Effect of exogenous transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) on early bovine embryo development.

PubMed

Barrera, Antonio D; García, Elina V; Miceli, Dora C

2018-06-08

SummaryDuring preimplantation development, embryos are exposed and have the capacity to respond to different growth factors present in the maternal environment. Among these factors, transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) is a well known modulator of embryonic growth and development. However, its action during the first stages of development, when the embryo transits through the oviduct, has not been yet elucidated. The objective of the present study was to examine the effect of early exposure to exogenous TGF-β1 on embryo development and expression of pluripotency (OCT4, NANOG) and DNA methylation (DNMT1, DNMT3A, DNMT3B) genes in bovine embryos produced in vitro. First, gene expression analysis of TGF-β receptors confirmed a stage-specific expression pattern, showing greater mRNA abundance of TGFBR1 and TGFBR2 from the 2- to the 8-cell stage, before embryonic genome activation. Second, embryo culture for the first 48 h in serum-free CR1aa medium supplemented with 50 or 100 ng/ml recombinant TGF-β1 did not affect the cleavage and blastocyst rate (days 7 and 8). However, RT-qPCR analysis showed a significant increase in the relative abundance of NANOG and DNMT3A in the 8-cell stage embryos and expanded blastocysts (day 8) derived from TGF-β1 treated embryos. These results suggest an early action of exogenous TGF-β1 on the bovine embryo, highlighting the importance to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the role of TGF-β signalling during early embryogenesis.

Endocytosis of exogenous factor V by ex-vivo differentiated megakaryocytes from patients with severe parahaemophilia.

PubMed

Radu, Claudia M; Spiezia, Luca; Bulato, Cristiana; Gavasso, Sabrina; Campello, Elena; Sartorello, Francesca; Castoldi, Elisabetta; Simioni, Paolo

2016-11-01

Although human megakaryocytes can synthesize factor V (FV), platelet FV derives largely from endocytosis of plasma FV. Recently, it has been shown that plasma transfusions can replenish the platelet FV pool in parahaemophilic patients. Here we corroborate this finding by showing FV endocytosis by ex vivo differentiated megakaryocytes derived from patients with inherited parahaemophilia. Mononuclear stem cells isolated from peripheral blood of healthy subjects and of three patients with severe parahaemophilia were cultured in the presence of thrombopoietin and interleukin-3 and differentiated into CD41-positive polynucleated megakaryocytes. Exogenous purified FV was added to the culture medium to evaluate FV endocytosis. Immunofluorescence staining revealed abundant FV expression in megakaryocytes derived from healthy donors, but no FV expression in those derived from patients with severe parahaemophilia. However, after the addition of purified FV to the culture medium, megakaryocytes from parahaemophilia patients became positive upon FV immunostaining, suggesting endocytosis of exogenous FV. Endocytosed FV retained factor Xa-co-factor activity as assessed by a prothrombin time-based functional test in megakaryocyte lysates. Addition of exogenous FV to culture medium can restore the FV content of megakaryocytes derived from patients with severe FV defects. This rescue mechanism can have important clinical implications in the management of parahaemophilia patients. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Nutrients affecting gastric barrier.

PubMed

Gasbarrini, Antonio; D'Aversa, Francesca; Di Rienzo, Teresa; Franceschi, Francesco

2014-01-01

The gastric barrier could be considered an active tissue involved in many synthetic and metabolic functions, as the immunological defense, by activating mucosal immune system. Barrier integrity results from a balance between protective and aggressive endogenous factors and from their interaction with exogenous factors (steroidal or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, dietary nitrates, nitrites and/or NaCl, stress, Helicobacter pylori infection, food allergens and contaminants, metals, chemicals, radiation, smoking and alcohol intake). Nutrients represent the most important exogenous factors affecting gastric barrier because of the impact on people's everyday life. We report evidence from the literature about nutrients affecting gastric barrier and we investigate the possible effect that nutrients can play to determining or maintaining a gastric barrier dysfunction. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Exogenous ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) reduces synaptic depression during repetitive stimulation.

PubMed

Garcia, Neus; Santafé, Manel M; Tomàs, Marta; Priego, Mercedes; Obis, Teresa; Lanuza, Maria A; Besalduch, Nuria; Tomàs, Josep

2012-09-01

It has been shown that ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) has trophic and maintenance effects on several types of peripheral and central neurons, glia, and cells outside the nervous system. Both CNTF and its receptor, CNTF-Rα, are expressed in the muscle. We use confocal immunocytochemistry to show that the trophic cytokine and its receptor are present in the pre- and post-synaptic sites of the neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). Applied CNTF (7.5-200 ng/ml, 60 min-3 h) does not acutely affect spontaneous potentials (size or frequency) or quantal content of the evoked acetylcholine release from post-natal (in weak or strong axonal inputs on dually innervated end plates or in the most mature singly innervated synapses at P6) or adult (P30) NMJ of Levator auris longus muscle of the mice. However, CNTF reduces roughly 50% the depression produced by repetitive stimulation (40 Hz, 2 min) on the adult NMJs. Our findings indicate that, unlike neurotrophins, exogenous CNTF does not acutely modulate transmitter release locally at the mammalian neuromuscular synapse but can protect mature end plates from activity-induced synaptic depression. © 2012 Peripheral Nerve Society.

Exogenous fibroblast growth factor 9 attenuates cartilage degradation and aggravates osteophyte formation in post-traumatic osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Zhou, S; Wang, Z; Tang, J; Li, W; Huang, J; Xu, W; Luo, F; Xu, M; Wang, J; Wen, X; Chen, L; Chen, H; Su, N; Shen, Y; Du, X; Xie, Y; Chen, L

2016-12-01

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of exogenous fibroblast growth factor (FGF)9 on the progression of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (OA). The expression of FGF9 in articular cartilage with OA is detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The effects of intra-articular exogenous FGF9 injection on post-traumatic OA induced by the destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) surgery are evaluated. Cartilage changes and osteophyte formation in knee joints are investigated by histological analysis. Changes in subchondral bone are evaluated by microcomputed tomography (micro-CT). The effect of exogenous FGF9 on an interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-induced ex vivo OA model of human articular cartilage tissues is also evaluated. FGF9 expression was down-regulated in articular chondrocytes of OA but ectopically induced at sites of osteophyte formation. Intra-articular injection of exogenous FGF9 attenuated articular cartilage degradation in mice after DMM surgery. Exogenous FGF9 suppressed collagen X and MMP13 expressions in OA cartilage, while promoted collagen II expression. Similar results were observed in IL-1β-induced ex vivo OA model. Intra-articular injection of FGF9 had no significant effect on the subchondral bone of knee joints after DMM surgery, but aggravated osteophyte formation. The expressions of SOX9 and collagen II, and cell proliferation were up-regulated at sites of initial osteophyte formation in mice with exogenous FGF9 treatment. Intra-articular injection of exogenous FGF9 delays articular cartilage degradation in post-traumatic OA, while aggravates osteophyte formation. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

[Hand eczema. The clinical classification of the roles of exogenous and endogenous factors in each type].

PubMed

Tamiya, Y

1994-08-01

Hand eczema is one of the most common dermatological disorders. Although it is a general term referring to eczematous dermatitis of the hands, it actually covers a wide range of diseases. The classification of hand eczema is controversial even now, as definitions of individual diseases have not yet been established. It is well-known that exogenous factors, such as chemicals or water, are associated with the occurrence of hand eczema. In this study, we focused on endogenous factors, especially personal or family history of atopy as a causative factor in hand eczema. According to exogenous and endogenous factors, we classified hand eczema into three types: atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis and dysidrosis. This classification is useful because it makes the definition of each disease clear. Skin-humidity and sebum measurement are simple and rapid methods of determining personal atopy, skin condition and the effect of treatment on hand eczema patients.

Thermal acclimation and nutritional history affect the oxidation of different classes of exogenous nutrients in Siberian hamsters, Phodopus sungorus.

PubMed

McCue, Marshall D; Voigt, Christian C; Jefimow, Małgorzata; Wojciechowski, Michał S

2014-11-01

During acclimatization to winter, changes in morphology and physiology combined with changes in diet may affect how animals use the nutrients they ingest. To study (a) how thermal acclimation and (b) nutritional history affect the rates at which Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) oxidize different classes of dietary nutrients, we conducted two trials in which we fed hamsters one of three (13) C-labeled compounds, that is, glucose, leucine, or palmitic acid. We predicted that under acute cold stress (3 hr at 2°C) hamsters previously acclimated to cold temperatures (10°C) for 3 weeks would have higher resting metabolic rate (RMR) and would oxidize a greater proportion of dietary fatty acids than animals acclimated to 21°C. We also investigated how chronic nutritional stress affects how hamsters use dietary nutrients. To examine this, hamsters were fed four different diets (control, low protein, low lipid, and low-glycemic index) for 2 weeks. During cold challenges, hamsters previously acclimated to cold exhibited higher thermal conductance and RMR, and also oxidized more exogenous palmitic acid during the postprandial phase than animals acclimated to 21°C. In the nutritional stress trial, hamsters fed the low protein diet oxidized more exogenous glucose, but not more exogenous palmitic acid than the control group. The use of (13) C-labeled metabolic tracers combined with breath testing demonstrated that both thermal and nutritional history results in significant changes in the extent to which animals oxidize dietary nutrients during the postprandial period. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Exogenous and endogenous attention during perceptual learning differentially affect post-training target thresholds

PubMed Central

Mukai, Ikuko; Bahadur, Kandy; Kesavabhotla, Kartik; Ungerleider, Leslie G.

2012-01-01

There is conflicting evidence in the literature regarding the role played by attention in perceptual learning. To further examine this issue, we independently manipulated exogenous and endogenous attention and measured the rate of perceptual learning of oriented Gabor patches presented in different quadrants of the visual field. In this way, we could track learning at attended, divided-attended, and unattended locations. We also measured contrast thresholds of the Gabor patches before and after training. Our results showed that, for both exogenous and endogenous attention, accuracy in performing the orientation discrimination improved to a greater extent at attended than at unattended locations. Importantly, however, only exogenous attention resulted in improved contrast thresholds. These findings suggest that both exogenous and endogenous attention facilitate perceptual learning, but that these two types of attention may be mediated by different neural mechanisms. PMID:21282340

Effects of social and affective content on exogenous attention as revealed by event-related potentials.

PubMed

Kosonogov, Vladimir; Martinez-Selva, Jose M; Carrillo-Verdejo, Eduvigis; Torrente, Ginesa; Carretié, Luis; Sanchez-Navarro, Juan P

2018-06-18

The social content of affective stimuli has been proposed as having an influence on cognitive processing and behaviour. This research was aimed, therefore, at studying whether automatic exogenous attention demanded by affective pictures was related to their social value. We hypothesised that affective social pictures would capture attention to a greater extent than non-social affective stimuli. For this purpose, we recorded event-related potentials in a sample of 24 participants engaged in a digit categorisation task. Distracters were affective pictures varying in social content, in addition to affective valence and arousal, which appeared in the background during the task. Our data revealed that pictures depicting high social content captured greater automatic attention than other pictures, as reflected by the greater amplitude and shorter latency of anterior P2, and anterior and posterior N2 components of the ERPs. In addition, social content also provoked greater allocation of processing resources as manifested by P3 amplitude, likely related to the high arousal they elicited. These results extend data from previous research by showing the relevance of the social value of the affective stimuli on automatic attentional processing.

Microbioreactor Arrays for Full Factorial Screening of Exogenous and Paracrine Factors in Human Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation

PubMed Central

Titmarsh, Drew M.; Hudson, James E.; Hidalgo, Alejandro; Elefanty, Andrew G.; Stanley, Edouard G.; Wolvetang, Ernst J.; Cooper-White, Justin J.

2012-01-01

Timed exposure of pluripotent stem cell cultures to exogenous molecules is widely used to drive differentiation towards desired cell lineages. However, screening differentiation conditions in conventional static cultures can become impractical in large parameter spaces, and is intrinsically limited by poor spatiotemporal control of the microenvironment that also makes it impossible to determine whether exogenous factors act directly or through paracrine-dependent mechanisms. We detail here the development of a continuous flow microbioreactor array platform that combines full-factorial multiplexing of input factors with progressive accumulation of paracrine factors through serially-connected culture chambers, and further, the use of this system to explore the combinatorial parameter space of both exogenous and paracrine factors involved in human embryonic stem cell (hESC) differentiation to a MIXL1-GFP+ primitive streak-like population. We show that well known inducers of primitive streak (BMP, Activin and Wnt signals) do not simply act directly on hESC to induce MIXL1 expression, but that this requires accumulation of surplus, endogenous factors; and, that conditioned medium or FGF-2 supplementation is able to offset this. Our approach further reveals the presence of a paracrine, negative feedback loop to the MIXL1-GFP+ population, which can be overcome with GSK-3β inhibitors (BIO or CHIR99021), implicating secreted Wnt inhibitory signals such as DKKs and sFRPs as candidate effectors. Importantly, modulating paracrine effects identified in microbioreactor arrays by supplementing FGF-2 and CHIR in conventional static culture vessels resulted in improved differentiation outcomes. We therefore demonstrate that this microbioreactor array platform uniquely enables the identification and decoding of complex soluble factor signalling hierarchies, and that this not only challenges prevailing strategies for extrinsic control of hESC differentiation, but also is

Visible propagation from invisible exogenous cueing.

PubMed

Lin, Zhicheng; Murray, Scott O

2013-09-20

Perception and performance is affected not just by what we see but also by what we do not see-inputs that escape our awareness. While conscious processing and unconscious processing have been assumed to be separate and independent, here we report the propagation of unconscious exogenous cueing as determined by conscious motion perception. In a paradigm combining masked exogenous cueing and apparent motion, we show that, when an onset cue was rendered invisible, the unconscious exogenous cueing effect traveled, manifesting at uncued locations (4° apart) in accordance with conscious perception of visual motion; the effect diminished when the cue-to-target distance was 8° apart. In contrast, conscious exogenous cueing manifested in both distances. Further evidence reveals that the unconscious and conscious nonretinotopic effects could not be explained by an attentional gradient, nor by bottom-up, energy-based motion mechanisms, but rather they were subserved by top-down, tracking-based motion mechanisms. We thus term these effects mobile cueing. Taken together, unconscious mobile cueing effects (a) demonstrate a previously unknown degree of flexibility of unconscious exogenous attention; (b) embody a simultaneous dissociation and association of attention and consciousness, in which exogenous attention can occur without cue awareness ("dissociation"), yet at the same time its effect is contingent on conscious motion tracking ("association"); and (c) underscore the interaction of conscious and unconscious processing, providing evidence for an unconscious effect that is not automatic but controlled.

Exogenous spatial attention influences figure-ground assignment.

PubMed

Vecera, Shaun P; Flevaris, Anastasia V; Filapek, Joseph C

2004-01-01

In a hierarchical stage account of vision, figure-ground assignment is thought to be completed before the operation of focal spatial attention. Results of previous studies have supported this account by showing that unpredictive, exogenous spatial precues do not influence figure-ground assignment, although voluntary attention can influence figure-ground assignment. However, in these studies, attention was not summoned directly to a region in a figure-ground display. In three experiments, we addressed the relationship between figure-ground assignment and visuospatial attention. In Experiment 1, we replicated the finding that exogenous precues do not influence figure-ground assignment when they direct attention outside of a figure-ground stimulus. In Experiment 2, we demonstrated that exogenous attention can influence figure-ground assignment if it is directed to one of the regions in a figure-ground stimulus. In Experiment 3, we demonstrated that exogenous attention can influence figure-ground assignment in displays that contain a Gestalt figure-ground cue; this result suggests that figure-ground processes are not entirely completed prior to the operation of focal spatial attention. Exogenous spatial attention acts as a cue for figure-ground assignment and can affect the outcome of figure-ground processes.

3D axon growth by exogenous electrical stimulus and soluble factors.

PubMed

Tang-Schomer, Min D

2018-01-01

Axon growth and alignment are fundamental processes during nervous system development and neural regeneration after injury. The present study investigates the effects of exogenous stimulus of electrical signals and soluble factors on axon 3D growth, using a silk protein material-based 3D brain tissue model. Electrical stimulus was delivered via embedded gold wires positioned at the interface of the scaffold region and the center matrix gel-filled region, spanning the axon growth area. This setup delivered applied electrical field directly to growing axons, and the effects were compared to micro-needle assisted local delivery of soluble factors of extracellular (ECM) components and neurotrophins. Dissociated rat cortical neurons were exposed to an alternating field of 80 mV/mm at 0.5 Hz to 2 kHz or soluble factors for up to 4 days, and evaluated by of β III-tubulin immunostaining, confocal imaging and 3D neurite tracing. 0.5-20 Hz were found to promote axon growth, with 2 Hz producing the biggest effect of ∼30% axon length increase compared to control cultures. Delivery of ECM components of laminin and fibronectin resulted significantly greater axon initial length increases compared to neurotrophic factors, such as BDNF, GDNF, NGF and NT3 (all at 1 μM). Though axon lengths under 2 Hz stimulation and LN or FN exposure were statistically similar, significant AC-induced axon alignment was found under all frequencies tested. The effects included perpendicular orientation of axons trespassing an electrode, large populations of aligned axon tracts in parallel to the field direction with a few perpendicularly aligned along the middle point of the EF. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that an electrode in AC field could act as an alternating cathode that attracts the growing tip of the axon. These results demonstrate the use of alternating electric field stimulation to direct axon 3D length growth and orientation. Our study provides basis

VEGF-A is increased in exogenous endophthalmitis.

PubMed

Seamone, Mark E; Lewis, Darrell R; Haidl, Ian D; Gupta, R Rishi; O' Brien, Daniel M; Dickinson, John; Samad, Arif; Marshall, Jean S; Cruess, Alan F

2017-06-01

Exogenous endophthalmitis is an ophthalmologic emergency defined by panocular inflammation. Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) contributes to inflammation by promoting chemotaxis of monocytes and granulocytes and by increasing vascular permeability. The purpose of this article is to determine if VEGF-A is elevated in the vitreous samples obtained from individuals with exogenous endophthalmitis. Vitreous samples from individuals with exogenous endophthalmitis (n = 18) were analyzed via Luminex assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the cytokines VEGF-A, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-8 (chemokine [CXCL]-8), IL-1β, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-33, interferon (IFN)-γ, IFN-α, IFN-β, chemokine ligand (CCL)-3, IL-2, IL-5, IL-15, CXCL-10, CCL-2, IL-1Ra, CCL-5, IL-17, and CCL-11. Vitreous samples obtained at the time of macular hole surgery served as controls (n = 8). Concentrations of VEGF-A were significantly elevated in vitreous samples from individuals with exogenous endophthalmitis compared with macular hole (p < 0.001). VEGF-A was significantly upregulated in individuals with exogenous endophthalmitis after cataract surgery (p = 0.001), vitrectomy (p = 0.024), and intravitreal injection (p = 0.012). VEGF-A concentrations were similar in both culture-positive and culture-negative populations (p > 0.05). In a linear regression model, levels of VEGF-A correlated significantly with the chemokine CXCL-8 (p = 0.028). We demonstrate that VEGF-A is potently upregulated in exogenous endophthalmitis. This observation provides a foundation for future studies of targeted VEGF-A blockade in the management of endophthalmitis. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exogenous oxidants activate nuclear factor kappa B through Toll-like receptor 4 stimulation to maintain inflammatory phenotype in macrophage.

PubMed

Zhang, Yan; Igwe, Orisa J

2018-01-01

Disturbances in redox equilibrium in tissue can lead to inflammatory state, which is a mediatory factor in many human diseases. The mechanism(s) by which exogenous oxidants may activate an inflammatory response is not fully understood. Emerging evidence suggests that oxidant-induced Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activation plays a major role in "sterile" inflammation. In the present study, we used murine macrophage RAW-Blue cells, which are chromosomally integrated with secreted embryonic alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) inducible by NF-κB. We confirmed the expression of TLR4 mRNA and protein in RAW-Blue cells by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. We showed that oxidants increased intracellular reactive oxygen species production and lipid peroxidation, which resulted in decreased intracellular total antioxidant capacity. Consistent with the actions of TLR4-specific agonist LPS-EK, exogenous oxidants increased transcriptional activity of NF-κB p65 with subsequent release of NF-κB reporter gene SEAP. These effects were blocked by pretreatment with TLR4 neutralizing pAb and TLR4 signaling inhibitor CLI-095. In addition, oxidants decreased the expression of IκBα with enhanced phosphorylation at the Tyr42 residue. Finally, oxidants and LPS-EK increased TNFα production, but did not affect IL-10 production, which may cause imbalance between pro- and anti-inflammatory processes, which CLI-095 inhibited. For biological relevance, we confirmed that oxidants increased release of TNFα and IL-6 in primary macrophages derived from TLR4-WT and TLR4-KO mice. Our results support the involvement of TLR4 mediated oxidant-induced inflammatory phenotype through NF-κB activation in macrophages. Thus exogenous oxidants may play a role in activating inflammatory phenotypes that propagate and maintain chronic disease states. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exogenous DKK-3/REIC inhibits Wnt/β-catenin signaling and cell proliferation in human kidney cancer KPK1.

PubMed

Xu, Jiaqi; Sadahira, Takuya; Kinoshita, Rie; Li, Shun-Ai; Huang, Peng; Wada, Koichiro; Araki, Motoo; Ochiai, Kazuhiko; Noguchi, Hirofumi; Sakaguchi, Masakiyo; Nasu, Yasutomo; Watanabe, Masami

2017-11-01

The third member of the Dickkopf family (DKK-3), also known as reduced expression in immortalized cells (REIC), is a tumor suppressor present in a variety of tumor cells. Regarding the regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, exogenous DKK-1 and DKK-2 are reported to inhibit Wnt signaling by binding the associated effectors. However, whether exogenous DKK-3 inhibits Wnt signaling remains unclear. A recombinant protein of human full-length DKK-3 was used to investigate the exogenous effects of the protein in vitro in KPK1 human renal cell carcinoma cells. It was demonstrated that the expression of phosphorylated (p-)β-catenin (inactive form as the transcriptional factor) was increased in KPK1 cells treated with the exogenous DKK-3 protein. The levels of non-p-β-catenin (activated form of β-catenin) were consistently decreased. It was revealed that the expression of transcription factor (TCF) 1 and c-Myc, the downstream transcription factors of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, was inhibited following treatment with DKK-3. A cancer cell viability assay confirmed the anti-proliferative effects of exogenous DKK-3 protein, which was consistent with a suppressed Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade. In addition, as low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6) is a receptor of DKK-1 and DKK-2 and their interaction on the cell surface inhibits Wnt/β-catenin signaling, it was examined whether the exogenous DKK-3 protein affects LRP6-mediated Wnt/β-catenin signaling. The LRP6 gene was silenced and the effects of DKK-3 on the time course of the upregulation of p-β-catenin expression were subsequently analyzed. Notably, LRP6 depletion elevated the base level of p-β-catenin; however, there was no significant effect on its upregulation course or expression pattern. These findings indicate that exogenous DKK-3 upregulates p-β-catenin and inhibits Wnt/β-catenin signaling in an LRP6-independent manner. Therefore, exogenous DKK-3 protein may inhibit

Exogenous reinfection of tuberculosis in a low-burden area.

PubMed

Schiroli, Consuelo; Carugati, Manuela; Zanini, Fabio; Bandera, Alessandra; Di Nardo Stuppino, Silvia; Monge, Elisa; Morosi, Manuela; Gori, Andrea; Matteelli, Alberto; Codecasa, Luigi; Franzetti, Fabio

2015-12-01

Recurrence of tuberculosis (TB) can be the consequence of relapse or exogenous reinfection. The study aimed to assess the factors associated with exogenous TB reinfection. Prospective cohort study based on the TB database, maintained at the Division of Infectious Diseases, Luigi Sacco Hospital (Milan, Italy). Time period: 1995-2010. (1) ≥2 episodes of culture-confirmed TB; (2) cure of the first episode of TB; (3) availability of one Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolate for each episode. Genotyping of the M. tuberculosis strains to differentiate relapse and exogenous reinfection. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the influence of risk factors on exogenous reinfections. Of the 4682 patients with TB, 83 were included. Of these, exogenous reinfection was diagnosed in 19 (23 %). It was independently associated with absence of multidrug resistance at the first episode [0, 10 (0.01-0.95), p = 0.045] and with prolonged interval between the first TB episode and its recurrence [7.38 (1.92-28.32) p = 0.004]. However, TB relapses occurred until 4 years after the first episode. The risk associated with being foreign born, extrapulmonary site of TB, and HIV infection was not statistically significant. In the relapse and re-infection cohort, one-third of the patients showed a worsened drug resistance profile during the recurrent TB episode. Exogenous TB reinfections have been documented in low endemic areas, such as Italy. A causal association with HIV infection could not be confirmed. Relapses and exogenous reinfections shared an augmented risk of multidrug resistance development, frequently requiring the use of second-line anti-TB regimens.

Differential effects of exogenous and endogenous attention on second-order texture contrast sensitivity

PubMed Central

Barbot, Antoine; Landy, Michael S.; Carrasco, Marisa

2012-01-01

The visual system can use a rich variety of contours to segment visual scenes into distinct perceptually coherent regions. However, successfully segmenting an image is a computationally expensive process. Previously we have shown that exogenous attention—the more automatic, stimulus-driven component of spatial attention—helps extract contours by enhancing contrast sensitivity for second-order, texture-defined patterns at the attended location, while reducing sensitivity at unattended locations, relative to a neutral condition. Interestingly, the effects of exogenous attention depended on the second-order spatial frequency of the stimulus. At parafoveal locations, attention enhanced second-order contrast sensitivity to relatively high, but not to low second-order spatial frequencies. In the present study we investigated whether endogenous attention—the more voluntary, conceptually-driven component of spatial attention—affects second-order contrast sensitivity, and if so, whether its effects are similar to those of exogenous attention. To that end, we compared the effects of exogenous and endogenous attention on the sensitivity to second-order, orientation-defined, texture patterns of either high or low second-order spatial frequencies. The results show that, like exogenous attention, endogenous attention enhances second-order contrast sensitivity at the attended location and reduces it at unattended locations. However, whereas the effects of exogenous attention are a function of the second-order spatial frequency content, endogenous attention affected second-order contrast sensitivity independent of the second-order spatial frequency content. This finding supports the notion that both exogenous and endogenous attention can affect second-order contrast sensitivity, but that endogenous attention is more flexible, benefitting performance under different conditions. PMID:22895879

Reproductive factors, exogenous hormone use, and risk of pancreatic cancer in postmenopausal women.

PubMed

Kabat, Geoffrey C; Kamensky, Victor; Rohan, Thomas E

2017-08-01

The epidemiologic literature on menstrual and reproductive factors associated with pancreatic cancer has yielded weak and inconsistent evidence of an association. Furthermore, few cohort studies have examined the association of exogenous hormone use, including type and duration, with this disease. The aim of this study was to assess the association of these exposures with risk of pancreatic cancer in a large cohort of postmenopausal women. We used data from the Women's Health Initiative on 1003 cases of pancreatic cancer diagnosed among 158,298 participants over 14.3 years of follow-up. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for the associations of interest. Being parous vs. nulliparous was associated with reduced risk (HR=0.84, 95% CI 0.70-1.00), and women who had 1-2 and 3-4 births were at decreased risk compared to nulliparous women, whereas women who had >5 births showed no decrease in risk. Compared to women who gave birth between the ages of 20-29, women who gave birth at age 30 or above were at increased risk (HR 1.23, 95% CI 1.00-1.53, p for trend 0.003). Other reproductive factors and exogenous hormone use were not associated with risk. Together with the existing literature on this topic, our results suggest that reproductive and hormonal exposures are unlikely to play an important role in the etiology of pancreatic cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Endogenously and exogenously driven selective sustained attention: Contributions to learning in kindergarten children.

PubMed

Erickson, Lucy C; Thiessen, Erik D; Godwin, Karrie E; Dickerson, John P; Fisher, Anna V

2015-10-01

Selective sustained attention is vital for higher order cognition. Although endogenous and exogenous factors influence selective sustained attention, assessment of the degree to which these factors influence performance and learning is often challenging. We report findings from the Track-It task, a paradigm that aims to assess the contribution of endogenous and exogenous factors to selective sustained attention within the same task. Behavioral accuracy and eye-tracking data on the Track-It task were correlated with performance on an explicit learning task. Behavioral accuracy and fixations to distractors during the Track-It task did not predict learning when exogenous factors supported selective sustained attention. In contrast, when endogenous factors supported selective sustained attention, fixations to distractors were negatively correlated with learning. Similarly, when endogenous factors supported selective sustained attention, higher behavioral accuracy was correlated with greater learning. These findings suggest that endogenously and exogenously driven selective sustained attention, as measured through different conditions of the Track-It task, may support different kinds of learning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

CENTRAL SEROUS CHORIORETINOPATHY IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN RECEIVING EXOGENOUS TESTOSTERONE.

PubMed

Conway, Mandi D; Noble, Jason A; Peyman, Gholam A

2017-01-01

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSR) is a serous detachment of the neurosensory retina commonly associated with male sex, Type-A personality and corticosteroid use. Exogenous administration of androgens and development of CSR in men has been reported. Only one case of CSR in a postmenopausal woman receiving exogenous androgen therapy has been reported. The authors describe three cases of chronic CSR in postmenopausal women receiving exogenous testosterone therapy. Diagnosis was based on characteristic clinical, fluorescein angiographic, and optical coherence tomography findings. The three women were being treated with exogenous testosterone and progesterone therapy for symptoms of menopause and libido loss. Average age at presentation was 54.7 years (53-56 years), average duration of exogenous androgen use was 61 months (36-87 months), with average 19.7-month follow-up. Resolution of symptoms seemed correlated with cessation of androgen use despite treatment with oscillatory photodynamic therapy and intravitreal pharmacotherapy with antivascular endothelial growth factor agents. Exogenous testosterone is increasingly prescribed for menopausal symptoms and libido loss. Treatment with oscillatory photodynamic therapy, supplemental bevacizumab intravitreal pharmacotherapy, and cessation of exogenous androgen therapy was successful in three cases of chronic, therapy-resistant CSR. Ophthalmologists should inquire about androgen usage in patients who present with CSR, especially in the setting of therapy resistance.

Flow cytometric sex sorting affects CD4 membrane distribution and binding of exogenous DNA on bovine sperm cells.

PubMed

Domingues, William Borges; da Silveira, Tony Leandro Rezende; Komninou, Eliza Rossi; Monte, Leonardo Garcia; Remião, Mariana Härter; Dellagostin, Odir Antônio; Corcini, Carine Dahl; Varela Junior, Antônio Sergio; Seixas, Fabiana Kömmling; Collares, Tiago; Campos, Vinicius Farias

2017-08-01

Bovine sex-sorted sperm have been commercialized and successfully used for the production of transgenic embryos of the desired sex through the sperm-mediated gene transfer (SMGT) technique. However, sex-sorted sperm show a reduced ability to internalize exogenous DNA. The interaction between sperm cells and the exogenous DNA has been reported in other species to be a CD4-like molecule-dependent process. The flow cytometry-based sex-sorting process subjects the spermatozoa to different stresses causing changes in the cell membrane. The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship between the redistribution of CD4-like molecules and binding of exogenous DNA to sex-sorted bovine sperm. In the first set of experiments, the membrane phospholipid disorder and the redistribution of the CD4 were evaluated. The second set of experiments was conducted to investigate the effect of CD4 redistribution on the mechanism of binding of exogenous DNA to sperm cells and the efficiency of lipofection in sex-sorted bovine sperm. Sex-sorting procedure increased the membrane phospholipid disorder and induced the redistribution of CD4-like molecules. Both X-sorted and Y-sorted sperm had decreased DNA bound to membrane in comparison with the unsorted sperm; however, the binding of the exogenous DNA was significantly increased with the addition of liposomes. Moreover, we demonstrated that the number of sperm-bound exogenous DNA was decreased when these cells were preincubated with anti-bovine CD4 monoclonal antibody, supporting our hypothesis that CD4-like molecules indeed play a crucial role in the process of exogenous DNA/bovine sperm cells interaction.

[Inhibitory effect of exogenous insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 on proliferation of human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-453 and its mechanism].

PubMed

Yuan, Lei; Fan, Wen-Juan; Yang, Xu-Guang; Rao, Shu-Mei; Song, Jin-Ling; Song, Guo-Hua

2013-10-25

The present study was to investigate the effects of exogenous insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) on the proliferation of human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-453 and its possible mechanism. By means of MTT method in vitro, the results showed exogenous IGFBP7 inhibited the growth of MDA-MB-453 cells (IC50 of IGFBP7 = 8.49 μg/mL) in time- and concentration-dependent manner. SB203580, p38(MAPK) inhibitor, blocked the anti-proliferative effect of exogenous IGFBP7. The flow cytometry assay showed that exogenous IGFBP7 remarkably induced G0/G1 arrest in MDA-MB-453 cells. The Western blot showed that exogenous IGFBP7 promoted phosphorylation of p38(MAPK), up-regulated expression of p21(CIP1/WAF1), and inhibited phosphorylation of Rb. SB203580 restrained exogenous IGFBP7-induced regulation of p21(CIP1/WAF1) and p-Rb in MDA-MB-453 cells. In conclusion, the present study suggests that exogenous IGFBP7 could activate the p38(MAPK) signaling pathway, upregulate p21(CIP1/WAF1) expression, inhibit phosphorylation of Rb, and finally induce G0/G1 arrest in MDA-MB-453 cells.

Exogenous γ-aminobutyric acid treatment affects citrate and amino acid accumulation to improve fruit quality and storage performance of postharvest citrus fruit.

PubMed

Sheng, Ling; Shen, Dandan; Luo, Yi; Sun, Xiaohua; Wang, Jinqiu; Luo, Tao; Zeng, Yunliu; Xu, Juan; Deng, Xiuxin; Cheng, Yunjiang

2017-02-01

The loss of organic acids during postharvest storage is one of the major factors that reduces the fruit quality and economic value of citrus. Citrate is the most important organic acid in citrus fruits. Molecular evidence has proved that γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) shunt plays a key role in citrate metabolism. Here, we investigated the effects of exogenous GABA treatment on citrate metabolism and storage quality of postharvest citrus fruit. The content of citrate was significantly increased, which was primarily attributed to the inhibition of the expression of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD). Amino acids, including glutamate, alanine, serine, aspartate and proline, were also increased. Moreover, GABA treatment decreased the fruit rot rate. The activities of antioxidant enzymes and the content of energy source ATP were affected by the treatment. Our results indicate that GABA treatment is a very effective approach for postharvest quality maintenance and improvement of storage performance in citrus production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

One-shot exogenous interventions increase subsequent coordination in Denmark, Spain and Ghana

PubMed Central

Thorsen, Bo Jellesmark

2017-01-01

Everyday, we are bombarded with periodic, exogenous appeals and instructions on how to behave. How do these appeals and instructions affect subsequent coordination? Using experimental methods, we investigate how a one-time exogenous instruction affects subsequent coordination among individuals in a lab. Participants play a minimum effort game repeated 5 times under fixed matching with a one-time behavioral instruction in either the first or second round. Since coordination behavior may vary across countries, we run experiments in Denmark, Spain and Ghana, and map cross-country rankings in coordination with known national measures of fractualization, uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation. Our results show that exogenous interventions increase subsequent coordination, with earlier interventions yielding better coordination than later interventions. We also find that cross-country rankings in coordination map with published national measures of fractualization, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation. PMID:29145411

One-shot exogenous interventions increase subsequent coordination in Denmark, Spain and Ghana.

PubMed

Abatayo, Anna Lou; Thorsen, Bo Jellesmark

2017-01-01

Everyday, we are bombarded with periodic, exogenous appeals and instructions on how to behave. How do these appeals and instructions affect subsequent coordination? Using experimental methods, we investigate how a one-time exogenous instruction affects subsequent coordination among individuals in a lab. Participants play a minimum effort game repeated 5 times under fixed matching with a one-time behavioral instruction in either the first or second round. Since coordination behavior may vary across countries, we run experiments in Denmark, Spain and Ghana, and map cross-country rankings in coordination with known national measures of fractualization, uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation. Our results show that exogenous interventions increase subsequent coordination, with earlier interventions yielding better coordination than later interventions. We also find that cross-country rankings in coordination map with published national measures of fractualization, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation.

Do endogenous and exogenous action control compete for perception?

PubMed

Pfister, Roland; Heinemann, Alexander; Kiesel, Andrea; Thomaschke, Roland; Janczyk, Markus

2012-04-01

Human actions are guided either by endogenous action plans or by external stimuli in the environment. These two types of action control seem to be mediated by neurophysiologically and functionally distinct systems that interfere if an endogenously planned action suddenly has to be performed in response to an exogenous stimulus. In this case, the endogenous representation has to be deactivated first to give way to the exogenous system. Here we show that interference of endogenous and exogenous action control is not limited to motor-related aspects but also affects the perception of action-related stimuli. Participants associated two actions with contingent sensory effects in learning blocks. In subsequent test blocks, preparing one of these actions specifically impaired responding to the associated effect in an exogenous speeded detection task, yielding a blindness-like effect for arbitrary, learned action effects. In accordance with the theory of event coding, this finding suggests that action planning influences perception even in the absence of any physical similarities between action and to-be-perceived stimuli.

Exogenous temporal cues enhance recognition memory in an object-based manner.

PubMed

Ohyama, Junji; Watanabe, Katsumi

2010-11-01

Exogenous attention enhances the perception of attended items in both a space-based and an object-based manner. Exogenous attention also improves recognition memory for attended items in the space-based mode. However, it has not been examined whether object-based exogenous attention enhances recognition memory. To address this issue, we examined whether a sudden visual change in a task-irrelevant stimulus (an exogenous cue) would affect participants' recognition memory for items that were serially presented around a cued time. The results showed that recognition accuracy for an item was strongly enhanced when the visual cue occurred at the same location and time as the item (Experiments 1 and 2). The memory enhancement effect occurred when the exogenous visual cue and an item belonged to the same object (Experiments 3 and 4) and even when the cue was counterpredictive of the timing of an item to be asked about (Experiment 5). The present study suggests that an exogenous temporal cue automatically enhances the recognition accuracy for an item that is presented at close temporal proximity to the cue and that recognition memory enhancement occurs in an object-based manner.

Exogenous ethylene inhibits sprout growth in onion bulbs.

PubMed

Bufler, Gebhard

2009-01-01

Exogenous ethylene has recently gained commercial interest as a sprouting inhibitor of onion bulbs. The role of ethylene in dormancy and sprouting of onions, however, is not known. A cultivar (Allium cepa 'Copra') with a true period of dormancy was used. Dormant and sprouting states of onion bulbs were treated with supposedly saturating doses of ethylene or with the ethylene-action inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). Initial sprouting was determined during storage at 18 degrees C by monitoring leaf blade elongation in a specific size class of leaf sheaths. Changes in ATP content and sucrose synthase activity in the sprout leaves, indicators of the sprouting state, were determined. CO(2) and ethylene production of onion bulbs during storage were recorded. Exogenous ethylene suppressed sprout growth of both dormant and already sprouting onion bulbs by inhibiting leaf blade elongation. In contrast to this growth-inhibiting effect, ethylene stimulated CO(2) production by the bulbs about 2-fold. The duration of dormancy was not significantly affected by exogenous ethylene. However, treatment of dormant bulbs with 1-MCP caused premature sprouting. Exogenous ethylene proved to be a powerful inhibitor of sprout growth in onion bulbs. The dormancy breaking effect of 1-MCP indicates a regulatory role of endogenous ethylene in onion bulb dormancy.

A novel pathway to detect and cope with exogenous dsDNA.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Shouhei; Haraguchi, Tokuko

2015-01-01

How a living cell responds to exogenous materials is one of the fundamental questions in the life sciences. In particular, understanding the mechanisms by which a cell recognizes exogenous double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) is important for immunology research because it will facilitate the control of pathogen infections that entail the presence of exogenous dsDNA in the cytoplasm of host cells. Several cytosolic dsDNA sensor proteins that trigger innate immune responses have been identified and the downstream signaling pathways have been investigated. However, the events that occur at the site of exogenous dsDNA when it is exposed to the cytosol of the host cell remain unknown. Using dsDNA-coated polystyrene beads incorporated into living cells, we recently found that barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF) binds to the exogenous dsDNA immediately after its appearance in the cytosol and plays a role in DNA avoidance of autophagy. Our findings reveal a novel pathway in which BAF plays a key role in the detection of and response to exogenous dsDNA.

Exogenous transforming growth factor-β1 enhances smooth muscle differentiation in embryonic mouse jejunal explants.

PubMed

Coletta, Riccardo; Roberts, Neil A; Randles, Michael J; Morabito, Antonino; Woolf, Adrian S

2017-01-13

An ex vivo experimental strategy that replicates in vivo intestinal development would in theory provide an accessible setting with which to study normal and dysmorphic gut biology. The current authors recently described a system in which mouse embryonic jejunal segments were explanted onto semipermeable platforms and fed with chemically defined serum-free media. Over 3 days in organ culture, explants formed villi and they began to undergo spontaneous peristalsis. As defined in the current study, the wall of the explanted gut failed to form a robust longitudinal smooth muscle (SM) layer as it would do in vivo over the same time period. Given the role of transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) in SM differentiation in other organs, it was hypothesized that exogenous TGFβ1 would enhance SM differentiation in these explants. In vivo, TGFβ receptors I and II were both detected in embryonic longitudinal jejunal SM cells and, in organ culture, exogenous TGFβ1 induced robust differentiation of longitudinal SM. Microarray profiling showed that TGFβ1 increased SM specific transcripts in a dose dependent manner. TGFβ1 proteins were detected in amniotic fluid at a time when the intestine was physiologically herniated. By analogy with the requirement for exogenous TGFβ1 for SM differentiation in organ culture, the TGFβ1 protein that was demonstrated to be present in the amniotic fluid may enhance intestinal development when it is physiologically herniated in early gestation. Future studies of embryonic intestinal cultures should include TGFβ1 in the defined media to produce a more faithful model of in vivo muscle differentiation. Copyright © 2017 The Authors Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 The Authors Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Exogenous Social Identity Cues Differentially Affect the Dynamic Tracking of Individual Target Faces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Roy; Gabbert, Fiona

2013-01-01

We report on an experiment to investigate the top-down effect of exogenous social identity cues on a multiple-identity tracking task, a paradigm well suited to investigate the processes of binding identity to spatial locations. Here we simulated an eyewitness event in which dynamic targets, all to be tracked with equal effort, were identified from…

Rational selection and engineering of exogenous principal sigma factor (σHrdB) to increase teicoplanin production in an industrial strain of Actinoplanes teichomyceticus

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Transcriptional engineering has presented a strong ability of phenotypic improvement in microorganisms. However, it could not be directly applied to Actinoplanes teichomyceticus L-27 because of the paucity of endogenous transcription factors in the strain. In this study, exogenous transcription factors were rationally selected and transcriptional engineering was carried out to increase the productivity of teicoplanin in L-27. Results It was illuminated that the σHrdB molecules shared strong similarity of amino acid sequences among some genera of actinomycetes. Combining this advantage with the ability of transcriptional engineering, exogenous sigma factor σHrdB molecules were rationally selected and engineered to improve L-27. hrdB genes from Actinoplanes missouriensis 431, Micromonospora aurantiaca ATCC 27029 and Salinispora arenicola CNS-205 were selected based on molecular evolutionary analysis. Random mutagenesis, DNA shuffling and point mutation were subsequently performed to generate diversified mutants. A recombinant was identified through screening program, yielding 5.3 mg/ml of teicoplanin, over 2-fold compared to that of L-27. More significantly, the engineered strain presented a good performance in 500-l pilot scale fermentation, which meant its valuable potential application in industry. Conclusions Through rational selection and engineering of exogenous transcriptional factor, we have extended the application of transcriptional engineering. To our knowledge, it is the first time to focus on the related issue. In addition, possessing the advantage of efficient metabolic perturbation in transcription level, this strategy could be useful in analyzing metabolic and physiological mechanisms of strains, especially those with the only information on taxonomy. PMID:24428890

Rational selection and engineering of exogenous principal sigma factor (σ(HrdB)) to increase teicoplanin production in an industrial strain of Actinoplanes teichomyceticus.

PubMed

Wang, Haiyong; Yang, Liu; Wu, Kuo; Li, Guanghui

2014-01-16

Transcriptional engineering has presented a strong ability of phenotypic improvement in microorganisms. However, it could not be directly applied to Actinoplanes teichomyceticus L-27 because of the paucity of endogenous transcription factors in the strain. In this study, exogenous transcription factors were rationally selected and transcriptional engineering was carried out to increase the productivity of teicoplanin in L-27. It was illuminated that the σ(HrdB) molecules shared strong similarity of amino acid sequences among some genera of actinomycetes. Combining this advantage with the ability of transcriptional engineering, exogenous sigma factor σ(HrdB) molecules were rationally selected and engineered to improve L-27. hrdB genes from Actinoplanes missouriensis 431, Micromonospora aurantiaca ATCC 27029 and Salinispora arenicola CNS-205 were selected based on molecular evolutionary analysis. Random mutagenesis, DNA shuffling and point mutation were subsequently performed to generate diversified mutants. A recombinant was identified through screening program, yielding 5.3 mg/ml of teicoplanin, over 2-fold compared to that of L-27. More significantly, the engineered strain presented a good performance in 500-l pilot scale fermentation, which meant its valuable potential application in industry. Through rational selection and engineering of exogenous transcriptional factor, we have extended the application of transcriptional engineering. To our knowledge, it is the first time to focus on the related issue. In addition, possessing the advantage of efficient metabolic perturbation in transcription level, this strategy could be useful in analyzing metabolic and physiological mechanisms of strains, especially those with the only information on taxonomy.

The AP2/ERF Transcription Factor DRNL Modulates Gynoecium Development and Affects Its Response to Cytokinin.

PubMed

Durán-Medina, Yolanda; Serwatowska, Joanna; Reyes-Olalde, J Irepan; de Folter, Stefan; Marsch-Martínez, Nayelli

2017-01-01

The gynoecium is the female reproductive system in flowering plants. It is a complex structure formed by different tissues, some that are essential for reproduction and others that facilitate the fertilization process and nurture and protect the developing seeds. The coordinated development of these different tissues during the formation of the gynoecium is important for reproductive success. Both hormones and genetic regulators guide the development of the different tissues. Auxin and cytokinin in particular have been found to play important roles in this process. On the other hand, the AP2/ERF2 transcription factor BOL/DRNL/ESR2/SOB is expressed at very early stages of aerial organ formation and has been proposed to be a marker for organ founder cells. In this work, we found that this gene is also expressed at later stages during gynoecium development, particularly at the lateral regions (the region related to the valves of the ovary). The loss of DRNL function affects gynoecium development. Some of the mutant phenotypes present similarities to those observed in plants treated with exogenous cytokinins, and AHP6 has been previously proposed to be a target of DRNL. Therefore, we explored the response of drnl-2 developing gynoecia to cytokinins, and found that the loss of DRNL function affects the response of the gynoecium to exogenously applied cytokinins in a developmental-stage-dependent manner. In summary, this gene participates during gynoecium development, possibly through the dynamic modulation of cytokinin homeostasis and response.

The AP2/ERF Transcription Factor DRNL Modulates Gynoecium Development and Affects Its Response to Cytokinin

PubMed Central

Durán-Medina, Yolanda; Serwatowska, Joanna; Reyes-Olalde, J. Irepan; de Folter, Stefan; Marsch-Martínez, Nayelli

2017-01-01

The gynoecium is the female reproductive system in flowering plants. It is a complex structure formed by different tissues, some that are essential for reproduction and others that facilitate the fertilization process and nurture and protect the developing seeds. The coordinated development of these different tissues during the formation of the gynoecium is important for reproductive success. Both hormones and genetic regulators guide the development of the different tissues. Auxin and cytokinin in particular have been found to play important roles in this process. On the other hand, the AP2/ERF2 transcription factor BOL/DRNL/ESR2/SOB is expressed at very early stages of aerial organ formation and has been proposed to be a marker for organ founder cells. In this work, we found that this gene is also expressed at later stages during gynoecium development, particularly at the lateral regions (the region related to the valves of the ovary). The loss of DRNL function affects gynoecium development. Some of the mutant phenotypes present similarities to those observed in plants treated with exogenous cytokinins, and AHP6 has been previously proposed to be a target of DRNL. Therefore, we explored the response of drnl-2 developing gynoecia to cytokinins, and found that the loss of DRNL function affects the response of the gynoecium to exogenously applied cytokinins in a developmental-stage-dependent manner. In summary, this gene participates during gynoecium development, possibly through the dynamic modulation of cytokinin homeostasis and response. PMID:29123539

Exogenous ethylene inhibits sprout growth in onion bulbs

PubMed Central

Bufler, Gebhard

2009-01-01

Background and Aims Exogenous ethylene has recently gained commercial interest as a sprouting inhibitor of onion bulbs. The role of ethylene in dormancy and sprouting of onions, however, is not known. Methods A cultivar (Allium cepa ‘Copra’) with a true period of dormancy was used. Dormant and sprouting states of onion bulbs were treated with supposedly saturating doses of ethylene or with the ethylene-action inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). Initial sprouting was determined during storage at 18 °C by monitoring leaf blade elongation in a specific size class of leaf sheaths. Changes in ATP content and sucrose synthase activity in the sprout leaves, indicators of the sprouting state, were determined. CO2 and ethylene production of onion bulbs during storage were recorded. Key results Exogenous ethylene suppressed sprout growth of both dormant and already sprouting onion bulbs by inhibiting leaf blade elongation. In contrast to this growth-inhibiting effect, ethylene stimulated CO2 production by the bulbs about 2-fold. The duration of dormancy was not significantly affected by exogenous ethylene. However, treatment of dormant bulbs with 1-MCP caused premature sprouting. Conclusions Exogenous ethylene proved to be a powerful inhibitor of sprout growth in onion bulbs. The dormancy breaking effect of 1-MCP indicates a regulatory role of endogenous ethylene in onion bulb dormancy. PMID:18940850

[The role of exogenous factors in the etiology of congenital hip dislocation: a socio-epidemiologic study].

PubMed

Drimal, J

1989-10-01

The authors present in their work the results of the analysis of the relation between congenital dislocation of vertebral joints and social factors which they have found out in 120 children singled out of 9516 live-born children in the Martin district (Slovakia) in the period 1979-1983. The investigation of social factors has been based on the analysis of socioeconomic and social conditions of the Martin district which has no regional particularities. According to their results the share of exogenous factors in the origin and development of this disease is manifested more frequently in the first-borns (having the highest representation in the examined group). On the top of the list of social indices, which they have examined in primiparae and multiparae respectively, there are unsuitable housing conditions (living in discord with mother-in-law in the same house-hold), high percentage of impregnation before marriage which can be considered a strain and longterm conflicting situation and can have together with other factors a sociopathogenetic effect.

Laterally confined growth of cells induces nuclear reprogramming in the absence of exogenous biochemical factors.

PubMed

Roy, Bibhas; Venkatachalapathy, Saradha; Ratna, Prasuna; Wang, Yejun; Jokhun, Doorgesh Sharma; Nagarajan, Mallika; Shivashankar, G V

2018-05-22

Cells in tissues undergo transdifferentiation programs when stimulated by specific mechanical and biochemical signals. While seminal studies have demonstrated that exogenous biochemical factors can reprogram somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells, the critical roles played by mechanical signals in such reprogramming process have not been well documented. In this paper, we show that laterally confined growth of fibroblasts on micropatterned substrates induces nuclear reprogramming with high efficiency in the absence of any exogenous reprogramming factors. We provide compelling evidence on the induction of stem cell-like properties using alkaline phosphatase assays and expression of pluripotent markers. Early onset of reprogramming was accompanied with enhanced nuclear dynamics and changes in chromosome intermingling degrees, potentially facilitating rewiring of the genome. Time-lapse analysis of promoter occupancy by immunoprecipitation of H3K9Ac chromatin fragments revealed that epithelial, proliferative, and reprogramming gene promoters were progressively acetylated, while mesenchymal promoters were deacetylated by 10 days. Consistently, RNA sequencing analysis showed a systematic progression from mesenchymal to stem cell transcriptome, highlighting pathways involving mechanisms underlying nuclear reprogramming. We then demonstrated that these mechanically reprogrammed cells could be maintained as stem cells and can be redifferentiated into multiple lineages with high efficiency. Importantly, we also demonstrate the induction of cancer stemness properties in MCF7 cells grown in such laterally confined conditions. Collectively, our results highlight an important generic property of somatic cells that, when grown in laterally confined conditions, acquire stemness. Such mechanical reprogramming of somatic cells demonstrated here has important implications in tissue regeneration and disease models. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Exogenous testosterone enhances cortisol and affective responses to social-evaluative stress in dominant men.

PubMed

Knight, Erik L; Christian, Colton B; Morales, Pablo J; Harbaugh, William T; Mayr, Ulrich; Mehta, Pranjal H

2017-11-01

Stress often precedes the onset of mental health disorders and is linked to negative impacts on physical health as well. Prior research indicates that testosterone levels are related to reduced stress reactivity in some cases but correlate with increased stress responses in other cases. To resolve these inconsistencies, we tested the causal influence of testosterone on stress reactivity to a social-evaluative stressor. Further, prior work has failed to consider status-relevant individual differences such as trait dominance that may modulate the influence of testosterone on responses to stressors. Participants (n=120 males) were randomly assigned to receive exogenous testosterone or placebo (n=60 testosterone treatment group) via topical gel prior to a well-validated social-evaluative stressor. Compared to placebo, testosterone significantly increased cortisol and negative affect in response to the stressor, especially for men high in trait dominance (95% confidence intervals did not contain zero). The findings suggest that the combination of high testosterone and exposure to status-relevant social stress may confer increased risk for stress-mediated disorders, particularly for individuals high in trait dominance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exogenous (automatic) attention to emotional stimuli: a review.

PubMed

Carretié, Luis

2014-12-01

Current knowledge on the architecture of exogenous attention (also called automatic, bottom-up, or stimulus-driven attention, among other terms) has been mainly obtained from studies employing neutral, anodyne stimuli. Since, from an evolutionary perspective, exogenous attention can be understood as an adaptive tool for rapidly detecting salient events, reorienting processing resources to them, and enhancing processing mechanisms, emotional events (which are, by definition, salient for the individual) would seem crucial to a comprehensive understanding of this process. This review, focusing on the visual modality, describes 55 experiments in which both emotional and neutral irrelevant distractors are presented at the same time as ongoing task targets. Qualitative and, when possible, meta-analytic descriptions of results are provided. The most conspicuous result is that, as confirmed by behavioral and/or neural indices, emotional distractors capture exogenous attention to a significantly greater extent than do neutral distractors. The modulatory effects of the nature of distractors capturing attention, of the ongoing task characteristics, and of individual differences, previously proposed as mediating factors, are also described. Additionally, studies reviewed here provide temporal and spatial information-partially absent in traditional cognitive models-on the neural basis of preattention/evaluation, reorienting, and sensory amplification, the main subprocesses involved in exogenous attention. A model integrating these different levels of information is proposed. The present review, which reveals that there are several key issues for which experimental data are surprisingly scarce, confirms the relevance of including emotional distractors in studies on exogenous attention.

The role of exogenic factors in the formation of the lunar surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Florenskiy, K. P.; Bazilevskiy, A. T.; Ivanov, A. V.

1977-01-01

The formation of the surface of planetary bodies is determined by the interaction of endogenic and exogenic forces. Clarification of the mutual role of these forces is one of the most important trends in the geological sciences.

S-ketamine influences strategic allocation of attention but not exogenous capture of attention.

PubMed

Fuchs, Isabella; Ansorge, Ulrich; Huber-Huber, Christoph; Höflich, Anna; Lanzenberger, Rupert

2015-09-01

We investigated whether s-ketamine differentially affects strategic allocation of attention. In Experiment 1, (1) a less visible cue was weakly masked by the onsets of competing placeholders or (2) a better visible cue was not masked because it was presented in isolation. Both types of cue appeared more often opposite of the target (75%) than at target position (25%). With this setup, we tested for strategic attention shifts to the opposite side of the cues and for exogenous attentional capture toward the cue's side in a short cue-target interval, as well as for (reverse) cueing effects in a long cue-target interval after s-ketamine and after placebo treatment in a double-blind within-participant design. We found reduced strategic attention shifts after cues presented without placeholders for the s-ketamine compared to the placebo treatment in the short interval, indicating an early effect on the strategic allocation of attention. No differences between the two treatments were found for exogenous attentional capture by less visible cues, suggesting that s-ketamine does not affect exogenous attentional capture in the presence of competing distractors. Experiment 2 confirmed that the competing onsets of the placeholders prevented the strategic cueing effect. Taken together, the results indicate that s-ketamine affects strategic attentional capture, but not exogenous attentional capture. The findings point to a more prominent role of s-ketamine during top-down controlled forms of attention that require suppression of automatic capture than during automatic capture itself. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exogenous fatty acid metabolism in bacteria.

PubMed

Yao, Jiangwei; Rock, Charles O

2017-10-01

Bacterial type II fatty acid synthesis (FASII) is a target for novel antibiotic development. All bacteria encode for mechanisms to incorporate exogenous fatty acids, and some bacteria can use exogenous fatty acids to bypass FASII inhibition. Bacteria encode three different mechanisms for activating exogenous fatty acids for incorporation into phospholipid synthesis. Exogenous fatty acids are converted into acyl-CoA in Gammaproteobacteria such as E. coli. Acyl-CoA molecules constitute a separate pool from endogenously synthesized acyl-ACP. Acyl-CoA can be used for phospholipid synthesis or broken down by β-oxidation, but cannot be used for lipopolysaccharide synthesis. Exogenous fatty acids are converted into acyl-ACP in some Gram-negative bacteria. The resulting acyl-ACP undergoes the same fates as endogenously synthesized acyl-ACP. Exogenous fatty acids are converted into acyl-phosphates in Gram-positive bacteria, and can be used for phospholipid synthesis or become acyl-ACP. Only the order Lactobacillales can use exogenous fatty acids to bypass FASII inhibition. FASII shuts down completely in presence of exogenous fatty acids in Lactobacillales, allowing Lactobacillales to synthesize phospholipids entirely from exogenous fatty acids. Inhibition of FASII cannot be bypassed in other bacteria because FASII is only partially down-regulated in presence of exogenous fatty acid or FASII is required to synthesize essential metabolites such as β-hydroxyacyl-ACP. Certain selective pressures such as FASII inhibition or growth in biofilms can select for naturally occurring one step mutations that attenuate endogenous fatty acid synthesis. Although attempts have been made to estimate the natural prevalence of these mutants, culture-independent metagenomic methods would provide a better estimate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and Société Française de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire (SFBBM). All rights reserved.

Exogenous Oct-4 Inhibits Lens Transdifferentiation in the Newt Notophthalmus viridescens

PubMed Central

Bhavsar, Rital B.; Tsonis, Panagiotis A.

2014-01-01

From the cocktail of four factors that were able to induce pluripotent stem cells from differentiated cells, Oct-4, c-Myc, Sox-2 and Klf4, only Oct-4 was not expressed during regeneration in newts. To explore the possible action of this stemness factor we developed an assay where we introduced exogenous Oct-4 protein to an in vitro system for lens regeneration in newts. We found that exogenous Oct-4 inhibits differentiation of iris pigmented epithelial cells into lens cells and also regulates Sox-2 and Pax-6, both important players during lens development. Thus, presence of Oct-4 hinders transdifferentiation of iris cells. PMID:25019378

Exogenous Thyropin from p41 Invariant Chain Diminishes Cysteine Protease Activity and Affects IL-12 Secretion during Maturation of Human Dendritic Cells

PubMed Central

Zavašnik-Bergant, Tina; Bergant Marušič, Martina

2016-01-01

Dendritic cells (DC) play a pivotal role as antigen presenting cells (APC) and their maturation is crucial for effectively eliciting an antigen-specific immune response. The p41 splice variant of MHC class II-associated chaperone, called invariant chain p41 Ii, contains an amino acid sequence, the p41 fragment, which is a thyropin-type inhibitor of proteolytic enzymes. The effects of exogenous p41 fragment and related thyropin inhibitors acting on human immune cells have not been reported yet. In this study we demonstrate that exogenous p41 fragment can enter the endocytic pathway of targeted human immature DC. Internalized p41 fragment has contributed to the total amount of the immunogold labelled p41 Ii-specific epitope, as quantified by transmission electron microscopy, in particular in late endocytic compartments with multivesicular morphology where antigen processing and binding to MHC II take place. In cell lysates of treated immature DC, diminished enzymatic activity of cysteine proteases has been confirmed. Internalized exogenous p41 fragment did not affect the perinuclear clustering of acidic cathepsin S-positive vesicles typical of mature DC. p41 fragment is shown to interfere with the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 subunit in LPS-stimulated DC. p41 fragment is also shown to reduce the secretion of interleukin-12 (IL-12/p70) during the subsequent maturation of treated DC. The inhibition of proteolytic activity of lysosomal cysteine proteases in immature DC and the diminished capability of DC to produce IL-12 upon their subsequent maturation support the immunomodulatory potential of the examined thyropin from p41 Ii. PMID:26960148

Factors affecting use of word-of-mouth by dental patients.

PubMed

Jung, Yun-Sook; Yang, Hae-Young; Choi, Youn-Hee; Kim, Eun-Kyong; Jeong, Seong-Hwa; Cho, Min-Jeong; Nam, Soon-Hyeun; Song, Keun-Bae

2018-03-23

Word-of-mouth (WOM) refers to communication among consumers, which greatly influences the marketing strategies of dental clinics. This study aimed to explore factors that affect use of WOM by dental patients and to analyse their pathways. The participants were 520 outpatients from four private dental clinics. Data were obtained from a survey using self-reported questionnaires, which included questions regarding seven latent variables: five exogenous variables, including medical service quality (physical environment, customer service, patient relationship quality) and individual characteristic variables (opinion leader tendency, social hub tendency); and two endogenous variables (intention to recommend, WOM experience). Statistical analysis was performed using structural equation modelling. Significant associations were found in the pathways between relationship quality and intention to recommend, intention to recommend and WOM, and opinion leader tendency and WOM (P < 0.001). Higher patient relationship quality and higher intention to recommend were related to positive WOM, as was higher opinion leader tendency. Improving patient relationship quality can promote positive WOM for dental clinics. Strategies are needed to promote a positive perception of dental clinics by effectively responding to the views of patients with strong opinion leader tendencies. © 2018 FDI World Dental Federation.

Exogenous attention enhances 2nd-order contrast sensitivity

PubMed Central

Barbot, Antoine; Landy, Michael S.; Carrasco, Marisa

2011-01-01

Natural scenes contain a rich variety of contours that the visual system extracts to segregrate the retinal image into perceptually coherent regions. Covert spatial attention helps extract contours by enhancing contrast sensitivity for 1st-order, luminance-defined patterns at attended locations, while reducing sensitivity at unattended locations, relative to neutral attention allocation. However, humans are also sensitive to 2nd-order patterns such as spatial variations of texture, which are predominant in natural scenes and cannot be detected by linear mechanisms. We assess whether and how exogenous attention—the involuntary and transient capture of spatial attention—affects the contrast sensitivity of channels sensitive to 2nd-order, texture-defined patterns. Using 2nd-order, texture-defined stimuli, we demonstrate that exogenous attention increases 2nd-order contrast sensitivity at the attended location, while decreasing it at unattended locations, relative to a neutral condition. By manipulating both 1st- and 2nd-order spatial frequency, we find that the effects of attention depend both on 2nd-order spatial frequency of the stimulus and the observer’s 2nd-order spatial resolution at the target location. At parafoveal locations, attention enhances 2nd-order contrast sensitivity to high, but not to low 2nd-order spatial frequencies; at peripheral locations attention also enhances sensitivity to low 2nd-order spatial frequencies. Control experiments rule out the possibility that these effects might be due to an increase in contrast sensitivity at the 1st-order stage of visual processing. Thus, exogenous attention affects 2nd-order contrast sensitivity at both attended and unattended locations. PMID:21356228

Gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) concentrations in humans and factors affecting endogenous production.

