Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibition Prevents Cerebral Palsy following Hypoxia-Ischemia in Fetal Rabbits: Comparison between JI-8 and 7-Nitroindazole

PubMed Central

Yu, Lei; Derrick, Matthew; Ji, Haitao; Silverman, Richard B.; Whitsett, Jennifer; Vásquez-Vivar, Jeannette; Tan, Sidhartha

2011-01-01

Cerebral palsy and death are serious consequences of perinatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI). Important concepts can now be tested using an animal model of cerebral palsy. We have previously shown that reactive oxygen and nitrogen species are produced in antenatal HI. A novel class of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) inhibitors have been designed, and they ameliorate postnatal motor deficits when administered prior to the hypoxic-ischemic insult. This study asks how the new class of inhibitors, using JI-8 (Ki for nNOS: 0.014 μM) as a representative, compare with the frequently used nNOS inhibitor 7-nitroindazole (7-NI; Ki: 0.09 ± 0.024 μM). A theoretical dose equivalent to 75 Ki of JI-8 or equimolar 7-NI was administered to pregnant rabbit dams 30 min prior to and immediately after 40 min of uterine ischemia at 22 days gestation (70% term). JI-8 treatment resulted in a significant decrease in NOS activity (39%) in fetal brain homogenates acutely after HI, without affecting maternal blood pressure and heart rate. JI-8 treatment resulted in 33 normal kits, 2 moderately and 13 severely affected kits and 5 stillbirths, compared with 8 normal, 3 moderately affected and 5 severely affected kits and 10 stillbirths in the 7-NI group. In terms of neurobehavioral outcome, 7-NI was not different from saline treatment, while JI-8 was superior to saline and 7-NI in its protective effect (p < 0.05). In the surviving kits, JI-8 significantly improved the locomotion score over both saline and 7-NI scores. JI-8 was also significantly superior to saline in preserving smell, muscle tone and righting reflex function, but 7-NI did not show significant improvement. Furthermore, a 100-fold increase in the dose (15.75 μmol/kg) of 7-NI significantly decreased systolic blood pressure in the dam, while JI-8 did not. The new class of inhibitors such as JI-8 shows promise in the prevention of cerebral palsy and is superior to the previously more commonly used nNOS inhibitor. PMID:21659718

Neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibition prevents cerebral palsy following hypoxia-ischemia in fetal rabbits: comparison between JI-8 and 7-nitroindazole.

PubMed

Yu, Lei; Derrick, Matthew; Ji, Haitao; Silverman, Richard B; Whitsett, Jennifer; Vásquez-Vivar, Jeannette; Tan, Sidhartha

2011-01-01

Cerebral palsy and death are serious consequences of perinatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI). Important concepts can now be tested using an animal model of cerebral palsy. We have previously shown that reactive oxygen and nitrogen species are produced in antenatal HI. A novel class of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) inhibitors have been designed, and they ameliorate postnatal motor deficits when administered prior to the hypoxic-ischemic insult. This study asks how the new class of inhibitors, using JI-8 (K(i) for nNOS: 0.014 μM) as a representative, compare with the frequently used nNOS inhibitor 7-nitroindazole (7-NI; K(i): 0.09 ± 0.024 μM). A theoretical dose equivalent to 75 K(i) of JI-8 or equimolar 7-NI was administered to pregnant rabbit dams 30 min prior to and immediately after 40 min of uterine ischemia at 22 days gestation (70% term). JI-8 treatment resulted in a significant decrease in NOS activity (39%) in fetal brain homogenates acutely after HI, without affecting maternal blood pressure and heart rate. JI-8 treatment resulted in 33 normal kits, 2 moderately and 13 severely affected kits and 5 stillbirths, compared with 8 normal, 3 moderately affected and 5 severely affected kits and 10 stillbirths in the 7-NI group. In terms of neurobehavioral outcome, 7-NI was not different from saline treatment, while JI-8 was superior to saline and 7-NI in its protective effect (p < 0.05). In the surviving kits, JI-8 significantly improved the locomotion score over both saline and 7-NI scores. JI-8 was also significantly superior to saline in preserving smell, muscle tone and righting reflex function, but 7-NI did not show significant improvement. Furthermore, a 100-fold increase in the dose (15.75 μmol/kg) of 7-NI significantly decreased systolic blood pressure in the dam, while JI-8 did not. The new class of inhibitors such as JI-8 shows promise in the prevention of cerebral palsy and is superior to the previously more commonly used nNOS inhibitor. Copyright �

Ethnobotany of dye plants in Dong communities of China.

PubMed

Liu, Yujing; Ahmed, Selena; Liu, Bo; Guo, Zhiyong; Huang, Weijuan; Wu, Xianjin; Li, Shenghua; Zhou, Jiangju; Lei, Qiyi; Long, Chunlin

2014-02-19

Dyes derived from plants have an extensive history of use for coloring food and clothing in Dong communities and other indigenous areas in the uplands of China. In addition to use as coloring agents, Dong communities have historically utilized dye plants for their value for enhancing the nutritive, medicinal and preservative properties of foods. However, the persistence of plant-derived dyes and associated cultural practices and traditional knowledge is threatened with rapid socio-economic change in China. Research is needed to document the ethnobotany of dye plants in indigenous communities towards their conservation and potential commercialization as a sustainable means of supporting local development initiatives. Semi-structured surveys on plants used for coloring agents and associated traditional knowledge were conducted in fifteen Dong villages of Tongdao County in Hunan Province of South Central China during 2011-2012. Transect walks were carried out with key informants identified from semi-structured surveys to collect samples and voucher specimens for each documented plant species for taxonomic identification. Dong households at the study sites utilize the flowers, bark, stems, tubers and roots of 13 plant species from 9 families as dyes to color their customary clothing and food. Out of the documented plants, a total of 7 are used for coloring food, 3 for coloring clothing and 3 for both food and clothing. Documented plants consist of 3 species that yield black pigments, 3 for brownish red/russet pigments, 3 for red pigments, 2 for dark blue pigments and 2 for yellow pigments. In addition to dyes, the plants have multiple uses including medicinal, ornamental, sacrificial, edible, and for timber. The use of dyes derived from plants persists at the study sites for their important role in expressing Dong cultural identity through customary clothing and food. Further research is needed to evaluate the safety of dye plants, their efficacy in enhancing food

Strong positive selection and recombination drive the antigenic variation of the PilE protein of the human pathogen Neisseria meningitidis.

PubMed

Andrews, T Daniel; Gojobori, Takashi

2004-01-01

The PilE protein is the major component of the Neisseria meningitidis pilus, which is encoded by the pilE/pilS locus that includes an expressed gene and eight homologous silent fragments. The silent gene fragments have been shown to recombine through gene conversion with the expressed gene and thereby provide a means by which novel antigenic variants of the PilE protein can be generated. We have analyzed the evolutionary rate of the pilE gene using the nucleotide sequence of two complete pilE/pilS loci. The very high rate of evolution displayed by the PilE protein appears driven by both recombination and positive selection. Within the semivariable region of the pilE and pilS genes, recombination appears to occur within multiple small sequence blocks that lie between conserved sequence elements. Within the hypervariable region, positive selection was identified from comparison of the silent and expressed genes. The unusual gene conversion mechanism that operates at the pilE/pilS locus is a strategy employed by N. meningitidis to enhance mutation of certain regions of the PilE protein. The silent copies of the gene effectively allow "parallelized" evolution of pilE, thus enabling the encoded protein to rapidly explore a large area of sequence space in an effort to find novel antigenic variants.

The chemotaxis regulator pilG of Xylella fastidiosa is required for virulence in Vitis vinifera grapevines

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Type IV pili of X. fastidiosa are regulated by pilG, a response regulator protein putatively involved in chemotaxis-like operon sensing stimuli through signal transduction pathways. To elucidate roles of pilG in pathogenicity of X. fastidiosa, the pilG-deletion mutant and complementary strain contai...

Ethnobotany of dye plants in Dong communities of China

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Dyes derived from plants have an extensive history of use for coloring food and clothing in Dong communities and other indigenous areas in the uplands of China. In addition to use as coloring agents, Dong communities have historically utilized dye plants for their value for enhancing the nutritive, medicinal and preservative properties of foods. However, the persistence of plant-derived dyes and associated cultural practices and traditional knowledge is threatened with rapid socio-economic change in China. Research is needed to document the ethnobotany of dye plants in indigenous communities towards their conservation and potential commercialization as a sustainable means of supporting local development initiatives. Methods Semi-structured surveys on plants used for coloring agents and associated traditional knowledge were conducted in fifteen Dong villages of Tongdao County in Hunan Province of South Central China during 2011–2012. Transect walks were carried out with key informants identified from semi-structured surveys to collect samples and voucher specimens for each documented plant species for taxonomic identification. Results Dong households at the study sites utilize the flowers, bark, stems, tubers and roots of 13 plant species from 9 families as dyes to color their customary clothing and food. Out of the documented plants, a total of 7 are used for coloring food, 3 for coloring clothing and 3 for both food and clothing. Documented plants consist of 3 species that yield black pigments, 3 for brownish red/russet pigments, 3 for red pigments, 2 for dark blue pigments and 2 for yellow pigments. In addition to dyes, the plants have multiple uses including medicinal, ornamental, sacrificial, edible, and for timber. Conclusions The use of dyes derived from plants persists at the study sites for their important role in expressing Dong cultural identity through customary clothing and food. Further research is needed to evaluate the safety of dye

The chemotaxis regulator pilG of Xylella fastidiosa is required for virulence in Vitis vinifera grapevines

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Xylella fastidiosa is a Gram-negative, xylem-limited pathogenic bacterium that causes Pierce’s disease of grapevines. Type IV pili of X. fastidiosa are regulated by pilG, a chemotaxis regulator in Pil-Chp operon involving signal transduction pathways. To elucidate the role of pilG in twitching motil...

[Kim Pil Soon, a great doctor].

PubMed

Park, H W

1998-01-01

Kim Pil Soon was born at Sorae Village of Hwang Hye Province, the birth place of the Protestantism in Korea. He was brought up under the strong influence of Christianity and received modern education at Pae Chae School according to the recommendation of Rev. Underwood. In 1899, Kim Pil Soon, who had been working at Je Joon Won as an assistant and interpreter of Dr. Sharrocks, was employed by Dr. Avison to help prepare medical textbooks and was asked to participate in the medical education. He acquired medical knowledge through his work of translating various medical texts, which enabled him to teach other medical students. He participated in the administration of the Hospital, taking charge of the provision of meals for in-patients as well as directing the construction of Severance Hospital buildings. His experience of treating soldiers wounded during the turmoil of the forced dismission of the Korean Army by the Japanese led him to reflect seriously on Korea's fate in peril. In addition, he became a member of Sinmin Society, a secret political association, to engage in the independence movement. In 1908, Kim Pil Soon graduated from Severance Hospital Medical School as one of the first seven graduates. On graduation, he was appointed as a professor and took the charge of school affairs in 1910. At first, he worked as an assistant physician of ward and surgery, then he took the responsibility of the outpatient clinic in 1911. But suddenly, in December 1911, he exiled to China to escape from the Japanese police who was in pursuit of him on account of his involvement in the so-called 105-Person Affair, a fabricated affair served as a pretext for the persecution of the independence movement. He continued the independence movement in the form of an ideal village movement and in the training of the Independence Army. In 1919, however, he was poisoned to death in a mysterious way. Kim Pil Soon dedicated himself to the independence movement that demanded personal sacrifice

Multiple roles of Pseudomonas aeruginosa TBCF10839 PilY1 in motility, transport and infection

PubMed Central

Bohn, Yu-Sing Tammy; Brandes, Gudrun; Rakhimova, Elza; Horatzek, Sonja; Salunkhe, Prabhakar; Munder, Antje; van Barneveld, Andrea; Jordan, Doris; Bredenbruch, Florian; Häußler, Susanne; Riedel, Kathrin; Eberl, Leo; Jensen, Peter Østrup; Bjarnsholt, Thomas; Moser, Claus; Hoiby, Niels; Tümmler, Burkhard; Wiehlmann, Lutz

2008-01-01

Polymorphonuclear neutrophils are the most important mammalian host defence cells against infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Screening of a signature tagged mutagenesis library of the non-piliated P. aeruginosa strain TBCF10839 uncovered that transposon inactivation of its pilY1 gene rendered the bacterium more resistant against killing by neutrophils than the wild type and any other of the more than 3000 tested mutants. Inactivation of pilY1 led to the loss of twitching motility in twitching-proficient wild-type PA14 and PAO1 strains, predisposed to autolysis and impaired the secretion of quinolones and pyocyanin, but on the other hand promoted growth in stationary phase and bacterial survival in murine airway infection models. The PilY1 population consisted of a major full-length and a minor shorter PilY1* isoform. PilY1* was detectable in small extracellular quinolone-positive aggregates, but not in the pilus. P. aeruginosa PilY1 is not an adhesin on the pilus tip, but assists in pilus biogenesis, twitching motility, secretion of secondary metabolites and in the control of cell density in the bacterial population. PMID:19054330

Two modes of control of pilA, the gene encoding type 1 pilin in Escherichia coli.

PubMed Central

Orndorff, P E; Spears, P A; Schauer, D; Falkow, S

1985-01-01

Type 1 piliation in Escherichia coli is subject to metastable regulation at the transcriptional level (B. I. Eisenstein, Science 214:337-339, 1981). However, the genes controlling in this fashion are not known. We present evidence that the pilA gene, encoding the structural subunit of type 1 pili, is subject to metastable transcriptional regulation. A pilA'-lacZ fusion, constructed in vitro on a recombinant plasmid, was used in conjunction with a recBC sbcB mutant of E. coli K-12 to introduce the fusion into the chromosomal region encoding Pil. This fusion was found to be subject to metastable transcriptional control. The rate of switching from the Lac+ to the Lac- phenotype was 4 X 10(-4) per cell per generation and 6.2 X 10(-4) in the opposite direction. A ca. 10-fold difference in beta-galactosidase activity was observed between phenotypically "ON" (Lac+) and "OFF" (Lac-) populations. P1 transduction experiments showed that the element determining the ON or OFF phenotype was tightly linked to pilA. In addition to the metastable regulation of pilA, a second type of transcriptional regulation was effected by the product of a gene, hyp, adjacent to pilA. By using a recombinant plasmid containing just a pilA'-lacZ fusion and the putative pilA promoter, we found that a lesion in hyp conferred a beta-galactosidase activity about fivefold higher than that of a strain possessing the parental hyp gene. Mutants constructed to have a pilA'-lacZ fusion and a hyp::Tn5-132 mutation in the chromosome exhibited a frequency of switching from Lac+ to Lac- and vice versa indistinguishable from that of the parental strain. However, in the ON mode, hyp::Tn5-132 mutants showed a twofold-higher beta-galactosidase activity. Thus, hyp does not appear to affect metastable variation but does affect the level of transcription of the pilA gene in the ON (transcribed) mode. Images PMID:3930469

Identification of an operon, Pil-Chp, that controls twitching motility and virulence in Xylella fastidiosa.

PubMed

Cursino, Luciana; Galvani, Cheryl D; Athinuwat, Dusit; Zaini, Paulo A; Li, Yaxin; De La Fuente, Leonardo; Hoch, Harvey C; Burr, Thomas J; Mowery, Patricia

2011-10-01

Xylella fastidiosa is an important phytopathogenic bacterium that causes many serious plant diseases, including Pierce's disease of grapevines. Disease manifestation by X. fastidiosa is associated with the expression of several factors, including the type IV pili that are required for twitching motility. We provide evidence that an operon, named Pil-Chp, with genes homologous to those found in chemotaxis systems, regulates twitching motility. Transposon insertion into the pilL gene of the operon resulted in loss of twitching motility (pilL is homologous to cheA genes encoding kinases). The X. fastidiosa mutant maintained the type IV pili, indicating that the disrupted pilL or downstream operon genes are involved in pili function, and not biogenesis. The mutated X. fastidiosa produced less biofilm than wild-type cells, indicating that the operon contributes to biofilm formation. Finally, in planta the mutant produced delayed and less severe disease, indicating that the Pil-Chp operon contributes to the virulence of X. fastidiosa, presumably through its role in twitching motility.

Enhancement of polar phase and conductivity relaxation in PIL-modified GO/PVDF composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Pei; Fu, Weijia; Cui, Zhaopei; Ding, Yunsheng

2018-02-01

To investigate the effect of graphene oxide (GO) modified by polymerized ionic liquid (PIL) on the crystallization and dielectric relaxation of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), a series of PVDF composites have been prepared using the solution casting method. The ion-dipole interaction between PIL and >CF2 and the π-dipole interaction between GO and >CF2 can induce synergistically the polar phase, and the π-ion interaction between GO and PIL can strengthen the induction effect of the polar phase and decrease the degree of crystallization of PVDF. The electric modulus and conductivity relaxation are employed to analyze the experimental complex dielectric permittivity. In the frequency spectra of complex permittivity of PVDF composites, space charge polarization and conductivity lead to a large value of dielectric permittivity. The temperature dependence of relaxation time of conductivity relaxation accords with the Arrhenius equation. A low degree of crystallization, more ion concentration, and polar phase in PVDF/PIL/GO enhance the movement of the polymer chain segment and charge carriers.

The 1999 Ji-Ji (Taiwan) earthquake as a trigger for acute myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Tsai, Ching-Hong; Lung, For-Wey; Wang, Shing-Yaw

2004-01-01

The authors evaluated the effect of stress due to the Ji-Ji, Taiwan, earthquake, which occurred at 1:47 a.m. on September 21, 1999, on the onset of acute myocardial infarction in six counties near the earthquake epicenter. The rate of hospitalization due to acute myocardial infarction increased during the 6 weeks after the earthquake, and a significantly higher number of patients were hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction during that period, compared with the same 6-week period in the previous year (99 and 65 patients, respectively). The findings suggest that extreme emotional stress due to the natural disaster, superimposed on the stress of awakening, increased the incidence of acute myocardial infarction in this population.

Functional Divergence of FimX in PilZ Binding and Type IV Pilus Regulation

PubMed Central

Qi, Yaning; Xu, Linghui; Dong, Xueming; Yau, Yin Hoe; Ho, Chun Loong; Koh, Siew Lee; Shochat, Susana Geifman; Chou, Shan-Ho; Tang, Kai

2012-01-01

Type IV pili (T4P) are polar surface structures that play important roles in bacterial motility, biofilm formation, and pathogenicity. The protein FimX and its orthologs are known to mediate T4P formation in the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa and some other bacterial species. It was reported recently that FimXXAC2398 from Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri interacts with PilZXAC1133 directly through the nonenzymatic EAL domain of FimXXAC2398. Here we present experimental data to reveal that the strong interaction between FimXXAC2398 and PilZXAC1133 is not conserved in P. aeruginosa and likely other Pseudomonas species. In vitro and in vivo binding experiments showed that the interaction between FimX and PilZ in P. aeruginosa is below the measurable limit. Surface plasmon resonance assays further confirmed that the interaction between the P. aeruginosa proteins is at least more than 3 orders of magnitude weaker than that between the X. axonopodis pv. citri pair. The N-terminal lobe region of FimXXAC2398 was identified as the binding surface for PilZXAC1133 by amide hydrogen-deuterium exchange and site-directed mutagenesis studies. Lack of several key residues in the N-terminal lobe region of the EAL domain of FimX is likely to account for the greatly reduced binding affinity between FimX and PilZ in P. aeruginosa. All together, the results suggest that the interaction between PilZ and FimX in Xanthomonas species is not conserved in P. aeruginosa due to the evolutionary divergence among the FimX orthologs. The precise roles of FimX and PilZ in bacterial motility and T4P biogenesis are likely to vary among bacterial species. PMID:22942245

Genetic Identification of a PilT Motor in Geobacter sulfurreducens Reveals a Role for Pilus Retraction in Extracellular Electron Transfer

PubMed Central

Speers, Allison M.; Schindler, Bryan D.; Hwang, Jihwan; Genc, Aycin; Reguera, Gemma

2016-01-01

The metal-reducing bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens requires the expression of conductive pili to reduce iron oxides and to wire electroactive biofilms, but the role of pilus retraction in these functions has remained elusive. Here we show that of the four PilT proteins encoded in the genome of G. sulfurreducens, PilT3 powered pilus retraction in planktonic cells of a PilT-deficient strain of P. aeruginosa and restored the dense mutant biofilms to wild-type levels. Furthermore, PilT3 and PilT4 rescued the twitching motility defect of the PilT-deficient mutant. However, PilT4 was the only paralog whose inactivation in G. sulfurreducens lead to phenotypes associated with the hyperpiliation of non-retractile mutants such as enhanced adhesion and biofilm-forming abilities. In addition, PilT4 was required to reduce iron oxides. Taken together, the results indicate that PilT4 is the motor ATPase of G. sulfurreducens pili and reveal a previously unrecognized role for pilus retraction in extracellular electron transfer, a strategy that confers on Geobacter spp. an adaptive advantage for metal reduction in the natural environment. PMID:27799920

Pseudomonas aeruginosa type IV minor pilins and PilY1 regulate virulence by modulating FimS-AlgR activity.

PubMed

Marko, Victoria A; Kilmury, Sara L N; MacNeil, Lesley T; Burrows, Lori L

2018-05-18

Type IV pili are expressed by a wide range of prokaryotes, including the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These flexible fibres mediate twitching motility, biofilm maturation, surface adhesion, and virulence. The pilus is composed mainly of major pilin subunits while the low abundance minor pilins FimU-PilVWXE and the putative adhesin PilY1 prime pilus assembly and are proposed to form the pilus tip. The minor pilins and PilY1 are encoded in an operon that is positively regulated by the FimS-AlgR two-component system. Independent of pilus assembly, PilY1 was proposed to be a mechanosensory component that-in conjunction with minor pilins-triggers up-regulation of acute virulence phenotypes upon surface attachment. Here, we investigated the link between the minor pilins/PilY1 and virulence. pilW, pilX, and pilY1 mutants had reduced virulence towards Caenorhabditis elegans relative to wild type or a major pilin mutant, implying a role in pathogenicity that is independent of pilus assembly. We hypothesized that loss of specific minor pilins relieves feedback inhibition on FimS-AlgR, increasing transcription of the AlgR regulon and delaying C. elegans killing. Reporter assays confirmed that FimS-AlgR were required for increased expression of the minor pilin operon upon loss of select minor pilins. Overexpression of AlgR or its hyperactivation via a phosphomimetic mutation reduced virulence, and the virulence defects of pilW, pilX, and pilY1 mutants required FimS-AlgR expression and activation. We propose that PilY1 and the minor pilins inhibit their own expression, and that loss of these proteins leads to FimS-mediated activation of AlgR that suppresses expression of acute-phase virulence factors and delays killing. This mechanism could contribute to adaptation of P. aeruginosa in chronic lung infections, as mutations in the minor pilin operon result in the loss of piliation and increased expression of AlgR-dependent virulence factors-such as alginate

Eisosomes Are Dynamic Plasma Membrane Domains Showing Pil1-Lsp1 Heteroligomer Binding Equilibrium

PubMed Central

Olivera-Couto, Agustina; Salzman, Valentina; Mailhos, Milagros; Digman, Michelle A.; Gratton, Enrico; Aguilar, Pablo S.

2015-01-01

Eisosomes are plasma membrane domains concentrating lipids, transporters, and signaling molecules. In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, these domains are structured by scaffolds composed mainly by two cytoplasmic proteins Pil1 and Lsp1. Eisosomes are immobile domains, have relatively uniform size, and encompass thousands of units of the core proteins Pil1 and Lsp1. In this work we used fluorescence fluctuation analytical methods to determine the dynamics of eisosome core proteins at different subcellular locations. Using a combination of scanning techniques with autocorrelation analysis, we show that Pil1 and Lsp1 cytoplasmic pools freely diffuse whereas an eisosome-associated fraction of these proteins exhibits slow dynamics that fit with a binding-unbinding equilibrium. Number and brightness analysis shows that the eisosome-associated fraction is oligomeric, while cytoplasmic pools have lower aggregation states. Fluorescence lifetime imaging results indicate that Pil1 and Lsp1 directly interact in the cytoplasm and within the eisosomes. These results support a model where Pil1-Lsp1 heterodimers are the minimal eisosomes building blocks. Moreover, individual-eisosome fluorescence fluctuation analysis shows that eisosomes in the same cell are not equal domains: while roughly half of them are mostly static, the other half is actively exchanging core protein subunits. PMID:25863055

Two Isoforms of Geobacter sulfurreducens PilA Have Distinct Roles in Pilus Biogenesis, Cytochrome Localization, Extracellular Electron Transfer, and Biofilm Formation

PubMed Central

Richter, Lubna V.; Sandler, Steven J.

2012-01-01

Type IV pili of Geobacter sulfurreducens are composed of PilA monomers and are essential for long-range extracellular electron transfer to insoluble Fe(III) oxides and graphite anodes. A previous analysis of pilA expression indicated that transcription was initiated at two positions, with two predicted ribosome-binding sites and translation start codons, potentially producing two PilA preprotein isoforms. The present study supports the existence of two functional translation start codons for pilA and identifies two isoforms (short and long) of the PilA preprotein. The short PilA isoform is found predominantly in an intracellular fraction. It seems to stabilize the long isoform and to influence the secretion of several outer-surface c-type cytochromes. The long PilA isoform is required for secretion of PilA to the outer cell surface, a process that requires coexpression of pilA with nine downstream genes. The long isoform was determined to be essential for biofilm formation on certain surfaces, for optimum current production in microbial fuel cells, and for growth on insoluble Fe(III) oxides. PMID:22408162

How to Integrate Tai Ji Quan into Physical Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lu, Chunlei

2008-01-01

Tai ji quan, also known as "tai chi," is an ancient Chinese exercise characterized by soft, slow, and meditative movements. It consists of a set of continuous, evenly paced, carefully choreographed, but natural, body shifts. "Tai ji" is an ancient Chinese philosophy, while "tai ji quan" refers to a type of physical activity based on tai ji…

A strategy for extending the applicability of a validated plasma calibration curve to quantitative measurements in multiple tissue homogenate samples: a case study from a rat tissue distribution study of JI-101, a triple kinase inhibitor.

PubMed

Gurav, Sandip Dhondiram; Jeniffer, Sherine; Punde, Ravindra; Gilibili, Ravindranath Reddy; Giri, Sanjeev; Srinivas, Nuggehally R; Mullangi, Ramesh

2012-04-01

A general practice in bioanalysis is that, whatever the biological matrix the analyte is being quantified in, the validation is performed in the same matrix as per regulatory guidelines. In this paper, we are presenting the applicability of a validated LC-MS/MS method in rat plasma for JI-101, to estimate the concentrations of JI-101 in various tissues that were harvested in a rat tissue distribution study. A simple protein precipitation technique was used to extract JI-101 and internal standard from the tissue homogenates. The recovery of JI-101 in all the matrices was found to be >70%. Chromatographic separation was achieved using a binary gradient using mobile phase A (acetonitrile) and B (0.2% formic acid in water) at a flow rate of 0.30 mL/min on a Prodigy ODS column with a total run time of 4.0 min. The MS/MS ion transitions monitored were 466.1 → 265 for JI-101 and 180.1 → 110.1 for internal standard. The linearity range was 5.02-4017 ng/mL. The JI-101 levels were quantifiable in the various tissue samples harvested in this study. Therefore, the use of a previously validated JI-101 assay in plasma circumvented the tedious process of method development/validation in various tissue matrices. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

JiFUNzeni: A Blended Learning Approach for Sustainable Teachers' Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Onguko, Brown Bully

2014-01-01

JiFUNzeni blended learning approach is a sustainable approach to provision of professional development (PD) for those in challenging educational contexts. JiFUNzeni approach emphasizes training regional experts to create blended learning content, working with appropriate technology while building content repositories. JiFUNzeni approach was…

Deletion of pilA, a Minor Pilin-Like Gene, from Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri Influences Bacterial Physiology and Pathogenesis.

PubMed

Petrocelli, Silvana; Arana, Maite R; Cabrini, Marcela N; Casabuono, Adriana C; Moyano, Laura; Beltramino, Matías; Moreira, Leandro M; Couto, Alicia S; Orellano, Elena G

2016-12-01

Type IV pili (Tfp) are widely distributed adhesins of bacterial surfaces. In plant pathogenic bacteria, Tfp are involved in host colonization and pathogenesis. Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc) is the phytopathogen responsible for citrus canker disease. In this work, three Tfp structural genes, fimA, fimA1, and pilA from Xcc were studied. A pilA mutant strain from Xcc (XccΔpilA) was constructed and differences in physiological features, such as motilities, adhesion, and biofilm formation, were observed. A structural study of the purified Tfp fractions from Xcc wild-type and Xcc∆pilA showed that pilins are glycosylated in both strains and that FimA and FimA1 are the main structural components of the pili. Furthermore, smaller lesion symptoms and reduced bacterial growth were produced by Xcc∆pilA in orange plants compared to the wild-type strain. These results indicate that the minor pilin-like gene, pilA, is involved in Tfp performance during the infection process.

Calcium-Enhanced Twitching Motility in Xylella fastidiosa Is Linked to a Single PilY1 Homolog

PubMed Central

Cruz, Luisa F.; Parker, Jennifer K.; Cobine, Paul A.

2014-01-01

The plant-pathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa is restricted to the xylem vessel environment, where mineral nutrients are transported through the plant host; therefore, changes in the concentrations of these elements likely impact the growth and virulence of this bacterium. Twitching motility, dependent on type IV pili (TFP), is required for movement against the transpiration stream that results in basipetal colonization. We previously demonstrated that calcium (Ca) increases the motility of X. fastidiosa, although the mechanism was unknown. PilY1 is a TFP structural protein recently shown to bind Ca and to regulate twitching and adhesion in bacterial pathogens of humans. Sequence analysis identified three pilY1 homologs in X. fastidiosa (PD0023, PD0502, and PD1611), one of which (PD1611) contains a Ca-binding motif. Separate deletions of PD0023 and PD1611 resulted in mutants that still showed twitching motility and were not impaired in attachment or biofilm formation. However, the response of increased twitching at higher Ca concentrations was lost in the pilY1-1611 mutant. Ca does not modulate the expression of any of the X. fastidiosa PilY1 homologs, although it increases the expression of the retraction ATPase pilT during active movement. The evidence presented here suggests functional differences between the PilY1 homologs, which may provide X. fastidiosa with an adaptive advantage in environments with high Ca concentrations, such as xylem sap. PMID:25217013

Calcium-Enhanced Twitching Motility in Xylella fastidiosa Is Linked to a Single PilY1 Homolog.

PubMed

Cruz, Luisa F; Parker, Jennifer K; Cobine, Paul A; De La Fuente, Leonardo

2014-12-01

The plant-pathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa is restricted to the xylem vessel environment, where mineral nutrients are transported through the plant host; therefore, changes in the concentrations of these elements likely impact the growth and virulence of this bacterium. Twitching motility, dependent on type IV pili (TFP), is required for movement against the transpiration stream that results in basipetal colonization. We previously demonstrated that calcium (Ca) increases the motility of X. fastidiosa, although the mechanism was unknown. PilY1 is a TFP structural protein recently shown to bind Ca and to regulate twitching and adhesion in bacterial pathogens of humans. Sequence analysis identified three pilY1 homologs in X. fastidiosa (PD0023, PD0502, and PD1611), one of which (PD1611) contains a Ca-binding motif. Separate deletions of PD0023 and PD1611 resulted in mutants that still showed twitching motility and were not impaired in attachment or biofilm formation. However, the response of increased twitching at higher Ca concentrations was lost in the pilY1-1611 mutant. Ca does not modulate the expression of any of the X. fastidiosa PilY1 homologs, although it increases the expression of the retraction ATPase pilT during active movement. The evidence presented here suggests functional differences between the PilY1 homologs, which may provide X. fastidiosa with an adaptive advantage in environments with high Ca concentrations, such as xylem sap. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

PilY1 Promotes Legionella pneumophila Infection of Human Lung Tissue Explants and Contributes to Bacterial Adhesion, Host Cell Invasion, and Twitching Motility.

PubMed

Hoppe, Julia; Ünal, Can M; Thiem, Stefanie; Grimpe, Louisa; Goldmann, Torsten; Gaßler, Nikolaus; Richter, Matthias; Shevchuk, Olga; Steinert, Michael

2017-01-01

Legionnaires' disease is an acute fibrinopurulent pneumonia. During infection Legionella pneumophila adheres to the alveolar lining and replicates intracellularly within recruited macrophages. Here we provide a sequence and domain composition analysis of the L. pneumophila PilY1 protein, which has a high homology to PilY1 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa . PilY1 proteins of both pathogens contain a von Willebrand factor A (vWFa) and a C-terminal PilY domain. Using cellular fractionation, we assigned the L. pneumophila PilY1 as an outer membrane protein that is only expressed during the transmissive stationary growth phase. PilY1 contributes to infection of human lung tissue explants (HLTEs). A detailed analysis using THP-1 macrophages and A549 lung epithelial cells revealed that this contribution is due to multiple effects depending on host cell type. Deletion of PilY1 resulted in a lower replication rate in THP-1 macrophages but not in A549 cells. Further on, adhesion to THP-1 macrophages and A549 epithelial cells was decreased. Additionally, the invasion into non-phagocytic A549 epithelial cells was drastically reduced when PilY1 was absent. Complementation variants of a PilY1-negative mutant revealed that the C-terminal PilY domain is essential for restoring the wild type phenotype in adhesion, while the putatively mechanosensitive vWFa domain facilitates invasion into non-phagocytic cells. Since PilY1 also promotes twitching motility of L. pneumophila , we discuss the putative contribution of this newly described virulence factor for bacterial dissemination within infected lung tissue.

Crystal Structure of a Type IV Pilus Assembly ATPase: Insights into the Molecular Mechanism of PilB from Thermus thermophilus

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

Mancl, Jordan M.; Black, Wesley P.; Robinson, Howard

Type IV pili (T4P) mediate bacterial motility and virulence. The PilB/GspE family ATPases power the assembly of T4P and type 2 secretion systems. We determined the structure of the ATPase region of PilB (PilB ATP) in complex with ATPγS to provide a model of a T4P assembly ATPase and a view of a PilB/GspE family hexamer at better than 3-Å resolution. Spatial positioning and conformations of the protomers suggest a mechanism of force generation. All six PilB ATP protomers contain bound ATPγS. Two protomers form a closed conformation poised for ATP hydrolysis. The other four molecules assume an open conformationmore » but separate into two pairs with distinct active-site accessibilities. We propose that one pair represents the post-hydrolysis phase while the other pair appears poised for ADP/ATP exchange. In conclusion, collectively, the data suggest that T4P assembly is powered by coordinating concurrent substrate binding with ATP hydrolysis across the PilB hexamer.« less

Crystal Structure of a Type IV Pilus Assembly ATPase: Insights into the Molecular Mechanism of PilB from Thermus thermophilus

DOE PAGES

Mancl, Jordan M.; Black, Wesley P.; Robinson, Howard; ...

2016-09-22

Type IV pili (T4P) mediate bacterial motility and virulence. The PilB/GspE family ATPases power the assembly of T4P and type 2 secretion systems. We determined the structure of the ATPase region of PilB (PilB ATP) in complex with ATPγS to provide a model of a T4P assembly ATPase and a view of a PilB/GspE family hexamer at better than 3-Å resolution. Spatial positioning and conformations of the protomers suggest a mechanism of force generation. All six PilB ATP protomers contain bound ATPγS. Two protomers form a closed conformation poised for ATP hydrolysis. The other four molecules assume an open conformationmore » but separate into two pairs with distinct active-site accessibilities. We propose that one pair represents the post-hydrolysis phase while the other pair appears poised for ADP/ATP exchange. In conclusion, collectively, the data suggest that T4P assembly is powered by coordinating concurrent substrate binding with ATP hydrolysis across the PilB hexamer.« less

Stability and activity of lysozyme in stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric protic ionic liquid (PIL)-water systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wijaya, Emmy C.; Separovic, Frances; Drummond, Calum J.; Greaves, Tamar L.

2018-05-01

There has been a substantial increase in enzyme applications within the biochemical and pharmaceutical industries, for example, as industrial biocatalysts. However, enzymes have narrow marginal stability which makes them prone to become inactive and/or denature with a slight change in the solvent environment. Typically industrial applications require harsher solvent environments than enzyme native environments, and hence there is a need to understand solvent-protein interactions in order to develop strategies to maintain, or enhance, the enzymatic activity under industrially relevant solvent conditions. Previously we have shown that protic ionic liquids (PILs) with water can have a stabilising effect on lysozyme, with a large variation dependent on which PIL ions are present, and the water concentration [E. C. Wijaya et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 18(37), 25926-25936 (2016)]. Here we extend on this work using non-stoichiometric aqueous PIL solvents to investigate, and isolate, the role of pH and ionicity on enzymes. We have used the PILs ethylammonium nitrate (EAN) and ethanolammonium formate (EOAF) since our previous work has identified these as good solvents for lysozyme. Solvent libraries were made from these two PILs with an additional precursor acid or base to modify the acidity/basicity of the neutral stoichiometric PIL, and with water added, to have solutions with 4-17 mol. % of the PIL ions in water. Molar ratios of base:acid were varied between 1:1.05 and 2:1 for EAN and 1:1.25 and 2:1 for EOAF, which enabled from highly basic to highly acidic solutions to be obtained. This was to modify the acidity/basicity of the neutral stoichiometric PILs, without the addition of buffers. The structure and stability of hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) were explored under these solvent conditions using synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and activity assays. The radius of gyration and Kratky plots obtained from the SAXS data

Time-resolved molecular characterization of organic aerosols by PILS + UPLC/ESI-Q-TOFMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, X.; Dalleska, N. F.; Huang, D. D.; Bates, K. H.; Sorooshian, A.; Flagan, R. C.; Seinfeld, J. H.

2016-04-01

Real-time and quantitative measurement of particulate matter chemical composition represents one of the most challenging problems in the field of atmospheric chemistry. In the present study, we integrate the Particle-into-Liquid Sampler (PILS) with Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography/Electrospray ionization Quadrupole Time-of-Flight High-Resolution/Mass Spectrometry (UPLC/ESI-Q-TOFMS) for the time-resolved molecular speciation of chamber-derived secondary organic aerosol (SOA). The unique aspect of the combination of these two well-proven techniques is to provide quantifiable molecular-level information of particle-phase organic compounds on timescales of minutes. We demonstrate that the application of the PILS + UPLC/ESI-Q-TOFMS method is not limited to water-soluble inorganic ions and organic carbon, but is extended to slightly water-soluble species through collection efficiency calibration together with sensitivity and linearity tests. By correlating the water solubility of individual species with their O:C ratio, a parameter that is available for aerosol ensembles as well, we define an average aerosol O:C ratio threshold of 0.3, above which the PILS overall particulate mass collection efficiency approaches ∼0.7. The PILS + UPLC/ESI-Q-TOFMS method can be potentially applied to probe the formation and evolution mechanism of a variety of biogenic and anthropogenic SOA systems in laboratory chamber experiments. We illustrate the application of this method to the reactive uptake of isoprene epoxydiols (IEPOX) on hydrated and acidic ammonium sulfate aerosols.

Italian validation of the Purpose In Life (PIL) test and the Seeking Of Noetic Goals (SONG) test in a population of cancer patients.

PubMed

Brunelli, C; Bianchi, E; Murru, L; Monformoso, P; Bosisio, M; Gangeri, L; Miccinesi, G; Scrignaro, M; Ripamonti, C; Borreani, C

2012-11-01

The first instruments developed to evaluate specific logotherapeutic dimensions were the Purpose In Life (PIL) and the Seeking Of Noetic Goals (SONG) tests, designed to reflect Frankl's concepts of, respectively, meaning in life attainment and will to meaning. This study aims to perform the Italian cultural adaptation and the psychometric validation of the PIL and SONG questionnaires. We administered the PIL and SONG, culturally adapted into the Italian language, to 266 cancer patients. The psychometric validation appraised construct validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, known-group validity, and convergent validity of the two questionnaires with respect to one another. The factorial analysis indicates that the original single-factor solution can be maintained for both instruments (proportion of variance explained by the first factor 77% and 71% for the PIL and SONG, respectively). The results show excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha of 0.91 for the PIL and 0.90 for the SONG) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.92 for the PIL and 0.81 for the SONG). As expected, males, believers, patients nearer to the diagnosis, and patients not undergoing psychological therapy have higher PIL and lower SONG scores, while expectations for age were not confirmed. The average level for the PIL was 107.3, while for the SONG, it was 66.1, and a negative correlation (-0.47) between PIL and SONG scores indicates good convergent validity of the two instruments. Italian versions of the PIL and SONG are adequate and reliable self-report instruments for evaluating purpose in life and the motivation to find purpose for cancer patient populations.

Detecting Long-term Trend of Water Quality Indices of Dong-gang River, Taiwan Using Quantile Regression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, D.; Shiau, J.

2013-12-01

ABSTRACT BODY: Abstract Surface water quality is an essential issue in water-supply for human uses and sustaining healthy ecosystem of rivers. However, water quality of rivers is easily influenced by anthropogenic activities such as urban development and wastewater disposal. Long-term monitoring of water quality can assess whether water quality of rivers deteriorates or not. Taiwan is a population-dense area and heavily depends on surface water for domestic, industrial, and agricultural uses. Dong-gang River is one of major resources in southern Taiwan for agricultural requirements. The water-quality data of four monitoring stations of the Dong-gang River for the period of 2000-2012 are selected for trend analysis. The parameters used to characterize water quality of rivers include biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen (DO), suspended solids (SS), and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N). These four water-quality parameters are integrated into an index called river pollution index (RPI) to indicate the pollution level of rivers. Although widely used non-parametric Mann-Kendall test and linear regression exhibit computational efficiency to identify trends of water-quality indices, limitations of such approaches include sensitive to outliers and estimations of conditional mean only. Quantile regression, capable of identifying changes over time of any percentile values, is employed in this study to detect long-term trend of water-quality indices for the Dong-gang River located in southern Taiwan. The results show that Dong-gang River 4 stations from 2000 to 2012 monthly long-term trends in water quality.To analyze s Dong-gang River long-term water quality trends and pollution characteristics. The results showed that the bridge measuring ammonia Long-dong, BOD5 measure in that station on a downward trend, DO, and SS is on the rise, River Pollution Index (RPI) on a downward trend. The results form Chau-Jhou station also ahowed simialar trends .more and more near the

Rice phytochrome-interacting factor-like protein OsPIL1 functions as a key regulator of internode elongation and induces a morphological response to drought stress

PubMed Central

Todaka, Daisuke; Nakashima, Kazuo; Maruyama, Kyonoshin; Kidokoro, Satoshi; Osakabe, Yuriko; Ito, Yusuke; Matsukura, Satoko; Fujita, Yasunari; Yoshiwara, Kyouko; Ohme-Takagi, Masaru; Kojima, Mikiko; Sakakibara, Hitoshi; Shinozaki, Kazuo; Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, Kazuko

2012-01-01

The mechanisms for plant growth restriction during stress conditions remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that a phytochrome-interacting factor-like protein, OsPIL1/OsPIL13, acts as a key regulator of reduced internode elongation in rice under drought conditions. The level of OsPIL1 mRNA in rice seedlings grown under nonstressed conditions with light/dark cycles oscillated in a circadian manner with peaks in the middle of the light period. Under drought stress conditions, OsPIL1 expression was inhibited during the light period. We found that OsPIL1 was highly expressed in the node portions of the stem using promoter-glucuronidase analysis. Overexpression of OsPIL1 in transgenic rice plants promoted internode elongation. In contrast, transgenic rice plants with a chimeric repressor resulted in short internode sections. Alteration of internode cell size was observed in OsPIL1 transgenic plants, indicating that differences in cell size cause the change in internode length. Oligoarray analysis revealed OsPIL1 downstream genes, which were enriched for cell wall-related genes responsible for cell elongation. These data suggest that OsPIL1 functions as a key regulatory factor of reduced plant height via cell wall-related genes in response to drought stress. This regulatory system may be important for morphological stress adaptation in rice under drought conditions. PMID:22984180

Factor Structure, Construct Validity and Reliability of the Seeking of Noetic Goals (SONG) and Purpose in Life (PIL) Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reker, Gary T.; Cousins, J. B.

1979-01-01

In this study with 240 introductory psychology students, ten interpretable independent dimensions of satisfaction with life were extracted with six factors that loaded on the PIL and four that loaded on the SONG, supporting Crumbaugh's assertion that the SONG is a complementary scale to the PIL. (Author/SJL)

Ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry for the rapid analysis of constituents in the traditional Chinese medicine formula Wu Ji Bai Feng Pill.

PubMed

Duan, Shengnan; Qi, Wen; Zhang, Siwen; Huang, Kunkun; Yuan, Dan

2017-10-01

An ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry method in both positive and negative ion modes was established in order to comprehensively investigate the major constituents in Wu Ji Bai Feng Pill. Briefly, a Waters ACQUITY UPLC HSS C 18 column was used to separate the aqueous extract of Wu Ji Bai Feng Pill. A total of 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile and 0.1% aqueous formic acid v/v were used as the mobile phase. All analytes were determined using quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization source in positive and negative ion modes. At length, a total of 173 components including flavones and their glycosides, monoterpene glycosides, triterpene saponins, phenethylalchohol glycosides, iridoid glycosides, phthalides, tanshinones, phenolic acids, sesquiterpenoids and cyclopeptides were identified or tentatively characterized in Wu Ji Bai Feng Pill in an analysis of 16.0 min based on the accurate mass and tandem mass spectrometry behaviors. The developed method is rapid and highly sensitive to characterize the chemical constituents of Wu Ji Bai Feng Pill, which could not only be used for chemical standardization and quality control of Wu Ji Bai Feng Pill, but also be helpful for further study in vivo metabolism of Wu Ji Bai Feng Pill. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Source identification and mass balance studies of mercury in Lake An-dong, S. Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, J.; Byeon, M.; Yoon, J.; Park, J.; Lee, M.; Huh, I.; Na, E.; Chung, D.; Shin, S.; Kim, Y.

2009-12-01

In this study, mercury and methylmercury were measured in atmospheric, tributary, open-lake water column, sediment, planktons and fish samples in the catchments area of Lake An-dong, S. Korea. Lake An-dong, an artificial freshwater lake is located on the upstream of River Nak-dong. It has 51.5 km2 of open surface water and 1.33 year of hydraulic residence time. It is a source of drinking water for 0.3 million S. Koreans. Recently, the possibilities of its mercury contamination became an issue since current studies showed that the lake had much higher mercury level in sediment and certain freshwater fish species than any other lakes in S. Korea. This catchments area has the possibilities of historical mercury pollution by the location of more than 50 abandoned gold mines and Young-poong zinc smelter. The objective of this study was to develop a mercury mass balance and identify possible mercury sources in the lake. The results of this study are thus expected to offer valuable insights for the sources of mercury loading through the watershed. In order to estimate the mercury flux, TGM, RGM and particulate mercury were measured using TEKRAN 2537 at the five sites surrounding Lake An-dong from May, 2009 with wet and dry deposition. The fate and transport of mercury in water body were predicted by using EFDC (Environmental Dynamic Fluid Code) and Mercury module in WASP7 (Water quality analysis program) after subsequent distribution into water body, sediments, followed by bioaccumulation and ultimate uptake by humans. The mercury mass balance in Young-poong zinc smelter was also pre-estimated by measuring mercury content in zinc ores, emission gases, sludge, wastewater and products.

P. aeruginosa PilT Structures with and without Nucleotide Reveal a Dynamic Type IV Pilus Retraction Motor

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

Misic, Ana M.; Satyshur, Kenneth A.; Forest, Katrina T.

Type IV pili are bacterial extracellular filaments that can be retracted to create force and motility. Retraction is accomplished by the motor protein PilT. Crystal structures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PilT with and without bound {beta},{gamma}-methyleneadenosine-5{prime}-triphosphate have been solved at 2.6 {angstrom} and 3.1 {angstrom} resolution, respectively, revealing an interlocking hexamer formed by the action of a crystallographic 2-fold symmetry operator on three subunits in the asymmetric unit and held together by extensive ionic interactions. The roles of two invariant carboxylates, Asp Box motif Glu163 and Walker B motif Glu204, have been assigned to Mg{sup 2+} binding and catalysis, respectively. Themore » nucleotide ligands in each of the subunits in the asymmetric unit of the {beta},{gamma}-methyleneadenosine-5{prime}-triphosphate-bound PilT are not equally well ordered. Similarly, the three subunits in the asymmetric unit of both structures exhibit differing relative conformations of the two domains. The 12{sup o} and 20{sup o} domain rotations indicate motions that occur during the ATP-coupled mechanism of the disassembly of pili into membrane-localized pilin monomers. Integrating these observations, we propose a three-state 'Ready, Active, Release' model for the action of PilT.« less

Poster - Thurs Eve-16: Just-in-time tomography (JiTT).

PubMed

Pang, G; Rowlands, J A

2008-07-01

Soft-tissue target motion is one of the main concerns in high-precision radiation therapy. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) has been developed recently to image soft-tissue targets in the treatment room for image-guided radiation therapy. However, due to its relatively long image acquisition time the CBCT approach cannot provide images of the target at the instant of the treatment and thus is not adequate for imaging targets with intrafraction motion. In this work, a new concept for image-guided radiation therapy- just-in-time tomography (JiTT) - is introduced. Differing from CBCT, JiTT takes much less time to generate the needed tomographical, beam's-eye-view images of the treatment target at the right moment to guide the radiation therapy treatment. A system to achieve JiTT is proposed and its feasibility is investigated. Research supported by Siemens. © 2008 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

NREL and DONG Energy Collaboration for Grid Simulator Controls and Testing: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-13-527

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

Gevorgian, Vahan

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and DONG Energy are interested in collaborating for the development of control algorithms, modeling, and grid simulator testing of wind turbine generator systems involving NWTC's advanced Controllable Grid Interface (CGI). NREL and DONG Energy will work together to develop control algorithms, models, test methods, and protocols involving NREL's CGI, as well as appropriate data acquisition systems for grid simulation testing. The CRADA also includes work on joint publication of results achieved from modeling and testing efforts. Further, DONG Energy will send staff to NREL on a long-term basis for collaborative work including modeling andmore » testing. NREL will send staff to DONG Energy on a short-term basis to visit wind power sites and participate in meetings relevant to this collaborative effort. DOE has provided NREL with over 10 years of support in developing custom facilities and capabilities to enable testing of full-scale integrated wind turbine drivetrain systems in accordance with the needs of the US wind industry. NREL currently operates a 2.5MW dynamometer and is in the processes of commissioning a 5MW dynamometer and a grid simulator (referred to as a 'Controllable Grid Interface' or CGI). DONG Energy is the market leader in offshore wind power development, with currently over 1 GW of on- and offshore wind power in operation, and 1.3 GW under construction. DONG Energy has on-going R&D projects involving high voltage DC (HVDC) transmission.« less

Patient information leaflets (PILs) for UK randomised controlled trials: a feasibility study exploring whether they contain information to support decision making about trial participation.

PubMed

Gillies, Katie; Huang, Wan; Skea, Zoë; Brehaut, Jamie; Cotton, Seonaidh

2014-02-18

Informed consent is regarded as a cornerstone of ethical healthcare research and is a requirement for most clinical research studies. Guidelines suggest that prospective randomised controlled trial (RCT) participants should understand a basic amount of key information about the RCTs they are being asked to enrol in in order to provide valid informed consent. This information is usually provided to potential participants in a patient information leaflet (PIL). There is evidence that some trial participants fail to understand key components of trial processes or rationale. As such, the existing approach to information provision for potential RCT participants may not be optimal. Decision aids have been used for a variety of treatment and screening decisions to improve knowledge, but focus more on overall decision quality, and may be helpful to those making decisions about participating in an RCT. We investigated the feasibility of using a tool to identify which items recommended for good quality decision making are present in UK PILs. PILs were sampled from UK registered Clinical Trials Unit websites across a range of clinical areas. The evaluation tool, which is based on standards for supporting decision making, was applied to 20 PILs. Two researchers independently rated each PIL using the tool. In addition, word count and readability were assessed. PILs scored poorly on the evaluation tool with the majority of leaflets scoring less than 50%. Specifically, presenting probabilities, clarifying and expressing values and structured guidance in deliberation and communication sub-sections scored consistently poorly. Tool score was associated with word count (r=0.802, P <0.01); there was no association between score and readability (r=-0.372, P=0.106). The tool was feasible to use to evaluate PILs for UK RCTs. PILs did not meet current standards of information to support good quality decision making. Writers of information leaflets could use the evaluation tool as a

Dual functions of imidazole-based polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) on the anticorrosive performance of graphene-based waterborne epoxy coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Chengbao; Du, Peng; Nan, Feng; Zhao, Haichao; Wang, Liping

2018-06-01

Dispersion of graphene nanosheets in a water and polymer matrix has been rarely achieved due to graphene’s hydrophobicity, which thus impedes its potential anticorrosive application. In this study, stable graphene aqueous dispersion was obtained by using imidazole-based polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) as the dispersant with ultrasonic vibration. Stacked graphene sheets were exfoliated to a few layers via cation-π interaction between PIL and graphene nanosheets. Electrochemical impedance measurements were taken to investigate the anticorrosion performance of epoxy coatings with or without polymeric ionic liquid–graphene (PIL–G) hybrids. Results indicated that the PIL–G hybrid significantly enhanced the long-term protective performance of epoxy coatings, which was attributed to the synergistic effects of the corrosion-inhibitive PIL and impermeable graphene nanosheets.

Crystal structure analysis reveals Pseudomonas PilY1 as an essential calcium-dependent regulator of bacterial surface motility

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

Orans, Jillian; Johnson, Michael D.L.; Coggan, Kimberly A.

Several bacterial pathogens require the 'twitching' motility produced by filamentous type IV pili (T4P) to establish and maintain human infections. Two cytoplasmic ATPases function as an oscillatory motor that powers twitching motility via cycles of pilus extension and retraction. The regulation of this motor, however, has remained a mystery. We present the 2.1 {angstrom} resolution crystal structure of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa pilus-biogenesis factor PilY1, and identify a single site on this protein required for bacterial translocation. The structure reveals a modified {beta}-propeller fold and a distinct EF-hand-like calcium-binding site conserved in pathogens with retractile T4P. We show that preventing calciummore » binding by PilY1 using either an exogenous calcium chelator or mutation of a single residue disrupts Pseudomonas twitching motility by eliminating surface pili. In contrast, placing a lysine in this site to mimic the charge of a bound calcium interferes with motility in the opposite manner - by producing an abundance of nonfunctional surface pili. Our data indicate that calcium binding and release by the unique loop identified in the PilY1 crystal structure controls the opposing forces of pilus extension and retraction. Thus, PilY1 is an essential, calcium-dependent regulator of bacterial twitching motility.« less

Modification-dependent restriction endonuclease, MspJI, flips 5-methylcytosine out of the DNA helix

DOE PAGES

Horton, J. R.; Wang, H.; Mabuchi, M. Y.; ...

2014-09-27

MspJI belongs to a family of restriction enzymes that cleave DNA containing 5-methylcytosine (5mC) or 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC). MspJI is specific for the sequence 5(h)mC-N-N-G or A and cleaves with some variability 9/13 nucleotides downstream. Earlier, we reported the crystal structure of MspJI without DNA and proposed how it might recognize this sequence and catalyze cleavage. Here we report its co-crystal structure with a 27-base pair oligonucleotide containing 5mC. This structure confirms that MspJI acts as a homotetramer and that the modified cytosine is flipped from the DNA helix into an SRA-like-binding pocket. We expected the structure to reveal two DNAmore » molecules bound specifically to the tetramer and engaged with the enzyme's two DNA-cleavage sites. A coincidence of crystal packing precluded this organization, however. We found that each DNA molecule interacted with two adjacent tetramers, binding one specifically and the other non-specifically. The latter interaction, which prevented cleavage-site engagement, also involved base flipping and might represent the sequence-interrogation phase that precedes specific recognition. MspJI is unusual in that DNA molecules are recognized and cleaved by different subunits. Such interchange of function might explain how other complex multimeric restriction enzymes act.« less

[A randomized, double-blind, controlled study: Ji-Tai tablet for the treatment of acute withdrawl syndrome of mild heroin dependence].

PubMed

Wang, Yuhong; Tang, Cuiqing; Cheng, Shuang; Cui, Guimei; Zhang, Ruiling; Zhang, Zhiyong; Xie, Lingyin; Lin, Yongxiong; Hao, Wei

2015-02-01

To investigate the efficacy and safety of Ji-Tai tablet and Ji-Tai tablet combined with buprenorphine in the treatment of patients with acute withdrawal syndrome of mild heroin dependence. A total of 150 patients with mild heroin dependence were recruited, and were randomly assigned to a Ji-Tai tablet group (n=50), a Ji-Tai tablet combined with buprenorphine group (n=50) and a control group (n=50) during a 10-day clinical trial. Opiate withdrawal scale (OWS) was used to measure the severity of withdrawal symptoms. Anxiety symptoms assessments were made at 0 day (baseline), the day 5 (middle), and the day 10 (end) by the Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA). Symptoms were assessed before and 1 h or 2 h after medication each day. The total withdrawal symptoms scores and the daily reduction rate were used to measure the effect of Ji-Tai tablet vs Ji- Tai tablet plus buprenorphine. Safety evaluation was carried out by the following measures: baseline of treatment, drug side effects after the treatment, vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration rate), laboratory examination (routine blood and urine tests and the liver and kidney function tests), and electrocardiograms. A total of 142 mild heroin dependence patients performed the experiments (including 48 in the Ji-Tai tablet group, 48 in the Ji-Tai tablet with buprenorphine group and 46 in the control group). The scores of baseline withdrawal symptoms were 43.520±19.786, 42.640±17.648 and 47.100±24.450, respectively, with no significant differences among the 3 groups (all P>0.05 ). During the 10-day treatment, the reduction rate of acute withdrawal symptoms scores increased daily, the acute withdrawal syndrome scores and the anxiety symptoms scores declined from day 0 to day 10, there was also no significant difference among the 3 groups (all P>0.05). Ji-Tai tablet did not affect vital signs such as blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration rate. Ji-Tai tablet or Ji-Tai tablet combined with buprenorphine

Integrating STEM education through Project-Based Inquiry Learning (PIL) in topic space among year one pupils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ng, Chee Hoe; Adnan, M.

2018-01-01

This research aims to investigate the effect of integrating STEM education through Project-based Inquiry Learning (PIL) and the users of the STEM modules which consists of five projects on topic Space in Year One Mathematics Syllabus in Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah (KSSR) of Malaysia. STEM education in primary school focuses on the introduces and awareness of students about the importance of STEM education. The projects in STEM modules are covering the different ethnic cultures in Malaysia. The modules are designed using the four phases in PIL. Concepts and the explanation of STEM education on each project are emphasized and provided in the modules so the teachers able to carry out the projects by using the modules. By using the modules in primary Mathematics, the students and teachers will be more understanding on how to integrate the Mathematics’ concepts in STEM education.

MinC/MinD copolymers are not required for Min function

PubMed Central

Park, Kyung-Tae; Du, Shishen; Lutkenhaus, Joe

2015-01-01

Summary In Escherichia coli, precise placement of the cytokinetic Z ring at midcell requires the concerted action of the three Min proteins. MinD activates MinC, an inhibitor of FtsZ, at least in part, by recruiting it to the membrane and targeting it to the Z ring, while MinE stimulates the MinD ATPase inducing an oscillation that directs MinC/MinD activity away from midcell. Recently, MinC and MinD were shown to form copolymers of alternating dimers of MinC and MinD and it was suggested that these copolymers are the active form of MinC/MinD. Here, we use MinD mutants defective in binding MinC to generate heterodimers with wild type MinD that are unable to form MinC/MinD copolymers. Similarly, MinC mutants defective in binding to MinD were used to generate heterodimers with wild type MinC that are unable to form copolymers. Such heterodimers are active and in the case of MinC were shown to mediate spatial regulation of the Z ring demonstrating that MinC/MinD copolymer formation is not required. Our results are consistent with a model in which a membrane anchored MinC/MinD complex is targeted to the Z ring through the conserved carboxy tail of FtsZ leading to breakage of FtsZ filaments. PMID:26268537

Water footprint of Jing-Jin-Ji urban agglomeration in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, D.

2017-12-01

A rapidly expanding economy and increasing water demand for economic production is placing enormous stress on water quantity and aquatic environment in Northern China, especially the so-called Jing-Jin-Ji (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei) urban agglomeration. Several studies have focused on energy consumption, air pollution, CO2 emissions and regional blue water footprint (WF) following release of the Jing-Jin-Ji Integration Strategy by the China government. However, a comprehensive assessment distinguishing blue, green and grey WF amongst different industrial sectors, ascertaining how WF transfers internally and beyond the region and final demand consumption is not available. In this study, we quantified the WF and virtual water flow on a sectoral basis for the year 2010 through coupling the multi-regional input-output model (MRIO) with WF assessment. The results showed that Beijing and Tianjin are net importers of green, blue and grey water from Hebei and other provinces to support their needs. Conversely, Hebei exports all WF colors to Beijing, Tianjin and other provinces in China, more than 60% of WF is transferred as virtual water. For the overall Jing-Jin-Ji region a small amount of blue water (2,086 million m3) is exported, but huge amounts of green water (15,573 million m3) and grey water (30,620 million m3) are outsourced. A "Virtual Water Strategy" is one measure which could alleviate water stress at the regional scale, with consideration of financial compensation from water receiving regions made to water supplying regions for achieving water management targets. We also found that physical water transfer to Jing-Jin-Ji could not balance virtual blue water exports. Our research suggests that a continuation of an export-based economic development model will worsen Hebei's water stress. Reducing the dependency of Hebei's sectoral economy on export of water intensive and low value added agricultural products may be one strategy to reduce the pressure on regional water

Quark orbital dynamics in the proton from lattice QCD: From Ji to Jaffe-Manohar orbital angular momentum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engelhardt, M.

2017-05-01

Given a Wigner distribution simultaneously characterizing quark transverse positions and momenta in a proton, one can directly evaluate their cross product, i.e., quark orbital angular momentum. The aforementioned distribution can be obtained by generalizing the proton matrix elements of quark bilocal operators which define transverse momentum-dependent parton distributions (TMDs); the transverse momentum information is supplemented with transverse position information by introducing an additional nonzero momentum transfer. A gauge connection between the quarks must be specified in the quark bilocal operators; the staple-shaped gauge link path used in TMD calculations yields the Jaffe-Manohar definition of orbital angular momentum, whereas a straight path yields the Ji definition. An exploratory lattice calculation, performed at the pion mass mπ=518 MeV , is presented which quasicontinuously interpolates between the two definitions and demonstrates that their difference can be clearly resolved. The resulting Ji orbital angular momentum is confronted with traditional evaluations based on Ji's sum rule. Jaffe-Manohar orbital angular momentum is enhanced in magnitude compared to its Ji counterpart.

Homogeneous Chaos, p-Forms, Scaling and the Feynman Integral

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-01

f)] = f I (f)(x)dPl(X) = 0; T oIR+) (v) EflI p(f),2j = E[ JI p)j 2 p p = p! 11f11 < p!lf11I ; (vi) E[I p(f)I p(g)] = E[I l )Ip (g)] = p! (f’g) 2 p From...p. 62]. ji is only 15 finitely additive on T but is countably additive on T for each fixed ir. (H,.%.) is called a finitely additive canonical...pilS)"’i(Sk)0i (sk + l ) ° ’ ’ ** Ji R xRkl. =1 p 1 k k+ 0i2k (S2k)* #i2k+l pSjkl)"’"#ip(Sp)J-e (s l ..... k )eJ (sk+1 .... S2k)dsl-...*dsk " ds k+l

pIL6-TRAIL-engineered umbilical cord mesenchymal/stromal stem cells are highly cytotoxic for myeloma cells both in vitro and in vivo.

PubMed

Cafforio, Paola; Viggiano, Luigi; Mannavola, Francesco; Pellè, Eleonora; Caporusso, Concetta; Maiorano, Eugenio; Felici, Claudia; Silvestris, Francesco

2017-09-29

Mesenchymal/stromal stem cells (MSCs) are favorably regarded in anti-cancer cytotherapies for their spontaneous chemotaxis toward inflammatory and tumor environments associated with an intrinsic cytotoxicity against tumor cells. Placenta-derived or TRAIL-engineered adipose MSCs have been shown to exert anti-tumor activity in both in-vitro and in-vivo models of multiple myeloma (MM) while TRAIL-transduced umbilical cord (UC)-MSCs appear efficient inducers of apoptosis in a few solid tumors. However, apoptosis is not selective for cancer cells since specific TRAIL receptors are also expressed by a number of normal cells. To overcome this drawback, we propose to transduce UC-MSCs with a bicistronic vector including the TRAIL sequence under the control of IL-6 promoter (pIL6) whose transcriptional activation is promoted by the MM milieu. UC-MSCs were transduced with a bicistronic retroviral vector (pMIGR1) encoding for green fluorescent protein (GFP) and modified to include the pIL6 sequence upstream of the full-length human TRAIL cDNA. TRAIL expression after stimulation with U-266 cell conditioned medium, or IL-1α/IL-1β, was evaluated by flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, real-time PCR, western blot analysis, and ELISA. Apoptosis in MM cells was assayed by Annexin V staining and by caspase-8 activation. The cytotoxic effect of pIL6-TRAIL + -GFP + -UC-MSCs on MM growth was evaluated in SCID mice by bioluminescence and ex vivo by caspase-3 activation and X-ray imaging. Statistical analyses were performed by Student's t test, ANOVA, and logrank test for survival curves. pIL6-TRAIL + -GFP + -UC-MSCs significantly expressed TRAIL after stimulation by either conditioned medium or by IL-1α/IL-1β, and induced apoptosis in U-266 cells. Moreover, when systemically injected in SCID mice intratibially xenografted with U-266, those cells underwent within MM tibia lesions and significantly reduced the tumor burden by specific induction of apoptosis in MM cells as revealed by

A bottom-up approach to assess verbal therapeutic techniques. Development of the Psychodynamic Interventions List (PIL)

PubMed Central

Gumz, Antje; Neubauer, Karolin; Horstkotte, Julia Katharina; Geyer, Michael; Löwe, Bernd; Murray, Alexandra M.; Kästner, Denise

2017-01-01

Objective Knowing which specific verbal techniques “good” therapists use in their daily work is important for training and evaluation purposes. In order to systematize what is being practiced in the field, our aim was to empirically identify verbal techniques applied in psychodynamic sessions and to differentiate them according to their basic semantic features using a bottom-up, qualitative approach. Method Mixed-Method-Design: In a comprehensive qualitative study, types of techniques were identified at the level of utterances based on transcribed psychodynamic therapy sessions using Qualitative Content Analysis (4211 utterances). The definitions of the identified categories were successively refined and modified until saturation was achieved. In a subsequent quantitative study, inter-rater reliability was assessed both at the level of utterances (n = 8717) and at the session level (n = 38). The convergent validity of the categories was investigated by analyzing associations with the Interpretive and Supportive Technique Scale (ISTS). Results The inductive approach resulted in a classification system with 37 categories (Psychodynamic Interventions List, PIL). According to their semantic content, the categories can be allocated to three dimensions: form (24 categories), thematic content (9) and temporal focus (4). Most categories showed good or excellent inter-rater reliability and expected associations with the ISTS were predominantly confirmed. The rare use of the residual category “Other” suggests that the identified categories might comprehensively describe the breadth of applied techniques. Conclusions The atheoretical orientation and the clear focus on overt linguistic features should enable the PIL to be used without intensive training or prior theoretical knowledge. The PIL can be used to investigate the links between verbal techniques derived from practice and micro-outcomes (at the session level) as well as the overall therapeutic outcomes. This

Economic Evaluation of a Tai Ji Quan Intervention to Reduce Falls in People With Parkinson Disease, Oregon, 2008-2011.

PubMed

Li, Fuzhong; Harmer, Peter

2015-07-30

Exercise is effective in reducing falls in people with Parkinson disease. However, information on the cost effectiveness of this approach is lacking. We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis of Tai Ji Quan for reducing falls among patients with mild-to-moderate Parkinson disease. We used data from a previous intervention trial to analyze resource use costs related to intervention delivery and number of falls observed during a 9-month study period. Cost effectiveness was estimated via incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) in which Tai Ji Quan was compared with 2 alternative interventions (Resistance training and Stretching) on the primary outcome of per fall prevented and the secondary outcome of per participant quality-adjusted life years (QALY) gained. We also conducted subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Tai Ji Quan was more effective than either Resistance training or Stretching; it had the lowest cost and was the most effective in improving primary and secondary outcomes. Compared with Stretching, Tai Ji Quan cost an average of $175 less for each additional fall prevented and produced a substantial improvement in QALY gained at a lower cost. Results from subgroup and sensitivity analyses showed no variation in cost-effectiveness estimates. However, sensitivity analyses demonstrated a much lower ICER ($27) when only intervention costs were considered. Tai Ji Quan represents a cost-effective strategy for optimizing spending to prevent falls and maximize health gains in people with Parkinson disease. While these results are promising, they warrant further validation.

MinE conformational dynamics regulate membrane binding, MinD interaction, and Min oscillation

PubMed Central

Park, Kyung-Tae; Villar, Maria T.; Artigues, Antonio; Lutkenhaus, Joe

2017-01-01

In Escherichia coli MinE induces MinC/MinD to oscillate between the ends of the cell, contributing to the precise placement of the Z ring at midcell. To do this, MinE undergoes a remarkable conformational change from a latent 6β-stranded form that diffuses in the cytoplasm to an active 4β-stranded form bound to the membrane and MinD. How this conformational switch occurs is not known. Here, using hydrogen–deuterium exchange coupled to mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) we rule out a model in which the two forms are in rapid equilibrium. Furthermore, HDX-MS revealed that a MinE mutant (D45A/V49A), previously shown to produce an aberrant oscillation and unable to assemble a MinE ring, is more rigid than WT MinE. This mutant has a defect in interaction with MinD, suggesting it has difficulty in switching to the active form. Analysis of intragenic suppressors of this mutant suggests it has difficulty in releasing the N-terminal membrane targeting sequences (MTS). These results indicate that the dynamic association of the MTS with the β-sheet is fine-tuned to balance MinE’s need to sense MinD on the membrane with its need to diffuse in the cytoplasm, both of which are necessary for the oscillation. The results lead to models for MinE activation and MinE ring formation. PMID:28652337

Vps15p regulates the distribution of cup-shaped organelles containing the major eisosome protein Pil1p to the extracellular fraction required for endocytosis of extracellular vesicles carrying metabolic enzymes.

PubMed

Stein, Kathryn; Winters, Chelsea; Chiang, Hui-Ling

2017-05-01

Exosomes are small vesicles secreted from virtually every cell from bacteria to humans. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a model system to study trafficking of small vesicles in response to changes in the environment. When yeast cells are grown in low glucose, vesicles carrying gluconeogenic enzymes are present as free vesicles and aggregated clusters in the cytoplasm. These vesicles are also secreted into the periplasm and account for more than 90% of total extracellular organelles, while less than 10% are larger 100-300 nm structures with unknown functions. When glucose is added to glucose-starved cells, secreted vesicles are endocytosed and then targeted to the vacuole. Recent secretomic studies indicated that more than 300 proteins involved in diverse biological functions are secreted during glucose starvation and endocytosed during glucose re-feeding. We hypothesised that extracellular vesicles are internalised using novel mechanisms independent of clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Our results showed that vesicles carrying metabolic enzymes were endocytosed at a fast rate, whereas vesicles carrying the heat shock protein Ssa1p were endocytosed at a slow rate. The PI3K regulator Vps15p is critical for the fast internalisation of extracellular vesicles. VPS15 regulates the distribution of the 100-300 nm organelles that contain the major eisosome protein Pil1p to the extracellular fraction. These Pil1p-containing structures were purified and showed unique cup-shape with their centres deeper than the peripheries. In the absence of VPS15, PIL1 or when PIL1 was mutated, the 100-300 nm structures were not observed in the extracellular fraction and the rapid internalisation of vesicles was impaired. We conclude that VPS15 regulates the distribution of the 100-300 nm Pil1p-containing organelles to the extracellular fraction required for fast endocytosis of vesicles carrying metabolic enzymes. This work provides the first evidence showing that Pil1p displayed unique

Severe haze episodes and seriously polluted fog water in Ji'nan, China.

