Installation Restoration Program. Phase I. Records Search, Reese, AFB, Texas.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-01

engineering in flue - gas desulfurization plants, and corrosion asaessinnto of hazardous waste handling systems. Mr. Ellis is or has been an active participant...provean to evaluate lime- stones as wet scrubbers in flue gas desulfurisatios (VS) system. She vas task leader for the chemical ad physical analysis...11109163A-15 Debra L. lichmann PUBLIC&TIOUSIlEPOITS: lichmann, D.L., K.V. Luke, end J.C. Terry, " Flue Gas Desulfurization Chemistry Studies

Deep learning for digital pathology image analysis: A comprehensive tutorial with selected use cases

PubMed Central

Janowczyk, Andrew; Madabhushi, Anant

2016-01-01

Background: Deep learning (DL) is a representation learning approach ideally suited for image analysis challenges in digital pathology (DP). The variety of image analysis tasks in the context of DP includes detection and counting (e.g., mitotic events), segmentation (e.g., nuclei), and tissue classification (e.g., cancerous vs. non-cancerous). Unfortunately, issues with slide preparation, variations in staining and scanning across sites, and vendor platforms, as well as biological variance, such as the presentation of different grades of disease, make these image analysis tasks particularly challenging. Traditional approaches, wherein domain-specific cues are manually identified and developed into task-specific “handcrafted” features, can require extensive tuning to accommodate these variances. However, DL takes a more domain agnostic approach combining both feature discovery and implementation to maximally discriminate between the classes of interest. While DL approaches have performed well in a few DP related image analysis tasks, such as detection and tissue classification, the currently available open source tools and tutorials do not provide guidance on challenges such as (a) selecting appropriate magnification, (b) managing errors in annotations in the training (or learning) dataset, and (c) identifying a suitable training set containing information rich exemplars. These foundational concepts, which are needed to successfully translate the DL paradigm to DP tasks, are non-trivial for (i) DL experts with minimal digital histology experience, and (ii) DP and image processing experts with minimal DL experience, to derive on their own, thus meriting a dedicated tutorial. Aims: This paper investigates these concepts through seven unique DP tasks as use cases to elucidate techniques needed to produce comparable, and in many cases, superior to results from the state-of-the-art hand-crafted feature-based classification approaches. Results: Specifically, in this tutorial on DL for DP image analysis, we show how an open source framework (Caffe), with a singular network architecture, can be used to address: (a) nuclei segmentation (F-score of 0.83 across 12,000 nuclei), (b) epithelium segmentation (F-score of 0.84 across 1735 regions), (c) tubule segmentation (F-score of 0.83 from 795 tubules), (d) lymphocyte detection (F-score of 0.90 across 3064 lymphocytes), (e) mitosis detection (F-score of 0.53 across 550 mitotic events), (f) invasive ductal carcinoma detection (F-score of 0.7648 on 50 k testing patches), and (g) lymphoma classification (classification accuracy of 0.97 across 374 images). Conclusion: This paper represents the largest comprehensive study of DL approaches in DP to date, with over 1200 DP images used during evaluation. The supplemental online material that accompanies this paper consists of step-by-step instructions for the usage of the supplied source code, trained models, and input data. PMID:27563488

Deep learning for digital pathology image analysis: A comprehensive tutorial with selected use cases.

PubMed

Janowczyk, Andrew; Madabhushi, Anant

2016-01-01

Deep learning (DL) is a representation learning approach ideally suited for image analysis challenges in digital pathology (DP). The variety of image analysis tasks in the context of DP includes detection and counting (e.g., mitotic events), segmentation (e.g., nuclei), and tissue classification (e.g., cancerous vs. non-cancerous). Unfortunately, issues with slide preparation, variations in staining and scanning across sites, and vendor platforms, as well as biological variance, such as the presentation of different grades of disease, make these image analysis tasks particularly challenging. Traditional approaches, wherein domain-specific cues are manually identified and developed into task-specific "handcrafted" features, can require extensive tuning to accommodate these variances. However, DL takes a more domain agnostic approach combining both feature discovery and implementation to maximally discriminate between the classes of interest. While DL approaches have performed well in a few DP related image analysis tasks, such as detection and tissue classification, the currently available open source tools and tutorials do not provide guidance on challenges such as (a) selecting appropriate magnification, (b) managing errors in annotations in the training (or learning) dataset, and (c) identifying a suitable training set containing information rich exemplars. These foundational concepts, which are needed to successfully translate the DL paradigm to DP tasks, are non-trivial for (i) DL experts with minimal digital histology experience, and (ii) DP and image processing experts with minimal DL experience, to derive on their own, thus meriting a dedicated tutorial. This paper investigates these concepts through seven unique DP tasks as use cases to elucidate techniques needed to produce comparable, and in many cases, superior to results from the state-of-the-art hand-crafted feature-based classification approaches. Specifically, in this tutorial on DL for DP image analysis, we show how an open source framework (Caffe), with a singular network architecture, can be used to address: (a) nuclei segmentation (F-score of 0.83 across 12,000 nuclei), (b) epithelium segmentation (F-score of 0.84 across 1735 regions), (c) tubule segmentation (F-score of 0.83 from 795 tubules), (d) lymphocyte detection (F-score of 0.90 across 3064 lymphocytes), (e) mitosis detection (F-score of 0.53 across 550 mitotic events), (f) invasive ductal carcinoma detection (F-score of 0.7648 on 50 k testing patches), and (g) lymphoma classification (classification accuracy of 0.97 across 374 images). This paper represents the largest comprehensive study of DL approaches in DP to date, with over 1200 DP images used during evaluation. The supplemental online material that accompanies this paper consists of step-by-step instructions for the usage of the supplied source code, trained models, and input data.

Integrated residential photovoltaic array development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shepard, N. F., Jr.

1981-01-01

Three basic module design concepts were analyzed with respect to both production and installation costs. The results of this evaluation were used to synthesize a fourth design which incorporates the best features of these initial concepts to produce a module/array design approach which offers the promise of a substantial reduction in the installed cost of a residential array. A unique waterproofing and mounting scheme was used to reduce the cost of installing an integral array while still maintaining a high probability that the installed array will be watertight for the design lifetime of the system. This recommended concept will also permit the array to be mounted as a direct or stand-off installation with no changes to the module design.

A Multi-Discipline, Multi-Genre Digital Library for Research and Education

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, Michael L.; Maly, Kurt; Shen, Stewart N. T.

2004-01-01

We describe NCSTRL+, a unified, canonical digital library for educational and scientific and technical information (STI). NCSTRL+ is based on the Networked Computer Science Technical Report Library (NCSTRL), a World Wide Web (WWW) accessible digital library (DL) that provides access to over 100 university departments and laboratories. NCSTRL+ implements two new technologies: cluster functionality and publishing "buckets". We have extended the Dienst protocol, the protocol underlying NCSTRL, to provide the ability to "cluster" independent collections into a logically centralized digital library based upon subject category classification, type of organization, and genres of material. The concept of "buckets" provides a mechanism for publishing and managing logically linked entities with multiple data formats. The NCSTRL+ prototype DL contains the holdings of NCSTRL and the NASA Technical Report Server (NTRS). The prototype demonstrates the feasibility of publishing into a multi-cluster DL, searching across clusters, and storing and presenting buckets of information.

Space shuttle auxiliary propulsion system design study. Phase C and E report: Storable propellants, RCS/OMS/APU integration study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anglim, D. D.; Bruns, A. E.; Perryman, D. C.; Wieland, D. L.

1972-01-01

Auxiliary propulsion concepts for application to the space shuttle are compared. Both monopropellant and bipropellant earth storable reaction control systems were evaluated. The fundamental concepts evaluated were: (1) monopropellant and bipropellant systems installed integrally within the vehicle, (2) fuel systems installed modularly in nose and wing tip pods, and (3) fuel systems installed modularly in nose and fuselage pods. Numerous design variations within these three concepts were evaluated. The system design analysis and methods for implementing each of the concepts are reported.

A reusable robust radio frequency biosensor using microwave resonator by integrated passive device technology for quantitative detection of glucose level.

PubMed

Kim, N Y; Dhakal, R; Adhikari, K K; Kim, E S; Wang, C

2015-05-15

A reusable robust radio frequency (RF) biosensor with a rectangular meandered line (RML) resonator on a gallium arsenide substrate by integrated passive device (IPD) technology was designed, fabricated and tested to enable the real-time identification of the glucose level in human serum. The air-bridge structure fabricated by an IPD technology was applied to the RML resonator to improve its sensitivity by increasing the magnitude of the return loss (S21). The resonance behaviour, based on S21 characteristics of the biosensor, was analysed at 9.20 GHz with human serum containing different glucose concentration ranging from 148-268 mg dl(-1), 105-225 mg dl(-1) and at a deionised (D) water glucose concentration in the range of 25- 500 mg dl(-1) for seven different samples. A calibration analysis was performed for the human serum from two different subjects and for D-glucose at a response time of 60 s; the reproducibility, the minimum shift in resonance frequency and the long-term stability of the signal were investigated. The feature characteristics based on the resonance concept after the use of serum as an analyte are modelled as an inductor, capacitor and resistor. The findings support the development of resonance-based sensing with an excellent sensitivity of 1.08 MHz per 1 mg dl(-1), a detection limit of 8.01 mg dl(-1), and a limit of quantisation of 24.30 mg dl(-1). Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using the Abstraction Network in Complement to Description Logics for Quality Assurance in Biomedical Terminologies - A Case Study in SNOMED CT

PubMed Central

Wei, Duo; Bodenreider, Olivier

2015-01-01

Objectives To investigate errors identified in SNOMED CT by human reviewers with help from the Abstraction Network methodology and examine why they had escaped detection by the Description Logic (DL) classifier. Case study; Two examples of errors are presented in detail (one missing IS-A relation and one duplicate concept). After correction, SNOMED CT is reclassified to ensure that no new inconsistency was introduced. Conclusions DL-based auditing techniques built in terminology development environments ensure the logical consistency of the terminology. However, complementary approaches are needed for identifying and addressing other types of errors. PMID:20841848

Using the abstraction network in complement to description logics for quality assurance in biomedical terminologies - a case study in SNOMED CT.

PubMed

Wei, Duo; Bodenreider, Olivier

2010-01-01

To investigate errors identified in SNOMED CT by human reviewers with help from the Abstraction Network methodology and examine why they had escaped detection by the Description Logic (DL) classifier. Case study; Two examples of errors are presented in detail (one missing IS-A relation and one duplicate concept). After correction, SNOMED CT is reclassified to ensure that no new inconsistency was introduced. DL-based auditing techniques built in terminology development environments ensure the logical consistency of the terminology. However, complementary approaches are needed for identifying and addressing other types of errors.

A feasibility assessment of installation, operation and disposal options for nuclear reactor power system concepts for a NASA growth space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bloomfield, Harvey S.; Heller, Jack A.

1987-01-01

A preliminary feasibility assessment of the integration of reactor power system concepts with a projected growth space station architecture was conducted to address a variety of installation, operational disposition, and safety issues. A previous NASA sponsored study, which showed the advantages of space station - attached concepts, served as the basis for this study. A study methodology was defined and implemented to assess compatible combinations of reactor power installation concepts, disposal destinations, and propulsion methods. Three installation concepts that met a set of integration criteria were characterized from a configuration and operational viewpoint, with end-of-life disposal mass identified. Disposal destinations that met current aerospace nuclear safety criteria were identified and characterized from an operational and energy requirements viewpoint, with delta-V energy requirement as a key parameter. Chemical propulsion methods that met current and near-term application criteria were identified and payload mass and delta-V capabilities were characterized. These capabilities were matched against concept disposal mass and destination delta-V requirements to provide the feasibility of each combination.

Buckets, Clusters and Dienst

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, Michael L.; Maly, Kurt; Shen, Stewart N. T.

1997-01-01

In this paper we describe NCSTRL+, a unified, canonical digital library for scientific and technical information (STI). NCSTRL+ is based on the Networked Computer Science Technical Report Library (NCSTRL), a World Wide Web (WWW) accessible digital library (DL) that provides access to over 80 university departments and laboratories. NCSTRL+ implements two new technologies: cluster functionality and publishing "buckets." We have extended the Dienst protocol, the protocol underlying NCSTRL, to provide the ability to "cluster" independent collections into a logically centralized digital library based upon subject category classification, type of organization, and genres of material. The concept of "buckets" provides a mechanism for publishing and managing logically linked entities with multiple data formats. The NCSTRL+ prototype DL contains the holdings of NCSTRL and the NASA Technical Report Server (NTRS). The prototype demonstrates the feasibility of publishing into a multi-cluster DL, searching across clusters, and storing and presenting buckets of information. We show that the overhead for these additional capabilities is minimal to both the author and the user when compared to the equivalent process within NCSTRL.

Existence of consistent hypo- and hyperresponders to dietary cholesterol in man.

PubMed

Katan, M B; Beynen, A C; de Vries, J H; Nobels, A

1986-02-01

Hyper- and hyporesponsiveness of serum cholesterol to dietary cholesterol is an established concept in animals but not in man. The authors studied the stability of the individual response of serum cholesterol to dietary cholesterol in three controlled experiments in 1982. The subjects were volunteers from the general population living in or near Wageningen, the Netherlands. Each experiment had a low-cholesterol baseline period (121, 106, and 129 mg/day in experiments 1, 2, and 3, respectively) and a high-cholesterol test period (625, 673, and 989 mg/day). Duplicate portion analysis showed that dietary cholesterol was the only variable. The 94 healthy men and women who completed experiment 1 showed an increase (mean +/- standard deviation (SD] in serum cholesterol of 0.50 +/- 0.39 mmol/liter (19 +/- 15 mg/dl). Seventeen putative hyperresponders, defined by their response in experiment 1, were retested in experiments 2 and 3; they showed responses of 0.28 +/- 0.38 mmol/liter (11 +/- 15 mg/dl) and 0.82 +/- 0.35 mmol/liter (32 +/- 14 mg/dl), respectively. Fifteen hyporesponders, selected in experiment 1, showed responses in experiments 2 and 3 of 0.06 +/- 0.35 mmol/liter (2 +/- 14 mg/dl) and 0.47 +/- 0.26 mmol/liter (18 +/- 10 mg/dl), significantly lower than the corresponding values for hyperresponders. The standardized regression coefficient for individual responses in experiment 2 on those in experiment 1 was beta = 0.34 (p = 0.03, n = 32); the corresponding regression coefficient for experiment 3 and experiment 1 was 0.53 (p less than 0.01). After correction for intraindividual fluctuations the true responsiveness distribution was found to have a between-subject standard deviation of about 0.29 mmol/liter (11 mg/dl). This implies that if the mean response to a certain dietary cholesterol load amounts to e.g., 0.58 mmol/liter (22 mg/dl), then the 16% of subjects least susceptible to diet will experience a rise of only 0.29 mmol/liter (11 mg/dl) or less, while in the 16% of subjects most susceptible to diet, serum cholesterol will rise by 0.87 mmol/liter (34 mg/dl) or more. The authors conclude that modest differences in responsiveness of serum cholesterol to dietary cholesterol do exist in man, and that the wide scatter of responses observed in single experiments is largely due to chance fluctuations.

Antiproton-Hydrogen Atom Annihilation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-01

Morgan, Jr., Concepts for the Design of an Antimatter Annihilation ’Rocket, Journal of the British Interplanetary Society 35, 405 (1982). 2. D.L. Morgan...Matter- Antimatter Annihilation, Phys. Rev. D 2, 1389 (1970). (Notes: results for p - H are equivalent to 5 -H; the bare + p annihilation cross section is

Change in emotional self-concept following socio-cognitive training relates to structural plasticity of the prefrontal cortex.

PubMed

Lumma, Anna-Lena; Valk, Sofie L; Böckler, Anne; Vrtička, Pascal; Singer, Tania

2018-04-01

Self-referential processing is a key component of the emotional self-concept. Previous studies have shown that emotional self-referential processing is related to structure and function of cortical midline areas such as medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and that it can be altered on a behavioral level by specific mental training practices. However, it remains unknown how behavioral training-related change in emotional self-concept content relates to structural plasticity. To address this issue, we examined the relationship between training-induced change in participant's emotional self-concept measured through emotional word use in the Twenty Statement Test and change in cortical thickness in the context of a large-scale longitudinal mental training study called the ReSource Project . Based on prior behavioral findings showing increased emotional word use particularly after socio-cognitive training targeting perspective-taking capacities, this study extended these results by revealing that individual differences in the degree to which participants changed their emotional self-concept after training was positively related to cortical thickness change in right mPFC extending to dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC). Furthermore, increased self-related negative emotional word use after training was positively associated with cortical thickness change in left pars orbitalis and bilateral dlPFC. Our findings reveal training-related structural brain change in regions known to be involved in self-referential processing and cognitive control, and could indicate a relationship between restructuring of the emotional self-concept content as well as reappraisal of negative aspects and cortical thickness change. As such, our findings can guide the development of psychological interventions targeted to alter specific facets of the self-concept.

Building Multi-Discipline, Multi-Format Digital Libraries Using Clusters and Buckets. Degree rewarded by Old Dominion Univ. on Aug. 1997

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, Michael L.

1997-01-01

Our objective was to study the feasibility of extending the Dienst protocol to enable a multi-discipline, multi-format digital library. We implemented two new technologies: cluster functionality and publishing buckets. We have designed a possible implementation of clusters and buckets, and have prototyped some aspects of the resultant digital library. Currently, digital libraries are segregated by the disciplines they serve (computer science, aeronautics, etc.), and by the format of their holdings (reports, software, datasets, etc.). NCSTRL+ is a multi-discipline, multi-format digital library (DL) prototype created to explore the feasibility of the design and implementation issues involved with created a unified, canonical scientific and technical information (STI) DL. NCSTRL+ is based on the Networked Computer Science Technical Report Library (NCSTRL), a World Wide Web (WWW) accessible DL that provides access to over 80 university departments and laboratories. We have extended the Dienst protocol (version 4.1.8), the protocol underlying NCSTRL, to provide the ability to cluster independent collections into a logically centralized DL based upon subject category classification, type of organization, and genre of material. The concept of buckets provides a mechanism for publishing and managing logically linked entities with multiple data formats.

Virtual Libraries: Interactive Support Software and an Application in Chaotic Models.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katsirikou, Anthi; Skiadas, Christos; Apostolou, Apostolos; Rompogiannakis, Giannis

This paper begins with a discussion of the characteristics and the singularity of chaotic systems, including dynamic systems theory, chaotic orbit, fractals, chaotic attractors, and characteristics of chaotic systems. The second section addresses the digital libraries (DL) concept and the appropriateness of chaotic models, including definition and…

Sustainable Assessment and Evaluation Strategies for Open and Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okonkwo, Charity Akuadi

2010-01-01

This paper first presents an overview of the concepts of assessment and evaluation in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) environment. The large numbers of students and numerous courses make assessment and evaluation very difficult and administrative nightmare at Distance Learning (DL) institutions. These challenges informed exploring issues relating…

Loop Group Parakeet Virtual Cable Concept Demonstrator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dowsett, T.; McNeill, T. C.; Reynolds, A. B.; Blair, W. D.

2002-07-01

The Parakeet Virtual Cable (PVC) concept demonstrator uses the Ethernet Local Area Network (LAN) laid for the Battle Command Support System (BCSS) to connect the Parakeet DVT(DA) (voice terminal) to the Parakeet multiplexer. This currently requires pairs of PVC interface units to be installed for each DVT(DA) . To reduce the cost of a PVC installation, the concept of a Loop Group Parakeet Virtual Cable (LGPVC) was proposed. This device was designed to replace the up to 30 PVC boxes and the multiplexer at the multiplexer side of a PVC installation. While the demonstrator is largely complete, testing has revealed an incomplete understanding of how to emulate the proprietary handshaking occurring between the circuit switch and the multiplexer. The LGPVC concept cannot yet be demonstrated.

Characterization of micro-resonator based on enhanced metal insulator semiconductor capacitor for glucose recognition.

PubMed

Dhakal, Rajendra; Kim, E S; Jo, Yong-Hwa; Kim, Sung-Soo; Kim, Nam-Young

2017-03-01

We present a concept for the characterization of micro-fabricated based resonator incorporating air-bridge metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) capacitor to continuously monitor an individual's state of glucose levels based on frequency variation. The investigation revealed that, the micro-resonator based on MIS capacitor holds considerable promise for implementation and recognition as a glucose sensor for human serum. The discrepancy in complex permittivity as a result of enhanced capacitor was achieved for the detection and determination of random glucose concentration levels using a unique variation of capacitor that indeed results in an adequate variation of the resonance frequency. Moreover, the design and development of micro-resonator with enhanced MIS capacitor generate a resolution of 112.38 × 10 -3 pF/mg/dl, minimum detectable glucose level of 7.45mg/dl, and a limit of quantification of 22.58mg/dl. Additionally, this unique approach offers long-term reliability for mediator-free glucose sensing with a relative standard deviation of less than 0.5%. Copyright © 2017 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of transcranial direct current stimulation on attentional bias for threat: a proof-of-concept study among individuals with social anxiety disorder

PubMed Central

Billieux, Joël; Philippot, Pierre; De Raedt, Rudi; Baeken, Chris; de Timary, Philippe; Maurage, Pierre; Vanderhasselt, Marie-Anne

2017-01-01

Abstract Cognitive models posit that social anxiety disorder (SAD) is associated with and maintained by attentional bias (AB) for social threat. However, over the last years, it has been suggested that AB in SAD may result from a decreased activation of the left prefrontal cortex, and particularly of its dorsolateral part (dlPFC). Accordingly, a transient increase of neural activity within the left dlPFC via non-invasive brain stimulation decreases AB in non-anxious control participants. Yet, none of these studies focused on SAD. This is especially unfortunate as SAD constitutes the main target for which a genuine reduction of AB may be most appropriate. In this experiment, we sought to investigate the causal influence of left dlPFC neuromodulation on AB among 19 female individuals with a DSM-5 diagnosis of SAD. We adopted a double-blind within-subject protocol in which we delivered a single-session of anodal versus sham transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) over the left dlPFC during the completion of a probe discrimination task assessing AB. Consistent with our hypothesis, participants demonstrated a significant decrease in AB during the anodal tDCS over the left DLPFC relative to the sham stimulation. These findings value tDCS as an innovative procedure to gain new insight into the underlying mechanisms of SAD. PMID:27531388

High-Performance Data Analysis Tools for Sun-Earth Connection Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Messmer, Peter

2011-01-01

The data analysis tool of choice for many Sun-Earth Connection missions is the Interactive Data Language (IDL) by ITT VIS. The increasing amount of data produced by these missions and the increasing complexity of image processing algorithms requires access to higher computing power. Parallel computing is a cost-effective way to increase the speed of computation, but algorithms oftentimes have to be modified to take advantage of parallel systems. Enhancing IDL to work on clusters gives scientists access to increased performance in a familiar programming environment. The goal of this project was to enable IDL applications to benefit from both computing clusters as well as graphics processing units (GPUs) for accelerating data analysis tasks. The tool suite developed in this project enables scientists now to solve demanding data analysis problems in IDL that previously required specialized software, and it allows them to be solved orders of magnitude faster than on conventional PCs. The tool suite consists of three components: (1) TaskDL, a software tool that simplifies the creation and management of task farms, collections of tasks that can be processed independently and require only small amounts of data communication; (2) mpiDL, a tool that allows IDL developers to use the Message Passing Interface (MPI) inside IDL for problems that require large amounts of data to be exchanged among multiple processors; and (3) GPULib, a tool that simplifies the use of GPUs as mathematical coprocessors from within IDL. mpiDL is unique in its support for the full MPI standard and its support of a broad range of MPI implementations. GPULib is unique in enabling users to take advantage of an inexpensive piece of hardware, possibly already installed in their computer, and achieve orders of magnitude faster execution time for numerically complex algorithms. TaskDL enables the simple setup and management of task farms on compute clusters. The products developed in this project have the potential to interact, so one can build a cluster of PCs, each equipped with a GPU, and use mpiDL to communicate between the nodes and GPULib to accelerate the computations on each node.

A feasibility assessment of nuclear reactor power system concepts for the NASA Growth Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bloomfield, H. S.; Heller, J. A.

1986-01-01

A preliminary feasibility assessment of the integration of reactor power system concepts with a projected growth Space Station architecture was conducted to address a variety of installation, operational, disposition and safety issues. A previous NASA sponsored study, which showed the advantages of Space Station - attached concepts, served as the basis for this study. A study methodology was defined and implemented to assess compatible combinations of reactor power installation concepts, disposal destinations, and propulsion methods. Three installation concepts that met a set of integration criteria were characterized from a configuration and operational viewpoint, with end-of-life disposal mass identified. Disposal destinations that met current aerospace nuclear safety criteria were identified and characterized from an operational and energy requirements viewpoint, with delta-V energy requirement as a key parameter. Chemical propulsion methods that met current and near-term application criteria were identified and payload mass and delta-V capabilities were characterized. These capabilities were matched against concept disposal mass and destination delta-V requirements to provide a feasibility of each combination.

The Implications of the Concept of Lifelong Education for the Secondary School in the United Kingdom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fincham, David

1982-01-01

Rapid changes in social circumstances and conditions will have a profound effect on ideas and attitudes concerning the role of the school. Schools ought to take account of these considerations and to examine critically their relationship with the wider society. (Falmer Press, Falmer House, Barcombe, Nr Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 5DL, UK) (SSH)

Fighting The Network: Manet Management In Support Of Littoral Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

Solomon , 2015). DL widens the scope of naval Surface Action Groups (SAG) operations, introducing the concept of Adaptive Force Package (AFP...be implemented in littoral tactical networks. CENETIX research utilizes three Wave Relay radio models for experimentation : the Man-Portable Unit...enable seamless continuity in the transfer of research knowledge to subsequent testing and CONOPS development. CENETIX field experimentation

ELECTROMECHANICAL INSTALLATION AND REPAIR CLUSTER--AN INVESTIGATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE CLUSTER CONCEPT AS A PROGRAM IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AT THE SECONDARY SCHOOL LEVEL.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MALEY, DONALD

THIS COURSE OUTLINE ON ELECTROMECHANICAL INSTALLATION AND REPAIR IS PART OF THE FINAL REPORT ON "CLUSTER CONCEPT" COURSES IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION FOR SECONDARY EDUCATION (ED 010 301). EACH JOB ENTRY TASK WAS ANALYZED FOR HUMAN REQUIREMENTS (COMMUNICATION, MEASUREMENT, MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE, SKILLS, AND INFORMATION) NECESSARY TO…

Application of Dynamic Logic Algorithm to Inverse Scattering Problems Related to Plasma Diagnostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perlovsky, L.; Deming, R. W.; Sotnikov, V.

2010-11-01

In plasma diagnostics scattering of electromagnetic waves is widely used for identification of density and wave field perturbations. In the present work we use a powerful mathematical approach, dynamic logic (DL), to identify the spectra of scattered electromagnetic (EM) waves produced by the interaction of the incident EM wave with a Langmuir soliton in the presence of noise. The problem is especially difficult since the spectral amplitudes of the noise pattern are comparable with the amplitudes of the scattered waves. In the past DL has been applied to a number of complex problems in artificial intelligence, pattern recognition, and signal processing, resulting in revolutionary improvements. Here we demonstrate its application to plasma diagnostic problems. [4pt] Perlovsky, L.I., 2001. Neural Networks and Intellect: using model-based concepts. Oxford University Press, New York, NY.

Flutter Analysis of the Shuttle Tile Overlay Repair Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bey, Kim S.; Scott, Robert C.; Bartels, Robert E.; Waters, William A.; Chen, Roger

2007-01-01

The Space Shuttle tile overlay repair concept, developed at the NASA Johnson Space Center, is designed for on-orbit installation over an area of damaged tile to permit safe re-entry. The thin flexible plate is placed over the damaged area and secured to tile at discreet points around its perimeter. A series of flutter analyses were performed to determine if the onset of flutter met the required safety margins. Normal vibration modes of the panel, obtained from a simplified structural analysis of the installed concept, were combined with a series of aerodynamic analyses of increasing levels of fidelity in terms of modeling the flow physics to determine the onset of flutter. Results from these analyses indicate that it is unlikely that the overlay installed at body point 1800 will flutter during re-entry.

[Diabetes and pregnancy].

PubMed

Somville, T

1990-01-01

In recent years, new findings in the pathophysiology and treatment of diabetes mellitus during pregnancy and the development of improved fetal monitoring methods have considerably reduced the risk for mother and child. Given good metabolism the fertility of diabetics is comparable to that of nondiabetics. Perinatal mortality in centers is below 2%, and in 40% of the cases it is caused by congenital malformations. The incidence of malformations is 4-8%. Regulation of metabolism to near-normal values is vital for further improvement of mortality and morbidity rates, and should be aimed for prior to conception. In many cases insufficient attention is given to gestational diabetes. The risks accompanying untreated gestational diabetes are underestimated. In approx. 15% of such patients insulin therapy during pregnancy is necessary in addition to dietary measures. The goal of near normal metabolism (60-120 mg/dl, with mean daily values around 85-90 mg/dl) can usually be achieved during training, either prior to conception or at the latest during early pregnancy, by improved substitutional insulin therapy or insulin pump therapy. Short-term combined internalistic-obstetric follow-up at 14-day intervals ensures early prevention and detection of complications. The pregnancy can be continued to term in over 80% of cases, and spontaneous birth aimed for as the primary goal in the majority. With careful monitoring of metabolism, diabetics with no vascular complications may take low-dosage ovulation inhibitors to prevent conception. In isolated cases termination may be indicated in patients with severe vascular complications (proliferative retinopathy, severe nephropathy).

Distance Learning Course for Healthcare Professionals: Continuing Education in Tuberculosis.

PubMed

Cabral, Vagner Kunz; Valentini, Dirceu Felipe; Rocha, Marcos Vinícius Vieira; de Almeida, Carlos Podalírio Borges; Cazella, Sílvio Cesar; Silva, Denise Rossato

2017-12-01

Continuing education of healthcare workers (HCWs) is an essential strategy for the control of tuberculosis (TB) transmission, enabling HCWs in early detection and appropriate treatment of TB cases. We developed a distance learning (DL) course on TB for nurses. We conducted a quasi-experimental before and after study to evaluate the DL community at the participant's learning level. In addition, to evaluate the DL community at the level of participant satisfaction, a cross-sectional study was carried out after the course. Nurses involved in active inpatient or outpatient care of patients were recruited to participate in the study. Sixty-six participants started and completed the course and they were included in the analysis. The overall mean pretest and post-test scores were 10.3 ± 2.2 and 11.4 ± 2.7, respectively. Participants increased their knowledge to a statistically significant degree (p < 0.0001). At baseline, the frequency of correct answers was very low in some questions: number of people infected by Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the world (10.6%); number of TB cases in Brazil (36.4%); contagiousness of latent TB infection (LTBI) (28.8%); and definition of active case finding (45.5%). Course feedback was mostly positive, with majority of users saying they were satisfied or totally satisfied. A brief DL course on TB was associated with some improvement in knowledge among nurses. The baseline knowledge was low regarding TB epidemiologic data, concepts on LTBI, and active case finding. This finding emphasizes the need to further improve the competencies and knowledge of nurses.

Mobile radio alternative systems study, executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, R. E.; Cromwell, N.; Lester, H. L.

1983-01-01

Present day mobile communication technologies, systems and equipment are described from background in evaluating the concepts generated in the study. Average propagation ranges are calculated for terrestrial installations in each of seven physiographic areas of the contiguous states to determine the number of installations that would be required for nationwide coverage. Four system concepts are defined and analyzed to determine how well terrestrial systems can fulfill the requirements at acceptable costs.

Deep Direct Reinforcement Learning for Financial Signal Representation and Trading.

PubMed

Deng, Yue; Bao, Feng; Kong, Youyong; Ren, Zhiquan; Dai, Qionghai

2017-03-01

Can we train the computer to beat experienced traders for financial assert trading? In this paper, we try to address this challenge by introducing a recurrent deep neural network (NN) for real-time financial signal representation and trading. Our model is inspired by two biological-related learning concepts of deep learning (DL) and reinforcement learning (RL). In the framework, the DL part automatically senses the dynamic market condition for informative feature learning. Then, the RL module interacts with deep representations and makes trading decisions to accumulate the ultimate rewards in an unknown environment. The learning system is implemented in a complex NN that exhibits both the deep and recurrent structures. Hence, we propose a task-aware backpropagation through time method to cope with the gradient vanishing issue in deep training. The robustness of the neural system is verified on both the stock and the commodity future markets under broad testing conditions.

Satellite communications system 'Tyulpan'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tchuyan, R. K.; Tarasov, E. V.; Belousov, A. P.; Balyk, V. M.; Kovtunenko, V. M.; Morozov, V. A.; Andreev, V. A.; v'yunenko, K. A.

1993-10-01

A concept of the satellite communication system called 'Tyulpan' (because or its tulip-resembling shape) is considered. This conception envisages the use of six satellites-retranslators installed on high-latitude elliptic orbits. Such a system can provide the communication for mean- and high-latitude region of Europe, Asia, and America. For the communication, super small ground stations of 0.4 m in diameter can be used. In the development of system conception, the already existing technical solutions and possibility of conversion or existing installations of military destination were taken into account. Therefore, the system considered can be realized at the earliest possible date.

Magnetic Field Due to a Finite Length Current-Carrying Wire Using the Concept of Displacement Current

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buschauer, Robert

2014-01-01

In undergraduate E&M courses the magnetic field due to a finite length, current-carrying wire can be calculated using the Biot-Savart law. However, to the author's knowledge, no textbook presents the calculation of this field using the Ampere-Maxwell law: ?B [multiplied by] dl = µ[subscript 0] (I + e[subscript 0] dF/dt) [multiplied by] 1

Comparison of immunogenicity and protective efficacy of genital herpes vaccine candidates herpes simplex virus 2 dl5-29 and dl5-29-41L in mice and guinea pigs.

PubMed

Hoshino, Yo; Pesnicak, Lesley; Dowdell, Kennichi C; Lacayo, Juan; Dudek, Timothy; Knipe, David M; Straus, Stephen E; Cohen, Jeffrey I

2008-07-29

A replication-defective herpes simplex virus (HSV)-2 vaccine, dl5-29, which is deleted for two essential early genes, UL5 and UL29, is highly immunogenic and protective in mice and guinea pigs. In a prior study, a derivative of HSV-2 dl5-29 termed dl5-29-41L, which has an additional deletion in UL41 (that encodes the virion-host shut-off protein), was more immunogenic and protective against challenge with wild-type HSV-2 in mice when compared with dl5-29. To determine if deletion of UL41 improves the efficacy of dl5-29 in protecting guinea pigs from HSV-2, animals were immunized with dl5-29, dl5-29-41L, or PBS. The geometric mean neutralizing antibody titers from the dl5-29 and dl5-29-41L recipients were comparable (10(1.97) and 10(2.19), respectively, p=0.15). After intravaginal challenge with wild-type HSV-2, the dl5-29-41L and dl5-29 recipients shed similar titers of HSV-2 from the vagina. Mean acute disease severity scores, numbers of recurrences during 3 months after infection, and latent viral loads in sacral ganglia were similar for dl5-29 and dl5-29-41L (all p values >0.05). dl5-29 and dl5-29-41L completely protected mice from lethal challenge with HSV-2 and induced virus-specific CD8(+) T cells in the spleens of the animals. Thus, dl5-29 was as immunogenic and protective as dl5-29-41L under these conditions. dl5-29 was at least 250,000-fold less virulent than parental virus by intracranial inoculation in healthy mice, and caused no disease in SCID mice. Both dl5-29-41L and dl5-29 are equally effective and immunogenic in guinea pigs, and dl5-29 is very safe in immunocompromised animals.

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

Jardinier, R.C.; Bouger, Y.; Boisard, P.

Two pre-drilling templates were successfully installed offshore from Congo in a water depth of 170 meters at the end of September 1993. They are the first structures to use the suction foundation concept on the continental shelf of Western Africa, although the same concept has been used by other operators especially in the North Sea. Docking of jackets over these templates is expected in spring 1995. A general description of the construction and installation of these templates is presented herein.

AVIATION COMPETITION: Regional Jet Service Yet to Reach Many Small Communities

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-02-01

1997), AA (2000), NW (2000) Colorado Springs CO DL (1997), CO (1999), HP (1999) Columbia SC DL (1997), CO (1998), UA (1999), US (1999) Corpus...DL (1999) Small cities Bangor ME DL (1999) Bozeman MT DL (1997), UA (2000) Butte MT DL (1997) Casper WY DL (1997) Durango CO HP (1999) Grand Forks ND

Dose-Escalated Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy Is Feasible and May Improve Locoregional Control and Laryngeal Preservation in Laryngo-Hypopharyngeal Cancers

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

Miah, Aisha B.; Bhide, Shreerang A.; Guerrero-Urbano, M. Teresa

2012-02-01

Purpose: To determine the safety and outcomes of induction chemotherapy followed by dose-escalated intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with concomitant chemotherapy in locally advanced squamous cell cancer of the larynx and hypopharynx (LA-SCCL/H). Methods and Materials: A sequential cohort Phase I/II trial design was used to evaluate moderate acceleration and dose escalation. Patients with LA-SCCL/H received IMRT at two dose levels (DL): DL1, 63 Gy/28 fractions (Fx) to planning target volume 1 (PTV1) and 51.8 Gy/28 Fx to PTV2; DL2, 67.2 Gy/28 Fx and 56 Gy/28 Fx to PTV1 and PTV2, respectively. Patients received induction cisplatin/5-fluorouracil and concomitant cisplatin. Acute and latemore » toxicities and tumor control rates were recorded. Results: Between September 2002 and January 2008, 60 patients (29 DL1, 31 DL2) with Stage III (41% DL1, 52% DL2) and Stage IV (52% DL1, 48% DL2) disease were recruited. Median (range) follow-up for DL1 was 51.2 (12.1-77.3) months and for DL2 was 36.2 (4.2-63.3) months. Acute Grade 3 (G3) dysphagia was higher in DL2 (87% DL2 vs. 59% DL1), but other toxicities were equivalent. One patient in DL1 required dilatation of a pharyngeal stricture (G3 dysphagia). In DL2, 2 patients developed benign pharyngeal strictures at 1 year. One underwent a laryngo-pharyngectomy and the other a dilatation. No other G3/G4 toxicities were reported. Overall complete response was 79% (DL1) and 84% (DL2). Two-year locoregional progression-free survival rates were 64.2% (95% confidence interval, 43.5-78.9%) in DL1 and 78.4% (58.1-89.7%) in DL2. Two-year laryngeal preservation rates were 88.7% (68.5-96.3%) in DL1 and 96.4% (77.7-99.5%) in DL2. Conclusions: At a mean follow-up of 36 months, dose-escalated chemotherapy-IMRT at DL2 has so far been safe to deliver. In this study, DL2 delivered high rates of locoregional control, progression-free survival, and organ preservation and has been selected as the experimental arm in a Cancer Research UK Phase III study.« less

A Fuzzy Description Logic with Automatic Object Membership Measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Yi; Leung, Ho-Fung

In this paper, we propose a fuzzy description logic named f om -DL by combining the classical view in cognitive psychology and fuzzy set theory. A formal mechanism used to determine object memberships automatically in concepts is also proposed, which is lacked in previous work fuzzy description logics. In this mechanism, object membership is based on the defining properties of concept definition and properties in object description. Moreover, while previous works cannot express the qualitative measurements of an object possessing a property, we introduce two kinds of properties named N-property and L-property, which are quantitative measurements and qualitative measurements of an object possessing a property respectively. The subsumption and implication of concepts and properties are also explored in our work. We believe that it is useful to the Semantic Web community for reasoning the fuzzy membership of objects for concepts in fuzzy ontologies.

Installation package for air flat plate collector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

The Solar 2 dimensions are four feet by eight feet by two and one half inches. The collector weighs 130 pounds and has an effective solar collection area of over 29.5 square feet. This area represents 95 percent of the total surface of the collector. The installation, operation and maintenance manual, safety hazard analysis, special handling instructions, materials list, installation concept drawings, warranty and certification statement are included in the installation package.

Thermodynamic analysis of a new conception of supplementary firing in a combined cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotowicz, Janusz; Bartela, Łukasz; Balicki, Adrian

2010-10-01

The paper analyzes a new concept of integration of combined cycle with the installation of supplementary firing. The whole system was enclosed by thermodynamic analysis, which consists of a gas-steam unit with triple-pressure heat recovery steam generator. The system uses a determined model of the gas turbine and the assumptions relating to the construction features of steam-water part were made. The proposed conception involves building of supplementary firing installation only on part of the exhaust stream leaving the gas turbine. In the proposed solution superheater was divided into two sections, one of which was located on the exhaust gases leaving the installation of supplementary firing. The paper presents the results of the analyses of which the main aim was to demonstrate the superiority of the new thermodynamic concept of the supplementary firing over the classical one. For this purpose a model of a system was built, in which it was possible to carry out simulations of the gradual transition from a classically understood supplementary firing to the supplementary firing completely modified. For building of a model the GateCycle™ software was used.

Development of Ecological Indicator Guilds for Land Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-12-25

McArthur. 1982. A comparison of water stress between males and females of 4 species of desert shrubs. Forensic Science 28:304-308. Friauf, J.J...dung-inhabiting beetles (Coleoptera). Annals Entomology Fennici 45:1-12. Hardin, E.D., and D.L. White. 1989. Rare Vascular Plant Taxa...multiple meanings of a concept. Annual Review of Entomology 34:423-451. Heinz Center. 2002. The State of the Nation’s Ecosystems: Measuring the

Installation Restoration Program Stage 2 Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study for BOMARC Missile Accident Site, McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey.

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-05-26

resources include those contained within the New Jersey Pinelands, such as cranberry bogs and blueberry harvesting. 2.6 Cultural Resources Cultural resources...settlements which were associated with this industry can still be found. Commercial blueberry production was also practiced in the late 1800s and early...aA mm to m m mm to mm -* ,0 00 0 -- a 00 0o 00v 00 00 00 00 00 dL . L. 0. 0.- o .L .L .L. t . L ff oc oo 3 oc ss c s Io C7C7 (( L -(. ma t . m. On 0a

Two GH3 genes from longan are differentially regulated during fruit growth and development.

PubMed

Kuang, Jian-Fei; Zhang, Yu; Chen, Jian-ye; Chen, Qiu-Jin; Jiang, Yue-Ming; Lin, He-Tong; Xu, Shi-Juan; Lu, Wang-Jin

2011-10-01

In the present work, two full length cDNAs of GH3 genes, named DlGH3.1 and DlGH3.2 were cloned from pericarp and aril tissues of the longan fruit, respectively. Three conserved motifs, SSGTSAGERK, YASSE and YRVGD, as a characteristic of the acyladenylate/thioester forming enzyme superfamily were observed in DlGH3.1 and DlGH3.2 proteins. DlGH3.1 mainly expressed in pericarp tissues while DlGH3.2 accumulated in both the pericarp and aril tissues during fruit growth and development. In addition, NAA treatment induced the expression of DlGH3.1 and DlGH3.2 in the pericarp tissues at 21 and 77days after anthesis (DAA), while only DlGH3.2 in the aril tissues could be induced by NAA at 77DAA. More importantly, ABA and ethrel treatments suppressed the accumulations of DlGH3.1 and DlGH3.2 in the pericarp tissues of longan fruit at 21DAA (a rapid growth stage of pericarp), but enhanced DlGH3.2 expression in the aril tissues at 77DAA (a fruit ripening stage). Furthermore, the expression patterns of DlGH3.1 and DlGH3.2 showed different tissue specificity. Thus, our results suggest that DlGH3.1 gene expression might be associated with pericarp growth, while DlGH3.2 accumulation is likely to be related to both pericarp growth and fruit ripening, and the responses of DlGH3s to plant growth hormones are different and dependent on fruit development stage and fruit tissue. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

How to install platforms in tidal deltaic areas: The 25-year experience of Total in Kalimantan (Indonesia)

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

Quenelle, A.; Metz, R.; Poirier, D.

1994-12-31

Due to the extended work by TOTAL, since 1971, offshore and within the Mahakam delta (East Kalimantan), several installation and platform concepts have been used. The present paper only concerns the installations at Handil and Tambora sites located in the Mahakam delta (in-shore) where water depths are between 2 and 4 meters, water current is 2 knots max. and tide is 2 meters as an average. The experience gained by the company in this kind of job made it possible to recently install in a single piece large and heavy integrated decks (up to 2,600 t) with the optimum usemore » of local skills, non-sophisticated technology and at low costs. The following shows the historical and evolutive experience of TOTAL up to now in platform concepts in this area of the world and gives, by the way, some useful information for future work.« less

Mobile radio alternative systems study. Volume 2: Terrestrial. [rural areas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cromwell, N.; Lester, H. L.; Anderson, R. E.

1983-01-01

Terrestrial systems for satisfying the markets for mobile radio services in non-urban areas of the United States in the years from 185 to 2000 were investigated. Present day mobile communication technologies, systems and equipment are described for background in evaluating the concepts generated. Average propagation ranges are calculated for terrestrial installations in each of seven physiographic areas of the contiguous states to determine the number of installations that would be required for nationwide coverage. Four system concepts are defined and analyzed to determine how well terrestrial systems can fulfill the requirements at acceptable costs. Nationwide dispatch, telephone and data services would require terrestrial installations in many locations where they would be used infrequently and would not recover their investment. Access to a roaming vehicle requires that the vehicle location be known within the range limit of the terrestrial installation in which the vehicle is present at the time of the call. Access to that installation must be made through the public switched telephone network, usually involving a long-distance toll charge, and requiring costly means to track or locate the vehicle as it moved through the network of installations.

Carob pod insoluble fiber exerts anti-atherosclerotic effects in rabbits through sirtuin-1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α.

PubMed

Valero-Muñoz, María; Martín-Fernández, Beatriz; Ballesteros, Sandra; Lahera, Vicente; de las Heras, Natalia

2014-09-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential effects of an insoluble dietary fiber from carob pod (IFC) (1 g ⋅ kg(-1) ⋅ d(-1) in the diet) on alterations associated with atherosclerosis in rabbits with dyslipidemia. Male New Zealand rabbits (n = 30) were fed the following diets for 8 wk: 1) a control diet (SF412; Panlab) as a control group representing normal conditions; 2) a control supplemented with 0.5% cholesterol + 14% coconut oil (DL) (SF302; Panlab) for 8 wk as a dyslipidemic group; and 3) a control containing 0.5% cholesterol + 14% coconut oil plus IFC (1 g ⋅ kg(-1) ⋅ d(-1)) (DL+IFC) for 8 wk. IFC was administered in a pellet mixed with the DL diet. The DL-fed group developed mixed dyslipidemia and atherosclerotic lesions, which were associated with endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and fibrosis. Furthermore, sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) protein expression in the aorta were reduced to 77% and 63% of the control group, respectively (P < 0.05), in these rabbits. Administration of IFC to DL-fed rabbits reduced the size of the aortic lesion significantly (DL, 15.2% and DL+IFC, 2.6%) and normalized acetylcholine-induced relaxation (maximal response: control, 89.3%; DL, 61.6%; DL+IFC, 87.1%; P < 0.05) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression (DL, 52% and DL+IFC, 104% of the control group). IFC administration to DL-fed rabbits also reduced cluster of differentiation 36 (DL, 148% and DL+IFC, 104% of the control group; P < 0.05), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (DL, 141% and DL+IFC, 107% of the control group), tumor necrosis factor-α (DL, 166% and DL+IFC, 120% of the control group), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (DL, 153% and DL+IFC, 110% of the control group), transforming growth factor-β (DL, 173% and DL+IFC, 99% of the control group), and collagen I (DL, 157% and DL+IFC, 112% of the control group) in the aorta. These effects were accompanied by an enhancement of SIRT1 and PGC-1α (160% and 121% of the control group, respectively; P < 0.05) vascular expression. In summary, we demonstrated for the first time, to our knowledge, that administration of IFC reduces the development of atherosclerosis in rabbits. This effect seems to be related to an improvement in endothelial function and a reduction of inflammation and fibrosis, most probably as a consequence of the reduction of serum concentrations of cholesterol and triglycerides. Increased expression of aortic SIRT1 and PGC-1α could play an important role in the observed effects of IFC in rabbits with dyslipidemia. © 2014 American Society for Nutrition.

Outreach with Team eS Through Science Festivals and Interactive Art Installations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoho, Amanda; Starkman, Glenn

2014-03-01

The Team eS project aims to acclimate (pre)teens to scientific concepts subtly, with fun, accessible, and engaging art and activities hosted at public community festivals, online at a dedicated website, and using social media. Our festivals will be centered around an interactive art installation inspired by a scientific concept. We hope to provide a positive experience inspired by science that these teens can reflect upon when encountering similar concepts in the future, especially in settings like a classroom where fear and anxiety can cloud interest or performance. We want to empower teens to not feel lost or out of the loop - we want to remove the fear of facing science.

Cocrystallization out of the blue: DL-mandelic acid/ethyl-DL-mandelate cocrystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tumanova, Natalia; Payen, Ricky; Springuel, Géraldine; Norberg, Bernadette; Robeyns, Koen; Le Duff, Cécile; Wouters, Johan; Leyssens, Tom

2017-01-01

This work focuses on a peculiar behavior of racemic mandelic acid in ethanol solution. Dissolution of racemic mandelic acid in ethanol followed by evaporation to dryness results in a DL-mandelic acid/ethyl-DL-mandelate cocrystal. This behavior indicates that racemic mandelic acid tends not only to transform into an ester in ethanol, but also to cocrystallize with untransformed acid molecules. Cocrystal formation for mandelic acid in ethanol was found to be reproducible under various conditions. DL-tropic acid and DL-phenyllactic acid that contain similar functional groups and that were tested as well, on the other hand, showed no cocrystal formation: DL-phenyllactic acid partly converted into an ester, whereas DL-tropic acid mostly recrystallized.

Racemic resolution of some DL-amino acids using Aspergillus fumigatus L-amino acid oxidase.

PubMed

Singh, Susmita; Gogoi, Binod K; Bezbaruah, Rajib L

2011-07-01

The ability of Aspergillus fumigatus L-amino acid oxidase (L-aao) to cause the resolution of racemic mixtures of DL-amino acids was investigated with DL-alanine, DL-phenylalanine, DL-tyrosine, and DL-aspartic acid. A chiral column, Crownpak CR+ was used for the analysis of the amino acids. The enzyme was able to cause the resolution of the three DL-amino acids resulting in the production of optically pure D-alanine (100% resolution), D-phenylalanine (80.2%), and D-tyrosine (84.1%), respectively. The optically pure D-amino acids have many uses and thus can be exploited industrially. This is the first report of the use of A. fumigatus L: -amino acid oxidase for racemic resolution of DL-amino acids.

The virtual revolution: implications for academe.

PubMed

Pardue, S L

2001-05-01

The global expansion and acceptance of the Internet as been unprecedented. The emergence of the potential for distance learning (DL) has altered the way in which faculty, university administrators, and for-profit corporations view the educational process. In 1998, nearly 80% of public 4-yr institutions offered some DL courses. However, DL courses in agriculture and natural resources represented less than 1% of the total enrollment. Like any technology that ushers in a new era of change, DL has attracted enthusiastic supporters and detractors. Few view DL with neutrality. It is this divergence of opinion that has fueled the debate over the academic value of DL. A valid evaluation of the educational benefits or deficiencies of DL may require additional long-term studies. For some academic traditionalists, DL is viewed as the fusion of education and commerce and borders on the repugnant. Others embrace DL not only because it may provide a source of much needed revenue, but also because it allows for the low-cost delivery of information to a nontraditional pool of students. Well-funded, private, for-profit organizations and universities have developed a number of DL models. Some hybrid DL models exist in which public institutions have created independent for-profit corporations to develop and distribute their web-based courses. The question is not if DL will be a part of the educational landscape; it surely will. The challenge is to define the role DL can most effectively fulfill.

Post-task Effects on EEG Brain Activity Differ for Various Differential Learning and Contextual Interference Protocols

PubMed Central

Henz, Diana; John, Alexander; Merz, Christian; Schöllhorn, Wolfgang I.

2018-01-01

A large body of research has shown superior learning rates in variable practice compared to repetitive practice. More specifically, this has been demonstrated in the contextual interference (CI) and in the differential learning (DL) approach that are both representatives of variable practice. Behavioral studies have indicate different learning processes in CI and DL. Aim of the present study was to examine immediate post-task effects on electroencephalographic (EEG) brain activation patterns after CI and DL protocols that reveal underlying neural processes at the early stage of motor consolidation. Additionally, we tested two DL protocols (gradual DL, chaotic DL) to examine the effect of different degrees of stochastic fluctuations within the DL approach with a low degree of fluctuations in gradual DL and a high degree of fluctuations in chaotic DL. Twenty-two subjects performed badminton serves according to three variable practice protocols (CI, gradual DL, chaotic DL), and a repetitive learning protocol in a within-subjects design. Spontaneous EEG activity was measured before, and immediately after each 20-min practice session from 19 electrodes. Results showed distinguishable neural processes after CI, DL, and repetitive learning. Increases in EEG theta and alpha power were obtained in somatosensory regions (electrodes P3, P7, Pz, P4, P8) in both DL conditions compared to CI, and repetitive learning. Increases in theta and alpha activity in motor areas (electrodes C3, Cz, C4) were found after chaotic DL compared to gradual DL, and CI. Anterior areas (electrodes F3, F7, Fz, F4, F8) showed increased activity in the beta and gamma bands after CI. Alpha activity was increased in occipital areas (electrodes O1, O2) after repetitive learning. Post-task EEG brain activation patterns suggest that DL stimulates the somatosensory and motor system, and engages more regions of the cortex than repetitive learning due to a tighter stimulation of the motor and somatosensory system during DL practice. CI seems to activate specifically executively controlled processing in anterior brain areas. We discuss the obtained patterns of post-training EEG traces as evidence for different underlying neural processes in CI, DL, and repetitive learning at the early stage of motor learning. PMID:29445334

Universal Cable Brackets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanvalkenburgh, C.

1985-01-01

Concept allows routing easily changed. No custom hardware required in concept. Instead, standard brackets cut to length and installed at selected locations along cable route. If cable route is changed, brackets simply moved to new locations. Concept for "universal" cable brackets make it easy to route electrical cable around and through virtually any structure.

Reduction of Dynamic Loads in Mine Lifting Installations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuznetsov, N. K.; Eliseev, S. V.; Perelygina, A. Yu

2018-01-01

Article is devoted to a problem of decrease in the dynamic loadings arising in transitional operating modes of the mine lifting installations leading to heavy oscillating motions of lifting vessels and decrease in efficiency and reliability of work. The known methods and means of decrease in dynamic loadings and oscillating motions of the similar equipment are analysed. It is shown that an approach based on the concept of the inverse problems of dynamics can be effective method of the solution of this problem. The article describes the design model of a one-ended lifting installation in the form of a two-mass oscillation system, in which the inertial elements are the mass of the lifting vessel and the reduced mass of the engine, reducer, drum and pulley. The simplified mathematical model of this system and results of an efficiency research of an active way of reduction of dynamic loadings of lifting installation on the basis of the concept of the inverse problems of dynamics are given.

Dioxins, DL-PCB and NDL-PCB accumulation profiles in livers from sheep and cattle reared in North-western Italy.

PubMed

Benedetto, A; Brizio, P; Guaraldo, P; Stella, C; Cappa, C; Baioni, E; Spalenza, V; Nebbia, C; Abete, M C

2016-06-01

Products of animal origin represent the main route of human exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs (DL-compounds). Recently, concerns have been raised about ovine products, particularly the liver, in which relatively high levels of DL-compounds have been reported. We surveyed ovine and bovine livers in areas with no known sources of dioxin or DL-PCB contamination, in order to assess accumulation patterns for both DL-compounds and non-DL (NDL-) PCBs. None of the ovine and bovine samples exceeded the current Maximum Limits (MLs) for DL-compounds. Liver DL-compound TEQ concentrations were up to 5-fold higher in sheep than in cows. No statistically significant differences in total NDL-PCBs levels were found. The main contributors to TEQ levels were the Penta- and Hexa-chlorinated PCDFs and PCB 126. The results confirm the increased bioaccumulation in ovine liver towards specific DL-compounds even in ewes reared in areas with no known sources of PCDD/Fs or DL-PCBs contamination. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differential Transcription Factor Use by the KIR2DL4 Promoter Under Constitutive and IL-2/15-Treated Conditions

PubMed Central

Presnell, Steven R.; Zhang, Lei; Chlebowy, Corrin N.; Al-Attar, Ahmad; Lutz, Charles T.

2012-01-01

KIR2DL4 is unique among human KIR genes in expression, cellular localization, structure, and function, yet the transcription factors required for its expression have not been identified. Using mutagenesis, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and co-transfection assays, we identified two redundant Runx binding sites in the 2DL4 promoter as essential for constitutive 2DL4 transcription, with contributions by a CRE site and initiator elements. IL-2-and IL-15-stimulated human NK cell lines increased 2DL4 promoter activity, which required functional Runx, CRE, and Ets sites. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments show that Runx3 and Ets1 bind the 2DL4 promoter in situ. 2DL4 promoter activity had similar transcription factor requirements in T cells. Runx, CRE, and Ets binding motifs are present in 2DL4 promoters from across primate species, but other postulated transcription factor binding sites are not preserved. Differences between 2DL4 and clonally-restricted KIR promoters suggest a model that explains the unique 2DL4 expression pattern in human NK cells. PMID:22467658

Precision Diagnosis Of Melanoma And Other Skin Lesions From Digital Images.

PubMed

Bhattacharya, Abhishek; Young, Albert; Wong, Andrew; Stalling, Simone; Wei, Maria; Hadley, Dexter

2017-01-01

Melanoma will affect an estimated 73,000 new cases this year and result in 9,000 deaths, yet precise diagnosis remains a serious problem. Without early detection and preventative care, melanoma can quickly spread to become fatal (Stage IV 5-year survival rate is 20-10%) from a once localized skin lesion (Stage IA 5- year survival rate is 97%). There is no biomarker for melanoma in clinical use, and the current diagnostic criteria for skin lesions remains subjective and imprecise. Accurate diagnosis of melanoma relies on a histopathologic gold standard; thus, aggressive excision of melanocytic skin lesions has been the mainstay of treatment. It is estimated that 36 biopsies are performed for every melanoma confirmed by pathology among excised lesions. There is significant morbidity in misdiagnosing melanoma such as progression of the disease for a false negative prediction vs the risks of unnecessary surgery for a false positive prediction. Every year, poor diagnostic precision adds an estimated $673 million in overall cost to manage the disease. Currently, manual dermatoscopic imaging is the standard of care in selecting atypical skin lesions for biopsy, and at best it achieves 90% sensitivity but only 59% specificity when performed by an expert dermatologist. Many computer vision (CV) algorithms perform better than dermatologists in classifying skin lesions although not significantly so in clinical practice. Meanwhile, open source deep learning (DL) techniques in CV have been gaining dominance since 2012 for image classification, and today DL can outperform humans in classifying millions of digital images with less than 5% error rates. Moreover, DL algorithms are readily run on commoditized hardware and have a strong online community of developers supporting their rapid adoption. In this work, we performed a successful pilot study to show proof of concept to DL skin pathology from images. However, DL algorithms must be trained on very large labelled datasets of images to achieve high accuracy. Here, we begin to assemble a large imageset of skin lesions from the UCSF and the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) dermatology clinics that are well characterized by their underlying pathology, on which to train DL algorithms. If trained on sufficient data, we hypothesize that our approach will significantly outperform general dermatologists in predicting skin lesion pathology. We posit that our work will allow for precision diagnosis of melanoma from widely available digital photography, which may optimize the management of the disease by decreasing unnecessary office visits and the significant morbidity and cost of melanoma misdiagnosis.

Validated chiral high performance liquid chromatography separation method and simulation studies of dipeptides on amylose chiral column.

PubMed

Ali, Imran; Sahoo, Dibya Ranjan; ALOthman, Zeid A; Alwarthan, Abdulrahman A; Asnin, Leonid; Larsson, Bernt

2015-08-07

Chiral resolution of dl-alanine-dl-tyrosine and dl-leucine-dl-phenylalanine dipeptides was achieved on AmyCoat-RP column. The mobile phase used for dl-alanine-dl-tyrosine was acetonitrile-ammonium acetate (10mM, pH 6.0) [50:50, v/v]. It was acetonitrile-methanol-ammonium acetate (10mM; pH adjusted to 4.5 with glacial acetic acid) [50:20:30, v/v] for dl-leucine-dl-phenylalanine. The flow rate of the mobile phases was 0.8mL/min with UV detection at 275nm. The values of retention factors for ll-, dd-, dl- and ld-stereomers of dl-alanine-dl-tyrosine were 1.71, 2.86, 5.43 and 9.42, respectively. The values of separation and resolution factors were 1.67, 1.90 and 1.73 and 2.88, 6.43 and 7.90, respectively. Similarly, these values for dl-leucine-dl-phenylalanine stereomers were 1.50, 2.88, 3.50 and 4.07 (retention factors), 1.92, 1.22 and 1.62 (separation factors) and 2.67, 1.55 and 2.30 (resolution factors). The limits of detections and quantitation were ranged from 2.03 to 6.40 and 6.79 to 21.30μg/mL, respectively. The modeling studies were in agreement with the elution orders. The mechanism of chiral recognition was established by modeling and chromatographic studies. It was observed that hydrogen bondings and π-π interactions are the major forces for chiral separation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Differential Training Facilitates Early Consolidation in Motor Learning

PubMed Central

Henz, Diana; Schöllhorn, Wolfgang I.

2016-01-01

Current research demonstrates increased learning rates in differential learning (DL) compared to repetitive training. To date, little is known on the underlying neurophysiological processes in DL that contribute to superior performance over repetitive practice. In the present study, we measured electroencephalographic (EEG) brain activation patterns after DL and repetitive badminton serve training. Twenty-four semi-professional badminton players performed badminton serves in a DL and repetitive training schedule in a within-subjects design. EEG activity was recorded from 19 electrodes according to the 10–20 system before and immediately after each 20-min exercise. Increased theta activity was obtained in contralateral parieto-occipital regions after DL. Further, increased posterior alpha activity was obtained in DL compared to repetitive training. Results indicate different underlying neuronal processes in DL and repetitive training with a higher involvement of parieto-occipital areas in DL. We argue that DL facilitates early consolidation in motor learning indicated by post-training increases in theta and alpha activity. Further, brain activation patterns indicate somatosensory working memory processes where attentional resources are allocated in processing of somatosensory information in DL. Reinforcing a somatosensory memory trace might explain increased motor learning rates in DL. Finally, this memory trace is more stable against interference from internal and external disturbances that afford executively controlled processing such as attentional processes. PMID:27818627

Genome-wide siRNA screen reveals a new cellular partner of NK cell receptor KIR2DL4: heparan sulfate directly modulates KIR2DL4-mediated responses

PubMed Central

Brusilovsky, Michael; Cordoba, Moti; Rosental, Benyamin; Hershkovitz, Oren; Andrake, Mark D.; Pecherskaya, Anna; Einarson, Margret B.; Zhou, Yan; Braiman, Alex

2013-01-01

KIR2DL4 (CD158d) is a distinct member of the killer cell Ig-like receptor (KIR) family in human NK cells that can induce cytokine production and cytolytic activity in resting NK cells. Soluble HLA-G, normally expressed only by fetal-derived trophoblast cells, was reported to be a ligand for KIR2DL4; however, KIR2DL4 expression is not restricted to the placenta and can be found in CD56high subset of peripheral blood NK cells. We demonstrated that KIR2DL4 can interact with alternative ligand(s), expressed by cells of epithelial or fibroblast origin. A genome-wide high-throughput siRNA screen revealed that KIR2DL4 recognition of cells surface ligand(s) is directly regulated by heparan sulfate (HS) glucosamine 3-O-sulfotransferase 3B1 (HS3ST3B1). KIR2DL4 was found to directly interact with HS/heparin, and the D0-domain of KIR2DL4 was essential for this interaction. Accordingly, exogenous HS/heparin can regulate cytokine production by KIR2DL4-expressing NK cells and HEK293T cells (HEK293T-2DL4) and induces differential localization of KIR2DL4 to rab5+ and rab7+ endosomes, thus leading to down-regulation of cytokine production and degradation of the receptor. Furthermore, we showed that intimate interaction of syndecan-4 (SDC4) HS Proteo-Glycan (HSPG) and KIR2DL4 directly affects receptor endocytosis and membrane trafficking. PMID:24127555

[Cloning and sequencing of KIR2DL1 framework gene cDNA and identification of a novel allele].

PubMed

Sun, Ge; Wang, Chang; Zhen, Jianxin; Zhang, Guobin; Xu, Yunping; Deng, Zhihui

2016-10-01

To develop an assay for cDNA cloning and haplotype sequencing of KIR2DL1 framework gene and determine the genotype of an ethnic Han from southern China. Total RNA was isolated from peripheral blood sample, and complementary DNA (cDNA) transcript was synthesized by RT-PCR. The entire coding sequence of the KIR2DL1 framework gene was amplified with a pair of KIR2DL1-specific PCR primers. The PCR products with a length of approximately 1.2 kb were then subjected to cloning and haplotype sequencing. A specific target fragment of the KIR2DL1 framework gene was obtained. Following allele separation, a wild-type KIR2DL1*00302 allele and a novel variant allele, KIR2DL1*031, were identified. Sequence alignment with KIR2DL1 alleles from the IPD-KIR Database showed that the novel allele KIR2DL1*031 has differed from the closest allele KIR2DL1*00302 by a non-synonymous mutation at CDS nt 188A>G (codon 42 GAG>GGG) in exon 4, which has caused an amino acid change Glu42Gly. The sequence of the novel allele KIR2DL1*031 was submitted to GenBank under the accession number KP025960 and to the IPD-KIR Database under the submission number IWS40001982. A name KIR2DL1*031 has been officially assigned by the World Health Organization (WHO) Nomenclature Committee. An assay for cDNA cloning and haplotype sequencing of KIR2DL1 has been established, which has a broad applications in KIR studies at allelic level.

Extended Plate and Beam Wall System: Concept Investigation and Initial Evaluation

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

Wiehagen, J.; Kochkin, V.

A new and innovative High-R wall design, referred to as the Extended Plate & Beam (EP&B), is under development. The EP&B system uniquely integrates foam sheathing insulation with wall framing such that wood structural panels are installed exterior of the foam sheathing, enabling the use of standard practices for installation of drainage plane, windows and doors, claddings, cavity insulation, and the standard exterior foam sheathing installation approach prone to damage of the foam during transportation of prefabricated wall panels. As part of the ongoing work, the EP&B wall system concept has undergone structural verification testing and has been positively vettedmore » by a group of industry stakeholders. Having passed these initial milestone markers, the advanced wall system design has been analyzed to assess cost implications relative to other advanced wall systems, undergone design assessment to develop construction details, and has been evaluated to develop representative prescriptive requirements for the building code. This report summarizes the assessment steps conducted to-date and provides details of the concept development.« less

Extended Plate and Beam Wall System: Concept Investigation and Initial Evaluation

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

Wiehagen, J.; Kochkin, V.

2015-08-01

A new and innovative High-R wall design, referred to as the Extended Plate & Beam (EP&B), is under development. The EP&B system uniquely integrates foam sheathing insulation with wall framing such that wood structural panels are installed exterior of the foam sheathing, enabling the use of standard practices for installation of drainage plane, windows and doors, claddings, cavity insulation, and the standard exterior foam sheathing installation approach prone to damage of the foam during transportation of prefabricated wall panels. As part of the ongoing work, the EP&B wall system concept has undergone structural verification testing and has been positively vettedmore » by a group of industry stakeholders. Having passed these initial milestone markers, the advanced wall system design has been analyzed to assess cost implications relative to other advanced wall systems, undergone design assessment to develop construction details, and has been evaluated to develop representative prescriptive requirements for the building code. This report summarizes the assessment steps conducted to-date and provides details of the concept development.« less

HLA and killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIRs) genotyping in patients with acute viral encephalitis

PubMed Central

Tuttolomondo, Antonino; Colomba, Claudia; Di Bona, Danilo; Casuccio, Alessandra; Di Raimondo, Domenico; Clemente, Giuseppe; Arnao, Valentina; Pecoraro, Rosaria; Ragonese, Paolo; Aiello, Anna; Accardi, Giulia; Maugeri, Rosario; Maida, Carlo; Simonetta, Irene; Della Corte, Vittoriano; Iacopino, Domenico Gerardo; Caruso, Calogero; Cascio, Antonio; Pinto, Antonio

2018-01-01

Introduction The HLA genes, as well as the innate immune KIR genes, are considered relevant determinants of viral outcomes but no study, to our knowledge, has evaluated their role in the clinical setting of acute viral encephalitis. Results Subjects with acute viral encephalitis in comparison to subjects without acute viral encephalitis showed a significantly higher frequency of 2DL1 KIR gene and AA KIR haplotypes and of HLA-C2 and HLA-A-Bw4 alleles. Subjects without acute viral encephalitis showed a higher frequency of interaction between KIR2DL2 and HLAC1. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed the detrimental effect of HLA-A haplotype and HLA-C1, HLA-A-BW4 HLA-B-BW4T alleles, whereas multiple logistic regression showed a protective effect of AB+BB KIR haplotype and a detrimental effect of interaction between KIR3DL1 and HLA-A-Bw4. Discussion Our findings of a lower frequency of activating receptors in patients with acute encephalitis compared to controls could result in a less efficient response of NK cells. This finding could represent a possible pathogenetic explanation of susceptibility to acute symptomatic encephalitis in patients with viral infection from potentially responsible viruses such as Herpes virus. Materials and Methods 30 Consecutive patients with symptomatic acute viral encephalitis and as controls, 36 consecutive subjects without acute encephalitis were analyzed. The following KIR genes were analyzed, KIR2DL1, 2DL2, 2DL3, 2DL5, 3DL1, 3DL2, 3DL3, 2DL4, 2DS1, 2DS2, 2DS3, 2DS4, 2DS5, 3DS1, 2 pseudogenes (2DP1 and 3DP1) and the common variants of KIR2DL5 (KIR2DL5A, KIR2DL5B). PMID:29707126

Allelic variation in KIR2DL3 generates a KIR2DL2-like receptor with increased binding to its HLA-C ligand.

PubMed

Frazier, William R; Steiner, Noriko; Hou, Lihua; Dakshanamurthy, Sivanesan; Hurley, Carolyn Katovich

2013-06-15

Although extensive homology exists between their extracellular domains, NK cell inhibitory receptors killer Ig-like receptor (KIR) 2DL2*001 and KIR2DL3*001 have previously been shown to differ substantially in their HLA-C binding avidity. To explore the largely uncharacterized impact of allelic diversity, the most common KIR2DL2/3 allelic products in European American and African American populations were evaluated for surface expression and binding affinity to their HLA-C group 1 and 2 ligands. Although no significant differences in the degree of cell membrane localization were detected in a transfected human NKL cell line by flow cytometry, surface plasmon resonance and KIR binding to a panel of HLA allotypes demonstrated that KIR2DL3*005 differed significantly from other KIR2DL3 allelic products in its ability to bind HLA-C. The increased affinity and avidity of KIR2DL3*005 for its ligand was also demonstrated to have a larger impact on the inhibition of IFN-γ production by the human KHYG-1 NK cell line compared with KIR2DL3*001, a low-affinity allelic product. Site-directed mutagenesis established that the combination of arginine at residue 11 and glutamic acid at residue 35 in KIR2DL3*005 were critical to the observed phenotype. Although these residues are distal to the KIR/HLA-C interface, molecular modeling suggests that alteration in the interdomain hinge angle of KIR2DL3*005 toward that found in KIR2DL2*001, another strong receptor of the KIR2DL2/3 family, may be the cause of this increased affinity. The regain of inhibitory capacity by KIR2DL3*005 suggests that the rapidly evolving KIR locus may be responding to relatively recent selective pressures placed upon certain human populations.

Allelic Variation in KIR2DL3 Generates a KIR2DL2-like Receptor with Increased Binding to Its HLA-C Ligand12

PubMed Central

Frazier, William R.; Steiner, Noriko; Hou, Lihua; Dakshanamurthy, Sivanesan; Hurley, Carolyn Katovich

2013-01-01

Although extensive homology exists between their extracellular domains, natural killer cell inhibitory receptors KIR2DL2*001 and KIR2DL3*001 have previously been shown to differ substantially in their HLA-C binding avidity. To explore the largely uncharacterized impact of allelic diversity, the most common KIR2DL2/3 allelic products in European American and African American populations were evaluated for surface expression and binding affinity to their HLA-C group 1 and 2 ligands. Although no significant differences in the degree of cell membrane localization were detected in a transfected human NKL cell line by flow cytometry, surface plasmon resonance and KIR binding to a panel of HLA allotypes demonstrated that KIR2DL3*005 differed significantly from other KIR2DL3 allelic products in its ability to bind HLA-C. The increased affinity and avidity of KIR2DL3*005 for its ligand was also demonstrated to have a larger impact on the inhibition of IFN-γ production by the human KHYG-1 NK cell line compared to KIR2DL3*001, a low affinity allelic product. Site-directed mutagenesis established that the combination of arginine at residue 11 and glutamic acid at residue 35 in KIR2DL3*005 were critical to the observed phenotype. Although these residues are distal to the KIR/HLA-C interface, molecular modeling suggests that alteration in the interdomain hinge angle of KIR2DL3*005 towards that found in KIR2DL2*001, another strong receptor of the KIR2DL2/3 family, may be the cause of this increased affinity. The regain of inhibitory capacity by KIR2DL3*005 suggests that the rapidly evolving KIR locus may be responding to relatively recent selective pressures placed upon certain human populations. PMID:23686481

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

PubMed

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

2017-02-21

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

Regularized spherical polar fourier diffusion MRI with optimal dictionary learning.

PubMed

Cheng, Jian; Jiang, Tianzi; Deriche, Rachid; Shen, Dinggang; Yap, Pew-Thian

2013-01-01

Compressed Sensing (CS) takes advantage of signal sparsity or compressibility and allows superb signal reconstruction from relatively few measurements. Based on CS theory, a suitable dictionary for sparse representation of the signal is required. In diffusion MRI (dMRI), CS methods proposed for reconstruction of diffusion-weighted signal and the Ensemble Average Propagator (EAP) utilize two kinds of Dictionary Learning (DL) methods: 1) Discrete Representation DL (DR-DL), and 2) Continuous Representation DL (CR-DL). DR-DL is susceptible to numerical inaccuracy owing to interpolation and regridding errors in a discretized q-space. In this paper, we propose a novel CR-DL approach, called Dictionary Learning - Spherical Polar Fourier Imaging (DL-SPFI) for effective compressed-sensing reconstruction of the q-space diffusion-weighted signal and the EAP. In DL-SPFI, a dictionary that sparsifies the signal is learned from the space of continuous Gaussian diffusion signals. The learned dictionary is then adaptively applied to different voxels using a weighted LASSO framework for robust signal reconstruction. Compared with the start-of-the-art CR-DL and DR-DL methods proposed by Merlet et al. and Bilgic et al., respectively, our work offers the following advantages. First, the learned dictionary is proved to be optimal for Gaussian diffusion signals. Second, to our knowledge, this is the first work to learn a voxel-adaptive dictionary. The importance of the adaptive dictionary in EAP reconstruction will be demonstrated theoretically and empirically. Third, optimization in DL-SPFI is only performed in a small subspace resided by the SPF coefficients, as opposed to the q-space approach utilized by Merlet et al. We experimentally evaluated DL-SPFI with respect to L1-norm regularized SPFI (L1-SPFI), which uses the original SPF basis, and the DR-DL method proposed by Bilgic et al. The experiment results on synthetic and real data indicate that the learned dictionary produces sparser coefficients than the original SPF basis and results in significantly lower reconstruction error than Bilgic et al.'s method.

Volitional regulation of brain responses to food stimuli in overweight and obese subjects: A real-time fMRI feedback study.

PubMed

Spetter, Maartje S; Malekshahi, Rahim; Birbaumer, Niels; Lührs, Michael; van der Veer, Albert H; Scheffler, Klaus; Spuckti, Sophia; Preissl, Hubert; Veit, Ralf; Hallschmid, Manfred

2017-05-01

Obese subjects who achieve weight loss show increased functional connectivity between dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), key areas of executive control and reward processing. We investigated the potential of real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rt-fMRI) neurofeedback training to achieve healthier food choices by enhancing self-control of the interplay between these brain areas. We trained eight male individuals with overweight or obesity (age: 31.8 ± 4.4 years, BMI: 29.4 ± 1.4 kg/m 2 ) to up-regulate functional connectivity between the dlPFC and the vmPFC by means of a four-day rt-fMRI neurofeedback protocol including, on each day, three training runs comprised of six up-regulation and six passive viewing trials. During the up-regulation runs of the four training days, participants successfully learned to increase functional connectivity between dlPFC and vmPFC. In addition, a trend towards less high-calorie food choices emerged from before to after training, which however was associated with a trend towards increased covertly assessed snack intake. Findings of this proof-of-concept study indicate that overweight and obese participants can increase functional connectivity between brain areas that orchestrate the top-down control of appetite for high-calorie foods. Neurofeedback training might therefore be a useful tool in achieving and maintaining weight loss. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrated propulsion/energy transfer control systems for lift-fan V/STOL aircraft. [reduction of total propulsion system and control system installation requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deckert, W. H.; Rolls, L. S.

1974-01-01

An integrated propulsion/control system for lift-fan transport aircraft is described. System behavior from full-scale experimental and piloted simulator investigations are reported. The lift-fan transport is a promising concept for short-to-medium haul civil transportation and for other missions. The lift-fan transport concept features high cruise airspeed, favorable ride qualities, small perceived noise footprints, high utilization, transportation system flexibility, and adaptability to VTOL, V/STOL, or STOL configurations. The lift-fan transport has high direct operating costs in comparison to conventional aircraft, primarily because of propulsion system and aircraft low-speed control system installation requirements. An integrated lift-fan propulsion system/aircraft low-speed control system that reduces total propulsion system and control system installation requirements is discussed.

Translating effective web-based self-help for problem drinking into the real world.

PubMed

Riper, Heleen; Kramer, Jeannet; Conijn, Barbara; Smit, Filip; Schippers, Gerard; Cuijpers, Pim

2009-08-01

Drinking Less (DL) is a 24/7 free-access anonymous interactive web-based self-help intervention without therapeutic guidance for adult problem drinkers in the community. In a randomized controlled trial (referred to here as DL-RCT), DL has been shown effective in reducing risky alcohol consumption. To assess whether the findings of DL-RCT are generalizable to a naturalistic setting (DL-RW) in terms of ability to reach the target group and alcohol treatment response. Pretest-posttest study with 6-month follow-up. An online survey was conducted of 378 of the 1,625 people who used DL-RW from May to November 2007. Primary outcome measures were (1) problem drinking, defined as alcohol consumption in the previous 4 weeks averaging >21 or >14 standard units (male/female) per week or >or=6 or >or=4 units (m/f) on 1 or more days per week; and (2) mean weekly alcohol consumption. DL-RW and DL-RCT data were compared and pooled. Intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis was performed to analyze and compare changes in drinking from baseline to follow-up. In the DL-RW group, 18.8% (n = 71) were drinking successfully within the limits of the Dutch guideline for low-risk drinking (p < 0.001) 6 months after baseline (ITT). The DL-RW group also decreased its mean weekly alcohol intake by 7.4 units, t(377) = 6.67, p < 0.001, d = 0.29. Drinking reduction in DL-RW was of a similar magnitude to that in the DL-RCT condition in terms of drinking within the guideline [chi(2)(1) = 1.83, CI: 0.82-3.00, p = 0.18, RD = 0.05, OR = 1.55] and mean weekly consumption (a negligible difference of d = 0.03 in favor of DL-RW group). The results from DL-RCT and DL-RW were similar, and they demonstrate that web-based self-help without therapeutic guidance is feasible, well accepted, and effective for curbing adult problem drinking in the community.

Spontaneous resolution of binary copper(II) complexes with racemic dipeptides: crystal structures of glycyl-L-alpha-amino-n-butyrato copper(II) monohydrate, glycyl-D-valinato copper(II) hemihydrate, and glycyl-L-valinato copper(II) hemihydrate.

PubMed

Inomata, Yoshie; Yamaguchi, Takeshi; Tomita, Airi; Yamada, Dai; Howell, F Scott

2005-08-01

Copper(II) complexes with glycyl-DL-alpha-amino-n-butyric acid (H2gly-DL-but), glycyl-DL-valine (H2gly-DL-val), glycyl-DL-norleucine (H2gly-DL-norleu), glycyl-DL-threonine (H2gly-DL-thr), glycyl-DL-serine (H2gly-DL-ser), glycyl-DL-phenylalanine (H2gly-DL-phe), and glycyl-L-valine (H2gly-L-val), have been prepared and characterized by IR, powder diffuse reflection, CD and ORD spectra, and magnetic susceptibility measurements, and by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal structures of the copper complex with H2gly-DL-but, the copper complex with H2gly-DL-val, and [Cu(gly-L-val)]n.0.5nH2O have been determined by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction method. As for the structure of the copper complex with H2gly-DL-but, the configuration around the asymmetric carbon atom is similar to that of [Cu(gly-L-val)]n.0.5nH2O. Therefore it is concluded that the copper complex with H2gly-DL-but is [Cu(gly-L-but)]n.nH2O. On the contrary, as for the structure of the copper complex with H2gly-DL-val, the configuration around the asymmetric carbon atom is different from that of [Cu(gly-L-val)]n.0.5nH2O. Therefore it is concluded that the copper complex with H2gly-dl-val is [Cu(gly-D-val)]n.0.5nH2O. So during the crystallization of the copper(II) complexes with H2gly-DL-but and H2gly-DL-val, spontaneous resolution has been observed; the four complexes have separated as [Cu(gly-D-but)]n.nH2O, [Cu(gly-L-but)]n.nH2O, [Cu(gly-D-val)]n.0.5nH2O, and [Cu(gly-L-val)]n.0.5nH2O, respectively. [Cu(gly-L-but)]n.nH2O is orthorhombic with the space group P2(1)2(1)2(1). [Cu(gly-D-val)]n.0.5nH2O and [Cu(gly-L-val)]n.0.5nH2O are monoclinic with the space group C2. In these complexes, the copper atom is in a square-pyramidal geometry, ligated by a peptide nitrogen atom, an amino nitrogen atom, a carboxyl oxygen atom, and a carboxyl oxygen atom and a peptide oxygen atom from neighboring molecules. So these complexes consist of a two-dimensional polymer chain bridged by a carboxyl oxygen atom and a peptide oxygen atom from neighboring molecules. The axial oxygen atom is located above the basal plane and the side chain of an amino acid is located below it. These polymer chains consist of only one or the other type of optical isomers; no racemic dipeptides are found. Therefore, spontaneous resolution has been observed in the crystallization of copper(II) complexes with H2gly-DL-but and H2gly-DL-val. The crystal structure of [Cu(gly-D-val)]n.0.5nH2O agrees almost completely with that of [Cu(gly-L-val)]n.0.5nH2O, except for the configuration around the asymmetric carbon atom.

