Impact of keyboard typing on the morphological changes of the median nerve.

PubMed

Yeap Loh, Ping; Liang Yeoh, Wen; Nakashima, Hiroki; Muraki, Satoshi

2017-09-28

The primary objective was to investigate the effects of continuous typing on median nerve changes at the carpal tunnel region at two different keyboard slopes (0° and 20°). The secondary objective was to investigate the differences in wrist kinematics and the changes in wrist anthropometric measurements when typing at the two different keyboard slopes. Fifteen healthy right-handed young men were recruited. A randomized sequence of the conditions (control, typing I, and typing II) was assigned to each participant. Wrist anthropometric measurements, wrist kinematics data collection and ultrasound examination to the median nerve was performed at designated time block. Typing activity and time block do not cause significant changes to the wrist anthropometric measurements. The wrist measurements remained similar across all the time blocks in the three conditions. Subsequently, the wrist extensions and ulnar deviations were significantly higher in both the typing I and typing II conditions than in the control condition for both wrists (p<0.05). Additionally, the median nerve cross-sectional area (MNCSA) significantly increased in both the typing I and typing II conditions after the typing task than before the typing task. The MNCSA significantly decreased in the recovery phase after the typing task. This study demonstrated the immediate changes in the median nerve after continuous keyboard typing. Changes in the median nerve were greater during typing using a keyboard tilted at 20° than during typing using a keyboard tilted at 0°. The main findings suggest wrist posture near to neutral position caused lower changes of the median nerve.

Distinct patterns of functional brain connectivity correlate with objective performance and subjective beliefs

PubMed Central

Barttfeld, Pablo; Wicker, Bruno; McAleer, Phil; Belin, Pascal; Cojan, Yann; Graziano, Martín; Leiguarda, Ramón; Sigman, Mariano

2013-01-01

The degree of correspondence between objective performance and subjective beliefs varies widely across individuals. Here we demonstrate that functional brain network connectivity measured before exposure to a perceptual decision task covaries with individual objective (type-I performance) and subjective (type-II performance) accuracy. Increases in connectivity with type-II performance were observed in networks measured while participants directed attention inward (focus on respiration), but not in networks measured during states of neutral (resting state) or exogenous attention. Measures of type-I performance were less sensitive to the subjects’ specific attentional states from which the networks were derived. These results suggest the existence of functional brain networks indexing objective performance and accuracy of subjective beliefs distinctively expressed in a set of stable mental states. PMID:23801762

Type-II InP quantum dots in wide-bandgap InGaP host for intermediate-band solar cells

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

Tayagaki, Takeshi, E-mail: tayagaki-t@aist.go.jp; Sugaya, Takeyoshi

2016-04-11

We demonstrate type-II quantum dots (QDs) with long carrier lifetimes in a wide-bandgap host as a promising candidate for intermediate-band solar cells. Type-II InP QDs are fabricated in a wide-bandgap InGaP host using molecular beam epitaxy. Time-resolved photoluminescence measurements reveal an extremely long carrier lifetime (i.e., greater than 30 ns). In addition, from temperature-dependent PL spectra, we find that the type-II InP QDs form a negligible valence band offset and conduction band offset of ΔE{sub c} ≈ 0.35 eV in the InGaP host. Such a type-II confinement potential for InP/InGaP QDs has a significant advantage for realizing efficient two-step photon absorption and suppressed carriermore » capture in QDs via Auger relaxation.« less

Associations between comorbid anxiety, diabetes control, and overall medical burden in patients with serious mental illness and diabetes.

PubMed

Bajor, Laura A; Gunzler, Douglas; Einstadter, Douglas; Thomas, Charles; McCormick, Richard; Perzynski, Adam T; Kanuch, Stephanie W; Cassidy, Kristin A; Dawson, Neal V; Sajatovic, Martha

2015-01-01

While previous work has demonstrated elevation of both comorbid anxiety disorders and diabetes mellitus type II in individuals with serious mental illness, little is known regarding the impact of comorbid anxiety on diabetes mellitus type II outcomes in serious mental illness populations. We analyzed baseline data from patients with serious mental illness and diabetes mellitus type II to examine relationships between comorbid anxiety, glucose control as measured by hemoglobin A1c score, and overall illness burden. Using baseline data from an ongoing prospective treatment study involving 157 individuals with serious mental illness and diabetes mellitus type II, we compared individuals with and without a comorbid anxiety disorder and compared hemoglobin A1c levels between these groups to assess the relationship between anxiety and management of diabetes mellitus type II. We conducted a similar analysis using cumulative number of anxiety diagnoses as a proxy for anxiety load. Finally, we searched for associations between anxiety and overall medical illness burden as measured by Charlson score. Anxiety disorders were seen in 33.1% (N=52) of individuals with serious mental illness and diabetes mellitus type II and were associated with increased severity of depressive symptoms and decreased function. Hemoglobin A1c levels were not significantly different in those with or without anxiety, and having multiple anxiety disorders was not associated with differences in diabetes mellitus type II control. However, depressive symptoms were significantly associated with higher hemoglobin A1c levels. Neither comorbid anxiety nor anxiety load was significantly associated with overall medical burden. One in three people with serious mental illness and diabetes mellitus type II had anxiety. Depressive symptoms were significantly associated with Hb1Ac levels while anxiety symptoms had no relation to hemoglobin A1c; this is consistent with previously published work. More studies are needed to better understand the relationship between depression, anxiety, and health management in people with serious mental illness and diabetes mellitus type II. © The Author(s) 2015.

Recruitment of single muscle fibers during submaximal cycling exercise.

PubMed

Altenburg, T M; Degens, H; van Mechelen, W; Sargeant, A J; de Haan, A

2007-11-01

In literature, an inconsistency exists in the submaximal exercise intensity at which type II fibers are activated. In the present study, the recruitment of type I and II fibers was investigated from the very beginning and throughout a 45-min cycle exercise at 75% of the maximal oxygen uptake, which corresponded to 38% of the maximal dynamic muscle force. Biopsies of the vastus lateralis muscle were taken from six subjects at rest and during the exercise, two at each time point. From the first biopsy single fibers were isolated and characterized as type I and II, and phosphocreatine-to-creatine (PCr/Cr) ratios and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain intensities were measured. Cross sections were cut from the second biopsy, individual fibers were characterized as type I and II, and PAS stain intensities were measured. A decline in PCr/Cr ratio and in PAS stain intensity was used as indication of fiber recruitment. Within 1 min of exercise both type I and, although to a lesser extent, type II fibers were recruited. Furthermore, the PCr/Cr ratio revealed that the same proportion of fibers was recruited during the whole 45 min of exercise, indicating a rather constant recruitment. The PAS staining, however, proved inadequate to fully demonstrate fiber recruitment even after 45 min of exercise. We conclude that during cycling exercise a greater proportion of type II fibers is recruited than previously reported for isometric contractions, probably because of the dynamic character of the exercise. Furthermore, the PCr/Cr ratio method is more sensitive in determining fiber activation than the PAS stain intensity method.

Skin phototyping in a Chinese female population: analysis of four hundred and four cases from four major cities of China.

PubMed

Liu, W; Lai, W; Wang, X M; Li, L; Tian, Y; Lu, Y; Wu, Y Y; Li, Y; Zhang, P; Wu, Y; Chen, L

2006-08-01

The sun-reactive skin types in 404 Chinese females living in different cities were investigated in this study. A questionnaire was designed according to the original concept of skin types proposed by Fitzpatrick and the investigation was conducted in two ways: self-administered reporting and then a personal interview. Minimal erythema dose (MED) and minimal persistent pigmentation dose (MPPD) were also measured in part of the volunteers with a standard solar simulator. The results show that in the way of personal interview, the predominant skin type of the investigated group is type III (71.4%), and then type II (14.7%) and type IV (14.2%), while in the self-reporting manner, the result is as follows: type III, 74.3%, type II, 25.6% and type IV, 1%. There are no skin type I, V or VI in the studied group. MED and MPPD from the same population show some relevance to the skin types, e.g. with the change of skin type from Type II to IV, the mean value of MED increases gradually and the MPPD decreases slightly. From the study we concluded that the skin types of the investigated Chinese females are principally type III (more than 70%), and then type II and type IV. The different ways of answering the questionnaire did not affect the results remarkably. The measurements of photobiology parameters confirmed that there is a certain correlation between skin types and MED or MPPD determined in this group of volunteers.

Preliminary validation of the Spanish version of the Multiple Stimulus Types Ambiguity Tolerance Scale (MSTAT-II).

PubMed

Arquero, José L; McLain, David L

2010-05-01

Despite widespread interest in ambiguity tolerance and other information-related individual differences, existing measures are conceptually dispersed and psychometrically weak. This paper presents the Spanish version of MSTAT-II, a short, stimulus-oriented, and psychometrically improved measure of an individual's orientation toward ambiguous stimuli. Results obtained reveal adequate reliability, validity, and temporal stability. These results support the use of MSTAT-II as an adequate measure of ambiguity tolerance.

Lorentz-violating type-II Dirac fermions in transition metal dichalcogenide PtTe2.

PubMed

Yan, Mingzhe; Huang, Huaqing; Zhang, Kenan; Wang, Eryin; Yao, Wei; Deng, Ke; Wan, Guoliang; Zhang, Hongyun; Arita, Masashi; Yang, Haitao; Sun, Zhe; Yao, Hong; Wu, Yang; Fan, Shoushan; Duan, Wenhui; Zhou, Shuyun

2017-08-15

Topological semimetals have recently attracted extensive research interests as host materials to condensed matter physics counterparts of Dirac and Weyl fermions originally proposed in high energy physics. Although Lorentz invariance is required in high energy physics, it is not necessarily obeyed in condensed matter physics, and thus Lorentz-violating type-II Weyl/Dirac fermions could be realized in topological semimetals. The recent realization of type-II Weyl fermions raises the question whether their spin-degenerate counterpart-type-II Dirac fermions-can be experimentally realized too. Here, we report the experimental evidence of type-II Dirac fermions in bulk stoichiometric PtTe 2 single crystal. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements and first-principles calculations reveal a pair of strongly tilted Dirac cones along the Γ-A direction, confirming PtTe 2 as a type-II Dirac semimetal. Our results provide opportunities for investigating novel quantum phenomena (e.g., anisotropic magneto-transport) and topological phase transition.Whether the spin-degenerate counterpart of Lorentz-violating Weyl fermions, the Dirac fermions, can be realized remains as an open question. Here, Yan et al. report experimental evidence of such type-II Dirac fermions in bulk PtTe 2 single crystal with a pair of strongly tilted Dirac cones.

Seasonal plasticity of auditory saccular sensitivity in "sneaker" type II male plainfin midshipman fish, Porichthys notatus.

PubMed

Bhandiwad, Ashwin A; Whitchurch, Elizabeth A; Colleye, Orphal; Zeddies, David G; Sisneros, Joseph A

2017-03-01

Adult female and nesting (type I) male midshipman fish (Porichthys notatus) exhibit an adaptive form of auditory plasticity for the enhanced detection of social acoustic signals. Whether this adaptive plasticity also occurs in "sneaker" type II males is unknown. Here, we characterize auditory-evoked potentials recorded from hair cells in the saccule of reproductive and non-reproductive "sneaker" type II male midshipman to determine whether this sexual phenotype exhibits seasonal, reproductive state-dependent changes in auditory sensitivity and frequency response to behaviorally relevant auditory stimuli. Saccular potentials were recorded from the middle and caudal region of the saccule while sound was presented via an underwater speaker. Our results indicate saccular hair cells from reproductive type II males had thresholds based on measures of sound pressure and acceleration (re. 1 µPa and 1 ms -2 , respectively) that were ~8-21 dB lower than non-reproductive type II males across a broad range of frequencies, which include the dominant higher frequencies in type I male vocalizations. This increase in type II auditory sensitivity may potentially facilitate eavesdropping by sneaker males and their assessment of vocal type I males for the selection of cuckoldry sites during the breeding season.

Development of type-I/type-II hybrid dye sensitizer with both pyridyl group and catechol unit as anchoring group for type-I/type-II dye-sensitized solar cell.

PubMed

Ooyama, Yousuke; Furue, Kensuke; Enoki, Toshiaki; Kanda, Masahiro; Adachi, Yohei; Ohshita, Joji

2016-11-09

A type-I/type-II hybrid dye sensitizer with a pyridyl group and a catechol unit as the anchoring group has been developed and its photovoltaic performance in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is investigated. The sensitizer has the ability to adsorb on a TiO 2 electrode through both the coordination bond at Lewis acid sites and the bidentate binuclear bridging linkage at Brønsted acid sites on the TiO 2 surface, which makes it possible to inject an electron into the conduction band of the TiO 2 electrode by the intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) excitation (type-I pathway) and by the photoexcitation of the dye-to-TiO 2 charge transfer (DTCT) band (type-II pathway). It was found that the type-I/type-II hybrid dye sensitizer adsorbed on TiO 2 film exhibits a broad photoabsorption band originating from ICT and DTCT characteristics. Here we reveal the photophysical and electrochemical properties of the type-I/type-II hybrid dye sensitizer bearing a pyridyl group and a catechol unit, along with its adsorption modes onto TiO 2 film, and its photovoltaic performance in type-I/type-II DSSC, based on optical (photoabsorption and fluorescence spectroscopy) and electrochemical measurements (cyclic voltammetry), density functional theory (DFT) calculation, FT-IR spectroscopy of the dyes adsorbed on TiO 2 film, photocurrent-voltage (I-V) curves, incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) spectra, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) for DSSC.

Stellar rotation periods determined from simultaneously measured Ca II H&K and Ca II IRT lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mittag, M.; Hempelmann, A.; Schmitt, J. H. M. M.; Fuhrmeister, B.; González-Pérez, J. N.; Schröder, K.-P.

2017-11-01

Aims: Previous studies have shown that, for late-type stars, activity indicators derived from the Ca II infrared-triplet (IRT) lines are correlated with the indicators derived from the Ca II H&K lines. Therefore, the Ca II IRT lines are in principle usable for activity studies, but they may be less sensitive when measuring the rotation period. Our goal is to determine whether the Ca II IRT lines are sufficiently sensitive to measure rotation periods and how any Ca II IRT derived rotation periods compare with periods derived from the "classical" Mount Wilson S-index. Methods: To analyse the Ca II IRT lines' sensitivity and to measure rotation periods, we define an activity index for each of the Ca II IRT lines similar to the Mount Wilson S-index and perform a period analysis for the lines separately and jointly. Results: For eleven late-type stars we can measure the rotation periods using the Ca II IRT indices similar to those found in the Mount Wilson S-index time series and find that a period derived from all four indices gives the most probable rotation period; we find good agreement for stars with already existing literature values. In a few cases the computed periodograms show a complicated structure with multiple peaks, meaning that formally different periods are derived in different indices. We show that in one case, this is due to data sampling effects and argue that denser cadence sampling is necessary to provide credible evidence for differential rotation. However, our TIGRE data for HD 101501 shows good evidence for the presence of differential rotation.

Concurrent Validity of the Online Version of the Keirsey Temperament Sorter II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Kevin R.; Jugovic, Heidi

2001-01-01

Data from the Keirsey Temperament Sorter II online instrument and Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) for 203 college freshmen were analyzed. Positive correlations appeared between the concurrent MBTI and Keirsey measures of psychological type, giving preliminary support to the validity of the online version of Keirsey. (Contains 28 references.)…

Impact of masked hypertension on diabetic nephropathy in patients with type II diabetes: a KAMOGAWA-HBP study.

PubMed

Ushigome, Emi; Oyabu, Chikako; Tanaka, Toru; Hasegawa, Goji; Ohnishi, Masayoshi; Tsunoda, Sei; Ushigome, Hidetaka; Yokota, Isao; Nakamura, Naoto; Oda, Yohei; Asano, Mai; Tanaka, Muhei; Yamazaki, Masahiro; Fukui, Michiaki

2018-05-01

The prognostic significance of masked hypertension (MH) on the progression of diabetic nephropathy among patients with type II diabetes is not well documented. We examined the relationship between clinic systolic blood pressure (SBP) and morning home SBP measurements and progression to macroalbuminuria in patients with type II diabetes. We analyzed prospective cohort study data from 712 patients with type II diabetes. We classified the patients into the following four groups according to their clinic (130 mm Hg) and home (125 mm Hg) SBP measurements: controlled blood pressure group, white-coat hypertension group, MH group, and sustained hypertension (SH) group. The patients were instructed to perform triplicate morning and evening blood pressure measurements for 14 consecutive days. During the 2-year follow-up period, 23 patients progressed to macroalbuminuria. The unadjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for progression to macroalbuminuria among the patients with MH was significantly higher than that among the patients with controlled blood pressure (8.89 [1.06-74.88]). No significant relationship was observed between white-coat hypertension or SH and progression to macroalbuminuria. In analyses adjusted for various potential confounders, the adjusted odds ratio for progression to macroalbuminuria in the MH group was more than 8-fold higher than that in the controlled blood pressure group. MH might be a predictor of progression to macroalbuminuria among patients with type II diabetes. This rate of progression is comparable with or greater than the results reported for patients with SH. Copyright © 2018 American Society of Hypertension. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Type II solar radio burst band-splitting: Measure of coronal magnetic field strength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahrous, Ayman; Alielden, Khaled; Vršnak, Bojan; Youssef, Mohamed

2018-07-01

Studies of the relationship between solar radio bursts and CMEs are essential for understanding of the nature of type II bursts. In this study, we examine the type II solar radio burst recorded on 16 March 2016 by the Learmonth radio spectrograph and compare its characteristics with the kinematics of the associated CMEs observed by STEREO and SOHO spacecraft. The burst showed a well-defined band-split, which was used to estimate the magnetic field strength in the solar corona. The magnetic field decreases from ≈ 4 G at R ≈ 2.6 R⊙ to 0.62 G at R ≈ 3.77 R⊙ depending on the coronal electron density model employed. We found that two CMEs occurred successively in a 4-h interval. During this interval, a type II radio burst occurred, lasting for about 10 min. Tracking of the shock that produced type II burst and comparison with the CMEs heights as observed by STEREO and SOHO spacecraft help us to deduce the driver of the shock. According to the analysis, the type II burst occurrence was associated with the interaction of the shock driven by the second CME with a streamer located south of the first CME, since that the type II band-split significantly increased during the shock-streamer interaction. Our results show that the analysis of the type II burst band-split supplemented by the coronagraphic observations of the corona is an important tool for the understanding of the coronal eruptive processes.

Chiral anomaly and longitudinal magnetotransport in type-II Weyl semimetals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Girish; Goswami, Pallab; Tewari, Sumanta

2017-07-01

In the presence of parallel electric and magnetic fields, the violation of a separate number conservation laws for the three-dimensional left- and right-handed Weyl fermions is known as the chiral anomaly. The recent discovery of Weyl and Dirac semimetals has paved the way for experimentally testing the effects of chiral anomaly via magnetotransport measurements, since chiral anomaly can lead to negative longitudinal magnetoresistance (LMR) while the transverse magnetoresistance remains positive. More recently, a type-II Weyl semimetal (WSM) phase has been proposed, where the nodal points possess a finite density of states due to the touching between electron and hole pockets. It has been suggested that the main difference between the two types of WSMs (type I and type II) is that in the latter, chiral-anomaly-induced negative LMR (positive longitudinal magnetoconductance) is strongly anisotropic, vanishing when the applied magnetic field is perpendicular to the direction of tilt of Weyl fermion cones in a type-II WSM. We analyze chiral anomaly in a type-II WSM in a quasiclassical Boltzmann framework, and find that the chiral-anomaly-induced positive longitudinal magnetoconductivity is present along any arbitrary direction. Thus, our results are pertinent for uncovering transport signatures of type-II WSMs in different candidate materials.

Managing urban water systems with significant adaptation deficits - a unified framework for secondary cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pathirana, A.; Radhakrishnan, M.; Zevenbergen, C.; Quan, N. H.

2016-12-01

The need to address the shortcomings of urban systems - adaptation deficit - and shortcomings in response to climate change - `adaptation gap' - are both major challenges in maintaining the livability and sustainability of cities. However, the adaptation actions defined in terms of type I (addressing adaptation deficits) and type II (addressing adaptation gaps), often compete and conflict each other in the secondary cities of the global south. Extending the concept of the environmental Kuznets curve, this paper argues that a unified framework that calls for synergistic action on type I and type II adaptation is essential in order for these cities to maintain their livability, sustainability and resilience facing extreme rates of urbanization and rapid onset of climate change. The proposed framework has been demonstrated in Can Tho, Vietnam, where there are significant adaptation deficits due to rapid urbanisation and adaptation gaps due to climate change and socio-economic changes. The analysis in Can Tho reveals the lack of integration between type I and type II measures that could be overcome by closer integration between various stakeholders in terms of planning, prioritising and implementing the adaptation measures.

Visualizing Type-II Weyl Points in Tungsten Ditelluride by Quasiparticle Interference.

PubMed

Lin, Chun-Liang; Arafune, Ryuichi; Liu, Ro-Ya; Yoshimura, Masato; Feng, Baojie; Kawahara, Kazuaki; Ni, Zeyuan; Minamitani, Emi; Watanabe, Satoshi; Shi, Youguo; Kawai, Maki; Chiang, Tai-Chang; Matsuda, Iwao; Takagi, Noriaki

2017-11-28

Weyl semimetals (WSMs) are classified into two types, type I and II, according to the topology of the Weyl point, where the electron and hole pockets touch each other. Tungsten ditelluride (WTe 2 ) has garnered a great deal of attention as a strong candidate to be a type-II WSM. However, the Weyl points for WTe 2 are located above the Fermi level, which has prevented us from identifying the locations and the connection to the Fermi arc surface states by using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Here, we present experimental proof that WTe 2 is a type-II WSM. We measured energy-dependent quasiparticle interference patterns with a cryogenic scanning tunneling microscope, revealing the position of the Weyl point and its connection with the Fermi arc surface states, in agreement with prior theoretical predictions. Our results provide an answer to this crucial question and stimulate further exploration of the characteristics of WSMs.

A genetic marker of the ACKR1 gene is present in patients with Type II congenital smell loss who have type I hyposmia and hypogeusia

PubMed Central

Stateman, William A.; Knöppel, Alexandra B.; Flegel, Willy A.; Henkin, Robert I.

2015-01-01

PURPOSE Our previous study of Type II congenital smell loss patients revealed a statistically significant lower prevalence of an FY (ACKR1, formerly DARC) haplotype compared to controls. The present study correlates this genetic feature with subgroups of patients defined by specific smell and taste functions. METHODS Smell and taste function measurements were performed by use of olfactometry and gustometry to define degree of abnormality of smell and taste function. Smell loss was classified as anosmia or hyposmia (types I, II or III). Taste loss was similarly classified as ageusia or hypogeusia (types I, II or III). Based upon these results patient erythrocyte antigen expression frequencies were categorized by smell and taste loss with results compared between patients within the Type II group and published controls. RESULTS Comparison of antigen expression frequencies revealed a statistically significant decrease in incidence of an Fyb haplotype only among patients with type I hyposmia and any form of taste loss (hypogeusia). In all other patient groups erythrocyte antigens were expressed at normal frequencies. CONCLUSIONS Data suggest that Type II congenital smell loss patients who exhibit both type I hyposmia and hypogeusia are genetically distinct from all other patients with Type II congenital smell loss. This distinction is based on decreased Fyb expression which correlated with abnormalities in two sensory modalities (hyposmia type I and hypogeusia). Only patients with these two specific sensory abnormalities expressed the Fyb antigen (encoded by the ACKR1 gene on the long arm of chromosome 1) at frequencies different from controls. PMID:27968956

Cartilage Protective and Chondrogenic Capacity of WIN-34B, a New Herbal Agent, in the Collagenase-Induced Osteoarthritis Rabbit Model and in Progenitor Cells from Subchondral Bone

PubMed Central

Huh, Jeong-Eun; Park, Yeon-Cheol; Seo, Byung-Kwan; Lee, Jae-Dong; Baek, Yong-Hyeon; Choi, Do-Young; Park, Dong-Suk

2013-01-01

We sought to determine the cartilage repair capacity of WIN-34B in the collagenase-induced osteoarthritis rabbit model and in progenitor cells from subchondral bone. The cartilage protective effect of WIN-34B was measured by clinical and histological scores, cartilage area, and proteoglycan and collagen contents in the collagenase-induced osteoarthritis rabbit model. The efficacy of chondrogenic differentiation of WIN-34B was assessed by expression of CD105, CD73, type II collagen, and aggrecan in vivo and was analyzed by the surface markers of progenitor cells, the mRNA levels of chondrogenic marker genes, and the level of proteoglycan, GAG, and type II collagen in vitro. Oral administration of WIN-34B significantly increased cartilage area, and this was associated with the recovery of proteoglycan and collagen content. Moreover, WIN-34B at 200 mg/kg significantly increased the expression of CD105, CD73, type II collagen, and aggrecan compared to the vehicle group. WIN-34B markedly enhanced the chondrogenic differentiation of CD105 and type II collagen in the progenitor cells from subchondral bone. Also, we confirmed that treatment with WIN-34B strongly increased the number of SH-2(CD105) cells and expression type II collagen in subchondral progenitor cells. Moreover, WIN-34B significantly increased proteoglycan, as measured by alcian blue staining; the mRNA level of type II α1 collagen, cartilage link protein, and aggrecan; and the inhibition of cartilage matrix molecules, such as GAG and type II collagen, in IL-1β-treated progenitor cells. These findings suggest that WIN-34B could be a potential candidate for effective anti-osteoarthritic therapy with cartilage repair as well as cartilage protection via enhancement of chondrogenic differentiation in the collagenase-induced osteoarthritis rabbit model and progenitor cells from subchondral bone. PMID:23983790

Activity of pyramidal I and II < c + a > slip in Mg alloys as revealed by texture development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zecevic, Miroslav; Beyerlein, Irene J.; Knezevic, Marko

2018-02-01

Due to the geometry of the hexagonal close-packed (HCP) lattice, there are two types of pyramidal slip modes: { 10 1 bar 1 } 〈 11 2 bar 3 bar 〉 or type I and { 1 bar 1 bar 22 } 〈 11 2 bar 3 〉 or type II in HCP crystalline materials. Here we use crystal plasticity to examine the importance of crystallographic slip by pyramidal type I and type II on texture evolution. The study is applied to an Mg-4%Li alloy. An elastic-plastic polycrystal model is employed to elucidate the reorientation tendencies of these two slip modes in rolling of a textured polycrystal. Comparisons with experimental texture measurements indicate that both pyramidal I and II type slip were active during rolling deformation, with pyramidal I being the dominant mode. A single-slip-mode analysis is used to identify the orientations that prefer pyramidal I vs. II type slip when acting alone in a crystal. The analysis applies not only to Mg-4%Li, but identifies the key texture components in HCP crystals that would help distinguish the activity of pyramidal I from pyramidal II slip in rolling deformation.

Effects of exogenous fatty acids and inhibition of de novo fatty acid synthesis on disaturated phosphatidylcholine production by fetal lung cells and adult type II cells.

PubMed

Maniscalco, W M; Finkelstein, J N; Parkhurst, A B

1989-05-01

De novo fatty acid synthesis may be an important source of saturated fatty acids for fetal lung disaturated phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) production. To investigate the roles of de novo fatty acid synthesis and exogenous fatty acids, we incubated dispersed fetal lung cells and freshly isolated adult type II cells with exogenous palmitate and oleate and measured DSPC synthesis. Unlike adult type II cells, fetal lung cells did not increase DSPC synthesis when exogenous palmitate was available; adult type II cells increased DSPC synthesis by 70% in the presence of palmitate. Exogenous oleate decreased DSPC synthesis by 48% in fetal cells but not in adult type II cells. Incubation of fetal lung cells with TOFA [2-furancarboxylate, 5-(tetradecyloxy)-sodium], a metabolic inhibitor of fatty acid synthesis, decreased fatty acid synthesis by 65%. There was a simultaneous 56% inhibition of DSPC production, but no effect on protein, DNA, or glyceride-glycerol production, measured by precursor incorporation. The inhibition of DSPC synthesis associated with TOFA was partially prevented by exogenous palmitate but not oleate. Fetal cells prepared from explants that had been cultured in dexamethasone also had TOFA-associated inhibition of DSPC synthesis that was similar to non-dexamethasone-exposed cells. These studies suggest that under baseline conditions of low fatty acid availability, such as in the fetus, de novo fatty acid synthesis in fetal cells, but not in adult type II cells, provides sufficient saturated fatty acids to support maximal DSPC production. Inhibition of de novo fatty acid synthesis resulting in decreased DSPC production in fetal lung cells in conditions of low fatty acid availability suggests that fatty acid synthesis may be central to maintain DSPC synthesis in the fetus.

The role of glutamine and other alternate substrates as energy sources in the fetal rat lung type II cell.

PubMed

Fox, R E; Hopkins, I B; Cabacungan, E T; Tildon, J T

1996-07-01

Glucose has been thought to be the primary substrate for energy metabolism in the developing lung; however, alternate substrates are used for energy metabolism in other organs. To examine the role of alternate substrates in the lung, we measured rates of oxidation of glutamine, glucose, lactate, and 3-hydroxybutyrate in type II pneumocytes isolated from d 19 fetal rat lungs by measuring the production of 14CO2 from labeled substrates. Glutamine had a rate of 24.36 +/- 4.51 nmol 14CO2 produced/ h/mg of protein (mean +/- SEM), whereas lactate had a significantly higher rate, 40.29 +/- 4.42. 3-Hydroxybutyrate had a rate of 14.91 +/- 1.93. The rate of glucose oxidation was 2.13 +/- 0.36, significantly lower than that of glutamine. To examine the interactions of substrates normally found in the intracellular milieu, we measured the effect of unlabeled substrates as competitors on labeled substrate. This identifies multiple metabolic compartments of energy metabolism. Glucose, but not lactate, inhibited the oxidation of glutamine, suggesting a compartmentation of tricarboxylic acid cycle activity, rather than simple dilution by glucose. Glucose and lactate had reciprocal inhibition. Our data suggest at least two separate compartments in the type II cells for substrate oxidation, one for glutamine metabolism and a second for glucose metabolism. In summary, we have documented that glutamine and other alternate substrates are oxidized preferentially over glucose for energy metabolism in the d 19 fetal rat lung type II pneumocyte. In addition, we have delineated some of the compartmentation that occurs within the developing type II cell, which may determine how these substrates are used.

Mg II Spectra of Late Type Stars Used to Probe the LISM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beckman, J. E.; Crivellari, L.; Franco, M.; Molaro, P.; Vladilo, G.

1984-01-01

IUE spectra of Mg II h and k in late type dwarfs and giants were used to detect and measure absorption components due to the LISM. This technique gives a method of probing the awkward range from d = 3 pc to d = 80 pc from the Sun. In spite of interpretational uncertainties the HI component of the LISM can be plotted well enough to confirm it as a cloud some 20 to 30 pc in extent, peaking sharply in density towards l(II)-25 deg., moving towards the Sun from l(II)-25 deg, b(II) = + 10 deg., at 28 Km/sec. The hole towards l(II) = 150 deg is confirmed, suggesting a solar position close to the cloud's edge in this direction.

Characterization of progesterone profiles in fall-calving Norwegian Red cows.

PubMed

Garmo, R T; Martin, A D; Thuen, E; Havrevoll, Ø; Steinshamn, H; Prestløkken, E; Randby, A; Eknaes, M; Waldmann, A; Reksen, O

2009-10-01

Progesterone profiles in Norwegian Red cows were categorized, and associations between the occurrence of irregularities in the profiles and the commencement of luteal activity were investigated. The cows were managed in 3 feeding trials from 1994 to 2001 and from 2005 to 2008 at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. The cows were followed from calving, and the milk samples collected represented 502 lactations from 302 cows. Milk samples for progesterone analysis were taken 3 times weekly from 1994 throughout 1998 and from 2005 to 2008 and 2 times weekly from 1999 to 2001. Commencement of luteal activity was defined as the first day of 2 consecutive measurements of progesterone concentration >or=3 ng/mL not earlier than 10 d after calving. Delayed ovulation type I was defined as consistently low progesterone concentration, <3 ng/mL for >or=50 d postpartum. Delayed ovulation type II was defined as prolonged interluteal interval with milk progesterone measurements <3 ng/mL for >or=12 d between 2 luteal phases. Persistent corpus luteum (PCL) type I was defined as delayed luteolysis with milk progesterone >or=3 ng/mL for >or=19 d during the first estrous cycle postpartum. Persistent corpus luteum type II was defined as delayed luteolysis with milk progesterone >or=3 ng/mL for >or=19 d during subsequent estrous cycles before first artificial insemination. Delayed ovulation type I was present in 14.7%, delayed ovulation type II in 2.8%, PCL type I in 6.7%, and PCL type II in 3.3% of the profiles. Commencement of luteal activity was related to milk yield, parity, PCL type I, and the summated occurrence of PCL type I and II. The least squares means for the interval to commencement of luteal activity were 24.2 d when PCL type I and II were present and 29.5 d when PCL type I and II were absent. The likelihood of pregnancy to first service was not affected in cows with a history of PCL when artificial insemination was carried out at progesterone concentrations <3 ng/mL (i.e., during estrus); however, cows that had experienced PCL were more likely to be inseminated during a luteal phase. The occurrence of delayed ovulation and PCL in Norwegian Red cows was less than that reported in most other dairy populations.

Assessment of type II diabetes mellitus using irregularly sampled measurements with missing data.

PubMed

Barazandegan, Melissa; Ekram, Fatemeh; Kwok, Ezra; Gopaluni, Bhushan; Tulsyan, Aditya

2015-04-01

Diabetes mellitus is one of the leading diseases in the developed world. In order to better regulate blood glucose in a diabetic patient, improved modelling of insulin-glucose dynamics is a key factor in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. In the current work, the insulin-glucose dynamics in type II diabetes mellitus can be modelled by using a stochastic nonlinear state-space model. Estimating the parameters of such a model is difficult as only a few blood glucose and insulin measurements per day are available in a non-clinical setting. Therefore, developing a predictive model of the blood glucose of a person with type II diabetes mellitus is important when the glucose and insulin concentrations are only available at irregular intervals. To overcome these difficulties, we resort to online sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) estimation of states and parameters of the state-space model for type II diabetic patients under various levels of randomly missing clinical data. Our results show that this method is efficient in monitoring and estimating the dynamics of the peripheral glucose, insulin and incretins concentration when 10, 25 and 50% of the simulated clinical data were randomly removed.

A comparison of chromic acid and sulfuric acid anodizing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Danford, M. D.

1992-01-01

Because of federal and state mandates restricting the use of hexavalent chromium, it was deemed worthwhile to compare the corrosion protection afforded 2219-T87 aluminum alloy by both Type I chromic acid and Type II sulfuric acid anodizing per MIL-A-8625. Corrosion measurements were made on large, flat 2219-T87 aluminum alloy sheet material with an area of 1 cm(exp 2) exposed to a corrosive medium of 3.5-percent sodium chloride at pH 5.5. Both ac electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and the dc polarization resistance techniques were employed. The results clearly indicate that the corrosion protection obtained by Type II sulfuric acid anodizing is superior, and no problems should result by substituting Type II sulfuric acid anodizing for Type I chromic acid anodizing.

Quasiparticle scattering in type-II Weyl semimetal MoTe2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Chun-Liang; Arafune, Ryuichi; Minamitani, Emi; Kawai, Maki; Takagi, Noriaki

2018-03-01

The electronic structure of type-II Weyl semimetal molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe2) is studied by using scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory calculations. Through measuring energy-dependent quasiparticle interference (QPI) patterns with a cryogenic scanning tunneling microscope, several characteristic features are found in the QPI patterns. Two of them arise from the Weyl semimetal nature; one is the topological Fermi arc surface state and the other can be assigned to be a Weyl point. The remaining structures are derived from the scatterings relevant to the bulk electronic states. The findings lead to further understanding of the topological electronic structure of type-II Weyl semimetal MoTe2.

Quasiparticle scattering in type-II Weyl semimetal MoTe2.

PubMed

Lin, Chun-Liang; Arafune, Ryuichi; Minamitani, Emi; Kawai, Maki; Takagi, Noriaki

2018-02-15

The electronic structure of type-II Weyl semimetal molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe 2 ) is studied by using scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory calculations. Through measuring energy-dependent quasiparticle interference (QPI) patterns with a cryogenic scanning tunneling microscope, several characteristic features are found in the QPI patterns. Two of them arise from the Weyl semimetal nature; one is the topological Fermi arc surface state and the other can be assigned to be a Weyl point. The remaining structures are derived from the scatterings relevant to the bulk electronic states. The findings lead to further understanding of the topological electronic structure of type-II Weyl semimetal MoTe 2 .

Apparatus for dynamic and static measurements of mechanical properties of solids and of flux-lattice in type-II superconductors at low frequency (10 - 5-10 Hz) and temperature (4.7-500 K)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Anna, G.; Benoit, W.

1990-12-01

A forced torsional pendulum which permits us to examine anelastic mechanical properties of solids as well as for flux-lattice in type-II superconductors, has been built to explore the low frequency and low temperature range. It works on the principle of dynamic frequency response function measurement and appears to be a powerful instrument for studying structural defect motions as well as flux line dynamics. As an additional quantity, the magnetization or the plastic strain can be statically measured by the same apparatus.

Evaluation of the Normal Cochlear Second Interscalar Ridge Angle and Depth on 3D T2-Weighted Images: A Tool for the Diagnosis of Scala Communis and Incomplete Partition Type II.

PubMed

Booth, T N; Wick, C; Clarke, R; Kutz, J W; Medina, M; Gorsage, D; Xi, Y; Isaacson, B

2018-05-01

Cochlear malformations may be be subtle on imaging studies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the angle and depth of the lateral second interscalar ridge or notch in ears without sensorineural hearing loss (normal ears) and compare them with ears that have a documented incomplete type II partition malformation. The second interscalar ridge notch angle and depth were measured on MR imaging in normal ears by a single experienced neuroradiologist. The images of normal and incomplete partition II malformation ears were then randomly mixed for 2 novice evaluators to measure both the second interscalar ridge notch angle and depth in a blinded manner. For the mixed group, interobserver agreement was calculated, normal and abnormal ear measurements were compared, and receiver operating characteristic curves were generated. The 94 normal ears had a mean second interscalar ridge angle of 80.86° ± 11.4° and depth of 0.54 ± 0.14 mm with the 98th percentile for an angle of 101° and a depth of 0.3 mm. In the mixed group, agreement between the 2 readers was excellent, with significant differences for angle and depth found between normal and incomplete partition type II ears for angle and depth on average ( P < .001). Receiver operating characteristic cutoffs for delineating normal from abnormal ears were similar for both readers (depth, 0.31/0.34 mm; angle, 114°/104°). A measured angle of >114° and a depth of the second interscalar ridge notch of ≤0.31 mm suggest the diagnosis of incomplete partition type II malformation and scala communis. These measurements can be accurately made by novice readers. © 2018 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Oxygen microprofile in the prepared sediments and its implication for the sediment oxygen consuming process in a heavily polluted river of China.

PubMed

Wang, Chao; Zhai, Wanying; Shan, Baoqing

2016-05-01

Dissolved oxygen (DO) microprofiles of prepared sediments from 24 sampling sites in the Fuyang River were measured using a gold amalgam microelectrode in this study. The measured microprofiles can be divided into four types. In type I profiles, DO kept constant in the overlying water and decreased smoothly in the pore water; in type II profile, DO showed fluctuation in the pore water; in type III profiles, DO showed peak in the SWI; in type IV profiles, DO decreased obviously in the overlying water. Type I profiles indicated the absence of benthic organisms and thus the degradation of the sediment habitat. Type II and III profiles indicated the activity of benthic animal and epipelic algae, which is common in the healthy aquatic sediment. Type IV profiles indicated that the excessive accumulation of pollutants in the sediment and thus the serious sediment pollution. There are nine sites showing type I profile, three sites showing type II profile, nine sites showing type III profile, and three sites showing type IV profile in the Fuyang River. The dominance of type I and appearance of type IV indicated that sediment oxygen consumption processes in the Fuyang River were strongly influenced by the sediment pollutants release and the vanish of benthic organisms. The pharmacy, metallurgy, and curriery industries may contribute to the sediment deterioration and thus to the occurrence of type I and type IV oxygen profiles in the Fuyang River.

Contactless measurement of equilibrium electron concentrations in n-type InAs/InAs{sub 1−x}Sb{sub x} type-II superlattices

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

Olson, B. V., E-mail: bolson@vixarinc.com; Kadlec, E. A.; Kim, J. K.

2016-07-11

Measurements of the equilibrium majority carrier electron concentration (n{sub 0}) in narrow-bandgap n-type InAs/InAs{sub 1−x}Sb{sub x} type-II superlattices are made using contactless time-resolved microwave reflectance (TMR). By calibrating TMR decays to the number of optically injected electron-hole pairs, direct conversion to carrier lifetimes as a function of excited carrier density is made and allowing for accurate measurement of n{sub 0}. The temperature dependence of both n{sub 0} and the intrinsic carrier density (n{sub i}) are measured using this method, where n{sub 0} = 1 × 10{sup 15 }cm{sup −3} and n{sub i} = 1.74 × 10{sup 11 }cm{sup −3} at 100 K. These results provide non-destructive insight into critical parameters thatmore » directly determine infrared photodetector dark diffusion current.« less

Metastable Defect Formation at Microvoids Identified as a Source of Light-Induced Degradation in a-Si :H

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fehr, M.; Schnegg, A.; Rech, B.; Astakhov, O.; Finger, F.; Bittl, R.; Teutloff, C.; Lips, K.

2014-02-01

Light-induced degradation of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si :H), known as the Staebler-Wronski effect, has been studied by time-domain pulsed electron-paramagnetic resonance. Electron-spin echo relaxation measurements in the annealed and light-soaked state revealed two types of defects (termed type I and II), which can be discerned by their electron-spin echo relaxation. Type I exhibits a monoexponential decay related to indirect flip-flop processes between dipolar coupled electron spins in defect clusters, while the phase relaxation of type II is dominated by H1 nuclear spin dynamics and is indicative for isolated spins. We propose that defects are either located at internal surfaces of microvoids (type I) or are isolated and uniformly distributed in the bulk (type II). The concentration of both defect type I and II is significantly higher in the light-soaked state compared to the annealed state. Our results indicate that in addition to isolated defects, defects on internal surfaces of microvoids play a role in light-induced degradation of device-quality a-Si :H.

Factors Associated with Neurodevelopment for Children with Single Ventricle Lesions

PubMed Central

Goldberg, Caren S.; Lu, Minmin; Sleeper, Lynn A.; Mahle, William T.; Gaynor, J. William; Williams, Ismee A.; Mussatto, Kathleen A.; Ohye, Richard G.; Graham, Eric M.; Frank, Deborah U.; Jacobs, Jeffrey P.; Krawczeski, Catherine; Lambert, Linda; Lewis, Alan; Pemberton, Victoria L.; Sananes, Renee; Sood, Erica; Wechsler, Stephanie B.; Bellinger, David C.; Newburger, Jane W.

2014-01-01

Objective To measure neurodevelopment at 3 years in children with single right ventricle anomalies and to assess its relationship to Norwood shunt type, neurodevelopment at 14 months, and patient and medical factors. Study design All subjects in the Single Ventricle Reconstruction Trial who were alive without cardiac transplant were eligible for inclusion. The Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ, n=203) and other measures of behavior, and quality of life (QOL) were completed at age 3 years. Medical history, including measures of growth, feeding, and complications, was assessed through annual record review and phone interview. The Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II (BSID-II) scores from age 14 months were also evaluated as predictors. Results Scores on each ASQ domain were significantly lower than normal (p<0.001). ASQ domain scores at 3 years varied nonlinearly with 14-month BSID-II. More complications, abnormal growth, and evidence of feeding, vision, or hearing problems, were independently associated with lower ASQ scores, although models explained < 30% of variation. Shunt type was not associated with any ASQ domain score, or with behavior or QOL measures. Conclusion Children with SV have impaired neurodevelopment at 3 years. Lower ASQ scores are associated with medical morbidity, and lower BSID-II scores, but not with shunt type. However, because only a modest percentage of variation in 3-year neurodevelopmental outcome could be predicted from early measures, all children with SV should be followed longitudinally to improve recognition of delays. PMID:24952712

Mapping of the Localization of Type 1 Angiotensin Receptor in Membrane Microdomains Using Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer-based Sensors*

PubMed Central

Balla, András; Tóth, Dániel J.; Soltész-Katona, Eszter; Szakadáti, Gyöngyi; Erdélyi, László Sándor; Várnai, Péter; Hunyady, László

2012-01-01

Initiation and termination of signaling of the type I angiotensin receptor (AT1-R) can lead to dynamic changes in its localization in plasma membrane microdomains. Several markers were recently developed to investigate membrane microdomains. Here, we used several YFP-labeled fusion constructs (i.e. raft or non-raft plasma membrane markers) to analyze the agonist-induced changes in compartmentalization of AT1-R, including internalization or lateral movement between plasma membrane compartments in response to stimulation using bioluminescence resonance energy transfer measurements. Our data demonstrate that angiotensin II (AngII) stimulus changes the microdomain localization of wild type or mutated (DRY → AAY or TSTS → AAAA) AT1-Rs co-expressed with the fluorescent probes in HEK293 cells. The comparison of the trafficking of AT1-R upon AngII stimulus with those of [Sar1,Ile8]AngII or [Sar1,Ile4,Ile8]AngII stimulus revealed different types of changes, depending on the nature of the ligand. The observed changes in receptor compartmentalization of the AT1-R are strikingly different from those of 5HT-2C and EGF receptors, which demonstrate the usefulness of the bioluminescence resonance energy transfer-based measurements in the investigation of receptor trafficking in the plasma membrane in living cell experiments. PMID:22291018

Air-Pollution and Cardiometabolic Diseases (AIRCMD): A Prospective Study Investigating the Impact of Air Pollution Exposure and Propensity for Type II Diabetes

PubMed Central

Sun, Zhichao; Mukherjee, Bhramar; Brook, Robert D.; Gatts, Geoffrey A.; Yang, Fumo; Fan, Zhongjie; Brook, Jeffrey R.; Sun, Qinghua; Rajagopalan, Sanjay

2015-01-01

There is a paucity of prospective cohort studies investigating the impact of environmental factors on the development of cardiometabolic (CM) disorders like Type II diabetes (T2DM). The objective of the Air-Pollution and Cardiometabolic Diseases (AIRCMD) study is to investigate the impact of personal level air pollution measures [personal black carbon (BC)/sulfate measures] and ambient fine particulate matter [(PM2.5)/NO2] levels on propensity to Type II diabetes in Beijing, China. Subjects with metabolic syndrome will undergo 4 repeated study visits within each season over a 1-year period following an initial screening visit. At each study visit, subjects will be monitored for sub-acute exposure to personal and ambient measures of air-pollution exposure and will undergo a series of functional CM outcomes. The primary endpoints include independent associations between integrated 5-day mean exposure to PM2.5 and BC and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) measures, 24-hour mean diastolic and mean arterial pressure and endothelial-dependent vasodilatation. The secondary endpoints will explore the mechanistic explanation for a causal relationship between exposures and propensity for Type II diabetes and will include additional functional outcomes such as arterial compliance, heart rate variability and plasma adipokines. The novel aspects of the study include the launch of infrastructure for future translational investigations in highly polluted urbanized environments and the creation of novel methodologies for linking personalized exposure measurements with functional CM outcomes. We believe that AIRCMD will allow for unprecedented new investigations into the association between environmental risk factors and CM disorders. PMID:23182147

Diagnostic Accuracy of History and Physical Examination of Superior Labrum Anterior-Posterior Lesions

PubMed Central

Michener, Lori A.; Doukas, William C.; Murphy, Kevin P.; Walsworth, Matthew K.

2011-01-01

Context: Type I superior labrum anterior-posterior (SLAP) lesions involve degenerative fraying and probably are not the cause of shoulder pain. Type II to IV SLAP lesions are tears of the labrum. Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of patient history and the active compression, anterior slide, and crank tests for type I and type II to IV SLAP lesions. Design: Cohort study. Setting: Clinic. Patients or Other Participants: Fifty-five patients (47 men, 8 women; age = 40.6 ± 15.1 years) presenting with shoulder pain. Intervention(s): For each patient, an orthopaedic surgeon conducted a clinical examination of history of trauma; sudden onset of symptoms; history of popping, clicking, or catching; age; and active compression, crank, and anterior slide tests. The reference standard was the intraoperative diagnosis. The operating surgeon was blinded to the results of the clinical examination. Main Outcome Measure(s): Diagnostic utility was calculated using the receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (+LR), and negative likelihood ratio (−LR). Forward stepwise binary regression was used to determine a combination of tests for diagnosis. Results: No history item or physical examination test had diagnostic accuracy for type I SLAP lesions (n = 13). The anterior slide test had utility (AUC = 0.70, +LR = 2.25, −LR = 0.44) to confirm and exclude type II to IV SLAP lesions (n = 10). The combination of a history of popping, clicking, or catching and the anterior slide test demonstrated diagnostic utility for confirming type II to IV SLAP lesions (+LR = 6.00). Conclusions: The anterior slide test had limited diagnostic utility for confirming and excluding type II to IV SLAP lesions; diagnostic values indicated only small shifts in probability. However, the combination of the anterior slide test with a history of popping, clicking, or catching had moderate diagnostic utility for confirming type II to IV SLAP lesions. No single item or combination of history items and physical examination tests had diagnostic utility for type I SLAP lesions. PMID:21944065

Reference frameworks for the health management of measles, breast cancer and diabetes (type II).

PubMed

Brand, Helmut; Schröder, Peter; Davies, John K; Escamilla, Ixhel; Hall, Caroline; Hickey, Kieran; Jelastopulu, Eleni; Mechtler, Reli; Yared, Wendy Tse; Volf, Jaroslav; Weihrauch, Birgit

2006-03-01

This paper presents reference frameworks which order effective and feasible policies and interventions for the health management of measles, breast cancer and diabetes (type II). These reference frameworks can be used to rapidly appraise regional health policy documents and existing health management systems. Furthermore, the reference frameworks can serve health policy makers for the planning of health management measures.

Changes in content and synthesis of collagen types and proteoglycans in osteoarthritis of the knee joint and comparison of quantitative analysis with Photoshop-based image analysis.

PubMed

Lahm, Andreas; Mrosek, Eike; Spank, Heiko; Erggelet, Christoph; Kasch, Richard; Esser, Jan; Merk, Harry

2010-04-01

The different cartilage layers vary in synthesis of proteoglycan and of the distinct types of collagen with the predominant collagen Type II with its associated collagens, e.g. types IX and XI, produced by normal chondrocytes. It was demonstrated that proteoglycan decreases in degenerative tissue and a switch from collagen type II to type I occurs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation of real-time (RT)-PCR and Photoshop-based image analysis in detecting such lesions and find new aspects about their distribution. We performed immunohistochemistry and histology with cartilage tissue samples from 20 patients suffering from osteoarthritis compared with 20 healthy biopsies. Furthermore, we quantified our results on the gene expression of collagen type I and II and aggrecan with the help of real-time (RT)-PCR. Proteoglycan content was measured colorimetrically. Using Adobe Photoshop the digitized images of histology and immunohistochemistry stains of collagen type I and II were stored on an external data storage device. The area occupied by any specific colour range can be specified and compared in a relative manner directly from the histogram using the "magic wand tool" in the select similar menu. In the image grow menu gray levels or luminosity (colour) of all pixels within the selected area, including mean, median and standard deviation, etc. are depicted. Statistical Analysis was performed using the t test. With the help of immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR and quantitative RT- PCR we found that not only collagen type II, but also collagen type I is synthesized by the cells of the diseased cartilage tissue, shown by increasing amounts of collagen type I mRNA especially in the later stages of osteoarthritis. A decrease of collagen type II is visible especially in the upper fibrillated area of the advanced osteoarthritic samples, which leads to an overall decrease. Analysis of proteoglycan showed a loss of the overall content and a quite uniform staining in the different zones compared to the healthy cartilage with a classical zonal formation. Correlation analysis of the proteoglycan Photoshop measurements with the RT-PCR using Spearman correlation analysis revealed strong correlation for Safranin O and collagen type I, medium for collagen type II and glycoprotein but weak correlation between PCR aggrecan results. Photoshop-based image analysis might become a valuable supplement for well known histopathological grading systems of lesioned articular cartilage.

Spectroscopic and mycological studies of Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes with 4-aminoantipyrine derivative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Amit Kumar; Chandra, Sulekh

2011-10-01

Complexes of the type [M(L)X 2], where M = Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II), have been synthesized with novel NO-donor Schiff's base ligand, 1,4-diformylpiperazine bis(4-imino-2,3-dimethyl-1-phenyl-3-pyrazolin-5-one) which is obtained by the acid catalyzed condensation of 1,4-diformylpiperazine with 4-aminoantipyrine. The elemental analyses, molar conductance measurements, magnetic susceptibility measurements, IR, UV, NMR, mass and EPR studies of the compounds led to the conclusion that the ligand acts as tetradentate chelate. The Schiff's base ligand forms hexacoordinated complexes having octahedral geometry for Ni(II) and tetragonal geometry for Co(II) and Cu(II) complexes. The mycological studies of the compounds were examined against the several opportunistic pathogens, i.e., Alternaria brassicae, Aspergillus niger and Fusarium oxysporum. The Cu(II) complexes were found to have most fungicidal behavior.

Study of Auditory, Visual Reaction Time and Glycemic Control (HBA1C) in Chronic Type II Diabetes Mellitus.

PubMed

M, Muhil; Sembian, Umapathy; Babitha; N, Ethiya; K, Muthuselvi

2014-09-01

Diabetes mellitus is a disease of insulin deficiencyleads to micro and macro vascular disorder. Neuropathy is one of the major complication of chronic uncontrolled Diabetes affecting the Reaction time. To study the correlation between the glycosylated HbA1C and Auditory, visual Reaction time in chronic Type II diabetes (40-60y) of on oral hypoglycemic drugs of>10 y duration in two groups (n-100 in each group , both Males & females) and compared within the study groups and also with the age matched control group (100). HbA1C-Glycosylated HbA1C was measured by Particle enhanced immunoturbidimetric test method. Auditory and visual reaction time (ART, VRT) were measured by PC 1000 Reaction timer for control & study groups i.e. Group-I - Chronic Type II DM for >10 y with HbA1c < 7.0, and Group II - chronic Type-IIDM for >10 y with HbA1c > 7.0 ie impaired glycemic control. Exclusion Criteria- Subjects with Auditory and visual disturbances, alcoholism and smoking. Statistical Analysis - One-way ANOVA. Using SPSS 21 software. Both the groups had prolonged ART and VRT than controls. Among the study group, G-II (DM with HbA1C >7) had increased Auditory & Visual Reaction time than Group I which is statistically significant p-value <0.05. Impairment of sensory motor function of peripheral nervous system is more in chronic diabetic with less glycemic control ie., HbA1C>7 who have shown increased Auditory and Visual Reaction time than chronic DM with HbA1C<7.Severity of Peripheral neuropathy in Type II Diabetics could be due to elevated HbA1C.

Low dose native type II collagen prevents pain in a rat osteoarthritis model

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Osteoarthritis is the most widespread joint-affecting disease. Patients with osteoarthritis experience pain and impaired mobility resulting in marked reduction of quality of life. A progressive cartilage loss is responsible of an evolving disease difficult to treat. The characteristic of chronicity determines the need of new active disease modifying drugs. Aim of the present research is to evaluate the role of low doses of native type II collagen in the rat model of osteoarthritis induced by sodium monoiodoacetate (MIA). Methods 1, 3 and 10 mg kg-1 porcine native type II collagen were daily per os administered for 13 days starting from the day of MIA intra-articular injection. Results On day 14, collagen-treated rats showed a significant prevention of pain threshold alterations induced by MIA. Evaluation were performed on paws using mechanical noxious (Paw pressure test) or non-noxious (Electronic Von Frey test) stimuli, and a decrease of articular pain was directly measured on the damaged joint (PAM test). The efficacy of collagen in reducing pain was as higher as the dose was lowered. Moreover, a reduced postural unbalance, measured as hind limb weight bearing alterations (Incapacitance test), and a general improvement of motor activity (Animex test) were observed. Finally, the decrease of plasma and urine levels of CTX-II (Cross Linked C-Telopeptide of Type II Collagen), a biomarker of cartilage degradation, suggests a collagen-dependent decrease of structural joint damage. Conclusions These results describe the preclinical efficacy of low dosages of native type II collagen as pain reliever by a mechanism that involves a protective effect on cartilage. PMID:23915264

miR-34 miRNAs Regulate Cellular Senescence in Type II Alveolar Epithelial Cells of Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

PubMed Central

Disayabutr, Supparerk; Kim, Eun Kyung; Cha, Seung-Ick; Green, Gary; Naikawadi, Ram P.; Jones, Kirk D.; Golden, Jeffrey A.; Schroeder, Aaron; Matthay, Michael A.; Kukreja, Jasleen; Erle, David J.; Collard, Harold R.; Wolters, Paul J.

2016-01-01

Pathologic features of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) include genetic predisposition, activation of the unfolded protein response, telomere attrition, and cellular senescence. The mechanisms leading to alveolar epithelial cell (AEC) senescence are poorly understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported as regulators of cellular senescence. Senescence markers including p16, p21, p53, and senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-βgal) activity were measured in type II AECs from IPF lungs and unused donor lungs. miRNAs were quantified in type II AECs using gene expression arrays and quantitative RT-PCR. Molecular markers of senescence (p16, p21, and p53) were elevated in IPF type II AECs. SA-βgal activity was detected in a greater percentage in type II AECs isolated from IPF patients (23.1%) compared to patients with other interstitial lung diseases (1.2%) or normal controls (0.8%). The relative levels of senescence-associated miRNAs miR-34a, miR-34b, and miR-34c, but not miR-20a, miR-29c, or miR-let-7f were significantly higher in type II AECs from IPF patients. Overexpression of miR-34a, miR-34b, or miR-34c in lung epithelial cells was associated with higher SA-βgal activity (27.8%, 35.1%, and 38.2%, respectively) relative to control treated cells (8.8%). Targets of miR-34 miRNAs, including E2F1, c-Myc, and cyclin E2, were lower in IPF type II AECs. These results show that markers of senescence are uniquely elevated in IPF type II AECs and suggest that the miR-34 family of miRNAs regulate senescence in IPF type II AECs. PMID:27362652

Synthesis, spectroscopic, molecular structure, antioxidant, antimicrobial and antitumor behavior of Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes of O2N type tridentate chromone-2-carboxaldehyde Schiff's base ligand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ammar, Reda A.; Alaghaz, Abdel-Nasser M. A.; Zayed, Mohamed E.; Al-Bedair, Lamia A.

2017-08-01

Tridentate Schiff's base (HL) ligand was synthesized via condensation of salicylaldehyde and 3-hydroxypyridin-2-yliminomethyl-4H-chromen-4-one and their corresponding Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes have been synthesized. The isolated solid complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, molar conductance, spectral (IR, UV-Vis, 1H NMR), magnetic moment, EPR, and thermal measurements. The IR spectra showed that HL was coordinated to the metal ions in tridentate manner with O2N donor sites of the azomethine N, deprotonated phenolic-OH and carbonyl-O. The activation of thermodynamic parameters are calculated using Coast-Redfern and Horowitz-Metzger (HM). The octahedral geometry of the complexes is confirmed using DFT method from DMOL3 calculations, UV-Vis and magnetic moment measurements, ESR and ligand field parameters. Antioxidant activities have also been performed for all the compounds. The investigated ligand and metal complexes were screened for their in-vitro antimicrobial activities against different types of fungal and bacterial strains. The resulting data assert on the inspected compounds as a highly promising bactericides and fungicides. The antitumor activities of all inspected compounds were evaluated towards human liver Carcinoma (HepG2) cell line.

Space Acceleration Measurement System-II

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foster, William

2009-01-01

Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS-II) is an ongoing study of the small forces (vibrations and accelerations) on the ISS that result from the operation of hardware, crew activities, as well as dockings and maneuvering. Results will be used to generalize the types of vibrations affecting vibration-sensitive experiments. Investigators seek to better understand the vibration environment on the space station to enable future research.

Sex differences in body anthropometry and composition in individuals with and without diabetes in the UK Biobank.

PubMed

Peters, Sanne A E; Huxley, Rachel R; Woodward, Mark

2016-01-06

Type I and II diabetes are associated with a greater relative risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in women than in men. Sex differences in adiposity storage may explain these findings. A cross-sectional study of 480,813 participants from the UK Biobank without history of CVD was conducted to assess whether the difference in body size in people with and without diabetes was greater in women than in men. Age-adjusted linear regression analyses were used to obtain the mean difference in women minus men in the difference in body size measures, separately for type I and II diabetes. Body size was higher in individuals with diabetes than in individuals without diabetes, particularly in type II diabetes. Differences in body size between individuals with and without type II diabetes were more extreme in women than in men; compared to those without type II diabetes, body mass index and waist circumference were 1.94 (95% CI 1.82 to 2.07) and 4.84 (4.53 to 5.16) higher in women than in men, respectively. In type I diabetes, body size differed to a similar extent between those with and without diabetes in women as in men. This pattern was observed across all prespecified subgroups. Differences in body size associated with diabetes were significantly greater in women than in men in type II diabetes but not in type I diabetes. Prospective studies can determine whether sex differences in body size associated with diabetes underpin some of the excess risk for CVD in women with type II diabetes. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Single molecule quantum-confined Stark effect measurements of semiconductor nanoparticles at room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Kyoung Won; Deutsch, Zvicka; Li, J. Jack; Oron, Dan; Weiss, Shimon

2013-02-01

We investigate the quantum confined Stark effect (QCSE) of various nanoparticles (NPs) on the single molecule level at room temperature. We tested 8 different NPs with different geometry, material composition and electronic structure, and measured their QCSE by single molecule spectroscopy. This study reveals that suppressing the Coulomb interaction force between electron and hole by asymmetric type-II interface is critical for an enhanced QCSE. For example, ZnSe-CdS and CdSe(Te)-CdS-CdZnSe asymmetric nanorods (type-II) display respectively twice and more than three times larger QCSE than that of simple type-I nanorods (CdSe). In addition, wavelength blue-shift of QCSE and roughly linear Δλ-F (emission wavelength shift vs. the applied electric field) relation are observed for the type-II nanorods. Experimental results (Δλ-F or ΔE-F) are successfully reproduced by self-consistent quantum mechanical calculation. Intensity reduction in blue-shifted spectrum is also accounted for. Both calculations and experiments suggest that the magnitude of the QCSE is predominantly determined by the degree of initial charge separation in these structures.

RCP: a novel probe design bias correction method for Illumina Methylation BeadChip.

PubMed

Niu, Liang; Xu, Zongli; Taylor, Jack A

2016-09-01

The Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip has been extensively utilized in epigenome-wide association studies. This array and its successor, the MethylationEPIC array, use two types of probes-Infinium I (type I) and Infinium II (type II)-in order to increase genome coverage but differences in probe chemistries result in different type I and II distributions of methylation values. Ignoring the difference in distributions between the two probe types may bias downstream analysis. Here, we developed a novel method, called Regression on Correlated Probes (RCP), which uses the existing correlation between pairs of nearby type I and II probes to adjust the beta values of all type II probes. We evaluate the effect of this adjustment on reducing probe design type bias, reducing technical variation in duplicate samples, improving accuracy of measurements against known standards, and retention of biological signal. We find that RCP is statistically significantly better than unadjusted data or adjustment with alternative methods including SWAN and BMIQ. We incorporated the method into the R package ENmix, which is freely available from the Bioconductor website (https://www.bioconductor.org/packages/release/bioc/html/ENmix.html). niulg@ucmail.uc.edu Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. Published by Oxford University Press 2016. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

Guideline treatment results in regression of atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Strang, Aart C; van Wijk, Diederik F; Mutsaerts, Henri J M M; Stroes, Erik S G; Nederveen, Aart J; Rotmans, Joris I; Rabelink, Ton J; Box, Frieke M A

2015-03-01

Efficacy of guideline cardiovascular disease prevention regimens may differ between patients with or without type II diabetes mellitus. We therefore compared change in carotid artery wall dimensions in type II diabetes mellitus and non-type II diabetes mellitus patients with a history of a major cardiovascular disease event, using magnetic resonance imaging. Thirty type II diabetes mellitus patients and 29 age- and sex-matched non-diabetes mellitus patients with a history of stroke or myocardial infarction and a carotid artery stenosis (15%-70%) were included. In all patients, treatment was according to cardiovascular risk management guidelines. At baseline and follow-up, carotid artery vessel wall dimensions were measured using 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging. After 2 years of follow-up, total wall volume of the carotid artery in type II diabetes mellitus patients decreased by 9.6% (p = 0.016). In contrast, stabilization rather than regression of carotid artery wall dimensions was observed in non-diabetes mellitus patients over a 2-year period. Body mass index was identified as a predictor of total wall volume decrease. Guideline treatment arrests atherogenesis in non-diabetes mellitus patients and even decreases vessel wall dimensions in type II diabetes mellitus patients. Baseline body mass index predicts cardiovascular disease prevention efficacy expressed as decrease in total wall volume. These data emphasize the importance of optimal cardiovascular-prevention, particularly in diabetes patients with a high body mass index. © The Author(s) 2015.

Optical characterization of type-I to type-II band alignment transition in GaAs/Al x Ga1-x As quantum rings grown by droplet epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Linlin; Wang, Ying; Guo, Qinglin; Li, Xiaowei; Wang, Shufang; Fu, Guangsheng; Mazur, Yuriy I.; E Ware, Morgan; Salamo, Gregory J.; Liang, Baolai; Huffaker, Diana L.

2017-08-01

Optical properties of GaAs/Al x Ga1-x As quantum rings (QRs) grown on GaAs (1 0 0) by droplet epitaxy have been investigated as a function of the Al-composition in the Al x Ga1-x As barrier. A transition from type-I to type-II band alignment is observed for the QRs via photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) measurements. While x  ⩽  0.45, the QR PL spectra show a blue-shift and an increasing intensity with increasing Al-composition, revealing the enhancement of quantum confinement in the QRs with type-I band alignment. While x  ⩾  0.60, the characteristic large blue-shift with excitation intensity and the much longer lifetime indicate the realization of a type-II band alignment. Due to the height fluctuation of QR structures grown by droplet epitaxy mode, it is not the large blue-shift of emission energy, but the long lifetime that becomes the more important feature to identify the type-II band alignment.

An improved method for the isolation of rat alveolar type II lung cells: Use in the Comet assay to determine DNA damage induced by cigarette smoke.

PubMed

Dalrymple, Annette; Ordoñez, Patricia; Thorne, David; Dillon, Debbie; Meredith, Clive

2015-06-01

Smoking is a cause of serious diseases, including lung cancer, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and heart disease. DNA damage is thought to be one of the mechanisms by which cigarette smoke (CS) initiates disease in the lung. Indeed, CS induced DNA damage can be measured in vitro and in vivo. The potential of the Comet assay to measure DNA damage in isolated rat lung alveolar type II epithelial cells (AEC II) was explored as a means to include a genotoxicity end-point in rodent sub-chronic inhalation studies. In this study, published AEC II isolation methods were improved to yield viable cells suitable for use in the Comet assay. The improved method reduced the level of basal DNA damage and DNA repair in isolated AEC II. CS induced DNA damage could also be quantified in isolated cells following a single or 5 days CS exposure. In conclusion, the Comet assay has the potential to determine CS or other aerosol induced DNA damage in AEC II isolated from rodents used in sub-chronic inhalation studies. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impatience versus achievement strivings in the Type A pattern: Differential effects on students' health and academic achievement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spence, Janet T.; Helmreich, Robert L.; Pred, Robert S.

1987-01-01

Psychometric analyses of college students' responses to the Jenkins Activity Survey, a self-report measure of the Type A behavior pattern, revealed the presence of two relatively independent factors. Based on these analyses, two scales, labeled Achievement Strivings (AS) and Impatience and Irritability (II), were developed. In two samples of male and female college students, scores on AS but not on II were found to be significantly correlated with grade point average. Responses to a health survey, on the other hand, indicated that frequency of physical complaints was significantly correlated with II but not with AS. These results suggest that there are two relatively independent factors in the Type A pattern that have differential effects on performance and health. Future research on the personality factors related to coronary heart disease and other disorders might more profitably focus on the syndrome reflected in the II scale than on the Type A pattern.

Effects of major histocompatibility complex class II knockout on mouse bone mechanical properties during development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simske, Steven J.; Bateman, Ted A.; Smith, Erin E.; Ferguson, Virginia L.; Chapes, Stephen K.

2002-01-01

We investigated the effect of major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC II) knockout on the development of the mouse peripheral skeleton. These C2D mice had less skeletal development at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age compared to wild-type C57BL/6J (B6) male mice. The C2D mice had decreased femur mechanical, geometric and compositional measurements compared to wild type mice at each of these ages. C2D femur stiffness (S), peak force in 3-pt bending (Pm), and mineral mass (Min-M) were 74%, 64% and 66%, respectively, of corresponding B6 values at 8 weeks of age. Similar differences were measured at 12 weeks (for which C2D femoral S, Pm and Min-M were 71%, 72% and 73%, respectively, of corresponding B6 values) and at 16 weeks (for which C2D femoral S, Pm and Min-M were 80%, 66% and 61%, respectively, of corresponding B6 values). MHC II knockout delays the development of adult bone properties and is accompanied by lower body mass compared to wild-type controls.

[Thrombocytopenia induced by type II heparin and myocardial infarct: 2 case reports].

PubMed

Antonijević, Nabojsa; Stanojević, Milica; Perunicić, Jovan; Djokić, Milan; Miković, Danijla; Kovac, Mirjana; Miljić, Predrag; Milosević, Rajko; Terzić, Branka; Vasiljević, Zorana

2004-01-01

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) type II is an acquired thrombophylic state and life-threatening immune complication of a heparin treatment mainly clinically manifested by marked thrombocytopenia, frequently by arterial and venous thrombosis, and sometimes by skin changes. Functional assay as heparin aggregation test and 14C-serotonin release assays are used in diagnostics as well as antigen assays of which detection tests for heparin-platelet factor 4 antibodies are most frequently used. Considering the fact that there is no single reliable assays for HIT II detection available, sometimes it is necessary to combine both of the above-mentioned types of assays. We present the case of a 57-year-old patient with an acute anterior myocardial infarction with cardiac insufficiency of III and IV degree according to Killip, recurrent ventricular fibrillation and diabetes mellitus type II developing thrombocytopenia to 37 x 10(9)/l accompanied with typical skin changes. The diagnosis was confirmed by the heparin aggregation test. The second patient aged 70 undergoing the treatment for anteroseptal myocardial infarction and reinfarction of the inferior wall complicated by a cardiogenic shock and acute right bundle branch block developed thrombocytopenia 59 x 10(9)/l on the third day of the heparin therapy, with the remark that he had received a heparin therapy during the first infarction as well. Antibodies against heparin-platelet factor 4 were detected by particle gel ID-HPF4 immuno-assay. In both patients, the disease had a lethal outcome despite all then available therapeutic measures applied. Further on we discuss advantages of certain types of tests, a therapy doctrine, need for urgent therapeutic measures, inclusive of the administration of antithrombins, avoidance of harmful procedures like low-molecular-weight heparins administration and prophylactic platelet transfusion as well as preventive measures.

Properties of Type-II ZnTe/ZnSe Submonolayer Quantum Dots Studied via Excitonic Aharonov- Bohm Effect and Polarized Optical Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Haojie

In this thesis I develop understanding of the fundamental physical and material properties of type-II ZnTe/ZnSe submonolayer quantum dots (QDs), grown via combination of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and migration enhanced epitaxy (MEE). I use magneto-photoluminescence, including excitonic Aharonov-Bohm (AB) effect and polarized optical spectroscopy as the primary tools in this work. I present previous studies as well as the background of optical and magneto-optical processes in semiconductor nanostructures and introduce the experimental methods in Chapters 1 - 3. In Chapter 4 I focus on the excitonic AB effect in the type-II QDs. I develop a lateral tightly-bound exciton model for ZnTe/ZnSe type-II QDs, using analytical methods and numerical calculations. This explained the magneto-PL observation and allowed for establishing the size and density of the QDs in each sample based on the results of PL and magneto-PL measurements. For samples with larger QDs, I observe behaviors that fall between properties of quantum-dot and quantum-well-like systems due to increased QD densities and their type-II nature. Finally, the decoherence mechanisms of the AB excitons are investigated via the temperature dependent studies of the magneto-PL. It is determined that the AB exciton decoherence is due to transport-like (acoustic phonon) scattering of the electrons moving in the ZnSe barriers, but with substantially smaller magnitude of electron-phonon coupling constant due to relatively strong electron-hole coupling within these type-II QDs. In Chapter 5 I discuss the results of circularly polarized magneto-PL measurements. A model with ultra-long spin-flip time of holes confined to submonolayer QDs is proposed. The g-factor of type-II excitons was extracted from the Zeeman splitting and the g-factor of electrons was obtained by fitting the temperature dependence of the degree of circular polarization (DCP), from which g-factor of holes confined within ZnTe QDs was found. It is shown that it is about three times larger than that of bulk ZnTe. In Chapter 6 I study the optical anisotropy in QDs. I show that all samples exhibit such an effect, and explain it based on non-spherical shape of the QDs. Numerical calculation is applied to calculate degree of linear polarization, and estimate the aspect ratio. The exciton anisotropic exchange splitting is calculated from the magnetic field dependence of the DCP. In the last two chapters I show my achievement on the growth of ZnO nanorods as a core for type-II 1D systems and propose an outlook for future research on the type-II semiconductor heterostructures.

Quantum oscillations in the type-II Dirac semi-metal candidate PtSe2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Hao; Schmidt, Marcus; Süss, Vicky; Chan, Mun; Balakirev, Fedor F.; McDonald, Ross D.; Parkin, Stuart S. P.; Felser, Claudia; Yan, Binghai; Moll, Philip J. W.

2018-04-01

Three-dimensional topological semi-metals carry quasiparticle states that mimic massless relativistic Dirac fermions, elusive particles that have never been observed in nature. As they appear in the solid body, they are not bound to the usual symmetries of space-time and thus new types of fermionic excitations that explicitly violate Lorentz-invariance have been proposed, the so-called type-II Dirac fermions. We investigate the electronic spectrum of the transition-metal dichalcogenide PtSe2 by means of quantum oscillation measurements in fields up to 65 T. The observed Fermi surfaces agree well with the expectations from band structure calculations, that recently predicted a type-II Dirac node to occur in this material. A hole- and an electron-like Fermi surface dominate the semi-metal at the Fermi level. The quasiparticle mass is significantly enhanced over the bare band mass value, likely by phonon renormalization. Our work is consistent with the existence of type-II Dirac nodes in PtSe2, yet the Dirac node is too far below the Fermi level to support free Dirac–fermion excitations.

Identification of age-dependent motor and neuropsychological behavioural abnormalities in a mouse model of Mucopolysaccharidosis Type II

PubMed Central

Gleitz, Hélène F. E.; O’Leary, Claire; Holley, Rebecca J.

2017-01-01

Severe mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II) is a progressive lysosomal storage disease caused by mutations in the IDS gene, leading to a deficiency in the iduronate-2-sulfatase enzyme that is involved in heparan sulphate and dermatan sulphate catabolism. In constitutive form, MPS II is a multi-system disease characterised by progressive neurocognitive decline, severe skeletal abnormalities and hepatosplenomegaly. Although enzyme replacement therapy has been approved for treatment of peripheral organs, no therapy effectively treats the cognitive symptoms of the disease and novel therapies are in development to remediate this. Therapeutic efficacy and subsequent validation can be assessed using a variety of outcome measures that are translatable to clinical practice, such as behavioural measures. We sought to consolidate current knowledge of the cognitive, skeletal and motor abnormalities present in the MPS II mouse model by performing time course behavioural examinations of working memory, anxiety, activity levels, sociability and coordination and balance, up to 8 months of age. Cognitive decline associated with alterations in spatial working memory is detectable at 8 months of age in MPS II mice using spontaneous alternation, together with an altered response to novel environments and anxiolytic behaviour in the open-field. Coordination and balance on the accelerating rotarod were also significantly worse at 8 months, and may be associated with skeletal changes seen in MPS II mice. We demonstrate that the progressive nature of MPS II disease is also seen in the mouse model, and that cognitive and motor differences are detectable at 8 months of age using spontaneous alternation, the accelerating rotarod and the open-field tests. This study establishes neurological, motor and skeletal measures for use in pre-clinical studies to develop therapeutic approaches in MPS II. PMID:28207863

The relative absorption cross-sections of photosystem I and photosystem II in chloroplasts from three types of Nicotiana tabacum.

PubMed

Melis, A; Thielen, A P

1980-02-08

In the present study we used three types of Nicotiana tabacum, cv John William's Broad Leaf (the wild type and two mutants, the yellow-green Su/su and the yellow Su/su var. Aurea) in order to correlat functional properties of Photosystem II and Photosystem I with the structural organization of their chloroplasts. The effective absorption cross-section of Photosystem II and Photosystem I centers was measured by means of the rate constant of their photoconversion under light-limiting conditions. In agreement with earlier results (Okabe, K., Schmid, G.H. and Straub, J. (1977) Plant Physiol. 60, 150--156) the photosynthetic unit size for both System II and System I in the two mutants was considerably smaller as compared to the wild type. We observed biphasic kinetics in the photoconversion of System II in all three types of N. tabacum. However, the photoconversion of System I occurred with monophasic and exponential kinetics. Under our experimental conditions, the effective cross-section of Photosystem I was comparable to that of the fast System II component (alpha centers). The relative amplitude of the slow System II component (beta centers) varied between 30% in the wild type to 70% in the Su/su var. Aurea mutant. The increased fraction of beta centers is correlated with the decreased fraction of appressed photosynthetic membranes in the chloroplasts of the two mutants. As a working hypothesis, it is suggested that beta centers are located on photosynthetic membranes directly exposed to the stroma medium.

Characterization of hearing loss in aged type II diabetics

PubMed Central

Frisina, Susan T.; Mapes, Frances; Kim, SungHee; Frisina, D. Robert; Frisina, Robert D.

2009-01-01

Presbycusis – age-related hearing loss – is the number one communicative disorder and a significant chronic medical condition of the aged. Little is known about how type II diabetes, another prevalent age-related medical condition, and presbycusis interact. The present investigation aimed to comprehensively characterize the nature of hearing impairment in aged type II diabetics. Hearing tests measuring both peripheral (cochlea) and central (brainstem and cortex) auditory processing were utilized. The majority of differences between the hearing abilities of the aged diabetics and their age-matched controls were found in measures of inner ear function. For example, large differences were found in pure-tone audiograms, wideband noise and speech reception thresholds, and otoacoustic emissions. The greatest deficits tended to be at low frequencies. In addition, there was a strong tendency for diabetes to affect the right ear more than the left. One possible interpretation is that as one develops presbycusis, the right ear advantage is lost, and this decline is accelerated by diabetes. In contrast, auditory processing tests that measure both peripheral and central processing showed fewer declines between the elderly diabetics and the control group. Consequences of elevated blood sugar levels as possible underlying physiological mechanisms for the hearing loss are discussed. PMID:16309862

Angiotensin II stimulates superoxide production in the thick ascending limb by activating NOX4

PubMed Central

Hong, Nancy J.; Garvin, Jeffrey L.

2012-01-01

Angiotensin II (ANG II) stimulates production of superoxide (O2−) by NADPH oxidase (NOX) in medullary thick ascending limbs (TALs). There are three isoforms of the catalytic subunit (NOX1, 2, and 4) known to be expressed in the kidney. We hypothesized that NOX2 mediates ANG II-induced O2− production by TALs. To test this, we measured NOX1, 2, and 4 mRNA and protein by RT-PCR and Western blot in TAL suspensions from rats and found three catalytic subunits expressed in the TAL. We measured O2− production using a lucigenin-based assay. To assess the contribution of NOX2, we measured ANG II-induced O2− production in wild-type and NOX2 knockout mice (KO). ANG II increased O2− production by 346 relative light units (RLU)/mg protein in the wild-type mice (n = 9; P < 0.0007 vs. control). In the knockout mice, ANG II increased O2− production by 290 RLU/mg protein (n = 9; P < 0.007 vs. control). This suggests that NOX2 does not contribute to ANG II-induced O2− production (P < 0.6 WT vs. KO). To test whether NOX4 mediates the effect of ANG II, we selectively decreased NOX4 expression in rats using an adenovirus that expresses NOX4 short hairpin (sh)RNA. Six to seven days after in vivo transduction of the kidney outer medulla, NOX4 mRNA was reduced by 77%, while NOX1 and NOX2 mRNA was unaffected. In control TALs, ANG II stimulated O2− production by 96%. In TALs transduced with NOX4 shRNA, ANG II-stimulated O2− production was not significantly different from the baseline. We concluded that NOX4 is the main catalytic isoform of NADPH oxidase that contributes to ANG II-stimulated O2− production by TALs. PMID:22875785

Signaling States of Rhodopsin in Rod Disk Membranes Lacking Transducin βγ-Complex

PubMed Central

Lomonosova, Elena; Kolesnikov, Alexander V.; Kefalov, Vladimir J.