PubMed

Wang, Xinfeng; Chen, Jianmin; Sun, Jianfeng; Li, Weijun; Yang, Lingxiao; Wen, Liang; Wang, Wenxing; Wang, Xinming; Collett, Jeffrey L; Shi, Yang; Zhang, Qingzhu; Hu, Jingtian; Yao, Lan; Zhu, Yanhong; Sui, Xiao; Sun, Xiaomin; Mellouki, Abdelwahid

2014-09-15

Haze episodes often hit urban cities in China recently. Here, we present several continuous haze episodes with extremely high PM2.5 levels that occurred over several weeks in early 2013 and extended across most parts of the northern and eastern China-far exceeding the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Particularly, the haze episode covered ~1 million km(2) on January 14, 2013 and the daily averaged PM2.5 concentration exceeded 360 μg m(-3) in Ji'nan. The observed maximum hourly PM2.5 concentration in urban Ji'nan reached 701 μg m(-3) at 7:00 am (local time) in January 30. During these haze episodes, several fog events happened and the concurrent fog water was found to be seriously polluted. For the fog water collected in Ji'nan from 10:00 pm in January 14 to 11:00 am in January 15, sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium were the major ions with concentrations of 1.54 × 10(6), 8.98 × 10(5), and 1.75 × 10(6) μeq L(-1), respectively, leading to a low in-situ pH of 3.30. The sulfate content in the fog sample was more than 544 times as high as those observed in other areas. With examination of the simultaneously observed data on PM2.5 and its chemical composition, the fog played a role in scavenging and removing fine particles from the atmosphere during haze episodes and thus was seriously contaminated. However, the effect was not sufficient to obviously cleanse air pollution and block haze episodes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Heat shock protein 27 is a potential indicator for response to YangZheng XiaoJi and chemotherapy agents in cancer cells.

PubMed

Owen, Sioned; Zhao, Huishan; Dart, Alwyn; Wang, Yamei; Ruge, Fiona; Gao, Yong; Wei, Cong; Wu, Yiling; Jiang, Wen G

2016-11-01

Heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) is a member of the heat shock protein family which has been linked to tumour progression and, most interestingly, to chemotherapy resistance in cancer patients. The present study examined the potential interplay between HSP27 and YangZheng XiaoJi, a traditional Chinese medicine used in cancer treatment. A range of cell lines from different tumour types including pancreatic, lung, gastric, colorectal, breast, prostate and ovarian cancer (both wild-type and resistant) were used. Levels and activation of HSP27 and its potential associated signalling pathways were evaluated by protein array and western blotting. Knockdown of HSP27 in cancer cells was achieved using siRNA. Localisation and co-localisation of HSP27 and other proteins were carried out by immunofluorescence. Cell growth and migration were evaluated in their response to a range of chemotherapeutic agents. The present study first identified, by way of protein array, that YangZheng XiaoJi was able to inhibit the phosphorylation of HSP27 protein in cancer cells. We further demonstrated that HSP27, which is co-localised with caspase-9, can be blocked from localising in focal adhesions and co-localising with caspase-9 by YangZheng XiaoJi. The study also demonstrated that YangZheng XiaoJi was able to sensitise cancer cells including those cells that were resistant to chemotherapy, to chemotherapeutic agents. Finally, knocking down HSP27 markedly reduced the migration of cancer cells and increased the sensitivity of cancer cells to the inhibitory effect on cellular migration by YangZheng XiaoJi. YangZheng XiaoJi can act as an agent in first sensitising cancer cells to chemotherapy and secondly to overcome, to some degree, chemoresistance when used in an appropriate fashion in patients who have active HSP27.

The Min Oscillator Uses MinD-Dependent Conformational Changes in MinE to Spatially Regulate Cytokinesis.

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

Park, Kyung-Tase; Wu, Wei; Battaile, Kevin P.

In E. coli, MinD recruits MinE to the membrane, leading to a coupled oscillation required for spatial regulation of the cytokinetic Z ring. How these proteins interact, however, is not clear because the MinD-binding regions of MinE are sequestered within a six-stranded {beta} sheet and masked by N-terminal helices. minE mutations that restore interaction between some MinD and MinE mutants were isolated. These mutations alter the MinE structure leading to release of the MinD-binding regions and the N-terminal helices that bind the membrane. Crystallization of MinD-MinE complexes revealed a four-stranded {beta} sheet MinE dimer with the released {beta} strands (MinD-bindingmore » regions) converted to {alpha} helices bound to MinD dimers. These results identify the MinD-dependent conformational changes in MinE that convert it from a latent to an active form and lead to a model of how MinE persists at the MinD-membrane surface.« less

Tai Ji Quan and global cognitive function in older adults with cognitive impairment: a pilot study.

PubMed

Li, Fuzhong; Harmer, Peter; Liu, Yu; Chou, Li-Shan

2014-01-01

This study evaluated whether Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance (TJQMBB) could improve global cognitive function in older adults with cognitive impairment. Using a nonrandomized control group pretest-posttest design, participants aged ≥65 years who scored between 20 and 25 on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were allocated into either a 14-week TJQMBB program (n=22) or a control group (n=24). The primary outcome was MMSE as a measure of global cognitive function with secondary outcomes of 50-ft speed walk, Timed Up&Go, and Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale. At 14 weeks, Tai Ji Quan participants showed significant improvement on MMSE (mean=2.26, p<0.001) compared to controls (mean=0.63, p=0.08). Similarly, Tai Ji Quan participants performed significantly better compared to the controls in both physical performance and balance efficacy measures (p<0.05). Improvement in cognition as measured by MMSE was related to improved physical performance and balance efficacy. These results provide preliminary evidence of the utility of the TJQMBB program to promote cognitive function in older adults in addition to physical benefits. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

MinD-dependent conformational changes in MinE required for the Min oscillator to spatially regulate cytokinesis

PubMed Central

Park, Kyung-Tae; Wu, Wei; Battaile, Kevin P.; Lovell, Scott; Holyoak, Todd; Lutkenhaus, Joe

2011-01-01

Summary MinD recruits MinE to the membrane leading to a coupled oscillation required for spatial regulation of the cytokinetic Z ring in E. coli. How these proteins interact, however, is not clear since the MinD binding regions of MinE are sequestered within a 6-stranded β-sheet and masked by N-terminal helices. Here, minE mutations are isolated that restore interaction to some MinD and MinE mutants. These mutations alter the MinE structure releasing the MinD binding regions and N-terminal helices that bind MinD and the membrane, respectively. Crystallization of MinD-MinE complexes reveals a 4-stranded β-sheet MinE dimer with the released β strands (MinD binding regions) converted to α-helices bound to MinD dimers. These results suggest a 6 stranded, β-sheet dimer of MinE ‘senses’ MinD and switches to a 4-stranded β-sheet dimer that binds MinD and contributes to membrane binding. Also, the results indicate how MinE persists at the MinD-membrane surface. PMID:21816275

Differential affinities of MinD and MinE to anionic phospholipid influence Min Patterning dynamics in vitro

PubMed Central

Vecchiarelli, Anthony G.; Li, Min; Mizuuchi, Michiyo; Mizuuchi, Kiyoshi

2014-01-01

The E. coli Min system forms a cell-pole-to-cell-pole oscillator that positions the divisome at mid-cell. The MinD ATPase binds the membrane and recruits the cell division inhibitor MinC. MinE interacts with and releases MinD (and MinC) from the membrane. The chase of MinD by MinE creates the in vivo oscillator that maintains a low level of the division inhibitor at mid-cell. In vitro reconstitution and visualization of Min proteins on a supported lipid bilayer has provided significant advances in understanding Min patterns in vivo. Here we studied the effects of flow, lipid composition, and salt concentration on Min patterning. Flow and no-flow conditions both supported Min protein patterns with somewhat different characteristics. Without flow, MinD and MinE formed spiraling waves. MinD and, to a greater extent MinE, have stronger affinities for anionic phospholipid. MinD-independent binding of MinE to anionic lipid resulted in slower and narrower waves. MinE binding to the bilayer was also more susceptible to changes in ionic strength than MinD. We find that modulating protein diffusion with flow, or membrane binding affinities with changes in lipid composition or salt concentration, can differentially affect the retention time of MinD and MinE, leading to spatiotemporal changes in Min patterning. PMID:24930948

A pilot study of JI-101, an inhibitor of VEGFR-2, PDGFR-β, and EphB4 receptors, in combination with everolimus and as a single agent in an ovarian cancer expansion cohort.

PubMed

Werner, Theresa L; Wade, Mark L; Agarwal, Neeraj; Boucher, Kenneth; Patel, Jesal; Luebke, Aaron; Sharma, Sunil

2015-12-01

JI-101 is an oral multi-kinase inhibitor that targets vascular endothelial growth factor receptor type 2 (VEGFR-2), platelet derived growth factor receptor β (PDGFR-β), and ephrin type-B receptor 4 (EphB4). None of the currently approved angiogenesis inhibitors have been reported to inhibit EphB4, and therefore, JI-101 has a novel mechanism of action. We conducted a pilot trial to assess the pharmacokinetics (PK), tolerability, and efficacy of JI-101 in combination with everolimus in advanced cancers, and pharmacodynamics (PD), tolerability, and efficacy of JI-101 in ovarian cancer. This was the first clinical study assessing anti-tumor activity of JI-101 in a combinatorial regimen. In the PK cohort, four patients received single agent 10 mg everolimus on day 1, 10 mg everolimus and 200 mg JI-101 combination on day 8, and single agent 200 mg JI-101 on day 15. In the PD cohort, eleven patients received single agent JI-101 at 200 mg twice daily for 28 day treatment cycles. JI-101 was well tolerated as a single agent and in combination with everolimus. No serious adverse events were observed. Common adverse events were hypertension, nausea, and abdominal pain. JI-101 increased exposure of everolimus by approximately 22%, suggestive of drug-drug interaction. The majority of patients had stable disease at their first set of restaging scans (two months), although no patients demonstrated a response to the drug per RECIST criteria. The novel mechanism of action of JI-101 is promising in ovarian cancer treatment and further prospective studies of this agent may be pursued in a less refractory patient population or in combination with cytotoxic chemotherapy.

Study on embodied CO2 transfer between the Jing-Jin-Ji region and other regions in China: a quantification using an interregional input-output model.

PubMed

Chen, Mengmeng; Wu, Sanmang; Lei, Yalin; Li, Shantong

2018-05-01

Jing-Jin-Ji region (i.e., Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei) is China's key development region, but it is also the leading and most serious air pollution region in China. High fossil fuel consumption is the major source of both carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions and air pollutants. Therefore, it is important to reveal the source of CO 2 emissions to control the air pollution in the Jing-Jin-Ji region. In this study, an interregional input-output model was applied to quantitatively estimate the embodied CO 2 transfer between Jing-Jin-Ji region and other region in China using China's interregional input-output data in 2010. The results indicated that there was a significant difference in the production-based CO 2 emissions in China, and furthermore, the Jing-Jin-Ji region and its surrounding regions were the main regions of the production-based CO 2 emissions in China. Hebei Province exported a large amount of embodied CO 2 to meet the investment, consumption, and export demands of Beijing and Tianjin. The Jing-Jin-Ji regions exported a great deal of embodied CO 2 to the coastal provinces of southeast China and imported it from neighboring provinces.

A Systematic Review of the Mysterious Caterpillar Fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis in Dong-ChongXiaCao (冬蟲夏草 Dōng Chóng Xià Cǎo) and Related Bioactive Ingredients

PubMed Central

Lo, Hui-Chen; Hsieh, Chienyan; Lin, Fang-Yi; Hsu, Tai-Hao

2013-01-01

The caterpillar fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis (syn.† Cordyceps sinensis), which was originally used in traditional Tibetan and Chinese medicine, is called either “yartsa gunbu” or “DongChongXiaCao (冬蟲夏草 Dōng Chóng Xià Cǎo)” (“winter worm-summer grass”), respectively. The extremely high price of DongChongXiaCao, approximately USD $20,000 to 40,000 per kg, has led to it being regarded as “soft gold” in China. The multi-fungi hypothesis has been proposed for DongChongXiaCao; however, Hirsutella sinensis is the anamorph of O. sinensis. In Chinese, the meaning of “DongChongXiaCao” is different for O. sinensis, Cordyceps spp.,‡ and Cordyceps spƒ. Over 30 bioactivities, such as immunomodulatory, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities, have been reported for wild DongChongXiaCao and for the mycelia and culture supernatants of O. sinensis. These bioactivities derive from over 20 bioactive ingredients, mainly extracellular polysaccharides, intracellular polysaccharides, cordycepin, adenosine, mannitol, and sterols. Other bioactive components have been found as well, including two peptides (cordymin and myriocin), melanin, lovastatin, γ-aminobutyric acid, and cordysinins. Recently, the bioactivities of O. sinensis were described, and they include antiarteriosclerosis, antidepression, and antiosteoporosis activities, photoprotection, prevention and treatment of bowel injury, promotion of endurance capacity, and learning-memory improvement. H. sinensis has the ability to accelerate leukocyte recovery, stimulate lymphocyte proliferation, antidiabetes, and improve kidney injury. Starting January 1st, 2013, regulation will dictate that one fungus can only have one name, which will end the system of using separate names for anamorphs. The anamorph name “H. sinensis” has changed by the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants to O. sinensis. PMID:24716152

Interprovincial transfer of embodied energy between the Jing-Jin-Ji area and other provinces in China: A quantification using interprovincial input-output model.

PubMed

Chen, Weiming; Wu, Sanmang; Lei, Yalin; Li, Shantong

2017-04-15

Commodity trade between regions implies a large amount of energy transfer. As an important economic growth pole of China, the Jing-Jin-Ji area (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei) is also one of the areas with the largest energy consumption in China. Moreover, the primary energy consumer goods in this area are fossil fuels, such as coal. This has led to serious air pollution in the area. Therefore, the reduction of energy consumption under the premise of maintaining sustained economic growth is an important task of the Jing-Jin-Ji area. In this study, an interprovincial input-output model was applied to quantitatively estimate the embodied energy transfer between Jing-Jin-Ji area and other provinces in China. The results indicated that the Metal and nonmetal mineral processing industry and the Electrical, gas and water industry in the Jing-Jin-Ji area exported a large amount of embodied energy to the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta. However, the embodied energy export of the Jing-Jin-Ji area mainly exported by Hebei province. Beijing and Tianjin even have some net import of embodied energy. The embodied energy transfer between Tianjin, Hebei and other provinces was mainly driven by investment, while the main media of embodied energy transfer between Beijing and other provinces was consumption. Therefore, we suggest that the Jing-Jin-Ji area should further increase the degree of dependence on other provinces' energy-intensive products and reduce the export of energy-intensive products. In addition, there should be difference in the energy and industrial policies among Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, and the problems of high energy consumption and high proportion of heavy industry in Hebei should be first resolved. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The characteristics of abnormal wintertime pollution events in the Jing-Jin-Ji region and its relationships with meteorological factors.

PubMed

Zhu, Wenhui; Xu, Xiangde; Zheng, Jun; Yan, Peng; Wang, Yinjun; Cai, Wenyue

2018-06-01

Despite the implementation of strict air pollution control measures in recent years, severe haze events were still encountered in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Jing-Jin-Ji) region during the winter 2016. In this work, seasonal differences in correlations between air pollution and geographic terrain, atmospheric dynamical and thermal structures, and PBL height over the Jing-Jin-Ji region in history and recent years were investigated and a comprehensive model of atmospheric factors affecting winter air pollution formation was proposed. We found that the distribution of PM 2.5 concentration closely correlated with the topography feature of China and the difference in haze pollution intensity between winter and other seasons was the most significant in the Jing-Jin-Ji region. The "semi-enclosed" terrain along with the enhanced winter "downdraft" strongly inhibited the diffusion and convection of air pollutants in this region. Meanwhile, seasonal variations of the vertical thermal structure over the Jing-Jin-Ji region, i.e., the anomalous pattern of "upper warming and bottom cooling" structure in the middle troposphere, and the "weak wind zone" were more distinct in winter 2016 than historical record, providing an important precondition for the frequent occurrence of thermal inversion layers and severe pollution episodes in the lower troposphere. In addition, abnormally low PBL heights occurred in the Jing-Jin-Ji region during severe pollutant episodes in winter 2016, with mean postmeridian PBL height in December of only 869.4 m, the minimum value since 2013. PM 2.5 concentration was not only closely related to PBL height but also the "warm cover" structure in the middle troposphere. The stronger the structure was, the lower the PBL height became, and severer the pollution event was encountered, accompanying water vapor accumulation and intensification of the thermal inversion layer in the lower troposphere. All above observations revealed the mutual feedback

Effect of Tai Ji Quan training on self-reported sleep quality in elderly Chinese women with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trail.

PubMed

Lü, Jiaojiao; Huang, Lingyan; Wu, Xie; Fu, Weijie; Liu, Yu

2017-05-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of a 24-week Tai Ji Quan training program on sleep quality, quality of life, and physical performance among elderly Chinese women with knee osteoarthritis (OA). A 24-week randomized, controlled trial of 46 elderly women with knee OA. Participants were randomly assigned to either a Tai Ji Quan group (n = 23) or a control group (n = 23). Participants in the Tai Ji Quan group completed training sessions three times per week, while those in the control group had bi-weekly educational classes. The primary outcome was total score of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality of Index (PSQI). Secondary outcomes were: seven subscales of the PSQI; sleep latency; total sleep time; sleep efficiency; physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) of the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36); Berg Balance Scale (BBS); and Timed Up and Go (TUG). Compared with the control group, participants in the Tai Ji Quan group had significantly improved primary outcome (global PSQI score, p = 0.006) and secondary outcomes, including three PSQI sub-scores (sleep latency, p = 0.031; sleep duration, p = 0.043; daytime dysfunction, p = 0.007), total sleep time (p = 0.033), and SF-36 PCS (p = 0.006). The Tai Ji Quan group also had significant improvements compared with baseline in three PSQI sub-scores (sleep latency, p = 0.031; habitual sleep efficiency, p = 0.049; sleep disturbance, p = 0.016), sleep latency (p = 0.003), BBS (p = 0.001), and TUG (p = 0.006). Tai Ji Quan training is an effective treatment approach to improve sleep quality and quality of life in elderly Chinese women with knee OA. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (June 16, 2013): ChiCTR-TRC-13003264. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Regional ecological planning and ecological network construction: a case study of "Ji Triangle" Region].

PubMed

Li, Bo; Han, Zeng-Lin; Tong, Lian-Jun

2009-05-01

By the methods of in situ investigation and regional ecological planning, the present ecological environment, ecosystem vulnerability, and ecological environment sensitivity in "Ji Triangle" Region were analyzed, and the ecological network of the study area was constructed. According to the ecological resources abundance degree, ecological recovery, farmland windbreak system, environmental carrying capacity, forestry foundation, and ecosystem integrity, the study area was classified into three regional ecological function ecosystems, i. e., east low hill ecosystem, middle plain ecosystem, and west plain wetland ecosystem. On the basis of marking regional ecological nodes, the regional ecological corridor (Haerbin-Dalian regional axis, Changchun-Jilin, Changchun-Songyuan, Jilin-Songyuan, Jilin-Siping, and Songyuan-Siping transportation corridor) and regional ecological network (one ring, three links, and three belts) were constructed. Taking the requests of regional ecological security into consideration, the ecological environment security system of "Ji Triangle" Region, including regional ecological conservation district, regional ecological restored district, and regional ecological management district, was built.

Semi-continuous measurement and characteristics of water-soluble organic carbon and ions of PM2.5 aerosol with PILS-TOC-IC in Baengnyeong Island

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, S.; Kim, K.; Park, G.; Ban, J.; Park, D.; Bae, M. S.; Shin, H. J.; Lee, M.; Seo, Y.; Choi, J.; Jung, D.; Seo, S.; Lee, T.; Kim, D. S.

2016-12-01

Aerosols have an important effect from scattering and absorbing the solar energy and indirectly by acting as cloud condensation nuclei and also some of the effects of aerosols are reduction in visibility, deterioration of human health, and deposition of pollutants to ecosystems. In various experimental results were showed that organic compounds have an important fraction from 10 to 70% of the total aerosol mass. Organic carbon contains water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and water insoluble organic carbon. WSOC are involved in the most unknown liquid-phase chemistry of wet aerosol and clouds. It is also worked as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). Formation of secondary organic aerosol by chemical reaction of hydrocarbon compounds is a source of main pollution of WSOC compounds. Study of pollution source of WSOC is important method for creation process of secondary organic aerosol that completely has not studied.Analysis of WSOC is important and need to real-time measurement system for definition of chemical cause and sources. In this study, Particle-into-liquid sampler (PILS) coupled with total organic carbon (TOC) analyser and ion chromatography (PILS-TOC-IC), was used for semi-continuous measurement of WSOC and ionic compounds of PM2.5 during April-June 2016 at Baengnyeong Island Atmospheric Research Center, operated by the Korea National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER). PILS-TOC-IC can provide chemical information about real-time changes from ions composition and concentrations of WSOC and ionic compounds.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Profiling Analysis of ZmPIN, ZmPILS, ZmLAX and ZmABCB Auxin Transporter Gene Families in Maize (Zea mays L.) under Various Abiotic Stresses

PubMed Central

Sun, Tao; Zhang, Lei; Yang, Yanjun; Qi, Jianshuang; Yan, Shufeng; Han, Xiaohua; Wang, Huizhong; Shen, Chenjia

2015-01-01

The auxin influx carriers auxin resistant 1/like aux 1 (AUX/LAX), efflux carriers pin-formed (PIN) (together with PIN-like proteins) and efflux/conditional P-glycoprotein (ABCB) are major protein families involved in auxin polar transport. However, how they function in responses to exogenous auxin and abiotic stresses in maize is largely unknown. In this work, the latest updated maize (Zea mays L.) reference genome sequence was used to characterize and analyze the ZmLAX, ZmPIN, ZmPILS and ZmABCB family genes from maize. The results showed that five ZmLAXs, fifteen ZmPINs, nine ZmPILSs and thirty-five ZmABCBs were mapped on all ten maize chromosomes. Highly diversified gene structures, nonconservative transmembrane helices and tissue-specific expression patterns suggested the possibility of function diversification for these genes. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to analyze the expression patterns of ZmLAX, ZmPIN, ZmPILS and ZmABCB genes under exogenous auxin and different environmental stresses. The expression levels of most ZmPIN, ZmPILS, ZmLAX and ZmABCB genes were induced in shoots and were reduced in roots by various abiotic stresses (drought, salt and cold stresses). The opposite expression response patterns indicated the dynamic auxin transport between shoots and roots under abiotic stresses. Analysis of the expression patterns of ZmPIN, ZmPILS, ZmLAX and ZmABCB genes under drought, salt and cold treatment may help us to understand the possible roles of maize auxin transporter genes in responses and tolerance to environmental stresses. PMID:25742625

[Editing style of Imwon-Gyeongjeji, Inje-ji and inclusion of the medicinal knowledge of the late period of Joseon - Comparing mainly with Dongui-Bogam -].

PubMed

Jeon, Jongwook; Jo, Changrock

2012-12-01

Imwon-Gyeongjeji which was created by Seo Yu-gu in the first half of the 19th century is a encyclopedia of practical use in rural life. It consists of 113 volumes, 16 fields, and 2.52 million total characters. Of these, the field of medicine comes 11th of the contents covering 28 volumes and 1.1 million characters. Its name is Inje-ji. This paper examines the academic background of Seo Yu-gu and his life work briefly, and investigates the characteristics of medical knowledge of late Joseon period contained in the Imwon-Gyeongjeji, Inje-ji Here, we made key comparisons especially with Dongui-Bogam, Joseon's leading medical book. Of the pioneers of medical history studies of Joseon, a Japanese researcher Miki Sakae has made a negative evaluation to Inje-ji. But after concrete investigation we have come to conclude as follows. First, familial ancestors of Seo Yu-gu were engaged in the introduction of foreign-language books, so Seo Yu-gu as an officer of proof-reading and editing of the various books, also had a lot of knowledge on the medical books ever in history. On this background and experience, for over 36 years from 1,806 retirement from official position to his death, he had compiled and edited Imwon-Gyeongjeji. Second, unlike Dongui-Bogam which included improving health skill, Inje-ji focused on curing medicine readily accessible from the major population of that time. Its main features are as follows: i) prescriptions directly linked to the diseases and symptoms, ii) greatly increased medicinal knowledge especially on infectious diseases and trauma, iii) detailed index easy to look up for prescription and iv) his 'own opinions'[an-seol] which can indicate relevant contents within the book and organically combines the whole knowledge in it. Third, "Inje-ji" utilizing medical books in China and Korea even those of Japan, collected more massively almost all the medical knowledge, new illness, herbs of local area, private prescription. Meanwhile Inje-ji modified

Geomorphological diversity of Dong-Sha Atoll based on spectrum and texture analysis in high resolution remote sensing imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jianyu; Mao, Zhihua; He, Xianqiang

2009-01-01

Coral reefs are complex marine ecosystems that are constructed and maintained by biological communities that thrive in tropical oceans. The Dong-Sha Atoll is located at the northern continental margin of the South China Sea. It has being abused by destructive activity of human being and natural event during recent decades. Remote sensing offers a powerful tool for studying coral reef geomorphology and is the most cost-effective approach for large-scale reef survey. In this paper, the high-resolution Quickbird2 imageries which covered the full atoll are used to categorize the current distribution of coral reefs geomorphological structure therein with the auxiliary SPOT5 and ASTER imageries. Spectral and texture analysis are used to distinguish the geomorphological diversity during data processing. The Gray Level Co-occurrence Matrices is adopted for texture feature extraction and atoll geomorphology mapping in the high-resolution pan-color image of Quickbird2. Quickbird2 is considered as the most appropriate image source for coral reefs studies. In the Dong-Sha Atoll, various dynamical geomorphologic units are developed according to wave energy zones. There the reef frame types are classified to 3 different types according as its diversity at the image. The radial structure system is the most characteristic and from high resolution imagery we can distinguish the discrepancy between them.

The cell division protein MinD from Pseudomonas aeruginosa dominates the assembly of the MinC-MinD copolymers.

PubMed

Huang, Haiyan; Wang, Ping; Bian, Li; Osawa, Masaki; Erickson, Harold P; Chen, Yaodong

2018-05-18

Cell division of rod-shaped bacteria requires the Z ring, a ring of FtsZ filaments associated with the inner-membrane wall. The MinCDE proteins help localize the Z ring to the center of the Escherichia coli cell. MinC, which inhibits Z-ring assembly, is a passenger on MinD. Previous studies have shown that MinC-MinD from E. coli and Aquifex aeolicus assemble in vitro into extended filaments with a 1:1 stoichiometry. However, a recent study has raised questions about the function of the MinC-MinD copolymer in vivo , because its assembly appears to require a high concentration of these two proteins and has a long lag time, and its blockade does not affect in vivo activities. Here, we found that MinC and MinD from Pseudomonas aeruginosa coassemble into filaments with a 1:1 stoichiometry. We also found that the minimal concentration of ∼4 μm required for assembly applies only to MinD because above 4 μm MinD, even very low MinC concentrations sustained coassembly. As previously reported, the MinC-MinD coassembly exhibited a long lag of ∼100 s when initiated by ATP. Premixing MinD with ATP eliminated this lag, suggesting that it may be due to slow MinD dimerization following ATP activation. We also discovered that MinC-MinD copolymers quickly bound FtsZ filaments and formed huge bundles. Our results resolve previous questions about the low concentration of MinC and the lag time, insights that may inform future investigations into the exact role of the MinC-MinD copolymer in vivo . © 2018 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

The impact of new transportation modes on population distribution in Jing-Jin-Ji region of China

PubMed Central

Wang, Lizhe; Chen, Lajiao

2018-01-01

This paper conducts a novel study in China’s Jing-Jin-Ji region to investigate the determinants of population distribution and short-term migration based on a comprehensive dataset including traditional census data, earth observation data, and emerging Internet data. Our results show that due to the high level of urbanization in this region, natural conditions are no longer the strongest determinants of population distribution. New transportation modes, such as high-speed rail, have arisen as a significant determinant of population distribution and short-term migration, particularly in large cities. Socio-economic factors such as GDP, investment, urbanization level, and technology, which are traditionally assumed to govern population distribution and short-term migration, have less influence although education still remains an important factor affecting population distribution. These findings will contribute valuable information to regional planning decision-making in the Jing-Jin-Ji region. PMID:29360105

[Professor DONG Gui-rong's experience for the treatment of peripheral facial paralysis].

PubMed

Cao, Lian-Ying; Shen, Te-Li; Zhang, Wei; Chen, Si-Hui

2012-05-01

Professor DONG Gui-rong's theoretical principle and manipulation points for peripheral facial paralysis were introduced in details from the angels of syndrome differentiation, timing, acupoint prescription and needling methods. For the syndrome differentiation and timing, the professor emphasized to check the treatment timing and follow the symptoms, which should be treated by stages, besides, it was necessary to find and distinguish the reason and nature of diseases to have a combined treatment of tendons and muscles. For the acupoint prescription and needling methods, he has proposed that the acupoints selection should be compatible of distal and lacal, and made a best of Baihui (GV 20) to regulate the whole yang qi, also he has paid much attention to the needling methods and staging treatment. Under the consideration of late stage of peripheral facial paralysis, based on syndrome differentiation Back-shu points have been selected to regulate zang-fu function, should achieve much better therapeutic effect.

JiTTree: A Just-in-Time Compiled Sparse GPU Volume Data Structure.

PubMed

Labschütz, Matthias; Bruckner, Stefan; Gröller, M Eduard; Hadwiger, Markus; Rautek, Peter

2016-01-01

Sparse volume data structures enable the efficient representation of large but sparse volumes in GPU memory for computation and visualization. However, the choice of a specific data structure for a given data set depends on several factors, such as the memory budget, the sparsity of the data, and data access patterns. In general, there is no single optimal sparse data structure, but a set of several candidates with individual strengths and drawbacks. One solution to this problem are hybrid data structures which locally adapt themselves to the sparsity. However, they typically suffer from increased traversal overhead which limits their utility in many applications. This paper presents JiTTree, a novel sparse hybrid volume data structure that uses just-in-time compilation to overcome these problems. By combining multiple sparse data structures and reducing traversal overhead we leverage their individual advantages. We demonstrate that hybrid data structures adapt well to a large range of data sets. They are especially superior to other sparse data structures for data sets that locally vary in sparsity. Possible optimization criteria are memory, performance and a combination thereof. Through just-in-time (JIT) compilation, JiTTree reduces the traversal overhead of the resulting optimal data structure. As a result, our hybrid volume data structure enables efficient computations on the GPU, while being superior in terms of memory usage when compared to non-hybrid data structures.

Serum antibody response to Moraxella catarrhalis proteins OMP CD, OppA, Msp22, Hag, and PilA2 after nasopharyngeal colonization and acute otitis media in children.

PubMed

Ren, Dabin; Almudevar, Anthony L; Murphy, Timothy F; Lafontaine, Eric R; Campagnari, Anthony A; Luke-Marshall, Nicole; Casey, Janet R; Pichichero, Michael E

2015-10-26

There is no licensed vaccine for Moraxella catarrhalis (Mcat), which is a prominent bacterium causing acute otitis media (AOM) in children and lower respiratory tract infections in adults. Nasopharyngeal (NP) colonization caused by respiratory bacteria results in natural immunization of the host. To identify Mcat antigens as vaccine candidates, we evaluated the development of naturally induced antibodies to 5 Mcat surface proteins in children 6-30 months of age during Mcat NP colonization and AOM. Human serum IgG against the recombinant Mcat proteins, outer membrane protein (OMP) CD, oligopeptide permease (Opp)A, hemagglutinin (Hag), Moraxella surface protein (Msp)22, and PilA clade 2 (PilA2) was quantitated by using an ELISA assay. There were 223 Mcat NP colonization episodes documented in 111 (60%) of 184 children in the study. Thirty five Mcat AOM episodes occurred in 30 (16%) of 184 children. All 5 Mcat candidate vaccine antigens evaluated stimulated a significant rise in serum IgG levles over time from 6 to 36 months of age (P<0.001), with a rank order as follows: Msp22=OppA>OMP CD=Hag=PilA2. Children with no detectable Mcat NP colonization showed a higher serum IgG level against OppA, Hag, and Msp22 compared to those with Mcat NP colonization (P<0.05). Individual data showed that some children responded to AOM with an antibody increase to one or more of the studied Mcat proteins but some children failed to respond. Serum antibody to Mcat candidate vaccine proteins OMP CD, OppA, Msp22, Hag, and PilA2 increased with age in naturally immunized children age 6-30 months following Mcat NP colonization and AOM. High antibody levels against OppA, Msp22, and Hag correlated with reduced carriage. The results support further investigation of these vaccine candidates in protecting against Mcat colonization and infection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Serum antibody response to Moraxella catarrhalis proteins OMP CD, OppA, Msp22, Hag, and PilA2 after nasopharyngeal colonization and acute otitis media in children

PubMed Central

Ren, Dabin; Almudevar, Anthony L.; Murphy, Timothy F.; Lafontaine, Eric R.; Campagnari, Anthony A.; Luke-Marshall, Nicole; Casey, Janet R.; Pichichero, Michael E.

2015-01-01

Background There is no licensed vaccine for Moraxella catarrhalis (Mcat), which is a prominent bacterium causing acute otitis media (AOM) in children and lower respiratory tract infections in adults. Nasopharyngeal (NP) colonization caused by respiratory bacteria results in natural immunization of the host. To identify Mcat antigens as vaccine candidates, we evaluated the development of naturally induced antibodies to 5 Mcat surface proteins in children 6–30 months of age during Mcat NP colonization and AOM. Methods Human serum IgG against the recombinant Mcat proteins, outer membrane protein (OMP) CD, oligopeptide permease (Opp)A, hemagglutinin (Hag), Moraxella surface protein (Msp)22, and PilA clade 2 (PilA2) was quantitated by using an ELISA assay. Results There were 223 Mcat NP colonization episodes documented in 111 (60%) of 184 children in the study. Thirty five Mcat AOM episodes occurred in 30 (16%) of 184 children. All 5 Mcat candidate vaccine antigens evaluated stimulated a significant rise in serum IgG levles over time from 6 to 36 months of age (P < 0.001), with a rank order as follows: Msp22 = OppA > OMP CD = Hag = PilA2. Children with no detectable Mcat NP colonization showed a higher serum IgG level against OppA, Hag, and Msp22 compared to those with Mcat NP colonization (P < 0.05). Individual data showed that some children responded to AOM with an antibody increase to one or more of the studied Mcat proteins but some children failed to respond. Conclusions Serum antibody to Mcat candidate vaccine proteins OMP CD, OppA, Msp22, Hag, and PilA2 increased with age in naturally immunized children age 6–30 months following Mcat NP colonization and AOM. High antibody levels against OppA, Msp22, and Hag correlated with reduced carriage. The results support further investigation of these vaccine candidates in protecting against Mcat colonization and infection. PMID:26392013

Paramedic Initiated Lisinopril For Acute Stroke Treatment (PIL-FAST): results from the pilot randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

Shaw, Lisa; Price, Christopher; McLure, Sally; Howel, Denise; McColl, Elaine; Younger, Paul; Ford, Gary A

2014-01-01

Background High blood pressure (BP) during acute stroke is associated with poorer stroke outcome. Trials of treatments to lower BP have not resulted in improved outcome, but this may be because treatment commenced too late. Emergency medical service staff (paramedics) are uniquely placed to administer early treatment; however, experience of prehospital randomised controlled trials (RCTs) is very limited. Methods We conducted a pilot RCT to determine the feasibility of a definitive prehospital BP-lowering RCT in acute stroke. Paramedics were trained to identify, consent and deliver a first dose of lisinopril or placebo to adults with suspected stroke and hypertension while responding to the emergency call. Further treatment continued in hospital. Study eligibility, recruitment rate, completeness of receipt of study medication and clinical data (eg, BP) were collected to inform the design of a definitive RCT. Results In 14 months, 14 participants (median age=73 years, median National Institute of Health Stroke Scale=4) were recruited and received the prehospital dose of medication. Median time from stroke onset (as assessed by paramedic) to treatment was 70 min. Four participants completed 7 days of study treatment. Of ambulance transported suspected stroke patients, 1% were both study eligible and attended by a PIL-FAST paramedic. Conclusions It is possible to conduct a paramedic initiated double-blind RCT of a treatment for acute stroke. However, to perform a definitive RCT in a reasonable timescale, a large number of trained paramedics across several ambulance services would be needed to recruit the number of patients likely to be required. Clinical trial registration http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01066572. PMID:24078198

The Social Attitude Empowerment of Biology Students: Implementation JiRQA Learning Strategy in Different Ethnics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bustami, Yakobus; Corebima, Aloysius Duran; Suarsini, Endang; Ibrohim

2017-01-01

The empowerment of social attitudes in higher education is indispensable. The aim of this research was to uncover the effect of the empowerment efforts on the social attitudes of multiethnic biology students through the implementation of JiRQA learning strategy. This research was a quasi experimental of 2 x 3 factorial design implemented on the…

Technical note: An improved approach to determining background aerosol concentrations with PILS sampling on aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukami, Christine S.; Sullivan, Amy P.; Ryan Fulgham, S.; Murschell, Trey; Borch, Thomas; Smith, James N.; Farmer, Delphine K.

2016-07-01

Particle-into-Liquid Samplers (PILS) have become a standard aerosol collection technique, and are widely used in both ground and aircraft measurements in conjunction with off-line ion chromatography (IC) measurements. Accurate and precise background samples are essential to account for gas-phase components not efficiently removed and any interference in the instrument lines, collection vials or off-line analysis procedures. For aircraft sampling with PILS, backgrounds are typically taken with in-line filters to remove particles prior to sample collection once or twice per flight with more numerous backgrounds taken on the ground. Here, we use data collected during the Front Range Air Pollution and Photochemistry Éxperiment (FRAPPÉ) to demonstrate that not only are multiple background filter samples are essential to attain a representative background, but that the chemical background signals do not follow the Gaussian statistics typically assumed. Instead, the background signals for all chemical components analyzed from 137 background samples (taken from ∼78 total sampling hours over 18 flights) follow a log-normal distribution, meaning that the typical approaches of averaging background samples and/or assuming a Gaussian distribution cause an over-estimation of background samples - and thus an underestimation of sample concentrations. Our approach of deriving backgrounds from the peak of the log-normal distribution results in detection limits of 0.25, 0.32, 3.9, 0.17, 0.75 and 0.57 μg m-3 for sub-micron aerosol nitrate (NO3-), nitrite (NO2-), ammonium (NH4+), sulfate (SO42-), potassium (K+) and calcium (Ca2+), respectively. The difference in backgrounds calculated from assuming a Gaussian distribution versus a log-normal distribution were most extreme for NH4+, resulting in a background that was 1.58× that determined from fitting a log-normal distribution.

Min Zhang | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Min Zhang Photo of Min Zhang Min Zhang Researcher V-Molecular Biology Min.Zhang@nrel.gov | 303-384 -7753 Research Interests Using a systems biology approach to identify, analyze, and engineer pathways Metabolic engineering Molecular biology Microbial physiology Systems biology Fermentation development Enzyme

Improving human health outcomes with a low-cost intervention to reduce exposures from lead acid battery recycling: Dong Mai, Vietnam.

PubMed

Ericson, Bret; Duong, Thi To; Keith, John; Nguyen, Trong Cuu; Havens, Deborah; Daniell, William; Karr, Catherine J; Ngoc Hai, Doan; Van Tung, Lo; Thi Nhi Ha, Tran; Wilson, Brian; Hanrahan, David; Croteau, Gerry; Patrick Taylor, Mark

2018-02-01

This study details the first comprehensive evaluation of the efficacy of a soil lead mitigation project in Dong Mai village, Vietnam. The village's population had been subject to severe lead poisoning for at least a decade as a result of informal Used Lead Acid Battery (ULAB) recycling. Between July 2013 to February 2015, Pure Earth and the Centre for Environment and Community Development (Hanoi, Vietnam) implemented a multi-faceted environmental and human health intervention. The intervention consisted of a series of institutional and low-cost engineering controls including the capping of lead contaminated surface soils, cleaning of home interiors, an education campaign and the construction of a work-clothes changing and bathing facility. The mitigation project resulted in substantial declines in human and environmental lead levels. Remediated home yard and garden areas decreased from an average surface soil concentration of 3940mg/kg to <100mg/kg. One year after the intervention, blood lead levels in children (<6 years old) were reduced by an average of 67%-from a median of 40.4μg/dL to 13.3μg/dL. The Dong Mai project resulted in significantly decreased environmental and biological lead levels demonstrating that low-cost, rapid and well-coordinated interventions could be readily applied elsewhere to significantly reduce preventable human health harm. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Detecting the causality influence of individual meteorological factors on local PM2.5 concentration in the Jing-Jin-Ji region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ziyue; Cai, Jun; Gao, Bingbo; Xu, Bing; Dai, Shuang; He, Bin; Xie, Xiaoming

2017-01-01

Due to complicated interactions in the atmospheric environment, quantifying the influence of individual meteorological factors on local PM2.5 concentration remains challenging. The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (short for Jing-Jin-Ji) region is infamous for its serious air pollution. To improve regional air quality, characteristics and meteorological driving forces for PM2.5 concentration should be better understood. This research examined seasonal variations of PM2.5 concentration within the Jing-Jin-Ji region and extracted meteorological factors strongly correlated with local PM2.5 concentration. Following this, a convergent cross mapping (CCM) method was employed to quantify the causality influence of individual meteorological factors on PM2.5 concentration. The results proved that the CCM method was more likely to detect mirage correlations and reveal quantitative influences of individual meteorological factors on PM2.5 concentration. For the Jing-Jin-Ji region, the higher PM2.5 concentration, the stronger influences meteorological factors exert on PM2.5 concentration. Furthermore, this research suggests that individual meteorological factors can influence local PM2.5 concentration indirectly by interacting with other meteorological factors. Due to the significant influence of local meteorology on PM2.5 concentration, more emphasis should be given on employing meteorological means for improving local air quality.

AraC-like transcriptional activator CuxR binds c-di-GMP by a PilZ-like mechanism to regulate extracellular polysaccharide production

PubMed Central

Schäper, Simon; Steinchen, Wieland; Krol, Elizaveta; Altegoer, Florian; Skotnicka, Dorota; Bange, Gert; Becker, Anke

2017-01-01

Cyclic dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP) has emerged as a key regulatory player in the transition between planktonic and sedentary biofilm-associated bacterial lifestyles. It controls a multitude of processes including production of extracellular polysaccharides (EPSs). The PilZ domain, consisting of an N-terminal “RxxxR” motif and a β-barrel domain, represents a prototype c-di-GMP receptor. We identified a class of c-di-GMP–responsive proteins, represented by the AraC-like transcription factor CuxR in plant symbiotic α-proteobacteria. In Sinorhizobium meliloti, CuxR stimulates transcription of an EPS biosynthesis gene cluster at elevated c-di-GMP levels. CuxR consists of a Cupin domain, a helical hairpin, and bipartite helix-turn-helix motif. Although unrelated in sequence, the mode of c-di-GMP binding to CuxR is highly reminiscent to that of PilZ domains. c-di-GMP interacts with a conserved N-terminal RxxxR motif and the Cupin domain, thereby promoting CuxR dimerization and DNA binding. We unravel structure and mechanism of a previously unrecognized c-di-GMP–responsive transcription factor and provide insights into the molecular evolution of c-di-GMP binding to proteins. PMID:28559336

The clinical thinking of Bion and the art of the Zen garden (Ryoan-ji).

PubMed

Bucca, Maurizio

2007-01-01

It is my intention to suggest that there are several affinities between Bion's thought, in particular with such concepts as truth, absolute truth (O), the contact with O (at-one-ment), and the transformation into O, the act of faith, hallucinosis and illumination, and certain formulations referring to Zen Buddhism. These concepts can find, in turn, correspondences in the salient characteristics of the rock garden at Kyoto's Ryoan-ji temple.

Membrane-bound MinDE complex acts as a toggle switch that drives Min oscillation coupled to cytoplasmic depletion of MinD

PubMed Central

Vecchiarelli, Anthony G.; Li, Min; Mizuuchi, Michiyo; Hwang, Ling Chin; Seol, Yeonee; Neuman, Keir C.; Mizuuchi, Kiyoshi

2016-01-01

The Escherichia coli Min system self-organizes into a cell-pole to cell-pole oscillator on the membrane to prevent divisions at the cell poles. Reconstituting the Min system on a lipid bilayer has contributed to elucidating the oscillatory mechanism. However, previous in vitro patterns were attained with protein densities on the bilayer far in excess of those in vivo and failed to recapitulate the standing wave oscillations observed in vivo. Here we studied Min protein patterning at limiting MinD concentrations reflecting the in vivo conditions. We identified “burst” patterns—radially expanding and imploding binding zones of MinD, accompanied by a peripheral ring of MinE. Bursts share several features with the in vivo dynamics of the Min system including standing wave oscillations. Our data support a patterning mechanism whereby the MinD-to-MinE ratio on the membrane acts as a toggle switch: recruiting and stabilizing MinD on the membrane when the ratio is high and releasing MinD from the membrane when the ratio is low. Coupling this toggle switch behavior with MinD depletion from the cytoplasm drives a self-organized standing wave oscillator. PMID:26884160

Membrane-bound MinDE complex acts as a toggle switch that drives Min oscillation coupled to cytoplasmic depletion of MinD.

PubMed

Vecchiarelli, Anthony G; Li, Min; Mizuuchi, Michiyo; Hwang, Ling Chin; Seol, Yeonee; Neuman, Keir C; Mizuuchi, Kiyoshi

2016-03-15

The Escherichia coli Min system self-organizes into a cell-pole to cell-pole oscillator on the membrane to prevent divisions at the cell poles. Reconstituting the Min system on a lipid bilayer has contributed to elucidating the oscillatory mechanism. However, previous in vitro patterns were attained with protein densities on the bilayer far in excess of those in vivo and failed to recapitulate the standing wave oscillations observed in vivo. Here we studied Min protein patterning at limiting MinD concentrations reflecting the in vivo conditions. We identified "burst" patterns--radially expanding and imploding binding zones of MinD, accompanied by a peripheral ring of MinE. Bursts share several features with the in vivo dynamics of the Min system including standing wave oscillations. Our data support a patterning mechanism whereby the MinD-to-MinE ratio on the membrane acts as a toggle switch: recruiting and stabilizing MinD on the membrane when the ratio is high and releasing MinD from the membrane when the ratio is low. Coupling this toggle switch behavior with MinD depletion from the cytoplasm drives a self-organized standing wave oscillator.

The Legionella pneumophila PilT Homologue DotB Exhibits ATPase Activity That Is Critical for Intracellular Growth

PubMed Central

Sexton, Jessica A.; Pinkner, Jerome S.; Roth, Robyn; Heuser, John E.; Hultgren, Scott J.; Vogel, Joseph P.

2004-01-01

The ability of Legionella pneumophila to grow and cause disease in the host is completely dependent on a type IV secretion system known as the Dot/Icm complex. This membrane-spanning apparatus translocates effector molecules into host cells in a process that is poorly understood but that is known to require the putative ATPase DotB. One possible role for DotB is suggested by its similarity to the PilT family of proteins, which mediate pilus retraction. To better understand the molecular behavior of DotB, we have purified the protein and shown that it forms stable homohexameric rings and hydrolyzes ATP with a specific activity of 6.4 nmol of ATP/min/mg of protein. ATPase activity is critical to the function of DotB, as alteration of the conserved Walker box lysine residue resulted in a mutant protein, DotB K162Q, which failed to bind or hydrolyze ATP and which could not complement a ΔdotB strain for intracellular growth in macrophages. Consistent with the ability of DotB to interact with itself, the dotBK162Q allele exhibited transdominance over wild-type dotB, providing the first example of such a mutation in L. pneumophila. Finally, the DotB K162Q mutant protein had a significantly enhanced membrane localization in L. pneumophila compared to wild-type DotB, suggesting a relationship between nucleotide binding and membrane association. These results are consistent with a model in which DotB cycles between the cytoplasm and the Dot/Icm complex at the membrane, where it hydrolyzes nucleotides to provide energy to the complex. PMID:14996796

Mechanism of the asymmetric activation of the MinD ATPase by MinE

PubMed Central

Park, Kyung-Tae; Wu, Wei; Lovell, Scott; Lutkenhaus, Joe

2012-01-01

Summary MinD is a component of the Min system involved in the spatial regulation of cell division. It is an ATPase in the MinD/ParA/Mrp deviant Walker A motif family which is within the P loop GTPase superfamily. Its ATPase activity is stimulated by MinE, however, the mechanism of this activation is unclear. MinD forms a symmetric dimer with two binding sites for MinE, however, a recent model suggested that MinE occupying one site was sufficient for ATP hydrolysis. By generating heterodimers with one binding site for MinE we show that one binding site is sufficient for stimulation of the MinD ATPase. Furthermore, comparison of structures of MinD and related proteins led us to examine the role of N45 in the switch I region. An asparagine at this position is conserved in four of the deviant Walker A motif subfamilies (MinD, chromosomal ParAs, Get3 and FleN) and we find that N45 in MinD is essential for MinE stimulated ATPase activity and suggest that it is a key residue affected by MinE binding. PMID:22651575

The black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Thua Thien Hue and Lam Dong Provinces, Vietnam.

PubMed

Takaoka, Hiroyuki; Sofian-Azirun, Mohd; Ya'cob, Zubaidah; Chen, Chee Dhang; Lau, Koon Weng; Pham, Xuan Da

2015-05-21

Surveys of pupae and larvae of black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) were carried out in Thua Thien Hue Province of central Vietnam, and Lam Dong Province of southern Vietnam in 2014. A total of 26 species belonging to the genus Simulium were collected, consisting of eight known species, one newly recorded species, and 17 new species (of which three species of the subgenus Nevermannia were described in 2014). The remaining 14 new species (nine of the subgenus Gomphostilbia and five of the subgenus Simulium) are described here based on females, males, pupae and mature larvae. The total number of species of black flies in Vietnam is now 46. Keys to identify all 26 species recorded from the two provinces of Vietnam are given for females, males, pupae and mature larvae.

The lymphoscintigraphic manifestation of (99m)Tc-dextran lymphatic imaging in primary intestinal lymphangiectasia.

PubMed

Wen, Zhe; Tong, Guansheng; Liu, Yong; Meeks, Jacqui K; Ma, Daqing; Yang, Jigang

2014-05-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the imaging characteristics of (99m)Tc-dextran ((99m)Tc-DX) lymphatic imaging in the diagnosis of primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL). Forty-one PIL patients were diagnosed as having PIL with the diagnosis being subsequently confirmed by laparotomy, endoscopy, biopsy, or capsule colonoscopy. Nineteen patients were male and 22 were female. A whole-body (99m)Tc-DX scan was performed at 10 min, 1 h, 3 h, and 6 h intervals after injection. The 10 min and 1 h postinjection intervals were considered the early phase, the 3 h postinjection interval was considered the middle phase, and the 6 h postinjection interval was considered the delayed phase. The imaging characteristics of (99m)Tc-DX lymphatic imaging in PIL were of five different types: (i) presence of dynamic radioactivity in the intestine, associated with radioactivity moving from the small intestine to the ascending and transverse colon; (ii) presence of delayed dynamic radioactivity in the intestine, no radioactivity or little radioactivity distributing in the intestine in the early phase, or significant radioactivity distributing in the intestine in the delayed phase; (iii) radioactivity distributing in the intestine and abdominal cavity; (iv) radioactivity distributing only in the abdominal cavity with no radioactivity in the intestines; and (v) no radioactivity distributing in the intestine and abdominal activity. (99m)Tc-DX lymphatic imaging in PIL showed different imaging characteristics. Caution should be exercised in the diagnosis of PIL using lymphoscintigraphy. Lymphoscintigraphy is a safe and accurate examination method and is a significant diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of PIL.

The Impact of Land Use and Land Cover Change on Water Yield in the Jing- Jin-Ji Region in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Suxiao; Yang, Hong

2017-04-01

Water yield is one of the key ecosystem services sustaining both people's life and economic development. However, the water yield function is sensitive to anthropogenic activity especially the land use and land cover change (LUCC). Assessment of historical LUCC and its impact on water yield could benefit designing and implementing appropriate land use strategy that enhance the water yield capacity. Beijing (Jing) and its surrounding areas of Tianjin (Jin) and Hebei (Ji) is the political, cultural and economic center of China. The region is facing increasingly water crisis. Taking the Jing-Jin-Ji region as a study area, this study analyzed the historical LUCC and its impact on water yield by using the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model to spatially map and quantify the changes of water yield from 1995 to 2010. The results showed there was main decline in area of wetland and forest and increase in area of crop land and built up land. An abrupt decline in water yield was found for year 2000. The water yield was influenced to a great extent by precipitation and evapotranspiration, but the land use played an important role in the water yield capacity (water yield per unit area) through plant cover that affected evapotranspiration, soil water permeability and the capacity of holding the moisture content. By general ranking, the water yield capacity of different land use type was as follows: built-up>bare land>cropland> grassland>forest >wetland, which illustrated that the built-up and bare land had higher run off rate while the vegetation area had higher capacity to control surface run off to increase the groundwater. A good understanding of temporal-spatial allocation of historical LUCC and Water yield of the Jing-Jin-Ji region could help guide land use policy decisions that take into consideration of tradeoffs with respect to spatial distribution of ecosystem services amongst the three administrative entities (Jing-Jin-Ji) and

Determination of structure of the MinD-ATP complex reveals the orientation of MinD on the membrane and the relative location of the binding sites for MinE and MinC

PubMed Central

Wu, Wei; Park, Kyung-Tae; Holyoak, Todd; Lutkenhaus, Joe

2011-01-01

Summary The three Min proteins spatially regulate Z ring positioning in E. coli and are dynamically associated with the membrane. MinD binds to vesicles in the presence of ATP and can recruit MinC or MinE. Biochemical and genetic evidence indicate the binding sites for these two proteins on MinD overlap. Here we solved the structure of a hydrolytic-deficient mutant of MinD truncated for the C-terminal amphipathic helix involved in binding to the membrane. The structure solved in the presence of ATP is a dimer and reveals the face of MinD abutting the membrane. Using a combination of random and extensive site-directed mutagenesis additional residues important for MinE and MinC binding were identified. The location of these residues on the MinD structure confirms that the binding sites overlap and reveals that the binding sites are at the dimer interface and exposed to the cytosol. The location of the binding sites at the dimer interface offers a simple explanation for the ATP-dependency of MinC and MinE binding to MinD. PMID:21231967

A simple method for semi-random DNA amplicon fragmentation using the methylation-dependent restriction enzyme MspJI.

PubMed

Shinozuka, Hiroshi; Cogan, Noel O I; Shinozuka, Maiko; Marshall, Alexis; Kay, Pippa; Lin, Yi-Han; Spangenberg, German C; Forster, John W

2015-04-11

Fragmentation at random nucleotide locations is an essential process for preparation of DNA libraries to be used on massively parallel short-read DNA sequencing platforms. Although instruments for physical shearing, such as the Covaris S2 focused-ultrasonicator system, and products for enzymatic shearing, such as the Nextera technology and NEBNext dsDNA Fragmentase kit, are commercially available, a simple and inexpensive method is desirable for high-throughput sequencing library preparation. MspJI is a recently characterised restriction enzyme which recognises the sequence motif CNNR (where R = G or A) when the first base is modified to 5-methylcytosine or 5-hydroxymethylcytosine. A semi-random enzymatic DNA amplicon fragmentation method was developed based on the unique cleavage properties of MspJI. In this method, random incorporation of 5-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine-5'-triphosphate is achieved through DNA amplification with DNA polymerase, followed by DNA digestion with MspJI. Due to the recognition sequence of the enzyme, DNA amplicons are fragmented in a relatively sequence-independent manner. The size range of the resulting fragments was capable of control through optimisation of 5-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine-5'-triphosphate concentration in the reaction mixture. A library suitable for sequencing using the Illumina MiSeq platform was prepared and processed using the proposed method. Alignment of generated short reads to a reference sequence demonstrated a relatively high level of random fragmentation. The proposed method may be performed with standard laboratory equipment. Although the uniformity of coverage was slightly inferior to the Covaris physical shearing procedure, due to efficiencies of cost and labour, the method may be more suitable than existing approaches for implementation in large-scale sequencing activities, such as bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-based genome sequence assembly, pan-genomic studies and locus-targeted genotyping-by-sequencing.

[DONG's extraordinary acupoints for the ovarian function of polycystic ovary syndrome:a randomized controlled pilot trial].

PubMed

Cao, Yu; Zhang, Li; Zhao, Danyang; Liu, Zhishun

2017-07-12

To preliminary assess the efficacy of DONG 's extraordinary acupoints for the ovarian function of polycystic ovary syndrome. Fifty-six patients were randomized into an acupuncture group and a western medication group. In the acupuncture group, the acupoints were Fuke, Huanchao, Tianhuang (Yinlingquan, SP 9), Renhuang (Sanyinjiao, SP 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zigong (EX-CA 1). The treatment was used twice a week for continuous 12 weeks. In the western medication group, patients were given diane-35 for 3 menstrual cycles, once a day for 21 days with 7 days between the two sessions. The ratio of luteinizing hormone/flitropin (LH/FSH) was taken as the primary index, while the secondary indices were serum testosterone (T), FSH, LH, body mass index (BMI), the condition of ovary and menstruation. ①After treatment, the ratio of LH/FSH declined in both the two groups ( P <0.05, P <0.01). The decreasing values of the two groups were not significantly different ( P >0.05). ②T, LH and BMI dropped in the two groups ( P <0.05, P <0.01). The decreasing values of the three indices between the two groups were not significantly different (all P >0.05). ③The size of ovary did not change significantly after treatment in the two groups (both P >0.05), but the reduction degree of ovary size of the acupuncture group was larger than that of the western medication group ( P <0.05). The ovary number of more than 10 foliiculi in single ovary in the acupuncture group reduced compared with that before treatment ( P <0.05). The reduction degree of ovary number with the above feature was not significantly different between the two groups ( P >0.05). ④The times and days of menstruation within 3 months increased significantly in the two groups (all P <0.01), without significance of different valves between the two groups (both P >0.05). DONG 's extraordinary acupoints could improve the ovarian function of polycystic ovary syndrome, whose effect is similar as diane-35.

Self-Assembly of MinE on the Membrane Underlies Formation of the MinE Ring to Sustain Function of the Escherichia coli Min System*

PubMed Central

Zheng, Min; Chiang, Ya-Ling; Lee, Hsiao-Lin; Kong, Lih-Ren; Hsu, Shang-Te Danny; Hwang, Ing-Shouh; Rothfield, Lawrence I.; Shih, Yu-Ling

2014-01-01

The pole-to-pole oscillation of the Min proteins in Escherichia coli results in the inhibition of aberrant polar division, thus facilitating placement of the division septum at the midcell. MinE of the Min system forms a ring-like structure that plays a critical role in triggering the oscillation cycle. However, the mechanism underlying the formation of the MinE ring remains unclear. This study demonstrates that MinE self-assembles into fibrillar structures on the supported lipid bilayer. The MinD-interacting domain of MinE shows amyloidogenic properties, providing a possible mechanism for self-assembly of MinE. Supporting the idea, mutations in residues Ile-24 and Ile-25 of the MinD-interacting domain affect fibril formation, membrane binding ability of MinE and MinD, and subcellular localization of three Min proteins. Additional mutations in residues Ile-72 and Ile-74 suggest a role of the C-terminal domain of MinE in regulating the folding propensity of the MinD-interacting domain for different molecular interactions. The study suggests a self-assembly mechanism that may underlie the ring-like structure formed by MinE-GFP observed in vivo. PMID:24914211

Activity and conformation of lysozyme in molecular solvents, protic ionic liquids (PILs) and salt-water systems.

PubMed

Wijaya, Emmy C; Separovic, Frances; Drummond, Calum J; Greaves, Tamar L

2016-09-21

Improving protein stabilisation is important for the further development of many applications in the pharmaceutical, specialty chemical, consumer product and agricultural sectors. However, protein stabilization is highly dependent on the solvent environment and, hence, it is very complex to tailor protein-solvent combinations for stable protein maintenance. Understanding solvent features that govern protein stabilization will enable selection or design of suitable media with favourable solution environments to retain protein native conformation. In this work the structural conformation and activity of lysozyme in 29 solvent systems were investigated to determine the role of various solvent features on the stability of the enzyme. The solvent systems consisted of 19 low molecular weight polar solvents and 4 protic ionic liquids (PILs), both at different water content levels, and 6 aqueous salt solutions. Small angle X-ray scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy were used to investigate the tertiary and secondary structure of lysozyme along with the corresponding activity in various solvation systems. At low non-aqueous solvent concentrations (high water content), the presence of solvents and salts generally maintained lysozyme in its native structure and enhanced its activity. Due to the presence of a net surface charge on lysozyme, electrostatic interactions in PIL-water systems and salt solutions enhanced lysozyme activity more than the specific hydrogen-bond interactions present in non-ionic molecular solvents. At higher solvent concentrations (lower water content), solvents with a propensity to exhibit the solvophobic effect, analogous to the hydrophobic effect in water, retained lysozyme native conformation and activity. This solvophobic effect was observed particularly for solvents which contained hydroxyl moieties. Preferential solvophobic effects along with bulky chemical structures were postulated to result in less

[Thoughts and methods of study on acupuncture medical history: an example of Mr. MA Ji-Xing].

PubMed

Yang, Feng; Zhu, Ling

2014-03-01

Mr. MA Ji-xing has devoted himself into the study of acupuncture medical history for more than 70 years. As a result, a great work of Zhenjiuxue Tongshi (see text), History of Acupuncture-Moxibustion) has been completed. The author has expensively studied for history of acupuncture medicine in time and space. Base on abundant historical materials, deliberate textual research as well as strategically situated academic view, it is considered as a masterpiece of acupuncture on real significance. It is worthwhile to note that the book has a systematic and profound explanation on Bian-stone therapy, unearthed literature relics of acupuncture, the bronze figure or illustration of acupoint as well as special topics of Japan and Korea acupuncture history. Filled several gaps of the field, and explored some significant new paths of study, it laid the groundwork for the profound study and unscramble of traditional acupuncture theory as well as the investigation of the academic history, which is considered to have a profound and persistent influence. The careful sorting and profound digging of many distinguish thoughts and methods of Mr. MA Ji-xing in the study of acupuncture medical history has significant meaning in references and enlightenment of the future research on acupuncture medical history.

The impact of the "Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan" on PM2.5 concentrations in Jing-Jin-Ji region during 2012-2020.

PubMed

Cai, Siyi; Wang, Yangjun; Zhao, Bin; Wang, Shuxiao; Chang, Xing; Hao, Jiming

2017-02-15

In order to cope with heavy haze pollution in China, the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan including phased goals of the fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) was issued in 2013. In this study, China's emission inventories in the baseline 2012 and the future scenarios of 2017 and 2020 have been developed based on this Action Plan. Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Jing-Jin-Ji) region, one of the most polluted regions in China, was taken as a case to assess the impact of phased emission control measures on PM 2.5 concentration reduction using WRF-CMAQ model system. With the implementation of the Action Plan, the emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), nitrogen oxides (NO X ) , PM 2.5 , non-methane volatile organic compound (NMVOC), and ammonia (NH 3 ) in 2017 will decrease by36%, 31%, 30%,12%, and -10% from the 2012 levels in Jing-Jin-Ji, respectively. In 2020, the emissions of SO 2 , NO X, PM 2.5 , NMVOC, and NH 3 will decrease by 40%, 44%, 40%, 22%, and -3% from the 2012 levels in Jing-Jin-Ji, respectively. Consequently, the ambient annual PM 2.5 concentration under the scenarios of 2017 and 2020 will be 28.3% and 37.8% lower than those in 2012, respectively. The Action Plan provided an effective approach to alleviate PM 2.5 pollution level in Jing-Jin-Ji region. However, emission control of NMVOC and NH 3 should be paid more attention and be strengthened in future. Meanwhile, emission control of NO x , SO 2 , NH 3 and NMVOC synergistically are highly needed in the future because multiple pollutants impact on PM 2.5 and O 3 concentrations nonlinearly. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantum state-to-state dynamics for the quenching process of Br(2P1/2) + H2(v(i) = 0, 1, j(i) = 0).

PubMed

Xie, Changjian; Jiang, Bin; Xie, Daiqian; Sun, Zhigang

2012-03-21

Quantum state-to-state dynamics for the quenching process Br((2)P(1/2)) + H(2)(v(i) = 0, 1, j(i) = 0) → Br((2)P(3/2)) + H(2)(v(f), j(f)) has been studied based on two-state model on the recent coupled potential energy surfaces. It was found that the quenching probabilities have some oscillatory structures due to the interference of reflected flux in the Br((2)P(1/2)) + H(2) and Br((2)P(3/2)) + H(2) channels by repulsive potential in the near-resonant electronic-to-vibrational energy transfer process. The final vibrational state resolved integral cross sections were found to be dominated by the quenching process Br((2)P(1/2)) + H(2)(v) → Br((2)P(3/2)) + H(2)(v+1) and the nonadiabatic reaction probabilities for Br((2)P(1/2)) + H(2)(v = 0, 1, j(i) = 0) are quite small, which are consistent with previous theoretical and experimental results. Our calculated total quenching rate constant for Br((2)P(1/2)) + H(2)(v(i) = 0, j(i) = 0) at room temperature is in good agreement with the available experimental data. © 2012 American Institute of Physics

Consumption-based Total Suspended Particulate Matter Emissions in Jing-Jin-Ji Area of China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, S.; Chen, S.; Chen, B.

2014-12-01

The highly-industrialized regions in China have been facing a serious problem of haze mainly consisted of total suspended particulate matter (TSPM), which has attracted great attention from the public since it directly impairs human health and clinically increases the risks of various respiratory and pulmonary diseases. In this paper, we set up a multi-regional input-output (MRIO) model to analyze the transferring routes of TSPM emissions between regions through trades. TSPM emission from particulate source regions and sectors are identified by analyzing the embodied TSPM flows through monetary flow and carbon footprint. The track of TSPM from origin to end via consumption activities are also revealed by tracing the product supply chain associated with the TSPM emissions. Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Jing-Jin-Ji) as the most industrialized area of China is selected for a case study. The result shows that over 70% of TSPM emissions associated with goods consumed in Beijing and Tianjin occurred outside of their own administrative boundaries, implying that Beijing and Tianjin are net embodied TSPM importers. Meanwhile, 63% of the total TSPM emissions in Hebei Province are resulted from the outside demand, indicating Hebei is a net exporter. In addition, nearly half of TSPM emissions are the by-products related to electricity and heating supply and non-metal mineral products in Jing-Jin-Ji Area. Based on the model results, we provided new insights into establishing systemic strategies and identifying mitigation priorities to stem TSPM emissions in China. Keywords: total suspended particulate matter (TSPM); urban ecosystem modeling; multi-regional input-output (MRIO); China

[Land use change and its effects on ecosystem services value in Ji' nan City of Shandong Province, East China].

PubMed

Liu, Jin-Yong; Kong, Fan-Hua; Yin, Hai-Wei; Yan, Wei-Jiao; Sun, Chang-Feng; Xu, Feng

2013-05-01

Based on the GIS software platform, referring to the China 'Terrestrial ecosystem services per unit area value', and by using transition matrix, Costanza evaluation formula, and sensitivity analysis, this paper studied the change characteristics of land use and ecosystem services value in Ji' nan City in 1989-2009. During the study period, the built-up area in the City increased by 99.65 km2, while agriculture land and green space reduced by 103.21 km2, 90.4% of which was taken by the built-up land. The total ecosystem services value decreased from 256.22 x 10(6) yento 214.16 x 10(6) yen, with a decrement of 42.06 x 10(6) yen, mainly due to the decrease in the areas of agriculture land and green space. For the sustainable development of the population, resources, and environment in Ji'nan City, future urban planning should pay more attention on the natural resources protection, reasonable planning of land use structure, and maintenance of ecosystem stability and balance.

Min-Max Spaces and Complexity Reduction in Min-Max Expansions

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

Gaubert, Stephane, E-mail: Stephane.Gaubert@inria.fr; McEneaney, William M., E-mail: wmceneaney@ucsd.edu

2012-06-15

Idempotent methods have been found to be extremely helpful in the numerical solution of certain classes of nonlinear control problems. In those methods, one uses the fact that the value function lies in the space of semiconvex functions (in the case of maximizing controllers), and approximates this value using a truncated max-plus basis expansion. In some classes, the value function is actually convex, and then one specifically approximates with suprema (i.e., max-plus sums) of affine functions. Note that the space of convex functions is a max-plus linear space, or moduloid. In extending those concepts to game problems, one finds amore » different function space, and different algebra, to be appropriate. Here we consider functions which may be represented using infima (i.e., min-max sums) of max-plus affine functions. It is natural to refer to the class of functions so represented as the min-max linear space (or moduloid) of max-plus hypo-convex functions. We examine this space, the associated notion of duality and min-max basis expansions. In using these methods for solution of control problems, and now games, a critical step is complexity-reduction. In particular, one needs to find reduced-complexity expansions which approximate the function as well as possible. We obtain a solution to this complexity-reduction problem in the case of min-max expansions.« less

MinD and MinE Interact with Anionic Phospholipids and Regulate Division Plane Formation in Escherichia coli*

PubMed Central

Renner, Lars D.; Weibel, Douglas B.

2012-01-01

The Min proteins (MinC, MinD, and MinE) form a pole-to-pole oscillator that controls the spatial assembly of the division machinery in Escherichia coli cells. Previous studies identified that interactions of MinD with phospholipids positioned the Min machinery at the membrane. We extend these studies by measuring the affinity, kinetics, and ATPase activity of E. coli MinD, MinE, and MinDE binding to supported lipid bilayers containing varying compositions of anionic phospholipids. Using quartz crystal microbalance measurements, we found that the binding affinity (Kd) for the interaction of recombinant E. coli MinD and MinE with lipid bilayers increased with increasing concentration of the anionic phospholipids phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin. The Kd for MinD (1.8 μm) in the presence of ATP was smaller than for MinE (12.1 μm) binding to membranes consisting of 95:5 phosphatidylcholine/cardiolipin. The simultaneous binding of MinD and MinE to membranes revealed that increasing the concentration of anionic phospholipid stimulates the initial rate of adsorption (kon). The ATPase activity of MinD decreased in the presence of anionic phospholipids. These results indicate that anionic lipids, which are concentrated at the poles, increase the retention of MinD and MinE and explain its dwell time at this region of bacterial cells. These studies provide insight into interactions between MinD and MinE and between these proteins and membranes that are relevant to understanding the process of bacterial cell division, in which the interaction of proteins and membranes is essential. PMID:23012351

Timing matters: negative emotion elicited 5 min but not 30 min or 45 min after learning enhances consolidation of internal-monitoring source memory.

PubMed

Wang, Bo; Bukuan, Sun

2015-05-01

Two experiments examined the time-dependent effects of negative emotion on consolidation of item and internal-monitoring source memory. In Experiment 1, participants (n=121) learned a list of words. They were asked to read aloud half of the words and to think about the remaining half. They were instructed to memorize each word and its associative cognitive operation ("reading" versus "thinking"). Immediately following learning they conducted free recall and then watched a 3-min either neutral or negative video clip when 5 min, 30 min or 45 min had elapsed after learning. Twenty-four hours later they returned to take surprise tests for item and source memory. Experiment 2 was similar to Experiment 1 except that participants, without conducting an immediate test of free recall, took tests of source memory for all encoded words both immediately and 24 h after learning. Experiment 1 showed that negative emotion enhanced consolidation of item memory (as measured by retention ratio of free recall) regardless of delay of emotion elicitation and that negative emotion enhanced consolidation of source memory when it was elicited at a 5 min delay but reduced consolidation of source memory when it was elicited at a 30 min delay; when elicited at a 45 min delay, negative emotion had little effect. Furthermore, Experiment 2 replicated the enhancement effect on source memory in the 5 min delay even when participants were tested on all the encoded words. The current study partially replicated prior studies on item memory and extends the literature by providing evidence for a time-dependent effect of negative emotion on consolidation of source memory based on internal monitoring. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Thioredoxin Domain of Neisseria Gonorrhoeae PilB can use Electrons from DsbD to Reduce Downstream Methionine Sulfoxide Reductases

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

Brot,N.; Collet, J.; Johnson, L.

2006-01-01

The PilB protein from Neisseria gonorrhoeae is located in the periplasm and made up of three domains. The N-terminal, thioredoxin-like domain (NT domain) is fused to tandem methionine sulfoxide reductase A and B domains (MsrA/B). We show that the {alpha} domain of Escherichia coli DsbD is able to reduce the oxidized NT domain, which suggests that DsbD in Neisseria can transfer electrons from the cytoplasmic thioredoxin to the periplasm for the reduction of the MsrA/B domains. An analysis of the available complete genomes provides further evidence for this proposition in other bacteria where DsbD/CcdA, Trx, MsrA, and MsrB gene homologsmore » are all located in a gene cluster with a common transcriptional direction. An examination of wild-type PilB and a panel of Cys to Ser mutants of the full-length protein and the individually expressed domains have also shown that the NT domain more efficiently reduces the MsrA/B domains when in the polyprotein context. Within this framework there does not appear to be a preference for the NT domain to reduce the proximal MsrA domain over MsrB domain. Finally, we report the 1.6 {angstrom} crystal structure of the NT domain. This structure confirms the presence of a surface loop that makes it different from other membrane-tethered, Trx-like molecules including TlpA, CcmG and ResA. Subtle differences are observed in this loop when compared to the N. meningitidis NT domain structure. The data taken together supports the formation of specific NT domain interactions with the MsrA/B domains and its in vivo recycling partner, DsbD.« less

Detector for CheMin

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-10-30

This charged couple device CCD is part of the CheMin instrument on NASA Curiosity rover. When CheMin directs X-rays at a sample of soil, this imager, which is the size of a postage stamp, detects both the position and energy of each X-ray photon.