Deep learning strategy for accurate carotid intima-media thickness measurement: An ultrasound study on Japanese diabetic cohort.

PubMed

Biswas, Mainak; Kuppili, Venkatanareshbabu; Araki, Tadashi; Edla, Damodar Reddy; Godia, Elisa Cuadrado; Saba, Luca; Suri, Harman S; Omerzu, Tomaž; Laird, John R; Khanna, Narendra N; Nicolaides, Andrew; Suri, Jasjit S

2018-07-01

The carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) is an important biomarker for cardiovascular diseases and stroke monitoring. This study presents an intelligence-based, novel, robust, and clinically-strong strategy that uses a combination of deep-learning (DL) and machine-learning (ML) paradigms. A two-stage DL-based system (a class of AtheroEdge™ systems) was proposed for cIMT measurements. Stage I consisted of a convolution layer-based encoder for feature extraction and a fully convolutional network-based decoder for image segmentation. This stage generated the raw inner lumen borders and raw outer interadventitial borders. To smooth these borders, the DL system used a cascaded stage II that consisted of ML-based regression. The final outputs were the far wall lumen-intima (LI) and media-adventitia (MA) borders which were used for cIMT measurements. There were two sets of gold standards during the DL design, therefore two sets of DL systems (DL1 and DL2) were derived. A total of 396 B-mode ultrasound images of the right and left common carotid artery were used from 203 patients (Institutional Review Board approved, Toho University, Japan). For the test set, the cIMT error for the DL1 and DL2 systems with respect to the gold standard was 0.126 ± 0.134 and 0.124 ± 0.100 mm, respectively. The corresponding LI error for the DL1 and DL2 systems was 0.077 ± 0.057 and 0.077 ± 0.049 mm, respectively, while the corresponding MA error for DL1 and DL2 was 0.113 ± 0.105 and 0.109 ± 0.088 mm, respectively. The results showed up to 20% improvement in cIMT readings for the DL system compared to the sonographer's readings. Four statistical tests were conducted to evaluate reliability, stability, and statistical significance. The results showed that the performance of the DL-based approach was superior to the nonintelligence-based conventional methods that use spatial intensities alone. The DL system can be used for stroke risk assessment during routine or clinical trial modes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emergency department blood alcohol level associates with injury factors and six-month outcome after uncomplicated mild traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Yue, John K; Ngwenya, Laura B; Upadhyayula, Pavan S; Deng, Hansen; Winkler, Ethan A; Burke, John F; Lee, Young M; Robinson, Caitlin K; Ferguson, Adam R; Lingsma, Hester F; Cnossen, Maryse C; Pirracchio, Romain; Korley, Frederick K; Vassar, Mary J; Yuh, Esther L; Mukherjee, Pratik; Gordon, Wayne A; Valadka, Alex B; Okonkwo, David O; Manley, Geoffrey T

2017-11-01

The relationship between blood alcohol level (BAL) and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) remains in need of improved characterization. Adult patients suffering mTBI without intracranial pathology on computed tomography (CT) from the prospective Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury Pilot study with emergency department (ED) Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) 13-15 and recorded blood alcohol level (BAL) were extracted. BAL≥80-mg/dl was set as proxy for excessive use. Multivariable regression was performed for patients with six-month Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE; functional recovery) and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Processing Speed Index Composite Score (WAIS-PSI; nonverbal processing speed), using BAL≥80-mg/dl and <80-mg/dl cohorts, adjusting for demographic/injury factors. Overall, 107 patients were aged 42.7±16.8-years, 67.3%-male, and 80.4%-Caucasian; 65.4% had BAL=0-mg/dl, 4.6% BAL<80-mg/dl, and 30.0% BAL≥80-mg/dl (range 100-440-mg/dl). BAL differed across loss of consciousness (LOC; none: median 0-mg/dl [interquartile range (IQR) 0-0], <30-min: 0-mg/dl [0-43], ≥30-min: 224-mg/dl [50-269], unknown: 108-mg/dl [0-232]; p=0.002). GCS<15 associated with higher BAL (19-mg/dl [0-204] vs. 0-mg/dl [0-20]; p=0.013). On univariate analysis, BAL≥80-mg/dl associated with less-than-full functional recovery (GOSE≤7; 38.1% vs. 11.5%; p=0.025) and lower WAIS-PSI (92.4±12.7, 30th-percentile vs. 105.1±11.7, 63rd-percentile; p<0.001). On multivariable regression BAL≥80-mg/dl demonstrated an odds ratio of 8.05 (95% CI [1.35-47.92]; p=0.022) for GOSE≤7 and an adjusted mean decrease of 8.88-points (95% CI [0.67-17.09]; p=0.035) on WAIS-PSI. Day-of-injury BAL>80-mg/dl after uncomplicated mTBI was associated with decreased GCS score and prolongation of reported LOC. BAL may be a biomarker for impaired return to baseline function and decreased nonverbal processing speed at six-months postinjury. Future confirmatory studies are needed. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Crystal structure of the human natural killer cell inhibitory receptor KIR2DL1-HLA-Cw4 complex.

PubMed

Fan, Q R; Long, E O; Wiley, D C

2001-05-01

Inhibitory natural killer (NK) cell receptors down-regulate the cytotoxicity of NK cells upon recognition of specific class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules on target cells. We report here the crystal structure of the inhibitory human killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor 2DL1 (KIR2DL1) bound to its class I MHC ligand, HLA-Cw4. The KIR2DL1-HLA-Cw4 interface exhibits charge and shape complementarity. Specificity is mediated by a pocket in KIR2DL1 that hosts the Lys80 residue of HLA-Cw4. Many residues conserved in HLA-C and in KIR2DL receptors make different interactions in KIR2DL1-HLA-Cw4 and in a previously reported KIR2DL2-HLA-Cw3 complex. A dimeric aggregate of KIR-HLA-C complexes was observed in one KIR2DL1-HLA-Cw4 crystal. Most of the amino acids that differ between human and chimpanzee KIRs with HLA-C specificities form solvent-accessible clusters outside the KIR-HLA interface, which suggests undiscovered interactions by KIRs.

Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor gene diversity in the Tibetan ethnic minority group of China.

PubMed

Zhu, Bo-feng; Wang, Hong-dan; Shen, Chun-mei; Deng, Ya-jun; Yang, Guang; Wu, Qing-ju; Xu, Peng; Qin, Hai-xia; Fan, Shuan-liang; Huang, Ping; Deng, Li-bin; Lucas, Rudolf; Wang, Zhen-Yuan

2010-11-01

The aim of this study was to analyze killer immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) gene polymorphisms in the Tibetan ethnic minority of China. To that purpose, we have studied KIR gene frequencies and genotype diversities of 16 KIR genes and three pseudogenes (2DL1, 2DL2, 2DL3, 2DL4, 2DL5A, 2DL5B, 2DS1, 2DS2, 2DS3, 2DS4*001/002, 2DS4*003-007, 2DS5, 3DL1, 3DL2, 3DL3, 3DS1, 2DP1, 3DP1*001/002/004, and 3DP1*003) in a population sample of 102 unrelated healthy individuals of the Tibetan population living in Lhasa city, Tibet Autonomous Region of China. Tibetans mainly live in "the roof of the world," the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau of China and surrounding areas stretching from central Asia in the North and West to Myanmar and mainland China in the East, and India, Nepal, and Bhutan to the south. KIR gene frequencies and statistical parameters of Tibetan ethnic minority were calculated. Fifteen KIR genes were observed in the 102 tested Tibetan individuals with different frequencies. The allelic frequencies of the 15 KIR genes ranged from 0.06 to 0.86. In addition, KIR 2DL1, 2DL4, 3DL2, and 3DL3 were found to be present in every individual. Variable gene content, together with allelic polymorphisms, can result in individualized human KIR genotypes and haplotypes, with the A haplotypes being predominantly observed. The results of tested linkage disequilibrium (LD) among KIR genes demonstrated that KIR genes present a wide range of linkage disequilibrium. Moreover, a comparison of the population data of our study with previously published population data of other ethnic groups or areas was performed. The differences of allelic frequency distribution in KIR2DL2, 2DL3, 2DL5, 3DL1, 2DS1, 2DS2, 2DS3, 3DS1, and 2DP1 were statistically significant among different populations using the statistical method of the standard χ(2) test. In conclusion, the results of the present study can be valuable for enriching the Chinese ethnical gene information resources of the KIR gene pool and for anthological studies, as well as for KIR-related disease research. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Improved Understanding of Sources of Variability in Groundwater Sampling for Long-Term Monitoring Programs

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-02-01

20000 18200 ug/L 91 60 - 140 Styrene - DL 70 10000 10900 ug/L 109 60 - 140 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane - DL 220 10000 12600 ug/L 126 60 - 140...L 110 60 - 140 Trichloroethene - DL2 180 10000 12600 F ug/L 126 56 - 118 Vinyl acetate - DL2 210 10000 4630 F ug/L 46 60 - 140 Vinyl chloride - DL2

The morphologic characteristics of the distolingual roots of mandibular first molars in a Taiwanese population.

PubMed

Chen, Yi-Chen; Lee, Ya-Yun; Pai, Sheng-Fang; Yang, Shue-Fen

2009-05-01

The prevalence of extra distolingual (DL) roots in mandibular first molars in Chinese population is about 20%. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the difference of root length and root curvatures between distobuccal (DB) and DL roots of three-rooted mandibular first molars in a Taiwanese (Chinese) population. Of the 293 extracted mandibular first molars, DL roots were present in 29 (9.9%) teeth. Excluding teeth with fractured DB or DL roots, 21 mandibular first molars were further investigated. DB and DL root lengths were measured from the lower level of furcation at the distal surface to the root apex. The curvature of the DL root was measured on mesial-distal and buccal-lingual radiographs by Schneider's technique. The DL roots were significantly (p < 0.001) shorter than the DB roots with an average of 1.48 +/- 0.81 mm. Most DL roots had a greater curvature in a buccal-lingual orientation (36.35 degrees +/- 9.38 degrees ) than a mesial-distal orientation (9.24 degrees +/- 6.10 degrees ) and 28.57% of the curved DL roots had the curvature at the apical one third (p < 0.001). The results of this study verified the characteristics of shorter root length and severe buccal-lingual inclination of DL roots in three-rooted mandibular first molars.

In Vivo Efficacy of Latex from Calotropis procera in Ameliorating Fever-Biochemical Characteristics and Plausible Mechanism.

PubMed

Kumar, Vijay L; Guruprasad, B; Fatmi, Syed Meraj A; Chaudhary, Priyanka; Alencar, Nylane Maria Nunes; Lima-Filho, José Vitor Moreira; Ramos, Márcio Viana

2017-07-01

Calotropis procera latex fractions possessing anti-inflammatory property were characterized for their biochemical properties, compared for their efficacy in ameliorating fever in rats and their mechanism of action was elucidated. Aqueous fraction and methanol extract (AqDL and MeDL) were derived from the dried latex (DL) and proteins were separated from the fresh latex (LP). Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis carried out under denaturing conditions showed the presence of proteins with some similarity in LP and AqDL and both of these fractions exhibited proteinase activity by gelatin zymography. A further analysis revealed that only the LP fraction possesses cysteine proteinase activity. Oral administration of both AqDL and MeDL produced a dose-dependent reduction in body temperature in rats where fever was induced by yeast and their effect was comparable to that of standard drug paracetamol while intravenous administration of LP was not so effective. Both AqDL and MeDL produced a significant reduction in the levels of TNF-α, PGE 2 , and immunoreactivity of COX-2 in the hypothalamus as compared to yeast control group. This study shows that both AqDL and MeDL, the orally effective anti-inflammatory fractions of latex, have therapeutic potential in treating various febrile conditions.

Amino Acid and Vitamin Requirements of Several Bacteroides Strains

PubMed Central

Quinto, Grace

1966-01-01

Nutritional studies were performed on nine Bacteroides strains, by use of the methodology and media of anaerobic rumen microbiology. Ristella perfoetens CCI required l-arginine hydrochloride, l-tryptophan, l-leucine, l-histidine hydrochloride, l-cysteine hydrochloride, dl-valine, dl-tyrosine, and the vitamin calcium-d-pantothenate, since scant turbidity developed in media without these nutrients. R. perfoetens was stimulated by glycine, dl-lysine hydrochloride, dl-isoleucine, l-proline, l-glutamic acid, dl-alanine, dl-phenylalanine, dl-methionine, and the vitamins nicotinamide and p-aminobenzoic acid, since maximal turbidity developed more slowly in media without these nutrients than in complete medium. Medium A-23, which was devised for R. perfoetens, contained salts, 0.0002% nicotinamide and calcium d-pantothenate, 0.00001% p-aminobenzoic acid, 0.044% l-tryptophan, 0.09% l-glutamic acid, and 0.1% of the other 13 amino acids listed above. Zuberella clostridiformis and seven strains of R. pseudoinsolita did not require vitamins, and showed no absolute requirement for any one amino acid. Various strains produced maximal turbidity more slowly in media deficient in l-proline, glycine, l-glutamic acid, dl-serine, l-histidine hydrochloride, dl-alanine, or l-cysteine hydrochloride, than in complete medium. These eight strains grew optimally in medium A-23 plus 0.1% dl-serine but without vitamins. PMID:16349673

KIR2DL2/2DL3-E35 alleles are functionally stronger than -Q35 alleles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bari, Rafijul; Thapa, Rajoo; Bao, Ju; Li, Ying; Zheng, Jie; Leung, Wing

2016-03-01

KIR2DL2 and KIR2DL3 segregate as alleles of a single locus in the centromeric motif of the killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) gene family. Although KIR2DL2/L3 polymorphism is known to be associated with many human diseases and is an important factor for donor selection in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the molecular determinant of functional diversity among various alleles is unclear. In this study we found that KIR2DL2/L3 with glutamic acid at position 35 (E35) are functionally stronger than those with glutamine at the same position (Q35). Cytotoxicity assay showed that NK cells from HLA-C1 positive donors with KIR2DL2/L3-E35 could kill more target cells lacking their ligands than NK cells with the weaker -Q35 alleles, indicating better licensing of KIR2DL2/L3+ NK cells with the stronger alleles. Molecular modeling analysis reveals that the glutamic acid, which is negatively charged, interacts with positively charged histidine located at position 55, thereby stabilizing KIR2DL2/L3 dimer and reducing entropy loss when KIR2DL2/3 binds to HLA-C ligand. The results of this study will be important for future studies of KIR2DL2/L3-associated diseases as well as for donor selection in allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

Analytical Performance Evaluation of Infopia Element™ Auto-coding Blood Glucose Monitoring System for Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose.

PubMed

Park, Hae-Il; Lee, Seong-Su; Son, Jang-Won; Kwon, Hee-Sun; Kim, Sung Rae; Chae, Hyojin; Kim, Myungshin; Kim, Yonggoo; Yoo, Soonjib

2016-11-01

Element™ Auto-coding Blood Glucose Monitoring System (BGMS; Infopia Co., Ltd., Anyang-si, Korea) was developed for self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG). Precision, linearity, and interference were tested. Eighty-four capillary blood samples measured by Element™ BGMS were compared with central laboratory method (CLM) results in venous serum. Accuracy was evaluated using ISO 15197:2013 criteria. Coefficients of variation (CVs; mean) were 2.4% (44.2 mg/dl), 3.7% (100.6 mg/dl), and 2.1% (259.8 mg/dl). Linearity was shown at concentrations 39.25-456.25 mg/l (y = 0.989 + 0.984x, SE = 17.63). Up to 15 mg/dl of galactose, ascorbic acid, and acetaminophen, interference > 10.4% was not observed. Element™ BGMS glucose was higher than CLM levels by 3.2 mg/dl (at 200 mg/dl) to 8.2 mg/dl (at 100 mg/dl). The minimum specification for bias (3.3%) was met at 140 and 200 mg/l glucose. In the Clarke and consensus error grids, 100% of specimens were within zone A and B. For Element™ BGMS values, 92.9% (78/84) to 94.0% (79/84) were within a 15 mg/dl (< 100 mg/dl) or 15% (> 100 mg/dl) of the average CLM value. Element™ BGMS was considered an appropriate SMBG for home use; however, the positive bias at low-to-mid glucose levels requires further improvement. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Modified cuspal relationships of mandibular molar teeth in children with Down's syndrome

PubMed Central

PERETZ, BENJAMIN; SHAPIRA, JOSEPH; FARBSTEIN, HANNA; ARIELI, ELIAHU; SMITH, PATRICIA

1998-01-01

A total of 50 permanent mandibular 1st molars of 26 children with Down's syndrome (DS) were examined from dental casts and 59 permanent mandibular 1st molars of normal children were examined from 33 individuals. The following measurements were performed on both right and left molars (teeth 46 and 36 respectively): (a) the intercusp distances (mb-db, mb-d, mb-dl, db-ml, db-d, db-dl, db-ml, d-dl, d-ml, dl-ml); (b) the db-mb-ml, mb-db-ml, mb-ml-db, d-mb-dl, mb-d-dl, mb-dl-d angles; (c) the area of the pentagon formed by connecting the cusp tips. All intercusp distances were significantly smaller in the DS group. Stepwise logistic regression, applied to all the intercusp distances, was used to design a multivariate probability model for DS and normals. A model based on 2 distances only, mb-dl and mb-db, proved sufficient to discriminate between the teeth of DS and the normal population. The model for tooth 36 for example was as follows: formula here A similar model for tooth 46 was also created, as well as a model which incorporated both teeth. With respect to the angles, significant differences between DS and normals were found in 3 out of the 6 angles which were measured: the d-mb-dl angle was smaller than in normals, the mb-d-dl angle was higher, and the mb-dl-d angle was smaller. The dl cusp was located closer to the centre of the tooth. The change in size occurs at an early stage, while the change in shape occurs in a later stage of tooth formation in the DS population. PMID:10029186

A Novel Concept for Observing Land-Surface-Atmosphere Feedback Based on a Synergy of Scanning Lidar Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wulfmeyer, V.; Turner, D. D.; Mauder, M.; Behrendt, A.; Ingwersen, J.; Streck, T.

2015-12-01

Improved simulations of land-surface-atmosphere interaction are fundamental for improving weather forecast and climate models. This requires observations of 2D fields of surface fluxes and the 3D structure of the atmospheric boundary layer simultaneously. A novel strategy is introduced for studying land-surface exchange and entrainment processes in the convective boundary layer (CBL) over complex terrain by means of a new generation of remote sensing systems. The sensor synergy consists of scanning Doppler lidar (DL), water-vapor differential absorption lidar (WVDIAL), and temperature rotational Raman lidar (TRRL) systems supported by surface in-situ measurements. The 2D measurements of surface fluxes are realized by the operation of a DL, a WVDIAL, and a TRRL along the same line-of-sight (LOS) in a range-height-indicator (RHI) mode whereas the other DL is performing a series of cross track RHI scans along this LOS. This new setup enables us to determine the friction velocity as well as surface sensible and latent heat fluxes by closing the complete set of Monin-Obukhov similarity relationships under a variety of surface layer stability conditions and different land cover and soil properties. As this closure is performed at all DL crossing points along the LOS, this is a strategy towards a 2D mapping of surface fluxes entirely based on remote sensing systems. Further details are presented at the conference. The second configuration is the simultaneous vertical profiling of vertical wind, humidity and temperature by DL, WVDIAL and TRRL so that latent heat and sensible heat flux profiles as well as a variety of different turbulent moments can be measured in the CBL. Consequently, by alternating of RHI scanning and vertical pointing modes, entrainment fluxes and surface fluxes can be measured almost simultaneously. This novel strategy has been realized for the first time during the Surface Atmospheric Boundary Layer Exchange (SABLE) campaign in the Kraichgau region, north of the Black Forest low mountain region, in Southern Germany in August 2014 (see https://klimawandel.uni-hohenheim.de/start?&L=1). A further refined design of this experiment is planned at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM) Southern Great Plains (SGP) site in summer 2016.

Sustainable Development under Population Pressure: Lessons from Developed Land Consumption in the Conterminous U.S.

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Population growth will result in a significant anthropogenic environmental change worldwide through increases in developed land (DL) consumption. DL consumption is an important environmental and socioeconomic process affecting humans and ecosystems. Attention has been given to DL modeling inside highly populated cities. However, modeling DL consumption should expand to non-metropolitan areas where arguably the environmental consequences are more significant. Here, we study all counties within the conterminous U.S. and based on satellite-derived product (National Land Cover Dataset 2001) we calculate the associated DL for each county. By using county population data from the 2000 census we present a comparative study on DL consumption and we propose a model linking population with expected DL consumption. Results indicate distinct geographic patterns of comparatively low and high consuming counties moving from east to west. We also demonstrate that the relationship of DL consumption with population is mostly linear, altering the notion that expected population growth will have lower DL consumption if added in counties with larger population. Added DL consumption is independent of a county’s starting population and only dependent on whether the county belongs to a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). In the overlapping MSA and non-MSA population range there is also a constant DL efficiency gain of approximately 20km2 for a given population for MSA counties which suggests that transitioning from rural to urban counties has significantly higher benefits in lower populations. In addition, we analyze the socioeconomic composition of counties with extremely high or low DL consumption. High DL consumption counties have statistically lower Black/African American population, higher poverty rate and lower income per capita than average in both NMSA and MSA counties. Our analysis offers a baseline to investigate further land consumption strategies in anticipation of growing population pressures. PMID:25806525

Asian population frequencies and haplotype distribution of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genes among Chinese, Malay, and Indian in Singapore.

PubMed

Lee, Yi Chuan; Chan, Soh Ha; Ren, Ee Chee

2008-11-01

Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) gene frequencies have been shown to be distinctly different between populations and contribute to functional variation in the immune response. We have investigated KIR gene frequencies in 370 individuals representing three Asian populations in Singapore and report here the distribution of 14 KIR genes (2DL1, 2DL2, 2DL3, 2DL4, 2DL5, 2DS1, 2DS2, 2DS3, 2DS4, 2DS5, 3DL1, 3DL2, 3DL3, 3DS1) with two pseudogenes (2DP1, 3DP1) among Singapore Chinese (n = 210); Singapore Malay (n = 80), and Singapore Indian (n = 80). Four framework genes (KIR3DL3, 3DP1, 2DL4, 3DL2) and a nonframework pseudogene 2DP1 were detected in all samples while KIR2DS2, 2DL2, 2DL5, and 2DS5 had the greatest significant variation across the three populations. Fifteen significant linkage patterns, consistent with associations between genes of A and B haplotypes, were observed. Eighty-four distinct KIR profiles were determined in our populations, 38 of which had not been described in other populations. KIR haplotype studies were performed using nine Singapore Chinese families comprising 34 individuals. All genotypes could be resolved into corresponding pairs of existing haplotypes with eight distinct KIR genotypes and eight different haplotypes. The haplotype A2 with frequency of 63.9% was dominant in Singapore Chinese, comparable to that reported in Korean and Chinese Han. The A haplotypes predominate in Singapore Chinese, with ratio of A to B haplotypes of approximately 3:1. Comparison with KIR frequencies in other populations showed that Singapore Chinese shared similar distributions with Chinese Han, Japanese, and Korean; Singapore Indian was found to be comparable with North Indian Hindus while Singapore Malay resembled the Thai.

Smoothed Two-Dimensional Edges for Laminar Flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holmes, B. J.; Liu, C. H.; Martin, G. L.; Domack, C. S.; Obara, C. J.; Hassan, A.; Gunzburger, M. D.; Nicolaides, R. A.

1986-01-01

New concept allows passive method for installing flaps, slats, iceprotection equipment, and other leading-edge devices on natural-laminar-flow (NLF) wings without causing loss of laminar flow. Two-dimensional roughness elements in laminar boundary layers strategically shaped to increase critical (allowable) height of roughness. Facilitates installation of leading-edge devices by practical manufacturing methods.

WTS-4 system verification unit for wind/hydroelectric integration study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watts, A. W.

1982-01-01

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) initiated a study to investigate the concept of integrating 100 MW of wind energy from megawatt-size wind turbines with the Federal hydroelectric system. As a part of the study, one large wind turbine was purchased through the competitive bid process and is now being installed to serve as a system verification unit (SVU). Reclamation negotiated an agreement with NASA to provide technical management of the project for the design, fabrication, installation, testing, and initial operation. Hamilton Standard was awarded a contract to furnish and install its WTS-4 wind turbine rated at 4 MW at a site near Medicine Bow, Wyoming. The purposes for installing the SVU are to fully evaluate the wind/hydro integration concept, make technical evaluation of the hardware design, train personnel in the technology, evaluate operation and maintenance aspects, and evaluate associated environmental impacts. The SVU will be operational in June 1982. Data from the WTS-4 and from a second SVU, Boeing's MOD-2, will be used to prepare a final design for a 100-MW farm if Congress authorizes the project.

KIR3DL2 binds to HLA-B27 dimers and free heavy chains more strongly than other HLA class I and promotes the expansion of T cells in ankylosing spondylitis

PubMed Central

Wong-Baeza, Isabel; Ridley, Anna; Shaw, Jackie; Hatano, Hiroko; Rysnik, Oliwia; McHugh, Kirsty; Piper, Christopher; Brackenbridge, Simon; Fernandes, Ricardo; Chan, Anthoni; Bowness, Paul; Kollnberger, Simon

2013-01-01

1Abstract The Human Leukocyte Antigen HLA-B27(B27) is strongly associated with the spondyloarthritides. B27 can be expressed at the cell surface of antigen presenting cells (APC) as both classical β2m-associated B27 and as B27 free heavy chain forms (FHC) including disulphide-bonded heavy chain homodimers (termed B272). B27 FHC forms but not classical B27 bind to KIR3DL2. HLA-A3 which is not associated with spondyloarthritis (SpA) is also a ligand for KIR3DL2. Here we show that B272 and B27 FHC bind more strongly to KIR3DL2 than other HLA-class I, including HLA-A3. B272 tetramers bound KIR3DL2 transfected cells more strongly than HLA-A3. KIR3DL2Fc bound to HLA-B27-transfected cells more strongly than to cells transfected with other HLA-class I. KIR3DL2Fc pulled down multimeric, dimeric and monomeric free heavy chains from HLA-B27 expressing cell lines. Binding to B272 and B27 FHC stimulated greater KIR3DL2 phosphorylation than HLA-A3. B272 and B27 FHC stimulated KIR3DL2CD3ε–transduced T cell IL-2 production to a greater extent than control HLA-class I. KIR3DL2 binding to B27 inhibited NK IFNγ secretion and promoted greater survival of KIR3DL2+CD4 T and NK cells than binding to other HLA-class I. KIR3DL2+ T cells from B27+SpA patients proliferated more in response to antigen presented by syngeneic APC than the same T cell subset from healthy and disease controls. Our results suggest that expansion of KIR3DL2-expressing leukocytes observed in B27+ SpA may be explained by the stronger interaction of KIR3DL2 with B27 FHC. PMID:23440420

Activation‐Induced Killer Cell Immunoglobulin‐like Receptor 3DL2 Binding to HLA–B27 Licenses Pathogenic T Cell Differentiation in Spondyloarthritis

PubMed Central

Ridley, Anna; Hatano, Hiroko; Wong‐Baeza, Isabel; Shaw, Jacqueline; Matthews, Katherine K.; Al‐Mossawi, Hussein; Ladell, Kristin; Price, David A.; Bowness, Paul

2016-01-01

Objective In the spondyloarthritides (SpA), increased numbers of CD4+ T cells express killer cell immunoglobulin‐like receptor 3DL2 (KIR‐3DL2). The aim of this study was to determine the factors that induce KIR‐3DL2 expression, and to characterize the relationship between HLA–B27 and the phenotype and function of KIR‐3DL2–expressing CD4+ T cells in SpA. Methods In total, 34 B27+ patients with SpA, 28 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls (20 B27− and 8 B27+), and 9 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were studied. KIR-3DL2 expression and other phenotypic characteristics of peripheral blood and synovial fluid CD4+ T cells were studied by flow cytometry, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and Western blotting. T cell receptor clonality was determined by template‐switch anchored reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and sequencing analysis. Cytokines were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Results Cellular activation induced KIR‐3DL2 expression on both naive and effector CD4+ T cells. KIR‐3DL2 binding to B27+ cells promoted expression of KIR‐3DL2, the Th17‐specific transcription factor retinoic acid receptor–related orphan nuclear receptor γt, and the antiapoptotic factor B cell lymphoma 2. KIR‐3DL2+CD4+ T cells in patients with ankylosing spondylitis were oligoclonal and enriched for markers of T cell activation and for the gut homing receptor CCR9. In the presence of B27+ antigen‐presenting cells, KIR‐3DL2+CD4+ T cells produced less interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) but more IL‐17. This effect was blocked by HC10, an antibody that inhibits the binding of KIR‐3DL2 to B27 heavy chains. Conclusion KIR‐3DL2 binding to HLA–B27 licenses Th17 cell differentiation in SpA. These findings raise the therapeutic potential of targeting HLA–B27–KIR‐3DL2 interactions for the treatment of B27+ patients with SpA. PMID:26841353

KIR3DL2 binds to HLA-B27 dimers and free H chains more strongly than other HLA class I and promotes the expansion of T cells in ankylosing spondylitis.

PubMed

Wong-Baeza, Isabel; Ridley, Anna; Shaw, Jackie; Hatano, Hiroko; Rysnik, Oliwia; McHugh, Kirsty; Piper, Christopher; Brackenbridge, Simon; Fernandes, Ricardo; Chan, Anthoni; Bowness, Paul; Kollnberger, Simon

2013-04-01

The human leukocyte Ag HLA-B27 (B27) is strongly associated with the spondyloarthritides. B27 can be expressed at the cell surface of APC as both classical β2-microglobulin-associated B27 and B27 free H chain forms (FHC), including disulfide-bonded H chain homodimers (termed B27(2)). B27 FHC forms, but not classical B27, bind to KIR3DL2. HLA-A3, which is not associated with spondyloarthritis (SpA), is also a ligand for KIR3DL2. In this study, we show that B27(2) and B27 FHC bind more strongly to KIR3DL2 than other HLA-class I, including HLA-A3. B27(2) tetramers bound KIR3DL2-transfected cells more strongly than HLA-A3. KIR3DL2Fc bound to HLA-B27-transfected cells more strongly than to cells transfected with other HLA-class I. KIR3DL2Fc pulled down multimeric, dimeric, and monomeric FHC from HLA-B27-expressing cell lines. Binding to B27(2) and B27 FHC stimulated greater KIR3DL2 phosphorylation than HLA-A3. B27(2) and B27 FHC stimulated KIR3DL2CD3ε-transduced T cell IL-2 production to a greater extent than control HLA-class I. KIR3DL2 binding to B27 inhibited NK IFN-γ secretion and promoted greater survival of KIR3DL2(+) CD4 T and NK cells than binding to other HLA-class I. KIR3DL2(+) T cells from B27(+) SpA patients proliferated more in response to Ag presented by syngeneic APC than the same T cell subset from healthy and disease controls. Our results suggest that expansion of KIR3DL2-expressing leukocytes observed in B27(+) SpA may be explained by the stronger interaction of KIR3DL2 with B27 FHC.

A monoclonal antibody, DL10, which recognizes a sugar moiety of MHC class I antigens expressed on NK cells, NK+ T cells, and granulocytes in humans.

PubMed

Shirai, K; Watanabe, H; Weerasinghe, A; Sakai, T; Sekikawa, H; Abo, T

1997-11-01

One mAb, DL10, was established from mice injected with dolphin lymphocytes. In addition to its reactivity against all dolphin lymphocytes, it reacted with some human leukocytes, including NK cells, NK+ T cells, and granulocytes. When its reactivity was examined in various animals, bovine, ovine, and equine leukocytes were DL10+. Murine, rat, and canine leukocytes were DL10-. Although the reactivity of DL10+ was similar to those of CD56 and CD57 antigens in humans, the actual molecules it recognized were different. Thus, all reactivity of DL10 disappeared after treatment of cells with glycopeptidase or after culture of cells with tunicamycin. Furthermore, the immunoprecipitation method revealed that DL10 indirectly recognized the heavy chain (45kD) of MHC class I antigen in humans and animals. Considering data from analysis of the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the DL10 molecule and the HLA typing of reactive cells, DL10 recognized a sugar moiety of some monomorphic MHC antigens and polymorphic MHC antigens such as HLA-B60 and -B61. If the donors are HLA-B60- and -B61 (> 80% in Japan and > 95% in the United States), DL10 would appear to be a very useful agent for the detection of pan-NK+ T cells.

Protective effect of latex of Calotropis procera in Freund's Complete Adjuvant induced monoarthritis.

PubMed

Kumar, V L; Roy, S

2009-01-01

The protective effect of latex of Calotropis procera in Freund's Complete Adjuvant (FCA) induced monoarticular arthritis was evaluated in rats. Arthritis was induced by a single intra-articular injection of 0.1 mL of 0.1% FCA in the right ankle joint. The effect of dried latex (DL, 200 and 400 mg/kg) and its methanol extract (MeDL, 50 and 500 mg/kg) following oral administration was evaluated on joint inflammation, hyperalgesia, locomotor function and histology at the time of peak inflammation. The effects of DL and MeDL were compared with antiinflammatory drugs phenylbutazone (100 mg/kg), prednisolone (20 mg/kg), rofecoxib (20 and 100 mg/kg) and immuno-suppressant methotrexate (0.3 mg/kg). Daily oral administration of DL and its methanol extract (MeDL) produced a significant reduction in joint inflammation (about 50% and 80% inhibition) and associated hyperalgesia. The antihyperalgesic effect of MeDL was comparable to that of rofecoxib. Both DL and MeDL produced a marked improvement in the motility and stair climbing ability of the rats. The histological analysis of the arthritic joint also revealed significant reduction in oedema and cellular infiltration by MeDL that was comparable to that of rofecoxib. Thus, our study suggests that the latex of C. procera has the potential to be used as an antiarthritic agent. Copyright 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The potential use of novel chitosan-coated deformable liposomes in an ocular drug delivery system.

PubMed

Chen, Hongdan; Pan, Hao; Li, Panpan; Wang, Hui; Wang, Xin; Pan, Weisan; Yuan, Yue

2016-07-01

In this study, novel chitosan-coated deformable liposomes (DL-CS) were proposed as an ocular drug delivery system to prolong pre-corneal retention, and improve transcorneal penetration and absorption. Flurbiprofen-loaded deformable liposomes (FP-DL) were prepared by a modified ethanol injection method and then coated with chitosan. Both DL and DL-CS exhibited a homogeneous particle size distribution, high encapsulation efficiency and good stability. After coating with 0.1% CS, the zeta potential was shifted from negative to positive. The apparent permeability coefficient of FP-DL-0.1% CS evaluated using isolated rabbit corneas was 1.29-, 1.95- and 4.59- fold greater than that of uncoated FP-DL, conventional liposomes and FP solution (P<0.01), respectively. The in vivo pre-corneal retention time and elimination dynamics were assessed using gamma scintigraphy technology. The area under the remaining activity-time of FP-DL-0.1% CS was prolonged 2.84- and 1.53-fold compared with that of the FP solution and FP-DL groups, respectively. Moreover, the ocular irritation test in vivo revealed that DL-0.1% CS produced no ocular damage or abnormal clinical signs. These results indicate that DL-CS appears to be a novel ophthalmic drug delivery strategy with the potential to overcome the limitations of conventional eye drops. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison between McMaster and Mini-FLOTAC methods for the enumeration of Eimeria maxima oocysts in poultry excreta.

PubMed

Bortoluzzi, C; Paras, K L; Applegate, T J; Verocai, G G

2018-04-30

Monitoring Eimeria shedding has become more important due to the recent restrictions to the use of antibiotics within the poultry industry. Therefore, there is a need for the implementation of more precise and accurate quantitative diagnostic techniques. The objective of this study was to compare the precision and accuracy between the Mini-FLOTAC and the McMaster techniques for quantitative diagnosis of Eimeria maxima oocyst in poultry. Twelve pools of excreta samples of broiler chickens experimentally infected with E. maxima were analyzed for the comparison between Mini-FLOTAC and McMaster technique using, the detection limits (dl) of 23 and 25, respectively. Additionally, six excreta samples were used to compare the precision of different dl (5, 10, 23, and 46) using the Mini-FLOTAC technique. For precision comparisons, five technical replicates of each sample (five replicate slides on one excreta slurry) were read for calculating the mean oocyst per gram of excreta (OPG) count, standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), and precision of both aforementioned comparisons. To compare accuracy between the methods (McMaster, and Mini-FLOTAC dl 5 and 23), excreta from uninfected chickens was spiked with 100, 500, 1,000, 5,000, or 10,000 OPG; additional samples remained unspiked (negative control). For each spiking level, three samples were read in triplicate, totaling nine reads per spiking level per technique. Data were transformed using log10 to obtain normality and homogeneity of variances. A significant correlation (R = 0.74; p = 0.006) was observed between the mean OPG of the McMaster dl 25 and the Mini-FLOTAC dl 23. Mean OPG, CV, SD, and precision were not statistically different between the McMaster dl 25 and Mini-FLOTAC dl 23. Despite the absence of statistical difference (p > 0.05), Mini-FLOTAC dl 5 showed a numerically lower SD and CV than Mini-FLOTAC dl 23. The Pearson correlation coefficient revealed significant and positive correlation among the four dl (p ≤ 0.05). In the accuracy study, it was observed that the Mini-FLOTAC dl 5 and 23 were more accurate than the McMaster for 100 OPG, and the Mini-FLOTAC dl 23 had the highest accuracy for 500 OPG. The McMaster and Mini-FLOTAC dl 23 techniques were more accurate than the Mini-FLOTAC dl 5 for 5,000 OPG, and both dl of the Mini-FLOTAC were less accurate for 10,000 OPG counts than the McMaster technique. However, the overall accuracy of the Mini-FLOTAC dl 23 was higher than the McMaster and Mini-FLOTAC dl 5 techniques. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

HIV-1 Control by NK Cells via Reduced Interaction between KIR2DL2 and HLA-C∗12:02/C∗14:03.

PubMed

Lin, Zhansong; Kuroki, Kimiko; Kuse, Nozomi; Sun, Xiaoming; Akahoshi, Tomohiro; Qi, Ying; Chikata, Takayuki; Naruto, Takuya; Koyanagi, Madoka; Murakoshi, Hayato; Gatanaga, Hiroyuki; Oka, Shinichi; Carrington, Mary; Maenaka, Katsumi; Takiguchi, Masafumi

2016-11-22

Natural killer (NK) cells control viral infection in part through the interaction between killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and their human leukocyte antigen (HLA) ligands. We investigated 504 anti-retroviral (ART)-free Japanese patients chronically infected with HIV-1 and identified two KIR/HLA combinations, KIR2DL2/HLA-C ∗ 12:02 and KIR2DL2/HLA-C ∗ 14:03, that impact suppression of HIV-1 replication. KIR2DL2 + NK cells suppressed viral replication in HLA-C ∗ 14:03 + or HLA-C ∗ 12:02 + cells to a significantly greater extent than did KIR2DL2 - NK cells in vitro. Functional analysis showed that the binding between HIV-1-derived peptide and HLA-C ∗ 14:03 or HLA-C ∗ 12:02 influenced KIR2DL2 + NK cell activity through reduced expression of the peptide-HLA (pHLA) complex on the cell surface (i.e., reduced KIR2DL2 ligand expression), rather than through reduced binding affinity of KIR2DL2 to the respective pHLA complexes. Thus, KIR2DL2/HLA-C ∗ 12:02 and KIR2DL2/HLA-C ∗ 14:03 compound genotypes have protective effects on control of HIV-1 through a mechanism involving KIR2DL2-mediated NK cell recognition of virus-infected cells, providing additional understanding of NK cells in HIV-1 infection. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and Hydrolytic Degradation of Substituted Poly(DL-Lactic Acid)s

PubMed Central

Tsuji, Hideto; Eto, Takehiko; Sakamoto, Yuzuru

2011-01-01

Non-substituted racemic poly(DL-lactic acid) (PLA) and substituted racemic poly(DL-lactic acid)s or poly(DL-2-hydroxyalkanoic acid)s with different side-chain lengths, i.e., poly(DL-2-hydroxybutanoic acid) (PBA), poly(DL-2-hydroxyhexanoic acid) (PHA), and poly(DL-2-hydroxydecanoic acid) (PDA) were synthesized by acid-catalyzed polycondensation of DL-lactic acid (LA), DL-2-hydroxybutanoic acid (BA), DL-2-hydroxyhexanoic acid (HA), and DL-2-hydroxydecanoic acid (DA), respectively. The hydrolytic degradation behavior was investigated in phosphate-buffered solution at 80 and 37 °C by gravimetry and gel permeation chromatography. It was found that the reactivity of monomers during polycondensation as monitored by the degree of polymerization (DP) decreased in the following order: LA > DA > BA > HA. The hydrolytic degradation rate traced by DP and weight loss at 80 °C decreased in the following order: PLA > PDA > PHA > PBA and that monitored by DP at 37 °C decreased in the following order: PLA > PDA > PBA > PHA. LA and PLA had the highest reactivity during polymerization and hydrolytic degradation rate, respectively, and were followed by DA and PDA. BA, HA, PBA, and PHA had the lowest reactivity during polymerization and hydrolytic degradation rate. The findings of the present study strongly suggest that inter-chain interactions play a major role in the reactivity of non-substituted and substituted LA monomers and degradation rate of the non-substituted and substituted PLA, along with steric hindrance of the side chains as can be expected. PMID:28824149

Concept of Operations : SeaTA-Enhanced Travel Time Estimates and Traffic Management Practices for the St. Lawrence Seaway

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-10-16

This Concept of Operations (ConOps) is the final installment in a series of three reports focused on identifying opportunities for the application of Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technologyor equivalentwithin the maritime transportat...

Investigation of the influence of the composition on mechanical properties poly(glycolide-DL-lactide)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baikin, A. S.; Sevostyanov, M. A.; Nasakina, E. O.; Sergienko, K. V.; Kaplan, M. A.; Konushkin, S. V.; Kolmakova, A. A.; Yakubov, A. D.; Kolmakov, A. G.

2018-04-01

In this paper we describe the creation of films from poly (glycolide-DL-lactide). Studied the mechanical properties of developed polymer films of poly (glycolide-DL-lactide). The effect of the molecular weight of poly (glycolide-DL-lactide) on the mechanical properties of the resulting polymer films is shown. The dependence of the mechanical properties of poly (glycolide-DL-lactide) films on the polymer concentration in chloroform was studied. The possibility of creating biodegradable films with specified mechanical properties is shown.

Representing Web Service Policies in OWL-DL

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

dation., feb 2004. 3. F. M . Donini , M . Lenzerini, D. Nardi, and A. Schaerf. Adding epistemic operators to concept languages. In B. Nebel, C. Rich, and W...on Policies for Distributed Systems and Networks (POLICY’04), 2004. 2. M . Dean and G. Schreiber. Owl web ontology language reference w3c recommen...B1∩B3)∪...∪(An−1∩An∩B( m −1)∩Bm)) (3) Having both of the expressions in DNF, we can easily show that each disjunct from (1) can be expressed using a

Neural mechanisms of the mind, Aristotle, Zadeh, and fMRI.

PubMed

Perlovsky, Leonid I

2010-05-01

Processes in the mind: perception, cognition, concepts, instincts, emotions, and higher cognitive abilities for abstract thinking, beautiful music are considered here within a neural modeling fields (NMFs) paradigm. Its fundamental mathematical mechanism is a process "from vague-fuzzy to crisp," called dynamic logic (DL). This paper discusses why this paradigm is necessary mathematically, and relates it to a psychological description of the mind. Surprisingly, the process from "vague to crisp" corresponds to Aristotelian understanding of mental functioning. Recent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) measurements confirmed this process in neural mechanisms of perception.

Advanced Scavenge Systems for an Integrated Engine Inlet Particle Separator

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-09-01

StCA CA I -n u v .. 34 Re-4m CA 2c 3C .... ... ROTOR Material: 17 - 4PH stainless steel (AMS 56433), solution treated at 19MY, aged in air at II00lF...R OCUMHTAION AGEBflOfl COMPLETING FORM(I~~I) 2 NTEGA ENIEILLKATCE- iMr 7 S!AAMORY "UI AGNME Michaelov AC/Coccoli /5 C DAAJ$Z75-,4 -- 17 . wlt~u~l...0 ......... 16 Self-Bypassing Design Concept... ...... .... .......... 17 System DlA-Self-Bypl.sslng System (Mixed Flow SCentrifugal

Direct Loan Update, 2002-2003. EDExpress Training. Participant Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Student Financial Assistance (ED), Washington, DC.

This participant guide is an update to basic training in the Direct Loan (DL) portion of the EDExpress system designed for financial aid professionals who have already participated in the basic training. The first session considers new aspects of DL processing, focusing on DL process changes and EDExpress DL changes. Session 2 contains three…

Thermochemistry of the Dissolution of Dipeptides Containing DL-α-Alanine in Aqueous Solutions of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate at 298.15 K

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smirnov, V. I.; Badelin, V. G.

2018-05-01

Enthalpies of the dissolution of DL-α-alanylglycine (AlaGly), DL-α-alanyl-DL-α-alanine (AlaAla), DL-α-alanyl-DL-α-valine (AlaVal), and DL-α-alanyl-DL-norleucine (AlaNln) in an aqueous solution of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) at SDS concentration of m = 0-0.07 mol kg-1 and temperature T = 298.15 K are measured via calorimetry. The standard values of the enthalpy of dissolution (Δsol H m ) and the transfer of dipeptides (Δtr H m ) from water to aqueous SDS solutions are calculated using the experimental data. The dependences of Δsol H m and Δtr H m the SDS concentration at a constant concentration of dipeptide are established. Thermochemical characteristics of the transfer of AlaGly, AlaAla, AlaVal, and AlaNln in the investigated range of SDS concentrations are compared. The results are interpreted by considering ion-ion, ion-polar, and hydrophobic-hydrophobic interactions between SDS and dipeptide molecules.

Stereospecificity of mushroom tyrosinase immobilized on a chiral and a nonchiral support.

PubMed

Marín-Zamora, María Elisa; Rojas-Melgarejo, Francisco; García-Canovas, Francisco; García-Ruiz, Pedro Antonio

2007-05-30

Mushroom tyrosinase was immobilized from an extract onto glass beads covered with the cross-linked totally cinnamoylated derivates of d-sorbitol (sorbitol cinnamate) and glycerine (glycerine cinnamate). The enzyme was immobilized onto the support by direct adsorption, and the quantity of immobilized tyrosinase was higher for sorbitol cinnamate, the support with the higher number of esterified hydroxyls per unit of monosacharide, than for glycerine cinnamate. The results obtained from the stereospecificity study of the monophenolase and diphenolase activity of immobilized mushroom tyrosinase are reported. The enantiomers L-tyrosine, DL-tyrosine, D-tyrosine, L-dopa, DL-dopa, D-dopa, L-alpha-methyldopa, DL-alpha-methyldopa, L-isoprenaline, DL-isoprenaline, L-adrenaline, DL-adrenaline, L-noradrenaline, and D-noradrenaline were assayed with tyrosinase immobilized on a chiral support (sorbitol cinnamate), whereas L-tyrosine, DL-tyrosine, D-tyrosine, L-dopa, DL-dopa, D-dopa, L-alpha-methyldopa, and DL-alpha-methyldopa were assayed with tyrosinase immobilized on a nonchiral support (glycerine cinnamate). The same Vmax(app) values for each series of enantiomers were obtained. However, the Km(app) values were different, the l isomers showing lower values than the dl isomers, whereas the highest Km(app) value was obtained with d isomers. No difference was observed in the stereospecificity of tyrosinase immobilized on a chiral (sorbitol cinnamate) or nonchiral (glycerine cinnamate) support.

Can PEP-3 Provide a Cognitive Profile in Children with ASD? A Comparison Between the Developmental Ages of PEP-3 and IQ of Leiter-R.

PubMed

De Giacomo, Andrea; Craig, Francesco; Cristella, Arcangelo; Terenzio, Vanessa; Buttiglione, Maura; Margari, Lucia

2016-11-01

The assessment of the intelligence quotient (IQ) in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is important to plan a detailed therapeutic-educative programme. The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of the Psychoeducational Profile-third edition (PEP-3) to estimate the general cognitive development of children with ASD. We recruited 30 children with ASD assessed with the Leiter International Performance Scale-Revised (Leiter-R) and the PEP-3. We compared the IQ of the Leiter-R with the developmental level (DL) of PEP-3. The findings showed a significant positive correlation between IQ with DL of the cognitive verbal/pre-verbal (P = 0.0005), DL of the area of expressive language (P = 0.0004), DL of the area of receptive language (P = 0.0001), DL of fine motor (P = 0.0066), DL of gross motor (P = 0.0217), DL of visuo-motor imitation (P = 0.02), DL of communication (P = 0.0001) and DL of motor (P = 0.0063). These findings show that the DLs could be considered as indicators of cognitive functioning in ASD. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Development of Long-Circulating pH-Sensitive Liposomes to Circumvent Gemcitabine Resistance in Pancreatic Cancer Cells.

PubMed

Xu, Hongtao; Paxton, James W; Wu, Zimei

2016-07-01

To develop pH-sensitive liposomes (PSL) containing a high content of gemcitabine; and to investigate whether drug loading (DL) would alter the in vitro and pharmacokinetic properties. PSL with a high DL were obtained using a modified small-volume incubation method. The DL effects on drug release rate and in vitro cytotoxicity of PSL were evaluated using MIA PaCa-2 pancreatic cancer cells and their pharmacokinetics investigated in rats. The highest DL of 4.5 ± 0.1% was achieved for gemcitabine in PSL with 145 ± 5 nm diameter. DL did not alter the in vitro release rate from PSL. The IC50 (48 h) of PSL (DL 0.5 and 4.5%) and non pH-sensitive liposomes (NPSL, DL 4.2%) were 1.1 ± 0.1, 0.7 ± 0.1 and 37.0 ± 7.5 μM, respectively. The PSL resulted in a 4.2-fold increase in its elimination half-life (6.2 h) compared to gemcitabine solution (1.4 h) in rats. No significant difference in pharmacokinetic parameters was observed between the two PSL (DL 0.5 and 4.5%). The PSL offered advantages over NPSL in restoring the sensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine without requiring a high DL. DL in the PSL did not alter release rate, cytotoxicity or their long-circulating properties. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Hematologic and serum biochemical reference intervals for Florida panthers.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dunbar, M.R.; Nol, P.; Linda, S.B.

1997-01-01

Ninety-four blood samples were collected from 48 (29 males and 19 females) free-ranging Florida panthers (Felis concolor coryi) captured in southern Florida (USA) from 1983 to 1994 for routine hematological and serum biochemical analysis. Florida panthers in the northern portion of their range had significantly higher red blood cell (mean +/- SD = 7.923 x 10(6) +/- 0.854 x 10(6)/microliter), hemoglobin (12.53 +/- 1.66 g/dl), and packed cell volume (36.97 +/- 4.27%) values compared to those of panthers localized in more southern parts of Florida (7.148 x 10(6) +/- 1.045 x 10(6)/microliter, 11.60 +/- 1.62 g/dl, and 34.82 +/- 5.99%, respectively). Adults had significantly higher mean serum total protein (7.50 +/- 0.59 g/dl) and packed cell volume (36.90 +/- 4.97%) values than juveniles (6.88 +/- 0.49 g/dl and 34.54 +/- 5.30%). However, mean serum albumin concentrations were significantly higher in juveniles (3.80 +/- 0.26 g/dl) when compared to adult values (3.58 +/- 0.26 g/dl). Mean serum calcium concentrations were significantly higher in juveniles (10.33 +/- 0.39 mg/dl) than in adults (9.66 +/- 0.45 mg/dl). Additionally, mean serum iron concentrations were significantly higher in those panthers of intergrade genetic stock compared to values in those of authentic genetic stock (105.6 +/- 72.1 micrograms/dl versus 59.3 +/- 19.7 micrograms/dl, respectively).

Management of anaemia in haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients (chapter 8).

PubMed

Richardson, Donald; Hodsman, Alex; van Schalkwyk, Dirk; Tomson, Charlie; Warwick, Graham

2007-08-01

Forty-one percent of UK patients commence RRT with an Hb < 10.0 g/dl. The mean Hb at commencement of RRT is 10.3 g/dl. Eighty-five percent of patients on dialysis in the UK have an Hb > or = 10.0 g/dl by 6 months after commencement of RRT. The median Hb on haemodialysis in the UK is 11.8 g/dl with an IQR of 10.7-12.8 g/dl. Eighty-six percent of haemodialysis patients in the UK have a Hb > or = 10.0 g/dl. The median Hb on peritoneal dialysis in the UK is 12.0 g/dl with an IQR of 11.0-12.9 g/dl. Ninety percent of peritoneal dialysis patients in the UK have an Hb > or = 10.0 g/dl. In the UK, 49% of patients on PD and 48% of patients on haemodialysis have an Hb between 10.5-12.5 g/dl. The median ferritin in UK haemodialysis patients is 413 microg/l (IQR 262-623), 95% of UK haemodialysis patients have a ferritin > or =100 microg/l. The median ferritin in UK PD patients is 256 microg/l (IQR 147-421), 86% of UK peritoneal dialysis patients have a ferritin > or = 100 microg/l. A higher proportion of HD patients than PD patients receive ESA therapy (88% vs 76%). The ESA dose is higher for HD than PD patients (9204 vs 6080 IU/week).

Transmission of the Diachasmimorpha longicaudata rhabdovirus (DlRhV) to wasp offspring: an ultrastructural analysis.

PubMed

Lawrence, Pauline O; Matos, Luis F

2005-02-01

During oviposition, the parasitic wasp Diachasmimorpha longicaudata introduces an entomopoxvirus (DlEPV) and a rhabdovirus (DlRhV) into larvae of its tephritid fruit fly host Anastrepha suspensa. DlEPV and DlRhV replicate, respectively, in host hemocytes and epidermal cells. Both viruses, like many beneficial viruses of parasitic wasps, are retained in all wasp generations but their avenue(s) of transmission are unknown. This study tests the hypothesis that DlRhV is transmitted transovarially or through larval feeding on infected host hemolymph. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed no virions in pre-vitellogenic or vitellogenic ova, or in the lateral oviduct of D. longicaudata females. However, numerous virions occurred in subchorionic regions of 33-36-h-old oviposited eggs. This suggests that DlRhV is introduced into the egg either as (a) intact virions after chorionogenesis but prior to oviposition and/or as (b) unencapsidated RNA molecules, undetectable by TEM in pre-vitellogenic ova, that subsequently replicate and assemble into mature virions. DlRhV particles also occurred in the midgut lumen of 20-24-h-old wasp first instars, suggesting that they were ingested. These virions may have been released from the egg into the hemolymph during hatching or may have come from virions introduced by the female wasp directly into the host, separate from the egg. DlRhV particles were also evident in the intracellular vesicles and intercellular spaces of the larval midgut. Taken together, these data support the hypothesis that DlRhV is transovarially transmitted as virions and/or as unencapsidated RNA. Further studies are needed to determine whether the DlRhV that ultimately resides within the female wasp's accessory gland filaments is the progeny of the virus from the egg and/or larval midgut cells.

Serum 3,3'-L-diiodothyronine, a direct radioimmunoassay in human serum: method and clinical results. [/sup 125/I tracer technique

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

Burger, A.; Sakoloff, C.

1977-09-01

A specific radioimmunoassay for 3,3'-diiodothyronine (T/sub 2/) is described which is capable of detecting as little as 1.3 ng/dl. The antiserum recognizes mainly T/sub 2/; biliary conjugates of T/sub 2/ bind slightly to the antibody. The intraassay and interassay coefficients of variation were, respectively, 5.7% and 13.1%. T/sub 2/ was detected in the serum of hypothyroid patients treated with triiodothyronine (T/sub 3/) and in euthyroid subjects treated with reverse triiodothyronine (rT/sub 3/). These results suggest that both T/sub 3/ and rT/sub 3/ are deiodinated to T/sub 2/. Serum concentrations of T/sub 2/ in normal subjects decreased with age. Between 20more » and 40 years the mean concentration was 4.3 +- 2.0 ng/dl (2 SD), between 41 and 60 years it varied from 1.9 to 5.8 ng/dl (3.8 +- 0.3 ng/dl, SE) and in elderly subjects have 60 years concentrations varied from unmeasurable to 4 ng/dl (2.9 +- 0.4 ng/dl, SE). Low serum T/sub 2/ concentrations were found in anorexia nervosa (2.5 +- 0.3 ng/dl, SE). In hypothyroidism the serum concentrations were low or unmeasurable. As most of the hypothyroid subjects were elderly their serum T/sub 2/ concentrations overlapped with the low values found in the elderly euthyroid subjects. In classical hyperthyroidism serum T/sub 2/ concentrations were greatly increased (3.3 to 31 ng/dl (11.8 +- 2.7 ng/dl, SE) but in ''T/sub 3/ toxicosis'' the concentrations were only modestly increased (2.4 to 8.8 ng/dl, 5.2 +- 0.8 ng/dl, SE).« less

Activation-Induced Killer Cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptor 3DL2 Binding to HLA-B27 Licenses Pathogenic T Cell Differentiation in Spondyloarthritis.

PubMed

Ridley, Anna; Hatano, Hiroko; Wong-Baeza, Isabel; Shaw, Jacqueline; Matthews, Katherine K; Al-Mossawi, Hussein; Ladell, Kristin; Price, David A; Bowness, Paul; Kollnberger, Simon

2016-04-01

In the spondyloarthritides (SpA), increased numbers of CD4+ T cells express killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor 3DL2 (KIR-3DL2). The aim of this study was to determine the factors that induce KIR-3DL2 expression, and to characterize the relationship between HLA-B27 and the phenotype and function of KIR-3DL2-expressing CD4+ T cells in SpA. In total, 34 B27+ patients with SpA, 28 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (20 B27- and 8 B27+), and 9 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were studied. KIR-3DL2 expression and other phenotypic characteristics of peripheral blood and synovial fluid CD4+ T cells were studied by flow cytometry, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and Western blotting. T cell receptor clonality was determined by template-switch anchored reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and sequencing analysis. Cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cellular activation induced KIR-3DL2 expression on both naive and effector CD4+ T cells. KIR-3DL2 binding to B27+ cells promoted expression of KIR-3DL2, the Th17-specific transcription factor retinoic acid receptor-related orphan nuclear receptor γt, and the antiapoptotic factor B cell lymphoma 2. KIR-3DL2+CD4+ T cells in patients with ankylosing spondylitis were oligoclonal and enriched for markers of T cell activation and for the gut homing receptor CCR9. In the presence of B27+ antigen-presenting cells, KIR-3DL2+CD4+ T cells produced less interleukin-2 (IL-2) but more IL-17. This effect was blocked by HC10, an antibody that inhibits the binding of KIR-3DL2 to B27 heavy chains. KIR-3DL2 binding to HLA-B27 licenses Th17 cell differentiation in SpA. These findings raise the therapeutic potential of targeting HLA-B27-KIR-3DL2 interactions for the treatment of B27+ patients with SpA. © 2016 The Authors. Arthritis & Rheumatology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology.

Effects of homocysteine and its related compounds on oxygen consumption of the rat heart tissue homogenate: the role of different gasotransmitters.

PubMed

Uzelac, Jovana Jakovljević; Stanić, Marina; Krstić, Danijela; Čolović, Mirjana; Djurić, Dragan

2017-11-29

The objective of this study was to investigate in vitro effects of 10 µM DL-homocysteine (DL-Hcy), DL-homocysteine thiolactone-hydrochloride (DL-Hcy TLHC), and L-homocysteine thiolactone-hydrochloride (L-Hcy TLHC) on the oxygen consumption of rat heart tissue homogenate, as well as the involvement of the gasotransmitters NO, H 2 S and CO in the effects of the most toxic homocysteine compound, DL-Hcy TLHC. The possible contribution of the gasotransmitters in these effects was estimated by using the appropriate inhibitors of their synthesis (N ω -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), DL-propargylglycine (DL-PAG), and zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPPR IX), respectively). The oxygen consumption of rat heart tissue homogenate was measured by Clark/type oxygen electrode in the absence and presence of the investigated compounds. All three homocysteine-based compounds caused a similar decrease in the oxygen consumption rate compared to control: 15.19 ± 4.01%, 12.42 ± 1.01%, and 16.43 ± 4.52% for DL-Hcy, DL-Hcy TLHC, or L-Hcy TLHC, respectively. All applied inhibitors of gasotransmitter synthesis also decreased the oxygen consumption rate of tissue homogenate related to control: 13.53 ± 1.35% for L-NAME (30 µM), 5.32 ± 1.23% for DL-PAG (10 µM), and 5.56 ± 1.39% for ZnPPR IX (10 µM). Simultaneous effect of L-NAME (30 µM) or ZnPPR IX (10 µM) with DL-Hcy TLHC (10 µM) caused a larger decrease of oxygen consumption compared to each of the substances individually. However, when DL-PAG (10 µM) was applied together with DL-Hcy TLHC (10 µM), it attenuated the effect of DL-Hcy TLHC from 12.42 ± 1.01 to 9.22 ± 1.58%. In conclusion, cardiotoxicity induced by Hcy-related compounds, which was shown in our previous research, could result from the inhibition of the oxygen consumption, and might be mediated by the certain gasotransmitters.

Are there sex differences in the capillary blood volume and diffusing capacity response to exercise?

PubMed

Bouwsema, Melissa M; Tedjasaputra, Vincent; Stickland, Michael K

2017-03-01

Previous work suggests that women may exhibit a greater respiratory limitation in exercise compared with height-matched men. Diffusion capacity (Dl CO ) increases with incremental exercise, and the smaller lungs of women may limit membrane diffusing capacity (Dm) and pulmonary capillary blood volume (Vc) in response to the increased oxygen demand. We hypothesized that women would have lower Dl CO , Dl CO relative to cardiac output (Dl CO /Q̇), Dm, Vc, and pulmonary transit time, secondary to lower Vc at peak exercise. Sixteen women (112 ± 12% predicted relative V̇o 2peak ) and sixteen men (118 ± 22% predicted relative V̇o 2peak ) were matched for height and weight. Hemoglobin-corrected diffusing capacity (Dl CO ), Vc, and Dm were determined via the multiple-[Formula: see text] Dl CO technique at rest and during incremental exercise up to 90% of V̇o 2peak Both groups increased Dl CO , Vc, and Dm with exercise intensity, but women had 20% lower Dl CO ( P < 0.001), 18% lower Vc ( P = 0.002), and 22% lower Dm ( P < 0.001) compared with men across all workloads, and neither group exhibited a plateau in Vc. When expressed relative to alveolar volume (Va), the between-sex difference was eliminated. The drop in Dl CO /Q̇ was proportionally less in women than men, and mean pulmonary transit time did not drop below 0.3 s in either group. Women demonstrate consistently lower Dl CO , Vc, and Dm compared with height-matched men during exercise; however, these differences disappear with correction for lung size. These results suggest that after differences in lung volume are accounted for there is no intrinsic sex difference in the Dl CO , Vc, or Dm response to exercise. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Women demonstrate lower diffusing capacity-to-cardiac output ratio (Dl CO /Q̇), pulmonary capillary blood volume (Vc), and membrane diffusing capacity (Dm) compared with height-matched men during exercise. However, these differences disappear after correction for lung size. The drop in Dl CO /Q̇ was proportionally less in women, and pulmonary transit time did not drop below 0.3 s in either group. After differences in lung volume are accounted for, there is no intrinsic sex difference in Dl CO , Vc, or Dm response to exercise. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Implementation of Activity Based Cost Management Aboard Base Installations

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-09-01

Shared Services Concept (After Penn State Briefing) .....................................30 Figure 8. Command Levels and Applicable Tools (From...resulting analysis of this duplication of efforts resulted in what they refer to as the “ Shared Services Concept.” Simply put, there should be “no...more than one of anything in the Base organization.” (Penn State Briefing) This Shared Services concept combined common support services that were

HISTOCOMPATIBILITY STUDIES IN A CLOSELY BRED COLONY OF DOGS

PubMed Central

Rapaport, Felix T.; Boyd, Arthur D.; Spencer, Frank C.; Lower, Richard R.; Dausset, Jean; Cannon, Florence D.; Ferrebee, Joseph W.

1971-01-01

The DL-A system of histocompatibility plays an important role in conditioning the survival of cardiac allografts in the unmodified canine host. The mean survival time of six cardiac allografts performed in DL-A-compatible littermate dogs obtained from a closely bred colony of beagles was 53.2 days, while the MST of transplants performed in seven DL-A-incompatible animals was 7.3 days. The MST of cardiac allografts performed in nine DL-A-compatible nonlittermate beagles was 26.3 days, as compared with 6.3 days in six DL-A-incompatible nonlittermate transplants. The results did not appear to be affected by Swisher erythrocyte-group incompatibilities. The MST of 28 cardiac allografts performed in randomly selected mongrel dogs was 10.0 days. Incompatibilities for DL-A antigens e, f, g, l, and m may constitute major barriers to transplantation, but antigens b, c, d, and k appeared to act as weak histocompatibility antigens. Under controlled conditions of donor-recipient DL-A compatibility, cardiac allografts may be less immunogenic than renal transplants. Heart transplants performed across major donor-recipient DL-A incompatibilities appeared, however, to be more vulnerable to the events of allograft rejection than renal allografts performed under similar conditions. The selection of optimally compatible donor-recipient combinations for organ transplantation may be aided materially by genetic studies of the transmission of DL-A antigens to the animals under consideration. PMID:4943931

[Effect of smoke water and distillation liquid on the seed germination and seedling growth of Trichosathes kirilowii].

PubMed

Zhou, Jie; Bian, Li-hua; Zou, Lin; Zhou, Bin-qian; Liu, Wei; Wang, Xiao

2015-10-01

Smoke water and distillation liquid were used to treat the seeds of Trichosathes kirilowii and to study the effects of smoke water and distillation liquid on the seed germination and seedling growth of T. kirilowii. The results showed that germination rate, germination index and germination vigor of T. kirilowii all were significantly improved with the treatment of SW and DL treatment. The activity of α-amylase were significantly increased with the treatment of SW and DL at 1:2,000. SW and DL treatment showed no significant effects on the activity of SOD. The activity of POD were markedly enhanced under the treatment of SW (1:000) and DL (1:2,000). CAT activity were increased with the treatment of SW and DL at 1:2,000 while were inhibited by SW and DL at 1:500. Seedling height and root length were increased with the treatment of SW and DL (1:1,000, 1:2,000). SW and DL treaments improved the content of chlorophyll, and moreover with the concentration of SW and DL, the stimulatory were also increased. This work demonstrated that smoke water and diatillation liquid at 1:2,000 could stimulate the seed germination and seedling growth of T. kirilowii, and it provided the references for the study of seed germination technology.

Amino acid ionic liquids as chiral ligands in ligand-exchange chiral separations.

PubMed

Liu, Qian; Wu, Kangkang; Tang, Fei; Yao, Lihua; Yang, Fei; Nie, Zhou; Yao, Shouzhuo

2009-09-28

Recently, amino acid ionic liquids (AAILs) have attracted much research interest. In this paper, we present the first application of AAILs in chiral separation based on the chiral ligand exchange principle. By using 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium L-proline (L-Pro) as a chiral ligand coordinated with copper(II), four pairs of underivatized amino acid enantiomers-dl-phenylalanine (dl-Phe), dl-histidine (dl-His), dl-tryptophane (dl-Trp), and dl-tyrosine (dl-Tyr)-were successfully separated in two major chiral separation techniques, HPLC and capillary electrophoresis (CE), with higher enantioselectivity than conventionally used amino acid ligands (resolution (R(s))=3.26-10.81 for HPLC; R(s)=1.34-4.27 for CE). Interestingly, increasing the alkyl chain length of the AAIL cation remarkably enhanced the enantioselectivity. It was inferred that the alkylmethylimidazolium cations and L-Pro form ion pairs on the surface of the stationary phase or on the inner surface of the capillary. The ternary copper complexes with L-Pro are consequently attached to the support surface, thus inducing an ion-exchange type of retention for the dl-enantiomers. Therefore, the AAIL cation plays an essential role in the separation. This work demonstrates that AAILs are good alternatives to conventional amino acid ligands for ligand-exchange-based chiral separation. It also reveals the tremendous application potential of this new type of task-specific ILs.

Oral and transdermal DL-methylphenidate-ethanol interactions in C57BL/6J mice: potentiation of locomotor activity with oral delivery.

PubMed

Bell, Guinevere H; Griffin, William C; Patrick, Kennerly S

2011-12-01

Many abusers of dl-methylphenidate co-abuse ethanol. The present animal study examined behavioral effects of oral or transdermal DL-methylphenidate in combination with a high, depressive dose of ethanol to model co-abuse. Locomotor activity of C57BL/6J mice was recorded for 3 h following dosing with either oral DL-methylphenidate (7.5 mg/kg) or transdermal DL-methylphenidate (Daytrana®;1/4 of a 12.5 cm(2) patch; mean dose 7.5 mg/kg), with or without oral ethanol (3 g/kg). Brains were enantiospecifically analyzed for the isomers of methylphenidate and the transesterification metabolite ethylphenidate. An otherwise depressive dose of ethanol significantly potentiated oral DL-methylphenidate induced increases in total distance traveled for the first 100 min (p<0.05). Transdermal DL-methylphenidate increased total distance traveled after a latency of 80 min, though this effect was not potentiated by concomitant ethanol. Mean 3 h brain D-methylphenidate concentrations were significantly elevated by ethanol in both the oral (65% increase) and transdermal (88% increase) groups. The corresponding L-ethylphenidate concentrations were 10 ng/g and 130 ng/g. Stimulant induced motor activity in rodents may correlate with abuse liability. Potentiation of DL-methylphenidate motor effects by concomitant ethanol carries implications regarding increased abuse potential of DL-methylphenidate when combined with ethanol. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tumor-specific cytolysis caused by an E1B55K-attenuated adenovirus in nasopharyngeal carcinoma is augmented by cisplatin.

PubMed

Liu, Ran-Yi; Peng, Ji-Lin; Li, Yong-Qiang; Huang, Bi-Jun; Lin, Huan-Xin; Zhou, Ling; Luo, Hui-Ling; Huang, Wenlin

2013-12-01

An E1B55K-attenuated adenovirus, dl1520, has been shown to replicate selectively in and lyse tumor cells. In this study, the antitumor activities of dl1520, alone or in combination with the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin, were investigated in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells. The results demonstrated that dl1520 replicated in and destroyed NPC cells, and induced apoptosis in vitro. In a nude mouse xenograft model, dl1520 significantly inhibited the growth of NPC cell xenografts, and the viral replication was associated with tumor regression. Importantly, the antitumor activity of dl1520 was augmented by the addition of cisplatin both in vitro and in vivo, showing that dl1520 and cisplatin have a synergistic anti-NPC effect. These data suggest that dl1520 exerts an efficient anti-NPC activity through oncolysis and the induction of apoptosis, which is enhanced synergistically by cisplatin. These findings indicate that oncolytic viral therapeutics using the E1B55K-attenuated adenovirus dl1520 could be promising in the comprehensive treatment of NPC, especially in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Prototype of Multifunctional Full-text Library in the Architecture Web-browser / Web-server / SQL-server

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyapin, Sergey; Kukovyakin, Alexey

Within the framework of the research program "Textaurus" an operational prototype of multifunctional library T-Libra v.4.1. has been created which makes it possible to carry out flexible parametrizable search within a full-text database. The information system is realized in the architecture Web-browser / Web-server / SQL-server. This allows to achieve an optimal combination of universality and efficiency of text processing, on the one hand, and convenience and minimization of expenses for an end user (due to applying of a standard Web-browser as a client application), on the other one. The following principles underlie the information system: a) multifunctionality, b) intelligence, c) multilingual primary texts and full-text searching, d) development of digital library (DL) by a user ("administrative client"), e) multi-platform working. A "library of concepts", i.e. a block of functional models of semantic (concept-oriented) searching, as well as a subsystem of parametrizable queries to a full-text database, which is closely connected with the "library", serve as a conceptual basis of multifunctionality and "intelligence" of the DL T-Libra v.4.1. An author's paragraph is a unit of full-text searching in the suggested technology. At that, the "logic" of an educational / scientific topic or a problem can be built in a multilevel flexible structure of a query and the "library of concepts", replenishable by the developers and experts. About 10 queries of various level of complexity and conceptuality are realized in the suggested version of the information system: from simple terminological searching (taking into account lexical and grammatical paradigms of Russian) to several kinds of explication of terminological fields and adjustable two-parameter thematic searching (a [set of terms] and a [distance between terms] within the limits of an author's paragraph are such parameters correspondingly).

Negative gravitactic behavior of Caenorhabditis japonica dauer larvae.

PubMed

Okumura, Etsuko; Tanaka, Ryusei; Yoshiga, Toyoshi

2013-04-15

Gravity on Earth is a constant stimulus and many organisms are able to perceive and respond to it. However, there is no clear evidence that nematodes respond to gravity. In this study, we demonstrated negative gravitaxis in a nematode using dauer larvae (DL) of Caenorhabditis japonica, which form an association with their carrier insect Parastrachia japonensis. Caenorhabditis japonica DL demonstrating nictation, a typical host-finding behavior, had a negative gravitactic behavior, whereas non-nictating C. japonica and C. elegans DL did not. The negative gravitactic index of nictating DL collected from younger nematode cultures was higher than that from older cultures. After a 24 h incubation in M9 buffer, nictating DL did not alter their negative gravitactic behavior, but a longer incubation resulted in less pronounced negative gravitaxis. These results are indicative of negative gravitaxis in nictating C. japonica DL, which is maintained once initiated, seems to be affected by the age of DL and does not appear to be a simple passive mechanism.

Learning to build large structures in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hagler, T.; Patterson, H. G.; Nathan, C. A.

1977-01-01

The paper examines some of the key technologies and forms of construction know-how that will have to be developed and tested for eventual application to building large structures in space. Construction of a shuttle-tended space construction/demonstration platform would comprehensively demonstrate large structure technology, develop construction capability, and furnish a construction platform for a variety of operational large structures. Completion of this platform would lead to demonstrations of the Satellite Power System (SPS) concept, including microwave transmission, fabrication of 20-m-deep beams, conductor installation, rotary joint installation, and solar blanket installation.

Installation/Removal Tool for Screw-Mounted Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ash, J. P.

1984-01-01

Tweezerlike tool simplifies installation of screws in places reached only through narrow openings. With changes in size and shape, basic tool concept applicable to mounting and dismounting of transformers, sockets, terminal strips and mechanical parts. Inexpensive tool fabricated as needed by bending two pieces of steel wire. Exact size and shape selected to suit part manipulated and nature of inaccessible mounting space.

Circuits Protect Against Incorrect Power Connections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delombard, Richard

1992-01-01

Simple circuits prevent application of incorrectly polarized or excessive voltages. Connected temporarily or permanently at power-connecting terminals. Devised to protect electrical and electronic equipment installed in spacecraft and subjected to variety of tests in different facilities prior to installation. Basic concept of protective circuits also applied easily to many kinds of electrical and electronic equipment that must be protected against incorrect power connections.

Determinants of blood-lead levels in children in Callao and Lima metropolitan area.

PubMed

Espinoza, Rocío; Hernández-Avila, Mauricio; Narciso, Juan; Castañaga, Carmen; Moscoso, Shirley; Ortiz, Georgina; Carbajal, Luz; Wegner, Steve; Noonan, Gary

2003-01-01

To determine blood lead levels in urban populations of children (n = 2,510) and women (n = 874) in the early postpartum in certain districts of Lima and Callao, and to correlate those levels with particular exposures. Between July 1998 and January 1999 cross sectional study was conducted. The study population was selected using three sampling strategies in the government operated school system and from public pediatric and maternity hospitals at Lima and Callao, Peru. Study personnel were trained to collect finger stick blood samples with a protocol that minimizes external lead contamination. Lead determinations in blood and environmental samples were performed at the study site using portable anodic striping voltamenters. To determine the simultaneous effects of different predictors on blood lead levels, multivariate regression models were used to estimate adjusted mean differences. The mean blood lead level in the children studied was 9.9 micrograms/dl ranging from 1 microgram/dl to 64 micrograms/dl with 29% of the children displaying values greater than 10 micrograms/dl and 9.4% at levels greater than 20 micrograms/dl. Among the women, the mean was 3.5 micrograms/dl (SD = 2.4 micrograms/dl), and 2.4% (n = 21) displayed levels greater than 10 micrograms/dl. Important differences were observed between the sample locations, and the highest levels were documented in the port region near Callao. The mean level of blood lead in this group was 25.6 micrograms/dl (SD = 4.6 micrograms/dl), while among the rest of the sample it was 7.1 micrograms/dl (SD = 5.1 micrograms/dl). The presence of a mineral storage area signified a difference in exposure in excess of 13 micrograms/dl for children living near the port area in contrast to the other children who were not as close to such fixed sources of lead exposure. For the participants in Lima, the risk of showing levels above 10 micrograms/dl was associated with exposure to high vehicular traffic. In metropolitan Lima, we conclude that the mean blood lead levels of the populations studied were not alarming and that a positive health impact can be made by a reduction of lead in gasoline. With regard to the port area, the study demonstrates that the presence of mineral storage areas pose a detrimental risk factor for the health of the children living in this area. The English version of this paper is available too at: http://www.insp.mx/salud/index.html.

[The effects of the short-term regular exercise-diet program on lipid profile in sedentary subjects].

PubMed

Yalin, S; Gök, H; Toksöz, R

2001-09-01

Regular aerobic exercise leads to changes in plasma lipids, lipoprotein and apoprotein levels. The aim of this study was to examine the training effects of the intervention program consisted of regular exercise and low fat diet on plasma lipid profile. The effects of the four weeks intervention programme which consisted of walking and dietary restriction on lipid profile in sedentary subjects were investigated. Subjects, who had dyslipidemia or obesity, were instructed to walk (consecutive 60 minutes, one times daily) and to consume no more than 20% total fat and 300 mg/d of cholesterol for four weeks. At the end of fourth week, 41 subjects who had implemented exercise-diet programme, were assigned to study (intervention) group; 21 subjects who had remained sedentary, nondieting, were included into the control group. Total-C, triglycerides, LDL-C, HDL-C, Lp (a), apo A1 and apo B100 were measured in fasting blood samples before and after 4 weeks of intervention programme. At the end of four weeks, subjects in the exercise-diet group, as compared with the control group, showed a significant reduction in body weight (respectively 1.67 +/- 2.36 kg versus -0.21 +/- 1.36 kg, p = 0.001), total cholesterol (35 +/- 37 mg/dl vs -20 +/- 25 mg/dl, p < 0.001), triglycerides (30 +/- 68 mg/dl vs -10 +/- 52 mg/dl, p = 0.024) and LDL-C (29 +/- 41 mg/dl vs -18 +/- 25 mg/dl, p < 0.001) levels. However, at the end of programme, in the exercise-diet group, as compared with the control group, the changes in HDL-C (respectively -0.85 +/- 7.30 mg/dl vs 1.05 +/- 5.64 mg/dl, p = 0.302), Lp (a) (1.59 +/- 3.06 mg/dl vs -0.09 +/- 3.96 mg/dl, p = 0.069), apo A1 (0.61 +/- 22.69 mg/dl vs -0.66 +/- 17.27 mg/dl, p = 0.822) and apo B100 (5.41 +/- 19.33 mg/dl vs -4.00 +/- 20.51 mg/dl, p = 0.080) were not significant. The data of this study demonstrate that the four weeks programme based on regular daily aerobic exercise and low fat diet is capable of decreasing total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-C levels and that this short-term intervention is insufficient in increasing HDL-C, in decreasing Lp (a) and improving apoprotein levels.