PubMed

Elliott, Simon P

2003-04-23

The endogenous nature of the drug of abuse gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) has caused various interpretative problems for toxicologists. In order to obtain data for the presence of endogenous GHB in humans and to investigate any factors that may affect this, a volunteer study was undertaken. The GHB concentrations in 119 urine specimens from GHB-free subjects and 25 urine specimens submitted for toxicological analysis showed maximal urinary GHB concentrations of 3mg/l. Analysis of 15 plasma specimens submitted for toxicological analysis detected no measurable GHB (less than 2.5mg/l). Studies in a male and female volunteer in which different dietary food groups were ingested at weekly intervals, showed significant creatinine-independent intra-individual fluctuation with overall urine GHB concentrations between 0 and 2.55, and 0 and 2.74mg/l, respectively. Urinary concentrations did not appear to be affected by the particular dietary groups studied. The concentrations measured by gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) lend further support to the proposed urinary and plasma interpretative cut-offs of 10 and 4mg/l, respectively, where below this it is not possible to determine whether any GHB detected is endogenous or exogenous in nature.

Feature integration and spatial attention: common processes for endogenous and exogenous orienting.

PubMed

Henderickx, David; Maetens, Kathleen; Soetens, Eric

2010-05-01

Briand (J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform 24:1243-1256, 1998) and Briand and Klein (J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform 13:228-241, 1987) demonstrated that spatial cueing effects are larger for detecting conjunction of features than for detecting simple features when spatial attention is oriented exogenously, and not when attention is oriented endogenously. Their results were interpreted as if only exogenous attention affects the posterior spatial attention system that performs the feature binding function attributed to spatial attention by Treisman's feature integration theory (FIT; 1980). In a series of 6 experiments, we attempted to replicate Briand's findings. Manipulations of distractor string size and symmetry of stimulus presentation left and right from fixation were implemented in Posner's cueing paradigm. The data indicate that both exogenous and endogenous cueing address the same attentional mechanism needed for feature binding. The results also limit the generalisability of Briand's proposal concerning the role of exogenous attention in feature integration. Furthermore, the importance to control the effect of unintended attentional capture in a cueing task is demonstrated.

Up-regulation of tumor suppressor genes by exogenous dhC16-Cer contributes to its anti-cancer activity in primary effusion lymphoma

PubMed Central

Lin, Zhen; Zabaleta, Jovanny; Dai, Lu; Qin, Zhiqiang

2017-01-01

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a rare and highly aggressive B-cell malignancy with Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) infection, while lack of effective therapies. Our recent data indicated that targeting the sphingolipid metabolism by either sphingosine kinase inhibitor or exogenous ceramide species induces PEL cell apoptosis and suppresses tumor progression in vivo. However, the underlying mechanisms for these exogenous ceramides “killing” PEL cells remain largely unknown. Based on the microarray analysis, we found that exogenous dhC16-Cer treatment affected the expression of many cellular genes with important functions within PEL cells such as regulation of cell cycle, cell survival/proliferation, and apoptosis/anti-apoptosis. Interestingly, we found that a subset of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) was up-regulated from dhC16-Cer treated PEL cells. One of these elevated TSGs, Thrombospondin-1 (THBS1) was required for dhC16-Cer induced PEL cell cycle arrest. Moreover, dhC16-Cer up-regulation of THBS1 was through the suppression of multiple KSHV microRNAs expression. Our data demonstrate that exogenous ceramides display anti-cancer activities for PEL through regulation of both host and oncogenic virus factors. PMID:28146424

Up-regulation of tumor suppressor genes by exogenous dhC16-Cer contributes to its anti-cancer activity in primary effusion lymphoma.

PubMed

Cao, Yueyu; Qiao, Jing; Lin, Zhen; Zabaleta, Jovanny; Dai, Lu; Qin, Zhiqiang

2017-02-28

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a rare and highly aggressive B-cell malignancy with Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) infection, while lack of effective therapies. Our recent data indicated that targeting the sphingolipid metabolism by either sphingosine kinase inhibitor or exogenous ceramide species induces PEL cell apoptosis and suppresses tumor progression in vivo. However, the underlying mechanisms for these exogenous ceramides "killing" PEL cells remain largely unknown. Based on the microarray analysis, we found that exogenous dhC16-Cer treatment affected the expression of many cellular genes with important functions within PEL cells such as regulation of cell cycle, cell survival/proliferation, and apoptosis/anti-apoptosis. Interestingly, we found that a subset of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) was up-regulated from dhC16-Cer treated PEL cells. One of these elevated TSGs, Thrombospondin-1 (THBS1) was required for dhC16-Cer induced PEL cell cycle arrest. Moreover, dhC16-Cer up-regulation of THBS1 was through the suppression of multiple KSHV microRNAs expression. Our data demonstrate that exogenous ceramides display anti-cancer activities for PEL through regulation of both host and oncogenic virus factors.

Factors affecting sign retroreflectivity

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-01-01

This study was undertaken to better understand the factors that may affect road sign retroreflectivity, specifically age and physical orientation. A better understanding of these factors could provide guidance to ODOT in managing its inventory of roa...

Stimulation of neurotrophic factors and inhibition of proinflammatory cytokines by exogenous application of triiodothyronine in the rat model of ischemic stroke.

PubMed

Sabbaghziarani, Fatemeh; Mortezaee, Keywan; Akbari, Mohammad; Kashani, Iraj Ragerdi; Soleimani, Mansooreh; Hassanzadeh, Gholamreza; Zendedel, Adib

2017-01-01

There is a positive relation between decreases of triiodothyronine (T3) amounts and severity of stroke. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of exogenous T3 application on levels of neurogenesis markers in the subventricular zone. Cerebral ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion in male Wistar rats. There were 4 experimental groups: sham, ischemic, vehicle, and treatment. Rats were injected with T3 (25 μg/kg, IV injection) at 24 hours after ischemia. Animals were sacrificed at day 7 after ischemia. There were high levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, nestin, and Sox2 expressions in gene and protein levels in the T3 treatment group (P ≤ .05 vs ischemic group). Treatment group showed high levels of sera T3 and thyroxine (T4) but low levels of thyrotropin (TSH), tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 (P ≤ .05 vs ischemic group) at day 4 after ischemia induction. Findings of this study revealed the effectiveness of exogenous T3 application in the improvement of neurogenesis possibly via regulation of proinflammatory cytokines. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Exogenous spatial attention decreases audiovisual integration.

PubMed

Van der Stoep, N; Van der Stigchel, S; Nijboer, T C W

2015-02-01

Multisensory integration (MSI) and spatial attention are both mechanisms through which the processing of sensory information can be facilitated. Studies on the interaction between spatial attention and MSI have mainly focused on the interaction between endogenous spatial attention and MSI. Most of these studies have shown that endogenously attending a multisensory target enhances MSI. It is currently unclear, however, whether and how exogenous spatial attention and MSI interact. In the current study, we investigated the interaction between these two important bottom-up processes in two experiments. In Experiment 1 the target location was task-relevant, and in Experiment 2 the target location was task-irrelevant. Valid or invalid exogenous auditory cues were presented before the onset of unimodal auditory, unimodal visual, and audiovisual targets. We observed reliable cueing effects and multisensory response enhancement in both experiments. To examine whether audiovisual integration was influenced by exogenous spatial attention, the amount of race model violation was compared between exogenously attended and unattended targets. In both Experiment 1 and Experiment 2, a decrease in MSI was observed when audiovisual targets were exogenously attended, compared to when they were not. The interaction between exogenous attention and MSI was less pronounced in Experiment 2. Therefore, our results indicate that exogenous attention diminishes MSI when spatial orienting is relevant. The results are discussed in terms of models of multisensory integration and attention.

Effects of exogenous agents on brain development: stress, abuse and therapeutic compounds.

PubMed

Archer, Trevor

2011-10-01

The range of exogenous agents likely to affect, generally detrimentally, the normal development of the brain and central nervous system defies estimation although the amount of accumulated evidence is enormous. The present review is limited to certain types of chemotherapeutic and "use-and-abuse" compounds and environmental agents, exemplified by anesthetic, antiepileptic, sleep-inducing and anxiolytic compounds, nicotine and alcohol, and stress as well as agents of infection; each of these agents have been investigated quite extensively and have been shown to contribute to the etiopathogenesis of serious neuropsychiatric disorders. To greater or lesser extent, all of the exogenous agents discussed in the present treatise have been investigated for their influence upon neurodevelopmental processes during the period of the brain growth spurt and during other phases uptill adulthood, thereby maintaining the notion of critical phases for the outcome of treatment whether prenatal, postnatal, or adolescent. Several of these agents have contributed to the developmental disruptions underlying structural and functional brain abnormalities that are observed in the symptom and biomarker profiles of the schizophrenia spectrum disorders and the fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. In each case, the effects of the exogenous agents upon the status of the affected brain, within defined parameters and conditions, is generally permanent and irreversible. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

[Complex hygiene evaluation of the influence of exogenous and endogenous factors on the occurance of urolithiasis in the children of the Primorye Territory].

PubMed

Koval'chuk, V K; Luchaninova, V N; Koldaev, V M

2005-01-01

The paper presents the results of a study of the influence of 43 exogenous and 14 endogenous factors on the occurrence of urolithiasis in children with regional features of the Primorye Territory being kept in mind. Multidimensional mathematical analysis was used to reveal continuous and intermittent risk factors of this disease. The authors show it necessary to take into account the findings in substantiating measures for primary prevention of urolithiasis among the children of the Primorye Territory.

Factors affecting construction performance: exploratory factor analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soewin, E.; Chinda, T.

2018-04-01

The present work attempts to develop a multidimensional performance evaluation framework for a construction company by considering all relevant measures of performance. Based on the previous studies, this study hypothesizes nine key factors, with a total of 57 associated items. The hypothesized factors, with their associated items, are then used to develop questionnaire survey to gather data. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was applied to the collected data which gave rise 10 factors with 57 items affecting construction performance. The findings further reveal that the items constituting ten key performance factors (KPIs) namely; 1) Time, 2) Cost, 3) Quality, 4) Safety & Health, 5) Internal Stakeholder, 6) External Stakeholder, 7) Client Satisfaction, 8) Financial Performance, 9) Environment, and 10) Information, Technology & Innovation. The analysis helps to develop multi-dimensional performance evaluation framework for an effective measurement of the construction performance. The 10 key performance factors can be broadly categorized into economic aspect, social aspect, environmental aspect, and technology aspects. It is important to understand a multi-dimension performance evaluation framework by including all key factors affecting the construction performance of a company, so that the management level can effectively plan to implement an effective performance development plan to match with the mission and vision of the company.

Neural mechanisms mediating contingent capture of attention by affective stimuli

PubMed Central

Reeck, Crystal; LaBar, Kevin S.; Egner, Tobias

2013-01-01

Attention is attracted exogenously by physically salient stimuli, but this effect can be dampened by endogenous attention settings, a phenomenon called “contingent capture”. Emotionally salient stimuli are also thought to exert a strong exogenous influence on attention, especially in anxious individuals, but whether and how top-down attention can ameliorate bottom-up capture by affective stimuli is currently unknown. Here, we paired a novel spatial cueing task with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in order to investigate contingent capture as a function of the affective salience of bottom-up cues (face stimuli) and individual differences in trait anxiety. In the absence of top-down cues, exogenous stimuli validly cueing targets facilitated attention in low anxious participants, regardless of affective salience. However, while high anxious participants exhibited similar facilitation following neutral exogenous cues, this facilitation was completely absent following affectively negative exogenous cues. Critically, these effects were contingent on endogenous attentional settings, such that explicit top-down cues presented prior to the appearance of exogenous stimuli removed anxious individuals’ sensitivity to affectively salient stimuli. FMRI analyses revealed a network of brain regions underlying this variability in affective contingent capture across individuals, including the fusiform face area (FFA), posterior ventrolateral frontal cortex, and supplementary motor area. Importantly, activation in the posterior ventrolateral frontal cortex and the supplementary motor area fully mediated the effects observed in FFA, demonstrating a critical role for these frontal regions in mediating attentional orienting and interference resolution processes when engaged by affectively salient stimuli. PMID:22360642

Thyroid functions and trace elements in pediatric patients with exogenous obesity.

PubMed

Cayir, Atilla; Doneray, Hakan; Kurt, Nezahat; Orbak, Zerrin; Kaya, Avni; Turan, Mehmet Ibrahim; Yildirim, Abdulkadir

2014-02-01

Obesity is a multifactorial disease developing following impairment of the energy balance. The endocrine system is known to be affected by the condition. Serum thyroid hormones and trace element levels have been shown to be affected in obese children. Changes in serum thyroid hormones may result from alterations occurring in serum trace element levels. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether or not changes in serum thyroid hormone levels in children with exogenous obesity are associated with changes in trace element levels. Eighty-five children diagnosed with exogenous obesity constituted the study group, and 24 age- and sex-matched healthy children made up the control group. Serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4), free triiodothyronine (fT3), thyroglobulin (TG), selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and manganese (Mn) levels in the study group were measured before and at the third and sixth months of treatment, and once only in the control group. Pretreatment fT4 levels in the study group rose significantly by the sixth month (p = 0.006). Zn levels in the patient group were significantly low compared to the control group (p = 0.009). Mn and Se levels in the obese children before and at the third and sixth months of treatment were significantly higher than those of the control group (p = 0.001, p = 0.001). In conclusion, fT4, Zn, Cu, Mn, and Se levels are significantly affected in children diagnosed with exogenous obesity. The change in serum fT4 levels is not associated with changes in trace element concentrations.

Internalization of exogenous ADP-ribosylation factor 6 (Arf6) proteins into cells.

PubMed

Afroze, Syeda H; Uddin, M Nasir; Cao, Xiaobo; Asea, Alexzander; Gizachew, Dawit

2011-08-01

Endogenous Arf6 is a myristoylated protein mainly involved in endosomal membrane traffic and structural organization at the plasma membrane. It has been shown that Arf6 mediates cancer cell invasion and shedding of plasma membrane microvesicles derived from tumor cells. In this article, we determined that Arf6 proteins both in the GDP and GTPγS bound forms can enter cells when simply added in the cell culture medium without requiring the myristoyl group. The GTPγS bound can enter cells at a faster rate than the GDP-bound Arf6. Despite the role of the endogenous Arf6 in endocytosis and membrane trafficking, the internalization of exogenous Arf6 may involve non-endocytic processes. As protein therapeutics is becoming important in medicine, we examined the effect of the uptake of Arf6 proteins on cellular functions and determined that exogenous Arf6 inhibits proliferation, invasion, and migration of cells. Future studies of the internalization of Arf6 mutants will reveal key residues that play a role in the internalization of Arf6 and its interaction and possible structural conformations bound to the plasma membrane.

Transcriptome and Metabolome Analyses in Exogenous FABP4- and FABP5-Treated Adipose-Derived Stem Cells

PubMed Central

Sugaya, Takeshi; Oikawa, Tsuyoshi; Matsumoto, Megumi; Funahashi, Yasuhito; Matsukawa, Yoshihisa; Gotoh, Momokazu; Miura, Tetsuji

2016-01-01

Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC), which exist near adipocytes in adipose tissue, have been used as a potential tool of regenerative medicine. Lipid chaperones, fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) and 5 (FABP5), are abundantly expressed in adipocytes. FABP4 has recently been shown to be secreted from adipocytes during lipolysis in a non-classical pathway and may act as an adipokine. Here, we investigated the role of exogenous FABP4 and FABP5 in transcriptional and metabolic regulation in ADSC. FABP4 and FABP5 were little expressed in ADSC. However, both FABP4 and FABP5 were significantly induced after adipocyte differentiation of ADSC and were secreted from the differentiated adipocytes. Analysis of microarray data, including gene ontology enrichment analysis and cascade analysis of the protein-protein interaction network using a transcription factor binding site search, demonstrated that treatment of ADSC with FABP4 or FABP5 affected several kinds of genes related to inflammatory and metabolic responses and the process of cell differentiation. Notably, myogenic factors, including myocyte enhancer factors, myogenic differentiation 1 and myogenin, were modulated by treatment of ADSC with FABP4, indicating that exogenous FABP4 treatment is partially associated with myogenesis in ADSC. Metabolome analysis showed that treatment of ADSC with FABP4 and with FABP5 similarly, but differently in extent, promoted hydrolysis and/or uptake of lipids, consequentially together with enhancement of β oxidation, inhibition of downstream of the glycolysis pathway, accumulation of amino acids, reduction of nucleic acid components and increase in the ratio of reduced and oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphates (NADPH/NADP+), an indicator of reducing power, and the ratio of adenosine triphosphate and adenosine monophosphate (ATP/AMP), an indicator of the energy state, in ADSC. In conclusion, secreted FABP4 and FABP5 from adipocytes as adipokines differentially affect

Transcriptome and Metabolome Analyses in Exogenous FABP4- and FABP5-Treated Adipose-Derived Stem Cells.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Tokunori; Furuhashi, Masato; Sugaya, Takeshi; Oikawa, Tsuyoshi; Matsumoto, Megumi; Funahashi, Yasuhito; Matsukawa, Yoshihisa; Gotoh, Momokazu; Miura, Tetsuji

2016-01-01

Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC), which exist near adipocytes in adipose tissue, have been used as a potential tool of regenerative medicine. Lipid chaperones, fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) and 5 (FABP5), are abundantly expressed in adipocytes. FABP4 has recently been shown to be secreted from adipocytes during lipolysis in a non-classical pathway and may act as an adipokine. Here, we investigated the role of exogenous FABP4 and FABP5 in transcriptional and metabolic regulation in ADSC. FABP4 and FABP5 were little expressed in ADSC. However, both FABP4 and FABP5 were significantly induced after adipocyte differentiation of ADSC and were secreted from the differentiated adipocytes. Analysis of microarray data, including gene ontology enrichment analysis and cascade analysis of the protein-protein interaction network using a transcription factor binding site search, demonstrated that treatment of ADSC with FABP4 or FABP5 affected several kinds of genes related to inflammatory and metabolic responses and the process of cell differentiation. Notably, myogenic factors, including myocyte enhancer factors, myogenic differentiation 1 and myogenin, were modulated by treatment of ADSC with FABP4, indicating that exogenous FABP4 treatment is partially associated with myogenesis in ADSC. Metabolome analysis showed that treatment of ADSC with FABP4 and with FABP5 similarly, but differently in extent, promoted hydrolysis and/or uptake of lipids, consequentially together with enhancement of β oxidation, inhibition of downstream of the glycolysis pathway, accumulation of amino acids, reduction of nucleic acid components and increase in the ratio of reduced and oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphates (NADPH/NADP+), an indicator of reducing power, and the ratio of adenosine triphosphate and adenosine monophosphate (ATP/AMP), an indicator of the energy state, in ADSC. In conclusion, secreted FABP4 and FABP5 from adipocytes as adipokines differentially affect

Factors Affecting Medical Service Quality.

PubMed

Mosadeghrad, Ali Mohammad

2014-02-01

A better understanding of factors influencing quality of medical service can pinpoint better strategies for quality assurance in medical services. This study aimed to identify factors affecting the quality of medical services provided by Iranian physicians. Exploratory in-depth individual interviews were conducted with sixty-four physicians working in various medical institutions in Iran. Individual, organizational and environmental factors enhance or inhibit the quality of medical services. Quality of medical services depends on the personal factors of the physician and patient, and factors pertaining to the healthcare setting and the broader environment. Differences in internal and external factors such as availability of resources, patient cooperation and collaboration among providers affect the quality of medical services and patient outcomes. Supportive leadership, proper planning, education and training and effective management of resources and processes improve the quality of medical services. This article contributes to healthcare theory and practice by developing a conceptual framework for understanding factors that influence medical services quality.

Exogenous Catalase and Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Improve Survival and Regeneration and Affect Oxidative Stress in Cryopreserved Dendrobium nobile Protocorm-like Bodies.

PubMed

Di, W; Jia, M X; Xu, J; Li, B L; Liu, Y

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced oxidative damage is responsible for viability loss in plant tissues following cryopreservation. Antioxidants may improve viability by preventing or repairing the injury. This work aimed at studying the effect of catalase (CAT) and pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), which are involved in ROS metabolism and are differentially expressed during pollen cryopreservation, for cryopreservation of Dendrobium nobile Lindl. 'Hamana Lake Dream' protocorm-like bodies (PLBs). Different concentrations of exogenous CAT or PDH were added at the loading, PVS2 treatment, unloading steps during vitrification-cryopreservation of PLBs. Their survival and regeneration were evaluated and correlated with physiological oxidative indexes. PLB survival increased significantly when CAT and PDH were added separately to the unloading solution at a suitable concentration. CAT at 400 U·ml -1 increased PLB survival and regeneration by 33.5 and 14.6 percent respectively. It had no impact on the production of superoxide anion radical (·O2-) and on superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, but it reduced the hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and enhanced ascorbic acid (AsA) and endogenous CAT levels compared to PLBs cryopreserved using the standard vitrification protocol (CK1). PDH at 0.1 U·ml -1 significantly improved PLB survival (by 2.5 percent), but it had no marked effect on regeneration compared to the CK1 group. It induced the same variations in ·O2-, AsA and endogenous CAT levels that were observed following CAT addition. However, PDH did not affect the H 2 O 2 and MDA content but significantly increased SOD activity. These results indicate that the addition of 400 U·ml -1 CAT and 0.1 U·ml -1 PDH at the unloading step increased survival of cryopreserved PLBs and that this improvement was associated with scavenging of H 2 O 2 and the repair of oxidative damage. Exogenous CAT also significantly improved PLB regeneration after

Considerations on the Use of Exogenous Fibrolytic Enzymes to Improve Forage Utilization

PubMed Central

Mendoza, Germán D.; Plata-Pérez, Fernando X.

2014-01-01

Digestion of cell wall fractions of forage in the rumen is incomplete due to the complex links which limit their degradation. It is therefore necessary to find options to optimize the use of forages in ruminant production systems. One alternative is to use exogenous enzymes. Exogenous fibrolytic enzymes are of fungal or bacterial origin and increase nutrient availability from the cell wall, which consists of three fractions in different proportions depending on the species of forage: digestible, potentially digestible, and indigestible. The response to addition of exogenous enzymes varies with the type of forage; many researchers infer that there are enzyme-forage interactions but fail to explain the biological mechanism. We hypothesize that the response is related to the proportion of the potentially digestible fraction. The exogenous enzyme activity depends on several factors but if the general conditions for enzyme action are available, the potentially digestible fraction may determine the magnitude of the response. Results of experiments with exogenous fibrolytic enzymes in domestic ruminants are inconsistent. This, coupled with their high cost, has made their use unattractive to farmers. Development of cheaper products exploring other microorganisms with fibrolytic activity, such as Fomes fomentarius or Cellulomonas flavigena, is required. PMID:25379525

Effect of Exogenous and Endogenous Nitrate Concentration on Nitrate Utilization by Dwarf Bean 1

PubMed Central

Breteler, Hans; Nissen, Per

1982-01-01

The effect of the exogenous and endogenous NO3− concentration on net uptake, influx, and efflux of NO3− and on nitrate reductase activity (NRA) in roots was studied in Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Witte Krombek. After exposure to NO3−, an apparent induction period of about 6 hours occurred regardless of the exogenous NO3− level. A double reciprocal plot of the net uptake rate of induced plants versus exogenous NO3− concentration yielded four distinct phases, each with simple Michaelis-Menten kinetics, and separated by sharp breaks at about 45, 80, and 480 micromoles per cubic decimeter. Influx was estimated as the accumulation of 15N after 1 hour exposure to 15NO3−. The isotherms for influx and net uptake were similar and corresponded to those for alkali cations and Cl−. Efflux of NO3− was a constant proportion of net uptake during initial NO3− supply and increased with exogenous NO3− concentration. No efflux occurred to a NO3−-free medium. The net uptake rate was negatively correlated with the NO3− content of roots. Nitrate efflux, but not influx, was influenced by endogenous NO3−. Variations between experiments, e.g. in NO3− status, affected the values of Km and Vmax in the various concentration phases. The concentrations at which phase transitions occurred, however, were constant both for influx and net uptake. The findings corroborate the contention that separate sites are responsible for uptake and transitions between phases. Beyond 100 micromoles per cubic decimeter, root NRA was not affected by exogenous NO3− indicating that NO3− uptake was not coupled to root NRA, at least not at high concentrations. PMID:16662570

Nerve growth factor regulates galanin and neuropeptide Y expression in primary cultured superior cervical ganglion neurons.

PubMed

Liu, Huaxiang; Liu, Zhen; Xu, Xiaobo; Yang, Xiangdong; Wang, Huaijing; Li, Zhengzhong

2010-03-01

Both galanin and neuropeptide Y (NPY) are expressed in superior cervical ganglion (SCG) neurons. Following nerve transection or axotomy galanin is strongly upregulated and NPY is downregulated in SCG neurons because target-derived nerve growth factor (NGF) content decreased. It is not known whether or to what extent NGF affects both galanin and NPY expression in primary cultured SCG neurons. In the present study we examine whether exogenous NGF affects expression of neuropeptides for galanin and NPY in primary cultured SCG neurons. In addition, we explore whether mRNAs for galanin and NPY are affected by administration of exogenous NGF in SCG cultures. The significance of expression of galanin and NPY and their mRNAs was revealed by performing experiments without and with administration of exogenous NGF. Galanin and its mRNA expression was attenuated by administration of exogenous NGF in SCG cultures. The enhancement of NPY and its mRNA expression by administration of exogenous NGF in SCG cultures was dose-dependent. The physiological or pathophysiological mechanisms of the alterations of galanin and NPY expression affected by NGF in primary cultured SCG neurons are still unknown. The present data provide basic knowledge about the expression of galanin and NPY in primary cultured SCG neurons of rats, which may further improve our understanding of the functional significance of galanin and NPY expression affected by NGF.

Exogenous fatty acids affect CDP-choline pathway to increase phosphatidylcholine synthesis in granular pneumocytes

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

Chander, A.; Gullo, J.; Reicherter, J.

1987-05-01

Regulation of phosphatidylcholine (PC) synthesis in rat granular pneumocytes isolated by tryptic digestion of lungs and maintained in primary culture for 24 h was investigated by following effects of exogenous fatty acids on (/sup 3/H-methyl)choline incorporation into PC and disaturated PC (DSPC). At 0.1 mM choline, the rate of choline incorporation into PC and DSPC was 440 +/- and 380 +/- 50 pmol/h/ug Pi (mean +/- SE, n=3-5), respectively, and was linear for up to 3 h. PC synthesis was significantly increased by 0.1 mM each of palmitic, oleic, linoleic, or linolenic acid. However, synthesis of DSPC was increased onlymore » by palmitic acid and this increase was prevented by addition of oleic acid suggesting lack of effect on the remodeling pathway. Pulse-chase experiments with choline in absence or presence of palmitic or oleic acid showed that the label declined in choline phosphate and increased in PC more rapidly in presence of either of the fatty acids, suggesting rapid conversion of choline phosphate to PC. Microsomal choline phosphate cytidyltransferase activity in cells preincubated without or with palmitic acid for 3 h was 0.81 +/- 0.07 and 1.81 +/- 0.09 nmol choline phosphate converted/min/mg protein (n=4). These results suggest that in granular pneumocytes, exogenous fatty acids modulate PC synthesis by increasing choline phosphate cytidyltransferase activity.« less

Effect of Exogenous Phytase Addition on Soil Phosphatase Activities: a Fluorescence Spectroscopy Study.

PubMed

Yang, Xiao-zhu; Chen, Zhen-hua; Zhang, Yu-lan; Chen, Li-jun

2015-05-01

The utilization of organic phosphorus (P) has directly or indirectly improved after exogenous phytase was added to soil. However, the mechanism by which exogenous phytase affected the soil phosphatases (phosphomonoesterase and phosphodiesterase) activities was not clear. The present work was aimed to study red soil, brown soil and cinnamon soil phosphomonoesterase (acid and alkaline) (AcP and AlP) and phosphodiesterase (PD) activities responding to the addition of exogenous phytase (1 g phytase/50 g air dry soil sample) based on the measurements performed via a fluorescence detection method combined with 96 microplates using a TECAN Infinite 200 Multi-Mode Microplate Reader. The results indicated that the acid phosphomonoesterase activity was significantly enhanced in red soil (p≤0. 01), while it was significantly reduced in cinnamon soil; alkaline phosphomonoesterase activity was significantly enhanced in cinnamon soil (p≤ 0. 01), while it was significantly reduced in red soil; phosphodiesterase activity was increased in three soils but it was significantly increased in brown soil (p≤0. 01) after the addition of exogenous phytase. The activities still remained strong after eight days in different soils, which indicated that exogenous phytase addition could be enhance soil phosphatases activities effectively. This effect was not only related to soil properties, such as pH and phosphorus forms, but might also be related to the excreted enzyme amount of the stimulating microorganism. Using fluorescence spectroscopy to study exogenous phytase addition influence on soil phosphatase activities was the first time at home and abroad. Compared with the conventional spectrophotometric method, the fluorescence microplate method is an accurate, fast and simple to use method to determine the relationships among the soil phosphatases activities.

Hypoxia Potentiates Anabolic Effects of Exogenous Hyaluronic Acid in Rat Articular Cartilage

PubMed Central

Ichimaru, Shohei; Nakagawa, Shuji; Arai, Yuji; Kishida, Tsunao; Shin-Ya, Masaharu; Honjo, Kuniaki; Tsuchida, Shinji; Inoue, Hiroaki; Fujiwara, Hiroyoshi; Shimomura, Seiji; Mazda, Osam; Kubo, Toshikazu

2016-01-01

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is used clinically to treat osteoarthritis (OA), but its pharmacological effects under hypoxic conditions remain unclear. Articular chondrocytes in patients with OA are exposed to a hypoxic environment. This study investigated whether hypoxia could potentiate the anabolic effects of exogenous HA in rat articular cartilage and whether these mechanisms involved HA receptors. HA under hypoxic conditions significantly enhanced the expression of extracellular matrix genes and proteins in explant culture, as shown by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blotting, and dimethylmethylene blue (DMMB) assays. Staining with Safranin-O and immunohistochemical staining with antibody to type II collagen were also enhanced in pellet culture. The expression of CD44 was increased by hypoxia and significantly suppressed by transfection with siRNAs targeting hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (siHIF-1α). These findings indicate that hypoxia potentiates the anabolic effects of exogenous HA by a mechanism in which HIF-1α positively regulates the expression of CD44, enhancing the binding affinity for exogenous HA. The anabolic effects of exogenous HA may increase as OA progresses. PMID:27347945

Light intensity affects RNA silencing of a transgene in Nicotiana benthamiana plants.

PubMed

Kotakis, Christos; Vrettos, Nicholas; Kotsis, Dimitrios; Tsagris, Mina; Kotzabasis, Kiriakos; Kalantidis, Kriton

2010-10-12

Expression of exogenous sequences in plants is often suppressed through one of the earliest described RNA silencing pathways, sense post-transcriptional gene silencing (S-PTGS). This type of suppression has made significant contributions to our knowledge of the biology of RNA silencing pathways and has important consequences in plant transgenesis applications. Although significant progress has been made in recent years, factors affecting the stability of transgene expression are still not well understood. It has been shown before that the efficiency of RNA silencing in plants is influenced by various environmental factors. Here we report that a major environmental factor, light intensity, significantly affects the induction and systemic spread of S-PTGS. Moreover, we show that photoadaptation to high or low light intensity conditions differentially affects mRNA levels of major components of the RNA silencing machinery. Light intensity is one of the previously unknown factors that affect transgene stability at the post-transcriptional level. Our findings demonstrate an example of how environmental conditions could affect RNA silencing.

Bioavailable Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I Inversely Related to Weight Gain in Postmenopausal Women regardless of Exogenous Estrogen

PubMed Central

Jung, Su Yon; Hursting, Stephen D.; Guindani, Michele; Vitolins, Mara Z.; Paskett, Electra; Chang, Shine

2014-01-01

Background Weight gain, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels, and excess exogenous steroid hormone use are putative cancer risk factors, yet their interconnected pathways have not been fully characterized. This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between plasma IGF-I levels and weight gain according to body mass index (BMI), leptin levels, and exogenous estrogen use among postmenopausal women. Methods This study included 794 postmenopausal women who enrolled in an ancillary study of the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study between February 1995 and July 1998. The relationship between IGF-I levels and weight gain was analyzed using ordinal logistic regression. We used the molar ratio of IGF-I to IGF binding protein-3 (IGF-I/IGFBP-3) or circulating IGF-I levels adjusting for IGFBP-3 as a proxy of bioavailable IGF-I. The plasma concentrations were expressed as quartiles. Results Among the obese group, women in the third quartile (Q3) of IGF-I and highest quartile of IGF-I/IGFBP-3 were less likely to gain weight (>3% from baseline) than were women in the first quartiles (Q1). Among the normal weight group, women in Q2 and Q3 of IGF-I/IGFBP-3 were 70% less likely than those in Q1 to gain weight. Among current estrogen users, Q3 of IGF-I/IGFBP-3 had 0.5 times the odds of gaining weight than Q1. Conclusions Bioavailable IGF-I levels were inversely related to weight gain overall. Impact Although weight gain was not consistent with increases in IGF-I levels among postmenopausal women in this report, avoidance of weight gain as a strategy to reduce cancer risk may be recommend. PMID:24363252

Atrial fibrillation associated with exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism.

PubMed

Patanè, Salvatore; Marte, Filippo

2010-11-19

Subclinical hyperthyroidism is an increasingly recognized entity that is defined as a normal serum free thyroxine and free triiodothyronine levels with a thyroid-stimulating hormone level suppressed below the normal range and usually undetectable. It has been reported that subclinical hyperthyroidism is not associated with coronary heart disease or mortality from cardiovascular causes but it is sufficient to induce arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. It has also been reported that increased factor X activity in patients with subclinical hyperthyroidism represents a potential hypercoagulable state. Moreover acute myocardial infarction has been reported during L-thyroxine substitution therapy. Far more common and relatively less studied is exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism caused by L-thyroxine administration to thyroidectomized or hypothyroid patients or patients with simple or nodular goiter. We present a case of atrial fibrillation associated with exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism, in a 72-year-old Italian woman. Also this case focuses attention on the importance of a correct evaluation of subclinical hyperthyroidism. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exogenous Attention Enables Perceptual Learning.

PubMed

Szpiro, Sarit F A; Carrasco, Marisa

2015-12-01

Practice can improve visual perception, and these improvements are considered to be a form of brain plasticity. Training-induced learning is time-consuming and requires hundreds of trials across multiple days. The process of learning acquisition is understudied. Can learning acquisition be potentiated by manipulating visual attentional cues? We developed a protocol in which we used task-irrelevant cues for between-groups manipulation of attention during training. We found that training with exogenous attention can enable the acquisition of learning. Remarkably, this learning was maintained even when observers were subsequently tested under neutral conditions, which indicates that a change in perception was involved. Our study is the first to isolate the effects of exogenous attention and to demonstrate its efficacy to enable learning. We propose that exogenous attention boosts perceptual learning by enhancing stimulus encoding. © The Author(s) 2015.

Exogenous Attention Enables Perceptual Learning

PubMed Central

Szpiro, Sarit F. A.; Carrasco, Marisa

2015-01-01

Practice can improve visual perception, and these improvements are considered to be a form of brain plasticity. Training-induced learning is time-consuming and requires hundreds of trials across multiple days. The process of learning acquisition is understudied. Can learning acquisition be potentiated by manipulating visual attentional cues? We developed a protocol in which we used task-irrelevant cues for between-groups manipulation of attention during training. We found that training with exogenous attention can enable the acquisition of learning. Remarkably, this learning was maintained even when observers were subsequently tested under neutral conditions, which indicates that a change in perception was involved. Our study is the first to isolate the effects of exogenous attention and to demonstrate its efficacy to enable learning. We propose that exogenous attention boosts perceptual learning by enhancing stimulus encoding. PMID:26502745

The effects of exogenous surfactant administration on ventilation-induced inflammation in mouse models of lung injury.

PubMed

Puntorieri, Valeria; Hiansen, Josh Qua; McCaig, Lynda A; Yao, Li-Juan; Veldhuizen, Ruud A W; Lewis, James F

2013-11-20

Mechanical ventilation (MV) is an essential supportive therapy for acute lung injury (ALI); however it can also contribute to systemic inflammation. Since pulmonary surfactant has anti-inflammatory properties, the aim of the study was to investigate the effect of exogenous surfactant administration on ventilation-induced systemic inflammation. Mice were randomized to receive an intra-tracheal instillation of a natural exogenous surfactant preparation (bLES, 50 mg/kg) or no treatment as a control. MV was then performed using the isolated and perfused mouse lung (IPML) set up. This model allowed for lung perfusion during MV. In experiment 1, mice were exposed to mechanical ventilation only (tidal volume =20 mL/kg, 2 hours). In experiment 2, hydrochloric acid or air was instilled intra-tracheally four hours before applying exogenous surfactant and ventilation (tidal volume =5 mL/kg, 2 hours). For both experiments, exogenous surfactant administration led to increased total and functional surfactant in the treated groups compared to the controls. Exogenous surfactant administration in mice exposed to MV only did not affect peak inspiratory pressure (PIP), lung IL-6 levels and the development of perfusate inflammation compared to non-treated controls. Acid injured mice exposed to conventional MV showed elevated PIP, lung IL-6 and protein levels and greater perfusate inflammation compared to air instilled controls. Instillation of exogenous surfactant did not influence the development of lung injury. Moreover, exogenous surfactant was not effective in reducing the concentration of inflammatory cytokines in the perfusate. The data indicates that exogenous surfactant did not mitigate ventilation-induced systemic inflammation in our models. Future studies will focus on altering surfactant composition to improve its immuno-modulating activity.

Factors Affecting Tocopherol Concentrations in Soybean Seeds.

PubMed

Carrera, Constanza S; Seguin, Philippe

2016-12-21

Soybean seeds contain several health-beneficial compounds, including tocopherols, which are used by the nutraceutical and functional food industries. Soybean tocopherol concentrations are, however, highly variable. Large differences observed in tocopherol concentrations among soybean genotypes together with the relatively simple biosynthetic pathway involving few genes support the feasibility of selecting for high-tocopherol soybean. Tocopherol concentrations are also highly influenced by environmental factors and field management. Temperature during seed filling and soil moisture appear to be the main factors affecting tocopherol concentrations; other factors such as soil fertility and solar radiation also affect concentrations and composition. Field management decisions including seeding date, row spacing, irrigation, and fertilization also affect tocopherols. Knowledge of factors affecting soybean tocopherols is essential to develop management strategies that will lead to the production of seeds with consistent target concentrations that will meet the needs of the nutraceutical and functional food industries.

Web-based Factors Affecting Online Purchasing Behaviour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ariff, Mohd Shoki Md; Sze Yan, Ng; Zakuan, Norhayati; Zaidi Bahari, Ahamad; Jusoh, Ahmad

2013-06-01

The growing use of internet and online purchasing among young consumers in Malaysia provides a huge prospect in e-commerce market, specifically for B2C segment. In this market, if E-marketers know the web-based factors affecting online buyers' behaviour, and the effect of these factors on behaviour of online consumers, then they can develop their marketing strategies to convert potential customers into active one, while retaining existing online customers. Review of previous studies related to the online purchasing behaviour in B2C market has point out that the conceptualization and empirical validation of the online purchasing behaviour of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) literate users, or ICT professional, in Malaysia has not been clearly addressed. This paper focuses on (i) web-based factors which online buyers (ICT professional) keep in mind while shopping online; and (ii) the effect of web-based factors on online purchasing behaviour. Based on the extensive literature review, a conceptual framework of 24 items of five factors was constructed to determine web-based factors affecting online purchasing behaviour of ICT professional. Analysis of data was performed based on the 310 questionnaires, which were collected using a stratified random sampling method, from ICT undergraduate students in a public university in Malaysia. The Exploratory factor analysis performed showed that five factors affecting online purchase behaviour are Information Quality, Fulfilment/Reliability/Customer Service, Website Design, Quick and Details, and Privacy/Security. The result of Multiple Regression Analysis indicated that Information Quality, Quick and Details, and Privacy/Security affect positively online purchase behaviour. The results provide a usable model for measuring web-based factors affecting buyers' online purchase behaviour in B2C market, as well as for online shopping companies to focus on the factors that will increase customers' online purchase.

Exogenous proline enhances the sensitivity of Tobacco BY-2 cells to arsenate.

PubMed

Nahar, Mst Nur-E-Nazmun; Islam, Mohammad Muzahidul; Hoque, Md Anamul; Yonezawa, Anna; Prodhan, Md Yeasin; Nakamura, Toshiyuki; Nakamura, Yoshimasa; Munemasa, Shintaro; Murata, Yoshiyuki

2017-09-01

Arsenic causes physiological and structural disorders in plants. Proline is accumulated as a compatible solute in plants under various stress conditions and mitigates stresses. Here, we investigated the effects of exogenous proline on tobacco Bright Yellow-2 (BY-2) cultured cells under [Formula: see text] stress. Arsenate did not inhibit BY-2 cell growth at 40 and 50 μM but did it at 60 μM. Proline at 0.5 to 10 mM did not affect the cell growth but delayed it at 20 mM. At 40 μM [Formula: see text], neither 0.5 mM nor 1 mM proline affected the cell growth but 10 mM proline inhibited it. In the presence of [Formula: see text], 10 mM proline increased the number of Evans Blue-stained (dead) cells and decreased the number of total cells. Together, our results suggest that exogenous proline does not alleviate arsenate toxicity but enhances the sensitivity of BY-2 cells to arsenate.

Endogenously- and Exogenously-Driven Selective Sustained Attention: Contributions to Learning in Kindergarten Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erickson, Lucy C.; Thiessen, Erik D.; Godwin, Karrie E.; Dickerson, John P.; Fisher, Anna V.

2015-01-01

Selective sustained attention is vital for higher order cognition. Although endogenous and exogenous factors influence selective sustained attention, assessment of the degree to which these factors influence performance and learning is often challenging. We report findings from the Track-It task, a paradigm that aims to assess the contribution of…

BAF is a cytosolic DNA sensor that leads to exogenous DNA avoiding autophagy

PubMed Central

Kobayashi, Shouhei; Koujin, Takako; Kojidani, Tomoko; Osakada, Hiroko; Mori, Chie; Hiraoka, Yasushi; Haraguchi, Tokuko

2015-01-01

Knowledge of the mechanisms by which a cell detects exogenous DNA is important for controlling pathogen infection, because most pathogens entail the presence of exogenous DNA in the cytosol, as well as for understanding the cell’s response to artificially transfected DNA. The cellular response to pathogen invasion has been well studied. However, spatiotemporal information of the cellular response immediately after exogenous double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) appears in the cytosol is lacking, in part because of difficulties in monitoring when exogenous dsDNA enters the cytosol of the cell. We have recently developed a method to monitor endosome breakdown around exogenous materials using transfection reagent-coated polystyrene beads incorporated into living human cells as the objective for microscopic observations. In the present study, using dsDNA-coated polystyrene beads (DNA-beads) incorporated into living cells, we show that barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF) bound to exogenous dsDNA immediately after its appearance in the cytosol at endosome breakdown. The BAF+ DNA-beads then assembled a nuclear envelope (NE)-like membrane and avoided autophagy that targeted the remnants of the endosome membranes. Knockdown of BAF caused a significant decrease in the assembly of NE-like membranes and increased the formation of autophagic membranes around the DNA-beads, suggesting that BAF-mediated assembly of NE-like membranes was required for the DNA-beads to evade autophagy. Importantly, BAF-bound beads without dsDNA also assembled NE-like membranes and avoided autophagy. We propose a new role for BAF: remodeling intracellular membranes upon detection of dsDNA in mammalian cells. PMID:25991860

BAF is a cytosolic DNA sensor that leads to exogenous DNA avoiding autophagy.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Shouhei; Koujin, Takako; Kojidani, Tomoko; Osakada, Hiroko; Mori, Chie; Hiraoka, Yasushi; Haraguchi, Tokuko

2015-06-02

Knowledge of the mechanisms by which a cell detects exogenous DNA is important for controlling pathogen infection, because most pathogens entail the presence of exogenous DNA in the cytosol, as well as for understanding the cell's response to artificially transfected DNA. The cellular response to pathogen invasion has been well studied. However, spatiotemporal information of the cellular response immediately after exogenous double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) appears in the cytosol is lacking, in part because of difficulties in monitoring when exogenous dsDNA enters the cytosol of the cell. We have recently developed a method to monitor endosome breakdown around exogenous materials using transfection reagent-coated polystyrene beads incorporated into living human cells as the objective for microscopic observations. In the present study, using dsDNA-coated polystyrene beads (DNA-beads) incorporated into living cells, we show that barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF) bound to exogenous dsDNA immediately after its appearance in the cytosol at endosome breakdown. The BAF(+) DNA-beads then assembled a nuclear envelope (NE)-like membrane and avoided autophagy that targeted the remnants of the endosome membranes. Knockdown of BAF caused a significant decrease in the assembly of NE-like membranes and increased the formation of autophagic membranes around the DNA-beads, suggesting that BAF-mediated assembly of NE-like membranes was required for the DNA-beads to evade autophagy. Importantly, BAF-bound beads without dsDNA also assembled NE-like membranes and avoided autophagy. We propose a new role for BAF: remodeling intracellular membranes upon detection of dsDNA in mammalian cells.

Neuroprotective Role of Exogenous Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Hypoxia-Hypoglycemia-Induced Hippocampal Neuron Injury via Regulating Trkb/MiR134 Signaling.

PubMed

Huang, Weidong; Meng, Facai; Cao, Jie; Liu, Xiaobin; Zhang, Jie; Li, Min

2017-05-01

Hypoxic-ischemic brain injury is an important cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been reported to play a neuroprotective role in hypoxic-ischemic brain injury; however, the specific effects and mechanism of BDNF on hypoxic-hypoglycemic hippocampal neuron injury remains unknown. The current study investigated the action of BDNF in regulating cerebral hypoxic-ischemic injury by simulating hippocampal neuron ischemia and hypoxia. We found that BDNF, p-Trkb, and miR-134 expression levels decreased, and that exogenous BDNF increased survival and reduced apoptosis in hypoxic-hypoglycemic hippocampal neurons. The results also show that BDNF inhibits MiR-134 expression by activating the TrkB pathway. Transfection with TrkB siRNA and pre-miR-134 abrogated the neuroprotective role of BDNF in hypoxic-hypoglycemic hippocampal neurons. Our results suggest that exogenous BDNF alleviates hypoxic-ischemic brain injury through the Trkb/MiR-134 pathway. These findings may help to identify a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.

Coping with an exogenous glucose overload: glucose kinetics of rainbow trout during graded swimming

PubMed Central

Choi, Kevin

2015-01-01

This study examines how chronically hyperglycemic rainbow trout modulate glucose kinetics in response to graded exercise up to critical swimming speed (Ucrit), with or without exogenous glucose supply. Our goals were 1) to quantify the rates of hepatic glucose production (Ra glucose) and disposal (Rd glucose) during graded swimming, 2) to determine how exogenous glucose affects the changes in glucose fluxes caused by exercise, and 3) to establish whether exogenous glucose modifies Ucrit or the cost of transport. Results show that graded swimming causes no change in Ra and Rd glucose at speeds below 2.5 body lengths per second (BL/s), but that glucose fluxes may be stimulated at the highest speeds. Excellent glucoregulation is also achieved at all exercise intensities. When exogenous glucose is supplied during exercise, trout suppress hepatic production from 16.4 ± 1.6 to 4.1 ± 1.7 μmol·kg−1·min−1 and boost glucose disposal to 40.1 ± 13 μmol·kg−1·min−1. These responses limit the effects of exogenous glucose to a 2.5-fold increase in glycemia, whereas fish showing no modulation of fluxes would reach dangerous levels of 114 mM of blood glucose. Exogenous glucose reduces metabolic rate by 16% and, therefore, causes total cost of transport to decrease accordingly. High glucose availability does not improve Ucrit because the fish are unable to take advantage of this extra fuel during maximal exercise and rely on tissue glycogen instead. In conclusion, trout have a remarkable ability to adjust glucose fluxes that allows them to cope with the cumulative stresses of a glucose overload and graded exercise. PMID:26719305

Fiber optic-based fluorescence detection system for in vivo studies of exogenous chromophore pharmacokinetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doiron, Daniel R.; Dunn, J. B.; Mitchell, W. L.; Dalton, Brian K.; Garbo, Greta M.; Warner, Jon A.

1995-05-01

The detection and quantification of the concentration of exogenous chromophores in-vivo by their fluorescence is complicated by many physical and geometrical parameters. Measurement of such signals is advantageous in determining the pharmacokinetics of photosensitizers such as those used in photodynamic therapy (PDT) or to assist in the diagnosis of tissue histological state. To overcome these difficulties a ratio based fiber optic contact fluorometer has been developed. This fluorescence detection system (FDS) uses the ratio of the fluorescence emission peak of the exogenous chromophore to that of endogenous chromophores, i.e. autofluorescence, to correct for a variety of parameters affecting the magnitude of the measured signals. By doing so it also minimizes the range of baseline measurements prior to exogenous drug injection, for various tissue types. Design of the FDS and results of its testing in animals and patients using the second generation photosensitizer Tin ethyletiopurpurin (SnET2) are presented. These results support the feasibility and usefulness of the Ratio FDS system.

Factors Affecting Wound Healing

PubMed Central

Guo, S.; DiPietro, L.A.

2010-01-01

Wound healing, as a normal biological process in the human body, is achieved through four precisely and highly programmed phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. For a wound to heal successfully, all four phases must occur in the proper sequence and time frame. Many factors can interfere with one or more phases of this process, thus causing improper or impaired wound healing. This article reviews the recent literature on the most significant factors that affect cutaneous wound healing and the potential cellular and/or molecular mechanisms involved. The factors discussed include oxygenation, infection, age and sex hormones, stress, diabetes, obesity, medications, alcoholism, smoking, and nutrition. A better understanding of the influence of these factors on repair may lead to therapeutics that improve wound healing and resolve impaired wounds. PMID:20139336

Factors affecting wound healing.

PubMed

Guo, S; Dipietro, L A

2010-03-01

Wound healing, as a normal biological process in the human body, is achieved through four precisely and highly programmed phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. For a wound to heal successfully, all four phases must occur in the proper sequence and time frame. Many factors can interfere with one or more phases of this process, thus causing improper or impaired wound healing. This article reviews the recent literature on the most significant factors that affect cutaneous wound healing and the potential cellular and/or molecular mechanisms involved. The factors discussed include oxygenation, infection, age and sex hormones, stress, diabetes, obesity, medications, alcoholism, smoking, and nutrition. A better understanding of the influence of these factors on repair may lead to therapeutics that improve wound healing and resolve impaired wounds.

A Paradigm for Virus–Host Coevolution: Sequential Counter-Adaptations between Endogenous and Exogenous Retroviruses

PubMed Central

Arnaud, Frederick; Caporale, Marco; Varela, Mariana; Biek, Roman; Chessa, Bernardo; Alberti, Alberto; Golder, Matthew; Mura, Manuela; Zhang, Ya-ping; Yu, Li; Pereira, Filipe; DeMartini, James C; Leymaster, Kreg; Spencer, Thomas E; Palmarini, Massimo

2007-01-01

Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are remnants of ancient retroviral infections of the host germline transmitted vertically from generation to generation. It is hypothesized that some ERVs are used by the host as restriction factors to block the infection of pathogenic retroviruses. Indeed, some ERVs efficiently interfere with the replication of related exogenous retroviruses. However, data suggesting that these mechanisms have influenced the coevolution of endogenous and/or exogenous retroviruses and their hosts have been more difficult to obtain. Sheep are an interesting model system to study retrovirus-host coevolution because of the coexistence in this animal species of two exogenous (i.e., horizontally transmitted) oncogenic retroviruses, Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus and Enzootic nasal tumor virus, with highly related and biologically active endogenous retroviruses (enJSRVs). Here, we isolated and characterized the evolutionary history and molecular virology of 27 enJSRV proviruses. enJSRVs have been integrating in the host genome for the last 5–7 million y. Two enJSRV proviruses (enJS56A1 and enJSRV-20), which entered the host genome within the last 3 million y (before and during speciation within the genus Ovis), acquired in two temporally distinct events a defective Gag polyprotein resulting in a transdominant phenotype able to block late replication steps of related exogenous retroviruses. Both transdominant proviruses became fixed in the host genome before or around sheep domestication (∼ 9,000 y ago). Interestingly, a provirus escaping the transdominant enJSRVs has emerged very recently, most likely within the last 200 y. Thus, we determined sequentially distinct events during evolution that are indicative of an evolutionary antagonism between endogenous and exogenous retroviruses. This study strongly suggests that endogenization and selection of ERVs acting as restriction factors is a mechanism used by the host to fight retroviral infections. PMID

Factors Affecting Sign Retroreflectivity : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-01-01

This study was undertaken to better understand the factors that may affect road sign retroreflectivity, specifically age and physical orientation. A better understanding of these factors could provide guidance to ODOT in managing its inventory of roa...

The Endogenous-Exogenous Partition in Attribution Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kruglanski, Arie W.

1975-01-01

Within lay explanation of actions, several significant inferences are assumed to follow from the partition between endogenous and exogenous attributions. An endogenous action is judged to constitute an end in itself; an exogenous action is judged to serve as a means to some further end. (Editor/RK)

Coping with an exogenous glucose overload: glucose kinetics of rainbow trout during graded swimming.

PubMed

Choi, Kevin; Weber, Jean-Michel

2016-03-15

This study examines how chronically hyperglycemic rainbow trout modulate glucose kinetics in response to graded exercise up to critical swimming speed (Ucrit), with or without exogenous glucose supply. Our goals were 1) to quantify the rates of hepatic glucose production (Ra glucose) and disposal (Rd glucose) during graded swimming, 2) to determine how exogenous glucose affects the changes in glucose fluxes caused by exercise, and 3) to establish whether exogenous glucose modifies Ucrit or the cost of transport. Results show that graded swimming causes no change in Ra and Rd glucose at speeds below 2.5 body lengths per second (BL/s), but that glucose fluxes may be stimulated at the highest speeds. Excellent glucoregulation is also achieved at all exercise intensities. When exogenous glucose is supplied during exercise, trout suppress hepatic production from 16.4 ± 1.6 to 4.1 ± 1.7 μmol·kg(-1)·min(-1) and boost glucose disposal to 40.1 ± 13 μmol·kg(-1)·min(-1). These responses limit the effects of exogenous glucose to a 2.5-fold increase in glycemia, whereas fish showing no modulation of fluxes would reach dangerous levels of 114 mM of blood glucose. Exogenous glucose reduces metabolic rate by 16% and, therefore, causes total cost of transport to decrease accordingly. High glucose availability does not improve Ucrit because the fish are unable to take advantage of this extra fuel during maximal exercise and rely on tissue glycogen instead. In conclusion, trout have a remarkable ability to adjust glucose fluxes that allows them to cope with the cumulative stresses of a glucose overload and graded exercise. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

[Non-convulsive paroxysmal disorders in exogenous-organic diseases of the brain].

PubMed

Piven', B N; Koveva, O P

1999-01-01

Examination of 273 patients with exogenous-organic diseases of the brain revealed nonconvulsive paroxysmal disorders of traumatic, toxic, infectious, radioactive and combined origin in 112 cases (41.0%). Such disorders were characterised by pronounced polymorphism and presented with viscero-vegetative (36.6%), affective (27.7%), psychosensory (19.6%), sensory (15.2%), ideatoric (11.6%) paroxysms as well as with twilight states of consciousness (16.1%), absence seizures (10.7%), narcolepsy (2.7%), catalepcy (1.8%) and the states of "déjà vu" and "jamais vu" (5.4%). In most of the patients such paroxysms were found 5 or more years after exogenous influences, i.e. when the severity of the organic brain damage increased. A resemblance of nonconvulsive paroxysms was observed in the patients with different etiology of the disease. The disorders were seldom detected in routine medical practice which may cause in adequate therapy.

Positive is usually good, negative is not always bad: The effects of group affect on social integration and task performance.

PubMed

Knight, Andrew P; Eisenkraft, Noah

2015-07-01

Grounded in a social functional perspective, this article examines the conditions under which group affect influences group functioning. Using meta-analysis, the authors leverage heterogeneity across 39 independent studies of 2,799 groups to understand how contextual factors-group affect source (exogenous or endogenous to the group) and group life span (one-shot or ongoing)-moderate the influence of shared feelings on social integration and task performance. As predicted, results indicate that group positive affect has consistent positive effects on social integration and task performance regardless of contextual idiosyncrasies. The effects of group negative affect, on the other hand, are context-dependent. Shared negative feelings promote social integration and task performance when stemming from an exogenous source or experienced in a 1-shot group, but undermine social integration and task performance when stemming from an endogenous source or experienced in an ongoing group. The authors discuss implications of their findings and highlight directions for future theory and research on group affect. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Explaining Cigarette Smoking: An Endogenous-Exogenous Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKillip, Jack

Kruglanski's endogenous-exogenous partition, when applied to reasons given by smokers for smoking cigarettes, distinguishes two types of actions: (1) endogenous reasons implying that the behavior of consuming the cigarette is the goal of the action and the actor is positive toward the behavior, and (2) exogenous reasons implying that the behavior…

Exogenous fatty acid binding protein 4 promotes human prostate cancer cell progression.

PubMed

Uehara, Hisanori; Takahashi, Tetsuyuki; Oha, Mina; Ogawa, Hirohisa; Izumi, Keisuke

2014-12-01

Epidemiologic studies have found that obesity is associated with malignant grade and mortality in prostate cancer. Several adipokines have been implicated as putative mediating factors between obesity and prostate cancer. Fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), a member of the cytoplasmic fatty acid binding protein multigene family, was recently identified as a novel adipokine. Although FABP4 is released from adipocytes and mean circulating concentrations of FABP4 are linked with obesity, effects of exogenous FABP4 on prostate cancer progression are unclear. In this study, we examined the effects of exogenous FABP4 on human prostate cancer cell progression. FABP4 treatment promoted serum-induced prostate cancer cell invasion in vitro. Furthermore, oleic acid promoted prostate cancer cell invasion only if FABP4 was present in the medium. These promoting effects were reduced by FABP4 inhibitor, which inhibits FABP4 binding to fatty acids. Immunostaining for FABP4 showed that exogenous FABP4 was taken up into DU145 cells in three-dimensional culture. In mice, treatment with FABP4 inhibitor reduced the subcutaneous growth and lung metastasis of prostate cancer cells. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the number of apoptotic cells, positive for cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved PARP, was increased in subcutaneous tumors of FABP4 inhibitor-treated mice, as compared with control mice. These results suggest that exogenous FABP4 might promote human prostate cancer cell progression by binding with fatty acids. Additionally, exogenous FABP4 activated the PI3K/Akt pathway, independently of binding to fatty acids. Thus, FABP4 might be a key molecule to understand the mechanisms underlying the obesity-prostate cancer progression link. © 2014 UICC.

Association between Use of Exogenous Testosterone Therapy and Risk of Venous Thrombotic Events among Exogenous Testosterone Treated and Untreated Men with Hypogonadism.

PubMed

Li, Hu; Benoit, Karin; Wang, Wei; Motsko, Stephen

2016-04-01

Limited information exists about whether exogenous testosterone therapy is associated with a risk of venous thrombotic events. We investigated via cohort and nested case-control analyses whether exogenous testosterone therapy is associated with the risk of venous thrombotic events in men with hypogonadism. Databases were reviewed to identify men prescribed exogenous testosterone therapy and/or men with a hypogonadism diagnosis. Propensity score 1:1 matching was used to select patients for cohort analysis. Cases (men with venous thrombotic events) were matched 1:4 with controls (men without venous thrombotic events) for the nested case-control analysis. Primary outcome was defined as incident idiopathic venous thrombotic events. Cox regression and conditional logistic regression were used to assess HRs and ORs, respectively. Sensitivity analyses were also performed. A total of 102,650 exogenous testosterone treated and 102,650 untreated patients were included in cohort analysis after matching, and 2,785 cases and 11,119 controls were included in case-control analysis. Cohort analysis revealed a HR of 1.08 for all testosterone treated patients (95% CI 0.91, 1.27, p = 0.378). Case-control analysis resulted in an OR of 1.02 (95% CI 0.92, 1.13, p = 0.702) for current exogenous testosterone therapy exposure and an OR of 0.92 (95% CI 0.82, 1.03, p = 0.145) for past exogenous testosterone therapy exposure. These results remained nonstatistically significant after stratifying by exogenous testosterone therapy administration route and age category. Most sensitivity analyses yielded consistent results. No significant association was found between exogenous testosterone therapy and incidents of idiopathic or overall venous thrombotic events in men with hypogonadism. However, some discrepant findings exist for the association between injectable formulations and the risk of overall venous thrombotic events. Copyright © 2016 American Urological Association Education and Research

Analysis of exogenous components of mortality risks.

PubMed

Blinkin, V L

1998-04-01

A new technique for deriving exogenous components of mortality risks from national vital statistics has been developed. Each observed death rate Dij (where i corresponds to calendar time (year or interval of years) and j denotes the number of corresponding age group) was represented as Dij = Aj + BiCj, and unknown quantities Aj, Bi, and Cj were estimated by a special procedure using the least-squares principle. The coefficients of variation do not exceed 10%. It is shown that the term Aj can be interpreted as the endogenous and the second term BiCj as the exogenous components of the death rate. The aggregate of endogenous components Aj can be described by a regression function, corresponding to the Gompertz-Makeham law, A(tau) = gamma + beta x e alpha tau, where gamma, beta, and alpha are constants, tau is age, A(tau) [symbol: see text] tau = tau j identical to A(tau j) identical to Aj and tau j is the value of age tau in jth age group. The coefficients of variation for such a representation does not exceed 4%. An analysis of exogenous risk levels in the Moscow and Russian populations during 1980-1995 shows that since 1992 all components of exogenous risk in the Moscow population had been increasing up to 1994. The greatest contribution to the total level of exogenous risk was lethal diseases, and their death rate was 387 deaths per 100,000 persons in 1994, i.e., 61.9% of all deaths. The dynamics of exogenous mortality risk change during 1990-1994 in the Moscow population and in the Russian population without Moscow had been identical: the risk had been increasing and its value in the Russian population had been higher than that in the Moscow population.

Endogenous versus exogenous shocks in systems with memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sornette, D.; Helmstetter, A.

2003-02-01

Systems with long-range persistence and memory are shown to exhibit different precursory as well as recovery patterns in response to shocks of exogenous versus endogenous origins. By endogenous, we envision either fluctuations resulting from an underlying chaotic dynamics or from a stochastic forcing origin which may be external or be an effective coarse-grained description of the microscopic fluctuations. In this scenario, endogenous shocks result from a kind of constructive interference of accumulated fluctuations whose impacts survive longer than the large shocks themselves. As a consequence, the recovery after an endogenous shock is in general slower at early times and can be at long times either slower or faster than after an exogenous perturbation. This offers the tantalizing possibility of distinguishing between an endogenous versus exogenous cause of a given shock, even when there is no “smoking gun”. This could help in investigating the exogenous versus self-organized origins in problems such as the causes of major biological extinctions, of change of weather regimes and of the climate, in tracing the source of social upheaval and wars, and so on. Sornette et al., Volatility fingerprints of large stocks: endogenous versus exogenous, cond-mat/0204626 has already shown how this concept can be applied concretely to differentiate the effects on financial markets of the 11 September 2001 attack or of the coup against Gorbachev on 19 August 1991 (exogenous) from financial crashes such as October 1987 (endogenous).

