lima; da Silva, Felipe Moura Araújo; Koolen, Hector Henrique Ferreira; Lima, Emerson Silva; Assreuy, Ana Maria S; da Cunha, Renildo Moura

2018-06-12

Calycophyllum spruceanum (Benth.) Hook. F. ex K. Schum. is widely distributed in the Amazonian region of Brazil, where it is popularly known as "mulateiro", "pau-mulato", "pau-mulato-de-várzea", "escorrega-macaco" or "pau-marfim". Preparations of C. spruceanum barks are used in the form of tea, poultice or skin patches to treat stomach diseases, skin inflammation and uterus tumors. To investigate in vivo the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of the hydroalcoholic extract of Calycophyllum spruceanum barks (HECSb) in order to validate its popular usage in inflammatory conditions. Chemical analysis of HECSb was performed using the UHPLC-MS system. Mice were treated per oral with HECSb (5-5000 mg/kg) and evaluated for acute toxicity (during 15 days); motor activity (Rota rod test); body weight (up to 72 h); antinociceptive activity: writhes induced by 0.8% acetic acid; paw licking induced by 2.5% formalin; paw withdrawal (von Frey test) induced by carrageenan (300 μg) or PGE2 (100 ng); anti-inflammatory (paw edema model). For histopathological analysis subplantar tissue fragments were collected 1 h after paw edema induction. HECSb chemical analysis revealed the presence of caffeoylquinic derivatives, small organic acids, and phenolic compounds. HECSb showed antinociceptive effect, reducing the number of acetic acid-induced writhes by 72% at 120 mg/kg, paw licking (phase 2- Formalin test) by 33% at 60 mg/kg and 49% at 120 mg/kg; and paw withdrawal elicited by carrageenan (53% at 120 mg/kg) and PGE2 (120 mg/kg) at 0.5 h (48%) and 1 h (45%). HECSb (120 mg/kg) also inhibited the paw edema elicited both by carrageenan (48%) and PGE2 (92%). Histopathological analysis (leukocyte infiltration, edema, focal areas of hemorrhage, vascular congestion) of HECSb treatment at 120 mg/kg demonstrated normal morphology [median 0 (0,1)] compared to PGE2, showing severe alterations [median 3 (2,3); p = 0,0035]. HECSb did not induce acute toxicity nor altered body mass or motor coordination. HECSb shows antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effect in mice without inducing apparent acute toxicity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tomography of the East African Rift System in Mozambique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domingues, A.; Silveira, G. M.; Custodio, S.; Chamussa, J.; Lebedev, S.; Chang, S. J.; Ferreira, A. M. G.; Fonseca, J. F. B. D.

2014-12-01

Unlike the majority of the East African Rift, the Mozambique region has not been deeply studied, not only due to political instabilities but also because of the difficult access to its most interior regions. An earthquake with M7 occurred in Machaze in 2006, which triggered the investigation of this particular region. The MOZART project (funded by FCT, Lisbon) installed a temporary seismic network, with a total of 30 broadband stations from the SEIS-UK pool, from April 2011 to July 2013. Preliminary locations of the seismicity were estimated with the data recorded from April 2011 to July 2012. A total of 307 earthquakes were located, with ML magnitudes ranging from 0.9 to 3.9. We observe a linear northeast-southwest distribution of the seismicity that seems associated to the Inhaminga fault. The seismicity has an extension of ~300km reaching the Machaze earthquake area. The northeast sector of the seismicity shows a good correlation with the topography, tracing the Urema rift valley. In order to obtain an initial velocity model of the region, the ambient noise method is used. This method is applied to the entire data set available and two additional stations of the AfricaARRAY project. Ambient noise surface wave tomography is possible by computing cross-correlations between all pairs of stations and measuring the group velocities for all interstation paths. With this approach we obtain Rayleigh wave group velocity dispersion curves in the period range from 3 to 50 seconds. Group velocity maps are calculated for several periods and allowing a geological and tectonic interpretation. In order to extend the investigation to longer wave periods and thus probe both the crust and upper mantle, we apply a recent implementation of the surface-wave two-station method (teleseismic interferometry - Meier el al 2004) to augment our dataset with Rayleigh wave phase velocities curves in a broad period range. Using this method we expect to be able to explore the lithosphere-asthenosphere depth range beneath Mozambique.

The role of IL-6 and IL-1beta in painful perineural inflammatory neuritis.

PubMed

Eliav, Eli; Benoliel, Rafael; Herzberg, Uri; Kalladka, Mythili; Tal, Michael

2009-05-01

Inflammation along a nerve trunk (perineural inflammation), without detectable axonal damage, has been shown to induce transient pain in the organ supplied by the nerve. The aims of the present study were to study the role IL-6 and IL-1beta, in pain induced by perineural inflammation. IL-6 and IL-1beta secretion from rat's sciatic nerves, L-5 Dorsal Root Ganglia (DRG), and the hind paw skin, 3 and 8 days following exposure of the nerve to Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA), were measured using ELISA method. Hind paw tactile-allodynia, mechano-hyperalgesia, heat-allodynia and electrical detection thresholds were tested up to 8 days following the application of CFA, IL-6 or IL-1beta adjacent to the sciatic nerve trunk. Employing electrophysiological recording, saphenous nerve spontaneous activity, nerve trunk mechano-sensitivity and paw tactile detection threshold (determined by recording action potential induced by the lowest mechanical stimulus) were assessed 3 and 8 days following exposure of the nerve trunk to CFA, IL-6, or IL-1beta. IL-6 and IL-1beta secretion from the nerve was significantly elevated on the 3rd day post-operation (DPO). On the 8th DPO, IL-6 levels returned to baseline while IL-1beta levels remained significantly elevated. The DRG cytokine's level was increased on the 3rd and 8th DPOs, contralateral cytokine's level was increased on the 3rd DPO. The skin IL-6 level was increased bilaterally on the 3rd DPO and returned to baseline on the 8th DPO. IL-1beta levels increased in the affected side on the 3rd and bilaterally on the 8th DPO. Direct application of IL-6 or CFA on the sciatic nerve induced significant hind paw tactile-allodynia from the 1st to 5th DPOs, reduced electrical detection threshold from the 1st to 3rd DPOs, mechano-hyperalgesia from 3rd to 5th DPOs and heat-allodynia on the 3rd DPO. Direct application of IL-1beta induced paw tactile and heat-allodynia on the 7-8th DPOs and mechano-hyperalgesia on the 5-8th DPOs. Perineural inflammation significantly increased spontaneous activity myelinated fibres 3 and 8 days following the application. Direct application of IL-6 induced elevation of spontaneous activity on the 3rd while IL-1beta on the 8th DPO. Nerve mechano-sensitivity was significantly increased on the 3rd day following exposure to CFA and IL-6 and on the 8th following CFA application. The rat's paw lowest mechanical force necessary for induction of action potential, was significantly reduced 3 days following CFA application. IL-6 and IL-1beta play an important role in pain induced by perineural inflammation. IL-6 activity is more prominent immediately following application (2-5th DPOs), while IL-1beta, activity is more significant in a later stage (5-8th DPOs).

Comparison of laboratory and ambulatory measures of central blood pressure and pulse wave reflection: hitting the target or missing the mark?

PubMed

Burns, Matthew J; Seed, Jeremy D; Incognito, Anthony V; Doherty, Connor J; Notay, Karambir; Millar, Philip J

2018-04-01

Prior studies demonstrating clinical significance of noninvasive estimates of central blood pressure (BP) and pulse wave reflection have relied primarily on discrete resting measures. The aim of this study was to compare central BP and pulse wave reflection measures sampled during a single resting laboratory visit against those obtained under ambulatory conditions. The secondary aim was to investigate the reproducibility of ambulatory central BP and pulse wave reflection measurements. Forty healthy participants (21 males; 24 ± 3 years) completed three measurements of brachial artery pulse wave analysis (Oscar 2 with SphygmoCor Inside) in the laboratory followed by 24 hours of ambulatory monitoring. Seventeen participants repeated the 24-hour ambulatory monitoring visit after at least 1 week. Ambulatory measures were divided into daytime (9 AM-9 PM), nighttime (1 AM-6 AM), and 24-hour periods. Compared with laboratory measurements, central systolic BP, augmentation pressure, and augmentation index (with and without heart rate normalization) were higher (all P < .01) during daytime and 24-hour periods but lower during the nighttime period (all P < .001). The drop in nighttime brachial systolic BP was larger than central systolic pressure (Δ -20 ± 6 vs. -15 ± 6 mm Hg; P < .0001). Repeat ambulatory measurements of central BP and pulse wave reflection displayed good-to-excellent intraclass correlation coefficients (r = 0.58-0.86; all P < .01), although measures of pulse wave reflection had higher coefficients of variation (14%-41%). The results highlight absolute differences in central BP and pulse wave reflection between discrete laboratory and ambulatory conditions. The use of ambulatory measures of central BP and pulse wave reflection warrant further investigation for clinical prognostic value. Copyright © 2018 American Heart Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cross-sectional relations of arterial stiffness, pressure pulsatility, wave reflection, and arterial calcification.

PubMed

Tsao, Connie W; Pencina, Karol M; Massaro, Joseph M; Benjamin, Emelia J; Levy, Daniel; Vasan, Ramachandran S; Hoffmann, Udo; O'Donnell, Christopher J; Mitchell, Gary F

2014-11-01

Arterial hemodynamics and vascular calcification are associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease, but their inter-relations remain unclear. We sought to examine the associations of arterial stiffness, pressure pulsatility, and wave reflection with arterial calcification in individuals free of prevalent cardiovascular disease. Framingham Heart Study Third Generation and Offspring Cohort participants free of cardiovascular disease underwent applanation tonometry to measure arterial stiffness, pressure pulsatility, and wave reflection, including carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, central pulse pressure, forward wave amplitude, and augmentation index. Participants in each cohort (n=1905, 45±6 years and n=1015, 65±9 years, respectively) underwent multidetector computed tomography to assess the presence and quantity of thoracic aortic calcification, abdominal aortic calcification, and coronary artery calcification. In multivariable-adjusted models, both higher carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity and central pulse pressure were associated with greater thoracic aortic calcification and abdominal aortic calcification, whereas higher augmentation index was associated with abdominal aortic calcification. Among the tonometry measures, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity was the strongest correlate of all calcification measures in multivariable-adjusted models (odds ratio per SD for thoracic aortic calcification, 2.69 [95% confidence interval, 2.17-3.35]; abdominal aortic calcification, 1.47 [95% confidence interval, 1.26-1.73]; and coronary artery calcification, 1.48 [95% confidence interval, 1.28-1.72]; all P<0.001, respectively). We observed stronger relations of carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, central pulse pressure, and forward wave amplitude with nearly all continuous calcification measures in the younger Third Generation Cohort as compared with the Offspring Cohort. In community-dwelling individuals without prevalent cardiovascular disease, abnormal central arterial hemodynamics were positively associated with vascular calcification and were observed at younger ages than previously recognized. The mechanisms of these associations may be bidirectional and deserve further study. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

Acoustically enhanced heat exchange and drying apparatus

DOEpatents

Bramlette, T.T.; Keller, J.O.

1987-07-10

A heat transfer drying apparatus includes an acoustically augmented heat transfer chamber for receiving material to be dried. The chamber includes a first heat transfer gas inlet, a second heat transfer gas inlet, a material inlet, and a gas outlet which also serves as a dried material and gas outlet. A non-pulsing first heat transfer gas source provides a first drying gas to the acoustically augmented heat transfer chamber through the first heat transfer gas inlet. A valveless, continuous second heat transfer gas source provides a second drying gas to the acoustically augmented heat transfer chamber through the second heat transfer gas inlet. The second drying gas also generates acoustic waves which bring about acoustical coupling with the gases in the acoustically augmented heat transfer chamber. The second drying gas itself oscillates at an acoustic frequency of approximately 180 Hz due to fluid mechanical motion in the gas. The oscillations of the second heat transfer gas coupled to the first heat transfer gas in the acoustically augmented heat transfer chamber enhance heat and mass transfer by convection within the chamber. 3 figs.

[Alterations in arterial compliance of dyslipidemic patients].

PubMed

Clara, Fernando Mario; Corral, Pablo; Blanco, Gustavo Hector; Scandurra, Adriana Graciela; Meschino, Gustavo Javier

2015-01-01

We studied the alteration on the distensibility of the arterial walls caused by dyslipidemia LDLc dependent, along the decades of life, by means of a study of the radial artery pulse wave. We made an analysis of the radial artery pulse wave records acquired by means a movement displacement sensor, placed on radial palpation area. We recruited 100 dyslipidemic men without other cardiovascular risk factors, between the 3rd and the 6th decade. We identified the reflected wave in the records and we computed the augmentation index in order to quantify its amplitude and position. This index is useful to assess the endothelial dysfunction. Besides, we defined a velocity coefficient as the ratio between the size of the individuals and the delay time between the peak of the systolic wave and the arrival of the reflected wave. Results were compared against those obtained in a group of 161 healthy volunteers. We found that dyslipidemic patients presented augmentation index values similar to controls until the fourth decade, increasing thereafter with significant differences only in the 6th decade. No significant differences were found in the velocity index in any of the ages studied. We conclude that alterations produced by dyslipidemia take decades to manifest, and they begin affecting the mechanism of vasodilation of distal arteries with highest proportion of smooth muscle, without altering the proximal conduit arteries with more elastin content. Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Arteriosclerosis. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Green's function multiple-scattering theory with a truncated basis set: An augmented-KKR formalism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alam, Aftab; Khan, Suffian N.; Smirnov, A. V.; Nicholson, D. M.; Johnson, Duane D.

2014-11-01

The Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker (KKR) Green's function, multiple-scattering theory is an efficient site-centered, electronic-structure technique for addressing an assembly of N scatterers. Wave functions are expanded in a spherical-wave basis on each scattering center and indexed up to a maximum orbital and azimuthal number Lmax=(l,mmax), while scattering matrices, which determine spectral properties, are truncated at Lt r=(l,mt r) where phase shifts δl >ltr are negligible. Historically, Lmax is set equal to Lt r, which is correct for large enough Lmax but not computationally expedient; a better procedure retains higher-order (free-electron and single-site) contributions for Lmax>Lt r with δl >ltr set to zero [X.-G. Zhang and W. H. Butler, Phys. Rev. B 46, 7433 (1992), 10.1103/PhysRevB.46.7433]. We present a numerically efficient and accurate augmented-KKR Green's function formalism that solves the KKR equations by exact matrix inversion [R3 process with rank N (ltr+1 ) 2 ] and includes higher-L contributions via linear algebra [R2 process with rank N (lmax+1) 2 ]. The augmented-KKR approach yields properly normalized wave functions, numerically cheaper basis-set convergence, and a total charge density and electron count that agrees with Lloyd's formula. We apply our formalism to fcc Cu, bcc Fe, and L 1 0 CoPt and present the numerical results for accuracy and for the convergence of the total energies, Fermi energies, and magnetic moments versus Lmax for a given Lt r.

Treadmill walking with load carriage increases aortic pressure wave reflection.

PubMed

Ribeiro, Fernando; Oliveira, Nórton L; Pires, Joana; Alves, Alberto J; Oliveira, José

2014-01-01

The study examined the effects of treadmill walking with load carriage on derived measures of central pressure and augmentation index in young healthy subjects. Fourteen male subjects (age 31.0 ± 1.0 years) volunteered in this study. Subjects walked 10 minutes on a treadmill at a speed of 5 km/h carrying no load during one session and a load of 10% of their body weight on both upper limbs in two water carboys with handle during the other session. Pulse wave analysis was performed at rest and immediately after exercise in the radial artery of the right upper limb by applanation tonometry. The main result indicates that walking with load carriage sharply increased augmentation index at 75 bpm (-5.5 ± 2.2 to -1.4 ± 2.2% vs. -5.2 ± 2.8 to -5.5 ± 2.1%, p<0.05), and also induced twice as high increments in central pulse pressure (7.4 ± 1.5 vs. 3.1 ± 1.4 mmHg, p<0.05) and peripheral (20.5 ± 2.7 vs. 10.3 ± 2.5 mmHg, p<0.05) and central systolic pressure (14.7 ± 2.1 vs. 7.4 ± 2.0 mmHg, p<0.05). Walking with additional load of 10% of their body weight (aerobic exercise accompanied by upper limb isometric contraction) increases derived measures of central pressure and augmentation index, an index of wave reflection and arterial stiffness. Copyright © 2013 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Green's function multiple-scattering theory with a truncated basis set: An augmented-KKR formalism

DOE PAGES

Alam, Aftab; Khan, Suffian N.; Smirnov, A. V.; ...

2014-11-04

Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker (KKR) Green's function, multiple-scattering theory is an ecient sitecentered, electronic-structure technique for addressing an assembly of N scatterers. Wave-functions are expanded in a spherical-wave basis on each scattering center and indexed up to a maximum orbital and azimuthal number L max = (l,m) max, while scattering matrices, which determine spectral properties, are truncated at L tr = (l,m) tr where phase shifts δl>l tr are negligible. Historically, L max is set equal to L tr, which is correct for large enough L max but not computationally expedient; a better procedure retains higher-order (free-electron and single-site) contributions for L maxmore » > L tr with δl>l tr set to zero [Zhang and Butler, Phys. Rev. B 46, 7433]. We present a numerically ecient and accurate augmented-KKR Green's function formalism that solves the KKR equations by exact matrix inversion [R 3 process with rank N(l tr + 1) 2] and includes higher-L contributions via linear algebra [R 2 process with rank N(l max +1) 2]. Augmented-KKR approach yields properly normalized wave-functions, numerically cheaper basis-set convergence, and a total charge density and electron count that agrees with Lloyd's formula. We apply our formalism to fcc Cu, bcc Fe and L1 0 CoPt, and present the numerical results for accuracy and for the convergence of the total energies, Fermi energies, and magnetic moments versus L max for a given L tr.« less

The Wellness Factor: Embedding Wellness in the Curriculum at Ashley Hall

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murrell, Amanda; Wood, Kelly

2013-01-01

The authors of this article describe the Personal Awareness and Wellness Seminar (PAWS) program, which they developed at Ashley Hall (South Carolina), an all-girls K-12 school. PAWS is designed to incorporate three main areas of school and personal life: academic management and study skills, general wellness and life skills, and the college search…

46. CAPE COD AIR STATION PAVE PAWS FACILITY BUILDING ...

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

46. CAPE COD AIR STATION PAVE PAWS FACILITY - BUILDING ELEVATION VIEW WITH ALL METAL SIDING INSTALLED AND WITH EMITTER/ANTENNA ARRAY SYSTEM NEARING OCMPLETION ON "B" FACE (RIGHT). VIEW ALSO SHOWS TRAVELING "CLEANING" SYSTEM ON "B" FACE - NOW REMOVED. - Cape Cod Air Station, Technical Facility-Scanner Building & Power Plant, Massachusetts Military Reservation, Sandwich, Barnstable County, MA

Intensive Selective Deer Browsing Favors Success of Asimina triloba (Paw Paw) a Native Tree Species

Treesearch

Mitchell A. Slater; Roger C. Anderson

2014-01-01

Although white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus Zimmermann) are generalist herbivores, they can have significant effects on species composition and abundance of forest trees, especially when deer densities are high and most plant species are heavily browsed but a few are selectively avoided as browse. We evaluated effects of selective deer...

The Next Wave: Humans, Computers, and Redefining Reality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Little, William

2018-01-01

The Augmented/Virtual Reality (AVR) Lab at KSC is dedicated to " exploration into the growing computer fields of Extended Reality and the Natural User Interface (it is) a proving ground for new technologies that can be integrated into future NASA projects and programs." The topics of Human Computer Interface, Human Computer Interaction, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and Mixed Reality are defined; examples of work being done in these fields in the AVR Lab are given. Current new and future work in Computer Vision, Speech Recognition, and Artificial Intelligence are also outlined.

Wave energy and intertidal productivity

PubMed Central

Leigh, Egbert G.; Paine, Robert T.; Quinn, James F.; Suchanek, Thomas H.

1987-01-01

In the northeastern Pacific, intertidal zones of the most wave-beaten shores receive more energy from breaking waves than from the sun. Despite severe mortality from winter storms, communities at some wave-beaten sites produce an extraordinary quantity of dry matter per unit area of shore per year. At wave-beaten sites of Tatoosh Island, WA, sea palms, Postelsia palmaeformis, can produce > 10 kg of dry matter, or 1.5 × 108 J, per m2 in a good year. Extraordinarily productive organisms such as Postelsia are restricted to wave-beaten sites. Intertidal organisms cannot transform wave energy into chemical energy, as photosynthetic plants transform solar energy, nor can intertidal organisms “harness” wave energy. Nonetheless, wave energy enhances the productivity of intertidal organisms. On exposed shores, waves increase the capacity of resident algae to acquire nutrients and use sunlight, augment the competitive ability of productive organisms, and protect intertidal residents by knocking away their enemies or preventing them from feeding. PMID:16593813

Altered Arterial Stiffness and Subendocardial Viability Ratio in Young Healthy Light Smokers after Acute Exercise

PubMed Central

Doonan, Robert J.; Scheffler, Patrick; Yu, Alice; Egiziano, Giordano; Mutter, Andrew; Bacon, Simon; Carli, Franco; Daskalopoulos, Marios E.; Daskalopoulou, Stella S.

2011-01-01

Background Studies showed that long-standing smokers have stiffer arteries at rest. However, the effect of smoking on the ability of the vascular system to respond to increased demands (physical stress) has not been studied. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effect of smoking on arterial stiffness and subendocardial viability ratio, at rest and after acute exercise in young healthy individuals. Methods/Results Healthy light smokers (n = 24, pack-years = 2.9) and non-smokers (n = 53) underwent pulse wave analysis and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity measurements at rest, and 2, 5, 10, and 15 minutes following an exercise test to exhaustion. Smokers were tested, 1) after 12h abstinence from smoking (chronic condition) and 2) immediately after smoking one cigarette (acute condition). At rest, chronic smokers had higher augmentation index and lower aortic pulse pressure than non-smokers, while subendocardial viability ratio was not significantly different. Acute smoking increased resting augmentation index and decreased subendocardial viability ratio compared with non-smokers, and decreased subendocardial viability ratio compared with the chronic condition. After exercise, subendocardial viability ratio was lower, and augmentation index and aortic pulse pressure were higher in non-smokers than smokers in the chronic and acute conditions. cfPWV rate of recovery of was greater in non-smokers than chronic smokers after exercise. Non-smokers were also able to achieve higher workloads than smokers in both conditions. Conclusion Chronic and acute smoking appears to diminish the vascular response to physical stress. This can be seen as an impaired ‘vascular reserve’ or a blunted ability of the blood vessels to accommodate the changes required to achieve higher workloads. These changes were noted before changes in arterial stiffness or subendocardial viability ratio occurred at rest. Even light smoking in young healthy individuals appears to have harmful effects on vascular function, affecting the ability of the vascular bed to respond to increased demands. PMID:22028821

Self-consistent full-potential linearized-augmented-plane-wave local-density electronic-structure studies of magnetism and superconductivity in C15 compounds: ZrZn2 and ZrV2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Mei-Chun; Jansen, H. J. F.; Freeman, A. J.

1988-03-01

The electronic structure and properties of the cubic Laves phase (C15) compounds ZrZn2 and ZrV2 have been determined using our all-electron full-potential linearized-augmented-plane-wave (FLAPW) method for bulk solids. The computations were performed in two stages: (i) self-consistent warped muffin tin and (ii) self-consistent full potential. Spin-orbit coupling was included after either stage. The effects of the inclusion of the nonspherical terms inside the muffin tins on the eigenvalues is found to be small (of order 1 mRy). However, due to the fact that some of the bands near the Fermi level are flat, this effect leads to a much higher value of the density of states at EF in ZnZr2. The most important difference between the materials ZrZn2 and ZrV2 is the position of the d bands derived from the Zr and V atoms. Consequently, these materials have completely different Fermi surfaces. We have investigated the magnetic properties of these compounds by evaluating their generalized Stoner factors and found agreement with experiment. Our results for the superconducting transition temperature for these materials is found to be strongly dependent on the spin fluctuation parameter μsp. Of course, because of the magnetic transition, superconductivity cannot be observed in ZnZr2.

Grid-Based Projector Augmented Wave (GPAW) Implementation of Quantum Mechanics/Molecular Mechanics (QM/MM) Electrostatic Embedding and Application to a Solvated Diplatinum Complex.

PubMed

Dohn, A O; Jónsson, E Ö; Levi, G; Mortensen, J J; Lopez-Acevedo, O; Thygesen, K S; Jacobsen, K W; Ulstrup, J; Henriksen, N E; Møller, K B; Jónsson, H

2017-12-12

A multiscale density functional theory-quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (DFT-QM/MM) scheme is presented, based on an efficient electrostatic coupling between the electronic density obtained from a grid-based projector augmented wave (GPAW) implementation of density functional theory and a classical potential energy function. The scheme is implemented in a general fashion and can be used with various choices for the descriptions of the QM or MM regions. Tests on H 2 O clusters, ranging from dimer to decamer show that no systematic energy errors are introduced by the coupling that exceeds the differences in the QM and MM descriptions. Over 1 ns of liquid water, Born-Oppenheimer QM/MM molecular dynamics (MD) are sampled combining 10 parallel simulations, showing consistent liquid water structure over the QM/MM border. The method is applied in extensive parallel MD simulations of an aqueous solution of the diplatinum [Pt 2 (P 2 O 5 H 2 ) 4 ] 4- complex (PtPOP), spanning a total time period of roughly half a nanosecond. An average Pt-Pt distance deviating only 0.01 Å from experimental results, and a ground-state Pt-Pt oscillation frequency deviating by <2% from experimental results were obtained. The simulations highlight a remarkable harmonicity of the Pt-Pt oscillation, while also showing clear signs of Pt-H hydrogen bonding and directional coordination of water molecules along the Pt-Pt axis of the complex.