Model-Based Closed-Loop Glucose Control in Type 1 Diabetes: The DiaCon Experience

PubMed Central

Schmidt, Signe; Boiroux, Dimitri; Duun-Henriksen, Anne Katrine; Frøssing, Laurits; Skyggebjerg, Ole; Jørgensen, John Bagterp; Poulsen, Niels Kjølstad; Madsen, Henrik; Madsbad, Sten; Nørgaard, Kirsten

2013-01-01

Background To improve type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) management, we developed a model predictive control (MPC) algorithm for closed-loop (CL) glucose control based on a linear second-order deterministic-stochastic model. The deterministic part of the model is specified by three patient-specific parameters: insulin sensitivity factor, insulin action time, and basal insulin infusion rate. The stochastic part is identical for all patients but identified from data from a single patient. Results of the first clinical feasibility test of the algorithm are presented. Methods We conducted two randomized crossover studies. Study 1 compared CL with open-loop (OL) control. Study 2 compared glucose control after CL initiation in the euglycemic (CL-Eu) and hyperglycemic (CL-Hyper) ranges, respectively. Patients were studied from 22:00–07:00 on two separate nights. Results Each study included six T1DM patients (hemoglobin A1c 7.2% ± 0.4%). In study 1, hypoglycemic events (plasma glucose < 54 mg/dl) occurred on two OL and one CL nights. Average glucose from 22:00–07:00 was 90 mg/dl [74–146 mg/dl; median (interquartile range)] during OL and 108 mg/dl (101–128 mg/dl) during CL (determined by continuous glucose monitoring). However, median time spent in the range 70–144 mg/dl was 67.9% (3.0–73.3%) during OL and 80.8% (70.5–89.7%) during CL. In study 2, there was one episode of hypoglycemia with plasma glucose <54 mg/dl in a CL-Eu night. Mean glucose from 22:00–07:00 and time spent in the range 70–144 mg/dl were 121 mg/dl (117–133 mg/dl) and 69.0% (30.7–77.9%) in CL-Eu and 149 mg/dl (140–193 mg/dl) and 48.2% (34.9–72.5%) in CL-Hyper, respectively. Conclusions This study suggests that our novel MPC algorithm can safely and effectively control glucose overnight, also when CL control is initiated during hyperglycemia. PMID:24124952

CSA/AZA, in the absence of prednisone, improves linear growth in renal transplanted children.

PubMed

David-Neto, E; Nahas, W; Sampaio, E C; Ianhez, L E; Sabbaga, E; Arap, S

1992-01-01

We compared the results of 44 renal transplants in children, of whom 24 were treated with CSA/AZA and 20 with prednisone in combination with AZA and/or CSA. There were no differences in age distribution or mean ages at transplant between the two treatment groups. The CSA/AZA group had a longer follow-up (29 +/- 33 vs 17 +/- 18 months). At the last follow-up, five children in the CSA/AZA and none in the prednisone group had lost their grafts. Serum creatinine increased in both groups from 0.7 +/- 0.1 mg/dl and 0.9 +/- 0.1 mg/dl at the end of the first month to 1.1 +/- 0.2 mg/dl in the 36th month (CSA/AZA group) (P < 0.0001) and to 1.5 +/- 0.6 mg/dl in the 18th month (prednisone group) (P < 0.05), respectively. Total cholesterol level was 189 +/- 52 mg/dl and 178 +/- 60 mg/dl and LDL level was 117 +/- 48 mg/dl and 115 +/- 51 mg/dl for the prednisone and CSA/AZA groups, respectively. HDL was greater in the CSA/AZA group (50 +/- 10 vs 41 +/- 10 mg/dl) (P < 0.03), and VLDL was greater in the prednisone group (31 +/- 13 vs 22 +/- 8 mg/dl) (P < 0.05). Serum triglyceride was greater in the prednisone group (174 +/- 93 vs 112 +/- 50 mg/dl) (P < 0.03). The standard deviation score for height of the children in the prednisone group did not change (-2.4 +/- 1.4 vs -2.1 +/- 1.4 SDS), whereas the SDS height score for the CSA/AZA children increased from -3.1 +/- 1.7 to -2.6 +/- 1.5, -1.9 +/- 1.4 and -1.7 +/- 1.4, at 12, 24 and 36 months, respectively (P < 0.001). CSA/AZA is a good immunosuppressive regime for the first renal transplant in children, but only 75% tolerated AZA/CSA without same damage to their grafts.

A comparison of the enzymatic properties of three recombinant isoforms of thrombolytic and antibacterial protein--Destabilase-Lysozyme from medicinal leech.

PubMed

Kurdyumov, Alexey S; Manuvera, Valentin A; Baskova, Isolda P; Lazarev, Vassili N

2015-11-21

Destabilase-Lysozyme (mlDL) is a multifunctional i-type enzyme that has been found in the secretions from the salivary glands of medicinal leeches. mlDL has been shown to exhibit isopeptidase, muramidase and antibacterial activity. This enzyme attracts interest because it expresses thrombolytic activity through isopeptidolysis of the ε-(γ-Glu)-Lys bonds that cross-link polypeptide chains in stabilised fibrin. To date, three isoforms of mlDL have been identified. The enzymatic properties of pure mlDL isoforms have not yet been described because only destabilase complexes containing other proteins could be isolated from the salivary gland secretion and because low product yield from the generation of recombinant proteins has made comprehensive testing difficult. In the present study, we optimised the procedures related to the expression, isolation and purification of active mlDL isoforms (mlDL-Ds1, mlDL-Ds2, mlDL-Ds3) using an Escherichia coli expression system, and we detected and compared their muramidase, lytic, isopeptidase and antimicrobial activities. After optimisation, the product yield was 30 mg per litre of culture. The data obtained in our study led to the suggestion that the recombinant mlDL isoforms isolated from inclusion bodies form stable oligomeric complexes. Analyses of the tested activities revealed that all isoforms exhibited almost identical patterns of pH and ionic strength effects on the activities. We determined that mlDL-Ds1, 2, 3 possessed non-enzymatic antibacterial activity independent of their muramidase activity. For the first time, we demonstrated the fibrinolytic activity of the recombinant mlDL and showed that only intact proteins possessed this activity, suggesting their enzymatic nature. The recombinant Destabilase-Lysozyme isoforms obtained in our study may be considered potential thrombolytic agents that act through a mechanism different from that of common thrombolytics.

Methionine metabolism in piglets Fed DL-methionine or its hydroxy analogue was affected by distribution of enzymes oxidizing these sources to keto-methionine.

PubMed

Fang, Zhengfeng; Luo, Hefeng; Wei, Hongkui; Huang, Feiruo; Qi, Zhili; Jiang, Siwen; Peng, Jian

2010-02-10

Previous evidence shows that the extensive catabolism of dietary essential amino acids (AA) by the intestine results in decreased availability of these AA for protein synthesis in extraintestinal tissues. This raises the possibility that extraintestinal availability of AA may be improved by supplying the animal with an AA source more of which can bypass the intestine. To test this hypothesis, six barrows (35-day-old, 8.6 +/- 1.4 kg), implanted with arterial, portal, and mesenteric catheters, were fed a DL-methionine (DL-MET) or DL-2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutyrate (DL-HMTB) diet once hourly and infused intramesenterically with 1% p-amino hippurate. Although the directly available L-MET in DL-MET diet was about 1.2-fold that in DL-HMTB diet, the net portal appearance of L-MET was not different between the two diets. Compared with the low mRNA abundance and low activity of D-2-hydroxy acid dehydrogenase (D-HADH) and l-2-hydroxy acid oxidase (L-HAOX) in the intestine, the high mRNA abundance and high activity of D-AA oxidase (D-AAOX) indicated that the intestine had a relatively higher capacity of D-MET utilization than of dl-HMTB utilization to L-MET synthesis and its subsequent metabolism. However, in contrast to the much lower D-AAOX activity (nmol/g tissue) in the stomach than in the liver and kidney, both d-HADH and L-HAOX activity in the stomach was comparable with those in the liver and/or kidney, indicating the substantial capacity of the stomach to convert DL-HMTB to L-MET. Collectively, the difference in distribution of activity and mRNA abundance of D-AAOX, D-HADH, and L-HAOX in the piglets may offer a biological basis for the similar portal appearance of L-MET between DL-MET and DL-HMTB diets, and thus may provide new important insights into nutritional efficiency of different L-MET sources.

KIR2DL4 differentially signals downstream functions in human NK cells through distinct structural modules.

PubMed

Miah, S M Shahjahan; Hughes, Tracey L; Campbell, Kerry S

2008-03-01

KIR2DL4 (2DL4) is a member of the killer cell Ig-like receptor (KIR) family in human NK cells. It can stimulate potent cytokine production and weak cytolytic activity in resting NK cells, but the mechanism for 2DL4-mediated signaling remains unclear. In this study we characterized the signaling pathways stimulated by 2DL4 engagement. In a human NK-like cell line, KHYG-1, cross-linking of 2DL4 activated MAPKs including JNK, ERK, and p38. Furthermore, 2DL4 cross-linking resulted in phosphorylation of IkappaB kinase beta (IKKbeta) and the phosphorylation and degradation of IkappaBalpha, which indicate activation of the classical NF-kappaB pathway. Engagement of 2DL4 was also shown to activate the transcription and translation of a variety of cytokine genes, including TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, MIP1alpha, MIP1beta, and IL-8. Pharmacological inhibitors of JNK, MEK1/2 and p38, blocked IFN-gamma, IL-8, and MIP1alpha production, suggesting that MAPKs are regulating 2DL4-mediated cytokine production in a nonredundant manner. Activation of both p38 and ERK appear to be upstream of the stimulation of NF-kappaB. Mutation of a transmembrane arginine in 2DL4 to glycine (R/G mutant) abrogated FcepsilonRI-gamma association, as well as receptor-mediated cytolytic activity and calcium responses. Surprisingly, the R/G mutant still activated MAPKs and the NF-kappaB pathway and selectively stimulated the production of MIP1alpha, but not that of IFN-gamma or IL-8. In conclusion, we provide evidence that the activating functions of 2DL4 can be compartmentalized into two distinct structural modules: 1) through transmembrane association with FcepsilonRI-gamma; and 2) through another receptor domain independent of the transmembrane arginine.

Mycobacterium sarraceniae sp. nov. and Mycobacterium helvum sp. nov., isolated from the pitcher plant Sarracenia purpurea.

PubMed

Tran, Phuong M; Dahl, John L

2016-11-01

Several fast- to intermediate-growing, acid-fast, scotochromogenic bacteria were isolated from Sarracenia purpurea pitcher waters in Minnesota sphagnum peat bogs. Two strains (DL734T and DL739T) were among these isolates. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, the phylogenetic positions of both strains is in the genus Mycobacterium with no obvious relation to any characterized type strains of mycobacteria. Phenotypic characterization revealed that neither strain was similar to the type strains of known species of the genus Mycobacterium in the collective properties of growth, pigmentation or fatty acid composition. Strain DL734T grew at temperatures between 28 and 32 °C, was positive for 3-day arylsulfatase production, and was negative for Tween 80 hydrolysis, urease and nitrate reduction. Strain DL739T grew at temperatures between 28 and 37 °C, and was positive for Tween 80 hydrolysis, urea, nitrate reduction and 3-day arylsulfatase production. Both strains were catalase-negative while only DL739T grew with 5 % NaCl. Fatty acid methyl ester profiles were unique for each strain. DL739T showed an ability to survive at 8 °C with little to no cellular replication and is thus considered to be psychrotolerant. Therefore, strains DL734T and DL739T represent two novel species of the genus Mycobacterium with the proposed names Mycobacterium sarraceniae sp. nov. and Mycobacterium helvum sp. nov., respectively. The type strains are DL734T (=JCM 30395T=NCCB 100519T) and DL739T (=JCM 30396T=NCCB 100520T), respectively.

Plasma iron levels appraised 15 days after spinal cord injury in a limb movement animal model.

PubMed

Reis, F M; Esteves, A M; Tufik, S; de Mello, M T

2011-03-01

Experimental, controlled trial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate plasma iron and transferrin levels in a limb movement animal model with spinal cord injury (SCI). Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Departamento de Psicobiologia. In all, 72 male Wistar rats aged 90 days were divided into four groups: (1) acute SCI (1 day, SCI1), (2) 3 days post-SCI (SCI3), (3) 7 days post-SCI (SCI7) and (4) 15 days post-SCI (SCI15). Each of these groups had corresponding control (CTRL) and SHAM groups. Plasma iron and transferrin levels of the different groups were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's test. We found a significant reduction in iron plasma levels after SCI compared with the CTRL group: SCI1 (CTRL: 175±10.58 μg dl(-1); SCI: 108.28±11.7 μg dl(-1)), SCI3 (CTRL: 195.5±11.00 μg dl(-1); SCI: 127.88±12.63 μg dl(-1)), SCI7 (CTRL: 186±2.97 μg dl(-1); SCI: 89.2±15.39 μg dl(-1)) and SCI15 (CTRL: 163±5.48 μg dl(-1); SCI: 124.44±10.30 μg dl(-1)) (P<0.05; ANOVA). The SHAM1 group demonstrated a reduction in iron plasma after acute SCI (CTRL: 175±10.58 μg dl(-1); SHAM: 114.60±7.81 μg dl(-1)) (P<0.05; ANOVA). Reduced iron metabolism after SCI may be one of the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of sleep-related movement disorders.

A comparative evaluation to assess the efficacy of 5% sodium fluoride varnish and diode laser and their combined application in the treatment of dentin hypersensitivity

PubMed Central

Suri, Isha; Singh, Poonam; Shakir, Quaid Johar; Shetty, Arvind; Bapat, Ranjeet; Thakur, Roshani

2016-01-01

Background: Dentin hypersensitivity (DH) is an age old complaint with a great number of treatment modalities, but none of these are totally effective till date. Lasers being one of the latest treatment options in periodontics, a study was conducted to test the efficacy of diode laser (DL) in DH alone and in comparison with 5% sodium fluoride (NaF) varnish. Aim: The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of 5% topical NaF varnish and 980 nm gallium aluminum arsenide (GaAlAs) DL alone and combination of 5% NaF + 980 nm GaAlAs DL in the management of DH. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 120 teeth in thirty patients with DH assessed by tactile and air blast (AB) stimuli measured by visual analog scale (VAS). Teeth were randomly divided into Group 1 (P) placebo-treated control group, Group 2 (NaF) treated by 5% NaF varnish, Group 3 (DL) treated with 980 nm DL, and Group 4 (NaF + DL) treated with both 5% NaF varnish and 980 nm DL (combination group). Results: There was a significant reduction in DH. The VAS reduction percentages were calculated, and there was a significant decrease in DH above all in G4 (NaF + DL) than G3 (DL) and G2 (NaF). Conclusion: Even though all the three groups (2, 3, and 4) showed improvement in terms of DH reduction, 5% NaF varnish with DL showed the best results among all the groups. PMID:27563205

Differences in metabolic parameters and cardiovascular risk between American Diabetes Association and World Health Organization definition of impaired fasting glucose in European Caucasian subjects: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Filippatos, Theodosios D.; Rizos, Evangelos C.; Gazi, Irene F.; Lagos, Konstantinos; Agouridis, Dimitrios; Mikhailidis, Dimitri P.

2013-01-01

Introduction The American Diabetes Association (ADA) defines impaired fasting glucose (IFG) as fasting plasma glucose concentration of 100–125 mg/dl, whereas the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) define IFG as fasting plasma glucose levels of 110–125 mg/dl. We identified differences in metabolic parameters and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk according to the ADA or WHO/IDF definition of IFG. Material and methods Healthy drug-naive Caucasian (Greek) subjects (n = 396; age 55 ±12 years) participated in this cross-sectional study. Results Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and uric acid levels were higher in the subjects with glucose 100–109 mg/dl compared with those with glucose < 100 mg/dl (87 ±9 mm Hg vs. 84 ±11 mm Hg, p = 0.004 for DBP, 5.6 ±1.5 mg/dl vs. 5.0 ±1.0 mg/dl, p = 0.002 for uric acid), whereas triglyceride levels were lower in subjects with glucose 100–109 mg/dl compared with those with glucose ≥ 110 mg/dl (169 mg/dl (interquartile range (IQR) = 102–186) vs. 186 mg/dl (IQR = 115–242), p = 0.002). Only the ADA definition recognized subjects with significantly increased 10-year CVD risk estimation (SCORE risk calculation) compared with their respective controls (5.4% (IQR = 0.9–7.3) vs. 4.1% (IQR = 0.7–5.8), p = 0.002). Conclusions The ADA IFG definition recognized more subjects with significantly increased CVD risk (SCORE model) compared with the WHO/IDF definition. PMID:24273558

Seasonal trends in nesting leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) serum proteins further verify capital breeding hypothesis

PubMed Central

Perrault, Justin R.; Wyneken, Jeanette; Page-Karjian, Annie; Merrill, Anita; Miller, Debra L.

2014-01-01

Serum protein concentrations provide insight into the nutritional and immune status of organisms. It has been suggested that some marine turtles are capital breeders that fast during the nesting season. In this study, we documented serum proteins in neophyte and remigrant nesting leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea). This allowed us to establish trends across the nesting season to determine whether these physiological parameters indicate if leatherbacks forage or fast while on nesting grounds. Using the biuret method and agarose gel electrophoresis, total serum protein (median = 5.0 g/dl) and protein fractions were quantified and include pre-albumin (median = 0.0 g/dl), albumin (median = 1.81 g/dl), α1-globulin (median = 0.90 g/dl), α2-globulin (median = 0.74 g/dl), total α-globulin (median = 1.64 g/dl), β-globulin (median = 0.56 g/dl), γ-globulin (median = 0.81 g/dl) and total globulin (median = 3.12 g/dl). The albumin:globulin ratio (median = 0.59) was also calculated. Confidence intervals (90%) were used to establish reference intervals. Total protein, albumin and total globulin concentrations declined in successive nesting events. Protein fractions declined at less significant rates or remained relatively constant during the nesting season. Here, we show that leatherbacks are most likely fasting during the nesting season. A minimal threshold of total serum protein concentrations of around 3.5–4.5 g/dl may physiologically signal the end of the season's nesting for individual leatherbacks. The results presented here lend further insight into the interaction between reproduction, fasting and energy reserves and will potentially improve the conservation and management of this imperiled species. PMID:27293623

Isolation and characterization of L-valine-degrading Candida maltosa DLPU-zpb for D-valine preparation from DL-valine.

PubMed

Zhang, C H; Xin, W T; Chen, M; Bi, Y; Gao, Z Q; Zhang, J

2015-11-01

To develop a practical process for D-valine preparation from DL-valine, L-valine was used as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen in basal minimal medium to isolate L-valine-degrading micro-organisms. A yeast strain DLPU-zpb was obtained, which showed asymmetric degrading activity against DL-valine. Based on the morphology, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and 26S rDNA D1/D2 domain sequence, strain DLPU-zpb was identified as Candida maltosa. The cells of this strain were used as a biocatalyst for eliminating the L-isomer from DL-valine. The L-isomer was completely degraded within 72 h under the conditions of 30°C, pH control at 6·0, 200 rev min(-1) and 50 g l(-1) DL-valine. The strain DLPU-zpb degraded L-valine effectively but not D-valine, and thus D-valine could be easily isolated from the resultant reaction mixture, which provides a new method for D-valine preparation from DL-valine. D-valine is an important raw material for medicines and its demand is increasing year by year. Several approaches for D-valine preparation have been reported, but none of them are likely to provide product at low cost. A newly isolated L-valine-degrading yeast strain Candida maltosa DLPU-zpb was described, which showed asymmetric degrading activity against DL-valine. Thus, a new and practical process for D-valine preparation from DL-valine could be developed. This is the first report of the asymmetric degrading ability of C. maltosa against DL-valine and D-valine preparation from DL-valine. © 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

The D0 immunoglobulin-like domain plays a central role for the stronger binding of KIR3DL2 to B27 free heavy chain dimers

PubMed Central

Hatano, Hiroko; Shaw, Jacqueline; Marquardt, Kaitlin; Zhang, Zhiyong; Gauthier, Laurent; Chanteux, Stephanie; Rossi, Benjamin; Li, Demin; Mitchell, Julie; Kollnberger, Simon

2015-01-01

We have proposed that the killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor KIR3DL2 binding more strongly to HLA-B27 (B27) β2m-free heavy chain (FHC) dimers regulates lymphocyte function in arthritis and infection. We compared the function of B27 FHC dimers with other class I heavy chains and identified contact residues in KIR3DL2. B27 FHC dimers interacted functionally with KIR3DL2 on NK and reporter cells more strongly than other class I FHC. Mutagenesis identified key residues in the D0 and other immunoglobulin-like domains which were shared and distinct from KIR3DL1, for KIR3DL2 binding to B27 and other class I FHC. We modeled B27 dimer binding to KIR3DL2 and compared experimental mutagenesis data with computational “hot spot” predictions. Modelling predicts the stronger binding of B27 dimers to KIR3DL2 is mediated by non-symmetrical complementary contacts of the D0 and D1 domains with the α1, α2 and α3 domains of both B27 heavy chains. By contrast, the D2 domain primarily contacts residues in the α2 domain of one B27 heavy chain. These findings both provide novel insights about the molecular basis of KIR3DL2 binding to HLA-B27 and other ligands and suggest an important role for KIR3DL2 HLA-B27 interactions in controlling the function of NK cells in HLA-B27+ individuals. PMID:25582852

Chapter 8 Haemoglobin, ferritin and erythropoietin amongst UK adult dialysis patients in 2010: national and centre-specific analyses.

PubMed

Webb, Lynsey; Gilg, Julie; Wilkie, Martin

2012-01-01

The UK Renal Association (RA) and National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) have published clinical practice guidelines which include recommendations for management of anaemia in established renal failure. To determine the extent to which the guidelines for anaemia management are met in the UK. Quarterly data were obtained regarding haemoglobin (Hb) and factors that influence Hb from renal centres in England, Wales, Northern Ireland (EWNI) and the Scottish Renal Registry for the incident and prevalent renal replacement therapy (RRT) cohorts for 2010. In the UK, in 2010 53.6% of patients commenced dialysis therapy with Hb ≥ 10.0 g/dl (median Hb 10.1 g/dl). The median Hb of haemodialysis (HD) patients was 11.5 g/dl with an interquartile range (IQR) of 10.5-12.3 g/dl. Of HD patients 84.6% had Hb ≥ 10.0 g/dl. The median Hb of peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients in the UK was 11.6 g/dl (IQR 10.6-12.5 g/dl). Of UK PD patients, 87.2% had Hb ≥ 10.0 g/dl. The median ferritin in HD patients in EWNI was 444 µg/L (IQR 299-635) and 96% of HD patients had a ferritin ≥ 100 µg/L. The median ferritin in PD patients was 264 µg/L (IQR 148-426) with 86% of PD patients having a ferritin ≥ 100 µg/L. In EWNI the mean Erythropoietin Stimulating Agent (ESA) dose was higher for HD than PD patients (9,020 vs. 6,202 IU/week). Of prevalent HD patients, 52.7% had Hb ≥ 10 and ≤ 12 g/dl. Of prevalent PD patients, 54.3% had Hb 10.5-12.5 g/dl. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The utility of ductal lavage in breast cancer detection and risk assessment

PubMed Central

Domchek, Susan M

2002-01-01

Ductal lavage (DL) permits noninvasive retrieval of epithelial cells from the breast. Clinical development of this technique has been fueled largely by its potential, as yet unproven, to improve detection of breast cancer and definition of individual risk for development of breast cancer. Early studies demonstrate the feasibility of performing this technique, provide data on cellular yield and findings, and demonstrate the ability to measure molecular markers in DL fluid. However, the sensitivity and specificity of DL for the detection of breast cancer remains unknown, as does the significance of atypia, particularly mild atypia, when found in DL fluid. Although DL appears safe and the device is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, DL is still best utilized in the setting of clinical trials designed to resolve issues of sensitivity, specificity, and localization. PMID:11879562

Marginal Shape Deep Learning: Applications to Pediatric Lung Field Segmentation.

PubMed

Mansoor, Awais; Cerrolaza, Juan J; Perez, Geovanny; Biggs, Elijah; Nino, Gustavo; Linguraru, Marius George

2017-02-11

Representation learning through deep learning (DL) architecture has shown tremendous potential for identification, localization, and texture classification in various medical imaging modalities. However, DL applications to segmentation of objects especially to deformable objects are rather limited and mostly restricted to pixel classification. In this work, we propose marginal shape deep learning (MaShDL), a framework that extends the application of DL to deformable shape segmentation by using deep classifiers to estimate the shape parameters. MaShDL combines the strength of statistical shape models with the automated feature learning architecture of DL. Unlike the iterative shape parameters estimation approach of classical shape models that often leads to a local minima, the proposed framework is robust to local minima optimization and illumination changes. Furthermore, since the direct application of DL framework to a multi-parameter estimation problem results in a very high complexity, our framework provides an excellent run-time performance solution by independently learning shape parameter classifiers in marginal eigenspaces in the decreasing order of variation. We evaluated MaShDL for segmenting the lung field from 314 normal and abnormal pediatric chest radiographs and obtained a mean Dice similarity coefficient of 0.927 using only the four highest modes of variation (compared to 0.888 with classical ASM 1 (p-value=0.01) using same configuration). To the best of our knowledge this is the first demonstration of using DL framework for parametrized shape learning for the delineation of deformable objects.

What does fault tolerant Deep Learning need from MPI?

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

Amatya, Vinay C.; Vishnu, Abhinav; Siegel, Charles M.

Deep Learning (DL) algorithms have become the {\\em de facto} Machine Learning (ML) algorithm for large scale data analysis. DL algorithms are computationally expensive -- even distributed DL implementations which use MPI require days of training (model learning) time on commonly studied datasets. Long running DL applications become susceptible to faults -- requiring development of a fault tolerant system infrastructure, in addition to fault tolerant DL algorithms. This raises an important question: {\\em What is needed from MPI for designing fault tolerant DL implementations?} In this paper, we address this problem for permanent faults. We motivate the need for amore » fault tolerant MPI specification by an in-depth consideration of recent innovations in DL algorithms and their properties, which drive the need for specific fault tolerance features. We present an in-depth discussion on the suitability of different parallelism types (model, data and hybrid); a need (or lack thereof) for check-pointing of any critical data structures; and most importantly, consideration for several fault tolerance proposals (user-level fault mitigation (ULFM), Reinit) in MPI and their applicability to fault tolerant DL implementations. We leverage a distributed memory implementation of Caffe, currently available under the Machine Learning Toolkit for Extreme Scale (MaTEx). We implement our approaches by extending MaTEx-Caffe for using ULFM-based implementation. Our evaluation using the ImageNet dataset and AlexNet neural network topology demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed fault tolerant DL implementation using OpenMPI based ULFM.« less

PLASMA ELECTROPHORETIC PROFILES IN THE EASTERN MASSASAUGA (SISTRURUS CATENATUS) AND INFLUENCES OF AGE, SEX, YEAR, LOCATION, AND SNAKE FUNGAL DISEASE.

PubMed

Allender, Matthew C; Junge, Randall E; Baker-Wylie, Sarah; Hileman, Eric T; Faust, Lisa J; Cray, Carolyn

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to establish reference intervals of the protein electrophoretic fractions and the acute-phase proteins hemoglobin binding protein (as determined by the haptoglobin assay) and C-reactive protein (CRP) and assess any possible correlations between varying age class, sex, location (Illinois or Michigan), year, or presence of snake fungal disease (SFD). Banked plasma samples were assayed from 130 eastern massasaugas from 2009 to 2014 in Illinois and Michigan. Snakes from Michigan had higher total protein (mean: 5.50 g/dl), albumin/globulin ratio (0.42), albumin (1.59 g/dl), and gamma globulins (0.55 g/dl) than from snakes in Illinois (4.72 g/dl, 0.29, 1.03 g/dl, 0.38 g/dl, respectively). Snakes in Illinois (22.19 g/ml) had higher CRP than snakes in Michigan (10.89 mg/ml). Adults had higher gamma globulins (0.47 g/dl) than juveniles (0.28 g/dl). Males had higher alpha-2 globulins (0.98 g/dl) and CRP (21.4 mg/ml) than females (0.85, 11.6, respectively). There were no significant differences in absolute plasma proteins in SFD-positive snakes, but the percentage of gamma globulins was significantly higher in positive snakes. Future research in this area can now build on this data to determine changes in population health over time or due to specific environmental or disease threats.

Marginal shape deep learning: applications to pediatric lung field segmentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansoor, Awais; Cerrolaza, Juan J.; Perez, Geovany; Biggs, Elijah; Nino, Gustavo; Linguraru, Marius George

2017-02-01

Representation learning through deep learning (DL) architecture has shown tremendous potential for identification, local- ization, and texture classification in various medical imaging modalities. However, DL applications to segmentation of objects especially to deformable objects are rather limited and mostly restricted to pixel classification. In this work, we propose marginal shape deep learning (MaShDL), a framework that extends the application of DL to deformable shape segmentation by using deep classifiers to estimate the shape parameters. MaShDL combines the strength of statistical shape models with the automated feature learning architecture of DL. Unlike the iterative shape parameters estimation approach of classical shape models that often leads to a local minima, the proposed framework is robust to local minima optimization and illumination changes. Furthermore, since the direct application of DL framework to a multi-parameter estimation problem results in a very high complexity, our framework provides an excellent run-time performance solution by independently learning shape parameter classifiers in marginal eigenspaces in the decreasing order of variation. We evaluated MaShDL for segmenting the lung field from 314 normal and abnormal pediatric chest radiographs and obtained a mean Dice similarity coefficient of 0:927 using only the four highest modes of variation (compared to 0:888 with classical ASM1 (p-value=0:01) using same configuration). To the best of our knowledge this is the first demonstration of using DL framework for parametrized shape learning for the delineation of deformable objects.

Marginal Shape Deep Learning: Applications to Pediatric Lung Field Segmentation

PubMed Central

Mansoor, Awais; Cerrolaza, Juan J.; Perez, Geovanny; Biggs, Elijah; Nino, Gustavo; Linguraru, Marius George

2017-01-01

Representation learning through deep learning (DL) architecture has shown tremendous potential for identification, localization, and texture classification in various medical imaging modalities. However, DL applications to segmentation of objects especially to deformable objects are rather limited and mostly restricted to pixel classification. In this work, we propose marginal shape deep learning (MaShDL), a framework that extends the application of DL to deformable shape segmentation by using deep classifiers to estimate the shape parameters. MaShDL combines the strength of statistical shape models with the automated feature learning architecture of DL. Unlike the iterative shape parameters estimation approach of classical shape models that often leads to a local minima, the proposed framework is robust to local minima optimization and illumination changes. Furthermore, since the direct application of DL framework to a multi-parameter estimation problem results in a very high complexity, our framework provides an excellent run-time performance solution by independently learning shape parameter classifiers in marginal eigenspaces in the decreasing order of variation. We evaluated MaShDL for segmenting the lung field from 314 normal and abnormal pediatric chest radiographs and obtained a mean Dice similarity coefficient of 0.927 using only the four highest modes of variation (compared to 0.888 with classical ASM1 (p-value=0.01) using same configuration). To the best of our knowledge this is the first demonstration of using DL framework for parametrized shape learning for the delineation of deformable objects. PMID:28592911

Germination of Phaseolus vulgaris. II. Stimulation of axis growth by dl-fluorophenylalanines

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

Walton, D.C.

p-, o- and m-fluoro-dl-phenylalanine have been found to stimulate the growth of excised axes of Phaseolus vulgaris. At 5 x 10/sup -4/ m p-fluoro-dl-phenylalanine stimulated growth by 20 to 40% and the other 2 isomers by 10 to 20%. L-Phenylalanine (10/sup -3/ M) essentially reversed the stimulation by 5 x 10/sup -4/ M p-fluoro-dl-phenylalanine.

Metabolic Derangement in Acute and Chronic Liver Disorders.

PubMed

Bajaj, Sarita; Kashyap, Richi; Srivastava, Anubha; Singh, Smriti

2017-01-01

This study aims to assess glycemic and lipid derangement in acute and chronic liver disorders. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 104 patients diagnosed with acute or chronic liver disorder. Acute liver disease (ALD) patients were 40 and chronic liver disease (CLD) patients were 64. The mean value of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in patients with ALD was 91.8 ± 5.4 mg/dl and in CLD was 115.7 ± 17.9 mg/dl, the difference was significant. The mean value of A1c was 4.3 ± 0.6 in ALD and 6.1 ± 0.8 in CLD, the difference was significant. In patients with CLD mean cholesterol was higher 177.4 ± 28.8 mg/dl when compared to ALD 140 ± 35.1 mg/dl, but the difference was not significant. ALD patients' high-density lipoprotein (HDL) was 50.4 ± 5.1 mg/dl, and in CLD patients, HDL was 44.4 ± 6.1 mg/dl. In CLD mean triglyceride (T) was 148.9 ± 6.4 mg/dl while in ALD T was 134.8 ± 14.2 mg/dl, the difference was significant. CLD is associated with glycemic derangement demonstrated by deranged FPG and A1c. In patients of ALD, no metabolic derangement was observed.

High lead exposure and auditory sensory-neural function in Andean children.

PubMed Central

Counter, S A; Vahter, M; Laurell, G; Buchanan, L H; Ortega, F; Skerfving, S

1997-01-01

We investigated blood lead (B-Pb) and mercury (B-Hg) levels and auditory sensory-neural function in 62 Andean school children living in a Pb-contaminated area of Ecuador and 14 children in a neighboring gold mining area with no known Pb exposure. The median B-Pb level for 62 children in the Pb-exposed group was 52.6 micrograms/dl (range 9.9-110.0 micrograms/dl) compared with 6.4 micrograms/dl (range 3.9-12.0 micrograms/dl) for the children in the non-Pb exposed group; the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Auditory thresholds for the Pb-exposed group were normal at the pure tone frequencies of 0.25-8 kHz over the entire range of B-Pb levels, Auditory brain stem response tests in seven children with high B-Pb levels showed normal absolute peak and interpeak latencies. The median B-Hg levels were 0.16 micrograms/dl (range 0.04-0.58 micrograms/dl) for children in the Pb-exposed group and 0.22 micrograms/dl (range 0.1-0.44 micrograms/dl) for children in the non-Pb exposed gold mining area, and showed no significant relationship to auditory function. Images Figure 1. Figure 3. A Figure 3. B PMID:9222138

Comprehensive survey of deep learning in remote sensing: theories, tools, and challenges for the community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ball, John E.; Anderson, Derek T.; Chan, Chee Seng

2017-10-01

In recent years, deep learning (DL), a rebranding of neural networks (NNs), has risen to the top in numerous areas, namely computer vision (CV), speech recognition, and natural language processing. Whereas remote sensing (RS) possesses a number of unique challenges, primarily related to sensors and applications, inevitably RS draws from many of the same theories as CV, e.g., statistics, fusion, and machine learning, to name a few. This means that the RS community should not only be aware of advancements such as DL, but also be leading researchers in this area. Herein, we provide the most comprehensive survey of state-of-the-art RS DL research. We also review recent new developments in the DL field that can be used in DL for RS. Namely, we focus on theories, tools, and challenges for the RS community. Specifically, we focus on unsolved challenges and opportunities as they relate to (i) inadequate data sets, (ii) human-understandable solutions for modeling physical phenomena, (iii) big data, (iv) nontraditional heterogeneous data sources, (v) DL architectures and learning algorithms for spectral, spatial, and temporal data, (vi) transfer learning, (vii) an improved theoretical understanding of DL systems, (viii) high barriers to entry, and (ix) training and optimizing the DL.

A Scalable Framework for CSI Feedback in FDD Massive MIMO via DL Path Aligning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Xiliang; Cai, Penghao; Zhang, Xiaoyu; Hu, Die; Shen, Cong

2017-09-01

Unlike the time-division duplexing (TDD) systems, the downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) channels are not reciprocal anymore in the case of frequency-division duplexing (FDD). However, some long-term parameters, e.g. the time delays and angles of arrival (AoAs) of the channel paths, still enjoy reciprocity. In this paper, by efficiently exploiting the aforementioned limited reciprocity, we address the DL channel state information (CSI) feedback in a practical wideband massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system operating in the FDD mode. With orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) waveform and assuming frequency-selective fading channels, we propose a scalable framework for the DL pilots design, DL CSI acquisition, and the corresponding CSI feedback in the UL. In particular, the base station (BS) can transmit the FFT-based pilots with the carefully-selected phase shifts. Then the user can rely on the so-called time-domain aggregate channel (TAC) to derive the feedback of reduced imensionality according to either its own knowledge about the statistics of the DL channels or the instruction from the serving BS. We demonstrate that each user can just feed back one scalar number per DL channel path for the BS to recover the DL CSIs. Comprehensive numerical results further corroborate our designs.

Integrative Cardiac Health Project (ICHP)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

Body Mass Index 88 30.92 (6.1) 30.16 (6.0) -0.8 ɘ.00001 Total Cholesterol (mg/dl) 85 187.59 (39.4) 184.28 (37.5) -3.3 0.2845 High Density ...0.001 Total Cholesterol (mg/dl) 61 189.41 (42.4) 178.25 (38.1) -11.2 ɘ.05 High Density Lipids (mg/dl) 61 49.28 (13.7) 48.44 (12.8) -0.8 0.3427 Low...3.8) -1.1 ɘ.01 Total Cholesterol (mg/dl) 14 179.14 (46.2) 175.29 (43.6) -3.9 0.6836 High Density Lipids (mg/dl) 14 52.36 (10.8) 49.21 (7.2) -3.1

Guidelines for Installation Natural Resource Protection during Training.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-01

continental United States. Educational material was then developed which adapted the basic concept to differing installation terrain, vegetation , and climates...but absolutely forbidden for most of the year in others. The terrain and vegetation shown in the artwork accompanying each section may also have to...regions reflecting variations in vegetation , climate, and ecology in the continental United States: (1) Northeast, (2) Southeast, (3) Upper Midwest, (4

[Obesity, high blood pressure, hypercholesterolaemia, and untreated diabetes in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected Adults in Mbuji-Mayi (Democratic republic of congo)].

PubMed

Mukeba-Tshialala, D; Nachega, J B; Mutombo-Tshingwali, M; Arendt, V; Gilson, G; Moutschen, M

2017-12-01

Little is known about the major cardiovascular risk factors in HIV-infected as compared to the HIV-uninfected patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). We determined the prevalence of hypertension, obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 ), total cholesterol > 200 mg/dl, HDLcholesterol &≤ 40 mg/dl, and glycemia > 126 mg/dl. We also calculated the average and/or median of total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and glycemia among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients.We conducted a cross-sectional study that enrolled 592 HIV-uninfected and 445 HIV-infected patients of whom 425 (95.5%) were on first-line antiretroviral therapy based on stavudine-lamivudine-nevirapine. Clinical and laboratory data of the patients were collected. The results were analyzed by chi-square, t-student, and Wilcoxon rank sum tests. 11.5% of HIV-infected patients had an average blood pressure suggesting hypertension versus 10.6% of HIV-uninfected (P = 0.751). But in absolute value, HIVinfected patients had a median of diastolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg versus 85 mmHg of HIV-uninfected (P < 0.001). 4.04% of HIV-infected patients had a BMI suggesting obesity versus 6.08% of HIV-uninfected patients (P = 0.187). For fasting glucose: 2.50% of HIV-infected patients versus 4.20% of HIV-uninfected patients had a serum fasting glucose suggesting diabetes (P<0.176). 11.9% of HIV-infected patients had a total cholesterol greater than 200 mg/dl versus 7.4% of HIVuninfected patients (P=0.019). For HDL-cholesterol: 36.40% of HIV-infected patients had a serum fasting ≤ 40 mg/dl versus 15.70% of HIV-uninfected patients (P < 0.001). HIV-infected patients had a median fasting total cholesterol higher (140 mg/ dl) thanHIV-uninfected patients (133mg/dl) [P=0.015].HIVuninfected patients had a median fasting HDL-cholesterol higher (58.5 mg/dl) than HIV-infected patients (49 mg/dl) [P < 0.001]. HIV-infected women were more likely to have a higher mean of total cholesterol: 147.70 #x00B1; 52.09 mg/dl versus 135.72 ± 48.23 mg/dl for the HIV-infected men (P = 0.014) and of HDL-cholesterol: 55.80 ± 30.77 mg/dl versus 48.24 ± 28.57mg/dl for the HIV-infected men (P = 0.008). In this study population, prevalence of hypertension was elevated in HIVinfected versus HIV-uninfected patients. Being HIV positive on first-line antiretroviral therapy based on stavudine-lamivudine-nevirapine was associated with high prevalence of total cholesterol > 200 mg/dl and HDL-cholesterol ≤ 40 mg/dl. Proactive screening and prompt management of dyslipidemia and hypertension in this population should be a priority.

An Adjunct Galilean Satellite Orbiter Using a Small Radioisotope Power Source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abelson, Robert Dean; Randolph, J.; Alkalai, L.; Collins, D.; Moore, W.

2005-01-01

This is a conceptual mission study intended to demonstrate the range of possible missions and applications that could be enabled were a new generation of Small Radioisotope Power Systems to be developed by NASA and DOE. While such systems are currently being considered by NASA and DOE, they do not currently exist. This study is one of several small RPS-enabled mission concepts that were studied and presented in the NASA/JPL document "Enabling Exploration with Small Radioisotope Power Systems" available at: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/download-detail.cfm?DL_ID=82

Conceptual Replaceability Analysis for Order and Standard Loan Tasks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Univ., Santa Barbara. Library Systems Development Program.

Very preliminary systems concepts are presented for the Order and Standard Loan Subsystems. Each of the tasks defined for the current manual operations in (Library Systems Development) LSD 70-60 are evaluated against these concepts to determine how existing work will change when mechanized systems are installed. Then, utilizing this qualitative…

Therapeutic effects of dl-3-n-butylphthalide in a transgenic mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

PubMed

Feng, Xin-Hong; Yuan, Wei; Peng, Ying; Liu, Ming-Sheng; Cui, Li-Ying

2012-05-01

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive death of the upper and lower motor neurons. Transgenic mice over-expressing a mutant form of the human SOD1 gene develop an ALS-like phenotype. Currently, there is no effective treatment or drug for the fatal disease. Previous studies reported potent efficacy of dl-3-n-butylphthalide (DL-NBP) for several neurodegenerative disorders and cerebral ischemia. SOD1-G93A mice are a mouse model of ALS. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of DL-NBP on this ALS mouse model. Sixty SOD1-G93A female mice were divided into four groups. The vehicle control group received 0 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1) DL-NBP. The experimental groups received DL-NBP with doses of 30, 60 or 120 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1), respectively. For measurement of motor activity, the hanging wire test and rotarod test were performed. Survival statistics were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier survival curves. The body weight of each mouse was recorded twice per week. The statistical motor unit number estimation (MUNE) technique was used to estimate the number of functioning motor units in gastrocnemius muscle. Muscle morphology was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Motor neuron quantitation was performed by Nissl staining and microglia activation was observed by immunohistochemistry. Oral administration of 60 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1)1 DL-NBP significantly prolonged survival ((164.78 ± 16.67) days) of SOD1-G93A mice compared with vehicle control ((140.00 ± 16.89) days). Treating mice with DL-NBP (60 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1)) significantly decreased the progression rate of motor deficits and suppressed body weight reduction. Furthermore, we found that treating SOD1-G93A mice with DL-NBP (60 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1)) slowed the rate of MUNE reduction (P < 0.01). Motor neurons were remarkably preserved in the anterior horns in mice treated with DL-NBP (60 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1)) at the stage of 19 weeks (P < 0.01). Treating mice with DL-NBP (60 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1)) significantly reduced CD11b immunoreactivity compared with vehicle control mice (P < 0.05). No significant effect was observed in mice treated with DL-NBP of 30 or 120 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1). The post-disease-onset administration of DL-NBP significantly prolonged survival and improved motor performance in SOD1-G93A mice. DL-NBP may be a potential therapeutic agent for ALS.

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

Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.; Alves, M. I. R.

In this paper, we present all-sky modelling of the high resolution Planck, IRAS, and WISE infrared (IR) observations using the physical dust model presented by Draine & Li in 2007 (DL, ApJ, 657, 810). We study the performance and results of this model, and discuss implications for future dust modelling. The present work extends the DL dust modelling carried out on nearby galaxies using Herschel and Spitzer data to Galactic dust emission. We employ the DL dust model to generate maps of the dust mass surface density Σ Md, the dust optical extinction A V, and the starlight intensity heatingmore » the bulk of the dust, parametrized by U min. The DL model reproduces the observed spectral energy distribution (SED) satisfactorily over most of the sky, with small deviations in the inner Galactic disk and in low ecliptic latitude areas, presumably due to zodiacal light contamination. In the Andromeda galaxy (M31), the present dust mass estimates agree remarkably well (within 10%) with DL estimates based on independent Spitzer and Herschel data. We compare the DL optical extinction A V for the diffuse interstellar medium (ISM) with optical estimates for approximately 2 × 10 5 quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) observed inthe Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The DL A V estimates are larger than those determined towards QSOs by a factor of about 2, which depends on U min. The DL fitting parameter U min, effectively determined by the wavelength where the SED peaks, appears to trace variations in the far-IR opacity of the dust grains per unit A V, and not only in the starlight intensity. These results show that some of the physical assumptions of the DL model will need to be revised. To circumvent the model deficiency, we propose an empirical renormalization of the DL A V estimate, dependent of U min, which compensates for the systematic differences found with QSO observations. This renormalization, made to match the A V estimates towards QSOs, also brings into agreement the DL A V estimates with those derived for molecular clouds from the near-IR colours of stars in the 2 micron all sky survey (2MASS). The DL model and the QSOs data are also used to compress the spectral information in the Planck and IRAS observations for the diffuse ISM to a family of 20 SEDs normalized per A V, parameterized by U min, which may be used to test and empirically calibrate dust models. Finally, the family of SEDs and the maps generated with the DL model are made public in the Planck Legacy Archive.« less

CIRCULATING CONCENTRATIONS OF THYROID HORMONE IN BELUGA WHALES (DELPHINAPTERUS LEUCAS): INFLUENCE OF AGE, SEX, AND SEASON.

PubMed

Flower, Jennifer E; Allender, Matthew C; Giovanelli, Richard P; Summers, Sandra D; Spoon, Tracey R; St Leger, Judy A; Goertz, Caroline E C; Dunn, J Lawrence; Romano, Tracy A; Hobbs, Roderick C; Tuttle, Allison D

2015-09-01

Thyroid hormones play a critical physiologic role in regulating protein synthesis, growth, and metabolism. To date, because no published compilation of baseline values for thyroid hormones in beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) exists, assessment of thyroid hormone concentrations in this species has been underused in clinical settings. The purpose of this study was to document the concentrations of total thyroxine (tT4) and total triiodothyronine (tT3) in healthy aquarium-maintained and free-ranging beluga whales and to determine the influence of age, sex, and season on the thyroid hormone concentrations. Archived serum samples were collected from healthy aquarium-maintained (n=43) and free-ranging (n=39) belugas, and serum tT4 and tT3 were measured using chemiluminescence immunoassay. The mean tT4 concentration in aquarium-maintained belugas was 5.67±1.43 μg/dl and the mean tT3 concentration was 70.72±2.37 ng/dl. Sex comparisons showed that aquarium-maintained males had significantly greater tT4 and tT3 (9.70±4.48 μg/dl and 92.65±30.55 ng/dl, respectively) than females (7.18±2.82 μg/dl and 77.95±20.37 ng/dl) (P=0.004 and P=0.013). Age comparisons showed that aquarium-maintained whales aged 1-5 yr had the highest concentrations of tT4 and tT3 (8.17±0.17 μg/dl and 105.46±1.98 ng/dl, respectively) (P=0.002 and P<0.001). tT4 concentrations differed significantly between seasons, with concentrations in winter (4.59±1.09 μg/dl) being significantly decreased compared with spring (P=0.009), summer (P<0.0001), and fall (P<0.0001) concentrations. There was a significant difference in tT4 and tT3 concentrations between aquarium-maintained whales (5.67±1.43 μg/dl and 70.72±15.57 ng/dl, respectively) and free-ranging whales (11.71±3.36 μg/dl and 103.38±26.45 ng/dl) (P<0.0001 and P<0.001). Clinicians should consider biologic and environmental influences (age, sex, and season) for a more accurate interpretation of thyroid hormone concentrations in belugas. The findings of this study provide a baseline for thyroid health monitoring and comprehensive health assessments in both aquarium-maintained and free-ranging beluga whales.

Comparison of the DiversiLab Repetitive Element PCR System with spa Typing and Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis for Clonal Characterization of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus▿

PubMed Central

Babouee, B.; Frei, R.; Schultheiss, E.; Widmer, A. F.; Goldenberger, D.

2011-01-01

The emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become an increasing problem worldwide in recent decades. Molecular typing methods have been developed to identify clonality of strains and monitor spread of MRSA. We compared a new commercially available DiversiLab (DL) repetitive element PCR system with spa typing, spa clonal cluster analysis, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) in terms of discriminatory power and concordance. A collection of 106 well-defined MRSA strains from our hospital was analyzed, isolated between 1994 and 2006. In addition, we analyzed 6 USA300 strains collected in our institution. DL typing separated the 106 MRSA isolates in 10 distinct clusters and 8 singleton patterns. Clustering analysis into spa clonal complexes resulted in 3 clusters: spa-CC 067/548, spa-CC 008, and spa-CC 012. The discriminatory powers (Simpson's index of diversity) were 0.982, 0.950, 0.846, and 0.757 for PFGE, spa typing, DL typing, and spa clonal clustering, respectively. DL typing and spa clonal clustering showed the highest concordance, calculated by adjusted Rand's coefficients. The 6 USA300 isolates grouped homogeneously into distinct PFGE and DL clusters, and all belonged to spa type t008 and spa-CC 008. Among the three methods, DL proved to be rapid and easy to perform. DL typing qualifies for initial screening during outbreak investigation. However, compared to PFGE and spa typing, DL typing has limited discriminatory power and therefore should be complemented by more discriminative methods in isolates that share identical DL patterns. PMID:21307215

Comparison of Olympic and Hexagonal Barbells With Midthigh Pull, Deadlift, and Countermovement Jump.

PubMed

Malyszek, Kylie K; Harmon, RoQue A; Dunnick, Dustin D; Costa, Pablo B; Coburn, Jared W; Brown, Lee E

2017-01-01

Malyszek, KK, Harmon, RA, Dunnick, DD, Costa, PB, Coburn, JW, and Brown, LE. Comparison of olympic and hexagonal barbells with midthigh pull, deadlift, and countermovement jump. J Strength Cond Res 31(1): 140-145, 2017-Those training for strength and power commonly use different bars and different lifts. The hexagonal barbell (HBar) and Olympic barbell (OBar) are frequently used training implements, and the midthigh pull (MTP) and deadlift (DL) are 2 popular exercises. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare force between an HBar and OBar for a MTP, DL, and countermovement jump (CMJ). Twenty resistance-trained men (age = 24.05 ± 2.09 years, ht = 178.07 ± 7.05 cm, mass = 91.42 ± 14.44 kg) volunteered to participate and performed MTP and DL using both bars and a CMJ. Joint angles were recorded for all pulls and the bottom position of the CMJ. Peak ground reaction force (PGRF) was greater in the MTP (3,186.88 ± 543.53 N) than DL (2,501.15 ± 404.04 N) but not different between bars. Midthigh pull joint angles were more extended than DL, and the strongest correlations between isometric and dynamic performance were seen between DL PGRF and CMJ impulse (OBar r = 0.85; HBar r = 0.84). These findings are likely because of the different anatomical characteristics between the MTP and DL and the similarity in joint angles between the DL and CMJ. Therefore, the DL may be an optimal choice for athletes in jump-dependent sports, regardless of bar.

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

Wissemann, Chris; White, Stanley M

The primary objective of the project was to develop a innovative Gravity Base Foundation (GBF) concepts, including fabrication yards, launching systems and installation equipment, for a 500MW utility scale project in the Great Lakes (Lake Erie). The goal was to lower the LCOE by 25%. The project was the first to investigate an offshore wind project in the Great Lakes and it has furthered the body of knowledge for foundations and installation methods within Lake Erie. The project collected historical geotechnical information for Lake Erie and also used recently obtained data from the LEEDCo Icebreaker Project (FOA DE-EE0005989) geotechnical programmore » to develop the conceptual designs. Using these data-sets, the project developed design wind and wave conditions from actual buoy data in order to develop a concept that would de-risk a project using a GBF. These wind and wave conditions were then utilized to create reference designs for various foundations specific to installation in Lake Erie. A project partner on the project (Weeks Marine) provided input for construction and costing the GBF fabrication and installation. By having a marine contractor with experience with large marine projects as part of the team provides credibility to the LCOE developed by NREL. NREL then utilized the design and construction costing information as part of the LCOE model. The report summarizes the findings of the project; Developed a cost model and “baseline” LCOE; Documented Site Conditions within Lake Erie; Developed Fabrication, Installation and Foundations Innovative Concept Designs; Evaluated LCOE Impact of Innovations; Developed Assembly line “Rail System” for GBF Construction and Staging; Developed Transit-Inspired Foundation Designs which incorporated: Semi-Floating Transit with Supplemental Pontoons Barge mounted Winch System; Developed GBF with “Penetration Skirt”; Developed Integrated GBF with Turbine Tower; Developed Turbine, Plant Layout and O&M Strategies. The report details lowering LCOE by 22.3% and identified additional strategies that could further lower LCOE when building an utility scale wind farm in the Great Lakes.« less

Patient blood management in elective total hip- and knee-replacement surgery (part 2): a randomized controlled trial on blood salvage as transfusion alternative using a restrictive transfusion policy in patients with a preoperative hemoglobin above 13 g/dl.

PubMed

So-Osman, Cynthia; Nelissen, Rob G H H; Koopman-van Gemert, Ankie W M M; Kluyver, Ewoud; Pöll, Ruud G; Onstenk, Ron; Van Hilten, Joost A; Jansen-Werkhoven, Thekla M; van den Hout, Wilbert B; Brand, Ronald; Brand, Anneke

2014-04-01

Patient blood management is introduced as a new concept that involves the combined use of transfusion alternatives. In elective adult total hip- or knee-replacement surgery patients, the authors conducted a large randomized study on the integrated use of erythropoietin, cell saver, and/or postoperative drain reinfusion devices (DRAIN) to evaluate allogeneic erythrocyte use, while applying a restrictive transfusion threshold. Patients with a preoperative hemoglobin level greater than 13 g/dl were ineligible for erythropoietin and evaluated for the effect of autologous blood reinfusion. Patients were randomized between autologous reinfusion by cell saver or DRAIN or no blood salvage device. Primary outcomes were mean intra- and postoperative erythrocyte use and proportion of transfused patients (transfusion rate). Secondary outcome was cost-effectiveness. In 1,759 evaluated total hip- and knee-replacement surgery patients, the mean erythrocyte use was 0.19 (SD, 0.9) erythrocyte units/patient in the autologous group (n = 1,061) and 0.22 (0.9) erythrocyte units/patient in the control group (n = 698) (P = 0.64). The transfusion rate was 7.7% in the autologous group compared with 8.3% in the control group (P = 0.19). No difference in erythrocyte use was found between cell saver and DRAIN groups. Costs were increased by €298 per patient (95% CI, 76 to 520). In patients with preoperative hemoglobin levels greater than 13 g/dl, autologous intra- and postoperative blood salvage devices were not effective as transfusion alternatives: use of these devices did not reduce erythrocyte use and increased costs.

Effect of open-label infusion of an apoA-I-containing particle (CER-001) on RCT and artery wall thickness in patients with FHA[S

PubMed Central

Kootte, Ruud S.; Smits, Loek P.; van der Valk, Fleur M.; Dasseux, Jean-Louis; Keyserling, Constance H.; Barbaras, Ronald; Paolini, John F.; Santos, Raul D.; van Dijk, Theo H.; Dallinga-van Thie, Geesje M.; Nederveen, Aart J.; Mulder, Willem J. M.; Hovingh, G. Kees; Kastelein, John J. P.; Groen, Albert K.; Stroes, Erik S.

2015-01-01

Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) contributes to the anti-atherogenic effects of HDL. Patients with the orphan disease, familial hypoalphalipoproteinemia (FHA), are characterized by decreased tissue cholesterol removal and an increased atherogenic burden. We performed an open-label uncontrolled proof-of-concept study to evaluate the effect of infusions with a human apoA-I-containing HDL-mimetic particle (CER-001) on RCT and the arterial vessel wall in FHA. Subjects received 20 infusions of CER-001 (8 mg/kg) during 6 months. Efficacy was assessed by measuring (apo)lipoproteins, plasma-mediated cellular cholesterol efflux, fecal sterol excretion (FSE), and carotid artery wall dimension by MRI and artery wall inflammation by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography scans. We included seven FHA patients: HDL-cholesterol (HDL-c), 13.8 [1.8–29.1] mg/dl; apoA-I, 28.7 [7.9–59.1] mg/dl. Following nine infusions in 1 month, apoA-I and HDL-c increased directly after infusion by 27.0 and 16.1 mg/dl (P = 0.018). CER-001 induced a 44% relative increase (P = 0.018) in in vitro cellular cholesterol efflux with a trend toward increased FSE (P = 0.068). After nine infusions of CER-001, carotid mean vessel wall area decreased compared with baseline from 25.0 to 22.8 mm2 (P = 0.043) and target-to-background ratio from 2.04 to 1.81 (P = 0.046). In FHA-subjects, CER-001 stimulates cholesterol mobilization and reduces artery wall dimension and inflammation, supporting further evaluation of CER-001 in FHA patients. PMID:25561459

Effect of open-label infusion of an apoA-I-containing particle (CER-001) on RCT and artery wall thickness in patients with FHA.

PubMed

Kootte, Ruud S; Smits, Loek P; van der Valk, Fleur M; Dasseux, Jean-Louis; Keyserling, Constance H; Barbaras, Ronald; Paolini, John F; Santos, Raul D; van Dijk, Theo H; Dallinga-van Thie, Geesje M; Nederveen, Aart J; Mulder, Willem J M; Hovingh, G Kees; Kastelein, John J P; Groen, Albert K; Stroes, Erik S

2015-03-01

Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) contributes to the anti-atherogenic effects of HDL. Patients with the orphan disease, familial hypoalphalipoproteinemia (FHA), are characterized by decreased tissue cholesterol removal and an increased atherogenic burden. We performed an open-label uncontrolled proof-of-concept study to evaluate the effect of infusions with a human apoA-I-containing HDL-mimetic particle (CER-001) on RCT and the arterial vessel wall in FHA. Subjects received 20 infusions of CER-001 (8 mg/kg) during 6 months. Efficacy was assessed by measuring (apo)lipoproteins, plasma-mediated cellular cholesterol efflux, fecal sterol excretion (FSE), and carotid artery wall dimension by MRI and artery wall inflammation by (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography scans. We included seven FHA patients: HDL-cholesterol (HDL-c), 13.8 [1.8-29.1] mg/dl; apoA-I, 28.7 [7.9-59.1] mg/dl. Following nine infusions in 1 month, apoA-I and HDL-c increased directly after infusion by 27.0 and 16.1 mg/dl (P = 0.018). CER-001 induced a 44% relative increase (P = 0.018) in in vitro cellular cholesterol efflux with a trend toward increased FSE (P = 0.068). After nine infusions of CER-001, carotid mean vessel wall area decreased compared with baseline from 25.0 to 22.8 mm(2) (P = 0.043) and target-to-background ratio from 2.04 to 1.81 (P = 0.046). In FHA-subjects, CER-001 stimulates cholesterol mobilization and reduces artery wall dimension and inflammation, supporting further evaluation of CER-001 in FHA patients. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

The Effect of Cloud Ear Fungus (Auricularia polytricha) on Serum Total Cholesterol, LDL And HDL Levels on Wistar Rats Induced by Reused Cooking Oil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budinastiti, Ratih; Sunoko, Henna Rya; Widiastiti, Nyoman Suci

2018-02-01

The usage of reused cooking oil affects the increase of serum total cholesterol (TC) and LDL, also the decrease of serum HDL. This condition escalates the risk of atherosclerosis, which could lead to the incidence of cardiovascular disease. Cloud ear fungus is a natural antioxidant that contains polysaccharides, flavonoids, niacin, and vitamin C, which can improve the lipid profiles. Objective of this research is to analyze the impact of water from boiled cloud ear fungus on total cholesterol, LDL, and HDL level of Wistar rats that have been given reused cooking oil. This study is a true experimental research with post test only control group design, using 12 weeks-aged male Wistar rats (n = 24) that were randomly divided into 4 groups. K1 as the negative control, K2 was given reused cooking oil and standard diet, K3 was given water from boiled cloud ear fungus and standard diet, and K4 was given reused cooking oil, water from boiled cloud ear fungus and standard diet. Serum total cholesterol, LDL, and HDL levels were measured by the CHOD-PAP method after 28 days treatment. The study showed that TC mean value of K1 (80.2217 ± 3.61 mg / dL), K2 (195.8483 ± 5.47 mg / dL), K3 (75.5800 ± 4.02 mg / dL), and K4 (110.8683 ± 5.82 mg / dL); p = 0.000. LDL mean value of K1 (29.9200 ± 1.53 mg / dL), K2 (78.4167 ± 1.77 mg / dL), K3 (24.3167 ± 1.77 mg / dL), and K4 (40, 1617 ± 2.84 mg / dL); p = 0.000. HDL mean value of K1 (65.8950 ± 1.99 mg / dL), K2 (24.3233 ± 1.44 mg / dL), K3 (73.2300 ± 1.92 mg / dL), and K4 (54, 9550 ± 2.04 mg / dL); p= 0.000. Conclusion: Water from boiled cloud ear fungus decreases the serum total cholesterol and LDL, 06006 increases serum HDL levels of Wistar rats that has been given reused cooking oil.

Replacement value of betaine for DL-methionine in male broiler chicks.

PubMed

Schutte, J B; De Jong, J; Smink, W; Pack, M

1997-02-01

The effect of DL-methionine and betaine supplementation on growth performance of 2,400 male broilers in the age period of 1 to 38 d, and on carcass composition of a subsample of 384 birds was examined. Three dose levels of DL-methionine (0, 0.05, and 0.10%) and two doses of betaine (0 and 0.04%) were supplemented in different combinations to methioninedeficient diets. Two types of diets were fed as starters and growers: either corn-soybean diets or practical diets typical for the Dutch broiler industry. All diets were fortified with 220 ppm choline in order to avoid a deficiency in methyl groups. Increasing DL-methionine supplementation significantly improved daily weight gain and feed conversion efficiency. Supplemental betaine did not affect bird growth. Betaine slightly improved feed conversion in diets without supplemental DL-methionine, but did not affect this parameter in diets with added DL-methionine. Breast meat yield was significantly increased by about 1.5 percentage points by the addition of 0.05% DL-methionine, whereas 0.04% betaine only tended to increase breast meat yield in the range of 0.3 to 0.6 percentage points. The type of diet did not have any effect on the responses obtained. In summary, there was no evidence for betaine to spare DL-methionine as an essential amino acid supplement in broiler diets.

UK Renal Registry 15th annual report: Chapter 6 haemoglobin, ferritin and erythropoietin amongst UK adult dialysis patients in 2011: national and centre-specific analyses.

PubMed

Rao, Anirudh; Gilg, Julie; Williams, Andrew

2013-01-01

The UK Renal Association (RA) and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have published Clinical Practice Guidelines which include recommendations for management of anaemia in established renal failure. To determine the extent to which the guidelines for anaemia management are met in the UK. Quarterly data were obtained for haemoglobin (Hb) and factors that influence Hb from renal centres in England, Wales, Northern Ireland (E, W, NI) and the Scottish Renal Registry for the incident and prevalent renal replacement therapy (RRT) cohorts for 2011. In the UK, in 2011 51% of patients commenced dialysis therapy with Hb ≥10.0 g/dl (median Hb 10 g/dl). Of patients in the early presentation group, 55% started dialysis with Hb ≥10.0 g/dl whilst 37% of patients presenting late started dialysis with Hb ≥10.0 g/dl. The UK median Hb of haemodialysis (HD) patients was 11.2 g/dl with an inter-quartile range (IQR) of 10.3-12.1 g/dl. Of UK HD patients, 82% had Hb ≥10.0 g/dl. The median Hb of peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients in the UK was 11.4 g/dl (IQR 10.5-12.3 g/dl). Of UK PD patients, 85% had Hb ≥10.0 g/dl. The median ferritin in HD patients in the UK was 436 mg/L (IQR 292-625) and 96% of HD patients had a ferritin ≥100 mg/ L. In EW&NI the median ferritin in PD patients was 273 mg/ L (IQR 153-446) with 86% of PD patients having a ferritin ≥100 mg/L. In EW&NI the mean erythropoietin stimulating agent (ESA) dose was higher for HD than PD patients (8,740 vs. 6,624 IU/week). Prevalent HD and PD patients had 56% and 53% respectively within the Hb ≥10 and ≤12 g/dl target. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Response to fifty grams oral glucose challenge test and pattern of preceding fasting plasma glucose in normal pregnant Nigerians.

PubMed

Adegbola, Omololu; Ajayi, Godwin Olufemi

2014-03-01

Diabetes mellitus in pregnancy has profound implications for the baby and mother and thus active screening for this is desirable. Fifty grams oral glucose challenge test was administered after obtaining consent to 222 women in good health with singleton pregnancies without diabetes mellitus at 24 to 28 weeks gestation after an overnight fast. Venous blood sample was obtained before and 1 hour after the glucose load. A diagnostic 3-hour 100 g oral glucose tolerance test was subsequently performed in all. Two hundred and ten women had a normal response to oral glucose tolerance test i.e. venous plasma glucose below these cut-off levels: fasting 95 mg/dl (5.3 mmol/l), 1 hour 180 mg/dl (10.0 mmol/l), 2 hours 155 mg/dl (8.6 mmol/l) and 3 hours 140 mg/dl (7.8 mmol/l), while 12 were found to have gestational diabetes mellitus and were subsequently excluded from the study. They were appropriately managed. The mean maternal age was 30.9 ± 4.1 years (range 19 to 45 years) and the mean parity was 1.2 ± 1.1 (range 0 to 5). The mean fasting plasma glucose was 74.5 ± 11.5 mg/dl (range 42 to 117 mg/dl), while the mean plasma glucose 1 hour after 50 g glucose challenge test was 115.3 ± 19.1 mg/dl (range 56 to 180 mg/dl). The mean fasting plasma glucose in normal pregnant Nigerians was 74.5 ± 11.5 mg/dl (range 42 to 117 mg/dl). There is a need to re-appraise and possibly review downwards the World Health Organization fasting plasma glucose diagnostic criteria in pregnant Nigerians for better detection of gestational diabetes mellitus. Pregnant women with venous plasma glucose greater than 153.5 mg/dl (8.5 mmol/l) 1 hour after 50 g glucose challenge test are strongly recommended for diagnostic test of gestational diabetes mellitus.

Management of Total Pressure Recovery, Distortion and High Cycle Fatigue in Compact Air Vehicle Inlets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Bernhard H.; Baust, Henry D.; Agrell, Johan

2002-01-01

It is the purpose of this study to demonstrate the viability and economy of Response Surface Methods (RSM) and Robustness Design Concepts (RDC) to arrive at micro-secondary flow control installation designs that maintain optimal inlet performance over a range of the mission variables. These statistical design concepts were used to investigate the robustness properties of 'low unit strength' micro-effector installations. 'Low unit strength' micro-effectors are micro-vanes set at very low angles-of-incidence with very long chord lengths. They were designed to influence the near wall inlet flow over an extended streamwise distance, and their advantage lies in low total pressure loss and high effectiveness in managing engine face distortion.

UK Renal Registry 13th Annual Report (December 2010): Chapter 9: haemoglobin, ferritin and erythropoietin amongst UK adult dialysis patients in 2009: national and centre-specific analyses.

PubMed

Gilg, Julie; Webb, Lynsey; Feest, Terry; Fogarty, Damian

2011-01-01

The UK Renal Association (RA) and National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) have published Clinical Practice Guidelines which include recommendations for management of anaemia in established renal failure. To determine the extent to which the guidelines for anaemia management are met in the UK. Quarterly data were obtained regarding haemoglobin (Hb) and factors that influence Hb from renal centres in England, Wales, Northern Ireland (EWNI) and the Scottish Renal Registry for the incident and prevalent renal replacement therapy (RRT) cohorts for 2009. In the UK, in 2009 55% of patients commenced dialysis therapy with Hb x10.0 g/dl (median Hb 10.2 g/dl). The median Hb of haemodialysis (HD) patients was 11.6 g/dl with an interquartile range (IQR) of 10.6 - 12.4 g/dl. Of HD patients 85% had Hb ≥ 10.0 g/dl. The median Hb of peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients in the UK was 11.7 g/dl (IQR 10.7-12.6 g/dl). Of UK PD patients, 88% had Hb ≥ 10.0 g/dl. The median ferritin in HD patients in EWNI was 441 mg/L (IQR 289-629) and 96% of HD patients had a ferritin ≥ 100 mg/L. The median ferritin in PD patients was 249 mg/L (IQR 142-412) with 86% of PD patients having a ferritin 5100 mg/L. In EWNI the mean Erythropoietin Stimulating Agent (ESA) dose was higher for HD than PD patients (9,507 vs. 6,212 IU/week). In 2009, 56% of prevalent HD patients had a Hb ≥ 10.5 and ≤ 12.5 g/dl compared with 54% in 2008 and 53% in 2007. Fifty-four percent of prevalent PD patients had a Hb ≥10.5 and ≤12.5 g/dl compared to 55% in 2008. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Quantifying the activity of adenoviral E1A CR2 deletion mutants using renilla luciferase bioluminescence and 3'-deoxy-3'-[18F]fluorothymidine positron emission tomography imaging.

PubMed

Leyton, Julius; Lockley, Michelle; Aerts, Joeri L; Baird, Sarah K; Aboagye, Eric O; Lemoine, Nicholas R; McNeish, Iain A

2006-09-15

The adenoviral E1A CR2 mutant dl922-947 has potent activity in ovarian cancer. We have used Renilla luciferase bioluminescence imaging to monitor viral E1A expression and replication and [18F]fluorothymidine positron emission tomography ([18F]FLT-PET) to quantify the activity of dl922-947 in vivo. We created dlCR2 Ren, with the same E1A CR2 deletion as dl922-947 and the luciferase gene from Renilla reniformis downstream of E1. Light emitted from s.c. and i.p. IGROV1 ovarian carcinoma xenografts was measured following treatment with dlCR2 Ren. Mice bearing s.c. IGROV1 xenografts were injected with 2.96 to 3.7 MBq of [18F]FLT 48 and 168 hours following i.t. injection of dl922-947 or control virus Ad LM-X. The presence of Renilla luciferase in dlCR2 Ren did not reduce in vitro nor in vivo potency compared with dl922-947. Light emission correlated closely with E1A expression in vitro and peaked 48 hours after dlCR2 Ren injection in both s.c. and i.p. IGROV1 xenografts. It diminished by 168 hours in s.c. tumors but persisted for at least 2 weeks in i.p. models. Normalized tumor [18F]FLT uptake at 60 minutes (NUV60), fractional retention, and area under radioactivity curve all decreased marginally 48 hours after dl922-947 treatment and significantly at 168 hours compared with controls. There was a close linear correlation between NUV60 and both tumor proliferation (Ki67 labeling index) and thymidine kinase 1 expression. Renilla luciferase bioluminescence and [18F]FLT-PET imaging are capable of quantifying the activity and effectiveness of E1A CR2-deleted adenoviral mutants in ovarian cancer.

KIR3DL1 interaction with HLA-B27 is altered by ankylosing spondylitis associated ERAP1 and enhanced by MHC class I cross-linking.

PubMed

Abdullah, Hasan; Zhang, Zhenbo; Yee, Kirby; Haroon, Nigil

2015-01-01

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic, inflammatory arthritis of the spine and peripheral joints linked to the antigen presenting molecule HLA-B27. The risk of AS is increased in patients possessing endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase-1 (ERAP1) polymorphisms rs30187 and rs27044 encoding amino acid changes K528R and Q730E, respectively. Dysfunction of ERAP1 is hypothesized to cause changes in expression of HLA-B27 classical (pHLA) and non-classical (FHC) conformers on antigen presenting cells (APCs), which interact with the natural killer (NK) cell receptor KIR3DL1. Dysregulation of this pathway may be pathogenic in AS. APC cell lines expressing HLA-B27 were found to inhibit cytokine production in KIR3DL1+ NK cells due to decreased APC-NK cell adhesion, and possibly activation of receptor down-regulation. Blocking pHLA and FHC reveals that both conformers inhibit cytokine production through KIR3DL1. KIR3DL1 affinity and HLA-B27 surface expression studies suggest that ERAP1 R528 and E730 expression protects from AS by generating sub-optimal pHLA, causing reduced KIR3DL1 affinity and weaker cytokine inhibition. Secondarily we observed that KIR3DL1 binding to C1R-B27 APCs is enhanced by blocking pHLA, but not FHC, raising the possibility that antibody mediated HLA-B27 cross-linking may be important in enhancing KIR3DL1+ NK cell function. This study establishes the role of both FHC and pHLA in modulating NK cell cytokine secretion and adhesion functions by interacting with KIR3DL1. This interaction varies depending on the AS association status of the ERAP1 variant expressed in APCs. Additionally antibody cross-linking of HLA-B27 enhances KIR3DL1 binding and as such could be an important pathogenic mechanism in AS.

Effect of environmental lead pollution on blood lead levels in traffic police constables in Islamabad, Pakistan.

PubMed

Agha, Farida; Sadaruddin, Agha; Khatoon, Naz

2005-10-01

To determine the blood lead levels and trace elements (copper and manganese) in traffic police constables in Islamabad in order to assess the effects of environmental pollution on the levels of metals in body fluids. Blood samples were collected from 47 male traffic police constables, 21 to 45 years of age, posted in different areas of Islamabad and controlling traffic from 3 months to 18 years, 8 hours/day, 6 days/week. Adolescent males (13-19 years), residing in comparatively clean and very low traffic areas were included as controls. Blood lead, copper, and manganese concentrations were estimated by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The mean blood lead level among constables (27.27 microg/dl) was significantly (p<0.0001) high as compared to controls (3.22 microg/dl). Twenty one percent constables had elevated blood lead levels (over 25 microg/dl) and 13% had levels above the safety limit (40 microg/dl). No correlation was found between blood lead levels and length of service. No significant difference was found in the mean values for copper between traffic constables (93.49 microg/dl) and controls (71.15 microg/dl). The mean blood manganese levels in traffic constables (21.94 microg/dl) were significantly (p<0.0001) higher than in controls (1.70 microg/dl). The mean blood lead levels were significantly high in traffic constables of Karachi (47.7 microg/dl) as compared to Islamabad (27.2 microg/dl), which shows direct relation of rise in blood lead levels with vehicle exhaust. Environmental lead pollution is associated with an increased blood lead concentration in those who are regularly exposed to vehicle exhaust in high traffic areas. The degree of lead pollution arising from vehicle exhaust differs in Karachi and Islamabad. Exposure to air containing dust particles rich in manganese may affect blood manganese levels.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans, and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in rice straw smoke and their origins in Japan.

PubMed

Minomo, Kotaro; Ohtsuka, Nobutoshi; Nojiri, Kiyoshi; Hosono, Shigeo; Kawamura, Kiyoshi

2011-08-01

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) contained in the smoke generated from rice straw burning in post-harvest paddy fields in Japan were analyzed to determine their congener profiles. Both the apportionment of toxic equivalent (TEQ) by using indicative congeners and the comparison of the homolog profiles showed that the PCDDs/PCDFs/DL-PCBs present in the rice-straw smoke were greatly influenced by those present as impurities in pentachlorophenol (PCP) and chlornitrofen (CNP, 4-nitrophenyl-2,4,6-trichlorophenyl ether) formulations that had been widely used as herbicides in paddy fields in Japan. Further, in order to investigate the effects of paddy-field soil on the PCDDs/PCDFs/DL-PCBs present in rice-straw smoke, PCDD/PCDF/DL-PCB homolog profiles of rice straw, rice-straw smoke and paddy-field soil were compared. Rice-straw smoke was generated by burning rice straw on a stainless-steel tray in a laboratory. The results suggested that the herbicides-originated PCDDs/PCDFs/DL-PCBs and the atmospheric PCDDs/PCDFs/DL-PCBs contributed predominantly to the presence of PCDDs/PCDFs/DL-PCBs in the rice-straw smoke while the contribution of PCDDs/PCDFs/DL-PCBs formed during rice straw burning was relatively minimal. The major sources of the PCDDs/PCDFs/DL-PCBs found in the rice-straw smoke were attributed primarily to the paddy-field soil adhered to the rice straw surface and secondarily to the air taken by the rice straw. The principal component analysis supported these conclusions. It is concluded that rice straw burning at paddy fields acts as a driving force in the transfer of PCDDs/PCDFs/DL-PCBs from paddy-field soil to the atmosphere. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dendrimer-based Nanoparticle for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells with Improved Efficiency.

PubMed

Ghann, William; Kang, Hyeonggon; Uddin, Jamal; Gonawala, Sunalee J; Mahatabuddin, Sheikh; Ali, Meser M

2018-01-01

Dye sensitized solar cells were fabricated with DyLight680 (DL680) dye and its corresponding europium conjugated dendrimer, DL680-Eu-G5PAMAM, to study the effect of europium on the current and voltage characteristics of the DL680 dye sensitized solar cell. The dye samples were characterized by using Absorption Spectroscopy, Emission Spectroscopy, Fluorescence lifetime and Fourier Transform Infrared measurements. Transmission electron microscopy imaging was carried out on the DL680-Eu-G5PAMAM dye and DL680-Eu-G5PAMAM dye sensitized titanium dioxide nanoparticles to analyze the size of the dye molecules and examine the interaction of the dye with titanium dioxide nanoparticles. The DL680-Eu-G5PAMAM dye sensitized solar cells demonstrated an enhanced solar-to-electric energy conversion of 0.32% under full light illumination (100 mWcm -2 , AM 1.5 Global) in comparison with that of DL680 dye sensitized cells which recorded an average solar-to-electric energy conversion of only 0.19%. The improvement of the efficiency could be due to the presence of the europium that enhances the propensity of dye to absorb sunlight.

Photodynamic Therapy for Actinic Keratoses: A Randomized Prospective Non-sponsored Cost-effectiveness Study of Daylight-mediated Treatment Compared with Light-emitting Diode Treatment.

PubMed

Neittaanmäki-Perttu, Noora; Grönroos, Mari; Karppinen, Toni; Snellman, Erna; Rissanen, Pekka

2016-02-01

Daylight-mediated photodynamic therapy (DL-PDT) is considered as effective as conventional PDT using artificial light (light-emitting diode (LED)-PDT) for treatment of actinic keratoses (AK). This randomized prospective non-sponsored study assessed the cost-effectiveness of DL-PDT compared with LED-PDT. Seventy patients with 210 AKs were randomized to DL-PDT or LED-PDT groups. Effectiveness was assessed at 6 months. The costs included societal costs and private costs, including the time patients spent in treatment. Results are presented as incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). The total costs per patient were significantly lower for DL-PDT (€132) compared with LED-PDT (€170), giving a cost saving of €38 (p = 0.022). The estimated probabilities for patients' complete response were 0.429 for DL-PDT and 0.686 for LED-PDT; a difference in probability of being healed of 0.257. ICER showed a monetary gain of €147 per unit of effectiveness lost. DL-PDT is less costly and less effective than LED-PDT. In terms of cost-effectiveness analysis, DL-PDT provides lower value for money compared with LED-PDT.

Enhancement of bioavailability of cinnarizine from its beta-cyclodextrin complex on oral administration with DL-phenylalanine as a competing agent.

PubMed

Tokumura, T; Nanba, M; Tsushima, Y; Tatsuishi, K; Kayano, M; Machida, Y; Nagai, T

1986-04-01

The present investigation is concerned with an improvement of the bioavailability of cinnarizine by administering its beta-cyclodextrin complex together with another compound which competes with the beta-cyclodextrin molecule in complex formation in aqueous solution (competing agent). The bioavailability of cinnarizine on oral administration of the cinnarizine-beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complex was enhanced by the simultaneous administration of DL-phenylalanine as a competing agent, e.g., the AUC was 1.9 and 2.7 times as large as those of the cinnarizine-beta-cyclodextrin complex alone and cinnarizine alone, respectively. The enhancement of AUC and Cmax completely depended on the dose of DL-phenylalanine. It was found from these results that DL-phenylalanine acted as a competing agent in the GI tract and the minimum effective dose required of DL-phenylalanine might be 1 g for 50 mg of cinnarizine in the cinnarizine-beta-cyclodextrin complex. Evaluating the competing effect of DL-phenylalanine in vitro using an absorption simulator, it was found that the decreased penetration rate of cinnarizine through the artificial lipid barrier with addition of beta-cyclodextrin was restored with the addition of DL-phenylalanine.

Review on occurrence and behavior of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs in atmosphere of East Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trinh, Minh Man; Chang, Moo Been

2018-05-01

This paper reviews the data from studies mainly published after 2000 to provide the current understanding of the physicochemical properties, atmospheric occurrence, gas/particle partitioning, fate and temporal trends in atmospheric matrix of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs of East Asia. Ambient PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs concentrations in East Asia are found to be tens to hundreds times higher than that measured in Europe and North America. After strict regulations on PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs emissions are enacted, the concentrations of these compounds decrease dramatically in Eastern Asian countries. In general, most of PCDD/Fs distribute in particle phase while dl-PCBs majorly exist in gas phase. Three main factors including physicochemical properties of the compounds, properties of particle and atmospheric condition affect the gas/particle partitioning of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs. The accuracy of absorption and adsorption models on predicting gas/particle partitioning of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs is evaluated. Gas-phase compounds are mostly removed from the atmosphere via reactions with OH radicals while those in particle phase are majorly removed by wet/dry deposition processes. The effects of removing processes and long-range transport on gas/particle partitioning are also discussed.

A comparative biochemical profile of some cyprinids fish in Dukan Lake, Kurdistan-Iraq

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azeez, Darya Mohammed; Mohammed, Sarbaz Ibrahim

2017-09-01

The present study was carried out to demonstrate the baseline values for some serum biochemical parameters for 64 adult freshwater fish including seven species belong to family Cyprinidae, have been collected in Dukan Lake, Kurdistan region-Iraq. Fishes were weighed, measured, and collect blood for blood chemistry. Serum biochemical analyses were determined using (Cobas C 311) full automatic chemical analyzer. The result of comparative study of serum biochemical parameters of all Cyprinidae species showed that serum glucose was (459.10±106.99 mg/dl) and direct bilirubin was (0.056±0.021mg/dl) in Barbus grypus, serum total protein (3.511± 0.0484gm/dl) and HDL (133.11±0.4231mg/dl) in Cyprinus carpio, serum cholesterol (338.33±43.923 mg/dl) and LDL (86.11±11.871mg/dl) in Carassius carassius, serum triglyceride (420.0±28.8mg/dl) and ALK (113.93±20.65U/L) in Chondrostoma regium, serum AST and serum ALT in Capoeta trutta, were significantly higher when compared to other species. In a conclusion there is variation in biochemical values among species of same family.