Endogenous versus Exogenous Origins of Crises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sornette, Didier

Are large biological extinctions such as the Cretaceous/Tertiary KT boundary due to a meteorite, extreme volcanic activity or self-organized critical extinction cascades? Are commercial successes due to a progressive reputation cascade or the result of a well orchestrated advertisement? Determining the chain of causality for Xevents in complex systems requires disentangling interwoven exogenous and endogenous contributions with either no clear signature or too many signatures. Here, I review several efforts carried out with collaborators which suggest a general strategy for understanding the organizations of several complex systems under the dual effect of endogenous and exogenous fluctuations. The studied examples are: internet download shocks, book sale shocks, social shocks, financial volatility shocks, and financial crashes. Simple models are offered to quantitatively relate the endogenous organization to the exogenous response of the system. Suggestions for applications of these ideas to many other systems are offered.

Multiple sclerosis in the Orkney and Shetland Islands. II: The search for an exogenous aetiology.

PubMed Central

Poskanzer, D C; Sheridan, J L; Prenney, L B; Walker, A M

1980-01-01

In Orkney and Shetland, a survey of lifetime events was undertaken in multiple sclerosis patients and two control groups to define shared exposure to an exogenous agent or environmental insult. Analyses of demographic factors, diet, social class and occupation, housing and environment, animal exposure, schooling, travel, infectious disease, and medical history disclosed a remarkable similarity in responses between patients and controls for a majority of questions. However, differences were noted for sanitation, place of residence at onset, and animal exposure. The data give additional support for an exogenous aetiology of multiple sclerosis. PMID:7241023

Age Learning Factors Affecting Pilot Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torbert, Brison

This document, intended for pilot education and flight safety specialists, consists chiefly of a review of the literature on physiological factors that affect pilot education and an examination of environmental factors that should be scrutinized in order to improve the effectiveness of aviation learning facilities. The physiological factors…

The contribution of endogenous and exogenous factors to male alopecia: a study of identical twins.

PubMed

Gatherwright, James; Liu, Mengyuan T; Amirlak, Bardia; Gliniak, Christy; Totonchi, Ali; Guyuron, Bahman

2013-05-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential contribution of environmental factors and testosterone on male alopecia. Ninety-two identical male twins were recruited from 2009 to 2011. A comprehensive questionnaire was completed followed by the acquisition of sputum samples for testosterone analysis and standardized digital photography. Frontal, temporal, and vertex hair loss was assessed from these photographs. Hair loss was then correlated with survey responses and testosterone levels between twin pairs. Two independent, blinded observers also rated the photographs for hair thinning. Increased smoking duration (p < 0.001) and the presence of dandruff (p = 0.028) were significantly associated with increased frontal hair loss. Increased exercise duration (p = 0.002), consumption of more than four alcoholic drinks per week (p = 0.042), and increased money spent on hair loss products (p = 0.050) were all associated with increased temporal hair loss. Daily hat use (p = 0.050), higher body mass index (p = 0.012), and higher testosterone levels (p = 0.040) were associated with decreased temporal hair loss. Factors that were significantly associated with increased vertex hair loss included abstinence from alcohol consumption (p = 0.030), consumption of more than four alcoholic drinks per week (p = 0.004), increased smoking duration (p = 0.047), increased exercise duration (p = 0.050), and increased stress duration (p = 0.010). Lower body mass index, more children, increased caffeine consumption, history of skin disease, and abstinence from alcohol were significantly associated with increased hair thinning scores (p < 0.05). This study offers substantial evidence that exogenous factors may have a clinically significant impact on hair loss. Risk, III.

Role of Exogenous Progesterone in the Treatment of Men and Women with Substance Use Disorders: A Narrative Review.

PubMed

Peltier, MacKenzie R; Sofuoglu, Mehmet

2018-05-14

Substance use disorders (SUDs) remain problematic as many individuals are untreated or do not benefit from the currently available interventions. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop novel pharmacological interventions to treat SUDs. Evidence suggests that the female sex hormone, progesterone, attenuates the craving for and the euphoric effects of drugs of abuse. Research to date has demonstrated that progesterone may modulate responses to drugs of abuse and may have utility as a novel treatment for SUDs. A literature search was conducted to identify and examine studies that administered exogenous progesterone. Sixteen publications were identified, exploring the utility of exogenous progesterone or its metabolite, allopregnanolone, among a range of substances, including amphetamines (one study), benzodiazepines (one study), cocaine (nine studies), and tobacco/nicotine (five studies). Results indicated that exogenous progesterone and, its metabolite allopregnanolone, demonstrated preliminary efficacy as a treatment for substance use in both men and women. Notably, progesterone appears to target negative affect and augment cognitive functioning, especially among female substance users. Additional research is needed to explore the potential use of exogenous progesterone and allopregnanolone in the treatment of SUDs, including that associated with alcohol and opioids, but considering the current promising findings, exogenous progesterone and allopregnanolone may have utility as novel pharmacological treatments for SUDs.

Environmental Factors Affecting Preschoolers' Motor Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Venetsanou, Fotini; Kambas, Antonis

2010-01-01

The process of development occurs according to the pattern established by the genetic potential and also by the influence of environmental factors. The aim of the present study was to focus on the main environmental factors affecting motor development. The review of the literature revealed that family features, such as socioeconomic status,…

Auxin synthesis gene tms1 driven by tuber-specific promoter alters hormonal status of transgenic potato plants and their responses to exogenous phytohormones.

PubMed

Kolachevskaya, Oksana O; Sergeeva, Lidiya I; Floková, Kristyna; Getman, Irina A; Lomin, Sergey N; Alekseeva, Valeriya V; Rukavtsova, Elena B; Buryanov, Yaroslav I; Romanov, Georgy A

2017-03-01

Ectopic auxin overproduction in transgenic potato leads to enhanced productivity accompanied with concerted and occasional changes in hormonal status, and causing altered response of transformants to exogenous auxin or cytokinin. Previously, we generated potato transformants expressing Agrobacterium-derived auxin synthesis gene tms1 driven by tuber-specific patatin gene promoter (B33-promoter). Here, we studied the endogenous hormonal status and the response to exogenous phytohormones in tms1 transformants cultured in vitro. Adding indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) or kinetin to culture medium affected differently tuberization of tms1-transformed and control plants, depending also on sucrose content in the medium. Exogenous phytohormones ceased to stimulate the tuber initiation in transformants at high (5-8%) sucrose concentration, while in control plants the stimulation was observed in all experimental settings. Furthermore, exogenous auxin partly inhibited the tuber initiation, and exogenous cytokinin reduced the average tuber weight in most transformants at high sucrose content. The elevated auxin level in tubers of the transformants was accompanied with a decrease in content of cytokinin bases and their ribosides in tubers and most shoots. No concerted changes in contents of abscisic, jasmonic, salicylic acids and gibberellins in tubers were detected. The data on hormonal status indicated that the enhanced productivity of tms1 transformants was due to auxin and not mediated by other phytohormones. In addition, exogenous cytokinin was shown to upregulate the expression of genes encoding orthologs of auxin receptors. Overall, the results showed that tms1 expression and local increase in IAA level in transformants affect both the balance of endogenous cytokinins and the dynamics of tuberization in response to exogenous hormones (auxin, cytokinin), the latter reaction depending also on the carbohydrate supply. We introduce a basic model for the hormonal network

Effect of transfection and co-incubation of bovine sperm with exogenous DNA on sperm quality and functional parameters for its use in sperm-mediated gene transfer.

PubMed

Arias, María Elena; Sánchez-Villalba, Esther; Delgado, Andrea; Felmer, Ricardo

2017-02-01

Sperm-mediated gene transfer (SMGT) is based on the capacity of sperm to bind exogenous DNA and transfer it into the oocyte during fertilization. In bovines, the progress of this technology has been slow due to the poor reproducibility and efficiency of the production of transgenic embryos. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of different sperm transfection systems on the quality and functional parameters of sperm. Additionally, the ability of sperm to bind and incorporate exogenous DNA was assessed. These analyses were carried out by flow cytometry and confocal fluorescence microscopy, and motility parameters were also evaluated by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA). Transfection was carried out using complexes of plasmid DNA with Lipofectamine, SuperFect and TurboFect for 0.5, 1, 2 or 4 h. The results showed that all of the transfection treatments promoted sperm binding and incorporation of exogenous DNA, similar to sperm incorporation of DNA alone, without affecting the viability. Nevertheless, the treatments and incubation times significantly affected the motility parameters, although no effect on the integrity of DNA or the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was observed. Additionally, we observed that transfection using SuperFect and TurboFect negatively affected the acrosome integrity, and TurboFect affected the mitochondrial membrane potential of sperm. In conclusion, we demonstrated binding and incorporation of exogenous DNA by sperm after transfection and confirmed the capacity of sperm to spontaneously incorporate exogenous DNA. These findings will allow the establishment of the most appropriate method [intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF)] of generating transgenic embryos via SMGT based on the fertilization capacity of transfected sperm.

Exogenous application of molybdenum affects the expression of CBF14 and the development of frost tolerance in wheat.

PubMed

Al-Issawi, Mohammed; Rihan, Hail Z; Woldie, Wondwossen Abate; Burchett, Stephen; Fuller, Michael P

2013-02-01

Wheat is able to cold acclimate in response to low temperatures and thereby increase its frost tolerance and the extent of this acclimation is greater in winter genotypes compared to spring genotypes. Such up-regulation of frost tolerance is controlled by Cbf transcription factors. Molybdenum (Mo) application has been shown to enhance frost tolerance of wheat and this study aimed to investigate the effect of Mo on the development of frost tolerance in winter and spring wheat. Results showed that Mo treatment increased the expression of Cbf14 in wheat under non-acclimating condition but did not alter frost tolerance. However, when Mo was applied in conjunction with exposure of plants to low temperature, Mo increased the expression of Cbf14 and enhanced frost tolerance in both spring and winter genotypes but the effect was more pronounced in the winter genotype. It was concluded that the application of Mo could be useful in situations where enhanced frost resistance is required. Further studies are proposed to elucidate the effect of exogenous of applications of Mo on frost resistance in spring and winter wheat at different growth stages. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Exogenous factors contributing to column bed heterogeneity: Part 1: Consequences of 'air' injections in liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Samuelsson, Jörgen; Fornstedt, Torgny; Shalliker, Andrew

2015-08-07

It has been shown that not only the packing homogeneity, but also factors external to the column bed, such as, frits and distributors can have important effects on the column performance. This current communication is the first in a series focusing on the impact of exogenous factors on the column bed heterogeneity. This study is based on several observations by us and others that chromatographic runs often, for technical reasons, include more or less portions of air in the injections. It is therefore extremely important to find out the impact of air on the column performance, the reliability of the results derived from analyses where air was injected, and the effect on the column homogeneity. We used a photographic approach for visualising the air transport phenomena, and found that the air transport through the column is comprised of many different types of transport phenomena, such as laminal flow, viscous fingering like flows, channels and bulbs, and pulsations. More particularly, the air clouds within the column definitely interact in the adsorption, i.e. mobile phase adsorbed to the column surface is displaced. In addition, irrespective of the type of air transport phenomena, the air does not penetrate the column homogeneously. This process is strongly flow dependent. In this work we study air transport both in an analytical scale and a semi-prep column. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Variations in the patterns of soil organic carbon mineralization and microbial communities in response to exogenous application of rice straw and calcium carbonate.

PubMed

Feng, Shuzhen; Huang, Yuan; Ge, Yunhui; Su, Yirong; Xu, Xinwen; Wang, Yongdong; He, Xunyang

2016-11-15

The addition of exogenous inorganic carbon (CaCO3) and organic carbon has an important influence on soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization in karst soil, but the microbial mechanisms underlying the SOC priming effect are poorly understood. We conducted a 100-day incubation experiment involving four treatments of the calcareous soil in southwestern China's karst region: control, (14)C-labeled rice straw addition, (14)C-labeled CaCO3 addition, and a combination of (14)C-labeled rice straw and CaCO3. Changes in soil microbial communities were characterized using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis with polymerase chain reaction (PCR-DGGE) and real-time quantitative PCR (q-PCR). Both (14)C-rice straw and Ca(14)CO3 addition stimulated SOC mineralization, suggesting that organic and inorganic C affected SOC stability. Addition of straw alone had no significant effect on bacterial diversity; however, when the straw was added in combination with calcium carbonate, it had an inhibitory effect on bacterial and fungal diversity. At the beginning of the experimental period, exogenous additives increased bacterial abundance, although at the end of the 100-day incubation bacterial community abundance had gradually declined. Incubation time, exogenous input, and their interaction significantly affected SOC mineralization (in terms of priming and the cumulative amount of mineralization), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and microbial community abundance and diversity. Moreover, the key factors influencing SOC mineralization were MBC, bacterial diversity, and soil pH. Overall, these findings support the view that inorganic C is involved in soil C turnover with the participation of soil microbial communities, promoting soil C cycling in the karst region. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cartilage fragments from osteoarthritic knee promote chondrogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells without exogenous growth factor induction.

PubMed

Chen, Chia-Chun; Liao, Cheng-Hao; Wang, Yao-Horng; Hsu, Yuan-Ming; Huang, Shih-Horng; Chang, Chih-Hung; Fang, Hsu-Wei

2012-03-01

Extracellular matrix (ECM) is thought to participate significantly in guiding the differentiation process of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In this study, we hypothesized that cartilage fragments from osteoarthritic knee could promote chondrogenesis of MSCs. Nonworn parts of cartilage tissues were obtained during total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery. Cartilage fragments and MSCs were wrapped into fibrin glue; and the constructs were implanted subcutaneously into nude mice. Histological analysis showed neocartilage-like structure with positive Alcian blue staining in the cartilage fragment-fibrin-MSC constructs. However, constructs with only MSCs in fibrin showed condensed appearance like MSCs in the pellet culture. Gene expression of type II collagen in the constructs with 60 mg cartilage fragments were significantly elevated after 4 weeks of implantation. Conversely, the constructs without cartilage fragments failed to express type II collagen, which indicated MSCs did not differentiate into a chondrogenic lineage. In conclusion, we demonstrated the effect of cartilage fragments from osteoarthritic knee in promoting chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs. This may be a favorable strategy for MSC chondrogenesis without exogenous growth factor induction. Copyright © 2011 Orthopaedic Research Society.

Nutritional Factors Affecting Adult Neurogenesis and Cognitive Function.

PubMed

Poulose, Shibu M; Miller, Marshall G; Scott, Tammy; Shukitt-Hale, Barbara

2017-11-01

Adult neurogenesis, a complex process by which stem cells in the hippocampal brain region differentiate and proliferate into new neurons and other resident brain cells, is known to be affected by many intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including diet. Neurogenesis plays a critical role in neural plasticity, brain homeostasis, and maintenance in the central nervous system and is a crucial factor in preserving the cognitive function and repair of damaged brain cells affected by aging and brain disorders. Intrinsic factors such as aging, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and brain injury, as well as lifestyle factors such as high-fat and high-sugar diets and alcohol and opioid addiction, negatively affect adult neurogenesis. Conversely, many dietary components such as curcumin, resveratrol, blueberry polyphenols, sulforaphane, salvionic acid, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and diets enriched with polyphenols and PUFAs, as well as caloric restriction, physical exercise, and learning, have been shown to induce neurogenesis in adult brains. Although many of the underlying mechanisms by which nutrients and dietary factors affect adult neurogenesis have yet to be determined, nutritional approaches provide promising prospects to stimulate adult neurogenesis and combat neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive decline. In this review, we summarize the evidence supporting the role of nutritional factors in modifying adult neurogenesis and their potential to preserve cognitive function during aging. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

Exogenous peripheral blood mononuclear cells affect the healing process of deep-degree burns

PubMed Central

Yu, Guanying; Li, Yaonan; Ye, Lan; Wang, Xinglei; Zhang, Jixun; Dong, Zhengxue; Jiang, Duyin

2017-01-01

The regenerative repair of deep-degree (second degree) burned skin remains a notable challenge in the treatment of burn injury, despite improvements being made with regards to treatment modality and the emergence of novel therapies. Fetal skin constitutes an attractive target for investigating scarless healing of burned skin. To investigate the inflammatory response during scarless healing of burned fetal skin, the present study developed a nude mouse model, which was implanted with normal human fetal skin and burned fetal skin. Subsequently, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were used to treat the nude mouse model carrying the burned fetal skin. The expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1 were investigated during this process. In the present study, fetal skin was subcutaneously implanted into the nude mice to establish the murine model. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to detect alterations in the skin during the development of fetal skin and during the healing process of deep-degree burned fetal skin. The expression levels of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were determined using immunochemical staining, and their staining intensity was evaluated by mean optical density. The results demonstrated that fetal skin subcutaneously implanted into the dorsal skin flap of nude mice developed similarly to the normal growth process in the womb. In addition, the scarless healing process was clearly observed in the mice carrying the burned fetal skin. A total of 2 weeks was required to complete scarless healing. Following treatment with PBMCs, the burned fetal skin generated inflammatory factors and enhanced the inflammatory response, which consequently resulted in a reduction in the speed of healing and in the formation of scars. Therefore, exogenous PBMCs may alter the lowered immune response environment, which is required for scarless healing, resulting in scar formation. In conclusion, the present

Attention and predictions: control of spatial attention beyond the endogenous-exogenous dichotomy

PubMed Central

Macaluso, Emiliano; Doricchi, Fabrizio

2013-01-01

The mechanisms of attention control have been extensively studied with a variety of methodologies in animals and in humans. Human studies using non-invasive imaging techniques highlighted a remarkable difference between the pattern of responses in dorsal fronto-parietal regions vs. ventral fronto-parietal (vFP) regions, primarily lateralized to the right hemisphere. Initially, this distinction at the neuro-physiological level has been related to the distinction between cognitive processes associated with strategic/endogenous vs. stimulus-driven/exogenous of attention control. Nonetheless, quite soon it has become evident that, in almost any situation, attention control entails a complex combination of factors related to both the current sensory input and endogenous aspects associated with the experimental context. Here, we review several of these aspects first discussing the joint contribution of endogenous and stimulus-driven factors during spatial orienting in complex environments and, then, turning to the role of expectations and predictions in spatial re-orienting. We emphasize that strategic factors play a pivotal role for the activation of the ventral system during stimulus-driven control, and that the dorsal system makes use of stimulus-driven signals for top-down control. We conclude that both the dorsal and the vFP networks integrate endogenous and exogenous signals during spatial attention control and that future investigations should manipulate both these factors concurrently, so as to reveal to full extent of these interactions. PMID:24155707

Both exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism and short-term overt hypothyroidism affect myocardial strain in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

PubMed

Abdulrahman, Randa M; Delgado, Victoria; Hoftijzer, Hendrieke C; Ng, Arnold C T; Ewe, See Hooi; Marsan, Nina Ajmone; Holman, Eduard R; Hovens, Guido C; Corssmit, Eleonora P; Romijn, Johannes A; Bax, Jeroen J; Smit, Johannes W A

2011-05-01

The cardiovascular effects of transitions from exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism to short-term overt hypothyroidism in patients treated for differentiated thyroid carcinoma remain unclear. The present study aims at evaluating the changes in multidirectional myocardial strain using two-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking during this controlled transition from exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism to overt hypothyroidism. The study included 14 patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma on thyrotropin suppressive thyroxine substitution who were subsequently withdrawn from thyroxine for 4 weeks. Cardiac function was assessed by 2D speckle tracking echocardiography before and 1 and 4 weeks after withdrawal and compared with values obtained in a control group of 24 individuals. At baseline, the left ventricular dimensions were significantly higher in patients as compared with controls. Using 2D speckle tracking imaging, the patients had significantly impaired baseline myocardial systolic function in the circumferential (-16.0% ± 2.1% vs. -19.2% ± 3.0%, p = 0.001) and longitudinal (-17.1% ± 2.5% vs. -19.7% ± 3.0%, p = 0.001) directions as compared with controls. Withdrawal of thyroid hormone did not induce significant changes in left ventricular dimensions or systolic function. During the transition from exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism to overt hypothyroidism, a significant improvement in circumferential and longitudinal systolic shortening was observed and returned to abnormal values when the patients were overt hypothyroid (circumferential strain: from -16.0% ± 2.1% to -18.6% ± 1.9% and -14.7% ± 2.8%, p < 0.005; longitudinal strain: from -17.1% ± 2.5% to -18.8% ± 1.4% and -16.3% ± 1.3%, p < 0.005). A U-shaped relationship between a range of thyroid hormone levels (from hyper- to hypothyroid concentrations) and myocardial strains was observed. The clinical consequences of these findings remain

Factors affecting dignity of patients with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Sharifi, Simin; Borhani, Fariba; Abbaszadeh, Abbas

2016-12-01

MS is one of the most common chronic diseases of the nervous system. Apart from disease progression, other complications such as unemployment, separation and divorce could potentially threat patients' dignity. Most of the previous studies have been done of maintaining patients' dignity in interaction with healthcare team, but studies on affecting factors of dignity in chronic patients in the society and in interaction with usual people are scarce. We aimed to investigate factors affecting dignity of Iranian patients with MS in daily living and in interaction of them with the society. In this qualitative study, 13 patients with multiple sclerosis were chosen by purposive sampling and semi-structured interviews were conducted until data saturation. The study was done in Tehran, the capital city of Iran. Factors affecting dignity were classified as 'personal factors' and 'social factors'. Personal factors consist of the following subcategories: patients' communication with self, patients' knowledge, patients' values and beliefs and patients' resources. Social factors include others' communication with patients, social knowledge, social values and beliefs and social resources. Multiple personal and social factors interfere in perceived patient dignity. In fact, interaction between personal and social factors can be influential in final perceived dignity. By focusing on whole aspects of the patients' lives, we can identify dignity-promoting or dignity-threatening factors and help patients maintain their dignity by taking appropriate measures for moderating threatening factors and improving dignity enhancing ones. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Olive Fruit Fly (Bactrocera oleae) Population Dynamics in the Eastern Mediterranean: Influence of Exogenous Uncertainty on a Monophagous Frugivorous Insect

PubMed Central

Ordano, Mariano; Engelhard, Izhar; Rempoulakis, Polychronis; Nemny-Lavy, Esther; Blum, Moshe; Yasin, Sami; Lensky, Itamar M.; Papadopoulos, Nikos T.; Nestel, David

2015-01-01

Despite of the economic importance of the olive fly (Bactrocera oleae) and the large amount of biological and ecological studies on the insect, the factors driving its population dynamics (i.e., population persistence and regulation) had not been analytically investigated until the present study. Specifically, our study investigated the autoregressive process of the olive fly populations, and the joint role of intrinsic and extrinsic factors molding the population dynamics of the insect. Accounting for endogenous dynamics and the influences of exogenous factors such as olive grove temperature, the North Atlantic Oscillation and the presence of potential host fruit, we modeled olive fly populations in five locations in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Our models indicate that the rate of population change is mainly shaped by first and higher order non-monotonic, endogenous dynamics (i.e., density-dependent population feedback). The olive grove temperature was the main exogenous driver, while the North Atlantic Oscillation and fruit availability acted as significant exogenous factors in one of the five populations. Seasonal influences were also relevant for three of the populations. In spite of exogenous effects, the rate of population change was fairly stable along time. We propose that a special reproductive mechanism, such as reproductive quiescence, allows populations of monophagous fruit flies such as the olive fly to remain stable. Further, we discuss how weather factors could impinge constraints on the population dynamics at the local level. Particularly, local temperature dynamics could provide forecasting cues for management guidelines. Jointly, our results advocate for establishing monitoring programs and for a major focus of research on the relationship between life history traits and populations dynamics. PMID:26010332

Diagnostic utility of dermatoscopy in hydroquinone-induced exogenous ochronosis.

PubMed

Mishra, Sunil N; Dhurat, Rachita S; Deshpande, Deepal J; Nayak, Chitra S

2013-04-01

  Hydroquinone is the preferred topical bleaching agent used in the treatment of melasma. The adverse effects of its chronic use are confetti-like depigmentation and exogenous ochronosis. Exogenous ochronosis manifests clinically with gray-brown or blue-black hyperpigmentation, as well as pinpoint hyperchromic caviar-like papules over the malar region. Dermatoscopic findings of ochronosis are unique and point towards a clue for its diagnosis.   Three cases of suspected hydroquinone-induced exogenous ochronosis while treating melasma were subjected to dermatoscopy and histopathology studies.   Dermatoscopy in the areas of caviar-like hyperpigmentation revealed accentuation of the normal pseudo-rete of the facial skin with amorphous densely-pigmented structures obliterating some follicular opening and multiple thin, short arciform structures. On histopathological examination, curved ochre-colored structures, 'banana-shaped' fibers, were seen in the dermis of all patients.   Exogenous ochronosis is difficult to treat. Dermatologists should be able to differentiate it from melasma and immediately discontinue hydroquinone. Exogenous ochronosis has characteristic features on dermatoscopy which may obviate the need for an invasive procedure of biopsy for its diagnosis. © 2012 The International Society of Dermatology.

Exogenous sample contamination. Sources and interference.

PubMed

Cornes, Michael P

2016-12-01

Clinical laboratory medicine is involved in the vast majority of patient care pathways. It has been estimated that pathology results inform 60-70% of critical patient care decisions. The primary goal of the laboratory is to produce precise and accurate results which reflect the true situation in vivo. It is not surprising that interference occurs in laboratory analysis given the complexity of some of the assays used to perform them. Interference is defined as "the effect of a substance upon any step in the determination of the concentration or catalytic activity of the metabolite". Exogenous interferences are defined as those that derive from outside of the body and are therefore not normally found in a specimen and can cause either a positive or negative bias in analytical results. Interferences in analysis can come from various sources and can be classified as endogenous or exogenous. Exogenous substances could be introduced at any point in the sample journey. The laboratory must take responsibility for the quality of results produced. It has a responsibility to have processes in place to identify and minimise the occurrence and effect contamination and interference. To do this well the laboratory needs to work with clinicians and manufacturers. Failure to identify an erroneous result could have an impact on patient care, patient safety and also on hospital budgets. However it is not always easy to recognise interferences. This review summarises the types and sources of exogenous interference and some steps to minimise the impact they have. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exogenous spermidine is enhancing tomato tolerance to salinity-alkalinity stress by regulating chloroplast antioxidant system and chlorophyll metabolism.

PubMed

Li, Jianming; Hu, Lipan; Zhang, Li; Pan, Xiongbo; Hu, Xiaohui

2015-12-29

Salinity-alkalinity stress is known to adversely affect a variety of processes in plants, thus inhibiting growth and decreasing crop yield. Polyamines protect plants against a variety of environmental stresses. However, whether exogenous spermidine increases the tolerance of tomato seedlings via effects on chloroplast antioxidant enzymes and chlorophyll metabolism is unknown. In this study, we examined the effect of exogenous spermidine on chlorophyll synthesis and degradation pathway intermediates and related enzyme activities, as well as chloroplast ultrastructure, gene expression, and antioxidants in salinity-alkalinity-stressed tomato seedlings. Salinity-alkalinity stress disrupted chlorophyll metabolism and hindered uroorphyrinogen III conversion to protoporphyrin IX. These effects were more pronounced in seedlings of cultivar Zhongza No. 9 than cultivar Jinpengchaoguan. Under salinity-alkalinity stress, exogenous spermidine alleviated decreases in the contents of total chlorophyll and chlorophyll a and b in seedlings of both cultivars following 4 days of stress. With extended stress, exogenous spermidine reduced the accumulation of δ-aminolevulinic acid, porphobilinogen, and uroorphyrinogen III and increased the levels of protoporphyrin IX, Mg-protoporphyrin IX, and protochlorophyllide, suggesting that spermidine promotes the conversion of uroorphyrinogen III to protoporphyrin IX. The effect occurred earlier in cultivar Jinpengchaoguan than in cultivar Zhongza No. 9. Exogenous spermidine also alleviated the stress-induced increases in malondialdehyde content, superoxide radical generation rate, chlorophyllase activity, and expression of the chlorophyllase gene and the stress-induced decreases in the activities of antioxidant enzymes, antioxidants, and expression of the porphobilinogen deaminase gene. In addition, exogenous spermidine stabilized the chloroplast ultrastructure in stressed tomato seedlings. The tomato cultivars examined exhibited different

Exogenous glutamate induces short and long-term potentiation in the rat medial vestibular nuclei.

PubMed

Grassi, S; Frondaroli, A; Pessia, M; Pettorossi, V E

2001-08-08

In rat brain stem slices, high concentrations of exogenous glutamate induce long-term potentiation (LTP) of the field potentials evoked in the medial vestibular nuclei (MVN) by vestibular afferent stimulation. At low concentrations, glutamate can also induce short-term potentiation (STP), indicating that LTP and STP are separate events depending on the level of glutamatergic synapse activation. LTP and STP are prevented by blocking NMDA receptors and nitric oxide (NO) synthesis. Conversely, blocking platelet-activating factor (PAF) and group I metabotropic glutamate receptors only prevents the full development of LTP. Moreover, in the presence of blocking agents, glutamate causes transient inhibition, suggesting that when potentiation is impeded, exogenous glutamate can activate presynaptic mechanisms that reduce glutamate release.

Effects of exogenous gamma-aminobutyric acid on α-amylase activity in the aleurone of barley seeds.

PubMed

Sheng, Yidi; Xiao, Huiyuan; Guo, Chunli; Wu, Hong; Wang, Xiaojing

2018-03-03

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a nonprotein amino acid, often accumulates in plants exposed to certain environmental stimuli. Previous studies indicated that a closed relationship existed between endogenous GABA and seed germination. However, there are few studies on the effect of exogenous GABA on seed germination. The objective of this study was to explore whether exogenous GABA affected α-amylase activity which the activation is an important stage in seed germination. The level of endogenous GABA in barley seeds rose gradually during germination, suggesting that endogenous GABA was involved in germination. We measured starch degradation under application of various concentration GABA and found that GABA promoted seed starch degradation with a dose-responsive effect. The relationship between GABA and α-amylase activity was investigated by treating barley aleurone with exogenous GABA. The result showed that α-amylase activity began to rise after about 24 h and reached a peak at 48 h. Molecular evidence suggested that GABA increased α-amylase gene expression. We explore the possible roles played by GABA in signal transduction. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Detection of exogenous gene doping of IGF-I by a real-time quantitative PCR assay.

PubMed

Zhang, Jin-Ju; Xu, Jing-Feng; Shen, Yong-Wei; Ma, Shi-Jiao; Zhang, Ting-Ting; Meng, Qing-Lin; Lan, Wen-Jun; Zhang, Chun; Liu, Xiao-Mei

2017-07-01

Gene doping can be easily concealed since its product is similar to endogenous protein, making its effective detection very challenging. In this study, we selected insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) exogenous gene for gene doping detection. First, the synthetic IGF-I gene was subcloned to recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) plasmid to produce recombinant rAAV2/IGF-I-GFP vectors. Second, in an animal model, rAAV2/IGF-I-GFP vectors were injected into the thigh muscle tissue of mice, and then muscle and blood specimens were sampled at different time points for total DNA isolation. Finally, real-time quantitative PCR was employed to detect the exogenous gene doping of IGF-I. In view of the characteristics of endogenous IGF-I gene sequences, a TaqMan probe was designed at the junction of exons 2 and 3 of IGF-I gene to distinguish it from the exogenous IGF-I gene. In addition, an internal reference control plasmid and its probe were used in PCR to rule out false-positive results through comparison of their threshold cycle (Ct) values. Thus, an accurate exogenous IGF-I gene detection approach was developed in this study. © 2016 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Exogenic and endogenic Europa minerals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maynard-Casely, H. E.; Brand, H. E. A.; Wilson, S. A.

2016-12-01

The Galileo Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) identified a significant `non-ice' component upon the surface of Jupiter's moon Europa. Current explanations invoke both endogenic and exogenic origins for this material. It has long been suggested that magnesium and sodium sulfate minerals could have leached from the rock below a putative ocean (endogenic) 1 and that sulfuric acid hydrate minerals could have been radiologically produced from ionised sulfur originally from Io's volcanoes (exogenic) 2. However, a more recent theory proposes that the `non-ice' component could be radiation damaged NaCl leached from Europa's speculative ocean 3. What if the minerals are actually from combination of both endogenic and exogenic sources? To investigate this possibility we have focused on discovering new minerals that might form in the combination of the latter two cases, that is a mixture of leached sulfates hydrates with radiologically produced sulfuric acid. To this end we have explored a number of solutions in the MgSO4-H2SO4-H2O and Na2SO4-H2SO4-H2O systems, between 80 and 280 K with synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction. We report a number of new materials formed in this these ternary systems. This suggests that it should be considered that the `non-ice' component of the Europa's surface could be a material derived from endogenic and exogenic components. 1 Kargel, J. S. Brine volcanism and the interior structures of asteroids and icy satellites. Icarus 94, 368-390 (1991). 2 Carlson, R. W., Anderson, M. S., Mehlman, R. & Johnson, R. E. Distribution of hydrate on Europa: Further evidence for sulfuric acid hydrate. Icarus 177, 461-471, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2005.03.026 (2005). 3 Hand, K. P. & Carlson, R. W. Europa's surface color suggests an ocean rich with sodium chloride. Geophysical Research Letters, 2015GL063559, doi:10.1002/2015gl063559 (2015).

[Proliferation of hepatocytes after delivery of exogenous hepatocyte growth factor gene].

PubMed

Lin, Yong; Xie, Wei fen; Chen, Wei-zhong; Zhang, Xin; Zeng, Xin; Chen, Yue-xiang; Yang, Xiu-jiang; Zhang, Zhong-bing

2003-06-01

To explore the proliferation of primary cultured rats hepatocytes after delivery of exogenous hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene which was inserted into the genome of replication-deficient recombinant adenovirus vector. The recombinant adenovirus-AdHGF which could express HGF was generated by homologous recombination. After the HGF gene was delivered into the hepatocytes, the expression of both HGF and c-met/HGF receptor mRNA in the cells was detected by RT-PCR and the level of HGF in the culture supernatant was also assayed by ELISA. On the other hand, cell proliferation was compared between before and after delivery of the HGF gene by MTS assay and the percentages of cell cycles were analyzed by flow cytometry. In addition, the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was determined by immunocytofluorescent stain. 4 x 10(10) efu/ml titer of AdHGF was obtained after recombination, RT-PCR indicated that the expression of HGF mRNA in hepatocytes increased on the third day after infected by the viruses and c-met/HGF receptor mRNA was also up-regulated. The HGF level in the culture supernatant assayed by ELISA was (5,939.0+/-414.39) pg/ml, which was much higher than that in the control (208.1pg/ml+/-37.20pg/ml, F=13.661, P<0.01). In addition, the proliferation of hepatocytes infected with AdHGF increased significantly according to MTS method (F>or=15.158, P<0.01) and more hepatocytes in G0/G1 stages changed into S stage (chi2=41.616, P<0.01), accordingly, PCNA index increased from 6.42+/- 1.88 to 14.56+/-2.85 (F=42.122, P<0.01). show that HGF gene delivered into hepatocytes by AdHGF can be expressed with high efficiency in the cells, which can stimulate hepatocytes proliferation. It may be an effective tool for hepatocyte transplantation by gene modified donor hepatocytes.

Endogenous versus exogenous generic reference pricing for pharmaceuticals.

PubMed

Antoñanzas, F; Juárez-Castelló, C A; Rodríguez-Ibeas, R

2017-12-01

In this paper we carry out a vertical differentiation duopoly model applied to pharmaceutical markets to analyze how endogenous and exogenous generic reference pricing influence competition between generic and branded drugs producers. Unlike the literature, we characterize for the exogenous case the equilibrium prices for all feasible relevant reference prices. Competition is enhanced after the introduction of a reference pricing system. We also compare both reference pricing systems on welfare grounds, assuming two different objective functions for health authorities: (i) standard social welfare and (ii) gross consumer surplus net of total pharmaceutical expenditures. We show that regardless of the objective function, health authorities will never choose endogenous reference pricing. When health authorities are paternalistic, the exogenous reference price that maximizes standard social welfare is such that the price of the generic drug is the reference price while the price of the branded drug is higher than the reference price. When health authorities are not paternalistic, the optimal exogenous reference price is such that the price of the branded drug is the reference price while the price of the generic drug is lower than the reference price.

Exogenous pyruvate accelerates glycolysis and promotes capacitation in human spermatozoa

PubMed Central

Hereng, T.H.; Elgstøen, K.B.P.; Cederkvist, F.H.; Eide, L.; Jahnsen, T.; Skålhegg, B.S.; Rosendal, K.R.

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND There has been an ongoing debate in the reproductive field about whether mammalian spermatozoa rely on glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation or both for their energy production. Recent studies have proposed that human spermatozoa depend mainly on glucose for motility and fertilization but the mechanism behind an efficient glycolysis in human spermatozoa is not well understood. Here, we demonstrate how human spermatozoa utilize exogenous pyruvate to enhance glycolytic ATP production, motility, hyperactivation and capacitation, events that are crucial for male fertility. METHODS Purified human spermatozoa from healthy donors were incubated under capacitating conditions (including albumin, bicarbonate and glucose) and tested for changes in ATP levels, motility, hyperactivation and tyrosine phosphorylation after treatment with pyruvate. The experiments were repeated in the presence of sodium cyanide in order to assess the contribution from mitochondrial respiration. The metabolism of 13C labeled glucose and pyruvate was traced by a combination of liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. RESULTS The treatment of human spermatozoa with exogenous pyruvate increased intracellular ATP levels, progressive motility and hyperactivation by 56, 21 and 130%, respectively. In addition, added pyruvate induced a significant increase in tyrosine phosphorylation levels. Blocking of the electron transport chain did not markedly affect the results, indicating that the mechanism is independent of oxidative phosphorylation. However, the observed effects could be counteracted by oxamate, an inhibitor of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Metabolic tracing experiments revealed that the observed rise in ATP concentration resulted from an enhanced glycolytic flux, which was increased by more than 50% in the presence of exogenous pyruvate. Moreover, all consumed 13C labeled pyruvate added was converted to lactate rather than oxidized in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. CONCLUSIONS Human

Exogenous pyruvate accelerates glycolysis and promotes capacitation in human spermatozoa.

PubMed

Hereng, T H; Elgstøen, K B P; Cederkvist, F H; Eide, L; Jahnsen, T; Skålhegg, B S; Rosendal, K R

2011-12-01

There has been an ongoing debate in the reproductive field about whether mammalian spermatozoa rely on glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation or both for their energy production. Recent studies have proposed that human spermatozoa depend mainly on glucose for motility and fertilization but the mechanism behind an efficient glycolysis in human spermatozoa is not well understood. Here, we demonstrate how human spermatozoa utilize exogenous pyruvate to enhance glycolytic ATP production, motility, hyperactivation and capacitation, events that are crucial for male fertility. Purified human spermatozoa from healthy donors were incubated under capacitating conditions (including albumin, bicarbonate and glucose) and tested for changes in ATP levels, motility, hyperactivation and tyrosine phosphorylation after treatment with pyruvate. The experiments were repeated in the presence of sodium cyanide in order to assess the contribution from mitochondrial respiration. The metabolism of (13)C labeled glucose and pyruvate was traced by a combination of liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The treatment of human spermatozoa with exogenous pyruvate increased intracellular ATP levels, progressive motility and hyperactivation by 56, 21 and 130%, respectively. In addition, added pyruvate induced a significant increase in tyrosine phosphorylation levels. Blocking of the electron transport chain did not markedly affect the results, indicating that the mechanism is independent of oxidative phosphorylation. However, the observed effects could be counteracted by oxamate, an inhibitor of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Metabolic tracing experiments revealed that the observed rise in ATP concentration resulted from an enhanced glycolytic flux, which was increased by more than 50% in the presence of exogenous pyruvate. Moreover, all consumed (13)C labeled pyruvate added was converted to lactate rather than oxidized in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Human spermatozoa seem to rely mainly, if

Exogenic and endogenic albedo and color patterns on Europa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcewen, A. S.

1986-01-01

New global and high-resolution multispectral mosaics of Europa have been produced from the Voyager imaging data. Photometric normalizations are based on multiple-image techniques that explicitly account for intrinsic albedo variations through pixel-by-pixel solutions. The exogenic color and albedo pattern on Europa is described by a second-order function of the cosine of the angular distance from the apex of orbital motion. On the basis of this second-order function and of color trends that are different on the leading and trailing hemispheres, the exogenic pattern is interpreted as being due to equilibrium between two dominant processes: (1) impact gardening and (2) magnetospheric interactions, including sulfur-ion implantation and sputtering redistribution. Removal of the model exogenic pattern in the mosaics reveals the endogenic variations, consisting of only two major units: darker (redder) and bright materials. Therefore Europa's visual spectral reflectivity is simple, having one continuous exogenic pattern and two discrete endogenic units.

Exogenous attention can be counter-selective: onset cues disrupt sensitivity to color changes.

PubMed

Müller-Plath, Gisela; Klöckner, Nils

2014-03-01

In peripheral spatial cueing paradigms, exogenous attentional capture is commonly observed after salient onset cues or with cues contingent on target characteristics. We proposed that exogenously captured attention disrupts the selectivity to target features. We tested this by experimentally emulating the everyday observation that in a viewing situation in which the observer is monitoring a stationary display fort change to occur, the onset of a salient stimulus (onset cue) or a change in a stationary stimulus similar to the expected one (contingent cue) has a distracting effect. As predicted, we found that both types of cues reduced the target detection sensitivity but enhanced the bias to respond in a go-nogo-paradigm. With the onset cue, the sensitivity loss was more pronounced at the side of the cue, whereas the contingent cue affected both sides likewise. Moreover, the effects of the onset cue interacted with the task difficulty: the more selectivity a task required the more immune it was against disruption, but the more likely was a response. We concluded that onset capture disrupts selective attention by adding noise to the processing of the target location. The effects of contingent capture could be explained with cue-target confounding. Finally, we suggest a new model of attentional capture in which exogenous and endogenous components interact in a dynamic way.

Growth factor involvement in tension-induced skeletal muscle growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vandenburgh, Herman H.

1993-01-01

Long-term manned space travel will require a better understanding of skeletal muscle atrophy which results from microgravity. Astronaut strength and dexterity must be maintained for normal mission operations and for emergency situations. Although exercise in space slows the rate of muscle loss, it does not prevent it. A biochemical understanding of how gravity/tension/exercise help to maintain muscle size by altering protein synthesis and/or degradation rate should ultimately allow pharmacological intervention to prevent muscle atrophy in microgravity. The overall objective is to examine some of the basic biochemical processes involved in tension-induced muscle growth. With an experimental in vitro system, the role of exogenous and endogenous muscle growth factors in mechanically stimulated muscle growth are examined. Differentiated avian skeletal myofibers can be 'exercised' in tissue culture using a newly developed dynamic mechanical cell stimulator device which simulates different muscle activity patterns. Patterns of mechanical activity which significantly affect muscle growth and metabolic characteristics were found. Both exogenous and endogenous growth factors are essential for tension-induced muscle growth. Exogenous growth factors found in serum, such as insulin, insulin-like growth factors, and steroids, are important regulators of muscle protein turnover rates and mechanically-induced muscle growth. Endogenous growth factors are synthesized and released into the culture medium when muscle cells are mechanically stimulated. At least one family of mechanically induced endogenous factors, the prostaglandins, help to regulate the rates of protein turnover in muscle cells. Endogenously synthesized IGF-1 is another. The interaction of muscle mechanical activity and these growth factors in the regulation of muscle protein turnover rates with our in vitro model system is studied.

Economic and Cultural Factors Affecting University Excellence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jabnoun, Naceur

2009-01-01

Purpose: The ranking of top universities in the world has generated increased interest in the factors that enhance university performance. The purpose of this paper is to identify economic and cultural factors that affect the number of top ranking universities in each country. Design/methodology/approach: This paper first identifies the number of…

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING BREAST CANCER SUSCEPTIBILITY

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental Factors Affecting Breast Cancer Susceptibility
Suzanne. E. Fenton
US EPA, ORD, MD-67 NHEERL, Reproductive Toxicology Division, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711.

Breast cancer is still the most common malignancy afflicting women in the Western world. Alt...

Assessment of Health Effects of Exogenous Urea: Summary and Key Findings.

PubMed

Dickerson, Aisha S; Lee, Janice S; Keshava, Channa; Hotchkiss, Andrew; Persad, Amanda S

2018-05-01

Urea has been utilized as a reductant in diesel fuels to lower emission of nitrogen oxides, igniting interest in probable human health hazards associated with exposure to exogenous urea. Here, we summarize and update key findings on potential health effects of exogenous urea, including carcinogenicity. No definitive target organs for oral exposure were identified; however, results in animal studies suggest that the liver and kidney could be potential target organs of urea toxicity. The available human-subject literature suggests that the impact on lung function is minimal. Based on the literature on exogenous urea, we concluded that there was inadequate information to assess the carcinogenic potential of urea, or perform a quantitative assessment to derive reference values. Given the limited information on exogenous urea, additional research to address gaps for exogenous urea should include long-term cancer bioassays, two-generation reproductive toxicity studies, and mode-of-action investigations.

Factors Affecting Radon Concentration in Houses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Sharif, Abdel-Latif; Abdelrahman, Y. S.

2001-03-01

The dangers to the human health upon exposure to radon and its daughter products is the main motivation behind the vast number of studies performed to find the concentration of radon in our living environment, including our houses. The presence of radon and its daughter products in houses are due to various sources including building materials and the soil under the houses. Many factors affect radon concentration in our houses, the elevation above ground level,ventilation, building materials and room usage being among these factors. In our paper, we discuss the effect of elevation above ground level, room usage and ventilation on the Radon concentration in houses. The faculty residences of the Mu'tah University (Jordan) were chosen in our study. Our results showed that the concentration of radon decreases with elevation. Ventilation rate was also found to affect radon concentration, where low concentrations observed for areas with good ventilation.

Saccade Latency Indexes Exogenous and Endogenous Object-Based Attention

PubMed Central

Şentürk, Gözde; Greenberg, Adam S.; Liu, Taosheng

2016-01-01

Classic studies of object-based attention have utilized keypress responses as the main dependent measure. However, people typically make saccades to fixate important objects. Recent work has shown that attention may act differently when deployed covertly versus in advance of a saccade. We further investigated the link between saccades and attention by examining whether object-based effects can be observed for saccades. We adapted the classical double-rectangle cueing paradigm of Egly et al., (1994), and measured both the first saccade latency and keypress reaction time (RT) to a target that appeared at the end of one of the two rectangles. Our results showed that saccade latency exhibited higher sensitivity than RT in detecting effects of attention. We also assessed the generality of the attention effects by testing three types of cues: hybrid (predictive and peripheral), exogenous (non-predictive and peripheral), and endogenous (predictive and central). We found that both RT and saccade latency exhibited effects of both space-based and object-based attentional selection. However, saccade latency showed a more robust attentional modulation than RTs. For the exogenous cue, we observed a spatial inhibition-of-return along with an object-based effect, implying that object-based attention is independent of space-based attention. Overall, our results reveal an oculomotor correlate of object-based attention, suggesting that, in addition to spatial priority, object-level priority also affects saccade planning. PMID:27225468

Factors affecting caregivers' ability to make environmental modifications.

PubMed

Messecar, D C

2000-12-01

This study explored factors that family caregivers described as affecting their ability to use environmental modifications. Intensive interviews and participant observation were used to collect detailed data from 24 primary family caregivers. Several factors that affect the caregivers' ability to implement modification strategies were identified in the analysis. These factors included attributes of the elderly individual, attributes of the modification, quality of the caregiver-elderly relationship, caregivers' skills, personal resources of the caregiver, and the informal and formal supports available. Of these factors, the most important were the salient skills that caregivers need to implement environmental modifications. These findings point to the importance of caregivers receiving skills training in this important dimension of caregiving. Intervention should be based on a collaborative approach that ensures the caregiver and care receiver's needs and preferences are respected.

Exogenous regucalcin suppresses the growth of human liver cancer HepG2 cells in vitro.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Masayoshi; Murata, Tomiyasu

2018-04-05

Regucalcin, which its gene is localized on the X chromosome, plays a pivotal role as a suppressor protein in signal transduction in various types of cells and tissues. Regucalcin gene expression has been demonstrated to be suppressed in various tumor tissues of animal and human subjects, suggesting a potential role of regucalcin in carcinogenesis. Regucalcin, which is produced from the tissues including liver, is found to be present in the serum of human subjects and animals. This study was undertaken to determine the effects of exogenous regucalcin on the proliferation in cloned human hepatoma HepG2 cells in vitro. Proliferation of HepG2 cells was suppressed after culture with addition of regucalcin (0.01 – 10 nM) into culture medium. Exogenous regucalcin did not reveal apoptotic cell death in HepG2 cells in vitro. Suppressive effects of regucalcin on cell proliferation were not enhanced in the presence of various signaling inhibitors including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), Bay K 8644, PD98059, staurosporine, worthomannin, 5,6-dichloro-1-β-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB) or gemcitabine, which were found to suppress the proliferation. In addition, exogenous regucalcin suppressed the formation of colonies of cultured hepatoma cells in vitro. These findings demonstrated that exogenous regucalcin exhibits a suppressive effect on the growth of human hepatoma HepG2 cells, proposing a strategy with the gene therapy for cancer treatment.

Drought and exogenous abscisic acid alter hydrogen peroxide accumulation and differentially regulate the expression of two maize RD22-like genes.

PubMed

Phillips, Kyle; Ludidi, Ndiko

2017-08-18

Increased biosynthesis of abscisic acid (ABA) occurs in plants in response to water deficit, which is mediated by changes in the levels of reactive oxygen species such as H 2 O 2 . Water deficit and ABA induce expression of some RD22-like proteins. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of water deficit and exogenous ABA (50 µM ABA applied every 24 hours for a total of 72 hours) on H 2 O 2 content in Zea mays (maize) and to characterise genes encoding two putative maize RD22-like proteins (designated ZmRD22A and ZmRD22B). The expression profiles of the two putative maize RD22-like genes in response to water deficit and treatment with ABA were examined in leaves. In silico analyses showed that the maize RD22-like proteins share domain organisation with previously characterized RD22-like proteins. Both water deficit and exogenous ABA resulted in increased H 2 O 2 content in leaves but the increase was more pronounced in response to water deficit than to exogenous ABA. Lignin content was not affected by exogenous ABA, whereas it was decreased by water deficit. Expression of both RD22-like genes was up-regulated by drought but the ZmRD22A gene was not influenced by exogenous ABA, whereas ZmRD22B was highly responsive to exogenous ABA.

Prenatal exposure to common environmental factors affects brain lipids and increases risk of developing autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Wong, Christine T; Wais, Joshua; Crawford, Dorota A

2015-11-01

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) has been on the rise over recent years. The presence of diverse subsets of candidate genes in each individual with an ASD and the vast variability of phenotypical differences suggest that the interference of an exogenous environmental component may greatly contribute to the development of ASDs. The lipid mediator prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) is released from phospholipids of cell membranes, and is important in brain development and function; PGE2 is involved in differentiation, synaptic plasticity and calcium regulation. The previous review already described extrinsic factors, including deficient dietary supplementation, and exposure to oxidative stress, infections and inflammation that can disrupt signaling of the PGE2 pathway and contribute to ASDs. In this review, the structure and establishment of two key protective barriers for the brain during early development are described: the blood-brain barrier; and the placental barrier. Then, the first comprehensive summary of other environmental factors, such as exposure to chemicals in air pollution, pesticides and consumer products, which can also disturb PGE2 signaling and increase the risk for developing ASDs is provided. Also, how these exogenous agents are capable of crossing the protective barriers of the brain during critical developmental periods when barrier components are still being formed is described. This review underlines the importance of avoiding or limiting exposure to these factors during vulnerable periods in development. © 2015 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Exogenous melatonin administration modifies cutaneous vasoconstrictor response to whole body skin cooling in humans.

PubMed

Aoki, Ken; Zhao, Kun; Yamazaki, Fumio; Sone, Ryoko; Alvarez, Guy E; Kosiba, Wojciech A; Johnson, John M

2008-03-01

Humans and other diurnal species experience a fall in internal temperature (T(int)) at night, accompanied by increased melatonin and altered thermoregulatory control of skin blood flow (SkBF). Also, exogenous melatonin induces a fall in T(int), an increase in distal skin temperatures and altered control of the cutaneous active vasodilator system, suggesting an effect of melatonin on the control of SkBF. To test whether exogenous melatonin also affects the more tonically active vasoconstrictor system in glabrous and nonglabrous skin during cooling, healthy males (n = 9) underwent afternoon sessions of whole body skin temperature (T(sk)) cooling (water-perfused suits) after oral melatonin (Mel; 3 mg) or placebo (Cont). Cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) was calculated from SkBF (laser Doppler flowmetry) and non-invasive blood pressure. Baseline T(int) was lower in Mel than in Cont (P < 0.01). During progressive reduction of T(sk) from 35 degrees C to 32 degrees C, forearm CVC was first significantly reduced at T(sk) of 34.33 +/- 0.01 degrees C (P < 0.05) in Cont. In contrast, CVC in Mel was not significantly reduced until T(sk) reached 33.33 +/- 0.01 degrees C (P < 0.01). The decrease in forearm CVC in Mel was significantly less than in Cont at T(sk) of 32.66 +/- 0.01 degrees C and lower (P < 0.05). In Mel, palmar CVC was significantly higher than in Cont above T(sk) of 33.33 +/- 0.01 degrees C, but not below. Thus exogenous melatonin blunts reflex vasoconstriction in nonglabrous skin and shifts vasoconstrictor system control to lower T(int). It provokes vasodilation in glabrous skin but does not suppress the sensitivity to falling T(sk). These findings suggest that by affecting the vasoconstrictor system, melatonin has a causal role in the nocturnal changes in body temperature and its control.

How exogenous nitric oxide regulates nitrogen assimilation in wheat seedlings under different nitrogen sources and levels

PubMed Central

Balotf, Sadegh; Islam, Shahidul; Kavoosi, Gholamreza; Kholdebarin, Bahman; Juhasz, Angela

2018-01-01

Nitrogen (N) is one of the most important nutrients for plants and nitric oxide (NO) as a signaling plant growth regulator involved in nitrogen assimilation. Understanding the influence of exogenous NO on nitrogen metabolism at the gene expression and enzyme activity levels under different sources of nitrogen is vitally important for increasing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). This study investigated the expression of key genes and enzymes in relation to nitrogen assimilation in two Australian wheat cultivars, a popular high NUE cv. Spitfire and a normal NUE cv. Westonia, under different combinations of nitrogen and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) as the NO donor. Application of NO increased the gene expressions and activities of nitrogen assimilation pathway enzymes in both cultivars at low levels of nitrogen. At high nitrogen supplies, the expressions and activities of N assimilation genes increased in response to exogenous NO only in cv. Spitfire but not in cv. Westonia. Exogenous NO caused an increase in leaf NO content at low N supplies in both cultivars, while under high nitrogen treatments, cv. Spitfire showed an increase under ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) treatment but cv. Westonia was not affected. N assimilation gene expression and enzyme activity showed a clear relationship between exogenous NO, N concentration and N forms in primary plant nitrogen assimilation. Results reveal the possible role of NO and different nitrogen sources on nitrogen assimilation in Triticum aestivum plants. PMID:29320529

How exogenous nitric oxide regulates nitrogen assimilation in wheat seedlings under different nitrogen sources and levels.

PubMed

Balotf, Sadegh; Islam, Shahidul; Kavoosi, Gholamreza; Kholdebarin, Bahman; Juhasz, Angela; Ma, Wujun

2018-01-01

Nitrogen (N) is one of the most important nutrients for plants and nitric oxide (NO) as a signaling plant growth regulator involved in nitrogen assimilation. Understanding the influence of exogenous NO on nitrogen metabolism at the gene expression and enzyme activity levels under different sources of nitrogen is vitally important for increasing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). This study investigated the expression of key genes and enzymes in relation to nitrogen assimilation in two Australian wheat cultivars, a popular high NUE cv. Spitfire and a normal NUE cv. Westonia, under different combinations of nitrogen and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) as the NO donor. Application of NO increased the gene expressions and activities of nitrogen assimilation pathway enzymes in both cultivars at low levels of nitrogen. At high nitrogen supplies, the expressions and activities of N assimilation genes increased in response to exogenous NO only in cv. Spitfire but not in cv. Westonia. Exogenous NO caused an increase in leaf NO content at low N supplies in both cultivars, while under high nitrogen treatments, cv. Spitfire showed an increase under ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) treatment but cv. Westonia was not affected. N assimilation gene expression and enzyme activity showed a clear relationship between exogenous NO, N concentration and N forms in primary plant nitrogen assimilation. Results reveal the possible role of NO and different nitrogen sources on nitrogen assimilation in Triticum aestivum plants.

[Farmer's lung--a form of exogenous allergic alveolitis].

PubMed

Sambale, M; Liebetrau, G

1990-11-15

Exogenic allergic alveolitides are caused by organic dusts which contain bacteria, moulds or vegetable and animal antigens. The farmer's lung as a form of the exogenic allergic alveolitis is a rare disease. The uncharacteristic symptomatology in the initial phase and in particular the retarded beginning of the symptom after several hours handicap the timely recognition in an early phase of the disease so that curative therapeutic measures are rarely possible. The cases of the disease are found only at the chronic stage, at the stage of the pulmonary fibrosis. Then the prognosis is unfavourable. In the Central Clinic for Heart and Lung Diseases Bad Berka 1,110 patients with alveolitides and lung fibroses were diagnosed in the period from 1975 to 1988. 306 of them could be clarified as exogenic allergic alveolitis, 61 of them (19.8%) were farmer's lungs.

Which factors affect software projects maintenance cost more?

PubMed

Dehaghani, Sayed Mehdi Hejazi; Hajrahimi, Nafiseh

2013-03-01

The software industry has had significant progress in recent years. The entire life of software includes two phases: production and maintenance. Software maintenance cost is increasingly growing and estimates showed that about 90% of software life cost is related to its maintenance phase. Extraction and considering the factors affecting the software maintenance cost help to estimate the cost and reduce it by controlling the factors. In this study, the factors affecting software maintenance cost were determined then were ranked based on their priority and after that effective ways to reduce the maintenance costs were presented. This paper is a research study. 15 software related to health care centers information systems in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and hospitals function were studied in the years 2010 to 2011. Among Medical software maintenance team members, 40 were selected as sample. After interviews with experts in this field, factors affecting maintenance cost were determined. In order to prioritize the factors derived by AHP, at first, measurement criteria (factors found) were appointed by members of the maintenance team and eventually were prioritized with the help of EC software. Based on the results of this study, 32 factors were obtained which were classified in six groups. "Project" was ranked the most effective feature in maintenance cost with the highest priority. By taking into account some major elements like careful feasibility of IT projects, full documentation and accompany the designers in the maintenance phase good results can be achieved to reduce maintenance costs and increase longevity of the software.

Stress modulation of cognitive and affective processes

PubMed Central

CAMPEAU, SERGE; LIBERZON, ISRAEL; MORILAK, DAVID; RESSLER, KERRY

2012-01-01

This review summarizes the major discussion points of a symposium on stress modulation of cognitive and affective processes, which was held during the 2010 workshop on the neurobiology of stress (Boulder, CO, USA). The four discussants addressed a number of specific cognitive and affective factors that are modulated by exposure to acute or repeated stress. Dr David Morilak discussed the effects of various repeated stress situations on cognitive flexibility, as assessed with a rodent model of attentional set-shifting task, and how performance on slightly different aspects of this test is modulated by different prefrontal regions through monoaminergic neurotransmission. Dr Serge Campeau summarized the findings of several studies exploring a number of factors and brain regions that regulate habituation of various autonomic and neuroendocrine responses to repeated audiogenic stress exposures. Dr Kerry Ressler discussed a body of work exploring the modulation and extinction of fear memories in rodents and humans, especially focusing on the role of key neurotransmitter systems including excitatory amino acids and brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Dr Israel Liberzon presented recent results on human decision-making processes in response to exogenous glucocorticoid hormone administration. Overall, these discussions are casting a wider framework on the cognitive/affective processes that are distinctly regulated by the experience of stress and some of the brain regions and neurotransmitter systems associated with these effects. PMID:21790481

Exogenous hormone use, reproductive history and risk of adult myeloid leukaemia.

PubMed

Poynter, J N; Fonstad, R; Blair, C K; Roesler, M; Cerhan, J R; Hirsch, B; Nguyen, P; Ross, J A

2013-10-01

A hormonal aetiology is one explanation for the lower incidence of myeloid leukaemia in women compared with men. In this population-based case-control study, we evaluated associations between exogenous hormone use and reproductive history and myeloid leukaemia, overall and by disease subtype. We observed a suggestive association between oral contraceptive use and acute myeloid leukaemia (odds ratio=0.55, 95% confidence interval=0.32-0.96). Hormone replacement therapy and reproductive factors were not associated with risk. Despite the biological plausibility for a role of oestrogen in leukaemogenesis, other aetiologic factors are likely to explain the differing incidence rates in males and females.

Exogenous Ochronosis

PubMed Central

Bhattar, Prachi A; Zawar, Vijay P; Godse, Kiran V; Patil, Sharmila P; Nadkarni, Nitin J; Gautam, Manjyot M

2015-01-01

Exogenous ochronosis (EO) is a cutaneous disorder characterized by blue-black pigmentation resulting as a complication of long-term application of skin-lightening creams containing hydroquinone but may also occur due to topical contact with phenol or resorcinol in dark-skinned individuals. It can also occur following the use of systemic antimalarials such as quinine. EO is clinically and histologically similar to its endogenous counterpart viz., alkaptonuria, which, however, exhibits systemic effects and is an inherited disorder. Dermoscopy and in vivo skin reflectance confocal microscopy are noninvasive in vivo diagnostic tools. It is very difficult to treat EO, a cosmetically disfiguring and troubling disorder with disappointing treatment options. PMID:26677264

The analgesic effects of exogenous melatonin in humans.

PubMed

Andersen, Lars Peter Holst

2016-10-01

The hormone, melatonin is produced with circadian rhythm by the pineal gland in humans. The melatonin rhythm provides an endogenous synchronizer, modulating e.g. blood pressure, body temperature, cortisol rhythm, sleep-awake-cycle, immune function and anti-oxidative defence. Interestingly, a number of experimental animal studies demonstrate significant dose-dependent anti-nociceptive effects of exogenous melatonin. Similarly, recent experimental- and clinical studies in humans indicate significant analgesic effects. In study I, we systematically reviewed all randomized studies investigating clinical effects of perioperative melatonin. Meta-analyses demonstrated significant analgesic and anxiolytic effects of melatonin in surgical patients, equating reductions of 20 mm and 19 mm, respectively on a VAS, compared with placebo. Profound heterogeneity between the included studies was, however, present. In study II, we aimed to investigate the analgesic, anti-hyperalgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of exogenous melatonin in a validated human inflammatory pain model, the human burn model. The study was performed as a randomized, double blind placebo-controlled crossover study. Primary outcomes were pain during the burn injury and areas of secondary hyperalgesia. No significant effects of exogenous melatonin were observed with respect to primary or secondary outcomes, compared to placebo. Study III and IV estimated the pharmacokinetic variables of exogenous melatonin. Oral melatonin demonstrated a t max value of 41 minutes. Bioavailability of oral melatonin was only 3%. Elimination t 1/2 were approximately 45 minutes following both oral and intravenous administration, respectively. High-dose intravenous melatonin was not associated with increased sedation, in terms of simple reaction times, compared to placebo. Similarly, no other adverse effects were reported. In Study V, we aimed to re-analyse data obtained from a randomized analgesic drug trial by a selection of

Preslaughter factors affecting poultry meat quality chapter 2.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Poultry meat quality is affected by numerous antemortem factors, in particular those occurring during the last 24 hours that the bird is alive. These short term factors influence carcass yield (live shrink), carcass defects (bruising, broken/dislocated bones), carcass microbiological contamination, ...