Additional Antiepileptic Mechanisms of Levetiracetam in Lithium-Pilocarpine Treated Rats

PubMed Central

Al-Shorbagy, Muhammad Y.; El Sayeh, Bahia M.; Abdallah, Dalaal M.

2013-01-01

Several studies have addressed the antiepileptic mechanisms of levetiracetam (LEV); however, its effect on catecholamines and the inflammatory mediators that play a role in epilepsy remain elusive. In the current work, lithium (Li) pretreated animals were administered LEV (500 mg/kg i.p) 30 min before the induction of convulsions by pilocarpine (PIL). Li-PIL-induced seizures were accompanied by increased levels of hippocampal prostaglandin (PG) E2, myeloperoxidase (MPO), tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-10. Moreover, it markedly elevated hippocampal lipid peroxides and nitric oxide levels, while it inhibited the glutathione content. Li-PIL also reduced hippocampal noradrenaline, as well as dopamine contents. Pretreatment with LEV protected against Li-PIL-induced seizures, where it suppressed the severity and delayed the onset of seizures in Li-PIL treated rats. Moreover, LEV reduced PGE2 and MPO, yet it did not affect the level of both cytokines in the hippocampus. LEV also normalized hippocampal noradrenaline, dopamine, glutathione, lipid peroxides, and nitric oxide contents. In conclusion, alongside its antioxidant property, LEV anticonvulsive effect involves catecholamines restoration, as well as inhibition of PGE2, MPO, and nitric oxide. PMID:24098559

Preparation, validation and user-testing of pictogram-based patient information leaflets for tuberculosis.

PubMed

Shrestha, Anmol; Rajesh, V; Dessai, Sneha Shamrao; Stanly, Sharon Mary; Mateti, Uday Venkat

2018-05-25

Patient education is of paramount importance with regard to the condition of the disease and the treatment given besides lifestyle remodelling in order to get the desired therapeutic outcome. When verbal information is provided to the patients, they often tend to forget it. Pictorial aids or pictograms, as they are commonly known, are tools that are widely used for imparting knowledge to the patients. The aim of the study is to prepare and validate a Pictogram-based Patient Information Leaflet (P-PILs) on Tuberculosis (TB). P-PILs have been prepared from tertiary, secondary and primary sources. The knowledge-based questions are prepared with respect to the P-PILs. The baseline knowledge of the volunteers and patients have been analyzed before administering the P-PILs by using the validated questionnaire. The post-knowledge of the volunteers and patients has been analyzed after administering the P-PILs (20 min) by using the same questionnaire and the user-opinion has also been obtained at the end. The study results show that the mean scores of the overall user-testing knowledge assessment are found to have improved significantly from the pre-P-PILs administration score of 62.67 to the post-P-PILs administration score of 91. The overall user-opinion about the P-PILs has been found to be good (75%) followed by average (25%). The present study shows that there is significant improvement in the knowledge levels of the patients and volunteers after reading the validated leaflets. The Pictogram-based Patient Information Leaflets are found to be an effective educational tool for TB patients. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Anticancer Principles from Medicinal Piper (胡椒 Hú Jiāo) Plants

PubMed Central

Wang, Yue-Hu; Morris-Natschke, Susan L.; Yang, Jun; Niu, Hong-Mei; Long, Chun-Lin; Lee, Kuo-Hsiung

2014-01-01

The ethnomedical uses of Piper (胡椒 Hú Jiāo) plants as anticancer agents, in vitro cytotoxic activity of both extracts and compounds from Piper plants, and in vivo antitumor activity and mechanism of action of selected compounds are reviewed in the present paper. The genus Piper (Piperaceae) contains approximately 2000 species, of which 10 species have been used in traditional medicines to treat cancer or cancer-like symptoms. Studies have shown that 35 extracts from 24 Piper species and 32 compounds from Piper plants possess cytotoxic activity. Amide alkaloids account for 53% of the major active principles. Among them, piplartine (piperlongumine) shows the most promise, being toxic to dozens of cancer cell lines and having excellent in vivo activity. It is worthwhile to conduct further anticancer studies both in vitro and in vivo on Piper plants and their active principles. PMID:24872928

Assessment of injection safety in Ha Dong General Hospital, Hanoi, in 2012

PubMed Central

Van Tuong, Phan; Phuong, Tran Thi Minh; Anh, Bui Thi My; Nguyen, Trang Huyen Thi

2017-01-01

Background: Injection is one of the most frequently used medical methods to introduce drugs or other substances into the body for purposes of treatment or prevention. Unsafe injection can cause adverse outcomes, such as abscess and anaphylactic shock, and increases the risk of blood-borne transmission of viruses to patients and health care workers, as well as the community. Recognizing the importance of injection safety, in 2000 the Vietnamese Ministry of Health (MOH) collaborated with the Vietnam Nurses Association to launch the “Safe injection” program throughout the country, including Hanoi. Methods: This cross-sectional study, combining quantitative and qualitative analysis, was conducted from February to August 2012 in Ha Dong General Hospital using a structured questionnaire and observation checklist. The target population of the study was 109 nurses working in clinical departments and 436 injections were observed. Results: The percentage of nurses who are familiar with injection safety standards was found to be 82.6%. The proportion of practical injections that met the 23 standards of injection safety set by the MOH amounted to 22.2%. The factors related to safe injection practice of nurses who were younger age group (OR=3.1; p<0.05) and fewer number of years working as a nurse (OR=2.8; p<0.05). Conclusions: While nurses have high level of knowledge about safe injections but a small proportion actually practiced. Experience may not always guarantee safe practices.  Injection safety training should be regularly imparted upon all categories of nurses. PMID:29188014

Assessment of injection safety in Ha Dong General Hospital, Hanoi, in 2012.

PubMed

Van Tuong, Phan; Phuong, Tran Thi Minh; Anh, Bui Thi My; Nguyen, Trang Huyen Thi

2017-01-01

Background : Injection is one of the most frequently used medical methods to introduce drugs or other substances into the body for purposes of treatment or prevention. Unsafe injection can cause adverse outcomes, such as abscess and anaphylactic shock, and increases the risk of blood-borne transmission of viruses to patients and health care workers, as well as the community. Recognizing the importance of injection safety, in 2000 the Vietnamese Ministry of Health (MOH) collaborated with the Vietnam Nurses Association to launch the "Safe injection" program throughout the country, including Hanoi. Methods : This cross-sectional study, combining quantitative and qualitative analysis, was conducted from February to August 2012 in Ha Dong General Hospital using a structured questionnaire and observation checklist. The target population of the study was 109 nurses working in clinical departments and 436 injections were observed. Results : The percentage of nurses who are familiar with injection safety standards was found to be 82.6%. The proportion of practical injections that met the 23 standards of injection safety set by the MOH amounted to 22.2%. The factors related to safe injection practice of nurses who were younger age group (OR=3.1; p<0.05) and fewer number of years working as a nurse (OR=2.8; p<0.05). Conclusions : While nurses have high level of knowledge about safe injections but a small proportion actually practiced. Experience may not always guarantee safe practices.  Injection safety training should be regularly imparted upon all categories of nurses.

Quantum Max-flow/Min-cut

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

Cui, Shawn X., E-mail: xingshan@math.ucsb.edu; Quantum Architectures and Computation Group, Microsoft Research, Redmond, Washington 98052; Freedman, Michael H., E-mail: michaelf@microsoft.com

2016-06-15

The classical max-flow min-cut theorem describes transport through certain idealized classical networks. We consider the quantum analog for tensor networks. By associating an integral capacity to each edge and a tensor to each vertex in a flow network, we can also interpret it as a tensor network and, more specifically, as a linear map from the input space to the output space. The quantum max-flow is defined to be the maximal rank of this linear map over all choices of tensors. The quantum min-cut is defined to be the minimum product of the capacities of edges over all cuts ofmore » the tensor network. We show that unlike the classical case, the quantum max-flow=min-cut conjecture is not true in general. Under certain conditions, e.g., when the capacity on each edge is some power of a fixed integer, the quantum max-flow is proved to equal the quantum min-cut. However, concrete examples are also provided where the equality does not hold. We also found connections of quantum max-flow/min-cut with entropy of entanglement and the quantum satisfiability problem. We speculate that the phenomena revealed may be of interest both in spin systems in condensed matter and in quantum gravity.« less

Quantum Max-flow/Min-cut

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Shawn X.; Freedman, Michael H.; Sattath, Or; Stong, Richard; Minton, Greg

2016-06-01

The classical max-flow min-cut theorem describes transport through certain idealized classical networks. We consider the quantum analog for tensor networks. By associating an integral capacity to each edge and a tensor to each vertex in a flow network, we can also interpret it as a tensor network and, more specifically, as a linear map from the input space to the output space. The quantum max-flow is defined to be the maximal rank of this linear map over all choices of tensors. The quantum min-cut is defined to be the minimum product of the capacities of edges over all cuts of the tensor network. We show that unlike the classical case, the quantum max-flow=min-cut conjecture is not true in general. Under certain conditions, e.g., when the capacity on each edge is some power of a fixed integer, the quantum max-flow is proved to equal the quantum min-cut. However, concrete examples are also provided where the equality does not hold. We also found connections of quantum max-flow/min-cut with entropy of entanglement and the quantum satisfiability problem. We speculate that the phenomena revealed may be of interest both in spin systems in condensed matter and in quantum gravity.

Efficacy of rehabilitation with Tai Ji Quan in an Italian cohort of patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome.

PubMed

Maddali Bongi, Susanna; Paoletti, Gianluca; Calà, Michael; Del Rosso, Angela; El Aoufy, Khadija; Mikhaylova, Svetlana

2016-08-01

Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is characterized by musculoskeletal pain, muscle tenderness leading to disability, impaired quality of life (QoL), fatigue and it is accompanied by sleep disorders and psychological distress. Mind body therapies (MBT), such as Tai Ji Quan (TJQ), use different techniques to facilitate the ability of the mind to influence disease characteristics and symptoms. Some studies showed that TJQ, in patients with rheumatic diseases, particularly FMS, improved QoL, disability and psychological distress. To evaluate the efficacy of TJQ on disability, QoL, fatigue, sleep and psychological distress in an Italian cohort of FMS patients. We enrolled 44 FMS patients: 22 patients (Experimental Group) participated to a course of Tai Ji Quan style of (2/week for 16 weeks); 22 patients (Control Group) participated to an educational course about FMS (2/week for 16 weeks). At baseline (T0) and at the end of treatment (T1), patients were assessed for disability [Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ)], Quality of Life [Short-Form 36 (SF36)], fatigue [Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness-Fatigue (FACIT-F)], pain [Widespread Pain Index (WPI)], tenderness [Tender Points (TP)], Sleep Quality [Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)] and mood disorders [Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)]. At T1 versus T0, patients of the Experimental Group showed a significant improvement in FIQ, FACIT, SF36 (Summary Physical Index, Physical activity, physical role, bodily pain, general health, vitality, emotional role limitations), in WPI, TP, PSQI (total, sleep duration, and sleep disturbance) and HADS (total score and anxiety subscale), while Patients in the Control Group did not improve in any parameter. In FMS patients TJQ, if performed by an expert physiotherapist, should be regarded as an effective rehabilitation method. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Conversion of acid hydrolysate of oil palm empty fruit bunch to L-lactic acid by newly isolated Bacillus coagulans JI12.

PubMed

Ye, Lidan; Hudari, Mohammad Sufian Bin; Zhou, Xingding; Zhang, Dongxu; Li, Zhi; Wu, Jin Chuan

2013-06-01

Cost-effective conversion of lignocellulose hydrolysate to optically pure lactic acid is commercially attractive but very challenging. Bacillus coagulans JI12 was isolated from natural environment and used to produce L-lactic acid (optical purity > 99.5 %) from lignocellulose sugars and acid hydrolysate of oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) at 50 °C and pH 6.0 without sterilization of the medium. In fed-batch fermentation with 85 g/L initial xylose and 55 g/L xylose added after 7.5 h, 137.5 g/L lactic acid was produced with a yield of 98 % and a productivity of 4.4 g/L h. In batch fermentation of a sugar mixture containing 8.5 % xylose, 1 % glucose, and 1 % L-arabinose, the lactic acid yield and productivity reached 98 % and 4.8 g/L h, respectively. When EFB hydrolysate was used, 59.2 g/L of lactic acid was produced within 9.5 h at a yield of 97 % and a productivity of 6.2 g/L h, which are the highest among those ever reported from lignocellulose hydrolysates. These results indicate that B. coagulans JI12 is a promising strain for industrial production of L-lactic acid from lignocellulose hydrolysate.

Performance analysis of 60-min to 1-min integration time rain rate conversion models in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ng, Yun-Yann; Singh, Mandeep Singh Jit; Thiruchelvam, Vinesh

2018-01-01

Utilizing the frequency band above 10 GHz is in focus nowadays as a result of the fast expansion of radio communication systems in Malaysia. However, rain fade is the critical factor in attenuation of signal propagation for frequencies above 10 GHz. Malaysia is located in a tropical and equatorial region with high rain intensity throughout the year, and this study will review rain distribution and evaluate the performance of 60-min to 1-min integration time rain rate conversion methods for Malaysia. Several conversion methods such as Segal, Chebil & Rahman, Burgeono, Emiliani, Lavergnat and Gole (LG), Simplified Moupfouma, Joo et al., fourth order polynomial fit and logarithmic model have been chosen to evaluate the performance to predict 1-min rain rate for 10 sites in Malaysia. After the completion of this research, the results show that Chebil & Rahman model, Lavergnat & Gole model, Fourth order polynomial fit and Logarithmic model have shown the best performances in 60-min to 1-min rain rate conversion over 10 sites. In conclusion, it is proven that there is no single model which can claim to perform the best across 10 sites. By averaging RMSE and SC-RMSE over 10 sites, Chebil and Rahman model is the best method.

Real-time measurements of levoglucosan in fine aerosols (PM2.5) in the region of Paris (France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sciare, J.; Bonnaire, N.; Mocnik, G.; Nicolas, J.; Petit, J. E.; Bressi, M.; Sarda-Estève, R.; Drinovic, L.

2012-04-01

Levoglucosan - one the major monosaccharide anhydride compounds produced by the combustion of cellulose and hemicellulose - is emitted in large amounts by wildfires or residential wood burning (during winter months). Over the past few years, this specific tracer has received more and more attention at it can be used in a quantitative way to derive atmospheric concentrations of biomass burning aerosols [Favez et al., 2010] which aerosol source has strong implications for climate and air quality studies. A new technique has been developed and is presented here to investigate real-time concentrations of levoglucosan in fine aerosols (PM2.5). This technique is based on a Particle-into-liquid-sampler (PILS, Brechtel Manufacturing inc., model 4002) used "on-line" and coupled with an electrospray ionisation source - tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS, AB SCIEX model 3200 QTRAP). Air was drawn in the PILS at 15LPM and removed from particles larger than 2.5μm aerodynamic diameter (AD) using a very sharp cyclone. Water-soluble aerosols were collected in the PILS and sent in the 10μl loop of the ESI-MS/MS at a flowrate of 50μl/min. Flow injection analysis (FIA) was then performed every 2.5min for the quantification of levoglucosan using a specific transition 161-113 m/z (negative mode), by Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) mode. An internal levoglucosan standard was injected every 10 samples (i.e. every 25min) in order to check the stability of the mass spectrometry calibration. Field blanks were performed using a total filter upstream of the PILS instrument and did not show any detectable amount of levoglucosan. A limit of quantification (LOQ) better than 1 ng/m3 was calculated here for levoglucosan in FIA mode. Based on these settings, unattended measurements of levoglucosan by PILS-ESI-MS/MS have been performed every 2.5 min in the region of Paris for a couple of weeks during the winter 2011 showing concentrations ranging from below 1ng/m3 to more than 500ng/m3. These

Effect of “Jian-Pi-Zhi-Dong Decoction” on Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid in a Mouse Model of Tourette Syndrome

PubMed Central

Zhang, Wen; Yu, Wenjing; Wei, Li; Lee, Minkyoung; Wang, Sumei

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the positive effects of Jian-Pi-Zhi-Dong Decoction (JPZDD) on Tourette syndrome (TS) by investigating the expression of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and its type A receptor (GABAAR) in the striatum of a TS mice model. The model was induced by 3,3′-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN) treatment; then mice were divided into 4 groups (n=22, each); control and IDPN groups were gavaged with saline and the remaining 2 groups were gavaged with tiapride and JPZDD. We recorded the stereotypic behaviors of TS mice and measured the content of GABA in striatum by HPLC and GABAAR expression by immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR. Our results showed that JPZDD inhibited the abnormal behaviors of TS model mice and decreased GABA levels and GABAAR protein and mRNA expression in the striatum of TS model mice. In brief, the mechanism by which JPZDD alleviates TS symptoms may be associated with GABAAR expression downregulation in striatum which may regulate GABA metabolism. PMID:24812567

Environmental hazard mapping using GIS and AHP - A case study of Dong Trieu District in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anh, N. K.; Phonekeo, V.; My, V. C.; Duong, N. D.; Dat, P. T.

2014-02-01

In recent years, Vietnamese economy has been growing up rapidly and caused serious environmental quality plunging, especially in industrial and mining areas. It brings an enormous threat to a socially sustainable development and the health of human beings. Environmental quality assessment and protection are complex and dynamic processes, since it involves spatial information from multi-sector, multi-region and multi-field sources and needs complicated data processing. Therefore, an effective environmental protection information system is needed, in which considerable factors hidden in the complex relationships will become clear and visible. In this paper, the authors present the methodology which was used to generate environmental hazard maps which are applied to the integration of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Geographical Information system (GIS). We demonstrate the results that were obtained from the study area in Dong Trieu district. This research study has contributed an overall perspective of environmental quality and identified the devastated areas where the administration urgently needs to establish an appropriate policy to improve and protect the environment.

The 1-min Screening Test for Reading Problems in College Students: Psychometric Properties of the 1-min TIL.

PubMed

Fernandes, Tânia; Araújo, Susana; Sucena, Ana; Reis, Alexandra; Castro, São Luís

2017-02-01

Reading is a central cognitive domain, but little research has been devoted to standardized tests for adults. We, thus, examined the psychometric properties of the 1-min version of Teste de Idade de Leitura (Reading Age Test; 1-min TIL), the Portuguese version of Lobrot L3 test, in three experiments with college students: typical readers in Experiment 1A and B, dyslexic readers and chronological age controls in Experiment 2. In Experiment 1A, test-retest reliability and convergent validity were evaluated in 185 students. Reliability was >.70, and phonological decoding underpinned 1-min TIL. In Experiment 1B, internal consistency was assessed by presenting two 45-s versions of the test to 19 students, and performance in these versions was significantly associated (r = .78). In Experiment 2, construct validity, criterion validity and clinical utility of 1-min TIL were investigated. A multiple regression analysis corroborated construct validity; both phonological decoding and listening comprehension were reliable predictors of 1-min TIL scores. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristics analyses revealed the high accuracy of this test in distinguishing dyslexic from typical readers. Therefore, the 1-min TIL, which assesses reading comprehension and potential reading difficulties in college students, has the necessary psychometric properties to become a useful screening instrument in neuropsychological assessment and research. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Septal membrane localization by C-terminal amphipathic α-helices of MinD in Bacillus subtilis mutant cells lacking MinJ or DivIVA.

PubMed

Ishikawa, Kazuki; Matsuoka, Satoshi; Hara, Hiroshi; Matsumoto, Kouji

2017-10-18

The Min system, which inhibits assembly of the cytokinetic protein FtsZ, is largely responsible for positioning the division site in rod-shaped bacteria. It has been reported that MinJ, which bridges DivIVA and MinD, is targeted to the cell poles by an interaction with DivIVA, and that MinJ in turn recruits MinCD to the cell poles. MinC, however, is located primarily at active division sites at mid-cell when expressed from its native promoter. Surprisingly, we found that Bacillus subtilis MinD is located at nascent septal membranes and at an asymmetric site on lateral membranes between nascent septal membranes in filamentous cells lacking MinJ or DivIVA. Bacillus subtilis MinD has two amphipathic α-helices rich in basic amino acid residues at its C-terminus; one of these, named MTS1 here, is the counterpart of the membrane targeting sequence (MTS) in Escherichia coli MinD while the other, named MTS-like sequence (MTSL), is the nearest helix to MTS1. These amphipathic helices were located independently at nascent septal membranes in cells lacking MinJ or DivIVA, whereas elimination of the helices from the wild type protein reduced its localization considerably. MinD variants with altered MTS1 and MTSL, in which basic amino acid residues were replaced with proline or acidic residues, were not located at nascent septal membranes, indicating that the binding to the nascent septal membranes requires basic residues and a helical structure. The septal localization of MTSL, but not of MTS1, was dependent on host cell MinD. These results suggest that MinD is targeted to nascent septal membranes via its C-terminal amphipathic α-helices in B. subtilis cells lacking MinJ or DivIVA. Moreover, the diffuse distribution of MinD lacking both MTSs suggests that only a small fraction of MinD depends on MinJ for its localization to nascent septal membranes.

Protostellar Interferometric Line Survey (PILS): Constraining the formation of complex organic molecules with ALMA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jorgensen, Jes K.; Coutens, Audrey; Bourke, Tyler L.; Favre, Cecile; Garrod, Robin; Lykke, Julie; Mueller, Holger; Oberg, Karin I.; Schmalzl, Markus; van der Wiel, Matthijs; van Dishoeck, Ewine; Wampfler, Susanne F.

2015-08-01

Understanding how, when and where complex organic and potentially prebiotic molecules are formed is a fundamental goal of astrochemistry and an integral part of origins of life studies. Already now ALMA is showing its capabilities for studies of the chemistry of solar-type stars with its high sensitivity for faint lines, high spectral resolution which limits line confusion, and high angular resolution making it possible to study the structure of young protostars on solar-system scales. We here present the first results from a large unbiased survey “Protostellar Interferometric Line Survey (PILS)” targeting one of the astrochemical template sources, the low-mass protostellar binary IRAS 16293-2422. The survey is more than an order of magnitude more sensitive than previous surveys of the source and provide imaging down to 25 AU scales (radius) around each of the two components of the binary. An example of one of the early highlights from the survey is unambiguous detections of the (related) prebiotic species glycolaldehyde, ethylene glycol (two lowest energy conformers), methyl formate and acetic acid. The glycolaldehyde-ethylene glycol abundance ratio is high in comparison to comets and other protostars - but agrees with previous measurements, e.g., in the Galactic Centre clouds possibly reflecting different environments and/or evolutionary histories. Complete mapping of this and other chemical networks in comparison with detailed chemical models and laboratory experiments will reveal the origin of complex organic molecules in a young protostellar system and investigate the link between these protostellar stages and the early Solar System.

Primary standards for measuring flow rates from 100 nl/min to 1 ml/min - gravimetric principle.

PubMed

Bissig, Hugo; Petter, Harm Tido; Lucas, Peter; Batista, Elsa; Filipe, Eduarda; Almeida, Nelson; Ribeiro, Luis Filipe; Gala, João; Martins, Rui; Savanier, Benoit; Ogheard, Florestan; Niemann, Anders Koustrup; Lötters, Joost; Sparreboom, Wouter

2015-08-01

Microflow and nanoflow rate calibrations are important in several applications such as liquid chromatography, (scaled-down) process technology, and special health-care applications. However, traceability in the microflow and nanoflow range does not go below 16 μl/min in Europe. Furthermore, the European metrology organization EURAMET did not yet validate this traceability by means of an intercomparison between different National Metrology Institutes (NMIs). The NMIs METAS, Centre Technique des Industries Aérauliques et Thermiques, IPQ, Danish Technological Institute, and VSL have therefore developed and validated primary standards to cover the flow rate range from 0.1 μl/min to at least 1 ml/min. In this article, we describe the different designs and methods of the primary standards of the gravimetric principle and the results obtained at the intercomparison for the upper flow rate range for the various NMIs and Bronkhorst High-Tech, the manufacturer of the transfer standards used.

The ALMA-PILS survey: First detections of deuterated formamide and deuterated isocyanic acid in the interstellar medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coutens, A.; Jørgensen, J. K.; van der Wiel, M. H. D.; Müller, H. S. P.; Lykke, J. M.; Bjerkeli, P.; Bourke, T. L.; Calcutt, H.; Drozdovskaya, M. N.; Favre, C.; Fayolle, E. C.; Garrod, R. T.; Jacobsen, S. K.; Ligterink, N. F. W.; Öberg, K. I.; Persson, M. V.; van Dishoeck, E. F.; Wampfler, S. F.

2016-05-01

Formamide (NH2CHO) has previously been detected in several star-forming regions and is thought to be a precursor for different prebiotic molecules. Its formation mechanism is still debated, however. Observations of formamide, related species, and their isopotologues may provide useful clues to the chemical pathways leading to their formation. The Protostellar Interferometric Line Survey (PILS) represents an unbiased, high angular resolution and sensitivity spectral survey of the low-mass protostellar binary IRAS 16293-2422 with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). For the first time, we detect the three singly deuterated forms of NH2CHO (NH2CDO, cis- and trans-NHDCHO), as well as DNCO towards the component B of this binary source. The images reveal that the different isotopologues are all present in the same region. Based on observations of the 13C isotopologues of formamide and a standard 12C/13C ratio, the deuterium fractionation is found to be similar for the three different forms with a value of about 2%. The DNCO/HNCO ratio is also comparable to the D/H ratio of formamide (~1%). These results are in agreement with the hypothesis that NH2CHO and HNCO are chemically related through grain-surface formation.

ESR dating of Smilodon populator from Toca de Cima dos Pilão, Piauí, Brazil.

PubMed

Kinoshita, Angela; Mollemberg, Michelle; Santana, William; G Figueiredo, Ana Maria; Guidon, Niede; Fátima da Luz, Maria de; Guérin, Claude; Baffa, Oswaldo

2017-02-01

Smilodon is a genus of big cats that lived from the early to the late Pleistocene in regions extending from North to South America. The fossil records of the "saber-toothed cats" are uneven, with some taxa being quite abundant in certain regions. In Brazil, Smilodon populator is a well-known species whose remains, although scarce in comparison to other large mammals, are found all across the country. In particular, there are multiple records of this species in the region of the Serra da Capivara National Park. This area was home to a rich Pleistocene-Holocene fauna, including many mammals. Here, we report on the Electron Spin Resonance dating of a Smilodon populator tooth found in "Toca de Cima dos Pilão", located in the surroundings of the Serra da Capivara National Park. The equivalent dose found after exponential fitting of dose-response curve was (2.7±0.3)x10 2 Gy. Neutron Activation Analysis was used to determine the concentration of radioisotopes present in the sample and in the sediment to calculate the internal and external dose rates. The result of age found is 93±9ka, which confirmed the presence of this species in Serra da Capivara National Park in the late Pleistocene. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Palaeoflood records of the last three centuries from the Pyeongchang and Dong rivers, South Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Song-Hyun; Tanaka, Yukiya

2017-08-01

Slackwater deposits are paleostage indicators in paleoflood hydrology that have commonly been used in numerous studies to estimate the magnitude and frequency of flood events and to reconstruct paleoenvironments and paleohydrology. In this study, individual flood events along the Pyeongchang (PC) and Dong (D) rivers of South Korea were differentiated on the basis of changes in deposit color, grain size, organic content, and the existence of laminations. Based on 137Cs and 14C chronological data, 19 flood events have occurred at site PC since 1720, while 17 flood events have occurred at site D since 1815. At the PC study site, the average time interval between the flood events is 15.4 years and the average sediment accumulation rate is 9.7 mm/y. At study site D, the average time interval is 15 years and the average sediment accumulation rate is 11.6 mm/y. These high sediment accumulation rates are consistent with those in humid areas (e.g., Japan) and explain how slackwater deposits can be preserved despite erosion, bioturbation, and pedogenic processes. Based on the results, the study area was divided into three periods: (1) a relatively wet period (1720-1810 CE), (2) a dry period (1810-1960 CE), and (3) a wet period (1960 CE-present). The flood time intervals and average sediment accumulation rates of the eighteenth century were shorter and higher than those of the nineteenth century. This suggests that on the Korean Peninsula, the paleoclimate of the Little Ice Age (LIA) was wetter than that from the nineteenth century to the early twentieth century.

Exsanguination cardiac arrest in rats treated by 60 min, but not 75 min, emergency preservation and delayed resuscitation is associated with intact outcome.

PubMed

Drabek, Tomas; Stezoski, Jason; Garman, Robert H; Han, Fei; Henchir, Jeremy; Tisherman, Samuel A; Stezoski, S William; Kochanek, Patrick M

2007-10-01

Emergency preservation and resuscitation (EPR) is a new approach for resuscitation of exsanguination cardiac arrest (CA) victims to buy time for surgical hemostasis. EPR uses a cold aortic flush to induce deep hypothermic preservation, followed by resuscitation with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). We previously reported that 20 min of EPR was feasible with intact outcome. In this report, we tested the limits for EPR in rats. Adult male isoflurane-anesthetized rats were subjected to rapid hemorrhage (12.5 ml over 5 min), followed by esmolol/KCl-induced CA and 1 min of no-flow. EPR was then induced by perfusion with 270 ml of ice-cold Plasma-Lyte to decrease body temperature to 15 degrees C. After 60 min (n=7) or 75 min (n=7) of EPR, resuscitation was attempted with CPB over 60 min, blood transfusion, correction of acid-base balance and electrolyte disturbances, and mechanical ventilation for 2h. Survival, overall performance category (OPC: 1=normal, 5=death), neurological deficit score (NDS), and histological damage score (HDS) were assessed in survivors on day 3. While all rats after 60 min EPR survived, only two out of seven rats after 75 min EPR survived (p<0.05). All rats after 60 min EPR achieved OPC 1 and normal NDS by day 3. Survivors after 75 min EPR achieved best OPC 3 (p<0.05 vs. 60 min EPR). HDS of either brain or individual viscera was not statistically different after 60 versus 75 min EPR, except for kidneys (0+/-0 vs. 1.9+/-1.3, respectively; p<0.05), with a strong trend toward greater injury in all extracerebral organs in the 75-min EPR group (p<0.06). Histological findings were dominated by cardiac lesions observed in both groups and acute renal tubular and liver necrosis in the 75-min EPR group. In conclusion, we have shown that 60 min of EPR after exsanguination CA is associated with survival and favorable neurological outcome, while 75 min of EPR results in significant mortality and neurological damage in survivors. Surprisingly, extracerebral

USGS 1-min Dst index

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gannon, J.L.; Love, J.J.

2011-01-01

We produce a 1-min time resolution storm-time disturbance index, the USGS Dst, called Dst8507-4SM. This index is based on minute resolution horizontal magnetic field intensity from low-latitude observatories in Honolulu, Kakioka, San Juan and Hermanus, for the years 1985-2007. The method used to produce the index uses a combination of time- and frequency-domain techniques, which more clearly identifies and excises solar-quiet variation from the horizontal intensity time series of an individual station than the strictly time-domain method used in the Kyoto Dst index. The USGS 1-min Dst is compared against the Kyoto Dst, Kyoto Sym-H, and the USGS 1-h Dst (Dst5807-4SH). In a time series comparison, Sym-H is found to produce more extreme values during both sudden impulses and main phase maximum deviation, possibly due to the latitude of its contributing observatories. Both Kyoto indices are shown to have a peak in their distributions below zero, while the USGS indices have a peak near zero. The USGS 1-min Dst is shown to have the higher time resolution benefits of Sym-H, while using the more typical low-latitude observatories of Kyoto Dst. ?? 2010.

Dissecting the role of conformational change and membrane binding by the bacterial cell division regulator MinE in the stimulation of MinD ATPase activity.

PubMed

Ayed, Saud H; Cloutier, Adam D; McLeod, Laura J; Foo, Alexander C Y; Damry, Adam M; Goto, Natalie K

2017-12-15

The bacterial cell division regulators MinD and MinE together with the division inhibitor MinC localize to the membrane in concentrated zones undergoing coordinated pole-to-pole oscillation to help ensure that the cytokinetic division septum forms only at the mid-cell position. This dynamic localization is driven by MinD-catalyzed ATP hydrolysis, stimulated by interactions with MinE's anti-MinCD domain. This domain is buried in the 6-β-stranded MinE "closed" structure, but is liberated for interactions with MinD, giving rise to a 4-β-stranded "open" structure through an unknown mechanism. Here we show that MinE-membrane interactions induce a structural change into a state resembling the open conformation. However, MinE mutants lacking the MinE membrane-targeting sequence stimulated higher ATP hydrolysis rates than the full-length protein, indicating that binding to MinD is sufficient to trigger this conformational transition in MinE. In contrast, conformational change between the open and closed states did not affect stimulation of ATP hydrolysis rates in the absence of membrane binding, although the MinD-binding residue Ile-25 is critical for this conformational transition. We therefore propose an updated model where MinE is brought to the membrane through interactions with MinD. After stimulation of ATP hydrolysis, MinE remains bound to the membrane in a state that does not catalyze additional rounds of ATP hydrolysis. Although the molecular basis for this inhibited state is unknown, previous observations of higher-order MinE self-association may explain this inhibition. Overall, our findings have general implications for Min protein oscillation cycles, including those that regulate cell division in bacterial pathogens. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Partial neuroprotection by nNOS inhibition during profound asphyxia in preterm fetal sheep

PubMed Central

Drury, Paul P.; Davidson, Joanne O.; van den Heuij, Lotte G.; Tan, Sidhartha; Silverman, Richard B.; Ji, Haitao; Blood, Arlin B.; Fraser, Mhoyra; Bennet, Laura; Jan Gunn, Alistair

2013-01-01

Preterm brain injury is partly associated with hypoxia-ischemia starting before birth. Excessive nitric oxide production during HI may cause nitrosative stress, leading to cell membrane and mitochondrial damage. We therefore tested the hypothesis that therapy with a new, selective neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) inhibitor, JI-10 (0.022 mg/kg bolus, n=8), given 30 min before 25 min of complete umbilical cord occlusion was protective in preterm fetal sheep at 101-104 d gestation (term is 147 d), compared to saline (n=8). JI-10 had no effect on fetal blood pressure, heart rate, carotid and femoral blood flow, total EEG power, nuchal activity, temperature or intracerebral oxygenation on near-infrared spectroscopy during or after occlusion. JI-10 was associated with later onset of post-asphyxial seizures compared with saline (p<0.05), and attenuation of the subsequent progressive loss of cytochrome oxidase (p<0.05). After 7 days recovery, JI-10 was associated with improved neuronal survival in the caudate nucleus (p<0.05), but not the putamen or hippocampus, and more CNPase positive oligodendrocytes in the periventricular white matter (p<0.05). In conclusion, prophylactic nNOS inhibition before profound asphyxia was associated with delayed onset of seizures, slower decline of cytochrome oxidase and partial white and grey matter protection, consistent with protection of mitochondrial function. PMID:24120436

Partial neuroprotection by nNOS inhibition during profound asphyxia in preterm fetal sheep.

PubMed

Drury, Paul P; Davidson, Joanne O; van den Heuij, Lotte G; Tan, Sidhartha; Silverman, Richard B; Ji, Haitao; Blood, Arlin B; Fraser, Mhoyra; Bennet, Laura; Gunn, Alistair Jan

2013-12-01

Preterm brain injury is partly associated with hypoxia-ischemia starting before birth. Excessive nitric oxide production during HI may cause nitrosative stress, leading to cell membrane and mitochondrial damage. We therefore tested the hypothesis that therapy with a new, selective neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) inhibitor, JI-10 (0.022mg/kg bolus, n=8), given 30min before 25min of complete umbilical cord occlusion was protective in preterm fetal sheep at 101-104day gestation (term is 147days), compared to saline (n=8). JI-10 had no effect on fetal blood pressure, heart rate, carotid and femoral blood flow, total EEG power, nuchal activity, temperature or intracerebral oxygenation on near-infrared spectroscopy during or after occlusion. JI-10 was associated with later onset of post-asphyxial seizures compared with saline (p<0.05), and attenuation of the subsequent progressive loss of cytochrome oxidase (p<0.05). After 7days recovery, JI-10 was associated with improved neuronal survival in the caudate nucleus (p<0.05), but not the putamen or hippocampus, and more CNPase positive oligodendrocytes in the periventricular white matter (p<0.05). In conclusion, prophylactic nNOS inhibition before profound asphyxia was associated with delayed onset of seizures, slower decline of cytochrome oxidase and partial white and gray matter protection, consistent with protection of mitochondrial function. © 2013.

Significance of a Posttranslational Modification of the PilA Protein of Geobacter sulfurreducens for Surface Attachment, Biofilm Formation, and Growth on Insoluble Extracellular Electron Acceptors.

PubMed

Richter, Lubna V; Franks, Ashley E; Weis, Robert M; Sandler, Steven J

2017-04-15

Geobacter sulfurreducens , an anaerobic metal-reducing bacterium, possesses type IV pili. These pili are intrinsic structural elements in biofilm formation and, together with a number of c -type cytochromes, are thought to serve as conductive nanowires enabling long-range electron transfer (ET) to metal oxides and graphite anodes. Here, we report that a posttranslational modification of a nonconserved amino acid residue within the PilA protein, the structural subunit of the type IV pili, is crucial for growth on insoluble extracellular electron acceptors. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry of the secreted PilA protein revealed a posttranslational modification of tyrosine-32 with a moiety of a mass consistent with a glycerophosphate group. Mutating this tyrosine into a phenylalanine inhibited cell growth with Fe(III) oxides as the sole electron acceptor. In addition, this amino acid substitution severely diminished biofilm formation on graphite surfaces and impaired current output in microbial fuel cells. These results demonstrate that the capability to attach to insoluble electron acceptors plays a crucial role for the cells' ability to utilize them. The work suggests that glycerophosphate modification of Y32 is a key factor contributing to the surface charge of type IV pili, influencing the adhesion of Geobacter to specific surfaces. IMPORTANCE Type IV pili are bacterial appendages that function in cell adhesion, virulence, twitching motility, and long-range electron transfer (ET) from bacterial cells to insoluble extracellular electron acceptors. The mechanism and role of type IV pili for ET in Geobacter sulfurreducens is still a subject of research. In this study, we identified a posttranslational modification of the major G. sulfurreducens type IV pilin, suggested to be a glycerophosphate moiety. We show that a mutant in which the glycerophosphate-modified tyrosine-32 is replaced with a phenylalanine has reduced abilities for

Significance of a Posttranslational Modification of the PilA Protein of Geobacter sulfurreducens for Surface Attachment, Biofilm Formation, and Growth on Insoluble Extracellular Electron Acceptors

PubMed Central

Franks, Ashley E.; Weis, Robert M.; Sandler, Steven J.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Geobacter sulfurreducens, an anaerobic metal-reducing bacterium, possesses type IV pili. These pili are intrinsic structural elements in biofilm formation and, together with a number of c-type cytochromes, are thought to serve as conductive nanowires enabling long-range electron transfer (ET) to metal oxides and graphite anodes. Here, we report that a posttranslational modification of a nonconserved amino acid residue within the PilA protein, the structural subunit of the type IV pili, is crucial for growth on insoluble extracellular electron acceptors. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry of the secreted PilA protein revealed a posttranslational modification of tyrosine-32 with a moiety of a mass consistent with a glycerophosphate group. Mutating this tyrosine into a phenylalanine inhibited cell growth with Fe(III) oxides as the sole electron acceptor. In addition, this amino acid substitution severely diminished biofilm formation on graphite surfaces and impaired current output in microbial fuel cells. These results demonstrate that the capability to attach to insoluble electron acceptors plays a crucial role for the cells' ability to utilize them. The work suggests that glycerophosphate modification of Y32 is a key factor contributing to the surface charge of type IV pili, influencing the adhesion of Geobacter to specific surfaces. IMPORTANCE Type IV pili are bacterial appendages that function in cell adhesion, virulence, twitching motility, and long-range electron transfer (ET) from bacterial cells to insoluble extracellular electron acceptors. The mechanism and role of type IV pili for ET in Geobacter sulfurreducens is still a subject of research. In this study, we identified a posttranslational modification of the major G. sulfurreducens type IV pilin, suggested to be a glycerophosphate moiety. We show that a mutant in which the glycerophosphate-modified tyrosine-32 is replaced with a phenylalanine has reduced

Technology Education and Technology Teacher Education in Taiwan, R.O.C. = Zhong Hua Min Guo Ke Ji Jiao Yu Ji qi shi zi Jiao Yu.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Lung-Sheng Steven; Wang, Cheng-Pin Peter; Wang, Yen-chao; Shih, Neng-Mu; Yeh, Chung-ching

Technology education in Taiwan begins with craft work at the elementary school level, and the most important point is the practical application. All junior high school students are required to take the Living Technology course. Content includes technology and life, information and communication, construction and manufacturing, and energy and…

Destination Innovation: Episode 4 CheMin

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-08-02

Destination Innovation is a new series that explores the research, science and other projects underway at the NASA Ames Research Center. Episode 4 focuses on the CheMin instrument aboard the Mars Science Laboratory, NASA' s latest robotic explorer to visit Mars. CheMin, short for 'Chemistry and Mineralogy,' was developed at NASA Ames Research Center and is one of 10 instruments aboard the rover Curiosity. The instrument is an x-ray diffractometer, which will be able to identify minerals in the Martial rock and soil.

Airborne characterization of smoke marker ratios from prescribed burning

Treesearch

A. P. Sullivan; A. A. May; T. Lee; G. R. McMeeking; S. M. Kreidenweis; S. K. Akagi; R. J. Yokelson; S. P. Urbanski; J. L. Collett

2014-01-01

A Particle-Into-Liquid Sampler - Total Organic Carbon (PILS-TOC) and fraction collector system was flown aboard a Twin Otter aircraft sampling prescribed burning emissions in South Carolina in November 2011 to obtain smoke marker measurements. The fraction collector provided 2 min time-integrated offline samples for carbohydrate (i.e., smoke markers levoglucosan,...

Improving CNN Performance Accuracies With Min-Max Objective.

PubMed

Shi, Weiwei; Gong, Yihong; Tao, Xiaoyu; Wang, Jinjun; Zheng, Nanning

2017-06-09

We propose a novel method for improving performance accuracies of convolutional neural network (CNN) without the need to increase the network complexity. We accomplish the goal by applying the proposed Min-Max objective to a layer below the output layer of a CNN model in the course of training. The Min-Max objective explicitly ensures that the feature maps learned by a CNN model have the minimum within-manifold distance for each object manifold and the maximum between-manifold distances among different object manifolds. The Min-Max objective is general and able to be applied to different CNNs with insignificant increases in computation cost. Moreover, an incremental minibatch training procedure is also proposed in conjunction with the Min-Max objective to enable the handling of large-scale training data. Comprehensive experimental evaluations on several benchmark data sets with both the image classification and face verification tasks reveal that employing the proposed Min-Max objective in the training process can remarkably improve performance accuracies of a CNN model in comparison with the same model trained without using this objective.

Miniature penetrator (MinPen) acceleration recorder development test

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

Franco, R.J.; Platzbecker, M.R.

1998-08-01

The Telemetry Technology Development Department at Sandia National Laboratories actively develops and tests acceleration recorders for penetrating weapons. This new acceleration recorder (MinPen) utilizes a microprocessor-based architecture for operational flexibility while maintaining electronics and packaging techniques developed over years of penetrator testing. MinPen has been demonstrated to function in shock environments up to 20,000 Gs. The MinPen instrumentation development has resulted in a rugged, versatile, miniature acceleration recorder and is a valuable tool for penetrator testing in a wide range of applications.

MinCD cell division proteins form alternating co-polymeric cytomotive filaments

PubMed Central

Ghosal, Debnath; Trambaiolo, Daniel; Amos, Linda A.; Löwe, Jan

2014-01-01

Summary During bacterial cell division, filaments of the tubulin-like protein FtsZ assemble at midcell to form the cytokinetic Z-ring. Its positioning is regulated by the oscillation of MinCDE proteins. MinC is activated by MinD through an unknown mechanism and prevents Z-ring assembly anywhere but midcell. Here, using X-ray crystallography, electron microscopy and in vivo analyses we show that MinD activates MinC by forming a new class of alternating copolymeric filaments that show similarity to eukaryotic septin filaments A non-polymerising mutation in MinD causes aberrant cell division in E. coli. MinCD copolymers bind to membrane, interact with FtsZ, and are disassembled by MinE. Imaging a functional msfGFP-MinC fusion protein in MinE deleted cells reveals filamentous structures. EM imaging of our reconstitution of the MinCD-FtsZ interaction on liposome surfaces reveals a plausible mechanism for regulation of FtsZ ring assembly by MinCD copolymers. PMID:25500731

MinT: Middleware for Cooperative Interaction of Things

PubMed Central

Jeon, Soobin; Jung, Inbum

2017-01-01

This paper proposes an Internet of Things (IoT) middleware called Middleware for Cooperative Interaction of Things (MinT). MinT supports a fully distributed IoT environment in which IoT devices directly connect to peripheral devices easily construct a local or global network, and share their data in an energy efficient manner. MinT provides a sensor abstract layer, a system layer and an interaction layer. These enable integrated sensing device operations, efficient resource management, and active interconnection between peripheral IoT devices. In addition, MinT provides a high-level API to develop IoT devices easily for IoT device developers. We aim to enhance the energy efficiency and performance of IoT devices through the performance improvements offered by MinT resource management and request processing. The experimental results show that the average request rate increased by 25% compared to Californium, which is a middleware for efficient interaction in IoT environments with powerful performance, an average response time decrease of 90% when resource management was used, and power consumption decreased by up to 68%. Finally, the proposed platform can reduce the latency and power consumption of IoT devices. PMID:28632182

CheMin Instrument Performance and Calibration on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaniman, D. T.; Blake, D. F.; Morookian, J. M.; Yen, A. S.; Ming, D. W.; Morris, R. V.; Achilles, C. N.; Bish, D. L.; Chipera, S. J.; Morrison, S. M.;

MinT: Middleware for Cooperative Interaction of Things.

PubMed

Jeon, Soobin; Jung, Inbum

2017-06-20

This paper proposes an Internet of Things (IoT) middleware called Middleware for Cooperative Interaction of Things (MinT). MinT supports a fully distributed IoT environment in which IoT devices directly connect to peripheral devices easily construct a local or global network, and share their data in an energy efficient manner. MinT provides a sensor abstract layer, a system layer and an interaction layer. These enable integrated sensing device operations, efficient resource management, and active interconnection between peripheral IoT devices. In addition, MinT provides a high-level API to develop IoT devices easily for IoT device developers. We aim to enhance the energy efficiency and performance of IoT devices through the performance improvements offered by MinT resource management and request processing. The experimental results show that the average request rate increased by 25% compared to Californium, which is a middleware for efficient interaction in IoT environments with powerful performance, an average response time decrease of 90% when resource management was used, and power consumption decreased by up to 68%. Finally, the proposed platform can reduce the latency and power consumption of IoT devices.

MinK-dependent internalization of the IKs potassium channel.

PubMed

Xu, Xianghua; Kanda, Vikram A; Choi, Eun; Panaghie, Gianina; Roepke, Torsten K; Gaeta, Stephen A; Christini, David J; Lerner, Daniel J; Abbott, Geoffrey W

2009-06-01

KCNQ1-MinK potassium channel complexes (4alpha:2beta stoichiometry) generate IKs, the slowly activating human cardiac ventricular repolarization current. The MinK ancillary subunit slows KCNQ1 activation, eliminates its inactivation, and increases its unitary conductance. However, KCNQ1 transcripts outnumber MinK transcripts five to one in human ventricles, suggesting KCNQ1 also forms other heteromeric or even homomeric channels there. Mechanisms governing which channel types prevail have not previously been reported, despite their significance: normal cardiac rhythm requires tight control of IKs density and kinetics, and inherited mutations in KCNQ1 and MinK can cause ventricular fibrillation and sudden death. Here, we describe a novel mechanism for this control. Whole-cell patch-clamping, confocal immunofluorescence microscopy, antibody feeding, biotin feeding, fluorescent transferrin feeding, and protein biochemistry techniques were applied to COS-7 cells heterologously expressing KCNQ1 with wild-type or mutant MinK and dynamin 2 and to native IKs channels in guinea-pig myocytes. KCNQ1-MinK complexes, but not homomeric KCNQ1 channels, were found to undergo clathrin- and dynamin 2-dependent internalization (DDI). Three sites on the MinK intracellular C-terminus were, in concert, necessary and sufficient for DDI. Gating kinetics and sensitivity to XE991 indicated that DDI decreased cell-surface KCNQ1-MinK channels relative to homomeric KCNQ1, decreasing whole-cell current but increasing net activation rate; inhibiting DDI did the reverse. The data redefine MinK as an endocytic chaperone for KCNQ1 and present a dynamic mechanism for controlling net surface Kv channel subunit composition-and thus current density and gating kinetics-that may also apply to other alpha-beta type Kv channel complexes.

MinD directly interacting with FtsZ at the H10 helix suggests a model for robust activation of MinC to destabilize FtsZ polymers.

PubMed

Taviti, Ashoka Chary; Beuria, Tushar Kant

2017-09-07

Cell division in bacteria is a highly controlled and regulated process. FtsZ, a bacterial cytoskeletal protein, forms a ring-like structure known as the Z-ring and recruits more than a dozen other cell division proteins. The Min system oscillates between the poles and inhibits the Z-ring formation at the poles by perturbing FtsZ assembly. This leads to an increase in the FtsZ concentration at the mid-cell and helps in Z-ring positioning. MinC, the effector protein, interferes with Z-ring formation through two different mechanisms mediated by its two domains with the help of MinD. However, the mechanism by which MinD triggers MinC activity is not yet known. We showed that MinD directly interacts with FtsZ with an affinity stronger than the reported MinC-FtsZ interaction. We determined the MinD-binding site of FtsZ using computational, mutational and biochemical analyses. Our study showed that MinD binds to the H10 helix of FtsZ. Single-point mutations at the charged residues in the H10 helix resulted in a decrease in the FtsZ affinity towards MinD. Based on our findings, we propose a novel model for MinCD-FtsZ interaction, where MinD through its direct interaction with FtsZ would trigger MinC activity to inhibit FtsZ functions. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

Oscillating behavior of Clostridium difficile Min proteins in Bacillus subtilis.

PubMed

Makroczyová, Jana; Jamroškovič, Ján; Krascsenitsová, Eva; Labajová, Nad'a; Barák, Imrich

2016-06-01

In rod-shaped bacteria, the proper placement of the division septum at the midcell relies, at least partially, on the proteins of the Min system as an inhibitor of cell division. The main principle of Min system function involves the formation of an inhibitor gradient along the cell axis; however, the establishment of this gradient differs between two well-studied gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. While in gram-negative Escherichia coli, the Min system undergoes pole-to-pole oscillation, in gram-positive Bacillus subtilis, proper spatial inhibition is achieved by the preferential attraction of the Min proteins to the cell poles. Nevertheless, when E.coli Min proteins are inserted into B.subtilis cells, they still oscillate, which negatively affects asymmetric septation during sporulation in this organism. Interestingly, homologs of both Min systems were found to be present in various combinations in the genomes of anaerobic and endospore-forming Clostridia, including the pathogenic Clostridium difficile. Here, we have investigated the localization and behavior of C.difficile Min protein homologs and showed that MinDE proteins of C.difficile can oscillate when expressed together in B.subtilis cells. We have also investigated the effects of this oscillation on B.subtilis sporulation, and observed decreased sporulation efficiency in strains harboring the MinDE genes. Additionally, we have evaluated the effects of C.difficile Min protein expression on vegetative division in this heterologous host. © 2016 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Stuttering Min oscillations within E. coli bacteria: a stochastic polymerization model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sengupta, Supratim; Derr, Julien; Sain, Anirban; Rutenberg, Andrew D.

2012-10-01

We have developed a 3D off-lattice stochastic polymerization model to study the subcellular oscillation of Min proteins in the bacteria Escherichia coli, and used it to investigate the experimental phenomenon of Min oscillation stuttering. Stuttering was affected by the rate of immediate rebinding of MinE released from depolymerizing filament tips (processivity), protection of depolymerizing filament tips from MinD binding and fragmentation of MinD filaments due to MinE. Processivity, protection and fragmentation each reduce stuttering, speed oscillations and MinD filament lengths. Neither processivity nor tip protection were, on their own, sufficient to produce fast stutter-free oscillations. While filament fragmentation could, on its own, lead to fast oscillations with infrequent stuttering; high levels of fragmentation degraded oscillations. The infrequent stuttering observed in standard Min oscillations is consistent with short filaments of MinD, while we expect that mutants that exhibit higher stuttering frequencies will exhibit longer MinD filaments. Increased stuttering rate may be a useful diagnostic to find observable MinD polymerization under experimental conditions.

A Dynamic Retention Model for Air Force Officers: Theory and Estimates

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-12-01

9YOS STAY 2 2 2 1 1973 PIL ACAD 9YOS STAY 2 2 2 2 1 1973 PIL ACAD 9YOS STAY 2 2 2 2 2 4 1973 PIL ACAD 9YOS STAY 2 2 2...2 16 .37 1973 PIL ACAD 9YOS STAY 2 2 2 15 15 1973 PIL ACAD 9YOS STAY 2 2 14 14 14 1973 PIL ACAD 9YOS STAY 2 13 13 13 13 1973 PIL ACAD 9YOS STAY 2...13 13 13 31 1973 PIL ACAD 9YOS LEAVE 2 2 2 2 2 1 1973 PIL ACAD 9YOS LEAVE 2 7 1973 PIL ACAD 9YOS LEAVE 2 2 1 1973 PIL ACAD 9YOS LEAVE 2 2 2

Behavioral and genotoxic evaluation of rosmarinic and caffeic acid in acute seizure models induced by pentylenetetrazole and pilocarpine in mice.

PubMed

Coelho, Vanessa Rodrigues; Vieira, Caroline Gonçalves; de Souza, Luana Pereira; da Silva, Lucas Lima; Pflüger, Pricila; Regner, Gabriela Gregory; Papke, Débora Kuck Mausolff; Picada, Jaqueline Nascimento; Pereira, Patrícia

2016-11-01

The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of rosmarinic acid (RA) and caffeic acid (CA) in the acute pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) and pilocarpine (PIL) seizure models. We also evaluated the effect of RA and CA on the diazepam (DZP)-induced sleeping time test and its possible neuroprotective effect against the genotoxic damage induced by PTZ and PIL. Mice were treated intraperitoneally (i.p.) with saline, RA (2 or 4 mg/kg), or CA (4 or 8 mg/kg) alone or associated to low-dose DZP. After, mice received a single dose of PTZ (88 mg/kg) or PIL (250 mg/kg) and were monitored for the percentage of seizures and the latency to first seizure (LFS) >3 s. Vigabatrin and DZP were used as positive controls. In the DZP-induced sleeping time test, mice were treated with RA and CA and 30 min after receiving DZP (25 mg/kg, i.p.). The alkaline comet assay was performed after acute seizure tests to evaluate the antigenotoxic profiles of RA and CA. The doses of RA and CA tested alone did not reduce the occurrence of seizures induced by PTZ or PIL. The association of 4 mg/kg RA + low-dose DZP was shown to increase LFS in the PTZ model, compared to the group that received only the DZP. In the DZP-induced sleeping time test, the latency to sleep was reduced by 4 mg/kg RA and 8 mg/kg CA. The PTZ-induced genotoxic damage was not prevented by RA or CA, but the PIL-induced genotoxic damage was decreased by pretreatment with 4 mg/kg RA (in cortex) and 4 mg/kg CA (in hippocampus). In conclusion, RA and CA presented neuroprotective effect against PIL-induced genotoxic damage and reduced the latency to DZP-induced sleep. Of the rosmarinic acid, 4 mg/kg enhanced the DZP effect in the increase of latency to clonic PTZ-induced seizures.

Large-scale study of the interactions between proteins involved in type IV pilus biology in Neisseria meningitidis: characterization of a subcomplex involved in pilus assembly.

PubMed

Georgiadou, Michaella; Castagnini, Marta; Karimova, Gouzel; Ladant, Daniel; Pelicic, Vladimir

2012-06-01

The functionally versatile type IV pili (Tfp) are one of the most widespread virulence factors in bacteria. However, despite generating much research interest for decades, the molecular mechanisms underpinning the various aspects of Tfp biology remain poorly understood, mainly because of the complexity of the system. In the human pathogen Neisseria meningitidis for example, 23 proteins are dedicated to Tfp biology, 15 of which are essential for pilus biogenesis. One of the important gaps in our knowledge concerns the topology of this multiprotein machinery. Here we have used a bacterial two-hybrid system to identify and quantify the interactions between 11 Pil proteins from N. meningitidis. We identified 20 different binary interactions, many of which are novel. This represents the most complex interaction network between Pil proteins reported to date and indicates, among other things, that PilE, PilM, PilN and PilO, which are involved in pilus assembly, indeed interact. We focused our efforts on this subset of proteins and used a battery of assays to determine the membrane topology of PilN and PilO, map the interaction domains between PilE, PilM, PilN and PilO, and show that a widely conserved N-terminal motif in PilN is essential for both PilM-PilN interactions and pilus assembly. Finally, we show that PilP (another protein involved in pilus assembly) forms a complex with PilM, PilN and PilO. Taken together, these findings have numerous implications for understanding Tfp biology and provide a useful blueprint for future studies. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Research into the functional components and antioxidant activities of North China rice wine (Ji Mo Lao Jiu).

PubMed

He, Shuai; Mao, Xiangzhao; Liu, Pei; Lin, Hong; Du, Zuyuan; Lv, Ning; Han, Jichen; Qiu, Cuifang

2013-07-01

Over the last decade, considerable experimental evidence has supported the view that grape wine and South China rice wine are rich in diverse nutrients and have powerful antioxidant activity. However, little research has been carried out for North China rice wine, of which Ji Mo Lao Jiu (JMLJ) is the outstanding representative. In this study, the functional components and antioxidant activity of JMLJ were investigated. Twenty-eight free amino acids were found in JMLJ, much more than that previously reported in other Chinese rice wines (16-21). Functional oligosaccharides (5290.222 mg/L), total phenols (722.431 ± 10.970 mg/L), and mineral elements (9) were rich in JMLJ. When compared with synthetic antioxidants, such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), JMLJ showed effective 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and reducing capacity. The results of this study lay the foundation for promoting the utilization of JMLJ and the development of North China rice wine in the food industry.

Semi-continuous measurement of PM 2.5 ionic composition at several rural locations in the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Taehyoung; Yu, Xiao-Ying; Kreidenweis, Sonia M.; Malm, William C.; Collett, Jeffrey L.

To improve understanding of the nature and variability of the ionic fraction of atmospheric fine aerosol particles in non-urban environments, one to two month measurement campaigns were conducted at several rural locations in the United States. Study sites included Yosemite National Park (NP) (July-September 2002), Bondville, Illinois (February 2003), San Gorgonio Wilderness Area, California (April and July 2003), Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona (May 2003), Brigantine National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), New Jersey (November 2003), and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee (July/August 2004). PM 2.5 ion composition was measured at 15 min intervals using a Particle-Into-Liquid-Sampler (PILS) coupled to two ion chromatographs. Comparisons of PILS measurements with parallel traditional 24 h denuder/filter-pack measurements reveal generally good agreement between the two techniques for major species, although PILS measurements of PM 2.5 NH 4+ are biased low by approximately 4-20%. High time resolution PILS aerosol concentration measurements provide better estimates of the range of aerosol concentrations at the rural locations than the 24 h integrated filter data. Ratios of peak 15 min to 24 h nitrate concentrations, for example, ranged from 1.7 at Brigantine NWR to 7.0 at Great Smoky Mountains NP. A strong influence of diurnal upslope/downslope transport patterns was observed on aerosol concentrations at several locations, including Yosemite NP, San Gorgonio Wilderness Area, and Great Smoky Mountains NP, with peak concentrations typically occurring during afternoon upslope transport. High time resolution aerosol composition measurements also provide new insight into relationships between individual aerosol species and the influence of environmental conditions on aerosol composition. Observations at several locations revealed important information about mechanisms of particle nitrate formation. At Yosemite and Grand Canyon National Parks, for example, evidence

Pedometer steps/min in physical education: does the pedometer matter?

PubMed

Scruggs, Philip W

2013-01-01

The investigation sought to replicate previous Yamax physical education steps/min findings by quantifying physical activity via pedometry albeit with the Walk4Life (W4L) pedometer. Specifically, the objective was to determine steps/min cut point intervals for the 33% and 50% physical activity (i.e., percent of lesson time engaged in physical activity [%PA]) physical education guidelines via the W4L pedometer. Field-based criterion-referenced validation. Data were collected from 75 lessons on 411 fifth- through twelfth-grade (M(age)=13.83±2.17 y) participants who had concurrently measured pedometer and behavioural observation data. The W4L and Yamax pedometer outcome measure was steps/min, and observation measure was %PA. Pearson r correlation and diagnostic (i.e., sensitivity, specificity, and receiver-operating characteristic [ROC] curve) tests were conducted. (a) Steps/min and %PA demonstrated a strong relationship (W4L, r=0.96, p=0.0001; Yamax, r=0.96, p=0.0001), (b) W4L pedometer steps/min accurately discriminated (ROC area under curve ≥ 98%) between achievement or non-achievement of %PA guidelines, (c) the W4L steps/min cut point intervals for the 33%PA guideline (55.0-59.5) were significantly lower than those found for the Yamax pedometer (60.8-65.0), and (d) a borderline overlap was found between W4L (75.7-79.5) and Yamax (79.1-85.8) steps/min cut point intervals for the 50%PA guideline. W4L steps/min demonstrated a strong relationship with %PA, and outstanding accuracy for physical education physical activity guideline discrimination; however, steps/min values indicative of physical education physical activity guideline achievement is pedometer brand dependent, and should be considered for steps/min implementation and surveillance. Copyright © 2012 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The determinants of long-term care utilization and equity of access to care among older adults in Dong-Ku of Incheon Metropolitan city, South Korea.

PubMed

Park, J M

2005-01-01

Under the current health care system, around three percent of the elderly remain uninsured. Based on the 2003 Dong-Ku Health Status Survey and the Aday and Andersen Access Framework, the present study examined the social and behavioral determinants of long-term care utilization and the extent to which equity in the use of long-term care services for the elderly has been achieved. The results indicate that universal health insurance system has not yielded a fully equitable distribution of services. Type of coverage and resource availability do not remain predictors of long-term care utilization. The data suggest that a universal health insurance system exists in South Korea with significant access problems for the population without insurance. Access differences also arise from obstacles in expanding the scope and level of plan benefits due to financial disparity among insurers. Health policy reforms must continue to concentrate on extending insurance coverage to the uninsured and establishing long-term insurance system for the elderly.

Mechanistic insights of the Min oscillator via cell-free reconstitution and imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizuuchi, Kiyoshi; Vecchiarelli, Anthony G.

2018-05-01

The MinD and MinE proteins of Escherichia coli self-organize into a standing-wave oscillator on the membrane to help align division at mid-cell. When unleashed from cellular confines, MinD and MinE form a spectrum of patterns on artificial bilayers—static amoebas, traveling waves, traveling mushrooms, and bursts with standing-wave dynamics. We recently focused our cell-free studies on bursts because their dynamics recapitulate many features of Min oscillation observed in vivo. The data unveiled a patterning mechanism largely governed by MinE regulation of MinD interaction with membrane. We proposed that the MinD to MinE ratio on the membrane acts as a toggle switch between MinE-stimulated recruitment and release of MinD from the membrane. In this review, we summarize cell-free data on the Min system and expand upon a molecular mechanism that provides a biochemical explanation as to how these two ‘simple’ proteins can form the remarkable spectrum of patterns.

Identification and characterization of genes determining receptor binding and pilus length of Escherichia coli type 1 pili.

PubMed Central

Maurer, L; Orndorff, P E

1987-01-01

We describe the identification and characterization of two genes and their gene products responsible for determining receptor binding and pilus length in type 1-piliated Escherichia coli. One gene, pilE, conferred the ability of piliated cells to agglutinate guinea pig erythrocytes. The other gene, pilF, determined pilus length, in that mutants having lesions in pilF had very long pili. The two genes were detected after Tn5 mutagenesis of a cloned segment of DNA that normally complemented a pilE lesion in the chromosome. Thus, lesions in pilE or pilF on the cloned segment resulted in mutants having the PilE- phenotype (piliated but unable to agglutinate erythrocytes). Introduction of the plasmid-encoded mutant alleles of pilE and pilF into the chromosome followed by electron microscopic examination of the mutants showed that only lesions in pilF conferred the striking increase in pilus length. Mutations in pilF could be complemented in trans by the original cloned segment to produce cells with parental-length pili. Minicell transcription and translation of the cloned pilE and pilF genes having representative Tn5 insertion mutations showed that the pilE gene product was a protein of ca. 31 kilodaltons and that the pilF gene product was a protein of ca. 18 kilodaltons. We believe that the pilF gene product may act as a competitive inhibitor of pilus polymerization. Thus, pilus length may be controlled by the ratio of pilin to pilF gene product present within the cell. Images PMID:2879830

Extensive metabolic disorders are present in APC(min) tumorigenesis mice.

PubMed

Liu, Zhenzhen; Xiao, Yi; Zhou, Zhengxiang; Mao, Xiaoxiao; Cai, Jinxing; Xiong, Lu; Liao, Chaonan; Huang, Fulian; Liu, Zehao; Ali Sheikh, Md Sayed; Plutzky, Jorge; Huang, He; Yang, Tianlun; Duan, Qiong

2016-05-15

Wnt signaling plays essential role in mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation. Activation of Wnt signaling suppresses adipogenesis, but promotes osteogenesis in MSC. Adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) is a negative regulator of β-catenin and Wnt signaling activity. The mutation of APC gene leads to the activation of Wnt signaling and is responsible for tumorigenesis in APC(min) mouse; however, very few studies focused on its metabolic abnormalities. The present study reports a widespread metabolic disorder phenotype in APC(min) mice. The old APC(min) mice have decreased body weight and impaired adipogenesis, but severe hyperlipidemia, which mimic the phenotypes of Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP), an inherited disease also caused by APC gene mutation in human. We found that the expression of lipid metabolism and free fat acids (FA) use genes in the white adipose tissue (WAT) of the APC(min) mice is much lower than those of control. The changed gene expression pattern may lead to the disability of circulatory lipid transportation and storage at WAT. Moreover, the APC(min) mice could not maintain the core body temperature in cold condition. PET-CT determination revealed that the BAT of APC(min) mice has significantly impaired ability to take up (18)FDG from the blood. Morphological studies identified that the brown adipocytes of APC(min) mice were filled with lipid droplets but fewer mitochondria. These results matched with the findings of impaired BAT function in APC(min) mice. Collectively, our study explores a new mechanism that explains abnormal metabolism in APC(min) mice and provides insights into studying the metabolic disorders of FAP patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Outside-in assembly pathway of the type IV pilus system in Myxococcus xanthus.

PubMed

Friedrich, Carmen; Bulyha, Iryna; Søgaard-Andersen, Lotte

2014-01-01

Type IV pili (T4P) are ubiquitous bacterial cell surface structures that undergo cycles of extension, adhesion, and retraction. T4P function depends on a highly conserved envelope-spanning macromolecular machinery consisting of 10 proteins that localizes polarly in Myxococcus xanthus. Using this localization, we investigated the entire T4P machinery assembly pathway by systematically profiling the stability of all and the localization of eight of these proteins in the absence of other T4P machinery proteins as well as by mapping direct protein-protein interactions. Our experiments uncovered a sequential, outside-in pathway starting with the outer membrane (OM) PilQ secretin ring. PilQ recruits a subcomplex consisting of the inner membrane (IM) lipoprotein PilP and the integral IM proteins PilN and PilO by direct interaction with the periplasmic domain of PilP. The PilP/PilN/PilO subcomplex recruits the cytoplasmic PilM protein, by direct interaction between PilN and PilM, and the integral IM protein PilC. The PilB/PilT ATPases that power extension/retraction localize independently of other T4P machinery proteins. Thus, assembly of the T4P machinery initiates with formation of the OM secretin ring and continues inwards over the periplasm and IM to the cytoplasm.

Rebuttal to "On the distribution of the modulus of Gabor wavelet coefficients and the upper bound of the dimensionless smoothness index in the case of additive Gaussian noises: Revisited" by Dong Wang, Qiang Zhou, and Kwok-Leung Tsui

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soltani Bozchalooi, Iman; Liang, Ming

2018-04-01

A discussion paper entitled "On the distribution of the modulus of Gabor wavelet coefficients and the upper bound of the dimensionless smoothness index in the case of additive Gaussian noises: revisited" by Dong Wang, Qiang Zhou, Kwok-Leung Tsui has been brought to our attention recently. This discussion paper (hereafter called Wang et al. paper) is based on arguments that are fundamentally incorrect and which we rebut within this commentary. However, as the flaws in the arguments proposed by Wang et al. are clear, we will keep this rebuttal as brief as possible.

First molecular verification of Dixonius vietnamensis Das, 2004 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) with the description of a new species from Vinh Cuu Nature Reserve, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam.

PubMed

Ziegler, Thomas; Botov, Andreas; Nguyen, Tao Thien; Bauer, Aaron M; Brennan, Ian G; Ngo, Hanh Thi; Nguyen, Truong Quang

2016-07-07

Based on near-topotypic specimens of Dixonius vietnamensis from Khanh Hoa Province in southern Vietnam genetic analyses showed that the recently described D. taoi is sister to D. vietnamensis and several separate forms exist which previously have been misidentified as D. vietnamensis and D. siamensis. The Dixonius population from Vinh Cuu Nature Reserve, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam, represents an undescribed species. Dixonius minhlei sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners based on the following diagnostic characters: small size (up to 47.5 mm SVL); 7-9 supralabials; 14-15 rows of keeled tubercles on dorsum; 20-23 ventral scale rows; 7 or 8 precloacal pores in males; a canthal stripe running from rostrum through the eye and terminating at back of head; lateral second pair of postmentals maximum one quarter the size of first pair; dorsum olive gray with more or less discernible brownish olive blotches. This is the sixth species of Dixonius known to occur in Vietnam.

Development of a Mobile Phone-Based Weight Loss Lifestyle Intervention for Filipino Americans with Type 2 Diabetes: Protocol and Early Results From the PilAm Go4Health Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background Filipino Americans are the second largest Asian subgroup in the United States, and were found to have the highest prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared to all Asian subgroups and non-Hispanic whites. In addition to genetic factors, risk factors for Filipinos that contribute to this health disparity include high sedentary rates and high fat diets. However, Filipinos are seriously underrepresented in preventive health research. Research is needed to identify effective interventions to reduce Filipino diabetes risks, subsequent comorbidities, and premature death. Objective The overall goal of this project is to assess the feasibility and potential efficacy of the Filipino Americans Go4Health Weight Loss Program (PilAm Go4Health). This program is a culturally adapted weight loss lifestyle intervention, using digital technology for Filipinos with T2D, to reduce their risk for metabolic syndrome. Methods This study was a 3-month mobile phone-based pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) weight loss intervention with a wait list active control, followed by a 3-month maintenance phase design for 45 overweight Filipinos with T2D. Participants were randomized to an intervention group (n=22) or active control group (n=23), and analyses of the results are underway. The primary outcome will be percent weight change of the participants, and secondary outcomes will include changes in waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose, glycated hemoglobin A1c, physical activity, fat intake, and sugar-sweetened beverage intake. Data analyses will include descriptive statistics to describe sample characteristics and a feasibility assessment based on recruitment, adherence, and retention. Chi-square, Fisher's exact tests, t-tests, and nonparametric rank tests will be used to assess characteristics of randomized groups. Primary analyses will use analysis of covariance and linear mixed models to compare primary and secondary outcomes at 3 months, compared by arm

Development of a Mobile Phone-Based Weight Loss Lifestyle Intervention for Filipino Americans with Type 2 Diabetes: Protocol and Early Results From the PilAm Go4Health Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Bender, Melinda Sarmiento; Santos, Glenn-Milo; Villanueva, Carissa; Arai, Shoshana

2016-09-08

Filipino Americans are the second largest Asian subgroup in the United States, and were found to have the highest prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared to all Asian subgroups and non-Hispanic whites. In addition to genetic factors, risk factors for Filipinos that contribute to this health disparity include high sedentary rates and high fat diets. However, Filipinos are seriously underrepresented in preventive health research. Research is needed to identify effective interventions to reduce Filipino diabetes risks, subsequent comorbidities, and premature death. The overall goal of this project is to assess the feasibility and potential efficacy of the Filipino Americans Go4Health Weight Loss Program (PilAm Go4Health). This program is a culturally adapted weight loss lifestyle intervention, using digital technology for Filipinos with T2D, to reduce their risk for metabolic syndrome. This study was a 3-month mobile phone-based pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) weight loss intervention with a wait list active control, followed by a 3-month maintenance phase design for 45 overweight Filipinos with T2D. Participants were randomized to an intervention group (n=22) or active control group (n=23), and analyses of the results are underway. The primary outcome will be percent weight change of the participants, and secondary outcomes will include changes in waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose, glycated hemoglobin A1c, physical activity, fat intake, and sugar-sweetened beverage intake. Data analyses will include descriptive statistics to describe sample characteristics and a feasibility assessment based on recruitment, adherence, and retention. Chi-square, Fisher's exact tests, t-tests, and nonparametric rank tests will be used to assess characteristics of randomized groups. Primary analyses will use analysis of covariance and linear mixed models to compare primary and secondary outcomes at 3 months, compared by arm and controlled for baseline

How useful are medication patient information leaflets to older adults? A content, readability and layout analysis.

