Sample records for shown elevated levels

  1. Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Firth quadrangle, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hubbard, Larry L.; Bartells, John H.

    1976-01-01

    The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Firth quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

  2. Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Rose quadrangle, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bartells, John H.; Hubbard, Larry L.

    1976-01-01

    The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Rose quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

  3. Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Rexburg quadrangle, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Harenberg, W.A.; Bigelow, B.B.

    1976-01-01

    The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification on these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Rexburg quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

  4. Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Deer Parks quadrangle, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ray, Herman A.; Bennett, C. Michael; Records, Andrew W.

    1976-01-01

    The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Deer Parks quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

  5. Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Parker quadrangle, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Thomas, Cecil Albert; Ray, Herman A.

    1976-01-01

    The failure of Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls, Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Parker quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

  6. Teton Dam flood of June 1976, St. Anthony quadrangle, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Thomas, Cecil A.; Ray, Herman A.; Matthai, Howard F.

    1976-01-01

    The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the St. Anthony quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

  7. Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Woodville quadrangle, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Matthai, Howard F.; Ray, Herman A.

    1976-01-01

    The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Woodville quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

  8. Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Menan Buttes quadrangle, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Thomas, Cecil A.; Ray, Herman A.; Harenberg, William A.

    1976-01-01

    The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Menan Buttes quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

  9. Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Idaho Falls South quadrangle, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ray, Herman A.; Matthai, Howard F.

    1976-01-01

    The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Idaho Falls South quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

  10. Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Lewisville quadrangle, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ray, Herman A.; Bigelow, Bruce B.

    1976-01-01

    The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Lewisville quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

  11. Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Idaho Falls North quadrangle, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ray, Herman A.; Matthai, Howard F.

    1976-01-01

    The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Idaho Falls North quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

  12. Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Pingree quadrangle, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hubbard, Larry L.; Bartells, John H.

    1976-01-01

    The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Pingree quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

  13. Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Blackfoot quadrangle, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bartells, J.H.; Hubbard, Larry L.

    1976-01-01

    The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Blackfoot quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

  14. Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Moreland quadrangle, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hubbard, Larry L.; Bartells, John H.

    1976-01-01

    The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The aea covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Moreland quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

  15. Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Rigby quadrangle, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ray, Herman A.; Bigelow, Bruce B.

    1976-01-01

    The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Rigby quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

  16. Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Newdale quadrangle, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ray, Herman A.; Matthai, Howard F.; Thomas, Cecil A.

    1976-01-01

    The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Newdale quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

  17. Teton Dam flood of June 1976, Moody quadrangle, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Harenberg, William A.; Bigelow, Bruce B.

    1976-01-01

    The failure of the Teton Dam caused extreme flooding along the Teton River, Henrys Fork, and Snake River in southeastern Idaho on June 5-8, 1976. No flooding occurred downstream from American Falls Reservoir. The inundated areas and maximum water-surface elevations are shown in a series of 17 hydrologic atlases. The area covered by the atlases extends from Teton Dam downstream to American Falls Reservoir, a distance of 100 miles. The extent of flooding shown on the maps was obtained by field inspections and aerial photographs made during and immediately after the flood. There may be small isolated areas within the boundaries shown that were not flooded, but the identification of these sites was beyond the scope of the study. The elevation data shown are mean-sea-level elevations of high-water marks identified in the field. This particular map (in the 17-map series) shows conditions in the Moody quadrangle. (Woodard-USGS)

  18. Effects of elevated CO2 levels on root morphological traits and Cd uptakes of two Lolium species under Cd stress*

    PubMed Central

    Jia, Yan; Tang, Shi-rong; Ju, Xue-hai; Shu, Li-na; Tu, Shu-xing; Feng, Ren-wei; Giusti, Lorenzino

    2011-01-01

    This study was conducted to investigate the combined effects of elevated CO2 levels and cadmium (Cd) on the root morphological traits and Cd accumulation in Lolium multiflorum Lam. and Lolium perenne L. exposed to two CO2 levels (360 and 1000 μl/L) and three Cd levels (0, 4, and 16 mg/L) under hydroponic conditions. The results show that elevated levels of CO2 increased shoot biomass more, compared to root biomass, but decreased Cd concentrations in all plant tissues. Cd exposure caused toxicity to both Lolium species, as shown by the restrictions of the root morphological parameters including root length, surface area, volume, and tip numbers. These parameters were significantly higher under elevated levels of CO2 than under ambient CO2, especially for the number of fine roots. The increases in magnitudes of those parameters triggered by elevated levels of CO2 under Cd stress were more than those under non-Cd stress, suggesting an ameliorated Cd stress under elevated levels of CO2. The total Cd uptake per pot, calculated on the basis of biomass, was significantly greater under elevated levels of CO2 than under ambient CO2. Ameliorated Cd toxicity, decreased Cd concentration, and altered root morphological traits in both Lolium species under elevated levels of CO2 may have implications in food safety and phytoremediation. PMID:21462388

  19. Curiosity Rover Martian Mission, Exaggerated Cross Section

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2016-12-13

    This graphic depicts aspects of the driving distance, elevation, geological units and time intervals of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover mission, as of late 2016. The vertical dimension is exaggerated 14-fold compared with the horizontal dimension, for presentation-screen proportions. As of early December 2016, Curiosity had driven 9.3 miles (15 kilometers) since its August 2012 landing on the floor of Gale Crater near the base of Mount Sharp. It had climbed 541 feet (165 meters) in elevation. Elevation values shown on the vertical scale of this chart denote meters below an established zero-elevation level on Mars, which lacks a planetary "sea level." Because Curiosity is below the zero elevation, the numbers are negative. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21145

  20. Flowering responses of insect-pollinated plants to elevated CO{sub 2} levels

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

    Cushman, J.H.; Koch, G.W.; Chiariello, N.R.

    1995-06-01

    Elevated atmospheric CO{sub 2} concentrations have been predicted or shown to substantially influence plants, communities and ecosystems in a variety of ways. Here, we examined the effects of elevated CO{sub 2} levels on the timing and magnitude of flowering for two insect-pollinated annual plant species in a serpentine grassland. We focused on Lasthenia californica and Linanthus parviflorus and addressed three questions: (1) Do elevated CO{sub 2} levels influence flowering phenologies and is this species specific? (2) Do elevated CO{sub 2} levels affect flower production and is this due to altered numbers of individuals, flowers per plant, or both? and (3)more » Are effects on flowering due to elevated CO{sub 2} levels per se or changes in environmental conditions associated with methods used to manipulate CO{sub 2} levels? To address these questions, we used the ecosystem experiment at Stanford University`s Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve (San Mateo Co., CA). This system consists of 20 open-topped chambers - half receiving ambient CO{sub 2} (360 ppm) and half receiving elevated CO{sub 2} (720 ppm) - and 10 untreated plots serving as chamber controls. Results from the 1994 season demonstrated that there were species-specific responses to elevated CO{sub 2} levels and the field chambers. For Lasthenia californica, elevated CO{sub 2} per se did not affect relative abundance, inflorescence production, or phenology, but chambers did significantly increase inflorescence production and extend the duration of flowering. For Linanthus parviflorus, elevated CO{sub 2} levels significantly increased relative abundance and flower production, and extended the flowering period slightly, while the chambers significantly decreased flower production early in the season and increased it later in the season.« less

  1. Impact of elevated CO2 levels on control of purple and yellow nutsedge with glyphosate and halosulfuron

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) have been steadily rising each year and are expected to continue increasing in the future which could have a significant impact on agricultural production. Previous research has shown that elevated CO2 increases the growth and yield of most plant sp...

