Quantitative Analysis of Mutant Subclones in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Comparison of Different Methodological Approaches.

PubMed

Preuner, Sandra; Barna, Agnes; Frommlet, Florian; Czurda, Stefan; Konstantin, Byrgazov; Alikian, Mary; Machova Polakova, Katerina; Sacha, Tomasz; Richter, Johan; Lion, Thomas; Gabriel, Christian

2016-04-29

Identification and quantitative monitoring of mutant BCR-ABL1 subclones displaying resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have become important tasks in patients with Ph-positive leukemias. Different technologies have been established for patient screening. Various next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms facilitating sensitive detection and quantitative monitoring of mutations in the ABL1-kinase domain (KD) have been introduced recently, and are expected to become the preferred technology in the future. However, broad clinical implementation of NGS methods has been hampered by the limited accessibility at different centers and the current costs of analysis which may not be regarded as readily affordable for routine diagnostic monitoring. It is therefore of interest to determine whether NGS platforms can be adequately substituted by other methodological approaches. We have tested three different techniques including pyrosequencing, LD (ligation-dependent)-PCR and NGS in a series of peripheral blood specimens from chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients carrying single or multiple mutations in the BCR-ABL1 KD. The proliferation kinetics of mutant subclones in serial specimens obtained during the course of TKI-treatment revealed similar profiles via all technical approaches, but individual specimens showed statistically significant differences between NGS and the other methods tested. The observations indicate that different approaches to detection and quantification of mutant subclones may be applicable for the monitoring of clonal kinetics, but careful calibration of each method is required for accurate size assessment of mutant subclones at individual time points.

[Effect of intravenous treatment with OK-432 on the bone marrow in patients with lung cancer].

PubMed

Fujii, M; Ishikawa, M; Toki, H

1984-03-01

We studied effects of OK-432 on the bone marrow and peripheral blood cells of lung cancer patients. The nuclear cell count of bone marrow increased in 5 to 7 patients upon intravenous treatment with OK-432 compared with 3 of 6 patients who were intramuscularly treated with OK-432. Serial neutrophil counts of bone marrow increased in all 7 patients treated intravenously compared with 3 of 6 patients treated intramuscularly. The mean nuclear cell count or the serial neutrophil count of bone marrow in intravenously treated patients was significantly higher than the pretreatment values (p less than 0.001). In the peripheral blood picture, the difference in white blood cells or neutrophils before and after intravenous treatment was also statistically significant (p less than 0.01). There was no change in the erythrocytic series count of bone marrow and the hemoglobin count. Our results support the superiority of intravenous OK-432 treatment over intramuscular treatment in the growth-accelerating effect on bone marrow cells, especially regarding the neutrophil series.

Using peripheral blood circulating DNAs to detect CpG global methylation status and genetic mutations in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome

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

Iriyama, Chisako; Tomita, Akihiro, E-mail: atomita@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp; Hoshino, Hideaki

2012-03-23

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Circulating DNAs (CDs) can be used to detect genetic/epigenetic abnormalities in MDS. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Epigenetic changes can be detected more sensitively when using plasma DNA than PBMNC. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Mutation ratio in CDs may reflect the ratio in stem cell population in bone marrow. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Using CDs can be a safer alternate strategy compared to bone marrow aspiration. -- Abstract: Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a hematopoietic stem cell disorder. Several genetic/epigenetic abnormalities are deeply associated with the pathogenesis of MDS. Although bone marrow (BM) aspiration is a common strategy to obtain MDS cells for evaluating their genetic/epigenetic abnormalities, BM aspirationmore » is difficult to perform repeatedly to obtain serial samples because of pain and safety concerns. Here, we report that circulating cell-free DNAs from plasma and serum of patients with MDS can be used to detect genetic/epigenetic abnormalities. The plasma DNA concentration was found to be relatively high in patients with higher blast cell counts in BM, and accumulation of DNA fragments from mono-/di-nucleosomes was confirmed. Using serial peripheral blood (PB) samples from patients treated with hypomethylating agents, global methylation analysis using bisulfite pyrosequencing was performed at the specific CpG sites of the LINE-1 promoter. The results confirmed a decrease of the methylation percentage after treatment with azacitidine (days 3-9) using DNAs from plasma, serum, and PB mono-nuclear cells (PBMNC). Plasma DNA tends to show more rapid change at days 3 and 6 compared with serum DNA and PBMNC. Furthermore, the TET2 gene mutation in DNAs from plasma, serum, and BM cells was quantitated by pyrosequencing analysis. The existence ratio of mutated genes in plasma and serum DNA showed almost equivalent level with that in the CD34+/38- stem cell population in BM. These data suggest that genetic/epigenetic analyses using PB circulating DNA can be a safer and painless alternative to using BM cells.« less

Parallel and serial computing tools for testing single-locus and epistatic SNP effects of quantitative traits in genome-wide association studies

PubMed Central

Ma, Li; Runesha, H Birali; Dvorkin, Daniel; Garbe, John R; Da, Yang

2008-01-01

Background Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers provide opportunities to detect epistatic SNPs associated with quantitative traits and to detect the exact mode of an epistasis effect. Computational difficulty is the main bottleneck for epistasis testing in large scale GWAS. Results The EPISNPmpi and EPISNP computer programs were developed for testing single-locus and epistatic SNP effects on quantitative traits in GWAS, including tests of three single-locus effects for each SNP (SNP genotypic effect, additive and dominance effects) and five epistasis effects for each pair of SNPs (two-locus interaction, additive × additive, additive × dominance, dominance × additive, and dominance × dominance) based on the extended Kempthorne model. EPISNPmpi is the parallel computing program for epistasis testing in large scale GWAS and achieved excellent scalability for large scale analysis and portability for various parallel computing platforms. EPISNP is the serial computing program based on the EPISNPmpi code for epistasis testing in small scale GWAS using commonly available operating systems and computer hardware. Three serial computing utility programs were developed for graphical viewing of test results and epistasis networks, and for estimating CPU time and disk space requirements. Conclusion The EPISNPmpi parallel computing program provides an effective computing tool for epistasis testing in large scale GWAS, and the epiSNP serial computing programs are convenient tools for epistasis analysis in small scale GWAS using commonly available computer hardware. PMID:18644146

The Cross-Script Length Effect: Further Evidence Challenging PDP Models of Reading Aloud

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rastle, Kathleen; Havelka, Jelena; Wydell, Taeko N.; Coltheart, Max; Besner, Derek

2009-01-01

The interaction between length and lexical status is one of the key findings used in support of models of reading aloud that postulate a serial process in the orthography-to-phonology translation (B. S. Weekes, 1997). However, proponents of parallel models argue that this effect arises in peripheral visual or articulatory processes. The authors…

Susceptibility quantitative trait loci for pathogenic leucocytosis in SCG/Kj mice, a spontaneously occurring crescentic glomerulonephritis and vasculitis model.

PubMed

Hamano, Y; Abe, M; Matsuoka, S; Zhang, D; Kondo, Y; Kagami, Y; Ishigami, A; Maruyama, N; Tsuruta, Y; Yumura, W; Suzuki, K

2014-07-01

The spontaneous crescentic glomerulonephritis-forming/Kinjoh (SCG/Kj) mouse, a model of human crescentic glomerulonephritis (CrGN) and systemic vasculitis, is characterized by the production of myeloperoxidase-specific anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (MPO-ANCA) and marked leucocytosis. This study was performed to identify the specific populations of leucocytes associated with CrGN and susceptibility loci for pathogenic leucocytosis. Four hundred and twenty female (C57BL/6 × SCG/Kj) F2 intercross mice were subjected to serial flow cytometry examination of the peripheral blood (PB). Kidney granulocytes and monocytes were examined histopathologically. Linkage analyses were performed with 109 polymorphic microsatellite markers. Correlation studies revealed that increase of the granulocytes, F4/80(+) cells, CD3(+) CD4(-) CD8(-) T cells and dendritic cells (DCs) in peripheral blood (PB) were associated significantly with glomerulonephritis, crescent formation and vasculitis. In kidney sections, F4/80(low) cells were observed in crescent, while F4/80(high) cells were around the Bowman's capsules and in the interstitium. Numbers of F4/80(+) cells in crescents correlated significantly with F4/80(+) cell numbers in PB, but not with numbers of F4/80(+) cells in the interstitium. Genome-wide quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping revealed three SCG/Kj-derived non-Fas QTLs for leucocytosis, two on chromosome 1 and one on chromosome 17. QTLs on chromosome 1 affected DCs, granulocytes and F4/80(+) cells, but QTL on chromosome 17 affected DCs and granulocytes. We found CrGN-associated leucocytes and susceptibility QTLs with their positional candidate genes. F4/80(+) cells in crescents are considered as recruited inflammatory macrophages. The results provide information for leucocytes to be targeted and genetic elements in CrGN and vasculitis. © 2014 British Society for Immunology.

Quantitative comparative analysis of the nasal chemosensory organs of anurans during larval development and metamorphosis highlights the relative importance of chemosensory subsystems in the group.

PubMed

Jungblut, Lucas David; Reiss, John O; Paz, Dante A; Pozzi, Andrea G

2017-09-01

The anuran peripheral olfactory system is composed of a number of subsystems, represented by distinct neuroepithelia. These include the main olfactory epithelium and vomeronasal organ (found in most tetrapods) and three specialized epithelia of anurans: the buccal-exposed olfactory epithelium of larvae, and the olfactory recess and middle chamber epithelium of postmetamorphic animals. To better characterize the developmental changes in these subsystems across the life cycle, morphometric changes of the nasal chemosensory organs during larval development and metamorphosis were analyzed in three different anuran species (Rhinella arenarum, Hypsiboas pulchellus, and Xenopus laevis). We calculated the volume of the nasal chemosensory organs by measuring the neuroepithelial area from serial histological sections at four different stages. In larvae, the vomeronasal organ was relatively reduced in R. arenarum compared with the other two species; the buccal-exposed olfactory epithelium was absent in X. laevis, and best developed in H. pulchellus. In postmetamorphic animals, the olfactory epithelium (air-sensitive organ) was relatively bigger in terrestrial species (R. arenarum and H. pulchellus), whereas the vomeronasal and the middle chamber epithelia (water-sensitive organs) was best developed in X. laevis. A small olfactory recess (likely homologous with the middle chamber epithelium) was found in R. arenarum juveniles, but not in H. pulchellus. These results support the association of the vomeronasal and middle chamber epithelia with aquatic olfaction, as seen by their enhanced development in the secondarily aquatic juveniles of X. laevis. They also support a role for the larval buccal-exposed olfactory epithelium in assessment of oral contents: it was absent in X. laevis, an obligate suspension feeder, while present in the two grazing species. These initial quantitative results give, for the first time, insight into the functional importance of the peripheral olfactory subsystems across the anuran life cycle. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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

Hymel, Ross

The Public Key (PK) FPGA software performs asymmetric authentication using the 163-bit Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) on an embedded FPGA platform. A digital signature is created on user-supplied data, and communication with a host system is performed via a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) bus. Software includes all components necessary for signing, including custom random number generator for key creation and SHA-256 for data hashing.

Maturation of Peripheral and Brainstem Auditory Function in the First Year Following Perinatal Asphyxia: A Longitudinal Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiang, Ze D.

1998-01-01

A study of 44 infants who suffered asphyxia during the perinatal period examined the influence of perinatal asphyxia on the maturation of auditory pathways by serial recordings of the brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP). The general maturational course of the BAEP following asphyxia was similar to a control group. (Author/CR)

Routine Clinical Quantitative Rest Stress Myocardial Perfusion for Managing Coronary Artery Disease: Clinical Relevance of Test-Retest Variability.

PubMed

Kitkungvan, Danai; Johnson, Nils P; Roby, Amanda E; Patel, Monika B; Kirkeeide, Richard; Gould, K Lance

2017-05-01

Positron emission tomography (PET) quantifies stress myocardial perfusion (in cc/min/g) and coronary flow reserve to guide noninvasively the management of coronary artery disease. This study determined their test-retest precision within minutes and daily biological variability essential for bounding clinical decision-making or risk stratification based on low flow ischemic thresholds or follow-up changes. Randomized trials of fractional flow reserve-guided percutaneous coronary interventions established an objective, quantitative, outcomes-driven standard of physiological stenosis severity. However, pressure-derived fractional flow reserve requires invasive coronary angiogram and was originally validated by comparison to noninvasive PET. The time course and test-retest precision of serial quantitative rest-rest and stress-stress global myocardial perfusion by PET within minutes and days apart in the same patient were compared in 120 volunteers undergoing serial 708 quantitative PET perfusion scans using rubidium 82 (Rb-82) and dipyridamole stress with a 2-dimensional PET-computed tomography scanner (GE DST 16) and University of Texas HeartSee software with our validated perfusion model. Test-retest methodological precision (coefficient of variance) for serial quantitative global myocardial perfusion minutes apart is ±10% (mean ΔSD at rest ±0.09, at stress ±0.23 cc/min/g) and for days apart is ±21% (mean ΔSD at rest ±0.2, at stress ±0.46 cc/min/g) reflecting added biological variability. Global myocardial perfusion at 8 min after 4-min dipyridamole infusion is 10% higher than at standard 4 min after dipyridamole. Test-retest methodological precision of global PET myocardial perfusion by serial rest or stress PET minutes apart is ±10%. Day-to-different-day biological plus methodological variability is ±21%, thereby establishing boundaries of variability on physiological severity to guide or follow coronary artery disease management. Maximum stress increases perfusion and coronary flow reserve, thereby reducing potentially falsely low values mimicking ischemia. Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Attentional capture decreases when distractors remain visible during rapid serial visual presentations.

PubMed

Inukai, Tomoe; Kumada, Takatsune; Kawahara, Jun-ichiro

2010-05-01

The identification of a central visual target is impaired by the onset of a peripheral distractor. This impairment is said to occur because attentional focus is diverted to the peripheral distractor. We examined whether distractor offset would enhance or reduce attentional capture by manipulating the duration of the distractor. Observers identified a color singleton among a rapid stream of homogeneous nontargets. Peripheral distractors disappeared 43 or 172 msec after onset (the short- and long-duration conditions, respectively). Identification accuracy was greater in the long-duration condition than in the short-duration condition. The same pattern of results was obtained when participants identified a target of a designated color among heterogeneous nontargets when the color of the distractor was the same as that of the target. These findings suggest that attentional capture consists of stimulus onset and offset, both of which are susceptible to top-down attentional set.

Three-dimensional characterization of pigment dispersion in dried paint films using focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy.

PubMed

Lin, Jui-Ching; Heeschen, William; Reffner, John; Hook, John

2012-04-01

The combination of integrated focused ion beam-scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) serial sectioning and imaging techniques with image analysis provided quantitative characterization of three-dimensional (3D) pigment dispersion in dried paint films. The focused ion beam in a FIB-SEM dual beam system enables great control in slicing paints, and the sectioning process can be synchronized with SEM imaging providing high quality serial cross-section images for 3D reconstruction. Application of Euclidean distance map and ultimate eroded points image analysis methods can provide quantitative characterization of 3D particle distribution. It is concluded that 3D measurement of binder distribution in paints is effective to characterize the order of pigment dispersion in dried paint films.

Microdistribution of fluorescently-labeled monoclonal antibody in a peritoneal dissemination model of ovarian cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosaka, Nobuyuki; Ogawa, Mikako; Paik, David S.; Paik, Chang H.; Choyke, Peter L.; Kobayashi, Hisataka

2010-02-01

The microdistribution of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies within a tumor is important for determining clinical response. Nonuniform microdistribution predicts therapy failure. Herein, we developed a semiquantitative method for measuring microdistribution of an antibody within a tumor using in situ fluorescence microscopy and sought to modulate the microdistribution by altering the route and timing of antibody dosing. The microdistribution of a fluorescently-labeled antibody, trastuzumab (50-μg and 150-μg intraperitoneal injection (i.p.), and 100-μg intravenous injection (i.v.)) was evaluated in a peritoneal dissemination mouse model of ovarian cancer. In addition, we evaluated the microdistribution of concurrently-injected (30-μg i.p. and 100-μg i.v.) or serial (two doses of 30-μg i.p.) trastuzumab using in situ multicolor fluorescence microscopy. After the administration of 50-μg i.p. and 100-μg i.v. trastuzumab fluorescence imaging showed no significant difference in the central to peripheral signal ratio (C/P ratio) and demonstrated a peripheral-dominant accumulation, whereas administration of 150-μg i.p. trastuzumab showed relatively uniform, central dominant accumulation. With concurrent-i.p.-i.v. injections trastuzumab showed slightly higher C/P ratio than concurrently-injected i.p. trastuzumab. Moreover, in the serial injection study, the second injection of trastuzumab distributed more centrally than the first injection, while no difference was observed in the control group. Our results suggest that injection routes do not affect the microdistribution pattern of antibody in small peritoneal disseminations. However, increasing the dose results in a more uniform antibody distribution within peritoneal nodules. Furthermore, the serial i.p. injection of antibody can modify the microdistribution within tumor nodules. This work has implications for the optimal delivery of antibody based cancer therapies.

Serial detection of circulating tumour cells by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assays is a marker for poor outcome in patients with malignant melanoma

PubMed Central

Palmieri, Giuseppe; Satriano, Sabrina MR; Budroni, Mario; Cossu, Antonio; Tanda, Francesco; Canzanella, Sergio; Caracò, Corrado; Simeone, Ester; Daponte, Antonio; Mozzillo, Nicola; Comella, Giuseppe; Castello, Giuseppe; Ascierto, Paolo A

2006-01-01

Background Detection of circulating malignant cells (CMCs) through a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay seems to be a demonstration of systemic disease. We here evaluated the prognostic role of RT-PCR assays in serially-taken peripheral blood samples from patients with malignant melanoma (MM). Methods One hundred forty-nine melanoma patients with disease stage ranging from I to III were consecutively collected in 1997. A multi-marker RT-PCR assay was used on peripheral blood samples obtained at time of diagnosis and every 6 months during the first two years of follow-up (total: 5 samples). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed after 83 months of median follow-up. Results Detection of at least one circulating mRNA marker was considered a signal of the presence of CMC (referred to as PCR-positive assay). A significant correlation was found between the rate of recurrences and the increasing number of PCR-positive assays (P = 0.007). Presence of CMC in a high number (≥2) of analysed blood samples was significantly correlated with a poor clinical outcome (disease-free survival: P = 0.019; overall survival: P = 0.034). Multivariate analysis revealed that presence of a PCR-positive status does play a role as independent prognostic factors for overall survival in melanoma patients, adding precision to the predictive power of the disease stage. Conclusion Our findings indicated that serial RT-PCR assay may identify a high risk subset of melanoma patients with occult cancer cells constantly detected in blood circulation. Prolonged presence of CMCs seems to act as a surrogate marker of disease progression or a sign of more aggressive disease. PMID:17107608

Serial detection of circulating tumour cells by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assays is a marker for poor outcome in patients with malignant melanoma.

PubMed

Palmieri, Giuseppe; Satriano, Sabrina M R; Budroni, Mario; Cossu, Antonio; Tanda, Francesco; Canzanella, Sergio; Caracò, Corrado; Simeone, Ester; Daponte, Antonio; Mozzillo, Nicola; Comella, Giuseppe; Castello, Giuseppe; Ascierto, Paolo A

2006-11-15

Detection of circulating malignant cells (CMCs) through a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay seems to be a demonstration of systemic disease. We here evaluated the prognostic role of RT-PCR assays in serially-taken peripheral blood samples from patients with malignant melanoma (MM). One hundred forty-nine melanoma patients with disease stage ranging from I to III were consecutively collected in 1997. A multi-marker RT-PCR assay was used on peripheral blood samples obtained at time of diagnosis and every 6 months during the first two years of follow-up (total: 5 samples). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed after 83 months of median follow-up. Detection of at least one circulating mRNA marker was considered a signal of the presence of CMC (referred to as PCR-positive assay). A significant correlation was found between the rate of recurrences and the increasing number of PCR-positive assays (P = 0.007). Presence of CMC in a high number (> or =2) of analysed blood samples was significantly correlated with a poor clinical outcome (disease-free survival: P = 0.019; overall survival: P = 0.034). Multivariate analysis revealed that presence of a PCR-positive status does play a role as independent prognostic factors for overall survival in melanoma patients, adding precision to the predictive power of the disease stage. Our findings indicated that serial RT-PCR assay may identify a high risk subset of melanoma patients with occult cancer cells constantly detected in blood circulation. Prolonged presence of CMCs seems to act as a surrogate marker of disease progression or a sign of more aggressive disease.

Prominent hypointense veins on susceptibility weighted image in the cat brain with acute infarction: DWI, SWI, and PWI.

PubMed

Kim, Yong-Woo; Kim, Hak Jin; Choi, Seon Hee; Kim, Dong Chan

2014-10-01

The multiple prominent hypointense veins on susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) have been found in the ischemic territory of patients with acute ischemic stroke. Venous side is the unknown area in the hemodynamics of brain infarction. To evaluate the venous aspect in acute brain infarction through an animal study. The acute infarction in cat brains was induced with a bolus infusion of 0.25 mL of triolein through one side of the common carotid artery. The magnetic resonance (MR) images, including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map, SW, and perfusion-weighted (PWI) images, were obtained serially at 2 h (n = 17), 1 day (n = 11), and 4 days (n = 4) after triolein infusion. The obtained MR images were evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively. For qualitative assessment, the signal intensity of the serial MR images was evaluated. The presence or absence and the location with serial changes of infarction were identified on DWI and ADC map images. The presence or absence of prominent hypointense veins and the serial changes of cortical veins were also evaluated on SWI. Quantitative assessment was performed by comparing the relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV), cerebral blood flow (rCBF), and mean transit times (MTT) of the lesions with those of the contralateral normal side calculated on PWI. The serial changes of rCBV, rCBF, and MTT ratio were also evaluated. Acute infarction in the first and second medial gyrus of lesion hemisphere was found by qualitative evaluation of DWI and ADC map images. On the serial evaluation of SWI, the cortical veins of cat brain with infarction were obscured at 2 h and then re-appeared at 1 day. The hemorrhage transformation and prominent hypointense veins were seen at 4 days on SWI. The quantitative evaluation revealed increased MTT ratios and decreased rCBV and rCBF ratios on PWIs in the acute infarction of cat brain. The prominent hypointense veins on SWI were seen in the half of the acute infarction at 4 days. The prominent hypointense veins on SWI may have good agreement with the increased MTT ratio. © The Foundation Acta Radiologica 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Power Doppler ultrasonographic assessment of the joint-draining lymph node complex in rheumatoid arthritis: a prospective, proof-of-concept study on treatment with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors.

PubMed

Manzo, Antonio; Benaglio, Francesca; Vitolo, Barbara; Bortolotto, Chandra; Zibera, Francesca; Todoerti, Monica; Alpini, Claudia; Bugatti, Serena; Caporali, Roberto; Calliada, Fabrizio; Montecucco, Carlomaurizio

2016-10-22

Emerging research on the mechanisms of disease chronicity in experimental arthritis has included a new focus on the draining lymph node (LN). Here, we combined clinical-serological analyses and power Doppler ultrasound (PDUS) imaging to delineate noninvasively the reciprocal relationship in vivo between the joint and the draining LN in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Forty consecutive patients refractory to conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs were examined through parallel PDUS of the hand-wrist joints and axillary LNs and compared with 20 healthy subjects. A semiquantitative score for LN gray-scale (GS) parameters (nodal hypertrophy and cortical structure) and LN PD signal was developed. A 6-month follow-up study with serial sonographic assessments was then performed on initiation of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors. PDUS analysis of RA axillary LNs revealed the existence of marked inter-individual heterogeneity and of quantitative differences compared with healthy individuals in both GS and PD characteristics. RA LN changes were plastic, responsive to anti-TNF treatment, and displayed a degree of concordance with synovitis activity in peripheral joints. However, low LN PD signal at baseline despite active arthritis was strongly associated with a poor clinical response to TNF blockade. PDUS analysis of the draining LN in RA allows capture of measurable inter-individual differences and dynamic changes linked to the underlying pathologic process. LN and joint sonographic assessments are nonredundant approaches that may provide independent perspectives on peripheral disease and its evolution over time.

The effect of bone tunnel dilation versus extraction drilling on the initial fixation strength of press-fit anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

PubMed

Dargel, Jens; Schmidt-Wiethoff, Rüdiger; Brüggemann, Gert-Peter; Koebke, Jürgen

2007-11-01

Serial dilation of the bone tunnel has been reported to create a tighter graft-tunnel fit. It was hypothesized that a serial dilation of the femoral bone tunnel would increase the initial fixation strength in press-fit anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructive surgery. Initial fixation strength of the femoral press-fit fixation technique was investigated in 72 porcine specimens in an ex vivo study by varying the femoral tunnel preparation technique. Extraction-drilling, tunnel dilation by 1 mm and dilation by 2.5 mm were assessed. Initial fixation strength of press-fit fixated patellar tendon-bone grafts was tested within each preparation group conducting a single cycle (and cyclic) load to failure protocol. The resulting tunnel diameter and the porcine femoral bone mineral density were determined using microradiographs and peripheral quantitative CT scans, respectively. Dilating a previously extraction-drilled femoral bone tunnel by 1 mm significantly enhances initial press-fit fixation strength in both single cycle and cyclic load to failure testing when compared to extraction-drilling and tunnel dilation by 2.5 mm. Due to an initial spring-back effect the resulting diameter of the femoral tunnel was underestimated by 3.3% with drilling and 6.7 and 12.2% with dilation by 1 and 2.5 mm, respectively. Volumetric trabecular bone mineral density at the site corresponding to the area of tunnel placement averaged 318 mg/cm(3). Dilating a femoral tunnel that is underdrilled by 1 mm appears to be a reasonable technical procedure in order to enhance initial fixation strength of press-fit ACL graft fixation.

Radiotracer Imaging Allows for Noninvasive Detection and Quantification of Abnormalities in Angiosome Foot Perfusion in Diabetic Patients With Critical Limb Ischemia and Nonhealing Wounds

PubMed Central

Alvelo, Jessica L.; Papademetris, Xenophon; Mena-Hurtado, Carlos; Jeon, Sangchoon; Sumpio, Bauer E.; Sinusas, Albert J.

2018-01-01

Background: Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) imaging allows for assessment of skeletal muscle microvascular perfusion but has not been quantitatively assessed in angiosomes, or 3-dimensional vascular territories, of the foot. This study assessed and compared resting angiosome foot perfusion between healthy subjects and diabetic patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI). Additionally, the relationship between SPECT/CT imaging and the ankle–brachial index—a standard tool for evaluating peripheral artery disease—was assessed. Methods and Results: Healthy subjects (n=9) and diabetic patients with CLI and nonhealing ulcers (n=42) underwent SPECT/CT perfusion imaging of the feet. CT images were segmented into angiosomes for quantification of relative radiotracer uptake, expressed as standardized uptake values. Standardized uptake values were assessed in ulcerated angiosomes of patients with CLI and compared with whole-foot standardized uptake values in healthy subjects. Serial SPECT/CT imaging was performed to assess uptake kinetics of technetium-99m-tetrofosmin. The relationship between angiosome perfusion and ankle–brachial index was assessed via correlational analysis. Resting perfusion was significantly lower in CLI versus healthy subjects (P=0.0007). Intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.95 (healthy) and 0.93 (CLI) demonstrated excellent agreement between serial perfusion measurements. Correlational analysis, including healthy and CLI subjects, demonstrated a significant relationship between ankle–brachial index and SPECT/CT (P=0.01); however, this relationship was not significant for diabetic CLI patients only (P=0.2). Conclusions: SPECT/CT imaging assesses regional foot perfusion and detects abnormalities in microvascular perfusion that may be undetectable by conventional ankle–brachial index in patients with diabetes mellitus. SPECT/CT may provide a novel approach for evaluating responses to targeted therapies. PMID:29748311

Regenerative peripheral nerve interface viability and signal transduction with an implanted electrode.

PubMed

Kung, Theodore A; Langhals, Nicholas B; Martin, David C; Johnson, Philip J; Cederna, Paul S; Urbanchek, Melanie G

2014-06-01

The regenerative peripheral nerve interface is an internal interface for signal transduction with external electronics of prosthetic limbs; it consists of an electrode and a unit of free muscle that is neurotized by a transected residual peripheral nerve. Adding a conductive polymer coating on electrodes improves electrode conductivity. This study examines regenerative peripheral nerve interface tissue viability and signal fidelity in the presence of an implanted electrode coated or uncoated with a conductive polymer. In a rat model, the extensor digitorum longus muscle was moved as a nonvascularized free tissue transfer and neurotized by the divided peroneal nerve. Either a stainless steel pad electrode (n = 8) or a pad electrode coated with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) conductive polymer (PEDOT) (n = 8) was implanted on the muscle transfer and secured with an encircling acellular extracellular matrix. The contralateral muscle served as the control. The free muscle transfers were successfully revascularized and over time reinnervated as evidenced by serial insertional needle electromyography. Compound muscle action potentials were successfully transduced through the regenerative peripheral nerve interface. The conductive polymer coating on the implanted electrode resulted in increased recorded signal amplitude that was observed throughout the course of the study. Histologic examination confirmed axonal sprouting, elongation, and synaptogenesis within regenerative peripheral nerve interface regardless of electrode type. The regenerative peripheral nerve interface remains viable over seven months in the presence of an implanted electrode. Electrodes with and without conductive polymer reliably transduced signals from the regenerative peripheral nerve interface. Electrodes with a conductive polymer coating resulted in recording more of the regenerative peripheral nerve interface signal.

Transient CDK4/6 inhibition protects hematopoietic stem cells from chemotherapy-induced exhaustion.

PubMed

He, Shenghui; Roberts, Patrick J; Sorrentino, Jessica A; Bisi, John E; Storrie-White, Hannah; Tiessen, Renger G; Makhuli, Karenann M; Wargin, William A; Tadema, Henko; van Hoogdalem, Ewoud-Jan; Strum, Jay C; Malik, Rajesh; Sharpless, Norman E

2017-04-26

Conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy is highly effective in certain cancers but causes dose-limiting damage to normal proliferating cells, especially hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Serial exposure to cytotoxics causes a long-term hematopoietic compromise ("exhaustion"), which limits the use of chemotherapy and success of cancer therapy. We show that the coadministration of G1T28 (trilaciclib), which is a small-molecule inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6), contemporaneously with cytotoxic chemotherapy protects murine hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from chemotherapy-induced exhaustion in a serial 5-fluorouracil treatment model. Consistent with a cell-intrinsic effect, we show directly preserved HSC function resulting in a more rapid recovery of peripheral blood counts, enhanced serial transplantation capacity, and reduced myeloid skewing. When administered to healthy human volunteers, G1T28 demonstrated excellent in vivo pharmacology and transiently inhibited bone marrow (BM) HSPC proliferation. These findings suggest that the combination of CDK4/6 inhibitors with cytotoxic chemotherapy should provide a means to attenuate therapy-induced BM exhaustion in patients with cancer. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study Quantitative Coronary Plaque Progression Study: rationale and design.

PubMed

Nakanishi, Rine; Post, Wendy S; Osawa, Kazuhiro; Jayawardena, Eranthi; Kim, Michael; Sheidaee, Nasim; Nezarat, Negin; Rahmani, Sina; Kim, Nicholas; Hathiramani, Nicolai; Susarla, Shriraj; Palella, Frank; Witt, Mallory; Blaha, Michael J; Brown, Todd T; Kingsley, Lawrence; Haberlen, Sabina A; Dailing, Christopher; Budoff, Matthew J

2018-01-01

The association of HIV with coronary atherosclerosis has been established; however, the progression of coronary atherosclerosis over time among participants with HIV is not well known. The Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study Quantitative Coronary Plaque Progression Study is a large prospective multicenter study quantifying progression of coronary plaque assessed by serial coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA). HIV-infected and uninfected men who were enrolled in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study Cardiovascular Substudy were eligible to complete a follow-up contrast coronary CTA 3-6 years after baseline. We measured coronary plaque volume and characteristics (calcified and noncalcified plaque including fibrous, fibrous-fatty, and low attenuation) and vulnerable plaque among HIV-infected and uninfected men using semiautomated plaque software to investigate the progression of coronary atherosclerosis over time. We describe a novel, large prospective multicenter study investigating incidence, transition of characteristics, and progression in coronary atherosclerosis quantitatively assessed by serial coronary CTAs among HIV-infected and uninfected men.

A prospective evaluation of the repeatability of left ventricular ejection fraction measurement by gated SPECT.

PubMed

Kliner, Dustin; Wang, Li; Winger, Daniel; Follansbee, William P; Soman, Prem

2015-12-01

Gated single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is widely used for myocardial perfusion imaging and provides an automated assessment of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). We prospectively tested the repeatability of serial SPECT-derived LVEF. This information is essential in order to inform the interpretation of a change in LV function on serial testing. Consenting patients (n = 50) from among those referred for clinically indicated gated myocardial perfusion SPECT (MPs) were recruited. Following the clinical rest-stress study, patients were repositioned on the camera table for a second acquisition using identical parameters. Patient positioning, image acquisition and processing for the second scan were independently performed by a technologist blinded to the clinical scan. Quantitative LVEF was generated by Quantitative Gated SPECT and recorded as EF1 and EF2, respectively. Repeatability of serial results was assessed using the Bland-Altman method. The limits of repeatability and repeatability coefficients were generated to determine the maximum variation in LVEF that can be expected to result from test variability. Repeatability was tested across a broad range of LV systolic function and myocardial perfusion. The mean difference between EF1 and EF2 was 1.6% (EF units), with 95% limits of repeatability of +9.1% to -6.0% (repeatability coefficient 7.5%). Correlation between serial EF measurements was excellent (r = 0.9809). Similar results were obtained in subgroups based on normal or abnormal EF and myocardial perfusion. The largest repeatability coefficient of 8.1% was seen in patients with abnormal LV systolic function. When test protocol and acquisition parameters are kept constant, a difference of >8% EF units on serial MPs is indicative of a true change 95% of the time.

Comparative Peripheral Blood T Cells Analysis Between Adult Deceased Donor Liver Transplantation (DDLT) and Living Donor Liver Transplantation (LDLT).

PubMed

Kim, Jong Man; Kwon, Choon Hyuck David; Joh, Jae-Won; Choi, Gyu-Seong; Kang, Eun-Suk; Lee, Suk-Koo

2017-08-08

BACKGROUND T lymphocytes are an essential component of allograft rejection and tolerance. The aim of the present study was to analyze and compare the characteristics of T cell subsets in patients who underwent deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) versus living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). MATERIAL AND METHODS Between April 2013 and June 2014, 64 patients underwent adult liver transplantation. The distribution of peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets before transplantation and at 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks post-transplantation were monitored serially. RESULTS In the serial peripheral blood samples, the absolute CD3+ T cell counts in the LDLT group were higher than those in the DDLT group (p=0.037). The CD4+, CD8+, CD4/CD8, Vδ1, Vδ2, and γδ T cell counts did not change significantly over time in either group. The Vδ1/Vδ2 ratio was higher in patients with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection than in patients without CMV infection (0.12 versus 0.26; p=0.033). The median absolute CD3+ and CD8+ T cell counts in patients with biopsy-proven acute rejection (BPAR) were 884 (range, 305-1,320) and 316 (range, 271-1,077), respectively, whereas they were 320 (range, 8-1,167) and 257 (range, 58-1,472) in patients without BPAR. The absolute CD3+ and CD8 T cell counts were higher in patients with BPAR than in patients without BPAR (p=0.007 and p=0.039, respectively). CONCLUSIONS With the exception of CD3+ T cells, T cell populations did not differ significantly between patients who received DDLT versus LDLT. In liver transplantation patients, CMV infection and BPAR were closely associated with T cell population changes.

Profile of the genes expressed in the human peripheral retina, macula, and retinal pigment epithelium determined through serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE)

PubMed Central

Sharon, Dror; Blackshaw, Seth; Cepko, Constance L.; Dryja, Thaddeus P.

2002-01-01

We used the serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) technique to catalogue and measure the relative levels of expression of the genes expressed in the human peripheral retina, macula, and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) from one or both of two humans, aged 88 and 44 years. The cone photoreceptor contribution to all transcription in the retina was found to be similar in the macula versus the retinal periphery, whereas the rod contribution was greater in the periphery versus the macula. Genes encoding structural proteins for axons were found to be expressed at higher levels in the macula versus the retinal periphery, probably reflecting the large proportion of ganglion cells in the central retina. In comparison with the younger eye, the peripheral retina of the older eye had a substantially higher proportion of mRNAs from genes encoding proteins involved in iron metabolism or protection against oxidative damage and a substantially lower proportion of mRNAs from genes encoding proteins involved in rod phototransduction. These differences may reflect the difference in age between the two donors or merely interindividual variation. The RPE library had numerous previously unencountered tags, suggesting that this cell type has a large, idiosyncratic repertoire of expressed genes. Comparison of these libraries with 100 reported nonocular SAGE libraries revealed 89 retina-specific or enriched genes expressed at substantial levels, of which 14 are known to cause a retinal disease and 53 are RPE-specific genes. We expect that these libraries will serve as a resource for understanding the relative expression levels of genes in the retina and the RPE and for identifying additional disease genes. PMID:11756676

Quantitative magnetic resonance (MR) neurography for evaluation of peripheral nerves and plexus injuries

PubMed Central

Barousse, Rafael; Socolovsky, Mariano; Luna, Antonio

2017-01-01

Traumatic conditions of peripheral nerves and plexus have been classically evaluated by morphological imaging techniques and electrophysiological tests. New magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies based on 3D fat-suppressed techniques are providing high accuracy for peripheral nerve injury evaluation from a qualitative point of view. However, these techniques do not provide quantitative information. Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) are functional MRI techniques that are able to evaluate and quantify the movement of water molecules within different biological structures. These techniques have been successfully applied in other anatomical areas, especially in the assessment of central nervous system, and now are being imported, with promising results for peripheral nerve and plexus evaluation. DWI and DTI allow performing a qualitative and quantitative peripheral nerve analysis, providing valuable pathophysiological information about functional integrity of these structures. In the field of trauma and peripheral nerve or plexus injury, several derived parameters from DWI and DTI studies such as apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) or fractional anisotropy (FA) among others, can be used as potential biomarkers of neural damage providing information about fiber organization, axonal flow or myelin integrity. A proper knowledge of physical basis of these techniques and their limitations is important for an optimal interpretation of the imaging findings and derived data. In this paper, a comprehensive review of the potential applications of DWI and DTI neurographic studies is performed with a focus on traumatic conditions, including main nerve entrapment syndromes in both peripheral nerves and brachial or lumbar plexus. PMID:28932698

Ultra-compact coherent receiver with serial interface for pluggable transceiver.

PubMed

Itoh, Toshihiro; Nakajima, Fumito; Ohno, Tetsuichiro; Yamanaka, Shogo; Soma, Shunichi; Saida, Takashi; Nosaka, Hideyuki; Murata, Koichi

2014-09-22

An ultra-compact integrated coherent receiver with a volume of 1.3 cc using a quad-channel transimpedance amplifier (TIA)-IC chip with a serial peripheral interface (SPI) is demonstrated for the first time. The TIA with the SPI and photodiode (PD) bias circuits, a miniature dual polarization optical hybrid, an octal-PD and small optical coupling system enabled the realization of the compact receiver. Measured transmission performance with 32 Gbaud dual-polarization quadrature phase shift keying signal is equivalent to that of the conventional multi-source agreement-based integrated coherent receiver with dual channel TIA-ICs. By comparing the bit-error rate (BER) performance with that under continuous SPI access, we also confirmed that there is no BER degradation caused by SPI interface access. Such an ultra-compact receiver is promising for realizing a new generation of pluggable transceivers.

Sciatic neuropathy and rhabdomyolysis after carbon monoxide intoxication: A case report.

PubMed

Lee, Hyeok Dong; Lee, Sung Young; Cho, Young-Shin; Han, Seung Hoon; Park, Si-Bog; Lee, Kyu Hoon

2018-06-01

Peripheral neuropathy is a rare complication of carbon monoxide intoxication. Peripheral neuropathy following carbon monoxide intoxication is known to completely recover within a few months. A 40-year-old man complained of motor weakness and hypoesthesia of the right lower extremity with swelling of his right thigh after carbon monoxide intoxication resulting from a suicide attempt. Following nerve conduction and electromyographic studies, the patient was diagnosed with sciatic neuropathy with severe axonopathy. Clinical and laboratory findings led to a diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis. The patient was treated conservatively for rhabdomyolysis and underwent comprehensive rehabilitation for sciatic neuropathy during hospitalization. After discharge, he underwent serial follow-up tests with nerve conduction and electromyographic studies, which showed prolonged persistence of sciatic neuropathy; however, he showed significant improvement at his 26-month post-discharge follow-up. Patients presenting with peripheral neuropathy secondary to carbon monoxide intoxication may show variable recovery periods; however, a favorable prognosis can be expected regardless of the concomitant occurrence of rhabdomyolysis and/or compartment syndrome.

Implementation of data acquisition interface using on-board field-programmable gate array (FPGA) universal serial bus (USB) link

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yussup, N.; Ibrahim, M. M.; Lombigit, L.; Rahman, N. A. A.; Zin, M. R. M.

2014-02-01

Typically a system consists of hardware as the controller and software which is installed in the personal computer (PC). In the effective nuclear detection, the hardware involves the detection setup and the electronics used, with the software consisting of analysis tools and graphical display on PC. A data acquisition interface is necessary to enable the communication between the controller hardware and PC. Nowadays, Universal Serial Bus (USB) has become a standard connection method for computer peripherals and has replaced many varieties of serial and parallel ports. However the implementation of USB is complex. This paper describes the implementation of data acquisition interface between a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) board and a PC by exploiting the USB link of the FPGA board. The USB link is based on an FTDI chip which allows direct access of input and output to the Joint Test Action Group (JTAG) signals from a USB host and a complex programmable logic device (CPLD) with a 24 MHz clock input to the USB link. The implementation and results of using the USB link of FPGA board as the data interfacing are discussed.

Implementation of data acquisition interface using on-board field-programmable gate array (FPGA) universal serial bus (USB) link

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

Yussup, N.; Ibrahim, M. M.; Lombigit, L.

Typically a system consists of hardware as the controller and software which is installed in the personal computer (PC). In the effective nuclear detection, the hardware involves the detection setup and the electronics used, with the software consisting of analysis tools and graphical display on PC. A data acquisition interface is necessary to enable the communication between the controller hardware and PC. Nowadays, Universal Serial Bus (USB) has become a standard connection method for computer peripherals and has replaced many varieties of serial and parallel ports. However the implementation of USB is complex. This paper describes the implementation of datamore » acquisition interface between a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) board and a PC by exploiting the USB link of the FPGA board. The USB link is based on an FTDI chip which allows direct access of input and output to the Joint Test Action Group (JTAG) signals from a USB host and a complex programmable logic device (CPLD) with a 24 MHz clock input to the USB link. The implementation and results of using the USB link of FPGA board as the data interfacing are discussed.« less

Synaptic augmentation in a cortical circuit model reproduces serial dependence in visual working memory

PubMed Central

D’Esposito, Mark

2017-01-01

Recent work has established that visual working memory is subject to serial dependence: current information in memory blends with that from the recent past as a function of their similarity. This tuned temporal smoothing likely promotes the stability of memory in the face of noise and occlusion. Serial dependence accumulates over several seconds in memory and deteriorates with increased separation between trials. While this phenomenon has been extensively characterized in behavior, its neural mechanism is unknown. In the present study, we investigate the circuit-level origins of serial dependence in a biophysical model of cortex. We explore two distinct kinds of mechanisms: stable persistent activity during the memory delay period and dynamic “activity-silent” synaptic plasticity. We find that networks endowed with both strong reverberation to support persistent activity and dynamic synapses can closely reproduce behavioral serial dependence. Specifically, elevated activity drives synaptic augmentation, which biases activity on the subsequent trial, giving rise to a spatiotemporally tuned shift in the population response. Our hybrid neural model is a theoretical advance beyond abstract mathematical characterizations, offers testable hypotheses for physiological research, and demonstrates the power of biological insights to provide a quantitative explanation of human behavior. PMID:29244810

WE-AB-207B-10: On Spinal Nerve Toxicity from Single-Session SAbR in Pigs and the Translation of Small Animal NTCP Models

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

Hrycushko, B; Medin, P

Purpose: The incidence of peripheral neuropathy has risen with increased utilization of SAbR. There is no consensus regarding the dose-tolerance of the peripheral nervous system. In 2015, we commenced an investigation to test the hypotheses that single-session irradiation to the pig spinal nerves exhibit a similar dose-tolerance as that of the spinal cord and that a dose-length effect exists. This work evaluates the direct application of small animal NTCP models to both large animal spinal cord and preliminary peripheral nerve data. Methods: To date, 16 of 25 Yucatan minipigs have received single-session SAbR to a 1.5cm length and 4 ofmore » 25 have received irradiation to a 0.5cm length of left-sided C6-C8 spinal nerves. Toxicity related gait change has been observed in 13 animals (9 from the long length group and 4 from the short). This preliminary data is overlaid on several dose-response models which have been fit to rodent spinal cord tolerance experiments. Model parameters define a toxicity profile between a completely serial or parallel behaving organ. Adequacy of model application, including how length effects are handled, to published minipig spinal cord dose-response data and to preliminary peripheral nerve response data was evaluated through residual analysis. Results: No rodent-derived dose-response models were directly applicable to all pig data for the different lengths irradiated. Several models fit the long-length irradiated spinal cord data well, with the more serial-like models fitting best. Preliminary data on the short-length irradiation suggests no length effect exists, disproving our hypothesis. Conclusion: Direct application of small-animal NTCP models to pig data suggests dose-length effect predictions from small animal data may not translate clinically. However, the small animal models used have not considered dose heterogeneity and it is expected that including the low-to-mid dose levels in the penumbral region will improve this match. This work was funded by the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT).« less

Flow cytometric quantitation of phagocytosis in heparinized complete blood with latex particles and Candida albicans.

PubMed

Egido, J M; Viñuelas, J

1997-01-01

We report a rapid method for the flow cytometric quantitation of phagocytosis in heparinized complete peripheral blood (HCPB), using commercially available phycoerythrin-conjugated latex particles of 1 micron diameter. The method is faster and shows greater reproducibility than Bjerknes' (1984) standard technique using propidium iodide-stained Candida albicans, conventionally applied to the leukocytic layer of peripheral blood but here modified for HCPB. We also report a modification of Bjerknes' Intracellular Killing Test to allow its application to HCPB.

Post-ischaemic paraesthesia in pellagrins.

PubMed Central

Bomb, B S; Bedi, H K; Bhatnagar, L K

1977-01-01

A quantitative assessment of post-ischaemic paraesthesiae has been made in 50 pellagrins and 20 healthy identical controls. The results show a higly significant diminution of the paraesthetic response in pellagrins. In pellagrins having peripheral neuropathy the depression of paraesthesiae was more marked than in those without peripheral neuropathy. There was no consistent relationship between severity of peripheral neuropathy and degree of depression of paraesthetic response. PMID:196050

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

Mason, G.R.; Duane, G.B.; Effros, R.M.

Because infection with Pheumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) causes alteration of the type I epithelial cells as the primary event, the authors studied patients with PCP to determine if PCP causes rapid clearance of Tc-99m DTPA. Twenty normal non-smoking subjects and 7 non-smoking patients with histologically proven PCP were studied. Serial studies were obtained in three patients. Following a two-minute inhalation of 1.6 ..mu..m aerosol particles of Tc-99m DTPA in saline, the activity over three peripheral regions of interest (ROI) of each lung was monitored for the next 7 minutes. The rate of decline of activity over each ROI was expressedmore » as per cent decline/min. In 7 patients with PCP, the average clearance was 7.5 +- 3.6% min., normal, 1.3 +- 0.6% min.(SD). Three patients studied from 5 to 38 days following therapy had improvement in the rate of clearance. This has been demonstrated to be persistent even after clinical recovery of the patient. The ability to quantitate injury to the pulmonary epithelium may directly reflect the ability of Pneumocystis carinii to invade the lung. The authors conclude that Tc-99m DTPA clearance may be a useful test to help diagnosis and monitor the activity of PCP infections.« less

Flexible Peripheral Component Interconnect Input/Output Card

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bigelow, Kirk K.; Jerry, Albert L.; Baricio, Alisha G.; Cummings, Jon K.

2010-01-01

The Flexible Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Input/Output (I/O) Card is an innovative circuit board that provides functionality to interface between a variety of devices. It supports user-defined interrupts for interface synchronization, tracks system faults and failures, and includes checksum and parity evaluation of interface data. The card supports up to 16 channels of high-speed, half-duplex, low-voltage digital signaling (LVDS) serial data, and can interface combinations of serial and parallel devices. Placement of a processor within the field programmable gate array (FPGA) controls an embedded application with links to host memory over its PCI bus. The FPGA also provides protocol stacking and quick digital signal processor (DSP) functions to improve host performance. Hardware timers, counters, state machines, and other glue logic support interface communications. The Flexible PCI I/O Card provides an interface for a variety of dissimilar computer systems, featuring direct memory access functionality. The card has the following attributes: 8/16/32-bit, 33-MHz PCI r2.2 compliance, Configurable for universal 3.3V/5V interface slots, PCI interface based on PLX Technology's PCI9056 ASIC, General-use 512K 16 SDRAM memory, General-use 1M 16 Flash memory, FPGA with 3K to 56K logical cells with embedded 27K to 198K bits RAM, I/O interface: 32-channel LVDS differential transceivers configured in eight, 4-bit banks; signaling rates to 200 MHz per channel, Common SCSI-3, 68-pin interface connector.

The acute and sub-chronic effects of cocoa flavanols on mood, cognitive and cardiovascular health in young healthy adults: a randomized, controlled trial.

PubMed

Massee, Laura A; Ried, Karin; Pase, Matthew; Travica, Nikolaj; Yoganathan, Jaesshanth; Scholey, Andrew; Macpherson, Helen; Kennedy, Greg; Sali, Avni; Pipingas, Andrew

2015-01-01

Cocoa supplementation has been associated with benefits to cardiovascular health. However, cocoa's effects on cognition are less clear. A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial (n = 40, age M = 24.13 years, SD = 4.47 years) was conducted to investigate the effects of both acute (same-day) and sub-chronic (daily for four-weeks) 250 mg cocoa supplementation on mood and mental fatigue, cognitive performance and cardiovascular functioning in young, healthy adults. Assessment involved repeated 10-min cycles of the Cognitive Demand Battery (CDB) encompassing two serial subtraction tasks (Serial Threes and Sevens), a Rapid Visual Information Processing task, and a mental fatigue scale over the course of half an hour. The Swinburne University Computerized Cognitive Assessment Battery (SUCCAB) was also completed to evaluate cognition. Cardiovascular function included measuring both peripheral and central blood pressure and cerebral blood flow. At the acute time point, consumption of cocoa significantly improved self-reported mental fatigue and performance on the Serial Sevens task in cycle one of the CDB. No other significant effects were found. This trial was registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (Trial ID: ACTRN12613000626763). Accessible via http://www.anzctr.org.au/TrialSearch.aspx?searchTxt=ACTRN12613000626763&ddlSearch=Registered.

Detection of Prostate Cancer: Quantitative Multiparametric MR Imaging Models Developed Using Registered Correlative Histopathology.

PubMed

Metzger, Gregory J; Kalavagunta, Chaitanya; Spilseth, Benjamin; Bolan, Patrick J; Li, Xiufeng; Hutter, Diane; Nam, Jung W; Johnson, Andrew D; Henriksen, Jonathan C; Moench, Laura; Konety, Badrinath; Warlick, Christopher A; Schmechel, Stephen C; Koopmeiners, Joseph S

2016-06-01

Purpose To develop multiparametric magnetic resonance (MR) imaging models to generate a quantitative, user-independent, voxel-wise composite biomarker score (CBS) for detection of prostate cancer by using coregistered correlative histopathologic results, and to compare performance of CBS-based detection with that of single quantitative MR imaging parameters. Materials and Methods Institutional review board approval and informed consent were obtained. Patients with a diagnosis of prostate cancer underwent multiparametric MR imaging before surgery for treatment. All MR imaging voxels in the prostate were classified as cancer or noncancer on the basis of coregistered histopathologic data. Predictive models were developed by using more than one quantitative MR imaging parameter to generate CBS maps. Model development and evaluation of quantitative MR imaging parameters and CBS were performed separately for the peripheral zone and the whole gland. Model accuracy was evaluated by using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and confidence intervals were calculated with the bootstrap procedure. The improvement in classification accuracy was evaluated by comparing the AUC for the multiparametric model and the single best-performing quantitative MR imaging parameter at the individual level and in aggregate. Results Quantitative T2, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), volume transfer constant (K(trans)), reflux rate constant (kep), and area under the gadolinium concentration curve at 90 seconds (AUGC90) were significantly different between cancer and noncancer voxels (P < .001), with ADC showing the best accuracy (peripheral zone AUC, 0.82; whole gland AUC, 0.74). Four-parameter models demonstrated the best performance in both the peripheral zone (AUC, 0.85; P = .010 vs ADC alone) and whole gland (AUC, 0.77; P = .043 vs ADC alone). Individual-level analysis showed statistically significant improvement in AUC in 82% (23 of 28) and 71% (24 of 34) of patients with peripheral-zone and whole-gland models, respectively, compared with ADC alone. Model-based CBS maps for cancer detection showed improved visualization of cancer location and extent. Conclusion Quantitative multiparametric MR imaging models developed by using coregistered correlative histopathologic data yielded a voxel-wise CBS that outperformed single quantitative MR imaging parameters for detection of prostate cancer, especially when the models were assessed at the individual level. (©) RSNA, 2016 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Serial changes in selected serum constituents in low birth weight infants on peripheral parenteral nutrition with different zinc and copper supplements.

PubMed

Lockitch, G; Pendray, M R; Godolphin, W J; Quigley, G

1985-07-01

One hundred and five infants of birth weight 2000 g or less who received peripherally administered parenteral nutrition for periods of three or more weeks, were randomly assigned to groups receiving different amounts of zinc and copper supplement. The blood concentrations of zinc, copper, retinol-binding protein, prealbumin, alkaline phosphatase and aspartate transaminase were followed weekly. Mean serum zinc, retinol-binding protein and prealbumin declined significantly over time while alkaline phosphatase rose. Only the group receiving the highest zinc supplement maintained a mean serum zinc concentration within the normal range at seven weeks. No difference in the protein or enzyme concentrations was found between the different zinc supplement groups. No difference was seen in serum copper or ceruloplasmin between copper dose groups although one intravenous supplement was double that of the other.

Quantitative Fluorescence Studies in Living Cells: Extending Fluorescence Fluctuation Spectroscopy to Peripheral Membrane Proteins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Elizabeth Myhra

The interactions of peripheral membrane proteins with both membrane lipids and proteins are vital for many cellular processes including membrane trafficking, cellular signaling, and cell growth/regulation. Building accurate biophysical models of these processes requires quantitative characterization of the behavior of peripheral membrane proteins, yet methods to quantify their interactions inside living cells are very limited. Because peripheral membrane proteins usually exist both in membrane-bound and cytoplasmic forms, the separation of these two populations is a key challenge. This thesis aims at addressing this challenge by extending fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy (FFS) to simultaneously measure the oligomeric state of peripheral membrane proteins in the cytoplasm and at the plasma membrane. We developed a new method based on z-scan FFS that accounts for the fluorescence contributions from cytoplasmic and membrane layers by incorporating a fluorescence intensity z-scan through the cell. H-Ras-EGFP served as a model system to demonstrate the feasibility of the technique. The resolvability and stability of z-scanning was determined as well as the oligomeric state of H-Ras-EGFP at the plasma membrane and in the cytoplasm. Further, we successfully characterized the binding affinity of a variety of proteins to the plasma membrane by quantitative analysis of the z-scan fluorescence intensity profile. This analysis method, which we refer to as z-scan fluorescence profile deconvoution, was further used in combination with dual-color competition studies to determine the lipid specificity of protein binding. Finally, we applied z-scan FFS to provide insight into the early assembly steps of the HTLV-1 retrovirus.

Computed tomography of infantile hepatic hemangioendothelioma

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

Lucaya, J.; Enriquez, G.; Amat, L.

1985-04-01

Computed tomography (CT) was performed on five infants with hepatic hemangioendothelioma. Precontrast scans showed solitary or multiple, homogeneous, circumscribed areas with reduced attenuation values. Tiny tumoral calcifications were identified in two patients. Serial scans, after injection of a bolus of contrast material, showed early massive enhancement, which was either diffuse or peripheral. On delayed scans, multinocular tumors became isodense with surrounding liver, while all solitary ones showed varied degrees of centripetal enhancement and persistent central cleftlike unenhanced areas. The authors believe that these CT features are characteristic and obviate arteriographic confirmation.

Mucuna pruriens in Parkinson Disease: A Kinetic-Dynamic Comparison With Levodopa Standard Formulations.

PubMed

Contin, Manuela; Lopane, Giovanna; Passini, Andrea; Poli, Ferruccio; Iannello, Carmelina; Guarino, Maria

2015-01-01

We compared levodopa (LD) kinetic-dynamic profile of a dose of LD/aromatic amino acid decarboxylase peripheral inhibitors versus a nominally equivalent dose of a commercial Mucuna pruriens (Mucuna) seeds extract in 2 patients with Parkinson disease chronically taking LD standard combined with self-prescribed Mucuna. Patients were challenged with a fasting morning dose of 100 mg LD/25 mg carbidopa (patient 1) or benserazide (patient 2) versus 100 mg LD from Mucuna capsules in 2 different sessions, after a 12-hour standard LD formulations' washout. They underwent kinetic-dynamic LD monitoring based on LD dose intake and simultaneous serial assessments of plasma drug concentrations and motor test performances. Quantitative analysis of LD in Mucuna capsules was also performed. Levodopa bioavailability was markedly lower after Mucuna administration compared with LD standard formulations: in patient 1, peak plasma LD concentration (Cmax) decreased from 2.0 to 1.0 mg/L and the area under the plasma concentration time curve from 137 to 33.6 mg/L per minute; in patient 2, Cmax was 0.7 mg/L after LD/benserazide and nearly undetectable after Mucuna. In patient 1, impaired LD bioavailability from Mucuna resulted in reduced duration and overall extent of drug response compared with LD/carbidopa. In patient 2, no significant subacute LD motor response was observed in either condition. Quantitative analysis of Mucuna formulation confirmed the 100 mg LD content for the utilized capsules. Our results show an impaired LD bioavailability from Mucuna preparation, as expected by the lacking aromatic amino acid decarboxylase inhibitors coadministration, which might explain the suggested lower dyskinetic potential of Mucuna compared with standard LD formulations.

Standardization of Quantitative PCR for Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 in Japan: a Collaborative Study

PubMed Central

Okuma, Kazu; Yamochi, Tadanori; Sato, Tomoo; Sasaki, Daisuke; Hasegawa, Hiroo; Umeki, Kazumi; Kubota, Ryuji; Sobata, Rieko; Matsumoto, Chieko; Kaneko, Noriaki; Naruse, Isao; Yamagishi, Makoto; Nakashima, Makoto; Momose, Haruka; Araki, Kumiko; Mizukami, Takuo; Mizusawa, Saeko; Okada, Yoshiaki; Ochiai, Masaki; Utsunomiya, Atae; Koh, Ki-Ryang; Ogata, Masao; Nosaka, Kisato; Uchimaru, Kaoru; Iwanaga, Masako; Sagara, Yasuko; Yamano, Yoshihisa; Satake, Masahiro; Okayama, Akihiko; Mochizuki, Manabu; Izumo, Shuji; Saito, Shigeru; Itabashi, Kazuo; Kamihira, Shimeru; Yamaguchi, Kazunari; Watanabe, Toshiki

2015-01-01

Quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) was used to assess the amount of HTLV-1 provirus DNA integrated into the genomic DNA of host blood cells. Accumulating evidence indicates that a high proviral load is one of the risk factors for the development of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis. However, interlaboratory variability in qPCR results makes it difficult to assess the differences in reported proviral loads between laboratories. To remedy this situation, we attempted to minimize discrepancies between laboratories through standardization of HTLV-1 qPCR in a collaborative study. TL-Om1 cells that harbor the HTLV-1 provirus were serially diluted with peripheral blood mononuclear cells to prepare a candidate standard. By statistically evaluating the proviral loads of the standard and those determined using in-house qPCR methods at each laboratory, we determined the relative ratios of the measured values in the laboratories to the theoretical values of the TL-Om1 standard. The relative ratios of the laboratories ranged from 0.84 to 4.45. Next, we corrected the proviral loads of the clinical samples from HTLV-1 carriers using the relative ratio. As expected, the overall differences between the laboratories were reduced by half, from 7.4-fold to 3.8-fold on average, after applying the correction. HTLV-1 qPCR can be standardized using TL-Om1 cells as a standard and by determining the relative ratio of the measured to the theoretical standard values in each laboratory. PMID:26292315

Standardization of Quantitative PCR for Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 in Japan: a Collaborative Study.

PubMed

Kuramitsu, Madoka; Okuma, Kazu; Yamochi, Tadanori; Sato, Tomoo; Sasaki, Daisuke; Hasegawa, Hiroo; Umeki, Kazumi; Kubota, Ryuji; Sobata, Rieko; Matsumoto, Chieko; Kaneko, Noriaki; Naruse, Isao; Yamagishi, Makoto; Nakashima, Makoto; Momose, Haruka; Araki, Kumiko; Mizukami, Takuo; Mizusawa, Saeko; Okada, Yoshiaki; Ochiai, Masaki; Utsunomiya, Atae; Koh, Ki-Ryang; Ogata, Masao; Nosaka, Kisato; Uchimaru, Kaoru; Iwanaga, Masako; Sagara, Yasuko; Yamano, Yoshihisa; Satake, Masahiro; Okayama, Akihiko; Mochizuki, Manabu; Izumo, Shuji; Saito, Shigeru; Itabashi, Kazuo; Kamihira, Shimeru; Yamaguchi, Kazunari; Watanabe, Toshiki; Hamaguchi, Isao

2015-11-01

Quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) was used to assess the amount of HTLV-1 provirus DNA integrated into the genomic DNA of host blood cells. Accumulating evidence indicates that a high proviral load is one of the risk factors for the development of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis. However, interlaboratory variability in qPCR results makes it difficult to assess the differences in reported proviral loads between laboratories. To remedy this situation, we attempted to minimize discrepancies between laboratories through standardization of HTLV-1 qPCR in a collaborative study. TL-Om1 cells that harbor the HTLV-1 provirus were serially diluted with peripheral blood mononuclear cells to prepare a candidate standard. By statistically evaluating the proviral loads of the standard and those determined using in-house qPCR methods at each laboratory, we determined the relative ratios of the measured values in the laboratories to the theoretical values of the TL-Om1 standard. The relative ratios of the laboratories ranged from 0.84 to 4.45. Next, we corrected the proviral loads of the clinical samples from HTLV-1 carriers using the relative ratio. As expected, the overall differences between the laboratories were reduced by half, from 7.4-fold to 3.8-fold on average, after applying the correction. HTLV-1 qPCR can be standardized using TL-Om1 cells as a standard and by determining the relative ratio of the measured to the theoretical standard values in each laboratory. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

A comparison of phase imaging and quantitative susceptibility mapping in the imaging of multiple sclerosis lesions at ultrahigh field.

PubMed

Cronin, Matthew John; Wharton, Samuel; Al-Radaideh, Ali; Constantinescu, Cris; Evangelou, Nikos; Bowtell, Richard; Gowland, Penny Anne

2016-06-01

The aim of this study was to compare the use of high-resolution phase and QSM images acquired at ultra-high field in the investigation of multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions with peripheral rings, and to discuss their usefulness for drawing inferences about underlying tissue composition. Thirty-nine Subjects were scanned at 7 T, using 3D T 2*-weighted and T 1-weighted sequences. Phase images were then unwrapped and filtered, and quantitative susceptibility maps were generated using a thresholded k-space division method. Lesions were compared visually and using a 1D profiling algorithm. Lesions displaying peripheral rings in the phase images were identified in 10 of the 39 subjects. Dipolar projections were apparent in the phase images outside of the extent of several of these lesions; however, QSM images showed peripheral rings without such projections. These projections appeared ring-like in a small number of phase images where no ring was observed in QSM. 1D profiles of six well-isolated example lesions showed that QSM contrast corresponds more closely to the magnitude images than phase contrast. Phase images contain dipolar projections, which confounds their use in the investigation of tissue composition in MS lesions. Quantitative susceptibility maps correct these projections, providing insight into the composition of MS lesions showing peripheral rings.

A Pilot Study of the Noninvasive Assessment of the Lung Microbiota as a Potential Tool for the Early Diagnosis of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

PubMed Central

Brady, Jacob S.; Romano-Keeler, Joann; Drake, Wonder P.; Norris, Patrick R.; Jenkins, Judith M.; Isaacs, Richard J.; Boczko, Erik M.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) remains a common complication in critically ill surgical patients, and its diagnosis remains problematic. Exhaled breath contains aerosolized droplets that reflect the lung microbiota. We hypothesized that exhaled breath condensate fluid (EBCF) in hygroscopic condenser humidifier/heat and moisture exchanger (HCH/HME) filters would contain bacterial DNA that qualitatively and quantitatively correlate with pathogens isolated from quantitative BAL samples obtained for clinical suspicion of pneumonia. METHODS: Forty-eight adult patients who were mechanically ventilated and undergoing quantitative BAL (n = 51) for suspected pneumonia in the surgical ICU were enrolled. Per protocol, patients fulfilling VAP clinical criteria undergo quantitative BAL bacterial culture. Immediately prior to BAL, time-matched HCH/HME filters were collected for study of EBCF by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Additionally, convenience samples of serially collected filters in patients with BAL-diagnosed VAP were analyzed. RESULTS: Forty-nine of 51 time-matched EBCF/BAL fluid samples were fully concordant (concordance > 95% by κ statistic) relative to identified pathogens and strongly correlated with clinical cultures. Regression analysis of quantitative bacterial DNA in paired samples revealed a statistically significant positive correlation (r = 0.85). In a convenience sample, qualitative and quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis of serial HCH/HME samples for bacterial DNA demonstrated an increase in load that preceded the suspicion of pneumonia. CONCLUSIONS: Bacterial DNA within EBCF demonstrates a high correlation with BAL fluid and clinical cultures. Bacterial DNA within EBCF increases prior to the suspicion of pneumonia. Further study of this novel approach may allow development of a noninvasive tool for the early diagnosis of VAP. PMID:25474571

Serial semi-quantitative measurement of fecal calprotectin in patients with ulcerative colitis in remission.

PubMed

Garcia-Planella, Esther; Mañosa, Míriam; Chaparro, María; Beltrán, Belén; Barreiro-de-Acosta, Manuel; Gordillo, Jordi; Ricart, Elena; Bermejo, Fernando; García-Sánchez, Valle; Piqueras, Marta; Llaó, Jordina; Gisbert, Javier P; Cabré, Eduard; Domènech, Eugeni

2018-02-01

Fecal calprotectin (FC) correlates with clinical and endoscopic activity in ulcerative colitis (UC), and it is a good predictor of relapse. However, its use in clinical practice is constrained by the need for the patient to deliver stool samples, and for their handling and processing in the laboratory. The availability of hand held devices might spread the use of FC in clinical practice. To evaluate the usefulness of a rapid semi-quantitative test of FC in predicting relapse in patients with UC in remission. Prospective, multicenter study that included UC patients in clinical remission for ≥6 months on maintenance treatment with mesalamine. Patients were evaluated clinically and semi-quantitative FC was measured using a monoclonal immunochromatography rapid test at baseline and every three months until relapse or 12 months of follow-up. One hundred and ninety-one patients had at least one determination of FC. At the end of follow-up, 33 patients (17%) experienced clinical relapse. Endoscopic activity at baseline (p = .043) and having had at least one FC > 60 μg/g during the study period (p = .03) were associated with a higher risk of relapse during follow-up. We obtained a total of 636 semi-quantitative FC determinations matched with a three-month follow-up clinical assessment. Having undetectable FC was inversely associated with early relapse (within three months), with a negative predictive value of 98.6% and a sensitivity of 93.9%. Serial, rapid semi-quantitative measurement of FC may be a useful, easy and cheap monitoring tool for patients with UC in remission.

In vivo assessment of peripheral nerve regeneration by diffusion tensor imaging.

PubMed

Morisaki, Shinsuke; Kawai, Yuko; Umeda, Masahiro; Nishi, Mayumi; Oda, Ryo; Fujiwara, Hiroyoshi; Yamada, Kei; Higuchi, Toshihiro; Tanaka, Chuzo; Kawata, Mitsuhiro; Kubo, Toshikazu

2011-03-01

To evaluate the sensitivity of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in assessing peripheral nerve regeneration in vivo. We assessed the changes in the DTI parameters and histological analyses after nerve injury to examine degeneration and regeneration in the rat sciatic nerves. For magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 16 rats were randomly divided into two groups: group P (permanently crushed; n = 7) and group T (temporally crushed; n = 9). Serial MRI of the right leg was performed before the operation, and then performed at the timepoints of 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after the crush injury. The changes in fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (λ(∥)), and radial diffusivity (λ(⟂)) were quantified. For histological analyses, the number of axons and the myelinated axon areas were quantified. Decreased FA and increased λ(⟂) were observed in the degenerative phase, and increased FA and decreased λ(⟂) were observed in the regenerative phase. The changes in FA and λ(⟂) were strongly correlated with histological changes, including axonal and myelin regeneration. DTI parameters, especially λ(⟂) , can be good indicators for peripheral nerve regeneration and can be applied as noninvasive diagnostic tools for a variety of neurological diseases. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Luciferase-tagged wild-type and tropism-deficient mouse cytomegaloviruses reveal early dynamics of host colonization following peripheral challenge.

PubMed

Farrell, Helen; Oliveira, Martha; Macdonald, Kate; Yunis, Joseph; Mach, Michael; Bruce, Kimberley; Stevenson, Philip; Cardin, Rhonda; Davis-Poynter, Nicholas

2016-12-01

Cytomegaloviruses (CMVs) establish persistent, systemic infections and cause disease by maternal-foetal transfer, suggesting that their dissemination is a key target for antiviral intervention. Late clinical presentation has meant that human CMV (HCMV) dissemination is not well understood. Murine CMV (MCMV) provides a tractable model. Whole mouse imaging of virus-expressed luciferase has proved a useful way to track systemic infections. MCMV, in which the abundant lytic gene M78 was luciferase-tagged via a self-cleaving peptide (M78-LUC), allowed serial, unbiased imaging of systemic and peripheral infection without significant virus attenuation. Ex vivo luciferase imaging showed greater sensitivity than plaque assay, and revealed both well-known infection sites (the lungs, lymph nodes, salivary glands, liver, spleen and pancreas) and less explored sites (the bone marrow and upper respiratory tract). We applied luciferase imaging to tracking MCMV lacking M33, a chemokine receptor conserved in HCMV and a proposed anti-viral drug target. M33-deficient M78-LUC colonized normally in peripheral sites and local draining lymph nodes but spread poorly to the salivary gland, suggesting a defect in vascular transport consistent with properties of a chemokine receptor.

Sex- and Age-Related Differences in Bone Microarchitecture in Men Relative to Women Assessed by High-Resolution Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography

PubMed Central

Amin, Shreyasee; Khosla, Sundeep

2012-01-01

The trabecular and cortical compartments of bone each contributes to bone strength. Until recently, assessment of trabecular and cortical microstructure has required a bone biopsy. Now, trabecular and cortical microstructure of peripheral bone sites can be determined noninvasively using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT). Studies that have used HR-pQCT to evaluate cohorts of both men and women have provided novel insights into the changes in bone microarchitecture that occur with age between the sexes, which may help to explain the lower fracture incidence in older men relative to women. This review will highlight observations from these studies on both the sex- and age-related differences in trabecular and cortical microstructure that may underlie the differences in bone strength, and thereby fracture risk, between men and women. PMID:22496983

Electrophysiological measurements of diabetic peripheral neuropathy: A systematic review.

PubMed

Shabeeb, Dheyauldeen; Najafi, Masoud; Hasanzadeh, Gholamreza; Hadian, Mohammed Reza; Musa, Ahmed Eleojio; Shirazi, Alireza

2018-03-28

Peripheral neuropathy is one of the main complications of diabetes mellitus. One of the features of diabetic nerve damage is abnormality of sensory and motor nerve conduction study. An electrophysiological examination can be reproduced and is also a non-invasive approach in the assessment of peripheral nerve function. Population-based and clinical studies have been conducted to validate the sensitivity of these methods. When the diagnosis was based on clinical electrophysiological examination, abnormalities were observed in all patients. In this research, using a review design, we reviewed the issue of clinical electrophysiological examination of diabetic peripheral neuropathy in articles from 2008 to 2017. For this purpose, PubMed, Scopus and Embase databases of journals were used for searching articles. The researchers indicated that diabetes (both types) is a very disturbing health issue in the modern world and should be given serious attention. Based on conducted studies, it was demonstrated that there are different procedures for prevention and treatment of diabetes-related health problems such as diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN). The first objective quantitative indication of the peripheral neuropathy is abnormality of sensory and motor nerve conduction tests. Electrophysiology is accurate, reliable and sensitive. It can be reproduced and also is a noninvasive approach in the assessment of peripheral nerve function. The methodological review has found that the best method for quantitative indication of the peripheral neuropathy compared with all other methods is clinical electrophysiological examination. For best results, standard protocols such as temperature control and equipment calibration are recommended. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The acute and sub-chronic effects of cocoa flavanols on mood, cognitive and cardiovascular health in young healthy adults: a randomized, controlled trial

PubMed Central

Massee, Laura A.; Ried, Karin; Pase, Matthew; Travica, Nikolaj; Yoganathan, Jaesshanth; Scholey, Andrew; Macpherson, Helen; Kennedy, Greg; Sali, Avni; Pipingas, Andrew

2015-01-01

Cocoa supplementation has been associated with benefits to cardiovascular health. However, cocoa's effects on cognition are less clear. A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial (n = 40, age M = 24.13 years, SD = 4.47 years) was conducted to investigate the effects of both acute (same-day) and sub-chronic (daily for four-weeks) 250 mg cocoa supplementation on mood and mental fatigue, cognitive performance and cardiovascular functioning in young, healthy adults. Assessment involved repeated 10-min cycles of the Cognitive Demand Battery (CDB) encompassing two serial subtraction tasks (Serial Threes and Sevens), a Rapid Visual Information Processing task, and a mental fatigue scale over the course of half an hour. The Swinburne University Computerized Cognitive Assessment Battery (SUCCAB) was also completed to evaluate cognition. Cardiovascular function included measuring both peripheral and central blood pressure and cerebral blood flow. At the acute time point, consumption of cocoa significantly improved self-reported mental fatigue and performance on the Serial Sevens task in cycle one of the CDB. No other significant effects were found. This trial was registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (Trial ID: ACTRN12613000626763). Accessible via http://www.anzctr.org.au/TrialSearch.aspx?searchTxt=ACTRN12613000626763&ddlSearch=Registered. PMID:26042037

Quantitation of circulating tumor cells in blood samples from ovarian and prostate cancer patients using tumor-specific fluorescent ligands.

PubMed

He, Wei; Kularatne, Sumith A; Kalli, Kimberly R; Prendergast, Franklyn G; Amato, Robert J; Klee, George G; Hartmann, Lynn C; Low, Philip S

2008-10-15

Quantitation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can provide information on the stage of a malignancy, onset of disease progression and response to therapy. In an effort to more accurately quantitate CTCs, we have synthesized fluorescent conjugates of 2 high-affinity tumor-specific ligands (folate-AlexaFluor 488 and DUPA-FITC) that bind tumor cells >20-fold more efficiently than fluorescent antibodies. Here we determine whether these tumor-specific dyes can be exploited for quantitation of CTCs in peripheral blood samples from cancer patients. A CTC-enriched fraction was isolated from the peripheral blood of ovarian and prostate cancer patients by an optimized density gradient centrifugation protocol and labeled with the aforementioned fluorescent ligands. CTCs were then quantitated by flow cytometry. CTCs were detected in 18 of 20 ovarian cancer patients (mean 222 CTCs/ml; median 15 CTCs/ml; maximum 3,118 CTCs/ml), whereas CTC numbers in 16 gender-matched normal volunteers were negligible (mean 0.4 CTCs/ml; median 0.3 CTCs/ml; maximum 1.5 CTCs/ml; p < 0.001, chi(2)). CTCs were also detected in 10 of 13 prostate cancer patients (mean 26 CTCs/ml, median 14 CTCs/ml, maximum 94 CTCs/ml) but not in 18 gender-matched healthy donors (mean 0.8 CTCs/ml, median 1, maximum 3 CTC/ml; p < 0.0026, chi(2)). Tumor-specific fluorescent antibodies were much less efficient in quantitating CTCs because of their lower CTC labeling efficiency. Use of tumor-specific fluorescent ligands to label CTCs in peripheral blood can provide a simple, accurate and sensitive method for determining the number of cancer cells circulating in the bloodstream.