[Health and environment in the rubber-tree plantations in the Bolivian Acre (1870-1903): the role of exogenous factors and processes].

PubMed

de Almeida Neto, Domingos José; Heller, Léo

2014-10-01

A peculiar situation marks the conditions of human and environmental health in the first major cycle of rubber production in the Acre region of the Western Amazon, whereby the bulk of the boom (1870-1903) occurred in the territory that at that time still belonged to Bolivia. Based on this historical background, this work seeks to describe and comprehend how these factors and processes, which are exogenous to these two fields of analysis mediated the risks that originated in the environment, gave rise to sickness and death in the population of the "Brazilian" rubber-tree plantations established in Bolivian territory. In this manner, the inter-relations between health and environment linked to historically specific configurations of the physical-natural, socioeconomic, political, and cultural conditions, are examined. The work shows that these extrinsic factors and processes to the productive activities exerted an influence not only on its organizational but also functional aspects, while also resulting in the unhealthy conditions observed in the productive regions. It further highlights the fact that the extant infrastructure of the time was sufficient for extractive production and reproduction.

Static magnetic field reduced exogenous oligonucleotide uptake by spermatozoa using magnetic nanoparticle gene delivery system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katebi, Samira; Esmaeili, Abolghasem; Ghaedi, Kamran

2016-03-01

Spermatozoa could introduce exogenous oligonucleotides of interest to the oocyte. The most important reason of low efficiency of sperm mediated gene transfer (SMGT) is low uptake of exogenous DNA by spermatozoa. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of static magnetic field on exogenous oligonucleotide uptake of spermatozoa using magnetofection method. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) associated with the labeled oligonucleotides were used to increase the efficiency of exogenous oligonucleotide uptake by rooster spermatozoa. We used high-field/high-gradient magnet (NdFeB) to enhance and accelerate exogenous DNA sedimentation at the spermatozoa surface. Flow cytometry analysis was performed to measure viability and percentage of exogenous oligonucleotide uptake by sperm. Flow cytometry analysis showed a significant increase in exogenous oligonucleotide uptake by rooster spermatozoa (P<0.001) when spermatozoa were incubated in exogenous oligonucleotide solution and MNPs. However, by applying static magnetic field during magnetofection method, a significant decrease in exogenous oligonucleotide uptake was observed (P<0.05). Findings of this study showed that MNPs were effective to increase exogenous oligonucleotide uptake by rooster spermatozoa; however unlike others studies, static magnetic field, was not only ineffective to enhance exogenous oligonucleotide uptake by rooster spermatozoa but also led to reduction in efficiency of magnetic nanoparticles in gene transfer.

FACTORS ADVERSELY AFFECTING AMPHIBIAN POPULATIONS IN THE US

EPA Science Inventory

Factors known or suspected to be adversely affecting native amphibian populations in the US were identified using information from species accounts written in a standardized format by multiple authors in a forthcoming book. Specific adverse factors were identified for 53 (58%) of...

Factors affecting radiographers' organizational commitment.

PubMed

Akroyd, Duane; Jackowski, Melissa B; Legg, Jeffrey S

2007-01-01

A variety of factors influence employees' attitudes toward their workplace and commitment to the organization that employs them. However, these factors have not been well documented among radiologic technologists. To determine the predictive ability of selected organizational, leadership, work-role and demographic variables on organizational commitment for a national sample of radiographers. Three thousand radiographers registered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists working full time in clinical settings were surveyed by mail regarding their commitment to their employers, leadership within the organization that employs them, employer support and demographic information. Overall, radiographers were found to have only a moderate level of commitment to their employers. Among the factors that significantly affected commitment were the radiographer's educational level, perceived level of organizational support, role clarity and organizational leadership. The results of this study could provide managers and supervisors with insights on how to empower and challenge radiographers and offer opportunities that will enhance radiographers' commitment to the organization, thus reducing costly turnover and improving employee performance.

A TAD further: exogenous control of gene activation.

PubMed

Mapp, Anna K; Ansari, Aseem Z

2007-01-23

Designer molecules that can be used to impose exogenous control on gene transcription, artificial transcription factors (ATFs), are highly desirable as mechanistic probes of gene regulation, as potential therapeutic agents, and as components of cell-based devices. Recently, several advances have been made in the design of ATFs that activate gene transcription (activator ATFs), including reports of small-molecule-based systems and ATFs that exhibit potent activity. However, the many open mechanistic questions about transcriptional activators, in particular, the structure and function of the transcriptional activation domain (TAD), have hindered rapid development of synthetic ATFs. A compelling need thus exists for chemical tools and insights toward a more detailed portrait of the dynamic process of gene activation.

Effect of Exogenous Penicillin on Penicillin Biosynthesis

PubMed Central

Gordee, Elizabeth Z.; Day, L. E.

1972-01-01

The addition of phenoxymethylpenicillin (10 mg/ml) at any time during the penicillin fermentation inhibited further accumulation of the antibiotic in broth but had no effect on growth. Benzylpenicillin, 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA), and some semisynthetic penicillins also showed this effect, but penicillin N, penicilloic acid, cephalosporin C, and 7-aminocephalosporanic acid did not limit penicillin accretion. Incorporation of radioactive precursors (cysteine, valine, and sodium phenoxyacetate) into penicillin in the presence of inhibitory concentrations of the antibiotic indicated that penicillin synthesis continued despite the lack of accretion of the antibiotic in broth. The rates of penicillin synthesis in a 48-hr and a 136-hr culture were compared by short-term exposure to Na235SO4, and no significant difference in the biosynthetic rate was observed. Exogenous penicillin in the range of 1 to 15 mg/ml of culture broth had no effect on utilization of acetate or glucose by Penicillium chrysogenum. The antibiotic-synthesizing capacity of the organism was not irreversibly inhibited by exogenous penicillin. The degradation of penicillin during the fermentation was also studied. Penicillin V was stable in broth filtrate. Catabolic enzymes such as penicillinase and penicillin-acylase were not demonstrated in whole broth, nor was the accumulation of 6-APA, penicilloic acid, or other degradation products detected. An examination of the intracellular penicillin concentration and the amount of penicillin associated with the mycelium revealed that cells contained significantly more penicillin late in the fermentation than earlier in the cycle. This cell-associated antibiotic may be a regulatory factor in further penicillin synthesis. PMID:4208897

Neural correlates of endogenous attention, exogenous attention and inhibition of return in touch.

PubMed

Jones, Alexander; Forster, Bettina

2014-07-01

Selective attention helps process the myriad of information constantly touching our body. Both endogenous and exogenous mechanisms are relied upon to effectively process this information; however, it is unclear how they relate in the sense of touch. In three tasks we contrasted endogenous and exogenous event-related potential (ERP) and behavioural effects. Unilateral tactile cues were followed by a tactile target at the same or opposite hand. Clear behavioural effects showed facilitation of expected targets both when the cue predicted targets at the same (endogenous predictive task) and opposite hand (endogenous counter-predictive task), and these effects also correlated with ERP effects of endogenous attention. In an exogenous task, where the cue was non-informative, inhibition of return (IOR) was observed. The electrophysiological results demonstrated early effects of exogenous attention followed by later endogenous attention modulations. These effects were independent in both the endogenous predictive and exogenous tasks. However, voluntarily directing attention away from a cued body part influenced the early exogenous marker (N80). This suggests that the two mechanisms are interdependent, at least when the task requires more demanding shifts of attention. The early marker of exogenous tactile attention, the N80, was not directly related to IOR, which may suggest that exogenous attention and IOR are not necessarily two sides of the same coin. This study adds valuable new insight into how we process and select information presented to our body, showing both independent and interdependent effects of endogenous and exogenous attention in touch. © 2014 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Factors Affecting Faculty Web Portal Usability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bringula, Rex P.; Basa, Roselle S.

2011-01-01

The study investigated the factors that might significantly affect web portal usability. Results of the study were intended to serve as inputs for faculty web portal development of the University of the East-Manila. Descriptive statistics utilized questionnaire data from 82 faculty members. The data showed that most of the respondents were…

Exogenous proteases for meat tenderization.

PubMed

Bekhit, Alaa A; Hopkins, David L; Geesink, Geert; Bekhit, Adnan A; Franks, Philip

2014-01-01

The use of exogenous proteases to improve meat tenderness has attracted much interest recently, with a view to consistent production of tender meat and added value to lower grade meat cuts. This review discusses the sources, characteristics, and use of exogenous proteases in meat tenderization to highlight the specificity of the proteases toward meat proteins and their impact on meat quality. Plant enzymes (such as papain, bromelain, and ficin) have been extensively investigated as meat tenderizers. New plant proteases (actinidin and zingibain) and microbial enzyme preparations have been of recent interest due to controlled meat tenderization and other advantages. Successful use of these enzymes in fresh meat requires their enzymatic kinetics and characteristics to be determined, together with an understanding of the impact of the surrounding environmental conditions of the meat (pH, temperature) on enzyme function. This enables the optimal conditions for tenderizing fresh meat to be established, and the elimination or reduction of any negative impacts on other quality attributes.

Low Calorie Diet Affects Aging-Related Factors

MedlinePlus

... Research News From NIH Low Calorie Diet Affects Aging-Related Factors Past Issues / Summer 2006 Table of ... project sponsored by the NIH's National Institute on Aging (NIA) to learn more about the effects of ...

What Factors Affect Response to Ads? A Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rotzoll, Kim B.

The concept of "frame of reference" offers a perspective from which to examine the many factors which affect advertising response. The advertiser is interested in affecting two types of overt behavior. First, the individual is induced to select a particular stimulus (the advertisement) from competing stimuli (such as other people, noise,…

Effects of exogenous glucagon-like peptide-2 and distal bowel resection on intestinal and systemic adaptive responses in rats.

PubMed

Lai, Sarah W; de Heuvel, Elaine; Wallace, Laurie E; Hartmann, Bolette; Holst, Jens J; Brindle, Mary E; Chelikani, Prasanth K; Sigalet, David L

2017-01-01

To determine the effects of exogenous glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2), with or without massive distal bowel resection, on adaptation of jejunal mucosa, enteric neurons, gut hormones and tissue reserves in rats. GLP-2 is a gut hormone known to be trophic for small bowel mucosa, and to mimic intestinal adaptation in short bowel syndrome (SBS). However, the effects of exogenous GLP-2 and SBS on enteric neurons are unclear. Sprague Dawley rats were randomized to four treatments: Transected Bowel (TB) (n = 8), TB + GLP-2 (2.5 nmol/kg/h, n = 8), SBS (n = 5), or SBS + GLP-2 (2.5 nmol/kg/h, n = 9). SBS groups underwent a 60% jejunoileal resection with cecectomy and jejunocolic anastomosis. All rats were maintained on parenteral nutrition for 7 d. Parameters measured included gut morphometry, qPCR for hexose transporter (SGLT-1, GLUT-2, GLUT-5) and GLP-2 receptor mRNA, whole mount immunohistochemistry for neurons (HuC/D, VIP, nNOS), plasma glucose, gut hormones, and body composition. Resection increased the proportion of nNOS immunopositive myenteric neurons, intestinal muscularis propria thickness and crypt cell proliferation, which were not recapitulated by GLP-2 therapy. Exogenous GLP-2 increased jejunal mucosal surface area without affecting enteric VIP or nNOS neuronal immunopositivity, attenuated resection-induced reductions in jejunal hexose transporter abundance (SGLT-1, GLUT-2), increased plasma amylin and decreased peptide YY concentrations. Exogenous GLP-2 attenuated resection-induced increases in blood glucose and body fat loss. Exogenous GLP-2 stimulates jejunal adaptation independent of enteric neuronal VIP or nNOS changes, and has divergent effects on plasma amylin and peptide YY concentrations. The novel ability of exogenous GLP-2 to modulate resection-induced changes in peripheral glucose and lipid reserves may be important in understanding the whole-body response following intestinal resection, and is worthy of further study.

Saccade latency indexes exogenous and endogenous object-based attention.

PubMed

Şentürk, Gözde; Greenberg, Adam S; Liu, Taosheng

2016-10-01

Classic studies of object-based attention have utilized keypress responses as the main dependent measure. However, people typically make saccades to fixate important objects. Recent work has shown that attention may act differently when it is deployed covertly versus in advance of a saccade. We further investigated the link between saccades and attention by examining whether object-based effects can be observed for saccades. We adapted the classical double-rectangle cueing paradigm of Egly, Driver, and Rafal (1994), and measured both the first saccade latency and the keypress reaction time (RT) to a target that appeared at the end of one of the two rectangles. Our results showed that saccade latencies exhibited higher sensitivity than did RTs for detecting effects of attention. We also assessed the generality of the attention effects by testing three types of cues: hybrid (predictive and peripheral), exogenous (nonpredictive and peripheral), and endogenous (predictive and central). We found that both RTs and saccade latencies exhibited effects of both space-based and object-based attentional selection. However, saccade latencies showed a more robust attentional modulation than RTs. For the exogenous cues, we observed a spatial inhibition of return along with an object-based effect, implying that object-based attention is independent of space-based attention. Overall, our results revealed an oculomotor correlate of object-based attention, suggesting that, in addition to spatial priority, object-level priority also affects saccade planning.

Perspectives of breast cancer etiology: synergistic interaction between smoking and exogenous hormone use

PubMed Central

Zhu, Hong-Hong; Hu, Cao-Hui; Strickland, Paul

2011-01-01

To explore breast cancer etiology, literature was searched using Medline. We explored the (1) plausibility of smoking in breast Carcinogenesis; (2) physiological properties, susceptibility windows, and exposure timing of breast cells; (3) role of exogenous hormones in breast Carcinogenesis; (4) biological mechanism of synergistic interactions between smoking and exogenous hormones in breast Carcinogenesis; and (5) evidence from epidemiologic studies and the fitted secular trend between smoking rate, exogenous hormone use, and breast cancer incidence in past decades. We deduced that exogenous hormone use per se is not a significant cause and its association with breast cancer is distorted by chronic exposure to environmental carcinogens, especially smoking. We hypothesize that smoking is one of the causes of breast cancer and that this causality is strengthened by synergistic interaction between smoking and exogenous hormone use. Physicians should be cautious of prescribing exogenous hormones for those with chronic exposure to environmental carcinogens to prevent breast cancer. PMID:21718589

Affective and Social Factors in a Project-Based Writing Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kathpalia, Sujata Surinder; Heah, Carmel

2011-01-01

Much of the work in academic writing has focused on the cognitive rather than the affective and social aspects involved in project-based writing. Emphasis in past research has been on skills and processes of writing rather than on affective factors such as motivation, attitudes, feelings or social factors involving intrapersonal and interpersonal…

Substrate-Related Factors Affecting Enzymatic Saccharification of Lignocelluloses: Our Recent Understanding

Treesearch

Shao-Yuan Leu; J.Y. Zhu

2013-01-01

Enzymatic saccharification of cellulose is a key step in conversion of plant biomass to advanced biofuel and chemicals. Many substrate-related factors affect saccharification. Rather than examining the role of each individual factor on overall saccharification efficiency, this study examined how each factor affects the three basic processes of a heterogeneous...

Circulating cortisol levels after exogenous cortisol administration are higher in women using hormonal contraceptives: Data from two preliminary studies

PubMed Central

Gaffey, Allison E.; Wirth, Michelle M.; Hoks, Roxanne M.; Jahn, Allison L.; Abercrombie, Heather C.

2014-01-01

Exogenous cortisol administration has been used to test the influence of glucocorticoids on a variety of outcomes, including memory and affect. Careful control of factors known to influence cortisol and other endogenous hormone levels is central to the success of this research. While use of hormonal birth control (HBC) is known to exert many physiological effects, including decreasing the salivary cortisol response to stress, it is unknown how HBC influences circulating cortisol levels after exogenous cortisol administration. To determine those effects, we examined the role of HBC on participants’ cortisol levels after receiving synthetic cortisol (hydrocortisone) in two separate studies. In Study 1, 24 healthy women taking HBC and 26 healthy men were administered a 0.1 mg/kg body weight intravenous dose of hydrocortisone, and plasma cortisol levels were measured over 3 hours. In Study 2, 61 participants (34 women; 16 were on HBC) received a 15 mg hydrocortisone pill, and salivary cortisol levels were measured over 6 hours. Taken together, results from these studies suggest that HBC use is associated with a greater cortisol increase following cortisol administration. These data have important methodological implications: (1) when given a controlled dose of hydrocortisone, cortisol levels may increase more dramatically in women taking HBC vs. women not on HBC or men; and (2) in studies manipulating cortisol levels, women on hormonal contraceptives should be investigated as a separate group. PMID:24773147

Effect of Straw Amendment on Soil Zn Availability and Ageing of Exogenous Water-Soluble Zn Applied to Calcareous Soil.

PubMed

Chen, Yanlong; Cui, Juan; Tian, Xiaohong; Zhao, Aiqing; Li, Meng; Wang, Shaoxia; Li, Xiushaung; Jia, Zhou; Liu, Ke

2017-01-01

Organic matter plays a key role in availability and transformation of soil Zn (zinc), which greatly controls Zn concentrations in cereal grains and human Zn nutrition level. Accordingly, soils homogenized with the wheat straw (0, 12 g straw kg-1) and Zn fertilizer (0, 7 mg Zn kg-1) were buried and incubated in the field over 210 days to explore the response of soil Zn availability and the ageing of exogenous Zn to straw addition. Results indicated that adding straw alone scarcely affected soil DTPA-Zn concentration and Zn fractions because of the low Zn concentration of wheat straw and the high soil pH, and large clay and calcium carbonate contents. However, adding exogenous Zn plus straw increased the DTPA-Zn abundance by about 5-fold and had the similar results to adding exogenous Zn alone, corresponding to the increased Zn fraction loosely bounded to organic matter, which had a more dominant presence in Zn reaction than soil other constituents such as carbonate and minerals in calcareous soil. The higher relative amount of ineffective Zn (~50%) after water soluble Zn addition also occurred, and at the days of 120-165 and 180-210when the natural temperature and rainfall changed mildly, the ageing process of exogenous Zn over time was well evaluated by the diffusion equation, respectively. Consequently, combining crop residues with exogenous water soluble Zn application is promising strategy to maximize the availability of Zn in calcareous soil, but the higher ageing rate of Zn caused by the higher Zn mobility should be considered.

Microbiologic factors affecting Clostridium difficile recurrence.

PubMed

Chilton, C H; Pickering, D S; Freeman, J

2018-05-01

Recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (rCDI) places a huge economic and practical burden on healthcare facilities. Furthermore, rCDI may affect quality of life, leaving patients in an rCDI cycle and dependant on antibiotic therapy. To discuss the importance of microbiologic factors in the development of rCDI. Literature was drawn from a search of PubMed from 2000 onwards with the search term 'recurrent Clostridium difficile infection' and further references cited within these articles. Meta-analyses and systematic reviews have shown that CDI and rCDI risk factors are similar. Development of rCDI is attendant on many factors, including immune status or function, comorbidities and concomitant treatments. Studies suggest that poor bacterial diversity is correlated with clinical rCDI. Narrow-spectrum gut microflora-sparing antimicrobials (e.g. surotomycin, cadazolid, ridinilazole) are in development for CDI treatment, while microbiota therapeutics (faecal microbiota transplantation, nontoxigenic C. difficile, stool substitutes) are increasingly being explored. rCDI can only occur when viable C. difficile spores are present, either within the gut lumen after infection or when reacquired from the environment. C. difficile spore germination can be influenced by gut environmental factors resulting from dysbiosis, and spore outgrowth may be affected stage by some antimicrobials (e.g. fidaxomicin, ramoplanin, oritavancin). rCDI is a significant challenge for healthcare professionals, requiring a multifaceted approach; optimized infection control to minimize reinfection; C. difficile-targeted antibiotics to minimize dysbiosis; and gut microflora restoration to promote colonization resistance. These elements should be informed by our understanding of the microbiologic factors involved in both C. difficile itself and the gut microbiome. Copyright © 2017 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Object-centered representations support flexible exogenous visual attention across translation and reflection

PubMed Central

Lin, Zhicheng

2013-01-01

Visual attention can be deployed to stimuli based on our willful, top-down goal (endogenous attention) or on their intrinsic saliency against the background (exogenous attention). Flexibility is thought to be a hallmark of endogenous attention, whereas decades of research show that exogenous attention is attracted to the retinotopic locations of the salient stimuli. However, to the extent that salient stimuli in the natural environment usually form specific spatial relations with the surrounding context and are dynamic, exogenous attention, to be adaptive, should embrace these structural regularities. Here we test a non-retinotopic, object-centered mechanism in exogenous attention, in which exogenous attention is dynamically attracted to a relative, object-centered location. Using a moving frame configuration, we presented two frames in succession, forming either apparent translational motion or in mirror reflection, with a completely uninformative, transient cue presented at one of the item locations in the first frame. Despite that the cue is presented in a spatially separate frame, in both translation and mirror reflection, human performance in visual search is enhanced when the target in the second frame appears at the same relative location as the cue location than at other locations. These results provide unambiguous evidence for non-retinotopic exogenous attention and further reveal an object-centered mechanism supporting flexible exogenous attention. Moreover, attentional generalization across mirror reflection may constitute an attentional correlate of perceptual generalization across lateral mirror images, supporting an adaptive, functional account of mirror images confusion. PMID:23942348

Modeling the effect of exogenous melatonin on the sleep-wake switch.

PubMed

Johnson, Nicholas; Jain, Gauray; Sandberg, Lianne; Sheets, Kevin

2012-01-01

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, insufficient sleep has become a public health epidemic. Approximately 50-70 million adults (20 years or older) suffer from some disorder of sleep and wakefulness, hindering daily functioning and adversely affecting health and longevity. Melatonin, a naturally produced hormone which plays a role in sleep-wake regulation, is currently offered as an over-the-counter sleep aid. However, the effects of melatonin on the sleep-wake cycle are incompletely understood. The goal of this modeling study was to incorporate the effects of exogenous melatonin administration into a mathematical model of the human sleep-wake switch. The model developed herein adds a simple kinetic model of the MT1 melatonin receptor to an existing model which simulates the interactions of different neuronal groups thought to be involved in sleep-wake regulation. Preliminary results were obtained by simulating the effects of an exogenous melatonin dose typical of over-the-counter sleep aids. The model predicted an increase in homeostatic sleep drive and a resulting alteration in circadian rhythm consistent with experimental results. The time of melatonin administration was also observed to have a strong influence on the sleep-wake effects elicited, which is also consistent with prior experimental findings.

Factors affecting strategic plan implementation using interpretive structural modeling (ISM).

PubMed

Bahadori, Mohammadkarim; Teymourzadeh, Ehsan; Tajik, Hamidreza; Ravangard, Ramin; Raadabadi, Mehdi; Hosseini, Seyed Mojtaba

2018-06-11

Purpose Strategic planning is the best tool for managers seeking an informed presence and participation in the market without surrendering to changes. Strategic planning enables managers to achieve their organizational goals and objectives. Hospital goals, such as improving service quality and increasing patient satisfaction cannot be achieved if agreed strategies are not implemented. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors affecting strategic plan implementation in one teaching hospital using interpretive structural modeling (ISM). Design/methodology/approach The authors used a descriptive study involving experts and senior managers; 16 were selected as the study sample using a purposive sampling method. Data were collected using a questionnaire designed and prepared based on previous studies. Data were analyzed using ISM. Findings Five main factors affected strategic plan implementation. Although all five variables and factors are top level, "senior manager awareness and participation in the strategic planning process" and "creating and maintaining team participation in the strategic planning process" had maximum drive power. "Organizational structure effects on the strategic planning process" and "Organizational culture effects on the strategic planning process" had maximum dependence power. Practical implications Identifying factors affecting strategic plan implementation is a basis for healthcare quality improvement by analyzing the relationship among factors and overcoming the barriers. Originality/value The authors used ISM to analyze the relationship between factors affecting strategic plan implementation.

Fructose and Sucrose Intake Increase Exogenous Carbohydrate Oxidation during Exercise

PubMed Central

Trommelen, Jorn; Fuchs, Cas J.; Beelen, Milou; Lenaerts, Kaatje; Jeukendrup, Asker E.; Cermak, Naomi M.; van Loon, Luc J. C.

2017-01-01

Peak exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates typically reach ~1 g·min−1 during exercise when ample glucose or glucose polymers are ingested. Fructose co-ingestion has been shown to further increase exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of fructose co-ingestion provided either as a monosaccharide or as part of the disaccharide sucrose on exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates during prolonged exercise in trained cyclists. Ten trained male cyclists (VO2peak: 65 ± 2 mL·kg−1·min−1) cycled on four different occasions for 180 min at 50% Wmax during which they consumed a carbohydrate solution providing 1.8 g·min−1 of glucose (GLU), 1.2 g·min−1 glucose + 0.6 g·min−1 fructose (GLU + FRU), 0.6 g·min−1 glucose + 1.2 g·min−1 sucrose (GLU + SUC), or water (WAT). Peak exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates did not differ between GLU + FRU and GLU + SUC (1.40 ± 0.06 vs. 1.29 ± 0.07 g·min−1, respectively, p = 0.999), but were 46% ± 8% higher when compared to GLU (0.96 ± 0.06 g·min−1: p < 0.05). In line, exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates during the latter 120 min of exercise were 46% ± 8% higher in GLU + FRU or GLU + SUC compared with GLU (1.19 ± 0.12, 1.13 ± 0.21, and 0.82 ± 0.16 g·min−1, respectively, p < 0.05). We conclude that fructose co-ingestion (0.6 g·min−1) with glucose (1.2 g·min−1) provided either as a monosaccharide or as sucrose strongly increases exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates during prolonged exercise in trained cyclists. PMID:28230742

Matching cue size and task properties in exogenous attention.

PubMed

Burnett, Katherine E; d'Avossa, Giovanni; Sapir, Ayelet

2013-01-01

Exogenous attention is an involuntary, reflexive orienting response that results in enhanced processing at the attended location. The standard view is that this enhancement generalizes across visual properties of a stimulus. We test whether the size of an exogenous cue sets the attentional field and whether this leads to different effects on stimuli with different visual properties. In a dual task with a random-dot kinematogram (RDK) in each quadrant of the screen, participants discriminated the direction of moving dots in one RDK and localized one red dot. Precues were uninformative and consisted of either a large or a small luminance-change frame. The motion discrimination task showed attentional effects following both large and small exogenous cues. The red dot probe localization task showed attentional effects following a small cue, but not a large cue. Two additional experiments showed that the different effects on localization were not due to reduced spatial uncertainty or suppression of RDK dots in the surround. These results indicate that the effects of exogenous attention depend on the size of the cue and the properties of the task, suggesting the involvement of receptive fields with different sizes in different tasks. These attentional effects are likely to be driven by bottom-up mechanisms in early visual areas.

Exploring paraprofessional and classroom factors affecting teacher supervision.

PubMed

Irvin, Dwight W; Ingram, Paul; Huffman, Jonathan; Mason, Rose; Wills, Howard

2018-02-01

Paraprofessionals serve a primary role in supporting students with disabilities in the classroom, which necessitates teachers' supervision as a means to improve their practice. Yet, little is known regarding what factors affect teacher supervision. We sought to identify how paraprofessional competence and classroom type affected the levels of teacher direction. We administered an adapted version of the Paraprofessional Needs, Knowledge & Tasks Survey and the Survey for Teachers Supervising Paraprofessionals to teachers supervising paraprofessionals in elementary schools. Structural Equation Modeling was used to examine the link between paraprofessional competence and classroom factors affecting the level of teacher supervision. Our results indicated that when teachers perceived paraprofessionals as being more skilled, they provided more supervision, and when more supervision was provided the less they thought paraprofessionals should be doing their assigned tasks. Additionally, paraprofessionals working in classrooms with more students with mild disabilities received less supervision than paraprofessionals working in classrooms with more students with moderate-to-severe disabilities. Those paraprofessionals in classrooms serving mostly children with mild disabilities were also perceived as having lower levels of skill competence than those serving in classrooms with students with more moderate-to-severe disabilities. By understanding the factors that affect teacher supervision, policy and professional development opportunities can be refined/developed to better support both supervising teachers and paraprofessionals and, in turn, improve the outcomes of children with disabilities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ranking factors affecting emissions of GHG from incubated agricultural soils.

PubMed

García-Marco, S; Ravella, S R; Chadwick, D; Vallejo, A; Gregory, A S; Cárdenas, L M

2014-07-01

Agriculture significantly contributes to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and there is a need to develop effective mitigation strategies. The efficacy of methods to reduce GHG fluxes from agricultural soils can be affected by a range of interacting management and environmental factors. Uniquely, we used the Taguchi experimental design methodology to rank the relative importance of six factors known to affect the emission of GHG from soil: nitrate (NO 3 - ) addition, carbon quality (labile and non-labile C), soil temperature, water-filled pore space (WFPS) and extent of soil compaction. Grassland soil was incubated in jars where selected factors, considered at two or three amounts within the experimental range, were combined in an orthogonal array to determine the importance and interactions between factors with a L 16 design, comprising 16 experimental units. Within this L 16 design, 216 combinations of the full factorial experimental design were represented. Headspace nitrous oxide (N 2 O), methane (CH 4 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentrations were measured and used to calculate fluxes. Results found for the relative influence of factors (WFPS and NO 3 - addition were the main factors affecting N 2 O fluxes, whilst glucose, NO 3 - and soil temperature were the main factors affecting CO 2 and CH 4 fluxes) were consistent with those already well documented. Interactions between factors were also studied and results showed that factors with little individual influence became more influential in combination. The proposed methodology offers new possibilities for GHG researchers to study interactions between influential factors and address the optimized sets of conditions to reduce GHG emissions in agro-ecosystems, while reducing the number of experimental units required compared with conventional experimental procedures that adjust one variable at a time.

Ranking factors affecting emissions of GHG from incubated agricultural soils

PubMed Central

García-Marco, S; Ravella, S R; Chadwick, D; Vallejo, A; Gregory, A S; Cárdenas, L M

2014-01-01

Agriculture significantly contributes to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and there is a need to develop effective mitigation strategies. The efficacy of methods to reduce GHG fluxes from agricultural soils can be affected by a range of interacting management and environmental factors. Uniquely, we used the Taguchi experimental design methodology to rank the relative importance of six factors known to affect the emission of GHG from soil: nitrate (NO3−) addition, carbon quality (labile and non-labile C), soil temperature, water-filled pore space (WFPS) and extent of soil compaction. Grassland soil was incubated in jars where selected factors, considered at two or three amounts within the experimental range, were combined in an orthogonal array to determine the importance and interactions between factors with a L16 design, comprising 16 experimental units. Within this L16 design, 216 combinations of the full factorial experimental design were represented. Headspace nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations were measured and used to calculate fluxes. Results found for the relative influence of factors (WFPS and NO3− addition were the main factors affecting N2O fluxes, whilst glucose, NO3− and soil temperature were the main factors affecting CO2 and CH4 fluxes) were consistent with those already well documented. Interactions between factors were also studied and results showed that factors with little individual influence became more influential in combination. The proposed methodology offers new possibilities for GHG researchers to study interactions between influential factors and address the optimized sets of conditions to reduce GHG emissions in agro-ecosystems, while reducing the number of experimental units required compared with conventional experimental procedures that adjust one variable at a time. PMID:25177207

Object-centered representations support flexible exogenous visual attention across translation and reflection.

PubMed

Lin, Zhicheng

2013-11-01

Visual attention can be deployed to stimuli based on our willful, top-down goal (endogenous attention) or on their intrinsic saliency against the background (exogenous attention). Flexibility is thought to be a hallmark of endogenous attention, whereas decades of research show that exogenous attention is attracted to the retinotopic locations of the salient stimuli. However, to the extent that salient stimuli in the natural environment usually form specific spatial relations with the surrounding context and are dynamic, exogenous attention, to be adaptive, should embrace these structural regularities. Here we test a non-retinotopic, object-centered mechanism in exogenous attention, in which exogenous attention is dynamically attracted to a relative, object-centered location. Using a moving frame configuration, we presented two frames in succession, forming either apparent translational motion or in mirror reflection, with a completely uninformative, transient cue presented at one of the item locations in the first frame. Despite that the cue is presented in a spatially separate frame, in both translation and mirror reflection, behavioralperformance in visual search is enhanced when the target in the second frame appears at the same relative location as the cue location than at other locations. These results provide unambiguous evidence for non-retinotopic exogenous attention and further reveal an object-centered mechanism supporting flexible exogenous attention. Moreover, attentional generalization across mirror reflection may constitute an attentional correlate of perceptual generalization across lateral mirror images, supporting an adaptive, functional account of mirror images confusion. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The cysteine2/histidine2-type transcription factor ZINC FINGER OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA 6-activated C-REPEAT-BINDING FACTOR pathway is essential for melatonin-mediated freezing stress resistance in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Shi, Haitao; Chan, Zhulong

2014-09-01

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is not only a widely known animal hormone, but also an important regulator in plant development and multiple abiotic stress responses. Recently, it has been revealed that melatonin alleviated cold stress through mediating several cold-related genes, including C-REPEAT-BINDING FACTORs (CBFs)/Drought Response Element Binding factors (DREBs), COR15a, and three transcription factors (CAMTA1, ZINC FINGER OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA 10 (ZAT10), and ZAT12). In this study, we quantified the endogenous melatonin level in Arabidopsis plant leaves and found the endogenous melatonin levels were significantly induced by cold stress (4 °C) treatment. In addition, we found one cysteine2/histidine2-type zinc finger transcription factor, ZAT6, was involved in melatonin-mediated freezing stress response in Arabidopsis. Interestingly, exogenous melatonin enhanced freezing stress resistance was largely alleviated in AtZAT6 knockdown plants, but was enhanced in AtZAT6 overexpressing plants. Moreover, the expression levels of AtZAT6 and AtCBFs were commonly upregulated by cold stress (4 °C) and exogenous melatonin treatments, and modulation of AtZAT6 expression significantly affected the induction AtCBFs transcripts by cold stress (4 °C) and exogenous melatonin treatments. Taken together, AtZAT6-activated CBF pathway might be essential for melatonin-mediated freezing stress response in Arabidopsis. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Hemin offers neuroprotection through inducing exogenous neuroglobin in focal cerebral hypoxic-ischemia in rats

PubMed Central

Song, Xue; Xu, Rui; Xie, Fei; Zhu, Haiyuan; Zhu, Ji; Wang, Xin

2014-01-01

Objective: To investigate the inducible effect of hemin on exogenous neuroglobin (Ngb) in focal cerebral hypoxic-ischemia in rats. Methods: 125 healthy SD rats were randomly divided into five groups: sham-operation control group, operation group, hemin treatment group, exogenous Ngb treatment group, and hemin and exogenous Ngb joint treatment group. Twenty-four hours after focal cerebral hypoxic-ischemia, Ngb expression was evaluated by immunocytochemistry, RT-PCR, and western blot analyses, while the brain water content and infarct volume were examined. Results: Immunocytochemistry, RT-PCR, and western blot analyses showed more pronounced Ngb expression in the hemin and exogenous Ngb joint operation group than in the hemin or exogenous Ngb individual treatment groups, thus producing significant differences in brain water content and infarct volume (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Hemin may be beneficial in protecting against focal cerebral hypoxic-ischemia through inducing the expression of exogenous Ngb. PMID:24966924

Exogenous Glutamine in Respiratory Diseases: Myth or Reality?

PubMed Central

Oliveira, Gisele P.; de Abreu, Marcelo Gama; Pelosi, Paolo; Rocco, Patricia R. M.

2016-01-01

Several respiratory diseases feature increased inflammatory response and catabolic activity, which are associated with glutamine depletion; thus, the benefits of exogenous glutamine administration have been evaluated in clinical trials and models of different respiratory diseases. Recent reviews and meta-analyses have focused on the effects and mechanisms of action of glutamine in a general population of critical care patients or in different models of injury. However, little information is available about the role of glutamine in respiratory diseases. The aim of the present review is to discuss the evidence of glutamine depletion in cystic fibrosis (CF), asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and lung cancer, as well as the results of exogenous glutamine administration in experimental and clinical studies. Exogenous glutamine administration might be beneficial in ARDS, asthma, and during lung cancer treatment, thus representing a potential therapeutic tool in these conditions. Further experimental and large randomized clinical trials focusing on the development and progression of respiratory diseases are necessary to elucidate the effects and possible therapeutic role of glutamine in this setting. PMID:26861387

Reviews on factors affecting fatigue behavior of high-Mn steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Sangshik; Jeong, Daeho; Sung, Hyokyung

2018-01-01

A variety of factors affect the fatigue behavior of high-Mn steels, which include both extrinsic (i.e., loading type, R ratio, specimen type, surface condition, temperature, and environment) and intrinsic (i.e., chemical composition, grain size, microstructure, stacking fault energy) factors. Very often, the influence of extrinsic factors on the fatigue behavior is even greater than that of intrinsic factors, misleading the interpretation of fatigue data. The metallurgical factors influence the initiation and propagation behaviors of fatigue by altering the characteristics of slip that is prerequisite for fatigue damage accumulation. It is however not easy to separate the effect of each factor since they affect the fatigue behavior of high-Mn steels in complex and synergistic way. In this review, the fatigue data of high-Mn steels are summarized and the factors complicating the interpretation are discussed.

Review: Factors affecting fouling in conventional pens for slaughter pigs.

PubMed

Larsen, M L V; Bertelsen, M; Pedersen, L J

2018-02-01

This review assesses factors affecting fouling in conventional pens for slaughter pigs. Fouling of the pen happens when pigs change their excretory behaviour from occurring in the designated dunging area to the lying area. This can result in a lower hygiene, bad air quality, extra work for the farmer, disturbance of the pigs' resting behaviour and an increase in agonistic interactions. A systematic search was conducted and results narrowed down to 21 articles. Four factors were found to affect fouling directly: insufficient space allowance, the flooring design of the pen, the thermal climate and pigs' earlier experience. Further, these primary factors are affected by secondary factors such as the shape of the pen, the weight of the pigs and especially the heat balance of the pigs, which is affected by several tertiary factors including, for example, temperature, humidity and draught. Results indicate that the most important factor to control when trying to prevent fouling of a pen is the pen climate. An appropriate climate may be accomplished through floor cooling in the designated lying area, sprinklers above the designated dunging area and by ensuring a more optimal ambient temperature curve that also fits the weight of the pigs in different stages of the production. All in all, fouling of the pen in conventional slaughter pigs is a multifactorial problem, but it is important to focus on increasing the comfortability, and especially the climate, of the designated lying area.

A method for tracing exogenous DNA uptake in live spermatozoa and embryos.

PubMed

Mu, Y; Jiao, M; Zhao, Y; Lv, J; Wang, J; Hao, J; Zhang, X; Kong, Q; Liu, Z

2018-03-01

Sperm-mediated gene transfer(SMGT) is a simple method for producing transgenic animals. Due to the lack of repeatability in spermatozoa binding and internalization of exogenous DNA, the efficiency of SMGT is still low. Considering this point, the present work aims to develop a method for evaluating the spermatozoa capacity of binding exogenous DNA after co-incubation with DNA. The main approach is using a Cy5-labelled DNA to trace the exogenous DNA and assess the ability of spermatozoa to take up exogenous DNA. Using this technique, we found that the percentage of spermatozoa that are binding and uptaking DNA is higher at concentration of 10 μg/mL and 100 μg/mL than 5 μg/mL, 1 μg/mL and 0 μg/mL after incubation with Cy5-DNA for 30min at 37oC. After fertilization, the DNA fluorescence signal was also detected in zygotes in groups where spermatozoa were incubated with 10 μg/mL and 100 μg/mL of Cy5-DNA. These results showed a simple and convenient method to trace the exogenous DNA in spermatozoa and zygote when compared to conventional methods of labeling DNA during fertilization, resulting in a real-time observation of the exogenous DNA in spermatozoa and zygote. Copyright© by the Polish Academy of Sciences.

The response of antioxidant systems in Nostoc sphaeroides against UV-B radiation and the protective effects of exogenous antioxidants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Gaohong; Hu, Chunxiang; Li, Dunhai; Zhang, Delu; Li, Xiaoyan; Chen, Kun; Liu, Yongding

UV radiation is one of many harmful factors found in space that are detrimental to organisms on earth in space exploration. In the present work, we examined the role of antioxidant system in Nostoc sphaeroides Kütz (Cyanobacterium) and the effects of exogenously applied antioxidant molecules on its photosynthetic rate under UV-B radiation. It was found that UV-B radiation promoted the activity of antioxidant system to protect photosystem II (PSII) and exogenously applied antioxidant: sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) had an obvious protection on PSII activity under UV-B radiation. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1), catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6), peroxidase (POD, EC 1.11.1.7) and content of MDA (malondialdehyde) and ASC (ascorbate) were improved by 0.5 mM and 1 mM SNP, but 0.1 mM SNP decreased the activity of antioxidant system. Addition of exogenous NAC decreased the activity of SOD, POD, CAT and the content MDA and ASC. In contrast, exogenously applied NAC increased GSH content. The results suggest that exogenous SNP and NAC may protect algae by different mechanisms: SNP may play double roles as both sources of reactive free radicals as well as ROS scavengers in mediating the protective role of PSII on algae under UV-B radiation. On the other hand, NAC functions as an antioxidant or precursor of glutathione, which could protect PSII directly from UV-B radiation.

The Complex Exogenous RNA Spectra in Human Plasma: An Interface with Human Gut Biota?

PubMed Central

Wang, Kai; Li, Hong; Yuan, Yue; Etheridge, Alton; Zhou, Yong; Huang, David; Wilmes, Paul; Galas, David

2012-01-01

Human plasma has long been a rich source for biomarker discovery. It has recently become clear that plasma RNA molecules, such as microRNA, in addition to proteins are common and can serve as biomarkers. Surveying human plasma for microRNA biomarkers using next generation sequencing technology, we observed that a significant fraction of the circulating RNA appear to originate from exogenous species. With careful analysis of sequence error statistics and other controls, we demonstrated that there is a wide range of RNA from many different organisms, including bacteria and fungi as well as from other species. These RNAs may be associated with protein, lipid or other molecules protecting them from RNase activity in plasma. Some of these RNAs are detected in intracellular complexes and may be able to influence cellular activities under in vitro conditions. These findings raise the possibility that plasma RNAs of exogenous origin may serve as signaling molecules mediating for example the human-microbiome interaction and may affect and/or indicate the state of human health. PMID:23251414

Factors affecting the quality of life in childhood epilepsy in China.

PubMed

Yong, L; Chengye, J; Jiong, Q

2006-03-01

To explore the level of, and factors affecting the quality of life (QOL) in childhood epilepsy in China. At the Peking University First Hospital, we consecutively identified 418 parents whose children were with known epilepsy to complete a questionnaire, which included children's demographic characteristics, clinical message of epilepsy, QOL, familial message, parental symptoms of anxiety/depression. Significant (p<0.05) affecting factors of children's quality of life included current educational degree, mental development, age at diagnosis, age at onset, seizure frequency, duration, AED number; parental significant (p<0.05) affecting factors included anxiety, depression and health. On regression analysis, parental anxiety was the most important factor in explaining lower QOL in childhood epilepsy. AEDs, familial economic state, paternal career, seizure frequency were also significant factors. Parental anxiety outweighed the physical factors in determining QOL in childhood epilepsy. Recognition of this will be helpful for professionals to treat disease and improve the QOL of childhood epilepsy.

Factors affecting academic leadership in dermatology.

PubMed

Martires, Kathryn J; Aquino, Lisa L; Wu, Jashin J

2015-02-01

Although prior studies have examined methods by which to recruit and retain academic dermatologists, few have examined factors that are important for developing academic leaders in dermatology. This study sought to examine characteristics of dermatology residency programs that affect the odds of producing department or division chairs/chiefs and program directors (PDs). Data regarding program size, faculty, grants, alumni residency program attended, lectures, and publications for all accredited US dermatology residency programs were collected. Of the 103 programs examined, 46% had graduated at least 1 chair/chief, and 53% had graduated at least 1 PD. Results emphasize that faculty guidance and research may represent modifiable factors by which a dermatology residency program can increase its graduation of academic leaders.

Differences between endogenous and exogenous emotion inhibition in the human brain.

PubMed

Kühn, Simone; Haggard, Patrick; Brass, Marcel

2014-05-01

The regulation of emotions is an integral part of our mental health. It has only recently been investigated using brain imaging techniques. In most studies, participants are instructed by a cue to inhibit a specific emotional reaction. The aim of the present study was to investigate the alternative situation where a person decides to inhibit an emotion as an act of endogenous self-control. Healthy participants viewed highly arousing pictures with negative valence. In the endogenous condition, participants could freely choose on each trial to inhibit or feel the emotions elicited by the picture. In an exogenous condition, a visual cue instructed them to either feel or inhibit the emotion elicited by the picture. Participants' subjective ratings of intensity of experienced emotion showed an interaction effect between source of control (endogenous/exogenous) and feel/inhibit based on a stronger modulation between feel and inhibition for the endogenous compared to the exogenous condition. Endogenous inhibition of emotions was associated with dorso-medial prefrontal cortex activation, whereas exogenous inhibition was found associated with lateral prefrontal cortex activation. Thus, the brain regions for both endogenous and exogenous inhibition of emotion are highly similar to those for inhibition of motor actions in Brass and Haggard (J Neurosci 27:9141-9145, 2007), Kühn et al. (Hum Brain Mapp 30:2834-2843, 2009). Functional connectivity analyses showed that dorsofrontomedial cortex exerts greater control onto pre-supplementary motor area during endogenous inhibition compared to endogenous feel. This functional dissociation between an endogenous, fronto-medial and an exogenous, fronto-lateral inhibition centre has important implications for our understanding of emotion regulation in health and psychopathology.

Elongator Plays a Positive Role in Exogenous NAD-Induced Defense Responses in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

An, Chuanfu; Ding, Yezhang; Zhang, Xudong; Wang, Chenggang; Mou, Zhonglin

2016-05-01

Extracellular NAD is emerging as an important signal molecule in animal cells, but its role in plants has not been well-established. Although it has been shown that exogenous NAD(+) activates defense responses in Arabidopsis, components in the exogenous NAD(+)-activated defense pathway remain to be fully discovered. In a genetic screen for mutants insensitive to exogenous NAD(+) (ien), we isolated a mutant named ien2. Map-based cloning revealed that IEN2 encodes ELONGATA3 (ELO3)/AtELP3, a subunit of the Arabidopsis Elongator complex, which functions in multiple biological processes, including histone modification, DNA (de)methylation, and transfer RNA modification. Mutations in the ELO3/AtELP3 gene compromise exogenous NAD(+)-induced expression of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes and resistance to the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. maculicola ES4326, and transgenic expression of the coding region of ELO3/AtELP3 in elo3/Atelp3 restores NAD(+) responsiveness to the mutant plants, demonstrating that ELO3/AtELP3 is required for exogenous NAD(+)-induced defense responses. Furthermore, mutations in genes encoding the other five Arabidopsis Elongator subunits (ELO2/AtELP1, AtELP2, ELO1/AtELP4, AtELP5, and AtELP6) also compromise exogenous NAD(+)-induced PR gene expression and resistance to P. syringae pv. maculicola ES4326. These results indicate that the Elongator complex functions as a whole in exogenous NAD(+)-activated defense signaling in Arabidopsis.

Exogenous Testosterone Enhances the Reactivity to Social Provocation in Males

PubMed Central

Wagels, Lisa; Votinov, Mikhail; Kellermann, Thilo; Eisert, Albrecht; Beyer, Cordian; Habel, Ute

2018-01-01

Testosterone affects human social behavior in various ways. While testosterone effects are generally associated with muscular strength and aggressiveness, human studies also point towards enhanced status–seeking motives after testosterone administration. The current study tested the causal influence of exogenous testosterone on male behavior during a competitive provocation paradigm. In this double blind, randomized, placebo (PL)-controlled study, 103 males were assigned to a PL or testosterone group receiving a colorless PL or testosterone gel. To induce provocation, males played a rigged reaction time game against an ostensible opponent. When participants lost, the opponent subtracted money from the participant who in return could subtract money from the ostensible opponent. Participants subjectively indicated anger and self-estimated treatment affiliation (testosterone or PL administration). A trial-by-trial analysis demonstrated that provocation and success during the repeated games had a stronger influence on participants’ choice to reduce money from the opponent if they had received testosterone. Participants who believed to be in the testosterone group were angrier after the experiment and increased monetary reductions during the task course. In line with theories about mechanisms of testosterone in humans, provocation is shown to be necessary for the agency of exogenous testosterone. Thus, testosterone reinforces the conditional adjustment of aggressive behavior but not aggressive behavior per se. In contrast undirected frustration is not increased by testosterone but probably interferes with cognitive appraisals about biological mechanisms of testosterone. PMID:29551966

Exogenous Testosterone Enhances the Reactivity to Social Provocation in Males.

PubMed

Wagels, Lisa; Votinov, Mikhail; Kellermann, Thilo; Eisert, Albrecht; Beyer, Cordian; Habel, Ute

2018-01-01

Testosterone affects human social behavior in various ways. While testosterone effects are generally associated with muscular strength and aggressiveness, human studies also point towards enhanced status-seeking motives after testosterone administration. The current study tested the causal influence of exogenous testosterone on male behavior during a competitive provocation paradigm. In this double blind, randomized, placebo (PL)-controlled study, 103 males were assigned to a PL or testosterone group receiving a colorless PL or testosterone gel. To induce provocation, males played a rigged reaction time game against an ostensible opponent. When participants lost, the opponent subtracted money from the participant who in return could subtract money from the ostensible opponent. Participants subjectively indicated anger and self-estimated treatment affiliation (testosterone or PL administration). A trial-by-trial analysis demonstrated that provocation and success during the repeated games had a stronger influence on participants' choice to reduce money from the opponent if they had received testosterone. Participants who believed to be in the testosterone group were angrier after the experiment and increased monetary reductions during the task course. In line with theories about mechanisms of testosterone in humans, provocation is shown to be necessary for the agency of exogenous testosterone. Thus, testosterone reinforces the conditional adjustment of aggressive behavior but not aggressive behavior per se . In contrast undirected frustration is not increased by testosterone but probably interferes with cognitive appraisals about biological mechanisms of testosterone.

Exogenous nitric oxide can control SIRS and downregulate NFkappaB.

PubMed

Lozano, Francisco S; Barros, Marcello B; García-Criado, Francisco J; Gomez-Alonso, Alberto

2005-03-01

Nitric oxide (NO) participates in inflammation and affects almost all steps of its development. Several experimental studies have unveiled the beneficial effects of NO through modulation of the Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS). In this sense, in the present work we attempted to evaluate the beneficial effects of exogenous NO and its levels of action (biochemical and cellular) in a model of SIRS induced by two sequential insults. Dacron graft implantation (first insult) and subsequent administration of Zymosan A (second insult) in Wistar rats. The animals were divided into four groups: 1) No manipulation (Basal); 2) Laparotomy (L) + mineral oil (Sham); 3) L + Graft-Zymosan (GZ) (Control); and 4) L + GZ + NO (Assay). Determinations: Survival, TNF-alpha, SOA, ICAM-1, and NFkappaB. The model established (Control) induced a mortality rate of 20%. Also, it significantly increased the levels of TNF-alpha (P <0.001) and SOA (P <0.01), ICAM-1 expression, and NFkappaB levels (P <0.05). Treatment with NO reduced mortality to 0%, significantly decreasing TNF-alpha (P <0.001) and SOA (P <0.01) levels, ICAM-1 expression, and NFkappaB levels (P <0.05). The exogenous administration of NO before the two sequential insults controlled SIRS at biochemical level (TNF-alpha, SOA) and at cellular level (transcription) in a lasting manner. The cascade-like interrelationship of both levels and the study design do not allow us the pinpoint the key to its modulation.

78 FR 46418 - Proposed Information Collection (Obligation To Report Factors Affecting Entitlement) Activity...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-31

... (Obligation To Report Factors Affecting Entitlement) Activity; Comment Request AGENCY: Veterans Benefits... use of other forms of information technology. Title: Obligation to Report Factors Affecting... entitlement factors. Individual factors such as income, marital status, and the beneficiary's number of...

75 FR 62634 - Proposed Information Collection (Obligation to Report Factors Affecting Entitlement) Activity...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-12

... (Obligation to Report Factors Affecting Entitlement) Activity: Comment Request AGENCY: Veterans Benefits... use of other forms of information technology. Title: Obligation to Report Factors Affecting... entitlement factors. Individual factors such as income, marital status, and the beneficiary's number of...

Effects of exogenous glucagon-like peptide-2 and distal bowel resection on intestinal and systemic adaptive responses in rats

PubMed Central

de Heuvel, Elaine; Wallace, Laurie E.; Hartmann, Bolette; Holst, Jens J.; Brindle, Mary E.; Chelikani, Prasanth K.; Sigalet, David L.

2017-01-01

Objective To determine the effects of exogenous glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2), with or without massive distal bowel resection, on adaptation of jejunal mucosa, enteric neurons, gut hormones and tissue reserves in rats. Background GLP-2 is a gut hormone known to be trophic for small bowel mucosa, and to mimic intestinal adaptation in short bowel syndrome (SBS). However, the effects of exogenous GLP-2 and SBS on enteric neurons are unclear. Methods Sprague Dawley rats were randomized to four treatments: Transected Bowel (TB) (n = 8), TB + GLP-2 (2.5 nmol/kg/h, n = 8), SBS (n = 5), or SBS + GLP-2 (2.5 nmol/kg/h, n = 9). SBS groups underwent a 60% jejunoileal resection with cecectomy and jejunocolic anastomosis. All rats were maintained on parenteral nutrition for 7 d. Parameters measured included gut morphometry, qPCR for hexose transporter (SGLT-1, GLUT-2, GLUT-5) and GLP-2 receptor mRNA, whole mount immunohistochemistry for neurons (HuC/D, VIP, nNOS), plasma glucose, gut hormones, and body composition. Results Resection increased the proportion of nNOS immunopositive myenteric neurons, intestinal muscularis propria thickness and crypt cell proliferation, which were not recapitulated by GLP-2 therapy. Exogenous GLP-2 increased jejunal mucosal surface area without affecting enteric VIP or nNOS neuronal immunopositivity, attenuated resection-induced reductions in jejunal hexose transporter abundance (SGLT-1, GLUT-2), increased plasma amylin and decreased peptide YY concentrations. Exogenous GLP-2 attenuated resection-induced increases in blood glucose and body fat loss. Conclusions Exogenous GLP-2 stimulates jejunal adaptation independent of enteric neuronal VIP or nNOS changes, and has divergent effects on plasma amylin and peptide YY concentrations. The novel ability of exogenous GLP-2 to modulate resection-induced changes in peripheral glucose and lipid reserves may be important in understanding the whole-body response following intestinal resection, and is worthy

Analysis of factors affecting employee satisfaction: A case study from Pakistan.

PubMed

Rukh, Lala; Choudhary, Muhammad Abbas; Abbasi, Saddam Akber

2015-01-01

Employee job satisfaction has been a research focal point throughout the world. It is a key factor when measuring the performance of an organization and individuals. A leading engineering goods manufacturing enterprise in Pakistan, has been used in this case study. In Pakistan, very limited research has been done with respect to factors affecting job satisfaction. Some research has been done in medical institutions, banks, universities and the information technology sector but large public sector organizations in Pakistan have not been studied. A theoretical foundation for researching factors affecting job satisfaction in large organizations is outlined. The objective of this research is to analyze various demographic, financial and non-financial factors affecting the satisfaction level of employees and to study the effects across different employee groups. This study is based on quantitative data analysis. The employees of the organization under study have been divided into 10 homogeneous groups based on their departments. Information on job related factors (affecting the satisfaction level) have been collected from subsamples of each group using a self-administered questionnaire. An overall sample of 250 (out of total 1100) employees has been selected. Before conducting the survey, reliability of the questionnaire was measured using Cronbach's alpha. The normality of data was also examined using the Kolmogorov Smirnov test. Hypotheses devised to address the research questions were tested by using non-parametric Spearman correlation and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The response rate was 73.2%. Research findings indicated the significant factors that affect the satisfaction level of employees. Median group differences existed between responses based on age, work experience, salary and designation (i.e. job position/rank) of employees. Job satisfaction was also positively and significantly associated with job related factors such as pay, promotion, relation with employees

Factors Affecting Successful Implementation of Hospital Information Systems.

PubMed

Farzandipur, Mehrdad; Jeddi, Fatemeh Rangraz; Azimi, Esmaeil

2016-02-01

Today, the use of information systems in health environments, like any other fields, is necessary and organizational managers are convinced to use these systems. However, managers' satisfaction is not the only factor in successfully implementing these systems and failed information technology projects (IT) are reported despite the consent of the directors. Therefore, this study aims to determine the factors affecting the successful implementation of a hospital information system. The study was carried out as a descriptive method in 20 clinical hospitals that the hospital information system (HIS) was conducted in them. The clinical and paraclinical users of mentioned hospitals are the study group. 400 people were chosen as samples in scientific method and the data was collected using a questionnaire consisted of three main human, managerial and organizational, and technological factors, by questionnaire and interview. Then the data was scored in Likert scale (score of 1 to 5) and were analyzed using the SPSS software. About 75 percent of the population were female, with average work experience of 10 years and the mean age was 30 years. The human factors affecting the success of hospital information system implementation achieved the mean score of 3.5, both organizational and managerial factors 2.9 and technological factors the mean of 3. Human factors including computer skills, perceiving usefulness and perceiving the ease of a hospital information system use are more effective on the acceptance and successful implementation of hospital information systems; then the technological factors play a greater role. It is recommended that for the successful implementation of hospital information systems, most of these factors to be considered.

Factors Affecting Open-Set Word Recognition in Adults with Cochlear Implants

PubMed Central

Holden, Laura K.; Finley, Charles C.; Firszt, Jill B.; Holden, Timothy A.; Brenner, Christine; Potts, Lisa G.; Gotter, Brenda D.; Vanderhoof, Sallie S.; Mispagel, Karen; Heydebrand, Gitry; Skinner, Margaret W.

2012-01-01

A monosyllabic word test was administered to 114 postlingually-deaf adult cochlear implant (CI) recipients at numerous intervals from two weeks to two years post-initial CI activation. Biographic/audiologic information, electrode position, and cognitive ability were examined to determine factors affecting CI outcomes. Results revealed that Duration of Severe-to-Profound Hearing Loss, Age at Implantation, CI Sound-field Threshold Levels, Percentage of Electrodes in Scala Vestibuli, Medio-lateral Electrode Position, Insertion Depth, and Cognition were among the factors that affected performance. Knowledge of how factors affect performance can influence counseling, device fitting, and rehabilitation for patients and may contribute to improved device design. PMID:23348845

Factors affecting self-regulated learning in medical students: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Jouhari, Zahra; Haghani, Fariba; Changiz, Tahereh

2015-01-01

Introduction Clinical courses are required of all medical students and means that they must develop the key skill of self-regulation during learning. The ability to self-regulate learning strategies is affected by different factors. This study determined the views of medical students on the factors affecting self-regulated learning (SRL). Method This study uses a qualitative approach and the content analysis method. Nineteen medical students in their fourth, fifth, and sixth years of study at Isfahan University of Medical Science participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The students were selected using purposive sampling based on their overall grade point average (GPA). Results Five main themes were found to affect SRL. These themes included family with the two subthemes of family supervisory and supportive roles; peers with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting roles; instructors with the two subthemes of personal and educational instructor's characteristics; educational environment with the two subthemes of facilitator and inhibitor roles; and student with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting personal factors. Conclusion The outcomes of student understanding of the factors affecting self-regulation indicate that facilitating factors should be used on an individual basis to reduce the effect of inhibiting factors to improve self-regulation in students. PMID:26549046

Factors affecting self-regulated learning in medical students: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Jouhari, Zahra; Haghani, Fariba; Changiz, Tahereh

2015-01-01

Introduction Clinical courses are required of all medical students and means that they must develop the key skill of self-regulation during learning. The ability to self-regulate learning strategies is affected by different factors. This study determined the views of medical students on the factors affecting self-regulated learning (SRL). Method This study uses a qualitative approach and the content analysis method. Nineteen medical students in their fourth, fifth, and sixth years of study at Isfahan University of Medical Science participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The students were selected using purposive sampling based on their overall grade point average (GPA). Results Five main themes were found to affect SRL. These themes included family with the two subthemes of family supervisory and supportive roles; peers with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting roles; instructors with the two subthemes of personal and educational instructor's characteristics; educational environment with the two subthemes of facilitator and inhibitor roles; and student with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting personal factors. Conclusion The outcomes of student understanding of the factors affecting self-regulation indicate that facilitating factors should be used on an individual basis to reduce the effect of inhibiting factors to improve self-regulation in students.

Factors affecting self-regulated learning in medical students: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Jouhari, Zahra; Haghani, Fariba; Changiz, Tahereh

2015-01-01

Clinical courses are required of all medical students and means that they must develop the key skill of self-regulation during learning. The ability to self-regulate learning strategies is affected by different factors. This study determined the views of medical students on the factors affecting self-regulated learning (SRL). This study uses a qualitative approach and the content analysis method. Nineteen medical students in their fourth, fifth, and sixth years of study at Isfahan University of Medical Science participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The students were selected using purposive sampling based on their overall grade point average (GPA). Five main themes were found to affect SRL. These themes included family with the two subthemes of family supervisory and supportive roles; peers with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting roles; instructors with the two subthemes of personal and educational instructor's characteristics; educational environment with the two subthemes of facilitator and inhibitor roles; and student with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting personal factors. The outcomes of student understanding of the factors affecting self-regulation indicate that facilitating factors should be used on an individual basis to reduce the effect of inhibiting factors to improve self-regulation in students.

14 CFR Appendix B to Part 1215 - Factors Affecting Standard Charges

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2011-01-01 2010-01-01 true Factors Affecting Standard Charges B Appendix B to Part 1215 Aeronautics and Space NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION TRACKING AND DATA RELAY SATELLITE SYSTEM (TDRSS) Pt. 1215, App. B Appendix B to Part 1215—Factors Affecting Standard...