  2. Insolation-sunshine relation with site elevation and latitude

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

    Raja, I.A.

    1994-07-01

    Data from six meteorological stations dispersed widely over Pakistan have been used to produce a correlation between the monthly means of easily measured sunshine duration and the less frequently recorded global solar radiation, taking into account the site elevation above sea level and the latitude. The relation is shown to be valuable for other regions too.

  3. Levels of Murine, but Not Human, CXCL13 Are Greatly Elevated in NOD-SCID Mice Bearing the AIDS-Associated Burkitt Lymphoma Cell Line, 2F7

    PubMed Central

    Widney, Daniel P.; Olafsen, Tove; Wu, Anna M.; Kitchen, Christina M. R.; Said, Jonathan W.; Smith, Jeffrey B.; Peña, Guadalupe; Magpantay, Larry I.; Penichet, Manuel L.; Martinez-Maza, Otoniel

    2013-01-01

    Currently, few rodent models of AIDS-associated non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (AIDS-NHL) exist. In these studies, a novel mouse/human xenograft model of AIDS-associated Burkitt lymphoma (AIDS-BL) was created by injecting cells of the human AIDS-BL cell line, 2F7, intraperitoneally into NOD-SCID mice. Mice developed tumors in the peritoneal cavity, with metastases to the spleen, thymus, and mesenteric lymph nodes. Expression of the chemokine receptor, CXCR5, was greatly elevated in vivo on BL tumor cells in this model, as shown by flow cytometry. CXCL13 is the ligand for CXCR5, and serum and ascites levels of murine, but not human, CXCL13 showed a striking elevation in tumor-bearing mice, with levels as high as 200,000 pg/ml in ascites, as measured by ELISA. As shown by immunohistochemistry, murine CXCL13 was associated with macrophage-like tumor-infiltrating cells that appeared to be histiocytes. Blocking CXCR5 on 2F7 cells with neutralizing antibodies prior to injection into the mice substantially delayed tumor formation. The marked elevations in tumor cell CXCR5 expression and in murine CXCL13 levels seen in the model may potentially identify an important link between tumor-interacting histiocytes and tumor cells in AIDS-BL. These results also identify CXCL13 as a potential biomarker for this disease, which is consistent with previous studies showing that serum levels of CXCL13 were elevated in human subjects who developed AIDS-lymphoma. This mouse model may be useful for future studies on the interactions of the innate immune system and AIDS-BL tumor cells, as well as for the assessment of potential tumor biomarkers for this disease. PMID:23936541

  4. Levels of murine, but not human, CXCL13 are greatly elevated in NOD-SCID mice bearing the AIDS-associated Burkitt lymphoma cell line, 2F7.

    PubMed

    Widney, Daniel P; Olafsen, Tove; Wu, Anna M; Kitchen, Christina M R; Said, Jonathan W; Smith, Jeffrey B; Peña, Guadalupe; Magpantay, Larry I; Penichet, Manuel L; Martinez-Maza, Otoniel

    2013-01-01

    Currently, few rodent models of AIDS-associated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (AIDS-NHL) exist. In these studies, a novel mouse/human xenograft model of AIDS-associated Burkitt lymphoma (AIDS-BL) was created by injecting cells of the human AIDS-BL cell line, 2F7, intraperitoneally into NOD-SCID mice. Mice developed tumors in the peritoneal cavity, with metastases to the spleen, thymus, and mesenteric lymph nodes. Expression of the chemokine receptor, CXCR5, was greatly elevated in vivo on BL tumor cells in this model, as shown by flow cytometry. CXCL13 is the ligand for CXCR5, and serum and ascites levels of murine, but not human, CXCL13 showed a striking elevation in tumor-bearing mice, with levels as high as 200,000 pg/ml in ascites, as measured by ELISA. As shown by immunohistochemistry, murine CXCL13 was associated with macrophage-like tumor-infiltrating cells that appeared to be histiocytes. Blocking CXCR5 on 2F7 cells with neutralizing antibodies prior to injection into the mice substantially delayed tumor formation. The marked elevations in tumor cell CXCR5 expression and in murine CXCL13 levels seen in the model may potentially identify an important link between tumor-interacting histiocytes and tumor cells in AIDS-BL. These results also identify CXCL13 as a potential biomarker for this disease, which is consistent with previous studies showing that serum levels of CXCL13 were elevated in human subjects who developed AIDS-lymphoma. This mouse model may be useful for future studies on the interactions of the innate immune system and AIDS-BL tumor cells, as well as for the assessment of potential tumor biomarkers for this disease.

  5. Increased urinary levels of tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS) in alcoholics.

    PubMed

    Barros, Paula; Gonzalez-Quintela, Arturo; Mella, Carmen; Perez, Luis-Fernando

    2006-01-01

    Urinary levels of tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS, cytokeratin-18) have been proposed as a marker of urothelial malignancies. Previous studies have shown that serum TPS levels are elevated in alcoholics. This study was designed to determine whether alcoholics had elevated urinary TPS levels as well. Serum and urinary TPS levels were determined in 24 alcoholics and 15 healthy controls by means of a commercial chemiluminiscent immunoassay. Serum TPS levels were higher in alcoholics than in controls (median 332 U/L, range 51-21241 U/L versus median 17 U/L, range 15-65 U/L, respectively, p<0.001). Urinary TPS levels were also higher in alcoholics than in controls (median 244 U/L, range 22-1267 U/L versus median 66.5 U/L, range 15-600 U/L, respectively, p=0.001). Urinary TPS levels were correlated with serum TPS levels in alcoholics. Urinary TPS levels are elevated in alcoholics. Consequently, the specificity of urinary TPS as a tumor marker may be limited in alcoholics.

  6. Pathophysiology, prognostic significance and clinical utility of B-type natriuretic peptide in acute coronary syndromes.

    PubMed

    Wiviott, Stephen D; de Lemos, James A; Morrow, David A

    2004-08-16

    The natriuretic hormones are a family of vasoactive peptides that can be measured circulating in the blood. Because they serve as markers of hemodynamic stress, the major focus of the use of natriuretic peptide levels [predominantly B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal (NT)-pro-BNP] has been as an aid to the clinical diagnosis and management of congestive heart failure (CHF). Recently, however, the measurement of natriuretic peptides in the acute coronary syndromes (ACS) has been shown to provide information complementary to traditional biomarkers (of necrosis) such as cardiac troponins and creatine kinase (CK). Studies in several types of acute coronary syndromes [ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-ST elevation MI (NSTEMI) and unstable angina (UA)] have shown that elevated levels of natriuretic peptides are independently associated with adverse outcomes, particularly mortality. Additional information is obtained from the use natriuretic peptides in combination with other markers of risk including biomarkers of necrosis and inflammation. This review will summarize the scientific rationale and clinical evidence supporting measurement of natriuretic peptides for risk stratification in acute coronary syndromes. Future research is needed to identify therapies of particular benefit for patients with ACS and natriuretic peptide elevation.