Littoral Combat Ship: Is it a Blue-Green Asset?

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-02

to Mission Package Inventories , Homeports, and Installation Sites, by Brien Alkire, John ·Birkler, Lisa Dolan, James Dryden, Bryce Mason, Gordon T...Littoral Combat Ship Concept of Operations, V3.1 (February 2003), http:/ /www.global security .org/m ilitary /Library /report/2003/LCSCONO PS. htm# Operatio ...www.proquest.com/. US Navy. Littoral Combat Ships: Relating Performance to Mission Package Inventories , Homeports, and Installation Sites, by Brien Alkire

NASA's ECOSTRESS Investigation Being Installed on the International Space Station (Artist's Concept)

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-04-17

NASA's ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) will be installed on International Space Station's Japanese Experiment Module - External Facility (JEM-EF) site 10. The investigation will take advantage of the space station's orbit to measure plant surface temperatures at different times of day, allowing scientists to see how plants respond to water stress throughout the day. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22415

Comparison between project-based learning and discovery learning toward students' metacognitive strategies on global warming concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tumewu, Widya Anjelia; Wulan, Ana Ratna; Sanjaya, Yayan

2017-05-01

The purpose of this study was to know comparing the effectiveness of learning using Project-based learning (PjBL) and Discovery Learning (DL) toward students metacognitive strategies on global warming concept. A quasi-experimental research design with a The Matching-Only Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design was used in this study. The subjects were students of two classes 7th grade of one of junior high school in Bandung City, West Java of 2015/2016 academic year. The study was conducted on two experimental class, that were project-based learning treatment on the experimental class I and discovery learning treatment was done on the experimental class II. The data was collected through questionnaire to know students metacognitive strategies. The statistical analysis showed that there were statistically significant differences in students metacognitive strategies between project-based learning and discovery learning.

Influence of highly distinctive structural properties on the excitability of pyramidal neurons in monkey visual and prefrontal cortices

PubMed Central

Amatrudo, Joseph M.; Weaver, Christina M.; Crimins, Johanna L.; Hof, Patrick R.; Rosene, Douglas L.; Luebke, Jennifer I.

2012-01-01

Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings and high-resolution 3D morphometric analyses of layer 3 pyramidal neurons in in vitro slices of monkey primary visual cortex (V1) and dorsolateral granular prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) revealed that neurons in these two brain areas possess highly distinctive structural and functional properties. Area V1 pyramidal neurons are much smaller than dlPFC neurons, with significantly less extensive dendritic arbors and far fewer dendritic spines. Relative to dlPFC neurons, V1 neurons have a significantly higher input resistance, depolarized resting membrane potential and higher action potential (AP) firing rates. Most V1 neurons exhibit both phasic and regular-spiking tonic AP firing patterns, while dlPFC neurons exhibit only tonic firing. Spontaneous postsynaptic currents are lower in amplitude and have faster kinetics in V1 than in dlPFC neurons, but are no different in frequency. Three-dimensional reconstructions of V1 and dlPFC neurons were incorporated into computational models containing Hodgkin-Huxley and AMPA- and GABAA-receptor gated channels. Morphology alone largely accounted for observed passive physiological properties, but led to AP firing rates that differed more than observed empirically, and to synaptic responses that opposed empirical results. Accordingly, modeling predicts that active channel conductances differ between V1 and dlPFC neurons. The unique features of V1 and dlPFC neurons are likely fundamental determinants of area-specific network behavior. The compact electrotonic arbor and increased excitability of V1 neurons support the rapid signal integration required for early processing of visual information. The greater connectivity and dendritic complexity of dlPFC neurons likely support higher level cognitive functions including working memory and planning. PMID:23035077

Novel device-based acne treatments: comparison of a 1450-nm diode laser and microneedling radiofrequency on mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris and seborrhoea in Korean patients through a 20-week prospective, randomized, split-face study.

PubMed

Kwon, H H; Park, H Y; Choi, S C; Bae, Y; Jung, J Y; Park, G-H

2018-04-01

While device-based acne treatments are widely applied for patients not tolerating conventional medications, related controlled studies have been still limited. Recently, non-ablative 1450-nm diode laser (DL) and fractional microneedling radiofrequency (FMR) have been effectively used for acne, in addition to well-recognized dermal remodelling effects. To compare the clinical course of acne treatment between DL and FMR. Twenty-five Korean patients with mild-to-moderate facial acne completed treatments with DL and FMR through a 20-week, randomized split-face study. One randomly assigned half side of each patient's face received DL and the other side by FMR. Treatments were scheduled to receive three consecutive sessions at 4-week intervals. Objective assessments including revised Leeds grades, lesion counts, sebum output measurements, and patients' subjective satisfaction were investigated. Both DL and FMR demonstrated steady improvement of acne and seborrhoea during treatment sessions. While results between two devices were similar during treatment sessions, FMR was superior to DL in the 12-week follow-up. Patients' subjective assessments for seborrhoea improvement were similar between two devices, while those for acne, skin texture, and acne scars were more satisfactory for FMR. For safety profile, no significant difference was observed between two regimens, while mild postinflammatory hyperpigmentation was observed only in DL side. Both DL and FMR demonstrated efficacies for acne and seborrhoea, with reasonable safety profile. FMR was more effective than DL for the long-term maintenance, and subjective assessments for texture and scar improvements. Therefore, a few sessions of these devices would be a viable option for acne treatments. © 2017 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Comparison of serum trace element levels in patients with or without pre-eclampsia.

PubMed

Farzin, Leila; Sajadi, Fattaneh

2012-10-01

In developing countries, nutritional deficiency of essential trace elements is a common health problem, particularly among pregnant women because of increased requirements of various nutrients. Accordingly, this study was initiated to compare trace elements status in women with or without pre-eclampsia. In this study, serum trace elements including zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), copper (Cu), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) were determined by using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) in 60 patients and 60 healthy subjects. There was no significant difference in the values of Cu between two groups (P > 0.05). A significant difference in Zn, Se, Ca and Mg levels were observed between patients with pre-eclampsia and control group (P < 0.001, P<0.01, P<0.01 and P<0.001, respectively). Zn, Se, Ca and Mg levels were found to be 76.49 ± 17.62 μg/ dl, 8.82 ± 2.10 μg/ dl, 8.65 ± 2.14 mg/dl and 1.51 ± 0.34 mg/dl in Pre-eclamptic cases, and these values were found statistically lower compared to the controls (100.61 ± 20.12 μg/dl, 10.47 ± 2.78 μg/dl, 9.77 ± 3.02 mg/dl and 1.78 ± 0.27 mg/dl, respectively). While Cu levels were 118.28 ± 16.92 and 116.55 ± 15.23 μg/dl in the patients and the healthy subjects, respectively. In addition, no significant difference was found between two groups with respect to Hemoglobin Concentration (HbC) and Total White Blood Cell Count (TWBC) (P>0.05). Our findings indicate that the levels of Zn, Se, Ca and Mg are significantly altered in pregnant women with pre-eclampsia. This research shows that these deficiencies can not due to hemodilution.

Does drywall installers' innovative idea reduce the ergonomic exposures of ceiling installation: A field case study.

PubMed

Dasgupta, Priyadarshini Sengupta; Punnett, Laura; Moir, Susan; Kuhn, Sarah; Buchholz, Bryan

2016-07-01

The study was conducted to assess an intervention suggested by the workers to reduce the physical or ergonomic exposures of the drywall installation task. The drywall installers were asked to brainstorm on innovative ideas that could reduce their ergonomic exposures during the drywall installation work. The workers proposed the idea of using a 'deadman' (narrow panel piece) to hold the panels to the ceiling while installing them. The researcher collected quantitative exposure data (PATH, 3DSSPP) at the baseline and intervention phases and compared the phases to find out any change in the exposure while using the 'deadman'. Results showed that ergonomic exposures (such as overhead arm and awkward trunk postures and heavy load handling) were reduced at the intervention phase while using the 'deadman' with an electrically operated lift. The concept of the 'deadman', which was shown to help reduce musculoskeletal exposures during ceiling installation, can be used to fabricate a permanent ergonomic tool to support the ceiling drywall panel. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Installation Time for SMASHmount by SMASHsolar

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

The Department of Energy SunShot Incubator program provides early-stage assistance to help startup companies cross technological barriers to commercialization while encouraging private sector investment. The SunShot Incubator program aims to shorten the time it takes for a young business or company to develop an innovative product concept and make it commercially available, which includes product prototyping, deployment, and, potentially, manufacturing. SMASHsolar was selected as an Incubator awardee to develop a simple, snap-together, module-integrated photovoltaic (PV) mounting system in attempts to dramatically reduce the time, effort and skill needed to install rooftop solar. In support of this award, the National Renewablemore » Energy Laboratory worked with SMASHsolar to develop a procedure for evaluating the installation time required for the SMASHmount system vs. widely-available rail systems. Amongst several installations, NREL measured the following installation times, subject to the qualifications and conditions described later in this report. NREL found that the SMASHsolar SMASHmount system was installed between 15% and 37% faster than tested competing systems after one or two installations of the system.« less

Project C.H.A.N.G.E.: Concepts of Handicaps and Attitudes Need Guidance and Education. Teacher Training Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, M. Sherry; And Others

The first of six volumes about Project CHANGE (Concepts of Handicaps and Attitudes Need Guidance and Education), a curriculum designed to improve elementary aged children's attitudes toward the disabled, presents information on installation and management of the inservice teacher training component, audiovisual materials for the teacher training…

Non-invasive glucose monitoring in patients with diabetes: a novel system based on impedance spectroscopy.

PubMed

Caduff, A; Dewarrat, F; Talary, M; Stalder, G; Heinemann, L; Feldman, Yu

2006-12-15

The aim of this work was to evaluate the performance of a novel non-invasive continuous glucose-monitoring system based on impedance spectroscopy (IS) in patients with diabetes. Ten patients with type 1 diabetes (mean+/-S.D., age 28+/-8 years, BMI 24.2+/-3.2 kg/m(2) and HbA(1C) 7.3+/-1.6%) and five with type 2 diabetes (age 61+/-8 years, BMI 27.5+/-3.2 kg/m(2) and HbA(1C) 8.3+/-1.8%) took part in this study, which comprised a glucose clamp experiment followed by a 7-day outpatient evaluation. The measurements obtained by the NI-CGMD and the reference blood glucose-measuring techniques were evaluated using retrospective data evaluation procedures. Under less controlled outpatient conditions a correlation coefficient of r=0.640 and a standard error of prediction (SEP) of 45 mg dl(-1) with a total of 590 paired glucose measurements was found (versus r=0.926 and a SEP of 26 mg dl(-1) under controlled conditions). Clark error grid analyses (EGA) showed 56% of all values in zone A, 37% in B and 7% in C-E. In conclusion, these results indicate that IS in the used technical setting allows retrospective, continuous and truly non-invasive glucose monitoring under defined conditions for patients with diabetes. Technical advances and developments are needed to expand on this concept to bring the results from the outpatient study closer to those in the experimental section of the study. Further studies will not only help to evaluate the performance and limitations of using such a technique for non non-invasive glucose monitoring but also help to verify technical extensions towards a IS-based concept that offers improved performance under real life operating conditions.

Study of axial double layer in helicon plasma by optical emission spectroscopy and simple probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, ZHAO; Wanying, ZHU; Huihui, WANG; Qiang, CHEN; Chang, TAN; Jiting, OUYANG

2018-07-01

In this work we used a passive measurement method based on a high-impedance electrostatic probe and an optical emission spectroscope (OES) to investigate the characteristics of the double layer (DL) in an argon helicon plasma. The DL can be confirmed by a rapid change in the plasma potential along the axis. The axial potential variation of the passive measurement shows that the DL forms near a region of strong magnetic field gradient when the plasma is operated in wave-coupled mode, and the DL strength increases at higher powers in this experiment. The emission intensity of the argon atom line, which is strongly dependent on the metastable atom concentration, shows a similar spatial distribution to the plasma potential along the axis. The emission intensity of the argon atom line and the argon ion line in the DL suggests the existence of an energetic electron population upstream of the DL. The electron density upstream is much higher than that downstream, which is mainly caused by these energetic electrons.

Planck intermediate results: XXIX. All-sky dust modelling with Planck, IRAS, and WISE observations

DOE PAGES

Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.; Alves, M. I. R.; ...

2016-02-09

In this paper, we present all-sky modelling of the high resolution Planck, IRAS, and WISE infrared (IR) observations using the physical dust model presented by Draine & Li in 2007 (DL, ApJ, 657, 810). We study the performance and results of this model, and discuss implications for future dust modelling. The present work extends the DL dust modelling carried out on nearby galaxies using Herschel and Spitzer data to Galactic dust emission. We employ the DL dust model to generate maps of the dust mass surface density Σ Md, the dust optical extinction A V, and the starlight intensity heatingmore » the bulk of the dust, parametrized by U min. The DL model reproduces the observed spectral energy distribution (SED) satisfactorily over most of the sky, with small deviations in the inner Galactic disk and in low ecliptic latitude areas, presumably due to zodiacal light contamination. In the Andromeda galaxy (M31), the present dust mass estimates agree remarkably well (within 10%) with DL estimates based on independent Spitzer and Herschel data. We compare the DL optical extinction A V for the diffuse interstellar medium (ISM) with optical estimates for approximately 2 × 10 5 quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) observed inthe Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The DL A V estimates are larger than those determined towards QSOs by a factor of about 2, which depends on U min. The DL fitting parameter U min, effectively determined by the wavelength where the SED peaks, appears to trace variations in the far-IR opacity of the dust grains per unit A V, and not only in the starlight intensity. These results show that some of the physical assumptions of the DL model will need to be revised. To circumvent the model deficiency, we propose an empirical renormalization of the DL A V estimate, dependent of U min, which compensates for the systematic differences found with QSO observations. This renormalization, made to match the A V estimates towards QSOs, also brings into agreement the DL A V estimates with those derived for molecular clouds from the near-IR colours of stars in the 2 micron all sky survey (2MASS). The DL model and the QSOs data are also used to compress the spectral information in the Planck and IRAS observations for the diffuse ISM to a family of 20 SEDs normalized per A V, parameterized by U min, which may be used to test and empirically calibrate dust models. Finally, the family of SEDs and the maps generated with the DL model are made public in the Planck Legacy Archive.« less

Evaluation of lead levels in children living near a Los Angeles county battery recycling facility.

PubMed Central

Wohl, A R; Dominguez, A; Flessel, P

1996-01-01

This cross-sectional study examined the association between environmental lead measurements surrounding a Los Angeles County battery recycling facility and the blood lead levels of the children living nearby. Environmental lead measurements and blood lead levels of young children living in a community adjacent to a stationary lead source were compared to those living in a community without a stationary lead source. Predictors of blood lead level were identified. The blood lead levels of the children living near the secondary lead smelter were within the normal range (< 5 micrograms/dl). The absence of ground cover was associated with slightly increased blood lead levels; however, this increase was not of biological significance. Lead levels in surface soil near the stationary lead source were elevated compared to the control community; however, the soil affected community, which may be due in part to controls recently installed at the stationary lead source. PMID:8919770

Impact of low level radiation on concentrations of some trace elements in radiation workers.

PubMed

Rostampour, Nima; Almasi, Tinoosh; Rostampour, Masoumeh; Sadeghi, Hamid Reza; Khodamoradi, Ehsan; Razi, Reyhaneh; Derakhsh, Zahra

2018-05-01

Small variations in trace element levels may cause important physiological changes in the human body. This study aims to evaluate five important trace elements in radiation workers. In this study, 44 radiation workers and an equal number of non-radiation workers were selected as the case and control group, respectively. The concentrations of iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, and selenium in the serum of the participants were measured using an Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). The mean concentrations of iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, and selenium for the case group were 107.3 µg/dl, 2.3 mg/dl, 80.9 µg/dl, 112.6 µg/dl and 216.7 ng/ml, respectively. The results for the control group were 121.9 µg/dl, 2.3 mg/dl, 82.3 µg/dl, 112.8 µg/dl and 225.2 ng/ml, respectively. The mean concentration of iron in the case group was significantly lower than the control group (p-value = 0.012), while the concentrations of other elements in both of the groups were not significantly different. In the case group, except magnesium (p-value = 0.021), no significant relationship was found between age and the elemental concentrations. According to Spearman's test, there was a meaningful statistical correlation between the sex and concentration of iron, Mg, Zn, and Se. Also, the correlation between the concentration of magnesium and the weights of radiation workers was significant (p-value =0.044). © 2018 Old City Publishing, Inc.

A phase I trial of imatinib in combination with mFOLFOX6-bevacizumab in patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

PubMed

Michael, M; Zalcberg, J; Gibbs, P; Lipton, L; Gouillou, M; Jefford, M; McArthur, G; Copeman, M; Lynch, K; Tebbutt, N C

2013-02-01

Platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) inhibition by reducing tumoral interstitial fluid pressure might increase the efficacy of chemotherapy. Imatinib inhibits PDGFR kinase activity at therapeutically relevant doses. This phase I study aimed to assess the maximal tolerated dose (MTD) of imatinib in combination with mFOLFOX6-bevacizumab in patients with advanced colorectal cancer and to identify pharmacokinetic (PK) interactions and toxicities. Eligible patients had measurable disease and adequate organ function. On day-14, patients commenced imatinib daily plus bevacizumab (5 mg/kg/2 weekly). Two weeks later (day 1), patients were also treated with full dose mFOLFOX6-bevacizumab for 12 cycles. Blood samples were taken for PK. DLTs defined in the first 6 weeks. Standard dose escalation of imatinib, with 3 patient cohorts: planned dose levels (DL): DL1; 400 mg, DL2; 600 mg, DL3; 800 mg daily. Ten patients enrolled. DL1 3 patients, DL2 7 patients. DLTs observed in 3 of 6 patients in DL2: febrile neutropenia (2); Grade 3 infection and Grade 4 neutropenia (1). Neutropenia was most frequent AEs: Grade 3/4 in >60 % of patients overall. In DL2 pts, imatinib clearance was reduced post-chemotherapy (P < 0.05). Oxaliplatin and 5FU PK unchanged by imatinib. MTD was imatinib 400 mg plus full dose mFOLFOX-bevacizumab. Dose escalation of imatinib limited by neutropenia. Further study is warranted as imatinib can be delivered at levels that inhibit PDGFR.

Possible Role of HLA-G, LILRB1 and KIR2DL4 Gene Polymorphisms in Spontaneous Miscarriage.

PubMed

Nowak, Izabela; Malinowski, Andrzej; Barcz, Ewa; Wilczyński, Jacek R; Wagner, Marta; Majorczyk, Edyta; Motak-Pochrzęst, Hanna; Banasik, Małgorzata; Kuśnierczyk, Piotr

2016-12-01

The KIR2DL4 receptor and its ligand HLA-G are considered important for fetal-maternal immune tolerance and successful pregnancy. The absence of a particular variant of KIR2DL4 might be a bad prognostic factor for pregnancy outcome. However, it could be compensated by the presence of the respective LILRB1 allele. Therefore, we investigated the KIR2DL4, LILRB1 and HLA-G polymorphisms in 277 couples with spontaneous abortion and 219 control couples by HRM, PCR-SSP and RFLP methods. We found a protective effect of women's heterozygosity in -716 HLA-G (p = 0.0206) and LILRB1 (p = 0.0131) against spontaneous abortion. Surprisingly, we observed more 9A/10A genotypes of KIR2DL4 gene carriers in the group of male partners from the miscarriage group in comparison to the men from the control group (p = 0.0288). Furthermore, there was no association of women's KIR2DL4 polymorphism with susceptibility to spontaneous abortion. Multivariate analysis indicated that women's -716 HLA-G and LILRB1 and men's KIR2DL4 9A/10A are important in terms of the protection or susceptibility to miscarriage, respectively (p = 0.00968). In conclusion, a woman's heterozygosity in HLA-G and LILRB1 might be an advantage for a success of reproduction, but the partner's heterozygosity in 9A/10A KIR2DL4 alleles might not.

Atmospheric concentrations and gas-particle partitioning of PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs around Hochiminh city.

PubMed

Trinh, Minh Man; Tsai, Ching Lan; Hien, To Thi; Thuan, Ngo Thi; Chi, Kai Hsien; Lien, Chien Guo; Chang, Moo Been

2018-07-01

Atmospheric PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs samples were collected in Hochiminh city, Vietnam to address the effect of meteorological parameters, especially rainfall, on the occurrence and gas/particle partitioning of these persistent organic pollutants. The results indicate that PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs concentrations in industrial site are higher than those measured in commercial and rural sites during both rainy and dry seasons. In terms of mass concentration, ambient PCDD/F levels measured in dry season are significantly higher than those measured in rainy season while dl-PCB levels do not vary significantly between rainy and dry seasons. The difference could be attributed to different gas/particle partitioning characteristics between PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs. PCDD/Fs are found to be mainly distributed in particle phase while dl- PCBs are predominantly distributed in gas phase in both rainy and dry seasons. Additionally, Junge-Pankow and Harner-Bidleman models are applied to better understand the gas/particle partitioning of these pollutants in atmosphere. As a results, both PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs are under non-equilibrium gas/particle partitioning condition, and PCDD/Fs tend to reach equilibrium easier in rainy season while there are no clear trend for dl-PCBs. Harner-Bidleman model performs better in evaluating the gas/particle partitioning of PCDD/Fs while Junge-Pankow model results in better prediction for dl-PCBs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of guided horizontal boring tools. Final report, June 1984-March 1991

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

McDonald, W.J.; Herben, W.C.; Pittard, G.T.

Maurer Engineering Inc. (MEI), under a contract with the Gas Research Institute (GRI), has led a team of research and manufacturing companies with the goal of developing a guided boring tool for installing gas distribution piping. Studies indicated guided horizontal boring systems can provide gas utilities with a more effective and economical method for installing pipe than conventional techniques with a potential cost savings of at least 15% to 50%. A comprehensive state of technology review of horizontal boring tools identified concepts appropriate to being directionally controlled. Development of a universal system was found impractical because the requirements for shortmore » and extended range systems are significantly different. Concepts for steering and tracking were evaluated through lab and field experiments which progressed from proof of concept tests to cooperative field tests with gas utilities at the various stages of system development. The systems were brought to commercial status with needed modifications and the technology transferred to licensees who would market the systems. The program resulted in the development and commercialization of five distinct guided boring system. Pipe can now be installed more rapidly over longer distances with a minimal amount of excavation required for launching and retrieval. This means increased work crew productivity, reduced disturbance to landscaping and environmentally sensitive areas, and reduced traffic disruption and public inconvenience.« less

48 CFR 2953.102 - Quotation for Simplified Acquisitions DL 1-2078.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Quotation for Simplified Acquisitions DL 1-2078. 2953.102 Section 2953.102 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF LABOR CLAUSE AND FORMS FORMS General 2953.102 Quotation for Simplified Acquisitions DL 1-2078. The following...

Dichotic Listening and Left-Right Confusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirnstein, Marco

2011-01-01

The present study examined the relationship between individual differences in dichotic listening (DL) and the susceptibility to left-right confusion (LRC). Thirty-six men and 59 women completed a consonant-vowel DL test, a behavioral LRC task, and an LRC self-rating questionnaire. Significant negative correlations between overall DL accuracy and…

7 CFR 205.603 - Synthetic substances allowed for use in organic livestock production.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Water Act. (i) Calcium hypochlorite. (ii) Chlorine dioxide. (iii) Sodium hypochlorite. (8) Electrolytes... additives. (1) DL-Methionine, DL-Methionine—hydroxy analog, and DL-Methionine—hydroxy analog calcium (CAS... following maximum levels of synthetic methionine per ton of feed: laying chickens—4 pounds; broiler chickens...

7 CFR 205.603 - Synthetic substances allowed for use in organic livestock production.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Water Act. (i) Calcium hypochlorite. (ii) Chlorine dioxide. (iii) Sodium hypochlorite. (8) Electrolytes... additives. (1) DL-Methionine, DL-Methionine—hydroxy analog, and DL-Methionine—hydroxy analog calcium (CAS... following maximum levels of synthetic methionine per ton of feed: laying chickens—4 pounds; broiler chickens...

7 CFR 205.603 - Synthetic substances allowed for use in organic livestock production.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Water Act. (i) Calcium hypochlorite. (ii) Chlorine dioxide. (iii) Sodium hypochlorite. (8) Electrolytes.... (1) DL-Methionine, DL-Methionine-hydroxy analog, and DL-Methionine-hydroxy analog calcium (CAS #'s 59... maximum levels of synthetic methionine per ton of feed: Laying and broiler chickens—2 pounds; turkeys and...

7 CFR 205.603 - Synthetic substances allowed for use in organic livestock production.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Water Act. (i) Calcium hypochlorite. (ii) Chlorine dioxide. (iii) Sodium hypochlorite. (8) Electrolytes.... (1) DL-Methionine, DL-Methionine-hydroxy analog, and DL-Methionine-hydroxy analog calcium (CAS #'s 59... maximum levels of synthetic methionine per ton of feed: Laying and broiler chickens—2 pounds; turkeys and...

Dorsolateral Prefrontal Contributions to Human Intelligence

PubMed Central

Barbey, Aron K.; Colom, Roberto; Grafman, Jordan

2012-01-01

Although cognitive neuroscience has made remarkable progress in understanding the involvement of the prefrontal cortex in executive control functions for human intelligence, the necessity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) for key competencies of general intelligence and executive function remains to be well established. Here we studied human brain lesion patients with dlPFC lesions to investigate whether this region is computationally necessary for performance on neuropsychological tests of general intelligence and executive function, administering the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and subtests of the Delis Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) to three groups: dlPFC lesions (n = 19), non-dlPFC lesions (n = 152), and no brain lesions (n = 55). The key results indicate that: (1) patients with focal dlPFC damage exhibit lower scores, at the latent variable level, than controls in general intelligence (g) and executive function; (2) dlPFC patients demonstrate lower scores than controls in several executive measures; and (3) these latter differences are no longer significant when the pervasive influence of the general factor of intelligence (g) is statistically removed. The observed findings support a central role for the dlPFC in general intelligence and make specific recommendations for the interpretation and application of the WAIS and D-KEFS to the study of high-level cognition in health and disease. PMID:22634247

Evaluation of a childhood lead questionnaire in predicting elevated blood lead levels in a rural community.

PubMed

Muñiz, Marco A; Dundas, Robert; Mahoney, Martin C

2003-01-01

The accuracy of a lead screening questionnaire in predicting elevated blood lead levels was examined in a pediatric practice in a rural part of New York state. A retrospective chart review was used to collect data on children ages 9 to 24 months who presented for well-child visits. Children with both questionnaire and lead level results available in the chart were included in the study (n = 171). The mean blood lead level among all children was 1.6 microg/dl (median = 2.0 microg/dl, range 0 to 24 microg/dl). Four children (2.3%) had elevated lead levels (greater than 10 microg/dl), with levels for two of these children being greater than 20 microg/dl. Although our lead screening questionnaire was expanded from the standard 1991 CDC questionnaire by the inclusion of six additional items, it was not especially useful in predicting elevated blood lead levels above 10 microg/dl. However, the questionnaire exhibited some utility in predicting marked elevations in blood lead levels (over 20 microg/dl). Although results in other geographic areas might differ, the lead questionnaire may have value by enhancing parents' awareness of potential lead hazards in their children's environment and may prove to be more useful in areas of high risk to lead exposure.

Internal coordination between hydraulics and stomatal control in leaves.

PubMed

Brodribb, Tim J; Jordan, Gregory J

2008-11-01

The stomatal response to changing leaf-atmospheric vapour pressure gradient (D(l)) is a crucial yet enigmatic process that defines the daily course of leaf gas exchange. Changes in the hydration of epidermal cells are thought to drive this response, mediated by the transpiration rate and hydraulic conductance of the leaf. Here, we examine whether species-specific variation in the sensitivity of leaves to perturbation of D(l) is related to the efficiency of water transport in the leaf (leaf hydraulic conductivity, K(leaf)). We found good correlation between maximum liquid (K(leaf)) and gas phase conductances (g(max)) in leaves, but there was no direct correlation between normalized D(l) sensitivity and K(leaf). The impact of K(leaf) on D(l) sensitivity in our diverse sample of eight species was important only after accounting for the strong relationship between K(leaf) and g(max). Thus, the ratio of g(max)/K(leaf) was strongly correlated with stomatal sensitivity to D(l). This ratio is an index of the degree of hydraulic buffering of the stomata against changes in D(l), and species with high g(max) relative to K(leaf) were the most sensitive to D(l) perturbation. Despite the potentially high adaptive significance of this phenomenon, we found no significant phylogenetic or ecological trend in our species.

Killer Immunoglobulin-Like Receptor Profiles Are not Associated with Risk of Amoxicillin-Clavulanate-Induced Liver Injury in Spanish Patients.

PubMed

Stephens, Camilla; Moreno-Casares, Antonia; López-Nevot, Miguel-Ángel; García-Cortés, Miren; Medina-Cáliz, Inmaculada; Hallal, Hacibe; Soriano, German; Roman, Eva; Ruiz-Cabello, Francisco; Romero-Gomez, Manuel; Lucena, M Isabel; Andrade, Raúl J

2016-01-01

Natural killer cells are an integral part of the immune system and represent a large proportion of the lymphocyte population in the liver. The activity of these cells is regulated by various cell surface receptors, such as killer Ig-like receptors (KIR) that bind to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I ligands on the target cell. The composition of KIR receptors has been suggested to influence the development of specific diseases, in particularly autoimmune diseases, cancer and reproductive diseases. The role played in idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is currently unknown. In this study, we examined KIR gene profiles and HLA class I polymorphisms in amoxicillin-clavulanate (AC) DILI patients in search for potential risk associations. One hundred and two AC DILI patients and 226 controls were genotyped for the presence or absence of 16 KIR loci, including the two pseudogenes 2DP1 and 3DP1. No significant differences were found in the distribution of individual KIRs between patients and controls, which were comparable to previously reported KIR data from ethnically similar cohorts. The 21.6 and 21.2% of the patients and controls, respectively, were homozygous haplotype A carriers, while 78.4 and 78.8%, respectively, contained at least one B haplotype (Bx). The genotypes translated into 27 (AC DILI) and 46 (controls) different gene profiles, with 19 being present in both groups. The most frequent Bx gene profile containing KIRs 2DS2, 2DL2, 2DL3, 2DP1, 2DL1, 3DL1, 2DS4, 3DL2, 3DL3, 2DL4, and 3PD1 was present in 16% of the DILI patients and 14% of the controls. The distribution of HLA class I epitopes did not differ significantly between AC DILI patients and controls. The most frequent receptor-ligand combinations in the DILI patients were 2DL3 + epitope C1 (67%) and 3DL1 + Bw4 motif (67%), while 2DL1 + epitope C2 (69%) and 3DL1 + Bw4 motif (69%) predominated in the controls. This is to our knowledge the first analysis of KIR receptor-HLA ligand associations in DILI, although our findings do not support evidence of these genetic variations playing a major role in AC DILI development.

Killer Immunoglobulin-Like Receptor Profiles Are not Associated with Risk of Amoxicillin-Clavulanate–Induced Liver Injury in Spanish Patients

PubMed Central

Stephens, Camilla; Moreno-Casares, Antonia; López-Nevot, Miguel-Ángel; García-Cortés, Miren; Medina-Cáliz, Inmaculada; Hallal, Hacibe; Soriano, German; Roman, Eva; Ruiz-Cabello, Francisco; Romero-Gomez, Manuel; Lucena, M. Isabel; Andrade, Raúl J.

2016-01-01

Natural killer cells are an integral part of the immune system and represent a large proportion of the lymphocyte population in the liver. The activity of these cells is regulated by various cell surface receptors, such as killer Ig-like receptors (KIR) that bind to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I ligands on the target cell. The composition of KIR receptors has been suggested to influence the development of specific diseases, in particularly autoimmune diseases, cancer and reproductive diseases. The role played in idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is currently unknown. In this study, we examined KIR gene profiles and HLA class I polymorphisms in amoxicillin-clavulanate (AC) DILI patients in search for potential risk associations. One hundred and two AC DILI patients and 226 controls were genotyped for the presence or absence of 16 KIR loci, including the two pseudogenes 2DP1 and 3DP1. No significant differences were found in the distribution of individual KIRs between patients and controls, which were comparable to previously reported KIR data from ethnically similar cohorts. The 21.6 and 21.2% of the patients and controls, respectively, were homozygous haplotype A carriers, while 78.4 and 78.8%, respectively, contained at least one B haplotype (Bx). The genotypes translated into 27 (AC DILI) and 46 (controls) different gene profiles, with 19 being present in both groups. The most frequent Bx gene profile containing KIRs 2DS2, 2DL2, 2DL3, 2DP1, 2DL1, 3DL1, 2DS4, 3DL2, 3DL3, 2DL4, and 3PD1 was present in 16% of the DILI patients and 14% of the controls. The distribution of HLA class I epitopes did not differ significantly between AC DILI patients and controls. The most frequent receptor-ligand combinations in the DILI patients were 2DL3 + epitope C1 (67%) and 3DL1 + Bw4 motif (67%), while 2DL1 + epitope C2 (69%) and 3DL1 + Bw4 motif (69%) predominated in the controls. This is to our knowledge the first analysis of KIR receptor-HLA ligand associations in DILI, although our findings do not support evidence of these genetic variations playing a major role in AC DILI development. PMID:27616993

The arthritis-associated HLA-B*27:05 allele forms more cell surface B27 dimer and free heavy chain ligands for KIR3DL2 than HLA-B*27:09

PubMed Central

Shaw, Jacqueline; Giles, Joanna; Hatano, Hiroko; Rysnik, Oliwia; Payeli, Sravan; McHugh, Kirsty; Dessole, Grazia; Porru, Giovanni; Desogus, Elisabetta; Fiedler, Sarah; Hölper, Soraya; Carette, Amanda; Blanco-Gelaz, Miguel Angel; Vacca, Alessandra; Piga, Matteo; Ibba, Valentina; Garau, Pietro; La Nasa, Giorgio; López-Larrea, Carlos; Mathieu, Alessandro; Renner, Christoph; Bowness, Paul; Kollnberger, Simon

2013-01-01

Objectives. HLA-B*27:05 is associated with AS whereas HLA-B*27:09 is not associated. We hypothesized that different interactions with KIR immune receptors could contribute to the difference in disease association between HLA-B*27:05 and HLAB*27:09. Thus, the objective of this study was to compare the formation of β2m-free heavy chain (FHC) including B27 dimers (B272) by HLA-B*27:05 and HLA-B*27:09 and their binding to KIR immunoreceptors. Methods. We studied the formation of HLA-B*27:05 and HLA-B*27:09 heterotrimers and FHC forms including dimers in vitro and in transfected cells. We investigated HLA-B*27:05 and HLA-B*27:09 binding to KIR3DL1, KIR3DL2 and LILRB2 by FACS staining with class I tetramers and by quantifying interactions with KIR3DL2CD3ε-reporter cells and KIR3DL2-expressing NK cells. We also measured KIR expression on peripheral blood NK and CD4 T cells from 18 HLA-B*27:05 AS patients, 8 HLA-B27 negative and 12 HLA-B*27:05+ and HLA-B*27:09+ healthy controls by FACS staining. Results. HLA-B*27:09 formed less B272 and FHC than HLA-B*27:05. HLA-B*27:05-expressing cells stimulated KIR3DL2CD3ε-reporter T cells more effectively. Cells expressing HLA-B*27:05 promoted KIR3DL2+ NK cell survival more strongly than HLA-B*27:09. HLA-B*27:05 and HLA-B*27:09 dimer tetramers stained KIR3DL1, KIR3DL2 and LILRB2 equivalently. Increased proportions of NK and CD4 T cells expressed KIR3DL2 in HLA-B*27:05+ AS patients compared with HLA-B*27:05+, HLA-B*27:09+ and HLA-B27− healthy controls. Conclusion. Differences in the formation of FHC ligands for KIR3DL2 by HLA-B*27:05 and HLA-B*27:09 could contribute to the differential association of these alleles with AS. PMID:23804219

Inlet design for high-speed propfans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Little, B. H., Jr.; Hinson, B. L.

1982-01-01

A two-part study was performed to design inlets for high-speed propfan installation. The first part was a parametric study to select promising inlet concepts. A wide range of inlet geometries was examined and evaluated - primarily on the basis of cruise thrust and fuel burn performance. Two inlet concepts were than chosen for more detailed design studies - one apropriate to offset engine/gearbox arrangements and the other to in-line arrangements. In the second part of this study, inlet design points were chosen to optimize the net installed thrust, and detailed design of the two inlet configurations was performed. An analytical methodology was developed to account for propfan slipstream effects, transonic flow efects, and three-dimensional geometry effects. Using this methodology, low drag cowls were designed for the two inlets.

Effects of hyperglycemia on fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose biodistribution in a large oncology clinical practice.

PubMed

Rosica, Dillenia; Cheng, Su-Chun; Hudson, Margo; Sakellis, Christopher; Van den Abbeele, Annick D; Kim, Chun K; Jacene, Heather A

2018-05-01

Suggested cutoff points of blood glucose levels (BGL) before F-FDG PET/CT scanning vary between 120 and 200 mg/dl in current guidelines. This study's purpose was to compare the frequency of abnormal fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) biodistribution on PET/CT scans of patients with various ranges of abnormal BGL and to determine the effect of BGL greater than 200 mg/dl on F-FDG uptake in various organs. F-FDG PET/CT scans were retrospectively reviewed for 325 patients with BGL greater than 120 mg/dl at the time of scan and 112 with BGL less than or equal to 120 mg/dl. F-FDG biodistribution was categorized as normal, mildly abnormal, or abnormal by visual analysis of brain, background soft tissue, and muscle. Mean standardized uptake values (SUVmean) in brain, liver, fat (flank), gluteal muscle, and blood pool (aorta) were recorded. F-FDG biodistribution frequencies were assessed using a nonparametric χ-test for trend. Normal organ SUVs were compared using Kruskal-Wallis tests using the following BGL groupings: ≤120, 121-150, 151-200, and ≥201 mg/dl. Although higher BGL were significantly associated with an increased proportion of abnormal biodistribution (P<0.001), most patients with BGL less than or equal to 200 mg/dl had normal or mildly abnormal biodistribution. Average brain SUVmean significantly decreased with higher BGL groupings (P<0.001). Average aorta, gluteal muscle, and liver SUVmean did not significantly differ among groups with BGL greater than 120 mg/dl (P=0.66, 0.84, and 0.39, respectively), but were significantly lower in those with BGL less than or equal to 120 mg/dl (P≤0.001). Flank fat SUVmean was not significantly different among BGL groups (P=0.67). Abnormal F-FDG biodistribution is associated with higher BGL at the time of scan, but the effects are negligible or mild in most patients with BGL less than 200 mg/dl. Although mildly increased soft tissue uptake is seen with BGL greater than 120 mg/dl, decline in brain metabolic activity correlated the most with various BGL.

Effect of ketogenic Mediterranean diet with phytoextracts and low carbohydrates/high-protein meals on weight, cardiovascular risk factors, body composition and diet compliance in Italian council employees.

PubMed

Paoli, Antonio; Cenci, Lorenzo; Grimaldi, Keith A

2011-10-12

There has been increased interest in recent years in very low carbohydrate ketogenic diets (VLCKD) that, even though they are much discussed and often opposed, have undoubtedly been shown to be effective, at least in the short to medium term, as a tool to tackle obesity, hyperlipidemia and some cardiovascular risk factors. For this reason the ketogenic diet represents an interesting option but unfortunately suffers from a low compliance. The aim of this pilot study is to ascertain the safety and effects of a modified ketogenic diet that utilizes ingredients which are low in carbohydrates but are formulated to simulate its aspect and taste and also contain phytoextracts to add beneficial effects of important vegetable components. The study group consisted of 106 Rome council employees with a body mass index of ≥ 25, age between 18 and 65 years (19 male and 87 female; mean age 48.49 ± 10.3). We investigated the effects of a modified ketogenic diet based on green vegetables, olive oil, fish and meat plus dishes composed of high quality protein and virtually zero carbohydrate but which mimic their taste, with the addition of some herbal extracts (KEMEPHY ketogenic Mediterranean with phytoextracts). Calories in the diet were unlimited. Measurements were taken before and after 6 weeks of diet. There were no significant changes in BUN, ALT, AST, GGT and blood creatinine. We detected a significant (p < 0.0001) reduction in BMI (31.45 Kg/m2 to 29.01 Kg/m2), body weight (86.15 kg to 79.43 Kg), percentage of fat mass (41.24% to 34.99%), waist circumference (106.56 cm to 97.10 cm), total cholesterol (204 mg/dl to 181 mg/dl), LDLc (150 mg/dl to 136 mg/dl), triglycerides (119 mg/dl to 93 mg/dl) and blood glucose (96 mg/dl to 91 mg/dl). There was a significant (p < 0.0001) increase in HDLc (46 mg/dl to 52 mg/dl). The KEMEPHY diet lead to weight reduction, improvements in cardiovascular risk markers, reduction in waist circumference and showed good compliance.

The Hartung-Knapp-Sidik-Jonkman method for random effects meta-analysis is straightforward and considerably outperforms the standard DerSimonian-Laird method

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The DerSimonian and Laird approach (DL) is widely used for random effects meta-analysis, but this often results in inappropriate type I error rates. The method described by Hartung, Knapp, Sidik and Jonkman (HKSJ) is known to perform better when trials of similar size are combined. However evidence in realistic situations, where one trial might be much larger than the other trials, is lacking. We aimed to evaluate the relative performance of the DL and HKSJ methods when studies of different sizes are combined and to develop a simple method to convert DL results to HKSJ results. Methods We evaluated the performance of the HKSJ versus DL approach in simulated meta-analyses of 2–20 trials with varying sample sizes and between-study heterogeneity, and allowing trials to have various sizes, e.g. 25% of the trials being 10-times larger than the smaller trials. We also compared the number of “positive” (statistically significant at p < 0.05) findings using empirical data of recent meta-analyses with > = 3 studies of interventions from the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Results The simulations showed that the HKSJ method consistently resulted in more adequate error rates than the DL method. When the significance level was 5%, the HKSJ error rates at most doubled, whereas for DL they could be over 30%. DL, and, far less so, HKSJ had more inflated error rates when the combined studies had unequal sizes and between-study heterogeneity. The empirical data from 689 meta-analyses showed that 25.1% of the significant findings for the DL method were non-significant with the HKSJ method. DL results can be easily converted into HKSJ results. Conclusions Our simulations showed that the HKSJ method consistently results in more adequate error rates than the DL method, especially when the number of studies is small, and can easily be applied routinely in meta-analyses. Even with the HKSJ method, extra caution is needed when there are = <5 studies of very unequal sizes. PMID:24548571

Entrococcus faecalis Elimination in Root Canals Using Silver Nanoparticles, Photodynamic Therapy, Diode Laser, or Laser-activated Nanoparticles: An In Vitro Study.

PubMed

Afkhami, Farzaneh; Akbari, Saba; Chiniforush, Nasim

2017-02-01

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), an 810-nm diode laser (DL), conventional photodynamic therapy (PDT) with the use of indocyanine green (ICG) photosensitizer, and modified PDT with the use of AgNPs for the disinfection of root canals inoculated with Enterococcus faecalis. The root canals of 65 extracted human single-rooted teeth were prepared, and E. faecalis was incubated in the root canals for 4 weeks. The teeth were then randomly divided into the following 4 experimental groups: the DL group: 810-nm DL irradiation (1 W, 4 times for 10 seconds), the AN group: 5 minutes of irrigation with 5 mL AgNPs (100 ppm), the ICG/DL group: conventional PDT with ICG (1 mg/mL)/810-nm DL (200 mW, 30 seconds), and the AN/ICG/DL group: modified PDT with AgNPs/ICG/810-nm DL (200 mW, 30 seconds). There was also a control group, which consisted of 5 minutes of irrigation with 5 mL 2.5% sodium hypochlorite (n = 9). Samples were obtained from dentin chips before and after the interventions. A reduction in colony count was assessed by counting the colony-forming units. Significant reductions were noted in E. faecalis colony counts in all groups (P < .05). The greatest reduction in colony count (99.12%) was noted in the AN/ICG/DL group (AgNPs/ICG/810-nm diode laser); however, the differences in this respect between the AN/ICG/DL group and the DL (97.41%), AN (94.42%), and control groups (94.61%) were not significant (P > .05). PDT with ICG, an 810-nm diode laser, and AgNPs has the potential to be used as an adjunct for disinfection of the root canal system. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multifractal Approaches of the Ring Tensile Rupture Patterns of Dried Laver (Porphyra) as Affected by the Relative Humidity.

PubMed

Jung, Hwabin; Yoon, Won Byong

2017-12-01

The effect of water activity (a w ) or the relative humidity (RH) on the tensile rupture properties of dried laver (DL) associated with structures formed with phycocolloids was investigated. The morphological characteristics of tensile ruptured DL samples at various relative humidities were evaluated by multifractal analysis. The RH of the microclimate was controlled from 10% to 90% at 25 °C using supersaturated salt solutions. The sorption isotherm of DL was experimentally obtained and quantitatively analyzed using mathematical models. The monolayer moisture contents from the Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer (GAB) model was 5.92% (w.b.). An increase in the RH resulted in increasing ring tensile stress and maintaining constant ring tensile strain up to 58% to 75% RH, whereas the ring tensile stress and the ring tensile strain rapidly decreased and increased, respectively, when the RH was higher than 75%. The general fractal dimensions and the multifractal spectra f(α) manifested that the patterns of the lowest and the highest moisture content of dried laver showed high irregularity. The different multifractal parameters obtained from the DL at various RHs well-represented the transient moment of the structures from the monolayer moisture to texture changes associated with RH. Overall, the ring tensile test and the multifractal analysis were useful tools to analyze the change of crispness of DL from its structural characteristics. In addition, the results of this study revealed that the integration and disintegration properties of DL occurred through the networks of phycocolloids at various moisture contents. Texture properties are the most important quality attributes for commercial dried laver (DL) products. The relative humidity influences the texture properties of DL during production, storage, shipping, and consuming. This study well characterized the effect of the relative humidity on the texture properties of DL using the tensile tests under microclimate conditions. This information is very practical and can be immediately applied to control the relative humidity of the packaging and the storage room for DL. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

TU-F-CAMPUS-J-03: Evaluation of a New GE Device-Less Cine 4D-CT

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

Martin, R; Pan, T; Chandler, A

2015-06-15

Purpose: Standard cine 4D-CT (S-4DCT) is the cine CT scan of the thorax followed by image sorting with the respiratory signal recorded by the RPM. Although the feasibility of cine 4D-CT without RPM or device-less 4DCT (DL-4DCT) has been reported in a laboratory setting, the only commercial implementation of DL-4DCT was made recently by GE based on the measurements of the lung, body and air area and density. We report the initial results of this new DL-4DCT on its determination of gross tumor volume (GTV). Methods: 30 stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) patients with NSCLC were included in the study.more » All patients received the S-4DCT for their treatment planning. Their cine CT data without the respiratory signal from RPM were submitted to the DL-4DCT. The DL-4DCT image quality was assessed in reference to S-4DCT. Using maximum intensity projection (MIP) images, the GTVs of the S-4DCT and DL-4DCT were compared on a subset of 9 patients whose tumors in the low density lung regions could be contoured using a region growing algorithm in MIM without contouring bias from the user. A lower threshold of −424 HU was used for all patients and other algorithm parameters were held constant for each patient. Results: The DL-4DCT was able to produce the 4DCT images on 29 out of the 30 SBRT cases. One case failed due to the enhanced calcification surrounding both the breast implants. The GTVs determined on the 9 patients with DL-4DCT were 4.2 ± 4.8% smaller than the GTVs with S-4DCT. However, this was statistically insignificant (p=0.15). The Dice similarity coefficients were 95.1 ± 1.8%. The image quality of DL-4DCT and S-4DCT was similar on the 29 cases. Conclusion: The first commercial DL-4DCT was promising in generating 4D-CT images without a respiratory monitoring device in this preliminary study of 30 patients.« less

Metabolic control and chronic complications during a 3-year follow-up period in a cohort of type 2 diabetic patients attended in primary care in the Community of Madrid (Spain).

PubMed

Arrieta, Francisco; Piñera, Marbella; Iglesias, Pedro; Nogales, Pedro; Salinero-Fort, Miguel Angel; Abanades, Juan Carlos; Botella-Carretero, José Ignacio; Calañas, Alfonso; Balsa, José Antonio; Zamarrón, Isabel; Rovira, Adela; Vázquez, Clotilde

2014-01-01

Our aim was to analyze both metabolic control and chronic complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) patients regularly attended in primary care during a 3 years of follow-up in the Community of Madrid (Spain). From 2007 to 2010 we prospectively included 3268 patients with T2D attended by 153 primary care physicians from 51 family health centers. An prospective cohort study with annual evaluation over 3 years to the same population was performed. We measured the goals of control in diabetic patients and the incidence of chronic complications of diabetes during the study period. A significant decrease in serum glucose levels (143±42mg/dl vs 137±43mg/dl, p<0.00), HbA1c (7.09±1.2% vs 7.02±1.2%, p<0.00), total cholesterol (191.4±38mg/dl vs 181.5±36mg/dl, p<0.00), LDL cholesterol (114.7±31mg/dl vs 105.5±30mg/dl, p<0.00) and triglyceride levels (144.5±93mg/dl vs 138±84mg/dl, p<0.00) during study period was documented. On the contrary, a significant elevation in HDL cholesterol levels was observed (49.2±14mg/dl vs 49.9±16mg/dl, p<0.00). The incidence of diabetic complications throughout the study period was low, with a incidence of coronary heart disease of 6.2%, peripheral arterial disease 3%, ischemic stroke 2.8%, diabetic foot 11.2%, nephropathy 5.9%, retinopathy 4.5%, and neuropathy 3%. Metabolic control in T2D patients attended in primary care in the Community of Madrid throughout 3 years is adequate and is accompanied by low percent of chronic diabetic complications during this period of follow-up. Copyright © 2013 SEEN. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Assessment of cockpit interface concepts for data link retrofit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccauley, Hugh W.; Miles, William L.; Dwyer, John P.; Erickson, Jeffery B.

1992-01-01

The problem is examined of retrofitting older generation aircraft with data link capability. The approach taken analyzes requirements for the cockpit interface, based on review of prior research and opinions obtained from subject matter experts. With this background, essential functions and constraints for a retrofit installation are defined. After an assessment of the technology available to meet the functions and constraints, candidate design concepts are developed. The most promising design concept is described in detail. Finally, needs for further research and development are identified.

Space platform utilities distribution study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lefever, A. E.

1980-01-01

Generic concepts for the installation of power data and thermal fluid distribution lines on large space platforms were discussed. Connections with central utility subsystem modules and pallet interfaces were also considered. Three system concept study platforms were used as basepoints for the detail development. The tradeoff of high voltage low voltage power distribution and the impact of fiber optics as a data distribution mechanism were analyzed. Thermal expansion and temperature control of utility lines and ducts were considered. Technology developments required for implementation of the generic distribution concepts were identified.

A variant of green fluorescent protein exclusively deposited to active intracellular inclusion bodies

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Inclusion bodies (IBs) were generally considered to be inactive protein deposits and did not hold any attractive values in biotechnological applications. Recently, some IBs of recombinant proteins were confirmed to show their functional properties such as enzyme activities, fluorescence, etc. Such biologically active IBs are not commonly formed, but they have great potentials in the fields of biocatalysis, material science and nanotechnology. Results In this study, we characterized the IBs of DL4, a deletion variant of green fluorescent protein which forms active intracellular aggregates. The DL4 proteins expressed in Escherichia coli were exclusively deposited to IBs, and the IBs were estimated to be mostly composed of active proteins. The spectral properties and quantum yield of the DL4 variant in the active IBs were almost same with those of its native protein. Refolding and stability studies revealed that the deletion mutation in DL4 didn’t affect the folding efficiency of the protein, but destabilized its structure. Analyses specific for amyloid-like structures informed that the inner architecture of DL4 IBs might be amorphous rather than well-organized. The diameter of fluorescent DL4 IBs could be decreased up to 100–200 nm by reducing the expression time of the protein in vivo. Conclusions To our knowledge, DL4 is the first GFP variant that folds correctly but aggregates exclusively in vivo without any self-aggregating/assembling tags. The fluorescent DL4 IBs have potentials to be used as fluorescent biomaterials. This study also suggests that biologically active IBs can be achieved through engineering a target protein itself. PMID:24885571

Blood lead survey of children, pregnant women, professional drivers, street workers, and office workers in Trujillo, Peru.

PubMed

Naeher, Luke P; Aguilar-Villalobos, Manuel; Miller, Todd

2004-07-01

In this pilot study, conducted in summer 2002, the authors measured blood lead levels (BLLs) for 118 subjects in the city of Trujillo, Peru, where leaded gasoline is in the process of being phased out. Subjects included bus drivers, combi (minivan) drivers, street vendors, newspaper vendors, traffic police, taxi drivers, gas station attendants, children living both near and distant from gas stations, pregnant women, and office workers (controls). The highest BLLs were 9.2 microg/dl and 9.3 microg/dl from a child who lived near a gas station and from a traffic policeman, respectively; however, all BLLs were below the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's advisory level of concern (10 microg/dl). Office workers (n = 8) and pregnant women (n = 36) had significantly lower BLLs (geometric mean +/- standard deviation = 2.1 +/- 0.7 microg/dl, p < 0.022; and 2.5 +/- 1.1 microg/dl, p < 0.008, respectively) than total traffic-exposed workers (n = 48; 3.2 +/- 1.8 microg/dl). BLLs of children living near gas stations (n = 17; 3.7 +/- 2.2 microg/dl) were marginally higher (p = 0.07) than for children not living near gas stations (n = 9; 2.9 +/- 1.1 microg/dl). The study was limited by small sample size and the fact that the data were based on a convenience sample not fully representative of the cohorts studied. Nevertheless, the authors' findings suggest that leaded gasoline use in Trujillo continues to affect BLLs in traffic-exposed populations.

THE AP-2 CLATHRIN ADAPTOR MEDIATES ENDOCYTOSIS OF AN INHIBITORY KILLER CELL Ig-LIKE RECEPTOR (KIR) IN HUMAN NK CELLS1

PubMed Central

Purdy, Amanda K.; Alvarez-Arias, Diana A.; Oshinsky, Jennifer; James, Ashley M.; Serebriiskii, Ilya; Campbell, Kerry S.

2014-01-01

Stable surface expression of human inhibitory killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) is critical for controlling NK cell function and maintaining NK cell tolerance toward normal MHC-I+ cells. Our recent experiments, however, have found that antibody-bound KIR3DL1 (3DL1) readily leaves the cell surface and undergoes endocytosis to early/recycling endosomes and subsequently to late endosomes. We found that 3DL1 internalization is at least partially mediated by an interaction between the μ2 subunit of the AP-2 clathrin adaptor complex and ITIM tyrosine residues in the cytoplasmic domain of 3DL1. Disruption of the 3DL1/μ2 interaction, either by mutation of the ITIM tyrosines in 3DL1 or mutation of μ2, significantly diminished endocytosis and increased surface expression of 3DL1 in human primary NK cells and cell lines. Furthermore, we found that the 3DL1/AP-2 interaction is diminished upon antibody engagement with the receptor, as compared to untreated cells. Thus, we have identified AP-2-mediated endocytosis as a mechanism regulating the surface levels of inhibitory KIR though their ITIM domains. Based upon our results, we propose a model in which non-engaged KIR are internalized by this mechanism, whereas engagement with MHC-I ligand would diminish AP-2 binding, thereby prolonging stable receptor surface expression and promoting inhibitory function. Furthermore, this ITIM-mediated mechanism may similarly regulate the surface expression of other inhibitory immune receptors. PMID:25238755

Pharmacokinetics of orally administered DL-α-lipoic acid in dogs.

PubMed

Zicker, Steven C; Avila, Albert; Joshi, Dinesh K; Gross, Kathy L

2010-11-01

To determine the pharmacokinetics of DL-α-lipoic acid in dogs when administered at 3 dosages via 3 methods of delivery. 27 clinically normal Beagles. In a 3 × 3 factorial Latin square design, 3 dosages (2.5, 12.5, and 25 mg/kg) of DL-α-lipoic acid were administered orally in a capsule form and provided without a meal, in a capsule form and provided with a meal, and as an ingredient included in an extruded dog food. Food was withheld for 12 hours prior to DL-α-lipoic acid administration. Blood samples were collected before (0 minutes) and at 15, 30, 45, 60, and 120 minutes after administration. Plasma concentrations of DL-α-lipoic acid were determined via high-performance liquid chromatography. A generalized linear models procedure was used to evaluate the effects of method of delivery and dosage. Noncompartmental analysis was used to determine pharmacokinetic parameters of DL-α-lipoic acid. Nonparametric tests were used to detect significant differences between pharmacokinetic parameters among treatment groups. A significant effect of dosage was observed regardless of delivery method. Method of delivery also significantly affected plasma concentrations of DL-α-lipoic acid, with extruded foods resulting in lowest concentration for each dosage administered. Maximum plasma concentration was significantly affected by method of delivery at each dosage administered. Other significant changes in pharmacokinetic parameters were variable and dependent on dosage and method of delivery. Values for pharmacokinetic parameters of orally administered DL-α-lipoic acid may differ significantly when there are changes in dosage, method of administration, and fed status.

Effects of cocoa products/dark chocolate on serum lipids: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Tokede, O A; Gaziano, J M; Djoussé, L

2011-08-01

Cocoa products, which are rich sources of flavonoids, have been shown to reduce blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Dark chocolate contains saturated fat and is a source of dietary calories; consequently, it is important to determine whether consumption of dark chocolate adversely affects the blood lipid profile. The objective was to examine the effects of dark chocolate/cocoa product consumption on the lipid profile using published trials. A detailed literature search was conducted via MEDLINE (from 1966 to May 2010), CENTRAL and ClinicalTrials.gov for randomized controlled clinical trials assessing the effects of flavanol-rich cocoa products or dark chocolate on lipid profile. The primary effect measure was the difference in means of the final measurements between the intervention and control groups. In all, 10 clinical trials consisting of 320 participants were included in the analysis. Treatment duration ranged from 2 to 12 weeks. Intervention with dark chocolate/cocoa products significantly reduced serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and total cholesterol (TC) levels (differences in means (95% CI) were -5.90 mg/dl (-10.47, -1.32 mg/dl) and -6.23 mg/dl (-11.60, -0.85 mg/dl), respectively). No statistically significant effects were observed for high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (difference in means (95% CI): -0.76 mg/dl (-3.02 to 1.51 mg/dl)) and triglyceride (TG) (-5.06 mg/dl (-13.45 to 3.32 mg/dl)). These data are consistent with beneficial effects of dark chocolate/cocoa products on total and LDL cholesterol and no major effects on HDL and TG in short-term intervention trials.

Influence of triglycerides on other plasma lipids in middle-aged men intended for hypolipidaemic treatment.

PubMed

Kolovou, Genovefa D; Anagnostopoulou, Katherine K; Salpea, Klelia D; Hoursalas, Ioannis S; Petropoulos, Ilias; Bilianou, Helen I; Damaskos, Dimitris S; Giannakopoulou, Vasiliki N; Cokkinos, Dennis V

2006-01-01

The present investigation aimed to evaluate the influence of serum triglycerides (TG) on other plasma lipids in male patients less than 65 years of age intended for hypolipidaemic treatment. Lipid profiles of a cohort of 412 dyslipidaemic male patients aged 53.4 +/- 7.7 years (mean +/- standard deviation) were evaluated. Patients were stratified in accordance with their fasting plasma lipid levels. They were divided into multiple groups on the basis of serum TG (> or = 150 or < 150 mg/dl) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C > or = 40 or < 40 mg/dl). Patients with TG > or = 150 mg/dl had higher total cholesterol and lower HDL-C levels compared with those with TG < 150 mg/dl (p = 0.005 and p < 0.001, respectively). Patients with HDL-C < 40 mg/dl had similar total cholesterol levels and higher TG levels compared to those with HDL-C > or = 40 mg/dl (p < 0.001). In all patients, an inverse correlation between TG and HDL-C was found (r = -0.286, p < 0.001). Additionally, HDL-C levels were inversely correlated with the TG concentration in patients with TG < 150 mg/dl (r = -0.135, p = 0.042) and TG > or = 150 mg/dl (r = -0.188, p = 0.002). An inverse correlation between TG and HDL-C levels seems to exist in the sampled population, revealing a close link between the metabolic pathways for TG and HDL-C. This inverse correlation appears to persist even in patients with low fasting TG levels.

Antidiabetic activity of Pongamia pinnata leaf extracts in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

PubMed Central

Sikarwar, Mukesh S.; Patil, M.B.

2010-01-01

The antidiabetic activity of Pongamia pinnata ( Family: Leguminosae) leaf extracts was investigated in alloxan-induced diabetic albino rats. A comparison was made between the action of different extracts of P. pinnata and a known antidiabetic drug glibenclamide (600 μg/kg b. wt.). An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was also performed in experimental diabetic rats. The petroleum ether, chloroform, alcohol and aqueous extracts of P. pinnata were obtained by simple maceration method and were subjected to standardization using pharmacognostical and phytochemical screening methods. Dose selection was made on the basis of acute oral toxicity study (50-5000 mg/kg b. w.) as per OECD guidelines. P. pinnata ethanolic extract (PPEE) and aqueous extract (PPAE) showed significant (P < 0.001) antidiabetic activity. In alloxan-induced model, blood glucose levels of these extracts on 7th day of the study were 155.83 ± 11.211mg/dl (PPEE) and 132.00 ± 4.955mg/dl (PPAE) in comparison of diabetic control (413.50 ± 4.752mg/dl) and chloroform extract (210.83 ± 14.912mg/dl). In glucose loaded rats, PPEE exhibited glucose level of 164.50 ± 6.350mg/dl after 30 min and 156.50 ± 4.089mg/dl after 90 min, whereas the levels in PPAE treated animals were 176 ± 3.724mg/dl after 30 min and 110.33 ± 6.687mg/dl after 90 min. These extracts also prevented body weight loss in diabetic rats. The drug has the potential to act as an antidiabetic drug. PMID:21455444

Comparison of the effects of seleno-l-methionine, seleno-dl-methionine, and selenized yeast on reproduction of mallards

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heinz, G.H.; Hoffman, D.J.

1996-01-01

The toxicities of seleno-L-methionine, seleno-DL-methionine, and selenized yeast were compared. Ten pairs of mallards were fed a control diet and 15 pairs were fed diets containing 10 ppm selenium as seleno-DL-methionine, seleno-L-methionine, or selenized yeast. Hatching of fertile eggs was significantly lower for females fed 10 ppm selenium as seleno-DL-methionine (7.6%) and seleno-L-methionine (6.4%) than for controls (41.3%). Survival of ducklings was lower when their parents had been fed 10 ppm selenium as seleno-L-methionine (20.0%) than for controls (98.4%). The number of 6-day-old ducklings produced per female was significantly lower for mallards fed 10 ppm selenium as seleno-DL-methionine (0.47) or selenized yeast (2.67) than for controls (6.10), and was significantly lower for mallards fed seleno-L-methionine (0.13) than for mallards fed selenized yeast. The eighth eggs of females fed the DL or L forms of selenomethionine contained means of 9.2 and 8.9 ppm selenium, wet weight; these means were higher than the mean (6.6 ppm) for females fed selenized yeast. Among embryos that died at 7 days of age or older, the percentage of embryos that were deformed was 1.3% for controls, 24.6% for seleno-DL-methionine, 28.2% for seleno-L-methionine, and 11.0% for selenized yeast. The results suggested that seleno-DL-methionine and seleno-L-methionine were of similar toxicity and were both more toxic than selenium from selenized yeast.

Use of Multichannel Near Infrared Spectroscopy to Study Relationships Between Brain Regions and Neurocognitive Tasks of Selective/Divided Attention and 2-Back Working Memory.

PubMed

Tomita, Nozomi; Imai, Shoji; Kanayama, Yusuke; Kawashima, Issaku; Kumano, Hiroaki

2017-06-01

While dichotic listening (DL) was originally intended to measure bottom-up selective attention, it has also become a tool for measuring top-down selective attention. This study investigated the brain regions related to top-down selective and divided attention DL tasks and a 2-back task using alphanumeric and Japanese numeric sounds. Thirty-six healthy participants underwent near-infrared spectroscopy scanning while performing a top-down selective attentional DL task, a top-down divided attentional DL task, and a 2-back task. Pearson's correlations were calculated to show relationships between oxy-Hb concentration in each brain region and the score of each cognitive task. Different brain regions were activated during the DL and 2-back tasks. Brain regions activated in the top-down selective attention DL task were the left inferior prefrontal gyrus and left pars opercularis. The left temporopolar area was activated in the top-down divided attention DL task, and the left frontopolar area and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were activated in the 2-back task. As further evidence for the finding that each task measured different cognitive and brain area functions, neither the percentages of correct answers for the three tasks nor the response times for the selective attentional task and the divided attentional task were correlated to one another. Thus, the DL and 2-back tasks used in this study can assess multiple areas of cognitive, brain-related dysfunction to explore their relationship to different psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Comparative analysis of salivary glucose and electrolytes in diabetic individuals with periodontitis.

PubMed

Lasisi, T J; Fasanmade, A A

2012-06-01

A high incidence of periodontal disease has been reported among diabetics, however the role of saliva in the occurrence of this oral disease in these patients is yet to be understood. To determine the effects of type-2 diabetes and periodontal disease on salivary flow rate and biochemical composition. A prospective study involving 40 adult human subjects divided equally into four groups of diabetics with periodontitis (group 1), diabetics without periodontitis (group 2), non diabetics with periodontitis (group 3) and non diabetics without periodontitis (group 4). Saliva samples were collected and analyzed for salivary glucose, total protein, calcium, sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate. Salivary flow rates were also determined. Salivary glucose and potassium levels were significantly higher (P = 0.002 and 0.04 respectively) in diabetic patients regardless of periodontal disease (mean = 100.7 ± 9.33 mg/dl; 111.5 ± 32.85 mg/dl and 23.79 ± 5.19 mg/dl; 22.9 ± 6.25 mg/dl respectively) compared with non diabetic participants (mean = 80.5 ± 30.85 mg/ dl; 62.5 ± 31.89 mg/dl and 19.23 ± 5.04 mg/dl; 17.74 ± 4.68 mg/dl respectively). In contrast, there was no significant difference in saliva flow rates and levels of total protein, Na(+), Ca(++), Cl(-) and HCO3 (-)between the groups. Salivary glucose and potassium levels were significantly higher among diabetics with or without periodontitis compared with non-diabetics with or without periodontitis. However, biochemical composition of saliva in diabetic individuals has probably little role in their susceptibility to periodontitis.

Analysis of Pharmacists' Attitudes toward a Distance Learning Initiative on Health Screening.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whiteman, Jane; And Others

1994-01-01

A survey of 436 community pharmacists completing a distance learning (DL) course of continuing education (CE) in health screening, and 117 nonparticipants, found participants more positively disposed toward DL. Most found DL enjoyable and more suitable than other CE methods. More females and fewer males than expected requested and completed the…

Darrieus-Landau instability of premixed flames enhanced by fuel droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicoli, Colette; Haldenwang, Pierre; Denet, Bruno

2017-07-01

Recent experiments on spray flames propagating in a Wilson cloud chamber have established that spray flames are much more sensitive to wrinkles or corrugations than single-phase flames. To propose certain elements of explanation, we numerically study the Darrieus-Landau (or hydrodynamic) instability (DL-instability) developing in premixtures that contain an array of fuel droplets. Two approaches are compared: numerical simulation starting from the general conservation laws in reactive media, and the numerical computation of Sivashinsky-type model equations for DL-instability. Both approaches provide us with results in deep agreement. It is first shown that the presence of droplets in fuel-air premixtures induces initial perturbations which are large enough to trigger the DL-instability. Second, the droplets are responsible for additional wrinkles when the DL-instability is developed. The latter wrinkles are of length scales shorter than those of the DL-instability, in such a way that the DL-unstable spray flames have a larger front surface and therefore propagate faster than the single-phase ones when subjected to the same instability.

Effect of flaxseed gum on reduction of blood glucose and cholesterol in type 2 diabetic patients.

PubMed

Thakur, Goutam; Mitra, Analava; Pal, Kunal; Rousseau, Dérick

2009-01-01

The effects of ingestion of flaxseed gum on blood glucose and cholesterol, particularly low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, in type 2 diabetes were evaluated. Flaxseed gum was incorporated in wheat flour chapattis. Sixty patients of type 2 diabetes were fed a daily diet for 3 months, along with six wheat flour chapattis containing flaxseed gum (5 g), as per the recommendations of the American Diabetic Association. The control group (60 individuals) consumed an identical diet but the chapattis were without gum. The blood biochemistry profiles monitored before starting the study and at monthly intervals showed fasting blood sugar in the experimental group decreased from 154 ± 8 mg/dl to 136 ± 7 mg/dl (P=0.03) while the total cholesterol reduced from 182 ± 11 mg/dl to 163 ± 9 mg/dl (P=0.03). Results showed a decrease in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol from 110 ± 8 mg/dl to 92 ± 9 mg/dl (P=0.02). The study demonstrated the efficacy of flax gum in the blood biochemistry profiles of type 2 diabetes.

Glutathione and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate in the blood of hypoxic ruminants.

PubMed

O'Dea, J D; Agar, N S

1980-09-01

Two merino sheep and two angora goats were subjected to simulated altitudes of up to 5500 m for about 10 h per day for 38 days. Packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb) concentration and red blood cell (RBC) levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) were measured at regular intervals. Mean PCV increased from 33 per cent to 60 per cent in the sheep and from 33 per cent to 45 per cent in the goats. Mean Hb concentration rose from 11.7 g/dl to 23.1 g/dl in the sheep, and from 11.4 g/dl to 16.0 g/dl in the goats. The level of GSH began to rise in the sheep only after the animals were no longer being subjected to the hypoxic stress, increasing by about 20 mg/dl RBC. In the goats, the levels of GSH rose during, as well as after, the period of hypoxic stress, also by about 20 mg/dl RBC. No change in 2,3-DPG levels was found in either species.

Coexposure of dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in free-range hens and implications derived from congener profile analysis.

PubMed

Lin, Chingju; Hsu, Jing-Fang; Liao, Pao-Chi

2012-02-29

The consumption of free-range eggs is becoming more popular worldwide. We analyzed the levels of 12 dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) and their congener profiles from 6 free-range and 12 caged egg samples. The mean levels of dl-PCBs in the free-range samples were 5.4 times higher than those in caged eggs. All egg samples exhibited at least two characteristic dl-PCB congener patterns, which reflected distinctive contamination sources. Additionally, for the first time, we demonstrated that the dl-PCB levels in the free-range eggs were highly correlated with elevated levels of 17 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) (r = 0.986; p < 0.001), indicating a coexposure scenario in free-range hens. Cluster analysis of congener patterns implied that this coexposure scenario could be attributed to distinct dl-PCB and PCDD/F sources. This congener profile information provides insights from a different perspective for further identifying potential dl-PCB and PCDD/F sources in the polluted free-range eggs.

Brain tumor image segmentation using kernel dictionary learning.

PubMed

Jeon Lee; Seung-Jun Kim; Rong Chen; Herskovits, Edward H

2015-08-01

Automated brain tumor image segmentation with high accuracy and reproducibility holds a big potential to enhance the current clinical practice. Dictionary learning (DL) techniques have been applied successfully to various image processing tasks recently. In this work, kernel extensions of the DL approach are adopted. Both reconstructive and discriminative versions of the kernel DL technique are considered, which can efficiently incorporate multi-modal nonlinear feature mappings based on the kernel trick. Our novel discriminative kernel DL formulation allows joint learning of a task-driven kernel-based dictionary and a linear classifier using a K-SVD-type algorithm. The proposed approaches were tested using real brain magnetic resonance (MR) images of patients with high-grade glioma. The obtained preliminary performances are competitive with the state of the art. The discriminative kernel DL approach is seen to reduce computational burden without much sacrifice in performance.

Experimental evidence of a double layer in a large volume helicon reactor.

PubMed

Sutherland, O; Charles, C; Plihon, N; Boswell, R W

2005-11-11

The self-consistently generated current-free electric double layer (DL) is shown to scale up with the source tube diameter and appears not to be affected by rf driving frequency and changes in reactor geometry. This Letter presents the first simultaneous measurements of local plasma potential and beam energy as a function of axial position. The DL is shown to be no more than 5 mm thick (20 D lengths) and positioned just downstream of the maximum in the magnetic field gradient. Furthermore, its position relative to the magnetic field is observed to be invariant as the magnetic field is translated axially. Measurements of the potential drop across the DL are presented for pressures down to 0.09 mTorr and the DL strength (phiDL/T(e)) is determined to be between 5 and 7.

Steady-state serum salicylate levels in hospitalized patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Comparison of two dosage schedules of choline magnesium trisalicylate.

PubMed

Cassell, S; Furst, D; Dromgoole, S; Paulus, H

1979-04-01

When the total daily drug dose was individualized to produce a steady-state serum salicylate concentration between 20 and 35 mg/dl, clinically acceptable fluctuations of serum concentrations occurred during both twice daily and three times daily administration. In 6 rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving choline magnesium trisalicylate, mean steady-state serum levels were the same, and the ranges of hourly mean concentrations during 8 and 12 hour dosage intervals were 19 to 27 mg/dl and 17 to 30 mg/dl, respectively. Changing the dosing interval from 8 to 12 hours required a 50% increase in the fractional doses, but resulted in an increase of only 3 mg/dl in mean peak concentration and a ddecrease of 1 mg/dl in mean minimum concentration.

Engine design considerations for 2nd generation supersonic transports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howlett, R. A.

1975-01-01

The environmental and economic goals projected for advanced supersonic transports will require revolutionary improvements in propulsion systems. Variable cycle engine concepts that incorporate unique components and advanced technologies show promise in meeting these goals. Pratt & Whitney Aircraft is conducting conceptual design studies of variable cycle engine concepts under NASA sponsorship. This paper reviews some of the design considerations for these engine concepts. Emphasis is placed on jet noise abatement, reduction of emissions, performance improvements, installation considerations, hot-section characteristics and control system requirements. Two representative variable cycle engine concepts that incorporate these basic design considerations are described.

The novel non-imidazole histamine H3 receptor antagonist DL77 reduces voluntary alcohol intake and ethanol-induced conditioned place preference in mice.

PubMed

Bahi, Amine; Sadek, Bassem; Nurulain, Syed M; Łażewska, Dorota; Kieć-Kononowicz, Katarzyna

2015-11-01

It has become clear that histamine H3 receptors (H3R) have been implicated in modulating ethanol intake and preference in laboratory animals. The novel non-imidazole H3R antagonist DL77 with excellent selectivity profile shows high in-vivo potency as well as in-vitro antagonist affinity with ED50 of 2.1 ± 0.2 mg/kg and pKi=8.08, respectively. In the present study, and applying an unlimited access two-bottle choice procedure, the anti-alcohol effects of the H3R antagonist, DL77 (0, 3, 10 and 30 mg/kg; i.p.), were investigated in adult mice. In this C57BL/6 line, effects of DL77 on voluntary alcohol intake and preference, as well as on total fluid intake were evaluated. Results have shown that DL77, dose-dependently, reduced both ethanol intake and preference. These effects were very selective as both saccharin and quinine, used to control for taste sensitivity, and intakes were not affected following DL77 pre-application. More importantly, systemic administration of DL77 (10 mg/kg) during acquisition inhibited ethanol-induced conditioned-place preference (EtOH-CPP) as measured using an unbiased protocol. The anti-alcohol activity observed for DL77 was abrogated when mice were pretreated with the selective H3R agonist R-(α)-methyl-histamine (RAMH) (10 mg/kg), or with the CNS penetrant H1R antagonist pyrilamine (PYR) (10mg/kg). These results suggest that DL77 has a predominant role in two in vivo effects of ethanol. Therefore, signaling via H3R is essential for ethanol-related consumption and conditioned reward and may represent a novel therapeutic pharmacological target to tackle ethanol abuse and alcoholism. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Acute administration of alprazolam, a benzodiazepine activating GABA receptors, inhibits cortisol secretion in patients with subclinical but not overt Cushing's syndrome.

PubMed

Giordano, Roberta; Berardelli, Rita; Karamouzis, Ioannis; D'Angelo, Valentina; Picu, Andreea; Zichi, Clizia; Fussotto, Beatrice; Manzo, Maria; Mengozzi, Giulio; Ghigo, Ezio; Arvat, Emanuela

2013-09-01

The purpose of this study is to verify whether acute pre-treatment with alprazolam (ALP), a benzodiazepine that inhibits HPA secretion in normal subjects, could better characterize patients with subclinical Cushing's syndrome (SCS) than the 1-mg dexamethasone test (DST). In 22 patients with SCS, 10 with overt Cushing's syndrome (CS), 11 with non-functioning adrenal incidentalomas (NF) and 14 normal subjects (NS) we studied the effect of ALP (1 mg, p.o. at 2300 hours) on cortisol levels after 1-mg DST. Cortisol levels (mean ± SEM) after DST were lower (P = 0.012) in SCS (3.9 ± 0.3 μg/dl) than in overt CS (10.4 ± 1.9 μg/dl), while they were higher (P = 0.0005) than in NF (1.1 ± 0.1 μg/dl) and NS (1.5 ± 0.1 μg/dl). After ALP pre-treatment, cortisol levels further decreased (P = 0.004) in SCS (3.0 ± 0.3 μg/dl), but neither in CS (9.3 ± 1.3 μg/dl) nor in NF (1.3 ± 0.1 μg/dl) and in NS (1.3 ± 0.1 μg/dl). In SCS, cortisol levels after ALP + 1-mg DST persisted lower (P = 0.0005) than those in CS, but higher (P = 0.0005) than those in NF and NS. Considering individual cases, ALP pre-treatment reduced cortisol levels < 3 and < 1.8 μg/dl in 50 and 23 % of SCS patients, respectively. ALP amplifies the cortisol inhibition exerted by 1-mg DST in patients with SCS but not in those with CS. The clinical usefulness of ALP to increase the sensitivity of 1-mg DST to identify true autonomous cortisol release in patients with adrenal incidentalomas as well as to predict different clinical outcomes remains to be clarified.

Stress-induced hyperglycemia on complications in non-critically elderly hospitalized patients.

PubMed

Carrasco-Sánchez, F J; Carretero-Gómez, J; Gómez-Huelgas, R; Garcia-Ordoñez, M A; Pardo-Ortega, M V; de Escalante-Yanguela, B; Mateos-Polo, L; Formiga, F; Ena, J

Hospital complications and hyperglycemia are common in elderly patients during hospitalization. Our aim was to analyze the relationship between hyperglycemia and hospital complications in an ageing population. We conducted an observational study to evaluate the association between maximum blood glucose (MBG) levels and hospital complications. Patients were stratified according to the quartiles of MBG levels. Diabetes mellitus (DM) was determined by patient history and/or admission glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level ≥6.5%. Hyperglycemia in patients without DM was defined as stress-induced hyperglycemia (SH). The composite primary end-point included frequent complications and/or all-cause hospital mortality. Among 461 patients, mean age 80±7.5years, 238 (51.6%) patients had DM, 20 had undiagnosed DM, and 162 (35.1%) developed hospital complications. Patients with complications had higher mean daily BG levels (215±84 vs 195±85mg/dl, P<.01). The incidence of complications was directly associated with severity of hyperglycemia according to the quartiles of MBG levels in patients without DM, namely SH (<140 mg/dl, 22.2%; 140-185mg/dl, 40%; 186-250mg/dl, 47%; >250mg/dl, 60%; P=.002), but not in patients with DM (<140mg/dl, 26.3%; 140-185mg/dl, 40.4%; 186-250mg/dl, 35.6%; >250mg/dl, 37.4%; P=.748). In the multivariate analyses, SH was independently associated with complications: OR 2.60 (CI95%: 1.2-5.6), 2.82 (CI95%: 1.2-6.5), 5.50 (CI95%: 1.4-20.8) for the second, third and fourth quartile respectively (P=.01), as compared to the first quartile. We found no association with readmissions and all-cause mortality. SH in elderly patients is associated with hospital complications, but not with all-cause mortality, compared to patients with diabetes or normoglycemia. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna (SEMI). All rights reserved.

Low survivorship of dauer larva in the nematode Caenorhabditis japonica, a potential comparative system for a model organism, C. elegans.

PubMed

Tanaka, Ryusei; Okumura, Etsuko; Kanzaki, Natsumi; Yoshiga, Toyoshi

2012-05-01

The nematode dauer larva (DL) is a non-aging diapause stage. The DL of the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been studied as a model system for aging and longevity. However, information on DL in other nematode species is limited. In this study, the survivorship, storage, energy consumption, and oxidative stress tolerance of Caenorhabditis japonica DL were examined. C. japonica is a close relative of C. elegans, but has species-specific phoretic associations with the shield bug Parastrachia japonensis. Also, its DL has a much longer lifespan than C. elegans in a biological setting. However, when C. japonica DLs were detached from their phoretic host, they did not survive more than 10 days while more than 80% of C. elegans survived under the same conditions. Also, C. japonica DL showed more active movement (swimming) and lower tolerance to oxidative stress than C. elegans DL. Because the concentration of triacylglycerol (TAG), the energy source of nematodes, did not decrease significantly during the experiment, exhaustion of the energy reservoir did not cause the low survivorship of C. japonica. Instead, low tolerance to oxidizing stress and increased production of reactive oxygen species in C. japonica were the main causes of the reduced survivorship. The fact that C. japonica DL cannot survive away from its insect host indicates that its longevity is increased by unknown factors derived from the host. Despite these significant differences between C. japonica and C. elegans, these two species are phylogenetically closely related (they are derived from a common ancestor). Therefore, C. japonica could be a good comparative system for C. elegans, and further physiological and molecular analyses of C. japonica DL may provide important information about the internal and external factors affecting the longevity of nematodes in general. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Role of dorsolateral periaqueductal grey in the coordinated regulation of cardiovascular and respiratory function.