Methods of Combinatorial Optimization to Reveal Factors Affecting Gene Length

PubMed Central

Bolshoy, Alexander; Tatarinova, Tatiana

2012-01-01

In this paper we present a novel method for genome ranking according to gene lengths. The main outcomes described in this paper are the following: the formulation of the genome ranking problem, presentation of relevant approaches to solve it, and the demonstration of preliminary results from prokaryotic genomes ordering. Using a subset of prokaryotic genomes, we attempted to uncover factors affecting gene length. We have demonstrated that hyperthermophilic species have shorter genes as compared with mesophilic organisms, which probably means that environmental factors affect gene length. Moreover, these preliminary results show that environmental factors group together in ranking evolutionary distant species. PMID:23300345

An Exogenous Surfactant-Producing Bacillus subtilis Facilitates Indigenous Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery

PubMed Central

Gao, Peike; Li, Guoqiang; Li, Yanshu; Li, Yan; Tian, Huimei; Wang, Yansen; Zhou, Jiefang; Ma, Ting

2016-01-01

This study used an exogenous lipopeptide-producing Bacillus subtilis to strengthen the indigenous microbial enhanced oil recovery (IMEOR) process in a water-flooded reservoir in the laboratory. The microbial processes and driving mechanisms were investigated in terms of the changes in oil properties and the interplay between the exogenous B. subtilis and indigenous microbial populations. The exogenous B. subtilis is a lipopeptide producer, with a short growth cycle and no oil-degrading ability. The B. subtilis facilitates the IMEOR process through improving oil emulsification and accelerating microbial growth with oil as the carbon source. Microbial community studies using quantitative PCR and high-throughput sequencing revealed that the exogenous B. subtilis could live together with reservoir microbial populations, and did not exert an observable inhibitory effect on the indigenous microbial populations during nutrient stimulation. Core-flooding tests showed that the combined exogenous and indigenous microbial flooding increased oil displacement efficiency by 16.71%, compared with 7.59% in the control where only nutrients were added, demonstrating the application potential in enhanced oil recovery in water-flooded reservoirs, in particular, for reservoirs where IMEOR treatment cannot effectively improve oil recovery. PMID:26925051

An Exogenous Surfactant-Producing Bacillus subtilis Facilitates Indigenous Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery.

PubMed

Gao, Peike; Li, Guoqiang; Li, Yanshu; Li, Yan; Tian, Huimei; Wang, Yansen; Zhou, Jiefang; Ma, Ting

2016-01-01

This study used an exogenous lipopeptide-producing Bacillus subtilis to strengthen the indigenous microbial enhanced oil recovery (IMEOR) process in a water-flooded reservoir in the laboratory. The microbial processes and driving mechanisms were investigated in terms of the changes in oil properties and the interplay between the exogenous B. subtilis and indigenous microbial populations. The exogenous B. subtilis is a lipopeptide producer, with a short growth cycle and no oil-degrading ability. The B. subtilis facilitates the IMEOR process through improving oil emulsification and accelerating microbial growth with oil as the carbon source. Microbial community studies using quantitative PCR and high-throughput sequencing revealed that the exogenous B. subtilis could live together with reservoir microbial populations, and did not exert an observable inhibitory effect on the indigenous microbial populations during nutrient stimulation. Core-flooding tests showed that the combined exogenous and indigenous microbial flooding increased oil displacement efficiency by 16.71%, compared with 7.59% in the control where only nutrients were added, demonstrating the application potential in enhanced oil recovery in water-flooded reservoirs, in particular, for reservoirs where IMEOR treatment cannot effectively improve oil recovery.

Exogenously applied spermidine alleviates photosynthetic inhibition under drought stress in maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings associated with changes in endogenous polyamines and phytohormones.

PubMed

Li, Lijie; Gu, Wanrong; Li, Jing; Li, Congfeng; Xie, Tenglong; Qu, Danyang; Meng, Yao; Li, Caifeng; Wei, Shi

2018-05-15

Drought stress (DS) is a major environmental factor limiting plant growth and crop productivity worldwide. It has been established that exogenous spermidine (Spd) stimulates plant tolerance to DS. The effects of exogenous Spd on plant growth, photosynthetic performance, and chloroplast ultrastructure as well as changes in endogenous polyamines (PAs) and phytohormones were investigate in DS-resistant (Xianyu 335) and DS-sensitive (Fenghe 1) maize seedlings under well-watered and DS treatments. Exogenous Spd alleviated the stress-induced reduction in growth, photosynthetic pigment content, photosynthesis rate (P n ) and photochemical quenching (q P ) parameters, including the maximum photochemistry efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) (F v /F m ), PSII operating efficiency (ФPSII), and qP coefficient. Exogenous Spd further enhanced stress-induced elevation in non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) and the de-epoxidation state of the xanthophyll cycle (DEPS). Microscopic analysis revealed that seedlings displayed a more ordered arrangement of chloroplast ultrastructure upon Spd application during DS. Exogenous Spd increased the endogenous PA concentrations in the stressed plants. Additionally, exogenous Spd increased indoleacetic acid (IAA), zeatin riboside (ZR) and gibberellin A 3 (GA 3 ) and decreased salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonate (JA) concentrations under DS. These results indicate that exogenous Spd can alleviate the growth inhibition and damage to the structure and function of the photosynthetic apparatus caused by DS and that this alleviation may be associated with changes in endogenous PAs and phytohormones. This study contributes to advances in the knowledge of Spd-induced drought tolerance. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Exogenous strigolactone interacts with abscisic acid-mediated accumulation of anthocyanins in grapevine berries.

PubMed

Ferrero, Manuela; Pagliarani, Chiara; Novák, Ondrej; Ferrandino, Alessandra; Cardinale, Francesca; Visentin, Ivan; Schubert, Andrea

2018-04-23

Besides signalling to soil organisms, strigolactones (SLs) control above- and below-ground morphology, in particular shoot branching. Furthermore, SLs interact with stress responses, possibly thanks to a crosstalk with the abscisic acid (ABA) signal. In grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.), ABA drives the accumulation of anthocyanins over the ripening season. In this study, we investigated the effects of treatment with a synthetic strigolactone analogue, GR24, on anthocyanin accumulation in grape berries, in the presence or absence of exogenous ABA treatment. Experiments were performed both on severed, incubated berries, and on berries attached to the vine. Furthermore, we analysed the corresponding transcript concentrations of genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis, and in ABA biosynthesis, metabolism, and membrane transport. During the experiment time courses, berries showed the expected increase in soluble sugars and anthocyanins. GR24 treatment had no or little effect on anthocyanin accumulation, or on gene expression levels. Exogenous ABA treatment activated soluble sugar and anthocyanin accumulation, and enhanced expression of anthocyanin and ABA biosynthetic genes, and that of genes involved in ABA hydroxylation and membrane transport. Co-treatment of GR24 with ABA delayed anthocyanin accumulation, decreased expression of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes, and negatively affected ABA concentration. GR24 also enhanced the ABA-induced activation of ABA hydroxylase genes, while it down-regulated the ABA-induced activation of ABA transport genes. Our results show that GR24 affects the ABA-induced activation of anthocyanin biosynthesis in this non-climacteric fruit. We discuss possible mechanisms underlying this effect, and the potential role of SLs in ripening of non-ABA-treated berries.

How Attention Affects Spatial Resolution

PubMed Central

Carrasco, Marisa; Barbot, Antoine

2015-01-01

We summarize and discuss a series of psychophysical studies on the effects of spatial covert attention on spatial resolution, our ability to discriminate fine patterns. Heightened resolution is beneficial in most, but not all, visual tasks. We show how endogenous attention (voluntary, goal driven) and exogenous attention (involuntary, stimulus driven) affect performance on a variety of tasks mediated by spatial resolution, such as visual search, crowding, acuity, and texture segmentation. Exogenous attention is an automatic mechanism that increases resolution regardless of whether it helps or hinders performance. In contrast, endogenous attention flexibly adjusts resolution to optimize performance according to task demands. We illustrate how psychophysical studies can reveal the underlying mechanisms of these effects and allow us to draw linking hypotheses with known neurophysiological effects of attention. PMID:25948640

Short-term and long-term effects of transient exogenous cortisol manipulation on oxidative stress in juvenile brown trout.

PubMed

Birnie-Gauvin, Kim; Peiman, Kathryn S; Larsen, Martin H; Aarestrup, Kim; Willmore, William G; Cooke, Steven J

2017-05-01

In the wild, animals are exposed to a growing number of stressors with increasing frequency and intensity, as a result of human activities and human-induced environmental change. To fully understand how wild organisms are affected by stressors, it is crucial to understand the physiology that underlies an organism's response to a stressor. Prolonged levels of elevated glucocorticoids are associated with a state of chronic stress and decreased fitness. Exogenous glucocorticoid manipulation reduces an individual's ability to forage, avoid predators and grow, thereby limiting the resources available for physiological functions like defence against oxidative stress. Using brown trout ( Salmo trutta ), we evaluated the short-term (2 weeks) and long-term (4 months over winter) effects of exogenous cortisol manipulations (versus relevant shams and controls) on the oxidative status of wild juveniles. Cortisol caused an increase in glutathione over a 2 week period and appeared to reduce glutathione over winter. Cortisol treatment did not affect oxidative stress levels or low molecular weight antioxidants. Cortisol caused a significant decrease in growth rates but did not affect predation risk. Over-winter survival in the stream was associated with low levels of oxidative stress and glutathione. Thus, oxidative stress may be a mechanism by which elevated cortisol causes negative physiological effects. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Circulating cortisol levels after exogenous cortisol administration are higher in women using hormonal contraceptives: data from two preliminary studies.

PubMed

Gaffey, Allison E; Wirth, Michelle M; Hoks, Roxanne M; Jahn, Allison L; Abercrombie, Heather C

2014-07-01

Exogenous cortisol administration has been used to test the influence of glucocorticoids on a variety of outcomes, including memory and affect. Careful control of factors known to influence cortisol and other endogenous hormone levels is central to the success of this research. While the use of hormonal birth control (HBC) is known to exert many physiological effects, including decreasing the salivary cortisol response to stress, it is unknown how HBC influences circulating cortisol levels after exogenous cortisol administration. To determine those effects, we examined the role of HBC on participants' cortisol levels after receiving synthetic cortisol (hydrocortisone) in two separate studies. In Study 1, 24 healthy women taking HBC and 26 healthy men were administered a 0.1 mg/kg body weight intravenous dose of hydrocortisone, and plasma cortisol levels were measured over 3 h. In Study 2, 61 participants (34 women; 16 were on HBC) received a 15 mg hydrocortisone pill, and salivary cortisol levels were measured over 6 h. Taken together, results from these studies suggest that HBC use is associated with a greater cortisol increase following cortisol administration. These data have important methodological implications: (1) when given a controlled dose of hydrocortisone, cortisol levels may increase more dramatically in women taking HBC versus women not on HBC or men; and (2) in studies manipulating cortisol levels, women on hormonal contraceptives should be investigated as a separate group.

Exogenous ascorbic acid improves defence responses of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) exposed to multiple stresses.

PubMed

Kaya, Armagan

2017-09-01

Ascorbic acid is an important antioxidant that plays role both on growth and development and also stress response of the plant. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of ascorbate on physiological and biochemical changes of sunflower that was exposed to multiple stresses. Chlorophyll and carotenoid contents decreased and glutathione, ascorbate and malondialdehyde contents as well as antioxidant enzyme activities increased for sunflower plant that was exposed to 50 mM NaCl and pendimethalin at different concentrations. These changes were found to be more significant in groups simultaneously exposed to both stress factors. While malondialdehyde content decreased, chlorophyll, carotenoid, ascorbate, glutathione contents and antioxidant enzyme activities increased in plants treated exogenously with ascorbate, compared to the untreated samples. According to the findings of our study; compared to individual stress, the effect of stress is more pronounced in sunflower exposed to multiple stresses, and treatment with exogenous ascorbate reduces the negative effects of stress.

The Alleviation of Heat Damage to Photosystem II and Enzymatic Antioxidants by Exogenous Spermidine in Tall Fescue.

PubMed

Zhang, Liang; Hu, Tao; Amombo, Erick; Wang, Guangyang; Xie, Yan; Fu, Jinmin

2017-01-01

Tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea Schreb) is a typical cool-season grass that is widely used in turf and pasture. However, high temperature as an abiotic stress seriously affects its utilization. The objective of this study was to explore the effect of spermidine (Spd) on heat stress response of tall fescue. The samples were exposed to 22°C (normal condition) or 44°C (heat stress) for 4 h. The results showed that exogenous Spd partially improved the quality of tall fescue leaves under normal temperature conditions. Nevertheless, after heat stress treatment, exogenous Spd significantly decreased the electrolyte leakage of tall fescue leaves. Spd also profoundly reduced the H 2 O 2 and O 2 ⋅- content and increased antioxidant enzymes activities. In addition, PAs can also regulate antioxidant enzymes activities including SOD, POD, and APX which could help to scavenge ROS. Moreover, application of Spd could also remarkably increase the chlorophyll content and had a positive effect on the chlorophyll α fluorescence transients under high temperature. The Spd reagent enhanced the performance of photosystem II (PSII) as observed by the JIP-test. Under heat stress, the Spd profoundly improved the partial potentials at the steps of energy bifurcations (PI ABS and PI total ) and the quantum yields and efficiencies (φP 0 , δR 0 , φR 0 , and γRC). Exogenous Spd could also reduce the specific energy fluxes per Q A - reducing PSII reaction center (RC) (TP 0 /RC and ET 0 /RC). Additionally, exogenous Spd improved the expression level of psbA and psbB , which encoded the proteins of PSII core reaction center complex. We infer that PAs can stabilize the structure of nucleic acids and protect RNA from the degradation of ribonuclease. In brief, our study indicates that exogenous Spd enhances the heat tolerance of tall fescue by maintaining cell membrane stability, increasing antioxidant enzymes activities, improving PSII, and relevant gene expression.

Infection, fever, and exogenous and endogenous pyrogens: some concepts have changed.

PubMed

Dinarello, Charles A

2004-01-01

For many years, it was thought that bacterial products caused fever via the intermediate production of a host-derived, fever-producing molecule, called endogenous pyrogen (EP). Bacterial products and other fever-producing substances were termed exogenous pyrogens. It was considered highly unlikely that exogenous pyrogens caused fever by acting directly on the hypothalamic thermoregulatory center since there were countless fever-producing microbial products, mostly large molecules, with no common physical structure. In vivo and in vitro, lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) and other microbial products induced EP, subsequently shown to be interleukin-1 (IL-1). The concept of the 'endogenous pyrogen' cause of fever gained considerable support when pure, recombinant IL-1 produced fever in humans and in animals at subnanomolar concentrations. Subsequently, recombinant tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), IL-6 and other cytokines were also shown to cause fever and EPs are now termed pyrogenic cytokines. However, the concept was challenged when specific blockade of either IL-1 or TNF activity did not diminish the febrile response to LPS, to other microbial products or to natural infections in animals and in humans. During infection, fever could occur independently of IL-1 or TNF activity. The cytokine-like property of Toll-like receptor (TLR) signal transduction provides an explanation by which any microbial product can cause fever by engaging its specific TLR on the vascular network supplying the thermoregulatory center in the anterior hypothalamus. Since fever induced by IL-1, TNF-alpha, IL-6 or TLR ligands requires cyclooxygenase-2, production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and activation of hypothalamic PGE2 receptors provides a unifying mechanism for fever by endogenous and exogenous pyrogens. Thus, fever is the result of either cytokine receptor or TLR triggering; in autoimmune diseases, fever is mostly cytokine mediated whereas both cytokine and TLR account for fever during

Factors Affecting Smoking Tendency and Smoking Intensity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

David, Nissim Ben; Zion, Uri Ben

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to measure the relative effect of relevant explanatory variable on smoking tendency and smoking intensity. Design/methodology/approach: Using survey data collected by the Israeli Bureau of Statistics in 2003-2004, a probit procedure is estimated for analyzing factors that affect the probability of being a…

Fructose-maltodextrin ratio in a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution differentially affects exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rate, gut comfort, and performance.

PubMed

O'Brien, Wendy J; Rowlands, David S

2011-01-01

Solutions containing multiple carbohydrates utilizing different intestinal transporters (glucose and fructose) show enhanced absorption, oxidation, and performance compared with single-carbohydrate solutions, but the impact of the ratio of these carbohydrates on outcomes is unknown. In a randomized double-blind crossover, 10 cyclists rode 150 min at 50% peak power, then performed an incremental test to exhaustion, while ingesting artificially sweetened water or one of three carbohydrate-salt solutions comprising fructose and maltodextrin in the respective following concentrations: 4.5 and 9% (0.5-Ratio), 6 and 7.5% (0.8-Ratio), and 7.5 and 6% (1.25-Ratio). The carbohydrates were ingested at 1.8 g/min and naturally (13)C-enriched to permit evaluation of oxidation rate by mass spectrometry and indirect calorimetry. Mean exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates were 1.04, 1.14, and 1.05 g/min (coefficient of variation 20%) in 0.5-, 0.8-, and 1.25-Ratios, respectively, representing likely small increases in 0.8-Ratio of 11% (90% confidence limits; ± 4%) and 10% (± 4%) relative to 0.5- and 1.25-Ratios, respectively. Comparisons of fat and total and endogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates between solutions were unclear. Relative to 0.5-Ratio, there were moderate improvements to peak power with 0.8- (3.6%; 99% confidence limits ± 3.5%) and 1.25-Ratio (3.0%; ± 3.7%) but unclear with water (0.4%; ± 4.4%). Increases in stomach fullness, abdominal cramping, and nausea were lowest with the 0.8- followed by the 1.25-Ratio solution. At high carbohydrate-ingestion rate, greater benefits to endurance performance may result from ingestion of 0.8- to 1.25-Ratio fructose-maltodextrin solutions. Small perceptible improvements in gut comfort favor the 0.8-Ratio and provide a clearer suggestion of mechanism than the relationship with exogenous carbohydrate oxidation.

Exogenous lipoid pneumonia – a case report of a fire-eater

PubMed Central

Pielaszkiewicz-Wydra, Magdalena; Homola-Piekarska, Bożena; Szcześniak, Ewa; Ciołek-Zdun, Monika; Fall, Andrzej

2012-01-01

Summary Background: Exogenous lipoid pneumonia is an uncommon condition caused by inhalation or aspiration of a fatty substance. It usually presents as chronic respiratory illness mimicking interstitial lung diseases. Acute exogenous lipoid pneumonia is uncommon and typically is caused by an episode of aspiration of a large quantity of a petroleum-based product. Radiological findings vary and may imitate many other diseases. Case Report: We present a rare case of acute exogenous lipoid pneumonia in a fire-eater who aspirated liquid paraffin during his flame-blowing show (fire-eater’s lung). He was admitted to the hospital with productive cough, fever, hemoptysis, chest pain and dyspnea. Diagnosis was made on the basis of history of exposure to fatty substance, characteristic findings in CT examination and presence of lipid-laden macrophages in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Conclusions: Acute exogenous lipoid pneumonia is a very rare disease that typically occurs in fire-eaters and is called a fire-eater’s lung. The diagnosis is made on the basis of typical history and radiological, as well as histopathological findings. PMID:23269939

Identification of Factors That Affect Software Complexity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaiser, Javaid

A survey of computer scientists was conducted to identify factors that affect software complexity. A total of 160 items were selected from the literature to include in a questionnaire sent to 425 individuals who were employees of computer-related businesses in Lawrence and Kansas City. The items were grouped into nine categories called system…

INTERNATIONAL DIFFERENCES IN FACTORS AFFECTING LABOUR MOBILITY.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

SELLIER, F.; ZARKA, C.

THE GEOGRAPHICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, AND INTERFIRM MOBILITY, AND THE FACTORS AFFECTING THESE MOVEMENTS FOR WORKERS IN FRANCE, ITALY, GERMANY, AND SWEDEN IN THE PERIOD SINCE THE SECOND WORLD WAR ARE STUDIED. DATA OBTAINED FROM INDUSTRIAL SURVEYS AND GENERAL CENSUSES WERE USED TO COMPARE THE FOUR COUNTRIES WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH THE UNITED STATES.…

Inhibition of acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in mice by exogenous thymosinβ4 treatment.

PubMed

Wang, Lei; Li, Xiankui; Chen, Cai

2018-05-21

To study the effects of exogenous thymosinβ4 (Tβ4) treatment in acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity. Liver injury was induced in mice by a single intraperitoneal injection of APAP (500 mg/kg). Exogenous Tβ4 was intraperitoneally administrated at 0 h, 2 h and 4 h after APAP injection. Chloroquine (CQ) (60 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected 2 h before APAP administration to inhibit autophagy. Six hours after APAP injection liver injury was evaluated by histological examinations, biochemical measurements and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISAs). Western blots were performed to detect proteins expression. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities were significantly increased 6 h after APAP administration, but were significantly reduced by co-administration of Tβ4. Histological examinations demonstrated that Tβ4 reduced necrosis and inflammation induced by APAP. Immunofluorescence showed that Tβ4 suppressed APAP-induced translocation of high mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1) from the nucleus to cytosol and intercellular space. Hepatic glutathione (GSH) depletion, malondialdehyde (MDA) formation and decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities induced by APAP were all attenuated by Tβ4. APAP-induced increases in hepatic nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 protein expression and inflammatory cytokines production including interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were reduced by Tβ4 treatment. Increased LC3 and p62 proteins in the liver tissues of APAP-treated mice were decreased by Tβ4 treatment, which indicated the enhancement of autophagy flux by Tβ4. Furthermore, inhibiting autophagy by CQ abrogated the protective effects of Tβ4 against APAP hepatotoxicity. Exogenous Tβ4 treatment exerts protective effects against APAP-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. The underneath molecular mechanisms may involve autophagy enhancement and inhibition of oxidative stress by Tβ4

Distribution and mobility of exogenous copper as influenced by aging and components interactions in three Chinese soils.

PubMed

Shi, Hanzhi; Li, Qi; Chen, Wenli; Cai, Peng; Huang, Qiaoyun

2018-04-01

Copper contamination of soils is a global environmental problem. Soil components (organic matter, clay minerals, and microorganisms) and retention time can govern the adsorption, fixation, and distribution of copper. This study evaluated the interaction effects of soil components and aging on the distribution of exogenous copper. Three typical Chinese soils (Ultisol, Alfisol, and Histosol) were collected from Hunan, Henan, and Heilongjiang Provinces. Soils were incubated with rice straw (RS) and engineered bacteria (Pseudomonas putida X4/pIME) in the presence of exogenous copper for 12 months. Sequential extraction was employed to obtain the distribution of Cu species in soils, and the mobility factors of Cu were calculated. The relationships between soil properties and Cu fractions were analyzed with stepwise multiple linear regression. The results show that organic carbon plays a more important role in shaping the distribution of relatively mobile Cu, and iron oxides can be more critical in stabilizing Cu species in soils. Our results suggest that organic matter is the most important factor influencing copper partitioning in Ultisols, while iron oxides are more significant in Alfisols. The mobility of exogenous Cu in soils depends largely on organic carbon, amorphous Fe, and aging. The introduction of both rice straw and rice straw + engineered bacteria enhanced the stabilization of Cu in all the three soils during aging process. The introduction of bacteria could reduce copper mobility, which was indicated by the lowest mobility factors of Cu for the treatment with bacteria in Black, Red, and Cinnamon soils at the first 4, 8, and 8 months, respectively. Different measures should be taken into account regarding the content of organic matter and iron oxides depending on soil types for the risk assessment and remediation of Cu-contaminated soils.

A Metasynthesis of Factors Affecting Self-Management of Chronic Illness

PubMed Central

SCHULMAN-GREEN, Dena; JASER, Sarah S.; PARK, Chorong; WHITTEMORE, Robin

2015-01-01

Aim To identify factors that may serve as facilitators and barriers to self-management described by adults living with chronic illness by conducting a qualitative metasynthesis. Background Self-management is an individuals’ active management of a chronic illness in collaboration with their family members and clinicians. Design Qualitative metasynthesis. Data Sources We analyzed studies (N=53) published between January 2000–May 2013 that described factors affecting self-management in chronic illness as reported by adults aged over 18 years with chronic illness. Review Methods Sandelowsi and Barroso approach to qualitative metasynthesis: literature search; quality appraisal; analysis; and synthesis of findings. Results Collectively, article authors reported on sixteen chronic illnesses, most commonly diabetes (N=28) and cardiovascular disease (N=20). Participants included men and women (mean age=57, range 18–94) from twenty countries representing diverse races and ethnicities. We identified five categories of factors affecting self-management: Personal/Lifestyle Characteristics; Health Status; Resources; Environmental Characteristics; and Health Care System. Factors may interact to affect self-management and may exist on a continuum of positive (facilitator) to negative (barrier). Conclusion Understanding factors that influence self-management may improve assessment of self-management among adults with chronic illness and may inform interventions tailored to meet individuals’ needs and improve health outcomes. PMID:26781649

Factors affecting post-pubertal penile size in patients with hypospadias.

PubMed

Moriya, Kimihiko; Nakamura, Michiko; Nishimura, Yoko; Kitta, Takeya; Kanno, Yukiko; Chiba, Hiroki; Kon, Masafumi; Shinohara, Nobuo

2016-09-01

To evaluate actual post-pubertal penile size and factors affecting it in hypospadias patients, we retrospectively reviewed medical charts. Hypospadias patients whose external genitalia were categorized into Tanner stage 5, and whose stretched penile length was evaluated at 15 years old or older from April 2008 to April 2015, were enrolled in the present study. Stretched penile length was measured by a single examiner. Actual post-pubertal stretched penile length and factors affecting the post-pubertal stretched penile length were estimated. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U test and univariate and multivariate linear regression models for the determination of independent factors. Thirty patients met the inclusion criteria. Median age at evaluation was 17.2 years. Thirteen and 17 had mild and severe hypospadias, respectively. Endocrinological abnormality was identified in 5. Multivariate analysis showed that the severity of hypospadias and endocrinological abnormality were significant factors affecting stretched penile length. Stretched penile length in 25 patients without endocrinological abnormality was significantly longer than that in those with endocrinological abnormality (p = 0.036). Among patients without endocrinological abnormality, stretched penile length in 13 with severe hypospadias was significantly shorter than that in 12 with mild hypospadias (p = 0.004). While the severity of hypospadias and endocrinological abnormality at post-pubertal evaluation were factors affecting post-pubertal penile size, stretched penile length in patients with severe hypospadias was shorter even in cases without endocrinological abnormality. These results suggest that severe hypospadias is not only a disorder of urethral development, but also a disorder of penile development.

Factors affecting rotator cuff healing.

PubMed

Mall, Nathan A; Tanaka, Miho J; Choi, Luke S; Paletta, George A

2014-05-07

Several studies have noted that increasing age is a significant factor for diminished rotator cuff healing, while biomechanical studies have suggested the reason for this may be an inferior healing environment in older patients. Larger tears and fatty infiltration or atrophy negatively affect rotator cuff healing. Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, double-row repairs, performing a concomitant acromioplasty, and the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) do not demonstrate an improvement in structural healing over mini-open rotator cuff repairs, single-row repairs, not performing an acromioplasty, or not using PRP. There is conflicting evidence to support postoperative rehabilitation protocols using early motion over immobilization following rotator cuff repair.

Factors affecting corticosteroid concentrations in yellow-bellied marmots.

PubMed

Armitage, K B

1991-01-01

1. Bound and total corticosteroid concentrations of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) were lowest in May after emergence from hibernation and peaked in August prior to immergence. 2. Total corticosteroids were affected by age but not by sex or reproductive status. 3. There was no consistent relationship between measures of population density and concentrations of corticosteroids; when a significant relationship occurred, only 22-34% of the variation was explained. 4. Social status and social behavior were the major factors affecting corticosteroid concentrations.

Factors affecting Iran`s future. Final report

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

Sinai, J.

1993-05-28

This study examines the factors affecting Iran`s future by focusing on the demographic, economic, and military trends in Iran and their impact on the country`s national security objectives in the next decade. The paper also assesses the implications of an economic embargo on Iran and potential Iranian threats to regional and United States national interests.

Are Affective Factors a Good Predictor of Science Achievement? Examining the Role of Affective Factors Based on PISA 2006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozel, Murat; Caglak, Serdar; Erdogan, Mehmet

2013-01-01

This study investigated how affective factors like attitude and motivation contribute to science achievement in PISA 2006 using linear structural modeling. The data set of PISA 2006 collected from 4942 fifteen-year-old Turkish students (2290 females, 2652 males) was used for the statistical analyses. A total of 42 selected items on a four point…

Influence of ensiling, exogenous protease addition, and bacterial inoculation on fermentation profile, nitrogen fractions, and ruminal in vitro starch digestibility in rehydrated and high-moisture corn.

PubMed

Ferraretto, L F; Fredin, S M; Shaver, R D

2015-10-01

or inoculated with 1 of 3 microbial inoculants and with or without exogenous protease addition. The inoculant treatments contained (1) Lactobacillus buchneri 40788 and Pediococcus pentosaceus, (2) L. buchneri 40788, and (3) a mixture of P. pentosaceus and Propionibacterium freudenreichii. Protease, but not inoculation, increased ivSD by 7.5 percentage units (44.4 vs. 51.9%). Protease addition increased ivSD in rehydrated corn and HMC. Microbial inoculation improved fermentation profiles but did not affect ivSD. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transurethral lithotripsy with holmium-YAG laser of a large exogenous prostatic calculus.

PubMed

Hasegawa, Masanori; Ohara, Rei; Kanao, Kent; Nakajima, Yosuke

2011-04-01

Prostatic calculi are classified into two types, endogenous and exogenous calculi, based on their origin. Endogenous calculi are commonly observed in elderly men; however, exogenous prostatic calculi are extremely rare. We report here the case of a 51-year-old man who suffered incontinence and pollakiuria with a giant exogenous prostatic calculus almost completely replacing the prostatic tissue. X-rays and computed tomography demonstrated a large calculus of 65 × 58 mm in the small pelvic cavity. The patient underwent a transurethral lithotripsy with a holmium-YAG laser and a total of 85 g of disintegrated stones was retrieved and chemical stone analysis revealed the presence of magnesium ammonium phosphate. The incontinence improved and the voiding volume increased dramatically, and no stone recurrence in the prostatic fossa occurred at the 2 years follow-up. The etiology of this stone formation seemed to be based on some exogenous pathways combined with urinary stasis and chronic urinary infection due to compression fracture of the lumbar vertebra.

Modulation of Neuronal Responses by Exogenous Attention in Macaque Primary Visual Cortex.

PubMed

Wang, Feng; Chen, Minggui; Yan, Yin; Zhaoping, Li; Li, Wu

2015-09-30

Visual perception is influenced by attention deployed voluntarily or triggered involuntarily by salient stimuli. Modulation of visual cortical processing by voluntary or endogenous attention has been extensively studied, but much less is known about how involuntary or exogenous attention affects responses of visual cortical neurons. Using implanted microelectrode arrays, we examined the effects of exogenous attention on neuronal responses in the primary visual cortex (V1) of awake monkeys. A bright annular cue was flashed either around the receptive fields of recorded neurons or in the opposite visual field to capture attention. A subsequent grating stimulus probed the cue-induced effects. In a fixation task, when the cue-to-probe stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) was <240 ms, the cue induced a transient increase of neuronal responses to the probe at the cued location during 40-100 ms after the onset of neuronal responses to the probe. This facilitation diminished and disappeared after repeated presentations of the same cue but recurred for a new cue of a different color. In another task to detect the probe, relative shortening of monkey's reaction times for the validly cued probe depended on the SOA in a way similar to the cue-induced V1 facilitation, and the behavioral and physiological cueing effects remained after repeated practice. Flashing two cues simultaneously in the two opposite visual fields weakened or diminished both the physiological and behavioral cueing effects. Our findings indicate that exogenous attention significantly modulates V1 responses and that the modulation strength depends on both novelty and task relevance of the stimulus. Significance statement: Visual attention can be involuntarily captured by a sudden appearance of a conspicuous object, allowing rapid reactions to unexpected events of significance. The current study discovered a correlate of this effect in monkey primary visual cortex. An abrupt, salient, flash enhanced neuronal

Factors affecting cardiac rehabilitation referral by physician specialty.

PubMed

Grace, Sherry L; Grewal, Keerat; Stewart, Donna E

2008-01-01

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is widely underutilized because of multiple factors including physician referral practices. Previous research has shown CR referral varies by type of provider, with cardiologists more likely to refer than primary care physicians. The objective of this study was to compare factors affecting CR referral in primary care physicians versus cardiac specialists. A cross-sectional survey of a stratified random sample of 510 primary care physicians and cardiac specialists (cardiologists or cardiovascular surgeons) in Ontario identified through the Canadian Medical Directory Online was administered. One hundred four primary care physicians and 81 cardiac specialists responded to the 26-item investigator-generated survey examining medical, demographic, attitudinal, and health system factors affecting CR referral. Primary care physicians were more likely to endorse lack of familiarity with CR site locations (P < .001), lack of standardized referral forms (P < .001), inconvenience (P = .04), program quality (P = .004), and lack of discharge communication from CR (P = .001) as factors negatively impacting CR referral practices than cardiac specialists. Cardiac specialists were significantly more likely to perceive that their colleagues and department would regularly refer patients to CR than primary care physicians (P < .001). Where differences emerged, primary care physicians were more likely to perceive factors that would impede CR referral, some of which are modifiable. Marketing CR site locations, provision of standardized referral forms, and ensuring discharge summaries are communicated to primary care physicians may improve their willingness to refer to CR.

The effect of exogenous 24-epibrassinolide on the ecdysteroid content in the leaves of Spinacia oleracea L.

PubMed

Kamlar, Marek; Rothova, Olga; Salajkova, Sarka; Tarkowska, Dana; Drasar, Pavel; Kocova, Marie; Harmatha, Juraj; Hola, Dana; Kohout, Ladislav; Macek, Tomas

2015-05-01

The aim of this study was to show whether/how the application of exogenous 24-epibrassinolide can affect the content of ecdysteroids in spinach leaves. Brassinosteroids and ecdysteroids, structurally related phytosterols, show effect on a range of processes in plants. Brassinosteroids increase biomass yield in some species, photosynthesis and resistance to stress, and ecdysteroids show effect on proteins responsible for binding of CO2 or water cleavage. The mutual interaction of these sterols in plants is unclear. The UPLC-(+)ESI-MS/MS analyses of extracts of treated and untreated spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves show that the application of exogenous 24-epibrassinolide does influence the ecdysteroid content in plant tissues. The response differs for the major ecdysteroids and also differs from that for the minor ones and is dependent on the developmental stage of the leaves within the same plant or the 24-epibrassinolide concentration applied. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors Affecting Radiologist's PACS Usage.

PubMed

Forsberg, Daniel; Rosipko, Beverly; Sunshine, Jeffrey L

2016-12-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if any of the factors radiologist, examination category, time of week, and week effect PACS usage, with PACS usage defined as the sequential order of computer commands issued by a radiologist in a PACS during interpretation and dictation. We initially hypothesized that only radiologist and examination category would have significant effects on PACS usage. Command logs covering 8 weeks of PACS usage were analyzed. For each command trace (describing performed activities of an attending radiologist interpreting a single examination), the PACS usage variables number of commands, number of command classes, bigram repetitiveness, and time to read were extracted. Generalized linear models were used to determine the significance of the factors on the PACS usage variables. The statistical results confirmed the initial hypothesis that radiologist and examination category affect PACS usage and that the factors week and time of week to a large extent have no significant effect. As such, this work provides direction for continued efforts to analyze system data to better understand PACS utilization, which in turn can provide input to enable optimal utilization and configuration of corresponding systems. These continued efforts were, in this work, exemplified by a more detailed analysis using PACS usage profiles, which revealed insights directly applicable to improve PACS utilization through modified system configuration.

Cognitive Factors Affecting Freeze-like Behavior in Humans.

PubMed

Alban, Michael W; Pocknell, Victoria

2017-01-01

Contemporary research on survival-related defensive behaviors has identified physiological markers of freeze/flight/fight. Our research focused on cognitive factors associated with freeze-like behavior in humans. Study 1 tested if an explicit decision to freeze is associated with the psychophysiological state of freezing. Heart rate deceleration occurred when participants chose to freeze. Study 2 varied the efficacy of freezing relative to other defense options and found "freeze" was responsive to variations in the perceived effectiveness of alternative actions. Study 3 tested if individual differences in motivational orientation affect preference for a "freeze" option when the efficacy of options is held constant. A trend in the predicted direction suggested that naturally occurring cognitions led loss-avoiders to select "freeze" more often than reward-seekers. In combination, our attention to the cognitive factors affecting freeze-like behavior in humans represents a preliminary step in addressing an important but neglected research area.

Factors affecting the use of hardwood flooring in urban rehabilitation

Treesearch

Robert L. Jr. Nevel; Robert L. Jr. Nevel

1973-01-01

The continued use of hardwood flooring in urban rehabilitation is being threatened. A study of the influences that determine the choice of flooring indicates that economic, physical, or technological factors dominate. Most factors affecting the use of hardwood flooring are related to cost, availability, and compatibility. Of these factors, time and cost of installation...

Factors Affecting Sleep Quality of Patients in Intensive Care Unit

PubMed Central

Bihari, Shailesh; Doug McEvoy, R.; Matheson, Elisha; Kim, Susan; Woodman, Richard J.; Bersten, Andrew D.

2012-01-01

Introduction: Sleep disturbance is a frequently overlooked complication of intensive care unit (ICU) stay. Aim: To evaluate sleep quality among patients admitted to ICU and investigate environmental and non-environmental factors that affect sleep quality in ICU. Methods: Over a 22-month period, we consecutively recruited patients who spent ≥ 2 nights post-endotracheal extubation in ICU and who were orientated to time, place, and person on the day of discharge. Self-reported sleep quality, according to a modified Freedman questionnaire, which provided data on self-reported ICU sleep quality in ICU and environmental factors affecting sleep quality in the ICU, were collected. We also investigated non-environmental factors, such as severity of illness, ICU interventions, and medications that can affect sleep quality. Results: Fifty males and 50 females were recruited with a mean (± SD) age of 65.1 ± 15.2 years. APACHE II score at admission to ICU was 18.1 ± 7.5 with duration of stay 6.7 ± 6.5days. Self-reported sleep quality score at home (1 = worst; 10 = best) was 7.0 ± 2.2; this decreased to 4.0 ± 1.7 during their stay in ICU (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis with APACHE III as severity of illness (R2 = 0.25), factors [exp(b)(95% CI), p value] which significantly affected sleep in ICU were sex [0.37(0.19-0.72), p < 0.01], age and sex interaction [1.02(1.01-1.03), p < 0.01], bedside phone [0.92(0.87-0.97), p < 0.01], prior quality of sleep at home [1.30(1.05-1.62), p = 0.02], and use of steroids [0.82(0.69-0.98), p = 0.03] during the stay in ICU. Conclusion: Reduced sleep quality is a common problem in ICU with a multifactorial etiology. Citation: Bihari S; McEvoy RD; Kim S; Woodman RJ; Bersten AD. Factors affecting sleep quality of patients in intensive care unit. J Clin Sleep Med 2012;8(3):301-307. PMID:22701388

An Analysis of Factors That Affect the Educational Performance of Agricultural Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenway, Gina

2012-01-01

Many factors contribute to student achievement. This study focuses on three areas: how students learn, how student personality type affects performance, and how course format affects performance outcomes. The analysis sought to improve understanding of the direction and magnitude with which each of these factors impacts student success. Improved…

Assessment of Factor Affecting Institutional Performance: The Case of Wolaita Sodo University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shibru, Sintayehu; Bibiso, Mesfin; Ousman, Kedir

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore factors that affect institutional performance of Wolaita Sodo University. The study has identified middle level manager's perceptions toward institutional performance to indicate the key factors that seem to affect the performance of the university. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and…

Exogenous γ-aminobutyric Acid (GABA) Application Improved Early Growth, Net Photosynthesis, and Associated Physio-Biochemical Events in Maize.

PubMed

Li, Wu; Liu, Jianhua; Ashraf, Umair; Li, Gaoke; Li, Yuliang; Lu, Wenjia; Gao, Lei; Han, Fuguang; Hu, Jianguang

2016-01-01

γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an endogenous signaling molecule and involved in growth regulations and plant development, however, a little information is available on the consequences of exogenous GABA application on growth, development, and associated physio-biochemical processes in maize. The present study examined the GABA-induced regulations in early growth, net photosynthetic rate, gas exchange, osmoregulation, and enzymatic activities in three maize cultivars, i.e., Yuecainuo 6, Zhengtian 68, and Yuecainuo 2. Two levels of GABA, i.e., 0 mg L(-1) and 50 mg L(-1), in solution form, with total application volume of 100 ml per pot containing 15 maize seedlings were exogenously applied. Results revealed that exogenous GABA application improved seedling growth in terms of seedling length and biomass accumulation in all maize cultivars at both 3 and 7 days after treatment (DAT). It also promoted net photosynthesis and variably affected gas exchange attributes, i.e., stomatal conductance (Gs), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), and transpiration rate (Tr), as well as leaves SPAD value. Furthermore, lipid peroxidation [in terms of malondialdehyde (MDA)] under GABA treated maize seedlings were also remained variable; however, osmolyte accumulation (protein and proline) and activities of anti-oxidants enzymes, i.e., super-oxide dismutase and peroxidase were also affected differently at both 3 and 7 DAT in all maize cultivars. Furthermore, enzymes involved in nitrogen metabolism, e.g., nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase were improved. These results suggest the involvement of GABA in various physio-metablical mechanisms which might lead to improvement in morphological growth of maize. In future, research is still needed at molecular and genetic levels to unravel the involvement of GABA-mediated regulations in growth and its associated physio-biochemical mechanisms.

Dynamics of tuberculosis transmission with exogenous reinfections and endogenous reactivation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khajanchi, Subhas; Das, Dhiraj Kumar; Kar, Tapan Kumar

2018-05-01

We propose and analyze a mathematical model for tuberculosis (TB) transmission to study the role of exogenous reinfection and endogenous reactivation. The model exhibits two equilibria: a disease free and an endemic equilibria. We observe that the TB model exhibits transcritical bifurcation when basic reproduction number R0 = 1. Our results demonstrate that the disease transmission rate β and exogenous reinfection rate α plays an important role to change the qualitative dynamics of TB. The disease transmission rate β give rises to the possibility of backward bifurcation for R0 < 1, and hence the existence of multiple endemic equilibria one of which is stable and another one is unstable. Our analysis suggests that R0 < 1 may not be sufficient to completely eliminate the disease. We also investigate that our TB transmission model undergoes Hopf-bifurcation with respect to the contact rate β and the exogenous reinfection rate α. We conducted some numerical simulations to support our analytical findings.

Stimulation of a Ca sup 2+ -dependent protein kinase by G sub M1 ganglioside in nerve growth factor-treated PC12 cells

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

Hilbush, B.S.; Levine, J.M.

1991-07-01

The authors have investigated the ability of exogenous gangliosides to modulate nerve growth factor (NGF) signal transduction in PC12 cells. The effects of exogenous ganglioside G{sub M1} on multiple protein kinase activities were assayed by analyzing site-specific serine phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase (TyrOHase) by two-dimensional phosphopeptide mapping. In the presence of NGF, exogenous G{sub M1} increased {sup 32}P incorporation into TyrOHase phosphopeptide T2, a Ca{sup 2+}/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase substrate whose phosphorylation is not normally affected by NGF treatment. In the absence of NGF, G{sub M1} treatment had no significant effects on TyrOHase phosphorylation. The removal of extracellular Ca{sup 2+} ormore » blockade of dihydropyridine-sensitive Ca{sup 2+} channels prevented the G{sub M1}-induced increases in {sup 32}P incorporation into phosphopeptide T2. Exogenous G{sub M1} also potentiated K{sup +} depolarization-induced increases in the phosphorylation of TyrOHase. These results suggest that the stimulatory effects of exogenous G{sub M1} ganglioside on NGF actions may be due to its ability to potentiate a Ca{sup 2+}-dependent signaling pathway.« less

Factors affecting onset of puberty in Denizli province in Turkey.

PubMed

Semiz, Serap; Kurt, Funda; Kurt, Devrim Tanil; Zencir, Mehmet; Sevinç, Ozgür

2009-01-01

The relationship between the possible factors affecting pubertal onset and pubertal timing was investigated in the Denizli province in Turkey. A total number of 3311 subjects (1562 girls, 1749 boys) aged 6-16.5 years participated in this study. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Pubertal stages were assessed according to methods of Marshall and Tanner. Testicular volume was determined using Prader orchidometer. Menarcheal age was recorded. All parents and students completed different questionnaires on demographic variables affecting pubertal timing such as socioeconomic conditions, psychosocial factors, exercise, nutritional status, chronic diseases, migration and birth weight. Using distribution percentiles of pubertal stages according to age, the relation between pubertal timing and factors affecting puberty was investigated. There was no significant association between exercise, birth weight, migration, chronic disease, and socioeconomic status and age of puberty onset. Menarcheal age of overweight and obese girls was significantly lower than that of girls with normal weight. In-family stress was the cause of early puberty in girls and of delayed puberty in boys.

[Effect of exogenous sucrose on growth and active ingredient content of licorice seedlings under salt stress conditions].

PubMed

Liu, Fu-zhi; Yang, Jun

2015-11-01

Licorice seedlings were taken as experimental materials, an experiment was conducted to study the effects of exogenous sucrose on growth and active ingredient content of licorice seedlings under NaCl stress conditions. The results of this study showed that under salt stress conditions, after adding a certain concentration of exogenous sucrose, the licorice seedlings day of relative growth rate was increasing, and this stress can be a significant weakening effect, indicating that exogenous sucrose salt stress-relieving effect. The total flavonoids and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity were significantly increased, the exogenous sucrose can mitigated the seedling roots under salt stress, the licorice flavonoid content in the enhanced growth was largely due to the activity of PAL an increased, when the concentration of exogenous sucrose wae 10 mmol x L(-1), PAL activity reaching a maximum, when the concentration of exogenous sucrose was 15 mmol x L(-1), PAL activity turned into a downward trend, the results indicating that this mitigation has concentration effect. After applying different concentrations of exogenous sugar, the contents of liquiritin changes with the change of flavonoids content was similar. After applying different concentrations of exogenous sucrose, the content of licorice acid under salt stress was higher than the levels were not reached during salt stress, the impact of exogenous sucrose concentration gradient of licorice acid accumulation was not obvious.

Factors affecting the periapical healing process of endodontically treated teeth.

PubMed

Holland, Roberto; Gomes, João Eduardo; Cintra, Luciano Tavares Angelo; Queiroz, Índia Olinta de Azevedo; Estrela, Carlos

2017-01-01

Tissue repair is an essential process that reestablishes tissue integrity and regular function. Nevertheless, different therapeutic factors and clinical conditions may interfere in this process of periapical healing. This review aims to discuss the important therapeutic factors associated with the clinical protocol used during root canal treatment and to highlight the systemic conditions associated with the periapical healing process of endodontically treated teeth. The antibacterial strategies indicated in the conventional treatment of an inflamed and infected pulp and the modulation of the host's immune response may assist in tissue repair, if wound healing has been hindered by infection. Systemic conditions, such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension, can also inhibit wound healing. The success of root canal treatment is affected by the correct choice of clinical protocol. These factors are dependent on the sanitization process (instrumentation, irrigant solution, irrigating strategies, and intracanal dressing), the apical limit of the root canal preparation and obturation, and the quality of the sealer. The challenges affecting the healing process of endodontically treated teeth include control of the inflammation of pulp or infectious processes and simultaneous neutralization of unpredictable provocations to the periapical tissue. Along with these factors, one must understand the local and general clinical conditions (systemic health of the patient) that affect the outcome of root canal treatment prediction.

Nurse aide decision making in nursing homes: factors affecting empowerment.

PubMed

Chaudhuri, Tanni; Yeatts, Dale E; Cready, Cynthia M

2013-09-01

To evaluate factors affecting structural empowerment among nurse aides in nursing homes. Structural empowerment can be defined as the actual rather than perceived ability to make autonomous decisions within an organisation. Given the paucity of research on the subject, this study helps to close the gap by identifying factors that affect nurse aide empowerment, that is, decision-making among nurse aides. The data for the study come from self-administered questionnaires distributed to direct-care workers (nurse aides) in 11 nursing homes in a southern state in the USA. Ordinary least square regression models were estimated to analyse the effects of demographic predictors, personal factors (competency, emotional exhaustion and positive attitude) and structural characteristics (coworker and supervisor support, information availability and shared governance) on nurse aide decision-making. Findings suggest race among demographic predictors, emotional exhaustion among personal characteristics, and supervisor support, and shared governance among structural factors, significantly affect nurse aide decision-making. It is important to explore race as one of the central determinants of structural empowerment among nurse aides. In addition, the nature and type of emotional exhaustion that propels decision-making needs to be further examined. The study shows the importance of shared governance and supervisor support for fostering nurse aide empowerment. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Nutritional Factors Affecting Adult Neurogenesis and Cognitive Function

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Adult neurogenesis, a complex process by which stem cells in the hippocampal brain region differentiate and proliferate into new neurons and other resident brain cells, is known to be affected by many intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including diet. Neurogenesis plays a critical role in neural plas...

The key factors affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheung, Derek

2018-01-01

Individual interest in school science lessons can be defined as a relatively stable and enduring personal emotion comprising affective and behavioural reactions to events in the regular science lessons at school. Little research has compared the importance of different factors affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons. The present study aimed to address this gap, using a mixed methods design. Qualitative interview data were collected from 60 Hong Kong junior secondary school students, who were asked to describe the nature of their interest in science lessons and the factors to which they attribute this. Teacher interviews, parent interviews, and classroom observations were conducted to triangulate student interview data. Five factors affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons were identified: situational influences in science lessons, individual interest in science, science self-concept, grade level, and gender. Quantitative data were then collected from 591 students using a questionnaire. Structural equation modelling was applied to test a hypothesised model, which provided an acceptable fit to the student data. The strongest factor affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons was science self-concept, followed by individual interest in science and situational influences in science lessons. Grade level and gender were found to be nonsignificant factors. These findings suggest that teachers should pay special attention to the association between academic self-concept and interest if they want to motivate students to learn science at school.

Neuropsychiatric findings in Cushing syndrome and exogenous glucocorticoid administration.

PubMed

Starkman, Monica N

2013-09-01

This article reviews the neuropsychiatric presentations elicited by spontaneous hypercortisolism and exogenous supraphysiologic glucocorticoids. Patients with Cushing disease and syndrome develop a depressive syndrome: irritable and depressed mood, decreased libido, disrupted sleep and cognitive decrements. Exogenous short-term glucocorticoid administration may elicit a hypomanic syndrome with mood, sleep and cognitive disruptions. Treatment options are discussed. Brain imaging and neuropsychological studies indicate elevated cortisol and other glucocorticoids are especially deleterious to hippocampus and frontal lobe. The research findings also shed light on neuropsychiatric abnormalities in conditions that have substantial subgroups exhibiting elevated and dysregulated cortisol: aging, major depressive disorder and Alzheimer's disease. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association between exogenous testosterone and cardiovascular events: an overview of systematic reviews.

PubMed

Onasanya, Oluwadamilola; Iyer, Geetha; Lucas, Eleanor; Lin, Dora; Singh, Sonal; Alexander, G Caleb

2016-11-01

Given the conflicting evidence regarding the association between exogenous testosterone and cardiovascular events, we systematically assessed published systematic reviews for evidence of the association between exogenous testosterone and cardiovascular events. We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Collaboration Clinical Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the US Food and Drug Administration website for systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials published up to July 19, 2016. Two independent reviewers screened 954 full texts from 29 335 abstracts to identify systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials in which the cardiovascular effects of exogenous testosterone on men aged 18 years or older were examined. We extracted data for study characteristics, analytic methods, and key findings, and applied the AMSTAR (A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews) checklist to assess methodological quality of each review. Our primary outcome measure was the direction and magnitude of association between exogenous testosterone and cardiovascular events. We identified seven reviews and meta-analyses, which had substantial clinical heterogeneity, differing statistical methods, and variable methodological quality and quality of data abstraction. AMSTAR scores ranged from 3 to 9 out of 11. Six systematic reviews that each included a meta-analysis showed no significant association between exogenous testosterone and cardiovascular events, with summary estimates ranging from 1·07 to 1·82 and imprecise confidence intervals. Two of these six meta-analyses showed increased risk in subgroup analyses of oral testosterone and men aged 65 years or older during their first treatment year. One meta-analysis showed a significant association between exogenous testosterone and cardiovascular events, in men aged 18 years or older generally, with a summary estimate of 1·54 (95% CI 1·09-2·18). Our optimal information size analysis showed that any randomised controlled

75 FR 80114 - Agency Information Collection (Obligation To Report Factors Affecting Entitlement) Activity Under...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-21

... (Obligation To Report Factors Affecting Entitlement) Activity Under OMB Review AGENCY: Veterans Benefits... Report Factors Affecting Entitlement (38 CFR 3.204(a)(1), 38 CFR 3.256(a) and 38 CFR 3.277(b)). OMB... benefits must report changes in their entitlement factors. Individual factors such as income, marital...

Factors Affecting Students' Grades in Principles of Economics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kara, Orhan; Bagheri, Fathollah; Tolin, Thomas

2009-01-01

Factors affecting students' grades in principles of microeconomics and macroeconomics students are analyzed from the data collected in two public universities. Results indicate that gender, number of hours worked, SAT scores, number of missed classes, recommending the course to a friend, instructors, being a junior, number of economics courses…

Systematic review of factors affecting pharmaceutical expenditures.

PubMed

Mousnad, Mohamed Awad; Shafie, Asrul Akmal; Ibrahim, Mohamed Izham

2014-06-01

To systematically identify the main factors contributing to the increase in pharmaceutical expenditures. A systematic search of published studies was conducted utilising major widely used electronic databases using the search terms 'factors,' 'financing,' 'pharmaceutical,' and 'expenditures.' To be included, the studies needed to: (1) measure at least one of the following outcomes: total growth in pharmaceutical expenditures, price growth or quantity growth; (2) mention a clear method for analysing the impact of factors affecting the increases in drug expenditures; (3) be written in English. Nonprimary articles that were published only as an abstract, a review, a commentary or a letter were excluded. From a total of 2039 studies, only 25 were included in the full review. The main determinant categories that were identified in the review were factors related to price, utilisation, therapeutic choice, demand and health care system. The major cost drivers were found to be changes in drug quantities and therapies as well as new drugs. It is important for policymakers to understand pharmaceutical spending trends and the factors that influence them in order to formulate effective cost containment strategies and design optimum drug policy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Limit Theory for Panel Data Models with Cross Sectional Dependence and Sequential Exogeneity

PubMed Central

Kuersteiner, Guido M.; Prucha, Ingmar R.

2013-01-01

The paper derives a general Central Limit Theorem (CLT) and asymptotic distributions for sample moments related to panel data models with large n. The results allow for the data to be cross sectionally dependent, while at the same time allowing the regressors to be only sequentially rather than strictly exogenous. The setup is sufficiently general to accommodate situations where cross sectional dependence stems from spatial interactions and/or from the presence of common factors. The latter leads to the need for random norming. The limit theorem for sample moments is derived by showing that the moment conditions can be recast such that a martingale difference array central limit theorem can be applied. We prove such a central limit theorem by first extending results for stable convergence in Hall and Hedye (1980) to non-nested martingale arrays relevant for our applications. We illustrate our result by establishing a generalized estimation theory for GMM estimators of a fixed effect panel model without imposing i.i.d. or strict exogeneity conditions. We also discuss a class of Maximum Likelihood (ML) estimators that can be analyzed using our CLT. PMID:23794781

Limit Theory for Panel Data Models with Cross Sectional Dependence and Sequential Exogeneity.

PubMed

Kuersteiner, Guido M; Prucha, Ingmar R

2013-06-01

The paper derives a general Central Limit Theorem (CLT) and asymptotic distributions for sample moments related to panel data models with large n . The results allow for the data to be cross sectionally dependent, while at the same time allowing the regressors to be only sequentially rather than strictly exogenous. The setup is sufficiently general to accommodate situations where cross sectional dependence stems from spatial interactions and/or from the presence of common factors. The latter leads to the need for random norming. The limit theorem for sample moments is derived by showing that the moment conditions can be recast such that a martingale difference array central limit theorem can be applied. We prove such a central limit theorem by first extending results for stable convergence in Hall and Hedye (1980) to non-nested martingale arrays relevant for our applications. We illustrate our result by establishing a generalized estimation theory for GMM estimators of a fixed effect panel model without imposing i.i.d. or strict exogeneity conditions. We also discuss a class of Maximum Likelihood (ML) estimators that can be analyzed using our CLT.

Key factors affecting dying children and their families.

PubMed

Hinds, Pamela S; Schum, Lisa; Baker, Justin N; Wolfe, Joanne

2005-01-01

The death of a child alters the life and health of others immediately and for the rest of their lives. How a child dies influences parents' abilities to continue their role functions as well as siblings' abilities to make and maintain friendships, and may be the basis for health care providers' decisions to exit direct care roles. Thus, facilitating a "good death"-an obvious care priority for all involved with the dying child-ought also to be a priority for the health of bereaved families and affected health care providers. Making this a care priority is complicated by a serious lack of data, as details of the last hours or weeks of a dying child or adolescent's life are largely unknown. The purpose of this paper is to identify key factors that affect the course of dying children and adolescents and that of their bereaved survivors, and to link those key factors to needed research that could produce clinically relevant findings to improve the care of these patients. Key factors described here include suffering (physical, psychological, and spiritual), communication, decision making, prognostic ambiguities, ability of the seriously ill child to give assent to research participation, and educational preparation of health care providers to give competent end-of-life care.

Genetic factors affecting dental caries risk.

PubMed

Opal, S; Garg, S; Jain, J; Walia, I

2015-03-01

This article reviews the literature on genetic aspects of dental caries and provides a framework for the rapidly changing disease model of caries. The scope is genetic aspects of various dental factors affecting dental caries. The PubMed database was searched for articles with keywords 'caries', 'genetics', 'taste', 'diet' and 'twins'. This was followed by extensive handsearching using reference lists from relevant articles. The post-genomic era will present many opportunities for improvement in oral health care but will also present a multitude of challenges. We can conclude from the literature that genes have a role to play in dental caries; however, both environmental and genetic factors have been implicated in the aetiology of caries. Additional studies will have to be conducted to replicate the findings in a different population. Identification of genetic risk factors will help screen and identify susceptible patients to better understand the contribution of genes in caries aetiopathogenesis. Information derived from these diverse studies will provide new tools to target individuals and/or populations for a more efficient and effective implementation of newer preventive measures and diagnostic and novel therapeutic approaches in the management of this disease. © 2015 Australian Dental Association.

Factors affecting sustainability of rural water schemes in Swaziland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peter, Graciana; Nkambule, Sizwe E.

The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target to reduce the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water by the year 2015 has been met as of 2010, but huge disparities exist. Some regions, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa are lagging behind it is also in this region where up to 30% of the rural schemes are not functional at any given time. There is need for more studies on factors affecting sustainability and necessary measures which when implemented will improve the sustainability of rural water schemes. The main objective of this study was to assess the main factors affecting the sustainability of rural water schemes in Swaziland using a Multi-Criteria Analysis Approach. The main factors considered were: financial, social, technical, environmental and institutional. The study was done in Lubombo region. Fifteen functional water schemes in 11 communities were studied. Data was collected using questionnaires, checklist and focused group discussion guide. A total of 174 heads of households were interviewed. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse the data and to calculate sustainability scores for water schemes. SPSS was also used to classify sustainability scores according to sustainability categories: sustainable, partially sustainable and non-sustainable. The averages of the ratings for the different sub-factors studied and the results on the sustainability scores for the sustainable, partially sustainable and non-sustainable schemes were then computed and compared to establish the main factors influencing sustainability of the water schemes. The results indicated technical and social factors as most critical while financial and institutional, although important, played a lesser role. Factors which contributed to the sustainability of water schemes were: functionality; design flow; water fetching time; ability to meet additional demand; use by population; equity; participation in decision making on operation and

Factors Affecting Online Groupwork Interest: A Multilevel Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Du, Jianxia; Xu, Jianzhong; Fan, Xitao

2013-01-01

The purpose of the present study is to examine the personal and contextual factors that may affect students' online groupwork interest. Using the data obtained from graduate students in an online course, both student- and group-level predictors for online groupwork interest were analyzed within the framework of hierarchical linear modeling…

Factors Affecting the Technology Readiness of Health Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myers, Stephanie E.

2010-01-01

Federal government policies are promoting diffusion of technologies into the healthcare system. If health professionals reject the new technologies planned for the healthcare system, it could result in costly failures, delays, and workforce problems. There is a lack of knowledge about factors that affect technology readiness (TR), defined as the…

Factors affecting receipt of chemotherapy in women with breast cancer

PubMed Central

Morimoto, Libby; Coalson, Jenna; Mowat, Fionna; O’Malley, Cynthia

2010-01-01

Aims: To review literature describing factors associated with receipt of chemotherapy for breast cancer, to better understand what factors are most relevant to women’s health and whether health disparities are apparent, and to assess how these factors might affect observational studies and outcomes research. Patterns of care for metastatic breast cancer, for which no standard-of-care exists, were of particular interest. Methods: Relevant studies written in English, Italian, French, or Spanish, published in 2000 or later, were identified through MEDLINE and reviewed. Review articles and clinical trials were excluded; all observational studies and surveys were considered. Articles were reviewed for any discussion of patient characteristics, hospital/physician/insurance characteristics, psychosocial characteristics, and clinical characteristics affecting receipt of chemotherapy by breast cancer patients. Results: In general, factors associated with increased likelihood of receiving chemotherapy included younger age, being Caucasian, having good general health and few co-morbidities, having more severe clinical disease, having responded well to previous treatment, and having breast cancer that is estrogen- or progesterone-receptor-negative. Many of the clinical factors found to increase the likelihood of receiving chemotherapy were consistent with current oncology guidelines. Of the relevant 19 studies identified, only six (32%) reported data specific to metastatic cancer; most studies aggregated women with stage I–IV for purposes of analysis. Conclusion: Studies of patterns of care in breast cancer treatment can help identify challenges in health care provided to particular subgroups of women and can aid researchers in designing studies that account for such factors in clinical and outcomes research. Although scarce, studies evaluating only women with metastatic breast cancer indicate that factors affecting decisions related to receipt of chemotherapy are similar

Saccade preparation is required for exogenous attention but not endogenous attention or IOR.

PubMed

Smith, Daniel T; Schenk, Thomas; Rorden, Chris

2012-12-01

Covert attention is tightly coupled with the control of eye movements, but there is controversy about how tight this coupling is. The premotor theory of attention proposes that activation of the eye movement system is necessary to produce shifts of attention. In this study, we experimentally prevented healthy participants from planning or executing eye movements and observed the effect on exogenous attention, inhibition of return (IOR), and endogenous attention. The participants experienced a deficit of exogenous attentional facilitation that was specific to locations that were inaccessible by saccade. In contrast, their ability to endogenously orient attention was preserved, as was IOR. These results show that (a) exogenous attention depends on motor preparation, (b) IOR is independent of motor preparation and exogenous attention, and (c) endogenous attention is independent of motor preparation. Although these data are consistent with a weak version of the premotor theory, we believe they can be better explained by a biased competition account of visual attention.

Alleviation of cadmium toxicity to Cole (Brassica campestris L. Cruciferae) by exogenous glutathione

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jun; Huang, Bin; Chen, Xin; Shi, Yi

2017-04-01

In this study, we determined the influence of exogenous GSH on cadmium toxicity to cole. GSH addition had beneficial effect on plant development and growth, especially on aboveground biomass and root length. Despite that exogenous GSH insignificantly promoted Cd uptake by the plant, it could decrease of Cd root-to-shoot transport and ameliorate Cd toxicity to the plant. At 6 mg Cd kg-1 soil, GSH addition well countered the Cd-induced significant reduction in CAT activity, but only insignificantly decreased MDA content, suggesting exogenous GSH might indirectly protect plant against oxidative stress via regulating antioxidative enzyme activities. However, at 12 mg Cd kg-1 soil, GSH application insignificantly increased the antioxidant activities but significantly decreased MDA content, indicating external GSH could directly participate in removing radical oxygen species. The results suggest exogenous GSH may have the potential of decreasing Cd accumulation in the edible parts of cultivars and alleviating Cd toxicity.