  7. Consideration of vertical uncertainty in elevation-based sea-level rise assessments: Mobile Bay, Alabama case study

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gesch, Dean B.

    2013-01-01

    The accuracy with which coastal topography has been mapped directly affects the reliability and usefulness of elevationbased sea-level rise vulnerability assessments. Recent research has shown that the qualities of the elevation data must be well understood to properly model potential impacts. The cumulative vertical uncertainty has contributions from elevation data error, water level data uncertainties, and vertical datum and transformation uncertainties. The concepts of minimum sealevel rise increment and minimum planning timeline, important parameters for an elevation-based sea-level rise assessment, are used in recognition of the inherent vertical uncertainty of the underlying data. These concepts were applied to conduct a sea-level rise vulnerability assessment of the Mobile Bay, Alabama, region based on high-quality lidar-derived elevation data. The results that detail the area and associated resources (land cover, population, and infrastructure) vulnerable to a 1.18-m sea-level rise by the year 2100 are reported as a range of values (at the 95% confidence level) to account for the vertical uncertainty in the base data. Examination of the tabulated statistics about land cover, population, and infrastructure in the minimum and maximum vulnerable areas shows that these resources are not uniformly distributed throughout the overall vulnerable zone. The methods demonstrated in the Mobile Bay analysis provide an example of how to consider and properly account for vertical uncertainty in elevation-based sea-level rise vulnerability assessments, and the advantages of doing so.

  8. Exploring drivers of sodium salt toxicity to the mayfly Neocloeon triangulifer, and comparing trends in mayfly and daphnid responses to major ions

    EPA Science Inventory

    Field studies have shown that mayflies (Ephemeroptera) tend to be more sensitive than other benthic macroinvertebrates to elevated levels of total dissolved solids in streams. While work with other species has shown that major ion toxicity is dependent on the ionic composition o...

  9. Serum amyloid A protein in amyloidosis, rheumatic, and neoplastic diseases

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

    Benson, M.D.; Cohen, A.S.

    1979-01-01

    Serum levels of amyloid protein A (SAA) have been shown to be elevated in different types of amyloidosis and in rheumatic diseases by radioimmunoassay using 125 iodine labeled AA and anti-AA. SAA levels were elevated in both primary and secondary amyloidosis, but there were highly significant differences between these levels. In heredofamilial amyloid, SAA levels were within normal limits. While the mean SAA level was elevated in persons over 70 years, the fact that some persons in this age group had normal levels suggested that marked elevation after age 70 may be due to occult inflammatory or neoplastic disease. Highmore » SAA levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis correlated, in most cases, with physician evaluation of disease activity and Westergren ESR. SAA levels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus were lower than those in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and most patients with degenerative joint disease had normal levels. Very high levels of SAA were found in patients with neoplastic diseases. Patients with carcinoma of the lung and bowel had much higher levels than patients with carcinoma of the breast. Determination of SAA levels may be of value in evaluating different forms of systemic amyloidosis, assessing the activity of rheumatic disease, and screening for occult inflammatory or neoplastic disease.« less

  10. C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and its Association with Periodontal Disease: A Brief Review.

    PubMed

    Bansal, Tushika; Pandey, Anita; D, Deepa; Asthana, Ashish K

    2014-07-01

    Periodontal disease is a chronic infection of the gums characterised by a loss of attachment between the tooth and bone, and bone loss. C-reactive protein (CRP) elevation is a part of the acute phase response to acute and chronic inflammation. Many epidemiological studies have shown that serum CRP levels were elevated in patients with chronic periodontitis. CRP levels increase to hundreds of μg/ml within hours following infection. It out-performs erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in terms of responsiveness and specificity for inflammation. While CRP elevation is suggestive of inflammation or infection in the appropriate clinical context, it can also occur with obesity and renal dysfunction. Conversely, a lack of CRP elevation in inflammation may be seen with hepatic failure, as well as during flares of conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus.

  11. A comparison and evaluation between ICESat/GLAS altimetry and mean sea level in Thailand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Naksen, Didsaphan; Yang, Dong Kai

    2015-10-01

    Surface elevation is one of the importance information for GIS. Usually surface elevation can acquired from many sources such as satellite imageries, aerial photograph, SAR data or LiDAR by photogrammetry, remote sensing methodology. However the most trust information describe the actual surface elevation is Leveling from terrestrial survey. Leveling is giving the highest accuracy but in the other hand is also long period process spending a lot of budget and resources, moreover the LiDAR technology is new era to measure surface elevation. ICESat/GLAS is spaceborne LiDAR platform, a scientific satellite lunched by NASA in 2003. The study area was located at the middle part of Thailand between 12. ° - 14° North and 98° -100° East Latitude and Longitude. The main idea is to compare and evaluate about elevation between ICESat/GLAS Altimetry and mean sea level of Thailand. Data are collected from various sources, including the ICESat/GLAS altimetry data product from NASA, mean sea level from Royal Thai Survey Department (RTSD). For methodology, is to transform ICESat GLA14 from TOPX/Poseidon-Jason ellipsoid to WGS84 ellipsoid. In addition, ICESat/GLAS altimetry that extracted form centroid of laser footprint and mean sea level were compared and evaluated by 1st Layer National Vertical Reference Network. The result is shown that generally the range of elevation between ICESat/GLAS and mean sea level is wildly from 0. 8 to 25 meters in study area.

  12. The Impact of Hexametaphosphate, Orthophosphate, and Temperature on Copper Corrosion and Release

    EPA Science Inventory

    Excessive corrosion of copper plumbing can lead to elevated copper levels at consumer’s tap or pinhole leaks. Corrosion control solutions include pH adjustment or phosphate addition. Orthophosphate has been shown to reduce copper levels in some cases while the role of polyphosp...

  13. Acceleration levels on board the Space Station and a tethered elevator for micro and variable-gravity applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lorenzini, E. C.; Cosmo, M.; Vetrella, S.; Moccia, A.

    1988-01-01

    This paper investigates the dynamics and acceleration levels of a new tethered system for micro and variable-gravity applications. The system consists of two platforms tethered on opposite sides to the Space Station. A fourth platform, the elevator, is placed in between the Space Station and the upper platform. Variable-g levels on board the elevator are obtained by moving this facility along the upper tether, while micro-g experiments are carried out on board the Space Station. By controlling the length of the lower tether the position of the system CM can be maintained on board the Space Station despite variations of the station's distribution of mass. The paper illustrates the mathematical model, the environmental perturbations and the control techniques which have been adopted for the simulation and control of the system dynamics. Two sets of results from two different simulation runs are shown. The first set shows the system dynamics and the acceleration spectra on board the Space Station and the elevator during station-keeping. The second set of results demonstrates the capability of the elevator to attain a preselected g-level.

  14. Effects of chronic elevated levels of CO2 on the concentration of blood cellular elements and plasma corticosterone in the male rat

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Alexander, R. A.; Lang, C. K.; Steele, M. K.; Corbin, B. J.; Wade, C. E.