PubMed

Liu, Fang; Abdul-Hussain, Sarah; Mahboob, Shams; Rai, Vijay; Kostrzewski, Andrzej

2014-08-01

Patient information leaflets (PILs) are the most important information source for older patients to effectively manage their drug therapy. The objective of this study is to evaluate the appropriateness of current available PILs for use by older adults. The content of the PILs were assessed by checking the availability of information relevant to older patients including pharmacokinetics, safety and dose instructions. The layout of the PILs was evaluated using criteria derived from the relevant regulatory guidelines on the design of PILs. The Gunning Fog Index was used to determine the readability of the PILs to older adults. Total of 48 PILs were analysed involving 25 drug substances for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. One out of the 48 PILs contained information on pharmacokinetic changes in older patients and only 15 % of the PILs specified the age of the older person. Thirty-one percent of the PILs provided nonspecific warnings to the older population, while only 15 % included specific side effects that could occur in the older generation. Text font sizes of the PILs were generally too small for older adults to read, with only 9 % of the PILs used type size 12 or over. The readability of 63 % of the PILs had a score above 12, which is considered difficult for older people to understand. Currently available medication PILs are inappropriate for use by older adults to manage their medications effectively, which could adversely affect patient safety and adherence to drug therapy.

Research into the functional components and antioxidant activities of North China rice wine (Ji Mo Lao Jiu)

PubMed Central

He, Shuai; Mao, Xiangzhao; Liu, Pei; Lin, Hong; Du, Zuyuan; Lv, Ning; Han, Jichen; Qiu, Cuifang

2013-01-01

Over the last decade, considerable experimental evidence has supported the view that grape wine and South China rice wine are rich in diverse nutrients and have powerful antioxidant activity. However, little research has been carried out for North China rice wine, of which Ji Mo Lao Jiu (JMLJ) is the outstanding representative. In this study, the functional components and antioxidant activity of JMLJ were investigated. Twenty-eight free amino acids were found in JMLJ, much more than that previously reported in other Chinese rice wines (16–21). Functional oligosaccharides (5290.222 mg/L), total phenols (722.431 ± 10.970 mg/L), and mineral elements (9) were rich in JMLJ. When compared with synthetic antioxidants, such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), JMLJ showed effective 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and reducing capacity. The results of this study lay the foundation for promoting the utilization of JMLJ and the development of North China rice wine in the food industry. PMID:24804035

Evaluation of the Readability of Dermatological Postoperative Patient Information Leaflets Across England.

PubMed

Hunt, William T N; McGrath, Emily J

2016-06-01

Postoperative patient information leaflets (PILs) provide important guidance to patients after skin surgery. Readability is a method of evaluating information for text comprehension. The recommended level for PIL readability is US grade ≤6. To evaluate the readability of public English dermatological postoperative PILs. All dermatology departments in England were requested to provide their postoperative PILs. Patient information leaflets were evaluated using Readability Studio (Oleander Software, Vandalia, OH). Two preselected parameters were also noted: whether the PIL was doctor or nurse-written, and whether the PIL was Information Standard hallmarked. Eighty-five of one hundred thirty (65.4%) of PILs were evaluated. Only 29.4% of the PILs were grade level ≤6 with Flesch-Kincaid. The mean readability levels were 7.8 for Flesch-Kincaid, 67 for Flesch reading ease, 10.5 for Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), 9.4 for Gunning-Fog, 8 for Fry, and 9.8 for FORCAST. No instruments demonstrated a significant difference between doctor (6) and nurse-written (7) PILs. Two instruments found that the 3 Information Standard hallmarked PILs had a higher (harder) readability than ordinary PILs (n = 82) (Gunning-Fog, p = .029*; SMOG p = .049*). Most English postoperative dermatological PILs' readability levels exceed recommendations (US grade ≤6). Departmental PILs should be reviewed to ensure that they are comprehensible to their patients.

Min-entropy uncertainty relation for finite-size cryptography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ng, Nelly Huei Ying; Berta, Mario; Wehner, Stephanie

2012-10-01

Apart from their foundational significance, entropic uncertainty relations play a central role in proving the security of quantum cryptographic protocols. Of particular interest are therefore relations in terms of the smooth min-entropy for Bennett-Brassard 1984 (BB84) and six-state encodings. The smooth min-entropy Hminɛ(X/B) quantifies the negative logarithm of the probability for an attacker B to guess X, except with a small failure probability ɛ. Previously, strong uncertainty relations were obtained which are valid in the limit of large block lengths. Here, we prove an alternative uncertainty relation in terms of the smooth min-entropy that is only marginally less strong but has the crucial property that it can be applied to rather small block lengths. This paves the way for a practical implementation of many cryptographic protocols. As part of our proof we show tight uncertainty relations for a family of Rényi entropies that may be of independent interest.

Asymptotic identity in min-plus algebra: a report on CPNS.

PubMed

Li, Ming; Zhao, Wei

2012-01-01

Network calculus is a theory initiated primarily in computer communication networks, especially in the aspect of real-time communications, where min-plus algebra plays a role. Cyber-physical networking systems (CPNSs) are recently developing fast and models in data flows as well as systems in CPNS are, accordingly, greatly desired. Though min-plus algebra may be a promising tool to linearize any node in CPNS as can be seen from its applications to the Internet computing, there are tough problems remaining unsolved in this regard. The identity in min-plus algebra is one problem we shall address. We shall point out the confusions about the conventional identity in the min-plus algebra and present an analytical expression of the asymptotic identity that may not cause confusions.

Curcumin modifies Apc(min) apoptosis resistance and inhibits 2-amino 1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) induced tumour formation in Apc(min) mice.

PubMed

Collett, G P; Robson, C N; Mathers, J C; Campbell, F C

2001-05-01

Curcumin, the active ingredient of the rhizome of Curcuma longa, promotes apoptosis and may have chemopreventive properties. This study investigates the effects of curcumin on apoptosis and tumorigenesis in male Apc(min) mice treated with the human dietary carcinogen, 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP). Intestinal epithelial apoptotic index in response to PhIP treatment was approximately twice as great in the wild-type C57BL/6 APC(+/+) strain than in Apc(min) mice (3.7% Apc(+/+) versus 1.9% Apc(min); P < 0.001). PhIP promoted tumour formation in Apc(min) proximal small intestine (4.6 tumours per mouse, PhIP treated versus 2.1 tumours per mouse, control untreated; P < 0.05). Curcumin enhanced PhIP-induced apoptosis (4.0% curcumin + PhIP versus 2.1% PhIP alone; P < 0.01) and inhibited PhIP-induced tumorigenesis in the proximal small intestine of Apc(min) mice (2.2 tumours per mouse, curcumin + PhIP versus 4.6 tumours per mouse PhIP alone; P < 0.05). This study shows that the Apc(min) genotype is associated with resistance to PhIP-induced apoptosis in intestinal epithelium. Curcumin attenuates Apc(min) resistance to PhIP-induced apoptosis and inhibits PhIP-induced tumorigenesis in proximal Apc(min) mouse small intestine.

Polymerization and oscillation stuttering in a filamentous model of the subcellular Min oscillation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rutenberg, Andrew; Sengupta, Supratim; Sain, Anirban; Derr, Julien

2011-03-01

We present a computational model of the E. coli Min oscillation that involves polymerization of MinD filaments followed by depolymerization stimulated by filament-end zones of MinE. Our stochastic model is fully three-dimensional, and tracks the diffusion and interactions of every MinD and MinE molecule. We recover self-organized Min oscillations. We investigate the experimental phenomenon of oscillation stuttering, which we relate to the disruption of MinE tip-binding at the filament scale.

Effects of carbohydrate ingestion 15 min before exercise on endurance running capacity.

PubMed

Tokmakidis, Savvas P; Karamanolis, Ioannis A

2008-06-01

This study examined the effects of pre-exercise carbohydrate ingestion on exercise metabolism and endurance running capacity. Eleven active subjects (VO(2) (max) 49.0 +/- 1.7 mL x kg(-1) x min(-1), mean +/- SE) performed two exercise trials 15 min after ingesting glucose (G; 1 g x kg body mass(-1)) and placebo (CON). Each subject ran on a level treadmill for 5 min at 60%, 45 min at 70%, and then at 80% of VO(2) (max) until exhaustion. Serum glucose and plasma insulin reached their peak concentrations (p < 0.01) 15 min after glucose ingestion and declined at the onset of exercise. Serum glycerol concentrations were lower (p < 0.01) in the G trial than in the CON trial after 30 min of exercise to exhaustion. In addition, after 45 min of exercise to exhaustion, the levels of free fatty acids were lower in G than in CON (p < 0.05). No differences were observed in carbohydrate oxidation rates during exercise between treatments (G, 2.53 +/- 0.08 g x min(-1); CON, 2.40 +/- 0.09 g x min(-1)). Time to exhaustion was 12.8% longer in G (p < 0.01) than in CON. These results suggest that glucose ingestion 15 min before prolonged exercise provides an additional carbohydrate source to the exercising muscle, thus improving endurance running capacity.

Asymptotic Identity in Min-Plus Algebra: A Report on CPNS

PubMed Central

Li, Ming; Zhao, Wei

2012-01-01

Network calculus is a theory initiated primarily in computer communication networks, especially in the aspect of real-time communications, where min-plus algebra plays a role. Cyber-physical networking systems (CPNSs) are recently developing fast and models in data flows as well as systems in CPNS are, accordingly, greatly desired. Though min-plus algebra may be a promising tool to linearize any node in CPNS as can be seen from its applications to the Internet computing, there are tough problems remaining unsolved in this regard. The identity in min-plus algebra is one problem we shall address. We shall point out the confusions about the conventional identity in the min-plus algebra and present an analytical expression of the asymptotic identity that may not cause confusions. PMID:21822446

Epithelial-derived IL-33 promotes intestinal tumorigenesis in Apc Min/+ mice.

PubMed

He, Zhengxiang; Chen, Lili; Souto, Fabricio O; Canasto-Chibuque, Claudia; Bongers, Gerold; Deshpande, Madhura; Harpaz, Noam; Ko, Huaibin M; Kelley, Kevin; Furtado, Glaucia C; Lira, Sergio A

2017-07-14

Increased expression of Interleukin (IL)-33 has been detected in intestinal samples of patients with ulcerative colitis, a condition associated with increased risk for colon cancer, but its role in the development of colorectal cancer has yet to be fully examined. Here, we investigated the role of epithelial expressed IL-33 during development of intestinal tumors. IL-33 expression was detected in epithelial cells in colorectal cancer specimens and in the Apc Min/+ mice. To better understand the role of epithelial-derived IL-33 in the intestinal tumorigenesis, we generated transgenic mice expressing IL-33 in intestinal epithelial cells (V33 mice). V33 Apc Min/+ mice, resulting from the cross of V33 with Apc Min/+ mice, had increased intestinal tumor burden compared with littermate Apc Min/+ mice. Consistently, Apc Min/+ mice deficient for IL-33 receptor (ST2), had reduced polyp burden. Mechanistically, overexpression of IL-33 promoted expansion of ST2 + regulatory T cells, increased Th2 cytokine milieu, and induced alternatively activated macrophages in the gut. IL-33 promoted marked changes in the expression of antimicrobial peptides, and antibiotic treatment of V33 Apc Min/+ mice abrogated the tumor promoting-effects of IL-33 in the colon. In conclusion, elevated IL-33 signaling increases tumor development in the Apc Min/+ mice.

Space-time PM2.5 mapping in the severe haze region of Jing-Jin-Ji (China) using a synthetic approach.

PubMed

He, Junyu; Christakos, George

2018-05-07

Long- and short-term exposure to PM 2.5 is of great concern in China due to its adverse population health effects. Characteristic of the severity of the situation in China is that in the Jing-Jin-Ji region considered in this work a total of 2725 excess deaths have been attributed to short-term PM 2.5 exposure during the period January 10-31, 2013. Technically, the processing of large space-time PM 2.5 datasets and the mapping of the space-time distribution of PM 2.5 concentrations often constitute high-cost projects. To address this situation, we propose a synthetic modeling framework based on the integration of (a) the Bayesian maximum entropy method that assimilates auxiliary information from land-use regression and artificial neural network (ANN) model outputs based on PM 2.5 monitoring, satellite remote sensing data, land use and geographical records, with (b) a space-time projection technique that transforms the PM 2.5 concentration values from the original spatiotemporal domain onto a spatial domain that moves along the direction of the PM 2.5 velocity spread. An interesting methodological feature of the synthetic approach is that its components (methods or models) are complementary, i.e., one component can compensate for the occasional limitations of another component. Insight is gained in terms of a PM 2.5 case study covering the severe haze Jing-Jin-Ji region during October 1-31, 2015. The proposed synthetic approach explicitly accounted for physical space-time dependencies of the PM 2.5 distribution. Moreover, the assimilation of auxiliary information and the dimensionality reduction achieved by the synthetic approach produced rather impressive results: It generated PM 2.5 concentration maps with low estimation uncertainty (even at counties and villages far away from the monitoring stations, whereas during the haze periods the uncertainty reduction was over 50% compared to standard PM 2.5 mapping techniques); and it also proved to be computationally very

Intraocular Pressure Response to Moderate Exercise during 30-Min Recovery.

PubMed

Najmanova, Eliska; Pluhacek, Frantisek; Botek, Michal

2016-03-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate intraocular pressure (IOP) before and after moderate exercise in normal healthy individuals with defined physical exertion. The second aim of this investigation was to determine the correlation between resting IOP (IOPr) and its change induced by exercise as well as the relationship between resting heart rate (HRr) and changes in IOP after exercise. Forty-one healthy volunteers between the ages of 19 and 25 years were recruited for the study. First, the resting (reference) values IOPr and HRr were measured after 30 min of resting time. Volunteers consequently performed 30 min of exercise on a bicycle ergometer. Intraocular pressure was remeasured immediately after the end of exercise (the relevant IOP change was denoted as ΔIOP0) and subsequently repeated 5, 10, 20, and 30 min after exercise. A significant decrease in IOP compared with the resting value (post hoc Tukey honest significant difference test) was found immediately after exercise (p = 2 × 10) and 5 and 10 min after exercise (p = 2 × 10 and p = 3 × 10). Significant relationships were found between the change in IOP (ΔIOP0) and baseline IOP (IOPr) and between the baseline resting heart rate (HRr) and the change in IOP (ΔIOP0). There was a significant IOP-lowering effect, which was persistent for 10 min after 30 min of exercise. The IOP change was dependent on the initial IOP reading and initial HR.

Study of 1-min rain rate integration statistic in South Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrestha, Sujan; Choi, Dong-You

2017-03-01

The design of millimeter wave communication links and the study of propagation impairments at higher frequencies due to a hydrometeor, particularly rain, require the knowledge of 1-min. rainfall rate data. Signal attenuation in space communication results are due to absorption and scattering of radio wave energy. Radio wave attenuation due to rain depends on the relevance of a 1-min. integration time for the rain rate. However, in practice, securing these data over a wide range of areas is difficult. Long term precipitation data are readily available. However, there is a need for a 1-min. rainfall rate in the rain attenuation prediction models for a better estimation of the attenuation. In this paper, we classify and survey the prominent 1-min. rain rate models. Regression analysis was performed for the study of cumulative rainfall data measured experimentally for a decade in nine different regions in South Korea, with 93 different locations, using the experimental 1-min. rainfall accumulation. To visualize the 1-min. rainfall rate applicable for the whole region for 0.01% of the time, we have considered the variation in the rain rate for 40 stations across South Korea. The Kriging interpolation method was used for spatial interpolation of the rain rate values for 0.01% of the time into a regular grid to obtain a highly consistent and predictable rainfall variation. The rain rate exceeded the 1-min. interval that was measured through the rain gauge compared to the rainfall data estimated using the International Telecommunication Union Radio Communication Sector model (ITU-R P.837-6) along with the empirical methods as Segal, Burgueno et al., Chebil and Rahman, logarithmic, exponential and global coefficients, second and third order polynomial fits, and Model 1 for Icheon regions under the regional and average coefficient set. The ITU-R P. 837-6 exhibits a lower relative error percentage of 3.32% and 12.59% in the 5- and 10-min. to 1-min. conversion, whereas the

Counteranion-Mediated Intrinsic Healing of Poly(ionic liquid) Copolymers.

PubMed

Guo, Panlong; Zhang, Houyu; Liu, Xiaokong; Sun, Junqi

2018-01-17

Fabrication of self-healing/healable materials using reversible interactions that are governed by their inherent chemical features is highly desirable because it avoids the introduction of extra groups that may present negative effects on their functions. The present study exploits the inherently featured electrostatic interactions of the ion pairs in polymeric ionic liquids (PILs) as the driving force to fabricate healable PIL copolymers. The healable PIL copolymers are fabricated through the copolymerization of the IL monomers with ethyl acrylate followed by the replacement of Br - counteranions with bulkier ones such as bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (TFSI - ). Without modifying the chemical structures of the PIL moieties, the healing performance of the as-prepared PIL copolymers can be effectively mediated by their counteranions. The PIL copolymers that do not possess healability when paired with Br - counteranions become healable after exchanging the Br - counteranions with larger-sized ones (e.g., TFSI - ). The PIL copolymers paired with bulky counteranions exhibit enhanced chain mobility and highly reversible ion-pair interactions, which facilitate the healing process. The PIL copolymers paired with TFSI - anions can completely heal the damage/cut upon heating at 55 °C for 7.5 h. Meanwhile, the counteranions with larger sizes not only benefit the healing performance of the PIL copolymers but also enhance their ion conductivity. The ion conductivity of the PIL copolymers paired with TFSI - is an order of magnitude higher than that of the PIL copolymers paired with Br - . Therefore, the as-prepared healable PIL copolymers are potentially useful as solid electrolytes in PIL-based energy devices to improve their safety and reliability.

[Shen cha zheng ji yan fang (Inspection of the Collection of TCM Proved Prescriptions) , the first official collection of proved prescriptions in Modern China].

PubMed

Liu, Y; Zhang, P F; Chen, X J

2017-01-28

Yan Xishan, the local ruler of Shanxi Province in modern period, claiming that the folk TCM prescriptions should be collected, inspected and maintained because of its definite effect. The government of Shanxi Province provided a lot of resources in collecting TCM proved prescriptions since 1929. The TCM Improving Society of Shanxi made more effort on the inspecting process, with a reasonable incentive system and standardized methods established. As a result, the Shen cha zheng ji yan fang ( Inspection of the Collection of TCM Proved Prescriptions ) was published, characterized by the principles of "cheap, convenient and effective" . It was the beginning of official collection and collation of TCM proved prescriptions in modern China.

Rapid and Accurate Sequencing of Enterovirus Genomes Using MinION Nanopore Sequencer.

PubMed

Wang, Ji; Ke, Yue Hua; Zhang, Yong; Huang, Ke Qiang; Wang, Lei; Shen, Xin Xin; Dong, Xiao Ping; Xu, Wen Bo; Ma, Xue Jun

2017-10-01

Knowledge of an enterovirus genome sequence is very important in epidemiological investigation to identify transmission patterns and ascertain the extent of an outbreak. The MinION sequencer is increasingly used to sequence various viral pathogens in many clinical situations because of its long reads, portability, real-time accessibility of sequenced data, and very low initial costs. However, information is lacking on MinION sequencing of enterovirus genomes. In this proof-of-concept study using Enterovirus 71 (EV71) and Coxsackievirus A16 (CA16) strains as examples, we established an amplicon-based whole genome sequencing method using MinION. We explored the accuracy, minimum sequencing time, discrimination and high-throughput sequencing ability of MinION, and compared its performance with Sanger sequencing. Within the first minute (min) of sequencing, the accuracy of MinION was 98.5% for the single EV71 strain and 94.12%-97.33% for 10 genetically-related CA16 strains. In as little as 14 min, 99% identity was reached for the single EV71 strain, and in 17 min (on average), 99% identity was achieved for 10 CA16 strains in a single run. MinION is suitable for whole genome sequencing of enteroviruses with sufficient accuracy and fine discrimination and has the potential as a fast, reliable and convenient method for routine use. Copyright © 2017 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.

"Embodiment as procedures: Physical cleansing changes goal priming effects": Correction to Dong and Lee (2017).

PubMed

2017-06-01

Reports an error in "Embodiment as procedures: Physical cleansing changes goal priming effects" by Ping Dong and Spike W. S. Lee ( Journal of Experimental Psychology: General , 2017[Apr], Vol 146[4], 592-605). In the article, the following F-value and p-values in the Results section of Experiment 3 were set incorrectly: The p -value p =.925 should be p =.922. The F - and p -values F (1, 201)=.011, p =.916 should be F (1, 201) .014, p = .906. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2017-14922-010.) Physical cleansing reduces the influence of numerous psychological experiences, such as guilt from immoral behavior, dissonance from free choice, and good/bad luck from winning/losing. How do these domain-general effects occur? We propose an integrative account of cleansing as an embodied procedure of psychological separation. By separating physical traces from a physical target object (e.g., detaching dirt from hands), cleansing serves as the embodied grounding for the separation of psychological traces from a psychological target object (e.g., dissociating prior experience from the present self). This account predicts that cleansing reduces the accessibility of psychological traces and their consequences for judgments and behaviors. Testing these in the context of goal priming, we find that wiping one's hands (vs. not) decreases the mental accessibility (Experiment 1), behavioral expression (Experiment 2), and judged importance (Experiments 3-4) of previously primed goals (e.g., achievement, saving, fitness). But if a goal is primed after cleansing, its importance gets amplified instead (Experiment 3). Based on the logic of moderation-of-process, an alternative manipulation that psychologically separates a primed goal from the present self produces the same effects, but critically, the effects vanish once people wipe their hands clean (Experiment 4), consistent with the notion that cleansing functions as an embodied procedure of psychological

Interdependency of formation and localisation of the Min complex controls symmetric plastid division.

PubMed

Maple, Jodi; Møller, Simon G

2007-10-01

Plastid division represents a fundamental biological process essential for plant development; however, the molecular basis of symmetric plastid division is unclear. AtMinE1 plays a pivotal role in selection of the plastid division site in concert with AtMinD1. AtMinE1 localises to discrete foci in chloroplasts and interacts with AtMinD1, which shows a similar localisation pattern. Here, we investigate the importance of Min protein complex formation during the chloroplast division process. Dissection of the assembly of the Min protein complex and determination of the interdependency of complex assembly and localisation in planta allow us to present a model of the molecular basis of selection of the division site in plastids. Moreover, functional analysis of AtMinE1 in bacteria demonstrates the level of functional conservation and divergence of the plastidic MinE proteins.

Crosslinked Polymer Ionic Liquid/Ionic Liquid Blends Prepared by Photopolymerization as Solid-State Electrolytes in Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Wang, Po-Hsin; Wang, Tzong-Liu; Lin, Wen-Churng; Lin, Hung-Yin; Lee, Mei-Hwa; Yang, Chien-Hsin

2018-04-07

A photopolymerization method is used to prepare a mixture of polymer ionic liquid (PIL) and ionic liquid (IL). This mixture is used as a solid-state electrolyte in carbon nanoparticle (CNP)-based symmetric supercapacitors. The solid electrolyte is a binary mixture of a PIL and its corresponding IL. The PIL matrix is a cross-linked polyelectrolyte with an imidazole salt cation coupled with two anions of Br - in PIL-M-(Br) and TFSI - in PIL-M-(TFSI), respectively. The corresponding ionic liquids have imidazolium salt cation coupled with two anions of Br - and TFSI - , respectively. This study investigates the electrochemical characteristics of PILs and their corresponding IL mixtures used as a solid electrolyte in supercapacitors. Results show that a specific capacitance, maximum power density and energy density of 87 and 58 F·g - ¹, 40 and 48 kW·kg - ¹, and 107 and 59.9 Wh·kg - ¹ were achieved in supercapacitors based on (PIL-M-(Br)) and (PIL-M-(TFSI)) solid electrolytes, respectively.

Fast Inference with Min-Sum Matrix Product.

PubMed

Felzenszwalb, Pedro F; McAuley, Julian J

2011-12-01

The MAP inference problem in many graphical models can be solved efficiently using a fast algorithm for computing min-sum products of n × n matrices. The class of models in question includes cyclic and skip-chain models that arise in many applications. Although the worst-case complexity of the min-sum product operation is not known to be much better than O(n(3)), an O(n(2.5)) expected time algorithm was recently given, subject to some constraints on the input matrices. In this paper, we give an algorithm that runs in O(n(2) log n) expected time, assuming that the entries in the input matrices are independent samples from a uniform distribution. We also show that two variants of our algorithm are quite fast for inputs that arise in several applications. This leads to significant performance gains over previous methods in applications within computer vision and natural language processing.

Sequence, distribution and chromosomal context of class I and class II pilin genes of Neisseria meningitidis identified in whole genome sequences

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Neisseria meningitidis expresses type four pili (Tfp) which are important for colonisation and virulence. Tfp have been considered as one of the most variable structures on the bacterial surface due to high frequency gene conversion, resulting in amino acid sequence variation of the major pilin subunit (PilE). Meningococci express either a class I or a class II pilE gene and recent work has indicated that class II pilins do not undergo antigenic variation, as class II pilE genes encode conserved pilin subunits. The purpose of this work was to use whole genome sequences to further investigate the frequency and variability of the class II pilE genes in meningococcal isolate collections. Results We analysed over 600 publically available whole genome sequences of N. meningitidis isolates to determine the sequence and genomic organization of pilE. We confirmed that meningococcal strains belonging to a limited number of clonal complexes (ccs, namely cc1, cc5, cc8, cc11 and cc174) harbour a class II pilE gene which is conserved in terms of sequence and chromosomal context. We also identified pilS cassettes in all isolates with class II pilE, however, our analysis indicates that these do not serve as donor sequences for pilE/pilS recombination. Furthermore, our work reveals that the class II pilE locus lacks the DNA sequence motifs that enable (G4) or enhance (Sma/Cla repeat) pilin antigenic variation. Finally, through analysis of pilin genes in commensal Neisseria species we found that meningococcal class II pilE genes are closely related to pilE from Neisseria lactamica and Neisseria polysaccharea, suggesting horizontal transfer among these species. Conclusions Class II pilins can be defined by their amino acid sequence and genomic context and are present in meningococcal isolates which have persisted and spread globally. The absence of G4 and Sma/Cla sequences adjacent to the class II pilE genes is consistent with the lack of pilin subunit variation in these

Idiosyncratic Mòjiāng virus attachment glycoprotein directs a host-cell entry pathway distinct from genetically related henipaviruses.

PubMed

Rissanen, Ilona; Ahmed, Asim A; Azarm, Kristopher; Beaty, Shannon; Hong, Patrick; Nambulli, Sham; Duprex, W Paul; Lee, Benhur; Bowden, Thomas A

2017-07-12

In 2012, cases of lethal pneumonia among Chinese miners prompted the isolation of a rat-borne henipavirus (HNV), Mòjiāng virus (MojV). Although MojV is genetically related to highly pathogenic bat-borne henipaviruses, the absence of a conserved ephrin receptor-binding motif in the MojV attachment glycoprotein (MojV-G) indicates a differing host-cell recognition mechanism. Here we find that MojV-G displays a six-bladed β-propeller fold bearing limited similarity to known paramyxoviral attachment glycoproteins, in particular at host receptor-binding surfaces. We confirm the inability of MojV-G to interact with known paramyxoviral receptors in vitro, indicating an independence from well-characterized ephrinB2/B3, sialic acid and CD150-mediated entry pathways. Furthermore, we find that MojV-G is antigenically distinct, indicating that MojV would less likely be detected in existing large-scale serological screening studies focused on well-established HNVs. Altogether, these data indicate a unique host-cell entry pathway for this emerging and potentially pathogenic HNV.

Altered intestinal epithelium-associated lymphocyte repertoires and function in ApcMin/+ mice.

PubMed

Marsh, Lorraine; Coletta, P Louise; Hull, Mark A; Selby, Peter J; Carding, Simon R

2012-01-01

ApcMin/+ mice spontaneously develop multiple intestinal adenomas along the length of the small intestine and colon. Currently little is known about the role of the immune system in regulating intestinal tumorigenesis in these animals. This study characterised small intestinal intraepithelial lympho-- cyte (IEL) populations in C56BL/6J ApcMin/+ mice and wild-type (Apc+/+) mice. We also determined the effect that T cells expressing either γδ or αβ encoded T cell receptors (TcR) exert on intestinal tumorigenesis. ApcMin/+ mice had significantly lower numbers of CD3+ IELs compared with Apc+/+ littermates and displayed reduced cytotoxicity against tumour target cells. Further analysis of IEL cytotoxicity revealed differences in the cytotoxic pathways utilised by IELs in ApcMin/+ and Apc+/+ mice with ApcMin/+ IELs displaying an absence of perforin/granzyme-mediated killing and increased levels of Fas-FasL-mediated cytotoxicity compared with wild-type IELs. Analysis of ApcMin/+ mice crossed with αβ T-cell deficient (TcRβ-/-) or γδ T-cell deficient (TcRδ-/-) mice on the same genetic background revealed decreased tumour multiplicity in the absence of both αβ and γδ T-cells. This study demonstrates that altered T-cell subsets play important roles in promoting tumorigenesis in ApcMin/+ mice and forms the basis for future mechanistic studies.

A Modified MinMax k-Means Algorithm Based on PSO.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaoyan; Bai, Yanping

The MinMax k -means algorithm is widely used to tackle the effect of bad initialization by minimizing the maximum intraclustering errors. Two parameters, including the exponent parameter and memory parameter, are involved in the executive process. Since different parameters have different clustering errors, it is crucial to choose appropriate parameters. In the original algorithm, a practical framework is given. Such framework extends the MinMax k -means to automatically adapt the exponent parameter to the data set. It has been believed that if the maximum exponent parameter has been set, then the programme can reach the lowest intraclustering errors. However, our experiments show that this is not always correct. In this paper, we modified the MinMax k -means algorithm by PSO to determine the proper values of parameters which can subject the algorithm to attain the lowest clustering errors. The proposed clustering method is tested on some favorite data sets in several different initial situations and is compared to the k -means algorithm and the original MinMax k -means algorithm. The experimental results indicate that our proposed algorithm can reach the lowest clustering errors automatically.

A Modified MinMax k-Means Algorithm Based on PSO

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The MinMax k-means algorithm is widely used to tackle the effect of bad initialization by minimizing the maximum intraclustering errors. Two parameters, including the exponent parameter and memory parameter, are involved in the executive process. Since different parameters have different clustering errors, it is crucial to choose appropriate parameters. In the original algorithm, a practical framework is given. Such framework extends the MinMax k-means to automatically adapt the exponent parameter to the data set. It has been believed that if the maximum exponent parameter has been set, then the programme can reach the lowest intraclustering errors. However, our experiments show that this is not always correct. In this paper, we modified the MinMax k-means algorithm by PSO to determine the proper values of parameters which can subject the algorithm to attain the lowest clustering errors. The proposed clustering method is tested on some favorite data sets in several different initial situations and is compared to the k-means algorithm and the original MinMax k-means algorithm. The experimental results indicate that our proposed algorithm can reach the lowest clustering errors automatically. PMID:27656201

Assessing the performance of the Oxford Nanopore Technologies MinION

PubMed Central

Laver, T.; Harrison, J.; O’Neill, P.A.; Moore, K.; Farbos, A.; Paszkiewicz, K.; Studholme, D.J.

2015-01-01

The Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) MinION is a new sequencing technology that potentially offers read lengths of tens of kilobases (kb) limited only by the length of DNA molecules presented to it. The device has a low capital cost, is by far the most portable DNA sequencer available, and can produce data in real-time. It has numerous prospective applications including improving genome sequence assemblies and resolution of repeat-rich regions. Before such a technology is widely adopted, it is important to assess its performance and limitations in respect of throughput and accuracy. In this study we assessed the performance of the MinION by re-sequencing three bacterial genomes, with very different nucleotide compositions ranging from 28.6% to 70.7%; the high G + C strain was underrepresented in the sequencing reads. We estimate the error rate of the MinION (after base calling) to be 38.2%. Mean and median read lengths were 2 kb and 1 kb respectively, while the longest single read was 98 kb. The whole length of a 5 kb rRNA operon was covered by a single read. As the first nanopore-based single molecule sequencer available to researchers, the MinION is an exciting prospect; however, the current error rate limits its ability to compete with existing sequencing technologies, though we do show that MinION sequence reads can enhance contiguity of de novo assembly when used in conjunction with Illumina MiSeq data. PMID:26753127

Tracing metal sources in core sediments of the artificial lake An-Dong, Korea: Concentration and metal association.

PubMed

Choi, Mansik; Park, Jongkyu; Cho, Dongjin; Jang, Dongjun; Kim, Miseon; Choi, Jongwoo

2015-09-15

The concentration and source of trace metals in the artificial lake An-Dong, which has widespread abandoned mines and a Zn smelter upstream of the drainage basin, were investigated. Soils (18ea), stream waters (15ea) and sediments (15ea) in the main channel and five tributaries downstream of the Zn smelter towards the lake (~ 50 km downstream) were collected. And two core sediments were also taken from the middle of the lake. All samples were analyzed for trace metals in bulk and in a 1N HCl-leached fraction. Although the soil and stream sediments consisted mostly of sand-sized grains, concentrations of metals (Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) were very high in all samples, including soils, stream waters and sediments at sites near the Zn smelter. However the metal concentrations decreased rapidly downstream, suggesting that the area of impact of the smelter lies within 5 km. Highly enriched metal concentrations were also found in dated core sediments from the lake; while the highest concentrations of Co, Ni, As, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb were detected in the bottom of the sediment core (dated 1980) they decreased towards 2000, and only Cu, Zn and Cd concentrations increased again in present-day samples. Since the temporal variation in metal concentrations appeared consistent with historical variation in ore mining and Zn smelter production rates, a model combining the production rates of each was developed, which estimated 3%, 12% and 7% contributions from Zn smelter compared to ore mining production rate to levels of Cu, Cd and Zn, respectively, suggesting the different pathways by different sources. In addition, analysis of Cd/Zn and Cu/Zn ratios showed that contamination from ore mining decreased from 1980 to 2000, and smelting processes were most likely responsible for metal enrichment (Cu, Cd and Zn) from 2000 to the present. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Targeting of AUF1 to vascular endothelial cells as a novel anti-aging therapy.

PubMed

He, Jian; Jiang, Ya-Feng; Liang, Liu; Wang, Du-Jin; Wei, Wen-Xin; Ji, Pan-Pan; Huang, Yao-Chan; Song, Hui; Lu, Xiao-Ling; Zhao, Yong-Xiang

2017-08-01

Inhibition of aging of vascular endothelial cells (VECs) may delay aging and prolong life. The goal of this study was to prepare anti-CD31 monoclonal antibody conjugated PEG-modified liposomes containing the AU-rich region connecting factor 1 (AUF1) gene (CD31-PILs-AUF1) and to explore the effects of targeting CD31-PILs-AUF1 to aging VECs. The mean particle sizes of various PEGylated immunoliposomes (PILs) were measured using a Zetasizer Nano ZS. Gel retardation assay was used to confirm whether PILs had encapsulated the AUF1 plasmid successfully. Fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry were used to quantify binding of CD31-PILs-AUF1 to target cells. Flow cytometry was also used to analyze the cell cycles of aging bEnd3 cells treated with CD31-PILs-AUF1. We also developed an aging mouse model by treating mice with D-galactose. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to evaluate the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). The malondialdehyde (MDA) and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were detected by commercial kits. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to determine whether treatment with CD31-PILs-AUF1 was toxic to the mice. CD31-PILs-AUF1 specifically could targeted bEnd3 VECs and increased the percentage of cells in the S and G2/M phases of aging bEnd3 cells. ELISA showed that content of the IL-6 and TNF-α decreased in CD31-PILs-AUF1 group. The level of SOD increased, whereas MDA decreased in the CD31-PILs-AUF1 group. Additionally, CD31-PILs-AUF1 was not toxic to the mice. CD31-PILs-AUF1 targets VECs and may delay their senescence.

Targeting of AUF1 to vascular endothelial cells as a novel anti-aging therapy

PubMed Central

He, Jian; Jiang, Ya-Feng; Liang, Liu; Wang, Du-Jin; Wei, Wen-Xin; Ji, Pan-Pan; Huang, Yao-Chan; Song, Hui; Lu, Xiao-Ling; Zhao, Yong-Xiang

2017-01-01

Background Inhibition of aging of vascular endothelial cells (VECs) may delay aging and prolong life. The goal of this study was to prepare anti-CD31 monoclonal antibody conjugated PEG-modified liposomes containing the AU-rich region connecting factor 1 (AUF1) gene (CD31-PILs-AUF1) and to explore the effects of targeting CD31-PILs-AUF1 to aging VECs. Methods The mean particle sizes of various PEGylated immunoliposomes (PILs) were measured using a Zetasizer Nano ZS. Gel retardation assay was used to confirm whether PILs had encapsulated the AUF1 plasmid successfully. Fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry were used to quantify binding of CD31-PILs-AUF1 to target cells. Flow cytometry was also used to analyze the cell cycles of aging bEnd3 cells treated with CD31-PILs-AUF1. We also developed an aging mouse model by treating mice with D-galactose. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to evaluate the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). The malondialdehyde (MDA) and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were detected by commercial kits. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to determine whether treatment with CD31-PILs-AUF1 was toxic to the mice. Results CD31-PILs-AUF1 specifically could targeted bEnd3 VECs and increased the percentage of cells in the S and G2/M phases of aging bEnd3 cells. ELISA showed that content of the IL-6 and TNF-α decreased in CD31-PILs-AUF1 group. The level of SOD increased, whereas MDA decreased in the CD31-PILs-AUF1 group. Additionally, CD31-PILs-AUF1 was not toxic to the mice. Conclusion CD31-PILs-AUF1 targets VECs and may delay their senescence. PMID:29089968

Crosslinked Polymer Ionic Liquid/Ionic Liquid Blends Prepared by Photopolymerization as Solid-State Electrolytes in Supercapacitors

PubMed Central

Wang, Po-Hsin; Wang, Tzong-Liu; Lin, Wen-Churng; Lin, Hung-Yin; Lee, Mei-Hwa; Yang, Chien-Hsin

2018-01-01

A photopolymerization method is used to prepare a mixture of polymer ionic liquid (PIL) and ionic liquid (IL). This mixture is used as a solid-state electrolyte in carbon nanoparticle (CNP)-based symmetric supercapacitors. The solid electrolyte is a binary mixture of a PIL and its corresponding IL. The PIL matrix is a cross-linked polyelectrolyte with an imidazole salt cation coupled with two anions of Br− in PIL-M-(Br) and TFSI− in PIL-M-(TFSI), respectively. The corresponding ionic liquids have imidazolium salt cation coupled with two anions of Br− and TFSI−, respectively. This study investigates the electrochemical characteristics of PILs and their corresponding IL mixtures used as a solid electrolyte in supercapacitors. Results show that a specific capacitance, maximum power density and energy density of 87 and 58 F·g−1, 40 and 48 kW·kg−1, and 107 and 59.9 Wh·kg−1 were achieved in supercapacitors based on (PIL-M-(Br)) and (PIL-M-(TFSI)) solid electrolytes, respectively. PMID:29642456

Elucidation of ionic interactions in the protic ionic liquid solutions by isothermal titration calorimetry.

PubMed

Rai, Gitanjali; Kumar, Anil

2014-04-17

The strong hydrogen-bonded network noted in protic ionic liquids (PILs) may lead to stronger interactions of the ionic entities of PILs with solvents (water, methanol, ethylene glycol, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), N,N'-dimethylformamide (DMF)) as compared with those of aprotic ionic liquids (APILs). The PILs used in this work are 1-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 2-methylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate, and N-methylpyrrolodinium tetrafluoroborate in comparison to 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, which is classified as an APIL. In this work, the excess partial molar enthalpy, H(E)IL obtained from isothermal calorimetric titrations at 298.15 K is used to probe the nature of interactions of the PIL cations with solvent molecules against those present in APIL-solvent systems. This work also reports interesting flip-flopping in the thermal behavior of these PIL-solvent systems depending upon the structure of the cationic ring of a PIL. In some cases, these flip-flops are the specific fingerprints for specific PILs in a common solvent environment. The excess partial molar enthalpy at infinite dilution, H(E,∞)IL, of these PILs bears a critical dependence on the solvent properties. An analysis of relative apparent molar enthalpies, ϕL, of the PIL solutions by the ion interaction model of Pitzer yields important information on ionic interactions of these systems.

Reaction rates of the 113In(γ,n)112mIn and 115In(γ,n)114mIn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skakun, Ye; Semisalov, I.; Kasilov, V.; Popov, V.; Kochetov, S.; Maslyuk, V.; Mazur, V.; Parlag, O.; Gajnish, I.

2016-01-01

The integral yields of the 113In(γ,n)112mIn (Jπ=9/2+→Jπ=4+) and 115In(γ,n)114mIn (Jπ=9/2+→Jπ=5+) photonuclear reactions were measured in the bremsstrahlung end-point energy range from the respective thresholds up to 14 MeV by a conventional activation/decay technique using the 197Au(γ,n)196Au reaction cross sections as the standard for the absolute photon intensity determination. The metallic indium samples of the natural and enriched compositions were irradiated by the bremsstrahlung beams from thin tantalum converters of the electron linear accelerator of NSC KIPT (Kharkiv) and the microtron of IEP (Ughhorod). The integral reaction yields were determined from the activities of the nuclei-products measured by the high resolution γ-ray spectrometry technique with Ge(Li)- and HPGe-detectors. The reaction rates for the Planck spectrum of a thermal photon bath were derived for the ground state target nuclei and compared to the predictions of the statistical model of nuclear reactions.

Breast MRI at Very Short TE (minTE): Image Analysis of minTE Sequences on Non-Fat-Saturated, Subtracted T1-Weighted Images.

PubMed

Wenkel, Evelyn; Janka, Rolf; Geppert, Christian; Kaemmerer, Nadine; Hartmann, Arndt; Uder, Michael; Hammon, Matthias; Brand, Michael

2017-02-01

Purpose  The aim was to evaluate a minimum echo time (minTE) protocol for breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with breast lesions compared to a standard TE (nTE) time protocol. Methods  Breasts of 144 women were examined with a 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner. Additionally to the standard gradient-echo sequence with nTE (4.8 ms), a variant with minimum TE (1.2 ms) was used in an interleaved fashion which leads to a better temporal resolution and should reduce the scan time by approximately 50 %. Lesion sizes were measured and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as well as the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated. Subjective confidence was evaluated using a 3-point scale before looking at the nTE sequences (1 = very sure that I can identify a lesion and classify it, 2 = quite sure that I can identify a lesion and classify it, 3 = definitely want to see nTE for final assessment) and the subjective image quality of all examinations was evaluated using a four-grade scale (1 = sharp, 2 = slight blur, 3 = moderate blur and 4 = severe blur/not evaluable) for lesion and skin sharpness. Lesion morphology and contrast enhancement were also evaluated. Results  With minTE sequences, no lesion was rated with "definitely want to see nTE sequences for final assessment". The difference of the longitudinal and transverse diameter did not differ significantly (p > 0.05). With minTE, lesions and skin were rated to be significantly more blurry (p < 0.01 for lesions and p < 0.05 for skin). There was no difference between both sequences with respect to SNR, CNR, lesion morphology, contrast enhancement and detection of multifocal disease. Conclusion  Dynamic breast MRI with a minTE protocol is feasible without a major loss of information (SNR, CNR, lesion morphology, contrast enhancement and lesion sizes) and the temporal resolution can be increased by a factor of 2 using minTE sequences. Key points   · Increase of

CHO cell enlargement oscillates with a temperature-compensated period of 24 min

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pogue, R.; Morre, D. M.; Morre, D. J.

2000-01-01

The rate of increase in cell area of CHO cells when measured at intervals of 1 min using a light microscope equipped with a video measurement system, oscillated with a minimum period of about 24 min. The pattern of oscillations paralleled those of the 24 min period observed with the oxidation of NADH by an external cell surface or plasma membrane NADH oxidase. The increase in cell area was non-linear. Intervals of rapid increase in area alternated with intervals of rapid decrease in area. The length of the 24 min period was temperature-compensated (approximately the same when measured at 14 degrees C, 24 degrees C or 34 degrees C) while the rate of cell enlargement increased with temperature over this same range of temperatures.

Production of high concentration of l-lactic acid from oil palm empty fruit bunch by thermophilic Bacillus coagulans JI12.

PubMed

Juturu, Veeresh; Wu, Jin Chuan

2018-03-01

Thermophilic Bacillus coagulans JI12 was used to ferment hemicellulose hydrolysate obtained by acid hydrolysis of oil palm empty fruit bunch at 50 °C and pH 6, producing 105.4 g/L of l-lactic acid with a productivity of 9.3 g/L/H by fed-batch fermentation under unsterilized conditions. Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) was performed at pH 5.5 and 50 °C to convert both hemicellulose hydrolysate and cellulose-lignin complex in the presence of Cellic Ctec2 cellulases using yeast extract (20 g/L) as the nitrogen source, giving 114.0 g/L of l-lactic acid with a productivity of 5.7 g/L/H. The SSF was also conducted by replacing yeast extract with equal amount of dry Bakers' yeast, achieving 120.0 g/L of l-lactic acid with a productivity of 4.3 g/L/H. To the best of our knowledge, these lactic acid titers and productivities are the highest ever reported from lignocellulose hydrolysates. © 2017 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

My Martian Moment - Episode 1 - David Blake and CheMin

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-09-25

Ames' David Blake developed the Chemistry and Mineralogy instrument, or CheMin for short, which is currently operating on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover. It identifies and measures the abundance of various minerals on the Martian surface. The instrument is built around a highly compact X-ray diffraction unit, the first of its kind to operate on a planet besides Earth. CheMin can quickly analyze soil samples, helping scientists understand the composition and history of the Martian surface.

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia diagnosed by capsule endoscopy and double balloon enteroscopy

PubMed Central

Oh, Tak Geun; Chung, Joo Won; Kim, Hee Man; Han, Seok-Joo; Lee, Jin Sung; Park, Jung Yeob; Song, Si Young

2011-01-01

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) is a rare disorder characterized by dilated intestinal lymphatics and the development of protein-losing enteropathy. Patients with PIL develop hypoalbuminemia, hypocalcemia, lymphopenia and hypogammaglobulinemia, and present with bilateral lower limb edema, fatigue, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Endoscopy reveals diffusely elongated, circumferential and polypoid mucosae covered with whitish enlarged villi, all of which indicate intestinal lymphangiectasia. Diagnosis is confirmed by characteristic tissue pathology, which includes dilated intestinal lymphatics with diffusely swollen mucosa and enlarged villi. The prevalence of PIL has increased since the introduction of capsule endoscopy. The etiology and prevalence of PIL remain unknown. Some studies have reported that several genes and regulatory molecules for lymphangiogenesis are related to PIL. We report the case of a patient with PIL involving the entire small bowel that was confirmed by capsule endoscopy and double-balloon enteroscopy-guided tissue pathology who carried a deletion on chromosome 4q25. The relationship between this deletion on chromosome 4 and PIL remains to be investigated. PMID:22110841

Disruption of estrogen receptor signaling enhances intestinal neoplasia in Apc(Min/+) mice.

PubMed

Cleveland, Alicia G; Oikarinen, Seija I; Bynoté, Kimberly K; Marttinen, Maija; Rafter, Joseph J; Gustafsson, Jan-Ake; Roy, Shyamal K; Pitot, Henry C; Korach, Kenneth S; Lubahn, Dennis B; Mutanen, Marja; Gould, Karen A

2009-09-01

Estrogen receptors (ERs) [ERalpha (Esr1) and ERbeta (Esr2)] are expressed in the human colon, but during the multistep process of colorectal carcinogenesis, expression of both ERalpha and ERbeta is lost, suggesting that loss of ER function might promote colorectal carcinogenesis. Through crosses between an ERalpha knockout and Apc(Min) mouse strains, we demonstrate that ERalpha deficiency is associated with a significant increase in intestinal tumor multiplicity, size and burden in Apc(Min/+) mice. Within the normal intestinal epithelium of Apc(Min/+) mice, ERalpha deficiency is associated with an accumulation of nuclear beta-catenin, an indicator of activation of the Wnt-beta-catenin-signaling pathway, which is known to play a critical role in intestinal cancers. Consistent with the hypothesis that ERalpha deficiency is associated with activation of Wnt-beta-catenin signaling, ERalpha deficiency in the intestinal epithelium of Apc(Min/+) mice also correlated with increased expression of Wnt-beta-catenin target genes. Through crosses between an ERbeta knockout and Apc(Min) mouse strains, we observed some evidence that ERbeta deficiency is associated with an increased incidence of colon tumors in Apc(Min/+) mice. This effect of ERbeta deficiency does not involve modulation of Wnt-beta-catenin signaling. Our studies suggest that ERalpha and ERbeta signaling modulate colorectal carcinogenesis, and ERalpha does so, at least in part, by regulating the activity of the Wnt-beta-catenin pathway.

Disruption of estrogen receptor signaling enhances intestinal neoplasia in ApcMin/+ mice

PubMed Central

Cleveland, Alicia G.; Oikarinen, Seija I.; Bynoté, Kimberly K.; Marttinen, Maija; Rafter, Joseph J.; Gustafsson, Jan-Åke; Roy, Shyamal K.; Pitot, Henry C.; Korach, Kenneth S.; Lubahn, Dennis B.; Mutanen, Marja; Gould, Karen A.

2009-01-01

Estrogen receptors (ERs) [ERα (Esr1) and ERβ (Esr2)] are expressed in the human colon, but during the multistep process of colorectal carcinogenesis, expression of both ERα and ERβ is lost, suggesting that loss of ER function might promote colorectal carcinogenesis. Through crosses between an ERα knockout and ApcMin mouse strains, we demonstrate that ERα deficiency is associated with a significant increase in intestinal tumor multiplicity, size and burden in ApcMin/+ mice. Within the normal intestinal epithelium of ApcMin/+ mice, ERα deficiency is associated with an accumulation of nuclear β-catenin, an indicator of activation of the Wnt–β-catenin-signaling pathway, which is known to play a critical role in intestinal cancers. Consistent with the hypothesis that ERα deficiency is associated with activation of Wnt–β-catenin signaling, ERα deficiency in the intestinal epithelium of ApcMin/+ mice also correlated with increased expression of Wnt–β-catenin target genes. Through crosses between an ERβ knockout and ApcMin mouse strains, we observed some evidence that ERβ deficiency is associated with an increased incidence of colon tumors in ApcMin/+ mice. This effect of ERβ deficiency does not involve modulation of Wnt–β-catenin signaling. Our studies suggest that ERα and ERβ signaling modulate colorectal carcinogenesis, and ERα does so, at least in part, by regulating the activity of the Wnt–β-catenin pathway. PMID:19520794

Genetic and Biochemical Characterization of the MinC-FtsZ Interaction in Bacillus subtilis

PubMed Central

Castellen, Patricia; Nogueira, Maria Luiza C.; Bettini, Jefferson; Portugal, Rodrigo V.; Zeri, Ana Carolina M.; Gueiros-Filho, Frederico J.

2013-01-01

Cell division in bacteria is regulated by proteins that interact with FtsZ and modulate its ability to polymerize into the Z ring structure. The best studied of these regulators is MinC, an inhibitor of FtsZ polymerization that plays a crucial role in the spatial control of Z ring formation. Recent work established that E. coli MinC interacts with two regions of FtsZ, the bottom face of the H10 helix and the extreme C-terminal peptide (CTP). Here we determined the binding site for MinC on Bacillus subtilis FtsZ. Selection of a library of FtsZ mutants for survival in the presence of Min overexpression resulted in the isolation of 13 Min-resistant mutants. Most of the substitutions that gave rise to Min resistance clustered around the H9 and H10 helices in the C-terminal domain of FtsZ. In addition, a mutation in the CTP of B. subtilis FtsZ also produced MinC resistance. Biochemical characterization of some of the mutant proteins showed that they exhibited normal polymerization properties but reduced interaction with MinC, as expected for binding site mutations. Thus, our study shows that the overall architecture of the MinC-FtsZ interaction is conserved in E. coli and B. subtilis. Nevertheless, there was a clear difference in the mutations that conferred Min resistance, with those in B. subtilis FtsZ pointing to the side of the molecule rather than to its polymerization interface. This observation suggests that the mechanism of Z ring inhibition by MinC differs in both species. PMID:23577149

Patient information materials in general practices and promotion of health literacy: an observational study of their effectiveness.

PubMed

Protheroe, Joanne; Estacio, Emee Vida; Saidy-Khan, Sirandou

2015-03-01

Government policy in the UK emphasises providing patients with good health information to encourage participation in their health care. Patient information leaflets (PILs) form part of this policy and have been shown to affect patient health outcomes; however, many are poorly written. To describe the PILs in general practice surgeries in Stoke-on-Trent in terms of readability and variety of content. An observational study of randomly selected GP practices (n = 17) across Stoke-on-Trent. PILs were assessed for readability (Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level) and compared with national skills level data and with the recommended level for medical information. The PILs were also categorised for content using the Rudd (2007) health material classification framework. A total of 345 PILs were collected and assessed. Only 24.3% meet recommended reading-level criteria. Compared with national skills levels, over 75% of the PILs collected were too complex for at least 15% of the English population. Of the PILs, 47.8% were classified as 'systems navigation' (information regarding services); 22.9% were disease prevention (screening and immunisations); 14.2% personal and public safety; and less than 10% were for managing illness or health promotion. Current PILs in general practices do not all promote health literacy. Information only accessible to a proportion of higher skilled patients may increase inequalities in health. Less than 10% of PILs promote managing illness or healthy lifestyles. Processes must be put in place to improve the readability and variety of content of PILs in GP practices. © British Journal of General Practice 2015.

MinFinder v2.0: An improved version of MinFinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsoulos, Ioannis G.; Lagaris, Isaac E.

2008-10-01

A new version of the "MinFinder" program is presented that offers an augmented linking procedure for Fortran-77 subprograms, two additional stopping rules and a new start-point rejection mechanism that saves a significant portion of gradient and function evaluations. The method is applied on a set of standard test functions and the results are reported. New version program summaryProgram title: MinFinder v2.0 Catalogue identifier: ADWU_v2_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/ADWU_v2_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: Standard CPC Licence, http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/licence.html No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 14 150 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 218 144 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language used: GNU C++, GNU FORTRAN, GNU C Computer: The program is designed to be portable in all systems running the GNU C++ compiler Operating system: Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD RAM: 200 000 bytes Classification: 4.9 Catalogue identifier of previous version: ADWU_v1_0 Journal reference of previous version: Computer Physics Communications 174 (2006) 166-179 Does the new version supersede the previous version?: Yes Nature of problem: A multitude of problems in science and engineering are often reduced to minimizing a function of many variables. There are instances that a local optimum does not correspond to the desired physical solution and hence the search for a better solution is required. Local optimization techniques can be trapped in any local minimum. Global optimization is then the appropriate tool. For example, solving a non-linear system of equations via optimization, one may encounter many local minima that do not correspond to solutions, i.e. they are far from zero. Solution method: Using a uniform pdf, points are sampled from a rectangular domain. A clustering technique, based on a typical distance

Automated direct-immersion solid-phase microextraction using crosslinked polymeric ionic liquid sorbent coatings for the determination of water pollutants by gas chromatography.

PubMed

Cordero-Vaca, María; Trujillo-Rodríguez, María J; Zhang, Cheng; Pino, Verónica; Anderson, Jared L; Afonso, Ana M

2015-06-01

Four different crosslinked polymeric ionic liquid (PIL)-based sorbent coatings were evaluated in an automated direct-immersion solid-phase microextraction method (automated DI-SPME) in combination with gas chromatography (GC). The crosslinked PIL coatings were based on vinyl-alkylimidazolium- (ViCnIm-) or vinylbenzyl-alkylimidazolium- (ViBzCnIm-) IL monomers, and di-(vinylimidazolium)dodecane ((ViIm)2C12-) or di-(vinylbenzylimidazolium)dodecane ((ViBzIm)2C12-) dicationic IL crosslinkers. In addition, a PIL-based hybrid coating containing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was also studied. The studied PIL coatings were covalently attached to derivatized nitinol wires and mounted onto the Supelco assembly to ensure automation when acting as SPME coatings. Their behavior was evaluated in the determination of a group of water pollutants, after proper optimization. A comparison was carried out with three common commercial SPME fibers. It was observed that those PILs containing a benzyl group in their structures, either in the IL monomer and crosslinker (PIL-1-1) or only in the crosslinker (PIL-0-1), were the most efficient sorbents for the selected analytes. The validation of the overall automated DI-SPME-GC-flame ionization detector (FID) method gave limits of detection down to 135 μg · L(-1) for p-cresol when using the PIL-1-1 and down to 270 μg · L(-1) when using the PIL-0-1; despite their coating thickness: ~2 and ~5 μm, respectively. Average relative recoveries with waters were of 85 ± 14 % and 87 ± 15 % for PIL-1-1 and PIL-0-1, respectively. Precision values as relative standard deviation were always lower than 4.9 and 7.6 % (spiked level between 10 and 750 μg · L(-1), as intra-day precision). Graphical Abstract Automated DI-SPME-GC-FID using crosslinked-PILs sorbent coatings for the determination of waterpollutants.

The long reads ahead: de novo genome assembly using the MinION

PubMed Central

de Lannoy, Carlos; de Ridder, Dick; Risse, Judith

2017-01-01

Nanopore technology provides a novel approach to DNA sequencing that yields long, label-free reads of constant quality. The first commercial implementation of this approach, the MinION, has shown promise in various sequencing applications. This review gives an up-to-date overview of the MinION's utility as a de novo sequencing device. It is argued that the MinION may allow for portable and affordable de novo sequencing of even complex genomes in the near future, despite the currently error-prone nature of its reads. Through continuous updates to the MinION hardware and the development of new assembly pipelines, both sequencing accuracy and assembly quality have already risen rapidly. However, this fast pace of development has also lead to a lack of overview of the expanding landscape of analysis tools, as performance evaluations are outdated quickly. As the MinION is approaching a state of maturity, its user community would benefit from a thorough comparative benchmarking effort of de novo assembly pipelines in the near future. An earlier version of this article can be found on  bioRxiv. PMID:29375809

Non-linear Min protein interactions generate harmonics that signal mid-cell division in Escherichia coli

PubMed Central

Walsh, James C.; Angstmann, Christopher N.; Duggin, Iain G.

2017-01-01

The Min protein system creates a dynamic spatial pattern in Escherichia coli cells where the proteins MinD and MinE oscillate from pole to pole. MinD positions MinC, an inhibitor of FtsZ ring formation, contributing to the mid-cell localization of cell division. In this paper, Fourier analysis is used to decompose experimental and model MinD spatial distributions into time-dependent harmonic components. In both experiment and model, the second harmonic component is responsible for producing a mid-cell minimum in MinD concentration. The features of this harmonic are robust in both experiment and model. Fourier analysis reveals a close correspondence between the time-dependent behaviour of the harmonic components in the experimental data and model. Given this, each molecular species in the model was analysed individually. This analysis revealed that membrane-bound MinD dimer shows the mid-cell minimum with the highest contrast when averaged over time, carrying the strongest signal for positioning the cell division ring. This concurs with previous data showing that the MinD dimer binds to MinC inhibiting FtsZ ring formation. These results show that non-linear interactions of Min proteins are essential for producing the mid-cell positioning signal via the generation of second-order harmonic components in the time-dependent spatial protein distribution. PMID:29040283

MinION™ nanopore sequencing of environmental metagenomes: a synthetic approach

PubMed Central

Watson, Mick; Minot, Samuel S.; Rivera, Maria C.; Franklin, Rima B.

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Environmental metagenomic analysis is typically accomplished by assigning taxonomy and/or function from whole genome sequencing or 16S amplicon sequences. Both of these approaches are limited, however, by read length, among other technical and biological factors. A nanopore-based sequencing platform, MinION™, produces reads that are ≥1 × 104 bp in length, potentially providing for more precise assignment, thereby alleviating some of the limitations inherent in determining metagenome composition from short reads. We tested the ability of sequence data produced by MinION (R7.3 flow cells) to correctly assign taxonomy in single bacterial species runs and in three types of low-complexity synthetic communities: a mixture of DNA using equal mass from four species, a community with one relatively rare (1%) and three abundant (33% each) components, and a mixture of genomic DNA from 20 bacterial strains of staggered representation. Taxonomic composition of the low-complexity communities was assessed by analyzing the MinION sequence data with three different bioinformatic approaches: Kraken, MG-RAST, and One Codex. Results: Long read sequences generated from libraries prepared from single strains using the version 5 kit and chemistry, run on the original MinION device, yielded as few as 224 to as many as 3497 bidirectional high-quality (2D) reads with an average overall study length of 6000 bp. For the single-strain analyses, assignment of reads to the correct genus by different methods ranged from 53.1% to 99.5%, assignment to the correct species ranged from 23.9% to 99.5%, and the majority of misassigned reads were to closely related organisms. A synthetic metagenome sequenced with the same setup yielded 714 high quality 2D reads of approximately 5500 bp that were up to 98% correctly assigned to the species level. Synthetic metagenome MinION libraries generated using version 6 kit and chemistry yielded from 899 to 3497 2D reads with lengths

Octreotide in Hennekam syndrome-associated intestinal lymphangiectasia.

PubMed

Al Sinani, Siham; Rawahi, Yusria Al; Abdoon, Hamed

2012-11-21

A number of disorders have been described to cause protein losing enteropathy (PLE) in children. Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) is one mechanism leading to PLE. Few syndromes are associated with PIL; Hennekam syndrome (HS) is one of them. The principal treatment for PIL is a high protein, low fat diet with medium chain triglycerides supplementation. Supportive therapy includes albumin infusion. Few publications have supported the use of octreotide to diminish protein loss and minimize hypoalbuminemia seen in PIL. There are no publications on the treatment of PIL with octreotide in patients with HS. We report two children with HS and PLE in which we used octreotide to decrease intestinal protein loss. In one patient, octreotide increased serum albumin to an acceptable level without further need for albumin infusions. The other patient responded more dramatically with near normal serum albumin levels and cessation of albumin infusions. In achieving a good response to octreotide in both patients, we add to the publications supporting the use of octreotide in PIL and suggest that octreotide should be tried in patients with PIL secondary to HS. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report on the use of octreotide in HS-associated PIL.

Octreotide in Hennekam syndrome-associated intestinal lymphangiectasia

PubMed Central

Al Sinani, Siham; Rawahi, Yusria Al; Abdoon, Hamed

2012-01-01

A number of disorders have been described to cause protein losing enteropathy (PLE) in children. Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) is one mechanism leading to PLE. Few syndromes are associated with PIL; Hennekam syndrome (HS) is one of them. The principal treatment for PIL is a high protein, low fat diet with medium chain triglycerides supplementation. Supportive therapy includes albumin infusion. Few publications have supported the use of octreotide to diminish protein loss and minimize hypoalbuminemia seen in PIL. There are no publications on the treatment of PIL with octreotide in patients with HS. We report two children with HS and PLE in which we used octreotide to decrease intestinal protein loss. In one patient, octreotide increased serum albumin to an acceptable level without further need for albumin infusions. The other patient responded more dramatically with near normal serum albumin levels and cessation of albumin infusions. In achieving a good response to octreotide in both patients, we add to the publications supporting the use of octreotide in PIL and suggest that octreotide should be tried in patients with PIL secondary to HS. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report on the use of octreotide in HS-associated PIL. PMID:23180957

Effect of impaired twitching motility and biofilm dispersion on performance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa-powered microbial fuel cells.

PubMed

Shreeram, Devesh D; Panmanee, Warunya; McDaniel, Cameron T; Daniel, Susan; Schaefer, Dale W; Hassett, Daniel J

2018-02-01

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a metabolically voracious bacterium that is easily manipulated genetically. We have previously shown that the organism is also highly electrogenic in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Polarization studies were performed in MFCs with wild-type strain PAO1 and three mutant strains (pilT, bdlA and pilT bdlA). The pilT mutant was hyperpiliated, while the bdlA mutant was suppressed in biofilm dispersion chemotaxis. The double pilT bdlA mutant was expected to have properties of both mutations. Polarization data indicate that the pilT mutant showed 5.0- and 3.2-fold increases in peak power compared to the wild type and the pilT bdlA mutant, respectively. The performance of the bdlA mutant was surprisingly the lowest, while the pilT bdlA electrogenic performance fell between the pilT mutant and wild-type bacteria. Measurements of biofilm thickness and bacterial viability showed equal viability among the different strains. The thickness of the bdlA mutant, however, was twice that of wild-type strain PAO1. This observation implicates the presence of dead or dormant bacteria in the bdlA mutant MFCs, which increases biofilm internal resistance as confirmed by electrochemical measurements.

Determination of volatile polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in waters using headspace solid-phase microextraction with a benzyl-functionalized crosslinked polymeric ionic liquid coating.

PubMed

Merdivan, Melek; Pino, Verónica; Anderson, Jared L

2017-08-01

A benzyl-functionalized crosslinked polymeric ionic liquid (PIL), produced through the co-polymerization of the 1-vinylbenzyl-3-hexadecylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide (VBHDIM-NTf 2 ) ionic liquid (IL) monomer and 1,12-di(3-vinylbenzylimidazolium)dodecane bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide ((DVBIM) 2 C 12- 2NTf 2 ) IL crosslinker, was successfully used as a sorbent coating in headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled to gas chromatography (GC) with flame-ionization detection (FID) to determine seven volatile polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in environmental water samples. Optimum extraction conditions for the PAHs when using the novel sorbent include an extraction temperature of 50°C, an ionic strength content adjusted with 30% (w/v) NaCl in the aqueous sample, and an extraction time of 60 min. The extraction performance of the crosslinked PIL fiber was compared to the SPME commercial coating polydimethylsiloxane fiber. The calibration ranges of the studied PAHs were linear in the range of 0.02-20 µg L -1 for the crosslinked PIL fiber. The accuracy of the proposed method was demonstrated by examining the spiked recoveries of seven PAHs which produced values ranging from 67.2% to 130% (for river- and seawater samples), and precision values lower than 9.4% for a spiked level of 1 µg L -1 , and detection limits between 0.01 and 0.04 µg L -1 , which supports the sensitivity of the method using GC-FID.

Kaiso overexpression promotes intestinal inflammation and potentiates intestinal tumorigenesis in Apc(Min/+) mice.

PubMed

Pierre, Christina C; Longo, Joseph; Mavor, Meaghan; Milosavljevic, Snezana B; Chaudhary, Roopali; Gilbreath, Ebony; Yates, Clayton; Daniel, Juliet M

2015-09-01

Constitutive Wnt/β-catenin signaling is a key contributor to colorectal cancer (CRC). Although inactivation of the tumor suppressor adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) is recognized as an early event in CRC development, it is the accumulation of multiple subsequent oncogenic insults facilitates malignant transformation. One potential contributor to colorectal carcinogenesis is the POZ-ZF transcription factor Kaiso, whose depletion extends lifespan and delays polyp onset in the widely used Apc(Min/+) mouse model of intestinal cancer. These findings suggested that Kaiso potentiates intestinal tumorigenesis, but this was paradoxical as Kaiso was previously implicated as a negative regulator of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. To resolve Kaiso's role in intestinal tumorigenesis and canonical Wnt signaling, we generated a transgenic mouse model (Kaiso(Tg/+)) expressing an intestinal-specific myc-tagged Kaiso transgene. We then mated Kaiso(Tg/+) and Apc(Min/+) mice to generate Kaiso(Tg/+):Apc(Min/+) mice for further characterization. Kaiso(Tg/+):Apc(Min/+) mice exhibited reduced lifespan and increased polyp multiplicity compared to Apc(Min/+) mice. Consistent with this murine phenotype, we found increased Kaiso expression in human CRC tissue, supporting a role for Kaiso in human CRC. Interestingly, Wnt target gene expression was increased in Kaiso(Tg/+):Apc(Min/+) mice, suggesting that Kaiso's function as a negative regulator of canonical Wnt signaling, as seen in Xenopus, is not maintained in this context. Notably, Kaiso(Tg/+):Apc(Min/+) mice exhibited increased inflammation and activation of NFκB signaling compared to their Apc(Min/+) counterparts. This phenotype was consistent with our previous report that Kaiso(Tg/+) mice exhibit chronic intestinal inflammation. Together our findings highlight a role for Kaiso in promoting Wnt signaling, inflammation and tumorigenesis in the mammalian intestine. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Role of the Petite Bourgeoisie within Capitalism: A Response to Pyong Gap Min.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonacich, Edna

1989-01-01

Presents an argument against Pyong Gap Min's interpretations of the author's views on Korean immigrant entrepreneurship in Los Angeles (California). Addresses the issues of empirical accuracy and policy implications that Min criticized. Discusses differences between Min's approach to social knowledge and her own. (JS)

A 15.7-minAM CVn binary discovered in K2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, M. J.; Hermes, J. J.; Marsh, T. R.; Steeghs, D. T. H.; Bell, Keaton J.; Littlefair, S. P.; Parsons, S. G.; Dennihy, E.; Fuchs, J. T.; Reding, J. S.; Kaiser, B. C.; Ashley, R. P.; Breedt, E.; Dhillon, V. S.; Gentile Fusillo, N. P.; Kerry, P.; Sahman, D. I.

2018-07-01

We present the discovery of SDSS J135154.46-064309.0, a short-period variable observed using 30-mincadence photometry in K2 Campaign 6. Follow-up spectroscopy and high-speed photometry support a classification as a new member of the rare class of ultracompact accreting binaries known as AM CVn stars. The spectroscopic orbital period of 15.65 ± 0.12 min makes this system the fourth-shortest-period AM CVn known, and the second system of this type to be discovered by the Kepler spacecraft. The K2 data show photometric periods at 15.7306 ± 0.0003 min, 16.1121 ± 0.0004 min, and 664.82 ± 0.06 min, which we identify as the orbital period, superhump period, and disc precession period, respectively. From the superhump and orbital periods we estimate the binary mass ratio q = M2/M1= 0.111 ± 0.005, though this method of mass ratio determination may not be well calibrated for helium-dominated binaries. This system is likely to be a bright foreground source of gravitational waves in the frequency range detectable by Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, and may be of use as a calibration source if future studies are able to constrain the masses of its stellar components.

Development of written information for antiretroviral therapy: comprehension in a Tanzanian population.

PubMed

Mwingira, Betty; Dowse, Ros

2007-06-01

To design and develop a simple, easily readable patient information leaflet (PIL) for a commonly used antiretroviral (ARV) regimen and to evaluate its readability and acceptability in a Tanzanian population. A PIL incorporating simple text and pictograms was designed for the antiretroviral regimen of stavudine, lamivudine and efavirenz. The PIL was designed according to established good design guidelines, modified during a multi-stage iterative testing process and piloted in a South African Xhosa population. The PIL was made available in both English and Kiswahili. Sixty Tanzanian participants who were not taking ARVs were interviewed. They were asked to read the PIL in the language of their choice and were then asked a series of two-part questions; the first part required participants to locate the information in the PIL, after which they were asked to explain the information in their own words. Acceptability was assessed through close-ended questions and open-ended feedback. The influence of selected patient characteristics on comprehension of the PIL was investigated using one-way ANOVA and t-tests for independent samples with a significance level set at 0.05. Comprehension of the written information in an overall percentage understanding. The overall average percentage comprehension of the PIL was 95%. The target set by the EC guideline that at least 80% of participants correctly locate and understand the information was achieved for 19 of the 20 questions. Five of the six instructions illustrated by pictograms were correctly understood by all participants. The only patient characteristics significantly associated with comprehension were educational level and self-reported ease of reading the PIL. Acceptability of the PIL was high and positive comments were associated with simplicity, good design, easy readability and user-friendliness, the latter enhanced by the inclusion of pictograms. The PIL designed for this study was shown to be effective in communicating

Pyrene-Tagged Ionic Liquids: Separable Organic Catalysts for SN2 Fluorination.