PubMed

Dampney, Roger A L; Furlong, Teri M; Horiuchi, Jouji; Iigaya, Kamon

2013-04-01

The midbrain periaqueductal grey (PAG) contains four longitudinal columns, referred to as the dorsomedial (dmPAG), dorsolateral (dlPAG), lateral (lPAG) and ventrolateral (vlPAG) subdivisions, which collectively have a pivotal role in integrating behavioural and physiological responses to external stressors as well as other functions. This review is focussed on the dlPAG, which is believed to be an important component of the central mechanisms that generate the defensive response to acute psychological stressors, such as the presence of a predator or other immediate threat. The anatomical connections of the dlPAG are highly specific and distinctly different from those of the other PAG subregions. The chemical properties of the dlPAG are also distinctly different from the other PAG subregions (e.g. there is a very high density of neurons that synthesize nitric oxide in the dlPAG but very few such neurons in the other PAG subregions). Recent functional studies have demonstrated that neurons in the dlPAG exert a powerful control over both sympathetic and respiratory activity, and that the pattern of the evoked respiratory changes is also distinctly different from those evoked from other PAG subregions. These studies also showed that the sympathetic and respiratory changes evoked from the dlPAG are highly correlated, suggesting the possibility that a common population of "command neurons" within this region may generate the sympathetic and respiratory changes that accompany defensive behavioural responses to acute psychological stressors. Finally, although the anatomical connections and functional properties of the dlPAG are distinctly different from the other PAG subregions, they have many similarities with adjacent parts of the superior colliculus, suggesting that the dlPAG and deep layers of the superior colliculus may be part of a common defence system in the midbrain. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the vp2 gene sequence of a new mutated mink enteritis parvovirus strain in PR China

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Mink enteritis virus (MEV) causes a highly contagious viral disease of mink with a worldwide distribution. MEV has a linear, single-stranded, negative-sense DNA with a genome length of approximately 5,000 bp. The VP2 protein is the major structural protein of the parvovirus encoded by the vp2 gene. VP2 is highly antigenic and plays important roles in determining viral host ranges and tissue tropisms. This study describes the bionomics and vp2 gene analysis of a mutated strain, MEV-DL, which was isolated recently in China and outlines its homologous relationships with other selected strains registered in Genbank. Results The MEV-DL strain can infect F81 cells with cytopathic effects. Pig erythrocytes were agglutinated by the MEV-DL strain. The generation of MEV-DL in F81 cells could infect mink within three months and cause a disease that was similar to that caused by wild-type MEV. A comparative analysis of the vp2 gene nucleotide (nt) sequence of MEV-DL showed that this was more than 99% homologous with other mink enteritis parvoviruses in Genbank. However, the nucleotide residues at positions 1,065 and 1,238 in the MEV-DL strain of the vp2 gene differed from those of all the other MEV strains described previously. It is noteworthy that the mutation at the nucleotide residues position 1,238 led to Asp/Gly replacement. This may lead to structural changes. A phylogenetic tree and sequence distance table were obtained, which showed that the MEV-DL and ZYL-1 strains had the closest inheritance distance. Conclusions A new variation of the vp2 gene exists in the MEV-DL strain, which may lead to structural changes of the VP2 protein. Phylogenetic analysis showed that MEV-DL may originate from the ZYL-1 strain in DaLian. PMID:20540765

Comparison of serum trace element levels in patients with or without pre-eclampsia

PubMed Central

Farzin, Leila; Sajadi, Fattaneh

2012-01-01

Objective: In developing countries, nutritional deficiency of essential trace elements is a common health problem, particularly among pregnant women because of increased requirements of various nutrients. Accordingly, this study was initiated to compare trace elements status in women with or without pre-eclampsia. Materials and Methods: In this study, serum trace elements including zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), copper (Cu), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) were determined by using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) in 60 patients and 60 healthy subjects. Results: There was no significant difference in the values of Cu between two groups (P > 0.05). A significant difference in Zn, Se, Ca and Mg levels were observed between patients with pre-eclampsia and control group (P < 0.001, P<0.01, P<0.01 and P<0.001, respectively). Zn, Se, Ca and Mg levels were found to be 76.49 ± 17.62 μg/ dl, 8.82 ± 2.10 μg/ dl, 8.65 ± 2.14 mg/dl and 1.51 ± 0.34 mg/dl in Pre-eclamptic cases, and these values were found statistically lower compared to the controls (100.61 ± 20.12 μg/dl, 10.47 ± 2.78 μg/dl, 9.77 ± 3.02 mg/dl and 1.78 ± 0.27 mg/dl, respectively). While Cu levels were 118.28 ± 16.92 and 116.55 ± 15.23 μg/dl in the patients and the healthy subjects, respectively. In addition, no significant difference was found between two groups with respect to Hemoglobin Concentration (HbC) and Total White Blood Cell Count (TWBC) (P>0.05). Conclusion: Our findings indicate that the levels of Zn, Se, Ca and Mg are significantly altered in pregnant women with pre-eclampsia. This research shows that these deficiencies can not due to hemodilution. PMID:23825993

Rotavirus-like particles primary recovery from insect cells in aqueous two-phase systems.

PubMed

Benavides, Jorge; Mena, Jimmy A; Cisneros-Ruiz, Mayra; Ramírez, Octavio T; Palomares, Laura A; Rito-Palomares, Marco

2006-09-14

Virus-like particles have a wide range of applications, including vaccination, gene therapy, and even as nanomaterials. Their successful utilization depends on the availability of selective and scalable methods of product recovery and purification that integrate effectively with upstream operations. In this work, a strategy based on aqueous two phase system (ATPS) was developed for the recovery of double-layered rotavirus-like particles (dlRLP) produced by the insect cell-baculovirus expression system. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) molecular mass, PEG and salt concentrations, and volume ratio (Vr, volume of top phase/volume of bottom phase) were evaluated in order to determine the conditions where dlRLP and contaminants concentrated to opposite phases. Two-stage ATPS consisting of PEG 400-phosphate with a Vr of 13.0 and a tie-line length (TLL) of 35% (w/w) at pH 7.0 provided the best conditions for processing highly concentrated crude extract from disrupted cells (dlRLP concentration of 5 microg/mL). In such conditions intracellular dlRLP accumulated in the top phase (recovery of 90%), whereas cell debris remained in the interface. Furthermore, dlRLP from culture supernatants accumulated preferentially in the interface (recovery of 82%) using ATPS with a Vr of 1.0, pH of 7.0, PEG 3350 (10.1%, w/w) and phosphate (10.9%, w/w). The purity of dlRLP from culture supernatant increased up to 55 times after ATPS. The use of ATPS resulted in a recovery process that produced dlRLP with a purity between 6 and 11% and an overall product yield of 85% (w/w), considering purification from intracellular and extracellular dlRLP. Overall, the strategy proposed in this study is simpler than traditional methods for recovering dlRLP, and represents a scalable and economically viable alternative for production processes of vaccines against rotavirus infection with significant scope for generic commercial application.

Possible selective adsorption of enantiomers by Na-montmorillonite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Friebele, E.; Shimoyama, A.; Ponnamperuma, C.

1981-01-01

Racemic amino acids including (D,L) alpha-alamine, (D,L) alpha-aminobutyric acid, (D,L) valine, and (D,L) norvaline were incubated with Na-montmorillonite at 100% CEC at three hydrogen ion concentrations, and amino acid adsorption was determined by ion exchange chromatography. Enantiomers were analyzed by gas chromatography. Differences in the quantities of D and L enantiomers in any of the fractions was no larger than a few percent. Although a large difference in the adsorption of the amino acid enantiomers was not observed, the analysis may indicate a small preferential adsorption (0.5-2%) of L-amino acids by Na-montmorillonite.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Daily Life Training: A Feasibility Study of an mHealth Intervention

PubMed Central

Bakker, Jindra; Vaessen, Thomas; Kasanova, Zuzana; Collip, Dina; van Os, Jim; Wichers, Marieke; Germeys, Inez; Peeters, Frenk

2016-01-01

Background With the development of mHealth, it is possible to treat patients in their natural environment. Mobile technology helps to bridge the gap between the therapist’s office and the “real world.” The ACT in Daily Life training (ACT-DL) was designed as an add-on intervention to help patients practice with acceptance and commitment therapy in their daily lives. The ACT-DL consists of two main components: daily monitoring using experience sampling and ACT training in daily life. Objectives To assess the acceptability and feasibility of the ACT-DL in a general outpatient population. A secondary objective was to conduct a preliminary examination of the effectiveness of the ACT-DL. Methods An observational comparative study was conducted. The experimental group consisted of 49 patients who volunteered for ACT-DL, and the control group consisted of 112 patients who did not volunteer. As part of an inpatient treatment program, both groups received a 6-week ACT training. Participants went home to continue their treatment on an outpatient basis, during which time the experimental group received the 4-week add-on ACT-DL. Acceptability and feasibility of the ACT-DL was assessed weekly by telephone survey. Effectiveness of the ACT-DL was evaluated with several self-report questionnaires ( Flexibility Index Test (FIT-60): psychological flexibility, Brief Symptom Inventory: symptoms, Utrechtse Coping List: coping, and Quality of life visual analog scale (QoL-VAS): quality of life). Results More than three-quarters of the participants (76%) completed the full 4-week training. User evaluations showed that ACT-DL stimulated the use of ACT in daily life: participants practiced over an hour a week (mean 78.8 minutes, standard deviation 54.4), doing 10.4 exercises (standard deviation 6.0) on average. Both ACT exercises and metaphors were experienced as useful components of the training (rated 5 out of 7). Repeated measures ANCOVA did not show significant effects of the ACT-DL on psychological flexibility (P=.88), symptoms (P=.39), avoidant coping (P=.28), or quality of life (P=.15). Conclusions This is the first study that uses experience sampling to foster awareness in daily life in combination with acceptance and commitment therapy to foster skill building. Adherence to the ACT-DL was high for an intensive mHealth intervention. ACT-DL appears to be an acceptable and feasible mHealth intervention, suitable for a broad range of mental health problems. However, short-term effectiveness could not be demonstrated. Additional clinical trials are needed to examine both short-term and long-term effects. PMID:27634747

Multimodal audio guide for museums and exhibitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gebbensleben, Sandra; Dittmann, Jana; Vielhauer, Claus

2006-02-01

In our paper we introduce a new Audio Guide concept for exploring buildings, realms and exhibitions. Actual proposed solutions work in most cases with pre-defined devices, which users have to buy or borrow. These systems often go along with complex technical installations and require a great degree of user training for device handling. Furthermore, the activation of audio commentary related to the exhibition objects is typically based on additional components like infrared, radio frequency or GPS technology. Beside the necessity of installation of specific devices for user location, these approaches often only support automatic activation with no or limited user interaction. Therefore, elaboration of alternative concepts appears worthwhile. Motivated by these aspects, we introduce a new concept based on usage of the visitor's own mobile smart phone. The advantages in our approach are twofold: firstly the Audio Guide can be used in various places without any purchase and extensive installation of additional components in or around the exhibition object. Secondly, the visitors can experience the exhibition on individual tours only by uploading the Audio Guide at a single point of entry, the Audio Guide Service Counter, and keeping it on her or his personal device. Furthermore, since the user usually is quite familiar with the interface of her or his phone and can thus interact with the application device easily. Our technical concept makes use of two general ideas for location detection and activation. Firstly, we suggest an enhanced interactive number based activation by exploiting the visual capabilities of modern smart phones and secondly we outline an active digital audio watermarking approach, where information about objects are transmitted via an analog audio channel.

Lipid levels among African and Middle-Eastern Bedouin populations.

PubMed

Dreiher, Jacob; Cohen, Arnon D; Weitzman, Shimon; Sharf, Amir; Shvartzman, Pesach

2008-06-01

Previous studies observed higher high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels and lower triglycerides levels among people of African ancestry. The goal of this study was to characterize lipid levels in Bedouins of African vs. Middle-Eastern ethnicity. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a Bedouin primary care clinic in southern Israel, with 4470 listed individuals over the age of 21, of whom 402 (9%) were of African origin. A stratified random sample was included in the analysis. Associations between ethnicity, age, gender and lipid levels were assessed. Multiple linear regression and logistic regression models were used for multivariate analysis. The study included 261 African Bedouins and 406 Middle-Eastern Bedouins. (median age: 37 years, 58.6% females). The average total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were 10 mg/dl lower among African Bedouins as compared to Middle-Eastern Bedouins (total cholesterol: 168.6 vs. 179.6 mg/dl, p<0.001; LDL: 99.5 vs. 109.0 mg/dl, respectively, p<0.001). Average triglycerides levels were 36 mg/dl lower among African Bedouins as compared to Middle-Eastern Bedouins (102.8 vs. 138.9 mg/dl, respectively, p<0.001). Average HDL levels were 3 mg/dl higher among African Bedouins as compared to Middle-Eastern Bedouins (48.3 vs. 44.6 mg/dl, respectively, p<0.001). A lower prevalence of dyslipidemia was found in African Bedouins, as compared with Middle-Eastern Bedouins.

Conversion from cyclosporine to tacrolimus improves renal function and lipid profile after cardiac transplantation.

PubMed

Garlicki, Mirosław; Czub, Paweł; Labuś, Krzysztof; Ehrlich, Marek P; Rdzanek, Hanna

2006-01-01

Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) have become the cornerstone of immunosuppressive regimens following heart transplantation, but their use is associated with nephrotoxicity. The impact on renal function after conversion from cyclosporine (CsA) to tacrolimus (TAC) is reported. Fifteen patients (men age 42 +/- 11 years) after cardiac transplantation (HTX) were switched from CsA to TAC (mean time after HTX 21 +/- 6 months). There were 13 male and 2 female patients. Mean cholesterol and LDL level at the time of conversion were 217 +/- 65 ml/dl and and 136 +/- 51 mg/100 ml respectively. Indication for HTX was ischemic cardiomyopathy (CMP) in 8, congenital in 3 and dilatative CMP in the remaining 4 patients. Mean tacrolimus level (microg/dl) at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months were 8.6 +/- 3.3, 8.6 +/- 1.4, 9.2 +/- 2.8 and 9.8 +/- 2.5 respectively. There was a statistically significant improvement in creatinine levels at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after conversion from baseline 1.9 +/- 0.7 mg/dl to 1.4 +/- 0.5 mg/dl, 1.4 +/- 0.4 mg/dl, 1.3 +/- 0.4 mg/dl and 1.2 +/- 0.4 mg/dl, respectively (p < 0.05). Furthermore, TAC decreased cholesterol as well as LDL-levels during this one-year time frame. This study shows that conversion from CsA to tacrolimus after orthotopic heart transplantation improves renal function.

Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex alters decision making during approach-avoidance conflict.

PubMed

Chrysikou, Evangelia G; Gorey, Claire; Aupperle, Robin L

2017-03-01

Approach-avoidance conflict (AAC) refers to situations associated with both rewarding and threatening outcomes. The AAC task was developed to measure AAC decision-making. Approach behavior during this task has been linked to self-reported anxiety sensitivity and has elicited anterior cingulate, insula, caudate and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) activity, with right lateral PFC tracking the extent of approach behavior. Guided by these results, we used excitatory transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to demonstrate the causal involvement of right dlPFC in AAC decision-making. Participants received anodal tDCS at 1.5mA over either left or right dlPFC or sham stimulation, while performing the AAC task and a control short-term memory task. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) revealed that for individuals with high anxiety sensitivity excitatory right (but not left or sham) dlPFC stimulation elicited measurable decreases in approach behavior during conflict. Excitatory left (but not right or sham) dlPFC simulation improved performance on the control task. These results support a possible asymmetry between the contributions of right and left dlPFC to AAC resolution during emotional decision-making. Increased activity in right dlPFC may contribute to anxiety-related symptoms and, as such, serve as a neurobehavioral target of anxiolytic treatments aiming to decrease avoidance behavior. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press.

Students' Perceived Service Quality of Distance Learning Courses in a Dual-Mode Education System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yener, Dursun

2013-01-01

Distance learning (DL) has become an important part of university education. In the past DL was applied in different universities with different forms. With rapid technological developments, DL gained a new format through the Internet. Students can take courses online wherever they are geographically. Therefore, working people and adults can…

Comparing the NPS MBA Resident and Distance Programs

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

17 D. ARTICLES ON HYBRID DELIVERY OF EDUCATION .................21 E. BENEFITS AND COSTS OF DL...isolation, potentially reducing the student stress reported by Ni (2013) that can occur in DL programs. E. BENEFITS AND COSTS OF DL Both tangible...PROGRAMS June 2017 By: Mara F. Rosenthal Advisors: Marigee Bacolod Latika Hartmann Approved for public release. Distribution

21 CFR 172.540 - DL-Alanine.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Agents and Related Substances § 172.540 DL-Alanine. DL-Alanine (a racemic mixture of D- and L-alanine; CAS Reg. No. 302-72-7) may be safely used as a flavor enhancer for sweeteners in pickling mixtures at a level not to exceed 1 percent of the pickling spice that is added to the pickling brine. [56 FR...

Ontology patterns for tabular representations of biomedical knowledge on neglected tropical diseases

PubMed Central

Santana, Filipe; Schober, Daniel; Medeiros, Zulma; Freitas, Fred; Schulz, Stefan

2011-01-01

Motivation: Ontology-like domain knowledge is frequently published in a tabular format embedded in scientific publications. We explore the re-use of such tabular content in the process of building NTDO, an ontology of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), where the representation of the interdependencies between hosts, pathogens and vectors plays a crucial role. Results: As a proof of concept we analyzed a tabular compilation of knowledge about pathogens, vectors and geographic locations involved in the transmission of NTDs. After a thorough ontological analysis of the domain of interest, we formulated a comprehensive design pattern, rooted in the biomedical domain upper level ontology BioTop. This pattern was implemented in a VBA script which takes cell contents of an Excel spreadsheet and transforms them into OWL-DL. After minor manual post-processing, the correctness and completeness of the ontology was tested using pre-formulated competence questions as description logics (DL) queries. The expected results could be reproduced by the ontology. The proposed approach is recommended for optimizing the acquisition of ontological domain knowledge from tabular representations. Availability and implementation: Domain examples, source code and ontology are freely available on the web at http://www.cin.ufpe.br/~ntdo. Contact: fss3@cin.ufpe.br PMID:21685092

Teaching High School Chemistry in the Context of Pharmacology Helps Both Teachers and Students Learn

PubMed Central

Schwartz-Bloom, Rochelle D.; Halpin, Myra J.; Reiter, Jerome P.

2014-01-01

Few studies demonstrate the impact of teaching chemistry embedded in a context that has relevance to high school students. We build upon our prior work showing that pharmacology topics (i.e., drugs), which are inherently interesting to high school students, provide a useful context for teaching chemistry and biology. In those studies, teachers were provided professional development for the Pharmacology Education Partnership (PEP) in an onsite venue (either five-day or one-day workshop). Given financial difficulties to travel, teachers have asked for alternatives for professional development. Thus, we developed the same PEP training workshop using a distance learning (DL) (two-way live video) approach. In this way, 121 chemistry and biology teachers participated in the DL workshops to learn how to incorporate the PEP modules into their teaching. They field-tested the modules over the year in high school chemistry and biology classes. Teacher knowledge of chemistry and biology increased significantly after the workshop and was maintained for at least a year. Their students (N = 2309) demonstrated a significant increase in knowledge of chemistry and biology concepts, with higher scores as the number of modules used increased. The increase in both teacher and student knowledge in these subjects was similar to that found previously when teachers were provided with onsite professional development. PMID:24882881

Association of anaemia in primary care patients with chronic kidney disease: cross sectional study of quality improvement in chronic kidney disease (QICKD) trial data

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Anaemia is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease and treating anaemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) may improve outcomes. However, little is known about the scope to improve primary care management of anaemia in CKD. Methods An observational study (N = 1,099,292) with a nationally representative sample using anonymised routine primary care data from 127 Quality Improvement in CKD trial practices (ISRCTN5631023731). We explored variables associated with anaemia in CKD: eGFR, haemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), iron status, cardiovascular comorbidities, and use of therapy which associated with gastrointestinal bleeding, oral iron and deprivation score. We developed a linear regression model to identify variables amenable to improved primary care management. Results The prevalence of Stage 3–5 CKD was 6.76%. Hb was lower in CKD (13.2 g/dl) than without (13.7 g/dl). 22.2% of people with CKD had World Health Organization defined anaemia; 8.6% had Hb ≤ 11 g/dl; 3% Hb ≤ 10 g/dl; and 1% Hb ≤ 9 g/dl. Normocytic anaemia was present in 80.5% with Hb ≤ 11; 72.7% with Hb ≤ 10 g/dl; and 67.6% with Hb ≤ 9 g/dl; microcytic anaemia in 13.4% with Hb ≤ 11 g/dl; 20.8% with Hb ≤ 10 g/dl; and 24.9% where Hb ≤ 9 g/dl. 82.7% of people with microcytic and 58.8% with normocytic anaemia (Hb ≤ 11 g/dl) had a low ferritin (<100ug/mL). Hypertension (67.2% vs. 54%) and diabetes (30.7% vs. 15.4%) were more prevalent in CKD and anaemia; 61% had been prescribed aspirin; 73% non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs); 14.1% warfarin 12.4% clopidogrel; and 53.1% aspirin and NSAID. 56.3% of people with CKD and anaemia had been prescribed oral iron. The main limitations of the study are that routine data are inevitably incomplete and definitions of anaemia have not been standardised. Conclusions Medication review is needed in people with CKD and anaemia prior to considering erythropoietin or parenteral iron. Iron stores may be depleted in over >60% of people with normocytic anaemia. Prescribing oral iron has not corrected anaemia. PMID:23351270

Identification of mildly oxidized low-density lipoprotein (electronegative LDL) and its auto-antibodies IgG in children and adolescents hypercholesterolemic offsprings.

PubMed

Barros, Marcos Roberto Andrade Costa; Bertolami, Marcelo Chiara; Abdalla, Dulcinéia Saes Parra; Ferreira, Waldinai Pereira

2006-01-01

Oxidative modification of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) is an essential step in atherogenesis, generating minimally oxidized LDL, also called electronegative LDL [LDL(-)], which has chemotactic, cytotoxic and immunogenic properties. Serum LDL(-) and anti-LDL(-) auto-antibodies (IgG) were evaluated in 28 children and adolescents with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) antecedents, with or without early coronary artery disease in first-degree relatives (eCAD), hypercholesterolemic (hc) or normocholesterolemic (nc) versus a control group of normocholesterolemic children without pathologic antecedents (C). ELISA method was used for detection of LDL(-) and anti-LDL(-) IgG. LDL(-) serum levels did not differ among the four groups (FH-eCAD-hc 41.4 +/- 24.9 microg/dl; FH-hc 38.3 +/- 11.2 microg/dl; FH-nc 47.3 +/- 17.0 microg/dl and C 44.2 +/- 28.8 microg/dl, p = 0.659). However, IgG anti-LDL(-) auto-antibodies were significantly higher in the control group in comparison to the FH groups with or without eCAD, independent of hypercholesterolemia or normocholesterolemia (FH-eCAD-hc 0.825 +/- 0.289 microg/dl; FH-hc 0.667 +/- 0.307 microg/dl; FH-nc 0.763 +/- 0.204 microg/dl and C 1.105 +/- 0.233 microg/dl, p = 0.006). When the auto-antibodies of groups with FH, with or without eCAD and with or without hypercholesterolemia were compared, no differences were found (p = 0.509). These results showed that FH and/or eCAD children and adolescents have lower titers of auto-antibodies anti-LDL(-) than children from normal families, independent of serum LDL-cholesterol or serum LDL(-).

Maternal hemoglobin concentration and adverse pregnancy outcomes at low and moderate altitudes in Peru.

PubMed

Gonzales, Gustavo F; Tapia, Vilma; Gasco, Manuel; Carrillo, Carlos E

2012-07-01

To identify associations of maternal hemoglobin (Hb) with perinatal outcomes at low and moderate altitudes in Peru. Study of records with sequential information using perinatal database system. The study included 295 651 pregnant women with their products. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, we estimated the probability of stillbirths, preterm and small for gestational age (SGA) births associated with maternal Hb levels at low (0-1999 m) and moderate altitudes (2000-2999 m). Maternal Hb decreased as pregnancy progressed from first to third trimester at both altitudes. Hb was higher at moderate than at low altitude (p < 0.001). Risks for stillbirths increased with low maternal Hb (odds ratio [OR]: 1.39 for Hb 9-9.9; OR: 1.84 for Hb 8-8.9; OR: 3.25 for Hb 7-7.9; and OR: 7.8 for Hb <7 g/dl); with Hb higher than 14.5 g/dl (OR: 1.31) and with altitudes ≥ 2000 m (OR: 1.2). High preterm rates were also observed with low Hbs (OR: 1.16 for Hb 9-9.9; OR: 1.64 for Hb 8-8.9; OR: 2.25 for Hb 7-7.9; and OR:2.87 for Hb<7 g/dl) and with Hb higher than 14.5 g/dl (OR: 1.14). High SGA rates were observed in neonates with maternal Hb of 7-7.9 (OR: 1.35) and <7 g/dl (OR:1.57), and higher than 14.5 g/dl (OR: 1.33), and with moderate altitudes (OR: 1.12). The cut-off points for lower risks of stillbirth and preterm births was 10 g/dl, and for SGA 9 g/dl of hemoglobin. Low and high maternal Hb levels and moderate altitude were independent risk factors for adverse perinatal outcomes.

Impact of radiation therapy on the oncolytic adenovirus dl520: implications on the treatment of glioblastoma.

PubMed

Bieler, Alexa; Mantwill, Klaus; Holzmüller, Regina; Jürchott, Karsten; Kaszubiak, Alexander; Stärk, Sybille; Glockzin, Gabriel; Lage, Hermann; Grosu, Anca-Ligia; Gansbacher, Bernd; Holm, Per Sonne

2008-03-01

Viral oncolytic therapy is emerging as a new form of anticancer therapy and has shown promising preclinical results, especially in combination with radio- and chemotherapy. We recently reported that nuclear localization of the human transcription factor YB-1 in multidrug-resistant cells facilitates E1-independent adenoviral replication. The aim of this study was to evaluate the combined treatment of the conditionally-replicating adenovirus dl520 and radiotherapy in glioma cell lines in vitro and in human tumor xenografts. Furthermore, the dependency of YB-1 on dl520 replication was verified by shRNA directed down regulation of YB-1. Localization of YB-1 was determined by immunostaining. Glioma cell lines LN-18, U373 and U87 were infected with dl520. Induction of cytopathic effect (CPE), viral replication, viral yield and viral release were determined after viral infection, radiation therapy and the combination of both treatment modalities. The capacity of treatments alone or combined to induce tumor growth inhibition of subcutaneous U373 tumors was tested also in nude mice. Quantitative real-time PCR demonstrated that the shRNA-mediated down regulation of YB-1 is leading to a dramatic decrease in adenoviral replication of dl520. Immunostaining analysis showed that the YB-1 protein was predominantly located in the cytoplasm in the perinuclear space and less abundant in the nucleus. After irradiation we found an increase of nuclear YB-1. The addition of radiotherapy increased the oncolytic effect of dl520 with enhanced viral replication, viral yield and viral release. The oncolytic activity of dl520 plus radiation inhibited the growth of subcutaneous U373 tumors in a xenograft mouse model. Radiation mediated increase of nuclear YB-1 in glioma cells enhanced the oncolytic potential of adenovirus dl520.

Efficacy and Safety of Risedronate in Osteoporosis Subjects with Comorbid Diabetes, Hypertension, and/or Dyslipidemia: A Post Hoc Analysis of Phase III Trials Conducted in Japan.

PubMed

Inoue, Daisuke; Muraoka, Ryoichi; Okazaki, Ryo; Nishizawa, Yoshiki; Sugimoto, Toshitsugu

2016-02-01

Many osteoporotics have comorbid diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HT), and dyslipidemia (DL). However, whether such comorbidities alter response to anti-osteoporotic treatment is unknown. We did post hoc analyses of combined data from three risedronate Japanese phase III trials to determine whether the presence of DM, HT, or DL affects its efficacy and safety. Data from 885 subjects who received 48-week treatment with risedronate were collected and combined from the three phase III trials. They were divided into two groups by the presence or absence of comorbidities: DM (n = 53) versus non-DM (n = 832); HT (n = 278) versus non-HT (n = 607); and DL (n = 292) versus non-DL (n = 593). Bone mineral density (BMD), urinary type 1 collagen N-telopeptide (uNTX), and serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP) were measured at baseline and sequentially until 48 weeks. BMD or bone markers were not different between any of the two groups. Overall, BMD was increased by 5.52%, and uNTX and BAP were decreased by 35.4 and 33.8%, respectively. Some bone markers were slightly lower in DM and DL subjects, but the responses to risedronate were not significantly different. Statin users had lower uNTX and BAP, but showed no difference in the treatment response. All the other medications had no apparent effect. Adverse event incidence was marginally higher in DL compared with non-DL (Relative risk 1.06; 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.11), but was not related to increase in any specific events. Risedronate shows consistent safety and efficacy in suppressing bone turnover and increasing BMD in osteoporosis patients with comorbid DM, HT, and/or DL.

Lower Glucose Target is Associated with Improved 30-Day Mortality in Cardiac and Cardiothoracic Patients.

PubMed

Hersh, Andrew M; Hirshberg, Eliotte L; Wilson, Emily L; Orme, James F; Morris, Alan H; Lanspa, Michael J

2018-04-26

Practice guidelines recommend against Intensive Insulin Therapy (IIT) in critically ill patients based on trials that had high rates of severe hypoglycemia. Intermountain Healthcare uses a computerized intravenous insulin protocol (eProtocol-insulin) that allows choice of blood glucose (BG) targets (80-110 mg/dl versus 90-140 mg/dl), and has low rates of severe hypoglycemia. We sought to study the effects of BG target on mortality in adult patients in cardiac intensive care units (ICUs) that have very low rates of severe hypoglycemia. Critically ill patients receiving intravenous insulin were treated with either of two BG targets (80-110 mg/dl versus 90-140 mg/dl). We created a propensity score for BG target using factors believed to have influenced clinicians' choice, and then performed a propensity-score-adjusted regression analysis for 30-day mortality. 1809 patients met inclusion criteria. Baseline patient characteristics were similar. Median glucose was lower in the 80-110 mg/dl group (104 mg/dl vs. 122 mg/dl, p<0.001). Severe hypoglycemia occurred at very low rates in both groups (1.16% vs. 0.35%, p=0.051). Unadjusted 30-day mortality was lower in the 80-110 mg/dl group (4.3% vs 9.2%, p<0.001). This remained after propensity-score-adjusted regression (OR 0.65; 95% CI, 0.43-0.98; p=0.04). Tight glucose control can be achieved with low rates of severe hypoglycemia, and is associated with decreased 30-day mortality in a cohort of largely cardiac patients. While such findings should not be used to guide clinical practice at present, the use of tight glucose control should be re-examined using a protocol that has low rates of severe hypoglycemia. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Bedside hemoglobinometry in hemodialysis patients: lessons from point-of-care testing.

PubMed

Agarwal, R; Heinz, T

2001-01-01

The HemoCue B-hemoglobin test system (HemoCue, Inc., Mission Viejo, CA) is a photometric method for rapid bedside determination of hemoglobin (Hb). We compared the performance of HemoCue measured Hb against Coulter STK-S (CSTK) measured Hb in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients in two different settings. In the first setting, Hemocue analysis was performed by multiple HD technicians (n = 132). In the second setting, a nurse trained in proper specimen handling performed the HemoCue analysis (n = 74). Simultaneous measurement of Hb by the CSTK method was performed. First setting: Hb was 11.1+/-1.66 (SD) g/dl by CSTK and 11.7+/-2.29 g/dl by HemoCue. The HemoCue method consistently overestimated Hb by an average (SD) of 0.63 (1.267) g/dl (95% CI = 0.42 to 0.85). Hb was overestimated in 25.7% and underestimated in 2.3% of the patients by 1 g/dl or more. Thus, the HemoCue system was accurate within 1 g/dl only 72% of the time. Second setting: HemoCue overestimated Hb by an average (SD) of 0.29 (0.52) g/dl (95% CI, 0.17 to 0.41). Only 4% of all patients had errors in estimation of 1 g/dl or more. Thus, HemoCue was accurate in 96% of the patients within 1 g/dl. After reviewing the two protocols, the primary difference in the two studies was the technique used to obtain the specimens. When performed properly, Hb testing using the HemoCue testing system had a high level of agreement with CSTK. Appropriate training in specimen handling, as well as test performance, will increase accuracy and reliability of bedside hemoglobinometry.

Meiotic recombination generates rich diversity in NK cell receptor genes, alleles, and haplotypes

PubMed Central

Norman, Paul J.; Abi-Rached, Laurent; Gendzekhadze, Ketevan; Hammond, John A.; Moesta, Achim K.; Sharma, Deepti; Graef, Thorsten; McQueen, Karina L.; Guethlein, Lisbeth A.; Carrington, Christine V.F.; Chandanayingyong, Dasdayanee; Chang, Yih-Hsin; Crespí, Catalina; Saruhan-Direskeneli, Güher; Hameed, Kamran; Kamkamidze, Giorgi; Koram, Kwadwo A.; Layrisse, Zulay; Matamoros, Nuria; Milà, Joan; Park, Myoung Hee; Pitchappan, Ramasamy M.; Ramdath, D. Dan; Shiau, Ming-Yuh; Stephens, Henry A.F.; Struik, Siske; Tyan, Dolly; Verity, David H.; Vaughan, Robert W.; Davis, Ronald W.; Fraser, Patricia A.; Riley, Eleanor M.; Ronaghi, Mostafa; Parham, Peter

2009-01-01

Natural killer (NK) cells contribute to the essential functions of innate immunity and reproduction. Various genes encode NK cell receptors that recognize the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) Class I molecules expressed by other cells. For primate NK cells, the killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) are a variable and rapidly evolving family of MHC Class I receptors. Studied here is KIR3DL1/S1, which encodes receptors for highly polymorphic human HLA-A and -B and comprises three ancient allelic lineages that have been preserved by balancing selection throughout human evolution. While the 3DS1 lineage of activating receptors has been conserved, the two 3DL1 lineages of inhibitory receptors were diversified through inter-lineage recombination with each other and with 3DS1. Prominent targets for recombination were D0-domain polymorphisms, which modulate enhancer function, and dimorphism at position 283 in the D2 domain, which influences inhibitory function. In African populations, unequal crossing over between the 3DL1 and 3DL2 genes produced a deleted KIR haplotype in which the telomeric “half” was reduced to a single fusion gene with functional properties distinct from its 3DL1 and 3DL2 parents. Conversely, in Eurasian populations, duplication of the KIR3DL1/S1 locus by unequal crossing over has enabled individuals to carry and express alleles of all three KIR3DL1/S1 lineages. These results demonstrate how meiotic recombination combines with an ancient, preserved diversity to create new KIR phenotypes upon which natural selection acts. A consequence of such recombination is to blur the distinction between alleles and loci in the rapidly evolving human KIR gene family. PMID:19411600

A 1-year trial of repeated high-dose intravenous iron isomaltoside 1000 to maintain stable hemoglobin levels in inflammatory bowel disease.

PubMed

Reinisch, Walter; Altorjay, Istvan; Zsigmond, Ferenc; Primas, Christian; Vogelsang, Harald; Novacek, Gottfried; Reinisch, Sieglinde; Thomsen, Lars L

2015-01-01

Iron isomaltoside 1000 (Monofer®) is a high-dose intravenous (IV) iron, which in a recent 8 weeks trial in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) subjects with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) demonstrated good tolerability and efficacy. The present trial is an extension to this trial, which evaluates the need for additional high IV iron doses to maintain a stable hemoglobin (Hb) ≥12.0 g/dl. This was a prospective, open-label, 12 months trial of European IBD subjects willing to participate after completing the lead-in trial. Subjects were allowed re-dosing with 500-2000 mg single doses of iron isomaltoside 1000 infused over ∼15 min at 3 months intervals depending on a predefined algorithm. Outcome measures included Hb, safety parameters and need for additional iron dosing. A total of 39 subjects were enrolled of which 34 subjects required re-dosing with a median cumulative 1-year dose of 1.8 g (mean cumulative dose 2.2 g). The mean (SD) Hb was 12.3 (1.5) g/dl at baseline, 12.8 (1.6) g/dl at 3 months, 12.8 (1.6) g/dl at 6 months, 12.9 (1.4) g/dl at 9 months and 12.9 (1.6) g/dl at 12 months. Seventy-four percent of subjects who had an Hb ≥12.0 g/dl at baseline were able to maintain Hb ≥12.0 g/dl till the end of the trial at 12 months. Nonserious probably related hypersensitivity reactions without significant hypotension were reported at the beginning of the infusion in two subjects, who recovered without sequelae. Repeated treatment of iron deficiency with iron isomaltoside 1000 could avoid episodes of IDA without major safety issues.

Oligopeptides and copeptides of homochiral sequence, via beta-sheets, from mixtures of racemic alpha-amino acids, in a one-pot reaction in water; relevance to biochirogenesis.

PubMed

Illos, Roni A; Bisogno, Fabricio R; Clodic, Gilles; Bolbach, Gerard; Weissbuch, Isabelle; Lahav, Meir

2008-07-09

As part of our studies on the biochirogenesis of peptides of homochiral sequence during early evolution, the formation of oligopeptides composed of 14-24 residues of the same handedness in the polymerization of dl-leucine (Leu), dl-phenylalanine (Phe), and dl-valine (Val) in aqueous solutions, by activation with N, N'-carbonyldiimidazole and then initiation with a primary amine, in a one-pot reaction, was demonstrated by MALDI-TOF MS using deuterium enantio-labeled alpha-amino acids. The formation of long isotactic peptides is rationalized by the following steps occurring in tandem: (i) creation of a library of short diasteroisomeric oligopeptides containing isotactic peptides in excess in comparison to a binomial kinetics, as a result of an asymmetric induction exerted by the N-terminal residue of a given handedness; (ii) precipitation of the less soluble racemic isotactic penta- and hexapeptides in the form of beta-sheets that are delineated by homochiral rims; (iii) regio-enantiospecific chain elongation occurring heterogeneously at the beta-sheets/solution interface. Polymerization of l-Leu with l-isoleucine (Ile) or l-Phe with l- (1) N-Me-histidine yielded mixtures of copeptides containing both residues. In contrast, in the polymerization of the corresponding mixtures of l- + d-alpha-amino acids, the long oligopeptides were composed mainly from oligo- l-Leu and oligo- d-Ile in the first system and oligo- d-Phe in the second. Furthermore, in the polymerization of mixtures of hydrophobic racemic alpha-amino acids dl-Leu, dl-Val, and dl-Phe and with added racemic dl-alanine and dl-tyrosine, copeptides of homochiral sequences are most dominantly represented. Possible routes for a spontaneous "mirror-symmetry breaking" process of the racemic mixtures of homochiral peptides are presented.

TOLERANCE TO AMINO ACID MIXTURES AND CASEIN DIGESTS GIVEN INTRAVENOUSLY

PubMed Central

Madden, S. C.; Woods, R. R.; Shull, F. W.; Remington, J. H.; Whipple, G. H.

1945-01-01

Several synthetic mixtures of natural and racemic crystalline amino acids suitable for the daily nitrogen requirement are tested in dogs for their tolerance upon intravenous injection. Certain mixtures of the ten essential amino acids plus non-essential amino acids exclusive of glutamic acid are accepted without any obvious sign of disturbance even at rates above 10 mg. nitrogen per kilo per minute for quantities greater than 300 mg. per kilo. One such mixture consists in parts per 100 of dl-threonine 7, dl-valine 15, l(-)-leucine 10.9, dl-isoleucine 9.9, l(+)-lysine· HCl·H2O 10.9, dl-tryptophane 3, dl-phenylalanine 9.9, dl-methionine 6, l(+)-histidine·HCl·H2O 5, l(+)-arginine-HCl 5, glycine 9.9, dl-α-alanine 4, dl-serine 2, l(-)-cystine 0.5, and l(-)-tyrosine 1. In addition other well tolerated mixtures included the prolines. When glutamic acid, natural or racemic, is included in similar mixtures vomiting reactions frequently occur at nitrogen rates above 4 mg. per kilo per minute. Vomiting almost always occurs on the first daily injection containing glutamic acid and usually on any subsequent injection containing more than 100 mg. glutamic acid per kilo unless given very slowly. Upon the addition of glycine certain mixtures of the ten essential amino acids show an improved tolerance. Two casein digests tested usually produced vomiting at injection rates above 2 mg. nitrogen per kilo per minute, probably because of their glutamic acid content. No serious reaction has ever occurrred to any mixture of amino acids or casein digest tested. Elimination of minor reactions such as vomiting appears possible and desirable for greater usefulness of these solutions in parenteral feeding. PMID:19871468

Differential Functional Connectivity Alterations of Two Subdivisions within the Right dlPFC in Parkinson's Disease

PubMed Central

Caspers, Julian; Mathys, Christian; Hoffstaedter, Felix; Südmeyer, Martin; Cieslik, Edna C.; Rubbert, Christian; Hartmann, Christian J.; Eickhoff, Claudia R.; Reetz, Kathrin; Grefkes, Christian; Michely, Jochen; Turowski, Bernd; Schnitzler, Alfons; Eickhoff, Simon B.

2017-01-01

Patients suffering from Parkinson's disease (PD) often show impairments in executive function (EF) like decision-making and action control. The right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) has been strongly implicated in EF in healthy subjects and has repeatedly been reported to show alterations related to EF impairment in PD. Recently, two key regions for cognitive action control have been identified within the right dlPFC by co-activation based parcellation. While the posterior region is engaged in rather basal EF like stimulus integration and working memory, the anterior region has a more abstract, supervisory function. To investigate whether these functionally distinct subdivisions of right dlPFC are differentially affected in PD, we analyzed resting-state functional connectivity (FC) in 39 PD patients and 44 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Patients were examined both after at least 12 h withdrawal of dopaminergic drugs (OFF) and under their regular dopaminergic medication (ON). We found that only the posterior right dlPFC subdivision shows FC alterations in PD, while the anterior part remains unaffected. PD-related decreased FC with posterior right dlPFC was found in the bilateral medial posterior parietal cortex (mPPC) and left dorsal premotor region (PMd) in the OFF state. In the medical ON, FC with left PMd normalized, while decoupling with bilateral mPPC remained. Furthermore, we observed increased FC between posterior right dlPFC and the bilateral dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) in PD in the ON state. Our findings point to differential disturbances of right dlPFC connectivity in PD, which relate to its hierarchical organization of EF processing by stronger affecting the functionally basal posterior aspect than the hierarchically higher anterior part. PMID:28611616

Soluble NKG2D ligands: prevalence, release, and functional impact.

PubMed

Salih, Helmut Rainer; Holdenrieder, Stefan; Steinle, Alexander

2008-05-01

Natural Killer (NK) cells are capable to recognize and eliminate malignant cells. Anti-tumor responses of NK cells are promoted by the tumor-associated expression of cell stress-inducible ligands of the activating NK receptor NKG2D. Current evidence suggests that established tumors subvert NKG2D-mediated tumor immunosurveillance by releasing NKG2D ligands (NKG2DL). Release of NKG2DL has been observed in a broad variety of human tumor entities and is thought to interfere with NKG2D-mediated tumor immunity in several ways. Further, levels of soluble NKG2DL (sNKG2DL) were also found to be elevated under various non-malignant conditions, although the functional implications remain largely unclear. Here we review and discuss the available data on the prevalence, release, functional impact, and potential clinical value of sNKG2DL.

JT8D and JT9D jet engine performance improvement program. Task 1: Feasibility analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaffin, W. O.; Webb, D. E.

1979-01-01

JT8D and JT9D component performance improvement concepts which have a high probability of incorporation into production engines were identified and ranked. An evaluation method based on airline payback period was developed for the purpose of identifying the most promising concepts. The method used available test data and analytical models along with conceptual/preliminary designs to predict the performance improvements, weight, installation characteristics, cost for new production and retrofit, maintenance cost, and qualitative characteristics of candidate concepts. These results were used to arrive at the concept payback period, which is the time required for an airline to recover the investment cost of concept implementation.

Effect of amino acids and vitamins on laccase production by the bird's nest fungus Cyathus bulleri.

PubMed

Dhawan, Shikha; Kuhad, Ramesh Chander

2002-08-01

Various amino acids, their analogues and vitamins have shown stimulatory as well as inhibitory effects on laccase production by Cyathus bulleri. DL-methionine, DL-tryptophan, glycine and DL-valine stimulated laccase production, while L-cysteine monohydrochloride completely inhibited the enzyme production. Among vitamins tested biotin, riboflavin and pyridoxine hydrochloride were found to induce laccase production.

New Tools and Metrics for Evaluating Army Distributed Learning. Monograph

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Straus, Susan G.; Shanley, Michael G.; Yeung, Douglas; Rothenberg, Jeff; Steiner, Elizabeth D.; Leuschner, Kristin J.

2011-01-01

Distributed learning (DL) is a key element of the Army's training strategy, and the Army has ambitious goals for expanding the future use of DL and for changing how it is developed and delivered. Program-level evaluation of DL can play an essential role in accomplishing those goals and in identifying strategic directions for the overall program.…

X-ray and conformational investigations of a 4:1 mixture of 6-(N-benzyl-N-tert-butoxycarbonylamino)-2,3,6,7-tetradeoxy-alpha- DL-ery thro- and -beta-DL-threo-hept-2-enopyranos-4-uloses.

PubMed

Krajewski, J W; Urbańczyk-Lipkowska, Z; Gluziński, P; Jurczak, J; Raczko, J; Gołebiowski, A

1990-07-01

The crystals of a 4:1 mixture of 6-(N-benzyl-N-tert-butoxycarbonylamino)-2,3,6,7-tetradeoxy-a-DL-er ythro- and -beta-DL-threo-hept-2-enopyranos-4-ulose were monoclinic, space group P2(1)/c, with cell dimensions: a = 9.490(2), b = 21.516(5), c = 10.279(2) A, beta = 115.31(1) degrees, Z = 4. The ulose ring had a half-chair conformation deformed towards the sofa (envelope) form.

Potential challenges facing distributed leadership in health care: evidence from the UK National Health Service.

PubMed

Martin, Graeme; Beech, Nic; MacIntosh, Robert; Bushfield, Stacey

2015-01-01

The discourse of leaderism in health care has been a subject of much academic and practical debate. Recently, distributed leadership (DL) has been adopted as a key strand of policy in the UK National Health Service (NHS). However, there is some confusion over the meaning of DL and uncertainty over its application to clinical and non-clinical staff. This article examines the potential for DL in the NHS by drawing on qualitative data from three co-located health-care organisations that embraced DL as part of their organisational strategy. Recent theorising positions DL as a hybrid model combining focused and dispersed leadership; however, our data raise important challenges for policymakers and senior managers who are implementing such a leadership policy. We show that there are three distinct forms of disconnect and that these pose a significant problem for DL. However, we argue that instead of these disconnects posing a significant problem for the discourse of leaderism, they enable a fantasy of leadership that draws on and supports the discourse. © 2014 The Authors. Sociology of Health & Illness © 2014 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Deep learning based classification of breast tumors with shear-wave elastography.

PubMed

Zhang, Qi; Xiao, Yang; Dai, Wei; Suo, Jingfeng; Wang, Congzhi; Shi, Jun; Zheng, Hairong

2016-12-01

This study aims to build a deep learning (DL) architecture for automated extraction of learned-from-data image features from the shear-wave elastography (SWE), and to evaluate the DL architecture in differentiation between benign and malignant breast tumors. We construct a two-layer DL architecture for SWE feature extraction, comprised of the point-wise gated Boltzmann machine (PGBM) and the restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM). The PGBM contains task-relevant and task-irrelevant hidden units, and the task-relevant units are connected to the RBM. Experimental evaluation was performed with five-fold cross validation on a set of 227 SWE images, 135 of benign tumors and 92 of malignant tumors, from 121 patients. The features learned with our DL architecture were compared with the statistical features quantifying image intensity and texture. Results showed that the DL features achieved better classification performance with an accuracy of 93.4%, a sensitivity of 88.6%, a specificity of 97.1%, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.947. The DL-based method integrates feature learning with feature selection on SWE. It may be potentially used in clinical computer-aided diagnosis of breast cancer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Black sexuality, social construction, and research targeting 'The Down Low' ('The DL').

PubMed

Ford, Chandra L; Whetten, Kathryn D; Hall, Susan A; Kaufman, Jay S; Thrasher, Angela D

2007-03-01

The purpose of this commentary is to explain how social constructions of black sexuality are relevant to research targeting black sexual behavior and the ostensibly new and race-specific phenomenon known as "the Down Low" (the DL). The term "the DL" is widely used to refer to black men publicly presenting as heterosexual while secretly having sex with other men and presumably spreading human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) to unsuspecting women. We briefly review lay and public health literature from 1998 to 2004 about the DL, describe existing social constructions of black sexuality, discuss two implications for epidemiologic research, and offer recommendations to guide future research. The lifestyle referenced by the term the DL is neither new nor limited to blacks, and sufficient data linking it to HIV/AIDS disparities currently are lacking. Common perceptions about the DL reflect social constructions of black sexuality as generally excessive, deviant, diseased, and predatory. Research targeting black sexual behavior that ignores these constructions may unwittingly reinforce them. Unaddressed social constructions of black sexuality have implications for epidemiologic research targeting black sexual behavior. Explicit examination of these concerns is necessary to eliminate fundamental causes of health disparities.

Origins of hydration differences in homochiral and racemic crystals of aspartic acid.

PubMed

Juliano, Thomas R; Korter, Timothy M

2015-02-26

The propensity for crystalline hydrates of organic molecules to form is related to the strength of the interactions between molecules, including the chiral composition of the molecular solids. Specifically, homochiral versus racemic crystalline samples can exhibit distinct differences in their ability to form energetically stable hydrates. The focus of the current study is a comparison of the crystal structures and intermolecular forces found in solid-state L-aspartic acid, DL-aspartic acid, and L-aspartic acid monohydrate. The absence of experimental evidence for the DL-aspartic acid monohydrate is considered here in terms of the enhanced thermodynamic stability of the DL-aspartic acid anhydrate crystal as compared to the L-aspartic acid anhydrate as revealed through solid-state density functional theory calculations and terahertz spectroscopic measurements. The results indicate that anhydrous DL-aspartic acid is the more stable solid, not due to intermolecular forces alone but also due to the improved conformations of the molecules within the racemic solid. Hemihydrated and monohydrated forms of DL-aspartic acid have been computationally evaluated, and in each case, the hydrates produce destabilized aspartic acid conformations that prevent DL-aspartic acid hydrate formation from occurring.

Serum protein electrophoretic pattern in one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Tripoli, Libya.

PubMed

Abdoslam, Omran; Bayt-Almal, Mahmoud; Almghrbe, Abdullah; Algriany, Omran

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to characterize serum protein capillary electrophoretic pattern in apparently healthy adult male (age: 3-7 years) dromedary camels and also evaluate total protein and albumin levels using automated analyzer. Blood samples were taken from 20 camels. 5ml of blood was collected from the jugular vein and serum was separated from samples by centrifugation. Capillary electrophoresis of serum proteins identified six protein fractions in adult camels, including albumin, alpha1, alpha2, beta1, beta2 and gamma globulins, serum levels of these parameters were 3.9±0.04 g/dl, 0.16±0.01 g/dl, 0.39±0.03 g/dl, 0.515±0.03 g/dl, 0.205±0.01 g/dl and 0.61±0.04 g/dl, and 65.42±0.62 g/l, respectively. The total protein concentration was 65.42±0.62 g/L, while, the albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio was 2.4±0.14. The present study indicates six peaks with minicapillary electrophoresis and the results obtained were compared and interpreted in the light of finding reported by other investigators in camels.

Caudal migration and proliferation of renal progenitors regulates early nephron segment size in zebrafish.

PubMed

Naylor, Richard W; Dodd, Rachel C; Davidson, Alan J

2016-10-19

The nephron is the functional unit of the kidney and is divided into distinct proximal and distal segments. The factors determining nephron segment size are not fully understood. In zebrafish, the embryonic kidney has long been thought to differentiate in situ into two proximal tubule segments and two distal tubule segments (distal early; DE, and distal late; DL) with little involvement of cell movement. Here, we overturn this notion by performing lineage-labelling experiments that reveal extensive caudal movement of the proximal and DE segments and a concomitant compaction of the DL segment as it fuses with the cloaca. Laser-mediated severing of the tubule, such that the DE and DL are disconnected or that the DL and cloaca do not fuse, results in a reduction in tubule cell proliferation and significantly shortens the DE segment while the caudal movement of the DL is unaffected. These results suggest that the DL mechanically pulls the more proximal segments, thereby driving both their caudal extension and their proliferation. Together, these data provide new insights into early nephron morphogenesis and demonstrate the importance of cell movement and proliferation in determining initial nephron segment size.

New aspects of the pathogenesis of canine distemper leukoencephalitis.

PubMed

Lempp, Charlotte; Spitzbarth, Ingo; Puff, Christina; Cana, Armend; Kegler, Kristel; Techangamsuwan, Somporn; Baumgärtner, Wolfgang; Seehusen, Frauke

2014-07-02

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a member of the genus morbillivirus, which is known to cause a variety of disorders in dogs including demyelinating leukoencephalitis (CDV-DL). In recent years, substantial progress in understanding the pathogenetic mechanisms of CDV-DL has been made. In vivo and in vitro investigations provided new insights into its pathogenesis with special emphasis on axon-myelin-glia interaction, potential endogenous mechanisms of regeneration, and astroglial plasticity. CDV-DL is characterized by lesions with a variable degree of demyelination and mononuclear inflammation accompanied by a dysregulated orchestration of cytokines as well as matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors. Despite decades of research, several new aspects of the neuropathogenesis of CDV-DL have been described only recently. Early axonal damage seems to represent an initial and progressive lesion in CDV-DL, which interestingly precedes demyelination. Axonopathy may, thus, function as a potential trigger for subsequent disturbed axon-myelin-glia interactions. In particular, the detection of early axonal damage suggests that demyelination is at least in part a secondary event in CDV-DL, thus challenging the dogma of CDV as a purely primary demyelinating disease. Another unexpected finding refers to the appearance of p75 neurotrophin (NTR)-positive bipolar cells during CDV-DL. As p75NTR is a prototype marker for immature Schwann cells, this finding suggests that Schwann cell remyelination might represent a so far underestimated endogenous mechanism of regeneration, though this hypothesis still remains to be proven. Although it is well known that astrocytes represent the major target of CDV infection in CDV-DL, the detection of infected vimentin-positive astrocytes in chronic lesions indicates a crucial role of this cell population in nervous distemper. While glial fibrillary acidic protein represents the characteristic intermediate filament of mature astrocytes, expression of vimentin is generally restricted to immature or reactive astrocytes. Thus, vimentin-positive astrocytes might constitute an important cell population for CDV persistence and spread, as well as lesion progression. In vitro models, such as dissociated glial cell cultures, as well as organotypic brain slice cultures have contributed to a better insight into mechanisms of infection and certain morphological and molecular aspects of CDV-DL. Summarized, recent in vivo and in vitro studies revealed remarkable new aspects of nervous distemper. These new perceptions substantially improved our understanding of the pathogenesis of CDV-DL and might represent new starting points to develop novel treatment strategies.

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

Pangaro, L.; Burman, K.D.; Wartofsky, L.

The present report describes a RIA for 3,5-diiodothyronine (3,5T/sub 2/) which uses inner ring-labeled 3,5-(/sup 125/I)T/sub 2/ as the ligand and has a lower limit of detectability of 0.5 ng/dl. Cross-reaction was 0.14% with T/sub 3/, less than 0.001% with T/sub 4/, 1.2% with 3,3',5-triiodothyroacetic acid, and 6.1% with 3,5-diiodothyroacetic acid. No cross-reaction was detectable for iodothyronines within their physiological ranges. Intraassay variation ranged from 2.2 to 7.8%, and interassay variation ranged from 12.7 to 14%. The mean (+-SE) serum 3.5T/sub 2/ concentration in 70 normal subjects was 4.3 +- 0.2 ng/dl. The mean (+-SE) 3.5T/sub 2/ in 14 hyperthyroidmore » patients was increased to 18.4 +- 2.3 ng/dl (P < 0.001), and all but 1 patient had an elevated level. In 10 hypothyroid patients the mean (+-SE) 3,5T/sub 2/ level was decreased to 1.4 +- 0.3 ng/dl (P < 0.001). In 4 patients, levels overlapped with the normal range. In 4 hypothyroid subjects treated with L-T/sub 1/, 3,5T/sub 2/ levels were normal, suggesting that the majority of 3,5T/sub 2/ originates from extrathyroidal conversion from T/sub 3/. Studies in fasting obese subjects demonstrated that serum 3,5T/sub 2/ (mean +- SE) levels fell from 3.4 +- 0.3 to 2.5 +- 0.7 ng/dl during fasting. This fall was significant (P < 0.001) and in parallel with the fall in T/sub 3/ levels of 182 +- 20 to 126 +- 12 ng/dl. In fasting subjects given 100 ..mu..g oral L-T/sub 3//day T/sub 3/ levels rose from 138 +- 11 to 362 +- 26 ng/dl. 3,5T/sub 2/ levels (corrected for cross-reaction and for contamination of oral T/sub 3/ with 3,5T/sub 2/) rose from 2.2 +- 0.7 to 6.4 +- 1.0 ng/dl. In fasting subjects given 25 ..mu..g oral L-T/sub 3//day, T/sub 3/ levels fell from 165 +- 5.1 to 139 +- 6.9 ng/dl. Corrected 3,5T/sub 2/ levels changed from 3.7 +- 0.4 to 2.5 +- 0.3 ng/dl. Neither change were significant.« less

Clinical experience with ferric carboxymaltose in the treatment of cancer- and chemotherapy-associated anaemia

PubMed Central

Steinmetz, T.; Tschechne, B.; Harlin, O.; Klement, B.; Franzem, M.; Wamhoff, J.; Tesch, H.; Rohrberg, R.; Marschner, N.

2013-01-01

Background Intravenous (i.v.) iron can improve anaemia of chronic disease and response to erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), but data on its use in practice and without ESAs are limited. This study evaluated effectiveness and tolerability of ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) in routine treatment of anaemic cancer patients. Patients and methods Of 639 patients enrolled in 68 haematology/oncology practices in Germany, 619 received FCM at the oncologist's discretion, 420 had eligible baseline haemoglobin (Hb) measurements, and 364 at least one follow-up Hb measurement. Data of transfused patients were censored from analysis before transfusion. Results The median total iron dose was 1000 mg per patient (interquartile range 600–1500 mg). The median Hb increase was comparable in patients receiving FCM alone (1.4 g/dl [0.2–2.3 g/dl; N = 233]) or FCM + ESA (1.6 g/dl [0.7–2.4 g/dl; N = 46]). Patients with baseline Hb up to 11.0 g/dl and serum ferritin up to 500 ng/ml benefited from FCM treatment (stable Hb ≥11.0 g/dl). Also patients with ferritin >500 ng/ml but low transferrin saturation benefited from FCM treatment. FCM was well tolerated, 2.3% of patients reported putative drug-related adverse events. Conclusions The substantial Hb increase and stabilisation at 11–12 g/dl in FCM-treated patients suggest a role for i.v. iron alone in anaemia correction in cancer patients. PMID:23071262

Occupational lead exposure aboard a tall ship.

PubMed

Landrigan, P J; Straub, W E

1985-01-01

To evaluate occupational exposures to lead in shipfitters cutting and riveting lead-painted iron plates aboard an iron-hulled sailing vessel, we conducted an environmental and medical survey. Lead exposures in seven personal (breathing zone) air samples ranged from 108 to 500 micrograms/m3 (mean 257 micrograms/m3); all were above the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard of 50 micrograms/m3. In two short-term air samples obtained while exhaust ventilation was temporarily disconnected, mean lead exposure rose to 547 micrograms/m3. Blood lead levels in ten shipfitters ranged from 25 to 53 micrograms/dl (mean, 37.8 micrograms/dl); levels in three of these workers exceeded the upper normal limit of 40 micrograms/dl. Blood lead levels in shipfitters were significantly higher than in other shipyard workers (mean 10.0 micrograms/dl; p less than 0.001). Smoking shipfitters (mean, 47 micrograms/dl) had significantly higher lead levels than nonsmokers (mean, 32 micrograms/dl; p = 0.03). Lead levels in shipfitters who wore respirators were not lower than in those who wore no protective gear (p = 0.68). Four shipfitters had erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EP) concentrations above the adult upper normal limit of 50 micrograms/dl. A close correlation was found between blood lead and EP levels (r = 0.70). Prevalence of lead-related symptoms was no higher in shipfitters than in other workers. No cases of symptomatic lead poisoning were noted. These data indicate that serious occupational exposure to lead can occur in a relatively small boatyard.

Predicting planning performance from structural connectivity between left and right mid-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex: moderating effects of age during postadolescence and midadulthood.

PubMed

Kaller, Christoph P; Reisert, Marco; Katzev, Michael; Umarova, Roza; Mader, Irina; Hennig, Jürgen; Weiller, Cornelius; Köstering, Lena

2015-04-01

Complex cognitive abilities such as planning are known to critically rely on activity of bilateral mid-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (mid-dlPFC). However, the functional relevance of the structural connectivity between left and right mid-dlPFC is yet unknown. Here, we applied global tractography to derive streamline counts as estimates of the structural connectivity between mid-dlPFC homologs and related it to planning performance in the Tower of London task across early to midadulthood, assuming a moderating effect of age. Multiple regression analyses with interaction effects revealed that streamline counts between left and right mid-dlPFC were negatively associated with planning performance specifically in early postadolescence. From the fourth life decade on, there was a trend for a reversed, positive association. These differential findings were corroborated by converging results from fractional anisotropy and white-matter density estimates in the genu of the corpus callosum where fibers connecting mid-dlPFC homologs traversed. Moreover, the results for streamline counts were regionally specific, marking the strength of mid-dlPFC connectivity as critical in predicting interindividual differences in planning performance across different stages of adulthood. Taken together, present findings provide first evidence for nonadditive effects of age on the relation between complex cognitive abilities and the structural connectivity of mid-dlPFC homologs. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Species-specific recognition of the carrier insect by dauer larvae of the nematode Caenorhabditis japonica.

PubMed

Okumura, Etsuko; Tanaka, Ryusei; Yoshiga, Toyoshi

2013-02-15

Host recognition is crucial during the phoretic stage of nematodes because it facilitates their association with hosts. However, limited information is available on the direct cues used for host recognition and host specificity in nematodes. Caenorhabditis japonica forms an intimate association with the burrower bug Parastrachia japonensis. Caenorhabditis japonica dauer larvae (DL), the phoretic stage of the nematode, are mainly found on adult P. japonensis females but no other species. To understand the mechanisms of species-specific and female carrier-biased ectophoresy in C. japonica, we investigated whether C. japonica DL could recognize their hosts using nematode loading and chemoattraction experiments. During the loading experiments, up to 300 C. japonica DL embarked on male and female P. japonensis, whereas none or very few utilized the other shield bugs Erthesina fullo and Macroscytus japonensis or the terrestrial isopod Armadillidium vulgare. In the chemoattraction experiments, hexane extracts containing the body surface components of nymphs and both adult P. japonensis sexes attracted C. japonica DL, whereas those of other shield bugs did not. Parastrachia japonensis extracts also arrested the dispersal of C. japonica DL released at a site where hexane extracts were spotted on an agar plate; i.e. >50% of DL remained at the site even 60 min after nematode inoculation whereas M. japonensis extracts or hexane alone did not have the same effect. These results suggest that C. japonica DL recognize their host species using direct chemical attractants from their specific host to maintain their association.

Random Plasma Glucose Values Measured in Community Dental Practices: Findings from The Dental Practice-Based Research Network

PubMed Central

Barasch, Andrei; Gilbert, Gregg H; Spurlock, Noel; Funkhouser, Ellen; Persson, Lise-Lotte; Safford, Monika M

2012-01-01

Objectives To examine feasibility of testing and frequency of abnormal plasma glucose among dental patients in The Dental Practice-Based Research Network. Methods Eligible dental patients were >19 years old and had at least one American Diabetes Association-defined risk factor for diabetes mellitus, or an existing diagnosis of diabetes or pre-diabetes. Random (fasting not required) plasma glucose was measured in standardized fashion using a commercial glucometer. Readings <70 mg/dl or >300 mg/dl triggered re-testing. Patients with glucose >126 mg/dl were referred for medical follow up. Results Of 498 subjects in 28 dental practices, 491 (98%) consented and 418 (85.1%) qualified for testing. Fifty-one patients (12.2%) had diabetes; 24 (5.7%) had pre-diabetes. Glucose ranged from 50 – 465 mg/dl. 129 subjects (31%) had readings outside the normal range; of these, 28 (6.7%) had readings <80 mg/dl and 101 (24.2%) had readings >126 mg/dl; in 9 patients (7 with diabetes), glucose was >200 mg/dl. Conclusions A significant proportion of patients tested had abnormal blood glucose. Routine glucose testing in dental practice of populations at risk or diagnosed with diabetes may be beneficial and community dental practices hold promise as settings for diabetes and pre-diabetes screening and monitoring. Clinical Relevance Results suggest that implementation of glucose measurement in dental practice may provide important clinical and health information for both patients and practitioners. PMID:22903529

Evaluation of cell proliferation in malignant and potentially malignant oral lesions

PubMed Central

Madan, Mani; Chandra, Shaleen; Raj, Vineet; Madan, Rohit

2015-01-01

Aims: To evaluate the cell proliferation rate by the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and argyrophilic nucleolar organizing region (AgNOR) counts and to assess its usefulness as a marker for malignant potential in oral epithelial lesions. Materials and Methods: The study group included 30 cases of leukoplakia, 15 nondysplastic (NDL), 15 dysplastic (DL), 15 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and 5 cases of normal oral mucosa. Formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissues were subjected to immunohistochemical staining for PCNA and AgNOR technique. The PCNA labeling index (LI) and the AgNOR dots were evaluated for the entire sample. Statistical Analysis Used: ANOVA, Tukey honestly significant difference, Pearson's correlation. Results: In this study, the AgNOR count of OSCC was lower than the DL lesions moreover the AgNOR counts were found to be higher in normal mucosa as compared to the DL and the NDL epithelium. The study results also showed that the mean AgNOR count failed to distinguish between DL and NDL lesions. Overall we observed increased PCNA expression from normal epithelium to NDL to DL lesion. Conclusions: Based on the findings of the present study on oral epithelial precancerous and cancerous lesions we conclude that mean AgNOR count alone cannot be a valuable parameter to distinguish between the normal, NDL, DL epithelium and OSCC but, on the other hand, we found out that PCNA can be a useful biomarker for delineating normal epithelium from DL epithelium and OSCC. PMID:26980956

Evaluation of cell proliferation in malignant and potentially malignant oral lesions.

PubMed

Madan, Mani; Chandra, Shaleen; Raj, Vineet; Madan, Rohit

2015-01-01

To evaluate the cell proliferation rate by the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and argyrophilic nucleolar organizing region (AgNOR) counts and to assess its usefulness as a marker for malignant potential in oral epithelial lesions. The study group included 30 cases of leukoplakia, 15 nondysplastic (NDL), 15 dysplastic (DL), 15 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and 5 cases of normal oral mucosa. Formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissues were subjected to immunohistochemical staining for PCNA and AgNOR technique. The PCNA labeling index (LI) and the AgNOR dots were evaluated for the entire sample. ANOVA, Tukey honestly significant difference, Pearson's correlation. In this study, the AgNOR count of OSCC was lower than the DL lesions moreover the AgNOR counts were found to be higher in normal mucosa as compared to the DL and the NDL epithelium. The study results also showed that the mean AgNOR count failed to distinguish between DL and NDL lesions. Overall we observed increased PCNA expression from normal epithelium to NDL to DL lesion. Based on the findings of the present study on oral epithelial precancerous and cancerous lesions we conclude that mean AgNOR count alone cannot be a valuable parameter to distinguish between the normal, NDL, DL epithelium and OSCC but, on the other hand, we found out that PCNA can be a useful biomarker for delineating normal epithelium from DL epithelium and OSCC.

Comparative Ethanol-Induced Potentiation of Stimulatory Responses to Dexmethylphenidate Versus Methylphenidate.

PubMed

Patrick, Kennerly S; Straughn, Arthur B; Reeves, Owen T; Bernstein, Hilary; Malcolm, Robert

2015-08-01

The potentiation of positive subjective responses to immediate-release dexmethylphenidate (d-MPH) or dl-methylphenidate (dl-MPH) by ethanol was investigated over the time course of maximal drug exposure after a single dose. In a 4-way, randomized, crossover study design, 12 men and 12 women normal volunteers received d-MPH (0.15 mg/kg) or dl-MPH (0.3 mg/kg) with or without ethanol (0.6 g/kg). Serial visual analog scales were used as surrogates for drug abuse liability ("high," "good," "like," "stimulated," and "any drug effect"). Combining pure d-MPH with ethanol significantly (P < 0.005) increased the area under the effect curves (AUC(0-5.25h)) of all 5 subscales. The dl-MPH-ethanol combination significantly (P < 0.05) increased these AUCs with the exception of like (P = 0.08). Effects of the pure d-MPH-ethanol combination exhibited delayed potentiation relative to dl-MPH-ethanol. A pharmacokinetic interaction between the l-isomer of dl-MPH and ethanol has previously been shown to increase early exposure to d-MPH. Administration of the pure isomer d-MPH precludes this absorption phase pharmacokinetic interaction with ethanol. This notwithstanding, the pure d-MPH-ethanol combination resulted in comparable, if not greater, cumulative stimulant potentiation than the dl-MPH-ethanol combination. These findings provide evidence of a pharmacodynamic component to d-MPH-ethanol synergistic interactions and carry implications for the rational drug individualization in the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Vibration exercise as a warm-up modality for deadlift power output.

PubMed

Cochrane, Darryl J; Coley, Karl W; Pritchard, Hayden J; Barnes, Matthew J

2015-04-01

Vibration exercise (VbX) has gained popularity as a warm-up modality to enhance performance in golf, baseball, and sprint cycling, but little is known about the efficacy of using VbX as a warm-up before resistance exercise, such as deadlifting. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of a deadlift (DL)-specific warm-up, VbX warm-up, and Control on DL power output (PO). The DL warm-up (DL-WU) included 10, 8, and 5 repetitions performed at 30, 40, and 50% 1-repetition maximum (1RM), respectively, where the number of repetitions was matched by body-weight squats performed with vibration and without vibration (Control). The warm-up conditions were randomized and performed at least 2 days apart. Peak power (PP), mean power, rate of force development (RFD), and electromyography (EMG) were measured during the concentric phase of 2 consecutive DLs (75% 1RM) at 30 seconds and 2:30 minutes after the warm-up conditions. There was no significant (p > 0.05) main effect or interaction effect between the DL-WU, VbX warm-up, and Control for PP, mean power, RFD, and EMG. Vibration exercise warm-up did not exhibit an ergogenic effect to potentiate muscle activity more than the specific DL-WU and Control. Therefore, DL PO is affected to a similar extent, irrespective of the type of stimuli, when the warm-up is not focused on raising muscle temperature.

A unified model of density limit in fusion plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zanca, P.; Sattin, F.; Escande, D. F.; Pucella, G.; Tudisco, O.

2017-05-01

In this work we identify by analytical and numerical means the conditions for the existence of a magnetic and thermal equilibrium of a cylindrical plasma, in the presence of Ohmic and/or additional power sources, heat conduction and radiation losses by light impurities. The boundary defining the solutions’ space having realistic temperature profile with small edge value takes mathematically the form of a density limit (DL). Compared to previous similar analyses the present work benefits from dealing with a more accurate set of equations. This refinement is elementary, but decisive, since it discloses a tenuous dependence of the DL on the thermal transport for configurations with an applied electric field. Thanks to this property, the DL scaling law is recovered almost identical for two largely different devices such as the ohmic tokamak and the reversed field pinch. In particular, they have in common a Greenwald scaling, linearly depending on the plasma current, quantitatively consistent with experimental results. In the tokamak case the DL dependence on any additional heating approximately follows a 0.5 power law, which is compatible with L-mode experiments. For a purely externally heated configuration, taken as a cylindrical approximation of the stellarator, the DL dependence on transport is found stronger. By adopting suitable transport models, DL takes on a Sudo-like form, in fair agreement with LHD experiments. Overall, the model provides a good zeroth-order quantitative description of the DL, applicable to widely different configurations.

Acoustic Characteristics of Various Treatment Panel Designs Specific to HSCT Mixer-Ejector Application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salikuddin, M.; Kinzie, K.; Vu, D. D.; Langenbrunner, L. E.; Szczepkowski, G. T.

2006-01-01

The development process of liner design methodology is described in several reports. The results of the initial effort of concept development, screening, laboratory testing of various liner concepts, and preliminary correlation (generic data) are presented in a report Acoustic Characteristics of Various Treatment Panel Designs for HSCT Ejector Liner Acoustic Technology Development Program. The second phase of laboratory test results of more practical concepts and their data correlations are presented in this report (product specific). In particular, this report contains normal incidence impedance measurements of several liner types in both a static rig and in a high temperature flow duct rig. The flow duct rig allows for temperatures up to 400 F with a grazing flow up to Mach 0.8. Measurements of impedance, DC flow resistance, and in the flow rig cases, impact of the liner on boundary layer profiles are documented. In addition to liner rig tests, a limited number of tests were made on liners installed in a mixer-Ejector nozzle to confirm the performance of the liner prediction in an installed configuration.

Development of termination and utilization concepts for flat conductor cables. Volume 3: Cost study comparison, flat versus round conductor cable

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

A cost study comparing flat conductor cable (FCC) with small-gage wire (SGW) and conventional round conductor cable (RCC) is presented. This study was based on a vehicle wiring system consisting of 110,000 ft of conventional RCC equally divided between AWG sizes 20,22, and 24 using MIL-W-81044-type wire and MIL-C-26500 circular connectors. Basic cost data were developed on a similar-sized commercial jet airplane wiring system on a previous company R&D program in which advanced wiring techniques were carried through equivalent installations on an airplane mockup; and on data developed on typical average bundles during this program. Various cost elements included were engineering labor, operations (manufacturing) labor, material costs, and cost impact on payload. Engineering labor includes design, wiring system integration, wiring diagrams and cable assembly drawings, wire installations, and other related supporting functions such as the electronic data processing for the wiring. Operations labor includes mockup, tooling and production planning, fabrication, assembly, installation, and quality control cost impact on payload is the conversion of wiring system weight variations through use of different wiring concepts to program payload benefits in terms of dollars.

Development of crashworthy passenger seats for general-aviation aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reilly, M. J.; Tanner, A. E.

1979-01-01

Two types of energy absorbing passenger seat concepts suitable for installation in light twin-engine fixed wing aircraft were developed. An existing passenger seat for such an aircraft was used to obtain the envelope constraints. Ceiling suspended and floor supported seat concept designs were developed. A restraint system suitable for both concepts was designed. Energy absorbing hardware for both concepts was fabricated and tension and compression tests were conducted to demonstrate the stroking capability and the force deflection characteristics. Crash impact analysis was made and seat loads developed. The basic seat structures were analyzed to determine the adequacy of their strength under impact loading.

Integrated Technology Rotor/Flight Research Rotor (ITR/FRR) concept definition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harse, J. H.

1983-01-01

A program was performed to identify and evaluate a variety of candidate rotor hub configurations for the ITR/FRR. Design criteria were established for the development of the hub concepts. Eight initial hub configurations were examined and two were selected for further refinement and evaluation. The selected concepts were bearingless designs with and without lead-lag dampers. The selected concepts were refined to the point that their physical properties relative to the Government's technical goals and manufacturing aspects could be assessed. In addition, variations that could be incorporated for the FRR were identified and compatibility for installation on the RSRA was addressed.

Fasting glucose and cardiovascular risk factors in an urban population.

PubMed

Gupta, R; Sarna, M; Thanvi, Jyoti; Sharma, Vibha; Gupta, V P

2007-10-01

To test the hypothesis that blood glucose levels in the range of normoglycemia are associated with increased cardiovascular risk we performed an epidemiological study in an urban population. Randomly selected adults > or = 20 years were studied using stratified sampling. Target sample was 1800 (men 960, women 840) of which 1123 subjects participated. Blood samples were available in 1091 subjects (60.6%, men 532, women 559). Measurement of anthropometric variables, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and lipids was performed. Cardiovascular risk factors were determined using US Adult Treatment Panel-3 guidelines. Pearson's correlation coefficients (r) of fasting glucose with various risk factors were determined. Fasting glucose levels were classified into various groups as < 75 mg/dl, 75-89 mg/dl, 90-109 mg/dl, 110-125 mg/dl and > 126 mg/dl or known diabetes. Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors was determined in each group. There was a significant positive correlation of fasting glucose in men and women with body mass index (r = 0.20, 0.12), waist-hip ratio (0.17, 0.09), systolic blood pressure (0.07, 0.22), total cholesterol (0.21, 0.15) and triglycerides (0.21, 0.25). Prevalence (%) of cardiovascular risk factors in men and women was smoking/tobacco use in 37.6 and 11.6, hypertension in 37.0 and 37.6, overweight and obesity in 37.8 and 50.3, truncal obesity in 57.3 and 68.0, high cholesterol > or = 200 mg/dl in 37.4 and 45.8, high triglycerides > or = 150 mg/dl in 32.3 and 28.6 and metabolic syndrome in 22.9 and 31.6 percent. In various groups of fasting glucose there was an increasing trend in prevalence of overweight/obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia, and metabolic syndrome (Mantel-Haenzel X2 for trend, p < 0.05) and fasting glucose < 75 mg/dl was associated with the lowest prevalence of these risk factors. There is a continuous relationship of fasting glucose levels with many cardiovascular risk factors and level < 75 mg/dl is associated with the lowest prevalence.

Effect of Threat on Right dlPFC Activity during Behavioral Pattern Separation

PubMed Central

Hsiung, Abigail; Ernst, Monique; Grillon, Christian

2017-01-01

It has long been established that individuals with anxiety disorders tend to overgeneralize attributes of fearful stimuli to nonfearful stimuli, but there is little mechanistic understanding of the neural system that supports overgeneralization. To address this gap in our knowledge, this study examined effect of experimentally induced anxiety in humans on generalization using the behavioral pattern separation (BPS) paradigm. Healthy subjects of both sexes encoded and retrieved novel objects during periods of safety and threat of unpredictable shocks while we recorded brain activity with fMRI. During retrieval, subjects were instructed to differentiate among new, old, and altered images. We hypothesized that the hippocampus and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) would play a key role in the effect of anxiety on BPS. The dlPFC, but not the hippocampus, showed increased activity for altered images compared with old images when retrieval occurred during periods of threat compared with safety. In addition, accuracy for altered items retrieved during threat was correlated with dlPFC activity. Together, these results suggest that overgeneralization in anxiety patients may be mediated by an inability to recruit the dlPFC, which mediates the cognitive control needed to overcome anxiety and differentiate between old and altered items during periods of threat. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder patients generalize fear to nonfearful fear stimuli, making it difficult to regulate anxiety. Understanding how anxiety affects generalization is key to understanding the overgeneralization experienced by these patients. We examined this relationship in healthy subjects by studying how threat of shock affects neural responses to previously encountered stimuli. Although previous studies point to hippocampal involvement, we found that threat affected activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), rather than the hippocampus, when subjects encountered slightly altered versions of the previously encountered items. Importantly, this dlPFC activity predicted performance for these items. Together, these results suggest that the dlPFC is important for discrimination during elevated anxiety and that overgeneralization may reflect a deficit in dlPFC-mediated cognitive control. PMID:28842415

Ubiquitylation of an internalized NK cell receptor by Triad3A disrupts sustained NF-κB signaling1

PubMed Central

Shahjahan Miah, S. M.; Purdy, Amanda K.; Rodin, Nicholas B.; MacFarlane, Alexander W.; Oshinsky, Jennifer; Alvarez-Arias, Diana A.; Campbell, Kerry S.

2011-01-01

KIR2DL4 (2DL4, CD158d) is a unique killer cell Ig-like receptor (KIR) expressed on human NK cells, which stimulates cytokine production, but mechanisms regulating its expression and function are poorly understood. By yeast two-hybrid screening, we identified the E3 ubiquitin ligase, Triad3A, as an interaction partner for the 2DL4 cytoplasmic domain. The protein interaction was confirmed in vivo, and Triad3A expression induced polyubiquitylation and degradation of 2DL4. Overexpression of Triad3A selectively abrogated cytokine-producing function of 2DL4, while Triad3A shRNA reversed ubiquitylation and restored cytokine production. Expression of Triad3A in an NK cell line did not affect receptor surface expression, internalization, or early signaling, but significantly reduced receptor turnover and suppressed sustained NF-κB activation. 2DL4 endocytosis was found to be vital to stimulate cytokine production, and Triad3A expression diminished localization of internalized receptor in early endosomes. Our results reveal a critical role for endocytosed 2DL4 receptor to generate sustained NF-κB signaling and drive cytokine production. We conclude that Triad3A is a key negative regulator of sustained 2DL4-mediated NF-κB signaling from internalized 2DL4, which functions by promoting ubiquitylation and degradation of endocytosed receptor from early endosomes. “This is an author-produced version of a manuscript accepted for publication in The Journal of Immunology (The JI). The American Association of Immunologists, Inc. (AAI), publisher of The JI, holds the copyright to this manuscript. This version of the manuscript has not yet been copyedited or subjected to editorial proofreading by The JI; hence, it may differ from the final version published in The JI (online and in print). AAI (The JI) is not liable for errors or omissions in this author-produced version of the manuscript or in any version derived from it by the U.S. National Institutes of Health or any other third party. The final, citable version of record can be found at www.jimmunol.org.” PMID:21270397

Comparison of the force applied on oral structures during intubation attempts by novice physicians between the Macintosh direct laryngoscope, Airway Scope and C-MAC PM: a high-fidelity simulator-based study.