    1995-01-01

    The mean CO2 concentration on the Space Shuttle is 0.3% and has reached 0.7%, for extended periods of time. Following space flight, it has been shown that both humans and animals have significant changes in red blood cell counts (RBC) and white blood cell counts (WBC). In other studies, where no significant change did occur in the total WBC, a significant change did occur in the distribution of WBC. WBC are affected by circulating levels of glucocorticoids, which often increase when animals or humans are exposed to adverse and/or novel stimuli (e.g. elevated CO2 levels or weightlessness). The purpose of this study was to determine if elevations in CO2 concentration produce changes in total WBC and/or their distribution.

  15. Elevated Levels of Somatic Mutation as a Biomarker of Environmental Effects Contributing to Breast Carcinogenesis

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2001-07-01

    and hepatocellular carcinoma patients have been shown to exhibit elevated somatic mutation frequencies with the GPA assay (Okada et al., 1997...T, Kyogoku A, Yoshimori M (1997) Evidence for increased somatic cell mutations in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma . Carcinogenesis 18: 445-449...significant increase in mutation at the GPA locus has been reported for a population of hepatocellular carcinoma patients (Okada et al., 1997

  16. Methadone patients exhibit increased startle and cortisol response after intravenous yohimbine.

    PubMed

    Stine, S M; Grillon, C G; Morgan, C A; Kosten, T R; Charney, D S; Krystal, J H

    2001-03-01

    Brain noradrenergic systems have been shown to be altered in opioid dependence and to mediate aspects of opioid withdrawal. Pre-clinical and clinical studies by others have shown that yohimbine, which increases noradrenergic activity, also increases both baseline and fear enhancement of the magnitude of the acoustic startle response (ASR). In a separate report from this experiment, it was shown that yohimbine produced opioid withdrawal-like symptoms, including anxiety, in clinically stable methadone-maintained patients and also produced elevations in the norepinepherine (NE) metabolite, 3-methoxy-4 hydroxyphenethyleneglycol (MHPG), and cortisol serum levels. The current study reports the effects of intravenous yohimbine hydrochloride, 0.4 mg/kg versus saline (double-blind), on ASR magnitude, plasma MHPG, and cortisol levels in eight methadone-maintained patients and 13 healthy subjects in a double-blind fashion. Yohimbine increased startle magnitude in both groups. There was no basal (placebo day) difference between the startle response of the two groups, but methadone patients had a larger startle magnitude increase in response to yohimbine than healthy controls. Methadone-maintained patients had lower baseline plasma levels of MHPG and similar baseline plasma cortisol levels compared with normal subjects. Yohimbine caused significant elevation in cortisol and MHPG in both groups. Methadone-maintained subjects had higher elevations in cortisol levels and MHPG (methadone main effect) levels in response to yohimbine. However, when MHPG levels were corrected for baseline differences by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), the yohimbine effect, but not the methadone effect remained statistically significant. These results are consistent with the previous report and support the hypothesis that abnormalities of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and of noradrenergic mechanisms of stress response persist in opioid-agonist maintenance. The ASR effect extends the previous report and provides an additional objective measure for perturbation of noradrenergic and stress responses in these patients.

  17. How Do Elevated Triglycerides and Low HDL-Cholesterol Affect Inflammation and Atherothrombosis?

    PubMed Central

    Welty, Francine K.

    2015-01-01

    This review article summarizes recent research into the mechanisms as to how elevated levels of triglyceride (TG) and low levels of high- density- lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) contribute to inflammation and atherosclerosis. Evidence supports the role of TG-rich lipoproteins in signaling mechanisms via apolipoproteins C-III and free fatty acids leading to activation of NFKβ, VCAM-1 and other inflammatory mediators which lead to fatty streak formation and advanced atherosclerosis. Moreover, the cholesterol content in TG-rich lipoproteins has been shown to predict CAD risk better than LDL-C. In addition to reverse cholesterol transport, HDL has many other cardioprotective effects which include regulating immune function. The “functionality” of HDL appears more important than the level of HDL-C. Insulin resistance and central obesity underlie the pathophysiology of elevated TG and low HDL-C in metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle recommendations including exercise and weight loss remain first line therapy in ameliorating insulin resistance and the adverse signaling processes from elevated levels of TG-rich lipoproteins and low HDL-C. PMID:23881582

  18. Proton MR spectroscopy in the diagnostic evaluation of suspected mitochondrial disease.

    PubMed

    Lin, Doris D M; Crawford, Thomas O; Barker, Peter B

    2003-01-01

    Mitochondrial diseases are a group of inherited disorders caused by a derangement of mitochondrial respiration. The clinical manifestations are heterogeneous, and the diagnosis is often based on information acquired from multiple levels of inquiry. MR spectroscopy has previously been shown to help detect an abnormal accumulation of lactate in brain parenchyma and CSF in association with mitochondrial disorders, but the frequency of detection is largely unknown. We sought to examine the frequency of detectable elevations of CNS lactate by proton MR spectroscopy in a population of children and young adults with suspected mitochondrial disease. MR spectroscopy data evaluated for the presence or absence of abnormal brain or CSF lactate were compared with other clinical indicators of mitochondrial dysfunction for 29 patients with suspected mitochondrial disease during the years 1990 to 2000. Based on an independent review of the final diagnoses, the patients were divided into groups based on the probability of mitochondrial disorder. A total of 32 scans from 29 patients were reviewed. Of eight patients thought to have a definitive mitochondrial disorder on the basis of genetic, biochemical, or pathologic features, five were found to have abnormal brain or CSF lactate levels revealed by MR spectroscopy (for one patient in whom two images were acquired, one was negative and the other positive). Among the studies conducted using a multisection spectroscopic imaging technique, five of six showed elevated lactate in the brain parenchyma, six of six showed elevated lactate in the CSF, and five of six showed elevated lactate in both brain and CSF. Of 16 patients who were highly suspected of having mitochondrial disorders on the basis of clinical grounds alone but who were lacking genetic, biochemical, or pathologic confirmation, four had abnormal lactate levels shown by MR spectroscopy. Mitochondrial disorder was excluded for five patients, none of whom had CNS lactate shown by MR spectroscopy. Detection of CNS lactate by MR spectroscopy is useful in the diagnosis of mitochondrial disease. In our series of patients with confirmed mitochondrial disease, a high level of lactate shown by MR spectroscopy correlated well with other markers of mitochondrial disease. As with all other means used to diagnose mitochondrial disorders, MR spectroscopy does not depict elevated lactate in all cases. Abnormal CNS concentrations of lactate may be undetected by MR spectroscopy because of differences in the type of mitochondrial disorder, timing, severity, or location of the affected tissues and the site of interrogation.

  19. 33 CFR 208.32 - Sanford Dam and Lake Meredith, Canadian River, Tex.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ...; tailwater elevation; reservoir inflow; available evaporation data; and precipitation in inches. Normally a... evaporation shall be shown for at least four observations a day when the reservoir level is at or above...

  20. 33 CFR 208.32 - Sanford Dam and Lake Meredith, Canadian River, Tex.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ...; tailwater elevation; reservoir inflow; available evaporation data; and precipitation in inches. Normally a... evaporation shall be shown for at least four observations a day when the reservoir level is at or above...