Gait cycle analysis: parameters sensitive for functional evaluation of peripheral nerve recovery in rat hind limbs.

PubMed

Rui, Jing; Runge, M Brett; Spinner, Robert J; Yaszemski, Michael J; Windebank, Anthony J; Wang, Huan

2014-10-01

Video-assisted gait kinetics analysis has been a sensitive method to assess rat sciatic nerve function after injury and repair. However, in conduit repair of sciatic nerve defects, previously reported kinematic measurements failed to be a sensitive indicator because of the inferior recovery and inevitable joint contracture. This study aimed to explore the role of physiotherapy in mitigating joint contracture and to seek motion analysis indices that can sensitively reflect motor function. Data were collected from 26 rats that underwent sciatic nerve transection and conduit repair. Regular postoperative physiotherapy was applied. Parameters regarding step length, phase duration, and ankle angle were acquired and analyzed from video recording of gait kinetics preoperatively and at regular postoperative intervals. Stride length ratio (step length of uninjured foot/step length of injured foot), percent swing of the normal paw (percentage of the total stride duration when the uninjured paw is in the air), propulsion angle (toe-off angle subtracted by midstance angle), and clearance angle (ankle angle change from toe off to midswing) decreased postoperatively comparing with baseline values. The gradual recovery of these measurements had a strong correlation with the post-nerve repair time course. Ankle joint contracture persisted despite rigorous physiotherapy. Parameters acquired from a 2-dimensional motion analysis system, that is, stride length ratio, percent swing of the normal paw, propulsion angle, and clearance angle, could sensitively reflect nerve function impairment and recovery in the rat sciatic nerve conduit repair model despite the existence of joint contractures.

Two-dimensional wave patterns of spreading depolarization: Retracting, re-entrant, and stationary waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dahlem, Markus A.; Graf, Rudolf; Strong, Anthony J.; Dreier, Jens P.; Dahlem, Yuliya A.; Sieber, Michaela; Hanke, Wolfgang; Podoll, Klaus; Schöll, Eckehard

2010-06-01

We present spatio-temporal characteristics of spreading depolarizations (SD) in two experimental systems: retracting SD wave segments observed with intrinsic optical signals in chicken retina, and spontaneously occurring re-entrant SD waves that repeatedly spread across gyrencephalic feline cortex observed by laser speckle flowmetry. A mathematical framework of reaction-diffusion systems with augmented transmission capabilities is developed to explain the emergence and transitions between these patterns. Our prediction is that the observed patterns are reaction-diffusion patterns controlled and modulated by weak nonlocal coupling such as long-range, time-delayed, and global coupling. The described spatio-temporal characteristics of SD are of important clinical relevance under conditions of migraine and stroke. In stroke, the emergence of re-entrant SD waves is believed to worsen outcome. In migraine, retracting SD wave segments cause neurological symptoms and transitions to stationary SD wave patterns may cause persistent symptoms without evidence from noninvasive imaging of infarction.

Validation of a coupled wave-flow model in a high-energy setting: the mouth of the Columbia River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elias, Edwin P.L.; Gelfenbaum, Guy R.; van der Westhuysen, André J.

2012-01-01

 A monthlong time series of wave, current, salinity, and suspended-sediment measurements was made at five sites on a transect across the Mouth of Columbia River (MCR). These data were used to calibrate and evaluate the performance of a coupled hydrodynamic and wave model for the MCR based on the Delft3D modeling system. The MCR is a dynamic estuary inlet in which tidal currents, river discharge, and wave-driven currents are all important. Model tuning consisted primarily of spatial adjustments to bottom drag coefficients. In combination with (near-) default parameter settings, the MCR model application is able to simulate the dominant features in the tidal flow, salinity and wavefields observed in field measurements. The wave-orbital averaged method for representing the current velocity profile in the wave model is considered the most realistic for the MCR. The hydrodynamic model is particularly effective in reproducing the observed vertical residual and temporal variations in current structure. Density gradients introduce the observed and modeled reversal of the mean flow at the bed and augment mean and peak flow in the upper half of the water column. This implies that sediment transport during calmer summer conditions is controlled by density stratification and is likely net landward due to the reversal of flow near the bed. The correspondence between observed and modeled hydrodynamics makes this application a tool to investigate hydrodynamics and associated sediment transport.

Validation of a coupled wave-flow model in a high-energy setting: The mouth of the Columbia River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elias, Edwin P. L.; Gelfenbaum, Guy; Van der Westhuysen, André J.

2012-09-01

A monthlong time series of wave, current, salinity, and suspended-sediment measurements was made at five sites on a transect across the Mouth of Columbia River (MCR). These data were used to calibrate and evaluate the performance of a coupled hydrodynamic and wave model for the MCR based on the Delft3D modeling system. The MCR is a dynamic estuary inlet in which tidal currents, river discharge, and wave-driven currents are all important. Model tuning consisted primarily of spatial adjustments to bottom drag coefficients. In combination with (near-) default parameter settings, the MCR model application is able to simulate the dominant features in the tidal flow, salinity and wavefields observed in field measurements. The wave-orbital averaged method for representing the current velocity profile in the wave model is considered the most realistic for the MCR. The hydrodynamic model is particularly effective in reproducing the observed vertical residual and temporal variations in current structure. Density gradients introduce the observed and modeled reversal of the mean flow at the bed and augment mean and peak flow in the upper half of the water column. This implies that sediment transport during calmer summer conditions is controlled by density stratification and is likely net landward due to the reversal of flow near the bed. The correspondence between observed and modeled hydrodynamics makes this application a tool to investigate hydrodynamics and associated sediment transport.

Rotary wave-ejector enhanced pulse detonation engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nalim, M. R.; Izzy, Z. A.; Akbari, P.

2012-01-01

The use of a non-steady ejector based on wave rotor technology is modeled for pulse detonation engine performance improvement and for compatibility with turbomachinery components in hybrid propulsion systems. The rotary wave ejector device integrates a pulse detonation process with an efficient momentum transfer process in specially shaped channels of a single wave-rotor component. In this paper, a quasi-one-dimensional numerical model is developed to help design the basic geometry and operating parameters of the device. The unsteady combustion and flow processes are simulated and compared with a baseline PDE without ejector enhancement. A preliminary performance assessment is presented for the wave ejector configuration, considering the effect of key geometric parameters, which are selected for high specific impulse. It is shown that the rotary wave ejector concept has significant potential for thrust augmentation relative to a basic pulse detonation engine.

Electronic structures of Plutonium compounds with the NaCl-type monochalcogenides structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maehira, Takahiro; Tatetsu, Yasutomi

2012-12-01

We calculate the energy band structure and the Fermi surface of PuS, PuSe and PuTe by using a self-consistent relativistic linear augmented-plane-wave method with the exchange and correlation potential in a local density approximation. It is found in common that the energy bands in the vicinity of the Fermi level are mainly due to the hybridization between Pu 5/ and monochalcogenide p electrons. The obtained main Fermi surfaces are composed of two hole sheets and one electron sheet, all of which are constructed from the band having the Pu 5/ state and the monochalcogenide p state.

High sensitivity of positrons to oxygen vacancies and to copper-oxygen chain disorder in YBa2Cu3O(7-x)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von Stetten, E. C.; Berko, S.; Li, X. S.; Lee, R. R.; Brynestad, J.

1988-05-01

Temperature-dependent positron-electron momentum densities have been studied by two-dimensional angular correlation of annihilation radiation from 10 to 320 K in YBa2Cu3O(7-x) samples. The positron ground-state charge density, computed by the linearized augmented-plane-wave method, indicates that in YBa2Cu3O7 delocalized positrons sample preferentially the linear copper-oxygen chains. Positron localization due to disorder in these chains is invoked to explain the striking differences observed between superconducting (x = about 0.02) and nonsuperconducting (x = about 0.70) samples.

Combining Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Density Functional Theory Calculations to Characterize Carvedilol Polymorphs.

PubMed

Rezende, Carlos A; San Gil, Rosane A S; Borré, Leandro B; Pires, José Ricardo; Vaiss, Viviane S; Resende, Jackson A L C; Leitão, Alexandre A; De Alencastro, Ricardo B; Leal, Katia Z

2016-09-01

The experiments of carvedilol form II, form III, and hydrate by (13)C and (15)N cross-polarization magic-angle spinning (CP MAS) are reported. The GIPAW (gauge-including projector-augmented wave) method from DFT (density functional theory) calculations was used to simulate (13)C and (15)N chemical shifts. A very good agreement was found for the comparison between the global results of experimental and calculated nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts for carvedilol polymorphs. This work aims a comprehensive understanding of carvedilol crystalline forms employing solution and solid-state NMR as well as DFT calculations. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

First principle study of UHTC ternary diboride, Cr2AlB2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rastogi, Anugya; Rajpoot, Priyanka; Verma, U. P.

2018-04-01

In this paper ab-initio study of the structural, electronic and optical properties of ternary metal boride Cr2AlB2 using full potential linear augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method based on the density functional theory (DFT). The study of structural properties shows that Cr2AlB2 is metallic in nature and have orthorhombic crystal structure. The optical properties show that it possess anisotropic behavior, which have wide applications in electricity production through concentration of solar power (CSP) technology. To the best of our knowledge, theoretical study of the optical properties of Cr2AlB2 is reported for the first time.

Structural, electronic and elastic properties of heavy fermion YbRh2 Laves phase compound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pawar, Harsha; Shugani, Mani; Aynyas, Mahendra; Sanyal, Sankar P.

2018-05-01

The structural, electronic and elastic properties of YbRh2 Laves phase intermetallic compound which crystallize in cubic (MgCu2-type) structure have been investigated using ab-initio full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP- LAPW) method with LDA and LDA+U approximation. The calculated ground state properties such as lattice parameter (a0), bulk modulus (B) and its pressure derivative (B') are in good agreement with available experimental and theoretical data. The electronic properties are analyzed from band structures and density of states. Elastic constants are predicted first time for this compound which obeys the stability criteria for cubic system.

Anti-inflammatory effects of Scoparia dulcis L. and betulinic acid.

PubMed

Tsai, Jen-Chieh; Peng, Wen-Huang; Chiu, Tai-Hui; Lai, Shang-Chih; Lee, Chao-Ying

2011-01-01

The aims of this study intended to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of the 70% ethanol extract from Scoparia dulcis (SDE) and betulinic acid on λ-carrageenan-induced paw edema in mice. The anti-inflammatory mechanism of SDE and betulinic acid was examined by detecting the levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the edema paw tissue and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GRd) in the liver. The betulinic acid content in SDE was detected by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In the anti-inflammatory model, the results showed that SDE (0.5 and 1.0 g/kg) and betulinic acid (20 and 40 mg/kg) reduced the paw edema at 3, 4 and 5 h after λ-carrageenan administration. Moreover, SDE and betulinic acid affected the levels of COX-2, NO, TNF-α and IL1-β in the λ-carrageenan-induced edema paws. The activities of SOD, GPx and GRd in the liver tissue were increased and the MDA levels in the edema paws were decreased. It is suggested that SDE and betulinic acid possessed anti-inflammatory activities and the anti-inflammatory mechanisms appear to be related to the reduction of the levels of COX-2, NO, TNF-α and IL1-β in inflamed tissues, as well as the inhibition of MDA level via increasing the activities of SOD, GPx and GRd. The analytical result showed that the content of betulinic acid in SDE was 6.25 mg/g extract.

Nonlinear Inverted-U Shaped Relationship between Aging and Epidermal Innervation in the Rat Plantar Hind Paw: a Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy Study.

PubMed

Kaliappan, Sankaranarayanan; Simone, Donald A; Banik, Ratan K

2018-04-13

The under-reporting of pain and atypical manifestations of painful syndromes within the elderly population have been well-documented, however, the specific relationship between pain and aging remains ambiguous. Previous studies have reported degenerative changes in primary afferents with aging. In this study, we questioned whether there is any change in the density of primary afferent endings within the epidermis of aged animals. Rats were categorically assessed in four age groups, each representing a key developmental stage across their life span: juvenile (2 months); adult (7 months); aged (18 months); and senescent (24-26 months). The plantar hind paw skin was removed, post-fixed, cut, and immunostained for protein gene product 9.5 and type IV collagen. Rats in the adult aged groups had significantly increased epidermal nerve densities and total lengths of immunoreactive nerve fibers, compared to both juvenile and senescent rats. However, the paw withdrawal thresholds to punctate mechanical stimulation progressively increased with age, and did not exhibit a clear relationship with epidermal innervation. We conclude a non-linear, inverted-U shaped relationship between rat plantar epidermal nerve density with aging, which does not correlate with mechanically-induced paw withdrawal behaviors. This article presents age-related decreased epidermal innervation in rat hind paw skin, which partly explains mechanisms underlying decreased pain sensitivity in aged subjects. The article may help clinicians to understand that any compromise of pain-sensing pathway can lead to under-reporting of pain, inadequate analgesia, and slower recovery from a painful condition. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Development and validation of an automated system for detection and assessment of scratching in the rodent

PubMed Central

Marino, Marc; Huang, Polly; Malkmus, Shelle; Robertshaw, Erin; Mac, Elaine A.; Shatterman, Yuri; Yaksh, Tony L.

2012-01-01

Pruritus, the sensation of itch, which evokes reflex scratching behavior, has a diverse etiology. Because of its clinical significance, mechanisms of pruriception are an important topic. In the present work we describe and validate a paw motion detector (PMD) system. The system employs a small removable metal band placed on one hind paw that provides a signal indicative of paw movement through perturbation of an electromagnetic (EM) field. C57Bl/6 mice were fitted with a unilateral hind paw band and adapted to testing cylinders equipped with EM signal emission and detection. The following observations were made: 1) in mice, unilateral SQ injection of 48/80 into the dorsolateral aspect of the neck evoked periodic high frequency bursts of scratching at the injected site with the ipsilateral (banded) but not the contralateral (not banded) hind paw. 2) Cross correlation between PMD and human observer counts after SQ 48/80 using the specified computational algorithm revealed a highly significant correlation. 3) SQ histamine and 48/80 over a 1 hour interval produced dose dependent scratching, which diphenhydramine dose dependently reversed. Chloroquine scratching displayed an inverse u-shaped dose response curve, which was insensitive to diphenhydramine. 4) SQ 48/80 at intervals over 28 days showed no change in the scratching response within the same cohort of mice. 5) Power analysis showed 40% changes in scratching activity could be detected at the p<0.05 level with groups of 4 mice. These observations indicate that the system described can efficiently define the actions and pharmacology of pruritogenic agents. PMID:22971351

Taraxerol, a pentacyclic triterpene from Abroma augusta leaf, attenuates acute inflammation via inhibition of NF-κB signaling.

PubMed

Khanra, Ritu; Dewanjee, Saikat; Dua, Tarun K; Bhattacharjee, Niloy

2017-04-01

Abroma augusta L. (Malvaceae) leaf is traditionally used to treat inflammatory disorders. In our laboratory, we have scientifically validated the anti-inflammatory effect of A. augusta leaf extract. In this study, it has been aimed to evaluate in vivo anti-inflammatory effect of taraxerol isolated from the methanol extract of A. augusta leaf. It was further intended to find out the probable mechanism of anti-inflammatory effect of taraxerol. The anti-inflammatory effect of taraxerol (5 and 10mg/kg, i.p.) was measured employing carrageenan-induced paw edema model of acute inflammation. The carrageenan injection resulted significant edema formation in the right paw when compared with un-injected left paw. However, taraxerol (10mg/kg) treatment could significantly (p<0.05-0.01) attenuate carrageenan induced paw edema 2h onward. The effect of taraxerol at the dose of 5mg/kg was found to be significant (p<0.05) only after 4h of carrageenan treatment. Taraxerol (10mg/kg) treatment could significantly (p<0.01) attenuate carrageenan mediated up-regulation in the levels of IL 1β, IL 6, IL 12 and TNF α in the right paw tissues. In search of molecular mechanism, taraxerol (10mg/kg) could significantly (p<0.05-0.01) reinstate carrageenan provoked NF-κB signaling and thereby caused significant down-regulation in the expressions of COX-2 (p<0.01) and iNOS (p<0.05). In conclusion, taraxerol would attenuate acute inflammation via inhibition of NF-κB signaling. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Over-Water Aspects of Ground-Effect Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuhn, Richard E.; Carter, Arthur W.; Schade, Robert O.

1960-01-01

The large thrust augmentation obtainable with annular-jet configurations in ground proximity has led to the serious investigation of ground-effect machines. The basic theoretical work on these phenomena has been done by Chaplin and Boehler. Large thrust-augmentation factors, however, can be obtained only at very low heights, that is, of the order of a few percent of the diameter of the vehicle. To take advantage of this thrust augmentation therefore the vehicle must be either very large or must operate over very smooth terrain. Over-land uses of these vehicles then will probably be rather limited. The water, however, is inherently smooth and those irregularities that do exist, that is waves, are statistically known. It appears therefore that some practical application of ground-effect machines may be made in over-water application.

Isolation of two triterpenoids and a biflavanone with anti-Inflammatory activity from Schinus molle fruits.

PubMed

Yueqin, Zeng; Recio, M Carmen; Máñez, Salvador; Giner, Rosa M; Cerdá-Nicolás, M; Ríos, José-Luis

2003-10-01

Three compounds with anti-inflammatory activity were isolated from Schinus molle fruits. Two of the compounds were identified as 3- epi-isomasticadienolalic acid ( 1), isomasticadienonalic acid ( 2) and chamaejasmin ( 3). Triterpenes 1 and 2, and biflavanone 3 were tested on two models of mice paw inflammation: one of acute inflammation, induced by subcutaneous injection of either phospholipase A (2) (PLA (2)) or carrageenan in the paws of mice, and one of chronic inflammation in the form of eczema, provoked by repeated administration of TPA to the ears of mice. On the PLA (2)-induced mouse paw oedema, only 2 was active (30 mg/kg, 66 % inhibition at 60 min), whereas all compounds reduced the chronic model of inflammation (48 to 26 % of swelling reduction), but only triterpenes reduced the leukocyte infiltration, measured as tissue peroxidase activity. In the case of the carrageenan-induced mouse paw oedema, only 3 led to a reduction of the swelling 3 h after challenge (50 mg/kg, 46 % oedema inhibition). In addition, 3 inhibited the LTB (4) production in rat peritoneal polymorphonuclear leukocytes with an IC (50) value of 29.8 microM, while triterpenes showed toxicity against cells at 100 microM.

Anti-inflammatory activity of leaf essential oil from Cinnamomum longepaniculatum (Gamble) N. Chao.

PubMed

Du, Yong-Hua; Feng, Rui-Zhang; Li, Qun; Wei, Qin; Yin, Zhong-Qiong; Zhou, Li-Jun; Tao, Cui; Jia, Ren-Yong

2014-01-01

The anti-inflammatory activity of the essential oil from C. longepaniculatum was evaluated by three experimental models including the dimethyl benzene-induced ear edema in mice, the carrageenan-induced paw edema in rat and the acetic acid-induced vascular permeability in mice. The influence of the essential oil on histological changes and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), histamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) production associated with carrageenan-induced rat paw edema was also investigated. The essential oil (0.5, 0.25, 0.13 ml/kg b.w.) showed significantly inhibition of inflammation along with a dose-dependent manner in the three experimental models. The anti-inflammatory activity of essential oil was occurred both in early and late phase and peaked at 4 h after carrageenan injection. The essential oil resulted in a dose dependent reduction of the paw thickness, connective tissue injury and the infiltration of inflammatory cell. The essential oil also significantly reduced the production of PGE2, histamine and 5-HT in the exudates of edema paw induced by carrageenan. Both the essential oil and indomethacin resulted relative lower percentage inhibition of histamine and 5-HT than that of PGE2 at 4 h after carrageenan injection.

Neutralization of the oedematogenic activity of Bothrops jararaca venom on the mouse paw by an antibothropic fraction isolated from opossum (Didelphis marsupialis) serum.

PubMed

Perales, J; Amorim, C Z; Rocha, S L; Domont, G B; Moussatché, H

1992-11-01

The pharmacological modulation of mice paw oedema produced by Bothrops jararaca venom (BJV) has been studied. Intraplantar injection of BJV (1-30 micrograms/paw) produced a dose- and time-related oedema, which was maximal 30 min after injection, reduced gradually thereafter and disappeared over 48 h. BJV heated at 100 degrees C for 5 or 15 min blocked local hemorrhage and caused partial inhibition of its oedematogenic activity. The BJV oedema was not inhibited by the anti-histamine meclizine, the inhibitor of histamine and serotonin, cyproheptadine, PAF-acether antagonist WEB 2170 or by the anti-leukotrienes C4/D4, LY 171883. Dexamethasone, aspirin, indomethacin, and the dual cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase inhibitor BW 755C inhibited BJV-induced oedema indicating that arachidonic acid metabolism products via the cyclooxygenase pathway participate in its genesis and/or maintenance. The antibothropic fraction (ABF) (25-200 micrograms/paw) isolated from Didelphis marsupialis serum neutralized the oedema induced by the venom with and without heating, the hemorrhage induced by BJV and partially blocked the oedema induced by bradykinin and by cellulose sulphate. The oedema produced by histamine, serotonin, PAF-acether or leukotriene C4 was not inhibited.

Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of Urtica dioica leaf extract in animal models

PubMed Central

Hajhashemi, Valiollah; Klooshani, Vahid

2013-01-01

Objective: This study was aimed to examine the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of Urtica dioica leaf extract in animal models. Materials and Methods: Hydroalcoholic extract of the plant leaves was prepared by percolation method. Male Swiss mice (25-35 g) and male Wistar rats (180-200 g) were randomly distributed in control, standard drug, and three experimental groups (n=6 in each group). Acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin test, and carrageenan-induced paw edema were used to assess the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects. Results: The extract dose-dependently reduced acetic acid-induced abdominal twitches. In formalin test, the extract at any of applied doses (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) could not suppress the licking behavior of first phase while doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg significantly inhibited the second phase of formalin test. In carrageenan test, the extract at a dose of 400 mg/kg significantly inhibited the paw edema by 26%. Conclusion: The results confirm the folkloric use of the plant extract in painful and inflammatory conditions. Further studies are needed to characterize the active constituents and the mechanism of action of the plant extract. PMID:25050274

Microhartree precision in density functional theory calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulans, Andris; Kozhevnikov, Anton; Draxl, Claudia

2018-04-01

To address ultimate precision in density functional theory calculations we employ the full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave + local-orbital (LAPW + lo) method and justify its usage as a benchmark method. LAPW + lo and two completely unrelated numerical approaches, the multiresolution analysis (MRA) and the linear combination of atomic orbitals, yield total energies of atoms with mean deviations of 0.9 and 0.2 μ Ha , respectively. Spectacular agreement with the MRA is reached also for total and atomization energies of the G2-1 set consisting of 55 molecules. With the example of α iron we demonstrate the capability of LAPW + lo to reach μ Ha /atom precision also for periodic systems, which allows also for the distinction between the numerical precision and the accuracy of a given functional.

Structure of N-(5-ethyl-[1,3,4]-thiadiazole-2-yl)toluenesulfonamide by combined X-ray powder diffraction, 13C solid-state NMR and molecular modelling.

PubMed

Hangan, Adriana; Borodi, Gheorghe; Filip, Xenia; Tripon, Carmen; Morari, Cristian; Oprean, Luminita; Filip, Claudiu

2010-12-01

The crystal structure solution of the title compound is determined from microcrystalline powder using a multi-technique approach that combines X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) data analysis based on direct-space methods with information from (13)C solid-state NMR (SSNMR), and molecular modelling using the GIPAW (gauge including projector augmented-wave) method. The space group is Pbca with one molecule in the asymmetric unit. The proposed methodology proves very useful for unambiguously characterizing the supramolecular arrangement adopted by the N-(5-ethyl-[1,3,4]-thiadiazole-2-yl)toluenesulfonamide molecules in the crystal, which consists of extended double strands held together by C-H···π non-covalent interactions.

Ilex paraguariensis Promotes Orofacial Pain Relief After Formalin Injection: Involvement of Noradrenergic Pathway.

PubMed

de Carvalho, Eudislaine Fonseca; de Oliveira, Simone Kobe; Nardi, Viviane Koepp; Gelinski, Tathiana Carla; Bortoluzzi, Marcelo Carlos; Maraschin, Marcelo; Nardi, Geisson Marcos

2016-03-01

Drinking mate or chimarrão, a hot infusion of Ilex paraguariensis (ILEX) leaves, is a common habit in Southern South America that has a social and almost ritualistic role. It has been used as a stimulant beverage in South America and analgesic in regions of Argentina for treatment of headache and others painful inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and rheumatism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacological activity of I. paraguariensis infusion (ILEX) on orofacial nociception model induced by formalin, and study its mechanism of action. The analgesic effect of ILEX was assessed through writhing test, paw formalin test, paw edema induced by carrageenan, and orofacial pain induced by formalin. To study the action mechanism of ILEX, opioidergic, dopaminergic, nitrergic, and adrenergic pathways were investigated. The high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of ILEX infusion revealed caffeine and theobromine. The treatment with ILEX reduced the number of writhing. However, it was effective neither in the formalin paw test nor in the paw edema induced by carrageenan. Different from formalin paw test, ILEX was able to reduce the orofacial reactivity to formalin in 31.8% (70.4 ± 2.5 s; first phase), and 20% (127.3 ± 18.9 s; second phase). The analgesic effect of ILEX results from the modulation of noradrenergic pathways since prazosin (α1-adrenoceptor antagonist, 0.15 mg/kg; intraperitoneal) reversed the analgesic effect of ILEX. The present report demonstrates that analgesic effect of ILEX in orofacial formalin test is due mainly to modulation of noradrenergic pathways. Ilex paraguariensis (ILEX) has been used as a stimulant beverage in South America and analgesic in regions of Argentina for the treatment of headache and others painful inflammatory conditions such arthritis and rheumatism.The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacological activity of ILEX on orofacial nociception model induced by formalin, and study its mechanism of action.ILEX reduced the number of writhing and orofacial reactivity to formalin in mice. However, it was effective neither in the formalin paw test nor in the paw edema induced by carrageenan.The analgesic effect of ILEX results from the modulation of noradrenergic pathways. Abbreviation Used: ILEX: Infusion of Ilex paraguariensis, NSAIDs: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, L-NOARG: L-NG-nitro-arginine, UV: Ultraviolet, i.p.: Intraperitoneal, NOS: Nitric Oxide Synthase, Analysis of variance, S.E.M.: Standard error of mean, HPLC: High-performance liquid chromatography, NO: Nitric Oxide, v.o.: Oral route, DCQ: dicaffeoylquinic acid, BMS: Burning mouth syndrome, PBS: Phosphate-buffered saline.