Stimulation of endogenous cardioblasts by exogenous cell therapy after myocardial infarction

PubMed Central

Malliaras, Konstantinos; Ibrahim, Ahmed; Tseliou, Eleni; Liu, Weixin; Sun, Baiming; Middleton, Ryan C; Seinfeld, Jeffrey; Wang, Lai; Sharifi, Behrooz G; Marbán, Eduardo

2014-01-01

Controversy surrounds the identity, origin, and physiologic role of endogenous cardiomyocyte progenitors in adult mammals. Using an inducible genetic labeling approach to identify small non-myocyte cells expressing cardiac markers, we find that activated endogenous cardioblasts are rarely evident in the normal adult mouse heart. However, myocardial infarction results in significant cardioblast activation at the site of injury. Genetically labeled isolated cardioblasts express cardiac transcription factors and sarcomeric proteins, exhibit spontaneous contractions, and form mature cardiomyocytes in vivo after injection into unlabeled recipient hearts. The activated cardioblasts do not arise from hematogenous seeding, cardiomyocyte dedifferentiation, or mere expansion of a preformed progenitor pool. Cell therapy with cardiosphere-derived cells amplifies innate cardioblast-mediated tissue regeneration, in part through the secretion of stromal cell-derived factor 1 by transplanted cells. Thus, stimulation of endogenous cardioblasts by exogenous cells mediates therapeutic regeneration of injured myocardium. PMID:24797668

Denitrifying SUP05 Require Exogenous Nitrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, V.; Chang, B. X.; Morris, R. M.

2016-02-01

Members of the SUP05 clade of gamma-proteobacteria are among the most abundant chemoautotrophs in the ocean. Environmental sequencing studies suggest that they have critical roles in mediating carbon fixation, denitrification, and sulfur oxidation in oxygen minimum zones (OMZs). They have evaded cultivation and little is known about the specific growth requirements or substrate ranges that determine their abundance, distribution and impact on marine biogeochemical cycles. We evaluated the genetic potential of an isolate from the SUP05 clade "Ca. Thioglobus autotrophica strain EF1" to fix carbon, reduce nitrogen and oxidize sulfur under anaerobic growth conditions. Growth experiments support genomic predictions, indicating that strain EF1 is a facultatively anaerobic sulfur-oxidizing chemolithoautotroph that reduces nitrate to nitrite and nitric oxide to nitrous oxide. These experiments also revealed that strain EF1 is limited for growth by ammonium, which indicates that it requires an exogenous source of nitrogen for biosynthesis. Evidence that SUP05 cells produce nitrite and nitrous oxide and require exogenous nitrogen suggests that they have important roles in nitrogen cycling and that their growth is ultimately limited by the degradation of sinking organic matter.

Factors affecting the periapical healing process of endodontically treated teeth

PubMed Central

Holland, Roberto; Gomes, João Eduardo; Cintra, Luciano Tavares Angelo; Queiroz, Índia Olinta de Azevedo; Estrela, Carlos

2017-01-01

Abstract Tissue repair is an essential process that reestablishes tissue integrity and regular function. Nevertheless, different therapeutic factors and clinical conditions may interfere in this process of periapical healing. This review aims to discuss the important therapeutic factors associated with the clinical protocol used during root canal treatment and to highlight the systemic conditions associated with the periapical healing process of endodontically treated teeth. The antibacterial strategies indicated in the conventional treatment of an inflamed and infected pulp and the modulation of the host's immune response may assist in tissue repair, if wound healing has been hindered by infection. Systemic conditions, such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension, can also inhibit wound healing. The success of root canal treatment is affected by the correct choice of clinical protocol. These factors are dependent on the sanitization process (instrumentation, irrigant solution, irrigating strategies, and intracanal dressing), the apical limit of the root canal preparation and obturation, and the quality of the sealer. The challenges affecting the healing process of endodontically treated teeth include control of the inflammation of pulp or infectious processes and simultaneous neutralization of unpredictable provocations to the periapical tissue. Along with these factors, one must understand the local and general clinical conditions (systemic health of the patient) that affect the outcome of root canal treatment prediction. PMID:29069143

Exogenous carbonaceous matter in ancient martian sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mojzsis, S. J.; Abramov, O.; Kereszturi, A.

2015-12-01

We re-evaluate the early evolution of an organic-matter rich (~10 wt. %) interplanetary dust particle flux to early Mars. Our work builds upon physical models that rely on plausible sources of exogenous debris and their dynamical rates of decay, the martian cratering record, and preservation of Noachian-Hesperian sedimentary units that have the potential to host organics. Post primary-accretionary scenarios that would have delivered abundant exogenous carbon to Mars can be imagined in two ways: a simple exponential decay with an approximately 100 Myr half-life, or as a "Sawtooth" timeline characterized by both faster-than-exponential decay from primary accretion and reduced total delivered mass. Indications are that a late bombardment spike was superposed on an otherwise broadly monotonic decline from primary accretion, of which two types are explored: a classical "Late Heavy Bombardment" (LHB) peak of impactors centered at ca. 3950 Ma and lasting 100 Myr, and a protracted bombardment typified by a sudden increase in impactor flux at ca. 4240-4100 Ma with a correspondingly longer decay time (400 Myr). Numerical models for each of the four bombardment scenarios explored in this work shows that exogenous organic matter could be a significant component of Noachian (ca. 4200-3700 Ma) and pre-Noachian (4500-4200 Ma) sediments. The discovery of organic-matter in martian sediments will be obfuscated by material of extra-areological origin. We predict that an earmark for the origin of this carbon would be correlated siderophile element abundances (e.g. Ni, Cr, and the platinoids). A time-dependent compositional relationship of C:HSEs would allow us to derive a chemochronology for pre-Hesperian (pre-3700 Ma) sedimentary units.

Out with the new, in with the old: Exogenous orienting to locations with physically constant stimulation.

PubMed

Taylor, J Eric T; Hilchey, Matthew D; Pratt, Jay

2018-01-24

Dominant methods of investigating exogenous orienting presume that attention is captured most effectively at locations containing new events. This is evidenced by the ubiquitous use of transient stimuli as cues in the literature on exogenous orienting. In the present study, we showed that attention can be oriented exogenously toward a location containing a completely unchanging stimulus by modifying Posner's landmark exogenous spatial-cueing paradigm. Observers searched a six-element array of placeholder stimuli for an onset target. The target was preceded by a decrement in luminance to five of the six placeholders, such that one location remained physically constant. This "nonset" stimulus (so named to distinguish it from a traditional onsetting transient) acted as an exogenous cue, eliciting patterns of facilitation and inhibition at the nonset location and demonstrating that exogenous orienting is not always evident at the location of a visual transient. This method eliminates the decades-long confounding of orienting to a location with the processing of new events at that location, permitting alternative considerations of the nature of attentional selection.

Factors affecting outcome in ocular myasthenia gravis.

PubMed

Mazzoli, Marco; Ariatti, Alessandra; Valzania, Franco; Kaleci, Shaniko; Tondelli, Manuela; Nichelli, Paolo F; Galassi, Giuliana

2018-01-01

50%-60% of patients with ocular myasthenia gravis (OMG) progress to generalized myasthenia gravis (GMG) within two years. The aim of our study was to explore factors affecting prognosis of OMG and to test the predictive role of several independent clinical variables. We reviewed a cohort of 168 Caucasian patients followed from September 2000 to January 2016. Several independent variables were considered as prognostic factors: gender, age of onset, results on electrophysiological tests, presence and level of antibodies against acetylcholine receptors (AChR Abs), treatments, thymic abnormalities. The primary outcome was the progression to GMG and/or the presence of bulbar symptoms. Secondary outcomes were either achievement of sustained minimal manifestation status or worsening in ocular quantitative MG subscore (O-QMGS) or worsening in total QMG score (T-QMGS), assessed by Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) quantitative scores. Changes in mental and physical subscores of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were assessed with SF-36 questionnaire. Variance analysis was used to interpret the differences between AChR Ab titers at different times of follow up among the generalized and non-generalized patients. Conversion to GMG occurred in 18.4% of patients; it was significantly associated with sex, later onset of disease and anti-AChR Ab positivity. Antibody titer above the mean value of 25.8 pmol/mL showed no significant effect on generalization. Sex and late onset of disease significantly affected T-QMGS worsening. None of the other independent variables significantly affected O-QMGS and HRQoL. Sex, later onset and anti-AChR Ab positivity were significantly associated with clinical worsening.

Role of Endogenous and Exogenous Tocopherols in the Lipid Stability of Marine Oil Systems: A Review

PubMed Central

Suárez-Jiménez, Guadalupe Miroslava; López-Saiz, Carmen María; Ramírez-Guerra, Hugo Enrique; Ezquerra-Brauer, Josafat Marina; Ruiz-Cruz, Saul; Torres-Arreola, Wilfrido

2016-01-01

In marine organisms primarily intended for human consumption, the quality of the muscle and the extracted oils may be affected by lipid oxidation during storage, even at low temperatures. This has led to a search for alternatives to maintain quality. In this sense, antioxidant compounds have been used to prevent such lipid deterioration. Among the most used compounds are tocopherols, which, due to their natural origin, have become an excellent alternative to prevent or retard lipid oxidation and maintain the quality of marine products. Tocopherols as antioxidants have been studied both exogenously and endogenously. Exogenous tocopherols are often used by incorporating them into plastic packaging films or adding them directly to fish oil. It has been observed that exogenous tocopherols incorporated in low concentrations maintain the quality of both muscle and the extracted oils during food storage. However, it has been reported that tocopherols applied at higher concentrations act as a prooxidant molecule, probably because their reactions with singlet oxygen may generate free radicals and cause the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish oils. However, when tocopherols are included in a fish diet (endogenous tocopherols), the antioxidant effect on the muscle lipids is more effective due to their incorporation into the membrane lipids, which can help extend the shelf life of seafood by reducing the lipid deterioration that occurs due to antioxidant synergy with other phenolic compounds used supplements in fish muscle. This review focuses on the most important studies in this field and highlights the potential of using tocopherols as antioxidants in marine oils. PMID:27886145

Role of Endogenous and Exogenous Tocopherols in the Lipid Stability of Marine Oil Systems: A Review.

PubMed

Suárez-Jiménez, Guadalupe Miroslava; López-Saiz, Carmen María; Ramírez-Guerra, Hugo Enrique; Ezquerra-Brauer, Josafat Marina; Ruiz-Cruz, Saul; Torres-Arreola, Wilfrido

2016-11-24

In marine organisms primarily intended for human consumption, the quality of the muscle and the extracted oils may be affected by lipid oxidation during storage, even at low temperatures. This has led to a search for alternatives to maintain quality. In this sense, antioxidant compounds have been used to prevent such lipid deterioration. Among the most used compounds are tocopherols, which, due to their natural origin, have become an excellent alternative to prevent or retard lipid oxidation and maintain the quality of marine products. Tocopherols as antioxidants have been studied both exogenously and endogenously. Exogenous tocopherols are often used by incorporating them into plastic packaging films or adding them directly to fish oil. It has been observed that exogenous tocopherols incorporated in low concentrations maintain the quality of both muscle and the extracted oils during food storage. However, it has been reported that tocopherols applied at higher concentrations act as a prooxidant molecule, probably because their reactions with singlet oxygen may generate free radicals and cause the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish oils. However, when tocopherols are included in a fish diet (endogenous tocopherols), the antioxidant effect on the muscle lipids is more effective due to their incorporation into the membrane lipids, which can help extend the shelf life of seafood by reducing the lipid deterioration that occurs due to antioxidant synergy with other phenolic compounds used supplements in fish muscle. This review focuses on the most important studies in this field and highlights the potential of using tocopherols as antioxidants in marine oils.

Recent Advances in Endogenous and Exogenous Stimuli-Responsive Nanocarriers for Drug Delivery and Therapeutics.

PubMed

Hatakeyama, Hiroto

2017-01-01

Significant progress has been achieved in the development of stimuli-responsive nanocarriers for drug delivery, diagnosis, and therapy. Various types of triggers are utilized in the development of nanocarrier delivery. Endogenous factors such as changes in pH, redox, gradient, and enzyme concentration which are linked to disease progression have been utilized for controlling biodistribution and releasing drugs from nanocarriers, as well as increasing subsequent pharmacological activity at the disease site. Nanocarriers which respond to artificially-induced exogenous factors (such as temperature, light, magnetic field, and ultrasound) have also been developed. This review aims to discuss recent advances in the design of stimuli-responsive nanocarriers which appear to have a promising future in medicine.

Biopsy confirmed benign breast disease, postmenopausal use of exogenous female hormones, and breast carcinoma risk.

PubMed

Byrne, C; Connolly, J L; Colditz, G A; Schnitt, S J

2000-11-15

A history of proliferative benign breast disease has been shown to increase the risk of developing breast carcinoma, but, to the authors' knowledge, how postmenopausal exogenous female hormone use, in general, has affected breast carcinoma risk among women with a history of proliferative breast disease with or without atypia has not been well established. In the current case-control study, nested within the Nurses' Health Study, benign breast biopsy slides of 133 postmenopausal breast carcinoma cases and 610 controls with a history of benign breast disease, were reviewed. Reviewers had no knowledge of case status. Women with proliferative disease without atypia had a relative risk for postmenopausal breast carcinoma of 1.8 (95%, confidence interval [CI]: 1.1 to 2.8), and women with atypical hyperplasia had a relative risk of 3.6 (95%, CI: 2.0 to 6.4) compared with women who had nonproliferative benign histology. Neither current postmenopausal use of exogenous female hormones nor long term use for 5 or more years further increased the risk of breast carcinoma in the study population beyond that already associated with their benign histology. Women who had proliferative benign breast disease, with or without atypia, were at moderately to substantially increased risk of developing postmenopausal breast carcinoma compared with women who had nonproliferative benign conditions. In the current study, postmenopausal exogenous female hormone use in general did not further increase the breast carcinoma risk for women with proliferative benign breast disease. However, the analysis did not exclude the possibility of increased risk with a particular hormone combination or dosage. Copyright 2000 American Cancer Society.

[Experience of diagnosis and treatment of exogenous high-grade fever].

PubMed

Xiong, Xing-jiang; Wang, Jie

2011-06-01

There is a regular pattern in the diagnosis and treatment of exogenous high-grade fever, of which the key point is formula syndrome identification. Syndrome differentiation of the six channels is appropriate for not only exogenous cold but also various other conditions. The diagnosis and treatment of high-grade fever can also follow the law of syndrome differentiation of the six channels. The theory of epidemic febrile diseases stems from and elaborates on an understanding of exogenous febrile conditions, so many effective formulas used to treat epidemic febrile diseases also have great value in the treatment of high-grade fever. Deteriorated syndrome, which is central to this condition, is very commonly seen in cases of high-grade fever, the key therapeutic principle of which is established according to syndromes. Allowing analysis that does not rigidly adhere to either established modern diagnosis or traditional Chinese syndromes, prominent achievements could be made in treating high-grade fever by summarizing the regular presenting patterns in terms of the constitution and symptoms.

Factors affecting sexual function in menopause: A review article.

PubMed

Nazarpour, Soheila; Simbar, Masoumeh; Tehrani, Fahimeh Ramezani

2016-08-01

This study aimed to systematically review the articles on factors affecting sexual function during menopause. Searching articles indexed in Pubmed, Science Direct, Iranmedex, EMBASE, Scopus, and Scientific Information Database databases, a total number of 42 studies published between 2003 and 2013 were selected. Age, estrogen deficiency, type of menopause, chronic medical problems, partner's sex problems, severity of menopause symptoms, dystocia history, and health status were the physical factors influencing sexual function of menopausal women. There were conflicting results regarding the amount of androgens, hormonal therapy, exercise/physical activity, and obstetric history. In the mental-emotional area, all studies confirmed the impact of depression and anxiety. Social factors, including smoking, alcohol consumption, the quality of relationship with husband, partner's loyalty, sexual knowledge, access to health care, a history of divorce or the death of a husband, living apart from a spouse, and a negative understanding of women's health were found to affect sexual function; however, there were conflicting results regarding the effects of education, occupation, socioeconomic status, marital duration, and frequency of sexual intercourse. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Analysis on factors affecting consumers decision on purchasing simple-type houses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumintang, A.; Sholichin, I.

2018-01-01

In line with the increase of the population and the need of comfortable houses, as affected by modernization era, the house demand is getting higher. Hence, conducting a research on consumers need and want in buying a house should be seriously attempted to succeed marketing activity. Using an analysis consumers’ behavior, the researcher will know few affecting factors related to consumers’ satisfaction in buying a house. Among other, the factors in question include: house price, house condition, facilities, location and accessability. The sample of this research was drawn from the residents of Graha Asri Housing, Taman Bulang Permai, and Sukodono Permai. Based on the analysis and discussion, some conclusions are made as follow: the factors and variables affecting the consumers’ decision on each choice of house is different and also the same variables on three sources of data include housing atmosphere, cleaning service, ease of access to shopping center, health clinics or hospitals, tourism spot, schools, and the bus station.

14 CFR Appendix B to Part 1215 - Factors Affecting Standard Charges

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... DATA RELAY SATELLITE SYSTEM (TDRSS) Pt. 1215, App. B Appendix B to Part 1215—Factors Affecting Standard Charges Charges for services shall be determined by multiplying the factors below by the base rates for...

Other Factors That Affect Heart Disease: Birth Control Pills

MedlinePlus

... Heart Handbook for Women Other Factors That Affect Heart Disease Birth Control Pills Studies show that women who ... t had any more complications because of my heart disease." — Diane Pay attention to diabetes. Levels of glucose, ...

Reappraising factors affecting mourning dove perch coos

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sayre, M.W.; Atkinson, R.D.; Baskett, T.S.; Haas, G.H.

1978-01-01

Results confirmed pairing as the primary factor influencing perch-cooing rates of wild mourning doves (Zenaida macroura). Marked unmated males cooed at substantially higher rates (6.2x) than mated males, had greater probability of cooing (2.3x) during 3-minute periods, and continued cooing longer each morning than mated males. Population density was not a major factor affecting cooing. Unmated males cooed more frequently in the presence of other cooing doves (P < 0.05) than when alone, but the number of additional doves above 1 was unimportant. Cooing rates of both mated and unmated males on areas with dissimilar dove densities were not significantly different. Within limits of standard call-count procedure, weather exerted no detectable influence on cooing.

Organisational Factors Affecting Policy and Programme Decision Making in a Public Health Policy Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zardo, Pauline; Collie, Alex; Livingstone, Charles

2015-01-01

Organisational factors can affect the success of interventions aimed at increasing research use. Research is needed to identify organisational factors affecting research use in specific public health policy contexts. Qualitative interviews with decision makers from a specific public health context identified a range of organisational factors that…

Factors affecting dental service quality.

PubMed

Bahadori, Mohammadkarim; Raadabadi, Mehdi; Ravangard, Ramin; Baldacchino, Donia

2015-01-01

Measuring dental clinic service quality is the first and most important factor in improving care. The quality provided plays an important role in patient satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to identify factors affecting dental service quality from the patients' viewpoint. This cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study was conducted in a dental clinic in Tehran between January and June 2014. A sample of 385 patients was selected from two work shifts using stratified sampling proportional to size and simple random sampling methods. The data were collected, a self-administered questionnaire designed for the purpose of the study, based on the Parasuraman and Zeithaml's model of service quality which consisted of two parts: the patients' demographic characteristics and a 30-item questionnaire to measure the five dimensions of the service quality. The collected data were analysed using SPSS 21.0 and Amos 18.0 through some descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, as well as analytical methods, including confirmatory factor. Results showed that the correlation coefficients for all dimensions were higher than 0.5. In this model, assurance (regression weight=0.99) and tangibility (regression weight=0.86) had, respectively, the highest and lowest effects on dental service quality. The Parasuraman and Zeithaml's model is suitable to measure quality in dental services. The variables related to dental services quality have been made according to the model. This is a pioneering study that uses Parasuraman and Zeithaml's model and CFA in a dental setting. This study provides useful insights and guidance for dental service quality assurance.

Exploring Factors that Affect Purchase Intention of Athletic Team Merchandise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Donghun; Trail, Galen T.; Lee, Cindy; Schoenstedt, Linda J.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to test a structural model to determine which psychosocial constructs affected the purchase intention of athletic team merchandise (ATM). Results from the analyses indicated that the twelve-factor ATM model fit the data from collegiate athletic events well, explaining the various impact factors that lead to purchase…

Exogenous cathepsin V protein protects human cardiomyocytes HCM from angiotensin Ⅱ-Induced hypertrophy.

PubMed

Huang, Kun; Gao, Lu; Yang, Ming; Wang, Jiliang; Wang, Zheng; Wang, Lin; Wang, Guobin; Li, Huili

2017-08-01

Angiotensin (Ang) Ⅱ-induced cardiac hypertrophy can deteriorate to heart failure, a leading cause of mortality. Endogenous Cathepsin V (CTSV) has been reported to be cardioprotective against hypertrophy. However, little is known about the effect of exogenous CTSV on cardiac hypertrophy. We used the human cardiomyocytes HCM as a cell model to investigate the effects of exogenous CTSV on Ang Ⅱ-induced cardiac cell hypertrophy. Cell surface area and expression of classical markers of hypertrophy were analyzed. We further explored the mechanism of CTSV cardioprotective by assessing the levels and activities of PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MAPK signaling pathway proteins. We found that pre-treating cardiomyocytes with CTSV could significantly inhibit Ang Ⅱ-induced hypertrophy. The mRNA expression of hypertrophy markers ANP, BNP and β-MHC was obviously elevated in Ang Ⅱ-treated cardiac cells. Whereas, exogenous CTSV effectively halted this elevation. Further study revealed that the protective effects of exogenous CTSV might be mediated by repressing the phosphorylation of proteins in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MAPK pathways. Based on our results, we concluded that exogenous CTSV inhibited Ang Ⅱ-induced hypertrophy in HCM cells by inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR. This study provides experimental evidence for the application of CTSV protein for the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exogenous attention facilitates location transfer of perceptual learning.

PubMed

Donovan, Ian; Szpiro, Sarit; Carrasco, Marisa

2015-01-01

Perceptual skills can be improved through practice on a perceptual task, even in adulthood. Visual perceptual learning is known to be mostly specific to the trained retinal location, which is considered as evidence of neural plasticity in retinotopic early visual cortex. Recent findings demonstrate that transfer of learning to untrained locations can occur under some specific training procedures. Here, we evaluated whether exogenous attention facilitates transfer of perceptual learning to untrained locations, both adjacent to the trained locations (Experiment 1) and distant from them (Experiment 2). The results reveal that attention facilitates transfer of perceptual learning to untrained locations in both experiments, and that this transfer occurs both within and across visual hemifields. These findings show that training with exogenous attention is a powerful regime that is able to overcome the major limitation of location specificity.

Exogenous attention facilitates location transfer of perceptual learning

PubMed Central

Donovan, Ian; Szpiro, Sarit; Carrasco, Marisa

2015-01-01

Perceptual skills can be improved through practice on a perceptual task, even in adulthood. Visual perceptual learning is known to be mostly specific to the trained retinal location, which is considered as evidence of neural plasticity in retinotopic early visual cortex. Recent findings demonstrate that transfer of learning to untrained locations can occur under some specific training procedures. Here, we evaluated whether exogenous attention facilitates transfer of perceptual learning to untrained locations, both adjacent to the trained locations (Experiment 1) and distant from them (Experiment 2). The results reveal that attention facilitates transfer of perceptual learning to untrained locations in both experiments, and that this transfer occurs both within and across visual hemifields. These findings show that training with exogenous attention is a powerful regime that is able to overcome the major limitation of location specificity. PMID:26426818

29 CFR 784.118 - The exemption is intended for work affected by natural factors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false The exemption is intended for work affected by natural...(a)(5) Exemption § 784.118 The exemption is intended for work affected by natural factors. As... that are controlled or materially affected by natural factors or elements, such as the vicissitudes of...

29 CFR 784.118 - The exemption is intended for work affected by natural factors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false The exemption is intended for work affected by natural...(a)(5) Exemption § 784.118 The exemption is intended for work affected by natural factors. As... that are controlled or materially affected by natural factors or elements, such as the vicissitudes of...

Formal Classroom Observations: Factors That Affect Their Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaidi, Zeba

2017-01-01

Formal class room observation is a very delicate topic in any educational institution. It involves a series of emotions and sentiments that come with the package. In this paper, the researcher will attempt to analyze the factors that affect the process in a relatively significant manner and thereby contribute greatly to the success or failure of…

Factors affecting patient compliance with compressive brace therapy for pectus carinatum.

PubMed

Kang, Du-Young; Jung, Junho; Chung, Sangho; Cho, Jinkyung; Lee, Sungsoo

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to identify factors affecting patient compliance with brace therapy for pectus carinatum. Eighty-six pectus carinatum patients who started brace therapy from August 2008 to November 2011 were included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups: patients who wore the brace for ≥6 months (compliance group) or patients who wore the brace for <6 months (non-compliance group). Factors affecting patient compliance were assessed at the last day of follow-up with a multiple-choice questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised seven items: pain at compression site, skin problems on compression area, confidence in brace treatment, shame, discomfort, initial result of bracing treatment and total number of factors affecting patient compliance. Eighty-six patients completed the survey, including seven (8.1%) female patients and 79 (91.9%) male patients, with a mean age of 12.0 years at the time of treatment (range, 3-20 years). The initial result of the compression period (P <0.001) and total number of factors affecting patient compliance (P <0.05) were significant predictors of patient compliance. An initial successful result of the compression period may increase patient compliance during treatment for pectus carinatum. Additional efforts to decrease pain, skin problems, shame and discomfort, and to give confidence may be beneficial in increasing compliance with bracing treatment. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

Factors affecting scholastic performances of adolescents.

PubMed

Shashidhar, Saraswati; Rao, Chandrika; Hegde, Radhakrishna

2009-05-01

The present study aims at recognizing the social influence, study habits and health factors affecting scholastic performances of adolescents and to compare these factors among the adolescents between two categories of school. A total of 1230 adolescents (13-18 yrs) were screened. Data was collected by personal interview, using the teenage screening questionnaire, Trivandrum, between May 2004 and November 2005. A total 615 students from corporation and private schools were studied. 39.76% (489) were high achievers, 13.5% (166) were low achievers with p < 0.001. In the low achievers, 12.03% were from the corporation schools and 1.46% from private schools. The incidence of poor study habits and social factors were increased in low achievers of corporation schools. On multivariate analysis, the predictor variables for poor scholastic performance were adolescent having refractory error, not having help for study at home, not doing home work regularly, not solving question bank papers and reading only before examinations. It is feasible and worthwhile to identify the determinants of scholastic performance and plan intervention strategies at each school. The results of this study highlight the importance of implementing newer strategies, focusing on strict study patterns and creating the conducive school and home environment for study, so as to achieve better scholastic performances.

Isolating Exogenous and Endogenous Modes of Temporal Attention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, Michael A.; Klein, Raymond M.

2013-01-01

The differential allocation of information processing resources over time, here termed "temporal attention," may be achieved by relatively automatic "exogenous" or controlled "endogenous" mechanisms. Over 100 years of research has confounded these theoretically distinct dimensions of temporal attention. The current…

Factors affecting maintenance overlay ride quality : 1996 rideability status.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-01-01

In early 1996, the Virginia Transportation Research Council initiated a formal analysis of the factors affecting overlay ride quality. As part of that effort, a statewide, multi-year survey of the ride quality for both new overlays and pavement await...

Increases in Endogenous or Exogenous Progestins Promote Virus-Target Cell Interactions within the Non-human Primate Female Reproductive Tract.

PubMed

Carias, Ann M; Allen, Shannon A; Fought, Angela J; Kotnik Halavaty, Katarina; Anderson, Meegan R; Jimenez, Maria L; McRaven, Michael D; Gioia, Casey J; Henning, Tara R; Kersh, Ellen N; Smith, James M; Pereira, Lara E; Butler, Katherine; McNicholl, S Janet M; Hendry, R Michael; Kiser, Patrick F; Veazey, Ronald S; Hope, Thomas J

2016-09-01

Currently, there are mounting data suggesting that HIV-1 acquisition in women can be affected by the use of certain hormonal contraceptives. However, in non-human primate models, endogenous or exogenous progestin-dominant states are shown to increase acquisition. To gain mechanistic insights into this increased acquisition, we studied how mucosal barrier function and CD4+ T-cell and CD68+ macrophage density and localization changed in the presence of natural progestins or after injection with high-dose DMPA. The presence of natural or injected progestins increased virus penetration of the columnar epithelium and the infiltration of susceptible cells into a thinned squamous epithelium of the vaginal vault, increasing the likelihood of potential virus interactions with target cells. These data suggest that increasing either endogenous or exogenous progestin can alter female reproductive tract barrier properties and provide plausible mechanisms for increased HIV-1 acquisition risk in the presence of increased progestin levels.

External factors affecting data acquisition during corneal topography examination.

PubMed

González-Méijome, José Manuel; Queirós, Antonio; Jorge, Jorge; Fernandes, Paulo; Cerviño, Alejandro; de Almeida, José Borges

2007-03-01

To analyze the factors affecting data acquisition during corneal topography examination with the Medmont E-300 videokeratoscope and to provide strategies to minimize their effects. Sixty eyes from thirty young adults were examined. A second observer registered incidences with the potential to affect data acquisition. Those factors were correlated with the difficulty of measurements as judged subjectively by the practitioner who performed the examination. Measurements of axial curvature were analyzed to evaluate the variability expressed as intrasession and intersession coefficient of variation and the standard error of the mean (SEM). The level of difficulty rated by the practitioner was in general low, with 70% of the eyes being easy or very easy to measure. For the remaining 30% of the eyes, corneal topography measurements were considered to be difficult (27%) or very difficult (3%). Of the external parameters investigated, only fixation instability (P<0.001, chi2) and the need for head repositioning (P=0.024, chi2) were associated significantly with a higher level of difficulty, as rated subjectively by the practitioner. Further analysis showed that some external factors, including those previously mentioned and others related to tear instability, affect the variability of measurements at certain corneal locations, particularly in the vertical meridian when related to tear instability and in the horizontal meridian when related to the need for head repositioning on the chin rest owing to physiognomy interferences with the keratoscope cone. Intersession SEM improved when three readings from each session were considered. The level of subjective difficulty found during videokeratoscopy examination is correlated strongly with fixation instability and the need for head reorientation in the chin rest, whereas tear-related events seem to be less relevant in the practitioner perception of test ease or difficulty. Those factors have relevance in measurement variability.

Factors affecting 30-month survival in lung cancer patients.

PubMed

Mahesh, P A; Archana, S; Jayaraj, B S; Patil, Shekar; Chaya, S K; Shashidhar, H P; Sunitha, B S; Prabhakar, A K

2012-10-01

Age adjusted incidence rate of lung cancer in India ranges from 7.4 to 13.1 per 100,000 among males and 3.9 to 5.8 per 100,000 among females. The factors affecting survival in lung cancer patients in India are not fully understood. The current study was undertaken to evaluate the factors affecting survival in patients diagnosed with lung cancer attending a tertiary care cancer institute in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Consecutive patients with primary lung cancer attending Bangalore Institute of Oncology, a tertiary care centre at Bangalore, between 2006 and 2009 were included. Demographic, clinical, radiological data were collected retrospectively from the medical records. A total of 170 consecutive subjects (128 males, 42 females) diagnosed to have lung cancer; 151 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 19 small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were included. A higher proportion of never-smokers (54.1%) were observed, mostly presenting below the age of 60 yr. Most subjects were in stage IV and III at the time of diagnosis. More than 50 per cent of patients presented with late stage lung cancer even though the duration of symptoms is less than 2 months. The 30-month overall survival rates for smokers and never-smokers were 32 and 49 per cent, respectively. No significant differences were observed in 30 month survival based on age at presentation, gender and type of lung cancer. Cox proportional hazards model identified never-smokers and duration of symptoms less than 1 month as factors adversely affecting survival. Our results showed that lung cancer in Indians involved younger subjects and associated with poorer survival as compared to other ethnic population. Studies on large sample need to be done to evaluate risk factors in lung cancer patients.

Factors affecting 30-month survival in lung cancer patients

PubMed Central

Mahesh, P.A.; Archana, S.; Jayaraj, B.S.; Patil, Shekar; Chaya, S.K.; Shashidhar, H.P.; Sunitha, B.S.; Prabhakar, A.K.

2012-01-01

Background & objectives: Age adjusted incidence rate of lung cancer in India ranges from 7.4 to 13.1 per 100,000 among males and 3.9 to 5.8 per 100,000 among females. The factors affecting survival in lung cancer patients in India are not fully understood. The current study was undertaken to evaluate the factors affecting survival in patients diagnosed with lung cancer attending a tertiary care cancer institute in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Methods: Consecutive patients with primary lung cancer attending Bangalore Institute of Oncology, a tertiary care centre at Bangalore, between 2006 and 2009 were included. Demographic, clinical, radiological data were collected retrospectively from the medical records. Results: A total of 170 consecutive subjects (128 males, 42 females) diagnosed to have lung cancer; 151 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 19 small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were included. A higher proportion of never-smokers (54.1%) were observed, mostly presenting below the age of 60 yr. Most subjects were in stage IV and III at the time of diagnosis. More than 50 per cent of patients presented with late stage lung cancer even though the duration of symptoms is less than 2 months. The 30-month overall survival rates for smokers and never-smokers were 32 and 49 per cent, respectively. No significant differences were observed in 30 month survival based on age at presentation, gender and type of lung cancer. Cox proportional hazards model identified never-smokers and duration of symptoms less than 1 month as factors adversely affecting survival. Interpretation & conclusions: Our results showed that lung cancer in Indians involved younger subjects and associated with poorer survival as compared to other ethnic population. Studies on large sample need to be done to evaluate risk factors in lung cancer patients. PMID:23168702

Factors affecting medication-order processing time.

PubMed

Beaman, M A; Kotzan, J A

1982-11-01

The factors affecting medication-order processing time at one hospital were studied. The order processing time was determined by directly observing the time to process randomly selected new drug orders on all three work shifts during two one-week periods. An order could list more than one drug for an individual patient. The observer recorded the nature, location, and cost of the drugs ordered, as well as the time to process the order. The time and type of interruptions also were noted. The time to process a drug order was classified as six dependent variables: (1) total time, (2) work time, (3) check time, (4) waiting time I--time from arrival on the dumbwaiter until work was initiated, (5) waiting time II--time between completion of the work and initiation of checking, and (6) waiting time III--time after the check was completed until the order left on the dumbwaiter. The significant predictors of each of the six dependent variables were determined using stepwise multiple regression. The total time to process a prescription order was 58.33 +/- 48.72 minutes; the urgency status of the order was the only significant determinant of total time. Urgency status also significantly predicted the three waiting-time variables. Interruptions and the number of drugs on the order were significant determinants of work time and check time. Each telephone interruption increased the work time by 1.72 minutes. While the results of this study cannot be generalized to other institutions, pharmacy managers can use the method of determining factors that affect medication-order processing time to identify problem areas in their institutions.

Investigations into the differential reactivity of endogenous and exogenous mercury species in coastal sediments.

PubMed

Bouchet, S; Rodriguez-Gonzalez, P; Bridou, R; Monperrus, M; Tessier, E; Anschutz, P; Guyoneaud, R; Amouroux, D

2013-03-01

Stable isotopic tracer methodologies now allow the evaluation of the reactivity of the endogenous (ambient) and exogenous (added) Hg to further predict the potential effect of Hg inputs in ecosystems. The differential reactivity of endogenous and exogenous Hg was compared in superficial sediments collected in a coastal lagoon (Arcachon Bay) and in an estuary (Adour River) from the Bay of Biscay (SW France). All Hg species (gaseous, aqueous, and solid fraction) and ancillary data were measured during time course slurry experiments under variable redox conditions. The average endogenous methylation yield was higher in the estuarine (1.2 %) than in the lagoonal sediment (0.5 %), although both methylation and demethylation rates were higher in the lagoonal sediment in relation with a higher sulfate-reducing activity. Demethylation was overall more consistent than methylation in both sediments. The endogenous and exogenous Hg behaviors were always correlated but the exogenous inorganic Hg (IHg) partitioning into water was 2.0-4.3 times higher than the endogenous one. Its methylation was just slightly higher (1.4) in the estuarine sediment while the difference in the lagoonal sediment was much larger (3.6). The relative endogenous and exogenous methylation yields were not correlated to IHg partitioning, demonstrating that the bioavailable species distributions were different for the two IHg pools. In both sediments, the exogenous IHg partitioning equaled the endogenous one within a week, while its higher methylation lasted for months. Such results provide an original assessment approach to compare coastal sediment response to Hg inputs.

Exogenous pyruvate facilitates cancer cell adaptation to hypoxia by serving as an oxygen surrogate.

PubMed

Yin, Chengqian; He, Dan; Chen, Shuyang; Tan, Xiaoling; Sang, Nianli

2016-07-26

Molecular oxygen is the final electron acceptor in cellular metabolism but cancer cells often become adaptive to hypoxia, which promotes resistance to chemotherapy and radiation. The reduction of endogenous glycolytic pyruvate to lactate is known as an adaptive strategy for hypoxic cells. Whether exogenous pyruvate is required for hypoxic cell proliferation by either serving as an electron acceptor or a biosynthetic substrate remains unclear. By using both hypoxic and ρ0 cells defective in electron transfer chain, we show that exogenous pyruvate is required to sustain proliferation of both cancer and non-cancer cells that cannot utilize oxygen. Particularly, we show that absence of pyruvate led to glycolysis inhibition and AMPK activation along with decreased NAD+ levels in ρ0 cells; and exogenous pyruvate increases lactate yield, elevates NAD+/NADH ratio and suppresses AMPK activation. Knockdown of lactate dehydrogenase significantly inhibits the rescuing effects of exogenous pyruvate. In contrast, none of pyruvate-derived metabolites tested (including acetyl-CoA, α-ketoglutarate, succinate and alanine) can replace pyruvate in supporting ρ0 cell proliferation. Knockdown of pyruvate carboxylase, pyruvate dehydrogenase and citrate synthase do not impair exogenous pyruvate to rescue ρ0 cells. Importantly, we show that exogenous pyruvate relieves ATP insufficiency and mTOR inhibition and promotes proliferation of hypoxic cells, and that well-oxygenated cells release pyruvate, providing a potential in vivo source of pyruvate. Taken together, our data support a novel pyruvate cycle model in which oxygenated cells release pyruvate for hypoxic cells as an oxygen surrogate. The pyruvate cycle may be targeted as a new therapy of hypoxic cancers.

Stimulation of endogenous cardioblasts by exogenous cell therapy after myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Malliaras, Konstantinos; Ibrahim, Ahmed; Tseliou, Eleni; Liu, Weixin; Sun, Baiming; Middleton, Ryan C; Seinfeld, Jeffrey; Wang, Lai; Sharifi, Behrooz G; Marbán, Eduardo

2014-06-01

Controversy surrounds the identity, origin, and physiologic role of endogenous cardiomyocyte progenitors in adult mammals. Using an inducible genetic labeling approach to identify small non-myocyte cells expressing cardiac markers, we find that activated endogenous cardioblasts are rarely evident in the normal adult mouse heart. However, myocardial infarction results in significant cardioblast activation at the site of injury. Genetically labeled isolated cardioblasts express cardiac transcription factors and sarcomeric proteins, exhibit spontaneous contractions, and form mature cardiomyocytes in vivo after injection into unlabeled recipient hearts. The activated cardioblasts do not arise from hematogenous seeding, cardiomyocyte dedifferentiation, or mere expansion of a preformed progenitor pool. Cell therapy with cardiosphere-derived cells amplifies innate cardioblast-mediated tissue regeneration, in part through the secretion of stromal cell-derived factor 1 by transplanted cells. Thus, stimulation of endogenous cardioblasts by exogenous cells mediates therapeutic regeneration of injured myocardium. © 2014 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.

Delivery of growth factors for tissue regeneration and wound healing.

PubMed

Koria, Piyush

2012-06-01

Growth factors are soluble secreted proteins capable of affecting a variety of cellular processes important for tissue regeneration. Consequently, the self-healing capacity of patients can be augmented by artificially enhancing one or more processes important for healing through the application of growth factors. However, their application in clinics remains limited due to lack of robust delivery systems and biomaterial carriers. Interestingly, all clinically approved therapies involving growth factors utilize some sort of a biomaterial carrier for growth factor delivery. This suggests that biomaterial delivery systems are extremely important for successful usage of growth factors in regenerative medicine. This review outlines the role of growth factors in tissue regeneration, and their application in both pre-clinical animal models of regeneration and clinical trials is discussed. Additionally, current status of biomaterial substrates and sophisticated delivery systems such as nanoparticles for delivery of exogenous growth factors and peptides in humans are reviewed. Finally, issues and possible future research directions for growth factor therapy in regenerative medicine are discussed.

Effect of exogenous reductant on growth and iron mobilization from ferrihydrite by the Pseudomonas mendocina ymp strain.

PubMed

Dhungana, Suraj; Anthony, Charles R; Hersman, Larry E

2007-05-01

Growth of the Pseudomonas mendocina ymp strain on insoluble ferrihydrite is enhanced by exogenous reductants with concurrent increase in soluble iron concentrations. This shows that exogenous reductants play a substantial role in the overall microbial iron bioavailability. The exogenous reductants may work together with the siderophores, Fe-scavenging agents, to facilitate ferrihydrite dissolution.

Exogenous sucrose supply changes sugar metabolism and reduces photosynthesis of sugarcane through the down-regulation of Rubisco abundance and activity.

PubMed

Lobo, Ana Karla Moreira; de Oliveira Martins, Marcio; Lima Neto, Milton Costa; Machado, Eduardo Caruso; Ribeiro, Rafael Vasconcelos; Silveira, Joaquim Albenisio Gomes

2015-05-01

Photosynthetic modulation by sugars has been known for many years, but the biochemical and molecular comprehension of this process is lacking. We studied how the exogenous sucrose supplied to leaves could affect sugar metabolism in leaf, sheath and stalk and inhibit photosynthesis in four-month old sugarcane plants. Exogenous sucrose 50mM sprayed on attached leaves strongly impaired the net CO2 assimilation (PN) and decreased the instantaneous carboxylation efficiency (PN/Ci), suggesting that the impairment in photosynthesis was caused by biochemical restrictions. The photosystem II activity was also affected by excess sucrose as indicated by the reduction in the apparent electron transport rate, effective quantum yield and increase in non-photochemical quenching. In leaf segments, sucrose accumulation was related to increases in the activities of soluble acid and neutral invertases, sucrose synthase and sucrose phosphate synthase, whereas the contents of fructose increased and glucose slightly decreased. Changes in the activities of sucrose hydrolyzing and synthesizing enzymes in leaf, sheath and stalk and sugar profile in intact plants were not enough to identify which sugar(s) or enzyme(s) were directly involved in photosynthesis modulation. However, exogenous sucrose was able to trigger down-regulation in the Rubisco abundance, activation state and enzymatic activity. Despite the fact that PN/Ci had been notably decreased by sucrose, in vitro activity and abundance of PEPCase did not change, suggesting an in vivo modulation of this enzyme. The data reveal that sucrose and/or other derivative sugars in leaves inhibited sugarcane photosynthesis by down-regulation of Rubisco synthesis and activity. Our data also suggest that sugar modulation was not exerted by a feedback mechanism induced by the accumulation of sugars in immature sugarcane stalk. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Exogenous γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) affects pollen tube growth via modulating putative Ca2+-permeable membrane channels and is coupled to negative regulation on glutamate decarboxylase

PubMed Central

Yu, Guang-Hui; Zou, Jie; Feng, Jing; Peng, Xiong-Bo; Wu, Ju-You; Wu, Ying-Liang; Palanivelu, Ravishankar; Sun, Meng-Xiang

2014-01-01

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is implicated in pollen tube growth, but the molecular and cellular mechanisms that it mediates are largely unknown. Here, it is shown that exogenous GABA modulates putative Ca2+-permeable channels on the plasma membranes of tobacco pollen grains and pollen tubes. Whole-cell voltage-clamp experiments and non-invasive micromeasurement technology (NMT) revealed that the influx of Ca2+ increases in pollen tubes in response to exogenous GABA. It is also demonstrated that glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), the rate-limiting enzyme of GABA biosynthesis, is involved in feedback controls of Ca2+-permeable channels to fluctuate intracellular GABA levels and thus modulate pollen tube growth. The findings suggest that GAD activity linked with Ca2+-permeable channels relays an extracellular GABA signal and integrates multiple signal pathways to modulate tobacco pollen tube growth. Thus, the data explain how GABA mediates the communication between the style and the growing pollen tubes. PMID:24799560

Exogenous Lipoid Pneumonia in Laryngectomy Patients: Radiological Findings.

PubMed

García Latorre, Raquel; Rodríguez Díaz, Ricardo; Barrios Barreto, Deisy; Ayala Carbonero, Ana; García Gómez-Muriel, María Isabel; Gorospe Sarasúa, Luis

2015-07-01

Exogenous lipoid pneumonia (ELP) is a rare (incidence 1.0%-2.5%), often under-diagnosed disease, caused by the aspiration and accumulation of exogenous lipids within the pulmonary alveoli. Various cases have been described due to inhalation of lubricants via the nasal passages and oropharynx, aspiration of mineral oils in laxatives in patients with eating disorders, application of lip gloss, occupational exposure to liquid paraffin or mineral oils ("fire-eaters", industrial use in washing of machinery, automobile workshops, plastic paints, etc.) and application of Vaseline during the insertion of nasogastric tubes and in the care of tracheotomy patients. ELP usually presents radiologically as areas of low-attenuation peribronchial consolidation and ground glass opacities, with a predominantly bibasal distribution. We present 5 cases of long-standing laryngectomy patients diagnosed with ELP who admitted using Vaseline in their tracheal stoma care. Copyright © 2014 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Teaching the Factors Affecting Resistance Using Pencil Leads

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Küçüközer, Asuman

2015-01-01

The aim of this paper is to provide a way of teaching the factors that affect resistance using mechanical pencil leads and the brightness of the light given out by a light bulb connected to an electrical circuit. The resistance of a conductor is directly proportional to its length (L) and inversely proportional to its cross-sectional area (A).…

Culture and affect: the factor structure of the affective style questionnaire and its relation with depression and anxiety among Japanese.

PubMed

Ito, Masaya; Hofmann, Stefan G

2014-09-02

Affective styles are assumed to be one of the underlying processes of depression and anxiety maintenance. However, little is known about the effect of depression and anxiety and the cultural influence of the factor structure. Here, we examined the cross-cultural validity of the Affective Style Questionnaire and its incremental validity for the influence on depression and anxiety. Affective Style Questionnaire was translated into Japanese using standard back-translation procedure. Japanese university students (N = 1,041) served as participants. Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Rumination and Reflection Questionnaire, Brief COPE, Self-Construal Scale, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were administered. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed that the Affective Style Questionnaire comprised four factors: Concealing, Adjusting, Holding and Tolerating (CFI = .92, TLI = .90, RMSEA = .07). The measure's convergent and discriminant validity was substantiated by its association with various emotion regulation measures. Regression analyses showed that negative influence of Adjusting, Holding, Reappraisal (β = -.17, -.19, -.30) and positive influence of Suppression (β = .23) were observed on depression. For anxiety, Adjusting and Reappraisal was negatively influenced (β = -.29, and -.18). Reliability and validity of the Affective Style Questionnaire was partly confirmed. Further study is needed to clarify the culturally dependent aspects of affective styles.

The effect of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-linked exogenous SOD1-G93A on electrophysiological properties and intracellular calcium in cultured rat astrocytes.

PubMed

Milošević, Milena; Bataveljić, Danijela; Nikolić, Ljiljana; Bijelić, Dunja; Andjus, Pavle

2016-01-01

Over 150 mutations in the SOD1 gene that encodes Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) cause 20-25% of familial ALS, albeit without a known gain-of-function mechanism. ALS is also non-cell-autonomous, the interactions between motor neurons and their glial neighbours being implicated in disease progression. The aim here was to investigate the biophysical effects of the exogenous human mutant SOD1-G93A on rat astrocytes in culture. Primary cortical astrocyte cultures were treated with recombinant human apo- mSOD1-G93A vs. wild-type control (wtSOD1) and recorded by patch-clamp and calcium imaging. Results showed that exogenous mSOD1 as well as wtSOD1 induced a decrease of membrane resistance, the effect being persistent (up to 13 min) only for the mutant form. Similarly, whole-cell inward currents in astrocytes were augmented by both wt and mSOD1, but the effect was twice larger and only progressed continuously for the latter. Both forms of SOD1 also induced a rise in intracellular Ca(2+) activity, the effect being dependent on external Ca(2+) and again only persisted with mSOD1, becoming significantly different from wtSOD1 only at longer times (14 min). In conclusion, this study points to membrane permeability and Ca(2+) signalling as processes affected by SOD1-G93A that presents the humoral factor triggering the role of astrocytes in ALS pathophysiology.

Factors That Affect the Academic Success of Foreign Students at Cardinal Stritch University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Annor, Peter

2010-01-01

There are limited studies in the literature on the factors that affect the academic success of foreign students in the United States. This ex post facto mixed method study investigated the factors that affect the academic success of foreign students at Cardinal Stitch University (CSU), a medium size, private university located in the Midwestern…

Looking under the Bonnet: Factors Affecting Student Adoption of E-Learning Systems in Jordan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abbad, Muneer Mahmood; Morris, David; de Nahlik, Carmel

2009-01-01

The primary questions addressed in this paper are the following: what are the factors that affect students' adoption of an e-learning system and what are the relationships among these factors? This paper investigates and identifies some of the major factors affecting students' adoption of an e-learning system in a university in Jordan. E-learning…

Institutional and Managerial Factors Affecting International Student Recruitment Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Mitchell; Heaney, Joo-Gim; Cooper, Maxine

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate international student recruitment from an institutional perspective and to consider institutional factors that may affect recruitment. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative study is undertaken in which education marketing practitioners are interviewed regarding aspects of international…

Exogenous bFGF or TGFβ1 accelerates healing of reconstructed dura by CO2 laser soldering in minipigs.

PubMed

Wang, Zhenmin; Zhong, Hongliang; Yang, Zhijun; Zhao, Fu; Wang, Bo; Qu, Peiran; Liu, Pinan

2014-05-01

This study aims to explore the probable mechanism of better result of dural reconstruction by CO2 laser soldering and the effect of exogenous basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) or transforming growth factor-beta1(TGFβ1) on wound healing. In part I of the study, ten minipigs were randomized into two equal groups, and the dural defects were reconstructed by conventional fibrin glue (FG) bonding (group I a) or by CO2 laser soldering (group Ib). In part II, 36 minipigs were randomized into three equal groups, and the dural defect was reconstructed by CO2 laser soldering; then exogenous bFGF or TGFβ1 was administered in group IIb and group IIc, respectively, while group IIa served as control group. The dural specimens were harvested at 1st week postoperatively in part I; and at 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th week postoperatively in part II, they were examined for healing condition and subjected to hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining with antibodies against bFGF and TGFβ1. In part I, group Ib showed higher fibroblast cell density than group Ia (P < 0.05). The optical density (OD) for IHC staining with antibodies against bFGF of group Ib was significantly higher than that of group Ia (P < 0.05), and for IHC staining with antibodies against TGFβ1, group Ib showed positive staining while group Ia was negative. In part II, administering exogenous bFGF or TGFβ1 made a left shift of fibroblast cell number-time curve compared with control group. For specimens' IHC staining with antibodies against bFGF, the OD of group IIb was higher than that of group IIa in the corresponding time. For specimens' IHC staining with antibodies against TGFβ1, the OD of groups IIb and IIc was both higher than that of group IIa (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). In conclusion, CO2 laser may trigger fibroblast proliferation through stimulating the secretion of bFGF and TGFβ1. Topically administering exogenous bFGF or TGFβ1 could accelerate the healing of the

Autologous temporomandibular joint reconstruction independent of exogenous additives: a proof-of-concept study for guided self-generation.

PubMed

Wei, Jiao; Herrler, Tanja; Han, Dong; Liu, Kai; Huang, Rulin; Guba, Markus; Dai, Chuanchang; Li, Qingfeng

2016-11-28

Joint defects are complex and difficult to reconstruct. By exploiting the body's own regenerative capacity, we aimed to individually generate anatomically precise neo-tissue constructs for autologous joint reconstruction without using any exogenous additives. In a goat model, CT scans of the mandibular condyle including articular surface and a large portion of the ascending ramus were processed using computer-aided design and manufacturing. A corresponding hydroxylapatite negative mold was printed in 3D and temporarily embedded into the transition zone of costal periosteum and perichondrium. A demineralized bone matrix scaffold implanted on the contralateral side served as control. Neo-tissue constructs obtained by guided self-generation exhibited accurate configuration, robust vascularization, biomechanical stability, and function. After autologous replacement surgery, the constructs showed stable results with similar anatomical, histological, and functional findings compared to native controls. Further studies are required to assess long-term outcome and possible extensions to other further applications. The absence of exogenous cells, growth factors, and scaffolds may facilitate clinical translation of this approach.

Dermoscopic and reflectance confocal microscopic features of exogenous ochronosis.

PubMed

Gil, Inmaculada; Segura, Sonia; Martínez-Escala, Estela; Lloreta, Josep; Puig, Susana; Vélez, Mariano; Pujol, Ramón M; Herrero-González, Josep E

2010-09-01

Exogenous ochronosis presents as an acquired asymptomatic hyperpigmentation on photoexposed areas, predominantly over bony prominences, and is caused by the topical application of several skin-lightening agents. We describe a 63-year-old Hispanic woman who developed exogenous ochronosis lesions on her face after using topical bleaching creams containing hydroquinone, 2% to 3%, and oxybenzone, 2%, for several years. Dermoscopy revealed irregular brown-gray globular, annular, and arciform structures that corresponded to focal deposition of ochronotic pigment on the dermis. These deposits correlated with multiple banana-shaped nonrefractile structures seen using reflectance confocal microscopy. Histopathologic sections revealed the deposition of a banana-shaped, yellow to brown material in the papillary and middle dermis. Ultrastructural examination revealed an amorphous electron-dense material mostly located in the core of elastic fibers and also in smaller amounts in the interstitium with prominent degenerative changes in the elastic fibers. A good correlation was observed between the results of both noninvasive techniques and the diagnostic histologic features of this condition. We characterized by means of dermoscopy, reflectance confocal microscopy, and electronic microscopy a case of exogenous ochronosis. To our knowledge, this is the first description of reflectance confocal microscopic findings in this condition. Dermoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy are proved to be useful noninvasive techniques for the diagnosis of this pigmentary disorder.

Animal cells dependent on exogenous phosphatidylcholine for membrane biogenesis.

PubMed Central

Esko, J D; Nishijima, M; Raetz, C R

1982-01-01

A Chinese hamster ovary cell (CHO) mutant (strain 58), defective in CDP-choline synthetase (cholinephosphate cytidylyltransferase; CTP:cholinephosphate cytidylyltransferase, EC 2.7.7.15), is temperature sensitive for growth and contains less than half of the normal amount of phosphatidylcholine under nonpermissive conditions [Esko, J. D. & Raetz, C. R. H. (1980) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 77, 5192-5196]. We now report that the addition of 40 microM egg phosphatidylcholine or lysophosphatidylcholine to the medium suppresses the temperature sensitivity of mutant 58 and permits the growth of colonies at the restrictive temperature. Phospholipids with different polar headgroups, lipoprotein-bound phospholipids, sphingomyelin, and glycerophosphocholine do not support prolonged growth at 40 degrees C, whereas phosphatidylcholine analogs such as phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine, D-phosphatidylcholine, and beta-phosphatidylcholine are quite effective. A broad range of saturated phosphatidylcholines, especially those with fatty acids 12-18 carbons in length, suppresses the phenotype. Phospholipids containing ether-linked hydrocarbons are ineffective, whereas polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholines are toxic. Residual endogenous synthesis of phosphatidylcholine by the mutant is not stimulated under conditions of phenotypic bypass, but the uptake of exogenous lipid is enhanced considerably compared to the wild type. Our findings demonstrate that exogenous phospholipid can provide at least 50% of the phosphatidylcholine required for membrane biogenesis in animal cells and that uptake of exogenous phospholipids may be regulated. PMID:6281780

Psychological factors affecting medical condition: a new proposal for DSM-V.

PubMed

Fava, Giovanni A; Fabbri, Stefania; Sirri, Laura; Wise, Thomas N

2007-01-01

The DSM category of "psychological factors affecting medical condition" had virtually no impact on clinical practice. However, several clinically relevant psychosomatic syndromes have been described in the literature: disease phobia, persistent somatization, conversion symptoms, illness denial, demoralization, and irritable mood. These syndromes, in addition to the DSM definition of hypochondriasis, can yield clinical specification in the category of "psychological factors affecting medical condition" and eliminate the need for the highly criticized DSM classification of somatoform disorders. This new classification is supported by a growing body of research evidence and is in line with psychosomatic medicine as a recognized subspecialty.

Robust consensus algorithm for multi-agent systems with exogenous disturbances under convergence conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Yulian; Liu, Jianchang; Tan, Shubin; Ming, Pingsong

2014-09-01

In this paper, a robust consensus algorithm is developed and sufficient conditions for convergence to consensus are proposed for a multi-agent system (MAS) with exogenous disturbances subject to partial information. By utilizing H∞ robust control, differential game theory and a design-based approach, the consensus problem of the MAS with exogenous bounded interference is resolved and the disturbances are restrained, simultaneously. Attention is focused on designing an H∞ robust controller (the robust consensus algorithm) based on minimisation of our proposed rational and individual cost functions according to goals of the MAS. Furthermore, sufficient conditions for convergence of the robust consensus algorithm are given. An example is employed to demonstrate that our results are effective and more capable to restrain exogenous disturbances than the existing literature.

Exogenous contamination of uranium in human scalp hair.

PubMed

Muikku, Maarit; Heikkinen, Tarja

2012-06-01

The use of human scalp hair as a bioindicator of occupational or environmental exposure has been the subject of some debate over the years. One problem is how to distinguish internal contamination from external contamination. In this study, possibility that elevated levels of natural uranium in human hair are partly due to the exogenously bound uranium from uranium-rich household water was tested. Hair samples from six adult volunteers were cut and then exposed externally to uranium by using washing water with highly elevated levels of natural uranium. After that, and before making the analysis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), the samples were washed using two commonly used washing procedures in order to remove external contamination. No quantitative information was gained in the tests, but it was shown that the use of uranium-rich water when washing hair affects the uranium concentration in hair. Although the samples were cleaned according to widely used washing procedures before the analysis, the uranium concentrations in hair were about three orders of magnitude higher after the tests. The possibility of external contamination should be kept in mind, especially when considering hair as an excretion pathway for estimating internal dose.

Exogenous pyruvate facilitates cancer cell adaptation to hypoxia by serving as an oxygen surrogate

PubMed Central

Yin, Chengqian; He, Dan; Chen, Shuyang; Tan, Xiaoling; Sang, Nianli

2016-01-01

Molecular oxygen is the final electron acceptor in cellular metabolism but cancer cells often become adaptive to hypoxia, which promotes resistance to chemotherapy and radiation. The reduction of endogenous glycolytic pyruvate to lactate is known as an adaptive strategy for hypoxic cells. Whether exogenous pyruvate is required for hypoxic cell proliferation by either serving as an electron acceptor or a biosynthetic substrate remains unclear. By using both hypoxic and ρ0 cells defective in electron transfer chain, we show that exogenous pyruvate is required to sustain proliferation of both cancer and non-cancer cells that cannot utilize oxygen. Particularly, we show that absence of pyruvate led to glycolysis inhibition and AMPK activation along with decreased NAD+ levels in ρ0 cells; and exogenous pyruvate increases lactate yield, elevates NAD+/NADH ratio and suppresses AMPK activation. Knockdown of lactate dehydrogenase significantly inhibits the rescuing effects of exogenous pyruvate. In contrast, none of pyruvate-derived metabolites tested (including acetyl-CoA, α-ketoglutarate, succinate and alanine) can replace pyruvate in supporting ρ0 cell proliferation. Knockdown of pyruvate carboxylase, pyruvate dehydrogenase and citrate synthase do not impair exogenous pyruvate to rescue ρ0 cells. Importantly, we show that exogenous pyruvate relieves ATP insufficiency and mTOR inhibition and promotes proliferation of hypoxic cells, and that well-oxygenated cells release pyruvate, providing a potential in vivo source of pyruvate. Taken together, our data support a novel pyruvate cycle model in which oxygenated cells release pyruvate for hypoxic cells as an oxygen surrogate. The pyruvate cycle may be targeted as a new therapy of hypoxic cancers. PMID:27374086

Demographic and obstetric factors affecting women's sexual functioning during pregnancy.

PubMed

Abouzari-Gazafroodi, Kobra; Najafi, Fatemeh; Kazemnejad, Ehsan; Rahnama, Parvin; Montazeri, Ali

2015-08-19

Sexual desire and frequency of sexual relationships during pregnancy remains challenging. This study aimed to assess factors that affect women's sexual functioning during pregnancy. This was a cross sectional study carried out at prenatal care clinics of public health services in Iran. An author-designed structured questionnaire including items on socio-demographic characteristics, obstetric history, the current pregnancy, and women's sexual functioning during pregnancy was used to collect data. The generalized linear model was performed in order to find out factors that affect women's sexual functioning during pregnancy. In all, 518 pregnant women participated in the study. The mean age of participants was 26.4 years (SD = 4.7). Overall 309 women (59.7%) scored less than mean on sexual functioning. The results obtained from generalized linear model demonstrated that that lower education, unwanted pregnancy, earlier stage of pregnancy, older age, and longer duration of marriage were the most important factors contributing to disturbed sexual functioning among couples. The findings suggest that sexual function during pregnancy might be disturbed due to several factors. Indeed issues on sexual relationship should be included as part of prenatal care and reproductive health programs for every woman.

Affect and Health Behavior Co-Occurrence: The Emerging Roles of Transdiagnostic Factors and Sociocultural Factors.

PubMed

Zvolensky, Michael J; Leventhal, Adam M

2016-01-01

The majority of scientific work addressing relations among affective states and health correlates has focused primarily on their co-occurrence and a limited range of health conditions. We have developed a Special Issue to highlight recent advances in this emerging field of work that addresses the nature and interplay between affective states and disorders, in terms of their impact and consequences from health status and behavior. This Special Issue is organized into three parts classified as (a) co-occurrence and interplay between (b) transdiagnostic factors and (c) sociocultural factors. It is hoped that this issue will (a) alert readers to the significance of this work at different levels of analysis, (b) illustrate the many domains currently being explored via innovative approaches, and (c) identify fecund areas for future systematic study. © The Author(s) 2016.

Prevalence, pathophysiological mechanisms and factors affecting urolithiasis.

PubMed

Khan, Aslam

2018-05-01

The formation of urinary stone, urolithiasis, is one the oldest known disease affecting human throughout different civilizations and times. The exact pathophysiological mechanism of urolithiasis is not yet clear, as these calculi are of various types and too complex for simple understanding. A single theory cannot explain its formation; therefore, different theories are presented in various times for its explanation like free particle, fixed particle, Randall's plaque theory. In addition, various factors and components are identified that play an important role in the formation of these urinary calculi. In this review, composition of kidney stones, its prevalence/incidence, explanation of pathophysiological mechanisms and role of various factors; urinary pH, uric acid, parathyroid hormone, citrate, oxalate, calcium and macromolecules; osteopontin, matrix Gla protein, kidney injury molecules, urinary prothrombin fragment-1, Tamm-Horsfall protein, inter-α-inhibitors, have been discussed in detail.

Factors that affect the development of nurses' competencies: a systematic review.