  1. 33 CFR 208.32 - Sanford Dam and Lake Meredith, Canadian River, Tex.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ...; tailwater elevation; reservoir inflow; available evaporation data; and precipitation in inches. Normally a... evaporation shall be shown for at least four observations a day when the reservoir level is at or above...

  2. Interacting effects of ozone and CO2 on growth and physiological processes in northern forest trees

    Treesearch

    J. G. Isebrands; D. F. Karnosky

    1996-01-01

    Globally, surface-level concentrations of both CO2 and ozone (O3) are increasing annually. Because many studies have shown beneficial effects of increasing CO2, predictions have been made that elevated levels of CO2 would compensate for growth decreases caused by O3...

  3. Ocean acidification effects on calcification in pCO2 acclimated Caribbean scleractinian coral

    EPA Science Inventory

    Ocean acidification (OA) is projected to increase the acidity of coral reef habitats 2-3 times that of present day pCO2 levels. Many studies have shown the adverse effects on scleractinian calcification when exposed to elevated pCO2 levels, however, in these studies, corals have ...

  4. Concerns Regarding Hair Cortisol as a Biomarker of Chronic Stress in Exercise and Sport Science

    PubMed Central

    Gerber, Markus; Brand, Serge; Lindwall, Magnus; Elliot, Catherine; Kalak, Nadeem; Herrmann, Christian; Pühse, Uwe; Jonsdottir, Ingibjörg H.

    2012-01-01

    Hair cortisol has the potential to fill the methodological void of long-term cortisol assessment while becoming a widely accepted measure in biopsychology. This review critically examines the applicability and relevance of hair cortisol measurement specifically within the field of exercise and sport science. Current measures of the HPA axis only cover a brief time period, whereas hair cortisol is a unique, non-invasive means to capture long- term cortisol secretion. Studies have shown that individuals who have elevated cortisol secretion (e.g. due to diseases associated with a disturbed activation of the HPA axis or exposure to stressful life events) reveal increased hair cortisol. By contrast, only weak correlations exist between hair cortisol and perceived stress, and the direction of the relationship between hair cortisol levels and mental disorders is unclear. Acute exercise, however, results in increased levels of cortisol that eventually is reflected in higher levels of cortisol in hair samples and studies have shown that exercise intensity is related to hair cortisol level. Thus, elevated hair cortisol levels found among regular exercisers are not necessarily pathological. Thus, one should practice caution when associating athletes’ elevated hair cortisol with poor mental health or disease. Hair cortisol analysis can contribute to a more complete understanding of how long-term cortisol elevation mediates stress-related effects on the health and performance of recreational exercisers and elite athletes. Nevertheless, it is crucial for exercise and sport scientists to consider whether their research questions can be adequately addressed, given that regular intense exercise results in substantially augmented hair cortisol levels. Key points Hair cortisol is a unique, non-invasive and painless means to capture long-term cortisol secretion. Individuals expected to have elevated cortisol secretion (e.g. due to trauma) have increased hair cortisol. Preliminary evidence shows that exercisers have higher hair cortisol levels as well. Hair cortisol analysis can contribute to a more complete understanding of how long-term cortisol secretion mediates stress-related effects on health and performance. There is a great dearth of knowledge about the relationship between sport, exercise and hair cortisol. PMID:24150065

  5. New agent to treat elevated phosphate levels: magnesium carbonate/calcium carbonate tablets.

    PubMed

    Meyer, Caitlin; Cameron, Karen; Battistella, Marisa

    2012-01-01

    In summary, Binaphos CM, a magnesium carbonate/calcium carbonate combination phosphate binder, is marketed for treating elevated phosphate levels in dialysis patients. Although studies using magnesium/calcium carbonate as a phosphate binder are short term with small numbers of patients, this phosphate binder has shown some promising results and may provide clinicians with an alternative for phosphate binding. Using a combination phosphate binder may reduce pill burden and encourage patient compliance. In addition to calcium and phosphate, it is imperative to diligently monitor magnesium levels in patients started on this medication, as magnesium levels may increase with longer duration of use. Additional randomized controlled trials are necessary to evaluate long-term efficacy and safety of this combination phosphate binder.

  6. Glycosylation-related genes in NS0 cells are insensitive to moderately elevated ammonium concentrations

    PubMed Central

    Brodsky, Arthur Nathan; Caldwell, Mary; Bae, Sooneon; Harcum, Sarah W.

    2014-01-01

    NS0 and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines are used to produce recombinant proteins for human therapeutics; however, ammonium accumulation can negatively impact cell growth, recombinant protein production, and protein glycosylation. To improve product quality and decrease costs, the relationship between ammonium and protein glycosylation needs to be elucidated. While ammonium has been shown to adversely affect glycosylation-related gene expression in CHO cells, NS0 studies have not been performed. Therefore, this study sought to determine if glycosylation in NS0 cells were ammonium-sensitive at the gene expression level. Using a DNA microarray that contained mouse glycosylation-related and housekeeping genes, the of these genes was analysed in response to various culture conditions – elevated ammonium, elevated salt, and elevated ammonium with proline. Surprisingly, no significant differences in gene expression levels were observed between the control and these conditions. Further, the elevated ammonium cultures were analysed using real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) for key glycosylation genes, and the qRT-PCR results corroborated the DNA microarray results, demonstrating that NS0 cells are ammonium-insensitive at the gene expression level. Since NS0 are known to have elevated nucleotide sugar pools under ammonium stress, and none of the genes directly responsible for these metabolic pools were changed, consequently cellular control at the translational or substrate-level must be responsible for the universally observed decreased glycosylation quality under elevated ammonium. PMID:25062658

  7. Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae) Abundance in Puerto Rico Declines with Elevation.

    PubMed

    Jenkins, David A; Hall, David G; Goenaga, Ricardo

    2015-02-01

    Diaphorina citri Kuwayama is the primary vector of Huanglongbing, the most devastating disease of citrus. D. citri populations in Puerto Rico were monitored with yellow sticky traps on citrus trees or other psyllid host plants at different elevations, ranging from 10 to 880 m above sea level. Trapping was conducted in March through May of 2013 and 2014 when psyllid populations usually are highest. Population levels of D. citri, based on the trapping data, varied among the sites, and there was a strong trend in both years for decreasing psyllid abundance with increased elevation based on the number of psyllids captured on traps and the proportion of trees shown to be infested. No psyllids were collected at an elevation of >600 m. Reduced populations at higher elevations could be a consequence of differences in temperature, air pressure, oxygen levels, ultraviolet light, or other factors alone or in combination. We discuss our results as they pertain to management of D. citri and Huanglongbing. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. 2015. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

  8. The Role of Calgranulin Overexpression in Breast Cancer Progression

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-09-01

    transfected cells. As shown in Figure 4, exposure of MCF-7 cells to 25ng/ml OSM for 24 hours caused a very significant increase in Cal A levels . Interestingly...Cal A expression was not observed in the parental or vector alone cells, but the transfected cells showed an elevation in Cal A levels . The

  9. 33 CFR 208.26 - Altus Dam and Reservoir, North Fork Red River, Okla.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... level above elevation 1559, the reservoir will be operated to obtain maximum overall benefits which may..., releases will be increased in order to provide maximum overall benefits and prevent the reservoir level...; and precipitation in inches. A reading at 8 a.m., noon, 4 p.m., and midnight, shall be shown for each...