Skin blood flow response in the rat model of wound healing: expression of vasoactive factors.

PubMed

Rendell, Marc S; Johnson, Mark L; Smith, Denae; Finney, David; Capp, Christopher; Lammers, Rebecca; Lancaster, Scott

2002-09-01

Although the microvascular blood flow response to wounding is predominantly vasodilation at skin sites with nutritive capillary perfusion (NUTR), there is a significant vasoconstrictive response at sites with high arteriovenous perfusion (AV). There may be a difference between NUTR and AV sites in the vasoactive factors which mediate the blood flow response to wounding. We measured the levels of mRNA expression of several potential mediators of the blood flow response to assess this possible difference. We measured skin blood flow at wounds placed at the back, a NUTR site, and at the paw, an AV site, in 12 Wistar Kyoto rats. Measurements were performed at baseline and then at 7 days post wounding. There was a significant increase in blood flow at back wound sites, with a rise from 4.1 +/- 0.3 ml/min/100 g to 9.8 +/- 1.9 ml/min/100 g. At the undisturbed wound perimeter, outside the zone of granulation tissue, flow rose to 7.3 +/- 1.1 ml/min/100 g. At the paw wound site, Day 0 flow was 8.8 +/- 0.8 ml/min/100 g. At 7 days, there was a significant decrease in flow at wound center to 5.5 +/- 0.5 ml/min/100 g. We measured the levels of inducible nitric oxide synthetase (iNOS), endothelin, endothelin receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) gene mRNAs using reverse transcriptase PCR. There was a 10-fold increase in NOS mRNA in granulation tissue of both wounds on Day 7. There was a lesser but still substantial increase in the wound perimeter tissue. Levels of endothelin mRNA in the wound and wound perimeter were significantly lower at the paw than at the back. At baseline, the level of endothelin receptor B (ETrB) mRNA was greater at the back than at the paw. Wounding resulted in a substantial increase in EtrB mRNA levels in granulation tissue, reaching the same level at the back and paw wounds. There was also a substantial rise in EtrB mRNA levels at the paw wound perimeter, so that there was a reversal of the baseline condition, with paw levels actually surpassing the levels at the back perimeter. Thus, we have found significant changes in mediators both of vasoconstriction and vasodilation affecting the healing wound. These changes affect NUTR and AV sites in different ways. These results demonstrate the complexity of the regulatory processes controlling microvascular blood flow in wound healing.

A model of peripheral microvascular injury: irreversible caudal necrosis induced in carrageenan-inflamed rats treated with anti-inflammatory drugs and mild chilling: a pluricausal thrombo-haemorrhagic phenomenon.

PubMed

Whitehouse, M W; Rainsford, K D

1985-01-01

A florid tail injury was observed in carrageenan-inflamed rats previously treated with acidic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAI) drugs to suppress paw inflammation and then exposed to mild chilling (7-10 degrees C for 10-16 h). All three treatments, i.e. NSAI drug + carrageenan paw oedema + mild chilling treatment, were required for the development of this condition. Histological observations suggest that the tissue necrosis was initiated by a primary disturbance of the peripheral vasculature. The possible involvement of suppressed prostaglandin (PG) production in the aetiology of this condition is indicated by the fact that it was totally reversed by prior treatment with PGE2. This appears to be a classical pluricausal thrombohaemorrhagic phenomenon (of Selye), with cold-stress being the sensitizer and carrageenan and NSAI drugs being the challenger. The possibilities are considered of employing this tail injury model as a convenient method of developing drugs to control microvascular disturbances in man.

IN VIVO ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EFFECTS OF TARAXASTEROL AGAINST ANIMAL MODELS

PubMed Central

Wang, Ying; Li, Guan-Hao; Liu, Xin-Yu; Xu, Lu; Wang, Sha-Sha; Zhang, Xue-Mei

2017-01-01

Background: Traditional Chinese medicine Taraxacum officinale has been widely used to treat various inflammatory diseases. Taraxasterol is one of the main active components isolated from Taraxacum officinale. Recently, we have demonstrated that taraxasterol has the in vitro anti-inflammatory effects. This study aims to determine the in vivo anti-inflammatory effects of taraxasterol against animal models. Materials and Methods: Anti-inflammatory effects were assessed in four animal models by using dimethylbenzene-induced mouse ear edema, carrageenan-induced rat paw edema, acetic acid-induced mouse vascular permeability and cotton pellet-induced rat granuloma tests. Results: Our results demonstrated that taraxasterol dose-dependently attenuated dimethylbenzene-induced mouse ear edema and carrageenan-induced rat paw edema, decreased acetic acid-induced mouse vascular permeability and inhibited cotton pellet-induced rat granuloma formation. Conclusion: Our finding indicates that taraxasterol has obvious in vivo anti-inflammatory effects against animal models. It will provide experimental evidences for the traditional use of Taraxacum officinale and taraxasterol in inflammatory diseases. PMID:28480383

Augmented kludge waveforms for detecting extreme-mass-ratio inspirals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chua, Alvin J. K.; Moore, Christopher J.; Gair, Jonathan R.

2017-08-01

The extreme-mass-ratio inspirals (EMRIs) of stellar-mass compact objects into massive black holes are an important class of source for the future space-based gravitational-wave detector LISA. Detecting signals from EMRIs will require waveform models that are both accurate and computationally efficient. In this paper, we present the latest implementation of an augmented analytic kludge (AAK) model, publicly available at https://github.com/alvincjk/EMRI_Kludge_Suite as part of an EMRI waveform software suite. This version of the AAK model has improved accuracy compared to its predecessors, with two-month waveform overlaps against a more accurate fiducial model exceeding 0.97 for a generic range of sources; it also generates waveforms 5-15 times faster than the fiducial model. The AAK model is well suited for scoping out data analysis issues in the upcoming round of mock LISA data challenges. A simple analytic argument shows that it might even be viable for detecting EMRIs with LISA through a semicoherent template bank method, while the use of the original analytic kludge in the same approach will result in around 90% fewer detections.

Plasma ARC Welding of High-Performance-Ship Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-05-01

19 REFERENCES .................. ............................ 85 iiii -. -’ - -" -. I LIST OF FIGURES Page I - Comparison of PAW and GTAW ...tungsten-arc- welding ( GTAW ) process. Both processes employ an inert-gas-shielded non- consumable tungsten electrode, as shown in Figure 1. In genernl, both...piece acts as the cathode (ground or negative). However, both PAW and GTAW can be and have been, used with direct-current reverse polarity and with

Feasibility of two-dimensional speckle tracking in evaluation of arterial stiffness: Comparison with pulse wave velocity and conventional sonographic markers of atherosclerosis.

PubMed

Podgórski, Michał; Grzelak, Piotr; Kaczmarska, Magdalena; Polguj, Michał; Łukaszewski, Maciej; Stefańczyk, Ludomir

2018-02-01

Objective Arterial stiffening is an early marker of atherosclerosis that has a prognostic value for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Although many markers of arterial hardening have been proposed, the search is on for newer, more user-friendly and reliable surrogates. One such potential candidate has emerged from cardiology, the speckle-tracking technique. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of the two-dimensional speckle tracking for the evaluation of arterial wall stiffness in comparison with standard stiffness parameters. Methods Carotid ultrasound and applanation tonometry were performed in 188 patients with no cardiovascular risk factors. The following parameters were then evaluated: the intima-media complex thickness, distensibility coefficient, β-stiffness index, circumferential strain/strain rate, and pulse wave velocity and augmentation index. These variables were compared with each other and with patient age, and their reliability was assessed with Bland-Altman plots. Results Strain parameters derived from two-dimensional speckle tracking and intima-media complex thickness correlated better with age and pulse wave velocity than standard makers of arterial stiffness. Moreover, the reliability of these measurements was significantly higher than conventional surrogates. Conclusions Two-dimensional speckle tracing is a reliable method for the evaluation of arterial stiffness. Therefore, together with intima-media complex thickness measurement, it offers great potential in clinical practice as an early marker of atherosclerosis.

Major influence of a 'smoke and mirrors' effect caused by wave reflection on early diastolic coronary arterial wave intensity.

PubMed

Mynard, Jonathan P; Penny, Daniel J; Smolich, Joseph J

2018-03-15

Coronary wave intensity analysis (WIA) is an emerging technique for assessing upstream and downstream influences on myocardial perfusion. It is thought that a dominant backward decompression wave (BDW dia ) is generated by a distal suction effect, while early-diastolic forward decompression (FDW dia ) and compression (FCW dia ) waves originate in the aorta. We show that wave reflection also makes a substantial contribution to FDW dia , FCW dia and BDW dia , as quantified by a novel method. In 18 sheep, wave reflection accounted for ∼70% of BDW dia , whereas distal suction dominated in a computer model representing a hypertensive human. Non-linear addition/subtraction of mechanistically distinct waves (e.g. wave reflection and distal suction) obfuscates the true contribution of upstream and downstream forces on measured waves (the 'smoke and mirrors' effect). The mechanisms underlying coronary WIA are more complex than previously thought and the impact of wave reflection should be considered when interpreting clinical and experimental data. Coronary arterial wave intensity analysis (WIA) is thought to provide clear insight into upstream and downstream forces on coronary flow, with a large early-diastolic surge in coronary flow accompanied by a prominent backward decompression wave (BDW dia ), as well as a forward decompression wave (FDW dia ) and forward compression wave (FCW dia ). The BDW dia is believed to arise from distal suction due to release of extravascular compression by relaxing myocardium, while FDW dia and FCW dia are thought to be transmitted from the aorta into the coronary arteries. Based on an established multi-scale computational model and high-fidelity measurements from the proximal circumflex artery (Cx) of 18 anaesthetized sheep, we present evidence that wave reflection has a major impact on each of these three waves, with a non-linear addition/subtraction of reflected waves obscuring the true influence of upstream and downstream forces through concealment and exaggeration, i.e. a 'smoke and mirrors' effect. We also describe methods, requiring additional measurement of aortic WIA, for unravelling the separate influences of wave reflection versus active upstream/downstream forces on coronary waves. Distal wave reflection accounted for ∼70% of the BDW dia in sheep, but had a lesser influence (∼25%) in the computer model representing a hypertensive human. Negative reflection of the BDW dia at the coronary-aortic junction attenuated the Cx FDW dia (by ∼40% in sheep) and augmented Cx FCW dia (∼5-fold), relative to the corresponding aortic waves. We conclude that wave reflection has a major influence on early-diastolic WIA, and thus needs to be considered when interpreting coronary WIA profiles. © 2018 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2018 The Physiological Society.

Near-Infrared 1064 nm Laser Modulates Migratory Dendritic Cells To Augment the Immune Response to Intradermal Influenza Vaccine.

PubMed

Morse, Kaitlyn; Kimizuka, Yoshifumi; Chan, Megan P K; Shibata, Mai; Shimaoka, Yusuke; Takeuchi, Shu; Forbes, Benjamin; Nirschl, Christopher; Li, Binghao; Zeng, Yang; Bronson, Roderick T; Katagiri, Wataru; Shigeta, Ayako; Sîrbulescu, Ruxandra F; Chen, Huabiao; Tan, Rhea Y Y; Tsukada, Kosuke; Brauns, Timothy; Gelfand, Jeffrey; Sluder, Ann; Locascio, Joseph J; Poznansky, Mark C; Anandasabapathy, Niroshana; Kashiwagi, Satoshi

2017-08-15

Brief exposure of skin to near-infrared (NIR) laser light has been shown to augment the immune response to intradermal vaccination and thus act as an immunologic adjuvant. Although evidence indicates that the NIR laser adjuvant has the capacity to activate innate subsets including dendritic cells (DCs) in skin as conventional adjuvants do, the precise immunological mechanism by which the NIR laser adjuvant acts is largely unknown. In this study we sought to identify the cellular target of the NIR laser adjuvant by using an established mouse model of intradermal influenza vaccination and examining the alteration of responses resulting from genetic ablation of specific DC populations. We found that a continuous wave (CW) NIR laser adjuvant broadly modulates migratory DC (migDC) populations, specifically increasing and activating the Lang + and CD11b - Lang - subsets in skin, and that the Ab responses augmented by the CW NIR laser are dependent on DC subsets expressing CCR2 and Langerin. In comparison, a pulsed wave NIR laser adjuvant showed limited effects on the migDC subsets. Our vaccination study demonstrated that the efficacy of the CW NIR laser is significantly better than that of the pulsed wave laser, indicating that the CW NIR laser offers a desirable immunostimulatory microenvironment for migDCs. These results demonstrate the unique ability of the NIR laser adjuvant to selectively target specific migDC populations in skin depending on its parameters, and highlight the importance of optimization of laser parameters for desirable immune protection induced by an NIR laser-adjuvanted vaccine. Copyright © 2017 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

Relations of Arterial Stiffness and Brachial Flow-Mediated Dilation With New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation: The Framingham Heart Study.

PubMed

Shaikh, Amir Y; Wang, Na; Yin, Xiaoyan; Larson, Martin G; Vasan, Ramachandran S; Hamburg, Naomi M; Magnani, Jared W; Ellinor, Patrick T; Lubitz, Steven A; Mitchell, Gary F; Benjamin, Emelia J; McManus, David D

2016-09-01

The relations of measures of arterial stiffness, pulsatile hemodynamic load, and endothelial dysfunction to atrial fibrillation (AF) remain poorly understood. To better understand the pathophysiology of AF, we examined associations between noninvasive measures of vascular function and new-onset AF. The study sample included participants aged ≥45 years from the Framingham Heart Study offspring and third-generation cohorts. Using Cox proportional hazards regression models, we examined relations between incident AF and tonometry measures of arterial stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity), wave reflection (augmentation index), pressure pulsatility (central pulse pressure), endothelial function (flow-mediated dilation), resting brachial arterial diameter, and hyperemic flow. AF developed in 407/5797 participants in the tonometry sample and 270/3921 participants in the endothelial function sample during follow-up (median 7.1 years, maximum 10 years). Higher augmentation index (hazard ratio, 1.16; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.32; P=0.02), baseline brachial artery diameter (hazard ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.43; P=0.04), and lower flow-mediated dilation (hazard ratio, 0.79; 95% confidence interval, 0.63-0.99; P=0.04) were associated with increased risk of incident AF. Central pulse pressure, when adjusted for age, sex, and hypertension (hazard ratio, 1.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.28; P=0.02) was associated with incident AF. Higher pulsatile load assessed by central pulse pressure and greater apparent wave reflection measured by augmentation index were associated with increased risk of incident AF. Vascular endothelial dysfunction may precede development of AF. These measures may be additional risk factors or markers of subclinical cardiovascular disease associated with increased risk of incident AF. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Reliability of oscillometric central hemodynamic responses to an orthostatic challenge.

PubMed

Stoner, Lee; Bonner, Chantel; Credeur, Daniel; Lambrick, Danielle; Faulkner, James; Wadsworth, Daniel; Williams, Michelle A

2015-08-01

Monitoring central hemodynamic responses to an orthostatic challenge may provide important insight into autonomic nervous system function. Oscillometric pulse wave analysis devices have recently emerged, presenting clinically viable options for investigating central hemodynamic properties. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether oscillometric pulse wave analysis can be used to reliably (between-day) assess central blood pressure and central pressure augmentation (augmentation index) responses to a 5 min orthostatic challenge (modified tilt-table). Twenty healthy adults (26.4 y (SD 5.2), 55% F, 24.7 kg/m(2) (SD 3.8)) were tested on 3 different mornings in the fasted state, separated by a maximum of 7 days. Central hemodynamic variables were assessed on the left arm using an oscillometric device. Repeated measures analysis of variance indicated a significant main effect of the modified tilt-table for all central hemodynamic variables (P < 0.001). In response to the tilt, central diastolic pressure increased by 4.5 mmHg (CI: 2.6, 6.4), central systolic blood pressure increased by 2.3 (CI: 4.4, 0.16) mmHg, and augmentation index decreased by an absolute - 5.3%, (CI: -2.7, -7.9%). The intra-class correlation coefficient values for central diastolic pressure (0.83-0.86), central systolic blood pressure (0.80-0.87) and AIx (0.79-0.82) were above the 0.75 criterion in both the supine and tilted positions, indicating excellent between-day reliability. Central hemodynamic responses to an orthostatic challenge can be assessed with acceptable between-day reliability using oscillometric pulse wave analysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Caloric Restriction and Formalin-Induced Inflammation: An Experimental Study in Rat Model

PubMed Central

Nozad, Aisan; Safari, Mir Bahram; Saboory, Ehsan; Derafshpoor, Leila; Mohseni Moghaddam, Parvaneh; Ghaffari, Farzaneh; Naseri, Mohsen

2015-01-01

Background: Acute and chronic inflammations are difficult to control. Using chemical anti-inflammatory medications along with their complications considerably limit their use. According to Traditional Iranian Medicine (TIM), there is an important relation between inflammation and Imtila (food and blood accumulation in the body); food reduction or its more modern equivalent Caloric Restriction (CR) may act against both Imtila and inflammation. Objectives: This experimental study aimed to investigate the effect of 30% reduction in daily calorie intake on inflammation in rats. Materials and Methods: A total of 18 male rats (Rattus rattus) weighing 220 to 270 g were obtained. Then, the inflammation was induced by injecting formalin in their paws. Next, the rats were randomized by generating random numbers into two equal groups (9 + 9) putting on either normal diet (controls) or a similar diet with 30% reduction of calorie (cases). Paw volume changes were recorded twice per day by one observer in both groups using a standard plethysmometer for 8 consecutive days. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP), Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR), complete blood count (erythrocyte, platelet, and white blood cell) and hemoglobin were compared between the groups. Results: Decline of both body weight and paw volume was significantly more prominent in the case than in the control rats within the study period (P < 0.001 and < 0.001, respectively). Paw volume decrease was more prominent after day 3. On day 8, serum CRP-positive (1 or 2 +) rats were more frequent in ad libitum fed group comparing with those received CR (33.3% vs. 11.1%). This difference, however, was insignificant (P = 0.58). At the same time, mean ESR was significantly higher in the control rats comparing with that in the case group (29.00 ± 2.89 h vs. 14.00 ± 1.55 h; P = 0.001). Other serum parameters were not significantly different between the two groups at endpoint. Conclusions: Rats fed with a 30% calorie-restricted diet in comparison with to ad libitum fed controls for 8 days had significantly more prominent regression of inflammation. PMID:26421173

Universal test fixture for monolithic mm-wave integrated circuits calibrated with an augmented TRD algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Romanofsky, Robert R.; Shalkhauser, Kurt A.

1989-01-01

The design and evaluation of a novel fixturing technique for characterizing millimeter wave solid state devices is presented. The technique utilizes a cosine-tapered ridge guide fixture and a one-tier de-embedding procedure to produce accurate and repeatable device level data. Advanced features of this technique include nondestructive testing, full waveguide bandwidth operation, universality of application, and rapid, yet repeatable, chip-level characterization. In addition, only one set of calibration standards is required regardless of the device geometry.

Surgical injury in the neonatal rat alters the adult pattern of descending modulation from the rostroventral medulla.

PubMed

Walker, Suellen M; Fitzgerald, Maria; Hathway, Gareth J

2015-06-01

Neonatal pain and injury can alter long-term sensory thresholds. Descending rostroventral medulla (RVM) pathways can inhibit or facilitate spinal nociceptive processing in adulthood. As these pathways undergo significant postnatal maturation, the authors evaluated long-term effects of neonatal surgical injury on RVM descending modulation. Plantar hind paw or forepaw incisions were performed in anesthetized postnatal day (P)3 Sprague-Dawley rats. Controls received anesthesia only. Hind limb mechanical and thermal withdrawal thresholds were measured to 6 weeks of age (adult). Additional groups received pre- and post-incision sciatic nerve levobupivacaine or saline. Hind paw nociceptive reflex sensitivity was quantified in anesthetized adult rats using biceps femoris electromyography, and the effect of RVM electrical stimulation (5-200 μA) measured as percentage change from baseline. In adult rats with previous neonatal incision (n = 9), all intensities of RVM stimulation decreased hind limb reflex sensitivity, in contrast to the typical bimodal pattern of facilitation and inhibition with increasing RVM stimulus intensity in controls (n = 5) (uninjured vs. neonatally incised, P < 0.001). Neonatal incision of the contralateral hind paw or forepaw also resulted in RVM inhibition of hind paw nociceptive reflexes at all stimulation intensities. Behavioral mechanical threshold (mean ± SEM, 28.1 ± 8 vs. 21.3 ± 1.2 g, P < 0.001) and thermal latency (7.1 ± 0.4 vs. 5.3 ± 0.3 s, P < 0.05) were increased in both hind paws after unilateral neonatal incision. Neonatal perioperative sciatic nerve blockade prevented injury-induced alterations in RVM descending control. Neonatal surgical injury alters the postnatal development of RVM descending control, resulting in a predominance of descending inhibition and generalized reduction in baseline reflex sensitivity. Prevention by local anesthetic blockade highlights the importance of neonatal perioperative analgesia.

Antinociceptive activity of Riparin II from Aniba riparia: Further elucidation of the possible mechanisms.

PubMed

Rodrigues de Carvalho, Alyne Mara; Vasconcelos, Leonardo Freire; Moura Rocha, Nayrton Flávio; Vasconcelos Rios, Emiliano Ricardo; Dias, Marília Leite; Maria de França Fonteles, Marta; Gaspar, Danielle Macêdo; Barbosa Filho, José Maria; Chavez Gutierrez, Stanley Juan; Florenço de Sousa, Francisca Cléa

2018-05-01

Riparin II (RipII) has an anti-inflammatory activity potentially due its ability to decrease TNF-α and IL-1β production and its histamine antagonism. The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of RipII in the pain process and the possible antinociceptive mechanisms involved, using classic models of nociception. Male Swiss mice were used in the assays. Determinate the acute toxicity according to the OECD 425 test guideline. The models used were the acetic acid-, formalin-, hot plate and glutamate-induced nociception. For evaluation of antinociceptive effect, the involvement of TRPV1, TRPA1, TRPM8, ASICS, Bradykinin, PKC and PKA were performed using the paw licking using agonists. The acute toxicity study did not detect any clinical signs or changes in behavior or mortality. RipII, administered orally (25 and 50 mg/kg) caused a reduction of nociception induced by acetic acid, formalin (on the second phase) and glutamate. In the investigation of antinociceptive mechanism, we used capsaicin (2.2 μg/paw), cinnamaldehyde (10 nmol/paw), menthol (1.2 μmol/paw), ASICS (2% acetic acid, pH 1.98) and bradykinin (10 μg/paw). The results showed that TRPV1, TRPA1, TRPM8, ASICS and bradykinin play a role in the antinociceptive effect of RipII. The results also showed that PKA is involved too. These data demonstrate that RipII has a low or not toxicity and produced an important antinociceptive effect through mechanisms that probably involve an interaction, at least in part, TRPV1, TRPA1, TRPM8, ASICS, bradykinin and PKA participate in the RipII's antinociceptive effect. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of two active compounds obtained from the essential oil of Cordia verbenacea on the acute inflammatory responses elicited by LPS in the rat paw

PubMed Central

Medeiros, R; Passos, G F; Vitor, C E; Koepp, J; Mazzuco, T L; Pianowski, L F; Campos, M M; Calixto, J B

2007-01-01

Background and purpose: α-Humulene and trans-caryophyllene are sesquiterpene compounds identified in the essential oil of Cordia verbenacea which display topical and systemic anti-inflammatory effects in different experimental models. However, the molecular mechanisms through which they exert their anti-inflammatory activity still remain unclear. Here, we evaluate the effects of α-humulene and trans-caryophyllene on the acute inflammatory responses elicited by LPS. Experimental approach: The biological activities of α-humulene and trans-caryophyllene were investigated in a model of acute inflammation in rat paw, induced by LPS and characterized by paw oedema, neutrophil recruitment, cytokine production, activation of MAP kinases and NF-κB and up-regulated expression of kinin B1 receptors. Key results: Treatment with either α-humulene or trans-caryophyllene effectively reduced neutrophil migration and activation of NF-κB induced by LPS in the rat paw. However, only α-humulene significantly reduced the increase in TNF-α and IL-1β levels, paw oedema and the up-regulation of B1 receptors following treatment with LPS. Both compounds failed to interfere with the activation of the MAP kinases, ERK, p38 and JNK. Conclusions and Implications: Both α-humulene and trans-caryophyllene inhibit the LPS-induced NF-κB activation and neutrophil migration, although only α-humulene had the ability to prevent the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β and the in vivo up-regulation of kinin B1 receptors. These data provide additional molecular and functional insights into the beneficial effects of the sesquiterpenes α-humulene and trans-caryophyllene isolated from the essential oil of Cordia verbenacea as agents for the management of inflammatory diseases. PMID:17471174

Effect of two active compounds obtained from the essential oil of Cordia verbenacea on the acute inflammatory responses elicited by LPS in the rat paw.