Comparison of the effects of three oral bisphosphonate therapies on the peripheral skeleton in postmenopausal osteoporosis: the TRIO study.

PubMed

Paggiosi, M A; Peel, N; McCloskey, E; Walsh, J S; Eastell, R

2014-12-01

We compared the effects of oral alendronate, ibandronate and risedronate on the central and peripheral skeleton over 2 years. We report differences in effect on the central skeleton but not on the peripheral skeleton. Greater effects were observed for ibandronate (and alendronate) than risedronate at the spine but not the hip. Generally, comparative clinical trials of bisphosphonates have examined changes in bone within central skeletal regions. We have examined the effects of bisphosphonate treatment on the peripheral skeleton. We conducted a 2-year, open-label, parallel randomised control trial of three orally administered bisphosphonates, at their licensed dose, to examine and compare their effects on the peripheral skeleton using multiple modes of measurement. We studied 172 postmenopausal women (53-84 years) who had either a bone mineral density (BMD) T-score of  ≤ -2.5 at the spine and/or total hip or  < -1.0 at either site plus a previous low trauma fracture. Participants were randomised to receive either (i) ibandronate 150 mg/month, (ii) alendronate 70 mg/week or (iii) risedronate 35 mg/week, plus calcium (1,200 mg/day) and vitamin D (800 IU/day), for 2 years. Premenopausal women (33-40 years, n = 226) were studied to monitor device stability. We measured central BMD of the lumbar spine, total hip, total body and forearm using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. We measured calcaneus BMD (using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry plus laser), radius and tibia BMD (using peripheral quantitative computed tomography), finger BMD (using radiographic absorptiometry), and phalangeal and calcaneal ultrasound variables (using quantitative ultrasound). Mixed effects regression models were used to evaluate effects of time and treatment allocation on BMD change. By 2 years, there were significant increases (p < 0.05) in central BMD sites (lumbar spine, total hip). In the peripheral skeleton, only significant changes in calcaneus BMD, 33 % total radius BMD and quantitative ultrasound (QUS)-2 broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) were evident for women receiving oral bisphosphonates. The increases in lumbar spine and total body BMD were greater with ibandronate and alendronate than with risedronate. Treatment effects on peripheral measurements did not differ between the three bisphosphonates.

A comparative study of working memory: immediate serial spatial recall in baboons (Papio papio) and humans.

PubMed

Fagot, Joël; De Lillo, Carlo

2011-12-01

Two experiments assessed if non-human primates can be meaningfully compared to humans in a non-verbal test of serial recall. A procedure was used that was derived from variations of the Corsi test, designed to test the effects of sequence structure and movement path length in humans. Two baboons were tested in Experiment 1. The monkeys showed several attributes of human serial recall. These included an easier recall of sequences with a shorter number of items and of sequences characterized by a shorter path length when the number of items was kept constant. However, the accuracy and speed of processing did not indicate that the monkeys were able to benefit from the spatiotemporal structure of sequences. Humans tested in Experiment 2 showed a quantitatively longer memory span, and, in contrast with monkeys, benefitted from sequence structure. The results are discussed in relation to differences in how human and non-human primates segment complex visual patterns. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An automated voxelized dosimetry tool for radionuclide therapy based on serial quantitative SPECT/CT imaging

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

Jackson, Price A.; Kron, Tomas; Beauregard, Jean-Mathieu

2013-11-15

Purpose: To create an accurate map of the distribution of radiation dose deposition in healthy and target tissues during radionuclide therapy.Methods: Serial quantitative SPECT/CT images were acquired at 4, 24, and 72 h for 28 {sup 177}Lu-octreotate peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) administrations in 17 patients with advanced neuroendocrine tumors. Deformable image registration was combined with an in-house programming algorithm to interpolate pharmacokinetic uptake and clearance at a voxel level. The resultant cumulated activity image series are comprised of values representing the total number of decays within each voxel's volume. For PRRT, cumulated activity was translated to absorbed dose basedmore » on Monte Carlo-determined voxel S-values at a combination of long and short ranges. These dosimetric image sets were compared for mean radiation absorbed dose to at-risk organs using a conventional MIRD protocol (OLINDA 1.1).Results: Absorbed dose values to solid organs (liver, kidneys, and spleen) were within 10% using both techniques. Dose estimates to marrow were greater using the voxelized protocol, attributed to the software incorporating crossfire effect from nearby tumor volumes.Conclusions: The technique presented offers an efficient, automated tool for PRRT dosimetry based on serial post-therapy imaging. Following retrospective analysis, this method of high-resolution dosimetry may allow physicians to prescribe activity based on required dose to tumor volume or radiation limits to healthy tissue in individual patients.« less

Vitamin A levels and human immunodeficiency virus load in injection drug users.

PubMed Central

Semba, R D; Farzadegan, H; Vlahov, D

1997-01-01

Although low plasma vitamin A levels are associated with increased mortality and higher vertical transmission during human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, it is unknown whether plasma low vitamin A levels are a marker for circulating HIV load. We conducted a cross-sectional study within a prospective cohort study of injection drug users in order to evaluate the relationship between plasma vitamin A levels and HIV viral load. Plasma vitamin A level was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Infectious viral load was measured by quantitative microculture of serial fivefold dilutions of 10(6) peripheral blood mononuclear cells. A total of 284 HIV-infected adults (79 women, 205 men) were studied. Plasma vitamin A levels consistent with deficiency were found in 28.9% of adults. A total of 38.0% of women and 25.3% of men had vitamin A deficiency (P < 0.04). The median infectious viral load for the entire study population was 8 infectious units per million cells. No significant relationship between plasma vitamin A levels and infectious viral load was observed in these injection drug users. This study suggests that there is no correlation between HIV viral load and plasma vitamin A levels in injection drug users, and these variables may represent independent risk factors during HIV infection. HIV-infected adult women appear to be at higher risk of developing vitamin A deficiency. PMID:9008289

Stemness and angiogenic gene expression changes of serial-passage human amnion mesenchymal cells.

PubMed

Fatimah, Simat Siti; Tan, Geok Chin; Chua, Kienhui; Fariha, Mohd Manzor Nur; Tan, Ay Eeng; Hayati, Abdul Rahman

2013-03-01

Particular attention has been directed towards human amnion mesenchymal stem cells (HAMCs) due to their accessibility, availability and immunomodulatory properties. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the temporal changes of stemness and angiogenic gene expressions of serial-passage HAMCs. HAMCs were isolated from human term placenta and cultured in serial passages in culture medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. Morphological analysis, growth kinetic and CFU-F assay of HAMCs were assessed. In vitro differentiation and the immunophenotype of HAMCs at P5 were also analyzed. Quantitative PCR was used to determine the stemness, angiogenic and endothelial gene expression of cultured HAMCs after serial passage. Cultured HAMCs displayed intermediate epitheloid-fibroblastoid morphology at an initial culture and the fibroblastoid features became more pronounced in later passages. They showed high clonogenic activity and faster proliferation at later passages with colony forming efficiency of 0.88%. HAMCs were successfully differentiated into adipocytes, osteocytes and neuron-like cells. Most HAMCs expressed CD9, CD44, CD73, CD90 and HLA-A,B,C but negligibly expressed CD31, CD34, CD45, CD117 and HLA-DR,DP,DQ. After serial passage, stemness genes Oct-3/4, Sox-2, Nanog3, Rex-1, FGF-4 and FZD-9 expressions significantly decreased. Of the angiogenic genes PECAM-1, bFGF, eNOS, VEGFR-2, VEGF, and vWF expressions also decreased significantly except angiopoietin-1 which significantly increased. No significant differences were observed in ABCG-2, BST-1, nestin, PGF and HGF expressions after serial passage. These results suggested that cultured HAMCs could be an alternative source of stem cells and may have the potential for angiogenesis and hence its use in stem-cell based therapy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantitative computed tomography determined regional lung mechanics in normal nonsmokers, normal smokers and metastatic sarcoma subjects.

PubMed

Choi, Jiwoong; Hoffman, Eric A; Lin, Ching-Long; Milhem, Mohammed M; Tessier, Jean; Newell, John D

2017-01-01

Extra-thoracic tumors send out pilot cells that attach to the pulmonary endothelium. We hypothesized that this could alter regional lung mechanics (tissue stiffening or accumulation of fluid and inflammatory cells) through interactions with host cells. We explored this with serial inspiratory computed tomography (CT) and image matching to assess regional changes in lung expansion. We retrospectively assessed 44 pairs of two serial CT scans on 21 sarcoma patients: 12 without lung metastases and 9 with lung metastases. For each subject, two or more serial inspiratory clinically-derived CT scans were retrospectively collected. Two research-derived control groups were included: 7 normal nonsmokers and 12 asymptomatic smokers with two inspiratory scans taken the same day or one year apart respectively. We performed image registration for local-to-local matching scans to baseline, and derived local expansion and density changes at an acinar scale. Welch two sample t test was used for comparison between groups. Statistical significance was determined with a p value < 0.05. Lung regions of metastatic sarcoma patients (but not the normal control group) demonstrated an increased proportion of normalized lung expansion between the first and second CT. These hyper-expanded regions were associated with, but not limited to, visible metastatic lung lesions. Compared with the normal control group, the percent of increased normalized hyper-expanded lung in sarcoma subjects was significantly increased (p < 0.05). There was also evidence of increased lung "tissue" volume (non-air components) in the hyper-expanded regions of the cancer subjects relative to non-hyper-expanded regions. "Tissue" volume increase was present in the hyper-expanded regions of metastatic and non-metastatic sarcoma subjects. This putatively could represent regional inflammation related to the presence of tumor pilot cell-host related interactions. This new quantitative CT (QCT) method for linking serial acquired inspiratory CT images may provide a diagnostic and prognostic means to objectively characterize regional responses in the lung following oncological treatment and monitoring for lung metastases.

Noninvasive image derived heart input function for CMRglc measurements in small animal slow infusion FDG PET studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Guoming; Cumming, Paul; Todica, Andrei; Hacker, Marcus; Bartenstein, Peter; Böning, Guido

2012-12-01

Absolute quantitation of the cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (CMRglc) can be obtained in positron emission tomography (PET) studies when serial measurements of the arterial [18F]-fluoro-deoxyglucose (FDG) input are available. Since this is not always practical in PET studies of rodents, there has been considerable interest in defining an image-derived input function (IDIF) by placing a volume of interest (VOI) within the left ventricle of the heart. However, spill-in arising from trapping of FDG in the myocardium often leads to progressive contamination of the IDIF, which propagates to underestimation of the magnitude of CMRglc. We therefore developed a novel, non-invasive method for correcting the IDIF without scaling to a blood sample. To this end, we first obtained serial arterial samples and dynamic FDG-PET data of the head and heart in a group of eight anaesthetized rats. We fitted a bi-exponential function to the serial measurements of the IDIF, and then used the linear graphical Gjedde-Patlak method to describe the accumulation in myocardium. We next estimated the magnitude of myocardial spill-in reaching the left ventricle VOI by assuming a Gaussian point-spread function, and corrected the measured IDIF for this estimated spill-in. Finally, we calculated parametric maps of CMRglc using the corrected IDIF, and for the sake of comparison, relative to serial blood sampling from the femoral artery. The uncorrected IDIF resulted in 20% underestimation of the magnitude of CMRglc relative to the gold standard arterial input method. However, there was no bias with the corrected IDIF, which was robust to the variable extent of myocardial tracer uptake, such that there was a very high correlation between individual CMRglc measurements using the corrected IDIF with gold-standard arterial input results. Based on simulation, we furthermore find that electrocardiogram-gating, i.e. ECG-gating is not necessary for IDIF quantitation using our approach.

Age-dependent effects on sensory axonal excitability in normal mice.

PubMed

Banzrai, Chimeglkham; Nodera, Hiroyuki; Higashi, Saki; Okada, Ryo; Osaki, Yusuke; Mori, Atsuko; Kaji, Ryuji

2016-01-12

Serial recordings were performed to measure sensory excitability in peripheral nerves and elucidate age-dependent changes in neuronal ion currents in the peripheral sensory nervous system. The threshold tracking technique was used to measure multiple excitability indices in the tail sensory nerves of five normal male mice at four time points (6, 10, 14, and 19 weeks of age). A separate group of four mice was also measured at 43 weeks and at 60 weeks of age. Maturation was accompanied by an increase in early hyperpolarization and superexcitability at 10 weeks. At 60 weeks, the hyperpolarizing electrotonus shifted downward, while superexcitability became greater and subexcitability (double stimuli) decreased. Computer modeling showed that the most notable age-related interval changes in excitability parameters were Barrett-Barrett, H, and slow K(+) conductances. Understanding age-related changes in the excitability of sensory axons may provide a platform for understanding age-dependent sensory symptoms and developing age-specific channel-targeting therapies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design and construction of a desktop AC susceptometer using an Arduino and a Bluetooth for serial interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pérez, Israel; Ángel Hernández Cuevas, José; Trinidad Elizalde Galindo, José

2018-05-01

We designed and developed a desktop AC susceptometer for the characterization of materials. The system consists of a lock-in amplifier, an AC function generator, a couple of coils, a sample holder, a computer system with a designed software in freeware C++ code, and an Arduino card coupled to a Bluetooth module. The Arduino/Bluetooth serial interface allows the user to have a connection to almost any computer and thus avoids the problem of connectivity between the computer and the peripherals, such as the lock-in amplifier and the function generator. The Bluetooth transmitter/receiver used is a commercial device which is robust and fast. These new features reduce the size and increase the versatility of the susceptometer, for it can be used with a simple laptop. To test our instrument, we performed measurements on magnetic materials and show that the system is reliable at both room temperature and cryogenic temperatures (77 K). The instrument is suitable for any physics or engineering laboratory either for research or academic purposes.

Tibiofemoral contact mechanics after serial medial meniscectomies in the human cadaveric knee.

PubMed

Lee, Stephen J; Aadalen, Kirk J; Malaviya, Prasanna; Lorenz, Eric P; Hayden, Jennifer K; Farr, Jack; Kang, Richard W; Cole, Brian J

2006-08-01

There is no consensus regarding the extent of meniscectomy leading to deleterious effects on tibiofemoral contact mechanics. The meniscus aids in optimizing tibiofemoral contact mechanics, increasing contact area, and decreasing contact stress. Controlled laboratory study. Twelve fresh-frozen human cadaveric knees each underwent 15 separate testing conditions-5 serial 20-mm posterior medial meniscectomy conditions (intact, 50% radial width, 75% radial width, segmental, and total meniscectomy) at 3 flexion angles (0 degrees , 30 degrees , and 60 degrees )-under an 1800-N axial load. Tekscan sensors were used to measure total force and medial force, contact area, mean contact stress, and peak contact stress. All posterior medial meniscectomy conditions resulted in significantly decreased contact areas and increased mean and peak contact stresses compared with the intact state (P < .05). The changes in contact mechanics after segmental and total posterior medial meniscectomies were not statistically different (P > .05). Incremental changes in contact area and mean contact stress increased as more peripheral portions of the medial meniscus were removed, whereas peak contact stresses exhibited similar incremental changes throughout all meniscectomy conditions. The meniscus is a crucial load-bearing structure, optimizing contact area and minimizing contact stress. Loss of hoop tension (ie, segmental meniscectomy) is equivalent to total meniscectomy in load-bearing terms. The peripheral portion of the medial meniscus provides a greater contribution to increasing contact areas and decreasing mean contact stresses than does the central portion, whereas peak contact stresses increase proportionally to the amount of meniscus removed. Because the degree of meniscectomy leading to clinically significant outcomes is unknown, a prudent strategy is to preserve the greatest amount of meniscus possible.

Cardiac and peripheral blood similarities in the comparison of nordiazepam and bromazepam blood concentrations.

PubMed

Pos Pok, P-Rop; Haddouche, Djamel; Mauras, Michel; Kuhlmann, Erika; Burle, Joëlle; Salmon, Thierry; Berland, Emilie; Coiffait, P-Emmanuel; Viala, Alain

2008-01-01

Concomitant heart and peripheral blood determinations were performed on 40 fatal cases involving nordiazepam (20 cases) and bromazepam (20 cases). The heart blood concentration for the two drugs (588 ng/mL for nordiazepam and 802 ng/mL for bromazepam) does not differ from the corresponding peripheral blood concentration (587 ng/mL for nordiazepam and 883 ng/mL for bromazepam). The mean ratios for the heart and peripheral blood concentrations were 0.95 for nordiazepam and 0.86 for bromazepam. No postmortem redistribution was observed for these two benzodiazepines. The authors thus suggest that corresponding heart blood can be proposed in the quantitative analysis of these drugs when peripheral blood is unavailable. The present study also shows the stability of the two drugs after a year of storage.

Price Analysis and the Serials Situation: Trying to Solve an Age-Old Problem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyers, Barbara; Fleming, Janice L.

1991-01-01

Discussion of journal pricing and its effects on academic libraries focuses on data from the Optical Society of America's pricing study that used price per 1,000 words as a quantitative evaluative tool. Data collection methodology is described, and implications of the results for library collection development are suggested. (eight references)…

Paths of Discovery: Comparing the Search Effectiveness of EBSCO Discovery Service, Summon, Google Scholar, and Conventional Library Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asher, Andrew D.; Duke, Lynda M.; Wilson, Suzanne

2013-01-01

In 2011, researchers at Bucknell University and Illinois Wesleyan University compared the search efficacy of Serial Solutions Summon, EBSCO Discovery Service, Google Scholar, and conventional library databases. Using a mixed-methods approach, qualitative and quantitative data were gathered on students' usage of these tools. Regardless of the…

Angiogenic T cell expansion correlates with severity of peripheral vascular damage in systemic sclerosis.

PubMed

Manetti, Mirko; Pratesi, Sara; Romano, Eloisa; Bellando-Randone, Silvia; Rosa, Irene; Guiducci, Serena; Fioretto, Bianca Saveria; Ibba-Manneschi, Lidia; Maggi, Enrico; Matucci-Cerinic, Marco

2017-01-01

The mechanisms underlying endothelial cell injury and defective vascular repair in systemic sclerosis (SSc) remain unclear. Since the recently discovered angiogenic T cells (Tang) may have an important role in the repair of damaged endothelium, this study aimed to analyze the Tang population in relation to disease-related peripheral vascular features in SSc patients. Tang (CD3+CD31+CXCR4+) were quantified by flow cytometry in peripheral blood samples from 39 SSc patients and 18 healthy controls (HC). Circulating levels of the CXCR4 ligand stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1α and proangiogenic factors were assessed in paired serum samples by immunoassay. Serial skin sections from SSc patients and HC were subjected to CD3/CD31 and CD3/CXCR4 double immunofluorescence. Circulating Tang were significantly increased in SSc patients with digital ulcers (DU) compared either with SSc patients without DU or with HC. Tang levels were significantly higher in SSc patients with late nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) pattern than in those with early/active NVC patterns and in HC. No difference in circulating Tang was found when comparing either SSc patients without DU or patients with early/active NVC patterns and HC. In SSc peripheral blood, Tang percentage was inversely correlated to levels of SDF-1α and CD34+CD133+VEGFR-2+ endothelial progenitor cells (EPC), and positively correlated to levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and matrix metalloproteinase-9. Tang were frequently detected in SSc dermal perivascular inflammatory infiltrates. In summary, our findings demonstrate for the first time that Tang cells are selectively expanded in the circulation of SSc patients displaying severe peripheral vascular complications like DU. In SSc, Tang may represent a potentially useful biomarker reflecting peripheral vascular damage severity. Tang expansion may be an ineffective attempt to compensate the need for increased angiogenesis and EPC function. Further studies are required to clarify the function of Tang cells and investigate the mechanisms responsible for their change in SSc.

Learning to Read Vertical Text in Peripheral Vision

PubMed Central

Subramanian, Ahalya; Legge, Gordon E.; Wagoner, Gunther Harrison; Yu, Deyue

2014-01-01

Purpose English–language text is almost always written horizontally. Text can be formatted to run vertically, but this is seldom used. Several studies have found that horizontal text can be read faster than vertical text in the central visual field. No studies have investigated the peripheral visual field. Studies have also concluded that training can improve reading speed in the peripheral visual field for horizontal text. We aimed to establish whether the horizontal vertical differences are maintained and if training can improve vertical reading in the peripheral visual field. Methods Eight normally sighted young adults participated in the first study. Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) reading speed was measured for horizontal and vertical text in the central visual field and at 10° eccentricity in the upper or lower (horizontal text), and right or left (vertical text) visual fields. Twenty-one normally sighted young adults split equally between 2 training and 1 control group participated in the second study. Training consisted of RSVP reading either using vertical text in the left visual field or horizontal text in the inferior visual field. Subjects trained daily over 4 days. Pre and post horizontal and vertical RSVP reading speeds were carried out for all groups. For the training groups these measurements were repeated 1 week and 1 month post training. Results Prior to training, RSVP reading speeds were faster for horizontal text in the central and peripheral visual fields when compared to vertical text. Training vertical reading improved vertical reading speeds by an average factor of 2.8. There was partial transfer of training to the opposite (right) hemifield. The training effects were retained for up to a month. Conclusions RSVP training can improve RSVP vertical text reading in peripheral vision. These findings may have implications for patients with macular degeneration or hemianopic field loss. PMID:25062130

Serial testing of refugees for latent tuberculosis using the QuantiFERON-gold in-tube: effects of an antecedent tuberculin skin test.

PubMed

Baker, Cristina A; Thomas, William; Stauffer, William M; Peterson, Phillip K; Tsukayama, Dean T

2009-04-01

Screening for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in refugee populations immigrating to low-incidence countries remains a challenge. We assessed the characteristics of the QuantiFERON-Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) compared with the tuberculin skin test (TST) in 198 refugees of all ages from tuberculosis-endemic countries. Diagnostic agreement between the first QFT-GIT and simultaneous TST was 78% (kappa = 0.56) and between serial QFT-GITs was 89% (kappa = 0.76). In serial QFT-GIT testing, 70% of subjects had an increased QFT-GIT value, perhaps the result of an antecedent TST in the setting of previous TB exposure. This boosting seemed to become less prevalent with time from TST and occurred less frequently in those with negative first QFT-GIT readings. Despite small changes in the quantitative results caused by nonspecific variation and boosting, the diagnostic result of the QFT-GIT was reliable. The QFT-GIT shows the potential to replace the TST for LTBI screening in refugees from tuberculosis-endemic areas.

uSOP: A Microprocessor-Based Service-Oriented Platform for Control and Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aloisio, Alberto; Ameli, Fabrizio; Anastasio, Antonio; Branchini, Paolo; Di Capua, Francesco; Giordano, Raffaele; Izzo, Vincenzo; Tortone, Gennaro

2017-06-01

uSOP is a general purpose single-board computer designed for deep embedded applications in control and monitoring of detectors, sensors, and complex laboratory equipment. In this paper, we present and discuss the main aspects of the hardware and software designs and the expandable peripheral architecture built around serial busses. We show the tests done with state-of-the-art ΔΣ 24-b ADC acquisition modules, in order to assess the achievable noise floor in a typical application. Eventually, we report on the deployment of uSOP in the monitoring system framework of the Belle2 experiment, presently under construction at the KEK Laboratory (Tsukuba, Japan).

Quantitative analysis of circadian single cell oscillations in response to temperature

PubMed Central

Kramer, Achim; Herzel, Hanspeter

2018-01-01

Body temperature rhythms synchronize circadian oscillations in different tissues, depending on the degree of cellular coupling: the responsiveness to temperature is higher when single circadian oscillators are uncoupled. So far, the role of coupling in temperature responsiveness has only been studied in organotypic tissue slices of the central circadian pacemaker, because it has been assumed that peripheral target organs behave like uncoupled multicellular oscillators. Since recent studies indicate that some peripheral tissues may exhibit cellular coupling as well, we asked whether peripheral network dynamics also influence temperature responsiveness. Using a novel technique for long-term, high-resolution bioluminescence imaging of primary cultured cells, exposed to repeated temperature cycles, we were able to quantitatively measure period, phase, and amplitude of central (suprachiasmatic nuclei neuron dispersals) and peripheral (mouse ear fibroblasts) single cell oscillations in response to temperature. Employing temperature cycles of different lengths, and different cell densities, we found that some circadian characteristics appear cell-autonomous, e.g. period responses, while others seem to depend on the quality/degree of cellular communication, e.g. phase relationships, robustness of the oscillation, and amplitude. Overall, our findings indicate a strong dependence on the cell’s ability for intercellular communication, which is not only true for neuronal pacemakers, but, importantly, also for cells in peripheral tissues. Hence, they stress the importance of comparative studies that evaluate the degree of coupling in a given tissue, before it may be used effectively as a target for meaningful circadian manipulation. PMID:29293562

The Role of High-resolution Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography as a Biomarker for Joint Damage in Inflammatory Arthritis.

PubMed

Tam, Lai-Shan

2016-10-01

Since 2011, members of the SPECTRA Collaboration (Study grouP for xtrEme-Computed Tomography in Rheumatoid Arthritis) have investigated the validity, reliability, and responsiveness of high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) as a biomarker for joint damage in inflammatory arthritis. Presented in this series of articles are a systematic review of HR-pQCT-related findings to date, a review of selected images of cortical and subchondral trabecular bone of metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints, results of a consensus process to standardize the definition of erosions and their quantification, as well as an examination of the effect of joint flexion on width and volume assessment of the joint space.

Determining Metacarpophalangeal Flexion Angle Tolerance for Reliable Volumetric Joint Space Measurements by High-resolution Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography.

PubMed

Tom, Stephanie; Frayne, Mark; Manske, Sarah L; Burghardt, Andrew J; Stok, Kathryn S; Boyd, Steven K; Barnabe, Cheryl

2016-10-01

The position-dependence of a method to measure the joint space of metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) was studied. Cadaveric MCP were imaged at 7 flexion angles between 0 and 30 degrees. The variability in reproducibility for mean, minimum, and maximum joint space widths and volume measurements was calculated for increasing degrees of flexion. Root mean square coefficient of variance values were < 5% under 20 degrees of flexion for mean, maximum, and volumetric joint spaces. Values for minimum joint space width were optimized under 10 degrees of flexion. MCP joint space measurements should be acquired at < 10 degrees of flexion in longitudinal studies.

[Fluorescence quantitative PCR detection of WT1 gene expression in peripheral blood of patients with acute leukemias and its clinical implications].

PubMed

Bai, Bo; Wang, Hong-Wei; Xu, Yong-Qun; Yang, Hei-Nu; Qiao, Zhen-Hua

2005-08-01

To elucidate the expression of WT1 in all types of leukemias and its implications for monitoring minimal residual disease in patients with acute leukemia, the peripheral blood from 55 leukemia patients and 10 normal voluteer was detected by using FQ-RT-PCR. Follow-up monitoring of WT1 expression of peripheral blood was performed for 20 patients with acute leukemia. The results showed that the expression of WT1 gene in all types of leukemias was significantly higher than that in normal control (P < 0.001). For ANLL and ALL patients, the survival time in the group of WT1 6.8 x 10(-3), (P = 0.027). Follow-up detection of the expression of WT1 in peripheral blood samples from 20 acute leukemia patients, 7 cases relapsed after complete remission has been done. In 5 of 7 relapsed patients, the expression of WT1 had obviously increased about 2 - 3 months before clinical relapse became apparent. It is concluded that the established FQ-RT-PCR method is accurate and specific. The expression of WT1 gene is relatively high in all types of leukemias compared with normal peripheral blood cells, the higher WT1 expression may associate with poor prognosis in acute leukemia, and the dynamics of WT1 level correlate with the disease status. The quantitative assessment of WT1 expression in peripheral blood samples by FQ-RT-PCR may be a useful tool for monitoring minimal residual disease.

Quantitative scintigraphy in diagnosis and management of plantar fasciitis (Calcaneal periostitis): concise communication

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

Sewell, J.R.; Black, C.M.; Chapman, A.H.

1980-07-01

We have found that Tc-99m methylene diphosphonate imaging of the heel is of diagnostic value in the painful heel syndrome, permitting positive identification of the site of inflammation in cases where radiography is unhelpful. With this technique, tracer uptake in the heel is susceptible to quantification, allowing a serial and objective assessment of response to therapy.

Laminar Cortical Dynamics of Cognitive and Motor Working Memory, Sequence Learning and Performance: Toward a Unified Theory of How the Cerebral Cortex Works

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grossberg, Stephen; Pearson, Lance R.

2008-01-01

How does the brain carry out working memory storage, categorization, and voluntary performance of event sequences? The LIST PARSE neural model proposes an answer that unifies the explanation of cognitive, neurophysiological, and anatomical data. It quantitatively simulates human cognitive data about immediate serial recall and free recall, and…

[Differential diagnosis of papillary carcinomas of the thyroid, using image analysis and three dimensional reconstruction from serial sections].

PubMed

Holschbach, A; Kriete, A; Schäffer, R

1990-01-01

Papillae with fibrovascular cores are characteristic of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid. Papillae may be found in diffuse hyperplasia, nodular hyperplasia, Hashimoto's disease and follicular adenoma. Tissues from ten benign hyperplasias and ten papillary carcinomas were reconstructed from serial sections with three dimensional reconstruction programs. Significant qualitative and quantitative differences were found between the hyperplasia and the carcinoma. The principal differences between papillae of papillary carcinoma and hyperplasia were more clearly seen in the three dimensional reconstruction, than by means of morphometric methods. Certain criteria, e.g. the volume of papillae, were useful only with regard to the third dimension. Nevertheless, three dimensional reconstruction of biological tissue is a time consuming procedure which is not yet suitable for routine examination.

CAVIAR: a serial ECG processing system for the comparative analysis of VCGs and their interpretation with auto-reference to the patient.

PubMed

Fayn, J; Rubel, P

1988-01-01

The authors present a new computer program for serial ECG analysis that allows a direct comparison of any couple of three-dimensional ECGs and quantitatively assesses the degree of evolution of the spatial loops as well as of their initial, central, or terminal sectors. Loops and sectors are superposed as best as possible, with the aim of overcoming tracing variability of nonpathological origin. As a result, optimal measures of evolution are computed and a tabular summary of measurements is dynamically configured with respect to the patient's history and is then printed. A multivariate classifier assigns each couple of tracings to one of four classes of evolution. Color graphic displays corresponding to several modes of representation may also be plotted.

Serial monitoring of Mucorales DNA load in serum samples of a patient with disseminated mucormycosis after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

PubMed

Shigemura, Tomonari; Nakazawa, Yozo; Matsuda, Kazuyuki; Sano, Kenji; Yaguchi, Takashi; Motobayashi, Mitsuo; Saito, Shoji; Noda, Shunsuke; Kobayashi, Norimoto; Agematsu, Kazunaga; Honda, Takayuki; Koike, Kenichi

2014-08-01

Mucormycosis is a fatal complication in immunocompromised patients, and is additionally difficult to diagnose due to the lack of useful serum biomarkers. Using a quantitative PCR approach, we retrospectively analyzed Mucorales DNA load in sera collected serially from a 3-year-old patient with chronic granulomatous disease, who died of multi-organ failure probably due to dissemination of Rhizomucor pusillus, which was detected from necropsy specimens. Mucorales DNA load was below the detection limit on days 9, 2, and 4 after unrelated bone marrow transplantation. Rhizomucor DNA was first detected on day 14 (1.6 × 10(3) copies/mL), and subsequently fluctuated between 1.3 × 10(3) and 37.2 × 10(3) copies/mL until day 43. Rhizomucor achieved a peak value of 940.0 × 10(3) copies/mL on day 48 the day before death. The detection or fluctuation of Rhizomucor DNA appeared to be associated with corticosteroid dosages or C-reactive protein levels. This specific, noninvasive, and highly quantitative assay may be useful for the early diagnosis of mucormycosis and prediction of disease progression.

Peripheral denervation participates in heterotopic ossification in a spinal cord injury model

PubMed Central

Salga, Marjorie; Begot, Laurent; Holy, Xavier; Chedik, Malha; de l’Escalopier, Nicolas; Torossian, Fréderic; Levesque, Jean-Pierre; Lataillade, Jean-Jacques; Le Bousse-Kerdilès, Marie-Caroline; Genêt, François

2017-01-01

We previously reported the development of a new acquired neurogenic HO (NHO) mouse model, combining spinal cord transection (SCI) and chemical muscle injury. Pathological mechanisms responsible for ectopic osteogenesis after central neurological damage are still to be elucidated. In this study, we first hypothesized that peripheral nervous system (PNS) might convey pathological signals from injured spinal cord to muscles in NHO mouse model. Secondly, we sought to determine whether SCI could lead to intramuscular modifications of BMP2 signaling pathways. Twenty one C57Bl6 mice were included in this protocol. Bilateral cardiotoxin (CTX) injection in hamstring muscles was associated with a two-stage surgical procedure, combining thoracic SCI with unilateral peripheral denervation. Volumes of HO (Bone Volume, BV) were measured 28 days after surgery using micro-computed tomography imaging techniques and histological analyses were made to confirm intramuscular osteogenesis. Volume comparisons were conducted between right and left hind limb of each animal, using a Wilcoxon signed rank test. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was performed to explore intra muscular expression of BMP2, Alk3 and Id1. Nineteen mice survive the complete SCI and peripheral denervation procedure. When CTX injections were done right after surgery (n = 7), bilateral HO were detected in all animals after 28 days. Micro-CT measurements showed significantly increased BV in denervated paws (1.47 mm3 +/- 0.5) compared to contralateral sides (0.56 mm3 +/-0.4), p = 0.03. When peripheral denervation and CTX injections were performed after sham SCI surgery (n = 6), bilateral HO were present in three mice at day 28. Quantitative PCR analyses showed no changes in intra muscular BMP2 expression after SCI as compared to control mice (shamSCI). Peripheral denervation can be reliably added to spinal cord transection in NHO mouse model. This new experimental design confirms that neuro inflammatory mechanisms induced by central or peripheral nervous system injury plays a key role in triggering ectopic osteogenesis. PMID:28854256

Common MRI acquisition non-idealities significantly impact the output of the boundary shift integral method of measuring brain atrophy on serial MRI.

PubMed

Preboske, Gregory M; Gunter, Jeff L; Ward, Chadwick P; Jack, Clifford R

2006-05-01

Measuring rates of brain atrophy from serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies is an attractive way to assess disease progression in neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD). A widely recognized approach is the boundary shift integral (BSI). The objective of this study was to evaluate how several common scan non-idealities affect the output of the BSI algorithm. We created three types of image non-idealities between the image volumes in a serial pair used to measure between-scan change: inconsistent image contrast between serial scans, head motion, and poor signal-to-noise (SNR). In theory the BSI volume difference measured between each pair of images should be zero and any deviation from zero should represent corruption of the BSI measurement by some non-ideality intentionally introduced into the second scan in the pair. Two different BSI measures were evaluated, whole brain and ventricle. As the severity of motion, noise, and non-congruent image contrast increased in the second scan, the calculated BSI values deviated progressively more from the expected value of zero. This study illustrates the magnitude of the error in measures of change in brain and ventricle volume across serial MRI scans that can result from commonly encountered deviations from ideal image quality. The magnitudes of some of the measurement errors seen in this study exceed the disease effect in AD shown in various publications, which range from 1% to 2.78% per year for whole brain atrophy and 5.4% to 13.8% per year for ventricle expansion (Table 1). For example, measurement error may exceed 100% if image contrast properties dramatically differ between the two scans in a measurement pair. Methods to maximize consistency of image quality over time are an essential component of any quantitative serial MRI study.

Noninvasive identification of the total peripheral resistance baroreflex

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mukkamala, Ramakrishna; Toska, Karin; Cohen, Richard J.

2003-01-01

We propose two identification algorithms for quantitating the total peripheral resistance (TPR) baroreflex, an important contributor to short-term arterial blood pressure (ABP) regulation. Each algorithm analyzes beat-to-beat fluctuations in ABP and cardiac output, which may both be obtained noninvasively in humans. For a theoretical evaluation, we applied both algorithms to a realistic cardiovascular model. The results contrasted with only one of the algorithms proving to be reliable. This algorithm was able to track changes in the static gains of both the arterial and cardiopulmonary TPR baroreflex. We then applied both algorithms to a preliminary set of human data and obtained contrasting results much like those obtained from the cardiovascular model, thereby making the theoretical evaluation results more meaningful. This study suggests that, with experimental testing, the reliable identification algorithm may provide a powerful, noninvasive means for quantitating the TPR baroreflex. This study also provides an example of the role that models can play in the development and initial evaluation of algorithms aimed at quantitating important physiological mechanisms.

Serial auditory-evoked potentials in the diagnosis and monitoring of a child with Landau-Kleffner syndrome.

PubMed

Plyler, Erin; Harkrider, Ashley W

2013-01-01

A boy, aged 2 1/2 yr, experienced sudden deterioration of speech and language abilities. He saw multiple medical professionals across 2 yr. By almost 5 yr, his vocabulary diminished from 50 words to 4, and he was referred to our speech and hearing center. The purpose of this study was to heighten awareness of Landau-Kleffner syndrome (LKS) and emphasize the importance of an objective test battery that includes serial auditory-evoked potentials (AEPs) to audiologists who often are on the front lines of diagnosis and treatment delivery when faced with a child experiencing unexplained loss of the use of speech and language. Clinical report. Interview revealed a family history of seizure disorder. Normal social behaviors were observed. Acoustic reflexes and otoacoustic emissions were consistent with normal peripheral auditory function. The child could not complete behavioral audiometric testing or auditory processing tests, so serial AEPs were used to examine central nervous system function. Normal auditory brainstem responses, a replicable Na and absent Pa of the middle latency responses, and abnormal slow cortical potentials suggested dysfunction of auditory processing at the cortical level. The child was referred to a neurologist, who confirmed LKS. At age 7 1/2 yr, after 2 1/2 yr of antiepileptic medications, electroencephalographic (EEG) and audiometric measures normalized. Presently, the child communicates manually with limited use of oral information. Audiologists often are one of the first professionals to assess children with loss of speech and language of unknown origin. Objective, noninvasive, serial AEPs are a simple and valuable addition to the central audiometric test battery when evaluating a child with speech and language regression. The inclusion of these tests will markedly increase the chance for early and accurate referral, diagnosis, and monitoring of a child with LKS which is imperative for a positive prognosis. American Academy of Audiology.

New semi-quantitative 123I-MIBG estimation method compared with scoring system in follow-up of advanced neuroblastoma: utility of total MIBG retention ratio versus scoring method.

PubMed

Sano, Yuko; Okuyama, Chio; Iehara, Tomoko; Matsushima, Shigenori; Yamada, Kei; Hosoi, Hajime; Nishimura, Tsunehiko

2012-07-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate a new semi-quantitative estimation method using (123)I-MIBG retention ratio to assess response to chemotherapy for advanced neuroblastoma. Thirteen children with advanced neuroblastoma (International Neuroblastoma Risk Group Staging System: stage M) were examined for a total of 51 studies with (123)I-MIBG scintigraphy (before and during chemotherapy). We proposed a new semi-quantitative method using MIBG retention ratio (count obtained with delayed image/count obtained with early image with decay correction) to estimate MIBG accumulation. We analyzed total (123)I-MIBG retention ratio (TMRR: total body count obtained with delayed image/total body count obtained with early image with decay correction) and compared with a scoring method in terms of correlation with tumor markers. TMRR showed significantly higher correlations with urinary catecholamine metabolites before chemotherapy (VMA: r(2) = 0.45, P < 0.05, HVA: r(2) = 0.627, P < 0.01) than MIBG score (VMA: r(2) = 0.19, P = 0.082, HVA: r(2) = 0.25, P = 0.137). There were relatively good correlations between serial change of TMRR and those of urinary catecholamine metabolites (VMA: r(2) = 0.274, P < 0.001, HVA: r(2) = 0.448, P < 0.0001) compared with serial change of MIBG score and those of tumor markers (VMA: r(2) = 0.01, P = 0.537, HVA: 0.084, P = 0.697) during chemotherapy for advanced neuroblastoma. TMRR could be a useful semi-quantitative method for estimating early response to chemotherapy of advanced neuroblastoma because of its high correlation with urine catecholamine metabolites.

Use of Serial Quantitative PCR of the vapA Gene of Rhodococcus equi in Feces for Early Detection of R. equi Pneumonia in Foals.

PubMed

Madrigal, R G; Shaw, S D; Witkowski, L A; Sisson, B E; Blodgett, G P; Chaffin, M K; Cohen, N D

2016-01-01

Current screening tests for Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals lack adequate accuracy for clinical use. Real-time, quantitative PCR (qPCR) for virulent R. equi in feces has not been systematically evaluated as a screening test. The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of qPCR for vapA in serially collected fecal samples as a screening test for R. equi pneumonia in foals. One hundred and twenty-five foals born in 2011 at a ranch in Texas. Fecal samples were collected concurrently with thoracic ultrasonography (TUS) screening examinations at ages 3, 5, and 7 weeks. Affected (pneumonic) foals (n = 25) were matched by age and date-of-birth to unaffected (n = 25) and subclinical (ie, having thoracic TUS lesions but no clinical signs of pneumonia) foals (n = 75). DNA was extracted from feces using commercial kits and concentration of virulent R. equi in feces was determined by qPCR. Subsequently affected foals had significantly greater concentrations of vapA in feces than foals that did not develop pneumonia (unaffected and subclinical foals) at 5 and 7 weeks of age. Accuracy of fecal qPCR, however, was poor as a screening test to differentiate foals that would develop clinical signs of pneumonia from those that would remain free of clinical signs (including foals with subclinical pulmonary lesions attributed to R. equi) using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) methods. In the population studied, serial qPCR on feces lacked adequate accuracy as a screening test for clinical R. equi foal pneumonia. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Correlation of the turbo-MP RIA with ImmunoCAP FEIA for determination of food allergen-specific immunoglobulin E.

PubMed

Kontis, Kris J; Valcour, Andre; Patel, Ashok; Chen, Andy; Wang, Jan; Chow, Julia; Nayak, Narayan

2006-01-01

It has been reported that in vitro measurement of food-specific IgE can be used to accurately predict food allergy and reduce the risk associated with double-blinded placebo-controlled food challenges (DBPCFC). Our objective was to assess the performance characteristics of the Hycor Turbo-MP quantitative radioimmunoassay for food-specific IgE and to determine this method's comparability to another assay, the Pharmacia ImmunoCAP fluorescence enzyme immunoassay (FEIA). The dynamic range of the Turbo-MP assay is 0.05 to 100 IU/ml, compared to 0.35 to 100 IU/ml for the FEIA. Performance characteristics of the Turbo-MP assay (ie, reproducibility of the calibration curve, within-run precision, total precision, parallelism, and linearity) were determined using samples from the Hycor serum bank. The precision (CV) of IgE calibrator replicates was <10%. The total precision (CV) of the Turbo-MP assay ranged from 8.8% to 18.4% for specific IgE concentrations between 0.28 to 31.4 IU/ml. Testing of serial dilutions of sera with IgE specificities for egg white, cow's milk, codfish, wheat, peanut, and soybean showed that the assay is linear over the entire dynamic range. Serial dilution data (slopes of 1.01 to 1.10) showed parallelism to serial dilutions of the IgE calibrator (slope of 0.96). The Turbo-MP and FEIA methods were both used for quantitative assays of food-specific IgE in 457 serum samples obtained from a clinical reference laboratory. Comparison of specific IgE results by the Turbo-MP and FEIA methods for 6 major food allergens exhibited a slope of 0.99 (0.92 to 1.03) with a correlation coefficient of 0.81.

Outcome of coronary plaque burden: a 10-year follow-up of aggressive medical management.

PubMed

Goh, Victor K; Lau, Chu-Pak; Mohlenkamp, Stefan; Rumberger, John A; Achenbach, Stephan; Budoff, Matthew J

2010-03-12

The effect of aggressive medical therapy on quantitative coronary plaque burden is not generally known, especially in ethnic Chinese. We reasoned that Cardiac CT could conveniently quantify early coronary atherosclerosis in our patient population, and hypothesized that serial observation could differentiate the efficacy of aggressive medical therapy regarding progression and regression of the atherosclerotic process, as well as evaluating the additional impact of life-style modification and the relative effects of the application of statin therapy. We employed a standardized Cardiac CT protocol to serially scan 113 westernized Hong Kong Chinese individuals (64 men and 49 women) with Chest Pain and positive coronary risk factors. In all cases included for this serial investigation, subsequent evaluation showed no significantly-obstructive coronary disease by functional studies and angiography. After stringent risk factor modification, including aggressive statin therapy to achieve LDL-cholesterol lowering conforming to N.C.E.P. ATP III guidelines, serial CT scans were performed 1-12 years apart for changes in coronary artery calcification (CAC), using the Agatston Score (AS) for quantification. At baseline, the mean AS was 1413.6 for males (mean age 54.4 years) and 2293.3 for females (mean age 62.4 years). The average increase of AS in the entire study population was 24% per year, contrasting with 16.4% per year on strict risk factor modification plus statin therapy, as opposed to 33.2% per year for historical control patients (p < 0.001). Additionally, 20.4% of the 113 patients demonstrated decreasing calcium scores. Medical therapy also yielded a remarkably low adverse event rate during the follow-up period --- 2 deaths, 2 strokes and only 1 case requiring PCI. This study revealed that aggressive medical therapy can positively influence coronary plaque aiding in serial regression of calcium scores.

THE RELATION OF RADIATION INJURY TO NUTRITION IN MICE SUBMITTED TO WHOLE- BODY LD$sub 50$ X-RAY IRRADIATION

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

Hata, T.

1960-01-01

The relation of radiation injury to the qualitative and quantitative changes of nutrition was studied in mice. From the qualitative standpoint of nutrition, the high protein, high casein, and butter diet showed a degree of radiation protection in the changes of the peripheral blood, changes of body weight, and survival rate. The carbohydrate diet showed some effect in radiation protection and recovery. Quantitatively a low caloric diet was conducive to radiation injury and the high caloric diet showed protection and recovery effects in changes of the peripheral blood and body weight which is proportional to the number of calories. Themore » decrease of caloric intake after irradiation showed an undesirable effect on recovery. (Absts. Japan. Med., 1: No. 7, 1960.)« less

Active Low Intrusion Hybrid Monitor for Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Navia, Marlon; Campelo, Jose C.; Bonastre, Alberto; Ors, Rafael; Capella, Juan V.; Serrano, Juan J.

2015-01-01

Several systems have been proposed to monitor wireless sensor networks (WSN). These systems may be active (causing a high degree of intrusion) or passive (low observability inside the nodes). This paper presents the implementation of an active hybrid (hardware and software) monitor with low intrusion. It is based on the addition to the sensor node of a monitor node (hardware part) which, through a standard interface, is able to receive the monitoring information sent by a piece of software executed in the sensor node. The intrusion on time, code, and energy caused in the sensor nodes by the monitor is evaluated as a function of data size and the interface used. Then different interfaces, commonly available in sensor nodes, are evaluated: serial transmission (USART), serial peripheral interface (SPI), and parallel. The proposed hybrid monitor provides highly detailed information, barely disturbed by the measurement tool (interference), about the behavior of the WSN that may be used to evaluate many properties such as performance, dependability, security, etc. Monitor nodes are self-powered and may be removed after the monitoring campaign to be reused in other campaigns and/or WSNs. No other hardware-independent monitoring platforms with such low interference have been found in the literature. PMID:26393604

Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) in bovine trypanotolerance: preliminary results

PubMed Central

2003-01-01

In Africa, trypanosomosis is a tsetse-transmitted disease which represents the most important constraint to livestock production. Several indigenous West African taurine (Bos taurus) breeds, such as the Longhorn (N'Dama) cattle are well known to control trypanosome infections. This genetic ability named "trypanotolerance" results from various biological mechanisms under multigenic control. The methodologies used so far have not succeeded in identifying the complete pool of genes involved in trypanotolerance. New post genomic biotechnologies such as transcriptome analyses are efficient in characterising the pool of genes involved in the expression of specific biological functions. We used the serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) technique to construct, from Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of an N'Dama cow, 2 total mRNA transcript libraries, at day 0 of a Trypanosoma congolense experimental infection and at day 10 post-infection, corresponding to the peak of parasitaemia. Bioinformatic comparisons in the bovine genomic databases allowed the identification of 187 up- and down- regulated genes, EST and unknown functional genes. Identification of the genes involved in trypanotolerance will allow to set up specific microarray sets for further metabolic and pharmacological studies and to design field marker-assisted selection by introgression programmes. PMID:12927079

Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) in bovine trypanotolerance: preliminary results.

PubMed

Berthier, David; Quéré, Ronan; Thevenon, Sophie; Belemsaga, Désiré; Piquemal, David; Marti, Jacques; Maillard, Jean-Charles

2003-01-01

In Africa, trypanosomosis is a tsetse-transmitted disease which represents the most important constraint to livestock production. Several indigenous West African taurine Bos taurus) breeds, such as the Longhorn (N'Dama) cattle are well known to control trypanosome infections. This genetic ability named "trypanotolerance" results from various biological mechanisms under multigenic control. The methodologies used so far have not succeeded in identifying the complete pool of genes involved in trypanotolerance. New post genomic biotechnologies such as transcriptome analyses are efficient in characterising the pool of genes involved in the expression of specific biological functions. We used the serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) technique to construct, from Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of an N'Dama cow, 2 total mRNA transcript libraries, at day 0 of a Trypanosoma congolense experimental infection and at day 10 post-infection, corresponding to the peak of parasitaemia. Bioinformatic comparisons in the bovine genomic databases allowed the identification of 187 up- and down- regulated genes, EST and unknown functional genes. Identification of the genes involved in trypanotolerance will allow to set up specific microarray sets for further metabolic and pharmacological studies and to design field marker-assisted selection by introgression programmes.

Geolocating thermal binoculars based on a software defined camera core incorporating HOT MCT grown by MOVPE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pillans, Luke; Harmer, Jack; Edwards, Tim; Richardson, Lee

2016-05-01

Geolocation is the process of calculating a target position based on bearing and range relative to the known location of the observer. A high performance thermal imager with integrated geolocation functions is a powerful long range targeting device. Firefly is a software defined camera core incorporating a system-on-a-chip processor running the AndroidTM operating system. The processor has a range of industry standard serial interfaces which were used to interface to peripheral devices including a laser rangefinder and a digital magnetic compass. The core has built in Global Positioning System (GPS) which provides the third variable required for geolocation. The graphical capability of Firefly allowed flexibility in the design of the man-machine interface (MMI), so the finished system can give access to extensive functionality without appearing cumbersome or over-complicated to the user. This paper covers both the hardware and software design of the system, including how the camera core influenced the selection of peripheral hardware, and the MMI design process which incorporated user feedback at various stages.

The Brain's Router: A Cortical Network Model of Serial Processing in the Primate Brain

PubMed Central

Zylberberg, Ariel; Fernández Slezak, Diego; Roelfsema, Pieter R.; Dehaene, Stanislas; Sigman, Mariano

2010-01-01

The human brain efficiently solves certain operations such as object recognition and categorization through a massively parallel network of dedicated processors. However, human cognition also relies on the ability to perform an arbitrarily large set of tasks by flexibly recombining different processors into a novel chain. This flexibility comes at the cost of a severe slowing down and a seriality of operations (100–500 ms per step). A limit on parallel processing is demonstrated in experimental setups such as the psychological refractory period (PRP) and the attentional blink (AB) in which the processing of an element either significantly delays (PRP) or impedes conscious access (AB) of a second, rapidly presented element. Here we present a spiking-neuron implementation of a cognitive architecture where a large number of local parallel processors assemble together to produce goal-driven behavior. The precise mapping of incoming sensory stimuli onto motor representations relies on a “router” network capable of flexibly interconnecting processors and rapidly changing its configuration from one task to another. Simulations show that, when presented with dual-task stimuli, the network exhibits parallel processing at peripheral sensory levels, a memory buffer capable of keeping the result of sensory processing on hold, and a slow serial performance at the router stage, resulting in a performance bottleneck. The network captures the detailed dynamics of human behavior during dual-task-performance, including both mean RTs and RT distributions, and establishes concrete predictions on neuronal dynamics during dual-task experiments in humans and non-human primates. PMID:20442869

Evaluation of MCT1, MCT4 and CD147 Genes in Peripheral Blood Cells of Breast Cancer Patients and Their Potential Use as Diagnostic and Prognostic Markers.

PubMed

Luz, Maria Cláudia de B; Perez, Matheus M; Azzalis, Ligia A; Sousa, Luiz Vinícius de A; Adami, Fernando; Fonseca, Fernando L A; Alves, Beatriz da C A

2017-03-23

Patients with breast cancer-the deadliest cancer among women-are at constant risk of developing metastasis. Oxidative stress and hypoxia are common feature of tumor cells that can proliferate even in a resultant metabolic acidosis. Despite the low extracellular pH, intracellular pH of tumor cells remains relatively normal, or even more alkaline due to the action of a membrane protein family known as monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs). The objective of this study was to verify the diagnostic and prognostic value of MCT1 , MCT4 and CD147 in tumor and peripheral blood samples of patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapic treatment. Differential expression of MCT1 , MCT4 and CD147 obtained by qPCR was determined by 2 -ΔΔ C q method between biological samples (tumor and serial samples of peripheral) of patients ( n = 125) and healthy women ( n = 25). tumor samples with higher histological grades have shown higher expression of these markers; this higher expression was also observed in blood samples obtained at diagnosis of patients when compared to healthy women and in patients with positive progression of the disease (metastasis development). markers studied here could be a promising strategy in routine laboratory evaluations as breast cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

Molecular Classifiers for Acute Kidney Transplant Rejection in Peripheral Blood by Whole Genome Gene Expression Profiling

PubMed Central

Kurian, S. M.; Williams, A. N.; Gelbart, T.; Campbell, D.; Mondala, T. S.; Head, S. R.; Horvath, S.; Gaber, L.; Thompson, R.; Whisenant, T.; Lin, W.; Langfelder, P.; Robison, E. H.; Schaffer, R. L.; Fisher, J. S.; Friedewald, J.; Flechner, S. M.; Chan, L. K.; Wiseman, A. C.; Shidban, H.; Mendez, R.; Heilman, R.; Abecassis, M. M.; Marsh, C. L.; Salomon, D. R.

2015-01-01

There are no minimally invasive diagnostic metrics for acute kidney transplant rejection (AR), especially in the setting of the common confounding diagnosis, acute dysfunction with no rejection (ADNR). Thus, though kidney transplant biopsies remain the gold standard, they are invasive, have substantial risks, sampling error issues and significant costs and are not suitable for serial monitoring. Global gene expression profiles of 148 peripheral blood samples from transplant patients with excellent function and normal histology (TX; n = 46), AR (n = 63) and ADNR (n = 39), from two independent cohorts were analyzed with DNA microarrays. We applied a new normalization tool, frozen robust multi-array analysis, particularly suitable for clinical diagnostics, multiple prediction tools to discover, refine and validate robust molecular classifiers and we tested a novel one-by-one analysis strategy to model the real clinical application of this test. Multiple three-way classifier tools identified 200 highest value probesets with sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and area under the curve for the validation cohort ranging from 82% to 100%, 76% to 95%, 76% to 95%, 79% to 100%, 84% to 100% and 0.817 to 0.968, respectively. We conclude that peripheral blood gene expression profiling can be used as a minimally invasive tool to accurately reveal TX, AR and ADNR in the setting of acute kidney transplant dysfunction. PMID:24725967

Neurofilament light chain as disease biomarker in a rodent model of chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy.

PubMed

Meregalli, Cristina; Fumagalli, Giulia; Alberti, Paola; Canta, Annalisa; Carozzi, Valentina Alda; Chiorazzi, Alessia; Monza, Laura; Pozzi, Eleonora; Sandelius, Åsa; Blennow, Kaj; Zetterberg, Henrik; Marmiroli, Paola; Cavaletti, Guido

2018-06-13

The objective of this study is to test the feasibility of using serum neurofilament light chain (NfL) as a disease biomarker in Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN) since this easy accessible biological test may have a large impact on clinical management and safety of cancer patients. We performed this preclinical study using a well-characterized rat model based on repeated administration of the cytostatic drug vincristine (VCR, 0.2 mg/kg intravenously via the tail vein once/week for 4 times). Serial NfL serum concentration measured using the in-house Simoa NfL assay and peripheral neuropathy onset was measured by sensory and motor nerve conduction studies. Serum NfL measure in untreated and VCR-treated rats demonstrated a steady, and significant increase during the course of VCR administration, with a final 4-fold increase with respect to controls (p < .001) when sign of axonopathy and loss of intraepidermal nerve fibers were clearly evident and verified by behavioral, neurophysiological and pathological examination. This simple monitoring approach based on serum NfL concentration measures may be easily translated to clinical practice and should be considered as a putative marker of CIPN severity in a typical oncology outpatient setting. Further studies are needed to validate it's utility in cancer patients treated with different neurotoxic drugs. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Characterization of Intraventricular and Intracerebral Hematomas in Non-Contrast CT

PubMed Central

Nowinski, Wieslaw L; Gomolka, Ryszard S; Qian, Guoyu; Gupta, Varsha; Ullman, Natalie L; Hanley, Daniel F

2014-01-01

Summary Characterization of hematomas is essential in scan reading, manual delineation, and designing automatic segmentation algorithms. Our purpose is to characterize the distribution of intraventricular (IVH) and intracerebral hematomas (ICH) in NCCT scans, study their relationship to gray matter (GM), and to introduce a new tool for quantitative hematoma delineation. We used 289 serial retrospective scans of 51 patients. Hematomas were manually delineated in a two-stage process. Hematoma contours generated in the first stage were quantified and enhanced in the second stage. Delineation was based on new quantitative rules and hematoma profiling, and assisted by a dedicated tool superimposing quantitative information on scans with 3D hematoma display. The tool provides: density maps (40-85HU), contrast maps (8/15HU), mean horizontal/vertical contrasts for hematoma contours, and hematoma contours below a specified mean contrast (8HU). White matter (WM) and GM were segmented automatically. IVH/ICH on serial NCCT is characterized by 59.0HU mean, 60.0HU median, 11.6HU standard deviation, 23.9HU mean contrast, –0.99HU/day slope, and –0.24 skewness (changing over time from negative to positive). Its 0.1st-99.9th percentile range corresponds to 25-88HU range. WM and GM are highly correlated (R 2=0.88; p<10–10) whereas the GM-GS correlation is weak (R 2=0.14; p<10–10). The intersection point of mean GM-hematoma density distributions is at 55.6±5.8HU with the corresponding GM/hematoma percentiles of 88th/40th. Objective characterization of IVH/ICH and stating the rules quantitatively will aid raters to delineate hematomas more robustly and facilitate designing algorithms for automatic hematoma segmentation. Our two-stage process is general and potentially applicable to delineate other pathologies on various modalities more robustly and quantitatively. PMID:24976197

Characterization of intraventricular and intracerebral hematomas in non-contrast CT.

PubMed

Nowinski, Wieslaw L; Gomolka, Ryszard S; Qian, Guoyu; Gupta, Varsha; Ullman, Natalie L; Hanley, Daniel F

2014-06-01

Characterization of hematomas is essential in scan reading, manual delineation, and designing automatic segmentation algorithms. Our purpose is to characterize the distribution of intraventricular (IVH) and intracerebral hematomas (ICH) in NCCT scans, study their relationship to gray matter (GM), and to introduce a new tool for quantitative hematoma delineation. We used 289 serial retrospective scans of 51 patients. Hematomas were manually delineated in a two-stage process. Hematoma contours generated in the first stage were quantified and enhanced in the second stage. Delineation was based on new quantitative rules and hematoma profiling, and assisted by a dedicated tool superimposing quantitative information on scans with 3D hematoma display. The tool provides: density maps (40-85HU), contrast maps (8/15HU), mean horizontal/vertical contrasts for hematoma contours, and hematoma contours below a specified mean contrast (8HU). White matter (WM) and GM were segmented automatically. IVH/ICH on serial NCCT is characterized by 59.0HU mean, 60.0HU median, 11.6HU standard deviation, 23.9HU mean contrast, -0.99HU/day slope, and -0.24 skewness (changing over time from negative to positive). Its 0.1(st)-99.9(th) percentile range corresponds to 25-88HU range. WM and GM are highly correlated (R (2)=0.88; p<10(-10)) whereas the GM-GS correlation is weak (R (2)=0.14; p<10(-10)). The intersection point of mean GM-hematoma density distributions is at 55.6±5.8HU with the corresponding GM/hematoma percentiles of 88(th)/40(th). Objective characterization of IVH/ICH and stating the rules quantitatively will aid raters to delineate hematomas more robustly and facilitate designing algorithms for automatic hematoma segmentation. Our two-stage process is general and potentially applicable to delineate other pathologies on various modalities more robustly and quantitatively.

Time Series Analysis of Networks: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Sanctions on Iran

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-27

quantitatively model the evolution and “learning” of this Iranian Network? This was the question posed to three summer apprentices at the Network Science...designated them Peripheral Players. For example, in this model the Nuclear Fuel and Procurement Company is a Broker and Bank Melli is a Peripheral Player...resource/us-sanction> [3] Al Arabiya, “Sanctions against Iran stymied efforts to produce ballistic missles : report,” Al Arabiya News, 30 July 2012. 30

Quantitative analysis of diffusion tensor imaging data in serial assessment of Krabbe disease.

PubMed

Provenzale, James M; Escolar, Maria; Kurtzberg, Joanne

2005-12-01

Krabbe disease is a rare autosomal recessive pediatric white matter (WM) disorder that is due to deficiency of a specific enzyme, beta-galactocerebrosidase. This report reviews our experience with use of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in serial assessment of WM changes in Krabbe disease following stem cell transplantation. DTI appears to be a sensitive means to monitor effects of stem cell transplantation on WM development in Krabbe disease. The group of early transplantation infants was clearly distinguishable from the group of late transplantation infants based on anisotropy measurements. Good correlation also was seen between neurodevelopmental scores and anisotropy measurements. The work described here in Krabbe disease may serve as a model for application of DTI to other therapies in various WM disorders such as multiple sclerosis and dysmyelinating disorders of childhood.

[Quantitative PCR in the diagnosis of Leishmania].

PubMed

Mortarino, M; Franceschi, A; Mancianti, F; Bazzocchi, C; Genchi, C; Bandi, C

2004-06-01

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a sensitive and rapid method for the diagnosis of canine Leishmania infection and can be performed on a variety of biological samples, including peripheral blood, lymph node, bone marrow and skin. Standard PCR requires electrophoretic analysis of the amplification products and is usually not suitable for quantification of the template DNA (unless competitor-based or other methods are developed), being of reduced usefulness when accurate monitoring of target DNA is required. Quantitative real-time PCR allows the continuous monitoring of the accumulation of PCR products during the amplification reaction. This allows the identification of the cycle of near-logarithmic PCR product generation (threshold cycle) and, by inference, the relative quantification of the template DNA present at the start of the reaction. Since the amplification product are monitored in "real-time" as they form cycle-by-cycle, no post-amplification handling is required. The absolute quantification is performed according either to an internal standard co-amplified with the sample DNA, or to an external standard curve obtained by parallel amplification of serial known concentrations of a reference DNA sequence. From the quantification of the template DNA, an estimation of the relative load of parasites in the different samples can be obtained. The advantages compared to standard and semi-quantitative PCR techniques are reduction of the assay's time and contamination risks, and improved sensitivity. As for standard PCR, the minimal components of the quantitative PCR reaction mixture are the DNA target of the amplification, an oligonucleotide primer pair flanking the target sequence, a suitable DNA polymerase, deoxynucleotides, buffer and salts. Different technologies have been set up for the monitoring of amplification products, generally based on the use of fluorescent probes. For instance, SYBR Green technology is a non-specific detection system based on a fluorescent dsDNA intercalator and it is applicable to all potential targets. TaqMan technology is more specific since performs the direct assessment of the amount of amplified DNA using a fluorescent probe specific for the target sequence flanked by the primer pair. This probe is an oligonucleotide labelled with a reporter dye (fluorescent) and a quencher (which absorbs the fluorescent signal generated by the reporter). The thermic protocol of amplification allows the binding of the fluorescent probe to the target sequence before the binding of the primers and the starting of the polymerization by Taq polymerase. During polymerization, 5'-3' exonuclease activity of Taq polymerase digests the probe and in this way the reporter dye is released from the probe and a fluorescent signal is detected. The intensity of the signal accumulates at the end of each cycle and is related to the amount of the amplification product. In recent years, quantitative PCR methods based either on SYBR Green or TaqMan technology have been set up for the quantification of Leishmania in mouse liver, mouse skin and human peripheral blood, targeting either single-copy chromosomal or multi-copy minicircle sequences with high sensitivity and reproducibility. In particular, real-time PCR seems to be a reliable, rapid and noninvasive method for the diagnosis and follow up of visceral leishmaniasis in humans. At present, the application of real-time PCR for research and clinical diagnosis of Leishmania infection in dogs is still foreseable. As for standard PCR, the high sensitivity of real-time PCR could allow the use of blood sampling that is less invasive and easily performed for monitoring the status of the dogs. The development of a real-time PCR assay for Leishmania infantum infection in dogs could support the standard and optimized serological and PCR methods currenly in use for the diagnosis and follow-up of canine leishmaniasis, and perhaps prediction of recurrences associated with tissue loads of residual pathogens after treatment. At this regard, a TaqMan Real Time PCR method developed for the quantification of Leishmania infantum minicircle DNA in peripheral blood of naturally infected dogs sampled before and at different time points after the beginning of a standard antileishmanial therapy will be illustrated.

The new AP Physics exams: Integrating qualitative and quantitative reasoning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elby, Andrew

2015-04-01

When physics instructors and education researchers emphasize the importance of integrating qualitative and quantitative reasoning in problem solving, they usually mean using those types of reasoning serially and separately: first students should analyze the physical situation qualitatively/conceptually to figure out the relevant equations, then they should process those equations quantitatively to generate a solution, and finally they should use qualitative reasoning to check that answer for plausibility (Heller, Keith, & Anderson, 1992). The new AP Physics 1 and 2 exams will, of course, reward this approach to problem solving. But one kind of free response question will demand and reward a further integration of qualitative and quantitative reasoning, namely mathematical modeling and sense-making--inventing new equations to capture a physical situation and focusing on proportionalities, inverse proportionalities, and other functional relations to infer what the equation ``says'' about the physical world. In this talk, I discuss examples of these qualitative-quantitative translation questions, highlighting how they differ from both standard quantitative and standard qualitative questions. I then discuss the kinds of modeling activities that can help AP and college students develop these skills and habits of mind.

Software Cost Measuring and Reporting. One of the Software Acquisition Engineering Guidebook Series.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-01-02

through the peripherals. How- and performance criteria), ever, his interaction is usually minimal since, by difinition , the automatic test Since TS...performs its Software estimating is still heavily intended functions properly. dependent on experienced judgement. However, quantitative methods...apply to systems of totally different can be distributed to specialists who content. The Quantitative guideline may are most familiar with the work. One

Balance and Gait Impairment: Sensor-Based Assessment for Patients With Peripheral Neuropathy.

PubMed

Campbell, Grace; Skubic, Marjorie A

2018-06-01

Individuals with peripheral neuropathy (PN) frequently experience balance and gait impairments that can lead to poor physical function, falls, and injury. Nurses are aware that patients with cancer experience balance and gait impairments but are unsure of optimal assessment and management strategies. This article reviews options for balance and gait assessment for patients diagnosed with cancer experiencing PN, describes advantages and limitations of the various options, and highlights innovative, clinically feasible technologies to improve clinical assessment and management. The literature was reviewed to identify and assess the gold standard quantitative measures for assessing balance and gait. Gold standard quantitative measures are burdensome for patients and not often used in clinical practice. Sensor-based technologies improve balance and gait assessment options by calculating precise impairment measures during performance of simple clinical tests at the point of care.

Detection of growth hormone doping by gene expression profiling of peripheral blood.

PubMed

Mitchell, Christopher J; Nelson, Anne E; Cowley, Mark J; Kaplan, Warren; Stone, Glenn; Sutton, Selina K; Lau, Amie; Lee, Carol M Y; Ho, Ken K Y

2009-12-01

GH abuse is a significant problem in many sports, and there is currently no robust test that allows detection of doping beyond a short window after administration. Our objective was to evaluate gene expression profiling in peripheral blood leukocytes in-vivo as a test for GH doping in humans. Seven men and thirteen women were administered GH, 2 mg/d sc for 8 wk. Blood was collected at baseline and at 8 wk. RNA was extracted from the white cell fraction. Microarray analysis was undertaken using Agilent 44K G4112F arrays using a two-color design. Quantitative RT-PCR using TaqMan gene expression assays was performed for validation of selected differentially expressed genes. GH induced an approximately 2-fold increase in circulating IGF-I that was maintained throughout the 8 wk of the study. GH induced significant changes in gene expression with 353 in women and 41 in men detected with a false discovery rate of less than 5%. None of the differentially expressed genes were common between men and women. The maximal changes were a doubling for up-regulated or halving for down-regulated genes, similar in magnitude to the variation between individuals. Quantitative RT-PCR for seven target genes showed good concordance between microarray and quantitative PCR data in women but not in men. Gene expression analysis of peripheral blood leukocytes is unlikely to be a viable approach for the detection of GH doping.

Comparison of heparinized saline and 0.9% sodium chloride for maintaining peripheral intravenous catheter patency in dogs.

PubMed

Ueda, Yu; Odunayo, Adesola; Mann, F A

2013-01-01

To determine whether heparinized saline would be more effective in maintaining the patency of peripheral IV catheters in dogs compared to 0.9% sodium chloride. Prospective blinded randomized study. University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Thirty healthy purpose bred dogs, intended for use in the junior surgery laboratory, were utilized. The dogs were randomized into 1 of 3 groups, 2 treatment groups and a control group. An 18-Ga cephalic catheter was placed in the cephalic vein of each dog. Each dog in the treatment group had their catheter flushed with either 10 IU/mL heparinized saline or 0.9% sodium chloride every 6 hours for 42 hours. The dogs in the control group did not have their catheters flushed until the end of the study period. Immediately prior to flushing catheters, each catheter was evaluated for patency by aspiration of blood and the catheter site was evaluated for phlebitis. All dogs in the heparinized saline and 0.9% sodium chloride group had catheters that flushed easily at each evaluation point. More dogs in the saline group had catheters from which blood could not be aspirated, but there was no significant difference between these groups. All dogs in the control group had catheters that flushed easily at the end of the assigned 6 hour interval except in 1 dog. Phlebitis was not detected in any dog. Flushes of 0.9% sodium chloride were found to be as effective as 10 IU/mL heparinized saline flushes in maintaining patency of 18-Ga peripheral venous catheters in dogs for up to 42 hours. For peripheral catheters placed with the intention of performing serial blood draws, heparinized flushes may be warranted. © Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society 2013.

A Case of Complete and Durable Molecular Remission of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Following Treatment with Epigallocatechin-3-gallate, an Extract of Green Tea

PubMed Central

Block, Keith I; Kressel, Bruce R; Sukhatme, Vikas P; White, Jeffrey D

2015-01-01

We report the case of a 48-year-old man who achieved a complete molecular remission 20 years after a diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia while using epigallicatechin-3-gallate, an extract of green tea. The patient presented at age 28 with lymphocytosis, mild anemia, mild thrombocytopenia, and massive splenomegaly, for which a splenectomy was performed. He was then followed expectantly. Over the next two decades, he suffered two symptomatic chronic lymphocytic leukemia-related events. The first occurred twelve years after diagnosis (at age 40) when the patient developed fevers, night sweats, and moderate anemia. He was diagnosed with autoimmune hemolytic anemia secondary to chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The patient declined conventional therapy in favor of a diet, exercise, and supplement regimen, and recovered from the autoimmune hemolytic anemia though the underlying chronic lymphocytic leukemia remained evident. This is the first published case report of "spontaneous" recovery from secondary autoimmune hemolytic anemia in an adult.  Over the second decade following chronic lymphocytic leukemia diagnosis, serial bone marrow biopsies demonstrated increasing lymphocytosis, with minimal peripheral lymphocytosis. However, twenty years after diagnosis, peripheral lymphocytosis accelerated, with white blood cell counts rising to 55,000/µL. Because the patient continued to refuse conventional therapy, he was treated instead with a supplement regimen that included high doses of epigallocatechin-3-gallate, a green tea extract. Peripheral lymphocytosis resolved. More remarkably, a bone marrow examination, including flow cytometry, showed no evidence of a malignant clone. Two years later (at age 51), the peripheral blood and bone marrow were without molecular evidence of chronic lymphocytic leukemia or any malignancy. The patient remains well at age 52.  PMID:26858922

Diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy with combination of adenosine deaminase and interferon-γ immunospot assay in a tuberculosis-endemic population: A prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Xu, Han-Yan; Li, Cheng-Ye; Su, Shan-Shan; Yang, Li; Ye, Min; Ye, Jun-Ru; Ke, Pei-Pei; Chen, Cheng-Shui; Xie, Yu-Peng; Li, Yu-Ping

2017-11-01

The aim of this study was to identify the optimal cut-off value of T cell enzyme-linked immunospot assay for tuberculosis (T-SPOT.TB) and evaluate its diagnostic performance alone (in the peripheral blood) or in combination with the adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity test (in peripheral blood and the pleural fluid) in patients with tuberculous pleurisy.Adult patients presenting with pleural effusion were included in this prospective cohort study. Tuberculous pleurisy was diagnosed by T-SPOT.TB in peripheral blood and a combination of T-SPOT.TB and ADA activity test in pleural fluid and peripheral blood. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve in combination with multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the assays.Among a total of 189 patients with suspected tuberculous pleurisy who were prospectively enrolled in this study, 177 patients were validated for inclusion in the final analysis. ROC analysis revealed that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) for T-SPOT.TB in pleural fluid and peripheral blood was 0.918 and 0.881, respectively, and for the ADA activity test in pleural fluid was 0.944. In addition, 95.5 spot-forming cells (SFCs)/2.5 × 10 cells were determined as the optimal cut-off value for T-SPOT.TB in pleural fluid. Parallel combination of T-SPOT.TB and ADA activity test in pleural fluid showed increased sensitivity (96.9%) and specificity (87.5%), whereas serial combination showed increased specificity (97.5%). The combination of 3 assays had the highest sensitivity at 97.9%, with an AUC value of 0.964.T-SPOT.TB in pleural fluid performed better than that in peripheral blood and the ADA activity test in pleural fluid for tuberculous pleurisy diagnosis. The optimal cut-off value of T-SPOT.TB in pleural fluid was 95.5 SFCs/2.5 × 10 cells. Combination of 3 assays might be a promising approach for tuberculous pleurisy diagnosis. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy with combination of adenosine deaminase and interferon-γ immunospot assay in a tuberculosis-endemic population

PubMed Central

Xu, Han-Yan; Li, Cheng-Ye; Su, Shan-Shan; Yang, Li; Ye, Min; Ye, Jun-Ru; Ke, Pei-Pei; Chen, Cheng-Shui; Xie, Yu-Peng; Li, Yu-Ping

2017-01-01

Abstract The aim of this study was to identify the optimal cut-off value of T cell enzyme-linked immunospot assay for tuberculosis (T-SPOT.TB) and evaluate its diagnostic performance alone (in the peripheral blood) or in combination with the adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity test (in peripheral blood and the pleural fluid) in patients with tuberculous pleurisy. Adult patients presenting with pleural effusion were included in this prospective cohort study. Tuberculous pleurisy was diagnosed by T-SPOT.TB in peripheral blood and a combination of T-SPOT.TB and ADA activity test in pleural fluid and peripheral blood. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve in combination with multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the assays. Among a total of 189 patients with suspected tuberculous pleurisy who were prospectively enrolled in this study, 177 patients were validated for inclusion in the final analysis. ROC analysis revealed that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) for T-SPOT.TB in pleural fluid and peripheral blood was 0.918 and 0.881, respectively, and for the ADA activity test in pleural fluid was 0.944. In addition, 95.5 spot-forming cells (SFCs)/2.5 × 105 cells were determined as the optimal cut-off value for T-SPOT.TB in pleural fluid. Parallel combination of T-SPOT.TB and ADA activity test in pleural fluid showed increased sensitivity (96.9%) and specificity (87.5%), whereas serial combination showed increased specificity (97.5%). The combination of 3 assays had the highest sensitivity at 97.9%, with an AUC value of 0.964. T-SPOT.TB in pleural fluid performed better than that in peripheral blood and the ADA activity test in pleural fluid for tuberculous pleurisy diagnosis. The optimal cut-off value of T-SPOT.TB in pleural fluid was 95.5 SFCs/2.5 × 105 cells. Combination of 3 assays might be a promising approach for tuberculous pleurisy diagnosis. PMID:29381918

Reading speed benefits from increased vertical word spacing in normal peripheral vision.