  10. 33 CFR 208.26 - Altus Dam and Reservoir, North Fork Red River, Okla.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... level above elevation 1559, the reservoir will be operated to obtain maximum overall benefits which may..., releases will be increased in order to provide maximum overall benefits and prevent the reservoir level...; and precipitation in inches. A reading at 8 a.m., noon, 4 p.m., and midnight, shall be shown for each...

  11. 33 CFR 208.26 - Altus Dam and Reservoir, North Fork Red River, Okla.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... level above elevation 1559, the reservoir will be operated to obtain maximum overall benefits which may..., releases will be increased in order to provide maximum overall benefits and prevent the reservoir level...; and precipitation in inches. A reading at 8 a.m., noon, 4 p.m., and midnight, shall be shown for each...

  12. [Serum sclerostin levels and metabolic bone diseases].

    PubMed

    Yamauchi, Mika; Sugimoto, Toshitsugu

    2013-06-01

    Serum sclerostin levels are being investigated in various metabolic bone diseases. Since serum sclerostin levels are decreased in primary hyperparathyroidism and elevated in hypoparathyroidism, parathyroid hormone (PTH) is thought to be a regulatory factor for sclerostin. Serum sclerostin levels exhibit a significant positive correlation with bone mineral density. On the other hand, a couple of studies on postmenopausal women have shown that high serum sclerostin levels are a risk factor for fracture. Although glucocorticoid induced osteoporosis and diabetes are both diseases that reduce bone formation, serum sclerostin levels have been reported to be decreased in the former and elevated in the latter, suggesting differences in the effects of sclerostin in the two diseases. Serum sclerostin levels are correlated with renal function, and increase with reduction in renal function. Serum sclerostin level may be a new index of bone assessment that differs from bone mineral density and bone metabolic markers.

  13. A survey of blood lead levels among young Johannesburg school children.

    PubMed

    Mathee, A; von Schirnding, Y E R; Levin, J; Ismail, A; Huntley, R; Cantrell, A

    2002-11-01

    Studies conducted around the world have established beyond doubt that elevated childhood blood lead levels may lead to detrimental health effects. Research has shown that certain groups of South African children are at particular risk of elevated blood lead levels. Johannesburg is the largest urban complex in southern Africa, with a population of around 3 million and extensive industrial and manufacturing activity. Among the challenges posed in the city are rapid urbanization, extensive poverty, and inequity. Little information on the blood lead distribution of Johannesburg children is available. This study was undertaken to determine blood lead levels among children living in three areas of Johannesburg: inner city suburbs and the low-income townships of Alexandra and Westbury to the north and west of the city center, respectively. The results indicated that blood lead levels ranged from 6 to 26 micro g/dL, with a mean level of 11.9 micro g /dL. The blood lead levels of 78% of children equaled or exceeded 10 micro g/dL, the current international action level. Maternal educational status, the presence of smokers in the home, and living in an informal dwelling were among the factors associated with elevated blood lead levels.

  14. Caffeine accelerates recovery from general anesthesia via multiple pathways.

    PubMed

    Fong, Robert; Khokhar, Suhail; Chowdhury, Atif N; Xie, Kelvin G; Wong, Josiah Hiu-Yuen; Fox, Aaron P; Xie, Zheng

    2017-09-01

    Various studies have explored different ways to speed emergence from anesthesia. Previously, we have shown that three drugs that elevate intracellular cAMP (forskolin, theophylline, and caffeine) accelerate emergence from anesthesia in rats. However, our earlier studies left two main questions unanswered. First, were cAMP-elevating drugs effective at all anesthetic concentrations? Second, given that caffeine was the most effective of the drugs tested, why was caffeine more effective than forskolin since both drugs elevate cAMP? In our current study, emergence time from anesthesia was measured in adult rats exposed to 3% isoflurane for 60 min. Caffeine dramatically accelerated emergence from anesthesia, even at the high level of anesthetic employed. Caffeine has multiple actions including blockade of adenosine receptors. We show that the selective A 2a adenosine receptor antagonist preladenant or the intracellular cAMP ([cAMP] i )-elevating drug forskolin, accelerated recovery from anesthesia. When preladenant and forskolin were tested together, the effect on anesthesia recovery time was additive indicating that these drugs operate via different pathways. Furthermore, the combination of preladenant and forskolin was about as effective as caffeine suggesting that both A 2A receptor blockade and [cAMP] i elevation play a role in caffeine's ability to accelerate emergence from anesthesia. Because anesthesia in rodents is thought to be similar to that in humans, these results suggest that caffeine might allow for rapid and uniform emergence from general anesthesia in humans at all anesthetic concentrations and that both the elevation of [cAMP] i and adenosine receptor blockade play a role in this response. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Currently, there is no method to accelerate emergence from anesthesia. Patients "wake" when they clear the anesthetic from their systems. Previously, we have shown that caffeine can accelerate emergence from anesthesia. In this study, we show that caffeine is effective even at high levels of anesthetic. We also show that caffeine operates by both elevating intracellular cAMP levels and by blocking adenosine receptors. This complicated pharmacology makes caffeine especially effective in accelerating emergence from anesthesia. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

  15. Basal progesterone level as the main determinant of progesterone elevation on the day of hCG triggering in controlled ovarian stimulation cycles.

    PubMed

    Papaleo, Enrico; Corti, Laura; Vanni, Valeria Stella; Pagliardini, Luca; Ottolina, Jessica; De Michele, Francesca; La Marca, Antonio; Viganò, Paola; Candiani, Massimo

    2014-07-01

    Modest increases of serum progesterone at human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) administration in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) cycles have been shown to have a negative impact on pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this study was to identify early predictors of progesterone elevation at hCG. Pregnancy outcome of 303 consecutive patients undergoing COH and fresh day-3 embryo transfer was analysed. Considering the non-linear relationship between progesterone at hCG triggering and pregnancy outcomes, partial area under the curve (pAUC) analysis was used to implement marker identification potential of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Multivariate logistic analysis was then performed to identify predictors of progesterone rise. Pregnancy outcomes could be predicted by pAUC analysis (pAUC = 0.58, 95 % CI 0.51-0.66, p = 0.02) and a significant detrimental cut-off could be calculated (progesterone at hCG > 1.35 ng/ml). Total dose of rFSH administered, E2 level at hCG but mostly basal progesterone level (OR = 12.21, 95 % CI 1.82-81.70) were predictors of progesterone rise above the cut-off. Basal progesterone is shown to be the main prognostic factor for progesterone elevation. This observation should be taken into consideration in the clinical management of IVF/ICSI cycles to improve pregnancy outcomes.