PubMed

Medeiros, R; Passos, G F; Vitor, C E; Koepp, J; Mazzuco, T L; Pianowski, L F; Campos, M M; Calixto, J B

2007-07-01

alpha-Humulene and trans-caryophyllene are sesquiterpene compounds identified in the essential oil of Cordia verbenacea which display topical and systemic anti-inflammatory effects in different experimental models. However, the molecular mechanisms through which they exert their anti-inflammatory activity still remain unclear. Here, we evaluate the effects of alpha-humulene and trans-caryophyllene on the acute inflammatory responses elicited by LPS. The biological activities of alpha-humulene and trans-caryophyllene were investigated in a model of acute inflammation in rat paw, induced by LPS and characterized by paw oedema, neutrophil recruitment, cytokine production, activation of MAP kinases and NF-kappaB and up-regulated expression of kinin B(1) receptors. Treatment with either alpha-humulene or trans-caryophyllene effectively reduced neutrophil migration and activation of NF-kappaB induced by LPS in the rat paw. However, only alpha-humulene significantly reduced the increase in TNF-alpha and IL-1beta levels, paw oedema and the up-regulation of B(1) receptors following treatment with LPS. Both compounds failed to interfere with the activation of the MAP kinases, ERK, p38 and JNK. Both alpha-humulene and trans-caryophyllene inhibit the LPS-induced NF-kappaB activation and neutrophil migration, although only alpha-humulene had the ability to prevent the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-1beta and the in vivo up-regulation of kinin B(1) receptors. These data provide additional molecular and functional insights into the beneficial effects of the sesquiterpenes alpha-humulene and trans-caryophyllene isolated from the essential oil of Cordia verbenacea as agents for the management of inflammatory diseases.

Bosentan, a mixed endothelin receptor antagonist, inhibits superoxide anion-induced pain and inflammation in mice.

PubMed

Serafim, Karla G G; Navarro, Suelen A; Zarpelon, Ana C; Pinho-Ribeiro, Felipe A; Fattori, Victor; Cunha, Thiago M; Alves-Filho, Jose C; Cunha, Fernando Q; Casagrande, Rubia; Verri, Waldiceu A

2015-11-01

Bosentan is a mixed endothelin receptor antagonist widely used to treat patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, and the emerging literature suggests bosentan as a potent anti-inflammatory drug. Superoxide anion is produced in large amounts during inflammation, stimulates cytokine production, and thus contributes to inflammation and pain. However, it remains to be determined whether endothelin contributes to the inflammatory response triggered by the superoxide anion. The present study investigated the effects of bosentan in a mouse model of inflammation and pain induced by potassium superoxide, a superoxide anion donor. Male Swiss mice were treated with bosentan (10-100 mg/kg) by oral gavage, 1 h before potassium superoxide injection, and the inflammatory response was evaluated locally and at spinal cord (L4-L6) levels. Bosentan (100 mg/kg) inhibited superoxide anion-induced mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia, overt pain-like behavior (abdominal writhings, paw flinching, and licking), paw edema, myeloperoxidase activity (neutrophil marker) in the paw skin, and leukocyte recruitment in the peritoneal cavity. Bosentan also inhibited superoxide anion-induced interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) production, while it enhanced IL-10 production in the paw skin and spinal cord. Bosentan inhibited the reduction of antioxidant capacity (reduced glutathione, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and ABTS radical scavenging ability) induced by the superoxide anion. Finally, we demonstrated that intraplantar injection of potassium superoxide induces the mRNA expression of prepro-endothelin-1 in the paw skin and spinal cord. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that superoxide anion-induced inflammation, pain, cytokine production, and oxidative stress depend on endothelin; therefore, these responses are amenable to bosentan treatment.

Charged and uncharged vortices in quasiclassical theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masaki, Yusuke; Kato, Yusuke

2018-03-01

The charging effect of a superconducting vortex core is very important for transport properties of superconducting vortices. The chiral p-wave superconductor, known as a topological superconductor (SC), has a Majorana fermion in a vortex core and the charging effect has been studied using microscopic Bogoliubov{de Gennes (BdG) theory. According to calculations based on the BdG theory, one type of the vortex is charged as well as the vortex of the s-wave SC, while the other is uncharged. We reproduce this interesting charging effect using an augmented quasiclassical theory in chiral p-wave SCs, by which we can deal with particle-hole asymmetry in the quasiclassical approximation.

Decoherence and surface hopping: When can averaging over initial conditions help capture the effects of wave packet separation?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subotnik, Joseph E.; Shenvi, Neil

2011-06-01

Fewest-switches surface hopping (FSSH) is a popular nonadiabatic dynamics method which treats nuclei with classical mechanics and electrons with quantum mechanics. In order to simulate the motion of a wave packet as accurately as possible, standard FSSH requires a stochastic sampling of the trajectories over a distribution of initial conditions corresponding, e.g., to the Wigner distribution of the initial quantum wave packet. Although it is well-known that FSSH does not properly account for decoherence effects, there is some confusion in the literature about whether or not this averaging over a distribution of initial conditions can approximate some of the effects of decoherence. In this paper, we not only show that averaging over initial conditions does not generally account for decoherence, but also why it fails to do so. We also show how an apparent improvement in accuracy can be obtained for a fortuitous choice of model problems, even though this improvement is not possible, in general. For a basic set of one-dimensional and two-dimensional examples, we find significantly improved results using our recently introduced augmented FSSH algorithm.

Using an experimental model for the study of therapeutic touch.

PubMed

dos Santos, Daniella Soares; Marta, Ilda Estéfani Ribeiro; Cárnio, Evelin Capellari; de Quadros, Andreza Urba; Cunha, Thiago Mattar; de Carvalho, Emilia Campos

2013-02-01

to verify whether the Paw Edema Model can be used in investigations about the effects of Therapeutic Touch on inflammation by measuring the variables pain, edema and neutrophil migration. this is a pilot and experimental study, involving ten male mice of the same genetic strain and divided into experimental and control group, submitted to the chemical induction of local inflammation in the right back paw. The experimental group received a daily administration of Therapeutic Touch for 15 minutes during three days. the data showed statistically significant differences in the nociceptive threshold and in the paw circumference of the animals from the experimental group on the second day of the experiment. the experiment model involving animals can contribute to study the effects of Therapeutic Touch on inflammation, and adjustments are suggested in the treatment duration, number of sessions and experiment duration.

GIPAW (gauge including projected augmented wave) and local dynamics in 13C and 29Si solid state NMR: the study case of silsesquioxanes (RSiO1.5)8.

PubMed

Gervais, Christel; Bonhomme-Coury, Laure; Mauri, Francesco; Babonneau, Florence; Bonhomme, Christian

2009-08-28

Octameric silsesquioxanes (RSiO(1.5))(8) are versatile and interesting nano building blocks, suitable for the synthesis of nanocomposites with controlled porosity. In this paper, we revisit the (29)Si and (13)C solid state NMR spectroscopy for this class of materials, by using GIPAW (gauge including projected augmented wave) first principles calculations [Pickard & Mauri, Phys. Rev. B, 2001, 63, 245101]. Full tensorial data, including the chemical shift anisotropies (CSA) and the absolute orientation of the corresponding principal axes systems (PAS), were calculated. Subsequent averaging of the calculated tensors (due to fast reorientation of the R groups around the Si-C bonds) allowed for the interpretation of the strong reduction of CSA and dipolar couplings for these derivatives. Good agreement was observed between the averaged calculated data and the experimental parameters. Interesting questions related to the interplay between X-ray crystallography and solid state NMR are raised and will be emphasized.

First-principles investigation for some physical properties of some fluoroperovskites compounds ABF3 (A = K, Na; B = Mg, Zn)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakri, Badis; Driss, Zied; Berri, Saadi; Khenata, Rabah

2017-12-01

In this work, the structural, electronic and optical properties of fluoroperovskite ABF3 (A = K, Na; B = Mg, Zn) were studied using two different approaches: the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave method and the pseudo-potential plane wave scheme in the frame of generalized gradient approximation features such as the lattice constant, bulk modulus and its pressure derivative are reported. The ground state properties of these compounds such as the equilibrium lattice constant and the bulk modulus are in good agreement with the experimental results. The first principles calculations were performed to study the electronic structures of ABF3(A = K, Na; B = Mg, Zn) compounds and the results indicated that these four compounds are indirect band gap insulators. The optical properties are analysed and the source of some peaks in the spectra is discussed. Besides, the dielectric function, refractive index and extinction coefficient for radiation up to 25 eV have also been reported and discussed.

Association between smoking status and the parameters of vascular structure and function in adults: results from the EVIDENT study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The present study analyses the relation between smoking status and the parameters used to assess vascular structure and function. Methods This cross-sectional, multi-centre study involved a random sample of 1553 participants from the EVIDENT study. Measurements: The smoking status, peripheral augmentation index and ankle-brachial index were measured in all participants. In a small subset of the main population (265 participants), the carotid intima-media thickness and pulse wave velocity were also measured. Results After controlling for the effect of age, sex and other risk factors, present smokers have higher values of carotid intima-media thickness (p = 0.011). Along the same lines, current smokers have higher values of pulse wave velocity and lower mean values of ankle-brachial index but without statistical significance in both cases. Conclusions Among the parameters of vascular structure and function analysed, only the IMT shows association with the smoking status, after adjusting for confounders. PMID:24289208

Theoretical band structure of the superconducting antiperovskite oxide Sr3-xSnO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikeda, Atsutoshi; Fukumoto, Toshiyuki; Oudah, Mohamed; Hausmann, Jan Niklas; Yonezawa, Shingo; Kobayashi, Shingo; Sato, Masatoshi; Tassel, Cédric; Takeiri, Fumitaka; Takatsu, Hiroshi; Kageyama, Hiroshi; Maeno, Yoshiteru

2018-05-01

In order to investigate the position of the strontium deficiency in superconductive Sr3-xSnO, we synthesized and measured X-ray-diffraction patterns of Sr3-xSnO (x ∼ 0.5). Because no clear peaks originating from superstructures were observed, strontium deficiency is most likely to be randomly distributed. We also performed first-principles band-structure calculations on Sr3-xSnO (x = 0, 0.5) using two methods: full-potential linearized-augmented plane-wave plus local orbitals method and the Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker Green function method combined with the coherent potential approximation. We revealed that the Fermi energy of Sr3-xSnO in case of x ∼ 0.5 is about 0.8 eV below the original Fermi energy of the stoichiometric Sr3SnO, where the mixing of the valence p and conduction d orbitals are considered to be small.

Weight bearing evaluation in inflammatory, neuropathic and cancer chronic pain in freely moving rats.

PubMed

Tétreault, Pascal; Dansereau, Marc-André; Doré-Savard, Louis; Beaudet, Nicolas; Sarret, Philippe

2011-09-01

Preclinical pain assessment remains a key step for the development of new and potent painkillers. Significant progress in pain evaluation has been achieved with the development of non-reflexive tools. Seeking efficient and clinically relevant devices for pain-related quality of life assessment, we evaluated a new Dynamic Weight Bearing (DWB) device based on pressure captors in three different preclinical chronic pain models. Inflammatory (CFA), neuropathic (CCI) and bone cancer pain (femoral tumor) models were evaluated in Sprague Dawley rats for mechanical allodynia using dynamic von Frey for pain-related behaviors and DWB for discomfort. We observed similar impairment patterns in all of the models for both von Frey (allodynia) and DWB (weight balance) during the complete observation period, starting at day 3 in CCI- and CFA-affected limbs and at day 14 in bone cancer-afflicted rats, indicating that the DWB could be a useful tool for supporting pain assessment. Interestingly, we demonstrated that the main compensation, when animals experienced pain, was seen in the forepaws, ranging from 46% to 69% of increased load compared to normal. Other pain-related coping behaviors were also measured, such as the time spent on each paw and the contact surface. Our results revealed that CFA, CCI and cancerous rats decreased the use of their ipsilateral hind paws by 30% and showed a 50% reduction in paw surface pressed against the floor. In conclusion, this new device improves methods for preclinical evaluation of discomfort and quality of life proxies and could be helpful in screening putative analgesics. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of antinociceptive activity of hydromethanol extract of Cyperus rotundus in mice

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Cyperus rotundus Linn. (Cyperaceae) is used to treat inflammation, pain, fever, wounds, boils and blisters in folk medicine. This study evaluated the antinociceptive effect of the hydromethanol extract of whole plant of C. rotundus (HMCR). Methods The antinociceptive activity of HMCR was investigated in thermal-induced (hot plate and tail immersion) and chemical-induced (formalin) nociception models in mice at three different doses (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg; p.o.). Morphine sulphate (5 mg/kg, i.p.) and diclofenac sodium (10 mg/kg, i.p.) were used as reference analgesic agents. Results In the hot-plate and tail-immersion tests HMCR significantly increased the latency period to the thermal stimuli at all the tested doses (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) (p < 0.05). The significant increase in latency is clear from the observations at 60 and 90 min. In formalin-induced paw licking test oral administration of HMCR at 100 and 200 mg/kg doses decreased the licking of paw in early phase. All the tested doses (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) significantly decreased the licking of paw in late phase of the test (p < 0.001). The dose 200 mg/kg was most effective showing maximum percentage of inhibition of licking in both early (61.60%) and late phase (87.41%). Conclusion These results indicate the antinociceptive effect of C. rotundus and suggest that this effect is mediated by both peripheral and central mechanisms. These results support the traditional use of this plant in different painful conditions. PMID:24589067

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Antinociceptive effect and interaction of uncompetitive and competitive NMDA receptor antagonists upon capsaicin and paw pressure testing in normal and monoarthritic rats.

PubMed

Pelissier, Teresa; Infante, Claudio; Constandil, Luis; Espinosa, Jeannette; Lapeyra, Carolina De; Hernández, Alejandro

2008-01-01

We assessed whether intrathecal administration of the uncompetitive and competitive NMDA receptor antagonists ketamine and (+/-)CPP, respectively, could produce differential modulation on chemical and mechanical nociception in normal and monoarthritic rats. In addition, the antinociceptive interaction of ketamine and (+/-)CPP on monoarthritic pain was also studied using isobolographic analysis. Monoarthritis was produced by intra-articular injection of complete Freund's adjuvant into the tibio-tarsal joint. Four weeks later, the antinociceptive effect of intrathecal administration of the drugs alone or combined was evaluated by using the intraplantar capsaicin and the paw pressure tests. Ketamine (0.1, 1, 10, 30, 100, 300 and 1000 microg i.t.) and (+/-)CPP (0.125, 2.5, 7.5, 12.5, 25 and 50 microg i.t.) produced significantly greater dose-dependent antinociception in the capsaicin than in the paw pressure test. Irrespective of the nociceptive test employed, both antagonists showed greater antinociceptive activity in monoarthritic than in healthy rats. Combinations produced synergy of a supra-additive nature in the capsaicin test, but only additive antinociception in paw pressure testing. The efficacy of the drugs, alone or combined, is likely to depend on the differential sensitivity of tonic versus phasic pain and/or chemical versus mechanical pain to NMDA antagonists.

Anti-inflammatory effect of selenium nanoparticles on the inflammation induced in irradiated rats.

PubMed

El-Ghazaly, M A; Fadel, N; Rashed, E; El-Batal, A; Kenawy, S A

2017-02-01

Selenium (Se) has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory properties, but its bioavailability and toxicity are considerable limiting factors. The present study aimed to investigate the possible anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of selenium nanoparticles (Nano-Se) on inflammation induced in irradiated rats. Paw volume and nociceptive threshold were measured in carrageenan-induced paw edema and hyperalgesia model. Leukocytic count, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBAR), and total nitrate/nitrite (NOx) were estimated in the exudate collected from 6 day old air pouch model. Irradiated rats were exposed to 6 Gy gamma (γ)-irradiation. Nano-Se were administered orally in a dose of 2.55 mg/kg once before carrageenan injection in the first model and twice in the second model. The paw volume but not the nociceptive response produced by carrageenan in irradiated rats was higher than that induced in non-irradiated rats. Nano-Se were effective in reducing the paw volume in non-irradiated and irradiated rats but it did not alter the nociceptive threshold. The inflammation induced in irradiated rats increased all the estimated parameters in the exudate whereas; Nano-Se decreased their elevation in non-irradiated and irradiated rats. Nano-Se possess a potential anti-inflammatory activity on inflammation induced in irradiated rats.

Anti-inflammatory activity of Polygonum bistorta, Guaiacum officinale and Hamamelis virginiana in rats.

PubMed

Duwiejua, M; Zeitlin, I J; Waterman, P G; Gray, A I

1994-04-01

The aqueous ethanolic extracts of Polygonum bistorta L. Polygonaceae, Guaiacum officinale L. Zygophyllaceae and Hamamelis virginiana L. Hamamelidaceae were screened for anti-inflammatory activity. Administered (100 and 200 mg kg-1, p.o.) before the induction of carrageenan rat paw oedema, extracts of P. bistorta significantly suppressed both the maximal oedema response and the total oedema response (monitored as area under the time course curve). H. virginiana was inactive and G. officinale was only active at 200 mg kg-1. At 200 mg kg-1 administered before the induction of adjuvant arthritis, P. bistorta significantly inhibited both the acute and chronic phases of the adjuvant-induced rat paw swelling, while G. officinale and H. virginiana were only active against the chronic phase. Further studies on P. bistorta (100-800 mg kg-1) revealed a dose-dependent inhibition of the carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema over the dose range 100-400 mg kg-1, the E50 value being approximately 158.5 mg kg-1. The extract (200 mg kg-1), administered after the onset of the inflammatory responses reversed the course of both the carrageenan- and adjuvant-induced rat paw swelling. The results confirm that the extracts of P. bistorta, G. officinale and H. virginiana contain anti-inflammatory substances.

Therapeutics for Inflammatory-Related Diseases Based on Plasmon-Activated Water: A Review.

PubMed

Yang, Chih-Ping; Liu, Yu-Chuan

2018-05-28

It is recognized that the properties of liquid water can be markedly different from those of bulk one when it is in contact with hydrophobic surfaces or is confined in nano-environments. Because our knowledge regarding water structure on the molecular level of dynamic equilibrium within a picosecond time scale is far from completeness all of water's conventionally known properties are based on inert "bulk liquid water" with a tetrahedral hydrogen-bonded structure. Actually, the strength of water's hydrogen bonds (HBs) decides its properties and activities. In this review, an innovative idea on preparation of metastable plasmon-activated water (PAW) with intrinsically reduced HBs, by letting deionized (DI) water flow through gold-supported nanoparticles (AuNPs) under resonant illumination at room temperature, is reported. Compared to DI water, the created stable PAW can scavenge free hydroxyl and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals and effectively reduce NO release from lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory cells. Moreover, PAW can dramatically induce a major antioxidative Nrf2 gene in human gingival fibroblasts. This further confirms its cellular antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, innovatively therapeutic strategy of daily drinking PAW on inflammatory-related diseases based on animal disease models is demonstrated, examples being chronic kidney disease (CKD), chronic sleep deprivation (CSD), and lung cancer.

In Vivo Evaluation of the Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Pistacia lentiscus Fruit Oil and Its Effects on Oxidative Stress

PubMed Central

Bardaa, Sana; Sahnoun, Zouheir; Rebai, Tarek

2016-01-01

In order to find new topical anti-inflammatory agents, we had recourse to a medicinal plant. This work was designed to determine the topical anti-inflammatory effect of Pistacia lentiscus fruit oil (PLFO), using carrageenan-induced paw edema rat model, and to evaluate its effects on oxidative stress. The topical anti-inflammatory activity of PLFO was compared to Inflocine® and estimated by measuring the diameter of paw edema, for 5 hours at a 1-hour interval. After that the rats were scarified and the inflamed paw tissue was removed for the exploration of some parameters of oxidative stress and histopathology. PLFO showed a significant anti-inflammatory activity in comparison with the Inflocine. The percentages of edema inhibition were 70% and % 51.5% (p < 0.01), respectively, after five hours. The treatment with PLFO and Inflocine led to significant increases (p ≤ 0.05) in the activities of CAT, SOD, and GPX and significant decreases in the MDA level and AOPP activity in the paw tissue after Carr injection, in comparison with the Carr group. Therefore, our findings demonstrate that PLFO might accelerate the development of new drugs which could be used scientifically as a source for natural health products in the treatment of topical inflammation. PMID:28070202

Proanthocyanidin-rich Pinus radiata bark extract inhibits mast cell-mediated anaphylaxis-like reactions.

PubMed

Choi, Yun Ho; Song, Chang Ho; Mun, Sung Phil

2018-02-01

Mast cells play a critical role in the effector phase of immediate hypersensitivity and allergic reactions. Pinus radiata bark extract exerts multiple biological effects and exhibits immunomodulatory and antioxidant properties. However, its role in mast cell-mediated anaphylactic reactions has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we examined the effects of proanthocyanidin-rich water extract (PAWE) isolated from P. radiata bark on compound 48/80-induced or antidinitrophenyl (DNP) immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated anaphylaxis-like reactions in vivo. In addition, we evaluated the mechanism underlying the inhibitory effect of PAWE on mast cell activation, with a specific focus on histamine release, using rat peritoneal mast cells. PAWE attenuated compound 48/80-induced or anti-DNP IgE-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis-like reactions in mice, and it inhibited histamine release triggered by compound 48/80, ionophore A23187, or anti-DNP IgE in rat peritoneal mast cells in vitro. Moreover, PAWE suppressed compound 48/80-elicited calcium uptake in a concentration-dependent manner and promoted a transient increase in intracellular cyclic adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate levels. Together, these results suggest that proanthocyanidin-rich P. radiata bark extract effectively inhibits anaphylaxis-like reactions. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Soil Water Retention as Indicator for Soil Physical Quality - Examples from Two SoilTrEC European Critical Zone Observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rousseva, Svetla; Kercheva, Milena; Shishkov, Toma; Dimitrov, Emil; Nenov, Martin; Lair, Georg J.; Moraetis, Daniel

2014-05-01

Soil water retention is of primary importance for majority of soil functions. The characteristics derived from Soil Water Retention Curve (SWRC) are directly related to soil structure and soil water regime and can be used as indicators for soil physical quality. The aim of this study is to present some parameters and relationships based on the SWRC data from the soil profiles characterising the European SoilTrEC Critical Zone Observatories Fuchsenbigl and Koiliaris. The studied soils are representative for highly productive soils managed as arable land in the frame of soil formation chronosequence at "Marchfeld" (Fuchsenbigl CZO), Austria and heavily impacted soils during centuries through intensive grazing and farming, under severe risk of desertification in context of climatic and lithological gradient at Koiliaris, Crete, Greece. Soil water retention at pF ≤ 2.52 was determined using the undisturbed soil cores (100 cm3 and 50 cm3) by a suction plate method. Water retention at pF = 4.2 was determined by a membrane press method and at pF ≥ 5.6 - by adsorption of water vapour at controlled relative humidity, both using ground soil samples. The soil physical quality parameter (S-parameter) was defined as the slope of the water retention curve at its inflection point (Dexter, 2006), determined with the obtained parameters of van Genuhten (1980) water retention equation. The S-parameter values were categorised to assess soil physical quality as follows: S < 0.020 very poor, 0.020 ≤ S < 0.035 poor, 0.035 ≤ S < 0.050 good, S ≥ 0.050 very good (Dexter, 2004). The results showed that most of the studied topsoil horizons have good physical quality according to both the S-parameter and the Plant-Available Water content (PAW), with the exception of the soils from croplands at CZO Fuxenbigl (F4, F5) which are with poor soil structure. The link between the S-parameter and the indicator of soil structure stability (water stable soil aggregates with size 1-3 mm) is not well defined. The scattering is due to high values of S in subsoil, which does not always coincide with favourable physical properties, as it can be seen from the relationship with the PAW content. It was found that values of S ≥ 0.05 correspond to PAW > 20 % vol. in the topsoil horizons. The high values of S in subsoil horizons are due to the low PAW and restrict the application of the S categories in these cases. Well defined links are found between the PAW content and the S-parameter when the data from the topsoil horizons are grouped in 2 groups according to the ratio between air-filled pores (at pF 2.52) and plant available water: <2 and ≥ 2. The authors acknowledge gratefully the European Commission Research Directorate-General for funding the SoilTrEC project (Contract No 244118) under its 7th Framework Programme.

The associations of cardiorespiratory fitness, adiposity and sports participation with arterial stiffness in youth with chronic diseases or physical disabilities

PubMed Central

Haapala, Eero A; Lankhorst, Kristel; de Groot, Janke; Zwinkels, Maremka; Verschuren, Olaf; Wittink, Harriet; Backx, Frank JG; Visser-Meily, Anne

2017-01-01

Background The evidence on the associations of cardiorespiratory fitness, body adiposity and sports participation with arterial stiffness in children and adolescents with chronic diseases or physical disabilities is limited. Methods Altogether 140 children and adolescents with chronic diseases or physical disabilities participated in this cross-sectional study. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed using maximal exercise test with respiratory gas analyses either using shuttle run, shuttle ride, or cycle ergometer test. Cardiorespiratory fitness was defined as peak oxygen uptake by body weight or fat-free mass. Body adiposity was assessed using waist circumference, body mass index standard deviation score and body fat percentage. Sports participation was assessed by a questionnaire. Aortic pulse wave velocity and augmentation index were assessed by a non-invasive oscillometric tonometry device. Results Peak oxygen uptake/body weight (standardised regression coefficient β −0.222, 95% confidence interval (CI) −0.386 to −0.059, P = 0.002) and peak oxygen uptake/fat-free mass (β −0.173, 95% CI −0.329 to −0.017, P = 0.030) were inversely and waist circumference directly (β 0.245, 95% CI 0.093 to 0.414, P = 0.002) associated with aortic pulse wave velocity. However, the associations of the measures of cardiorespiratory fitness with aortic pulse wave velocity were attenuated after further adjustment for waist circumference. A higher waist circumference (β −0.215, 95% CI −0.381 to −0.049, P = 0.012) and a higher body mass index standard deviation score (β 0.218, 95% CI −0.382 to −0.054, P = 0.010) were related to lower augmentation index. Conclusions Poor cardiorespiratory fitness and higher waist circumference were associated with increased arterial stiffness in children and adolescents with chronic diseases and physical disabilities. The association between cardiorespiratory fitness and arterial stiffness was partly explained by waist circumference. PMID:28374647

Free androgen index as a determinant of arterial stiffness in menopause: a mediation analysis.