PubMed

Taher, Abu; Lee, Kyo Chul; Han, Hye Ji; Kim, Dong Wook

2017-07-07

We prepared pyrene-substituted imidazolium-based ionic liquids (PILs) as organic catalysts for the S N 2 fluorination using alkali metal fluoride (MF). In this system, the PIL significantly enhanced the reactivity of MF due to the phase-transfer catalytic effect of the imidazolium moiety as well as the metal cation-π (pyrene) interactions. Furthermore, this homogeneous catalyst PIL was easily separated from the reaction mixture using reduced graphene oxide by π-π stacking with the pyrene of PIL.

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia with generalized warts.

PubMed

Lee, Soon Jae; Song, Hyun Joo; Boo, Sun-Jin; Na, Soo-Young; Kim, Heung Up; Hyun, Chang Lim

2015-07-21

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) is a rare protein-losing enteropathy with lymphatic leakage into the small intestine. Dilated lymphatics in the small intestinal wall and mesentery are observed in this disease. Laboratory tests of PIL patients revealed hypoalbuminemia, lymphocytopenia, hypogammaglobulinemia and increased stool α-1 antitrypsin clearance. Cell-mediated immunodeficiency is also present in PIL patients because of loss of lymphocytes. As a result, the patients are vulnerable to chronic viral infection and lymphoma. However, cases of PIL with chronic viral infection, such as human papilloma virus-induced warts, are rarely reported. We report a rare case of PIL with generalized warts in a 36-year-old male patient. PIL was diagnosed by capsule endoscopy and colonoscopic biopsy with histological tissue confirmation. Generalized warts were observed on the head, chest, abdomen, back, anus, and upper and lower extremities, including the hands and feet of the patient.

Understanding glass formation and ion transport in polymeric ionic liquids using computer simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patra, Tarak; Yang, Junhong; Cheng, Yiz; Simmons, David

Polymeric ionic liquids (PILs) are very promising materials to enable more environmentally stable high density energy storage devices. Realization of PILs providing high environmental and mechanical stability while maximizing ion conductivity would be accelerated by an improved molecular level understanding of their structure and dynamics. Extensive evidence suggests that both mechanical properties and ion conductivity in anhydrous PILs are intimately related to the PIL's glass formation behavior. This represents a major challenge to the rational design of these materials, given that the basic nature of glass formation and its connection to molecular properties remains a substantial open question in polymer and condensed matter physics. Here we describe coarse-grained and atomistic molecular dynamics simulations probing the relationship between PIL architecture and interactions, glass formation behavior, and ion transport characteristics. These studies provide guidance towards the design of PILs with improved stability and ion conductivity for future energy applications.

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia with generalized warts

PubMed Central

Lee, Soon Jae; Song, Hyun Joo; Boo, Sun-Jin; Na, Soo-Young; Kim, Heung Up; Hyun, Chang Lim

2015-01-01

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) is a rare protein-losing enteropathy with lymphatic leakage into the small intestine. Dilated lymphatics in the small intestinal wall and mesentery are observed in this disease. Laboratory tests of PIL patients revealed hypoalbuminemia, lymphocytopenia, hypogammaglobulinemia and increased stool α-1 antitrypsin clearance. Cell-mediated immunodeficiency is also present in PIL patients because of loss of lymphocytes. As a result, the patients are vulnerable to chronic viral infection and lymphoma. However, cases of PIL with chronic viral infection, such as human papilloma virus-induced warts, are rarely reported. We report a rare case of PIL with generalized warts in a 36-year-old male patient. PIL was diagnosed by capsule endoscopy and colonoscopic biopsy with histological tissue confirmation. Generalized warts were observed on the head, chest, abdomen, back, anus, and upper and lower extremities, including the hands and feet of the patient. PMID:26217101

Stroke treatment in rats with tail temperature increase by 40-min moxibustion.

PubMed

Chen, Ri-Xin; Lv, Zhi-Mai; Chen, Ming-Ren; Yi, Fan; An, Xin; Xie, Ding-Yi

2011-10-03

The distant heat induced by suspended moxibustion (SM) for 40 min is confirmed to have a favorable effect in treating diseases such as ischemic brain injury in the clinical setting, but its precise mechanism remains to be explained. Since a similar reaction to the phenomenon of distant heat is found in some transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) rats treated by a 40-min SM session with tail temperature increase (TTI), we hereby study its mechanism by comparing the neuroprotective effect of 40 min's SM with TTI to those without. The experimental results show that 40 min's SM with TTI can significantly reduce the infarct volume and neurological deficit score in tMCAO rats. Western blot demonstrates that a reduction in the levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in tMCAO rats with TTI is more striking than that of the rats without TTI. The expression of caspase-3 protein is inhibited in tMCAO rats with TTI. The results suggest that the efficacy of SM for 40 min with TTI is higher than that without. Although neuroprotective effects present in tMCAO rats with and without TTI, those with TTI revealed a higher level of anti-inflammation effect and exhibited an anti-apoptosis effect. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Examining Temptation to Drink from an Existential Perspective: Associations among Temptation, Purpose in Life, and Drinking Outcomes

PubMed Central

Roos, Corey R.; Kirouac, Megan; Pearson, Matthew R.; Fink, Brandi C.; Witkiewitz, Katie

2015-01-01

Temptation to drink, defined as the degree to which one feels compelled to drink in the presence of internal or external alcohol-related cues, has been shown to predict alcohol treatment outcomes among individuals with alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Research examining temptation to drink from an existential perspective is lacking and little is known about how existential issues such as purpose in life (PIL) relate to temptation to drink, which is surprising given the role of existential issues in many treatments and mutual help approaches for AUDs. The current study examined the longitudinal associations among temptation to drink, PIL, and drinking outcomes using data from Project MATCH (N = 1726). Parallel process latent growth curve analyses indicated that PIL and temptation to drink were significantly associated across time, such that higher initial levels of PIL and increases in PIL over time were associated with lower initial levels of temptation to drink and decreases in temptation to drink over time. Higher initial levels of temptation to drink, lower initial levels of PIL, increases in temptation to drink, and decreases in PIL were significantly associated with greater intensity and frequency of drinking and greater drinking-related consequences at the 15-month follow-up. Accordingly, temptation to drink and PIL may be important constructs for clinicians to consider throughout the course of treatment. Future studies should examine if and how various kinds of treatments for AUDs are associated with increases in PIL, and whether these increases are related to decreased temptation to drink and reduced drinking. PMID:25730630

Evolutionary Dynamics of Floral Homeotic Transcription Factor Protein–Protein Interactions

PubMed Central

Bartlett, Madelaine; Thompson, Beth; Brabazon, Holly; Del Gizzi, Robert; Zhang, Thompson; Whipple, Clinton

2016-01-01

Protein–protein interactions (PPIs) have widely acknowledged roles in the regulation of development, but few studies have addressed the timing and mechanism of shifting PPIs over evolutionary history. The B-class MADS-box transcription factors, PISTILLATA (PI) and APETALA3 (AP3) are key regulators of floral development. PI-like (PIL) and AP3-like (AP3L) proteins from a number of plants, including Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) and the grass Zea mays (maize), bind DNA as obligate heterodimers. However, a PIL protein from the grass relative Joinvillea can bind DNA as a homodimer. To ascertain whether Joinvillea PIL homodimerization is an anomaly or indicative of broader trends, we characterized PIL dimerization across the Poales and uncovered unexpected evolutionary lability. Both obligate B-class heterodimerization and PIL homodimerization have evolved multiple times in the order, by distinct molecular mechanisms. For example, obligate B-class heterodimerization in maize evolved very recently from PIL homodimerization. A single amino acid change, fixed during domestication, is sufficient to toggle one maize PIL protein between homodimerization and obligate heterodimerization. We detected a signature of positive selection acting on residues preferentially clustered in predicted sites of contact between MADS-box monomers and dimers, and in motifs that mediate MADS PPI specificity in Arabidopsis. Changing one positively selected residue can alter PIL dimerization activity. Furthermore, ectopic expression of a Joinvillea PIL homodimer in Arabidopsis can homeotically transform sepals into petals. Our results provide a window into the evolutionary remodeling of PPIs, and show that novel interactions have the potential to alter plant form in a context-dependent manner. PMID:26908583

MinION™ nanopore sequencing of environmental metagenomes: a synthetic approach.

PubMed

Brown, Bonnie L; Watson, Mick; Minot, Samuel S; Rivera, Maria C; Franklin, Rima B

2017-03-01

Environmental metagenomic analysis is typically accomplished by assigning taxonomy and/or function from whole genome sequencing or 16S amplicon sequences. Both of these approaches are limited, however, by read length, among other technical and biological factors. A nanopore-based sequencing platform, MinION™, produces reads that are ≥1 × 104 bp in length, potentially providing for more precise assignment, thereby alleviating some of the limitations inherent in determining metagenome composition from short reads. We tested the ability of sequence data produced by MinION (R7.3 flow cells) to correctly assign taxonomy in single bacterial species runs and in three types of low-complexity synthetic communities: a mixture of DNA using equal mass from four species, a community with one relatively rare (1%) and three abundant (33% each) components, and a mixture of genomic DNA from 20 bacterial strains of staggered representation. Taxonomic composition of the low-complexity communities was assessed by analyzing the MinION sequence data with three different bioinformatic approaches: Kraken, MG-RAST, and One Codex. Results: Long read sequences generated from libraries prepared from single strains using the version 5 kit and chemistry, run on the original MinION device, yielded as few as 224 to as many as 3497 bidirectional high-quality (2D) reads with an average overall study length of 6000 bp. For the single-strain analyses, assignment of reads to the correct genus by different methods ranged from 53.1% to 99.5%, assignment to the correct species ranged from 23.9% to 99.5%, and the majority of misassigned reads were to closely related organisms. A synthetic metagenome sequenced with the same setup yielded 714 high quality 2D reads of approximately 5500 bp that were up to 98% correctly assigned to the species level. Synthetic metagenome MinION libraries generated using version 6 kit and chemistry yielded from 899 to 3497 2D reads with lengths averaging 5700 bp with up

Frontiers in poly(ionic liquid)s: syntheses and applications.

PubMed

Qian, Wenjing; Texter, John; Yan, Feng

2017-02-20

We review recent works on the synthesis and application of poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs). Novel chemical structures, different synthetic strategies and controllable morphologies are introduced as a supplement to PIL systems already reported. The primary properties determining applications, such as ionic conductivity, aqueous solubility, thermodynamic stability and electrochemical/chemical durability, are discussed. Furthermore, the near-term applications of PILs in multiple fields, such as their use in electrochemical energy materials, stimuli-responsive materials, carbon materials, and antimicrobial materials, in catalysis, in sensors, in absorption and in separation materials, as well as several special-interest applications, are described in detail. We also discuss the limitations of PIL applications, efforts to improve PIL physics, and likely future developments.

ApcMin, A Mutation in the Murine Apc Gene, Predisposes to Mammary Carcinomas and Focal Alveolar Hyperplasias

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moser, Amy Rapaich; Mattes, Ellen M.; Dove, William F.; Lindstrom, Mary J.; Haag, Jill D.; Gould, Michael N.

1993-10-01

ApcMin (Min, multiple intestinal neoplasia) is a point mutation in the murine homolog of the APC gene. Min/+ mice develop multiple intestinal adenomas, as do humans carrying germ-line mutations in APC. Female mice carrying Min are also prone to develop mammary tumors. Min/+ mammary glands are more sensitive to chemical carcinogenesis than are +/+ mammary glands. Transplantation of mammary cells from Min/+ or +/+ donors into +/+ hosts demonstrates that the propensity to develop mammary tumors is intrinsic to the Min/+ mammary cells. Long-term grafts of Min/+ mammary glands also gave rise to focal alveolar hyperplasias, indicating that the presence of the Min mutation also has a role in the development of these lesions.

China Report, Economic Affairs

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-04-05

CONTENTS PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA NATIONAL POLICY AND ISSUES Lu Dong on Achieving Better Economic Results ( Lu Dong; JINGJI RIBAO, 2 Mar 84) ’ 1... LU DONG ON ACHIEVING BETTER ECONOMIC RESULTS HK210621 Beijing JINGJI RIBAO in Chinese 2 Mar 84 pp 1-3 [ Lu Dong [0712 2639]: "Dare to Create a New...Yuan Baohua on Ideological Work in Enterprises (Yuan Baohua; JINGJI RIBAO, 9 Mar 84) 27 PROVINCIAL WORK REPORTS Fujian’s Hu Ping Outlines Economic

AtMIN7 mediated disease resistance to Pseudomonas syringae in Arabidopsis

DOEpatents

He, Sheng Yang [Okemos, MI; Nomura, Kinya [East Lansing, MI

2011-07-26

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for enhancing plant defenses against pathogens. More particularly, the invention relates to enhancing plant immunity against bacterial pathogens, wherein AtMIN7 mediated protection is enhanced and/or there is a decrease in activity of an AtMIN7 associated virulence protein such as a Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 HopM1. Reagents of the present invention provide a means of studying cellular trafficking while formulations of the present inventions provide increased pathogen resistance in plants.

Tao Dong | NREL

Science.gov Websites

, catalysis, and biodiesel Education Ph.D., Bio-Systems Engineering, Washington State University, 2008-2013 Using Acidic Catalyst Generated from Pyrolysis-Derived Bio-Char," Energy Conversion Management

Molecular Interactions of the Min Protein System Reproduce Spatiotemporal Patterning in Growing and Dividing Escherichia coli Cells.

PubMed

Walsh, James C; Angstmann, Christopher N; Duggin, Iain G; Curmi, Paul M G

2015-01-01

Oscillations of the Min protein system are involved in the correct midcell placement of the divisome during Escherichia coli cell division. Based on molecular interactions of the Min system, we formulated a mathematical model that reproduces Min patterning during cell growth and division. Specifically, the increase in the residence time of MinD attached to the membrane as its own concentration increases, is accounted for by dimerisation of membrane-bound MinD and its interaction with MinE. Simulation of this system generates unparalleled correlation between the waveshape of experimental and theoretical MinD distributions, suggesting that the dominant interactions of the physical system have been successfully incorporated into the model. For cells where MinD is fully-labelled with GFP, the model reproduces the stationary localization of MinD-GFP for short cells, followed by oscillations from pole to pole in larger cells, and the transition to the symmetric distribution during cell filamentation. Cells containing a secondary, GFP-labelled MinD display a contrasting pattern. The model is able to account for these differences, including temporary midcell localization just prior to division, by increasing the rate constant controlling MinD ATPase and heterotetramer dissociation. For both experimental conditions, the model can explain how cell division results in an equal distribution of MinD and MinE in the two daughter cells, and accounts for the temperature dependence of the period of Min oscillations. Thus, we show that while other interactions may be present, they are not needed to reproduce the main characteristics of the Min system in vivo.

Regulation of the Min Cell Division Inhibition Complex by the Rcs Phosphorelay in Proteus mirabilis.

PubMed

Howery, Kristen E; Clemmer, Katy M; Şimşek, Emrah; Kim, Minsu; Rather, Philip N

2015-08-01

A key regulator of swarming in Proteus mirabilis is the Rcs phosphorelay, which represses flhDC, encoding the master flagellar regulator FlhD4C2. Mutants in rcsB, the response regulator in the Rcs phosphorelay, hyperswarm on solid agar and differentiate into swarmer cells in liquid, demonstrating that this system also influences the expression of genes central to differentiation. To gain a further understanding of RcsB-regulated genes involved in swarmer cell differentiation, transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) was used to examine the RcsB regulon. Among the 133 genes identified, minC and minD, encoding cell division inhibitors, were identified as RcsB-activated genes. A third gene, minE, was shown to be part of an operon with minCD. To examine minCDE regulation, the min promoter was identified by 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (5'-RACE), and both transcriptional lacZ fusions and quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase (qRT) PCR were used to confirm that the minCDE operon was RcsB activated. Purified RcsB was capable of directly binding the minC promoter region. To determine the role of RcsB-mediated activation of minCDE in swarmer cell differentiation, a polar minC mutation was constructed. This mutant formed minicells during growth in liquid, produced shortened swarmer cells during differentiation, and exhibited decreased swarming motility. This work describes the regulation and role of the MinCDE cell division system in P. mirabilis swarming and swarmer cell elongation. Prior to this study, the mechanisms that inhibit cell division and allow swarmer cell elongation were unknown. In addition, this work outlines for the first time the RcsB regulon in P. mirabilis. Taken together, the data presented in this study begin to address how P. mirabilis elongates upon contact with a solid surface. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Symmetry and scale orient Min protein patterns in shaped bacterial sculptures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Fabai; van Schie, Bas G. C.; Keymer, Juan E.; Dekker, Cees

2015-08-01

The boundary of a cell defines the shape and scale of its subcellular organization. However, the effects of the cell's spatial boundaries as well as the geometry sensing and scale adaptation of intracellular molecular networks remain largely unexplored. Here, we show that living bacterial cells can be ‘sculpted’ into defined shapes, such as squares and rectangles, which are used to explore the spatial adaptation of Min proteins that oscillate pole-to-pole in rod-shaped Escherichia coli to assist cell division. In a wide geometric parameter space, ranging from 2 × 1 × 1 to 11 × 6 × 1 μm3, Min proteins exhibit versatile oscillation patterns, sustaining rotational, longitudinal, diagonal, stripe and even transversal modes. These patterns are found to directly capture the symmetry and scale of the cell boundary, and the Min concentration gradients scale with the cell size within a characteristic length range of 3-6 μm. Numerical simulations reveal that local microscopic Turing kinetics of Min proteins can yield global symmetry selection, gradient scaling and an adaptive range, when and only when facilitated by the three-dimensional confinement of the cell boundary. These findings cannot be explained by previous geometry-sensing models based on the longest distance, membrane area or curvature, and reveal that spatial boundaries can facilitate simple molecular interactions to result in far more versatile functions than previously understood.

Using `min' and `max' functions in calculus teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satianov, Pavel; Dagan, Miriam; Amram, Meirav

2015-08-01

In this paper, we discuss the use of the min and max functions in teaching calculus to engineering students. Our experience illustrates that such functions have great possibilities in the development of a student's analytical thinking. The types of problems we present here are not common in most instructional texts, which lead us to suggest that the paper will be interesting and useful to calculus lecturers.

(Eco)toxicity and biodegradability of protic ionic liquids.

PubMed

Oliveira, Maria V S; Vidal, Bruna T; Melo, Claudia M; de Miranda, Rita de C M; Soares, Cleide M F; Coutinho, João A P; Ventura, Sónia P M; Mattedi, Silvana; Lima, Álvaro S

2016-03-01

Ionic liquids (ILs) are often claimed to be "environmentally friendly" compounds however, the knowledge of their potential toxicity towards different organisms and trophic levels is still limited, in particular when protic ionic liquids (PILs) are addressed. This study aims to evaluate the toxicity against various microorganisms and the biodegradability of four PILs namely, N-methyl-2-hydroxyethylammonium acetate, m-2-HEAA; N-methyl-2-hydroxyethylammonium propionate, m-2-HEAPr; N-methyl-2-hydroxyethylammonium butyrate, m-2-HEAB; and N-methyl-2-hydroxyethylammonium pentanoate, m-2-HEAP. The antimicrobial activity was determined against the two bacteria, Sthaplylococcus aureus ATCC-6533 and Escherichia coli CCT-0355; the yeast Candida albicans ATCC-76645; and the fungi Fusarium sp. LM03. The toxicity of all PILs was tested against the aquatic luminescent marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri using the Microtox(®) test. The impact of the PILs was also studied regarding their effect on lettuce seeds (Lactuta sativa). The biodegradability of these PILs was evaluated using the ratio between the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and the chemical oxygen demand (COD). The results show that, in general, the elongation of the alkyl chain tends to increase the negative impact of the PILs towards the organisms and biological systems under study. According to these results, m-2-HEAA and m-2-HEAP are the less and most toxic PILs studied in this work, respectively. Additionally, all the PILs have demonstrated low biodegradability. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

MINS2: revisiting the molecular code for transmembrane-helix recognition by the Sec61 translocon.

PubMed

Park, Yungki; Helms, Volkhard

2008-08-15

To be fully functional, membrane proteins should not only fold, but also get inserted into the membrane, which is mediated by the Sec61 translocon. Recent experimental studies have attempted to elucidate how the Sec61 translocon accomplishes this delicate task by measuring the translocon-mediated membrane insertion free energies of 357 systematically designed peptides. On the basis of this data set, we have developed MINS2, a novel sequence-based computational method for predicting the membrane insertion free energies of protein sequences. A benchmark analysis of MINS2 shows that MINS2 signi.cantly outperforms previously proposed methods. Importantly, the application of MINS2 to known membrane protein structures shows that a better prediction of membrane insertion free energies does not lead to a better prediction of transmembrane segments of polytopic membrane proteins. A web server for MINS2 is publicly available at http://service.bioinformatik.uni-saarland.de/mins. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

The Nanomechanical Properties of Lactococcus lactis Pili Are Conditioned by the Polymerized Backbone Pilin

PubMed Central

Castelain, Mickaël; Duviau, Marie-Pierre; Canette, Alexis; Schmitz, Philippe; Loubière, Pascal; Cocaign-Bousquet, Muriel; Piard, Jean-Christophe; Mercier-Bonin, Muriel

2016-01-01

Pili produced by Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis are putative linear structures consisting of repetitive subunits of the major pilin PilB that forms the backbone, pilin PilA situated at the distal end of the pilus, and an anchoring pilin PilC that tethers the pilus to the peptidoglycan. We determined the nanomechanical properties of pili using optical-tweezers force spectroscopy. Single pili were exposed to optical forces that yielded force-versus-extension spectra fitted using the Worm-Like Chain model. Native pili subjected to a force of 0–200 pN exhibit an inextensible, but highly flexible ultrastructure, reflected by their short persistence length. We tested a panel of derived strains to understand the functional role of the different pilins. First, we found that both the major pilin PilB and sortase C organize the backbone into a full-length organelle and dictate the nanomechanical properties of the pili. Second, we found that both PilA tip pilin and PilC anchoring pilin were not essential for the nanomechanical properties of pili. However, PilC maintains the pilus on the bacterial surface and may play a crucial role in the adhesion- and biofilm-forming properties of L. lactis. PMID:27010408

MSL Chemistry and Mineralogy X-Ray Diffraction X-Ray Fluorescence (CheMin) Instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zimmerman, Wayne; Blake, Dave; Harris, William; Morookian, John Michael; Randall, Dave; Reder, Leonard J.; Sarrazin, Phillipe

2013-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Chemistry and Mineralogy Xray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) (CheMin) Instrument, an element of the landed Curiosity rover payload, which landed on Mars in August of 2012. The scientific goal of the MSL mission is to explore and quantitatively assess regions in Gale Crater as a potential habitat for life - past or present. The CheMin instrument will receive Martian rock and soil samples from the MSL Sample Acquisition/Sample Processing and Handling (SA/SPaH) system, and process it utilizing X-Ray spectroscopy methods to determine mineral composition. The Chemin instrument will analyze Martian soil and rocks to enable scientists to investigate geophysical processes occurring on Mars. The CheMin science objectives and proposed surface operations are described along with the CheMin hardware with an emphasis on the system engineering challenges associated with developing such a complex instrument.

Variations in Adolescent Purpose in Life and Their Association with Lifetime Substance Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abramoski, Kathryn; Pierce, Jennifer; Hauck, Corinne; Stoddard, Sarah

2018-01-01

Purpose in life (PIL) promotes positive development and is associated with decreased substance use. However, to our knowledge, researchers have not investigated how different categories of PIL are associated with substance use behavior among youth. Therefore, we sought to explore categories of PIL and how they are related to substance use in a…

Effects of two kinds of underwear on metabolic heat production during 60 min recovery after 30 min severe exercise in the cold.

PubMed

Ha, M; Tokura, H; Gotoh, J; Holmér, I

1998-09-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the thermophysiological significance of hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties of underwear materials under the influences of profuse sweating produced during severe exercise in the cold. Two kinds of underwear were used: two layers of cotton underwear with two-piece long-sleeved shirt and full-trousers (C), and two layers of polypropylene underwear with two-piece long-sleeved shirt and full-trousers (P). In addition, the subject put on a two-piece ski suit of 100% polyester including 100% polyester padding. Eight adult females volunteered as subjects in this study. The test was performed in a climatic chamber at an ambient air temperature of 2 degrees C and an air velocity of 0.26 m.s-1. The subject exercised on a cycle ergometer at an intensity of 65% maximal oxygen uptake for 30 min and followed by 60 min recovery. The major findings are summarized as follows: 1) The fall of rectal temperature tended to be greater in P during the recovery. 2) The absolute humidity of innermost layer and middle layer was significantly higher in C than in P during the recovery, but the absolute humidity of middle layer and outermost layer was significantly higher in P than in C during the exercise. 3) Clothing microclimate temperature of innermost at back was significantly higher in C during the exercise and recovery. 4) Metabolic heat production for last 30 min during recovery was significantly higher in P. 5) The degree of skin wettedness sensation and sweating sensation for whole body was significantly higher in P during the exercise. It was concluded that the slower evaporation behavior by absorbing of underwear material in the clothing system has a beneficial influence on thermophysiological responses during severe exercise and its recovery in the cold, although the differences were very small.

Evaluating Physical and Perceptual Responses to Exergames in Chinese Children

PubMed Central

Lau, Patrick W. C.; Liang, Yan; Lau, Erica Y.; Choi, Choung-Rak; Kim, Chang-Gyun; Shin, Myung-Soo

2015-01-01

Purpose: The primary objective of this study was to examine whether exergames could help children reach the recommendations for PA and cardiorespiratory fitness regarding exercise intensity. Differences in perceived physical exertion, EE, VO2, and HR between normal weight (NW) and overweight (OW) children participating in exergames were also examined. Methods: Twenty-one children (age: 10.45 ± 0.88) were assessed for EE, VO2 and HR during rest, in a maximal treadmill test, and while playing different exergames. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) (category range: 0 to 10) were also measured during exergaming. Three types of exergames were examined: running, table tennis, and dancing. These games were either performed on a Chinese game console, I-Dong, or another well-developed Western game console (Sony PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii). Results: Exergaming resulted in EE (kcal/min) from 2.05–5.14, VO2 (mL/kg/min) from 9.98–25.54, and HR (beats per minute) from 98.05–149.66. Children reported RPE ranging from 1.29 to 5.29. The Chinese exergame, I-Dong Running, was the only game in which children reached a moderate intensity and met the recommended minimum VO2reserve (50%) for cardiorespiratory fitness. Conclusion: Exergames could provide alternative opportunities to enhance children’s physical activity. They could be used as light-to-moderate PA, and with exergames, children can even reach the recommended intensity for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory fitness. PMID:25872015

Evaluating physical and perceptual responses to exergames in Chinese children.

PubMed

Lau, Patrick W C; Liang, Yan; Lau, Erica Y; Choi, Choung-Rak; Kim, Chang-Gyun; Shin, Myung-Soo

2015-04-13

The primary objective of this study was to examine whether exergames could help children reach the recommendations for PA and cardiorespiratory fitness regarding exercise intensity. Differences in perceived physical exertion, EE, VO2, and HR between normal weight (NW) and overweight (OW) children participating in exergames were also examined. Twenty-one children (age: 10.45 ± 0.88) were assessed for EE, VO2 and HR during rest, in a maximal treadmill test, and while playing different exergames. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) (category range: 0 to 10) were also measured during exergaming. Three types of exergames were examined: running, table tennis, and dancing. These games were either performed on a Chinese game console, I-Dong, or another well-developed Western game console (Sony PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii). Exergaming resulted in EE (kcal/min) from 2.05-5.14, VO2 (mL/kg/min) from 9.98-25.54, and HR (beats per minute) from 98.05-149.66. Children reported RPE ranging from 1.29 to 5.29. The Chinese exergame, I-Dong Running, was the only game in which children reached a moderate intensity and met the recommended minimum VO2reserve (50%) for cardiorespiratory fitness. Exergames could provide alternative opportunities to enhance children's physical activity. They could be used as light-to-moderate PA, and with exergames, children can even reach the recommended intensity for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory fitness.

Min and Max Exponential Extreme Interval Values and Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jance, Marsha; Thomopoulos, Nick

2009-01-01

The extreme interval values and statistics (expected value, median, mode, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation) for the smallest (min) and largest (max) values of exponentially distributed variables with parameter ? = 1 are examined for different observation (sample) sizes. An extreme interval value g[subscript a] is defined as a…

Chemical modification of Nafion membranes by protic ionic liquids: the key role of ionomer-cation interactions.

PubMed

Lu, Fei; Gao, Xinpei; Xie, Shuting; Sun, Nan; Zheng, Liqiang

2014-10-21

Chemically modified Nafion composite membranes were successfully fabricated using five kinds of protic ionic liquids (PILs) with different cations, 1-butylammonium methanesulfonate (BA-MS), tributylammonium methanesulfonate (TBA-MS), 2,4,6-trimethylphenylammonium methanesulfonate (TMA-MS), butane-1,4-diammonium methanesulfonate (BDA-MS), and N-(2-aminoethyl)ethane-1,2-diammonium methanesulfonate (DETA-MS). The PIL incorporated Nafion composite membranes were characterized by impedance spectroscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), dynamic-mechanical analysis (DMA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). In general, the Nafion/PIL composite membranes exhibit a significant increase in the ionic conductivities than Nafion under anhydrous conditions. The interactions between the Nafion ionomer and different geometric cations of PILs were also discussed by the comparison of nanostructures, dynamic-mechanical properties and thermal stabilities of the Nafion/PIL composite membranes.

Long-lived Min mice develop advanced intestinal cancers through a genetically conservative pathway.

PubMed

Halberg, Richard B; Waggoner, Jesse; Rasmussen, Kristen; White, Alanna; Clipson, Linda; Prunuske, Amy J; Bacher, Jeffery W; Sullivan, Ruth; Washington, Mary Kay; Pitot, Henry C; Petrini, John H J; Albertson, Donna G; Dove, William F

2009-07-15

C57BL/6J mice carrying the Min allele of Adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc) develop numerous adenomas along the entire length of the intestine and consequently die at an early age. This short lifespan would prevent the accumulation of somatic genetic mutations or epigenetic alterations necessary for tumor progression. To overcome this limitation, we generated F(1) Apc(Min/+) hybrids by crossing C57BR/cdcJ and SWR/J females to C57BL/6J Apc(Min/+) males. These hybrids developed few intestinal tumors and often lived longer than 1 year. Many of the tumors (24-87%) were invasive adenocarcinomas, in which neoplastic tissue penetrated through the muscle wall into the mesentery. In a few cases (3%), lesions metastasized by extension to regional lymph nodes. The development of these familial cancers does not require chromosomal gains or losses, a high level of microsatellite instability, or the presence of Helicobacter. To test whether genetic instability might accelerate tumor progression, we generated Apc(Min/+) mice homozygous for the hypomorphic allele of the Nijmegen breakage syndrome gene (Nbs1(DeltaB)) and also treated Apc(Min/+) mice with a strong somatic mutagen. These imposed genetic instabilities did not reduce the time required for cancers to form nor increase the percentage of cancers nor drive progression to the point of distant metastasis. In summary, we have found that the Apc(Min/+) mouse model for familial intestinal cancer can develop frequent invasive cancers in the absence of overt genomic instability. Possible factors that promote invasion include age-dependent epigenetic changes, conservative somatic recombination, or direct effects of alleles in the F(1) hybrid genetic background.

Trigger of Successive Filament Eruptions Observed by SDO and STEREO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhara, Sajal Kumar; Belur, Ravindra; Kumar, Pankaj; Banyal, Ravinder Kumar; Mathew, Shibu K.; Joshi, Bhuwan

2017-10-01

Using multiwavelength observations from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO), we investigate the mechanism of two successive eruptions (F1 and F2) of a filament in active region NOAA 11444 on 27 March 2012. The filament was inverse J-shaped and lay along a quasi-circular polarity inversion line (PIL). The first part of the filament erupted at ˜2{:}30 UT on 27 March 2012 (F1), the second part at around 4:20 UT on the same day (F2). A precursor or preflare brightening was observed below the filament main axis about 30 min before F1. The brightening was followed by a jet-like ejection below the filament, which triggered its eruption. Before the eruption of F2, the filament seemed to be trapped within the overlying arcade loops for almost 1.5 h before it successfully erupted. Interestingly, we observe simultaneously contraction (˜12 km s^{-1}) and expansion (˜20 km s^{-1}) of arcade loops in the active region before F2. Magnetograms obtained with the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) show converging motion of the opposite polarities, which result in flux cancellation near the PIL. We suggest that flux cancellation at the PIL resulted in a jet-like ejection below the filament main axis, which triggered F1, similar to the tether-cutting process. F2 was triggered by removal of the overlying arcade loops via reconnection. Both filament eruptions produced high-speed (˜1000 km s^{-1}) coronal mass ejections.

Using the MDCT thick slab MinIP method for the follow-up of pulmonary emphysema.

PubMed

Lan, Hai; Nishitani, Hiromu; Nishihara, Sadamitsu; Ueno, Junji; Takao, Shoichiro; Iwamoto, Seiji; Kawanaka, Takashi; Mahmut, Mawlan; Qingge, Si

2011-08-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of thick slab minimum intensity projection (MinIP) as a follow-up method in patients with pulmonary emphysema. This method was used to determine the presence or absence of changes over time in the lung field based on multi-detector-row CT (MDCT) data. Among patients diagnosed with pulmonary emphysema who underwent 16-MDCT (slice thickness, 1 mm) twice at an interval of 6 months or more, 12 patients without changes in the lung field and 14 with clear changes in the lung field were selected as subjects. An image interpretation experiment was performed by five image interpreters. Pulmonary emphysema was followed up using two types of thick slab MinIP (thick slab MinIP 1 and 2) and multi-planar reformation (MPR), and the results of image interpretation were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. In addition, the time required for image interpretation was compared among the three follow-up methods. The area under the ROC curve (Az) was 0.794 for thick slab MinIP 1, 0.778 for the thick slab MinIP 2, and 0.759 for MPR, showing no significant differences among the three methods. Individual differences in each item were significantly more marked for MPR than for thick slab MinIP. The time required for image interpretation was around 18 seconds for thick slab MinIP 1, 11 seconds for thick slab MinIP 2, and approximately 127 seconds for MPR, showing significant differences among the three methods. There were no significant differences in the results of image interpretation regarding the presence or absence of changes in the lung fields between thick slab MinIP and MPR. However, thick slab MinIP showed a shorter image interpretation time and smaller individual differences in the results among image interpreters than MPR, suggesting the usefulness of this method for determining the presence or absence of changes with time in the lung fields of patients with pulmonary emphysema.

MinION Analysis and Reference Consortium: Phase 1 data release and analysis

PubMed Central

Eccles, David A.; Zalunin, Vadim; Urban, John M.; Piazza, Paolo; Bowden, Rory J.; Paten, Benedict; Mwaigwisya, Solomon; Batty, Elizabeth M.; Simpson, Jared T.; Snutch, Terrance P.

2015-01-01

The advent of a miniaturized DNA sequencing device with a high-throughput contextual sequencing capability embodies the next generation of large scale sequencing tools. The MinION™ Access Programme (MAP) was initiated by Oxford Nanopore Technologies™ in April 2014, giving public access to their USB-attached miniature sequencing device. The MinION Analysis and Reference Consortium (MARC) was formed by a subset of MAP participants, with the aim of evaluating and providing standard protocols and reference data to the community. Envisaged as a multi-phased project, this study provides the global community with the Phase 1 data from MARC, where the reproducibility of the performance of the MinION was evaluated at multiple sites. Five laboratories on two continents generated data using a control strain of Escherichia coli K-12, preparing and sequencing samples according to a revised ONT protocol. Here, we provide the details of the protocol used, along with a preliminary analysis of the characteristics of typical runs including the consistency, rate, volume and quality of data produced. Further analysis of the Phase 1 data presented here, and additional experiments in Phase 2 of E. coli from MARC are already underway to identify ways to improve and enhance MinION performance. PMID:26834992

Study of the Physics of Insulating Films as Related to the Reliability of Metal-Oxide Semiconductor Devices

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-08-01

Theis, J.R. Kirtley, J.C. Tsang, D.R. Young, F.L. Pesavento and S.D. Brorson Silicon-Rich SiO 2 and Thermal SiO, Dual Dielectric for Yield Improvment...Memories Using Off-Stoichiometric Silicon Dioxide Films Page 174 D.J. DiMaria, D.W. Dong, F.L. Pesavento , C. Lam and S.D. Brorson Ellipsometry...K.M. DeMeyer, C.M. Serrano, D.W. Dong (14), by D.J. DiMaria, D.W. Dong. C. Falcony, S.D. Brorson (22). and by D.J. DiMaria, D.W. Dong, F.L. Pesavento

Cell enlargement of plant tissue explants oscillates with a temperature-compensated period of ca. 24 min

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morre, D. James; Ternes, Philipp; Morre, Dorothy M.

2002-01-01

Rate of plant cell enlargement, measured at intervals of 3 min using a sensitive linear transducer, oscillates with a minimum period of about 24 min that parallels the 24-min periodicity observed with the oxidation of NADH by the external plasma membrane NADH oxidase and of single cells measured previously by video-enhanced light microscopy. Also exhibiting 24-min oscillations is the steady-state rate of cell enlargement induced by the addition of the auxin herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) or the natural auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Immediately following 2,4-D addition, a very complex pattern of oscillations is frequently observed. However, after several hours a dominant 24-min period emerges. The length of the 24-min period is temperature compensated and remains constant at 24 min when measured at 15, 25 or 35 degrees C, despite the fact that the rate of cell enlargement approximately doubles for each 10 degree C rise over this same range of temperatures.

Polymeric ionic liquid bucky gels as sorbent coatings for solid-phase microextraction.

PubMed

Zhang, Cheng; Anderson, Jared L

2014-05-30

Novel cross-linked polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) bucky gels were formed by free-radical polymerization of polymerizable ionic liquids gelled with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and used as sorbent coatings for solid-phase microextraction (SPME). The combination of PIL with MWCNTs significantly enhanced the π-π interaction between the sorbent coatings and the aromatic analytes. Compared to the neat PIL-based sorbent coating, the PIL bucky gel sorbent coatings demonstrated higher extraction efficiency for the extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). A partitioning extraction mechanism was observed for the PIL/MWCNT-based sorbent coatings indicating that the addition of MWCNTs did not seem to affect the extraction mechanism of the sorbent coating. The analyte-to-coating partition coefficients (logKfs) were estimated and the limits of detection (LOD) for selected PIL bucky gel sorbent coating were determined to be in the range of 1-2.5 ng L(-1). Recovery studies were also performed for PAHs in river and tap water to validate the applicability of the developed method. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bacterial Pili exploit integrin machinery to promote immune activation and efficient blood-brain barrier penetration

PubMed Central

Banerjee, Anirban; Kim, Brandon J.; Carmona, Ellese M.; Cutting, Andrew S.; Gurney, Michael A.; Carlos, Chris; Feuer, Ralph; Prasadarao, Nemani V.; Doran, Kelly S.

2011-01-01

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of meningitis in newborn infants. Bacterial cell surface appendages, known as pili, have been recently described in streptococcal pathogens, including GBS. The pilus tip adhesin, PilA, contributes to GBS adherence to blood-brain barrier (BBB) endothelium; however, the host receptor and the contribution of PilA in central nervous system (CNS) disease pathogenesis are unknown. Here we show that PilA binds collagen, which promotes GBS interaction with the α2β1 integrin resulting in activation of host chemokine expression and neutrophil recruitment during infection. Mice infected with the PilA-deficient mutant exhibit delayed mortality, a decrease in neutrophil infiltration and bacterial CNS dissemination. We find that PilA-mediated virulence is dependent on neutrophil influx as neutrophil depletion results in a decrease in BBB permeability and GBS–BBB penetration. Our results suggest that the bacterial pilus, specifically the PilA adhesin, has a dual role in immune activation and bacterial entry into the CNS. PMID:21897373

Nanocomposites Based on Luminescent Colloidal Nanocrystals and Polymeric Ionic Liquids towards Optoelectronic Applications

PubMed Central

Panniello, Annamaria; Ingrosso, Chiara; Coupillaud, Paul; Tamborra, Michela; Binetti, Enrico; Curri, Maria Lucia; Agostiano, Angela; Taton, Daniel; Striccoli, Marinella

2014-01-01

Polymeric ionic liquids (PILs) are an interesting class of polyelectrolytes, merging peculiar physical-chemical features of ionic liquids with the flexibility, mechanical stability and processability typical of polymers. The combination of PILs with colloidal semiconducting nanocrystals leads to novel nanocomposite materials with high potential for batteries and solar cells. We report the synthesis and properties of a hybrid nanocomposite made of colloidal luminescent CdSe nanocrystals incorporated in a novel ex situ synthesized imidazolium-based PIL, namely, either a poly(N-vinyl-3-butylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate) or a homologous PIL functionalized with a thiol end-group exhibiting a chemical affinity with the nanocrystal surface. A capping exchange procedure has been implemented for replacing the pristine organic capping molecules of the colloidal CdSe nanocrystals with inorganic chalcogenide ions, aiming to disperse the nano-objects in the PILs, by using a common polar solvent. The as-prepared nanocomposites have been studied by TEM investigation, UV-Vis, steady-state and time resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy for elucidating the effects of the PIL functionalization on the morphological and optical properties of the nanocomposites. PMID:28788477

Paramagnetic ionic liquids for measurements of density using magnetic levitation.

PubMed

Bwambok, David K; Thuo, Martin M; Atkinson, Manza B J; Mirica, Katherine A; Shapiro, Nathan D; Whitesides, George M

2013-09-03

Paramagnetic ionic liquids (PILs) provide new capabilities to measurements of density using magnetic levitation (MagLev). In a typical measurement, a diamagnetic object of unknown density is placed in a container containing a PIL. The container is placed between two magnets (typically NdFeB, oriented with like poles facing). The density of the diamagnetic object can be determined by measuring its position in the magnetic field along the vertical axis (levitation height, h), either as an absolute value or relative to internal standards of known density. For density measurements by MagLev, PILs have three advantages over solutions of paramagnetic salts in aqueous or organic solutions: (i) negligible vapor pressures; (ii) low melting points; (iii) high thermal stabilities. In addition, the densities, magnetic susceptibilities, glass transition temperatures, thermal decomposition temperatures, viscosities, and hydrophobicities of PILs can be tuned over broad ranges by choosing the cation-anion pair. The low melting points and high thermal stabilities of PILs provide large liquidus windows for density measurements. This paper demonstrates applications and advantages of PILs in density-based analyses using MagLev.

Type IV pili of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans can transfer electrons from extracellular electron donors.

PubMed

Li, Yongquan; Li, Hongyu

2014-03-01

Studies on Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans accepting electrons from Fe(II) have previously focused on cytochrome c. However, we have discovered that, besides cytochrome c, type IV pili (Tfp) can transfer electrons. Here, we report conduction by Tfp of A. ferrooxidans analyzed with a conducting-probe atomic force microscope (AFM). The results indicate that the Tfp of A. ferrooxidans are highly conductive. The genome sequence of A. ferrooxidans ATCC 23270 contains two genes, pilV and pilW, which code for pilin domain proteins with the conserved amino acids characteristic of Tfp. Multiple alignment analysis of the PilV and PilW (pilin) proteins indicated that pilV is the adhesin gene while pilW codes for the major protein element of Tfp. The likely function of Tfp is to complete the circuit between the cell surface and Fe(II) oxides. These results indicate that Tfp of A. ferrooxidans might serve as biological nanowires transferring electrons from the surface of Fe(II) oxides to the cell surface. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Imidazolium-based Block Copolymers as Solid-State Separators for Alkaline Fuel Cells and Lithium Ion Batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nykaza, Jacob Richard

In this study, polymerized ionic liquid (PIL) diblock copolymers were explored as solid-state polymer separators as an anion exchange membrane (AEM) for alkaline fuel cells AFCs and as a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) for lithium-ion batteries. Polymerized ionic liquid (PIL) block copolymers are a distinct set of block copolymers that combine the properties of both ionic liquids (e.g., high conductivity, high electrochemical stability) and block copolymers (e.g., self-assembly into various nanostructures), which provides the opportunity to design highly conductive robust solid-state electrolytes that can be tuned for various applications including AFCs and lithium-ion batteries via simple anion exchange. A series of bromide conducting PIL diblock copolymers with an undecyl alkyl side chain between the polymer backbone and the imidazolium moiety were first synthesized at various compositions comprising of a PIL component and a non-ionic component. Synthesis was achieved by post-functionalization from its non-ionic precursor PIL diblock copolymer, which was synthesized via the reverse addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) technique. This PIL diblock copolymer with long alkyl side chains resulted in flexible, transparent films with high mechanical strength and high bromide ion conductivity. The conductivity of the PIL diblock copolymer was three times higher than its analogous PIL homopolymer and an order of magnitude higher than a similar PIL diblock copolymer with shorter alkyl side chain length, which was due to the microphase separated morphology, more specifically, water/ion clusters within the PIL microdomains in the hydrated state. Due to the high conductivity and mechanical robustness of this novel PIL block copolymer, its application as both the ionomer and AEM in an AFC was investigated via anion exchange to hydroxide (OH-), where a maximum power density of 29.3 mW cm-1 (60 °C with H2/O2 at 25 psig (172 kPa) backpressure) was achieved. Rotating disk

Polyethylene glycol inhibits intestinal neoplasia and induces epithelial apoptosis in Apc(min) mice.

PubMed

Roy, Hemant K; Gulizia, James; DiBaise, John K; Karolski, William J; Ansari, Sajid; Madugula, Madhavi; Hart, John; Bissonnette, Marc; Wali, Ramesh K

2004-11-08

Efficacy of a safe and clinically utilized polyethylene glycol formulation (PEG-3350) to suppress intestinal tumors was investigated in the Apc(min) mouse-model of experimental carcinogenesis. Furthermore, based on our previous finding on the induction of apoptosis in HT-29 cells by PEG, we evaluated its ability to stimulate epithelial cell apoptosis in both Apc(min) mouse as well as AOM-treated rat as a potential molecular mechanism of chemoprevention. Twenty-two Apc(min) mice were randomized equally to PEG or vehicle (control) supplementation. Tumors were scored and uninvolved intestinal mucosal apoptosis was assayed using a modified terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay and by immunohistochemical detection of cleaved caspase-3. Supplementation of Apc(min) mice with 10% PEG 3350 (in drinking water) resulted in a 48% (P<0.05) reduction in intestinal tumor burden and induced 2-3 fold increase in mucosal apoptosis. Dietary supplementation of polyethylene glycol (5%) also stimulated colonic mucosal apoptosis 4-5 fold in AOM-treated rats, the regimen that we previously reported to reduce tumor burden by 76% (P<0.05). In summary, we demonstrate, for the first time, that PEG does protect against Apc(min) mouse tumorigenesis. The correlation between pro-apoptotic actions and chemopreventive efficacy of PEG in these models strongly implicates induction of apoptosis as one of the impending mechanisms of chemoprevention.

Global statistical maps of extreme-event magnetic observatory 1 min first differences in horizontal intensity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Love, Jeffrey J.; Coisson, Pierdavide; Pulkkinen, Antti

2016-01-01

Analysis is made of the long-term statistics of three different measures of ground level, storm time geomagnetic activity: instantaneous 1 min first differences in horizontal intensity ΔBh, the root-mean-square of 10 consecutive 1 min differences S, and the ramp change R over 10 min. Geomagnetic latitude maps of the cumulative exceedances of these three quantities are constructed, giving the threshold (nT/min) for which activity within a 24 h period can be expected to occur once per year, decade, and century. Specifically, at geomagnetic 55°, we estimate once-per-century ΔBh, S, and R exceedances and a site-to-site, proportional, 1 standard deviation range [1 σ, lower and upper] to be, respectively, 1000, [690, 1450]; 500, [350, 720]; and 200, [140, 280] nT/min. At 40°, we estimate once-per-century ΔBh, S, and R exceedances and 1 σ values to be 200, [140, 290]; 100, [70, 140]; and 40, [30, 60] nT/min.

Analysis of the data on pregnancy and lactation provided by patient information leaflets of anti-rheumatic drugs in Argentina.

PubMed

Sabando, Miguel Ormaza; Saavedra, Maira Arias; Sequeira, Gabriel; Kerzberg, Eduardo

2018-04-01

To analyse the level of consistency and updating of the information on pregnancy and lactation provided by patient information leaflets (PILs) of the antirheumatic drugs approved in Argentina. Inconsistencies between the 2016 EULAR Task Force recommendations on the use of anti-rheumatic drugs during pregnancy and lactation and the information provided by PILs of the same drugs approved in Argentina were analysed along with inconsistencies within the PILs of different registered trademarks of these drugs. Eighty-eight PILs of 32 drugs were analysed. Out of the 88 PILs, 50% presented information inconsistencies as to pregnancy. Medications comprised in this group were: hydroxychloroquine, sulfasalazine, azathioprine, tacrolimus, cyclosporine, NSAIDs (during the first two trimesters), celecoxib, some glucocorticoids, colchicine, and some anti-TNF drugs (etanercept, adalimumab and infliximab) during part of the pregnancy. As for lactation, 56% had information inconsistencies. Medications encompassed in this group were: hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine, sulfasalazine, azathioprine, tacrolimus, cyclosporine, NSAIDs, celecoxib, meprednisone, prednisone, colchicine, and anti-TNF drugs. Out of 17 drugs that had more than one registered trademark, information inconsistencies on pregnancy were found in the PILs of sulfasalazine, diclofenac, ibuprofen and methylprednisolone. Concerning lactation, inconsistencies were present in the PILs of hydroxychloroquine, sulfasalazine, diclofenac, ibuprofen, meprednisone, and colchicine. At least half of the PILs of anti-rheumatic drugs analysed in this study had information inconsistencies on pregnancy and lactation. This is a serious state of affairs because the consensual decision-making process between patient and professional may be compromised, which, in turn, may give rise to medical-legal issues.

Combination of selenium-enriched green tea polysaccharides and Huo-ji polysaccharides synergistically enhances antioxidant and immune activity in mice.

PubMed

Yuan, Chengfu; Li, Zhihong; Peng, Fan; Xiao, Fangxiang; Ren, Dongming; Xue, Hui; Chen, Tao; Mushtaq, Gohar; Kamal, Mohammad Amjad

2015-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of a combination of selenium-enriched green tea polysaccharides (Se-GTP) and Huo-ji polysaccharides (HJP) on the immune function and antioxidant activity in mice. The results showed that the indices of spleen and thymus were markedly increased, and the activity of natural killer (NK) cell was promoted in mice treated with the combination of Se-GTP and HJP. The combined treatment of Se-GTP and HJP also reduced the content of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in splenocytes. In addition, the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were remarkably enhanced, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly reduced in mice treated with combination of Se-GTP and HJP. Furthermore, the combined treatment of Se-GTP and HJP increased nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) expression at mRNA and protein levels in splenocytes. The effects of the combination treatment of Se-GTP and HJP in mice were stronger than with Se-GTP or HJP treatment alone. Our study suggests that the combined administration of Se-GTP and HJP can synergistically improve immune function and decrease the oxidative stress by enhancing the mechanisms involved in the clearance of free radicals. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Changes in urinary Cu, Zn, and Se levels in cancer patients after treatment with Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang

PubMed Central

Lai, Tung-Yuan; Kuo, Hsien-Wen

2015-01-01

Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang (SMD-2; 沙參麥冬湯 shā shēn mài dōng tāng) is a Chinese medicinal herb (CMH; 中草藥 zhōng cǎo yào) used to treat symptoms associated with cancer therapy. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of SMD-2 on the levels of urinary copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se) in lung cancer patients and head and neck cancer patients receiving chemoradiotherapy. Forty-two head and neck cancer patients and 10 lung cancer patients participated in our clinical trial. Each patient received chemoradiotherapy for 4 weeks. In addition, each patient was treated with SMD-2 for 8 weeks, including 2 weeks prior to and after the chemoradiotherapy treatment. Comparison of urinary Cu, Zn, and Se levels and the ratios of Zn to Cu and Se to Cu at three time points in the two types of cancer were assessed using the generalized estimating equations (GEEs). After the patients received chemoradiotherapy for 4 weeks, SMD-2 treatment was found to be associated with a significant decrease in urinary Cu levels, whereas urinary Zn and Se levels increased significantly. In addition, the ratios of Zn to Cu and Se to Cu in the urine samples of these patients also increased significantly. Both the urinary Zn levels and the ratio of Zn to Cu in head and neck cancer patients were significantly higher than in lung cancer patients. Urinary Zn and Se levels and the ratios of Zn to Cu and Se to Cu, but not urinary Cu levels, increased significantly during and after treatment when assessed using the GEE model. The SMD-2 treatments significantly increased Zn and Se levels in the urine of head and neck cancer patients. Increased Zn and Se levels in urine strengthened immune system. PMID:27114935

ERA-MIN: The European network (ERA-NET) on non-energy raw materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

vidal, o.; christmann, p.; Bol, d.; Goffé, b.; Groth, m.; Kohler, e.; Persson Nelson, k.; Schumacher, k.

2012-04-01

Non-energy raw materials are vital for the EU's economy, and for the development of environmentally friendly technologies. The EU is the world's largest consumers of non-energy minerals, but it remains dependent on the importation of many metals, as its domestic production is limited to about 3% of world production. We will present the project ERA-MIN, which is an ERA-NET on the Industrial Handling of Raw Materials for European industries, financially supported by the European Commission. The main objectives of ERA-MIN are: 1) Mapping and Networking: interconnecting the members of the currently fragmented European mineral resources research area, to the aim of fostering convergence of public research programs, industry, research institutes, academia and the European Commission, 2) Coordinating: establishing a permanent mechanism for planning and coordination of the European non-energy mineral raw materials research community (ENERC). 3) Roadmapping: defining the most important scientific and technological challenges that should be supported by the EU and its state members, 4) Programming: designing a Joint European Research Programme model and implementating it into a call for proposals open to academic and industrial research. The topics of interest in ERA-MIN are the primary continental and marine resources, the secondary resources and their related technologies, substitution and material efficiency, along with transversal topics such as environmental impact, public policy support, mineral intelligence, and public education and teaching. Public scientific research is very central in the scope of the ERA-MIN activity, whose consortium is indeed lead by a public organisation of fundamental research. Thus, universities and public research organisations are warmly invited to play an active role in defining the scientific questions and challenges that shall determine the European Raw Materials Roadmap and should be addressed by joint programming at the European scale

Changes in Gait over a 30-min Walking Session in Obese Females.

PubMed

Singh, Bhupinder; Vo, Huy; Francis, Shelby L; Janz, Kathleen F; Yack, H John

2017-03-01

This study assessed the biomechanical gait changes in obese and normal-weight female adult subjects after a commonly recommended 30-min walking session. Hip and knee adduction and extensor moments, which are the primary modulators of frontal and sagittal plane load distribution, were hypothesized to increase in obese females after a 30-min walking period, resulting in more stress across the hip and knee joint. Ten obese (37.7 ± 4.8 yr of age, body mass index [BMI] = 36.1 ± 4.2 kg·m) and 10 normal-weight control female subjects (38.1 ± 4.5 yr of age, BMI = 22.6 ± 2.3 kg·m) walked 30 min continuously on the treadmill at their self-selected speed. V˙O2max was estimated using Ebbeling protocol. A three-dimensional pre- and posttreadmill gait analysis was conducted using infrared markers and force plates to calculate hip and knee moments. Knee extensor moments increased in both obese, pretreadmill (0.54 ± 0.28 N·m·kg) to posttreadmill (0.78 ± 0.43 N·m·kg) (P = 0.01), and control subjects, pretreadmill (0.57 ± 0.34 N·m·kg) to posttreadmill (0.80 ± 0.49 N·m·kg) (P = 0.02). Hip extensor moments decreased for both obese and control subjects. Knee adduction moments did not change in either obese or control subjects. Knee extensor and adductor moments showed good to moderate relationships with V˙O2max, but not BMI or waist circumference. Obese and normal-weight subjects experienced an increase in knee extensor moments after 30 min of walking similarly; therefore, clinicians do not need special consideration for obese individuals when recommending 30-min walking sessions. Fitness may be the important factor in judging the implications of exercise on joint mechanics and parameters of a walking program.

Osteomalacia and osteoporosis associated with primary intestinal lymphangiectasis.

PubMed

Li, Xin-Ping; Shen, Wen-Bin; Long, Ming-Qing; Meng, Xun-Wu; Lian, Xiao-Lan; Yu, Miao

2012-05-01

Primary Intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) is a common cause of protein losing enteropathy (PLE). It will affect enter-hepatic circulation of lipid-soluble vitamin, and absorption of electrolytes, cause malnutrition related osteomalacia or osteoporosis. While seldom health care workers noted to assess and treat osteomalacia or osteoporosis in PIL. Here we report a related case. We found increased parathyroid hormone, decreased 25(OH)D3, low bone mineral density, which indicated that the PIL patient had osteomalacia and/or osteoporosis. Adequate calcium and vitamin D supply can relieve the condition efficaciously. We should pay attention to osteomalacia and osteoporosis in PIL patients.

Poly(ionic liquid) based chemosensors for detection of basic amino acids in aqueous medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xinjuan; Wang, Kai; Ma, Nana; Jia, Xianbin

2017-09-01

Naked-eye detection of amino acids in water is of great significance in the field of bio-analytical applications. Herein, polymerized ionic liquids (PILs) with controlled chain length structures were synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization and post-quaternization approach. The amino acids recognition performance of PILs with different alkyl chain lengths and molecular weights was evaluated by naked-eye color change and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectral studies. These PILs were successfully used for highly sensitive and selective detection of Arg, Lys and His in water. The recognition performance was improved effectively with increased molecular weight of PILs. The biosensitivity of the PILs in water was strongly dependent on their aggregation effect and polarization effect. Highly sensitive and selective detection of amino acids was successfully accomplished by introducing positively charged pyridinium moieties and controlled RAFT radical polymerization.

A reference bacterial genome dataset generated on the MinION™ portable single-molecule nanopore sequencer.

PubMed

Quick, Joshua; Quinlan, Aaron R; Loman, Nicholas J

2014-01-01

The MinION™ is a new, portable single-molecule sequencer developed by Oxford Nanopore Technologies. It measures four inches in length and is powered from the USB 3.0 port of a laptop computer. The MinION™ measures the change in current resulting from DNA strands interacting with a charged protein nanopore. These measurements can then be used to deduce the underlying nucleotide sequence. We present a read dataset from whole-genome shotgun sequencing of the model organism Escherichia coli K-12 substr. MG1655 generated on a MinION™ device during the early-access MinION™ Access Program (MAP). Sequencing runs of the MinION™ are presented, one generated using R7 chemistry (released in July 2014) and one using R7.3 (released in September 2014). Base-called sequence data are provided to demonstrate the nature of data produced by the MinION™ platform and to encourage the development of customised methods for alignment, consensus and variant calling, de novo assembly and scaffolding. FAST5 files containing event data within the HDF5 container format are provided to assist with the development of improved base-calling methods.

Vaporization of protic ionic liquids derived from organic superbases and short carboxylic acids.

PubMed

Ribeiro, Filipe M S; Lima, Carlos F R A C; Vaz, Inês C M; Rodrigues, Ana S M C; Sapei, Erlin; Melo, André; Silva, Artur M S; Santos, Luís M N B F

2017-06-28

This work presents a comprehensive evaluation of the phase behaviour and cohesive enthalpy of protic ionic liquids (PILs) composed of 1,5-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]non-5-ene (DBN) or 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) organic superbases with short-chain length (acetic, propionic and butyric) carboxylic acids. Glass transition temperatures, T g , and enthalpies of vaporization, ΔH vap , were measured for six [BH][A] (1 : 1) PILs (B = DBN, DBU; A = MeCOO, EtCOO, nPrCOO), revealing more significant changes upon increasing the number of -CH 2 - groups in the base than in the acid. The magnitude of ΔH vap evidences that liquid PILs have a high proportion of ions, although the results also indicate that in DBN PILs the concentration of neutral species is not negligible. In the gas phase, these PILs exist as a distribution of ion pairs and isolated neutral species, with speciation being dependent on the temperature and pressure conditions - at high temperatures and low pressures the separated neutral species dominate. The higher T g and ΔH vap of the DBU PILs are explained by the stronger basicity of DBU (as supported by NMR and computational calculations), which increases the extent of proton exchange and the ionic character of the corresponding PILs, resulting in stronger intermolecular interactions in condensed phases.

A new turbulence-based model for sand transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayaud, Jerome; Wiggs, Giles; Bailey, Richard

2016-04-01

Knowledge of the changing rate of sediment flux in space and time is essential for quantifying surface erosion and deposition in desert landscapes. While many aeolian studies have relied on time-averaged parameters such as wind velocity (U) and wind shear velocity (u*) to determine sediment flux, there is increasing evidence that high-frequency turbulence is an important driving force behind the entrainment and transport of sand. However, turbulence has yet to be incorporated into a functional sand transport model that can be used for predictive purposes. In this study we present a new transport model (the 'turbulence model') that accounts for high-frequency variations in the horizontal (u) and vertical (w) components of wind flow. The turbulence model is fitted to wind velocity and sediment transport data from a field experiment undertaken in Namibia's Skeleton Coast National Park, and its performance at three temporal resolutions (10 Hz, 1 Hz, 1 min) is compared to two existing models that rely on time-averaged wind velocity data (Radok, 1977; Dong et al., 2003). The validity of the three models is analysed under a variety of saltation conditions, using a 2-hour (1 Hz measurement resolution) dataset from the Skeleton Coast and a 5-hour (1 min measurement resolution) dataset from the southwestern Kalahari Desert. The turbulence model is shown to outperform the Radok and Dong models when predicting total saltation count over the three experimental periods. For all temporal resolutions presented in this study (10 Hz-10 min), the turbulence model predicted total saltation count to within at least 0.34%, whereas the Radok and Dong models over- or underestimated total count by up to 5.50% and 20.53% respectively. The strong performance of the turbulence model can be attributed to a lag in mass flux response built into its formulation, which can be adapted depending on the temporal resolution of investigation. This accounts for the inherent lag within the physical

Attenuation of the Type IV Pilus Retraction Motor Influences Neisseria gonorrhoeae Social and Infection Behavior.

PubMed

Hockenberry, Alyson M; Hutchens, Danielle M; Agellon, Al; So, Magdalene

2016-12-06

Retraction of the type IV pilus (Tfp) mediates DNA uptake, motility, and social and infection behavior in a wide variety of prokaryotes. To date, investigations into Tfp retraction-dependent activities have used a mutant deleted of PilT, the ATPase motor protein that causes the pilus fiber to retract. ΔpilT cells are nontransformable, nonmotile, and cannot aggregate into microcolonies. We tested the hypothesis that these retraction-dependent activities are sensitive to the strength of PilT enzymatic activity by using the pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae as a model. We constructed an N. gonorrhoeae mutant with an amino acid substitution in the PilT Walker B box (a substitution of cysteine for leucine at position 201, encoded by pilT L201C ). Purified PilT L201C forms a native hexamer, but mutant hexamers hydrolyze ATP at half the maximal rate. N. gonorrhoeae pilT L201C cells produce Tfp fibers, crawl at the same speed as the wild-type (wt) parent, and are equally transformable. However, the social behavior of pilT L201C cells is intermediate between the behaviors of wt and ΔpilT cells. The infection behavior of pilT L201C is also defective, due to its failure to activate the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) pathway. Our study indicates that pilus retraction, per se, is not sufficient for N. gonorrhoeae microcolony formation or infectivity; rather, these activities are sensitive to the strength of PilT enzymatic activity. We discuss the implications of these findings for Neisseria pathogenesis in the context of mechanobiology. Type IV pili are fibers expressed on the surface of many bacteria. Neisseria gonorrhoeae cells crawl, take up DNA, and communicate with each other and with human cells by retracting these fibers. Here, we show that an N. gonorrhoeae mutant expressing an enzymatically weakened type IV pilus retraction motor still crawls and takes up DNA normally. However, mutant cells exhibit abnormal

Estimating 1 min rain rate distributions from numerical weather prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paulson, Kevin S.

2017-01-01

Internationally recognized prognostic models of rain fade on terrestrial and Earth-space EHF links rely fundamentally on distributions of 1 min rain rates. Currently, in Rec. ITU-R P.837-6, these distributions are generated using the Salonen-Poiares Baptista method where 1 min rain rate distributions are estimated from long-term average annual accumulations provided by numerical weather prediction (NWP). This paper investigates an alternative to this method based on the distribution of 6 h accumulations available from the same NWPs. Rain rate fields covering the UK, produced by the Nimrod network of radars, are integrated to estimate the accumulations provided by NWP, and these are linked to distributions of fine-scale rain rates. The proposed method makes better use of the available data. It is verified on 15 NWP regions spanning the UK, and the extension to other regions is discussed.

In vitro antitumor activity and structure characterization of ethanol extracts from wild and cultivated Chaga medicinal mushroom, Inonotus obliquus (Pers.:Fr.) Pilát (Aphyllophoromycetideae).

PubMed

Sun, Yong; Yin, Ting; Chen, Xian-Hui; Zhang, Gong; Curtis, Rempel B; Lu, Zhan-Hui; Jiang, Ji-Hong

2011-01-01

Inonotus obliquus (Pers.:Fr.) Pilát has been traditionally used as a folk remedy for treatment of cancers, cardiovascular disease and diabetes in Russia, Poland, and most of the Baltic countries, but natural reserves of this fungus have nearly been exhausted. This study was designed to investigate the artificial cultivation of I. obliquus and the antitumor activity of its tissues. The ethanol extract of cultivated sclerotium had the highest cell growth inhibitory rate (74.6%) as determined by an 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. 78% of the bags produced sclerotia and only 6.17 g/bag of sclerotium was obtained. Extracts of the cultivated fruiting body showed 44.2% inhibitory activity against tumor cells. However, the yield was as high as 18.24 g/bag, and 98% of the bags produced fruiting body. The results of gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) showed that similar compounds were extracted from the wild and cultivated samples. The principal compounds observed were lanosterol, inotodiol, and ergosterol. Their percentages of the mass fraction were 86.1, 59.9, and 71.8% of the total, for the wild sclerotium, cultivated sclerotium, and cultivated fruiting body, respectively. Ergosterol was found to be much higher (27.32%) in cultivated fruiting body. We conclude that cultivated fruiting body of I. obliquus obtained by inoculation of the substrate with spawn mycelium of the fifth generation could serve as an ideal substitute for the wild I. obliquus.

Matrix-compatible sorbent coatings based on structurally-tuned polymeric ionic liquids for the determination of acrylamide in brewed coffee and coffee powder using solid-phase microextraction.

PubMed

Cagliero, Cecilia; Nan, He; Bicchi, Carlo; Anderson, Jared L

2016-08-12

Nine crosslinked polymeric ionic liquid (PIL)-based SPME sorbent coatings were designed and screened in this study for the trace level determination of acrylamide in brewed coffee and coffee powder using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The structure of the ionic liquid (IL) monomer was tailored by introducing different functional groups to the cation and the nature of the IL crosslinker was designed by altering both the structure of the cation as well as counteranions. The extraction efficiency of the new PIL coatings towards acrylamide was investigated and compared to a previously reported PIL sorbent coating. All PIL fibers exhibited excellent analytical precision and linearity. The PIL fiber coating consisting of 50% 1,12-di(3-vinylbenzylbenzimidazolium)dodecane dibis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide as IL crosslinker in 1-vinyl-3-(10-hydroxydecyl)imidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide IL monomer resulted in a limit of quantitation of 0.5μgL(-1) with in-solution SPME sampling. The hydroxyl moiety appended to the IL cation was observed to significantly increase the sensitivity of the PIL coating toward acrylamide. The quantitation of acrylamide in brewed coffee and coffee powder was performed using the different PIL-based fibers by the method of standard addition after a quenching reaction using ninhydrin to inhibit the formation of interfering acrylamide in the GC inlet, mainly by asparagine thermal degradation. Excellent repeatability with relative standard deviations below 10% were obtained on the real coffee samples and the structure of the coatings appeared intact by scanning electron microscopy after coffee sampling proving the matrix-compatibility of the PIL sorbent coatings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A novel polymeric ionic liquid-coated magnetic multiwalled carbon nanotubes for the solid-phase extraction of Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase.

PubMed

Wen, Qian; Wang, Yuzhi; Xu, Kaijia; Li, Na; Zhang, Hongmei; Yang, Qin

2016-10-05

A novel magnetic adsorbent, benzyl groups functionalized imidazolium-based polymeric ionic liquid (PIL)-coated magnetic multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) (m-MWCNTs@PIL), has been successfully synthesized and applied for the extraction of Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu, Zn-SOD). The m-MWCNTs@PIL were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and zeta-potential nanoparticles. In this method, the m-MWCNTs@PIL could interact with Cu, Zn-SOD through hydrogen bonding, π-π and electrostatic interactions. The extraction performance of the m-MWCNTs@PIL in the magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) procedure was investigated, coupled with the determination by UV-vis spectrophotometer. Compared with m-MWCNTs@IL and m-MWCNTs, the m-MWCNTs@PIL exhibited the highest extraction capacity of 29.1 mg/g for Cu, Zn-SOD. The adsorbed Cu, Zn-SOD remained high specific activity after being eluted from m-MWCNTs@PIL by 1 moL/L NaCl solution. Besides, the m-MWCNTs@PIL could be easily recycled and successfully employed in the extraction of Cu, Zn-SOD from real samples. Under the optimal conditions, the precision, repeatability and stability of the proposed method were investigated and the RSDs were 0.29%, 1.68% and 0.54%, respectively. Recoveries were in the range of 82.7-102.3%, with the RSD between 3.47% and 5.35%. On the basis of these results, the developed method has great potential in the extraction of Cu, Zn-SOD or other analytes from biological samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nuclear model calculation and targetry recipe for production of 110mIn.

PubMed

Kakavand, T; Mirzaii, M; Eslami, M; Karimi, A

2015-10-01

(110m)In is potentially an important positron emitting that can be used in positron emission tomography. In this work, the excitation functions and production yields of (110)Cd(d, 2n), (111)Cd(d, 3n), (nat)Cd(d, xn), (110)Cd(p, n), (111)Cd(p, 2n), (112)Cd(p, 3n) and (nat)Cd(p, xn) reactions to produce the (110m)In were calculated using nuclear model code TALYS and compared with the experimental data. The yield of isomeric state production of (110)In was also compared with ground state production ones to reach the optimal energy range of projectile for the high yield production of metastable state. The results indicate that the (110)Cd(p, n)(110m)In is a high yield reaction with an isomeric ratio (σ(m)/σ(g)) of about 35 within the optimal incident energy range of 15-5 MeV. To make the target, cadmium was electroplated on a copper substrate in varying electroplating conditions such as PH, DC current density, temperature and time. A set of cold tests were also performed on the final sample under several thermal shocks to verify target resistance. The best electroplated cadmium target was irradiated with 15 MeV protons at current of 100 µA for one hour and the production yield of (110m)In and other byproducts were measured. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Poly(Ionic Liquid) Semi-Interpenetrating Network Multi-Responsive Hydrogels

PubMed Central

Tudor, Alexandru; Florea, Larisa; Gallagher, Simon; Burns, John; Diamond, Dermot

2016-01-01

Herein we describe poly(ionic liquid) hydrogel actuators that are capable of responding to multiple stimuli, namely temperature, ionic strength and white light irradiation. Using two starting materials, a crosslinked poly ionic liquid (PIL) and a linear poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-spiropyran-co-acrylic acid), several semi-interpenetrating (sIPN) hydrogels were synthesised. The dimensions of hydrogels discs were measured before and after applying the stimuli, to quantify their response. Samples composed of 100% crosslinked PIL alone showed an average area reduction value of ~53% when the temperature was raised from 20 °C to 70 °C, ~24% when immersed in 1% w/w NaF salt solution and no observable photo-response. In comparison, sIPNs containing 300% w/w linear polymer showed an average area reduction of ~45% when the temperature was raised from 20 °C to 70 °C, ~36% when immersed in 1% NaF w/w salt solution and ~10% after 30 min exposure to white light irradiation, respectively. Moreover, by varying the content of the linear component, fine-control over the photo-, thermo- and salt response, swelling-deswelling rate and mechanical properties of the resulting sIPN was achieved. PMID:26861339

Situation of the Kinh poor and minority women and their use of the Maternal Care and Family Planning Service in Nam Dong Mountainous District, Thuathien-Hue Province, Vietnam.