  16. Chronic treatment with fibrates elevates superoxide dismutase in adult mouse brain microvessels

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Guangming; Liu, Xiaowei; Guo, Qingmin; Namura, Shobu

    2010-01-01

    Fibrates are activators of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) α. Pretreatment with fibrates has been shown to protect brain against ischemia in mice. We hypothesized that fibrates elevate superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in the brain microvessels (BMV). BMV were isolated from male C57BL/6 and PPARα null mice that had been treated with fenofibrate or gemfibrozil for 7 days. To examine the effect of discontinuation of fenofibrate, another animal group treated with fenofibrate was examined on post-discontinuation day 3 (D-3). To examine whether SOD elevations attenuate oxidative stress in the ischemic brain, separate animals treated with fenofibrate for 7 days were subjected to 60 minutes focal ischemia on post-discontinuation day 0 (D-0) or D-3. Fenofibrate (30 mg/kg) increased mRNA levels of all three isoforms of SOD and activity level in BMV on D-0 but these effects were not detected on D-3. The elevations were not detected in PPARα null mice. SOD levels were also elevated by gemfibrozil (30 mg/kg). Fenofibrate significantly reduced superoxide production and protein oxidation in the ischemic brain at 30 minutes after reperfusion. Fenofibrate reduced infarct size measured at 24 hours after reperfusion on D-0; however, the infarct reduction was not seen when ischemia was induced on D-3. These findings suggest that fibrates elevate SOD in BMV through PPARα, which contributes to the infarct reduction, at least in part. Further studies are needed to establish the link between the SOD elevations and the brain protection by fibrates against ischemia. PMID:20813100

  17. An Examination of Specific Child Behavior Problems as Predictors of Parenting Stress among Families of Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davis, Allyson L.; Neece, Cameron L.

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: Studies have shown that parents of children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) exhibit higher levels of stress than parents of typically developing children or children with other types of developmental delays (DD). This relationship appears to be mediated by elevated levels of behavior problems observed in children with…

  18. Elevated plasma migration inhibitory factor in hypertension–hyperlipidemia patients correlates with impaired endothelial function

    PubMed Central

    Zhou, Boda; Ren, Chuan; Zu, Lingyun; Zheng, Lemin; Guo, Lijun; Gao, Wei

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Migration inhibitory factor (MIF) has been shown to be critical in the pathology of early artherosclerosis; this article aim to investigate the plasma levels of MIF in hypertension plus hyperlipidemia patients. A total of 39 hypertension plus hyperlipidemia patients without any previous treatment were enrolled (HTN-HLP). Twenty-five healthy subjects were enrolled as the healthy control group (HEALTHY). Plasma MIF was measured by ELISA; laboratory and clinical characteristics were analyzed. HUVECs were treated with pooled plasma from HTN-HLP and HEALTHY groups, and the protein levels of adhesion molecules VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 were determined by ELISA. We found that plasma MIF was significantly elevated in the HTN-HLP group. Serum NO and eNOS levels were significantly lower; serum ET-1 (endothelin) levels were significantly higher in the HTN-HLP group. Furthermore, blood pressure, baPWV (brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity), and serum ET-1 level were significantly positively; serum NO and eNOS levels were negatively correlated with plasma MIF levels. Plasma from HTN-HLP significantly stimulated VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 protein expression on the surface of HUVECs. Plasma MIF was elevated in HTN-HLP patients and correlates with impaired endothelial function. PMID:27787379

  19. The role of hormones in muscle hypertrophy.

    PubMed

    Fink, Julius; Schoenfeld, Brad Jon; Nakazato, Koichi

    2018-02-01

    Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) and other hormones such as growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) have been shown to increase muscle mass in patients suffering from various diseases related to muscle atrophy. Despite known side-effects associated with supraphysiologic doses of such drugs, their anabolic effects have led to their widespread use and abuse by bodybuilders and athletes such as strength athletes seeking to improve performance and muscle mass. On the other hand, resistance training (RT) has also been shown to induce significant endogenous hormonal (testosterone (T), GH, IGF-1) elevations. Therefore, some bodybuilders employ RT protocols designed to elevate hormonal levels in order to maximize anabolic responses. In this article, we reviewed current RT protocol outcomes with and without performance enhancing drug usage. Acute RT-induced hormonal elevations seem not to be directly correlated with muscle growth. On the other hand, supplementation with AAS and other hormones might lead to supraphysiological muscle hypertrophy, especially when different compounds are combined.

  20. Contaminant Accumulation in Many New England Lead Pipe Scales

    EPA Science Inventory

    Previous work has shown that contaminants such as Al, As and Ra can accumulate in drinking water distribution system solids. The release of accumulated contaminants back into the water supply could conceivably result in elevated levels at consumers' taps. The objective of this s...

  1. PARTICLE DEPOSITION IN SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RATS EXPOSED VIA WHOLE-BODY INHALATION: MEASURED AND ESTIMATED DOSE

    EPA Science Inventory

    A plethora of epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to elevated levels of ambient particulate matter (PM) can lead to adverse health outcomes, including cardiopulmonary-related mortality. Subsequent animal toxicological studies have attempted to mimic these cardiovascu...

  2. 23. VIEW OF EAST END OF MILL. THE FOUR GENERAL ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    23. VIEW OF EAST END OF MILL. THE FOUR GENERAL LEVELS OF THE MILL ARE SHOWN STEPPING DOWN THE HILLSIDE FROM SOUTH TO NORTH. THE 100-TON STEEL ORE BIN AND STEPHENS-ADAMSON 15TON INCLINED BUCKET ELEVATOR ARE ON THE CRUSHING LEVEL AT RIGHT. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT THE OTHER LEVELS ARE MILLING, LEACHING AND PRECIPITATION. - Bald Mountain Gold Mill, Nevada Gulch at head of False Bottom Creek, Lead, Lawrence County, SD

  3. Particulate Arsenic Release in a Drinking Water Distribution System

    EPA Science Inventory

    Trace contaminants, such as arsenic, have been shown to accumulate in solids found in drinking water distribution systems. The obvious concern is that the contaminants in these solids could be released back into the water resulting in elevated levels in a consumer’s tap water. Th...

  4. EFFECTS OF INHALED COMBUSTION-DERIVED PARTICULATE MATTER ON INDICES OF CARDIAC, PULMONARY, AND THERMOREGULATORY FUNCTION IN SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RATS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Epidemiological studies have shown a positive relationship between elevated levels of ambient particulate matter (PM) and rates of morbidity and mortality; these correlations are further strengthened when limited to individuals with preexisting cardiopulmonary diseases. While si...

  5. Eicosanoyl-5-hydroxytryptamide (EHT) prevents Alzheimer's disease-related cognitive and electrophysiological impairments in mice exposed to elevated concentrations of oligomeric beta-amyloid.