2012-01-01

Purpose. To characterize the possible role of transducin Gtβγ-complex in modulating the signaling properties of photoactivated rhodopsin and its lifetime in rod disc membranes and intact rods. Methods. Rhodopsin photolysis was studied using UV-visible spectroscopy and rapid scanning spectroscopy in the presence of hydroxylamine in highly purified wild-type and Gtγ-deficient mouse rod disc membranes. Complex formation between photoactivated rhodopsin and transducin was measured by extra-metarhodopsin (meta) II assay. Recovery of dark current and flash sensitivity in individual intact wild-type and Gtγ-deficient mouse rods was measured by single-cell suction recordings. Results. Photoconversion of rhodopsin to meta I/meta II equilibrium proceeds normally after elimination of the Gtβγ-complex. The meta I/meta II ratio, the rate of meta II decay, the reactivity of meta II toward hydroxylamine, and the rate of meta III formation in Gtγ-deficient rod disc membranes were identical with those observed in wild-type samples. Under low-intensity illumination, the amount of extra–meta II in Gtγ-deficient discs was significantly reduced. The initial rate of dark current recovery after 12% rhodopsin bleach was three times faster in Gtγ-deficient rods, whereas the rate of the late current recovery was largely unchanged. Mutant rods also exhibited faster postbleach recovery of flash sensitivity. Conclusions. Photoactivation and thermal decay of rhodopsin proceed similarly in wild-type and Gtγ-deficient mouse rods, but the complex formation between photoactivated rhodopsin and transducin is severely compromised in the absence of Gtβγ. The resultant lower transduction activation contributes to faster photoresponse recovery after a moderate pigment bleach in Gtγ-deficient rods. PMID:22266510

Salivary flow rate and xerostomia in patients with type I and II diabetes mellitus

PubMed Central

Hoseini, Amineh; Mirzapour, Ali; Bijani, Ali; Shirzad, Atena

2017-01-01

Background Diabetes mellitus is one of the most prevalent metabolic diseases, with complications such as decreased salivary flow rate and xerostomia. Objective This study aimed to determine the salivary flow rate and xerostomia in type I and II diabetic patients in comparison with healthy controls. Methods This case-control study was performed on diabetic patients of a private office in Babol, Iran, between May 2015 and October 2016. This study involved two study groups (type I and II diabetes, with 40 in each group) and two control groups (control I and II, with 35 in each group) which were age- and sex-matched with the related study groups. They were all selected through simple sampling. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected through Navazesh method and the salivary flow rate was measured (ml/min). Xerostomia was evaluated via Fox’s test. Moreover, the patients’ data were recorded including age, sex, disease duration, type of diabetes, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and HbA1C. The obtained data were statistically analyzed by using SPSS version 17. Independent-samples t-test, Chi-square, Pearson correlation and multiple comparison post-hoc tests were employed as appropriated. p<0.05 was considered significant. Results The mean salivary flow rate in type I diabetics (0.35±0.11 ml/min) was lower than that in control I (0.50±0.07 ml/min) (p=0.01). The same difference was observed between type II diabetics (0.37±0.13 ml/min) and control II groups (0.47±0.11 ml/min) (p=0.01). No significant difference was observed in the salivary flow rate between type I and II diabetics (p=0.345). Furthermore, xerostomia was higher in type I (2.70±2.50, 1.17±1.60) and II (2.65±2.20–1.62±1.50) diabetics compared with the related control groups (p=0.01), (p=0.02). Conclusion Type I, II diabetic patients revealed lower salivary flow rate and higher xerostomia compared with healthy controls. The salivary flow rate and xerostomia had inverse correlation. PMID:29038704

Salivary flow rate and xerostomia in patients with type I and II diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Hoseini, Amineh; Mirzapour, Ali; Bijani, Ali; Shirzad, Atena

2017-09-01

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most prevalent metabolic diseases, with complications such as decreased salivary flow rate and xerostomia. This study aimed to determine the salivary flow rate and xerostomia in type I and II diabetic patients in comparison with healthy controls. This case-control study was performed on diabetic patients of a private office in Babol, Iran, between May 2015 and October 2016. This study involved two study groups (type I and II diabetes, with 40 in each group) and two control groups (control I and II, with 35 in each group) which were age- and sex-matched with the related study groups. They were all selected through simple sampling. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected through Navazesh method and the salivary flow rate was measured (ml/min). Xerostomia was evaluated via Fox's test. Moreover, the patients' data were recorded including age, sex, disease duration, type of diabetes, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and HbA1C. The obtained data were statistically analyzed by using SPSS version 17. Independent-samples t-test, Chi-square, Pearson correlation and multiple comparison post-hoc tests were employed as appropriated. p<0.05 was considered significant. The mean salivary flow rate in type I diabetics (0.35±0.11 ml/min) was lower than that in control I (0.50±0.07 ml/min) (p=0.01). The same difference was observed between type II diabetics (0.37±0.13 ml/min) and control II groups (0.47±0.11 ml/min) (p=0.01). No significant difference was observed in the salivary flow rate between type I and II diabetics (p=0.345). Furthermore, xerostomia was higher in type I (2.70±2.50, 1.17±1.60) and II (2.65±2.20-1.62±1.50) diabetics compared with the related control groups (p=0.01), (p=0.02). Type I, II diabetic patients revealed lower salivary flow rate and higher xerostomia compared with healthy controls. The salivary flow rate and xerostomia had inverse correlation.

An updated Type II supernova Hubble diagram

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gall, E. E. E.; Kotak, R.; Leibundgut, B.; Taubenberger, S.; Hillebrandt, W.; Kromer, M.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K.; Flewelling, H.; Huber, M. E.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R. P.; Magnier, E. A.; Metcalfe, N.; Smith, K.; Tonry, J. L.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C.

2018-03-01

We present photometry and spectroscopy of nine Type II-P/L supernovae (SNe) with redshifts in the 0.045 ≲ z ≲ 0.335 range, with a view to re-examining their utility as distance indicators. Specifically, we apply the expanding photosphere method (EPM) and the standardized candle method (SCM) to each target, and find that both methods yield distances that are in reasonable agreement with each other. The current record-holder for the highest-redshift spectroscopically confirmed supernova (SN) II-P is PS1-13bni (z = 0.335-0.012+0.009), and illustrates the promise of Type II SNe as cosmological tools. We updated existing EPM and SCM Hubble diagrams by adding our sample to those previously published. Within the context of Type II SN distance measuring techniques, we investigated two related questions. First, we explored the possibility of utilising spectral lines other than the traditionally used Fe IIλ5169 to infer the photospheric velocity of SN ejecta. Using local well-observed objects, we derive an epoch-dependent relation between the strong Balmer line and Fe IIλ5169 velocities that is applicable 30 to 40 days post-explosion. Motivated in part by the continuum of key observables such as rise time and decline rates exhibited from II-P to II-L SNe, we assessed the possibility of using Hubble-flow Type II-L SNe as distance indicators. These yield similar distances as the Type II-P SNe. Although these initial results are encouraging, a significantly larger sample of SNe II-L would be required to draw definitive conclusions. Tables A.1, A.3, A.5, A.7, A.9, A.11, A.13, A.15 and A.17 are also available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/611/A25

Surface Charge Transfer Doping via Transition Metal Oxides for Efficient p-Type Doping of II-VI Nanostructures.

PubMed

Xia, Feifei; Shao, Zhibin; He, Yuanyuan; Wang, Rongbin; Wu, Xiaofeng; Jiang, Tianhao; Duhm, Steffen; Zhao, Jianwei; Lee, Shuit-Tong; Jie, Jiansheng

2016-11-22

Wide band gap II-VI nanostructures are important building blocks for new-generation electronic and optoelectronic devices. However, the difficulty of realizing p-type conductivity in these materials via conventional doping methods has severely handicapped the fabrication of p-n homojunctions and complementary circuits, which are the fundamental components for high-performance devices. Herein, by using first-principles density functional theory calculations, we demonstrated a simple yet efficient way to achieve controlled p-type doping on II-VI nanostructures via surface charge transfer doping (SCTD) using high work function transition metal oxides such as MoO 3 , WO 3 , CrO 3 , and V 2 O 5 as dopants. Our calculations revealed that these oxides were capable of drawing electrons from II-VI nanostructures, leading to accumulation of positive charges (holes injection) in the II-VI nanostructures. As a result, Fermi levels of the II-VI nanostructures were shifted toward the valence band regions after surface modifications, along with the large enhancement of work functions. In situ ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterizations verified the significant interfacial charge transfer between II-VI nanostructures and surface dopants. Both theoretical calculations and electrical transfer measurements on the II-VI nanostructure-based field-effect transistors clearly showed the p-type conductivity of the nanostructures after surface modifications. Strikingly, II-VI nanowires could undergo semiconductor-to-metal transition by further increasing the SCTD level. SCTD offers the possibility to create a variety of electronic and optoelectronic devices from the II-VI nanostructures via realization of complementary doping.

Intrinsic Cellular Properties and Connectivity Density Determine Variable Clustering Patterns in Randomly Connected Inhibitory Neural Networks

PubMed Central

Rich, Scott; Booth, Victoria; Zochowski, Michal

2016-01-01

The plethora of inhibitory interneurons in the hippocampus and cortex play a pivotal role in generating rhythmic activity by clustering and synchronizing cell firing. Results of our simulations demonstrate that both the intrinsic cellular properties of neurons and the degree of network connectivity affect the characteristics of clustered dynamics exhibited in randomly connected, heterogeneous inhibitory networks. We quantify intrinsic cellular properties by the neuron's current-frequency relation (IF curve) and Phase Response Curve (PRC), a measure of how perturbations given at various phases of a neurons firing cycle affect subsequent spike timing. We analyze network bursting properties of networks of neurons with Type I or Type II properties in both excitability and PRC profile; Type I PRCs strictly show phase advances and IF curves that exhibit frequencies arbitrarily close to zero at firing threshold while Type II PRCs display both phase advances and delays and IF curves that have a non-zero frequency at threshold. Type II neurons whose properties arise with or without an M-type adaptation current are considered. We analyze network dynamics under different levels of cellular heterogeneity and as intrinsic cellular firing frequency and the time scale of decay of synaptic inhibition are varied. Many of the dynamics exhibited by these networks diverge from the predictions of the interneuron network gamma (ING) mechanism, as well as from results in all-to-all connected networks. Our results show that randomly connected networks of Type I neurons synchronize into a single cluster of active neurons while networks of Type II neurons organize into two mutually exclusive clusters segregated by the cells' intrinsic firing frequencies. Networks of Type II neurons containing the adaptation current behave similarly to networks of either Type I or Type II neurons depending on network parameters; however, the adaptation current creates differences in the cluster dynamics compared to those in networks of Type I or Type II neurons. To understand these results, we compute neuronal PRCs calculated with a perturbation matching the profile of the synaptic current in our networks. Differences in profiles of these PRCs across the different neuron types reveal mechanisms underlying the divergent network dynamics. PMID:27812323

Spinal muscular atrophy type II (intermediary) and III (Kugelberg-Welander). Evolution of 50 patients with physiotherapy and hydrotherapy in a swimming pool.

PubMed

Cunha, M C; Oliveira, A S; Labronici, R H; Gabbai, A A

1996-09-01

We added hydrotherapy to 50 patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) who were being treated with individual conventional physiotherapy. Hydrotherapy performed at an approximate temperature of 30 degrees Celsius, twice a week, for thirty minutes in children and forty-five minutes in adults during a 2-year period. The outcome derived from this combined modality of treatment was rated according to physiotherapeutic evaluations, the MMT (Manual Muscular Test), and the Barthel Ladder. Patients were reevaluated at 2-month intervals. After two years of ongoing treatment, we were able to observe that the deformities in hip, knee and foot were progressive in all SMA Type II patients, and in some Type III. Muscle strength stabilized in most SMA Type III patients, and improved in some. MMT was not done in SMA Type II. In all patients we were able to detect an improvement in the Barthel Ladder scale. This study suggests that a measurable improvement in the quality of daily living may be obtained in patients with SMA Types II and III subjected to conventional physiotherapy when associated with hydrotherapy.

Effect of swim exercise training on human muscle fiber function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fitts, R. H.; Costill, D. L.; Gardetto, P. R.

1989-01-01

The effect of swim exercise training on the human muscle fiber function was investigated in swimmers trained in a typical collegiate swim-training program followed by an intensified 10-day training period. The measured parameters included the peak tension (P0), negative log molar Ca(2+) concentration (pCa)-force, and maximal shortening speed (Vmax) of the slow-twitch type I and fast-twitch type II fibers obtained by biopsy from the deltoid muscle. The P0 values were found to be not altered after either the training or the 10-day intensive program. The type I fibers from the trained swimmers showed pCa-force curves shifted to the right, such that higher free Ca(2+) levels were required to elicit a given percent of P0. The training program significantly increased the Vmax in the type I fibers and decreased that of the type II fibers, and the 10-day intensive training produced a further significant decrease of the type II fibers.

CO2 CH4 flux Air temperature Soil temperature and Soil moisture, Barrow, Alaska 2013 ver. 1

DOE Data Explorer

Margaret Torn

2015-01-14

This dataset consists of field measurements of CO2 and CH4 flux, as well as soil properties made during 2013 in Areas A-D of Intensive Site 1 at the Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments (NGEE) Arctic site near Barrow, Alaska. Included are i) measurements of CO2 and CH4 flux made from June to September (ii) Calculation of corresponding Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) and CH4 exchange (transparent minus opaque) between atmosphere and the ecosystem (ii) Measurements of Los Gatos Research (LGR) chamber air temperature made from June to September (ii) measurements of surface layer depth, type of surface layer, soil temperature and soil moisture from June to September.

Inhibition of Angiotensin II-Induced Cardiac Fibrosis by Atorvastatin in Adiponectin Knockout Mice.

PubMed

Choi, Sun Young; Park, Jong Sung; Roh, Mee Sook; Kim, Chong-Rak; Kim, Moo Hyun; Serebruany, Victor

2017-05-01

Adiponectin is a polypeptide known to inhibit cardiac fibrosis via the activation of ‎adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Statins can also activate AMPK, resulting in the secretion of adiponectin. We determined whether atorvastatin inhibits angiotensin II-induced cardiac fibrosis (AICF) in the presence or absence of adiponectin. Adiponectin knockout (APN-KO, n = 44) and wild type (WT, n = 44) mice were received subcutaneous angiotensin II (1.5 mg/kg/day), and atorvastatin (10 mg/kg/day) was administered orally for 15 days. The mRNA expression levels of collagen type I and III, as well as AMPK phosphorylation levels in cardiac tissue were then measured. In the APN-KO mice, collagen type I (p < 0.001) and type III (p = 0.001) expression was significantly greater when treated with angiotensin II, while their expression was significantly reduced in the presence of angiotensin II and atorvastatin. Relative AMPK phosphorylation levels in APN-KO mice were also significantly higher in the angiotensin II + atorvastatin group when compared with angiotensin II group alone. We conclude that atorvastatin attenuates AICF independently from adiponectin by activating AMPK. These data suggest potential cardioprotection beyond lipid modulation potentially supporting statin pleiotropic hypothesis.

49 CFR 210.25 - Measurement criteria and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... American National Standard Institute Standards, “Method for Measurement of Sound Pressure Levels,” (ANSI S1... measurement indicating a violation. (ii) The sound level measurement system shall be checked not less than... calibrator of the microphone coupler type designed for the sound level measurement system in use shall be...

DNA G-segment bending is not the sole determinant of topology simplification by type II DNA topoisomerases.

PubMed

Thomson, Neil H; Santos, Sergio; Mitchenall, Lesley A; Stuchinskaya, Tanya; Taylor, James A; Maxwell, Anthony

2014-08-21

DNA topoisomerases control the topology of DNA. Type II topoisomerases exhibit topology simplification, whereby products of their reactions are simplified beyond that expected based on thermodynamic equilibrium. The molecular basis for this process is unknown, although DNA bending has been implicated. To investigate the role of bending in topology simplification, the DNA bend angles of four enzymes of different types (IIA and IIB) were measured using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The enzymes tested were Escherichia coli topo IV and yeast topo II (type IIA enzymes that exhibit topology simplification), and Methanosarcina mazei topo VI and Sulfolobus shibatae topo VI (type IIB enzymes, which do not). Bend angles were measured using the manual tangent method from topographical AFM images taken with a novel amplitude-modulated imaging mode: small amplitude small set-point (SASS), which optimises resolution for a given AFM tip size and minimises tip convolution with the sample. This gave improved accuracy and reliability and revealed that all 4 topoisomerases bend DNA by a similar amount: ~120° between the DNA entering and exiting the enzyme complex. These data indicate that DNA bending alone is insufficient to explain topology simplification and that the 'exit gate' may be an important determinant of this process.

DNA G-segment bending is not the sole determinant of topology simplification by type II DNA topoisomerases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomson, Neil H.; Santos, Sergio; Mitchenall, Lesley A.; Stuchinskaya, Tanya; Taylor, James A.; Maxwell, Anthony

2014-08-01

DNA topoisomerases control the topology of DNA. Type II topoisomerases exhibit topology simplification, whereby products of their reactions are simplified beyond that expected based on thermodynamic equilibrium. The molecular basis for this process is unknown, although DNA bending has been implicated. To investigate the role of bending in topology simplification, the DNA bend angles of four enzymes of different types (IIA and IIB) were measured using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The enzymes tested were Escherichia coli topo IV and yeast topo II (type IIA enzymes that exhibit topology simplification), and Methanosarcina mazei topo VI and Sulfolobus shibatae topo VI (type IIB enzymes, which do not). Bend angles were measured using the manual tangent method from topographical AFM images taken with a novel amplitude-modulated imaging mode: small amplitude small set-point (SASS), which optimises resolution for a given AFM tip size and minimises tip convolution with the sample. This gave improved accuracy and reliability and revealed that all 4 topoisomerases bend DNA by a similar amount: ~120° between the DNA entering and exiting the enzyme complex. These data indicate that DNA bending alone is insufficient to explain topology simplification and that the `exit gate' may be an important determinant of this process.

Prevalence and relevance of antibodies to type-I and -II collagen in synovial fluid of dogs with cranial cruciate ligament damage.

PubMed

de Rooster, H; Cox, E; van Bree, H

2000-11-01

To measure and compare synovial fluid antibody titers to type-I and -II collagen in stifle joints with instability caused by complete or partial cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture and joints with osteoarthrosis secondary to other pathologic changes in dogs. 82 dogs with diseased stifle joints. Synovial fluid samples were collected from 7 dogs with clinically normal stifles (control group) and 82 dogs with diseased joints (50 stifle joints with complete rupture of the CCL, 20 with partial damage of the CCL, and 12 joints with radiographic signs of osteoarthritis secondary to other arthropathies). Synovial fluid samples were tested for autoantibodies to type-I and -II collagen by an ELISA. In dogs with complete and partial CCL rupture, synovial fluid antibody titers to type-I and -II collagen were significantly increased, compared with control dogs. Forty-eight percent (24/50) of samples from dogs with complete CCL rupture and 35% (7/20) of samples from dogs with partial CCL rupture had antibody titers to type-I collagen that were greater than the mean plus 2 standard deviations of the control group titers. Synovial fluid antibody titers to type-II collagen were high in 40% of the dogs with partial or (8/20) complete (20/50) CCL rupture. Dogs with osteoarthrosis secondary to other pathologic changes had significantly increased synovial fluid antibodies to type-I and -II collagen, compared with control dogs. Increases in autoantibodies to collagen in synovial fluid are not specific for the type of joint disorder. It is unlikely that the anticollagen antibodies play an active role in the initiation of weakening of the CCL.

Type I and Type II Pyrethroid alterations in Spontaneous Bursting Parameters in Rat Cortical Networks measured Using Multielectrode Array Recordings

EPA Science Inventory

Pyrethroids are widely used in agricultural, industrial and residential settings to control insect pests. Pyrethroids prolong sodium channel inactivation, although their complete mode of action is not fully understood. We previously reported that permethrin (a Type I pyrethroid) ...

Quasiparticle Scattering in Type-II Weyl semimetal MoTe₂.

PubMed

Lin, Chun-Liang; Arafune, Ryuichi; Minamitani, Emi; Kawai, Maki; Takagi, Noriaki

2018-01-30

The electronic structure of type-II Weyl semimetal molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe₂) is studied by using scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory calculations. Through measuring energy-dependent quasiparticle interference (QPI) patterns with a cryogenic scanning tunneling microscope, several characteristic features are found in the QPI patterns. Two of them arise from the Weyl semimetal nature; one is the topological Fermi arc surface state and the other can be assigned to be a Weyl point. The remaining structures are derived from the scatterings relevant to the bulk electronic states. The findings lead to thorough understanding of the topological electronic structure of type-II Weyl semimetal MoTe₂. © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Thermodynamic investigation of the phase equilibrium boundary between TiO2 rutile and its α-PbO2-type high-pressure polymorph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kojitani, Hiroshi; Yamazaki, Monami; Kojima, Meiko; Inaguma, Yoshiyuki; Mori, Daisuke; Akaogi, Masaki

2018-06-01

Heat capacity (C P) of rutile and α-PbO2 type TiO2 (TiO2-II) were measured by the differential scanning calorimetry and thermal relaxation method. Using the results, standard entropies at 1 atm and 298.15 K of rutile and TiO2-II were determined to be 50.04(4) and 46.54(2) J/mol K, respectively. Furthermore, thermal expansivity (α) determined by high-temperature X-ray diffraction measurement and mode Grüneisen parameters obtained by high-pressure Raman spectroscopy suggested the thermal Grüneisen parameter (γ th) for TiO2-II of 1.7(1). By applying the obtained low-temperature C P and γ th, the measured C P and α data of TiO2-II were extrapolated to higher temperature region using a lattice vibrational model calculation, as well as rutile. Internally consistent thermodynamic data sets of both rutile and TiO2-II assessed in this study were used to thermodynamically calculate the rutile‒TiO2-II phase equilibrium boundary. The most plausible boundary was obtained to be P (GPa) = 0.0074T (K) - 1.7. Our boundary suggests that the crystal growth of TiO2-II observed below 5.5 GPa and 900 K in previous studies advanced in its stability field. The phase boundary calculation also suggested small, exothermic phase transition enthalpy from rutile to TiO2-II at 1 atm and 298.15 K of - 0.5 to - 1.1 kJ/mol. This implies that the thermodynamic stability of rutile at 1 atm above room temperature is due to larger contribution of entropy term.

Efficacy and safety of glycosylated undenatured type-II collagen (UC-II) in therapy of arthritic dogs.

PubMed

Deparle, L A; Gupta, R C; Canerdy, T D; Goad, J T; D'Altilio, M; Bagchi, M; Bagchi, D

2005-08-01

DeParle L. A., Gupta R. C., Canerdy T. D., Goad J. T., D'Altilio M., Bagchi M., Bagchi D. Efficacy and safety of glycosylated undenatured type-II collagen (UC-II) in therapy of arthritic dogs. J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap.28, 385-390. In large breed dogs, arthritis is very common because of obesity, injury, aging, immune disorder, or genetic predispositions. This study was therefore undertaken to evaluate clinical efficacy and safety of undenatured type-II collagen (UC-II) in obese-arthritic dogs. Fifteen dogs in three groups received either no UC-II (Group I) or UC-II with 1 mg/day (Group II) or 10 mg/day (Group III) for 90 days. Lameness and pain were measured on a weekly basis for 120 days (90 days treatment plus 30 days post-treatment). Blood samples were assayed for creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (markers of renal injury); and alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase (evidence of hepatic injury). Dogs receiving 1 mg or 10 mg UC-II/day for 90 days showed significant declines in overall pain and pain during limb manipulation and lameness after physical exertion, with 10 mg showed greater improvement. At either dose of UC-II, no adverse effects were noted and no significant changes were noted in serum chemistry, suggesting that UC-II was well tolerated. In addition, dogs receiving UC-II for 90 days showed increased physical activity level. Following UC-II withdrawal for a period of 30 days, all dogs experienced a relapse of overall pain, exercise-associated lameness, and pain upon limb manipulation. These results suggest that daily treatment of arthritic dogs with UC-II ameliorates signs and symptoms of arthritis, and UC-II is well tolerated as no adverse effects were noted.

Type II cGMP‑dependent protein kinase inhibits the migration, invasion and proliferation of several types of human cancer cells.

PubMed

Wu, Min; Wu, Yan; Qian, Hai; Tao, Yan; Pang, Ji; Wang, Ying; Chen, Yongchang

2017-10-01

Previous studies have indicated that type II cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)‑dependent protein kinase (PKG II) could inhibit the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells. However, the effects of PKG II on the biological functions of other types of cancer cells remain to be elucidated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of PKG II on cancer cells derived from various types of human tissues, including A549 lung, HepG2 hepatic, OS‑RC‑2 renal, SW480 colon cancer cells and U251 glioma cells. Cancer cells were infected with adenoviral constructs coding PKG II (Ad‑PKG II) to up‑regulate PKG II expression, and treated with 8‑(4‑chlorophenylthio) (8‑pCPT)‑cGMP to activate the kinase. A Cell Counting kit 8 assay was used to detect cell proliferation. Cell migration was measured using a Transwell assay, whereas a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase 2'‑deoxyuridine, 5'‑triphosphate nick‑end labeling assay was used to detect cell apoptosis. A pull‑down assay was used to investigate the activation of Ras‑related C3 botulinum toxin substrate (Rac) 1 and western blotting was used to detect the expression of proteins of interest. The present results demonstrated that EGF (100 ng/ml, 24 h) promoted the proliferation and migration of cancer cells, and it suppressed their apoptosis. In addition, treatment with EGF enhanced the activation of Rac1, and up‑regulated the protein expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2, MMP7 and B‑cell lymphoma (Bcl)‑2, whereas it down‑regulated the expression of Bcl‑2‑associated X protein. Transfection of cancer cells with Ad‑PKG II, and PKG II activation with 8‑pCPT‑cGMP, was identified to counteract the effects triggered by EGF. The present results suggested that PKG II may exert inhibitory effects on the proliferation and migration of various types of cancer cells.

Oxygen Issue in Core Collapse Supernovae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elmhamdi, A.

2011-06-01

We study the spectroscopic properties of a selected sample of 26 events within Core Collapse Supernovae (CCSNe) family. Special attention is paid to the nebular oxygen forbidden line [OI] 6300, 6364 Å doublet. We analyze the line flux ratio F6300/F6364 and infer information about the optical depth evolution, densities, volume-filling factors in the oxygen emitting zones. The line luminosity is measured for the sample events and its evolution is discussed on the basis of the bolometric light curve properties in type II and in type Ib-c SNe. The luminosities are then translated into oxygen abundances using two different methods. The results are combined with the determined 56Ni masses and compared with theoretical models by means of the [O/Fe] vs. Mms diagram. Two distinguishable and continuous populations, corresponding to Ib-c and type II SNe, are found. The higher mass nature of the ejecta in type II objects is also imprinted in the [CaII] 7291, 7324Å to [OI] 6300, 6364Å luminosity ratios. Our results may be used as input parameters for theoretical models studying the chemical enrichment of galaxies.

Increased cartilage type II collagen degradation in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta used as a human model of bone type I collagen alterations.

PubMed

Rousseau, Jean-Charles; Chevrel, Guillaume; Schott, Anne-Marie; Garnero, Patrick

2010-04-01

We investigated whether cartilage degradation is altered in adult patients with mild osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) used as a human model of bone type I collagen-related osteoarthritis (OA). Sixty-four adult patients with OI (39% women, mean age+/-SD: 37+/-12 years) and 64 healthy age-matched controls (54% women, 39+/-7 years) were included. We also compared data in 87 patients with knee OA (73% women, 63+/-8 years, mean disease duration: 6 years) and 291 age-matched controls (80% women, 62+/-10 years). Urinary C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type II collagen (CTX-II), a marker of cartilage degradation, urinary helical peptide of type I collagen (Helix-I), a marker of bone resorption, and the urinary ratio between non-isomerised/isomerised (alpha/beta CTX-I) type I collagen C-telopeptide, a marker of type I collagen maturation, were measured. Patients with OI had CTX-II levels similar to those of subjects with knee OA (p=0.89; mean+/-SEM; 460+/-57 ng/mmol Cr for OI group and 547+/-32 ng/mmol Cr for OA group) and significantly higher than both young (144+/-7.8 ng/mmol Cr, p<0.0001) and old controls (247+/-7 ng/mmol Cr, p<0.0001). In patients with OI, increased Helix-I (p<0.0001) and alpha/beta CTX-I (p=0.0067) were independently associated with increased CTX-II and together explained 26% of its variance (p< 0.0001). In patients with knee OA, increased levels of alpha/beta CTX-I ratio were also associated with higher CTX-II levels. Adult patients with OI or knee OA are characterized by increased cartilage type II collagen degradation, which is associated with increased type I collagen degradation for OI and lower type I collagen maturation for both OI and OA. These data suggest that both quantitative and qualitative alterations of bone type I collagen metabolism are involved in increased cartilage degradation in patients with OI or knee OA. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Prevalence of dental caries, gingivitis and periodontal disease in pregnant diabetic women].

PubMed

López-Pérez, R; Díaz-Romero, R M; Barranco-Jaubert, A; Borges-Yáñez, A; Avila-Rosas, H

1996-01-01

To determine the difference in the prevalence of dental caries, gingivitis, and periodontal disease among non-diabetic, type-II diabetic and pregnant diabetic women. In the period from June 1993 to January 1994, a cross-sectional study was carried out at the Instituto Nacional de Perinatología among 160 pregnant women; eighty non-diabetic women were included in the control group, while 40 type-II diabetic and 40 gestational diabetic women conformed the study group. In each patient the following variables were recorded: age, week of pregnancy, the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index, the Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth Index, the Gingival Index, and the Extent and Severity Index. Statistical analysis was carried out using Analysis of Variance and the Multiple Range Test, with a 95% confidence internal. All of the groups had similar prevalences of dental caries (100%). Type-II diabetic women showed a higher prevalence of gingivitis (42.5%) than non-diabetic (36.25%) and gestational diabetic (10%) women, but the differences were not statistically significant between the non-diabetic and type-II diabetic women. Type-II diabetic women had a statistically significant higher prevalence of periodontal disease (12.5%) than the women in the other groups. It is very important to establish proper metabolic control and a fitting oral hygiene in pregnant diabetic women, since type-II diabetes was shown to be associated with a higher prevalence of periodontal disease. Besides, gestational diabetes is likely to pose a high risk of periodontal disease in the absence of preventive measures.

Effects of type II thyroplasty on adductor spasmodic dysphonia.

PubMed

Sanuki, Tetsuji; Yumoto, Eiji; Minoda, Ryosei; Kodama, Narihiro

2010-04-01

Type II thyroplasty, or laryngeal framework surgery, is based on the hypothesis that the effect of adductor spasmodic dysphonia (AdSD) on the voice is due to excessively tight closure of the glottis, hampering phonation. Most of the previous, partially effective treatments have aimed to relieve this tight closure, including recurrent laryngeal nerve section or avulsion, extirpation of the adductor muscle, and botulinum toxin injection, which is currently the most popular. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of type II thyroplasty on aerodynamic and acoustic findings in patients with AdSD. Case series. University hospital. Ten patients with AdSD underwent type II thyroplasty between August 2006 and December 2008. Aerodynamic and acoustic analyses were performed prior to and six months after surgery. Mean flow rates (MFRs) and voice efficiency were evaluated with a phonation analyzer. Jitter, shimmer, the harmonics-to-noise ratio (HNR), standard deviation of the fundamental frequency (SDF0), and degree of voice breaks (DVB) were measured from each subject's longest sustained phonation sample of the vowel /a/. Voice efficiency improved significantly after surgery. No significant difference was found in the MFRs between before and after surgery. Jitter, shimmer, HNR, SDF0, and DVB improved significantly after surgery. Treatment of AdSD with type II thyroplasty significantly improved aerodynamic and acoustic findings. The results of this study suggest that type II thyroplasty provides relief from voice strangulation in patients with AdSD. Copyright 2010 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Stable carbon isotope fractionation of trans-1,2-dichloroethylene during co-metabolic degradation by methanotrophic bacteria

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brungard, Karen L.; Munakata-Marr, Junko; Johnson, Craig A.; Mandernack, Kevin W.

2003-01-01

Changes in the carbon isotope ratio (δ13C) of trans-1,2-dichloroethylene (t-DCE) were measured during its co-metabolic degradation by Methylomonas methanica, a type I methanotroph, and Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b, a type II methanotroph. In closed-vessel incubation experiments with each bacterium, the residual t-DCE became progressively enriched in 13C, indicating isotopic fractionation. From these experiments, the biological fractionation during t-DCE co-metabolism, expressed as ε, was measured to be -3.50/00 for the type I culture and -6.70/00 for the type II culture. This fractionation effect and subsequent enrichment in the δ13C of the residual t-DCE can thus be applied to determine the extent of biodegradation of DCE by these organisms. Based on these results, isotopic fractionation clearly warrants further study, as measured changes in the δ13C values of chlorinated solvents could ultimately be used to monitor the extent of biodegradation in laboratory or field settings where co-metabolism by methanotrophs occurs.

Capsular Outcomes After Pediatric Cataract Surgery Without Intraocular Lens Implantation

PubMed Central

Tan, Xuhua; Lin, Haotian; Lin, Zhuoling; Chen, Jingjing; Tang, Xiangchen; Luo, Lixia; Chen, Weirong; Liu, Yizhi

2016-01-01

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate capsular outcomes 12 months after pediatric cataract surgery without intraocular lens implantation via qualitative classification and quantitative measurement. This study is a cross-sectional study that was approved by the institutional review board of Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China. Digital coaxial retro-illumination photographs of 329 aphakic pediatric eyes were obtained 12 months after pediatric cataract surgery without intraocular lens implantation. Capsule digital coaxial retro-illumination photographs were divided as follows: anterior capsule opening area (ACOA), posterior capsule opening area (PCOA), and posterior capsule opening opacity (PCOO). Capsular outcomes were qualitatively classified into 3 types based on the PCOO: Type I—capsule with mild opacification but no invasion into the capsule opening; Type II—capsule with moderate opacification accompanied by contraction of the ACOA and invasion to the occluding part of the PCOA; and Type III—capsule with severe opacification accompanied by total occlusion of the PCOA. Software was developed to quantitatively measure the ACOA, PCOA, and PCOO using standardized DCRPs. The relationships between the accurate intraoperative anterior and posterior capsulorhexis sizes and the qualitative capsular types were statistically analyzed. The DCRPs of 315 aphakic eyes (95.8%) of 191 children were included. Capsular outcomes were classified into 3 types: Type I—120 eyes (38.1%); Type II—157 eyes (49.8%); Type III—38 eyes (12.1%). The scores of the capsular outcomes were negatively correlated with intraoperative anterior capsulorhexis size (R = −0.572, P < 0.001), but no significant correlation with intraoperative posterior capsulorhexis size (R = −0.16, P = 0.122) was observed. The ACOA significantly decreased from Type I to Type II to Type III, the PCOA increased in size from Type I to Type II, and the PCOO increased from Type II to Type III (all P < 0.05). Capsular outcomes after pediatric cataract surgery can be qualitatively classified and quantitatively measured by acquisition, division, definition, and user-friendly software analyses of high-quality digital coaxial retro-illumination photographs. PMID:26962807

Nephrin expression is reduced in human diabetic nephropathy: evidence for a distinct role for glycated albumin and angiotensin II.

PubMed

Doublier, Sophie; Salvidio, Gennaro; Lupia, Enrico; Ruotsalainen, Vesa; Verzola, Daniela; Deferrari, Giacomo; Camussi, Giovanni

2003-04-01

We studied the distribution of nephrin in renal biopsies from 17 patients with diabetes and nephrotic syndrome (7 type 1 and 10 type 2 diabetes), 6 patients with diabetes and microalbuminuria (1 type 1 and 5 type 2 diabetes), and 10 normal subjects. Nephrin expression was semiquantitatively evaluated by measuring immunofluorescence intensity by digital image analysis. We found an extensive reduction of nephrin staining in both type 1 (67 +/- 9%; P < 0.001) and type 2 (65 +/- 10%; P < 0.001) diabetic patients with diabetes and nephrotic syndrome when compared with control subjects. The pattern of staining shifted from punctate/linear distribution to granular. In patients with microalbuminuria, the staining pattern of nephrin also showed granular distribution and reduction intensity of 69% in the patient with type 1 diabetes and of 62 +/- 4% (P < 0.001) in the patients with type 2 diabetes. In vitro studies on human cultured podocytes demonstrated that glycated albumin and angiotensin II reduced nephrin expression. Glycated albumin inhibited nephrin synthesis through the engagement of receptor for advanced glycation end products, whereas angiotensin II acted on cytoskeleton redistribution, inducing the shedding of nephrin. This study indicates that the alteration in nephrin expression is an early event in proteinuric patients with diabetes and suggests that glycated albumin and angiotensin II contribute to nephrin downregulation.

New central drift chamber for the MARK II at SLC

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

Bartelt, J.E.

A new central drift chamber has been constructed for the Mark II detector for use at the new SLAC Linear Collider (SLC). The design of the chamber is based on a multi-sense-wire cell of the jet chamber type. In addition to drift-time measurements, pulse-height measurements from the sense wires provide electron-hadron separation by dE/dx. The chamber has been tested in operation at PEP before its move to the SLC. The design and construction are described, and measurements from the new chamber are presented.

Maternal high-salt diet altered PKC/MLC20 pathway and increased ANG II receptor-mediated vasoconstriction in adult male rat offspring.

PubMed

Li, Weisheng; Lv, Juanxiu; Wu, Jue; Zhou, Xiuwen; Jiang, Lin; Zhu, Xiaolin; Tu, Qing; Tang, Jiaqi; Liu, Yanping; He, Axin; Zhong, Yuan; Xu, Zhice

2016-07-01

High-salt diet (HSD) is associated with cardiovascular diseases. This study aims at ascertaining the influence of maternal HSD on offspring's angiotensin II (ANG II)-mediated vasoconstriction and the underlying mechanisms. In comparison to a normal-salt diet, HSD used in pregnancy in rats changed the ultrastructures of the coronary artery (CA) in 5-month-old male offspring, and increased ANG II-mediated CA contractility. Measurement of [Ca(2+) ]i in CA using fluorescent fura-2, a Ca(2+) indicator, showed that ANG II-mediated increases in [Ca(2+) ]i were the same between HSD and normal-salt diet groups, but the ratio of diameter change/[Ca(2+) ]i induced by ANG II were significantly higher in HSD groups. Angiotensin II receptor type 1, not angiotensin II receptor type 2, caused ANG II-mediated vasoconstriction. Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor GF109203X attenuated the ANG II-mediated vasoconstriction, PKC agonist phorbol12,13-dibutyrate produced a greater contraction. There was an increase in PKCβ mRNA and the corresponding protein abundance in the offspring, whereas other PKC subunits PKCα, PKCδ, and PKCε did not change. Moreover, 20 kDa myosin light chain phosphorylation levels were increased in HSD group. Maternal HSD affected the developmental programing for the offspring CA, with increased ANG II-mediated vasoconstrictions. The angiotensin II receptor type 1-PKC-20 kDa myosin light chain phosphorylation pathway was the possible mediated cellular mechanism. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, electrochemistry and biological evaluation of some metal (II) complexes with ONO donor ligand containing benzo[b]thiophene and coumarin moieties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahendra Raj, K.; Mruthyunjayaswamy, B. H. M.

2014-09-01

Schiff base ligand 3-chloro-N‧-((7-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-oxo-2H-chromen-8-yl)methylene)benzo[b]thiophene-2-carbohydrazide and its Cu(II), Co(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) complexes were synthesized, characterized by elemental analysis and various physico-chemical techniques like, IR, 1H NMR, ESI-mass, UV-Visible, thermogravimetry - differential thermal analysis, magnetic measurements and molar conductance. Spectral analysis indicates octahedral geometry for all the complexes. Cu(II) complex have 1:1 stoichiometry of the type [M(L)(Cl)(H2O)2], whereas Co(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) complexes have 1:2 stoichiometric ratio of the type [M(L)2]. The bonding sites are the oxygen atom of amide carbonyl, nitrogen of azomethine function and phenolic oxygen of the Schiff base ligand via deprotonation. The thermogravimetry - differential thermal analysis studies gave evidence for the presence of coordinated water molecules in the composition of Cu(II) complex which was further supported by IR measurements. All the complexes were investigated for their electrochemical activity, but only the Cu(II) complex showed the redox property. In order to evaluate the effect of antimicrobial potency of metal ions upon chelation, ligand and its metal complexes along with their respective metal chlorides were screened for their antibacterial and antifungal activities by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method. The results showed that the metal complexes were found to be more active than free ligand. Ligand and its complexes were screened for free radical scavenging activity by DPPH method and DNA cleavage activity using Calf-thymus DNA (Cat. No-105850).

78 FR 579 - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-03

... by the PCGFMP. II. Major Provisions This final rule contains two types of major provisions. The first... fishing sector because different fishing sectors require different types of management to control catch... existing management measures and do not represent a change from current management practices. These types...

Characterization of Black Carbon Mixing State

DOE Data Explorer

Sedlacek, Arthur; S, Satheesh; Springston, Stephen

2013-11-06

This measurement characterizes the types of BC emissions that result in near­surface BC­ containing particles in a region that is dominated by biomass and open pit/stove cooking. Specifically, examine three primary BC emission sources: (i) urban setting (e.g., fossil fuel emissions); and (ii) biomass burning. Source (i) are captured at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore. Biomass emissions (ii) contains a series of 1­2 day measurement excursions to the rural area surrounding Bangalore.

Making it without losing it: Type A, achievement motivation, and scientific attainment revisited.

PubMed

Helmreich, R L; Spence, J T; Pred, R S

1988-09-01

In a study by Matthews, Helmreich, Beane, and Lucker (1980), responses by academic psychologists to the Jenkins Activity Survey for Health Prediction (JAS), a measure of the Type A construct, were found to be significantly, positively correlated with two measures of attainment, citations by others to published work and number of publications. In the present study, JAS responses from the Matthews et al. sample were subjected to a factor analysis with oblique rotation and two new subscales were developed on the basis of this analysis. The first, Achievement Strivings (AS) was found to be significantly correlated with both the publication and citation measures. The second scale, Impatience and Irritability (I/I), was uncorrelated with the achievement criteria. Data from other samples indicate that I/I is related to a number of health symptoms. The results suggest that the current formulation of the Type A construct may contain two components, one associated with positive achievement and the other with poor health.

Making it without losing it: Type A, achievement motivation, and scientific attainment revisited

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helmreich, R. L.; Spence, J. T.; Pred, R. S.

1988-01-01

In a study by Matthews, Helmreich, Beane, and Lucker (1980), responses by academic psychologists to the Jenkins Activity Survey for Health Prediction (JAS), a measure of the Type A construct, were found to be significantly, positively correlated with two measures of attainment, citations by others to published work and number of publications. In the present study, JAS responses from the Matthews et al. sample were subjected to a factor analysis with oblique rotation and two new subscales were developed on the basis of this analysis. The first, Achievement Strivings (AS) was found to be significantly correlated with both the publication and citation measures. The second scale, Impatience and Irritability (I/I), was uncorrelated with the achievement criteria. Data from other samples indicate that I/I is related to a number of health symptoms. The results suggest that the current formulation of the Type A construct may contain two components, one associated with positive achievement and the other with poor health.

Making it without losing it: Type A, achievement motivation, and scientific attainment revisited

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helmreich, Robert L.; Spence, Janet T.; Pred, Robert S.

1987-01-01

In a study by Matthews et al. (1980), responses by academic psychologists to the Jenkins Activity Survey for Health Prediction, a measure of the Type A construct, were found to be significantly, positively correlated with two measures of attainment, citations by others to published work and number of publications. In the present study, JAS responses from the Matthews et al. sample were subjected to a factor analysis with oblique rotation and two new subscales were developed on the basis of this analysis. The first, Achievement Strivings (AS) was found to be significantly correlated with both the publication and citation measures. The second scale, Impatience and Irritability (I/I), was uncorrelated with the achievement criteria. Data from other samples indicate that I/I is related to a number of health symptoms. The results suggest that the current formulation of the Type A construct may contain two components, one associated with positive achievement and the other with poor health.

Effects of selective type I and II adrenal steroid agonists on immune cell distribution.

PubMed

Miller, A H; Spencer, R L; hassett, J; Kim, C; Rhee, R; Ciurea, D; Dhabhar, F; McEwen, B; Stein, M

1994-11-01

Adrenal steroids exert their effects through two distinct adrenal steroid receptor subtypes; the high affinity type I, or mineralocorticoid, receptor and the lower affinity type II, or glucocorticoid, receptor. Adrenal steroids have well known effects on immune cell distribution, and although both type I and II receptors are expressed in immune cells and tissues, few data exist on the relative effects mediated through these two receptor subtypes. Accordingly, we administered selective type I and II adrenal steroid receptor agonists to young adult male Sprague-Dawley rats for 7 days and then measured immune cell distribution in the peripheral blood and spleen. Results were compared with those of similar studies using the naturally occurring glucocorticoid of the rat, corticosterone, which binds both type I and II receptors. The majority of the well characterized effects of adrenal steroids on peripheral blood immune cells (increased neutrophils and decreased lymphocytes and monocytes) were reproduced by the type II receptor agonist, RU28362. RU28362 decreased the numbers of all lymphocyte subsets [T-cells, B-cells, and natural killer (NK) cells] to very low absolute levels. The largest relative decrease (i.e. in percentage) was seen in B-cells, whereas NK cells exhibited the least relative decrease and actually showed a 2-fold increase in relative percentage during RU28362 treatment. Similar to RU28362, the type I receptor agonist, aldosterone, significantly reduced the number of lymphocytes and monocytes. In contrast to RU28362, however, aldosterone significantly decreased the number of neutrophils. Moreover, aldosterone decreased the number of T-helper cells and NK cells, while having no effect on the number of B-cells or T-suppressor/cytotoxic cells. Corticosterone at physiologically relevant concentrations had potent effects on immune cell distribution, which were indistinguishable from those of the type II receptor agonist, RU28362. Taken together, these results indicate that effects of adrenal steroids on immune cell distribution are dependent on the receptor subtype involved as well as the specific cell type targeted. These factors allow for varied and complex effects of adrenal steroids on the immune system under physiological conditions.

Chronic shin splints. Classification and management of medial tibial stress syndrome.

PubMed

Detmer, D E

1986-01-01

A clinical classification and treatment programme has been developed for chronic medial tibial stress syndrome. Medial tibial stress syndrome has been reported to be either tibial stress fracture or microfracture, tibial periostitis, or distal deep posterior chronic compartment syndrome. Three chronic types exist and may coexist: Type I (tibial microfracture, bone stress reaction or cortical fracture); type II (periostalgia from chronic avulsion of the periosteum at the periosteal-fascial junction); and type III (chronic compartment syndrome syndrome). Type I disease is treated nonoperatively. Operations for resistant types II and III medial tibial stress syndrome were performed in 41 patients. Bilaterality was common (type II, 50% type III, 88%). Seven had coexistent type II/III; one had type I/II. Preoperative symptoms averaged 24 months in type II, 6 months in type III, and 33 months in types II/III. Mean age was 22 years (15 to 51). Resting compartment pressures were normal in type II (mean 12 mm Hg) and elevated in type III and type II/III (mean 23 mm Hg). Type II and type II/III patients received fasciotomy plus periosteal cauterisation. Type III patients had fasciotomy only. All procedures were performed on an outpatient basis using local anaesthesia. Follow up was complete and averaged 6 months (2 to 14 months). Improved performance was as follows: type II, 93%, type III, 100%; type II/III, 86%. Complete cures were as follows: type II, 78%; type III, 75%; and type II/III, 57%. This experience suggests that with precise diagnosis and treatment involving minimal risk and cost the athlete has a reasonable chance of return to full activity.

Cutting work in thick section cryomicrotomy.

PubMed

Saubermann, A J; Riley, W D; Beeuwkes, R

1977-09-01

The forces during cryosectioning were measured using miniature strain gauges attached to a load cell fitted to the drive arm of the Porter-Blum MT-2 cryomicrotome. Work was calculated and the data normalized to a standard (1 mm X 1 mm X 0.5 micrometer) section. Thermal energy generated was also calculated. Five parameters were studied: cutting angle, thickness, temperature, hardness, and block shape. Force patterns could be divided into three major groups thought to represent cutting (Type I), large fracture planes greater than 10 micrometer in length (Type II), and small fracture planes less than 10 micrometer in length (Type III). Type I and Type II produced satisfactory sections. Work in cutting ranged from an average of 78.4 muJ to 568.8 muJ. Cutting angle and temperature had the greatest effect on sectioning. Heat generated would be sufficient to cause through-section melting for 0.5 micrometer thick sections assuming the worst possible case, namely that all heat went into the section without loss. Presence of a Type II pattern (large fracture pattern) is thought to be presumptive evidence against thawing.

A spectroscopic study of LMC X-4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petro, L. D.; Hiltner, W. A.

1982-01-01

The orbital radial velocity semi-amplitude of the binary star system LMC X-4 primary was determined to be 37.9 + or - 2.4 km/s from measurements of the hydrogen absorption lines. The semi-amplitude of the He I and He II absorption lines are consistent with this, namely 44.9 + or - 5.0 and 37.3 + or - 5.3 km/s. The phase and shape of the radial velocity curves of the three ions are consistent with a circular orbit and an ephemeris based upon X-ray measurements of the neutron star, with the exception that the He II absorption line radial velocity curve has detectable shape distortion. Measurements of the He II LAMBOA 4686 emission line velocity are consistent with a phase shifted sine wave of semi-amplitude 535 km/s, a square wave of semi-amplitude 407 km/s, or high order harmonic fits. The spectral type was found to be 08.5 IV-V during X-ray eclipse. Variations to types as early as 07 occur, but not as a function or orbital phase. Absorption line peculiarities were noted on 6 of 58 spectra.

Percutaneous closure of patent ductus arteriosus in children using amplatzer duct occluder II: relationship between PDA type and risk of device protrusion into the descending aorta.

PubMed

Masri, Samer; El Rassi, Issam; Arabi, Mariam; Tabbakh, Anas; Bitar, Fadi

2015-08-01

To compare the efficacy and safety of Amplatzer Duct Occluder II (ADOII) among the various patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) types, and to assess the association between development of aortic obstruction and the PDA type in terms of measurable parameters as the device angulation and distance of upper end protrusion into the aortic lumen. Retrospective cohort study involving 50 consecutive subjects who underwent ADO II device closure of PDA. The median age and weight at intervention were 13 months (5.5 months to 18 years) and 11 (6-67) kg respectively. The median smallest ductal diameter by angiography was 3.2 (1.9-5.4) mm. Thirty two patients had type A PDA, 5 had type C, 5 had type D, and 8 had type E. Residual shunt was seen in only 1 patient who had a tubular PDA and resolved within 2 months of the procedure. No device embolization or pulmonary side protrusion were noted. There was a 16% aortic protrusion rate. The median distance of protrusion of the upper end of the device into the aortic lumen was 3.1 (0-9) mm and the median angle formed between the aortic end of the device and the PDA take-off was 10.4 (0-80.6) degrees. These latter parameters of aortic obstruction were significantly higher in the non-conical PDA group as compared to the conical PDA. Nevertheless, there was no significant coarctation due to aortic retention disc protrusion. Device closure of PDA using the ADO II is a safe procedure for chosen types of PDA. We demonstrated a novel technique for objective assessment of device protrusion into the descending aorta based on measurable parameters. ADOII device closure of non-conical PDAs warrants closer follow ups. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Prenatal Gender-Related Nicotine Exposure Increases Blood Pressure Response to Angiotensin II in Adult Offspring

PubMed Central

Xiao, DaLiao; Xu, Zhice; Huang, Xiaohui; Longo, Lawrence D.; Yang, Shumei; Zhang, Lubo

2008-01-01

Epidemiological studies suggest that maternal cigarette smoking is associated with an increased risk of elevated blood pressure (BP) in postnatal life. The present study tested the hypothesis that prenatal nicotine exposure causes an increase in BP response to angiotensin II (Ang II) in adult offspring. Nicotine was administered to pregnant rats via subcutaneous osmotic minipumps throughout the gestation. BP and vascular responses to Ang II were measured in 5-month–old adult offspring. Prenatal nicotine had no effect on baseline BP but significantly increased Ang II–stimulated BP in male but not female offspring. The baroreflex sensitivity was significantly decreased in both male and female offspring. Prenatal nicotine significantly increased arterial media thickness in male but not female offspring. In male offspring, nicotine exposure significantly increased Ang II–induced contractions of aortas and mesenteric arteries. These responses were not affected by inhibition of endothelial NO synthase activity. Losartan blocked Ang II–induced contractions in both control and nicotine-treated animals. In contrast, PD123319 had no effect on Ang II–induced contractions in control but inhibited them in nicotine-treated animals. Nicotine significantly increased Ang II type 1 receptor but decreased Ang II type 2 receptor protein levels, resulting in a significant increase in the ratio of Ang II type 1 receptor/Ang II type 2 receptor in the aorta. Furthermore, the increased contractions of mesenteric arteries were mediated by increases in intracellular Ca2+ concentrations and Ca2+ sensitivity. These results suggest that prenatal nicotine exposure alters vascular function via changes in Ang II receptor–mediated signaling pathways in adult offspring in a gender-specific manner, which may lead to an increased risk of hypertension in male offspring. PMID:18259024

Objective color measurements: clinimetric performance of three devices on normal skin and scar tissue.

PubMed

van der Wal, Martijn; Bloemen, Monica; Verhaegen, Pauline; Tuinebreijer, Wim; de Vet, Henrica; van Zuijlen, Paul; Middelkoop, Esther

2013-01-01

Color measurements are an essential part of scar evaluation. Thus, vascularization (erythema) and pigmentation (melanin) are common outcome parameters in scar research. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinimetric properties and clinical feasibility of the Mexameter, Colorimeter, and the DSM II ColorMeter for objective measurements on skin and scars. Fifty scars with a mean age of 6 years (2 months to 53 years) were included. Reliability was tested using the single-measure interobserver intraclass correlation coefficient. Validity was determined by measuring the Pearson correlation with the Fitzpatrick skin type classification (for skin) and the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (for scar tissue). All three instruments provided reliable readings (intraclass correlation coefficient ≥ 0.83; confidence interval: 0.71-0.90) on normal skin and scar tissue. Parameters with the highest correlations with the Fitzpatrick classification were melanin (Mexameter), 0.72; ITA (Colorimeter), -0.74; and melanin (DSM II), 0.70. On scars, the highest correlations with the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale vascularization scores were the following: erythema (Mexameter), 0.59; LAB2 (Colorimeter), 0.69; and erythema (DSM II), 0.66. For hyperpigmentation, the highest correlations were melanin (Mexameter), 0.75; ITA (Colorimeter), -0.80; and melanin (DSM II), 0.83. This study shows that all three instruments can provide reliable color data on skin and scars with a single measurement. The authors also demonstrated that they can assist in objective skin type classification. For scar assessment, the most valid parameters in each instrument were identified.

Plasma vitamin D and osteo-cartilaginous markers in Italian males affected by intervertebral disc degeneration: Focus on seasonal and pathological trend of type II collagen degradation.

PubMed

Brayda-Bruno, Marco; Viganò, Marco; Cauci, Sabina; Vitale, Jacopo A; de Girolamo, Laura; De Luca, Paola; Lombardi, Giovanni; Banfi, Giuseppe; Colombini, Alessandra

2017-08-01

To evaluate plasma vitamin D and cross-linked C-telopeptides of type I (CTx-I) and type II (CTx-II) collagen concentrations in males with lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration (IVD) compared to healthy controls. Improved knowledge might suggest to optimize the vitamin D status of IVD patients and contribute to clarify mechanisms of cartilage degradation. 79 Italian males with lumbar IVD assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and 79 age, sex and BMI-matched healthy controls were enrolled. Plasma 25hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), CTx-I and CTx-II were measured by immunoassays. Circannual seasonality, correlation between biomarkers concentrations and clinical variables were assessed. Overall subjects 25(OH)D and CTx-II showed month rhythmicity with acrophase in August/September and October/November, and nadir in February/March and April/May, respectively. An inverse correlation between 25(OH)D and CTx-I, and a direct correlation between CTx-II and CTx-I were observed. IVD patients, particularly with osteochondrosis, showed higher CTx-II than healthy controls. Month of sampling may affect plasma 25(OH)D and CTx-II concentrations. The correlation between CTx-I and CTx-II suggests an interplay between the osteo-cartilaginous endplate and the fibro-cartilaginous disc. The results of this study highlighted that osteochondrosis associates with increased cartilaginous catabolism. Vitamin D supplementation seems more necessary in winter for lumbar IVD patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Association between ApoA-II -265T/C polymorphism and oxidative stress in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Koohdani, Fariba; Sadrzadeh-Yeganeh, Haleh; Djalali, Mahmoud; Eshraghian, Mohammadreza; Keramat, Laleh; Mansournia, Mohammad-Ali; Zamani, Elham

2015-01-01

Apolipoprotein A-II (ApoA-II) constitutes approximately 20% of the total HDL protein content. The results of various studies on the relationship between cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and the plasma ApoA-II level are contradictory. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between ApoA-II polymorphism and oxidative stress (OS) as a risk factor for CVD. The present comparative study was carried out on 180 obese and non-obese patients with type 2 diabetes, with equal numbers of CC, TC, and TT genotypes of ApoA-II -265T/C gene. The ApoA-II genotype was determined by the TaqMan assay method. The anthropometric measurements and serum levels of lipid profile, superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and 8-isoprostaneF2α were measured. After adjusting for confounding factors, in the total study population and in obese and non-obese groups, the subjects with CC genotype had a lower mean serum SOD activity (p=0.002, p=0.007 and p=0.005, respectively) and higher mean 8-isoprostaneF2α concentration (p<0.001, p=0.003 and p=0.004, respectively) than the T-allele carriers. In the TT/TC group, the mean 8-isoprostanF2α concentration was significantly higher in the obese subjects than the non-obese subjects (p=0.009). In the CC group, no significant differences were found in the OS factors between obese and non-obese groups. The T allele in patients with type 2 diabetes is a protective factor against OS; obesity inhibits this protective effect. The results of this study represent the anti-atherogenic properties of ApoA-II. However, further studies are needed in this field. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Subtypes of the Type II Pit Pattern Reflect Distinct Molecular Subclasses in the Serrated Neoplastic Pathway.

PubMed

Aoki, Hironori; Yamamoto, Eiichiro; Yamano, Hiro-O; Sugai, Tamotsu; Kimura, Tomoaki; Tanaka, Yoshihito; Matsushita, Hiro-O; Yoshikawa, Kenjiro; Takagi, Ryo; Harada, Eiji; Nakaoka, Michiko; Yoshida, Yuko; Harada, Taku; Sudo, Gota; Eizuka, Makoto; Yorozu, Akira; Kitajima, Hiroshi; Niinuma, Takeshi; Kai, Masahiro; Nojima, Masanori; Suzuki, Hiromu; Nakase, Hiroshi

2018-03-15

Colorectal serrated lesions (SLs) are important premalignant lesions whose clinical and biological features are not fully understood. We aimed to establish accurate colonoscopic diagnosis and treatment of SLs through evaluation of associations among the morphological, pathological, and molecular characteristics of SLs. A total of 388 premalignant and 18 malignant colorectal lesions were studied. Using magnifying colonoscopy, microsurface structures were assessed based on Kudo's pit pattern classification system, and the Type II pit pattern was subcategorized into classical Type II, Type II-Open (Type II-O) and Type II-Long (Type II-L). BRAF/KRAS mutations and DNA methylation of CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) markers (MINT1, - 2, - 12, - 31, p16, and MLH1) were analyzed through pyrosequencing. Type II-O was tightly associated with sessile serrated adenoma/polyps (SSA/Ps) with BRAF mutation and CIMP-high. Most lesions with simple Type II or Type II-L were hyperplastic polyps, while mixtures of Type II or Type II-L plus more advanced pit patterns (III/IV) were characteristic of traditional serrated adenomas (TSAs). Type II-positive TSAs frequently exhibited BRAF mutation and CIMP-low, while Type II-L-positive TSAs were tightly associated with KRAS mutation and CIMP-low. Analysis of lesions containing both premalignant and cancerous components suggested Type II-L-positive TSAs may develop into KRAS-mutated/CIMP-low/microsatellite stable cancers, while Type II-O-positive SSA/Ps develop into BRAF-mutated/CIMP-high/microsatellite unstable cancers. These results suggest that Type II subtypes reflect distinct molecular subclasses in the serrated neoplasia pathway and that they could be useful hallmarks for identifying SLs at high risk of developing into CRC.

Effectual switching filter for removing impulse noise using a SCM detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Jin-xia; Zhang, Hong-juan; Ma, Yi-de

2012-03-01

An effectual method is proposed to remove impulse noise from corrupted color images. The spiking cortical model (SCM) is adopted as a noise detector to identify noisy pixels in each channel of color images, and detected noise pixels are saved in three marking matrices. According to the three marking matrices, the detected noisy pixels are divided into two types (type I and type II). They are filtered differently: an adaptive median filter is used for type I and an adaptive vector median for type II. Noise-free pixels are left unchanged. Extensive experiments show that the proposed method outperforms most of the other well-known filters in the aspects of both visual and objective quality measures, and this method can also reduce the possibility of generating color artifacts while preserving image details.

Capacitance measurements of regulated exocytosis in mouse taste cells.

PubMed

Vandenbeuch, Aurelie; Zorec, Robert; Kinnamon, Sue C

2010-11-03

Exocytosis, consisting of the merger of vesicle and plasma membrane, is a common mechanism used by different types of nucleated cells to release their vesicular contents. Taste cells possess vesicles containing various neurotransmitters to communicate with adjacent taste cells and afferent nerve fibers. However, whether these vesicles engage in exocytosis on a stimulus is not known. Since vesicle membrane merger with the plasma membrane is reflected in plasma membrane area fluctuations, we measured membrane capacitance (C(m)), a parameter linearly related to membrane surface area. To investigate whether taste cells undergo regulated exocytosis, we used the compensated tight-seal whole-cell recording technique to monitor depolarization-induced changes in C(m) in the different types of taste cells. To identify taste cell types, mice expressing green fluorescent protein from the TRPM5 promoter or from the GAD67 promoter were used to discriminate type II and type III taste cells, respectively. Moreover, the cell types were also identified by monitoring their voltage-current properties. The results demonstrate that only type III taste cells show significant depolarization-induced increases in C(m), which were correlated to the voltage-activated calcium currents. The results suggest that type III, but neither type II nor type I cells exhibit depolarization-induced regulated exocytosis to release transmitter and activate gustatory afferent nerve fibers.

Arcing and its role in PFC erosion and dust production in DIII-D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudakov, D. L.; Chrobak, C. P.; Doerner, R. P.; Krasheninnikov, S. I.; Moyer, R. A.; Umstadter, K. R.; Wampler, W. R.; Wong, C. P. C.

2013-07-01

Two types of arc tracks are observed on the plasma-facing components (PFCs) in DIII-D. "Unmagnetized" random walk tracks are produced during glow discharges; they are rare and have no importance for PFC erosion but may degrade diagnostic mirrors. "Magnetized" scratch-like type II tracks are produced by unipolar arcs during plasma operations; they are formed by "retrograde BxJ" motion of the cathode spot and are roughly perpendicular to the local magnetic field. Type II arcs cause measurable erosion of graphite, but based on the evidence available they are relatively small contributors to the total erosion of carbon in DIII-D compared to other mechanisms such as physical and chemical sputtering and ablation from leading edges. Erosion by arcing of tungsten films deposited on graphite samples was observed in Divertor Material Evaluation System (DiMES) experiments. New DiMES experiments aimed at time-resolved arc measurements are proposed.

Central IKKβ inhibition prevents air pollution mediated peripheral inflammation and exaggeration of type II diabetes.

PubMed

Liu, Cuiqing; Fonken, Laura K; Wang, Aixia; Maiseyeu, Andrei; Bai, Yuntao; Wang, Tse-Yao; Maurya, Santosh; Ko, Yi-An; Periasamy, Muthu; Dvonch, Timothy; Morishita, Masako; Brook, Robert D; Harkema, Jack; Ying, Zhekang; Mukherjee, Bhramar; Sun, Qinghua; Nelson, Randy J; Rajagopalan, Sanjay

2014-10-30

Prior experimental and epidemiologic data support a link between exposure to fine ambient particulate matter (<2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter, PM2.5) and development of insulin resistance/Type II diabetes mellitus (Type II DM). We investigated the role of hypothalamic inflammation in PM2.5-mediated diabetes development. KKay mice, a genetically susceptible model of Type II DM, were assigned to either concentrated PM2.5 or filtered air (FA) for 4-8 weeks via a versatile aerosol concentrator and exposure system, or administered intra-cerebroventricular with either IKKβ inhibitor (IMD-0354) or TNFα antibody (infliximab) for 4-5 weeks simultaneously with PM2.5 exposure. Glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, oxygen consumption and heat production were evaluated. At euthanasia, blood, spleen, visceral adipose tissue and hypothalamus were collected to measure inflammatory cells using flow cytometry. Standard immunohistochemical methods and quantitative PCR were used to assess targets of interest. PM2.5 exposure led to hyperglycemia and insulin resistance, which was accompanied by increased hypothalamic IL-6, TNFα, and IKKβ mRNA expression and microglial/astrocyte reactivity. Targeting the NFκB pathway with intra-cerebroventricular administration of an IKKβ inhibitor [IMD-0354, n = 8 for each group)], but not TNFα blockade with infliximab [(n = 6 for each group], improved glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, rectified energy homeostasis (O2 consumption, CO2 production, respiratory exchange ratio and heat generation) and reduced peripheral inflammation in response to PM2.5. Central inhibition of IKKβ prevents PM2.5 mediated peripheral inflammation and exaggeration of type II diabetes. These results provide novel insights into how air pollution may mediate susceptibility to insulin resistance and Type II DM.

Long-term increases in lymphocytes and platelets in human T-lymphotropic virus type II infection

PubMed Central

Bartman, Melissa T.; Kaidarova, Zhanna; Hirschkorn, Dale; Sacher, Ronald A.; Fridey, Joy; Garratty, George; Gibble, Joan; Smith, James W.; Newman, Bruce; Yeo, Anthony E.

2008-01-01

Human T-lymphotropic viruses types I and II (HTLV-I and HTLV-II) cause chronic infections of T lymphocytes that may lead to leukemia and myelopathy. However, their long-term effects on blood counts and hematopoiesis are poorly understood. We followed 151 HTLV-I–seropositive, 387 HTLV-II–seropositive, and 799 HTLV-seronegative former blood donors from 5 U.S. blood centers for a median of 14.0 years. Complete blood counts were performed every 2 years. Multivariable repeated measures analyses were conducted to evaluate the independent effect of HTLV infection and potential confounders on 9 hematologic measurements. Participants with HTLV-II had significant (P < .05) increases in their adjusted lymphocyte counts (+126 cells/mm3; approximately +7%), hemoglobin (+2 g/L [+0.2 g/dL]) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV; 1.0 fL) compared with seronegative participants. Participants with HTLV-I and HTLV-II had higher adjusted platelet counts (+16 544 and +21 657 cells/mm3; P < .05) than seronegatives. Among all participants, time led to decreases in platelet count and lymphocyte counts, and to increases in MCV and monocytes. Sex, race, smoking, and alcohol consumption all had significant effects on blood counts. The HTLV-II effect on lymphocytes is novel and may be related to viral transactivation or immune response. HTLV-I and HTLV-II associations with higher platelet counts suggest viral effects on hematopoietic growth factors or cytokines. PMID:18755983

Gaussian quadrature for multiple orthogonal polynomials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coussement, Jonathan; van Assche, Walter

2005-06-01

We study multiple orthogonal polynomials of type I and type II, which have orthogonality conditions with respect to r measures. These polynomials are connected by their recurrence relation of order r+1. First we show a relation with the eigenvalue problem of a banded lower Hessenberg matrix Ln, containing the recurrence coefficients. As a consequence, we easily find that the multiple orthogonal polynomials of type I and type II satisfy a generalized Christoffel-Darboux identity. Furthermore, we explain the notion of multiple Gaussian quadrature (for proper multi-indices), which is an extension of the theory of Gaussian quadrature for orthogonal polynomials and was introduced by Borges. In particular, we show that the quadrature points and quadrature weights can be expressed in terms of the eigenvalue problem of Ln.

Relationship between protein intake and dynapenia in postmenopausal women.

PubMed

Filion, M E; Barbat-Artigas, S; Dupontgand, S; Fex, A; Karelis, A D; Aubertin-Leheudre, M

2012-07-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between protein intake and dynapenia. A cross-sectional/observational study. Department of Kinanthropology at the University of Quebec at Montreal. Seventy-two non-frail postmenopausal women aged between 50 to 75 years were recruited. Body weight (BW), lean body mass (LBM; %) and skeletal muscle mass (bio-electrical impedancemetry analysis), maximum voluntary handgrip strength (using hand dynamometer), aerobic capacity (VO2peak) and dietary intake were measured. Women were divided according to dynapenia criteria. The strongest correlation between muscle strength and protein intake was observed when we express the amount of protein in g/d/BW. No differences for age, BMI, status of menopause, fat mass and VO2peak were observed between non-dynapenic, type I dynapenic and type II dynapenic women, independently of the criteria used. We observed significant differences in protein intake (g/d/BW) between non-dynapenic and type II dynapenic (p<0.01) as well as between type I dynapenic and type II dynapenic (p<0.01) when dynapenia was expressed in kg/BW and in kg/LBM, respectively. It should be noted that no differences in LBM between the three groups were observed when dynapenia was expressed in kg/BW and kg/LBM. Protein intake for all groups respected the RDA of 0.8 to 1.2 g/d/BW (non-dynapenic: 1.44/1.38; type I dynapenic: 1.30/1.33; type II dynapenic: 1.05/1.08 g/d/BW). Protein intake seems to play a role in the development of dynapenia particularly at the level of type II dynapenia. Therefore, an increase in the recommended daily allowance for protein intake may be warranted.

Natural course of visual field loss in patients with Type 2 Usher syndrome.

PubMed

Fishman, Gerald A; Bozbeyoglu, Simge; Massof, Robert W; Kimberling, William

2007-06-01

To evaluate the natural course of visual field loss in patients with Type 2 Usher syndrome and different patterns of visual field loss. Fifty-eight patients with Type 2 Usher syndrome who had at least three visual field measurements during a period of at least 3 years were studied. Kinetic visual fields measured on a standard calibrated Goldmann perimeter with II4e and V4e targets were analyzed. The visual field areas in both eyes were determined by planimetry with the use of a digitalizing tablet and computer software and expressed in square inches. The data for each visual field area measurement were transformed to a natural log unit. Using a mixed model regression analysis, values for the half-life of field loss (time during which half of the remaining field area is lost) were estimated. Three different patterns of visual field loss were identified, and the half-life time for each pattern of loss was calculated. Of the 58 patients, 11 were classified as having pattern type I, 12 with pattern type II, and 14 with pattern type III. Of 21 patients whose visual field loss was so advanced that they could not be classified, 15 showed only a small residual central field (Group A) and 6 showed a residual central field with a peripheral island (Group B). The average half-life times varied between 3.85 and 7.37 for the II4e test target and 4.59 to 6.42 for the V4e target. There was no statistically significant difference in the half-life times between the various patterns of field loss or for the test targets. The average half-life times for visual field loss in patients with Usher syndrome Type 2 were statistically similar among those patients with different patterns of visual field loss. These findings will be useful for counseling patients with Type 2 Usher syndrome as to their prognosis for anticipated visual field loss.

Mimicry by asx- and ST-turns of the four main types of beta-turn in proteins.

PubMed

Duddy, William J; Nissink, J Willem M; Allen, Frank H; Milner-White, E James

2004-11-01

Hydrogen-bonded beta-turns in proteins occur in four categories: type I (the most common), type II, type II', and type I'. Asx-turns resemble beta-turns, in that both have an NH. . .OC hydrogen bond forming a ring of 10 atoms. Serine and threonine side chains also commonly form hydrogen-bonded turns, here called ST-turns. Asx-turns and ST-turns can be categorized into four classes, based on side chain rotamers and the conformation of the central turn residue, which are geometrically equivalent to the four types of beta-turns. We propose asx- and ST-turns be named using the type I, II, I', and II' beta-turn nomenclature. Using this, the frequency of occurrence of both asx- and ST-turns is: type II' > type I > type II > type I', whereas for beta-turns it is type I > type II > type I' > type II'. Almost all type II asx-turns occur as a recently described three residue feature named an asx-nest.

Suppressed Blinking and Auger Recombination in Near-Infrared Type-II InP/CdS Nanocrystal Quantum Dots

PubMed Central

Dennis, Allison M.; Mangum, Benjamin D.; Piryatinski, Andrei; Park, Young-Shin; Hannah, Daniel C.; Casson, Joanna L.; Williams, Darrick J.; Schaller, Richard D.; Htoon, Han; Hollingsworth, Jennifer A.

2012-01-01

Non-blinking excitonic emission from near-infrared and type-II nanocrystal quantum dots (NQDs) is reported for the first time. To realize this unusual degree of stability at the single-dot level, novel InP/CdS core/shell NQDs were synthesized for a range of shell thicknesses (~1–11 monolayers of CdS). Ensemble spectroscopy measurements (photoluminescence peak position and radiative lifetimes) and electronic structure calculations established the transition from type-I to type-II band alignment in these heterostructured NQDs. More significantly, single-NQD studies revealed clear evidence for blinking suppression that was not strongly shell-thickness dependent, while photobleaching and biexciton lifetimes trended explicitly with extent of shelling. Specifically, very long biexciton lifetimes—up to >7 ns—were obtained for the thickest-shell structures, indicating dramatic suppression of non-radiative Auger recombination. This new system demonstrates that electronic structure and shell thickness can be employed together to effect control over key single-dot and ensemble NQD photophysical properties. PMID:23030497

Spectroscopic evaluation of Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes derived from thiosemicarbazone and semicarbazone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandra, Sulekh; Kumar, Anil

2007-12-01

Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes were synthesized with thiosemicarbazone (L 1) and semicarbazone (L 2) derived from 2-acetyl furan. These complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductance, magnetic moment, mass, IR, electronic and EPR spectral studies. The molar conductance measurement of the complexes in DMSO corresponds to non-electrolytic nature. All the complexes are of high-spin type. On the basis of different spectral studies six coordinated geometry may be assigned for all the complexes except Co(L) 2(SO 4) and Cu(L) 2(SO 4) [where L = L 1 and L 2] which are of five coordinated square pyramidal geometry.

Behavior in Prader-Willi syndrome: relationship to genetic subtypes and age.

PubMed

Dykens, Elisabeth M; Roof, Elizabeth

2008-09-01

Some behavioral features of Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) are associated with the major genetic subtypes of this disorder. While most agree that those with maternal uniparental disomy (UPD) have a distinctive cognitive and psychiatric profile, findings are more controversial regarding possible differences among persons who vary in paternal deletion size. Caregivers of 88 persons with PWS aged 5 to 51 years (M = 22 years) were administered measures of problem behavior, compulsivity, hyperphagia, and adaptive skills. The sample was well characterized as having relatively large, Type I (n = 26) or smaller, Type II (n = 29) deletions, or UPD (n = 33). No significant behavioral differences were found between the Type I versus Type II deletion groups. Within each genetic subtype, however, differences emerged in how advancing age related to behavior. Although age did not emerge as a significant correlate of behavior in the Type II or UPD groups, in the Type I group age was consistently associated with lower problem behaviors, adaptive skills, and externalizing symptoms. Although differences between deletion subtypes were not found, significant within-subtype differences emerged in relationships between age and behavior. Negative associations between age and behavior in the Type I group only may relate to non-imprinted genes that are deleted in Type I but not Type II cases, including CYFIP1. Altered expression of CYFIP1 is seen in other developmental disabilities, including 15q disorders, and haploinsufficiency of CYFIP1 in Type I PWS cases may be associated with age-related phenotypic effects. Findings underscore the importance of a life-span perspective in phenotypic research.

Organic sulphur in macromolecular sedimentary organic matter. II. Analysis of distributions of sulphur-containing pyrolysis products using multivariate techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eglinton, Timothy I.; Sinninghe Damsté, Jaap S.; Pool, Wim; de Leeuw, Jan W.; Eijk, Gert; Boon, Jaap J.

1992-04-01

This study describes the analysis of sulphur-containing products from Curie-point pyrolysis (Py) of eighty-five samples (kerogens, bitumen, and petroleum asphaltenes and coals) using gas chromatography (GC) in combination with sulphur-selective detection. Peak areas of approximately forty individual organic sulphur pyrolysis products (OSPP) were measured, and the results analysed with the aid of multivariate data reduction techniques (principal components analysis, (PCA)). The structural relationships proposed in an earlier publication ( SINNINGHE DAMSTé et al., 1989a) in which OSPP can be grouped according to common "carbon skeletons" are supported by PCA. The distribution of OSPP varies both as a function of kerogen type (as defined by elemental composition) and maturity, reflecting differences in the relative abundance of the various carbon skeleton types. Sulphur-containing products from Type I, Type II, and, to some extent, Type II-S kerogens are dominated by OSPP derived from "moieties" (i.e., discrete structural components within the macromolecule) possessing linear carbon skeletons, while coals and Type III kerogens give rise to higher relative abundances of OSPP with branched carbon skeletons. Type I kerogens are distinguished from Type II kerogens due to the type of linear carbon skeleton, the former yielding higher relative amounts of 2- n-alkylthiophenes and thiolanes and the latter 2,5-di-substituted sulphur-containing products. Products from sulphur-rich (Type II-S) kerogens differ by higher relative abundances of OSPP derived from precursors with isoprenoid and/or steroidal side-chain carbon skeletons, and by higher absolute abundances of all OSPP. Petroleum and, to a lesser extent, bitumen asphaltenes give rise to OSPP with longer carbon skeletons than do kerogens or coals. This observation supports the models proposed by SINNINGHE DAMSTé et al. (1990a) in which sulphur-containing moieties in asphaltenes are bound by fewer intermolecular bridges (i.e., are less extensively cross-linked) and, consequently, more readily yield longer chain products on pyrolysis. From these observations, we suggest that Py-GC in combination with PCA provides useful information concerning the chemical nature of organically bound sulphur in geomacromolecules. This information can be rationalised based on carbon skeleton relationships established for low molecular weight organic sulphur compounds, and in terms of kerogen type and overall sulphur content

A Theoretical Model to Predict Both Horizontal Displacement and Vertical Displacement for Electromagnetic Induction-Based Deep Displacement Sensors

PubMed Central

Shentu, Nanying; Zhang, Hongjian; Li, Qing; Zhou, Hongliang; Tong, Renyuan; Li, Xiong

2012-01-01

Deep displacement observation is one basic means of landslide dynamic study and early warning monitoring and a key part of engineering geological investigation. In our previous work, we proposed a novel electromagnetic induction-based deep displacement sensor (I-type) to predict deep horizontal displacement and a theoretical model called equation-based equivalent loop approach (EELA) to describe its sensing characters. However in many landslide and related geological engineering cases, both horizontal displacement and vertical displacement vary apparently and dynamically so both may require monitoring. In this study, a II-type deep displacement sensor is designed by revising our I-type sensor to simultaneously monitor the deep horizontal displacement and vertical displacement variations at different depths within a sliding mass. Meanwhile, a new theoretical modeling called the numerical integration-based equivalent loop approach (NIELA) has been proposed to quantitatively depict II-type sensors’ mutual inductance properties with respect to predicted horizontal displacements and vertical displacements. After detailed examinations and comparative studies between measured mutual inductance voltage, NIELA-based mutual inductance and EELA-based mutual inductance, NIELA has verified to be an effective and quite accurate analytic model for characterization of II-type sensors. The NIELA model is widely applicable for II-type sensors’ monitoring on all kinds of landslides and other related geohazards with satisfactory estimation accuracy and calculation efficiency. PMID:22368467

A theoretical model to predict both horizontal displacement and vertical displacement for electromagnetic induction-based deep displacement sensors.