PubMed

Vo Van, T; Hoat, L N; Jan van Schie, T

2004-01-01

This study aimed to determine the barriers to the use of maternal care and family planning (MCFP) services by the disadvantaged Kinh people and Katu ethnic minority people in the remote and mountainous area of Nam Dong District in Central Vietnam. A survey was conducted using a random sample of 420 mothers with at least one child under the age of 5 years. These data were supplemented by interviews with key informants, focus group discussions and observations. Many barriers were identified. The difficulty of the terrain made travel to healthcare centers difficult. The cost of treatment was a barrier for the poorest people. The quality of the services and facilities, as well as the management of these services was perceived to be unsatisfactory. Traditional practices were often described as being contrary to the doctor's advice, and were presented as the reason for unsafe and unassisted home deliveries. Communication was difficult because of the minority languages of the client groups, the prevalence of illiteracy, and the absence of mass communication in this region. Finally, consulting a male healthcare worker was reported to bring the women shame. There is an urgent need for the MCFP services to build both clinical capacity and health promotion activities in a way that is gender sensitive, cognisant of traditional practices and accessible by both illiterate and minority language speaking people.

A Novel Class of Somatic Small RNAs Similar to Germ Cell Pachytene PIWI-interacting Small RNAs*

PubMed Central

Ortogero, Nicole; Schuster, Andrew S.; Oliver, Daniel K.; Riordan, Connor R.; Hong, Annie S.; Hennig, Grant W.; Luong, Dickson; Bao, Jianqiang; Bhetwal, Bhupal P.; Ro, Seungil; McCarrey, John R.; Yan, Wei

2014-01-01

PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that bind PIWI family proteins exclusively expressed in the germ cells of mammalian gonads. MIWI2-associated piRNAs are essential for silencing transposons during primordial germ cell development, and MIWI-bound piRNAs are required for normal spermatogenesis during adulthood in mice. Although piRNAs have long been regarded as germ cell-specific, increasing lines of evidence suggest that somatic cells also express piRNA-like RNAs (pilRNAs). Here, we report the detection of abundant pilRNAs in somatic cells, which are similar to MIWI-associated piRNAs mainly expressed in pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids in the testis. Based on small RNA deep sequencing and quantitative PCR analyses, pilRNA expression is dynamic and displays tissue specificity. Although pilRNAs are similar to pachytene piRNAs in both size and genomic origins, they have a distinct ping-pong signature. Furthermore, pilRNA biogenesis appears to utilize a yet to be identified pathway, which is different from all currently known small RNA biogenetic pathways. In addition, pilRNAs appear to preferentially target the 3′-UTRs of mRNAs in a partially complementary manner. Our data suggest that pilRNAs, as an integral component of the small RNA transcriptome in somatic cell lineages, represent a distinct population of small RNAs that may have functions similar to germ cell piRNAs. PMID:25320077

Min-Cut Based Segmentation of Airborne LIDAR Point Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ural, S.; Shan, J.

2012-07-01

Introducing an organization to the unstructured point cloud before extracting information from airborne lidar data is common in many applications. Aggregating the points with similar features into segments in 3-D which comply with the nature of actual objects is affected by the neighborhood, scale, features and noise among other aspects. In this study, we present a min-cut based method for segmenting the point cloud. We first assess the neighborhood of each point in 3-D by investigating the local geometric and statistical properties of the candidates. Neighborhood selection is essential since point features are calculated within their local neighborhood. Following neighborhood determination, we calculate point features and determine the clusters in the feature space. We adapt a graph representation from image processing which is especially used in pixel labeling problems and establish it for the unstructured 3-D point clouds. The edges of the graph that are connecting the points with each other and nodes representing feature clusters hold the smoothness costs in the spatial domain and data costs in the feature domain. Smoothness costs ensure spatial coherence, while data costs control the consistency with the representative feature clusters. This graph representation formalizes the segmentation task as an energy minimization problem. It allows the implementation of an approximate solution by min-cuts for a global minimum of this NP hard minimization problem in low order polynomial time. We test our method with airborne lidar point cloud acquired with maximum planned post spacing of 1.4 m and a vertical accuracy 10.5 cm as RMSE. We present the effects of neighborhood and feature determination in the segmentation results and assess the accuracy and efficiency of the implemented min-cut algorithm as well as its sensitivity to the parameters of the smoothness and data cost functions. We find that smoothness cost that only considers simple distance parameter does not

The Instruments and Capabilities of the Miniature X-Ray Solar Spectrometer (MinXSS) CubeSats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Christopher S.; Caspi, Amir; Woods, Thomas N.; Chamberlin, Phillip C.; Dennis, Brian R.; Jones, Andrew R.; Mason, James P.; Schwartz, Richard A.; Tolbert, Anne K.

2018-02-01

The Miniature X-ray Solar Spectrometer (MinXSS) CubeSat is the first solar science oriented CubeSat mission flown for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, with the main objective of measuring the solar soft X-ray (SXR) flux and a science goal of determining its influence on Earth's ionosphere and thermosphere. These observations can also be used to investigate solar quiescent, active region, and flare properties. The MinXSS X-ray instruments consist of a spectrometer, called X123, with a nominal 0.15 keV full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) resolution at 5.9 keV and a broadband X-ray photometer, called XP. Both instruments are designed to obtain measurements from 0.5 - 30 keV at a nominal time cadence of 10 s. A description of the MinXSS instruments, performance capabilities, and relation to the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) 0.1 - 0.8 nm flux is given in this article. Early MinXSS results demonstrate the capability of measuring variations of the solar spectral soft X-ray (SXR) flux between 0.8 - 12 keV from at least GOES A5-M5 (5 × 10^{-8} - 5 ×10^{-5} W m^{-2}) levels and of inferring physical properties (temperature and emission measure) from the MinXSS data alone. Moreover, coronal elemental abundances can be inferred, specifically for Fe, Ca, Si, Mg, S, Ar, and Ni, when the count rate is sufficiently high at each elemental spectral feature. Additionally, temperature response curves and emission measure loci demonstrate the MinXSS sensitivity to plasma emission at different temperatures. MinXSS observations coupled with those from other solar observatories can help address some of the most compelling questions in solar coronal physics. Finally, simultaneous observations by MinXSS and the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) can provide the most spectrally complete soft X-ray solar flare photon flux measurements to date.

nNOS inhibition during profound asphyxia reduces seizure burden and improves survival of striatal phenotypic neurons in preterm fetal sheep.

PubMed

Drury, Paul P; Davidson, Joanne O; Mathai, Sam; van den Heuij, Lotte G; Ji, Haitao; Bennet, Laura; Tan, Sidhartha; Silverman, Richard B; Gunn, Alistair J

2014-08-01

Basal ganglia injury after hypoxia-ischemia remains common in preterm infants, and is closely associated with later cerebral palsy. In the present study we tested the hypothesis that a highly selective neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) inhibitor, JI-10, would improve survival of striatal phenotypic neurons after profound asphyxia, and that the subsequent seizure burden and recovery of EEG are associated with neural outcome. 24 chronically instrumented preterm fetal sheep were randomized to either JI-10 (3 ml of 0.022 mg/ml, n = 8) or saline (n = 8) infusion 15 min before 25 min complete umbilical cord occlusion, or saline plus sham-occlusion (n = 8). Umbilical cord occlusion was associated with reduced numbers of calbindin-28k-, GAD-, NPY-, PV-, Calretinin- and nNOS-positive striatal neurons (p < 0.05 vs. sham occlusion) but not ChAT-positive neurons. JI-10 was associated with increased numbers of calbindin-28k-, GAD-, nNOS-, NPY-, PV-, Calretinin- and ChAT-positive striatal neurons (p < 0.05 vs. saline + occlusion). Seizure burden was strongly associated with loss of calbindin-positive cells (p < 0.05), greater seizure amplitude was associated with loss of GAD-positive cells (p < 0.05), and with more activated microglia in the white matter tracts (p < 0.05). There was no relationship between EEG power after 7 days recovery and total striatal cell loss, but better survival of NPY-positive neurons was associated with lower EEG power. In summary, these findings suggest that selective nNOS inhibition during asphyxia is associated with protection of phenotypic striatal projection neurons and has potential to help reduce basal ganglia injury in some premature babies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evidence of a major fault zone along the California-Nevada state line 35 deg 30 min to 36 deg 30 min north latitude

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liggett, M. A.; Childs, J. F.

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Geologic reconnaissance guided by analysis of ERTS-1 and Apollo-9 satellite imagery and intermediate scale photography from X-15 and U-2 aircraft has confirmed the presence of a major fault zone along the California-Nevada state line, between 35 deg 30 min and 36 deg 30 min north latitude. The name Pahrump Fault Zone has been suggested for this feature after the valley in which it is best exposed. Field reconnaissance has indicated the existence of previously unreported faults cutting bedrock along range fronts, and displacing Tertiary and Quaternary basin sediments. Gravity data support the interpretation of regional structural discontinuity along this zone. Individual fault traces within the Pahrump Fault Zone form generally left-stepping en echelon patterns. These fault patterns, the apparent offset of a Laramide age thrust fault, and possible drag folding along a major fault break suggest a component of right lateral displacement. The trend and postulated movement of the Pahrump Fault Zone are similar to the adjacent Las Vegas Shear Zone and Death Valley-Furnace Creek Faults, which are parts of a regional strike slip system in the southern Basin-Range Province.

Efficiently and easily integrating differential equations with JiTCODE, JiTCDDE, and JiTCSDE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ansmann, Gerrit

2018-04-01

We present a family of Python modules for the numerical integration of ordinary, delay, or stochastic differential equations. The key features are that the user enters the derivative symbolically and it is just-in-time-compiled, allowing the user to efficiently integrate differential equations from a higher-level interpreted language. The presented modules are particularly suited for large systems of differential equations such as those used to describe dynamics on complex networks. Through the selected method of input, the presented modules also allow almost complete automatization of the process of estimating regular as well as transversal Lyapunov exponents for ordinary and delay differential equations. We conceptually discuss the modules' design, analyze their performance, and demonstrate their capabilities by application to timely problems.

Poly(ionic liquids) functionalized polypyrrole/graphene oxide nanosheets for electrochemical sensor to detect dopamine in the presence of ascorbic acid.

PubMed

Mao, Hui; Liang, Jiachen; Zhang, Haifeng; Pei, Qi; Liu, Daliang; Wu, Shuyao; Zhang, Yu; Song, Xi-Ming

2015-08-15

Novel poly(ionic liquids) functionalized polypyrrole/graphene oxide nanosheets (PILs/PPy/GO) were prepared by the polymerization of 1-vinyl-3-ethylimidazole bromide (VEIB) on the surface of N-vinyl imidazolium modified PPy/GO nanosheets. Due to the synergistic effects of GO with well-defined lamellar structures, conductive PPy and biocompatible PILs, PILs/PPy/GO modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) presented the excellent electrochemical catalytic activity towards dopamine (DA) with good stability, high sensitivity and wide linear range in the present of ascorbic acid (AA) with high concentration. PILs played an essential role for the simultaneous determination of DA and AA in a mixture, whose existence effectively improved the transmission mode of electrons and resulted in the different electrocatalytic performance towards the oxidation of DA and AA. It is indicated that PILs/PPy/GO nanosheets can act as a good steady and sensitive electrode material for the development of improved DA sensors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microphase separation and the formation of ion conductivity channels in poly(ionic liquid)s: A coarse-grained molecular dynamics study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weyman, Alexander; Bier, Markus; Holm, Christian; Smiatek, Jens

2018-05-01

We study generic properties of poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) via coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations in bulk solution and under confinement. The influence of different side chain lengths on the spatial properties of the PIL systems and on the ionic transport mechanism is investigated in detail. Our results reveal the formation of apolar and polar nanodomains with increasing side chain length in good agreement with previous results for molecular ionic liquids. The ion transport numbers are unaffected by the occurrence of these domains, and the corresponding values highlight the potential role of PILs as single-ion conductors in electrochemical devices. In contrast to bulk behavior, a pronounced formation of ion conductivity channels in confined systems is initiated in close vicinity to the boundaries. We observe higher ion conductivities in these channels for increasing PIL side chain lengths in comparison with bulk values and provide an explanation for this effect. The appearance of these domains points to an improved application of PILs in modern polymer electrolyte batteries.

Impact of calcium signaling during infection of Neisseria meningitidis to human brain microvascular endothelial cells.

PubMed

Asmat, Tauseef M; Tenenbaum, Tobias; Jonsson, Ann-Beth; Schwerk, Christian; Schroten, Horst

2014-01-01

The pili and outer membrane proteins of Neisseria meningitidis (meningococci) facilitate bacterial adhesion and invasion into host cells. In this context expression of meningococcal PilC1 protein has been reported to play a crucial role. Intracellular calcium mobilization has been implicated as an important signaling event during internalization of several bacterial pathogens. Here we employed time lapse calcium-imaging and demonstrated that PilC1 of meningococci triggered a significant increase in cytoplasmic calcium in human brain microvascular endothelial cells, whereas PilC1-deficient meningococci could not initiate this signaling process. The increase in cytosolic calcium in response to PilC1-expressing meningococci was due to efflux of calcium from host intracellular stores as demonstrated by using 2-APB, which inhibits the release of calcium from the endoplasmic reticulum. Moreover, pre-treatment of host cells with U73122 (phospholipase C inhibitor) abolished the cytosolic calcium increase caused by PilC1-expressing meningococci demonstrating that active phospholipase C (PLC) is required to induce calcium transients in host cells. Furthermore, the role of cytosolic calcium on meningococcal adherence and internalization was documented by gentamicin protection assay and double immunofluorescence (DIF) staining. Results indicated that chelation of intracellular calcium by using BAPTA-AM significantly impaired PilC1-mediated meningococcal adherence to and invasion into host endothelial cells. However, buffering of extracellular calcium by BAPTA or EGTA demonstrated no significant effect on meningococcal adherence to and invasion into host cells. Taken together, these results indicate that meningococci induce calcium release from intracellular stores of host endothelial cells via PilC1 and cytoplasmic calcium concentrations play a critical role during PilC1 mediated meningococcal adherence to and subsequent invasion into host endothelial cells.

The N-Terminal Amphipathic Helix of the Topological Specificity Factor MinE Is Associated with Shaping Membrane Curvature

PubMed Central

Shih, Yu-Ling; Huang, Kai-Fa; Lai, Hsin-Mei; Liao, Jiahn-Haur; Lee, Chai-Siah; Chang, Chiao-Min; Mak, Huey-Ming; Hsieh, Cheng-Wei; Lin, Chu-Chi

2011-01-01

Pole-to-pole oscillations of the Min proteins in Escherichia coli are required for the proper placement of the division septum. Direct interaction of MinE with the cell membrane is critical for the dynamic behavior of the Min system. In vitro, this MinE-membrane interaction led to membrane deformation; however, the underlying mechanism remained unclear. Here we report that MinE-induced membrane deformation involves the formation of an amphipathic helix of MinE2–9, which, together with the adjacent basic residues, function as membrane anchors. Biochemical evidence suggested that the membrane association induces formation of the helix, with the helical face, consisting of A2, L3, and F6, inserted into the membrane. Insertion of this helix into the cell membrane can influence local membrane curvature and lead to drastic changes in membrane topology. Accordingly, MinE showed characteristic features of protein-induced membrane tubulation and lipid clustering in in vitro reconstituted systems. In conclusion, MinE shares common protein signatures with a group of membrane trafficking proteins in eukaryotic cells. These MinE signatures appear to affect membrane curvature. PMID:21738659

Metal-Matrix Composites and Porous Materials: Constitute Models, Microstructure Evolution and Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-02-23

eonomical to rotate the stress and the c strain once rather than having to rotate 4th order tensors like c Amat, Bmat , MHS etc. whose...nu2,sigyO real*8 deps(3,3),eps_plastic,dep_plas,dumd(6,6) real*8 det,kll,dphidf,phil,phi2,ftest real*8 el212,e2323,el313,pil212,pi2323,pil313, bmat ...pi2323-f*pi2323 el313=pil313-f*pil313 spath=.true. call Btensor(a,b,c,ad,bd,cd,f,mul,kl,mu2,k2, Bmat ) do 41 i=l,3 do 42 j=l,6 Bmat (i,j)=0.0 42

Apgar scores at 10 min and outcomes at 6-7 years following hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy.

PubMed

Natarajan, Girija; Shankaran, Seetha; Laptook, Abbot R; Pappas, Athina; Bann, Carla M; McDonald, Scott A; Das, Abhik; Higgins, Rosemary D; Hintz, Susan R; Vohr, Betty R

2013-11-01

To determine the association between 10 min Apgar scores and 6-7-year outcomes in children with perinatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) enrolled in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network (NICHD NRN) whole body cooling randomised controlled trial (RCT). Evaluations at 6-7 years included the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence III or Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children IV and Gross Motor Functional Classification Scale. Primary outcome was death/moderate or severe disability. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between 10 min Apgar scores and outcomes after adjusting for birth weight, gestational age, gender, outborn status, hypothermia treatment and centre. In the study cohort (n=174), 64/85 (75%) of those with 10 min Apgar score of 0-3 had death/disability compared with 40/89 (45%) of those with scores >3. Each point increase in 10 min Apgar scores was associated with a significantly lower adjusted risk of death/disability, death, death/IQ <70, death/cerebral palsy (CP) and disability, IQ<70 and CP among survivors (all p<0.05). Among the 24 children with a 10 min Apgar score of 0, five (20.8%) survived without disability. The risk-adjusted probabilities of death/disability were significantly lower in cooled infants with Apgar scores of 0-3; there was no significant interaction between cooling and Apgar scores (p=0.26). Among children with perinatal HIE enrolled in the NICHD cooling RCT, 10 min Apgar scores were significantly associated with school-age outcomes. A fifth of infants with 10 min Apgar score of 0 survived without disability to school age, suggesting the need for caution in limiting resuscitation to a specified duration.

Curcumin suppresses intestinal polyps in APC Min mice fed a high fat diet.

PubMed

Pettan-Brewer, Christina; Morton, John; Mangalindan, Ruby; Ladiges, Warren

2011-01-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Various risk factors have been associated with CRC including increasing age and diet. Epidemiological and experimental studies have implicated a diet high in fat as an important risk factor for colon cancer. High fat diets can promote obesity resulting in insulin resistance and inflammation and the development of oxidative stress, increased cell proliferation, and suppression of apoptosis. Because of the high consumption of dietary fats, especially saturated fats, by Western countries, it is of interest to see if non-nutrient food factors might be effective in preventing or delaying CRC in the presence of high saturated fat intake. Curcumin (Curcuma longa), the main yellow pigment in turmeric, was selected to test because of its reported anti-tumor activity. APC Min mice, which develop intestinal polyps and have many molecular features of CRC, were fed a diet containing 35% pork fat, 33% sucrose, and a protein and vitamin mineral mixture (HFD) with or without 0.5% curcumin. These cohorts were compared to APC Min mice receiving standard rodent chow (RC) with 8% fat. APC Min mice fed the HFD for 3 months had a 23% increase in total number of polyps compared to APC Min mice on RC. Curcumin was able to significantly reverse the accelerated polyp development associated with the HFD suggesting it may be effective clinically in helping prevent colon cancer even when ingesting high amounts of fatty foods. The anti-tumor effect of curcumin was shown to be associated with enhanced apoptosis and increased efficiency of DNA repair. Since curcumin prevented the gain in body weight seen in APC Min mice ingesting the HFD, modulation of energy metabolism may also be a factor.

Polarizing Ytterbium-Doped all-Solid Photonic Bandgap Fiber with 1150 micrometers2 Effective Mode Area

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-11

RESPONSIBLE PERSON 19b. TELEPHONE NUMBER Liang Dong Fanting Kong,, Guancheng Gu,, Thomas W. Hawkins ,, Joshua Parsons, Maxwell Jones,, Christopher...Dunn,, Monica T. Kalichevsky-Dong,, Benjamin Pulford,, Iyad Dajani,, Kunimasa Saitoh,, Stephen P. Palese,, Eric Cheung,, Liang Dong c. THIS PAGE The...ytterbium-doped all-solid photonic bandgap fiber with ~1150µm2 effective mode area Fanting Kong,1,* Guancheng Gu,1 Thomas W. Hawkins ,1 Joshua Parsons

Resource Efficient Hardware Architecture for Fast Computation of Running Max/Min Filters

PubMed Central

Torres-Huitzil, Cesar

2013-01-01

Running max/min filters on rectangular kernels are widely used in many digital signal and image processing applications. Filtering with a k × k kernel requires of k 2 − 1 comparisons per sample for a direct implementation; thus, performance scales expensively with the kernel size k. Faster computations can be achieved by kernel decomposition and using constant time one-dimensional algorithms on custom hardware. This paper presents a hardware architecture for real-time computation of running max/min filters based on the van Herk/Gil-Werman (HGW) algorithm. The proposed architecture design uses less computation and memory resources than previously reported architectures when targeted to Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) devices. Implementation results show that the architecture is able to compute max/min filters, on 1024 × 1024 images with up to 255 × 255 kernels, in around 8.4 milliseconds, 120 frames per second, at a clock frequency of 250 MHz. The implementation is highly scalable for the kernel size with good performance/area tradeoff suitable for embedded applications. The applicability of the architecture is shown for local adaptive image thresholding. PMID:24288456

Non-Invasive Gene Therapy of Experimental Parkinson’s Disease

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-09-01

20 is lethal (7). The hydro- dynamic method involves the rapid intravenous injection of a Weekly Intravenous Gene Therapy volume of saline greater...PILs do not aggregate in saline and have prolonged the TH expression plasmid DNA encapsulated in either the blood residence times (11). PILs have been...weeks. A third control group of rats was treated with brain cancer (12), and PILs have been given to rats for the saline , treatment of experimental

An Analysis of the Max-Min Texture Measure.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-01-01

PANC 33 D2 Confusion Matrices for Scene A, IR 34 D3 Confusion Matrices for Scene B, PANC 35 D4 Confusion Matrices for Scene B, IR 36 D5 Confusion...Matrices for Scene C, PANC 37 D6 Confusion Matrices for Scene C, IR 38 D7 Confusion Matrices for Scene E, PANC 39 D8 Confusion Matrices for Scene E, IR 40...D9 Confusion Matrices for Scene H, PANC 41 DIO Confusion Matrices for Scene H, JR 42 3 .D 10CnuinMtie o cn ,IR4 AN ANALYSIS OF THE MAX-MIN TEXTURE

Role of Information Anxiety and Information Load on Processing of Prescription Drug Information Leaflets.

PubMed

Bapat, Shweta S; Patel, Harshali K; Sansgiry, Sujit S

2017-10-16

In this study, we evaluate the role of information anxiety and information load on the intention to read information from prescription drug information leaflets (PILs). These PILs were developed based on the principals of information load and consumer information processing. This was an experimental prospective repeated measures study conducted in the United States where 360 (62% response rate) university students (>18 years old) participated. Participants were presented with a scenario followed by exposure to the three drug product information sources used to operationalize information load. The three sources were: (i) current practice; (ii) pre-existing one-page text only; and (iii) interventional one-page prototype PILs designed for the study. Information anxiety was measured as anxiety experienced by the individual when encountering information. The outcome variable of intention to read PILs was defined as the likelihood that the patient will read the information provided in the leaflets. A survey questionnaire was used to capture the data and the objectives were analyzed by performing a repeated measures MANOVA using SAS version 9.3. When compared to current practice and one-page text only leaflets, one-page PILs had significantly lower scores on information anxiety ( p < 0.001) and information load ( p < 0.001). The intention to read was highest and significantly different ( p < 0.001) for PILs as compared to current practice or text only leaflets. Information anxiety and information load significantly impacted intention to read ( p < 0.001). Newly developed PILs increased patient's intention to read and can help in improving the counseling services provided by pharmacists.

Role of Information Anxiety and Information Load on Processing of Prescription Drug Information Leaflets

PubMed Central

Bapat, Shweta S.; Patel, Harshali K.; Sansgiry, Sujit S.

2017-01-01

In this study, we evaluate the role of information anxiety and information load on the intention to read information from prescription drug information leaflets (PILs). These PILs were developed based on the principals of information load and consumer information processing. This was an experimental prospective repeated measures study conducted in the United States where 360 (62% response rate) university students (>18 years old) participated. Participants were presented with a scenario followed by exposure to the three drug product information sources used to operationalize information load. The three sources were: (i) current practice; (ii) pre-existing one-page text only; and (iii) interventional one-page prototype PILs designed for the study. Information anxiety was measured as anxiety experienced by the individual when encountering information. The outcome variable of intention to read PILs was defined as the likelihood that the patient will read the information provided in the leaflets. A survey questionnaire was used to capture the data and the objectives were analyzed by performing a repeated measures MANOVA using SAS version 9.3. When compared to current practice and one-page text only leaflets, one-page PILs had significantly lower scores on information anxiety (p < 0.001) and information load (p < 0.001). The intention to read was highest and significantly different (p < 0.001) for PILs as compared to current practice or text only leaflets. Information anxiety and information load significantly impacted intention to read (p < 0.001). Newly developed PILs increased patient’s intention to read and can help in improving the counseling services provided by pharmacists. PMID:29035337

High-Resolution Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Water- Soluble Organic Aerosols Collected with a Particle into Liquid Sampler

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

Bateman, Adam P.; Nizkorodov, Serguei; Laskin, Julia

2010-10-01

This work demonstrates the utility of a particle-into-liquid sampler (PILS) a technique traditionally used for identification of inorganic ions present in ambient or laboratory aerosols for the analysis of water soluble organic aerosol (OA) using high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR ESI-MS). Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) was produced from 0.5 ppm mixing ratios of limonene and ozone in a 5 m3 Teflon chamber. SOA was collected simultaneously using a traditional filter sampler and a PILS. The filter samples were later extracted with either water or acetonitrile, while the aqueous PILS samples were analyzed directly. In terms of peak intensities,more » types of detectable compounds, average O:C ratios, and organic mass to organic carbon ratios, the resulting high resolution mass spectra were essentially identical for the PILS and filter based samples. SOA compounds extracted from both filter/acetonitrile extraction and PILS/water extraction accounted for >95% of the total ion current in ESI mass spectra. This similarity was attributed to high solubility of limonene SOA in water. In contrast, significant differences in detected ions and peak abundances were observed for pine needle biomass burning organic aerosol (BBOA) collected with PILS and filter sampling. The water soluble fraction of BBOA is considerably smaller than for SOA, and a number of unique peaks were detectable only by the filter/acetonitrile method. The combination of PILS collection with HR-ESI-MS analysis offers a new approach for molecular analysis of the water-soluble organic fraction in biogenic SOA, aged photochemical smog, and BBOA.« less

Return period curves for extreme 5-min rainfall amounts at the Barcelona urban network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lana, X.; Casas-Castillo, M. C.; Serra, C.; Rodríguez-Solà, R.; Redaño, A.; Burgueño, A.; Martínez, M. D.

2018-03-01

Heavy rainfall episodes are relatively common in the conurbation of Barcelona and neighbouring cities (NE Spain), usually due to storms generated by convective phenomena in summer and eastern and south-eastern advections in autumn. Prevention of local flood episodes and right design of urban drainage have to take into account the rainfall intensity spread instead of a simple evaluation of daily rainfall amounts. The database comes from 5-min rain amounts recorded by tipping buckets in the Barcelona urban network along the years 1994-2009. From these data, extreme 5-min rain amounts are selected applying the peaks-over-threshold method for thresholds derived from both 95% percentile and the mean excess plot. The return period curves are derived from their statistical distribution for every gauge, describing with detail expected extreme 5-min rain amounts across the urban network. These curves are compared with those derived from annual extreme time series. In this way, areas in Barcelona submitted to different levels of flood risk from the point of view of rainfall intensity are detected. Additionally, global time trends on extreme 5-min rain amounts are quantified for the whole network and found as not statistically significant.

A New World: Redefining the Legacy of Min-Zhan Lu

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ray, Brian

2008-01-01

This article discusses exchanges between a number of scholars during the 1990s centering on Min-Zhan Lu's controversial essay "Conflict and Struggle: The Enemies or Preconditions of Basic Writing?" In some ways, "Conflict and Struggle" blazed a trail for later work in "hybrid" or "mixed" forms of academic writing while at the same time igniting…

High-performance supercapacitors based on poly(ionic liquid)-modified graphene electrodes.

PubMed

Kim, Tae Young; Lee, Hyun Wook; Stoller, Meryl; Dreyer, Daniel R; Bielawski, Christopher W; Ruoff, Rodney S; Suh, Kwang S

2011-01-25

We report a high-performance supercapacitor incorporating a poly(ionic liquid)-modified reduced graphene oxide (PIL:RG-O) electrode and an ionic liquid (IL) electrolyte (specifically, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide or EMIM-NTf(2)). PIL:RG-O provides enhanced compatibility with the IL electrolyte, thereby increasing the effective electrode surface area accessible to electrolyte ions. The supercapacitor assembled with PIL:RG-O electrode and EMIM-NTf(2) electrolyte showed a stable electrochemical response up to 3.5 V operating voltage and was capable of yielding a maximum energy density of 6.5 W·h/kg with a power density of 2.4 kW/kg. These results demonstrate the potential of the PIL:RG-O material as an electrode in high-performance supercapacitors.

Effect of a 5-min cold-water immersion recovery on exercise performance in the heat.

PubMed

Peiffer, J J; Abbiss, C R; Watson, G; Nosaka, K; Laursen, P B

2010-05-01

This study examined the effect of a 5-min cold-water immersion (14 degrees C) recovery intervention on repeated cycling performance in the heat. 10 male cyclists performed two bouts of a 25-min constant-paced (254 (22) W) cycling session followed by a 4-km time trial in hot conditions (35 degrees C, 40% relative humidity). The two bouts were separated by either 15 min of seated recovery in the heat (control) or the same condition with 5-min cold-water immersion (5th-10th minute), using a counterbalanced cross-over design (CP(1)TT(1) --> CWI or CON --> CP(2)TT(2)). Rectal temperature was measured immediately before and after both the constant-paced sessions and 4-km timed trials. Cycling economy and Vo(2) were measured during the constant-paced sessions, and the average power output and completion times were recorded for each time trial. Compared with control, rectal temperature was significantly lower (0.5 (0.4) degrees C) in cold-water immersion before CP(2) until the end of the second 4-km timed trial. However, the increase in rectal temperature (0.5 (0.2) degrees C) during CP(2) was not significantly different between conditions. During the second 4-km timed trial, power output was significantly greater in cold-water immersion (327.9 (55.7) W) compared with control (288.0 (58.8) W), leading to a faster completion time in cold-water immersion (6.1 (0.3) min) compared with control (6.4 (0.5) min). Economy and Vo(2) were not influenced by the cold-water immersion recovery intervention. 5-min cold-water immersion recovery significantly lowered rectal temperature and maintained endurance performance during subsequent high-intensity exercise. These data indicate that repeated exercise performance in heat may be improved when a short period of cold-water immersion is applied during the recovery period.

Demonstrating the Open Data Repository's Data Publisher: The CheMin Database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stone, N.; Lafuente, B.; Bristow, T.; Pires, A.; Keller, R. M.; Downs, R. T.; Blake, D.; Dateo, C. E.; Fonda, M.

2018-04-01

The Open Data Repository's Data Publisher aims to provide an easy-to-use software tool that will allow researchers to create and publish database templates and related data. The CheMin Database developed using this framework is shown as an example.

A Simple and Universal Gel Permeation Chromatography Technique for Precise Molecular Weight Characterization of Well-Defined Poly(ionic liquid)s

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

He, Hongkun; Zhong, Mingjiang; Adzima, Brian

2013-03-20

Poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) are an important class of technologically relevant materials. However, characterization of well-defined polyionic materials remains a challenge. Herein, we have developed a simple and versatile gel permeation chromatography (GPC) methodology for molecular weight (MW) characterization of PILs with a variety of anions. PILs with narrow MW distributions were synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization, and the MWs obtained from GPC were further confirmed via nuclear magnetic resonance end group analysis.

The TLR3/TICAM-1 signal constitutively controls spontaneous polyposis through suppression of c-Myc in Apc Min/+ mice.

PubMed

Ono, Junya; Shime, Hiroaki; Takaki, Hiromi; Takashima, Ken; Funami, Kenji; Yoshida, Sumito; Takeda, Yohei; Matsumoto, Misako; Kasahara, Masanori; Seya, Tsukasa

2017-10-17

Intestinal tumorigenesis is promoted by myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88) activation in response to the components of microbiota in Apc Min/+ mice. Microbiota also contains double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), a ligand for TLR3, which activates the toll-like receptor adaptor molecule 1 (TICAM-1, also known as TRIF) pathway. We established Apc Min/+ Ticam1 -/- mice and their survival was compared to survival of Apc Min/+ Myd88 -/- and wild-type (WT) mice. The properties of polyps were investigated using immunofluorescence staining and RT-PCR analysis. We demonstrate that TICAM-1 is essential for suppression of polyp formation in Apc Min/+ mice. TICAM-1 knockout resulted in shorter survival of mice compared to WT mice or mice with knockout of MyD88 in the Apc Min/+ background. Polyps were more frequently formed in the distal intestine of Apc Min/+ Ticam1 -/- mice than in Apc Min/+ mice. Infiltration of immune cells such as CD11b + and CD8α + cells into the polyps was detected histologically. CD11b and CD8α mRNAs were increased in polyps of Apc Min/+ Ticam1 -/- mice compared to Apc Min/+ mice. Gene expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interferon (IFN)-γ, CXCL9 and IL-12p40 was increased in polyps of Apc Min/+ Ticam1 -/- mice. mRNA and protein expression of c-Myc, a critical transcription factor for inflammation-associated polyposis, were increased in polyps of Apc Min/+ Ticam1 -/- mice. A Lactobacillus strain producing dsRNA was detected in feces of Apc Min/+ mice. These results imply that the TLR3/TICAM-1 pathway inhibits polyposis through suppression of c-Myc expression and supports long survival in Apc Min/+ mice.

Performing Mineral Hydration Experiments in the CheMin Diffractometer on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaniman, D. T.; Yen, A. S.; Rampe, E. B.; Blake, D. F.; Chipera, S. J.; Morookian, J. M.; Ming, D. W.; Bristow, T. F.; Morris, R. V.; Geller, R.;

Linear and Star Poly(ionic liquid) Assemblies: Surface Monolayers and Multilayers.

PubMed

Erwin, Andrew J; Xu, Weinan; He, Hongkun; Matyjaszewski, Krzysztof; Tsukruk, Vladimir V

2017-04-04

The surface morphology and organization of poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs), poly[1-(4-vinylbenzyl)-3-butylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide] are explored in conjunction with their molecular architecture, adsorption conditions, and postassembly treatments. The formation of stable PIL Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) monolayers at the air-water and air-solid interfaces is demonstrated. The hydrophobic bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (Tf 2 N - ) is shown to be a critical agent governing the assembly morphology, as observed in the reversible condensation of LB monolayers into dense nanodroplets. The PIL is then incorporated as an unconventional polyelectrolyte component in the layer-by-layer (LbL) films of hydrophobic character. We demonstrate that the interplay of capillary forces, macromolecular mobility, and structural relaxation of the polymer chains influence the dewetting mechanisms in the PIL multilayers, thereby enabling access to a diverse set of highly textured, porous, and interconnected network morphologies for PIL LbL films that would otherwise be absent in conventional LbL films. Their compartmentalized internal structure is relevant to molecular separation membranes, ultrathin hydrophobic coatings, targeted cargo delivery, and highly conductive films.

Benchmarking of the Oxford Nanopore MinION sequencing for quantitative and qualitative assessment of cDNA populations.

PubMed

Oikonomopoulos, Spyros; Wang, Yu Chang; Djambazian, Haig; Badescu, Dunarel; Ragoussis, Jiannis

2016-08-24

To assess the performance of the Oxford Nanopore Technologies MinION sequencing platform, cDNAs from the External RNA Controls Consortium (ERCC) RNA Spike-In mix were sequenced. This mix mimics mammalian mRNA species and consists of 92 polyadenylated transcripts with known concentration. cDNA libraries were generated using a template switching protocol to facilitate the direct comparison between different sequencing platforms. The MinION performance was assessed for its ability to sequence the cDNAs directly with good accuracy in terms of abundance and full length. The abundance of the ERCC cDNA molecules sequenced by MinION agreed with their expected concentration. No length or GC content bias was observed. The majority of cDNAs were sequenced as full length. Additionally, a complex cDNA population derived from a human HEK-293 cell line was sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq 2500, PacBio RS II and ONT MinION platforms. We observed that there was a good agreement in the measured cDNA abundance between PacBio RS II and ONT MinION (rpearson = 0.82, isoforms with length more than 700bp) and between Illumina HiSeq 2500 and ONT MinION (rpearson = 0.75). This indicates that the ONT MinION can sequence quantitatively both long and short full length cDNA molecules.

Hydrothermal plumes along the East Pacific Rise, 8 deg 40 min to 11 deg 50 min N: Plume distribution and relationship to the apparent magmatic budget

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, E. T.; Feely, R. A.; Mottl, M. J.; Sansone, F. T.; Wheat, C. G.; Resing, J. A.; Lupton, J. E.

1994-11-01

The interactions between hydrothermal circulation and large-scale geological and geophysical characteristics of the mid-ocean ridge cannot be ascertained without large-scale views of the pattern of hydrothermal venting. Such multi-ridge-segment surveys of venting are accomplished most efficiently by mapping the distribution and intensity of hydrothermal plumes. In November 1991, we mapped hydrothermal temperature (Delta(theta)) and light attenuation (Delta(c)) anomalies above the East Pacific Rise (EPR) continuously from 8 deg 40 min to 11 deg 50 min N, a fast spreading ridge crest portion bisected by the Clipperton Transform Fault. Plume distributions show a precise correlation with the distribution of active vents where video coverage of the axial caldera is exhaustive. Elsewhere in the study area the sketchy knowledge of vent locations gleaned from scattered camera tows predicts only poorly the large-scale hydrothermal pattern revealed by our plume studies. Plumes were most intense between 9 deg 42 min and 9 deg 54 min N, directly over a March/April, 1991, seafloor eruption. These plumes had exceptionally high Delta(c)/Delta(theta) ratios compared to the rest of the study area; we suggest that the phase-separated gas-rich vent fluids discharging here fertilize an abundant population of bacteria. Hydrothermal plume distributions define three categories: intense and continuous, weak and discontinuous and negligible. The location of each category is virtually congruent with areas that are, respectively, magmatically robust, magmatically weak and magmatically starved, as inferred from previous measurements of axial bathymetric undulations, cross-axis inflation and magma chamber depth and continuity. This congruency implies a fine-scale spatial and temporal connection between magmatic fluctuations and hydrothermal venting. We thus speculate that, at least along this fast spreading section of the EPR, cyclic replenishment, eruption and freezing of the thin axial melt

Development of Prescription Drug Information Leaflets: Impact of Cognitive Effort and Patient Involvement on Prescription Medication Information Processing.

PubMed

Patel, Harshali K; Bapat, Shweta S; Bhansali, Archita H; Sansgiry, Sujit S

2018-01-01

The objective of this study was to develop a one-page (1-page) prescription drug information leaflet (PILs) and assess their impact on the information processing variables, across 2 levels of patient involvement. One-page PILs were developed using cognitive principles to lower mental effort and improve comprehension. An experimental, 3 × 2 repeated measures study was conducted to determine the impact of cognitive effort, manipulated using leaflet type on comprehension across 2 levels (high/low) of patient involvement. Adults (≥18 years) in a university setting in Houston were recruited for the study. Each participant was exposed to 3 different types of prescription drug information leaflet (the current practice, preexisting 1-page text-only, and 1-page PILs) for the 3 drugs (Celebrex, Ventolin HFA, Prezista) for a given involvement scenario. A prevalidated survey instrument was used to measure product knowledge, attitude toward leaflet, and intention to read. Multivariate analysis of variance indicated significant positive effect of cognitive effort, involvement, and their interaction effect across all measured variables. Mean scores for product knowledge, attitude toward leaflet, and intention to read were highest for PILs ( P < .001), indicating that PILs exerted lowest cognitive effort. Univariate and post hoc analysis indicate that product knowledge significantly increases with high involvement. Patients reading PILs have higher comprehension compared with the current practice and text-only prototype leaflets evaluated. Higher levels of involvement further improve participant knowledge about the drug, increase their intention to read the leaflet, and change their attitude toward the leaflet. Implementation of PILs would improve information processing for consumers by reducing their cognitive effort.

Training the Recurrent neural network by the Fuzzy Min-Max algorithm for fault prediction

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

Zemouri, Ryad; Racoceanu, Daniel; Zerhouni, Noureddine

2009-03-05

In this paper, we present a training technique of a Recurrent Radial Basis Function neural network for fault prediction. We use the Fuzzy Min-Max technique to initialize the k-center of the RRBF neural network. The k-means algorithm is then applied to calculate the centers that minimize the mean square error of the prediction task. The performances of the k-means algorithm are then boosted by the Fuzzy Min-Max technique.

[Stimuli phrases of adductor spasmodic dysphonia phonatory break in mandarin Chinese].

PubMed

Ge, Pingjiang; Ren, Qingyi; Chen, Zhipeng; Cheng, Qiuhui; Sheng, Xiaoli; Wang, Ling; Chen, Shaohua; Zhang, Siyi

2015-12-01

To investigate the characteristics of adductor spasmodic dysphonia phonatory break in mandarin Chinese and select the stimuli phrases. Thirty-eight patients with adductor spasmodic dysphonia were involved in this study. Standard phrase " fù mŭ xīn" and a speech corpus in mandarin Chinese with 229 syllables covering all vowel and constant of mandarin Chinese were selected. Every patient read the phrases above twice in normal speed and comfortable voice. Two auditory perpetual speech pathologists marked phonatory break syllables respectively. The frequency of phonatory break syllables and their located phrases were calculated, rated and described. The phrases including the most phonatory break syllables were selected as stimuli phrases, the phonatory break frequency of which was also higher than that of standard phrase "fù mŭ xīn". Phonatory break happened in the reading of all patients. The average number of phonatory break syllables was 14 (3-33). Phonatroy break occurred when saying 177 (77.3%) syllables in the speech corpus. The syllables "guŏ, rén, zāng, diàn, chē, gè, guăn, a, bā, ne, de" broke in 23.1%-41.0% patients. These syllables belonged to the phrases "pĭng guŏ, huŏ chē, shì de, nĭ shì gè hăo rén, wŏ mén shì yŏu zŏng shì bă qĭn shì nong dé hĕn zāng, wŏ mén nà biān yŏu wăng qiú yùn dong chăng, cān gŭan, jiŭ bā hé yī gè miàn bāo dìan, tā shì duō me kāng kăi a,wŏ yīng gāi zài xìn lĭ xiĕ yī xiē shén mē ne?". Thirty-seven patients (97.3%) had phonatory break in above mentioned words. Ratios of these words phonatory break also were more than "fù mŭ xīn". Adductor spasmodic dysphonic patients exhibited different degrees of phonatory break in mandarine Chinese. The phrases" shì de, pĭng guŏ, huŏ chē, nĭ shì gè hăo rén, wŏ mén nà biān yŏu wăng qiú yùn dong chăng, cān gŭan, jiŭ bā hé yī gè miàn bāo dìan, tā shì duō me kāng kăi a" were recommended as stimuli

Effect of low water content in protic ionic liquid on ions electrosorption in porous carbon: application to electrochemical capacitors.

PubMed

Gorska, B; Timperman, L; Anouti, M; Béguin, F

2017-05-10

The effect of low water content (<20, 150, 1000, 10 000 ppm) in triethylammonium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide - [(C 2 H 5 ) 3 N + H][TFSI - ] - protic ionic liquid (PIL) on the performance of activated carbon (AC) electrodes as well as AC/AC electrochemical capacitors (ECs) is reported. Under negative polarization, hydrogen electrosorption onto carbon is enhanced along with the increase of water content in PIL, whereas the resulting desorption peaks are shifted to lower potential values, evidencing lower sorption energy when hydrogen is stored from moisture containing PIL. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) investigations on PIL-based ECs demonstrated that the evolution of the Stern layer nanostructure at positive and negative potentials is asymmetrical. The results revealed comparable electrochemical performance for PIL containing 150 and 1000 ppm of H 2 O, due to similar operation of the positive electrode, where [TFSI - ] anions are adsorbed in the outer Helmholtz plane, and the negative one, where hydrogen is stored through the reduction of the intermediate hydronium cation. By contrast, a cell with "dry" PIL (<20 ppm of water) displayed a distinctive operation due to hydrogen electrosorption directly through reduction of the protonated cation, and selective adsorption of [TFSI - ] anions, which occurs thanks to the high polarizability and image force (IF) created by their induced charge. Galvanostatic cycling with potential limitation (GCPL) showed comparable capacitance values whatever the water content in PILs up to 1000 ppm, yet electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) revealed higher capacitance as well as better retention at higher frequencies with the PIL containing 150 ppm of water. Hence, 150 ppm is reasoned to be an optimal value for diffusion and adsorption of ions. The nature of current collectors (aluminum or stainless steel) has a determining role in their polarization behavior, and consequently the potential range of electrodes as well as ion

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (Waldmann's disease).

PubMed

Vignes, Stéphane; Bellanger, Jérôme

2008-02-22

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) is a rare disorder characterized by dilated intestinal lacteals resulting in lymph leakage into the small bowel lumen and responsible for protein-losing enteropathy leading to lymphopenia, hypoalbuminemia and hypogammaglobulinemia. PIL is generally diagnosed before 3 years of age but may be diagnosed in older patients. Prevalence is unknown. The main symptom is predominantly bilateral lower limb edema. Edema may be moderate to severe with anasarca and includes pleural effusion, pericarditis or chylous ascites. Fatigue, abdominal pain, weight loss, inability to gain weight, moderate diarrhea or fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies due to malabsorption may also be present. In some patients, limb lymphedema is associated with PIL and is difficult to distinguish lymphedema from edema. Exsudative enteropathy is confirmed by the elevated 24-h stool alpha1-antitrypsin clearance. Etiology remains unknown. Very rare familial cases of PIL have been reported. Diagnosis is confirmed by endoscopic observation of intestinal lymphangiectasia with the corresponding histology of intestinal biopsy specimens. Videocapsule endoscopy may be useful when endoscopic findings are not contributive. Differential diagnosis includes constrictive pericarditis, intestinal lymphoma, Whipple's disease, Crohn's disease, intestinal tuberculosis, sarcoidosis or systemic sclerosis. Several B-cell lymphomas confined to the gastrointestinal tract (stomach, jejunum, midgut, ileum) or with extra-intestinal localizations were reported in PIL patients. A low-fat diet associated with medium-chain triglyceride supplementation is the cornerstone of PIL medical management. The absence of fat in the diet prevents chyle engorgement of the intestinal lymphatic vessels thereby preventing their rupture with its ensuing lymph loss. Medium-chain triglycerides are absorbed directly into the portal venous circulation and avoid lacteal overloading. Other inconsistently effective

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (Waldmann's disease)

PubMed Central

Vignes, Stéphane; Bellanger, Jérôme

2008-01-01

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) is a rare disorder characterized by dilated intestinal lacteals resulting in lymph leakage into the small bowel lumen and responsible for protein-losing enteropathy leading to lymphopenia, hypoalbuminemia and hypogammaglobulinemia. PIL is generally diagnosed before 3 years of age but may be diagnosed in older patients. Prevalence is unknown. The main symptom is predominantly bilateral lower limb edema. Edema may be moderate to severe with anasarca and includes pleural effusion, pericarditis or chylous ascites. Fatigue, abdominal pain, weight loss, inability to gain weight, moderate diarrhea or fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies due to malabsorption may also be present. In some patients, limb lymphedema is associated with PIL and is difficult to distinguish lymphedema from edema. Exsudative enteropathy is confirmed by the elevated 24-h stool α1-antitrypsin clearance. Etiology remains unknown. Very rare familial cases of PIL have been reported. Diagnosis is confirmed by endoscopic observation of intestinal lymphangiectasia with the corresponding histology of intestinal biopsy specimens. Videocapsule endoscopy may be useful when endoscopic findings are not contributive. Differential diagnosis includes constrictive pericarditis, intestinal lymphoma, Whipple's disease, Crohn's disease, intestinal tuberculosis, sarcoidosis or systemic sclerosis. Several B-cell lymphomas confined to the gastrointestinal tract (stomach, jejunum, midgut, ileum) or with extra-intestinal localizations were reported in PIL patients. A low-fat diet associated with medium-chain triglyceride supplementation is the cornerstone of PIL medical management. The absence of fat in the diet prevents chyle engorgement of the intestinal lymphatic vessels thereby preventing their rupture with its ensuing lymph loss. Medium-chain triglycerides are absorbed directly into the portal venous circulation and avoid lacteal overloading. Other inconsistently effective

Case report of primary intestinal lymphangiectasia diagnosed in an octogenarian by ileal intubation and by push enteroscopy after missed diagnosis by standard colonoscopy and EGD

PubMed Central

Cappell, Mitchell S.; Edhi, Ahmed; Amin, Mitual

2018-01-01

Abstract Rationale: Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) is a rare, presumably congenital lesion that is usually diagnosed in patients < 3 years old, is rarely first diagnosed in adulthood, and when first diagnosed in adulthood typically presents with symptoms for many years. Although PIL is often identified by endoscopic abnormalities, it must be emphasized that the jejunoileum/distal duodenum must be intubated for diagnosis because the lesions are present in these regions. This work demonstrates that 1)-PIL can occur in an octogenarian; 2)-shows that the characteristic endoscopic findings are not found at colonoscopy without terminal ileal intubation; and 3)-may be missed at standard EGD without distal duodenal intubation. Diagnoses: A patient initially presented at age 83 with symptoms of watery diarrhea, abdominal distention, 5-Kg-weight-gain, and weakness for one month, and had typical clinical findings of PIL including chylous ascites, pleural effusions, bilateral pitting leg edema, hypoalbuminemia, borderline lymphopenia, hypovitaminosis-D, and hypocalcemia. Protein-losing-enteropathy was demonstrated by positive stool tests for alpha-1-antitrypsin. Standard colonoscopy revealed no significant lesions, but terminal ileal intubation during colonoscopy demonstrated creamy-white, punctate, mucosal lesions in terminal ileum, characteristic of lymphangiectasia. EGD with intubation to mid-descending duodenum revealed no significant lesions, but subsequent enteroscopy demonstrated lesions in distal duodenum/proximal jejunum similar to those in terminal ileum characteristic of lymphangiectasia. Histopathologic analysis of lesions of terminal ileum/distal duodenum demonstrated dilated mucosal vessels, confirmed as lymphatic vessels by immunohistochemistry. PIL was diagnosed after excluding secondary causes of intestinal lymphangiectasia. Interventions/Outcomes: Patient placed on standard PIL diet: oral supplements of medium-chain triglycerides, a high protein

Identification of Surprisingly Diverse Type IV Pili, across a Broad Range of Gram-Positive Bacteria

PubMed Central

Roos, David S.; Pohlschröder, Mechthild

2011-01-01

Background In Gram-negative bacteria, type IV pili (TFP) have long been known to play important roles in such diverse biological phenomena as surface adhesion, motility, and DNA transfer, with significant consequences for pathogenicity. More recently it became apparent that Gram-positive bacteria also express type IV pili; however, little is known about the diversity and abundance of these structures in Gram-positives. Computational tools for automated identification of type IV pilins are not currently available. Results To assess TFP diversity in Gram-positive bacteria and facilitate pilin identification, we compiled a comprehensive list of putative Gram-positive pilins encoded by operons containing highly conserved pilus biosynthetic genes (pilB, pilC). A surprisingly large number of species were found to contain multiple TFP operons (pil, com and/or tad). The N-terminal sequences of predicted pilins were exploited to develop PilFind, a rule-based algorithm for genome-wide identification of otherwise poorly conserved type IV pilins in any species, regardless of their association with TFP biosynthetic operons (http://signalfind.org). Using PilFind to scan 53 Gram-positive genomes (encoding >187,000 proteins), we identified 286 candidate pilins, including 214 in operons containing TFP biosynthetic genes (TBG+ operons). Although trained on Gram-positive pilins, PilFind identified 55 of 58 manually curated Gram-negative pilins in TBG+ operons, as well as 53 additional pilin candidates in operons lacking biosynthetic genes in ten species (>38,000 proteins), including 27 of 29 experimentally verified pilins. False positive rates appear to be low, as PilFind predicted only four pilin candidates in eleven bacterial species (>13,000 proteins) lacking TFP biosynthetic genes. Conclusions We have shown that Gram-positive bacteria contain a highly diverse set of type IV pili. PilFind can be an invaluable tool to study bacterial cellular processes known to involve type IV

Ultrafast, 2 min synthesis of monolayer-protected gold nanoclusters (d < 2 nm)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Matthew N.; Li, Dawei; Dass, Amala; Eah, Sang-Kee

2012-06-01

An ultrafast synthesis method is presented for hexanethiolate-coated gold nanoclusters (d < 2 nm, <250 atoms per nanocluster), which takes only 2 min and can be easily reproduced. With two immiscible solvents, gold nanoclusters are separated from the reaction byproducts fast and easily without any need for post-synthesis cleaning.An ultrafast synthesis method is presented for hexanethiolate-coated gold nanoclusters (d < 2 nm, <250 atoms per nanocluster), which takes only 2 min and can be easily reproduced. With two immiscible solvents, gold nanoclusters are separated from the reaction byproducts fast and easily without any need for post-synthesis cleaning. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental details of gold nanocluster synthesis and mass-spectrometry. See DOI: 10.1039/c2nr30890h

Rapid Calculation of Max-Min Fair Rates for Multi-Commodity Flows in Fat-Tree Networks

DOE PAGES

Mollah, Md Atiqul; Yuan, Xin; Pakin, Scott; ...

2017-08-29

Max-min fairness is often used in the performance modeling of interconnection networks. Existing methods to compute max-min fair rates for multi-commodity flows have high complexity and are computationally infeasible for large networks. In this paper, we show that by considering topological features, this problem can be solved efficiently for the fat-tree topology that is widely used in data centers and high performance compute clusters. Several efficient new algorithms are developed for this problem, including a parallel algorithm that can take advantage of multi-core and shared-memory architectures. Using these algorithms, we demonstrate that it is possible to find the max-min fairmore » rate allocation for multi-commodity flows in fat-tree networks that support tens of thousands of nodes. We evaluate the run-time performance of the proposed algorithms and show improvement in orders of magnitude over the previously best known method. Finally, we further demonstrate a new application of max-min fair rate allocation that is only computationally feasible using our new algorithms.« less

Rapid Calculation of Max-Min Fair Rates for Multi-Commodity Flows in Fat-Tree Networks

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

Mollah, Md Atiqul; Yuan, Xin; Pakin, Scott

Max-min fairness is often used in the performance modeling of interconnection networks. Existing methods to compute max-min fair rates for multi-commodity flows have high complexity and are computationally infeasible for large networks. In this paper, we show that by considering topological features, this problem can be solved efficiently for the fat-tree topology that is widely used in data centers and high performance compute clusters. Several efficient new algorithms are developed for this problem, including a parallel algorithm that can take advantage of multi-core and shared-memory architectures. Using these algorithms, we demonstrate that it is possible to find the max-min fairmore » rate allocation for multi-commodity flows in fat-tree networks that support tens of thousands of nodes. We evaluate the run-time performance of the proposed algorithms and show improvement in orders of magnitude over the previously best known method. Finally, we further demonstrate a new application of max-min fair rate allocation that is only computationally feasible using our new algorithms.« less

Apgar scores at 10 min and outcomes at 6–7 years following hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy

PubMed Central

Natarajan, Girija; Shankaran, Seetha; Laptook, Abbot R; Pappas, Athina; Bann, Carla M; McDonald, Scott A; Das, Abhik; Higgins, Rosemary D; Hintz, Susan R; Vohr, Betty R

2014-01-01

Aim To determine the association between 10 min Apgar scores and 6–7-year outcomes in children with perinatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) enrolled in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network (NICHD NRN) whole body cooling randomised controlled trial (RCT). Methods Evaluations at 6–7 years included the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence III or Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children IV and Gross Motor Functional Classification Scale. Primary outcome was death/moderate or severe disability. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between 10 min Apgar scores and outcomes after adjusting for birth weight, gestational age, gender, outborn status, hypothermia treatment and centre. Results In the study cohort (n=174), 64/85 (75%) of those with 10 min Apgar score of 0–3 had death/disability compared with 40/89 (45%) of those with scores >3. Each point increase in 10 min Apgar scores was associated with a significantly lower adjusted risk of death/disability, death, death/IQ <70, death/cerebral palsy (CP) and disability, IQ<70 and CP among survivors (all p<0.05). Among the 24 children with a 10 min Apgar score of 0, five (20.8%) survived without disability. The risk-adjusted probabilities of death/disability were significantly lower in cooled infants with Apgar scores of 0–3; there was no significant interaction between cooling and Apgar scores (p=0.26). Conclusions Among children with perinatal HIE enrolled in the NICHD cooling RCT, 10 min Apgar scores were significantly associated with school-age outcomes. A fifth of infants with 10 min Apgar score of 0 survived without disability to school age, suggesting the need for caution in limiting resuscitation to a specified duration. PMID:23896791

Teaching undergraduate biomechanics with Just-in-Time Teaching.

PubMed

Riskowski, Jody L

2015-06-01

Biomechanics education is a vital component of kinesiology, sports medicine, and physical education, as well as for many biomedical engineering and bioengineering undergraduate programmes. Little research exists regarding effective teaching strategies for biomechanics. However, prior work suggests that student learning in undergraduate physics courses has been aided by using the Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT). As physics understanding plays a role in biomechanics understanding, the purpose of study was to evaluate the use of a JiTT framework in an undergraduate biomechanics course. This two-year action-based research study evaluated three JiTT frameworks: (1) no JiTT; (2) mathematics-based JiTT; and (3) concept-based JiTT. A pre- and post-course assessment of student learning used the biomechanics concept inventory and a biomechanics concept map. A general linear model assessed differences between the course assessments by JiTT framework in order to evaluate learning and teaching effectiveness. The results indicated significantly higher learning gains and better conceptual understanding in a concept-based JiTT course, relative to a mathematics-based JiTT or no JiTT course structure. These results suggest that a course structure involving concept-based questions using a JiTT strategy may be an effective method for engaging undergraduate students and promoting learning in biomechanics courses.

Soybean cell enlargement oscillates with a temperature-compensated period length of ca. 24 min

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morre, D. J.; Pogue, R.; Morre, D. M.

2001-01-01

Rate of enlargement of epidermal cells from soybean, when measured at intervals of 1 min using a light microscope equipped with a video measurement system, oscillated with a period length of about 24 min. This oscillation parallels the 24-min periodicity observed for the oxidation of NADH by the external plasma membrane NADH oxidase. The increase in length was not only non-linear, but intervals of rapid increase in area alternated with intervals of rapid decrease in area. The length of the period was temperature compensated, and was approximately the same when measured at 14, 24 and 34 degrees C even though the rate of cell enlargement varied over this same range of temperatures. These observations represent the first demonstration of an oscillatory growth behavior correlated with a biochemical activity where the period length of both is independent of temperature (temperature compensated) as is the hallmark of clock-related biological phenomena.

Caffeine, but not bicarbonate, improves 6 min maximal performance in elite rowers.

PubMed

Christensen, Peter M; Petersen, Mads H; Friis, Signe N; Bangsbo, Jens

2014-09-01

This study examined the ergogenic effects in a 6 min maximal performance test (PT) on 12 elite rowers: 6 open-weight (mean ± SD; 25 ± 1 years, and 92 ± 3 kg) and 6 light-weight (25 ± 3 years, and 73 ± 6 kg), following supplementation with caffeine (CAF), sodium bicarbonate (SB), and the combination of both, in a double-blind randomized placebo (PLA) controlled design. PT was executed on 4 occasions, on separate days within a week, and in a non-fasted state, with standardized training being performed the day before PT. Protocols were as follows: (i) CAF, 3 mg/kg, 45 min prior to PT + calcium as SB-PLA; (ii) SB, 0.3 g/kg, 75 min prior to PT + dextrose as CAF-PLA; (iii) CAF + SB; and (iv) PLA; CAF-PLA + SB-PLA. The total distance in the CAF (1878 ± 97 m) and CAF + SB (1877 ± 97 m) was longer than in the PLA (1865 ± 104 m; P < 0.05) and SB (1860 ± 96 m; P < 0.01). The mean power in CAF (400 ± 58 W) and CAF + SB (400 ± 58 W) was higher than the PLA (393 ± 61 W; P < 0.05) and SB (389 ± 57 W; P < 0.01). In CAF and CAF + SB, power was higher (P < 0.05) relative to PLA in the last half (4-6 min) of PT. Trials with CAF were more effective in light-weight rowers (1.0% ± 0.8% improvement in distance; P < 0.05) than in open-weight rowers (0.3% ± 0.8%; P > 0.05). No difference between interventions was observed for readiness and stomach comfort before PT and perceived exertion during PT. This study demonstrates that caffeine ingestion does improve performance in elite rowing. In contrast sodium bicarbonate does not appear to be ergogenic, but it does not abolish the ergogenic effect of caffeine.

Effect of an Antimicrobial Compound on Different Processes within the Oscillation of Min Proteins in E. coli Bacterial Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giuliani, Maximiliano; Dutcher, John

2013-03-01

A key step in the life of a bacterium is its division into two daughter cells of equal size. This process is carefully controlled and regulated so that equal partitioning of the cellular machinery is obtained. In E. coli, this regulation is accomplished, in part, by the Min protein system. The Min proteins undergo an oscillation between the poles of rod-shaped E. coli bacteria. We use high magnification, time-resolved total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to characterize the temporal distributions of different processes within the oscillation: the MinD-MinE interaction time, the residence time for membrane bound MinD, and the recruitment time for MinD to be observed at the opposite pole. We also characterize the change in each of these processes in the presence of the antimicrobial compound polymyxin B (PMB). We show that the times corresponding to the removal of MinD from one pole and the recruitment of MinD at the opposite pole are correlated. We explain this correlation through the existence of a concentration threshold. The effect of PMB on the concentration threshold is used to identify which process within the oscillation is most affected.

Cadence (steps/min) and intensity during ambulation in 6-20 year olds: the CADENCE-kids study.

PubMed

Tudor-Locke, Catrine; Schuna, John M; Han, Ho; Aguiar, Elroy J; Larrivee, Sandra; Hsia, Daniel S; Ducharme, Scott W; Barreira, Tiago V; Johnson, William D

2018-02-26

Steps/day is widely utilized to estimate the total volume of ambulatory activity, but it does not directly reflect intensity, a central tenet of public health guidelines. Cadence (steps/min) represents an overlooked opportunity to describe the intensity of ambulatory activity. We sought to establish thresholds linking directly observed cadence with objectively measured intensity in 6-20 year olds. One hundred twenty participants completed multiple 5-min bouts on a treadmill, from 13.4 m/min (0.80 km/h) to 134.0 m/min (8.04 km/h). The protocol was terminated when participants naturally transitioned to running, or if they chose to not continue. Steps were visually counted and intensity was objectively measured using a portable metabolic system. Youth metabolic equivalents (METy) were calculated for 6-17 year olds, with moderate intensity defined as ≥4 and < 6 METy, and vigorous intensity as ≥6 METy. Traditional METs were calculated for 18-20 year olds, with moderate intensity defined as ≥3 and < 6 METs, and vigorous intensity defined as ≥6 METs. Optimal cadence thresholds for moderate and vigorous intensity were identified using segmented random coefficients models and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Participants were on average (± SD) aged 13.1 ± 4.3 years, weighed 55.8 ± 22.3 kg, and had a BMI z-score of 0.58 ± 1.21. Moderate intensity thresholds (from regression and ROC analyses) ranged from 128.4 steps/min among 6-8 year olds to 87.3 steps/min among 18-20 year olds. Comparable values for vigorous intensity ranged from 157.7 steps/min among 6-8 year olds to 119.3 steps/min among 18-20 year olds. Considering both regression and ROC approaches, heuristic cadence thresholds (i.e., evidence-based, practical, rounded) ranged from 125 to 90 steps/min for moderate intensity, and 155 to 125 steps/min for vigorous intensity, with higher cadences for younger age groups. Sensitivities and specificities for these

The sensorimotor and cognitive deficits in rats following 90- and 120-min transient occlusion of the middle cerebral artery.

PubMed

Zvejniece, Liga; Svalbe, Baiba; Liepinsh, Edgars; Pulks, Eduards; Dambrova, Maija

2012-07-15

Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) is the most commonly used method to study the neurological and histological outcomes and the pathological mechanisms of ischaemic stroke. The current work compares sensorimotor and cognitive deficits and the infarct volume in rats following a transient 90- or 120-min MCAO, which allows the appropriate behavioural tests to be chosen based on the goal and design of the experiment. In the beam-walking test, we found significant differences between the 90- and 120-min MCAO groups in the number of foot faults made with the impaired hindlimb on post-stroke days 3, 7 and 14. In the cylinder test, a difference between the 90- and 120-min groups was observed on post-operation day 14. The responses to tactile and proprioceptive stimulation were impaired to a similar extent after 90- and 120-min MCAO in the vibrissae-evoked forelimb-placing and limb-placing tests. Moreover, we found significant memory impairment in the 120-min MCAO group 6 days after the acquisition trial. The brain tissue damage was significantly higher after 120-min occlusion of the MCA compared with 90-min occlusion; the infarct volumes were 13% and 25% of the contralateral hemispheres, respectively. In conclusion, both the 90- and 120-min occlusion models result in a significant impairment of sensorimotor, tactile and proprioceptive function, but memory impairment is only observed in the 120-min MCAO group. The beam-walking and cylinder tests detected neurological dysfunction after the 120-min MCAO, whereas the limb-placing and vibrissae-evoked forelimb-placing tests were able to evaluate the neurological dysfunction in rats after 90- and 120-min MCAO. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of two kinds of underwear on thermophysiological responses and clothing microclimate during 30 min walking and 60 min recovery in the cold.

PubMed

Ha, M; Tokura, H; Tanaka, Y; Holmér, I

1996-01-01

Thermophysiological responses and clothing microclimate under the influences of different underwear materials were compared during walking and recovery in the cold. Two kinds of underwear were used: two layers of cotton underwear with two-piece long-sleeved shirt and long-legged trousers (C), two layers of polypropylene underwear with two-piece long-sleeved shirt and long-legged trousers (P). In addition, the subject put on a two-piece ski suit of 100% polyester including 100% polyester padding. Seven adult females served as subjects in this study. The test was done in a climatic chamber at an ambient air temperature of 2 degrees C, a relative humidity of 65% and an air velocity of 0.14 m.s-1. The subject walked on a motor-driven treadmill with a 6 km/h speed for 30 min followed by 60 min recovery. Rectal temperature, skin temperatures, clothing microclimate (temperature, humidity), metabolic heat production and heart rate were measured. Furthermore, subjective ratings on thermal sensation, sweating/shivering sensation, clothing wettedness sensation and skin wettedness sensation for whole body were asked. The major findings are summarized as follows: 1) Mean skin temperature was not significantly different during walking, but it was significantly higher in P than in C during the recovery. 2) The absolute humidity of innermost layer and outermost layer were not significantly different during walking, but it was significantly higher in P than in C during the recovery. 3) Clothing microclimate temperature of innermost was not significantly different during the first half of walking, but it was significantly higher in C than in P during the second half of walking and significantly lower in C than in P during the recovery. Clothing microclimate temperature of outermost was not significantly different during walking, but it was significantly higher in P than in C during the recovery. 4) Metabolic heat production for the last 10 min during recovery tended to be higher in

Optimizing Multiple QoS for Workflow Applications using PSO and Min-Max Strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umar Ambursa, Faruku; Latip, Rohaya; Abdullah, Azizol; Subramaniam, Shamala

2017-08-01

Workflow scheduling under multiple QoS constraints is a complicated optimization problem. Metaheuristic techniques are excellent approaches used in dealing with such problem. Many metaheuristic based algorithms have been proposed, that considers various economic and trustworthy QoS dimensions. However, most of these approaches lead to high violation of user-defined QoS requirements in tight situation. Recently, a new Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO)-based QoS-aware workflow scheduling strategy (LAPSO) is proposed to improve performance in such situations. LAPSO algorithm is designed based on synergy between a violation handling method and a hybrid of PSO and min-max heuristic. Simulation results showed a great potential of LAPSO algorithm to handling user requirements even in tight situations. In this paper, the performance of the algorithm is anlysed further. Specifically, the impact of the min-max strategy on the performance of the algorithm is revealed. This is achieved by removing the violation handling from the operation of the algorithm. The results show that LAPSO based on only the min-max method still outperforms the benchmark, even though the LAPSO with the violation handling performs more significantly better.

Solar-Aligned Pictographs at the Paleoindian Site of Painel do Pilão along the Lower Amazon River at Monte Alegre, Brazil.

PubMed

Davis, Christopher Sean

2016-01-01

The archaeological sites near Monte Alegre, along Brazil's lower Amazon River, provide new information on the little-known activities and symbolism of South American Paleoindians toward the end of the Ice Age. While paleoindian sites like Monte Verde in Chile, or Guitarrero Cave in Peru, are located near the pacific coast, Monte Alegre lies much further inland, 680 km upriver from the mouth of the Amazon River and the Atlantic Coast. With excavated wood charcoal radiocarbon dated as early as 13,200 calibrated years ago, the hill-as a source of sandstone and quartz lithics-supplied early pioneers with adequate tools needed for colonizing the interior of the continent. Once there, they painted rock art on the landscape, which bears a record of the sun's horizon positions throughout the year. At just 2° south of the equator, Monte Alegre shows no overt seasonal changes beyond fluctuating rainfall amounts, unlike at higher latitudes where temperature, amount of daylight, foliage, and forms of precipitation markedly change. Near the equator, solar and stellar horizon sightings most visibly track the passage of time and seasonal cycles. However, horizons are often hidden behind high forest canopy throughout much of the Amazon Rainforest; but in the Monte Alegre hill ridges looming above the river, paleoindians could hike above the canopy to peer at the horizon, more effectively synchronizing their activities to ecological cycles. This research suggests that Monte Alegre paleoindians delimited the azimuthal range of the sun in a solar year with notational pictographs aligned to horizon sightings at Painel do Pilão, and leaving a painted grid of tally marks that might have served as a rudimentary early calendar. The broad-reaching implication for early Americans is that through the strategic placement of rock art, these ancient artists fostered predictive archaeorecording from which resources could be optimally extracted, ceremonial activities could be consistently

Solar-Aligned Pictographs at the Paleoindian Site of Painel do Pilão along the Lower Amazon River at Monte Alegre, Brazil

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The archaeological sites near Monte Alegre, along Brazil's lower Amazon River, provide new information on the little-known activities and symbolism of South American Paleoindians toward the end of the Ice Age. While paleoindian sites like Monte Verde in Chile, or Guitarrero Cave in Peru, are located near the pacific coast, Monte Alegre lies much further inland, 680 km upriver from the mouth of the Amazon River and the Atlantic Coast. With excavated wood charcoal radiocarbon dated as early as 13,200 calibrated years ago, the hill—as a source of sandstone and quartz lithics—supplied early pioneers with adequate tools needed for colonizing the interior of the continent. Once there, they painted rock art on the landscape, which bears a record of the sun's horizon positions throughout the year. At just 2° south of the equator, Monte Alegre shows no overt seasonal changes beyond fluctuating rainfall amounts, unlike at higher latitudes where temperature, amount of daylight, foliage, and forms of precipitation markedly change. Near the equator, solar and stellar horizon sightings most visibly track the passage of time and seasonal cycles. However, horizons are often hidden behind high forest canopy throughout much of the Amazon Rainforest; but in the Monte Alegre hill ridges looming above the river, paleoindians could hike above the canopy to peer at the horizon, more effectively synchronizing their activities to ecological cycles. This research suggests that Monte Alegre paleoindians delimited the azimuthal range of the sun in a solar year with notational pictographs aligned to horizon sightings at Painel do Pilão, and leaving a painted grid of tally marks that might have served as a rudimentary early calendar. The broad-reaching implication for early Americans is that through the strategic placement of rock art, these ancient artists fostered predictive archaeorecording from which resources could be optimally extracted, ceremonial activities could be consistently

Simplifying [18F]GE-179 PET: are both arterial blood sampling and 90-min acquisitions essential?

PubMed

McGinnity, Colm J; Riaño Barros, Daniela A; Trigg, William; Brooks, David J; Hinz, Rainer; Duncan, John S; Koepp, Matthias J; Hammers, Alexander

2018-06-11

The NMDA receptor radiotracer [ 18 F]GE-179 has been used with 90-min scans and arterial plasma input functions. We explored whether (1) arterial blood sampling is avoidable and (2) shorter scans are feasible. For 20 existing [ 18 F]GE-179 datasets, we generated (1) standardised uptake values (SUVs) over eight intervals; (2) volume of distribution (V T ) images using population-based input functions (PBIFs), scaled using one parent plasma sample; and (3) V T images using three shortened datasets, using the original parent plasma input functions (ppIFs). Correlations with the original ppIF-derived 90-min V T s increased for later interval SUVs (maximal ρ = 0.78; 80-90 min). They were strong for PBIF-derived V T s (ρ = 0.90), but between-subject coefficient of variation increased. Correlations were very strong for the 60/70/80-min original ppIF-derived V T s (ρ = 0.97-1.00), which suffered regionally variant negative bias. Where arterial blood sampling is available, reduction of scan duration to 60 min is feasible, but with negative bias. The performance of SUVs was more consistent across participants than PBIF-derived V T s.