PubMed

Chung, Susana T L

2004-07-01

Crowding, the adverse spatial interaction due to proximity of adjacent targets, has been suggested as an explanation for slow reading in peripheral vision. The purposes of this study were to (1) demonstrate that crowding exists at the word level and (2) examine whether or not reading speed in central and peripheral vision can be enhanced with increased vertical word spacing. Five normal observers read aloud sequences of six unrelated four-letter words presented on a computer monitor, one word at a time, using rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP). Reading speeds were calculated based on the RSVP exposure durations yielding 80% correct. Testing was conducted at the fovea and at 5 degrees and 10 degrees in the inferior visual field. Critical print size (CPS) for each observer and at each eccentricity was first determined by measuring reading speeds for four print sizes using unflanked words. We then presented words at 0.8x or 1.4x CPS, with each target word flanked by two other words, one above and one below the target word. Reading speeds were determined for vertical word spacings (baseline-to-baseline separation between two vertically separated words) ranging from 0.8x to 2x the standard single-spacing, as well as the unflanked condition. At the fovea, reading speed increased with vertical word spacing up to about 1.2x to 1.5x the standard spacing and remained constant and similar to the unflanked reading speed at larger vertical word spacings. In the periphery, reading speed also increased with vertical word spacing, but it remained below the unflanked reading speed for all spacings tested. At 2x the standard spacing, peripheral reading speed was still about 25% lower than the unflanked reading speed for both eccentricities and print sizes. Results from a control experiment showed that the greater reliance of peripheral reading speed on vertical word spacing was also found in the right visual field. Increased vertical word spacing, which presumably decreases the adverse effect of crowding between adjacent lines of text, benefits reading speed. This benefit is greater in peripheral than central vision.

Susceptibility Testing by Polymerase Chain Reaction DNA Quantitation: A Method to Measure Drug Resistance of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Isolates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eron, Joseph J.; Gorczyca, Paul; Kaplan, Joan C.; D'Aquila, Richard T.

1992-04-01

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) DNA quantitation (PDQ) susceptibility testing rapidly and directly measures nucleoside sensitivity of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolates. PCR is used to quantitate the amount of HIV-1 DNA synthesized after in vitro infection of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The relative amounts of HIV-1 DNA in cell lysates from cultures maintained at different drug concentrations reflect drug inhibition of virus replication. The results of PDQ susceptibility testing of 2- or 3-day cultures are supported by assays measuring HIV-1 p24 antigen production in supernatants of 7- or 10-day cultures. DNA sequence analyses to identify mutations in the reverse transcriptase gene that cause resistance to 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine also support the PDQ results. With the PDQ method, both infectivity titration and susceptibility testing can be performed on supernatants from primary cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. PDQ susceptibility testing should facilitate epidemiologic studies of the clinical significance of drug-resistant HIV-1 isolates.

Ultrastructural study on the retinal pigment epithelium of human embryos, with special reference to quantitative study on the development of melanin granules.

PubMed

Oguni, M; Tanaka, O; Shinohara, H; Yoshioka, T; Setogawa, T

1991-01-01

The development of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) was studied ultrastructurally, using 13 externally normal human embryos, Carnegie stages ranging from 13 to 23 (4-8 week of gestation). Melanosomes in the peripheral and posterior RPE were classified according to Fitzpatrick et al. The melanosome of phase I is formed from the Golgi complex and parcelled off into small vesicles. The vesicle enlarges and elongates to form an oval organelle with membranous structures in it (phase II melanosome). Subsequently, melanin deposits on the membranous structures of the melanosomes (phase III melanosomes), and the completion of this process produces a uniformly electrondense granule without discernible internal structures (phase IV melanosome). Melanosomes of phases III and IV appeared in the RPE at stage 15. As the embryonic stage advanced, the ratio of phase II melanosomes decreased and that of phase IV melanosomes increased. The number of phase III melanosomes reached a peak in the peripheral and posterior RPE at stages 15 and 18, respectively. After stage 17, the increase in melanosomes and intracellular organelles was more prominent in the posterior than in the peripheral RPE. During stages 13 and 15, gap junctions were present not only in the apical but also basal plasma membranes of the RPE. At stage 20, gap junctions in the basal plasma membrane disappeared except for the transitional areas from the RPE to the neural retina (NR). In addition, gap junctions were observed between NR and RPE only in the peripheral region at stage 20. The morphological and quantitative differences in the peripheral and posterior RPE in the embryonic period are discussed.

High-throughput deep screening and identification of four peripheral leucocyte microRNAs as novel potential combination biomarkers for preeclampsia

PubMed Central

Wang, Yonghong; Yang, Xukui; Yang, Yuanyuan; Wang, Wenjun; Zhao, Meiling; Liu, Huiqiang; Li, Dongyan; Hao, Min

2016-01-01

Objective: To identify the specific microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers of preeclampsia (PE), the miRNA profiles analysis were performed. Study Design: The blood samples were obtained from five PE patients and five normal healthy pregnant women. The small RNA profiles were analyzed to identify miRNA expression levels and find out miRNAs that may associate with PE. The quantitative reverse transcriptase–PCR (qRT-PCR) assay was used to validate differentially expressed peripheral leucocyte miRNAs in a new cohort. Result: The data analysis showed that 10 peripheral leucocyte miRNAs were significantly differently expressed in severe PE patients. Four differently expressed miRNAs were successfully validated using qRT-PCR method. Conclusion: We successfully constructed a model with high accuracy to predict PE. A combination of four peripheral leucocyte miRNAs has great potential to serve as diagnostic biomarkers of PE. PMID:26675000

Long-term follow-up of HTLV-1 proviral load in asymptomatic carriers and in incident cases of HAM/TSP: what is its relevance as a prognostic marker for neurologic disease?

PubMed

Martins, Marina Lobato; Guimarães, Jacqueline Cronemberger; Ribas, João Gabriel; Romanelli, Luiz Cláudio Ferreira; de Freitas Carneiro-Proietti, Anna Bárbara

2017-02-01

HTLV-1 proviral load (pvl) is an important risk marker for HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), but its value as prognostic marker is not well defined. Long-term prospective cohort studies are necessary to clarify this question. Here, we analyzed HTLV-1 pvl in the peripheral blood of 82 asymptomatic carriers (AC; 351 samples), 12 HAM/TSP patients (HAM; 46 samples), and six incident cases of HAM/TSP (iHAM), with serial samples collected before (n = 10) and after (n = 20) the disease onset. The mean interval of follow-up was 10 years in the AC group and 8 years in HAM and iHAM groups. pvl was not significantly different between the first and last measurements in the three groups, but there was a trend to decrease over time. Coefficient of variation of pvl was significantly lower in the AC group than in HAM (p = 0.015) and iHAM (p = 0.022) patients. AC and HAM individuals showed a significant and strong positive correlation between the first and last measurements of pvl, but not iHAM subjects. All individuals who developed HAM/TSP during the follow-up had high pvl level (>1 %) before the onset of disease, but a typical increase in pvl was not observed in that period. The data suggest that there is a trend to reach an equilibrium plateau of pvl over time, characteristic of each individual. A significant rate of AC keeps high pvl levels for a long time without developing clinical symptoms associated to HTLV-1 infection. Thus, serial quantification of pvl in the peripheral blood does not seem to be a good prognostic marker for HAM/TSP.

3D quantitative photoacoustic image reconstruction using Monte Carlo method and linearization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okawa, Shinpei; Hirasawa, Takeshi; Tsujita, Kazuhiro; Kushibiki, Toshihiro; Ishihara, Miya

2018-02-01

To quantify the functional and structural information of peripheral blood vessels for diagnoses of diseases which affects peripheral blood vessels such as diabetes and peripheral vascular disease, a 3D quantitative photoacoustic tomography (QPAT) reconstructing the optical properties such as the absorption coefficient reflecting microvascular structures and hemoglobin concentration and oxygenation saturation is studied. QPAT image reconstruction algorithms based on radiative transfer equation (RTE) and photon diffusion equation (PDE) have been proposed. However, it is not easy to use RTE in the clinical practice because of the huge computational load and long calculation time. On the other hand, it is always considered problematic to use PDE, because it does not approximate RTE well near the illuminating position. In this study, we developed the 3D QPAT image reconstruction using Monte Carlo (MC) method which approximates RTE better than PDE to reconstruct the optical properties in the region near the illuminating surface. To reduce the calculation time, we applied linearization. The QPAT image reconstruction algorithm with MC method and linearization was examined in numerical simulations and phantom experiment by use of a scanning system with a single probe consisting of P(VDF-TrFE) piezo electric film and optical fiber.

Safety and Utility of Quantitative Sensory Testing among Adults with Sickle Cell Disease: Indicators of Neuropathic Pain?

PubMed Central

Ezenwa, Miriam O.; Molokie, Robert E.; Wang, Zaijie Jim; Yao, Yingwei; Suarez, Marie L.; Pullum, Cherese; Schlaeger, Judith M.; Fillingim, Roger B.; Wilkie, Diana J.

2014-01-01

Objectives Pain is the hallmark symptom of sickle cell disease (SCD), yet the types of pain that these patients experience, and the underlying mechanisms, have not been well characterized. The study purpose was to determine the safety and utility of a mechanical and thermal quantitative sensory testing (QST) protocol and the feasibility of utilizing neuropathic pain questionnaires among adults with SCD. Methods A convenience sample (N=25, 18 women, mean age 38.5 ± 12.5 [20–58 years]) completed self-report pain and quality-of-life tools. Subjects also underwent testing with the TSA-II NeuroSensory Analyzer and calibrated von Frey microfilaments. Results We found that the QST protocol was safe and did not stimulate a SCD pain crisis. There was evidence of central sensitization (n=15), peripheral sensitization (n=1), a mix of central and peripheral sensitization (n=8), or no sensitization (n=1). The neuropathic pain self-report tools were feasible with evidence of construct validity; 40% of the subjects reported S-LANSS scores that were indicative of neuropathic pain and had evidence of central, peripheral or mixed sensitization. Discussion The QST protocol can be safely conducted in adults with SCD and provides evidence of central or peripheral sensitization, which is consistent with a neuropathic component to SCD pain. These findings are novel, warrant a larger confirmatory study, and indicate the need for normative QST data from African American adults and older adults. PMID:25581383

Three-dimensional segmentation of luminal and adventitial borders in serial intravascular ultrasound images

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shekhar, R.; Cothren, R. M.; Vince, D. G.; Chandra, S.; Thomas, J. D.; Cornhill, J. F.

1999-01-01

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) provides exact anatomy of arteries, allowing accurate quantitative analysis. Automated segmentation of IVUS images is a prerequisite for routine quantitative analyses. We present a new three-dimensional (3D) segmentation technique, called active surface segmentation, which detects luminal and adventitial borders in IVUS pullback examinations of coronary arteries. The technique was validated against expert tracings by computing correlation coefficients (range 0.83-0.97) and William's index values (range 0.37-0.66). The technique was statistically accurate, robust to image artifacts, and capable of segmenting a large number of images rapidly. Active surface segmentation enabled geometrically accurate 3D reconstruction and visualization of coronary arteries and volumetric measurements.

Human psychophysics and rodent spinal neurones exhibit peripheral and central mechanisms of inflammatory pain in the UVB and UVB heat rekindling models.

PubMed

O'Neill, Jessica; Sikandar, Shafaq; McMahon, Stephen B; Dickenson, Anthony H

2015-09-01

Translational research is key to bridging the gaps between preclinical findings and the patients, and a translational model of inflammatory pain will ideally induce both peripheral and central sensitisation, more effectively mimicking clinical pathophysiology in some chronic inflammatory conditions. We conducted a parallel investigation of two models of inflammatory pain, using ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation alone and UVB irradiation with heat rekindling. We used rodent electrophysiology and human quantitative sensory testing to characterise nociceptive processing in the peripheral and central nervous systems in both models. In both species, UVB irradiation produces peripheral sensitisation measured as augmented evoked activity of rat dorsal horn neurones and increased perceptual responses of human subjects to mechanical and thermal stimuli. In both species, UVB with heat rekindling produces central sensitisation. UVB irradiation alone and UVB with heat rekindling are translational models of inflammation that produce peripheral and central sensitisation, respectively. The predictive value of laboratory models for human pain processing is crucial for improving translational research. The discrepancy between peripheral and central mechanisms of pain is an important consideration for drug targets, and here we describe two models of inflammatory pain that involve ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation, which can employ peripheral and central sensitisation to produce mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia in rats and humans. We use electrophysiology in rats to measure the mechanically- and thermally-evoked activity of rat spinal neurones and quantitative sensory testing to assess human psychophysical responses to mechanical and thermal stimulation in a model of UVB irradiation and in a model of UVB irradiation with heat rekindling. Our results demonstrate peripheral sensitisation in both species driven by UVB irradiation, with a clear mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity of rat dorsal horn neurones and enhanced perceptual responses of human subjects to both mechanical and thermal stimulation. Additional heat rekindling produces markers of central sensitisation in both species, including enhanced receptive field sizes. Importantly, we also showed a correlation in the evoked activity of rat spinal neurones to human thermal pain thresholds. The parallel results in rats and humans validate the translational use of both models and the potential for such models for preclinical assessment of prospective analgesics in inflammatory pain states. © 2015 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2015 The Physiological Society.

275 C Downhole Microcomputer System

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

Chris Hutchens; Hooi Miin Soo

2008-08-31

An HC11 controller IC and along with serial SRAM and ROM support ICs chip set were developed to support a data acquisition and control for extreme temperature/harsh environment conditions greater than 275 C. The 68HC11 microprocessor is widely used in well logging tools for control, data acquisition, and signal processing applications and was the logical choice for a downhole controller. This extreme temperature version of the 68HC11 enables new high temperature designs and additionally allows 68HC11-based well logging tools and MWD tools to be upgraded for high temperature operation in deep gas reservoirs, The microcomputer chip consists of the microprocessormore » ALU, a small boot ROM, 4 kbyte data RAM, counter/timer unit, serial peripheral interface (SPI), asynchronous serial interface (SCI), and the A, B, C, and D parallel ports. The chip is code compatible with the single chip mode commercial 68HC11 except for the absence of the analog to digital converter system. To avoid mask programmed internal ROM, a boot program is used to load the microcomputer program from an external mask SPI ROM. A SPI RAM IC completes the chip set and allows data RAM to be added in 4 kbyte increments. The HC11 controller IC chip set is implemented in the Peregrine Semiconductor 0.5 micron Silicon-on-Sapphire (SOS) process using a custom high temperature cell library developed at Oklahoma State University. Yield data is presented for all, the HC11, SPI-RAM and ROM. The lessons learned in this project were extended to the successful development of two high temperature versions of the LEON3 and a companion 8 Kbyte SRAM, a 200 C version for the Navy and a 275 C version for the gas industry.« less

Deconvoluting Post-Transplant Immunity: Cell Subset-Specific Mapping Reveals Pathways for Activation and Expansion of Memory T, Monocytes and B Cells

PubMed Central

Grigoryev, Yevgeniy A.; Kurian, Sunil M.; Avnur, Zafi; Borie, Dominic; Deng, Jun; Campbell, Daniel; Sung, Joanna; Nikolcheva, Tania; Quinn, Anthony; Schulman, Howard; Peng, Stanford L.; Schaffer, Randolph; Fisher, Jonathan; Mondala, Tony; Head, Steven; Flechner, Stuart M.; Kantor, Aaron B.; Marsh, Christopher; Salomon, Daniel R.

2010-01-01

A major challenge for the field of transplantation is the lack of understanding of genomic and molecular drivers of early post-transplant immunity. The early immune response creates a complex milieu that determines the course of ensuing immune events and the ultimate outcome of the transplant. The objective of the current study was to mechanistically deconvolute the early immune response by purifying and profiling the constituent cell subsets of the peripheral blood. We employed genome-wide profiling of whole blood and purified CD4, CD8, B cells and monocytes in tandem with high-throughput laser-scanning cytometry in 10 kidney transplants sampled serially pre-transplant, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks. Cytometry confirmed early cell subset depletion by antibody induction and immunosuppression. Multiple markers revealed the activation and proliferative expansion of CD45RO+CD62L− effector memory CD4/CD8 T cells as well as progressive activation of monocytes and B cells. Next, we mechanistically deconvoluted early post-transplant immunity by serial monitoring of whole blood using DNA microarrays. Parallel analysis of cell subset-specific gene expression revealed a unique spectrum of time-dependent changes and functional pathways. Gene expression profiling results were validated with 157 different probesets matching all 65 antigens detected by cytometry. Thus, serial blood cell monitoring reflects the profound changes in blood cell composition and immune activation early post-transplant. Each cell subset reveals distinct pathways and functional programs. These changes illuminate a complex, early phase of immunity and inflammation that includes activation and proliferative expansion of the memory effector and regulatory cells that may determine the phenotype and outcome of the kidney transplant. PMID:20976225

Deconvoluting post-transplant immunity: cell subset-specific mapping reveals pathways for activation and expansion of memory T, monocytes and B cells.

PubMed

Grigoryev, Yevgeniy A; Kurian, Sunil M; Avnur, Zafi; Borie, Dominic; Deng, Jun; Campbell, Daniel; Sung, Joanna; Nikolcheva, Tania; Quinn, Anthony; Schulman, Howard; Peng, Stanford L; Schaffer, Randolph; Fisher, Jonathan; Mondala, Tony; Head, Steven; Flechner, Stuart M; Kantor, Aaron B; Marsh, Christopher; Salomon, Daniel R

2010-10-14

A major challenge for the field of transplantation is the lack of understanding of genomic and molecular drivers of early post-transplant immunity. The early immune response creates a complex milieu that determines the course of ensuing immune events and the ultimate outcome of the transplant. The objective of the current study was to mechanistically deconvolute the early immune response by purifying and profiling the constituent cell subsets of the peripheral blood. We employed genome-wide profiling of whole blood and purified CD4, CD8, B cells and monocytes in tandem with high-throughput laser-scanning cytometry in 10 kidney transplants sampled serially pre-transplant, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks. Cytometry confirmed early cell subset depletion by antibody induction and immunosuppression. Multiple markers revealed the activation and proliferative expansion of CD45RO(+)CD62L(-) effector memory CD4/CD8 T cells as well as progressive activation of monocytes and B cells. Next, we mechanistically deconvoluted early post-transplant immunity by serial monitoring of whole blood using DNA microarrays. Parallel analysis of cell subset-specific gene expression revealed a unique spectrum of time-dependent changes and functional pathways. Gene expression profiling results were validated with 157 different probesets matching all 65 antigens detected by cytometry. Thus, serial blood cell monitoring reflects the profound changes in blood cell composition and immune activation early post-transplant. Each cell subset reveals distinct pathways and functional programs. These changes illuminate a complex, early phase of immunity and inflammation that includes activation and proliferative expansion of the memory effector and regulatory cells that may determine the phenotype and outcome of the kidney transplant.

Aspergillus flavus mycetoma and epidural abscess successfully treated with itraconazole.

PubMed

Witzig, R S; Greer, D L; Hyslop, N E

1996-01-01

Aspergillus spp. rarely cause mycetomata. We report a patient with diabetes and nephrotic syndrome with Aspergillus flavus mycetoma of the back, with the development of an epidural abscess, diskitis and vertebral osteomyelitis. The patient was successfully treated with decompressive laminectomy and a 14-month itraconazole regimen. Serial serum itraconazole levels and quantitative Aspergillus antigen levels were performed. This is the second reported and first extrapedal case of mycetoma caused by A. flavus.

Exploratory Development Research of U.S. Navy Marine Corps Personnel, Phase 1. Factors Affecting Attrition

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-09-30

havior. He has taught courses in research and has had con- siderable experience in the design and analysis of qualitative and quantitative research...name, serial number, unit, rank, or other identifying information was asked. Research pesign The research design was developed to determine if causes of...attrition have similar impach on men in various situations. The design includes three principal components. First, both attriters and adjusted men

Representation and Reconstruction of Three-dimensional Microstructures in Ni-based Superalloys

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-20

Materiala, 56, pp. 427-437 (2009); • Application of joint histogram and mutual information to registration and data fusion problems in serial...sectioning data sets and synthetically generated microstructures. The method is easy to use, and allows for a quantitative description of shapes. Further...following objectives were achieved: • we have successfully applied 3-D moment invariant analysis to several experimental data sets; • we have extended 2-D

Quantitative analysis of peripheral vasculitis, ischemia, and vascular leakage in uveitis using ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography.

PubMed

Karampelas, Michael; Sim, Dawn A; Chu, Colin; Carreno, Ester; Keane, Pearse A; Zarranz-Ventura, Javier; Westcott, Mark; Lee, Richard W J; Pavesio, Carlos E

2015-06-01

To investigate the relationships between peripheral vasculitis, ischemia, and vascular leakage in uveitis using ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography (FA). Cross-sectional, consecutive case series. Consecutive ultra-widefield FA images were collected from 82 uveitis patients (82 eyes) in a single center. The extent of peripheral vasculitis, capillary nonperfusion, and vessel leakage were quantified. Parameters included: (1) foveal avascular zone area and macular leakage, (2) peripheral diffuse capillary leakage and ischemia, (3) peripheral vasculitis, and (4) leakage from neovascularization. Central macular thickness measurements were derived with optical coherence tomography. Main outcome measures were correlations between central and peripheral fluorangiographic changes as well as associations between visual function, ultra-widefield FA-derived metrics, and central macular thickness. Although central leakage was associated with peripheral leakage (r = 0.553, P = .001), there was no association between foveal avascular zone size and peripheral ischemia (r = 0.114, P = .324), regardless of the underlying uveitic diagnosis. Peripheral ischemia was, however, correlated to neovascularization-related leakage (r = 0.462, P = .001) and focal vasculitis (r = 0.441, P = .001). Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that a poor visual acuity was independently associated with foveal avascular zone size and central macular thickness (R(2)-adjusted = 0.45, P = .001). We present a large cohort of patients with uveitis imaged with ultra-widefield FA and further describe novel methods for quantification of peripheral vascular pathology, in an attempt to identify visually significant parameters. Although we observed that relationships exist between peripheral vessel leakage, vasculitis, and ischemia, it was only macular ischemia and increased macular thickness that were independently associated with a reduced visual acuity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Recording EEG in immature rats with a novel miniature telemetry system

PubMed Central

Zayachkivsky, A.; Lehmkuhle, M. J.; Fisher, J. H.; Ekstrand, J. J.

2013-01-01

Serial EEG recordings from immature rat pups are extremely difficult to obtain but important for analyzing animal models of neonatal seizures and other pediatric neurological conditions as well as normal physiology. In this report, we describe the features and applications of a novel miniature telemetry system designed to record EEG in rat pups as young as postnatal day 6 (P6). First, we have recorded electrographic seizure activity in two animal models of neonatal seizures, hypoxia- and kainate-induced seizures at P7. Second, we describe a viable approach for long-term continuous EEG monitoring of naturally reared rat pups implanted with EEG at P6. Third, we have used serial EEG recordings to record age-dependent changes in the background EEG signal as the animals matured from P7 to P11. The important advantages of using miniature wireless EEG technology are: 1) minimally invasive surgical implantation; 2) a device form-factor that is compatible with housing of rat pups with the dam and littermates; 3) serial recordings of EEG activity; and 4) low power consumption of the unit, theoretically allowing continuous monitoring for up to 2 yr without surgical reimplantation. The miniature EEG telemetry system provides a technical advance that allows researchers to record continuous and serial EEG recordings in neonatal rodent models of human neurological disorders, study the progression of the disease, and then assess possible therapies using quantitative EEG as an outcome measure. This new technical approach should improve animal models of human conditions that rely on EEG monitoring for diagnosis and therapy. PMID:23114207

Utilizing Matrigel Transwell Invasion Assay to Detect and Enumerate Circulating Tumor Cells.

PubMed

Liu, Xingtong; Wu, Xiangwei

2017-01-01

Metastasis is the cause of 90% of human cancer deaths. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the peripheral blood and/or lymphatic vessels are cells shed from primary tumors and considered to be precursors of metastasis. Study of CTCs allows the serial monitoring of tumor progression and may provide predictive and prognostic biomarkers in clinic. Current CTC isolation and detection technologies encounter several challenges, including: heterogeneity of CTCs, low cell viability and/or high rate of contamination post-isolation, and the inability to distinguish viable/invasive from nonviable/nonfunctional CTCs, all of which can limit in vitro and in vivo characterization of CTCs. Here, we describe a new method to detect and enumerate of CTCs based on their invasive property.

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

Weinstein, L.; Droegemueller, W.; Cornette, J.

A single intra-amniotic injection of (15S)-15 methyl prostaglandin F/sub 2/..cap alpha.. (THAM) was used to induce second trimester abortion in five patients. Serial levels of (15S)-15 methyl prostaglandin F/sub 2/..cap alpha.. were subsequently measured in amniotic fluid and plasma by radioimmunoassay. The slow removal of this drug from the amniotic fluid was documented. Plasma levels of (15S)-15 methyl prostaglandin F/sub 2/..cap alpha.. increased fourfold to sevenfold after clinical rupture of the membranes in three patients, supporting the fact that prostaglandins are well absorbed from the vagina. Because this analogue of prostaglandin can cause marked peripheral bronchoconstriction when administered systemically, itmore » is best to avoid its use in patients with a history of asthma.« less

Intrafascicular injection of ammonium sulfate and bupivacaine in peripheral nerves of neonatal and juvenile rats.

PubMed

Hertl, M C; Hagberg, P K; Hunter, D A; Mackinnon, S E; Langer, J C

1998-01-01

Regional nerve blocks are often used for the treatment of postoperative pain in children. Ammonium sulfate is a non-narcotic anesthetic agent, which has been reported to provide pain relief lasting days to weeks, with few reported side effects in adult studies. Prior to considering clinical use in children, the neurotoxicity of ammonium sulfate in 4-day and 3-week old rats was assessed and compared with that of bupivacaine. Each rat received a posterior tibial nerve intrafascicular injection (0.01 mL in 4-day-old and 0.02 mL in 3-week-old rats) using either 10% ammonium sulfate (n = 24 per age group), 0.5% bupivacaine (n = 18 per age group), 0.9% saline (n = 18 per age group), or 5% phenol (n = 18 per age group). A functional assessment by serial walking track analysis and a morphologic assessment by neurohistology were made. No abnormalities in serial walking track analysis and no structural nerve damage were detected after ammonium sulfate, bupivacaine, or saline injection. Bupivacaine caused mild focal changes in both age groups, which recovered by 8 weeks. Intrafascicular injection of ammonium sulfate was as safe as bupivacaine in this animal model. Further animal studies must be made before human trials are initiated.

Estimation method for serial dilution experiments.

PubMed

Ben-David, Avishai; Davidson, Charles E

2014-12-01

Titration of microorganisms in infectious or environmental samples is a corner stone of quantitative microbiology. A simple method is presented to estimate the microbial counts obtained with the serial dilution technique for microorganisms that can grow on bacteriological media and develop into a colony. The number (concentration) of viable microbial organisms is estimated from a single dilution plate (assay) without a need for replicate plates. Our method selects the best agar plate with which to estimate the microbial counts, and takes into account the colony size and plate area that both contribute to the likelihood of miscounting the number of colonies on a plate. The estimate of the optimal count given by our method can be used to narrow the search for the best (optimal) dilution plate and saves time. The required inputs are the plate size, the microbial colony size, and the serial dilution factors. The proposed approach shows relative accuracy well within ±0.1log10 from data produced by computer simulations. The method maintains this accuracy even in the presence of dilution errors of up to 10% (for both the aliquot and diluent volumes), microbial counts between 10(4) and 10(12) colony-forming units, dilution ratios from 2 to 100, and plate size to colony size ratios between 6.25 to 200. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Synaptic Plasticity In Mammalian Gravity Sensors: Preliminary Results From SLS-2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, M. D.; Hargens, Alan R. (Technical Monitor)

1996-01-01

Sensory conflict is the prevalent theoretical explanation for space adaptation syndrome. This ultrastructural study tests the hypothesis that peripheral gravity sensors (maculae) play a role. Results were obtained from the medial part of utricular maculae of adult rats exposed to microgravity for 14 days, and from controls. Means and statistical significance of synapse counts were calculated using SUPERANOVA(Trademark) and Scheffe's procedure for post-hoc comparisons. Preliminary findings are from 2 sets of 100 serial sections for each dataset. Synapses were doubled numerically in type II hair cells of utricular maculae collected on day 13 inflight compared to controls (11.4 +/- 7.1 vs. 5.3 +/- 3.8; p < 0.0001). Flight mean synaptic number declined rapidly postflight and became comparable to means of controls. Synapses also increased numerically in type I cells inflight (2.4 +/- 1.6 vs. 1.7 +/- 1.0; p < 0.0341). Postflight there were no significant differences in counts. Results concerning shifts in ribbon type and distribution are also largely replicating previous findings from flight studies. Results indicate that mammalian maculae are adaptive endorgans that retain the property of synaptic plasticity into the adult stage. Macular plasticity has clinical implications for balance disorders of peripheral origin.

Normal Values of Tissue-Muscle Perfusion Indexes of Lower Limbs Obtained with a Scintigraphic Method.

PubMed

Manevska, Nevena; Stojanoski, Sinisa; Pop Gjorceva, Daniela; Todorovska, Lidija; Miladinova, Daniela; Zafirova, Beti

2017-09-01

Introduction Muscle perfusion is a physiologic process that can undergo quantitative assessment and thus define the range of normal values of perfusion indexes and perfusion reserve. The investigation of the microcirculation has a crucial role in determining the muscle perfusion. Materials and method The study included 30 examinees, 24-74 years of age, without a history of confirmed peripheral artery disease and all had normal findings on Doppler ultrasonography and pedo-brachial index of lower extremity (PBI). 99mTc-MIBI tissue muscle perfusion scintigraphy of lower limbs evaluates tissue perfusion in resting condition "rest study" and after workload "stress study", through quantitative parameters: Inter-extremity index (for both studies), left thigh/right thigh (LT/RT) left calf/right calf (LC/RC) and perfusion reserve (PR) for both thighs and calves. Results In our investigated group we assessed the normal values of quantitative parameters of perfusion indexes. Indexes ranged for LT/RT in rest study 0.91-1.05, in stress study 0.92-1.04. LC/RC in rest 0.93-1.07 and in stress study 0.93-1.09. The examinees older than 50 years had insignificantly lower perfusion reserve of these parameters compared with those younger than 50, LC (p=0.98), and RC (p=0.6). Conclusion This non-invasive scintigraphic method allows in individuals without peripheral artery disease to determine the range of normal values of muscle perfusion at rest and stress condition and to clinically implement them in evaluation of patients with peripheral artery disease for differentiating patients with normal from those with impaired lower limbs circulation.

Quantitative analysis of tumor-derived methylated RUNX3 sequences in the serum of gastric cancer patients.

PubMed

Sakakura, Chouhei; Hamada, Takuo; Miyagawa, Koji; Nishio, Minoru; Miyashita, Atushi; Nagata, Hiroyuki; Ida, Hiroshi; Yazumi, Shujiro; Otsuji, Eigo; Chiba, Tsutomu; Ito, Kosei; Ito, Yoshiaki

2009-07-01

Using real-time quantitative methylation-specific PCR (RTQ-MSP), methylated RUNX3 sequences were quantified and the fractional concentrations of circulating tumor DNA in serum were determined, along with peripheral blood cells collected preoperatively, intraoperatively and postoperatively from 65 patients with gastric cancer. RTQ-MSP was sufficiently sensitive to detect RUNX3 methylation. Quantitative MSP data were expressed in terms of the methylation index, which was defined as the relative amount of methylated RUNX3 sequences divided by the concentration of methylated actin. High levels of methylated RUNX3 sequences were detected in the peripheral circulation of 29% (19 of 65) of the gastric cancer patients. The RUNX3 methylation index was concordant with cancer stage, histology, lymphatic and vascular invasion, and was more sensitive than carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as a biomarker. Twenty-nine percent (19 out of 65) of preoperative serum samples had methylated RUNX3 sequences, ranging from 5.2 to 1625955 (median quantity=43 m-index, sensitivity 95.5%, specificity 62.5%, AUC 0.8651). After surgical resection, the median RUNX3 methylation index in serum significantly decreased. These results demonstrate the clinical usefulness and effectiveness of peripheral blood RTQ-MSP for detecting and monitoring gastric cancer after treatment. Furthermore, 5 out of the 30 preoperative control samples of benign disease (cases of panperitonitis due to acute appendicitis or cholecystitis) showed transient RUNX3 methylation which decreased after the operation in accordance with recovery. Quantification of epigenetic changes in serum RUNX3 methylation using RTQ-MSP is useful for the detection and monitoring of gastric cancer.

Three-dimensional visualization and quantitation of fibrin in solid tumors by confocal laser scanning microscopy.

PubMed

Biggerstaff, J; Amirkhosravi, A; Francis, J L

1997-10-01

Fibrin forms part of the stroma essential for growth of solid tumors. Anticoagulants reduce primary tumor growth and tumor metastasis in murine and some human tumors. These effects may be partly mediated by reduction of intra-tumor fibrin, although there are no quantitative data to support this hypothesis. We therefore evaluated the effect of warfarin on fibrin deposition in a subcutaneously (s.c.) implanted murine tumor using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). AJ mice received no treatment (n = 6) or sodium warfarin (3.5 mg/L in drinking water, n = 5). All animals received 2 x 10(6) syngeneic Neuro2a neuroblastoma cells s.c. After 14 days, primary tumors were excised and placed in liquid nitrogen. Warfarin treatment resulted in a small, but significant (P < 0.05), decrease in wet tumor weight. Frozen sections (20 microns) were incubated with goat anti-mouse fibrin(ogen) or normal goat serum (isotypic control) and stained with FITC-conjugated rabbit anti-goat antibody. Using a Multiprobe 2001 CLSM (Molecular Dynamics, Sunnyvale, CA), 20 serial optical sections were taken from five, randomly chosen, high power fields (60x objective) for each slide. A threshold excluded all fluorescence except that from structural components within the tumor stroma (fibrin). The volume of fibrin in each section series was determined, and the percentage of tumor volume occupied by fibrin calculated. Intra- and inter-assay variation were assessed on serial frozen tumor sections from an untreated animal. The percentage fibrin volume was not significantly different among or within experiments, indicating that the procedure was reproducible. In controls, the median (range) volume occupied by fibrin was 8.1% (2.4-22.3%), whereas in anticoagulated animals, this was reduced to 3.7% (0.4-14.0%; P < 0.001). This is the first quantitative demonstration that warfarin reduces fibrin deposition in solid tumors. We conclude that three-dimensional CLSM is useful for the quantitation of tissue antigens and that the technique may have clinical value.

Childhood Forearm Breaks Resulting from Mild Trauma May Indicate Bone Deficits

MedlinePlus

... a powerful new technology called high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HRpQCT), which, unlike DXA, can assess ... persist throughout life. The investigators concluded that additional research is needed to determine if childhood bone weakness ...

Quantitative comparison of tumor delivery for multiple targeted nanoparticles simultaneously by multiplex ICP-MS.

PubMed

Elias, Andrew; Crayton, Samuel H; Warden-Rothman, Robert; Tsourkas, Andrew

2014-07-28

Given the rapidly expanding library of disease biomarkers and targeting agents, the number of unique targeted nanoparticles is growing exponentially. The high variability and expense of animal testing often makes it unfeasible to examine this large number of nanoparticles in vivo. This often leads to the investigation of a single formulation that performed best in vitro. However, nanoparticle performance in vivo depends on many variables, many of which cannot be adequately assessed with cell-based assays. To address this issue, we developed a lanthanide-doped nanoparticle method that allows quantitative comparison of multiple targeted nanoparticles simultaneously. Specifically, superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles with different targeting ligands were created, each with a unique lanthanide dopant. Following the simultaneous injection of the various SPIO compositions into tumor-bearing mice, inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy was used to quantitatively and orthogonally assess the concentration of each SPIO composition in serial blood and resected tumor samples.

Mini-review: Far peripheral vision.

PubMed

Simpson, Michael J

2017-11-01

The region of far peripheral vision, beyond 60 degrees of visual angle, is important to the evaluation of peripheral dark shadows (negative dysphotopsia) seen by some intraocular lens (IOL) patients. Theoretical calculations show that the limited diameter of an IOL affects ray paths at large angles, leading to a dimming of the main image for small pupils, and to peripheral illumination by light bypassing the IOL for larger pupils. These effects are rarely bothersome, and cataract surgery is highly successful, but there is a need to improve the characterization of far peripheral vision, for both pseudophakic and phakic eyes. Perimetry is the main quantitative test, but the purpose is to evaluate pathologies rather than characterize vision (and object and image regions are no longer uniquely related in the pseudophakic eye). The maximum visual angle is approximately 105 0 , but there is limited information about variations with age, race, or refractive error (in case there is an unexpected link with the development of myopia), or about how clear cornea, iris location, and the limiting retina are related. Also, the detection of peripheral motion is widely recognized to be important, yet rarely evaluated. Overall, people rarely complain specifically about this visual region, but with "normal" vision including an IOL for >5% of people, and increasing interest in virtual reality and augmented reality, there are new reasons to characterize peripheral vision more completely. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stepped MS(All) Relied Transition (SMART): An approach to rapidly determine optimal multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry parameters for small molecules.

PubMed

Ye, Hui; Zhu, Lin; Wang, Lin; Liu, Huiying; Zhang, Jun; Wu, Mengqiu; Wang, Guangji; Hao, Haiping

2016-02-11

Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) is a universal approach for quantitative analysis because of its high specificity and sensitivity. Nevertheless, optimization of MRM parameters remains as a time and labor-intensive task particularly in multiplexed quantitative analysis of small molecules in complex mixtures. In this study, we have developed an approach named Stepped MS(All) Relied Transition (SMART) to predict the optimal MRM parameters of small molecules. SMART requires firstly a rapid and high-throughput analysis of samples using a Stepped MS(All) technique (sMS(All)) on a Q-TOF, which consists of serial MS(All) events acquired from low CE to gradually stepped-up CE values in a cycle. The optimal CE values can then be determined by comparing the extracted ion chromatograms for the ion pairs of interest among serial scans. The SMART-predicted parameters were found to agree well with the parameters optimized on a triple quadrupole from the same vendor using a mixture of standards. The parameters optimized on a triple quadrupole from a different vendor was also employed for comparison, and found to be linearly correlated with the SMART-predicted parameters, suggesting the potential applications of the SMART approach among different instrumental platforms. This approach was further validated by applying to simultaneous quantification of 31 herbal components in the plasma of rats treated with a herbal prescription. Because the sMS(All) acquisition can be accomplished in a single run for multiple components independent of standards, the SMART approach are expected to find its wide application in the multiplexed quantitative analysis of complex mixtures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Three-dimensional histology: tools and application to quantitative assessment of cell-type distribution in rabbit heart

PubMed Central

Burton, Rebecca A.B.; Lee, Peter; Casero, Ramón; Garny, Alan; Siedlecka, Urszula; Schneider, Jürgen E.; Kohl, Peter; Grau, Vicente

2014-01-01

Aims Cardiac histo-anatomical organization is a major determinant of function. Changes in tissue structure are a relevant factor in normal and disease development, and form targets of therapeutic interventions. The purpose of this study was to test tools aimed to allow quantitative assessment of cell-type distribution from large histology and magnetic resonance imaging- (MRI) based datasets. Methods and results Rabbit heart fixation during cardioplegic arrest and MRI were followed by serial sectioning of the whole heart and light-microscopic imaging of trichrome-stained tissue. Segmentation techniques developed specifically for this project were applied to segment myocardial tissue in the MRI and histology datasets. In addition, histology slices were segmented into myocytes, connective tissue, and undefined. A bounding surface, containing the whole heart, was established for both MRI and histology. Volumes contained in the bounding surface (called ‘anatomical volume’), as well as that identified as containing any of the above tissue categories (called ‘morphological volume’), were calculated. The anatomical volume was 7.8 cm3 in MRI, and this reduced to 4.9 cm3 after histological processing, representing an ‘anatomical’ shrinkage by 37.2%. The morphological volume decreased by 48% between MRI and histology, highlighting the presence of additional tissue-level shrinkage (e.g. an increase in interstitial cleft space). The ratio of pixels classified as containing myocytes to pixels identified as non-myocytes was roughly 6:1 (61.6 vs. 9.8%; the remaining fraction of 28.6% was ‘undefined’). Conclusion Qualitative and quantitative differentiation between myocytes and connective tissue, using state-of-the-art high-resolution serial histology techniques, allows identification of cell-type distribution in whole-heart datasets. Comparison with MRI illustrates a pronounced reduction in anatomical and morphological volumes during histology processing. PMID:25362175

Single myelin fiber imaging in living rodents without labeling by deep optical coherence microscopy.

PubMed

Ben Arous, Juliette; Binding, Jonas; Léger, Jean-François; Casado, Mariano; Topilko, Piotr; Gigan, Sylvain; Boccara, A Claude; Bourdieu, Laurent

2011-11-01

Myelin sheath disruption is responsible for multiple neuropathies in the central and peripheral nervous system. Myelin imaging has thus become an important diagnosis tool. However, in vivo imaging has been limited to either low-resolution techniques unable to resolve individual fibers or to low-penetration imaging of single fibers, which cannot provide quantitative information about large volumes of tissue, as required for diagnostic purposes. Here, we perform myelin imaging without labeling and at micron-scale resolution with >300-μm penetration depth on living rodents. This was achieved with a prototype [termed deep optical coherence microscopy (deep-OCM)] of a high-numerical aperture infrared full-field optical coherence microscope, which includes aberration correction for the compensation of refractive index mismatch and high-frame-rate interferometric measurements. We were able to measure the density of individual myelinated fibers in the rat cortex over a large volume of gray matter. In the peripheral nervous system, deep-OCM allows, after minor surgery, in situ imaging of single myelinated fibers over a large fraction of the sciatic nerve. This allows quantitative comparison of normal and Krox20 mutant mice, in which myelination in the peripheral nervous system is impaired. This opens promising perspectives for myelin chronic imaging in demyelinating diseases and for minimally invasive medical diagnosis.

Single myelin fiber imaging in living rodents without labeling by deep optical coherence microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ben Arous, Juliette; Binding, Jonas; Léger, Jean-François; Casado, Mariano; Topilko, Piotr; Gigan, Sylvain; Claude Boccara, A.; Bourdieu, Laurent

2011-11-01

Myelin sheath disruption is responsible for multiple neuropathies in the central and peripheral nervous system. Myelin imaging has thus become an important diagnosis tool. However, in vivo imaging has been limited to either low-resolution techniques unable to resolve individual fibers or to low-penetration imaging of single fibers, which cannot provide quantitative information about large volumes of tissue, as required for diagnostic purposes. Here, we perform myelin imaging without labeling and at micron-scale resolution with >300-μm penetration depth on living rodents. This was achieved with a prototype [termed deep optical coherence microscopy (deep-OCM)] of a high-numerical aperture infrared full-field optical coherence microscope, which includes aberration correction for the compensation of refractive index mismatch and high-frame-rate interferometric measurements. We were able to measure the density of individual myelinated fibers in the rat cortex over a large volume of gray matter. In the peripheral nervous system, deep-OCM allows, after minor surgery, in situ imaging of single myelinated fibers over a large fraction of the sciatic nerve. This allows quantitative comparison of normal and Krox20 mutant mice, in which myelination in the peripheral nervous system is impaired. This opens promising perspectives for myelin chronic imaging in demyelinating diseases and for minimally invasive medical diagnosis.

Role of platinum DNA damage-induced transcriptional inhibition in chemotherapy-induced neuronal atrophy and peripheral neurotoxicity.

PubMed

Yan, Fang; Liu, Johnson J; Ip, Virginia; Jamieson, Stephen M F; McKeage, Mark J

2015-12-01

Platinum-based anticancer drugs cause peripheral neurotoxicity by damaging sensory neurons within the dorsal root ganglia (DRG), but the mechanisms are incompletely understood. The roles of platinum DNA binding, transcription inhibition and altered cell size were investigated in primary cultures of rat DRG cells. Click chemistry quantitative fluorescence imaging of RNA-incorporated 5-ethynyluridine showed high, but wide ranging, global levels of transcription in individual neurons that correlated with their cell body size. Treatment with platinum drugs reduced neuronal transcription and cell body size to an extent that corresponded to the amount of preceding platinum DNA binding, but without any loss of neuronal cells. The effects of platinum drugs on neuronal transcription and cell body size were inhibited by blocking platinum DNA binding with sodium thiosulfate, and mimicked by treatment with a model transcriptional inhibitor, actinomycin D. In vivo oxaliplatin treatment depleted the total RNA content of DRG tissue concurrently with altering DRG neuronal size. These findings point to a mechanism of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity, whereby platinum DNA damage induces global transcriptional arrest leading in turn to neuronal atrophy. DRG neurons may be particularly vulnerable to this mechanism of toxicity because of their requirements for high basal levels of global transcriptional activity. Findings point to a new stepwise mechanism of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity, whereby platinum DNA damage induces global transcriptional arrest leading in turn to neuronal atrophy. Dorsal root ganglion neurons may be particularly vulnerable to this neurotoxicity because of their high global transcriptional outputs, demonstrated in this study by click chemistry quantitative fluorescence imaging. © 2015 International Society for Neurochemistry.

The position of lysosomes within the cell determines their luminal pH.

PubMed

Johnson, Danielle E; Ostrowski, Philip; Jaumouillé, Valentin; Grinstein, Sergio

2016-03-14

We examined the luminal pH of individual lysosomes using quantitative ratiometric fluorescence microscopy and report an unappreciated heterogeneity: peripheral lysosomes are less acidic than juxtanuclear ones despite their comparable buffering capacity. An increased passive (leak) permeability to protons, together with reduced vacuolar H(+)-adenosine triphosphatase (V-ATPase) activity, accounts for the reduced acidifying ability of peripheral lysosomes. The altered composition of peripheral lysosomes is due, at least in part, to more limited access to material exported by the biosynthetic pathway. The balance between Rab7 and Arl8b determines the subcellular localization of lysosomes; more peripheral lysosomes have reduced Rab7 density. This in turn results in decreased recruitment of Rab-interacting lysosomal protein (RILP), an effector that regulates the recruitment and stability of the V1G1 component of the lysosomal V-ATPase. Deliberate margination of lysosomes is associated with reduced acidification and impaired proteolytic activity. The heterogeneity in lysosomal pH may be an indication of a broader functional versatility. © 2016 Johnson et al.

The position of lysosomes within the cell determines their luminal pH

PubMed Central

Johnson, Danielle E.; Ostrowski, Philip; Jaumouillé, Valentin

2016-01-01

We examined the luminal pH of individual lysosomes using quantitative ratiometric fluorescence microscopy and report an unappreciated heterogeneity: peripheral lysosomes are less acidic than juxtanuclear ones despite their comparable buffering capacity. An increased passive (leak) permeability to protons, together with reduced vacuolar H+–adenosine triphosphatase (V-ATPase) activity, accounts for the reduced acidifying ability of peripheral lysosomes. The altered composition of peripheral lysosomes is due, at least in part, to more limited access to material exported by the biosynthetic pathway. The balance between Rab7 and Arl8b determines the subcellular localization of lysosomes; more peripheral lysosomes have reduced Rab7 density. This in turn results in decreased recruitment of Rab-interacting lysosomal protein (RILP), an effector that regulates the recruitment and stability of the V1G1 component of the lysosomal V-ATPase. Deliberate margination of lysosomes is associated with reduced acidification and impaired proteolytic activity. The heterogeneity in lysosomal pH may be an indication of a broader functional versatility. PMID:26975849

Quantitative contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging for the evaluation of peripheral arterial disease: a comparative study versus standard digital angiography.

PubMed

Pavlovic, Chris; Futamatsu, Hideki; Angiolillo, Dominick J; Guzman, Luis A; Wilke, Norbert; Siragusa, Daniel; Wludyka, Peter; Percy, Robert; Northrup, Martin; Bass, Theodore A; Costa, Marco A

2007-04-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of semiautomated analysis of contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in patients who have undergone standard angiographic evaluation for peripheral vascular disease (PVD). Magnetic resonance angiography is an important tool for evaluating PVD. Although this technique is both safe and noninvasive, the accuracy and reproducibility of quantitative measurements of disease severity using MRA in the clinical setting have not been fully investigated. 43 lesions in 13 patients who underwent both MRA and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) of iliac and common femoral arteries within 6 months were analyzed using quantitative magnetic resonance angiography (QMRA) and quantitative vascular analysis (QVA). Analysis was repeated by a second operator and by the same operator in approximately 1 month time. QMRA underestimated percent diameter stenosis (%DS) compared to measurements made with QVA by 2.47%. Limits of agreement between the two methods were +/- 9.14%. Interobserver variability in measurements of %DS were +/- 12.58% for QMRA and +/- 10.04% for QVA. Intraobserver variability of %DS for QMRA was +/- 4.6% and for QVA was +/- 8.46%. QMRA displays a high level of agreement to QVA when used to determine stenosis severity in iliac and common femoral arteries. Similar levels of interobserver and intraobserver variability are present with each method. Overall, QMRA represents a useful method to quantify severity of PVD.

Customized Molecular Phenotyping by Quantitative Gene Expression and Pattern Recognition Analysis

PubMed Central

Akilesh, Shreeram; Shaffer, Daniel J.; Roopenian, Derry

2003-01-01

Description of the molecular phenotypes of pathobiological processes in vivo is a pressing need in genomic biology. We have implemented a high-throughput real-time PCR strategy to establish quantitative expression profiles of a customized set of target genes. It enables rapid, reproducible data acquisition from limited quantities of RNA, permitting serial sampling of mouse blood during disease progression. We developed an easy to use statistical algorithm—Global Pattern Recognition—to readily identify genes whose expression has changed significantly from healthy baseline profiles. This approach provides unique molecular signatures for rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and graft versus host disease, and can also be applied to defining the molecular phenotype of a variety of other normal and pathological processes. PMID:12840047

Quantitative determination of a chemically modified hammerhead ribozyme in blood plasma using 96-well solid-phase extraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography or capillary gel electrophoresis.

PubMed

Bellon, L; Maloney, L; Zinnen, S P; Sandberg, J A; Johnson, K E

2000-08-01

Versatile bioanalytical assays to detect chemically stabilized hammerhead ribozyme and putative ribozyme metabolites from plasma are described. The extraction protocols presented are based on serial solid-phase extractions performed on a 96-well plate format and are compatible with either IEX-HPLC or CGE back-end analysis. A validation of both assays confirmed that both the HPLC and the CGE methods possess the required linearity, accuracy, and precision to accurately measure concentrations of hammerhead ribozyme extracted from plasma. These methods should be of general use to detect and quantitate ribozymes from other biological fluids such as serum and urine. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Development of a real-time quantitative PCR assay to enumerate Yersinia pestis in fleas.

PubMed

Gabitzsch, Elizabeth S; Vera-Tudela, Rommelle; Eisen, Rebecca J; Bearden, Scott W; Gage, Kenneth L; Zeidner, Nordin S

2008-07-01

A real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay was developed for Yersina pestis. The qPCR assay was developed utilizing a conserved region of the Y. pestis ferric iron uptake regulator gene (fur) to design primers and a fluorescent (FAM-labeled) TaqMan probe. The assay was optimized using cultured Y. pestis (UG05-0454) and was confirmed to work with strains from 3 Y. pestis biovars. The optimized assay was capable of detecting a single organism of cultured Y. pestis and as little as 300 bacteria in infected flea triturates. This qPCR assay enables rapid enumeration of Y. pestis bacterium in laboratory-infected fleas when compared with conventional serial dilution plating.

[EFFECT OF RECOMBINANT ADENOVIRUS-BONE MORPHOGENETIC PROTEIN 12 TRANSFECTION ON DIFFERENTIATION OF PERIPHERAL BLOOD MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS INTO TENDON/LIGAMENT CELLS].

PubMed

Fu, Weili; Chen, Gang; Tang, Xin; Li, Qi; Ll, Jian

2015-04-01

To research the effect of recombinant adenovirus-bone morphogenetic protein 12 (Ad-BMP-12) transfection on the differentiation of peripheral blood mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into tendon/ligament cells. Peripheral blood MSCs were isolated from New Zealand rabbits (3-4 months old) and cultured in vitro until passage 3. The recombinant adenoviral vector system was prepared using AdEasy system, then transfected into MSCs at passage 3 (transfected group); untransfected MSCs served as control (untransfected group). The morphological characteristics and growth of transfected cells were observed under inverted phase contrast microscope. The transfection efficiency and green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression were detected by flow cytometry (FCM) and fluorescence microscopy. After cultured for 14 days in vitro, the expressions of tendon/ligament-specific markers were determined by immunohistochemistry and real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR. GFP expression could be observed in peripheral blood MSCs at 8 hours after transfection. At 24 hours after transfection, the cells had clear morphology and grew slowly under inverted phase contrast microscope and almost all expressed GFP at the same field under fluorescence microscopy. FCM analysis showed that the transfection efficiency of the transfected group was 99.57%, while it was 2.46% in the untransfected group. The immunohistochemistry showed that the expression of collagen type I gradually increased with culture time in vitro. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR results showed that the mRNA expressions of the tendon/ligament-specific genes (Tenomodulin, Tenascin-C, and Decorin) in the transfected group were significantly higher than those in untransfected group (0.061+/- 0.013 vs. 0.004 +/- 0.002, t = -7.700, P=0.031; 0.029 +/- 0.008 vs. 0.003 +/- 0.001, t = -5.741, P=0.020; 0.679 +/- 0.067 vs. 0.142 +/- 0.024, t = -12.998, P=0.000). Ad-BMP-12 can significantly promote differentiation of peripheral blood MSCs into tendon/ligament fibroblasts and enhance the expressions of tendon/ligament-specific phenotypic differentiation, which would provide the evidence for peripheral blood MSCs applied for tendon/ligament regeneration.

Serial measurement of type-specific human papillomavirus load enables classification of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia lesions according to occurring human papillomavirus-induced pathway.

PubMed

Verhelst, Stefanie; Poppe, Willy A J; Bogers, Johannes J; Depuydt, Christophe E

2017-03-01

This retrospective study examined whether human papillomavirus (HPV) type-specific viral load changes measured in two or three serial cervical smears are predictive for the natural evolution of HPV infections and correlate with histological grades of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), allowing triage of HPV-positive women. A cervical histology database was used to select consecutive women with biopsy-proven CIN in 2012 who had at least two liquid-based cytology samples before the diagnosis of CIN. Before performing cytology, 18 different quantitative PCRs allowed HPV type-specific viral load measurement. Changes in HPV-specific load between measurements were assessed by linear regression, with calculation of coefficient of determination (R) and slope. All infections could be classified into one of five categories: (i) clonal progressing process (R≥0.85; positive slope), (ii) simultaneously occurring clonal progressive and transient infection, (iii) clonal regressing process (R≥0.85; negative slope), (iv) serial transient infection with latency [R<0.85; slopes (two points) between 0.0010 and -0.0010 HPV copies/cell/day], and (v) transient productive infection (R<0.85; slope: ±0.0099 HPV copies/cell/day). Three hundred and seven women with CIN were included; 124 had single-type infections and 183 had multiple HPV types. Only with three consecutive measurements could a clonal process be identified in all CIN3 cases. We could clearly demonstrate clonal regressing lesions with a persistent linear decrease in viral load (R≥0.85; -0.003 HPV copies/cell/day) in all CIN categories. Type-specific viral load increase/decrease in three consecutive measurements enabled classification of CIN lesions in clonal HPV-driven transformation (progression/regression) and nonclonal virion-productive (serial transient/transient) processes.

Virtual bronchoscopic navigation without X-ray fluoroscopy to diagnose peripheral pulmonary lesions: a randomized trial.

PubMed

Asano, Fumihiro; Ishida, Takashi; Shinagawa, Naofumi; Sukoh, Noriaki; Anzai, Masaki; Kanazawa, Kenya; Tsuzuku, Akifumi; Morita, Satoshi

2017-12-11

Transbronchial biopsy for peripheral pulmonary lesions is generally performed under X-ray fluoroscopy. Virtual bronchoscopic navigation (VBN) is a method in which virtual images of the bronchial route to the lesion are produced based on CT images obtained before VBN, and the bronchoscope is guided using these virtual images, improving the diagnostic yield of peripheral pulmonary lesions. VBN has the possibility of eliminating the need for X-ray fluoroscopy in the bronchoscopic diagnosis of peripheral lesions. To determine whether VBN can be a substitute for X-ray fluoroscopy, a randomized multicenter trial (non-inferiority trial) was performed in VBN and X-ray fluoroscopy (XRF) -assisted groups. The non-inferiority margin in the VBN-assisted group compared with the XRF-assisted group was set at 15%. The subjects consisted of 140 patients with peripheral pulmonary lesions with a mean diameter > 3 cm. In the VBN-assisted group, the bronchoscope was guided to the lesion using a VBN system without X-ray fluoroscopy. In the XRF-assisted group, the same bronchoscope was guided to the lesion under X-ray fluoroscopy. Subsequently, in both groups, the lesion was visualized using endobronchial ultrasonography with a guide sheath (EBUS/GS), and biopsy was performed. In this serial procedure, X-ray fluoroscopy was not used in the VBNA group. The subjects of analysis consisted of 129 patients. The diagnostic yield was 76.9% (50/65) in the VBN-assisted group and 85.9% (55/64) in the XRF-assisted group. The difference in the diagnostic yield between the two groups was -9.0% (95% confidence interval: -22.3% ~ 4.3%). The non-inferiority of the VBN-assisted group could not be confirmed. The rate of visualizing lesions by EBUS was 95.4% (62/65) in the VBN-assisted group and 96.9% (62/64) in the XRF-assisted group, being high in both groups. On EBUS/GS, a bronchoscope and biopsy instruments may be guided to the lesions using VBN without X-ray fluoroscopy, but X-ray fluoroscopy is necessary to improve the accuracy of sample collection from lesions. During transbronchial biopsy for peripheral pulmonary lesions, VBN cannot be a substitute for X-ray fluoroscopy. UMIN-CTR (UMIN000001710); registered 16 February 2009.

Incidence and predisposing factors of phlebitis in a surgery department.

PubMed

Rego Furtado, Luís Carlos do

This paper reports on a study conducted to determine the incidence of phlebitis related to peripheral cannulae, and its predisposing factors in a general surgery department. Phlebitis is a serious health problem that affects a large proportion of hospitalized patients receiving intravenous therapy. A data collection tool was developed based on the previous literature and was completed between 15 October and 30 November 2010 in a general surgery department. All patients with peripheral cannulae who fulfilled the inclusion criteria, and who agreed to participate in the study where monitored. This was a quantitative study, which used descriptive, inferential, and correlational analysis. A total of 171 patients and 286 peripheral cannulae were monitored. The average incidence of phlebitis was 61.5%, and factors such as diabetes and tobacco consumption were identified as relevant to the development of phlebitis. Other elements identified as predisposing to the development of phlebitis include administration of potassium chloride, the dwell time of the peripheral cannula, and the anatomical location of the cannula. Phlebitis associated with peripheral cannulae is still a current problem requiring knowledgeable staff who can prevent, recognize and act appropriately in a timely manner to minimize its severity.

Periodic neutropenia and monocytopenia

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

Adams, W.H.; Liu, Y.K.

A patient with periodic neutropenia exhibited simultaneous monocytopenia, and epinephrine infusion revealed no monocytes in the marginating pool during neutropenia. Lymphocytes, eosinophils, and platelets also fluctuated periodically, but serial bone marrow studies and epinephrine infusion data indicate these fluctuations could have represented epiphenomena rather than a more global form of periodic hematopoiesis. Bone marrow descriptions of most cases of periodic neutropenia have indicated a ''maturation arrest'' at the promyelocyte or myelocyte stage prior to development of neutropenia; peripheral blood monocytes are usually normal or fluctuate out of phase with neutrophils. In the present case, ''maturation arrest'' occurred at the myeloblastmore » stage, and neutrophils and monocytes cycled together. Morphologically normal eosinophilopoiesis with a mean eosinophil to erythroid ratio in the marrow of 0.27 +/- 0.10 (SD) persisted despite a sustained disappearance of promyelocytes.« less

Metallothionein--a promising tool for cancer diagnostics.

PubMed

Krizkova, S; Fabrik, I; Adam, V; Hrabeta, J; Eckschlager, T; Kizek, R

2009-01-01

The latest research outcomes indicate that metallothionein (MT) levels in peripheral blood and serum from cancer patients can provide many interesting information about type or clinical stage of the disease, or response to therapy. MT plays a key role in transport of essential heavy metals, detoxification of toxic metals and protection of cells against oxidation stress. Serum MT levels of cancer patients are three times higher than control patients (0.5 microM). The elevated MT levels in cancer cells are probably related to their increased proliferation and protection against apoptosis. Automated electrochemical detection of MT allows its serial analysis in a very small volume with excellent sensitivity, reliability and reproducibility and therefore it can be considered as a new tool for cancer diagnosis (Fig. 4, Ref. 55). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk.

Patients with the worst outcomes after paracetamol (acetaminophen)-induced liver failure have an early monocytopenia.

PubMed

Moore, J K; MacKinnon, A C; Man, T Y; Manning, J R; Forbes, S J; Simpson, K J

2017-02-01

Acute liver failure (ALF) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Studies have implicated the immune response, especially monocyte/macrophages as being important in dictating outcome. To investigate changes in the circulating monocytes and other immune cells serially in patients with ALF, relate these with cytokine concentrations, monocyte gene expression and patient outcome. In a prospective case-control study in the Scottish Liver Transplant Unit, Royal Infirmary Edinburgh, 35 consecutive patients admitted with paracetamol-induced liver failure (POD-ALF), 10 patients with non-paracetamol causes of ALF and 16 controls were recruited. The peripheral blood monocyte phenotype was analysed by flow cytometry, circulating cytokines quantified by protein array and monocyte gene expression array performed and related to outcome. On admission, patients with worst outcomes after POD-ALF had a significant monocytopenia, characterised by reduced classical and expanded intermediate monocyte population. This was associated with reduced circulating lymphocytes and natural killer cells, peripheral cytokine patterns suggestive of a 'cytokine storm' and increased concentrations of cytokines associated with monocyte egress from the bone marrow. Gene expression array did not differentiate patient outcome. At day 4, there was no significant difference in monocyte, lymphocyte or natural killer cells between survivors and the patients with adverse outcomes. Severe paracetamol liver failure is associated with profound changes in the peripheral blood compartment, particularly in monocytes, related with worse outcomes. This is not seen in patients with non-paracetamol-induced liver failure. Significant monocytopenia on admission may allow earlier clarification of prognosis, and it highlights a potential target for therapeutic intervention. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Quantitative Modeling of Virus Evolutionary Dynamics and Adaptation in Serial Passages Using Empirically Inferred Fitness Landscapes

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

decrease in virus count. This overall behavior of total species count (uninfected cells and viruses of all genotypes) shown in Fig. 1 was qualitatively...respiratory syndrome corona - virus host range expansion in human airway epithelium. J. Virol. 82: 2274 –2285. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JVI.02041-07...2008.12.014. 44. Bouvier NM, Lowen AC. 2010. Animal models for influenza virus patho- genesis and transmission. Viruses 2:1530 –1563. http

High-Speed and Scalable Whole-Brain Imaging in Rodents and Primates.

PubMed

Seiriki, Kaoru; Kasai, Atsushi; Hashimoto, Takeshi; Schulze, Wiebke; Niu, Misaki; Yamaguchi, Shun; Nakazawa, Takanobu; Inoue, Ken-Ichi; Uezono, Shiori; Takada, Masahiko; Naka, Yuichiro; Igarashi, Hisato; Tanuma, Masato; Waschek, James A; Ago, Yukio; Tanaka, Kenji F; Hayata-Takano, Atsuko; Nagayasu, Kazuki; Shintani, Norihito; Hashimoto, Ryota; Kunii, Yasuto; Hino, Mizuki; Matsumoto, Junya; Yabe, Hirooki; Nagai, Takeharu; Fujita, Katsumasa; Matsuda, Toshio; Takuma, Kazuhiro; Baba, Akemichi; Hashimoto, Hitoshi

2017-06-21

Subcellular resolution imaging of the whole brain and subsequent image analysis are prerequisites for understanding anatomical and functional brain networks. Here, we have developed a very high-speed serial-sectioning imaging system named FAST (block-face serial microscopy tomography), which acquires high-resolution images of a whole mouse brain in a speed range comparable to that of light-sheet fluorescence microscopy. FAST enables complete visualization of the brain at a resolution sufficient to resolve all cells and their subcellular structures. FAST renders unbiased quantitative group comparisons of normal and disease model brain cells for the whole brain at a high spatial resolution. Furthermore, FAST is highly scalable to non-human primate brains and human postmortem brain tissues, and can visualize neuronal projections in a whole adult marmoset brain. Thus, FAST provides new opportunities for global approaches that will allow for a better understanding of brain systems in multiple animal models and in human diseases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Search asymmetries: parallel processing of uncertain sensory information.

PubMed

Vincent, Benjamin T

2011-08-01

What is the mechanism underlying search phenomena such as search asymmetry? Two-stage models such as Feature Integration Theory and Guided Search propose parallel pre-attentive processing followed by serial post-attentive processing. They claim search asymmetry effects are indicative of finding pairs of features, one processed in parallel, the other in serial. An alternative proposal is that a 1-stage parallel process is responsible, and search asymmetries occur when one stimulus has greater internal uncertainty associated with it than another. While the latter account is simpler, only a few studies have set out to empirically test its quantitative predictions, and many researchers still subscribe to the 2-stage account. This paper examines three separate parallel models (Bayesian optimal observer, max rule, and a heuristic decision rule). All three parallel models can account for search asymmetry effects and I conclude that either people can optimally utilise the uncertain sensory data available to them, or are able to select heuristic decision rules which approximate optimal performance. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Technetium-fibrinogen lung scanning in canine lung contusion

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

Geller, E.; Khaw, B.A.; Strauss, H.W.

1984-07-01

To detect experimentally induced acute lung contusion in anesthetized dogs, serial radionuclide images of the lung were recorded following intravenous infusion of 99mTc-labelled human fibrinogen (Tc-HF). The accumulation of Tc-HF in canine lungs was serially quantitated for up to 20 hours after lung contusion. A contusion (number1) was produced in one lung, Tc-HF was injected IV after 15 minutes, and 75 minutes later a contralateral lung contusion (number2) was produced in a series of 14 dogs. At autopsy the excised lungs were scanned, sectioned, and counted for radioactivity. Radiolabelled fibrinogen accumulated within 2-4 minutes of contusion number2 and remained stablemore » over the next 20 hours in 14 dogs; contusion number1 was barely visible in four dogs. Lung Tc-HF activity in the central region of contusion number2 remained sixfold higher than in normal lung tissue. These data suggest that following lung contusion, fibrinogen deposition occurs rapidly and remains stable over a 20-hour interval of observation.« less

Immunomediator expression profiling in two beluga whale (delphinapterus leucas) clinical cases

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cytokines and other immunomediators can be biomarkers of inflammation. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) has been used to examine cytokine gene expression in beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Thus, qPCR-based immunomediator assays could supplement clinic...

Estrogens are essential for male pubertal periosteal bone expansion.

PubMed

Bouillon, Roger; Bex, Marie; Vanderschueren, Dirk; Boonen, Steven

2004-12-01

The skeletal response to estrogen therapy was studied in a 17-yr-old boy with congenital aromatase deficiency. As expected, estrogen therapy (1 mg estradiol valeriate/d from age 17 until 20 yr) normalized total and free testosterone and reduced the rate of bone remodeling. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry-assessed areal bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine and femoral neck increased significantly (by 23% and 14%, respectively), but peripheral quantitative computed tomography at the ultradistal radius revealed no gain of either trabecular or cortical volumetric BMD. The increase in areal BMD was thus driven by an increase in bone size. Indeed, longitudinal bone growth (height, +8.5%) and especially cross-sectional area of the radius (+46%) and cortical thickness (+12%), as measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomography, increased markedly during estrogen treatment. These findings demonstrate that androgens alone are insufficient, whereas estrogens are essential for the process of pubertal periosteal bone expansion typically associated with the male bone phenotype.

Changes in bone structure of Corriedale sheep with inherited rickets: a peripheral quantitative computed tomography assessment.

PubMed

Dittmer, Keren E; Firth, Elwyn C; Thompson, Keith G; Marshall, Jonathan C; Blair, Hugh T

2011-03-01

An inherited skeletal disease with gross and microscopic features of rickets has been diagnosed in Corriedale sheep in New Zealand. The aim of this study was to quantify the changes present in tibia from sheep with inherited rickets using peripheral quantitative computed tomography. In affected sheep, scans in the proximal tibia, where metaphysis becomes diaphysis, showed significantly greater trabecular bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD). The sheep with inherited rickets had significantly greater BMC and bone area in the mid-diaphysis of the proximal tibia compared to control sheep. However, BMD in the mid-diaphysis was significantly less in affected sheep than in controls, due to the greater cortical area and lower voxel density values in affected sheep. From this it was concluded that the increased strain on under-mineralised bone in sheep with inherited rickets led to increased bone mass in an attempt to improve bone strength. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Macular degeneration affects eye movement behavior during visual search.

PubMed

Van der Stigchel, Stefan; Bethlehem, Richard A I; Klein, Barrie P; Berendschot, Tos T J M; Nijboer, Tanja C W; Dumoulin, Serge O

2013-01-01

Patients with a scotoma in their central vision (e.g., due to macular degeneration, MD) commonly adopt a strategy to direct the eyes such that the image falls onto a peripheral location on the retina. This location is referred to as the preferred retinal locus (PRL). Although previous research has investigated the characteristics of this PRL, it is unclear whether eye movement metrics are modulated by peripheral viewing with a PRL as measured during a visual search paradigm. To this end, we tested four MD patients in a visual search paradigm and contrasted their performance with a healthy control group and a healthy control group performing the same experiment with a simulated scotoma. The experiment contained two conditions. In the first condition the target was an unfilled circle hidden among c-shaped distractors (serial condition) and in the second condition the target was a filled circle (pop-out condition). Saccadic search latencies for the MD group were significantly longer in both conditions compared to both control groups. Results of a subsequent experiment indicated that this difference between the MD and the control groups could not be explained by a difference in target selection sensitivity. Furthermore, search behavior of MD patients was associated with saccades with smaller amplitudes toward the scotoma, an increased intersaccadic interval and an increased number of eye movements necessary to locate the target. Some of these characteristics, such as the increased intersaccadic interval, were also observed in the simulation group, which indicate that these characteristics are related to the peripheral viewing itself. We suggest that the combination of the central scotoma and peripheral viewing can explain the altered search behavior and no behavioral evidence was found for a possible reorganization of the visual system associated with the use of a PRL. Thus the switch from a fovea-based to a PRL-based reference frame impairs search efficiency.

Rasch-built Overall Disability Scale for Multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN-RODS(©) ).

PubMed

Vanhoutte, Els K; Faber, Catharina G; van Nes, Sonja I; Cats, Elisabeth A; Van der Pol, W-Ludo; Gorson, Kenneth C; van Doorn, Pieter A; Cornblath, David R; van den Berg, Leonard H; Merkies, Ingemar S J

2015-09-01

Clinical trials in multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) have often used ordinal-based measures that may not accurately capture changes. We aimed to construct a disability interval outcome measure specifically for MMN using the Rasch model and to examine its clinimetric properties. A total of 146 preliminary activity and participation items were assessed twice (reliability studies) in 96 clinically stable MMN patients. These patients also assessed the ordinal-based overall disability sum score (construct, sample-dependent validity). The final Rasch-built overall disability scale for MMN (MMN-RODS(©) ) was serially applied in 26 patients with newly diagnosed or relapsing MMN, treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) (1-year follow-up; responsiveness study). The magnitude of change for each patient was calculated using the minimum clinically important difference technique related to the individually obtained standard errors. A total of 121 items not fulfilling Rasch requirements were removed. The final 25-item MMN-RODS(©) fulfilled all Rasch model's expectations and showed acceptable reliability and validity including good discriminatory capacity. Most serially examined patients improved, but its magnitude was low, reflecting poor responsiveness. The constructed MMN-RODS(©) is a disease-specific, interval measure to detect activity limitations in patients with MMN and overcomes the shortcomings of ordinal scales. However, future clinimetric studies are needed to improve the MMN-RODS(©) 's responsiveness by longer observations and/or more rigorous treatment regimens. © 2015 Peripheral Nerve Society.

ESR1 Methylation: A Liquid Biopsy-Based Epigenetic Assay for the Follow-up of Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer Receiving Endocrine Treatment.

PubMed

Mastoraki, Sophia; Strati, Areti; Tzanikou, Eleni; Chimonidou, Maria; Politaki, Eleni; Voutsina, Alexandra; Psyrri, Amanda; Georgoulias, Vassilis; Lianidou, Evi

2018-03-15

Purpose: Liquid biopsy provides real-time monitoring of tumor evolution and response to therapy through analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and plasma-circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). ESR1 epigenetic silencing potentially affects response to endocrine treatment. We evaluated ESR1 methylation in CTCs and paired plasma ctDNA. We evaluated ESR1 methylation in CTCs and paired plasma ctDNA as a potential biomarker for response to everolimus/exemestane treatment. Experimental Design: A highly sensitive and specific real-time MSP assay for ESR1 methylation was developed and validated in (i) 65 primary breast tumors formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE), (ii) EpCAM + CTC fractions (122 patients and 30 healthy donors; HD), (iii) plasma ctDNA (108 patients and 30HD), and (iv) in CTCs (CellSearch) and in paired plasma ctDNA for 58 patients with breast cancer. ESR1 methylation status was investigated in CTCs isolated from serial peripheral blood samples of 19 patients with ER + /HER2 - advanced breast cancer receiving everolimus/exemestane. Results: ESR1 methylation was detected in: (i) 25/65 (38.5%) FFPEs, (ii) EpCAM + CTC fractions : 26/112 (23.3%) patients and 1/30 (3.3%) HD, and (iii) plasma ctDNA: 8/108 (7.4%) patients and 1/30 (3.3%) HD. ESR1 methylation was highly concordant in 58 paired DNA samples, isolated from CTCs (CellSearch) and corresponding plasma. In serial peripheral blood samples of patients treated with everolimus/exemestane, ESR1 methylation was observed in 10/36 (27.8%) CTC-positive samples, and was associated with lack of response to treatment ( P = 0.023, Fisher exact test). Conclusions: We report for the first time the detection of ESR1 methylation in CTCs and a high concordance with paired plasma ctDNA. ESR1 methylation in CTCs was associated with lack of response to everolimus/exemestane regimen. ESR1 methylation should be further evaluated as a potential liquid biopsy-based biomarker. Clin Cancer Res; 24(6); 1500-10. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Bone Mass in Boys with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calarge, Chadi A.; Schlechte, Janet A.

2017-01-01

To examine bone mass in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Risperidone-treated 5 to 17 year-old males underwent anthropometric and bone measurements, using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and peripheral quantitative computed tomography. Multivariable linear regression analysis models examined whether skeletal outcomes…

Longitudinal monitoring of bottlenose dolphins leukocyte cytokine mRNA responsiveness by qPCR

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Both veterinarians caring for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in managed populations and researchers monitoring wild populations use blood-based diagnostics to monitor bottlenose dolphin health. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) can be used to assess cytokine expression patterns of peripheral blood m...