PubMed

Shentu, Nanying; Zhang, Hongjian; Li, Qing; Zhou, Hongliang; Tong, Renyuan; Li, Xiong

2012-01-01

Deep displacement observation is one basic means of landslide dynamic study and early warning monitoring and a key part of engineering geological investigation. In our previous work, we proposed a novel electromagnetic induction-based deep displacement sensor (I-type) to predict deep horizontal displacement and a theoretical model called equation-based equivalent loop approach (EELA) to describe its sensing characters. However in many landslide and related geological engineering cases, both horizontal displacement and vertical displacement vary apparently and dynamically so both may require monitoring. In this study, a II-type deep displacement sensor is designed by revising our I-type sensor to simultaneously monitor the deep horizontal displacement and vertical displacement variations at different depths within a sliding mass. Meanwhile, a new theoretical modeling called the numerical integration-based equivalent loop approach (NIELA) has been proposed to quantitatively depict II-type sensors' mutual inductance properties with respect to predicted horizontal displacements and vertical displacements. After detailed examinations and comparative studies between measured mutual inductance voltage, NIELA-based mutual inductance and EELA-based mutual inductance, NIELA has verified to be an effective and quite accurate analytic model for characterization of II-type sensors. The NIELA model is widely applicable for II-type sensors' monitoring on all kinds of landslides and other related geohazards with satisfactory estimation accuracy and calculation efficiency.

Metal (II) Complexes Derived from Naphthofuran-2-carbohydrazide and Diacetylmonoxime Schiff Base: Synthesis, Spectroscopic, Electrochemical, and Biological Investigation

PubMed Central

Sumathi, R. B.; Halli, M. B.

2014-01-01

A new Schiff base and a new series of Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II) complexes were synthesized by the condensation of naphthofuran-2-carbohydrazide and diacetylmonoxime. Metal complexes of the Schiff base were prepared from their chloride salts of Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II) in ethanol. The ligand along with its metal complexes have been characterized on the basis of analytical data, IR, electronic, mass, 1HNMR, ESR spectral data, thermal studies, magnetic susceptibility, and molar conductance measurements. The nonelectrolytic behaviour of the complexes was assessed from the measured low conductance data. The elemental analysis of the complexes confirm the stoichiometry of the type CuL2Cl2 and MLCl2 where M = Ni(II), Co(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II) and L = Schiff base. The redox property of the Cu(II) complex was investigated by electrochemical method using cyclic voltammetry. In the light of these results, Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II) complexes are assigned octahedral geometry, Cd(II), and Hg(II) complexes tetrahedral geometry. In order to evaluate the effect of metal ions upon chelation, both the ligand and its metal complexes were screened for their antibacterial and antifungal activities by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method. The DNA cleaving capacity of all the complexes was analysed by agarose gel electrophoresis method. PMID:24592203

Conventional superconductivity in the type-II Dirac semimetal PdTe2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Shekhar; Amit, Sirohi, Anshu; Yadav, Lalit; Gayen, Sirshendu; Singh, Yogesh; Sheet, Goutam

2018-01-01

The transition metal dichalcogenide PdTe2 was recently shown to be a unique system where a type-II Dirac semimetallic phase and a superconducting phase coexist. This observation has led to wide speculation on the possibility of the emergence of an unconventional topological superconducting phase in PdTe2. Here, through direct measurement of the superconducting energy gap by scanning tunneling spectroscopy, and temperature and magnetic-field evolution of same, we show that the superconducting phase in PdTe2 is conventional in nature. The superconducting energy gap is measured to be 326 μ eV at 0.38 K, and it follows a temperature dependence that is well described within the framework of Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer's theory of conventional superconductivity. This is surprising because our quantum oscillation measurements confirm that at least one of the bands participating in transport has topologically nontrivial character.

Determination of the spectral dependence of reduced scattering and quantitative second-harmonic generation imaging for detection of fibrillary changes in ovarian cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Kirby R.; Tilbury, Karissa B.; Campagnola, Paul J.

2015-03-01

Here, we examine ovarian cancer extracellular matrix (ECM) modification by measuring the wavelength dependence of optical scattering measurements and quantitative second-harmonic generation (SHG) imaging metrics in the range of 800-1100 nm in order to determine fibrillary changes in ex vivo normal ovary, type I, and type II ovarian cancer. Mass fractals of the collagen fiber structure is analyzed based on a power law correlation function using spectral dependence measurements of the reduced scattering coefficient μs' where the mass fractal dimension is related to the power. Values of μs' are measured using independent methods of determining the values of μs and g by on-axis attenuation measurements using the Beer-Lambert Law and by fitting the angular distribution of scattering to the Henyey-Greenstein phase function, respectively. Quantitativespectral SHG imaging on the same tissues determines FSHG/BSHG creation ratios related to size and harmonophore distributions. Both techniques probe fibril packing order, but the optical scattering probes structures of sizes from about 50-2000 nm where SHG imaging - although only able to resolve individual fibers - builds contrast from the assembly of fibrils. Our findings suggest that type I ovarian tumor structure has the most ordered collagen fibers followed by normal ovary then type II tumors showing the least order.

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) type II among Iranian elderly population and its association with other age-related diseases, 2012.

PubMed

Taheri Tanjani, Parisa; Moradinazar, Mehdi; Esmail Mottlagh, Mohammad; Najafi, Farid

2015-01-01

DM type II is one of the most common chronic diseases. The objective of this study is to investigate the prevalence of DM and its association with other age-related diseases in Iran, 2012. In this cross-sectional study, people aged 60 years and over were selected using multistage sampling method. Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA), Activity of Daily Living (ADL), and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15 items) questionnaires were used. History of common disorders was taken through self-report, medical records and the results of clinical examinations. A total of 1350 old people were studied. DM type II was found in 297 (22.0%) subjects and 371 (27.5%) of subjects were not aware of their DM status. Hypertension (55.6%), high serum cholesterol (51.8%), malnutrition (40.1%), Alzheimer's disease (16.9%), weight loss within past year (16.1%), weight gain within past year (11.7%), frailty (64.6%), insomnia (50.1%), and vision problems (62.6%) were significantly more common in diabetics. Those who were not aware of their status of DM either were between diabetics and non-diabetics or more similar to non-diabetics. Considering high prevalence of age-related diseases among Iranian elderly people, in particular women and those with DM type II, preventive measures are recommended so as to decrease and control DM type II and its consequent complications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Protective effect of hydrogen against hyperoxia-induced type II alveolar epithelial cell injury].

PubMed

Yao, Lan; Xu, Feng; Luo, Chong; Yu, Pan; Dong, Xinxin; Sun, Xuejun; Liu, Chengjun

2013-02-01

To investigate the protective effect of hydrogen against hyperoxia-induced oxidative stress injury in premature rat type II alveolar epithelial cells (AECs). The type II AECs isolated from premature rats were randomly divided into air (21% oxygen) control group, hyperoxia (95% oxygen) control group, air + hydrogen group, and hyperoxia+ hydrogen group. The cells with hydrogen treatment were cultured in the presence of rich hydrogen. After the corresponding exposure for 24 h, the cell morphology was observed microscopically. MTT assay was used to evaluated the cell proliferation ability, and JC-1 fluorescence probe was used to detect the mitochondrial membrane potential (δφ) changes of the type II AECs. The concentration of maleic dialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the cell supernatant were detected using colorimetric method. No significant differences were found in cell growth or measurements between air control and air + hydrogen groups. Compared with air control group, the cells exposed to hyperoxia showed significantly suppressed proliferation, reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, increased MDA content, and decreased SOD activity. Intervention with hydrogen resulted in significantly increased cell proliferation and SOD activity and lowered MDA content, and restored the mitochondrial membrane potential in the cells with hyperoxia exposure (P<0.05). Hydrogen can significantly reduce hyperoxia-induced oxidative stress injury in premature rat type II AECs, improve the cellular antioxidant capacity, stabilize the mitochondrial membrane potential, and reduce the inhibitory effect of hyperoxia on cell proliferation.

Coffee consumption, serum gamma-glutamyltransferase and risk of type II diabetes.

PubMed

Bidel, S; Silventoinen, K; Hu, G; Lee, D-H; Kaprio, J; Tuomilehto, J

2008-02-01

To study the joint association of coffee consumption and serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) levels on the risk of developing type II diabetes. A total of 21,826 Finnish men and women who were 35-74 years of age and without any history of diabetes at baseline (years 1982, 1987, 1992 and 1997) were included in the present analyses. They were prospectively followed up for onset of type II diabetes (n=862 cases), death or until the end of the year 2002. Coffee consumption, serum GGT and other study parameters were determined at baseline using standardized measurements. Analyses were stratified by the serum GGT level classified into two classes using the 75th sex-specific percentiles as the cut point. Coffee consumption was significantly and inversely associated with incident diabetes among both men and women. Serum GGT modified the association between coffee consumption and incident diabetes. Subjects in the high category of coffee consumption with the GGT level > or = 75th percentile showed a significant inverse association for women, and for both sexes combined. The association was not significant in subjects with the GGT level < or = 75th percentile. There was a significant interaction effect of GGT and coffee consumption on risk of type II diabetes in data of women (P=0.05) and in both sexes combined (P=0.02). Habitual coffee consumption is associated with lower incidence of type II diabetes particularly in those with higher baseline serum GGT levels.

Sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ uptake and leak properties, and SERCA isoform expression, in type I and type II fibres of human skeletal muscle.

PubMed

Lamboley, C R; Murphy, R M; McKenna, M J; Lamb, G D

2014-03-15

The Ca(2+) uptake properties of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) were compared between type I and type II fibres of vastus lateralis muscle of young healthy adults. Individual mechanically skinned muscle fibres were exposed to solutions with the free [Ca(2+)] heavily buffered in the pCa range (-log10[Ca(2+)]) 7.3-6.0 for set times and the amount of net SR Ca(2+) accumulation determined from the force response elicited upon emptying the SR of all Ca(2+). Western blotting was used to determine fibre type and the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA) isoform present in every fibre examined. Type I fibres contained only SERCA2 and displayed half-maximal Ca(2+) uptake rate at ∼pCa 6.8, whereas type II fibres contained only SERCA1 and displayed half-maximal Ca(2+) uptake rate at ∼pCa 6.6. Maximal Ca(2+) uptake rate was ∼0.18 and ∼0.21 mmol Ca(2+) (l fibre)(-1) s(-1) in type I and type II fibres, respectively, in good accord with previously measured SR ATPase activity. Increasing free [Mg(2+)] from 1 to 3 mM had no significant effect on the net Ca(2+) uptake rate at pCa 6.0, indicating that there was little or no calcium-induced calcium release occurring through the Ca(2+) release channels during uptake in either fibre type. Ca(2+) leakage from the SR at pCa 8.5, which is thought to occur at least in part through the SERCA, was ∼2-fold lower in type II fibres than in type I fibres, and was little affected by the presence of ADP, in marked contrast to the larger SR Ca(2+) leak observed in rat muscle fibres under the same conditions. The higher affinity of Ca(2+) uptake in the type I human fibres can account for the higher relative level of SR Ca(2+) loading observed in type I compared to type II fibres, and the SR Ca(2+) leakage characteristics of the human fibres suggest that the SERCAs are regulated differently from those in rat and contribute comparatively less to resting metabolic rate.

Evaluation of folate receptor 1 (FOLR1) mRNA expression, its specific promoter methylation and global DNA hypomethylation in type I and type II ovarian cancers.

PubMed

Notaro, Sara; Reimer, Daniel; Fiegl, Heidi; Schmid, Gabriel; Wiedemair, Annamarie; Rössler, Julia; Marth, Christian; Zeimet, Alain Gustave

2016-08-02

In this retrospective study we evaluated the respective correlations and clinical relevance of FOLR1 mRNA expression, FOLR1 promoter specific methylation and global DNA hypomethylation in type I and type II ovarian cancer. Two hundred fifty four ovarian cancers, 13 borderline tumours and 60 samples of healthy fallopian epithelium and normal ovarian epithelium were retrospectively analysed for FOLR1 expression with RT-PCR. FOLR1 DNA promoter methylation and global DNA hypomethylation (measured by means of LINE1 DNA hypomethylation) were evaluated with MethyLight technique. No correlation between FOLR1 mRNA expression and its specific promoter DNA methylation was found neither in type I nor in type II cancers, however, high FOLR1 mRNA expression was found to be correlated with global DNA hypomethylation in type II cancers (p = 0.033). Strong FOLR1 mRNA expression was revealed for Grades 2-3, FIGO stages III-IV, residual disease > 0, and serous histotype. High FOLR1 expression was found to predict increased platinum sensitivity in type I cancers (odds ratio = 3.288; 1.256-10.75; p = 0.020). One-year survival analysis showed in type I cancers an independent better outcome for strong expression of FOLR1 in FIGO stage III and IV. For the entire follow up period no significant independent outcome for FOLR1 expression was revealed. In type I cancers LINE 1 DNA hypomethylation was found to exhibit a worse PFS and OS which were confirmed to be independent in multivariate COX regression model for both PFS (p = 0.026) and OS (p = 0.012). No correlations were found between FOLR1 expression and its specific promoter methylation, however, high FOLR1 mRNA expression was associated with DNA hypomethylation in type II cancers. FOLR1 mRNA expression did not prove to predict clinical outcome in type II cancers, although strong FOLR1 expression generally denotes ovarian cancers with highly aggressive phenotype. In type I cancers, however, strong FOLR1 expression has been found to be a reliable indicator of improved platinum responsiveness reflecting a transient better one-year follow up outcome in highly FOLR1 expressing type I cancers. An independent prognostic role of global DNA hypomethylation was demonstrated in type I tumours.

Roles of Caveolin-1 in Angiotensin II-Induced Hypertrophy and Inward Remodeling of Cerebral Pial Arterioles.

PubMed

Umesalma, Shaikamjad; Houwen, Frederick Keith; Baumbach, Gary L; Chan, Siu-Lung

2016-03-01

Angiotensin II (Ang II) is a major determinant of inward remodeling and hypertrophy in pial arterioles that may have an important role in stroke during chronic hypertension. Previously, we found that epidermal growth factor receptor is critical in Ang II-mediated hypertrophy that may involve caveolin-1 (Cav-1). In this study, we examined the effects of Cav-1 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) on Ang II-mediated structural changes in pial arterioles. Cav-1-deficient (Cav-1(-/-)), MMP9-deficient (MMP9(-/-)), and wild-type mice were infused with either Ang II (1000 ng/kg per minute) or saline via osmotic minipumps for 28 days (n=6-8 per group). Systolic arterial pressure was measured by a tail-cuff method. Pressure and diameter of pial arterioles were measured through an open cranial window in anesthetized mice. Cross-sectional area of the wall was determined histologically in pressurized fixed pial arterioles. Expression of Cav-1, MMP9, phosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptor, and Akt was determined by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Deficiency of Cav-1 or MMP9 did not affect Ang II-induced hypertension. Ang II increased the expression of Cav-1, phosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptor, and Akt in wild-type mice, which was attenuated in Cav-1(-/-) mice. Ang II-induced hypertrophy, inward remodeling, and increased MMP9 expression in pial arterioles were prevented in Cav-1(-/-) mice. Ang II-mediated increases in MMP9 expression and inward remodeling, but not hypertrophy, were prevented in MMP9(-/-) mice. In conclusion, Cav-1 is essential in Ang II-mediated inward remodeling and hypertrophy in pial arterioles. Cav-1-induced MMP9 is exclusively involved in inward remodeling, not hypertrophy. Further studies are needed to determine the role of Akt in Ang II-mediated hypertrophy. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Elemental Chem Lab

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franco Mariscal, Antonio Joaquin

2008-01-01

This educative material uses the symbols of 45 elements to spell the names of 32 types of laboratory equipment usually found in chemical labs. This teaching material has been divided into three puzzles according to the type of the laboratory equipment: (i) glassware as reaction vessels or containers; (ii) glassware for measuring, addition or…

Therapeutic Outcome of Achalasia Based on High-Resolution Manometry: A Korean Multicenter Study.

PubMed

Lee, Hyuk; Chung, Hyunsoo; Lee, Tae Hee; Hong, Kyoung Sup; Youn, Young Hoon; Park, Jung Ho; Park, Hyung Seok; Park, Hyojin

2017-09-11

Because achalasia subtype is associated with therapeutic response, it is possible that regional differences in subtype distribution could lead to differences in therapeutic outcomes. We aimed to evaluate and compare high-resolution manometry (HRM) profiles among the different subtypes of achalasia and to elucidate predictive factors associated with treatment outcomes. Patients who were diagnosed with achalasia using HRM at 4 Korean university hospitals were retrospectively identified and analyzed. Sixty-four patients with untreated achalasia were divided into 3 subtypes using the Chicago classification system. Clinical characteristics, manometric features, and treatment outcomes were compared. Among 64 patients diagnosed with achalasia, 31 patients were classified as type I, 27 as type II, and 6 as type III. Regarding HRM parameters, there were statistically significant differences in basal lower esophageal sphincter pressure, 4-second-integrated relaxation pressure, residual upper esophageal sphincter pressure, body amplitude, and maximal intrabolus pressure between subtypes. Regarding therapeutic outcome, type II patients (overall success rate of 80.0%) were more likely to respond than type I (55.2%) or type III (33.2%) patients. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that achalasia subtype (type I vs. III, P = 0.072; type II vs. III, P = 0.005), therapeutic modality (dilation vs. pharmacologic, P = 0.013; laparoscopic Heller's myotomy vs. pharmacologic, P = 0.006), and HRM-measured esophageal length (<27.5 vs. ≥27.5 cm, P = 0.014) are independent predictive factors for therapeutic failure. Patients with type II achalasia had better treatment outcomes than patients with other achalasia subtypes. Achalasia subtype, therapeutic modality, and esophageal length are independent predictive factors of therapeutic outcome.

Knotless single-row rotator cuff repair: a comparative biomechanical study of 2 knotless suture anchors.

PubMed

Efird, Chad; Traub, Shaun; Baldini, Todd; Rioux-Forker, Dana; Spalazzi, Jeffrey P; Davisson, Twana; Hawkins, Monica; McCarty, Eric

2013-08-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the gap formation during cyclic loading, maximum repair strength, and failure mode of single-row full-thickness supraspinatus repairs performed using 2 knotless suture anchors with differing internal suture-retention mechanisms in a human cadaver model. Nine matched pairs of cadaver shoulders were used. Full-thickness tears were induced by detaching the supraspinatus tendon from the greater tuberosity. Single-row repairs were performed with either type I (Opus Magnum PI; ArthroCare, Austin, Texas) or type II (ReelX STT; Stryker, Mahwah, New Jersey) knotless suture anchors. The repaired tendon was cycled from 10 to 90 N for 500 cycles, followed by load to failure. Gap formation was measured at 5, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 cycles with a video digitizing system. Anchor type or location (anterior or posterior) had no effect on gap formation during cyclic loading regardless of position (anterior, P=.385; posterior, P=.389). Maximum load to failure was significantly greater (P=.018) for repairs performed with type II anchors (288±62 N) compared with type I anchors (179±39 N). Primary failure modes were anchor pullout and tendon tearing for type II anchors and suture slippage through the anchor for type I anchors. The internal ratcheting suture-retention mechanism of type II anchors may have helped this anchor outperform the suture-cinching mechanism of type I anchors by supporting significantly higher loads before failure and minimizing suture slippage, potentially leading to stronger repairs clinically. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

Screening for cerebrovascular disease in microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type II (MOPD II): an evidence-based proposal.

PubMed

Perry, Luke D; Robertson, Fergus; Ganesan, Vijeya

2013-04-01

Microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type II (OMIM 210720) is a rare autosomal recessive condition frequently associated with early-onset cerebrovascular disease. Presymptomatic detection and intervention could prevent the adverse consequences associated with this. We reviewed published cases of microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type II to ascertain prevalence and characteristics of cerebrovascular disease and use these data to propose an evidence-based approach to cerebrovascular screening. Of 147 cases identified, 47 had cerebrovascular disease (32%), including occlusive arteriopathy (including moyamoya) and cerebral aneurysmal disease. Occlusive disease occurred in younger individuals, and progression can be both rapid and clinically silent. A reasonable screening approach would be magnetic resonance imaging and angiography of the cervical and intracranial circulation at diagnosis, repeated at yearly intervals until 10 years, and every 2 years thereafter, unless clinical concerns occur earlier. At present it would appear that this needs to be life-long. Families and professionals should be alerted to the potential significance of neurologic symptoms and measures should be taken to maintain good vascular health in affected individuals. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Incidence and specificity of antibodies to types I, II, III, IV, and V collagen in rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatic diseases as measured by 125I-radioimmunoassay

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

Stuart, J.M.; Huffstutter, E.H.; Townes, A.S.

1983-07-01

Antibodies to human native and denatured types I, II, III, IV, and V collagens were measured using 125I-radioimmunoassay. Mean levels of binding by sera from 30 rheumatoid arthritis patients were significantly higher than those from 20 normal subjects against all of the collagens tested. The relative antibody concentration was higher in synovial fluid than in simultaneously obtained serum. Many patients with gout or various other rheumatic diseases also had detectable anticollagen antibodies. With a few notable exceptions, the majority of the reactivity detected in all patient groups was directed against covalent structural determinants present on all of the denatured collagens,more » suggesting a secondary reaction to tissue injury.« less

Investigating Type I Polar Stratospheric Cloud Formation Mechanisms with POAM Satellite Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strawa, Anthony W.; Drdla, K.; Fromm, M.; Hoppel, K.; Browell, E.; Hamill, P.; Dempsey, D.; Gore, Warren J. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Type Ia PSCs are believed to be composed of nitric acid hydrate particles. Recent results from the SOLVE/THESEO 2000 campaign showed evidence that this type of PSC was composed of a small number of very large particles capable of sedimentary denitrification of regions of the stratosphere. It is unknown whether homogeneous or heterogeneous nucleation is responsible for the formation of these PSCs. Arctic winters are tending to be colder in response to global tropospheric warming. The degree to which this influences ozone depletion will depend on the freezing mechanism of nitric acid hydrate particles. If nucleation is homogeneous it implies that the freezing process is an inherent property of the particle, while heterogeneous freezing means that the extent of PSCs will depend in part on the number of nuclei available. The Polar Ozone and Aerosol Measurement (POAM)II and III satellites have been making observations of stratospheric aerosols and Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSCs) since 1994. Recently, we have developed a technique that can discriminate between Type Ia and Ib PSCs using these observations. A statistical approach is employed to demonstrate the robustness of this approach and results are compared with lidar measurements. The technique is used to analyze observations from POAM II and II during Northern Hemisphere winters where significant PSC formation occurred with the objective of exploring Type I PSC formation mechanisms. The different PSCs identified using this method exhibit different growth curve as expressed as extinction versus temperature.

Psychometric properties of the Beck Depression Inventory-II: a comprehensive review.

PubMed

Wang, Yuan-Pang; Gorenstein, Clarice

2013-01-01

To review the psychometric properties of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) as a self-report measure of depression in a variety of settings and populations. Relevant studies of the BDI-II were retrieved through a search of electronic databases, a hand search, and contact with authors. Retained studies (k = 118) were allocated into three groups: non-clinical, psychiatric/institutionalized, and medical samples. The internal consistency was described as around 0.9 and the retest reliability ranged from 0.73 to 0.96. The correlation between BDI-II and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-I) was high and substantial overlap with measures of depression and anxiety was reported. The criterion-based validity showed good sensitivity and specificity for detecting depression in comparison to the adopted gold standard. However, the cutoff score to screen for depression varied according to the type of sample. Factor analysis showed a robust dimension of general depression composed by two constructs: cognitive-affective and somatic-vegetative. The BDI-II is a relevant psychometric instrument, showing high reliability, capacity to discriminate between depressed and non-depressed subjects, and improved concurrent, content, and structural validity. Based on available psychometric evidence, the BDI-II can be viewed as a cost-effective questionnaire for measuring the severity of depression, with broad applicability for research and clinical practice worldwide.

A deletion in the chromosome of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron that abolishes production of chondroitinase II does not affect survival of the organism in gastrointestinal tracts of exgermfree mice.

PubMed Central

Salyers, A A; Guthrie, E P

1988-01-01

Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, an obligate anaerobe normally found in high concentrations in the human colon, is one of the few colon bacteria that can ferment host mucopolysaccharides such as chondroitin sulfate. Previously, we found that a directed insertional mutation in the gene that codes for the chondroitinase II gene of B. thetaiotaomicron did not affect growth on chondroitin sulfate despite the fact that chondroitinase II accounts for 70% of the total cellular chondroitinase activity. Thus, the chondroitinase II gene did not seem to contribute significantly to growth on chondroitin sulfate when the bacteria were grown in laboratory medium. To determine whether this enzyme is important for bacteria growing in the intestinal tract, we tested the ability of a strain that does not produce chondroitinase II to colonize the intestinal tracts of germfree mice and to compete with wild-type B. thetaiotaomicron. The mutant used in these experiments carried a 0.5-kilobase deletion in the chondroitinase II gene and was constructed so that, unlike the original insertion mutant, it contained no exogenous DNA. The deletion mutant colonized the intestinal tracts of germfree mice at the same levels as the wild type. When a mixture of the deletion mutant and wild type was used to colonize germfree mice, the percent wild type, measured by colony hybridization with the deleted 0.5-kilobase fragment as the hybridization probe, did not rise to 100% even after periods as long as 9 weeks. In most experiments, the percent wild type did not rise significantly above the percent in the original mixture.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Images PMID:3140726

Spectroscopic, thermal analysis and DFT computational studies of salen-type Schiff base complexes.

PubMed

Ebrahimi, Hossein Pasha; Hadi, Jabbar S; Abdulnabi, Zuhair A; Bolandnazar, Zeinab

2014-01-03

A new series of metal(II) complexes of Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), and Pb(II) have been synthesized from a salen-type Schiff base ligand derived from o-vanillin and 4-methyl-1,2-phenylenediamine and characterized by elemental analysis, spectral (IR, UV-Vis, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR and EI-mass), molar conductance measurements and thermal analysis techniques. Coats-Redfern method has been utilized to calculate the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of the metal complexes. The molecular geometry, Mulliken atomic charges of the studied compounds were investigated theoretically by performing density functional theory (DFT) to access reliable results to the experimental values. The theoretical (13)C chemical shift results of the studied compounds have been calculated at the B3LYP, PBEPBE and PW91PW91 methods and standard 6-311+G(d,p) basis set starting from optimized geometry. The comparison of the results indicates that B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) yields good agreement with the observed chemical shifts. The measured low molar conductance values in DMF indicate that the metal complexes are non-electrolytes. The spectral and thermal analysis reveals that all complexes have octahedral geometry except Cu(II) complex which can attain the square planner arrangement. The presence of lattice and coordinated water molecules are indicated by thermograms of the complexes. The thermogravimetric (TG/DTG) analyses confirm high stability for all complexes followed by thermal decomposition in different steps. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reduced Appendicular Lean Body Mass, Muscle Strength, and Size of Type II Muscle Fibers in Patients with Spondyloarthritis versus Healthy Controls: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Røren Nordén, Kristine; Dagfinrud, Hanne; Løvstad, Amund; Raastad, Truls

Introduction . The purpose of this study was to investigate body composition, muscle function, and muscle morphology in patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA). Methods . Ten male SpA patients (mean ± SD age 39 ± 4.1 years) were compared with ten healthy controls matched for sex, age, body mass index, and self-reported level of physical exercise. Body composition was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Musculus quadriceps femoris (QF) strength was assessed by maximal isometric contractions prior to test of muscular endurance. Magnetic resonance imaging of QF was used to measure muscle size and calculate specific muscle strength. Percutaneous needle biopsy samples were taken from m. vastus lateralis . Results . SpA patients presented with significantly lower appendicular lean body mass (LBM) ( p = 0.02), but there was no difference in bone mineral density, fat mass, or total LBM. Absolute QF strength was significantly lower in SpA patients ( p = 0.03) with a parallel trend for specific strength ( p = 0.08). Biopsy samples from the SpA patients revealed significantly smaller cross-sectional area (CSA) of type II muscle fibers ( p = 0.04), but no difference in CSA type I fibers. Conclusions . Results indicate that the presence of SpA disease is associated with reduced appendicular LBM, muscle strength, and type II fiber CSA.

A survey of ultraviolet interstellar absorption lines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bohlin, R. C.; Jenkins, E. B.; Spitzer, L., Jr.; York, D. G.; Hill, J. K.; Savage, B. D.; Snow, T. P., Jr.

1983-01-01

A telescope-spectrometer on the Copernicus spacecraft made possible the measurement of many ultraviolet absorption lines produced by the interstellar gas. The present survey provides data on ultraviolet absorption lines in the spectra of 88 early-type stars. The stars observed are divided into four classes, including reddened stars, unreddened bright stars, moderately reddened bright stars, and unreddened and moderately reddened faint stars. Data are presented for equivalent width, W, radial velocity V, and rms line width, D, taking into account some 10 to 20 lines of N I, O I, Si II, P II, S II, Cl I, Cl II, Mn II, Fe II, Ni II, Cu II, and H2. The data are based on multiple scans for each line. Attention is given to details of observations, the data reduction procedure, and the computation of equivalent width, mean velocity, and velocity dispersion.

Effect of 23-day muscle disuse on sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ properties and contractility in human type I and type II skeletal muscle fibers.

PubMed

Lamboley, C R; Wyckelsma, V L; Perry, B D; McKenna, M J; Lamb, G D

2016-08-01

Inactivity negatively impacts on skeletal muscle function mainly through muscle atrophy. However, recent evidence suggests that the quality of individual muscle fibers is also altered. This study examined the effects of 23 days of unilateral lower limb suspension (ULLS) on specific force and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+) content in individual skinned muscle fibers. Muscle biopsies of the vastus lateralis were taken from six young healthy adults prior to and following ULLS. After disuse, the endogenous SR Ca(2+) content was ∼8% lower in type I fibers and maximal SR Ca(2+) capacity was lower in both type I and type II fibers (-11 and -5%, respectively). The specific force, measured in single skinned fibers from three subjects, decreased significantly after ULLS in type II fibers (-23%) but not in type I fibers (-9%). Western blot analyses showed no significant change in the amounts of myosin heavy chain (MHC) I and MHC IIa following the disuse, whereas the amounts of sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase 1 (SERCA1) and calsequestrin increased by ∼120 and ∼20%, respectively, and the amount of troponin I decreased by ∼21%. These findings suggest that the decline in force and power occurring with muscle disuse is likely to be exacerbated in part by reductions in maximum specific force in type II fibers, and in the amount of releasable SR Ca(2+) in both fiber types, the latter not being attributable to a reduced calsequestrin level. Furthermore, the ∼3-wk disuse in human elicits change in SR properties, in particular a more than twofold upregulation in SERCA1 density, before any fiber-type shift. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Emergence of Pathogenic Coronaviruses in Cats by Homologous Recombination between Feline and Canine Coronaviruses

PubMed Central

Terada, Yutaka; Matsui, Nobutaka; Noguchi, Keita; Kuwata, Ryusei; Shimoda, Hiroshi; Soma, Takehisa; Mochizuki, Masami; Maeda, Ken

2014-01-01

Type II feline coronavirus (FCoV) emerged via double recombination between type I FCoV and type II canine coronavirus (CCoV). In this study, two type I FCoVs, three type II FCoVs and ten type II CCoVs were genetically compared. The results showed that three Japanese type II FCoVs, M91-267, KUK-H/L and Tokyo/cat/130627, also emerged by homologous recombination between type I FCoV and type II CCoV and their parent viruses were genetically different from one another. In addition, the 3′-terminal recombination sites of M91-267, KUK-H/L and Tokyo/cat/130627 were different from one another within the genes encoding membrane and spike proteins, and the 5′-terminal recombination sites were also located at different regions of ORF1. These results indicate that at least three Japanese type II FCoVs emerged independently. Sera from a cat experimentally infected with type I FCoV was unable to neutralize type II CCoV infection, indicating that cats persistently infected with type I FCoV may be superinfected with type II CCoV. Our previous study reported that few Japanese cats have antibody against type II FCoV. All of these observations suggest that type II FCoV emerged inside the cat body and is unable to readily spread among cats, indicating that these recombination events for emergence of pathogenic coronaviruses occur frequently. PMID:25180686

Simulated type II superior labral anterior posterior lesions do not alter the path of glenohumeral articulation: a cadaveric biomechanical study.

PubMed

Youm, Thomas; Tibone, James E; ElAttrache, Neal S; McGarry, Michelle H; Lee, Thay Q

2008-04-01

Previous studies have demonstrated increased glenohumeral translations with simulated type II superior labral anterior posterior lesions, which may explain the sensation of instability in the overhead-throwing athlete. It is unknown whether this amount of increased translation alters glenohumeral kinematics. To determine whether type II superior labral anterior posterior lesions significantly alter glenohumeral kinematics as defined by path of glenohumeral articulation in a simulated cadaveric model of the throwing shoulder. Controlled laboratory study. Six cadaveric shoulders were tested for glenohumeral rotational range of motion and translation using a custom shoulder testing system and the Microscribe 3DLX. The path of glenohumeral articulation was measured by calculating the humeral head center with respect to the glenoid articular surface at maximal internal rotation, 30 degrees, 60 degrees, 90 degrees, and maximal external rotation. Data were recorded for vented intact shoulders, shoulders with arthroscopically created type II superior labral anterior posterior lesions, and shoulders with arthroscopically repaired superior labral anterior posterior lesions. A subtle but significant increase in external rotation (2.7 degrees) was seen after creating a type II lesion. Small increases in glenohumeral translation were found in the anterior (0.9 mm) and inferior (0.9 mm) directions with application of a 15-N force in the superior labral anterior posterior group. Increases in glenohumeral rotation and translation were restored to the intact state after repair of the lesion. No significant differences were found in the path of glenohumeral articulation for the superior labral anterior posterior condition compared with the intact shoulder. The small amounts of increased external rotation and translation found with arthroscopically created type II superior labral anterior posterior lesions do not significantly affect glenohumeral kinematics in this passive motion model as quantified by the path of glenohumeral articulation. Findings suggest that in the absence of pain or mechanical symptoms, type II superior labral anterior posterior lesions that do not significantly involve the superior and middle glenohumeral ligaments may not need surgical repair.

On High and Low Starting Frequencies of Type II Radio Bursts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, J.; Mittal, N.

2017-06-01

We have studied the characteristics of type II radio burst during the period May 1996 to March 2015, for the solar cycle 23 and 24, observed by WIND/WAVES radio instrument. A total of 642 events were recorded by the instrument during the study period. We have divided the events with two starting frequency range (high > 1 MHz; low ≤ 1MHz) as type II1 (i.e., 1-16 MHz) radio burst and type II2 (i.e., 20 KHz - 1020 KHz) radio burst which constitute the DH and km type II radio burst observed by WIND spacecraft, and determined their time and frequency characteristics. The mean drift rate of type II1 and type II2 radio bursts is 29.76 × 10-4 MHz/s and 0.17 × 10-4 MHz/s respectively, which shows that type II1 with high start frequency hase larger drift rate than the type II2 with low starting frequencies. We have also reported that the start frequency and the drift rate of type II1 are in good correlation, with a linear correlation coefficient of 0.58.

Effect of Thermal Maturation on n-alkanes and Kerogen in Preserved Organic Matter: Implications for Paleoenvironment Biomarkers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craven, O. D.; Longbottom, T. L.; Hockaday, W. C.; Blackaby, E.

2017-12-01

Understanding the effects of maturity on biomarkers is vital in assessing biomarker reliability in mature sediments. It is well known for n-alkanes that increased maturity shortens chain lengths and decreases the odd over even preference however, the amount of change in these variables has not been determined for different maturities and types of preserved organic matter. For this reason, it is difficult to judge the trustworthiness of even lightly matured samples for paleoenvironment reconstruction. Another complication is the difficulty of accurately determining maturity as many maturity indicators are error-prone or not appropriate at low maturities. Using hydrous pyrolysis, we artificially matured black shale samples with type I (lacustrine) and type II (marine) kerogen to measure changes in n-alkane length and odd over even preference. Whole rock samples underwent hydrous pyrolysis for 72 hours, at 250 °C, 300 °C, 325 °C, 350 °C, and 375 °C to cover a wide maturity range. From the immature and artificially matured samples, the bitumen was extracted and the saturate fraction was separated using column chromatography. The saturate fraction was analyzed for n-alkanes using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Kerogen structural changes were also measured using solid-state 13C NMR to relate changes in n-alkane biomarkers to changes in kerogen structure. Results show that for type I bitumen the n-alkanes did not change at low maturities considered premature in terms of oil generation (<325 °C). The NMR spectra of the type I kerogen support the lack of change, at low maturities no changes in the aliphatic portion (Fal) were observed, however, after 325 °C Fal decreased with increasing maturity. The loss of Fal indicates kerogen contributing hydrocarbons to bitumen that cause changes in n-alkane measurements. The type II kerogen's Fal also decreased with increasing maturity, but unlike the type I kerogen Fal loss started at low maturities. The differences between the matured type I and II organic matter indicate that organic matter type affects when n-alkane measurements change due to maturity. Additionally, the kerogen carbonyl functional group (FaC) decreases greatly from immature to low maturities, leveling off between 300 °C and 325 °C, allowing FaC to be a tool for determining low maturities.

Spatial clustering and halo occupation distribution modelling of local AGN via cross-correlation measurements with 2MASS galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krumpe, Mirko; Miyaji, Takamitsu; Coil, Alison L.; Aceves, Hector

2018-02-01

We present the clustering properties and halo occupation distribution (HOD) modelling of very low redshift, hard X-ray-detected active galactic nuclei (AGN) using cross-correlation function measurements with Two-Micron All Sky Survey galaxies. Spanning a redshift range of 0.007 < z < 0.037, with a median z = 0.024, we present a precise AGN clustering study of the most local AGN in the Universe. The AGN sample is drawn from the SWIFT/BAT 70-month and INTEGRAL/IBIS eight year all-sky X-ray surveys and contains both type I and type II AGN. We find a large-scale bias for the full AGN sample of b=1.04^{+0.10}_{-0.11}, which corresponds to a typical host dark matter halo mass of M_h^typ=12.84^{+0.22}_{-0.30} h^{-1} M_{⊙}. When split into low and high X-ray luminosity and type I and type II AGN subsamples, we detect no statistically significant differences in the large-scale bias parameters. However, there are differences in the small-scale clustering, which are reflected in the full HOD model results. We find that low and high X-ray luminosity AGN, as well as type I and type II AGN, occupy dark matter haloes differently, with 3.4σ and 4.0σ differences in their mean halo masses, respectively, when split by luminosity and type. The latter finding contradicts a simple orientation-based AGN unification model. As a by-product of our cross-correlation approach, we also present the first HOD model of 2MASS galaxies.

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

Ghammraoui, B; M Popescu, L; Badano, A

Purpose: To investigate the ability of Coherent Scatter Computed Tomography (CSCT) to distinguish non-invasively between type I calcifications, consisting of calcium oxalate dihydrate (CO) compounds which are more often associated with benign lesions, and type II calcifications containing hydroxyapatite (HA) which are predominantly associated with malignant tumors. Methods: The coherent scatter cross sections of HA and CO were measured using an energy dispersive x-ray diffractometer. The measured cross sections were introduced into MC-GPU Monte Carlo simulation code for studying the applicability of CSCT to discriminate between the two types of microcalcifications within the whole breast. Simulations were performed on amore » virtual phantom with inserted HA and CO spots of different sizes and placed in regions of interest having different background compositions. We considered a polychromatic x-ray source and an energy resolving photon counting detector. We applied an algorithm that estimates scatter components in projection space in order to obtain material-specific images of the breast. As material components adipose, glandular, HA and CO were used. The relative contrast of HA and CO components were used for type I and type II microcalcification discrimination. Results: The reconstructed CSCT images showed material-specific component-contrast values, with the highest CO or HA component contrast corresponding generally to the actual CO or HA feature, respectively. The discrimination performance varies with the x-ray intensity, calcification size, and background composition. The results were summarized using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis with the area under the curve (AUC) taken as an overall indicator of discrimination performance and showing high AUC values up to unity. Conclusion: The simulation results obtained for a uniform breast imaging phantom indicate that CSCT has potential to be used as a non-invasive method for discrimination between type I and type II microcalcifications.« less

Documentation of angiotensin II receptors in glomerular epithelial cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sharma, M.; Sharma, R.; Greene, A. S.; McCarthy, E. T.; Savin, V. J.; Cowley, A. W. (Principal Investigator)

1998-01-01

Angiotensin II decreases glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow, and glomerular capillary hydraulic conductivity. Although angiotensin II receptors have been demonstrated in mesangial cells and proximal tubule cells, the presence of angiotensin II receptors in glomerular epithelial cells has not previously been shown. Previously, we have reported that angiotensin II caused an accumulation of cAMP and a reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton in cultured glomerular epithelial cells. Current studies were conducted to verify the presence of angiotensin II receptors by immunological and non-peptide receptor ligand binding techniques and to ascertain the activation of intracellular signal transduction in glomerular epithelial cells in response to angiotensin II. Confluent monolayer cultures of glomerular epithelial cells were incubated with angiotensin II, with or without losartan and/or PD-123,319 in the medium. Membrane vesicle preparations were obtained by homogenization of washed cells followed by centrifugation. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of membrane proteins followed by multiscreen immunoblotting was used to determine the presence of angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1) or type 2 (AT2). Angiotensin II-mediated signal transduction in glomerular epithelial cells was studied by measuring the levels of cAMP, using radioimmunoassay. Results obtained in these experiments showed the presence of both AT1 and AT2 receptor types in glomerular epithelial cells. Angiotensin II was found to cause an accumulation of cAMP in glomerular epithelial cells, which could be prevented only by simultaneous use of losartan and PD-123,319, antagonists for AT1 and AT2, respectively. The presence of both AT1 and AT2 receptors and an increase in cAMP indicate that glomerular epithelial cells respond to angiotensin II in a manner distinct from that of mesangial cells or proximal tubular epithelial cells. Our results suggest that glomerular epithelial cells participate in angiotensin II-mediated control of the glomerular filtration barrier.

Losartan Improves Impaired Nitric Oxide Synthase-Dependent Dilatation of Cerebral Arterioles in Type 1 Diabetic Rats

PubMed Central

Arrick, Denise M.; Sharpe, Glenda M.; Sun, Hong; Mayhan, William G.

2009-01-01

We examined whether activation of angiotensin-1 receptors (AT1R) could account for impaired responses of cerebral arterioles during Type 1 diabetes (T1D). First, we measured responses of cerebral arterioles in nondiabetic rats to eNOS-dependent (acetylcholine and adenosine diphosphate (ADP)) and -independent (nitroglycerin) agonists before and during application of angiotensin II. Next, we examined whether losartan could improve impaired responses of cerebral arterioles during T1D. In addition, we harvested cerebral microvessels for Western blot analysis of AT1R protein and measured production of superoxide anion by brain tissue under basal conditions and in response to angiotensin II in the absence or presence of losartan. We found that angiotensin II specifically impaired eNOS-dependent reactivity of cerebral arterioles. In addition, while losartan did not alter responses in nondiabetics, losartan restored impaired eNOS-dependent vasodilatation in diabetics. Further, AT1R protein was higher in diabetics compared to nondiabetics. Finally, superoxide production was higher in brain tissue from diabetics compared to nondiabetics under basal conditions, angiotensin II increased superoxide production in nondiabetics and diabetics, and losartan decreased basal (diabetics) and angiotensin II-induced production of superoxide (nondiabetics and diabetics). We suggest that activation of AT1R during T1D plays a critical role in impaired eNOS-dependent dilatation of cerebral arterioles. PMID:18400212

The Effect of Estradiol on the Growth Plate Chondrocytes of Limb and Spine from Postnatal Mice in vitro: The Role of Estrogen-Receptor and Estradiol Concentration.

PubMed

Shi, Sheng; Zheng, Shuang; Li, Xin-Feng; Liu, Zu-De

2017-01-01

Objectives: Skeletal development is a complex process. Little is known about the different response of limb or spine growth plate chondrocytes (LGP or SGP) to the estrogen level and the role of estrogen receptor (ER) during postnatal stage. Methods: LGP and SGP chondrocytes were isolated from 50 one-week mice and treated with different concentrations of 17β-estradiol. Cell viability was measured by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8). The expression of collagen II and X were evaluated by real-time PCR and Western blotting. Then, the response of LGP or SGP chondrocyte after with or without estradiol and specific ER antagonists to block the effect of ERs were also measured by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. Results: Estradiol promoted the chondrogensis of the chondrocytes in vitro and achieved the maximal expression of type II collagen at the dose of 10 -7 M. Additionally, the regulatory effect of estradiol on the chondrogenesis can be mainly relied on ERα. The LGP chondrocytes were more sensitive to the estradiol treatment than SGP in the expression of type II collagen. Conclusions: Estrogen at a pharmacological concentration (10 -7 M) could stimulate the maximal production of type II collagen in the growth plate chondrocytes in vitro, which exerts its activity mainly through ERα in the chondrogenesis. Furthermore, the LGP chondrocytes were more sensitive to the estradiol treatment than SGP in the chondrogenesis.

Proportion of collagen type II in the extracellular matrix promotes the differentiation of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells into nucleus pulposus cells.

PubMed

Tao, Yiqing; Zhou, Xiaopeng; Liu, Dongyu; Li, Hao; Liang, Chengzhen; Li, Fangcai; Chen, Qixin

2016-01-01

During degeneration process, the catabolism of collagen type II and anabolism of collagen type I in nucleus pulposus (NP) may influence the bioactivity of transplanted cells. Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADMSCs) were cultured as a micromass or in a series of gradual proportion hydrogels of a mix of collagen types I and II. Cell proliferation and cytotoxicity were detected using CCK-8 and LDH assays respectively. The expression of differentiation-related genes and proteins, including SOX9, aggrecan, collagen type I, and collagen type II, was examined using RT-qPCR and Western blotting. Novel phenotypic genes were also detected by RT-qPCR and western blotting. Alcian blue and dimethylmethylene blue assays were used to investigate sulfate proteoglycan expression, and PI3K/AKT, MAPK/ERK, and Smad signaling pathways were examined by Western blotting. The results showed collagen hydrogels have good biocompatibility, and cell proliferation increased after collagen type II treatment. Expressions of SOX9, aggrecan, and collagen type II were increased in a collagen type II dependent manner. Sulfate proteoglycan synthesis increased in proportion to collagen type II concentration. Only hADMSCs highly expressed NP cell marker KRT19 in collagen type II culture. Additionally, phosphorylated Smad3, which is associated with phosphorylated ERK, was increased after collagen type II-stimulation. The concentration and type of collagen affect hADMSC differentiation into NP cells. Collagen type II significantly ameliorates hADMSC differentiation into NP cells and promotes extracellular matrix synthesis. Therefore, anabolism of collagen type I and catabolism of type II may attenuate the differentiation and biosynthesis of transplanted stem cells. © 2016 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Bipolar disorder type I and II show distinct relationships between cortical thickness and executive function.

PubMed

Abé, C; Rolstad, S; Petrovic, P; Ekman, C-J; Sparding, T; Ingvar, M; Landén, M

2018-06-15

Frontal cortical abnormalities and executive function impairment co-occur in bipolar disorder. Recent studies have shown that bipolar subtypes differ in the degree of structural and functional impairments. The relationships between cognitive performance and cortical integrity have not been clarified and might differ across patients with bipolar disorder type I, II, and healthy subjects. Using a vertex-wise whole-brain analysis, we investigated how cortical integrity, as measured by cortical thickness, correlates with executive performance in patients with bipolar disorder type I, II, and controls (N = 160). We found focal associations between executive function and cortical thickness in the medial prefrontal cortex in bipolar II patients and controls, but not in bipolar I disorder. In bipolar II patients, we observed additional correlations in lateral prefrontal and occipital regions. Our findings suggest that bipolar disorder patients show altered structure-function relationships, and importantly that those relationships may differ between bipolar subtypes. The findings are line with studies suggesting subtype-specific neurobiological and cognitive profiles. This study contributes to a better understanding of brain structure-function relationships in bipolar disorder and gives important insights into the neuropathophysiology of diagnostic subtypes. © 2018 The Authors Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Selecting measures to prevent deleterious alkali-silica reaction in concrete : rationale for the AASHTO PP65 prescriptive approach.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-10-01

PP65-11 provides two approaches for selecting preventive measures: (i) a performance approach based on laboratory testing, and (ii) a prescriptive approach based on a consideration of the reactivity of the aggregate, type and size of structure, expos...

Enhancement of carrier lifetimes in type-II quantum dot/quantum well hybrid structures

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

Couto, O. D. D., E-mail: odilon@ifi.unicamp.br; Almeida, P. T. de; Santos, G. E. dos

We investigate optical transitions and carrier dynamics in hybrid structures containing type-I GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells (QWs) and type-II GaSb/AlGaAs quantum dots (QDs). We show that the optical recombination of photocreated electrons confined in the QWs with holes in the QDs and wetting layer can be modified according to the QW/QD spatial separation. In particular, for low spacer thicknesses, the QW optical emission can be suppressed due to the transference of holes from the QW to the GaSb layer, favoring the optical recombination of spatially separated carriers, which can be useful for optical memory and solar cell applications. Time-resolved photoluminescence (PL)more » measurements reveal non-exponential recombination dynamics. We demonstrate that the PL transients can only be quantitatively described by considering both linear and quadratic terms of the carrier density in the bimolecular recombination approximation for type-II semiconductor nanostructures. We extract long exciton lifetimes from 700 ns to 5 μs for QDs depending on the spacer layer thickness.« less

The ICF Core Sets for hearing loss--researcher perspective. Part I: Systematic review of outcome measures identified in audiological research.

PubMed

Granberg, Sarah; Dahlström, Jennie; Möller, Claes; Kähäri, Kim; Danermark, Berth

2014-02-01

To review the literature in order to identify outcome measures used in research on adults with hearing loss (HL) as part of the ICF Core Sets development project, and to describe study and population characteristics of the reviewed studies. A systematic review methodology was applied using multiple databases. A comprehensive search was conducted and two search pools were created, pool I and pool II. The study population included adults (≥ 18 years of age) with HL and oral language as the primary mode of communication. 122 studies were included. Outcome measures were distinguished by 'instrument type', and 10 types were identified. In total, 246 (pool I) and 122 (pool II) different measures were identified, and only approximately 20% were extracted twice or more. Most measures were related to speech recognition. Fifty-one different questionnaires were identified. Many studies used small sample sizes, and the sex of participants was not revealed in several studies. The low prevalence of identified measures reflects a lack of consensus regarding the optimal outcome measures to use in audiology. Reflections and discussions are made in relation to small sample sizes and the lack of sex differentiation/descriptions within the included articles.

Modic changes in lumbar spine: prevalence and distribution patterns of end plate oedema and end plate sclerosis.

PubMed

Xu, Lei; Chu, Bin; Feng, Yang; Xu, Feng; Zou, Yue-Fen

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the distribution of end plate oedema in different types of Modic change especially in mixed type and to analyze the presence of end plate sclerosis in various types of Modic change. 276 patients with low back pain were scanned with 1.5-T MRI. Three radiologists assessed the MR images by T1 weighted, T2 weighted and fat-saturation T2 weighted sequences and classified them according to the Modic changes. Pure oedematous end plate signal changes were classified as Modic Type I; pure fatty end plate changes were classified as Modic Type II; and pure sclerotic end plate changes as Modic Type III. A mixed feature of both Types I and II with predominant oedematous signal change is classified as Modic I-II, and a mixture of Types I and II with predominant fatty change is classified as Modic II-I. Thus, the mixed types can further be subdivided into seven subtypes: Types I-II, Types II-I, Types I-III, Types III-I, Types II-III, Types III-II and Types I-III. During the same period, 52 of 276 patients who underwent CT and MRI were retrospectively reviewed to determine end plate sclerosis. (1) End plate oedema: of the 2760 end plates (276 patients) examined, 302 end plates showed Modic changes, of which 82 end plates showed mixed Modic changes. The mixed Modic changes contain 92.7% of oedematous changes. The mixed types especially Types I-II and Types II-I made up the majority of end plate oedematous changes. (2) End plate sclerosis: 52 of 276 patients were examined by both MRI and CT. Of the 520 end plates, 93 end plates showed Modic changes, of which 34 end plates have shown sclerotic changes in CT images. 11.8% of 34 end plates have shown Modic Type I, 20.6% of 34 end plates have shown Modic Type II, 2.9% of 34 end plates have shown Modic Type III and 64.7% of 34 end plates have shown mixed Modic type. End plate oedema makes up the majority of mixed types especially Types I-II and Types II-I. The end plate sclerosis on CT images may not just mean Modic Type III but does exist in all types of Modic changes, especially in mixed Modic types, and may reflect vertebral body mineralization rather than change in the bone marrow. End plate oedema and end plate sclerosis are present in a large proportion of mixed types.

Observing the Roots of Coronal Heating - in the Chromosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McIntosh, S. W.; de Pontieu, B.; Hansteen, V. H.; Schrjver, K.

2009-12-01

I will discuss recent results using Hinode/SOT-EIS-XRT, SOHO/SUMER, CRISP (at the Swedish Solar Telescope) and TRACE that provide a direct connection between coronal dynamics and those of the lower atmosphere. We use chromospheric measurements (H-alpha and Ca II 8542 spectral imaging, and Ca II H images), as well as UV spectra (EIS and SUMER), and EUV/X-ray images (XRT and TRACE) to show that faint, high-speed upflows at velocities of 50-100 km/s across a wide range of temperatures from chromospheric (10,000 K), through lower and upper transition region (0.1 to 0.7 MK) and coronal temperatures (2 MK) are associated with significant mass-loading of the corona with hot plasma. Our observations are incompatible with current models in which coronal heating occurs as a result of nanoflares at coronal heights. Instead we suggest that a significant fraction of heating of plasma to coronal temperatures may occur at chromospheric heights in association with jets driven from below (the recently discovered type II spicules). Illustrating the mass and energy transport between the chromosphere, transition region and corona, as deduced from Hinode observations. Convective flows and oscillations in the convection zone and photosphere of the Sun buffet the magnetic field of the Sun. This leads to at least two different kinds of jets in the chromosphere: Type I, and II spicules. Type II spicules drive matter upward violently and likely form when magnetic field reconnects because of stresses introduced by convective flows. A significant fraction of the plasma in type II spicules is heated to coronal temperatures (>1MK), providing the corona with hot plasma. The correlation between the chromospheric and coronal parts of the spicules depends greatly on the viewing angle between the line-of-sight and the direction of the upward flows. Order of magnitude estimates indicate that the mass supplied by type II spicules plays a significant role in supplying the corona with hot plasma.

Increase in type II collagen turnover after iron depletion in patients with hereditary haemochromatosis.

PubMed

Richette, Pascal; Eymard, Claire; Deberg, Michelle; Vidaud, Dominique; de Kerguenec, Caroline; Valla, Dominique; Vicaut, Eric; Bardin, Thomas; Henrotin, Yves

2010-04-01

To determine the effects of iron depletion on serum levels of joint biomarkers and on joint symptoms in patients with hereditary haemochromatosis (HH). Levels of biomarkers were measured in 18 patients with HH at the time of diagnosis and after iron depletion. The markers were type II collagen degradation (Coll2-1) and its nitrated form (Coll2-1NO(2)), type II procollagen synthesis (CPII), MPO, COMP and HA. For each patient, demographic data were collected and the global joint pain (visual analogue scale) was assessed before and after iron depletion by phlebotomy. A total of 18 patients [10 males; mean (s.d.) age 48 (11) years] were homozygous for the C282Y mutation. No patient had liver dysfunction. Ferritin level before iron removal was 627.5 (range 133-3276) microg/l, and duration of the iron depletion phase was 295 (70-670) days. Serum levels of both Coll2-1 and CPII were significantly increased from diagnosis after iron depletion: 80.1 (55.6-113.5) vs 96.0 (48.8-136.3) nM (P = 0.004) and 731.4 (374.2-1012.3) vs 812.8 (535.8-1165.6) ng/ml (P = 0.03), respectively. Levels of other biomarkers were not modified by iron depletion. Ferritin level, which at baseline was correlated with body iron store (r = 0.63; P = 0.008), was significantly correlated with HA level measured before iron depletion (r = 0.60; P = 0.01). Global joint pain was not correlated with ferritin concentration and did not significantly decrease after iron depletion: 43 (19-73) vs 36 (16-67) mm (P = 0.07). In patients with HH, cartilage homoeostasis is modified by iron excess and an increase in type II collagen turnover occurs after excess iron removal.

SAGE III Aerosol Extinction Validation in the Arctic Winter: Comparisons with SAGE II and POAM III

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomason, L. W.; Poole, L. R.; Randall, C. E.

2007-01-01

The use of SAGE III multiwavelength aerosol extinction coefficient measurements to infer PSC type is contingent on the robustness of both the extinction magnitude and its spectral variation. Past validation with SAGE II and other similar measurements has shown that the SAGE III extinction coefficient measurements are reliable though the comparisons have been greatly weighted toward measurements made at mid-latitudes. Some aerosol comparisons made in the Arctic winter as a part of SOLVE II suggested that SAGE III values, particularly at longer wavelengths, are too small with the implication that both the magnitude and the wavelength dependence are not reliable. Comparisons with POAM III have also suggested a similar discrepancy. Herein, we use SAGE II data as a common standard for comparison of SAGE III and POAM III measurements in the Arctic winters of 2002/2003 through 2004/2005. During the winter, SAGE II measurements are made infrequently at the same latitudes as these instruments. We have mitigated this problem through the use potential vorticity as a spatial coordinate and thus greatly increased the number of coincident events. We find that SAGE II and III extinction coefficient measurements show a high degree of compatibility at both 1020 nm and 450 nm except a 10-20% bias at both wavelengths. In addition, the 452 to 1020-nm extinction ratio shows a consistent bias of approx. 30% throughout the lower stratosphere. We also find that SAGE II and POAM III are on average consistent though the comparisons show a much higher variability and larger bias than SAGE II/III comparisons. In addition, we find that the two data sets are not well correlated below 18 km. Overall, we find both the extinction values and the spectral dependence from SAGE III are robust and we find no evidence of a significant defect within the Arctic vortex.

A Second Glass Transition in Pressure Collapsed Type II Clathrate Hydrates.

PubMed

Andersson, Ove; Häussermann, Ulrich

2018-04-19

Type II clathrate hydrates (CHs) M·17 H 2 O, with M = tetrahydrofuran (THF) or 1,3-dioxolane, are known to collapse, or amorphize, on pressurization to ∼1.3 GPa in the temperature range 77-140 K. On heating at 1 GPa, these pressure-amorphized CH states show a weak, stretched sigmoid-shaped, heat-capacity increase because of a glass transition. Here we use thermal conductivity and heat capacity measurements to show that also type II CH with M = cyclobutanone (CB) collapses on isothermal pressurization and undergoes a similar, weak, glass transition upon heating at 1 GPa. Furthermore, we reveal for both THF CH and CB CH a second, much more pronounced, glass transition at temperatures above the thermally weak glass transition on heating in the 0.2-0.7 GPa range. This result suggests the general occurrence of two glass transitions in water-rich (94 mol %) pressure-collapsed CHs. Because of a large increase in dielectric permittivity concurrently as the weak heat capacity increase, the first glass transition must be due to kinetic unfreezing of water molecules. The thermal features of the second glass transition, measured on isobaric temperature cycling, are typical of a glass-liquid-glass transition, which suggests that pressure-amorphized CHs transform reversibly to liquids.

Extraction of minority carrier diffusion length of MWIR Type-II superlattice nBp detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taghipour, Zahra; Kazemi, Alireza; Myers, Stephen; Wijewarnasuriya, Priyalal; Mathews, Sen; Steenbergen, Elizabeth H.; Morath, Christian; Cowan, Vincent M.; Ariyawansa, Gamini; Scheihing, John; Krishna, Sanjay

2017-08-01

We present a model for the spectral external quantum efficiency (EQE) to extract the minority carrier diffusion length (Ln) of a unipolar nBp InAs/GaSb Type-II superlattice (T2SL) mid-wave infrared (MWIR) detector. The detector consists of a 4 μm thick p-doped 10ML InAs/10ML GaSb SL absorber with a 50% cut-off wavelength of 5 μm at 80 K and zero bias. The n-type doped InAs/AlSb SL barrier in the structure was included to reduce the GR dark current. By fitting the experimentally measured EQE data to the theoretically calculated QE based on the solution of the drift-diffusion equation, the p-type absorber was found the have Ln = 10 +/- 0.5 μm at 80K, and Ln = 12 +/- 0.5 μm at 120K and 150K. We performed the absorption coefficient measurement at different temperatures of interest. Also, we estimated the reduced background concentration and the built-in potential by utilizing a capacitance-voltage measurement technique. We used time-resolved-photoluminescence (TRPL) to determine the lifetime at 80K. With the result of the model and the lifetime measurement, we calculated the diffusion coefficient and the mobility in the T2SL detector at various temperatures. Also, we studied the behavior of different dark current mechanisms by fitting the experimentally measured and simulated dark current density under different operating temperatures and biases.

Genetics Home Reference: distal hereditary motor neuropathy, type II

MedlinePlus

... hereditary motor neuropathy, type II Distal hereditary motor neuropathy, type II Printable PDF Open All Close All ... the expand/collapse boxes. Description Distal hereditary motor neuropathy, type II is a progressive disorder that affects ...

46 CFR 32.63-5 - Barge hull classifications-B/ALL.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... the uncontrolled release of the cargo to the waterways and/or atmosphere. (2) Type II barge hull... measures to preclude uncontrolled release to the atmosphere, but whose uncontrolled release to the...

46 CFR 32.63-5 - Barge hull classifications-B/ALL.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... the uncontrolled release of the cargo to the waterways and/or atmosphere. (2) Type II barge hull... measures to preclude uncontrolled release to the atmosphere, but whose uncontrolled release to the...

Floquet Weyl semimetals in light-irradiated type-II and hybrid line-node semimetals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Rui; Zhou, Bin; Xu, Dong-Hui

2018-04-01

Type-II Weyl semimetals have recently attracted intensive research interest because they host Lorentz-violating Weyl fermions as quasiparticles. The discovery of type-II Weyl semimetals evokes the study of type-II line-node semimetals (LNSMs) whose linear dispersion is strongly tilted near the nodal ring. We present here a study on the circularly polarized light-induced Floquet states in type-II LNSMs, as well as those in hybrid LNSMs that have a partially overtilted linear dispersion in the vicinity of the nodal ring. We illustrate that two distinct types of Floquet Weyl semimetal (WSM) states can be induced in periodically driven type-II and hybrid LNSMs, and the type of Floquet WSMs can be tuned by the direction and intensity of the incident light. We construct phase diagrams of light-irradiated type-II and hybrid LNSMs which are quite distinct from those of light-irradiated type-I LNSMs. Moreover, we show that photoinduced Floquet type-I and type-II WSMs can be characterized by the emergence of different anomalous Hall conductivities.

Type II supernovae in low luminosity host galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gutiérrez, C. P.; Anderson, J. P.; Sullivan, M.; Dessart, L.; González-Gaitan, S.; Galbany, L.; Dimitriadis, G.; Arcavi, I.; Bufano, F.; Chen, T.-W.; Dennefeld, M.; Gromadzki, M.; Haislip, J. B.; Hosseinzadeh, G.; Howell, D. A.; Inserra, C.; Kankare, E.; Leloudas, G.; Maguire, K.; McCully, C.; Morrell, N.; E, F. Olivares; Pignata, G.; Reichart, D. E.; Reynolds, T.; Smartt, S. J.; Sollerman, J.; Taddia, F.; Takáts, K.; Terreran, G.; Valenti, S.; Young, D. R.

2018-06-01

We present an analysis of a new sample of type II core-collapse supernovae (SNe II) occurring within low-luminosity galaxies, comparing these with a sample of events in brighter hosts. Our analysis is performed comparing SN II spectral and photometric parameters and estimating the influence of metallicity (inferred from host luminosity differences) on SN II transient properties. We measure the SN absolute magnitude at maximum, the light-curve plateau duration, the optically thick duration, and the plateau decline rate in the V -band, together with expansion velocities and pseudo-equivalent-widths (pEWs) of several absorption lines in the SN spectra. For the SN host galaxies, we estimate the absolute magnitude and the stellar mass, a proxy for the metallicity of the host galaxy. SNe II exploding in low luminosity galaxies display weaker pEWs of Fe II λ5018, confirming the theoretical prediction that metal lines in SN II spectra should correlate with metallicity. We also find that SNe II in low-luminosity hosts have generally slower declining light curves and display weaker absorption lines. We find no relationship between the plateau duration or the expansion velocities with SN environment, suggesting that the hydrogen envelope mass and the explosion energy are not correlated with the metallicity of the host galaxy. This result supports recent predictions that mass-loss for red supergiants is independent of metallicity.

Inert Higgs Doublet Dark Matter in Type-II Seesaw

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Chuan-Hung; Nomura, Takaaki

2016-04-01

Weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) as a dark matter (DM) candidate is further inspired by recent AMS-02 data, which confirm the excess of positron fraction observed earlier by PAMELA and Fermi-LAT experiments. Additionally, the excess of positron+electron flux is still significant in the measurement of Fermi-LAT. For solving the problem of massive neutrinos and observed excess of cosmic-ray by DM annihilation, we study the model with an inert Higgs doublet (IHD) in the framework of type-II seesaw mechanism by imposing a Z2 symmetry on the IHD, where the lightest particle of IHD is the DM candidate while the neutrino masses origin from the Higgs triplet in type-II seesaw model. We calculate the cosmic-ray production in our model and find that if leptonic triplet decays are dominant, the observed excess of positron/electron flux could be explained well in normal ordered neutrino mass spectrum, when the constraints of DM relic density and comic-ray antiproton spectrum are taken into account.

Interband absorption strength in long-wave infrared type-II superlattices with small and large superlattice periods compared to bulk materials

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

Vurgaftman, I.; Belenky, G., E-mail: gregory.belenky@stonybrook.edu; Lin, Y.

The absorption spectra for the antimonide-based type-II superlattices (SLs) for detection in the long-wave infrared (LWIR) are calculated and compared to the measured data for SLs and bulk materials with the same energy gap (HgCdTe and InAsSb). We include the results for the metamorphic InAsSb{sub x}/InAsSb{sub y} SLs with small periods as well as the more conventional strain-balanced InAs/Ga(In)Sb and InAs/InAsSb SLs on GaSb substrates. The absorption strength in small-period metamorphic SLs is similar to the bulk materials, while the SLs with an average lattice constant matched to GaSb have significantly lower absorption. This is because the electron-hole overlap inmore » the strain-balanced type-II LWIR SLs occurs primarily in the hole well, which constitutes a relatively small fraction of the total thickness.« less

A Bayesian-frequentist two-stage single-arm phase II clinical trial design.

PubMed

Dong, Gaohong; Shih, Weichung Joe; Moore, Dirk; Quan, Hui; Marcella, Stephen

2012-08-30

It is well-known that both frequentist and Bayesian clinical trial designs have their own advantages and disadvantages. To have better properties inherited from these two types of designs, we developed a Bayesian-frequentist two-stage single-arm phase II clinical trial design. This design allows both early acceptance and rejection of the null hypothesis ( H(0) ). The measures (for example probability of trial early termination, expected sample size, etc.) of the design properties under both frequentist and Bayesian settings are derived. Moreover, under the Bayesian setting, the upper and lower boundaries are determined with predictive probability of trial success outcome. Given a beta prior and a sample size for stage I, based on the marginal distribution of the responses at stage I, we derived Bayesian Type I and Type II error rates. By controlling both frequentist and Bayesian error rates, the Bayesian-frequentist two-stage design has special features compared with other two-stage designs. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Molecular determinants on the insect sodium channel for the specific action of type II pyrethroid insecticides

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

Du Yuzhe; Nomura, Yoshiko; Luo Ningguang

2009-01-15

Pyrethroid insecticides are classified as type I or type II based on their distinct symptomology and effects on sodium channel gating. Structurally, type II pyrethroids possess an {alpha}-cyano group at the phenylbenzyl alcohol position, which is lacking in type I pyrethroids. Both type I and type II pyrethroids inhibit deactivation consequently prolonging the opening of sodium channels. However, type II pyrethroids inhibit the deactivation of sodium channels to a greater extent than type I pyrethroids inducing much slower decaying of tail currents upon repolarization. The molecular basis of a type II-specific action, however, is not known. Here we report themore » identification of a residue G{sup 1111} and two positively charged lysines immediately downstream of G{sup 1111} in the intracellular linker connecting domains II and III of the cockroach sodium channel that are specifically involved in the action of type II pyrethroids, but not in the action of type I pyrethroids. Deletion of G{sup 1111}, a consequence of alternative splicing, reduced the sodium channel sensitivity to type II pyrethroids, but had no effect on channel sensitivity to type I pyrethroids. Interestingly, charge neutralization or charge reversal of two positively charged lysines (Ks) downstream of G{sup 1111} had a similar effect. These results provide the molecular insight into the type II-specific interaction of pyrethroids with the sodium channel at the molecular level.« less

Interplanetary type II radio bursts and their association with CMEs and flares

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shanmugaraju, A.; Suresh, K.; Vasanth, V.; Selvarani, G.; Umapathy, S.

2018-06-01

We study the characteristics of the CMEs and their association with the end-frequency of interplanetary (IP)-type-II bursts by analyzing a set of 138 events (IP-type-II bursts-flares-CMEs) observed during the period 1997-2012. The present analysis consider only the type II bursts having starting frequency < 14 MHz to avoid the extension of coronal type IIs. The selected events are classified into three groups depending on the end-frequency of type IIs as follows, (A) Higher, (B) Intermediate and (C) Lower end-frequency. We compare characteristics of CMEs, flares and type II burst for the three selected groups of events and report some of the important differences. The observed height of CMEs is compared with the height of IP type IIs estimated using the electron density models. By applying a density multiplier (m) to this model, the density has been constrained both in the upper corona and in the interplanetary medium, respectively as m= 1 to 10 and m = 1 to 3. This study indicates that there is a correlation between the observed CME height and estimated type II height for groups B and C events whereas this correlation is absent in group A. In all the groups (A, B & C), the different heights of CMEs and type II reveal that the type IIs are not only observed at the nose but also at the flank of the CMEs.

The interaction of sound with a poroelastic ground

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hickey, C. J.

2012-12-01

An airborne acoustic wave impinging on the surface of the ground provides a good mechanical source for investigating the near surface. Since the ground is porous, the impinging sound wave induces motion of the fluid within the pores as well as vibrating the solid framework. The most complete understanding of the interaction of airborne sound with the ground is to treat the ground as a poroelastic or poroviscoelastic medium. This treatment predicts that three types of waves can propagate in a ground with a deformable framework: two compressional waves, the fast or Type I and slow or Type II wave and one shear wave. Model calculations of the energy partition and an air-soil interface predict that most of the energy is partitioned into the Type II compressional wave, less into the Type I compressional wave, and little energy is partitioned into the shear wave. However, when measuring the solid motion of the soil one must consider how much of that wave energy is in terms of solid velocity. The deformation associated with Type II compressional wave has only a small contribution from the solid component whereas the bulk deformation of the Type I compressional wave has a solid to fluid deformation ratio of approximately one. This modeling suggests that the soil solid velocity induced by an acoustic source is associated with the Type I compressional wave. In other words, the airborne source is simply an inefficient seismic source.

Solar Type II Radio Bursts and IP Type II Events

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cane, H. V.; Erickson, W. C.

2005-01-01

We have examined radio data from the WAVES experiment on the Wind spacecraft in conjunction with ground-based data in order to investigate the relationship between the shocks responsible for metric type II radio bursts and the shocks in front of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The bow shocks of fast, large CMEs are strong interplanetary (IP) shocks, and the associated radio emissions often consist of single broad bands starting below approx. 4 MHz; such emissions were previously called IP type II events. In contrast, metric type II bursts are usually narrowbanded and display two harmonically related bands. In addition to displaying complete dynamic spectra for a number of events, we also analyze the 135 WAVES 1 - 14 MHz slow-drift time periods in 2001-2003. We find that most of the periods contain multiple phenomena, which we divide into three groups: metric type II extensions, IP type II events, and blobs and bands. About half of the WAVES listings include probable extensions of metric type II radio bursts, but in more than half of these events, there were also other slow-drift features. In the 3 yr study period, there were 31 IP type II events; these were associated with the very fastest CMEs. The most common form of activity in the WAVES events, blobs and bands in the frequency range between 1 and 8 MHz, fall below an envelope consistent with the early signatures of an IP type II event. However, most of this activity lasts only a few tens of minutes, whereas IP type II events last for many hours. In this study we find many examples in the radio data of two shock-like phenomena with different characteristics that occur simultaneously in the metric and decametric/hectometric bands, and no clear example of a metric type II burst that extends continuously down in frequency to become an IP type II event. The simplest interpretation is that metric type II bursts, unlike IP type II events, are not caused by shocks driven in front of CMEs.

The apelin receptor inhibits the angiotensin II type 1 receptor via allosteric trans-inhibition

PubMed Central

Siddiquee, K; Hampton, J; McAnally, D; May, LT; Smith, LH

2013-01-01

Background and Purpose The apelin receptor (APJ) is often co-expressed with the angiotensin II type-1 receptor (AT1) and acts as an endogenous counter-regulator. Apelin antagonizes Ang II signalling, but the precise molecular mechanism has not been elucidated. Understanding this interaction may lead to new therapies for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Experimental Approach The physical interaction of APJ and AT1 receptors was detected by co-immunoprecipitation and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET). Functional and pharmacological interactions were measured by G-protein-dependent signalling and recruitment of β-arrestin. Allosterism and cooperativity between APJ and AT1 were measured by radioligand binding assays. Key Results Apelin, but not Ang II, induced APJ : AT1 heterodimerization forced AT1 into a low-affinity state, reducing Ang II binding. Likewise, apelin mediated a concentration-dependent depression in the maximal production of inositol phosphate (IP1) and β-arrestin recruitment to AT1 in response to Ang II. The signal depression approached a limit, the magnitude of which was governed by the cooperativity indicative of a negative allosteric interaction. Fitting the data to an operational model of allosterism revealed that apelin-mediated heterodimerization significantly reduces Ang II signalling efficacy. These effects were not observed in the absence of apelin. Conclusions and Implications Apelin-dependent heterodimerization between APJ and AT1 causes negative allosteric regulation of AT1 function. As AT1 is significant in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease, these findings suggest that impaired apelin and APJ function may be a common underlying aetiology. Linked Article This article is commented on by Goupil et al., pp. 1101–1103 of this issue. To view this commentary visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.12040 PMID:22935142

Type I and II Endometrial Cancers: Have They Different Risk Factors?

PubMed Central

Setiawan, Veronica Wendy; Yang, Hannah P.; Pike, Malcolm C.; McCann, Susan E.; Yu, Herbert; Xiang, Yong-Bing; Wolk, Alicja; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Weiss, Noel S.; Webb, Penelope M.; van den Brandt, Piet A.; van de Vijver, Koen; Thompson, Pamela J.; Strom, Brian L.; Spurdle, Amanda B.; Soslow, Robert A.; Shu, Xiao-ou; Schairer, Catherine; Sacerdote, Carlotta; Rohan, Thomas E.; Robien, Kim; Risch, Harvey A.; Ricceri, Fulvio; Rebbeck, Timothy R.; Rastogi, Radhai; Prescott, Jennifer; Polidoro, Silvia; Park, Yikyung; Olson, Sara H.; Moysich, Kirsten B.; Miller, Anthony B.; McCullough, Marjorie L.; Matsuno, Rayna K.; Magliocco, Anthony M.; Lurie, Galina; Lu, Lingeng; Lissowska, Jolanta; Liang, Xiaolin; Lacey, James V.; Kolonel, Laurence N.; Henderson, Brian E.; Hankinson, Susan E.; Håkansson, Niclas; Goodman, Marc T.; Gaudet, Mia M.; Garcia-Closas, Montserrat; Friedenreich, Christine M.; Freudenheim, Jo L.; Doherty, Jennifer; De Vivo, Immaculata; Courneya, Kerry S.; Cook, Linda S.; Chen, Chu; Cerhan, James R.; Cai, Hui; Brinton, Louise A.; Bernstein, Leslie; Anderson, Kristin E.; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Schouten, Leo J.; Horn-Ross, Pamela L.

2013-01-01

Purpose Endometrial cancers have long been divided into estrogen-dependent type I and the less common clinically aggressive estrogen-independent type II. Little is known about risk factors for type II tumors because most studies lack sufficient cases to study these much less common tumors separately. We examined whether so-called classical endometrial cancer risk factors also influence the risk of type II tumors. Patients and Methods Individual-level data from 10 cohort and 14 case-control studies from the Epidemiology of Endometrial Cancer Consortium were pooled. A total of 14,069 endometrial cancer cases and 35,312 controls were included. We classified endometrioid (n = 7,246), adenocarcinoma not otherwise specified (n = 4,830), and adenocarcinoma with squamous differentiation (n = 777) as type I tumors and serous (n = 508) and mixed cell (n = 346) as type II tumors. Results Parity, oral contraceptive use, cigarette smoking, age at menarche, and diabetes were associated with type I and type II tumors to similar extents. Body mass index, however, had a greater effect on type I tumors than on type II tumors: odds ratio (OR) per 2 kg/m2 increase was 1.20 (95% CI, 1.19 to 1.21) for type I and 1.12 (95% CI, 1.09 to 1.14) for type II tumors (Pheterogeneity < .0001). Risk factor patterns for high-grade endometrioid tumors and type II tumors were similar. Conclusion The results of this pooled analysis suggest that the two endometrial cancer types share many common etiologic factors. The etiology of type II tumors may, therefore, not be completely estrogen independent, as previously believed. PMID:23733771

Decision making in euthymic bipolar I and bipolar II disorders.

PubMed

Martino, D J; Strejilevich, S A; Torralva, T; Manes, F

2011-06-01

The main aim of this study was to compare a large population of patients with bipolar disorder (BD) types I and II strictly defined as euthymic with healthy controls on measures of decision making. An additional aim was to compare performance on a decision-making task between patients with and without a history of suicide attempt. Eighty-five euthymic patients with BD-I or BD-II and 34 healthy controls were included. All subjects completed tests to assess verbal memory, attention and executive functions, and a decision-making paradigm (the Iowa Gambling Task, IGT). Both groups of patients had worse performance than healthy controls on measures of verbal memory, attention and executive function. No significant differences were found between BD-I, BD-II and healthy controls on measures of decision making. By contrast, patients with a history of suicide attempt had lower performance in the IGT than patients without a history of suicide attempt. Patients with euthymic BD-I and BD-II had intact decision-making abilities, suggesting that this does not represent a reliable trait marker of the disorder. In addition, our results provide further evidence of an association between impairments in decision making and vulnerability to suicidal behavior.

The influence of micro and macro-geometry in term of bone-implant interface in two implant systems: an histomorphometrical study

PubMed Central

ROCCI, A.; CALCATERRA, R.; DI GIROLAMO, M.; ROCCI, M.; ROCCI, C.; BAGGI, L.

2015-01-01

SUMMARY Objective Many factors could affect the osseous healing of implants such as surface topography of biomaterial, the status of the bone/implant site, implant loading conditions, surgical technique and implant design. The aim of this study was to analyze the BIC of 2 different implants systems characterized by different micro and macrogeometry, that were placed in the posterior maxillary and mandibular jaws of humans, clinically unloaded and retrieved for histomorphometric analyses after 12 weeks. Material and method The patients were divided in two groups (Group I and II); group I was composed by 4 patients that each received in the posterior areas of mandible one type A implant [GTB-Plan1Health Amaro (UD) Italy] one type B implant (OsseoSpeed Astra Tech, Dentsply Molndal, Sweden). Group II was composed by 3 patients that each received in the posterior areas of jawsbone one type A implant [GTB-Plan1Health Amaro (UD) Italy] one type B implant (OsseoSpeed Astra Tech, Dentsply Molndal, Sweden). After 12 weeks of healing all the implants of both groups were harvested with the peri-implant bone tissues. Osseointegration process was evaluated throughout measurements of BIC. Results No statistical significance differences were found among the mean percentage of BIC of Group I – type A were 66,51% versus 49,96% in Group I – type B, as well as among the mean percentage of BIC of Group II – type A were 43.7% versus 60.02% in Group II – type B. Conclusions Our results highlight that the mean percentage of BIC after 12 weeks from the implants placement without functional loading is not influenced by the composition of the implant surface. PMID:28042421

The influence of micro and macro-geometry in term of bone-implant interface in two implant systems: an histomorphometrical study.