[The affinity between Le family of Tong Ren Tang and acu-moxibustion as viewed from Mian xue tang zhen jiu ji cheng (Mian Xuetang's Synthetic Work of Acu-moxibustion)].

PubMed

Huang, L X

2017-11-28

This compilation process of Mian xue tang zhen jiu ji cheng ( Mian Xuetang ' s Synthetic Work of Acu - moxibustion )was quite mysterious, the book's advent coincidentally met with several major historical events which made its value of decoding its historical functions far beyond its academic value. The editor of this book is Le Xianyang, the founder of Tong Ren Tang. While compiling this book, he also made a replica of Ming-Dynasty's Zhengtong bronze statue. More than 200 years later, Le Jingyu, the 12th generation of the Le family revised Ming Tang Tu inherited from his ancestors and engraved Ming Tang Tu on the stone for its standardization. This great achievement of Le family was no less than the recasting of the Tiansheng bronze statue and the reengraving Tong ren shu xue zhen jiu tu jing ( Illustrated Manual of Acupuncture Points of the Bronze Figure ) by support of state power for building the Beijing Imperial Hospital in the eighth year of the Zhengtong reign (1443).

Dietary fat overcomes the protective activity of thrombospondin-1 signaling in the Apc(Min/+) model of colon cancer.

PubMed

Soto-Pantoja, D R; Sipes, J M; Martin-Manso, G; Westwood, B; Morris, N L; Ghosh, A; Emenaker, N J; Roberts, D D

2016-05-30

Thrombospondin 1 is a glycoprotein that regulates cellular phenotype through interactions with its cellular receptors and extracellular matrix-binding partners. Thrombospondin 1 locally regulates angiogenesis and inflammatory responses that contribute to colorectal carcinogenesis in Apc(Min/+) mice. The ability of thrombospondin 1 to regulate responses of cells and tissues to a variety of stresses suggested that loss of thrombospondin 1 may also have broader systemic effects on metabolism to modulate carcinogenesis. Apc(Min/+):Thbs1(-/-) mice exhibited decreased survival and higher tumor multiplicities in the small and large intestine relative to Apc(Min/+) mice when fed a low (5%) fat western diet. However, the protective effect of endogenous thrombospondin 1 was lost when the mice were fed a western diet containing 21% fat. Biochemical profiles of liver tissue identified systemic metabolic changes accompanying the effects of thrombospondin 1 and dietary lipid intake on tumorigenesis. A high-fat western diet differentially regulated elements of amino acid, energy and lipid metabolism in Apc(Min/+):Thbs1(-/-) mice relative to Apc(Min/+):Thbs1(+/+)mice. Metabolic changes in ketone body and tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates indicate functional interactions between Apc and thrombospondin 1 signaling that control mitochondrial function. The cumulative diet-dependent differential changes observed in Apc(Min/+):Thbs1(-/-) versus Apc(Min/+) mice include altered amino acid and lipid metabolism, mitochondrial dysfunction, eicosanoids and ketone body formation. This metabolic profile suggests that the protective role of thrombospondin 1 to decrease adenoma formation in Apc(Min/+) mice results in part from improved mitochondrial function.

[Drug information for patients (Package Leaflets), and user testing in EU].

PubMed

Yamamoto, Michiko; Doi, Hirohisa; Furukawa, Aya

2015-01-01

Patients and consumers have desired high quality drug information in their pharmacotherapy, and are entitled to receive it. It is desirable that the information should be aimed at shared decision-making between patients and healthcare professionals about medications. The quality of drug information available to patients should also be assured. With an aim to improve the quality of "Drug Guide for Patients", we investigated Patient Information Leaflets (PILs) which are approved by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the United Kingdom (UK) with regard to the criteria of development and user testing for assuring the quality of the PILs. In the European Union (EU), these are called Package Leaflets (PLs). PILs have been a legal requirement in the UK since 1999 for all medications. The user testing of PILs has been implemented as evidence since 2005 so that people can rely on the information provided in the leaflet. Execution of PILs which follow the guidance of the user testing, according to the guidance of this user testing, would reflect the views of patients. Here, we introduce the development process and implementation of user testing of PILs. In terms of readability, accessibility and understandability of drug information for patients, we need to discuss involving the public in decisions on how its quality should be assured and how it can be made easily be comprehensible for patients, in order to make effective use of "Drug Guide for Patients" in the future in Japan.

Crosslinked polymeric ionic liquids as solid-phase microextraction sorbent coatings for high performance liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Yu, Honglian; Merib, Josias; Anderson, Jared L

2016-03-18

Neat crosslinked polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) sorbent coatings for solid-phase microextraction (SPME) compatible with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) are reported for the first time. Six structurally different PILs were crosslinked to nitinol supports and applied for the determination of select pharmaceutical drugs, phenolics, and insecticides. Sampling conditions including sample solution pH, extraction time, desorption solvent, desorption time, and desorption solvent volume were optimized using design of experiment (DOE). The developed PIL sorbent coatings were stable when performing extractions under acidic pH and remained intact in various organic desorption solvents (i.e., methanol, acetonitrile, acetone). The PIL-based sorbent coating polymerized from the IL monomer 1-vinyl-3-(10-hydroxydecyl) imidazolium chloride [VC10OHIM][Cl] and IL crosslinker 1,12-di(3-vinylbenzylimidazolium) dodecane dichloride [(VBIM)2C12] 2[Cl] exhibited superior extraction performance compared to the other studied PILs. The extraction efficiency of pharmaceutical drugs and phenolics increased when the film thickness of the PIL-based sorbent coating was increased while many insecticides were largely unaffected. Satisfactory analytical performance was obtained with limits of detection (LODs) ranging from 0.2 to 2 μg L(-1) for the target analytes. The accuracy of the analytical method was examined by studying the relative recovery of analytes in real water samples, including tap water and lake water, with recoveries varying from 50.2% to 115.9% and from 48.8% to 116.6%, respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changing the 30-min Rule in Canada: The Effect of Room Temperature on Bacterial Growth in Red Blood Cells.

PubMed

Ramirez-Arcos, Sandra; Kou, Yuntong; Ducas, Éric; Thibault, Louis

2016-11-01

To maintain product quality and safety, the '30-min rule' requires the discard of red blood cells (RBCs) that are exposed to uncontrolled temperatures for more than 30 min. Recent studies suggest this rule may safely be extended to a 60-min rule. A pool-and-split design study (N = 4) was run in parallel at Canadian Blood Services (SAGM RBCs) and Héma-Québec (AS-3 RBCs). RBCs were spiked with ∼1 colony-forming unit/ml of mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria. Control units remained in storage at 1-6 °C for 42 days. Test 30 (T30) and T60 units were exposed to room temperature (RT) six times during storage, each time for 30 and 60 min, respectively. Bacterial proliferation was monitored. Mesophilic bacteria do not proliferate in RBCs. The growth of psychrophilic bacteria is not significantly different in RBCs exposed for 30 or 60 min to RT (p < 0.05). The study findings were the final evidence to support extension from a 30-min rule to a 60-min rule in Canada.

Structure-Antibacterial Activity Relationships of Imidazolium-Type Ionic Liquid Monomers, Poly(ionic liquids) and Poly(ionic liquid) Membranes: Effect of Alkyl Chain Length and Cations.

PubMed

Zheng, Zhiqiang; Xu, Qiming; Guo, Jiangna; Qin, Jing; Mao, Hailei; Wang, Bin; Yan, Feng

2016-05-25

The structure-antibacterial activity relationship between the small molecular compounds and polymers are still elusive. Here, imidazolium-type ionic liquid (IL) monomers and their corresponding poly(ionic liquids) (PILs) and poly(ionic liquid) membranes were synthesized. The effect of chemical structure, including carbon chain length of substitution at the N3 position and charge density of cations (mono- or bis-imidazolium) on the antimicrobial activities against both Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was investigated by determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The antibacterial activities of both ILs and PILs were improved with the increase of the alkyl chain length and higher charge density (bis-cations) of imidazolium cations. Moreover, PILs exhibited lower MIC values relative to the IL monomers. However, the antibacterial activities of PIL membranes showed no correlation to those of their analogous small molecule IL monomers and PILs, which increased with the charge density (bis-cations) while decreasing with the increase of alkyl chain length. The results indicated that antibacterial property studies on small molecules and homopolymers may not provide a solid basis for evaluating that in corresponding polymer membranes.

Pain pathways involved in fear conditioning measured with fear-potentiated startle: lesion studies.

PubMed

Shi, C; Davis, M

1999-01-01

It is well established that the basolateral amygdala is critically involved in the association between an unconditioned stimulus (US), such as a foot shock, and a conditioned stimulus (CS), such as a light, during classic fear conditioning. However, little is known about how the US (pain) inputs are relayed to the basolateral amygdala. The present studies were designed to define potential US pathways to the amygdala using lesion methods. Electrolytic lesions before or after training were placed in caudal granular/dysgranular insular cortex (IC) alone or in conjunction with the posterior intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus (PoT/PIL), and the effects on fear conditioning were examined. Pretraining lesions of both IC and PoT/PIL, but not lesions of IC alone, blocked the acquisition of fear-potentiated startle. However, post-training combined lesions of IC and PoT/PIL did not prevent expression of conditioned fear. Given that previous studies have shown that lesions of PoT/PIL alone had no effect on acquisition of conditioned fear, these results suggest that two parallel cortical (insula-amygdala) and subcortical (PoT/PIL-amygdala) pathways are involved in relaying shock information to the basolateral amygdala during fear conditioning.

Improving patient information leaflets: developing and applying an evaluative model of patient-centredness for text.

PubMed

Fage-Butler, Antoinette

2013-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present an evaluative model of patient-centredness for text and to illustrate how this can be applied to patient information leaflets (PILs) that accompany medication in the European Union. Patients have criticized PILs for sidelining their experiences, knowledge and affective needs, and denying their individuality. The health communication paradigm of patient-centredness provides valuable purchase on these issues, taking its starting point in the dignity and integrity of the patient as a person. Employing this evaluative model involves two stages. First, a Foucauldian Discourse Analysis is performed of sender and receiver and of the main discourses in PILs. These aspects are then evaluated using the perspectives of patient-centredness theory relating to the medical practitioner, patient and content. The evaluative model is illustrated via a PIL for medication for depression and panic attacks. Evaluation reveals a preponderance of biomedical statements, with a cluster of patient-centred statements primarily relating to the construction of the patient. The paper contributes a new method and evaluative approach to PIL and qualitative health research, as well as outlining a method that facilitates the investigation of interdiscursivity, a recent focus of critical genre analysis.

Determination of acrylamide in brewed coffee and coffee powder using polymeric ionic liquid-based sorbent coatings in solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Cagliero, Cecilia; Ho, Tien D; Zhang, Cheng; Bicchi, Carlo; Anderson, Jared L

2016-06-03

This study describes a simple and rapid sampling method employing a polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) sorbent coating in direct immersion solid-phase microextraction (SPME) for the trace-level analysis of acrylamide in brewed coffee and coffee powder. The crosslinked PIL sorbent coating demonstrated superior sensitivity in the extraction of acrylamide compared to all commercially available SPME coatings. A spin coating method was developed to evenly distribute the PIL coating on the SPME support and reproducibly produce fibers with a large film thickness. Ninhydrin was employed as a quenching reagent during extraction to inhibit the production of interfering acrylamide. The PIL fiber produced a limit of quantitation for acrylamide of 10μgL(-1) and achieved comparable results to the ISO method in the analysis of six coffee powder samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pili of oral Streptococcus sanguinis bind to fibronectin and contribute to cell adhesion.

PubMed

Okahashi, Nobuo; Nakata, Masanobu; Sakurai, Atsuo; Terao, Yutaka; Hoshino, Tomonori; Yamaguchi, Masaya; Isoda, Ryutaro; Sumitomo, Tomoko; Nakano, Kazuhiko; Kawabata, Shigetada; Ooshima, Takashi

2010-01-08

Streptococcus sanguinis is a predominant bacterium in the human oral cavity and occasionally causes infective endocarditis. We identified a unique cell surface polymeric structure named pili in this species and investigated its functions in regard to its potential virulence. Pili of S. sanguinis strain SK36 were shown to be composed of three distinctive pilus proteins (PilA, PilB, and PilC), and a pili-deficient mutant demonstrated reduced bacterial adherence to HeLa and human oral epithelial cells. PilC showed a binding ability to fibronectin, suggesting that pili are involved in colonization by this species. In addition, ATCC10556, a standard S. sanguinis strain, was unable to produce pili due to defective pilus genes, which indicates a diversity of pilus expression among various S. sanguinis strains. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Max-plus and min-plus projection autoassociative morphological memories and their compositions for pattern classification.

PubMed

Dos Santos, Alex Santana; Valle, Marcos Eduardo

2018-04-01

Autoassociative morphological memories (AMMs) are robust and computationally efficient memory models with unlimited storage capacity. In this paper, we present the max-plus and min-plus projection autoassociative morphological memories (PAMMs) as well as their compositions. Briefly, the max-plus PAMM yields the largest max-plus combination of the stored vectors which is less than or equal to the input. Dually, the vector recalled by the min-plus PAMM corresponds to the smallest min-plus combination which is larger than or equal to the input. Apart from unlimited absolute storage capacity and one step retrieval, PAMMs and their compositions exhibit an excellent noise tolerance. Furthermore, the new memories yielded quite promising results in classification problems with a large number of features and classes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification of Mom12 and Mom13, two novel modifier loci of Apc (Min) -mediated intestinal tumorigenesis.

PubMed

Crist, Richard C; Roth, Jacquelyn J; Lisanti, Michael P; Siracusa, Linda D; Buchberg, Arthur M

2011-04-01

Colorectal cancer is a heterogeneous disease resulting from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The C57BL/6J (B6) Apc (Min/+) mouse develops polyps throughout the gastrointestinal tract and has been a valuable model for understanding the genetic basis of intestinal tumorigenesis. Apc (Min/+) mice have been used to study known oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes on a controlled genetic background. These studies often utilize congenic knockout alleles, which can carry an unknown amount of residual donor DNA. The Apc (Min) model has also been used to identify modifer loci, known as Modifier of Min (Mom) loci, which alter Apc (Min) -mediated intestinal tumorigenesis. B6 mice carrying a knockout allele generated in WW6 embryonic stem cells were crossed to B6 Apc (Min/+) mice to determine the effect on polyp multiplicity. The newly generated colony developed significantly more intestinal polyps than Apc (Min/+) controls. Polyp multiplicity did not correlate with inheritance of the knockout allele, suggesting the presence of one or more modifier loci segregating in the colony. Genotyping of simple sequence length polymorphism (SSLP) markers revealed residual 129X1/SvJ genomic DNA within the congenic region of the parental knockout line. An analysis of polyp multiplicity data and SSLP genotyping indicated the presence of two Mom loci in the colony: 1) Mom12, a dominant modifier linked to the congenic region on chromosome 6, and 2) Mom13, which is unlinked to the congenic region and whose effect is masked by Mom12. The identification of Mom12 and Mom13 demonstrates the potential problems resulting from residual heterozygosity present in congenic lines.

B-1 Systems Approach to Training. Control and Display Catalog and Action Verb Thesaurus

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-07-01

LATITUDE SET SWITCH LAI SET MOVING SCALL KNCb WING-SWEEP SURFACE POS INO RUDDER POSITION INDICATOR STAbiLlZER FOSllION...CUPILOT FClÜ40 2Cb SEN«>ITW£ ALT LCALl INDtX-PIL FLIL^UIK M^ITIVE ALT i>CALb MKK-PIL FC104L1C9 ,-’ StNSITIVl: ALT SCALL 1NÜLX LiNb...ALTUüDE i>uALL-PlL VU It AL.T1TÜÜE SCALL >tKNIb« ALT ^LALt IMUEX-PIL VLRNUK ALTITUDt SLALL-LJP VLI-NUr’ ALT SCALE

[Contribution of Professor SHI Xue-min's academic thoughts to treatment of stroke].

PubMed

Liu, Jian; Fan, Xiao-Nong; Wang, Shu

2014-01-01

Based on the thought of Zhishen (a kind of mind regulation), Professor SHI Xue-min, academician of the China Academy of Engineering, found the Xingnao Kaiqiao (to refresh the mind and to cause resuscitation) acupuncture method, which still plays an important role in the acupuncture treatment of wind stroke nowadays. Meanwhile, great importance is attached to the comprehensive treatment of wind stroke. Danqi Piantan capsule (see text) is developed and "wind stroke unit" is set up. In recent years, Professor SHI shifts the center of research to the treatment of hypertension, the risk factor of wind stroke. Taking Renying (ST 9) as the major acupoint, acupuncture with standard measurement and manipulations is established. And good clinical effect has been obtained as well. Therefore, this article focuses on the introduction of Professor SHI Xue-min's contribution to wind stroke treatment.

Deterministic separation of cancer cells from blood at 10 mL/min

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loutherback, Kevin; D'Silva, Joseph; Liu, Liyu; Wu, Amy; Austin, Robert H.; Sturm, James C.

2012-12-01

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating clusters of cancer and stromal cells have been identified in the blood of patients with malignant cancer and can be used as a diagnostic for disease severity, assess the efficacy of different treatment strategies and possibly determine the eventual location of metastatic invasions for possible treatment. There is thus a critical need to isolate, propagate and characterize viable CTCs and clusters of cancer cells with their associated stroma cells. Here, we present a microfluidic device for mL/min flow rate, continuous-flow capture of viable CTCs from blood using deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) arrays. We show here that a DLD array device can isolate CTCs from blood with capture efficiency greater than 85% CTCs at volumetric flow rates of up to 10 mL/min with no effect on cell viability.

Minásbate Equivalents of Mathematical Concepts: Their Socio-Cultural Undertones

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balbuena, Sherwin E.; Cantoria, Uranus E.; Cantoria, Amancio L., Jr.; Ferriol, Eny B.

2015-01-01

This paper presents the collection and analysis of Minásbate equivalents of some concepts used in the study of arithmetic, counting, and geometry as provided by the elderly residents of the province of Masbate. The glossary of mathematical terms derived from interviews would serve as an authoritative reference for mother tongue teachers in the…

Inhibitory effects of low-dose aloe-emodin on the development of colorectal tumors in min mice.

PubMed

Shimpo, Kan; Chihara, Takeshi; Kaneko, Takaaki; Beppu, Hidehiko; Wakamatsu, Kazumasa; Shinzato, Masanori; Yukitake, Jun; Sonoda, Shigeru

2014-01-01

Aloe-emodin (AE), a natural anthraquinone compound, has been reported to exhibit anticancer activity in various cancer cell lines and anti-inflammatory effects in murine macrophages. In the present study, we investigated the cancer chemopreventive effects of AE in an Apc-deficient Min mouse model. In the first experiment, male Min mice were fed a basal diet or diets containing 5 ppm AE and 10 ppm AE for 12 weeks. The dietary administration of 5 ppm AE significantly reduced the number of colorectal tumors. In a second experiment, we investigated the effects of AE on colitis-related colon carcinogenesis in Min mouse treated with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). Female Min mice were administered 1% DSS in their drinking water for 7 days. AE was given to mice in their diet at a dose of 5 or 50 ppm for 5 weeks. Feeding with AE significantly reduced the number of colorectal tumors. When proliferation of cells in normal-appearing colonic mucosa was assessed by monoclonal anti-rat Ki-67 antibody (MIB-5) immunohistochemistry in experiments 1 and 2, the AE treatment significantly decreased the mean MIB-5-labeling index. These results suggest that the dietary administration of low-dose AE may have chemopreventive effects against development of colorectal tumors in Min mice, possibly in part by reducing cell proliferation in colorectal mucosa.

Effect of progressive drought stress on growth, leaf gas exchange, and antioxidant production in two maize cultivars.

PubMed

Anjum, Shakeel Ahmad; Tanveer, Mohsin; Ashraf, Umair; Hussain, Saddam; Shahzad, Babar; Khan, Imran; Wang, Longchang

2016-09-01

Drought stress is one of the major environmental factors responsible for reduction in crop productivity. In the present study, responses of two maize cultivars (Rung Nong 35 and Dong Dan 80) were examined to explicate the growth, yield, leaf gas exchange, leaf water contents, osmolyte accumulation, membrane lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant activity under progressive drought stress. Maize cultivars were subjected to varying field capacities (FC) viz., well-watered (80 % FC) and drought-stressed (35 % FC) at 45 days after sowing. The effects of drought stress were analyzed at 5, 10, 15, 20, ad 25 days after drought stress (DAS) imposition. Under prolonged drought stress, Rung Nong 35 exhibited higher reduction in growth and yield as compared to Dong Dan 80. Maize cultivar Dong Dan 80 showed higher leaf relative water content (RWC), free proline, and total carbohydrate accumulation than Run Nong 35. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide anion were increased with prolongation of drought stress, with higher rates in cultivar Run Nong 35 than cultivar Dong Dan 80. Higher production of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) and glutathione reductase (GR) resulted in improved growth and yield in Dong Dan 80. Overall, the cultivar Dong Dan 80 was better able to resist the detrimental effects of progressive drought stress as indicated by better growth and yield due to higher antioxidant enzymes, reduced lipid peroxidation, better accumulation of osmolytes, and maintenance of tissue water contents.

Naringin, a natural dietary compound, prevents intestinal tumorigenesis in Apc (Min/+) mouse model.

PubMed

Zhang, Yu-Sheng; Li, Ye; Wang, Yan; Sun, Shi-Yue; Jiang, Tao; Li, Cong; Cui, Shu-Xiang; Qu, Xian-Jun

2016-05-01

Naringin is a natural dietary flavonoid compound. We aimed to evaluate the effects of naringin on intestinal tumorigenesis in the adenomatous polyposis coli multiple intestinal neoplasia (Apc (Min/+)) mouse model. Apc (Min/+) mice were given either naringin (150 mg/kg) or vehicle by p.o. gavage daily for 12 consecutive weeks. Mice were killed with ether, and blood samples were collected to assess the concentrations of IL-6 and PGE2. Total intestines were removed, and the number of polyps was examined. Tissue samples of intestinal polyps were subjected to the assays of histopathology, immunohistochemical analysis and Western blotting analysis. Apc (Min/+) mice fed with naringin developed less and smaller polyps in total intestines. Naringin prevented intestinal tumorigenesis without adverse effects. Histopathologic analysis revealed the reduction of dysplastic cells and dysplasia in the adenomatous polyps. The treatments' effects might arise from its anti-proliferation, induction of apoptosis and modulation of GSK-3β and APC/β-catenin signaling pathways. Naringin also exerted its effects on tumorigenesis through anti-chronic inflammation. Naringin prevented intestinal tumorigenesis likely through a collection of activities including anti-proliferation, induction of apoptosis, modulation of GSK-3β and APC/β-catenin pathways and anti-inflammation. Naringin is a potential chemopreventive agent for reducing the risk of colonic cancers.

A novel approach to assess the spontaneous gastrointestinal bleeding risk of antithrombotic agents using Apc(min/+) mice.

PubMed

Wei, Huijun; Shang, Jin; Keohane, CarolAnn; Wang, Min; Li, Qiu; Ni, Weihua; O'Neill, Kim; Chintala, Madhu

2014-06-01

Assessment of the bleeding risk of antithrombotic agents is usually performed in healthy animals with some form of vascular injury to peripheral organs to induce bleeding. However, bleeding observed in patients with currently marketed antithrombotic drugs is typically spontaneous in nature such as intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) and gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, which happens most frequently on top of preexisting pathologies such as GI ulcerations and polyps. Apc(min/+) mice are reported to develop multiple adenomas through the entire intestinal tract and display progressive anaemia.In this study, we evaluated the potential utility of Apc(min/+) mice as a model for assessing spontaneous GI bleeding with antithrombotic agents. Apc(min/+) mice exhibited progressive blood loss starting at the age of nine weeks. Despite the increase in bleeding, Apc(min/+) mice were in a hypercoagulable state and displayed an age-dependent increase in thrombin generation and circulating fibrinogen as well as a significant decrease in clotting times. We evaluated the effect of warfarin, dabigatran etexilate, apixaban and clopidogrel in this model by administering them in diet or in the drinking water to mice for 1-4 weeks. All of these marketed drugs significantly increased GI bleeding in Apc(min/+) mice, but not in wild-type mice. Although different exposure profiles of these antithrombotic agents make it challenging to compare the bleeding risk of compounds, our results indicate that the Apc(min/+) mouse may be a sensitive preclinical model for assessing the spontaneous GI bleeding risk of novel antithrombotic agents.

Fast-ion transport in q{sub min}>2, high-β steady-state scenarios on DIII-D

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

Holcomb, C. T.; Heidbrink, W. W.; Collins, C.

2015-05-15

Results from experiments on DIII-D [J. L. Luxon, Fusion Sci. Technol. 48, 828 (2005)] aimed at developing high β steady-state operating scenarios with high-q{sub min} confirm that fast-ion transport is a critical issue for advanced tokamak development using neutral beam injection current drive. In DIII-D, greater than 11 MW of neutral beam heating power is applied with the intent of maximizing β{sub N} and the noninductive current drive. However, in scenarios with q{sub min}>2 that target the typical range of q{sub 95}= 5–7 used in next-step steady-state reactor models, Alfvén eigenmodes cause greater fast-ion transport than classical models predict. Thismore » enhanced transport reduces the absorbed neutral beam heating power and current drive and limits the achievable β{sub N}. In contrast, similar plasmas except with q{sub min} just above 1 have approximately classical fast-ion transport. Experiments that take q{sub min}>3 plasmas to higher β{sub P} with q{sub 95}= 11–12 for testing long pulse operation exhibit regimes of better than expected thermal confinement. Compared to the standard high-q{sub min} scenario, the high β{sub P} cases have shorter slowing-down time and lower ∇β{sub fast}, and this reduces the drive for Alfvénic modes, yielding nearly classical fast-ion transport, high values of normalized confinement, β{sub N}, and noninductive current fraction. These results suggest DIII-D might obtain better performance in lower-q{sub 95}, high-q{sub min} plasmas using broader neutral beam heating profiles and increased direct electron heating power to lower the drive for Alfvén eigenmodes.« less

Case report of primary intestinal lymphangiectasia diagnosed in an octogenarian by ileal intubation and by push enteroscopy after missed diagnosis by standard colonoscopy and EGD.

PubMed

Cappell, Mitchell S; Edhi, Ahmed; Amin, Mitual

2018-01-01

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) is a rare, presumably congenital lesion that is usually diagnosed in patients < 3 years old, is rarely first diagnosed in adulthood, and when first diagnosed in adulthood typically presents with symptoms for many years. Although PIL is often identified by endoscopic abnormalities, it must be emphasized that the jejunoileum/distal duodenum must be intubated for diagnosis because the lesions are present in these regions. This work demonstrates that 1)-PIL can occur in an octogenarian; 2)-shows that the characteristic endoscopic findings are not found at colonoscopy without terminal ileal intubation; and 3)-may be missed at standard EGD without distal duodenal intubation. A patient initially presented at age 83 with symptoms of watery diarrhea, abdominal distention, 5-Kg-weight-gain, and weakness for one month, and had typical clinical findings of PIL including chylous ascites, pleural effusions, bilateral pitting leg edema, hypoalbuminemia, borderline lymphopenia, hypovitaminosis-D, and hypocalcemia. Protein-losing-enteropathy was demonstrated by positive stool tests for alpha-1-antitrypsin. Standard colonoscopy revealed no significant lesions, but terminal ileal intubation during colonoscopy demonstrated creamy-white, punctate, mucosal lesions in terminal ileum, characteristic of lymphangiectasia. EGD with intubation to mid-descending duodenum revealed no significant lesions, but subsequent enteroscopy demonstrated lesions in distal duodenum/proximal jejunum similar to those in terminal ileum characteristic of lymphangiectasia. Histopathologic analysis of lesions of terminal ileum/distal duodenum demonstrated dilated mucosal vessels, confirmed as lymphatic vessels by immunohistochemistry. PIL was diagnosed after excluding secondary causes of intestinal lymphangiectasia. Patient placed on standard PIL diet: oral supplements of medium-chain triglycerides, a high protein diet, supplements of fat-soluble vitamins, and avoiding

Anesthetic efficacy of a repeated intraosseous injection given 30 min following an inferior alveolar nerve block/intraosseous injection.

PubMed

Reitz, J; Reader, A; Nist, R; Beck, M; Meyers, W J

1998-01-01

To determine whether a repeated intraosseous (IO) injection would increase or prolong pulpal anesthesia, we measured the degree of anesthesia obtained by a repeated IO injection given 30 min following a combination inferior alveolar nerve block/intraosseous injection (IAN/IO) in mandibular second premolars and in first and second molars. Using a repeated-measures design, we randomly assigned 38 subjects to receive two combinations of injections at two separate appointments. The combinations were an IAN/IO injection followed approximately 30 min later by another IO injection of 0.9 ml of 2% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine and a combination IAN/IO injection followed approximately 30 min later by a mock IO injection. The second premolar, first molar, and second molar were blindly tested with an Analytic Technology pulp tester at 2-min cycles for 120 min postinjection. Anesthesia was considered successful when two consecutive readings of 80 were obtained. One hundred percent of the subjects had lip numbness with IAN/IO and with IAN/IO plus repeated IO techniques. Rates of anesthetic success for the IAN/IO and for the IAN/IO plus repeated IO injection, respectively, were 100% and 97% for the second premolar, 95% and 95% for the first molar, and 87% and 87% for the second molar. The repeated IO injection increased pulpal anesthesia for approximately 14 min in the second premolar and for 6 min in the first molar, but no statistically significant differences (P > 0.05) were shown. In conclusion, the repeated IO injection of 0.9 ml of 2% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine given 30 min following a combination IAN/IO injection did not significantly increase pulpal anesthesia in mandibular second premolars or in first and second molars.

Just-in-Time Teaching in undergraduate physics courses: Implementation, learning, and perceptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dwyer, Jessica Hewitt

Regardless of discipline, a decades-long battle has ensued within nearly every classroom in higher education: instructors getting students to come to class prepared to learn. In response to this clash between teacher expectations and frequent student neglect, a group of four physics education researchers developed a reformed instructional strategy called Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT). This dissertation investigates the following three areas: 1) the fidelity with which undergraduate physics instructors implement JiTT, 2) whether student performance predicts student perception of their instructor's fidelity of JiTT implementation, and 3) whether student perception of their instructor's fidelity of JiTT implementation correlates with student views of their physics course. A blend of quantitative data (e.g., students grades, inventory scores, and questionnaire responses) are integrated with qualitative data (e.g., individual faculty interviews, student focus group discussions, and classroom observations). This study revealed no statistically significant relationship between instructors who spent time on a predefined JiTT critical component and their designation as a JiTT user or non-user. While JiTT users implemented the pedagogy in accordance with the creators' intended ideal vision, many also had trouble reconciling personal concerns about their role as a JiTT adopter and the anticipated demand of the innovation. I recommend that this population of faculty members can serve as a JiTT model for other courses, disciplines, and/or institutions. Student performance was not a predictor of student perception instructor fidelity of JiTT implementation. Additionally, the majority of students in this study reported they read their textbook prior to class and that JiTT assignments helped them prepare for in-class learning. I found evidence that exposure to the JiTT strategy may correlate with a more favorable student view of their physics course. Finally, according to students

Reducing anxiety in stutterers through the association between "purpose in life/Ikigai" and emotions.

PubMed

Ishida, Riichiro

2012-08-09

The human prefrontal lobe is more evolved than those of other mammals. As such, every person has an innate need to establish a meaningful life, often referred to as "Purpose in life (PIL)/ikigai", using the functioning of their prefrontal lobes. PIL/ikigai psychologically, and the prefrontal lobe physiologically, have common functions such as ambition, regulating emotion, and integrating psychological events. PIL/ikigai contributes to a decrease in anxiety influenced by a need for approval from others and stimulates pleasure and comfort, which may be related to the well-balanced secretion of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and ?-endorphin. Thus, a stutterer feels stress, i.e., anxiety, caused by perceived failure when engaging in conversations with others, which may be related to an imbalanced secretion of serotonin and dopamine. Therefore, previous work has suggested that PIL/ikigai may decrease anxiety in stutterers by decreasing the symptoms associated with stuttering.

Country Reports on Terrorism 2005

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-04-01

regional terrorist network Jemaah Islamiya (JI), which has ties to al-Qaida. In March, Indonesian courts sentenced JI Emir Abu Bakar Ba’asyir to 30...signaling a firmer law enforcement approach by judges. In March, Indonesian courts sentenced JI Emir Abu Bakar Ba’asyir to 30 months in prison...Top, a senior JI operative involved in several major attacks, remains at large. At year end, JI emir Abu Bakar Bashir was serving a 30-month

Quantitative study of the f occupation in CeMIn 5 and other cerium compounds with hard X-rays

DOE PAGES

Sundermann, M.; Strigari, F.; Willers, T.; ...

2016-02-28

We present bulk-sensitive hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) data of the Ce3d core levels and lifetime-reduced L-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) in the partial fluorescence yield (PFY) mode of the CeMIn 5 family with M = Co, Rh, and Ir. The HAXPES data are analyzed quantitatively with a combination of full multiplet and configuration interaction model which allows correcting for the strong plasmons in the CeMIn 5 HAXPES data, and reliable weights w n of the different f n contributions in the ground state are determined. The CeMIn 5 results are compared to HAXPES data of other heavy fermion compoundsmore » and a systematic decrease of the hybridization strength V eff from CePd 3 to CeRh 3B 2 to CeRu 2Si 2 is observed, while it is smallest for the three CeMIn 5 compounds. The f-occupation, however, increases in the same sequence and is close to one for the CeMIn 5 family. The PFY-XAS data confirm an identical f-occupation in the three CeMIn 5 compounds and a phenomenological fit to these PFY-XAS data combined with a configuration interaction model yields consistent results.« less

Thermoregulatory Responses to Intermittent Exercise Are Influenced by Knit Structure of Underwear

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-01

determined at 120 min, when Swo,(K3) and Swt(K4) were lower compared to both Sw,,(K2) and Swot (K5) 400 (Fig. 3). 300 Skin wettednessEE The knit...dew Pugh LGC (1966) Clothing insulation and accidential hypo- point temperature sensor. J Appl Physiol 52: 1658- 1660 thermia in youth. Nature 209: 1281...insulation. J Appl Physiol 8:539-545 cise and thermal stress. Physiol Rev 54:75-159 Hardy JI), )uBois EF (1938) Basal metabolism, radiation, Saltin B

KoBaMIN: a knowledge-based minimization web server for protein structure refinement.

PubMed

Rodrigues, João P G L M; Levitt, Michael; Chopra, Gaurav

2012-07-01

The KoBaMIN web server provides an online interface to a simple, consistent and computationally efficient protein structure refinement protocol based on minimization of a knowledge-based potential of mean force. The server can be used to refine either a single protein structure or an ensemble of proteins starting from their unrefined coordinates in PDB format. The refinement method is particularly fast and accurate due to the underlying knowledge-based potential derived from structures deposited in the PDB; as such, the energy function implicitly includes the effects of solvent and the crystal environment. Our server allows for an optional but recommended step that optimizes stereochemistry using the MESHI software. The KoBaMIN server also allows comparison of the refined structures with a provided reference structure to assess the changes brought about by the refinement protocol. The performance of KoBaMIN has been benchmarked widely on a large set of decoys, all models generated at the seventh worldwide experiments on critical assessment of techniques for protein structure prediction (CASP7) and it was also shown to produce top-ranking predictions in the refinement category at both CASP8 and CASP9, yielding consistently good results across a broad range of model quality values. The web server is fully functional and freely available at http://csb.stanford.edu/kobamin.

X-Ray Diffraction on Mars: Scientific Discoveries Made by the CheMin Instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rampe, E. B.; Blake, D. F.; Ming, D. W.; Bristow, T. F.

2017-01-01

The Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity landed in Gale crater in August 2012 with the goal to identify and characterize habitable environments on Mars. Curiosity has been studying a series of sedimentary rocks primarily deposited in fluviolacustrine environments approximately 3.5 Ga. Minerals in the rocks and soils on Mars can help place further constraints on these ancient aqueous environments, including pH, salinity, and relative duration of liquid water. The Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence instrument on Curiosity uses a Co X-ray source and charge-coupled device detector in transmission geometry to collect 2D Debye-Scherrer ring patterns of the less than 150 micron size fraction of drilled rock powders or scooped sediments. With an angular range of approximately 2.52deg 20 and a 20 resolution of approximately 0.3deg, mineral abundances can be quantified with a detection limit of approximately 1-2 wt. %. CheMin has returned quantitative mineral abundances from 16 mudstone, sandstone, and aeolian sand samples so far. The mineralogy of these samples is incredibly diverse, suggesting a variety of depositional and diagenetic environments and different source regions for the sediments. Results from CheMin have been essential for reconstructing the geologic history of Gale crater and addressing the question of habitability on ancient Mars.

The min-conflicts heuristic: Experimental and theoretical results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Minton, Steven; Philips, Andrew B.; Johnston, Mark D.; Laird, Philip

1991-01-01

This paper describes a simple heuristic method for solving large-scale constraint satisfaction and scheduling problems. Given an initial assignment for the variables in a problem, the method operates by searching through the space of possible repairs. The search is guided by an ordering heuristic, the min-conflicts heuristic, that attempts to minimize the number of constraint violations after each step. We demonstrate empirically that the method performs orders of magnitude better than traditional backtracking techniques on certain standard problems. For example, the one million queens problem can be solved rapidly using our approach. We also describe practical scheduling applications where the method has been successfully applied. A theoretical analysis is presented to explain why the method works so well on certain types of problems and to predict when it is likely to be most effective.

Isolation and characterization of mutants with lesions affecting pellicle formation and erythrocyte agglutination by type 1 piliated Escherichia coli.

PubMed Central

Harris, S L; Elliott, D A; Blake, M C; Must, L M; Messenger, M; Orndorff, P E

1990-01-01

The product of the pilE (also called fimH) gene is a minor component of type 1 pili in Escherichia coli. Mutants that have insertions in the pilE gene are fully piliated but unable to bind to and agglutinate guinea pig erythrocytes, a characteristic of wild-type type 1 piliated E. coli. In this paper we describe the isolation of 48 mutants with point lesions that map to the pilE gene. Such mutants were isolated by using mutT mutagenesis and an enrichment procedure devised to favor the growth of individuals that could form a pellicle in static broth containing alpha-methylmannoside, an inhibitor of erythrocyte binding and pellicle formation. Results indicated that the enrichment favored mutants expressing pilE gene products that were defective in mediating erythrocyte binding. Characterization of 12 of the mutants in greater detail revealed that certain lesions affected pilus number and length. In addition, a mutant that was temperature sensitive for erythrocyte binding was isolated and used to provide evidence that pellicle formation relies on the intercellular interaction of pilE gene products. Our results suggest a molecular explanation for the old and paradoxical observations connecting pellicle formation and erythrocyte agglutination by type 1 piliated E. coli. Images PMID:1977736

Clinical outcome of nutrition-oriented intervention for primary intestinal lymphangiectasia.

PubMed

Tang, Qing-Ya; Wen, Jie; Wu, Jiang; Wang, Ying; Cai, Wei

2011-02-01

primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) is a rare digestive disease and few studies have focused on the therapeutic effect in PIL patients. This study was undertaken to evaluate nutrition-oriented intervention in children with PIL. four children with PIL were studied. Their medical records were reviewed. Anthropometric measurements and blood tests were performed during a 8-18 month follow-up. during hospitalization, the 4 patients were subjected to diet intervention. Parenteral nutrition (PN) support was also given to 3 of them. Clinical symptoms and laboratory parameters of the patients were significantly improved at discharge. After discharge, the patients continued diet control, 2 of whom received intermittent PN support. The mean follow-up duration of the 4 patients was 13 months (range, 8-18 months) and they all kept in a stable condition without symptoms relapse. Weight, height and body mass index for age were normal during the follow-up, while total protein, albumin and immunoglobulin concentrations were still slightly below normal level. nutrition therapy is effective as a valid and safe therapeutic management for PIL patients. No growth retardation was observed in the 4 children after the therapy, but they are still at risk of nutrient malabsorption. Therefore, they need long-term, regular monitoring and intensive nutritional care.

Litigation as TB Rights Advocacy: A New Delhi Case Study.

PubMed

McBroom, Kerry

2016-06-01

One thousand people die every day in India as a result of TB, a preventable and treatable disease, even though the Constitution of India, government schemes, and international law guarantee available, accessible, acceptable, quality health care. Failure to address the spread of TB and to provide quality treatment to all affected populations constitutes a public health and human rights emergency that demands action and accountability. As part of a broader strategy, health activists in India employ Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to hold the state accountable for rights violations and to demand new legislation, standards for patient care, accountability for under-spending, improvements in services at individual facilities, and access to government entitlements in marginalized communities. Taking inspiration from right to health PIL cases (PILs), lawyers in a New Delhi-based rights organization used desk research, fact-findings, and the Right To Information Act to build a TB PIL for the Delhi High Court, Sanjai Sharma v. NCT of Delhi and Others (2015). The case argues that inadequate implementation of government TB schemes violates the Constitutional rights to life, health, food, and equality. Although PILs face substantial challenges, this paper concludes that litigation can be a crucial advocacy and accountability tool for people living with TB and their allies.

Litigation as TB Rights Advocacy

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Abstract One thousand people die every day in India as a result of TB, a preventable and treatable disease, even though the Constitution of India, government schemes, and international law guarantee available, accessible, acceptable, quality health care. Failure to address the spread of TB and to provide quality treatment to all affected populations constitutes a public health and human rights emergency that demands action and accountability. As part of a broader strategy, health activists in India employ Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to hold the state accountable for rights violations and to demand new legislation, standards for patient care, accountability for under-spending, improvements in services at individual facilities, and access to government entitlements in marginalized communities. Taking inspiration from right to health PIL cases (PILs), lawyers in a New Delhi-based rights organization used desk research, fact-findings, and the Right To Information Act to build a TB PIL for the Delhi High Court, Sanjai Sharma v. NCT of Delhi and Others (2015). The case argues that inadequate implementation of government TB schemes violates the Constitutional rights to life, health, food, and equality. Although PILs face substantial challenges, this paper concludes that litigation can be a crucial advocacy and accountability tool for people living with TB and their allies. PMID:27781000

[Professor MA Ji-xing and Acupuncture Scientification at the Primary Stage of Establishment of the People's Republic of China].

PubMed

Huo, Rui-li; Zhu, Ling; Yang, Feng

2015-08-01

In the initial stage (1950s) of the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the Pavlov's theory played an important influence on Chinese biology and medical science fields. At that time, many schools or colleges of traditional Chinese medicine were set up one after another, the first edition of teaching materials or textbook was complete, and a lot of advanced training courses and training classes were developed. In that specific period of "acupuncture scientification", Mr. MA Ji-xing, a professor from China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, is a representative scholar who employed Pavlov's theory to make a scientific explanation about the underlying physiological mechanisms of acupuncture-moxibustion therapy. For example, he employed nerve network or nerve system to explain topical acupuncture stimulation and distal stimulation to induce local effect or distal curative effect, employed the cutaneous-visceral reflex to explain the therapeutic effect of acu-moxibustion for visceral disorders, used the viscera-cutaneous reflex to explain the tender point (sensitized region) or Ashi-point, used the "predominant factor mechanism" or excitation transfer of the stimulated non-sensitized cutaneous region close to the diseased locus to explain the pain-relief of acupuncture stimulation, used the stimulation strength, duration, frequency and distance (to the locus) to explain the needling reinforcing or reducing effect, and so on and so forth. He wrote many articles and books about acupuncturology, one of which was named Jianyao Zhenjiu Xue (Concise Acupuncturology), a well-known demonstration teaching material for advanced training courses, inducing a significant influence on the acu-moxibustion field in both academic field and clinical practice. Looking back this period of history may provide a helpful reference for current research on academic development of acupuncturology.

The chloroplast min system functions differentially in two specific nongreen plastids in Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Wang, Peng; Zhang, Jie; Su, Jianbin; Wang, Peng; Liu, Jun; Liu, Bing; Feng, Dongru; Wang, Jinfa; Wang, Hongbin

2013-01-01

The nongreen plastids, such as etioplasts, chromoplasts, etc., as well as chloroplasts, are all derived from proplastids in the meristem. To date, the Min system members in plants have been identified as regulators of FtsZ-ring placement, which are essential for the symmetrical division of chloroplasts. However, the regulation of FtsZ-ring placement in nongreen plastids is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the division site placement of nongreen plastids by examining the etioplasts as representative in Arabidopsis Min system mutants. Surprisingly, the shape and number of etioplasts in cotyledons of arc3, arc11 and mcd1 mutants were similar to that observed in wild-type plants, whereas arc12 and parc6 mutants exhibited enlarged etioplasts that were reduced in number. In order to examine nongreen plastids in true leaves, we silenced the ALB3 gene in these Min system mutant backgrounds to produce immature chloroplasts without the thylakoidal network using virus induced gene silencing (VIGS). Interestingly, consistent with our observations in etioplasts, enlarged and fewer nongreen plastids were only detected in leaves of parc6 (VIGS-ALB3) and arc12 (VIGS-ALB3) plants. Further, the FtsZ-ring assembled properly at the midpoint in nongreen plastids of arc3, arc11 and mcd1 (VIGS-ALB3) plants, but organized into multiple rings in parc6 (VIGS-ALB3) and presented fragmented filaments in arc12 (VIGS-ALB3) plants, suggesting that division site placement in nongreen plastids requires fewer components of the plant Min system. Taken together, these results suggest that division site placement in nongreen plastids is different from that in chloroplasts.

The Chloroplast Min System Functions Differentially in Two Specific Nongreen Plastids in Arabidopsis thaliana

PubMed Central

Wang, Peng; Zhang, Jie; Su, Jianbin; Wang, Peng; Liu, Jun; Liu, Bing; Feng, Dongru; Wang, Jinfa; Wang, Hongbin

2013-01-01

The nongreen plastids, such as etioplasts, chromoplasts, etc., as well as chloroplasts, are all derived from proplastids in the meristem. To date, the Min system members in plants have been identified as regulators of FtsZ-ring placement, which are essential for the symmetrical division of chloroplasts. However, the regulation of FtsZ-ring placement in nongreen plastids is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the division site placement of nongreen plastids by examining the etioplasts as representative in Arabidopsis Min system mutants. Surprisingly, the shape and number of etioplasts in cotyledons of arc3, arc11 and mcd1 mutants were similar to that observed in wild-type plants, whereas arc12 and parc6 mutants exhibited enlarged etioplasts that were reduced in number. In order to examine nongreen plastids in true leaves, we silenced the ALB3 gene in these Min system mutant backgrounds to produce immature chloroplasts without the thylakoidal network using virus induced gene silencing (VIGS). Interestingly, consistent with our observations in etioplasts, enlarged and fewer nongreen plastids were only detected in leaves of parc6 (VIGS-ALB3) and arc12 (VIGS-ALB3) plants. Further, the FtsZ-ring assembled properly at the midpoint in nongreen plastids of arc3, arc11 and mcd1 (VIGS-ALB3) plants, but organized into multiple rings in parc6 (VIGS-ALB3) and presented fragmented filaments in arc12 (VIGS-ALB3) plants, suggesting that division site placement in nongreen plastids requires fewer components of the plant Min system. Taken together, these results suggest that division site placement in nongreen plastids is different from that in chloroplasts. PMID:23936263

Global Statistical Maps of Extreme-Event Magnetic Observatory 1 Min First Differences in Horizontal Intensity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Love, Jeffrey J.; Coïsson, Pierdavide; Pulkkinen, Antti

2016-01-01

Analysis is made of the long-term statistics of three different measures of ground level, storm time geomagnetic activity: instantaneous 1 min first differences in horizontal intensity (delta)Bh, the root-mean-square of 10 consecutive 1 min differences S, and the ramp change R over 10 min. Geomagnetic latitude maps of the cumulative exceedances of these three quantities are constructed, giving the threshold(nTmin) for which activity within a 24 h period can be expected to occur once per year, decade, and century. Specifically, at geomagnetic 55deg, we estimate once-per-century (delta)Bh, S, and R exceedances and a site-to-site,proportional, 1 standard deviation range [1(sigma), lower and upper] to be, respectively, 1000, [690, 1450]; 500,[350, 720]; and 200, [140, 280] nTmin. At 40deg, we estimate once-per-century (delta)Bh, S, and R exceedances and1(sigma) values to be 200, [140, 290]; 100, [70, 140]; and 40, [30, 60] nTmin.

Spermatogenesis is not impaired in a nucleotide excision repair-deficient min mouse model with or without neonatal mutagen treatment.

PubMed

Andreassen, Ashild; Steffensen, Inger-Lise; Olsen, Ann-Karin; Tanaka, Kiyoji; Wiger, Richard

2011-01-01

Mice deficient in the xeroderma pigmentosum group A gene (Xpa) exhibit impaired nucleotide excision repair (NER) and are expected to accumulate bulky DNA adducts when subjected to certain compounds (eg, heterocyclic amines). Multiple intestinal neoplasia (Min) mice (B6(Min)(/+)) are particularly sensitive to low concentrations of mutagenic compounds in food. They develop intestinal tumors spontaneously, and the number and size of the tumors increase following exposure to 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), which humans are exposed to via fried food. We previously reported that NER is inefficient in adult testicular cells. Reduced NER (genetic deficiency; Xpa(-/-)) is expected to represent risk factors for PhIP-induced genotoxicity and could possibly disturb spermatogenesis, particularly in B6(Min)(/+) mice. We therefore studied spermatogenesis in mice with combinations of Xpa and Min or wild-type genotypes 11 weeks after exposure to PhIP on days 3 to 6. Fewer offspring were obtained from B6(Min)(/+)Xpa(-/-) than from B6(Min)(/+)Xpa(+/+) or B6(Min)(/+)Xpa(+/-). Distributions of the different testicular cell types, indicative of normal spermatogenesis and relative testes weights, did not differ significantly in PhIP-exposed or unexposed mice regardless of their genotypes. We conclude that the removal of bulky DNA adducts does not seem to be essential for normal spermatogenesis.

Comparison of bacterial genome assembly software for MinION data and their applicability to medical microbiology.

PubMed

Judge, Kim; Hunt, Martin; Reuter, Sandra; Tracey, Alan; Quail, Michael A; Parkhill, Julian; Peacock, Sharon J

2016-09-01

Translating the Oxford Nanopore MinION sequencing technology into medical microbiology requires on-going analysis that keeps pace with technological improvements to the instrument and release of associated analysis software. Here, we use a multidrug-resistant Enterobacter kobei isolate as a model organism to compare open source software for the assembly of genome data, and relate this to the time taken to generate actionable information. Three software tools (PBcR, Canu and miniasm) were used to assemble MinION data and a fourth (SPAdes) was used to combine MinION and Illumina data to produce a hybrid assembly. All four had a similar number of contigs and were more contiguous than the assembly using Illumina data alone, with SPAdes producing a single chromosomal contig. Evaluation of the four assemblies to represent the genome structure revealed a single large inversion in the SPAdes assembly, which also incorrectly integrated a plasmid into the chromosomal contig. Almost 50 %, 80 % and 90 % of MinION pass reads were generated in the first 6, 9 and 12 h, respectively. Using data from the first 6 h alone led to a less accurate, fragmented assembly, but data from the first 9 or 12 h generated similar assemblies to that from 48 h sequencing. Assemblies were generated in 2 h using Canu, indicating that going from isolate to assembled data is possible in less than 48 h. MinION data identified that genes responsible for resistance were carried by two plasmids encoding resistance to carbapenem and to sulphonamides, rifampicin and aminoglycosides, respectively.

Reducing Conservatism in Aircraft Engine Response Using Conditionally Active Min-Max Limit Regulators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

May, Ryan D.; Garg, Sanjay

2012-01-01

Current aircraft engine control logic uses a Min-Max control selection structure to prevent the engine from exceeding any safety or operational limits during transients due to throttle commands. This structure is inherently conservative and produces transient responses that are slower than necessary. In order to utilize the existing safety margins more effectively, a modification to this architecture is proposed, referred to as a Conditionally Active (CA) limit regulator. This concept uses the existing Min-Max architecture with the modification that limit regulators are active only when the operating point is close to a particular limit. This paper explores the use of CA limit regulators using a publicly available commercial aircraft engine simulation. The improvement in thrust response while maintaining all necessary safety limits is demonstrated in a number of cases.

Assessment of equivalence of adipose tissue treatment with a noncontact field RF system delivering 200 W for 30 min and 300 W for 20 min: An in vivo porcine study

PubMed Central

Kwon, Tae-Rin; Kim, Jong Hwan; Joon, Seok; Mun, Seok Kyun; Kim, Chan Woong

2017-01-01

Background and aims Abdominal circumferential reduction with noncontact high frequency apoptosis-inducing field RF (AiRF) is becoming very popular. The present study compared the treatment results from two different sets of parameters giving the same dose from the same system in an in vivo porcine model. Materials and methods Two 10 cm × 10 cm areas were symmetrically marked on both sides of the midline (total of 4 areas) over the rectus abdominis muscle of two anesthetized female micropigs. In Animal A (G1), 27.12 MHz AiRF treatment was given at 200 W for 30 min, and 300 W for 20 min in Animal B (G2). Four sessions were performed at weekly intervals. Gross observation by a veterinary specialist was performed on a daily basis. Temperature measurements (fat and skin), clinical photography and ultrasound imaging were carried out at each session. In addition, blood chemistry was performed before each session to check lipid levels, any adverse changes in markers for liver damage in addition to an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for raised levels of TNF-α and IL-1β. Biopsies were taken and routinely processed for hematoxylin and eosin, Toluidine blue and oil red O stains to examine for tissue damage at baseline and after each treatment. TUNEL assays were performed to check of apoptotic-related DNA damage. Follow-up assessments included photography, ultrasound, ELISA tests and biopsies which were taken regularly up to 90 days after the final treatment. Results The maximum adipose tissue temperatures at and over the apoptotic threshold of 43°C were reached and maintained in both G1 and G2. The skin surface temperature was slightly higher in G2 after 20 min than in G1 after 30 min, but was still below 43°C. Gross and magnified observation revealed no appreciable differences or thermally-mediated damage between the skin of either of the two groups after the treatments or during the 90-day follow-up period. No lasting erythema or any other adverse event was

Survival of mouse oocytes after being cooled in a vitrification solution to −196°C at 95° to 70,000°C/min and warmed at 610° to 118,000°C/min: A new paradigm for cryopreservation by vitrification☆

PubMed Central

Mazur, Peter; Seki, Shinsuke

2011-01-01

There is great interest in achieving reproducibly high survivals of mammalian oocytes (especially human) after cryopreservation, but the results to date have not matched the interest. A prime cause of cell death is the formation of more than trace amounts of intracellular ice, and one strategy to avoid it is vitrification. In vitrification procedures, cells are loaded with high concentrations of glass-inducing solutes and cooled to −196°C at rates high enough to presumably induce the glassy state. In the last decade, several devices have been developed to achieve very high cooling rates. Nearly all in the field have assumed that the cooling rate is the critical factor. The purpose of our study was to test that assumption by examining the consequences of cooling mouse oocytes in a vitrification solution at four rates ranging from 95°C/min to 69,250°C/min to −196°C and for each cooling rate, subjecting them to five warming rates back above 0°C at rates ranging from 610°C/min to 118,000°C/min. In samples warmed at the highest rate (118,000°C/min), survivals were 70 to 85% regardless of the prior cooling rate. In samples warmed at the lowest rate (610°C/min), survivals were low regardless of the prior cooling rate, but decreased from 25% to 0% as the cooling rate was increased from 95°C/min to 69,000°C/min. Intermediate cooling and warming rates gave intermediate survivals. The especially high sensitivity of survival to warming rate suggests that either the crystallization of intracellular glass during warming or the growth by recrystallization of small intracellular ice crystals formed during cooling are responsible for the lethality of slow warming. PMID:21055397

Psychometric properties of the Purpose-In-Life Test and age-related differences among women diagnosed with eating disorders.

PubMed

García-Alandete, Joaquín; Ros, Montserrat Cañabate; Salvador, José Heliodoro Marco; Rodríguez, Sandra Pérez

2018-03-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Purpose-In-Life Test (PIL), as well as the age-related differences in meaning in life in women diagnosed with eating disorders. Participants were 250 Spanish women diagnosed with eating disorders who ranged from 12 to 60 years old. Confirmatory Factor Analysis, descriptive analyses, estimation of the internal consistency of the PIL, correlations between the PIL and the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Overweight Preoccupation Scale (OPS), and Body Investment Scale (BIS), and age differences were calculated. A 19-item model that showed a good fit and internal consistency, a negative correlation between the PIL and both the BHS and OPS, and a positive correlation with the BIS, as well as significant differences between the adolescents and the mature adults, were found. It would be advisable to increase the inclusion of meaning in life in psychotherapeutic interventions with women diagnosed with eating disorders. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Organic-inorganic hybrid polyionic liquid based polyoxometalate as nano porous material for selective oxidation of sulfides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rafiee, Ezzat; Shahebrahimi, Shabnam

2017-07-01

Organic-inorganic hybrid nano porous materials based on poly(ionic liquid)-polyoxometalate (PIL-POM) were reported. These hybrid materials were synthesized by the reaction of 4-vinyl pyridine with 1,3-propanesultone, followed by the polymerization and also sulfonate-functionalized cross-linked poly(4-vinylpyridine) and combining these polymers with H5PMo10V2O40 (PMo10V2). Activity of prepared PIL-PMo10V2 hybrids were investigated as catalysts for oxidation of sulfides with H2O2 as oxidant. For understanding catalytic activities of the PIL-PMo10V2 hybrids in oxidation of sulfides, effect of catalyst composition, substrate, and reaction conditions were studied. The results show that the PIL-PMo10V2 hybrids are active as selective heterogeneous catalysts for oxidation of sulfides and can be recovered and reused. The catalyst was characterized by FT-IR, TGA-DSC, XRD, SEM/EDX, BET, CV and zeta potential measurement. Also, average molecular weight of prepared catalysts were measured.

The ALMA-PILS survey: 3D modeling of the envelope, disks and dust filament of IRAS 16293-2422

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobsen, S. K.; Jørgensen, J. K.; van der Wiel, M. H. D.; Calcutt, H.; Bourke, T. L.; Brinch, C.; Coutens, A.; Drozdovskaya, M. N.; Kristensen, L. E.; Müller, H. S. P.; Wampfler, S. F.

2018-04-01

Context. The Class 0 protostellar binary IRAS 16293-2422 is an interesting target for (sub)millimeter observations due to, both, the rich chemistry toward the two main components of the binary and its complex morphology. Its proximity to Earth allows the study of its physical and chemical structure on solar system scales using high angular resolution observations. Such data reveal a complex morphology that cannot be accounted for in traditional, spherical 1D models of the envelope. Aims: The purpose of this paper is to study the environment of the two components of the binary through 3D radiative transfer modeling and to compare with data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array. Such comparisons can be used to constrain the protoplanetary disk structures, the luminosities of the two components of the binary and the chemistry of simple species. Methods: We present 13CO, C17O and C18O J = 3-2 observations from the ALMA Protostellar Interferometric Line Survey (PILS), together with a qualitative study of the dust and gas density distribution of IRAS 16293-2422. A 3D dust and gas model including disks and a dust filament between the two protostars is constructed which qualitatively reproduces the dust continuum and gas line emission. Results: Radiative transfer modeling in our sampled parameter space suggests that, while the disk around source A could not be constrained, the disk around source B has to be vertically extended. This puffed-up structure can be obtained with both a protoplanetary disk model with an unexpectedly high scale-height and with the density solution from an infalling, rotating collapse. Combined constraints on our 3D model, from observed dust continuum and CO isotopologue emission between the sources, corroborate that source A should be at least six times more luminous than source B. We also demonstrate that the volume of high-temperature regions where complex organic molecules arise is sensitive to whether or not the total

Determination of UV filters in high ionic strength sample solutions using matrix-compatible coatings for solid-phase microextraction.

PubMed

An, Jiwoo; Anderson, Jared L

2018-05-15

A double-confined polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) sorbent coating was fabricated for the determination of nine ultraviolet (UV) filters in sample solutions containing high salt content by direct immersion solid-phase microextraction (DI-SPME) coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The IL monomer and crosslinker cations and anions, namely, 1-vinyl-3-decylimidazolium styrenesulfonate ([VImC 10 ][SS]) and 1,12-di(3-vinylbenzylimidazolium) dodecane distyrenesulfonate ([(VBIm) 2 C 12 ] 2[SS]), were co-polymerized to create a highly stable sorbent coating which allowed for up to 120 direct-immersion extractions in 25% NaCl (w/v) solution without a decrease in its extraction capability. Extraction and desorption parameters such as desorption solvent, agitation rate, extraction time, desorption solvent volume, and desorption time were evaluated and optimized. The analytical performance of the styrenesulfonate anion-based PIL fiber, PIL fiber containing chloride anions, and a commercially available polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB) fiber were compared. Coefficients of determination (R 2 ) for the styrenesulfonate anion-based PIL fiber ranged from 0.995 to 0.999 and the limits of detection (LODs) varied from 0.1 to 5 µg L -1 . The developed method was successfully applied in real water samples including tap, pool, and lake water, and acceptable relative recovery values were obtained. The lifetime of the PIL fiber containing chloride anions as well as the PDMS/DVB fiber were considerably shorter than the PIL fiber containing the styrenesulfonate anion, with both fibers showing a notable decrease in reproducibility and significant damage to the sorbent coating surface after 40 and 70 extractions, respectively. The R 2 values for the chloride anion containing PIL fiber were at or higher than 0.991 with LODs ranging from 0.5 to 5 µg L -1 . For the PDMS/DVB fiber, R 2 values ranged from 0.992 to 0.999 and LODs were found to be as low as 0.2�

Using just-in-time teaching and peer instruction in a residency program's core curriculum: enhancing satisfaction, engagement, and retention.

PubMed

Schuller, Mary C; DaRosa, Debra A; Crandall, Marie L

2015-03-01

To assess use of the combined just-in-time teaching (JiTT) and peer instruction (PI) instructional strategy in a residency program's core curriculum. In 2010-2011, JiTT/PI was piloted in 31 core curriculum sessions taught by 22 faculty in the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine's general surgery residency program. JiTT/PI required preliminary and categorical residents (n=31) to complete Web-based study questions before weekly specialty topic sessions. Responses were examined by faculty members "just in time" to tailor session content to residents' learning needs. In the sessions, residents answered multiple-choice questions (MCQs) using clickers and engaged in PI. Participants completed surveys assessing their perceptions of JiTT/PI. Videos were coded to assess resident engagement time in JiTT/PI sessions versus prior lecture-based sessions. Responses to topic session MCQs repeated in review sessions were evaluated to study retention. More than 70% of resident survey respondents indicated that JiTT/PI aided in the learning of key points. At least 90% of faculty survey respondents reported positive perceptions of aspects of the JiTT/PI strategy. Resident engagement time for JiTT/PI sessions was significantly greater than for prior lecture-based sessions (z=-2.4, P=.016). Significantly more review session MCQ responses were correct for residents who had attended corresponding JiTT/PI sessions than for residents who had not (chi-square=13.7; df=1; P<.001). JiTT/PI increased learner participation, learner retention, and the amount of learner-centered time. JiTT/PI represents an effective approach for meaningful and active learning in core curriculum sessions.

High Order Non-Stationary Markov Models and Anomaly Propagation Analysis in Intrusion Detection System (IDS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-02-01

almost identical system call sequences and triggering the same alarm at different hosts. The alarm propagation effect can be used to distinguish “true...different hosts. The alarm propagation effect can be used to distinguish “true alarms” from “false positives”. At the host-level, a new anomaly...0H ( ) ( )∑∑ = = ⎟⎟ ⎠ ⎞ ⎜⎜ ⎝ ⎛ − + − = 2 1 1, 2 2 2 2 1 1 ),( ),(),()( ),( ),(),()( k m ji jiT jiTjiTiN jiT jiTjiTiNW where - marginal observed

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia.

PubMed

Suresh, N; Ganesh, R; Sankar, Janani; Sathiyasekaran, Malathi

2009-10-01

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) is a rare disease of intestinal lymphatics presenting with hypoproteinemia, bilateral lower limb edema, ascites, and protein losing enteropathy. We report a series of 4 children from Chennai, India presenting with anasarca, recurrent diarrhea, hypoproteinemia and confirmatory features of PIL on endoscopy and histopathology.

BOKS 45906: a CV with an orbital period of 56.6 min in the Kepler field?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramsay, Gavin; Howell, Steve B.; Wood, Matt A.; Smale, Alan; Barclay, Thomas; Seebode, Sally A.; Gelino, Dawn; Still, Martin; Cannizzo, John K.

2014-02-01

BOKS 45906 was found to be a blue source in the Burrell-Optical-Kepler Survey which showed a 3 mag outburst lasting ˜5 d. We present the Kepler light curve of this source which covers nearly 3 years. We find that it is in a faint optical state for approximately half the time and shows a series of outbursts separated by distinct dips in flux. Using data with 1 min sampling, we find clear evidence that in its low state BOKS 45906 shows a flux variability on a period of 56.5574 ± 0.0014 min and a semi-amplitude of ˜3 per cent. Since we can phase all the 1 min cadence data on a common ephemeris using this period, it is probable that 56.56 min is the binary orbital period. Optical spectra of BOKS 45906 show the presence of Balmer lines in emission indicating it is not an AM CVn (pure Helium) binary. Swift data show that it is a weak X-ray source and is weakly detected in the bluest of the UVOT filters. We conclude that BOKS 45906 is a cataclysmic variable with a period shorter than the `period-bounce' systems and therefore BOKS 45906 could be the first helium-rich cataclysmic variable detected in the Kepler field.

MinOmics, an Integrative and Immersive Tool for Multi-Omics Analysis.

PubMed

Maes, Alexandre; Martinez, Xavier; Druart, Karen; Laurent, Benoist; Guégan, Sean; Marchand, Christophe H; Lemaire, Stéphane D; Baaden, Marc

2018-06-21

Proteomic and transcriptomic technologies resulted in massive biological datasets, their interpretation requiring sophisticated computational strategies. Efficient and intuitive real-time analysis remains challenging. We use proteomic data on 1417 proteins of the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to investigate physicochemical parameters governing selectivity of three cysteine-based redox post translational modifications (PTM): glutathionylation (SSG), nitrosylation (SNO) and disulphide bonds (SS) reduced by thioredoxins. We aim to understand underlying molecular mechanisms and structural determinants through integration of redox proteome data from gene- to structural level. Our interactive visual analytics approach on an 8.3 m2 display wall of 25 MPixel resolution features stereoscopic three dimensions (3D) representation performed by UnityMol WebGL. Virtual reality headsets complement the range of usage configurations for fully immersive tasks. Our experiments confirm that fast access to a rich cross-linked database is necessary for immersive analysis of structural data. We emphasize the possibility to display complex data structures and relationships in 3D, intrinsic to molecular structure visualization, but less common for omics-network analysis. Our setup is powered by MinOmics, an integrated analysis pipeline and visualization framework dedicated to multi-omics analysis. MinOmics integrates data from various sources into a materialized physical repository. We evaluate its performance, a design criterion for the framework.

Health literacy and the clozapine patient.

PubMed

Brosnan, Susan; Barron, Elizabeth; Sahm, L J

2012-01-01

To estimate the prevalence of limited health literacy in patients receiving clozapine for schizophrenia. To develop and produce a pharmacist-designed clozapine patient information leaflet (PIL) which has a higher readability score than the company-produced PIL. This was a cross sectional prevalence study. Ethical approval for the study was granted by the local ethics committee. Patients, over 18 years, attending the Clozapine Clinic of a Cork urban teaching hospital, were asked to participate in the study. Demographics such as gender, age, employment and smoking status, were gathered from all participants. The total daily clozapine dose, duration of clozapine treatment, and information regarding the clozapine DVD was also noted. The Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM) health literacy (HL) screening tool was then administered to each patient. A user-friendly PIL on clozapine was designed by the pharmacist, which was assessed for readability and compared to the company-produced PIL using the FRES and FKGL. Data were analysed using SPSS Version 15. Forty patients (65% male, 95% unemployed and 70% smokers) of average age 38.0 years (+/- 11.2) completed the REALM. The average score was 60.6 (+/- 8.7). Twenty-nine patients (72.5%) were found to have "adequate" health literacy. The remaining eleven patients were found to have either "marginal" or "low" health literacy. The pharmacist-designed PIL would have been readable by 95% of the study population, in contrast to 72.5% with the company-designed PIL. More than a quarter of the population were found to have marginal or low health literacy. Patient information should be matched to the health literacy level of the target population.

Dynamics of Flagellum- and Pilus-Mediated Association of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with Contact Lens Surfaces▿

PubMed Central

Tran, Victoria B.; Fleiszig, Suzanne M. J.; Evans, David J.; Radke, Clayton J.

2011-01-01

Flagella and pili are appendages that modulate attachment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to solid surfaces. However, previous studies have mostly reported absolute attachment. Neither the dynamic roles of these appendages in surface association nor those of attachment phenotypes have been quantified. We used video microscopy to address this issue. Unworn, sterile, soft contact lenses were placed in a laminar-flow optical chamber. Initial lens association kinetics for P. aeruginosa strain PAK were assessed in addition to lens-surface association phenotypes. Comparisons were made to strains with mutations in flagellin (fliC) or pilin (pilA) or those in flagellum (motAB) or pilus (pilU) function. PAK and its mutants associated with the contact lens surface at a constant rate according to first-order kinetics. Nonswimming mutants associated ∼30 to 40 times slower than the wild type. PAK and its pilA mutant associated at similar rates, but each ∼4 times faster than the pilU mutant. Lens attachment by wild-type PAK induced multiple phenotypes (static, lateral, and rotational surface movement), each showing only minor detachment. Flagellin (fliC) and flagellar-motility (motAB) mutants did not exhibit surface rotation. Conversely, strains with mutations in pilin (pilA) and pilus retraction (pilU) lacked lateral-surface movement but displayed enhanced surface rotation. Slower surface association of swimming-incapable P. aeruginosa mutants was ascribed to lower convective-diffusion-arrival rates, not to an inability to adhere. Flagellum function (swimming) enhanced lens association, attachment, and rotation; hyperpiliation hindered lens association. P. aeruginosa bound through three different adhesion sites: flagellum, pili, and body. Reduction of bacterial attachment to contact lenses thus requires blockage of multiple adhesion phenotypes. PMID:21498762

Efficacy of small-volume simethicone given at least 30 min before gastroscopy.

PubMed

Song, Mingjun; Kwek, Andrew Boon Eu; Law, Ngai Moh; Ong, Jeannie Peng Lan; Tan, Jessica Yi-Lyn; Harichander Thurairajah, Prem; Ang, Daphne Shih Wen; Ang, Tiing Leong

2016-11-06

To evaluate the efficacy of 5 mL simethicone solution in decreasing gastric foam if given at least 30 min before gastroscopy. This was a randomized, placebo controlled, endoscopist blinded study performed at Changi General Hospital. Patients were at least 21 years old, had no prior surgical resection of the upper gastrointestinal tract, and scheduled for elective diagnostic gastroscopies. The primary outcome was the total mucosal visibility score (TMVS) which was evaluated using McNally score. The sample size was calculated to be 24 per group (SD 2.4, 80% power, P < 0.05, 2-sample t test). Fifty-four patients were randomised to receive either simethicone [1 mL liquid simethicone (100 mg) in 5 mL of water] or placebo (5 mL of water) at least 30 min before their gastroscopy. Six accredited consultants conducted the gastroscopy, and the interobserver agreement of scoring TMVS was good with a Kappa statistic of 0.73. The simethicone group had significantly better mean TMVS compared to placebo (5.78 ± SD 1.65 vs 8.89 ± SD 1.97, P < 0.001). The improvement was statistically significant for the duodenum and the gastric antrum, angularis, body, and fundus. Percent 51.9 of patients in the simethicone group had a TMVS of 4 (no bubbles at all) to 5 (only 1 area with minimal bubbles), while in the placebo group 3.7% of patients had TMVS of 4 or 5. The number needed to treat was 2.1 to avoid a TMVS of 6 and more. The simethicone group also had a significantly shorter procedure time with less volume of additional flushes required during gastroscopy to clear away obscuring gastric foam. With a premedication time of at least 30 min, 5 mL simethicone can significantly decrease gastric foam, decrease the volume of additional flushes, and shorten gastroscopy time.

Study on Inhibitory Effect of MaiMenDong Decoction and WeiJing Decoction Combination with Cisplatin on NCI-A549 Xenograft in Nude Mice and Its Mechanism.