Longitudinal monitoring of bottlenose dolphin leukocyte cytokine mRNA responsiveness by qPCR

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Both veterinarians caring for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in managed populations and researchers monitoring wild populations use blood-based diagnostics to monitor bottlenose dolphin health. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) can be used to assess cytokine expression patterns of peripheral blood m...

Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill imaging of prostate cancer: quantitative T2 values for cancer discrimination.

PubMed

Roebuck, Joseph R; Haker, Steven J; Mitsouras, Dimitris; Rybicki, Frank J; Tempany, Clare M; Mulkern, Robert V

2009-05-01

Quantitative, apparent T(2) values of suspected prostate cancer and healthy peripheral zone tissue in men with prostate cancer were measured using a Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) imaging sequence in order to assess the cancer discrimination potential of tissue T(2) values. The CPMG imaging sequence was used to image the prostates of 18 men with biopsy-proven prostate cancer. Whole gland coverage with nominal voxel volumes of 0.54 x 1.1 x 4 mm(3) was obtained in 10.7 min, resulting in data sets suitable for generating high-quality images with variable T(2)-weighting and for evaluating quantitative T(2) values on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Region-of-interest analysis of suspected healthy peripheral zone tissue and suspected cancer, identified on the basis of both T(1)- and T(2)-weighted signal intensities and available histopathology reports, yielded significantly (P<.0001) longer apparent T(2) values in suspected healthy tissue (193+/-49 ms) vs. suspected cancer (100+/-26 ms), suggesting potential utility of this method as a tissue specific discrimination index for prostate cancer. We conclude that CPMG imaging of the prostate can be performed in reasonable scan times and can provide advantages over T(2)-weighted fast spin echo (FSE) imaging alone, including quantitative T(2) values for cancer discrimination as well as proton density maps without the point spread function degradation associated with short effective echo time FSE sequences.

Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) Imaging of Prostate Cancer: Quantitative T2 Values for Cancer Discrimination

PubMed Central

Roebuck, Joseph R.; Haker, Steven J.; Mitsouras, Dimitris; Rybicki, Frank J.; Tempany, Clare M.; Mulkern, Robert V.

2009-01-01

Quantitative, apparent T2 values of suspected prostate cancer and healthy peripheral zone tissue in men with prostate cancer were measured using a Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) imaging sequence in order to assess the cancer discrimination potential of tissue T2 values. The CPMG imaging sequence was used to image the prostates of 18 men with biopsy proven prostate cancer. Whole gland coverage with nominal voxel volumes of 0.54 × 1.1 × 4 mm3 was obtained in 10.7 minutes, resulting in data sets suitable for generating high quality images with variable T2-weighting and for evaluating quantitative T2 values on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Region-of-interest analysis of suspected healthy peripheral zone tissue and suspected cancer, identified on the basis of both T1- and T2-weighted signal intensities and available histopathology reports, yielded significantly (p < 0.0001) longer apparent T2 values in suspected healthy tissue (193 ± 49 ms) vs. suspected cancer (100 ± 26 ms), suggesting potential utility of this method as a tissue specific discrimination index for prostate cancer. We conclude that CPMG imaging of the prostate can be performed in reasonable scan times and can provide advantages over T2-weighted fast spin echo imaging alone, including quantitative T2 values for cancer discrimination as well as proton density maps without the point spread function degradation associated with short effective echo time fast spin echo (FSE) sequences. PMID:18823731

Quantitative analysis for peripheral vascularity assessment based on clinical photoacoustic and ultrasound images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murakoshi, Dai; Hirota, Kazuhiro; Ishii, Hiroyasu; Hashimoto, Atsushi; Ebata, Tetsurou; Irisawa, Kaku; Wada, Takatsugu; Hayakawa, Toshiro; Itoh, Kenji; Ishihara, Miya

2018-02-01

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging technology is expected to be applied to clinical assessment for peripheral vascularity. We started a clinical evaluation with the prototype PA imaging system we recently developed. Prototype PA imaging system was composed with in-house Q-switched Alexandrite laser system which emits short-pulsed laser with 750 nm wavelength, handheld ultrasound transducer where illumination optics were integrated and signal processing for PA image reconstruction implemented in the clinical ultrasound (US) system. For the purpose of quantitative assessment of PA images, an image analyzing function has been developed and applied to clinical PA images. In this analyzing function, vascularity derived from PA signal intensity ranged for prescribed threshold was defined as a numerical index of vessel fulfillment and calculated for the prescribed region of interest (ROI). Skin surface was automatically detected by utilizing B-mode image acquired simultaneously with PA image. Skinsurface position is utilized to place the ROI objectively while avoiding unwanted signals such as artifacts which were imposed due to melanin pigment in the epidermal layer which absorbs laser emission and generates strong PA signals. Multiple images were available to support the scanned image set for 3D viewing. PA images for several fingers of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) were quantitatively assessed. Since the artifact region is trimmed off in PA images, the visibility of vessels with rather low PA signal intensity on the 3D projection image was enhanced and the reliability of the quantitative analysis was improved.

Dynamic of CSF and serum biomarkers in HIV-1 subtype C encephalitis with CNS genetic compartmentalization-case study.

PubMed

de Almeida, Sergio M; Rotta, Indianara; Ribeiro, Clea E; Oliveira, Michelli F; Chaillon, Antoine; de Pereira, Ana Paula; Cunha, Ana Paula; Zonta, Marise; Bents, Joao França; Raboni, Sonia M; Smith, Davey; Letendre, Scott; Ellis, Ronald J

2017-06-01

Despite the effective suppression of viremia with antiretroviral therapy, HIV can still replicate in the central nervous system (CNS). This was a longitudinal study of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum dynamics of several biomarkers related to inflammation, the blood-brain barrier, neuronal injury, and IgG intrathecal synthesis in serial samples of CSF and serum from a patient infected with HIV-1 subtype C with CNS compartmentalization.The phylogenetic analyses of plasma and CSF samples in an acute phase using next-generation sequencing and F-statistics analysis of C2-V3 haplotypes revealed distinct compartmentalized CSF viruses in paired CSF and peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples. The CSF biomarker analysis in this patient showed that symptomatic CSF escape is accompanied by CNS inflammation, high levels of cell and humoral immune biomarkers, CNS barrier dysfunction, and an increase in neuronal injury biomarkers with demyelization. Independent and isolated HIV replication can occur in the CNS, even in HIV-1 subtype C, leading to compartmentalization and development of quasispecies distinct from the peripheral plasma. These immunological aspects of the HIV CNS escape have not been described previously. To our knowledge, this is the first report of CNS HIV escape and compartmentalization in HIV-1 subtype C.

Quantitative 3D reconstruction of airway and pulmonary vascular trees using HRCT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, Susan A.; Hoford, John D.; Hoffman, Eric A.; Zerhouni, Elias A.; Mitzner, Wayne A.

1993-07-01

Accurate quantitative measurements of airway and vascular dimensions are essential to evaluate function in the normal and diseased lung. In this report, a novel method is described for three-dimensional extraction and analysis of pulmonary tree structures using data from High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT). Serially scanned two-dimensional slices of the lower left lobe of isolated dog lungs were stacked to create a volume of data. Airway and vascular trees were three-dimensionally extracted using a three dimensional seeded region growing algorithm based on difference in CT number between wall and lumen. To obtain quantitative data, we reduced each tree to its central axis. From the central axis, branch length is measured as the distance between two successive branch points, branch angle is measured as the angle produced by two daughter branches, and cross sectional area is measured from a plane perpendicular to the central axis point. Data derived from these methods can be used to localize and quantify structural differences both during changing physiologic conditions and in pathologic lungs.

Quantitative Comparison of Tumor Delivery for Multiple Targeted Nanoparticles Simultaneously by Multiplex ICP-MS

PubMed Central

Elias, Andrew; Crayton, Samuel H.; Warden-Rothman, Robert; Tsourkas, Andrew

2014-01-01

Given the rapidly expanding library of disease biomarkers and targeting agents, the number of unique targeted nanoparticles is growing exponentially. The high variability and expense of animal testing often makes it unfeasible to examine this large number of nanoparticles in vivo. This often leads to the investigation of a single formulation that performed best in vitro. However, nanoparticle performance in vivo depends on many variables, many of which cannot be adequately assessed with cell-based assays. To address this issue, we developed a lanthanide-doped nanoparticle method that allows quantitative comparison of multiple targeted nanoparticles simultaneously. Specifically, superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles with different targeting ligands were created, each with a unique lanthanide dopant. Following the simultaneous injection of the various SPIO compositions into tumor-bearing mice, inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy was used to quantitatively and orthogonally assess the concentration of each SPIO composition in serial blood and resected tumor samples. PMID:25068300

Systematically Ranking the Tightness of Membrane Association for Peripheral Membrane Proteins (PMPs)*

PubMed Central

Gao, Liyan; Ge, Haitao; Huang, Xiahe; Liu, Kehui; Zhang, Yuanya; Xu, Wu; Wang, Yingchun

2015-01-01

Large-scale quantitative evaluation of the tightness of membrane association for nontransmembrane proteins is important for identifying true peripheral membrane proteins with functional significance. Herein, we simultaneously ranked more than 1000 proteins of the photosynthetic model organism Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 for their relative tightness of membrane association using a proteomic approach. Using multiple precisely ranked and experimentally verified peripheral subunits of photosynthetic protein complexes as the landmarks, we found that proteins involved in two-component signal transduction systems and transporters are overall tightly associated with the membranes, whereas the associations of ribosomal proteins are much weaker. Moreover, we found that hypothetical proteins containing the same domains generally have similar tightness. This work provided a global view of the structural organization of the membrane proteome with respect to divergent functions, and built the foundation for future investigation of the dynamic membrane proteome reorganization in response to different environmental or internal stimuli. PMID:25505158

Signs, symptoms, and treatment patterns across serial ambulatory cardiology visits in patients with heart failure: insights from the NCDR PINNACLE® registry.

PubMed

Allen, Larry A; Tang, Fengming; Jones, Philip; Breeding, Tracie; Ponirakis, Angelo; Turner, Stuart J

2018-05-03

Due to a relative lack of outpatient heart failure (HF) clinical registries, we aimed to describe symptoms, signs, and medication treatment among ambulatory patients with heart failure (HF) over time. Using health records from 234 PINNACLE (Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence) U.S. cardiology practices (2008-2014), serial visits for patients with HF were characterized. Symptoms, signs, and HF medications (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors [ACEI], angiotensin receptor blockers [ARB], beta blockers [BB], and diuretics) were compared between visits. Among 763,331 patients with HF, 550,581 had ≥2 clinic visits < 1 year apart, with 2,998,444 visit pairs. In the 12 months following an index visit, patients had a mean of 2.5 ± 2.3 additional visits. Recorded index visit symptoms ranged from dyspnea (53.6%) to orthopnea (23.1%); signs ranged from peripheral edema (52.2%) to hepatomegaly (0.6%). Of those with ejection fraction < 40%, ACEI was prescribed in 58.6%, ARB in 18.5%, BB in 85.2%, and diuretics in 70.0%. Between-visit recorded changes were infrequent: dyspnea appeared in 3.8%, resolved in 2.7%; NYHA class increased in 2.9%, decreased in 2.9%; number of signs increased in 6.0%, decreased in 5.1%; ACEI/ARB or BB added in 6.4%, removed in 6.2%; diuretic added in 3.7%, removed in 3.8%. Changes in recorded symptoms were rarely associated with initiation or discontinuation in HF medication classes. Ambulatory HF care in U.S. cardiology practices seldom recorded changes in symptoms, signs, and medication class. Although templated medical records and absence of medication dosing likely underestimated the degree to which clinical changes occur over serial visits for HF, these PINNACLE data suggest opportunities for greater symptom-based and therapy-focused visits.

Detection of prostate cancer in peripheral zone: comparison of MR diffusion tensor imaging, quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, and the two techniques combined at 3.0 T.

PubMed

Li, Chunmei; Chen, Min; Li, Saying; Zhao, Xuna; Zhang, Chen; Luo, Xiaojie; Zhou, Cheng

2014-03-01

Previous studies have shown that the diagnostic accuracy for prostate cancer improved with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) or quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) only. However, the efficacy of combined DTI and quantitative DCE-MRI in detecting prostate cancer at 3.0 T is still indeterminate. To investigate the utility of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), quantitative DCE-MRI, and the two techniques combined at 3.0 T in detecting prostate cancer of the peripheral zone (PZ). DTI and DCE-MRI of 33 patients was acquired prior to prostate biopsy. Regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn according to biopsy zones which were apex, mid-gland, and base on each side of the PZ. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), fractional anisotropy (FA), volume transfer constant (K(trans)), and rate constant (kep) values of cancerous sextants and non-cancerous sextants in PZ were calculated. Logistic regression models were generated for DTI, DCE-MRI, and DTI + DCE-MRI. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to compare the ability of these models to differentiate cancerous sextants from non-cancerous sextants of PZ. There were significant differences in the ADC, FA, K(trans), and kep values between cancerous sextants and non-cancerous sextants in PZ (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, and P < 0.0001, respectively). The area under curve (AUC) for DTI + DCE-MRI was significantly greater than that for either DTI (0.93 vs. 0.86, P = 0.0017) or DCE-MRI (0.93 vs. 0.84, P = 0.0034) alone. The combination of DTI and quantitative DCE-MRI has better diagnostic performance in detecting prostate cancer of the PZ than either technique alone.

Comparison of longitudinal excursion of a nerve-phantom model using quantitative ultrasound imaging and motion analysis system methods: A convergent validity study.

PubMed

Paquette, Philippe; El Khamlichi, Youssef; Lamontagne, Martin; Higgins, Johanne; Gagnon, Dany H

2017-08-01

Quantitative ultrasound imaging is gaining popularity in research and clinical settings to measure the neuromechanical properties of the peripheral nerves such as their capability to glide in response to body segment movement. Increasing evidence suggests that impaired median nerve longitudinal excursion is associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. To date, psychometric properties of longitudinal nerve excursion measurements using quantitative ultrasound imaging have not been extensively investigated. This study investigates the convergent validity of the longitudinal nerve excursion by comparing measures obtained using quantitative ultrasound imaging with those determined with a motion analysis system. A 38-cm long rigid nerve-phantom model was used to assess the longitudinal excursion in a laboratory environment. The nerve-phantom model, immersed in a 20-cm deep container filled with a gelatin-based solution, was moved 20 times using a linear forward and backward motion. Three light-emitting diodes were used to record nerve-phantom excursion with a motion analysis system, while a 5-cm linear transducer allowed simultaneous recording via ultrasound imaging. Both measurement techniques yielded excellent association ( r  = 0.99) and agreement (mean absolute difference between methods = 0.85 mm; mean relative difference between methods = 7.48 %). Small discrepancies were largely found when larger excursions (i.e. > 10 mm) were performed, revealing slight underestimation of the excursion by the ultrasound imaging analysis software. Quantitative ultrasound imaging is an accurate method to assess the longitudinal excursion of an in vitro nerve-phantom model and appears relevant for future research protocols investigating the neuromechanical properties of the peripheral nerves.

Choice of Grating Orientation for Evaluation of Peripheral Vision

PubMed Central

Venkataraman, Abinaya Priya; Winter, Simon; Rosén, Robert; Lundström, Linda

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose Peripheral resolution acuity depends on the orientation of the stimuli. However, it is uncertain if such a meridional effect also exists for peripheral detection tasks because they are affected by optical errors. Knowledge of the quantitative differences in acuity for different grating orientations is crucial for choosing the appropriate stimuli for evaluations of peripheral resolution and detection tasks. We assessed resolution and detection thresholds for different grating orientations in the peripheral visual field. Methods Resolution and detection thresholds were evaluated for gratings of four different orientations in eight different visual field meridians in the 20-deg visual field in white light. Detection measurements in monochromatic light (543 nm; bandwidth, 10 nm) were also performed to evaluate the effects of chromatic aberration on the meridional effect. A combination of trial lenses and adaptive optics system was used to correct the monochromatic lower- and higher-order aberrations. Results For both resolution and detection tasks, gratings parallel to the visual field meridian had better threshold compared with the perpendicular gratings, whereas the two oblique gratings had similar thresholds. The parallel and perpendicular grating acuity differences for resolution and detection tasks were 0.16 logMAR and 0.11 logMAD, respectively. Elimination of chromatic errors did not affect the meridional preference in detection acuity. Conclusions Similar to peripheral resolution, detection also shows a meridional effect that appears to have a neural origin. The threshold difference seen for parallel and perpendicular gratings suggests the use of two oblique gratings as stimuli in alternative forced-choice procedures for peripheral vision evaluation to reduce measurement variation. PMID:26889822

Choice of Grating Orientation for Evaluation of Peripheral Vision.

PubMed

Venkataraman, Abinaya Priya; Winter, Simon; Rosén, Robert; Lundström, Linda

2016-06-01

Peripheral resolution acuity depends on the orientation of the stimuli. However, it is uncertain if such a meridional effect also exists for peripheral detection tasks because they are affected by optical errors. Knowledge of the quantitative differences in acuity for different grating orientations is crucial for choosing the appropriate stimuli for evaluations of peripheral resolution and detection tasks. We assessed resolution and detection thresholds for different grating orientations in the peripheral visual field. Resolution and detection thresholds were evaluated for gratings of four different orientations in eight different visual field meridians in the 20-deg visual field in white light. Detection measurements in monochromatic light (543 nm; bandwidth, 10 nm) were also performed to evaluate the effects of chromatic aberration on the meridional effect. A combination of trial lenses and adaptive optics system was used to correct the monochromatic lower- and higher-order aberrations. For both resolution and detection tasks, gratings parallel to the visual field meridian had better threshold compared with the perpendicular gratings, whereas the two oblique gratings had similar thresholds. The parallel and perpendicular grating acuity differences for resolution and detection tasks were 0.16 logMAR and 0.11 logMAD, respectively. Elimination of chromatic errors did not affect the meridional preference in detection acuity. Similar to peripheral resolution, detection also shows a meridional effect that appears to have a neural origin. The threshold difference seen for parallel and perpendicular gratings suggests the use of two oblique gratings as stimuli in alternative forced-choice procedures for peripheral vision evaluation to reduce measurement variation.

Quantitative analysis of cell-free Epstein-Barr virus DNA in the plasma of patients with peripheral T-cell and NK-cell lymphomas and peripheral T-cell proliferative diseases.

PubMed

Suwiwat, Supaporn; Pradutkanchana, Jintana; Ishida, Takafumi; Mitarnun, Winyou

2007-12-01

The level of circulating EBV DNA is a prognostic marker in patients with some EBV-associated malignant diseases. To investigate the presence and nature of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA in the plasma and to evaluate the correlation of plasma concentrations of EBV DNA with the EBV genomic status in peripheral blood T-cells and neoplastic cells and with the clinical outcome of patients with peripheral T-cell and NK-cell lymphomas (PTCL) and peripheral T-cell proliferative diseases (PTPD). EBV DNA in the plasma of 45 patients and 45 controls was measured using real-time PCR. The presence of the EBV genome in the isolated peripheral blood lymphocytes (CD3+ and CD3- cells) was analysed by PCR. Detection of EBV-encoded early RNA (EBER) in corresponding tumor tissues was carried out using in situ hybridization. DNase I digestion was applied to plasma samples to detect naked EBV DNA. Cell-free EBV DNA was detected in 32/38 (84%) of PTCL patients and 5/7 (71%) of PTPD patients, but not in the controls. Patients with EBV genome in peripheral blood CD3+ cells and EBV genome (EBER) in the tumor cells, compared to those without these findings, had significantly higher plasma EBV DNA levels. The majority of circulating EBV DNA molecules was naked form. The plasma EBV DNA levels were not related to survival. The concentration of EBV DNA in the plasma was not a prognostic marker in PTCL and PTPD patients.

Diagnosis and management of solitary pulmonary nodules.

PubMed

Jeong, Yeon Joo; Lee, Kyung Soo; Kwon, O Jung

2008-12-01

The advent of computed tomography (CT) screening with or without the help of computer-aided detection systems has increased the detection rate of solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs), including that of early peripheral lung cancer. Helical dynamic (HD)CT, providing the information on morphologic and hemodynamic characteristics with high specificity and reasonably high accuracy, can be used for the initial assessment of SPNs. (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT is more sensitive at detecting malignancy than HDCT. Therefore, PET/CT may be selectively performed to characterize SPNs when HDCT gives an inconclusive diagnosis. Serial volume measurements are currently the most reliable methods for the tissue characterization of subcentimeter nodules. When malignant nodule is highly suspected for subcentimeter nodules, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery nodule removal after nodule localization using the pulmonary nodule-marker system may be performed for diagnosis and treatment.

Lupus pernio: a clinico-radiological study of thirty-five cases.

PubMed

Spiteri, M A; Matthey, F; Gordon, T; Carstairs, L S; James, D G

1985-03-01

Thirty-five patients with lupus pernio were observed in a series of 818 patients with clinical and histological evidence of sarcoidosis. This analysis provides the natural history of lupus pernio and its associated clinico-radiographic features. There was intrathoracic involvement in 74% of patients, upper respiratory tract disease in 54%, reticulo-endothelial involvement in 54%, bone cysts in 43% and ocular lesions in 37%. It predominated in West Indies-born women. Histological confirmation was easily obtained by nasal mucosal biopsy and this could be repeated serially to evaluate the response to various treatments. Nasal bone radiographs showed destruction of the nasal bones, porosis and alteration in bone texture. Peripheral bone cysts were evident in 50% of patients who were radiographed, and in about 50% of these patients, the cysts were found in both hands and feet.

Presence of Peripheral Neuropathy Is Associated With Progressive Thinning of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer in Type 1 Diabetes.

PubMed

Dehghani, Cirous; Srinivasan, Sangeetha; Edwards, Katie; Pritchard, Nicola; Russell, Anthony W; Malik, Rayaz A; Efron, Nathan

2017-05-01

Reduced retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness has been demonstrated in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) in cross-sectional studies. This prospective study defines longitudinal alterations to the RNFL thickness in individuals with type 1 diabetes without (DPN-ve) and with (DPN+ve) DPN and in relation to risk factors for nerve damage. A cohort of 105 individuals with type 1 diabetes (20% DPN+ve) with predominantly mild or no retinopathy and no previous retinal photocoagulation underwent spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) at baseline, 2 years, and 4 years. SD-OCT scans were acquired at 3.45-mm diameter around the optic nerve head and the overall RNFL and RNFL in the nasal, superior, temporal, and inferior quadrants were quantified. By including serial quantified RNFL parameters, linear mixed models were applied to assess the change in RNFL thickness over time and to explore the associations with other clinical variables. There was a significant decline in the overall RNFL thickness (-0.7 μm/y, P = 0.02) and RNFL in the superior quadrant (-1.9 μm/y, P < 0.01) in the DPN+ve group compared with DPN-ve group. The overall RNFL thickness and RNFL in the superior and nasal quadrants were inversely associated with age (β = -0.29, -0.41, and -0.29, respectively; P ≤ 0.02). Sex, retinopathy, diabetes duration, hemoglobin A1c, lipid profile, blood pressure, cigarette use, alcohol consumption, and body mass index did not show any significant effects (P > 0.05). Individuals with DPN showed a progressive RNFL thinning overall and in the superior quadrant, which was more pronounced in older individuals. There may be common pathways for retinal and peripheral neurodegeneration that are independent of conventional DPN risk factors.

Distribution of crystalloid fluid changes with the rate of infusion: a population-based study.

PubMed

Hahn, R G; Drobin, D; Zdolsek, J

2016-05-01

Crystalloid fluid requires 30 min for complete distribution throughout the extracellular fluid space and tends to cause long-standing peripheral edema. A kinetic analysis of the distribution of Ringer's acetate with increasing infusion rates was performed to obtain a better understanding of these characteristics of crystalloids. Data were retrieved from six studies in which 76 volunteers and preoperative patients had received between 300 ml and 2375 ml of Ringer's acetate solution at a rate of 20-80 ml/min (0.33-0.83 ml/min/kg). Serial measurements of the blood hemoglobin concentration were used as inputs in a kinetic analysis based on a two-volume model with micro-constants, using software for nonlinear mixed effects. The micro-constants describing distribution (k12) and elimination (k10) were unchanged when the rate of infusion increased, with half-times of 16 and 26 min, respectively. In contrast, the micro-constant describing how rapidly the already distributed fluid left the peripheral space (k21) decreased by 90% when the fluid was infused more rapidly, corresponding to an increase in the half-time from 3 to 30 min. The central volume of distribution (V(c)) doubled. The return of Ringer's acetate from the peripheral fluid compartment to the plasma was slower with high than with low infusion rates. Edema is a normal consequence of plasma volume expansion with this fluid, even in healthy volunteers. The results are consistent with the view that the viscoelastic properties of the interstitial matrix are responsible for the distribution and redistribution characteristics of crystalloid fluid. © 2016 The Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Inactivation of West Nile Virus in Serum with Heat, Ionic Detergent, and Reducing Agent for Proteomic Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-14

sensitivity: To simulate sera collected from experimentally - infected animals, we tested WNV (strain WN-USAMRIID99) serially diluted in heat-inactivated...Sensitivity of WNV Vero cell viability test Cq, WNV RT-qPCR Experimental Replicate PFU 1 2 3 2.00E+06 13.74 13.22 12.98 2.00E+05 13.61 13.23 12.13...proteins were identified and quantitated . Relative abundance of serum proteins to pre-infection levels was determined at each post -infection time-point

CAVIAR: a tool to improve serial analysis of the 12-lead electrocardiogram.

PubMed

Berg, J; Fayn, J; Edenbrandt, L; Lundh, B; Malmström, P; Rubel, P

1995-09-01

An important part of an electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation is the comparison between the present ECG and earlier recordings. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate a combination of two computer-based methods, synthesized vectorcardiogram (VCG) and CAVIAR, in this comparison. The methods were applied to a group of 38 normal subjects and to a group of 36 patients treated with anthracyclines. A fraction of these patients are likely to develop cardiac injury during or after the treatment, since anthracyclines are known to cause heart failure and cardiomyopathy. Two ECGs were recorded on each patient, one before and one after the treatment. On each normal subject, two ECGs were recorded with an interval of 8-9 years. A synthesized VCG was calculated from each ECG and the two synthesized VCGs from each subject were analysed with the CAVIAR method. The CAVIAR analysis is a quantitative method and normal limits for four measurements were established using the normal group. Values above these limits were more frequent in the patient group than in the normal group. The conventional ECGs were also analysed visually by an experience ECG interpreter without knowledge of the result of the CAVIAR analysis. No significant serial changes were found in 10 of the patients with high CAVIAR values. Changes in the ECGs were found in two patients with normal CAVIAR values. In summary, synthesized VCG and CAVIAR could be used to highlight small serial changes that are difficult to find in a visual analysis of ECGs.

Distribution of coniferin in freeze-fixed stem of Ginkgo biloba L. by cryo-TOF-SIMS/SEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aoki, Dan; Hanaya, Yuto; Akita, Takuya; Matsushita, Yasuyuki; Yoshida, Masato; Kuroda, Katsushi; Yagami, Sachie; Takama, Ruka; Fukushima, Kazuhiko

2016-08-01

To clarify the role of coniferin in planta, semi-quantitative cellular distribution of coniferin in quick-frozen Ginkgo biloba L. (ginkgo) was visualized by cryo time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy (cryo-TOF-SIMS/SEM) analysis. The amount and rough distribution of coniferin were confirmed through quantitative chromatography measurement using serial tangential sections of the freeze-fixed ginkgo stem. The lignification stage of the sample was estimated using microscopic observations. Coniferin distribution visualized at the transverse and radial surfaces of freeze-fixed ginkgo stem suggested that coniferin is stored in the vacuoles, and showed good agreement with the assimilation timing of coniferin to lignin in differentiating xylem. Consequently, it is suggested that coniferin is stored in the tracheid cells of differentiating xylem and is a lignin precursor.

Quantitative image analysis of WE43-T6 cracking behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, A.; Yahya, Z.

2013-06-01

Environment-assisted cracking of WE43 cast magnesium (4.2 wt.% Yt, 2.3 wt.% Nd, 0.7% Zr, 0.8% HRE) in the T6 peak-aged condition was induced in ambient air in notched specimens. The mechanism of fracture was studied using electron backscatter diffraction, serial sectioning and in situ observations of crack propagation. The intermetallic (rare earthed-enriched divorced intermetallic retained at grain boundaries and predominantly at triple points) material was found to play a significant role in initiating cracks which leads to failure of this material. Quantitative measurements were required for this project. The populations of the intermetallic and clusters of intermetallic particles were analyzed using image analysis of metallographic images. This is part of the work to generate a theoretical model of the effect of notch geometry on the static fatigue strength of this material.

Quantitation of Human Papillomavirus DNA in Plasma of Oropharyngeal Carcinoma Patients

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

Cao Hongbin; Banh, Alice; Kwok, Shirley

Purpose: To determine whether human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA can be detected in the plasma of patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) and to monitor its temporal change during radiotherapy. Methods and Materials: We used polymerase chain reaction to detect HPV DNA in the culture media of HPV-positive SCC90 and VU147T cells and the plasma of SCC90 and HeLa tumor-bearing mice, non-tumor-bearing controls, and those with HPV-negative tumors. We used real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction to quantify the plasma HPV DNA in 40 HPV-positive OPC, 24 HPV-negative head-and-neck cancer patients and 10 non-cancer volunteers. The tumor HPV status was confirmed bymore » p16{sup INK4a} staining and HPV16/18 polymerase chain reaction or HPV in situ hybridization. A total of 14 patients had serial plasma samples for HPV DNA quantification during radiotherapy. Results: HPV DNA was detectable in the plasma samples of SCC90- and HeLa-bearing mice but not in the controls. It was detected in 65% of the pretreatment plasma samples from HPV-positive OPC patients using E6/7 quantitative polymerase chain reaction. None of the HPV-negative head-and-neck cancer patients or non-cancer controls had detectable HPV DNA. The pretreatment plasma HPV DNA copy number correlated significantly with the nodal metabolic tumor volume (assessed using {sup 18}F-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography). The serial measurements in 14 patients showed a rapid decline in HPV DNA that had become undetectable at radiotherapy completion. In 3 patients, the HPV DNA level had increased to a discernable level at metastasis. Conclusions: Xenograft studies indicated that plasma HPV DNA is released from HPV-positive tumors. Circulating HPV DNA was detectable in most HPV-positive OPC patients. Thus, plasma HPV DNA might be a valuable tool for identifying relapse.« less

Emergence of methadone as a street drug in St. Petersburg, Russia.

PubMed

Heimer, Robert; Lyubimova, Aleksandra; Barbour, Russell; Levina, Olga S

2016-01-01

The syndemic of opioid addiction, HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis, imprisonment, and overdose in Russia has been worsened by the illegality of opioid substitution therapy. As part of on-going serial studies, we sought to explore the influence of opioid availability on aspects of the syndemic as it has affected the city of St. Petersburg. We employed a sequential approach in which quantitative data collection and statistical analysis were followed by a qualitative phase. Quantitative data were obtained in 2013-2014 from a respondent-driven sample (RDS) of people who inject drugs (PWID). Individuals recruited by RDS were tested for antibodies to HIV and interviewed about drug use and injection practices, sociodemographics, health status, and access to medical care. Subsequently, we collected in-depth qualitative data on methadone use, knowledge, and market availability from PWID recruited at nine different locations within St. Petersburg. Analysis of interview data from the sample revealed the percentage of PWID injecting methadone in the 30 days prior to interview increased from 3.6% in 2010 to 53.3% in 2012-2013. Injection of only methadone, as compared to injecting only heroin or both drugs, was associated with less frequent injection and reduced HIV-related injected risk, especially a lower rate of injecting with a previously used syringe. In-depth questioning of methadone injectors corroborated the finding from serial quantitative surveys of PWID that methadone's black market availability is a recent phenomenon. Spatial analysis revealed widespread methadone availability but no concentration in any specific districts of the city. Despite the prohibition of substitution therapy and demonization of methadone, the drug has emerged to rival heroin as the most commonly available opioid in St. Petersburg. Ironically, its use is associated with reduced injection-related HIV risk even when its use is illegal. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multiplex picoliter-droplet digital PCR for quantitative assessment of EGFR mutations in circulating cell-free DNA derived from advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients.

PubMed

Yu, Qian; Huang, Fei; Zhang, Meilin; Ji, Haiying; Wu, Shenchao; Zhao, Ying; Zhang, Chunyan; Wu, Jiong; Wang, Beili; Pan, Baisheng; Zhang, Xin; Guo, Wei

2017-08-01

To explore the possible diagnostic value of liquid biopsy, two multiplex panels using picoliter-droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) were established to quantitatively assess the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in cell‑free DNA (cfDNA) extracted from the plasma of advanced non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Plasma samples derived from 22 patients with stage IIIB/IV NSCLC harboring EGFR mutations in matched tumor tissues confirmed by amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) analysis were subjected to two multiplex ddPCR panels to assess the abundance of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) ‑sensitive (19DEL, L858R) and TKI‑resistant (T790 M) mutations. Fluctuations in EGFR mutant abundance were monitored by either of the multiplex ddPCR panels for three patients undergoing EGFR‑TKI treatment, with serial plasma sample collections over 2 months. The multiplex ddPCR panels applied to plasma cfDNA from advanced NSCLC patients achieved a total concordance rate of 80% with the EGFR mutation profiles obtained by ARMS from matched biopsy tumor specimens (90% for 19DEL, 95% for L858R, 95% for T790M, respectively) and revealed additional mutant alleles in two subjects. The respective sensitivity and specificity were 90.9 and 88.9% for 19DEL, 87.5 and 100% for L858R, 100 and 93.8% for T790M. The fluctuations of EGFR mutant abundance in serial plasma cfDNA were in accordance with the changes in tumor size as assessed by imaging scans. The authors demonstrated the utility of multiplex ddPCR panels with ultra‑sensitivity for quantitative analysis of EGFR mutations in plasma cfDNA and obtained promising usefulness in EGFR‑TKI decision‑making for advanced NSCLC patients.

Emergence of Methadone as a Street Drug in St. Petersburg, Russia

PubMed Central

Heimer, Robert; Lyubimova, Aleksandra; Barbour, Russell; Levina, Olga S.

2015-01-01

Background The syndemic of opioid addiction, HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis, imprisonment, and overdose in Russia has been worsened by the illegality of opioid substitution therapy. As part of on-going serial studies, we sought to explore the influence of opioid availability on aspects of the syndemic as it has affected the city of St. Petersburg. Methods We employed a sequential approach in which quantitative data collection and statistical analysis were followed by a qualitative phase. Quantitative data were obtained from a respondent-driven sample (RDS) of people who inject drugs (PWID) obtained in 2012–13. Individuals recruited by RDS were tested for antibodies to HIV and interviewed about drug use and injection practices, sociodemographics, health status, and access to medical care. Subsequently, we collected in-depth qualitative data on methadone use, knowledge, and market availability from PWID recruited at nine different locations within St. Petersburg. Results Analysis of interview data from the sample revealed he percentage of PWID injecting methadone in the 30 days prior to interview increased from 3.6% in 2010 to 53.3% in 2012–13. Injection of only methadone, as compared to injecting only heroin or both drugs, was associated with less frequent injection and reduced HIV-related injected risk, especially a lower rate of injecting with a previously used syringe. In-depth questioning of methadone injectors corroborated the finding from serial quantitative surveys of PWID that methadone’s black market availability is a recent phenomenon. Spatial analysis revealed widespread methadone availability but no concentration in any specific districts of the city. Conclusion Despite the prohibition of substitution therapy and demonization of methadone, the drug has emerged to rival heroin as the most commonly available opioid in St. Petersburg. Ironically, its use is associated with reduced injection-related HIV risk even when its use is illegal. PMID:26573380

Assay of mucins in human tear fluid.

PubMed

Spurr-Michaud, Sandra; Argüeso, Pablo; Gipson, Ilene

2007-05-01

Mucin genes, both secreted (MUC2, MUC5AC, MUC5B, MUC7) and membrane associated (MUC1, MUC4, MUC16), have been reported to be expressed by ocular surface epithelia. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively assay the mucin content of human tear fluid using multiple antibodies for each mucin and to develop a sensitive, semi-quantitative method for the assay of mucins in tears. Tear washes were obtained by instillation of saline onto the ocular surface, followed by collection from the inferior fornix. Tear proteins were separated in 1% agarose gels, transferred to nitrocellulose membrane by vacuum blotting and probed with multiple antibodies recognizing MUC1, MUC2, MUC4, MUC5AC, MUC5B, MUC7 and MUC16. Binding was detected using chemiluminescence, and quantity was determined by densitometry. Serial dilutions of pooled tears from normal individuals were assayed to determine the linear range of detectability. MUC1, MUC4, MUC16, MUC5AC and low levels of MUC2 were consistently detected in human tear fluid, while MUC5B and MUC7 were not. Use of several antibodies recognizing different epitopes on the same mucin confirmed these findings. The antibodies to mucins bound to serial dilutions of tears in a linear fashion (r2 > 0.9), indicating the feasibility of semi-quantitation. MUC5AC in tear fluid had an increased electrophoretic mobility compared to MUC5AC isolated from conjunctival tissue. This study provides clear evidence that the mucin component of tears is a mixture of secreted and shed membrane-associated mucins, and for the first time demonstrates MUC16 in tear fluid. Immunoblots of tears using agarose gel electrophoresis and chemiluminescence detection provide a semi-quantitative assay for mucin protein that will be useful for comparisons with tears from diseased eyes or after pharmacological intervention.

Assay of Mucins in Human Tear Fluid

PubMed Central

Spurr-Michaud, Sandra; Argüeso, Pablo; Gipson, Ilene

2007-01-01

Mucin genes, both secreted (MUC2, MUC5AC, MUC5B, MUC7) and membrane associated (MUC1, MUC4, MUC16), have been reported to be expressed by ocular surface epithelia. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively assay the mucin content of human tear fluid using multiple antibodies for each mucin and to develop a sensitive, semi-quantitative method for the assay of mucins in tears. Tear washes were obtained by instillation of saline onto the ocular surface, followed by collection from the inferior fornix. Tear proteins were separated in 1% agarose gels, transferred to nitrocellulose membrane by vacuum blotting and probed with multiple antibodies recognizing MUC1, MUC2, MUC4, MUC5AC, MUC5B, MUC7 and MUC16. Binding was detected using chemiluminescence, and quantity was determined by densitometry. Serial dilutions of pooled tears from normal individuals were assayed to determine the linear range of detectability. MUC1, MUC4, MUC16, MUC5AC and low levels of MUC2 were consistently detected in human tear fluid, while MUC5B and MUC7 were not. Use of several antibodies recognizing different epitopes on the same mucin confirmed these findings. The antibodies to mucins bound to serial dilutions of tears in a linear fashion (r2 >0.9), indicating the feasibility of semi-quantitation. MUC5AC in tear fluid had an increased electrophoretic mobility compared to MUC5AC isolated from conjunctival tissue. This study provides clear evidence that the mucin component of tears is a mixture of secreted and shed membrane-associated mucins, and for the first time demonstrates MUC16 in tear fluid. Immunoblots of tears using agarose gel electrophoresis and chemiluminescence detection provide a semi-quantitative assay for mucin protein that will be useful for comparisons with tears from diseased eyes or after pharmacological intervention. PMID:17399701

Multiplex picoliter-droplet digital PCR for quantitative assessment of EGFR mutations in circulating cell-free DNA derived from advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients

PubMed Central

Yu, Qian; Huang, Fei; Zhang, Meilin; Ji, Haiying; Wu, Shenchao; Zhao, Ying; Zhang, Chunyan; Wu, Jiong; Wang, Beili; Pan, Baisheng; Zhang, Xin; Guo, Wei

2017-01-01

To explore the possible diagnostic value of liquid biopsy, two multiplex panels using picoliter-droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) were established to quantitatively assess the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) extracted from the plasma of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Plasma samples derived from 22 patients with stage IIIB/IV NSCLC harboring EGFR mutations in matched tumor tissues confirmed by amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) analysis were subjected to two multiplex ddPCR panels to assess the abundance of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) -sensitive (19DEL, L858R) and TKI-resistant (T790 M) mutations. Fluctuations in EGFR mutant abundance were monitored by either of the multiplex ddPCR panels for three patients undergoing EGFR-TKI treatment, with serial plasma sample collections over 2 months. The multiplex ddPCR panels applied to plasma cfDNA from advanced NSCLC patients achieved a total concordance rate of 80% with the EGFR mutation profiles obtained by ARMS from matched biopsy tumor specimens (90% for 19DEL, 95% for L858R, 95% for T790M, respectively) and revealed additional mutant alleles in two subjects. The respective sensitivity and specificity were 90.9 and 88.9% for 19DEL, 87.5 and 100% for L858R, 100 and 93.8% for T790M. The fluctuations of EGFR mutant abundance in serial plasma cfDNA were in accordance with the changes in tumor size as assessed by imaging scans. The authors demonstrated the utility of multiplex ddPCR panels with ultra-sensitivity for quantitative analysis of EGFR mutations in plasma cfDNA and obtained promising usefulness in EGFR-TKI decision-making for advanced NSCLC patients. PMID:29067441

Clinical Investigation Program. Annual Progress Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-09-30

121 SURGERY 71/202 Evaluation of Peripheral Nerve Injuries at Fitzsimons General Hospital (0) ........................ 123 73/219...139 80/201 Comparison of Cardiac Output and Left Ventricular Stroke Valve Disease and Coronary Artery Disease. (0) ....... ... 140...Prevent Bone Injury . (0)(P)(PR) ....... .................. ... 160 79/304 Quantitation of Steroid Hormone Receptors in Tissue Sections Using

Infant formula promotes bone growth in neonatal piglets by enhancing osteoblastogenesis through bone morphogenic protein signaling

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Relatively few studies have examined the effects of formula feeding relative to breast-feeding on bone in the neonate. Using peripheral quantitative CT scan and histomorphometric analysis, we demonstrated that neonatal piglets fed with soy-based formula (SF) and cow milk-based formula (MF) for 21 or...

[Recurrence of chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection presenting with myelopathy after umbilical cord blood transplantation].

PubMed

Watanabe, Shohei; Okada, Masaya; Tokugawa, Tazuko; Sawada, Akihiro; Ogawa, Hiroyasu; Yoshikawa, Hiroo

2014-01-01

A 38-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with neck pain, dysesthesia of both hands, and weakness of the left upper limb. He had been diagnosed with a chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection (CAEBV) at the age of 34 and had undergone umbilical cord blood transplantation at the age of 37. MRI of the spinal cord revealed an intramedullary hyperintense lesion on T₂-weighted images with gadolinium enhancement. Because his laboratory tests revealed proliferation of CD19(+) lymphocytes in the peripheral blood, and EBV DNA was detected in both peripheral blood and CSF, he was diagnosed as having post-transplant EBV associated lymphoproliferative disease. However, chemotherapy did not alleviate his symptoms. At a later time, quantitative chimerism analysis of his CSF showed a higher proportion of lymphocytes that had originated from the recipient. Finally, he was diagnosed as having a recurrence of CAEBV in the central nervous system, and his symptoms were restored by intrathecal chemotherapy (methotrexate, cytosine arabinoside, and prednisolone). Quantitative chimerism analysis of CSF was useful for diagnosing the recurrence of CAEBV in the central nervous system.

[Clinical exercise testing and the Fick equation: strategic thinking for optimizing diagnosis].

PubMed

Perrault, H; Richard, R

2012-04-01

This article examines the expected exercise-induced changes in the components of the oxygen transport system as described by the Fick equation with a view to enable a critical analysis of a standard incremental exercise test to identify normal and abnormal patterns of responses and generate hypotheses as to potential physiological and/or pathophysiological causes. The text reviews basic physiological principals and provides useful reminders of standard equations that serve to integrate circulatory, respiratory and skeletal muscle functions. More specifically, the article provides a conceptual and quantitative framework linking the exercise-induced increase in whole body oxygen uptake to central circulatory and peripheral circulatory factors with the view to establish the normalcy of response. Thus, the article reviews the exercise response to cardiac output determinants and provides qualitative and quantitative perspective bases for making assumptions on the peripheral circulatory factors and oxygen use. Finally, the article demonstrates the usefulness of exercise testing as an effective integrative physiological approach to develop clinical reasoning or verify pathophysiological outcomes. Copyright © 2012 SPLF. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Laboratory productivity and the rate of manual peripheral blood smear review: a College of American Pathologists Q-Probes study of 95,141 complete blood count determinations performed in 263 institutions.

PubMed

Novis, David A; Walsh, Molly; Wilkinson, David; St Louis, Mary; Ben-Ezra, Jonathon

2006-05-01

Automated laboratory hematology analyzers are capable of performing differential counts on peripheral blood smears with greater precision and more accurate detection of distributional and morphologic abnormalities than those performed by manual examinations of blood smears. Manual determinations of blood morphology and leukocyte differential counts are time-consuming, expensive, and may not always be necessary. The frequency with which hematology laboratory workers perform manual screens despite the availability of labor-saving features of automated analyzers is unknown. To determine the normative rates with which manual peripheral blood smears were performed in clinical laboratories, to examine laboratory practices associated with higher or lower manual review rates, and to measure the effects of manual smear review on the efficiency of generating complete blood count (CBC) determinations. From each of 3 traditional shifts per day, participants were asked to select serially, 10 automated CBC specimens, and to indicate whether manual scans and/or reviews with complete differential counts were performed on blood smears prepared from those specimens. Sampling continued until a total of 60 peripheral smears were reviewed manually. For each specimen on which a manual review was performed, participants indicated the patient's age, hemoglobin value, white blood cell count, platelet count, and the primary reason why the manual review was performed. Participants also submitted data concerning their institutions' demographic profiles and their laboratories' staffing, work volume, and practices regarding CBC determinations. The rates of manual reviews and estimations of efficiency in performing CBC determinations were obtained from the data. A total of 263 hospitals and independent laboratories, predominantly located in the United States, participating in the College of American Pathologists Q-Probes Program. There were 95,141 CBC determinations examined in this study; participants reviewed 15,423 (16.2%) peripheral blood smears manually. In the median institution (50th percentile), manual reviews of peripheral smears were performed on 26.7% of specimens. Manual differential count review rates were inversely associated with the magnitude of platelet counts that were required by laboratory policy to trigger smear reviews and with the efficiency of generating CBC reports. Lower manual differential count review rates were associated with laboratory policies that allowed manual reviews solely on the basis of abnormal automated red cell parameters and that precluded performing repeat manual reviews within designated time intervals. The manual scan rate elevated with increased number of hospital beds. In more than one third (35.7%) of the peripheral smears reviewed manually, participants claimed to have learned additional information beyond what was available on automated hematology analyzer printouts alone. By adopting certain laboratory practices, it may be possible to reduce the rates of manual reviews of peripheral blood smears and increase the efficiency of generating CBC results.

Pulmonary nodule characterization, including computer analysis and quantitative features.

PubMed

Bartholmai, Brian J; Koo, Chi Wan; Johnson, Geoffrey B; White, Darin B; Raghunath, Sushravya M; Rajagopalan, Srinivasan; Moynagh, Michael R; Lindell, Rebecca M; Hartman, Thomas E

2015-03-01

Pulmonary nodules are commonly detected in computed tomography (CT) chest screening of a high-risk population. The specific visual or quantitative features on CT or other modalities can be used to characterize the likelihood that a nodule is benign or malignant. Visual features on CT such as size, attenuation, location, morphology, edge characteristics, and other distinctive "signs" can be highly suggestive of a specific diagnosis and, in general, be used to determine the probability that a specific nodule is benign or malignant. Change in size, attenuation, and morphology on serial follow-up CT, or features on other modalities such as nuclear medicine studies or MRI, can also contribute to the characterization of lung nodules. Imaging analytics can objectively and reproducibly quantify nodule features on CT, nuclear medicine, and magnetic resonance imaging. Some quantitative techniques show great promise in helping to differentiate benign from malignant lesions or to stratify the risk of aggressive versus indolent neoplasm. In this article, we (1) summarize the visual characteristics, descriptors, and signs that may be helpful in management of nodules identified on screening CT, (2) discuss current quantitative and multimodality techniques that aid in the differentiation of nodules, and (3) highlight the power, pitfalls, and limitations of these various techniques.

[Imaging of diabetic osteopathy].

PubMed

Patsch, J; Pietschmann, P; Schueller-Weidekamm, C

2015-04-01

Diabetic bone diseases are more than just osteoporosis in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM): a relatively high bone mineral density is paired with a paradoxically high risk of fragility fractures. Diabetics exhibit low bone turnover, osteocyte dysfunction, relative hypoparathyroidism and an accumulation of advanced glycation end products in the bone matrix. Besides typical insufficiency fractures, diabetics show a high risk for peripheral fractures of the lower extremities (e.g. metatarsal fractures). The correct interdisciplinary assessment of fracture risks in patients with DM is therefore a clinical challenge. There are two state of the art imaging methods for the quantification of fracture risks: dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and quantitative computed tomography (QCT). Radiography, multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are suitable for the detection of insufficiency fractures. Novel research imaging techniques, such as high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) provide non-invasive insights into bone microarchitecture of the peripheral skeleton. Using MR spectroscopy, bone marrow composition can be studied. Both methods have been shown to be capable of discriminating between type 2 diabetic patients with and without prevalent fragility fractures and thus bear the potential of improving the current standard of care. Currently both methods remain limited to clinical research applications. DXA and HR-pQCT are valid tools for the quantification of bone mineral density and assessment of fracture risk in patients with DM, especially if interpreted in the context of clinical risk factors. Radiography, CT and MRI are suitable for the detection of insufficiency fractures.

Short communication: expression of peptide YY, proglucagon, neuropeptide Y receptor Y2, and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor in bovine peripheral tissues.

PubMed

Pezeshki, A; Muench, G P; Chelikani, P K

2012-09-01

The role of distal gut signals in control of feed intake and metabolism in cattle has received scant attention. Peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide-1, which are secreted from enteroendocrine cells of the distal gut in monogastrics have several functions, including regulation of energy balance. However, little is known of the tissue expression of these peptides and their receptors in cattle. The aim of the current study was to characterize the tissue distribution of PYY, neuropeptide Y receptor Y2 (Y2), proglucagon (GCG), and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP1R) in various peripheral tissues of cattle. Four male 7-wk-old dairy calves were euthanized and 16 peripheral tissues were collected. Conventional PCR and quantitative real-time PCR were performed to confirm tissue expression and quantify the transcript abundance in various tissues. The results of conventional PCR revealed that mRNA for both PYY and Y2 was detectable in the rumen, abomasum, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon but not in other tissues. Quantitative real-time PCR data demonstrated that PYY mRNA was 2- to 3-fold greater in the pancreas, kidney, and heart relative to the liver. By conventional PCR, GCG mRNA was detected in the abomasum, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon and GLP1R mRNA was expressed in all gut segments, pancreas, spleen, and kidney. Quantitative real-time PCR data demonstrated that, relative to transcript abundance in the liver, GCG mRNA was 4- to 40-fold higher from abomasum to colon, and GLP1R mRNA was 50- to 300-fold higher from the rumen to colon, 14-fold greater in the pancreas, 18-fold higher in the spleen, and 166-fold greater in the kidney. The tissue distribution of PYY, GCG, and their receptors observed in the current study is, in general, consistent with expression patterns in monogastrics. The predominant expression of PYY, Y2, and GCG in the gut, and the presence of GLP1R in multiple peripheral tissues suggest a role for PYY in controlling gut functions and for GLP-1 in regulating multiple physiological functions in cattle. Copyright © 2012 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Vascular smooth muscle cells exhibit a progressive loss of rigidity with serial culture passaging.

PubMed

Dinardo, Carla Luana; Venturini, Gabriela; Omae, Samantha Vieira; Zhou, Enhua H; da Motta-Leal-Filho, Joaquim Maurício; Dariolli, Rafael; Krieger, José Eduardo; Alencar, Adriano Mesquita; Costa Pereira, Alexandre

2012-01-01

One drawback of in vitro cell culturing is the dedifferentiation process that cells experience. Smooth muscle cells (SMC) also change molecularly and morphologically with long term culture. The main objective of this study was to evaluate if culture passages interfere in vascular SMC mechanical behavior. SMC were obtained from five different porcine arterial beds. Optical magnetic twisting cytometry (OMTC) was used to characterize mechanically vascular SMC from different cultures in distinct passages and confocal microscopy/western blotting, to evaluate cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix proteins. We found that vascular SMC rigidity or viscoelastic complex modulus (G) decreases with progression of passages. A statistically significant negative correlation between G and passage was found in four of our five cultures studied. Phalloidin-stained SMC from higher passages exhibited lower mean signal intensity per cell (confocal microscopy) and quantitative western blotting analysis showed a decrease in collagen I content throughout passages. We concluded that vascular SMC progressively lose their stiffness with serial culture passaging. Thus, limiting the number of passages is essential for any experiment measuring viscoelastic properties of SMC in culture.

Rehearsal in serial recall: An unworkable solution to the nonexistent problem of decay.

PubMed

Lewandowsky, Stephan; Oberauer, Klaus

2015-10-01

We examine the explanatory roles that have been ascribed to various forms of rehearsal or refreshing in short-term memory (STM) and working memory paradigms, usually in conjunction with the assumption that memories decay over time if they are not rehearsed. Notwithstanding the popularity of the rehearsal notion, there have been few detailed examinations of its underlying mechanisms. We explicitly implemented rehearsal in a decay model and explored its role by simulation in several benchmark paradigms ranging from immediate serial recall to complex span and delayed recall. The results show that articulatory forms of rehearsal often fail to counteract temporal decay. Rapid attentional refreshing performs considerably better, but so far there is scant empirical evidence that people engage in refreshing during STM tasks. Combining articulatory rehearsal and refreshing as 2 independent maintenance processes running in parallel leads to worse performance than refreshing alone. We conclude that theoretical reliance on articulatory rehearsal as a causative agent in memory may be unwise and that explanatory appeals to rehearsal are insufficient unless buttressed by quantitative modeling. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Non-rigid registration of serial dedicated breast CT, longitudinal dedicated breast CT and PET/CT images using the diffeomorphic demons method.

PubMed

Santos, Jonathan; Chaudhari, Abhijit J; Joshi, Anand A; Ferrero, Andrea; Yang, Kai; Boone, John M; Badawi, Ramsey D

2014-09-01

Dedicated breast CT and PET/CT scanners provide detailed 3D anatomical and functional imaging data sets and are currently being investigated for applications in breast cancer management such as diagnosis, monitoring response to therapy and radiation therapy planning. Our objective was to evaluate the performance of the diffeomorphic demons (DD) non-rigid image registration method to spatially align 3D serial (pre- and post-contrast) dedicated breast computed tomography (CT), and longitudinally-acquired dedicated 3D breast CT and positron emission tomography (PET)/CT images. The algorithmic parameters of the DD method were optimized for the alignment of dedicated breast CT images using training data and fixed. The performance of the method for image alignment was quantitatively evaluated using three separate data sets; (1) serial breast CT pre- and post-contrast images of 20 women, (2) breast CT images of 20 women acquired before and after repositioning the subject on the scanner, and (3) dedicated breast PET/CT images of 7 women undergoing neo-adjuvant chemotherapy acquired pre-treatment and after 1 cycle of therapy. The DD registration method outperformed no registration (p < 0.001) and conventional affine registration (p ≤ 0.002) for serial and longitudinal breast CT and PET/CT image alignment. In spite of the large size of the imaging data, the computational cost of the DD method was found to be reasonable (3-5 min). Co-registration of dedicated breast CT and PET/CT images can be performed rapidly and reliably using the DD method. This is the first study evaluating the DD registration method for the alignment of dedicated breast CT and PET/CT images. Copyright © 2014 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetic and environmental integration of the hawkmoth pollination syndrome in Ruellia humilis (Acanthaceae).

PubMed

Heywood, John S; Michalski, Joseph S; McCann, Braden K; Russo, Amber D; Andres, Kara J; Hall, Allison R; Middleton, Tessa C

2017-05-01

The serial homology of floral structures has made it difficult to assess the relative contributions of selection and constraint to floral integration. The interpretation of floral integration may also be clouded by the tacit, but largely untested, assumption that genetic and environmental perturbations affect trait correlations in similar ways. In this study, estimates of both the genetic and environmental correlations between components of the hawkmoth pollination syndrome are presented for chasmogamous flowers of Ruellia humilis , including two levels of control for serial homology. A greenhouse population for quantitative genetic analysis was generated by a partial diallel cross between field-collected plants. An average of 634 chasmogamous flowers were measured for each of eight floral traits that contribute to the hawkmoth syndrome. Genetic correlations (across parents) and environmental correlations (across replicate flowers) were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood. Stigma height, anther height and floral tube length were very tightly integrated in their responses to both genetic and environmental perturbations. The inclusion of floral disc width as a control for serial homology suggests this integration is an adaptive response to correlational selection imposed by pollinators. In contrast, integration of non-homologous traits was low. Furthermore, when comparisons between the dimensions of serially homologous structures were excluded, the genetic and environmental correlation matrices showed little congruence. The results suggest that hawkmoths have imposed strong correlational selection on floral traits involved in the deposition and removal of pollen, and that this is a consequence of stabilizing selection on the relative positions of stigmas and anthers in the face of substantial flower size variation. Low integration of other floral traits, and conflicting patterns of genetic and environmental correlations among these traits, suggest weak or no correlational selection within the range of variability expressed within a population. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Quantifying the vascular response to ischemia with speckle variance optical coherence tomography

PubMed Central

Poole, Kristin M.; McCormack, Devin R.; Patil, Chetan A.; Duvall, Craig L.; Skala, Melissa C.

2014-01-01

Longitudinal monitoring techniques for preclinical models of vascular remodeling are critical to the development of new therapies for pathological conditions such as ischemia and cancer. In models of skeletal muscle ischemia in particular, there is a lack of quantitative, non-invasive and long term assessment of vessel morphology. Here, we have applied speckle variance optical coherence tomography (OCT) methods to quantitatively assess vascular remodeling and growth in a mouse model of peripheral arterial disease. This approach was validated on two different mouse strains known to have disparate rates and abilities of recovering following induction of hind limb ischemia. These results establish the potential for speckle variance OCT as a tool for quantitative, preclinical screening of pro- and anti-angiogenic therapies. PMID:25574425

Therapeutic activities of intravenous immunoglobulins in multiple sclerosis involve modulation of chemokine expression.

PubMed

Pigard, Nadine; Elovaara, Irina; Kuusisto, Hanna; Paalavuo, Raija; Dastidar, Prasun; Zimmermann, Klaus; Schwarz, Hans-Peter; Reipert, Birgit

2009-04-30

The objective of this study was to identify genes that are differentially expressed in peripheral T cells of patients with MS exacerbation receiving treatment with IVIG. Using microarray analysis, we identified 360 genes that were at least two-fold up- or down-regulated. The expression of four representative genes (PTGER4, CXCL5, IL11 and CASP2) was confirmed by quantitative PCR. Four of the differentially expressed genes encode chemokines (CXCL3, CXCL5, CCL13 and XCL2) that are involved in directing leukocyte migration. We suggest that the modulation of chemokine expression in peripheral T cells contributes to the beneficial activity of IVIG in patients with MS exacerbation.

Serial analysis of gene expression identifies connective tissue growth factor expression as a prognostic biomarker in gallbladder cancer.

PubMed

Alvarez, Hector; Corvalan, Alejandro; Roa, Juan C; Argani, Pedram; Murillo, Francisco; Edwards, Jennifer; Beaty, Robert; Feldmann, Georg; Hong, Seung-Mo; Mullendore, Michael; Roa, Ivan; Ibañez, Luis; Pimentel, Fernando; Diaz, Alfonso; Riggins, Gregory J; Maitra, Anirban

2008-05-01

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is an uncommon neoplasm in the United States, but one with high mortality rates. This malignancy remains largely understudied at the molecular level such that few targeted therapies or predictive biomarkers exist. We built the first series of serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) libraries from GBC and nonneoplastic gallbladder mucosa, composed of 21-bp long-SAGE tags. SAGE libraries were generated from three stage-matched GBC patients (representing Hispanic/Latino, Native American, and Caucasian ethnicities, respectively) and one histologically alithiasic gallbladder. Real-time quantitative PCR was done on microdissected epithelium from five matched GBC and corresponding nonneoplastic gallbladder mucosa. Immunohistochemical analysis was done on a panel of 182 archival GBC in high-throughput tissue microarray format. SAGE tags corresponding to connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) transcripts were identified as differentially overexpressed in all pairwise comparisons of GBC (P < 0.001). Real-time quantitative PCR confirmed significant overexpression of CTGF transcripts in microdissected primary GBC (P < 0.05), but not in metastatic GBC, compared with nonneoplastic gallbladder epithelium. By immunohistochemistry, 66 of 182 (36%) GBC had high CTGF antigen labeling, which was significantly associated with better survival on univariate analysis (P = 0.0069, log-rank test). An unbiased analysis of the GBC transcriptome by SAGE has identified CTGF expression as a predictive biomarker of favorable prognosis in this malignancy. The SAGE libraries from GBC and nonneoplastic gallbladder mucosa are publicly available at the Cancer Genome Anatomy Project web site and should facilitate much needed research into this lethal neoplasm.

Knockdown Resistance Allele Frequencies in North American Head Louse (Anoplura: Pediculidae) Populations

PubMed Central

Yoon, Kyong Sup; Previte, Domenic J.; Hodgdon, Hilliary E.; Poole, Bryan C.; Kwon, Deok Ho; El-Ghar, Gamal E. Abo; Lee, Si Hyeock; Clark, J. Marshall

2014-01-01

The study examines the extent and frequency of a knockdown-type resistance allele (kdr type) in North American populations of human head lice. Lice were collected from 32 locations in Canada and the United States. DNA was extracted from individual lice and used to determine their zygosity using the serial invasive signal amplification technique to detect the kdr-type T917I (TI) mutation, which is most responsible for nerve insensitivity that results in the kdr phenotype and permethrin resistance. Previously sampled sites were resampled to determine if the frequency of the TI mutation was changing. The TI frequency was also reevaluated using a quantitative sequencing method on pooled DNA samples from selected sites to validate this population genotyping method. Genotyping substantiated that TI occurs at high levels in North American lice (88.4%). Overall, the TI frequency in U.S. lice was 84.4% from 1999 to 2009, increased to 99.6% from 2007 to 2009, and was 97.1% in Canadian lice in 2008. Genotyping results using the serial invasive signal amplification reaction (99.54%) and quantitative sequencing (99.45%) techniques were highly correlated. Thus, the frequencies of TI in North American head louse populations were found to be uniformly high, which may be due to the high selection pressure from the intensive and widespread use of the pyrethrins- or pyrethroid-based pediculicides over many years, and is likely a main cause of increased pediculosis and failure of pyrethrins- or permethrin-based products in Canada and the United States. Alternative approaches to treatment of head lice infestations are critically needed. PMID:24724296

Simultaneous experimental determination of labile proton fraction ratio and exchange rate with irradiation radio frequency power-dependent quantitative CEST MRI analysis.

PubMed

Sun, Phillip Zhe; Wang, Yu; Xiao, Gang; Wu, Renhua

2013-01-01

Chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) imaging is sensitive to dilute proteins/peptides and microenvironmental properties, and has been increasingly evaluated for molecular imaging and in vivo applications. However, the experimentally measured CEST effect depends on the CEST agent concentration, exchange rate and relaxation time. In addition, there may be non-negligible direct radio-frequency (RF) saturation effects, particularly severe for diamagnetic CEST (DIACEST) agents owing to their relatively small chemical shift difference from that of the bulk water resonance. As such, the commonly used asymmetry analysis only provides CEST-weighted information. Recently, it has been shown with numerical simulation that both labile proton concentration and exchange rate can be determined by evaluating the RF power dependence of DIACEST effect. To validate the simulation results, we prepared and imaged two CEST phantoms: a pH phantom of serially titrated pH at a fixed creatine concentration and a concentration phantom of serially varied creatine concentration titrated to the same pH, and solved the labile proton fraction ratio and exchange rate per-pixel. For the concentration phantom, we showed that the labile proton fraction ratio is proportional to the CEST agent concentration with negligible change in the exchange rate. Additionally, we found the exchange rate of the pH phantom is dominantly base-catalyzed with little difference in the labile proton fraction ratio. In summary, our study demonstrated quantitative DIACEST MRI, which remains promising to augment the conventional CEST-weighted MRI analysis. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cortical motor activity and reorganization following upper-limb amputation and subsequent targeted reinnervation.

PubMed

Chen, Albert; Yao, Jun; Kuiken, Todd; Dewald, Julius P A

2013-01-01

Previous studies have postulated that the amount of brain reorganization following peripheral injuries may be correlated with negative symptoms or consequences. However, it is unknown whether restoring effective limb function may then be associated with further changes in the expression of this reorganization. Recently, targeted reinnervation (TR), a surgical technique that restores a direct neural connection from amputated sensorimotor nerves to new peripheral targets such as muscle, has been successfully applied to upper-limb amputees. It has been shown to be effective in restoring both peripheral motor and sensory functions via the reinnervated nerves as soon as a few months after the surgery. However, it was unclear whether TR could also restore normal cortical motor representations for control of the missing limb. To answer this question, we used high-density electroencephalography (EEG) to localize cortical activity related to cued motor tasks generated by the intact and missing limb. Using a case study of 3 upper-limb amputees, 2 of whom went through pre and post-TR experiments, we present unique quantitative evidence for the re-mapping of motor representations for the missing limb closer to their original locations following TR. This provides evidence that an effective restoration of peripheral function from TR can be linked to the return of more normal cortical expression for the missing limb. Therefore, cortical mapping may be used as a potential guide for monitoring rehabilitation following peripheral injuries.

Peripheral refraction in pseudophakic eyes measured by infrared scanning photoretinoscopy.

PubMed

Tabernero, Juan; Ohlendorf, Arne; Fischer, M Dominik; Bruckmann, Anna R; Schiefer, Ulrich; Schaeffel, Frank

2012-05-01

To obtain quantitative data of peripheral refractive errors in pseudophakic eyes including measurements up to ±45 degrees on the retina. University Eye Hospital, Tübingen, Germany. Population-based cross-sectional study. Pseudophakic and phakic subjects were measured with a purpose-built scanning photorefractor. The instrument was improved over previous versions. It permits measurement of semicontinuous peripheral profiles over the central 90-degree field of the retina at a faster speed (4 s/scan). Twenty-four pseudophakic and 43 phakic subjects were enrolled. The intraocular lenses (IOLs) induced a mean myopic shift of 2.00 diopters (D) at ±45 degrees of eccentricity in the vertical pupil meridian. Ray-tracing simulations with phakic eye and pseudophakic eye models agreed well with the experimental data. They showed that changes induced by IOLs were a consequence of an increase in astigmatism with eccentricity and a myopic shift in the spherical equivalent. The peripheral refractions in pseudophakic eyes were more myopic than in phakic eyes as a consequence of the optical design of the IOLs. Whether a more myopic refraction of approximately 2.00 D at 45 degrees has significant effects on visual performance must be tested. Perhaps there is room for improvement in the peripheral optics of IOLs. No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. Copyright © 2012 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Self-recognition is crucial for maintaining the peripheral CD4+ T-cell pool in a nonlymphopenic environment.

PubMed

Martin, Bruno; Bécourt, Chantal; Bienvenu, Boris; Lucas, Bruno

2006-07-01

The role of self-recognition in the maintenance of the peripheral CD4+ T-cell pool has been extensively studied, but no clear answer has so far emerged. Indeed, in studies of the role of self-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules in CD4+ T-cell survival, several parameters must be taken into account when interpreting the results: (1) in a lymphopenic environment, observations are biased by concomitant proliferation of T cells arising in MHC-expressing mice; (2) the peripheral T-cell compartment is qualitatively and quantitatively different in nonlymphopenic, normal, and MHC class II-deficient mice; and (3) in C57BL/6 Abeta(-/-) mice (traditionally considered MHC class II-deficient), the Aalpha chain and the Ebeta chain associate to form a hybrid AalphaEbeta MHC class II molecule. In light of these considerations, we revisited the role of interactions with MHC class II molecules in the survival of peripheral CD4+ T cells. We found that the answer to the question "is self-recognition required for CD4+ T cells to survive?" is not a simple yes or no. Indeed, although long-term survival of CD4+ T cells does not depend on self-recognition in lymphopenic mice, interactions with MHC class II molecules are required for maintaining the peripheral CD4+ T-cell pool in a nonlymphopenic environment.

Quantitative volumetric imaging of normal, neoplastic and hyperplastic mouse prostate using ultrasound.

PubMed

Singh, Shalini; Pan, Chunliu; Wood, Ronald; Yeh, Chiuan-Ren; Yeh, Shuyuan; Sha, Kai; Krolewski, John J; Nastiuk, Kent L

2015-09-21

Genetically engineered mouse models are essential to the investigation of the molecular mechanisms underlying human prostate pathology and the effects of therapy on the diseased prostate. Serial in vivo volumetric imaging expands the scope and accuracy of experimental investigations of models of normal prostate physiology, benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer, which are otherwise limited by the anatomy of the mouse prostate. Moreover, accurate imaging of hyperplastic and tumorigenic prostates is now recognized as essential to rigorous pre-clinical trials of new therapies. Bioluminescent imaging has been widely used to determine prostate tumor size, but is semi-quantitative at best. Magnetic resonance imaging can determine prostate volume very accurately, but is expensive and has low throughput. We therefore sought to develop and implement a high throughput, low cost, and accurate serial imaging protocol for the mouse prostate. We developed a high frequency ultrasound imaging technique employing 3D reconstruction that allows rapid and precise assessment of mouse prostate volume. Wild-type mouse prostates were examined (n = 4) for reproducible baseline imaging, and treatment effects on volume were compared, and blinded data analyzed for intra- and inter-operator assessments of reproducibility by correlation and for Bland-Altman analysis. Examples of benign prostatic hyperplasia mouse model prostate (n = 2) and mouse prostate implantation of orthotopic human prostate cancer tumor and its growth (n =  ) are also demonstrated. Serial measurement volume of the mouse prostate revealed that high frequency ultrasound was very precise. Following endocrine manipulation, regression and regrowth of the prostate could be monitored with very low intra- and interobserver variability. This technique was also valuable to monitor the development of prostate growth in a model of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Additionally, we demonstrate accurate ultrasound image-guided implantation of orthotopic tumor xenografts and monitoring of subsequent tumor growth from ~10 to ~750 mm(3) volume. High frequency ultrasound imaging allows precise determination of normal, neoplastic and hyperplastic mouse prostate. Low cost and small image size allows incorporation of this imaging modality inside clean animal facilities, and thereby imaging of immunocompromised models. 3D reconstruction for volume determination is easily mastered, and both small and large relative changes in volume are accurately visualized. Ultrasound imaging does not rely on penetration of exogenous imaging agents, and so may therefore better measure poorly vascularized or necrotic diseased tissue, relative to bioluminescent imaging (IVIS). Our method is precise and reproducible with very low inter- and intra-observer variability. Because it is non-invasive, mouse models of prostatic disease states can be imaged serially, reducing inter-animal variability, and enhancing the power to detect small volume changes following therapeutic intervention.

A digitalized silicon microgyroscope based on embedded FPGA.

PubMed

Xia, Dunzhu; Yu, Cheng; Wang, Yuliang

2012-09-27

This paper presents a novel digital miniaturization method for a prototype silicon micro-gyroscope (SMG) with the symmetrical and decoupled structure. The schematic blocks of the overall system consist of high precision analog front-end interface, high-speed 18-bit analog to digital convertor, a high-performance core Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) chip and other peripherals such as high-speed serial ports for transmitting data. In drive mode, the closed-loop drive circuit are implemented by automatic gain control (AGC) loop and software phase-locked loop (SPLL) based on the Coordinated Rotation Digital Computer (CORDIC) algorithm. Meanwhile, the sense demodulation module based on varying step least mean square demodulation (LMSD) are addressed in detail. All kinds of algorithms are simulated by Simulink and DSPbuilder tools, which is in good agreement with the theoretical design. The experimental results have fully demonstrated the stability and flexibility of the system.

A Digitalized Silicon Microgyroscope Based on Embedded FPGA

PubMed Central

Xia, Dunzhu; Yu, Cheng; Wang, Yuliang

2012-01-01

This paper presents a novel digital miniaturization method for a prototype silicon micro-gyroscope (SMG) with the symmetrical and decoupled structure. The schematic blocks of the overall system consist of high precision analog front-end interface, high-speed 18-bit analog to digital convertor, a high-performance core Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) chip and other peripherals such as high-speed serial ports for transmitting data. In drive mode, the closed-loop drive circuit are implemented by automatic gain control (AGC) loop and software phase-locked loop (SPLL) based on the Coordinated Rotation Digital Computer (CORDIC) algorithm. Meanwhile, the sense demodulation module based on varying step least mean square demodulation (LMSD) are addressed in detail. All kinds of algorithms are simulated by Simulink and DSPbuilder tools, which is in good agreement with the theoretical design. The experimental results have fully demonstrated the stability and flexibility of the system. PMID:23201990

Specific allogeneic unresponsiveness in the adult host: present-day experimental models

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

Rapaport, F.T.; Bachvaroff, R.J.; Cronkite, E.

As part of a long-term intensive effort to apply the induction of adult allogensic unresponsiveness to the transplantation problem, two techniques to control the variability in the persistence of immunologically competent postthymic cells iin the treated host and/or the inoculum of autologous marrow returned to the host after irradiation are described. The first consisted of exposing the peripheral blood of prospective recipients to a 5-week course of extra-corporeal irradiation (ECIB), the other of exposing the stored autologous marrow scheduled to repopulate a given recipient to methyl-prednisolone (MPd) and DNase prior to renifusion into the recipient. Serial analysis of bone marrowmore » cell samples at various intervals before and after treatment was undertaken. The significance of the disappearance of a particular population of nonnuclear cells from the samples, and the association of such disappearance with increased success in the induction of allogeneic unresponsiveness is discussed. (ACR)« less

Histochemical discrimination of fibers in regenerating rat infraorbital nerve

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilke, R. A.; Riley, D. A.; Sanger, J. R.

1992-01-01

In rat dorsal root ganglia, histochemical staining of carbonic anhydrase (CA) and cholinesterase (CE) yields a reciprocal pattern of activity: Sensory processes are CA positive and CE negative, whereas motor processes are CA negative and CE positive. In rat infraorbital nerve (a sensory peripheral nerve), we saw extensive CA staining of nearly 100% of the myelinated axons. Although CE reactivity in myelinated axons was extremely rare, we did observe CE staining of unmyelinated autonomic fibers. Four weeks after transection of infraorbital nerves, CA-stained longitudinal sections of the proximal stump demonstrated 3 distinct morphological zones. A fraction of the viable axons retained CA activity to within 2 mm of the distal extent of the stump, and the stain is capable of resolving growth sprouts being regenerated from these fibers. Staining of unmyelinated autonomic fibers in serial sections shows that CE activity was not retained as far distally as is the CA sensory staining.

Detection of cell-free Epstein-Barr virus DNA in serum during acute infectious mononucleosis.

PubMed

Gan, Y J; Sullivan, J L; Sixbey, J W

1994-08-01

Infectious Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is shed from the oropharynx of infected hosts intermittently throughout life, but in the peripheral circulation the viral genome characteristically maintains itself in a noninfectious, cell-associated form. Sera from 125 persons with heterophil-positive acute infectious mononucleosis or EBV-associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma or who were healthy virus carriers were examined for evidence of cell-free viral DNA. EBV DNA suggesting viremia was detected in 11 (27%) of 41 infectious mononucleosis patients by polymerase chain reaction analysis but infrequently in healthy seropositive carriers and patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In serial samples examined from 2 patients, serum EBV DNA was detected over a 3-day interval. Viral DNA was found in concert with one serologic marker of acute infection, EBV-specific polymeric IgA, that could affect patterns of viral spread and clinical symptomatology.

Delivery of adipose-derived stem cells in poloxamer hydrogel improves peripheral nerve regeneration.