PubMed

Rizany, Ichsan; Hariyati, Rr Tutik Sri; Handayani, Hanny

2018-02-01

To investigate factors affecting the development of nursing competency based on a review of the literature. A systematic review was utilized. The articles were taken from the databases of Pro-Quest, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Scopus. They were retrieved using the following keywords: nursing competence, nurse competencies and clinical competence. Twenty-one papers were selected. Competence development is a continuous process of improving knowledge, attitudes and skills, and is influenced by a myriad of factors. Six factors were identified that affected the development of nursing competence in our systematic review: (1) work experience, (2) type of nursing environment, (3) educational level achieved, (4) adherence to professionalism, (5) critical thinking, and (6) personal factors. Work experience and education were shown to significantly influence the development of competency of nurses. Nurse managers need to support staffing competence through ongoing education, mentoring-preceptorship training, and case-reflection-discussion teaching programs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Factors Affecting Recruitment into Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Jon A.; Lewis, John E.; Katyal, Shalini

2010-01-01

Objective: The authors studied the factors affecting the recruitment into child and adolescent psychiatry training in the United States. Methods: Medical students (n = 154) and general and child and adolescent psychiatry residents (n = 111) completed a questionnaire to evaluate career choice in child psychiatry (n = 265). Results: Compared with…

Exogenous Calcium Enhances the Photosystem II Photochemistry Response in Salt Stressed Tall Fescue.

PubMed

Wang, Guangyang; Bi, Aoyue; Amombo, Erick; Li, Huiying; Zhang, Liang; Cheng, Cheng; Hu, Tao; Fu, Jinmin

2017-01-01

Calcium enhances turfgrass response to salt stress. However, little is known about PSII photochemical changes when exogenous calcium was applied in salinity-stressed turfgrass. Here, we probe into the rearrangements of PSII electron transport and endogenous ion accumulation in tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea Schreber) treated with exogenous calcium under salt stress. Three-month-old seedlings of genotype "TF133" were subjected to the control (CK), salinity (S), salinity + calcium nitrate (SC), and salinity + ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (SE). Calcium nitrate and ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid was used as exogenous calcium donor and calcium chelating agent respectively. At the end of a 5-day duration treatment, samples in SC regime had better photochemistry performance on several parameters than salinity only. Such as the Area (equal to the plastoquinone pool size), N (number of [Formula: see text] redox turnovers until F m is reached), ψE 0 , or δRo (Efficiencdy/probability with which a PSII trapped electron is transferred from Q A to Q B or PSI acceptors), ABS/RC (Absorbed photon flux per RC). All the above suggested that calcium enhanced the electron transfer of PSII (especially beyond [Formula: see text]) and prevented reaction centers from inactivation in salt-stressed tall fescue. Furthermore, both grass shoot and root tissues generally accumulated more C, N, Ca 2+ , and K + in the SC regime than S regime. Interrelated analysis indicated that ψE 0 , δRo, ABS/RC, C, and N content in shoots was highly correlated to each other and significantly positively related to Ca 2+ and K + content in roots. Besides, high salt increased ATP6E and CAMK2 transcription level in shoot at 1 and 5 day, respectively while exogenous calcium relieved it. In root, CAMK2 level was reduced by Salinity at 5 day and exogenous calcium recovered it. These observations involved in electron transport capacity and ion accumulation assist in understanding better the protective role

[Alleviation of salt stress during maize seed germination by presoaking with exogenous sugar].

PubMed

Zhao, Ying; Yang, Ke-jun; Li, Zuo-tong; Zhao, Chang-jiang; Xu, Jing-yu; Hu, Xue- wei; Shi, Xin-xin; Ma, Li-feng

2015-09-01

The maize variety Kenyu 6 was used to study the effects of exogenous glucose (Glc) and sucrose (Suc) on salt tolerance of maize seeds at germination stage under 150 mmol · L(-1) NaCl treatment. Results showed that under salt stress condition, 0.5 mmol · L(-1) exogenous Glc and Suc presoaking could promote seed germination and early seedling growth. Compared with the salt treatment, Glc presoaking increased the shoot length, radicle length and corresponding dry mass up to 1.5, 1.3, 2.1 and 1.8 times, and those of the Suc presoaking treatment increased up to 1.7, 1.3. 2.7 and 1.9 times, respectively. Exogenous Glc and Suc presoaking resulted in decreased levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content of maize shoot under salt stress, which were lowered by 24.9% and 20.6% respectively. Exogenous Glc and Suc presoaking could increase the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GR) and induce glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity of maize shoot under salt stress. Compared with the salt treatment. Glc presoaking increased the activity of SOD, APX, GPX, GR and G6PDH by 66.2%, 62.9%, 32.0%, 38.5% and 50.5%, and those of the Suc presoaking increased by 67.5%, 59.8%, 30.0%, 38.5% and 50.4%, respectively. Glc and Suc presoaking also significantly increased the contents of ascorbic acid (ASA) and glutathione (GSH), ASA/DHA and GSH/GSSG. The G6PDH activity was found closely related with the strong antioxidation capacity induced by exogenous sugars. In addition, Glc and Suc presoaking enhanced K+/Na+ in maize shoot by 1.3 and 1.4 times of water soaking salt treatment, respectively. These results indicated that exogenous Glc and Suc presoaking could improve antioxidation capacity of maize seeds and maintain the in vivo K+/Na+ ion balance to alleviate the inhibitory effect of salt stress on maize seed germination.

Exogenous Calcium Enhances the Photosystem II Photochemistry Response in Salt Stressed Tall Fescue

PubMed Central

Wang, Guangyang; Bi, Aoyue; Amombo, Erick; Li, Huiying; Zhang, Liang; Cheng, Cheng; Hu, Tao; Fu, Jinmin

2017-01-01

Calcium enhances turfgrass response to salt stress. However, little is known about PSII photochemical changes when exogenous calcium was applied in salinity-stressed turfgrass. Here, we probe into the rearrangements of PSII electron transport and endogenous ion accumulation in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreber) treated with exogenous calcium under salt stress. Three-month-old seedlings of genotype “TF133” were subjected to the control (CK), salinity (S), salinity + calcium nitrate (SC), and salinity + ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (SE). Calcium nitrate and ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid was used as exogenous calcium donor and calcium chelating agent respectively. At the end of a 5-day duration treatment, samples in SC regime had better photochemistry performance on several parameters than salinity only. Such as the Area (equal to the plastoquinone pool size), N (number of QA- redox turnovers until Fm is reached), ψE0, or δRo (Efficiencdy/probability with which a PSII trapped electron is transferred from QA to QB or PSI acceptors), ABS/RC (Absorbed photon flux per RC). All the above suggested that calcium enhanced the electron transfer of PSII (especially beyond QA-) and prevented reaction centers from inactivation in salt-stressed tall fescue. Furthermore, both grass shoot and root tissues generally accumulated more C, N, Ca2+, and K+ in the SC regime than S regime. Interrelated analysis indicated that ψE0, δRo, ABS/RC, C, and N content in shoots was highly correlated to each other and significantly positively related to Ca2+ and K+ content in roots. Besides, high salt increased ATP6E and CAMK2 transcription level in shoot at 1 and 5 day, respectively while exogenous calcium relieved it. In root, CAMK2 level was reduced by Salinity at 5 day and exogenous calcium recovered it. These observations involved in electron transport capacity and ion accumulation assist in understanding better the protective role of exogenous calcium in tall fescue

[Effects of exogenous AsA and GSH on the growth of Dianthus chinensis seedlings exposed to Cd].

PubMed

Ding, Ji-Jun; Liu, Shi-Liang; Pan, Yuan-Zhi; Li, Li

2014-02-01

A pot experiment was carried out under greenhouse condition to investigate the effects of different concentrations (0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 mg x L(-1)) of exogenous AsA, GSH on Dianthus chinensis seedlings which were stressed by 50 mg x kg(-1) Cd in the soil. The results indicated that 50 mg x kg(-1) of Cd significantly inhibited the growth of D. chinensis seedlings. An appropriate concentration of exogenous AsA significantly improved the biomass, plant height, tiller number, GAT and APX activities, and AsA and GSH contents. However, with the increase of exogenous AsA concentration, the ameliorating effect decreased and prooxidant effect occurred. Exogenous GSH could replenish the non-enzymatic antioxidants of D. chinensis seedlings, but the changes of antioxidant enzyme activities were relatively slight. The main mechanisms of GSH to alleviate Cd toxicity might be promoting root PCs synthesis, thereby reducing the Cd concentration in the seedlings. Both 35-45 mg x L(-1) exogenous AsA and 55-65 mg x L(-1) exogenous GSH could alleviate the Cd toxicity on D. chinensis seedlings, and the former was superior to the latter.

A review of affecting factors on sexual satisfaction in women.

PubMed

Shahhosseini, Zohreh; Gardeshi, Zeinab Hamzeh; Pourasghar, Mehdi; Salehi, Fariba

2014-12-01

Sex is a complex, important and sensitive issue in human being and interwoven with the whole of human existence. Given the serious changes in attitude, function and behavior in sex, the need to address sexual function, especially sexual satisfaction, is felt completely. Sexual satisfaction has a very important role in creating marital satisfaction and any defect in sexual satisfaction is significantly associated with risky sexual behaviors, serious mental illness, social crimes and ultimately divorce. The aim of this study was to explore affecting factors on sexual satisfaction in women based on an overview in scientific database. In this narrative review the researchers searched MEDLINE database, Google Scholar and Science Direct as well as Persian database like Scientific Information Database with search terms of sexual satisfaction and sexual function, restricted to English/ Persian language, during the 20 years ago. Then those articles written by renowned experts were selected. In this regard, 57 articles have been reviewed, which 30 articles related to this research have been extracted. The findings were divided in to four categories including: Demographic factors, Pathophysiological factors, Psychological factors and Sociocultural factors. Sexuality, especially sexual intimacy is sophisticated and yet elegant affair that the other persons has different definitions and different functions. Discrepancies in the results of the studies show that analysis of factors affecting sexual satisfaction regardless of the women's' sociocultural context, religious beliefs, and personal attitudes is undoubtedly inefficient, unscientific and irrational.

Factors affecting yearly and monthly visits to Taipei Zoo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Ai-Tsen; Lin, Yann-Jou

2018-02-01

This study investigated factors affecting yearly and monthly numbers of visits to Taipei Zoo. Both linear and nonlinear regression models were used to estimate yearly visits. The results of both models showed that the "opening effect" and "animal star effect" had a significantly positive effect on yearly visits, while a SARS outbreak had a negative effect. The number of years had a significant influence on yearly visits. Results showed that the nonlinear model had better explanatory power and fitted the variations of visits better. Results of monthly model showed that monthly visits were significantly influenced by time fluctuations, weather conditions, and the animal star effect. Chinese New Year, summer vacation, numbers of holidays, and animal star exhibitions increased the number of monthly visits, while the number of days with temperatures at or below 15 °C, the number of days with temperatures at or above 30 °C, and the number of rainy days had significantly negative effects. Furthermore, the model of monthly visits showed that the animal star effect could last for over two quarters. The results of this study clarify the factors affecting visits to an outdoor recreation site and confirm the importance of meteorological factors to recreation use.

A Qualitative Study of Factors Affecting Morale in Psychiatry Residency Training.

PubMed

Caravella, Rachel A; Robinson, Lee A; Wilets, Ilene; Weinberg, Michael; Cabaniss, Deborah L; Cutler, Janis L; Kymissis, Carisa; Arbuckle, Melissa R

2016-10-01

Resident morale is an important yet poorly understood aspect of the residency training experience. Despite implications for program quality, resident satisfaction, patient care, and recruitment, little is known about the variables influencing this complex phenomenon. This study sought to identify important factors affecting morale in psychiatry residency training. The authors conducted four semi-structured focus groups at a moderately sized, urban, psychiatry residency program during the 2013-2014 academic year. They used qualitative data analysis techniques, including grounded theory and content analysis, to identify key themes affecting resident morale across training levels. Twenty-seven residents participated in the focus groups with equal distribution across post-graduate years (PGY) 1-4. Five major conceptual categories affecting resident morale emerged: Sense of Community, Individual Motivators, Clinical Work, Feeling Cared For, and Trust in the Administration. Morale is an important topic in residency education. The qualitative results suggest that factors related to a Sense of Community and Individual Motivators generally enhanced resident morale whereas factors related to a lack of Feeling Cared For and Trust in the Administration tended to contribute to lower morale. The authors describe the possible interventions to promote stronger program morale suggested by these findings.

Factors affecting the overcrowding in outpatient healthcare

PubMed Central

Bahadori, Mohammadkarim; Teymourzadeh, Ehsan; Ravangard, Ramin; Raadabadi, Mehdi

2017-01-01

Background: The expansion of outpatient services and the desire to provide more outpatient care than inpatient care create some problems such as the overcrowding in the outpatient clinics. Given the importance of overcrowding in the outpatient clinics, this qualitative study aimed to determine the factors influencing the overcrowding in the specialty and subspecialty clinic of a teaching hospital. Materials and Methods: This was a qualitative study conducted in the specialty and subspecialty clinic of a hospital using content analysis method in the period of January to March 2014. The study population was all managers and heads of the outpatient wards. The studied sample consisted of 22 managers of the clinic wards who were selected using the purposive sampling method. The required data was collected using semi-structured interviews. The collected data was analyzed using conventional content analysis and the MAXQDA 10.0 software. Results: Three themes were identified as the main factors affecting the overcrowding including the internal positive factors, internal negative factors, and external factors. Conclusions: Despite the efforts made to eliminate overcrowding, and reduce waiting times and increase access to the services for patients, the problem of overcrowding still has remained unresolved. In addition, the use of some strategies such as clarifying the working processes of the clinic for staff and patients and the relationships between the clinic and other wards especially emergency department, as well as using a simple triage system on the patients’ arrival at the clinic are recommended. PMID:28546986

Recruitment and retention: factors that affect pericyte migration

PubMed Central

Aguilera, Kristina Y.

2013-01-01

Pericytes are critical for vascular morphogenesis and contribute to several pathologies, including cancer development and progression. The mechanisms governing pericyte migration and differentiation are complex and have not been fully established. Current literature suggests that platelet-derived growth factor/platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β, sphingosine 1-phosphate/endothelial differentiation gene-1, angiopoietin-1/tyrosine kinase with immunoglobulin-like and EGF-like domains 2, angiopoietin-2/tyros-ine kinase with immunoglobulin-like and EGF-like domains 2, transforming growth factor β/activin receptor-like kinase 1, transforming growth factor β/activin receptor-like kinase 5, Semaphorin-3A/Neuropilin, and matrix metalloproteinase activity regulate the recruitment of pericytes to nascent vessels. Interestingly, many of these pathways are directly affected by secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC). Here, we summarize the function of these factors in pericyte migration and discuss if and how SPARC might infuence these activities and thus provide an additional layer of control for the recruitment of vascular support cells. Additionally, the consequences of targeted inhibition of pericytes in tumors and the current understanding of pericyte recruitment in pathological environments are discussed. PMID:23912898

Factors Affecting Role Stress and Burnout among School Counselors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willingham, Wendy Elizabeth

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine factors affecting role stress and burnout among practicing school counselors as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey (MBI-ES) and the Role Conflict and Ambiguity Scale. The MBI-ES utilizes three subscales to measure burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal…

Factors affecting species distribution predictions: A simulation modeling experiment

Treesearch

Gordon C. Reese; Kenneth R. Wilson; Jennifer A. Hoeting; Curtis H. Flather

2005-01-01

Geospatial species sample data (e.g., records with location information from natural history museums or annual surveys) are rarely collected optimally, yet are increasingly used for decisions concerning our biological heritage. Using computer simulations, we examined factors that could affect the performance of autologistic regression (ALR) models that predict species...

Motivational Factors Affecting Online Learning by Japanese MBA Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kikuchi, Hisayo

2006-01-01

In Japan, Internet based learning is still at an early stage. However, adult learners in Japanese society expect the development of flexible e-learning programs. This case study examines motivational factors affecting online learning in a Japanese and Australian MBA program, using observations, interviews and a questionnaire survey. The data were…

Analysis of extrinsic and intrinsic factors affecting event related desynchronization production.

PubMed

Takata, Yohei; Kondo, Toshiyuki; Saeki, Midori; Izawa, Jun; Takeda, Kotaro; Otaka, Yohei; It, Koji

2012-01-01

Recently there has been an increase in the number of stroke patients with motor paralysis. Appropriate re-afferent sensory feedback synchronized with a voluntary motor intention would be effective for promoting neural plasticity in the stroke rehabilitation. Therefore, BCI technology is considered to be a promising approach in the neuro-rehabilitation. To estimate human motor intention, an event-related desynchronization (ERD), a feature of electroencephalogram (EEG) evoked by motor execution or motor imagery is usually used. However, there exists various factors that affect ERD production, and its neural mechanism is still an open question. As a preliminary stage, we evaluate mutual effects of intrinsic (voluntary motor imagery) and extrinsic (visual and somatosensory stimuli) factors on the ERD production. Experimental results indicate that these three factors are not always additively interacting with each other and affecting the ERD production.

New strategies in the assessment of psychological factors affecting medical conditions.

PubMed

Sirri, Laura; Fabbri, Stefania; Fava, Giovanni A; Sonino, Nicoletta

2007-12-01

In this article, we examine research that may lead to a better assessment of psychological factors affecting medical conditions. We performed a review of the psychosomatic literature using both Medline and manual searches. We selected papers that were judged to be relevant to new strategies of assessment, with particular reference to the use of the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research. We assessed 8 areas concerned with the assessment of psychological factors in the setting of medical disease: hypochondriasis, disease phobia, persistent somatization, conversion symptoms, illness denial, demoralization, irritable mood, and Type A behavior. A new subclassification of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed. [DSM-V]; not yet published) category of psychological factors affecting physical conditions appears to be feasible and may provide the clinician with better tools for identifying psychological distress.

A proof for substitution of endogenous iron (II) in lipoxygenase by exogenous Cu2+.

PubMed

Cai, Yan; Xu, Hong; Xia, Yongmei; Su, Yafen; Fang, Yun

2010-10-01

Soybean lipoxygenase (LOX) contains endogenous iron (II) at the active site, which is important for the enzyme activity. The activity of LOX can be accelerated by some exogenous metal ions including Cu2+. However, the mechanism of the activity improvement caused by exogenous metal ions remains unclear, not only for LOX but for most other metalloenzymes. Meanwhile, the possibility that exogenous metal ions can displace endogenous iron (II) is still in discussion for a lack of a direct and quantitative proof. In this paper, a quantitative proof of replacing iron (II) inside LOX by exogenous Cu2+ was provided, simply using UV-Vis spectrometry with two indicators p-carboxylantipyrylazo and 9-(4-carboxyphenyl)-2,3,7-trihydroxyl-6-fluorine. A 0.56 microM free iron (II) was observed in the bulk solution after incubating 9.45 microM Cu2+ with 16.10 microM LOX at 20 degrees C for 5 min, which is in coincidence with the decrement of Cu2+ in the bulk solution (0.53 microM), implying that iron (II) was replaced by Cu2+.

[Effect of cadmium stress on physiological characteristics of garlic seedlings and the alleviation effects of exogenous calcium].

PubMed

Li, He; Lian, Hai-feng; Liu, Shi-qi; Yu, Xin-hui; Sun, Ya-li; Guo, Hui-ping

2015-04-01

In the experiment, the effects of exogenous cadmium (Cd2+) and calcium (Ca2+) in nutrient solution on growth, photosynthetic characteristics, enzymes activities, main mineral elements absorption of garlic seedlings were studied. The results showed that cadmium could obviously inhibit the growth of garlic seedlings, decrease the pigment contents and photosynthetic parameters (P(n), E, g(s)) of leaves, reduced the enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT) activities and increase the MDA content of leaves, and also could reduce the N, P, K, Ca, Mg contents and increase the Cd content of roots. The growth was promoted after adding exogenous calcium to garlic seedlings under cadmium stress, which reflected that the morphological indexes were increased at first and then decreased with the increase of exogenous calcium concentrations, and were maximized when the exogenous calcium was 2 or 3 mmol x L(-1). At the same time, the pigment contents and photosynthetic parameters (P(n), E, g(s)) of leaves showed a similar tendency with the morphological indexes, and they were the highest when the exogenous calcium was 2 or 3 mmol x L(-1). In addition, adding exogenous calcium to garlic seedlings under cadmium stress enhanced the enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT) activities and decreased the MDA content of leaves, also added the N, P, K, Ca, Mg contents and reduced the Cd content of roots, and the effect was best when the exogenous calcium concentration was 2 or 3 mmol x L(-1).

Multifactorial analysis of factors affecting recurrence of stroke in Japan.

PubMed

Omori, Toyonori; Kawagoe, Masahiro; Moriyama, Michiko; Yasuda, Takeshi; Ito, Yasuhiro; Hyakuta, Takeshi; Nagatsuka, Kazuyuki; Matsumoto, Masayasu

2015-03-01

Data on factors affecting stroke recurrence are relatively limited. The authors examined potential factors affecting stroke recurrence, retrospectively. The study participants were 1087 patients who were admitted to stroke centers suffering from first-ever ischemic stroke and returned questionnaires with usable information after discharge. The authors analyzed the association between clinical parameters of the patients and their prognosis. Recurrence rate of during an average of 2 years after discharge was 21.3%, and there were differences among stroke subtypes. It was found that the disability level of the patients after discharge correlated well with the level at discharge (r s = 0.66). Multivariate logistic regression analysis of the data shows that modified Rankin Scale score, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score, gender, age, and family history had statistically significant impacts on stroke recurrence, and the impact was different depending on subtypes. These findings suggest that aggressive and persistent health education for poststroke patients and management of risk factors are essential to reduce stroke recurrence. © 2012 APJPH.

Exogenous antioxidants—Double-edged swords in cellular redox state

PubMed Central

Bohn, Torsten

2010-01-01

The balance between oxidation and antioxidation is believed to be critical in maintaining healthy biological systems. Under physiological conditions, the human antioxidative defense system including e.g., superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione (GSH) and others, allows the elimination of excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) including, among others superoxide anions (O2.-), hydroxyl radicals (OH.), alkoxyl radicals (RO.) and peroxyradicals (ROO.). However, our endogenous antioxidant defense systems are incomplete without exogenous originating reducing compounds such as vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids and polyphenols, playing an essential role in many antioxidant mechanisms in living organisms. Therefore, there is continuous demand for exogenous antioxidants in order to prevent oxidative stress, representing a disequilibrium redox state in favor of oxidation. However, high doses of isolated compounds may be toxic, owing to prooxidative effects at high concentrations or their potential to react with beneficial concentrations of ROS normally present at physiological conditions that are required for optimal cellular functioning. This review aims to examine the double-edged effects of dietary originating antioxidants with a focus on the most abundant compounds, especially polyphenols, vitamin C, vitamin E and carotenoids. Different approaches to enrich our body with exogenous antioxidants such as via synthetic antioxidants, diets rich in fruits and vegetables and taking supplements will be reviewed and experimental and epidemiological evidences discussed, highlighting that antioxidants at physiological doses are generally safe, exhibiting interesting health beneficial effects. PMID:20972369

Exogenous skeletal muscle satellite cells promote the repair of levator palpebrae superioris mechanical damage in rat.

PubMed

Ye, Lin; Yao, Yuanyuan; Guo, Hui; Peng, Yun

2018-05-17

Blepharoptosis is a drooping of the upper eyelid, usually due to dysfunction of the levator palpebrae superioris (LPS). Recently, skeletal muscle satellite cells (SSCs) have been reported to promote the repair of damaged skeletal muscle. This study aims to investigate the potential contribution of exogenous SSCs to the regeneration of mechanically damaged LPS. Thirty-two rats were randomly divided into four groups, including control group, SSCs-treated group, SSCs-treated injury group and non-treated injury group. After rats in injury groups were artificially lacerated on both the left and right LPS, HBBS (Hank's Balanced Salt Solution) containing SSCs was injected into upper eyelid tissue. After 7 days, the LPS muscle tissues were excised. In addition, skeletal muscle cells (SMCs) and SSCs were cocultured for use as an in vitro model, and the protective effects of SSCs on cultured SMCs were also investigated. Histological staining revealed that exogenous SSCs repaired the damaged muscle fibers and attenuated the fibrosis of LPS, possibly due to the increased level of IGF-1. In contrast, the level of IL-1β, IL-6, TGF-β1 and Smad2/3 (phospho-T8) were significantly reduced in the SSCs-treated group. The in vitro model using coculture of skeletal muscle cells (SMCs) and SSCs also revealed an increased level of IGF-1 and reduced level of inflammatory factors, resulting in a better cell survival rate. This study found that exogenous SSCs can promote the repair of LPS mechanical damage and provides new insight into the development of novel therapeutic approaches for blepharoptosis.

Using exogenous variables in testing for monotonic trends in hydrologic time series

USGS Publications Warehouse

Alley, William M.

1988-01-01

One approach that has been used in performing a nonparametric test for monotonic trend in a hydrologic time series consists of a two-stage analysis. First, a regression equation is estimated for the variable being tested as a function of an exogenous variable. A nonparametric trend test such as the Kendall test is then performed on the residuals from the equation. By analogy to stagewise regression and through Monte Carlo experiments, it is demonstrated that this approach will tend to underestimate the magnitude of the trend and to result in some loss in power as a result of ignoring the interaction between the exogenous variable and time. An alternative approach, referred to as the adjusted variable Kendall test, is demonstrated to generally have increased statistical power and to provide more reliable estimates of the trend slope. In addition, the utility of including an exogenous variable in a trend test is examined under selected conditions.

Evaluation of the efficacy of laparoscopic resection for the management of exogenous cesarean scar pregnancy.

PubMed

Wang, Guangwei; Liu, Xiaofei; Bi, Fangfang; Yin, Lili; Sa, Rina; Wang, Dandan; Yang, Qing

2014-05-01

To retrospectively analyze the clinical data of 71 patients with exogenous cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) treated in our hospital in the past 2 years, to compare the outcomes of exogenous CSP treated with different methods, and to evaluate the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic resection of exogenous CSP. Comparative observational study. Tertiary medical centers. 71 women with exogenous cesarean scar pregnancy. Hysteroscopic resection of CSP, and laparoscopic resection of CSP. Operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage of the uterine cavity, postoperative days in hospital, time for β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) to return to normal levels, absorption time of the mass. For the laparoscopic group, the time for serum β-hCG to return normal levels and the postoperative drainage of the uterine cavity were significantly lower than in the patients who had undergone hysteroscopic resection. We found no statistically significant difference in the intraoperative blood loss and postoperative days in hospital between the two groups, but the operation time was longer in laparoscopic group. Laparoscopic surgery for a cesarean scar pregnancy has the advantages of a high success rate, fewer complications, and a shorter time for β-hCG levels to normalize. This procedure is especially suitable for the treatment of exogenous CSP. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

[Effects of exogenous spermidine on Cucumis sativus L. seedlings photosynthesis under root zone hypoxia stress].

PubMed

Wang, Tian; Wang, Suping; Guo, Shirong; Sun, Yanjun

2006-09-01

With water culture, this paper studied the effects of exogenous spermidine (Spd) on the net photosynthetic rate (Pn), intercellular CO2 concentrations (Ci), stomatal conductance (Gs), transpiration rate (Tr), apparent quantum yield (phi c), and carboxylation efficiency (CE) of cucumber seedlings tinder hypoxia stress. The results showed that the Pn decreased gradually under hypoxia stress, and reached the minimum 10 days after by 63. 33% of the control. Compared with that of hypoxia-stressed plants, the Pn after 10 days application of exogenous Spd increased 1.25 times. A negative correlation (R2 = 0.4730 - 0.7118) was found between Pn and Ci. Gs and Tr changed in wider ranges, which decreased under hypoxia-stress, but increased under hypoxia-stress plus exogenous Spd application. There was a significant positive correlation between Gs and Tr (R2 = 0.7821 - 0.9458), but these two parameters had no significant correlation with Pn; Hypoxia stress induced a decrease of phi c and CE by 63.01% and 72.33%, respectively, while hypoxia stress plus exogenous Spd application made phi c and CE increase by 23% and 14%, respectively. The photo-inhibition of cucumber seedlings under hypoxia stress was mainly caused by non-stomatal limitation, while exogenous Spd alleviated the hypoxia stress by repairing photosynthesis system.

Mathematics Performance and the Role Played by Affective and Background Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grootenboer, Peter; Hemmings, Brian

2007-01-01

In this article, we report on a study examining those factors which contribute to the mathematics performance of a sample of children aged between 8 and 13 years. The study was designed specifically to consider the potency of a number of mathematical affective factors, as well as background characteristics (viz., gender, ethnicity, and…

Factors Affecting Career Decision Making of Mexican and Mexican-American Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newlon, Betty J.; Borboa, Roman

The purpose of this research was to identify the self-reported factors affecting the career decision making of Mexican and Mexican-American students. It was hypothesized that the factor clusters would differ between the two sample populations, Mexican and Mexican-American. It was also hypothesized that these clusters would differ from six clusters…

Industry Training: The Factors that Affect Demand. Discussion Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, A.; Roberts, P.; Noble, C.; Hayton, G.; Thorne, E.

A study was conducted in Australia, to determine the factors that affect demand for job training. The study consisted of 30 detailed industry case studies, an industry analysis, and a literature review. Each case study examined current training practices, training decision making in the business, and the determinants of training for the…

An Analysis of Factors Affecting Community College Students' Expectations on E-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilic-Cakmak, Ebru; Karatas, Sercin; Ocak, Mehmet Akif

2009-01-01

There are many factors that affect the e-learning process. Instructor, assessment and evaluation, communication, and technical support are among the leading factors. It is obvious that these factors influence the effectiveness of e-learning and may be related to different expectations of e-learners. Therefore, this study focuses on examining the…

Lengths of Orthologous Prokaryotic Proteins Are Affected by Evolutionary Factors

PubMed Central

Tatarinova, Tatiana; Dien Bard, Jennifer; Cohen, Irit

2015-01-01

Proteins of the same functional family (for example, kinases) may have significantly different lengths. It is an open question whether such variation in length is random or it appears as a response to some unknown evolutionary driving factors. The main purpose of this paper is to demonstrate existence of factors affecting prokaryotic gene lengths. We believe that the ranking of genomes according to lengths of their genes, followed by the calculation of coefficients of association between genome rank and genome property, is a reasonable approach in revealing such evolutionary driving factors. As we demonstrated earlier, our chosen approach, Bubble-sort, combines stability, accuracy, and computational efficiency as compared to other ranking methods. Application of Bubble Sort to the set of 1390 prokaryotic genomes confirmed that genes of Archaeal species are generally shorter than Bacterial ones. We observed that gene lengths are affected by various factors: within each domain, different phyla have preferences for short or long genes; thermophiles tend to have shorter genes than the soil-dwellers; halophiles tend to have longer genes. We also found that species with overrepresentation of cytosines and guanines in the third position of the codon (GC3 content) tend to have longer genes than species with low GC3 content. PMID:26114113

Lengths of Orthologous Prokaryotic Proteins Are Affected by Evolutionary Factors.

PubMed

Tatarinova, Tatiana; Salih, Bilal; Dien Bard, Jennifer; Cohen, Irit; Bolshoy, Alexander

2015-01-01

Proteins of the same functional family (for example, kinases) may have significantly different lengths. It is an open question whether such variation in length is random or it appears as a response to some unknown evolutionary driving factors. The main purpose of this paper is to demonstrate existence of factors affecting prokaryotic gene lengths. We believe that the ranking of genomes according to lengths of their genes, followed by the calculation of coefficients of association between genome rank and genome property, is a reasonable approach in revealing such evolutionary driving factors. As we demonstrated earlier, our chosen approach, Bubble-sort, combines stability, accuracy, and computational efficiency as compared to other ranking methods. Application of Bubble Sort to the set of 1390 prokaryotic genomes confirmed that genes of Archaeal species are generally shorter than Bacterial ones. We observed that gene lengths are affected by various factors: within each domain, different phyla have preferences for short or long genes; thermophiles tend to have shorter genes than the soil-dwellers; halophiles tend to have longer genes. We also found that species with overrepresentation of cytosines and guanines in the third position of the codon (GC3 content) tend to have longer genes than species with low GC3 content.

A Study of the Technological, Instructional, and Motivational Factors Affecting PHR Certification Exam Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonner, David M.

2012-01-01

Although previous studies have considered the factors affecting other certification exam outcomes, they have not examined those that are related to performance on the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) exam. In response to that need, this study specifically investigates technology and training factors that affect self-efficacy and self-set…

Effects of exogenous hormones on spermatogenesis in the male prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus).

PubMed

Foreman, D

1998-01-01

Male prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) breed anually and have complete testicular regression. Changes in the seminiferous tubules during the annual cycle have been described recently (Foreman, 1997). This is the first description of spermatogenesis in such a species. The definition of tubular stages during the cycle allows for evaluation of the effects of exogenous hormones, hemicastration, and hemicryptorchidism on spermatogenesis during the annual cycle. Hemicastration was performed during stages of the annual cycle to determine effects of exogenous hormones on remaining testes. Hemicryptorchidism was also done during stages of the annual cycle. FSH, LH, and testosterone were given in high and low doses for short- or long-term treatment periods during stages of the annual cycle. Testicular weights and counts of cell types in tubules of control and treated testes were made on testis tissues. Hemicastration during the out-of-season period does not cause compensatory hypertrophy of the remaining testis, but during recrudescence, hypertrophy of the remaining testis occurs. Hemicastration does not prevent loss of weight by the remaining testis during regression. The seminiferous epithelium of hemicryptorchid prairie dog testes shows damage during spermatogenic activity but not during testicular inactivity. Similarly, hemicryptorchid 15-day-old rat testes do not show damage from hemicryptorchidism. Long-term treatment with FSH preparations during testicular inactivity increased testis weights, spermatogonial proliferation, and spermatocyte differentiation in conjunction with Sertoli cell differentiation. Short-term treatments with low doses increased spermatogonial proliferation and abnormal meiotic activity. Both long- and short-term treatments with LH caused increased sloughing of germ cells and stimulated Leydig and Sertoli cells. Testosterone propionate injections stimulated Sertoli secretions but not Leydig cell activity. Hemicastration during inactivity does

[Factors affecting residual stones after percutaneous nephrolithotomy in patients with renal calculus].

PubMed

Qiao, Mingzhou; Zhang, Haifang; Zhou, Chenlong

2015-11-24

To explore the factors affecting the residual stones after percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in patients with renal calculus. A retrospective analysis was performed for 1 200 patients who were affected by renal calculus and treated with PCNL between Jan 2008 and May 2014 in People's Hospital of Anyang City. Among those patients, 16 were diagnosed as bilateral renal stone and had two successive operations. The size, location and number of stones, previous history of surgery, the degree of hydronephrosis, urinary infection were included in the univariate analysis. Significant factors in univariate analysis were included in the multivariate analysis to determine factors affecting stone residual. A total of 385 cases developed stone residual after surgery. The overall residual rate was 31.7%. In univariate analysis, renal pelvis combined with caliceal calculus (P=0.006), stone size larger than 4 cm (P=0.005), stone number more than 4 (P=0.002), the amount of bleeding more than 200 ml (P=0.025), operation time longer than 120 minutes (P=0.028) were associated with an increased rate of stone residual. When subjected to the Cox multivariate analysis, the independent risk factors for residual stones were renal pelvis combined with caliceal calculus (P=0.049), stone size larger than 4 cm (P=0.038) and stone number more than 4 (P=0.018). Factors affecting the incidence of residual stones after PCNL are the size, location and number of stones. Larger size stone and the presence of renal pelvis combined with caliceal calculus are significantly associated with residual stones. Nevertheless, stone number less than 4 indicates an increased stone clearance rate.

The Influence of Exogenous Fat and Water on Lumbar Spine Bone Mineral Density in Healthy Volunteers

PubMed Central

Kim, Kyu-Nam; Kim, Bom-Taeck; Kim, Kwang-Min; Park, Sat-Byul; Joo, Nam-Seok; Je, Sang Hyeon; Kim, Young-Sang

2012-01-01

Purpose Changes in human body composition can affect the accuracy of spine bone mineral density (BMD) measurements. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether fat and water in the soft tissue of the abdomen influence lumbar spine BMD measurements obtained using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Materials and Methods Duplicate BMD measurements were carried out on healthy volunteers (10 men and 10 women) and the Hologic anthropomorphic spine phantom had on the same day before and after placement of following 3 materials in the abdominal area: lard 900 g, 1.5 cm thick; oil 1.4 liters in a vinyl bag; and water 1.2 liters in a vinyl bag. Results In the case of human participants, following the placement of exogenous water to mimic extracellular fluid (ECF), there was a significant decrease in lumbar spine BMD (-0.012 g/cm2, p=0.006), whereas the placement of exogenous lard and oil to mimic abdominal fat produced a slight increase in lumbar spine BMD (0.006 g/cm2, p=0.301; 0.008 g/cm2, p=0.250, respectively). The average percentage of lumbar spine BMD change with and without exogenous lard, oil, and water showed increase of 0.51%, and 0.67%, and decrease of 1.02%, respectively. Using the phantom, BMD decreased with the placement of both lard (-0.002 g/cm2, p=0.699) and water (-0.006 g/cm2, p=0.153); however, there was no difference in BMD after oil placement. Conclusion These results suggest that in cases where changes in fat and ECF volume are similar, ECF exerts a greater influence than fat on DXA lumbar BMD measurements. PMID:22318815

Effects of exogenous salinity (NaCl) gradient on Cd release in acidified contaminated brown soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lina; Rong, Yong; Mao, Li; Gao, Zhiyuan; Liu, Xiaoyu; Dong, Zhicheng

2018-02-01

Taking acidified Cd contaminated brown soil in Yantai as the research object, based on different exogenous salinity (NaCl) gradient (0%, 0.3%, 0.6%, 0.9%, 1.5%, 2% and 5%), indoor simulation experiments of Cd release were carried out after field investigation. Results showed that there was a significantly positive relation (r>0.90) between Cd release concentration/amount/ratio and exogenous salt (NaCl). Besides, the more exogenous salt (NaCl) was added; maximum release concentration/amount of Cd appeared the earlier. It was found that exogenous salt (NaCl) addition could obviously promote Cd release from acidified Cd contaminated brown soil. It was believed that this could be mainly due to the cation exchange between Cd2+ and Na+, together with the dissociation and/or complexation between Cl- and Cd2+. In addition, available adsorption sites reduction by exchange base in soil causing Cd changed from solid state to soil solution was also a probable reason.

The Effect of Exogenous Spermidine Concentration on Polyamine Metabolism and Salt Tolerance in Zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud) Subjected to Short-Term Salinity Stress.

PubMed

Li, Shucheng; Jin, Han; Zhang, Qiang

2016-01-01

Salt stress, particularly short-term salt stress, is among the most serious abiotic factors limiting plant survival and growth in China. It has been established that exogenous spermidine (Spd) stimulates plant tolerance to salt stress. The present study utilized two zoysiagrass cultivars commonly grown in China that exhibit either sensitive (cv. Z081) or tolerant (cv. Z057) adaptation capacity to salt stress. The two cultivars were subjected to 200 mM salt stress and treated with different exogenous Spd concentrations for 8 days. Polyamine [diamine putrescine (Put), tetraamine spermine (Spm), and Spd], H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and polyamine metabolic (ADC, ODC, SAMDC, PAO, and DAO) and antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase) enzyme activities were measured. The results showed that salt stress induced increases in Spd and Spm contents and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), and diamine oxidase (DAO) activities in both cultivars. Exogenous Spd application did not alter polyamine contents via regulation of polyamine-degrading enzymes, and an increase in polyamine biosynthetic enzyme levels was observed during the experiment. Increasing the concentration of exogenous Spd resulted in a tendency of the Spd and Spm contents and ODC, SAMDC, DAO, and antioxidant enzyme activities to first increase and then decrease in both cultivars. H2O2 and MDA levels significantly decreased in both cultivars treated with Spd. Additionally, in both cultivars, positive correlations between polyamine biosynthetic enzymes (ADC, SAMDC), DAO, and antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT), but negative correlations with H2O2 and MDA levels, and the Spd + Spm content were observed with an increase in the concentration of exogenous Spd.

The Effect of Exogenous Spermidine Concentration on Polyamine Metabolism and Salt Tolerance in Zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud) Subjected to Short-Term Salinity Stress

PubMed Central

Li, Shucheng; Jin, Han; Zhang, Qiang

2016-01-01

Salt stress, particularly short-term salt stress, is among the most serious abiotic factors limiting plant survival and growth in China. It has been established that exogenous spermidine (Spd) stimulates plant tolerance to salt stress. The present study utilized two zoysiagrass cultivars commonly grown in China that exhibit either sensitive (cv. Z081) or tolerant (cv. Z057) adaptation capacity to salt stress. The two cultivars were subjected to 200 mM salt stress and treated with different exogenous Spd concentrations for 8 days. Polyamine [diamine putrescine (Put), tetraamine spermine (Spm), and Spd], H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and polyamine metabolic (ADC, ODC, SAMDC, PAO, and DAO) and antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase) enzyme activities were measured. The results showed that salt stress induced increases in Spd and Spm contents and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), and diamine oxidase (DAO) activities in both cultivars. Exogenous Spd application did not alter polyamine contents via regulation of polyamine-degrading enzymes, and an increase in polyamine biosynthetic enzyme levels was observed during the experiment. Increasing the concentration of exogenous Spd resulted in a tendency of the Spd and Spm contents and ODC, SAMDC, DAO, and antioxidant enzyme activities to first increase and then decrease in both cultivars. H2O2 and MDA levels significantly decreased in both cultivars treated with Spd. Additionally, in both cultivars, positive correlations between polyamine biosynthetic enzymes (ADC, SAMDC), DAO, and antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT), but negative correlations with H2O2 and MDA levels, and the Spd + Spm content were observed with an increase in the concentration of exogenous Spd. PMID:27582752

Restoring the encoding properties of a stochastic neuron model by an exogenous noise

PubMed Central

Paffi, Alessandra; Camera, Francesca; Apollonio, Francesca; d'Inzeo, Guglielmo; Liberti, Micaela

2015-01-01

Here we evaluate the possibility of improving the encoding properties of an impaired neuronal system by superimposing an exogenous noise to an external electric stimulation signal. The approach is based on the use of mathematical neuron models consisting of stochastic HH-like circuit, where the impairment of the endogenous presynaptic inputs is described as a subthreshold injected current and the exogenous stimulation signal is a sinusoidal voltage perturbation across the membrane. Our results indicate that a correlated Gaussian noise, added to the sinusoidal signal can significantly increase the encoding properties of the impaired system, through the Stochastic Resonance (SR) phenomenon. These results suggest that an exogenous noise, suitably tailored, could improve the efficacy of those stimulation techniques used in neuronal systems, where the presynaptic sensory neurons are impaired and have to be artificially bypassed. PMID:25999845

Factors affecting decision-making of patients choosing acupuncture in a public hospital.

PubMed

Sayampanathan, Andrew Arjun; Koh, Thean Howe Bryan; Kong, Keng He; Low, Yin Peng

2015-11-01

With increasing evidence to support its practice, acupuncture has been integrated within many hospitals around the world. The purpose of this study is to understand the factors affecting decision making of patients as they select acupuncture treatment for their medical conditions and symptoms within a public hospital. A qualitative study consisting of in depth interviews with 14 patients was conducted. All patients attended an acupuncture clinic within a public hospital. Data collected was analysed via thematic analysis. Four main factor groups affecting decision making of patients were identified- factors affecting the level and value of patient-centric care, the confidence and trust patients place within the acupuncture service, the presence of collaborative efforts between acupuncturists and Western medicine practitioners, and the knowledge, culture and belief society has regarding the role of acupuncture and Western medicine. All participants interviewed had more than one factor group present as enablers toward their eventual selection of acupuncture for ailment management. It was also noted that although the majority of participants had sufficient knowledge regarding acupuncture, there were a select few who had misperceptions or no knowledge regarding certain aspects of acupuncture. There may be certain patterns in the way patients choose to utilise acupuncture services in public hospitals. Further studies should also be carried out in other public hospitals to analyse the factor groups identified further.

Factors that Affect Poverty Areas in North Sumatera Using Discriminant Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasution, D. H.; Bangun, P.; Sitepu, H. R.

2018-04-01

In Indonesia, especially North Sumatera, the problem of poverty is one of the fundamental problems that become the focus of government both central and local government. Although the poverty rate decreased but the fact is there are many people who are poor. Poverty happens covers several aspects such as education, health, demographics, and also structural and cultural. This research will discuss about several factors such as population density, Unemployment Rate, GDP per capita ADHK, ADHB GDP per capita, economic growth and life expectancy that affect poverty in Indonesia. To determine the factors that most influence and differentiate the level of poverty of the Regency/City North Sumatra used discriminant analysis method. Discriminant analysis is one multivariate analysis technique are used to classify the data into a group based on the dependent variable and independent variable. Using discriminant analysis, it is evident that the factor affecting poverty is Unemployment Rate.

Factors Other than GFR Affecting Serum Cystatin C Levels

PubMed Central

Stevens, Lesley A; Schmid, Christopher H.; Greene, Tom; Li, Liang; Beck, Gerald J; Joffe, Marshall; Froissart, Marc; Kusek, John; Zhang, Yaping (Lucy); Coresh, Josef; Levey, Andrew S

2015-01-01

Cystatin C is gaining acceptance as an endogenous filtration marker. Factors other than glomerular filtration rate (GFR) that affect the serum level have not been carefully studied. In a cross-sectional analysis of a pooled dataset of participants from clinical trials and a clinical population with chronic kidney disease (N=3418), we related serum levels of cystatin C and creatinine to clinical and biochemical variables after adjustment for GFR using errors-in-variables models to account for GFR measurement error. GFR was measured as urinary clearance of 125I-iothalamate and 15Cr-EDTA. Cystatin C was assayed at a single laboratory and creatinine was standardized to reference methods. Mean (SD) creatinine and cystatin C were 2.1 (1.1) mg/dL and 1.8 (0.8) mg/L, respectively. After adjustment for GFR, cystatin C was 4.3% lower for every 20 years of age, 9.2% lower for female sex but only 1.9% lower in blacks. Diabetes was associated with 8.5% higher levels of cystatin C and 3.9% lower levels of creatinine. Higher C-reactive protein and white blood cell count and lower serum albumin were associated with higher levels of cystatin C and lower levels of creatinine. Adjustment for age, sex and race had a greater effect on association of factors with creatinine than cystatin C. In conclusion, cystatin C is affected by factors other than GFR. Clinicians should consider these factors when interpreting the serum levels or GFR estimates from cystatin C. PMID:19119287

Exogenous vs. endogenous attention: Shifting the balance of fronto-parietal activity.

PubMed

Meyer, Kristin N; Du, Feng; Parks, Emily; Hopfinger, Joseph B

2018-03-01

Despite behavioral and electrophysiological evidence for dissociations between endogenous (voluntary) and exogenous (reflexive) attention, fMRI results have yet to consistently and clearly differentiate neural activation patterns between these two types of attention. This study specifically aimed to determine whether activity in the dorsal fronto-parietal network differed between endogenous and exogenous conditions. Participants performed a visual discrimination task in endogenous and exogenous attention conditions while undergoing fMRI scanning. Analyses revealed robust and bilateral activation throughout the dorsal fronto-parietal network for each condition, in line with many previous results. In order to investigate possible differences in the balance of neural activity within this network with greater sensitivity, a priori regions of interest (ROIs) were selected for analysis, centered on the frontal eye fields (FEF) and intraparietal sulcus (IPS) regions identified in previous studies. The results revealed a significant interaction between region, condition, and hemisphere. Specifically, in the left hemisphere, frontal areas were more active than parietal areas, but only during endogenous attention. Activity in the right hemisphere, in contrast, remained relatively consistent for these regions across conditions. Analysis of this activity over time indicates that this left-hemispheric regional imbalance is present within the FEF early, at 3-6.5 s post-stimulus presentation, whereas a regional imbalance in the exogenous condition is not evident until 6.5-8 s post-stimulus presentation. Overall, our results provide new evidence that although the dorsal fronto-parietal network is indeed associated with both types of attentional orienting, regions of the network are differentially engaged over time and across hemispheres depending on the type of attention. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validating YouTube Factors Affecting Learning Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratama, Yoga; Hartanto, Rudy; Suning Kusumawardani, Sri

2018-03-01

YouTube is often used as a companion medium or a learning supplement. One of the educational places that often uses is Jogja Audio School (JAS) which focuses on music production education. Music production is a difficult material to learn, especially at the audio mastering. With tutorial contents from YouTube, students find it easier to learn and understand audio mastering and improved their learning performance. This study aims to validate the role of YouTube as a medium of learning in improving student’s learning performance by looking at the factors that affect student learning performance. The sample involves 100 respondents from JAS at audio mastering level. The results showed that student learning performance increases seen from factors that have a significant influence of motivation, instructional content, and YouTube usefulness. Overall findings suggest that YouTube has a important role to student learning performance in music production education and as an innovative and efficient learning medium.

Beyond Negative Pain-Related Psychological Factors: Resilience Is Related to Lower Pain Affect in Healthy Adults.

PubMed

Hemington, Kasey S; Cheng, Joshua C; Bosma, Rachael L; Rogachov, Anton; Kim, Junseok A; Davis, Karen D

2017-09-01

Resilience, a characteristic that enhances adaptation in response to stressful events, is a positive psychological factor that can predict and modulate health outcomes. However, resilience is rarely considered in pain research. Conversely, negative psychological factors (eg, anxiety, depression) are known to be related to the affective dimension of pain. It is critical to understand all potential psychological drivers of pain affect, a prominent component of chronic pain. We tested the hypothesis that higher resilience is associated with lower pain affect, above and beyond the predictive value of negative psychological factors. Healthy adults underwent psychophysical testing to acquire ratings of heat pain intensity and unpleasantness and completed the Resilience Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (trait form), Beck Depression Inventory, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and the Pain Vigilance and Attention Questionnaire. Multiple regression modeling (n = 68) showed resilience to be a negatively associated with pain affect (unpleasantness). Furthermore, in individuals with higher anxiety scores, resilience was protective against higher pain affect. This highlights the importance of resilience, a positive psychological factor, in the affective dimension of pain. This study is the first to assess a positive psychological factor and experimental pain affect, and has the potential to improve prediction of and treatment strategies for clinical pain. We report that resilience, a positive psychological factor, interacts with anxiety and is associated with heat pain affect (unpleasantness) in healthy individuals. Resilience may provide predictive value of chronic pain affect and treatment outcomes, and could be a target for behavioral therapy. Copyright © 2017 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A study of the factors affecting the range of airplanes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biermann, David

1937-01-01

A study was made of the most important factors affecting the range of airplanes. Numerical examples are given showing the effects of different variables on the range of a two-engine airplane. The takeoff problems of long-range airplanes are analyzed.

Purification of the Membrane Compartment for Endoplasmic Reticulum-associated Degradation of Exogenous Antigens in Cross-presentation.

PubMed

Imai, Jun; Otani, Mayu; Sakai, Takahiro; Hatta, Shinichi

2017-08-21

Dendritic cells (DCs) are highly capable of processing and presenting internalized exogenous antigens upon major histocompatibility class (MHC) I molecules also known as cross-presentation (CP). CP plays an important role not only in the stimulation of naïve CD8 + T cells and memory CD8 + T cells for infectious and tumor immunity but also in the inactivation of self-acting naïve T cells by T cell anergy or T cell deletion. Although the critical molecular mechanism of CP remains to be elucidated, accumulating evidence indicates that exogenous antigens are processed through endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) after export from non-classical endocytic compartments. Until recently, characterizations of these endocytic compartments were limited because there were no specific molecular markers other than exogenous antigens. The method described here is a new vesicle isolation protocol, which allows for the purification of these endocytic compartments. Using this purified microsome, we reconstituted the ERAD-like transport, ubiquitination, and processing of the exogenous antigen in vitro, suggesting that the ubiquitin-proteasome system processed the exogenous antigen after export from this cellular compartment. This protocol can be further applied to other cell types to clarify the molecular mechanism of CP.

An Empirically Derived Taxonomy of Factors Affecting Physicians' Willingness to Disclose Medical Errors

PubMed Central

Kaldjian, Lauris C; Jones, Elizabeth W; Rosenthal, Gary E; Tripp-Reimer, Toni; Hillis, Stephen L

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND Physician disclosure of medical errors to institutions, patients, and colleagues is important for patient safety, patient care, and professional education. However, the variables that may facilitate or impede disclosure are diverse and lack conceptual organization. OBJECTIVE To develop an empirically derived, comprehensive taxonomy of factors that affects voluntary disclosure of errors by physicians. DESIGN A mixed-methods study using qualitative data collection (structured literature search and exploratory focus groups), quantitative data transformation (sorting and hierarchical cluster analysis), and validation procedures (confirmatory focus groups and expert review). RESULTS Full-text review of 316 articles identified 91 impeding or facilitating factors affecting physicians' willingness to disclose errors. Exploratory focus groups identified an additional 27 factors. Sorting and hierarchical cluster analysis organized factors into 8 domains. Confirmatory focus groups and expert review relocated 6 factors, removed 2 factors, and modified 4 domain names. The final taxonomy contained 4 domains of facilitating factors (responsibility to patient, responsibility to self, responsibility to profession, responsibility to community), and 4 domains of impeding factors (attitudinal barriers, uncertainties, helplessness, fears and anxieties). CONCLUSIONS A taxonomy of facilitating and impeding factors provides a conceptual framework for a complex field of variables that affects physicians' willingness to disclose errors to institutions, patients, and colleagues. This taxonomy can be used to guide the design of studies to measure the impact of different factors on disclosure, to assist in the design of error-reporting systems, and to inform educational interventions to promote the disclosure of errors to patients. PMID:16918739

Factors Affecting Teen Involvement in Pennsylvania 4-H Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gill, Bart E.; Ewing, John C.; Bruce, Jacklyn A.

2010-01-01

The study reported here determined the factors that affect teen involvement in 4-H programming. The design of the study was descriptive and correlational in nature. Using a purposive sampling procedure, a survey questionnaire was distributed to all (N=214) 4-H members attending the 4-H State Leadership Conference. The major findings of the study…

[Factors affecting the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in inpatient units: perception of nurses].

PubMed

Citolino, Clairton Marcos Filho; Santos, Eduesley Santana; Silva, Rita de Cassia Gengo E; Nogueira, Lilia de Souza

2015-12-01

To identify, in the perception of nurses, the factors that affect the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in adult inpatient units, and investigate the influence of both work shifts and professional experience length of time in the perception of these factors. A descriptive, exploratory study conducted at a hospital specialized in cardiology and pneumology with the application of a questionnaire to 49 nurses working in inpatient units. The majority of nurses reported that the high number of professionals in the scenario (75.5%), the lack of harmony (77.6%) or stress of any member of staff (67.3%), lack of material and/or equipment failure (57.1%), lack of familiarity with the emergency trolleys (98.0%) and presence of family members at the beginning of the cardiopulmonary arrest assistance (57.1%) are factors that adversely affect the quality of care provided during CPR. Professional experience length of time and the shift of nurses did not influence the perception of these factors. The identification of factors that affect the quality of CPR in the perception of nurses serves as parameter to implement improvements and training of the staff working in inpatient units.

Limited effects of exogenous glucose during severe hypoxia and a lack of hypoxia-stimulated glucose uptake in isolated rainbow trout cardiac muscle

PubMed Central

Becker, Tracy A.; DellaValle, Brian; Gesser, Hans; Rodnick, Kenneth J.

2013-01-01

SUMMARY We examined whether exogenous glucose affects contractile performance of electrically paced ventricle strips from rainbow trout under conditions known to alter cardiomyocyte performance, ion regulation and energy demands. Physiological levels of d-glucose did not influence twitch force development for aerobic preparations (1) paced at 0.5 or 1.1 Hz, (2) at 15 or 23°C, (3) receiving adrenergic stimulation or (4) during reoxygenation with or without adrenaline after severe hypoxia. Contractile responses to ryanodine, an inhibitor of Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, were also not affected by exogenous glucose. However, glucose did attenuate the fall in twitch force during severe hypoxia. Glucose uptake was assayed in non-contracting ventricle strips using 2-[3H] deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG) under aerobic and hypoxic conditions, at different incubation temperatures and with different inhibitors. Based upon a lack of saturation of 2-DG uptake and incomplete inhibition of uptake by cytochalasin B and d-glucose, 2-DG uptake was mediated by a combination of facilitated transport and simple diffusion. Hypoxia stimulated lactate efflux sixfold to sevenfold with glucose present, but did not increase 2-DG uptake or reduce lactate efflux in the presence of cytochalasin B. Increasing temperature (14 to 24°C) also did not increase 2-DG uptake, but decreasing temperature (14 to 4°C) reduced 2-DG uptake by 45%. In conclusion, exogenous glucose improves mechanical performance under hypoxia but not under any of the aerobic conditions applied. The extracellular concentration of glucose and cold temperature appear to determine and limit cardiomyocyte glucose uptake, respectively, and together may help define a metabolic strategy that relies predominantly on intracellular energy stores. PMID:23685969

Factors Affecting Zebra Mussel Kill by the Bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens

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

Daniel P. Molloy

2004-02-24

The specific purpose of this research project was to identify factors that affect zebra mussel kill by the bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens. Test results obtained during this three-year project identified the following key variables as affecting mussel kill: treatment concentration, treatment duration, mussel siphoning activity, dissolved oxygen concentration, water temperature, and naturally suspended particle load. Using this latter information, the project culminated in a series of pipe tests which achieved high mussel kill inside power plants under once-through conditions using service water in artificial pipes.

Psychological Factor Affecting English Speaking Performance for the English Learners in Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haidara, Youssouf

2016-01-01

In every learning situation or environment, human psychology plays a significant role. English speaking is a language skill that is highly affected by human psychology. This research aimed at describing the psychological factor that affects negatively the English speaking performance for the English learners in Indonesia. A descriptive qualitative…

The Key Factors Affecting Students' Individual Interest in School Science Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheung, Derek

2018-01-01

Individual interest in school science lessons can be defined as a relatively stable and enduring personal emotion comprising affective and behavioural reactions to events in the regular science lessons at school. Little research has compared the importance of different factors affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons. The…

Apolipoprotein CIII overexpression exacerbates diet-induced obesity due to adipose tissue higher exogenous lipid uptake and retention and lower lipolysis rates.

PubMed

Raposo, Helena F; Paiva, Adriene A; Kato, Larissa S; de Oliveira, Helena C F

2015-01-01

Hypertriglyceridemia is a common type of dyslipidemia found in obesity. However, it is not established whether primary hyperlipidemia can predispose to obesity. Evidences have suggested that proteins primarily related to plasma lipoprotein transport, such as apolipoprotein (apo) CIII and E, may significantly affect the process of body fat accumulation. We have previously observed an increased adiposity in response to a high fat diet (HFD) in mice overexpressing apoCIII. Here, we examined the potential mechanisms involved in this exacerbated response of apoCIII mice to the HFD. We measured body energy balance, tissue capacity to store exogenous lipids, lipogenesis and lipolysis rates in non-transgenic and apoCIII overexpressing mice fed a HFD during two months. Food intake, fat excretion and whole body CO2 production were similar in both groups. However, the adipose tissue mass (45 %) and leptin plasma levels (2-fold) were significantly greater in apoCIII mice. Lipogenesis rates were similar, while exogenous lipid retention was increased in perigonadal (2-fold) and brown adipose tissues (40 %) of apoCIII mice. In addition, adipocyte basal lipolysis (55 %) and in vivo lipolysis index (30 %) were significantly decreased in apoCIII mice. A fat tolerance test evidenced delayed plasma triglyceride clearance and greater transient availability of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) during the post-prandial state in the apoCIII mice plasma. Thus, apoCIII overexpression resulted in increased NEFA availability to adipose uptake and decreased adipocyte lipolysis, favoring lipid enlargement of adipose depots. We propose that plasma apoCIII levels represent a new risk factor for diet-induced obesity.

Exogenous melatonin improves Malus resistance to Marssonina apple blotch.

PubMed

Yin, Lihua; Wang, Ping; Li, Mingjun; Ke, Xiwang; Li, Cuiying; Liang, Dong; Wu, Shan; Ma, Xinli; Li, Chao; Zou, Yangjun; Ma, Fengwang

2013-05-01

We examined whether exogenously applied melatonin could improve resistance to Marssonina apple blotch (Diplocarpon mali) by apple [Malus prunifolia (Willd.) Borkh. cv. Donghongguo]. This serious disease leads to premature defoliation in the main regions of apple production. When plants were pretreated with melatonin, resistance was increased in the leaves. We investigated the potential roles for melatonin in modulating levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), as well the activities of antioxidant enzymes and pathogenesis-related proteins during these plant-pathogen interactions. Pretreatment enabled plants to maintain intracellular H2O2 concentrations at steady-state levels and enhance the activities of plant defence-related enzymes, possibly improving disease resistance. Because melatonin is safe and beneficial to animals and humans, exogenous pretreatment might represent a promising cultivation strategy to protect plants against this pathogen infection. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Catabolism of exogenous deoxyinosine in cultured epithelial amniotic cells.

PubMed

Carta, M C; Mattana, A; Camici, M; Allegrini, S; Tozzi, M G; Sgarrella, F

2001-10-03

Uptake and catabolism of purine nucleosides have been commonly considered as means to salvage the purine ring for nucleic acid synthesis, usually neglecting the destiny of the pentose moiety. With the aim to ascertain if deoxyribose derived from exogenous DNA can be utilised as a carbon and energy source, we studied the catabolism of exogenous deoxyinosine in a cell line derived from human amnion epithelium (WISH). Intact WISH cells catabolise deoxyinosine by conversion into hypoxanthine. The nucleoside enters the cell through a nitrobenzylthioinosine-insensitive equilibrative transport. Deoxyinosine undergoes a phosphorolytic cleavage inside the cell. The purine base diffuses back to the external medium, while the phosphorylated pentose moiety can be further catabolised to glycolysis and citric acid cycle intermediates. Our results indicate that the catabolism of the deoxynucleoside can be considered mainly as a means to meet the carbon and energy requirements of growing cells.

Focal Points, Endogenous Processes, and Exogenous Shocks in the Autism Epidemic

PubMed Central

Liu, Kayuet; Bearman, Peter S.

2014-01-01

Autism prevalence has increased rapidly in the United States during the past two decades. We have previously shown that the diffusion of information about autism through spatially proximate social relations has contributed significantly to the epidemic. This study expands on this finding by identifying the focal points for interaction that drive the proximity effect on subsequent diagnoses. We then consider how diffusion dynamics through interaction at critical focal points, in tandem with exogenous shocks, could have shaped the spatial dynamics of autism in California. We achieve these goals through an empirically calibrated simulation model of the whole population of 3- to 9-year-olds in California. We show that in the absence of interaction at these foci—principally malls and schools—we would not observe an autism epidemic. We also explore the idea that epigenetic changes affecting one generation in the distal past could shape the precise spatial patterns we observe among the next generation. PMID:26166907

Therapeutic effect of exogenous ghrelin in the healing of gingival ulcers is mediated by the release of endogenous growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1.