PubMed

Xiong, Fei; Jiang, Miao; Chen, Meijuan; Wang, Xiaoxia; Zhang, Shiping; Zhou, Jing; Li, Ke; Sheng, Yan; Yin, Lian; Tang, Yuping; Ye, Lihong; Wu, Mianhua; Fu, Haian; Zhang, Xu

2017-01-01

MaiMenDong Decoction and WeiJing Decoction (Jin formula) is a traditional Chinese medication that consists of 8 medicinal plants, which recorded in the classical TCM literature Jin Kui Yao Lue and has been utilized in the treatment of lung diseases for hundreds of years in China. The present study aimed to determine the anti-tumor activity and the underlying mechanisms of Jin formula combined with cisplatin in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Xenograft model of NCI-A549 was established in Balb/c nude mice. Five groups, including normal, MOCK, Jin, cisplatin (DDP), and Jin+DDP were included in the study. We found that Jin formula ameliorated the body weight loss caused by DDP 15 days after drug administration. Moreover, the combination of Jin with DDP enhanced the anti-tumor function of DDP. Microarray analysis showed that Jin suppressed gene expression of certain pathways which regulating cell cycle and apoptosis. Furthermore, DDP mainly decreased the gene expression level of angiogenesis associated factors, such as VEGFA, TGF-β and MMP-1. Moreover, co-treatment with Jin and DDP not only down-regulated Bcl-2 and E2F1, but also decreased the expression of MYC, MET, and MCAM. In addition, co-formula decreased the levels of p-AKT (thr308) and p-PTEN, increased Bax/Bcl-2 value, and resulted in apoptosis of tumor cells. Taken together , Jin+DDP significantly inhibited the growth of A549 cell transplanted solid tumor with slight side effect compared to the treatment by DDP only, and had a better effect than the Jin group. The mechanisms may be mainly associated with inactivation of PI3K/AKT pathway and apoptosis induction.

Study of Penetration Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-11-01

srecimens fabricated at the AFATL, AISI-01 oil quenched bar stock was used. Three of the projectiles used in the Eglin penetration experiments are shown...in the Mathema- tical Laboratory at Eglin AFB, is essencially a fourth order Runge-Kutta numerical method for solving simultaneous differential...C9G. VEL. X-COMPo (M4/5): d!10. I oil 140. 107. 82. RmCC~kr’ED TIME OF MAXIftjM/MINIM94U COIL VOLTAGE tSI MAX 0040 A 55 *.03J04A 0 0 05ji6 .000634 MIN

A new multicompartmental reaction-diffusion modeling method links transient membrane attachment of E. coli MinE to E-ring formation.

PubMed

Arjunan, Satya Nanda Vel; Tomita, Masaru

2010-03-01

Many important cellular processes are regulated by reaction-diffusion (RD) of molecules that takes place both in the cytoplasm and on the membrane. To model and analyze such multicompartmental processes, we developed a lattice-based Monte Carlo method, Spatiocyte that supports RD in volume and surface compartments at single molecule resolution. Stochasticity in RD and the excluded volume effect brought by intracellular molecular crowding, both of which can significantly affect RD and thus, cellular processes, are also supported. We verified the method by comparing simulation results of diffusion, irreversible and reversible reactions with the predicted analytical and best available numerical solutions. Moreover, to directly compare the localization patterns of molecules in fluorescence microscopy images with simulation, we devised a visualization method that mimics the microphotography process by showing the trajectory of simulated molecules averaged according to the camera exposure time. In the rod-shaped bacterium Escherichia coli, the division site is suppressed at the cell poles by periodic pole-to-pole oscillations of the Min proteins (MinC, MinD and MinE) arising from carefully orchestrated RD in both cytoplasm and membrane compartments. Using Spatiocyte we could model and reproduce the in vivo MinDE localization dynamics by accounting for the previously reported properties of MinE. Our results suggest that the MinE ring, which is essential in preventing polar septation, is largely composed of MinE that is transiently attached to the membrane independently after recruited by MinD. Overall, Spatiocyte allows simulation and visualization of complex spatial and reaction-diffusion mediated cellular processes in volumes and surfaces. As we showed, it can potentially provide mechanistic insights otherwise difficult to obtain experimentally. The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11693-009-9047-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to

78 FR 77467 - Findings of Research Misconduct

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-23

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Office of the Secretary Findings of Research Misconduct... Research Integrity (ORI) has taken final action in the following case: Dong-Pyou Han, Ph.D., Iowa State... conducted by ORI, ORI and ISU found that Dr. Dong-Pyou Han, former Research Assistant Professor, Department...

Buckskin Drill Hole and CheMin X-ray Diffraction

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-12-17

The graph at right presents information from the NASA Curiosity Mars rover's onboard analysis of rock powder drilled from the "Buckskin" target location, shown at left. X-ray diffraction analysis of the Buckskin sample inside the rover's Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument revealed the presence of a silica-containing mineral named tridymite. This is the first detection of tridymite on Mars. Peaks in the X-ray diffraction pattern are from minerals in the sample, and every mineral has a diagnostic set of peaks that allows identification. The image of Buckskin at left was taken by the rover's Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera on July 30, 2015, and is also available at PIA19804. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20271

Effect of Jian-Pi-Zhi-Dong Decoction on striatal glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid levels detected using microdialysis in a rat model of Tourette syndrome

PubMed Central

Zhang, Wen; Wei, Li; Yu, Wenjing; Cui, Xia; Liu, Xiaofang; Wang, Qian; Wang, Sumei

2016-01-01

Background Jian-Pi-Zhi-Dong Decoction (JPZDD) is a dedicated treatment of Tourette syndrome (TS). The balance of neurotransmitters in the cortico-striato-pallido-thalamo-cortical network is crucial to the occurrence of TS and related to its severity. This study evaluated the effect of JPZDD on glutamate (Glu) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and their receptors in a TS rat model. Materials and methods Rats were divided into four groups (n=12 each). TS was induced in three of the groups by injecting them with 3,3′-iminodipropionitrile for 7 consecutive days. Two model groups were treated with tiapride (Tia) or JPZDD, while the control and the remaining model group were gavaged with saline. Behavior was assessed by stereotypic score and autonomic activity. Striatal Glu and GABA contents were detected using microdialysis. Expressions of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 1 and GABAA receptor (GABAAR) were observed using Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results Tia and JPZDD groups had decreased stereotypy compared with model rats; however, the JPZDD group showed a larger decrease in stereotypy than the Tia group at a 4-week time point. In a spontaneous activity test, the total distance of the JPZDD and Tia groups was significantly decreased compared with the model group. The Glu levels of the model group were higher than the control group and decreased with Tia or JPZDD treatment. The GABA level was higher in the model group than the control group. Expressions of GABAAR protein in the model group were higher than in the control group. Treatment with Tia or JPZDD reduced the expression of GABAAR protein. In the case of the mRNA expression, only Tia reduced the expression of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 1, compared with the model group. Conclusion JPZDD could alleviate impairments in behavior and dysfunctional signaling by downregulating GABAAR in the striatum. We suggest that this acts to maintain the balance of Glu and GABA. PMID:27279743

Outcomes of infants with Apgar score of zero at 10 min: the West Australian experience.

PubMed

Shah, Piyush; Anvekar, Ajay; McMichael, Judy; Rao, Shripada

2015-11-01

Infants who have an Apgar score of zero at 10 min of age are known to have poor long-term prognosis. Expert committee guidelines suggest that it is reasonable to cease resuscitation efforts if the asphyxiated infant does not demonstrate a heart beat by 10 min of life. These guidelines are based on data from the era when therapeutic hypothermia was not the standard of care for hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE). Hence, we aimed to review our unit data from the era of therapeutic hypothermia to evaluate the outcomes of infants who had an Apgar score of zero at 10 min and had survived to reach the neonatal intensive care unit. Retrospective chart review. 2007-2013. 13 infants (gestational age ≥35 weeks) with Apgar scores of zero at 10 min were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. All were born outside the tertiary perinatal centre. Of them, eight died before discharge. The type and duration of follow-up varied. Of the five survivors, three had normal cognitive scores (100, 100 and 110) on Bayley III assessment at 2 years of age and one had normal Griffiths score (general quotient (GQ) 103) at 1 year. Only one infant developed severe spastic quadriplegia. 4 out of 13 (30.7%) infants with 10 min Apgar scores of zero who survived to reach the neonatal intensive care unit had normal scores on formal developmental assessments. Information from large databases (preferably population based) is necessary to review recommendations regarding stopping delivery room resuscitation in term infants. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

A framework for the evaluation of patient information leaflets

PubMed Central

Garner, Mark; Ning, Zhenye; Francis, Jill

2011-01-01

Abstract Background  The provision of patient information leaflets (PILs) is an important part of health care. PILs require evaluation, but the frameworks that are used for evaluation are largely under‐informed by theory. Most evaluation to date has been based on indices of readability, yet several writers argue that readability is not enough. We propose a framework for evaluating PILs that reflect the central role of the patient perspective in communication and use methods for evaluation based on simple linguistic principles. The proposed framework  The framework has three elements that give rise to three approaches to evaluation. Each element is a necessary but not sufficient condition for effective communication. Readability (focussing on text) may be assessed using existing well‐established procedures. Comprehensibility (focussing on reader and text) may be assessed using multiple‐choice questions based on the lexical and semantic features of the text. Communicative effectiveness (focussing on reader) explores the relationship between the emotional, cognitive and behavioural responses of the reader and the objectives of the PIL. Suggested methods for assessment are described, based on our preliminary empirical investigations. Conclusions  The tripartite model of communicative effectiveness is a patient‐centred framework for evaluating PILs. It may assist the field in moving beyond readability to broader indicators of the quality and appropriateness of printed information provided to patients. PMID:21332620

Data from the Mars Science Laboratory CheMin XRD/XRF Instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaniman, David; Blake, David; Bristow, Tom; DesMarais, David; Achilles, Cherie; Anderson, Robert; Crips, Joy; Morookian, John Michael; Spanovich, Nicole; Vasavada, Ashwin;

Dose rate estimation around a 60Co gamma-ray irradiation source by means of 115mIn photoactivation.

PubMed

Murataka, Ayanori; Endo, Satoru; Kojima, Yasuaki; Shizuma, Kiyoshi

2010-01-01

Photoactivation of nuclear isomer (115m)In with a halflife of 4.48 h occurs by (60)Co gamma-ray irradiation. This is because the resonance gamma-ray absorption occurs at 1078 keV level for stable (115)In, and that energy gamma-rays are produced by Compton scattering of (60)Co primary gamma-rays. In this work, photoactivation of (115m)In was applied to estimate the dose rate distribution around a (60)Co irradiation source utilizing a standard dose rate taken by alanine dosimeter. The (115m)In photoactivation was measured at 10 to 160 cm from the (60)Co source. The derived dose rate distribution shows a good agreement with both alanine dosimeter data and Monte Carlo simulation. It is found that angular distribution of the dose rate along a circumference at radius 2.8 cm from the central axis shows +/- 10% periodical variation reflecting the radioactive strength of the source rods, but less periodic distribution at radius 10 and 20 cm. The (115m)In photoactivation along the vertical direction in the central irradiation port strongly depends on the height and radius as indicated by Monte Carlo simulation. It is demonstrated that (115m)In photoactivation is a convenient method to estimate the dose rate distribution around a (60)Co source.

Cellular architecture mediates DivIVA ultrastructure and regulates min activity in Bacillus subtilis | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

The Min system in rod-shaped bacteria restricts improper assembly of the division septum. In Escherichia coli, the Min system localizes to the cell poles, but in Bacillus subtilis, it is recruited to nascent cell division sites at mid-cell to prevent aberrant septation events immediately adjacent to a constricting septum. How does the cell spatially and temporally restrict the

Effect of 30-min +3 Gz centrifugation on vestibular and autonomic cardiovascular function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schlegel, Todd T.; Wood, Scott J.; Brown, Troy E.; Harm, Deborah L.; Rupert, A. H.

2003-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Repeated exposure to increased +Gz enhances human baroreflex responsiveness and improves tolerance to cardiovascular stress. However, it is not known whether such enhancements might also result from a single, more prolonged exposure to increased +Gz. Our study was designed to investigate whether baroreflex function and orthostatic tolerance are acutely improved by a single prolonged exposure to +3 Gz, and moreover, whether changes in autonomic cardiovascular function resulting from exposure to increased +Gz are correlated with changes in otolith function. METHODS: We exposed 15 healthy human subjects to +3 Gz centrifugation for up to 30 min or until symptoms of incipient G-induced loss of consciousness (G-LOC) ensued. Tests of autonomic cardiovascular function both before and after centrifugation included: 1) power spectral determinations of beat-to-beat R-R intervals and arterial pressures; 2) carotid-cardiac baroreflex tests; 3) Valsalva tests; and 4) 30-min head-up tilt tests. Otolith function was assessed during centrifugation by the linear vestibulo-ocular reflex and both before and after centrifugation by measurements of ocular counter-rolling and dynamic posturography. RESULTS: Of the 15 subjects who underwent prolonged +3 Gz, 4 were intolerant to 30 min of head-up tilt before centrifugation but became tolerant to such tilt after centrifugation. The Valsalva-related baroreflex as well as a measure of the carotid-cardiac baroreflex were also enhanced after centrifugation. No significant vestibular-autonomic relationships were detected beyond a vestibular-cerebrovascular interaction reported earlier in a subset of seven participants. CONCLUSIONS: A single prolonged exposure to +3 Gz centrifugation acutely improves baroreflex function and orthostatic tolerance.

Study on the Correlation between Gene Expression and Enzyme Activity of Seven Key Enzymes and Ginsenoside Content in Ginseng in Over Time in Ji'an, China.

PubMed

Yin, Juxin; Zhang, Daihui; Zhuang, Jianjian; Huang, Yi; Mu, Ying; Lv, Shaowu

2017-12-11

Panax ginseng is a traditional medicine. Fresh ginseng is one of the most important industries related to ginseng development, and fresh ginseng of varying ages has different medicinal properties. Previous research has not systematically reported the correlation between changes in key enzyme activity with changes in ginsenoside content in fresh ginseng over time. In this study, for the first time, we use ginseng samples of varying ages in Ji'an and systematically reported the changes in the activity of seven key enzymes (HMGR, FPS, SS, SE, DS, CYP450, and GT). We investigated the content of ginsenoside and gene expression of these key enzymes. Ginsenoside content was measured using HPLC. HPLC, GC-MS, and LC-MS were combined to measure the enzyme activity of the key enzymes. Quantitative PCR was used in the investigation of gene expression. By analyzing the correlation between the enzyme activity and the transcription level of the key enzymes with ginsenoside content, we found that DS and GT enzyme activities are significantly correlated with the ginsenoside content in different ages of ginseng. Our findings might provide a new strategy to discriminate between ginseng of different years. Meanwhile, this research provides important information for the in-depth study of ginsenoside biosynthesis.

Sheng-ji Hua-yu formula promotes diabetic wound healing of re-epithelization via Activin/Follistatin regulation.

PubMed

Kuai, Le; Zhang, Jing-Ting; Deng, Yu; Xu, Shun; Xu, Xun-Zhe; Wu, Min-Feng; Guo, Dong-Jie; Chen, Yu; Wu, Ren-Jie; Zhao, Xing-Qiang; Nian, Hua; Li, Bin; Li, Fu-Lun

2018-01-29

Sheng-ji Hua-yu(SJHY) formula is one of the most useful Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of the delayed diabetic wound. However, elucidating the related molecular biological mechanism of how the SJHY Formula affects excessive inflammation in the process of re-epithelialization of diabetic wound healing is a task urgently needed to be fulfilled. The objectives of this study is to evaluate the effect of antagonisic expression of pro-/anti-inflammatory factors on transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β) superfamily (activin and follistatin) in the process of re-epithelialization of diabetic wound healing in vivo, and to characterize the involvement of the activin/follistatin protein expression regulation, phospho-Smad (pSmad2), and Nuclear factor kappa B p50 (NF-kB) p50 in the diabetic wound healing effects of SJHY formula. SJHY Formula was prepared by pharmaceutical preparation room of Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine. Diabetic wound healing activity was evaluated by circular excision wound models. Wound healing activity was examined by macroscopic evaluation. Activin/follistatin expression regulation, protein expression of pSmad2 and NF-kB p50 in skin tissue of wounds were analyzed by Real Time PCR, Western blot, immunohistochemistry and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Macroscopic evaluation analysis showed that wound healing of diabetic mice was delayed, and SJHY Formula accelerated wound healing time of diabetic mice. Real Time PCR analysis showed higher mRNA expression of activin/follistatin in diabetic delayed wound versus the wound in normal mice. Western Blot immunoassay analysis showed reduction of activin/follistatin proteins levels by SJHY Formula treatment 15 days after injury. Immunohistochemistry investigated the reduction of pSmad2 and NF-kB p50 nuclear staining in the epidermis of diabetic SJHY versus diabetic control mice on day 15 after wounding. H&E staining revealed that SJHY Formula

In vitro immunomodulatory effects of herbal products.

PubMed

Wilasrusmee, Chumpon; Siddiqui, Josephine; Bruch, David; Wilasrusmee, Skuntala; Kittur, Smita; Kittur, Dilip S

2002-10-01

Immunosuppressive drugs have been developed from natural products such as soil and fungi, which are also the sources of some commonly used herbal products. However, the effect of herbal products on immune response has not been investigated. Because these products can affect the host immune system they can induce either rejection or tolerance after a transplant procedure. To investigate the effects of ten commonly used herbal products on transplant-related immune function we performed in vitro lymphocyte proliferation tests using phytohemagglutinin, mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) assay, and interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-10 production from MLC. Dong quai, ginseng, and milk thistle had nonspecific immunostimulatory effects on lymphocyte proliferation, whereas ginger and green tea had immunosuppressive effects. Dong quai and milk thistle increased alloresponsiveness in MLC, whereas ginger and tea decreased these responses. The immunostimulatory effects of dong quai and milk thistle were consistently seen in both cell-mediated immune response and nonspecific lymphoproliferation, whereas that of ginseng was not. The immunosuppressive effect of green tea and ginger were mediated through a decrease in IL-2 production, but the immunostimulatory effects of dong quai and milk thistle were not. We conclude that green tea, dong quai, ginseng, milk thistle, and ginger have effects on in vitro immune assays that may be relevant in transplantation in humans.

Assessing the utility of the Oxford Nanopore MinION for snake venom gland cDNA sequencing.

PubMed

Hargreaves, Adam D; Mulley, John F

2015-01-01

Portable DNA sequencers such as the Oxford Nanopore MinION device have the potential to be truly disruptive technologies, facilitating new approaches and analyses and, in some cases, taking sequencing out of the lab and into the field. However, the capabilities of these technologies are still being revealed. Here we show that single-molecule cDNA sequencing using the MinION accurately characterises venom toxin-encoding genes in the painted saw-scaled viper, Echis coloratus. We find the raw sequencing error rate to be around 12%, improved to 0-2% with hybrid error correction and 3% with de novo error correction. Our corrected data provides full coding sequences and 5' and 3' UTRs for 29 of 33 candidate venom toxins detected, far superior to Illumina data (13/40 complete) and Sanger-based ESTs (15/29). We suggest that, should the current pace of improvement continue, the MinION will become the default approach for cDNA sequencing in a variety of species.

Assessing the utility of the Oxford Nanopore MinION for snake venom gland cDNA sequencing

PubMed Central

Hargreaves, Adam D.

2015-01-01

Portable DNA sequencers such as the Oxford Nanopore MinION device have the potential to be truly disruptive technologies, facilitating new approaches and analyses and, in some cases, taking sequencing out of the lab and into the field. However, the capabilities of these technologies are still being revealed. Here we show that single-molecule cDNA sequencing using the MinION accurately characterises venom toxin-encoding genes in the painted saw-scaled viper, Echis coloratus. We find the raw sequencing error rate to be around 12%, improved to 0–2% with hybrid error correction and 3% with de novo error correction. Our corrected data provides full coding sequences and 5′ and 3′ UTRs for 29 of 33 candidate venom toxins detected, far superior to Illumina data (13/40 complete) and Sanger-based ESTs (15/29). We suggest that, should the current pace of improvement continue, the MinION will become the default approach for cDNA sequencing in a variety of species. PMID:26623194

Results of 20- versus 45-min post-infusion scalp cooling time in the prevention of docetaxel-induced alopecia.

PubMed

Komen, Manon M C; Breed, Wim P M; Smorenburg, Carolien H; van der Ploeg, Tjeerd; Goey, S H; van der Hoeven, Jacobus J M; Nortier, Johan W R; van den Hurk, Corina J G

2016-06-01

For patients, chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) is one of the most distressing side effects of treatment. Scalp cooling can prevent or minimise CIA; the results may depend on the duration of cooling. Since a previous study on post-infusion cooling time in patients treated with docetaxel chemotherapy found no difference between 90 and 45 min, we investigated whether hair-preserving results could be maintained with a shorter post-infusion cooling time. In this prospective, multi-centre randomised study, 134 patients who started treatment with docetaxel 75-100 mg/m(2) in a 3-weekly schedule were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to a post-infusion cooling time of 45 or 20 min. The primary end point was the need for a wig or other head covering as assessed by the patient. A visual analogue scale (VAS) with a range from 0 (not tolerable) to 10 (very tolerable) was used to measure tolerance. Scalp cooling results were similar for 45- and 20-min post-infusion cooling times. Thirty-three out of 45 patients (73 %) treated with 20 min of post-infusion cooling did not need a form of head covering, compared with 41 out of 52 patients (79 %) treated with 45 min of post-infusion cooling (p = 0.5). The procedure was well tolerated (mean visual analogue score 8.3). Six patients stopped due to intolerance during the first treatment cycle. A 20-min post-infusion cooling time is effective and tolerable for patients treated with scalp cooling to prevent docetaxel-induced alopecia. Trialregister.nl Identifier, NTR 1856.

Liver Inflammation and Metabolic Signaling in ApcMin/+ Mice: The Role of Cachexia Progression

PubMed Central

Narsale, Aditi A.; Enos, Reilly T.; Puppa, Melissa J.; Chatterjee, Saurabh; Murphy, E. Angela; Fayad, Raja; Pena, Majorette O’; Durstine, J. Larry; Carson, James A.

2015-01-01

The ApcMin/+ mouse exhibits an intestinal tumor associated loss of muscle and fat that is accompanied by chronic inflammation, insulin resistance and hyperlipidemia. Since the liver governs systemic energy demands through regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, it is likely that the liver is a pathological target of cachexia progression in the ApcMin/+ mouse. The purpose of this study was to determine if cancer and the progression of cachexia affected liver endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-stress, inflammation, metabolism, and protein synthesis signaling. The effect of cancer (without cachexia) was examined in wild-type and weight-stable ApcMin/+ mice. Cachexia progression was examined in weight-stable, pre-cachectic, and severely-cachectic ApcMin/+ mice. Livers were analyzed for morphology, glycogen content, ER-stress, inflammation, and metabolic changes. Cancer induced hepatic expression of ER-stress markers BiP (binding immunoglobulin protein), IRE-1α (endoplasmic reticulum to nucleus signaling 1), and inflammatory intermediate STAT-3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3). While gluconeogenic enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) mRNA expression was suppressed by cancer, glycogen content or protein synthesis signaling remained unaffected. Cachexia progression depleted liver glycogen content and increased mRNA expression of glycolytic enzyme PFK (phosphofrucktokinase) and gluconeogenic enzyme PEPCK. Cachexia progression further increased pSTAT-3 but suppressed p-65 and JNK (c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase) activation. Interestingly, progression of cachexia suppressed upstream ER-stress markers BiP and IRE-1α, while inducing its downstream target CHOP (DNA-damage inducible transcript 3). Cachectic mice exhibited a dysregulation of protein synthesis signaling, with an induction of p-mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin), despite a suppression of Akt (thymoma viral proto-oncogene 1) and S6 (ribosomal protein S6) phosphorylation. Thus, cancer

Nutritional therapy and effect assessment of infants with primary intestinal lymphangiectasia: Case reports.

PubMed

Li, Suyun; Liu, Xiaoqian; He, Yuan; Li, Qianyu; Ji, Linlin; Shen, Wenbin; Tong, Guansheng

2017-12-01

Intestinal lymphangiectasia (IL) is a rare enteropathy involving the expansion and rupture of intestinal lymphatic channels. Although several reports have studied cases of primary IL (PIL), this condition is very rare, and is even less commonly encountered in infants. This study aimed to investigate the nutritional therapy and effect assessment of chylous reflux disorder caused by PIL in infants. Infantile patients were enrolled in the Affiliated Beijing Shijitan Hospital of the Capital Medical University between January 2012 and March 2014. The minimum age of onset was 4 months and the maximum age of onset was 16 months, with an average age of 4.9 months. All children were inpatient who had been diagnosed with chylous reflux syndrome (chylothorax and/or chylic abdomen) caused by PIL. Retrospective analysis and individualized nutrition therapy of these cases were carried out. Finally, nutritional therapy and prognosis of PIL were assessed and summarized. All the children survived, showed improvement in the serum total protein, albumin, and HGB levels after nutritional therapy. After comprehensive nutritional therapy, we were able to achieve diarrhea control for all the 9 patients, and after treatment, the children passed soft, yellow stools 1 to 2 times/d. After treatment, the height and weight of all patients increased to within the normal ranges of the World Health Organization standard chart. The mean serum albumin level reached 41.3 g/L. All nutrition-related indicators were found to have significant improvement compared with the baseline levels. The results revealed that nutritional therapy for the 9 children with PIL was effective, and it may be able to improve the clinical syndromes and symptoms of children with PIL and promote recovery. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Nutritional therapy and effect assessment of infants with primary intestinal lymphangiectasia

PubMed Central

Li, Suyun; Liu, Xiaoqian; He, Yuan; Li, Qianyu; Ji, Linlin; Shen, Wenbin; Tong, Guansheng

2017-01-01

Abstract Rationale: Intestinal lymphangiectasia (IL) is a rare enteropathy involving the expansion and rupture of intestinal lymphatic channels. Although several reports have studied cases of primary IL (PIL), this condition is very rare, and is even less commonly encountered in infants. This study aimed to investigate the nutritional therapy and effect assessment of chylous reflux disorder caused by PIL in infants. Patient concerns: Infantile patients were enrolled in the Affiliated Beijing Shijitan Hospital of the Capital Medical University between January 2012 and March 2014. The minimum age of onset was 4 months and the maximum age of onset was 16 months, with an average age of 4.9 months. Diagnoses: All children were inpatient who had been diagnosed with chylous reflux syndrome (chylothorax and/or chylic abdomen) caused by PIL. Interventions: Retrospective analysis and individualized nutrition therapy of these cases were carried out. Finally, nutritional therapy and prognosis of PIL were assessed and summarized. Outcomes: All the children survived, showed improvement in the serum total protein, albumin, and HGB levels after nutritional therapy. After comprehensive nutritional therapy, we were able to achieve diarrhea control for all the 9 patients, and after treatment, the children passed soft, yellow stools 1 to 2 times/d. After treatment, the height and weight of all patients increased to within the normal ranges of the World Health Organization standard chart. The mean serum albumin level reached 41.3 g/L. All nutrition-related indicators were found to have significant improvement compared with the baseline levels. Lessons: The results revealed that nutritional therapy for the 9 children with PIL was effective, and it may be able to improve the clinical syndromes and symptoms of children with PIL and promote recovery. PMID:29390480

Purpose in life and tobacco use among community-dwelling mothers of early adolescents

PubMed Central

Ando, Shuntaro; Koike, Shinsuke; Fujikawa, Shinya; Kanata, Sho; Endo, Kaori; Nakanishi, Miharu; Hatch, Stephani L; Richards, Marcus; Kasai, Kiyoto; Hiraiwa-Hasegawa, Mariko; Nishida, Atsushi

2018-01-01

Objectives The rising prevalence of tobacco use and tobacco-attributable deaths among women is of worldwide concern. In particular, smoking prevention for mothers in early midlife is a significant international public health goal. A higher sense of purpose in life (PIL) is thought to reduce detrimental health behaviours. However, little is known about the association between a sense of PIL and tobacco use. This study investigates this association among community-dwelling mothers of early adolescents. Design This population-based cross-sectional study uses a self-reported questionnaire from the Tokyo Early Adolescence Survey, a large community-based survey conducted in Japan between 2012 and 2015. Setting Participants were randomly recruited from the resident registries of three municipalities in Tokyo, Japan. Participants A total of 4478 children and their primary parents participated. Responses from 4063 mothers with no missing data were analysed (mean age=42.0 years (SD=4.2)). Measures Participants’ tobacco use, including the number of cigarettes smoked per day, was documented using a questionnaire. PIL was assessed using a Purpose in Life scale derived from Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale. Results Greater PIL was associated with a decreased likelihood of tobacco use, even when adjusted for confounders (OR=0.80, 95% CI 0.70 to 0.91). Multinomial logistic regression analyses revealed that PIL was inversely associated with tobacco consumption among mothers. These associations remained after controlling for psychological distress, socioeconomic factors and frequency of alcohol consumption among moderate to heavy smokers (OR=0.70, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.86), while attenuated among light smokers. Conclusions Increasing PIL may be a valuable intervention for reducing tobacco use among women in early midlife. This study can contribute to our understanding of the psychology of smoking behaviour and shed light on the targeted intervention to reduce tobacco use

Nanostructured protic ionic liquids retain nanoscale features in aqueous solution while precursor Brønsted acids and bases exhibit different behavior.

PubMed

Greaves, Tamar L; Kennedy, Danielle F; Weerawardena, Asoka; Tse, Nicholas M K; Kirby, Nigel; Drummond, Calum J

2011-03-10

Small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SWAXS) has been used to investigate the effect that water has on the nanoscale structure of protic ionic liquids (PILs) along with their precursor Brønsted acids and bases. The series of PILs consisted of primary, secondary, and tertiary alkylammonium cations in conjunction with formate, nitrate, or glycolate anions. Significant differences were observed for these systems. The nanoscale aggregates present in neat protic ionic liquids were shown to be stable in size on dilution to high concentrations of water, indicating that the water is localized in the ionic region and has little effect on the nonpolar domains. The Brønsted acid-water solutions did not display nanostructure at any water concentration. Primary amine Brønsted bases formed aggregates in water, which generally displayed characteristics of poorly structured microemulsions or a form of bicontinuous phase. Exceptions were butyl- and pentylamine with high water concentrations, for which the SWAXS patterns fitted well to the Teubner-Strey model for microemulsions. Brønsted base amines containing multiple alkyl chains or hydroxyl groups did not display nanostructure at any water concentration. IR spectroscopy was used to investigate the nature of water in the various solutions. For low PIL concentrations, the water was predominately present as bulk water for PIL molar fractions less than 0.4-0.5. At high PIL concentrations, in addition to the bulk water, there was a significant proportion of perturbed water, which is water influenced in some way by the cations and anions. The molecular state of the water in the studied amines was predominately present as bulk water, with smaller contributions from perturbed water than was seen in the PILs. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Crosslinked structurally-tuned polymeric ionic liquids as stationary phases for the analysis of hydrocarbons in kerosene and diesel fuels by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography.

PubMed

Zhang, Cheng; Park, Rodney A; Anderson, Jared L

2016-04-01

Structurally-tuned ionic liquids (ILs) have been previously applied as the second dimension column in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) and have demonstrated high selectivity in the separation of individual aliphatic hydrocarbons from other aliphatic hydrocarbons. However, the maximum operating temperatures of these stationary phases limit the separation of analytes with high boiling points. In order to address this issue, a series of polymeric ionic liquid (PIL)-based stationary phases were prepared in this study using imidazolium-based IL monomers via in-column free radical polymerization. The IL monomers were functionalized with long alkyl chain substituents to provide the needed selectivity for the separation of aliphatic hydrocarbons. Columns were prepared with different film thicknesses to identify the best performing stationary phase for the separation of kerosene. The bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide ([NTf2](-))-based PIL stationary phase with larger film thickness (0.28μm) exhibited higher selectivity for aliphatic hydrocarbons and showed a maximum allowable operating temperature of 300°C. PIL-based stationary phases containing varied amount of IL-based crosslinker were prepared to study the effect of the crosslinker on the selectivity and thermal stability of the resulting stationary phase. The optimal resolution of aliphatic hydrocarbons was achieved when 50% (w/w) of crosslinker was incorporated into the PIL-based stationary phase. The resulting stationary phase exhibited good selectivity for different groups of aliphatic hydrocarbons even after being conditioned at 325°C. Finally, the crosslinked PIL-based stationary phase was compared with SUPELCOWAX 10 and DB-17 columns for the separation of aliphatic hydrocarbons in diesel fuel. Better resolution of aliphatic hydrocarbons was obtained when employing the crosslinked PIL-based stationary phase as the second dimension column. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights

Flux Cancellation Leading to Solar Filament Eruptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popescu, R. M.; Panesar, N. K.; Sterling, A. C.; Moore, R. L.

2016-12-01

Solar filaments are strands of relatively cool, dense plasma magnetically suspended in the lower density hotter solar corona. They trace magnetic polarity inversion lines (PILs) in the photosphere below, and are supported against gravity at heights of up to 100 Mm above the chromosphere by the magnetic field in and around them. This field erupts when it is rendered unstable by either magnetic flux cancellation or emergence at or near the PIL. We have studied the evolution of photospheric magnetic flux leading to ten observed filament eruptions. Specifically, we look for gradual magnetic changes in the neighborhood of the PIL prior to and during eruption. We use Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) images from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), and magnetograms from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI), both onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), to study filament eruptions and their photospheric magnetic fields. We examine whether flux cancellation or/and emergence leads to filament eruptions and find that continuous flux cancellation was present at the PIL for many hours prior to each eruption. We present two events in detail and find the following: (a) the pre-eruption filament-holding core field is highly sheared and appears in the shape of a sigmoid above the PIL; (b) at the start of the eruption the opposite arms of the sigmoid reconnect in the middle above the site of (tether-cutting) flux cancellation at the PIL; (c) the filaments first show a slow-rise, followed by a fast-rise as they erupt. We conclude that these two filament eruptions result from flux cancellation in the middle of the sheared field and are in agreement with the standard model for a CME/flare filament eruption from a closed bipolar magnetic field [flux cancellation (van Ballegooijen and Martens 1989 and Moore and Roumelrotis 1992) and runaway tether-cutting (Moore et. al 2001)].

Intercomparisons of airborne measurements of aerosol ionic chemical composition during TRACE-P and ACE-Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Y.; Weber, R. J.; Maxwell-Meier, K.; Orsini, D. A.; Lee, Y.-N.; Huebert, B. J.; Howell, S. G.; Bertram, T.; Talbot, R. W.; Dibb, J. E.; Scheuer, E.

2004-08-01

As part of the two field studies, Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific (TRACE-P) and the Asian Aerosol Characterization Experiment (ACE-Asia), the inorganic chemical composition of tropospheric aerosols was measured over the western Pacific from three separate aircraft using various methods. Comparisons are made between the rapid online techniques of the particle into liquid sampler (PILS) for measurement of a suite of fine particle a mist chamber/ion chromatograph (MC/IC) measurement of fine sulfate, and the longer time-integrated filter and micro-orifice impactor (MOI) measurements. Comparisons between identical PILS on two separate aircraft flying in formation showed that they were highly correlated (e.g., sulfate r2 of 0.95), but were systematically different by 10 ± 5% (linear regression slope and 95% confidence bounds), and had generally higher concentrations on the aircraft with a low-turbulence inlet and shorter inlet-to-instrument transmission tubing. Comparisons of PILS and mist chamber measurements of fine sulfate on two different aircraft during formation flying had an r2 of 0.78 and a relative difference of 39% ± 5%. MOI ionic data integrated to the PILS upper measurement size of 1.3 μm sampling from separate inlets on the same aircraft showed that for sulfate, PILS and MOI were within 14% ± 6% and correlated with an r2 of 0.87. Most ionic compounds were within ±30%, which is in the range of differences reported between PILS and integrated samplers from ground-based comparisons. In many cases, direct intercomparison between the various instruments is difficult due to differences in upper-size detection limits. However, for this study, the results suggest that the fine particle mass composition measured from aircraft agree to within 30-40%.

Flux Cancellation Leading to CME Filament Eruptions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Popescu, Roxana M.; Panesar, Navdeep K.; Sterling, Alphonse C.; Moore, Ronald L.

2016-01-01

Solar filaments are strands of relatively cool, dense plasma magnetically suspended in the lower density hotter solar corona. They trace magnetic polarity inversion lines (PILs) in the photosphere below, and are supported against gravity at heights of up to approx.100 Mm above the chromosphere by the magnetic field in and around them. This field erupts when it is rendered unstable, often by magnetic flux cancellation or emergence at or near the PIL. We have studied the evolution of photospheric magnetic flux leading to ten observed filament eruptions. Specifically, we look for gradual magnetic changes in the neighborhood of the PIL prior to and during eruption. We use Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) images from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), and magnetograms from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI), both on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), to study filament eruptions and their photospheric magnetic fields. We examine whether flux cancellation or/and emergence leads to filament eruptions. We find that continuous flux cancellation was present at the PIL for many hours prior to each eruption. We present two CME-producing eruptions in detail and find the following: (a) the pre-eruption filament-holding core field is highly sheared and appears in the shape of a sigmoid above the PIL; (b) at the start of the eruption the opposite arms of the sigmoid reconnect in the middle above the site of (tether-cutting) flux cancellation at the PIL; (c) the filaments first show a slow-rise, followed by a fast-rise as they erupt. We conclude that these two filament eruptions result from flux cancellation in the middle of the sheared field, and thereafter evolve in agreement with the standard model for a CME/flare filament eruption from a closed bipolar magnetic field [flux cancellation (van Ballegooijen and Martens 1989 and Moore and Roumelrotis 1992) and runaway tether-cutting (Moore et. al 2001)].

Polymeric ionic liquid coatings versus commercial solid-phase microextraction coatings for the determination of volatile compounds in cheeses.

PubMed

Trujillo-Rodríguez, María J; Yu, Honglian; Cole, William T S; Ho, Tien D; Pino, Verónica; Anderson, Jared L; Afonso, Ana M

2014-04-01

The extraction performance of four polymeric ionic liquid (PIL)-based solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coatings has been studied and compared to that of commercial SPME coatings for the extraction of 16 volatile compounds in cheeses. The analytes include 2 free fatty acids, 2 aldehydes, 2 ketones and 10 phenols and were determined by headspace (HS)-SPME coupled to gas chromatography (GC) with flame-ionization detection (FID). The PIL-based coatings produced by UV co-polymerization were more efficient than PIL-based coatings produced by thermal AIBN polymerization. Partition coefficients of analytes between the sample and the coating (Kfs) were estimated for all PIL-based coatings and the commercial SPME fiber showing the best performance among the commercial fibers tested: carboxen-polydimethylsyloxane (CAR-PDMS). For the PIL-based fibers, the highest K(fs) value (1.96 ± 0.03) was obtained for eugenol. The normalized calibration slope, which takes into account the SPME coating thickness, was also used as a simpler approximate tool to compare the nature of the coating within the determinations, with results entirely comparable to those obtained with estimated K(fs) values. The PIL-based materials obtained by UV co-polymerization containing the 1-vinyl-3-hexylimidazolium chloride IL monomer and 1,12-di(3-vinylimiazolium)dodecane dibromide IL crosslinker exhibited the best performance in the extraction of the select analytes from cheeses. Despite a coating thickness of only 7 µm, this copolymeric sorbent coating was capable of quantitating analytes in HS-SPME in a 30 to 2000 µg L(-1) concentration range, with correlation coefficient (R) values higher than 0.9938, inter-day precision values (as relative standard deviation in %) varying from 6.1 to 20%, and detection limits down to 1.6 µg L(-1). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intercomparisons of Airborne Measurements of Aerosol Ionic Chemical Composition during TRACE-P and ACE-Asia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ma, Y.; Weber, R. J.; Maxwell-Meier, K.; Orsini, D. A.; Lee, Y.-N.; Huebert, B. J.; Howell, S. G.; Bertram, T.; Talbot, R. W.

2003-01-01

As part of the two field studies, Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific (TRACE-P), and the Asian Aerosol Characterization Experiment (ACEAsia), the inorganic chemical composition of tropospheric aerosols was measured over the western Pacific from three separate aircraft using various methods. Comparisons are made between the rapid online techniques of the Particle Into Liquid Sampler (PILS) for measurement of a suite of fine particle ionic compounds and a mist chamber (MC/IC) measurement of fine sulfate, and the longer time-integrated filter and multi-orifice impactor (MOI) measurements. Comparisons between identical PILS on two separate aircraft flying in formation showed that they were highly correlated (e.g., sulfate r(sup 2) of 0.95), but were systematically different by 10 +/- 5% (linear regression slope and 95% confidence bounds), and had generally higher concentrations on the aircraft with a low turbulence inlet and shorter inlet-to-instrument transmission tubing. Comparisons of PILS and mist chamber measurements of fine sulfate on two different aircraft during formation flying had an 3 of 0.78 and a relative difference of 39% +/- 5%. MOI ionic data integrated to the PILS upper measurement size of 1.3 pm sampling from separate inlets on the same aircraft showed that for sulfate, PILS and MOI were within 14% +/- 6% and correlated with an r(sup 2) of 0.87. Most ionic compounds were within f 30%, which is in the range of differences reported between PILS and integrated samplers from ground-based comparisons. In many cases, direct intercomparison between the various instruments is difficult due to differences in upper-size detection limits. However, for this study, the results suggest that the fine particle mass composition measured from aircraft agree to within 30-40%.

Fast divide-and-conquer algorithm for evaluating polarization in classical force fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nocito, Dominique; Beran, Gregory J. O.

2017-03-01

Evaluation of the self-consistent polarization energy forms a major computational bottleneck in polarizable force fields. In large systems, the linear polarization equations are typically solved iteratively with techniques based on Jacobi iterations (JI) or preconditioned conjugate gradients (PCG). Two new variants of JI are proposed here that exploit domain decomposition to accelerate the convergence of the induced dipoles. The first, divide-and-conquer JI (DC-JI), is a block Jacobi algorithm which solves the polarization equations within non-overlapping sub-clusters of atoms directly via Cholesky decomposition, and iterates to capture interactions between sub-clusters. The second, fuzzy DC-JI, achieves further acceleration by employing overlapping blocks. Fuzzy DC-JI is analogous to an additive Schwarz method, but with distance-based weighting when averaging the fuzzy dipoles from different blocks. Key to the success of these algorithms is the use of K-means clustering to identify natural atomic sub-clusters automatically for both algorithms and to determine the appropriate weights in fuzzy DC-JI. The algorithm employs knowledge of the 3-D spatial interactions to group important elements in the 2-D polarization matrix. When coupled with direct inversion in the iterative subspace (DIIS) extrapolation, fuzzy DC-JI/DIIS in particular converges in a comparable number of iterations as PCG, but with lower computational cost per iteration. In the end, the new algorithms demonstrated here accelerate the evaluation of the polarization energy by 2-3 fold compared to existing implementations of PCG or JI/DIIS.

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia treated with rapamycin in a child with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC).

PubMed

Pollack, Sarah F; Geffrey, Alexandra L; Thiele, Elizabeth A; Shah, Uzma

2015-09-01

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) is a rare protein-losing enteropathy characterized by a congenital malformation of the lymphatic vessels of the small intestine causing insufficient drainage and leakage of lymph fluid. Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder characterized by benign hamartomas in multiple organ systems. While the lymphatic system has been implicated in TSC through lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) and lymphedema, this paper reports the first case of PIL in TSC, a female patient with a TSC2 mutation. She developed persistent and significant abdominal distension with chronic diarrhea during her first year of life. Due to lack of treatment options and the involvement of the mTOR pathway in TSC, a trial of an mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, was initiated. This treatment was highly effective, with improvement in clinical symptoms of PIL as well as abnormal laboratory values including VEGF-C, which was elevated to over seven times the normal upper limit before treatment. This case suggests that PIL is a rare manifestation of TSC, warranting the use of mTOR inhibitors in future studies. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Determination of polychlorinated biphenyls in ocean water and bovine milk using crosslinked polymeric ionic liquid sorbent coatings by solid-phase microextraction.

PubMed

Joshi, Manishkumar D; Ho, Tien D; Cole, William T S; Anderson, Jared L

2014-01-01

Crosslinked polymeric ionic liquid (PIL)-based sorbent coatings were employed in the extraction of 21 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from ocean water and bovine milk using solid-phase microextraction (SPME). The extraction temperature, time, and concentration of sodium chloride added to the matrix were optimized in order to determine the best extraction conditions for the extraction of PCBs. The analytical performance of the crosslinked PIL-based SPME fibers was compared with a commercial 7 µm polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fiber using gas chromatography (GC) employing an electron capture detector (ECD) and mass spectrometric detection (MS). Higher sensitivities for PCBs were achieved using PIL-based fibers when compared to PDMS fiber due to the incorporation of benzyl moieties into the PIL structures. The limits of detection (LOD) for all PCBs were determined to be in the low ng L(-1) range using the three studied coatings. Recovery studies were performed for PCBs in ocean water and bovine milk to validate the applicability of the current SPME method. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Correlating morphology to dc conductivity in polymerized ionic liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iacob, Ciprian; Matusmoto, Atsushi; Inoue, Tadashi; Runt, James

Polymerized ionic liquids (PILs) combine the attractive mechanical characteristics of polymers and unique physico-chemical properties of low molecular weight ionic liquids in the same material. PILs have shown remarkable advantages when employed in electrochemical devices such as dye-sensitized solar cells and lithium batteries, among others. Understanding their ionic transport mechanism is the key for designing highly conductive PILs. In the current study, the correlation between morphology and charge transport in two homologous series of PILs with systematic variation of the alkyl chain length and anions is investigated using broadband dielectric spectroscopy, rheology, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray scattering. As the alkyl chain length increases, the backbone-to-backbone separation increases, and dc-conductivity consequently decreases. The cations dominate structural dynamics since they are attached to the polymer chains, while the anions are smaller and more mobile ionic species thereby controlling the ionic conductivity. Further interpretation of decoupling of dc conductivity from the segmental relaxation enabled the correlation between polymer morphology and dc conductivity. Supported by the National Science Foundation, Polymers Program.

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

Balakrishna, A.M.; Saxena, A.; Mok, H. Y.-K.

The type IVb pilus of the enteropathogenic bacteria Salmonella typhi is a major adhesion factor during the entry of this pathogen into gastrointestinal epithelial cells. Its target of adhesion is a stretch of 10 residues from the first extracellular domain of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). The crystal structure of the N-terminal 25 amino acid deleted S. typhi native PilS protein ({Delta}PilS), which makes the pilus, was determined at 1.9 {angstrom} resolution by the multiwavelength anomalous dispersion method. Also, the structure of the complex of {Delta}PilS and a target CFTR peptide, determined at 1.8 {angstrom}, confirms that residues 113-117more » (NKEER) of CFTR are involved in binding with the pilin protein and gives us insight on the amino acids that are essential for binding. Furthermore, we have also explored the role of a conserved disulfide bridge in pilus formation. The subunit structure and assembly architecture are crucial for understanding pilus functions and designing suitable therapeutics against typhoid.« less

Efficacy of small-volume simethicone given at least 30 min before gastroscopy

PubMed Central

Song, Mingjun; Kwek, Andrew Boon Eu; Law, Ngai Moh; Ong, Jeannie Peng Lan; Tan, Jessica Yi-Lyn; Harichander Thurairajah, Prem; Ang, Daphne Shih Wen; Ang, Tiing Leong

2016-01-01

AIM To evaluate the efficacy of 5 mL simethicone solution in decreasing gastric foam if given at least 30 min before gastroscopy. METHODS This was a randomized, placebo controlled, endoscopist blinded study performed at Changi General Hospital. Patients were at least 21 years old, had no prior surgical resection of the upper gastrointestinal tract, and scheduled for elective diagnostic gastroscopies. The primary outcome was the total mucosal visibility score (TMVS) which was evaluated using McNally score. The sample size was calculated to be 24 per group (SD 2.4, 80% power, P < 0.05, 2-sample t test). RESULTS Fifty-four patients were randomised to receive either simethicone [1 mL liquid simethicone (100 mg) in 5 mL of water] or placebo (5 mL of water) at least 30 min before their gastroscopy. Six accredited consultants conducted the gastroscopy, and the interobserver agreement of scoring TMVS was good with a Kappa statistic of 0.73. The simethicone group had significantly better mean TMVS compared to placebo (5.78 ± SD 1.65 vs 8.89 ± SD 1.97, P < 0.001). The improvement was statistically significant for the duodenum and the gastric antrum, angularis, body, and fundus. Percent 51.9 of patients in the simethicone group had a TMVS of 4 (no bubbles at all) to 5 (only 1 area with minimal bubbles), while in the placebo group 3.7% of patients had TMVS of 4 or 5. The number needed to treat was 2.1 to avoid a TMVS of 6 and more. The simethicone group also had a significantly shorter procedure time with less volume of additional flushes required during gastroscopy to clear away obscuring gastric foam. CONCLUSION With a premedication time of at least 30 min, 5 mL simethicone can significantly decrease gastric foam, decrease the volume of additional flushes, and shorten gastroscopy time. PMID:27867691

High-Accuracy Methods for Numerical Flow Analysis Using Adaptive Non-Linear Wavelets

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-01

n ji n ji  , )(~ ,, Opp n jin ji  , (2-8) )(~ 2/12/1  OEE nn  , )(~ 2/12/1 OFF nn  . Also, if the flux values are discretized with...jin ji  , (3-5) )(~ 2/12/1  OEE nn  , )(~ 2/12/1 OFF nn  . Also, if the flux values are discretized with the lth order of spatial

Identification of five novel modifier loci of ApcMin harbored in the BXH14 recombinant inbred strain

PubMed Central

Siracusa, Linda D.

2012-01-01

Every year thousands of people in the USA are diagnosed with small intestine and colorectal cancers (CRC). Although environmental factors affect disease etiology, uncovering underlying genetic factors is imperative for risk assessment and developing preventative therapies. Familial adenomatous polyposis is a heritable genetic disorder in which individuals carry germ-line mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene that predisposes them to CRC. The Apc Min mouse model carries a point mutation in the Apc gene and develops polyps along the intestinal tract. Inbred strain background influences polyp phenotypes in Apc Min mice. Several Modifier of Min (Mom) loci that alter tumor phenotypes associated with the Apc Min mutation have been identified to date. We screened BXH recombinant inbred (RI) strains by crossing BXH RI females with C57BL/6J (B6) Apc Min males and quantitating tumor phenotypes in backcross progeny. We found that the BXH14 RI strain harbors five modifier loci that decrease polyp multiplicity. Furthermore, we show that resistance is determined by varying combinations of these modifier loci. Gene interaction network analysis shows that there are multiple networks with proven gene–gene interactions, which contain genes from all five modifier loci. We discuss the implications of this result for studies that define susceptibility loci, namely that multiple networks may be acting concurrently to alter tumor phenotypes. Thus, the significance of this work resides not only with the modifier loci we identified but also with the combinations of loci needed to get maximal protection against polyposis and the impact of this finding on human disease studies. Abbreviations:APCadenomatous polyposis coliGWASgenome-wide association studiesQTLquantitative trait lociSNPsingle-nucleotide polymorphism. PMID:22637734

NASA Ames Science Instrument Launches Aboard New Mars Rover (CheMin)

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-11-23

When NASA's Mars Science Laboratory lands in a region known as Gale Crater in August of 2012, it will be poised to carry out the most sophisticated chemical analysis of the Martian surface to date. One of the 10 instruments on board the rover Curiosity will be CheMin - short for chemistry and mineralogy. Developed by Ames researcher David Blake and his team, it will use new technology to analyze and identify minerals in the Martian rocks and soil. Youtube: NASA Ames Scientists Develop MSL Science Instrument

An Optimal Free Energy Dissipation Strategy of the MinCDE Oscillator in Regulating Symmetric Bacterial Cell Division

PubMed Central

Xiong, Liping; Lan, Ganhui

2015-01-01

Sustained molecular oscillations are ubiquitous in biology. The obtained oscillatory patterns provide vital functions as timekeepers, pacemakers and spacemarkers. Models based on control theory have been introduced to explain how specific oscillatory behaviors stem from protein interaction feedbacks, whereas the energy dissipation through the oscillating processes and its role in the regulatory function remain unexplored. Here we developed a general framework to assess an oscillator’s regulation performance at different dissipation levels. Using the Escherichia coli MinCDE oscillator as a model system, we showed that a sufficient amount of energy dissipation is needed to switch on the oscillation, which is tightly coupled to the system’s regulatory performance. Once the dissipation level is beyond this threshold, unlike stationary regulators’ monotonic performance-to-cost relation, excess dissipation at certain steps in the oscillating process damages the oscillator’s regulatory performance. We further discovered that the chemical free energy from ATP hydrolysis has to be strategically assigned to the MinE-aided MinD release and the MinD immobilization steps for optimal performance, and a higher energy budget improves the robustness of the oscillator. These results unfold a novel mode by which living systems trade energy for regulatory function. PMID:26317492

A novel diagnostic method for malaria using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and MinION™ nanopore sequencer.

PubMed

Imai, Kazuo; Tarumoto, Norihito; Misawa, Kazuhisa; Runtuwene, Lucky Ronald; Sakai, Jun; Hayashida, Kyoko; Eshita, Yuki; Maeda, Ryuichiro; Tuda, Josef; Murakami, Takashi; Maesaki, Shigefumi; Suzuki, Yutaka; Yamagishi, Junya; Maeda, Takuya

2017-09-13

A simple and accurate molecular diagnostic method for malaria is urgently needed due to the limitations of conventional microscopic examination. In this study, we demonstrate a new diagnostic procedure for human malaria using loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and the MinION™ nanopore sequencer. We generated specific LAMP primers targeting the 18S-rRNA gene of all five human Plasmodium species including two P. ovale subspecies (P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale wallikeri, P. ovale curtisi, P. knowlesi and P. malariae) and examined human blood samples collected from 63 malaria patients in Indonesia. Additionally, we performed amplicon sequencing of our LAMP products using MinION™ nanopore sequencer to identify each Plasmodium species. Our LAMP method allowed amplification of all targeted 18S-rRNA genes of the reference plasmids with detection limits of 10-100 copies per reaction. Among the 63 clinical samples, 54 and 55 samples were positive by nested PCR and our LAMP method, respectively. Identification of the Plasmodium species by LAMP amplicon sequencing analysis using the MinION™ was consistent with the reference plasmid sequences and the results of nested PCR. Our diagnostic method combined with LAMP and MinION™ could become a simple and accurate tool for the identification of human Plasmodium species, even in resource-limited situations.

Retention of Adult Learners in an Individualized Baccalaureate Degree Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holm, Shirley M.

A study sought to determine the rate of retention of adult students in the University of Minnesota College Program for Individualized Learning (PIL) for the 1983-84 academic year, as well as factors that might relate to this retention rate. A review was made of the 67 applications submitted by students admitted to PIL during that year to determine…

Reference equations for 6-min walk test in healthy Indian subjects (25-80 years).

PubMed

Palaniappan Ramanathan, Ramanathan; Chandrasekaran, Baskaran

2014-01-01

Six-min walk test (6MWT), a simple functional capacity evaluation tool used globally to determine the prognosis and effectiveness of any therapeutic/medical intervention. However, variability in reference equations derived from western population (due to racial and ethnicity variations) hinders from adequate use of 6MWT clinically. Further, there are no valid Indian studies that predict reference values for 6-min walk distance (6MWD) in healthy Indian normal. We aimed for framing individualized reference equations for 6MWT in healthy Indian population. Anthropometric variables (age, weight, height, and body mass index (BMI)) and 6-min walk in a 30 m corridor were evaluated in 125 subjects (67 females) in a cross-sectional trial. 6MWD significantly correlated with age (r = -0.29), height (r = 0.393), weight (r = 0.08), and BMI (r = -0.17). The gender specific reference equations for healthy Indian individuals were: (1) Males: 561.022 - (2.507 × age [years]) + (1.505 × weight [kg]) - (0.055 × height [cm]). R (2) = 0.288. (2) Indian females: 30.325 - (0.809 × age [years]) - (2.074 × weight [kg]) + (4.235 × height [cm]). R (2) = 0.272. Though the equations possess a small coefficient of determination and larger standard error estimate, the former applicability to Indian population is justified. These reference equations are probably most appropriate for evaluating the walked capacity of Indian patients with chronic diseases.

TIA model is attainable in Wistar rats by intraluminal occlusion of the MCA for 10min or shorter.

PubMed

Durukan Tolvanen, A; Tatlisumak, E; Pedrono, E; Abo-Ramadan, U; Tatlisumak, T

2017-05-15

Transient ischemic attack (TIA) has received only little attention in the experimental research field. Recently, we introduced a TIA model for mice, and here we set similar principles for simulating this human condition in Wistar rats. In the model: 1) transient nature of the event is ensured, and 2) 24h after the event animals are free from any sensorimotor deficit and from any detectable lesion by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Animals experienced varying durations of ischemia (5, 10, 12.5, 15, 25, and 30min, n=6-8pergroup) by intraluminal middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Ischemia severity and reperfusion rates were controlled by cerebral blood flow measurements. Sensorimotor neurological evaluations and MRI at 24h differentiated between TIA and ischemic stroke. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and apoptotic cell counts revealed pathological correlates of the event. We found that already 12.5min of ischemia was long enough to induce ischemic stroke in Wistar rats. Ten min or shorter durations induced neither gross neurological deficits nor infarcts visible on MRI, but histologically caused selective neuronal necrosis. A separate group of animals with 10min of ischemia followed up to 1week after reperfusion remained free of infarction and any MRI signal change. Thus, 10min or shorter focal cerebral ischemia induced by intraluminal MCAO in Wistar rats provides a clinically relevant TIA the rat. This model is useful for studying molecular correlates of TIA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Remineralization Effect of Topical NovaMin Versus Sodium Fluoride (1.1%) on Caries-Like Lesions in Permanent Teeth

PubMed Central

Vahid Golpayegani, M.; Sohrabi, A.; Biria, M.; Ansari, G.

2012-01-01

Objective: NovaMin, a synthetic mineral composed of calcium, sodium, phosphorous and silica releases deposits of crystalline hydroxyl-carbonate apatite (HCA) structurally similar to tooth mineral composition. The aim of this investigation was to compare the potential remineralization effect of topical NovaMin and Sodium Fluoride gel on caries like lesions in permanent teeth. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 sound human freshly extracted teeth were subjected to a pH-cycling protocol. Specimens were randomly assigned to one of the two treatment groups with NovaMin contained dentifrice applied to group 1, while group 2 received a dentifrice containing 1.1% neutral Sodium Fluoride. Pastes were applied five times after the samples received a demineralization from an earlier cariogenic challenge. Specimens were then evaluated by a Surface Micro Hardness test (SMH, 25G, 5s). Post-treatment SMH measurements were conducted and Mann Whitney test was employed for statistical analysis. Results: Mean post lesion SMH values were 221.99±26.27 and 224.50±28.64 for the first and second groups, respectively. Post treatment SMH values were 232.52±24.34 for NovaMin and 232.03 ±24.46 for the fluoride group. Two way ANOVA test showed a highly significant difference between the two different treatment protocols (p<0.001). Conclusion: NovaMin dentifrice appears to have a greater effect on remineralization of carious-like lesions when compared to that of fluoride containing dentifrice in permanent teeth. PMID:22924104

Functional selection of a type IV pili-binding peptide that specifically inhibits Salmonella Typhi adhesion to/invasion of human monocytic cells.

PubMed

Wu, Hong-Yan; Zhang, Xiao-Lian; Pan, Qin; Wu, Jianguo

2005-11-01

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) is an important pathogen which infects humans exclusively and causes typhoid or enteric fever. Recently it has been discovered that type IVB pili, encoded by the S. Typhi pil operon located in the major pathogenicity island, may be important in the pathogenesis of epidemic enteric fever. To further investigate the roles of type IVB pili of S. Typhi, a 12-mer peptide (RQERSSLSKPVV), binding to the structural protein PilS of the type IVB pili of S. Typhi, was isolated with a ribosome display system. This peptide was designated as peptide R. We found that peptide R inhibited adhesion to/invasion of human monocytic THP-1 cells by piliated S. Typhi bacteria, but had no effects on nonpiliated S. Typhi bacteria. A random 12-mer peptide, of size and solubility equal to peptide R, served as a control on the specificity of peptide R. The specific interaction and binding equilibrium between the 12-mer peptide R and PilS protein was determined by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and a binding constant Ka determined to be between 0.4 x 10(5) and 2.2 x 10(5)L mol(-1). Our findings suggest that the type IV pili-binding peptide R holds potential as an antibacterial peptide effective against S. Typhi infections, both in terms of prevention and therapeutic treatment. The data further provide insights into the understanding of the pathogenic roles of the type IVB pili of S. Typhi.

Exacerbation of primary intestinal lymphangiectasia during late pregnancy and recovery after delivery

PubMed Central

Lu, Jianyang; Zhai, Hongbo

2017-01-01

Abstract Rationale: Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) is a rare disease characterized by dilated intestinal lacteals resulting in lymph leakage into the small bowel lumen. Main clinical features include intermittent diarrhea, hypoproteinemia. Scattered case reports suggested that PIL is compatible to pregnancy, but with increased complications. Patient concerns: A 34-year-old woman with endoscopically diagnosed PIL presented to antenatal our clinic at 10 weeks into gestation. She reported strict adherence to low-fat/high-protein diet with medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) supplementation. She was general well except for moderate edema and hypoalbuminemia. At 33 weeks, she developed diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, with decreased fetal movements. One week later, she had an asthma attack. Nonstress test showed frequent variable deceleration. Diagnoses: The diagnosis of PIL was established endoscopically 8 years earlier. Interventions: Hypoalbuminemia was corrected with intravenous albumin administration. She also received corticosteroid therapy to promote fetal lung maturation in anticipation to early termination of the pregnancy. Outcomes: A cesarean section was carried out at 34 weeks due to fetal distress. The baby girl was apparently healthy: weighing 2160 g, with an Apgar score of 9 at both 1 and 5 minutes. Symptoms dissipated rapidly after the delivery. The last follow-up visit at 15 months was unremarkable for both the mother and infant. Lessons: PIL could be compatible with pregnancy, but requires strict adherence to dietary treatment, proper management of the symptoms (e.g., hypoalbuminemia), particularly during late gestation. PMID:28858117

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia: four case reports and a review of the literature.

PubMed

Wen, Jie; Tang, Qingya; Wu, Jiang; Wang, Ying; Cai, Wei

2010-12-01

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) is a rare digestive disease and most articles on this condition are isolated case reports. Our purpose is to investigate the clinical characteristics, therapeutic management, and outcome of PIL through case studies. We conducted a retrospective analysis and obtained detailed clinical information for four PIL patients treated at our institution. A MEDLINE database search was also performed using the search term "intestinal lymphangiectasia" and all pertinent literature was carefully reviewed. Four children treated in our department showed elevated IgE and a good response to diet intervention. After reviewing the literature, we conducted statistical analysis on the basis of all the cases, with a total of 84 cases. Thirty-eight cases have been reported with diet treatment, 24 (63%) of whom showed apparent improvement in clinical symptoms and laboratory parameters. Four cases (5%) had a malignant transformation of lymphoma, and the average time from PIL onset to lymphoma diagnosis was 31 years (range, 19-45 years). No difference was observed regarding the presence of major clinical manifestations among children and adults. Diet intervention in children was more effective than that in adults. Diet intervention is the cornerstone of PIL medical management, which was found to be more effective in children than in adults. Early diagnosis and treatment of IL is of great importance for effective diet therapy. An elevated IgE level should be monitored periodically since it could be an indication of malignant transformation-lymphoma.

Exacerbation of primary intestinal lymphangiectasia during late pregnancy and recovery after delivery: A case report and literature review.

PubMed

Lu, Jianyang; Zhai, Hongbo

2017-09-01

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) is a rare disease characterized by dilated intestinal lacteals resulting in lymph leakage into the small bowel lumen. Main clinical features include intermittent diarrhea, hypoproteinemia. Scattered case reports suggested that PIL is compatible to pregnancy, but with increased complications. A 34-year-old woman with endoscopically diagnosed PIL presented to antenatal our clinic at 10 weeks into gestation. She reported strict adherence to low-fat/high-protein diet with medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) supplementation. She was general well except for moderate edema and hypoalbuminemia. At 33 weeks, she developed diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, with decreased fetal movements. One week later, she had an asthma attack. Nonstress test showed frequent variable deceleration. The diagnosis of PIL was established endoscopically 8 years earlier. Hypoalbuminemia was corrected with intravenous albumin administration. She also received corticosteroid therapy to promote fetal lung maturation in anticipation to early termination of the pregnancy. A cesarean section was carried out at 34 weeks due to fetal distress. The baby girl was apparently healthy: weighing 2160 g, with an Apgar score of 9 at both 1 and 5 minutes. Symptoms dissipated rapidly after the delivery. The last follow-up visit at 15 months was unremarkable for both the mother and infant. PIL could be compatible with pregnancy, but requires strict adherence to dietary treatment, proper management of the symptoms (e.g., hypoalbuminemia), particularly during late gestation.

The Complex Conductivity Signature of Geobacter Species in Geological Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, I.; Atekwana, E. A.; Sarkisova, S.; Achang, M.

2013-12-01

The Complex Conductivity (CC) technique is a promising biogeophysical approach for sensing microbially-induced changes in geological media because of its low-invasive character and sufficient sensitivity to enhanced microbial activity in the near subsurface. Geobacter species have been shown to play important roles in the bioremediation of groundwater contaminated with petroleum and landfill leachate. This capability is based on the ability of Geobacter species to reduce Fe(III) by transferring of electrons from the reduced equivalents to Fe(III) rich minerals through respiration chain and special metallic-like conductors - pili. Only the cultivation of Geobacter species on Fe(III) oxides specifically express pili biosynthesis. Moreover, mutants that cannot produce pili are unable to reduce Fe(III) oxides. However, little is known about the contribution of these molecular conductors (nanowires) to the generation of complex conductivity signatures in geological media. Here, we present the results about the modulation of CC signatures in geological media by Geobacter sulfurreducens (G.s.). Cultures of wild strain G.s. and its pilA(-) mutant were anaerobically cultivated in the presence of the pair of such donors and acceptors of electrons: acetate - fumarate, and acetate - magnetite under anaerobic conditions. Each culture was injected in CC sample holders filled either with N2-CO2 mix (planktonic variant) or with this gases mix and glass beads, d=1 mm, (porous medium variant). Both strains of G.s. proliferated well in a medium supplemented with acetate-fumarate. However, pilA(-) mutant did not multiply in a medium supplemented with ox-red pair yeast extract - magnetite. This observation confirmed that only wild pilA(+) strain is capable of the dissimilatory reduction of Fe(III) within magnetite molecule. The measurement of CC responses from planktonic culture of G.s. wild strain grown with acetate-fumarate did not show linear correlation with their magnitudes but

Achieving 1% NMR polarization in water in less than 1 min using SABRE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Haifeng; Xu, Jiadi; McMahon, Michael T.; Lohman, Joost A. B.; van Zijl, Peter C. M.

2014-09-01

The development of biocompatible hyperpolarized media is a crucial step towards application of hyperpolarization in vivo. This article describes the achievement of 1% hyperpolarization of 3-amino-1,2,4-triazine protons in water using the parahydrogen induced polarization technique based on signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE). Polarization was achieved in less than 1 min.

Human connectome module pattern detection using a new multi-graph MinMax cut model.

PubMed

De, Wang; Wang, Yang; Nie, Feiping; Yan, Jingwen; Cai, Weidong; Saykin, Andrew J; Shen, Li; Huang, Heng

2014-01-01

Many recent scientific efforts have been devoted to constructing the human connectome using Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) data for understanding the large-scale brain networks that underlie higher-level cognition in human. However, suitable computational network analysis tools are still lacking in human connectome research. To address this problem, we propose a novel multi-graph min-max cut model to detect the consistent network modules from the brain connectivity networks of all studied subjects. A new multi-graph MinMax cut model is introduced to solve this challenging computational neuroscience problem and the efficient optimization algorithm is derived. In the identified connectome module patterns, each network module shows similar connectivity patterns in all subjects, which potentially associate to specific brain functions shared by all subjects. We validate our method by analyzing the weighted fiber connectivity networks. The promising empirical results demonstrate the effectiveness of our method.

Primary Intestinal Lymphangiectasia (Waldmann's Disease) Presenting with Chylous Effusions in a 15-Year-Old.

PubMed

Surampalli, Vijay; Ramaswamy, Srinath; Surendran, Deepanjali; Bammigatti, Chanaveerappa; Swaminathan, Rathinam Palamalai

2017-08-01

Primary Intestinal Lymphangiectasia (PIL) is a rare disease of unknown aetiology which presents in the paediatric age group with anasarca, diarrhoea, hypoproteinaemia, lymphoedema and chylous effusions. Tuberculosis, filariasis, chest trauma, malignancies and haematological disorders usually contribute to most cases of secondary lymphangiectasia and chylous effusions. We hereby describe a case of PIL presenting with chylous effusions which remained undiagnosed for eight years.

Purpose in Life among Men and Women Aged 85 Years and Older

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hedberg, Pia; Gustafson, Yngve; Brulin, Christine

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate purpose in life in relation to psychological well-being, social relations, and physical and psychological symptoms among very old women (n = 120) and men (n = 69). Their purpose in life was evaluated using the Purpose in Life (PIL) scale. Women scored lower on this PIL scale than men (102 vs. 108 p =…

JiJi De GuanJiao FangFa (Positive Discipline). ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education, Champaign, IL.

This ERIC Digest suggests methods and language that can be used in handling difficult, but common, situations involving young children. Discussion focuses on: (1) 12 methods of discipline that promote self-worth; (2) the process of creating a positive climate that promotes self-discipline; (3) harmful and negative disciplinary methods; and (4)…

Field Detection of Citrus Huanglongbing Associated with ' Candidatus Liberibacter Asiaticus' by Recombinese Polymerase Amplification within 15 min.

PubMed

Qian, Wenjuan; Lu, Ying; Meng, Youqing; Ye, Zunzhong; Wang, Liu; Wang, Rui; Zheng, Qiqi; Wu, Hui; Wu, Jian

2018-06-06

' Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' (Las) is the most prevalent bacterium associated with huanglongbing, which is one of the most destructive diseases of citrus. In this paper, an extremely rapid and simple method for field detection of Las from leaf samples, based on recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), is described. Three RPA primer pairs were designed and evaluated. RPA amplification was optimized so that it could be accomplished within 10 min. In combination with DNA crude extraction by a 50-fold dilution after 1 min of grinding in 0.5 M sodium hydroxide and visual detection via fluorescent DNA dye (positive samples display obvious green fluorescence while negative samples remain colorless), the whole detection process can be accomplished within 15 min. The sensitivity and specificity of this RPA-based method were evaluated and were proven to be equal to those of real-time PCR. The reliability of this method was also verified by analyzing field samples.

Intermittent KoldBlue cryotherapy of 3x10 min changes mid-portion Achilles tendon microcirculation.

PubMed

Knobloch, Karsten; Grasemann, Ruth; Spies, Marcus; Vogt, Peter M

2007-06-01

Neovascularisation and microcirculatory changes have been reported in Achilles tendinopathy. Cryotherapy and compression, as part of a rest, ice, compression and elevation regimen, are shown to decrease pain and improve function. However, the microcirculatory changes following a given dosage of cryotherapy on mid-portion Achilles tendon remain unclear. Prospective clinical cohort study, level of evidence 2. 30 people (12 males, 33 (SD 12) years, body mass index 25.6 (5.3) kg/m2) were included in the cohort. 3x10 min KoldBlue ankle-cooling bandages were applied and microcirculation of Achilles tendon mid-portion was real-time and continuously assessed using a laser-Doppler-spectrophotometry system (O2C, Germany). Superficial capillary blood flow was reduced from 42 to 6, 5 and 3 relative units (rU) in the first, second and third cryotherapy periods, respectively (-65%, p = 0.001), with no significant capillary hyperaemia. Deep capillary tendon blood flow was reduced from 180 to 82, 53 and 52 rU (-71%, p = 0.001) within 6-9 min of application without hyperaemia. Superficial tendon oxygen saturation dropped significantly from 43% to 26%, 18% and 11% (p = 0.001) after repetitive cryotherapy, with persisting increase of tendon oxygenation during rewarming (51%, 49% and 54%, p = 0.077) up to 27% of the baseline level. At 8 mm tendon depth, cryotherapy preserved local oxygenation. Relative postcapillary venous tendon filling pressures were favourably reduced from 41 (11) to 31, 28 and 26 rU (-36%, p = 0.001) superficially and from 56 (11) to 45, 46 and 48 rU (-18%, p = 0.001) in deep capillary blood flow during cryotherapy, facilitating capillary venous clearance. Intermittent cryotherapy of 3x10 min significantly decreases local Achilles tendon mid-portion capillary blood flow by 71%. Within 2 min of rewarming, tendon oxygen saturation is re-established following cryotherapy. Postcapillary venous filling pressures are reduced during cryotherapy, favouring capillary