PubMed

Rocci, A; Calcaterra, R; DI Girolamo, M; Rocci, M; Rocci, C; Baggi, L

2015-01-01

Many factors could affect the osseous healing of implants such as surface topography of biomaterial, the status of the bone/implant site, implant loading conditions, surgical technique and implant design. The aim of this study was to analyze the BIC of 2 different implants systems characterized by different micro and macrogeometry, that were placed in the posterior maxillary and mandibular jaws of humans, clinically unloaded and retrieved for histomorphometric analyses after 12 weeks. The patients were divided in two groups (Group I and II); group I was composed by 4 patients that each received in the posterior areas of mandible one type A implant [GTB-Plan1Health Amaro (UD) Italy] one type B implant (OsseoSpeed Astra Tech, Dentsply Molndal, Sweden). Group II was composed by 3 patients that each received in the posterior areas of jawsbone one type A implant [GTB-Plan1Health Amaro (UD) Italy] one type B implant (OsseoSpeed Astra Tech, Dentsply Molndal, Sweden). After 12 weeks of healing all the implants of both groups were harvested with the peri-implant bone tissues. Osseointegration process was evaluated throughout measurements of BIC. No statistical significance differences were found among the mean percentage of BIC of Group I - type A were 66,51% versus 49,96% in Group I - type B, as well as among the mean percentage of BIC of Group II - type A were 43.7% versus 60.02% in Group II - type B. Our results highlight that the mean percentage of BIC after 12 weeks from the implants placement without functional loading is not influenced by the composition of the implant surface.

Alpha Trianguli Australis (K2 II-III) - Hybrid or composite?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ayres, T. R.

1985-01-01

The prototype hybrid-spectrum giant Alpha Trianguli Australis exhibits a far-ultraviolet continuum which is considerably bluer than would be expected of a star of its optical colors, suggesting the presence of a previously unrecognized companion. If the K-type primary is as luminous as indicated by the widths of its Ca II and H-alpha lines, the companion could be an early F-type dwarf that only recently has arrived on the main sequence. Indeed, the flux of C IV from Alpha TrA - an important measure of hybridness - would not be inconsistent with that expected from a very young chromospherically active F star.

Investigation of interaction between the Pt(II) ions and aminosilane-modified silica surface in heterogeneous system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nowicki, Waldemar; Gąsowska, Anna; Kirszensztejn, Piotr

2016-05-01

UV-vis spectroscopy measurements confirmed the reaction in heterogeneous system between Pt(II) ions and ethylenediamine type ligand, n-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyl-trimethoxysilane, immobilized at the silica surface. The formation of complexes is a consequence of interaction between the amine groups from the ligand grafted onto SiO2 and ions of platinum. A potentiometric titration technique was to determine the stability constants of complexes of Pt(II) with immobilized insoluble ligand (SG-L), on the silica gel. The results show the formation of three surface complexes of the same type (PtHSG-L, Pt(HSG-L)2, PtSG-L) with SG-L ligand, in a wide range of pH for different Debye length. The concentration distribution of the complexes in a heterogeneous system is evaluated.

Synthesis, spectroscopy, magnetic and redox behaviors of copper(II) complexes with tert-butylated salen type ligands bearing bis(4-aminophenyl)ethane and bis(4-aminophenyl)amide backbones.

PubMed

Kasumov, Veli T; Yerli, Yusuf; Kutluay, Aysegul; Aslanoglu, Mehmet

2013-03-01

New salen type ligands, N,N'-bis(X-3-tert-butylsalicylidene)-4,4'-ethylenedianiline [(X=H (1), 5-tert-butyl (2)] and N,N'-bis(X-3-tert-butylsalicylidene)-4,4'-amidedianiline [X=H (3), 5-tert (4)] and their copper(II) complexes 5-8, have been synthesized. Their spectroscopic (IR, (1)H NMR, UV/vis, ESR) properties, as well as magnetic and redox-reactivity behavior are reported. IR spectra of 7 and 8 indicate the coordination of amide oxygen atoms of 3 and 4 ligands to Cu(II). The solid state ESR spectra of 5-8 exhibits less informative exchange narrowed isotropic or anisotropic signals with weak unresolved low field patterns. The magnetic moments of 5 (2.92 μ(B) per Cu(II)) and 6 (2.79 μ(B) per Cu(II)) are unusual for copper(II) complexes and considerably higher than those for complexes 7 and 8. Cryogenic measurements (300-10 K) show weak antiferromagnetic exchange interactions between the copper(II) centers in complexes 6 and 8. The results of electrochemical and chemical redox-reactivity studies are discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Role of Vasodilator Receptors of Renin-angiotensin System on Nitric Oxide Formation and Kidney Circulation after Angiotensin II Infusion in Renal Ischemia/Reperfusion Rats.

PubMed

Maleki, Maryam; Hasanshahi, Jalal; Moslemi, Fatemeh

2018-01-01

Nitric oxide (NO) as a vasodilator factor has renoprotective effect against renal ischemia. The balance between angiotensin II (Ang II) and NO can affect kidney homeostasis. The aim of this study was to determine NO alteration in response to renin-Ang system vasodilator receptors antagonists (PD123319; Ang II type 2 receptor antagonist and A779; Mas receptor antagonist) in renal ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) in rats. Sixty-three Wistar male and female rats were used. Animals from each gender were divided into four groups received saline, Ang II, PD123319 + Ang II, and A779 + Ang II after renal IRI. Renal IRI induced with an adjustable hook. Blood pressure and renal blood flow (RBF) measured continuously. The nitrite levels were measured in serum, kidney, and urine samples. In female rats, the serum and kidney nitrite levels increased significantly by Ang II ( P < 0.05) and decreased significantly ( P < 0.05) when PD123319 was accompanied with Ang II. Such observation was not seen in male. Ang II decreased RBF significantly in all groups ( P < 0.05), while PD + Ang II group showed significant decrease in RBF in comparison with the other groups in female rats ( P < 0.05). Males show more sensibility to Ang II infusion; in fact, it is suggested that there is gender dimorphism in the Ang II and NO production associated with vasodilator receptors.

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

Pavitt, Ania S.; Bylaska, Eric J.; Tratnyek, Paul G.

As described in the main text, we classified our voltammograms into four types. For phenols, most compounds were type I or type II, except four phenols that were type III (4-nitrophenol, 4-cyanophenol, DNOC, and 4-hydroxyacetphenone); and two phenols that were type IV (4-aminophenol and dopamine). Almost all of the compounds gave the same type by SCV and SWV, except for 2,4-dinitrophenol (whose current went up and down and therefore could be considered a type II or III), 4-cyanophenol (which fell into a type III for SCV, but whose current went up and down in SWV (type II or III)), andmore » 4-hydroxyacetophenone (which was a type III in SCV, but a type II in SWV). The majority of the anilines were type I except for p-toluidine (type II) and 4-methyl-3-nitroaniline and 2-methoxy-5-nitroaniline (both were type I for SWV, but for SCV fell into type III and type II respectively).« less

Oxidation potentials of phenols and anilines: correlation analysis of electrochemical and theoretical values

DOE PAGES

Pavitt, Ania S.; Bylaska, Eric J.; Tratnyek, Paul G.

2017-02-10

As described in the main text, we classified our voltammograms into four types. For phenols, most compounds were type I or type II, except four phenols that were type III (4-nitrophenol, 4-cyanophenol, DNOC, and 4-hydroxyacetphenone); and two phenols that were type IV (4-aminophenol and dopamine). Almost all of the compounds gave the same type by SCV and SWV, except for 2,4-dinitrophenol (whose current went up and down and therefore could be considered a type II or III), 4-cyanophenol (which fell into a type III for SCV, but whose current went up and down in SWV (type II or III)), andmore » 4-hydroxyacetophenone (which was a type III in SCV, but a type II in SWV). The majority of the anilines were type I except for p-toluidine (type II) and 4-methyl-3-nitroaniline and 2-methoxy-5-nitroaniline (both were type I for SWV, but for SCV fell into type III and type II respectively).« less

Early treatment with losartan effectively ameliorates hypertension and improves vascular remodeling and function in a prehypertensive rat model.

PubMed

He, De-Hua; Lin, Jin-Xiu; Zhang, Liang-Min; Xu, Chang-Sheng; Xie, Qiang

2017-03-15

Pharmacological treatment of prehypertension may ameliorate hypertension and improve vascular structure and function. This study investigated 1) whether early treatment with either losartan or amlodipine at the onset of prehypertension can prevent hypertension and 2) whether losartan and amlodipine equally improve vascular remodeling and function in a rat model of hypertension. Stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive (SHRSP) rats were administered losartan, amlodipine or saline for 6 or 16weeks at the onset of prehypertension. Wistar-Kyoto rats were used as a control. All groups were observed for 40weeks. Systolic blood pressure was measured using the tail-cuff method. Vascular structure and function were determined by microscopy and vascular ring contractility assays, respectively. Angiotensin II (Ang II) and aldosterone (Aldo) were measured by radioimmunoassays. Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) and angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) expression was measured by western blot. Losartan effectively reduced progression from prehypertension to hypertension as well as vascular remodeling and improved vascular contractility in SHRSP rats. Long-term losartan (16weeks) had greater benefits than short-term (6weeks) treatment. Losartan increased Ang II and decreased Aldo levels in the serum and vessel walls of resistance vessels in a time-dependent manner. Losartan significantly decreased AT1R and increased AT2R vascular expression. Amlodipine had no effect on vascular AT1R and AT2R expression. Losartan administered at the onset of prehypertension is more effective than amlodipine in ameliorating hypertension and improving vascular remodeling and function, which is likely mediated by the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using late-time optical and near-infrared spectra to constrain Type Ia supernova explosion properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maguire, K.; Sim, S. A.; Shingles, L.; Spyromilio, J.; Jerkstrand, A.; Sullivan, M.; Chen, T.-W.; Cartier, R.; Dimitriadis, G.; Frohmaier, C.; Galbany, L.; Gutiérrez, C. P.; Hosseinzadeh, G.; Howell, D. A.; Inserra, C.; Rudy, R.; Sollerman, J.

2018-03-01

The late-time spectra of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are powerful probes of the underlying physics of their explosions. We investigate the late-time optical and near-infrared spectra of seven SNe Ia obtained at the VLT with XShooter at >200 d after explosion. At these epochs, the inner Fe-rich ejecta can be studied. We use a line-fitting analysis to determine the relative line fluxes, velocity shifts, and line widths of prominent features contributing to the spectra ([Fe II], [Ni II], and [Co III]). By focussing on [Fe II] and [Ni II] emission lines in the ˜7000-7500 Å region of the spectrum, we find that the ratio of stable [Ni II] to mainly radioactively-produced [Fe II] for most SNe Ia in the sample is consistent with Chandrasekhar-mass delayed-detonation explosion models, as well as sub-Chandrasekhar mass explosions that have metallicity values above solar. The mean measured Ni/Fe abundance of our sample is consistent with the solar value. The more highly ionised [Co III] emission lines are found to be more centrally located in the ejecta and have broader lines than the [Fe II] and [Ni II] features. Our analysis also strengthens previous results that SNe Ia with higher Si II velocities at maximum light preferentially display blueshifted [Fe II] 7155 Å lines at late times. Our combined results lead us to speculate that the majority of normal SN Ia explosions produce ejecta distributions that deviate significantly from spherical symmetry.

Past and current perspective on new therapeutic targets for Type-II diabetes.

PubMed

Patil, Pradip D; Mahajan, Umesh B; Patil, Kalpesh R; Chaudhari, Sandip; Patil, Chandragouda R; Agrawal, Yogeeta O; Ojha, Shreesh; Goyal, Sameer N

2017-01-01

Loss of pancreatic β-cell function is a hallmark of Type-II diabetes mellitus (DM). It is a chronic metabolic disorder that results from defects in both insulin secretion and insulin action. Recently, United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study reported that Type-II DM is a progressive disorder. Although, DM can be treated initially by monotherapy with oral agent; eventually, it may require multiple drugs. Additionally, insulin therapy is needed in many patients to achieve glycemic control. Pharmacological approaches are unsatisfactory in improving the consequences of insulin resistance. Single therapeutic approach in the treatment of Type-II DM is unsuccessful and usually a combination therapy is adopted. Increased understanding of biochemical, cellular and pathological alterations in Type-II DM has provided new insight in the management of Type-II DM. Knowledge of underlying mechanisms of Type-II DM development is essential for the exploration of novel therapeutic targets. Present review provides an insight into therapeutic targets of Type-II DM and their role in the development of insulin resistance. An overview of important signaling pathways and mechanisms in Type-II DM is provided for the better understanding of disease pathology. This review includes case studies of drugs that are withdrawn from the market. The experience gathered from previous studies and knowledge of Type-II DM pathways can guide the anti-diabetic drug development toward the discovery of clinically viable drugs that are useful in Type-II DM.

Conflict Management Styles Predicted by Managerial Frames of Reference.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Epps, Pamela D.; Thompson, Bruce

The measurement integrity of M. A. Rahim's Organizational Conflict Inventory (ROCI-II) and D. M. Roussel's Managerial Frames of Mind Survey (MFMS) was investigated, as was the relationship between scores on the two measures. Subjects were 369 managers from three types of organizations: (1) higher education; (2) not-for-profit public sector…

On the source conditions for herringbone structure in type II solar radio bursts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cane, H. V.; White, S. M.

1989-01-01

An investigation is made of the correlation of the occurrence of the herringbone phenomenon in type II solar radio bursts with various flare properties. It is shown that herringbone is strongly correlated with the intensity of the type II burst: whereas about 21 percent of all type II bursts show herringbone, about 60 percent of the most intense bursts contain herringbone. This fact can explain most of the correlations between herringbone and other properties such as intense type III bursts, type IV emission, and high type II starting frequencies. It is also shown that when this is taken into account, there is no need to postulate two classes of type II burst in order to explain why there appears to be a difference in herringbone occurrence between the set of type II bursts associated with the leading edges of coronal mass ejections, and those not so associated. It is argued that the data are consistent with the idea that all coronal type II bursts are due to blast waves from flares.

Measuring physical activity in preschoolers: Reliability and validity of The System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time for Preschoolers (SOFIT-P)

PubMed Central

Sharma, Shreela; Chuang, Ru-Jye; Skala, Katherine; Atteberry, Heather

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is describe the initial feasibility, reliability, and validity of an instrument to measure physical activity in preschoolers using direct observation. The System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time for Preschoolers was developed and tested among 3- to 6-year-old children over fall 2008 for feasibility and reliability (Phase I, n=67) and in fall 2009 for concurrent validity (Phase II, n=27). Phase I showed that preschoolers spent >75% of their active time at preschool in light physical activity. The mean inter-observer agreements scores were ≥.75 for physical activity level and type. Correlation coefficients, measuring construct validity between the lesson context and physical activity types with and with the activity levels, were moderately strong. Phase II showed moderately strong correlations ranging from .50 to .54 between the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time for Preschoolers and Actigraph accelerometers for physical activity levels. The System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time for Preschoolers shows promising initial results as a new method for measuring physical activity among preschoolers. PMID:22485071

We will make you like our research: The development of a susceptibility-to-persuasion scale.

PubMed

Modic, David; Anderson, Ross; Palomäki, Jussi

2018-01-01

Psychological and other persuasive mechanisms across diverse contexts are well researched, with many studies of the effectiveness of specific persuasive techniques on distinct types of human behaviour. In the present paper, our specific interest lies in the development of a generalized modular psychometric tool to measure individuals' susceptibility to persuasion. The scale is constructed using items from previously developed and validated particulate scales established in the domains of social psychology and behavioural economics. In the first study we establish the Susceptibility to Persuasion-II (StP-II) scale, containing 54 items, 10 subscales and further 6 sub-sub scales. In Study 2 we establish the scale's construct validity and reconfirm its reliability. We present a valid and reliable modular psychometric tool that measures general susceptibility to persuasive techniques. Since its inception, we have successfully implemented the StP-II scale to measure susceptibility to persuasion of IT security officers, the role of psychology of persuasion in cybercrime victims and general persuadability levels of Facebook users; these manuscripts are in preparation. We argue that the StP-II scale shows promise in measuring individual differences in susceptibility to persuasion, and is applicable across diverse contexts such as Internet security and cybercrime.

Synthesis and thermal conductivity of type II silicon clathrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beekman, M.; Nolas, G. S.

2006-08-01

We have synthesized and characterized polycrystalline Na 1Si 136 and Na 8Si 136, compounds possessing the type II clathrate hydrate crystal structure. Resistivity measurements from 10 to 300 K indicate very large resistivities in this temperature range, with activated temperature dependences indicative of relatively large band gap semiconductors. The thermal conductivity is very low; two orders-of-magnitude lower than that of diamond-structure silicon at room temperature. The thermal conductivity of Na 8Si 136 displays a temperature dependence that is atypical of crystalline solids and more indicative of amorphous materials. This work is part of a continuing effort to explore the many different compositions and structure types of clathrates, a class of materials that continues to be of interest for scientific and technological applications.

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

Krupar, V.; Eastwood, J. P.; Kruparova, O.

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are large-scale eruptions of magnetized plasma that may cause severe geomagnetic storms if Earth directed. Here, we report a rare instance with comprehensive in situ and remote sensing observations of a CME combining white-light, radio, and plasma measurements from four different vantage points. For the first time, we have successfully applied a radio direction-finding technique to an interplanetary type II burst detected by two identical widely separated radio receivers. The derived locations of the type II and type III bursts are in general agreement with the white-light CME reconstruction. We find that the radio emission arisesmore » from the flanks of the CME and are most likely associated with the CME-driven shock. Our work demonstrates the complementarity between radio triangulation and 3D reconstruction techniques for space weather applications.« less

Relations between broad-band linear polarization and Ca II H and K emission in late-type dwarf stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huovelin, Juhani; Saar, Steven H.; Tuominen, Ilkka

1988-01-01

Broadband UBV linear polarization data acquired for a sample of late-type dwarfs are compared with contemporaneous measurements of Ca II H and K line core emission. A weighted average of the largest values of the polarization degree is shown to be the best parameter for chromospheric activity diagnosis. The average maximum polarization in the UV is found to increase from late-F to late-G stars. It is noted that polarization in the U band is considerably more sensitive to activity variations than that in the B or V bands. The results indicate that stellar magnetic fields and the resulting saturation in the Zeeman-sensitive absorption lines are the most probably source of linear polarization in late-type main-sequence stars.

Volumetric neuroimaging in Usher syndrome: evidence of global involvement.

PubMed

Schaefer, G B; Bodensteiner, J B; Thompson, J N; Kimberling, W J; Craft, J M

1998-08-27

Usher syndrome is a group of genetic disorders consisting of congenital sensorineural hearing loss and retinitis pigmentosa of variable onset and severity depending on the genetic type. It was suggested that the psychosis of Usher syndrome might be secondary to a metabolic degeneration involving the brain more diffusely. There have been reports of focal and diffuse atrophic changes in the supratentorial brain as well as atrophy of some of the structures of the posterior fossa. We previously performed quantitative analysis of magnetic resonance imaging studies of 19 Usher syndrome patients (12 with type I and 7 with type II) looking at the cerebellum and various cerebellar components. We found atrophy of the cerebellum in both types and sparing of cerebellar vermis lobules I-V in type II Usher syndrome patients only. We now have studied another group of 19 patients (with some overlap in the patients studied from the previous report) with Usher syndrome (8 with type I, 11 with type II). We performed quantitative volumetric measurements of various brain structures compared to age- and sex-matched controls. We found a significant decrease in intracranial volume and in size of the brain and cerebellum with a trend toward an increase in the size of the subarachnoid spaces. These data suggest that the disease process in Usher syndrome involves the entire brain and is not limited to the posterior fossa or auditory and visual systems.

Quantitative fine structure of capillaries in subregions of the rat subfornical organ.

PubMed

Shaver, S W; Sposito, N M; Gross, P M

1990-04-01

The differentiated cytology across subregions of the rat subfornical organ (SFO) prompted our hypothesis that ultrastructural features of capillary endothelial cells would vary topographically and quantitatively within this small nucleus. We used electron microscopic and computer-based morphometric methods to assess fine structural dimensions of the capillary endothelium in four distinct subregions of the SFO from Long-Evans and homozygous Brattleboro rats. Three types of capillary were present. Type III capillaries (resembling those of endocrine glands) had an average wall thickness of 0.17 microns, 54% thinner than those of Type I and II capillaries. Pericapillary spaces around Type III capillaries measured 56 microns2, 100% larger than for Type I vessels (resembling those of skeletal muscle). Only Type III capillaries contained fenestrations (9 per microns2 of endothelial cell) and were the predominant type of capillary in central and caudal subregions of the SFO. Type I capillaries, prevalent in the transitional subregion between the central and rostral parts of the SFO, had 10 cytoplasmic vesicles per micron2 of endothelial cell area, a number not different from that of Type III capillaries but 3x the frequency found in Type II vessels. Type II capillaries (those typical of "blood-brain barrier" endothelium) had low vesicular density (3 per microns2), no fenestrations, and no pericapillary spaces. Luminal diameters and the densities of mitochondria and intercellular junctions were not different among capillary types or subregions in the SFO. Furthermore, there were no morphometric differences for any capillary dimensions between Long-Evans and Brattleboro rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Modeling MgII Absorbers from SDSS Spectroscopic and Imaging Catalogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rimoldini, L. G.; Menard, B.; Nestor, D. B.; Rao, S. M.; Sheth, R. K.; Turnshek, D. A.; Zibetti, S.; Feather, S.; Quider, A.

2005-12-01

The detection of more than 14,000 MgII absorption doublets along the sight-lines to SDSS DR4 QSOs (pursued by Turnshek, Nestor, Rao, and collaborators) has produced the largest sample of MgII absorbers to date in the redshift interval 0.37 < z < 2.30. The statistical relation between galaxies and MgII systems is investigated by cross-correlating the spectroscopic MgII catalog with the SDSS imaging catalog of galaxies in the neighborhood of QSO sight-lines. A model for MgII absorbers is derived to account for the measured MgII rest equivalent width distribution and the absorbing galaxy properties (e.g., luminosity, impact parameter, and morphological type). Some preliminary results of our analysis are presented. This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation. L.G.R. acknowledges further support from the Z. Daniel's Predoctoral Fellowship.

Implementing New Non-Chromate Coatings Systems (Briefing Charts)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-09

Initiate Cr6+ authorization process for continued Cr6+ use using the form, Authorization to Use Hexavalent Chromium. YES NO • Approval of...Aluminum and magnesium anodizing • Hard Chrome Plating • Type II conversion coating on aluminum alloys under chromated primer • Type II conversion coating...Elimination of Hexavalent Chromium 80% 5% 14% 1% Type II Type III Type IC Type IC Fatigue Critical 50% 50% Type II Type IC FRC-SE (JAX) Fully Integrated FRC

Tetanic Ca2+ transient differences between slow- and fast-twitch mouse skeletal muscle fibres: a comprehensive experimental approach.

PubMed

Calderón, Juan C; Bolaños, Pura; Caputo, Carlo

2014-12-01

One hundred and eighty six enzymatically dissociated murine muscle fibres were loaded with Mag-Fluo-4 AM, and adhered to laminin, to evaluate the effect of modulating cytosolic Ca(2+) buffers and sarcoendoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase (SERCA), mitochondria, and Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger (NCX) on the differential tetanic Ca(2+) transient kinetics found in different fibre types. Tetanic Ca(2+) transients were classified as morphology type I (MT-I) or type II (MT-II) according to their shape. The first peak of the MT-I (n = 25) and MT-II (n = 23) tetanic Ca(2+) transients had an amplitude (∆F/F) of 0.41 ± 0.03 and 0.83 ± 0.05 and a rise time (ms) of 1.35 and 0.98, respectively. MT-I signals had a time constant of decay (τ1, ms) of 75.9 ± 4.2 while MT-II transients showed a double exponential decay with time constants of decay (τ1 and τ2, ms) of 18.3 ± 1.4 and 742.2 ± 130.3. Sarcoendoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase inhibition demonstrated that the decay phase of the tetanic transients mostly rely on SERCA function. Adding Ca(2+) chelators in the AM form to MT-I fibres changed the morphology of the initial five peaks to a MT-II one, modifying the decay phase of the signal in a dose-dependent manner. Mitochondria and NCX function have a minor role in explaining differences in tetanic Ca(2+) transients among fibre types but still help in removing Ca(2+) from the cytosol in both MT-I and MT-II fibres. Cytoplasmic Ca(2+) buffering capacity and SERCA function explain most of the different kinetics found in tetanic Ca(2+) transients from different fibre types, but mitochondria and NCX have a measurable role in shaping tetanic Ca(2+) responses in both slow and fast-twitch muscle fibre types. We provided experimental evidence on the mechanisms that help understand the kinetics of tetanic Ca(2+) transients themselves and explain kinetic differences found among fibre types.

Whole blood lead levels are associated with biomarkers of joint tissue metabolism in African American and white men and women: the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project.

PubMed

Nelson, Amanda E; Chaudhary, Sanjay; Kraus, Virginia B; Fang, Fang; Chen, Jiu-Chiuan; Schwartz, Todd A; Shi, Xiaoyan A; Renner, Jordan B; Stabler, Thomas V; Helmick, Charles G; Caldwell, Kathleen; Poole, A Robin; Jordan, Joanne M

2011-11-01

To examine associations between biomarkers of joint tissue metabolism and whole blood lead (Pb), separately for men and women in an African American and Caucasian population, which may reflect an underlying pathology. Participants in the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project Metals Exposure Sub-Study (329 men and 342 women) underwent assessment of whole blood Pb and biochemical biomarkers of joint tissue metabolism. Urinary cross-linked N telopeptide of type I collagen (uNTX-I) and C-telopeptide fragments of type II collagen (uCTX-II), serum cleavage neoepitope of type II collagen (C2C), serum type II procollagen synthesis C-propeptide (CPII), and serum hyaluronic acid (HA) were measured using commercially available kits; the ratio of [C2C:CPII] was calculated. Serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) was measured by an in-house assay. Multiple linear regression models were used to examine associations between continuous blood Pb and biomarker outcomes, adjusted for age, race, current smoking status, and body mass index. Results are reported as estimated change in biomarker level for a 5-unit change in Pb level. The median Pb level among men and women was 2.2 and 1.9μg/dL, respectively. Correlations were noted between Pb levels and the biomarkers uNTX-I, uCTX-II, and COMP in women, and between Pb and uCTX-II, COMP, CPII, and the ratio [C2C:CPII] in men. In adjusted models among women, a 5-unit increase in blood Pb level was associated with a 28% increase in uCTX-II and a 45% increase in uNTX-I levels (uCTX-II: 1.28 [95% CI: 1.04-1.58], uNTX-I: 1.45 [95% CI:1.21-1.74]). Among men, levels of Pb and COMP showed a borderline positive association (8% increase in COMP for a 5-unit change in Pb: 1.08 [95% CI: 1.00-1.18]); no other associations were significant after adjustment. Based upon known biomarker origins, the novel associations between blood Pb and biomarkers appear to be primarily reflective of relationships to bone and calcified cartilage turnover among women and cartilage metabolism among men, suggesting a potential gender-specific effect of Pb on joint tissue metabolism that may be relevant to osteoarthritis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Whole blood lead levels are associated with biomarkers of joint tissue metabolism in African American and White men and women: The Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project

PubMed Central

Nelson, Amanda E.; Chaudhary, Sanjay; Kraus, Virginia B.; Fang, Fang; Chen, Jiu-Chiuan; Schwartz, Todd A.; Shi, Xiaoyan A.; Renner, Jordan B.; Stabler, Thomas V.; Helmick, Charles G.; Caldwell, Kathleen; Poole, A. Robin; Jordan, Joanne M.

2011-01-01

Purpose To examine associations between biomarkers of joint tissue metabolism and whole blood lead (Pb), separately for men and women in an African American and Caucasian population, which may reflect an underlying pathology. Methods Participants in the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project Metals Exposure Sub-study (329 men and 342 women) underwent assessment of whole blood Pb and biochemical biomarkers of joint tissue metabolism. Urinary cross-linked N telopeptide of type I collagen (uNTX-I) and C-telopeptide fragments of type II collagen (uCTX-II), and serum cleavage neoepitope of type II collagen (C2C), serum type II procollagen synthesis C-propeptide (CPII), and serum hyaluronic acid (HA) were measured using commercially available kits; the ratio of [C2C:CPII] was calculated. Serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) was measured by an in-house assay. Multiple linear regression models were used to examine associations between continuous blood Pb and biomarker outcomes, adjusted for age, race, current smoking status, and body mass index. Results are reported as estimated change in biomarker level for a 5-unit change in Pb level. Results The median Pb level among men and women was 2.2 and 1.9 µg/dL, respectively. Correlations were noted between Pb levels and the biomarkers uNTX-I, uCTX-II, and COMP in women, and between Pb and uCTX-II, COMP, CPII, and the ratio [C2C:CPII] in men. In adjusted models among women, a 5-unit increase in blood Pb level was associated with a 28% increase in uCTX-II and a 45% increase in uNTX-I levels (uCTX-II: 1.28 [95%CI: 1.04–1.58], uNTX-I: 1.45 [95%CI:1.21–1.74]). Among men, levels of Pb and COMP showed a borderline positive association (8% increase in COMP for a 5-unit change in Pb: 1.08 [95% CI: 1.00–1.18])); no other associations were significant after adjustment. Conclusions Based upon known biomarker origins, the novel associations between blood Pb and biomarkers appear to be primarily reflective of relationships to bone and calcified cartilage turnover among women and cartilage metabolism among men, suggesting a potential gender-specific effect of Pb on joint tissue metabolism that may be relevant to osteoarthritis. PMID:21839992

Neutron Scattering Studies of Vortex Matter in Type-II Superconductors

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

Xinsheng Ling

2012-02-02

The proposed program is an experimental study of the fundamental properties of Abrikosov vortex matter in type-II superconductors. Most superconducting materials used in applications such as MRI are type II and their transport properties are determined by the interplay between random pinning, interaction and thermal fluctuation effects in the vortex state. Given the technological importance of these materials, a fundamental understanding of the vortex matter is necessary. The vortex lines in type-II superconductors also form a useful model system for fundamental studies of a number of important issues in condensed matter physics, such as the presence of a symmetry-breaking phasemore » transition in the presence of random pinning. Recent advances in neutron scattering facilities such as the major upgrade of the NIST cold source and the Spallation Neutron Source are providing unprecedented opportunities in addressing some of the longstanding issues in vortex physics. The core component of the proposed program is to use small angle neutron scattering and Bitter decoration experiments to provide the most stringent test of the Bragg glass theory by measuring the structure factor in both the real and reciprocal spaces. The proposed experiments include a neutron reflectometry experiment to measure the precise Q-dependence of the structure factor of the vortex lattice in the Bragg glass state. A second set of SANS experiments will be on a shear-strained Nb single crystal for testing a recently proposed theory of the stability of Bragg glass. The objective is to artificially create a set of parallel grain boundaries into a Nb single crystal and use SANS to measure the vortex matter diffraction pattern as a function of the changing angle between the applied magnetic field to the grain boundaries. The intrinsic merits of the proposed work are a new fundamental understanding of type-II superconductors on which superconducting technology is based, and a firm understanding of phases and phase transitions in condensed matter systems with random pinning. The broader impact of the program includes the training of future generation of neutron scientists, and further development of neutron scattering and complementary techniques for studies of superconducting materials. The graduate and undergraduate students participating in this project will learn the state-of-the-art neutron scattering techniques, acquire a wide range of materials research experiences, and participate in the frontier research of superconductivity. This should best prepare the students for future careers in academia, industry, or government.« less

Preferential Type II Muscle Fiber Damage From Plyometric Exercise

PubMed Central

Macaluso, Filippo; Isaacs, Ashwin W.; Myburgh, Kathryn H.

2012-01-01

Context Plyometric training has been successfully used in different sporting contexts. Studies that investigated the effect of plyometric training on muscle morphology are limited, and results are controversial with regard to which muscle fiber type is mainly affected. Objective To analyze the skeletal muscle structural and ultrastructural change induced by an acute bout of plyometric exercise to determine which type of muscle fibers is predominantly damaged. Design Descriptive laboratory study. Setting Research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants Eight healthy, untrained individuals (age = 22 ± 1 years, height = 179.2 ± 6.4 cm, weight = 78.9 ± 5.9 kg). Intervention(s) Participants completed an acute bout of plyometric exercise (10 sets of 10 squat-jumps with a 1-minute rest between sets). Main Outcome Measure(s) Blood samples were collected 9 days and immediately before and 6 hours and 1, 2, and 3 days after the acute intervention. Muscle samples were collected 9 days before and 3 days after the exercise intervention. Blood samples were analyzed for creatine kinase activity. Muscle biopsies were analyzed for damage using fluorescent and electron transmission microscopy. Results Creatine kinase activity peaked 1 day after the exercise bout (529.0 ± 317.8 U/L). Immunofluorescence revealed sarcolemmal damage in 155 of 1616 fibers analyzed. Mainly fast-twitch fibers were damaged. Within subgroups, 7.6% of type I fibers, 10.3% of type IIa fibers, and 14.3% of type IIx fibers were damaged as assessed by losses in dystrophin staining. Similar damage was prevalent in IIx and IIa fibers. Electron microscopy revealed clearly distinguishable moderate and severe sarcomere damage, with damage quantifiably predominant in type II muscle fibers of both the glycolytic and oxidative subtypes (86% and 84%, respectively, versus only 27% of slow-twitch fibers). Conclusions We provide direct evidence that a single bout of plyometric exercise affected mainly type II muscle fibers. PMID:22889657

Outcomes from ovarian cancer screening in the PLCO trial: Histologic heterogeneity impacts detection, overdiagnosis and survival.

PubMed

Temkin, Sarah M; Miller, Eric A; Samimi, Goli; Berg, Christine D; Pinsky, Paul; Minasian, Lori

2017-12-01

A mortality benefit from screening for ovarian cancer has never been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the screening outcomes for different histologic subtypes of ovarian cancers. Women in the screening arm of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Screening Trial underwent CA-125 and transvaginal ultrasound annually for 3-5 years. We compared screening test characteristics (including overdiagnosis) and outcomes by tumour type (type II versus other) and study arm (screening versus usual care). Of 78,215 women randomised, 496 women were diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Of the tumours that were characterised (n = 413; 83%), 74% (n = 305) were type II versus 26% other (n = 108). Among screened patients, 70% of tumours were type II compared to 78% in usual care (p = 0.09). Within the screening arm, 29% of type II tumours were screen detected compared to 54% of the others (p < 0.01). The sensitivity of screening was 65% for type II tumours versus 86% for other types (p = 0.02). 15% of type II screen-detected tumours were stage I/II, compared to 81% of other tumours (p < 0.01). The overdiagnosis rate was lower for type II compared to other tumours (28.2% versus 72.2%; p < 0.01). Ovarian cancer-specific survival was worse for type II tumours compared to others (p < 0.01). Survival was similar for type II (p = 0.74) or other types (p = 0.32) regardless of study arm. Test characteristics of screening for ovarian cancer differed for type II tumours compared to other ovarian tumours. Type II tumours were less likely to be screen diagnosed, early stage at diagnosis or overdiagnosed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Kinetic Mechanism for Cytochrome P450 Metabolism of Type II Binding Compounds: Evidence Supporting Direct Reduction

PubMed Central

Pearson, Joshua; Dahal, Upendra P.; Rock, Daniel; Peng, Chi-Chi; Schenk, James O.; Joswig-Jones, Carolyn; Jones, Jeffrey P.

2011-01-01

The metabolic stability of a drug is an important property that should be optimized during drug design and development. Nitrogen incorporation is hypothesized to increase the stability by coordination of nitrogen to the heme iron of cytochrome P450, a binding mode that is referred to as type II binding. However, we noticed that the type II binding compound 1 has less metabolic stability at subsaturating conditions than a closely related type I binding compound 3. Three kinetic models will be presented for type II binder metabolism; 1) Dead-end type II binding, 2) a rapid equilibrium between type I and II binding modes before reduction, and 3) a direct reduction of the type II coordinated heme. Data will be presented on reduction rates of iron, the off rates of substrate (using surface plasmon resonance) and the catalytic rate constants. These data argue against the dead-end, and rapid equilibrium models, leaving the direct reduction kinetic mechanism for metabolism of the type II binding compound 1. PMID:21530484

Maternal insulin-like growth factor-II promotes placental functional development via the type 2 IGF receptor in the guinea pig.

PubMed

Sferruzzi-Perri, A N; Owens, J A; Standen, P; Roberts, C T

2008-04-01

In guinea pigs, maternal insulin-like growth factor (IGF) infusion in early-pregnancy enhances placental transport near-term, increasing fetal growth and survival. The effects of IGF-II, but not IGF-I, appear due to enhanced placental labyrinthine (exchange) development. To determine if the type-2 IGF receptor (IGF2R) mediates these distinct actions of exogenous IGF-II in the mother, we compared the impact of IGF-II with an IGF-II analogue, Leu(27)-IGF-II, which only binds the IGF2R. IGF-II, Leu(27)-IGF-II (1mg/kg per day.sc) or vehicle were infused from days 20-38 of pregnancy (term = 67 days) and placental structure and uptake and transfer of [(3)H]-methyl-D-glucose (MG) and [(14)C]-amino-isobutyric acid (AIB) and fetal growth and plasma metabolites, were measured on day 62. Both IGF-II and Leu(27)-IGF-II increased the volume of placental labyrinth, trophoblast and maternal blood space within the labyrinth and total surface area of trophoblast for exchange, compared to vehicle. Leu(27)-IGF-II also reduced the barrier to diffusion (trophoblast thickness) compared to vehicle and IGF-II. Both IGF-II and Leu(27)-IGF-II increased fetal plasma amino acid concentrations and placental transfer of MG to the fetus compared to vehicle, with Leu(27)-IGF-II also increasing AIB transport compared with vehicle and IGF-II. In addition, Leu(27)-IGF-II increased fetal weight compared to vehicle. In conclusion, maternal treatment with IGF-II or Leu(27)-IGF-II in early gestation, induce similar placental and fetal outcomes near term. This suggests that maternal IGF-II in early gestation acts in part via the IGF2R to persistently enhance placental functional development and nutrient delivery and promote fetal growth.

Effects of thermal aging on the microstructure of Type-II boundaries in dissimilar metal weld joints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoo, Seung Chang; Choi, Kyoung Joon; Bahn, Chi Bum; Kim, Si Hoon; Kim, Ju Young; Kim, Ji Hyun

2015-04-01

In order to investigate the effects of long-term thermal aging on the microstructural evolution of Type-II boundary regions in the weld metal of Alloy 152, a representative dissimilar metal weld was fabricated from Alloy 690, Alloy 152, and A533 Gr.B. This mock-up was thermally aged at 450 °C to accelerate the effects of thermal aging in a nuclear power plant operation condition (320 °C). The microstructure of the Type-II boundary region of the weld root, which is parallel to and within 100 μm of the fusion boundary and known to be more susceptible to material degradation, was then characterized after different aging times using a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope for micro-compositional analysis, electron backscattered diffraction detector for grain and grain boundary orientation analysis, and a nanoindenter for measurement of mechanical properties. Through this, it was found that a steep compositional gradient and high grain average misorientation is created in the narrow zone between the Type-II and fusion boundaries, while the concentration of chromium and number of low-angle grain boundaries increases with aging time. A high average hardness was also observed in the same region of the dissimilar metal welds, with hardness peaking with thermal aging simulating an operational time of 15 years.

Synthesis, characterization and molecular modeling of some transition metal complexes of Schiff base derived from 5-aminouracil and 2-benzoyl pyridine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdel-Monem, Yasser K.; Abouel-Enein, Saeyda A.; El-Seady, Safa M.

2018-01-01

Multidentate Schiff base (H2L) ligand results from condensation of 5-aminouracil and 2-benzoyl pyridine and its metal chloride (Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Pd(II), Fe(III), Cr(III), Ru(III), Zr(IV) and Hf(IV)) complexes were prepared. The structural features of the ligand and its metal complexes were confirmed by elemental analyses, spectroscopic methods (IR, UV-Vis, 1H NMR, mass), magnetic moment measurements and thermal studies. The data refer to the ligand coordinates with metal ions in a neutral form and shows different modes of chelation toward the metal atom. All complexes have octahedral skeleton structure, tetrahedrally Mn(II), Ni(II), trigonalbipyramidal Co(II) and square planner Pd(II). Thermal decomposition of complexes as well as the interaction of different types of solvent of crystallization are assigned by thermogravimetric analysis. Molecular modeling of prepared complexes were investigated to study the expected anticancer activities of the prepared complexes. All metal complexes have no interaction except the complexes of Pd(II), Fe(III) and Mn(II).

Personality Types and Affinity for Computers

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-01

differences on personality dimensions between the respondents, and to explore the relationship between these differences and computer affinity. The results...between the respondents, and to explore the relationship between these differences and computer affinity. The results revealed no significant differences...type to this measure of computer affinity. 2 II. LITERATURZ REVIEW The interest of this study was the relationship between a person’s psychological

Assessment: transcranial Doppler ultrasonography: report of the Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology.

PubMed

Sloan, M A; Alexandrov, A V; Tegeler, C H; Spencer, M P; Caplan, L R; Feldmann, E; Wechsler, L R; Newell, D W; Gomez, C R; Babikian, V L; Lefkowitz, D; Goldman, R S; Armon, C; Hsu, C Y; Goodin, D S

2004-05-11

To review the use of transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD) and transcranial color-coded sonography (TCCS) for diagnosis. The authors searched the literature for evidence of 1) if TCD provides useful information in specific clinical settings; 2) if using this information improves clinical decision making, as reflected by improved patient outcomes; and 3) if TCD is preferable to other diagnostic tests in these clinical situations. TCD is of established value in the screening of children aged 2 to 16 years with sickle cell disease for stroke risk (Type A, Class I) and the detection and monitoring of angiographic vasospasm after spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (Type A, Class I to II). TCD and TCCS provide important information and may have value for detection of intracranial steno-occlusive disease (Type B, Class II to III), vasomotor reactivity testing (Type B, Class II to III), detection of cerebral circulatory arrest/brain death (Type A, Class II), monitoring carotid endarterectomy (Type B, Class II to III), monitoring cerebral thrombolysis (Type B, Class II to III), and monitoring coronary artery bypass graft operations (Type B to C, Class II to III). Contrast-enhanced TCD/TCCS can also provide useful information in right-to-left cardiac/extracardiac shunts (Type A, Class II), intracranial occlusive disease (Type B, Class II to IV), and hemorrhagic cerebrovascular disease (Type B, Class II to IV), although other techniques may be preferable in these settings.

Evidence of changes in alpha-1/AT1 receptor function generated by diet-induced obesity.

PubMed

Juarez, Esther; Tufiño, Cecilia; Querejeta, Enrique; Bracho-Valdes, Ismael; Bobadilla-Lugo, Rosa A

2017-11-01

To study whether hypercaloric diet-induced obesity deteriorates vascular contractility of rat aorta through functional changes in α 1 adrenergic and/or AT1 Angiotensin II receptors. Angiotensin II- or phenylephrine-induced contraction was tested on isolated aorta rings with and without endothelium from female Wistar rats fed for 7 weeks with hypercaloric diet or standard diet. Vascular expression of Angiotensin II Receptor type 1 (AT1R), Angiotensin II Receptor type 2 (AT2R), Cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase (iNOS) and endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase (eNOS), as well as blood pressure, glucose, insulin and angiotensin II blood levels were measured. Diet-induced obesity did not significantly change agonist-induced contractions (Emax and pD 2 hypercaloric diet vs standard diet n.s.d.) of both intact (e+) or endothelium free (e-) vessels but significantly decrease both phenylephrine and angiotensin II contraction (Emax p < 0.01 hypercaloric diet vs standard diet) in the presence of both prazosin and losartan but only in endothelium-intact vessels. Diet-induced obesity did not change angiotensin II AT1, AT2 receptor proteins expression but reduced COX-1 and NOS2 ( p < 0.05 vs standard diet). Seven-week hypercaloric diet-induced obesity produces alterations in vascular adrenergic and angiotensin II receptor dynamics that suggest an endothelium-dependent adrenergic/angiotensin II crosstalk. These changes reflect early-stage vascular responses to obesity.

Analysis of Antarctic Denitrification in 2003 Winter Observed by ILAS-II Onboard the ADEOS-II Satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakajima, H.; Saeki, K.; Sugita, T.

2005-12-01

Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSC) play an important role in ozone destruction in both Arctic and Antarctic stratosphere in winter. They take up gas-phase nitric acid (HNO3) and grow up when temperature is below nitric acid saturation temperature (TNAT). When PSC becomes large, it starts to descend and nitric acid is removed from the air mass, resulting in denitrification. The Improved Limb Atmospheric Spectrometer-II (ILAS-II) onboard the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite-II (ADEOS-II) successfully made measurements for the whole Antarctic winter in 2003. ILAS-II measured vertical profiles of O3, HNO3, NO2, H2O, N2O, CH4, ClONO2, N2O5, etc. in addition to the aerosol extinction coefficients at 780 nm. In this study, we analyzed denitrification from ILAS-II HNO3 and N2O data in regard to temperature history on the trajectory. The quantity of denitrification was estimated from the difference between measured HNO3 and HNO3* assumed from HNO3-- N2O correlation. In this analysis, it was found that denitrification was observed only for those airmass that experienced temperature below TICE (ice saturation temperature) in late June, 2003. In late July, it was found that most airmass inside the polar vortex was denitrified regardless of temperature history. This suggests that permanent denitrification has occurred in June-July period. The transition of relationship between denitrification and airmass temperature history was discovered from the ILAS-II data. Also, major types of PSC have found to be changed from nitric acid trihydrate (NAT) in June to ice in July, from the ILAS-II data. This is considered to be due to the lack of nitric acid in the airmass due to the denitrification in July.

SARS-CoV replicates in primary human alveolar type II cell cultures but not in type I-like cells

PubMed Central

Mossel, Eric C.; Wang, Jieru; Jeffers, Scott; Edeen, Karen E.; Wang, Shuanglin; Cosgrove, Gregory P.; Funk, C. Joel; Manzer, Rizwan; Miura, Tanya A.; Pearson, Leonard D.; Holmes, Kathryn V.; Mason, Robert J.

2008-01-01

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a disease characterized by diffuse alveolar damage. We isolated alveolar type II cells and maintained them in a highly differentiated state. Type II cell cultures supported SARS-CoV replication as evidenced by RT-PCR detection of viral subgenomic RNA and an increase in virus titer. Virus titers were maximal by 24 hours and peaked at approximately 105 pfu/mL. Two cell types within the cultures were infected. One cell type was type II cells, which were positive for SP-A, SP-C, cytokeratin, a type II cell-specific monoclonal antibody, and Ep-CAM. The other cell type was composed of spindle-shaped cells that were positive for vimentin and collagen III and likely fibroblasts. Viral replication was not detected in type I-like cells or macrophages. Hence, differentiated adult human alveolar type II cells were infectible but alveolar type I-like cells and alveolar macrophages did not support productive infection. PMID:18022664

Scalar dark matter, type II seesaw and the DAMPE cosmic ray e+ + e- excess

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Tong; Okada, Nobuchika; Shafi, Qaisar

2018-04-01

The DArk Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) has reported a measurement of the flux of high energy cosmic ray electrons plus positrons (CREs) in the energy range between 25GeV and 4.6TeV. With unprecedented high energy resolution, the DAMPE data exhibit an excess of the CREs flux at an energy of around 1.4TeV. In this letter, we discuss how the observed excess can be understood in a minimal framework where the Standard Model (SM) is supplemented by a stable SM singlet scalar as dark matter (DM) and type II seesaw for generating the neutrino mass matrix. In our framework, a pair of DM particles annihilates into a pair of the SM SU(2) triplet scalars (Δs) in type II seesaw, and the subsequent Δ decays create the primary source of the excessive CREs around 1.4TeV. The lepton flavor structure of the primary source of CREs has a direct relation with the neutrino oscillation data. We find that the DM interpretation of the DAMPE excess determines the pattern of neutrino mass spectrum to be the inverted hierarchy type, taking into account the constraints from the Fermi-LAT observations of dwarf spheroidal galaxies.

Muscle glycogen reduction in man: relationship between surface EMG activity and oxygen uptake kinetics during heavy exercise.

PubMed

Osborne, Mark A; Schneider, Donald A

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether muscle glycogen reduction prior to exercise would alter muscle fibre recruitment pattern and change either on-transient O2 uptake (VO2) kinetics or the VO2 slow component. Eight recreational cyclists (VO2peak, 55.6 +/- 1.3 ml kg (-1) min(-1)) were studied during 8 min of heavy constant-load cycling performed under control conditions (CON) and under conditions of reduced type I muscle glycogen content (GR). VO2 was measured breath-by-breath for the determination of VO2 kinetics using a double-exponential model with independent time delays. VO2 was higher in the GR trial compared to the CON trial as a result of augmented phase I and II amplitudes, with no difference between trials in the phase II time constant or the magnitude of the slow component. The mean power frequency (MPF) of electromyography activity for the vastus medialis increased over time during both trials, with a greater rate of increase observed in the GR trial compared to the CON trial. The results suggest that the recruitment of additional type II motor units contributed to the slow component in both trials. An increase in fat metabolism and augmented type II motor unit recruitment contributed to the higher VO2 in the GR trial. However, the greater rate of increase in the recruitment of type II motor units in the GR trial may not have been of sufficient magnitude to further elevate the slow component when VO2 was already high and approaching VO2peak .

Scavenger receptor class A type I/II determines matrix metalloproteinase-mediated cartilage destruction and chondrocyte death in antigen-induced arthritis.

PubMed

van Lent, P L E M; Hofkens, W; Blom, A B; Grevers, L; Sloetjes, A; Takahashi, N; van Tits, L J; Vogl, T; Roth, J; de Winther, M P; van den Berg, W B

2009-10-01

Scavenger receptor class A type I (SR-AI) and SR-AII are expressed by macrophages in particular and bind and internalize a broad range of molecules (including endotoxins, apoptotic bodies, and oxidized low-density lipoprotein). This study was undertaken to investigate the role of SR-AI/II in mediating severe cartilage destruction in antigen-induced arthritis (AIA). AIA was induced in the knee joints of SR-AI/II(-/-) mice and wild-type (WT) controls. Joint inflammation and cartilage destruction (chondrocyte death) were measured by examining the histology of total knee joints. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-mediated neoepitopes were measured by immunolocalization using anti-VDIPEN antibodies and chondrocyte activation with anti-S100A8 antibodies. Messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were determined in inflamed synovium using microarray analysis and quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. In synovial washouts, cytokines (interleukin-1beta [IL-1beta], IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor alpha) and S100A8/S100A9 were measured using Luminex and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Levels of SR-AI/II mRNA were strongly elevated in inflamed synovium in AIA. On days 2, 8, and 14 after AIA induction, joint inflammation (exudates/infiltrate) was similar between the 2 groups. In WT mice, severe cartilage destruction was found in multiple cartilage surfaces of the inflamed knee joint on day 14 after AIA induction. MMP-mediated matrix destruction ranged between 40% and 60%, and chondrocyte death was prominent in 40-75% of the cartilage surfaces. In striking contrast, in SR-AI/II(-/-) mice, despite comparable joint inflammation, pronounced cartilage destruction was almost completely absent. Levels of IL-1beta and S100A8/S100A9 were significantly lower on days 7 and 14 after AIA induction, but levels of mRNA for various MMPs (MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9, and MMP-13) were comparable. Our findings indicate that SR-AI and SR-AII are crucial receptors involved in mediating severe cartilage destruction in AIA.

Hypoglycemic effects of Acacia nilotica in type II diabetes: a research proposal.

PubMed

Roozbeh, Nasibeh; Darvish, Leili; Abdi, Fatemeh

2017-07-26

Diabetes mellitus is a common metabolic disorder throughout the world which can negatively affect the function of various body organs. Due to their availability and few side effects, herbal medicines have been proposed as suitable alternatives in the management of diabetes. Previous studies have confirmed the anti diabetic properties of Acacia nilotica. The hypoglycemic effects of this plant have been attributed to its role in stimulating the islets of Langerhans to produce more insulin. The present paper describes a systematic review protocol for the assessment of the hypoglycemic effects of A. nilotica. Randomized and non-randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials, performed during 1999-2016 will be included. The outcomes will be measured through FBS, GCT, GTT, and OGTT in all of studies and in addition to these tests, will be measured 2HPP and HbA1c level in human study. Well-known databases will be searched for selected key terms A. nilotica, type II diabetes and hypoglycemia. The quality assessment of the selected papers will be evaluated based on SYRCLE and Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. We believe that our findings will provide details about difficulties researchers face during the design of protocols or implementation of scientific studies. Ultimately, the publication of our findings will facilitate the development of effective treatment strategies to promote the health of people with type II DM. PROSPERO registration CRD42016053141.

Simultaneous Control of Error Rates in fMRI Data Analysis

PubMed Central

Kang, Hakmook; Blume, Jeffrey; Ombao, Hernando; Badre, David

2015-01-01

The key idea of statistical hypothesis testing is to fix, and thereby control, the Type I error (false positive) rate across samples of any size. Multiple comparisons inflate the global (family-wise) Type I error rate and the traditional solution to maintaining control of the error rate is to increase the local (comparison-wise) Type II error (false negative) rates. However, in the analysis of human brain imaging data, the number of comparisons is so large that this solution breaks down: the local Type II error rate ends up being so large that scientifically meaningful analysis is precluded. Here we propose a novel solution to this problem: allow the Type I error rate to converge to zero along with the Type II error rate. It works because when the Type I error rate per comparison is very small, the accumulation (or global) Type I error rate is also small. This solution is achieved by employing the Likelihood paradigm, which uses likelihood ratios to measure the strength of evidence on a voxel-by-voxel basis. In this paper, we provide theoretical and empirical justification for a likelihood approach to the analysis of human brain imaging data. In addition, we present extensive simulations that show the likelihood approach is viable, leading to ‘cleaner’ looking brain maps and operationally superiority (lower average error rate). Finally, we include a case study on cognitive control related activation in the prefrontal cortex of the human brain. PMID:26272730

Exogenous and endogenous angiotensin-II decrease renal cortical oxygen tension in conscious rats by limiting renal blood flow.

PubMed

Emans, Tonja W; Janssen, Ben J; Pinkham, Maximilian I; Ow, Connie P C; Evans, Roger G; Joles, Jaap A; Malpas, Simon C; Krediet, C T Paul; Koeners, Maarten P

2016-11-01

Our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the role of hypoxia in the initiation and progression of renal disease remains rudimentary. We have developed a method that allows wireless measurement of renal tissue oxygen tension in unrestrained rats. This method provides stable and continuous measurements of cortical tissue oxygen tension (PO2) for more than 2 weeks and can reproducibly detect acute changes in cortical oxygenation. Exogenous angiotensin-II reduced renal cortical tissue PO2 more than equi-pressor doses of phenylephrine, probably because it reduced renal oxygen delivery more than did phenylephrine. Activation of the endogenous renin-angiotensin system in transgenic Cyp1a1Ren2 rats reduced cortical tissue PO2; in this model renal hypoxia precedes the development of structural pathology and can be reversed acutely by an angiotensin-II receptor type 1 antagonist. Angiotensin-II promotes renal hypoxia, which may in turn contribute to its pathological effects during development of chronic kidney disease. We hypothesised that both exogenous and endogenous angiotensin-II (AngII) can decrease the partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) in the renal cortex of unrestrained rats, which might in turn contribute to the progression of chronic kidney disease. Rats were instrumented with telemeters equipped with a carbon paste electrode for continuous measurement of renal cortical tissue PO2. The method reproducibly detected acute changes in cortical oxygenation induced by systemic hyperoxia and hypoxia. In conscious rats, renal cortical PO2 was dose-dependently reduced by intravenous AngII. Reductions in PO2 were significantly greater than those induced by equi-pressor doses of phenylephrine. In anaesthetised rats, renal oxygen consumption was not affected, and filtration fraction was increased only in the AngII infused animals. Oxygen delivery decreased by 50% after infusion of AngII and renal blood flow (RBF) fell by 3.3 ml min -1 . Equi-pressor infusion of phenylephrine did not significantly reduce RBF or renal oxygen delivery. Activation of the endogenous renin-angiotensin system in Cyp1a1Ren2 transgenic rats reduced cortical tissue PO2. This could be reversed within minutes by pharmacological angiotensin-II receptor type 1 (AT 1 R) blockade. Thus AngII is an important modulator of renal cortical oxygenation via AT 1 receptors. AngII had a greater influence on cortical oxygenation than did phenylephrine. This phenomenon appears to be attributable to the profound impact of AngII on renal oxygen delivery. We conclude that the ability of AngII to promote renal cortical hypoxia may contribute to its influence on initiation and progression of chronic kidney disease. © 2016 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Physiological Society.

Short-term efficacy of sacroiliac joint corticosteroid injection based on arthrographic contrast patterns.

PubMed

Scholten, Paul M; Patel, Shounuck I; Christos, Paul J; Singh, Jaspal R

2015-04-01

To determine the relationship between sacroiliac joint (SIJ) contrast dispersal patterns during SIJ corticosteroid injection and pain relief at 2 and 8 weeks after the procedure. The association between the number of positive provocative SIJ physical examination maneuvers (minimum of one in all patients undergoing SIJ injection) and the patient's response to the intervention was also assessed. Retrospective chart review. Academic outpatient musculoskeletal practice. Fifty-four subjects who underwent therapeutic SIJ corticosteroid injection were screened for inclusion; 49 subjects were included in the final analysis. A retrospective review of electronic medical records identified patients who underwent SIJ corticosteroid injection. Fluoroscopic contrast flow patterns were categorized as type I (intra-articular injection with cephalad extension within the SIJ) or type II (intra-articular injection with poor cephalad extension). Self-reported numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) values at the time of injection and 2 and 8 weeks after the procedure were recorded. The number of positive provocative SIJ physical examination maneuvers at the time of the initial evaluation was also recorded. The primary outcome measure was the effect of contrast patterns (type I or type II) on change in NPRS values at 2 weeks and 8 weeks after the injection. The secondary outcome measure was the association between the number of positive provocative SIJ physical examination maneuvers and decrease in the level of pain after the procedure. At 2 weeks after the procedure, type I subjects demonstrated a significantly lower mean NPRS value compared with type II subjects (2.8 ± 1.4 versus 3.8 ± 1.6, respectively, P = .02). No statistically significant difference was observed at 8 weeks after the procedure. NPRS values were significantly reduced both at 2 weeks and 8 weeks, compared with baseline, in both subjects identified as having type I flow and those with type II flow (P < .0001 for all within-group comparisons). Fluoroscopically guided corticosteroid injections into the SIJ joint are effective in decreasing NPRS values in patients with SIJ-mediated pain. Delivery of corticosteroid to the superior portion of the SIJ leads to a greater reduction in pain at 2 weeks, but not at 8 weeks. Patients with at least one positive provocative maneuver should benefit from an intra-articular corticosteroid injection. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Satellite stratospheric aerosol measurement validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, P. B.; Mccormick, M. P.

1984-01-01

The validity of the stratospheric aerosol measurements made by the satellite sensors SAM II and SAGE was tested by comparing their results with each other and with results obtained by other techniques (lider, dustsonde, filter, and impactor). The latter type of comparison required the development of special techniques that convert the quantity measured by the correlative sensor (e.g. particle backscatter, number, or mass) to that measured by the satellite sensor (extinction) and quantitatively estimate the uncertainty in the conversion process. The results of both types of comparisons show agreement within the measurement and conversion uncertainties. Moreover, the satellite uncertainty is small compared to aerosol natural variability (caused by seasonal changes, volcanoes, sudden warmings, and vortex structure). It was concluded that the satellite measurements are valid.

Alveolar type II cell-fibroblast interactions, synthesis and secretion of surfactant and type I collagen.

PubMed

Griffin, M; Bhandari, R; Hamilton, G; Chan, Y C; Powell, J T

1993-06-01

During alveolar development and alveolar repair close contacts are established between fibroblasts and lung epithelial cells through gaps in the basement membrane. Using co-culture systems we have investigated whether these close contacts influence synthesis and secretion of the principal surfactant apoprotein (SP-A) by cultured rat lung alveolar type II cells and the synthesis and secretion of type I collagen by fibroblasts. The alveolar type II cells remained cuboidal and grew in colonies on fibroblast feeder layers and on Matrigel-coated cell culture inserts but were progressively more flattened on fixed fibroblast monolayers and plastic. Alveolar type II cells cultured on plastic released almost all their SP-A into the medium by 4 days. Alveolar type II cells cultured on viable fibroblasts or Matrigel-coated inserts above fibroblasts accumulated SP-A in the medium at a constant rate for the first 4 days, and probably recycle SP-A by endocytosis. The amount of mRNA for SP-A was very low after 4 days of culture of alveolar type II cells on plastic, Matrigel-coated inserts or fixed fibroblast monolayers: relatively, the amount of mRNA for SP-A was increased 4-fold after culture of alveolar type II cells on viable fibroblasts. Co-culture of alveolar type II cells with confluent human dermal fibroblasts stimulated by 2- to 3-fold the secretion of collagen type I into the culture medium, even after the fibroblasts' growth had been arrested with mitomycin C. Collagen secretion, by fibroblasts, also was stimulated 2-fold by conditioned medium from alveolar type II cells cultured on Matrigel. The amount of mRNA for type I collagen increased only modestly when fibroblasts were cultured in this conditioned medium. This stimulation of type I collagen secretion diminished as the conditioned medium was diluted out, but at high dilutions further stimulation occurred, indicating that a factor that inhibited collagen secretion also was being diluted out. The conditioned medium contained low levels of IGF-1 and the stimulation of type I collagen secretion was abolished when the conditioned medium was pre-incubated with antibodies to insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). There are important reciprocal interactions between alveolar type II cells and fibroblasts in co-culture. Direct contacts between alveolar type II cells and fibroblasts appear to have a trophic effect on cultured alveolar type II cells, increasing the levels of mRNA for SP-A. Rat lung alveolar type II cells appear to release a factor (possibly IGF-1) that stimulates type I collagen secretion by fibroblasts.

United States History. Annotated Bibliography of Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ. Test Collection.

The 33 tests in this bibliography cover United States History from the period of exploration of the continent through the Civil War to Post World War II. One test measures knowledge of African American history. Types of measures include credit by examination, item banks, and end-of-course tests. All ages are represented but the majority of tests…

Comparison the effects of two types of therapeutic exercises Frenkele vs. Swiss ball on the clinical balance measures in patients with type II diabetic neuropathy.

PubMed

Rojhani-Shirazi, Zahra; Barzintaj, Fatemeh; Salimifard, Mohamad Reza

2017-11-01

The number of diabetic patients is increasing in the world. Peripheral neuropathy is the most important problem of diabetes. Neuropathy eventually leads to balance impairment which is the main cause of falling down in these patients However, not sufficient evidences available to compare different protocols for improving balance in diabetic patients. This study aimed to compare the effects of two therapeutic exercises on clinical balance measures in patients with type II diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The study was performed on 60 patients with diabetes categorized randomly into three groups: an intervention group (N=20) that received ball training exercise, another intervention group (N=20) that received Frenkel exercise and a control group (N=20) that received no interventions. Exercise training session was performed for 3 weeks. Then, clinical balance measures were computed in the three groups. Paired t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to analyze the collected data. Both types of therapeutic exercise programs significantly improved balance in single leg stance, star excursion test, and Berg balance scale test (P˂0.05) compared to the control group. Besides, this was more significant in the ball training group (P˂0.05). To improve balance in diabetic neuropathy, Swiss ball exercise is preferred compared to Frenkel training. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Analysis of muscle fiber conduction velocity during finger flexion and extension after stroke.

PubMed

Conrad, Megan O; Qiu, Dan; Hoffmann, Gilles; Zhou, Ping; Kamper, Derek G

2017-05-01

Stroke survivors experience greater strength deficits during finger extension than finger flexion. Prior research indicates relatively little observed weakness is directly attributable to muscle atrophy. Changes in other muscle properties, however, may contribute to strength deficits. This study measured muscle fiber conduction velocity (MFCV) in a finger flexor and extensor muscle to infer changes in muscle fiber-type after stroke. Conduction velocity was measured using a linear EMG surface electrode array for both extensor digitorum communis and flexor digitorum superficialis in 12 stroke survivors with chronic hand hemiparesis and five control subjects. Measurements were made in both hands for all subjects. Stroke survivors had either severe (n = 5) or moderate (n = 7) hand impairment. Absolute MFCV was significantly lower in the paretic hand of severely impaired stroke patients compared to moderately impaired patients and healthy control subjects. The relative MFCV between the two hands, however, was quite similar for flexor muscles across all subjects and for extensor muscles for the neurologically intact control subjects. However, MFCV for finger extensors was smaller in the paretic as compared to the nonparetic hand for both groups of stroke survivors. One explanation for reduced MFCV may be a type-II to type-I muscle fiber, especially in extrinsic extensors. Clinically, therapists may use this information to develop therapeutic exercises targeting loss of type-II fiber in extensor muscles.

New 14-membered octaazamacrocyclic complexes of divalent transition metal ions with their antimicrobial and spectral studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, D. P.; Kumar, Krishan; Sharma, Chetan

2010-01-01

A novel series of macrocyclic complexes of the type [M(C 18H 14N 10S 2)X 2]; where M = Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II); X = Cl -, NO 3-, CH 3COO - has been synthesized by [2+2] condensation of thiocarbohydrazide and isatin in the presence of divalent metal salts in methanolic medium. The complexes have been characterized with the help of elemental analyses, conductance measurements, magnetic measurements, electronic, NMR and infrared spectral studies. The low value of molar conductance indicates them to be non-electrolytes. On the basis of various studies a distorted octahedral geometry may be proposed for all of these complexes. These metal complexes were also tested for their in vitro antimicrobial activities against some Gram-positive bacteria viz. Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and some Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and some fungal strains Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus (molds), Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeasts). The results obtained were compared with standard antibiotic: Ciprofloxacin and the standard antifungal drug: Amphotericin-B.

Intraoperative Sac Pressure Measurement During Endovascular Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair

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

Ishibashi, Hiroyuki, E-mail: ishibash@aichi-med-u.ac.j; Ishiguchi, Tsuneo; Ohta, Takashi

2010-10-15

PurposeIntraoperative sac pressure was measured during endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) to evaluate the clinical significance of sac pressure measurement.MethodsA microcatheter was placed in an aneurysm sac from the contralateral femoral artery, and sac pressure was measured during EVAR procedures in 47 patients. Aortic blood pressure was measured as a control by a catheter from the left brachial artery.ResultsThe systolic sac pressure index (SPI) was 0.87 {+-} 0.10 after main-body deployment, 0.63 {+-} 0.12 after leg deployment (P < 0.01), and 0.56 {+-} 0.12 after completion of the procedure (P < 0.01). Pulse pressure was 55 {+-} 21 mmHg,more » 23 {+-} 15 mmHg (P < 0.01), and 16 {+-} 12 mmHg (P < 0.01), respectively. SPI showed no significant differences between the Zenith and Excluder stent grafts (0.56 {+-} 0.13 vs. 0.54 {+-} 0.10, NS). Type I endoleak was found in seven patients (15%), and the SPI decreased from 0.62 {+-} 0.10 to 0.55 {+-} 0.10 (P = 0.10) after fixing procedures. Type II endoleak was found in 12 patients (26%) by completion angiography. The SPI showed no difference between type II endoleak positive and negative (0.58 {+-} 0.12 vs. 0.55 {+-} 0.12, NS). There were no significant differences between the final SPI of abdominal aortic aneurysms in which the diameter decreased in the follow-up and that of abdominal aortic aneurysms in which the diameter did not change (0.53 {+-} 0.12 vs. 0.57 {+-} 0.12, NS).ConclusionsSac pressure measurement was useful for instant hemodynamic evaluation of the EVAR procedure, especially in type I endoleaks. However, on the basis of this small study, the SPI cannot be used to reliably predict sac growth or regression.« less

National Traffic Speeds Survey II : 2009

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-07-01

A field survey was conducted during spring and summer 2009 as a longitudinal repetition to a similar effort undertaken : in 2007. The goal was to measure travel speeds and prepare nationally representative speed estimates for all types of : motor veh...

A representative survey of the dynamics and energetics of FR II radio galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ineson, J.; Croston, J. H.; Hardcastle, M. J.; Mingo, B.

2017-05-01

We report the first large, systematic study of the dynamics and energetics of a representative sample of Fanaroff-Riley type II (FR II) radio galaxies with well-characterized group/cluster environments. We used X-ray inverse-Compton and radio synchrotron measurements to determine the internal radio-lobe conditions, and these were compared with external pressures acting on the lobes, determined from measurements of the thermal X-ray emission of the group/cluster. Consistent with previous work, we found that FR II radio lobes are typically electron dominated by a small factor relative to equipartition, and are overpressured relative to the external medium in their outer parts. These results suggest that there is typically no energetically significant proton population in the lobes of FR II radio galaxies (unlike for FR Is), and so for this population, inverse-Compton modelling provides an accurate way of measuring total energy content and estimating jet power. We estimated the distribution of Mach numbers for the population of expanding radio lobes, finding that at least half of the radio galaxies are currently driving strong shocks into their group/cluster environments. Finally, we determined a jet power-radio luminosity relation for FR II radio galaxies based on our estimates of lobe internal energy and Mach number. The slope and normalization of this relation are consistent with theoretical expectations, given the departure from equipartition and environmental distribution for our sample.

Magnesium inhibition of ryanodine-receptor calcium channels: evidence for two independent mechanisms.

PubMed

Laver, D R; Baynes, T M; Dulhunty, A F

1997-04-01

The gating of ryanodine receptor calcium release channels (RyRs) depends on myoplasmic Ca2+ and Mg2+ concentrations. RyRs from skeletal and cardiac muscle are activated by microm Ca2+ and inhibited by mm Ca2+ and Mg2+. 45Ca2+ release from skeletal SR vesicles suggests two mechanisms for Mg2+-inhibition (Meissner, Darling & Eveleth, 1986, Biochemistry 25:236-244). The present study investigates the nature of these mechanisms using measurements of single-channel activity from cardiac- and skeletal RyRs incorporated into planar lipid bilayers. Our measurements of Mg2+- and Ca2+-dependent gating kinetics confirm that there are two mechanisms for Mg2+ inhibition (Type I and II inhibition) in skeletal and cardiac RyRs. The mechanisms operate concurrently, are independent and are associated with different parts of the channel protein. Mg2+ reduces Po by competing with Ca2+ for the activation site (Type-I) or binding to more than one, and probably two low affinity inhibition sites which do not discriminate between Ca2+ and Mg2+ (Type-II). The relative contributions of the two inhibition mechanisms to the total Mg2+ effect depend on cytoplasmic [Ca2+] in such a way that Mg2+ inhibition has the properties of Types-I and II inhibition at low and high [Ca2+] respectively. Both mechanisms are equally important when [Ca2+] = 10 microm in cardiac RyRs or 1 microm in skeletal RyRs. We show that Type-I inhibition is not the sole mechanism responsible for Mg2+ inhibition, as is often assumed, and we discuss the physiological implications of this finding.

Definition of an Acceptable Glass composition Region (AGCR) via an Index System and a Partitioning Function

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

Peeler, D. K.; Taylor, A. S.; Edwards, T.B.

2005-06-26

The objective of this investigation was to appeal to the available ComPro{trademark} database of glass compositions and measured PCTs that have been generated in the study of High Level Waste (HLW)/Low Activity Waste (LAW) glasses to define an Acceptable Glass Composition Region (AGCR). The term AGCR refers to a glass composition region in which the durability response (as defined by the Product Consistency Test (PCT)) is less than some pre-defined, acceptable value that satisfies the Waste Acceptance Product Specifications (WAPS)--a value of 10 g/L was selected for this study. To assess the effectiveness of a specific classification or index systemmore » to differentiate between acceptable and unacceptable glasses, two types of errors (Type I and Type II errors) were monitored. A Type I error reflects that a glass with an acceptable durability response (i.e., a measured NL [B] < 10 g/L) is classified as unacceptable by the system of composition-based constraints. A Type II error occurs when a glass with an unacceptable durability response is classified as acceptable by the system of constraints. Over the course of the efforts to meet this objective, two approaches were assessed. The first (referred to as the ''Index System'') was based on the use of an evolving system of compositional constraints which were used to explore the possibility of defining an AGCR. This approach was primarily based on ''glass science'' insight to establish the compositional constraints. Assessments of the Brewer and Taylor Index Systems did not result in the definition of an AGCR. Although the Taylor Index System minimized Type I errors which allowed access to composition regions of interest to improve melt rate or increase waste loadings for DWPF as compared to the current durability model, Type II errors were also committed. In the context of the application of a particular classification system in the process control system, Type II errors are much more serious than Type I errors. A Type I error only reflects that the particular constraint system being used is overly conservative (i.e., its application restricts access to glasses that have an acceptable measured durability response). A Type II error results in a more serious misclassification that could result in allowing the transfer of a Slurry Mix Evaporator (SME) batch to the melter, which is predicted to produce a durable product based on the specific system applied but in reality does not meet the defined ''acceptability'' criteria. More specifically, a nondurable product could be produced in DWPF. Given the presence of Type II errors, the Index System approach was deemed inadequate for further implementation consideration at the DWPF. The second approach (the JMP partitioning process) was purely data driven and empirically derived--glass science was not a factor. In this approach, the collection of composition--durability data in ComPro was sequentially partitioned or split based on the best available specific criteria and variables. More specifically, the JMP software chose the oxide (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} for this dataset) that most effectively partitions the PCT responses (NL [B]'s)--perhaps not 100% effective based on a single oxide. Based on this initial split, a second request was made to split a particular set of the ''Y'' values (good or bad PCTs based on the 10 g/L limit) based on the next most critical ''X'' variable. This ''splitting'' or ''partitioning'' process was repeated until an AGCR was defined based on the use of only 3 oxides (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, CaO, and MgO) and critical values of > 3.75 wt% Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, {ge} 0.616 wt% CaO, and < 3.521 wt% MgO. Using this set of criteria, the ComPro database was partitioned in which no Type II errors were committed. The automated partitioning function screened or removed 978 of the 2406 ComPro glasses which did cause some initial concerns regarding excessive conservatism regardless of its ability to identify an AGCR. However, a preliminary review of glasses within the 1428 ''acceptable'' glasses defining the ACGR includes glass systems of interest to support the accelerated mission.« less

Type II GaSb quantum ring solar cells under concentrated sunlight.

PubMed

Tsai, Che-Pin; Hsu, Shun-Chieh; Lin, Shih-Yen; Chang, Ching-Wen; Tu, Li-Wei; Chen, Kun-Cheng; Lay, Tsong-Sheng; Lin, Chien-chung

2014-03-10

A type II GaSb quantum ring solar cell is fabricated and measured under the concentrated sunlight. The external quantum efficiency confirms the extended absorption from the quantum rings at long wavelength coinciding with the photoluminescence results. The short-circuit current of the quantum ring devices is 5.1% to 9.9% more than the GaAs reference's under various concentrations. While the quantum ring solar cell does not exceed its GaAs counterpart in efficiency under one-sun, the recovery of the open-circuit voltages at higher concentration helps to reverse the situation. A slightly higher efficiency (10.31% vs. 10.29%) is reported for the quantum ring device against the GaAs one.

A vitamin, mineral, herb dietary supplement effect on blood glucose in uncontrolled type II diabetic subjects.

PubMed

González, Michael J; Ricart, Carlos M; Miranda-Massari, Jorge

2004-06-01

We tested a dietary supplement formulated with a synergistic combination of vitamins, minerals, herbals in a group of 15 patients with uncontrolled diabetes type II. The supplement was given for 30 days. Fasting blood glucose was measured prior to the supplementation and at the end of the 30 days treatment period. Blood glucose was significantly reduced in all patients with no adverse effects. This orthomolecular correction of faulty glucose metabolism with a combination of nontoxic, safe and fairly inexpensive nutraceuticals needs to be further substantiated. Nervertheless the idea of correcting metabolism with micronutrients is a new concept of genetic nutritioneering that seems appealing and cost effective.

Type-II quantum wells with tensile-strained GaAsSb layers for interband cascade lasers with tailored valence band mixing

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

Motyka, M.; Dyksik, M.; Ryczko, K.

Optical properties of modified type II W-shaped quantum wells have been investigated with the aim to be utilized in interband cascade lasers. The results show that introducing a tensely strained GaAsSb layer, instead of a commonly used compressively strained GaInSb, allows employing the active transition involving valence band states with a significant admixture of the light holes. Theoretical predictions of multiband k·p theory have been experimentally verified by using photoluminescence and polarization dependent photoreflectance measurements. These results open a pathway for practical realization of mid-infrared lasing devices with uncommon polarization properties including, for instance, polarization-independent midinfrared light emitters.

Whole-brain MRI phenotyping in dysplasia-related frontal lobe epilepsy.

PubMed

Hong, Seok-Jun; Bernhardt, Boris C; Schrader, Dewi S; Bernasconi, Neda; Bernasconi, Andrea

2016-02-16

To perform whole-brain morphometry in patients with frontal lobe epilepsy and evaluate the utility of group-level patterns for individualized diagnosis and prognosis. We compared MRI-based cortical thickness and folding complexity between 2 frontal lobe epilepsy cohorts with histologically verified focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) (13 type I; 28 type II) and 41 closely matched controls. Pattern learning algorithms evaluated the utility of group-level findings to predict histologic FCD subtype, the side of the seizure focus, and postsurgical seizure outcome in single individuals. Relative to controls, FCD type I displayed multilobar cortical thinning that was most marked in ipsilateral frontal cortices. Conversely, type II showed thickening in temporal and postcentral cortices. Cortical folding also diverged, with increased complexity in prefrontal cortices in type I and decreases in type II. Group-level findings successfully guided automated FCD subtype classification (type I: 100%; type II: 96%), seizure focus lateralization (type I: 92%; type II: 86%), and outcome prediction (type I: 92%; type II: 82%). FCD subtypes relate to diverse whole-brain structural phenotypes. While cortical thickening in type II may indicate delayed pruning, a thin cortex in type I likely results from combined effects of seizure excitotoxicity and the primary malformation. Group-level patterns have a high translational value in guiding individualized diagnostics. © 2016 American Academy of Neurology.

Type II endoleak after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: a conservative approach with selective intervention is safe and cost-effective.

PubMed

Steinmetz, Eric; Rubin, Brian G; Sanchez, Luis A; Choi, Eric T; Geraghty, Patrick J; Baty, Jack; Thompson, Robert W; Flye, M Wayne; Hovsepian, David M; Picus, Daniel; Sicard, Gregorio A

2004-02-01

The conservative versus therapeutic approach to type II endoleak after endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (EVAR) has been controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and cost-effectiveness of the conservative approach of embolizing type II endoleak only when persistent for more than 6 months and associated with aneurysm sac growth of 5 mm or more. Data for 486 consecutive patients who underwent EVAR were analyzed for incidence and outcome of type II endoleaks. Spiral computed tomography (CT) scans were reviewed, and patient outcome was evaluated at either office visit or telephone contact. Patients with new or late-appearing type II endoleak were evaluated with spiral CT at 6-month intervals to evaluate both persistence of the endoleak and size of the aneurysm sac. Persistent (>or=6 months) type II endoleak and aneurysm sac growth of 5 mm or greater were treated with either translumbar glue or coil embolization of the lumbar source, or transarterial coil embolization of the inferior mesenteric artery. Type II endoleaks were detected in 90 (18.5%) patients. With a mean follow-up of 21.7 +/- 16 months, only 35 (7.2%) patients had type II endoleak that persisted for 6 months or longer. Aneurysm sac enlargement was noted in 5 patients, representing 1% of the total series. All 5 patients underwent successful translumbar sac embolization (n = 4) or transarterial inferior mesenteric artery embolization (n = 4) at a mean follow-up of 18.2 +/- 8.0 months, with no recurrence or aneurysm sac growth. No patient with treated or untreated type II endoleak has had rupture of the aneurysm. The mean global cost for treatment of persistent type II endoleak associated with aneurysm sac growth was US dollars 6695.50 (hospital cost plus physician reimbursement). Treatment in the 30 patients with persistent type II endoleak but no aneurysm sac growth would have represented an additional cost of US dollars 200000 or more. The presence or absence of a type II endoleak did not affect survival (78% vs 73%) at 48 months. Selective intervention to treat type II endoleak that persists for 6 months and is associated with aneurysm enlargement seems to be both safe and cost-effective. Longer follow-up will determine whether this conservative approach to management of type II endoleak is the standard of care.

Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging of Physiological Free Cu(II) Levels in Live Cells with a Cu(II)-Selective Carbonic Anhydrase-Based Biosensor

PubMed Central

McCranor, Bryan J.; Szmacinski, Henryk; Zeng, Hui Hui; Stoddard, A.K.; Hurst, Tamiika; Fierke, Carol A.; Lakowicz, J.R.

2014-01-01

Copper is a required trace element that plays key roles in a number of human enzymes, such that copper deficiency or genetic defects in copper transport lead to serious or fatal disease. Rae, et al., had famously predicted that free copper ion levels in the cell cytoplasm were extremely low, typically too low to be observable. We recently developed a variant of human apocarbonic anhydrase II for sensing metal ions that exhibits 25-fold better selectivity for Cu(II) over Zn(II) than the wild type protein, enabling us to accurately measure Cu(II) in the presence of ordinary cellular (picomolar) concentrations of free zinc. We inserted a fluorescent labeled Cu(II)-specific variant of human apocarbonic anhydrase into PC-12 cells and found that the levels are indeed extremely low (in the femtomolar range). We imaged the free Cu(II) levels in living cells by means of frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime microscopy. Implications of this finding are discussed. PMID:24671220

Preventive Medicine in World War II. Volume 9, Special Fields

DTIC Science & Technology

1969-01-01

of world maps showing infected areas was recommended. Personal and sex hygiene.-The trainee was to be instructed in prac- tical measures necessary...developed and implemented. In World War II, the Army became the largest employer of civilian and military workers in factories, plants of all types, ordnance...material on malaria 55 10 Pamphlet, " Sex Hygiene and Venereal Disease" . 58 11 Pamphlet, "Venereal Disease Overseas" 59 12 Posters, educational material on

Urinary angiotensinogen as a potential biomarker of intrarenal renin-angiotensin system activity in Chinese chronic kidney disease patients.

PubMed

Xu, Z; Xu, B; Xu, C

2015-06-01

Urinary angiotensinogen (AGT) mainly derives from the AGT produced in proximal tubular cells. Evidence exists that supports the correlation between urinary AGT and circulating AGT. To investigate the role of urinary AGT as a potential biomarker of intrarenal renin-angiotensin system activity in Chinese chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. ELISA-based method used to quantify urinary AGT. Analyzed the relationship between urinary AGT and intrarenal angiotensin II (Ang II) activity in 128 CKD patients. ELISA was applied to measure the urinary and plasma renin activity, AGT, Ang II and aldosterone. Furthermore expression levels of intrarenal renin, AGT, Ang II and Ang II receptor were examined by immunohistochemistry staining (IHCS) in 72 CKD patients undergoing renal biopsy. The logarithmic transformation Log(urinary AGT/UCre) levels showed a normal distribution. Therefore, Log(urinary AGT/UCre) levels were used for the analyses. Average urinary AGT was 2.02 ± 0.55 ng/(mg Cr). Hypertension, urinary protein, urinary Ang II and urinary type IV collagen (Col IV) positively correlated with urinary AGT. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), urinary sodium and serum AGT negatively correlated with urinary AGT. Multiple regression analysis indicated that low serum AGT, high urinary protein, urinary Ang II and urinary Col IV correlated significantly with high urinary AGT. We observed positive correlation between urinary AGT and positive IHCS area of AGT, Ang II and Ang II type 1 receptor in renal tissue. These data suggest that urinary AGT might be a potential biomarker of intrarenal Ang II activity in CKD patients.

Fibrillar Chromospheric Spicule-Like Counterparts to an EUV and Soft X-Ray Blowout Coronal Jet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sterling, Alphonse C.; Harra, Louise K.; Moore, Ronald L.

2010-01-01

We observe an erupting jet feature in a solar polar coronal hole, using data from Hinode/SOT, EIS, and XRT, with supplemental data from STEREO/EUVI. From EUV and soft X-ray (SXR) images we identify the erupting feature as a blowout coronal jet: in SXRs it is a jet with bright base, and in EUV it appears as an eruption of relatively cool (approximately 50,000 K) material of horizontal size scale approximately 30" originating from the base of the SXR jet. In SOT Ca II H images the most pronounced analog is a pair of thin (approximately 1") ejections, at the locations of either of the two legs of the erupting EUV jet. These Ca II features eventually rise beyond 45", leaving the SOT field of view, and have an appearance similar to standard spicules except that they are much taller. They have velocities similar to that of "type II" spicules, approximately 100 kilometers per second, and they appear to have spicule-like substructures splitting off from them with horizontal velocity approximately 50 kilometers per second, similar to the velocities of splitting spicules measured by Sterling et al. (2010). Motions of splitting features and of other substructures suggest that the macroscopic EUV jet is spinning or unwinding as it is ejected. This and earlier work suggests that a sub-population of Ca II type II spicules are the Ca II manifestation of portions of larger-scale erupting magnetic jets. A different sub-population of type II spicules could be blowout jets occurring on a much smaller horizontal size scale than the event we observe here.

Piezo-phototronic Effect Enhanced UV/Visible Photodetector Based on Fully Wide Band Gap Type-II ZnO/ZnS Core/Shell Nanowire Array.

PubMed

Rai, Satish C; Wang, Kai; Ding, Yong; Marmon, Jason K; Bhatt, Manish; Zhang, Yong; Zhou, Weilie; Wang, Zhong Lin

2015-06-23

A high-performance broad band UV/visible photodetector has been successfully fabricated on a fully wide bandgap ZnO/ZnS type-II heterojunction core/shell nanowire array. The device can detect photons with energies significantly smaller (2.2 eV) than the band gap of ZnO (3.2 eV) and ZnS (3.7 eV), which is mainly attributed to spatially indirect type-II transition facilitated by the abrupt interface between the ZnO core and ZnS shell. The performance of the device was further enhanced through the piezo-phototronic effect induced lowering of the barrier height to allow charge carrier transport across the ZnO/ZnS interface, resulting in three orders of relative responsivity change measured at three different excitation wavelengths (385, 465, and 520 nm). This work demonstrates a prototype UV/visible photodetector based on the truly wide band gap semiconducting 3D core/shell nanowire array with enhanced performance through the piezo-phototronic effect.

Preservation of skeletal muscle mitochondrial content in older adults: relationship between mitochondria, fibre type and high-intensity exercise training.

PubMed

Wyckelsma, Victoria L; Levinger, Itamar; McKenna, Michael J; Formosa, Luke E; Ryan, Michael T; Petersen, Aaron C; Anderson, Mitchell J; Murphy, Robyn M

2017-06-01

Ageing is associated with an upregulation of mitochondrial dynamics proteins mitofusin 2 (Mfn2) and mitochondrial dynamics protein 49 (MiD49) in human skeletal muscle with the increased abundance of Mfn2 being exclusive to type II muscle fibres. These changes occur despite a similar content of mitochondria, as measured by COXIV, NDUFA9 and complexes in their native states (Blue Native PAGE). Following 12 weeks of high-intensity training (HIT), older adults exhibit a robust increase in mitochondria content, while there is a decline in Mfn2 in type II fibres. We propose that the upregulation of Mfn2 and MiD49 with age may be a protective mechanism to protect against mitochondrial dysfunction, in particularly in type II skeletal muscle fibres, and that exercise may have a unique protective effect negating the need for an increased turnover of mitochondria. Mitochondrial dynamics proteins are critical for mitochondrial turnover and maintenance of mitochondrial health. High-intensity interval training (HIT) is a potent training modality shown to upregulate mitochondrial content in young adults but little is known about the effects of HIT on mitochondrial dynamics proteins in older adults. This study investigated the abundance of protein markers for mitochondrial dynamics and mitochondrial content in older adults compared to young adults. It also investigated the adaptability of mitochondria to 12 weeks of HIT in older adults. Both older and younger adults showed a higher abundance of mitochondrial respiratory chain subunits COXIV and NDUFA9 in type I compared with type II fibres, with no difference between the older adults and young groups. In whole muscle homogenates, older adults had higher mitofusin-2 (Mfn2) and mitochondrial dynamics protein 49 (MiD49) contents compared to the young group. Also, older adults had higher levels of Mfn2 in type II fibres compared with young adults. Following HIT in older adults, MiD49 and Mfn2 levels were not different in whole muscle and Mfn2 content decreased in type II fibres. Increases in citrate synthase activity (55%) and mitochondrial respiratory chain subunits COXIV (37%) and NDUFA9 (48%) and mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes (∼70-100%) were observed in homogenates and/or single fibres. These findings reveal (i) a similar amount of mitochondria in muscle from young and healthy older adults and (ii) a robust increase of mitochondrial content following 12 weeks of HIT exercise in older adults. © 2017 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2017 The Physiological Society.

Characteristics of interplanetary type II radio emission and the relationship to shock and plasma properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lengyel-Frey, D.; Stone, R. G.

1989-01-01

A large sample of type II events is the basis of the present study of the properties of interplanetary type II bursts' radio-emission properties. Type II spectra seem to be composed of fundamental and harmonic components of plasma emission, where the intensity of the fundamental component increases relative to the harmonic as the burst evolves with heliocentric distance; burst average flux density increases as a power of the associated shock's average velocity. Solar wind density structures may have a significant influence on type II bandwidths.

Nearly simultaneous observations of chromospheric and coronal radiative losses of cool stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schrijver, C. J.; Dobson, A. K.; Radick, R. R.

1992-01-01

The flux-flux relationships of cool stars are studied on the basis of nearly simultaneous measurements of Ca II H+K, Mg II h+k, and soft X-ray fluxes. A linear relationship is derived between IUE Mg II h+k fluxes and Mount Wilson Ca II H+K fluxes which were obtained within 36 hr of each other for a sample of 26 F5-K3 main-sequence stars. Nearly simultaneous EXOSAT soft X-ray fluxes are compared with Ca II H+K fluxes for a sample of 20 dwarfs and gaints with spectral types ranging from F6 to K2, and 72 additional cool stars for which noncontemporaneous Ca II H+K and EINSTEIN soft X-ray fluxes are available are compared. It is confirmed that a nonradiatively heated chromosphere exists on even the least active main-sequence stars. This basal chromosphere is probably independent of stellar magnetic activity.

An ecological analysis of food outlet density and prevalence of type II diabetes in South Carolina counties.

PubMed

AlHasan, Dana M; Eberth, Jan Marie

2016-01-05

Studies suggest that the built environment with high numbers of fast food restaurants and convenience stores and low numbers of super stores and grocery stores are related to obesity, type II diabetes mellitus, and other chronic diseases. Since few studies assess these relationships at the county level, we aim to examine fast food restaurant density, convenience store density, super store density, and grocery store density and prevalence of type II diabetes among counties in South Carolina. Pearson's correlation between four types of food outlet densities- fast food restaurants, convenience stores, super stores, and grocery stores- and prevalence of type II diabetes were computed. The relationship between each of these food outlet densities were mapped with prevalence of type II diabetes, and OLS regression analysis was completed adjusting for county-level rates of obesity, physical inactivity, density of recreation facilities, unemployment, households with no car and limited access to stores, education, and race. We showed a significant, negative relationship between fast food restaurant density and prevalence of type II diabetes, and a significant, positive relationship between convenience store density and prevalence of type II diabetes. In adjusted analysis, the food outlet densities (of any type) was not associated with prevalence of type II diabetes. This ecological analysis showed no associations between fast food restaurants, convenience stores, super stores, or grocery stores densities and the prevalence of type II diabetes. Consideration of environmental, social, and cultural determinants, as well as individual behaviors is needed in future research.

Tracking Solar Type II Bursts with Space Based Radio Interferometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hegedus, Alexander M.; Kasper, Justin C.; Manchester, Ward B.

2018-06-01

The Earth’s Ionosphere limits radio measurements on its surface, blocking out any radiation below 10 MHz. Valuable insight into many astrophysical processes could be gained by having a radio interferometer in space to image the low frequency window for the first time. One application is observing type II bursts tracking solar energetic particle acceleration in Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). In this work we create a simulated data processing pipeline for several space based radio interferometer (SBRI) concepts and evaluate their performance in the task of localizing these type II bursts.Traditional radio astronomy software is hard coded to assume an Earth based array. To circumvent this, we manually calculate the antenna separations and insert them along with the simulated visibilities into a CASA MS file for analysis. To create the realest possible virtual input data, we take a 2-temperature MHD simulation of a CME event, superimpose realistic radio emission models from the CME-driven shock front, and propagate the signal through simulated SBRIs. We consider both probabilistic emission models derived from plasma parameters correlated with type II bursts, and analytical emission models using plasma emission wave interaction theory.One proposed SBRI is the pathfinder mission SunRISE, a 6 CubeSat interferometer to circle the Earth in a GEO graveyard orbit. We test simulated trajectories of SunRISE and image what the array recovers, comparing it to the virtual input. An interferometer on the lunar surface would be a stable alternative that avoids noise sources that affect orbiting arrays, namely the phase noise from positional uncertainty and atmospheric 10s-100s kHz noise. Using Digital Elevation Models from laser altimeter data, we test different sets of locations on the lunar surface to find near optimal configurations for tracking type II bursts far from the sun. Custom software is used to model the response of different array configurations over the lunar year, combining ephemerides of the sun and moon to correlate the virtual data. We analyze the pros and cons of all approaches and offer recommendations for SRBIs that track type II bursts.

Potency of a novel saw palmetto ethanol extract, SPET-085, for inhibition of 5alpha-reductase II.

PubMed

Pais, Pilar

2010-08-01

The nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-dependent membrane protein 5alpha-reductase irreversibly catalyses the conversion of testosterone to the most potent androgen, 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT). In humans, two 5alpha-reductase isoenyzmes are expressed: type I and type II. Type II is found primarily in prostate tissue. Saw palmetto extract (SPE) has been widely used for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The mechanisms of the pharmacological effects of SPE include the inhibition of 5alpha-reductase, among other actions. Clinical studies of SPE have been equivocal, with some showing significant results and others not. These inconsistent results may be due, in part, to varying bioactivities of the SPE used in the studies. The aim of the present study was to determine the in vitro potency of a novel saw palmetto ethanol extract (SPET-085), an inhibitor of the 5alpha-reductase isoenzyme type II, in a cell-free test system. On the basis of the enzymatic conversion of the substrate androstenedione to the 5alpha-reduced product 5alpha-androstanedione, the inhibitory potency was measured and compared to those of finasteride, an approved 5alpha-reductase inhibitor. SPET-085 concentration-dependently inhibited 5alpha-reductase type II in vitro (IC(50)=2.88+/-0.45 microg/mL). The approved 5alpha-reductase inhibitor, finasteride, tested as positive control, led to 61% inhibition of 5alpha-reductase type II. SPET-085 effectively inhibits the enzyme that has been linked to BPH, and the amount of extract required for activity is very low compared to data reported for other extracts. It can be concluded from data in the literature that SPET-085 is as effective as a hexane extract of saw palmetto that exhibited the highest levels of bioactivity, and is more effective than other SPEs tested. This study confirmed that SPET-085 has prostate health-promoting bioactivity that also corresponds favorably to that reported for the established prescription drug standard of therapy, finasteride.

Acoustic Type-II Weyl Nodes from Stacking Dimerized Chains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Zhaoju; Zhang, Baile

2016-11-01

Lorentz-violating type-II Weyl fermions, which were missed in Weyl's prediction of nowadays classified type-I Weyl fermions in quantum field theory, have recently been proposed in condensed matter systems. The semimetals hosting type-II Weyl fermions offer a rare platform for realizing many exotic physical phenomena that are different from type-I Weyl systems. Here we construct the acoustic version of a type-II Weyl Hamiltonian by stacking one-dimensional dimerized chains of acoustic resonators. This acoustic type-II Weyl system exhibits distinct features in a finite density of states and unique transport properties of Fermi-arc-like surface states. In a certain momentum space direction, the velocity of these surface states is determined by the tilting direction of the type-II Weyl nodes rather than the chirality dictated by the Chern number. Our study also provides an approach of constructing acoustic topological phases at different dimensions with the same building blocks.

Mimicry by asx- and ST-turns of the four main types of β-turn in proteins

PubMed Central

Duddy, William J.; Nissink, J. Willem M.; Allen, Frank H.; Milner-White, E. James

2004-01-01

Hydrogen-bonded β-turns in proteins occur in four categories: type I (the most common), type II, type II’, and type I’. Asx-turns resemble β-turns, in that both have an NH. . .OC hydrogen bond forming a ring of 10 atoms. Serine and threonine side chains also commonly form hydrogen-bonded turns, here called ST-turns. Asx-turns and ST-turns can be categorized into four classes, based on side chain rotamers and the conformation of the central turn residue, which are geometrically equivalent to the four types of β-turns. We propose asx- and ST-turns be named using the type I, II, I’, and II’ β-turn nomenclature. Using this, the frequency of occurrence of both asx- and ST-turns is: type II’ > type I > type II > type I’, whereas for β-turns it is type I > type II > type I’ > type II’. Almost all type II asx-turns occur as a recently described three residue feature named an asx-nest. PMID:15459339

Clavicle hook plate fixation for distal-third clavicle fracture (Neer type II): comparison of clinical and radiologic outcomes between Neer types IIA and IIB.

PubMed

Lee, Wonyong; Choi, Chong-Hyuk; Choi, Yun-Rak; Lim, Kyung-Han; Chun, Yong-Min

2017-07-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate clinical and radiologic outcomes of clavicle hook plate fixation for distal-third clavicle fracture (Neer type II) and to compare the clinical and radiologic outcomes and complications between Neer type IIA and type IIB. We retrospectively reviewed 35 patients who underwent open reduction and internal fixation with AO hook locking compression plate (LCP) for distal clavicle fracture, including 13 patients with Neer type IIA and 22 patients with type IIB. Visual analog scale pain score, shoulder scores (subjective shoulder value, University of California-Los Angeles shoulder score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score), and active range of motion were evaluated to determine clinical outcome. Coracoclavicular distance was measured, and that of the injured side at last follow-up was compared with that of the uninjured side to evaluate radiologic outcomes. AO hook LCP fixation for distal-third clavicle fracture (Neer type II) produced satisfactory radiologic outcomes, including high union rates (100%) and coracoclavicular distance maintenance, as well as satisfactory clinical outcomes, including visual analog scale score for pain, shoulder scores (subjective shoulder value, University of California-Los Angeles shoulder score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score), and active range of motion. There were no significant differences between Neer type IIA and type IIB. With regard to complications, 22.9% of patients experienced shoulder stiffness and 17.1% had subacromial erosion; however, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups. The AO hook LCP is a suitable choice for Neer type IIA and type IIB distal-third clavicle fracture fixation. Copyright © 2016 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Performance of new gellan gum hydrogels combined with human articular chondrocytes for cartilage regeneration when subcutaneously implanted in nude mice.

PubMed

Oliveira, J T; Santos, T C; Martins, L; Silva, M A; Marques, A P; Castro, A G; Neves, N M; Reis, R L

2009-10-01

Gellan gum is a polysaccharide that has been recently proposed by our group for cartilage tissue-engineering applications. It is commonly used in the food and pharmaceutical industry and has the ability to form stable gels without the use of harsh reagents. Gellan gum can function as a minimally invasive injectable system, gelling inside the body in situ under physiological conditions and efficiently adapting to the defect site. In this work, gellan gum hydrogels were combined with human articular chondrocytes (hACs) and were subcutaneously implanted in nude mice for 4 weeks. The implants were collected for histological (haematoxylin and eosin and Alcian blue staining), biochemical [dimethylmethylene blue (GAG) assay], molecular (real-time PCR analyses for collagen types I, II and X, aggrecan) and immunological analyses (immunolocalization of collagen types I and II). The results showed a homogeneous cell distribution and the typical round-shaped morphology of the chondrocytes within the matrix upon implantation. Proteoglycans synthesis was detected by Alcian blue staining and a statistically significant increase of proteoglycans content was measured with the GAG assay quantified from 1 to 4 weeks of implantation. Real-time PCR analyses showed a statistically significant upregulation of collagen type II and aggrecan levels in the same periods. The immunological assays suggest deposition of collagen type II along with some collagen type I. The overall data shows that gellan gum hydrogels adequately support the growth and ECM deposition of human articular chondrocytes when implanted subcutaneously in nude mice. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A 2D ion chamber array audit of wedged and asymmetric fields in an inhomogeneous lung phantom.

PubMed

Lye, Jessica; Kenny, John; Lehmann, Joerg; Dunn, Leon; Kron, Tomas; Alves, Andrew; Cole, Andrew; Williams, Ivan

2014-10-01

The Australian Clinical Dosimetry Service (ACDS) has implemented a new method of a nonreference condition Level II type dosimetric audit of radiotherapy services to increase measurement accuracy and patient safety within Australia. The aim of this work is to describe the methodology, tolerances, and outcomes from the new audit. The ACDS Level II audit measures the dose delivered in 2D planes using an ionization chamber based array positioned at multiple depths. Measurements are made in rectilinear homogeneous and inhomogeneous phantoms composed of slabs of solid water and lung. Computer generated computed tomography data sets of the rectilinear phantoms are supplied to the facility prior to audit for planning of a range of cases including reference fields, asymmetric fields, and wedged fields. The audit assesses 3D planning with 6 MV photons with a static (zero degree) gantry. Scoring is performed using local dose differences between the planned and measured dose within 80% of the field width. The overall audit result is determined by the maximum dose difference over all scoring points, cases, and planes. Pass (Optimal Level) is defined as maximum dose difference ≤3.3%, Pass (Action Level) is ≤5.0%, and Fail (Out of Tolerance) is >5.0%. At close of 2013, the ACDS had performed 24 Level II audits. 63% of the audits passed, 33% failed, and the remaining audit was not assessable. Of the 15 audits that passed, 3 were at Pass (Action Level). The high fail rate is largely due to a systemic issue with modeling asymmetric 60° wedges which caused a delivered overdose of 5%-8%. The ACDS has implemented a nonreference condition Level II type audit, based on ion chamber 2D array measurements in an inhomogeneous slab phantom. The powerful diagnostic ability of this audit has allowed the ACDS to rigorously test the treatment planning systems implemented in Australian radiotherapy facilities. Recommendations from audits have led to facilities modifying clinical practice and changing planning protocols.

Localization of Usher syndrome type II to chromosome 1q.

PubMed

Kimberling, W J; Weston, M D; Möller, C; Davenport, S L; Shugart, Y Y; Priluck, I A; Martini, A; Milani, M; Smith, R J

1990-06-01

Usher syndrome is characterized by congenital hearing loss, progressive visual impairment due to retinitis pigmentosa, and variable vestibular problems. The two subtypes of Usher syndrome, types I and II, can be distinguished by the degree of hearing loss and by the presence or absence of vestibular dysfunction. Type I is characterized by a profound hearing loss and totally absent vestibular responses, while type II has a milder hearing loss and normal vestibular function. Fifty-five members of eight type II Usher syndrome families were typed for three DNA markers in the distal region of chromosome 1q: D1S65 (pEKH7.4), REN (pHRnES1.9), and D1S81 (pTHH33). Statistically significant linkage was observed for Usher syndrome type II with a maximum multipoint lod score of 6.37 at the position of the marker THH33, thus localizing the Usher type II (USH2) gene to 1q. Nine families with type I Usher syndrome failed to show linkage to the same three markers. The statistical test for heterogeneity of linkage between Usher syndrome types I and II was highly significant, thus demonstrating that they are due to mutations at different genetic loci.

75 FR 43153 - Procurement List Proposed Additions and Deletions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-23

...- LRG XX-LONG 8405-00-NIB-0442--Type II Blouse, Women's, Navy Work Uniform 32 X-SHORT 8405-00-NIB-0443--Type II Blouse, Women's, Navy Work Uniform 32 SHORT 8405-00-NIB-0444--Type II Blouse, Women's, Navy Work Uniform 35 X-SHORT 8405-00-NIB-0445--Type II Blouse, Women's, Navy Work Uniform 35 SHORT 8405-00...

Impact of a weight management program on health-related quality of life in overweight adults with type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Williamson, Donald A; Rejeski, Jack; Lang, Wei; Van Dorsten, Brent; Fabricatore, Anthony N; Toledo, Katie

2009-01-26

Inconsistent findings have been reported regarding improved health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after weight loss. We tested the efficacy of a weight management program for improving HRQOL in overweight or obese adults diagnosed as having type 2 diabetes mellitus. We conducted a randomized multisite clinical trial at 16 outpatient research centers with 2 treatment arms and blinded measurements at baseline and the end of year 1. A total of 5145 participants (mean [SD] age, 58.7 [6.9] years; mean [SD] body mass index [calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared], 36.0 [5.9]; 59.5% women; 63.1% white) were randomized to an intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) or to diabetes support and education (DSE). Main outcome measures included the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey physical component summary (PCS) and mental health component summary (MCS) scores and Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) scores. Baseline mean (SD) scores were 47.9 (7.9) for PCS, 54.0 (8.1) for MCS, and 5.7 (5.0) for BDI-II. Improved HRQOL was demonstrated by the PCS and BDI-II scores (P < .001) in the ILI arm compared with the DSE arm. The largest effect was observed for the PCS score (difference, -2.91; 99% confidence interval, -3.44 to -2.37). The greatest HRQOL improvement occurred in participants with the lowest baseline HRQOL levels. Mean (SD) changes in weight (ILI, -8.77 [8.2] kg and DSE, -0.86 [5.0] kg), improved fitness, and improved physical symptoms mediated treatment effects associated with the BDI-II and PCS. Overweight adults diagnosed as having type 2 diabetes experienced significant improvement in HRQOL by enrolling in a weight management program that yielded significant weight loss, improved physical fitness, and reduced physical symptoms. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00017953.

Choline Deficiency Causes Colonic Type II Natural Killer T (NKT) Cell Loss and Alleviates Murine Colitis under Type I NKT Cell Deficiency

PubMed Central

Sagami, Shintaro; Ueno, Yoshitaka; Tanaka, Shinji; Fujita, Akira; Niitsu, Hiroaki; Hayashi, Ryohei; Hyogo, Hideyuki; Hinoi, Takao; Kitadai, Yasuhiko; Chayama, Kazuaki

2017-01-01

Serum levels of choline and its derivatives are lower in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) than in healthy individuals. However, the effect of choline deficiency on the severity of colitis has not been investigated. In the present study, we investigated the role of choline deficiency in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Methionine-choline-deficient (MCD) diet lowered the levels of type II natural killer T (NKT) cells in the colonic lamina propria, peritoneal cavity, and mesenteric lymph nodes, and increased the levels of type II NKT cells in the livers of wild-type B6 mice compared with that in mice fed a control (CTR) diet. The gene expression pattern of the chemokine receptor CXCR6, which promotes NKT cell accumulation, varied between colon and liver in a manner dependent on the changes in the type II NKT cell levels. To examine the role of type II NKT cells in colitis under choline-deficient conditions, we assessed the severity of DSS-induced colitis in type I NKT cell-deficient (Jα18-/-) or type I and type II NKT cell-deficient (CD1d-/-) mice fed the MCD or CTR diets. The MCD diet led to amelioration of inflammation, decreases in interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-4 secretion, and a decrease in the number of IFN-γ and IL-4-producing NKT cells in Jα18-/- mice but not in CD1d-/- mice. Finally, adaptive transfer of lymphocytes with type II NKT cells exacerbated DSS-induced colitis in Jα18-/- mice with MCD diet. These results suggest that choline deficiency causes proinflammatory type II NKT cell loss and alleviates DSS-induced colitis. Thus, inflammation in DSS-induced colitis under choline deficiency is caused by type II NKT cell-dependent mechanisms, including decreased type II NKT cell and proinflammatory cytokine levels. PMID:28095507

Choline Deficiency Causes Colonic Type II Natural Killer T (NKT) Cell Loss and Alleviates Murine Colitis under Type I NKT Cell Deficiency.

PubMed

Sagami, Shintaro; Ueno, Yoshitaka; Tanaka, Shinji; Fujita, Akira; Niitsu, Hiroaki; Hayashi, Ryohei; Hyogo, Hideyuki; Hinoi, Takao; Kitadai, Yasuhiko; Chayama, Kazuaki

2017-01-01

Serum levels of choline and its derivatives are lower in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) than in healthy individuals. However, the effect of choline deficiency on the severity of colitis has not been investigated. In the present study, we investigated the role of choline deficiency in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Methionine-choline-deficient (MCD) diet lowered the levels of type II natural killer T (NKT) cells in the colonic lamina propria, peritoneal cavity, and mesenteric lymph nodes, and increased the levels of type II NKT cells in the livers of wild-type B6 mice compared with that in mice fed a control (CTR) diet. The gene expression pattern of the chemokine receptor CXCR6, which promotes NKT cell accumulation, varied between colon and liver in a manner dependent on the changes in the type II NKT cell levels. To examine the role of type II NKT cells in colitis under choline-deficient conditions, we assessed the severity of DSS-induced colitis in type I NKT cell-deficient (Jα18-/-) or type I and type II NKT cell-deficient (CD1d-/-) mice fed the MCD or CTR diets. The MCD diet led to amelioration of inflammation, decreases in interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-4 secretion, and a decrease in the number of IFN-γ and IL-4-producing NKT cells in Jα18-/- mice but not in CD1d-/- mice. Finally, adaptive transfer of lymphocytes with type II NKT cells exacerbated DSS-induced colitis in Jα18-/- mice with MCD diet. These results suggest that choline deficiency causes proinflammatory type II NKT cell loss and alleviates DSS-induced colitis. Thus, inflammation in DSS-induced colitis under choline deficiency is caused by type II NKT cell-dependent mechanisms, including decreased type II NKT cell and proinflammatory cytokine levels.

Evidence for the involvement of type I interferon in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

PubMed

George, Peter M; Oliver, Eduardo; Dorfmuller, Peter; Dubois, Olivier D; Reed, Daniel M; Kirkby, Nicholas S; Mohamed, Nura A; Perros, Frederic; Antigny, Fabrice; Fadel, Elie; Schreiber, Benjamin E; Holmes, Alan M; Southwood, Mark; Hagan, Guy; Wort, Stephen J; Bartlett, Nathan; Morrell, Nicholas W; Coghlan, John G; Humbert, Marc; Zhao, Lan; Mitchell, Jane A

2014-02-14

Evidence is increasing of a link between interferon (IFN) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Conditions with chronically elevated endogenous IFNs such as systemic sclerosis are strongly associated with PAH. Furthermore, therapeutic use of type I IFN is associated with PAH. This was recognized at the 2013 World Symposium on Pulmonary Hypertension where the urgent need for research into this was highlighted. To explore the role of type I IFN in PAH. Cells were cultured using standard approaches. Cytokines were measured by ELISA. Gene and protein expression were measured using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. The role of type I IFN in PAH in vivo was determined using type I IFN receptor knockout (IFNAR1(-/-)) mice. Human lung cells responded to types I and II but not III IFN correlating with relevant receptor expression. Type I, II, and III IFN levels were elevated in serum of patients with systemic sclerosis associated PAH. Serum interferon γ inducible protein 10 (IP10; CXCL10) and endothelin 1 were raised and strongly correlated together. IP10 correlated positively with pulmonary hemodynamics and serum brain natriuretic peptide and negatively with 6-minute walk test and cardiac index. Endothelial cells grown out of the blood of PAH patients were more sensitive to the effects of type I IFN than cells from healthy donors. PAH lung demonstrated increased IFNAR1 protein levels. IFNAR1(-/-) mice were protected from the effects of hypoxia on the right heart, vascular remodeling, and raised serum endothelin 1 levels. These data indicate that type I IFN, via an action of IFNAR1, mediates PAH.

Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, in-vitro antibacterial and antiproliferative activities of some metal(II) complexes of 3,4-dihydronaphthalen-1(2H)-one Schiff base

PubMed Central

Osowole, Aderoju Amoke

2012-01-01

The Schiff base, 3-hydroxy-4-{[4-(methylsulfanyl)phenyl]imino}-3,4-dihydronaphthalen-1(2H)-one, and its Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and Pd(II) complexes have been synthesized and characterized by microanalysis, conductance, 1H NMR, infrared and electronic spectral measurements. The ligand exists in the ketoimine form in chloroform, and in the enolimine form in the solid state, as shown by 1H NMR and IR spectroscopies. The ligand coordinates to the metal ions in the ratio 1:1, using NO chromophores forming complexes of the type [MLNO3]H2O, with the exception of the Zn(II) and Pd(II) complexes. Electronic measurements are indicative of a four coordinate square-planar geometry for all the complexes, except for the Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes which assume a tetrahedral geometry. None is an electrolyte in nitromethane. The ligand and the metal complexes are air-stable, but decomposed on heating at 120 °C and in the range 150-156 °C respectively. The antibacterial studies reveal that the Co(II) and the Cu(II) complexes exhibit broad-spectrum activity against Proteus mirabilis, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus with inhibitory zones range of 14.0-22.0 and 13.0-25.0 mm respectively. The antiproliferative studies show that the Zn(II) complex has the best in-vitro anticancer activity against both HT-29 (colon) carcinoma and MCF-7 (human breast) adenocarcinoma with IC50 values of 6.46 µm and 3.19 µm, which exceeds the activity of Cis-platin by 8 % and 63 % respectively. PMID:27350773

Comparative validity of MMPI-2 and MCMI-II personality disorder classifications.

PubMed

Wise, E A

1996-06-01

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) overlapping and nonoverlapping scales were demonstrated to perform comparably to their original MMPI forms. They were then evaluated for convergent and discriminant validity with the Million Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-II (MCMI-II) personality disorder scales. The MMPI-2 and MCMI-II personality disorder scales demonstrated convergent and discriminant coefficients similar to their original forms. However, the MMPI-2 personality scales classified significantly more of the sample as Dramatic, whereas the MCMI-II diagnosed more of the sample as Anxious. Furthermore, single-scale and 2-point code type classification rates were quite low, indicating that at the level of the individual, the personality disorder scales are not measuring comparable constructs. Hence, each instrument is providing similar and unique information, justifying their continued use together for the purpose of diagnosing personality disorders.

We will make you like our research: The development of a susceptibility-to-persuasion scale

PubMed Central

Modic, David; Anderson, Ross

2018-01-01

Psychological and other persuasive mechanisms across diverse contexts are well researched, with many studies of the effectiveness of specific persuasive techniques on distinct types of human behaviour. In the present paper, our specific interest lies in the development of a generalized modular psychometric tool to measure individuals’ susceptibility to persuasion. The scale is constructed using items from previously developed and validated particulate scales established in the domains of social psychology and behavioural economics. In the first study we establish the Susceptibility to Persuasion–II (StP-II) scale, containing 54 items, 10 subscales and further 6 sub-sub scales. In Study 2 we establish the scale’s construct validity and reconfirm its reliability. We present a valid and reliable modular psychometric tool that measures general susceptibility to persuasive techniques. Since its inception, we have successfully implemented the StP-II scale to measure susceptibility to persuasion of IT security officers, the role of psychology of persuasion in cybercrime victims and general persuadability levels of Facebook users; these manuscripts are in preparation. We argue that the StP-II scale shows promise in measuring individual differences in susceptibility to persuasion, and is applicable across diverse contexts such as Internet security and cybercrime. PMID:29543845

Subperiosteal and intraosseous connective tissue grafts for pocket reduction: a 9- to 13-year retrospective case series report.

PubMed

Nelson, S W

2001-10-01

Recent histological evidence has documented that grafted palatal connective tissue is capable of forming a new attachment to previously exposed roots in the treatment of gingival recession. No clinical studies have tested the ability of connective tissue that has been implanted beneath the periosteum into periodontal osseous defects to reduce probing depth and increase clinical attachment levels. This study reports the long-term clinical effect of subperiosteal and intraosseous connective tissue grafts on deep periodontal pockets. Connective tissue (CT) grafts were placed in 32 periodontal pockets on 27 patients. Grafts were classified into 3 groups. Type I grafts had 50% or more vascular surface contact and were < or = 2.5 mm thick. Type II grafts had 50% or more contact but were > 2.5 mm thick, and Type III grafts had less than 50% vascular contact regardless of thickness. Twelve of 14 Type I sites, 9 of 15 Type II sites, and 3 of 3 Type III sites were analyzed 9 to 13 years following treatment. Clinical attachment level change differed significantly between the graft types on survivor teeth (P < 0.05): Type III had 2 mm loss (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.4 to 3.6), while Type II and Type I grafts had a 2.7 mm gain (95% CI: 2.0 to 3.4) and 4.3 mm gain (95% CI: 3.3 to 5.2), respectively. Similar substantial differences were presented for changes in probing depth and recession. This long-term (9 to 13 years) retrospective case-series analysis suggests substantial improvements in periodontal clinical measures for Type I CT grafts in deep periodontal pockets. Randomized trials are required to evaluate this promising procedure.

Redesigning the type II' β-turn in green fluorescent protein to type I': implications for folding kinetics and stability.

PubMed

Madan, Bharat; Sokalingam, Sriram; Raghunathan, Govindan; Lee, Sun-Gu

2014-10-01

Both Type I' and Type II' β-turns have the same sense of the β-turn twist that is compatible with the β-sheet twist. They occur predominantly in two residue β-hairpins, but the occurrence of Type I' β-turns is two times higher than Type II' β-turns. This suggests that Type I' β-turns may be more stable than Type II' β-turns, and Type I' β-turn sequence and structure can be more favorable for protein folding than Type II' β-turns. Here, we redesigned the native Type II' β-turn in GFP to Type I' β-turn, and investigated its effect on protein folding and stability. The Type I' β-turns were designed based on the statistical analysis of residues in natural Type I' β-turns. The substitution of the native "GD" sequence of i+1 and i+2 residues with Type I' preferred "(N/D)G" sequence motif increased the folding rate by 50% and slightly improved the thermodynamic stability. Despite the enhancement of in vitro refolding kinetics and stability of the redesigned mutants, they showed poor soluble expression level compared to wild type. To overcome this problem, i and i + 3 residues of the designed Type I' β-turn were further engineered. The mutation of Thr to Lys at i + 3 could restore the in vivo soluble expression of the Type I' mutant. This study indicates that Type II' β-turns in natural β-hairpins can be further optimized by converting the sequence to Type I'. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Role of Naturally Occurring Stable Isotopes in Mass Spectrometry, Part II: The Instrumentation

PubMed Central

Bluck, Les; Volmer, Dietrich A.

2013-01-01

In the second instalment of this tutorial, the authors explain the instrumentation for measuring naturally occurring stable isotopes, specifically the magnetic sector mass spectrometer. This type of instrument remains unrivalled in its performance for isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and the reader is reminded of its operation and its technical advantages for isotope measurements. PMID:23772101

Detection of volatile organic compounds through a sensing film of TiO II doped with organic dyes deposited on an optical fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muñoz A., S.; Ramos M., J.; Martínez H., C.; Castillo M., J.; Beltrán P., G.; Palomino M., R.

2007-03-01

The necessity of detection and recognition of different types of gases, such as volatile organic compounds, which are frequently found in food and beverage industries among others, requires the development of different types of sensors. In this work, an application of optical fiber for the detection of volatile organic compounds, particularly ethanol is presented. The sensor was constructed removing a portion of the cladding and depositing instead a sensing titanium dioxide (TiO II) film doped with an organic dye (rhodamine 6G) by the sol-gel method. The sensor response was measured in a Teflon chamber where the sample to be measured was injected. A He-Ne laser beam was coupled to the fiber and the variation in the output power was measured which indicates the gas presence. The difference between the output power with and without gas gives a measure of the concentration that exists in the chamber. The experimental results showed that for an ethanol concentration range from 0 to 10500 ppm, the response of the sensor was approximately linear with a correlation coefficient of 0.9924.

Quantum efficiency investigations of type-II InAs/GaSb midwave infrared superlattice photodetectors

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

Giard, E., E-mail: edouard.giard@onera.fr; Ribet-Mohamed, I.; Jaeck, J.

2014-07-28

We present in this paper a comparison between different type-II InAs/GaSb superlattice (T2SL) photodiodes and focal plane array (FPA) in the mid-wavelength infrared domain to understand which phenomenon drives the performances of the T2SL structure in terms of quantum efficiency (QE). Our measurements on test photodiodes suggest low minority carrier diffusion length in the “InAs-rich” design, which penalizes carriers' collection in this structure for low bias voltage and front side illumination. This analysis is completed by a comparison of the experimental data with a fully analytic model, which allows to infer a hole diffusion length shorter than 100 nm. In addition,more » measurements on a FPA with backside illumination are finally presented. Results show an average QE in the 3–4.7 μm window equal to 42% for U{sub bias} = −0.1 V, 77 K operating temperature and no anti-reflection coating. These measurements, completed by modulation transfer function and noise measurements, reveal that the InAs-rich design, despite a low hole diffusion length, is promising for high performance infrared imaging applications.« less

The effects of different angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers on the regulation of the ACE-AngII-AT1 and ACE2-Ang(1-7)-Mas axes in pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling in male mice.

PubMed

Wang, Xingxu; Ye, Yong; Gong, Hui; Wu, Jian; Yuan, Jie; Wang, Shijun; Yin, Peipei; Ding, Zhiwen; Kang, Le; Jiang, Qiu; Zhang, Weijing; Li, Yang; Ge, Junbo; Zou, Yunzeng

2016-08-01

Angiotensin II (AngII) type 1 receptor blockers (ARBs) have been effectively used in hypertension and cardiac remodeling. However, the differences among them are still unclear. We designed this study to examine and compare the effects of several ARBs widely used in clinics, including Olmesartan, Candesartan, Telmisartan, Losartan, Valsartan and Irbesartan, on the ACE-AngII-AT1 axis and the ACE2-Ang(1-7)-Mas axis during the development of cardiac remodeling after pressure overload. Although all of the six ARBs, attenuated the development of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure induced by transverse aortic constriction (TAC) for 2 or 4weeks in the wild-type mice evaluated by echocardiography and hemodynamic measurements, the degree of attenuation by Olmesartan, Candesartan and Losartan tended to be larger than that of the other three drugs tested. Additionally, the degree of downregulation of the ACE-AngII-AT1 axis and upregulation of the ACE2-Ang(1-7)-Mas axis was higher in response to Olmesartan, Candesartan and Losartan administration in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, in angiotensinogen-knockdown mice, TAC-induced cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure were inhibited by Olmesartan, Candesartan and Losartan but not by Telmisartan, Valsartan and Irbesartan administration. Furthermore, only Olmesartan and Candesartan could downregulate the ACE-AngII-AT1 axis and upregulate the ACE2-Ang(1-7)-Mas axis in vitro. Our data suggest that Olmesartan, Candesartan and Losartan could effectively inhibit pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling even when with knockdown of Ang II, possibly through upregulation of the expression of the ACE2-Ang(1-7)-Mas axis and downregulation of the expression of the ACE-AngII-AT1 axis. In contrast, Telmisartan, Valsartan and Irbesartan only played a role in the presence of AngII, and Losartan had no effect in the presence of AngII in vitro. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Type II universal spacetimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hervik, S.; Málek, T.; Pravda, V.; Pravdová, A.

2015-12-01

We study type II universal metrics of the Lorentzian signature. These metrics simultaneously solve vacuum field equations of all theories of gravitation with the Lagrangian being a polynomial curvature invariant constructed from the metric, the Riemann tensor and its covariant derivatives of an arbitrary order. We provide examples of type II universal metrics for all composite number dimensions. On the other hand, we have no examples for prime number dimensions and we prove the non-existence of type II universal spacetimes in five dimensions. We also present type II vacuum solutions of selected classes of gravitational theories, such as Lovelock, quadratic and L({{Riemann}}) gravities.

Monomeric, porous type II collagen scaffolds promote chondrogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in vitro

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tamaddon, M.; Burrows, M.; Ferreira, S. A.; Dazzi, F.; Apperley, J. F.; Bradshaw, A.; Brand, D. D.; Czernuszka, J.; Gentleman, E.

2017-03-01

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common cause of pain and disability and is often associated with the degeneration of articular cartilage. Lesions to the articular surface, which are thought to progress to OA, have the potential to be repaired using tissue engineering strategies; however, it remains challenging to instruct cell differentiation within a scaffold to produce tissue with appropriate structural, chemical and mechanical properties. We aimed to address this by driving progenitor cells to adopt a chondrogenic phenotype through the tailoring of scaffold composition and physical properties. Monomeric type-I and type-II collagen scaffolds, which avoid potential immunogenicity associated with fibrillar collagens, were fabricated with and without chondroitin sulfate (CS) and their ability to stimulate the chondrogenic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells was assessed. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that cells produced abundant collagen type-II on type-II scaffolds and collagen type-I on type-I scaffolds. Gene expression analyses indicated that the addition of CS - which was released from scaffolds quickly - significantly upregulated expression of type II collagen, compared to type-I and pure type-II scaffolds. We conclude that collagen type-II and CS can be used to promote a more chondrogenic phenotype in the absence of growth factors, potentially providing an eventual therapy to prevent OA.

Evaluation of the efficacy of Ajuga decumbens extract supplement in individuals with knee discomfort associated with physical activity: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

PubMed Central

Sawada, Yoko; Sugimoto, Atsushi; Hananouchi, Takehito; Sato, Norimasa; Nagaoka, Isao

2017-01-01

The aim of the present study was to assess the efficacy and safety of the oral administration of Ajuga decumbens extract (ADE) supplement to individuals with knee discomfort associated with physical activity. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted using 48 subjects. The subjects were randomly allocated to an ADE diet group (oral administration of ADE-containing diet, n=24) or a placebo group (n=24), and the intervention was conducted for 12 weeks. A total of 22 subjects in the placebo group and 22 subjects in the ADE diet group were assessed to be eligible for assessment of the efficacy of supplement. Knee function was assessed by changes in the scores of the Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure (JKOM) questionnaire and the scores of the Japan Orthopedic Association (JOA) criteria, as well as by analyzing the levels of type II collagen synthesis and degradation biomarkers (procollagen II C-terminal propeptide, cross-linked C-telopeptide of type II collagen, collagen type II cleavage and matrix metalloproteinase-13). Outcomes were measured at the baseline and at 4, 8 and 12 weeks from the start of administration. Subscale II (joint flexion/stiffness) of the JOA criteria was markedly improved in the ADE diet group compared with the placebo group at 8 and 12 weeks during the intervention. Furthermore, in the subgroup analyses using subjects with mild knee discomfort, subscale II (pain/stiffness) and IV (general activities) scores of JKOM were significantly improved (P<0.05) and total JKOM score was markedly improved in the ADE diet group compared with the placebo group at week 8 of the intervention. No adverse effects were identified for the administration of ADE. In conclusion, these observations suggest that the administration of an ADE-containing diet is safe and improves joint function (flexion and stiffness) and general activity in subjects with mild knee discomfort. Therefore, ADE could be a promising candidate as a functional food that is beneficial to joint health. PMID:29109757

The electric and thermoelectric properties of Cu(II)-Schiff base nano-complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, E. M. M.; Abdel-Rahman, Laila H.; Abu-Dief, Ahmed M.; Elshafaie, A.; Hamdan, Samar Kamel; Ahmed, A. M.

2018-05-01

The physical properties, such as electric and optical properties, of metal-Schiff base complexes have been widely investigated. However, their thermoelectric (TE) properties remain unreported. This work presents Cu(II)-Schiff base complexes as promising materials for TE power generation. Therefore, three Cu(II)-Schiff base complexes (namely, [Cu(C32H22N4O2)].3/2H2O, [Cu(C23H17N4O7Br)], and [Cu(C27H22N4O8)].H2O) have been synthesized in nanosized scale. The electric and TE properties have been studied and comprehensive discussions have been presented to promote the nano-complexes (NCs) practical applications in the field of TE power generation. The electrical measurements confirm that the NCs are semiconductors and the electrical conduction process is governed by intermolecular and intramolecular transfer of the charge carriers. The TE measurements reveal that the Cu(II)-Schiff base NCs are nondegenerate P-type semiconductors. The measured Seebeck coefficient values were higher compared to the values reported in previous works for other organic materials indicating that the complexes under study are promising candidates for theremoelectric applications if the electrical conductivity could be enhanced.

Type II diabetes mellitus and the incidence of epithelial ovarian cancer in the cancer prevention study-II nutrition cohort.

PubMed

Gapstur, Susan M; Patel, Alpa V; Diver, W Ryan; Hildebrand, Janet S; Gaudet, Mia M; Jacobs, Eric J; Campbell, Peter T

2012-11-01

Despite consistent associations of type II diabetes mellitus with hormonally related cancers such as breast and endometrium, the relation between type II diabetes mellitus and ovarian cancer risk is unclear. Associations of type II diabetes mellitus status, duration, and insulin use with epithelial ovarian cancer overall, and with serous and nonserous histologic subtypes were examined in the Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort, a prospective study of U.S. men and women predominantly aged 50 years and older. Between 1992 and 2007, 524 incident epithelial ovarian cancer cases were identified among 63,440 postmenopausal women. Multivariable-adjusted relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using extended Cox regression to update diabetes status and bilateral oophorectomy status during follow-up. Type II diabetes mellitus status (RR = 1.05; 95% CI, 0.75-1.46) and duration were not associated with epithelial ovarian cancer risk. Although not statistically significantly different (P(difference) = 0.39), the RR was higher for type II diabetes mellitus with insulin use (RR = 1.28; 95% CI, 0.74-2.24) than for type II diabetes mellitus without insulin use (RR = 0.96; 95% CI, 0.64-1.43). Diabetes seemed to be more strongly associated with nonserous (RR = 1.41; 95% CI, 0.70-2.85) than serous (RR = 0.71; 95% CI, 0.41-1.23) histologic subtypes. Type II diabetes mellitus was not associated with risk of epithelial ovarian cancer, although higher risks with nonserous subtypes and among insulin users cannot be ruled out. Larger studies are needed to clarify associations of type II diabetes mellitus with or without insulin use with risk of ovarian cancer overall and by histologic subtypes. ©2012 AACR.

49 CFR 173.226 - Materials poisonous by inhalation, Division 6.1, Packing Group I, Hazard Zone A.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...; (3) Have screw-type closures that are— (i) Closed and tightened to a torque prescribed by the closure manufacturer, using a properly calibrated device that is capable of measuring torque; (ii) Physically held in...

49 CFR 173.226 - Materials poisonous by inhalation, Division 6.1, Packing Group I, Hazard Zone A.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...; (3) Have screw-type closures that are— (i) Closed and tightened to a torque prescribed by the closure manufacturer, using a properly calibrated device that is capable of measuring torque; (ii) Physically held in...

49 CFR 173.226 - Materials poisonous by inhalation, Division 6.1, Packing Group I, Hazard Zone A.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...; (3) Have screw-type closures that are— (i) Closed and tightened to a torque prescribed by the closure manufacturer, using a properly calibrated device that is capable of measuring torque; (ii) Physically held in...

49 CFR 173.226 - Materials poisonous by inhalation, Division 6.1, Packing Group I, Hazard Zone A.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...; (3) Have screw-type closures that are— (i) Closed and tightened to a torque prescribed by the closure manufacturer, using a properly calibrated device that is capable of measuring torque; (ii) Physically held in...

49 CFR 173.226 - Materials poisonous by inhalation, Division 6.1, Packing Group I, Hazard Zone A.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...; (3) Have screw-type closures that are— (i) Closed and tightened to a torque prescribed by the closure manufacturer, using a properly calibrated device that is capable of measuring torque; (ii) Physically held in...

High cell surface death receptor expression determines type I versus type II signaling.

PubMed

Meng, Xue Wei; Peterson, Kevin L; Dai, Haiming; Schneider, Paula; Lee, Sun-Hee; Zhang, Jin-San; Koenig, Alexander; Bronk, Steve; Billadeau, Daniel D; Gores, Gregory J; Kaufmann, Scott H

2011-10-14

Previous studies have suggested that there are two signaling pathways leading from ligation of the Fas receptor to induction of apoptosis. Type I signaling involves Fas ligand-induced recruitment of large amounts of FADD (FAS-associated death domain protein) and procaspase 8, leading to direct activation of caspase 3, whereas type II signaling involves Bid-mediated mitochondrial perturbation to amplify a more modest death receptor-initiated signal. The biochemical basis for this dichotomy has previously been unclear. Here we show that type I cells have a longer half-life for Fas message and express higher amounts of cell surface Fas, explaining the increased recruitment of FADD and subsequent signaling. Moreover, we demonstrate that cells with type II Fas signaling (Jurkat or HCT-15) can signal through a type I pathway upon forced receptor overexpression and that shRNA-mediated Fas down-regulation converts cells with type I signaling (A498) to type II signaling. Importantly, the same cells can exhibit type I signaling for Fas and type II signaling for TRAIL (TNF-α-related apoptosis-inducing ligand), indicating that the choice of signaling pathway is related to the specific receptor, not some other cellular feature. Additional experiments revealed that up-regulation of cell surface death receptor 5 levels by treatment with 7-ethyl-10-hydroxy-camptothecin converted TRAIL signaling in HCT116 cells from type II to type I. Collectively, these results suggest that the type I/type II dichotomy reflects differences in cell surface death receptor expression.

Cell-type-dependent action potentials and voltage-gated currents in mouse fungiform taste buds.

PubMed

Kimura, Kenji; Ohtubo, Yoshitaka; Tateno, Katsumi; Takeuchi, Keita; Kumazawa, Takashi; Yoshii, Kiyonori

2014-01-01

Taste receptor cells fire action potentials in response to taste substances to trigger non-exocytotic neurotransmitter release in type II cells and exocytotic release in type III cells. We investigated possible differences between these action potentials fired by mouse taste receptor cells using in situ whole-cell recordings, and subsequently we identified their cell types immunologically with cell-type markers, an IP3 receptor (IP3 R3) for type II cells and a SNARE protein (SNAP-25) for type III cells. Cells not immunoreactive to these antibodies were examined as non-IRCs. Here, we show that type II cells and type III cells fire action potentials using different ionic mechanisms, and that non-IRCs also fire action potentials with either of the ionic mechanisms. The width of action potentials was significantly narrower and their afterhyperpolarization was deeper in type III cells than in type II cells. Na(+) current density was similar in type II cells and type III cells, but it was significantly smaller in non-IRCs than in the others. Although outwardly rectifying current density was similar between type II cells and type III cells, tetraethylammonium (TEA) preferentially suppressed the density in type III cells and the majority of non-IRCs. Our mathematical model revealed that the shape of action potentials depended on the ratio of TEA-sensitive current density and TEA-insensitive current one. The action potentials of type II cells and type III cells under physiological conditions are discussed. © 2013 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Biomarkers of Type II Synthetic Pyrethroid Pesticides in Freshwater Fish

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Type II synthetic pyrethroids contain an alpha-cyano group which renders them more neurotoxic than their noncyano type I counterparts. A wide array of biomarkers have been employed to delineate the toxic responses of freshwater fish to various type II synthetic pyrethroids. These include hematological, enzymatic, cytological, genetic, omic and other types of biomarkers. This review puts together the applications of different biomarkers in freshwater fish species in response to the toxicity of the major type II pyrethroid pesticides and assesses their present status, while speculating on the possible future directions. PMID:24868555

Biomarkers of type II synthetic pyrethroid pesticides in freshwater fish.

PubMed

Kaviraj, Anilava; Gupta, Abhik

2014-01-01

Type II synthetic pyrethroids contain an alpha-cyano group which renders them more neurotoxic than their noncyano type I counterparts. A wide array of biomarkers have been employed to delineate the toxic responses of freshwater fish to various type II synthetic pyrethroids. These include hematological, enzymatic, cytological, genetic, omic and other types of biomarkers. This review puts together the applications of different biomarkers in freshwater fish species in response to the toxicity of the major type II pyrethroid pesticides and assesses their present status, while speculating on the possible future directions.

The added value of measuring thumb and finger strength when comparing strength measurements in hypoplastic thumb patients.

PubMed

Molenaar, H M Ties; Selles, Ruud W; de Kraker, Marjolein; Stam, Henk J; Hovius, Steven E R

2013-10-01

When interventions to the hand are aimed at improving function of specific fingers or the thumb, the RIHM (Rotterdam Intrinsic Hand Myometer) is a validated tool and offers more detailed information to assess strength of the involved joints besides grip and pinch measurements. In this study, strength was measured in 65 thumbs in 40 patients diagnosed with thumb hypoplasia. These 65 thumbs were classified according to Blauth. Longitudinal radial deficiencies were also classified. The strength measurements comprised of grip, tip, tripod and key pinch. Furthermore palmar abduction and opposition of the thumb as well as abduction of the index and little finger were measured with the RIHM. For all longitudinal radial deficiency patients, grip and pinch strength as well as palmar abduction and thumb opposition were significantly lower than reference values (P<0.001). However, strength in the index finger abduction and the little finger abduction was maintained or decreased to a lesser extent according to the degree of longitudinal radial deficiency. All strength values decreased with increasing Blauth-type. Blauth-type II hands (n=15) with flexor digitorum superficialis 4 opposition transfer including stabilization of the metacarpophalangeal joint showed a trend toward a higher opposition strength without reaching statistical significance (P=0.094),however compared to non-operated Blauth-type II hands (n=6) they showed a lower grip strength (P=0.019). The RIHM is comparable in accuracy to other strength dynamometers. Using the RIHM, we were able to illustrate strength patterns on finger-specific level, showing added value when evaluating outcome in patients with hand related problems. © 2013.

Superconductivity of ternary silicide with the AlB(2)-type structure Sr(Ga(0.37),Si(0.63))(2).

PubMed

Imai, M; Abe, E; Ye, J; Nishida, K; Kimura, T; Honma, K; Abe, H; Kitazawa, H

2001-08-13

A ternary silicide Sr(Ga(0.37),Si(0.63))(2) was synthesized by a floating zone method. Electron diffraction and powder x-ray diffraction measurements indicate that the silicide has the AlB(2)-type structure with the lattice constants of a = 4.1427(6) A and c = 4.7998(9) A, where Si and Ga atoms are arranged in a chemically disordered honeycomb lattice and Sr atoms are inercalated between them. The silicide is isostructural with the high-temperature superconductor MgB(2) reported recently. Electrical resistivity and dc magnetization measurements revealed that it is a type-II superconductor with onset temperature of 3.5 K.

Cartilage degradation biomarkers predict efficacy of a novel, highly selective matrix metalloproteinase 13 inhibitor in a dog model of osteoarthritis: confirmation by multivariate analysis that modulation of type II collagen and aggrecan degradation peptides parallels pathologic changes.

PubMed

Settle, Steven; Vickery, Lillian; Nemirovskiy, Olga; Vidmar, Tom; Bendele, Alison; Messing, Dean; Ruminski, Peter; Schnute, Mark; Sunyer, Teresa

2010-10-01

To demonstrate that the novel highly selective matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP-13) inhibitor PF152 reduces joint lesions in adult dogs with osteoarthritis (OA) and decreases biomarkers of cartilage degradation. The potency and selectivity of PF152 were evaluated in vitro using 16 MMPs, TACE, and ADAMTS-4 and ADAMTS-5, as well as ex vivo in human cartilage explants. In vivo effects were evaluated at 3 concentrations in mature beagles with partial medial meniscectomy. Gross and histologic changes in the femorotibial joints were evaluated using various measures of cartilage degeneration. Biomarkers of cartilage turnover were examined in serum, urine, or synovial fluid. Results were analyzed individually and in combination using multivariate analysis. The potent and selective MMP-13 inhibitor PF152 decreased human cartilage degradation ex vivo in a dose-dependent manner. PF152 treatment of dogs with OA reduced cartilage lesions and decreased biomarkers of type II collagen (type II collagen neoepitope) and aggrecan (peptides ending in ARGN or AGEG) degradation. The dose required for significant inhibition varied with the measure used, but multivariate analysis of 6 gross and histologic measures indicated that all doses differed significantly from vehicle but not from each other. Combined analysis of cartilage degradation markers showed similar results. This highly selective MMP-13 inhibitor exhibits chondroprotective effects in mature animals. Biomarkers of cartilage degradation, when evaluated in combination, parallel the joint structural changes induced by the MMP-13 inhibitor. These data support the potential therapeutic value of selective MMP-13 inhibitors and the use of a set of appropriate biomarkers to predict efficacy in OA clinical trials.

Experimental type II diabetes and related models of impaired glucose metabolism differentially regulate glucose transporters at the proximal tubule brush border membrane.

PubMed

Chichger, Havovi; Cleasby, Mark E; Srai, Surjit K; Unwin, Robert J; Debnam, Edward S; Marks, Joanne

2016-06-01

What is the central question of this study? Although SGLT2 inhibitors represent a promising treatment for patients suffering from diabetic nephropathy, the influence of metabolic disruption on the expression and function of glucose transporters is largely unknown. What is the main finding and its importance? In vivo models of metabolic disruption (Goto-Kakizaki type II diabetic rat and junk-food diet) demonstrate increased expression of SGLT1, SGLT2 and GLUT2 in the proximal tubule brush border. In the type II diabetic model, this is accompanied by increased SGLT- and GLUT-mediated glucose uptake. A fasted model of metabolic disruption (high-fat diet) demonstrated increased GLUT2 expression only. The differential alterations of glucose transporters in response to varying metabolic stress offer insight into the therapeutic value of inhibitors. SGLT2 inhibitors are now in clinical use to reduce hyperglycaemia in type II diabetes. However, renal glucose reabsorption across the brush border membrane (BBM) is not completely understood in diabetes. Increased consumption of a Western diet is strongly linked to type II diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the adaptations that occur in renal glucose transporters in response to experimental models of diet-induced insulin resistance. The study used Goto-Kakizaki type II diabetic rats and normal rats rendered insulin resistant using junk-food or high-fat diets. Levels of protein kinase C-βI (PKC-βI), GLUT2, SGLT1 and SGLT2 were determined by Western blotting of purified renal BBM. GLUT- and SGLT-mediated d-[(3) H]glucose uptake by BBM vesicles was measured in the presence and absence of the SGLT inhibitor phlorizin. GLUT- and SGLT-mediated glucose transport was elevated in type II diabetic rats, accompanied by increased expression of GLUT2, its upstream regulator PKC-βI and SGLT1 protein. Junk-food and high-fat diet feeding also caused higher membrane expression of GLUT2 and its upstream regulator PKC-βI. However, the junk-food diet also increased SGLT1 and SGLT2 levels at the proximal tubule BBM. Glucose reabsorption across the proximal tubule BBM, via GLUT2, SGLT1 and SGLT2, is not solely dependent on glycaemic status, but is also influenced by diet-induced changes in glucose metabolism. We conclude that different metabolic disturbances result in complex adaptations in renal glucose transporter protein levels and function. © 2016 The Authors. Experimental Physiology © 2016 The Physiological Society.

SALT long-slit spectroscopy of CTS C30.10: two-component Mg II line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Modzelewska, J.; Czerny, B.; Hryniewicz, K.; Bilicki, M.; Krupa, M.; Świȩtoń, A.; Pych, W.; Udalski, A.; Adhikari, T. P.; Petrogalli, F.

2014-10-01

Context. Quasars can be used as a complementary tool to SN Ia to probe the distribution of dark energy in the Universe by measuring the time delay of the emission line with respect to the continuum. The understanding of the Mg II emission line structure is important for cosmological application and for the black hole mass measurements of intermediate redshift quasars. Aims: Knowing the shape of Mg II line and its variability allows for identifying which part of the line should be used to measure the time delay and the black hole mass. We thus aim at determining the structure and the variability of the Mg II line, as well as the underlying Fe II pseudo-continuum. Methods: We performed five spectroscopic observations of a quasar CTS C30.10 (z = 0.9000) with the SALT telescope between December 2012 and March 2014, and we studied the variations in the spectral shape in the 2700 Å-2900 Å rest frame. Results: We show that the Mg II line in this source consists of two kinematic components, which makes the source representative of type B quasars. Both components were modeled well with a Lorentzian shape, and they vary in a similar way. The Fe II contribution seems to be related only to the first (blue) Mg II component. Broad band spectral fitting instead favor the use of the whole line profile. The contribution of the narrow line region to Mg II is very low, below 2%. The Mg II variability is lower than the variability of the continuum, which is consistent with the simple reprocessing scenario. The variability level of CTS C30.10 and the measurement accuracy of the line and continuum is high enough to expect that further monitoring will allow the time delay between the Mg II line and continuum to be measured. Based on observations made with the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) under program 2012-2-POL-003 and 2013-1-POL-RSA-002 (PI: B. Czerny).Spectra shown in Figs. 3 and 4 are only available in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/570/A53Table 1 is available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Usefulness of tenderness to characterise fibromyalgia severity in women.

PubMed

Aparicio, V A; Carbonell-Baeza, A; Ortega, F B; Estevez, F; Ruiz, J R; Delgado-Fernández, M

2011-01-01

To investigate the usefulness of tenderness (tender points count (TPC) and algometer score) to characterise fibromyalgia (FM) severity and symptomatology in women. The study sample comprised 174 women aged 51±7 years. We ossesse tenderness using pressure algometry; quality of life by means of the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). We used the FM impact questionnaire (FIQ) to assess FM severity and symptomatology. Patients were categorised according to three FIQ-derived categories: FIQ<70 vs. ≥70; FIQ<59 vs. ≥59; and FM-type I and II. TPC was significantly higher in the group of patients with FIQ≥59 (16.9±2 vs. 15.6±4, p=0.02), whereas no differences between groups were observed according to FIQ≥70 (17.0±2 vs. 16.2±3, p=0.12) or FM type (16.8±3 for type II vs. 15.9±4 for type I, p=0.13). We observed a significant association between TPC and FIQ-job difficulty, pain, morning tiredness and stiffness dimensions (all p<0.05), yet it was not correlated with total score of FIQ, FIQ-anxiety, fatigue and depression dimensions (all p>0.05). Algometer score was lower in the FIQ≥70 (45.7±12 vs. 51.1±14, p=0.05) and FIQ≥59 (46.7±13 vs. 52.7±14, p=0.05) groups, and there were no difference between FM types (48.7±13 vs. 49.5±14 for type II and I respectively, p=0.81). Algometer score was not associated with total score of FIQ or FIQ dimensions (all p≥0.1). Widespread pain and pain hypersensitivity, as measured by TPC and algometer score, do not seem to be useful to characterise FM severity and symptomatology (measured by FIQ) in women.

Central sympathoexcitatory actions of angiotensin II: role of type 1 angiotensin II receptors.

PubMed

DiBona, G F

1999-01-01

The role of the renin-angiotensin system in the control of sympathetic nerve activity is reviewed. Two general mechanisms are considered, one that involves the effects of circulating angiotensin II (AngII) on the central nervous system and a second that involves the central nervous system effects of AngII that originates within the central nervous system. The role of type 1 AngII receptors in discrete brain sites that mediate the sympathoexcitatory actions of AngII of either circulating or central nervous system origin is examined. AngII of circulating origin has ready access to the subfornical organ and area postrema, where it can bind to type 1 AngII receptors on neurons whose connections to the nucleus tractus solitarius and rostral ventrolateral medulla result in sympathoexcitation. In the rostral ventrolateral medulla, angiotensin peptides of central nervous system origin, likely involving angiotensin species in addition to AngII and binding to receptors other than type 1 or 2 AngII receptors, tonically support sympathetic nerve activity.

Confocal Raman spectroscopy and AFM for evaluation of sidewalls in type II superlattice FPAs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rotter, T. J.; Busani, T.; Rathi, P.; Jaeckel, F.; Reyes, P. A.; Malloy, K. J.; Ukhanov, A. A.; Plis, E.; Krishna, S.; Jaime-Vasquez, M.; Baril, N. F.; Benson, J. D.; Tenne, D. A.

2015-06-01

We propose to utilize confocal Raman spectroscopy combined with high resolution atomic force microscopy (AFM) for nondestructive characterisation of the sidewalls of etched and passivated small pixel (24 μm×24 μm) focal plane arrays (FPA) fabricated using LW/LWIR InAs/GaSb type-II strained layer superlattice (T2SL) detector material. Special high aspect ratio Si and GaAs AFM probes, with tip length of 13 μm and tip aperture less than 7°, allow characterisation of the sidewall morphology. Confocal microscopy enables imaging of the sidewall profile through optical sectioning. Raman spectra measured on etched T2SL FPA single pixels enable us to quantify the non-uniformity of the mesa delineation process.

Dielectric evidence for possible type-II multiferroicity in α-RuCl3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, JiaCheng; Cui, Yi; Li, TianRun; Ran, KeJing; Wen, JinSheng; Yu, WeiQiang

2018-05-01

$\\alpha$-RuCl$_3$ is a Mott insulator with a honeycomb lattice with strong spin-orbit coupling. We report dielectric measurements on $\\alpha$-RuCl$_3$ single crystals under field. At zero field, the dielectric constant, $\\epsilon$, drops rapidly when cooled through the magnetic transition temperature T$_N$. With increasing field, the onset of the drop in $\\epsilon$ tracks the T$_N$. Such behavior is absent with field above a critical value H$_c$ ~ 7.5 T, indicating the onset of a quantum phase transition. Our data suggest that the dielectric constant can be used as a probe of magnetic ordering in $\\alpha$-RuCl$_3$, and $\\alpha$-RuCl$_3$ is a possible type-II multiferroics.

WILSON-BAPPU EFFECT: EXTENDED TO SURFACE GRAVITY

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

Park, Sunkyung; Kang, Wonseok; Lee, Jeong-Eun

2013-10-01

In 1957, Wilson and Bappu found a tight correlation between the stellar absolute visual magnitude (M{sub V} ) and the width of the Ca II K emission line for late-type stars. Here, we revisit the Wilson-Bappu relationship (WBR) to claim that the WBR can be an excellent indicator of stellar surface gravity of late-type stars as well as a distance indicator. We have measured the width (W) of the Ca II K emission line in high-resolution spectra of 125 late-type stars obtained with the Bohyunsan Optical Echelle Spectrograph and adopted from the Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph archive. Based onmore » our measurement of the emission line width (W), we have obtained a WBR of M{sub V} = 33.76 - 18.08 log W. In order to extend the WBR to being a surface gravity indicator, stellar atmospheric parameters such as effective temperature (T{sub eff}), surface gravity (log g), metallicity ([Fe/H]), and micro-turbulence ({xi}{sub tur}) have been derived from self-consistent detailed analysis using the Kurucz stellar atmospheric model and the abundance analysis code, MOOG. Using these stellar parameters and log W, we found that log g = -5.85 log W+9.97 log T{sub eff} - 23.48 for late-type stars.« less

SO2 Emissions at Semeru Volcano, Indonesia: Characterization and Quantification of Persistent and Periodic Explosive Activity.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smekens, J. F.; Clarke, A. B.; Burton, M. R.; Harijoko, A.; Wibowo, H.

2014-12-01

We present the first measurements of SO2 emissions at Semeru volcano, Indonesia, using an SO2 camera. Activity at Semeru is characterized by quiescent degassing interspersed with short-lived explosive events with low ash burden. The interval between explosions was measured at 32.1±15.7 minutes in a webcam survey of the volcano between the months of June and December 2013. We distinguish between two types of events: shorter events (type I: ~5 mins duration) with emissions returning quickly to baseline levels, and longer events (type II: ~15 mins duration) often showing multiple pulses and a longer period of increased emissions before a return to quiescent levels. Type I events represent >90% of the activity and release an average of 200-450 kg of SO2 per event. The single type II event we documented with the SO2 camera released a total of 1300 kg of SO2. We estimate the daily average emissions of Semeru to be 21-60 t d-1 of SO2, amounting to a yearly output of 7.5-22 Gg (7,500 - 22,000 metric tons), with 35-60% released during explosive events. The time series patterns of degassing are consistent with the existence of a viscous plug at the top of the conduit, causing accumulation and pressurization of the magma to produce the explosive events.

Obstetric care of women with female genital mutilation attending a specialized clinic in a tertiary center.

PubMed

Abdulcadir, Jasmine; Dugerdil, Adeline; Yaron, Michal; Irion, Olivier; Boulvain, Michel

2016-02-01

To study the obstetric outcomes of women attending a specialized clinic for women with female genital mutilation (FGM). The medical charts of women with FGM who consecutively attended a specialized clinic between 2010 and 2012 were reviewed retrospectively. The present study focused on women attending for obstetric reasons. The outcome measures were type of delivery, reason for cesarean delivery or assisted delivery, blood loss, episiotomy, perineal tear, duration of the second stage of labor, postpartum complications, weight of the neonate, and Apgar score. Outcomes were compared between women with FGM type III who underwent defibulation, and patients with FGM type I and II. The clinic was attended by 129 women, 84 perinatally. Obstetric outcomes were similar to average outcomes for women without FGM presenting at the same department and in Switzerland generally. Specifically, 20 women had a cesarean delivery. An assisted delivery was performed for 18 patients; among these, only eight had experienced obstructed labor. No statistically significant differences were found for the outcome measures when women with FGM type III were compared to FGM type I and II. Routine obstetric follow-up combined with specialized care for women with FGM, including defibulation, can avoid inappropriate obstetric practices and reduce obstetric complications known to be associated with FGM. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Type II fuzzy systems for amyloid plaque segmentation in transgenic mouse brains for Alzheimer's disease quantification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khademi, April; Hosseinzadeh, Danoush

2014-03-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia in the elderly characterized by extracellular deposition of amyloid plaques (AP). Using animal models, AP loads have been manually measured from histological specimens to understand disease etiology, as well as response to treatment. Due to the manual nature of these approaches, obtaining the AP load is labourious, subjective and error prone. Automated algorithms can be designed to alleviate these challenges by objectively segmenting AP. In this paper, we focus on the development of a novel algorithm for AP segmentation based on robust preprocessing and a Type II fuzzy system. Type II fuzzy systems are much more advantageous over the traditional Type I fuzzy systems, since ambiguity in the membership function may be modeled and exploited to generate excellent segmentation results. The ambiguity in the membership function is defined as an adaptively changing parameter that is tuned based on the local contrast characteristics of the image. Using transgenic mouse brains with AP ground truth, validation studies were carried out showing a high degree of overlap and low degree of oversegmentation (0.8233 and 0.0917, respectively). The results highlight that such a framework is able to handle plaques of various types (diffuse, punctate), plaques with varying Aβ concentrations as well as intensity variation caused by treatment effects or staining variability.

Clinical and radiographic outcomes of femoral head fractures: excision vs. fixation of fragment in Pipkin type I: what is the optimal choice for femoral head fracture?

PubMed

Park, Kyung-Soon; Lee, Keun-Bae; Na, Bo-Ram; Yoon, Taek-Rim

2015-07-01

In this work, we present relatively long-term results of femoral head fractures with a specific focus on Pipkin type I fractures. Fifty-nine femoral head fractures were treated according to modified Pipkin's classification as follows: type I, small fragment distal to the fovea centralis (FC); type II, large fragment distal to the FC; type III, large fragment proximal to the FC; type IV, comminuted fracture. There were 15 cases of type I, 28 of type II, 9 of type III, and 7 of type IV fractures. Conservative treatment with skeletal traction was performed in 4 type II cases, excision of the fragment in 15 type I and 10 type II cases, fixation of the fragment in 14 type II and all 9 type III cases, and total hip replacement in all 7 type IV cases. The overall clinical and radiographic outcomes were evaluated using previously published criteria, focusing on the results in Pipkin type I fractures with relatively large fragments. Based on Epstein criteria, in type II fractures, excellent or good clinical results were seen in 6 of 10 patients (60.0 %) treated by excision of the fragment and 12 of 14 patients (85.7 %) treated by internal fixation (p = 0.05). Also, excellent or good radiologic results were seen in 4 of 10 (40.0 %) patients treated by excision of the fragment and 12 of 14 (85.7 %) patients treated by internal fixation (p = 0.03). Even in Pipkin type I fractures, if the fragment is large (modified Pipkin type II), early reduction and internal fixation can produce good results.

The DeBakey classification exactly reflects late outcome and re-intervention probability in acute aortic dissection with a slightly modified type II definition.

PubMed

Tsagakis, Konstantinos; Tossios, Paschalis; Kamler, Markus; Benedik, Jaroslav; Natour, Dorgam; Eggebrecht, Holger; Piotrowski, Jarowit; Jakob, Heinz

2011-11-01

The DeBakey classification was used to discriminate the extent of acute aortic dissection (AD) and was correlated to long-term outcome and re-intervention rate. A slight modification of type II subgroup definition was applied by incorporating the aortic arch, when full resectability of the dissection process was given. Between January 2001 and March 2010, 118 patients (64% male, mean age 59 years) underwent surgery for acute AD. As many as 74 were operated on for type I and 44 for type II AD. Complete resection of all entry sites was performed, including antegrade stent grafting for proximal descending lesions. Patients were comparable with respect to demographics and preoperative hemodynamic status. They underwent isolated ascending replacement, hemiarch, or total arch replacement in 7%, 26%, and 67% in type I, versus 27%, 37%, and 36% in type II, respectively. Additional descending stent grafting was performed in 33/74 (45%) type I patients. In-hospital mortality was 14%, 16% (12/74) in type I versus 9% (4/44, type II), p=0.405. After 5 years, the estimated survival rate was 63% in type I versus 80% in type II, p=0.135. In type II, no distal aortic re-intervention was required. In type I, the freedom of distal re-interventions was 82% in patients with additional stent grafting versus 53% in patients without, p=0.022. The slightly modified DeBakey classification exactly reflects late outcome and aortic re-intervention probability. Thus, in type II patients, the aorta seems to be healed without any probability of later re-operation or re-intervention. Copyright © 2011 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Efficient color-tunable multiexcitonic dual wavelength emission from Type II semiconductor tetrapods.

PubMed

Wu, Wen-Ya; Li, Mingjie; Lian, Jie; Wu, Xiangyang; Yeow, Edwin K L; Jhon, Mark H; Chan, Yinthai

2014-09-23

We synthesized colloidal InP/ZnS seeded CdS tetrapods by harnessing the structural stability of the InP/ZnS seed nanocrystals at the high reaction temperatures needed to grow the CdS arms. Because of an unexpected Type II band alignment at the interface of the InP/ZnS core and CdS arms that enhanced the occurrence of radiative excitonic recombination in CdS, these tetrapods were found to be capable of exhibiting highly efficient multiexcitonic dual wavelength emission of equal intensity at spectrally distinct wavelengths of ∼485 and ∼675 nm. Additionally, the Type II InP/ZnS seeded CdS tetrapods displayed a wider range of pump-dependent emission color-tunability (from red to white to blue) within the context of a CIE 1931 chromaticity diagram and possessed higher photostability due to suppressed multiexcitonic Auger recombination when compared to conventional Type I CdSe seeded CdS tetrapods. By employing time-resolved spectroscopy measurements, we were able to attribute the wide emission color-tunability to the large valence band offset between InP and CdS. This work highlights the importance of band alignment in the synthetic design of semiconductor nanoheterostructures, which can exhibit color-tunable multiwavelength emission with high efficiency and photostability.

Large basolateral processes on type II hair cells comprise a novel processing unit in mammalian vestibular organs

PubMed Central

Pujol, Rémy; Pickett, Sarah B.; Nguyen, Tot Bui; Stone, Jennifer S.

2014-01-01

Sensory receptors in the vestibular system (hair cells) encode head movements and drive central motor reflexes that control gaze, body movements, and body orientation. In mammals, type I and II vestibular hair cells are defined by their shape, contacts with vestibular afferent nerves, and membrane conductance. Here, we describe unique morphological features of type II vestibular hair cells in mature rodents (mice and gerbils) and bats. These features are cytoplasmic processes that extend laterally from the hair cell’s base and project under type I hair cells. Closer analysis of adult mouse utricles demonstrated that the basolateral processes of type II hair cells range in shape, size, and branching, with the longest processes extending 3–4 hair cell widths. The hair cell basolateral processes synapse upon vestibular afferent nerves and receive inputs from vestibular efferent nerves. Further, some basolateral processes make physical contacts with the processes of other type II hair cells, forming some sort of network amongst type II hair cells. Basolateral processes are rare in perinatal mice and do not attain their mature form until 3–6 weeks of age. These observations demonstrate that basolateral processes are significant signaling regions of type II vestibular hair cells, and they suggest type II hair cells may directly communicate with each other, which has not been described in vertebrates. PMID:24825750

Large basolateral processes on type II hair cells are novel processing units in mammalian vestibular organs.