PubMed

Allbright, Kassandra O; Bliley, Jacqueline M; Havis, Emmanuelle; Kim, Deok-Yeol; Dibernardo, Gabriella A; Grybowski, Damian; Waldner, Matthias; James, Isaac B; Sivak, Wesley N; Rubin, J Peter; Marra, Kacey G

2018-02-06

Peripheral nerve damage is associated with high long-term morbidity. Because of beneficial secretome, immunomodulatory effects, and ease of clinical translation, transplantation with adipose-derived stem cells (ASC) represents a promising therapeutic modality. Effect of ASC delivery in poloxamer hydrogel was assessed in a rat sciatic nerve model of critical-sized (1.5 cm) peripheral nerve injury. Nerve/muscle unit regeneration was assessed via immunostaining explanted nerve, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and histological analysis of reinnervating gastrocnemius muscle. On the basis of viability data, 10% poloxamer hydrogel was selected for in vivo study. Six weeks after transection and repair, the group treated with poloxamer delivered ASCs demonstrated longest axonal regrowth. The qPCR results indicated that the inclusion of ASCs appeared to result in expression of factors that aid in reinnervating muscle tissue. Delivery of ASCs in poloxamer addresses multiple facets of the complexity of nerve/muscle unit regeneration, representing a promising avenue for further study. Muscle Nerve, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Screening for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in neonates: a comparison between cord and peripheral blood samples.

PubMed

AlSaif, Saif; Ponferrada, Ma Bella; AlKhairy, Khalid; AlTawil, Khalil; Sallam, Adel; Ahmed, Ibrahim; Khawaji, Mohammed; AlHathlol, Khalid; Baylon, Beverly; AlSuhaibani, Ahmed; AlBalwi, Mohammed

2017-07-11

The use of cord blood in the neonatal screening for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is being done with increasing frequency but has yet to be adequately evaluated against the use of peripheral blood sample which is usually employed for confirmation. We sought to determine the incidence and gender distribution of G6PD deficiency, and compare the results of cord against peripheral blood in identifying G6PD DEFICIENCY neonates using quantitative enzyme activity assay. We carried out a retrospective and cross-sectional study employing review of primary hospital data of neonates born in a tertiary care center from January to December 2008. Among the 8139 neonates with cord blood G6PD assays, an overall incidence of 2% for G6PD deficiency was computed. 79% of these were males and 21% were females with significantly more deficient males (p < .001). Gender-specific incidence was 3.06% for males and 0.85% for females. A subgroup analysis comparing cord and peripheral blood samples (n = 1253) showed a significantly higher mean G6PD value for peripheral than cord blood (15.12 ± 4.52 U/g and 14.52 ± 4.43 U/g, respectively, p = 0.0008). However, the proportion of G6PD deficient neonates did not significantly differ in the two groups (p = 0.79). Sensitivity of cord blood in screening for G6PD deficiency, using peripheral G6PD assay as a gold standard was 98.6% with a NPV of 99.5%. There was no difference between cord and peripheral blood samples in discriminating between G6PD deficient and non-deficient neonates. A significantly higher mean peripheral G6PD assay reinforces the use of cord blood for neonatal screening since it has substantially low false negative results.

Quantitative measurement of intact alpha-synuclein proteoforms from post-mortem control and Parkinson's disease brain tissue by intact protein mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Kellie, John F; Higgs, Richard E; Ryder, John W; Major, Anthony; Beach, Thomas G; Adler, Charles H; Merchant, Kalpana; Knierman, Michael D

2014-07-23

A robust top down proteomics method is presented for profiling alpha-synuclein species from autopsied human frontal cortex brain tissue from Parkinson's cases and controls. The method was used to test the hypothesis that pathology associated brain tissue will have a different profile of post-translationally modified alpha-synuclein than the control samples. Validation of the sample processing steps, mass spectrometry based measurements, and data processing steps were performed. The intact protein quantitation method features extraction and integration of m/z data from each charge state of a detected alpha-synuclein species and fitting of the data to a simple linear model which accounts for concentration and charge state variability. The quantitation method was validated with serial dilutions of intact protein standards. Using the method on the human brain samples, several previously unreported modifications in alpha-synuclein were identified. Low levels of phosphorylated alpha synuclein were detected in brain tissue fractions enriched for Lewy body pathology and were marginally significant between PD cases and controls (p = 0.03).

Serial killers with military experience: applying learning theory to serial murder.

PubMed

Castle, Tammy; Hensley, Christopher

2002-08-01

Scholars have endeavored to study the motivation and causality behind serial murder by researching biological, psychological, and sociological variables. Some of these studies have provided support for the relationship between these variables and serial murder. However, the study of serial murder continues to be an exploratory rather than explanatory research topic. This article examines the possible link between serial killers and military service. Citing previous research using social learning theory for the study of murder, this article explores how potential serial killers learn to reinforce violence, aggression, and murder in military boot camps. As with other variables considered in serial killer research, military experience alone cannot account for all cases of serial murder. Future research should continue to examine this possible link.

The principles and technical aspects of diuresis renography

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

Conway, J.J.

1989-12-01

It is intuitive that dilation of the urinary tract is most likely caused by obstruction. However, the opposite is more often true. That is, dilation is not associated with obstruction, especially in children. The most common causes for hydronephrosis and hydroureter include infection, vesicoureteral reflux, congenital megacalyces and megaureter, previous obstruction, and bladder noncompliance. Theoretically, one can consider obstruction on the basis of its significance, which is that there may be a loss of renal function with time. Techniques such as intravenous pyelography and ultrasonography, which anatomically document the degree of dilation of the urinary tract, cannot quantitatively determine themore » presence of obstruction or its significance. Radionuclide renography more readily quantifies abnormal renal function. Serial renographic studies with furosemide can document renal function loss and, thus, determine the significance of the obstruction. Diuresis renography with furosemide provides an objective quantitative means for determining the renal function changes over time.« less

Three-dimensional atlas of iron, copper, and zinc in the mouse cerebrum and brainstem.

PubMed

Hare, Dominic J; Lee, Jason K; Beavis, Alison D; van Gramberg, Amanda; George, Jessica; Adlard, Paul A; Finkelstein, David I; Doble, Philip A

2012-05-01

Atlases depicting molecular and functional features of the brain are becoming an integral part of modern neuroscience. In this study we used laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) to quantitatively measure iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) levels in a serially sectioned C57BL/6 mouse brain (cerebrum and brainstem). Forty-six sections were analyzed in a single experiment of approximately 158 h in duration. We constructed a 46-plate reference atlas by aligning quantified images of metal distribution with corresponding coronal sections from the Allen Mouse Brain Reference Atlas. The 46 plates were also used to construct three-dimensional models of Fe, Cu, and Zn distribution. This atlas represents the first reconstruction of quantitative trace metal distribution through the brain by LA-ICPMS and will facilitate the study of trace metals in the brain and help to elucidate their role in neurobiology.

Life history of roach, Rutilus rutilus (Cyprinidae, Teleostei). A qualitative and quantitative study on the development of sensory brain areas.

PubMed

Brandstätter, R; Kotrschal, K

1989-01-01

The present study deals with aspects of the brain development in the roach, Rutilus rutilus, a common mid-European cyprinid fish. The morphogenesis of selected brain areas from hatching to early juveniles was examined on serial paraffin cross-sections. From early juveniles to large adults, brain growth was quantitatively analyzed by computer-aided planimetry. The hatchlings of roach show a cytologically distinct optic tectum, but a poorly differentiated brainstem, reflecting the predominance of the optic sense during the larval planktivorous period. The differentiation and outgrowth of chemosensory brainstem centers is related to the onset and development of benthivorous feeding in juveniles. The optic tectum decreases in size relative to the total brain volume from juveniles through adults. The corpus cerebelli increases in relative size, whereas chemosensory and acousticolateral centers grow isometrically with the brain as a whole.

The eyeball killer: serial killings with postmortem globe enucleation.

PubMed

Coyle, Julie; Ross, Karen F; Barnard, Jeffrey J; Peacock, Elizabeth; Linch, Charles A; Prahlow, Joseph A

2015-05-01

Although serial killings are relatively rare, they can be the cause of a great deal of anxiety while the killer remains at-large. Despite the fact that the motivations for serial killings are typically quite complex, the psychological analysis of a serial killer can provide valuable insight into how and why certain individuals become serial killers. Such knowledge may be instrumental in preventing future serial killings or in solving ongoing cases. In certain serial killings, the various incidents have a variety of similar features. Identification of similarities between separate homicidal incidents is necessary to recognize that a serial killer may be actively killing. In this report, the authors present a group of serial killings involving three prostitutes who were shot to death over a 3-month period. Scene and autopsy findings, including the unusual finding of postmortem enucleation of the eyes, led investigators to recognize the serial nature of the homicides. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Adaptive changes in the neuromagnetic response of the primary and association somatosensory areas following repetitive tactile hand stimulation in humans

PubMed Central

Popescu, Anda; Barlow, Steven; Venkatesan, Lalit; Wang, Jingyan; Popescu, Mihai

2014-01-01

Cortical adaptation in the primary somatosensory cortex (SI) has been probed using different stimulation modalities and recording techniques, in both human and animal studies. In contrast, considerably less knowledge has been gained about the adaptation profiles in other areas of the cortical somatosensory network. Using magnetoencephalography, we examined the patterns of short-term adaptation for evoked responses in SI and somatosensory association areas during tactile stimulation applied to the glabrous skin of the right hand. Cutaneous stimuli were delivered as trains of serial pulses with a constant frequency of 2 Hz and 4 Hz in separate runs, and a constant inter-train interval of 5 s. The unilateral stimuli elicited transient responses to the serial pulses in the train, with several response components that were separated by Independent Component Analysis. Subsequent neuromagnetic source reconstruction identified regional generators in the contralateral SI and somatosensory association areas in the posterior parietal cortex (PPC). Activity in the bilateral secondary somatosensory cortex (i.e. SII/PV) was also identified, although less consistently across subjects. The dynamics of the evoked activity in each area and the frequency-dependent adaptation effects were assessed from the changes in the relative amplitude of serial responses in each train. We show that the adaptation profiles in SI and PPC can be quantitatively characterized from neuromagnetic recordings using tactile stimulation, with the sensitivity to repetitive stimulation increasing from SI to PPC. A similar approach for SII/PV has proven less straightforward, potentially due to the selective nature of these areas to respond predominantly to certain stimuli. PMID:22331631

MR Imaging of the Prostate and Adjacent Anatomic Structures before, during, and after Ejaculation: Qualitative and Quantitative Evaluation1

PubMed Central

Medved, Milica; Sammet, Steffen; Yousuf, Ambereen; Oto, Aytekin

2015-01-01

Purpose To determine the possibility of obtaining high-quality magnetic resonance (MR) images before, during, and immediately after ejaculation and detecting measurable changes in quantitative MR imaging parameters after ejaculation. Materials and Methods In this prospective, institutional review board–approved, HIPAA-compliant study, eight young healthy volunteers (median age, 22.5 years), after providing informed consent, underwent MR imaging while masturbating to the point of ejaculation. A 1.5-T MR imaging unit was used, with an eight-channel surface coil and a dynamic single-shot fast spin-echo sequence. In addition, a quantitative MR imaging protocol that allowed calculation of T1, T2, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values was applied before and after ejaculation. Volumes of the prostate and seminal vesicles (SV) were calculated by using whole-volume segmentation on T2-weighted images, both before and after ejaculation. Pre- and postejaculation changes in quantitative MR parameters and measured volumes were evaluated by using the Wilcoxon signed rank test with Bonferroni adjustment. Results There was no significant change in prostate volumes on pre- and postejaculation images, while the SV contracted by 41% on average (median, 44.5%; P = .004). No changes before and after ejaculation were observed in T1 values or in T2 and ADC values in the central gland, while T2 and ADC values were significantly reduced in the peripheral zone by 12% and 14%, respectively (median, 13% and 14.5%, respectively; P = .004). Conclusion Successful dynamic MR imaging of ejaculation events and the ability to visualize internal sphincter closure, passage of ejaculate, and significant changes in SV volumes were demonstrated. Significant changes in peripheral zone T2 and ADC values were observed. PMID:24495265

Real-time PCR to determine transgene copy number and to quantitate the biolocalization of adoptively transferred cells from EGFP-transgenic mice.

PubMed

Joshi, Molishree; Keith Pittman, H; Haisch, Carl; Verbanac, Kathryn

2008-09-01

Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) is a sensitive technique for the detection and quantitation of specific DNA sequences. Here we describe a Taqman qPCR assay for quantification of tissue-localized, adoptively transferred enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-transgenic cells. A standard curve constructed from serial dilutions of a plasmid containing the EGFP transgene was (i) highly reproducible, (ii) detected as few as two copies, and (iii) was included in each qPCR assay. qPCR analysis of genomic DNA was used to determine transgene copy number in several mouse strains. Fluorescent microscopy of tissue sections showed that adoptively transferred vascular endothelial cells (VEC) from EGFP-transgenic mice specifically localized to tissue with metastatic tumors in syngeneic recipients. VEC microscopic enumeration of liver metastases strongly correlated with qPCR analysis of identical sections (Pearson correlation 0.81). EGFP was undetectable in tissue from control mice by qPCR. In another study using intra-tumor EGFP-VEC delivery to subcutaneous tumors, manual cell count and qPCR analysis of alternating sections also strongly correlated (Pearson correlation 0.82). Confocal microscopy of the subcutaneous tumor sections determined that visual fluorescent signals were frequently tissue artifacts. This qPCR methodology offers specific, objective, and rapid quantitation, uncomplicated by tissue autofluorescence, and should be readily transferable to other in vivo models to quantitate the biolocalization of transplanted cells.

Trabecular bone class mapping across resolutions: translating methods from HR-pQCT to clinical CT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valentinitsch, Alexander; Fischer, Lukas; Patsch, Janina M.; Bauer, Jan; Kainberger, Franz; Langs, Georg; DiFranco, Matthew

2015-03-01

Quantitative assessment of 3D bone microarchitecture in high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) has shown promise in fracture risk assessment and biomechanics, but is limited to the distal radius and tibia. Trabecular microarchitecture classes (TMACs), based on voxel-wise clustering texture and structure tensor features in HRpQCT, is extended in this paper to quantify trabecular bone classes in clinical multi-detector CT (MDCT) images. Our comparison of TMACs in 12 cadaver radii imaged using both HRpQCT and MDCT yields a mean Dice score of up to 0.717+/-0.40 and visually concordant bone quality maps. Further work to develop clinically viable bone quantitative imaging using HR-pQCT validation could have a significant impact on overall bone health assessment.

Stereological analysis of sciatic nerve in chickens following neonatal pinealectomy: an experimental study

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Although the injury to the peripheral nervous system is a common clinical problem, understanding of the role of melatonin in nerve degeneration and regeneration is incomplete. Methods The current study investigated the effects of neonatal pinealectomy on the sciatic nerve microarchitecture in the chicken. The chickens were divided into two equal groups: unpinealectomized controls and pinealectomized chickens. At the end of the study, biochemical examination of 10 sciatic nerve samples from both groups was performed and a quantitative stereological evaluation of 10 animals in each group was performed. The results were compared using Mann-Whitney test. Results In this study, the results of axon number and thickness of the myelin sheath of a nerve fiber in newly hatched pinealectomy group were higher than those in control group. Similarly, surgical pinealectomy group had significantly larger axonal cross-sectional area than the control group (p < 0.05). In addition, the average hydroxyproline content of the nerve tissue in neonatal pinealectomy group was higher than those found in control group. Our results suggest that melatonin may play a role on the morphologic features of the peripheral nerve tissue and that melatonin deficiency might be a pathophysiological mechanism in some degenerative diseases of peripheral nerves. The changes demonstrated by quantitative morphometric methods and biochemical analysis has been interpreted as a reflection of the effects of melatonin upon nerve tissue. Conclusion In the light of these results from present animal study, changes in sciatic nerve morphometry may be indicative of neuroprotective feature of melatonin, but this suggestion need to be validated in the human setting. PMID:20409336

Reversible Folding of Human Peripheral Myelin Protein 22, a Tetraspan Membrane Protein†

PubMed Central

Schlebach, Jonathan P.; Peng, Dungeng; Kroncke, Brett M.; Mittendorf, Kathleen F.; Narayan, Malathi; Carter, Bruce D.; Sanders, Charles R.

2013-01-01

Misfolding of the α-helical membrane protein peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of the common neurodegenerative disease known as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMTD) and also several other related peripheral neuropathies. Emerging evidence suggests that the propensity of PMP22 to misfold in the cell may be due to an intrinsic lack of conformational stability. Therefore, quantitative studies of the conformational equilibrium of PMP22 are needed to gain insight into the molecular basis of CMTD. In this work, we have investigated the folding and unfolding of wild type (WT) human PMP22 in mixed micelles. Both kinetic and thermodynamic measurements demonstrate that the denaturation of PMP22 by n-lauroyl sarcosine (LS) in dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) micelles is reversible. Assessment of the conformational equilibrium indicates that a significant fraction of unfolded PMP22 persists even in the absence of the denaturing detergent. However, we find the stability of PMP22 is increased by glycerol, which facilitates quantitation of thermodynamic parameters. To our knowledge, this work represents the first report of reversible unfolding of a eukaryotic multispan membrane protein. The results indicate that WT PMP22 possesses minimal conformational stability in micelles, which parallels its poor folding efficiency in the endoplasmic reticulum. Folding equilibrium measurements for PMP22 in mixed micelles may provide an approach to assess the effects of cellular metabolites or potential therapeutic agents on its stability. Furthermore, these results pave the way for future investigation of the effects of pathogenic mutations on the conformational equilibrium of PMP22. PMID:23639031

Estimation of whole body fat from appendicular soft tissue from peripheral quantitative computed tomography in adolescent girls

PubMed Central

Lee, Vinson R.; Blew, Rob M.; Farr, Josh N.; Tomas, Rita; Lohman, Timothy G.; Going, Scott B.

2013-01-01

Objective Assess the utility of peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) for estimating whole body fat in adolescent girls. Research Methods and Procedures Our sample included 458 girls (aged 10.7 ± 1.1y, mean BMI = 18.5 ± 3.3 kg/m2) who had DXA scans for whole body percent fat (DXA %Fat). Soft tissue analysis of pQCT scans provided thigh and calf subcutaneous percent fat and thigh and calf muscle density (muscle fat content surrogates). Anthropometric variables included weight, height and BMI. Indices of maturity included age and maturity offset. The total sample was split into validation (VS; n = 304) and cross-validation (CS; n = 154) samples. Linear regression was used to develop prediction equations for estimating DXA %Fat from anthropometric variables and pQCT-derived soft tissue components in VS and the best prediction equation was applied to CS. Results Thigh and calf SFA %Fat were positively correlated with DXA %Fat (r = 0.84 to 0.85; p <0.001) and thigh and calf muscle densities were inversely related to DXA %Fat (r = −0.30 to −0.44; p < 0.001). The best equation for estimating %Fat included thigh and calf SFA %Fat and thigh and calf muscle density (adj. R2 = 0.90; SEE = 2.7%). Bland-Altman analysis in CS showed accurate estimates of percent fat (adj. R2 = 0.89; SEE = 2.7%) with no bias. Discussion Peripheral QCT derived indices of adiposity can be used to accurately estimate whole body percent fat in adolescent girls. PMID:25147482

Peripheral neuropathic pain: a mechanism-related organizing principle based on sensory profiles

PubMed Central

Baron, Ralf; Maier, Christoph; Attal, Nadine; Binder, Andreas; Bouhassira, Didier; Cruccu, Giorgio; Finnerup, Nanna B.; Haanpää, Maija; Hansson, Per; Hüllemann, Philipp; Jensen, Troels S.; Freynhagen, Rainer; Kennedy, Jeffrey D.; Magerl, Walter; Mainka, Tina; Reimer, Maren; Rice, Andrew S.C.; Segerdahl, Märta; Serra, Jordi; Sindrup, Sören; Sommer, Claudia; Tölle, Thomas; Vollert, Jan; Treede, Rolf-Detlef

2016-01-01

Abstract Patients with neuropathic pain are heterogeneous in etiology, pathophysiology, and clinical appearance. They exhibit a variety of pain-related sensory symptoms and signs (sensory profile). Different sensory profiles might indicate different classes of neurobiological mechanisms, and hence subgroups with different sensory profiles might respond differently to treatment. The aim of the investigation was to identify subgroups in a large sample of patients with neuropathic pain using hypothesis-free statistical methods on the database of 3 large multinational research networks (German Research Network on Neuropathic Pain (DFNS), IMI-Europain, and Neuropain). Standardized quantitative sensory testing was used in 902 (test cohort) and 233 (validation cohort) patients with peripheral neuropathic pain of different etiologies. For subgrouping, we performed a cluster analysis using 13 quantitative sensory testing parameters. Three distinct subgroups with characteristic sensory profiles were identified and replicated. Cluster 1 (sensory loss, 42%) showed a loss of small and large fiber function in combination with paradoxical heat sensations. Cluster 2 (thermal hyperalgesia, 33%) was characterized by preserved sensory functions in combination with heat and cold hyperalgesia and mild dynamic mechanical allodynia. Cluster 3 (mechanical hyperalgesia, 24%) was characterized by a loss of small fiber function in combination with pinprick hyperalgesia and dynamic mechanical allodynia. All clusters occurred across etiologies but frequencies differed. We present a new approach of subgrouping patients with peripheral neuropathic pain of different etiologies according to intrinsic sensory profiles. These 3 profiles may be related to pathophysiological mechanisms and may be useful in clinical trial design to enrich the study population for treatment responders. PMID:27893485

Quantitative and qualitative computed tomographic characteristics of bronchiectasis in 12 dogs.

PubMed

Cannon, Matthew S; Johnson, Lynelle R; Pesavento, Patricia A; Kass, Philip H; Wisner, Erik R

2013-01-01

Bronchiectasis is an irreversible dilatation of the bronchi resulting from chronic airway inflammation. In people, computed tomography (CT) has been described as the noninvasive gold standard for diagnosing bronchiectasis. In dogs, normal CT bronchoarterial ratios have been described as <2.0. The purpose of this retrospective study was to describe quantitative and qualitative CT characteristics of bronchiectasis in a cohort of dogs with confirmed disease. Inclusion criteria for the study were thoracic radiography, thoracic CT, and a diagnosis of bronchiectasis based on bronchoscopy and/or histopathology. For each included dog, a single observer measured CT bronchoarterial ratios at 6 lobar locations. Qualitative thoracic radiography and CT characteristics were recorded by consensus opinion of two board-certified veterinary radiologists. Twelve dogs met inclusion criteria. The mean bronchoarterial ratio from 28 bronchiectatic lung lobes was 2.71 ± 0.80 (range 1.4 to 4.33), and 23/28 measurements were >2.0. Averaged bronchoarterial ratios from bronchiectatic lung lobes were significantly larger (P < 0.01) than averaged ratios from nonbronchiectatic lung lobes. Qualitative CT characteristics of bronchiectasis included lack of peripheral airway tapering (12/12), lobar consolidation (11/12), bronchial wall thickening (7/12), and bronchial lumen occlusion (4/12). Radiographs detected lack of airway tapering in 7/12 dogs. In conclusion, the most common CT characteristics of bronchiectasis were dilatation, a lack of peripheral airway tapering, and lobar consolidation. Lack of peripheral airway tapering was not visible in thoracic radiographs for some dogs. For some affected dogs, bronchoarterial ratios were less than published normal values. © 2013 Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound.

A quantitative sensory analysis of peripheral neuropathy in colorectal cancer and its exacerbation by oxaliplatin chemotherapy.

PubMed

de Carvalho Barbosa, Mariana; Kosturakis, Alyssa K; Eng, Cathy; Wendelschafer-Crabb, Gwen; Kennedy, William R; Simone, Donald A; Wang, Xin S; Cleeland, Charles S; Dougherty, Patrick M

2014-11-01

Peripheral neuropathy caused by cytotoxic chemotherapy, especially platins and taxanes, is a widespread problem among cancer survivors that is likely to continue to expand in the future. However, little work to date has focused on understanding this challenge. The goal in this study was to determine the impact of colorectal cancer and cumulative chemotherapeutic dose on sensory function to gain mechanistic insight into the subtypes of primary afferent fibers damaged by chemotherapy. Patients with colorectal cancer underwent quantitative sensory testing before and then prior to each cycle of oxaliplatin. These data were compared with those from 47 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. Patients showed significant subclinical deficits in sensory function before any therapy compared with healthy volunteers, and they became more pronounced in patients who received chemotherapy. Sensory modalities that involved large Aβ myelinated fibers and unmyelinated C fibers were most affected by chemotherapy, whereas sensory modalities conveyed by thinly myelinated Aδ fibers were less sensitive to chemotherapy. Patients with baseline sensory deficits went on to develop more symptom complaints during chemotherapy than those who had no baseline deficit. Patients who were tested again 6 to 12 months after chemotherapy presented with the most numbness and pain and also the most pronounced sensory deficits. Our results illuminate a mechanistic connection between the pattern of effects on sensory function and the nerve fiber types that appear to be most vulnerable to chemotherapy-induced toxicity, with implications for how to focus future work to ameloirate risks of peripheral neuropathy. ©2014 American Association for Cancer Research.

Peripheral neuropathic pain: a mechanism-related organizing principle based on sensory profiles.

PubMed

Baron, Ralf; Maier, Christoph; Attal, Nadine; Binder, Andreas; Bouhassira, Didier; Cruccu, Giorgio; Finnerup, Nanna B; Haanpää, Maija; Hansson, Per; Hüllemann, Philipp; Jensen, Troels S; Freynhagen, Rainer; Kennedy, Jeffrey D; Magerl, Walter; Mainka, Tina; Reimer, Maren; Rice, Andrew S C; Segerdahl, Märta; Serra, Jordi; Sindrup, Sören; Sommer, Claudia; Tölle, Thomas; Vollert, Jan; Treede, Rolf-Detlef

2017-02-01

Patients with neuropathic pain are heterogeneous in etiology, pathophysiology, and clinical appearance. They exhibit a variety of pain-related sensory symptoms and signs (sensory profile). Different sensory profiles might indicate different classes of neurobiological mechanisms, and hence subgroups with different sensory profiles might respond differently to treatment. The aim of the investigation was to identify subgroups in a large sample of patients with neuropathic pain using hypothesis-free statistical methods on the database of 3 large multinational research networks (German Research Network on Neuropathic Pain (DFNS), IMI-Europain, and Neuropain). Standardized quantitative sensory testing was used in 902 (test cohort) and 233 (validation cohort) patients with peripheral neuropathic pain of different etiologies. For subgrouping, we performed a cluster analysis using 13 quantitative sensory testing parameters. Three distinct subgroups with characteristic sensory profiles were identified and replicated. Cluster 1 (sensory loss, 42%) showed a loss of small and large fiber function in combination with paradoxical heat sensations. Cluster 2 (thermal hyperalgesia, 33%) was characterized by preserved sensory functions in combination with heat and cold hyperalgesia and mild dynamic mechanical allodynia. Cluster 3 (mechanical hyperalgesia, 24%) was characterized by a loss of small fiber function in combination with pinprick hyperalgesia and dynamic mechanical allodynia. All clusters occurred across etiologies but frequencies differed. We present a new approach of subgrouping patients with peripheral neuropathic pain of different etiologies according to intrinsic sensory profiles. These 3 profiles may be related to pathophysiological mechanisms and may be useful in clinical trial design to enrich the study population for treatment responders.

Persistent inflammation and T cell exhaustion in severe sepsis in the elderly

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction Sepsis is known as a complex immunological response with hyperinflammation in the acute phase followed by immunosuppression. Although aging is crucial in sepsis, the impact of aging on inflammation and immunosuppression is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between inflammation and immunosuppression in aged patients and mice after sepsis. Methods Fifty-five patients with severe sepsis and 30 healthy donors were prospectively enrolled, and 90-day survival was compared between elderly (≥65 years) and adult (18–64 years) septic patients with serial measurement of serum interleukin (IL)-6. Within 24 h after diagnosis of severe sepsis, peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated ex vivo to measure expression of the activation maker CD25 in T cells, IL-2 levels in the supernatant, and proliferation. In the mouse study, young (6–8 weeks) and aged (20–22 months) C57/B6 mice were subjected to cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), and survival was compared after 7 days with serial measurement of serum IL-6. Expression of the negative co-stimulatory molecules, CD25, and IL-2 in CD4+ T cells was measured. Results The survival rate in elderly sepsis patients and aged septic mice was significantly lower than that in adult patients and young septic mice (60% vs. 93% in septic patients, 0% vs. 63% in septic mice, P < 0.05). Serum IL-6 levels in elderly sepsis patients and aged septic mice were persistently higher than those in adult patients and young septic mice. Expression of negative co-stimulatory molecules in CD4+ T cells in the spleen, lymph nodes, and peripheral blood was significantly higher in aged mice than in young mice (P < 0.01). Ex vivo stimulation decreased CD25 expression, IL-2 production, and proliferation to a greater extent in CD4+ T cells from elderly patients and aged septic mice than in those from adult patients and young septic mice. Elderly patients demonstrated increased detection of gram-negative bacteria at days 14–16 and 28–32 after sepsis (P < 0.05). Conclusions Persistent inflammation and T cell exhaustion may be associated with decreased survival in elderly patients and mice after sepsis. PMID:24962182

Monocytes and macrophages in malignant melanoma. III. Reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium by peripheral blood monocytes.

PubMed Central

Hedley, D. W.; Currie, G. A.

1978-01-01

Peripheral-blood monocytes from normal individuals and from patients with malignant melanoma reduce nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT). A quantitative assay for dye reduction was applied to 25 healthy donors and 31 patients with malignant melanoma. NBT reduction expressed as dye reduction per monocyte was significantly impaired in patients with disseminated disease, and they responded poorly to a phagocytic stimulus. Monocytes from patients with micrometastatic disease, however, showed normal resting NBT reduction but, following exposure to a suspension of latex-polystyrene, showed significantly greater NBT reduction than those from normal individuals. Since NBT reduction is an indirect measure of intracellular hexose-monophosphate-shunt activity we conclude that the monocytes from patients with minimal disease are in some way activated. PMID:656304

Noninvasive imaging of bone microarchitecture

PubMed Central

Patsch, Janina M.; Burghardt, Andrew J.; Kazakia, Galateia; Majumdar, Sharmila

2015-01-01

The noninvasive quantification of peripheral compartment-specific bone microarchitecture is feasible with high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) and high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI). In addition to classic morphometric indices, both techniques provide a suitable basis for virtual biomechanical testing using finite element (FE) analyses. Methodical limitations, morphometric parameter definition, and motion artifacts have to be considered to achieve optimal data interpretation from imaging studies. With increasing availability of in vivo high-resolution bone imaging techniques, special emphasis should be put on quality control including multicenter, cross-site validations. Importantly, conclusions from interventional studies investigating the effects of antiosteoporotic drugs on bone microarchitecture should be drawn with care, ideally involving imaging scientists, translational researchers, and clinicians. PMID:22172043

Diffusion-weighted imaging of the prostate: should we use quantitative metrics to better characterize focal lesions originating in the peripheral zone?

PubMed

Pierre, Thibaut; Cornud, Francois; Colléter, Loïc; Beuvon, Frédéric; Foissac, Frantz; Delongchamps, Nicolas B; Legmann, Paul

2018-05-01

To compare inter-reader concordance and accuracy of qualitative diffusion-weighted (DW) PIRADSv2.0 score with those of quantitative DW-MRI for the diagnosis of peripheral zone prostate cancer. Two radiologists independently assigned a DW-MRI-PIRADS score to 92 PZ-foci, in 74 patients (64.3±5.6 years old; median PSA level: 8 ng/ml, normal DRE in 70 men). A standardised ADCmean and nine ADC-derived parameters were measured, including ADCratios with the whole-prostate (WP-ADCratio) or the mirror-PZ (mirror-ADCratio) as reference areas. Surgical histology and MRI-TRUS fusion-biopsy were the reference for tumours and benign foci, respectively. Inter-reader agreement was assessed by the Cohen-kappa-coefficient and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Univariate-multivariate regressions determined the most predictive factor for cancer. Fifty lesions were malignant. Inter-reader concordance was fair for qualitative assessment, but excellent for quantitative assessment for all quantitative variables. At univariate analysis, ADCmean, WP-ADCratio and WL-ADCmean performed equally, but significantly better than the mirror-ADCratio (p<0.001). At multivariate analysis, the only independent variable significantly associated with malignancy was the whole-prostate-ADCratio. At a cut-off value of 0.68, sensitivity was 94-90 % and specificity was 60-38 % for readers 1 and 2, respectively. The whole-prostate-ADCratio improved the qualitative inter-reader concordance and characterisation of focal PZ-lesions. • Inter-reader concordance of DW PI-RADSv2.0 score for PZ lesions was only fair. • Using a standardised ADCmean measurement and derived DW-quantitative parameters, concordance was excellent. • The whole-prostate ADCratio performed significantly better than the mirror-ADCratio for cancer detection. • At a cut-off of 0.68, sensitivity values of WP-ADCratio were 94-90 %. • The whole-prostate ADCratio may circumvent variations of ADC metrics across centres.

The Education of Serials Catalogers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soper, Mary Ellen

1987-01-01

Reviews surveys of accredited library schools' efforts to prepare students to work with serials and practitioners' attitudes toward their formal serials education, and presents results of a 1986 survey of serials cataloging courses offered by library schools. Continuing education and the importance of special instruction for serials work are…

Quantitative Sensory Testing and Current Perception Threshold Testing in Patients With Chronic Pain Following Lower Extremity Fracture.

PubMed

Griffioen, Mari A; Greenspan, Joel D; Johantgen, Meg; Von Rueden, Kathryn; O'Toole, Robert V; Dorsey, Susan G; Renn, Cynthia L

2018-01-01

Chronic pain is a significant problem for patients with lower extremity injuries. While pain hypersensitivity has been identified in many chronic pain conditions, it is not known whether patients with chronic pain following lower extremity fracture report pain hypersensitivity in the injured leg. To quantify and compare peripheral somatosensory function and sensory nerve activation thresholds in persons with chronic pain following lower extremity fractures with a cohort of persons with no history of lower extremity fractures. This was a cross-sectional study where quantitative sensory testing and current perception threshold testing were conducted on the injured and noninjured legs of cases and both legs of controls. A total of 14 cases and 28 controls participated in the study. Mean time since injury at the time of testing for cases was 22.3 (standard deviation = 12.1) months. The warmth detection threshold ( p = .024) and nerve activation thresholds at 2,000 Hz ( p < .001) and 250 Hz ( p = .002), respectively, were significantly higher in cases compared to controls. This study suggests that patients with chronic pain following lower extremity fractures may experience hypoesthesia in the injured leg, which contrasts with the finding of hyperesthesia previously observed in other chronic pain conditions but is in accord with patients with nerve injuries and surgeries. This is the first study to examine peripheral sensory nerve function at the site of injury in patients with chronic pain following lower extremity fractures using quantitative sensory testing and current perception threshold testing.

How One Word Borrows Another: The Process of Language-Contact in Two Irish-Speaking Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Malley-Madec, Mary

2007-01-01

Quantitative and qualitative data from two Irish-speaking communities in Ireland (F, a core community within the heartland of Irish-speaking Galway and B, a peripheral community on the edge of Galway city) are examined in order to investigate the role of location in language contact. The analysis of the observed linguistic outcomes based on…

Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging assessments of autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease progression and response to therapy in an animal model.

PubMed

Erokwu, Bernadette O; Anderson, Christian E; Flask, Chris A; Dell, Katherine M

2018-05-01

BackgroundAutosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD) is associated with significant mortality and morbidity, and currently, there are no disease-specific treatments available for ARPKD patients. One major limitation in establishing new therapies for ARPKD is a lack of sensitive measures of kidney disease progression. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide multiple quantitative assessments of the disease.MethodsWe applied quantitative image analysis of high-resolution (noncontrast) T2-weighted MRI techniques to study cystic kidney disease progression and response to therapy in the PCK rat model of ARPKD.ResultsSerial imaging over a 2-month period demonstrated that renal cystic burden (RCB, %)=[total cyst volume (TCV)/total kidney volume (TKV) × 100], TCV, and, to a lesser extent, TKV detected cystic kidney disease progression, as well as the therapeutic effect of octreotide, a clinically available medication shown previously to slow both kidney and liver disease progression in this model. All three MRI measures correlated significantly with histologic measures of renal cystic area, although the correlation of RCB and TCV was stronger than that of TKV.ConclusionThese preclinical MRI results provide a basis for applying these quantitative MRI techniques in clinical studies, to stage and measure progression in human ARPKD kidney disease.

A simple competitive RT-PCR assay for quantitation of HIV-1 subtype B and non-B RNA in plasma.

PubMed

Hamatake, Makiko; Nishizawa, Masako; Yamamoto, Naoki; Kato, Shingo; Sugiura, Wataru

2007-06-01

An easy, inexpensive competitive RT-PCR assay for HIV-1 RNA quantitation was constructed. A 138-bp sequence in the HIV-1 gag p24 region was selected as the target and co-amplified with competitor RNA containing an internal 44-bp deletion. Quantitation of serial dilutions of control RNA samples prepared from the LAI isolate demonstrated a good linearity (R(2)=0.991) within the range between 10 and 250 copies/sample. The detection limit of the assay was determined to be 3.8 copies/sample by Probit analysis and corresponded to 110 copies/ml in plasma. The intra-assay CV value was 9.1%, and the inter-assay value was 25.9%. Both were comparable to those obtained with commercially available HIV-1 RNA quantitation kits. The correlation efficient for the results obtained in 47 plasma samples from HIV-1-infected individuals (subtype A in 1, subtype B in 25, subtype C in 4, subtype F in 1, and CRF01 AE in 16) with the competitive RT-PCR and Cobas Amplicor HIV-1 Monitor test v1.5 was 0.956 for subtype B and 0.947 for subtype non-B. The assay devised is a good alternative for monitoring antiretroviral therapy in resource-poor countries.

IFLA General Conference, 1986. Collections and Services Division. Section: Serial Publications. Papers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, The Hague (Netherlands).

Papers on serial publications presented at the 1986 International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) conference include: (1) "Scenario for Microcomputer-Based Serials Cataloging from ISDS (International Serials Data System) Records--New Horizons for Serial Librarianship in the Developing Countries by the Availability of Adequate…

Union Listing via OCLC's Serials Control Subsystem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Malley, Terrence J.

1984-01-01

Describes library use of Conversion of Serials Project's (CONSER) online national machine-readable database for serials to create online union lists of serials via OCLC's Serial Control Subsystem. Problems in selection of appropriate, accurate, and authenticated records and prospects for the future are discussed. Twenty sources and sample records…

The Circulation Analysis of Serial Use: Numbers Game or Key to Service?

PubMed Central

Raisig, L. Miles

1967-01-01

The conventionally erected and reported circulation analysis of serial use in the individual and the feeder library is found to be statistically invalid and misleading, since it measures neither the intellectual use of the serial's contents nor the physical handlings of serial units, and is nonrepresentative of the in-depth library use of serials. It fails utterly to report or even to suggest the relation of intralibrary and interlibrary serial resources. The actual mechanics of the serial use analysis, and the active variables in the library situation which affect serial use, are demonstrated in a simulated analysis and are explained at length. A positive design is offered for the objective gathering and reporting of data on the local intellectual use and physical handling of serials and the relating of resources. Data gathering in the feeder library, and implications for the extension of the feeder library's resources, are discussed. PMID:6055863

MiR-139-5p is Increased in the Peripheral Blood of Patients with Prostate Cancer.

PubMed

Pang, Cheng; Liu, Ming; Fang, Weiwei; Guo, Jun; Zhang, Zhipeng; Wu, Pengjie; Zhang, Yaoguang; Wang, Jianye

2016-01-01

Emerging evidence suggested that microRNAs (miRNAs) play a causal role in cancer tumorigenesis. Aberrant expression of miRNA (miR)-139-5p has been observed in various types of cancers. The present study evaluated the relationship between miR-139-5p expression levels and prostate cancer (PCa), to assess the feasibility of using peripheral blood miR-139-5p as a potential non-invasive biomarker for PCa. Total RNA was extracted from peripheral whole blood samples from 45 PCa patients, 45 benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients and 50 healthy controls (HC). The expression of miR-139-5p was assessed by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. MiR-139-5p in peripheral blood was significantly higher in PCa patients than in patients with BPH and HC individuals (P<0.001). Higher miR-139-5p expression was observed to be associated with certain clinicopathological parameters, including PSA>20ng/ml (P<0.05), pathological tumor stage 3/4 (P<0.05) and Gleason score >7 (P<0.01). A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that miR-139-5p distinguished PCa patients from BPH patients [area under the curve (AUC), 0.936; 95% CI, 0.878-0.993; P<0.001]. Peripheral blood miR-139-5p may be utilized as a potential novel non-invasive biomarker for PCa screening. © 2016 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

Evaluation of tissue components in the peripheral nervous system using Sirius red staining and immunohistochemistry: a comparative study (human, pig, rat).

PubMed

Kaemmer, D; Bozkurt, A; Otto, J; Junge, K; Klink, C; Weis, J; Sellhaus, B; O'Dey, D M; Pallua, N; Jansen, M; Schumpelick, V; Klinge, U

2010-06-30

Little is known about species differences in the peripheral nerve system and quantitative evaluation of main tissue components has rarely been done. Nevertheless, animal models are used for example in pain research without exact knowledge of degree of fibrosis in pathological states which would determine possible treatment options. It would therefore be of crucial interest to describe the degree of fibrosis and the remaining functional nerve tissue as exact as possible. In the present study we evaluated collagen (stroma) and nerve fiber (parenchyma) composition of peripheral nerves in three species (human, rat, pig) and used digital colour-separation and analysis for collagen type differentiation and quantification of immuno-positive-stained area. We found similar ratios of collagen types I and III in epineurium and similar immuno-positive area for staining of neurofilament and S-100beta. In contrast, we measured significantly different ratios of collagen type I to type III in the endoneurium. This combined analysis of the main tissue components of peripheral nerves could be an easy-to-use tool in evaluating changes during damage caused by scaring, systemic disease or compression syndromes. The calculated collagen type I/III ratio may serve as an objective diagnostic value for the description or as prognostic marker for therapeutic approaches in peripheral nerve pathology. However, in particular studies of collagen accumulation in nerves, species dependant differences have to be considered. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

HEPC-based liposomes trigger cytokine release from peripheral blood cells: effects of liposomal size, dose and lipid composition.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Sayaka; Ishida, Tatsuhiro; Inoue, Akiko; Mikami, Junko; Muraguchi, Masahiro; Ohmoto, Yasukazu; Kiwada, Hiroshi

2002-04-02

The immune response caused by liposome stimulation was studied by assessing the level of several cytokines released from human peripheral blood cells. Liposome stimulation resulted in the release of IL-6, IL-10, IL-1beta, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma. The size of the liposomes affected the degree of the cytokine releases with larger sized liposomes causing higher levels of cytokine induction. In addition, it appears that the lipid composition of liposomes had no effect on the degree of cytokine release. The release of cytokines occurred even in the absence of serum, suggesting that serum proteins did not contribute to liposome stimulation in peripheral blood cells. The release of cytokines induced by liposome stimulation was inhibited by the presence of either protein kinase-C (PKC) or protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitor, but not by the presence of an endocytosis inhibitor. This indicates that signal transduction via PKC or PTK is necessary, in order for human peripheral blood cells to release cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, IL-1beta, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma) as the result of liposome stimulation. These quantitative data on the release of cytokines by liposomal stimulation provide useful information for the development of rational drug delivery systems and the safety of cytokine induction via the use of liposomes.

Characterization of Gene Expression Phenotype in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Monocytes

PubMed Central

Zhao, Weihua; Beers, David R.; Hooten, Kristopher G.; Sieglaff, Douglas H.; Zhang, Aijun; Kalyana-Sundaram, Shanker; Traini, Christopher M.; Halsey, Wendy S.; Hughes, Ashley M.; Sathe, Ganesh M.; Livi, George P.; Fan, Guo-Huang

2017-01-01

Importance Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a common adult-onset neurodegenerative disease characterized by selective loss of upper and lower motor neurons. Patients with ALS have persistent peripheral and central inflammatory responses including abnormally functioning T cells and activated microglia. However, much less is known about the inflammatory gene profile of circulating innate immune monocytes in these patients. Objective To characterize the transcriptomics of peripheral monocytes in patients with ALS. Design, Setting, and Participants Monocytes were isolated from peripheral blood of 43 patients with ALS and 22 healthy control individuals. Total RNA was extracted from the monocytes and subjected to deep RNA sequencing, and these results were validated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Main Outcomes and Measures The differential expressed gene signatures of these monocytes were identified using unbiased RNA sequencing strategy for gene expression profiling. Results The demographics between the patients with ALS (mean [SD] age, 58.8 [1.57] years; 55.8% were men and 44.2% were women; 90.7% were white, 4.65% were Hispanic, 2.33% were black, and 2.33% were Asian) and control individuals were similar (mean [SD] age, 57.6 [2.15] years; 50.0% were men and 50.0% were women; 90.9% were white, none were Hispanic, none were black, and 9.09% were Asian). RNA sequencing data from negative selected monocytes revealed 233 differential expressed genes in ALS monocytes compared with healthy control monocytes. Notably, ALS monocytes demonstrated a unique inflammation-related gene expression profile, the most prominent of which, including IL1B, IL8, FOSB, CXCL1, and CXCL2, were confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (IL8, mean [SE], 1.00 [0.18]; P = .002; FOSB, 1.00 [0.21]; P = .009; CXCL1, 1.00 [0.14]; P = .002; and CXCL2, 1.00 [0.11]; P = .01). Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis monocytes from rapidly progressing patients had more proinflammatory DEGs than monocytes from slowly progressing patients. Conclusions and Relevance Our data indicate that ALS monocytes are skewed toward a proinflammatory state in the peripheral circulation and may play a role in ALS disease progression, especially in rapidly progressing patients. This increased inflammatory response of peripheral immune cells may provide a potential target for disease-modifying therapy in patients with ALS. PMID:28437540

Perineural dexamethasone successfully prolongs adductor canal block when assessed by objective pinprick sensory testing: A prospective, randomized, dose-dependent, placebo-controlled equivalency trial.

PubMed

Turner, James D; Henshaw, Daryl S; Weller, Robert S; Jaffe, J Douglas; Edwards, Christopher J; Reynolds, J Wells; Russell, Gregory B; Dobson, Sean W

2018-05-08

To determine whether perineural dexamethasone prolongs peripheral nerve blockade (PNB) when measured objectively; and to determine if a 1 mg and 4 mg dose provide equivalent PNB prolongation compared to PNB without dexamethasone. Multiple studies have reported that perineural dexamethasone added to local anesthetics (LA) can prolong PNB. However, these studies have relied on subjective end-points to quantify PNB duration. The optimal dose remains unknown. We hypothesized that 1 mg of perineural dexamethasone would be equivalent in prolonging an adductor canal block (ACB) when compared to 4 mg of dexamethasone, and that both doses would be superior to an ACB performed without dexamethasone. This was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled equivalency trial involving 85 patients undergoing a unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. All patients received an ACB with 20 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine with 1:400,000 epinephrine. Twelve patients had 0 mg of dexamethasone (placebo) added to the LA mixture; 36 patients had 1 mg of dexamethasone in the LA; and 37 patients had 4 mg of dexamethasone in the LA. The primary outcome was block duration determined by serial neurologic pinprick examinations. Secondary outcomes included time to first analgesic, serial pain scores, and cumulative opioid consumption. The 1 mg (31.8 ± 10.5 h) and 4 mg (37.9 ± 10 h) groups were not equivalent, TOST [Mean difference (95% CI); 6.1 (-10.5, -2.3)]. Also, the 4 mg group was superior to the 1 mg group (p-value = 0.035), and the placebo group (29.7 ± 6.8 h, p-value = 0.011). There were no differences in opioid consumption or time to analgesic request; however, some pain scores were significantly lower in the dexamethasone groups when compared to placebo. Dexamethasone 4 mg, but not 1 mg, prolonged the duration of an ACB when measured by serial neurologic pinprick exams. NCT02462148. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tracing Cadmium from Culture to Spikelet: Noninvasive Imaging and Quantitative Characterization of Absorption, Transport, and Accumulation of Cadmium in an Intact Rice Plant1[W][OA

PubMed Central

Fujimaki, Shu; Suzui, Nobuo; Ishioka, Noriko S.; Kawachi, Naoki; Ito, Sayuri; Chino, Mitsuo; Nakamura, Shin-ichi

2010-01-01

We characterized the absorption and short-term translocation of cadmium (Cd) in rice (Oryza sativa ‘Nipponbare’) quantitatively using serial images observed with a positron-emitting tracer imaging system. We fed a positron-emitting 107Cd (half-life of 6.5 h) tracer to the hydroponic culture solution and noninvasively obtained serial images of Cd distribution in intact rice plants at the vegetative stage and at the grain-filling stage every 4 min for 36 h. The rates of absorption of Cd by the root were proportional to Cd concentrations in the culture solution within the tested range of 0.05 to 100 nm. It was estimated that the radial transport from the culture to the xylem in the root tissue was completed in less than 10 min. Cd moved up through the shoot organs with velocities of a few centimeters per hour at both stages, which was obviously slower than the bulk flow in the xylem. Finally, Cd arrived at the panicles 7 h after feeding and accumulated there constantly, although no Cd was observed in the leaf blades within the initial 36 h. The nodes exhibited the most intensive Cd accumulation in the shoot at both stages, and Cd transport from the basal nodes to crown root tips was observed at the vegetative stage. We conclude that the nodes are the central organ where xylem-to-phloem transfer takes place and play a pivotal role in the half-day travel of Cd from the soil to the grains at the grain-filling stage. PMID:20172965

Anti-signal recognition particle autoantibody ELISA validation and clinical associations.

PubMed

Aggarwal, Rohit; Oddis, Chester V; Goudeau, Danielle; Fertig, Noreen; Metes, Ilinca; Stephens, Chad; Qi, Zengbiao; Koontz, Diane; Levesque, Marc C

2015-07-01

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a quantitative anti-signal recognition particle (SRP) autoantibody serum ELISA in patients with myositis and longitudinal association with myositis disease activity. We developed a serum ELISA using recombinant purified full-length human SRP coated on ELISA plates and a secondary antibody that bound human IgG to detect anti-SRP binding. Protein immunoprecipitation was used as the gold standard for the presence of anti-SRP. Serum samples from three groups were analysed: SRP(+) myositis subjects by immunoprecipitation, SRP(-) myositis subjects by immunoprecipitation and non-myositis controls. The ELISA's sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were evaluated. Percentage agreement and test-retest reliability were assessed. Serial samples from seven SRP immunoprecipitation-positive subjects were also tested, along with serum muscle enzymes and manual muscle testing. Using immunoprecipitation, we identified 26 SRP(+) myositis patients and 77 SRP(-) controls (including 38 patients with necrotizing myopathy). Non-myositis control patients included SLE (n = 4) and SSc (n = 7) patients. Anti-SRP positivity by ELISA showed strong agreement (97.1%) with immunoprecipitation (κ = 0.94). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the anti-SRP ELISA were 88, 100, 100 and 96, respectively. The area under the curve was 0.94, and test-retest reliability was strong (r = 0.91, P < 0.001). Serial samples showed that anti-SRP levels paralleled changes in muscle enzymes and manual muscle testing. We developed a quantitative ELISA for detecting serum anti-SRP autoantibodies and validated the assay in myositis. Longitudinal assessment of SRP levels by ELISA may be a useful biomarker for disease activity. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Clinical, physiological and pathological characterisation of the sensory predominant peripheral neuropathy in copper deficiency.

PubMed

Taylor, Sean W; Laughlin, Ruple S; Kumar, Neeraj; Goodman, Brent; Klein, Christopher J; Dyck, Peter J; Dyck, P James B

2017-10-01

Myelopathy is considered the most common neurological complication of copper deficiency. Concurrent peripheral neuropathy has been recognised in association with copper deficiency but has not been well characterised. To characterise the clinical, physiological and pathological features of copper-deficient peripheral neuropathy. Patients with simultaneous copper deficiency (<0.78 μg/mL) and peripheral neuropathy seen at the Mayo Clinic from 1985 to 2005 were identified. 34 patients were identified (median age 55 years, range 36-78) including 24 women and 10 men. Myelopathy was found in 21 patients. Median serum copper level was 0.11 μg/mL (range 0-0.58). The most frequent clinical and electrophysiological pattern of neuropathy was a sensory predominant length-dependent peripheral neuropathy (71%). Somatosensory evoked potentials demonstrated central slowing supporting myelopathy (96%). Quantitative sensory testing demonstrated both small and large fibre involvement (100%). Autonomic reflex screens (77%) and thermoregulatory sweat test (67%) confirmed sudomotor dysfunction. 14 cutaneous nerve biopsies revealed loss of myelinated nerve fibres (86%), increased regenerative clusters (50%), increased rates of axonal degeneration (91%) and increased numbers of empty nerve strands (73%). 71% of biopsies demonstrated epineurial perivascular inflammation. An axonal, length-dependent sensory predominant peripheral neuropathy causing sensory ataxia is characteristic of copper deficiency usually co-occurring with myelopathy. Neurophysiological testing confirms involvement of large, greater than small fibres. The pathological findings suggest axonal degeneration and repair. Inflammatory infiltrates are common but are small and of doubtful pathological significance. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Wide field of view swept-source optical coherence tomography for peripheral retinal disease

PubMed Central

McNabb, Ryan P.; Grewal, Dilraj S.; Mehta, Rajvi; Schuman, Stefanie G.; Izatt, Joseph A.; Mahmoud, Tamer H.; Jaffe, Glenn J.; Mruthyunjaya, Prithvi; Kuo, Anthony N.

2016-01-01

Background/Aims To assess peripheral retinal lesions and the posterior pole in single, widefield optical coherence tomography (OCT) volumes. Methods A wide field of view swept source OCT (WFOV SSOCT) system was developed using a commercial swept source laser and a custom sample arm consisting of two indirect ophthalmic lenses. Twenty-seven subjects with peripheral lesions (choroidal melanomas, choroidal nevii, sclerochoroidal calcification, retinitis pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy, retinoschisis, and uveitis) were imaged with the WFOV SSOCT. Volumes were taken in primary gaze. Using the optic nerve to fovea distance as a reference measurement, comparisons were made between the lateral field of view (FOV) of the WFOV SSOCT, current generation spectral domain OCT (SDOCT), and widefield scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO) of the same eyes. Results Peripheral pathologies were captured with WFOV SSOCT in 26 of the 27 subjects. The one not captured was in the far nasal periphery and was not seen in the primary gaze volume. Posterior pole associated pathologies were captured in all subjects. Current generation SDOCT had a mean lateral FOV of 2.08 ± 0.21 optic nerve-to-fovea distance units, WFOV SSOCT had a FOV of 4.62 ± 0.62 units, and SLO had a FOV of 9.35 ± 1.02 units. Conclusion WFOV OCT can be used to examine both peripheral retinal pathology and the posterior pole within a single volume acquisition. SLO had the greatest FOV, but does not provide depth information. Future studies using widefield OCT systems will help further delineate the role of WFOV OCT to quantitatively assess and monitor peripheral retinal disease in three dimensions. PMID:26755643

Serials Automation for San Jose State University Library.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Susana J.

This study (1) examines the university's serials system and identifies its problems; (2) analyzes the current manual operations in the serials department, with emphasis on the serials check-in system; and (3) determines whether or not computerization of some or all of the serials subsystems would improve the department's internal effectiveness and…

Serial MR Imaging of Intramuscular Hematoma: Experimental Study in a Rat Model with the Pathologic Correlation

PubMed Central

Lee, Yeon Soo; Kwon, Soon Tae; Kim, Jong Ok

2011-01-01

Objective We wanted to demonstrate the temporal changes of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in experimentally-induced intramuscular hematomas in rats and to correlate these data with the concurrent pathologic observations. Materials and Methods Intramuscular hematoma was induced in 30 rats. The MR images were obtained at 1, 4, 7 and 10 days and at 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after muscle injury. The characteristic serial MRI findings were evaluated and the relative signal intensities were calculated. Pathologic specimens were obtained at each time point. Results On the T1-weighted imaging (T1WI), the intramuscular hematomas exhibited isointensity compared to that of muscle or the development of a high signal intensity (SI) rim on day one after injury. The high SI persisted until eight weeks after injury. On the T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), the hematomas showed high SI or centrally low SI on day one after injury, and mainly high SI after four days. A dark signal rim was apparent after seven days, which was indicative of hemosiderin on the pathology. The gradient echo (GRE) imaging yielded dark signal intensities at all stages. Conclusion Unlike brain hematomas, experimentally-induced intramuscular hematomas show increased SI on both the T1WI and T2WI from the acute stage onward, and this is pathologically correlated with a rich blood supply and rapid healing response to injury in the muscle. On the T2WI and GRE imaging, high SI with a peripheral dark signal rim is apparent from seven days to the chronic stage. PMID:21228942

Serials Management: A Practical Guide. Frontiers of Access to Library Materials No. 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Chiou-Sen Dora

This book advises librarians, paraprofessional library supervisors, and library school students on problems unique to the management of serials. Chapter 1 explains the character and publication patterns of serials. Chapter 2 discusses the scope and the organizational structure of serials management, and the role of the serials manager. Chapter 3…

A collagen-based nerve guide conduit for peripheral nerve repair: an electrophysiological study of nerve regeneration in rodents and nonhuman primates.

PubMed

Archibald, S J; Krarup, C; Shefner, J; Li, S T; Madison, R D

1991-04-22

When a peripheral nerve is severed and left untreated, the most likely result is the formation of an endbulb neuroma; this tangled mass of disorganized nerve fibers blocks functional recovery following nerve injury. Although there are several different approaches for promoting nerve repair, which have been greatly refined over recent years, the clinical results of peripheral nerve repair remain very disappointing. In this paper we compare the results of a collagen nerve guide conduit to the more standard clinical procedure of nerve autografting to promote repair of transected peripheral nerves in rats and nonhuman primates. In rats, we tested recovery from sciatic nerve transection and repair by 1) direct microsurgical suture, 2) 4 mm autograft, or 3) entubulation repair with collagen-based nerve guide conduits. Evoked muscle action potentials (MAP) were recorded from the gastrocnemius muscle at 4 and 12 weeks following sciatic nerve transection. At 4 weeks the repair group of direct suture demonstrated a significantly greater MAP, compared to the other surgical repair groups. However, at 12 weeks all four surgical repair groups displayed similar levels of recovery of the motor response. In six adult male Macaca fascicularis monkeys the median nerve was transected 2 cm above the wrist and repaired by either a 4 mm nerve autograft or a collagen-based nerve guide conduit leaving a 4 mm gap between nerve ends. Serial studies of motor and sensory fibers were performed by recording the evoked MAP from the abductor pollicis brevis muscle (APB) and the sensory action potential (SAP) evoked by stimulation of digital nerves (digit II), respectively, up to 760 days following surgery. Evoked muscle responses returned to normal baseline levels in all cases. Statistical analysis of the motor responses, as judged by the slope of the recovery curves, indicated a significantly more rapid rate of recovery for the nerve guide repair group. The final level of recovery of the MAP amplitudes was not significantly different between the groups. In contrast, the SAP amplitude only recovered to the low normal range and there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of sensory recovery rates. The rodent and primate studies suggest that in terms of recovery of physiological responses from target muscle and sensory nerves, entubulation repair of peripheral nerves with a collagen-based nerve guide conduit over a short nerve gap (4 mm) is as effective as a standard nerve autograft.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Scientific and Technical Serials Holdings Optimization in an Inefficient Market: A LSU Serials Redesign Project Exercise.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bensman, Stephen J.; Wilder, Stanley J.

1998-01-01

Analyzes the structure of the library market for scientific and technical (ST) serials. Describes an exercise aimed at a theoretical reconstruction of the ST-serials holdings of Louisiana State University (LSU) Libraries. Discusses the set definitions, measures, and algorithms necessary in the design of a computer program to appraise ST serials.…

High-resolution time series of Pseudomonas aeruginosa gene expression and rhamnolipid secretion through growth curve synchronization.

PubMed

van Ditmarsch, Dave; Xavier, João B

2011-06-17

Online spectrophotometric measurements allow monitoring dynamic biological processes with high-time resolution. Contrastingly, numerous other methods require laborious treatment of samples and can only be carried out offline. Integrating both types of measurement would allow analyzing biological processes more comprehensively. A typical example of this problem is acquiring quantitative data on rhamnolipid secretion by the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. P. aeruginosa cell growth can be measured by optical density (OD600) and gene expression can be measured using reporter fusions with a fluorescent protein, allowing high time resolution monitoring. However, measuring the secreted rhamnolipid biosurfactants requires laborious sample processing, which makes this an offline measurement. Here, we propose a method to integrate growth curve data with endpoint measurements of secreted metabolites that is inspired by a model of exponential cell growth. If serial diluting an inoculum gives reproducible time series shifted in time, then time series of endpoint measurements can be reconstructed using calculated time shifts between dilutions. We illustrate the method using measured rhamnolipid secretion by P. aeruginosa as endpoint measurements and we integrate these measurements with high-resolution growth curves measured by OD600 and expression of rhamnolipid synthesis genes monitored using a reporter fusion. Two-fold serial dilution allowed integrating rhamnolipid measurements at a ~0.4 h-1 frequency with high-time resolved data measured at a 6 h-1 frequency. We show how this simple method can be used in combination with mutants lacking specific genes in the rhamnolipid synthesis or quorum sensing regulation to acquire rich dynamic data on P. aeruginosa virulence regulation. Additionally, the linear relation between the ratio of inocula and the time-shift between curves produces high-precision measurements of maximum specific growth rates, which were determined with a precision of ~5.4%. Growth curve synchronization allows integration of rich time-resolved data with endpoint measurements to produce time-resolved quantitative measurements. Such data can be valuable to unveil the dynamic regulation of virulence in P. aeruginosa. More generally, growth curve synchronization can be applied to many biological systems thus helping to overcome a key obstacle in dynamic regulation: the scarceness of quantitative time-resolved data.

Application of carrier testing to genetic counseling for X-linked agammaglobulinemia

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

Allen, R.C.; Nachtman, R.G.; Belmont, J.W.

Bruton X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) is a phenotypically recessive genetic disorder of B lymphocyte development. Female carriers of XLA, although asymptomatic, have a characteristic B cell lineage-specific skewing of the pattern of X inactivation. Skewing apparently results from defective growth and maturation of B cell precursors bearing a mutant active X chromosome. In this study, carrier status was tested in 58 women from 22 families referred with a history of agammaglobulinemia. Primary carrier analysis to examine patterns of X inactivation in CD19[sup +] peripheral blood cells (B lymphocytes) was conducted using quantitative PCR at the androgen-receptor locus. Obligate carriers of XLAmore » demonstrated >95% skewing of X inactivation in peripheral blood CD19[sup +] cells but not in CD19[sup [minus

[Morphometric analysis of lymphocyte nuclei in chronic lymphocytic leukemia].

PubMed

Ostapenko, V A; Kruchinskiĭ, N G; Smirnova, L A; Cherednik, A B; Nesterov, V N; Tepliakov, A I

1994-01-01

This work is dedicated to the study of use of quantitative analysis of cell nucleus structure for the analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. The structure of lymphocytic nuclei of healthy donors was evaluated by means of staining by toluidine blue purified cell suspensions smears. The preparations were analysed on the television measuring system "omnicon" with measurements of the following parameters: square of the nucleus, euchromatin, heterochromatin, and the ratio of heterochromatin and euchromatin squares. Actuarial analysis and nuclei classification of the previously mentioned parameters showed, that in peripheral blood of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia a large amount of atypical lymphocytes is present with reduced nucleus sizes. Atypical cells retain the ratio of structural components of chromatine, characteristic to normal cells, which show their low proliferative activity.

Combined use of laser Doppler flowmetry and skin thermometry for functional diagnostics of intradermal finger vessels.

PubMed

Zherebtsov, Evgeny A; Zherebtsova, Angelina I; Doronin, Alexander; Dunaev, Andrey V; Podmasteryev, Konstantin V; Bykov, Alexander; Meglinski, Igor

2017-04-01

We introduce a noninvasive diagnostic approach for functional monitoring of blood microflows in capillaries and thermoregulatory vessels within the skin. The measuring system is based on the combined use of laser Doppler flowmetry and skin contact thermometry. The obtained results suggest that monitoring of blood microcirculation during the occlusion, performed in conjunction with the skin temperature measurements in the thermally stabilized medium, has a great potential for quantitative assessment of angiospatic dysfunctions of the peripheral blood vessels. The indices of blood flow reserve and temperature response were measured and used as the primarily parameters of the functional diagnostics of the peripheral vessels of skin. Utilizing these parameters, a simple phenomenological model has been suggested to identify patients with angiospastic violations in the vascular system.

Combined use of laser Doppler flowmetry and skin thermometry for functional diagnostics of intradermal finger vessels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zherebtsov, Evgeny A.; Zherebtsova, Angelina I.; Doronin, Alexander; Dunaev, Andrey V.; Podmasteryev, Konstantin V.; Bykov, Alexander; Meglinski, Igor

2017-04-01

We introduce a noninvasive diagnostic approach for functional monitoring of blood microflows in capillaries and thermoregulatory vessels within the skin. The measuring system is based on the combined use of laser Doppler flowmetry and skin contact thermometry. The obtained results suggest that monitoring of blood microcirculation during the occlusion, performed in conjunction with the skin temperature measurements in the thermally stabilized medium, has a great potential for quantitative assessment of angiospatic dysfunctions of the peripheral blood vessels. The indices of blood flow reserve and temperature response were measured and used as the primarily parameters of the functional diagnostics of the peripheral vessels of skin. Utilizing these parameters, a simple phenomenological model has been suggested to identify patients with angiospastic violations in the vascular system.

Using transcriptional profiling to develop a diagnostic test of operational tolerance in liver transplant recipients.

PubMed

Martínez-Llordella, Marc; Lozano, Juan José; Puig-Pey, Isabel; Orlando, Giuseppe; Tisone, Giuseppe; Lerut, Jan; Benítez, Carlos; Pons, Jose Antonio; Parrilla, Pascual; Ramírez, Pablo; Bruguera, Miquel; Rimola, Antoni; Sánchez-Fueyo, Alberto

2008-08-01

A fraction of liver transplant recipients are able to discontinue all immunosuppressive therapies without rejecting their grafts and are said to be operationally tolerant to the transplant. However, accurate identification of these recipients remains a challenge. To design a clinically applicable molecular test of operational tolerance in liver transplantation, we studied transcriptional patterns in the peripheral blood of 80 liver transplant recipients and 16 nontransplanted healthy individuals by employing oligonucleotide microarrays and quantitative real-time PCR. This resulted in the discovery and validation of several gene signatures comprising a modest number of genes capable of identifying tolerant and nontolerant recipients with high accuracy. Multiple peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets contributed to the tolerance-associated transcriptional patterns, although NK and gammadeltaTCR+ T cells exerted the predominant influence. These data suggest that transcriptional profiling of peripheral blood can be employed to identify liver transplant recipients who can discontinue immunosuppressive therapy and that innate immune cells are likely to play a major role in the maintenance of operational tolerance in liver transplantation.

Valsalva's maneuver revisited: a quantitative method yielding insights into human autonomic control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, M. L.; Beightol, L. A.; Fritsch-Yelle, J. M.; Ellenbogen, K. A.; Porter, T. R.; Eckberg, D. L.

1996-01-01

Seventeen healthy supine subjects performed graded Valsalva maneuvers. In four subjects, transesophageal echographic aortic cross-sectional areas decreased during and increased after straining. During the first seconds of straining, when aortic cross-sectional area was declining and peripheral arterial pressure was rising, peroneal sympathetic muscle neurons were nearly silent. Then, as aortic cross-sectional area and peripheral pressure both declined, sympathetic muscle nerve activity increased, in proportion to the intensity of straining. Poststraining arterial pressure elevations were proportional to preceding increases of sympathetic activity. Sympathetic inhibition after straining persisted much longer than arterial and right atrial pressure elevations. Similarly, R-R intervals changed in parallel with peripheral arterial pressure, until approximately 45 s after the onset of straining, when R-R intervals were greater and arterial pressures were smaller than prestraining levels. Our conclusions are as follows: opposing changes of carotid and aortic baroreceptor inputs reduce sympathetic muscle and increase vagal cardiac motor neuronal firing; parallel changes of barorsensory inputs provoke reciprocal changes of sympathetic and direct changes of vagal firing; and pressure transients lasting only seconds reset arterial pressure-sympathetic and -vagal response relations.

Peripheral Intravenous Volume Assessment (PIVA) for Quantitating Volume Overload in Patients Hospitalized with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure-a Pilot Study.

PubMed

Miles, Merrick; Alvis, Bret D; Hocking, Kyle; Baudenbacher, Franz; Guth, Christy; Lindenfeld, JoAann; Brophy, Colleen; Eagle, Susan

2018-05-16

To determine the feasibility of Peripheral Intravenous Volume Assessment (PIVA) of venous waveforms for assessing volume overload in patients admitted to the hospital with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Venous waveforms were captured from a peripheral intravenous catheter in subjects admitted for ADHF and healthy age-matched controls. Admission PIVA signal, brain natriuretic peptide, and chest radiographic measurements were related to the net volume removed during diuresis. ADHF patients had a significantly greater PIVA signal on admission compared to the control group (P=0.0013, n=18). At discharge, ADHF patients had a PIVA signal similar to the control group. PIVA signal, not BNP or chest radiographic measures, accurately predicted the amount of volume removed during diuresis (R 2 =0.781, n=14). PIVA signal at time of discharge greater than 0.20, demonstrated 83.3% 120-day readmission rate. This study demonstrates the feasibility of PIVA for assessment of volume overload in patients admitted to the hospital with ADHF. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Global changes in DNA methylation in Alzheimer's disease peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

PubMed

Di Francesco, Andrea; Arosio, Beatrice; Falconi, Anastasia; Micioni Di Bonaventura, Maria Vittoria; Karimi, Mohsen; Mari, Daniela; Casati, Martina; Maccarrone, Mauro; D'Addario, Claudio

2015-03-01

Changes in epigenetic marks may help explain the late onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study we measured genome-wide DNA methylation by luminometric methylation assay, a quantitative measurement of genome-wide DNA methylation, on DNA isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 37 subjects with late-onset AD (LOAD) and 44 healthy controls (CT). We found an increase in global DNA methylation in LOAD subjects compared to CT (p=0.0122), associated with worse cognitive performances (p=0.0002). DNA hypermethylation in LOAD group was paralleled by higher DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) gene expression and protein levels. When data were stratified on the basis of the APOE polymorphisms, higher DNA methylation levels were associated with the presence of APOE ε4 allele (p=0.0043) in the global population. Among the APOE ε3 carriers, a significant increase of DNA methylation was still observed in LOAD patients compared to healthy controls (p=0.05). Our data suggest global DNA methylation in peripheral samples as a useful marker for screening individuals at risk of developing AD. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

qPCR-based mitochondrial DNA quantification: Influence of template DNA fragmentation on accuracy

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

Jackson, Christopher B., E-mail: Christopher.jackson@insel.ch; Gallati, Sabina, E-mail: sabina.gallati@insel.ch; Schaller, Andre, E-mail: andre.schaller@insel.ch

2012-07-06

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Serial qPCR accurately determines fragmentation state of any given DNA sample. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Serial qPCR demonstrates different preservation of the nuclear and mitochondrial genome. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Serial qPCR provides a diagnostic tool to validate the integrity of bioptic material. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Serial qPCR excludes degradation-induced erroneous quantification. -- Abstract: Real-time PCR (qPCR) is the method of choice for quantification of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) by relative comparison of a nuclear to a mitochondrial locus. Quantitative abnormal mtDNA content is indicative of mitochondrial disorders and mostly confines in a tissue-specific manner. Thus handling of degradation-prone bioptic material is inevitable. We established a serialmore » qPCR assay based on increasing amplicon size to measure degradation status of any DNA sample. Using this approach we can exclude erroneous mtDNA quantification due to degraded samples (e.g. long post-exicision time, autolytic processus, freeze-thaw cycles) and ensure abnormal DNA content measurements (e.g. depletion) in non-degraded patient material. By preparation of degraded DNA under controlled conditions using sonification and DNaseI digestion we show that erroneous quantification is due to the different preservation qualities of the nuclear and the mitochondrial genome. This disparate degradation of the two genomes results in over- or underestimation of mtDNA copy number in degraded samples. Moreover, as analysis of defined archival tissue would allow to precise the molecular pathomechanism of mitochondrial disorders presenting with abnormal mtDNA content, we compared fresh frozen (FF) with formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) skeletal muscle tissue of the same sample. By extrapolation of measured decay constants for nuclear DNA ({lambda}{sub nDNA}) and mtDNA ({lambda}{sub mtDNA}) we present an approach to possibly correct measurements in degraded samples in the future. To our knowledge this is the first time different degradation impact of the two genomes is demonstrated and which evaluates systematically the impact of DNA degradation on quantification of mtDNA copy number.« less

The Effectiveness of Calf Muscle Electrostimulation on Vascular Perfusion and Walking Capacity in Patients Living With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Peripheral Artery Disease.

PubMed

Ellul, Christian; Formosa, Cynthia; Gatt, Alfred; Hamadani, Auon Abbas; Armstrong, David G

2017-06-01

The aim of the study was to explore calf muscle electrostimulation on arterial inflow and walking capacity in claudicants with peripheral artery disease and diabetes mellitus. A prospective, 1-group, pretest-posttest study design was used on 40 high-risk participants (n = 40) who exhibited bilateral limb ischemia (ankle brachial pressure index [ABPI] <0.90), diabetes mellitus, and calf muscle claudication. A program of calf muscle electrical stimulation with varying frequency (1-250 Hz) was prescribed for 1 hour per day for 12 weeks. Spectral waveforms analysis, ABPI, absolute claudication distance (ACD), and thermographic temperature patterns across 4 specified regions of interest (hallux, medial forefoot, lateral forefoot, heel) at rest and after exercise, were recorded at baseline and following intervention to evaluate for therapeutic outcomes. A significant improvement in ACD and ABPI was registered following the intervention ( P = .000 and P = .001, respectively). Resting foot temperatures increased significantly ( P = .000) while the postexercise temperature drops were halved across all regions at follow-up, with hallux ( P = .005) and lateral forefoot ( P = .038) reaching statistical significance. Spectral Doppler waveforms were comparable ( P = .304) between both serial assessments. Electrical stimulation of varying frequency for 1 hour per day for 12 consecutive weeks registered statistically significant improvement in outcome measures that assess arterial inflow and walking capacity in claudicants with diabetes mellitus. These results favor the use of electrostimulation as a therapeutic measure in this high-risk population.

Fearful, but not angry, expressions diffuse attention to peripheral targets in an attentional blink paradigm.

PubMed

Taylor, James M; Whalen, Paul J

2014-06-01

We previously demonstrated that fearful facial expressions implicitly facilitate memory for contextual events whereas angry facial expressions do not. The current study sought to more directly address the implicit effect of fearful expressions on attention for contextual events within a classic attentional paradigm (i.e., the attentional blink) in which memory is tested on a trial-by-trial basis, thereby providing subjects with a clear, explicit attentional strategy. Neutral faces of a single gender were presented via rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) while bordered by four gray pound signs. Participants were told to watch for a gender change within the sequence (T1). It is critical to note that the T1 face displayed a neutral, fearful, or angry expression. Subjects were then told to detect a color change (i.e., gray to green; T2) at one of the four peripheral pound sign locations appearing after T1. This T2 color change could appear at one of six temporal positions. Complementing previous attentional blink paradigms, participants were told to respond via button press immediately when a T2 target was detected. We found that, compared with the neutral T1 faces, fearful faces significantly increased target detection ability at four of the six temporal locations (all ps < .05) whereas angry expressions did not. The results of this study demonstrate that fearful facial expressions can uniquely and implicitly enhance environmental monitoring above and beyond explicit attentional effects related to task instructions.

Nutrient intake, peripheral edema, and weight change in elderly recuperative care patients.