PubMed

Nakanishi, Taizo; Shiga, Takashi; Homma, Yosuke; Koyama, Yasuaki; Goto, Tadahiro

2016-05-23

We examined whether the use of Airway Scope (AWS) and C-MAC PM (C-MAC) decreased the force applied on oral structures during intubation attempts as compared with the force applied with the use of Macintosh direct laryngoscope (DL). Prospective cross-over study. A total of 35 novice physicians participated. We used 6 simulation scenarios based on the difficulty of intubation and intubation devices. Our primary outcome measures were the maximum force applied on the maxillary incisors and tongue during intubation attempts, measured by a high-fidelity simulator. The maximum force applied on maxillary incisors was higher with the use of the C-MAC than with the DL and AWS in the normal airway scenario (DL, 26 Newton (N); AWS, 18 N; C-MAC, 52 N; p<0.01) and the difficult airway scenario (DL, 42 N; AWS, 24 N; C-MAC, 68 N; p<0.01). In contrast, the maximum force applied on the tongue was higher with the use of the DL than with the AWS and C-MAC in both airway scenarios (DL, 16 N; AWS, 1 N; C-MAC, 7 N; p<0.01 in the normal airway scenario; DL, 12 N; AWS, 4 N; C-MAC, 7 N; p<0.01 in the difficult airway scenario). The use of C-MAC, compared with the DL and AWS, was associated with the higher maximum force applied on maxillary incisors during intubation attempts. In contrast, the use of video laryngoscopes was associated with the lower force applied on the tongue in both airway scenarios, compared with the DL. Our study was a simulation-based study, and further research on living patients would be warranted. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Differential Association of Gene Content Polymorphisms of Killer Cell Immunoglobulin-Like Receptors with Placental Malaria in HIV− and HIV+ Mothers

PubMed Central

Hightower, Allen; van Eijk, Anne Maria; Ayisi, John; Otieno, Juliana; Lal, Renu B.; Steketee, Richard; Nahlen, Bernard; ter Kuile, Feiko O.; Slutsker, Laurence; Shi, Ya Ping

2012-01-01

Pregnant women have abundant natural killer (NK) cells in their placenta, and NK cell function is regulated by polymorphisms of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs). Previous studies report different roles of NK cells in the immune responses to placental malaria (PM) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infections. Given these references, the aim of this study was to determine the association between KIR gene content polymorphism and PM infection in pregnant women of known HIV-1 status. Sixteen genes in the KIR family were analyzed in 688 pregnant Kenyan women. Gene content polymorphisms were assessed in relation to PM in HIV-1 negative and HIV-1 positive women, respectively. Results showed that in HIV-1 negative women, the presence of the individual genes KIR2DL1 and KIR2DL3 increased the odds of having PM, and the KIR2DL2/KIR2DL2 homozygotes were associated with protection from PM. However, the reverse relationship was observed in HIV-1 positive women, where the presence of individual KIR2DL3 was associated with protection from PM, and KIR2DL2/KIR2DL2 homozygotes increased the odds for susceptibility to PM. Further analysis of the HIV-1 positive women stratified by CD4 counts showed that this reverse association between KIR genes and PM remained only in the individuals with high CD4 cell counts but not in those with low CD4 cell counts. Collectively, these results suggest that inhibitory KIR2DL2 and KIR2DL3, which are alleles of the same locus, play a role in the inverse effects on PM and PM/HIV co-infection and the effect of KIR genes on PM in HIV positive women is dependent on high CD4 cell counts. In addition, analysis of linkage disequilibrium (LD) of the PM relevant KIR genes showed strong LD in women without PM regardless of their HIV status while LD was broken in those with PM, indicating possible selection pressure by malaria infection on the KIR genes. PMID:22715396

Graphical tool for navigation within the semantic network of the UMLS metathesaurus on a locally installed database.

PubMed

Frankewitsch, T; Prokosch, H U

2000-01-01

Knowledge in the environment of information technologies is bound to structured vocabularies. Medical data dictionaries are necessary for uniquely describing findings like diagnoses, procedures or functions. Therefore we decided to locally install a version of the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) of the U.S. National Library of Medicine as a repository for defining entries of a medical multimedia database. Because of the requirement to extend the vocabulary in concepts and relations between existing concepts a graphical tool for appending new items to the database has been developed: Although the database is an instance of a semantic network the focus on single entries offers the opportunity of reducing the net to a tree within this detail. Based on the graph theorem, there are definitions of nodes of concepts and nodes of knowledge. The UMLS additionally offers the specification of sub-relations, which can be represented, too. Using this view it is possible to manage these 1:n-Relations in a simple tree view. On this background an explorer like graphical user interface has been realised to add new concepts and define new relationships between those and existing entries for adapting the UMLS for specific purposes such as describing medical multimedia objects.

[ECS guidelines 2016 - dyslipidaemias].

PubMed

Sinning, D; Landmesser, U

2016-12-01

Dyslipidaemia is a major cause of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and its progression towards clinical complications, such as acute coronary syndromes and stroke. In August 2016 the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) issued new joint guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias. In these new guidelines, the concept of treating patients to a risk-based low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol target is reinforced. The task force considers LDL cholesterol as the primary target for dyslipidaemia treatment, whereas high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is not recommended as a treatment target (based on the failure of HDL cholesterol elevation treatment strategies to reduce cardiovascular risk in recent studies). In patients with a very high risk for cardiovascular events it is recommended to treat to an LDL cholesterol target of less than 70 mg/dl. Moreover, the new guidelines now additionally recommend a > 50% reduction of LDL cholesterol in patients with very high cardiovascular risk patients and baseline levels between 70 and 135 mg/dl as well as in patients with high cardiovascular risk and baseline LDL cholesterol levels between 100 and 200 mg/dl. Statins are recommended as first-line medicinal treatment and the LDL cholesterol goals given imply the more frequent use of maximum tolerated statin therapy, in particular for patients with very high cardiovascular risk. Treatment with ezetimibe in patients with substantially elevated LDL cholesterol levels despite maximum tolerated statin therapy has now received a stronger recommendation (currently IIa recommendation). The guidelines also now include the potential use of the novel proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors and a recent ESC/EAS consensus document provides more detailed information on which patients can be considered for treatment with PCSK9 inhibitors, i. e. in particular patients with familial hypercholesterolemia and patients at very high cardiovascular risk who have markedly elevated LDL cholesterol levels despite maximum tolerated statin and ezetimibe therapy.

Superior short-term cholesterol control and achievement of the adult treatment panel III low-density lipoprotein goals with initiation of statin therapy by the time of hospital discharge following acute myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Bybee, Kevin A; Powell, Brian D; Williams, Brent A; Murphy, Joseph G; Kopecky, Stephen L; Wright, R Scott

2004-03-15

In a community-based population, we compared serum cholesterol concentrations following hospital discharge after acute myocardial infarction based on statin therapy at the time of hospital discharge. At the time of follow-up cholesterol measurement, patients discharged from the hospital on a statin had lower mean low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (106.4 vs 116.7 mg/dl, p <0.01) and total cholesterol (182.2 vs 193.6 mg/dl, p <0.01) concentrations, larger absolute reductions in LDL (-24.7 vs -4.7 mg/dl, p <0.01) and total cholesterol (-24.2 vs -0.1 mg/dl, p <0.01) from pre-myocardial infarction levels, and superior attainment of the Adult Treatment Panel III LDL goal of <100 mg/dl at the time of follow-up compared with patients who were discharged without a statin (49% vs 33%; adjusted odds ratio 2.56; p <0.01).

Stereoselective aminoacylation of a dinucleoside monophosphate by the imidazolides of DL-alanine and N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-DL-alanine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Profy, A. T.; Usher, D. A.

1984-01-01

The aminoacylation of diinosine monophosphate was studied experimentally. When the acylating agent was the imidazolide of N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-DL-alanine, a 40 percent enantiomeric excess of the isomer was incorporated at the 2' site and the positions of equilibrium for the reversible 2'-3' migration reaction differed for the D and L enantiomers. The reactivity of the nucleoside hydroxyl groups was found to decrease on the order 2'(3') less than internal 2' and less than 5', and the extent of the reaction was affected by the concentration of the imidazole buffer. Reaction of IpI with imidazolide of unprotected DL-alanine, by contrast, led to an excess of the D isomer at the internal 2' site. Finally, reaction with the N-carboxy anhydride of DL-alanine occurred without stereoselection. These results are found to be relevant to the study of the evolution of optical chemical activity and the origin of genetically directed protein synthesis.

Dairy fat blend improves brain DHA and neuroplasticity and regulates corticosterone in mice.

PubMed

Dinel, A L; Rey, C; Bonhomme, C; Le Ruyet, P; Joffre, C; Layé, S

2016-06-01

Mimicking the breast milk lipid composition appears to be necessary for infant formula to cover the brain's needs in n-3 PUFA. In this study, we evaluated the impact of partial replacement of vegetable oil (VL) in infant formula by dairy fat (DL) on docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) brain level, neuroplasticity and corticosterone in mice. Mice were fed with balanced VL or balanced DL diets enriched or not in DHA and arachidonic acid (ARA) from the first day of gestation. Brain DHA level, microglia number, neurogenesis, corticosterone and glucocorticoid receptor expression were measured in the offsprings. DL diet increased DHA and neuroplasticity in the brain of mice at postnatal day (PND) 14 and at adulthood compared to VL. At PND14, ARA and DHA supplementation increased DHA in VL but not in DL mice brain. Importantly, DHA and ARA supplementation further improved neurogenesis and decreased corticosterone level in DL mice at adulthood. In conclusion, dairy lipids improve brain DHA level and neuroplasticity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in marine fish from Shandong, China, and human dietary exposure.

PubMed

Cao, Yanping; Jiang, Dafeng; Li, Fenghua; Chen, Jindong; Li, Wei; Jiao, Yanni; Li, Lu

2018-05-22

The occurrence and human dietary exposure of 12 dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) in 41 marine fish samples from Shandong Province of China were investigated. The DL-PCB congeners were extracted using automated Soxhlet extraction, purified via a composite column cleanup procedure and analyzed by gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. DL-PCB congeners were found in all analyzed samples, with a mean concentration of 0.887 ng/g ww (wet weight). The TEQ concentrations of DL-PCBs in individual fish samples ranged from 0.011 to 9.214 pg WHO TEQ/g ww. The mean dietary intake for all fish species was 36.5 pg TEQ/kg bw/month, which was lower than the provisional tolerable monthly intake of 70 pg TEQ/kg bw/month set by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. To monitor the trend of DL-PCBs in fish for food safety control it is necessary to maintain a surveillance program.

Chemical composition, rheological, quality characteristics and storage stability of buns enriched with coriander and curry leaves.

PubMed

Sudha, M L; Rajeswari, G; Venkateswara Rao, G

2014-12-01

Effect of addition of normal (NL) and dehydrated (DL) curry leaves (Murraya koeniggi) and coriander leaves (Corinadrum sativum) in the ratio of 1:1 to refined wheat flour (WF) or a blend of refined wheat flour-whole wheat flour (WF-WWF, 1:1) on the rheological, nutritional, storage and quality characteristics of the buns were studied. Water absorption increased on addition of increasing levels of DL from 0 to 7.5 % to WF-WWF when compared to WF. Dough weakening was greater when DL was added to WF-WWF as seen in decrease in dough stability and abscissa at rupture values. Addition of gluten and emulsifiers improved the quality characteristics of buns prepared using either 25 % NL or 5 % DL. Storage stability of buns with DL was better. The protein, dietary fiber, iron and carotenoids in buns prepared from WF-WWF were higher. The results indicate the utilization of leaves in dehydrated form in the preparation of nutritionally improved buns.

Spying or steering? Views of parents of young novice drivers on the use and ethics of driver-monitoring technologies.

PubMed

Guttman, Nurit; Lotan, Tsippy

2011-01-01

In-vehicle technologies that document driving practices have the potential to enhance the driving safety of young drivers, but their installation depends largely on their parents' willingness and raises ethical dilemmas. This study investigated, using closed and open-ended questions, the views of 906 parents of young drivers in Israel regarding their willingness to install such a technology, and their conceptions of social norms and ethical issues associated with the technology and of factors that would encourage or discourage parents to adopt it. Most believed parents should feel morally obligated to install it. When cost was not a consideration, most said they would, and believed other parents would be willing to install the technology. Fewer (about half) expressed willingness to install it after being told about its estimated cost. Monetary cost was rated as a barrier to install it by about half. Environmental considerations were viewed as an incentive. Parents who supported the installation believed it would serve as a trigger for parent-young driver communication but those who did not thought it would erode trust in the parent-young driver relationship. Most said parents should have access to the monitoring data. Policy implications regarding issues of privacy and resources for parents are discussed. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermodynamic characteristics of protolytic equilibria in aqueous solutions of glycyl peptides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gridchin, S. N.

2016-11-01

Protolytic equilibria in aqueous solutions of glycyl-DL-serine, glycyl-DL-threonine, and glycyl-DL-valine are investigated by means of potentiometry and calorimetry. Dissociation constants and heat effects of the above dipeptides are determined. Standard thermodynamic characteristics (p K°, Δdis G°, Δdis H°, Δdis S°) of the investigated equilibria are calculated. The obtained results are compared to corresponding data on relative compounds.

Covalent trapping of human DNA polymerase beta by the oxidative DNA lesion 2-deoxyribonolactone.

PubMed

DeMott, Michael S; Beyret, Ergin; Wong, Donny; Bales, Brian C; Hwang, Jae-Taeg; Greenberg, Marc M; Demple, Bruce

2002-03-08

Oxidized abasic residues in DNA constitute a major class of radiation and oxidative damage. Free radical attack on the nucleotidyl C-1' carbon yields 2-deoxyribonolactone (dL) as a significant lesion. Although dL residues are efficiently incised by the main human abasic endonuclease enzyme Ape1, we show here that subsequent excision by human DNA polymerase beta is impaired at dL compared with unmodified abasic sites. This inhibition is accompanied by accumulation of a protein-DNA cross-link not observed in reactions of polymerase beta with unmodified abasic sites, although a similar form can be trapped by reduction with sodium borohydride. The formation of the stably cross-linked species with dL depends on the polymerase lysine 72 residue, which forms a Schiff base with the C-1 aldehyde during excision of an unmodified abasic site. In the case of a dL residue, attack on the lactone C-1 by lysine 72 proceeds more slowly and evidently produces an amide linkage, which resists further processing. Consequently dL residues may not be readily repaired by "short-patch" base excision repair but instead function as suicide substrates in the formation of protein-DNA cross-links that may require alternative modes of repair.

Diagnostic laparoscopy should be performed before definitive resection for pancreatic cancer: a financial argument.

PubMed

Jayakrishnan, Thejus T; Nadeem, Hasan; Groeschl, Ryan T; George, Ben; Thomas, James P; Ritch, Paul S; Christians, Kathleen K; Tsai, Susan; Evans, Douglas B; Pappas, Sam G; Gamblin, T Clark; Turaga, Kiran K

2015-02-01

Laparoscopy is recommended to detect radiographically occult metastases in patients with pancreatic cancer before curative resection. This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that diagnostic laparoscopy (DL) is cost-effective in patients undergoing curative resection with or without neoadjuvant therapy (NAT). Decision tree modelling compared routine DL with exploratory laparotomy (ExLap) at the time of curative resection in resectable cancer treated with surgery first, (SF) and borderline resectable cancer treated with NAT. Costs (US$) from the payer's perspective, quality-adjusted life months (QALMs) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated. Base case estimates and multi-way sensitivity analyses were performed. Willingness to pay (WtP) was US$4166/QALM (or US$50,000/quality-adjusted life year). Base case costs were US$34,921 for ExLap and US$33,442 for DL in SF patients, and US$39,633 for ExLap and US$39,713 for DL in NAT patients. Routine DL is the dominant (preferred) strategy in both treatment types: it allows for cost reductions of US$10,695/QALM in SF and US$4158/QALM in NAT patients. The present analysis supports the cost-effectiveness of routine DL before curative resection in pancreatic cancer patients treated with either SF or NAT. © 2014 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association.

Utilization of exploration-based learning and video-assisted learning to teach GlideScope videolaryngoscopy.

PubMed

Johnston, Lindsay C; Auerbach, Marc; Kappus, Liana; Emerson, Beth; Zigmont, Jason; Sudikoff, Stephanie N

2014-01-01

GlideScope (GS) is used in pediatric endotracheal intubation (ETI) but requires a different technique compared to direct laryngoscopy (DL). This article was written to evaluate the efficacy of exploration-based learning on procedural performance using GS for ETI of simulated pediatric airways and establish baseline success rates and procedural duration using DL in airway trainers among pediatric providers at various levels. Fifty-five pediatric residents, fellows, and faculty from Pediatric Critical Care, NICU, and Pediatric Emergency Medicine were enrolled. Nine physicians from Pediatric Anesthesia benchmarked expert performance. Participants completed a demographic survey and viewed a video by the GS manufacturer. Subjects spent 15 minutes exploring GS equipment and practicing the intubation procedure. Participants then intubated neonatal, infant, child, and adult airway simulators, using GS and DL, in random order. Time to ETI was recorded. Procedural performance after exploration-based learning, measured as time to successful ETI, was shorter for DL than for GS for neonatal and child airways at the.05 significance level. Time to ETI in adult airway using DL was correlated with experience level (p =.01). Failure rates were not different among subgroups. A brief video and period of exploration-based learning is insufficient for implementing a new technology. Pediatricians at various levels of training intubated simulated airways faster using DL than GS.

Self-reinforced bioresorbable poly-L/DL-lactide [SR-P(L/DL)LA] 70/30 miniplates and miniscrews are reliable for fixation of anterior mandibular fractures: a pilot study.

PubMed

Ylikontiola, Leena; Sundqvuist, Kai; Sàndor, George K B; Törmälä, Pertti; Ashammakhi, Nureddin

2004-03-01

Bioresorbable osteofixation devices are being increasingly used in orthognathic surgery and in cases of trauma to avoid problems associated with conventional metal osteofixation devices. The aim of this clinical study was to assess the reliability and efficacy of bioresorbable self-reinforced poly-L/DL-lactide (SR-P(L/DL)LA 70/30) plates and screws in the fixation of mandibular fractures in adults. Ten patients (20 to 49 years old) with isolated anterior mandibular parasymphyseal fractures were treated by means of open reduction and internal fixation using SR-P(L/DL)LA 70/30 bioresorbable plates and screws. During the minimum of 6 months of follow-up, no problems were encountered except for 1 case where a plate became exposed intraorally and infected. This required debridement and later excision of the exposed part of the plate. Despite this setback the fractured bone healed well. SR-P(L/DL)LA 70/30 plates and screws are reliable for internal fixation of anterior mandibular fractures in adults. Proper soft tissue coverage should be ensured to avoid plate exposure. Should implant exposure occur, it might be necessary to excise the exposed part after fracture healing (6-8 weeks postoperatively).

Clinical assessment of a radioimmunoassay for free thyroxine using a modified tracer

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

Chan, D.W.; Waud, J.M.; Hsu, T.H.

1983-06-01

A radioimmunoassay for measuring free thyroxine in plasma was introduced by Amersham using a I-125-labeled T4 derivative that does not bind significantly to the thyroxine-binding proteins. We evaluated this RIA for its clinical utility in assessing 278 patients with thyroid and nonthyroidal diseases. The precision of the Amerlex free T4 assay, expressed as coefficient of variation, was 20% at 0.16 ng/dl, 6.9% at 0.55 ng/dl, 4.2% at 1.08 ng/dl, 5.3% at 2.29 ng/dl, and 6.3% at 3.18 ng/dl. A reference range for free T4 was established as 0.68-1.8 ng/dl, n . 171. The correlation coefficients (r) of a dialysis methodmore » and a free thyroxine index were 0.871 and 0.911, respectively. Free T4 correctly classified 98% euthyroid, 92% hypothyroid, 100% hyperthyroid, 100% euthyroid with elevated TBG, and 87% of phenytoin patients. In addition, 80 patients with acute nonthyroidal illness were studied. Most of these patients have normal to low free T4, very low T3, and elevated rT3. We found this free T4 assay to be precise, easy to perform, and reliable in classifying thyroid status in most patients.« less

Stability of maxillary position after Le Fort I osteotomy using self-reinforced biodegradable poly-70L/30DL-lactide miniplates and screws.

PubMed

Kim, Bong Chul; Padwa, Bonnie L; Park, Hyung-Sik; Jung, Young-Soo

2011-05-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the stability of Le Fort I osteotomy using self-reinforced biodegradable poly-70L/30DL-lactide miniplates and screws. Nineteen patients who had Le Fort I osteotomy and internal fixation using self-reinforced biodegradable poly-70L/30DL-lactide miniplates and screws were evaluated both radiographically and clinically. Changes in maxillary position after operation were documented 1 week, 1, 3, 6 mo, and/or 1-yr postoperatively with lateral cephalometric tracings. Complications of the self-reinforced biodegradable poly-70L/30DL-lactide miniplates and screws were evaluated by follow-up roentgenograms and clinical observation. A mixed model analysis for repeated measures was used for statistical analysis. Maxillary position was stable after operation with no change between time points (P > .05). There were no complications with the self-reinforced biodegradable poly-70L/30DL-lactide miniplates and screws. Internal fixation of the maxilla after Le Fort I osteotomy with self-reinforced biodegradable poly-70L/30DL-lactide miniplates and screws is a reliable method for maintaining the postoperative maxillary position after Le Fort I osteotomy. Copyright © 2011 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dissemination and Implementation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Stimulant Dependence: A Randomized Trial Comparison of Three Approaches

PubMed Central

Rawson, Richard A.; Rataemane, Solomon; Rataemane, Lusanda; Ntlhe, Nomvuyo; Fox, Ruthlyn Sodano; McCuller, Jason; Brecht, Mary-Lynn

2012-01-01

This study evaluated the effectiveness of 3 approaches to transferring cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to addiction clinicians in the Republic of South Africa (RSA). Clinicians (N = 143) were assigned to 3 training conditions: (1) An in vivo (IV) approach in which clinicians received in-person training and coaching; (2) A distance learning (DL) approach providing training via video conference and coaching through teleconferencing; and (3) A control condition (C) providing a manual and 2-hour orientation. Frequency of use of CBT skills increased significantly with the IV and DL approaches compared to the C approach, and the IV approach facilitated greater use of CBT skills than the DL approach. During the active phase of the study, skill quality declined significantly for clinicians trained in the C condition, whereas those in the DL approach maintained skill quality and those in the IV approach improved skill quality. After coaching was discontinued, clinicians in the IV and DL approaches declined in skill quality. However, those in the IV approach maintained a higher level of skill quality compared to the other approaches. Cost of the IV condition was double that of the DL condition and 10 times greater than the C condition. PMID:23577903

Prevalence of Three-Rooted Mandibular First Molars among Indians Using SCT

PubMed Central

Garg, Amit Kumar; Tewari, Rajendra Kumar; Agrawal, Neha

2013-01-01

Undetected extra roots or root canals are a major reason for failure of endodontic treatment. Failure to recognize an extra distolingual (DL) root in mandibular first molar may lead to incomplete debridement of the root canal system and eventually treatment failure. Therefore, it is crucial that atypical anatomy is identified before and during dental treatment. Spiral computed tomography (SCT) images can show 3D images, and therefore much detail can be used when traditional methods prevent adequate endodontic treatment. The overall incidence of DL roots on the mandibular first molars was 6.40% for all patients and 5.00% for all teeth, respectively. The occurrence of DL roots on the right side and on the left side showed a statistically significant difference. The bilateral incidence of symmetrical distribution of DL roots was 56.25%. The DL root canal orifice was separated from DB canal orifice by 2.79 ± 0.34 mm, from the MB canal orifice by 4.23 ± 0.81 mm, and from the ML canal orifice by 3.29 ± 0.52 mm. The high prevalence of the DL root in permanent mandibular first molars among the Indian population by using SCT and estimations of the interorifice distance of such teeth might be useful for successful endodontic treatments. PMID:23840212

Methodological considerations of task and shoe wear on joint energetics during landing.

PubMed

Shultz, Sandra J; Schmitz, Randy J; Tritsch, Amanda J; Montgomery, Melissa M

2012-02-01

To better understand methodological factors that alter landings strategies, we compared sagittal plane joint energetics during the initial landing phase of drop jumps (DJ) vs. drop landings (DL), and when shod vs. barefoot. Surface electromyography, kinematic and kinetic data were obtained on 10 males and 10 females during five consecutive drop landings and five consecutive drop jumps (0.45m) when shod and when barefoot. Energy absorption was greater in the DJ vs. DL (P=.002), due to increased energy absorption at the hip during the DJ. Joint stiffness/impedance was more affected by shoe condition, where overall stiffness/impedance was greater in shod compared to barefoot conditions (P=.036). Further, hip impedance was greater in shod vs. barefoot for the DL only (via increased peak hip extensor moment in DL), while ankle stiffness was greater in the barefoot vs. shod condition for the DJ only (via decreased joint excursion and increased peak joint moment in DJ vs. DL) (P=.011). DJ and DL place different neuromechanical demands upon the lower extremities, and shoe wear may alter impact forces that modulate stiffness/impedance strategies. The impact of these methodological differences should be considered when comparing landing biomechanics across studies. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Occurrence, variability and human exposure to Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), Polychlorinated Dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and Dioxin-Like Polychlorinated Biphenyls (DL-PCBs) in dairy products from Chile during the 2011-2013 survey.

PubMed

Pizarro-Aránguiz, N; Galbán-Malagón, C J; Ruiz-Rudolph, P; Araya-Jordan, C; Maddaleno, A; San Martin, B

2015-05-01

Levels, congener profiles of PCDD/Fs, DL-PCBs and human exposure for these xenobiotics never have been reported in Chile. For that purpose 102 raw cow milk samples were collected from seven different regions of Chile during 2011 until 2013. The highest mean level for PCDD/Fs, corresponds to 0.32 pg WHO-TEQ2005 g(-1) fat (2012) and for DL-PCBs 0.17 pg WHO-TEQ2005 g(-1) fat (2011), using the upper bound approach. Penta and tetra chlorinated congeners dominated PCDD/Fs profiles in a WHO-TEQ2005 basis during the survey. In the case of DL-PCBs, PCB 126 dominated the profiles with 89%. Statistical analysis showed significant difference among years only in DL-PCBs residues. Also dietary intake was estimated, and the highest level for total sum of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs for adult was 0.16 pg WHO-TEQ kg(-1) b.w d(-1) (2011) and for children correspond to 0.65 pg WHO-TEQ kg(-1) b.wd(-1) (2011). Concentrations and dietary intake for the studied compounds in milk and butter samples were below international and national regulations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cognitive regulation during decision making shifts behavioral control between ventromedial and dorsolateral prefrontal value systems.

PubMed

Hutcherson, Cendri A; Plassmann, Hilke; Gross, James J; Rangel, Antonio

2012-09-26

Cognitive regulation is often used to influence behavioral outcomes. However, the computational and neurobiological mechanisms by which it affects behavior remain unknown. We studied this issue using an fMRI task in which human participants used cognitive regulation to upregulate and downregulate their cravings for foods at the time of choice. We found that activity in both ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) correlated with value. We also found evidence that two distinct regulatory mechanisms were at work: value modulation, which operates by changing the values assigned to foods in vmPFC and dlPFC at the time of choice, and behavioral control modulation, which operates by changing the relative influence of the vmPFC and dlPFC value signals on the action selection process used to make choices. In particular, during downregulation, activation decreased in the value-sensitive region of dlPFC (indicating value modulation) but not in vmPFC, and the relative contribution of the two value signals to behavior shifted toward the dlPFC (indicating behavioral control modulation). The opposite pattern was observed during upregulation: activation increased in vmPFC but not dlPFC, and the relative contribution to behavior shifted toward the vmPFC. Finally, ventrolateral PFC and posterior parietal cortex were more active during both upregulation and downregulation, and were functionally connected with vmPFC and dlPFC during cognitive regulation, which suggests that they help to implement the changes to the decision-making circuitry generated by cognitive regulation.

Cognitive Regulation during Decision Making Shifts Behavioral Control between Ventromedial and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Value Systems

PubMed Central

Plassmann, Hilke; Gross, James J.; Rangel, Antonio

2012-01-01

Cognitive regulation is often used to influence behavioral outcomes. However, the computational and neurobiological mechanisms by which it affects behavior remain unknown. We studied this issue using an fMRI task in which human participants used cognitive regulation to upregulate and downregulate their cravings for foods at the time of choice. We found that activity in both ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) correlated with value. We also found evidence that two distinct regulatory mechanisms were at work: value modulation, which operates by changing the values assigned to foods in vmPFC and dlPFC at the time of choice, and behavioral control modulation, which operates by changing the relative influence of the vmPFC and dlPFC value signals on the action selection process used to make choices. In particular, during downregulation, activation decreased in the value-sensitive region of dlPFC (indicating value modulation) but not in vmPFC, and the relative contribution of the two value signals to behavior shifted toward the dlPFC (indicating behavioral control modulation). The opposite pattern was observed during upregulation: activation increased in vmPFC but not dlPFC, and the relative contribution to behavior shifted toward the vmPFC. Finally, ventrolateral PFC and posterior parietal cortex were more active during both upregulation and downregulation, and were functionally connected with vmPFC and dlPFC during cognitive regulation, which suggests that they help to implement the changes to the decision-making circuitry generated by cognitive regulation. PMID:23015444

Methyl salicylate 2-O-β-D-lactoside, a novel salicylic acid analogue, acts as an anti-inflammatory agent on microglia and astrocytes

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Neuroinflammation has been known to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Activation of microglia and astrocytes is a characteristic of brain inflammation. Epidemiological studies have shown that long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) delays the onset of AD and suppresses its progression. Methyl salicylate-2-O-β-D-lactoside (DL0309) is a new molecule chemically related to salicylic acid. The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of DL0309. Findings Our studies show that DL0309 significantly inhibits lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α; and the expression of the inflammation-related proteins iNOS, COX-1, and COX-2 by microglia and astrocytes. At a concentration of 10 μM, DL0309 prominently inhibited LPS-induced activation of NF-κB in glial cells by blocking phosphorylation of IKK and p65, and by blocking IκB degradation. Conclusions We demonstrate here for the first time that DL0309 exerts anti-inflammatory effects in glial cells by suppressing different pro-inflammatory cytokines and iNOS/NO. Furthermore, it also regulates the NF-κB signaling pathway by blocking IKK and p65 activation and IκB degradation. DL0309 also acts as a non-selective COX inhibitor in glial cells. These studies suggest that DL0309 may be effective in the treatment of neuroinflammatory disorders, including AD. PMID:21831328

Alarm characterization for continuous glucose monitors used as adjuncts to self-monitoring of blood glucose.

PubMed

McGarraugh, Geoffrey

2010-01-01

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices available in the United States are approved for use as adjuncts to self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG). Alarm evaluation in the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guideline for CGM does not specifically address devices that employ both CGM and SMBG. In this report, an alarm evaluation method is proposed for these devices. The proposed method builds on the CLSI method using data from an in-clinic study of subjects with type 1 diabetes. CGM was used to detect glycemic events, and SMBG was used to determine treatment. To optimize detection of a single glucose level, such as 70 mg/dl, a range of alarm threshold settings was evaluated. The alarm characterization provides a choice of alarm settings that trade off detection and false alarms. Detection of a range of high glucose levels was similarly evaluated. Using low glucose alarms, detection of 70 mg/dl within 30 minutes increased from 64 to 97% as alarm settings increased from 70 to 100 mg/dl, and alarms that did not require treatment (SMBG >85 mg/dl) increased from 18 to 52%. Using high glucose alarms, detection of 180 mg/dl within 30 minutes increased from 87 to 96% as alarm settings decreased from 180 to 165 mg/dl, and alarms that did not require treatment (SMBG <180 mg/dl) increased from 24 to 42%. The proposed alarm evaluation method provides information for choosing appropriate alarm thresholds and reflects the clinical utility of CGM alarms. 2010 Diabetes Technology Society.

Endocrine-metabolic responses to military field operations: Effects of cold and moderate altitude exposure

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

Floyd, E.; Hackney, A.C.; Hodgdon, J.A.

1991-03-11

Select endocrine-metabolic responses of US Marines to 4.5 day field operations (FOPS) in different environments were examined. Blood and urine samples were collected in the field immediately before and after FOPS at: (1) sea level, neutral temperatures (Ts) (SLN; n = 14), (2) sea level, cold Ts (SLC; n = 16), (3) 2,500 M altitude, neutral Ts (ALN; n = 16), and (4) 2,500 M altitude, cold Ts (ALC; n = 45). Measures examined were testosterone (T), cortisol (C), glucose (Glu), triglycerides (Tg), and urinary ketones (Uket). T decreased pre-post the FOPS in the cold conditions ({bar X}; 6.7 tomore » 5.5 hg/ml; n = 61) but did not change in neutral conditions. C increased pre-post FOPS at SLC (12.1 to 19.8 ug/dl, p < 0.01), ALN (9.3 to 13.9 ug/dl, p < 0.01), and ALC (16.7 to 19.0 ug/dl, p = 0.08). Normoglycemia was maintained under each condition. Tg decreased (p < 0.01) at SLC, ALN, and ALC ({bar X}{triangle}: {minus}59.1, {minus}102.2, {minus}93.3 mg/dl, respectively), but increased at SLN (+74.0 mg/dl). Uket increased post FOPS only at ALN and ALC ({bar X}{triangle}: 3.4 mg/dl and +11.3 mg/dl). The Uket increases were correlated to Tg decreases. Results suggest FOPS induces a slight endocrine stress response, which is augmented with moderate altitude or cold exposure. Furthermore FOPS at altitude, especially in the cold, seems to shift the body towards fat metabolism.« less

Liver condition of Holstein cows affects mitochondrial function and fertilization ability of oocytes

PubMed Central

TANAKA, Hiroshi; TAKEO, Shun; ABE, Takahito; KIN, Airi; SHIRASUNA, Koumei; KUWAYAMA, Takehito; IWATA, Hisataka

2016-01-01

The aim of the present study was to examine the fertilization ability and mitochondrial function of oocytes derived from cows with or without liver damage. Oocytes were collected from the ovaries of cows with damaged livers (DL) and those of cows with healthy livers (HL), subjected to in vitro maturation, and fertilized in vitro. A significantly high abnormal fertilization rate was observed for oocytes from DL cows compared to oocytes from HL cows. The time to dissolve the zona pellucida by protease before fertilization was similar between the two liver conditions, whereas after fertilization treatment this time was shorter for DL cows than for HL cows. The percentage of oocytes with equivalent cortical granule distributions underneath the membrane was greater for in vitro matured oocytes from HL cows, whereas an immature distribution pattern was observed for oocytes from DL cows. In addition, a greater percentage of oocytes derived from HL cows released cortical granules following fertilization compared with oocytes from DL cows. Mitochondrial function determined by ATP content and membrane potential were similar at the germinal vesicle stage, but post-in vitro maturation, the oocytes derived from HL cows showed higher values than DL cows. The mitochondrial DNA copy number in oocytes was similar between the two liver conditions for both the germinal vesicle and post-in vitro maturation oocytes. In conclusion, liver damage induces low fertilization, likely because of incomplete cortical granule distribution and release, and the maturation of oocytes from DL cows contain low-functioning mitochondria compared to their HL counterparts. PMID:26832309

Diagnostic Laparoscopy for Trauma: How Not to Miss Injuries.

PubMed

Koto, Modise Z; Matsevych, Oleh Y; Aldous, Colleen

2018-05-01

Diagnostic laparoscopy (DL) is a well-accepted approach for penetrating abdominal trauma (PAT). However, the steps of procedure and the systematic laparoscopic examination are not clearly defined in the literature. The aim of this study was to clarify the definition of DL in trauma surgery by auditing DL performed for PAT at our institution, and to describe the strategies on how to avoid missed injuries. The data of patients managed with laparoscopy for PAT from January 2012 to December 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. The details of operative technique and strategies on how to avoid missed injuries were discussed. Out of 250 patients managed with laparoscopy for PAT, 113 (45%) patients underwent DL. Stab wounds sustained 94 (83%) patients. The penetration of the peritoneal cavity or retroperitoneum was documented in 67 (59%) of patients. Organ evisceration was present in 21 (19%) patients. Multiple injuries were present in 22% of cases. The chest was the most common associated injury. Two (1.8%) iatrogenic injuries were recorded. The conversion rate was 1.7% (2/115). The mean length of hospital stay was 4 days. There were no missed injuries. In the therapeutic laparoscopy (TL) group, DL was performed as the initial part and identified all injuries. There were no missed injuries in the TL group. The predetermined sequential steps of DL and the standard systematic examination of intraabdominal organs were described. DL is a feasible and safe procedure. It accurately identifies intraabdominal injuries. The selected use of preoperative imaging, adherence to the predetermined steps of procedure and the standard systematic laparoscopic examination will minimize the rate of missed injuries.

Liver condition of Holstein cows affects mitochondrial function and fertilization ability of oocytes.

PubMed

Tanaka, Hiroshi; Takeo, Shun; Abe, Takahito; Kin, Airi; Shirasuna, Koumei; Kuwayama, Takehito; Iwata, Hisataka

2016-06-17

The aim of the present study was to examine the fertilization ability and mitochondrial function of oocytes derived from cows with or without liver damage. Oocytes were collected from the ovaries of cows with damaged livers (DL) and those of cows with healthy livers (HL), subjected to in vitro maturation, and fertilized in vitro. A significantly high abnormal fertilization rate was observed for oocytes from DL cows compared to oocytes from HL cows. The time to dissolve the zona pellucida by protease before fertilization was similar between the two liver conditions, whereas after fertilization treatment this time was shorter for DL cows than for HL cows. The percentage of oocytes with equivalent cortical granule distributions underneath the membrane was greater for in vitro matured oocytes from HL cows, whereas an immature distribution pattern was observed for oocytes from DL cows. In addition, a greater percentage of oocytes derived from HL cows released cortical granules following fertilization compared with oocytes from DL cows. Mitochondrial function determined by ATP content and membrane potential were similar at the germinal vesicle stage, but post-in vitro maturation, the oocytes derived from HL cows showed higher values than DL cows. The mitochondrial DNA copy number in oocytes was similar between the two liver conditions for both the germinal vesicle and post-in vitro maturation oocytes. In conclusion, liver damage induces low fertilization, likely because of incomplete cortical granule distribution and release, and the maturation of oocytes from DL cows contain low-functioning mitochondria compared to their HL counterparts.

Correlation between synergistic action of Radix Angelica dahurica extracts on analgesic effects of Corydalis alkaloid and plasma concentration of dl-THP.

PubMed

Liao, Zheng-Gen; Liang, Xin-Li; Zhu, Jing-Yun; Zhao, Guo-Wei; Yang, Ming; Wang, Guang-Fa; Jiang, Qie-Ying; Chen, Xu-Long

2010-05-04

Yuanhu Zhitong prescription that consists of Corydalis yanhusuo and Radix Angelicae dahuricae has been used for the treatment of gastralgia, costalgia, headache and dysmenorrhea in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Our previous studies demonstrated that Corydalis alkaloid (CA, derived from the root of Corydalis yanhusu) had potent analgesic properties, and the total coumarins of Angelica dahurica (Cou) and volatile oil (VO) that derived from the root of Radix Angelicae dahuricae all could increase the analgesic effect of CA. The major objective of this paper was to investigate the mechanism that leading the analgesia of CA increased by Cou and (or) VO. The relationship between analgesic effect of CA and the plasma concentration of Dl-tetrahydropalmatine (dl-THP, active component of CA) was assayed in mice writhing test. The CA (34, 68 and 134 mg/kg) reduced the nociception by acetic acid intraperitoneal injection in a dose-dependent manner, and there was a significant linear relationship between the analgesic effect of CA and the plasma concentration of dl-THP. Then the plasma concentration of dl-THP at different time intervals in rats after oral administration of CA, CA-Cou, CA-VO and CA-Cou-VO were examined by using HPLC. The results indicated that Cou and (or) VO raised the plasma concentration of dl-THP prominently. In conclusion, the reason that Radix Angelica dahurica extracts reinforced the analgesic effects of Corydalis alkaloid was related to the improvement of the plasma concentration of dl-THP. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Power system interface and umbilical system study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

System requirements and basic design criteria were defined for berthing or docking a payload to the 25 kW power module which will provide electrical power and attitude control, cooling, data transfer, and communication services to free-flying and Orbiter sortie payloads. The selected umbilical system concept consists of four assemblies and command and display equipment to be installed at the Orbiter payload specialist station: (1) a movable platen assembly which is attached to the power system with EVA operable devices; (2) a slave platen assembly which is attached to the payload with EVA operable devices; (3) a fixed secondary platen permanently installed in the power system; and (4) a fixed secondary platen permanently installed on the payload. Operating modes and sequences are described.

Development of the ASTRI heliostat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coventry, Joe; Arjomandi, Maziar; Barry, John; Blanco, Manuel; Burgess, Greg; Campbell, Jonathan; Connor, Phil; Emes, Matthew; Fairman, Philip; Farrant, David; Ghanadi, Farzin; Grigoriev, Victor; Hall, Colin; Koltun, Paul; Lewis, David; Martin, Scott; Nathan, Graham; Pye, John; Qiu, Ang; Stuart, Wayne; Tang, Youhong; Venn, Felix; Yu, Jeremy

2016-05-01

The Australian Solar Thermal Research Initiative (ASTRI) aims to develop a high optical quality heliostat with target cost - manufactured, installed and operational - of 90 AUD/m2. Three different heliostat design concepts are described, each with features identified during a prior scoping study as having the potential to contribute to cost reduction compared to the current state-of-the-art. The three concepts which are being developed will be down-selected to a single concept for testing in late 2016. The heliostat concept development work is supported by technology development streams, developing novel sandwich panel mirror facet structures, analysing and testing wind loads on heliostats in both stow and operation positions, and developing new heliostat field layouts and software tools for optical analysis of heliostats design concepts.

PACS industry in Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hee-Joung

2002-05-01

PACS industry in Korea has been rapidly growing, since government had supported collaborative PACS project between industry and university hospital. In the beginning, PACS industry had focused on developing peripheral PACS solutions, while the Korea PACS society was being formed. A few companies had started developing and installing domestic large-scale full-PACS system for teaching hospitals. Several years later, many hospitals have installed full-PACS system with national policy of reimbursement for PACS exams in November 1999. Both experiences of full-PACS installation and national policy generated tremendous intellectual and technological expertise about PACS at all levels, clinical, hospital management, education, and industrial sectors. There are now more than 20 domestic PACS companies. They have enough experiences which are capable of installing a truly full-PACS system for large-scale teaching hospitals. As an example, a domestic company had installed more than 40 full-PACS systems within 2-3 years. Enough experiences of full-PACS installation in Korea lead PACS industry to start exporting their full-PACS solutions. However, further understanding and timely implementation of continuously evolving international standard and integrated healthcare enterprise concepts may be necessary for international leading of PACS technologies for the future.

Dual-layer DECT for multiphasic hepatic CT with 50 percent iodine load: a matched-pair comparison with a 120 kVp protocol.

PubMed

Nagayama, Yasunori; Nakaura, Takeshi; Oda, Seitaro; Utsunomiya, Daisuke; Funama, Yoshinori; Iyama, Yuji; Taguchi, Narumi; Namimoto, Tomohiro; Yuki, Hideaki; Kidoh, Masafumi; Hirata, Kenichiro; Nakagawa, Masataka; Yamashita, Yasuyuki

2018-04-01

To evaluate the image quality and lesion conspicuity of virtual-monochromatic-imaging (VMI) with dual-layer DECT (DL-DECT) for reduced-iodine-load multiphasic-hepatic CT. Forty-five adults with renal dysfunction who had undergone hepatic DL-DECT with 300-mgI/kg were included. VMI (40-70-keV, DL-DECT-VMI) was generated at each enhancement phase. As controls, 45 matched patients undergoing standard 120-kVp protocol (120-kVp, 600-mgI/kg, and iterative reconstruction) were included. We compared the size-specific dose estimate (SSDE), image noise, CT attenuation, and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between protocols. Two radiologists scored the image quality and lesion conspicuity. SSDE was significantly lower in DL-DECT group (p < 0.01). Image noise of DL-DECT-VMI was almost constant at each keV (differences of ≤15%) and equivalent to or lower than of 120-kVp. As the energy decreased, CT attenuation and CNR gradually increased; the values of 55-60 keV images were almost equivalent to those of standard 120-kVp. The highest scores for overall quality and lesion conspicuity were assigned at 40-keV followed by 45 to 55-keV, all of which were similar to or better than of 120-kVp. For multiphasic-hepatic CT with 50% iodine-load, DL-DECT-VMI at 40- to 55-keV provides equivalent or better image quality and lesion conspicuity without increasing radiation dose compared with standard 120-kVp protocol. • 40-55-keV yields optimal image quality for half-iodine-load multiphasic-hepatic CT with DL-DECT. • DL-DECT protocol decreases radiation exposure compared with 120-kVp scans with iterative reconstruction. • 40-keV images maximise conspicuity of hepatocellular carcinoma especially at hepatic-arterial phase.

Genomic instability related to zinc deficiency and excess in an in vitro model: is the upper estimate of the physiological requirements recommended for children safe?

PubMed

Padula, Gisel; Ponzinibbio, María Virginia; Gambaro, Rocío Celeste; Seoane, Analía Isabel

2017-08-01

Micronutrients are important for the prevention of degenerative diseases due to their role in maintaining genomic stability. Therefore, there is international concern about the need to redefine the optimal mineral and vitamin requirements to prevent DNA damage. We analyzed the cytostatic, cytotoxic, and genotoxic effect of in vitro zinc supplementation to determine the effects of zinc deficiency and excess and whether the upper estimate of the physiological requirement recommended for children is safe. To achieve zinc deficiency, DMEM/Ham's F12 medium (HF12) was chelated (HF12Q). Lymphocytes were isolated from healthy female donors (age range, 5-10 yr) and cultured for 7 d as follows: negative control (HF12, 60 μg/dl ZnSO 4 ); deficient (HF12Q, 12 μg/dl ZnSO 4 ); lower level (HF12Q + 80 μg/dl ZnSO 4 ); average level (HF12Q + 180 μg/dl ZnSO 4 ); upper limit (HF12Q + 280 μg/dl ZnSO 4 ); and excess (HF12Q + 380 μg/dl ZnSO 4 ). The comet (quantitative analysis) and cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assays were used. Differences were evaluated with Kruskal-Wallis and ANOVA (p < 0.05). Olive tail moment, tail length, micronuclei frequency, and apoptotic and necrotic percentages were significantly higher in the deficient, upper limit, and excess cultures compared with the negative control, lower, and average limit ones. In vitro zinc supplementation at the lower and average limit (80 and 180 μg/dl ZnSO 4 ) of the physiological requirement recommended for children proved to be the most beneficial in avoiding genomic instability, whereas the deficient, upper limit, and excess (12, 280, and 380 μg/dl) cultures increased DNA and chromosomal damage and apoptotic and necrotic frequencies.

Preparation, optimisation and characterisation of novel wound healing film dressings loaded with streptomycin and diclofenac.

PubMed

Pawar, H V; Tetteh, J; Boateng, J S

2013-02-01

Streptomycin (STP) and diclofenac (DLF) loaded film dressings were prepared by blending Polyox(®) (POL) with four hydrophilic polymers [hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), carrageenan (CAR), sodium alginate (SA) or chitosan (CS)] using glycerol (GLY) as plasticiser. The films were characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, texture analysis (tensile and swelling characteristics) and in vitro dissolution profiles using Franz diffusion cell. SEM showed homogeneous morphology for both blank (BLK) and drug loaded (DL) films. Films prepared by blending of POL with the other polymers showed a reduction in the crystallisation of POL in descending order of SA>CS>HPMC>CAR respectively. DSC and XRD showed no crystalline peaks of STP and DLF suggesting molecular dispersion of both drugs as well as possible drug interaction with negatively charged sulphate ions present in CAR. The DL films did not show any IR bands of both drugs, confirming the DSC and XRD results. POL-CAR-BLK films showed higher tensile strength (12.32±1.40 MPa) than the POL-CAR-DL films (9.52±1.12 MPa). DL films plasticised with 25%w/w GLY revealed soft and tough (tensile strength 1.02±0.28 MPa, % elongation 1031.33±16.23) formulations. The swelling capacities of POL-CAR-BLK and POL-CAR-DL films were (733.17±25.78%) and (646.39±40.39%), increasing to (1072.71±80.30%) and (1051±86.68%) for POL-CAR-BLK-25% GLY and POL-CAR-DL-25% GLY respectively. POL-CAR-DL films showed significantly (n=3, p<0.0318) lower cumulative release of STP and DLF (52.11±1.34, 55.26±2.25) compared to POL-CAR-DL-25% GLY films (60.07±1.56, 63.39±1.92) respectively. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Concurrence of Serum Creatinine and Albumin with Lower Risk for Death in Twice-Weekly Hemodialysis Patients

PubMed Central

Wang, Jialin; Streja, Elani; Soohoo, Melissa; Chen, Joline L.T.; Rhee, Connie M.; Kim, Taehee; Molnar, Miklos Z.; Kovesdy, Csaba P.; Mehrotra, Rajnish; Kalantar-Zadeh, Kamyar

2016-01-01

Objective Markers of better nutritional status including both higher levels of serum albumin (as a measure of visceral proteins) and creatinine (as a measure of the muscle mass) are associated with lower mortality in conventional (thrice-weekly) hemodialysis patients. However, data for these associations in twice-weekly hemodialysis patients, in whom less frequent hemodialysis may confound nutritional predictors, are lacking. Design, Settings and Subjects We identified 1,113 twice-weekly and matched 4,448 thrice-weekly hemodialysis patients from a large national dialysis cohort of incident hemodialysis patients over 5 years (2007-2011). Mortality risk, adjusted for potential confounders, was examined across two-by-two combinations of serum creatinine (<6 mg/dl vs. ≥6 mg/dl) and albumin (<3.5 g/dl vs. ≥3.5 g/dl) for each treatment frequency yielding a total of eight groups. Results Patients were 70±14 years old and included 48% women, and 55% diabetics. Using the thrice-weekly hemodialysis patients with creatinine≥6mg/dl and albumin≥3.5g/dl as reference, patients with creatinine<6mg/dl and albumin<3.5g/dl had a 1.8-fold higher risk of mortality (HR: 1.75, 95%CI: 1.33-2.30) in twice-weekly and 2.2-fold increased risk of mortality (HR: 2.21, 95%CI: 1.81-2.70) in thrice-weekly hemodialysis patients, respectively in fully adjusted models adjusted for demographics, comorbidities and markers of malnutrition and inflammation. A test for interaction showed there was no significant difference in albumin creatinine mortality associations between twice-weekly and thrice-weekly hemodialysis patients (p-for-interaction 0.7667). Conclusions Surrogate markers of higher visceral protein and muscle mass combined may confer greatest survival in both twice-weekly and thrice-weekly hemodialysis patients. PMID:27528412

Role of G308 promoter variant of tumor necrosis factor alpha gene on weight loss and metabolic parameters after a high monounsaturated versus a high polyunsaturated fat hypocaloric diets.

PubMed

de Luis, Daniel A; Aller, Rocío; Izaola, Olatz; Gonzalez Sagrado, Manuel; Conde, Rosa

2013-09-07

The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of G-308 promoter variant of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha gene on metabolic changes and weight loss secondary to a high monounsaturated fat vs a high polyunsaturated fat hypocaloric diet in obese subjects. A sample of 261 obese subjects were enrolled in a consecutive prospective way, from May 2011 to July 2012 in a tertiary hospital. In the basal visit, patients were randomly allocated during 3 months to Diet M (high monounsaturated fat hypocaloric diet) and Diet P (high polyunsaturated fat hypocaloric diet). One hundred and ninety seven patients (73.2%) had the genotype G-308G and 64 (26.8%) patients had the genotype G-308A. There were no significant differences between the effects (on weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, fat mass) in either genotype group with both diets. With the diet type P and in genotype G-308G, glucose levels (-6.7(22.1)mg/dl vs -3.7(2.2)mg/dl: p = 0.02), HOMA-R (-0.6(2.1)units vs -0.26(3.1)units: p = 0.01), insulin levels (-1.7(6.6)UI/L vs -0.6(7.1)UI/L: p = 0.009), total cholesterol levels (-15.3(31.1)mg/dl vs -8.4(22.1)mg/dl: p = 0.01), LDL cholesterol levels (-10.7(28.1)mg/dl vs -3.8(21.1)mg/dl: p = 0.008) and triglycerides (-12.1(52.1)mg/dl vs -6.6(43.1)mg/dl: p = 0.02) decreased. Carriers of the G-308G promoter variant of TNF alpha gene have a better metabolic response than A-308 obese with a high polyunsaturated fat hypocaloric diet. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Nicotinic α7 receptors enhance NMDA cognitive circuits in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

PubMed Central

Yang, Yang; Paspalas, Constantinos D.; Jin, Lu E.; Picciotto, Marina R.; Arnsten, Amy F. T.; Wang, Min

2013-01-01

The cognitive function of the highly evolved dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) is greatly influenced by arousal state, and is gravely afflicted in disorders such as schizophrenia, where there are genetic insults in α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7-nAChRs). A recent behavioral study indicates that ACh depletion from dlPFC markedly impairs working memory [Croxson PL, Kyriazis DA, Baxter MG (2011) Nat Neurosci 14(12):1510–1512]; however, little is known about how α7-nAChRs influence dlPFC cognitive circuits. Goldman-Rakic [Goldman-Rakic (1995) Neuron 14(3):477–485] discovered the circuit basis for working memory, whereby dlPFC pyramidal cells excite each other through glutamatergic NMDA receptor synapses to generate persistent network firing in the absence of sensory stimulation. Here we explore α7-nAChR localization and actions in primate dlPFC and find that they are enriched in glutamate network synapses, where they are essential for dlPFC persistent firing, with permissive effects on NMDA receptor actions. Blockade of α7-nAChRs markedly reduced, whereas low-dose stimulation selectively enhanced, neuronal representations of visual space. These findings in dlPFC contrast with the primary visual cortex, where nAChR blockade had no effect on neuronal firing [Herrero JL, et al. (2008) Nature 454(7208):1110–1114]. We additionally show that α7-nAChR stimulation is needed for NMDA actions, suggesting that it is key for the engagement of dlPFC circuits. As ACh is released in cortex during waking but not during deep sleep, these findings may explain how ACh shapes differing mental states during wakefulness vs. sleep. The results also explain why genetic insults to α7-nAChR would profoundly disrupt cognitive experience in patients with schizophrenia. PMID:23818597

A 1-year trial of repeated high-dose intravenous iron isomaltoside 1000 to maintain stable hemoglobin levels in inflammatory bowel disease

PubMed Central

Reinisch, Walter; Altorjay, Istvan; Zsigmond, Ferenc; Primas, Christian; Vogelsang, Harald; Novacek, Gottfried; Reinisch, Sieglinde; Thomsen, Lars L.

2015-01-01

Abstract Objective. Iron isomaltoside 1000 (Monofer®) is a high-dose intravenous (IV) iron, which in a recent 8 weeks trial in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) subjects with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) demonstrated good tolerability and efficacy. The present trial is an extension to this trial, which evaluates the need for additional high IV iron doses to maintain a stable hemoglobin (Hb) ≥12.0 g/dl. Material and methods. This was a prospective, open-label, 12 months trial of European IBD subjects willing to participate after completing the lead-in trial. Subjects were allowed re-dosing with 500–2000 mg single doses of iron isomaltoside 1000 infused over ∼15 min at 3 months intervals depending on a predefined algorithm. Outcome measures included Hb, safety parameters and need for additional iron dosing. Results. A total of 39 subjects were enrolled of which 34 subjects required re-dosing with a median cumulative 1-year dose of 1.8 g (mean cumulative dose 2.2 g). The mean (SD) Hb was 12.3 (1.5) g/dl at baseline, 12.8 (1.6) g/dl at 3 months, 12.8 (1.6) g/dl at 6 months, 12.9 (1.4) g/dl at 9 months and 12.9 (1.6) g/dl at 12 months. Seventy-four percent of subjects who had an Hb ≥12.0 g/dl at baseline were able to maintain Hb ≥12.0 g/dl till the end of the trial at 12 months. Nonserious probably related hypersensitivity reactions without significant hypotension were reported at the beginning of the infusion in two subjects, who recovered without sequelae. Conclusion. Repeated treatment of iron deficiency with iron isomaltoside 1000 could avoid episodes of IDA without major safety issues. PMID:25900645

Diagnostic value of "dysphagia limit" for neurogenic dysphagia: 17 years of experience in 1278 adults.

PubMed

Aydogdu, Ibrahim; Kiylioglu, Nefati; Tarlaci, Sultan; Tanriverdi, Zeynep; Alpaydin, Sezin; Acarer, Ahmet; Baysal, Leyla; Arpaci, Esra; Yuceyar, Nur; Secil, Yaprak; Ozdemirkiran, Tolga; Ertekin, Cumhur

2015-03-01

Neurogenic dysphagia (ND) is a prevalent condition that accounts for significant mortality and morbidity worldwide. Screening and follow-up are critical for early diagnosis and management which can mitigate its complications and be cost-saving. The aims of this study are to provide a comprehensive investigation of the dysphagia limit (DL) in a large diverse cohort and to provide a longitudinal assessment of dysphagia in a subset of subjects. We developed a quantitative and noninvasive method for objective assessment of dysphagia by using laryngeal sensor and submental electromyography. DL is the volume at which second or more swallows become necessary to swallow the whole amount of bolus. This study represents 17 years experience with the DL approach in assessing ND in a cohort of 1278 adult subjects consisting of 292 healthy controls, 784 patients with dysphagia, and 202 patients without dysphagia. A total of 192 of all patients were also reevaluated longitudinally over a period of 1-19 months. DL has 92% sensitivity, 91% specificity, 94% positive predictive value, and 88% negative predictive value with an accuracy of 0.92. Patients with ALS, stroke, and movement disorders have the highest sensitivity (85-97%) and positive predictive value (90-99%). The clinical severity of dysphagia has significant negative correlation with DL (r=-0.67, p<0.0001). We propose the DL as a reliable, quick, noninvasive, quantitative test to detect and follow both clinical and subclinical dysphagia and it can be performed in an EMG laboratory. Our study provides specific quantitative features of DL test that can be readily utilized by the neurologic community and nominates DL as an objective and robust method to evaluate dysphagia in a wide range of neurologic conditions. Copyright © 2014 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Secondary prevention of ischemic heart disease in the Cuidad Real Province, Spain. Effectiveness of lipid-lowering therapy in primary health care].

PubMed

2000-09-23

The efficacy of lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) in ischemic heart disease (IHD) is well established. But there are some doubts about its effectiveness on Primary Health Care (PHC) where we develop the long-term control of this sickness and it is difficult to reproduce the terms of the clinical trials. Multicenter cross-sectional study designed to evaluate the control of dyslipidemia achieved in patients with IHD diagnosed more than a year ago in our geographic primary health care system. The total cholesterol (tC), LDL, triglyceride, HDL levels and tC/HDL were determined to analyze the impact of LLT. 205 patients were collected by 14 general practitioners in several PHC centers. The average lipid profiles recorded (tC: 218 mg/dl; LDL: 151 mg/dl; triglyceride: 136 mg/dl; HDL: 49 mg/dl, and tC/HDL: 4,8) were far to the recommended by the international guidelines. The ideal (LDL < 100 mg/dl) and the acceptable targets (LDL < 130) were achieved by 9 and 30%. The HDL was not assess in 26.4% of the patients. It had had slight improvement of the women profile risk by more elevated values of HDLc than men (54.4 mg/dl vs. 46.9 mg/dl; p = 0.0002). Only 98 patients (45.85%) receive LLT, while 70% presented LDL > 130 mg/dl. The average dose of hypolipidemiants was small and the combination therapy had been scanty used (2.7%). The hypolipidemic secondary prevention was incorrect, with a big gap between the efficacy of the LLT and the actual effectiveness. In the majority of cases (75-80%) the values exceeded the secondary prevention targets. In a quarter of patients had never existed a clearly defined therapeutic target because the levels of HDL and LDL were not assessed. It was not prescribed neither fitting drug doses nor combinations to reach lipidemic preventive levels.

The silent burden of anaemia in Tanzanian children: a community-based study.

PubMed Central

Schellenberg, D.; Schellenberg, J. R. M. Armstrong; Mushi, A.; Savigny, D. de; Mgalula, L.; Mbuya, C.; Victora, C. G.

2003-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To document the prevalence, age-distribution, and risk factors for anaemia in Tanzanian children less than 5 years old, thereby assisting in the development of effective strategies for controlling anaemia. METHODS: Cluster sampling was used to identify 2417 households at random from four contiguous districts in south-eastern United Republic of Tanzania in mid-1999. Data on various social and medical parameters were collected and analysed. FINDINGS: Blood haemoglobin concentrations (Hb) were available for 1979 of the 2131 (93%) children identified and ranged from 1.7 to 18.6 g/dl. Overall, 87% (1722) of children had an Hb <11 g/dl, 39% (775) had an Hb <8 g/dl and 3% (65) had an Hb <5 g/dl. The highest prevalence of anaemia of all three levels was in children aged 6-11 months, of whom 10% (22/226) had an Hb <5 g/dl. However, the prevalence of anaemia was already high in children aged 1-5 months (85% had an Hb <11 g/dl, 42% had an Hb <8 g/dl, and 6% had an Hb <5 g/dl). Anaemia was usually asymptomatic and when symptoms arose they were nonspecific and rarely identified as a serious illness by the care provider. A recent history of treatment with antimalarials and iron was rare. Compliance with vaccinations delivered through the Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) was 82% and was not associated with risk of anaemia. CONCLUSION: Anaemia is extremely common in south-eastern United Republic of Tanzania, even in very young infants. Further implementation of the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness algorithm should improve the case management of anaemia. However, the asymptomatic nature of most episodes of anaemia highlights the need for preventive strategies. The EPI has good coverage of the target population and it may be an appropriate channel for delivering tools for controlling anaemia and malaria. PMID:14576890

Delayed peak response of cortisol to insulin tolerance test in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome.

PubMed

Oto, Yuji; Matsubara, Keiko; Ayabe, Tadayuki; Shiraishi, Masahisa; Murakami, Nobuyuki; Ihara, Hiroshi; Matsubara, Tomoyo; Nagai, Toshiro

2018-06-01

Deaths among children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) are often related to only mild or moderate upper respiratory tract infections, and many causes of death remain unexplained. Several reports have hypothesized that patients with PWS may experience latent central adrenal insufficiency. However, whether PWS subjects suffer from alteration of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the HPA axis on PWS. We evaluated the HPA axis in 36 PWS patients (24 males, 12 females; age range, 7 months to 12 years; median age 2.0 years; interquartile range [IQR], 1.5-3.4 years) using an insulin tolerance test (ITT) in the morning between 08:00 and 11:00. For comparison, ITT results in 37 age-matched healthy children evaluated for short stature were used as controls. In PWS patients, basal levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were 13.5 pg/ml (IQR, 8.3-27.5 pg/ml) and basal levels of cortisol were 18.0 μg/dl (IQR, 14.2-23.7 μg/dl). For all patients, cortisol levels at 60 min after stimulation were within the reference range (>18.1 μg/dl), with a median peak of 41.5 μg/dl (IQR, 32.3-48.6 μg/dl). Among control children, basal level of ACTH and basal and peak levels of cortisol were 10.9 (IQR, 8.5-22.0 pg/ml), 15.6 (IQR, 11.9-21.6 μg/dl), and 27.8 μg/dl (IQR, 23.7-30.5 μg/dl), respectively. Basal and peak levels of cortisol were all within normal ranges, but peak response of cortisol to ITT was delayed in the majority of PWS patients (64%). Although the mechanism remains unclear, this delay may signify the existence of central obstacle in adjustment of the HPA axis. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Genetic Interaction of OsMADS3, DROOPING LEAF, and OsMADS13 in Specifying Rice Floral Organ Identities and Meristem Determinacy1[W][OA

PubMed Central

Li, Haifeng; Liang, Wanqi; Yin, Changsong; Zhu, Lu; Zhang, Dabing

2011-01-01

Grass plants develop unique floral patterns that determine grain production. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the specification of floral organ identities and meristem determinacy, including the interaction among floral homeotic genes, remains largely unknown in grasses. Here, we report the interactions of rice (Oryza sativa) floral homeotic genes, OsMADS3 (a C-class gene), OsMADS13 (a D-class gene), and DROOPING LEAF (DL), in specifying floral organ identities and floral meristem determinacy. The interaction among these genes was revealed through the analysis of double mutants. osmads13-3 osmads3-4 displayed a loss of floral meristem determinacy and generated abundant carpelloid structures containing severe defective ovules in the flower center, which were not detectable in the single mutant. In addition, in situ hybridization and yeast two-hybrid analyses revealed that OsMADS13 and OsMADS3 did not regulate each other’s transcription or interact at the protein level. This indicates that OsMADS3 plays a synergistic role with OsMADS13 in both ovule development and floral meristem termination. Strikingly, osmads3-4 dl-sup6 displayed a severe loss of floral meristem determinacy and produced supernumerary whorls of lodicule-like organs at the forth whorl, suggesting that OsMADS3 and DL synergistically terminate the floral meristem. Furthermore, the defects of osmads13-3 dl-sup6 flowers appeared identical to those of dl-sup6, and the OsMADS13 expression was undetectable in dl-sup6 flowers. These observations suggest that DL and OsMADS13 may function in the same pathway specifying the identity of carpel/ovule and floral meristem. Collectively, we propose a model to illustrate the role of OsMADS3, DL, and OsMADS13 in the specification of flower organ identity and meristem determinacy in rice. PMID:21444646

Aerobic Exercise and Lipids and Lipoproteins in Women: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

PubMed Central

Kelley, George A.; Kelley, Kristi S.; Tran, Zung VU

2007-01-01

Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women is the leading cause of mortality in the United States, and less than optimal lipid and lipoprotein levels are major risk factors for CVD. The purpose of this study was to use the meta-analytic approach to examine the effects of aerobic exercise on lipids and lipoproteins in women. Methods Studies were retrieved via computerized literature searches, review of reference lists, hand searching selected journals, and expert review of our reference list. The inclusion of studies was limited to randomized controlled trials published in the English language literature between January 1955 and January 2003 in which aerobic exercise was used as the primary intervention in adult women aged ≥18 years. One or more of the following lipids and lipoproteins were assessed: total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG). Results Using a random effects model, statistically significant improvements were observed for all lipids and lipoproteins (TC, X̄ ± SEM, −4.3 ± 1.3 mg/dl, 95% CI −6.9 to −1.7 mg/dl; HDL-C, X̄± SEM, 1.8 ± 0.9 mg/dl, 95% CI 0.1 to 3.5 mg/dl; LDL-C, X̄ ± SEM, −4.4 ± 1.1 mg/dl, 95% CI −6.5 to −2.2 mg/dl; TG, X̄ ± SEM, −4.2 ± 2.1 mg/dl, 95% CI −8.4 to −0.1 mg/dl). Reductions of approximately 2%, 3%, and 5%, respectively, were observed for TC, LDL-C, and TG, whereas an increase of 3% was observed for HDL-C. Conclusions Aerobic exercise is efficacious for increasing HDL-C and decreasing TC, LDL-C, and TG in women. PMID:15650348

Suppression of a Natural Killer Cell Response by Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Peptides

PubMed Central

Schafer, Jamie L.; Ries, Moritz; Guha, Natasha; Connole, Michelle; Colantonio, Arnaud D.; Wiertz, Emmanuel J.; Wilson, Nancy A.; Kaur, Amitinder; Evans, David T.

2015-01-01

Natural killer (NK) cell responses in primates are regulated in part through interactions between two highly polymorphic molecules, the killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) on NK cells and their major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I ligands on target cells. We previously reported that the binding of a common MHC class I molecule in the rhesus macaque, Mamu-A1*002, to the inhibitory receptor Mamu-KIR3DL05 is stabilized by certain simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) peptides, but not by others. Here we investigated the functional implications of these interactions by testing SIV peptides bound by Mamu-A1*002 for the ability to modulate Mamu-KIR3DL05+ NK cell responses. Twenty-eight of 75 SIV peptides bound by Mamu-A1*002 suppressed the cytolytic activity of primary Mamu-KIR3DL05+ NK cells, including three immunodominant CD8+ T cell epitopes previously shown to stabilize Mamu-A1*002 tetramer binding to Mamu-KIR3DL05. Substitutions at C-terminal positions changed inhibitory peptides into disinhibitory peptides, and vice versa, without altering binding to Mamu-A1*002. The functional effects of these peptide variants on NK cell responses also corresponded to their effects on Mamu-A1*002 tetramer binding to Mamu-KIR3DL05. In assays with mixtures of inhibitory and disinhibitory peptides, low concentrations of inhibitory peptides dominated to suppress NK cell responses. Consistent with the inhibition of Mamu-KIR3DL05+ NK cells by viral epitopes presented by Mamu-A1*002, SIV replication was significantly higher in Mamu-A1*002+ CD4+ lymphocytes co-cultured with Mamu-KIR3DL05+ NK cells than with Mamu-KIR3DL05- NK cells. These results demonstrate that viral peptides can differentially affect NK cell responses by modulating MHC class I interactions with inhibitory KIRs, and provide a mechanism by which immunodeficiency viruses may evade NK cell responses. PMID:26333068

Direct launch using the electric rail gun

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barber, J. P.

1983-01-01

The concept explored involves using a large single stage electric rail gun to achieve orbital velocities. Exit aerodynamics, launch package design and size, interior ballistics, system and component sizing and design concepts are treated. Technology development status and development requirements are identified and described. The expense of placing payloads in Earth orbit using conventional chemical rockets is considerable. Chemical rockets are very inefficient in converting chemical energy into payload kinetic energy. A rocket motor is relatively expensive and is usually expended on each launch. In addition specialized and expensive forms of fuel are required. Gun launching payloads directly to orbit from the Earth's surface is a possible alternative. Guns are much more energy efficient than rockets. The high capital cost of the gun installation can be recovered by reusing it over and over again. Finally, relatively inexpensive fuel and large quantities of energy are readily available to a fixed installation on the Earth's surface.

SafeConnect Solar - Final Scientific/Technical Report (Updated)

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

McNish, Zachary

2016-02-03

Final Scientific/Technical Report from Tier 0 SunShot Incubator award for hardware-based solution to reducing soft costs of installed solar. The primary objective of this project was for SafeConnect Solar (“SafeConnect”) to create working proof-of-concept hardware prototypes from its proprietary intellectual property and business concepts for a plug-and-play, safety-oriented hardware solution for photovoltaic solar systems. Specifically, SafeConnect sought to build prototypes of its “SmartBox” and related cabling and connectors, as well as the firmware needed to run the hardware. This hardware is designed to ensure a residential PV system installed with it can address all safety concerns that currently form themore » basis of AHJ electrical permitting and licensing requirements, thereby reducing the amount of permitting and specialized labor required on a residential PV system, and also opening up new sales channels and customer acquisition opportunities.« less

EUVL mask dual pods to be used for mask shipping and handling in exposure tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomei, Yoshio; Ota, Kazuya; Lystad, John; Halbmair, Dave; He, Long

2007-03-01

The concept of Extreme Ultra-Violet Lithography (EUVL) mask dual pods is proposed for use in both mask shipping and handling in exposure tools. The inner pod was specially designed to protect masks from particle contamination during shipping from mask houses to wafer factories. It can be installed in a load-lock chamber of exposure tools and evacuated while holding the mask inside. The inner pod upper cover is removed just before the mask is installed to a mask stage. Prototypes were manufactured and tested for shipping and for vacuum cycling. We counted particle adders through these actions with a detectable level of 54 nm and up. The adder count was close to zero, or we can say that the obtained result is within the noise level of our present evaluation environment. This indicates that the present concept is highly feasible for EUVL mask shipping and handling in exposure tools.

Buildings classification from airborne LiDAR point clouds through OBIA and ontology driven approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomljenovic, Ivan; Belgiu, Mariana; Lampoltshammer, Thomas J.

2013-04-01

In the last years, airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data proved to be a valuable information resource for a vast number of applications ranging from land cover mapping to individual surface feature extraction from complex urban environments. To extract information from LiDAR data, users apply prior knowledge. Unfortunately, there is no consistent initiative for structuring this knowledge into data models that can be shared and reused across different applications and domains. The absence of such models poses great challenges to data interpretation, data fusion and integration as well as information transferability. The intention of this work is to describe the design, development and deployment of an ontology-based system to classify buildings from airborne LiDAR data. The novelty of this approach consists of the development of a domain ontology that specifies explicitly the knowledge used to extract features from airborne LiDAR data. The overall goal of this approach is to investigate the possibility for classification of features of interest from LiDAR data by means of domain ontology. The proposed workflow is applied to the building extraction process for the region of "Biberach an der Riss" in South Germany. Strip-adjusted and georeferenced airborne LiDAR data is processed based on geometrical and radiometric signatures stored within the point cloud. Region-growing segmentation algorithms are applied and segmented regions are exported to the GeoJSON format. Subsequently, the data is imported into the ontology-based reasoning process used to automatically classify exported features of interest. Based on the ontology it becomes possible to define domain concepts, associated properties and relations. As a consequence, the resulting specific body of knowledge restricts possible interpretation variants. Moreover, ontologies are machinable and thus it is possible to run reasoning on top of them. Available reasoners (FACT++, JESS, Pellet) are used to check the consistency of the developed ontologies, and logical reasoning is performed to infer implicit relations between defined concepts. The ontology for the definition of building is specified using the Ontology Web Language (OWL). It is the most widely used ontology language that is based on Description Logics (DL). DL allows the description of internal properties of modelled concepts (roof typology, shape, area, height etc.) and relationships between objects (IS_A, MEMBER_OF/INSTANCE_OF). It captures terminological knowledge (TBox) as well as assertional knowledge (ABox) - that represents facts about concept instances, i.e. the buildings in airborne LiDAR data. To assess the classification accuracy, ground truth data generated by visual interpretation and calculated classification results in terms of precision and recall are used. The advantages of this approach are: (i) flexibility, (ii) transferability, and (iii) extendibility - i.e. ontology can be extended with further concepts, data properties and object properties.

New Aspects of the Pathogenesis of Canine Distemper Leukoencephalitis

PubMed Central

Lempp, Charlotte; Spitzbarth, Ingo; Puff, Christina; Cana, Armend; Kegler, Kristel; Techangamsuwan, Somporn; Baumgärtner, Wolfgang; Seehusen, Frauke

2014-01-01

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a member of the genus morbillivirus, which is known to cause a variety of disorders in dogs including demyelinating leukoencephalitis (CDV-DL). In recent years, substantial progress in understanding the pathogenetic mechanisms of CDV-DL has been made. In vivo and in vitro investigations provided new insights into its pathogenesis with special emphasis on axon-myelin-glia interaction, potential endogenous mechanisms of regeneration, and astroglial plasticity. CDV-DL is characterized by lesions with a variable degree of demyelination and mononuclear inflammation accompanied by a dysregulated orchestration of cytokines as well as matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors. Despite decades of research, several new aspects of the neuropathogenesis of CDV-DL have been described only recently. Early axonal damage seems to represent an initial and progressive lesion in CDV-DL, which interestingly precedes demyelination. Axonopathy may, thus, function as a potential trigger for subsequent disturbed axon-myelin-glia interactions. In particular, the detection of early axonal damage suggests that demyelination is at least in part a secondary event in CDV-DL, thus challenging the dogma of CDV as a purely primary demyelinating disease. Another unexpected finding refers to the appearance of p75 neurotrophin (NTR)-positive bipolar cells during CDV-DL. As p75NTR is a prototype marker for immature Schwann cells, this finding suggests that Schwann cell remyelination might represent a so far underestimated endogenous mechanism of regeneration, though this hypothesis still remains to be proven. Although it is well known that astrocytes represent the major target of CDV infection in CDV-DL, the detection of infected vimentin-positive astrocytes in chronic lesions indicates a crucial role of this cell population in nervous distemper. While glial fibrillary acidic protein represents the characteristic intermediate filament of mature astrocytes, expression of vimentin is generally restricted to immature or reactive astrocytes. Thus, vimentin-positive astrocytes might constitute an important cell population for CDV persistence and spread, as well as lesion progression. In vitro models, such as dissociated glial cell cultures, as well as organotypic brain slice cultures have contributed to a better insight into mechanisms of infection and certain morphological and molecular aspects of CDV-DL. Summarized, recent in vivo and in vitro studies revealed remarkable new aspects of nervous distemper. These new perceptions substantially improved our understanding of the pathogenesis of CDV-DL and might represent new starting points to develop novel treatment strategies. PMID:24992230

An exploratory study to determine the integrated technological air transportation system ground requirements of liquid-hydrogen-fueled subsonic, long-haul civil air transports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

A baseline air terminal concept was developed which permitted airlines and the airport to operate JP- or LH2-fueled aircraft at common terminal gates. The concept included installation of a hydrogen liquefaction and storage facility on airport property, as well as the fuel distribution system. The capital investment and hydrogen-related operating costs to the airlines were estimated.

Holes Creek, Water Resources Development. Volume I. Main Report and Environmental Impact Statement.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-09-01

Miami River also cause problems on the lower reaches of both creeks. The Miami Conservancy District has constructed levees along the Miami River to...design concepts to reduce adverse impacts to fish and wildlife habitat. These concepts include the construction of a low flow channel, installation of...pools and riffles, preservation of a small woodlot, and in certain areas restricting construction to one bank only. The remaining detrimental impacts are

Integrating semantic dimension into openEHR archetypes for the management of cerebral palsy electronic medical records.

PubMed

Ellouze, Afef Samet; Bouaziz, Rafik; Ghorbel, Hanen

2016-10-01

Integrating semantic dimension into clinical archetypes is necessary once modeling medical records. First, it enables semantic interoperability and, it offers applying semantic activities on clinical data and provides a higher design quality of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems. However, to obtain these advantages, designers need to use archetypes that cover semantic features of clinical concepts involved in their specific applications. In fact, most of archetypes filed within open repositories are expressed in the Archetype Definition Language (ALD) which allows defining only the syntactic structure of clinical concepts weakening semantic activities on the EMR content in the semantic web environment. This paper focuses on the modeling of an EMR prototype for infants affected by Cerebral Palsy (CP), using the dual model approach and integrating semantic web technologies. Such a modeling provides a better delivery of quality of care and ensures semantic interoperability between all involved therapies' information systems. First, data to be documented are identified and collected from the involved therapies. Subsequently, data are analyzed and arranged into archetypes expressed in accordance of ADL. During this step, open archetype repositories are explored, in order to find the suitable archetypes. Then, ADL archetypes are transformed into archetypes expressed in OWL-DL (Ontology Web Language - Description Language). Finally, we construct an ontological source related to these archetypes enabling hence their annotation to facilitate data extraction and providing possibility to exercise semantic activities on such archetypes. Semantic dimension integration into EMR modeled in accordance to the archetype approach. The feasibility of our solution is shown through the development of a prototype, baptized "CP-SMS", which ensures semantic exploitation of CP EMR. This prototype provides the following features: (i) creation of CP EMR instances and their checking by using a knowledge base which we have constructed by interviews with domain experts, (ii) translation of initially CP ADL archetypes into CP OWL-DL archetypes, (iii) creation of an ontological source which we can use to annotate obtained archetypes and (vi) enrichment and supply of the ontological source and integration of semantic relations by providing hence fueling the ontology with new concepts, ensuring consistency and eliminating ambiguity between concepts. The degree of semantic interoperability that could be reached between EMR systems depends strongly on the quality of the used archetypes. Thus, the integration of semantic dimension in archetypes modeling process is crucial. By creating an ontological source and annotating archetypes, we create a supportive platform ensuring semantic interoperability between archetypes-based EMR-systems. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Analysis of Cost Growth and Cost Composition in the Defense Aerospace Industry

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-09-01

Making. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1977. 16. Horngren , Charles T. Cost Accounting , A Managerial Emphasis. Englewood Cliffs NJ: Prentice...58 7. Scatter Plot of Cost /DL Hour Ratio, Data Set C ................ .................. 59 8. Scatter Plot of Cost /DL S Ratio, Data Set...C 62 9. Scatter Plot of Cost /DL S Ratio, Then-Year Dollars ................... .................... 63 10. Scatter Plot of OH/TC Ratio, Data Set C

Automated meteorological data from commercial aircraft via satellite: Present experience and future implications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinberg, R.

1978-01-01

A low-cost communications system to provide meteorological data from commercial aircraft, in neat real-time, on a fully automated basis has been developed. The complete system including the low profile antenna and all installation hardware weighs 34 kg. The prototype system was installed on a B-747 aircraft and provided meteorological data (wind angle and velocity, temperature, altitude and position as a function of time) on a fully automated basis. The results were exceptional. This concept is expected to have important implications for operational meteorology and airline route forecasting.

Reduction of the shimmy tendency of tail and nose-wheel landing gears by installation of specially designed tires

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schrode, H

1955-01-01

Shimmy of tail and nose wheels may be eliminated by installation of dampers and use of large trail; however, this produces construction and operational disadvantages. It is more favorable to employ, instead of the customary tail-wheel tires, tires with lesser shimmy tendency. A description of the best possible form for these tires follows: furthermore, a few general concepts regarding the effects of the condition of the tire, of the type of rolling motion, and of the landing, are discussed.