PubMed

Lambrinoudaki, Irene; Georgiopoulos, Georgios A; Athanasouli, Fani; Armeni, Elena; Rizos, Demetrios; Augoulea, Areti; Chatzidou, Sofia; Koutli, Evangelia; Makris, Nikolaos; Kanakakis, Ioannis; Stamatelopoulos, Kimon

2017-06-01

Associations of endogenous androgens in menopause with blood pressure (BP) and indices of arterial stiffness are reported, but directional relationships are not clear. Structural equation modeling is a contemporary statistical method, which allows assessment of such relationships and improves pathway understanding. We recruited 411 consecutive apparently healthy postmenopausal women who underwent noninvasive vascular evaluation. This included pulse wave analysis (aortic pressures and arterial wave reflections [augmentation index]), measurement of aortic stiffness by pulse wave velocity (PWV), stiffness index (SI), and flow-mediated dilatation. A cumulative marker combining PWV and SI (combined local and aortic arterial stiffness [CAS]) was also assessed. Free androgen index (FAI) was calculated from circulating total testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin. FAI was an independent determinant of systolic BP (SBP) (P = 0.032), SI (P = 0.042), and PWV (P = 0.027). Under structural equation modeling analysis, FAI was a direct predictor for PWV (beta = 0.149, P = 0.014), SI (beta = 0.154, P = 0.022), and CAS (beta = 0.193, P = 0.02), whereas SBP was a parallel mediator of androgen's vascular effects on PWV (beta = 0.280, P < 0.001) and CAS (beta = 0.248, P = 0.004), but not SI (beta = 0.024, P = 0.404). FAI-induced increase in arterial stiffness via flow-mediated dilatation was not established. FAI was not a determinant of augmentation index. In healthy postmenopausal women, FAI was directly associated with PWV, SI, and CAS. FAI also directly correlated with SBP, which in turn concurrently increased PWV and CAS. The directional correlations found herein, imply that endogenous androgens may be causally associated with indices of arterial stiffness both directly and indirectly. This hypothesis should be confirmed in further studies with causal design.

The associations of cardiorespiratory fitness, adiposity and sports participation with arterial stiffness in youth with chronic diseases or physical disabilities.

PubMed

Haapala, Eero A; Lankhorst, Kristel; de Groot, Janke; Zwinkels, Maremka; Verschuren, Olaf; Wittink, Harriet; Backx, Frank Jg; Visser-Meily, Anne; Takken, Tim

2017-07-01

Background The evidence on the associations of cardiorespiratory fitness, body adiposity and sports participation with arterial stiffness in children and adolescents with chronic diseases or physical disabilities is limited. Methods Altogether 140 children and adolescents with chronic diseases or physical disabilities participated in this cross-sectional study. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed using maximal exercise test with respiratory gas analyses either using shuttle run, shuttle ride, or cycle ergometer test. Cardiorespiratory fitness was defined as peak oxygen uptake by body weight or fat-free mass. Body adiposity was assessed using waist circumference, body mass index standard deviation score and body fat percentage. Sports participation was assessed by a questionnaire. Aortic pulse wave velocity and augmentation index were assessed by a non-invasive oscillometric tonometry device. Results Peak oxygen uptake/body weight (standardised regression coefficient β -0.222, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.386 to -0.059, P = 0.002) and peak oxygen uptake/fat-free mass (β -0.173, 95% CI -0.329 to -0.017, P = 0.030) were inversely and waist circumference directly (β 0.245, 95% CI 0.093 to 0.414, P = 0.002) associated with aortic pulse wave velocity. However, the associations of the measures of cardiorespiratory fitness with aortic pulse wave velocity were attenuated after further adjustment for waist circumference. A higher waist circumference (β -0.215, 95% CI -0.381 to -0.049, P = 0.012) and a higher body mass index standard deviation score (β 0.218, 95% CI -0.382 to -0.054, P = 0.010) were related to lower augmentation index. Conclusions Poor cardiorespiratory fitness and higher waist circumference were associated with increased arterial stiffness in children and adolescents with chronic diseases and physical disabilities. The association between cardiorespiratory fitness and arterial stiffness was partly explained by waist circumference.

Augmented Method to Improve Thermal Data for the Figure Drift Thermal Distortion Predictions of the JWST OTIS Cryogenic Vacuum Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Sang C.; Carnahan, Timothy M.; Cohen, Lester M.; Congedo, Cherie B.; Eisenhower, Michael J.; Ousley, Wes; Weaver, Andrew; Yang, Kan

2017-01-01

The JWST Optical Telescope Element (OTE) assembly is the largest optically stable infrared-optimized telescope currently being manufactured and assembled, and is scheduled for launch in 2018. The JWST OTE, including the 18 segment primary mirror, secondary mirror, and the Aft Optics Subsystem (AOS) are designed to be passively cooled and operate near 45K. These optical elements are supported by a complex composite backplane structure. As a part of the structural distortion model validation efforts, a series of tests are planned during the cryogenic vacuum test of the fully integrated flight hardware at NASA JSC Chamber A. The successful ends to the thermal-distortion phases are heavily dependent on the accurate temperature knowledge of the OTE structural members. However, the current temperature sensor allocations during the cryo-vac test may not have sufficient fidelity to provide accurate knowledge of the temperature distributions within the composite structure. A method based on an inverse distance relationship among the sensors and thermal model nodes was developed to improve the thermal data provided for the nanometer scale WaveFront Error (WFE) predictions. The Linear Distance Weighted Interpolation (LDWI) method was developed to augment the thermal model predictions based on the sparse sensor information. This paper will encompass the development of the LDWI method using the test data from the earlier pathfinder cryo-vac tests, and the results of the notional and as tested WFE predictions from the structural finite element model cases to characterize the accuracies of this LDWI method.

Treatment with Sulforaphane Produces Antinociception and Improves Morphine Effects during Inflammatory Pain in Mice.

PubMed

Redondo, Alejandro; Chamorro, Pablo Aníbal Ferreira; Riego, Gabriela; Leánez, Sergi; Pol, Olga

2017-12-01

The activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) exerts potent antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects; however, its participation in the modulation of chronic inflammatory pain and on the antinociceptive effects of μ -opioid receptor (MOR) agonists has not been evaluated. We investigated whether the induction of Nrf2 could alleviate chronic inflammatory pain and augment the analgesic effects of morphine and mechanisms implicated. In male C57BL/6 mice with inflammatory pain induced by complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) subplantarly administered, we assessed: 1) antinociceptive actions of the administration of 5 and 10 mg/kg of a Nrf2 activator, sulforaphane (SFN); and 2) effects of SFN on the antinociceptive actions of morphine and on protein levels of Nrf2, heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), and NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) enzymes, microglial activation and inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) overexpression, as well as on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and MOR expression in the spinal cord and paw of animals with inflammatory pain. Results showed that treatment with SFN inhibited allodynia and hyperalgesia induced by CFA and increased the local antinociceptive actions of morphine. This treatment also augmented the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, NQO1, and MOR, and inhibited NOS2 and CD11b/c overexpression and MAPK phosphorylation induced by inflammation. Thus, this study shows that the induction of Nrf2 might inhibit inflammatory pain and enhance the analgesic effects of morphine by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory responses induced by peripheral inflammation. This study suggests the administration of SFN alone and in combination with morphine are potential new ways of treating chronic inflammatory pain. Copyright © 2017 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

Characteristics of the Langley 8-foot Transonic Tunnel with Slotted Test Section

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, Ray H; Ritchie, Virgil S; Pearson, Albin O

1958-01-01

A large wind tunnel, approximately 8 feet in diameter, has been converted to transonic operation by means of slots in the boundary extending in the direction of flow. The usefulness of such a slotted wind tunnel, already known with respect to the reduction of the subsonic blockage interference and the production of continuously variable supersonic flows, has been augmented by devising a slot shape with which a supersonic test region with excellent flow quality could be produced. Experimental locations of detached shock waves ahead of axially symmetric bodies at low supersonic speeds in the slotted test section agreed satisfactorily with predictions obtained by use of existing approximate methods.

Solid-state NMR studies of theophylline co-crystals with dicarboxylic acids.

PubMed

Pindelska, Edyta; Sokal, Agnieszka; Szeleszczuk, Lukasz; Pisklak, Dariusz Maciej; Kolodziejski, Waclaw

2014-11-01

In this work, three polycrystalline materials containing co-crystals of theophylline with malonic, maleic, and glutaric acids were studied using (13)C, (15)N and (1)H solid-state NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy. The NMR assignments were supported by gauge including projector augmented waves (GIPAW) calculations of chemical shielding, performed using X-ray determined geometry. The experimental (13)C cross polarization/magic angle spinning (CP/MAS) NMR results and the calculated isotropic chemical shifts were in excellent agreement. A rapid and convenient method for theophylline co-crystals crystal structure analysis has been proposed for co-crystals, which are potentially new APIs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural, Electronic and Elastic Properties of Heavy Fermion YbTM2 (TM= Ir and Pt) Laves Phase Compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pawar, H.; Shugani, M.; Aynyas, M.; Sanyal, S. P.

2018-02-01

The structural, electronic and elastic properties of YbTM2 (TM = Ir and Pt) Laves phase intermetallic compounds which crystallize in cubic (MgCu2-type) structure, have been investigated using ab-initio full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method with LDA and LDA+U approximation. The calculated ground state properties such as lattice parameter (a0), bulk modulus (B) and its pressure derivative (B‧) are in good agreement with available experimental and theoretical data. The electronic properties are analyzed from band structures and density of states. Elastic constants are predicted first time for these compounds which obey the stability criteria for cubic system.

Self-consistent full-potential linearized-augmented-plane-wave local-density electronic-structure studies of magnetism and superconductivity in C15 compounds: ZrZn/sub 2/ and ZrV/sub 2/

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

Huang, M.; Jansen, H.J.F.; Freeman, A.J.

The electronic structure and properties of the cubic Laves phase (C15) compounds ZrZn/sub 2/ and ZrV/sub 2/ have been determined using our all-electron full-potential linearized-augmented-plane-wave (FLAPW) method for bulk solids. The computations were performed in two stages: (i) self-consistent warped muffin tin and (ii) self-consistent full potential. Spin-orbit coupling was included after either stage. The effects of the inclusion of the nonspherical terms inside the muffin tins on the eigenvalues is found to be small (of order 1 mRy). However, due to the fact that some of the bands near the Fermi level are flat, this effect leads to amore » much higher value of the density of states at E/sub F/ in ZnZr/sub 2/. The most important difference between the materials ZrZn/sub 2/ and ZrV/sub 2/ is the position of the d bands derived from the Zr and V atoms. Consequently, these materials have completely different Fermi surfaces. We have investigated the magnetic properties of these compounds by evaluating their generalized Stoner factors and found agreement with experiment. Our results for the superconducting transition temperature for these materials is found to be strongly dependent on the spin fluctuation parameter ..mu../sub sp/. Of course, because of the magnetic transition, superconductivity cannot be observed in ZnZr/sub 2/.« less

Leukocyte Subtype Counts and Its Association with Vascular Structure and Function in Adults with Intermediate Cardiovascular Risk. MARK Study

PubMed Central

Gomez-Sanchez, Leticia; García-Ortiz, Luis; Recio-Rodríguez, José I.; Patino-Alonso, Maria C.; Agudo-Conde, Cristina; Rigo, Fernando; Ramos, Rafel; Martí, Ruth; Gomez-Marcos, Manuel A.

2015-01-01

Objectives We investigated the relationship between leukocyte subtype counts and vascular structure and function based on carotid intima-media thickness, pulse wave velocity, central augmentation index and cardio-ankle vascular index by gender in intermediate cardiovascular risk patients. Methods This study analyzed 500 subjects who were included in the MARK study, aged 35 to 74 years (mean: 60.3±8.4), 45.6% women. Measurement: Brachial ankle Pulse Wave Velocity (ba-PWV) estimate by equation, Cardio-AnkleVascular Index (CAVI) using the VaSera device and Carotid ultrasound was used to measure carotid Intima Media Thickness (IMT). The Mobil-O-Graph was used to measure the Central Augmentation Index (CAIx). Results Total leukocyte, neutrophil and monocyte counts were positively correlated with IMT (p < 0.01) in men. Monocyte count was positively correlated with CAIx in women (p < 0.01). In a multiple linear regression analysis, the IMT mean maintained a positive association with the neutrophil count (β = 1.500, p = 0.007) in men. CAIx maintained a positive association with the monocyte count (β = 2.445, p = 0.022) in women. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that the relationship between subtype circulating leukocyte counts and vascular structure and function, although small, may be different by gender. In men, the neutrophil count was positively correlated with IMT and in women, the monocyte count with CAIx, in a large sample of intermediate-risk patients. These association were maintained after adjusting for age and other confounders. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01428934 PMID:25885665

The relationship between weight, height and body mass index with hemodynamic parameters is not same in patients with and without chronic kidney disease.

PubMed

Afsar, Baris; Elsurer, Rengin; Soypacaci, Zeki; Kanbay, Mehmet

2016-02-01

Although anthropometric measurements are related with clinical outcomes; these relationships are not universal and differ in some disease states such as in chronic kidney disease (CKD). The current study was aimed to analyze the relationship between height, weight and BMI with hemodynamic and arterial stiffness parameters both in normal and CKD patients separately. This cross-sectional study included 381 patients with (N 226) and without CKD (N 155) with hypertension. Routine laboratory and 24-h urine collection were performed. Augmentation index (Aix) which is the ratio of augmentation pressure to pulse pressure was calculated from the blood pressure waveform after adjusted heart rate at 75 [Aix@75 (%)]. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a simple measure of the time taken by the pressure wave to travel over a specific distance. Both [Aix@75 (%)] and PWV which are measures of arterial stiffness were measured by validated oscillometric methods using mobil-O-Graph device. In patients without CKD, height is inversely correlated with [Aix@75 (%)]. Additionally, weight and BMI were positively associated with PWV in multivariate analysis. However, in patients with CKD, weight and BMI were inversely and independently related with PWV. In CKD patients, as weight and BMI increased stiffness parameters such as Aix@75 (%) and PWV decreased. While BMI and weight are positively associated with arterial stiffness in normal patients, this association is negative in patients with CKD. In conclusion, height, weight and BMI relationship with hemodynamic and arterial stiffness parameters differs in patients with and without CKD.

High-Performance Computing and Visualization of Tsunamis and Wind-Driven Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Y. S.; Zhang, H.; Yuen, D. A.; Wang, M.

2005-12-01

The Sumatran earthquake and the tsunami waves produced have awakened great scientific interest in wave-propagation over undulated bottom topography and along complicated coastlines. The recent hurricane Katrina has also called our attention to shorter period waves near the coast. Analytical approximations are valid over long wavelengths in the far field. For near field regions with complex geography and other complications, such as islands and harbors, numerical simulations must be employed to obtain accurate predictions in time and space. Nowadays using 10**7 to 10**8 grid points become quite routine with massively parallel computers and large RAM and disk memories. Besides tsunamis, river discharges from upstream events and waves driven by hurricanes are also of societal relevance, especially in central China and now also in U.S.A. Using automatic grid generation methods, we have devised a finite-element based code, for the three stages which culminates with the use of the augmented Lagrangian method for the run-up process, as well as the Arbitrary Lagrange- Euler Configuration method to tackle the free surface problem near the seashore. This formulation allows for the wave surface to be self-consistently determined within a linearized framework and is computationally very fast. Our continuous efforts are focussed on seeking novel algorithms and state of art techniques, in order to unravel the mysteries associated with tsunami wave propagation and wind-driven waves in 3-D. We have cast the Navier-Stokes equations within the framework of a compressible model with an equation of state for sea-water. Our formulation allows the tracking and simulation of three stages , principally the formation, propagation and run-up stages of tsunami and waves coming ashore. The sequential version of this code can run on a workstation with 4 Gbyte memory less than 2 minutes per time step for one million grid points. This code has also been parallelized with MPI-2 and has good scaling properties, nearly linear speedup, which has been tested on a 32-node PC cluster. We have employed the actual ocean seafloor topographical data to construct oceanic volume and attempt to construct the coastline as realistic as possible, using 11 levels structure meshes in the radial direction of the earth. In order to understand the intricate dynamics of the wave interactions, we have implemented a visualization overlay based on Amira, a 3-D volume rendering visualization tools for massive data post-processing. The ability to visualize the large data sets remotely is an important objective we are aiming for, as international collaboration is one of the top aims of this research.

Time-dependent quantum chemistry of laser driven many-electron molecules

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

Nguyen-Dang, Thanh-Tung; Couture-Bienvenue, Étienne; Viau-Trudel, Jérémy

2014-12-28

A Time-Dependent Configuration Interaction approach using multiple Feshbach partitionings, corresponding to multiple ionization stages of a laser-driven molecule, has recently been proposed [T.-T. Nguyen-Dang and J. Viau-Trudel, J. Chem. Phys. 139, 244102 (2013)]. To complete this development toward a fully ab-initio method for the calculation of time-dependent electronic wavefunctions of an N-electron molecule, we describe how tools of multiconfiguration quantum chemistry such as the management of the configuration expansion space using Graphical Unitary Group Approach concepts can be profitably adapted to the new context, that of time-resolved electronic dynamics, as opposed to stationary electronic structure. The method is applied tomore » calculate the detailed, sub-cycle electronic dynamics of BeH{sub 2}, treated in a 3–21G bound-orbital basis augmented by a set of orthogonalized plane-waves representing continuum-type orbitals, including its ionization under an intense λ = 800 nm or λ = 80 nm continuous-wave laser field. The dynamics is strongly non-linear at the field-intensity considered (I ≃ 10{sup 15} W/cm{sup 2}), featuring important ionization of an inner-shell electron and strong post-ionization bound-electron dynamics.« less

Enhanced NMR Discrimination of Pharmaceutically Relevant Molecular Crystal Forms through Fragment-Based Ab Initio Chemical Shift Predictions.

PubMed

Hartman, Joshua D; Day, Graeme M; Beran, Gregory J O

2016-11-02

Chemical shift prediction plays an important role in the determination or validation of crystal structures with solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. One of the fundamental theoretical challenges lies in discriminating variations in chemical shifts resulting from different crystallographic environments. Fragment-based electronic structure methods provide an alternative to the widely used plane wave gauge-including projector augmented wave (GIPAW) density functional technique for chemical shift prediction. Fragment methods allow hybrid density functionals to be employed routinely in chemical shift prediction, and we have recently demonstrated appreciable improvements in the accuracy of the predicted shifts when using the hybrid PBE0 functional instead of generalized gradient approximation (GGA) functionals like PBE. Here, we investigate the solid-state 13 C and 15 N NMR spectra for multiple crystal forms of acetaminophen, phenobarbital, and testosterone. We demonstrate that the use of the hybrid density functional instead of a GGA provides both higher accuracy in the chemical shifts and increased discrimination among the different crystallographic environments. Finally, these results also provide compelling evidence for the transferability of the linear regression parameters mapping predicted chemical shieldings to chemical shifts that were derived in an earlier study.

Enhanced NMR Discrimination of Pharmaceutically Relevant Molecular Crystal Forms through Fragment-Based Ab Initio Chemical Shift Predictions

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Chemical shift prediction plays an important role in the determination or validation of crystal structures with solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. One of the fundamental theoretical challenges lies in discriminating variations in chemical shifts resulting from different crystallographic environments. Fragment-based electronic structure methods provide an alternative to the widely used plane wave gauge-including projector augmented wave (GIPAW) density functional technique for chemical shift prediction. Fragment methods allow hybrid density functionals to be employed routinely in chemical shift prediction, and we have recently demonstrated appreciable improvements in the accuracy of the predicted shifts when using the hybrid PBE0 functional instead of generalized gradient approximation (GGA) functionals like PBE. Here, we investigate the solid-state 13C and 15N NMR spectra for multiple crystal forms of acetaminophen, phenobarbital, and testosterone. We demonstrate that the use of the hybrid density functional instead of a GGA provides both higher accuracy in the chemical shifts and increased discrimination among the different crystallographic environments. Finally, these results also provide compelling evidence for the transferability of the linear regression parameters mapping predicted chemical shieldings to chemical shifts that were derived in an earlier study. PMID:27829821

Flexible ultrasonic transducers for structural health monitoring of metals and composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, M.; Wu, K.-T.; Shih, J.-L.; Jen, C.-K.; Kruger, S. E.

2010-03-01

Flexible ultrasonic transducers (FUTs) which have the on-site installation capability are presented for the non-destructive evaluation (NDE) and structural health monitoring (SHM) purposes. These FUTs consist of 75 μm thick titanium membrane, thick (> 70 μm) thick piezoelectric lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) composite (PZT-c) films and thin (< 5 μm) thick top electrodes. The PZT-c films are made by a sol-gel spray technique. Such FUT has been glued onto a steel pipe of 101 mm in diameter and 4.5 mm in wall thickness and operated up to 200°C. The glue served as high temperature ultrasonic couplant between the FUT and the external surface of the pipe. The estimated pipe thickness measurement accuracy at 200°C is 34 μm. FUTs also were glued onto the end edge of 2 mm thick aluminum (Al) plates to generate and receive predominantly symmetrical and shear-horizontal (SH) plate acoustic waves (PAWs) to detect simulated line defects at temperature up to 100°C. FUTs glued onto a graphite/epoxy (Gr/Ep) composite are also used for the detection of artificial disbonds. An induction type non-contact method for the evaluation of Al plates and Gr/Ep composites using FUTs is also demonstrated.

Invisible waves and hidden realms: augmented reality and experimental art

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruzanka, Silvia

2012-03-01

Augmented reality is way of both altering the visible and revealing the invisible. It offers new opportunities for artistic exploration through virtual interventions in real space. In this paper, the author describes the implementation of two art installations using different AR technologies, one using optical marker tracking on mobile devices and one integrating stereoscopic projections into the physical environment. The first artwork, De Ondas y Abejas (The Waves and the Bees), is based on the widely publicized (but unproven) hypothesis of a link between cellphone radiation and the phenomenon of bee colony collapse disorder. Using an Android tablet, viewers search out small fiducial markers in the shape of electromagnetic waves hidden throughout the gallery, which reveal swarms of bees scattered on the floor. The piece also creates a generative soundscape based on electromagnetic fields. The second artwork, Urban Fauna, is a series of animations in which features of the urban landscape become plants and animals. Surveillance cameras become flocks of birds while miniature cellphone towers, lampposts, and telephone poles grow like small seedlings in time-lapse animation. The animations are presented as small stereoscopic projections, integrated into the physical space of the gallery. These two pieces explore the relationship between nature and technology through the visualization of invisible forces and hidden alternate realities.

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PAVE PAWS Early Warning Radar Operation Cape Cod Air Force Station, MA. Record of Decision

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) C95.1-1999. Accordingly, the highest measurement was obtained directly in front of the feedhorn (i.e...waveform characterization of the Cape Cod AFS Pave PAWS radar. The data acquired during the Phase IV survey indicated that the electric fields produced...level observed among the ambient sites. During this survey, peak/average power density measurements and peak/average electric field measurements

Capillary waves with surface viscosity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Li; Denner, Fabian; Morgan, Neal; van Wachem, Berend; Dini, Daniele

2017-11-01

Experiments over the last 50 years have suggested a correlation between the surface (shear) viscosity and the stability of a foam or emulsion. With recent techniques allowing more accurate measurements of the elusive surface viscosity, we examine this link theoretically using small-amplitude capillary waves in the presence of the Marangoni effect and surface viscosity modelled via the Boussinesq-Scriven model. The surface viscosity effect is found to contribute a damping effect on the amplitude of the capillary wave with subtle differences to the effect of the convective-diffusive Marangoni transport. The general wave dispersion is augmented to take into account the Marangoni and surface viscosity effects, and a first-order correction to the critical damping wavelength is derived. The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Shell University Technology Centre for fuels and lubricants.

Irreversible transport in the stratosphere by internal waves of short vertical wavelength

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Danielsen, Edwin F.; Hipskind, R. S.; Starr, Walter L.; Vedder, James F.; Gaines, Steven E.; Kley, Dieter; Kelley, Ken K.

1991-01-01

Measurements performed during stratospheric flights of the U-2 aircraft confirm that cross-jet transport is dominated by waves, not by large-scale circulations. Monotonic gradients of trace constituents normal to the jet axis, with upper stratospheric tracers increasing poleward and tropospheric tracers increasing equatorward, are augmented by large-scale confluence as the jet intensifies during cyclogenesis. These gradients are rotated, intensified, and significantly increased in areas as their mixing ratio surfaces are folded by the differential transport of a very low frequency transverse wave. The quasi-horizontal transport produces a laminar structure with stable layers rich in upper stratospheric tracers alternating vertically with less stable layers rich in tropospheric tracers. The transport proceeds toward irreversibility at higher frequency, shear-gravity waves extend the folding to smaller horizontal scales.

Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity of the ethanolic extract of Cymbidium aloifolium (L.).