PubMed

Sullivan, Dennis H; Johnson, Larry E; Dennis, Richard A; Roberson, Paula K; Garner, Kimberly K; Padala, Prasad R; Padala, Kalpana P; Bopp, Melinda M

2013-06-01

It is unclear whether serial measures of body weight are valid indicators of nutritional status in older patients recovering from illness. Objectives. Investigate the relative influence of nutrient intake and changes in peripheral edema on weight change. A prospective cohort study of 404 older men (mean age = 78.7±7.5 years) admitted to a transitional care unit of a Department of Veterans Affairs nursing home. Body weight and several indicators of lower extremity edema were measured at both unit admission and discharge. Complete nutrient intake assessments were performed daily. Over a median length of stay of 23 days (interquartile range: 15-41 days), 216 (53%) participants gained or lost more than or equal to 2.5% of their body weight. Two hundred eighty-two (70%) participants had recognizable lower extremity pitting edema at admission and/or discharge. The amount of weight change was strongly and positively correlated with multiple indicators of both nutrient intake and the change in the amount of peripheral edema. By multivariable analysis, the strongest predictor of weight change was maximal calf circumference change (partial R (2) = .35, p < .0001), followed by average daily energy intake (partial R (2) = .14, p < .0001), and the interaction of energy intake by time (partial R (2) = .02, p < .0001). Many older patients either gain or lose a significant amount of weight after admission to a transitional care unit. Because of the apparent high prevalence of co-occurring changes in total body water, the weight changes do not necessarily represent changes in nutritional status. Although repeat calf circumference measurements may provide some indication as to how much of the weight change is due to changes in body water, there is currently no viable alternative to monitoring the nutrient intake of older recuperative care patients in order to ensure that their nutrient needs are being met.

Stable nitrogen isotope analysis of dentine serial sections elucidate sex differences in weaning patterns of wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).

PubMed

Fahy, Geraldine E; Richards, Michael P; Fuller, Benjamin T; Deschner, Tobias; Hublin, Jean-Jacques; Boesch, Christophe

2014-04-01

Offspring provisioning is one of the most energetically demanding aspects of reproduction for female mammals. Variation in lactation length and weaning strategies between chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), our closest living relative, and modern human societies have been reported. When and why these changes occurred is frequently debated. Our study used stable nitrogen isotope data of tooth root dentine from wild Western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, to quantify weaning in these chimpanzees and explore if infant sex plays a role in maternal investment. We analyzed serial sections of deciduous lateral incisor root dentine from four Taï chimpanzees to establish the δ(15) N signal of nursing infants; we then analyzed serial sections of first permanent mandibular molar root dentine from 12 Taï chimpanzees to provide quantitative δ(15) N data on weaning in this population. Up to 2 years of age both sexes exhibited dentine δ(15) N values ≈2-3‰ higher than adult female Taï chimpanzees, consistent with a nursing signal. Thereafter a steady decrease in δ(15) N values consistent with the onset, and progression, of weaning, was visible. Sex differences were also evident, where male δ(15) N values decreased at a significantly slower rate compared to females. Confirmation of sex differences in maternal investment among Taï chimpanzees, demonstrates the viability of using isotope analysis to investigate weaning in non-human primates. Additionally, assuming that behaviors observed in the Taï chimpanzees are illustrative of the ancestral pattern, our results provide a platform to enable the trajectory of weaning in human evolution to be further explored. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Adaptive changes in the neuromagnetic response of the primary and association somatosensory areas following repetitive tactile hand stimulation in humans.

PubMed

Popescu, Elena Anda; Barlow, Steven M; Venkatesan, Lalit; Wang, Jingyan; Popescu, Mihai

2013-06-01

Cortical adaptation in the primary somatosensory cortex (SI) has been probed using different stimulation modalities and recording techniques, in both human and animal studies. In contrast, considerably less knowledge has been gained about the adaptation profiles in other areas of the cortical somatosensory network. Using magnetoencephalography (MEG), we examined the patterns of short-term adaptation for evoked responses in SI and somatosensory association areas during tactile stimulation applied to the glabrous skin of the hand. Cutaneous stimuli were delivered as trains of serial pulses with a constant frequency of 2 Hz and 4 Hz in separate runs, and a constant inter-train interval of 5 s. The unilateral stimuli elicited transient responses to the serial pulses in the train, with several response components that were separated by independent component analysis. Subsequent source reconstruction techniques identified regional generators in the contralateral SI and somatosensory association areas in the posterior parietal cortex (PPC). Activity in the bilateral secondary somatosensory cortex (i.e., SII/PV) was also identified, although less consistently across subjects. The dynamics of the evoked activity in each area and the frequency-dependent adaptation effects were assessed from the changes in the relative amplitude of serial responses in each train. We show that the adaptation profiles in SI and PPC areas can be quantitatively characterized from neuromagnetic recordings using tactile stimulation, with the sensitivity to repetitive stimulation increasing from SI to PPC. A similar approach for SII/PV has proven less straightforward, potentially due to the tendency of these areas to respond selectively to certain stimuli. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Central hemodynamic responses during serial exercise tests in heart failure patients using implantable hemodynamic monitors.

PubMed

Ohlsson, A; Steinhaus, D; Kjellström, B; Ryden, L; Bennett, T

2003-06-01

Exercise testing is commonly used in patients with congestive heart failure for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. Such testing may be even more valuable if invasive hemodynamics are acquired. However, this will make the test more complex and expensive and only provides information from isolated moments. We studied serial exercise tests in heart failure patients with implanted hemodynamic monitors allowing recording of central hemodynamics. Twenty-one NYHA Class II-III heart failure patients underwent maximal exercise tests and submaximal bike or 6-min hall walk tests to quantify their hemodynamic responses and to study the feasibility of conducting exercise tests in patients with such devices. Patients were followed for 2-3 years with serial exercise tests. During maximal tests (n=70), heart rate increased by 52+/-19 bpm while S(v)O(2) decreased by 35+/-10% saturation units. RV systolic and diastolic pressure increased 29+/-11 and 11+/-6 mmHg, respectively, while pulmonary artery diastolic pressure increased 21+/-8 mmHg. Submaximal bike (n=196) and hall walk tests (n=172) resulted in S(v)O(2) changes of 80 and 91% of the maximal tests, while RV pressures ranged from 72 to 79% of maximal responses. An added potential value of implantable hemodynamic monitors in heart failure patients may be to quantitatively determine the true hemodynamic profile during standard non-invasive clinical exercise tests and to compare that to hemodynamic effects of regular exercise during daily living. It would be of interest to study whether such information could improve the ability to predict changes in a patient's clinical condition and to improve tailoring patient management.

Quantitative RT-PCR and immunoblot analyses reveal acclimated A2 noradrenergic neuron substrate fuel transporter, glucokinase, phospho-AMPK, and dopamine-β-hydroxylase responses to hypoglycemia.

PubMed

Cherian, Ajeesh Koshy; Briski, Karen P

2011-07-01

Cellular metabolic stasis is monitored in discrete brain sites, including the dorsal vagal complex (DVC), where A2 noradrenergic neurons perform this sensory function. Single-cell qPCR and high-sensitivity immunoblotting were used to determine if A2 neurons adapt to chronic hypoglycemia by increasing substrate fuel transporter expression, and whether such adjustments coincide with decreased cellular energy instability during this systemic metabolic stress. Tyrosine hydroxylase-immunolabeled neurons were laser-microdissected from the caudal DVC 2 hr after single or serial neutral protamine Hagedorn insulin (NPH) dosing. Preceding hypoglycemia suppressed basal A2 MCT2, GLUT3, and GLUT4 profiles and diminished MCT2, GLUT4, and glucokinase responses to recurring hypoglycemia. Acute NPH caused a robust increase in A2 phospho-AMPK protein levels; baseline phospho-AMPK expression was elevated after 3 days of insulin treatment but only slight augmented after a fourth NPH injection. Transcripts encoding the catecholamine biosynthetic enzyme dopamine-β-hydroxylase were unaffected by acute NPH but were diminished by serial insulin dosing. This evidence for diminished basal A2 glucose and lactate uptake and attenuated phospho-AMPK-mediated detection of hypoglycemia-associated energy deficits suggests that these cells acclimate to chronic hypoglycemia by adopting a new metabolic steady state characterized by energy paucity and reduced sensitivity to hypoglycemia. Because dopamine-β-hydroxylase mRNA was reduced after serial, but not single NPH dosing, A2 neurotransmitter biosynthesis may be impervious to acute hypoglycemia but inhibited when posthypoglycemic metabolic deficiency is exacerbated by recurring hypoglycemia. This research suggests that chronic hypoglycemia-associated adjustments in A2-sensory neurotransmission may reflect cellular energetic debilitation rather than adaptive attenuation of cellular metabolic imbalance. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Bone strength measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomography and the risk of nonvertebral fractures: the osteoporotic fractures in men (MrOS) study.

PubMed

Sheu, Yahtyng; Zmuda, Joseph M; Boudreau, Robert M; Petit, Moira A; Ensrud, Kristine E; Bauer, Douglas C; Gordon, Christopher L; Orwoll, Eric S; Cauley, Jane A

2011-01-01

Many fractures occur in individuals without osteoporosis defined by areal bone mineral density (aBMD). Inclusion of other aspects of skeletal strength may be useful in identifying at-risk subjects. We used surrogate measures of bone strength at the radius and tibia measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) to evaluate their relationships with nonvertebral fracture risk. Femoral neck (FN) aBMD, measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), also was included. The study population consisted of 1143 white men aged 69+ years with pQCT measures at the radius and tibia from the Minneapolis and Pittsburgh centers of the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) study. Principal-components analysis and Cox proportional-hazards modeling were used to identify 21 of 58 pQCT variables with a major contribution to nonvertebral incident fractures. After a mean 2.9 years of follow-up, 39 fractures occurred. Men without incident fractures had significantly greater bone mineral content, cross-sectional area, and indices of bone strength than those with fractures by pQCT. Every SD decrease in the 18 of 21 pQCT parameters was significantly associated with increased fracture risk (hazard ration ranged from 1.4 to 2.2) independent of age, study site, body mass index (BMI), and FN aBMD. Using area under the receiver operation characteristics curve (AUC), the combination of FN aBMD and three radius strength parameters individually increased fracture prediction over FN aBMD alone (AUC increased from 0.73 to 0.80). Peripheral bone strength measures are associated with fracture risk and may improve our ability to identify older men at high risk of fracture. © 2011 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Cytomegalovirus replication kinetics in solid organ transplant recipients managed by preemptive therapy.

PubMed

Atabani, S F; Smith, C; Atkinson, C; Aldridge, R W; Rodriguez-Perálvarez, M; Rolando, N; Harber, M; Jones, G; O'Riordan, A; Burroughs, A K; Thorburn, D; O'Beirne, J; Milne, R S B; Emery, V C; Griffiths, P D

2012-09-01

After allotransplantation, cytomegalovirus (CMV) may be transmitted from the donor organ, giving rise to primary infection in a CMV negative recipient or reinfection in one who is CMV positive. In addition, latent CMV may reactivate in a CMV positive recipient. In this study, serial blood samples from 689 kidney or liver transplant recipients were tested for CMV DNA by quantitative PCR. CMV was managed using preemptive antiviral therapy and no patient received antiviral prophylaxis. Dynamic and quantitative measures of viremia and treatment were assessed. Median peak viral load, duration of viremia and duration of treatment were highest during primary infection, followed by reinfection then reactivation. In patients who experienced a second episode of viremia, the viral replication rate was significantly slower than in the first episode. Our data provide a clear demonstration of the immune control of CMV in immunosuppressed patients and emphasize the effectiveness of the preemptive approach for prevention of CMV syndrome and end organ disease. Overall, our findings provide quantitative biomarkers which can be used in pharmacodynamic assessments of the ability of novel CMV vaccines or antiviral drugs to reduce or even interrupt such transmission. © Copyright 2012 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Motion-gated acquisition for in vivo optical imaging

PubMed Central

Gioux, Sylvain; Ashitate, Yoshitomo; Hutteman, Merlijn; Frangioni, John V.

2009-01-01

Wide-field continuous wave fluorescence imaging, fluorescence lifetime imaging, frequency domain photon migration, and spatially modulated imaging have the potential to provide quantitative measurements in vivo. However, most of these techniques have not yet been successfully translated to the clinic due to challenging environmental constraints. In many circumstances, cardiac and respiratory motion greatly impair image quality and∕or quantitative processing. To address this fundamental problem, we have developed a low-cost, field-programmable gate array–based, hardware-only gating device that delivers a phase-locked acquisition window of arbitrary delay and width that is derived from an unlimited number of pseudo-periodic and nonperiodic input signals. All device features can be controlled manually or via USB serial commands. The working range of the device spans the extremes of mouse electrocardiogram (1000 beats per minute) to human respiration (4 breaths per minute), with timing resolution ⩽0.06%, and jitter ⩽0.008%, of the input signal period. We demonstrate the performance of the gating device, including dramatic improvements in quantitative measurements, in vitro using a motion simulator and in vivo using near-infrared fluorescence angiography of beating pig heart. This gating device should help to enable the clinical translation of promising new optical imaging technologies. PMID:20059276

A Flow Cytometry-Based Assay for Quantifying Non-Plaque Forming Strains of Yellow Fever Virus

PubMed Central

Hammarlund, Erika; Amanna, Ian J.; Dubois, Melissa E.; Barron, Alex; Engelmann, Flora; Messaoudi, Ilhem; Slifka, Mark K.

2012-01-01

Primary clinical isolates of yellow fever virus can be difficult to quantitate by standard in vitro methods because they may not form discernable plaques or induce a measurable cytopathic effect (CPE) on cell monolayers. In our hands, the Dakar strain of yellow fever virus (YFV-Dakar) could not be measured by plaque assay (PA), focus-forming assay (FFA), or by measurement of CPE. For these reasons, we developed a YFV-specific monoclonal antibody (3A8.B6) and used it to optimize a highly sensitive flow cytometry-based tissue culture limiting dilution assay (TC-LDA) to measure levels of infectious virus. The TC-LDA was performed by incubating serial dilutions of virus in replicate wells of C6/36 cells and stained intracellularly for virus with MAb 3A8.B6. Using this approach, we could reproducibly quantitate YFV-Dakar in tissue culture supernatants as well as from the serum of viremic rhesus macaques experimentally infected with YFV-Dakar. Moreover, the TC-LDA approach was >10-fold more sensitive than standard plaque assay for quantitating typical plaque-forming strains of YFV including YFV-17D and YFV-FNV (French neurotropic vaccine). Together, these results indicate that the TC-LDA technique is effective for quantitating both plaque-forming and non-plaque-forming strains of yellow fever virus, and this methodology may be readily adapted for the study and quantitation of other non-plaque-forming viruses. PMID:23028428

A flow cytometry-based assay for quantifying non-plaque forming strains of yellow fever virus.

PubMed

Hammarlund, Erika; Amanna, Ian J; Dubois, Melissa E; Barron, Alex; Engelmann, Flora; Messaoudi, Ilhem; Slifka, Mark K

2012-01-01

Primary clinical isolates of yellow fever virus can be difficult to quantitate by standard in vitro methods because they may not form discernable plaques or induce a measurable cytopathic effect (CPE) on cell monolayers. In our hands, the Dakar strain of yellow fever virus (YFV-Dakar) could not be measured by plaque assay (PA), focus-forming assay (FFA), or by measurement of CPE. For these reasons, we developed a YFV-specific monoclonal antibody (3A8.B6) and used it to optimize a highly sensitive flow cytometry-based tissue culture limiting dilution assay (TC-LDA) to measure levels of infectious virus. The TC-LDA was performed by incubating serial dilutions of virus in replicate wells of C6/36 cells and stained intracellularly for virus with MAb 3A8.B6. Using this approach, we could reproducibly quantitate YFV-Dakar in tissue culture supernatants as well as from the serum of viremic rhesus macaques experimentally infected with YFV-Dakar. Moreover, the TC-LDA approach was >10-fold more sensitive than standard plaque assay for quantitating typical plaque-forming strains of YFV including YFV-17D and YFV-FNV (French neurotropic vaccine). Together, these results indicate that the TC-LDA technique is effective for quantitating both plaque-forming and non-plaque-forming strains of yellow fever virus, and this methodology may be readily adapted for the study and quantitation of other non-plaque-forming viruses.

Semantic contribution to verbal short-term memory: are pleasant words easier to remember than neutral words in serial recall and serial recognition?

PubMed

Monnier, Catherine; Syssau, Arielle

2008-01-01

In the four experiments reported here, we examined the role of word pleasantness on immediate serial recall and immediate serial recognition. In Experiment 1, we compared verbal serial recall of pleasant and neutral words, using a limited set of items. In Experiment 2, we replicated Experiment 1 with an open set of words (i.e., new items were used on every trial). In Experiments 3 and 4, we assessed immediate serial recognition of pleasant and neutral words, using item sets from Experiments 1 and 2. Pleasantness was found to have a facilitation effect on both immediate serial recall and immediate serial recognition. This study supplies some new supporting arguments in favor of a semantic contribution to verbal short-term memory performance. The pleasantness effect observed in immediate serial recognition showed that, contrary to a number of earlier findings, performance on this task can also turn out to be dependent on semantic factors. The results are discussed in relation to nonlinguistic and psycholinguistic models of short-term memory.

Analysis of GD2/GM2 synthase mRNA as a biomarker for small cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Chen, Lin-Chi; Brown, Andrew B; Cheung, Irene Y; Cheung, Nai-Kong V; Kris, Mark G; Krug, Lee M

2010-02-01

GD2/GM2 synthase is a key enzyme in the synthesis of GD2 and GM2 gangliosides found on the surface of neuroblastoma and small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) cells. In neuroblastoma, persistent levels of GD2/GM2 synthase RNA in bone marrow (BM) following therapy portend poorer progression-free and overall survival. We conducted this study to determine if GD2/GM2 synthase RNA could be detected in SCLC cell lines and human tissues, and whether mRNA transcript levels corresponded with disease status. Initially, a pilot study enrolled patients with SCLC to determine the rate of GD2 expression at various points in the patients' disease course. Peripheral blood (PB), bone marrow and tumor tissues were used to measure GD2/GM2 synthase levels. In addition, SCLC cell lines were analyzed for GD2/GM2 synthase expression. Based on data from that initial analysis, a prospective trial was developed enrolling patients with newly diagnosed SCLC and following them serially. GD2/GM2 synthase transcript was determined by a sensitive quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) assay and normalized to glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Six SCLC cell lines were assayed for expression of GD2/GM2 synthase, and high expression was detected in all. GD2/GM2 synthase transcript levels were obtained from tumor tissue, BM, or PB of 29 patients in the pilot study. 6/10 (60%) tumor tissues or BM samples were positive (median 332.7 units; range 13-2323 units); 8/19 (42%) untreated patients were GD2/GM2 synthase positive in their PB prior to beginning therapy (median 10.2; range 5.1-32.2); 3/4 (75%) patients who were first tested when they developed recurrent disease were positive in their PB (median 16.1; range 8.5-19.9). The fourth patient had an initial value of 2.0 (negative), which increased to 8.4 (positive) within 1 month without treatment. Seven of 12 patients with baseline positive GD2/GM2 synthase values had post-treatment levels measured, all of which were 50% decrease following successful treatment. Patients in the prospective trial demonstrated lower rates of positivity, with only 3/26 (12%) patients exhibiting detectable transcript levels in the peripheral blood prior to treatment. All 3 of these patients had their transcript levels fall below 5 after treatment. 11/26 patients had baseline levels of zero. Bone marrow was drawn at baseline on 7 patients in the prospective trial and 3 (43%) had transcript levels above 5 (range 0.65-27.43 units). There was no correlation between elevated levels in the BM and elevated levels in the PB. Although initial studies demonstrated that GD2/GM2 synthase transcripts were measurable in the peripheral blood of SCLC patients at diagnosis and declined with successful treatment, in a separate prospective study, these results could not be confirmed. Thus, GD2/GM2 is not a reliable biomarker in SCLC. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inter-rater reliability of motor unit number estimates and quantitative motor unit analysis in the tibialis anterior muscle.

PubMed

Boe, S G; Dalton, B H; Harwood, B; Doherty, T J; Rice, C L

2009-05-01

To establish the inter-rater reliability of decomposition-based quantitative electromyography (DQEMG) derived motor unit number estimates (MUNEs) and quantitative motor unit (MU) analysis. Using DQEMG, two examiners independently obtained a sample of needle and surface-detected motor unit potentials (MUPs) from the tibialis anterior muscle from 10 subjects. Coupled with a maximal M wave, surface-detected MUPs were used to derive a MUNE for each subject and each examiner. Additionally, size-related parameters of the individual MUs were obtained following quantitative MUP analysis. Test-retest MUNE values were similar with high reliability observed between examiners (ICC=0.87). Additionally, MUNE variability from test-retest as quantified by a 95% confidence interval was relatively low (+/-28 MUs). Lastly, quantitative data pertaining to MU size, complexity and firing rate were similar between examiners. MUNEs and quantitative MU data can be obtained with high reliability by two independent examiners using DQEMG. Establishing the inter-rater reliability of MUNEs and quantitative MU analysis using DQEMG is central to the clinical applicability of the technique. In addition to assessing response to treatments over time, multiple clinicians may be involved in the longitudinal assessment of the MU pool of individuals with disorders of the central or peripheral nervous system.

Systematic identification and validation of candidate genes for detection of circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood specimens of colorectal cancer patients.

PubMed

Findeisen, Peter; Röckel, Matthias; Nees, Matthias; Röder, Christian; Kienle, Peter; Von Knebel Doeberitz, Magnus; Kalthoff, Holger; Neumaier, Michael

2008-11-01

The presence of tumor cells in peripheral blood is being regarded increasingly as a clinically relevant prognostic factor for colorectal cancer patients. Current molecular methods are very sensitive but due to low specificity their diagnostic value is limited. This study was undertaken in order to systematically identify and validate new colorectal cancer (CRC) marker genes for improved detection of minimal residual disease in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of colorectal cancer patients. Marker genes with upregulated gene expression in colorectal cancer tissue and cell lines were identified using microarray experiments and publicly available gene expression data. A systematic iterative approach was used to reduce a set of 346 candidate genes, reportedly associated with CRC to a selection of candidate genes that were then further validated by relative quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Analytical sensitivity of RT-PCR assays was determined by spiking experiments with CRC cells. Diagnostic sensitivity as well as specificity was tested on a control group consisting of 18 CRC patients compared to 12 individuals without malignant disease. From a total of 346-screened genes only serine (or cysteine) proteinase inhibitor, clade B (ovalbumin), member 5 (SERPINB5) showed significantly elevated transcript levels in peripheral venous blood specimens of tumor patients when compared to the nonmalignant control group. These results were confirmed by analysis of an enlarged collective consisting of 63 CRC patients and 36 control individuals without malignant disease. In conclusion SERPINB5 seems to be a promising marker for detection of circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood of colorectal cancer patients.

Effect of L-thyroxine treatment on peripheral blood dendritic cell subpopulations in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

PubMed

Stasiolek, Mariusz; Dedecjus, Marek; Adamczewski, Zbigniew; Sliwka, Przemyslaw Wiktor; Brzezinski, Jan; Lewinski, Andrzej

2014-01-01

Recent reports suggested dendritic cells (DCs) to be important players in the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid processes in humans. However, there are virtually no data addressing the influence of thyroid autoaggression-associated disturbances of thyrometabolic conditions on DCs biology. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of L-thyroxine supplementation on conventional and plasmacytoid peripheral blood DCs subtypes in patients with hypothyroidism due to Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). Eighteen patients with newly diagnosed hypothyroidism due to HT were included into the study. All patients received L-thyroxine treatment with doses adjusted to reach euthyroidism. Peripheral blood DC subtypes structure and immunoregulatory phenotype were analyzed by flow cytometry in the same patient prospectively at two time points: (i) before and (ii) 3 months after beginning of L-thyroxine treatment (hypothyroidism vs. euthyroidism, respectively). Percentage of plasmacytoid DCs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells fraction was significantly decreased in the course of L-thyroxine treatment (0.27 ± 0.19 vs. 0.11 ± 0.08; p < 0.05), whereas we did not observe any changes in the number of conventional DCs. However, the phenotypic analysis showed a significant increase of conventional DCs expressing CD86 and CD91 (64.25 ± 21.6% vs. 86.3 ± 11%; p < 0.05 and 30.75 ± 11.66% vs. 44.5 ± 13.3%; p < 0.05; respectively) in euthyroid patients. Standard L-thyroxine supplementation in HT patients exerted significant immunoregulatory effects, associated with quantitative and phenotypic changes of peripheral blood DC subpopulations.

An Acute Butyr-Fentanyl Fatality: A Case Report with Postmortem Concentrations.

PubMed

McIntyre, Iain M; Trochta, Amber; Gary, Ray D; Wright, Jennifer; Mena, Othon

2016-03-01

In this case report, we present an evaluation of the distribution of postmortem concentrations of butyr-fentanyl in a fatality attributed principally to the drug. A man who had a history of intravenous drug abuse was found unresponsive on the bathroom floor of his home. Drug paraphernalia was located on the bathroom counter. Toxicology testing, which initially screened positive for fentanyl by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, subsequently confirmed butyr-fentanyl, which was then quantitated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-specific ion monitoring (GC-MS SIM) analysis following liquid-liquid extraction. The butyr-fentanyl peripheral blood concentration was quantitated at 58 ng/mL compared with the central blood concentration of 97 ng/mL. The liver concentration was 320 ng/g, the vitreous was 40 ng/mL, the urine was 670 ng/mL and the gastric contained 170 mg. Acetyl-fentanyl was also detected in all biological specimens tested. Peripheral blood concentration was quantitated at 38 ng/mL compared with the central blood concentration of 32 ng/mL. The liver concentration was 110 ng/g, the vitreous was 38 ng/mL, the urine was 540 ng/mL and the gastric contained <70 mg. The only other drug detected was a relatively low concentration of benzoylecgonine. The cause of death was certified as acute butyr-fentanyl, acetyl-fentanyl and cocaine intoxication, and the manner of death was certified as accident. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Spine Trabecular Bone Score as an Indicator of Bone Microarchitecture at the Peripheral Skeleton in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

PubMed

Luckman, Matthew; Hans, Didier; Cortez, Natalia; Nishiyama, Kyle K; Agarawal, Sanchita; Zhang, Chengchen; Nikkel, Lucas; Iyer, Sapna; Fusaro, Maria; Guo, Edward X; McMahon, Donald J; Shane, Elizabeth; Nickolas, Thomas L

2017-04-03

Studies using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography showed progressive abnormalities in cortical and trabecular microarchitecture and biomechanical competence over the first year after kidney transplantation. However, high-resolution peripheral computed tomography is a research tool lacking wide availability. In contrast, the trabecular bone score is a novel and widely available tool that uses gray-scale variograms of the spine image from dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry to assess trabecular quality. There are no studies assessing whether trabecular bone score characterizes bone quality in kidney transplant recipients. Between 2009 and 2010, we conducted a study to assess changes in peripheral skeletal microarchitecture, measured by high-resolution peripheral computed tomography, during the first year after transplantation in 47 patients managed with early corticosteroid-withdrawal immunosuppression. All adult first-time transplant candidates were eligible. Patients underwent imaging with high-resolution peripheral computed tomography and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry pretransplantation and 3, 6, and 12 months post-transplantation. We now test if, during the first year after transplantation, trabecular bone score assesses the evolution of bone microarchitecture and biomechanical competence as determined by high-resolution peripheral computed tomography. At baseline and follow-up, among the 72% and 78%, respectively, of patients having normal bone mineral density by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, 53% and 50%, respectively, were classified by trabecular bone score as having high fracture risk. At baseline, trabecular bone score correlated with spine, hip, and ultradistal radius bone mineral density by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and cortical area, density, thickness, and porosity; trabecular density, thickness, separation, and heterogeneity; and stiffness and failure load by high-resolution peripheral computed tomography. Longitudinally, each percentage increase in trabecular bone score was associated with increases in trabecular number (0.35%±1.4%); decreases in trabecular thickness (-0.45%±0.15%), separation (-0.40%±0.15%), and network heterogeneity (-0.48%±0.20%); and increases in failure load (0.22%±0.09%) by high-resolution peripheral computed tomography (all P <0.05). Trabecular bone score may be a useful method to assess and monitor bone quality and strength and classify fracture risk in kidney transplant recipients. Copyright © 2017 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Spine Trabecular Bone Score as an Indicator of Bone Microarchitecture at the Peripheral Skeleton in Kidney Transplant Recipients

PubMed Central

Luckman, Matthew; Hans, Didier; Cortez, Natalia; Nishiyama, Kyle K.; Agarawal, Sanchita; Zhang, Chengchen; Nikkel, Lucas; Iyer, Sapna; Fusaro, Maria; Guo, Edward X.; McMahon, Donald J.; Shane, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

Background and objectives Studies using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography showed progressive abnormalities in cortical and trabecular microarchitecture and biomechanical competence over the first year after kidney transplantation. However, high-resolution peripheral computed tomography is a research tool lacking wide availability. In contrast, the trabecular bone score is a novel and widely available tool that uses gray-scale variograms of the spine image from dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry to assess trabecular quality. There are no studies assessing whether trabecular bone score characterizes bone quality in kidney transplant recipients. Design, settings, participants, & measurements Between 2009 and 2010, we conducted a study to assess changes in peripheral skeletal microarchitecture, measured by high-resolution peripheral computed tomography, during the first year after transplantation in 47 patients managed with early corticosteroid–withdrawal immunosuppression. All adult first-time transplant candidates were eligible. Patients underwent imaging with high-resolution peripheral computed tomography and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry pretransplantation and 3, 6, and 12 months post-transplantation. We now test if, during the first year after transplantation, trabecular bone score assesses the evolution of bone microarchitecture and biomechanical competence as determined by high-resolution peripheral computed tomography. Results At baseline and follow-up, among the 72% and 78%, respectively, of patients having normal bone mineral density by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, 53% and 50%, respectively, were classified by trabecular bone score as having high fracture risk. At baseline, trabecular bone score correlated with spine, hip, and ultradistal radius bone mineral density by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and cortical area, density, thickness, and porosity; trabecular density, thickness, separation, and heterogeneity; and stiffness and failure load by high-resolution peripheral computed tomography. Longitudinally, each percentage increase in trabecular bone score was associated with increases in trabecular number (0.35%±1.4%); decreases in trabecular thickness (−0.45%±0.15%), separation (−0.40%±0.15%), and network heterogeneity (−0.48%±0.20%); and increases in failure load (0.22%±0.09%) by high-resolution peripheral computed tomography (all P<0.05). Conclusions Trabecular bone score may be a useful method to assess and monitor bone quality and strength and classify fracture risk in kidney transplant recipients. PMID:28348031

Application of quantitative PCR method in detection of Lymphocystis disease virus China (LCDV-cn) in Japanese flounder ( Paralichthys olivaceus)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zan, Jindong; Sun, Xiuqin; Zhang, Zhiwen; Qu, Lingyun; Zhang, Jinxing

2007-10-01

Lymphocystis disease causes serious economic losses in the fish farming industry. The causative agent of the disease is Lymphocystis disease virus China (LCDV-cn), which has a wide range of hosts. Based on competitive quantitative PCR technology, we established a method to quantify the LCDV-cn in tissue. Results demonstrate that the average amount of LCDV-cn in the peripheral blood of infected flounder with evident tumors is about 106 virions/ml while the average amount in those flounder with no evident tumor but cultured with the flounder with evident tumor is about 104 virions/ml. No virus was found in the negative samples of flounder.

Quantitative Muscle Ultrasonography in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

PubMed

Lee, Hyewon; Jee, Sungju; Park, Soo Ho; Ahn, Seung-Chan; Im, Juneho; Sohn, Min Kyun

2016-12-01

To assess the reliability of quantitative muscle ultrasonography (US) in healthy subjects and to evaluate the correlation between quantitative muscle US findings and electrodiagnostic study results in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The clinical significance of quantitative muscle US in CTS was also assessed. Twenty patients with CTS and 20 age-matched healthy volunteers were recruited. All control and CTS subjects underwent a bilateral median and ulnar nerve conduction study (NCS) and quantitative muscle US. Transverse US images of the abductor pollicis brevis (APB) and abductor digiti minimi (ADM) were obtained to measure muscle cross-sectional area (CSA), thickness, and echo intensity (EI). EI was determined using computer-assisted, grayscale analysis. Inter-rater and intra-rater reliability for quantitative muscle US in control subjects, and differences in muscle thickness, CSA, and EI between the CTS patient and control groups were analyzed. Relationships between quantitative US parameters and electrodiagnostic study results were evaluated. Quantitative muscle US had high inter-rater and intra-rater reliability in the control group. Muscle thickness and CSA were significantly decreased, and EI was significantly increased in the APB of the CTS group (all p<0.05). EI demonstrated a significant positive correlation with latency of the median motor and sensory NCS in CTS patients (p<0.05). These findings suggest that quantitative muscle US parameters may be useful for detecting muscle changes in CTS. Further study involving patients with other neuromuscular diseases is needed to evaluate peripheral muscle change using quantitative muscle US.

Durbin-Watson partial least-squares regression applied to MIR data on adulteration with edible oils of different origins.

PubMed

Jović, Ozren

2016-12-15

A novel method for quantitative prediction and variable-selection on spectroscopic data, called Durbin-Watson partial least-squares regression (dwPLS), is proposed in this paper. The idea is to inspect serial correlation in infrared data that is known to consist of highly correlated neighbouring variables. The method selects only those variables whose intervals have a lower Durbin-Watson statistic (dw) than a certain optimal cutoff. For each interval, dw is calculated on a vector of regression coefficients. Adulteration of cold-pressed linseed oil (L), a well-known nutrient beneficial to health, is studied in this work by its being mixed with cheaper oils: rapeseed oil (R), sesame oil (Se) and sunflower oil (Su). The samples for each botanical origin of oil vary with respect to producer, content and geographic origin. The results obtained indicate that MIR-ATR, combined with dwPLS could be implemented to quantitative determination of edible-oil adulteration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multimodal imaging of ischemic wounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shiwu; Gnyawali, Surya; Huang, Jiwei; Liu, Peng; Gordillo, Gayle; Sen, Chandan K.; Xu, Ronald

2012-12-01

The wound healing process involves the reparative phases of inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Interrupting any of these phases may result in chronically unhealed wounds, amputation, or even patient death. Quantitative assessment of wound tissue ischemia, perfusion, and inflammation provides critical information for appropriate detection, staging, and treatment of chronic wounds. However, no method is available for noninvasive, simultaneous, and quantitative imaging of these tissue parameters. We integrated hyperspectral, laser speckle, and thermographic imaging modalities into a single setup for multimodal assessment of tissue oxygenation, perfusion, and inflammation characteristics. Advanced algorithms were developed for accurate reconstruction of wound oxygenation and appropriate co-registration between different imaging modalities. The multimodal wound imaging system was validated by an ongoing clinical trials approved by OSU IRB. In the clinical trial, a wound of 3mm in diameter was introduced on a healthy subject's lower extremity and the healing process was serially monitored by the multimodal imaging setup. Our experiments demonstrated the clinical usability of multimodal wound imaging.

Evaluation of radiation necrosis and malignant glioma in rat models using diffusion tensor MR imaging

PubMed Central

Wang, Silun; Chen, Yifei; Lal, Bachchu; Ford, Eric; Tryggestad, Erik; Armour, Michael; Yan, Kun; Laterra, John; Zhou, Jinyuan

2011-01-01

Standard MRI cannot distinguish between radiation necrosis and tumor progression; however, this distinction is critical in the assessment of tumor response to therapy. In this study, one delayed radiation necrosis model (dose, 40 Gy; radiation field, 10 × 10 mm2; n = 13) and two orthotopic glioma models in rats (9L gliosarcoma, n = 8; human glioma xenografts, n = 5) were compared using multiple DTI indices. A visible isotropic apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) pattern was observed in the lesion due to radiation necrosis, which consisted of a hypointense central zone and a hyperintense peripheral zone. There were significantly lower ADC, parallel diffusivity, and perpendicular diffusivity in the necrotic central zone than in the peripheral zone (all p < 0.001). When radiation-induced necrosis was compared with viable tumor, radiation necrosis had significantly lower ADC than 9L gliosarcoma and human glioma xenografts (both p < 0.01) in the central zone, and significantly lower FA than 9L gliosarcoma (p = 0.005) and human glioma xenografts (p = 0.012) in the peripheral zone. Histological analysis revealed parenchymal coagulative necrosis in the central zone, and damaged vessels and reactive astrogliosis in the peripheral zone. These data suggest that qualitative and quantitative analysis of the DTI maps can provide useful information by which to distinguish between radiation necrosis and viable glioma. PMID:21948114

Utility of quantitative sensory testing and screening tools in identifying HIV-associated peripheral neuropathy in Western Kenya: pilot testing.

PubMed

Cettomai, Deanna; Kwasa, Judith; Kendi, Caroline; Birbeck, Gretchen L; Price, Richard W; Bukusi, Elizabeth A; Cohen, Craig R; Meyer, Ana-Claire

2010-12-08

Neuropathy is the most common neurologic complication of HIV but is widely under-diagnosed in resource-constrained settings. We aimed to identify tools that accurately distinguish individuals with moderate/severe peripheral neuropathy and can be administered by non-physician healthcare workers (HCW) in resource-constrained settings. We enrolled a convenience sample of 30 HIV-infected outpatients from a Kenyan HIV-care clinic. A HCW administered the Neuropathy Severity Score (NSS), Single Question Neuropathy Screen (Single-QNS), Subjective Peripheral Neuropathy Screen (Subjective-PNS), and Brief Peripheral Neuropathy Screen (Brief-PNS). Monofilament, graduated tuning fork, and two-point discrimination examinations were performed. Tools were validated against a neurologist's clinical assessment of moderate/severe neuropathy. The sample was 57% male, mean age 38.6 years, and mean CD4 count 324 cells/µL. Neurologist's assessment identified 20% (6/30) with moderate/severe neuropathy. Diagnostic utilities for moderate/severe neuropathy were: Single-QNS--83% sensitivity, 71% specificity; Subjective-PNS-total--83% sensitivity, 83% specificity; Subjective-PNS-max and NSS--67% sensitivity, 92% specificity; Brief-PNS--0% sensitivity, 92% specificity; monofilament--100% sensitivity, 88% specificity; graduated tuning fork--83% sensitivity, 88% specificity; two-point discrimination--75% sensitivity, 58% specificity. Pilot testing suggests Single-QNS, Subjective-PNS, and monofilament examination accurately identify HIV-infected patients with moderate/severe neuropathy and may be useful diagnostic tools in resource-constrained settings.

Serials Control System Procedures and Policies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlembach, Mary C.

This document includes procedures and policies for a networked serials control system originally developed at the Grainger Engineering Library Information Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). The serials control systems encompass serials processing, public service, and end-user functions. The system employs a…

Increasing Teachers' Workloads in the Form of Quantitative Expansion in Extracurricular Activities: Aggregated Data Analysis of Past Working Hours Using a General Linear Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kanbayashi, Toshiyuki

2016-01-01

In recent years, teachers' increased workloads have become an issue for policy, and have been multiply pointed out, deriving as they do from peripheral duties such as paperwork, in academic research as well. However, these mentions have not been based on sufficiently solid proof. Here, this paper compares teacher working hours surveys extant from…

[The morphology of the peripheral blood erythrocytes in patients with tetralogy of Fallot before and after its surgical correction].

PubMed

Guliamov, D S; Vorozheĭkin, V M; Ikmatov, A A; Abdumadzhidov, Kh A

1995-01-01

Quantitative changes in red cells were studied by dark field scanning electron microscopy of native preparations obtained from patients with Fallot's tetralogy of varying severity and duration. Mainly echinocytic transformation of red cells was revealed that directly depended on the disease duration. Morphologic findings have confirmed the efficacy of surgical correction and drug therapy of Fallot's tetralogy.

Tibial Geometry in Individuals with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 without Anterolateral Bowing of the Lower Leg Using Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography

PubMed Central

Stevenson, David A.; Viskochil, David H.; Carey, John C.; Slater, Hillarie; Murray, Mary; Sheng, Xiaoming; D’Astous, Jacques; Hanson, Heather; Schorry, Elizabeth; Moyer-Mileur, Laurie J.

2008-01-01

Introduction Lower leg bowing with tibial pseudarthrosis is associated with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). The objective of the study is to determine if the geometry of the lower limb in individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) differs from controls, and to characterize the osseous components of the tibia in NF1. Methods Peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) of the lower limb was performed (90 individuals with NF1 without tibial and/or fibular dysplasia: 474 healthy individuals without NF1). Subjects were 4–18 years of age. Individuals with NF1 were compared to controls using an analysis-of-covariance with a fixed set of covariates (age, weight, height, Tanner stage, and gender). Results Using pQCT, NF1 individuals without bowing of the lower leg have smaller periosteal circumferences (p<0.0001), smaller cortical area (p<0.0001), and decreased tibial cortical and trabecular bone mineral content (BMC) (p<0.0001) compared to controls. Discussion Individuals with NF1 have a different geometry of the lower leg compared to healthy controls suggesting that NF1 haploinsufficiency impacts bone homeostasis although not resulting in overt anterolateral bowing of the lower leg. PMID:19118659

Histogram-based quantitative evaluation of endobronchial ultrasonography images of peripheral pulmonary lesion.

PubMed

Morikawa, Kei; Kurimoto, Noriaki; Inoue, Takeo; Mineshita, Masamichi; Miyazawa, Teruomi

2015-01-01

Endobronchial ultrasonography using a guide sheath (EBUS-GS) is an increasingly common bronchoscopic technique, but currently, no methods have been established to quantitatively evaluate EBUS images of peripheral pulmonary lesions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether histogram data collected from EBUS-GS images can contribute to the diagnosis of lung cancer. Histogram-based analyses focusing on the brightness of EBUS images were retrospectively conducted: 60 patients (38 lung cancer; 22 inflammatory diseases), with clear EBUS images were included. For each patient, a 400-pixel region of interest was selected, typically located at a 3- to 5-mm radius from the probe, from recorded EBUS images during bronchoscopy. Histogram height, width, height/width ratio, standard deviation, kurtosis and skewness were investigated as diagnostic indicators. Median histogram height, width, height/width ratio and standard deviation were significantly different between lung cancer and benign lesions (all p < 0.01). With a cutoff value for standard deviation of 10.5, lung cancer could be diagnosed with an accuracy of 81.7%. Other characteristics investigated were inferior when compared to histogram standard deviation. Histogram standard deviation appears to be the most useful characteristic for diagnosing lung cancer using EBUS images. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography: Measurement Sensitivity in Persons With and Without Spinal Cord Injury

PubMed Central

Shields, Richard K.; Dudley-Javoroski, Shauna; Boaldin, Kathryn M.; Corey, Trent A.; Fog, Daniel B.; Ruen, Jacquelyn M.

2012-01-01

Objectives To determine (1) the error attributable to external tibia-length measurements by using peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) and (2) the effect these errors have on scan location and tibia trabecular bone mineral density (BMD) after spinal cord injury (SCI). Design Blinded comparison and criterion standard in matched cohorts. Setting Primary care university hospital. Participants Eight able-bodied subjects underwent tibia length measurement. A separate cohort of 7 men with SCI and 7 able-bodied age-matched male controls underwent pQCT analysis. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures The projected worst-case tibia-length–measurement error translated into a pQCT slice placement error of ±3mm. We collected pQCT slices at the distal 4% tibia site, 3mm proximal and 3mm distal to that site, and then quantified BMD error attributable to slice placement. Results Absolute BMD error was greater for able-bodied than for SCI subjects (5.87mg/cm3 vs 4.5mg/cm3). However, the percentage error in BMD was larger for SCI than able-bodied subjects (4.56% vs 2.23%). Conclusions During cross-sectional studies of various populations, BMD differences up to 5% may be attributable to variation in limb-length–measurement error. PMID:17023249

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

Fernandes, Ana; Pereira, Rita C.; Sousa, Jorge

The Instituto de Plasmas e Fusao Nuclear (IPFN) has developed dedicated re-configurable modules based on field programmable gate array (FPGA) devices for several nuclear fusion machines worldwide. Moreover, new Advanced Telecommunication Computing Architecture (ATCA) based modules developed by IPFN are already included in the ITER catalogue. One of the requirements for re-configurable modules operating in future nuclear environments including ITER is the remote update capability. Accordingly, this work presents an alternative method for FPGA remote programing to be implemented in new ATCA based re-configurable modules. FPGAs are volatile devices and their programming code is usually stored in dedicated flash memoriesmore » for properly configuration during module power-on. The presented method is capable to store new FPGA codes in Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) flash memories using the PCIexpress (PCIe) network established on the ATCA back-plane, linking data acquisition endpoints and the data switch blades. The method is based on the Xilinx Quick Boot application note, adapted to PCIe protocol and ATCA based modules. (authors)« less

On spatial attention and its field size on the repulsion effect

PubMed Central

Cutrone, Elizabeth K.; Heeger, David J.; Carrasco, Marisa

2018-01-01

We investigated the attentional repulsion effect—stimuli appear displaced further away from attended locations—in three experiments: one with exogenous (involuntary) attention, and two with endogenous (voluntary) attention with different attention-field sizes. It has been proposed that differences in attention-field size can account for qualitative differences in neural responses elicited by attended stimuli. We used psychophysical comparative judgments and manipulated either exogenous attention via peripheral cues or endogenous attention via central cues and a demanding rapid serial visual presentation task. We manipulated the attention field size of endogenous attention by presenting streams of letters at two specific locations or at two of many possible locations during each block. We found a robust attentional repulsion effect in all three experiments: with endogenous and exogenous attention and with both attention-field sizes. These findings advance our understanding of the influence of spatial attention on the perception of visual space and help relate this repulsion effect to possible neurophysiological correlates.

One-year vestibular and balance outcomes of Oklahoma City bombing survivors.

PubMed

Van Campen, L E; Dennis, J M; King, S B; Hanlin, R C; Velderman, A M

1999-10-01

This multisite investigation assessed subjective, behavioral, and objective balance function in 30 blast survivors. Subjects with vertigo, dizziness, or imbalance were screened (n = 6) or evaluated (n = 27) during 1 year. Tests included a questionnaire, electronystagmography (ENG), and computerized dynamic posturography (CDP). Ninety-seven percent of subjects were located inside a building during the blast, and 63 percent of subjects experienced dysequilibrium within 48 hours. Forty-three percent of symptoms could not be attributed to head injury. Sixty percent of subjects had abnormal ENG and/or CDP; ENG abnormalities mostly were peripheral or nonlocalizing, whereas CDP patterns were "vestibular," "surface dependent," and "physiologically inconsistent." At 1-year postblast, 55 percent of initially abnormal CDP results were normal, and 72 percent of subjects said symptoms were unchanged or occurred intermittently. A serial, test battery approach is recommended to assess symptoms. Blast-related dysequilibrium had clinically significant manifestations and should be considered a valid component of aural blast injury.

Kinetics of CLL cells in tissues and blood during therapy with the BTK inhibitor ibrutinib.

PubMed

Wodarz, Dominik; Garg, Naveen; Komarova, Natalia L; Benjamini, Ohad; Keating, Michael J; Wierda, William G; Kantarjian, Hagop; James, Danelle; O'Brien, Susan; Burger, Jan A

2014-06-26

The Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor ibrutinib has excellent clinical activity in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Characteristically, ibrutinib causes CLL cell redistribution from tissue sites into the peripheral blood during the initial weeks of therapy. To better characterize the dynamics of this redistribution phenomenon, we correlated serial lymphocyte counts with volumetric changes in lymph node and spleen sizes during ibrutinib therapy. Kinetic parameters were estimated by applying a mathematical model to the data. We found that during ibrutinib therapy, 1.7% ± 1.1% of blood CLL cells and 2.7% ± 0.99% of tissue CLL cells die per day. The fraction of the tissue CLL cells that was redistributed into the blood during therapy was estimated to be 23.3% ± 17% of the total tissue disease burden. These data indicate that the reduction of tissue disease burden by ibrutinib is due more to CLL cell death and less to egress from nodal compartments. © 2014 by The American Society of Hematology.

Analysis of Th1, Th17 and regulatory T cells in tuberculosis case contacts.

PubMed

García Jacobo, R E; Serrano, C J; Enciso Moreno, J A; Gaspar Ramírez, O; Trujillo Ochoa, J L; Uresti Rivera, E E; Portales Pérez, D P; González-Amaro, R; García Hernández, M H

2014-01-01

We have hypothesized that individuals infected with Mycobacteriumtuberculosis that exhibit different patterns of immune reactivity in serial interferon (IFN)-γ release assays (IGRA's) correspond to different status within the immune spectrum of latent tuberculosis (TB). Accordingly, we analyzed the possible association between the consistent results (negative or positive) in an IGRA test and relevant immune parameters, mainly the levels of Th1 and Th17 lymphocytes and T regulatory (Treg) cells in the peripheral blood of TB case contacts. We found that individuals with a persistently positive IGRA showed increased levels of Th1 and Th17 lymphocytes upon in vitro stimulation with MTB antigens. In addition, a significant increase in the proportion of CD4+CTLA-4+ and CD4+Foxp3+ cells was detected in assays with blood samples from these individuals. Our data support that different immune phenotypes can be identified into the spectrum of latent TB, by combining different parameters of immune reactivity against MTB. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Changes in taste bud volume during taste disturbance.

PubMed

Srur, Ehab; Pau, Hans Wilhelm; Just, Tino

2011-08-01

On-line mapping and serial volume measurements of taste buds with confocal laser scanning microscopy provide information on the peripheral gustatory organ over time. We report the volumetric measurements of four selected fungiform papillae over 8 weeks in a 62-year-old man with taste disturbance, which was more apparent on the right than on the left side. In the two papillae on the right side, no taste buds were detected within the fungiform papillae in the sixth and eighth week. During sixth and eighth week, there was no response to the highest presented stimuli in electrogustometry (1 mA) on the right-sided tongue tip nor at the tongue edge. The morphology (shape, diameter) of the fungiform papillae on both sides remained unchanged. Comparison of the time course of the volume changes revealed differences corresponding to gustatory sensitivity. These findings suggest that the time course of volume changes indicated taste disturbance in our patient, rather than morphological changes in the fungiform papillae. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Research and Implementation of Vehicle Bluetooth Hands-free Devices Key Parameters Downloading Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiao-bo; Wang, Zhi-xue; Li, Jian-xin; Ma, Jian-hui; Li, Yang; Li, Yan-qiang

In order to facilitate Bluetooth function realization and information can be effectively tracked in the process of production, the vehicle Bluetooth hands-free devices need to download such key parameters as Bluetooth address, CVC license and base plate numbers, etc. Therefore, it is the aim to search simple and effective methods to download parameters for each vehicle Bluetooth hands-free device, and to control and record the use of parameters. In this paper, by means of Bluetooth Serial Peripheral Interface programmer device, the parallel port is switched to SPI. The first step is to download parameters is simulating SPI with the parallel port. To perform SPI function, operating the parallel port in accordance with the SPI timing. The next step is to achieve SPI data transceiver functions according to the programming parameters of options. Utilizing the new method, downloading parameters is fast and accurate. It fully meets vehicle Bluetooth hands-free devices production requirements. In the production line, it has played a large role.

Neurosarcoidosis associated with intracerebral haemorrhage: a challenge in diagnosis and management.

PubMed

Maskery, Mark Peter; Cooper, Paul N; Pace, Adrian

2018-06-01

Sarcoidosis is an idiopathic multisystem granulomatous disorder of unknown cause. Nervous system involvement (central and/or peripheral) is uncommon, developing in 5%-10%. The presenting symptoms are variable, reflecting the level of involvement, and frequently fluctuate and progress. Diagnosing neurosarcoidosis in people with previously confirmed systemic disease may be relatively straightforward, but diagnosing primary neurosarcoidosis is challenging. Managing neurosarcoidosis is primarily consensus based; corticosteroid is its mainstay, alongside corticosteroid-sparing agents and emerging novel therapies. We describe a 39-year-old woman who presented with cranial neuropathy. Serial imaging, cerebrospinal fluid sampling and tissue biopsy gave a diagnosis of probable neurosarcoidosis. Her clinical course was complicated by intracerebral haemorrhage following intravenous corticosteroids for neurological relapse. This is a very rare complication of neurosarcoidosis; we discuss its possible causes and suggest ways to reduce its risk. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

From animal cruelty to serial murder: applying the graduation hypothesis.

PubMed

Wright, Jeremy; Hensley, Christopher

2003-02-01

Although serial murder has been recorded for centuries, limited academic attention has been given to this important topic. Scholars have attempted to examine the causality and motivations behind the rare phenomenon of serial murder. However, scant research exists which delves into the childhood characteristics of serial murderers. Using social learning theory, some of these studies present supporting evidence for a link between childhood animal cruelty and adult aggression toward humans. Based on five case studies of serial murderers, we contribute to the existing literature by exploring the possible link between childhood cruelty toward animals and serial murder with the application of the graduation hypothesis.

The effects of nidopallium caudolaterale inactivation on serial-order behaviour in pigeons (Columba livia).

PubMed

Johnston, Melissa Jane; Clarkson, Andrew N; Gowing, Emma K; Scarf, Damian; Colombo, Mike

2018-06-06

Serial-order behaviour is the ability to complete a sequence of responses in a predetermined order to achieve a reward. In birds, serial-order behaviour is thought to be impaired by damage to the nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL). In the current study, we examined the role of the NCL in serial-order behaviour by training pigeons on a 4-item serial-order task and a go/no-go discrimination task. Following training, pigeons were received infusions of 1μl of either tetrodotoxin (TTX) or saline. Saline infusions had no impact on serial-order behaviour whereas TTX infusions resulted in a significant decrease in performance. The serial-order impairments, however, were not the results of errors of any specific error at any specific list item. With respect to the go/no-go discrimination task, saline infusions also had no impact on performance whereas TTX infusions impaired pigeons' discrimination abilities. Given the impairments on the go/no-go discrimination task, which does not require processing of serial-order information, we tentatively conclude that damage to the NCL does not impair serial-order behaviour per se, but rather results in a more generalised impairment that may impact performance across a range of tasks.

The Nature of Verbal Short-Term Impairment in Dyslexia: The Importance of Serial Order

PubMed Central

Majerus, Steve; Cowan, Nelson

2016-01-01

Verbal short-term memory (STM) impairment is one of the most consistent associated deficits observed in developmental reading disorders such as dyslexia. Few studies have addressed the nature of this STM impairment, especially as regards the ability to temporarily store serial order information. This question is important as studies in typically developing children have shown that serial order STM abilities are predictors of oral and written language development. Associated serial order STM deficits in dyslexia may therefore further increase the learning difficulties in these populations. In this mini review, we show that specific serial order STM impairment is frequently reported in both dyslexic children and adults with a history of dyslexia. Serial order STM impairment appears to occur for the retention of both verbal and visuo-spatial sequence information. Serial order STM impairment is, however, not a characteristic of every individual dyslexic subject and is not specific to dyslexia. Future studies need to determine whether serial order STM impairment is a risk factor which, in association with phonological processing deficits, can lead to dyslexia or whether serial order STM impairment reflects associated deficits causally unrelated to dyslexia. PMID:27752247

English Literature: A Student's Guide to Serial Bibliographies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGill Univ., Montreal (Quebec). McLennan Library.

This selected guide to serial bibliographies covering English language literature is based on an essay bibliography by David E. Pownall. Other bibliographies of serial bibliographies which were consulted include "A Reference Guide to English Studies,""Periodicals Containing Reviews and Bibliographies,""Serial Bibliographies in the Humanities and…

Malaysian Serials: Issues and Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahri, Che Norma

This paper analyzes the issues and problems while looking at the trends and developments of serials publishing in Malaysia. The first section provides background; topics addressed include the country and people of Malaysia, the history of serials publishing in Malaysia, categories and formats of serials publishing, academic publications,…

7 CFR 29.9205 - Identification number (farm serial number).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Identification number (farm serial number). 29.9205 Section 29.9205 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE... number (farm serial number). The serial number assigned to an individual farm by the appropriate office...

7 CFR 29.9205 - Identification number (farm serial number).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Identification number (farm serial number). 29.9205 Section 29.9205 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE... number (farm serial number). The serial number assigned to an individual farm by the appropriate office...

7 CFR 29.9205 - Identification number (farm serial number).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Identification number (farm serial number). 29.9205 Section 29.9205 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE... number (farm serial number). The serial number assigned to an individual farm by the appropriate office...

7 CFR 29.9205 - Identification number (farm serial number).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Identification number (farm serial number). 29.9205 Section 29.9205 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE... number (farm serial number). The serial number assigned to an individual farm by the appropriate office...

7 CFR 29.9205 - Identification number (farm serial number).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Identification number (farm serial number). 29.9205 Section 29.9205 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE... number (farm serial number). The serial number assigned to an individual farm by the appropriate office...

A comparison of serial order short-term memory effects across verbal and musical domains.

PubMed

Gorin, Simon; Mengal, Pierre; Majerus, Steve

2018-04-01

Recent studies suggest that the mechanisms involved in the short-term retention of serial order information may be shared across short-term memory (STM) domains such as verbal and visuospatial STM. Given the intrinsic sequential organization of musical material, the study of STM for musical information may be particularly informative about serial order retention processes and their domain-generality. The present experiment examined serial order STM for verbal and musical sequences in participants with no advanced musical expertise and experienced musicians. Serial order STM for verbal information was assessed via a serial order reconstruction task for digit sequences. In the musical domain, serial order STM was assessed using a novel melodic sequence reconstruction task maximizing the retention of tone order information. We observed that performance for the verbal and musical tasks was characterized by sequence length as well as primacy and recency effects. Serial order errors in both tasks were characterized by similar transposition gradients and ratios of fill-in:infill errors. These effects were observed for both participant groups, although the transposition gradients and ratios of fill-in:infill errors showed additional specificities for musician participants in the musical task. The data support domain-general serial order STM effects but also suggest the existence of additional domain-specific effects. Implications for models of serial order STM in verbal and musical domains are discussed.

Development of A Novel Murine Model of Combined Radiation and Peripheral Tissue Trauma Injuries

PubMed Central

Antonic, Vlado; Jackson, Isabel L.; Ganga, Gurung; Shea-Donohue, Terez; Vujaskovic, Zeljko

2017-01-01

Detonation of a 10-kiloton nuclear bomb in an urban setting would result in >1 million casualties, the majority of which would present with combined injuries. Combined injuries, such as peripheral tissue trauma and radiation exposure, trigger inflammatory events that lead to multiple organ dysfunction (MOD) and death, with gastrointestinal (GI) and pulmonary involvement playing crucial roles. The objective of this study was to develop an animal model of combined injuries, peripheral tissue trauma (TBX animal model) combined with total body irradiation with 5% bone marrow shielding (TBI/BM5) to investigate if peripheral tissue trauma contributes to reduced survival. Male C57BL/6J mice were exposed to TBX10%, irradiation (TBI/BM5), or combined injuries (TBX10% + TBI/BM5). Experiments were conducted to evaluate mortality at day 7 after TBI/BM5. Serial euthanasia was performed at day 1, 3 and 6 or 7 after TBI/BM5 to evaluate the time course of pathophysiologic processes in combined injuries. Functional tests were performed to assess pulmonary function and GI motility. Postmortem samples of lungs and jejunum were collected to assess tissue damage. Results indicated higher lethality and shorter survival in the TBX10% +T BI/BM5 group than in the TBX10% or TBI/BM5 groups (day 1 vs. day 7 and 6, respectively). TBI/BM5 alone had no effects on the lungs but significantly impaired GI function at day 6. As expected, in the animals that received severe trauma (TBX10%), we observed impairment in lung function and delay in GI transit in the first 3 days, effects that decreased at later time points. Trauma combined with radiation (TBX10% + TBI/BM5) significantly augmented impairment of the lung and GI function in comparison to TBX10% and TBI/BM5 groups at 24 h. Histologic evaluation indicated that combined injuries caused greater tissue damage in the intestines in TBX10% + TBI/BM5 group when compared to other groups. We describe here the first combined tissue trauma/radiation injury model that will allow conduction of mechanistic studies to identify new therapeutic targets and serve as a platform for testing novel therapeutic interventions. PMID:28118112

A Regional Serials Program under National Serials Data Program Auspices: Discussion Paper Prepared for Ad Hoc Serials Discussion Group

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grosch, Audrey N.

1973-01-01

A regionally organized program for serials bibliography is proposed because of the large volume of complex data needing control and the many purposes to which the data can be put in support of regional or local needs. (2 references) (Author)

The Serial Process in Visual Search

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilden, David L.; Thornton, Thomas L.; Marusich, Laura R.

2010-01-01

The conditions for serial search are described. A multiple target search methodology (Thornton & Gilden, 2007) is used to home in on the simplest target/distractor contrast that effectively mandates a serial scheduling of attentional resources. It is found that serial search is required when (a) targets and distractors are mirror twins, and…

Long-Term Phonological Knowledge Supports Serial Ordering in Working Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nakayama, Masataka; Tanida, Yuki; Saito, Satoru

2015-01-01

Serial ordering mechanisms have been investigated extensively in psychology and psycholinguistics. It has also been demonstrated repeatedly that long-term phonological knowledge contributes to serial ordering. However, the mechanisms that contribute to serial ordering have yet to be fully understood. To understand these mechanisms, we demonstrate…

Serial Murder in Southeast Asia: Collecting and Preserving Serials in Changing Landscape.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Carol L.

This paper surveys the loss of important serials from and about Southeast Asia. At risk titles are described, including statistical serials, publications of regional presses, minority language magazines, science and technology journals, political and non-governmental organization publications, popular or mass press publications, women's magazines,…

24 CFR 3280.6 - Serial number.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Serial number. 3280.6 Section 3280... DEVELOPMENT MANUFACTURED HOME CONSTRUCTION AND SAFETY STANDARDS General § 3280.6 Serial number. (a) A manufactured home serial number which will identify the manufacturer and the state in which the manufactured...

24 CFR 3280.6 - Serial number.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Serial number. 3280.6 Section 3280... DEVELOPMENT MANUFACTURED HOME CONSTRUCTION AND SAFETY STANDARDS General § 3280.6 Serial number. (a) A manufactured home serial number which will identify the manufacturer and the state in which the manufactured...

24 CFR 3280.6 - Serial number.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Serial number. 3280.6 Section 3280... DEVELOPMENT MANUFACTURED HOME CONSTRUCTION AND SAFETY STANDARDS General § 3280.6 Serial number. (a) A manufactured home serial number which will identify the manufacturer and the state in which the manufactured...

24 CFR 3280.6 - Serial number.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Serial number. 3280.6 Section 3280... DEVELOPMENT MANUFACTURED HOME CONSTRUCTION AND SAFETY STANDARDS General § 3280.6 Serial number. (a) A manufactured home serial number which will identify the manufacturer and the state in which the manufactured...

24 CFR 3280.6 - Serial number.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Serial number. 3280.6 Section 3280... DEVELOPMENT MANUFACTURED HOME CONSTRUCTION AND SAFETY STANDARDS General § 3280.6 Serial number. (a) A manufactured home serial number which will identify the manufacturer and the state in which the manufactured...

Bayesian Immunological Model Development from the Literature: Example Investigation of Recent Thymic Emigrants†

PubMed Central

Holmes, Tyson H.; Lewis, David B.

2014-01-01

Bayesian estimation techniques offer a systematic and quantitative approach for synthesizing data drawn from the literature to model immunological systems. As detailed here, the practitioner begins with a theoretical model and then sequentially draws information from source data sets and/or published findings to inform estimation of model parameters. Options are available to weigh these various sources of information differentially per objective measures of their corresponding scientific strengths. This approach is illustrated in depth through a carefully worked example for a model of decline in T-cell receptor excision circle content of peripheral T cells during development and aging. Estimates from this model indicate that 21 years of age is plausible for the developmental timing of mean age of onset of decline in T-cell receptor excision circle content of peripheral T cells. PMID:25179832

Centrality dependence of high energy jets in p + Pb collisions at energies available at the CERN Large Hadron Collider

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

Bzdak, Adam; Skokov, Vladimir; Bathe, Stefan

2016-04-08

We investigate the recently measured centrality dependence of high energy jets in proton-lead collisions at the LHC. Here, we hypothesize that events with jets of very high energy (a few hundred GeV) are characterized by a suppressed number of soft particles, thus shifting these events into more peripheral bins. This naturally results in the suppression (enhancement) of the nuclear modification factor, R pA, in central (peripheral) collisions. Our calculations suggest that a moderate suppression of the order of 20%, for 10 3 GeV jets, can quantitatively reproduce the experimental data. Finally, we further extract the suppression factor as a functionmore » of jet energy and test our conjecture using available R pA data for various centralities.« less

Perception of multi-stable dot lattices in the visual periphery: an effect of internal positional noise.

PubMed

Põder, Endel

2011-02-16

Dot lattices are very simple multi-stable images where the dots can be perceived as being grouped in different ways. The probabilities of grouping along different orientations as dependent on inter-dot distances along these orientations can be predicted by a simple quantitative model. L. Bleumers, P. De Graef, K. Verfaillie, and J. Wagemans (2008) found that for peripheral presentation, this model should be combined with random guesses on a proportion of trials. The present study shows that the probability of random responses decreases with decreasing ambiguity of lattices and is different for bi-stable and tri-stable lattices. With central presentation, similar effects can be produced by adding positional noise to the dots. The results suggest that different levels of internal positional noise might explain the differences between peripheral and central proximity grouping.

Low-dose fixed-target serial synchrotron crystallography.

PubMed

Owen, Robin L; Axford, Danny; Sherrell, Darren A; Kuo, Anling; Ernst, Oliver P; Schulz, Eike C; Miller, R J Dwayne; Mueller-Werkmeister, Henrike M

2017-04-01

The development of serial crystallography has been driven by the sample requirements imposed by X-ray free-electron lasers. Serial techniques are now being exploited at synchrotrons. Using a fixed-target approach to high-throughput serial sampling, it is demonstrated that high-quality data can be collected from myoglobin crystals, allowing room-temperature, low-dose structure determination. The combination of fixed-target arrays and a fast, accurate translation system allows high-throughput serial data collection at high hit rates and with low sample consumption.

Correlation of genetic risk and messenger RNA expression in a Th17/IL23 pathway analysis in inflammatory bowel disease.

PubMed

Fransen, Karin; van Sommeren, Suzanne; Westra, Harm-Jan; Veenstra, Monique; Lamberts, Letitia E; Modderman, Rutger; Dijkstra, Gerard; Fu, Jingyuan; Wijmenga, Cisca; Franke, Lude; Weersma, Rinse K; van Diemen, Cleo C

2014-05-01

The Th17/IL23 pathway has both genetically and biologically been implicated in the pathogenesis of the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis. So far, it is unknown whether and how associated risk variants affect expression of the genes encoding for Th17/IL23 pathway proteins. Ten IBD-associated SNPs residing near Th17/IL23 genes were used to construct a genetic risk model in 753 Dutch IBD cases and 1045 controls. In an independent cohort of 40 Crohn's disease, 40 ulcerative colitis, and 40 controls, the genetic risk load and presence of IBD were correlated to quantitative PCR-generated messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of 9 representative Th17/IL23 genes in both unstimulated and PMA/CaLo stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In 1240 individuals with various immunological diseases with whole genome genotype and mRNA-expression data, we also assessed correlation between genetic risk load and differential mRNA expression and sought for SNPs affecting expression of all currently known Th17/IL23 pathway genes (cis-expression quantitative trait locus). The presence of IBD, but not the genetic risk load, was correlated to differential mRNA expression for IL6 in unstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells and to IL23A and RORC in response to stimulation. The cis-expression quantitative trait locus analysis showed little evidence for correlation between genetic risk load and mRNA expression of Th17/IL23 genes, because we identified for only 2 of 22 Th17/IL23 genes a cis-expression quantitative trait locus single nucleotide polymorphism that is also associated to IBD (STAT3 and CCR6). Our results suggest that only the presence of IBD and not the genetic risk load alters mRNA expression levels of IBD-associated Th17/IL23 genes.

Union List Development: Control of the Serial Literature *

PubMed Central

Sawyers, Elizabeth J.

1972-01-01

The discussion covers the development of a national union list or finding tool for biomedical serial holdings and its integration into the National Serials Data Program, which is being developed under the auspices of the three National Libraries. Specific topics which are covered include: (1) Selection of the Union Catalog of Medical Periodicals (UCMP) as the basis for a biomedical list and the status of that activity; (2) discussion of the various methods of recording holdings; (3) status of the National Serials Data Program and a discussion of its relationship to the UCMP file; and (4) status of the Standard Serial Number and its relationship to other existing coding schemes for serial titles. PMID:5054307

Serial and parallel attentive visual searches: evidence from cumulative distribution functions of response times.

PubMed

Sung, Kyongje

2008-12-01

Participants searched a visual display for a target among distractors. Each of 3 experiments tested a condition proposed to require attention and for which certain models propose a serial search. Serial versus parallel processing was tested by examining effects on response time means and cumulative distribution functions. In 2 conditions, the results suggested parallel rather than serial processing, even though the tasks produced significant set-size effects. Serial processing was produced only in a condition with a difficult discrimination and a very large set-size effect. The results support C. Bundesen's (1990) claim that an extreme set-size effect leads to serial processing. Implications for parallel models of visual selection are discussed.

Comparing single and serial homicide offenses.

PubMed

Kraemer, Gretchen W; Lord, Wayne D; Heilbrun, Kirk

2004-01-01

Serial homicide has attracted much attention, but little empirical scientific investigation. This exploratory study reports demographic information on a large sample of serial homicide offenders (157 offenders, 608 victims), and compares a subsample of serial homicide offenses with a control group of single homicide offenses. Results show that serial homicide offenders target more women than men, and kill more strangers than family or friends. Single homicide offenders kill men and women in equal frequency, but kill family and friends more often than strangers. Serial homicide offenders kill for apparent sexual motivation more often than for any other reason, while single homicide offenders kill most often out of anger. Copyright 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Relationship Context of Premarital Serial Cohabitation

PubMed Central

Cohen, Jessica; Manning, Wendy

2011-01-01

Even though serial cohabitation is on the rise, it has not been integrated into recent family research. We analyze the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) cycle 6 to explore the relationship context of serial cohabitation for women throughout emerging adulthood (N=3,397). We provide a relationship context for serial cohabitation by examining the age at first cohabitation, duration of cohabiting unions, marital expectations and transitions, as well as premarital sexual histories. Furthermore, we examine the change in these relationship indicators across women’s birth cohorts. We find that serial cohabitors’ co-residential unions are about the same duration as single-instance cohabiting unions. Serial cohabitors start cohabiting younger, report lower marital expectations than single-instance cohabitors and a smaller proportion marry before age 30. Women who have more premarital sex partners have significantly greater odds of serial cohabiting. These findings indicate that women face increasingly complex relationship trajectories during emerging adulthood. PMID:24381370

CMOS serial link for fully duplexed data communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Kyeongho; Kim, Sungjoon; Ahn, Gijung; Jeong, Deog-Kyoon

1995-04-01

This paper describes a CMOS serial link allowing fully duplexed 500 Mbaud serial data communication. The CMOS serial link is a robust and low-cost solution to high data rate requirements. A central charge pump PLL for generating multiphase clocks for oversampling is shared by several serial link channels. Fully duplexed serial data communication is realized in the bidirectional bridge by separating incoming data from the mixed signal on the cable end. The digital PLL accomplishes process-independent data recovery by using a low-ratio oversampling, a majority voting, and a parallel data recovery scheme. Mostly, digital approach could extend its bandwidth further with scaled CMOS technology. A single channel serial link and a charge pump PLL are integrated in a test chip using 1.2 micron CMOS process technology. The test chip confirms upto 500 Mbaud unidirectional mode operation and 320 Mbaud fully duplexed mode operation with pseudo random data patterns.

Impact of Serials Management, Access and Use on Publication Output of Lecturers in Nigerian Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akinbode, Rahmon O. Onaolapo; Nwalo, Kenneth Ivo Ngozi

2017-01-01

This study investigates serials management in university libraries, determines the extent to which serials are accessed and used and appraises the influence of availability, accessibility and use of serials on publications output of lecturers in federal universities in Nigeria. Questionnaire administration method was adopted to accumulate data for…

An Investigation of Selective College and University Libraries' Serial Arrangement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kesler, Elizabeth Gates; Teborek, Gay

Data from a survey on serials arrangement procedures and policies at academic libraries was used by the University of Rhode Island (URI) Library in changing current serials policies. Ten libraries, four of which have similar serial holdings and user populations to URI, responded to a questionnaire. Information was obtained on classification versus…

The OCLC Serials Sub-System: A First Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edgar, Neal L.; And Others

This examination of the OCLC serials control sub-system points to positive and negative aspects of the OCLC system as they relate to serials, and evaluates the system's serials cataloging capabilities. While this report assumes a knowledge of the basic operations of OCLC, it describes the system in general, its function in cataloging, and its…

Female serial killing: review and case report.

PubMed

Frei, Andreas; Völlm, Birgit; Graf, Marc; Dittmann, Volker

2006-01-01

Single homicide committed by women is rare. Serial killing is very infrequent, and the perpetrators are usually white, intelligent males with sadistic tendencies. Serial killing by women has, however, also been described. To conduct a review of published literature on female serial killers and consider its usefulness in assessing a presenting case. A literature review was conducted, after searching EMBASE, MEDLINE and PsycINFO. The presenting clinical case is described in detail in the context of the literature findings. Results The literature search revealed few relevant publications. Attempts to categorize the phenomenon of female serial killing according to patterns of and motives for the homicides have been made by some authors. The most common motive identified was material gain or similar extrinsic gratification while the 'hedonistic' sadistic or sexual serial killer seems to be extremely rare in women. There is no consistent theory of serial killing by women, but psychopathic personality traits and abusive childhood experiences have consistently been observed. The authors' case did not fit the description of a 'typical' female serial killer. In such unusual circumstances as serial killing by a woman, detailed individual case formulation is required to make sense of the psychopathology in each case. Publication of cases in scientific journals should be encouraged to advance our understanding of this phenomenon. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Save the last dance for me: unwanted serial position effects in jury evaluations.

PubMed

Bruine de Bruin, Wändi

2005-03-01

Whenever competing options are considered in sequence, their evaluations may be affected by order of appearance. Such serial position effects would threaten the fairness of competitions using jury evaluations. Randomization cannot reduce potential order effects, but it does give candidates an equal chance of being assigned to preferred serial positions. Whether, or what, serial position effects emerge may depend on the cognitive demands of the judgment task. In end-of-sequence procedures, final scores are not given until all candidates have performed, possibly burdening judges' memory. If judges' evaluations are based on how well they remember performances, serial position effects may resemble those found with free recall. Candidates may also be evaluated step-by-step, immediately after each performance. This procedure should not burden memory, though it may produce different serial position effects. Yet, this paper reports similar serial position effects with end-of-sequence and step-by-step procedures used for the Eurovision Song Contest: Ratings increased with serial position. The linear order effect was replicated in the step-by-step judgments of World and European Figure Skating Contests. It is proposed that, independent of the evaluation procedure, judges' initial impressions of sequentially appearing candidates may be formed step-by-step, yielding serial position effects.

Serial agonistic attacks by greylag goose families, Anser anser, against the same opponent

PubMed Central

Scheiber, Isabella B.R.; Kotrschal, Kurt; Weiß, Brigitte M.

2011-01-01

It is known from primates that alliance partners may support each other’s interests in competition with others, for example, through repeated agonistic attacks against a particular individual. We examined serial aggressive interactions between greylag goose families and other flock members. We found that repeated attacks towards the same individual were common and that up to five serial attacks by family members followed an initial attack. Family size did not affect the frequency of such serial attacks. Juvenile geese evidently benefited most from active social support through serial attacks. About 60% of the juveniles’ lost primary interactions were subsequently reversed by another family member. This may be one of the reasons why juveniles rank higher in the social hierarchy than would be expected from their age and size alone. Losses in serial attacks predominantly occurred against other, presumably higher-ranking, family geese and ganders. We propose three major functions/consequences of serial attacks. Analogous to primates, serial attacks in greylag geese may serve to reinforce a losing experience of an opponent defeated in a preceding attack. On the side of the winning family, serial attacks may reinforce the experience of winning. Both winning and losing experiences are linked with physiological consequences in higher vertebrates, affecting the future social performance of winners or losers. Finally, serial attacks may signal the agonistic potential of a family to other flock members. This is supported by heart rate data, which indicate that greylags are competent to interpret third-party relationships. PMID:21984838

Mixed infections and the competitive fitness of faster-acting genetically modified viruses

PubMed Central

Zwart, Mark P; Van Der Werf, Wopke; Van Oers, Monique M; Hemerik, Lia; Van Lent, Jan M V; De Visser, J Arjan G M; Vlak, Just M; Cory, Jenny S

2009-01-01

Faster-acting recombinant baculoviruses have shown potential for improved suppression of insect pests, but their ecological impact on target and nontarget hosts and naturally occurring pathogens needs to be assessed. Previous studies have focused on the fitness of recombinants at the between-hosts level. However, the population structure of the transmission stages will also be decided by within-host selection. Here we have experimentally quantified the within-host competitive fitness of a fast-acting recombinant Autographa californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus missing the endogenous egt gene (vEGTDEL), by means of direct competition in single- and serial-passage experiments with its parental virus. Quantitative real-time PCR was employed to determine the ratio of these two viruses in passaged mixtures. We found that vEGTDEL had reduced within-host fitness: per passage the ratio of wild type to vEGTDEL was on average enhanced by a factor of 1.53 (single passage) and 1.68 (serial passage). There is also frequency-dependence: the higher the frequency of vEGTDEL, the stronger the selection against it is. Additionally, the virus ratio is a predictor of time to host death and virus yield. Our results show that egt is important to within-host fitness and allow for a more complete assessment of the ecological impact of recombinant baculovirus release. PMID:25567862

Digitally programmable microfluidic automaton for multiscale combinatorial mixing and sample processing†

PubMed Central

Jensen, Erik C.; Stockton, Amanda M.; Chiesl, Thomas N.; Kim, Jungkyu; Bera, Abhisek; Mathies, Richard A.