PubMed

Cieszkowski, J; Warzecha, Z; Ceranowicz, P; Ceranowicz, D; Kusnierz-Cabala, B; Pedziwiatr, M; Dembinski, M; Ambrozy, T; Kaczmarzyk, T; Pihut, M; Wieckiewicz, M; Olszanecki, R; Dembinski, A

2017-08-01

Ghrelin, an acylated 28-amino acid polypeptide, was primary isolated from the stomach, and the stomach is a main source of circulating ghrelin. Ghrelin strongly and dose-dependently stimulates release of growth hormone from the anterior pituitary, as well as increases food intake and fat deposition. Previous studies showed that ghrelin exhibits protective and therapeutic effect in different parts of the gastrointestinal system, including the oral cavity. The aim of present study was to examine the role of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the healing of gingival ulcers. Studies were performed on rats with the intact pituitary gland and hypophysectomized rats. In anesthetized rats, chronic ulcers of the gum were induced by acetic acid. Rats were treated intraperitoneally twice a day with saline or ghrelin (4, 8 or 16 nmol/kg/dose) for six days. In pituitary-intact rats, administration of ghrelin significantly increased serum concentration of growth hormone and IGF-1 and this effect was associated with a significant increase in the healing rate of gingival ulcers. Moreover, treatment with ghrelin increased mucosal blood flow and DNA synthesis in the gum, while a local inflammation was decreased what was observed as a reduction in mucosal concentration of pro-inflammatory interleukin-1β. Hypophysectomy decreased serum level of growth hormone below a detection limit; whereas serum concentration of IGF-1 was reduced by 90%. On the other hand, removal of the pituitary gland was without any significant effect on the healing rate of gingival ulcers or on the ulcer-induced increase in DNA synthesis and concentration of pro-inflammatory interleukin-1β in gingival mucosa. Administration of ghrelin failed to affect serum level of growth hormone and IGF-1 in hypophysectomized rats, and was without any effect on the healing rate of gingival ulcers, mucosal blood flow, DNA synthesis or concentration of interleukin-1β in gingival mucosa. Neither

Affective changes during the postpartum period: Influences of genetic and experiential factors.

PubMed

Agrati, Daniella; Lonstein, Joseph S

2016-01-01

This article is part of a Special Issue "Parental Care". The postpartum period involves some truly transformational changes in females' socioemotional behaviors. For most female laboratory rodents and women, these changes include an improvement in their affective state, which has positive consequences for their ability to sensitively care for their offspring. There is heterogeneity among females in the likelihood of this positive affective change, though, and some women experience elevated anxiety or depression (or in rodents anxiety- or depression-related behaviors) after giving birth. We aim to contribute to the understanding of this heterogeneity in maternal affectivity by reviewing selected components of the scientific literatures on laboratory rodents and humans examining how mothers' physical contact with her infants, genetics, history of anxiety and depression and early-life and recent-life experiences contribute to individual differences in postpartum affective states. These studies together indicate that multiple biological and environmental factors beyond female maternal state shape affective responses during the postpartum period, and probably do so in an interactive manner. Furthermore, the similar capacity of some of these factors to modulate anxiety and depression in human and rodent mothers suggests cross-species conservation of mechanisms regulating postpartum affectivity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparative proteomic analysis reveals the positive effect of exogenous spermidine on photosynthesis and salinity tolerance in cucumber seedlings.

PubMed

Sang, Ting; Shan, Xi; Li, Bin; Shu, Sheng; Sun, Jin; Guo, Shirong

2016-08-01

Our results based on proteomics data and physiological alterations proposed the putative mechanism of exogenous Spd enhanced salinity tolerance in cucumber seedlings. Current studies showed that exogenous spermidine (Spd) could alleviate harmful effects of salinity. It is important to increase our understanding of the beneficial physiological responses of exogenous Spd treatment, and to determine the molecular responses underlying these responses. Here, we combined a physiological analysis with iTRAQ-based comparative proteomics of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) leaves, treated with 0.1 mM exogenous Spd, 75 mM NaCl and/or exogenous Spd. A total of 221 differentially expressed proteins were found and involved in 30 metabolic pathways, such as photosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, stress response, signal transduction and antioxidant. Based on functional classification of the differentially expressed proteins and the physiological responses, we found cucumber seedlings treated with Spd under salt stress had higher photosynthesis efficiency, upregulated tetrapyrrole synthesis, stronger ROS scavenging ability and more protein biosynthesis activity than NaCl treatment, suggesting that these pathways may promote salt tolerance under high salinity. This study provided insights into how exogenous Spd protects photosynthesis and enhances salt tolerance in cucumber seedlings.

The paracrine effect of exogenous growth hormone alleviates dysmorphogenesis caused by tbx5 deficiency in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Dysmorphogenesis and multiple organ defects are well known in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos with T-box transcription factor 5 (tbx5) deficiencies, mimicking human Holt-Oram syndrome. Methods Using an oligonucleotide-based microarray analysis to study the expression of special genes in tbx5 morphants, we demonstrated that GH and some GH-related genes were markedly downregulated. Zebrafish embryos microinjected with tbx5-morpholino (MO) antisense RNA and mismatched antisense RNA in the 1-cell stage served as controls, while zebrafish embryos co-injected with exogenous growth hormone (GH) concomitant with tbx5-MO comprised the treatment group. Results The attenuating effects of GH in tbx5-MO knockdown embryos were quantified and observed at 24, 30, 48, 72, and 96 h post-fertilization. Though the understanding of mechanisms involving GH in the tbx5 functioning complex is limited, exogenous GH supplied to tbx5 knockdown zebrafish embryos is able to enhance the expression of downstream mediators in the GH and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 pathway, including igf1, ghra, and ghrb, and signal transductors (erk1, akt2), and eventually to correct dysmorphogenesis in various organs including the heart and pectoral fins. Supplementary GH also reduced apoptosis as determined by a TUNEL assay and decreased the expression of apoptosis-related genes and proteins (bcl2 and bad) according to semiquantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical analysis, respectively, as well as improving cell cycle-related genes (p27 and cdk2) and cardiomyogenetic genes (amhc, vmhc, and cmlc2). Conclusions Based on our results, tbx5 knockdown causes a pseudo GH deficiency in zebrafish during early embryonic stages, and supplementation of exogenous GH can partially restore dysmorphogenesis, apoptosis, cell growth inhibition, and abnormal cardiomyogenesis in tbx5 knockdown zebrafish in a paracrine manner. PMID:22776023

Naphthalene Acetic Acid Potassium Salt (NAA-K+) Affects Conidial Germination, Sporulation, Mycelial Growth, Cell Surface Morphology, and Viability of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radici-lycopersici and F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense in Vitro.

PubMed

Manzo-Valencia, María Karina; Valdés-Santiago, Laura; Sánchez-Segura, Lino; Guzmán-de-Peña, Dora Linda

2016-11-09

The response to exogenous addition of naphthalene acetic acid potassium salt (NAA-K + ) to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp radici-lycopersici ATCC 60095 and F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense isolated from Michoacan Mexico soil is reported. The in vitro study showed that NAA-K + might be effective in the control of Fusarium oxysporum. Exogenous application of NAA-K + affected both spores and mycelium stages of the fungi. Viability testing using acridine orange and propidium iodide showed that NAA-K + possesses fungal killing properties, doing it effectively in the destruction of conidia of this phytopathogenic fungi. Analysis of treated spores by scanning electron microscopy showed changes in the shape factor and fractal dimension. Moreover, NAA-K + repressed the expression of brlA and fluG genes. The results disclosed here give evidence of the use of this synthetic growth factor as a substance of biocontrol that presents advantages, and the methods of application in situ should be explored.

Autologous temporomandibular joint reconstruction independent of exogenous additives: a proof-of-concept study for guided self-generation

PubMed Central

Wei, Jiao; Herrler, Tanja; Han, Dong; Liu, Kai; Huang, Rulin; Guba, Markus; Dai, Chuanchang; Li, Qingfeng

2016-01-01

Joint defects are complex and difficult to reconstruct. By exploiting the body’s own regenerative capacity, we aimed to individually generate anatomically precise neo-tissue constructs for autologous joint reconstruction without using any exogenous additives. In a goat model, CT scans of the mandibular condyle including articular surface and a large portion of the ascending ramus were processed using computer-aided design and manufacturing. A corresponding hydroxylapatite negative mold was printed in 3D and temporarily embedded into the transition zone of costal periosteum and perichondrium. A demineralized bone matrix scaffold implanted on the contralateral side served as control. Neo-tissue constructs obtained by guided self-generation exhibited accurate configuration, robust vascularization, biomechanical stability, and function. After autologous replacement surgery, the constructs showed stable results with similar anatomical, histological, and functional findings compared to native controls. Further studies are required to assess long-term outcome and possible extensions to other further applications. The absence of exogenous cells, growth factors, and scaffolds may facilitate clinical translation of this approach. PMID:27892493

Factors Affecting Soil Microbial Community Structure in Tomato Cropping Systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil and rhizosphere microbial communities in agroecosystems may be affected by soil, climate, plant species, and management. We identified some of the most important factors controlling microbial biomass and community structure in an agroecosystem utilizing tomato plants with the following nine tre...

Factors affecting the reproductive success of dominant male meerkats.

PubMed

Spong, Göran F; Hodge, Sarah J; Young, Andrew J; Clutton-Brock, Tim H

2008-05-01

Identifying traits that affect the reproductive success of individuals is fundamental for our understanding of evolutionary processes. In cooperative breeders, a dominant male typically restricts mating access to the dominant female for extended periods, resulting in pronounced variation in reproductive success among males. This may result in strong selection for traits that increase the likelihood of dominance acquisition, dominance retention and reproductive rates while dominant. However, despite considerable research on reproductive skew, few studies have explored the factors that influence these three processes among males in cooperative species. Here we use genetic, behavioural and demographic data to investigate the factors affecting reproductive success in dominant male meerkats (Suricata suricatta). Our data show that dominant males sire the majority of all offspring surviving to 1 year. A male's likelihood of becoming dominant is strongly influenced by age, but not by weight. Tenure length and reproductive rate, both important components of dominant male reproductive success, are largely affected by group size and composition, rather than individual traits. Dominant males in large groups have longer tenures, but after this effect is controlled, male tenure length also correlates negatively to the number of adult females in the group. Male reproductive rate also declines as the number of intra- and extra-group competitors increases. As the time spent in the dominant position and reproductive rate while dominant explain > 80% of the total variance in reproductive success, group composition thus has major implications for male reproductive success.

Cancer cells incorporate and remodel exogenous palmitate into structural and oncogenic signaling lipids.

PubMed

Louie, Sharon M; Roberts, Lindsay S; Mulvihill, Melinda M; Luo, Kunxin; Nomura, Daniel K

2013-10-01

De novo lipogenesis is considered the primary source of fatty acids for lipid synthesis in cancer cells, even in the presence of exogenous fatty acids. Here, we have used an isotopic fatty acid labeling strategy coupled with metabolomic profiling platforms to comprehensively map palmitic acid incorporation into complex lipids in cancer cells. We show that cancer cells and tumors robustly incorporate and remodel exogenous palmitate into structural and oncogenic glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, and ether lipids. We also find that fatty acid incorporation into oxidative pathways is reduced in aggressive human cancer cells, and instead shunted into pathways for generating structural and signaling lipids. Our results demonstrate that cancer cells do not solely rely on de novo lipogenesis, but also utilize exogenous fatty acids for generating lipids required for proliferation and protumorigenic lipid signaling. This article is part of a special issue entitled Lipid Metabolism in Cancer. © 2013.

Dry-grind processing using amylase corn and superior yeast to reduce the exogenous enzyme requirements in bioethanol production.

PubMed

Kumar, Deepak; Singh, Vijay

2016-01-01

Conventional corn dry-grind ethanol production process requires exogenous alpha and glucoamylases enzymes to breakdown starch into glucose, which is fermented to ethanol by yeast. This study evaluates the potential use of new genetically engineered corn and yeast, which can eliminate or minimize the use of these external enzymes, improve the economics and process efficiencies, and simplify the process. An approach of in situ ethanol removal during fermentation was also investigated for its potential to improve the efficiency of high-solid fermentation, which can significantly reduce the downstream ethanol and co-product recovery cost. The fermentation of amylase corn (producing endogenous α-amylase) using conventional yeast and no addition of exogenous α-amylase resulted in ethanol concentration of 4.1 % higher compared to control treatment (conventional corn using exogenous α-amylase). Conventional corn processed with exogenous α-amylase and superior yeast (producing glucoamylase or GA) with no exogenous glucoamylase addition resulted in ethanol concentration similar to control treatment (conventional yeast with exogenous glucoamylase addition). Combination of amylase corn and superior yeast required only 25 % of recommended glucoamylase dose to complete fermentation and achieve ethanol concentration and yield similar to control treatment (conventional corn with exogenous α-amylase, conventional yeast with exogenous glucoamylase). Use of superior yeast with 50 % GA addition resulted in similar increases in yield for conventional or amylase corn of approximately 7 % compared to that of control treatment. Combination of amylase corn, superior yeast, and in situ ethanol removal resulted in a process that allowed complete fermentation of 40 % slurry solids with only 50 % of exogenous GA enzyme requirements and 64.6 % higher ethanol yield compared to that of conventional process. Use of amylase corn and superior yeast in the dry-grind processing industry

Factors affecting the employability in people with epilepsy.

PubMed

Wo, Monica Chen Mun; Lim, Kheng Seang; Choo, Wan Yuen; Tan, Chong Tin

2016-12-01

People with epilepsy (PWE) are negatively prejudiced in their ability to work. This study aimed to examine demographic, clinical and psychological factors associated with employability in PWE. This study recruited epilepsy patients from a neurology clinic in Malaysia. Employability was measured using employment ratio, with a ratio ≥90% (ER90) classified as high employability. Basic demographic data such as age, gender, marital status, religion, education level and household income was collected. Clinical measures consisted of age of seizure onset, seizure frequency, type of epilepsy, aura, polytherapy, nocturnal seizures and seizure control. Psychological measures included Work Self-Determination Index (WSDI), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES), and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Of 146 PWE, 64.4% had high employability. The participants were predominantly female (52%), Chinese (50.7%), single (50%), having tertiary education (55.5%) and focal epilepsy (72.6%). Clinically, only type of epilepsy was significantly correlated to employability of PWE. Employability of PWE was associated with ability to work (indicated by education level, work performance affected by seizures, ability to travel independently and ability to cope with stress at work) and family overprotection. The high employability group was found to have lower self-perceived stigma (ESS), higher self-determined motivation (WSDI), self-esteem (SES) and perceived social support (MSPSS), than the low employability group. Logistic regression analysis showed that tertiary education level (AOR 3.42, CI: 1.46-8.00), higher self-determination (WSDI, AOR 1.09, CI: 1.012-1.17), lower family overprotection (AOR 0.76, CI: 0.61-0.95), and generalised epilepsy (AOR 4.17, CI: 1.37-12.70) were significant predictors for higher employability in PWE. Ability to work (education level), clinical factor (type of epilepsy) and psychological factor (self-determined motivation and family

Personal Factors that Affect the Satisfaction of Female Patients Undergoing Esthetic Suture after Typical Thyroidectomy.

PubMed

Kim, Hyo Young; Kim, Jung Won; Park, Jin Hyung; Kim, Jung Hun; Han, Yea Sik

2013-07-01

In esthetic surgery, understanding the factors that influence patient satisfaction is important for successful practice. We hypothesize that the factors that influence patient satisfaction include not only aesthetic and functional outcomes, but also personal factors such as the level of familiarity with factors affecting wound healing and expectations regarding aesthetic outcome. One hundred patients who underwent esthetic closure after thyroidectomy were included in this study. In order to evaluate the individual characteristics of the patients, a preoperative survey was administered to the patients. We estimated the patient satisfaction six months postoperatively and assessed the aesthetic and functional outcomes using the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale. According to the results of correlation analysis, level of familiarity with wound healing factors had a positive correlation with satisfaction. High expectations, pain, itching, and high observer scale score had negative correlations with satisfaction. The factors that were correlated with satisfaction were included in the multiple regression analysis. Level of familiarity with wound healing factors was found to have a positive relationship with satisfaction, while itching and observer scale were found to have a negative relationship with satisfaction. After excluding 10 patients who had hypertrophic scars, only level of familiarity with wound healing factors and expectations affected satisfaction. The level of familiarity with factors affecting wound healing and expectations were found to independently affect satisfaction. Improving patients' level of familiarity with wound healing factors and reducing their expectations by providing suitable preoperative education has the potential to improve patient satisfaction.

Arsenic in Drinking Water in Bangladesh: Factors Affecting Child Health

PubMed Central

Aziz, Sonia N.; Aziz, Khwaja M. S.; Boyle, Kevin J.

2014-01-01

The focus of this paper is to present an empirical model of factors affecting child health by observing actions households take to avoid exposure to arsenic in drinking water. Millions of Bangladeshis face multiple health hazards from high levels of arsenic in drinking water. Safe water sources are either expensive or difficult to access, affecting people’s individuals’ time available for work and ultimately affecting the health of household members. Since children are particularly susceptible and live with parents who are primary decision makers for sustenance, parental actions linking child health outcomes is used in the empirical model. Empirical results suggest that child health is significantly affected by the age and gender of the household water procurer. Adults with a high degree of concern for children’s health risk from arsenic contamination, and who actively mitigate their arsenic contaminated water have a positive effect on child health. PMID:24982854

MECHANISMS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY: Exogenous insulin does not increase muscle protein synthesis rate when administered systemically: a systematic review.

PubMed

Trommelen, Jorn; Groen, Bart B L; Hamer, Henrike M; de Groot, Lisette C P G M; van Loon, Luc J C

2015-07-01

Though it is well appreciated that insulin plays an important role in the regulation of muscle protein metabolism, there is much discrepancy in the literature on the capacity of exogenous insulin administration to increase muscle protein synthesis rates in vivo in humans. To assess whether exogenous insulin administration increases muscle protein synthesis rates in young and older adults. A systematic review of clinical trials was performed and the presence or absence of an increase in muscle protein synthesis rate was reported for each individual study arm. In a stepwise manner, multiple models were constructed that excluded study arms based on the following conditions: model 1, concurrent hyperaminoacidemia; model 2, insulin-induced hypoaminoacidemia; model 3, supraphysiological insulin concentrations; and model 4, older, more insulin resistant, subjects. From the presented data in the current systematic review, we conclude that: i) exogenous insulin and amino acid administration effectively increase muscle protein synthesis, but this effect is attributed to the hyperaminoacidemia; ii) exogenous insulin administered systemically induces hypoaminoacidemia which obviates any insulin-stimulatory effect on muscle protein synthesis; iii) exogenous insulin resulting in supraphysiological insulin levels exceeding 50, 000  pmol/l may effectively augment muscle protein synthesis; iv) exogenous insulin may have a diminished effect on muscle protein synthesis in older adults due to age-related anabolic resistance; and v) exogenous insulin administered systemically does not increase muscle protein synthesis in healthy, young adults. © 2015 European Society of Endocrinology.

Factors affecting physical therapists’ job satisfaction: questionnaire survey targeting first-year physical therapists

PubMed Central

Kota, Munetsugu; Kudo, Hiroyuki; Okita, Kazuhiko

2018-01-01

[Purpose] The survey aimed to clarify the factors that affect physiotherapists’ job satisfaction. [Subjects and Methods] To examine factors affecting physical therapists’ job satisfaction using a cross-sectional study with a questionnaire survey. Subjects were 193 first-year physical therapists who participated in a newcomer orientation at Hiroshima Prefectural Physical Therapy Association. The questionnaire comprised items concerning physical therapists’ satisfaction with their work, motives for becoming physical therapists, education in school, internships, the workplace, and comfort in the workplace. [Results] Subjects were divided into two groups according to their satisfaction with their occupation. The “high satisfaction” group included 157 subjects, and the group “low satisfaction” group included 36 subjects. Using logistic regression analysis, items concerning comfort in the workplace, motives for becoming physical therapists, and learning in school were analysed. [Conclusion] Factors affecting physical therapists’ job satisfaction were primarily influenced by previous experience and working conditions. PMID:29706706

Factors affecting physical therapists' job satisfaction: questionnaire survey targeting first-year physical therapists.

PubMed

Kota, Munetsugu; Kudo, Hiroyuki; Okita, Kazuhiko

2018-04-01

[Purpose] The survey aimed to clarify the factors that affect physiotherapists' job satisfaction. [Subjects and Methods] To examine factors affecting physical therapists' job satisfaction using a cross-sectional study with a questionnaire survey. Subjects were 193 first-year physical therapists who participated in a newcomer orientation at Hiroshima Prefectural Physical Therapy Association. The questionnaire comprised items concerning physical therapists' satisfaction with their work, motives for becoming physical therapists, education in school, internships, the workplace, and comfort in the workplace. [Results] Subjects were divided into two groups according to their satisfaction with their occupation. The "high satisfaction" group included 157 subjects, and the group "low satisfaction" group included 36 subjects. Using logistic regression analysis, items concerning comfort in the workplace, motives for becoming physical therapists, and learning in school were analysed. [Conclusion] Factors affecting physical therapists' job satisfaction were primarily influenced by previous experience and working conditions.

Optimal Control for TB disease with vaccination assuming endogeneous reactivation and exogeneous reinfection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anggriani, N.; Wicaksono, B. C.; Supriatna, A. K.

2016-06-01

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the deadliest infectious disease in the world which caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The disease is spread through the air via the droplets from the infectious persons when they are coughing. The World Health Organization (WHO) has paid a special attention to the TB by providing some solution, for example by providing BCG vaccine that prevent an infected person from becoming an active infectious TB. In this paper we develop a mathematical model of the spread of the TB which assumes endogeneous reactivation and exogeneous reinfection factors. We also assume that some of the susceptible population are vaccinated. Furthermore we investigate the optimal vaccination level for the disease.

Factors affecting wood energy consumption by U.S. households

Treesearch

Nianfu Song; Francisco X. Aguilar; Stephen R. Shifley; Michael E. Goerndt

2012-01-01

About 23% of energy derived from woody sources in the U.S. was consumed by households, of which 70% was used by households in rural areas in 2005. We investigated factors affecting household-level wood energy consumption in the four continental U.S. regions using data from the U.S. Residential Energy Consumption Survey. To account for a large number of zero...

Exogenous attention to fear: Differential behavioral and neural responses to snakes and spiders.

PubMed

Soares, Sandra C; Kessel, Dominique; Hernández-Lorca, María; García-Rubio, María J; Rodrigues, Paulo; Gomes, Nuno; Carretié, Luis

2017-05-01

Research has consistently shown that threat stimuli automatically attract attention in order to activate the defensive response systems. Recent findings have provided evidence that snakes tuned the visual system of evolving primates for their astute detection, particularly under challenging perceptual conditions. The goal of the present study was to measure behavioral and electrophysiological indices of exogenous attention to snakes, compared with spiders - matched for rated fear levels but for which sources of natural selection are less well grounded, and to innocuous animals (birds), which were presented as distracters, while participants were engaged in a letter discrimination task. Duration of stimuli, consisting in a letter string and a concurrent distracter, was either presented for 180 or 360ms to explore if the stimulus duration was a modulating effect of snakes in capturing attention. Results showed a specific early (P1) exogenous attention-related brain potential with maximal amplitude to snakes in both durations, which was followed by an enhanced late attention-related potential (LPP) showing enhanced amplitudes to spiders, particularly under the longer exposure durations. These results suggest that exogenous attention to different classes of threat stimuli follows a gradual process, with the most evolutionary-driven stimulus, i.e., snakes, being more efficient at attracting early exogenous attention, thus more dependent on bottom-up processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The main factor affecting the competitiveness of Contractor Company

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurisra; Malahayati, Nurul; Mahmuddin

2018-05-01

Contractor companies must have the competitive advantage to compete in maintaining the survival of the company. Problems arise because quite a lot of advantages can be used and these advantages must be used appropriately to produce competitiveness for the company to continue to compete and to win the competition. This study aims to determine the main factors affecting the competitiveness of medium-class contractors in Banda Aceh. Data collection was obtained through questionnaires distributed to 31 middle-class contractors in Banda Aceh. Data processing and analysis is done by using descriptive analysis. Based on the result of descriptive analysis, it can be concluded that the most important competitiveness factor with a mean score value 4.52 is the relationship, and the factor that has the highest mean score value is the relationship with the government of 4.97, while the result of the ranking analysis is obtained 25 factor that is critical to the competitiveness of medium-class contractors in Banda Aceh.

Short Term Exogenic Climate Change Forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krahenbuhl, Daniel

Several short term exogenic forcings affecting Earth's climate are but recently identified. Lunar nutation periodicity has implications for numerical meteorological prediction. Abrupt shifts in solar wind bulk velocity, particle density, and polarity exhibit correlation with terrestrial hemispheric vorticity changes, cyclonic strengthening and the intensification of baroclinic disturbances. Galactic Cosmic ray induced tropospheric ionization modifies cloud microphysics, and modulates the global electric circuit. This dissertation is constructed around three research questions: (1): What are the biweekly declination effects of lunar gravitation upon the troposphere? (2): How do United States severe weather reports correlate with heliospheric current sheet crossings? and (3): How does cloud cover spatially and temporally vary with galactic cosmic rays? Study 1 findings show spatial consistency concerning lunar declination extremes upon Rossby longwaves. Due to the influence of Rossby longwaves on synoptic scale circulation, our results could theoretically extend numerical meteorological forecasting. Study 2 results indicate a preference for violent tornadoes to occur prior to a HCS crossing. Violent tornadoes (EF3+) are 10% more probable to occur near, and 4% less probable immediately after a HCS crossing. The distribution of hail and damaging wind reports do not mirror this pattern. Polarity is critical for the effect. Study 3 results confirm anticorrelation between solar flux and low-level marine-layer cloud cover, but indicate substantial regional variability between cloud cover altitude and GCRs. Ultimately, this dissertation serves to extend short term meteorological forecasting, enhance climatological modeling and through analysis of severe violent weather and heliospheric events, protect property and save lives.

Measuring Exposure Opportunities: Using Exogenous Measures in Assessing Effects of Media Exposure on Smoking Outcomes

PubMed Central

Liu, Jiaying; Hornik, Robert

2016-01-01

Measurement of exposure has long been one of the most central and fundamental issues in communication research. While self-reported measures remain dominant in the field, alternative approaches such as exogenous or hybrid measures have received increasing scholarly attention and been employed in various contexts for the estimation of media exposure; however, systematic scrutiny of such measures is thin. This study aims to address the gap by systematically reviewing the studies which utilized exogenous or hybrid exposure measures for examining the effects of media exposure on tobacco-related outcomes. We then proceed to discuss the strengths and weaknesses, current developments in this class of measurement, drawing some implications for the appropriate utilization of exogenous and hybrid measures. PMID:27746848

Exogenous Glutathione Enhances Mercury Tolerance by Inhibiting Mercury Entry into Plant Cells

PubMed Central

Kim, Yeon-Ok; Bae, Hyeun-Jong; Cho, Eunjin; Kang, Hunseung

2017-01-01

Despite the increasing understanding of the crucial roles of glutathione (GSH) in cellular defense against heavy metal stress as well as oxidative stress, little is known about the functional role of exogenous GSH in mercury (Hg) tolerance in plants. Here, we provide compelling evidence that GSH contributes to Hg tolerance in diverse plants. Exogenous GSH did not mitigate the toxicity of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), or zinc (Zn), whereas application of exogenous GSH significantly promoted Hg tolerance during seed germination and seedling growth of Arabidopsis thaliana, tobacco, and pepper. By contrast, addition of buthionine sulfoximine, an inhibitor of GSH biosynthesis, severely retarded seed germination and seedling growth of the plants in the presence of Hg. The effect of exogenous GSH on Hg specific tolerance was also evident in the presence of other heavy metals, such as Cd, Cu, and Zn, together with Hg. GSH treatment significantly decreased H2O2 and O2- levels and lipid peroxidation, but increased chlorophyll content in the presence of Hg. Importantly, GSH treatment resulted in significantly less accumulation of Hg in Arabidopsis plants, and thin layer chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis revealed that GSH had much stronger binding affinity to Hg than to Cd, Cu, or Zn, suggesting that tight binding of GSH to Hg impedes Hg uptake, leading to low Hg accumulation in plant cells. Collectively, the present findings reveal that GSH is a potent molecule capable of conferring Hg tolerance by inhibiting Hg accumulation in plants. PMID:28507557

Exogenous administration of Substance P enhances wound healing in a novel skin-injury model.

PubMed

Delgado, Angel V; McManus, Albert T; Chambers, James P

2005-04-01

Soft tissue injury accounts for approximately 44% of all wounds in both the military and civilian populations. Following injury to soft tissue, Substance P (SP) and other neuropeptides are released by cutaneous neurons and modulate the function of immunocompetent and inflammatory cells, as well as epithelial and endothelial cells. The interaction between these components of the nervous system and multiple target cells affecting cutaneous repair is of increasing interest. In this report, we describe the effects of SP on wound repair in a novel, laser-induced, skin-wound model. Gross and histologic examination of laser-induced injury revealed that exogenously administered SP affects wound healing via neurite outgrowth, in addition to adhesion molecule and neurokinin-1 receptor involvement in vivo. All SP effects were decreased by pretreatment with Spantide II, an SP antagonist. The elucidation of SP-mediating mechanisms is crucial to firmly establishing the involvement and interaction of the peripheral nervous system and the immune system in cutaneous repair. Findings presented here suggest that SP participates in the complex network of mediators involved in cutaneous inflammation and wound healing.

Factors Affecting the Formation of Food Preferences in Preschool Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alles-White, Monica L.; Welch, Patricia

1985-01-01

Identifies and discusses factors that affect the development of food preferences in preschool children, including familiarity, age, parents, peers, teachers, and programs designed to influence food habits. Makes recommendations to preschool and day care programs for creating an atmosphere conducive to trying new foods. (Author/DST)

Risk factors for injuries in landslide- and flood-affected populations in Uganda.

PubMed

Agrawal, Shreya; Gopalakrishnan, Tisha; Gorokhovich, Yuri; Doocy, Shannon

2013-08-01

The frequency of occurrence of natural disasters has increased over the past several decades, which necessitates a better understanding of human vulnerability, particularly in low-resource settings. This paper assesses risk factors for injury in the March 2010 floods and landslides in Eastern Uganda, and compares the effects of location, injury type, and severity. A stratified cluster survey of the disaster-affected populations was conducted five months after onset of the disasters. Probability proportional to size sampling was used to sample 800 households, including 400 affected by floods in Butaleja District and 400 affected by landslides in Bududa District. Flood- and landslide-affected populations were surveyed in July 2010 using a stratified cluster design. The odds of injury were 65% higher in the flood-affected groups than the landslide-affected groups in a logistic regression (OR = 0.35; 95% CI, 0.24-0.52; P < .001). The injury rate was greater in individuals under 42 years of age, and location of injury was a contributing factor. More people were injured in the flood-affected population as compared with the landslide-affected population, and injuries were more severe. This study illustrates differences between populations injured by flood and landslide disasters that occurred simultaneously in Eastern Uganda in 2010. In areas where landslides are prone to occur due to massive rainfalls or floods, preventative measures, such as early warning systems and evacuation, are more likely to increase the likelihood of people surviving, while for areas with massive floods, immediate and effective medical attention can save lives and improve injury outcomes.

Partial Granger causality--eliminating exogenous inputs and latent variables.

PubMed

Guo, Shuixia; Seth, Anil K; Kendrick, Keith M; Zhou, Cong; Feng, Jianfeng

2008-07-15

Attempts to identify causal interactions in multivariable biological time series (e.g., gene data, protein data, physiological data) can be undermined by the confounding influence of environmental (exogenous) inputs. Compounding this problem, we are commonly only able to record a subset of all related variables in a system. These recorded variables are likely to be influenced by unrecorded (latent) variables. To address this problem, we introduce a novel variant of a widely used statistical measure of causality--Granger causality--that is inspired by the definition of partial correlation. Our 'partial Granger causality' measure is extensively tested with toy models, both linear and nonlinear, and is applied to experimental data: in vivo multielectrode array (MEA) local field potentials (LFPs) recorded from the inferotemporal cortex of sheep. Our results demonstrate that partial Granger causality can reveal the underlying interactions among elements in a network in the presence of exogenous inputs and latent variables in many cases where the existing conditional Granger causality fails.

Factors affecting smoking in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Beratis, S; Katrivanou, A; Gourzis, P

2001-01-01

There is an increased frequency of smoking among patients with schizophrenia. However, it is unknown whether the smoking behavior of the patients is similar in all schizophrenia subtypes, as well as which is the relationship between smoking initiation and disease onset. Four hundred six patients with DSM-IV schizophrenia were interviewed to determine the smoking status in relationship to gender and schizophrenic subtype, and to other factors that could affect or be affected by smoking. The frequency of smoking among patients (58%) was significantly greater than in subjects from the general population (42%) (P =.000005). Male patients smoked significantly more frequently (70%) than the corresponding control subjects (50%) (P =.000006), whereas the difference failed to reach significance between female patients (41%) and control subjects (32%). Among male patients, the number of smokers was significantly greater than in the controls in the paranoid (77%), undifferentiated (72%), and residual (78%) subtypes, whereas there was no significant difference in the disorganized (44%) and catatonic (22%) subtypes. The findings show that the frequency of smoking in schizophrenia patients increases with increasing positive symptoms and decreases with increasing negative symptoms. Male and female smoking patients consumed approximately 10 cigarettes per day more than the corresponding control subjects (P <.000001). In 86% of the patients, smoking initiation occurred before the disease onset. Among patients who smoked, smoking initiation and disease onset occurred at age 18.7 +/- 4.4 and 24.1 +/- 6.1 years, respectively (P <.000001). It appears that smoking in schizophrenia is influenced by gender and subtype. However, the nature of this association remains uncertain because in the vast majority of the patients smoking initiation occurs earlier than the disease onset. Copyright 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company

Factors affecting nucleolytic efficiency of some ternary metal complexes with DNA binding and recognition domains. Crystal and molecular structure of Zn(phen)(edda).

PubMed

Seng, Hoi-Ling; Ong, Han-Kiat Alan; Rahman, Raja Noor Zaliha Raja Abd; Yamin, Bohari M; Tiekink, Edward R T; Tan, Kong Wai; Maah, Mohd Jamil; Caracelli, Ignez; Ng, Chew Hee

2008-11-01

The binding selectivity of the M(phen)(edda) (M=Cu, Co, Ni, Zn; phen=1,10-phenanthroline, edda=ethylenediaminediacetic acid) complexes towards ds(CG)(6), ds(AT)(6) and ds(CGCGAATTCGCG) B-form oligonucleotide duplexes were studied by CD spectroscopy and molecular modeling. The binding mode is intercalation and there is selectivity towards AT-sequence and stacking preference for A/A parallel or diagonal adjacent base steps in their intercalation. The nucleolytic properties of these complexes were investigated and the factors affecting the extent of cleavage were determined to be: concentration of complex, the nature of metal(II) ion, type of buffer, pH of buffer, incubation time, incubation temperature, and the presence of hydrogen peroxide or ascorbic acid as exogenous reagents. The fluorescence property of these complexes and its origin were also investigated. The crystal structure of the Zn(phen)(edda) complex is reported in which the zinc atom displays a distorted trans-N(4)O(2) octahedral geometry; the crystal packing features double layers of complex molecules held together by extensive hydrogen bonding that inter-digitate with adjacent double layers via pi...pi interactions between 1,10-phenanthroline residues. The structure is compared with that of the recently described copper(II) analogue and, with the latter, included in molecular modeling.

Companion of choice at birth: factors affecting implementation.

PubMed

Kabakian-Khasholian, Tamar; Portela, Anayda

2017-08-31

Two recent recommendations made by the World Health Organization confirm the benefits of companion of choice at birth on labour outcomes; however institutional practices and policies do not always support its implementation in different settings around the world. We conducted a review to determine factors that affect implementation of this intervention considering the perspectives and experiences of different stakeholders and other institutional, systemic barriers and facilitators. Forty one published studies were included in this review. Thirty one publications were identified from a 2013 Cochrane review on the effectiveness of companion of choice at birth. We also reviewed 10 qualitative studies conducted alongside the trials or other interventions on labour and birth companionship identified through electronic searches. The SURE (Supporting the Use of Research Evidence) framework was used to guide the thematic analysis of implementation factors. Women and their families expressed appreciation for the continuous presence of a person to provide support during childbirth. Health care providers were concerned about the role of the companion and possible interference with activities in the labour ward. Allocation of resources, organization of care, facility-related constraints and cultural inclinations were identified as implementation barriers. Prior to introducing companion of choice at birth, understanding providers' attitudes and sensitizing them to the evidence is necessary. The commitment of the management of health care facilities is also required to change policies, including allocation of appropriate physical space that respects women's privacy. Implementation research to develop models for different contexts which could be scaled up would be useful, including documentation of factors that affected implementation and how they were addressed. Future research should also focus on documenting the costs related to implementation, and on measuring the impact of

Nickel affects gill and muscle development in oriental fire-bellied toad (Bombina orientalis) embryos.

PubMed

Park, Chan Jin; Song, Sang Ha; Kim, Dae Han; Gye, Myung Chan

2017-01-01

The developmental toxicity of nickel was examined in the embryos of Bombina orientalis, a common amphibian in Korea. Based on a standard frog embryo teratogenesis assay, the LC 50 and EC 50 for malformation of nickel after 168h of treatment were 33.8μM and 5.4μM, respectively. At a lethal concentration (100μM), nickel treatment decreased the space between gill filaments and caused epithelial swelling and abnormal fusion of gill filaments. These findings suggest that nickel affects the functional development of gills, leading to embryonic death. At sublethal concentrations (1-10μM), nickel produced multiple embryonic abnormalities, including bent tail and tail dysplasia. At 10μM, nickel significantly decreased tail length and tail muscle fiber density in tadpoles, indicating inhibition of myogenic differentiation. Before hatching, the pre-muscular response to muscular response stages (stages 26-31) were the most sensitive period to nickel with respect to tail muscle development. During these stages, MyoD mRNA was upregulated, whereas myogenic regulatory factor 4 mRNA was downregulated by 0.1μM nickel. Calcium-dependent kinase activities in muscular response stage embryos were significantly decreased by nickel, whereas these activities were restored by exogenous calcium. In tadpoles, 10μM nickel significantly decreased the expression of the myosin heavy chain and the 12/101 muscle marker protein in the tail. Expression was restored by exogenous calcium. Our results indicate that nickel affects muscle development by disrupting calcium-dependent myogenesis in developing B. orientalis embryos. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Influence of Endogenous and Exogenous Spatial Attention on Decision Confidence.

PubMed

Kurtz, Phillipp; Shapcott, Katharine A; Kaiser, Jochen; Schmiedt, Joscha T; Schmid, Michael C

2017-07-25

Spatial attention allows us to make more accurate decisions about events in our environment. Decision confidence is thought to be intimately linked to the decision making process as confidence ratings are tightly coupled to decision accuracy. While both spatial attention and decision confidence have been subjected to extensive research, surprisingly little is known about the interaction between these two processes. Since attention increases performance it might be expected that confidence would also increase. However, two studies investigating the effects of endogenous attention on decision confidence found contradictory results. Here we investigated the effects of two distinct forms of spatial attention on decision confidence; endogenous attention and exogenous attention. We used an orientation-matching task, comparing the two attention conditions (endogenous and exogenous) to a control condition without directed attention. Participants performed better under both attention conditions than in the control condition. Higher confidence ratings than the control condition were found under endogenous attention but not under exogenous attention. This finding suggests that while attention can increase confidence ratings, it must be voluntarily deployed for this increase to take place. We discuss possible implications of this relative overconfidence found only during endogenous attention with respect to the theoretical background of decision confidence.

Transcriptomic Profiling Analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana Treated with Exogenous Myo-Inositol

PubMed Central

Ye, Wenxing; Ren, Weibo; Kong, Lingqi; Zhang, Wanjun; Wang, Tao

2016-01-01

Myo-insositol (MI) is a crucial substance in the growth and developmental processes in plants. It is commonly added to the culture medium to promote adventitious shoot development. In our previous work, MI was found in influencing Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. In this report, a high-throughput RNA sequencing technique (RNA-Seq) was used to investigate differently expressed genes in one-month-old Arabidopsis seedling grown on MI free or MI supplemented culture medium. The results showed that 21,288 and 21,299 genes were detected with and without MI treatment, respectively. The detected genes included 184 new genes that were not annotated in the Arabidopsis thaliana reference genome. Additionally, 183 differentially expressed genes were identified (DEGs, FDR ≤0.05, log2 FC≥1), including 93 up-regulated genes and 90 down-regulated genes. The DEGs were involved in multiple pathways, such as cell wall biosynthesis, biotic and abiotic stress response, chromosome modification, and substrate transportation. Some significantly differently expressed genes provided us with valuable information for exploring the functions of exogenous MI. RNA-Seq results showed that exogenous MI could alter gene expression and signaling transduction in plant cells. These results provided a systematic understanding of the functions of exogenous MI in detail and provided a foundation for future studies. PMID:27603208

Differential lipid profile and hormonal response in type 2 diabetes by exogenous insulin aspart versus the insulin secretagogue repaglinide, at the same glycemic control.

PubMed

Chisalita, Simona I; Lindström, Torbjörn; Eson Jennersjö, Pär; Paulsson, Johan F; Westermark, Gunilla T; Olsson, Anders G; Arnqvist, Hans J

2009-03-01

Our aim was to study, at the same glycemic control, how treatment with either the insulin secretagogue repaglinide or exogenous insulin aspart affects endogenous insulin secretion, plasma insulin and IAPP (islet amyloid polypeptide) levels, GH-IGF (growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor) axis and plasma lipoprotein concentrations in patients with type 2 diabetes. Five patients, age 65.0+/-4.1 years (mean+/-SE), body weight 82.5+/-5.0 kg, BMI (body mass index) 27.7+/-1.5 kg/m(2) were treated for 10 weeks with repaglinide or insulin aspart in a randomized, cross-over study. At the end of each treatment a 24-h metabolic profile was performed. Blood glucose, C-peptide, free human insulin, free total (human and analogue) insulin, proinsulin, IAPP, IGF-I, IGFBP-1 (IGF binding protein-1), GHBP (growth hormone binding protein) and plasma lipoprotein concentrations were measured. Similar 24-h blood glucose profiles were obtained with repaglinide and insulin aspart treatment. During the repaglinide treatment, the meal related peaks of C-peptide and free human insulin were about twofold higher than during treatment with insulin aspart. Proinsulin, GHBP were higher and IAPP levels tended to be higher during repaglinide compared to insulin aspart. Postprandial plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides and apolipoprotein B concentrations were higher on repaglinide than on insulin aspart treatment. Our results show that, at the same glycemic control, treatment with exogenous insulin aspart in comparison with the insulin secretagogue repaglinide result in a lower endogenous insulin secretion, and a tendency towards a less atherogenic postprandial lipid profile.

Endocrine interactions between plants and animals: Implications of exogenous hormone sources for the evolution of hormone signaling.

PubMed

Miller, Ashley E M; Heyland, Andreas

2010-05-01

Hormones are central to animal physiology, metabolism and development. Details on signal transduction systems and regulation of hormone synthesis, activation and release have only been studied for a small number of animal groups, notably arthropods and chordates. However, a significant body of literature suggests that hormonal signaling systems are not restricted to these phyla. For example, work on several echinoderm species shows that exogenous thyroid hormones (THs) affect larval development and metamorphosis and our new data provide strong evidence for endogenous synthesis of THs in sea urchin larvae. In addition to these endogenous sources, these larvae obtain THs when they consume phytoplankton. Another example of an exogenously acquired hormone or their precursors is in insect and arthropod signaling. Sterols from plants are essential for the synthesis of ecdysteroids, a crucial group of insect morphogenic steroids. The availability of a hormone or hormone precursor from food has implications for understanding hormone function and the evolution of hormonal signaling in animals. For hormone function, it creates an important link between the environment and the regulation of internal homeostatic systems. For the evolution of hormonal signaling it helps us to better understand how complex endocrine mechanisms may have evolved. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Synergistic Effect of Affective Factors on Student Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jack, Brady Michael; Lin, Huann-shyang; Yore, Larry D.

2014-01-01

This study investigates how affective and self-related factors impact participation in science learning and environmental awareness and responsibility. Using PISA 2006 datasets from Taiwan and Canada having similar level of science competency, the model for this study verifies and expands an earlier model by examining the relationships among…

Factors Affecting Educational Innovation with in Class Electronic Response Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Mark; Bell, Amani; Comerton-Forde, Carole; Pickering, Joanne; Blayney, Paul

2007-01-01

This paper reports the use of Rogers' diffusion of innovation perspective to understand the factors affecting educational innovation decisions, specifically in regard to in class electronic response systems. Despite decreasing costs and four decades of research showing strong student support, academic adoption is limited. Using data collected from…

Scrutinizing the Factors Affecting Fluency of English among Arab Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al Ghazali, Fawzi

2017-01-01

This research study investigates the cognitive, psychological and personal factors affecting the accuracy and fluency of English language usage among Arab learners. Early research led by Chomsky (1965) and Krashen (1981) suggested that an individual's Language Acquisition Device once triggered at the appropriate time and supported with adequate…

Factors Affecting the Acceptability of Microforms as a Reading Medium.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spencer, Herbert; Reynolds, Linda

Based on visits to representative microform users and an extensive survey of relevant literature, a study was undertaken to assess the relative importance of factors affecting the acceptability of microforms as reading mediums. The following variables were considered: (1) microform characteristics; (2) equipment design; (3) work station design;…

Environmental factors affecting understory diversity in second-growth deciduous forests

Treesearch

Cynthia D. Huebner; J.C. Randolph; G.R. Parker

1995-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the most important nonanthropogenic factors affecting understory (herbs, shrubs and low-growing vines) diversity in forested landscapes of southern Indiana. Fourteen environmental variables were measured for 46 sites. Multiple regression analysis showed significant positive correlation between understory diversity and tree...

Factors Affecting School Choice: What Do Malaysian Chinese Parents Want?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siah, Poh Chua; Christina Ong, Sook Beng; Tan, Swee Mee; Sim, Chzia Poaw; Xian Thoo, Raphael Yi

2018-01-01

Aiming to explore factors affecting Malaysian Chinese parents in sending their children to either national secondary schools or Chinese independent schools, 494 parents were surveyed using a questionnaire. Results showed that parents who sent their children to Chinese independent schools have different priorities compared to those who sent theirs…

Risk factors affecting human traumatic tympanic membrane perforation regeneration therapy using fibroblast growth factor-2.

PubMed

Lou, Zhengcai; Yang, Jian; Tang, Yongmei; Xiao, Jian

2015-01-01

The use of growth factors to achieve closure of human traumatic tympanic membrane perforations (TMPs) has recently been demonstrated. However, pretreatment factors affecting healing outcomes have seldom been discussed. The objective of this study was to evaluate pretreatment factors contributing to the success or failure of healing of TMPs using fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2). A retrospective cohort study of 99 patients (43 males, 56 females) with traumatic TMPs who were observed for at least 6 months after FGF-2 treatment between March 2011 and December 2012. Eleven factors considered likely to affect the outcome of perforation closure were evaluated statistically using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Each traumatic TMP was treated by direct application of FGF-2. Complete closure versus failure to close. In total, 99 patients were analyzed. The total closure rate was 92/99 (92.9%) at 6 months; the mean closure time was 10.59 ±  6.81 days. The closure rate did not significantly differ between perforations with or without inverted edges (100.0% vs. 91.4%, p = 0.087), among different size groups (p = 0.768), or among different periods of exposure to injury (p = 0.051). However, the closure rate was significantly different between the high- and low-dose FGF-2 groups (85.0% vs. 98.3%, p = 0.010) and between perforations where the umbo or malleus was or was not involved in perforation (85.4% vs. 98.3%, p = 0.012). Additionally, univariate logistic regression analysis tests showed that it was difficult to achieve healing of these perforations with a history of chronic otitis media or residual TM calcification (p = 0.006), the umbo or malleus was involved in perforation (p = 0.038), and with a high dose of FGF-2 (p = 0.035) compared with control groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only a history of chronic otitis media and residual TM calcification and perforation close to the

Accounting for Exogenous Influences in Performance Evaluations of Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Witte, Kristof; Rogge, Nicky

2011-01-01

Students' evaluations of teacher performance (SETs) are increasingly used by universities. However, SETs are controversial mainly due to two issues: (1) teachers value various aspects of excellent teaching differently, and (2) SETs should not be determined on exogenous influences. Therefore, this paper constructs SETs using a tailored version of…

Factors affecting alkali jarosite precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutrizac, J. E.

1983-12-01

Several factors affecting the precipitation of the alkali jarosites (sodium jarosite, potassium jarosite, rubidium jarosite, and ammonium jarosite) have been studied systematically using sodium jarosite as the model. The pH of the reacting solution exercises a major influence on the amount of jarosite formed, but has little effect on the composition of the washed product. Higher temperatures significantly increase the yield and slightly raise the alkali content of the jarosites. The yield and alkali content both increase greatly with the alkali concentration to about twice the stoichiometric requirement but, thereafter, remain nearly constant. At 97 °C, the amount of product increases with longer retention times to about 15 hours, but more prolonged reaction times are without significant effect on the amount or composition of the jarosite. Factors such as the presence of seed or ionic strength have little effect on the yield or jarosite composition. The amount of precipitate augments directly as the iron concentration of the solution increases, but the product composition is nearly independent of this variable. A significant degree of agitation is necessary to suspend the product and to prevent the jarosite from coating the apparatus with correspondingly small yields. Once the product is adequately suspended, however, further agitation is without significant effect. The partitioning of alkali ions during jarosite precipitation was ascertained for K:Na, Na:NH4, K:NH4, and K:Rb. Potassium jarosite is the most stable of the alkali jarosites and the stability falls systematically for lighter or heavier congeners; ammonium jarosite is slightly more stable than the sodium analogue. Complete solid solubility among the various alkali jarosite-type compounds was established.

[Phosphorus availability in cropland soils of China and related affecting factors].

PubMed

Wang, Yong-Zhuang; Chen, Xin; Shi, Yi

2013-01-01

Soil phosphorus (P) availability directly determines cropland productivity. Based on the long-term fertilization experiments in different climatic zones of China, this paper summarized the P content, its availability, and the factors affecting the P transformation in China cropland soils. The total and available P contents in different types of China cropland soils were 0.31-1.72 g x kg(-1) and 0.1-228.8 mg x kg(-1), respectively. Soil parent material, soil physical and chemical prosperities, and fertilization practices were the main factors affecting the soil P availability. It was suggested that more attentions should be paid on the mixed application of organic manure and chemical fertilizers to improve the P availability of cropland soils and on the potential environmental impacts of this fertilization.

Anorexia is Associated with Stress-Dependent Orexigenic Responses to Exogenous Neuropeptide Y.

PubMed

Yi, J; Delp, M S; Gilbert, E R; Siegel, P B; Cline, M A

2016-05-01

Chicken lines that have been divergently selected for either low (LWS) or high (HWS) body weight at 56 days of age for more than 57 generations have different feeding behaviours in response to a range of i.c.v. injected neurotransmitters. The LWS have different severities of anorexia, whereas the HWS become obese. Previously, we demonstrated that LWS chicks did not respond, whereas HWS chicks increased food intake, after central injection of neuropeptide Y (NPY). The present study aimed to determine the molecular mechanisms underlying the loss of orexigenic function of NPY in LWS. Chicks were divided into four groups: stressed LWS and HWS on day of hatch, and control LWS and HWS. The stressor was a combination of food deprivation and cold exposure. On day 5 post-hatch, each chick received an i.c.v. injection of vehicle or 0.2 nmol of NPY. Only the LWS stressed group did not increase food intake in response to i.c.v. NPY. Hypothalamic mRNA abundance of appetite-associated factors was measured at 1 h post-injection. Interactions of genetic line, stress and NPY treatment were observed for the mRNA abundance of agouti-related peptide (AgRP) and synaptotagmin 1 (SYT1). Intracerebroventricular injection of NPY decreased and increased AgRP and SYT1 mRNA, respectively, in the stressed LWS and increased AgRP mRNA in stressed HWS chicks. Stress was associated with increased NPY, orexin receptor 2, corticotrophin-releasing factor receptor 1, melanocortin receptor 3 (MC3R) and growth hormone secretagogue receptor expression. In conclusion, the loss of responsiveness to exogenous NPY in stressed LWS chicks may be a result of the decreased and increased hypothalamic expression of AgRP and MC3R, respectively. This may induce an intensification of anorexigenic melanocortin signalling pathways in LWS chicks that block the orexigenic effect of exogenous NPY. These results provide insights onto the anorexic condition across species, and especially for forms of inducible anorexia

Fractal attractors and singular invariant measures in two-sector growth models with random factor shares

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La Torre, Davide; Marsiglio, Simone; Mendivil, Franklin; Privileggi, Fabio

2018-05-01

We analyze a multi-sector growth model subject to random shocks affecting the two sector-specific production functions twofold: the evolution of both productivity and factor shares is the result of such exogenous shocks. We determine the optimal dynamics via Euler-Lagrange equations, and show how these dynamics can be described in terms of an iterated function system with probability. We also provide conditions that imply the singularity of the invariant measure associated with the fractal attractor. Numerical examples show how specific parameter configurations might generate distorted copies of the Barnsley's fern attractor.

Factors affecting workplace bullying and lateral violence among clinical nurses in Korea: descriptive study.

PubMed

Oh, Hyunjin; Uhm, Dong Choon; Yoon, Young Joo

2016-04-01

Workplace bullying and lateral violence are serious issues affecting the work life of hospital nurses. The purpose of this study was to identify the selected individual and institutional characteristics for workplace bullying and lateral violence using a conceptual framework. A descriptive survey design was used. A convenience sample of 255 nurses in tertiary hospitals, who had a minimum of 6 months clinical experience, completed the survey. Regression analysis was used to determine factors significantly associated with workplace bullying and lateral violence. The Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised and the Lateral Violence scale were used to measure workplace bullying and lateral violence. A negative affect, individualism and working in hospital specialty units predicted workplace bullying. Individualism, a negative affect, affiliated hospital and working hours predicted verbal abuse whereas the place of employment was significantly associated with lateral violence. The results of this study identified factors that are associated with bullying and violence but did not fully support the conceptual framework. The individual characteristic negative affect was significantly associated with most types of workplace bullying and lateral violence bully whereas the place of employment was an important factor in lateral violence. Nurse managers need to be aware that both individual and institutional factors may impact levels of workplace bullying and lateral violence in their hospitals and need to prepare specific strategies to address these multiple factors. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Factors affecting length of stay in teaching hospitals of a middle-income country

PubMed Central

Khosravizadeh, Omid; Vatankhah, Soudabeh; Bastani, Peivand; Kalhor, Rohollah; Alirezaei, Samira; Doosty, Farzane

2016-01-01

Introduction The length of stay (LOS) in hospitals is a widely used and important criteria for evaluating hospital performance. The aim of this study was to determine factors affecting LOS in teaching hospitals of Qazvin Providence. Methods In this cross-sectional study, patients’ health records were randomly selected from archives in teaching hospitals of Qazvin in 2013. Data were collected through a data entry form and were analyzed using Kolmogorov–Smirnov, Kruskal–Wallis, and Mann–Whitney U tests at the significant level of 0.05. Results The mean of hospital LOS was 5.45 ± 6.14 days. Age, employment, marital status, history of previous admission, patient condition at discharge, method of payment, and type of treatment had an impact on LOS (p<0.05). Other factors, including gender, place of residence, and type of admission, did not affect LOS. Conclusion Because hospitals consume a perceptible part of resources in a health system, controlled and optimized use of its resources help to save a lot. Therefore, this study showed many clinical and nonclinical factors affect LOS in evaluating these factors, which may reduce inappropriate hospital stays and decrease costs. PMID:27957301

Analysis of usability factors affecting purchase intention in online e-commerce sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perdana, R. A.; Suzianti, A.

2017-03-01

The growing number of internet users plays a significant role in the emergence of a variety of online e-commerce sites to meet the needs of Indonesians. However, there are still some problems faced by the users in using e-commerce sites. Therefore, a research related to user experience on their purchase intention to foster e-commerce sites is required. This study is conducted to find out the relationship between usability factors on e-commerce users’ purchase intention using a case study by using SEM to analyse the usability of the website. The result of this study shows that credibility, readability and telepresence are usability factors that directly affect purchase intention, while simplicity, consistency and interactivity are usability factors that indirectly affect purchase intention. Therefore, we can conclude that Indonesian consumers are on the Early Majority phase in adopting Company A.

Assessing of distribution, mobility and bioavailability of exogenous Pb in agricultural soils using isotopic labeling method coupled with BCR approach.

PubMed

Huang, Zhi-Yong; Xie, Hong; Cao, Ying-Lan; Cai, Chao; Zhang, Zhi

2014-02-15

The contamination of Pb in agricultural soils is one of the most important ecological problems, which potentially results in serious health risk on human health through food chain. Hence, the fate of exogenous Pb contaminated in agricultural soils is needed to be deeply explored. By spiking soils with the stable enriched isotopes of (206)Pb, the contamination of exogenous Pb(2+) ions in three agricultural soils sampled from the estuary areas of Jiulong River, China was simulated in the present study, and the distribution, mobility and bioavailability of exogenous Pb in the soils were investigated using the isotopic labeling method coupled with a four-stage BCR (European Community Bureau of Reference) sequential extraction procedure. Results showed that about 60-85% of exogenous Pb was found to distribute in reducible fractions, while the exogenous Pb in acid-extractable fractions was less than 1.0%. After planting, the amounts of exogenous Pb presenting in acid-extractable, reducible and oxidizable fractions in rhizospheric soils decreased by 60-66%, in which partial exogenous Pb was assimilated by plants while most of the metal might transfer downward due to daily watering and applying fertilizer. The results show that the isotopic labeling technique coupled with sequential extraction procedures enables us to explore the distribution, mobility and bioavailability of exogenous Pb contaminated in soils, which may be useful for the further soil remediation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Internal Structure of Positive and Negative Affect: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the PANAS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuccitto, Daniel E.; Giacobbi, Peter R., Jr.; Leite, Walter L.

2010-01-01

This study tested five confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) models of the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) to provide validity evidence based on its internal structure. A sample of 223 club sport athletes indicated their emotions during the past week. Results revealed that an orthogonal two-factor CFA model, specifying error…

Factors affecting midwives' confidence in intrapartum care: a phenomenological study.

PubMed

Bedwell, Carol; McGowan, Linda; Lavender, Tina

2015-01-01

midwives are frequently the lead providers of care for women throughout labour and birth. In order to perform their role effectively and provide women with the choices they require midwives need to be confident in their practice. This study explores factors which may affect midwives' confidence in their practice. hermeneutic phenomenology formed the theoretical basis for the study. Prospective longitudinal data collection was completed using diaries and semi-structured interviews. Twelve midwives providing intrapartum care in a variety of settings were recruited to ensure a variety of experiences in different contexts were captured. the principal factor affecting workplace confidence, both positively and negatively, was the influence of colleagues. Perceived autonomy and a sense of familiarity could also enhance confidence. However, conflict in the workplace was a critical factor in reducing midwives' confidence. Confidence was an important, but fragile, phenomenon to midwives and they used a variety of coping strategies, emotional intelligence and presentation management to maintain it. this is the first study to highlight both the factors influencing midwives' workplace confidence and the strategies midwives employed to maintain their confidence. Confidence is important in maintaining well-being and workplace culture may play a role in explaining the current low morale within the midwifery workforce. This may have implications for women's choices and care. Support, effective leadership and education may help midwives develop and sustain a positive sense of confidence. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Specifying the non-specific factors underlying opioid analgesia: Expectancy, attention, and affect

PubMed Central

Atlas, Lauren Y.; Wielgosz, Joseph; Whittington, Robert A.; Wager, Tor D.

2013-01-01

Rationale Psychological processes such as expectancy, attention, and affect directly influence clinical outcomes. These factors are grouped together as “nonspecific” factors, or placebo effects, in the medical literature, and their individual contributions are rarely considered. The pain-reducing effects of analgesic treatments may reflect changes in these psychological factors, rather than pure drug effects on pain. Furthermore, drug effects may not be isolated by drug vs. placebo comparisons if drugs interact with relevant psychological processes. Objectives To determine whether the analgesic effects of opioid and placebo treatment are mediated by changes in attention, expectancy, or affect. Methods We crossed intravenous administration of a potent opioid analgesic, remifentanil, with information about drug delivery (treatment expectancy, or placebo) using a balanced placebo design. We measured drug and treatment expectancy effects on pain, attention, and responses to emotional images. We also examined interactions with cue-based expectations about noxious stimulation, or stimulus expectancy. Results Pain was additively influenced by treatment expectancy, stimulus expectancy, and drug concentration. Attention performance showed a small but significant interaction between drug and treatment expectancy. Finally, remifentanil enhanced responses to both positive and negative emotional images. Conclusions The pain-relieving effects of opioid drugs are unlikely to be mediated by changes in threat or affective processing. Standard open-label opioid administration influences multiple clinically relevant cognitive and emotional processes. Psychological factors can combine with drug effects to influence multiple outcomes in distinct ways. The influence of specific psychological factors should be considered when developing and testing pharmacological treatments. PMID:24096537

The impact of selected environmental, behavioral and psychosocial factors on schoolchildren's somatic and mental health.

PubMed

Vondrova, Diana; Kapsdorfer, Daniela; Argalasova, Lubica; Hirosova, Katarina; Samohyl, Martin; Sevcikova, Ludmila

2017-03-01

Children develop rapidly and many exogenous determinants of health significantly affect their somatic and mental development. There is a subjective perception of cognitive load associated with the educational process. The aim of the study is to assess individual environmental, behavioral and psychosocial factors influencing physical health and to investigate the amount of mental load in children. We investigated 87 schoolchildren (47 girls and 40 boys) aged 10-12 years, who were attending primary school in Bratislava. To assess values of selected factors we used a questionnaire form and personality characteristics were estimated by standardized psycho-diagnostic and IQ tests [range of classic fear, social-situation anxiety and jitters [skala Klasickeho strachu a Socialno-situacnej (in Slovak)] (KSAT), Eyesenck Personality Questionnaire for children (EPQ), Raven's IQ test]. Self-reported perception of mental load was assessed by questionnaire of subjective feelings and states (SFS). Children's body parameters were assessed using anthropometric measurements [height, weight, chest, abdominal and hip girth, Rohrer's index (RI), body mass index (BMI)] and a body fat measurement method (skinfold thickness). The results confirmed a significant relationship between higher parameters of overweight and obesity and irregular breakfast eating (p<0.05), absence of family dining (p<0.05), exposure to tobacco smoke in the family environment (p<0.01) and mother's level of education (p<0.05). Almost 60% of children reported high mental effort and cognitive load associated with the educational process. We note a close relationship between the higher mental load and the score of neuroticism (p<0.01). The physical and mental health of schoolchildren is significantly affected by exogenous factors. Therefore, in terms of protection and promotion of children's health, it is important to evaluate and monitor environmental risk factors and to form their healthy habits.

Study on the factors affecting the quality of public bus transportation service in Bali Province using factor analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Susilawati, M.; Nilakusmawati, D. P. E.

2017-06-01

The volume of mobility flows are increasing day by day and the condition of the number of people using private transport modes contribute to traffic congestion. With the limited capacity of the road, one of the alternatives solution to reduce congestion is to optimize the use of public transport. The purposes of this study are to determine the factors that influence user’s satisfaction on the quality of public bus transportation service and determine variables that became identifier on the dominant factor affecting user’s satisfaction. The study was conducted for the public bus transportation between districts in the province of Bali, which is among the eight regencies and one municipality, using a questionnaire as a data collection instrument. Service variables determinant of user’s satisfaction in this study, described in 25 questions, which were analyzed using factor analysis. The results showed there were six factors that explain the satisfaction of users of public transport in Bali, with a total diversity of data that can be parsed by 61.436%. These factors are: Safety and comfort, Responsiveness, Capacity, Tangible, Safety, Reliability. The dominant factor affecting public transport user satisfaction is the safety and comfort, with the most influential variable is feeling concerned about the personal safety of users when on the bus.

Do Wealth Shocks Affect Health? New Evidence from the Housing Boom

PubMed Central