PubMed

Howlader, Md Amran; Alam, Mahmudul; Ahmed, Kh Tanvir; Khatun, Farjana; Apu, Apurba Sarker

2011-10-01

The ethanol leaf extract of Cymbidium aloifolium (L.) was evaluated for its analgesic and antiinflammatory activities. The extract, at the dose of 200 and 400 mg kg(-1) body weight, exerted the analgesic activity by observing the number of abdominal contractions and anti-inflammatory activity against Carrageenin induced paw edema in mice by measuring the paw volume. The ethanolic extract of Cymbidium aloifolium (L.) showed statistically significant (p < 0.05) reduction of percentage of writhing of 33.57 and 61.31% at 200 and 400 mg kg(-1) oral dose, respectively, when compared to negative control. The Ethanolic plant extract also showed significant (p < 0.05) dose dependent reduction of mean increase of formation of paw edema. The results of the experiment and its statistical analysis showed that the ethanolic plant extract had shown significant (p < 0.05) dose dependent analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities when compared to the control.

Electron correlation and relativity of the 5f electrons in the U-Zr alloy system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Söderlind, P.; Sadigh, B.; Lordi, V.; Landa, A.; Turchi, P. E. A.

2014-01-01

We address a recently communicated conception that spin-orbit interaction and strong electron correlations are important for the metal fuel U-Zr system. Here, we show that (i) relativistic effects only marginally correct the uranium metal equation-of-state and (ii) addition of onsite Coulomb repulsion leads to an unphysical magnetic ground state of the body-centered cubic (γ) phase and a grossly overestimated equilibrium volume. Consequently, LSDA + U is deemed unsuitable for describing the electronic structure of the U-Zr system. Recently, Xiong et al. [1] reported on thermodynamic modeling of the U-Zr system motivated by its potential as a nuclear fuel for fast breeder reactors. This work [1] came on the heels of another report by Landa et al. [2] on the same system, but with very different results for the formation enthalpies and ultimate conclusion on the U-Zr phase diagram. The authors [1] argue that their calculated energetics are significantly more accurate than that by Landa et al. [2], and they further attribute the difference to strong electron correlations and the relativistic spin-orbit interaction.In the present letter we show that uranium metal, and thus the U-Zr metal nuclear fuel system, possess weakly correlated electrons that are adequately described within density-functional theory in the generalized gradient approximation, and that addition of onsite Coulomb repulsion using the LSDA + U formalism leads to finite magnetization of the γ phase in contradiction to experiments. Furthermore, we show that spin-orbit interaction is quite weak in uranium metal and that its inclusion will not significantly change the chemical bonding and formation enthalpies.In order to illustrate our arguments, we perform comparative electronic-structure calculations using the full-potential linear augmented plane-wave (FPLAPW) method and the projector augmented plane-wave (PAW) method as implemented in the Wien2K [3] and VASP [4] codes. The Wien2K computations are set up with an APW + lo basis for the expansion of the wave functions within the muffin-tin spheres (with radius RMT = 2.5 a.u.) in partial waves with angular momenta up to l = 3, and an LAPW basis for all higher angular momenta up to l = 10. The plane-wave cutoff (Kmax) for the expansion of the wave functions in the interstitial region is chosen such that RMT × Kmax = 10. We apply the LSDA + U scheme proposed by Anisimov et al. [5] (Wien2K) and Dudarev et al. [6] (VASP) to the uranium f orbitals, which approximately corrects for their electron self interaction. An effective Ueff = U - J is chosen to be 2 eV (J = 0), which appears to be realistic for uranium systems [7]. The spin-orbit interaction is included using the second-variation method with scalar-relativistic orbitals as basis. This basis includes all Eigen states with energy less than 70 eV. For reason to improve the description of the relativistic orbitals, the p1/2 local orbitals are added to the basis set. For actinide metals, this technique for the spin-orbit coupling equals, with good approximation, that of the complete four-spinor Dirac formalism [8-10]. All calculations use a 12 × 12 × 12 Monkhorst-Pack k-point grid and a plane-wave cutoff of 23 Ry.In Table 1 we show our calculated equilibrium volumes (V) and bulk moduli (B) obtained with and without spin-orbit coupling (SOC) for bcc (γ) uranium metal using the Wien2K (VASP) codes. (The other component, Zr, is a light metal where relativistic effects are not important). The changes in V and B due to SOC are indeed quite small, consistent with results from previous studies [9,11], and within the scatter of the experimental data. The reason why the volume expands slightly is that the separation of the 5f5/2 and 5f7/2 states, due to spin-orbit coupling, weakens the cohesion of the bonding electrons. The separation is very small, as seen in Fig. 1[11] where we plot the total electronic density-of-states (DOS) for α-U with and without SOC. Most of the difference occurs well above the Fermi level, and this also explains why SOC is more important for the heavier metals Pu and Am [12]. Because of the very small influence of SOC on V and B for γ-U, one may argue that also the formation enthalpies for the U-Zr system, that substantially depend on these properties, are insensitive to the SOC, contrary to the conclusion by Xiong et al. [1].Next, we address the issue of strong electron correlation and the need for an LSDA + U type of approach for γ-uranium. Searching through the literature we could not find any publication where the LSDA + U methodology was applied to uranium metal, except that of [1], but for uranium oxides they are plentiful. However, we found that it has been considered for its nearest-neighbor metals Pa [13] and Np [14] (U lies between them in the periodic table). These publications suggest that LSDA + U are not necessary for the metals while for their oxides it is relevant, although the methodology itself is phenomenological. Focusing first on the uranium ground state, orthorhombic α-U, equilibrium and structural properties [11], elastic constants [11,15], phonon spectra [16], various defects [17-19], and even subtle electronic-structure details related to the charge-density waves [20] are all satisfactorily described within conventional DFT. These results clearly imply that LSDA + U are not a relevant or necessary scheme for α-uranium. How about the high-temperature γ phase?The γ phase is stable at temperatures above 1100 K and it has a significantly larger volume than α-U, see Table 1. One may suspect that this is due to f-electron localization (strong f-electron correlation), but it actually stems from normal thermal volume expansion.In Fig. 2 we show the calculated α-U thermal volume expansion, using a parameter-free Debye-Grüneisen quasi-harmonic theory [21,22]. Also included are experimental data points taken from Donohue [23]. The good agreement with experiment for the linear expansion coefficient (αL) at room temperature gives us confidence that the quasi-harmonic model is reasonable. The thermal volume expansion shown in the figure further demonstrates (i) that at room temperature α-U has nearly identical volume to Mo-stabilized γ-U (extrapolated to zero Mo content) at the same temperature [23]; and (ii) at about 1100 K the calculated α-U volume is consistent with that measured [23] for the γ phase. Hence, the difference between α and γ volumes is completely explained by thermal expansion with no need for additional f-electron localization. This conclusion is further underscored by a recent study [24] showing that the γ-phase mechanical stabilization is due to phonon-phonon interactions within a weakly correlated picture (DFT) of the electronic structure.Nevertheless, we apply FPLAPW (PAW) calculations for γ-uranium using the Wien2K (VASP) codes in order to explicitly explore the effects of LSDA + U. The results from the two implementations are in qualitative agreement with each other and summarized in Table 1. They predict a metastable non-magnetic (non-spin polarized, NSP) solution, that yield equilibrium V and B in better agreement with experiment than the spin polarized (SP) solution. The spin polarized LSDA + U ground-state solution (ferromagnetic, spin moment = 2.1 μB) has an unrealistically large equilibrium volume of 23 (23.6) Å3/atom, and substantially underestimates the bulk modulus. The total energy difference between the SP and the NSP states, at their respective equilibrium volumes, is a significant 64 (110) meV/atom. The finding of magnetism is contrary to the observed non-magnetic state of uranium metal. We thus conclude that the LSDA + U treatment, while essential for some aspects (i.e. electronic spectra) of the strongly correlated insulating uranium oxide compounds, is detrimental and incorrect for the more weakly correlated metallic U-Zr alloys.In conclusion we find that while the calculations by Landa et al. [2] can be mildly modified and improved by spin-orbit interaction, they do not suffer from fundamental inaccuracies as proposed in [1] and their enthalpy of formation of the bcc structure shall remain realistic.

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

Hégely, Bence; Nagy, Péter R.; Kállay, Mihály, E-mail: kallay@mail.bme.hu

Exact schemes for the embedding of density functional theory (DFT) and wave function theory (WFT) methods into lower-level DFT or WFT approaches are introduced utilizing orbital localization. First, a simple modification of the projector-based embedding scheme of Manby and co-workers [J. Chem. Phys. 140, 18A507 (2014)] is proposed. We also use localized orbitals to partition the system, but instead of augmenting the Fock operator with a somewhat arbitrary level-shift projector we solve the Huzinaga-equation, which strictly enforces the Pauli exclusion principle. Second, the embedding of WFT methods in local correlation approaches is studied. Since the latter methods split up themore » system into local domains, very simple embedding theories can be defined if the domains of the active subsystem and the environment are treated at a different level. The considered embedding schemes are benchmarked for reaction energies and compared to quantum mechanics (QM)/molecular mechanics (MM) and vacuum embedding. We conclude that for DFT-in-DFT embedding, the Huzinaga-equation-based scheme is more efficient than the other approaches, but QM/MM or even simple vacuum embedding is still competitive in particular cases. Concerning the embedding of wave function methods, the clear winner is the embedding of WFT into low-level local correlation approaches, and WFT-in-DFT embedding can only be more advantageous if a non-hybrid density functional is employed.« less

Density functional theory calculations of continuum lowering in strongly coupled plasmas.

PubMed

Vinko, S M; Ciricosta, O; Wark, J S

2014-03-24

An accurate description of the ionization potential depression of ions in plasmas due to their interaction with the environment is a fundamental problem in plasma physics, playing a key role in determining the ionization balance, charge state distribution, opacity and plasma equation of state. Here we present a method to study the structure and position of the continuum of highly ionized dense plasmas using finite-temperature density functional theory in combination with excited-state projector augmented-wave potentials. The method is applied to aluminium plasmas created by intense X-ray irradiation, and shows excellent agreement with recently obtained experimental results. We find that the continuum lowering for ions in dense plasmas at intermediate temperatures is larger than predicted by standard plasma models and explain this effect through the electronic structure of the valence states in these strong-coupling conditions.

Transonic Flow Field Analysis for Wing-Fuselage Configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boppe, C. W.

1980-01-01

A computational method for simulating the aerodynamics of wing-fuselage configurations at transonic speeds is developed. The finite difference scheme is characterized by a multiple embedded mesh system coupled with a modified or extended small disturbance flow equation. This approach permits a high degree of computational resolution in addition to coordinate system flexibility for treating complex realistic aircraft shapes. To augment the analysis method and permit applications to a wide range of practical engineering design problems, an arbitrary fuselage geometry modeling system is incorporated as well as methodology for computing wing viscous effects. Configuration drag is broken down into its friction, wave, and lift induced components. Typical computed results for isolated bodies, isolated wings, and wing-body combinations are presented. The results are correlated with experimental data. A computer code which employs this methodology is described.

ABINIT: First-principles approach to material and nanosystem properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonze, X.; Amadon, B.; Anglade, P.-M.; Beuken, J.-M.; Bottin, F.; Boulanger, P.; Bruneval, F.; Caliste, D.; Caracas, R.; Côté, M.; Deutsch, T.; Genovese, L.; Ghosez, Ph.; Giantomassi, M.; Goedecker, S.; Hamann, D. R.; Hermet, P.; Jollet, F.; Jomard, G.; Leroux, S.; Mancini, M.; Mazevet, S.; Oliveira, M. J. T.; Onida, G.; Pouillon, Y.; Rangel, T.; Rignanese, G.-M.; Sangalli, D.; Shaltaf, R.; Torrent, M.; Verstraete, M. J.; Zerah, G.; Zwanziger, J. W.

2009-12-01

ABINIT [ http://www.abinit.org] allows one to study, from first-principles, systems made of electrons and nuclei (e.g. periodic solids, molecules, nanostructures, etc.), on the basis of Density-Functional Theory (DFT) and Many-Body Perturbation Theory. Beyond the computation of the total energy, charge density and electronic structure of such systems, ABINIT also implements many dynamical, dielectric, thermodynamical, mechanical, or electronic properties, at different levels of approximation. The present paper provides an exhaustive account of the capabilities of ABINIT. It should be helpful to scientists that are not familiarized with ABINIT, as well as to already regular users. First, we give a broad overview of ABINIT, including the list of the capabilities and how to access them. Then, we present in more details the recent, advanced, developments of ABINIT, with adequate references to the underlying theory, as well as the relevant input variables, tests and, if available, ABINIT tutorials. Program summaryProgram title: ABINIT Catalogue identifier: AEEU_v1_0 Distribution format: tar.gz Journal reference: Comput. Phys. Comm. Programming language: Fortran95, PERL scripts, Python scripts Computer: All systems with a Fortran95 compiler Operating system: All systems with a Fortran95 compiler Has the code been vectorized or parallelized?: Sequential, or parallel with proven speed-up up to one thousand processors. RAM: Ranges from a few Mbytes to several hundred Gbytes, depending on the input file. Classification: 7.3, 7.8 External routines: (all optional) BigDFT [1], ETSF IO [2], libxc [3], NetCDF [4], MPI [5], Wannier90 [6] Nature of problem: This package has the purpose of computing accurately material and nanostructure properties: electronic structure, bond lengths, bond angles, primitive cell size, cohesive energy, dielectric properties, vibrational properties, elastic properties, optical properties, magnetic properties, non-linear couplings, electronic and vibrational lifetimes, etc. Solution method: Software application based on Density-Functional Theory and Many-Body Perturbation Theory, pseudopotentials, with planewaves, Projector-Augmented Waves (PAW) or wavelets as basis functions. Running time: From less than one second for the simplest tests, to several weeks. The vast majority of the >600 provided tests run in less than 30 seconds. References:[1] http://inac.cea.fr/LSim/BigDFT. [2] http://etsf.eu/index.php?page=standardization. [3] http://www.tddft.org/programs/octopus/wiki/index.php/Libxc. [4] http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/netcdf. [5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MessagePassingInterface. [6] http://www.wannier.org.

A lifting surface theory for thrust augmenting ejectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bevilaqua, P. M.

1977-01-01

The circulation theory of airfoil lift has been applied to calculate the performance of thrust augmenting ejectors. The ejector shroud is considered to be 'flying' in the secondary velocity field induced by the entrainment of the primary jet, so that the augmenting thrust is viewed as analogous to the lift on an airfoil. Vortex lattice methods are utilized to compute the thrust augmentation from the force on the flaps. The augmentation is shown to be a function of the length and shape of the flaps, as well as their position and orientation. Predictions of this new theory are compared with the results of classical methods of calculating the augmentation by integration of the stream thrust.

The art of fault-tolerant system reliability modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, Ricky W.; Johnson, Sally C.

1990-01-01

A step-by-step tutorial of the methods and tools used for the reliability analysis of fault-tolerant systems is presented. Emphasis is on the representation of architectural features in mathematical models. Details of the mathematical solution of complex reliability models are not presented. Instead the use of several recently developed computer programs--SURE, ASSIST, STEM, PAWS--which automate the generation and solution of these models is described.

Rose geranium essential oil as a source of new and safe anti-inflammatory drugs

PubMed Central

Boukhatem, Mohamed Nadjib; Kameli, Abdelkrim; Ferhat, Mohamed Amine; Saidi, Fairouz; Mekarnia, Maamar

2013-01-01

Background Since the available anti-inflammatory drugs exert an extensive variety of side effects, the search for new anti-inflammatory agents has been a priority of pharmaceutical industries. Aims The aim of the present study was to assess the anti-inflammatory activities of the essential oil of rose geranium (RGEO). Methods The chemical composition of the RGEO was investigated by gas chromatography. The major components were citronellol (29.13%), geraniol (12.62%), and citronellyl formate (8.06%). In the carrageenan-induced paw edema, five different groups were established and RGEO was administered orally in three different doses. Results RGEO (100 mg/kg) was able to significantly reduce the paw edema with a comparable effect to that observed with diclofenac, the positive control. In addition, RGEO showed a potent anti-inflammatory activity by topical treatment in the method of croton oil-induced ear edema. When the dose was 5 or 10 µl of RGEO per ear, the inflammation was reduced by 73 and 88%, respectively. This is the first report to demonstrate a significant anti-inflammatory activity of Algerian RGEO. In addition, histological analysis confirmed that RGEO inhibited the inflammatory responses in the skin. Conclusion Our results indicate that RGEO may have significant potential for the development of novel anti-inflammatory drugs with improved safety profile. PMID:24103319

Multiple-cycle Simulation of a Pulse Detonation Engine Ejector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yungster, S.; Perkins, H. D.

2002-01-01

This paper presents the results of a study involving single and multiple-cycle numerical simulations of various PDE-ejector configurations utilizing hydrogen-oxygen mixtures. The objective was to investigate the thrust, impulse and mass flow rate characteristics of these devices. The results indicate that ejector systems can utilize the energy stored in the strong shock wave exiting the detonation tube to augment the impulse obtained from the detonation tube alone. Impulse augmentation ratios of up to 1.9 were achieved. The axial location of the converging-diverging ejectors relative to the end of the detonation tube were shown to affect the performance of the system.

Myocardial effects of local shock wave therapy in a Langendorff model.

PubMed

Becker, M; Goetzenich, A; Roehl, A B; Huebel, C; de la Fuente, M; Dietz-Laursonn, K; Radermacher, K; Rossaint, R; Hein, M

2014-01-01

Applying shock waves to the heart has been reported to stimulate the heart and alter cardiac function. We hypothesized that shock waves could be used to diagnose regional viability. We used a Langendorff model to investigate the acute effects of shock waves at different energy levels and times related to systole, cycle duration and myocardial function. We found only a small time window to use shock waves. Myocardial fibrillation or extrasystolic beats will occur if the shock wave is placed more than 15 ms before or 30 ms after the onset of systole. Increased contractility and augmented relaxation were observed after the second beat, and these effects decreased after prolonging the shock wave delay from 15 ms before to 30 ms after the onset of systole. An energy dependency could be found only after short delays (-15 ms). The involved processes might include post-extrasystolic potentiation and simultaneous pacing. In summary, we found that low-energy shock waves can be a useful tool to stimulate the myocardium at a distance and influence function. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High-Intensity Interval Cycling Exercise on Wave Reflection and Pulse Wave Velocity.

PubMed

Kingsley, J Derek; Tai, Yu Lun; Vaughan, Jeremiah A; Mayo, Xián

2017-05-01

Kingsley, JD, Tai, YL, Vaughan, J, and Mayo, X. High-intensity interval cycling exercise on wave reflection and pulse wave velocity. J Strength Cond Res 31(5): 1313-1320, 2017-The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of high-intensity exercise on wave reflection and aortic stiffness. Nine young, healthy men (mean ± SD: age: 22 ± 2 years) participated in the study. The high-intensity interval cycling exercise consisted of 3 sets of Wingate Anaerobic Tests (WATs) with 7.5% of bodyweight as resistance and 2 minutes of rest between each set. Measurements were taken at rest and 1 minute after completion of the WATs. Brachial and aortic blood pressures, as well as wave reflection characteristics, were measured through pulse wave analysis. Aortic stiffness was assessed through carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV). A repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to investigate the effects of the WATs on blood pressure and vascular function across time. There was no change in brachial or aortic systolic pressure from rest to recovery. There was a significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in brachial diastolic pressure (rest: 73 ± 6 mm Hg; recovery: 67 ± 9 mm Hg) and aortic diastolic pressure (rest: 75 ± 6 mm Hg; recovery: 70 ± 9 mm Hg) from rest to recovery. In addition, there was no significant change in the augmentation index (rest: 111.4 ± 6.5%; recovery: 109.8 ± 5.8%, p = 0.65) from rest to recovery. However, there was a significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in the augmentation index normalized at 75 b·min (rest: 3.29 ± 9.82; recovery 21.21 ± 10.87) during recovery compared with rest. There was no change in cfPWV (rest: 5.3 ± 0.8 m·s; recovery: 5.7 ± 0.5m·s; p = 0.09) in response to the WAT. These data demonstrate that high-intensity interval cycling exercise with short rest periods has a nonsignificant effect on vascular function.

Effects of intra-aortic counterpulsation on aortic wall energetics and damping: in vivo experiments.

PubMed

Fischer, Edmundo I Cabrera; Bia, Daniel; Camus, Juan M; Zócalo, Yanina; de Forteza, Eduardo; Armentano, Ricardo L

2008-01-01

Intra-aortic balloon pumping (IABP) could modify the arterial biomechanics; however, its effects on arterial wall properties have not been fully explored. This dynamical study was designed to characterize the pressure-dependent and smooth muscle-dependent effects of IABP on aortic wall energetics in an in vivo animal model. Intra-aortic balloon pumping (1:2) was performed in six anesthetized sheep in which aortic pressure and diameter signals were measured in basal, augmented (during balloon inflation), and assisted (postaugmented) beats. Energy dissipation values in augmented and assisted beats were significantly higher than those observed in basal state (p < 0.05). Assisted beats showed a significant increase of wall damping with respect to basal and augmented beats (p < 0.05). Intra-aortic balloon pumping resulted in a significant increase of pulse wave velocity (p < 0.05) in augmented beats with respect to basal state (6.3 +/- 0.8 vs. 5.2 +/- 0.5 m x s(-1)); whereas values observed in assisted beats were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than those observed in augmented beats (4.9 +/- 0.5 vs. 6.3 +/- 0.8 m x s(-1)). Our findings show that IABP determined the pressure and smooth muscle-dependent changes in arterial wall energetics and damping properties in this animal model.

Cohesive properties of (Cu,Ni)-(In,Sn) intermetallics: Database, electron-density correlations and interpretation of bonding trends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramos, S. B.; González Lemus, N. V.; Cabeza, G. F.; Fernández Guillermet, A.

2016-06-01

This paper presents a systematic and comparative study of the composition and volume dependence of the cohesive properties for a large group of Me-X intermetallic phases (IPs) with Me=Cu,Ni and X=In,Sn, which are of interest in relation with the design of lead-free soldering (LFS) alloys. The work relies upon a database with total-energy versus volume information developed by using projected augmented waves (PAW) calculations. In previous papers by the current authors it was shown that these results account satisfactorily for the direct and indirect experimental data available. In the present work, the database is further expanded to investigate the composition dependence of the volume (V0), and the composition and volume dependence of the bulk modulus (B0) and cohesive energy (Ecoh). On these bases, an analysis is performed of the systematic effects of replacing Cu by Ni in several Me-X phases (Me=Cu,Ni and X=In,Sn) reported as stable and metastable, as well as various hypothetical compounds involved in the thermodynamic modeling of IPs using the Compound-Energy Formalism. Moreover, it is shown that the cohesion-related quantities (B0/V0)½ and (Ecoh½/V0) can be correlated with a parameter expressing the number of valence electrons per unit volume. These findings are compared in detail with related relations involving the Miedema empirical electron density at the boundary of the Wigner-Seitz cell. In view of the co-variation of the cohesive properties, Ecoh is selected as a key property and its composition and structure dependence is examined in terms of a theoretical view of the bonding which involves the hybridization of the d-states of Cu or Ni with the s and p-states of In or Sn, for this class of compounds. In particular, a comparative analysis is performed of the DOS of various representative, iso-structural Me-X compounds. Various effects of relevance to understand the consequences of replacing Cu by Ni in LFS alloys are highlighted and explained microscopically for the first time.

Research Collaborations | College of Engineering & Applied Science

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Protective effects of papaverine salicylate in mouse ear dermatitis and PAF-induced rat paw oedema.

PubMed

de Bernardis, E; Leonardi, G; Caruso, A; Cutuli, V M; Amico-Roxas, M

1994-08-01

Papaverine salicylate (MR-800) has been tested as a topical antiinflammatory agent in several models of skin inflammation in rodents, such as mouse ear dermatitis induced by croton oil, cantharidin or zymosan, and rat paw oedema induced by PAF. MR-800 exerted a dose-dependent inhibitory activity in all assays, when equimolar doses of sodium salicylate or papaverine were less effective, suggesting the existence of a favourable synergism between salicylate and papaverine.

Involvement of Heme Oxygenase-1 Participates in Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Effects of Aqueous Extract of Hibiscus taiwanensis

PubMed Central

Liu, Shu-Ling; Deng, Jeng-Shyan; Chiu, Chuan-Sung; Hou, Wen-Chi; Huang, Shyh-Shyun; Lin, Wang-Ching; Liao, Jung-Chun; Huang, Guan-Jhong

2012-01-01

Anti-inflammatory effects of the aqueous extract of Hibiscus taiwanensis (AHT) were used in lipopolysaccharide (LPS-)stimulated mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells and carrageenan (Carr-)induced mouse paw edema model. When RAW264.7 macrophages were treated with AHT together with LPS, a concentration-dependent inhibition of nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels productions were detected. Western blotting revealed that AHT blocked protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and elevated heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), significantly. In the animal test, AHT decreased the paw edema at the 4th and the 5th h after Carr administration, and it increased the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the paw tissue. We also demonstrated AHT decreased the NO, TNF-α, and PGE2 levels on the serum level at the 5th h after the Carr injection. Western blotting revealed that AHT decreased Carr-induced iNOS, and COX-2, and increased HO-1 expressions at the 5th h in the edema paw. These findings demonstrated that AHT has excellent anti-inflammatory activities in vitro and in vivo and thus it has great potential to be used as a source for natural health products. PMID:22778769

Involvement of Heme Oxygenase-1 Participates in Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Effects of Aqueous Extract of Hibiscus taiwanensis.