2013-01-01

A digitally programmable microfluidic Automaton consisting of a 2-dimensional array of pneumatically actuated microvalves is programmed to perform new multiscale mixing and sample processing operations. Large (µL-scale) volume processing operations are enabled by precise metering of multiple reagents within individual nL-scale valves followed by serial repetitive transfer to programmed locations in the array. A novel process exploiting new combining valve concepts is developed for continuous rapid and complete mixing of reagents in less than 800 ms. Mixing, transfer, storage, and rinsing operations are implemented combinatorially to achieve complex assay automation protocols. The practical utility of this technology is demonstrated by performing automated serial dilution for quantitative analysis as well as the first demonstration of on-chip fluorescent derivatization of biomarker targets (carboxylic acids) for microchip capillary electrophoresis on the Mars Organic Analyzer. A language is developed to describe how unit operations are combined to form a microfluidic program. Finally, this technology is used to develop a novel microfluidic 6-sample processor for combinatorial mixing of large sets (>26 unique combinations) of reagents. The digitally programmable microfluidic Automaton is a versatile programmable sample processor for a wide range of process volumes, for multiple samples, and for different types of analyses. PMID:23172232

Scale and time dependence of serial correlations in word-length time series of written texts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez, E.; Aguilar-Cornejo, M.; Femat, R.; Alvarez-Ramirez, J.

2014-11-01

This work considered the quantitative analysis of large written texts. To this end, the text was converted into a time series by taking the sequence of word lengths. The detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) was used for characterizing long-range serial correlations of the time series. To this end, the DFA was implemented within a rolling window framework for estimating the variations of correlations, quantified in terms of the scaling exponent, strength along the text. Also, a filtering derivative was used to compute the dependence of the scaling exponent relative to the scale. The analysis was applied to three famous English-written literary narrations; namely, Alice in Wonderland (by Lewis Carrol), Dracula (by Bram Stoker) and Sense and Sensibility (by Jane Austen). The results showed that high correlations appear for scales of about 50-200 words, suggesting that at these scales the text contains the stronger coherence. The scaling exponent was not constant along the text, showing important variations with apparent cyclical behavior. An interesting coincidence between the scaling exponent variations and changes in narrative units (e.g., chapters) was found. This suggests that the scaling exponent obtained from the DFA is able to detect changes in narration structure as expressed by the usage of words of different lengths.

One step screening of retroviral producer clones by real time quantitative PCR.

PubMed

Towers, G J; Stockholm, D; Labrousse-Najburg, V; Carlier, F; Danos, O; Pagès, J C

1999-01-01

Recombinant retroviruses are obtained from either stably or transiently transfected retrovirus producer cells. In the case of stably producing lines, a large number of clones must be screened in order to select the one with the highest titre. The multi-step selection of high titre producing clones is time consuming and expensive. We have taken advantage of retroviral endogenous reverse transcription to develop a quantitative PCR assay on crude supernatant from producing clones. We used Taqman PCR technology, which, by using fluorescence measurement at each cycle of amplification, allows PCR product quantification. Fluorescence results from specific degradation of a probe oligonucleotide by the Taq polymerase 3'-5' exonuclease activity. Primers and probe sequences were chosen to anneal to the viral strong stop species, which is the first DNA molecule synthesised during reverse transcription. The protocol consists of a single real time PCR, using as template filtered viral supernatant without any other pre-treatment. We show that the primers and probe described allow quantitation of serially diluted plasmid to as few as 15 plasmid molecules. We then test 200 GFP-expressing retroviral-producing clones either by FACS analysis of infected cells or by using the quantitative PCR. We confirm that the Taqman protocol allows the detection of virus in supernatant and selection of high titre clones. Furthermore, we can determine infectious titre by quantitative PCR on genomic DNA from infected cells, using an additional set of primers and probe to albumin to normalise for the genomic copy number. We demonstrate that real time quantitative PCR can be used as a powerful and reliable single step, high throughput screen for high titre retroviral producer clones.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging: fundamentals and application to the evaluation of the peripheral perfusion

PubMed Central

Gordon, Yaron; Partovi, Sasan; Müller-Eschner, Matthias; Amarteifio, Erick; Bäuerle, Tobias; Weber, Marc-André; Kauczor, Hans-Ulrich

2014-01-01

Introduction The ability to ascertain information pertaining to peripheral perfusion through the analysis of tissues’ temporal reaction to the inflow of contrast agent (CA) was first recognized in the early 1990’s. Similar to other functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques such as arterial spin labeling (ASL) and blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) MRI, dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) was at first restricted to studies of the brain. Over the last two decades the spectrum of ailments, which have been studied with DCE-MRI, has been extensively broadened and has come to include pathologies of the heart notably infarction, stroke and further cerebral afflictions, a wide range of neoplasms with an emphasis on antiangiogenic treatment and early detection, as well as investigations of the peripheral vascular and musculoskeletal systems. Applications to peripheral perfusion DCE-MRI possesses an unparalleled capacity to quantitatively measure not only perfusion but also other diverse microvascular parameters such as vessel permeability and fluid volume fractions. More over the method is capable of not only assessing blood flowing through an organ, but in contrast to other noninvasive methods, the actual tissue perfusion. These unique features have recently found growing application in the study of the peripheral vascular system and most notably in the diagnosis and treatment of peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). Review outline The first part of this review will elucidate the fundamentals of data acquisition and interpretation of DCE-MRI, two areas that often remain baffling to the clinical and investigating physician because of their complexity. The second part will discuss developments and exciting perspectives of DCE-MRI regarding the assessment of perfusion in the extremities. Emerging clinical applications of DCE-MRI will be reviewed with a special focus on investigation of physiology and pathophysiology of the microvascular and vascular systems of the extremities. PMID:24834412

Applications of Doppler ultrasound in clinical vascular disease

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnes, R. W.; Hokanson, D. E.; Sumner, D. S.; Strandness, D. E., Jr.

1975-01-01

Doppler ultrasound has become the most useful and versatile noninvasive technique for objective evaluation of clinical vascular disease. Commercially available continuous-wave instruments provide qualitative and quantitative assessment of venous and arterial disease. Pulsed Doppler ultrasound was developed to provide longitudinal and transverse cross-sectional images of the arterial lumen with a resolution approaching that of conventional X-ray techniques. Application of Doppler ultrasound in venous, peripheral arterial, and cerebrovascular diseases is reviewed.

Distribution of subpopulations of dendritic cells in peripheral blood of patients treated with exogenous thyrotropin

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Dendritic cells (DCs) play a major role as regulators of inflammatory events associated with thyroid pathology. The immunoregulatory function of DCs depends strongly on their subtype, as well as maturation and activation status. Numerous hormonal factors modulate the immune properties of DCs, however, little is known about effects exerted by the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid-axis. Recently, we have shown a direct regulatory influence of thyroid hormones (TH) on human DCs function. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effect of systemically administered thyrotropin (TSH) on human blood DCs ex vivo. Methods Blood samples for the cytometric analysis of peripheral blood plasmacytoid and myeloid DCs subtypes were collected from patients subjected to total thyroidectomy because of differentiated thyroid carcinoma at 2 time points: (i) directly before the commencement of TSH administration and (ii) 5 days after first TSH injection. The whole blood quantitative and phenotypic analysis of plasmacytoid and myeloid DCs subtypes was performed by flow cytometry. Results Administration of TSH did not influence the percentage of plasmacytoid DCs in peripheral blood of study participants. Also the percentage of the two main myeloid DCs subpopulations – CD1c/BDCA1+ DCs and CD141/BDCA3+ DCs did not change significantly. TSH administration had no effect on the surface expression of CD86 – one of the major costimulatory molecules – neither in the whole peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) fraction nor in particular DCs subtypes. Conclusions In the present study, we demonstrated no influence of systemic TSH administration on human peripheral blood DCs subtypes. These results are in accordance with our previous work suggesting the direct effect of TH on human DCs ex vivo. PMID:23199104

Distribution of subpopulations of dendritic cells in peripheral blood of patients treated with exogenous thyrotropin.

PubMed

Stasiołek, Mariusz; Adamczewski, Zbigniew; Puła, Bartosz; Krawczyk-Rusiecka, Kinga; Zygmunt, Arkadiusz; Borowiecka, Magdalena; Dzięgiel, Piotr; Lewiński, Andrzej

2012-11-30

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a major role as regulators of inflammatory events associated with thyroid pathology. The immunoregulatory function of DCs depends strongly on their subtype, as well as maturation and activation status. Numerous hormonal factors modulate the immune properties of DCs, however, little is known about effects exerted by the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid-axis. Recently, we have shown a direct regulatory influence of thyroid hormones (TH) on human DCs function. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effect of systemically administered thyrotropin (TSH) on human blood DCs ex vivo. Blood samples for the cytometric analysis of peripheral blood plasmacytoid and myeloid DCs subtypes were collected from patients subjected to total thyroidectomy because of differentiated thyroid carcinoma at 2 time points: (i) directly before the commencement of TSH administration and (ii) 5 days after first TSH injection. The whole blood quantitative and phenotypic analysis of plasmacytoid and myeloid DCs subtypes was performed by flow cytometry. Administration of TSH did not influence the percentage of plasmacytoid DCs in peripheral blood of study participants. Also the percentage of the two main myeloid DCs subpopulations - CD1c/BDCA1+ DCs and CD141/BDCA3+ DCs did not change significantly. TSH administration had no effect on the surface expression of CD86 - one of the major costimulatory molecules - neither in the whole peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) fraction nor in particular DCs subtypes. In the present study, we demonstrated no influence of systemic TSH administration on human peripheral blood DCs subtypes. These results are in accordance with our previous work suggesting the direct effect of TH on human DCs ex vivo.

Nervous System Sensitization as a Predictor of Outcome in the Treatment of Peripheral Musculoskeletal Conditions: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

O'Leary, Helen; Smart, Keith M; Moloney, Niamh A; Doody, Catherine M

2017-02-01

Research suggests that peripheral and central nervous system sensitization can contribute to the overall pain experience in peripheral musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. It is unclear, however, whether sensitization of the nervous system results in poorer outcomes following the treatment. This systematic review investigated whether nervous system sensitization in peripheral MSK conditions predicts poorer clinical outcomes in response to a surgical or conservative intervention. Four electronic databases were searched to identify the relevant studies. Eligible studies had a prospective design, with a follow-up assessing the outcome in terms of pain or disability. Studies that used baseline indices of nervous system sensitization were included, such as quantitative sensory testing (QST) or questionnaires that measured centrally mediated symptoms. Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria, of which six were at a high risk of bias. The peripheral MSK conditions investigated were knee and hip osteoarthritis, shoulder pain, and elbow tendinopathy. QST parameters indicative of sensitization (lower electrical pain thresholds, cold hyperalgesia, enhanced temporal summation, lower punctate sharpness thresholds) were associated with negative outcome (more pain or disability) in 5 small exploratory studies. Larger studies that accounted for multiple confounders in design and analysis did not support a predictive relationship between QST parameters and outcome. Two studies used self-report measures to capture comorbid centrally mediated symptoms, and found higher questionnaire scores were independently predictive of more persistent pain following a total joint arthroplasty. This systematic review found insufficient evidence to support an independent predictive relationship between QST measures of nervous system sensitization and treatment outcome. Self-report measures demonstrated better predictive ability. Further high-quality prognostic research is warranted. © 2016 World Institute of Pain.

The Functional Determinants of Short-Term Memory: Evidence from Perceptual-Motor Interference in Verbal Serial Recall

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Robert W.; Marsh, John E.

2017-01-01

A functional, perceptual-motor, account of serial short-term memory (STM) is examined by investigating the way in which an irrelevant spoken sequence interferes with verbal serial recall. Even with visual list-presentation, verbal serial recall is particularly susceptible to disruption by irrelevant spoken stimuli that have the same identity…

Analyzing Current Serials in Virginia: An Application of the Ulrich's Serials Analysis System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metz, Paul; Gasser, Sharon

2006-01-01

VIVA (the Virtual Library of Virginia) was one of the first subscribers to R. R. Bowker's Ulrich's Serials Analysis System (USAS). Creating a database that combined a union report of current serial subscriptions within most academic libraries in the state with the data elements present in Ulrich's made possible a comprehensive analysis designed…

The serial process in visual search.

PubMed

Gilden, David L; Thornton, Thomas L; Marusich, Laura R

2010-06-01

The conditions for serial search are described. A multiple target search methodology (Thornton & Gilden, 2007) is used to home in on the simplest target/distractor contrast that effectively mandates a serial scheduling of attentional resources. It is found that serial search is required when (a) targets and distractors are mirror twins, and (b) when the search elements lack the Gestalt property of intrinsic orientation. The finding is put into the context of Feature Integration Theory (Treisman & Gelade, 1980) that first identified the occasions of serial search to be important to object perception and understanding.

The mRNA level of MLH1 in peripheral blood is a biomarker for the diagnosis of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer.

PubMed

Yu, Hong; Li, Hui; Cui, Yongan; Xiao, Wei; Dai, Guihong; Huang, Junxing; Wang, Chaofu

2016-01-01

Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is caused by functional defects in mismatch repair (MMR) genes, including mutL homolog 1 (MLH1) and mutS homolog 2 (MSH2). This study aimed to assess whether the mRNA expression of MLH1 in peripheral blood could be used as a biomarkers for the diagnosis of HNPCC. The mRNA level of MLH1 was determined in 19 HNPCC families (46 members) using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The mRNA levels of MLH1 in HNPCC were significantly lower than controls (P < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed a high diagnostic value of the mRNA level of MLH1 for the diagnosis of HNPCC with the area under curve of 0.858. At an optimal cut-off value (0.511), the mRNA level of MLH1 had a sensitivity of 81.3% and a specificity of 86.7% for distinguishing HNPCC from controls. In conclusion, the mRNA expression of MLH1 in peripheral blood may serve as a biomarker for the diagnosis of HNPCC.

Consensus criteria for sensitive detection of minimal neuroblastoma cells in bone marrow, blood and stem cell preparations by immunocytology and QRT-PCR: recommendations by the International Neuroblastoma Risk Group Task Force

PubMed Central

Beiske, K; Burchill, S A; Cheung, I Y; Hiyama, E; Seeger, R C; Cohn, S L; Pearson, A D J; Matthay, K K

2009-01-01

Disseminating disease is a predictive and prognostic indicator of poor outcome in children with neuroblastoma. Its accurate and sensitive assessment can facilitate optimal treatment decisions. The International Neuroblastoma Risk Group (INRG) Task Force has defined standardised methods for the determination of minimal disease (MD) by immunocytology (IC) and quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) using disialoganglioside GD2 and tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA respectively. The INRG standard operating procedures (SOPs) define methods for collecting, processing and evaluating bone marrow (BM), peripheral blood (PB) and peripheral blood stem cell harvest by IC and QRT-PCR. Sampling PB and BM is recommended at diagnosis, before and after myeloablative therapy and at the end of treatment. Peripheral blood stem cell products should be analysed at the time of harvest. Performing MD detection according to INRG SOPs will enable laboratories throughout the world to compare their results and thus facilitate quality-controlled multi-centre prospective trials to assess the clinical significance of MD and minimal residual disease in heterogeneous patient groups. PMID:19401690

Effective model development of internal auditors in the village financial institution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arsana, I. M. M.; Sugiarta, I. N.

2018-01-01

Designing an effective audit system is complex and challenging, and a focus on examining how internal audit drive improvement in three core performance dimensions ethicality, efficiency, and effectiveness in organization is needed. The problem of research is how the desain model and peripheral of supporter of effective supervation Village Credit Institution? Research of objectives is yielding the desain model and peripheral of supporter of effective supervation Village Credit Institution. Method Research use data collecting technique interview, observation and enquette. Data analysis, data qualitative before analysed to be turned into quantitative data in the form of scale. Each variable made to become five classificat pursuant to scale of likert. Data analysed descriptively to find supervation level, Structural Equation Model (SEM) to find internal and eksternal factor. So that desain model supervation with descriptive analysis. Result of research desain model and peripheral of supporter of effective supervation Village Credit Institution. The conclusion desain model supported by three sub system: sub system institute yield body supervisor of Village Credit Institution, sub system standardization and working procedure yield standard operating procedure supervisor of Village Credit Institution, sub system education and training yield supervisor professional of Village Credit Institution.

Circulating Long Noncoding RNAs as Potential Biomarkers of Sepsis: A Preliminary Study.

PubMed

Dai, Yu; Liang, Zhixin; Li, Yulin; Li, Chunsun; Chen, Liangan

2017-11-01

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are becoming promising biomarker candidates in various diseases as assessed via sequencing technologies. Sepsis is a life-threatening disease without ideal biomarkers. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression profile of lncRNAs in the peripheral blood of sepsis patients and to find potential biomarkers of sepsis. A lncRNA expression profile was performed using peripheral blood from three sepsis patients and three healthy volunteers using microarray screening. The differentially expressed lncRNAs were validated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in a further set of 22 sepsis patients and 22 healthy volunteers. Among 1316 differentially expressed lncRNAs, 771 were downregulated and 545 were upregulated. Results of the qRT-PCR were consistent with the microarray data. lncRNA ENST00000452391.1, uc001vji.1, and uc021zxw.1 were significantly differentially expressed between sepsis patients and healthy volunteers. Moreover, lncRNA ENST00000504301.1 and ENST00000452391.1 were significantly differentially expressed between sepsis survivors and nonsurvivors. The lncRNA expression profile in the peripheral blood of sepsis patients significantly differed from that of healthy volunteers. Circulating lncRNAs may be good candidates for sepsis biomarkers.

Thymus function in drug-induced lupus.

PubMed

Rubin, R L; Salomon, D R; Guerrero, R S

2001-01-01

Autoimmunity develops when a lupus-inducing drug is introduced into the thymus of normal mice, but the relevance of this model to the human disorder is unclear in part because it is widely assumed that the thymus is non-functional in the adult. We compared thymus function in 10 patients with symptomatic procainamide-induced lupus to that in 13 asymptomatic patients who only developed drug-induced autoantibodies. T cell output from the thymus was quantified using a competitive polymerase chain reaction that detects T cell receptor DNA excision circles in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Despite the advanced age of the patient population under study, newly generated T cells were detected in all subjects. Although there was no overall quantitative difference between the symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, we found a positive correlation between the level of T cell receptor excision circles in peripheral lymphocytes and serum IgG anti-chromatin antibody activity in patients with drug-induced lupus. The association between autoantibodies and nascent peripheral T cells supports the requirement for T cells in autoantibody production. Our observations are consistent with findings in mice in which autoreactive T cells derived from drug-induced abnormalities in T cell development in the thymus.

In Vitro Analysis of the Role of Schwann Cells on Axonal Degeneration and Regeneration Using Sensory Neurons from Dorsal Root Ganglia.

PubMed

López-Leal, Rodrigo; Diaz, Paula; Court, Felipe A

2018-01-01

Sensory neurons from dorsal root ganglion efficiently regenerate after peripheral nerve injuries. These neurons are widely used as a model system to study degenerative mechanisms of the soma and axons, as well as regenerative axonal growth in the peripheral nervous system. This chapter describes techniques associated to the study of axonal degeneration and regeneration using explant cultures of dorsal root ganglion sensory neurons in vitro in the presence or absence of Schwann cells. Schwann cells are extremely important due to their involvement in tissue clearance during axonal degeneration as well as their known pro-regenerative effect during regeneration in the peripheral nervous system. We describe methods to induce and study axonal degeneration triggered by axotomy (mechanical separation of the axon from its soma) and treatment with vinblastine (which blocks axonal transport), which constitute clinically relevant mechanical and toxic models of axonal degeneration. In addition, we describe three different methods to evaluate axonal regeneration using quantitative methods. These protocols constitute a valuable tool to analyze in vitro mechanisms associated to axonal degeneration and regeneration of sensory neurons and the role of Schwann cells in these processes.

Improving validation methods for molecular diagnostics: application of Bland-Altman, Deming and simple linear regression analyses in assay comparison and evaluation for next-generation sequencing

PubMed Central

Misyura, Maksym; Sukhai, Mahadeo A; Kulasignam, Vathany; Zhang, Tong; Kamel-Reid, Suzanne; Stockley, Tracy L

2018-01-01

Aims A standard approach in test evaluation is to compare results of the assay in validation to results from previously validated methods. For quantitative molecular diagnostic assays, comparison of test values is often performed using simple linear regression and the coefficient of determination (R2), using R2 as the primary metric of assay agreement. However, the use of R2 alone does not adequately quantify constant or proportional errors required for optimal test evaluation. More extensive statistical approaches, such as Bland-Altman and expanded interpretation of linear regression methods, can be used to more thoroughly compare data from quantitative molecular assays. Methods We present the application of Bland-Altman and linear regression statistical methods to evaluate quantitative outputs from next-generation sequencing assays (NGS). NGS-derived data sets from assay validation experiments were used to demonstrate the utility of the statistical methods. Results Both Bland-Altman and linear regression were able to detect the presence and magnitude of constant and proportional error in quantitative values of NGS data. Deming linear regression was used in the context of assay comparison studies, while simple linear regression was used to analyse serial dilution data. Bland-Altman statistical approach was also adapted to quantify assay accuracy, including constant and proportional errors, and precision where theoretical and empirical values were known. Conclusions The complementary application of the statistical methods described in this manuscript enables more extensive evaluation of performance characteristics of quantitative molecular assays, prior to implementation in the clinical molecular laboratory. PMID:28747393

The autonomic laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Low, P. A.; Opfer-Gehrking, T. L.

1999-01-01

The autonomic nervous system can now be studied quantitatively, noninvasively, and reproducibly in a clinical autonomic laboratory. The approach at the Mayo Clinic is to study the postganglionic sympathetic nerve fibers of peripheral nerve (using the quantitative sudomotor axon reflex test [QSART]), the parasympathetic nerves to the heart (cardiovagal tests), and the regulation of blood pressure by the baroreflexes (adrenergic tests). Patient preparation is extremely important, since the state of the patient influences the results of autonomic function tests. The autonomic technologist in this evolving field needs to have a solid core of knowledge of autonomic physiology and autonomic function tests, followed by training in the performance of these tests in a standardized fashion. The range and utilization of tests of autonomic function will likely continue to evolve.

Correlation between quantitative whole-body muscle magnetic resonance imaging and clinical muscle weakness in Pompe disease.

PubMed

Horvath, Jeffrey J; Austin, Stephanie L; Case, Laura E; Greene, Karla B; Jones, Harrison N; Soher, Brian J; Kishnani, Priya S; Bashir, Mustafa R

2015-05-01

Previous examination of whole-body muscle involvement in Pompe disease has been limited to physical examination and/or qualitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In this study we assess the feasibility of quantitative proton-density fat-fraction (PDFF) whole-body MRI in late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) and compare the results with manual muscle testing. Seven LOPD patients and 11 disease-free controls underwent whole-body PDFF MRI. Quantitative MR muscle group assessments were compared with physical testing of muscle groups. The 95% upper limits of confidence intervals for muscle groups were 4.9-12.6% in controls and 6.8-76.4% in LOPD patients. LOPD patients showed severe and consistent tongue and axial muscle group involvement, with less marked involvement of peripheral musculature. MRI was more sensitive than physical examination for detection of abnormality in multiple muscle groups. This integrated, quantitative approach to muscle assessment provides more detailed data than physical examination and may have clinical utility for monitoring disease progression and treatment response. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Analysis and quantification of endovascular coil distribution inside saccular aneurysms using histological images.

PubMed

Morales, Hernán G; Larrabide, Ignacio; Geers, Arjan J; Dai, Daying; Kallmes, David F; Frangi, Alejandro F

2013-11-01

Endovascular coiling is often performed by first placing coils along the aneurysm wall to create a frame and then by filling up the aneurysm core. However, little attention has been paid to quantifying this filling strategy and to see how it changes for different packing densities. The purpose of this work is to analyze and quantify endovascular coil distribution inside aneurysms based on serial histological images of experimental aneurysms. Seventeen histological images from 10 elastase-induced saccular aneurysms in rabbits treated with coils were studied. In-slice coil density, defined as the area taken up by coil winds, was calculated on each histological image. Images were analyzed by partitioning the aneurysm along its longitudinal and radial axes. Coil distribution was quantified by measuring and comparing the in-slice coil density of each partition. Mean total in-slice coil density was 22.0 ± 6.2% (range 10.1-30.2%). The density was non-significantly different (p = 0.465) along the longitudinal axis. A significant difference (p < 0.001) between peripheral and core densities was found. Additionally, the peripheral-core density ratio was observed to be inversely proportional to the total in-slice coil density (R(2)=0.57, p <0.001). This ratio was near unity for high in-slice coil density (around 30%). These findings demonstrate and confirm that coils tend to be located near the aneurysm periphery when few are inserted. However, when more coils are added, the radial distribution becomes more homogeneous. Coils are homogeneously distributed along the longitudinal axis.

Multicenter Analysis of Immune Biomarkers and Heart Transplant Outcomes: Results of the Clinical Trials in Organ Transplantation-05 Study.

PubMed

Starling, R C; Stehlik, J; Baran, D A; Armstrong, B; Stone, J R; Ikle, D; Morrison, Y; Bridges, N D; Putheti, P; Strom, T B; Bhasin, M; Guleria, I; Chandraker, A; Sayegh, M; Daly, K P; Briscoe, D M; Heeger, P S

2016-01-01

Identification of biomarkers that assess posttransplant risk is needed to improve long-term outcomes following heart transplantation. The Clinical Trials in Organ Transplantation (CTOT)-05 protocol was an observational, multicenter, cohort study of 200 heart transplant recipients followed for the first posttransplant year. The primary endpoint was a composite of death, graft loss/retransplantation, biopsy-proven acute rejection (BPAR), and cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) as defined by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). We serially measured anti-HLA- and auto-antibodies, angiogenic proteins, peripheral blood allo-reactivity, and peripheral blood gene expression patterns. We correlated assay results and clinical characteristics with the composite endpoint and its components. The composite endpoint was associated with older donor allografts (p < 0.03) and with recipient anti-HLA antibody (p < 0.04). Recipient CMV-negativity (regardless of donor status) was associated with BPAR (p < 0.001), and increases in plasma vascular endothelial growth factor-C (OR 20; 95%CI:1.9-218) combined with decreases in endothelin-1 (OR 0.14; 95%CI:0.02-0.97) associated with CAV. The remaining biomarkers showed no relationships with the study endpoints. While suboptimal endpoint definitions and lower than anticipated event rates were identified as potential study limitations, the results of this multicenter study do not yet support routine use of the selected assays as noninvasive approaches to detect BPAR and/or CAV following heart transplantation. © Copyright 2015 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Endurance training attenuates the increase in peripheral chemoreflex sensitivity with intermittent hypoxia

PubMed Central

Miller, Amanda J.; Sauder, Charity L.; Cauffman, Aimee E.; Blaha, Cheryl A.

2017-01-01

Patients with heart failure and sleep apnea have greater chemoreflex sensitivity, presumably due to intermittent hypoxia (IH), and this is predictive of mortality. We hypothesized that endurance training would attenuate the effect of IH on peripheral chemoreflex sensitivity in healthy humans. Fifteen young healthy subjects (9 female, 26 ± 1 yr) participated. Between visits, 11 subjects underwent 8 wk of endurance training that included running four times/wk at 80% predicted maximum heart rate and interval training, and four control subjects did not change activity. Chemoreflex sensitivity (the slope of ventilation responses to serial oxygen desaturations), blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) were assessed before and after 30 min of IH. Endurance training decreased resting systolic blood pressure (119 ± 3 to 113 ± 3 mmHg; P = 0.027) and heart rate (67 ± 3 to 61 ± 2 beats/min; P = 0.004) but did not alter respiratory parameters at rest (P > 0.2). Endurance training attenuated the IH-induced increase in chemoreflex sensitivity (pretraining: Δ 0.045 ± 0.026 vs. posttraining: Δ −0.028 ± 0.040 l·min−1·% O2 desaturation−1; P = 0.045). Furthermore, IH increased mean blood pressure and MSNA burst rate before training (P < 0.05), but IH did not alter these measures after training (P > 0.2). All measurements were similar in the control subjects at both visits (P > 0.05). Endurance training attenuates chemoreflex sensitization to IH, which may partially explain the beneficial effects of exercise training in patients with cardiovascular disease. PMID:28039190

Supervised exercise improves cutaneous reinnervation capacity in metabolic syndrome patients.

PubMed

Singleton, J Robinson; Marcus, Robin L; Lessard, Margaret K; Jackson, Justin E; Smith, A Gordon

2015-01-01

Unmyelinated cutaneous axons are vulnerable to physical and metabolic injury, but also capable of rapid regeneration. This balance may help determine risk for peripheral neuropathy associated with diabetes or metabolic syndrome. Capsaicin application for 48 hours induces cutaneous fibers to die back into the dermis. Regrowth can be monitored by serial skin biopsies to determine intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD). We used this capsaicin axotomy technique to examine the effects of exercise on cutaneous regenerative capacity in the setting of metabolic syndrome. Baseline ankle IENFD and 30-day cutaneous regeneration after thigh capsaicin axotomy were compared for participants with type 2 diabetes (n = 35) or metabolic syndrome (n = 32) without symptoms or examination evidence of neuropathy. Thirty-six participants (17 with metabolic syndrome) then joined twice weekly observed exercise and lifestyle counseling. Axotomy regeneration was repeated in month 4 during this intervention. Baseline distal leg IENFD was significantly reduced for both metabolic syndrome and diabetic groups. With exercise, participants significantly improved exercise capacity and lower extremity power. Following exercise, 30-day reinnervation rate improved (0.051 ± 0.027 fibers/mm/day before vs 0.072 ± 0.030 after exercise, p = 0.002). Those who achieved improvement in more metabolic syndrome features experienced a greater degree of 30-day reinnervation (p < 0.012). Metabolic syndrome was associated with reduced baseline IENFD and cutaneous regeneration capacity comparable to that seen in diabetes. Exercise-induced improvement in metabolic syndrome features increased cutaneous regenerative capacity. The results underscore the potential benefit to peripheral nerve function of a behavioral modification approach to metabolic improvement. © 2014 American Neurological Association.

Accuracy of indexing coverage information as reported by serials sources.

PubMed Central

Eldredge, J D

1993-01-01

This article reports on the accuracy of indexing service coverage information listed in three serials sources: Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory, SERLINE, and The Serials Directory. The titles studied were randomly selected journals that began publication in either 1981 or 1986. Aggregate results reveal that these serials sources perform at 92%, 97%, and 95% levels of accuracy respectively. When the results are analyzed by specific indexing services by year, the performance scores ranged from 80% to 100%. All three serials sources tend to underreport index coverage. The author advances five recommendations for improving index coverage accuracy and four specific proposals for future research. The results suggest that, for the immediate future, librarians should treat index coverage information reported in these three serials sources with some skepticism. PMID:8251971

Platelet amyloid precursor protein isoform expression in Alzheimer's disease: evidence for peripheral marker.

PubMed

Vignini, A; Sartini, D; Morganti, S; Nanetti, L; Luzzi, S; Provinciali, L; Mazzanti, L; Emanuelli, M

2011-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a progressive cognitive and memory decline. Among peripheral markers of AD, great interest has been focused on the amyloid precursor protein (APP). In this regard, platelets represent an important peripheral source of APP since it has been demonstrated that the three major isoforms, that are constituted of 770, 751 and 695 aa residues, are inserted in the membrane of resting platelets. APP 751 and APP 770 contain a Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor domain (APP KPI) and APP 695 lacks this domain. To address this issue, we first examined the platelet APP isoform mRNAs prospectively as biomarker for the diagnosis of AD by means of real-time quantitative PCR, and then evaluated the correlation between APP mRNA expression levels and cognitive impairment of enrolled subjects. Differential gene expression measurements in the AD patient group (n=18) revealed a significant up-regulation of APP TOT (1.52-fold), APP KPI (1.32-fold), APP 770 (1.33-fold) and APP 751 (1.26-fold) compared to controls (n=22). Moreover, a statistically significant positive correlation was found between APP mRNA levels (TOT, KPI, 770 and 751) and cognitive impairment. Since AD definitive diagnosis still relies on pathological evaluation at autopsy, the present results are consistent with the hypothesis that platelet APP could be considered a potential reliable peripheral marker for studying AD and could contribute to define a signature for the presence of AD pathology.

Mathematical modeling of bone marrow--peripheral blood dynamics in the disease state based on current emerging paradigms, part I.

PubMed

Afenya, Evans K; Ouifki, Rachid; Camara, Baba I; Mundle, Suneel D

2016-04-01

Stemming from current emerging paradigms related to the cancer stem cell hypothesis, an existing mathematical model is expanded and used to study cell interaction dynamics in the bone marrow and peripheral blood. The proposed mathematical model is described by a system of nonlinear differential equations with delay, to quantify the dynamics in abnormal hematopoiesis. The steady states of the model are analytically and numerically obtained. Some conditions for the local asymptotic stability of such states are investigated. Model analyses suggest that malignancy may be irreversible once it evolves from a nonmalignant state into a malignant one and no intervention takes place. This leads to the proposition that a great deal of emphasis be placed on cancer prevention. Nevertheless, should malignancy arise, treatment programs for its containment or curtailment may have to include a maximum and extensive level of effort to protect normal cells from eventual destruction. Further model analyses and simulations predict that in the untreated disease state, there is an evolution towards a situation in which malignant cells dominate the entire bone marrow - peripheral blood system. Arguments are then advanced regarding requirements for quantitatively understanding cancer stem cell behavior. Among the suggested requirements are, mathematical frameworks for describing the dynamics of cancer initiation and progression, the response to treatment, the evolution of resistance, and malignancy prevention dynamics within the bone marrow - peripheral blood architecture. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emotional stress recognition using a new fusion link between electroencephalogram and peripheral signals

PubMed Central

Hosseini, Seyyed Abed; Khalilzadeh, Mohammad Ali; Naghibi-Sistani, Mohammad Bagher; Homam, Seyyed Mehran

2015-01-01

Background: This paper proposes a new emotional stress assessment system using multi-modal bio-signals. Electroencephalogram (EEG) is the reflection of brain activity and is widely used in clinical diagnosis and biomedical research. Methods: We design an efficient acquisition protocol to acquire the EEG signals in five channels (FP1, FP2, T3, T4 and Pz) and peripheral signals such as blood volume pulse, skin conductance (SC) and respiration, under images induction (calm-neutral and negatively excited) for the participants. The visual stimuli images are selected from the subset International Affective Picture System database. The qualitative and quantitative evaluation of peripheral signals are used to select suitable segments of EEG signals for improving the accuracy of signal labeling according to emotional stress states. After pre-processing, wavelet coefficients, fractal dimension, and Lempel-Ziv complexity are used to extract the features of the EEG signals. The vast number of features leads to the problem of dimensionality, which is solved using the genetic algorithm as a feature selection method. Results: The results show that the average classification accuracy is 89.6% for two categories of emotional stress states using the support vector machine (SVM). Conclusion: This is a great improvement in results compared to other similar researches. We achieve a noticeable improvement of 11.3% in accuracy using SVM classifier, in compared to previous studies. Therefore, a new fusion between EEG and peripheral signals are more robust in comparison to the separate signals. PMID:26622979

Emotional stress recognition using a new fusion link between electroencephalogram and peripheral signals.

PubMed

Hosseini, Seyyed Abed; Khalilzadeh, Mohammad Ali; Naghibi-Sistani, Mohammad Bagher; Homam, Seyyed Mehran

2015-07-06

This paper proposes a new emotional stress assessment system using multi-modal bio-signals. Electroencephalogram (EEG) is the reflection of brain activity and is widely used in clinical diagnosis and biomedical research. We design an efficient acquisition protocol to acquire the EEG signals in five channels (FP1, FP2, T3, T4 and Pz) and peripheral signals such as blood volume pulse, skin conductance (SC) and respiration, under images induction (calm-neutral and negatively excited) for the participants. The visual stimuli images are selected from the subset International Affective Picture System database. The qualitative and quantitative evaluation of peripheral signals are used to select suitable segments of EEG signals for improving the accuracy of signal labeling according to emotional stress states. After pre-processing, wavelet coefficients, fractal dimension, and Lempel-Ziv complexity are used to extract the features of the EEG signals. The vast number of features leads to the problem of dimensionality, which is solved using the genetic algorithm as a feature selection method. The results show that the average classification accuracy is 89.6% for two categories of emotional stress states using the support vector machine (SVM). This is a great improvement in results compared to other similar researches. We achieve a noticeable improvement of 11.3% in accuracy using SVM classifier, in compared to previous studies. Therefore, a new fusion between EEG and peripheral signals are more robust in comparison to the separate signals.

ICP-MS Analysis of Lanthanide-Doped Nanoparticles as a Non-Radiative, Multiplex Approach to Quantify Biodistribution and Blood Clearance

PubMed Central

Crayton, Samuel H.; Elias, Andrew; Al-Zaki, Ajlan; Cheng, Zhiliang; Tsourkas, Andrew

2011-01-01

Recent advances in material science and chemistry have led to the development of nanoparticles with diverse physicochemical properties, e.g. size, charge, shape, and surface chemistry. Evaluating which physicochemical properties are best for imaging and therapeutic studies is challenging not only because of the multitude of samples to evaluate, but also because of the large experimental variability associated with in vivo studies (e.g. differences in tumor size, injected dose, subject weight, etc.). To address this issue, we have developed a lanthanide-doped nanoparticle system and analytical method that allows for the quantitative comparison of multiple nanoparticle compositions simultaneously. Specifically, superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) with a range of different sizes and charges were synthesized, each with a unique lanthanide dopant. Following the simultaneous injection of the various SPIO compositions into tumor-bearing mice, inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) was used to quantitatively and orthogonally assess the concentration of each SPIO composition in serial blood samples and the resected tumor and organs. The method proved generalizable to other nanoparticle platforms, including dendrimers, liposomes, and polymersomes. This approach provides a simple, cost-effective, and non-radiative method to quantitatively compare tumor localization, biodistribution, and blood clearance of more than 10 nanoparticle compositions simultaneously, removing subject-to-subject variability. PMID:22100983

Quantitation of apolipoprotein epsilon gene expression by competitive polymerase chain reaction in a patient with familial apolipoprotein E deficiency.

PubMed

Dobmeyer, J M; Rexin, M; Dobmeyer, T S; Klein, S A; Rossol, R; Feussner, G

1998-06-22

A simple method of obtaining semiquantitative and reliable data on apolipoprotein (apo) sigma gene expression is described. We detected apo sigma specific sequences by reverse transcription (rT)-PCR. For quantitative measurement, an apo sigma DNA standard was produced allowing the development of a competitive PCR-method. The efficiency of RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis was controlled by quantitation of a housekeeping gene (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphatedehydrogenase, G3PDH) in separate reactions. To imitate a defined induction of apo sigma gene expression, serial twofold dilutions of total RNA were reversely transcribed and the respective cDNAs used to perform a competitive apo sigma and G3PDH PCR. The change in apo sigma cDNA and G3PDH cDNA was 1.7-2.3-fold with an expected value of 2.0-fold. Standard deviations in three independently performed experiments were within a range of < 15% of the mean, indicating low intra-assay variation and high reproducibility. To illustrate this method, apo sigma gene expression was measured in a patient with complete lack of functional active apo E in comparison to healthy controls. The method presented here might be valuable in assessment of apo sigma gene expression in human disease.

Quantitative near-infrared spectroscopy on patients with peripheral vascular disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franceschini, Maria-Angela; Fantini, Sergio; Palumbo, Renato; Pasqualini, Leonella; Vaudo, Gaetano; Franceschini, Edoardo; Gratton, Enrico; Palumbo, Barbara; Innocente, Salvatore; Mannarino, Elmo

1998-01-01

We have used near-infrared spectroscopy to measure the hemoglobin saturation at rest and during exercise on patients affected by peripheral vascular disease (PVD). The instrument used in our study is a frequency-domain tissue oximeter which employs intensity modulated (110 MHz) laser diodes. We examined 9 subjects, 3 of which were controls and 6 were patients affected by stage II PVD. The optical probe was located on the calf muscle of the subjects. The measurement protocol consisted of: (1) baseline (approximately 5 min); (2) stationary bicycle exercise (approximately 5 min); (3) recovery (approximately 15 min). The change in hemoglobin saturation during exercise ((Delta) Y) and the recovery time after exercise (trec) were significantly greater in the PVD patients ((Delta) Y equals -21 +/- 3%, trec equals 5.9 +/- 3.8 min) than in the control subjects ((Delta) Y equals 2 +/- 3%, trec equals 0.6 +/- 0.1 min).

A neurophysiologically plausible population code model for feature integration explains visual crowding.

PubMed

van den Berg, Ronald; Roerdink, Jos B T M; Cornelissen, Frans W

2010-01-22

An object in the peripheral visual field is more difficult to recognize when surrounded by other objects. This phenomenon is called "crowding". Crowding places a fundamental constraint on human vision that limits performance on numerous tasks. It has been suggested that crowding results from spatial feature integration necessary for object recognition. However, in the absence of convincing models, this theory has remained controversial. Here, we present a quantitative and physiologically plausible model for spatial integration of orientation signals, based on the principles of population coding. Using simulations, we demonstrate that this model coherently accounts for fundamental properties of crowding, including critical spacing, "compulsory averaging", and a foveal-peripheral anisotropy. Moreover, we show that the model predicts increased responses to correlated visual stimuli. Altogether, these results suggest that crowding has little immediate bearing on object recognition but is a by-product of a general, elementary integration mechanism in early vision aimed at improving signal quality.

Neurologic examination and instrument-based measurements in the evaluation of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow.

PubMed

Omejec, Gregor; Podnar, Simon

2018-06-01

The aim of the study was to compare the utility of instrument-based assessment of peripheral nerve function with the neurologic examination in ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE). We prospectively recruited consecutive patients with suspected UNE, performed a neurologic examination, and performed instrument-based measurements (muscle cross-sectional area by ultrasonography, muscle strength by dynamometry, and sensation using monofilaments). We found good correlations between clinical estimates and corresponding instrument-based measurements, with similar ability to diagnose UNE and predict UNE pathophysiology. Although instrument-based methods provide quantitative evaluation of peripheral nerve function, we did not find them to be more sensitive or specific in the diagnosis of UNE than the standard neurologic examination. Likewise, instrument-based methods were not better able to differentiate between groups of UNE patients with different pathophysiologies. Muscle Nerve 57: 951-957, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Specific features of direct formation of graphite-like microstructures in polycarbonate samples by single femtosecond laser pulses

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

Ganin, D V; Lapshin, K E; Obidin, A Z

2015-11-30

We present the result of the experiments on producing graphite-like cylindrical microstructures by focusing single femtosecond laser pulses into the bulk of a transparent polymer (polycarbonate). The microstructures are embedded in a cladding with a modified refractive index, possessing waveguide properties. In the experiments with nontransparent screens and diaphragms, placed in the laser beam in front of the entrance pupil of the objective with a large numerical aperture, we have found that the paraxial rays are blocked by the peripheral ones, which reduces the length of the destruction region in the pre-focal zone. In the experiments with transparent screens andmore » diaphragms, introducing optical delays τ{sub d} between the paraxial and peripheral rays, the quantitative dependence of the destruction region length in the pre-focal zone on the value of τ{sub d} is determined. (interaction of laser radiation with matter. laser plasma)« less

Mechanical Serial-Sectioning Data Assistant

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

Poulter, Gregory A.; Madison, Jonathan D.

Mechanical Serial-Sectioning Data Assistant (MECH-SSDA) is a real-time data analytics software with graphical user-interface that; 1) tracks and visualizes material removal rates for mechanical serial-sectioning experiments using at least two height measurement methods; 2) tracks process time for specific segments of the serial-sectioning experiment; and 3) alerts the user to anomalies in expected removal rate, process time or unanticipated operational pauses

Using Serial and Discrete Digit Naming to Unravel Word Reading Processes

PubMed Central

Altani, Angeliki; Protopapas, Athanassios; Georgiou, George K.

2018-01-01

During reading acquisition, word recognition is assumed to undergo a developmental shift from slow serial/sublexical processing of letter strings to fast parallel processing of whole word forms. This shift has been proposed to be detected by examining the size of the relationship between serial- and discrete-trial versions of word reading and rapid naming tasks. Specifically, a strong association between serial naming of symbols and single word reading suggests that words are processed serially, whereas a strong association between discrete naming of symbols and single word reading suggests that words are processed in parallel as wholes. In this study, 429 Grade 1, 3, and 5 English-speaking Canadian children were tested on serial and discrete digit naming and word reading. Across grades, single word reading was more strongly associated with discrete naming than with serial naming of digits, indicating that short high-frequency words are processed as whole units early in the development of reading ability in English. In contrast, serial naming was not a unique predictor of single word reading across grades, suggesting that within-word sequential processing was not required for the successful recognition for this set of words. Factor mixture analysis revealed that our participants could be clustered into two classes, namely beginning and more advanced readers. Serial naming uniquely predicted single word reading only among the first class of readers, indicating that novice readers rely on a serial strategy to decode words. Yet, a considerable proportion of Grade 1 students were assigned to the second class, evidently being able to process short high-frequency words as unitized symbols. We consider these findings together with those from previous studies to challenge the hypothesis of a binary distinction between serial/sublexical and parallel/lexical processing in word reading. We argue instead that sequential processing in word reading operates on a continuum, depending on the level of reading proficiency, the degree of orthographic transparency, and word-specific characteristics. PMID:29706918

Using Serial and Discrete Digit Naming to Unravel Word Reading Processes.

PubMed

Altani, Angeliki; Protopapas, Athanassios; Georgiou, George K

2018-01-01

During reading acquisition, word recognition is assumed to undergo a developmental shift from slow serial/sublexical processing of letter strings to fast parallel processing of whole word forms. This shift has been proposed to be detected by examining the size of the relationship between serial- and discrete-trial versions of word reading and rapid naming tasks. Specifically, a strong association between serial naming of symbols and single word reading suggests that words are processed serially, whereas a strong association between discrete naming of symbols and single word reading suggests that words are processed in parallel as wholes. In this study, 429 Grade 1, 3, and 5 English-speaking Canadian children were tested on serial and discrete digit naming and word reading. Across grades, single word reading was more strongly associated with discrete naming than with serial naming of digits, indicating that short high-frequency words are processed as whole units early in the development of reading ability in English. In contrast, serial naming was not a unique predictor of single word reading across grades, suggesting that within-word sequential processing was not required for the successful recognition for this set of words. Factor mixture analysis revealed that our participants could be clustered into two classes, namely beginning and more advanced readers. Serial naming uniquely predicted single word reading only among the first class of readers, indicating that novice readers rely on a serial strategy to decode words. Yet, a considerable proportion of Grade 1 students were assigned to the second class, evidently being able to process short high-frequency words as unitized symbols. We consider these findings together with those from previous studies to challenge the hypothesis of a binary distinction between serial/sublexical and parallel/lexical processing in word reading. We argue instead that sequential processing in word reading operates on a continuum, depending on the level of reading proficiency, the degree of orthographic transparency, and word-specific characteristics.

Determination of the four major surfactant classes in cleaning products by reversed-phase liquid chromatography using serially connected UV and evaporative light-scattering detection.

PubMed

Escrig-Doménech, Aarón; Simó-Alfonso, Ernesto F; Ramis-Ramos, Guillermo

2016-08-17

A method for the simultaneous determination of the most frequently used surfactant families -linear alkyl benzenesulphonates (LAS), alkyl ether sulphates (AES), fatty alcohol ethoxylates (FAE) and oleins (soaps, fatty acid salts) - in cleaning products, has been developed. The common reversed phase octyl (C8), pentafluorophenyl and biphenyl columns were not capable of separating the anionic LAS and AES classes; however, since only LAS absorbs in the UV, these two classes were independently quantified using a C8 column and serially connected UV and ELSD detection. The best compromise to resolve the four surfactant classes and the oligomers within the classes was achieved with a C8 column and an ACN/water gradient. To enhance retention of the anionic surfactants, ammonium acetate, as an ion-pairing agent compatible with ELSD detection, was used. Also, to shift the olein peaks with respect to that of the FAE oligomers, acetic acid was used. In the optimized method, modulation of the mobile phase, using ammonium acetate during elution of LAS and AES, and acetic acid after elution of LAS and AES, was provided. Quantitation of the overlapped LAS and AES classes was achieved by using the UV detector to quantitate LAS and the ELSD to determine AES by difference. Accuracy in the determination of AES was achieved by using a quadratic model, and by correcting the predicted AES concentration according to the LAS concentration previously established using the UV chromatogram. Another approach also leading to accurate predictions of the AES concentration was to increase the AES concentrations in the samples by adding a standard solution. In the samples reinforced with AES, correction of the predicted AES concentration was not required. FAE and olein were quantified using also quadratic calibration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of salivary collection and processing methods for quantitative HHV-8 detection.

PubMed

Speicher, D J; Johnson, N W

2014-10-01

Saliva is a proved diagnostic fluid for the qualitative detection of infectious agents, but the accuracy of viral load determinations is unknown. Stabilising fluids impede nucleic acid degradation, compared with collection onto ice and then freezing, and we have shown that the DNA Genotek P-021 prototype kit (P-021) can produce high-quality DNA after 14 months of storage at room temperature. Here we evaluate the quantitative capability of 10 collection/processing methods. Unstimulated whole mouth fluid was spiked with a mixture of HHV-8 cloned constructs, 10-fold serial dilutions were produced, and samples were extracted and then examined with quantitative PCR (qPCR). Calibration curves were compared by linear regression and qPCR dynamics. All methods extracted with commercial spin columns produced linear calibration curves with large dynamic range and gave accurate viral loads. Ethanol precipitation of the P-021 does not produce a linear standard curve, and virus is lost in the cell pellet. DNA extractions from the P-021 using commercial spin columns produced linear standard curves with wide dynamic range and excellent limit of detection. When extracted with spin columns, the P-021 enables accurate viral loads down to 23 copies μl(-1) DNA. The quantitative and long-term storage capability of this system makes it ideal for study of salivary DNA viruses in resource-poor settings. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Biceps Tendon Lengthening Surgery for Failed Serial Casting Patients With Elbow Flexion Contractures Following Brachial Plexus Birth Injury.

PubMed

Nath, Rahul K; Somasundaram, Chandra

2016-01-01

Assessment of surgical outcomes of biceps tendon lengthening (BTL) surgery in obstetric brachial plexus injury (OBPI) patients with elbow flexion contractures, who had unsuccessful serial casting. Serial casting and splinting have been shown to be effective in correcting elbow flexion contractures in OBPI. However, the possibilities of radial head dislocations and other complications have been reported in serial casting and splinting. Literature indicates surgical intervention when such nonoperative techniques and range-of-motion exercises fail. Here, we demonstrated a significant reduction of the contractures of the affected elbow and improvement in arm length to more normal after BTL in these patients, who had unsuccessful serial casting. Ten OBPI patients (6 girls and 4 boys) with an average age of 11.2 years (4-17.7 years) had BTL surgery after unsuccessful serial casting. Mean elbow flexion contracture was 40° before and 37° (average) after serial casting. Mean elbow flexion contracture was reduced to 8° (0°-20°) post-BTL surgical procedure with an average follow-up of 11 months. This was 75% improvement and statistically significant (P < .001) when compared to 7% insignificant (P = .08) improvement after serial casting. These OBPI patients in our study had 75% significant reduction in elbow flexion contractures and achieved an improved and more normal length of the affected arm after the BTL surgery when compared to only 7% insignificant reduction and no improvement in arm length after serial casting.

Diversity, Stability, and Reproducibility in Stochastically Assembled Microbial Ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goyal, Akshit; Maslov, Sergei

2018-04-01

Microbial ecosystems are remarkably diverse, stable, and usually consist of a mixture of core and peripheral species. Here we propose a conceptual model exhibiting all these emergent properties in quantitative agreement with real ecosystem data, specifically species abundance and prevalence distributions. Resource competition and metabolic commensalism drive the stochastic ecosystem assembly in our model. We demonstrate that even when supplied with just one resource, ecosystems can exhibit high diversity, increasing stability, and partial reproducibility between samples.

Neonatal peripheral facial paralysis' evaluation with photogrammetry: A case report.

PubMed

da Fonseca Filho, Gentil Gomes; de Medeiros Cirne, Gabriele Natane; Cacho, Roberta Oliveira; de Souza, Jane Carla; Nagem, Danilo; Cacho, Enio Walker Azevedo; Moran, Cristiane Aparecida; Abreu, Bruna; Pereira, Silvana Alves

2015-12-01

Facial paralysis in newborns can leave functional sequelae. Determining the evolution and amount of functional losses requires consistent evaluation methods that measure, quantitatively, the evolution of clinical functionality. This paper reports an innovative method of facial assessment for the case of a child 28 days of age with unilateral facial paralysis. The child had difficulty breast feeding, and quickly responded to the physical therapy treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Intramuscular injection of lentivirus-mediated EPAS1 gene improves hind limb ischemia and its mechanism in a rat model of peripheral artery vascular disease].

PubMed

Wang, Zhihong; Gu, Hongbin; Yang, Fan; Xie, Huajie; Sheng, Lei; Li, Mingfei

2017-11-01

Objective To investigate the effect of over-expressed endothelial Per-Arnt-Sim domain protein 1 (EPAS1) on peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in a rat model. Methods PAD rat model was established by external iliac artery ligation followed by lentivirus-mediated EPAS1 gene injection into rat right adductor magnus. The models were evaluated by quantitative analysis of gait disturbance. The changes of blood flow in the posterior extremity of the rats were detected using laser Doppler. The expressions of EPAS1, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNAs were tested by real-time quantitative PCR. The expression of α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA) was detected by immunohistochemical staining. Results Compared with lenti-EGFP group, rat hind limb function and circulation got recovered obviously 7 days after lenti-EPAS1 injection. The mRNA expressions of EPAS1, HGF, bFGF, and VEGF were up-regulated in the lenti-EPAS1-treated sites.The expression of αSMA showed an obvious increase in the lenti-EPAS1-treated muscles. Conclusion Over-expressed lenti-EPAS1 can promote angiogenesis via the up-regulation of EPAS1-related angiogenic factors in the muscles of the affected hind limb and reduce gait disturbance.

Transverse depth-dependent changes in corneal collagen lamellar orientation and distribution

PubMed Central

Abass, Ahmed; Hayes, Sally; White, Nick; Sorensen, Thomas; Meek, Keith M.

2015-01-01

It is thought that corneal surface topography may be stabilized by the angular orientation of out-of plane lamellae that insert into the anterior limiting membrane. In this study, micro-focus X-ray scattering data were used to obtain quantitative information about lamellar inclination (with respect to the corneal surface) and the X-ray scatter intensity throughout the depth of the cornea from the centre to the temporal limbus. The average collagen inclination remained predominantly parallel to the tissue surface at all depths. However, in the central cornea, the spread of inclination angles was greatest in the anterior-most stroma (reflecting the increased lamellar interweaving in this region), and decreased with tissue depth; in the peripheral cornea inclination angles showed less variation throughout the tissue thickness. Inclination angles in the deeper stroma were generally higher in the peripheral cornea, suggesting the presence of more interweaving in the posterior stroma away from the central cornea. An increase in collagen X-ray scatter was identified in a region extending from the sclera anteriorly until about 2 mm from the corneal centre. This could arise from the presence of larger diameter fibrils, probably of scleral origin, which are known to exist in this region. Incorporation of this quantitative information into finite-element models will further improve the accuracy with which they can predict the biomechanical response of the cornea to pathology and refractive procedures. PMID:25631562

Skeletal adaptations associated with pre-pubertal gymnastics participation as determined by DXA and pQCT: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Burt, Lauren A; Greene, David A; Ducher, Gaele; Naughton, Geraldine A

2013-05-01

Participation in gymnastics prior to puberty offers an intriguing and unique model, particularly in girls. The individuality comes from both upper and lower limbs being exposed to high mechanical loading through year long intensive training programs, initiated at a young age. Studying this unique model and the associated changes in musculoskeletal health during growth is an area of specific interest. Previous reviews on gymnastics participation and bone health have been broad; and not limited to a particular maturation period, such as pre-puberty. To determine the difference in skeletal health between pre-pubertal girls participating in gymnastics compared with non-gymnasts. Meta-analysis. Following a systematic search, 17 studies were included in this meta-analysis. All studies used dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to assess bone mineral density and bone mineral content. In addition, two studies included peripheral quantitative computed tomography. Following the implementation of a random effects model, gymnasts were found to have greater bone properties than non-gymnasts. The largest difference in bone health between gymnasts and non-gymnasts was observed in peripheral quantitative computed tomography-derived volumetric bone mineral density at the distal radius (d=1.06). Participation in gymnastics during pre-pubertal growth was associated with skeletal health benefits, particularly to the upper body. Copyright © 2012 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative proteomic analysis of differentially expressed proteins between peripheral sensory and motor nerves.

PubMed

He, Qianru; Man, Lili; Ji, Yuhua; Zhang, Shuqiang; Jiang, Maorong; Ding, Fei; Gu, Xiaosong

2012-06-01

Peripheral sensory and motor nerves have different functions and different approaches to regeneration, especially their distinct ability to accurately reinervate terminal nerve pathways. To understand the molecular aspects underlying these differences, the proteomics technique by coupling isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) with online two-dimensional liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (2D LC-MS/MS) was used to investigate the protein profile of sensory and motor nerve samples from rats. A total of 1472 proteins were identified in either sensory or motor nerve. Of them, 100 proteins showed differential expressions between both nerves, and some of them were validated by quantitative real time RT-PCR, Western blot analysis, and immunohistochemistry. In the light of functional categorization, the differentially expressed proteins in sensory and motor nerves, belonging to a broad range of classes, were related to a diverse array of biological functions, which included cell adhesion, cytoskeleton, neuronal plasticity, neurotrophic activity, calcium-binding, signal transduction, transport, enzyme catalysis, lipid metabolism, DNA-binding, synaptosome function, actin-binding, ATP-binding, extracellular matrix, and commitment to other lineages. The relatively higher expressed proteins in either sensory or motor nerve were tentatively discussed in combination with their specific molecular characteristics. It is anticipated that the database generated in this study will provide a solid foundation for further comprehensive investigation of functional differences between sensory and motor nerves, including the specificity of their regeneration.

Quantitative optical imaging and sensing by joint design of point spread functions and estimation algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quirin, Sean Albert

The joint application of tailored optical Point Spread Functions (PSF) and estimation methods is an important tool for designing quantitative imaging and sensing solutions. By enhancing the information transfer encoded by the optical waves into an image, matched post-processing algorithms are able to complete tasks with improved performance relative to conventional designs. In this thesis, new engineered PSF solutions with image processing algorithms are introduced and demonstrated for quantitative imaging using information-efficient signal processing tools and/or optical-efficient experimental implementations. The use of a 3D engineered PSF, the Double-Helix (DH-PSF), is applied as one solution for three-dimensional, super-resolution fluorescence microscopy. The DH-PSF is a tailored PSF which was engineered to have enhanced information transfer for the task of localizing point sources in three dimensions. Both an information- and optical-efficient implementation of the DH-PSF microscope are demonstrated here for the first time. This microscope is applied to image single-molecules and micro-tubules located within a biological sample. A joint imaging/axial-ranging modality is demonstrated for application to quantifying sources of extended transverse and axial extent. The proposed implementation has improved optical-efficiency relative to prior designs due to the use of serialized cycling through select engineered PSFs. This system is demonstrated for passive-ranging, extended Depth-of-Field imaging and digital refocusing of random objects under broadband illumination. Although the serialized engineered PSF solution is an improvement over prior designs for the joint imaging/passive-ranging modality, it requires the use of multiple PSFs---a potentially significant constraint. Therefore an alternative design is proposed, the Single-Helix PSF, where only one engineered PSF is necessary and the chromatic behavior of objects under broadband illumination provides the necessary information transfer. The matched estimation algorithms are introduced along with an optically-efficient experimental system to image and passively estimate the distance to a test object. An engineered PSF solution is proposed for improving the sensitivity of optical wave-front sensing using a Shack-Hartmann Wave-front Sensor (SHWFS). The performance limits of the classical SHWFS design are evaluated and the engineered PSF system design is demonstrated to enhance performance. This system is fabricated and the mechanism for additional information transfer is identified.

Natural born killers?: the development of the sexually sadistic serial killer.

PubMed

Johnson, B R; Becker, J V

1997-01-01

Today's society seems enthralled with serial killers in the news and the media. Forensic psychiatrists often interview serial killers after they have been caught. There are retrospective studies and case reports of individuals who have committed sexually sadistic serial murders. However, there exists a dearth of case reports on adolescents who have expressed serious fantasies about becoming serial killer prior to actualizing their fantasy. This article presents nine clinical cases of 14- to 18-year-olds who have clinically significant fantasies of becoming a serial killer. Similarities exist in these adolescent cases when compared with retrospective studies and case reports of serial killers on the role of sexually sadistic fantasies and actual killings. Since it has been established that sexual paraphilias may develop at a young age, one can surmise that sadistic paraphilias may also develop in some adolescents. The question is posed, can we predict which of these adolescents may go on to actually become serial killers? This article focuses on how the sexually sadistic fantasy can eventually be acted out and possible motives for the act to be repeated multiple times. Finally, recommendations are made about assessing and treating a youngster who expresses violent sexually sadistic killing fantasies so that attempts can be made to interrupt the progression to actual killing.

Modality independence of order coding in working memory: Evidence from cross-modal order interference at recall.

PubMed

Vandierendonck, André

2016-01-01

Working memory researchers do not agree on whether order in serial recall is encoded by dedicated modality-specific systems or by a more general modality-independent system. Although previous research supports the existence of autonomous modality-specific systems, it has been shown that serial recognition memory is prone to cross-modal order interference by concurrent tasks. The present study used a serial recall task, which was performed in a single-task condition and in a dual-task condition with an embedded memory task in the retention interval. The modality of the serial task was either verbal or visuospatial, and the embedded tasks were in the other modality and required either serial or item recall. Care was taken to avoid modality overlaps during presentation and recall. In Experiment 1, visuospatial but not verbal serial recall was more impaired when the embedded task was an order than when it was an item task. Using a more difficult verbal serial recall task, verbal serial recall was also more impaired by another order recall task in Experiment 2. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis of modality-independent order coding. The implications for views on short-term recall and the multicomponent view of working memory are discussed.

Contribution of systemic and somatic factors to clinical response and resistance to PD-L1 blockade in urothelial cancer: An exploratory multi-omic analysis

PubMed Central

Ahuja, Arun; Al-Ahmadie, Hikmat; Yusko, Erik; Benzeno, Sharon; Boyd, Mariel; Moran, Meredith; Iyer, Gopa; Mardis, Elaine R.

2017-01-01

Background Inhibition of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) with atezolizumab can induce durable clinical benefit (DCB) in patients with metastatic urothelial cancers, including complete remissions in patients with chemotherapy refractory disease. Although mutation load and PD-L1 immune cell (IC) staining have been associated with response, they lack sufficient sensitivity and specificity for clinical use. Thus, there is a need to evaluate the peripheral blood immune environment and to conduct detailed analyses of mutation load, predicted neoantigens, and immune cellular infiltration in tumors to enhance our understanding of the biologic underpinnings of response and resistance. Methods and findings The goals of this study were to (1) evaluate the association of mutation load and predicted neoantigen load with therapeutic benefit and (2) determine whether intratumoral and peripheral blood T cell receptor (TCR) clonality inform clinical outcomes in urothelial carcinoma treated with atezolizumab. We hypothesized that an elevated mutation load in combination with T cell clonal dominance among intratumoral lymphocytes prior to treatment or among peripheral T cells after treatment would be associated with effective tumor control upon treatment with anti-PD-L1 therapy. We performed whole exome sequencing (WES), RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and T cell receptor sequencing (TCR-seq) of pretreatment tumor samples as well as TCR-seq of matched, serially collected peripheral blood, collected before and after treatment with atezolizumab. These parameters were assessed for correlation with DCB (defined as progression-free survival [PFS] >6 months), PFS, and overall survival (OS), both alone and in the context of clinical and intratumoral parameters known to be predictive of survival in this disease state. Patients with DCB displayed a higher proportion of tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes (TIL) (n = 24, Mann-Whitney p = 0.047). Pretreatment peripheral blood TCR clonality below the median was associated with improved PFS (n = 29, log-rank p = 0.048) and OS (n = 29, log-rank p = 0.011). Patients with DCB also demonstrated more substantial expansion of tumor-associated TCR clones in the peripheral blood 3 weeks after starting treatment (n = 22, Mann-Whitney p = 0.022). The combination of high pretreatment peripheral blood TCR clonality with elevated PD-L1 IC staining in tumor tissue was strongly associated with poor clinical outcomes (n = 10, hazard ratio (HR) (mean) = 89.88, HR (median) = 23.41, 95% CI [2.43, 506.94], p(HR > 1) = 0.0014). Marked variations in mutation loads were seen with different somatic variant calling methodologies, which, in turn, impacted associations with clinical outcomes. Missense mutation load, predicted neoantigen load, and expressed neoantigen load did not demonstrate significant association with DCB (n = 25, Mann-Whitney p = 0.22, n = 25, Mann-Whitney p = 0.55, and n = 25, Mann-Whitney p = 0.29, respectively). Instead, we found evidence of time-varying effects of somatic mutation load on PFS in this cohort (n = 25, p = 0.044). A limitation of our study is its small sample size (n = 29), a subset of the patients treated on IMvigor 210 (NCT02108652). Given the number of exploratory analyses performed, we intend for these results to be hypothesis-generating. Conclusions These results demonstrate the complex nature of immune response to checkpoint blockade and the compelling need for greater interrogation and data integration of both host and tumor factors. Incorporating these variables in prospective studies will facilitate identification and treatment of resistant patients. PMID:28552987

Contribution of systemic and somatic factors to clinical response and resistance to PD-L1 blockade in urothelial cancer: An exploratory multi-omic analysis.

PubMed

Snyder, Alexandra; Nathanson, Tavi; Funt, Samuel A; Ahuja, Arun; Buros Novik, Jacqueline; Hellmann, Matthew D; Chang, Eliza; Aksoy, Bulent Arman; Al-Ahmadie, Hikmat; Yusko, Erik; Vignali, Marissa; Benzeno, Sharon; Boyd, Mariel; Moran, Meredith; Iyer, Gopa; Robins, Harlan S; Mardis, Elaine R; Merghoub, Taha; Hammerbacher, Jeff; Rosenberg, Jonathan E; Bajorin, Dean F

2017-05-01

Inhibition of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) with atezolizumab can induce durable clinical benefit (DCB) in patients with metastatic urothelial cancers, including complete remissions in patients with chemotherapy refractory disease. Although mutation load and PD-L1 immune cell (IC) staining have been associated with response, they lack sufficient sensitivity and specificity for clinical use. Thus, there is a need to evaluate the peripheral blood immune environment and to conduct detailed analyses of mutation load, predicted neoantigens, and immune cellular infiltration in tumors to enhance our understanding of the biologic underpinnings of response and resistance. The goals of this study were to (1) evaluate the association of mutation load and predicted neoantigen load with therapeutic benefit and (2) determine whether intratumoral and peripheral blood T cell receptor (TCR) clonality inform clinical outcomes in urothelial carcinoma treated with atezolizumab. We hypothesized that an elevated mutation load in combination with T cell clonal dominance among intratumoral lymphocytes prior to treatment or among peripheral T cells after treatment would be associated with effective tumor control upon treatment with anti-PD-L1 therapy. We performed whole exome sequencing (WES), RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and T cell receptor sequencing (TCR-seq) of pretreatment tumor samples as well as TCR-seq of matched, serially collected peripheral blood, collected before and after treatment with atezolizumab. These parameters were assessed for correlation with DCB (defined as progression-free survival [PFS] >6 months), PFS, and overall survival (OS), both alone and in the context of clinical and intratumoral parameters known to be predictive of survival in this disease state. Patients with DCB displayed a higher proportion of tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes (TIL) (n = 24, Mann-Whitney p = 0.047). Pretreatment peripheral blood TCR clonality below the median was associated with improved PFS (n = 29, log-rank p = 0.048) and OS (n = 29, log-rank p = 0.011). Patients with DCB also demonstrated more substantial expansion of tumor-associated TCR clones in the peripheral blood 3 weeks after starting treatment (n = 22, Mann-Whitney p = 0.022). The combination of high pretreatment peripheral blood TCR clonality with elevated PD-L1 IC staining in tumor tissue was strongly associated with poor clinical outcomes (n = 10, hazard ratio (HR) (mean) = 89.88, HR (median) = 23.41, 95% CI [2.43, 506.94], p(HR > 1) = 0.0014). Marked variations in mutation loads were seen with different somatic variant calling methodologies, which, in turn, impacted associations with clinical outcomes. Missense mutation load, predicted neoantigen load, and expressed neoantigen load did not demonstrate significant association with DCB (n = 25, Mann-Whitney p = 0.22, n = 25, Mann-Whitney p = 0.55, and n = 25, Mann-Whitney p = 0.29, respectively). Instead, we found evidence of time-varying effects of somatic mutation load on PFS in this cohort (n = 25, p = 0.044). A limitation of our study is its small sample size (n = 29), a subset of the patients treated on IMvigor 210 (NCT02108652). Given the number of exploratory analyses performed, we intend for these results to be hypothesis-generating. These results demonstrate the complex nature of immune response to checkpoint blockade and the compelling need for greater interrogation and data integration of both host and tumor factors. Incorporating these variables in prospective studies will facilitate identification and treatment of resistant patients.

A psychological profile of a serial killer: a case report.

PubMed

Dogra, T D; Leenaars, Antoon A; Chadha, R K; Manju, Mehta; Lalwani, Sanjeev; Sood, Mamta; Lester, David; Raina, Anupuma; Behera, C

2012-01-01

Serial killers have always fascinated society. A serial killer is typically defined as a perpetrator who murders three or more people over a period of time. Most reported cases of serial killers come from the United States and Canada. In India, there are few reported cases. We present, to the best of our knowledge, the first Indian case in the literature. The present case is of a 28-year-old man, Surinder Koli. The Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delphi handled the forensic study. We present a most unique psychological investigation into the mind of a serial killer.

Criminal psychological profiling of serial arson crimes.

PubMed

Kocsis, Richard N; Cooksey, Ray W

2002-12-01

The practice of criminal psychological profiling is frequently cited as being applicable to serial arson crimes. Despite this claim, there does not appear to be any empirical research that examines serial arson offence behaviors in the context of profiling. This study seeks to develop an empirical model of serial arsonist behaviors that can be systematically associated with probable offender characteristics. Analysis has produced a model of offence behaviors that identify four discrete behavior patterns, all of which share a constellation of common nondiscriminatory behaviors. The inherent behavioral themes of each of these patterns are explored with discussion of their broader implications for our understanding of serial arson and directions for future research.

Serial position functions in general knowledge.

PubMed

Kelley, Matthew R; Neath, Ian; Surprenant, Aimée M

2015-11-01

Serial position functions with marked primacy and recency effects are ubiquitous in episodic memory tasks. The demonstrations reported here explored whether bow-shaped serial position functions would be observed when people ordered exemplars from various categories along a specified dimension. The categories and dimensions were: actors and age; animals and weight; basketball players and height; countries and area; and planets and diameter. In all cases, a serial position function was observed: People were more accurate to order the youngest and oldest actors, the lightest and heaviest animals, the shortest and tallest basketball players, the smallest and largest countries, and the smallest and largest planets, relative to intermediate items. The results support an explanation of serial position functions based on relative distinctiveness, which predicts that serial position functions will be observed whenever a set of items can be sensibly ordered along a particular dimension. The serial position function arises because the first and last items enjoy a benefit of having no competitors on 1 side and therefore have enhanced distinctiveness relative to mid-dimension items, which suffer by having many competitors on both sides. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Short-term memory for serial order supports vocabulary development: new evidence from a novel word learning paradigm.

PubMed

Majerus, Steve; Boukebza, Claire

2013-12-01

Although recent studies suggest a strong association between short-term memory (STM) for serial order and lexical development, the precise mechanisms linking the two domains remain to be determined. This study explored the nature of these mechanisms via a microanalysis of performance on serial order STM and novel word learning tasks. In the experiment, 6- and 7-year-old children were administered tasks maximizing STM for either item or serial order information as well as paired-associate learning tasks involving the learning of novel words, visual symbols, or familiar word pair associations. Learning abilities for novel words were specifically predicted by serial order STM abilities. A measure estimating the precision of serial order coding predicted the rate of correct repetitions and the rate of phoneme migration errors during the novel word learning process. In line with recent theoretical accounts, these results suggest that serial order STM supports vocabulary development via ordered and detailed reactivation of the novel phonological sequences that characterize new words. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproducibility of CSF quantitative culture methods for estimating rate of clearance in cryptococcal meningitis.

PubMed

Dyal, Jonathan; Akampurira, Andrew; Rhein, Joshua; Morawski, Bozena M; Kiggundu, Reuben; Nabeta, Henry W; Musubire, Abdu K; Bahr, Nathan C; Williams, Darlisha A; Bicanic, Tihana; Larsen, Robert A; Meya, David B; Boulware, David R

2016-05-01

Quantitative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures provide a measure of disease severity in cryptococcal meningitis. The fungal clearance rate by quantitative cultures has become a primary endpoint for phase II clinical trials. This study determined the inter-assay accuracy of three different quantitative culture methodologies. Among 91 participants with meningitis symptoms in Kampala, Uganda, during August-November 2013, 305 CSF samples were prospectively collected from patients at multiple time points during treatment. Samples were simultaneously cultured by three methods: (1) St. George's 100 mcl input volume of CSF with five 1:10 serial dilutions, (2) AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) method using 1000, 100, 10 mcl input volumes, and two 1:100 dilutions with 100 and 10 mcl input volume per dilution on seven agar plates; and (3) 10 mcl calibrated loop of undiluted and 1:100 diluted CSF (loop). Quantitative culture values did not statistically differ between St. George-ACTG methods (P= .09) but did for St. George-10 mcl loop (P< .001). Repeated measures pairwise correlation between any of the methods was high (r≥0.88). For detecting sterility, the ACTG-method had the highest negative predictive value of 97% (91% St. George, 60% loop), but the ACTG-method had occasional (∼10%) difficulties in quantification due to colony clumping. For CSF clearance rate, St. George-ACTG methods did not differ overall (mean -0.05 ± 0.07 log10CFU/ml/day;P= .14) on a group level; however, individual-level clearance varied. The St. George and ACTG quantitative CSF culture methods produced comparable but not identical results. Quantitative cultures can inform treatment management strategies. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Reframing Serial Murder Within Empirical Research.

PubMed

Gurian, Elizabeth A

2017-04-01

Empirical research on serial murder is limited due to the lack of consensus on a definition, the continued use of primarily descriptive statistics, and linkage to popular culture depictions. These limitations also inhibit our understanding of these offenders and affect credibility in the field of research. Therefore, this comprehensive overview of a sample of 508 cases (738 total offenders, including partnered groups of two or more offenders) provides analyses of solo male, solo female, and partnered serial killers to elucidate statistical differences and similarities in offending and adjudication patterns among the three groups. This analysis of serial homicide offenders not only supports previous research on offending patterns present in the serial homicide literature but also reveals that empirically based analyses can enhance our understanding beyond traditional case studies and descriptive statistics. Further research based on these empirical analyses can aid in the development of more accurate classifications and definitions of serial murderers.

Process optimization for sensory characteristics of seriales (Flacourtia jangomas) ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cimafranca, L.; Dizon, E.