PubMed

Pujol, Rémy; Pickett, Sarah B; Nguyen, Tot Bui; Stone, Jennifer S

2014-10-01

Sensory receptors in the vestibular system (hair cells) encode head movements and drive central motor reflexes that control gaze, body movements, and body orientation. In mammals, type I and II vestibular hair cells are defined by their shape, contacts with vestibular afferent nerves, and membrane conductance. Here we describe unique morphological features of type II vestibular hair cells in mature rodents (mice and gerbils) and bats. These features are cytoplasmic processes that extend laterally from the hair cell base and project under type I hair cells. Closer analysis of adult mouse utricles demonstrated that the basolateral processes of type II hair cells vary in shape, size, and branching, with the longest processes extending three to four hair cell widths. The hair cell basolateral processes synapse upon vestibular afferent nerves and receive inputs from vestibular efferent nerves. Furthermore, some basolateral processes make physical contacts with the processes of other type II hair cells, forming some sort of network among type II hair cells. Basolateral processes are rare in perinatal mice and do not attain their mature form until 3-6 weeks of age. These observations demonstrate that basolateral processes are significant signaling regions of type II vestibular hair cells and suggest that type II hair cells may directly communicate with each other, which has not been described in vertebrates. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Indirect myosin immunocytochemistry for the identification of fibre types in equine skeletal muscle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sinha, A. K.; Rose, R. J.; Pozgaj, I.; Hoh, J. F.

1992-01-01

The histochemical ATPase method for muscle fibre typing was first described by Brooke and Kaiser in 1970. However, problems have been found with the subdivision of type II fibres using this technique. To determine whether indirect myosin immunocytochemistry using anti-slow (5-4D), anti-fast (1A10) and anti-fast red (5-2B) monoclonal antibodies with cross reactivity for type I, II and IIa fibres, respectively, in a number of species, could identify three fibre types in equine skeletal muscle, data on fibre type composition and fibre size obtained using the two different techniques were compared. Results indicate that different myosin heavy chains can coexist in single equine muscle fibres. Type I and type II fibres were identified by immunocytochemistry, but subdivision of type II fibres was not possible. Although the percentage of type I and type II fibres was not significantly different for the two techniques, a few fibres reacted with both the 1A10 and 5-4D antibodies.

Immersion vaccination of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) with two pathogenic strains of Vibrio anguillarum

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gould, R.W.; Antipa, R.; Amend, D.F.

1979-01-01

Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) were immersion-vaccinated in suspensions containing 5 × 107, 5 × 106, 5 × 105, or 5 × 104 bacteria/mL of bivalent or monovalent, formalin-killedVibrio anguillarum, Types I and II. The fish were split into two lots and held for 54 d. At that time one lot was challenged with living, virulent V. anguillarum, Type I, and one with living, virulent V.anguillarum, Type II. Immunization with bivalent bacterin effectively protected the fish from vibriosis, but monovalent vaccine was effective only against the homologous challenge. Immunization with the highest concentration of Type I monovalent bacterin resulted in 0% Type I and 58% Type II challenge mortality. Immunization with the highest concentration of Type II monovalent bacterin resulted in 41% Type I and 0% Type II challenge mortality. Immunization with the highest concentration of bivalent Type I/Type II bacterin resulted in 2% mortality in both challenges. Protective bacterins were effective at concentrations down to 5 × 105 bacteria/mL.Key words: immersion vaccination, bivalent vaccines, Vibrio anguillarum, vibriosis.

Immersion vaccination of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) with two pathogenic strains of Vibrio anguillarum

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gould, R.W.; Antipa, R.; Amend, D.F.

1979-01-01

Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) were immersion-vaccinated in suspensions containing 5 × 107, 5 × 106, 5 × 105, or 5 × 104 bacteria/mL of bivalent or monovalent, formalin-killed Vibrio anguillarum, Types I and II. The fish were split into two lots and held for 54 d. At that time one lot was challenged with living, virulent V. anguillarum, Type I, and one with living, virulent V. anguillarum, Type II. Immunization with bivalent bacterin effectively protected the fish from vibriosis, but monovalent vaccine was effective only against the homologous challenge. Immunization with the highest concentration of Type I monovalent bacterin resulted in 0% Type I and 58% Type II challenge mortality. Immunization with the highest concentration of Type II monovalent bacterin resulted in 41% Type I and 0% Type II challenge mortality. Immunization with the highest concentration of bivalent Type I/Type II bacterin resulted in 2% mortality in both challenges. Protective bacterins were effective at concentrations down to 5 × 105 bacteria/mL. Key words: immersion vaccination, bivalent vaccines, Vibrio anguillarum, vibriosis.

Mechanisms of cerebellar tonsil herniation in patients with Chiari malformations as guide to clinical management

PubMed Central

Nishikawa, Misao; Kula, Roger W.; Dlugacz, Yosef D.

2010-01-01

Background The pathogenesis of Chiari malformations is incompletely understood. We tested the hypothesis that different etiologies have different mechanisms of cerebellar tonsil herniation (CTH), as revealed by posterior cranial fossa (PCF) morphology. Methods In 741 patients with Chiari malformation type I (CM-I) and 11 patients with Chiari malformation type II (CM-II), the size of the occipital enchondrium and volume of the PCF (PCFV) were measured on reconstructed 2D-CT and MR images of the skull. Measurements were compared with those in 80 age- and sex-matched healthy control individuals, and the results were correlated with clinical findings. Results Significant reductions of PCF size and volume were present in 388 patients with classical CM-I, 11 patients with CM-II, and five patients with CM-I and craniosynostosis. Occipital bone size and PCFV were normal in 225 patients with CM-I and occipitoatlantoaxial joint instability, 55 patients with CM-I and tethered cord syndrome (TCS), 30 patients with CM-I and intracranial mass lesions, and 28 patients with CM-I and lumboperitoneal shunts. Ten patients had miscellaneous etiologies. The size and area of the foramen magnum were significantly smaller in patients with classical CM-I and CM-I occurring with craniosynostosis and significantly larger in patients with CM-II and CM-I occurring with TCS. Conclusions Important clues concerning the pathogenesis of CTH were provided by morphometric measurements of the PCF. When these assessments were correlated with etiological factors, the following causal mechanisms were suggested: (1) cranial constriction; (2) cranial settling; (3) spinal cord tethering; (4) intracranial hypertension; and (5) intraspinal hypotension. PMID:20440631

Ion chamber absorbed dose calibration coefficients, N{sub D,w}, measured at ADCLs: Distribution analysis and stability

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

Muir, B. R., E-mail: Bryan.Muir@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

2015-04-15

Purpose: To analyze absorbed dose calibration coefficients, N{sub D,w}, measured at accredited dosimetry calibration laboratories (ADCLs) for client ionization chambers to study (i) variability among N{sub D,w} coefficients for chambers of the same type calibrated at each ADCL to investigate ion chamber volume fluctuations and chamber manufacturing tolerances; (ii) equivalency of ion chamber calibration coefficients measured at different ADCLs by intercomparing N{sub D,w} coefficients for chambers of the same type; and (iii) the long-term stability of N{sub D,w} coefficients for different chamber types by investigating repeated chamber calibrations. Methods: Large samples of N{sub D,w} coefficients for several chamber types measuredmore » over the time period between 1998 and 2014 were obtained from the three ADCLs operating in the United States. These are analyzed using various graphical and numerical statistical tests for the four chamber types with the largest samples of calibration coefficients to investigate (i) and (ii) above. Ratios of calibration coefficients for the same chamber, typically obtained two years apart, are calculated to investigate (iii) above and chambers with standard deviations of old/new ratios less than 0.3% meet stability requirements for accurate reference dosimetry recommended in dosimetry protocols. Results: It is found that N{sub D,w} coefficients for a given chamber type compared among different ADCLs may arise from differing probability distributions potentially due to slight differences in calibration procedures and/or the transfer of the primary standard. However, average N{sub D,w} coefficients from different ADCLs for given chamber types are very close with percent differences generally less than 0.2% for Farmer-type chambers and are well within reported uncertainties. Conclusions: The close agreement among calibrations performed at different ADCLs reaffirms the Calibration Laboratory Accreditation Subcommittee process of ensuring ADCL conformance with National Institute of Standards and Technology standards. This study shows that N{sub D,w} coefficients measured at different ADCLs are statistically equivalent, especially considering reasonable uncertainties. This analysis of N{sub D,w} coefficients also allows identification of chamber types that can be considered stable enough for accurate reference dosimetry.« less

Type III Radio Burst Duration and SEP Events

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gopalswamy, N.; Makela, P.; Xie, H.

2010-01-01

Long-duration (>15 min), low-frequency (<14 MHz) type III radio bursts have been reported to be indicative of solar energetic particle events. We measured the durations of type III bursts associated with large SEP events of solar cycle 23. The Type III durations are distributed symmetrically at 1 MHz yielding a mean value of approximately 33 min (median = 32 min) for the large SEP events. When the SEP events with ground level enhancement (GLE,) are considered, the distribution is essentially unchanged (mean = 32 min, median = 30 min). To test the importance of type III bursts in indicating SEP events, we considered a set of six type III bursts from the same active region (AR 10588) whose durations fit the "long duration" criterion. We analyzed the coronal mass ejections (CMEs), flares, and type II radio bursts associated with the type III bursts. The CMEs were of similar speeds and the flares are also of similar size and duration. All but one of the type III bursts was not associated with a type II burst in the metric or longer wavelength domains. The burst without type II burst also lacked a solar energetic particle (SEP) event at energies >25 MeV. The 1-MHz duration of the type III burst (28 rein) is near the median value of type III durations found for gradual SEP events and ground level enhancement (GLE) events. Yet, there was no sign of SEP events. On the other hand, two other type III bursts from the same active region had similar duration but accompanied by WAVES type 11 bursts; these bursts were also accompanied by SEP events detected by SOHO/ERNE. This study suggests that the type III burst duration may not be a good indicator of an SEP event, consistent with the statistical study of Cliver and Ling (2009, ApJ ).

Enhanced Materials Based on Submonolayer Type-II Quantum Dots

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

Tamargo, Maria C; Kuskovsky, Igor L.; Meriles, Carlos

2017-04-15

We have investigated a nanostructured material known as sub-monolayer type-II QDs, made from wide bandgap II-VI semiconductors. Our goal is to understand and exploit their tunable optical and electrical properties by taking advantage of the type-II band alignment and quantum confinement effects. Type-II ZnTe quantum dots (QDs) in a ZnSe host are particularly interesting because of their relatively large valence band and conduction band offsets. In the current award we have developed new materials based on sub-monolayer type-II QDs that may be advantageous for photovoltaic and spintronics applications. We have also expanded the structural characterization of these materials by refiningmore » the X-ray diffraction methodologies needed to investigate them. In particular, we have 1) demonstrated ZnCdTe/ZnCdSe type-II QDs materials that have ideal properties for the development of novel high efficiency “intermediate band solar cells”, 2) we developed a comprehensive approach to describe and model the growth of these ultra-small type-II QDs, 3) analysis of the evolution of the photoluminescence (PL) emission, combined with other characterization probes allowed us to predict the size and density of the QDs as a function of the growth conditions, 4) we developed and implemented novel sophisticated X-ray diffraction techniques from which accurate size and shape of the buried type-II QDs could be extracted, 5) a correlation of the shape anisotropy with polarization dependent PL was observed, confirming the QDs detailed shape and providing insight about the effects of this shape anisotropy on the physical properties of the type-II QD systems, and 6) a detailed “time-resolved Kerr rotation” investigation has led to the demonstration of enhanced electron spin lifetimes for the samples with large densities of type-II QDs and an understanding of the interplay between the QDs and Te-isoelectroic centers, a defect that forms in the spacer layers that separate the QDs.« less

Load environment of rail joint bars -- phase II, joint bar service environment and fatigue analysis.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-07-01

Detailed analysis of measured bending strains shows that the foundation deflections have the most significant effect on the : magnitude of strains. All other factors, such as track type, track geometry, and fastening systems, have a less significant ...

Methods to assess pecan scab

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pecan scab (Fusicladium effusum [G. Winter]) is the most important disease of pecan in the U.S. Measuring the severity of scab accurately and reliably and providing data amenable to analysis using parametric statistics is important where treatments are being compared to minimize the risk of Type II ...

The Ca II infrared triplet's performance as an activity indicator compared to Ca II H and K. Empirical relations to convert Ca II infrared triplet measurements to common activity indices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, J.; Fuhrmeister, B.; Mittag, M.; Schmidt, T. O. B.; Hempelmann, A.; González-Pérez, J. N.; Schmitt, J. H. M. M.

2017-09-01

Aims: A large number of Calcium infrared triplet (IRT) spectra are expected from the Gaia and CARMENES missions. Conversion of these spectra into known activity indicators will allow analysis of their temporal evolution to a better degree. We set out to find such a conversion formula and to determine its robustness. Methods: We have compared 2274 Ca II IRT spectra of active main-sequence F to K stars taken by the TIGRE telescope with those of inactive stars of the same spectral type. After normalizing and applying rotational broadening, we subtracted the comparison spectra to find the chromospheric excess flux caused by activity. We obtained the total excess flux, and compared it to established activity indices derived from the Ca II H and K lines, the spectra of which were obtained simultaneously to the infrared spectra. Results: The excess flux in the Ca II IRT is found to correlate well with R'HK and R+HK, as well as SMWO, if the B - V-dependency is taken into account. We find an empirical conversion formula to calculate the corresponding value of one activity indicator from the measurement of another, by comparing groups of datapoints of stars with similar B - V.

Resistance training increases skeletal muscle oxidative capacity and net intramuscular triglyceride breakdown in type I and II fibres of sedentary males.

PubMed

Shepherd, S O; Cocks, M; Tipton, K D; Witard, O C; Ranasinghe, A M; Barker, T A; Wagenmakers, A J M; Shaw, C S

2014-06-01

Recent in vitro and in vivo experimental observations suggest that improvements in insulin sensitivity following endurance training are mechanistically linked to increases in muscle oxidative capacity, intramuscular triglyceride (IMTG) utilization during endurance exercise and increases in the content of the lipid droplet-associated perilipin 2 (PLIN2) and perilipin 5 (PLIN5). This study investigated the hypothesis that similar adaptations may also underlie the resistance training (RT)-induced improvements in insulin sensitivity. Thirteen sedentary men (20 ± 1 years old; body mass index 24.8 ± 0.8 kg m(-2)) performed 6 weeks of whole-body RT (three times per week), and changes in peak O2 uptake (in millilitres per minute per kilogram) and insulin sensitivity were assessed. Muscle biopsies (n = 8) were obtained before and after 60 min steady-state cycling at ~65% peak O2 uptake. Immunofluorescence microscopy was used to assess changes in oxidative capacity (measured as cytochrome c oxidase protein content), IMTG and PLIN2 and PLIN5 protein content. Resistance training increased peak O2 uptake (by 8 ± 3%), COX protein content (by 46 ± 13 and 61 ± 13% in type I and II fibres, respectively) and the Matsuda insulin sensitivity index (by 47 ± 6%; all P < 0.05). In type I fibres, IMTG (by 52 ± 11%; P < 0.05) and PLIN2 content (by 107 ± 19%; P < 0.05) were increased and PLIN5 content tended to increase (by 54 ± 22%; P = 0.054) post-training. In type II fibres, PLIN2 content increased (by 57 ± 20%; P < 0.05) and IMTG (by 46 ± 17%; P = 0.1) and PLIN5 content (by 44 ± 24%; P = 0.054) tended to increase post-training. Breakdown of IMTG during moderate-intensity exercise was greater in both type I and type II fibres (by 43 ± 5 and 37 ± 5%, respectively; P < 0.05) post-RT. The results confirm the hypothesis that RT enhances muscle oxidative capacity and increases IMTG breakdown and the content of PLIN2 and PLIN5 in both type I and type II fibres during endurance-type exercise. © 2014 The Authors. Experimental Physiology © 2014 The Physiological Society.

Kinetic studies of methane-ethane mixed gas hydrates by neutron diffraction and Raman spectroscopy.

PubMed

Murshed, M Mangir; Kuhs, Werner F

2009-04-16

In situ formations of CH(4)-C(2)H(6) mixed gas hydrates were made using high flux neutron diffraction at 270 K and 5 MPa. For this purpose, a feed gas composition of CH(4) and C(2)H(6) (95 mol% CH(4)) was employed. The rates of transformation of spherical grains of deuterated ice Ih into hydrates were measured by time-resolved neutron powder diffraction on D20 at ILL, Grenoble. Phase fractions of the crystalline constituents were obtained from Rietveld refinements. A concomitant formation of structure type I (sI) and structure type II (sII) hydrates were observed soon after the gas pressure was applied. The initial fast formation of sII hydrate reached its maximum volume and started declining very slowly. The formation of sI hydrate followed a sigmoid growth kinetics that slowed down due to diffusion limitation. This observation has been interpreted in terms of a kinetically favored nucleation of the sII hydrate along with a slow transformation into sI. Both powder diffraction and Raman spectroscopic results suggest that a C(2)H(6)-rich sII hydrate was formed at the early part of the clathration, which slowly decreased to approximately 3% after a reaction of 158 days as confirmed by synchrotron XRD. The final persistence of a small portion of sII hydrate points to a miscibility gap between CH(4)-rich sI and C(2)H(6)-rich sII hydrates.

Synthesis, spectroscopic and DNA binding ability of CoII, NiII, CuII and ZnII complexes of Schiff base ligand (E)-1-(((1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)methylimino)methyl)naphthalen-2-ol. X-ray crystal structure determination of cobalt (II) complex.

PubMed

Yarkandi, Naeema H; El-Ghamry, Hoda A; Gaber, Mohamed

2017-06-01

A novel Schiff base ligand, (E)-1-(((1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)methylimino)methyl)naphthalen-2-ol (HL), has been designed and synthesized in addition to its metal chelates [Co(L) 2 ]·l2H 2 O, [Ni(L)Cl·(H 2 O) 2 ].5H 2 O, [Cu(L)Cl] and [Zn(L)(CH 3 COO)]. The structures of the isolated compounds have been confirmed and identified by means of different spectral and physicochemical techniques including CHN analysis, 1 H & 13 C NMR, mass spectral analysis, molar conductivity measurement, UV-Vis, infrared, magnetic moment in addition to TGA technique. The infrared spectral results ascertained that the ligand acts as monobasic tridentate binding to the metal centers via deprotonated hydroxyl oxygen, azomethine and imidazole nitrogen atoms. The UV-Vis, magnetic susceptibility and molar conductivity data implied octahedral geometry for Co(II) & Ni(II) complexes, tetrahedral for Zn(II) complex and square planar for Cu(II) complex. X-ray structural analysis of Co(II) complex 1 has been reported and discussed. Moreover, the type of interaction between the ligand & its complexes towards salmon sperm DNA (SS-DNA) has been examined by the measurement of absorption spectra and viscosity which confirmed that the ligand and its complexes interact with DNA via intercalation interaction as concluded from the values of binding constants (K b ). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spectral, thermal, kinetic, molecular modeling and eukaryotic DNA degradation studies for a new series of albendazole (HABZ) complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Metwaly, Nashwa M.; Refat, Moamen S.

2011-01-01

This work represents the elaborated investigation for the ligational behavior of the albendazole ligand through its coordination with, Cu(II), Mn(II), Ni(II), Co(II) and Cr(III) ions. Elemental analysis, molar conductance, magnetic moment, spectral studies (IR, UV-Vis and ESR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TG and DTG) have been used to characterize the isolated complexes. A deliberate comparison for the IR spectra reveals that the ligand coordinated with all mentioned metal ions by the same manner as a neutral bidentate through carbonyl of ester moiety and NH groups. The proposed chelation form for such complexes is expected through out the preparation conditions in a relatively acidic medium. The powder XRD study reflects the amorphous nature for the investigated complexes except Mn(II). The conductivity measurements reflect the non-electrolytic feature for all complexes. In comparing with the constants for the magnetic measurements as well as the electronic spectral data, the octahedral structure was proposed strongly for Cr(III) and Ni(II), the tetrahedral for Co(II) and Mn(II) complexes but the square-pyramidal for the Cu(II) one. The thermogravimetric analysis confirms the presence or absence of water molecules by any type of attachments. Also, the kinetic parameters are estimated from DTG and TG curves. ESR spectrum data for Cu(II) solid complex confirms the square-pyramidal state is the most fitted one for the coordinated structure. The albendazole ligand and its complexes are biologically investigated against two bacteria as well as their effective effect on degradation of calf thymus DNA.

Progression of function and pain relief as indicators for returning to sports after arthroscopic isolated type II SLAP repair-a prospective study.

PubMed

Boesmueller, Sandra; Tiefenboeck, Thomas M; Hofbauer, Marcus; Bukaty, Adam; Oberleitner, Gerhard; Huf, Wolfgang; Fialka, Christian

2017-06-13

One of the currently used surgical techniques in isolated type II SLAP lesions is arthroscopic SLAP repair. Postoperatively, patients tend to suffer from a prolonged period of pain and are restricted in their sports activities for at least 6 months. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the clinical outcome as well as the postoperative course of pain after arthroscopic type II SLAP repair. Outcome measures were assessed using the Individual Relative Constant Score (CS indiv ), the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) Score, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and the Short Form 36 (SF-36). Data were collected preoperatively, as well as at 3, 6, 12 and >24 months postoperatively. Eleven patients with an average age of 31.8 years (range: 22.8-49.8 years) underwent arthroscopic repair of isolated type II SLAP lesions. Mean follow-up time was 41.9 months (range: 36.1-48.4 months). 6 months after surgery, there was a statistically significant improvement of function according to the CS indiv (p = 0.004), the ASES Score (p = 0.006), and the SF-36 subscale "physical functioning" (p = 0.014) and a statistically significant decrease of pain according to the VAS (p = 0.007) and the SF-36 subscale "bodily pain" (p = 0.022) compared to preoperative levels. Arthroscopic repair of isolated type II SLAP lesions with suture anchors leads to a satisfactory functional outcome and return to pre-injury sports levels, with delayed, but significant pain relief observed 6 months after surgery. Thus, a return to sports should not be allowed earlier than 6 months after surgery, when patients have reached pain-free function and recovered strength. Researchregistry1761 (UIN).

Effects of Furnished Cage Type on Behavior and Welfare of Laying Hens.

PubMed

Li, Xiang; Chen, Donghua; Li, Jianhong; Bao, Jun

2016-06-01

This study was conducted to compare the effects of layout of furniture (a perch, nest, and sandbox) in cages on behavior and welfare of hens. Two hundred and sixteen Hyline Brown laying hens were divided into five groups (treatments) with four replicates per group: small furnished cages (SFC), medium furnished cages type I (MFC-I), medium furnished cages type II (MFC-II), and medium furnished cages type III (MFC-III) and conventional cages (CC). The experiment started at 18 week of age and finished at 52 week of age. Hens' behaviors were filmed during the following periods: 8:00 to 10:00; 13:00 to 14:00; 16:00 to 17:00 on three separate days and two hens from each cage were measured for welfare parameters at 50 wk of age. The results showed that feeding and laying of all hens showed no effect by cage type (p>0.05), and the hens in the furnished cages had significantly lower standing and higher walking than CC hens (p<0.05). The birds in MFC-III had significant higher preening, scratching and feather-pecking behavior than in the other cages (p<0.05). No difference in nesting behavior was found in the hens between the furnished cages (p>0.05). The hens in MFC-I, -II, and -III showed a significant higher socializing behavior than SFC and CC (p<0.05). The lowest perching was for the hens in SFC and the highest perching found for the hens in MFC-III. Overall, the hens in CC showed poorer welfare conditions than the furnished cages, in which the feather condition score, gait score and tonic immobility duration of the hens in CC was significantly higher than SFC, MFC-I, MFC-II, and MFC-III (p<0.05). In conclusion, the furnished cage design affected both behavior and welfare states of hens. Overall, MFC-III cage design was better than SFC, MFC-I, and MFC-II cage designs.

Effects of Furnished Cage Type on Behavior and Welfare of Laying Hens

PubMed Central

Li, Xiang; Chen, Donghua; Li, Jianhong; Bao, Jun

2016-01-01

This study was conducted to compare the effects of layout of furniture (a perch, nest, and sandbox) in cages on behavior and welfare of hens. Two hundred and sixteen Hyline Brown laying hens were divided into five groups (treatments) with four replicates per group: small furnished cages (SFC), medium furnished cages type I (MFC-I), medium furnished cages type II (MFC-II), and medium furnished cages type III (MFC-III) and conventional cages (CC). The experiment started at 18 week of age and finished at 52 week of age. Hens’ behaviors were filmed during the following periods: 8:00 to 10:00; 13:00 to 14:00; 16:00 to 17:00 on three separate days and two hens from each cage were measured for welfare parameters at 50 wk of age. The results showed that feeding and laying of all hens showed no effect by cage type (p>0.05), and the hens in the furnished cages had significantly lower standing and higher walking than CC hens (p<0.05). The birds in MFC-III had significant higher preening, scratching and feather-pecking behavior than in the other cages (p<0.05). No difference in nesting behavior was found in the hens between the furnished cages (p>0.05). The hens in MFC-I, −II, and −III showed a significant higher socializing behavior than SFC and CC (p<0.05). The lowest perching was for the hens in SFC and the highest perching found for the hens in MFC-III. Overall, the hens in CC showed poorer welfare conditions than the furnished cages, in which the feather condition score, gait score and tonic immobility duration of the hens in CC was significantly higher than SFC, MFC-I, MFC-II, and MFC-III (p<0.05). In conclusion, the furnished cage design affected both behavior and welfare states of hens. Overall, MFC-III cage design was better than SFC, MFC-I, and MFC-II cage designs. PMID:26954171

Sugar-sweetened beverage intake and the risk of type I and type II endometrial cancer among postmenopausal women.

PubMed

Inoue-Choi, Maki; Robien, Kim; Mariani, Andrea; Cerhan, James R; Anderson, Kristin E

2013-12-01

Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake has been associated with an increased risk of obesity and type II diabetes. However, its association with endometrial cancer is unclear. We evaluated dietary intake of SSB, fruit juice, sugar-free beverages, sweets/baked goods, starch, and sugars among 23,039 postmenopausal women in the Iowa Women's Health Study. Incident estrogen-dependent type I and estrogen-independent type II endometrial cancers were identified via linkage with the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Registry. Risks of type I and type II endometrial cancers were separately compared by energy-adjusted dietary intake in Cox proportional hazards regression models. From 1986 to 2010, 506 type I and 89 type II incident endometrial cancers were identified. An increased risk of type I endometrial cancer was observed with increasing SSB intake after adjustment for body mass index (BMI) and other cofounders (Ptrend = 0.0005). Compared with nondrinkers of SSB, the risk was 78% higher [95% confidence intervals (CI), 1.32-2.40] among women in the highest quintile of SSB intake. The observed association was not modified by BMI, physical activity, history of diabetes, or cigarette smoking. Higher risk of type I endometrial cancer was also observed with higher intake of sugars. None of the dietary items included in the analysis was associated with type II endometrial cancer risk. Higher intake of SSB and sugars was associated with an increased risk of type I, but not type II, endometrial cancer. SSB intake may be a risk factor for type I endometrial cancer regardless of other lifestyle factors. ©2013 AACR.

Sine-gordon type field in spacetime of arbitrary dimension. II: Stochastic quantization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirillov, A. I.

1995-11-01

Using the theory of Dirichlet forms, we prove the existence of a distribution-valued diffusion process such that the Nelson measure of a field with a bounded interaction density is its invariant probability measure. A Langevin equation in mathematically correct form is formulated which is satisfied by the process. The drift term of the equation is interpreted as a renormalized Euclidean current operator.

Assessment of depression in medical patients: a systematic review of the utility of the Beck Depression Inventory-II.

PubMed

Wang, Yuan-Pang; Gorenstein, Clarice

2013-09-01

To perform a systematic review of the utility of the Beck Depression Inventory for detecting depression in medical settings, this article focuses on the revised version of the scale (Beck Depression Inventory-II), which was reformulated according to the DSM-IV criteria for major depression. We examined relevant investigations with the Beck Depression Inventory-II for measuring depression in medical settings to provide guidelines for practicing clinicians. Considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria seventy articles were retained. Validation studies of the Beck Depression Inventory-II, in both primary care and hospital settings, were found for clinics of cardiology, neurology, obstetrics, brain injury, nephrology, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, oncology, and infectious disease. The Beck Depression Inventory-II showed high reliability and good correlation with measures of depression and anxiety. Its threshold for detecting depression varied according to the type of patients, suggesting the need for adjusted cut-off points. The somatic and cognitive-affective dimension described the latent structure of the instrument. The Beck Depression Inventory-II can be easily adapted in most clinical conditions for detecting major depression and recommending an appropriate intervention. Although this scale represents a sound path for detecting depression in patients with medical conditions, the clinician should seek evidence for how to interpret the score before using the Beck Depression Inventory-II to make clinical decisions.

The influence of implant design on periprosthetic bone remodelling of two types of uncemented HA-coated hip stems. A two-year follow-up study using DEXA.

PubMed

Van der Wal, B C H; Rahmy, A I A; Grimm, B; Blake, G M; Heyligers, I C; Tonino, A J

2006-01-01

Proximal bone resorption and an increased fracture rate in the ABG-I stem has been shown. For these reasons the ABG-I stem design was changed to the ABG-II. In this study periprosthetic bone loss around the ABG-I vs ABG-II is compared to verify if the design changes resulted in improved proximal bone preservation. 51 patients were randomised to either the ABG-I or ABG-II hip prosthesis. Periprosthetic BMD change at various time points was measured using DEXA. Between the two groups (age, gender, weight etc.) no statistical difference was encountered. Compared to the baseline at two years the ABG-II preserved bone better proximally (e.g. zone 7: ABG-II: -3.7%, ABG-I: -11.9%, p=0.05) than the ABG-I. Distally, the trend was opposite and less bone loss was measured for the ABG-I than the ABG-II in zones 3, 4 and 5 (n.s.). this study confirms the philosophy behind the design changes from the ABG-I to ABG-II stem where increased elasticity, more proximal HA-coating, a shorter and distally polished stem, were meant to reduce proximal bone resorption. In future this may lead to fewer periprosthetic fractures and to less complicated revision surgery.

Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, DNA interaction and antibacterial study of metal complexes of tetraazamacrocyclic Schiff base

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shakir, Mohammad; Khanam, Sadiqa; Firdaus, Farha; Latif, Abdul; Aatif, Mohammad; Al-Resayes, Saud I.

The template condensation reaction between benzil and 3,4-diaminotoulene resulted mononuclear 12-membered tetraimine macrocyclic complexes of the type, [MLCl2] [M = Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II)]. The synthesized complexes have been characterized on the basis of the results of elemental analysis, molar conductance, magnetic susceptibility measurements and spectroscopic studies viz. FT-IR, 1H and 13C NMR, FAB mass, UV-vis and EPR. An octahedral geometry has been envisaged for all these complexes, while a distorted octahedral geometry has been noticed for Cu(II) complex. Low conductivity data of all these complexes suggest their non-ionic nature. The interactive studies of these complexes with calf thymus DNA showed that the complexes are avid binders of calf thymus DNA. The in vitro antibacterial studies of these complexes screened against pathogenic bacteria proved them as growth inhibiting agents.

Identification of type II and type III pyoverdine receptors from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

PubMed

de Chial, Magaly; Ghysels, Bart; Beatson, Scott A; Geoffroy, Valérie; Meyer, Jean Marie; Pattery, Theresa; Baysse, Christine; Chablain, Patrice; Parsons, Yasmin N; Winstanley, Craig; Cordwell, Stuart J; Cornelis, Pierre

2003-04-01

Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces, under conditions of iron limitation, a high-affinity siderophore, pyoverdine (PVD), which is recognized at the level of the outer membrane by a specific TonB-dependent receptor, FpvA. So far, for P. aeruginosa, three different PVDs, differing in their peptide chain, have been described (types I-III), but only the FpvA receptor for type I is known. Two PVD-producing P. aeruginosa strains, one type II and one type III, were mutagenized by a mini-TnphoA3 transposon. In each case, one mutant unable to grow in the presence of the strong iron chelator ethylenediaminedihydroxyphenylacetic acid (EDDHA) and the cognate PVD was selected. The first mutant, which had an insertion in the pvdE gene, upstream of fpvA, was unable to take up type II PVD and showed resistance to pyocin S3, which is known to use type II FpvA as receptor. The second mutant was unable to take up type III PVD and had the transposon insertion in fpvA. Cosmid libraries of the respective type II and type III PVD wild-type strains were constructed and screened for clones restoring the capacity to grow in the presence of PVD. From the respective complementing genomic fragments, type II and type III fpvA sequences were determined. When in trans, type II and type III fpvA restored PVD production, uptake, growth in the presence of EDDHA and, in the case of type II fpvA, pyocin S3 sensitivity. Complementation of fpvA mutants obtained by allelic exchange was achieved by the presence of cognate fpvA in trans. All three receptors posses an N-terminal extension of about 70 amino acids, similar to FecA of Escherichia coli, but only FpvAI has a TAT export sequence at its N-terminal end.

Spinal muscle evaluation in healthy individuals and low-back-pain patients: a literature review.

PubMed

Demoulin, Christophe; Crielaard, Jean-Michel; Vanderthommen, Marc

2007-01-01

This article reviews available techniques for spinal muscle investigation, as well as data on spinal muscles in healthy individuals and in patients with low back pain. In patients with chronic low back pain, medical imaging studies show paraspinal muscle wasting with reductions in cross-sectional surface area and fiber density. In healthy individuals, the paraspinal muscles contain a high proportion of slow-twitch fibers (Type I), reflecting their role in maintaining posture. The proportion of Type I fibers is higher in females, leading to better adaptation to aerobic exertion compared to males. Abnormalities seen in paraspinal muscles from patients with chronic low back pain include marked Type II fiber atrophy, conversion of Type I to Type II fibers, and an increased number of nonspecific abnormalities. Limited data are available from magnetic resonance spectroscopy used to investigate muscle metabolism and from near infrared spectroscopy used to measure oxygen uptake by the paraspinal muscles. Surface electromyography in patients with chronic low back pain shows increased paraspinal muscle fatigability, often with abolition of the flexion-relaxation phenomenon.

Binding of mercury(II) to aquatic humic substances: Influence of pH and source of humic substances

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haitzer, M.; Aiken, G.R.; Ryan, J.N.

2003-01-01

Conditional distribution coefficients (KDOM???) for Hg(II) binding to seven dissolved organic matter (DOM) isolates were measured at environmentally relevant ratios of Hg(II) to DOM. The results show that KDOM??? values for different types of samples (humic acids, fulvic acids, hydrophobic acids) isolated from diverse aquatic environments were all within 1 order of magnitude (1022.5??1.0-1023.5??1.0 L kg-1), suggesting similar Hg(II) binding environments, presumably involving thiol groups, for the different isolates. KDOM??? values decreased at low pHs (4) compared to values at pH 7, indicating proton competition for the strong Hg(II) binding sites. Chemical modeling of Hg(II)-DOM binding at different pH values was consistent with bidentate binding of Hg(II) by one thiol group (pKa = 10.3) and one other group (pKa = 6.3) in the DOM, which is in agreement with recent results on the structure of Hg(II)-DOM bonds obtained by extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS).

Object motion computation for the initiation of smooth pursuit eye movements in humans.

PubMed

Wallace, Julian M; Stone, Leland S; Masson, Guillaume S

2005-04-01

Pursuing an object with smooth eye movements requires an accurate estimate of its two-dimensional (2D) trajectory. This 2D motion computation requires that different local motion measurements are extracted and combined to recover the global object-motion direction and speed. Several combination rules have been proposed such as vector averaging (VA), intersection of constraints (IOC), or 2D feature tracking (2DFT). To examine this computation, we investigated the time course of smooth pursuit eye movements driven by simple objects of different shapes. For type II diamond (where the direction of true object motion is dramatically different from the vector average of the 1-dimensional edge motions, i.e., VA not equal IOC = 2DFT), the ocular tracking is initiated in the vector average direction. Over a period of less than 300 ms, the eye-tracking direction converges on the true object motion. The reduction of the tracking error starts before the closing of the oculomotor loop. For type I diamonds (where the direction of true object motion is identical to the vector average direction, i.e., VA = IOC = 2DFT), there is no such bias. We quantified this effect by calculating the direction error between responses to types I and II and measuring its maximum value and time constant. At low contrast and high speeds, the initial bias in tracking direction is larger and takes longer to converge onto the actual object-motion direction. This effect is attenuated with the introduction of more 2D information to the extent that it was totally obliterated with a texture-filled type II diamond. These results suggest a flexible 2D computation for motion integration, which combines all available one-dimensional (edge) and 2D (feature) motion information to refine the estimate of object-motion direction over time.

[Clinical features and ETFDH mutations of children with late-onset glutaric aciduria type II: a report of two cases].

PubMed

Cheng, Yan-Yang; Tang, Yue; Liu, Ao-Jie; Wei, Li; Lin, Lan; Zhang, Jing; Zhi, Liang

2017-09-01

To investigate the clinical and genetic features of two families with late-onset glutaric aciduria type II caused by ETFDH mutations. Target gene sequence capture and next generation sequencing were used for sequencing of suspected patients and their family members. The patients' clinical features were retrospectively analyzed and literature review was performed. The probands of the two families had a clinical onset at the ages of 10 years and 5.5 years respectively, with the clinical manifestations of muscle weakness and muscle pain. Laboratory examinations revealed significant increases in the serum levels of creatine kinase, creatine kinase-MB, and lactate dehydrogenase. Tandem mass spectrometry showed increases in various types of acylcarnitines. The analysis of urine organic acids showed an increase in glutaric acid. Electromyography showed myogenic damage in both patients. Gene detection showed two novel mutations in the ETFDH gene (c.1331T>C from the mother and c.824C>T from the father) in patient 1, and the patient's younger brother carried the c.1331T>C mutation but had a normal phenotype. In patient 2, there was a novel mutation (c.177insT from the father) and a known mutation (c.1474T>C from the mother) in the ETFDH gene. Several family members carried such mutations. Both patients were diagnosed with glutaric aciduria type II. Their symptoms were improved after high-dose vitamin B2 treatment. For patients with unexplained muscle weakness and pain, serum creatine kinase, acylcarnitines, and urinary organic acids should be measured, and the possibility of glutaric aciduria type II should be considered. Genetic detection is helpful to make a confirmed diagnosis.

C2K77 ELISA detects cleavage of type II collagen by cathepsin K in equine articular cartilage.

PubMed

Noé, B; Poole, A R; Mort, J S; Richard, H; Beauchamp, G; Laverty, S

2017-12-01

Develop a species-specific ELISA for a neo-epitope generated by cathepsin K cleavage of equine type II collagen to: (1) measure cartilage type II collagen degradation by cathepsin K in vitro, (2) identify cytokines that upregulate cathepsin K expression and (3) compare cathepsin K with matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) collagenase activity in stimulated cartilage explants and freshly isolated normal and osteoarthritic (OA) articular cartilages. A new ELISA (C2K77) was developed and tested by measuring the activity of exogenous cathepsin K on equine articular cartilage explants. The ELISA was then employed to measure endogenous cathepsin K activity in cultured cartilage explants with or without stimulation by interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), tumour necrosis-alpha (TNF-α), oncostatin M (OSM) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Cathepsin K activity in cartilage explants (control and osteoarthritic-OA) and freshly harvested cartilage (control and OA) was compared to that of MMPs employing C2K77 and C1,2C immunoassays. The addition of Cathepsin K to normal cartilage caused a significant increase (P < 0.01) in the C2K77 epitope release. Whereas the content of C1,2C, that reflects MMP collagenase activity, was increased in media by the addition to cartilage explants of TNF-α and OSM (P < 0.0001) or IL-1β and OSM (P = 0.002), no change was observed in C2K77 which also unchanged in OA cartilages compared to normal. The ELISA C2K77 measured the activity of cathepsin K in equine cartilage which was unchanged in OA cartilage. Cytokines that upregulate MMP collagenase activity had no effect on endogenous cathepsin K activity, suggesting a different activation mechanism that requires further study. Copyright © 2017 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[The effect of lavender aromatherapy on cognitive function, emotion, and aggressive behavior of elderly with dementia].

PubMed

Lee, Sun-Young

2005-04-01

This study was to develop an aromatherapy hand massage program, and to evaluate the effects of lavender aromatherapy on cognitive function, emotion, and aggressive behavior of elderly with dementia of the Alzheimer's type. The Research design was a nonequivalent control group non-synchronized quasiexperimental study. Lavender aromatherapy was administrated to experimental group I for 2 weeks, jojoba oil massage was administrated to experimental group II for 2 weeks, and no treatment was administrated to the control group for 2 weeks. Data was analyzed using the chi(2)-test, ANOVA, repeated measures of ANCOVA and ANCOVA in the SPSS program package. 1. Experimental group I did not show significant differences in cognitive function in relation to the experimental group II and control group. 2. Experimental group I showed significant differences in emotion and aggressive behavior in relation to the experimental group II and control group. A Lavender aromatherapy hand massage program is effective on emotions and aggressive behavior of elderly with dementia of the Alzheimer's type.

HbA1c is outcome predictor in diabetic patients with sepsis.

PubMed

Gornik, Ivan; Gornik, Olga; Gasparović, Vladimir

2007-07-01

We have investigated predictive value of HbA1c for hospital mortality and length of stay (LOS) in patients with type 2 diabetes admitted because of sepsis. A prospective observational study was implemented in a university hospital, 286 patients with type 2 diabetes admitted with sepsis were included. Leukocyte count, CRP, admission plasma glucose, APACHE II and SOFA score were noted at admission, HbA1c was measured on the first day following admission. Hospital mortality and hospital length of stay (LOS) were the outcome measures. Admission HbA1c was significantly lower in surviving patients than in non-survivors (median 8.2% versus 9.75%, respectively; P<0.001). There was a significant correlation between admission HbA1c and hospital LOS of surviving patients (r=0.29; P<0.001). Logistic regression showed that HbA1c is an independent predictor of hospital mortality (odds ratio 1.36), together with female sex (OR 2.24), APACHE II score (OR 1.08) and SOFA score (OR 1.28). Multiple regression showed that HbA1c and APACHE II score are independently related to hospital LOS. According to our results, HbA1c is an independent predictive factor for hospital mortality and hospital LOS of diabetic patients with sepsis.

INFLUENCE OF TYPE II DIABETES, OBESITY, AND EXPOSURE TO 2, 3, 7, 8-TETRACHLORODIBENZO-P-DIOXIN (TCDD) EXPOSURE ON THE EXPRESSION OF HEPATIC CYP1A2 IN A MURIN MODEL OF TYPE II DIABETES

EPA Science Inventory

Influence of type II diabetes, obesity and exposure 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) exposure on the expression of hepatic CYPIA2 in a murine model of type II diabetes. SJ Godin', VM Richardson2, JJ Diliberto2, LS Birnbaum', MJ DeVito2; 'Curriculum In Toxicology, UNC-CH...

Measuring the Progenitor Masses and Dense Circumstellar Material of Type II Supernovae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morozova, Viktoriya; Piro, Anthony L.; Valenti, Stefano

2018-05-01

Recent modeling of hydrogen-rich Type II supernova (SN II) light curves suggests the presence of dense circumstellar material (CSM) surrounding the exploding progenitor stars. This has important implications for the activity and structure of massive stars near the end of their lives. Since previous work focused on just a few events, here we expand to a larger sample of 20 well-observed SNe II. For each event we are able to constrain the progenitor zero-age main-sequence (ZAMS) mass, explosion energy, and the mass and radial extent of the dense CSM. We then study the distribution of each of these properties across the full sample of SNe. The inferred ZAMS masses are found to be largely consistent with a Salpeter distribution with minimum and maximum masses of 10.4 and 22.9 M ⊙, respectively. We also compare the individual ZAMS masses we measure with specific SNe II that have pre-explosion imaging to check their consistency. Our masses are generally comparable to or higher than the pre-explosion imaging masses, potentially helping ease the red supergiant problem. The explosion energies vary from (0.1–1.3) × 1051 erg, and for ∼70% of the SNe we obtain CSM masses in the range between 0.18 and 0.83 M ⊙. We see a potential correlation between the CSM mass and explosion energy, which suggests that pre-explosion activity has a strong impact on the structure of the star. This may be important to take into account in future studies of the ability of the neutrino mechanism to explode stars. We also see a possible correlation between the CSM radial extent and ZAMS mass, which could be related to the time with respect to explosion when the CSM is first generated.

Structural and Biochemical Analyses of Regio- and Stereo-Specificities Observed in a Type II Polyketide Ketoreductase

PubMed Central

Javidpour, Pouya; Korman, Tyler Paz; Shakya, Gaurav; Tsai, Shiou-Chuan

2011-01-01

Type II polyketides include antibiotics such as tetracycline, and chemotherapeutics such as daunorubicin. Type II polyketides are biosynthesized by the type II polyketide synthase (PKS) that consists of 5 – 10 stand-alone domains. In many type II PKSs, the type II ketoreductase (KR) specifically reduce the C9-carbonyl group. How the type II KR achieves such a high regio-specificity, and the nature of stereo-specificity, are not well understood. Sequence alignment of KRs led to a hypothesis that a well-conserved 94-XGG-96 motif may be involved in controlling the stereochemistry. The stereo-specificity of single, double and triple mutant combinations of P94L, G95D and G96D were analyzed in vitro and in vivo for the actinorhodin KR (actKR). The P94L mutation is sufficient to change the stereospecificity of actKR. Binary and ternary crystal structures of both wild type and P94L actKR were solved. Together with assay results, docking simulations, and co-crystal structures, a model for stereochemical control is presented herein that elucidates how type II polyketides are introduced into the substrate pocket such that the C9-carbonyl can be reduced with high regio- and stereo-specificities. The molecular features of actKR important for regio- and stereo-specificities can potentially be applied to biosynthesize new polyketides via protein engineering that rationally controls polyketide ketoreduction. PMID:21506596

The Adaptor Protein SAP Regulates Type II NKT Cell Development, Cytokine Production and Cytotoxicity Against Lymphoma1

PubMed Central

Weng, Xiufang; Liao, Chia-Min; Bagchi, Sreya; Cardell, Susanna L.; Stein, Paul L.; Wang, Chyung-Ru

2014-01-01

CD1d-restricted NKT cells represent a unique lineage of immunoregulatory T cells that are divided into two groups, type I and type II, based on their TCR usage. Because there are no specific tools to identify type II NKT cells, little is known about their developmental requirements and functional regulation. In our previous study, we showed that signaling lymphocytic activation molecule-associated protein (SAP) is essential for the development of type II NKT cells. Here, using a type II NKT cell TCR transgenic mouse model (24αβTg), we demonstrated that CD1d-expressing hematopoietic cells but not thymic epithelial cells meditate efficient selection of type II NKT cells. Further, we showed that SAP regulates type II NKT cell development by controlling Egr2 and PLZF expression. SAP-deficient 24αβ transgenic T cells (24αβ T cells) exhibited an immature phenotype with reduced Th2 cytokine-producing capacity and diminished cytotoxicity to CD1d-expressing lymphoma cells. The impaired IL-4 production by SAP-deficient 24αβ T cells was associated with reduced IRF4 and GATA-3 induction following TCR stimulation. Collectively, these data suggest that SAP is critical for regulating type II NKT cell responses. Aberrant responses of these T cells may contribute to the immune dysregulation observed in X-linked lymphoproliferative disease caused by mutations in SAP. PMID:25236978

The adaptor protein SAP regulates type II NKT-cell development, cytokine production, and cytotoxicity against lymphoma.

PubMed

Weng, Xiufang; Liao, Chia-Min; Bagchi, Sreya; Cardell, Susanna L; Stein, Paul L; Wang, Chyung-Ru

2014-12-01

CD1d-restricted NKT cells represent a unique lineage of immunoregulatory T cells that are divided into two groups, type I and type II, based on their TCR usage. Because there are no specific tools to identify type II NKT cells, little is known about their developmental requirements and functional regulation. In our previous study, we showed that signaling lymphocytic activation molecule associated protein (SAP) is essential for the development of type II NKT cells. Here, using a type II NKT-cell TCR transgenic mouse model, we demonstrated that CD1d-expressing hematopoietic cells, but not thymic epithelial cells, meditate efficient selection of type II NKT cells. Furthermore, we showed that SAP regulates type II NKT-cell development by controlling early growth response 2 protein and promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger expression. SAP-deficient 24αβ transgenic T cells (24αβ T cells) exhibited an immature phenotype with reduced Th2 cytokine-producing capacity and diminished cytotoxicity to CD1d-expressing lymphoma cells. The impaired IL-4 production by SAP-deficient 24αβ T cells was associated with reduced IFN regulatory factor 4 and GATA-3 induction following TCR stimulation. Collectively, these data suggest that SAP is critical for regulating type II NKT cell responses. Aberrant responses of these T cells may contribute to the immune dysregulation observed in X-linked lymphoproliferative disease caused by mutations in SAP. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Herringbone bursts associated with type II solar radio emission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cairns, I. H.; Robinson, R. D.

1987-01-01

Detailed observations of the herringbone (HB) fine structure on type II solar radio bursts are presented. Data from the Culgoora radiospectrograph, radiometer and radioheliograph are analyzed. The characteristic spectral profiles, frequency drift rates and exciter velocities, fluxes, source sizes, brightness temperatures, and polarizations of individual HB bursts are determined. Correlations between individual bursts within the characteristic groups of bursts and the properties of the associated type II bursts are examined. These data are compatible with HB bursts being radiation at multiples of the plasma frequency generated by electron streams accelerated by the type II shock. HB bursts are physically distinct phenomena from type II and type III bursts, differing significantly in emission processes and/or source conditions; this conclusion indicates that many of the presently available theoretical ideas for HB bursts are incorrect.

A micro-rheological method for determination of blood type.

PubMed

Makulska, Sylwia; Jakiela, Slawomir; Garstecki, Piotr

2013-07-21

The measurement of time and distance can be used for determining agglutination in small (nL) samples of liquid. We demonstrate the use of this new scheme of detection in typing and subtyping blood in a simple microfluidic system that monitors the speed of flow of microdroplets. The system (i) accepts small samples of liquids deposited directly onto the chip, (ii) forms droplets on demand from these samples, (iii) merges the droplets, and (iv) measures their speed in a microchannel. A sequence of measurements on different combinations of blood and antibodies can thus be used to determine blood type with the estimated probability of mistyping being less than 1 in a million tests. In addition, in the agglutinated samples, red blood cells concentrate at the rear of the droplets yielding an additional vista for detection and suggesting a possible mechanism for separations.

Spectroscopic studies and antibacterial activities of some new 16-membered octaazamacrocyclic complexes derived from thiocarbohydrazide and pentane-2,4-dione

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, D. P.; Kumar, Krishan; Chopra, Rimpi Mehani ne'e.

2011-02-01

A series of macrocyclic complexes of the type [M(C 12H 20N 8S 2)X 2]; where M = Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II); X = Cl -, NO 3-, CH 3COO - has been synthesized by template condensation of thiocarbohydrazide and pentane-2,4-dione in the presence of divalent metal salts in methanolic medium. The complexes have been characterized with the help of elemental analyses, conductance measurements, magnetic measurements, electronic, NMR, IR, EPR and MS spectral studies. The low value of molar conductance indicates them to be non-electrolytes. On the basis of various studies a distorted octahedral geometry may be proposed for all of these complexes. These metal complexes were also tested for their in vitro antibacterial activities against some Gram-positive bacterial strains, i.e., Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus stearothermophilus and two Gram-negative bacterial strains, i.e., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas putida. The results obtained were compared with standard antibiotics, Chloramphenicol and Streptomycin and found that some of the synthesized complexes show good antibacterial activities as compared to the standard antibiotics.

High Performance Computing Application: Solar Dynamo Model Project II, Corona and Heliosphere Component Initialization, Integration and Validation

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-24

physically . While not distinct from IH models, they require inner boundary magnetic field and plasma property values, the latter not currently measured...initialization for the computational grid. Model integration continues until a physically consistent steady-state is attained. Because of the more... physical basis and greater likelihood of realistic solutions, only MHD-type coronal models were considered in the review. There are two major types of

A Primary Investigation on Serum CTX-II Changes in Patients Infected with Brucellosis in Qinghai Plateau, China.

PubMed

Zhao, Zhi Jun; Li, Qiang; Zhou, Xin; Ma, Li; Xu, Li Qing; Yang, Pei Zhen; Meng, Xian Ya; Yu, Hui Zhen; Xu, Xiao Qing; Cao, Jian Ying

2016-03-01

Brucellosis is one of the most widespread zoonotic diseases, with the most frequent complication being osteoarticular changes. The aim of this study was to assess the changes of C-terminal telopeptide of type II collagen (CTX-II) in patients infected with brucellosis. A total of 84 brucellosis patients and 43 volunteers were selected and divided into brucellosis vs. control groups. Serum samples were subjected to serological tests for brucellosis, and CTX-II levels in all samples were measured simultaneously with ELISA. The results showed that serum CTX-II levels in human brucellosis were higher than those of healthy controls, without a statistically significant difference, but serum CTX-II levels in male patients were significantly higher than those of female patients (P<0.05). This finding could indicate the biological changes in the cartilage and bone in human brucellosis. Copyright © 2016 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.

Dynamic investigation of DNA bending and wrapping by type II topoisomerases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Qing; Finzi, Laura; Dunlap, David

2009-11-01

Type II topoisomerases catalyze DNA decatenation and unwinding which is crucial for cell division, and therefore type II topoisomerases are some of the main targets of anti-cancer drugs. A recent crystal structure shows that, during the catalytic cycle, a yeast type II topoimerase can bend a 10 base pair DNA segment by up to 150 degrees. Bacterial gyrase, another type II topoisomerase, can wrap DNA into a tight 180 degree turn. Bending a stiff polymer like DNA requires considerable energy and could represent the rate limiting step in the catalytic (topological) cycle. Using modified deoxyribonucleotides in PCR reactions, stiffer DNA fragments have been produced and used as substrates for topoisomerase II-mediated relaxation of plectonemes introduced in single molecules using magnetic tweezers. The wrapping ability of gyrase decreases for diamino-purine-substituted DNA in which every base pair has three hydrogen-bonds. The overall rate of relaxation of plectonemes by recombinant human topoisomerase II alpha also decreases. These results reveal the dynamic properties of DNA bending and wrapping by type II topisomerases and suggest that A:T base pair melting is a rate determining step for bending and wrapping.

Management of Type II Odontoid Fracture for Osteoporotic Bone Structure: Preliminary Report.

PubMed

Cosar, Murat; Ozer, A Fahir; Alkan, Bahadır; Guven, Mustafa; Akman, Tarık; Aras, Adem Bozkurt; Ceylan, Davut; Tokmak, Mehmet

2015-01-01

Anterior transodontoid screw fixation technique is generally chosen for the management of type II odontoid fractures. The nonunion of type II odontoid fractures is still a major problem especially in elderly and osteoporotic patients. Eleven osteoporotic type II odontoid fracured patients were presented in this article. We have divided 11 patients in two groups as classical and Ozer's technique. We have also compared (radiologically and clinically) the classical anterior transodontoid screw fixation (group II: 6 cases) and Ozer's transodontoid screw fixation technique (group I: 5 cases) retrospectively. There was no difference regaring the clinical features of the groups. However, the radiological results showed 100% fusion for Ozer's screw fixation technique and 83% fusion for the classical screw fixation technique. In conclusion, we suggest that Ozer's technique may help to increase the fusion capacity for osteoporotic type II odontoid fractures.

[The lysate and recombinant antigens in ELISA-test-systems for diagnostic of herpes simplex].

PubMed

Ganova, L A; Kovtoniuk, G V; Korshun, L N; Kiseleva, E K; Tereshchenko, M I; Vudmaska, M I; Moĭsa, L N; Shevchuk, V A; Spivak, N Ia

2014-08-01

The lysate and recombinant antigens of various production included informula of ELISA-test-systems were analyzed. The ELISA-test-systems are used for detection of IgG to Herpes simplex virus type I and II. For testing the panel of serums PTH 201 (BBI Inc.) were used. The samples of this panel contain antibodies to Herpes simplex virus type I and II in mixed titers. The 69 serums of donors were used too (17 samples had IgG to Herpes simplex virus type I, 23 samples to Herpes simplex virus type II and 29 samples had no antibodies to Herpes simplex virus). The diagnostic capacity of mixture of recombinant antigens gG1 Herpes simplex virus type I and gG2 Herpes simplex virus type II (The research-and-production complex "DiaprofMed") was comparable with mixture of lysate antigen Herpes simplex virus type I and II (Membrane) EIE Antigen ("Virion Ltd."). In the test-systems for differentiation of IgG to Herpes simplex virus type I the recombinant antigen gG1 Herpes simplex virus type I proved to be comparable with commercial analogue Herpes simplex virus-1 gG1M ("Viral Therapeutics Inc."'). At the same time, capacity to detect IgG to Herpes simplex virus type II in recombinant protein gG2 Herpes simplex virus type II is significantly higher than in its analogue Herpes simplex virus-2 gG2c ("Viral Therapeutics Inc.").

THE EFFECTS OF TYPE II BINDING ON METABOLIC STABILITY AND BINDING AFFINITY IN CYTOCHROME P450 CYP3A4

PubMed Central

Peng, Chi-Chi; Pearson, Josh T.; Rock, Dan A.; Joswig-Jones, Carolyn A.; Jones, Jeffrey P.

2010-01-01

One goal in drug design is to decrease clearance due to metabolism. It has been suggested that a compound’s metabolic stability can be increased by incorporation of a sp2 nitrogen into an aromatic ring. Nitrogen incorporation is hypothesized to increase metabolic stability by coordination of nitrogen to the heme iron (termed type II binding). However, questions regarding binding affinity, metabolic stability, and how metabolism of type II binders occurs remain unanswered. Herein, we use pyridinyl quinoline-4-carboxamide analogs to answer these questions. We show that type II binding can have a profound influence on binding affinity for CYP3A4, and the difference in binding affinity can be as high as 1,200 fold. We also find that type II binding compounds can be extensively metabolized, which is not consistent with the dead-end complex kinetic model assumed for type II binders. Two alternate kinetic mechanisms are presented to explain the results. The first involves a rapid equilibrium between the type II bound substrate and a metabolically oriented binding mode. The second involves direct reduction of the nitrogen-coordinated heme followed by oxygen binding. PMID:20346909

Pasteurella multocida isolated from wild birds of North America: a serotype and DNA fingerprint study of isolates from 1978 to 1993

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, M.A.; Duncan, R.M.; Nordholm, G.E.; Berlowski, B.M.

1995-01-01

Serotype and DNA fingerprint methods were used to study Pasteurella multocida isolated from 320 wild birds of North America. Isolates were collected during 1978-93. The HhaI profiles of 314 isolates matched the HhaI profile of somatic reference type 1, strain X-73; somatic type 1 antigen was expressed by 310 isolates, and the serotype of four isolates was undetected. Differentiation of the 314 isolates was observed by digestion of DNA with HpaII. None of the HpaII profiles matched the HpaII profile of X-73 (designated HhaI 001/HpaII 001). Three HpaII profiles were recognized among the somatic type 1 isolates: HpaII 002 (n = 18), HpaII 003 (n = 122), and HpaII 004 (n = 174). Profile HpaII 002 was found among isolates collected during 1979-83. Profile HpaII 003 was identified from isolates collected during 1979-89, with the exception of two isolates in 1992. The HpaII 004 profile was identified from isolates collected during 1983-93. Of the six remaining isolates, four expressed somatic type 4 and had HhaI profiles identical to the somatic type 4 reference strain P-1662 profile (designated HhaI 004); these isolates were differentiated by digestion of DNA with HpaII. One isolate was identified as serotype F:11, and another was serotype A:3,4. In the present study, 314 of 316 (99.4%) isolates from wild birds in the Central, Mississippi, and Pacific flyways during 1978-93, were P. multocida somatic type 1.

Biomechanical risk factors for tripping during obstacle--Crossing with the trailing limb in patients with type II diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Hsu, Wei-Chun; Liu, Ming-Wei; Lu, Tung-Wu

2016-03-01

People with type II diabetes mellitus (DM) are at a high risk of falling especially during more challenging locomotor tasks such as obstacle-crossing. The current study aimed to identify the risk factors for tripping in these patients during trailing-limb obstacle-crossing. Fourteen patients with type II DM with or without mild peripheral neuropathy (PN) and 14 healthy controls walked and crossed obstacles of three different heights while their motion data were measured using a motion capture system and two forceplates. The DM group was found to cross obstacles with significantly reduced trailing toe clearance (p<0.05), increasing the probability of the foot hitting the obstacle, and thus the risk of tripping. This altered end-point control was associated with significantly reduced knee flexion and hip adduction of the trailing swing limb (p<0.05), as well as significantly increased ankle plantarflexor moments in the leading stance limb (p<0.05). Therefore, reduced knee flexion and hip adduction of the swing limb are identified as risk factors for tripping during obstacle-crossing. Increased mechanical demands on the ankle plantarflexors suggest that weakness of these muscles may further reduce the already compromised performance of obstacle-crossing in these patients. The current results showed that obstacle-crossing can be used to detect gait deviations and to identify the associated risk of tripping in patients with type II DM without or at an early stage of PN. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Equilibrium properties of superconducting niobium at high magnetic fields: A possible existence of a filamentary state in type-II superconductors [Possible existence of a filamentary state in type-II superconductors

DOE PAGES

Kozhevnikov, V.; Valente-Feliciano, A. -M.; Curran, P. J.; ...

2017-05-17

The standard interpretation of the phase diagram of type-II superconductors was developed in the 1960s and has since been considered a well-established part of classical superconductivity. However, upon closer examination a number of fundamental issues arises that leads one to question this standard picture. To address these issues we studied equilibrium properties of niobium samples near and above the upper critical field H c2 in parallel and perpendicular magnetic fields. The samples investigated were very high quality films and single-crystal disks with the Ginzburg-Landau parameters 0.8 and 1.3, respectively. A range of complementary measurements has been performed, which include dcmore » magnetometry, electrical transport, muon spin rotation spectroscopy, and scanning Hall-probe microscopy. Contrary to the standard scenario, we observed that a superconducting phase is present in the sample bulk above H c2 and the field H c3 is the same in both parallel and perpendicular fields. Our findings suggest that above H c2 the superconducting phase forms filaments parallel to the field regardless of the field orientation. Near H c2 the filaments preserve the hexagonal structure of the preceding vortex lattice of the mixed state, and the filament density continuously falls to zero at H c3. Finally, our paper has important implications for the correct interpretation of the properties of type-II superconductors and can be essential for practical applications of these materials.« less

A Hierarchical Relationship Between the Fluence Spectra and CME Kinematics in Large Solar Energetic Particle Events: A Radio Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gopalswamy, N.; Makela, P.; Yashiro, S.; Thakur, N.; Akiyama, S.; Xie, H.

2017-01-01

We report on further evidence that solar energetic particles are organized by the kinematic properties of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). In particular, we focus on the starting frequency of type II bursts, which is related to the distance from the Sun where the radio emission starts. We find that the three groups of solar energetic particle (SEP) events known to have distinct values of CME initial acceleration, also have distinct average starting frequencies of the associated type II bursts. SEP events with ground level enhancement (GLE) have the highest starting frequency (107 MHz), while those associated with filament eruption (FE) in quiescent regions have the lowest starting frequency (22 MHz); regular SEP events have intermediate starting frequency (81 MHz). Taking the onset time of type II bursts as the time of shock formation, we determine the shock formation heights measured from the Sun center. We find that the shocks form on average closest to the Sun (1.51 Rs) in GLE events, farthest from the Sun in FE SEP events (5.38 Rs), and at intermediate distances in regular SEP events (1.72 Rs). Finally, we present the results of a case study of a CME with high initial acceleration (approx. 3 km s-2) and a type II radio burst with high starting frequency (200 MHz) but associated with a minor SEP event. We find that the relation between the fluence spectral index and CME initial acceleration continues to hold even for this minor SEP event.

A Hierarchical Relationship Between the Fluence Spectra and CME Kinematics in Large Solar Energetic Particle Events: A Radio Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gopalswamy, N.; Makela, P.; Yashiro, S.; Thakur, N.; Akiyama, S.; Xie, H.

2017-01-01

We report on further evidence that solar energetic particles are organized by the kinematic properties of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). In particular, we focus on the starting frequency of type II bursts, which is related to the distance from the Sun where the radio emission starts. We find that the three groups of solar energetic particle (SEP) events known to have distinct values of CME initial acceleration, also have distinct average starting frequencies of the associated type II bursts. SEP events with ground level enhancement (GLE) have the highest starting frequency (107 MHz), while those associated with filament eruption (FE) in quiescent regions have the lowest starting frequency (22 MHz); regular SEP events have intermediate starting frequency (81 MHz). Taking the onset time of type II bursts as the time of shock formation, we determine the shock formation heights measured from the Sun center. We find that the shocks form on average closest to the Sun (1.51 Rs) in GLE events, farthest from the Sun in FE SEP events (5.38 Rs), and at intermediate distances in regular SEP events (1.72 Rs). Finally, we present the results of a case study of a CME with high initial acceleration (approx.3 km s-2) and a type II radio burst with high starting frequency (approx. 200 MHz) but associated with a minor SEP event. We find that the relation between the fluence spectral index and CME initial acceleration continues to hold even for this minor SEP event.

Genetic heterogeneity of Usher syndrome type II.

PubMed Central

Pieke Dahl, S; Kimberling, W J; Gorin, M B; Weston, M D; Furman, J M; Pikus, A; Möller, C

1993-01-01

Usher syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder characterised by retinitis pigmentosa and congenital sensorineural hearing loss. A gene for Usher syndrome type II (USH2) has been localised to chromosome 1q32-q41. DNA from a family with four of seven sibs affected with clinical characteristics of Usher syndrome type II was genotyped using markers spanning the 1q32-1q41 region. These included D1S70 and D1S81, which are believed to flank USH2. Genotypic results and subsequent linkage analysis indicated non-linkage of this family to these markers. The A test analysis for heterogeneity with this family and 32 other Usher type II families was statistically significant at p < 0.05. Further clinical evaluation of this family was done in light of the linkage results to determine if any phenotypic characteristics would allow for clinical identification of the unlinked type. No clear phenotypic differences were observed; however, this unlinked family may represent a previously unreported subtype of Usher type II characterised by a milder form of retinitis pigmentosa and mild vestibular abnormalities. Heterogeneity of Usher syndrome type II complicates efforts to isolate and clone Usher syndrome genes using linkage analysis and limits the use of DNA markers in early detection of Usher type II. Images PMID:7901420

Chromospheres of late-type active and quiescent dwarfs. III - Variability of CA II H emission profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia Lopez, R. J.; Crivellari, L.; Beckman, J. E.; Rebolo, R.

1992-08-01

We have used high-resolution spectra of the Ca II H resonance line in late-type dwarfs, obtained with high S:N ratios, over a period of four years to widen our understanding of the dynamical behavior of the Ca II emission cores. All of the stars dealt with in this article, which are chromospherically active, show variability both in core emission flux and line width. They also show significant wavelength shifts with time of order hundreds of meters per second in the mean core wavelength, and with lower amplitude in the H3 self-absorption, compared to the photospheric rest wavelength of Ca II H. Comparing the emission core shifts with those observed in the H3 features, we find, for the first time, direct prima facie evidence for vertical chromospheric velocity fields, which show stability in sense over periods of years in a given star, with notable modulation in gradient, and which differ in gradient from star to star. We present evidence to show that the observed effects are almost certainly not due to projected rotational modulation, and offer new prospects, given spectral measurements closely sampled in time, for investigating the vertical velocity structures of chromospheres.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Empirical calibration of the near-IR Ca triplet (Cenarro+ 2001)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cenarro; A. J.; Cardiel; N.; Gorgas; J.; Peletier; R. F.; Vazdekis; A.; Prada; F.

2001-09-01

File table contains details of the new near-IR stellar library observed to calibrate the Ca II triplet. It includes the indices CaT*, CaT and PaT measured over the final spectra as well as their corresponding errors. The Henry Draper Catalogue number, other names (mainly HR and BD numbers), coordinates, spectral type, luminosity class, apparent magnitude and atmospheric parameters (as derived in Paper II; Cenarro et al., 2001MNRAS.326..981C) are also given. (1 data file).

Velocity, force, power, and Ca2+ sensitivity of fast and slow monkey skeletal muscle fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fitts, R. H.; Bodine, S. C.; Romatowski, J. G.; Widrick, J. J.

1998-01-01

In this study, we determined the contractile properties of single chemically skinned fibers prepared from the medial gastrocnemius (MG) and soleus (Sol) muscles of adult male rhesus monkeys and assessed the effects of the spaceflight living facility known as the experiment support primate facility (ESOP). Muscle biopsies were obtained 4 wk before and immediately after an 18-day ESOP sit, and fiber type was determined by immunohistochemical techniques. The MG slow type I fiber was significantly smaller than the MG type II, Sol type I, and Sol type II fibers. The ESOP sit caused a significant reduction in the diameter of type I and type I/II (hybrid) fibers of Sol and MG type II and hybrid fibers but no shift in fiber type distribution. Single-fiber peak force (mN and kN/m2) was similar between fiber types and was not significantly different from values previously reported for other species. The ESOP sit significantly reduced the force (mN) of Sol type I and MG type II fibers. This decline was entirely explained by the atrophy of these fiber types because the force per cross-sectional area (kN/m2) was not altered. Peak power of Sol and MG fast type II fiber was 5 and 8.5 times that of slow type I fiber, respectively. The ESOP sit reduced peak power by 25 and 18% in Sol type I and MG type II fibers, respectively, and, for the former fiber type, shifted the force-pCa relationship to the right, increasing the Ca2+ activation threshold and the free Ca2+ concentration, eliciting half-maximal activation. The ESOP sit had no effect on the maximal shortening velocity (Vo) of any fiber type. Vo of the hybrid fibers was only slightly higher than that of slow type I fibers. This result supports the hypothesis that in hybrid fibers the slow myosin heavy chain would be expected to have a disproportionately greater influence on Vo.

Sex-specific effect of endothelin in the blood pressure response to acute angiotensin II in growth-restricted rats

PubMed Central

Intapad, Suttira; Ojeda, Norma B.; Varney, Elliott; Royals, Thomas P.; Alexander, Barbara T.

2015-01-01

The renal endothelin system contributes to sex differences in blood pressure with males demonstrating greater endothelin type-A receptor-mediated responses relative to females. Intrauterine growth restriction programs hypertension and enhanced renal sensitivity to acute angiotensin II in male growth-restricted rats. Endothelin is reported to work synergistically with angiotensin II. Thus, this study tested the hypothesis that endothelin augments the blood pressure response to acute angiotensin II in male growth-restricted rats. Systemic and renal hemodynamics were determined in response to acute angiotensin II (100 nanogram/kilogram/minute for 30 minutes) with and without the endothelin type-A receptor antagonist, ABT 627(10 nanogram/kilogram/minute for 30 minutes), in rats pretreated with enalapril (250 milligram/Liter for one week) to normalize the endogenous renin angiotensin system. Endothelin type-A receptor blockade reduced angiotensin II-mediated increases in blood pressure in male control and male growth-restricted rats. Endothelin type-A receptor blockade also abolished hyper-responsiveness to acute angiotensin II in male growth-restricted rats. Yet, blood pressure remained significantly elevated above baseline following endothelin type-A receptor blockade suggesting that factors in addition to endothelin contribute to the basic angiotensin II-induced pressor response in male rats. We also determined sex-specific effects of endothelin on acute angiotensin II-mediated hemodynamic responses. Endothelin type-A receptor blockade did not reduce acute angiotensin II-mediated increases in blood pressure in female control or growth-restricted rats, intact or ovariectomized. Thus, these data suggest that endothelin type-A receptor blockade contributes to hypersensitivity to acute angiotensin II in male growth-restricted rats and further supports the sex-specific effect of endothelin on blood pressure. PMID:26459423

Campbell response in type-II superconductors under strong pinning conditions

DOE PAGES

Willa, R.; Geshkenbein, V. B.; Prozorov, R.; ...

2015-11-11

Measuring the ac magnetic response of a type II superconductor provides valuable information on the pinning landscape (pinscape) of the material. We use strong pinning theory to derive a microscopic expression for the Campbell length λC, the penetration depth of the ac signal. We show that λ C is determined by the jump in the pinning force, in contrast to the critical current j c, which involves the jump in pinning energy. We demonstrate that the Campbell lengths generically differ for zero-field-cooled and field-cooled samples and predict that hysteretic behavior can appear in the latter situation. As a result, wemore » compare our findings with new experimental data and show the potential of this technique in providing information on the material’s pinscape.« less

Campbell response in type-II superconductors under strong pinning conditions

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

Willa, R.; Geshkenbein, V. B.; Prozorov, R.

Measuring the ac magnetic response of a type II superconductor provides valuable information on the pinning landscape (pinscape) of the material. We use strong pinning theory to derive a microscopic expression for the Campbell length λC, the penetration depth of the ac signal. We show that λ C is determined by the jump in the pinning force, in contrast to the critical current j c, which involves the jump in pinning energy. We demonstrate that the Campbell lengths generically differ for zero-field-cooled and field-cooled samples and predict that hysteretic behavior can appear in the latter situation. As a result, wemore » compare our findings with new experimental data and show the potential of this technique in providing information on the material’s pinscape.« less

Future Performance Trend Indicators: A Current Value Approach to Human Resources Accounting. Report II: Internal Consistencies and Relationships to Performance in Organization VI. Technical Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pecorella, Patricia A.; Bowers, David G.

Conventional accounting systems provide no indication as to what conditions and events lead to reported outcomes, since they traditionally do not include measurements of the human organization and its relationship to events at the outcome stage. Human resources accounting is used to measure these additional types of data. This research is…

Impulsiveness and energetics in solar flares with and without type II radio bursts - A comparison of hard X-ray characteristics for over 2500 solar flares

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearson, Douglas H.; Nelson, Robert; Kojoian, Gabriel; Seal, James

1989-01-01

The hard X-ray characteristics of more than 2500 solar flares are used to study the relative size, impulsiveness, and energetics of flares with and without type II radio bursts. A quantitative definition of the hard X-ray impulsiveness is introduced, which may be applied to a large number of events unambiguously. It is found that the flares with type II bursts are generally not significantly larger, more impulsive, or more energetic than those without type II bursts. Also, no evidence is found to suggest a simple classification of the flares as either 'impulsive' or 'gradual'. Because type II bursts are present even in small flares with relatively unimpulsive energy releases, it is concluded that changes in the ambient conditions of the solar atmosphere causing an unusually low Alfven speed may be important in the generation of the shock wave that produces type II radio bursts.

49 CFR 231.17 - Specifications common to all steam locomotives.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... shall be securely fastened with bolts, rivets, or studs. (ii) Locomotives having Wootten type boilers... inches above outside edge of running boards, securely fastened with bolts, rivets, or studs. (c... inches in height, measured from the top of end sill, and securely fastened with bolts or rivets. (f...

Suppression of elevated cartilage turnover in postmenopausal women and in ovariectomized rats by estrogen and a selective estrogen-receptor modulator (SERM).

PubMed

Christgau, Stephan; Tankó, László B; Cloos, Paul A C; Mouritzen, Ulrik; Christiansen, Claus; Delaissé, Jean-Marie; Høegh-Andersen, Pernille

2004-01-01

Several observational studies indicate that estrogen deficiency increases the incidence of osteoarthritis in postmenopausal women. To validate this observation, we investigated the effects of ovariectomy (OVX) on cartilage erosion in rats using histology and an established bio-assay of cartilage-specific collagen type II degradation products (CTX-II). Furthermore, we investigated whether estrogen and levormeloxifene, a selective estrogen-receptor modulator (SERM), can prevent the OVX-induced changes in cartilage degradation. The clinical relevance was assessed in postmenopausal women by measuring the changes in CTX-II during 12-month treatment with levormeloxifene versus placebo. Sixty 6-month-old rats were divided in five groups. One group was subjected to sham and the others to OVX, followed by treatment with vehicle alone, estradiol or 0.2 mg/kg/day or 5 mg/kg/day of levormeloxifene. The rats were treated for 9 weeks with biweekly blood and urine sampling for measurement of bone resorption and cartilage turnover. After study termination, hind knees were removed for histological analysis of erosions. The effect of levormeloxifene in post-menopausal women was assessed by measuring CTX-II in samples from 301 women who were participating in a phase II study of this SERM. OVX rats showed significant increases in the urinary excretion of CTX-II. After 9 weeks this was manifested as increased surface erosion of knee articular cartilage compared with sham-operated rats. Treatment with estrogen or levormeloxifene prevented the OVX-induced changes. There was a significant correlation between the 4-week changes in CTX-II and cartilage erosion at week 9 (r = 0.64, P < 0.001). In postmenopausal women treated with levormeloxifene, the urinary excretion of CTX-II was decreased by approximately 50% and restored CTX-II levels to the premenopausal range. This study is the first to demonstrate that a SERM suppresses cartilage degradation in both rodents and humans, suggesting potential therapeutical benefits in the prevention of destructive joint diseases such as osteoarthritis.

Crosslinked type II collagen matrices: preparation, characterization, and potential for cartilage engineering.

PubMed

Pieper, J S; van der Kraan, P M; Hafmans, T; Kamp, J; Buma, P; van Susante, J L C; van den Berg, W B; Veerkamp, J H; van Kuppevelt, T H

2002-08-01

The limited intrinsic repair capacity of articular cartilage has stimulated continuing efforts to develop tissue engineered analogues. Matrices composed of type II collagen and chondroitin sulfate (CS), the major constituents of hyaline cartilage, may create an appropriate environment for the generation of cartilage-like tissue. In this study, we prepared, characterized, and evaluated type 11 collagen matrices with and without CS. Type II collagen matrices were prepared using purified, pepsin-treated, type II collagen. Techniques applied to prepare type I collagen matrices were found unsuitable for type II collagen. Crosslinking of collagen and covalent attachment of CS was performed using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl)carbodiimide. Porous matrices were prepared by freezing and lyophilization, and their physico-chemical characteristics (degree of crosslinking, denaturing temperature, collagenase-resistance, amount of CS incorporated) established. Matrices were evaluated for their capacity to sustain chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation in vitro. After 7 d of culture, chondrocytes were mainly located at the periphery of the matrices. In contrast to type I collagen, type II collagen supported the distribution of cells throughout the matrix. After 14 d of culture, matrices were surfaced with a cartilagenous-like layer, and occasionally clusters of chondrocytes were present inside the matrix. Chondrocytes proliferated and differentiated as indicated by biochemical analyses, ultrastructural observations, and reverse transcriptase PCR for collagen types I, II and X. No major differences were observed with respect to the presence or absence of CS in the matrices.

Multiple Loops of the Dihydropyridine Receptor Pore Subunit Are Required for Full-Scale Excitation-Contraction Coupling in Skeletal Muscle

PubMed Central

Carbonneau, Leah; Bhattacharya, Dipankar; Sheridan, David C.; Coronado, Roberto

2005-01-01

Understanding which cytosolic domains of the dihydropyridine receptor participate in excitation-contraction (EC) coupling is critical to validate current structural models. Here we quantified the contribution to skeletal-type EC coupling of the α1S (CaV1.1) II-III loop when alone or in combination with the rest of the cytosolic domains of α1S. Chimeras consisting of α1C (CaV1.2) with α1S substitutions at each of the interrepeat loops (I-II, II-III, and III-IV loops) and N- and C-terminal domains were evaluated in dysgenic (α1S-null) myotubes for phenotypic expression of skeletal-type EC coupling. Myotubes were voltage-clamped, and Ca2+ transients were measured by confocal line-scan imaging of fluo-4 fluorescence. In agreement with previous results, the α1C/α1S II-III loop chimera, but none of the other single-loop chimeras, recovered a sigmoidal fluorescence-voltage curve indicative of skeletal-type EC coupling. To quantify Ca2+ transients in the absence of inward Ca2+ current, but without changing the external solution, a mutation, E736K, was introduced into the P-loop of repeat II of α1C. The Ca2+ transients expressed by the α1C(E736K)/α1S II-III loop chimera were ∼70% smaller than those expressed by the Ca2+-conducting α1C/α1S II-III variant. The low skeletal-type EC coupling expressed by the α1C/α1S II-III loop chimera was confirmed in the Ca2+-conducting α1C/α1S II-III loop variant using Cd2+ (10−4 M) as the Ca2+ current blocker. In contrast to the behavior of the II-III loop chimera, Ca2+ transients expressed by an α1C/α1S chimera carrying all tested skeletal α1S domains (all α1S interrepeat loops, N- and C-terminus) were similar in shape and amplitude to wild-type α1S, and did not change in the presence of the E736K mutation or in the presence of 10−4 M Cd2+. Controls indicated that similar dihydropyridine receptor charge movements were expressed by the non-Ca2+ permeant α1S(E1014K) variant, the α1C(E736K)/α1S II-III loop chimera, and the α1C(E736K)/α1S chimera carrying all tested α1S domains. The data indicate that the functional recovery produced by the α1S II-III loop is incomplete and that multiple cytosolic domains of α1S are necessary for a quantitative recovery of the EC-coupling phenotype of skeletal myotubes. Thus, despite the importance of the II-III loop there may be other critical determinants in α1S that influence the efficiency of EC coupling. PMID:15849247

Synthesis and spectral characterization of Schiff base complexes of Cu(II), Co(II), Zn(II) and VO(IV) containing 4-(4-aminophenyl)morpholine derivatives: Antimicrobial evaluation and anticancer studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhahagani, K.; Mathan Kumar, S.; Chakkaravarthi, G.; Anitha, K.; Rajesh, J.; Ramu, A.; Rajagopal, G.