PubMed

Liu, Shu-Ling; Deng, Jeng-Shyan; Chiu, Chuan-Sung; Hou, Wen-Chi; Huang, Shyh-Shyun; Lin, Wang-Ching; Liao, Jung-Chun; Huang, Guan-Jhong

2012-01-01

Anti-inflammatory effects of the aqueous extract of Hibiscus taiwanensis (AHT) were used in lipopolysaccharide (LPS-)stimulated mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells and carrageenan (Carr-)induced mouse paw edema model. When RAW264.7 macrophages were treated with AHT together with LPS, a concentration-dependent inhibition of nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE(2)) levels productions were detected. Western blotting revealed that AHT blocked protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and elevated heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), significantly. In the animal test, AHT decreased the paw edema at the 4th and the 5th h after Carr administration, and it increased the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the paw tissue. We also demonstrated AHT decreased the NO, TNF-α, and PGE2 levels on the serum level at the 5th h after the Carr injection. Western blotting revealed that AHT decreased Carr-induced iNOS, and COX-2, and increased HO-1 expressions at the 5th h in the edema paw. These findings demonstrated that AHT has excellent anti-inflammatory activities in vitro and in vivo and thus it has great potential to be used as a source for natural health products.

Anti-inflammatory activities of aqueous extract of Mesona procumbens in experimental mice.

PubMed

Huang, Guan-Jhong; Liao, Jung-Chun; Chiu, Chuan-Sung; Huang, Shyh-Shyun; Lin, Tsung-Hui; Deng, Jeng-Shyan

2012-04-01

Mesona procumbens is consumed as a herbal drink and jelly-type dessert in Taiwan. The aim of this study was to determine the mechanism of anti-inflammatory activities of the aqueous extract of M. procumbens (AMP) using the λ-carrageenin (Carr)-induced mouse paw oedema model. The fingerprint chromatogram of AMP was obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. To investigate the anti-inflammatory mechanism of AMP, the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in paw oedema were monitored. Serum nitric oxide (NO), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were also evaluated. The fingerprint chromatogram from HPLC indicated that AMP contained protocatechuic acid, chlorogenic acid, vanillic acid and caffeic acid. In the anti-inflammatory test, AMP decreased paw oedema after Carr administration and increased the CAT, SOD and GPx activities and decreased the MDA level in paw oedema at 5 h after Carr injection. AMP also affected the serum NO, TNF-α and IL-1β levels at 5 h after Carr injection. Western blotting revealed that AMP decreased the expression of Carr-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Mesona procumbens has the potential to provide a therapeutic approach to inflammation-associated disorders. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of Urtica dioica leaf extract in animal models.

PubMed

Hajhashemi, Valiollah; Klooshani, Vahid

2013-01-01

This study was aimed to examine the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of Urtica dioica leaf extract in animal models. Hydroalcoholic extract of the plant leaves was prepared by percolation method. Male Swiss mice (25-35 g) and male Wistar rats (180-200 g) were randomly distributed in control, standard drug, and three experimental groups (n=6 in each group). Acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin test, and carrageenan-induced paw edema were used to assess the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects. The extract dose-dependently reduced acetic acid-induced abdominal twitches. In formalin test, the extract at any of applied doses (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) could not suppress the licking behavior of first phase while doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg significantly inhibited the second phase of formalin test. In carrageenan test, the extract at a dose of 400 mg/kg significantly inhibited the paw edema by 26%. The results confirm the folkloric use of the plant extract in painful and inflammatory conditions. Further studies are needed to characterize the active constituents and the mechanism of action of the plant extract.

Anti-Inflammatory and Antibothropic Properties of Jatropha Elliptica, a Plant from Brazilian Cerrado Biome

PubMed Central

Ferreira-Rodrigues, Sára Cósta; Rodrigues, Cássio Milhomens; Dos Santos, Marcio Galdino; Gautuz, Jean Antonio Abraham; Silva, Magali Glauzer; Cogo, José Carlos; Batista-Silva, Camila; Dos Santos, Cleiton Pita; Groppo, Francisco Carlos; Cogo-Müller, Karina; Oshima-Franco, Yoko

2016-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibothropic and anti-inflammatory properties of J. elliptica. Methods: Phytochemical screening and thin-layer chromatography (TLC) assays were performed on J. elliptica hydroalcoholic extract (TE) in order to observe its main constituents. The antibothropic activity of TE was evaluated by the in vitro neuromuscular blockade caused by Bothrops jararacussu venom (Bjssu), in a mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm model (PND). A quantitative histological study was carried out to observe a possible protection of TE against the venom myotoxicity. The anti-inflammatory activity was also evaluated in two models, Bjssu-induced paw edema, and carrageenan-induced neutrophils migration in the peritoneal cavity. Results: TLC analysis revealed several compounds in TE, such as saponins, alkaloids, and phenolic constituents. TE was able to neutralize the blockade and the myotoxicity induced by venom, when it was pre-incubated for 30 min with venom. In addition, it showed anti-inflammatory activity, inducing less neutrophils migration and reducing paw edema. Conclusion: J. elliptica showed both antibothropic and anti-inflammatory properties. PMID:28101464

Sex differences in antinociceptive tolerance to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in the rat

PubMed Central

Wakley, Alexa A.; Wiley, Jenny L.; Craft, Rebecca M.

2014-01-01

Background Sex differences in cannabinoid effects have been reported in rodents, with adult females typically being more sensitive than adult males. The present study compared the development of antinociceptive tolerance to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in adult, gonadally intact female vs. male rats. Methods Cumulative dose-effect curves were obtained for THC (1.0–18 mg/kg i.p.) on warm water tail withdrawal and paw pressure tests. Vehicle or the sex-specific ED80 dose for THC was administered twice daily for 9 days; THC dose-effect curves were then re-determined. Results On the pre-chronic test day, THC was significantly more potent in females than males in producing antinociception on the tail withdrawal and paw pressure tests. After 9 days of twice-daily THC treatment (5.4 mg/kg/injection in females, 7.6 mg/kg/injection in males), THC potency on both tests decreased more in females than males. On the tail withdrawal test, chronic THC produced 4.2- vs. 2.8-fold increases in ED50 values in females vs. males, respectively. On the paw pressure test, chronic THC produced 4.4- vs. 2.9-fold increases in ED50 values in females vs. males, respectively. Chronic THC treatment did not significantly disrupt estrous cycling in females. Conclusions These results demonstrate that – even when sex differences in acute THC potency are controlled for – females develop more antinociceptive tolerance to THC than males. Given the importance of drug tolerance in the development of drug dependence, these results suggest that females may be more vulnerable than males to developing dependence after chronic cannabinoid exposure. PMID:25131716

Modifications of Gait as Predictors of Natural Osteoarthritis Progression in STR/Ort Mice

PubMed Central

Poulet, Blandine; de Souza, Roberto; Knights, Chancie B; Gentry, Clive; Wilson, Alan M; Bevan, Stuart; Chang, Yu-Mei; Pitsillides, Andrew A

2014-01-01

Objective Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common chronic disease for which disease-modifying therapies are not currently available. Studies to seek new targets for slowing the progress of OA rely on mouse models, but these do not allow for longitudinal monitoring of disease development. This study was undertaken to determine whether gait can be used to measure disease severity in the STR/Ort mouse model of spontaneous OA and whether gait changes are related to OA joint pain. Methods Gait was monitored using a treadmill-based video system. Correlations between OA severity and gait at 3 treadmill speeds were assessed in STR/Ort mice. Gait and pain behaviors of STR/Ort mice and control CBA mice were analyzed longitudinally, with monthly assessments. Results The best speed to identify paw area changes associated with OA severity in STR/Ort mice was found to be 17 cm · seconds−1. Paw area was modified with age in CBA and STR/Ort mice, but this began earlier in STR/Ort mice and correlated with the onset of OA at 20 weeks of age. In addition, task noncompliance appeared at 20 weeks. Surprisingly, STR/Ort mice did not show any signs of pain with OA development, even when treated with the opioid antagonist naloxone, but did exhibit normal pain behaviors in response to complete Freund's adjuvant–induced arthritis. Conclusion The present results identify an animal model in which OA severity and OA pain can be studied in isolation from one another. The findings suggest that paw area and treadmill noncompliance may be useful tools to longitudinally monitor nonpainful OA development in STR/Ort mice. This will help in providing a noninvasive means of assessing new therapies to slow the progression of OA. PMID:24623711

Comparative effects of Rauwolfia vomitoria and chlorpromazine on social behaviour and pain

PubMed Central

Bisong, Sunday; Brown, Richard; Osim, Eme

2011-01-01

Background: Rauwolfia vomitoria has been used in Nigeria to manage psychiatric disorders despite orthodox medicine. Aims: This research was therefore aimed at comparing the effects of R. vomitoria, chlorpromazine and reserpine on social behaviour and pain in mice. Materials and Methods: Ninety male CD-1 mice (32 – 38g body weight) were grouped into 3 with 5 subgroups (n=6) each. Mice were given chlorpromazine (0.0, 0.25, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 mg/kg i.p.), 30 minutes before testing and R. vomitoria (0.0, 0.25, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 mg/kg, i.p.) and reserpine (0.0, 0.1, 0.4, 0.8, 1.6 mg/kg, i.p) 24 hours before testing. Nesting score assessed social behaviour while the tail flick and hot plate analgesiometers assessed pain. Results: Chlorpromazine dose-dependently decreased nesting score (F4,25 = 5.5660; p< 0.01), indicating decreased social behaviour (social loss) in the mice. Although R. vomitoria did not affect nesting score, reserpine decreased the nesting score (social loss). In the pain test, chlorpromazine did not alter tail flick latency but decreased hind paw lick latency in the hot plate at 2.0 and 4.0 mg/kg (p< 0.01), indicating increased pain sensitivity at these doses which may indirectly increase social withdrawal and thus aggravating depression. R. vomitoria however, increased tail flick and hind paw lick latencies in the hot plate test (p< 0.05) indicating decreased pain sensitivity. Reserpine, like R. vomitoria, increased latency of hind paw lick in the hot plate. Conclusion: R. vomitoria has a high potential as an antipsychotic and may have advantage over chlorpromazine; it is not necessary to isolate active components from this herb. PMID:22540065

Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effect of sulfated polysaccharide fractions from Sargassum wightii and Halophila ovalis in male Wistar rats

PubMed Central

Neelakandan, Yuvaraj; Venkatesan, Arul

2016-01-01

Aim: The aim of this objective is to evaluate the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory potential of sulfated polysaccharide purified fractions isolated from brown seaweed Sargassum wightii and seagrass Halophila ovalis in male Wistar rats. Subjects and Methods: Crude sulfated polysaccharide from S. wightii and H. ovalis was subjected to anion exchange chromatography, and the chemical composition was investigated. The antinociceptive activity of purified fractions was investigated using formalin and hot plate test. Carrageenan-induced paw edema, peritonitis model, and Freund's Complete Adjuvant-induced arthritis model were employed to determine the anti-inflammatory activity. Results: In the formalin test, there was a significant reduction in licking time in both phases of the test at a dose of 10 mg/kg. In the hot plate test, the antinociceptive effect was observed only in animals treated with 5, 10 mg/kg suggesting that the analgesic effect occurs through a central action mechanism. Sw FrIV and Ho FrIV significantly inhibited paw edema induced by carrageenan, especially at 3 h after treatment and potentially decreased neutrophil migration at 10 mg/kg, respectively. In Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritic rats, a significant reduction in paw volume was observed in Sw FrIV and Ho FrIV-treated groups (10 mg/kg). Conclusion: Purified components from S. wightii and H. ovalis have strong antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effect on animal model. However, to determine the molecular mechanism, it is necessary to investigate the effect of purified fractions on inhibition of nitric oxide synthase expression mediated by inhibiting the phosphorylation of various signal proteins in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. PMID:27721544

Long-Term Treatment by Vitamin B1 and Reduction of Serum Proinflammatory Cytokines, Hyperalgesia, and Paw Edema in Adjuvant-Induced Arthritis

PubMed Central

Zaringhalam, Jalal; Akbari, Akhtar; Zali, Alireza; Manaheji, Homa; Nazemian, Vida; Shadnoush, Mahdi; Ezzatpanah, Somayeh

2016-01-01

Introduction: Immune system is involved in the etiology and pathophysiology of inflammation and vitamins are important sources of substances inducing nonspecific immunomodulatory effects. Given the proinflammatory role of cytokines in the inflammation and pain induction, this study aimed to assess the effects of long-term administration of vitamin B1 on the proinflammatory cytokines, edema, and hyperalgesia during the acute and chronic phases of adjuvant-induced arthritis. Methods: On the first day of study, inflammation was induced by intraplantar injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) in the hindpaws of rats. Vitamin B1 at doses of 100, 150, and 200 mg/kg was administrated intraperitoneally during 21 days of the study. Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of vitamin B1 were also compared to indomethacin (5 mg/kg). Inflammatory symptoms such as thermal hyperalgesia and paw edema were measured by radiant heat and plethysmometer, respectively. Serum TNF-α and IL-1β levels were checked by rat standard enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) specific kits. Results: The results indicated that vitamin B1(150 and 200 mg/kg) attenuated the paw edema, thermal hyperalgesia, and serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β during both phases of CFA-induced inflammation in a dose-dependent manner. Effective dose of vitamin B1(150 mg/kg) reduced inflammatory symptoms and serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β compare to indomethacin during the chronic phase of inflammation. Conclusion: Anti-inflammatory and antihyperalgesic effects of vitamin B1 during CFA-induced arthritis, more specifically after chronic vitamin B1 administration, suggest its therapeutic property for inflammation. PMID:27872694

Ethnopharmacological evaluation of some Scorzonera species: in vivo anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects.

PubMed

Küpeli Akkol, Esra; Bahadır Acıkara, Ozlem; Süntar, Ipek; Ergene, Burçin; Saltan Çitoğlu, Gülçin

2012-03-27

Scorzonera species are mainly used against inflammation and to relieve pain in Turkish traditional medicine. Therefore, we aimed to assess in vivo anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of the aerial part and root extracts of Scorzonera acuminata, Scorzonera cana var. alpina, Scorzonera cana var. jacquiniana, Scorzonera cana var. radicosa, Scorzonera cinerea, Scorzonera eriophora, Scorzonera incisa, Scorzonera laciniata ssp. laciniata, Scorzonera parviflora and Scorzonera sublanata. For the anti-inflammatory activity evaluation carrageenan, PGE(2) and serotonin-induced hind paw edema and 12-O-tetradecanoyl-13-acetate (TPA)-induced mouse ear edema models were used. p-Benzoquinone-induced abdominal constriction test was employed in mice for the assessment of antinociceptive activity. Furthermore chemical composition of the tested extracts was investigated qualitatively and quantitatively by using RP-HPLC method. Some phenolic acids and flavonoids were used as standards. Extracts prepared from the aerial parts of Scorzonera cana var. jacquiniana, Scorzonera cinerea, Scorzonera eriophora, Scorzonera incisa and Scorzonera parviflora showed significant inhibitory effect on carrageenan and PGE(2)-induced hind paw edema model as well as on p-benzoquinone-induced abdominal constriction test. The extracts did not show any remarkable activity on serotonin-induced hind paw edema and TPA-induced mouse ear edema models. Chlorogenic acid was detected as major compounds in all the species investigated. Additionally, among the tested flavonoids, luteolin-7-glucoside, hyperoside and rutin were found to be in different amounts in Scorzonera species. The experimental data revealed that Scorzonera cana var. jacquiniana, Scorzonera cinerea, Scorzonera eriophora, Scorzonera incisa and Scorzonera parviflora possess significant anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activity. It has been suggested that flavonoids and chlorogenic acid are partly responsible for mentioned activities of Scorzonera species. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Heat transfer enhancement and pumping power optimization using CuO-water nanofluid through rectangular corrugated pipe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salehin, Musfequs; Ehsan, Mohammad Monjurul; Islam, A. K. M. Sadrul

2017-06-01

Heat transfer enhancement by corrugation in fluid domain is a popular method. The rate of improvement is more when it is used highly thermal conductive fluid as heating or cooling medium. In this present study, heat transfer augmentation was investigated numerically by implementing corrugation in the fluid domain and nanofluid as the base fluid in the turbulent forced convection regime. Finite volume method (FVM) was applied to solve the continuity, momentum and energy equations. All the numerical simulations were considered for single phase flow. A rectangle corrugated pipe with 5000 W/m2 constant heat flux subjected to the corrugated wall was considered as the fluid domain. In the range of Reynolds number 15000 to 40000, thermo-physical and hydrodynamic behavior was investigated by using CuO-water nanofluid from 1% to 5% volume fraction as the base fluid through the corrugated fluid domain. Corrugation justification was performed by changing the amplitude of the corrugation and the corrugation wave length for obtaining the increased heat transfer rate with minimum pumping power. For using CuO-water nanofluid, augmentation was also found more in the rectangle corrugated pipe both in heat transfer and pumping power requirement with the increase of Reynolds number and the volume fraction of nanofluid. For the increased pumping power, optimization of pumping power by using nanofluid was also performed for economic finding.

Dissemination of Clostridium difficile spores between environment and households: Dog paws and shoes.

PubMed

Janezic, Sandra; Mlakar, Sabina; Rupnik, Maja

2018-04-23

Clostridium difficile is an anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium that causes intestinal infections. Although C. difficile is still predominantly considered as a nosocomial pathogen, there has been an increase in the number of community-associated infections. Since C. difficile is ubiquitous and can be isolated from nearly any environment, one of the possibilities for community acquisition could be exposure to spores in the domestic environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of C. difficile spores on shoes, slippers and on dog paws and to explore the importance of these surfaces as vectors for the dissemination of C. difficile in a domestic environment. Overall, C. difficile was present in 14 (70%) of 20 households and in 31 of 90 (34%) collected samples. Shoes and slippers had the highest positivity rates, 19 of 44 (43%) and 6 of 21 (28%), respectively, followed by dog paws 6 of 25 (24%). Thirteen C. difficilePCR ribotypes were identified with half of the isolates belonging to ribotype 014/020, which is the predominant type circulating in human population and is also commonly found in the environment (e.g. soil and water) in Slovenia. In three households, identical PCR ribotypes were found on dog paws, shoes and slippers. To understand the fine-scale genetic relatedness of these isolates, we sequenced the genomes. Low level of single nucleotide variant (SNV) differences between isolates from the same households, consistent with a recent transmission from a common source, were seen for isolates of PCR ribotype 014/020 but not for PCR ribotype 010. Our results suggest that shoe soles and dog paws could serve for the dissemination of C. difficile spores between households and environment and could contribute to community-relevant sources for C. difficile infection in humans. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Influence of several peptidase inhibitors on the pro-inflammatory effects of substance P, capsaicin and collagenase.

PubMed

Damas, J; Bourdon, V; Liégeois, J F; Simmons, W H

1996-11-01

Injection of substance P (SP) in a rat hindpaw induced extravasation of 125I-labelled albumin in both hindpaws and salivation. Intravenous injection of SP dose-dependently increased vascular permeability. This latter effect was increased in rat paws by captopril, an inhibitor of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), administered locally in combination with diprotin A, an inhibitor of an dipeptidyl(amino)peptidase IV (DAP IV) or phosphoramidon, an inhibitor of neutral endopeptidase (NEP). The increase in permeability induced by SP was inhibited by RP 67580, a NK-1-receptor antagonist. Intravenous injection of capsaicin induced labelled albumin extravasation in rat paws. This effect was increased by combination of captopril with diprotin A or phosphoramidon, but not by captopril associated with amastatin, an inhibitor of aminopeptidase M (AmM). It was suppressed by RP 67580. Injection of collagenase in rat paws triggered a swelling and a local plasma exudation. These responses were reduced by RP 67580 but not by RP 68651, its inactive enantiomer. They were increased by combination of captopril with diprotin A or phosphoramidon in normal rats. The potentiating effects of captopril and diprotin A were suppressed by RP 67580 in normal rats but did not develop in kininogen-deficient rats. The oedema induced by collagenase was also increased by lisinopril, another ACE inhibitor, administered locally in combination with apstatin, an inhibitor of aminopeptidase P (AmP). In rats pretreated by methysergide, collagenase-induced oedema was reduced and can be increased by captopril, by lisinopril, administered alone or by lisinopril associated with apstatin. It is concluded that SP is mainly inactivated in rat paws by ACE, DAP IV and NEP. In collagenase-induced oedema, a low amount of SP would be released from afferent nerve terminals by bradykinin formed in low amounts. Bradykinin is inactivated in rat paws by ACE and AmP. In collagenase-oedema, the pro-inflammatory effects of bradykinin are concealed by the effects of the other mediators.

In Vivo Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Bacterial and Anti-Diarrhoeal Activity of Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract.

PubMed

Mesaik, Ahmed M; Poh, Hiap Wei; Bin, Ooi Yan; Elawad, Izzaddinn; Alsayed, Badr

2018-05-20

Ziziphus jujuba belongs to family Rhamnaceae widely distributed in subtropical and tropical countries. It is used traditionally for several pharmacological purposes including anti-inflammation, antidiarrhoeal and antibacterial, as well as tonic and sometimes as hypnotic (sedative). To determine the in vivo antidiarrhoeal, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities of Z. jujuba fruit ethanolic extract. The fruit was macerated and extracted by 95% (v/v) ethanol. The antidiarrhoeal activity was evaluated using castor oil and Escherichia coli induced diarrhoea mouse model. The antidiarrhoeal and antibacterial activity was investigated at graded doses (400-1200 mg/kg). The anti-inflammatory effects were tested using the carrageenan-induced paw oedema in female Wistar rats. Rat's treatment groups received tragacanth, 100 mg/kg diclofenac sodium, 800 mg/kg, 1200 mg/kg or 1600 mg/kg of an ethanolic extract of Z. jujuba (EEZJ). All treatment groups were fed with the compounds one hour before carrageenan injection at of rat's paw. Also, the EEZJ was further analysed by HPLC-PDA system for identification of the presence of betulinic acid and quercetin. EEZJ different doses did not show inhibitory activity against castor oil induced diarrhoea except for the higher (1200 mg/kg) dose. However, the frequency of defecation of stools and watery stool were reduced significantly when compared to control group (P ≤ 0.05 and P ≤ 0.01 respectively), resulted in overall 67% inhibition of diarrhoea. Our anti-inflammatory results demonstrated that EEZJ was able to inhibit the carrageenan-induced paw oedema in rats to a significant degree (p ≤ 0.05) and the paw volume and thickness of both left and right paw were affected compared to the negative control group. EEZJ possesses antidiarrhoeal and antibacterial activity in a dose depending manner and may provide a pharmacological basis for its clinical use in diarrheal diseases. The activity may partially be due to the presence of betulinic acid and quercetin.

Efficacy of an ethanol/guar/triclosan/glycerine gel on bacteria and yeast loads in canine pododermatitis: a pilot study.

PubMed

Ortalda, C; Noli, C; Cena, T

2016-04-01

To assess efficacy of a gel compound containing guar, glycerine, triclosan and ethanol (Pawcare®, JOKER Technologies, Kerzers, Switzerland) in decreasing bacterial and yeast loads on the paws of dogs with erythematous, greasy and/or malodorous pododermatitis. In 20 dogs, each with at least two affected paws, semiquantitative Malassezia species counts were performed on 10 oil-immersion fields (range: 0 to 30) from acetate tapes pressed on the palmar/plantar surface of one paw. Half of the area was sampled before and the other half immediately after the application of Pawcare(®) . With a similar procedure, swab samples were collected from the other paw for bacterial culture, identification and evaluation of colony-forming units before and immediately after treatment. Statistical evaluation of pre- and posttreatment counts was performed with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Nine dogs were positive for Malassezia species Mean acetate tape preparation counts decreased significantly from 8·78 (±8·03) to 5·668 (±6·65) (P=0·0039) after treatment. Twenty-five bacterial isolates of 11 different species were cultured in 19 dogs. Posttreatment cultures were sterile in 8 dogs that had an initial zero or low number (1 to 2 log counts) of colony-forming units. In cases with a higher pre-treatment number of colony forming units (2 to 6 log counts), there was a significant decrease - by a mean of 1·16 log counts (pre 3·12 ±1·69, post 1·96 ±1·57) (P=0·0002). The findings of the present study support the use of PawCare® gel to decrease bacterial and yeast loads in dogs affected by chronic diseases involving the inter-digital spaces. © 2016 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

Increased augmentation index and central systolic arterial pressure are associated with lower school and motor performance in young adolescents.

PubMed

Vogrin, Bernarda; Slak Rupnik, Marjan; Mičetić-Turk, Dušanka

2017-12-01

Objective In adults, improper arterial function has been linked to cognitive impairment. The pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (AIx) and other vascular parameters are useful indicators of arterial health. In our study, we monitored arterial properties, body constitution, school success, and motor skills in young adolescents. We hypothesize that reduced cognitive and motor abilities have a vascular origin in children. Methods We analysed 81 healthy school children aged 11-16 years. Anthropometry central systolic arterial pressure, body mass index (BMI), standard deviation scores (SDS) BMI, general school performance grade, and eight motor tests were assessed. PWV, AIx, and central systolic arterial pressure (SBPao) were measured. Results AIx and SBPao correlated negatively with school performance grades. Extremely high AIx, PWV and SBPao values were observed in 5% of children and these children had average to low school performance. PWV correlated significantly with weight, height, and waist and hip circumference. AIx, PWV, school success, and BMI correlated strongly with certain motor functions. Conclusions Increased AIx and SBPao are associated with lower school and motor performance in children. PWV is influenced by the body's constitution.