An aircraft Earth station for general aviation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matyas, R.; Boughton, J.; Lyons, R.; Spenler, S.; Rigley, J.

1990-01-01

While the focus has been international commercial air traffic, an opportunity exists to provide satellite communications to smaller aircraft. For these users equipment cost and weight critically impact the decision to install satellite communications equipment. Less apparent to the operator is the need for a system infrastructure that will be supported both regionally and internationally and that is compatible with the ground segment being installed for commercial aeronautical satellite communications. A system concept is described as well as a low cost terminal that are intended to satisfy the small aircraft market.

14 CFR 21.191 - Experimental certificates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... aircraft design concepts, new aircraft equipment, new aircraft installations, new aircraft operating... compliance for issuance of type and supplemental type certificates, flights to substantiate major design... from racing events. (f) Market surveys. Use of aircraft for purposes of conducting market surveys...

New Advances in SuperConducting Materials

ScienceCinema

None

2018-05-23

Superconducting materials will transform the world's electrical infrastructure, saving billions of dollars once the technical details and installation are in place. At Los Alamos National Laboratory, new materials science concepts are bringing this essential technology closer to widespread industrial use.

14 CFR 21.191 - Experimental certificates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

.... Experimental certificates are issued for the following purposes: (a) Research and development. Testing new aircraft design concepts, new aircraft equipment, new aircraft installations, new aircraft operating... compliance for issuance of type and supplemental type certificates, flights to substantiate major design...

14 CFR 21.191 - Experimental certificates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

.... Experimental certificates are issued for the following purposes: (a) Research and development. Testing new aircraft design concepts, new aircraft equipment, new aircraft installations, new aircraft operating... compliance for issuance of type and supplemental type certificates, flights to substantiate major design...

14 CFR 21.191 - Experimental certificates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

.... Experimental certificates are issued for the following purposes: (a) Research and development. Testing new aircraft design concepts, new aircraft equipment, new aircraft installations, new aircraft operating... compliance for issuance of type and supplemental type certificates, flights to substantiate major design...

14 CFR 21.191 - Experimental certificates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

.... Experimental certificates are issued for the following purposes: (a) Research and development. Testing new aircraft design concepts, new aircraft equipment, new aircraft installations, new aircraft operating... compliance for issuance of type and supplemental type certificates, flights to substantiate major design...

State-of-the-Technology on Advanced Drainage Concepts

EPA Science Inventory

Fostering and promoting the implementation of innovative and green technology for new and retrofitting existing urban drainage systems will reduce installation and operation and management costs, energy needs, and provide for aesthetic enhancement of these systems. The anticipat...

Structural concepts for large solar concentrators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hedgepeth, J. M.; Miller, R. K.

1986-01-01

Solar collectors for space use are examined, including both early designs and current concepts. In particular, attention is given to stiff sandwich panels and aluminum dishes as well as inflated and umbrella-type membrane configurations. The Sunflower concentrator is described as an example of a high-efficiency collector. It is concluded that stiff reflector panels are most likely to provide the long-term consistent accuracy necessary for low-orbit operation. A new configuration consisting of a Pactruss backup structure, with identical panels installed after deployment in space, is presented. It is estimated that concentration ratios in excess of 2000 can be achieved with this concept.

A Unique Software System For Simulation-to-Flight Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chung, Victoria I.; Hutchinson, Brian K.

2001-01-01

"Simulation-to-Flight" is a research development concept to reduce costs and increase testing efficiency of future major aeronautical research efforts at NASA. The simulation-to-flight concept is achieved by using common software and hardware, procedures, and processes for both piloted-simulation and flight testing. This concept was applied to the design and development of two full-size transport simulators, a research system installed on a NASA B-757 airplane, and two supporting laboratories. This paper describes the software system that supports the simulation-to-flight facilities. Examples of various simulation-to-flight experimental applications were also provided.

Groundwater circulation and utilisation in an unconfined carbonate system - revealing the potential effect of climate change and humankind activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tóth, Ádám; Mádl-Szönyi, Judit

2016-04-01

Characteristics of gravitational groundwater flow systems in carbonate regions were presented by Mádl-Szönyi & Tóth (2015) based on theoretical considerations, identification and classification of groundwater flow-related field phenomena and numerical simulation. It was revealed that the changes of flow pattern in carbonate framework attributed to groundwater utilization and/or climate change are more apparent due to the effective hydraulic conductivity of carbonates. Consequently, natural or artificial disturbances of water level propagate farther, deeper and faster in carbonates than in siliciclastic basins. These changes could result in degradation and reorganization of hierarchical flow systems, modification of recharge and discharge areas and even alteration of physicochemical parameters (Mádl-Szönyi & Tóth, 2015). This paper presents the application of the gravity-driven regional groundwater flow concept to the hydrogeologically complex thick carbonate system of the Transdanubian Range, Hungary, depicting the flow pattern of the area and to a practical problem of a local study area, conflicts of interest of water supply and water use of a golf course. The question is how will the natural discharge on the golf course be influenced by the planned karst drinking water production well. In addition, the effects of climate change on this conflict were evaluated. We demonstrate the importance of the understanding the appropriate scale in karst studies and illustrate how the gravity-driven regional groundwater flow concept can help to determine it. For this purpose, the hydrogeological conditions of the study site were examined at different scales. The goals were to define the appropriate scale and reveal the effects of tectonic structures; and give prognoses for the possible impact of a planned drinking water well and climate change on the golf course based on numerical simulation. The study also showed the low geothermal potential of the area.

Description logic-based methods for auditing frame-based medical terminological systems.

PubMed

Cornet, Ronald; Abu-Hanna, Ameen

2005-07-01

Medical terminological systems (TSs) play an increasingly important role in health care by supporting recording, retrieval and analysis of patient information. As the size and complexity of TSs are growing, the need arises for means to audit them, i.e. verify and maintain (logical) consistency and (semantic) correctness of their contents. This is not only important for the management of TSs but also for providing their users with confidence about the reliability of their contents. Formal methods have the potential to play an important role in the audit of TSs, although there are few empirical studies to assess the benefits of using these methods. In this paper we propose a method based on description logics (DLs) for the audit of TSs. This method is based on the migration of the medical TS from a frame-based representation to a DL-based one. Our method is characterized by a process in which initially stringent assumptions are made about concept definitions. The assumptions allow the detection of concepts and relations that might comprise a source of logical inconsistency. If the assumptions hold then definitions are to be altered to eliminate the inconsistency, otherwise the assumptions are revised. In order to demonstrate the utility of the approach in a real-world case study we audit a TS in the intensive care domain and discuss decisions pertaining to building DL-based representations. This case study demonstrates that certain types of inconsistencies can indeed be detected by applying the method to a medical terminological system. The added value of the method described in this paper is that it provides a means to evaluate the compliance to a number of common modeling principles in a formal manner. The proposed method reveals potential modeling inconsistencies, helping to audit and (if possible) improve the medical TS. In this way, it contributes to providing confidence in the contents of the terminological system.

Gender difference in components of metabolic syndrome among patients of type 2 diabetes

PubMed Central

Alamgir, Muhammad Ahmad; Javid, Riaz Ahmad; Hameed, Abdul; Mustafa, Irum

2015-01-01

Background and Objectives: Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity and dyslipidemia are the integral components that constitute metabolic syndrome. It has emerged as cause of substantial mortality with gender difference. To compare the gender characteristics of metabolic syndrome in subjects of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: This observational comparative prospective study was conducted in medical ward of BVH Bahawalpur over period of 6 month from January 2014 to June 2014. Sample size of 100 diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetics (comprising equal number of males and females) were collected. As defined by WHO and IDF, variables of metabolic syndrome studied were BMI, hypertension, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. The lipid values were interpreted in normal or high risk category by applying NCEP ATPIII criterion. Fasting sample were collected for sugar and lipid profile. Anthropometric, demographic and biochemical data was tabulated. Continuous and categorical variables were displayed as mean ± standard deviation and percentage respectively. Student ‘t’ test was use to assess the difference for the lipid profile at 5% significance level. Results: Female patients were found to be overweight, hypertensive and had uncontrolled hyperglycemia as compared to male subjects. Their systolic blood pressure was 150±25.75 and diastolic was 90±17mm/hg. The mean blood glucose concentration was 246.64±105mg/dl. In age group 35-44 years, the mean triglycerides and cholesterol levels in females were 184.54±42.05 and 192.5±34mg/dl respectively. HDL-C was 33.2±5.19mg/dl. In females with age group of 45-54 years, the mean concentration of triglycerides, total cholesterol and HDL-C were 217.75±77.6mg/dl, 190.95±14.4mg/dl and 31.75±3.8mg/dl respectively, and all were in high risk category when compared to cut off values determined by NCEP/ADA. While in females of age group 55-64 years, the values of TGs, total cholesterol and HDL-C were 204±154.11mg/dl, 200.09± 47.8 mg/dl and 33.4±4.6mg/dl respectively and again all these values were significantly raised. Conclusion: Female genders were affected in all respects. They had higher BMI, hypertension, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia as compared to male counterparts. PMID:26430423

Gender difference in components of metabolic syndrome among patients of type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Alamgir, Muhammad Ahmad; Javid, Riaz Ahmad; Hameed, Abdul; Mustafa, Irum

2015-01-01

Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity and dyslipidemia are the integral components that constitute metabolic syndrome. It has emerged as cause of substantial mortality with gender difference. To compare the gender characteristics of metabolic syndrome in subjects of type 2 diabetes mellitus. This observational comparative prospective study was conducted in medical ward of BVH Bahawalpur over period of 6 month from January 2014 to June 2014. Sample size of 100 diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetics (comprising equal number of males and females) were collected. As defined by WHO and IDF, variables of metabolic syndrome studied were BMI, hypertension, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. The lipid values were interpreted in normal or high risk category by applying NCEP ATPIII criterion. Fasting sample were collected for sugar and lipid profile. Anthropometric, demographic and biochemical data was tabulated. Continuous and categorical variables were displayed as mean ± standard deviation and percentage respectively. Student 't' test was use to assess the difference for the lipid profile at 5% significance level. Female patients were found to be overweight, hypertensive and had uncontrolled hyperglycemia as compared to male subjects. Their systolic blood pressure was 150±25.75 and diastolic was 90±17mm/hg. The mean blood glucose concentration was 246.64±105mg/dl. In age group 35-44 years, the mean triglycerides and cholesterol levels in females were 184.54±42.05 and 192.5±34mg/dl respectively. HDL-C was 33.2±5.19mg/dl. In females with age group of 45-54 years, the mean concentration of triglycerides, total cholesterol and HDL-C were 217.75±77.6mg/dl, 190.95±14.4mg/dl and 31.75±3.8mg/dl respectively, and all were in high risk category when compared to cut off values determined by NCEP/ADA. While in females of age group 55-64 years, the values of TGs, total cholesterol and HDL-C were 204±154.11mg/dl, 200.09± 47.8 mg/dl and 33.4±4.6mg/dl respectively and again all these values were significantly raised. Female genders were affected in all respects. They had higher BMI, hypertension, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia as compared to male counterparts.

Maternal nutritional status during pregnancy and surma use determine cord lead levels in Karachi, Pakistan

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

Janjua, Naveed Zafar; Department of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi; Delzell, Elizabeth

Objectives: To estimate the umbilical cord blood lead levels (BLLs) of Pakistani neonates and to identify determinants for umbilical BLLs. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of mothers and infants at one of the two obstetric units of two tertiary care hospitals in Karachi during January-August 2005. Information from 540 mothers selected randomly from those registered for delivery was obtained about their pregnancy, diet, and current and past lead exposures. We collected umbilical cord blood for lead levels analyzed using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. We computed geometric and arithmetic means. We performed multiple linear regression analysis to identify factorsmore » associated with log-transformed umbilical cord BLLs. We also performed logistic regression analysis to identify determinants of high lead cord BLLs ({>=}10 {mu}g/dl). Results: The geometric mean cord BLL of the neonates was 9.6 {mu}g/dl; arithmetic mean (S.D.) was 10.8 {mu}g/dl (5.7) with a median of 9.7 {mu}g/dl and a range of 1.8-48.9 {mu}g/dl. Women who reported intake of less than 58.5 mg of elemental iron supplement per day during pregnancy had cord BLL of 10.0 {mu}g/dl; in comparison those women who had higher iron intake had lower cord BLL (8.4 {mu}g/dl). Those who used surma (an eye cosmetic) daily had higher cord BLL (11.5 {mu}g/dl) as compared to those who used it less frequently (9.4 {mu}g/dl). In multivariable linear regression model, higher iron intake, owning a car, and being in 2nd quartile of mid-arm circumference were associated with low lead levels while father's occupation in lead-based industry was associated with significantly higher umbilical cord BLLs. There was interaction of daily surma use and ethnicity. Geometric mean BLLs were varied among surma users by ethnicity. Conclusions: Umbilical cord BLLs are high in Karachi, Pakistan, in comparison to those in developed countries such as United States. Measures are needed to reduce fetal lead exposure to prevent adverse affect on neurocognitive development. Association of low iron (below RDA of 60 mg per day) with high umbilical cord has implications for strengthening iron supplement intake during pregnancy. Umbilical cord BLLs differed among surma users by ethnicity.« less

Anaemia in pregnancy and associated factors: a cross sectional study of antenatal attendants at the Sunyani Municipal Hospital, Ghana.

PubMed

Anlaakuu, Peter; Anto, Francis

2017-08-11

Anaemia in pregnancy is an important health issue resulting in high maternal morbidity and mortality. The purpose of the current study was to identify factors associated with anaemia among pregnant women receiving antenatal care at the Sunyani Municipal Hospital in Ghana. A cross-sectional study involving pregnant women seeking antenatal care at the Sunyani Municipal Hospital was conducted between May and June, 2015. It involved the collection of data on socio demographic and obstetric variables, medical interventions and malaria infection, consumption of iron containing foods and supplements using a case record form and a structured questionnaire. Also, data on haemoglobin concentrations at first and current antenatal visit were collected. Bivariate and multivariate statistical analysis were done to determine factors associated with anaemia. Out of the 316 participants, 129 (40.8%) were found to be anaemic (Hb <11.0 g/dl) at the time of their first ANC visit (mean Hb: 11.21 g/dl, range 6.8-15.1 g/dl). Seventy-nine (61.2%) of them had mild anemia (Hb 9.0-10.9 g/dl), 48 (37.2%) had moderate anemia (Hb 7.0-8.9 g/dl) whilst 2 (1.6%) had severe anemia (Hb <7.0 g/dl). During their most recent ANC visit, the prevalence of anaemia was found to be similar to that of the first visit with 131 (41.5%) of them being anaemic [mean Hb: 11.24 g/dl, range 8.10-14.5 g/dl]. The haemoglobin levels however improved significantly during the most recent visit compared to the first with none of the women being severely anaemic (Hb <7.0 g/dl). The prevalence of moderate anaemia reduced from 37.2% (CI 28.9-46.2) during the first visit to 19.1% (12.7-26.9) during the most recent visit, a reduction of 48.7%. Malaria infection, frequency at which one consumed fish/snails and gestational age at first ANC visit were the main factors found to be associated with anaemia among the pregnant women. Malaria infection, fish/snails intake and gestational age at first ANC visit were significantly associated with anaemia. Addressing these factors can reduce the incidence of anaemia in pregnancy.

Performance and Injury Characteristics of Pitchers Entering the Major League Baseball Draft After Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction.

PubMed

Wymore, Lucas; Chin, Paul; Geary, Christopher; Carolan, Gregory; Keefe, Daniel; Hoenecke, Heinz; Fronek, Jan

2016-12-01

Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction (UCLR) has been studied and shown to be a successful procedure for returning overhead athletes to sport. Many studies of Major League Baseball (MLB) players have shown high levels of return to play with successful statistical performance. No study has followed professional advancement of drafted pitchers who underwent UCLR as amateurs when compared with drafted pitchers who did not undergo the procedure before selection in the MLB draft. There would be no difference in professional advancement, statistical performance, or injury rate between the UCLR and control groups. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Thirty-eight pitchers with a UCLR as an amateur and 114 controls were identified in the MLB draft between 2006 and 2010. Highest level of professional baseball achieved was collected from all players, as well as statistical performance metrics including velocity, wins, earned run average (ERA), and walks and hits per inning pitched (WHIP). Additional data on future injuries were analyzed for days on the disabled list (DL), risk of being placed on the DL, and DL assignment for elbow injury. Thirteen of 38 UCLR pitchers reached the major league level (34.2%) compared with 29 of 114 (25.4%) control pitchers, which was not statically significant (P = .295). The UCLR and control groups were similar for average velocity, peak velocity, innings pitched, games, games started, innings per game, ERA, WHIP, wins, losses, saves, batters faced, and innings pitched per year, as well as hits, runs, home runs allowed, strikeouts, batters walked, and batters struck per inning. The UCLR group had a significantly increased rate of DL assignment when compared with controls (86.8% vs 64.0%; P = .008); however, days on DL (152.8 vs 135.6; P = .723) and DL assignment for elbow injury (45.5% vs 43.8%; P = .877) were similar. There was no difference in the rate of professional advancement among pitchers drafted by the MLB who had undergone UCLR as amateurs compared with controls. Both groups had similar statistical performance. Pitchers in the UCLR group had an increased risk of DL assignment but no increase in the number of days on DL or risk of DL placement for elbow injury. © 2016 The Author(s).

Study of the Asteroid 2009 DL46

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vodniza, Alberto Quijano

2017-06-01

2009 DL46 was discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey on 2009-February 28. This asteroid has a diameter of about 194 meters (119 to 268 meters) [1], and Brian Warner has obtained a rotation period of at least 10 hours [2]. The asteroid 2009 DL46 flew past Earth on May 24/2016 at a distance of about 6.2 lunar distances (0.0158293668567628 A.U) [3]. The NEOWISE mission had a great likelihood to observing this asteroid in early May. Radiotelescopes of Goldstone and Arecibo had planned to make observations of 2009 DL46. “Using the Goldstone facility, we had planned to make radar observations of 2009 DL46” said Landis, Rob R. (HQ-DG000). This asteroid is on list for possible human mission targets. From our Observatory, located in Pasto-Colombia, we captured several pictures, videos and astrometry data during several hours during three days. Our data was published by the Minor Planet Center (MPC) and also appears at the web page of NEODyS [4]. The pictures and data of the asteroid were captured with the following equipment: CGE PRO 1400 CELESTRON (f/11 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope) and STL-1001 SBIG camera.. Astrometry was carried out, and we calculated the orbital elements. Summary and conclusions: We obtained the following orbital parameters: eccentricity = 0.30731 +/- 0.00025, semi-major axis = 1.460279 +/- 0.000532 A.U, orbital inclination = 7.9503 +/- 0.0048 deg, longitude of the ascending node = 63.45053 +/- 0.00034 deg, argument of perihelion = 159.8804 +/- 0.0024 deg, mean motion = 0.558535 +/- 0.000305 deg/d, perihelion distance = 1.01151363 +/- 3.39e-6 A.U, aphelion distance = 1.90904 +/- 0.00106 A.U, absolute magnitude = 22.5. The parameters were calculated based on 83 observations. Dates: 2016 May: 18 to 21 with mean residual = 0.29 arcseconds. The asteroid has an orbital period of 1.76 years (644.53 days).[1] http://newton.dm.unipi.it/neodys/index.php?pc=1.1.9&n=2009DL46.[2] http://echo.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroids/2009DL46/2009DL46_planning.html[3] http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2009%20DL46orb=1old=0cov=0log=0cad=1#cad[4] http://newton.dm.unipi.it/neodys/index.php?pc=2.1.2&o=H78&ab=7

[Hypercholesterolemia reduction in children and adolescents after two years of intervention].

PubMed

Robledo, Jorge A; Siccardi, Leonardo J; Cosio, Francisco; Rodríguez, María I; Robledo, Pamela; Rojas, Natalia; Lubetkin, Alberto

2009-12-01

Hypercholesterolemia, one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, can be detected since childhood. The early detection and a suitable educational process would allow to generate changes of habits and to decrease its prevalence. In 2003, total cholesterol (TC) > 170 mg/dl was found in 39.2% school children and adolescents, aged 5-17 years, of Jovita, Córdoba. To assess cholesterol levels decrease after an educational process and to analyze the relation between hypercholesterolemia and family history for cardiovascular diseases. Formal and no formal educational intervention was developed for two years, through curricular adaptations, talks, campaigns in radio and TV, graphic press, drama, workshops and leaflets. In 2005, cholesterol level was assessed, along with a survey on changes of nutritional habits and physical activity, and family history. A group of 161 students was assesses in both opportunities. There was a significant reduction in total cholesterol (average 13 mg/dl; p< 0.0000), 51 students (31.7%) normalized their TC values (<170 mg/dl). The effect of regression to the average was 3 mg/dl. In a group of 66 students with TC > 199 mg/dl, the variations of the averages were: TC= -21 mg/dl, LDL-C= -16 mg/dl. The survey revealed improvements in the habits; family history was positive in 59%, unknown in 14%, and negative in 27%, the last ones had the best response to the intervention. A significant reduction of TC was obtained in the studied population; this may be due to the educational intervention. More than a quarter of the individuals presented negative family history for cardiovascular risk factors. Decrease in TC was proportionally better in this group than in those with positive family history.

Reduction in membrane component of diffusing capacity is associated with the extent of acute pulmonary embolism

PubMed Central

Piirilä, Päivi; Laiho, Mia; Mustonen, Pirjo; Graner, Marit; Piilonen, Anneli; Raade, Merja; Sarna, Seppo; Harjola, Veli-Pekka; Sovijärvi, Anssi

2011-01-01

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) often decreases pulmonary diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DL,CO), but data on the mechanisms involved are inconsistent. We wanted to investigate whether reduction in diffusing capacity of alveolo-capillary membrane (DM) and pulmonary capillary blood volume (Vc) is associated with the extent of PE or the presence and severity of right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) induced by PE and how the possible changes are corrected after 7-month follow-up. Forty-seven patients with acute non-massive PE in spiral computed tomography (CT) were included. The extent of PE was assessed by scoring mass of embolism. DL,CO, Vc, DM and alveolar volume (VA) were measured by using a single breath method with carbon monoxide and oxygen both at the acute phase and 7 months later. RVD was evaluated with transthoracic echocardiography and electrocardiogram. Fifteen healthy subjects were included as controls. DL,CO, DL, CO/VA, DM, vital capacity (VC) and VA were significantly lower in the patients with acute PE than in healthy controls (P<0·001). DM/Vc relation was significantly lower in patients with RVD than in healthy controls (P = 0·004). DM correlated inversely with central mass of embolism (r = −0·312; P = 0·047) whereas Vc did not. DM, DL,CO, VC and VA improved significantly within 7 months. In all patients (P = 0·001, P = 0·001) and persistent RVD (P = 0·020, P = 0·012), DM and DL,CO remained significantly lower than in healthy controls in the follow-up. DM was inversely related to central mass of embolism. Reduction in DM mainly explains the sustained decrease in DL,CO in PE after 7 months despite modern treatment of PE. PMID:21143754

Video laryngoscopy vs. direct laryngoscopy: Which should be chosen for endotracheal intubation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation? A prospective randomized controlled study of experienced intubators.

PubMed

Kim, Jong Won; Park, Sang O; Lee, Kyeong Ryong; Hong, Dae Young; Baek, Kwang Je; Lee, Young Hwan; Lee, Jeong Hun; Choi, Pil Cho

2016-08-01

This study compared endotracheal intubation (ETI) performance during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) between direct laryngoscopy (DL) and video laryngoscopy (VL) (GlideScope(®)) by experienced intubators (>50 successful ETIs). This was a prospective randomized controlled study conducted in an emergency department between 2011 and 2013. Intubators who used DL or VL were randomly allocated to ETI during CPR. Data were collected from recorded video clips and rhythm sheets. The success, speed, complications, and chest compressions interruption were compared between the two devices. Total 140 ETIs by experienced intubators using DL (n=69) and VL (n=71) were analysed. There were no significant differences between DL and VL in the ETI success rate (92.8% vs. 95.8%; p=0.490), first-attempt success rate (87.0% vs. 94.4%; p=0.204), and median time to complete ETI (51 [36-67] vs. 42 [34-62]s; p=0.143). In both groups, oesophageal intubation and dental injuries seldom occurred. However, longer chest compressions interruption occurred using DL (4.0 [1.0-11.0]s) compared with VL (0.0 [0.0-1.0]s) and frequent serious no-flow (interruption>10s) occurred with DL (18/69 [26.1%]) compared with VL (0/71) (p<0.001). For highly experienced intubators (>80 successful ETIs), frequent serious no-flow occurred in DL (14/55 [25.5%] vs. 0/57 in VL). The ETI success, speed and complications during CPR did not differ significantly between the two devices for experienced intubators. However, the VL was superior in terms of completion of ETI without chest compression interruptions. Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS) in South Korea KCT0000849. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Delayed luminescence: an experimental protocol for Chinese herbal medicines.

PubMed

Sun, Mengmeng; van Wijk, Roeland; van Wijk, Eduard; Wang, Mei; van Wietmarschen, Herman; Hankemeier, Thomas; van der Greef, Jan

2016-09-01

In Chinese medicine, raw herbal materials are used in processed and unprocessed forms aiming to meet the different requirements of clinical practice. To assure the chemical quality and therapeutic properties of the herbs, fast and integrated systematic assays are required. So far, such assays have not been established. Delayed luminescence (DL) refers to a decaying long-term ultraweak photon emission after exposure to light. Its decay kinetics under certain conditions may be a sensitive indicator reflecting the internal structural and chemical/physiological state of a biological system. DL measurements have been used in many applications for quality control. However, relatively little research has been reported on dried plant material such as Chinese herbs. The objective of the present study is to establish a protocol for direct and rapid DL measurements of dried Chinese herbal materials, including the determination of the dependence on: (a) the optimal excitation time utilizing a white light source; (b) the optimal size of the grinded herbal particle; and (c) the humidity conditions before and during measurement. Results indicate that stable and reproducible curves of DL photon emission depend mainly on the water content of herbal materials. To investigate the application of the established DL measurement protocol, non-processed and processed Aconitum (Aconitum carmichaelii Debx.), wild and cultivated rhubarb (Rheum palmatum L.) and ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A.Mey) of different ages were measured using DL. The results suggest that DL technology is a potential tool for assessment of dried Chinese herb qualities. The results warrant a further exploration of this technique in relation to therapeutic properties of the herbs. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Continuous glucose profiles in healthy subjects under everyday life conditions and after different meals.

PubMed

Freckmann, Guido; Hagenlocher, Sven; Baumstark, Annette; Jendrike, Nina; Gillen, Ralph C; Rössner, Katja; Haug, Cornelia

2007-09-01

This study investigated continuous glucose profiles in nondiabetic subjects. Continuous interstitial glucose measurement was performed under everyday life conditions (2 days) and after ingestion of four meals with standardized carbohydrate content (50 grams), but with different types of carbohydrates and variable protein and fat content. Twenty-four healthy volunteers (12 female, 12 male, age 27.1 +/- 3.6 years) participated in the study. Each subject wore two microdialysis devices (SCGM1, Roche Diagnostics) simultaneously. The mean 24-hour interstitial glucose concentration under everyday life conditions was 89.3 +/- 6.2 mg/dl (mean +/- SD, n = 21), and mean interstitial glucose concentrations at daytime and during the night were 93.0 +/- 7.0 and 81.8 +/- 6.3 mg/dl, respectively. The highest postprandial glucose concentrations were observed after breakfast: 132.3 +/- 16.7 mg/dl (range 101-168 mg/dl); peak concentrations after lunch and dinner were 118.2 +/- 13.4 and 123.0 +/- 16.9 mg/dl, respectively. Mean time to peak glucose concentration was between 46 and 50 minutes. After ingestion of standardized meals with fast absorption characteristics, peak interstitial glucose concentrations were 133.2 +/- 14.4 and 137.2 +/- 21.1 mg/dl, respectively. Meals with a higher fiber, protein, and fat content induced a smaller increase and a slower decrease of postprandial glucose concentrations with peak values of 99.2 +/- 10.5 and 122.1 +/- 20.4 mg/dl, respectively. This study provided continuous glucose profiles in nondiabetic subjects and demonstrated that differences in meal composition are reflected in postprandial interstitial glucose concentrations. Regarding the increasing application of continuous glucose monitoring in diabetic patients, these data suggest that detailed information about the ingested meals is important for adequate interpretation of postprandial glucose profiles.

Biodegradable and biocompatible poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) microspheres as an adjuvant for staphylococcal enterotoxin B toxoid which enhances the level of toxin-neutralizing antibodies.

PubMed Central

Eldridge, J H; Staas, J K; Meulbroek, J A; Tice, T R; Gilley, R M

1991-01-01

Microspheres composed of biocompatible, biodegradable poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (DL-PLG) and staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) toxoid were evaluated as a vaccine delivery system when subcutaneously injected into mice. As measured by circulating immunoglobulin G (IgG) antitoxin titers, the delivery of SEB toxoid via DL-PLG microspheres, 1 to 10 microns in diameter, induced an immune response which was approximately 500 times that seen with nonencapsulated toxoid. The kinetics, magnitude, and duration of the antitoxin response induced with microencapsulated toxoid were similar to those obtained when an equal toxoid dose was administered as an emulsion with complete Freund adjuvant. However, the microspheres did not induce the inflammation and granulomata formation seen with complete Freund adjuvant. The adjuvant activity of the microspheres was not dependent on the superantigenicity of SEB toxin and was equally effective at potentiating circulating IgG antitrinitrophenyl levels in response to microencapsulated trinitrophenyl-keyhole limpet hemocyanin. Empty DL-PLG microspheres were not mitogenic, and SEB toxoid injected as a mixture with empty DL-PLG microspheres was no more effective as an immunogen than toxoid alone. Antigen-containing microspheres 1 to 10 microns in diameter exhibited stronger adjuvant activity than those greater than 10 microns, which correlated with the delivery of the 1- to 10-microns, but not the greater than 10-microns, microspheres into the draining lymph nodes within macrophages. The antibody response induced through immunization with microencapsulated SEB toxoid was protective against the weight loss and splenic V beta 8+ T-cell expansion induced by intravenous toxin administration. These results show that DL-PLG microsphere vaccine delivery systems, which are composed of pharmaceutically acceptable components, possess a strong adjuvant activity for their encapsulated antigens. PMID:1879922

Diversity of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor genes in the Bengali population of northern West Bengal, India.

PubMed

Guha, P; Bhattacharjee, S; Chaudhuri, T K

2014-12-01

The Indian Subcontinent exhibits extensive diversity in its culture, religion, ethnicity and linguistic heritage, which symbolizes extensive genetic variations within the populations. The highly polymorphic Killer cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptor (KIR) family plays an important role in tracing genetic differentiation in human population. In this study, we aimed to analyse the KIR gene polymorphism in the Bengali population of northern West Bengal, India. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the KIR gene polymorphism in the Bengalis of West Bengal, India. Herein, we have studied the distribution of 14 KIR genes (KIR3DL1-3DL3, KIR2DL1-2DL5, KIR2DS1-2DS5 AND KIR3DS1) and two pseudogenes (KIR3DP1 and 2DP1) in the Bengalis. Apart from the framework genes (KIR2DL4, 3DL2, 3DL3 and 3DP1), which are present in all the individuals, the gene frequencies of other KIR genes varied between 0.34 and 0.88. Moreover, upon comparing the KIR polymorphism of the Bengalis with the available published data of other world populations, it has been found that the Indo-European-speaking Bengalis from the region share both Dravidian and Indo-Aryan gene pool with considerable influences of mongoloid and European descents. Furthermore, evidences from previously published data on human leucocyte antigen and Y-chromosome haplogroup diversity support the view. Our results will help to understand the genetic background of the Bengali population, in illustrating the population migration events in the eastern and north-eastern part of India, in explaining the extensive genetic admixture amongst the different linguistic groups of the region and also in KIR-related disease researches. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Just-in-Time Video Laryngoscopy Versus Direct Laryngoscopy for Neonatal Intubation.

PubMed

Grgurich, Erin; Arnemann, Cynthia; Amon, Kim; Horton, Rose; Carlson, Jestin N

As neonatal endotracheal intubation (ETI) is a low-frequency, high-consequence event, it is essential that providers have access to resources to aid in ETI. We sought to determine the impact of video laryngoscopy (VL) with just-in-time training on intubation outcomes over direct laryngoscopy (DL) when performed by neonatal nurses. We conducted a prospective, randomized, crossover study with neonatal nurses employed at a level 2 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Nurses performed both DL and VL on a neonatal mannequin using a CMAC (Karl Storz Corp, Tuttlingen, Germany) either with the assistance of the screen (VL) or without (DL). Before performing the intubation, providers were given a just-in-time, brief education presentation and allowed to practice with the device. Each ETI attempt was reviewed to obtain the percentage of glottic opening (POGO) score, time to intubation (TTI, time from insertion of the blade into the mouth until the first breath was delivered), and time from blade insertion until the best POGO score. We enrolled 19 participants, with a median (interquartile range) of 20 (9-26) years of experience and having a median of 2 (1-3) intubations within the past year. None had used VL in the NICU previously. Median TTI did not differ between DL and VL: 19.9 (15.3-41.5) vs 20.3 (17.9-24.4) (P = 1). POGO scores and the number of attempts also did not differ between DL and VL. In our simulated setting, just-in-time VL training provided similar intubation outcomes compared with DL in ETI performed by neonatal nurses. Just-in-time VL education may be an alternative to traditional DL for neonatal intubations.

Differential impact of continuous theta-burst stimulation over left and right DLPFC on planning.

PubMed

Kaller, Christoph P; Heinze, Katharina; Frenkel, Annekathrein; Läppchen, Claus H; Unterrainer, Josef M; Weiller, Cornelius; Lange, Rüdiger; Rahm, Benjamin

2013-01-01

Most neuroimaging studies on planning report bilateral activations of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). Recently, these concurrent activations of left and right dlPFC have been shown to double dissociate with different cognitive demands imposed by the planning task: Higher demands on the extraction of task-relevant information led to stronger activation in left dlPFC, whereas higher demands on the integration of interdependent information into a coherent action sequence entailed stronger activation of right dlPFC. Here, we used continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) to investigate the supposed causal structure-function mapping underlying this double dissociation. Two groups of healthy subjects (left-lateralized stimulation, n = 26; right-lateralized stimulation, n = 26) were tested within-subject on a variant of the Tower of London task following either real cTBS over dlPFC or sham stimulation over posterior parietal cortex. Results revealed that, irrespective of specific task demands, cTBS over left and right dlPFC was associated with a global decrease and increase, respectively, in initial planning times compared to sham stimulation. Moreover, no interaction between task demands and stimulation type (real vs. sham) and/or stimulation side (left vs. right hemisphere) were found. Together, against expectations from previous neuroimaging data, lateralized cTBS did not lead to planning-parameter specific changes in performance, but instead revealed a global asymmetric pattern of faster versus slower task processing after left versus right cTBS. This global asymmetry in the absence of any task-parameter specific impact of cTBS suggests that different levels of information processing may span colocalized, but independent axes of functional lateralization in the dlPFC. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Oxytocin receptor neurotransmission in the dorsolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis facilitates the acquisition of cued fear in the fear-potentiated startle paradigm in rats.

PubMed

Moaddab, Mahsa; Dabrowska, Joanna

2017-07-15

Oxytocin (OT) is a hypothalamic neuropeptide that modulates fear and anxiety-like behaviors. Dorsolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST dl ) plays a critical role in the regulation of fear and anxiety, and expresses high levels of OT receptor (OTR). However, the role of OTR neurotransmission within the BNST dl in mediating these behaviors is unknown. Here, we used adult male Sprague-Dawley rats to investigate the role of OTR neurotransmission in the BNST dl in the modulation of the acoustic startle response, as well as in the acquisition and consolidation of conditioned fear using fear potentiated startle (FPS) paradigm. Bilateral intra-BNST dl administration of OT (100 ng) did not affect the acquisition of conditioned fear response. However, intra-BNST dl administration of specific OTR antagonist (OTA), (d(CH 2 ) 5 1 , Tyr(Me) 2 , Thr 4 , Orn 8 , des-Gly-NH 2 9 )-vasotocin, (200 ng), prior to the fear conditioning session, impaired the acquisition of cued fear, without affecting a non-cued fear component of FPS. Neither OTA, nor OT affected baseline startle or shock reactivity during fear conditioning. Therefore, the observed impairment of cued fear after OTA infusion resulted from the specific effect on the formation of cued fear. In contrast to the acquisition, neither OTA nor OT affected the consolidation of FPS, when administered after the completion of fear conditioning session. Taken together, these results reveal the important role of OTR neurotransmission in the BNST dl in the formation of conditioned fear to a discrete cue. This study also highlights the role of the BNST dl in learning to discriminate between threatening and safe stimuli. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Low-dose CT reconstruction via L1 dictionary learning regularization using iteratively reweighted least-squares.

PubMed

Zhang, Cheng; Zhang, Tao; Li, Ming; Peng, Chengtao; Liu, Zhaobang; Zheng, Jian

2016-06-18

In order to reduce the radiation dose of CT (computed tomography), compressed sensing theory has been a hot topic since it provides the possibility of a high quality recovery from the sparse sampling data. Recently, the algorithm based on DL (dictionary learning) was developed to deal with the sparse CT reconstruction problem. However, the existing DL algorithm focuses on the minimization problem with the L2-norm regularization term, which leads to reconstruction quality deteriorating while the sampling rate declines further. Therefore, it is essential to improve the DL method to meet the demand of more dose reduction. In this paper, we replaced the L2-norm regularization term with the L1-norm one. It is expected that the proposed L1-DL method could alleviate the over-smoothing effect of the L2-minimization and reserve more image details. The proposed algorithm solves the L1-minimization problem by a weighting strategy, solving the new weighted L2-minimization problem based on IRLS (iteratively reweighted least squares). Through the numerical simulation, the proposed algorithm is compared with the existing DL method (adaptive dictionary based statistical iterative reconstruction, ADSIR) and other two typical compressed sensing algorithms. It is revealed that the proposed algorithm is more accurate than the other algorithms especially when further reducing the sampling rate or increasing the noise. The proposed L1-DL algorithm can utilize more prior information of image sparsity than ADSIR. By transforming the L2-norm regularization term of ADSIR with the L1-norm one and solving the L1-minimization problem by IRLS strategy, L1-DL could reconstruct the image more exactly.

Comparative Efficacy and Immunogenicity of Replication-Defective, Recombinant Glycoprotein, and DNA Vaccines for Herpes Simplex Virus 2 Infections in Mice and Guinea Pigs

PubMed Central

Hoshino, Yo; Dalai, Sarat K.; Wang, Kening; Pesnicak, Lesley; Lau, Tsz Y.; Knipe, David M.; Cohen, Jeffrey I.; Straus, Stephen E.

2005-01-01

Many candidate vaccines are effective in animal models of genital herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection. Among them, clinical trials showed moderate protection from genital disease with recombinant HSV-2 glycoprotein D (gD2) in alum-monophosphoryl lipid A adjuvant only in HSV women seronegative for both HSV-1 and HSV-2, encouraging development of additional vaccine options. Therefore, we undertook direct comparative studies of the prophylactic and therapeutic efficacies and immunogenicities of three different classes of candidate vaccines given in four regimens to two species of animals: recombinant gD2, a plasmid expressing gD2, and dl5-29, a replication-defective strain of HSV-2 with the essential genes UL5 and UL29 deleted. Both dl5-29 and gD2 were highly effective in attenuating acute and recurrent disease and reducing latent viral load, and both were superior to the plasmid vaccine alone or the plasmid vaccine followed by one dose of dl5-29. dl5-29 was also effective in treating established infections. Moreover, latent dl5-29 virus could not be detected by PCR in sacral ganglia from guinea pigs vaccinated intravaginally. Finally, dl5-29 was superior to gD2 in inducing higher neutralizing antibody titers and the more rapid accumulation of HSV-2-specific CD8+ T cells in trigeminal ganglia after challenge with wild-type virus. Given its efficacy, its defectiveness for latency, and its ability to induce rapid, virus-specific CD8+-T-cell responses, the dl5-29 vaccine may be a good candidate for early-phase human trials. PMID:15596834

Comparative efficacy and immunogenicity of replication-defective, recombinant glycoprotein, and DNA vaccines for herpes simplex virus 2 infections in mice and guinea pigs.

PubMed

Hoshino, Yo; Dalai, Sarat K; Wang, Kening; Pesnicak, Lesley; Lau, Tsz Y; Knipe, David M; Cohen, Jeffrey I; Straus, Stephen E

2005-01-01

Many candidate vaccines are effective in animal models of genital herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection. Among them, clinical trials showed moderate protection from genital disease with recombinant HSV-2 glycoprotein D (gD2) in alum-monophosphoryl lipid A adjuvant only in HSV women seronegative for both HSV-1 and HSV-2, encouraging development of additional vaccine options. Therefore, we undertook direct comparative studies of the prophylactic and therapeutic efficacies and immunogenicities of three different classes of candidate vaccines given in four regimens to two species of animals: recombinant gD2, a plasmid expressing gD2, and dl5-29, a replication-defective strain of HSV-2 with the essential genes UL5 and UL29 deleted. Both dl5-29 and gD2 were highly effective in attenuating acute and recurrent disease and reducing latent viral load, and both were superior to the plasmid vaccine alone or the plasmid vaccine followed by one dose of dl5-29. dl5-29 was also effective in treating established infections. Moreover, latent dl5-29 virus could not be detected by PCR in sacral ganglia from guinea pigs vaccinated intravaginally. Finally, dl5-29 was superior to gD2 in inducing higher neutralizing antibody titers and the more rapid accumulation of HSV-2-specific CD8+ T cells in trigeminal ganglia after challenge with wild-type virus. Given its efficacy, its defectiveness for latency, and its ability to induce rapid, virus-specific CD8(+)-T-cell responses, the dl5-29 vaccine may be a good candidate for early-phase human trials.

Seven-month prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is prognostic in patients with prostate cancer initially diagnosed with distant metastases.

PubMed

Nieder, Carsten; Haukland, Ellinor; Pawinski, Adam; Norum, Jan

2018-03-05

Recent research suggests that prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≤ 0.2 ng/dl at 7 months is prognostic for better survival with androgen deprivation therapy for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer regardless of chemotherapy with docetaxel. These results were derived from a group of clinical trial participants. Therefore, we performed a confirmatory analysis in patients treated outside of trials. Furthermore, we limited inclusion to those who presented with metastases at the initial diagnosis of prostate cancer (synchronous metastases). A retrospective analysis of a comprehensive regional database was performed. The oncology care in this region (Nordland County, Northern Norway) was provided by one center. Patients who were diagnosed between January 01, 2004 and December 31, 2016 were included. Of 101 patients, 90 were alive at 7 months and had their PSA value measured. Their median age was 68.5 years. Only six patients (7%) achieved PSA ≤ 0.2 ng/dl at 7 months. The median value was 4.05 ng/dl. Median overall survival was shortest in patients with PSA > 4.0 ng/dl (22 months). For patients with PSA between 0.3 and 4.0 ng/dl, median survival was 54 months (p = 0.0001). No further increase was seen in the small group with lower PSA. Statistical significance was also found for a cutoff of ≤ 1.0 ng/dl (55 vs. 32 months). PSA at 7 months predicts overall survival. Given that only 7% of patients achieved PSA ≤ 0.2 ng/dl, confirmation of this particular cutoff requires additional studies in other populations.

Injectable biodegradable temperature-responsive PLGA-PEG-PLGA copolymers: synthesis and effect of copolymer composition on the drug release from the copolymer-based hydrogels.

PubMed

Qiao, Mingxi; Chen, Dawei; Ma, Xichen; Liu, Yanjun

2005-04-27

Injectable biodegradable temperature-responsive poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide-b-ethylene glycol-b-DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA-PEG-PLGA) triblock copolymers with DL-lactide/glycolide molar ratio ranging from 6/1 to 15/l were synthesized from monomers of DL-lactide, glycolide and polyethylene glycol and characterized by 1H NMR. The resulting copolymers are soluble in water to form free flowing fluid at room temperature but become hydrogels at body temperature. The hydrophobicity of the copolymer increased with the increasing of DL-lactide/glycolide molar ratio. In vitro dissolution studies with two different hydrophobic drugs (5-fluorouracil and indomethacin) were performed to study the effect of DL-lactide/glycolide molar ratio on drug release and to elucidate drug release mechanism. The release mechanism for hydrophilic 5-fluorouracil was diffusion-controlled, while hydrophobic indomethacin showed an biphasic profile comprising of an initial diffusion-controlled stage followed by the hydrogel erosion-dominated stage. The effect of DL-lactide/glycolide molar ratio on drug release seemed to be dependent on the drug release mechanism. It has less effect on the drug release during the diffusion-controlled stage, but significantly affected drug release during the hydrogel erosion-controlled stage. Compared with ReGel system, the synthesized copolymers showed a higher gelation temperature and longer period of drug release. The copolymers can solubilize the hydrophobic indomethacin and the solubility (13.7 mg/ml) was increased 3425-fold compared to that in water (4 microg/ml, 25 degrees C). Two methods of physical mixing method and solvent evaporation method were used for drug solubilization and the latter method showed higher solubilization efficiency.

High Burden of Subclinical Lead Toxicity after Phase Out of Lead from Petroleum in Pakistan.

PubMed

Majid, Hafsa; Khan, Aysha Habib; Khan, Nadeem Ullah; Siddiqui, Imran; Ghani, Farooq; Jafri, Lena

2017-12-01

To evaluate the frequency of subclinical lead toxicity. Cross-sectional study. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from January 2011 to December 2014. Analysis of laboratory data for blood lead levels (BLL) was performed. Lead was tested by atomic absorption spectrometer. For all subjects, only initial test results were included while the results of repeated testing were excluded. Exemption was sought from institutional ethical review committee. BLL of 2-10 ug/dl and 10-70 ug/dl in children and adults, respectively were taken as subclinical lead toxicity. Amongst the total number of subjects tested (n=524), 26.5% (n=139) were children (<16 years) while rest were adults. Overall median BLLs was 6.4 ug/dl (20.9-3.1). The median BLL was 4 ug/dl (6.7-2.6) in children and 8.3 ug/dl (27.9-3.4) in adults, respectively. The BLL increased with age; higher levels were observed in age range 21-30 years of subjects [median lead level 16.9 ug/dl (36.1-4)] and lower level [4.2 ug/dl (6.8-2.6)] in children with <10 years of age. Only 16% (n=22) children had desirable lead levels while most had either subclinical (76%, n=106) or toxic lead levels (8%, n=11). In adults, (55%, n=212) subjects had desired lead levels, and 40% (n=154) and 4.99% (n=19) had subclinical and toxic lead levels. Presence of subclinical lead poisoning even after phasing out of lead petroleum in Pakistanis is alarming, especially in children. A national population-based study to determine the lead status and targeted intervention to identify potential sources is need of the time.

Seasonal variations in atmospheric concentrations and gas-particle partitioning of PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs around industrial sites in Shanghai, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Die, Qingqi; Nie, Zhiqiang; Liu, Feng; Tian, Yajun; Fang, Yanyan; Gao, Hefeng; Tian, Shulei; He, Jie; Huang, Qifei

2015-10-01

Gas and particle phase air samples were collected in summer and winter around industrial sites in Shanghai, China, to allow the concentrations, profiles, and gas-particle partitioning of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) to be determined. The total 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDD/F and dl-PCB toxic equivalent (TEQ) concentrations were 14.2-182 fg TEQ/m3 (mean 56.8 fg TEQ/m3) in summer and 21.9-479 fg TEQ/m3 (mean 145 fg TEQ/m3) in winter. The PCDD/Fs tended to be predominantly in the particulate phase, while the dl-PCBs were predominantly found in the gas phase, and the proportions of all of the PCDD/F and dl-PCB congeners in the particle phase increased as the temperature decreased. The logarithms of the gas-particle partition coefficients correlated well with the subcooled liquid vapor pressures of the PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs for most of the samples. Gas-particle partitioning of the PCDD/Fs deviated from equilibrium either in summer or winter close to local sources, and the Junge-Pankow model and predictions made using a model based on the octanol-air partition coefficient fitted the measured particulate PCDD/F fractions well, indicating that absorption and adsorption mechanism both contributed to the partitioning process. However, gas-particle equilibrium of the dl-PCBs was reached more easily in winter than in summer. The Junge-Pankow model predictions fitted the dl-PCB data better than did the predictions made using the model based on the octanol-air partition coefficient, indicating that adsorption mechanism made dominated contribution to the partitioning process.

[The effects of simvastatin combined with different antioxidant vitamin regimens on serum lipid profile in patients with low HDL cholesterol levels].

PubMed

Pirat, Bahar; Korkmaz, Mehmet Emin; Eroğlu, Serpil; Tayfun, Egemen; Yildirir, Aylin; Uluçam, Melek; Ozin, Bülent; Müderrisoğlu, Haldun

2004-12-01

This study was designed to compare the effects of simvastatin versus a combination of simvastatin with vitamin C or E on serum lipid profile, particularly, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (C) level, in patients with a low HDL-C level. Fifty-nine women and 49 men, who had a baseline HDL-C level equal to or lower than 40 mg/dl were randomized to one of the following study treatment groups: Group S (n=39) simvastatin 20 mg/day, Group S+C (n=33) simvastatin 20 mg/day + vitamin C 500 mg/day, and Group S+E (n=36) simvastatin 20 mg/day + vitamin E 400 IU/day. The groups' lipid profiles were obtained at baseline, 3rd and 6th months. Comparing with baseline values, total-C and low-density cholesterol (LDL-C) values significantly reduced (p<0.001) and HDL-C values significantly increased (Group S--33.9+/-3.9 mg/dl vs. 39.8+/-6.9 mg/dl, Group S+C--34.2+/-3.5 mg/dl vs. 38.1+/-6.1 mg/dl, Group S+E--33.1+/-3.6 mg/dl vs. 34.8+/-5.9 mg/dl, p<0.001) on therapy within the groups; however, there were no significant differences among the groups with regards to these parameters. The HDL-C levels increased from baseline by 14.0%, 11.7% and 10.2% in Group S, S+C, and S+E, respectively (p>0.05). A combination of simvastatin with antioxidant vitamins does not offer any beneficial effect over simvastatin alone. Particularly vitamin E seems to blunt the simvastatin induced HDL-C increase.

Phase I study of UCN-01 and perifosine in patients with relapsed and refractory acute leukemias and high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome

PubMed Central

Gojo, Ivana; Perl, Alexander; Luger, Selina; Baer, Maria R.; Norsworthy, Kelly J.; Bauer, Kenneth S.; Tidwell, Michael; Fleckinger, Stephanie; Carroll, Martin; Sausville, Edward A.

2013-01-01

Summary Background The PI3K-Akt pathway is frequently activated in acute leukemias and represents an important therapeutic target. UCN-01 and perifosine are known to inhibit Akt activation. Methods The primary objective of this phase I study was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of UCN-01 given in combination with perifosine in patients with advanced acute leukemias and myelodysplastic syndrome. Secondary objectives included safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and efficacy. Perifosine 150 mg every 6 hours was given orally on day 1 followed by 100 mg once a day continuously in 28-day cycles. UCN-01 was given intravenously over 3 hours on day 4 at three dose levels (DL1=40 mg/m2; DL2=65 mg/m2; DL3=90 mg/m2). Results Thirteen patients were treated (DL1, n=6; DL2, n=4; DL3, n=3) according to a traditional “3+3” design. Two patients at the DL3 experienced dose-limiting toxicity including grade 3-4 pericardial effusion, hypotension, hyperglycemia, hyperkalemia, constitutional symptoms and grade 5 pneumonitis. Other frequent toxicities were grade 1-2 nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue and hyperglycemia. The MTD was determined to be UCN-01 65 mg/m2 with perifosine 100 mg a day. No appreciable direct Akt inhibition could be demonstrated in patients’ mononuclear cells using Western blot, however, reduced phosphorylation of the downstream target ribosomal protein S6 in leukemic blasts was noted by intracellular flow cytometry. No objective responses were observed on this study. Conclusion UCN-01 and perifosine can be safely administered, but this regimen lacked clinical efficacy. This approach may have failed because of insufficient Akt inhibition in vivo. PMID:23443507

Substance P immunoreactive nerve terminals in the dorsolateral nucleus of the tractus solitarius: roles in the baroreceptor reflex.

PubMed

Massari, V J; Shirahata, M; Johnson, T A; Lauenstein, J M; Gatti, P J

1998-03-02

Physiological and light microscopic evidence suggest that substance P (SP) may be a neurotransmitter contained in first-order sensory baroreceptor afferents; however, ultrastructural support for this hypothesis is lacking. We have traced the central projections of the carotid sinus nerve (CSN) in the cat by utilizing the transganglionic transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The dorsolateral subnucleus of the nucleus tractus solitarius (dlNTS) was processed for the histochemical visualization of transganglionically labeled CSN afferents and for the immunocytochemical visualization of SP by dual labeling light and electron microscopic methods. Either HRP or SP was readily identified in single-labeled unmyelinated axons, myelinated axons, and nerve terminals in the dlNTS. SP immunoreactivity was also identified in unmyelinated axons, myelinated axons, and nerve terminals in the dlNTS, which were simultaneously identified as CSN primary afferents. However, only 15% of CSN terminals in the dlNTS were immunoreactive for SP. Therefore, while the ultrastructural data support the hypothesis that SP immunoreactive first-order neurons are involved in the origination of the baroreceptor reflex, they suggest that only a modest part of the total sensory input conveyed from the carotid sinus baroreceptors to the dlNTS is mediated by SP immunoreactive CSN terminals. Five types of axo-axonic synapses were observed in the dlNTS. SP immunoreactive CSN afferents were very rarely involved in these synapses. Furthermore, SP terminals were never observed to form the presynaptic element in an axo-axonic synapse with a CSN afferent. Therefore, SP does not appear to be involved in the modulation of the baroreceptor reflex in the dlNTS. Copyright 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.

Successful treatment of severe hypertriglyceridemia with a formula diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids and medium-chain triglycerides.

PubMed

Hauenschild, Annette; Bretzel, Reinhard G; Schnell-Kretschmer, Henning; Kloer, Hans-Ulrich; Hardt, Philip D; Ewald, Nils

2010-01-01

Patients with highly increased plasma triglyceride levels are at risk of developing serious complications such as pancreatitis, coronary heart disease and stroke. Therefore it is important to rapidly decrease plasma triglyceride levels. A sufficient control of triglyceride levels with drugs like fibrates, statins or nicotinic acid can usually only be attained after a couple of weeks. Plasma exchange appears to be a fast but expensive method to reduce triglyceride levels. In this study we describe the use of a new omega-3 fatty acid and medium-chain triglyceride-rich formula diet as a therapeutic concept to reduce plasma triglyceride levels fast and effectively. Thirty-two patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia were treated with the especially composed formula diet for a period of 7 days. Within this period of time, plasma triglycerides decreased from 1,601 (402-4,555) to 554 (142-2,382) mg/dl (p < 0.05). Total cholesterol levels were reduced from 417 (211-841) to 287 (165-457) mg/dl (p < 0.001). Fasting glucose and uric acid levels also slightly decreased (-8%; -12%). The formula diet as a 1-week treatment was well tolerated and accepted by the patients. This diet was successfully used as an acute treatment in severe hypertriglyceridemia and showed effectiveness in rapidly and safely lowering plasma triglyceride levels. (c) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Diagnostic laparoscopy should be performed before definitive resection for pancreatic cancer: a financial argument

PubMed Central

Jayakrishnan, Thejus T; Nadeem, Hasan; Groeschl, Ryan T; George, Ben; Thomas, James P; Ritch, Paul S; Christians, Kathleen K; Tsai, Susan; Evans, Douglas B; Pappas, Sam G; Gamblin, T Clark; Turaga, Kiran K

2015-01-01

Objectives Laparoscopy is recommended to detect radiographically occult metastases in patients with pancreatic cancer before curative resection. This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that diagnostic laparoscopy (DL) is cost-effective in patients undergoing curative resection with or without neoadjuvant therapy (NAT). Methods Decision tree modelling compared routine DL with exploratory laparotomy (ExLap) at the time of curative resection in resectable cancer treated with surgery first, (SF) and borderline resectable cancer treated with NAT. Costs (US$) from the payer's perspective, quality-adjusted life months (QALMs) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated. Base case estimates and multi-way sensitivity analyses were performed. Willingness to pay (WtP) was US$4166/QALM (or US$50 000/quality-adjusted life year). Results Base case costs were US$34 921 for ExLap and US$33 442 for DL in SF patients, and US$39 633 for ExLap and US$39 713 for DL in NAT patients. Routine DL is the dominant (preferred) strategy in both treatment types: it allows for cost reductions of US$10 695/QALM in SF and US$4158/QALM in NAT patients. Conclusions The present analysis supports the cost-effectiveness of routine DL before curative resection in pancreatic cancer patients treated with either SF or NAT. PMID:25123702

Blood lead level and its relationship to essential elements in preschool children from Nanning, China.

PubMed

Chen, Jingwen; Li, Muyan; Lv, Qun; Chen, Guoli; Li, Yong; Li, Shaojun; Mo, Yuhuan; Ou, Shiyan; Yuan, Zongxiang; Huang, Mingli; Jiang, Yueming

2015-04-01

Our study aimed to assess the distribution of blood lead level and its relationship to essential elements in preschool children in an urban area of China. A total of 6741 children aged 0- to 6-year-old were recruited. Levels of lead, zinc, copper, iron, calcium, and magnesium in whole blood samples were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry. The mean blood lead level (BLL) and the prevalence of BLL≥10μg/dl (5.26±4.08μg/dl and 6.84%, respectively) increased with age gradually, and there was a gender-difference for blood lead, copper, zinc and iron levels. Compared with the group of children who had BLLs<5μg/dl, the groups of 5≤BLLs<10μg/dl and 10≤BLLs<15μg/dl showed higher blood zinc, iron and magnesium levels, and a lower blood calcium level. A positive correlation of lead with zinc, iron and magnesium, and a negative correlation of lead with calcium were found in the group of children with BLL<5μg/dl. Age- and gender-differences were found when assessing the BLL and intoxication prevalence in preschool children. Metabolic disorder of essential elements was found even with a low level of lead exposure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Plasma electrophoretogram in feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and/or feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) infections.

PubMed

Miró, G; Doménech, A; Escolar, E; Collado, V M; Tejerizo, G; De Las Heras, A; Gómez-Lucía, E

2007-05-01

The electrophoretogram of 89 cats, including those infected by feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV+), feline leukaemia virus (FeLV+) and non-infected, showed statistically significant differences in several of the fractions. FIV+ cats had very high protein values (mean, 8.10 g/dl), mostly because of hypergammaglobulinemia (mean, 2.81 g/dl) as compared with non-infected animals and FeLV+. In addition, in these FIV+ animals, the albumin/globulins ratio (A/G) was very low (mean, 0.72). Statistically significant differences in A/G and alpha2-globulin fraction were observed in FeLV+ group (A/G mean, 0.88 +/- 0.08; alpha2-globulin, mean, 0.84 +/- 0.07 g/dl) when compared with non-infected group (A/G mean, 1.06 +/- 0.08; alpha2-globulin mean, 0.68 +/- 0.04 g/dl). The alpha1-globulin fraction was higher in double infected animals (FIV and FeLV positive, F-F) (3.55 g/dl), than in FeLV+ or FIV+ cats (3.10 and 3.07 g/dl respectively), but no statistical conclusions may be drawn from this fact because of the low number of F-F animals. This technique may help to assess the initial clinical status of retrovirus-infected cats, and the clinical course of these chronic diseases, specifically during and after suitable therapy.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of method comparison studies of Masimo pulse co-oximeters (Radical-7™ or Pronto-7™) and HemoCue® absorption spectrometers (B-Hemoglobin or 201+) with laboratory haemoglobin estimation.

PubMed

Hiscock, R; Kumar, D; Simmons, S W

2015-05-01

We assessed agreement in haemoglobin measurement between Masimo pulse co-oximeters (Rad-7™ and Pronto-7™) and HemoCue® photometers (201+ or B-Hemoglobin) with laboratory-based determination and identified 39 relevant studies (2915 patients in Masimo group and 3084 patients in HemoCue group). In the Masimo group, the overall mean difference was -0.03 g/dl (95% prediction interval -0.30 to 0.23) and 95% limits of agreement -3.0 to 2.9 g/dl compared to 0.08 g/dl (95% prediction interval -0.04 to 0.20) and 95% limits of agreement -1.3 to 1.4 g/dl in the HemoCue group. Only B-Hemoglobin exhibited bias (0.53, 95% prediction interval 0.27 to 0.78). The overall standard deviation of difference was larger (1.42 g/dl versus 0.64 g/dl) for Masimo pulse co-oximeters compared to HemoCue photometers. Masimo devices and HemoCue 201+ both provide an unbiased, pooled estimate of laboratory haemoglobin. However, Masimo devices have lower precision and wider 95% limits of agreement than HemoCue devices. Clinicians should carefully consider these limits of agreement before basing transfusion or other clinical decisions on these point-of-care measurements alone.

Ethylphenidate as a selective dopaminergic agonist and methylphenidate-ethanol transesterification biomarker

PubMed Central

Patrick, Kennerly S.; Corbin, Timothy R.; Murphy, Cristina E.

2014-01-01

We review the pharmaceutical science of ethylphenidate (EPH) in the contexts of drug discovery; drug interactions; biomarker for dl-methylphenidate (MPH)-ethanol exposure; potentiation of dl-MPH abuse liability; contemporary “designer drug”; pertinence to the newer transdermal and chiral switch MPH formulations; as well as problematic internal standard. d-EPH selectively targets the dopamine transporter while d-MPH exhibits equipotent actions at dopamine and norepinephrine transporters. This selectivity carries implications for the advancement of tailored attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) pharmacotherapy in the era of genome-based diagnostics. Abuse of dl-MPH often involves ethanol co-abuse. Carboxylesterase 1 enantioselectively transesterifies l-MPH with ethanol to yield l-EPH accompanied by significantly increased early exposure to d-MPH and rapid potentiation of euphoria. The pharmacokinetic component of this drug interaction can largely be avoided using dexmethylphenidate (dexMPH). This notwithstanding, maximal potentiated euphoria occurs following dexMPH-ethanol. C57BL/6 mice model dl-MPH-ethanol interactions: An otherwise depressive dose of ethanol synergistically increases dl-MPH stimulation; A sub-stimulatory dose of dl-MPH potentiates a low, stimulatory dose of ethanol; Ethanol elevates blood, brain and urinary d-MPH concentrations while forming l-EPH. Integration of EPH preclinical neuropharmacology with clinical studies of MPH-ethanol interactions provides a translational approach toward advancement of ADHD personalized medicine and management of comorbid alcohol use disorder. PMID:25303048

Ethylphenidate as a selective dopaminergic agonist and methylphenidate-ethanol transesterification biomarker.

PubMed

Patrick, Kennerly S; Corbin, Timothy R; Murphy, Cristina E

2014-12-01

We review the pharmaceutical science of ethylphenidate (EPH) in the contexts of drug discovery, drug interactions, biomarker for dl-methylphenidate (MPH)-ethanol exposure, potentiation of dl-MPH abuse liability, contemporary "designer drug," pertinence to the newer transdermal and chiral switch MPH formulations, as well as problematic internal standard. d-EPH selectively targets the dopamine transporter, whereas d-MPH exhibits equipotent actions at dopamine and norepinephrine transporters. This selectivity carries implications for the advancement of tailored attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) pharmacotherapy in the era of genome-based diagnostics. Abuse of dl-MPH often involves ethanol coabuse. Carboxylesterase 1 enantioselectively transesterifies l-MPH with ethanol to yield l-EPH accompanied by significantly increased early exposure to d-MPH and rapid potentiation of euphoria. The pharmacokinetic component of this drug interaction can largely be avoided using dexmethylphenidate (dexMPH). This notwithstanding, maximal potentiated euphoria occurs following dexMPH-ethanol. C57BL/6 mice model dl-MPH-ethanol interactions: an otherwise depressive dose of ethanol synergistically increases dl-MPH stimulation; a substimulatory dose of dl-MPH potentiates a low, stimulatory dose of ethanol; ethanol elevates blood, brain, and urinary d-MPH concentrations while forming l-EPH. Integration of EPH preclinical neuropharmacology with clinical studies of MPH-ethanol interactions provides a translational approach toward advancement of ADHD personalized medicine and management of comorbid alcohol use disorder. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Effect of heavy metal layer thickness on spin-orbit torque and current-induced switching in Hf|CoFeB|MgO structures

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

Akyol, Mustafa; Jiang, Wanjun; Yu, Guoqiang

We study the heavy metal layer thickness dependence of the current-induced spin-orbit torque (SOT) in perpendicularly magnetized Hf broken vertical bar CoFeB broken vertical bar MgO multilayer structures. The damping-like (DL) current-induced SOT is determined by vector anomalous Hall effect measurements. A non-monotonic behavior in the DL-SOT is found as a function of the thickness of the heavy-metal layer. The sign of the DL-SOT changes with increasing the thickness of the Hf layer in the trilayer structure. As a result, in the current-driven magnetization switching, the preferred direction of switching for a given current direction changes when the Hf thicknessmore » is increased above similar to 7 nm. Although there might be a couple of reasons for this unexpected behavior in DL-SOT, such as the roughness in the interfaces and/or impurity based electric potential in the heavy metal, one can deduce a roughness dependence sign reversal in DL-SOT in our trilayer structure.« less

Effect of heavy metal layer thickness on spin-orbit torque and current-induced switching in Hf|CoFeB|MgO structures

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

Akyol, Mustafa; Department of Physics, University of Çukurova, Adana 01330; Jiang, Wanjun

We study the heavy metal layer thickness dependence of the current-induced spin-orbit torque (SOT) in perpendicularly magnetized Hf|CoFeB|MgO multilayer structures. The damping-like (DL) current-induced SOT is determined by vector anomalous Hall effect measurements. A non-monotonic behavior in the DL-SOT is found as a function of the thickness of the heavy-metal layer. The sign of the DL-SOT changes with increasing the thickness of the Hf layer in the trilayer structure. As a result, in the current-driven magnetization switching, the preferred direction of switching for a given current direction changes when the Hf thickness is increased above ∼7 nm. Although there might bemore » a couple of reasons for this unexpected behavior in DL-SOT, such as the roughness in the interfaces and/or impurity based electric potential in the heavy metal, one can deduce a roughness dependence sign reversal in DL-SOT in our trilayer structure.« less

Tracheal intubation by novice staff: the direct vision laryngoscope or the lighted stylet (Trachlight)?

PubMed Central

Soh, C; Kong, C; Kong, C; Ip-Yam, P; Chin, E; Goh, M

2002-01-01

Objective: To compare the ease of use of the direct vision laryngoscope and the lighted stylet (Trachlight) by novice staff. Methods: Ten novice medical officers (MOs) performed orotracheal intubations using either the conventional direct vision laryngoscope (DL) or a lighted stylet device (Trachlight). They performed their DL intubations during the first phase of the study, followed by the Trachlight intubations in the subsequent phase. Results: 51 of 54 (94%) of the DL intubation attempts were successful compared with 36 of 54 (67%) of the Trachlight intubations (p<0.001). The mean (SEM) time for intubation was 44 (7) seconds in the DL group and 66 (13) seconds in the Trachlight group (p=0.004). In addition 45 of 54 (83%) of the DL intubations were successful at the first attempt versus 15 of 54 (28%) in the Trachlight group (p<0.001). Conclusion: The results show that the use of the conventional direct vision laryngoscope in novices is associated with significantly shorter mean intubation times and higher success rates on the first attempt compared with the Trachlight. PMID:12101133

The use of laparoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of blunt and penetrating abdominal injuries: 10-year experience at a level 1 trauma center.

PubMed

Johnson, Jeremy J; Garwe, Tabitha; Raines, Alexander R; Thurman, Joseph B; Carter, Sandra; Bender, Jeffrey S; Albrecht, Roxie M

2013-03-01

Diagnostic laparoscopy (DL) has decreased the rate of nontherapeutic laparotomy for patients suffering from penetrating injuries. We evaluated whether DL similarly lowers the rate of nontherapeutic laparotomy for patients with blunt injuries. All patients undergoing DL over a 10-year period (ie, 2001-2010) in a single level 1 trauma center were classified by the mechanism of injury. Demographic and perioperative data were compared using the Student t and Fisher exact tests. There were 131 patients included, 22 of whom sustained blunt injuries. Patients suffering from blunt injuries were more severely injured (Injury Severity Score 18.0 vs 7.3, P = .0001). The most common indication for DL after blunt injury was a computed tomographic scan concerning for bowel injury (59.1%). The rate of nontherapeutic laparotomy for patients sustaining penetrating vs blunt injury was 1.8% and nil, respectively. DL, when coupled with computed tomographic findings, is an effective tool for the initial management of patients with blunt injuries. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of repetitive element polymerase chain reaction for surveillance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus at a large academic medical center and community hospitals.

PubMed

Wang, Shu-Hua; Stevenson, Kurt B; Hines, Lisa; Mediavilla, José R; Khan, Yosef; Soni, Ruchi; Dutch, Wendy; Brandt, Eric; Bannerman, Tammy; Kreiswirth, Barry N; Pancholi, Preeti

2015-01-01

Repetitive element polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR) typing has been used for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain characterization. The goal of this study was to determine if a rapid commercial rep-PCR system, DiversiLab™ (DL; bioMérieux, Durham, NC, USA), could be used for MRSA surveillance at a large medical center and community hospitals. A total of 1286 MRSA isolates genotyped by the DL system were distributed into 84 distinct rep-PCR patterns: 737/1286 (57%) were clustered into 6 major rep-PCR patterns. A subset of 220 isolates was further typed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), spa typing, and SCCmec typing. The 220 isolates were distributed into 80 rep-PCR patterns, 94 PFGE pulsotypes, 27 spa, and 3 SCCmec types. The DL rep-PCR system is sufficient for surveillance, but the DL system alone cannot be used to compare data to other institutions until a standardized nomenclature is established and the DL MRSA reference library is expanded. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Expression, purification and preliminary X-ray characterization of dl-2-haloacid dehalogenase from Methylobacterium sp. CPA1

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

Omi, Rie; Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka 558-8585; Jitsumori, Keiji

A recombinant form of dl-2-haloacid dehalogenase from Methylobacterium sp. CPA1 has been expressed in E. coli, purified and crystallized. The crystal belongs to space group P6{sub 3}. Diffraction data have been collected to 1.75 Å resolution. dl-2-Haloacid dehalogenase from Methylobacterium sp. CPA1 (dl-DEX Mb) is a unique enzyme that catalyzes the dehalogenation reaction without the formation of an ester intermediate. A recombinant form of dl-DEX Mb has been expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystal belongs to the hexagonal space group P6{sub 3}, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 186.2, c =more » 114.4 Å. The crystals are likely to contain between four and eight monomers in the asymmetric unit, with a V{sub M} value of 4.20–2.10 Å{sup 3} Da{sup −1}. A self-rotation function revealed peaks on the χ = 180° section. X-ray data have been collected to 1.75 Å resolution.« less

A high risk critical mitral valve stenosis with emergency management at Apollo Hospitals Dhaka.

PubMed

Zahangir, N M; Hoque, K Z; Khan, M H; Haque, M A; Haider, M Z

2013-10-01

Heart valve surgery in high-risk patients with severe jaundice, congestive hepatomegaly and renal impairment is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Without operation the consequences are invariably grave. A 35 years old gentleman with congestive cardiac failure was initially treated in coronary care unit (CCU). Mitral valve area was 0.5cm², pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PASP) was 110mmHg, serum bilirubin was 20mg/dl, SGPT & SGOT were 1024iu/l and 1027iu/l respectively. Serum creatinine was 3.35mmol/l. Serum bilirubin gradually diminished to 3.1mg/dl after 12 days treatment in Coronary Care Unit but next day it increased to 3.6mg/dl. Mitral valve was replaced on an emergency basis. Echocardiogram on the 5th post operative day showed well functioning prosthetic mitral valve in situ. Serum bilirubin decreased to 2.2mg/dl, SGPT, SGOT and serum creatinine to 43iu/l, 40iu/l and 1.34mmol/l respectively. After 8 weeks of postoperative follow up his serum bilirubin decreased to 0.8mg/dl.

Possible Involvement of Human Mast Cells in the Establishment of Pregnancy via Killer Cell Ig-Like Receptor 2DL4.

PubMed

Ueshima, Chiyuki; Kataoka, Tatsuki R; Hirata, Masahiro; Sugimoto, Akihiko; Iemura, Yoshiki; Minamiguchi, Sachiko; Nomura, Takashi; Haga, Hironori

2018-06-01

The involvement of mast cells in the establishment of pregnancy is unclear. Herein, we found that human mast cells are present in the decidual tissues of parous women and expressed a human-specific protein killer cell Ig-like receptor (KIR) 2DL4, a receptor for human leukocyte antigen G expressed on human trophoblasts. In contrast, decreased numbers of decidual mast cells and reduced KIR2DL4 expression were observed in these cells of infertile women who had undergone long-term corticosteroid treatment. Co-culture of the human mast cell line, LAD2, and human trophoblast cell line, HTR-8/SVneo, accelerated the migration and tube formation of HTR-8/SVneo cells in a KIR2DL4-dependent manner. These observations suggest the possible involvement of human mast cells in the establishment of pregnancy via KIR2DL4 and that long-term corticosteroid treatment may cause infertility by influencing the phenotypes of decidual mast cells. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Deep Learning for Drug Design: an Artificial Intelligence Paradigm for Drug Discovery in the Big Data Era.

PubMed

Jing, Yankang; Bian, Yuemin; Hu, Ziheng; Wang, Lirong; Xie, Xiang-Qun Sean

2018-03-30

Over the last decade, deep learning (DL) methods have been extremely successful and widely used to develop artificial intelligence (AI) in almost every domain, especially after it achieved its proud record on computational Go. Compared to traditional machine learning (ML) algorithms, DL methods still have a long way to go to achieve recognition in small molecular drug discovery and development. And there is still lots of work to do for the popularization and application of DL for research purpose, e.g., for small molecule drug research and development. In this review, we mainly discussed several most powerful and mainstream architectures, including the convolutional neural network (CNN), recurrent neural network (RNN), and deep auto-encoder networks (DAENs), for supervised learning and nonsupervised learning; summarized most of the representative applications in small molecule drug design; and briefly introduced how DL methods were used in those applications. The discussion for the pros and cons of DL methods as well as the main challenges we need to tackle were also emphasized.

Development of rotorcraft interior noise control concepts. Phase 3: Development of noise control concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yoerkie, Charles A.; Gintoli, P. J.; Ingraham, S. T.; Moore, J. A.

1986-01-01

The goal of this research is the understanding of helicopter internal noise mechanisms and the development, design, and testing of noise control concepts which will produce significant reductions in the acoustic environment to which passengers are exposed. The Phase 3 effort involved the identification and evaluation of current and advanced treatment concepts, including isolation of structure-borne paths. In addition, a plan was devised for the full-scale evaluation of an isolation concept. Specific objectives were as follows: (1) identification and characterization of various noise control concepts; (2) implementation of noise control concepts within the S-76 SEA (statistical energy analysis) model; (3) definition and evaluation of a preliminary acoustic isolation design to reduce structure-borne transmission of acoustic frequency main gearbox gear clash vibrations into the airframe; (4) formulation of a plan for the full-scale validation of the isolation concept; and (5) prediction of the cabin noise environment with various noise control concepts installed.

Digoxin test

MedlinePlus

Heart failure - digoxin test ... Mann DL. Management of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. In: Mann DL, Zipes DP, Libby P, Bonow RO, Braunwald E, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of ...

The study of structure-activity relationships among substituted N-benzoyl derivatives of phenylalanine and its analogs in a microbial antitumor prescreen: II. Derivatives of m-fluoro-DL-phenylalanine.

PubMed

Otani, T T; Briley, M R

1983-05-01

The fluoro-, chloro-, methoxy- and nitro-substituted benzoyl derivatives of m-fluoro-DL-phenylalanine, substituted singly at the ortho, meta or para position of the benzoyl phenyl ring, were prepared and tested for growth-inhibitory activity in a Lactobacillus casei system used as an antitumor prescreen. The substituted benzoyl derivatives that were previously found to be the most active for o-fluoro-DL-phenylalanine were also the most active for the m-fluoro-DL-phenylalanine. The position of the fluorine substituent in the phenylalanine also appeared to be important for inhibitory activity as the derivatives of m-fluoro-phenylalanine were in general better inhibitors than those of the corresponding o-fluorophenylalanine.

Acetyl-DL-leucine improves gait variability in patients with cerebellar ataxia-a case series.

PubMed

Schniepp, Roman; Strupp, Michael; Wuehr, Max; Jahn, Klaus; Dieterich, Marianne; Brandt, Thomas; Feil, Katharina

2016-01-01

Acetyl-DL-leucine is a modified amino acid that was observed to improve ataxic symptoms in patients with sporadic and hereditary forms of ataxia. Here, we investigated the effect of the treatment with Acetyl-DL-leucine on the walking stability of patients with cerebellar ataxia (10x SAOA, 2x MSA-C, 2x ADA, 1x CACNA-1A mutation, 2x SCA 2, 1x SCA 1). Treatment with Acetyl-DL-leucine (500 mg; 3-3-4) significantly improved the coefficient of variation of stride time in 14 out of 18 patients. Moreover, subjective ambulatory scores (FES-I and ABC) and the SARA scores were also improved under treatment. Further prospective studies are necessary to support these class III observational findings.

Poly(dl)lactic acid/polyglycolic acid/iron and poly(dl)lactic acid/polyglycolic acid/samarium cobalt composites for use as a delivery mechanism for magnetically directed chondrogenesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oppermann, Dean Alan

Magnetically directed chondrogenesis (MDC) is a fundamental approach to articular cartilage repair. In MDC a magnet is implanted into the subchondral trabecular bone underlying a cartilage defect and used to attract chondrocytes, magnetically tagged with Fe nanoparticles, to the defect site. Pilot studies by Halpern, Crimp and Grande, using solid neodymium (Nd) magnets, indicated optimistic results by producing a hyaline-like articular cartilage after 8 weeks implantation. Since solid Nd magnets introduce long-term biocompatibility issues, the focus of this dissertation was to develop P(dl)A/PGA/Fe and P(dl)A/PGA/SmCo 5 implants for use in MDC. The effect of implant porosity, implant composition and magnetic material (Fe or SmCo5) on the initial and degraded magnetic properties were evaluated. The biocompatibility of P(dl)A/PGA/Fe implants were investigated by implantation into New Zealand white rabbits for 8 weeks. The effect of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and ethylene oxide (EO) sterilization techniques on the molecular weight and chemical structure of P(dl)A/PGA polymers were evaluated using gel permeation chromatography and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The effect of implant morphology, size and number on the von Mises stress in the trabecular bone surrounding the implant was evaluated using a finite element model. In general, SmCo5 implants resulted in higher magnetic fields initially and after 8 weeks of degradation than comparable Fe implants. Increases in magnetic field strength were achieved by increasing the volume fraction of magnetic material and by increasing the PGA concentration. The magnetic field strength degradation rate decreased with increases in volume fraction of magnetic material and increases in PLA concentration. Implantation studies indicated that 50/50 P(dl)A/PGA were more bioactive than 75/25 P(dl)A/PGA with an increased cellular response that is specific to bone growth. The compressive strength and elastic modulus of porous implants were comparable to trabecular bone, and the compressive strength and elastic modulus of solid implants was higher than trabecular bone but less than cortical bone. Finite element modeling showed that the implantation of solid and porous P(dl)A/PGA/Fe implants did not significantly increase the von Mises stress concentration adjacent to the implant. The von Mises stress surrounding porous implants was higher than the solid implants which predicts faster bone remodeling. Comparing single implants to multiple implants indicated a significant decrease in von Mises stress between the implants. This would predict bone resorption in that area. H2O2 sterilization resulted in a gradual decrease in the molecular weight of P(dl)A/PGA polymers that was a result of hydrolytic scission of the ester bonds present between the individual monomers. The polymers were less affected by EO sterilization with only the 75/25 P(dl)A/PGA, indicating a decrease in molecular weight. From these results, it was concluded that solid 50/50 P(dl)A/PGA/SmCo 5 implants that span the entire width of the cartilage defect should be used to optimize the attraction potential and bioactivity of the implant. Also ethylene oxide, which caused less premature implant degradation, should be used for sterilization.

Design studies of Laminar Flow Control (LFC) wing concepts using superplastics forming and diffusion bonding (SPF/DB)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, V. E.

1980-01-01

Alternate concepts and design approaches were developed for suction panels and techniques were defined for integrating these panel designs into a complete LFC 200R wing. The design concepts and approaches were analyzed to assure that they would meet the strength, stability, and internal volume requirements. Cost and weight comparisions of the concepts were also made. Problems of integrating the concepts into a complete aircraft system were addressed. Methods for making splices both chordwise and spanwise, fuel light joints, and internal duct installations were developed. Manufacturing problems such as slot aligment, tapered slot spacing, production methods, and repair techniques were addressed. An assessment of the program was used to developed recommendations for additional research in the development of SPF/DB for LFC structure.

FM notch filter in front - and - behind the low noise amplifier of a Callisto Radio Spectrometer in Gauribidanur, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monstein, C.

2014-03-01

In the framework of IHY2007 a Callisto spectrometer [Benz(2004)] was installed and set into operation at the location of the solar heliograph in Gauribidanur, India. At that time the level of radio frequency interference (RFI) was amazingly low. In recent years more and more FM broadcast transmitters were installed with high power compared to the requirements of radio astronomical observations. So, the spectral observations with Callisto experienced more and more interference by these FM transmitters. Recently an FM-notch filter was installed between the low noise amplifier and Callisto, but it did not work out. The notch filter was then moved to the input of the LNA and the result was much better, as expected from theoretical concepts.