2014-01-01

Metal(II) chelates of Schiff bases derived from the condensation of 4-morpholinoaniline with substituted salicylaldehyde have been prepared and characterized by 1H NMR, IR, electronic, EPR, and magnetic measurement studies. The complexes are of the type M(X-MPMP)2 [where M = Cu(II), Co(II)), Zn(II), or VO(IV); MPMP = 2-[(4 morpholinophenyl imino) methyl] 4-X-phenol, X = Cl, (L1H), X = Br (L2H)]. Single crystal X-ray crystallography studies confirm the structure of newly synthesized Schiff bases. The Schiff bases act as bidentate monobasic ligands, coordinating through deprotonated phenolic oxygen and azomethine nitrogen atoms. The free ligands and metal complexes are screened for their biopotency. Metal complexes exhibit better activity than ligands. Anticancer activity of ligands and their metal complexes are evaluated in human heptocarcinoma(HepG2) cells. The preliminary bioassay indicates that the Schiff base and its zinc complex exhibit inhibitory activity against the human gastric cancer cell lines.

Regional analysis of whole cell currents from hair cells of the turtle posterior crista.

PubMed

Brichta, Alan M; Aubert, Anne; Eatock, Ruth Anne; Goldberg, Jay M

2002-12-01

The turtle posterior crista is made up of two hemicristae, each consisting of a central zone containing type I and type II hair cells and a surrounding peripheral zone containing only type II hair cells and extending from the planum semilunatum to the nonsensory torus. Afferents from various regions of a hemicrista differ in their discharge properties. To see if afferent diversity is related to the basolateral currents of the hair cells innervated, we selectively harvested type I and II hair cells from the central zone and type II hair cells from two parts of the peripheral zone, one near the planum and the other near the torus. Voltage-dependent currents were studied with the whole cell, ruptured-patch method and characterized in voltage-clamp mode. We found regional differences in both outwardly and inwardly rectifying voltage-sensitive currents. As in birds and mammals, type I hair cells have a distinctive outwardly rectifying current (I(K,L)), which begins activating at more hyperpolarized voltages than do the outward currents of type II hair cells. Activation of I(K,L) is slow and sigmoidal. Maximal outward conductances are large. Outward currents in type II cells vary in their activation kinetics. Cells with fast kinetics are associated with small conductances and with partial inactivation during 200-ms depolarizing voltage steps. Almost all type II cells in the peripheral zone and many in the central zone have fast kinetics. Some type II cells in the central zone have large outward currents with slow kinetics and little inactivation. Although these currents resemble I(K,L), they can be distinguished from the latter both electrophysiologically and pharmacologically. There are two varieties of inwardly rectifying currents in type II hair cells: activation of I(K1) is rapid and monoexponential, whereas that of I(h) is slow and sigmoidal. Many type II cells either have both inward currents or only have I(K1); very few cells only have I(h). Inward currents are less conspicuous in type I cells. Type II cells near the torus have smaller outwardly rectifying currents and larger inwardly rectifying currents than those near the planum, but the differences are too small to account for variations in discharge properties of bouton afferents innervating the two regions of the peripheral zone. The large outward conductances seen in central cells, by lowering impedances, may contribute to the low rotational gains of some central-zone afferents.

Photovoltaic measurement of bandgap narrowing in moderately doped silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

del Alamo, Jesus A.; Swanson, Richard M.; Lietoila, Arto

1983-05-01

Solar cells have been fabricated on n-type and p-type moderately doped Si. The shrinkage of the Si bandgap has been obtained by measuring the internal quantum efficiency in the near infrared spectrum ( hv = 1.00-1.25 eV) around the fundamental absorption edge. The results agree with previous optical measurements of bandgap narrowing in Si. It is postulated that this optically-determined bandgap narrowing is the rigid shrinkage of the forbidden gap due to many-body effects. The "device bandgap narrowing" obtained by measuring the pn product in bipolar devices leads to discrepant values because (i) the density of states in the conduction and valence band is modified due to the potential fluctuations originated in the variations in local impurity density, and (ii) the influence of Fermi-Dirac statistics.

Towards the evidence of a purely spatial Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox in images: measurement scheme and first experimental results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devaux, F.; Mougin-Sisini, J.; Moreau, P. A.; Lantz, E.

2012-07-01

We propose a scheme to evidence the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) paradox for photons produced by spontaneous down conversion, from measurement of purely spatial correlations of photon positions both in the near- and in the far-field. Experimentally, quantum correlations have been measured in the far-field of parametric fluorescence created in a type II BBO crystal. Imaging is performed in the photon counting regime with an electron-multiplying CCD (EMCCD) camera.

Hybrid capture-II and LCR-E7 PCR assays for HPV typing in cervical cytologic samples.

PubMed

Yamazaki, H; Sasagawa, T; Basha, W; Segawa, T; Inoue, M

2001-10-15

As part of an ongoing cohort study in the Hokuriku region of Japan, cervical cell samples from histologically confirmed normal (n = 114) or abnormal (n = 286) women were examined for the presence of HPV DNA using a second-generation hybrid capture assay (HCA-II) and LCR-E7 PCR. HCA-II detected low-risk (HPV-6, -11, -42, 43 and -44) and high-risk (HPV-16, -18, -31, -33, -35, -39, -45, -51, -52, -56, -58, -59 and -68) HPV types, while LCR-E7 PCR detected an additional 7 HPV types and some uncharacterized types. In screening of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) and invasive cervical cancer, the sensitivities of HCA-II and LCR-E7 PCR testing the high-risk HPV types were 83% and 81%, respectively, while the specificity of both assays was 93%. The sensitivity of LCR-E7 PCR increased to 87%, which was significantly higher than that in HCA-II, when testing both high-risk and other HPV types. Sixty-eight inconsistent results (17% of total tested) from HCA-II and LCR-E7 PCR were due to (i) low copy number of HPV genome (false-negative for HCA-II, 5.3% and for LCR-E7 PCR, 1.3%), (ii) infection with HPV types undetectable by HCA-II (4.8%), (iii) multiple HPV infections (5%) or (iv) unknown reasons (0.8%). LCR-E7 PCR revealed that infections with HPV-16, -18, -31, -33, -35, -51, -52, -56, -58 or -67 was a high risk for cancer since these types predominated in HSIL and invasive cervical cancer. Samples showing high relative light units (>20) with a high-risk probe in HCA-II also gave positive results in LCR-E7 PCR and were generally associated with abnormal cervical lesions. Thus, we propose that both HCA-II and LCR-E7 PCR are valuable screening tests for premalignant and malignant cervical lesions. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Investigation on the Mechanism and Failure Mode of Laser Transmission Spot Welding Using PMMA Material for the Automotive Industry

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiao; Liu, Baoguang; Liu, Wei; Zhong, Xuejiao; Jiang, Yingjie; Liu, Huixia

2017-01-01

To satisfy the need of polymer connection in lightweight automobiles, a study on laser transmission spot welding using polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is conducted by using an Nd:YAG pulse laser. The influence of three variables, namely peak voltages, defocusing distances and the welding type (type I (pulse frequency and the duration is 25 Hz, 0.6 s) and type II (pulse frequency and the duration is 5 Hz, 3 s)) to the welding quality was investigated. The result showed that, in the case of the same peak voltages and defocusing distances, the number of bubbles for type I was obviously more than type II. The failure mode of type I was the base plate fracture along the solder joint, and the connection strength of type I was greater than type II. The weld pool diameter:depth ratio for type I was significantly greater than type II. It could be seen that there was a certain relationship between the weld pool diameter:depth ratio and the welding strength. By the finite element simulation, the weld pool for type I was more slender than type II, which was approximately the same as the experimental results. PMID:28772383

Investigation on the Mechanism and Failure Mode of Laser Transmission Spot Welding Using PMMA Material for the Automotive Industry.

PubMed

Wang, Xiao; Liu, Baoguang; Liu, Wei; Zhong, Xuejiao; Jiang, Yingjie; Liu, Huixia

2017-01-01

To satisfy the need of polymer connection in lightweight automobiles, a study on laser transmission spot welding using polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is conducted by using an Nd:YAG pulse laser. The influence of three variables, namely peak voltages, defocusing distances and the welding type (type I (pulse frequency and the duration is 25 Hz, 0.6 s) and type II (pulse frequency and the duration is 5 Hz, 3 s)) to the welding quality was investigated. The result showed that, in the case of the same peak voltages and defocusing distances, the number of bubbles for type I was obviously more than type II. The failure mode of type I was the base plate fracture along the solder joint, and the connection strength of type I was greater than type II. The weld pool diameter:depth ratio for type I was significantly greater than type II. It could be seen that there was a certain relationship between the weld pool diameter:depth ratio and the welding strength. By the finite element simulation, the weld pool for type I was more slender than type II, which was approximately the same as the experimental results.

Emendation of Propionibacterium acnes subsp. acnes (Deiko et al. 2015) and proposal of Propionibacterium acnes type II as Propionibacterium acnes subsp. defendens subsp. nov.

PubMed

McDowell, Andrew; Barnard, Emma; Liu, Jared; Li, Huiying; Patrick, Sheila

2016-12-01

Recently, it has been proposed that strains of Propionibacterium acnes from the type III genetic division should be classified as P. acnessubsp. elongatum subsp. nov., with strains from the type I and II divisions collectively classified as P. acnessubsp. acnes subsp. nov. Under such a taxonomic re-appraisal, we believe that types I and II should also have their own separate rank of subspecies. In support of this, we describe a polyphasic taxonomic study based on the analysis of publicly available multilocus and whole-genome sequence datasets, alongside a systematic review of previously published phylogenetic, genomic, phenotypic and clinical data. Strains of types I and II form highly distinct clades on the basis of multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) and whole-genome phylogenetic reconstructions. In silico or digital DNA-DNA similarity values also fall within the 70-80 % boundary recommended for bacterial subspecies. Furthermore, we see important differences in genome content, including the presence of an active CRISPR/Cas system in type II strains, but not type I, and evidence for increasing linkage equilibrium within the separate divisions. Key biochemical differences include positive test results for β-haemolytic, neuraminidase and sorbitol fermentation activities with type I strains, but not type II. We now propose that type I strains should be classified as P. acnessubsp. acnes subsp. nov., and type II as P. acnessubsp. defendens subsp. nov. The type strain of P. acnessubsp. acnes subsp. nov. is NCTC 737T (=ATCC 6919T=JCM 6425T=DSM 1897T=CCUG 1794T), while the type strain of P. acnessubsp. defendens subsp. nov. is ATCC 11828 (=JCM 6473=CCUG 6369).

Genotyping of samples from German patients with ocular, cerebral and systemic toxoplasmosis reveals a predominance of Toxoplasma gondii type II.

PubMed

Herrmann, Daland C; Maksimov, Pavlo; Hotop, Andrea; Groß, Uwe; Däubener, Walter; Liesenfeld, Oliver; Pleyer, Uwe; Conraths, Franz J; Schares, Gereon

2014-10-01

Toxoplasmosis is an important zoonosis transmitted from animals to humans world-wide. In order to determine Toxoplasma gondii genotypes in individuals living in Germany and to compare findings with those in animals, we analysed nine independent and unlinked genetic markers (nSAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1 and Apico) by PCR-RFLP in 83 archived T. gondii-positive DNA samples from patients with ocular toxoplasmosis (n=35), toxoplasmic encephalitis (n=32), systemic toxoplasmosis after bone-marrow transplantation (n=15) and congenital toxoplasmosis (n=1). In 46 of these 83 samples the presence of T. gondii DNA was confirmed by conventional end-point PCR. Among these, 17 T. gondii-positive samples were typed at all nine loci. The majority (15/17, 88.2%) of these samples were of T. gondii type II (i.e., including both, the Apico type II and Apico type I variants). In addition, in one sample a T. gondii type II/type III allele combination and in another sample a T. gondii genotype displaying type III alleles at all markers was observed. In the remaining 11 samples, in which T. gondii could only be partially typed, exclusively type II (n=10) or type III (n=1) alleles were observed. Results of the present study suggest that the majority of patients in Germany are infected with type II T. gondii regardless of the clinical manifestation of toxoplasmosis. This finding is in accord with the predominance of type II T. gondii in oocysts isolated from cats and in tissues of other intermediate hosts in Germany. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Essential core of the Hawking–Ellis types

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martín-Moruno, Prado; Visser, Matt

2018-06-01

The Hawking–Ellis (Segre–Plebański) classification of possible stress–energy tensors is an essential tool in analyzing the implications of the Einstein field equations in a more-or-less model-independent manner. In the current article the basic idea is to simplify the Hawking–Ellis type I, II, III, and IV classification by isolating the ‘essential core’ of the type II, type III, and type IV stress–energy tensors; this being done by subtracting (special cases of) type I to simplify the (Lorentz invariant) eigenvalue structure as much as possible without disturbing the eigenvector structure. We will denote these ‘simplified cores’ type II0, type III0, and type IV0. These ‘simplified cores’ have very nice and simple algebraic properties. Furthermore, types I and II0 have very simple classical interpretations, while type IV0 is known to arise semi-classically (in renormalized expectation values of standard stress–energy tensors). In contrast type III0 stands out in that it has neither a simple classical interpretation, nor even a simple semi-classical interpretation. We will also consider the robustness of this classification considering the stability of the different Hawking–Ellis types under perturbations. We argue that types II and III are definitively unstable, whereas types I and IV are stable.

Type II NKT Cells in Inflammation, Autoimmunity, Microbial Immunity, and Cancer

PubMed Central

Marrero, Idania; Ware, Randle; Kumar, Vipin

2015-01-01

Natural killer T cells (NKT) recognize self and microbial lipid antigens presented by non-polymorphic CD1d molecules. Two major NKT cell subsets, type I and II, express different types of antigen receptors (TCR) with distinct mode of CD1d/lipid recognition. Though type II NKT cells are less frequent in mice and difficult to study, they are predominant in human. One of the major subsets of type II NKT cells reactive to the self-glycolipid sulfatide is the best characterized and has been shown to induce a dominant immune regulatory mechanism that controls inflammation in autoimmunity and in anti-cancer immunity. Recently, type II NKT cells reactive to other self-glycolipids and phospholipids have been identified suggesting both promiscuous and specific TCR recognition in microbial immunity as well. Since the CD1d pathway is highly conserved, a detailed understanding of the biology and function of type II NKT cells as well as their interplay with type I NKT cells or other innate and adaptive T cells will have major implications for potential novel interventions in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, microbial immunity, and cancer. PMID:26136748

The problem of measurement model misspecification in behavioral and organizational research and some recommended solutions.

PubMed

MacKenzie, Scott B; Podsakoff, Philip M; Jarvis, Cheryl Burke

2005-07-01

The purpose of this study was to review the distinction between formative- and reflective-indicator measurement models, articulate a set of criteria for deciding whether measures are formative or reflective, illustrate some commonly researched constructs that have formative indicators, empirically test the effects of measurement model misspecification using a Monte Carlo simulation, and recommend new scale development procedures for latent constructs with formative indicators. Results of the Monte Carlo simulation indicated that measurement model misspecification can inflate unstandardized structural parameter estimates by as much as 400% or deflate them by as much as 80% and lead to Type I or Type II errors of inference, depending on whether the exogenous or the endogenous latent construct is misspecified. Implications of this research are discussed. Copyright 2005 APA, all rights reserved.

SO2 emissions at Semeru volcano, Indonesia: Characterization and quantification of persistent and periodic explosive activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smekens, Jean-François; Clarke, Amanda B.; Burton, Michael R.; Harijoko, Agung; Wibowo, Haryo E.

2015-07-01

We present the first measurements of SO2 emissions at Semeru volcano, Indonesia, using an SO2 camera. Activity at Semeru is characterized by quiescent degassing interspersed with short-lived explosive events with low ash burden. The interval between explosions was measured at 32.1 ± 15.7 min in a webcam survey of the volcano between the months of June and December 2013. We distinguish between two types of events: shorter events (type I: 5 min duration) with emissions returning quickly to baseline levels, and longer events (type II: 15 min duration) often showing multiple pulses and a longer period of increased emissions before a return to quiescent levels. Type I events represent > 90% of the activity and release an average of 200-500 kg of SO2 per event. The single type II event we documented with the SO2 camera released a total of 1460 kg of SO2. We estimate the daily average emissions of Semeru to be 21-71 t d- 1 of SO2, amounting to a yearly output of 8-26 Gg (8000-26,000 metric tons), with 35-65% released during explosive events. The time series patterns of degassing are consistent with the existence of a viscous plug at the top of the conduit, which seals the conduit immediately prior to explosive events, causing pressurization of the underlying magma followed by a sudden release of gas and fragmented magma.

Afferent innervation of the utricular macula in pigeons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Si, Xiaohong; Zakir, Mridha Md; Dickman, J. David

2003-01-01

Biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) was used to retrogradely label afferents innervating the utricular macula in adult pigeons. The pigeon utriclar macula consists of a large rectangular-shaped neuroepithelium with a dorsally curved anterior edge and an extended medioposterior tail. The macula could be demarcated into several regions based on cytoarchitectural differences. The striola occupied 30% of the macula and contained a large density of type I hair cells with fewer type II hair cells. Medial and lateral extrastriola zones were located outside the striola and contained only type II hair cells. A six- to eight-cell-wide band of type II hair cells existed near the center of the striola. The reversal line marked by the morphological polarization of hair cells coursed throughout the epithelium, near the peripheral margin, and through the center of the type II band. Calyx afferents innervated type I hair cells with calyceal terminals that contained between 2 and 15 receptor cells. Calyx afferents were located only in the striola region, exclusive of the type II band, had small total fiber innervation areas and low innervation densities. Dimorph afferents innervated both type I and type II hair cells with calyceal and bouton terminals and were primarily located in the striola region. Dimorph afferents had smaller calyceal terminals with few type I hair cells, extended fiber branches with bouton terminals and larger innervation areas. Bouton afferents innervated only type II hair cells in the extrastriola and type II band regions. Bouton afferents innervating the type II band had smaller terminal fields with fewer bouton terminals and smaller innervation areas than fibers located in the extrastriolar zones. Bouton afferents had the most bouton terminals on the longest fibers, the largest innervation areas with the highest innervation densities of all afferents. Among all afferents, smaller terminal innervation fields were observed in the striola and large fields were located in the extrastriola. The cellular organization and innervation patterns of the utricular maculae in birds appear to represent an organ in adaptive evolution, different from that observed for amphibians or mammals.

A non-local thermodynamical equilibrium line formation for neutral and singly ionized titanium in model atmospheres of reference A-K stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitnova, T. M.; Mashonkina, L. I.; Ryabchikova, T. A.

2016-09-01

We construct a model atom for Ti I-II using more than 3600 measured and predicted energy levels of Ti I and 1800 energy levels of Ti II, and quantum mechanical photoionization cross-sections. Non-local thermodynamical equilibrium (NLTE) line formation for Ti I and Ti II is treated through a wide range of spectral types from A to K, including metal-poor stars with [Fe/H] down to -2.6 dex. NLTE leads to weakened Ti I lines and positive abundance corrections. The magnitude of NLTE corrections is smaller compared to the literature data for FGK atmospheres. NLTE leads to strengthened Ti II lines and negative NLTE abundance corrections. For the first time, we have performed NLTE calculations for Ti I-II in the 6500 ≤ Teff ≤ 13 000 K range. For four A-type stars, we derived in LTE an abundance discrepancy of up to 0.22 dex between Ti I and Ti II, which vanishes in NLTE. For four other A-B stars, with only Ti II lines observed, NLTE leads to a decrease of line-to-line scatter. An efficiency of inelastic Ti I + H I collisions was estimated from an analysis of Ti I and Ti II lines in 17 cool stars with -2.6 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤ 0.0. Consistent NLTE abundances from Ti I and Ti II were obtained by applying classical Drawinian rates for the stars with log g ≥ 4.1, and neglecting inelastic collisions with H I for the very metal-poor (VMP) giant HD 122563. For the VMP turn-off stars ([Fe/H] ≤ -2 and log g ≤ 4.1), we obtained the positive abundance difference Ti I-II already in LTE, which increases in NLTE. Accurate collisional data for Ti I and Ti II are necessary to help solve this problem.

GaAs1-xBix/GaNyAs1-y type-II quantum wells: novel strain-balanced heterostructures for GaAs-based near- and mid-infrared photonics.

PubMed

Broderick, Christopher A; Jin, Shirong; Marko, Igor P; Hild, Konstanze; Ludewig, Peter; Bushell, Zoe L; Stolz, Wolfgang; Rorison, Judy M; O'Reilly, Eoin P; Volz, Kerstin; Sweeney, Stephen J

2017-04-19

The potential to extend the emission wavelength of photonic devices further into the near- and mid-infrared via pseudomorphic growth on conventional GaAs substrates is appealing for a number of communications and sensing applications. We present a new class of GaAs-based quantum well (QW) heterostructure that exploits the unusual impact of Bi and N on the GaAs band structure to produce type-II QWs having long emission wavelengths with little or no net strain relative to GaAs, while also providing control over important laser loss processes. We theoretically and experimentally demonstrate the potential of GaAs 1-x Bi x /GaN y As 1-y type-II QWs on GaAs and show that this approach offers optical emission and absorption at wavelengths up to ~3 µm utilising strain-balanced structures, a first for GaAs-based QWs. Experimental measurements on a prototype GaAs 0.967 Bi 0.033 /GaN 0.062 As 0.938 structure, grown via metal-organic vapour phase epitaxy, indicate good structural quality and exhibit both photoluminescence and absorption at room temperature. The measured photoluminescence peak wavelength of 1.72 μm is in good agreement with theoretical calculations and is one of the longest emission wavelengths achieved on GaAs to date using a pseudomorphically grown heterostructure. These results demonstrate the significant potential of this new class of III-V heterostructure for long-wavelength applications.

GaAs1-xBix/GaNyAs1-y type-II quantum wells: novel strain-balanced heterostructures for GaAs-based near- and mid-infrared photonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Broderick, Christopher A.; Jin, Shirong; Marko, Igor P.; Hild, Konstanze; Ludewig, Peter; Bushell, Zoe L.; Stolz, Wolfgang; Rorison, Judy M.; O'Reilly, Eoin P.; Volz, Kerstin; Sweeney, Stephen J.

2017-04-01

The potential to extend the emission wavelength of photonic devices further into the near- and mid-infrared via pseudomorphic growth on conventional GaAs substrates is appealing for a number of communications and sensing applications. We present a new class of GaAs-based quantum well (QW) heterostructure that exploits the unusual impact of Bi and N on the GaAs band structure to produce type-II QWs having long emission wavelengths with little or no net strain relative to GaAs, while also providing control over important laser loss processes. We theoretically and experimentally demonstrate the potential of GaAs1-xBix/GaNyAs1-y type-II QWs on GaAs and show that this approach offers optical emission and absorption at wavelengths up to ~3 µm utilising strain-balanced structures, a first for GaAs-based QWs. Experimental measurements on a prototype GaAs0.967Bi0.033/GaN0.062As0.938 structure, grown via metal-organic vapour phase epitaxy, indicate good structural quality and exhibit both photoluminescence and absorption at room temperature. The measured photoluminescence peak wavelength of 1.72 μm is in good agreement with theoretical calculations and is one of the longest emission wavelengths achieved on GaAs to date using a pseudomorphically grown heterostructure. These results demonstrate the significant potential of this new class of III-V heterostructure for long-wavelength applications.

Pork as a source of transmission of Toxoplasma gondii to humans: a parasite burden study in pig tissues after infection with different strains of Toxoplasma gondii as a function of time and different parasite stages.

PubMed

Gisbert Algaba, Ignacio; Verhaegen, Bavo; Jennes, Malgorzata; Rahman, Mizanur; Coucke, Wim; Cox, Eric; Dorny, Pierre; Dierick, Katelijne; De Craeye, Stéphane

2018-06-01

Toxoplasma gondii is an ubiquitous apicomplexan parasite which can infect any warm-blooded animal including humans. Humans and carnivores/omnivores can also become infected by consumption of raw or undercooked infected meat containing muscle cysts. This route of transmission is considered to account for at least 30% of human toxoplasmosis cases. To better assess the role of pork as a source of infection for humans, the parasite burden resulting from experimental infection with different parasite stages and different strains of T. gondii during the acute and chronic phases was studied. The parasite burden in different tissues was measured with a ISO 17025 validated Magnetic Capture-quantitative PCR. A high burden of infection was found in heart and lungs during the acute phase of infection and heart and brain were identified as the most parasitised tissues during the chronic phase of infection, independent of the parasite stage and the strain used. Remarkably, a higher parasite burden was measured in different tissues following infection with oocysts of a type II strain compared with a tissue cyst infection with three strains of either type II or a type I/II. However, these results could have been affected by the use of different strains and euthanasia time points. The parasite burden resulting from a tissue cyst infection was not significantly different between the two strains. Copyright © 2018 Australian Society for Parasitology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

GaAs1−xBix/GaNyAs1−y type-II quantum wells: novel strain-balanced heterostructures for GaAs-based near- and mid-infrared photonics

PubMed Central

Broderick, Christopher A.; Jin, Shirong; Marko, Igor P.; Hild, Konstanze; Ludewig, Peter; Bushell, Zoe L.; Stolz, Wolfgang; Rorison, Judy M.; O’Reilly, Eoin P.; Volz, Kerstin; Sweeney, Stephen J.

2017-01-01

The potential to extend the emission wavelength of photonic devices further into the near- and mid-infrared via pseudomorphic growth on conventional GaAs substrates is appealing for a number of communications and sensing applications. We present a new class of GaAs-based quantum well (QW) heterostructure that exploits the unusual impact of Bi and N on the GaAs band structure to produce type-II QWs having long emission wavelengths with little or no net strain relative to GaAs, while also providing control over important laser loss processes. We theoretically and experimentally demonstrate the potential of GaAs1−xBix/GaNyAs1−y type-II QWs on GaAs and show that this approach offers optical emission and absorption at wavelengths up to ~3 µm utilising strain-balanced structures, a first for GaAs-based QWs. Experimental measurements on a prototype GaAs0.967Bi0.033/GaN0.062As0.938 structure, grown via metal-organic vapour phase epitaxy, indicate good structural quality and exhibit both photoluminescence and absorption at room temperature. The measured photoluminescence peak wavelength of 1.72 μm is in good agreement with theoretical calculations and is one of the longest emission wavelengths achieved on GaAs to date using a pseudomorphically grown heterostructure. These results demonstrate the significant potential of this new class of III-V heterostructure for long-wavelength applications. PMID:28422129

An {alpha}1(II) Gly{sup 913} to cys substitution prevents the matrix incorporation of type II collagen which is replaced with type I and III collagens in cartilage from a patient with hypochondrogenesis

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

Mundlos, S.; Chan, D.; Bateman, J.F.

1996-05-03

A heterozygous mutation in the COL2A1 gene was identified in a patient with hypochondrogenesis. The mutation was a single nucleotide transition of G3285T that resulted in an amino acid substitution of Cys for Gly{sup 913} in the {alpha}1(II) chain of type II collagen. This amino acid change disrupted the obligatory Gly-X-Y triplet motif required for the normal formation of a stable collagen triple helix and prevented the deposition of type II collagen into the proposita`s cartilage, which contained predominantly type I and III collagens and minor amounts of type XI collagen. Biosynthetic analysis of collagens produced and secreted by themore » patient`s chondrocytes cultured in alginate beads was consistent with the in vivo matrix composition, demonstrating that the main products were type I and III collagens, along with type XI collagen. The synthesis of the cartilage-specific type XI collagen at similar levels to controls indicated that the isolated cartilage cells had re-differentiated to the chondrocyte phenotype. The chondrocytes also produced small amounts of type II collagen, but this was post-translationally overmodified and not secreted. These data further delineate the biochemical and phenotypic consequences of mutations in the COL2A1 gene and suggest that cartilage formation and bone development can take place in the absence of type II collagen. 23 refs., 5 figs.« less

Subtype-dependent postnatal development of taste receptor cells in mouse fungiform taste buds.

PubMed

Ohtubo, Yoshitaka; Iwamoto, Masafumi; Yoshii, Kiyonori

2012-06-01

Taste buds contain two types of taste receptor cells, inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor type 3-immunoreactive cells (type II cells) and synaptosomal-associating protein-25-immunoreactive cells (type III cells). We investigated their postnatal development in mouse fungiform taste buds immunohistochemically and electrophysiologically. The cell density, i.e. the number of cells per taste bud divided by the maximal area of the horizontal cross-section of the taste bud, of type II cells increased by postnatal day (PD)49, where as that of type III cells was unchanged throughout the postnatal observation period and was equal to that of the adult cells at PD1. The immunoreactivity of taste bud cell subtypes was the same as that of their respective subtypes in adult mice throughout the postnatal observation period. Almost all type II cells were immunoreactive to gustducin at PD1, and then the ratio of gustducin-immunoreactive type II cells to all type II cells decreased to a saturation level, ∼60% of all type II cells, by PD15. Type II and III cells generated voltage-gated currents similar to their respective adult cells even at PD3. These results show that infant taste receptor cells are as excitable as those of adults and propagate in a subtype-dependent manner. The relationship between the ratio of each taste receptor cell subtype to all cells and taste nerve responses are discussed. © 2012 The Authors. European Journal of Neuroscience © 2012 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Effects of Environment Forcing on Marine Boundary Layer Cloud-Drizzle Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, X.

2017-12-01

Determining the factors affecting drizzle formation in marine boundary layer (MBL) clouds remains a challenge for both observation and modeling communities. To investigate the roles of vertical wind shear and buoyancy (static instability) in drizzle formation, ground-based observations from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program at the Azores are analyzed for two types of conditions. The type I clouds should last for at least five hours and more than 90% time must be non-drizzling, and then followed by at least two hours of drizzling periods while the type II clouds are characterized by mesoscale convection cellular (MCC) structures with drizzle occur every two to four hours. By analyzing the boundary layer wind profiles (direction and speed), it was found that either directional or speed shear is required to promote drizzle production in the type I clouds. Observations and a recent model study both suggest that vertical wind shear helps the production of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), stimulates turbulence within cloud layer, and enhances drizzle formation near the cloud top. The type II clouds do not require strong wind shear to produce drizzle. The small values of lower-tropospheric stability (LTS) and negative Richardson number (Ri) in the type II cases suggest that boundary layer instability plays an important role in TKE production and cloud-drizzle processes. By analyzing the relationships between LTS and wind shear for all cases and all time periods, a stronger connection was found between LTS and wind directional shear than that between LTS and wind speed shear.

Effects of environment forcing on marine boundary layer cloud-drizzle processes: MBL Cloud-Drizzle Processes

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

Wu, Peng; Dong, Xiquan; Xi, Baike

Determining the factors affecting drizzle formation in marine boundary layer (MBL) clouds remains a challenge for both observation and modeling communities. To investigate the roles of vertical wind shear and buoyancy (static instability) in drizzle formation, ground-based observations from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program at the Azores are analyzed for two types of conditions. The type I clouds should last for at least five hours and more than 90% time must be non-drizzling, and then followed by at least two hours of drizzling periods while the type II clouds are characterized by mesoscale convection cellular (MCC) structures with drizzlemore » occur every two to four hours. By analyzing the boundary layer wind profiles (direction and speed), it was found that either directional or speed shear is required to promote drizzle production in the type I clouds. Observations and a recent model study both suggest that vertical wind shear helps the production of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), stimulates turbulence within cloud layer, and enhances drizzle formation near the cloud top. The type II clouds do not require strong wind shear to produce drizzle. The small values of lower-tropospheric stability (LTS) and negative Richardson number ( Ri) in the type II cases suggest that boundary layer instability plays an important role in TKE production and cloud-drizzle processes. As a result, by analyzing the relationships between LTS and wind shear for all cases and all time periods, a stronger connection was found between LTS and wind directional shear than that between LTS and wind speed shear.« less

Effects of environment forcing on marine boundary layer cloud-drizzle processes: MBL Cloud-Drizzle Processes

DOE PAGES

Wu, Peng; Dong, Xiquan; Xi, Baike; ...

2017-04-20

Determining the factors affecting drizzle formation in marine boundary layer (MBL) clouds remains a challenge for both observation and modeling communities. To investigate the roles of vertical wind shear and buoyancy (static instability) in drizzle formation, ground-based observations from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program at the Azores are analyzed for two types of conditions. The type I clouds should last for at least five hours and more than 90% time must be non-drizzling, and then followed by at least two hours of drizzling periods while the type II clouds are characterized by mesoscale convection cellular (MCC) structures with drizzlemore » occur every two to four hours. By analyzing the boundary layer wind profiles (direction and speed), it was found that either directional or speed shear is required to promote drizzle production in the type I clouds. Observations and a recent model study both suggest that vertical wind shear helps the production of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), stimulates turbulence within cloud layer, and enhances drizzle formation near the cloud top. The type II clouds do not require strong wind shear to produce drizzle. The small values of lower-tropospheric stability (LTS) and negative Richardson number ( Ri) in the type II cases suggest that boundary layer instability plays an important role in TKE production and cloud-drizzle processes. As a result, by analyzing the relationships between LTS and wind shear for all cases and all time periods, a stronger connection was found between LTS and wind directional shear than that between LTS and wind speed shear.« less

Characterizing non-photochemical quenching in leaves through fluorescence lifetime snapshots

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

Sylak-Glassman, Emily J.; Zaks, Julia; Amarnath, Kapil

2015-03-12

A technique is described to measure the fluorescence decay profiles of intact leaves during adaptation to high light and subsequent relaxation to dark conditions. We illustrate how to ensure that photosystem II reaction centers are closed and compare data for wild type Arabidopsis thaliana with conventional pulse-amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorescence measurements. Unlike PAM measurements, the lifetime measurements are not sensitive to photobleaching or chloroplast shielding, and the form of the fluorescence decay provides additional information to test quantitative models of excitation dynamics in intact leaves.

Restriction enzyme body doubles and PCR cloning: on the general use of type IIs restriction enzymes for cloning.

PubMed

Tóth, Eszter; Huszár, Krisztina; Bencsura, Petra; Kulcsár, Péter István; Vodicska, Barbara; Nyeste, Antal; Welker, Zsombor; Tóth, Szilvia; Welker, Ervin

2014-01-01

The procedure described here allows the cloning of PCR fragments containing a recognition site of the restriction endonuclease (Type IIP) used for cloning in the sequence of the insert. A Type IIS endonuclease--a Body Double of the Type IIP enzyme--is used to generate the same protruding palindrome. Thus, the insert can be cloned to the Type IIP site of the vector without digesting the PCR product with the same Type IIP enzyme. We achieve this by incorporating the recognition site of a Type IIS restriction enzyme that cleaves the DNA outside of its recognition site in the PCR primer in such a way that the cutting positions straddle the desired overhang sequence. Digestion of the PCR product by the Body Double generates the required overhang. Hitherto the use of Type IIS restriction enzymes in cloning reactions has only been used for special applications, the approach presented here makes Type IIS enzymes as useful as Type IIP enzymes for general cloning purposes. To assist in finding Body Double enzymes, we summarised the available Type IIS enzymes which are potentially useful for Body Double cloning and created an online program (http://group.szbk.u-szeged.hu/welkergr/body_double/index.html) for the selection of suitable Body Double enzymes and the design of the appropriate primers.

Specific Molecular Signatures for Type II Crustins in Penaeid Shrimp Uncovered by the Identification of Crustin-Like Antimicrobial Peptides in Litopenaeus vannamei

PubMed Central

Barreto, Cairé; Coelho, Jaqueline da Rosa; Yuan, Jianbo; Xiang, Jianhai; Perazzolo, Luciane Maria

2018-01-01

Crustins form a large family of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in crustaceans composed of four sub-groups (Types I-IV). Type II crustins (Type IIa or “Crustins” and Type IIb or “Crustin-like”) possess a typical hydrophobic N-terminal region and are by far the most representative sub-group found in penaeid shrimp. To gain insight into the molecular diversity of Type II crustins in penaeids, we identified and characterized a Type IIb crustin in Litopenaeus vannamei (Crustin-like Lv) and compared Type II crustins at both molecular and transcriptional levels. Although L. vannamei Type II crustins (Crustin Lv and Crustin-like Lv) are encoded by separate genes, they showed a similar tissue distribution (hemocytes and gills) and transcriptional response to the shrimp pathogens Vibrio harveyi and White spot syndrome virus (WSSV). As Crustin Lv, Crustin-like Lv transcripts were found to be present early in development, suggesting a maternal contribution to shrimp progeny. Altogether, our in silico and transcriptional data allowed to conclude that (1) each sub-type displays a specific amino acid signature at the C-terminal end holding both the cysteine-rich region and the whey acidic protein (WAP) domain, and that (2) shrimp Type II crustins evolved from a common ancestral gene that conserved a similar pattern of transcriptional regulation. PMID:29337853

Endogenous and maximal sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium content and calsequestrin expression in type I and type II human skeletal muscle fibres.

PubMed

Lamboley, C R; Murphy, R M; McKenna, M J; Lamb, G D

2013-12-01

The relationship between sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+) content and calsequestrin (CSQ) isoforms was investigated in human skeletal muscle. A fibre-lysing assay was used to quantify the endogenous Ca(2+) content and maximal Ca(2+) capacity of the SR in skinned segments of type I and type II fibres from vastus lateralis muscles of young healthy adults. Western blotting of individual fibres showed the great majority contained either all fast or all slow isoforms of myosin heavy chain (MHC), troponins C and I, tropomyosin and SERCA, and that the strontium sensitivity of the force response was closely indicative of the troponin C isoform present. The endogenous SR Ca(2+) content was slightly lower in type I compared to type II fibres (0.76 ± 0.03 and 0.85 ± 0.02 mmol Ca(2+) per litre of fibre, respectively), with virtually all of this Ca(2+) evidently being in the SR, as it could be rapidly released with a caffeine-low [Mg(2+)] solution (only 0.08 ± 0.01 and <0.07 mmol l(-1), respectively, remaining). The maximal Ca(2+) content that could be reached with SR Ca(2+) loading was 1.45 ± 0.04 and 1.79 ± 0.03 mmol l(-1) in type I and type II fibres, respectively (P < 0.05). In non-lysed skinned fibres, where the SR remained functional, repeated cycles of caffeine-induced Ca(2+) release and subsequent Ca(2+) reloading similarly indicated that (i) maximal SR Ca(2+) content was lower in type I fibres than in type II fibres (P < 0.05), and (ii) the endogenous Ca(2+) content represented a greater percentage of maximal content in type I fibres compared to type II fibres (∼59% and 41%, respectively, P < 0.05). Type II fibres were found on average to contain ∼3-fold more CSQ1 and ∼5-fold less CSQ2 than type I fibres (P < 0.001). The findings are consistent with the SR Ca(2+) content characteristics in human type II fibres being primarily determined by the CSQ1 abundance, and in type I fibres by the combined amounts of both CSQ1 and CSQ2.

Endogenous and maximal sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium content and calsequestrin expression in type I and type II human skeletal muscle fibres

PubMed Central

Lamboley, C R; Murphy, R M; McKenna, M J; Lamb, G D

2013-01-01

The relationship between sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ content and calsequestrin (CSQ) isoforms was investigated in human skeletal muscle. A fibre-lysing assay was used to quantify the endogenous Ca2+ content and maximal Ca2+ capacity of the SR in skinned segments of type I and type II fibres from vastus lateralis muscles of young healthy adults. Western blotting of individual fibres showed the great majority contained either all fast or all slow isoforms of myosin heavy chain (MHC), troponins C and I, tropomyosin and SERCA, and that the strontium sensitivity of the force response was closely indicative of the troponin C isoform present. The endogenous SR Ca2+ content was slightly lower in type I compared to type II fibres (0.76 ± 0.03 and 0.85 ± 0.02 mmol Ca2+ per litre of fibre, respectively), with virtually all of this Ca2+ evidently being in the SR, as it could be rapidly released with a caffeine-low [Mg2+] solution (only 0.08 ± 0.01 and <0.07 mmol l−1, respectively, remaining). The maximal Ca2+ content that could be reached with SR Ca2+ loading was 1.45 ± 0.04 and 1.79 ± 0.03 mmol l−1 in type I and type II fibres, respectively (P < 0.05). In non-lysed skinned fibres, where the SR remained functional, repeated cycles of caffeine-induced Ca2+ release and subsequent Ca2+ reloading similarly indicated that (i) maximal SR Ca2+ content was lower in type I fibres than in type II fibres (P < 0.05), and (ii) the endogenous Ca2+ content represented a greater percentage of maximal content in type I fibres compared to type II fibres (∼59% and 41%, respectively, P < 0.05). Type II fibres were found on average to contain ∼3–fold more CSQ1 and ∼5–fold less CSQ2 than type I fibres (P < 0.001). The findings are consistent with the SR Ca2+ content characteristics in human type II fibres being primarily determined by the CSQ1 abundance, and in type I fibres by the combined amounts of both CSQ1 and CSQ2. PMID:24127619

Inference for the Bivariate and Multivariate Hidden Truncated Pareto(type II) and Pareto(type IV) Distribution and Some Measures of Divergence Related to Incompatibility of Probability Distribution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghosh, Indranil

2011-01-01

Consider a discrete bivariate random variable (X, Y) with possible values x[subscript 1], x[subscript 2],..., x[subscript I] for X and y[subscript 1], y[subscript 2],..., y[subscript J] for Y. Further suppose that the corresponding families of conditional distributions, for X given values of Y and of Y for given values of X are available. We…

Prevalent genotypes of Toxoplasma gondii in pregnant women and patients from Crete and Cyprus.

PubMed

Messaritakis, Ippokratis; Detsika, Maria; Koliou, Maria; Sifakis, Stavros; Antoniou, Maria

2008-08-01

Molecular genotyping has been used to characterize Toxoplasma gondii strains into the three clonal lineages known as types I, II, and III. To characterize T. gondii strains from Greece and Cyprus, polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis on the GRA6 gene was performed directly on 20 clinical samples from 18 humans (11 pregnant women, six patients with lymphadenopathy, and one patient positive for human immunodeficiency virus) and two rats. Characterization of T. gondii types was performed after digestion of amplified products with Mse I. The 20 strains were characterized as type II (20%) and type III (80%). Of these strains, 19 originated from the island of Crete (4 strains type II and 15 strains type III), and 1 from the island of Cyprus (type III). Although both type II and type III strains were found, type III was the most prevalent in Crete.

Quality of Type II Diabetes Care in Primary Health Care Centers in Kuwait: Employment of a Diabetes Quality Indicator Set (DQIS).

PubMed

Badawi, Dalia; Saleh, Shadi; Natafgi, Nabil; Mourad, Yara; Behbehani, Kazem

2015-01-01

Diabetes Mellitus is one of the major public health challenges, affecting more than 347 million adults worldwide. The impact of diabetes necessitates assessing the quality of care received by people with diabetes, especially in countries with a significant diabetes burden such as Kuwait. This paper aimed at piloting an approach for measuring Type II diabetes care performance through the use of a diabetes quality indicator set (DQIS) in primary health care. The DQIS for Kuwait was adapted from that developed by the National Diabetes Quality Improvement Alliance and the International Diabetes Federation. Five key care domains/measures were employed: (1) Blood glucose level measurement, (2) Cholesterol level measurement, (3) Blood pressure measurement, (4) Kidney function testing and (5) Smoking status check. The sample included the four major primary health care centers with the highest case load in Kuwait City, 4,241 patients in 2012 and 3,211 in 2010. Findings revealed the applicability and utility of employing performance indicators for diabetes care in Kuwait. Furthermore, findings revealed that many of the primary health care centers have achieved noteworthy improvement in diabetes care between 2010 and 2012, with the exception of smoking status check. The DQIS can help policymakers identify performance gaps and investigate key system roadblocks related to diabetes care in Kuwait.

The Tendon Structure Returns to Asymptomatic Values in Nonoperatively Treated Achilles Tendinopathy but Is Not Associated With Symptoms: A Prospective Study.

PubMed

de Jonge, Suzan; Tol, Johannes L; Weir, Adam; Waarsing, Jan H; Verhaar, Jan A N; de Vos, Robert-Jan

2015-12-01

Tendinopathy is characterized by alterations in the tendon structure, but there are conflicting results on the potential of tendon structure normalization and no large studies on the quantified, ultrasonographic tendon structure and its association with symptoms. To determine whether the tendon structure returns to values of asymptomatic individuals after treatment with 2 substances injected within the tendon, to assess the association between the tendon structure and symptoms, and to assess the prognostic value of the baseline tendon structure on treatment response. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. This study was part of a randomized trial on chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy using eccentric exercises with either a platelet-rich plasma or saline injection. Symptoms were recorded using the Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment-Achilles (VISA-A) questionnaire. The tendon structure was quantified with ultrasound tissue characterization (UTC); echo types I + II (as a percentage of total tendon types I-IV) are structure related. Follow-up was at 6, 12, 24, and 52 weeks. A control group of asymptomatic subjects (similar age) was selected to compare the tendon structure. Patient symptoms were correlated with the tendon structure using a linear model. Fifty-four patients were included in the symptomatic group. The mean (± SD) echo types I + II in the symptomatic group increased significantly from 74.6% ± 10.8% at baseline to 85.6% ± 6.0% at 24-week follow-up. The result for echo types I + II at 24 weeks was not significantly different (P = .198) from that of the asymptomatic control group (87.5% ± 6.0%). In 54 repeated measurements at 5 time points, the adjusted percentage of echo types I + II was not associated with the VISA-A score (main effect: β = .12; 95% CI, -0.12 to 0.35; P = .338). The adjusted baseline echo types I + II were not associated with a change in the VISA-A score from baseline to 52 weeks (β = -.15; 95% CI, -0.67 to 0.36; P = .555). In symptomatic, tendinopathic Achilles tendons, the ultrasonographic tendon structure improved during nonoperative treatment and normalized after 24 weeks to values of matched asymptomatic controls. There was no association between the tendon structure and symptoms. The percentage of echo types I + II before treatment was not associated with change in symptoms over time. This study demonstrates that restoration of the tendon structure is not required for an improvement of symptoms. © 2015 The Author(s).

[Diagnostic values of serum type III procollagen N-terminal peptide in type IV gastric cancer].

PubMed

Akazawa, S; Fujiki, T; Kanda, Y; Kumai, R; Yoshida, S

1985-04-01

Since increased synthesis of collagen has been demonstrated in tissue of type IV gastric cancer, we attempted to distinguish type IV gastric cancer from other cancers by measuring serum levels of type III procollagen N-terminal peptide (type III-N-peptide). Mean serum levels in type IV gastric cancer patients without metastasis were found to be elevated above normal values and developed a tendency to be higher than those in types I, II and III gastric cancer patients without metastasis. Highly positive ratios were found in patients with liver diseases including hepatoma and colon cancer, biliary tract cancer, and esophageal cancer patients with liver, lung or bone metastasis, but only 2 out of 14 of these cancer patients without such metastasis showed positive serum levels of type III-N-peptide. Positive cases in patients with type IV gastric cancer were obtained not only in the group with clinical stage IV but also in the groups with clinical stages II and III. In addition, high serum levels of type III-N-peptide in patients with type IV gastric cancer were seen not only in the cases with liver, lung or bone metastasis but also in cases with disseminated peritoneal metastasis alone. These results suggest that if the serum level of type III-N-peptide is elevated above normal values, type IV gastric cancer should be suspected after ruling out liver diseases, myelofibrosis and liver, lung or bone metastasis.

A 2D ion chamber array audit of wedged and asymmetric fields in an inhomogeneous lung phantom

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

Lye, Jessica; Dunn, Leon, E-mail: leon.dunn@arpansa.gov.au; Alves, Andrew

Purpose: The Australian Clinical Dosimetry Service (ACDS) has implemented a new method of a nonreference condition Level II type dosimetric audit of radiotherapy services to increase measurement accuracy and patient safety within Australia. The aim of this work is to describe the methodology, tolerances, and outcomes from the new audit. Methods: The ACDS Level II audit measures the dose delivered in 2D planes using an ionization chamber based array positioned at multiple depths. Measurements are made in rectilinear homogeneous and inhomogeneous phantoms composed of slabs of solid water and lung. Computer generated computed tomography data sets of the rectilinear phantomsmore » are supplied to the facility prior to audit for planning of a range of cases including reference fields, asymmetric fields, and wedged fields. The audit assesses 3D planning with 6 MV photons with a static (zero degree) gantry. Scoring is performed using local dose differences between the planned and measured dose within 80% of the field width. The overall audit result is determined by the maximum dose difference over all scoring points, cases, and planes. Pass (Optimal Level) is defined as maximum dose difference ≤3.3%, Pass (Action Level) is ≤5.0%, and Fail (Out of Tolerance) is >5.0%. Results: At close of 2013, the ACDS had performed 24 Level II audits. 63% of the audits passed, 33% failed, and the remaining audit was not assessable. Of the 15 audits that passed, 3 were at Pass (Action Level). The high fail rate is largely due to a systemic issue with modeling asymmetric 60° wedges which caused a delivered overdose of 5%–8%. Conclusions: The ACDS has implemented a nonreference condition Level II type audit, based on ion chamber 2D array measurements in an inhomogeneous slab phantom. The powerful diagnostic ability of this audit has allowed the ACDS to rigorously test the treatment planning systems implemented in Australian radiotherapy facilities. Recommendations from audits have led to facilities modifying clinical practice and changing planning protocols.« less

Creation of a type IIS restriction endonuclease with a long recognition sequence

PubMed Central

Lippow, Shaun M.; Aha, Patti M.; Parker, Matthew H.; Blake, William J.; Baynes, Brian M.; Lipovšek, Daša

2009-01-01

Type IIS restriction endonucleases cleave DNA outside their recognition sequences, and are therefore particularly useful in the assembly of DNA from smaller fragments. A limitation of type IIS restriction endonucleases in assembly of long DNA sequences is the relative abundance of their target sites. To facilitate ligation-based assembly of extremely long pieces of DNA, we have engineered a new type IIS restriction endonuclease that combines the specificity of the homing endonuclease I-SceI with the type IIS cleavage pattern of FokI. We linked a non-cleaving mutant of I-SceI, which conveys to the chimeric enzyme its specificity for an 18-bp DNA sequence, to the catalytic domain of FokI, which cuts DNA at a defined site outside the target site. Whereas previously described chimeric endonucleases do not produce type IIS-like precise DNA overhangs suitable for ligation, our chimeric endonuclease cleaves double-stranded DNA exactly 2 and 6 nt from the target site to generate homogeneous, 5′, four-base overhangs, which can be ligated with 90% fidelity. We anticipate that these enzymes will be particularly useful in manipulation of DNA fragments larger than a thousand bases, which are very likely to contain target sites for all natural type IIS restriction endonucleases. PMID:19304757

Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 Open Reading Frame II-Encoded p30II Is Required for In Vivo Replication: Evidence of In Vivo Reversion

PubMed Central

Silverman, Lee R.; Phipps, Andrew J.; Montgomery, Andrew; Ratner, Lee; Lairmore, Michael D.

2004-01-01

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) causes adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma and exhibits high genetic stability in vivo. HTLV-1 contains four open reading frames (ORFs) in its pX region. ORF II encodes two proteins, p30II and p13II, both of which are incompletely characterized. p30II localizes to the nucleus or nucleolus and has distant homology to the transcription factors Oct-1, Pit-1, and POU-M1. In vitro studies have demonstrated that at low concentrations, p30II differentially regulates cellular and viral promoters through an interaction with CREB binding protein/p300. To determine the in vivo significance of p30II, we inoculated rabbits with cell lines expressing either a wild-type clone of HTLV-1 (ACH.1) or a clone containing a mutation in ORF II, which eliminated wild-type p30II expression (ACH.30.1). ACH.1-inoculated rabbits maintained higher HTLV-1-specific antibody titers than ACH.30.1-inoculated rabbits, and all ACH.1-inoculated rabbits were seropositive for HTLV-1, whereas only two of six ACH.30.1-inoculated rabbits were seropositive. Provirus could be consistently PCR amplified from peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) DNA in all ACH.1-inoculated rabbits but in only three of six ACH.30.1-inoculated rabbits. Quantitative competitive PCR indicated higher PBMC proviral loads in ACH.1-inoculated rabbits. Interestingly, sequencing of ORF II from PBMC of provirus-positive ACH.30.1-inoculated rabbits revealed a reversion to wild-type sequence with evidence of early coexistence of mutant and wild-type sequence. Our data provide evidence that HTLV-1 must maintain its key accessory genes to survive in vivo and that in vivo pressures select for maintenance of wild-type ORF II gene products during the early course of infection. PMID:15047799

Particulate pollution in different housing types in a UK suburban location.

PubMed

Nasir, Zaheer Ahmad; Colbeck, Ian

2013-02-15

To investigate the levels of particulate pollution in residential built environments measurements of PM(10), PM(2.5), and PM(1) and concentrations were made between 2004 and 2008 in various residencies in a UK suburban location. Measurements were carried out in three different residential settings (Types I, II and III). In type I non-smoking living rooms, the highest 24-hour mean concentrations were found in summer. When smoking took place in type I residences, the concentrations of PM(10), PM(2.5) and PM(1), during the winter were almost double those in summer. In type II houses the concentrations were higher in the houses with open plan kitchens than in those with separate kitchens. In type III houses, mean concentrations were significantly higher in wood heated living rooms than those using central heating. In kitchens, cooking resulted in substantially higher concentrations of particulate matter with levels above those in smoking living rooms in winter. The hourly maximum values of number concentration were considerably higher in smoking rooms than non-smoking ones. Cooking resulted in increased number concentrations, with the average hourly maximum concentration of 179,110 #/cm(3). Particle mass and number emission rates were determined for a number of activities. In kitchens grilling had the highest average number emission rate, followed by boiling and frying. The results clearly highlight the impact of different forms of dwelling and their use and management by occupants on the levels of particulate matter in naturally ventilated residential built environments. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Type II solar radio bursts, interplanetary shocks, and energetic particle events

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cane, H. V.; Stone, R. G.

1984-01-01

Using the ISEE-3 radio astronomy experiment data 37 interplanetary (IP) type II bursts have been identified in the period September 1978 to December 1981. These events and the associated phenomena are listed. The events are preceded by intense, soft X ray events with long decay times (LDEs) and type II and/or type IV bursts at meter wavelengths. The meter wavelength type II bursts are usually intense and exhibit herringbone structure. The extension of the herringbone structure into the kilometer wavelength range results in the occurrence of a shock accelerated (SA) event. The majority of the interplanetary type II bursts are associated with energetic particle events. These results support other studies awhich indicate that energetic solar particles detected at 1 A.U. are generated by shock acceleration. From a preliminary analysis of the available data there appears to be a high correlation with white light coronal transients.

Activity in X-ray-selected late-type stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Takalo, Leo O.; Nousek, J. A.

1988-01-01

A spectroscopic study has been conducted of nine X-ray bright late-type stars selected from two Einstein X-ray surveys: the Columbia Astrophysical Laboratory Survey (five stars) and the CFA Medium Sensitivity Survey (MSS; four stars). Spectral classes were determined and radial and V sin(i) velocities were measured for the stars. Four of the Columbia Survey stars were found to be new RS CVn-type binaries. The fifth Columbia survey star was found to be an active G dwarf star without evidence for binarity. None of the four MSS stars were found to be either binaries or optically active stars. Activity in these stars was assessed by measuring the excess emission in H-alpha and the Ca II IRT (8498, 8542) lines in comparison with inactive stars of similar spectral types. A correlation was found between X-ray luminosity and V sin(i) and H-alpha line excess. The measured excess line emission in H-alpha was also correlated with V sin(i) but not with the IRT line excess.

[Electrophysiological study on rat conduit pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells under normoxia and acute hypoxia].

PubMed

Hu, Ying; Zou, Fei; Cai, Chun-Qing; Wu, Hang-Yu; Yun, Hai-Xia; Chen, Yun-Tian; Jin, Guo-En; Ge, Ri-Li

2006-10-25

The present study was designed to investigate the electrophysiological characteristics of rat conduit pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) and the response to acute hypoxia. PASMCs of the 1st to 2nd order branches in the conduit pulmonary arteries were obtained by enzymatic isolation. The PASMCs were divided into acute hypoxia preconditioned group and normoxia group. Hypoxia solutions were achieved by bubbling with 5% CO2 plus 95% N2 for at least 30 min before cell perfusion. Potassium currents were compared between these two groups using whole-cell patch clamp technique. The total outward current of PASMCs was measured under normoxia condition when iBTX [specific blocking agent of large conductance Ca-activated K(+) (BK(Ca)) channel] and 4-AP [specific blocking agent of delayed rectifier K(+) (K(DR)) channel] were added consequently into bath solution. PASMCs were classified into three types according to their size, shape and electrophysiological characteristics. Type I cells are the smallest with spindle shape, smooth surface and discrete perinuclear bulge. Type II cells show the biggest size with banana-like appearance. Type III cells have the similar size with type I, and present intermediary shape between type I and type II. iBTX had little effect on the total outward current in type I cells, while 4-AP almost completely blocked it. Most of the total outward current in type II cells was inhibited by iBTX, and the remaining was sensitive to 4-AP. In type III cells, the total outward current was sensitive to both iBTX and 4-AP. Acute hypoxia reduced the current in all three types of cells: (1614.8+/-62.5) pA to (892.4+/-33.6) pA for type I cells (P<0.01); (438.3+/-42.8) pA to (277.5+/-44.7) pA for type II cells (P<0.01); (1 042.0+/-37.2) pA to (613.6+/-23.8) pA for type III (P<0.01), and raised the resting membrane potentials (E(m)) in all these three types of cells: (-41.6+/-1.6) mV to (-18.6+/-1.5) mV (P<0.01), (-42.3+/-3.8) mV to (-30.6+/-3.0) mV (P<0.01), (-43.3+/-1.6) mV to (-28.4+/-1.4) mV (P<0.01), for type I, II, III cells, respectively. These results suggest that acute hypoxia suppresses the potassium current and improves the E(m) in PASMCs. These effects may be involved in the modulation of constriction/relaxation of conduit artery under acute hypoxia. Different distribution of K(DR) and BK(Ca) channels in these three types of PASMCs might account for their different constriction/relaxation response to acute hypoxia.

Adenocarcinoma of the lung with scattered consolidation: radiological-pathological correlation and prognosis.

PubMed

Jiang, Binghu; Takashima, Shodayu; Hakucho, Tomoaki; Hodaka, Numasaki; Yasuhiko, Tomita; Masahiko, Higashiyama

2013-10-01

To investigate the clinicopathological features and prognosis in patients with adenocarcinoma of the lung with scattered consolidation (ALSC). Between January 2006 and March 2010, 139 consecutive patients with lung adenocarcinoma of ≤3 cm, who underwent pulmonary resection for lung cancer, were investigated retrospectively. Radiologic classification was based on the findings of thin-section CT such as the presence of consolidation or ground-glass opacity (GGO). Type I (n=15) and Type II (n=14), showed a pure GGO and a mixed GGO with consolidation <50%, respectively. Type IV (n=38) and Type V (n=52) showed a mixed GGO with consolidation ≥50% and a pure consolidation, respectively. Type III (n=20) was the adenocarcinoma of the lung with scattered consolidation (ALSC). The clinicopathological features and prognosis of ALSC was investigated with comparative analysis and survival analysis. Because of the similar recurrence rate for Type I and Type II (P=1.000), Type IV and Type V (P=0.343), we merged Type I and Type II as Type I+II, Type IV and Type V as Type IV+V, respectively. In the 20 (14.4%) patients with ALSC, lymph node metastasis was not observed, and it was rare in lymphatic invasion and vascular invasion. On the basis of IASLC/ATS/ERS 2011 classification, 80% of the ALSC were preinvasive lesions. In Noguchi classification, there was no significant difference between Type I+II and ALSC (P=0.260). The prognosis of ALSC was similar to Type I+II (P=0.408), but better than Type IV+V (P=0.040). Adenocarcinoma of the lung with scattered consolidation (ALSC) on thin-section CT was a relatively favorable prognostic factor. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rare association of spondylo costal dysostosis with split cord malformations type II: A case report and a brief review of literature

PubMed Central

Srinivas, Bhavanam Hanuma; Puligopu, Aneel Kumar; Sukhla, Dinesh; Ranganath, Prajnya

2014-01-01

Spondylo costal dysostosis (SCD) is a genetic skeletal disorder characterized by a variety of costo-vertebral malformations. SCD with type I split cord malformation (SCM) have been reported in the literature. We report an unusual association of SCD with type II SCM. Imaging studies revealed multiple vertebral segmentations, rib malformations, spina bifida and low lying cord with type II SCM at the D12-L3 level. She underwent detethering of the cord. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the association of SCD with type II SCM. PMID:25250070

Type I and II β-turns prediction using NMR chemical shifts.

PubMed

Wang, Ching-Cheng; Lai, Wen-Chung; Chuang, Woei-Jer

2014-07-01

A method for predicting type I and II β-turns using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts is proposed. Isolated β-turn chemical-shift data were collected from 1,798 protein chains. One-dimensional statistical analyses on chemical-shift data of three classes β-turn (type I, II, and VIII) showed different distributions at four positions, (i) to (i + 3). Considering the central two residues of type I β-turns, the mean values of Cο, Cα, H(N), and N(H) chemical shifts were generally (i + 1) > (i + 2). The mean values of Cβ and Hα chemical shifts were (i + 1) < (i + 2). The distributions of the central two residues in type II and VIII β-turns were also distinguishable by trends of chemical shift values. Two-dimensional cluster analyses on chemical-shift data show positional distributions more clearly. Based on these propensities of chemical shift classified as a function of position, rules were derived using scoring matrices for four consecutive residues to predict type I and II β-turns. The proposed method achieves an overall prediction accuracy of 83.2 and 84.2% with the Matthews correlation coefficient values of 0.317 and 0.632 for type I and II β-turns, indicating that its higher accuracy for type II turn prediction. The results show that it is feasible to use NMR chemical shifts to predict the β-turn types in proteins. The proposed method can be incorporated into other chemical-shift based protein secondary structure prediction methods.

Electrical filtering in gerbil isolated type I semicircular canal hair cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rennie, K. J.; Ricci, A. J.; Correia, M. J.

1996-01-01

1. Membrane potential responses of dissociated gerbil type I semicircular canal hair cells to current injections in whole cell current-clamp have been measured. The input resistance of type I cells was 21.4 +/- 14.3 (SD) M omega, (n = 25). Around the zero-current potential (Vz = -66.6 +/- 9.3 mV, n = 25), pulsed current injections (from approximately -200 to 750 pA) produced only small-amplitude, pulse-like changes in membrane potential. 2. Injecting constant current to hyperpolarize the membrane to around -100 mV resulted in a approximately 10-fold increase in membrane resistance. Current pulses superimposed on this constant hyperpolarization produced larger and more complex membrane potential changes. Depolarizing currents > or = 200 pA caused a rapid transient peak voltage before a plateau. 3. Membrane voltage was able to faithfully follow sine-wave current injections around Vz over the range 1-1,000 Hz with < 25% attenuation at 1 kHz. A previously described K conductance, IKI, which is active at Vz, produces the low input resistance and frequency response. This was confirmed by pharmacologically blocking IKI. This conductance, present in type I cells but not type II hair cells, would appear to confer on type I cells a lower gain, but a much broader bandwidth at Vz, than seen in type II cells.

Sunlight exposure and photoprotection behaviour of white Caucasian adolescents in the UK.

PubMed

Gould, M; Farrar, M D; Kift, R; Berry, J L; Mughal, M Z; Bundy, C; Vail, A; Webb, A R; Rhodes, L E

2015-04-01

Sun exposure has positive and negative effects on health, yet little is known about the sun exposure behaviour of UK adolescents, including those more prone or less prone to sunburn. To examine sun exposure behaviour of UK white Caucasian adolescents including time spent outdoors, holiday behaviour, use of sunscreen and clothing, with assessment for differences between sun-reactive skin type groups. White Caucasian adolescents (12-15 years) attending schools in Greater Manchester completed a two-page questionnaire to assess sun exposure and photoprotective behaviour. A total of 133 adolescents (median age 13.4 years; 39% skin type I/II, 61% skin type III/IV) completed the questionnaire. In summer, adolescents spent significantly longer outdoors at weekends (median 4 h/day, range 0.25-10) than on weekdays (2, 0.25-6; P < 0.0001). When at home in the UK during summer, 44% reported never wearing sunscreen compared to just 1% when on a sunny holiday. Sunscreen use was also greater (frequency/coverage) when on a sunny holiday than at home in the UK summer (P < 0.0001). Adolescents of skin types I/II (easy burning) spent significantly less time outdoors than skin types III/IV (easy tanning) on summer weekends (P < 0.001), summer weekdays (P < 0.05) and on a sunny holiday (P = 0.001). Furthermore, skin types I/II reported greater sunscreen use during summer in the UK and on sunny holiday (both P < 0.01), and wore clothing covering a greater skin area on a sunny holiday (P < 0.01) than skin types III/IV. There was no difference in sun exposure behaviour/protection between males and females. The greater sun-protective measures reported by adolescents of sun-reactive skin type group I/II than III/IV suggest those who burn more easily are aware of the greater need to protect their skin. However, use of sunscreen during the UK summer is low and may need more effective promotion in adolescents. © 2014 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Quantum chemical calculations and experimental investigations on 2-aminobenzoic acid-cyclodiphosph(V)azane derivative and its homo-binuclear Cu(II) complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Gogary, Tarek M.; Alaghaz, Abdel-Nasser M. A.; Ammar, Reda A. A.

2012-03-01

A novel 2-aminobenzoic acid-cyclodiphosph(V)azane ligand H4L and its homo-binuclear Cu(II) complex of the type [Cu2L(H2O)2].2.5 H2O in which L is 1,3-di(-o-pyridyl)-2,4-(dioxo)-2',4'-bis-(2-iminobenzoic acid) cyclodiphosph(V)azane, were synthesized and characterized by different physical techniques. Infrared spectra of the complex indicate deprotonation and coordination of the imine NH and carboxyl COOH groups. It also confirms that nitrogen atom of the pyridine ring contribute to the complexation. Electronic spectra and magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal square-planar geometry for the Cu(II) complex. The elemental analyses and thermogravimetric results have justified the [Cu2L(H2O)2]·2.5H2O composition of the complex. Quantum chemical calculations were utilized to explore the electronic structure and stability of the H4L as well as the binuclear Cu(II) complex. Computational studies have been carried out at the DFT-B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory on the structural and spectroscopic properties of H4L and its binuclear Cu(II) complex. Different tautomers and geometrical isomers of the ligand were optimized at the ab initio DFT level. Simulated IR frequencies were scaled and compared with that experimentally measured. TD-DFT method was used to compute the UV-VIS spectra which show good agreement with measured electronic spectra.

Lifshitz Transitions, Type-II Dirac and Weyl Fermions, Event Horizon and All That

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volovik, G. E.; Zhang, K.

2017-12-01

The type-II Weyl and type-II Dirac points emerge in semimetals and also in relativistic systems. In particular, the type-II Weyl fermions may emerge behind the event horizon of black holes. In this case the horizon with Painlevé-Gullstrand metric serves as the surface of the Lifshitz transition. This relativistic analogy allows us to simulate the black hole horizon and Hawking radiation using the fermionic superfluid with supercritical velocity, and the Dirac and Weyl semimetals with the interface separating the type-I and type-II states. The difference between such type of the artificial event horizon and that which arises in acoustic metric is discussed. At the Lifshitz transition between type-I and type-II fermions the Dirac lines may also emerge, which are supported by the combined action of topology and symmetry. The type-II Weyl and Dirac points also emerge as the intermediate states of the topological Lifshitz transitions. Different configurations of the Fermi surfaces, involved in such Lifshitz transition, are discussed. In one case the type-II Weyl point connects the Fermi pockets and the Lifshitz transition corresponds to the transfer of the Berry flux between the Fermi pockets. In the other case the type-II Weyl point connects the outer and inner Fermi surfaces. At the Lifshitz transition the Weyl point is released from both Fermi surfaces. They loose their Berry flux, which guarantees the global stability, and without the topological support the inner surface disappears after shrinking to a point at the second Lifshitz transition. These examples reveal the complexity and universality of topological Lifshitz transitions, which originate from the ubiquitous interplay of a variety of topological characters of the momentum-space manifolds. For the interacting electrons, the Lifshitz transitions may lead to the formation of the dispersionless (flat) band with zero energy and singular density of states, which opens the route to room-temperature superconductivity. Originally, the idea of the enhancement of T_c due to flat band has been put forward by the nuclear physics community, and this also demonstrates the close connections between different areas of physics.

Genetics Home Reference: otopalatodigital syndrome type 2

MedlinePlus

... Testing (1 link) Genetic Testing Registry: Oto-palato-digital syndrome, type II Other Diagnosis and Management Resources ( ... syndrome FPO OPD syndrome, type 2 oto-palato-digital syndrome, type II Taybi syndrome Related Information How ...

Difference in Dwarf Galaxy Surface Brightness Profiles as a Function of Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Youngdae; Park, Hong Soo; Kim, Sang Chul; Moon, Dae-Sik; Lee, Jae-Joon; Kim, Dong-Jin; Cha, Sang-Mok

2018-05-01

We investigate surface brightness profiles (SBPs) of dwarf galaxies in field, group, and cluster environments. With deep BV I images from the Korea Microlensing Telescope Network Supernova Program, SBPs of 38 dwarfs in the NGC 2784 group are fitted by a single-exponential or double-exponential model. We find that 53% of the dwarfs are fitted with single-exponential profiles (“Type I”), while 47% of the dwarfs show double-exponential profiles; 37% of all dwarfs have smaller sizes for the outer part than the inner part (“Type II”), while 10% have a larger outer than inner part (“Type III”). We compare these results with those in the field and in the Virgo cluster, where the SBP types of 102 field dwarfs are compiled from a previous study and the SBP types of 375 cluster dwarfs are measured using SDSS r-band images. As a result, the distributions of SBP types are different in the three environments. Common SBP types for the field, the NGC 2784 group, and the Virgo cluster are Type II, Type I and II, and Type I and III profiles, respectively. After comparing the sizes of dwarfs in different environments, we suggest that since the sizes of some dwarfs are changed due to environmental effects, SBP types are capable of being transformed and the distributions of SBP types in the three environments are different. We discuss possible environmental mechanisms for the transformation of SBP types. Based on data collected at KMTNet Telescopes and SDSS.

When do latent class models overstate accuracy for diagnostic and other classifiers in the absence of a gold standard?

PubMed

Spencer, Bruce D

2012-06-01

Latent class models are increasingly used to assess the accuracy of medical diagnostic tests and other classifications when no gold standard is available and the true state is unknown. When the latent class is treated as the true class, the latent class models provide measures of components of accuracy including specificity and sensitivity and their complements, type I and type II error rates. The error rates according to the latent class model differ from the true error rates, however, and empirical comparisons with a gold standard suggest the true error rates often are larger. We investigate conditions under which the true type I and type II error rates are larger than those provided by the latent class models. Results from Uebersax (1988, Psychological Bulletin 104, 405-416) are extended to accommodate random effects and covariates affecting the responses. The results are important for interpreting the results of latent class analyses. An error decomposition is presented that incorporates an error component from invalidity of the latent class model. © 2011, The International Biometric Society.

Single crystal growth and nonlinear optical properties of Nd3+ doped STGS crystal for self-frequency-doubling application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Feifei; Wang, Lijuan; Wang, Xinle; Cheng, Xiufeng; Yu, Fapeng; Wang, Zhengping; Zhao, Xian

2017-11-01

The self-frequency-doubling crystal is an important kind of multi-functional crystal materials. In this work, Nd3+ doped Sr3TaGa3Si2O14 (Nd:STGS) single crystals were successfully grown by using Czochralski pulling method, in addition, the nonlinear and laser-frequency-doubling properties of Nd:STGS crystals were studied. The continuous-wave laser at 1064 nm was demonstrated along different physical axes, where the maximum output power was obtained to be 295 mW for the Z-cut samples, much higher than the Y-cut (242 mW) and X-cut (217 mW) samples. Based on the measured refractive indexes, the phase matching directions were discussed and determined for type I (42.5°, 30°) and type II (69.5°, 0°) crystal cuts. As expected, self-frequency-doubling green laser at 529 nm was achieved with output powers being around 16 mW and 12 mW for type I and type II configurations, respectively.

Positions of type II fundamental and harmonic sources in the 30-100 MHZ range

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sawant, H. S.; Gergely, T. E.; Kundu, M. R.

1982-01-01

An excellent example of a type III-V burst followed by a type II burst with fundamental and harmonic bands was observed on June 18, 1979 at the Clark Lake Radio Observatory. The observations are described in detail and their implications are discussed with regard to the problem of directionality with respect to the magnetic field lines of the collisionless MHD shock wave generated at the start of the flash phase. It is found that the positions of type III and type II (F) bursts at a number of frequencies are essentially the same, which implies that the shock responsible for the type II radiation follows the path of the type III exciter, that is, the shock propagates along the open field lines.

Space Density Of Optically-Selected Type II Quasars From The SDSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reyes, Reinabelle; Zakamska, N. L.; Strauss, M. A.; Green, J.; Krolik, J. H.; Shen, Y.; Richards, G. T.

2007-12-01

Type II quasars are luminous Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) whose central regions are obscured by large amounts of gas and dust. In this poster, we present a catalog of 887 type II quasars with redshifts z<0.83 from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), selected based on their emission lines, and derive the 1/Vmax [OIII] 5007 luminosity function from this sample. Since some objects may not be included in the sample because they lack strong emission lines, the derived luminosity function is only a lower limit. We also derive the [OIII] 5007 luminosity function for a sample of type I (broad-line) quasars in the same redshift range. Taking [OIII] 5007 luminosity as a tracer of intrinsic luminosity in both type I and type II quasars, we obtain lower limits to the type II quasar fraction as a function of [OIII] 5007 luminosity, from L[OIII] = 108.3 to 1010 Lsun, which roughly correspond to bolometric luminosities of 1044 to 1046 erg/s.

A GLOBAL MODEL OF THE LIGHT CURVES AND EXPANSION VELOCITIES OF TYPE II-PLATEAU SUPERNOVAE

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

Pejcha, Ondřej; Prieto, Jose L., E-mail: pejcha@astro.princeton.edu

2015-02-01

We present a new self-consistent and versatile method that derives photospheric radius and temperature variations of Type II-Plateau supernovae based on their expansion velocities and photometric measurements. We apply the method to a sample of 26 well-observed, nearby supernovae with published light curves and velocities. We simultaneously fit ∼230 velocity and ∼6800 mag measurements distributed over 21 photometric passbands spanning wavelengths from 0.19 to 2.2 μm. The light-curve differences among the Type II-Plateau supernovae are well modeled by assuming different rates of photospheric radius expansion, which we explain as different density profiles of the ejecta, and we argue that steeper density profiles resultmore » in flatter plateaus, if everything else remains unchanged. The steep luminosity decline of Type II-Linear supernovae is due to fast evolution of the photospheric temperature, which we verify with a successful fit of SN 1980K. Eliminating the need for theoretical supernova atmosphere models, we obtain self-consistent relative distances, reddenings, and nickel masses fully accounting for all internal model uncertainties and covariances. We use our global fit to estimate the time evolution of any missing band tailored specifically for each supernova, and we construct spectral energy distributions and bolometric light curves. We produce bolometric corrections for all filter combinations in our sample. We compare our model to the theoretical dilution factors and find good agreement for the B and V filters. Our results differ from the theory when the I, J, H, or K bands are included. We investigate the reddening law toward our supernovae and find reasonable agreement with standard R{sub V}∼3.1 reddening law in UBVRI bands. Results for other bands are inconclusive. We make our fitting code publicly available.« less

Association between brain structural anomalies, electroencephalogram and history of seizures in Mucopolysaccharidosis type II (Hunter syndrome).

PubMed

Jiménez-Arredondo, Ramón Ernesto; Brambila-Tapia, Aniel Jessica Leticia; Mercado-Silva, Francisco Miguel; Ortiz-Aranda, Martha; Benites-Godinez, Verónica; Olmos-García-de-Alba, Graciela; Figuera, Luis Eduardo

2017-03-01

Mucopolysaccharidosis type II or Hunter syndrome (MPS II) is a genetic disease that can course with intellectual impairment and central nervous system (CNS) alterations. To date, no report has documented electroencephalogram (EEG) measures associated with CNS alterations, detected by imaging studies, and the history of seizures in patients with MPS II. Therefore, we decided to search this association. We included 9 patients with MPS II and performed imaging studies of the brain to detect the presence of cortico-subcortical atrophy, enlarged subarachnoid space and supratentorial ventricular size. Additionally, we performed EEG studies in sleep and awake conditions and a complete clinical description. Five out of the nine patients presented history of seizures and all except one patient (88.9%) presented some CNS structural alteration in the imaging studies, being the most frequent the cortico-subcortical atrophy (77.8%). The EEG results showed low amplitude in all patients and low voltage in sleep condition in eight patients with interhemispheric asymmetry in six patients during awake and sleep conditions. Although the five patients with history of seizures did not present a distinctive EEG anomaly, four of them presented some structural alteration in the imaging studies. In conclusion, most patients presented structural alterations in the CNS; likewise, all of them presented EEG anomalies mainly during sleep conditions. However, a clear association between EEG, CNS and the history of seizures was not established.

Regulating RNA polymerase pausing and transcription elongation in embryonic stem cells

PubMed Central

Min, Irene M.; Waterfall, Joshua J.; Core, Leighton J.; Munroe, Robert J.; Schimenti, John; Lis, John T.

2011-01-01

Transitions between pluripotent stem cells and differentiated cells are executed by key transcription regulators. Comparative measurements of RNA polymerase distribution over the genome's primary transcription units in different cell states can identify the genes and steps in the transcription cycle that are regulated during such transitions. To identify the complete transcriptional profiles of RNA polymerases with high sensitivity and resolution, as well as the critical regulated steps upon which regulatory factors act, we used genome-wide nuclear run-on (GRO-seq) to map the density and orientation of transcriptionally engaged RNA polymerases in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). In both cell types, progression of a promoter-proximal, paused RNA polymerase II (Pol II) into productive elongation is a rate-limiting step in transcription of ∼40% of mRNA-encoding genes. Importantly, quantitative comparisons between cell types reveal that transcription is controlled frequently at paused Pol II's entry into elongation. Furthermore, “bivalent” ESC genes (exhibiting both active and repressive histone modifications) bound by Polycomb group complexes PRC1 (Polycomb-repressive complex 1) and PRC2 show dramatically reduced levels of paused Pol II at promoters relative to an average gene. In contrast, bivalent promoters bound by only PRC2 allow Pol II pausing, but it is confined to extremely 5′ proximal regions. Altogether, these findings identify rate-limiting targets for transcription regulation during cell differentiation. PMID:21460038

The Early Detection and Follow-up of the Highly Obscured Type II Supernova 2016ija/DLT16am

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tartaglia, L.; Sand, D. J.; Valenti, S.; Wyatt, S.; Anderson, J. P.; Arcavi, I.; Ashall, C.; Botticella, M. T.; Cartier, R.; Chen, T.-W.; Cikota, A.; Coulter, D.; Della Valle, M.; Foley, R. J.; Gal-Yam, A.; Galbany, L.; Gall, C.; Haislip, J. B.; Harmanen, J.; Hosseinzadeh, G.; Howell, D. A.; Hsiao, E. Y.; Inserra, C.; Jha, S. W.; Kankare, E.; Kilpatrick, C. D.; Kouprianov, V. V.; Kuncarayakti, H.; Maccarone, T. J.; Maguire, K.; Mattila, S.; Mazzali, P. A.; McCully, C.; Melandri, A.; Morrell, N.; Phillips, M. M.; Pignata, G.; Piro, A. L.; Prentice, S.; Reichart, D. E.; Rojas-Bravo, C.; Smartt, S. J.; Smith, K. W.; Sollerman, J.; Stritzinger, M. D.; Sullivan, M.; Taddia, F.; Young, D. R.