Center for By-Products Utilization (CBU) | College of Engineering & Applied

Science.gov Websites

Science A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z D2L PAWS Email My UW-System About UWM Jobs D2L PAWS Email My UW-System University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee College ofEngineering & Olympiad Girls Who Code Club FIRST Tech Challenge NSF I-Corps Site of Southeastern Wisconsin UW-Milwaukee

Center for Urban Transportation Studies | College of Engineering & Applied

Science.gov Websites

Engineering of the College of Engineering and Applied Science as well as with the faculty at UW-Madison, UW Science A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z D2L PAWS Email My UW-System About UWM Jobs D2L PAWS Email My UW-System University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee College ofEngineering &

Catalyst Grants: Contributing to X-Ray History | College of Engineering &

Science.gov Websites

Applied Science A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z D2L PAWS Email My UW Visit Apply Give to UWM Jobs D2L PAWS Email My UW-System University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee College Olympiad Girls Who Code Club FIRST Tech Challenge NSF I-Corps Site of Southeastern Wisconsin UW-Milwaukee

The status of augmented reality in laparoscopic surgery as of 2016.

PubMed

Bernhardt, Sylvain; Nicolau, Stéphane A; Soler, Luc; Doignon, Christophe

2017-04-01

This article establishes a comprehensive review of all the different methods proposed by the literature concerning augmented reality in intra-abdominal minimally invasive surgery (also known as laparoscopic surgery). A solid background of surgical augmented reality is first provided in order to support the survey. Then, the various methods of laparoscopic augmented reality as well as their key tasks are categorized in order to better grasp the current landscape of the field. Finally, the various issues gathered from these reviewed approaches are organized in order to outline the remaining challenges of augmented reality in laparoscopic surgery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Molecular phylogenetic trees - On the validity of the Goodman-Moore augmentation algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holmquist, R.

1979-01-01

A response is made to the reply of Nei and Tateno (1979) to the letter of Holmquist (1978) supporting the validity of the augmentation algorithm of Moore (1977) in reconstructions of nucleotide substitutions by means of the maximum parsimony principle. It is argued that the overestimation of the augmented numbers of nucleotide substitutions (augmented distances) found by Tateno and Nei (1978) is due to an unrepresentative data sample and that it is only necessary that evolution be stochastically uniform in different regions of the phylogenetic network for the augmentation method to be useful. The importance of the average value of the true distance over all links is explained, and the relative variances of the true and augmented distances are calculated to be almost identical. The effects of topological changes in the phylogenetic tree on the augmented distance and the question of the correctness of ancestral sequences inferred by the method of parsimony are also clarified.

Modulation of somatosensory evoked potentials during wake-sleep states and spike-wave discharges in the rat.

PubMed

Shaw, Fu-Zen; Lee, Su-Ying; Chiu, Ted H

2006-03-01

To clarify the cortical evoked responses in the primary somatosensory cortex of the rat under states of waking, slow-wave sleep (SWS), paradoxical sleep (PS), and spike-wave discharges (SWDs), which are associated with absence seizure. Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) in response to single- and paired-pulse stimulations under waking, SWS, PS, and SWDs were compared. SEPs to a single-pulse stimulus with regard to cortical spikes of sleep spindles and SWDs were also evaluated. Twenty Long Evans rats. Single- and paired-pulse innocuous electrical stimulations were applied to the tail of rats with chronically implanted electrodes in the primary somatosensory cortex and neck muscle under waking, SWS, PS, and SWDs. SEPs displayed distinct patterns under waking/PS and SWS/SWDs. The short-latency P1-N1 wave of the SEP was severely impeded during SWDs but not in other states. Reduction of the P1-N1 magnitude to the second stimulus of the paired-pulse stimulus for interstimulus intervals of < or = 300 milliseconds appeared in waking and PS states, but the decrease occurred only at particular interstimulus intervals under SWS. Interestingly, augmentation was found under SWDs. Moreover, cyclic augmentation of the P1-N1 magnitude was associated with spindle spikes, but cyclic reduction was observed with SWD spikes. Changes in SEPs are not only behavior dependent, but also phase locked onto ongoing brain activity. Distinct short-term plasticity of SEPs during sleep spindles or SWDs may merit further studies for seizure control and tactile information processing.

Directing General Education Outcomes. New Directions for Community Colleges, Number 81.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raisman, Neal A., Ed.

1993-01-01

The articles in this collection recommend ways of bringing greater direction and focus to community college general education and thereby enhancing the fulfillment of collegiate missions and augmenting student learning. The sourcebook contains: (1) "Toward a Second Wave of Reform," by Jerry G. Gaff, which reviews the general education reforms of…

Acute changes in arterial stiffness following exercise in people with metabolic syndrome.

PubMed

Radhakrishnan, Jeyasundar; Swaminathan, Narasimman; Pereira, Natasha M; Henderson, Keiran; Brodie, David A

This study aims to examine the changes in arterial stiffness immediately following sub-maximal exercise in people with metabolic syndrome. Ninety-four adult participants (19-80 years) with metabolic syndrome gave written consent and were measured for arterial stiffness using a SphygmoCor (SCOR-PVx, Version 8.0, Atcor Medical Private Ltd, USA) immediately before and within 5-10min after an incremental shuttle walk test. The arterial stiffness measures used were pulse wave velocity (PWV), aortic pulse pressure (PP), augmentation pressure, augmentation index (AI), subendocardial viability ratio (SEVR) and ejection duration (ED). There was a significant increase (p<0.05) in most of the arterial stiffness variables following exercise. Exercise capacity had a strong inverse correlation with arterial stiffness and age (p<0.01). Age influences arterial stiffness. Exercise capacity is inversely related to arterial stiffness and age in people with metabolic syndrome. Exercise induced changes in arterial stiffness measured using pulse wave analysis is an important tool that provides further evidence in studying cardiovascular risk in metabolic syndrome. Copyright © 2016 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Two-photon momentum density in La2-xSrxCuO4 and Nd2-xCexCuO4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blandin, P.; Massidda, S.; Barbiellini, B.; Jarlborg, T.; Lerch, P.; Manuel, A. A.; Hoffmann, L.; Gauthier, M.; Sadowski, W.; Walker, E.; Peter, M.; Yu, Jaejun; Freeman, A. J.

1992-07-01

We present calculations of the electron-positron momentum density for the high-Tc superconductors La2-xSrxCuO4 and Nd2-xCexCuO4, together with experimental two-dimensional angular correlation of annihilation radiation (2D-ACAR) for Nd2-xCexCuO4. The calculations are based on first-principles electronic structure obtained using the full-potential linearized augmented-plane-wave and the linear muffin-tin orbital methods. Our results indicate a non-negligible overlap of the positron wave function with the CuO2 plane electrons responsible for the Fermi surfaces in these compounds. Therefore, these compounds may be well suited for investigating Fermi-surface-related effects. After the folding of umklapp terms according to Lock, Crisp, and West, the predicted Fermi-surface breaks are mixed with strong effects induced by the positron wave function in La2-xSrxCuO4, while their resolution is better in Nd2-xCexCuO4. A comparison of our calculations with the most recent experimental results for La2-xSrxCuO4 shows good agreement. For Nd2-xCexCuO4 good agreement is observed between theoretical and experimental 2D-ACAR profiles.

Structural, electronic and magnetic properties of Pr-based filled skutterudites: A first principle study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, Priya; Nautiyal, Shashank; Verma, U. P.

2018-04-01

Ternary skutterudites materials exhibit good electronic properties due to the unpaired d- and f- electrons of the transition and rare-earth metals, respectively. In this communication, we have performed the structural optimization of Pr-based filled skutterudite (PrCo4P12) for the first time and obtained the electronic band structure, density of states and magnetic moments by using the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method based on density functional theory (DFT). Our obtained magnetic moment of PrCo4P12 is ˜ 1.8 µB in which main contribution is due to Pr atom. Behavior of this material is metallic and it is most stable in body centered cubic (BCC) structure.

Ab-initio investigations for opto-electronic response of (Cd, Zn)Ga2Te4: Promising solar PV materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahariya, Jagrati; Soni, Amit; Kumar, Pancham

2018-04-01

In this paper, the first principle calculations are performed to analyze the structural, electronic and optical behavior of promising solar materials (Cd,Zn)Ga2Te4. To perform these calculations we have used one of the most accurate Full Potential Linearized Augmented Plane Wave (FP-LAPW) method. The ground state properties of these compounds are confirmed over here after proper examination of energy and charge convergence using Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE-sol) exchange correlation potential. The investigations performed such as energy band structure, Density of States (DOS), optical parameters like complex dielectric function and absorption co-efficient are discussed over here to understand the overall response of the chosen system.

Structural, Electronic and Elastic Properties of Half-Heusler Alloys CrNiZ (Z = Al, Si, Ge and As)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zitouni, A.; Benstaali, W.; Abbad, A.; Lantri, T.; Bouadjemi, B.; Aziz, Z.

2018-06-01

In the present work, a self-consistent ab-initio calculation using the full- potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method within the framework of the spin-polarized density functional theory (DFT) was used to study the structural, electronic, magnetic and elastic properties of the half Heusler alloys CrNiZ (Z = Al, Si, Ge and As) in three phases ( α, β and γ phases). The generalized gradient approximation (GGA) described by Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) was used. The results obtained for the spin-polarized band structure and the density of states show a halfmetallic behavior for the four compounds. The elastic constants ( C ij ) show that our compounds are ductile, stiff and anisotropic.

The electronic structure and optical properties of ABP 2O 7 ( A = Na, Li) double phosphates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hizhnyi, Yu. A.; Oliynyk, A.; Gomenyuk, O.; Nedilko, S. G.; Nagornyi, P.; Bojko, R.; Bojko, V.

2008-01-01

Partial densities of states and reflection spectra of NaAlP 2O 7, KAlP 2O 7 and LiInP 2O 7 double phosphate crystals are calculated by the full-potential linear-augmented-plane-wave (FLAPW) method. Experimental reflection spectra of KAlP 2O 7, CsAlP 2O 7 and NaInP 2O 7 are measured in the 4-20 eV energy range. The values of band gaps, Eg, are found from a comparison of experiment and calculations to be 6.0 eV for NaAlP 2O 7 and KAlP 2O 7, and 4.6 eV for LiInP 2O 7.

Intercellular communication in sensory ganglia by purinergic receptors and gap junctions: implications for chronic pain.

PubMed

Hanani, Menachem

2012-12-03

Peripheral injury can cause abnormal activity in sensory neurons, which is a major factor in chronic pain. Recent work has shown that injury induces major changes not only in sensory neurons but also in the main type of glial cells in sensory ganglia-satellite glial cells (SGCs), and that interactions between sensory neurons and SGCs contribute to neuronal activity in pain models. The main functional changes observed in SGCs after injury are an increased gap junction-mediated coupling among these cells, and augmented sensitivity to ATP. There is evidence that the augmented gap junctions contribute to neuronal hyperexcitability in pain models, but the mechanism underlying this effect is not known. The changes in SGCs described above have been found following a wide range of injuries (both axotomy and inflammation) in somatic, orofacial and visceral regions, and therefore appear to be a general feature in chronic pain. We have found that in cultures of sensory ganglia calcium signals can spread from an SGC to neighboring cells by calcium waves, which are mediated by gap junctions and ATP acting on purinergic P2 receptors. A model is proposed to explain how augmented gap junctions and greater sensitivity to ATP can combine to produce enhanced calcium waves, which can lead to neuronal excitation. Thus this simple scheme can account for several major changes in sensory ganglia that are common to a great variety of pain models. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Metastable Autoionizing States of Molecules and Radicals in Highly Energetic Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-22

electronic states. The specific aims are to develop and calibrate complex-scaled equation-of-motion coupled cluster (cs-EOM- CC ) and CAP (complex...absorbing potential) augmented EOM- CC methods. We have implemented and benchmarked cs-EOM-CCSD and CAP- augmented EOM-CCSD methods for excitation energies...motion coupled cluster (cs-EOM- CC ) and CAP (complex absorbing potential) augmented EOM- CC methods. We have implemented and benchmarked cs-EOM-CCSD and

An Argument Against Augmenting the Lagrangean for Nonholonomic Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roithmayr, Carlos M.; Hodges, Dewey H.

2009-01-01

Although it is known that correct dynamical equations of motion for a nonholonomic system cannot be obtained from a Lagrangean that has been augmented with a sum of the nonholonomic constraint equations weighted with multipliers, previous publications suggest otherwise. An example has been proposed in support of augmentation and purportedly demonstrates that an accepted method fails to produce correct equations of motion whereas augmentation leads to correct equations; this paper shows that in fact the opposite is true. The correct equations, previously discounted on the basis of a flawed application of the Newton-Euler method, are verified by using Kane's method and a new approach to determining the directions of constraint forces. A correct application of the Newton-Euler method reproduces valid equations.

Antimicrobial, Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Activities of Jatropha multifida L. (Euphorbiaceae)

PubMed Central

Anani, Kokou; Adjrah, Yao; Améyapoh, Yaovi; Karou, Simplice Damintoti; Agbonon, Amegnona; de Souza, Comlan; Gbeassor, Messanvi

2016-01-01

Background: Jatropha multifida is used in Togolease folk medicine for the healing of chronic wounds. Objective: This study aims to investigate antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of the leaves ethanolic extract. Materials and Methods: The antimicrobial activity was assayed by National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards broth microdilution method on strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomoas aeruginosa isolated from wounds, whereas the anti-inflammatory activity was performed by carrageenan and histamine induced paw edema method in rat modele. The 2, 2-diphenyl-1picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were used for the antioxidant activity. Results: The antibacterial assay showed an in vitro growth inhibition of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus in dose-dependent manner, with minimum inhibitory concentration values ranging from 2.5 to 3.12 mg/mL for S. aureus and from 6.25 to 12.5 mg/mL for P. aeruginosa. The maximum paw anti-inflammatory effect occurred after 3 and 5 h administration of histamine and carrageenan, respectively. The DPPH radical scavenging and the FRAP assays yielded weak antioxidant activity. Conclusion: J. multifida possesses antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities that could justify the use of the plant for the treatment of wounds in the folk medicine. SUMMARY Antibacterial on germs isolated from wound, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of Jatropha multifida were assayed by NCCLS broth method, carrageenan and histamine, DPPH and FRAP respectively. The results indicated that Jatropha multifida possesses antibacterial and anti-inflammatory and weak antioxidant activities that could justify its use for the treatment of wounds in the folk medicine. PMID:27034606

Ice-coupled wave propagation across an abrupt change in ice rigidity, density, or thickness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrett, Murray D.; Squire, Vernon A.

1996-09-01

The model of Fox and Squire [1990, 1991, 1994], which discusses the oblique propagation of surface gravity waves from the open sea into an ice sheet of constant thickness and properties, is augmented to include propagation across an abrupt transition of properties within a continuous ice sheet or across two dissimilar ice sheets that abut one another but are free to move independently. Rigidity, thickness, and/or density may change across the transition, allowing, for example, the modeling of ice-coupled waves into, across, and out of refrozen leads and polynyas, across cracks, and through coherent pressure ridges. Reflection and transmission behavior is reported for various changes in properties under both types of transition conditions.

Ambient Noise Tomography of the East African Rift System in Mozambique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domingues, A.; Chamussa, J.; Silveira, G. M.; Custodio, S.; Lebedev, S.; Chang, S.; Ferreira, A. M.; Fonseca, J. F.

2013-12-01

A wide range of studies has shown that the cross-correlation of ambient noise can provide an estimate of the Greens functions between pairs of stations. Project MOZART (funded by FCT, Lisbon, PI J. Fonseca) deployed 30 broadband (120s) seismic stations from the SEIS-UK Pool in Central Mozambique and NE South Africa, with the purpose of studying the East African Rift System (EARS) in Mozambique. We applied the Ambient Noise Tomography (ANT) method to broadband seismic data recorded from March 2011 until July 2012. Cross-correlations were computed between all pairs of stations, and from these we obtained Rayleigh wave group velocity dispersion curves for all interstation paths, in the period range from 3 to 50 seconds. We tested various approaches for pre-processing the ambient noise data regarding time-domain and spectral normalisation, as well as the use of phase cross-correlations. Moreover, we examined the robustness of our dispersion maps by splitting our dataset into various sub-sets of Green's functions with similar paths and by quantifying the differences between the dispersion maps obtained from the various sub-sets of data. We find that while the geographical distribution of the group velocity anomalies is well constrained, the amplitudes of the anomalies are slightly less robust. We performed a three-dimensional inversion to obtain the S-wave velocity of the crust and upper mantle. In addition, our preliminary results show a good correlation between the Rayleigh wave group velocity and the geology of Mozambique. In order to extend the investigation to longer periods and, thus, to be able to look into the lithosphere-asthenosphere depth range in the upper mantle, we apply a recent implementation of the surface-wave two-station method (teleseismic interferometry) and augment our dataset with Rayleigh wave phase velocities curves in broad period ranges.

The evaluation of arterial stiffness of essential hypertension and white coat hypertension in children: a case-control study.

PubMed

Tokgöz, Semiha Terlemez; Yılmaz, Dilek; Tokgöz, Yavuz; Çelik, Bülent; Bulut, Yasin

2018-03-01

The aim of this study was to determine and compare cardiovascular risks by assessing arterial stiffness in children with essential hypertension and white coat hypertension. Paediatric patients followed up with essential hypertension and white coat hypertension diagnoses and with no established end organ damage were involved in the study. Arterial stiffness in children included in the study was evaluated and compared by using the oscillometric device (Mobil-O-Graph) method. A total of 62 essential hypertension (34 male, 28 female), 38 white coat hypertension (21 male, 17 female), and 60 healthy controls (33 male, 27 female) were assessed in the present study. Pulse wave velocity of the essential hypertension, white coat hypertension, and control group was, respectively, as follows: 5.3±0.6 (m/s), 5.1±0.4 (m/s), 4.3±0.4 (m/s) (p<0.001); augmentation index outcomes were, respectively, determined as follows: 21.3±6.5, 19.3±6.4, 16.0±0.3 (p<0.001). Pulse wave velocity and augmentation index values of children with essential hypertension and white coat hypertension were found to be higher compared with the control group. This level was identified as correlated with the duration of hypertension in both patient groups (p<0.01). Arterial stiffness in children with essential hypertension and white coat hypertension was impaired compared with healthy children. This finding has made us think that white coat hypertension is not an innocent clinical situation. This information should be taken into consideration in the follow-up and treatment approaches of the patients.

Heritability and intrafamilial aggregation of arterial characteristics.

PubMed

Seidlerová, Jitka; Bochud, Murielle; Staessen, Jan A; Cwynar, Marcin; Dolejsová, Milena; Kuznetsova, Tatiana; Nawrot, Tim; Olszanecka, Agnieszka; Stolarz, Katarzyna; Thijs, Lutgarde; Wojciechowska, Wiktoria; Struijker-Boudier, Harry A; Kawecka-Jaszcz, Kalina; Elston, Robert C; Fagard, Robert; Filipovský, Jan

2008-04-01

We investigated the heritability and familial aggregation of various indexes of arterial stiffness and wave reflection and we partitioned the phenotypic correlation between these traits into shared genetic and environmental components. Using a family-based population sample, we recruited 204 parents (mean age, 51.7 years) and 290 offspring (29.4 years) from the population in Cracow, Poland (62 families), Hechtel-Eksel, Belgium (36), and Pilsen, the Czech Republic (50). We measured peripheral pulse pressure (PPp) sphygmomanometrically at the brachial artery; central pulse pressure (PPc), the peripheral augmentation indexes (PAIxs) and central augmentation indexes (CAIxs) by applanation tonometry at the radial artery; and aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) by tonometry or ultrasound. In multivariate-adjusted analyses, we used the ASSOC and PROC GENMOD procedures as implemented in SAGE and SAS, respectively. We found significant heritability for PAIx, CAIx, PPc and mean arterial pressure ranging from 0.37 to 0.41; P < or = 0.0001. The method of intrafamilial concordance confirmed these results; intrafamilial correlation coefficients were significant for all arterial indexes (r > or = 0.12; P < or = 0.02) with the exception of PPc (r = -0.007; P = 0.90) in parent-offspring pairs. The sib-sib correlations were also significant for CAIx (r = 0.22; P = 0.001). The genetic correlation between PWV and the other arterial indexes were significant (rhoG > or = 0.29; P < 0.0001). The corresponding environmental correlations were only significantly positive for PPp (rhoE = 0.10, P = 0.03). The observation of significant intrafamilial concordance and heritability of various indexes of arterial stiffness as well as the genetic correlations among arterial phenotypes strongly support the search for shared genetic determinants underlying these traits.

Functional Vascular Study in Hypertensive Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes Using Losartan or Amlodipine

PubMed Central

Pozzobon, Cesar Romaro; Gismondi, Ronaldo A. O. C.; Bedirian, Ricardo; Ladeira, Marcia Cristina; Neves, Mario Fritsch; Oigman, Wille

2014-01-01

Background Antihypertensive drugs are used to control blood pressure (BP) and reduce macro- and microvascular complications in hypertensive patients with diabetes. Objectives The present study aimed to compare the functional vascular changes in hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus after 6 weeks of treatment with amlodipine or losartan. Methods Patients with a previous diagnosis of hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomly divided into 2 groups and evaluated after 6 weeks of treatment with amlodipine (5 mg/day) or losartan (100 mg/day). Patient evaluation included BP measurement, ambulatory BP monitoring, and assessment of vascular parameters using applanation tonometry, pulse wave velocity (PWV), and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery. Results A total of 42 patients were evaluated (21 in each group), with a predominance of women (71%) in both groups. The mean age of the patients in both groups was similar (amlodipine group: 54.9 ± 4.5 years; losartan group: 54.0 ± 6.9 years), with no significant difference in the mean BP [amlodipine group: 145 ± 14 mmHg (systolic) and 84 ± 8 mmHg (diastolic); losartan group: 153 ± 19 mmHg (systolic) and 90 ± 9 mmHg (diastolic)]. The augmentation index (30% ± 9% and 36% ± 8%, p = 0.025) and augmentation pressure (16 ± 6 mmHg and 20 ± 8 mmHg, p = 0.045) were lower in the amlodipine group when compared with the losartan group. PWV and FMD were similar in both groups. Conclusions Hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated with amlodipine exhibited an improved pattern of pulse wave reflection in comparison with those treated with losartan. However, the use of losartan may be associated with independent vascular reactivity to the pressor effect. PMID:25014057

A randomized trial of fish oil omega-3 fatty acids on arterial health, inflammation, and metabolic syndrome in a young healthy population

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Long chain omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils (O3) are known to have beneficial effects on a number of vascular risk factors in at-risk populations. The effects of a highly bioavailable emulsified preparation on an overweight young adult population are less well known. Methods Young adults, age 18–30, with body mass indices (BMIs) greater than 23 (average = 28.1) were administered 1.7 g of O3 per day (N = 30) or safflower oil placebo (N = 27) in an emulsified preparation (Coromega, Inc.) for 4 weeks in a double-blind randomized design. Blood was drawn and anthropometric measurements taken before and after dosing. Hemodynamic measures (central pulse wave velocity, augmentation index, and aortic systolic blood pressure), inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-α), red blood cell and plasma phospholipid fatty acid profiles, fasting serum lipids, glucose, and C-reactive protein were measured. Results Red cell and plasma phospholipid eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid concentrations increased over the four weeks of dosing in the O3 group. Dosing with O3 did not affect central pulse wave velocity, augmentation index, or aortic systolic blood pressure. None of the five American Heart Association metabolic syndrome components improved over the dosing period. None of the inflammatory cytokines, C-reactive protein, or lipids (total or LDL cholesterol) improved over the dosing period. Conclusions No salutary effects of O3 were observed in hemodynamic, metabolic syndrome criteria or inflammatory markers as a result of this relatively short period of administration in this relatively overweight, but healthy young adult cohort. PMID:23565815

Hyperhidrosis in naïve purpose-bred beagle dogs (Canis familiaris).

PubMed

Carrier, Catherine A; Seeman, Jennifer L; Hoffmann, Guenther

2011-05-01

This case study details the unusual clinical findings in a unique paw-pad disorder that recently emerged among 2 male and 1 female naïve purpose-bred beagle dogs (Canis familiaris) newly received into our facility. During acclimation period physical examinations, the affected dogs demonstrated constantly moist, soft paw pads on all 4 feet. No information was available regarding the epidemiology and pathogenesis of this pad condition in beagle dogs. Here, we report the results of physical examination, clinical chemistry analysis, hematology, histopathology, detailed observations, and novel testing techniques performed during the acclimation period. Histopathology of several sections of affected footpads was compared with that of an age-matched dog with clinically normal paw pads. We describe the morphologic features of a distinctive cutaneous canine footpad condition and discuss the possible differential diagnoses. The histologic and clinical features were most consistent with those of hyperhidrosis; to our knowledge, this report is the first description of hyperhidrosis as a distinct condition in purpose-bred beagle dogs.

Hyperhidrosis in Naïve Purpose-Bred Beagle Dogs (Canis familiaris)

PubMed Central

Carrier, Catherine A; Seeman, Jennifer L; Hoffmann, Guenther

2011-01-01

This case study details the unusual clinical findings in a unique paw-pad disorder that recently emerged among 2 male and 1 female naïve purpose-bred beagle dogs (Canis familiaris) newly received into our facility. During acclimation period physical examinations, the affected dogs demonstrated constantly moist, soft paw pads on all 4 feet. No information was available regarding the epidemiology and pathogenesis of this pad condition in beagle dogs. Here, we report the results of physical examination, clinical chemistry analysis, hematology, histopathology, detailed observations, and novel testing techniques performed during the acclimation period. Histopathology of several sections of affected footpads was compared with that of an age-matched dog with clinically normal paw pads. We describe the morphologic features of a distinctive cutaneous canine footpad condition and discuss the possible differential diagnoses. The histologic and clinical features were most consistent with those of hyperhidrosis; to our knowledge, this report is the first description of hyperhidrosis as a distinct condition in purpose-bred beagle dogs. PMID:21640037