Preliminary safety concept for disposal of the very low level radioactive waste in Romania.

PubMed

Niculae, O; Andrei, V; Ionita, G; Duliu, O G

2009-05-01

In Romania, there are certain nuclear installations in operation or under decommissioning, all of them representing an important source of very low level waste (VLLW). This paper presents an overview on the approach of the VLLW management in Romania, focused on those resulted from the nuclear power plants decommissioning. At the same time, the basic elements of safety concept, together with some safety evaluations concerning VLLW repository are presented and discussed too.

Multifunctional data acquisition and analysis and optical sensors: a Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) update

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erickson, Dennis C.; Donnelly, Matt K.

1995-04-01

The authors present a design concept describing a multifunctional data acquisition and analysis architecture for advanced power system monitoring. The system is tailored to take advantage of the salient features of low energy sensors, particularly optical types. The discussion of the system concept and optical sensors is based on research at BPA and PNL and on progress made at existing BPA installations and other sites in the western power system.

Army Space and Transformation

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-09-01

Command – Space and Global Strike JFCOM Joint Forces Command JFRL Joint Forces Restricted Frequency List JIC Joint Integrating Concept JIM Joint...into the theater’s Joint Restricted Frequency List (JRFL). The ARSST trained the coalition and US soldiers on installation, use and troubleshooting

Relationships and dependencies between different forms of concept representation: Study in three levels of specialisation of texts on aircraft fuel-system installations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monterde Rey, Ana Maria

In the area of terminology, one can find very little literature about the relationships and dependencies between linguistic and non-linguistic forms of concept representation. Furthermore, a large gap exists in the studies of non-linguistic forms. All of this constitutes the central problem in our thesis that we attempt to solve. Following an onomasiologic process of creating a terminological database, we have analysed and related, using three levels of specialisation (expert, student, and general public), the various linguistic forms (term, definition, and explanation) and a non-linguistic form (illustration) of concept representation in the area of aeronautical fuel-system installations. Specifically, of the aforementioned forms of conceptual representation, we have studied the adaptation of the level of knowledge of the material to those to whom the texts are addressed. Additionally, we have examined the formation, origin, etimology, foreign words, polysemy, synonymy, and typology of each term. We have also described in the following detail the characteristics of each type of illustration isolated in our corpus: the relationship to the object or to the concept, the existence of text and terms (linguistic media) within the illustrations, the degree of abstraction, the a priori knowledge necessary to interpret the illustrations, and, the existence of grafic symbols. Finally, we have related all linguistic and non-linguistic forms of conceptual representation.

Comparison of three commercially available prescription diet regimens on short-term post-prandial serum glucose and insulin concentrations in healthy cats.

PubMed

Mori, A; Sako, T; Lee, P; Nishimaki, Y; Fukuta, H; Mizutani, H; Honjo, T; Arai, T

2009-10-01

Dietary therapy is an important treatment component for diabetes mellitus (DM). In this study, the impact of three different commercially available diet regiments (1 general use and 2 aimed for treating obesity and DM) on short-term post-prandial serum glucose and insulin concentrations of five healthy cats to better understand what impact each of these diets may have for diabetic cats. The diet regiments used in this study were as follows: C/D dry (General Use- Low protein, High fat, High carbohydrate, and Low fiber), M/D dry (DM- High protein, High fat, Low carbohydrate, and High Fiber), and W/D dry (DM- Low Protein, Low Fat, High Carbohydrate, and High Fiber). No significant difference in post-prandial serum glucose levels were observed with the C/D (84.6 +/- 1.5 mg/dl) and W/D (83.8 +/- 1.4 mg/dl) dry diets when compared to pre-prandial fasting levels (83.9 +/- 1.4 mg/dl). However, a significant reduction was observed with the M/D diet (78.9 +/- 0.8 mg/dl) which had 50-60% less carbohydrates than either C/D or W/D diet. Unlike what was observed with post-prandial glucose levels, an interesting pattern emerged with post-prandial insulin levels, which were increasing with W/D, C/D, and M/D diets in that order (1.1 +/- 0.2, 1.7 +/- 0.2, and 2.3 +/- 0.2 ng/ml respectively). Most surprising, though, was the fact that the W/D diet did not seem to stimulate insulin secretion as compared to pre-prandial levels (1.1 +/- 0.1 ng/ml) in healthy cats. Interestingly, the W/D diet had high levels of carbohydrate and low levels of protein. Coincidentally, the only diet (M/D) which had a significant reduction in post-prandial glucose also showed the highest increase in post-prandial insulin in healthy cats. Therefore, dietary amounts of carbohydrate, fat, protein and fiber can all have an individual impact on post-prandial glycemia and subsequent insulin requirement levels. Just as concepts regarding dietary management of people with DM are evolving, investigators are reassessing what constitutes the ideal diet for the diabetic feline. As such, having a better understanding for each dietary component, may lead us to better understand how we can synergize certain dietary components to aid in DM management.

Reducing Propulsion Airframe Aeroacoustic Interactions with Uniquely Tailored Chevrons. 2; Installed Nozzles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mengle, Vinod G.; Elkoby, Ronen; Brusniak, Leon; Thomas, Russ H.

2006-01-01

Propulsion airframe aeroacoustic (PAA) interactions arise due to the manner in which an engine is installed on the airframe and lead to an asymmetry in the flow/acoustic environment, for example, for under-the-wing installations due to the pylon, the wing and the high-lift devices. In this work we study how we can affect these PAA interactions to reduce the overall jet-related installed noise by tailoring the chevron shapes on fan and core nozzles in a unique fashion to take advantage of this asymmetry. In part 1 of this trio of papers we introduced the concept of azimuthally varying chevrons (AVC) and showed how some types of AVCs can be more beneficial than the conventional chevrons when tested on "isolated" scaled nozzles inclusive of the pylon effect. In this paper, we continue to study the effect of installing these AVC nozzles under a typical scaled modern wing with high-lift devices placed in a free jet. The noise benefits of these installed nozzles, as well as their installation effects are systematically studied for several fan/core AVC combinations at typical take-off conditions with high bypass ratio. We show, for example, that the top-enhanced mixing T-fan AVC nozzle (with enhanced mixing near the pylon and less mixing away from it) when combined with conventional chevrons on the core nozzle is quieter than conventional chevrons on both nozzles, and hardly produces any high-frequency lift, just as in the isolated case; however, its installed nozzle benefit is less than its isolated nozzle benefit. This suppression of take-off noise benefit under installed conditions, compared to its isolated nozzle benefit, is seen for all other chevron nozzles. We show how these relative noise benefits are related to the relative installation effects of AVCs and baseline nozzles.

A preliminary note on inhibiting effect of alpha-tocopherol (vit. E) on protein glycation.

PubMed

Ceriello, A; Giugliano, D; Quatraro, A; Dello Russo, P; Torella, R

1988-01-01

Human plasma albumin was incubated in 25 mM/l glucose at 37 degrees C for up to sevent days. Aliquots of this mixture were also incubated with alpha-tocopherol (Vitamin E) at 2 mg/dl, 4 mg/dl and 8 mg/dl, respectively. Vitamin E inhibited protein glycation and, furthermore, shows a dose-dependent effect. This report suggests the possibility of using Vitamin E, at therapeutic doses, to obtain the inhibition of non-enzymatic glycation.

Diabetes Prevention and Treatment Programs for Western PA FY04 and FY05

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-01

LDL > 130 mg/dl. First line Rx is HMG CoA reductase inhibitor montotherapy. Initial treatment and dose: Atorvastatin (dose range 10-80 mg) with...necessary. Attempts to decrease higher doses if goals are reached may also be necessary.) High atorvastatin or simvastatin dose (80 mg) may be needed...100mg/dl, add or switch to atorvastatin or simvastatin 10 mg with evening meal. If LDL-C still remains >100 mg/dl after above addition, up-titrate

Intake of kale suppresses postprandial increases in plasma glucose: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study

PubMed Central

Kondo, Sumio; Suzuki, Asahi; Kurokawa, Mihoko; Hasumi, Keiji

2016-01-01

Kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala), a vegetable in the family Brassicaceae, has beneficial effects on health, including hypoglycemic effects. In our previous study with a limited number of subjects, intake of kale-containing food at a dose of 14 g decreased postprandial plasma glucose levels. In the present study, the effective dose of kale-containing food was investigated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. The trial was conducted on 42 Japanese subjects aged 21–64 years with fasting plasma glucose levels of ≤125 mg/dl and 30-min postprandial plasma glucose levels of 140–187 mg/dl. The subjects consumed placebo or kale-containing food [7 or 14 g; low-dose (active-L) or high-dose (active-H) kale, respectively] together with a high-carbohydrate meal. At 30–120 min after the test meal intake, the plasma levels of glucose and insulin were determined. The postprandial plasma glucose levels in subjects with intake of active-L or active-H were significantly lower than those in subjects with intake of placebo, with the maximum plasma concentration (Cmax; 163±24 mg/dl for active-L and 162±23 mg/dl for active-H compared with 176±26 mg/dl for placebo [values presented as means ± standard deviation (SD); P<0.01]. The area under the plasma glucose concentration-time curve for 0–2 h (AUC0–2 h) values (means ± SD) were significantly lower for active-L (268±43 mg/h/dl) and active-H (266±42 mg/h/dl) than for the placebo (284±43 mg/h/dl; P<0.05). No significant differences were identified in the postprandial plasma insulin levels between the three conditions. No adverse events associated with intake of either dose of kale were observed. Our findings suggest that intake of kale suppresses postprandial increases in plasma glucose levels at a single dose of 7 g, and that a dose as high as 14 g is safe. PMID:27882216

Intake of kale suppresses postprandial increases in plasma glucose: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study.

PubMed

Kondo, Sumio; Suzuki, Asahi; Kurokawa, Mihoko; Hasumi, Keiji

2016-11-01

Kale ( Brassica oleracea var. acephala ), a vegetable in the family Brassicaceae, has beneficial effects on health, including hypoglycemic effects. In our previous study with a limited number of subjects, intake of kale-containing food at a dose of 14 g decreased postprandial plasma glucose levels. In the present study, the effective dose of kale-containing food was investigated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. The trial was conducted on 42 Japanese subjects aged 21-64 years with fasting plasma glucose levels of ≤125 mg/dl and 30-min postprandial plasma glucose levels of 140-187 mg/dl. The subjects consumed placebo or kale-containing food [7 or 14 g; low-dose (active-L) or high-dose (active-H) kale, respectively] together with a high-carbohydrate meal. At 30-120 min after the test meal intake, the plasma levels of glucose and insulin were determined. The postprandial plasma glucose levels in subjects with intake of active-L or active-H were significantly lower than those in subjects with intake of placebo, with the maximum plasma concentration (C max ; 163±24 mg/dl for active-L and 162±23 mg/dl for active-H compared with 176±26 mg/dl for placebo [values presented as means ± standard deviation (SD); P<0.01]. The area under the plasma glucose concentration-time curve for 0-2 h (AUC 0-2 h ) values (means ± SD) were significantly lower for active-L (268±43 mg/h/dl) and active-H (266±42 mg/h/dl) than for the placebo (284±43 mg/h/dl; P<0.05). No significant differences were identified in the postprandial plasma insulin levels between the three conditions. No adverse events associated with intake of either dose of kale were observed. Our findings suggest that intake of kale suppresses postprandial increases in plasma glucose levels at a single dose of 7 g, and that a dose as high as 14 g is safe.

Tribulus terrestris versus placebo in the treatment of erectile dysfunction: A prospective, randomized, double blind study.

PubMed

Santos, C A; Reis, L O; Destro-Saade, R; Luiza-Reis, A; Fregonesi, A

2014-05-01

To evaluate the possible effects of Tribulus terrestris herbal medicine in the erectile dysfunction treatment and to quantify its potential impact on serum testosterone levels. Prospective, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study including thirty healthy men selected from 100 patients who presented themselves spontaneously complaining of erectile dysfunction, ≥ 40 years of age, nonsmokers, not undergoing treatment for prostate cancer or erectile dysfunction, no dyslipidemia, no phosphodiesterase inhibitor use, no hormonal manipulation and, if present hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus should be controlled. International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) and serum testosterone were obtained before randomization and after 30 days of study. Patients were randomized into two groups of fifteen subjects each. The study group received 800 mg of Tribulus terrestris, divided into two doses per day for thirty days and the control group received placebo administered in the same way. The groups were statistically equivalent in all aspects evaluated. The mean (SD) age was 60 (9.4) and 62.9 (7.9), P = .36 for intervention and placebo groups, respectively. Before treatment, the intervention group showed mean IIEF-5 of 13.2 (5-21) and mean total testosterone 417.1 ng/dl (270.7-548.4 ng/dl); the placebo group showed mean IIEF-5 of 11.6 (6-21) and mean total testosterone 442.7 ng/dl (301-609.1 ng/dl). After treatment, the intervention group showed mean IIEF-5 of 15.3 (5-21) and mean total testosterone 409.3 ng/dl (216.9-760.8 ng/dl); the placebo group showed mean IIEF-5 of 13.7 (6-21) and mean total testosterone 466.3 ng/dl (264.3-934.3 ng/dl). The time factor caused statistically significant changes in both groups for IIEF-5 only (P = .0004), however, there was no difference between the two groups (P = .7914). At the dose and interval studied, Tribulus terrestris was not more effective than placebo on improving symptoms of erectile dysfunction or serum total testosterone. Copyright © 2013 AEU. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Two separable functional domains of simian virus 40 large T antigen: carboxyl-terminal region of simian virus 40 large T antigen is required for efficient capsid protein synthesis.

PubMed Central

Tornow, J; Polvino-Bodnar, M; Santangelo, G; Cole, C N

1985-01-01

The carboxyl-terminal portion of simian virus 40 large T antigen is essential for productive infection of CV-1 and CV-1p green monkey kidney cells. Mutant dlA2459, lacking 14 base pairs at 0.193 map units, was positive for viral DNA replication, but unable to form plaques in CV-1p cells (J. Tornow and C.N. Cole, J. Virol. 47:487-494, 1983). In this report, the defect of dlA2459 is further defined. Simian virus 40 late mRNAs were transcribed, polyadenylated, spliced, and transported in dlA2459-infected cells, but the level of capsid proteins produced in infected CV-1 green monkey kidney cells was extremely low. dlA2459 large T antigen lacks those residues known to be required for adenovirus helper function, and the block to productive infection by dlA2459 occurs at the same stage of infection as the block to productive adenovirus infection of CV-1 cells. These results suggest that the adenovirus helper function is required for productive infection by simian virus 40. Mutant dlA2459 was able to grow on the Vero and BSC-1 lines of African green monkey kidney cells. Additional mutants affecting the carboxyl-terminal portion of large T were prepared. Mutant inv2408 contains an inversion of the DNA between the BamHI and BclI sites (0.144 to 0.189 map units). This inversion causes transposition of the carboxyl-terminal 26 amino acids of large T antigen and the carboxyl-terminal 18 amino acids of VP1. This mutant was viable, even though the essential information absent from dlA2459 large T antigen has been transferred to the carboxyl terminus of VP1 of inv2408. The VP1 polypeptide carrying this carboxyl-terminal portion of large T could overcome the defect of dlA2459. This indicates that the carboxyl terminus of large T antigen is a separate and separable functional domain. Images PMID:2982029

The endocannabinoid system in the rat dorsolateral periaqueductal grey mediates fear-conditioned analgesia and controls fear expression in the presence of nociceptive tone

PubMed Central

Olango, WM; Roche, M; Ford, GK; Harhen, B; Finn, DP

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Endocannabinoids in the midbrain periaqueductal grey (PAG) modulate nociception and unconditioned stress-induced analgesia; however, their role in fear-conditioned analgesia (FCA) has not been examined. The present study examined the role of the endocannabinoid system in the dorsolateral (dl) PAG in formalin-evoked nociceptive behaviour, conditioned fear and FCA in rats. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Rats received intra-dlPAG administration of the CB1 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist rimonabant, or vehicle, before re-exposure to a context paired 24 h previously with foot shock. Formalin-evoked nociceptive behaviour and fear-related behaviours (freezing and 22 kHz ultrasonic vocalization) were assessed. In a separate cohort, levels of endocannabinoids [2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) and N-arachidonoyl ethanolamide (anandamide; AEA)] and the related N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) [N-palmitoyl ethanolamide (PEA) and N-oleoyl ethanolamide (OEA)] were measured in dlPAG tissue following re-exposure to conditioned context in the presence or absence of formalin-evoked nociceptive tone. KEY RESULTS Re-exposure of rats to the context previously associated with foot shock resulted in FCA. Intra-dlPAG administration of rimonabant significantly attenuated FCA and fear-related behaviours expressed in the presence of nociceptive tone. Conditioned fear without formalin-evoked nociceptive tone was associated with increased levels of 2-AG, AEA, PEA and OEA in the dlPAG. FCA was specifically associated with an increase in AEA levels in the dlPAG. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Conditioned fear to context mobilises endocannabinoids and NAEs in the dlPAG. These data support a role for endocannabinoids in the dlPAG in mediating the potent suppression of pain responding which occurs during exposure to conditioned aversive contexts. LINKED ARTICLES This article is part of a themed section on Cannabinoids in Biology and Medicine. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2012.165.issue-8. To view Part I of Cannabinoids in Biology and Medicine visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2011.163.issue-7 PMID:21564082

Hot Cell Installation and Demonstration of the Severe Accident Test Station

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

Linton, Kory D.; Burns, Zachary M.; Terrani, Kurt A.

A Severe Accident Test Station (SATS) capable of examining the oxidation kinetics and accident response of irradiated fuel and cladding materials for design basis accident (DBA) and beyond design basis accident (BDBA) scenarios has been successfully installed and demonstrated in the Irradiated Fuels Examination Laboratory (IFEL), a hot cell facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The two test station modules provide various temperature profiles, steam, and the thermal shock conditions necessary for integral loss of coolant accident (LOCA) testing, defueled oxidation quench testing and high temperature BDBA testing. The installation of the SATS system restores the domestic capability to examinemore » postulated and extended LOCA conditions on spent fuel and cladding and provides a platform for evaluation of advanced fuel and accident tolerant fuel (ATF) cladding concepts. This document reports on the successful in-cell demonstration testing of unirradiated Zircaloy-4. It also contains descriptions of the integral test facility capabilities, installation activities, and out-of-cell benchmark testing to calibrate and optimize the system.« less

The significance of heterogeneity of evolving scales to transport in porous formations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dagan, Gedeon

1994-12-01

Flow takes place in a heterogeneous formation of spatially variable conductivity, which is modeled as a stationary space random function. To model the variability at the regional scale, the formation is viewed as one of a two-dimensional, horizontal structure. A constant head gradient is applied on the formation boundary such that the flow is uniform in the mean. A plume of inert solute is injected at t = 0 in a volume V0. Under ergodic conditions the plume centroid moves with the constant, mean flow velocity U, and a longitudinal macrodispersion coefficient dL may be defined as half of the time rate of change of the plume second spatial moment with respect to the centroid. For a log-conductivity covariance CY of finite integral scale I, at first order in the variance σY2 and for a travel distance L = Ut ≫ I, dL → σY2UI and transport is coined as Fickian. Ergodicity of the moments is ensured if l ≫ I, where l is the initial plume scale. Some field observations have suggested that heterogeneity may be of evolving scales and that the macrodispersion coefficient may grow with L without reaching a constant limit (anomalous diffusion). To model such a behavior, previous studies have assumed that CY is stationary but of unbounded integral scale with CY ˜ arβ (-1 < β < 0) for large lag r. Under ergodic conditions, it was found that asymptotically dL ˜ aUL1+β, i.e., non-Fickian behavior and anomalous dispersion. The present study claims that an ergodic behavior is not possible for a given finite plume of initial size l, since the basic requirement that l ≫ I cannot be satisfied for CY of unbounded scale. For instance, the centroid does not move any more with U but is random (Figure 1), owing to the large-scale heterogeneity. In such a situation the actual effective dispersion coefficient DL is defined as half the rate of change of the mean second spatial moment with respect to the plume centroid in each realization. This is the accessible entity in a given experiment. We show that in contrast with dL, the behavior of DL is controlled by l and it has the Fickian limit DL ˜ aUl1+β (Figure 3). We also discuss the case in which Y is of stationary increments and is characterized by its variogram γy. Then U and dL can be defined only if γY is truncated (equivalently, an "infrared cutoff" is carried out in the spectrum of Y). However, for a bounded U it is shown that DL depends only on γY. Furthermore, for γY = arβ, DL ˜ aUl2Lβ-1; i.e., dispersion is Fickian for 0 < β < 1, whereas for 1 < β < 2, transport is non-Fickian. Since β < 2, DL cannot grow faster than L = Ut. This is in contrast with a recently proposed model (Neuman, 1990) in which the dispersion coefficient is independent of the plume size and it grows approximately like L1.5.

Simulator comparison of thumball, thumb switch, and touch screen input concepts for interaction with a large screen cockpit display format

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Denise R.; Parrish, Russell V.

1990-01-01

A piloted simulation study was conducted comparing three different input methods for interfacing to a large screen, multiwindow, whole flight deck display for management of transport aircraft systems. The thumball concept utilized a miniature trackball embedded in a conventional side arm controller. The multifunction control throttle and stick (MCTAS) concept employed a thumb switch located in the throttle handle. The touch screen concept provided data entry through a capacitive touch screen installed on the display surface. The objective and subjective results obtained indicate that, with present implementations, the thumball concept was the most appropriate for interfacing with aircraft systems/subsystems presented on a large screen display. Not unexpectedly, the completion time differences between the three concepts varied with the task being performed, although the thumball implementation consistently outperformed the other two concepts. However, pilot suggestions for improved implementations of the MCTAS and touch screen concepts could reduce some of these differences.

Process Design Manual for Nitrogen Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Denny S.; And Others

This manual presents theoretical and process design criteria for the implementation of nitrogen control technology in municipal wastewater treatment facilities. Design concepts are emphasized through examination of data from full-scale and pilot installations. Design data are included on biological nitrification and denitrification, breakpoint…

A Study of the Traffic Safety at Reduced Conflict Intersections In Minnesota

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-05-23

In 2010, the Minnesota Department of Transportation installed the first Reduced Conflict Intersection (RCI) in the City of Willmar. Since 2010, seven more were constructed, with more planned. The RCI concept is gaining popularity in several states, i...

EPR investigation of gamma-irradiated L-citrulline, α-methyl-DL-serine, 3-fluoro-DL-valine and N-acetyl-L-cysteine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osmanoğlu, Y. Emre; Sütçü, Kerem; Başkan, M. Halim

2017-02-01

The spectroscopic parameters of the paramagnetic species produced in gamma-irradiated L-citrulline, α-methyl-DL-serine, 3-fluoro-DL-valine and N-acetyl-L-cysteine were investigated at room temperature at a dose of 20 kGy by using EPR technique. The paramagnetic species were attributed to NH2CONH(CH2)3ĊNH2COOH, HOCH2ĊCH3COOH and HOĊHCCH3NH2COOH, CH3CH3ĊCHNH2COOH and SHCH2ĊNHCOCH3COOH radicals, respectively. EPR data of the unpaired electron with the environmental protons and 14N nucleus were used to characterize the contributing radicals produced in gamma irradiated compounds. In this paper, the stability of these compounds at room temperature after irradiation was also studied.

Dermatopathic lymphadenitis associated with human papilloma virus infection and verruca vulgaris.

PubMed

Acipayam, Can; Kupeli, Serhan; Sezgin, Gulay; Acikalin, Arbil; Ozkan, Ayse; Inan, Defne Ay; Bayram, Ibrahim; Tanyeli, Atila

2014-05-01

Here we present a pediatric case of human papilloma virus associated with dermatopathic lymphadenitis (DL). A 5-year-old boy presented to the pediatric oncology clinic with swelling of the neck and warts on his lower jaw. His blood chemistry and complete blood count were normal, as was chest x-ray. HIV, EBV, CMV, and parvovirus serologies were negative. The patient was investigated for malignancy and lymphoma but no association was found. Histopathologic examination of the lymph node and the lesion revealed DL and verruca vulgaris, respectively. DL represents a benign form of reactive lymph node hyperplasia and described in patients with HIV and EBV infections. It is a rare entity described in patients with human papilloma virus infection. To our knowledge, this is the first report of DL in a patient with human papilloma virus infection.

Modulating Charge Transfer Through Cyclic D,L α-Peptide Self-Assembly

PubMed Central

Horne, W. Seth; Ashkenasy, Nurit; Ghadiri, M. Reza

2007-01-01

We describe a concise solid support-based synthetic method for the preparation of cyclic D,L α-peptides bearing 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic diimide (NDI) side chains. Studies of the structural and photoluminescence properties of these molecules in solution show that the hydrogen bond directed self-assembly of the cyclic D,L α-peptide backbone promotes intermolecular NDI excimer formation. The efficiency of NDI charge transfer in the resulting supramolecular assemblies is shown to depend on the length of the linker between the NDI and the peptide backbone, the distal NDI substituent, and the number of NDIs incorporated in a given structure. The design rationale and synthetic strategies described here should provide a basic blueprint for a series of self-assembling cyclic D,L α-peptide nanotubes with interesting optical and electronic properties. PMID:15624124

The effects of ionizing radiations on L-, DL-phenylalanine and L-, DL- tryptophase studied by ultra-violet and infra-red spectrophotometry

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

Korgaonkar, K S; Donde, R B

Aqueous solutions of L-, DL-phenylalanlne and L-, DLtryptophane were irradiated with Co 60 gamma rays. Marked changes in the ultraviolet spectra of the samples and in the infra-red spectra of their solid residues were noted. The radiosensitivities of these irradiated molecules in terms of G-values were determined, and the modes of action and the nature of irradiation products are discussed. A common order of radiosensitivities among the three aromatic amino acids both L-, and DL-forms is observed. Apparent differences In the ultraviolet spectral responses of tryptophane on the one hand and phenylalanine and tyrosine on the other are explained. Evidencemore » is presented suggesting some common radiation end-product of a cellulose or sugar type from these aromatic amino acids.« less

Sampling of post-Riley visual artists surreptitiously probing perception

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daly, Scott J.

2003-06-01

Attending any conference on visual perception undoubtedly leaves one exposed to the work of Salvador Dali, whose extended phase of work exploring what he dubbed, "the paranoiac-critical method" is very popular as examples of multiple perceptions from conflicting input. While all visual art is intertwined with perceptual science, from convincing three-dimensional illusion during the Renaissance to the isolated visual illusions of Bridget Riley"s Op-Art, direct statements about perception are rarely uttered by the artists in recent times. However, there are still a number of artists working today whose work contains perceptual questions and exemplars that can be of interest to vision scientists and imaging engineers. This talk will start sampling from Op-Art, which is most directly related to psychophysical test stimuli and then will discuss "perceptual installations" from artists such as James Turrell"s, whose focus is often directly on natural light, with no distortions imposed by any capture or display apparatus. His work generally involves installations that use daylight and focus the viewer on its nuanced qualities, such as umbra, air particle interactions, and effects of light adaptation. He is one of the last artists to actively discuss perception. Next we discuss minimal art and electronic art, with video artist Nam June Paik discussing the "intentionally boring" art of minimalism. Another artist using installations is Sandy Skoglund, who creates environments of constant spectral albedo, with the exception of her human occupants. Tom Shannon also uses installations as his media to delve into 3D aspects of depth and perspective, but in an atomized fashion. Beginning with installation concepts, Calvin Collum then adds the restrictive viewpoint of photography to create initially confusing images where the pictorial content and depth features are independent (analogous to the work of Patrick Hughes). Andy Goldsworthy also combines photography with concepts of physical object manipulation inherent in installation, but takes the "installation" out of the gallery into the outdoor natural world. In doing so, he highlights perceptual interactions of scene spectra, color induction, and color constancy. The sculptor Shigeo Fukuda creates intentionally designed multiple-view sculptures, where the perceived subject matter of the sculpture changes with viewing angle. Lastly, Doug Aitken explores the interaction of the functional and emotional aspects of vision.

Effects of blue light on flavonoid accumulation linked to the expression of miR393, miR394 and miR395 in longan embryogenic calli

PubMed Central

Li, Hansheng; Lin, Yuling; Chen, Xiaohui; Bai, Yu; Wang, Congqiao; Xu, Xiaoping; Wang, Yun

2018-01-01

While flavonoid metabolism’s regulation under light conditions by structural genes and transcription factors is understood, the roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) in this pathway have been rarely reported. In this paper, the accurate control of light was firstly enabled through the specially designed plant growth chamber which ensures consistency and accuracy of the cultivation of longan ECs and the repeatability of the experiments. Then, longan ECs were cultured in this chamber for 25 days. The change of growth rate of longan ECs was compared under different light qualities (dark, blue, green, white, green), intensities (16, 32, 64, 128, 256 μmol ·m-2 ·s-1), and durations (8 h, 12 h, 16 h, 20h, 24h). Results indicated that longan ECs had a high growth rate in the condition of blue or green light, at intensity ranged from 16 μmol·m-2·s-1 to 64 μmol·m-2·s-1, and duration from 8 h to 16 h. In addition, the contents of total flavonoids, rutin, and epicatechin were determined. Results indicated that flavonoid contents of longan ECs reached the highest value under blue light, at 32 μmol·m-2·s-1 and 12h/d. Blue light promoted the accumulation of epicatechin, but inhibited the synthesis of rutin. Finally, the expressions of flavonoid pathway genes, miRNAs and target genes were analyzed by qPCR. These results indicated that miR393 and its target gene DlTIR1-3, miR394 and its target gene DlAlMT12, and miR395 and its target gene DlAPS1 had a negative regulating relationship under blue light in longan ECs. Furthermore, miR393, miR394, and miR395 acted on target genes, which negatively regulated flavonoid key genes DlFLS and positively regulated key genes DlCHS, DlCHI, DlF3′H, DlDFR, DlLAR, and finally affected the accumulation of flavonoids. The treatment of longan ECs under the blue light at the intensity of 32 μmol·m-2·s-1 for 12 h/d inhibited the expression of miR393, miR394 and miR395, which promoted the expression of target genes and the accumulation of flavonoids and epicatechin, but inhibited the synthesis of rutin. PMID:29381727

Reliability of Maximal Strength Testing in Novice Weightlifters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loehr, James A.; Lee, Stuart M. C.; Feiveson, Alan H.; Ploutz-Snyder, Lori L.

2009-01-01

The one repetition maximum (1RM) is a criterion measure of muscle strength. However, the reliability of 1RM testing in novice subjects has received little attention. Understanding this information is crucial to accurately interpret changes in muscle strength. To evaluate the test-retest reliability of a squat (SQ), heel raise (HR), and deadlift (DL) 1RM in novice subjects. Twenty healthy males (31 plus or minus 5 y, 179.1 plus or minus 6.1 cm, 81.4 plus or minus 10.6 kg) with no weight training experience in the previous six months participated in four 1RM testing sessions, with each session separated by 5-7 days. SQ and HR 1RM were conducted using a smith machine; DL 1RM was assessed using free weights. Session 1 was considered a familiarization and was not included in the statistical analyses. Repeated measures analysis of variance with Tukey fs post-hoc tests were used to detect between-session differences in 1RM (p.0.05). Test-retest reliability was evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). During Session 2, the SQ and DL 1RM (SQ: 90.2 }4.3, DL: 75.9 }3.3 kg) were less than Session 3 (SQ: 95.3 }4.1, DL: 81.5 plus or minus 3.5 kg) and Session 4 (SQ: 96.6 }4.0, DL: 82.4 }3.9 kg), but there were no differences between Session 3 and Session 4. HR 1RM measured during Session 2 (150.1 }3.7 kg) and Session 3 (152.5 }3.9 kg) were not different from one another, but both were less than Session 4 (157.5 }3.8 kg). The reliability (ICC) of 1RM measures for Sessions 2-4 were 0.88, 0.83, and 0.87, for SQ, HR, and DL, respectively. When considering only Sessions 3 and 4, the reliability was 0.93, 0.91, and 0.86 for SQ, HR, and DL, respectively. One familiarization session and 2 test sessions (for SQ and DL) were required to obtain excellent reliability (ICC greater than or equal to 0.90) in 1RM values with novice subjects. We were unable to attain this level of reliability following 3 HR testing sessions therefore additional sessions may be required to obtain an ICC of greater than or equal to 0.90. Future resistive exercise studies should consider the reliability of specific measures to ensure that changes in strength with training are attributable to training and not learning effects associated with 1RM testing.

Effects of blue light on flavonoid accumulation linked to the expression of miR393, miR394 and miR395 in longan embryogenic calli.

PubMed

Li, Hansheng; Lin, Yuling; Chen, Xiaohui; Bai, Yu; Wang, Congqiao; Xu, Xiaoping; Wang, Yun; Lai, Zhongxiong

2018-01-01

While flavonoid metabolism's regulation under light conditions by structural genes and transcription factors is understood, the roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) in this pathway have been rarely reported. In this paper, the accurate control of light was firstly enabled through the specially designed plant growth chamber which ensures consistency and accuracy of the cultivation of longan ECs and the repeatability of the experiments. Then, longan ECs were cultured in this chamber for 25 days. The change of growth rate of longan ECs was compared under different light qualities (dark, blue, green, white, green), intensities (16, 32, 64, 128, 256 μmol ·m-2 ·s-1), and durations (8 h, 12 h, 16 h, 20h, 24h). Results indicated that longan ECs had a high growth rate in the condition of blue or green light, at intensity ranged from 16 μmol·m-2·s-1 to 64 μmol·m-2·s-1, and duration from 8 h to 16 h. In addition, the contents of total flavonoids, rutin, and epicatechin were determined. Results indicated that flavonoid contents of longan ECs reached the highest value under blue light, at 32 μmol·m-2·s-1 and 12h/d. Blue light promoted the accumulation of epicatechin, but inhibited the synthesis of rutin. Finally, the expressions of flavonoid pathway genes, miRNAs and target genes were analyzed by qPCR. These results indicated that miR393 and its target gene DlTIR1-3, miR394 and its target gene DlAlMT12, and miR395 and its target gene DlAPS1 had a negative regulating relationship under blue light in longan ECs. Furthermore, miR393, miR394, and miR395 acted on target genes, which negatively regulated flavonoid key genes DlFLS and positively regulated key genes DlCHS, DlCHI, DlF3'H, DlDFR, DlLAR, and finally affected the accumulation of flavonoids. The treatment of longan ECs under the blue light at the intensity of 32 μmol·m-2·s-1 for 12 h/d inhibited the expression of miR393, miR394 and miR395, which promoted the expression of target genes and the accumulation of flavonoids and epicatechin, but inhibited the synthesis of rutin.

Traversing Time and Space from the Blessing Window

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Ya-Ling

2013-02-01

The visual graphics for the holographic artwork "Blessing Window" were created from observations of Tainan city, with a focus on the beauty of Chinese characters, their typographic. The concept of movement in the artwork is from a traditional Chinese philosophy, "When the mountain does not move, the road extends, when the road does not extend to the destination, the heart will extend". One multiplex-hologram and an interactive installation were used to combine the visual concepts of typography and the philosophy.

Ideas, Concepts, Doctrine: A History of Basic Thinking in the United States Air Force 1907-1964. Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1971-06-01

engine through pipes filled with liquid metal . Either installation would require heavy shielding to protect the crew against radiation. The direct air...explanation of his reasoning, Eisenhower stated: "First, separate ground, sea and air warfare is gone forever. If ever again we should be involved...comparable cost. "I completely agree," White said, "with the President’s concept that separate ground, sea , and air warfare are gone forever, and

Nuclear Energy Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-10

Small Modular Reactors Rising cost estimates for large conventional nuclear power plants—widely projected to be $6 billion or more—have contributed to growing interest in proposals for smaller, modular reactors. Ranging from about 40 to 350 megawatts of electrical capacity, such reactors would be only a fraction of the size of current commercial reactors. Several modular reactors would be installed together to make up a power block with a single control room, under most concepts. Modular reactor concepts would use a variety of technologies,

Retrospective study of urinalysis for dl-amphetamine and dl-methamphetamine analysis under current Department of Defense guidelines.

PubMed

Shippee, R L; Kippenberger, D J

2000-09-01

Under current Department of Defense (DOD) directive, the laboratories certified to conduct urinalyis testing in support of the DOD Drug Deterrence Program are required to conduct dl-isomer analysis on all specimens that confirm at a concentration greater than 500 ng/mL methamphetamine (METH). Although the same cutoff concentration is required for amphetamine (AMP) reporting, there is no requirement for dl-isomer analysis of AMP-positive specimens. Of the 894,823 specimens screened by the Army Drug Testing Laboratory at Ft. Meade, MD during a 19-month period, 339 confirmed positive for METH. From this positive population, seven specimens failed to confirm at or above the DOD cutoff of > 20% d-isomer. One of the seven specimens contained 534 ng/mL l-AMP and was reported positive for AMP. Although 100% of the AMP was the l-isomer, under current DOD directive, this information was not passed along to the Medical Review Officers (MRO) to assist them during the interview process. Although this situation appears to be a rare event, consideration should be given to requiring dl-isomer analysis of AMP-positive specimens and forwarding this information to the MRO.

Precipitating Circumstances of Suicide and Alcohol Intoxication among U.S. Ethnic Groups

PubMed Central

Caetano, Raul; Kaplan, Mark S.; Huguet, Nathalie; Conner, Kenneth; McFarland, Bentson H.; Giesbrecht, Norman; Nolte, Kurt B.

2015-01-01

Background To assess the prevalence of nine different types of precipitating circumstances among suicide decedents, and examine the association between circumstances and post-mortem blood alcohol content (BAC ≥ 0.08 g/dl.) across U.S. ethnic groups. Methods Data come from the restricted 2003-2011 National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), with post-mortem information on 59,384 male and female suicide decedents for 17 states of the U.S. Results Among men, precipitating circumstances statistically associated with a BAC ≥ 0.08 g/dl were physical health and job problems for Blacks, and experiencing a crisis, physical health problems and intimate partner problem for Hispanics. Among women, the only precipitating circumstance associated with a BAC ≥ 0.08 g/dl was substance abuse problems other than alcohol for Blacks. The number of precipitating circumstances present before the suicide was negatively associated with a BAC ≥ 0.08 g/dl for Whites, Blacks and Hispanics. Conclusions Selected precipitating circumstances were associated with a BAC ≥ 0.08 g/dl, and the strongest determinant of this level of alcohol intoxication prior to suicide among all ethnic groups was the presence of an alcohol problem. PMID:26173709

Safety of long-term feeding of dl-alpha-lipoic acid and its effect on reduced glutathione:oxidized glutathione ratios in beagles.

PubMed

Zicker, Steven C; Hagen, Tory M; Joisher, Neha; Golder, Christina; Joshi, Dinesh K; Miller, E Phillip

2002-01-01

Alpha-lipoic acid is touted as a powerful antioxidant and possibly a conditionally essential nutrient in older mammals. The safety and efficacy of dl-alpha-lipoic acid was evaluated in 30 adult beagles that were evenly randomized into five groups, each of which was fed one of five different foods with varying inclusion rates of dl-alpha-lipoic acid (0, 150, 1500, 3000, and 4500 ppm). All dogs were fed their respective portion of food daily as their sole source of nutrition for 6 months. Evaluations included general health, body weight, food intake, hematologic and serum biochemical parameters, and glutathione:oxidized glutathione (GSH:GSSG) ratios in lymphocytes. No signs of toxicity were observed at any except the highest level of dl-alpha-lipoic acid inclusion, and no consistent abnormalities were noted in hematologic or biochemical measures at any level. There was a significant overall effect (P< .05) of food on the difference of GSH:GSSG ratio between Day 84 and Day 0. All inclusions of dl-alpha-lipoic acid increased the ratio of GSH:GSSG with the largest numeric improvement occurring at the lowest inclusion rate (150 ppm).

Chemical synthesis of perfectly isotactic and high melting bacterial poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) from bio-sourced racemic cyclic diolide.

PubMed

Tang, Xiaoyan; Chen, Eugene Y-X

2018-06-11

Bacterial poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB) is a perfectly isotactic, crystalline material possessing properties suitable for substituting petroleum plastics, but high costs and low volumes of its production are impractical for commodity applications. The chemical synthesis of P3HB via ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of racemic β-butyrolactone has attracted intensive efforts since the 1960s, but not yet produced P3HB with high isotacticity and molecular weight. Here, we report a route utilizing racemic cyclic diolide (rac-DL) derived from bio-sourced succinate. With stereoselective racemic catalysts, the ROP of rac-DL under ambient conditions produces rapidly P3HB with perfect isotacticity ([mm] > 99%), high melting temperature (T m  = 171 °C), and high molecular weight (M n  = 1.54 × 10 5  g mol -1 , Đ = 1.01). With enantiomeric catalysts, kinetic resolution polymerizations of rac-DL automatically stops at 50% conversion and yields enantiopure (R,R)-DL and (S,S)-DL with >99% e.e. and the corresponding poly[(S)-3HB] and poly[(R)-3HB] with high T m  = 175 °C.

Effect of different concentrations of dl-isoleucine, dl-valine, and dl-alanine on growth and sporulation in Fusarium oxysporum f. udum (Butl.) Sn. et H.

PubMed

Prasad, M; Chaudhary, S K

1977-01-01

D1-alanine and dl-valine, when added as an extra nitrogen for fortifying the already present inorganic nitrogen source, actually acted as growth retardant for F. oxysporum f. udum (Butl.) Sn. et H. Sporulation of microconidia was indifferently affected by these two amino acids. DI-valine stimulated microconidial formation in young cultures only. In both young and old cultures the lowest concentration of dl-valine depressed macronidial sporulation. In old cultures the lowest concentration of valine stimulated chlamydospore differentiation rapidly, higher concentrations being less effective. D1-alanine, as an additional nitrogen source, depressed both macro- and microconidal sporulation. It did not even invigorate chlamydospore formation. D1-isoleucine, on the other hand, belongs to the category of growth promoters and profuse and stimulative sporulators of macro- and microconidia. This pathogen needs very specific and preferential doses of the three amino acids, if these are used as a booster in addition to the already present nitrogen source. The response, both in terms of mycelial growth and sporulation of the three spore forms, was also conditioned by the age of the culture.

Reduction in training time of a deep learning model in detection of lesions in CT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makkinejad, Nazanin; Tajbakhsh, Nima; Zarshenas, Amin; Khokhar, Ashfaq; Suzuki, Kenji

2018-02-01

Deep learning (DL) emerged as a powerful tool for object detection and classification in medical images. Building a well-performing DL model, however, requires a huge number of images for training, and it takes days to train a DL model even on a cutting edge high-performance computing platform. This study is aimed at developing a method for selecting a "small" number of representative samples from a large collection of training samples to train a DL model for the could be used to detect polyps in CT colonography (CTC), without compromising the classification performance. Our proposed method for representative sample selection (RSS) consists of a K-means clustering algorithm. For the performance evaluation, we applied the proposed method to select samples for the training of a massive training artificial neural network based DL model, to be used for the classification of polyps and non-polyps in CTC. Our results show that the proposed method reduce the training time by a factor of 15, while maintaining the classification performance equivalent to the model trained using the full training set. We compare the performance using area under the receiveroperating- characteristic curve (AUC).

The Accuracy of Preoperative Rigid Stroboscopy in the Evaluation of Voice Disorders in Children.

PubMed

Mansour, Jobran; Amir, Ofer; Sagiv, Doron; Alon, Eran E; Wolf, Michael; Primov-Fever, Adi

2017-07-01

Stroboscopy is considered the most appropriate tool for evaluating the function of the vocal folds but may harbor significant limitations in children. Still, direct laryngoscopy (DL), under general anesthesia, is regarded the "gold standard" for establishing a diagnosis of vocal fold pathology. The aim of the study is to examine the accuracy of preoperative rigid stroboscopy in children with voice disorders. This is a retrospective study. A retrospective study was conducted on a cohort of 39 children with dysphonia, aged 4 to 18 years, who underwent DL. Twenty-six children underwent rigid stroboscopy (RS) prior to surgery and 13 children underwent fiber-optic laryngoscopy. The preoperative diagnoses were matched with intraoperative (DL) findings. DL was found to contradict preoperative evaluations in 20 out of 39 children (51%) and in 26 out of 53 of the findings (49%). Overdiagnosis of cysts and underdiagnosis of sulci were noted in RS compared to DL. The overall rate of accuracy for RS was 64%. The accuracy of rigid stroboscopy in the evaluation of children with voice disorders was found to be similar with previous reports in adults. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

Easton, C. R.

The objectives of this program are to establish a heliostat design with the associated manufacturing, assembly, installation and maintenance approaches that will: (1) yield a significant reduction of capital and operating costs; (2) meet performance specifications for large collector subsystems; and (3) can be produced and deployed throughout the southwestern United States. In addition, cost plans and schedules to develop, fabricate, and operate the heliostat are to be developed. This volume presents the collector design, including trade study and test results, and the manufacturing, installation and checkout, and operations and maintenance concepts. Also, a discussion of specification verification and optimizationmore » is included. (WHK)« less

Process Improvement in Outpatient Installation RSUD dr. Soediran Mangun Sumarso Using Lean Hospital Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sayyida, Ghany; Fahma, Fakhrina; Iftadi, Irwan

2018-03-01

RSUD dr. Soediran Mangun Sumarso is a public hospital in Wonogiri district which has an outpatient installation service. However, the waiting time of some services in outpatient installations exceeds the standard time set by the health minister of the Republic of Indonesia. It is known from the data waiting time in the outpatient installation. The purpose of this study is to provide improvements using lean hospital approach. Proposed improvement is done by eliminating waste that occurs in outpatient installation service. The methodology used in this study consists of four stages. The first stage is describing the service system using a cross-functional flowchart. The second stage is identifying waste using value stream mapping, observation and interview. The third stage is to determine critical waste by borda method and pareto diagram. The last stage is to provide recommendation improvement using fishbone diagram and FMEA. The result of this research is proposed improvements. The proposed improvements are adding special register counters, implementing an online reservation system, doctors schedule synchronization, adding doctors in polyclinics, fixing queue numbers, applying visual management concepts, making connecting glass in pharmacies and adding multifunction shelves in polyclinics.

Design-of-experiments to Reduce Life-cycle Costs in Combat Aircraft Inlets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Bernhard H.; Baust, Henry D.; Agrell, Johan

2003-01-01

It is the purpose of this study to demonstrate the viability and economy of Design- of-Experiments (DOE), to arrive at micro-secondary flow control installation designs that achieve optimal inlet performance for different mission strategies. These statistical design concepts were used to investigate the properties of "low unit strength" micro-effector installation. "Low unit strength" micro-effectors are micro-vanes, set a very low angle-of incidence, with very long chord lengths. They are designed to influence the neat wall inlet flow over an extended streamwise distance. In this study, however, the long chord lengths were replicated by a series of short chord length effectors arranged in series over multiple bands of effectors. In order to properly evaluate the performance differences between the single band extended chord length installation designs and the segmented multiband short chord length designs, both sets of installations must be optimal. Critical to achieving optimal micro-secondary flow control installation designs is the understanding of the factor interactions that occur between the multiple bands of micro-scale vane effectors. These factor interactions are best understood and brought together in an optimal manner through a structured DOE process, or more specifically Response Surface Methods (RSM).

OASIS: a data and software distribution service for Open Science Grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bockelman, B.; Caballero Bejar, J.; De Stefano, J.; Hover, J.; Quick, R.; Teige, S.

2014-06-01

The Open Science Grid encourages the concept of software portability: a user's scientific application should be able to run at as many sites as possible. It is necessary to provide a mechanism for OSG Virtual Organizations to install software at sites. Since its initial release, the OSG Compute Element has provided an application software installation directory to Virtual Organizations, where they can create their own sub-directory, install software into that sub-directory, and have the directory shared on the worker nodes at that site. The current model has shortcomings with regard to permissions, policies, versioning, and the lack of a unified, collective procedure or toolset for deploying software across all sites. Therefore, a new mechanism for data and software distributing is desirable. The architecture for the OSG Application Software Installation Service (OASIS) is a server-client model: the software and data are installed only once in a single place, and are automatically distributed to all client sites simultaneously. Central file distribution offers other advantages, including server-side authentication and authorization, activity records, quota management, data validation and inspection, and well-defined versioning and deletion policies. The architecture, as well as a complete analysis of the current implementation, will be described in this paper.

Upstream ionization instability associated with a current-free double layer.

PubMed

Aanesland, A; Charles, C; Lieberman, M A; Boswell, R W

2006-08-18

A low frequency instability has been observed using various electrostatic probes in a low-pressure expanding helicon plasma. The instability is associated with the presence of a current-free double layer (DL). The frequency of the instability increases linearly with the potential drop of the DL, and simultaneous measurements show their coexistence. A theory for an upstream ionization instability has been developed, which shows that electrons accelerated through the DL increase the ionization upstream and are responsible for the observed instability. The theory is in good agreement with the experimental results.

Pattern formation in a monolayer of magnetic spheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stambaugh, Justin; Lathrop, Daniel P.; Ott, Edward; Losert, Wolfgang

2003-08-01

Pattern formation is investigated for a vertically vibrated monolayer of magnetic spheres. The spheres of diameter D encase cylindrical magnetic cores of length l. For large D/l, we find that the particles form a hexagonal-close-packed pattern in which the particles’ dipole vectors assume a macroscopic circulating vortical pattern. For smaller D/l, the particles form concentric rings. The static configurational magnetic energy (which depends on D/l) appears to be a determining factor in pattern selection even though the experimental system is driven and dissipative.

Infrared and Raman spectroscopy and DFT calculations of DL amino acids: Valine and lysine hydrochloride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paiva, F. M.; Batista, J. C.; Rêgo, F. S. C.; Lima, J. A.; Freire, P. T. C.; Melo, F. E. A.; Mendes Filho, J.; de Menezes, A. S.; Nogueira, C. E. S.

2017-01-01

Single crystals of DL-valine and DL-lysine hydrochloride were grown by slow evaporation method and the crystallographic structure were confirmed by X-ray diffraction experiment and Rietveld method. These two crystals have been studied by Raman spectroscopy in the 25-3600 cm-1 spectral range and by infrared spectroscopy through the interval 375-4000 cm-1 at room temperature. Experimental and theoretical vibrational spectra were compared and a complete analysis of the modes was done in terms of the Potential Energy Distribution (PED).

Installing a Practical Research Project and Interpreting Research Results

Treesearch

Kasten R. Dumroese; David L. Wenny

2003-01-01

The basic concepts of the scientific method and research process are reviewed. An example from a bareroot nursery demonstrates how a practical research project can be done at any type of nursery, meshing sound statistical principles with the limitations of busy nursery managers.

Results of EVA/mobile transporter space station truss assembly tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Judith J.; Heard, Walter L., Jr.; Bush, Harold G.; Lake, M. S.; Jensen, J. K.; Wallsom, R. E.; Phelps, J. E.

1988-01-01

Underwater neutral buoyance tests were conducted to evaluate the use of a Mobile Transporter concept in conjunction with EVA astronauts to construct the Space Station Freedom truss structure. A three-bay orthogonal tetrahedral truss configuration with a 15 foot square cross section was repeatedly assembled by a single pair of pressure suited test subjects working from the Mobile Transporter astronaut positioning devices (mobile foot restraints). The average unit assembly time (which included integrated installation of utility trays) was 27.6 s/strut, or 6 min/bay. The results of these tests indicate that EVA assembly of space station size structures can be significantly enhanced when using a Mobile Transporter equipped with astronaut positioning devices. Rapid assembly time can be expected and are dependent primarily on the rate of translation permissible for on-orbit operations. The concept used to demonstate integrated installation of utility trays requires minimal EVA handling and consequentially, as the results show, has little impact on overall assembly time.

Astronomy Education using the Web and a Computer Algebra System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flurchick, K. M.; Culver, Roger B.; Griego, Ben

2013-04-01

The combination of a web server and a Computer Algebra System to provide students the ability to explore and investigate astronomical concepts presented in a class can help student understanding. This combination of technologies provides a framework to extend the classroom experience with independent student exploration. In this presentation we report on the developmen of this web based material and some initial results of students making use of the computational tools using webMathematica^TM. The material developed allow the student toanalyze and investigate a variety of astronomical phenomena, including topics such as the Runge-Lenz vector, descriptions of the orbits of some of the exo-planets, Bode' law and other topics related to celestial mechanics. The server based Computer Algebra System system allows for computations without installing software on the student's computer but provides a powerful environment to explore the various concepts. The current system is installed at North Carolina A&T State University and has been used in several undergraduate classes.

Reduction in membrane component of diffusing capacity is associated with the extent of acute pulmonary embolism.

PubMed

Piirilä, Päivi; Laiho, Mia; Mustonen, Pirjo; Graner, Marit; Piilonen, Anneli; Raade, Merja; Sarna, Seppo; Harjola, Veli-Pekka; Sovijärvi, Anssi

2011-05-01

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) often decreases pulmonary diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DL,CO), but data on the mechanisms involved are inconsistent. We wanted to investigate whether reduction in diffusing capacity of alveolo-capillary membrane (DM) and pulmonary capillary blood volume (Vc) is associated with the extent of PE or the presence and severity of right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) induced by PE and how the possible changes are corrected after 7-month follow-up. Forty-seven patients with acute non-massive PE in spiral computed tomography (CT) were included. The extent of PE was assessed by scoring mass of embolism. DL,CO, Vc, DM and alveolar volume (VA) were measured by using a single breath method with carbon monoxide and oxygen both at the acute phase and 7 months later. RVD was evaluated with transthoracic echocardiography and electrocardiogram. Fifteen healthy subjects were included as controls. DL,CO, DL, CO/VA, DM, vital capacity (VC) and VA were significantly lower in the patients with acute PE than in healthy controls (P < 0.001). DM/Vc relation was significantly lower in patients with RVD than in healthy controls (P = 0.004). DM correlated inversely with central mass of embolism (r = -0.312; P = 0.047) whereas Vc did not. DM, DL,CO, VC and VA improved significantly within 7 months. In all patients (P = 0.001, P = 0.001) and persistent RVD (P = 0.020, P = 0.012), DM and DL,CO remained significantly lower than in healthy controls in the follow-up. DM was inversely related to central mass of embolism. Reduction in DM mainly explains the sustained decrease in DL,CO in PE after 7 months despite modern treatment of PE. © 2010 The Authors. Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging © 2010 Scandinavian Society of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine.

Performance analysis of the OneTouch UltraVue blood glucose monitoring system.

PubMed

Chang, Anna; Orth, Alice; Le, Bryan; Menchavez, Perla; Miller, Lupe

2009-09-01

OneTouch UltraVue is a new meter for self-monitoring of blood glucose that includes a color display, used-strip ejector, and no-button interface. The system uses an electrochemical biosensor technology based on glucose oxidase chemistry to detect glucose concentrations from 20 to 600 mg/dl (1.1 to 33.3 mmol/liter). Accuracy and reproducibility were evaluated over a wide range of glucose concentrations according to standard criteria. Clinical accuracy was assessed by health care providers (HCPs) in two studies and by diabetes patients in the second study. Reference glucose levels were determined by a YSI 2300 analyzer. Same-day reproducibility and day-to-day reproducibility were also evaluated. In the accuracy studies, 99.7% and 98.7% of tests by HCPs and 97.0% of tests by patients were within +/-15 mg/dl (+/-0.8 mmol/liter) of the YSI reference for blood glucose <75 mg/dl (<4.2 mmol/liter), and within +/-20% for blood glucose > or =75 mg/dl (> or =4.2 mmol/liter), respectively. Consensus error grid analysis showed that 99.7% and 95.3% of tests by HCPs and 97.0% of tests by patients fell within zone A (i.e., has no effect on clinical action); all other results were in zone B (i.e., altered clinical action, little or no effect on clinical outcome). In the reproducibility studies, the standard deviation was <1.5 mg/dl (<0.1 mmol/liter) for glucose concentrations <100 mg/dl (<5.6 mmol/liter), and the coefficient of variation was <2% for concentrations > or = 100 mg/dl (> or =5.6 mmol/liter). OneTouch UltraVue meets standard acceptability criteria for accuracy and reproducibility across a wide range of glucose concentrations. Its simple interface and lack of contact with used strips make it a viable option for older patients and their caregivers. 2009 Diabetes Technology Society.

Performance Analysis of the OneTouch® UltraVue™ Blood Glucose Monitoring System

PubMed Central

Chang, Anna; Orth, Alice; Le, Bryan; Menchavez, Perla; Miller, Lupe

2009-01-01

Background OneTouch® UltraVue™ is a new meter for self-monitoring of blood glucose that includes a color display, used-strip ejector, and no-button interface. The system uses an electrochemical biosensor technology based on glucose oxidase chemistry to detect glucose concentrations from 20 to 600 mg/dl (1.1 to 33.3 mmol/liter). Methods Accuracy and reproducibility were evaluated over a wide range of glucose concentrations according to standard criteria. Clinical accu-racy was assessed by health care providers (HCPs) in two studies and by diabetes patients in the second study. Reference glucose lev-els were determined by a YSI 2300 analyzer. Same-day reproducibility and day-to-day reproducibility were also evaluated. Results In the accuracy studies, 99.7% and 98.7% of tests by HCPs and 97.0% of tests by patients were within ±15 mg/dl (±0.8 mmol/liter) of the YSI reference for blood glucose <75 mg/dl (<4.2 mmol/liter), and within ±20% for blood glucose ≥75 mg/dl (≥4.2 mmol/liter), respectively. Consensus error grid analysis showed that 99.7% and 95.3% of tests by HCPs and 97.0% of tests by patients fell within zone A (i.e., has no effect on clinical action); all other results were in zone B (i.e., altered clinical action, little or no effect on clini-cal outcome). In the reproducibility studies, the standard deviation was <1.5 mg/dl (<0.1 mmol/liter) for glucose concentra-tions <100 mg/dl (<5.6 mmol/liter), and the coefficient of variation was <2% for concentrations ≥100 mg/dl (≥5.6 mmol/liter). Conclusions OneTouch UltraVue meets standard acceptability criteria for accuracy and reproducibility across a wide range of glucose concentra-tions. Its simple interface and lack of contact with used strips make it a viable option for older patients and their caregivers. PMID:20144431

Efficacy of allopurinol and benzbromarone for the control of hyperuricaemia. A pathogenic approach to the treatment of primary chronic gout

PubMed Central

Perez-Ruiz, F; Alonso-Ruiz, A; Calabozo, M; Herrero-Beites, A; Garcia-Erauskin, G; Ruiz-Lucea, E

1998-01-01

OBJECTIVES—To study the efficacy of allopurinol and benzbromarone to reduce serum urate concentrations in patients with primary chronic gout.
METHODS—Prospective, parallel, open study of 86 consecutive male patients with primary chronic gout. Forty nine patients (26 normal excretors and 23 under excretors) were given allopurinol 300 mg/day and 37 under excretors benzbromarone 100 mg/day. After achieving steady plasma urate concentrations with such doses, treatment was then adjusted to obtain optimal plasmatic urate concentrations (under 6 mg/dl).
RESULTS—Patients receiving allopurinol 300 mg/day showed a mean reduction of plasmatic urate of 2.75 mg/dl (from 8.60 to 5.85 mg/dl) and 3.34 mg/dl (from 9.10 to 5.76 mg/dl) in normal excretors and under excretors respectively. Patients receiving benzbromarone 100 mg/day achieved a reduction of plasmatic urate of 5.04 mg/dl (from 8.58 to 3.54 mg/dl). Fifty three per cent of patients receiving allopurinol and 100% receiving benzbromarone achieved optimal plasma urate concentrations at such doses. The patients with poor results with allopurinol 300 mg/day achieved a proper plasma urate concentration with allopurinol 450 to 600 mg/day, the mean final dose being 372 mg/day. Renal fuction improved and no case of renal lithiasis was observed among benzbromarone treated patients, whose mean final dose was 76 mg/day.
CONCLUSION—Benzbromarone is very effective to control plasma urate concentrations at doses ranging from 50 to 100 mg/day. Uricosuric treatment is a suitable approach to the treatment of patients with gout who show underexcretion of urate.

 Keywords: gout; gout suppressants; allopurinol; benzbromarone PMID:9849314

Dl-3-n-Butylphthalide Inhibits NLRP3 Inflammasome and Mitigates Alzheimer's-Like Pathology via Nrf2-TXNIP-TrX Axis.

PubMed

Wang, Chun-Yan; Xu, Ye; Wang, Xu; Guo, Chuang; Wang, Tao; Wang, Zhan-You

2018-04-25

Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation play important roles in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP), an endogenous inhibitor of antioxidant thioredoxin, is suspected to be an important modulator of oxidative stress and inflammation. However, the underlying mechanism involved in the abnormal homeostasis of TXNIP-thioredoxin (TrX) in AD pathogenesis remains unclear. Using the Swedish mutant form of APP (APPswe)/PSEN1dE9 transgenic mouse (APP/PS1) and human-derived neuronal cells as model systems, we disclosed the impairment of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-TXNIP-TrX signaling in Alzheimer's-like pathology. We observed that the immune staining of TXNIP was increased in postmortem AD brain. The chronic accumulation of inflammatory mediator in neuronal cells facilitates interactions of TXNIP-nucleotide binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) and NLRP3-ASC, which increases β-amyloid (Aβ) secretion. The antioxidant Dl-3-n-butylphthalide (Dl-NBP) is commonly used for cerebral ischemia treatment. In our study, we elucidated for new mechanisms by which Dl-NBP enhanced TrX activity, suppressed TXNIP, and ameliorated neuronal apoptosis in the APP/PS1 mouse brains. In human glioblastoma A172 cells and neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells, we delineated the Dl-NBP-mediated signaling pathways by which Dl-NBP-dependent upregulation of Nrf2 mediated the reciprocal regulation of reducing proinflammatory cytokine and inhibiting Aβ production in the glial and neuronal cells overexpressing APPswe. Our data provide a novel insight into the molecular mechanism that impairments of Nrf2-TXNIP-TrX system may be involved in the imbalance of cellular redox homeostasis and inflammatory damage in the AD brain. Dl-NBP treatment could suppress TXNIP-NLRP3 interaction and inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome activation via upregulating Nrf2. These findings may provide an instrumental therapeutic approach for AD. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 00, 000-000.

Incorporation of Dairy Lipids in the Diet Increased Long-Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids Status in Post-weaning Rats

PubMed Central

Drouin, Gaetan; Catheline, Daniel; Sinquin, Annaëlle; Baudry, Charlotte; Le Ruyet, Pascale; Rioux, Vincent; Legrand, Philippe

2018-01-01

In human nutrition, optimized the status of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) and especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) during growth appears to be one of the most important goal. We investigated the potential impact of a partial incorporation of dairy lipids (DL) in the diet to increase the n-3 LCPUFA content in tissues, compared to a mixture of vegetable oils. Rats were fed with vegetable oil diet or DL diet, supplemented or not supplemented with DHA, from weaning for 6 weeks. All diets provided the same quantity of 2.3% of total fatty acids of precursor α-linolenic acid. LCPUFA levels in brain, retina, liver, heart, red blood cells and epididymal adipose tissue, Δ-6 desaturase activity and mRNA expression in liver, and plasma cholesterol were measured. Rats fed a DL diet increased their DHA content in brain and retina compared with rats fed a vegetable oil diet and reached the same level than rats directly supplemented with DHA. The status of n-3 docosapentaenoic acid increased with DL diet in heart, red blood cells and liver. The n-3 docosapentaenoic acid specifically discriminated DL diets in the heart. DL diet increased α-linolenic acid content in liver and epididymal adipose tissue, provided specific fatty acids as short- and medium-chain fatty acids and myristic acid, and increased plasma cholesterol. We hypothesized that dairy lipids may increase the n-3 LCPUFA enrichment in tissues by preserving precursor α-linolenic acid from β-mitochondrial oxidation, associated with the presence of short- and medium-chain fatty acids in DL diets. In conclusion, a partial incorporation of dairy lipids in the diet with an adequate α-linolenic acid content improved the n-3 LCPUFA status, especially DHA in brain and retina. PMID:29876354

Micronutrient levels and nutritional status of school children living in Northwest Ethiopia.

PubMed

Amare, Bemnet; Moges, Beyene; Fantahun, Bereket; Tafess, Ketema; Woldeyohannes, Desalegn; Yismaw, Gizachew; Ayane, Tilahun; Yabutani, Tomoki; Mulu, Andargachew; Ota, Fusao; Kassu, Afework

2012-12-13

Several micronutrients are essential for adequate growth of children. However, little information is available on multiple micronutrient status of school children in Ethiopia. The present study was designed to evaluate the relationship between multiple micronutrient levels and nutritional status among school children. In this cross-sectional study, anthropometric data, blood and stool samples were collected from 100 children at Meseret Elementary School in Gondar town, Northwest Ethiopia. Serum concentration of magnesium, calcium, iron, copper, zinc, selenium and molybdenum were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Anthropometric indices of weight-for-age, height-for-age and BMI-for-age were used to estimate the children's nutritional status. Stool samples were examined by standard microscopic methods for intestinal parasites. The prevalence of stunting, underweight, wasting and intestinal parasitoses among school children was 23%, 21%, 11% and 18%, respectively. The mean serum levels of magnesium, calcium, iron, copper, zinc, selenium and molybdenum were 2.42±0.32 (mg/dl), 15.31±2.14 (mg/dl), 328.19±148.91 (μg/dl), 191.30±50.17 (μg/dl), 86.40±42.40 (μg/dl), 6.32±2.59 (μg/dl), and 0.23±0.15 (μg/dl), respectively. Selenium deficiency, zinc deficiency and magnesium deficiency occurred in 62%, 47%, and 2% of the school children, respectively. Height-for-age showed significant positive correlation with the levels of copper and molybdenum (p = 0.01) and with the levels of magnesium (p = 0.05). Deficiencies of selenium and zinc were high among the school children although the deficiencies were not significantly related with their nutritional status. The prevalence of both malnutrition and intestinal parasitism was not negligible. These calls for the need to undertake multicentre studies in various parts of the country to substantiate the data obtained in the present study so that appropriate and beneficial strategies for micronutrient supplementation and interventions on nutritional deficiencies can be planned.

T-cell differentiation of multipotent hematopoietic cell line EML in the OP9-DL1 coculture system

PubMed Central

Kutleša, Snježana; Zayas, Jennifer; Valle, Alexandra; Levy, Robert B.; Jurecic, Roland

2011-01-01

Objective Multipotent hematopoietic cell line EML can differentiate into myeloid, erythroid, megakaryocytic, and B-lymphoid lineages, but it remained unknown whether EML cells have T-cell developmental potential as well. The goal of this study was to determine whether the coculture with OP9 stromal cells expressing Notch ligand Delta-like 1 (OP9-DL1) could induce differentiation of EML cells into T-cell lineage. Materials and Methods EML cells were cocultured with control OP9 or OP9-DL1 stromal cells in the presence of cytokines (stem cell factor, interleukin-7, and Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand). Their T-cell lineage differentiation was assessed through flow cytometry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction expression analysis of cell surface markers and genes characterizing and associated with specific stages of T-cell development. Results The phenotypic, molecular, and functional analysis has revealed that in EML/OP9-DL1 cocultures with cytokines, but not in control EML/OP9 cocultures, EML cell line undergoes T-cell lineage commitment and differentiation. In OP9-DL1 cocultures, EML cell line has differentiated into cells that 1) resembled double-negative, double-positive, and single-positive stages of T-cell development; 2) initiated expression of GATA-3, Pre-Tα, RAG-1, and T-cell receptor – Vβ genes; and 3) produced interferon-γ in response to T-cell receptor stimulation. Conclusions These results support the notion that EML cell line has the capacity for T-cell differentiation. Remarkably, induction of T-lineage gene expression and differentiation of EML cells into distinct stages of T-cell development were very similar to previously described T-cell differentiation of adult hematopoietic stem cells and progenitors in OP9-DL1 cocultures. Thus, EML/OP9-DL1 coculture could be a useful experimental system to study the role of particular genes in T-cell lineage specification, commitment, and differentiation. PMID:19447159

T-cell differentiation of multipotent hematopoietic cell line EML in the OP9-DL1 coculture system.

PubMed

Kutlesa, Snjezana; Zayas, Jennifer; Valle, Alexandra; Levy, Robert B; Jurecic, Roland

2009-08-01

Multipotent hematopoietic cell line EML can differentiate into myeloid, erythroid, megakaryocytic, and B-lymphoid lineages, but it remained unknown whether EML cells have T-cell developmental potential as well. The goal of this study was to determine whether the coculture with OP9 stromal cells expressing Notch ligand Delta-like 1 (OP9-DL1) could induce differentiation of EML cells into T-cell lineage. EML cells were cocultured with control OP9 or OP9-DL1 stromal cells in the presence of cytokines (stem cell factor, interleukin-7, and Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand). Their T-cell lineage differentiation was assessed through flow cytometry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction expression analysis of cell surface markers and genes characterizing and associated with specific stages of T-cell development. The phenotypic, molecular, and functional analysis has revealed that in EML/OP9-DL1 cocultures with cytokines, but not in control EML/OP9 cocultures, EML cell line undergoes T-cell lineage commitment and differentiation. In OP9-DL1 cocultures, EML cell line has differentiated into cells that 1) resembled double-negative, double-positive, and single-positive stages of T-cell development; 2) initiated expression of GATA-3, Pre-Talpha, RAG-1, and T-cell receptor-Vbeta genes; and 3) produced interferon-gamma in response to T-cell receptor stimulation. These results support the notion that EML cell line has the capacity for T-cell differentiation. Remarkably, induction of T-lineage gene expression and differentiation of EML cells into distinct stages of T-cell development were very similar to previously described T-cell differentiation of adult hematopoietic stem cells and progenitors in OP9-DL1 cocultures. Thus, EML/OP9-DL1 coculture could be a useful experimental system to study the role of particular genes in T-cell lineage specification, commitment, and differentiation.

Association of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor polymorphisms with chronic hepatitis C and responses to therapy in Brazil

PubMed Central

de Vasconcelos, Janaina Mota; de Jesus Maués Pereira Móia, Lizomar; Amaral, Ivanete do Socorro Abraçado; Miranda, Esther Castello Branco Mello; CicaliseTakeshita, Louise Yukari; de Oliveira, Layanna Freitas; de Araújo Melo Mendes, Lilian; Sastre, Danuta; Tamegão-Lopes, Bruna Pedroso; de Aquino Pedroza, Larysse Santa Rosa; Batista dos Santos, Sidney Emanuel; Soares, Manoel do Carmo Pereira; de Araújo, Marialva Tereza Ferreira; Bandeira, Camila Lucas; de Sousa da Silva, Adriana Maria Paixão; de Medeiros, Zilene Lameira; Sena, Leonardo; Demachki, Samia; dos Santos, Eduardo José Melo

2013-01-01

Soroprevalence for Hepatitis C virus is reported as 2.12% in Northern Brazil, with about 50% of the patients exhibiting a sustained virological response (SVR). Aiming to associate polymorphisms in Killer Cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptors (KIR) with chronic hepatitis C and therapy responses we investigated 125 chronic patients and 345 controls. Additionally, 48 ancestry markers were genotyped to control for population stratification. The frequency of the KIR2DL2 and KIR2DL2+HLA-CAsp80 gene and ligand was higher in chronic infected patients than in controls (p < 0.0009, OR = 3.4; p = 0.001, OR = 3.45). In fact, KIR2DL3 is a weaker inhibitor of NK activity than KIR2DL2, which could explain the association of KIR2DL2 with chronic infection. Moreover, KIR2DS2 and KIR2DS2+HLA-CAsp80 (p < 0.0001, OR = 2.51; p = 0.0084, OR = 2.62) and KIR2DS3 (p < 0.0001; OR = 2.57) were associated with chronic infection, independently from KIR2DL2. No differences in ancestry composition were observed between control and patients, even with respect to therapy response groups. The allelic profile KIR2DL2/KIR2DS2/KIR2DS3 was associated with the chronic hepatitis C (p < 0.0001; OR = 3). Furthermore, the patients also showed a higher mean number of activating genes and a lower frequency of the homozygous AA profile, which is likely secondary to the association with non-AA and/or activating genes. In addition, the KIR2DS5 allele was associated with SVR (p = 0.0261; OR = 0.184).The ancestry analysis of samples ruled out any effects of population substructuring and did not evidence interethnic differences in therapy response, as suggested in previous studies. PMID:23569404

Accounting for wetlands loss in a changing climate in the estimation of long-term flood risks of Devils Lake, North Dakota

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulbin, S.; Kirilenko, A.; Zhang, X.

2016-12-01

Endorheic (terminal) lakes with no water outlets are sensitive indicators of changes in climate and land cover in the watershed. Regional variation in precipitation pattern in the US Northern Great Plaines lead to a long term flooding of Devils Lake (DL), ND, leading to a 10-m water level rise in just two decades, with estimated flood mitigation costs of over $1 billion. While the climate change contribution to flooding has been established, the role of large scale land conversion to agriculture has not been researched. Wetlands play a very important part in hydrological balance by storing, absorbing and slowing peak water discharge. In ND, 49 % of wetlands are drained and converted to agriculture. We investigated the role of wetlands loss in DL flooding in current and future climate. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to simulate streamflow in all DL watershed subbasins. The model was calibrated using the 1991-2000 USGS gauge data for the first 10 years of study period and validated for the second 10 years (2001-2010), resulting in a satisfactory model performance compared against the measured water discharge in five streams in the watershed and against observed DL water level. A set of wetland loss scenarios were created based on the historical data and the Compound Topographic Index. To emulate the historical and future climate conditions, an ensemble of CMIP5 weather integrations based on IPCC AR5 RCP scenarios was downscaled with the MarkSim weather simulator. Model simulations indicate that the land use change in the DL watershed increased the impacts of climate change on hydrology by further elevating DL water level. Conversely, wetland restoration reduce the flooding and moderates risks of a potential high-impact DL overspill to the Sheyenne River watershed. Further research will concentrate on differentiation of climate change impacts under different types of land use change scenarios.

Iron deficiency anemia in captive āalayan tapir calves (Tapirus indicus).

PubMed

Helmick, Kelly E; Milne, Victoria E

2012-12-01

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) was diagnosed in two captive female neonatal Malayan tapirs (Tapirus indicus) at separate institutions. Both calves had unremarkable exams and normal blood parameters within the first 3 days of life. Microcytic hypochromic anemia (hematocrit, HCT= 20%; mean corpuscular volume, MCV = 32.8 fl; mean corpuscular hemoglobin, MCH = 10.5 pg) was diagnosed at day 66 of age in calf EPZ-1. Iron dextran (10 mg/kg i.m.) was administered at day 71. A normal HCT (33%) with microcytosis and hypochromasia (MCV = 33.0 fl; MCH = 11.7 pg) was identified at day 80. No further concerns were noted through 610 days of age. Microcytic hypochromic anemia (HCT = 16%; MCV = 38.4 fl; MCH = 13.3 pg; mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, MCHC= 34.6 g/dl) with thrombocytosis (platelets= 1018 10(3)/UL) and poikilocytosis was diagnosed at day 38 of age in calf WPZ-1 by samples obtained through operant conditioning. Iron dextran (10 mg/kg i.m.) was administered at day 40 and day 68. Improving hematocrit (32%) and low serum iron (45 micorg/dl) was identified at day 88; total iron binding capacity (TIBC; 438 microg/dl) and percentage saturation (10%) were also measured. No further concerns were noted through day 529 of age. Retrospective evaluation identified presumptive IDA in two male siblings of calf WPZ-1. One calf died at day 40 (iron = 40 microg/dl; TIBC = 482 microg/dl; percentage saturation = 4%) and another at day 72 (HCT = 11%; iron = 26 microg/dl; TIBC = 470 microg/dl; percentage saturation = 6%). Death in both calves was attributed to disseminated intravascular coagulation and bacterial septicemia. IDA can develop in Malayan tapirs between day 38 and day 72 of age and may be a significant precursor to bacterial septicemia and death in neonatal Malayan tapirs.

Comparison of intubation modalities in a simulated cardiac arrest with uninterrupted chest compressions.

PubMed

Tandon, Navin; McCarthy, Matthew; Forehand, Brett; Carlson, Jestin N

2014-10-01

Interruptions in chest compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation can negatively impact survival. Several new endotracheal intubation (ETI) techniques including video laryngoscopy may allow for ETI with minimal or no interruptions in chest compressions. We sought to determine the impact of three different ETI techniques upon time to intubation (TTI) in a simulated cardiac arrest during uninterrupted chest compression. We performed a randomised crossover study with a convenience sample of emergency physicians using three different ETI techniques: direct laryngoscopy (DL), GlideScope video laryngoscopy (GVL) and GlideScope video laryngoscopy with bougie (GVL-B). Providers performed ETI on a manikin on a hospital bed with concurrent chest compressions. Our primary outcome, TTI, was defined as the time from insertion of the laryngoscope blade until first breath. Given the correlated nature of the data, we used the paired t test to assess the differences in mean TTIs between GVL minus DL and GVL-B minus DL. We also ran the analysis stratified by provider experience. We enrolled 20 providers with a median TTI (IQR) by device of: DL 27 s (20.3, 35.4), GVL 20.6 s (17.7, 27.1) and GVL-B 60.1 s (39.1, 99). The mean GVL-DL difference was -10.1 s (-17.9-2.3) while the mean GVL-B-DL difference was 45.6 s (19.8-71.4) (p<0.001). The GVL-B required the greatest TTI across providers of varying experience levels. In this simulated model of cardiac arrest with uninterrupted chest compressions, TTI was shorter for GVL than DL while use of the GVL with bougie resulted in longer TTI. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Panicolytic-like effects caused by substantia nigra pars reticulata pretreatment with low doses of endomorphin-1 and high doses of CTOP or the NOP receptors antagonist JTC-801 in male Rattus norvegicus.

PubMed

da Silva, Juliana Almeida; Biagioni, Audrey Franceschi; Almada, Rafael Carvalho; de Freitas, Renato Leonardo; Coimbra, Norberto Cysne

2017-10-01

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neurons of the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNpr) are connected to the deep layers of the superior colliculus (dlSC). The dlSC, in turn, connect with the SNpr through opioid projections. Nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide (N/OFQ) is a natural ligand of a Gi protein-coupled nociceptin receptor (ORL1; NOP) that is also found in the SNpr. Our hypothesis is that tectonigral opioid pathways and intranigral orphanin-mediated mechanisms modulate GABAergic nigrotectal connections. Therefore, the aim of this work was to study the role of opioid and NOP receptors in the SNpr during the modulation of defence reactions organised by the dlSC. The SNpr was pretreated with either opioid or NOP receptor agonists and antagonists, followed by dlSC treatment with bicuculline. Blockade of GABA A receptors in the dlSC elicited fear-related defensive behaviour. Pretreatment of the SNpr with naloxone benzoylhydrazone (NalBzoH), a μ-, δ-, and κ 1 -opioid receptor antagonist as well as a NOP receptor antagonist, decreased the aversive effect of bicuculline treatment on the dlSC. Either μ-opioid receptor activation or blockade by SNpr microinjection of endomorphin-1 (EM-1) and CTOP promoted pro-aversive and anti-aversive actions, respectively, that modulated the defensive responses elicited by bicuculline injection into the dlSC. Pretreatment of the SNpr with the selective NOP receptor antagonist JTC801 decreased the aversive effect of bicuculline, and microinjections of the selective NOP receptor agonist NNC 63-0532 promoted the opposite effect. These results demonstrate that opioid pathways and orphanin-mediated mechanisms have a critical role in modulating the activity of nigrotectal GABAergic pathways during the organisation of defensive behaviours.

Direct observation of bis(dicarbollyl)nickel conformers in solution by fluorescence spectroscopy: an approach to redox-controlled metallacarborane molecular motors.

PubMed

Safronov, Alexander V; Shlyakhtina, Natalia I; Everett, Thomas A; VanGordon, Monika R; Sevryugina, Yulia V; Jalisatgi, Satish S; Hawthorne, M Frederick

2014-10-06

As a continuation of work on metallacarborane-based molecular motors, the structures of substituted bis(dicarbollyl)nickel complexes in Ni(III) and Ni(IV) oxidation states were investigated in solution by fluorescence spectroscopy. Symmetrically positioned cage-linked pyrene molecules served as fluorescent probes to enable the observation of mixed meso-trans/dl-gauche (pyrene monomer fluorescence) and dl-cis/dl-gauche (intramolecular pyrene excimer fluorescence with residual monomer fluorescence) cage conformations of the nickelacarboranes in the Ni(III) and Ni(IV) oxidation states, respectively. The absence of energetically disfavored conformers in solution--dl-cis in the case of nickel(III) complexes and meso-trans in the case of nickel(IV)--was demonstrated based on spectroscopic data and conformer energy calculations in solution. The conformational persistence observed in solution indicates that bis(dicarbollyl)nickel complexes may provide attractive templates for building electrically driven and/or photodriven molecular motors.

Experimental evidence for a chiral symmetry-breaking mechanism in aspartic acid: Lattice and sub-lattice matching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teschke, Omar; Soares, David Mendez

2017-10-01

A mother crystal formed from a transient molecular structure of (D+L) aspartic acid in solution is reported. Hexagonal structures with a lattice constant of 1.04 nm were crystallized from a solution in which three aspartic acid species coexist: right- and left-handed enantiomorphs, denoted D-aspartic and L-aspartic, respectively, and transitory (D+L) aspartic acid specie. Atomic force microscopy images of the crystalline deposits reveal domains of the transitory (D+L) aspartic acid crystal forming the substrate deposit on silicon wafers, and on top of this hexagonal lattice only L-aspartic acid is observed to conform and crystallize. A preferential crystallization mechanism is then observed for (D+L) aspartic acid crystals that seed only L-aspartic deposits by the geometrical matching of their multiple hexagonal lattice structures with periodicities of 1.04 nm and 0.52 nm, respectively.