2018-01-01

We present our analysis of the Type II supernova DLT16am (SN 2016ija). The object was discovered during the ongoing D< 40 {Mpc} (DLT40) one-day cadence supernova search at r∼ 20.1 {mag} in the “edge-on” nearby (D=20.0+/- 4.0 {Mpc}) galaxy NGC 1532. The subsequent prompt and high-cadenced spectroscopic and photometric follow-up revealed a highly extinguished transient, with E(B-V)=1.95+/- 0.15 {mag}, consistent with a standard extinction law with R V = 3.1 and a bright ({M}V=-18.48+/- 0.77 {mag}) absolute peak magnitude. A comparison of the photometric features with those of large samples of SNe II reveals a fast rise for the derived luminosity and a relatively short plateau phase, with a slope of {S}50V=0.84+/- 0.04 {mag}/50 {days}, consistent with the photometric properties typical of those of fast-declining SNe II. Despite the large uncertainties on the distance and the extinction in the direction of DLT16am, the measured photospheric expansion velocity and the derived absolute V-band magnitude at ∼ 50 {days} after the explosion match the existing luminosity–velocity relation for SNe II. This paper includes data gathered with the 6.5 m Magellan Telescopes located at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile.

Intake of coffee, caffeine and other methylxanthines and risk of Type I vs Type II endometrial cancer.

PubMed

Uccella, S; Mariani, A; Wang, A H; Vierkant, R A; Cliby, W A; Robien, K; Anderson, K E; Cerhan, J R

2013-10-01

Coffee and other sources of methylxanthines and risk of Type I vs Type II endometrial cancer (EC) have not been evaluated previously. Prospective cohort of 23,356 postmenopausal women with 471 Type I and 71 Type II EC cases. Type I EC was statistically significantly associated with caffeinated (relative risk (RR)=0.65 for 4+ cups per day vs ≤1 cup per month: 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.47-0.89) but not decaffeinated (RR=0.76; 95% CI: 0.50-1.15) coffee intake; there were no associations with tea, cola or chocolate, or for Type II EC. The inverse association with caffeinated coffee intake was specific to women with a body mass index 30+ kg m(-2) (RR=0.56; 95% CI: 0.36-0.89). Coffee may protect against Type I EC in obese postmenopausal women.

Different subsets of natural killer T cells may vary in their roles in health and disease

PubMed Central

Kumar, Vipin; Delovitch, Terry L

2014-01-01

Natural killer T cells (NKT) can regulate innate and adaptive immune responses. Type I and type II NKT cell subsets recognize different lipid antigens presented by CD1d, an MHC class-I-like molecule. Most type I NKT cells express a semi-invariant T-cell receptor (TCR), but a major subset of type II NKT cells reactive to a self antigen sulphatide use an oligoclonal TCR. Whereas TCR-α dominates CD1d-lipid recognition by type I NKT cells, TCR-α and TCR-β contribute equally to CD1d-lipid recognition by type II NKT cells. These variable modes of NKT cell recognition of lipid–CD1d complexes activate a host of cytokine-dependent responses that can either exacerbate or protect from disease. Recent studies of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases have led to a hypothesis that: (i) although type I NKT cells can promote pathogenic and regulatory responses, they are more frequently pathogenic, and (ii) type II NKT cells are predominantly inhibitory and protective from such responses and diseases. This review focuses on a further test of this hypothesis by the use of recently developed techniques, intravital imaging and mass cytometry, to analyse the molecular and cellular dynamics of type I and type II NKT cell antigen-presenting cell motility, interaction, activation and immunoregulation that promote immune responses leading to health versus disease outcomes. PMID:24428389

Foot Type Biomechanics Part 1: Structure and Function of the Asymptomatic Foot

PubMed Central

Hillstrom, Howard J.; Song, Jinsup; Kraszewski, Andrew P.; Hafer, Jocelyn F.; Mootanah, Rajshree; Dufour, Alyssa B.; PT, Betty (Shingpui) Chow; Deland, Jonathan T.

2012-01-01

Background Differences in foot structure are thought to be associated with differences in foot function during movement. Many foot pathologies are of a biomechanical nature and often associated with foot type. Fundamental to the understanding of foot pathomechanics is the question: do different foot types have distinctly different structure and function? Aim To determine if objective measures of foot structure and function differ between planus, rectus and cavus foot types in asymptomatic individuals. Methods Sixty-one asymptomatic healthy adults between 18 and 77 years old, that had the same foot type bilaterally (44 planus feet, 54 rectus feet, and 24 cavus feet), were recruited. Structural and functional measurements were taken using custom equipment, an emed-x plantar pressure measuring device, a GaitMatII gait pattern measurement system, and a goniometer. Generalized Estimation Equation modeling was employed to determine if each dependent variable of foot structure and function was significantly different across foot type while accounting for potential dependencies between sides. Post hoc testing was performed to assess pairwise comparisons. Results Several measures of foot structure (malleolar valgus index and arch height index) were significantly different between foot types. Gait pattern parameters were invariant across foot types. Peak pressure, maximum force, pressure-time-integral, force-time-integral and contact area were significantly different in several medial forefoot and arch locations between foot types. Planus feet exhibited significantly different center of pressure excursion indices compared to rectus and cavus feet. Conclusions Planus, rectus and cavus feet exhibited significantly different measures of foot structure and function. PMID:23107625

Foot type biomechanics part 1: structure and function of the asymptomatic foot.

PubMed

Hillstrom, Howard J; Song, Jinsup; Kraszewski, Andrew P; Hafer, Jocelyn F; Mootanah, Rajshree; Dufour, Alyssa B; Chow, Betty Shingpui; Deland, Jonathan T

2013-03-01

Differences in foot structure are thought to be associated with differences in foot function during movement. Many foot pathologies are of a biomechanical nature and often associated with foot type. Fundamental to the understanding of foot pathomechanics is the question: do different foot types have distinctly different structure and function? To determine if objective measures of foot structure and function differ between planus, rectus and cavus foot types in asymptomatic individuals. Sixty-one asymptomatic healthy adults between 18 and 77 years old, that had the same foot type bilaterally (44 planus feet, 54 rectus feet, and 24 cavus feet), were recruited. Structural and functional measurements were taken using custom equipment, an emed-x plantar pressure measuring device, a GaitMat II gait pattern measurement system, and a goniometer. Generalized Estimation Equation modeling was employed to determine if each dependent variable of foot structure and function was significantly different across foot type while accounting for potential dependencies between sides. Post hoc testing was performed to assess pair wise comparisons. Several measures of foot structure (malleolar valgus index and arch height index) were significantly different between foot types. Gait pattern parameters were invariant across foot types. Peak pressure, maximum force, pressure-time-integral, force-time-integral and contact area were significantly different in several medial forefoot and arch locations between foot types. Planus feet exhibited significantly different center of pressure excursion indices compared to rectus and cavus feet. Planus, rectus and cavus feet exhibited significantly different measures of foot structure and function. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Use of biodegradable polylactic acid barrier materials in the treatment of grade II periodontal furcation defects in humans--Part I: A multicenter investigative clinical study.

PubMed

Vernino, A R; Ringeisen, T A; Wang, H L; Derhalli, M; Rapley, J; Nechamkin, S J; Brekke, J

1998-12-01

This study evaluated two bioresorbable polylactic acid barriers (Epi-Guide and Guidor) to determine if design differences were of therapeutic significance in the treatment of Grade II furcation defects in humans. Forty patients with bilaterally matched, Grade II furcation defects in maxillary or mandibular first or second molars were treated in a multicenter study. Comprehensive initial periodontal therapy, followed by defect debridement and root preparation, preceded randomized membrane placement. Data collected from all three investigative centers were pooled and analyzed using an analysis of variance appropriate for a counterbalancing design. Both barrier types produced measurable improvements of clinical probing values. Barrier exposure scores taken through the eighth week postoperative revealed that Epi-Guide was less likely to become exposed than Guidor. The findings of this study, which was conducted over a 12-month period, demonstrated that Epi-Guide and Guidor were comparable as measured by clinical probing determinations.

Data Mining the Ogle-II I-band Database for Eclipsing Binary Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciocca, M.

2013-08-01

The OGLE I-band database is a searchable database of quality photometric data available to the public. During Phase 2 of the experiment, known as "OGLE-II", I-band observations were made over a period of approximately 1,000 days, resulting in over 1010 measurements of more than 40 million stars. This was accomplished by using a filter with a passband near the standard Cousins Ic. The database of these observations is fully searchable using the mysql database engine, and provides the magnitude measurements and their uncertainties. In this work, a program of data mining the OGLE I-band database was performed, resulting in the discovery of 42 previously unreported eclipsing binaries. Using the software package Peranso (Vanmuster 2011) to analyze the light curves obtained from OGLE-II, the eclipsing types, the epochs and the periods of these eclipsing variables were determined, to one part in 106. A preliminary attempt to model the physical parameters of these binaries was also performed, using the Binary Maker 3 software (Bradstreet and Steelman 2004).

Effect of cholesterol depletion on exocytosis of alveolar type II cells.

PubMed

Chintagari, Narendranath Reddy; Jin, Nili; Wang, Pengcheng; Narasaraju, Telugu Akula; Chen, Jiwang; Liu, Lin

2006-06-01

Alveolar epithelial type II cells secrete lung surfactant via exocytosis. Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNARE) are implicated in this process. Lipid rafts, the cholesterol- and sphingolipid-rich microdomains, may offer a platform for protein organization on the cell membrane. We tested the hypothesis that lipid rafts organize exocytotic proteins in type II cells and are essential for the fusion of lamellar bodies, the secretory granules of type II cells, with the plasma membrane. The lipid rafts, isolated from type II cells using 1% Triton X-100 and a sucrose gradient centrifugation, contained the lipid raft markers, flotillin-1 and -2, whereas they excluded the nonraft marker, Na+-K+ ATPase. SNAP-23, syntaxin 2, and VAMP-2 were enriched in lipid rafts. When type II cells were depleted of cholesterol, the association of SNAREs with the lipid rafts was disrupted and the formation of fusion pore was inhibited. Furthermore, the cholesterol-depleted plasma membrane had less ability to fuse with lamellar bodies, a process mediated by annexin A2. The secretagogue-stimulated secretion of lung surfactant from type II cells was also reduced by methyl-beta-cyclodextrin. When the raft-associated cell surface protein, CD44, was cross-linked using anti-CD44 antibodies, the CD44 clusters were observed. Syntaxin 2, SNAP-23, and annexin A2 co-localized with the CD44 clusters, which were cholesterol dependent. Our results suggested that lipid rafts may form a functional platform for surfactant secretion in alveolar type II cells, and raft integrity was essential for the fusion between lamellar bodies with the plasma membrane.

Operational Test and Evaluation Handbook for Aircrew Training Devices. Volume II. Operational Effectiveness Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-02-01

should also convey an understanding of the differ- ences in learning behavior between initial learning activity and later skill maintenance and...refinement might then be, ATTACK MANEUVERS * Pop-up attack # Loft/ LADO type attack * Level/laydown attack Figure 5-4 showe diagrammatically the...sensitive to differ- ences in performance. Severai criteria should be used to guide the selection/development of performance measures, i.e., measure validity

Study of Defect Levels in InAs/InAsSb Type-II Superlattice Using Pressure-Dependent Photoluminescence

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-07

pressure is confirmed from power dependent PL measurements. We also examined the thermal activation energies at ambient pressure and close to the...with pressure is confirmed from power dependent PL measurements. We also examined the thermal activation energies at ambient pressure and close to...We also examined the thermal activation energies at ambient pressure and close to the crossover pressure. These results support and are consistent

Hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis is the dominant methanogenic pathway in neotropical tank bromeliad wetlands.

PubMed

Martinson, Guntars O; Pommerenke, Bianca; Brandt, Franziska B; Homeier, Jürgen; Burneo, Juan I; Conrad, Ralf

2018-02-01

Several thousands of tank bromeliads per hectare of neotropical forest create a unique wetland ecosystem that emits substantial amounts of CH 4 . Tank bromeliads growing in the forest canopy (functional type-II tank bromeliads) were found to emit more CH 4 than tank bromeliads growing on the forest floor (functional type-I tank bromeliads) but the reasons for this difference and the underlying microbial CH 4 -cycling processes have not been studied. Therefore, we characterized archaeal communities in bromeliad tanks of the two different functional types in a neotropical montane forest of southern Ecuador using terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and performed tank-slurry incubations to measure CH 4 production potential, stable carbon isotope fractionation and pathway of CH 4 formation. The archaeal community composition was dominated by methanogens and differed between bromeliad functional types. Hydrogenotrophic Methanomicrobiales were the dominant methanogens and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis was the dominant methanogenic pathway among all bromeliads. The relative abundance of aceticlastic Methanosaetaceae and the relative contribution of aceticlastic methanogenesis increased in type-I tank bromeliads probably due to more oxic conditions in type-I than in type-II bromeliads leading to the previously observed lower in situ CH 4 emissions from type-I tank bromeliads but to higher CH 4 production potentials in type-I tank bromeliad slurries. © 2017 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Skeletal effects in Angle Class II/1 patients treated with the functional regulator type II : Cephalometric and tensor analysis.

PubMed

Schulz, Simone; Koos, Bernd; Duske, Kathrin; Stahl, Franka

2016-11-01

The purpose of this work was to employ both cephalometric and tensor analysis in characterizing the skeletal changes experienced by patients with Angle Class II/1 malocclusion during functional orthodontic treatment with the functional regulator type II. A total of 23 patients with Class II/1 malocclusion based on lateral cephalograms obtained before and after treatment with the functional regulator type II were analyzed. Another 23 patients with Angle Class II/1 malocclusion who had not undergone treatment were included as controls. Our cephalometric data attest to significant therapeutic effects of the functional regulator type II on the skeletal mandibular system, including significant advancement of the mandible, increases in effective mandibular length with enhancement of the chin profile, and reduction of growth-related bite deepening. No treatment-related effects were observed at the cranial-base and midface levels. In addition, tensor analysis revealed significant stimulation of mandibular growth in sagittal directions, without indications of growth effects on the maxilla. Its growth-pattern findings differed from those of cephalometric analysis by indicating that the appliance did promote horizontal development, which supports the functional orthodontic treatment effect in Angle Class II/1 cases. Tensor analysis yielded additional insights into sagittal and vertical growth changes not identifiable by strictly cephalometric means. The functional regulator type II was an effective treatment modality for Angle Class II/1 malocclusion and influenced the skeletal development of these patients in favorable ways.

Special tinted contact lens on colour-defects.

PubMed

Mutilab, H A; Sharanjeet-Kaur; Keu, L K; Choo, P F

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the visual function of colour-deficient subjects when wearing special red tint contact lenses. A total of 17 subjects with congenital colour vision deficiency (14 deutans and 3 protans), voluntarily participated in this study. The average age for the subjects was 23.00 ± 4.06 years old. Visual functions tested were visual acuity (LogMAR), contrast sensitivity (FACT Chart) and stereopsis (TNO and Howard Dolman tests). Two types of special red tint lenses were used in this study; Type I (light red) and Type II (dark red). The protans and deutans showed no significant changes in visual acuity and contrast sensitivity when wearing either type of contact lens. Stereopsis testing using the Horward-Dolman test gave no significant changes but significant differences were seen using the TNO test. Stereopsis using the TNO test was significantly poorer with the red tinted contact lenses compared to without for both protons and deutans. Testing binocularly with Ishihara plates showed that 88% (n=15) of patients passed the test with Type I and Type II contact lenses. When D15 test was done, 3 patients (17.6%) were 'normal' when using the Type I contact lenses and 2 patients (11.8%) were 'normal' when using the Type II contact lenses. However, with FM100Hue test, most patients showed deutan responses. Total error scores (TES) were found to be higher with Type I and Type II contact lenses compared to without. The Type I and II special tinted contact lens used in this study did not cause a reduction of visual acuity and contrast sensitivity for the colour defects. Stereopsis was also not reduced with the Type I and Type II contact lenses for the colour defects except when tested with the TNO test. Colour vision defects became difficult to detect using the Ishihara plates but FM100Hue test did not show any improvement with the Type I and Type II contact lenses.

Angiotensin II receptors in cortical and medullary adrenal tumors.

PubMed

Opocher, G; Rocco, S; Cimolato, M; Vianello, B; Arnaldi, G; Mantero, F

1997-03-01

Several pieces of evidences suggest that angiotensin II (Ang II) has mitogenic effects, and a link between Ang II receptors and adrenal tumors can be suggested. In various adrenal tumors, aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA), Cushing's adrenal adenomas (Cush), pheochromocytomas (Pheo), and adrenal carcinomas, we studied the density, affinity, and subtype of Ang II receptors. Ang II binding was tested in cell membrane homogenates. [125I]Ang II was used as ligand, and Losartan and CGP 42112 were used as selective Ang II type 1 and type 2 antagonists, respectively. In APA, Ang II receptor density was 178.5 +/- 82.7 fmol/mg: however, due to the high degree of variability, the receptor density was not significantly higher than that in nontumorous adrenal cortex (59.3 +/- 8.4 fmol/mg). In Cush, the receptor density (27.6 +/- 8.2 fmol/mg; P < 0.05) was significantly lower than that in controls, whereas in Pheo and cortical carcinoma, Ang II binding was very low and in several cases almost undetectable. There was no remarkable difference in the Ang II receptor affinity among all tissues tested. The ratio between type 1 and type 2 Ang II receptors showed a large prevalence of type 1 in controls, APA, and three cases of Cush; in two cases of Cush, this ratio was reversed. In conclusion, our data indicate that Ang II receptors are normally expressed in APA and can also be detected in Cush, whereas they have a very low density in Pheo and adrenal carcinoma. Therefore, Ang II receptors are not involved in the lack of response to Ang II that is characteristic of APA; additionally, a reduction of Ang II receptors can be associated with dedifferentiation or malignancy of adrenal tumors. Further investigation of the expression and functional characterization of Ang II receptors is required to better clarify their possible role in adrenal tumorigenesis.

Muscle Characteristics and Substrate Energetics in Lifelong Endurance Athletes

PubMed Central

Dubé, John J.; Broskey, Nicholas T.; Despines, Alex A.; Stefanovic-Racic, Maja; Toledo, Frederico G.S.; Goodpaster, Bret H.; Amati, Francesca

2015-01-01

Purpose The goal of this study was to explore the effect of lifelong aerobic exercise (i.e. chronic training) on skeletal muscle substrate stores (intramyocellular triglyceride [IMTG] and glycogen), skeletal muscle phenotypes, and oxidative capacity (ox), in older endurance-trained master athletes (OA) compared to non-competitive recreational younger (YA) athletes matched by frequency and mode of training. Methods Thirteen OA (64.8±4.9 yo) exercising ≥ 5 times/week were compared to 14 YA (27.8±4.9 yo) males and females. IMTG, glycogen, fiber types, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and capillarization were measured by immunohistochemistry in vastus lateralis biopsies. Fat-ox and carbohydrate (CHO)-ox were measured by indirect calorimetry before and after an insulin clamp and during a cycle ergometer graded maximal test. Results V̇O2peak was lower in OA than YA. OA had greater IMTG in all fiber types and lower glycogen stores than YA. This was reflected in greater proportion of type I and less type II fibers in OA. Type I fibers were similar in size, while type II fibers were smaller in OA compared to YA. Both groups had similar SDH content. Numbers of capillaries per fiber were reduced in OA but with a higher number of capillaries per area. Metabolic flexibility and insulin sensitivity were similar in both groups. Exercise metabolic efficiency was higher in OA. At moderate exercise intensities, CHO-ox was lower in OA but with similar Fatox. Conclusion Lifelong exercise is associated with higher IMTG content in all muscle fibers and higher metabolic efficiency during exercise that are not explained by differences in muscle fibers types and other muscle characteristics when comparing older to younger athletes matched by exercise mode and frequency. PMID:26460630

77 FR 60124 - Draft Guidance for Industry on Initial Completeness Assessments for Type II Active Pharmaceutical...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-02

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2012-D-1010] Draft Guidance for Industry on Initial Completeness Assessments for Type II Active Pharmaceutical... certain drug master files, namely, Type II active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) drug master files (DMFs...

Functional classification of mitochondrion-rich cells in euryhaline Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) embryos, by means of triple immunofluorescence staining for Na+/K+-ATPase, Na +/K+/2Cl- cotransporter and CFTR anion channel

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hiroi, J.; McCormick, S.D.; Ohtani-Kaneko, R.; Kaneko, T.

2005-01-01

Mozambique tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus embryos were transferred from freshwater to seawater and vice versa, and short-term changes in the localization of three major ion transport proteins, Na+/K +-ATPase, Na+/K+/2Cl- cotransporter (NKCC) and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) were examined within mitochondrion-rich cells (MRCs) in the embryonic yolk-sac membrane. Triple-color immunofluorescence staining allowed us to classify MRCs into four types: type I, showing only basolateral Na+/K +-ATPase staining; type II, basolateral Na+/K +-ATPase and apical NKCC; type III, basolateral Na+/K +-ATPase and basolateral NKCC; type IV, basolateral Na +/K+-ATPase, basolateral NKCC and apical CFTR. In freshwater, type-I, type-II and type-III cells were observed. Following transfer from freshwater to seawater, type-IV cells appeared at 12 h and showed a remarkable increase in number between 24 h and 48 h, whereas type-III cells disappeared. When transferred from seawater back to freshwater, type-IV cells decreased and disappeared at 48 h, type-III cells increased, and type-II cells, which were not found in seawater, appeared at 12 h and increased in number thereafter. Type-I cells existed consistently irrespective of salinity changes. These results suggest that type I is an immature MRC, type II is a freshwater-type ion absorptive cell, type III is a dormant type-IV cell and/or an ion absorptive cell (with a different mechanism from type II), and type IV is a seawater-type ion secretory cell. The intracellular localization of the three ion transport proteins in type-IV cells is completely consistent with a widely accepted model for ion secretion by MRCs. A new model for ion absorption is proposed based on type-II cells possessing apical NKCC.

Usher syndrome clinical types I and II: could ocular symptoms and signs differentiate between the two types?

PubMed

Tsilou, Ekaterini T; Rubin, Benjamin I; Caruso, Rafael C; Reed, George F; Pikus, Anita; Hejtmancik, James F; Iwata, Fumino; Redman, Joy B; Kaiser-Kupfer, Muriel I

2002-04-01

Usher syndrome types I and II are clinical syndromes with substantial genetic and clinical heterogeneity. We undertook the current study in order to identify ocular symptoms and signs that could differentiate between the two types. Sixty-seven patients with Usher syndrome were evaluated. Based on audiologic and vestibular findings, patients were classified as either Usher type I or II. The severity of the ocular signs and symptoms present in each type were compared. Visual acuity, visual field area, electroretinographic amplitude, incidence of cataract and macular lesions were not significantly different between Usher types I and II. However, the ages when night blindness was perceived and retinitis pigmentosa was diagnosed differed significantly between the two types. There seems to be some overlap between types I and II of Usher syndrome in regard to the ophthalmologic findings. However, night blindness appears earlier in Usher type I (although the difference in age of appearance appears to be less dramatic than previously assumed). Molecular elucidation of Usher syndrome may serve as a key to understanding these differences and, perhaps, provide a better tool for use in clinical diagnosis, prognosis and genetic counseling.

Near-Infrared Spectra of Type Ia Supernovae

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marion, G. H.; Hoeflich, P.; Vacca, W. D.; Wheeler, J. C.

2003-01-01

We report near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic observations of 12 'branch-normal' Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) that cover the wavelength region from 0.8 to 2.5 microns. Our sample more than doubles the number of SNe Ia with published NIR spectra within 3 weeks of maximum light. The epochs of observation range from 13 days before maximum light to 18 days after maximum light. A detailed model for a Type Ia supernovae is used to identify spectral features. The Doppler shifts of lines are measured to obtain the velocity and thus the radial distribution of elements. The NIR is an extremely useful tool to probe the chemical structure in the layers of SNe Ia ejecta. This wavelength region is optimal for examining certain products of the SNe Ia explosion that may be blended or obscured in other spectral regions. We identify spectral features from Mg II, Ca II, Si II, Fe II, Co II, Ni II, and possibly Mn II. We find no indications for hydrogen, helium, or carbon in the spectra. The spectral features reveal important clues about the physical characteristics of SNe Ia. We use the features to derive upper limits for the amount of unburned matter, to identify the transition regions from explosive carbon to oxygen burning and from partial to complete silicon burning, and to estimate the level of mixing during and after the explosion. Elements synthesized in the outer layers during the explosion appear to remain in distinct layers. That provides strong evidence for the presence of a detonation phase during the explosion as it occurs in delayed detonation or merger models. Mg II velocities are found to exceed 11,000 - 15,000 km/s, depending on the individual SNe Ia. That result suggests that burning during the explosion reaches the outermost layers of the progenitor and limits the amount of unburned material to less than 10% of the mass of the progenitor. Small residuals of unburned material are predicted by delayed detonation models but are inconsistent with pure deflagration or merger models. Differences in the spectra of the individual SNe Ia demonstrate the variety of these events.

Morphological variations of intra-testicular arterial vasculature in bovine testis--a corrosion casting study.

PubMed

Polguj, Michał; Wysiadecki, Grzegorz; Podgórski, Michał; Szymański, Jacek; Olbrych, Katarzyna; Olewnik, Łukasz; Topol, Mirosław

2015-10-15

Proper blood supply is necessary for the physiological function of every internal organ. The article offers the first classification of the bovine intra-testicular arteries. A corrosive study focused on the intra-testicular arterial vasculature was performed on 40 bovine testes. The vessels were analyzed accurately using MultiScanBase v.18.02 software. A corrosive study focused on the intra-testicular arteries was performed on 40 bovine testes. The vessels were analyzed accurately using MultiScanBase v.18.02 software. In bulls, the centripetal arteries tended to run straight to the mediastinal region, where they form knot-like vascular structures. Those structures are the origin for centrifugal recurrent branches, running peripherally. However, three basic types of intra-testicular arterial vasculature were noted. Type I had centrifugal, recurrent branches, running peripherally towards the surface of the testis but did not reach the tunica albuginea. Type II exhibited centrifugal, recurrent branches running more horizontally than type I. Type III is the most heterogeneous type, composed of other variform types of arteries not classified as type I or type II. Type II was most commonly observed as a vascular conglomerate of intra-testicular arteries within the arterial network of the mediastinum testis. In type III, artery diameter was significantly smaller than observed in types I and II (p < 0.01). Types I and II did not differ between each other regarding artery diameter (p > 0.05). Variations of the intra-testicular arterial vasculature in bovine testis may suggest that particular types of vessels play different physiological roles. The most common type of intra-testicular artery comprising the arterial network of the mediastinum testis was type II.

Single cell analysis of voltage-gated potassium channels that determines neuronal types of rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus neurons.

PubMed

Lee, S K; Lee, S; Shin, S Y; Ryu, P D; Lee, S Y

2012-03-15

The hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), a site for the integration of both the neuroendocrine and autonomic systems, has heterogeneous cell composition. These neurons are classified into type I and type II neurons based on their electrophysiological properties. In the present study, we investigated the molecular identification of voltage-gated K+ (Kv) channels, which determines a distinctive characteristic of type I PVN neurons, by means of single-cell reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) along with slice patch clamp recordings. In order to determine the mRNA expression profiles, firstly, the PVN neurons of male rats were classified into type I and type II neurons, and then, single-cell RT-PCR and single-cell real-time RT-PCR analysis were performed using the identical cell. The single-cell RT-PCR analysis revealed that Kv1.2, Kv1.3, Kv1.4, Kv4.1, Kv4.2, and Kv4.3 were expressed both in type I and in type II neurons, and several Kv channels were co-expressed in a single PVN neuron. However, we found that the expression densities of Kv4.2 and Kv4.3 were significantly higher in type I neurons than in type II neurons. Taken together, several Kv channels encoding A-type K+ currents are present both in type I and in type II neurons, and among those, Kv4.2 and Kv4.3 are the major Kv subunits responsible for determining the distinct electrophysiological properties. Thus these 2 Kv subunits may play important roles in determining PVN cell types and regulating PVN neuronal excitability. This study further provides key molecular mechanisms for differentiating type I and type II PVN neurons. Copyright © 2012 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Angiotensin II type 1 and type 2 receptor-induced cell signaling.

PubMed

Akazawa, Hiroshi; Yano, Masamichi; Yabumoto, Chizuru; Kudo-Sakamoto, Yoko; Komuro, Issei

2013-01-01

The octapeptide angiotensin II (Ang II) plays a homeostatic role in the regulation of blood pressure and water and electrolyte balance, and also contributes to the progression of cardiovascular remodeling. Ang II activates Ang II type 1 (AT1) receptor and type 2 (AT2) receptor, both of which belong to the seven-transmembrane, G protein-coupled receptor family. Most of the actions of Ang II such as promotion of cellular prolifaration, hypertrophy, and fibrosis are mediated by AT1 receptor. However, in some pathological situations, AT2 receptor shows an increase in tissue expression and functions to antagonize the actions induced by AT1 receptor. Recent studies have advanced our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying receptor activation and signal transduction of AT1 and AT2 receptor in the cardiovascular system.

The onset of chromospheric activity among the A- and F- type stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, Theodore; Landsman, Wayne

1987-01-01

IUE observations of C II lambda1335 and C IV lambda1549 and ground-based observations of He I lambda5876 have previously discovered intense levels of chromospheric activity among early F type stars. Virtually all F dwarfs show stronger chromospheric and transition region emission than do the cooler and more deeply convective dwarf stars like the Sun. The IUE spectra and those of He lambda5876 place the onset of stellar activity along the main sequence near a color B - V = 0.28, which corresponds approximately to spectral type FO and an effective temperature of 7300 K. However, existing X-ray observations of A and F stars suggest that coronal activity may reach a peak blueward of this high temperature boundary at B - V = 0.28 before vanishing among the early and mid A-type stars. Discussed are preliminary results of a new effort to refine the location of the high temperature boundary to chromospheric activity among A- and F- type stars, making use of low dispersion short-wavelength spectra from the IUE archives from which the strengths of C IV, C II, and Lyman alpha emission have been measured.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Rotation-Activity Correlations in K-M dwarfs II. (Houdebine+, 2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houdebine, E. R.; Mullan, D. J.; Bercu, B.; Paletou, F.; Gebran, M.

2017-10-01

The spectra that we use for determining the CaII and Hα equivalent widths in the present study of dK4-dM4 stars came from three different echelle spectrographs; HARPS (High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Search, ESO), SOPHIE (OHP), and FEROS (The Fiber-fed Extended Range Optical Spectrograph). The stars in our samples include all stars from all observing programs that have been carried out with HARPS and SOPHIE for stars belonging to the following spectral sub-types: dK4, dK6, dM2, and dM3. For dM4 stars, we compiled all measurements of vsini available in the literature (see Paper I; Houdebine+ 2016, J/ApJ/822/97). For the dK6 and dM3 samples, we also supplemented our own measurements with measurements available in the literature, notably for active stars (see Paper I). (7 data files).

Medical Devices; Immunology and Microbiology Devices; Classification of the Device To Detect and Measure Non-Microbial Analyte(s) in Human Clinical Specimens To Aid in Assessment of Patients With Suspected Sepsis. Final order.

PubMed

2017-10-24

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is classifying the device to detect and measure non-microbial analyte(s) in human clinical specimens to aid in assessment of patients with suspected sepsis into class II (special controls). The special controls that apply to the device type are identified in this order and will be part of the codified language for the device to detect and measure non-microbial analyte(s) in human clinical specimens to aid in assessment of patients with suspected sepsis's classification. We are taking this action because we have determined that classifying the device into class II (special controls) will provide a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness of the device. We believe this action will also enhance patients' access to beneficial innovative devices, in part by reducing regulatory burdens.

Enhanced hemodynamic responses to angiotensin II in diabetes are associated with increased expression and activity of AT1 receptors in the afferent arteriole.

PubMed

Zhang, Jie; Qu, Helena Y; Song, Jiangping; Wei, Jin; Jiang, Shan; Wang, Lei; Wang, Liqing; Buggs, Jacentha; Liu, Ruisheng

2017-10-01

The prevalence of hypertension is about twofold higher in diabetic than in nondiabetic subjects. Hypertension aggravates the progression of diabetic complications, especially diabetic nephropathy. However, the mechanisms for the development of hypertension in diabetes have not been elucidated. We hypothesized that enhanced constrictive responsiveness of renal afferent arterioles (Af-Art) to angiotensin II (ANG II) mediated by ANG II type 1 (AT1) receptors contributes to the development of hypertension in diabetes. In response to an acute bolus intravenous injection of ANG II, alloxan-induced diabetic mice exhibited a higher mean arterial pressure (MAP) (119.1 ± 3.8 vs. 106.2 ± 3.5 mmHg) and a lower renal blood flow (0.25 ± 0.07 vs. 0.52 ± 0.14 ml/min) compared with nondiabetic mice. In response to chronic ANG II infusion, the MAP measured with telemetry increased by 55.8 ± 6.5 mmHg in diabetic mice, but only by 32.3 ± 3.8 mmHg in nondiabetic mice. The mRNA level of AT1 receptor increased by ~10-fold in isolated Af-Art of diabetic mice compared with nondiabetic mice, whereas ANG II type 2 (AT2) receptor expression did not change. The ANG II dose-response curve of the Af-Art was significantly enhanced in diabetic mice. Moreover, the AT1 receptor antagonist, losartan, blocked the ANG II-induced vasoconstriction in both diabetic mice and nondiabetic mice. In conclusion, we found enhanced expression of the AT1 receptor and exaggerated response to ANG II of the Af-Art in diabetes, which may contribute to the increased prevalence of hypertension in diabetes. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

The influence of loading on the corrosion of steel in cracked ordinary Portland cement and high performance concretes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaffer, Shahzma Jafferali

Most studies that have examined chloride-induced corrosion of steel in concrete have focused on sound concrete. However, reinforced concrete is seldom uncracked and very few studies have investigated the influence of cracked concrete on rebar corrosion. Furthermore, the studies that have examined the relationship between cracks and corrosion have focused on unloaded or statically loaded cracks. However, in practice, reinforced concrete structures (e.g. bridges) are often dynamically loaded. Hence, the cracks in such structures open and close which could influence the corrosion of the reinforcing steel. Consequently, the objectives of this project were (i) to examine the effect of different types of loading on the corrosion of reinforcing steel, (ii) the influence of concrete mixture design on the corrosion behaviour and (iii) to provide data that can be used in service-life modelling of cracked reinforced concretes. In this project, cracked reinforced concrete beams made with ordinary Portland cement concrete (OPCC) and high performance concrete (HPC) were subjected to no load, static loading and dynamic loading. They were immersed in salt solution to just above the crack level at their mid-point for two weeks out of every four (wet cycle) and, for the remaining two weeks, were left in ambient laboratory conditions to dry (dry cycle). The wet cycle led to three conditions of exposure for each beam: (i) the non-submerged region, (ii) the sound, submerged region and (iii) the cracked mid-section, which was also immersed in the solution. Linear polarization resistance and galvanostatic pulse techniques were used to monitor the corrosion in the three regions. Potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical current noise and concrete electrical resistance measurements were also performed. These measurements illustrated that (i) rebar corroded faster at cracks than in sound concrete, (ii) HPC was more protective towards the rebar than OPCC even at cracks and (iii) there was a minor effect of the type of loading on rebar corrosion within the period of the project. These measurements also highlighted the problems associated with corrosion measurements, for example, identifying the actual corroding area and the influence of the length of rebar. The numbers of cracks and crack-widths in each beam were measured after the beam's initial exposure to salt solution and, again, after the final corrosion measurements. HPC beams had more cracks than the OPCC. Also, final measurements illustrated increased crack-widths in dynamically loaded beams, regardless of the concrete type. The cracks in both statically and dynamically loaded OPCC and HPC beams bifurcated at the rebar level and propagated parallel to the rebar. This project also examined the extent of corrosion on the rebars and the distribution of corrosion products in the concrete and on the concrete walls of the cracks. Corrosion occurred only at cracks in the concrete and was spread over a larger area on the rebars in HPC than those in OPCC. The damage due to corrosion was superficial in HPC and crater-like in OPCC. Regardless of the concrete type, there was a larger distribution of corrosion products on the crack walls of the dynamically loaded beams. Corrosion products diffused into the cement paste and the paste-aggregate interface in OPCC but remained in the crack in HPC. The most voluminous corrosion product identified was ferric hydroxide. Elemental analysis of mill-scale on rebar which was not embedded in concrete or exposed to chlorides was compared to that of the bars that had been embedded in uncontaminated concrete and in cracked concrete exposed to chlorides. In uncontaminated concrete, mill-scale absorbed calcium and silicon. At a crack, a layer, composed of a mixture of cement paste and corrosion products, developed between the mill-scale and the substrate steel. Based on the results, it was concluded that (i) corrosion occurred on the rebar only at cracks in the concrete, (ii) corrosion was initiated at the cracks immediately upon exposure to salt solution, (ii) the type of loading had a minor influence on the corrosion rates of reinforcing steel and (iv) the use of polarized area led to a significant underestimation of the current density at the crack. It is recommended that the effect of cover-depth on (i) the time to initiation of corrosion and (ii) the corrosion current density in cracked concrete be investigated.

Overexpression of angiotensin II type 2 receptor promotes apoptosis and impairs insulin secretion in rat insulinoma cells.

PubMed

Liu, Min; Jing, Danqing; Wang, Yan; Liu, Yu; Yin, Shinan

2015-02-01

Angiotensin II (Ang II), the major effector hormone of renin-angiotensin system, acts as a promoter of insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus type 2 pathogenesis. Activation of Ang II type 2 receptor (AT2R) has been examined as a potential therapeutic strategy. However, there are conflicting findings regarding the role of AT2R. In the current study, we evaluated the effects of overexpressing AT2R by viral vector transduction on the apoptosis and function of pancreatic β-islet cells. The rat insulinoma cell line, INS-1, was transduced with a recombinant adenoviral vector expressing AT2R (Ad-G-AT2R-EGFP). AT2R overexpression resulted in significantly reduced cell viability and subsequently impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) function in INS-1 cells. Down-regulated expressions of GSIS pathway components, insulin, glucose transporter 2, and glucokinase were associated with AT2R overexpression. Further analysis determined that overexpression of AT2R induced G1-phase cell cycle arrest and Ang II-independent apoptotic cell death as indicated by increased Annexin V staining. To understand the apoptosis signaling triggered by AT2R overexpression, levels of caspase proteins were measured. Overexpression of AT2R significantly induced caspase-8, caspase-9, and caspase-3 cleavage, and decreased Bcl-2, pAkt, and pERK expression levels. AT2R-induced cell apoptosis was successfully blocked by the caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK. Our findings suggested that AT2R overexpression triggers the apoptosis of INS-1 cells and dysfunction in insulin secretion. In conclusion, more careful design and consideration are required when applying AT2R-related therapies in treating diabetes.

Oxygen abundance distributions in six late-type galaxies based on SALT spectra of H II regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zinchenko, I. A.; Kniazev, A. Y.; Grebel, E. K.; Pilyugin, L. S.

2015-10-01

Spectra of 34 H ii regions in the late-type galaxies NGC 1087, NGC 2967, NGC 3023, NGC 4030, NGC 4123, and NGC 4517A were observed with the South African Large Telescope (SALT). In all 34 H ii regions, oxygen abundances were determined through the "counterpart" method (C method). Additionally, in two H ii regions in which we detected auroral lines, we measured oxygen abundances with the classic Te method. We also estimated the abundances in our H ii regions using the O3N2 and N2 calibrations and compared those with the C-based abundances. With these data, we examined the radial abundance distributions in the disks of our target galaxies. We derived surface-brightness profiles and other characteristics of the disks (the surface brightness at the disk center and the disk scale length) in three photometric bands for each galaxy using publicly available photometric imaging data. The radial distributions of the oxygen abundances predicted by the relation between abundance and disk surface brightness in the W1 band obtained for spiral galaxies in our previous study are close to the radial distributions of the oxygen abundances determined from the analysis of the emission line spectra for four galaxies where this relation is applicable. Hence, when the surface-brightness profile of a late-type galaxy is known, this parametric relation can be used to estimate the likely present-day oxygen abundance in the disk of the galaxy. Based on observations made with the Southern African Large Telescope, programs 2012-1-RSA_OTH-001, 2012-2-RSA_OTH-003 and 2013-1-RSA_OTH-005.

Ruptured Aortic Aneurysm From Late Type II Endoleak Treated by Transarterial Embolization

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

Gunasekaran, Senthil, E-mail: sgunasekaran@lumc.edu; Funaki, Brian, E-mail: bfunaki@radiology.bsd.uchicago.edu; Lorenz, Jonathan, E-mail: jlorenz@radiology.bsd.uchicago.edu

2013-02-15

Endoleak is the most common complication after endovascular aneurysm repair. The most common type of endoleak, a type II endoleak, typically follows a benign course and is only treated when associated with increasing aneurysm size. In this case report, we describe a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm due to a late, type II endoleak occurring 10 years after endovascular aneurysm repair that was successfully treated by transarterial embolization.

The effect of ISM absorption on stellar activity measurements and its relevance for exoplanet studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fossati, L.; Marcelja, S. E.; Staab, D.; Cubillos, P. E.; France, K.; Haswell, C. A.; Ingrassia, S.; Jenkins, J. S.; Koskinen, T.; Lanza, A. F.; Redfield, S.; Youngblood, A.; Pelzmann, G.

2017-05-01

Past ultraviolet and optical observations of stars hosting close-in Jupiter-mass planets have shown that some of these stars present an anomalously low chromospheric activity, significantly below the basal level. For the hot Jupiter planet host WASP-13, observations have shown that the apparent lack of activity is possibly caused by absorption from the intervening interstellar medium (ISM). Inspired by this result, we study the effect of ISM absorption on activity measurements (S and log R 'HK indices) for main-sequence late-type stars. To this end, we employ synthetic stellar photospheric spectra combined with varying amounts of chromospheric emission and ISM absorption. We present the effect of ISM absorption on activity measurements by varying several instrumental (spectral resolution), stellar (projected rotational velocity, effective temperature, and chromospheric emission flux), and ISM parameters (relative velocity between stellar and ISM Ca II lines, broadening b-parameter, and Ca II column density). We find that for relative velocities between the stellar and ISM lines smaller than 30-40 km s-1 and for ISM Ca II column densities log NCaII ⪆ 12, the ISM absorption has a significant influence on activity measurements. Direct measurements and three dimensional maps of the Galactic ISM absorption indicate that an ISM Ca II column density of log NCaII = 12 is typically reached by a distance of about 100 pc along most sight lines. In particular, for a Sun-like star lying at a distance greater than 100 pc, we expect a depression (bias) in the log R'HK value larger than 0.05-0.1 dex, about the same size as the typical measurement and calibration uncertainties on this parameter. This work shows that the bias introduced by ISM absorption must always be considered when measuring activity for stars lying beyond 100 pc. We also consider the effect of multiple ISM absorption components. We discuss the relevance of this result for exoplanet studies and revise the latest results on stellar activity versus planet surface gravity correlation. We finally describe methods with which it would be possible to account for ISM absorption in activity measurements and provide a code to roughly estimate the magnitude of the bias. Correcting for the ISM absorption bias may allow one to identify the origin of the anomaly in the activity measured for some planet-hosting stars.

Kinetics of visual field loss in Usher syndrome Type II.

PubMed

Iannaccone, Alessandro; Kritchevsky, Stephen B; Ciccarelli, Maria Laura; Tedesco, Salvatore A; Macaluso, Claudio; Kimberling, William J; Somes, Grant W

2004-03-01

To characterize the kinetics of visual field decay in Usher syndrome type II. The area of 137 Goldmann visual fields (GVFs) delimited with the I4e and V4e targets was measured in each eye of 19 patients with an established diagnosis of Usher syndrome type II, and the average interocular GVF area for each patient at each time point was calculated. The average follow-up was 5.58 years. Symptomatic disease duration was defined as years elapsed after symptoms were first noted. The data set (n = 67 for the I4e target; n = 70 for the V4e target) was analyzed with a random coefficient mixed model to identify the best-fit model describing the decay of visual field size over time. The half-life of the residual visual field area (t(0.5)) was also calculated. The variable that best explained the decay of the GVF area was the duration of symptomatic disease. In an exponential model, the slope estimate for the natural log of the GVF area was -0.172 for the I4e target and -0.136 for the V4e target for each year of symptomatic disease. Accordingly, t(0.5) was approximately 4 years for the I4e target and 5 years for the V4e target. These estimates are very similar to those in previous studies of nonsyndromic retinitis pigmentosa (RP). This study suggests that the kinetics of GVF decline in Usher syndrome type II are, on average, very similar to other forms of RP and that, once the disease becomes symptomatic, GVF deterioration follows stereotyped kinetics, even in patients with late-onset retinal disease.

On Interplanetary Shocks Driven by Coronal Mass Ejections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gopalswarmy, Nat

2011-01-01

Traveling interplanetary (IP) shocks were first detected in the early 1960s, but their solar origin has been controversial. Early research focused on solar flares as the source of the shocks, but when CMEs were discovered, it became clear that fast CMEs are the shock drivers. Type radio II bursts are excellent signatures of shocks near the Sun (Type II radio bursts were known long before the detection of shocks and CMEs). The excellent correspondence between type II bursts and solar energetic particle (SEP) events made it clear that the same shock accelerates ions and electrons. Shocks near the Sun are also seen occasionally in white-light coronagraphic images. In the solar wind, shocks are observed as discontinuities in plasma parameters such as density and speed. Energetic storm particle events and sudden commencement of geomagnetic storm are also indicators of shocks arriving at Earth. After an overview on these shock signatures, I will summarize the results of a recent investigation of a large number of IP shocks. The study revealed that about 35% of IP shocks do not produce type II bursts (radio quiet - RQ) or SEPs. Comparing the RQ shocks with the radio loud (RL) ones revealed some interesting results: (1) There is no evidence for blast wave shocks. (2) A small fraction (20%) of RQ shocks is associated with ion enhancements at the shock when the shock passes the spacecraft. (3) The primary difference between the RQ and RL shocks can be traced to the different kinematic properties of the associated CMEs. On the other hand the shock properties measured at 1 AU are not too different for the RQ and RL cases. This can be attributed to the interaction with the IP medium, which seems to erase the difference between the shocks.

SN 2012fr: Ultraviolet, Optical, and Near-infrared Light Curves of a Type Ia Supernova Observed within a Day of Explosion

DOE PAGES

Contreras, Carlos; Phillips, M. M.; Burns, Christopher R.; ...

2018-05-18

We present detailed ultraviolet, optical, and near-infrared light curves of the Type Ia supernova (SN) 2012fr, which exploded in the Fornax cluster member NGC 1365. These precise high-cadence light curves provide a dense coverage of the flux evolution from -12 to +140 days with respect to the epoch of B-band maximum (more » $${t}_{{B}_{\\max }}$$). Supplementary imaging at the earliest epochs reveals an initial slow and nearly linear rise in luminosity with a duration of ~2.5 days, followed by a faster rising phase that is well reproduced by an explosion model with a moderate amount of 56 Ni mixing in the ejecta. From our analysis of the light curves, we conclude that: (i) the explosion occurred < 22 hr before the first detection of the supernova, (ii) the rise time to peak bolometric (λ >1800) luminosity was 16.5 ± 0.6 days, (iii) the supernova suffered little or no host-galaxy dust reddening, (iv) the peak luminosity in both the optical and near-infrared was consistent with the bright end of normal Type Ia diversity, and (v) 0.60 ± 0.15 M ⊙ of 56Ni was synthesized in the explosion. Despite its normal luminosity, SN 2012fr displayed unusually prevalent high-velocity Ca ii and Si ii absorption features, and a nearly constant photospheric velocity of the Si ii λ6355 line at ~12,000 km s -1 that began ~5 days before $${t}_{{B}_{\\max }}$$. We also highlight some of the other peculiarities in the early phase photometry and the spectral evolution. SN 2012fr also adds to a growing number of Type Ia supernovae that are hosted by galaxies with direct Cepheid distance measurements.« less

SN 2012fr: Ultraviolet, Optical, and Near-infrared Light Curves of a Type Ia Supernova Observed within a Day of Explosion

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

Contreras, Carlos; Phillips, M. M.; Burns, Christopher R.

We present detailed ultraviolet, optical, and near-infrared light curves of the Type Ia supernova (SN) 2012fr, which exploded in the Fornax cluster member NGC 1365. These precise high-cadence light curves provide a dense coverage of the flux evolution from -12 to +140 days with respect to the epoch of B-band maximum (more » $${t}_{{B}_{\\max }}$$). Supplementary imaging at the earliest epochs reveals an initial slow and nearly linear rise in luminosity with a duration of ~2.5 days, followed by a faster rising phase that is well reproduced by an explosion model with a moderate amount of 56 Ni mixing in the ejecta. From our analysis of the light curves, we conclude that: (i) the explosion occurred < 22 hr before the first detection of the supernova, (ii) the rise time to peak bolometric (λ >1800) luminosity was 16.5 ± 0.6 days, (iii) the supernova suffered little or no host-galaxy dust reddening, (iv) the peak luminosity in both the optical and near-infrared was consistent with the bright end of normal Type Ia diversity, and (v) 0.60 ± 0.15 M ⊙ of 56Ni was synthesized in the explosion. Despite its normal luminosity, SN 2012fr displayed unusually prevalent high-velocity Ca ii and Si ii absorption features, and a nearly constant photospheric velocity of the Si ii λ6355 line at ~12,000 km s -1 that began ~5 days before $${t}_{{B}_{\\max }}$$. We also highlight some of the other peculiarities in the early phase photometry and the spectral evolution. SN 2012fr also adds to a growing number of Type Ia supernovae that are hosted by galaxies with direct Cepheid distance measurements.« less

The prognostic and risk-stratified value of heart-type fatty acid-binding protein in septic patients in the emergency department.

PubMed

Chen, Yun-Xia; Li, Chun-Sheng

2014-08-01

To evaluate the prognostic and risk-stratified ability of heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) in septic patients in the emergency department (ED). From August to November 2012, 295 consecutive septic patients were enrolled. Circulating H-FABP was measured. The predictive value of H-FABP for 28-day mortality, organ dysfunction on ED arrival, and requirement for mechanical ventilation or a vasopressor within 6 hours after ED arrival was assessed by the receiver operating characteristic curve and logistic regression and was compared with Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score, Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis (MEDS) score, and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score. The 28-day mortality, APACHE II, MEDS, and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores were much higher in H-FABP-positive patients. The incidence of organ dysfunction at ED arrival and requirement for mechanical ventilation or a vasopressor within 6 hours after ED arrival was higher in H-FABP-positive patients. Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein was an independent predictor of 28-day mortality and organ dysfunction. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for H-FABP predicting 28-day mortality and organ dysfunction was 0.784 and 0.755, respectively. Combination of H-FABP and MEDS improved the performance of MEDS in predicting organ dysfunction, and the difference of AUC was statistically significant (P<.05). The combinations of H-FABP and MEDS or H-FABP and APACHE II also improved the prognostic value of MEDS and APACHE II, but the areas under the curve were not statistically different. Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein was helpful for prognosis and risk stratification of septic patients in the ED. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exaggerated effects of particulate matter air pollution in genetic type II diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Liu, Cuiqing; Bai, Yuntao; Xu, Xiaohua; Sun, Lixian; Wang, Aixia; Wang, Tse-Yao; Maurya, Santosh K; Periasamy, Muthu; Morishita, Masako; Harkema, Jack; Ying, Zhekang; Sun, Qinghua; Rajagopalan, Sanjay

2014-05-30

Prior experimental and epidemiologic data support a link between exposure to fine ambient particulate matter (<2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter, PM2.5) and development of insulin resistance/Type II diabetes mellitus. This study was designed to investigate whether inhalational exposure of concentrated PM2.5 in a genetically susceptible animal model would result in abnormalities in energy metabolism and exacerbation of peripheral glycemic control. KKay mice, which are susceptible to Type II DM, were assigned to either concentrated ambient PM2.5 or filtered air (FA) for 5-8 weeks via a whole body exposure system. Glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, oxygen consumption and heat production were evaluated. At euthanasia, blood, spleen and visceral adipose tissue were collected to measure inflammatory cells using flow cytometry. Standard immnunohistochemical methods, western blotting and quantitative PCR were used to assess targets of interest. PM2.5 exposure influenced energy metabolism including O2 consumption, CO2 production, respiratory exchange ratio and thermogenesis. These changes were accompanied by worsened insulin resistance, visceral adiposity and inflammation in spleen and visceral adipose depots. Plasma adiponectin were decreased in response to PM2.5 exposure while leptin levels increased. PM2.5 exposure resulted in a significant increase in expression of inflammatory genes and decreased UCP1 expression in brown adipose tissue and activated p38 and ERK pathways in the liver of the KKay mice. Concentrated ambient PM2.5 exposure impairs energy metabolism, concomitant with abnormalities in glucose homeostasis, increased inflammation in insulin responsive organs, brown adipose inflammation and results in imbalance in circulating leptin/adiponectin levels in a genetically susceptible diabetic model. These results provide additional insights into the mechanisms surrounding air pollution mediated susceptibility to Type II DM.

SUN-TO-EARTH CHARACTERISTICS OF THE 2012 JULY 12 CORONAL MASS EJECTION AND ASSOCIATED GEO-EFFECTIVENESS

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

Hu, Huidong; Liu, Ying D.; Wang, Rui

We analyze multi-spacecraft observations associated with the 2012 July 12 coronal mass ejection (CME), covering the source region on the Sun from the Solar Dynamics Observatory , stereoscopic imaging observations from the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory ( STEREO ), magnetic field characteristics from Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry, and Ranging ( MESSENGER ), and type II radio burst and in situ measurements from Wind . A triangulation method based on STEREO stereoscopic observations is employed to determine the kinematics of the CME, and the outcome is compared with the results derived from the type II radio burst using a solarmore » wind electron density model. A Grad–Shafranov technique is applied to Wind in situ data to reconstruct the flux-rope structure and compare it with the observations of the solar source region, which helps in understanding the geo-effectiveness associated with the CME structure. Our conclusions are as follows: (1) the CME undergoes an impulsive acceleration, a rapid deceleration before reaching MESSENGER , and then a gradual deceleration out to 1 au, which should be considered in CME kinematics models; (2) the type II radio burst was probably produced from a high-density interaction region between the CME-driven shock and a nearby streamer or from the shock flank with lower heights, which implies uncertainties in the determination of CME kinematics using solely type II radio bursts; (3) the flux-rope orientation and chirality deduced from in situ reconstructions at Wind agree with those obtained from solar source observations; (4) the prolonged southward magnetic field near the Earth is mainly from the axial component of the largely southward inclined flux rope, which indicates the importance of predicting both the flux-rope orientation and magnetic field components in geomagnetic activity forecasting.« less

The Effect of Cinnamon on Glucose of Type II Diabetes Patients.

PubMed

Hasanzade, Farzaneh; Toliat, Maryam; Emami, Seyyed Ahmad; Emamimoghaadam, Zahra

2013-07-01

The incidence of type II diabetes is increasing across the world. Dietary modifications help the patients to control blood glucose. Traditional herbs and spices are commonly used for control of glucose among which cinnamon (Ròu Guì; Cinnamomum cassia) has the greatest effect. Research has shown that adding cinnamon to diet can help to lower the glucose level. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of cinnamon on the glucose level in blood. This was a Randomized clinical trial in which 70 Patients with type II diabetes were assigned randomly two groups (35 in cinnamon and 35 in placebo group). The groups were matched in terms of body mass index (BMI), HbAlc and fasting blood sugar (FBS). Patients were treated with cinnamon and the placebo group was treated with placebo in addition to their routine treatment for 60 days. FBG levels and glycosylated hemoglobin of patients on the first day, and 1 and 2 months after treatment were measured. Data were analyzed using t-test and paired t-test in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).16 software. The mean levels of FBS before, and 1 and 2 months after the intervention were 174 ± 59, 169 ± 43 and 177 ± 45; respectively. The levels of HbAlc before and after the intervention in the cinnamon group were (8.9 ± 1.7 and 8.9 ± 1.6). There was no significant difference in FBS and glycosylated hemoglobin levels between the two groups (P = 0.738 and P = 0.87, respectively). Results showed that using certain amount of cinnamon for 60 days did not change the glucose level of diabetic patients. So, using cinnamon to type II diabetes patients cannot be recommended and more studies are needed in future.

[Selected problems of neurofibromatosis with presentation of a case of multiple intracranial and intramedullary tumors].

PubMed

Stachura, Z; Zralek, C; Siemianowicz, S; Kiczka-Zralek, M; Zawadzki, T; Kluczewska, E; Giec-Lorenc, A

1998-01-01

A case of neurofibromatosis type II in a 19-year-old man is described with clinical and neuroimaging (MRI) findings. The diagnostic criteria of neurofibromatosis type I (NF1) and type II (NF2) and the optimal management options are still controversial. The authors suggest that this patient fulfills criteria of neurofibromatosis type II as well as partially neurofibromatosis type I. At present, without molecular analysis of DNA, this assumption can not be verified.

Auger recombination in long-wave infrared InAs/InAsSb type-II superlattices

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

Olson, B. V.; Grein, C. H.; Kim, J. K.

2015-12-29

The Auger lifetime is a critical intrinsic parameter for infrared photodetectors as it determines the longest potential minority carrier lifetime and consequently the fundamental limitations to their performance. Here, Auger recombination is characterized in a long-wave infrared InAs/InAsSb type-II superlattice. Auger coefficients as small as 7.1×10 –26 cm 6/s are experimentally measured using carrier lifetime data at temperatures in the range of 20 K–80 K. The data are compared to Auger-1 coefficients predicted using a 14-band K•p electronic structure model and to coefficients calculated for HgCdTe of the same bandgap. In conclusion, the experimental superlattice Auger coefficients are found tomore » be an order-of-magnitude smaller than HgCdTe.« less

Excitation power dependence of photoluminescence spectra of GaSb type-II quantum dots in GaAs grown by droplet epitaxy

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

Kawazu, T., E-mail: KAWAZU.Takuya@nims.go.jp; Noda, T.; Sakuma, Y.

2016-04-15

We investigated the excitation power P dependence of photoluminescence (PL) spectra of GaSb type-II quantum dots (QDs) in GaAs grown by droplet epitaxy. We prepared two QD samples annealed at slightly different temperatures (380 {sup o}C and 400 {sup o}C) and carried out PL measurements. The 20 {sup o}C increase of the annealing temperature leads to (1) about 140 and 60 times stronger wetting layer (WL) luminescence at low and high P, (2) about 45% large energy shift of QD luminescence with P, and (3) the different P dependence of the PL intensity ratio between the QD and the WL. These differences ofmore » the PL characteristics are explained by the effects of the WL.« less

Stoichiometry of DNA binding by the bacteriophage SP01-encoded type II DNA-binding protein TF1.

PubMed

Schneider, G J; Geiduschek, E P

1990-06-25

The stoichiometry of DNA binding by the bacteriophage SP01-encoded type II DNA-binding protein TF1 has been determined. 3H-Labeled TF1 was allowed to bind to a 32P-labeled DNA fragment containing a TF1 binding site. Multiple TF1-DNA complexes were resolved from each other and from unbound DNA by native gel electrophoresis. DNA-protein complexes were cut from polyacrylamide gels, and the amounts of 3H and 32P contained in each slice were measured. A ratio of 1.12 +/- 0.06 TF1 dimer/DNA molecule was calculated for the fastest-migrating TF1-DNA complex. We conclude that TF1 has a DNA-binding unit of one dimer. More slowly migrating complexes are apparently formed by serial addition of single TF1 dimers.

Anterior screw fixation of a dislocated type II odontoid fracture facilitated by transoral and posterior cervical manual reduction.

PubMed

Piedra, Mark P; Hunt, Matthew A; Nemecek, Andrew N

2009-10-01

Early fixation of type II odontoid fractures has been shown to provide high rates of long-term stabilization and osteosynthesis. In this report, the authors present the case of a patient with a locked type II odontoid fracture treated by anterior screw fixation facilitated by closed transoral and posterior cervical manual reduction. While transoral intraoperative reduction of a partially displaced odontoid fracture has previously been described, the authors present the first case utilizing this technique in the treatment of a completely dislocated type II odontoid fracture.

A model of a sunspot chromosphere based on OSO 8 observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lites, B. W.; Skumanich, A.

1982-01-01

OSO 8 spectrometer observations of the H I, Mg II, and Ca II resonance lines of a large quiet sunspot during November 16-17, 1975, along with a C IV line of that event obtained by a ground-based spectrometer, are analyzed together with near-simultaneous ground-based Stokes measurements to yield an umbral chromosphere and transition region model. Features of this model include a chromosphere that is effectively thin in the resonance lines of H I and Mg II, while being saturated in Ca II, and an upper chromospheric structure similar to that of quiet-sun models. The similarity of the upper chromosphere of the sunspot umbra to the quiet-sun chromosphere suggests that the intense magnetic field plays only a passive role in the chromospheric heating mechanism, and the observations cited indicate that solar-type stars with large areas of ordered magnetic flux would not necessarily exhibit extremely active chromosphere.

DNA binding, anti-inflammatory and analgesic evaluation of metal complexes of N/S/O donor ligands; Synthesis, spectral characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar Naik, K. H.; Ashok, B.; Naik, Nagaraja; Mulla, Jameel Ahmed S.; Prakasha, Avinash

2015-04-01

Transition metal complexes containing tri-dentate NSN donor ligands i.e., 5-((1(aminomethyl)cyclohexyl)methyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-amine (AMTA) (2) and 5-(2-aminophenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-amine (ATA) (4i-ii) have been synthesized. The newly synthesized ligands and their respective complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductance measurement and various spectral studies [infrared (IR), electronic, and NMR (for ligands only)]. Metal complexes are like [M(AMTA)2], [M(ATA)2] type, where M = Mn(II), Co(II) and Cu(II). The proposed geometries of the complexes are octahedral in nature. The synthesized ligands and their complexes were exhibits effective anti-inflammatory, analgesic and DNA binding activities. All the tested compounds exhibited significant analgesic activity, whereas the compound 4i, 4(ia) and 4(iib) is equipotent with Diclofenac sodium.

Prevalence of health literacy and its correlates among patients with type II diabetes in Kuwait: A population based study.

PubMed

Hussein, Shaimaa H; Almajran, Abdullah; Albatineh, Ahmed N

2018-05-03

The purpose of this study is to estimate the prevalence of health literacy among patients with type II diabetes and investigate its association with several covariates. No studies were conducted in the Arabian Gulf region characterizing such factors for this population. A cross sectional study was implemented in which 359 type II diabetes patients were recruited from diabetes centers across Kuwait. Health literacy was measured by STOFHLA. Multivariate linear regression was applied to investigate the relationship between health literacy and several covariates. About 44.5% had inadequate, 19.5% marginal, and 35.5% adequate health literacy. Patients with inadequate health literacy were more likely to be older, females, widowed, low education, with income less than 500 KD/month. Multivariate linear regression indicated residence, nationality, education level, and age were significantly associated with health literacy. Adding marital status and gender, hierarchical linear regression revealed that 43.4% of the variability was accounted for. Inadequate health literacy is high in Kuwait. Interventions should be implemented to improve health literacy. This will reduce the prevalence of diabetes-related complications, produce better diabetes outcomes, and improve patients' quality-of-life. Health literacy should be an integral part to health promotion and chronic diseases' management programs in Kuwait. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Annealing effect on effective mass of two-dimensional electrons in InGaAsN/GaAsSb type II quantum well

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawamata, Shuichi; Tanaka, Sho; Hibino, Akira; Kawamura, Yuichi

2018-03-01

The InP-based InGaAs/GaAsSb type II multiple quantum well is the system for developing optical devices for 2 – 3 μm wavelength regions. By doping nitrogen into InGaAs layers, the system becomes effective to fabricate the optical devices with longer wavelength. The epitaxial layers of InGaAsN/GaAsSb on InP substrates are grown by the molecular beam epitaxy. The electrical resistance has been measured as a function of the magnetic field up to 9 Tesla at several temperatures between 2 and 8 K. The effective mass is obtained from the temperature dependence of the amplitude of the Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations. We have reported the nitrogen concentration dependence of the effective mass on the InGaAsN/GaAsSb type II system. The effective mass increases as the nitrogen concentration increases from 0.0 to 1.5 %. In this report, the annealing effect on the effective mass is investigated. The effective mass decreases by the annealing. This result suggests that some amount of nitrogen atoms of the InGaAsN layers are considered to diffuse to the GaAsSb layers by the annealing.

In vitro time- and dose-effect response of JP-8 and S-8 jet fuel on alveolar type II epithelial cells of rats.

PubMed

Robb, Tiffany M; Rogers, Michael J; Woodward, Suann S; Wong, Simon S; Witten, Mark L

2010-07-01

This study was designed to characterize and compare the effects of jet propellant-8 (JP-8) fuel and synthetic-8 (S-8) on cell viability and nitric oxide synthesis in cultured alveolar type II epithelial cells of rats. Exposure times varied from 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 6 hours at the following concentrations of jet fuel: 0.0, 0.1, 0.4, and 2.0 microg/mL. Data indicate that JP-8 presents a gradual decline in cell viability and steady elevation in nitric oxide release as exposure concentrations increase. At a 2.0 microg/mL concentration of JP-8, nearly all of the cells are not viable. Moreover, S-8 exposure to rat type II lung cells demonstrated an abrupt fall in percentage cell viability and increases in nitric oxide measurement, particularly after the 2.0 microg/mL was reached at 1 and 6 hours. At 0.0, 0.2, and 0.4 microg/mL concentrations of S-8, percentage viability was sustained at steady concentrations. The results suggest different epithelial toxicity and mechanistic effects of S-8 and JP-8, providing further insight concerning the impairment imposed at specific levels of lung function and pathology induced by the different fuels.

Major depressive disorder and type II diabetes mellitus: mechanisms underlying risk for Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Cha, Danielle S; Carvalho, Andre F; Rosenblat, Joshua D; Ali, Muna M; McIntyre, Roger S

2014-01-01

Objectives/Introduction: Major Depressive Disorder is associated age-related medical conditions (e.g., diabetes mellitus type II, Alzheimer's disease) that frequently manifest at an earlier age, contributing to excess and premature mortality. The foregoing observation provides the impetus to further refine potential mechanisms and molecular pathways subserving these disorders in order to more effectively treat these clinical populations by aiming to reduce and prevent cognitive impairment as well as downstream neurodegeneration. A review of computerized databases was performed to identify original studies that investigated the impact of the independent and comorbid association of major depressive disorder and type II diabetes mellitus on cognitive function and conversion to Alzheimer's disease. English-written articles were selected for review based on the adequacy of sample size, the use of standardized diagnostic instruments, and validated assessment measures. Individuals with persistent neuropsychiatric illness account for a disproportionate overall burden of disability mediated largely by decrements in cognitive performance. Mixed results from epidemiological and clinical studies suggest that insulin may mediate and/or moderate risk for cognitive dysfunction in subsets of individuals. Moreover, physiological changes, such as insulin resistance and the activation of neuroimmunoinflammatory systems result in glial and neuroendangerment. Disturbances in the metabolic milieu exert a neurotoxic effect on the central nervous system and poses a hazard to other organ systems.

Improved Reagents for Newborn Screening of Mucopolysaccharidosis Types I, II, and VI by Tandem Mass Spectrometry

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Tandem mass spectrometry for the multiplex and quantitative analysis of enzyme activities in dried blood spots on newborn screening cards has emerged as a powerful technique for early assessment of lysosomal storage diseases. Here we report the design and process-scale synthesis of substrates for the enzymes α-l-iduronidase, iduronate-2-sulfatase, and N-acetylgalactosamine-4-sulfatase that are used for newborn screening of mucopolysaccharidosis types I, II, and VI. The products contain a bisamide unit that is hypothesized to readily protonate in the gas phase, which improves detection sensitivity by tandem mass spectrometry. The products contain a benzoyl group, which provides a useful site for inexpensive deuteration, thus facilitating the preparation of internal standards for the accurate quantification of enzymatic products. Finally, the reagents are designed with ease of synthesis in mind, thus permitting scale-up preparation to support worldwide newborn screening of lysosomal storage diseases. The new reagents provide the most sensitive assay for the three lysosomal enzymes reported to date as shown by their performance in reactions using dried blood spots as the enzyme source. Also, the ratio of assay signal to that measured in the absence of blood (background) is superior to all previously reported mucopolysaccharidosis types I, II, and VI assays. PMID:24694010

A Small-Scale Flux Rope and its Associated CME and Shock.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, L.; Ying, B.; Lu, L.; Zhang, J.

2016-12-01

A magnetic flux rope (MFR) is thought be a key ingredient of a coronal mass ejection (CME). It has been extensively explored after the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) mission was launched. Previous studies are often concentrated on large-scale MFRs whose size are comparable to the active regions they reside. In this paper, we investigate the properties of a small-scale magnetic flux rope (SMFR) of a limb event observed by Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) . This SMFR originated from a very small and compact region at the edge of the active region and appeared mainly in the AIA 94 Å passband. It drove a coronal mass ejection (CME) and a type II burst was associated with the CME-driven shock. The type II burst started with a very high frequency. We obtain the compression ratio of the shock from the band splitting of the type II emissions and further derive the Alfvénic Mach number and the coronal magnetic field strength. On the other hand,we study the CME structure in LASCO coronagraph images and address its characteristics through measuring its mass and energy. Compared to the nature of the standard model of the CME, this CME triggered by the SMF are found to be different in some aspects.

Corrosion Embrittlement of Duralumin II Accelerated Corrosion Tests and the Behavior of High-Strength Aluminum Alloys of Different Compositions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rawdon, Henry S

1928-01-01

The permanence, with respect to corrosion, of light aluminum alloy sheets of the duralumin type, that is, heat-treatable alloys containing Cu, Mg, Mn, and Si is discussed. Alloys of this type are subject to surface corrosion and corrosion of the interior by intercrystalline paths. Results are given of accelerated corrosion tests, tensile tests, the effect on corrosion of various alloying elements and heat treatments, electrical resistance measurements, and X-ray examinations.

Assessment of Non-Invasive Methods of Measuring Bone Repair in Naval Casualty Victims.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-02-01

the pin-hole colurnator on a high resolution gamma camera. In addition, the pilot project was necessary to train new technicians who had been hired...after the loss of trained technicians in 1976. Finally, the project was under- taken to help define any problems with regards to radiation contamination...allograft was entirely normal and equivalent to its autogenous control except that its histologic rating was a Type II repair rather than a Type I. In

The number of satellite cells in slow and fast fibres from human vastus lateralis muscle.

PubMed

Kadi, Fawzi; Charifi, Nadia; Henriksson, Jan

2006-07-01

The aim of this investigation was to study the distribution of satellite cells in slow (type I fibres) and fast (type II fibres) fibres from human vastus lateralis muscle. This muscle is characterised by a mixed fibre type composition and is considered as the site of choice for biopsies in research work and for clinical diagnosis. Biopsy samples were obtained from five healthy young volunteers and a total of 1,747 type I fibres and 1,760 type II fibres were assessed. Satellite cells and fibre type composition were studied on serial muscle cross-sections stained with specific monoclonal antibodies. From a total of 218 satellite cells, 116 satellite cells were found in contact with type I fibres (53.6+/-8% of the satellite cells associated to type I fibres) and 102 satellite cells in contact with type II fibres (46.4+/-8% of the satellite cells associated to type II fibres). There was no significant difference (P=0.4) between the percentages of satellite cells in contact with type I and with type II fibres. Additionally, there was no relationship between the mean number of satellite cells per fibre and the mean cross-sectional area of muscle fibres. In conclusion, our results show that there is no fibre type-specific distribution of satellite cells in a human skeletal muscle with mixed fibre type composition.

Telomere dysfunction in alveolar epithelial cells causes lung remodeling and fibrosis

PubMed Central

Naikawadi, Ram P.; Disayabutr, Supparerk; Mallavia, Benat; Donne, Matthew L.; Green, Gary; La, Janet L.; Rock, Jason R.; Looney, Mark R.; Wolters, Paul J.

2016-01-01

Telomeres are short in type II alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Whether dysfunctional telomeres contribute directly to development of lung fibrosis remains unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate whether telomere dysfunction in type II AECs, mediated by deletion of the telomere shelterin protein TRF1, leads to pulmonary fibrosis in mice (SPC-Cre TRF1fl/fl mice). Deletion of TRF1 in type II AECs for 2 weeks increased γH2AX DNA damage foci, but not histopathologic changes in the lung. Deletion of TRF1 in type II AECs for up to 9 months resulted in short telomeres and lung remodeling characterized by increased numbers of type II AECs, α-smooth muscle actin+ mesenchymal cells, collagen deposition, and accumulation of senescence-associated β-galactosidase+ lung epithelial cells. Deletion of TRF1 in collagen-expressing cells caused pulmonary edema, but not fibrosis. These results demonstrate that prolonged telomere dysfunction in type II AECs, but not collagen-expressing cells, leads to age-dependent lung remodeling and fibrosis. We conclude that telomere dysfunction in type II AECs is sufficient to cause lung fibrosis, and may be a dominant molecular defect causing IPF. SPC-Cre TRF1fl/fl mice will be useful for assessing cellular and molecular mechanisms of lung fibrosis mediated by telomere dysfunction. PMID:27699234

Alveolar type II cell transplantation restores pulmonary surfactant protein levels in lung fibrosis.

PubMed

Guillamat-Prats, Raquel; Gay-Jordi, Gemma; Xaubet, Antoni; Peinado, Victor I; Serrano-Mollar, Anna

2014-07-01

Alveolar Type II cell transplantation has been proposed as a cell therapy for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Its long-term benefits include repair of lung fibrosis, but its success partly depends on the restoration of lung homeostasis. Our aim was to evaluate surfactant protein restoration after alveolar Type II cell transplantation in an experimental model of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in rats. Lung fibrosis was induced by intratracheal instillation of bleomycin. Alveolar Type II cells were obtained from healthy animals and transplanted 14 days after bleomycin was administered. Furthermore, one group transplanted with alveolar macrophages and another group treated with surfactant were established to evaluate the specificity of the alveolar Type II cell transplantation. The animals were euthanized at 21 days after bleomycin instillation. Lung fibrosis was confirmed by a histologic study and an evaluation of the hydroxyproline content. Changes in surfactant proteins were evaluated by mRNA expression, Western blot and immunofluorescence studies. The group with alveolar Type II cell transplantation was the only one to show a reduction in the degree of lung fibrosis and a complete recovery to normal levels of surfactant proteins. One of the mechanisms involved in the beneficial effect of alveolar Type II cell transplantation is restoration of lung surfactant protein levels, which is required for proper respiratory function. Copyright © 2014 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Anomalous Nernst effect in type-II Weyl semimetals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saha, Subhodip; Tewari, Sumanta

2018-01-01

Topological Weyl semimetals (WSM), a new state of quantum matter with gapless nodal bulk spectrum and open Fermi arc surface states, have recently sparked enormous interest in condensed matter physics. Based on the symmetry and fermiology, it has been proposed that WSMs can be broadly classified into two types, type-I and type-II Weyl semimetals. While the undoped, conventional, type-I WSMs have point like Fermi surface and vanishing density of states (DOS) at the Fermi energy, the type-II Weyl semimetals break Lorentz symmetry explicitly and have tilted conical spectra with electron and hole pockets producing finite DOS at the Fermi level. The tilted conical spectrum and finite DOS at Fermi level in type-II WSMs have recently been shown to produce interesting effects such as a chiral anomaly induced longitudinal magnetoresistance that is strongly anisotropic in direction and a novel anomalous Hall effect. In this work, we consider the anomalous Nernst effect in type-II WSMs in the absence of an external magnetic field using the framework of semi-classical Boltzmann theory. Based on both a linearized model of time-reversal breaking WSM with a higher energy cut-off and a more realistic lattice model, we show that the anomalous Nernst response in these systems is strongly anisotropic in space, and can serve as a reliable signature of type-II Weyl semimetals in a host of magnetic systems with spontaneously broken time reversal symmetry.

Clathrate type 2 hydrate formation in vacuo under astrophysical conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blake, D. F.; Allamandola, L. J.; Sandford, S. A.; Freund, F.

1991-01-01

The properties of clathrate hydrates were used to explain the complex and poorly understood physical processes taking place within cometary nuclei and other icy solar system bodies. Most of all the experiments previously conducted used starting compositions which would yield clathrate types I hydrates. The main criterion for type I vs. type II clathrate hydrate formation is the size of the guest molecule. The stoichiometry of the two structure types is also quite different. In addition, the larger molecules which would form type II clathrate hydrates typically have lower vapor pressures. The result of these considerations is that at temperatures where we identified clathrate formation (120-130 K), it is more likely that type II clathrate hydrates will form. We also formed clathrate II hydrates of methanol by direct vapor deposition in the temperature range 125-135 K.

Condyle and mandibular bone change after unilateral condylar neck fracture in growing rats.

PubMed

Hu, Y; Yang, H-f; Li, S; Chen, J-z; Luo, Y-w; Yang, C

2012-08-01

Unilateral fracture of the condylar neck in immature subjects might lead to mandible asymmetry and condyle remodelling. A rat model was used to investigate mandibular deviation and condylar remodelling associated with condyle fracture. 72 4-week-old male rats were randomly divided into three groups: an experimental group (unilateral transverse condylar fracture induced surgically), a sham operation group (surgical exposure but no fracture), and a non-operative control group (no operation). The rats were killed at intervals up to 9weeks after surgery, and outcomes were assessed using various measures of mandible deviation, histological and X-ray observation, and immunohistochemical measures of expression levels of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and type II collagen (Col II). The fracture led to the degeneration of mandibular size, associated with atrophy of fractured condylar process. Progressive remodelling of cartilage and increasing expression levels of CTGF and Col II were found. The authors conclude that condylar fracture can lead to asymmetries in mandible and condyle remodelling and expression of CTGF and Col II in condylar cartilage on both the ipsilateral and the contralateral sides. Copyright © 2012 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rotational modulation of the chromospheric activity in the young solar-type star, X-1 Orionis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boesgaard, A. M.; Simon, T.

1982-01-01

The IUE satellite was used to observe one of the youngest G stars (GO V) for which Duncan (1981) derives an age of 6 x 10 to the 8th power years from the Li abundance. Rotational modulation was looked for in the emission flux in the chromospheric and transition region lines of this star. Variations in the Ca 11 K-lines profile were studied with the CHF telescope at Mauna Kea. Results show that the same modulation of the emission flux of Ca 11 due to stellar rotation is present in the transition region feature of C IV and probably of He II. For other UV lines the modulation is not apparent, due to a more complex surface distribution of the active areas or supergranulation network, or a shorter lifetime of the conditions which give rise to these features, or to the uncertainities in the measured line strengths. The Mg II emission flux is constant to within + or - 3.4% implying a rather uniform distribution of Mg II emission areas. The Ca II emission not only shows a measurable variation in intensity but also variations in detailed line profile shape when observed at high resolution.

Effect of endogenous angiotensin II on renal nerve activity and its cardiac baroreflex regulation.

PubMed

Dibona, G F; Jones, S Y; Sawin, L L

1998-11-01

The effects of physiologic alterations in endogenous angiotensin II activity on basal renal sympathetic nerve activity and its cardiac baroreflex regulation were studied. The effect of angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockade with intracerebroventricular losartan was examined in conscious rats consuming a low, normal, or high sodium diet that were instrumented for the simultaneous measurement of right atrial pressure and renal sympathetic nerve activity. The gain of cardiac baroreflex regulation of renal sympathetic nerve activity (% delta renal sympathetic nerve activity/mmHg mean right atrial pressure) was measured during isotonic saline volume loading. Intracerebroventricular losartan did not decrease arterial pressure but significantly decreased renal sympathetic nerve activity in low (-36+/-6%) and normal (-24+/-5%), but not in high (-2+/-3%) sodium diet rats. Compared with vehicle treatment, losartan treatment significantly increased cardiac baroreflex gain in low (-3.45+/-0.20 versus -2.89+/-0.17) and normal (-2.89+/-0.18 versus -2.54+/-0.14), but not in high (-2.27+/-0.15 versus -2.22+/-0.14) sodium diet rats. These results indicate that physiologic alterations in endogenous angiotensin II activity tonically influence basal levels of renal sympathetic nerve activity and its cardiac baroreflex regulation.

12 CFR 1.130 - Type II securities; guidelines for obligations issued for university and housing purposes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... CURRENCY, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY INVESTMENT SECURITIES Interpretations § 1.130 Type II securities... financing the construction or improvement of facilities at or used by a university or a degree-granting... construction or improvement of facilities used by a hospital may be eligible as a Type II security, if the...