2018-01-01

Seriales (Flacourtia jangomas) is an underutilized fruit in the Philippines. The processing of the fruit into a RTD beverage was standardized by statistical methods. Plackett-Burman Design (PB) was used to determine the most significant factors that affect the sensory characteristics of the product. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied based on the factorial Central Composite Design (CCD) to determine the optimum conditions for the maximum sensory acceptability of the seriales RTD beverage. Results of the PB revealed that the most significant factors were blanching time, level of seriales and TSS level. With different levels of blanching time (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 min.), seriales level (10, 20, 30 %) and TSS value (12, 15, 18ºBrix), the optimum region for sensory acceptability was perceived at 0.7 to 1.4 minutes blanching time, seriales level of not beyond 27 %, and TSS at any level.

Female serial murderers: directions for future research on a hidden population.

PubMed

Gurian, Elizabeth A

2011-02-01

This comprehensive overview on a sample of 65 cases (134 total offenders, including some partnered teams of more than 2 offenders) provides information on female serial murderers who either work in a mixed-sex offending group or alone. These female serial homicide offenders have a distinct set of offender-victim characteristics, including specific victim preferences, methods, and motivations: Partnered serial homicide offenders are more likely to target adult strangers and dispatch them using a combination of methods, whereas solo female serial murderers are most likely to target adult family members and murder them with poison. These patterns have the potential to add to our understanding of the possible similarities and differences of serial homicide cases by building on established offender characteristics. Convictions and sentences for the offenders are included and areas of future research and implications for treatment with this sample are also explored.

Analytic Guided-Search Model of Human Performance Accuracy in Target- Localization Search Tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eckstein, Miguel P.; Beutter, Brent R.; Stone, Leland S.

2000-01-01

Current models of human visual search have extended the traditional serial/parallel search dichotomy. Two successful models for predicting human visual search are the Guided Search model and the Signal Detection Theory model. Although these models are inherently different, it has been difficult to compare them because the Guided Search model is designed to predict response time, while Signal Detection Theory models are designed to predict performance accuracy. Moreover, current implementations of the Guided Search model require the use of Monte-Carlo simulations, a method that makes fitting the model's performance quantitatively to human data more computationally time consuming. We have extended the Guided Search model to predict human accuracy in target-localization search tasks. We have also developed analytic expressions that simplify simulation of the model to the evaluation of a small set of equations using only three free parameters. This new implementation and extension of the Guided Search model will enable direct quantitative comparisons with human performance in target-localization search experiments and with the predictions of Signal Detection Theory and other search accuracy models.

Muscle ultrasound quantifies disease progression over time in infants and young boys with duchenne muscular dystrophy.

PubMed

Zaidman, Craig M; Malkus, Elizabeth C; Connolly, Anne M

2015-09-01

Quantitative muscle ultrasound (QUS) in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) shows increased echointensity as muscle is replaced with fat and fibrosis. Studies of quantitative ultrasound in infants/young boys with DMD over time have not been reported. We used calibrated muscle backscatter (cMB), a reproducible measure of ultrasound echointensity, to quantify muscle pathology in 5 young boys with DMD (ages 0.5-2.8 years) over 17-29 months. We compared the results with repeated assessments of function (n = 4) and with muscle ultrasound images from a cross-section of 6 male controls (0.6-3.1 years). cMB in boys with DMD increased (worsened) over time (P < 0.001), whereas function improved. After age 2 years, cMB in most (4 of 5) boys with DMD was higher than in any control. QUS measures disease progression in young boys with DMD despite functional improvements. QUS could be employed as an outcome measure for serial assessment of young boys with DMD. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

In vivo NMR microscopy allows short-term serial assessment of multiple skeletal implications of corticosteroid exposure

PubMed Central

Takahashi, Masaya; Wehrli, Felix W.; Hilaire, Luna; Zemel, Babette S.; Hwang, Scott N.

2002-01-01

Corticosteroids are in widespread clinical use but are known to have adverse skeletal side effects. Moreover, it is not known how soon these effects become apparent. Here, we describe a longitudinal approach to evaluate the short-term implications of excess corticosteroid exposure by quantitative in vivo magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy in conjunction with digital image processing and analysis in a rabbit model. Two-week treatment with dexamethasone induced a significant reduction in trabecular bone volume, which occurred at the expense of uniform trabecular thinning without affecting network architecture. Paralleling the loss in bone volume was conversion of hematopoietic to yellow marrow in the femoral metaphysis and atrophy of the femoral epiphyseal growth plate. This work demonstrates that detailed quantitative morphometric and physiological information can be obtained noninvasively at multiple skeletal locations. The method is likely to eventually replace invasive histomorphometry in that it obviates the need to sacrifice groups of animals at multiple time points. Finally, this work, which was performed on a clinical scanner, has implications for evaluating patients on high-dose steroid treatment. PMID:11904367

Tuned apatitic materials: Synthesis, characterization and potential antimicrobial applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fierascu, Irina; Fierascu, Radu Claudiu; Somoghi, Raluca; Ion, Rodica Mariana; Moanta, Adriana; Avramescu, Sorin Marius; Damian, Celina Maria; Ditu, Lia Mara

2018-04-01

Inorganic antimicrobial materials can be viable for multiple applications (related to its use for new buildings with special requirements related to microbiological loading, such as hospital buildings and for consolidation of cultural heritage constructions); also the use of substituted hydroxyapatites for protection of stone artefacts against environmental factors (acidic rain) and biodeterioration it's an option to no longer use of toxic substances. This paper presents methods of synthesis and characterization of the material from the point of view of the obtained structures and final applications. The materials were characterized in terms of composition and morphology (using X-ray Diffraction, X-ray Fluorescence, Inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Surface area and pore size determination). Antimicrobial activity was tested against filamentous fungi strains and pathogenic bacteria strains, using both spot on lawn qualitative method (on agar medium) and serial microdilution quantitative method (in broth medium). Further, it was evaluated the anti-biofilm activity of the tested samples toward the most important microbial strains implicated in biofilm development, using crystal violet stained biofilms microtiter assay, followed by spectrophotometric quantitative evaluation.

High-throughput 3D whole-brain quantitative histopathology in rodents

PubMed Central

Vandenberghe, Michel E.; Hérard, Anne-Sophie; Souedet, Nicolas; Sadouni, Elmahdi; Santin, Mathieu D.; Briet, Dominique; Carré, Denis; Schulz, Jocelyne; Hantraye, Philippe; Chabrier, Pierre-Etienne; Rooney, Thomas; Debeir, Thomas; Blanchard, Véronique; Pradier, Laurent; Dhenain, Marc; Delzescaux, Thierry

2016-01-01

Histology is the gold standard to unveil microscopic brain structures and pathological alterations in humans and animal models of disease. However, due to tedious manual interventions, quantification of histopathological markers is classically performed on a few tissue sections, thus restricting measurements to limited portions of the brain. Recently developed 3D microscopic imaging techniques have allowed in-depth study of neuroanatomy. However, quantitative methods are still lacking for whole-brain analysis of cellular and pathological markers. Here, we propose a ready-to-use, automated, and scalable method to thoroughly quantify histopathological markers in 3D in rodent whole brains. It relies on block-face photography, serial histology and 3D-HAPi (Three Dimensional Histology Analysis Pipeline), an open source image analysis software. We illustrate our method in studies involving mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease and show that it can be broadly applied to characterize animal models of brain diseases, to evaluate therapeutic interventions, to anatomically correlate cellular and pathological markers throughout the entire brain and to validate in vivo imaging techniques. PMID:26876372

Digital 3D reconstructions using histological serial sections of lung tissue including the alveolar capillary network.

PubMed

Grothausmann, Roman; Knudsen, Lars; Ochs, Matthias; Mühlfeld, Christian

2017-02-01

Grothausmann R, Knudsen L, Ochs M, Mühlfeld C. Digital 3D reconstructions using histological serial sections of lung tissue including the alveolar capillary network. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 312: L243-L257, 2017. First published December 2, 2016; doi:10.1152/ajplung.00326.2016-The alveolar capillary network (ACN) provides an enormously large surface area that is necessary for pulmonary gas exchange. Changes of the ACN during normal or pathological development or in pulmonary diseases are of great functional impact and warrant further analysis. Due to the complexity of the three-dimensional (3D) architecture of the ACN, 2D approaches are limited in providing a comprehensive impression of the characteristics of the normal ACN or the nature of its alterations. Stereological methods offer a quantitative way to assess the ACN in 3D in terms of capillary volume, surface area, or number but lack a 3D visualization to interpret the data. Hence, the necessity to visualize the ACN in 3D and to correlate this with data from the same set of data arises. Such an approach requires a large sample volume combined with a high resolution. Here, we present a technically simple and cost-efficient approach to create 3D representations of lung tissue ranging from bronchioles over alveolar ducts and alveoli up to the ACN from more than 1 mm sample extent to a resolution of less than 1 μm. The method is based on automated image acquisition of serially sectioned epoxy resin-embedded lung tissue fixed by vascular perfusion and subsequent automated digital reconstruction and analysis of the 3D data. This efficient method may help to better understand mechanisms of vascular development and pathology of the lung. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

A quantitative assessment of volumetric and anatomic changes of the parotid gland during intensity-modulated radiotherapy for head and neck cancer using serial computed tomography

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

Ajani, Abdallah A.; Qureshi, Muhammad M.; Kovalchuk, Nataliya

To evaluate the change in volume and movement of the parotid gland measured by serial contrast-enhanced computed tomography scans in patients with head and neck cancer treated with parotid-sparing intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). A prospective study was performed on 13 patients with head and neck cancer undergoing dose-painted IMRT to 69.96 Gy in 33 fractions. Serial computed tomography scans were performed at baseline, weeks 2, 4, and 6 of radiotherapy (RT), and at 6 weeks post-RT. The parotid volume was contoured at each scan, and the movement of the medial and lateral borders was measured. The patient's body weight was recordedmore » at each corresponding week during RT. Regression analyses were performed to ascertain the rate of change during treatment as a percent change per fraction in parotid volume and distance relative to baseline. The mean parotid volume decreased by 37.3% from baseline to week 6 of RT. The overall rate of change in parotid volume during RT was−1.30% per fraction (−1.67% and−0.91% per fraction in≥31 Gy and<31 Gy mean planned parotid dose groups, respectively, p = 0.0004). The movement of parotid borders was greater in the≥31 Gy mean parotid dose group compared with the<31 Gy group (0.22% per fraction and 0.14% per fraction for the lateral border and 0.19% per fraction and 0.06% per fraction for the medial border, respectively). The median change in body weight was−7.4% (range, 0.75% to−17.5%) during RT. A positive correlation was noted between change in body weight and parotid volume during the course of RT (Spearman correlation coefficient, r = 0.66, p<0.01). Head and neck IMRT results in a volume loss of the parotid gland, which is related to the planned parotid dose, and the patient's weight loss during RT.« less

Biceps Tendon Lengthening Surgery for Failed Serial Casting Patients With Elbow Flexion Contractures Following Brachial Plexus Birth Injury

PubMed Central

Somasundaram, Chandra

2016-01-01

Objective: Assessment of surgical outcomes of biceps tendon lengthening (BTL) surgery in obstetric brachial plexus injury (OBPI) patients with elbow flexion contractures, who had unsuccessful serial casting. Background: Serial casting and splinting have been shown to be effective in correcting elbow flexion contractures in OBPI. However, the possibilities of radial head dislocations and other complications have been reported in serial casting and splinting. Literature indicates surgical intervention when such nonoperative techniques and range-of-motion exercises fail. Here, we demonstrated a significant reduction of the contractures of the affected elbow and improvement in arm length to more normal after BTL in these patients, who had unsuccessful serial casting. Methods and Patients: Ten OBPI patients (6 girls and 4 boys) with an average age of 11.2 years (4-17.7 years) had BTL surgery after unsuccessful serial casting. Results: Mean elbow flexion contracture was 40° before and 37° (average) after serial casting. Mean elbow flexion contracture was reduced to 8° (0°-20°) post-BTL surgical procedure with an average follow-up of 11 months. This was 75% improvement and statistically significant (P < .001) when compared to 7% insignificant (P = .08) improvement after serial casting. Conclusion: These OBPI patients in our study had 75% significant reduction in elbow flexion contractures and achieved an improved and more normal length of the affected arm after the BTL surgery when compared to only 7% insignificant reduction and no improvement in arm length after serial casting. PMID:27648115

Assessing Working Memory in Mild Cognitive Impairment with Serial Order Recall.

PubMed

Emrani, Sheina; Libon, David J; Lamar, Melissa; Price, Catherine C; Jefferson, Angela L; Gifford, Katherine A; Hohman, Timothy J; Nation, Daniel A; Delano-Wood, Lisa; Jak, Amy; Bangen, Katherine J; Bondi, Mark W; Brickman, Adam M; Manly, Jennifer; Swenson, Rodney; Au, Rhoda

2018-01-01

Working memory (WM) is often assessed with serial order tests such as repeating digits backward. In prior dementia research using the Backward Digit Span Test (BDT), only aggregate test performance was examined. The current research tallied primacy/recency effects, out-of-sequence transposition errors, perseverations, and omissions to assess WM deficits in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Memory clinic patients (n = 66) were classified into three groups: single domain amnestic MCI (aMCI), combined mixed domain/dysexecutive MCI (mixed/dys MCI), and non-MCI where patients did not meet criteria for MCI. Serial order/WM ability was assessed by asking participants to repeat 7 trials of five digits backwards. Serial order position accuracy, transposition errors, perseverations, and omission errors were tallied. A 3 (group)×5 (serial position) repeated measures ANOVA yielded a significant group×trial interaction. Follow-up analyses found attenuation of the recency effect for mixed/dys MCI patients. Mixed/dys MCI patients scored lower than non-MCI patients for serial position 3 (p < 0.003) serial position 4 (p < 0.002); and lower than both group for serial position 5 (recency; p < 0.002). Mixed/dys MCI patients also produced more transposition errors than both groups (p < 0.010); and more omissions (p < 0.020), and perseverations errors (p < 0.018) than non-MCI patients. The attenuation of a recency effect using serial order parameters obtained from the BDT may provide a useful operational definition as well as additional diagnostic information regarding working memory deficits in MCI.

The effect and complication of botulinum toxin type a injection with serial casting for the treatment of spastic equinus foot.

PubMed

Lee, Sook Joung; Sung, In Young; Jang, Dae Hyun; Yi, Jin Hwa; Lee, Jin Ho; Ryu, Ju Seok

2011-06-01

To identify the effect of serial casting combined with Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) injection on spastic equinus foot. Twenty-nine children with cerebral palsy who had equinus foot were recruited from the outpatient clinic of Rehabilitation Medicine. The children were divided into 2 groups, one of which received serial casting after BTX-A injection, and the other which only received BTX-A injection. Serial casting started 3 weeks after the BTX-A injection, and was changed weekly for 3 times. Spasticity of the ankle joint was evaluated using the modified Ashworth scale (MAS), and the modified Tardieu scale (MTS). Gait pattern was measured using the physician's rating scale (PRS). The degree of ankle dorsiflexion and the MAS improved significantly until 12 weeks following the BTX-A injection in the serial casting group (p<0.001), while the BTX-A injection-only group improved until 6 weeks following injection (p<0.05). The combined group showed a significantly greater increase in the degree of dorsiflexion compared to the BTX-A injection-only group at post-injection weeks 6 and 12 (p<0.05). Three children (11.5%) suffered from foot ulcers as a complication caused by the serial casting. Our study demonstrated that the effect of BTX-A injection with serial casting was superior and lasted longer than the effect of BTX-A injection only in patients with spastic equinus foot. We therefore recommend BTX-A injection with serial casting for the treatment of equinus foot. However, physicians must also consider the possible complications associated with serial casting.

9 CFR 114.14 - Extension of expiration date for a serial or subserial.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... this subchapter. (2) For any serial or portion of any serial which has left licensed premises: Provided... requirements for release. The new expiration date shall be calculated from the date the latest satisfactory...

Flow cytometric determination of quantitative immunophenotypes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Redelman, Douglas; Ensign, Wayne; Roberts, Don

2001-05-01

Immunofluorescent flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood leucocytes is most commonly used to identify and enumerate cells defined by one or more clusters of differentiation (CD) antigens. Although less widely employed, quantitative tests that measure the amounts of CD antigens expressed per cell are used in some situations such as the characterization of lymphomas and leukocytes or the measurement of CD38 on CD3plu8pluT cells in HIV infected individuals. The CD antigens used to identify leukocyte populations are functionally important molecules and it is known that under- or over-expression of some CD antigens can affect cellular responses. For example, high or low expression of CD19 on B cells is associated with autoimmune conditions or depressed antibody responses, respectively. In the current studies, the quantitative expression of CD antigens on T cells, B cells and monocytes was determined in a group of age and sex-matched Marines at several times before and after training exercises. There was substantial variation among these individuals in the quantitative expression of CD antigens and in the number of cells in various populations. However, there was relatively little variation within individuals during the two months they were examined. Thus, the number of cells in leukocyte sub-populations and the amount of CD antigens expressed per cell appear to comprise a characteristic quantitative immunophenotype.

Malignant sex and aggression: an overview of serial sexual homicide.

PubMed

Myers, W C; Reccoppa, L; Burton, K; McElroy, R

1993-01-01

Serial murderers have attracted considerable attention in the popular press and criminal justice field, but scientific literature about these individuals is limited. This article provides an overview, from a psychiatric perspective, of serial sexual homicide, one type of serial killing. Characteristics of this type of murder and of these offenders are discussed. Defining qualities and diagnoses applicable to serial sexual killers are reviewed. Various etiologic theories are discussed, with emphasis on the role of fantasy and psychodynamic explanations. Governmental agencies involved in combating this type of crime, along with the role of mental health professionals in criminal profiling, are presented. Finally, the authors explore the reaction of society to this phenomenon.

The SCHEIE Visual Field Grading System

PubMed Central

Sankar, Prithvi S.; O’Keefe, Laura; Choi, Daniel; Salowe, Rebecca; Miller-Ellis, Eydie; Lehman, Amanda; Addis, Victoria; Ramakrishnan, Meera; Natesh, Vikas; Whitehead, Gideon; Khachatryan, Naira; O’Brien, Joan

2017-01-01

Objective No method of grading visual field (VF) defects has been widely accepted throughout the glaucoma community. The SCHEIE (Systematic Classification of Humphrey visual fields-Easy Interpretation and Evaluation) grading system for glaucomatous visual fields was created to convey qualitative and quantitative information regarding visual field defects in an objective, reproducible, and easily applicable manner for research purposes. Methods The SCHEIE grading system is composed of a qualitative and quantitative score. The qualitative score consists of designation in one or more of the following categories: normal, central scotoma, paracentral scotoma, paracentral crescent, temporal quadrant, nasal quadrant, peripheral arcuate defect, expansive arcuate, or altitudinal defect. The quantitative component incorporates the Humphrey visual field index (VFI), location of visual defects for superior and inferior hemifields, and blind spot involvement. Accuracy and speed at grading using the qualitative and quantitative components was calculated for non-physician graders. Results Graders had a median accuracy of 96.67% for their qualitative scores and a median accuracy of 98.75% for their quantitative scores. Graders took a mean of 56 seconds per visual field to assign a qualitative score and 20 seconds per visual field to assign a quantitative score. Conclusion The SCHEIE grading system is a reproducible tool that combines qualitative and quantitative measurements to grade glaucomatous visual field defects. The system aims to standardize clinical staging and to make specific visual field defects more easily identifiable. Specific patterns of visual field loss may also be associated with genetic variants in future genetic analysis. PMID:28932621

Technical Note: Evaluation of a 160-mm/256-row CT scanner for whole-heart quantitative myocardial perfusion imaging.

PubMed

So, Aaron; Imai, Yasuhiro; Nett, Brian; Jackson, John; Nett, Liz; Hsieh, Jiang; Wisenberg, Gerald; Teefy, Patrick; Yadegari, Andrew; Islam, Ali; Lee, Ting-Yim

2016-08-01

The authors investigated the performance of a recently introduced 160-mm/256-row CT system for low dose quantitative myocardial perfusion (MP) imaging of the whole heart. This platform is equipped with a gantry capable of rotating at 280 ms per full cycle, a second generation of adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASiR-V) to correct for image noise arising from low tube voltage potential/tube current dynamic scanning, and image reconstruction algorithms to tackle beam-hardening, cone-beam, and partial-scan effects. Phantom studies were performed to investigate the effectiveness of image noise and artifact reduction with a GE Healthcare Revolution CT system for three acquisition protocols used in quantitative CT MP imaging: 100, 120, and 140 kVp/25 mAs. The heart chambers of an anthropomorphic chest phantom were filled with iodinated contrast solution at different concentrations (contrast levels) to simulate the circulation of contrast through the heart in quantitative CT MP imaging. To evaluate beam-hardening correction, the phantom was scanned at each contrast level to measure the changes in CT number (in Hounsfield unit or HU) in the water-filled region surrounding the heart chambers with respect to baseline. To evaluate cone-beam artifact correction, differences in mean water HU between the central and peripheral slices were compared. Partial-scan artifact correction was evaluated from the fluctuation of mean water HU in successive partial scans. To evaluate image noise reduction, a small hollow region adjacent to the heart chambers was filled with diluted contrast, and contrast-to-noise ratio in the region before and after noise correction with ASiR-V was compared. The quality of MP maps acquired with the CT system was also evaluated in porcine CT MP studies. Myocardial infarct was induced in a farm pig from a transient occlusion of the distal left anterior descending (LAD) artery with a catheter-based interventional procedure. MP maps were generated from the dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) heart images taken at baseline and three weeks after the ischemic insult. Their results showed that the phantom and animal images acquired with the CT platform were minimally affected by image noise and artifacts. For the beam-hardening phantom study, changes in water HU in the wall surrounding the heart chambers greatly reduced from >±30 to ≤ ± 5 HU at all kVp settings except one region at 100 kVp (7 HU). For the cone-beam phantom study, differences in mean water HU from the central slice were less than 5 HU at two peripheral slices with each 4 cm away from the central slice. These findings were reproducible in the pig DCE images at two peripheral slices that were 6 cm away from the central slice. For the partial-scan phantom study, standard deviations of the mean water HU in 10 successive partial scans were less than 5 HU at the central slice. Similar observations were made in the pig DCE images at two peripheral slices with each 6 cm away from the central slice. For the image noise phantom study, CNRs in the ASiR-V images were statistically higher (p < 0.05) than the non-ASiR-V images at all kVp settings. MP maps generated from the porcine DCE images were in excellent quality, with the ischemia in the LAD territory clearly seen in the three orthogonal views. The study demonstrates that this CT system can provide accurate and reproducible CT numbers during cardiac gated acquisitions across a wide axial field of view. This CT number fidelity will enable this imaging tool to assess contrast enhancement, potentially providing valuable added information beyond anatomic evaluation of coronary stenoses. Furthermore, their results collectively suggested that the 100 kVp/25 mAs protocol run on this CT system provides sufficient image accuracy at a low radiation dose (<3 mSv) for whole-heart quantitative CT MP imaging.

Representation of the serial killer on the Italian Internet.

PubMed

Villano, P; Bastianoni, P; Melotti, G

2001-10-01

The representation of serial killers was examined from the analysis of 317 Web pages in the Italian language to study how the psychological profiles of serial killers are described on the Italian Internet. The correspondence analysis of the content of these Web pages shows that in Italy the serial killer is associated with words such as "monster" and "horror," which suggest and imply psychological perversion and aberrant acts. These traits are peculiar for the Italian scenario.

Improving validation methods for molecular diagnostics: application of Bland-Altman, Deming and simple linear regression analyses in assay comparison and evaluation for next-generation sequencing.

PubMed

Misyura, Maksym; Sukhai, Mahadeo A; Kulasignam, Vathany; Zhang, Tong; Kamel-Reid, Suzanne; Stockley, Tracy L

2018-02-01

A standard approach in test evaluation is to compare results of the assay in validation to results from previously validated methods. For quantitative molecular diagnostic assays, comparison of test values is often performed using simple linear regression and the coefficient of determination (R 2 ), using R 2 as the primary metric of assay agreement. However, the use of R 2 alone does not adequately quantify constant or proportional errors required for optimal test evaluation. More extensive statistical approaches, such as Bland-Altman and expanded interpretation of linear regression methods, can be used to more thoroughly compare data from quantitative molecular assays. We present the application of Bland-Altman and linear regression statistical methods to evaluate quantitative outputs from next-generation sequencing assays (NGS). NGS-derived data sets from assay validation experiments were used to demonstrate the utility of the statistical methods. Both Bland-Altman and linear regression were able to detect the presence and magnitude of constant and proportional error in quantitative values of NGS data. Deming linear regression was used in the context of assay comparison studies, while simple linear regression was used to analyse serial dilution data. Bland-Altman statistical approach was also adapted to quantify assay accuracy, including constant and proportional errors, and precision where theoretical and empirical values were known. The complementary application of the statistical methods described in this manuscript enables more extensive evaluation of performance characteristics of quantitative molecular assays, prior to implementation in the clinical molecular laboratory. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Estimations of BCR-ABL/ABL transcripts by quantitative PCR in chronic myeloid leukaemia after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation and donor lymphocyte infusion.

PubMed

Otazú, Ivone B; Tavares, Rita de Cassia B; Hassan, Rocío; Zalcberg, Ilana; Tabak, Daniel G; Seuánez, Héctor N

2002-02-01

Serial assays of qualitative (multiplex and nested) and quantitative PCR were carried out for detecting and estimating the level of BCR-ABL transcripts in 39 CML patients following bone marrow transplantation. Seven of these patients, who received donor lymphocyte infusions (DLIs) following to relapse, were also monitored. Quantitative estimates of BCR-ABL transcripts were obtained by co-amplification with a competitor sequence. Estimates of ABL transcripts were used, an internal control and the ratio BCR-ABL/ABL was thus estimated for evaluating the kinetics of residual clones. Twenty four patients were followed shortly after BMT; two of these patients were in cytogenetic relapse coexisting with very high BCR-ABL levels while other 22 were in clinical, haematologic and cytogenetic remission 2-42 months after BMT. In this latter group, seven patients showed a favourable clinical-haematological progression in association with molecular remission while in 14 patients quantitative PCR assays indicated molecular relapse that was not associated with an early cytogenetic-haematologic relapse. BCR-ABL/ABL levels could not be correlated with presence of GVHD in 24 patients after BMT. In all seven patients treated with DLI, high levels of transcripts were detected at least 4 months before the appearance of clinical haematological relapse. Following DLI, five of these patients showed decreasing transcript levels from 2 to 5 logs between 4 and 12 months. In eight other patients studied long after BMT, five showed molecular relapse up to 117 months post-BMT and only one showed cytogenetic relapse. Our findings indicated that quantitative estimates of BCR-ABL transcripts were valuable for monitoring minimal residual disease in each patient.

Comparative transcript profiling by SuperSAGE identifies novel candidate genes for controlling potato quantitative resistance to late blight not compromised by late maturity.

PubMed

Draffehn, Astrid M; Li, Li; Krezdorn, Nicolas; Ding, Jia; Lübeck, Jens; Strahwald, Josef; Muktar, Meki S; Walkemeier, Birgit; Rotter, Björn; Gebhardt, Christiane

2013-01-01

Resistance to pathogens is essential for survival of wild and cultivated plants. Pathogen susceptibility causes major losses of crop yield and quality. Durable field resistance combined with high yield and other superior agronomic characters are therefore, important objectives in every crop breeding program. Precision and efficacy of resistance breeding can be enhanced by molecular diagnostic tools, which result from knowledge of the molecular basis of resistance and susceptibility. Breeding uses resistance conferred by single R genes and polygenic quantitative resistance. The latter is partial but considered more durable. Molecular mechanisms of plant pathogen interactions are elucidated mainly in experimental systems involving single R genes, whereas most genes important for quantitative resistance in crops like potato are unknown. Quantitative resistance of potato to Phytophthora infestans causing late blight is often compromised by late plant maturity, a negative agronomic character. Our objective was to identify candidate genes for quantitative resistance to late blight not compromised by late plant maturity. We used diagnostic DNA-markers to select plants with different field levels of maturity corrected resistance (MCR) to late blight and compared their leaf transcriptomes before and after infection with P. infestans using SuperSAGE (serial analysis of gene expression) technology and next generation sequencing. We identified 2034 transcripts up or down regulated upon infection, including a homolog of the kiwi fruit allergen kiwellin. 806 transcripts showed differential expression between groups of genotypes with contrasting MCR levels. The observed expression patterns suggest that MCR is in part controlled by differential transcript levels in uninfected plants. Functional annotation suggests that, besides biotic and abiotic stress responses, general cellular processes such as photosynthesis, protein biosynthesis, and degradation play a role in MCR.

Programed asynchronous serial data interrogation in a two-computer system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneberger, N. A.

1975-01-01

Technique permits redundant computers, with one unit in control mode and one in MONITOR mode, to interrogate the same serial data source. Its use for program-controlled serial data transfer results in extremely simple hardware and software mechanization.

Serial Learning Process: Test of Chaining, Position, and Dual-Process Hypotheses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giurintano, S. L.

1973-01-01

The chaining, position, and dual-process hypotheses of serial learning (SL) as well as serial recall, reordering, and relearning of paired-associate learning were examined to establish learning patterns. Results provide evidence for dual-process hypothesis. (DS)

Memory for Serial Order.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewandowsky, Stephan; Murdock, Bennet B., Jr.

1989-01-01

An extension to Murdock's Theory of Distributed Associative Memory, based on associative chaining between items, is presented. The extended theory is applied to several serial order phenomena, including serial list learning, delayed recall effects, partial report effects, and buildup and release from proactive interference. (TJH)

How Children Choose among Serial Recall Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGilly, Kate; Siegler, Robert S.

1989-01-01

Investigated the serial recall strategies of 96 children aged 5-8 years by applying a theoretical and methodological approach originally developed to investigate preschoolers' arithmetic strategies. Results indicated the use of multiple approaches for serial recall and adaptive strategy choices. (RJC)

Comprehensive report of the work done under contract AT(40-1)-3329 during the years 1970--1973

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

Bernheim, F.; Ottolenghi, A.

1973-11-01

During the past three years of the project the principal aims of the effort have been: (1) to establish the quantitative relationship between eosinophilic leukocytes and phospholipase B in all major areas of distribution of these cells; and (2) to develop procedures and approaches for studying the kinetics and regulatory mechanisms of the peripheral eosinophilic population. Both objectives have been accomplished and a number of related and new aspects of the problem have been brought to light. (auth)

Validation of Reference Genes in mRNA Expression Analysis Applied to the Study of Asthma.

PubMed

Segundo-Val, Ignacio San; Sanz-Lozano, Catalina S

2016-01-01

The quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction is the most used technique for the study of gene expression. To correct putative experimental errors of this technique is necessary normalizing the expression results of the gene of interest with the obtained for reference genes. Here, we describe an example of the process to select reference genes. In this particular case, we select reference genes for expression studies in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of asthmatic patients.

Exploring pain pathophysiology in patients.

PubMed

Sommer, Claudia

2016-11-04

Although animal models of pain have brought invaluable information on basic processes underlying pain pathophysiology, translation to humans is a problem. This Review will summarize what information has been gained by the direct study of patients with chronic pain. The techniques discussed range from patient phenotyping using quantitative sensory testing to specialized nociceptor neurophysiology, imaging methods of peripheral nociceptors, analyses of body fluids, genetics and epigenetics, and the generation of sensory neurons from patients via inducible pluripotent stem cells. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Characterizing fluorotelomer and polyfluoroalkyl substances in new and aged fluorotelomer-based polymers for degradation studies with GC/MS and LC/MS/MS.

PubMed

Washington, John W; Naile, Jonathan E; Jenkins, Thomas M; Lynch, David G

2014-05-20

Fluorotelomer-based polymers (FTPs), the dominant product of the fluorotelomer industry, are antistaining and antiwetting agents that permeate the products and surfaces of modern society. However, the degree to which these materials expose humans and the environment to fluorotelomer and perfluorinated compounds, including recalcitrant and toxic compounds such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), is ill-defined. The design intent of FTPs, to minimize interaction with other substances, including solvents, heretofore has stymied efforts to develop robust methods to characterize the content of monomers and associated compounds of new commercial FTPs, as well as commercial FTPs that have been aged in environmental media for degradation testing. Here we show that FTPs can be exhausted of these compounds and quantitated by (i) drying the FTP on a suitable substrate at elevated temperature to achieve low, constant monomer concentrations; (ii) serial extraction with MTBE for fluorotelomer-monomer analysis by GC/MS in PCI mode; followed by (iii) serial extraction with 90/10 ACN/H2O for polyfluorocompound analysis by LC/MS/MS in negative ESI mode. This approach yields exhaustive, internally consistent accounting of monomers and associated compounds for FTPs, either alone or in a soil matrix (representing an environmental medium), for both new and simulated-aged FTPs to allow degradation testing, and for fluorinated compounds at least as long as C12.

Functional Relationships for Investigating Cognitive Processes

PubMed Central

Wright, Anthony A.

2013-01-01

Functional relationships (from systematic manipulation of critical variables) are advocated for revealing fundamental processes of (comparative) cognition—through examples from my work in psychophysics, learning, and memory. Functional relationships for pigeon wavelength (hue) discrimination revealed best discrimination at the spectral points of hue transition for pigeons—a correspondence (i.e., functional relationship) similar to that for humans. Functional relationships for learning revealed: Item-specific or relational learning in matching to sample as a function of the pigeons’ sample-response requirement, and same/different abstract-concept learning as a function of the training set size for rhesus monkeys, capuchin monkeys, and pigeons. Functional relationships for visual memory revealed serial position functions (a 1st order functional relationship) that changed systematically with retention delay (a 2nd order relationship) for pigeons, capuchin monkeys, rhesus monkeys, and humans. Functional relationships for rhesus-monkey auditory memory also revealed systematic changes in serial position functions with delay, but these changes were opposite to those for visual memory. Functional relationships for proactive interference revealed interference that varied as a function of a ratio of delay times. Functional relationships for change detection memory revealed (qualitative) similarities and (quantitative) differences in human and monkey visual short term memory as a function of the number of memory items. It is concluded that these findings were made possible by varying critical variables over a substantial portion of the manipulable range to generate functions and derive relationships. PMID:23174335

Reversion of QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube test in individuals with and without prophylactic treatment for latent tuberculosis infection: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Haoran; Xin, Henan; Li, Xiangwei; Li, Hengjing; Li, Mufei; Feng, Boxuan; Gao, Lei

2018-05-07

Reversion of tuberculosis (TB) infection testing has been suggested to be associated with prophylactic treatment efficacy. However, evidences based on randomized controlled study were sparse. Studies on serial QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT) test, among individuals with and without prophylactic treatment were identified in the databases of PubMed, MEDLINE and EMBASE up to 28 February 2018. The reversion rates were quantitatively summarized by means of meta-analysis using the random-effect model. A total of 52 eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis on QFT test reversion rate among participants with (20 studies) and without (32 studies) prophylactic treatment. Summarized reversion rate was found to be 24.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 18.4%-32.9%) and 25.3% (95% CI: 19.6%-32.0%) for those completed or without treatment, respectively. When the analysis was restricted to the participants completed treatment, higher summarized rate of QFT reversion was found among those with longer course therapy (9INH vs. the other regimens), studies from Asia (vs. Europe and America), and individuals with immunosuppression disorders (vs. general populations). Our results suggested that QFT reversion was frequently observed regardless of with or without prophylactic treatment. Serial QFT testing might be inappropriate for evaluating preventive treatment efficacy. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Peripheral arteriovenous fistula as vascular access for long-term chemotherapy.

PubMed

Kovalyov, Oleksiy O; Kostyuk, Oleksandr G; Tkachuk, Tetyana V

To provide long-term vascular access in clinical oncology peripheral forearm veins (up to 95% of patients in Ukraine), central venous access and "complete implanted vascular systems" are used most often. Many oncology patients have contraindications to catheterization of superior vena cava. Besides, exploitation of central veins is associated with potential technical and infectious complications. The aim - to study short-term and long-term results of arteriovenous fistula exploitation as vascular access for continuous anticancer therapy. Peripheral venous bed status in 41 oncology patients taking long-term chemotherapy treatment is analyzed in the article. Doppler sonography, morphologic and immune histochemical analyses were used in the study. Doppler sonography found qualitative and quantitative changes in forearm veins at different time periods after initiation of chemotherapy in the majority of patients. The major morphologic manifestations of venous wall damage were chemical phlebitis, local or extended hardening of venous wall, venous thrombosis and extravasations with necrosis and subsequent paravasal tissue sclerosis. Alternative vascular access created in 12 patients completely met the adequacy criteria (safety, multiple use, longevity, realization of the designed therapy program). The conclusion was made about inapplicability of forearm veins for long-term administration of cytostatic agents. If it is impossible to use central veins, arteriovenous fistula can become an alternative vascular access.

Nerve growth factor loaded heparin/chitosan scaffolds for accelerating peripheral nerve regeneration.

PubMed

Li, Guicai; Xiao, Qinzhi; Zhang, Luzhong; Zhao, Yahong; Yang, Yumin

2017-09-01

Artificial chitosan scaffolds have been widely investigated for peripheral nerve regeneration. However, the effect was not as good as that of autologous grafts and therefore could not meet the clinical requirement. In the present study, the nerve growth factor (NGF) loaded heparin/chitosan scaffolds were fabricated via electrostatic interaction for further improving nerve regeneration. The physicochemical properties including morphology, wettability and composition were measured. The heparin immobilization, NGF loading and release were quantitatively and qualitatively characterized, respectively. The effect of NGF loaded heparin/chitosan scaffolds on nerve regeneration was evaluated by Schwann cells culture for different periods. The results showed that the heparin immobilization and NGF loading did not cause the change of bulk properties of chitosan scaffolds except for morphology and wettability. The pre-immobilization of heparin in chitosan scaffolds could enhance the stability of subsequently loaded NGF. The NGF loaded heparin/chitosan scaffolds could obviously improve the attachment and proliferation of Schwann cells in vitro. More importantly, the NGF loaded heparin/chitosan scaffolds could effectively promote the morphology development of Schwann cells. The study may provide a useful experimental basis to design and develop artificial implants for peripheral nerve regeneration and other tissue regeneration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Progression of Diabetic Capillary Occlusion: A Model

PubMed Central

Gens, John Scott; Glazier, James A.; Burns, Stephen A.; Gast, Thomas J.

2016-01-01

An explanatory computational model is developed of the contiguous areas of retinal capillary loss which play a large role in diabetic maculapathy and diabetic retinal neovascularization. Strictly random leukocyte mediated capillary occlusion cannot explain the occurrence of large contiguous areas of retinal ischemia. Therefore occlusion of an individual capillary must increase the probability of occlusion of surrounding capillaries. A retinal perifoveal vascular sector as well as a peripheral retinal capillary network and a deleted hexagonal capillary network are modelled using Compucell3D. The perifoveal modelling produces a pattern of spreading capillary loss with associated macular edema. In the peripheral network, spreading ischemia results from the progressive loss of the ladder capillaries which connect peripheral arterioles and venules. System blood flow was elevated in the macular model before a later reduction in flow in cases with progression of capillary occlusions. Simulations differing only in initial vascular network structures but with identical dynamics for oxygen, growth factors and vascular occlusions, replicate key clinical observations of ischemia and macular edema in the posterior pole and ischemia in the retinal periphery. The simulation results also seem consistent with quantitative data on macular blood flow and qualitative data on venous oxygenation. One computational model applied to distinct capillary networks in different retinal regions yielded results comparable to clinical observations in those regions. PMID:27300722

The morphological changes in lymphoid organs and peripheral blood indicators in rats after peroral administration of gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bucharskaya, A. B.; Pakhomy, S. S.; Zlobina, O. V.; Maslyakova, G. N.; Matveeva, O. V.; Bugaeva, I. O.; Navolokin, N. A.; Khlebtsov, B. N.; Bogatyrev, V. A.; Khlebtsov, N. G.; Tuchin, V. V.

2016-03-01

The wide application of nanotechnologies in medicine requires the careful study of various aspects of their potential safety. The effects of prolonged peroral administration of gold nanoparticles on morphological changes in lymphoid organs and indicators of peripheral blood of laboratory animals were investigated in experiment. The gold nanospheres functionalized with thiolated polyethylene glycol sizes 2, 15 and 50 nm were administered orally for 15 days to outbred white rats at a dosage of 190 μg/kg of animal body weight. The standard histological and hematological staining were used for morphological study of lymphoid organs and bone marrow smears. The size-dependent decrease of the number of neutrophils and lymphocytes was noted in the study of peripheral blood, especially pronounced after administration of gold nanoparticles with size of 50 nm. The stimulation of myelocytic germ of hematopoiesis was recorded at morphological study of the bone marrow. The signs of strengthening of the processes of differentiation and maturation of cellular elements were found in lymph nodes, which were showed as the increasing number of immunoblasts and large lymphocytes. The quantitative changes of cellular component morphology of lymphoid organs due to activation of migration, proliferation and differentiation of immune cells indicate the presence of immunostimulation effect of gold nanoparticles.

[A Case of Severe Chronic Active Epstein-Barr Virus Infection with Aplastic Anemia and Hepatitis].

PubMed

Lee, Ja In; Lee, Sung Won; Han, Nam Ik; Ro, Sang Mi; Noh, Yong-Sun; Jang, Jeong Won; Bae, Si Hyun; Choi, Jong Young; Yoon, Seung Kew

2016-01-25

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) causes various acute and chronic diseases. Chronic active EBV infection (CAEBV) is characterized by infectious mononucleosis-like symptoms that persist for more than 6 months with high viral loads in peripheral blood and/or an unusual pattern of anti-EBV antibodies. Severe CAEBV is associated with poor prognosis with severe symptoms, an extremely high EBV-related antibody titer, and hematologic complications that often include hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. However, CAEBV which led to the development of aplastic anemia (AA) has not been reported yet. A 73-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with intermittent fever, general weakness and elevated liver enzymes. In the serologic test, EBV-related antibody titer was elevated, and real-time quantitative-PCR in peripheral blood showed viral loads exceeding 10(4) copies/μg DNA. Liver biopsy showed characteristic histopathological changes of EBV hepatitis and in situ hybridization with EBV-encoded RNA-1 was positive for EBV. Pancytopenia was detected in peripheral blood, and the bone marrow aspiration biopsy showed hypocellularity with replacement by adipocytes. AA progressed and the patient was treated with prednisolone but deceased 8 months after the diagnosis due to multiple organ failure and opportunistic infection. Herein, we report a rare case of severe CAEBV in an adult patient accompanied by AA and persistent hepatitis.

Verifying speculative multithreading in an application

DOEpatents

Felton, Mitchell D

2014-12-09

Verifying speculative multithreading in an application executing in a computing system, including: executing one or more test instructions serially thereby producing a serial result, including insuring that all data dependencies among the test instructions are satisfied; executing the test instructions speculatively in a plurality of threads thereby producing a speculative result; and determining whether a speculative multithreading error exists including: comparing the serial result to the speculative result and, if the serial result does not match the speculative result, determining that a speculative multithreading error exists.

Verifying speculative multithreading in an application

DOEpatents

Felton, Mitchell D

2014-11-18

Verifying speculative multithreading in an application executing in a computing system, including: executing one or more test instructions serially thereby producing a serial result, including insuring that all data dependencies among the test instructions are satisfied; executing the test instructions speculatively in a plurality of threads thereby producing a speculative result; and determining whether a speculative multithreading error exists including: comparing the serial result to the speculative result and, if the serial result does not match the speculative result, determining that a speculative multithreading error exists.

[Change in the activity of natural killer cells in normal subjects and in virus diseases on exposure to interferon in vitro].

PubMed

Petrov, R V; Saidov, M Z; Koval'chuk, L V; Sorokin, A M; Kaganov, B S

1984-04-01

The activity of natural killers was examined in peripheral blood of healthy subjects and patients with chronic hepatitis and disseminated sclerosis. An attempt was made to correct natural killer activity by human leukocyte interferon in vitro. To assess the activity of natural killers, use was made of the method of serial dilutions. An optimal effector/target ratio was employed in experiments. The patients with chronic hepatitis and disseminated sclerosis demonstrated a reduction in the activity of natural killers whatever the effector/target ratio. The action of interferon in vitro is specific immunomodulatory in nature. Administration of interferon in a dose of 250 Units/ml raises the magnitude of the cytotoxic index in healthy donors and in patients with chronic hepatitis and disseminated sclerosis, making the shape of the killer activity curve approach that of normal. Such an approach can be used for preliminary assessment of the sensitivity of natural killers to interferon in viral diseases of man. The potentialities and efficacy of interferon in clinical medicine are discussed.

A hybrid analog-digital phase-locked loop for frequency mode non-contact scanning probe microscopy.

PubMed

Mehta, M M; Chandrasekhar, V

2014-01-01

Non-contact scanning probe microscopy (SPM) has developed into a powerful technique to image many different properties of samples. The conventional method involves monitoring the amplitude, phase, or frequency of a cantilever oscillating at or near its resonant frequency as it is scanned across the surface of a sample. For high Q factor cantilevers, monitoring the resonant frequency is the preferred method in order to obtain reasonable scan times. This can be done by using a phase-locked-loop (PLL). PLLs can be obtained as commercial integrated circuits, but these do not have the frequency resolution required for SPM. To increase the resolution, all-digital PLLs requiring sophisticated digital signal processors or field programmable gate arrays have also been implemented. We describe here a hybrid analog/digital PLL where most of the components are implemented using discrete analog integrated circuits, but the frequency resolution is provided by a direct digital synthesis chip controlled by a simple peripheral interface controller (PIC) microcontroller. The PLL has excellent frequency resolution and noise, and can be controlled and read by a computer via a universal serial bus connection.

A hybrid analog-digital phase-locked loop for frequency mode non-contact scanning probe microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehta, M. M.; Chandrasekhar, V.

2014-01-01

Non-contact scanning probe microscopy (SPM) has developed into a powerful technique to image many different properties of samples. The conventional method involves monitoring the amplitude, phase, or frequency of a cantilever oscillating at or near its resonant frequency as it is scanned across the surface of a sample. For high Q factor cantilevers, monitoring the resonant frequency is the preferred method in order to obtain reasonable scan times. This can be done by using a phase-locked-loop (PLL). PLLs can be obtained as commercial integrated circuits, but these do not have the frequency resolution required for SPM. To increase the resolution, all-digital PLLs requiring sophisticated digital signal processors or field programmable gate arrays have also been implemented. We describe here a hybrid analog/digital PLL where most of the components are implemented using discrete analog integrated circuits, but the frequency resolution is provided by a direct digital synthesis chip controlled by a simple peripheral interface controller (PIC) microcontroller. The PLL has excellent frequency resolution and noise, and can be controlled and read by a computer via a universal serial bus connection.

Association of athlete's foot with cellulitis of the lower extremities: diagnostic value of bacterial cultures of ipsilateral interdigital space samples.

PubMed

Semel, J D; Goldin, H

1996-11-01

We performed a study to determine how often patients with cellulitis of the lower extremities in the absence of trauma, peripheral vascular disease, or chronic open ulcers have ipsilateral interdigital athlete's foot and whether cultures of samples from the involved interdigital spaces would yield potentially pathogenic bacteria. Athlete's foot was present in 20 (83%) of 24 episodes of cellulitis that were studied. Cultures of samples from interdigital spaces yielded Beta-hemolytic streptococci in 17 (85%) of 20 cases, Staphylococcus aureus in 9 (45%) of 20 cases, and gram-negative rods in 7 (35%) of 20 cases. Only Beta-hemolytic streptococci were recovered significantly more often from patients than from a group of controls with athlete's foot who did not have cellulitis (P < .01). Athlete's foot may be a common predisposing condition for cellulitis of the lower extremities. In comparison with attempts at microbiological diagnosis such as aspiration and/or biopsy of the area of cellulitis, cultures of samples from the interdigital spaces combined with serial determinations of antistreptolysin titers may offer a simpler noninvasive method of microbiological diagnosis.

Progressive necrotic encephalopathy following tacrolimus therapy for liver transplantation.

PubMed

Aridon, Paolo; Ragonese, Paolo; Di Benedetto, Norma; Grasso, Giovanni; Conaldi, Pier Giulio; D'Amelio, Marco; Savettieri, Giovanni

2009-12-01

Previously described neurologic damage induced by immunosuppressive treatments includes transient or reversible central nervous system involvement. We describe a 57-year-old man who underwent liver transplantation and was started on immunosuppressive therapy with tacrolimus (FK506). Six months later, he started complaining of a progressive motor and sensory impairment of the left side, together with cognitive impairment. Brain MRI showed an enlarging lesion of the white matter with peripheral contrast enhancement. PET study indicated severe hypometabolism in the right hemisphere and spectroscopic MRI showed a peak of choline and relative reduction of other metabolites. Findings of CSF examinations and cultures, serology, and molecular techniques were normal. Tacrolimus treatment was stopped. A cerebral biopsy of the lesion showed a sub acute necrotizing process. In the following months, cognitive status of the patient tended to improve although he remained hemiplegic, while serial MRI confirmed the tendency to the recovery of the lesion that was still present 1 year after. The present observation describes a progressive encephalopathy associated with immune suppression with an unusual feature and permanent brain damage.

Clinical Correlations of Transcriptional Profile in Patients Infected with Avian Influenza H7N9 Virus.

PubMed

Guan, Wenda; Wu, Nicholas C; Lee, Horace H Y; Li, Yimin; Jiang, Wenxin; Shen, Lihan; Wu, Douglas C; Chen, Rongchang; Zhong, Nanshan; Wilson, Ian A; Peiris, Malik; Yang, Zifeng; Mok, Chris K P

2018-05-28

Avian influenza A (H7N9) viruses emerged in China in 2013 and caused zoonotic disease associated with a case-fatality ratio of over 30%. Transcriptional profiles in peripheral blood reflect host responses and can help to elucidate disease pathogenesis. We correlated serial blood transcriptomic profiles of patients with avian influenza A (H7N9) virus infection and determined the biological significances from the analysis. We found that specific gene expression profiles in the blood were strongly correlated with the PaO2/FiO2 ratio and viral load in the lower respiratory tract (LRT). Cell cycle and leukocyte-related immunity were activated at the acute stage of the infection while T cell functions and various metabolic processes were associated with the recovery phase of the illness. A transition from systemic innate to adaptive immunity was found. We developed a novel approach for transcriptomic analysis to identify key host responses that were strongly correlated with specific clinical and virologic parameters in patients with H7N9 infection.

Detection and isolation of Japanese encephalitis virus from blood clots collected during the acute phase of infection.

PubMed

Sapkal, Gajanan N; Wairagkar, Nitin S; Ayachit, Vijay M; Bondre, Vijay P; Gore, Milind M

2007-12-01

Clinical specimens from an encephalitis outbreak in the Lakhimpur area of Uttar Pradesh, India, were investigated for identification and characterization of the etiologic agent. IgM capture ELISA showed recent Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection. JEV isolation was attempted from white blood cells (WBCs) separated from blood clots of 12 patients (9 IgM positive and 3 negative) by serial co-culturing with phytohemagglutinin P-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes (PBMCs) obtained from pre-screened JEV sero-negative healthy individuals. JEV was isolated from two IgM-positive blood clots. Isolate 014178 was detected in WBCs and in the first passage of PBMCs by ELISA and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Isolate 014173 was detectable only after a second passage in PBMC co-culture. Sequence analysis of 346 nt of the C-prM region showed homology with JEV strain GP78. This is the first report on isolation of JEV from patient blood clots. Our study shows that the co-cultures of PBMCs separated from patient blood clots provide an additional source for JEV isolation.

On the Capability of Smartphones to Perform as Communication Gateways in Medical Wireless Personal Area Networks

PubMed Central

Morón, María José; Luque, Rafael; Casilari, Eduardo

2014-01-01

This paper evaluates and characterizes the technical performance of medical wireless personal area networks (WPANs) that are based on smartphones. For this purpose, a prototype of a health telemonitoring system is presented. The prototype incorporates a commercial Android smartphone, which acts as a relay point, or “gateway”, between a set of wireless medical sensors and a data server. Additionally, the paper investigates if the conventional capabilities of current commercial smartphones can be affected by their use as gateways or “Holters” in health monitoring applications. Specifically, the profiling has focused on the CPU and power consumption of the mobile devices. These metrics have been measured under several test conditions modifying the smartphone model, the type of sensors connected to the WPAN, the employed Bluetooth profile (SPP (serial port profile) or HDP (health device profile)), the use of other peripherals, such as a GPS receiver, the impact of the use of the Wi-Fi interface or the employed method to encode and forward the data that are collected from the sensors. PMID:24451456

Ambulatory stress monitoring with a wearable bluetooth electrocardiographic device.

PubMed

Hong, Sungyoup; Yang, Youngmo; Lee, Jangyoung; Yang, Heebum; Park, Kyungnam; Lee, Suyeul; Lee, Inbum; Jang, Yongwon

2010-01-01

We tried to monitor stress by using a wearable one channel ECG device that can send ECG signals through Bluetooth wireless communication. Noxious physical and mental arithmetic stress was given three times repeatedly to healthy adults, and cortisol and catecholamines were measured serially from peripheral blood. At the same time, time domain and frequency domain parameters of heart rate variability (HRV) were calculated by taking precordial electrocardiogram. The intensity of correlation between subjective visual analogue scale (VAS) and catecholamine, cortisol, and HRV parameters according to stress was analyzed by using concordance correlation coefficients. The HRV triangular index and LF/HF ratio had high concordance correlation with the degree of stress in the physical stress model. In mental arithmetic stress model, the HRV triangular index and LF/HF ratio had weak concordance correlation with the degree of stress, and it had lower predictability than epinephrine. In both models, cortisol had some correlation with catecholamine, but it had little correlation with HRV parameters. HRV parameters using wearable one channel ECG device can be useful in predicting acute stress and also in many other areas.

On the capability of smartphones to perform as communication gateways in medical wireless personal area networks.

PubMed

Morón, María José; Luque, Rafael; Casilari, Eduardo

2014-01-02

This paper evaluates and characterizes the technical performance of medical wireless personal area networks (WPANs) that are based on smartphones. For this purpose,a prototype of a health telemonitoring system is presented. The prototype incorporates a commercial Android smartphone, which acts as a relay point, or "gateway", between a set of wireless medical sensors and a data server. Additionally, the paper investigates if the conventional capabilities of current commercial smartphones can be affected by their use as gateways or "Holters" in health monitoring applications. Specifically, the profiling has focused on the CPU and power consumption of the mobile devices. These metrics have been measured under several test conditions modifying the smartphone model, the type of sensors connected to the WPAN, the employed Bluetooth profile (SPP (serial port profile) orHDP (health device profile)), the use of other peripherals, such as a GPS receiver, the impact of the use of the Wi-Fi interface or the employed method to encode and forward the data that are collected from the sensors.

Recent advances and product enhancements in reflective cholesteric displays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Asad; Schneider, Tod; Miller, Nick; Marhefka, Duane; Ernst, Todd; Nicholson, Forrest; Doane, Joseph W.

2005-04-01

Bistable reflective cholesteric displays are a liquid crystal display technology developed to fill a market need for very low power displays on a low-cost, high resolution passive matrix. Their unique look, high reflectivity, bistability, and simple structure make them an ideal flat panel display choice for handheld or other portable devices where small lightweight batteries with long lifetimes are important. We discuss recent advances in cholesteric display technology at Kent Displays such as progress towards single layer black and white displays, standard products, lower cost display modules, and various interface options for cholesteric display applications. It will be shown that inclusion of radio frequency (rf) control options and serial peripheral interface (spi) can greatly enhance the cholesteric display module market penetration by enabling quick integration into end devices. Finally, some discussion will be on the progress of the development of flexible reflective cholesteric displays. These flexible displays can dramatically change industrial design methods by enabling curved surfaces with displays integrated in them. Additional discussion in the paper will include applications of various display modes including signs, hand held instrumentation, and the electronic book and reader.

The emergence of Y-chromosome haplogroup J1e among Arabic-speaking populations

PubMed Central

Chiaroni, Jacques; King, Roy J; Myres, Natalie M; Henn, Brenna M; Ducourneau, Axel; Mitchell, Michael J; Boetsch, Gilles; Sheikha, Issa; Lin, Alice A; Nik-Ahd, Mahnoosh; Ahmad, Jabeen; Lattanzi, Francesca; Herrera, Rene J; Ibrahim, Muntaser E; Brody, Aaron; Semino, Ornella; Kivisild, Toomas; Underhill, Peter A

2010-01-01

Haplogroup J1 is a prevalent Y-chromosome lineage within the Near East. We report the frequency and YSTR diversity data for its major sub-clade (J1e). The overall expansion time estimated from 453 chromosomes is 10 000 years. Moreover, the previously described J1 (DYS388=13) chromosomes, frequently found in the Caucasus and eastern Anatolian populations, were ancestral to J1e and displayed an expansion time of 9000 years. For J1e, the Zagros/Taurus mountain region displays the highest haplotype diversity, although the J1e frequency increases toward the peripheral Arabian Peninsula. The southerly pattern of decreasing expansion time estimates is consistent with the serial drift and founder effect processes. The first such migration is predicted to have occurred at the onset of the Neolithic, and accordingly J1e parallels the establishment of rain-fed agriculture and semi-nomadic herders throughout the Fertile Crescent. Subsequently, J1e lineages might have been involved in episodes of the expansion of pastoralists into arid habitats coinciding with the spread of Arabic and other Semitic-speaking populations. PMID:19826455

Telomeric repeat-containing RNA (TERRA) related to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

PubMed

Wang, Caiqin; Shen, Fengxian; Zhu, Yuning; Fang, Yuying; Lu, Shiming

2017-04-01

Telomeric repeat-containing RNA (TERRA) participates in the regulation of telomere length, and leucocyte telomere length (LTL) plays an important role in the pathophysiology of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but little is known about the role of TERRA in PCOS. To evaluate the role of TERRA and peripheral blood LTL in PCOS. Forty women with PCOS and 35 healthy women without PCOS were recruited. A prospective case-control study was performed. RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to detect TERRA expression in peripheral blood leucocyte. Quantitative PCR was used to measure TERRA expression and the mean LTL in the PCOS and control groups. We analysed the association between related clinical parameters and the age-adjusted ratio of the telomere repeat length (T/S ratio) or TERRA. Telomeric repeat-containing RNA was expressed in human peripheral blood leucocytes, and the signal was abolished after culture with RNase A. The age-adjusted LTLs were significantly longer in the PCOS group than in the control group (P < 0·01). The age-adjusted TERRA level was significantly lower in the PCOS group than in the control group (P < 0·01). Testosterone (TTE) was related positively to LTL and negatively to TERRA in the PCOS group (r = 0·532, P = 0·002; r = -0·477, P = 0·017). We found TERRA expression in human peripheral blood leucocytes, and LTLs were positively associated with PCOS. TERRA and testosterone play an important role in the LTL regulation in PCOS. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Peripheral input and its importance for central sensitization.

PubMed

Baron, Ralf; Hans, Guy; Dickenson, Anthony H

2013-11-01

Many pain states begin with damage to tissue and/or nerves in the periphery, leading to enhanced transmitter release within the spinal cord and central sensitization. Manifestations of this central sensitization are windup and long-term potentiation. Hyperexcitable spinal neurons show reduced thresholds, greater evoked responses, increased receptive field sizes, and ongoing stimulus-independent activity; these changes probably underlie the allodynia, hyperalgesia, and spontaneous pain seen in patients. Central sensitization is maintained by continuing input from the periphery, but also modulated by descending controls, both inhibitory and facilitatory, from the midbrain and brainstem. The projections of sensitized spinal neurons to the brain, in turn, alter the processing of painful messages by higher centers. Several mechanisms contribute to central sensitization. Repetitive activation of primary afferent C fibers leads to a synaptic strengthening of nociceptive transmission. It may also induce facilitation of non-nociceptive Aβ fibers and nociceptive Aδ fibers, giving rise to dynamic mechanical allodynia and mechanical hyperalgesia. In postherpetic neuralgia and complex regional pain syndrome, for example, these symptoms are maintained and modulated by peripheral nociceptive input. Diagnosing central sensitization can be particularly difficult. In addition to the medical history, quantitative sensory testing and functional magnetic resonance imaging may be useful, but diagnostic criteria that include both subjective and objective measures of central augmentation are needed. Mounting evidence indicates that treatment strategies that desensitize the peripheral and central nervous systems are required. These should generally involve a multimodal approach, so that therapies may target the peripheral drivers of central sensitization and/or the central consequences. © 2013 American Neurological Association.

Meta-analysis of diffusion metrics for the prediction of tumor grade in gliomas.

PubMed

Miloushev, V Z; Chow, D S; Filippi, C G

2015-02-01

Diffusion tensor metrics are potential in vivo quantitative neuroimaging biomarkers for the characterization of brain tumor subtype. This meta-analysis analyzes the ability of mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy to distinguish low-grade from high-grade gliomas in the identifiable tumor core and the region of peripheral edema. A meta-analysis of articles with mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy data for World Health Organization low-grade (I, II) and high-grade (III, IV) gliomas, between 2000 and 2013, was performed. Pooled data were analyzed by using the odds ratio and mean difference. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed for patient-level data. The minimum mean diffusivity of high-grade gliomas was decreased compared with low-grade gliomas. High-grade gliomas had decreased average mean diffusivity values compared with low-grade gliomas in the tumor core and increased average mean diffusivity values in the peripheral region. High-grade gliomas had increased FA values compared with low-grade gliomas in the tumor core, decreased values in the peripheral region, and a decreased fractional anisotropy difference between the tumor core and peripheral region. The minimum mean diffusivity differs significantly with respect to the World Health Organization grade of gliomas. Statistically significant effects of tumor grade on average mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy were observed, supporting the concept that high-grade tumors are more destructive and infiltrative than low-grade tumors. Considerable heterogeneity within the literature may be due to systematic factors in addition to underlying lesion heterogeneity. © 2015 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Accuracy of an HRP-2/panLDH rapid diagnostic test to detect peripheral and placental Plasmodium falciparum infection in Papua New Guinean women with anaemia or suspected malaria.

PubMed

Umbers, Alexandra J; Unger, Holger W; Rosanas-Urgell, Anna; Wangnapi, Regina A; Kattenberg, Johanna H; Jally, Shadrach; Silim, Selina; Lufele, Elvin; Karl, Stephan; Ome-Kaius, Maria; Robinson, Leanne J; Rogerson, Stephen J; Mueller, Ivo

2015-10-19

The diagnosis of malaria during pregnancy is complicated by placental sequestration, asymptomatic infection, and low-density peripheral parasitaemia. Where intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine is threatened by drug resistance, or is inappropriate due to low transmission, intermittent screening and treatment (ISTp) with rapid diagnostic tests for malaria (RDT) could be a valuable alternative. Therefore, the accuracy of RDTs to detect peripheral and placental infection was assessed in a declining transmission setting in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The performance of a combination RDT detecting histidine-rich protein-2 (HRP-2) and Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH), and light microscopy (LM), to diagnose peripheral Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax infections during pregnancy, were assessed using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) as the reference standard. Participants in a malaria prevention trial in PNG with a haemoglobin ≤90 g/L, or symptoms suggestive of malaria, were tested. Ability of RDT and LM to detect active placental infection on histology was evaluated in some participants. Among 876 women, 1162 RDTs were undertaken (anaemia: 854 [73.5 %], suspected malaria: 308 [26.5 %]). qPCR detected peripheral infection during 190 RDT episodes (165 P. falciparum, 19 P. vivax, 6 mixed infections). Overall, RDT detected peripheral P. falciparum infection with 45.6 % sensitivity (95 % CI 38.0-53.4), a specificity of 96.4 % (95.0-97.4), a positive predictive value of 68.4 % (59.1-76.8), and a negative predictive value of 91.1 % (89.2-92.8). RDT performance to detect P. falciparum was inferior to LM, more so amongst anaemic women (18.6 vs 45.3 % sensitivity, Liddell's exact test, P < 0.001) compared to symptomatic women (72.9 vs 82.4 % sensitivity, P = 0.077). RDT and LM missed 88.0 % (22/25) and 76.0 % (19/25) of P. vivax infections, respectively. In a subset of women tested at delivery and who had placental histology (n = 158) active placental infection was present in 19.6 %: all three peripheral blood infection detection methods (RDT, LM, qPCR) missed >50 % of these infections. In PNG, HRP-2/pLDH RDTs may be useful to diagnose peripheral P. falciparum infections in symptomatic pregnant women. However, they are not sufficiently sensitive for use in intermittent screening amongst asymptomatic (anaemic) women. These findings have implications for the management of malaria in pregnancy. The adverse impact of infections undetected by RDT or LM on pregnancy outcomes needs further evaluation.

The Effect and Complication of Botulinum Toxin Type A Injection with Serial Casting for the Treatment of Spastic Equinus Foot

PubMed Central

Lee, Sook Joung; Jang, Dae Hyun; Yi, Jin Hwa; Lee, Jin Ho; Ryu, Ju Seok

2011-01-01

Objective To identify the effect of serial casting combined with Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) injection on spastic equinus foot. Method Twenty-nine children with cerebral palsy who had equinus foot were recruited from the outpatient clinic of Rehabilitation Medicine. The children were divided into 2 groups, one of which received serial casting after BTX-A injection, and the other which only received BTX-A injection. Serial casting started 3 weeks after the BTX-A injection, and was changed weekly for 3 times. Spasticity of the ankle joint was evaluated using the modified Ashworth scale (MAS), and the modified Tardieu scale (MTS). Gait pattern was measured using the physician's rating scale (PRS). Results The degree of ankle dorsiflexion and the MAS improved significantly until 12 weeks following the BTX-A injection in the serial casting group (p<0.001), while the BTX-A injection-only group improved until 6 weeks following injection (p<0.05). The combined group showed a significantly greater increase in the degree of dorsiflexion compared to the BTX-A injection-only group at post-injection weeks 6 and 12 (p<0.05). Three children (11.5%) suffered from foot ulcers as a complication caused by the serial casting. Conclusion Our study demonstrated that the effect of BTX-A injection with serial casting was superior and lasted longer than the effect of BTX-A injection only in patients with spastic equinus foot. We therefore recommend BTX-A injection with serial casting for the treatment of equinus foot. However, physicians must also consider the possible complications associated with serial casting. PMID:22506143

Evaluative procedures to detect, characterize, and assess the severity of diabetic neuropathy.

PubMed

Dyck, P J

1991-01-01

Minimal criteria for diabetic neuropathy need to be defined and universally applied. Standardized evaluative procedures need to be agreed and normal ranges determined from healthy volunteers. Types and stages of neuropathy should be established and assessments performed on representative populations of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic patients. Potential minimal criteria include absent ankle reflexes and vibratory sensation, and abnormalities of nerve conduction. However, the preferred criterion is the identification of more than two statistically defined abnormalities among symptoms and deficits, nerve conduction, quantitative sensory examination or quantitative autonomic examination. Various evaluative procedures are available. Symptoms should be assessed and scores can be assigned to neurological deficits. However, assessments of nerve conduction provide the most specific, objective, sensitive, and repeatable procedures, although these may be the least meaningful. Many techniques are available for quantitative sensory examination, but are poorly standardized and normal values are not available. For quantitative autonomic examination, tests are available for the adequacy of cardiovascular and peripheral vascular reflexes and increasingly for other autonomic functions. In any assessment of nerve function the conditions should be optimized and standardized, and stimuli defined. Specific instructions should be given and normal ranges established in healthy volunteers.

Spatial attention interacts with serial-order retrieval from verbal working memory.

PubMed

van Dijck, Jean-Philippe; Abrahamse, Elger L; Majerus, Steve; Fias, Wim

2013-09-01

The ability to maintain the serial order of events is recognized as a major function of working memory. Although general models of working memory postulate a close link between working memory and attention, such a link has so far not been proposed specifically for serial-order working memory. The present study provided the first empirical demonstration of a direct link between serial order in verbal working memory and spatial selective attention. We show that the retrieval of later items of a sequence stored in working memory-compared with that of earlier items-produces covert attentional shifts toward the right. This observation suggests the conceptually surprising notion that serial-order working memory, even for nonspatially defined verbal items, draws on spatial attention.

Whole-body vibration and blood flow and muscle oxygenation: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Games, Kenneth E; Sefton, JoEllen M; Wilson, Alan E

2015-05-01

The use and popularity of whole-body vibration (WBV) has increased in recent years, but there is a lack of consensus in the literature about the effectiveness of the treatment. To quantitatively examine the effects of WBV on muscle oxygenation and peripheral blood flow in healthy adults. We searched Web of Science and PubMed databases and reference lists from relevant articles using the key terms whole body vibration, whole-body vibration, WBV, blood flow, peripheral blood flow, oxygenation, muscle oxygenation, circulation, circulatory, near infrared spectroscopy, NIRS, and power Doppler. Key terms were searched using single word and combination searches. No date range was specified. Criteria for inclusion were (1) use of a commercially available WBV device, (2) a human research model, (3) a pre-WBV condition and at least 1 WBV experimental condition, and (4) reporting of unstandardized means and standard deviations of muscle oxygenation or peripheral blood flow. Means, standard deviations, and sample sizes were extracted from the text, tables, and figures of included studies. A total of 35 and 90 data points were extracted for the muscle-oxygenation and blood-flow meta-analyses, respectively. Data for each meta-analysis were combined and analyzed using meta-analysis software. Weighted, random-effects meta-analyses using the Hedges g metric were completed for muscle oxygenation and blood flow. We then conducted follow-up analyses using the moderator variables of vibration type, vibration time, vibration frequency, measurement location, and sample type. We found 18 potential articles. Further examination yielded 10 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Whole-body vibration was shown to positively influence peripheral blood flow. Additionally, the moderators of vibration type and frequency altered the influence of WBV on blood flow. Overall, WBV did not alter muscle oxygenation; however, when the measurement site was considered, muscle oxygenation increased or decreased depending on the location. Acute bouts of WBV increase peripheral blood flow but do not alter skeletal muscle oxygenation. Vibration type appears to be the most important factor influencing both muscle oxygenation and peripheral blood flow.

Whole-Body Vibration and Blood Flow and Muscle Oxygenation: A Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Games, Kenneth E.; Sefton, JoEllen M.; Wilson, Alan E.

2015-01-01

Context: The use and popularity of whole-body vibration (WBV) has increased in recent years, but there is a lack of consensus in the literature about the effectiveness of the treatment. Objective: To quantitatively examine the effects of WBV on muscle oxygenation and peripheral blood flow in healthy adults. Data Sources: We searched Web of Science and PubMed databases and reference lists from relevant articles using the key terms whole body vibration, whole-body vibration, WBV, blood flow, peripheral blood flow, oxygenation, muscle oxygenation, circulation, circulatory, near infrared spectroscopy, NIRS, and power Doppler. Key terms were searched using single word and combination searches. No date range was specified. Study Selection: Criteria for inclusion were (1) use of a commercially available WBV device, (2) a human research model, (3) a pre-WBV condition and at least 1 WBV experimental condition, and (4) reporting of unstandardized means and standard deviations of muscle oxygenation or peripheral blood flow. Data Extraction: Means, standard deviations, and sample sizes were extracted from the text, tables, and figures of included studies. A total of 35 and 90 data points were extracted for the muscle-oxygenation and blood-flow meta-analyses, respectively. Data for each meta-analysis were combined and analyzed using meta-analysis software. Weighted, random-effects meta-analyses using the Hedges g metric were completed for muscle oxygenation and blood flow. We then conducted follow-up analyses using the moderator variables of vibration type, vibration time, vibration frequency, measurement location, and sample type. Data Synthesis: We found 18 potential articles. Further examination yielded 10 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Whole-body vibration was shown to positively influence peripheral blood flow. Additionally, the moderators of vibration type and frequency altered the influence of WBV on blood flow. Overall, WBV did not alter muscle oxygenation; however, when the measurement site was considered, muscle oxygenation increased or decreased depending on the location. Conclusions: Acute bouts of WBV increase peripheral blood flow but do not alter skeletal muscle oxygenation. Vibration type appears to be the most important factor influencing both muscle oxygenation and peripheral blood flow. PMID:25974682

A meta-analysis of peripheral blood nerve growth factor levels in patients with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Qin, X-Y; Wu, H-T; Cao, C; Loh, Y P; Cheng, Y

2017-09-01

Neurotrophins particularly brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) are crucial modulators in the neurodevelopment and maintenance of central and peripheral nervous systems. Neurotrophin hypothesis of schizophrenia (SCZ) postulated that the changes in the brains of SCZ patients are the result of disturbances of developing processes involving neurotrophic factors. This hypothesis was mainly supported by the abnormal regulation of BDNF in SCZ, especially the decreased peripheral blood BDNF levels in SCZ patients validated by several meta-analyses. However, the regulation of NGF in SCZ remains unclear because of the inconsistent findings from the clinical studies. Therefore, we undertook, to the best of our knowledge, the first systematic review with a meta-analysis to quantitatively summarize the peripheral blood NGF data in SCZ patients compared with healthy control (HC) subjects. A systematic search of Pubmed, PsycINFO and Web of Science identified 13 articles encompassing a sample of 1693 individuals for the meta-analysis. Random-effects meta-analysis showed that patients with SCZ had significantly decreased peripheral blood levels of NGF when compared with the HC subjects (Hedges's g=-0.633, 95% confidence interval (CI)=-0.948 to -0.318, P<0.001). Subgroup analyses revealed reduced NGF levels both in serum (Hedges's g=-0.671, 95% CI=-1.259 to -0.084, P=0.025) and plasma (Hedges's g=-0.621, 95% CI=-0.980 to -0.261, P<0.001) of the patients, and in drug-free (Hedges's g=-0.670, 95% CI=-1.118 to -0.222, P=0.003) and medicated (Hedges's g=-0.357, 95% CI=-0.592 to -0.123, P=0.003) patients with SCZ. Furthermore, meta-regression analyses showed that age, gender and sample size had no moderating effects on the outcome of the meta-analysis, whereas disease severity might be a confounding factor for the meta-analysis. These results demonstrated that patients with SCZ are accompanied by the decreased peripheral blood NGF levels, strengthening the clinical evidence of an abnormal neurotrophin profile in the patients with SCZ.

Antisocial personality disorder, sexual sadism, malignant narcissism, and serial murder.

PubMed

Geberth, V J; Turco, R N

1997-01-01

This paper examines the research on serial murder and its relationship to antisocial personality disorder and sexual sadism. The concept of malignant narcissism is also discussed. Case studies of serial killers are examined regarding the nature of sexual violation and crime scene behavior.

Serial Dilution Simulation Lab

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keler, Cynthia; Balutis, Tabitha; Bergen, Kim; Laudenslager, Bryanna; Rubino, Deanna

2010-01-01

Serial dilution is often a difficult concept for students to understand. In this short dry lab exercise, students perform serial dilutions using seed beads. This exercise helps students gain skill at performing dilutions without using reagents, bacterial cultures, or viral cultures, while being able to visualize the process.

10 CFR 32.201 - Serialization of nationally tracked sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Serialization of nationally tracked sources. 32.201 Section 32.201 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION SPECIFIC DOMESTIC LICENSES TO MANUFACTURE OR TRANSFER CERTAIN ITEMS CONTAINING BYPRODUCT MATERIAL Specifically Licensed Items § 32.201 Serialization of...

10 CFR 32.201 - Serialization of nationally tracked sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Serialization of nationally tracked sources. 32.201 Section 32.201 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION SPECIFIC DOMESTIC LICENSES TO MANUFACTURE OR TRANSFER CERTAIN ITEMS CONTAINING BYPRODUCT MATERIAL Specifically Licensed Items § 32.201 Serialization of...

Serials Acquisition Problems in Developing Countries: The Zambian Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lungu, Charles B. M.

1985-01-01

Analysis of serial acquisition problems in developing nations cites specific references from University of Zambia Library. Discussion covers underdeveloped economic circumstances of Third World nations, overdependence on serials of foreign origin, geographical locations of Third World countries, ill-defined acquisition policies, staffing for…

47 CFR 95.671 - Serial number.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Serial number. 95.671 Section 95.671 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES PERSONAL RADIO... number. The serial number of each CB transmitter must be engraved on the transmitter chassis. [53 FR...

47 CFR 95.671 - Serial number.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Serial number. 95.671 Section 95.671 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES PERSONAL RADIO... number. The serial number of each CB transmitter must be engraved on the transmitter chassis. [53 FR...