    PubMed

    Asam, Kesava; Staniszewski, Agnieszka; Zhang, Hong; Melideo, Scott L; Mazzeo, Adolfo; Voronkov, Michael; Huber, Kristen L; Pérez, Eduardo; Stock, Maxwell; Stock, Jeffry B; Arancio, Ottavio; Nicholls, Russell E

    2017-01-01

    Soluble forms of oligomeric beta-amyloid (Aβ) are thought to play a central role in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Transgenic manipulation of methylation of the serine/threonine protein phosphatase, PP2A, was recently shown to alter the sensitivity of mice to AD-related impairments resulting from acute exposure to elevated levels of Aβ. In addition, eicosanoyl-5-hydroxytryptamide (EHT), a naturally occurring component from coffee beans that modulates PP2A methylation, was shown to confer therapeutic benefits in rodent models of AD and Parkinson's disease. Here, we tested the hypothesis that EHT protects animals from the pathological effects of exposure to elevated levels of soluble oligomeric Aβ. We treated mice with EHT-containing food at two different doses and assessed the sensitivity of these animals to Aβ-induced behavioral and electrophysiological impairments. We found that EHT administration protected animals from Aβ-induced cognitive impairments in both a radial-arm water maze and contextual fear conditioning task. We also found that both chronic and acute EHT administration prevented Aβ-induced impairments in long-term potentiation. These data add to the accumulating evidence suggesting that interventions with pharmacological agents, such as EHT, that target PP2A activity may be therapeutically beneficial for AD and other neurological conditions.

  6. Postzygotic HRAS mutation causing both keratinocytic epidermal nevus and thymoma and associated with bone dysplasia and hypophosphatemia due to elevated FGF23.

    PubMed

    Avitan-Hersh, Emily; Tatur, Sameh; Indelman, Margarita; Gepstein, Vardit; Shreter, Roni; Hershkovitz, Dov; Brick, Riva; Bergman, Reuven; Tiosano, Dov

    2014-01-01

    Epidermal nevus syndrome is a rare group of disorders characterized by the combination of congenital epidermal nevi and extracutaneous features, including skeletal, neurological, ocular, and other systemic findings. We report a case of keratinocytic epidermal nevus syndrome that includes a thymoma, bone dysplasia, and hypophosphatemia with elevated fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) levels associated with postzygotic HRAS mutation. A 14-year-old boy was admitted due to recent limping. The physical examination revealed multiple right-sided linear epidermal nevi along Blaschko's lines. Magnetic resonance imaging showed cystic lesions in cervical bones and thymoma, and x-ray examination showed cystic lesions in the hands. Biochemical studies demonstrated severe hypophosphatemia, normocalcemia, high normal PTH, low 25-hydroxyvitamin D and low 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels. The serum FGF23 C-terminal level was normal, but the intact FGF23 level was found to be elevated. Genetic evaluation revealed a heterozygote mutation in the HRAS gene in both the keratinocytic epidermal nevus and thymoma but not in DNA extracted from blood lymphocytes, thus establishing the mutation as postzygotic. Postzygotic mutations in HRAS lead to elevation of FGF23 levels, as found in mutated PHEX, FGF23, DMP1, and ENPP1 genes, which lead to hypophosphatemia. An identical postzygotic HRAS mutation was shown to be present in both keratinocytic epidermal nevus and thymoma and to be associated with bone lesions and hypophosphatemia due to elevated FGF23 levels. These may all be related to the HRAS mutation.

  7. Ocean acidification effects on calcification in Caribbean scleractinian coral exposed to elevated pCO2: a potential for acclimation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hankins, C.

    2016-02-01

    Ocean acidification (OA) is projected to increase the acidity of coral reef habitats 2-3 times that of present day pCO2 levels. Many studies have shown the adverse effects on scleractinian calcification when exposed to elevated pCO2 levels, however, no such effects were seen in this study whereby corals were exposed for three months to elevated pCO2 levels. In this study, all corals were kept in culture for one year prior to being used in experimental trials. Data from culture systems shows coral experience a range of pCO2 from 300-600 µatm over the course of a day. This range is attributed to respiration and photosynthesis which also naturally occurs in a reef habitat. Montastrea cavernosa, Orbicella faveolata, and Pseudodiploria clivosa were exposed to their ambient culture conditions (control) or to elevated pCO2 levels of 1000 µatm (IPCC A1F1 scenario). By combining photographic analysis of live tissue area or exposed skeleton with the buoyant weight technique, an area density of each coral fragment was obtained to infer rates of calcification or erosion of skeleton. After three months of experimental exposure, preliminary results suggest that there is no significant difference in calcification or erosion in any of the species tested. Acclimation in the elevated pCO2 culture environment may have conditioned the coral to better withstand high pCO2 levels. Long acclimation periods of coral to near term future pCO2 levels may more accurately predict calcification responses in corals of the future.

  8. Elevated levels of numerous cytokines in drainage fluid after primary total hip arthroplasty.

    PubMed

    van der Heide, Huub J L; van der Kraan, Peter M; Rijnberg, Willard J; Buma, Pieter; Schreurs, B Willem

    2010-12-01

    As cytokines are involved in wound healing and other inflammatory processes, it could be valuable to measure their levels at the operative site. This study was conducted to investigate whether different cytokines are measurable in drainage fluid and, when measurable, whether we can find a difference in cytokine levels between one and six hours postoperatively. Samples from the drainage system in 30 consecutive patients undergoing primary total hip replacement were collected at one and six hours after closure of the wound. Levels of several cytokines were measured in the drainage fluids. A significant elevation of almost all cytokines was observed between the sample after one hour and six hours postoperatively. We found a strong correlation between the different pro-inflammatory cytokines. The IL-6 to IL-10 ratio were also raised, showing a pro-inflammatory predominance. Levels were much higher than those previously shown in serum.

  9. Acute ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction, a Unique Complication of Recreational Nitrous Oxide Use.

    PubMed

    Indraratna, Praveen; Alexopoulos, Chris; Celermajer, David; Alford, Kevin

    2017-08-01

    A 28-year-old male was admitted to hospital with an acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction. This was in the context of recreational abuse of nitrous oxide. The prevalence of nitrous oxide use in Australia has not been formally quantified, however it is the second most commonly used recreational drug in the United Kingdom. Nitrous oxide has previously been shown to increase serum homocysteine levels. This patient was discovered to have an elevated homocysteine level at baseline, which was further increased after nitrous oxide consumption. Homocysteine has been linked to endothelial dysfunction and coronary atherosclerosis and this case report highlights one of the dangers of recreational abuse of nitrous oxide. Copyright © 2017 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Elevated blood lead and cadmium levels associated with chronic infections among non-smokers in a cross-sectional analysis of NHANES data

    EPA Science Inventory

    BACKGROUND: Experimental animal studies, in vitro experiments, and clinical assessments have shown that metal toxicity can impair immune responses. We analyzed data from a United States representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to explore associatio...

  11. Influence of dilution water composition on acute major ion toxicity to the mayfly Neocloeon triangulifer.

    EPA Science Inventory

    A number of field studies have shown that mayflies (Ephemeroptera) tend to be more sensitive than other benthic macroinvertebrates to elevated levels of total dissolved solids in streams. Until relatively recently, difficulties with culturing have limited the use of mayflies as ...

  12. DIFFERENCES IN CARDIOVASCULAR RESPONSE TO PM EXPOSURE BETWEEN SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE STROKE-PRONE (SHSP) AND WISTAR-KYOTO (WKY) RATS.

    EPA Science Inventory

    ABSTRACT BODY: Epidemiological studies have shown that cardiovascular morbidity and mortality are associated with exposure to elevated levels of ambient particulate matter (PM), notably in people with pre-existing cardiopulmonary disease. To better understand the mechanisms of PM...

  13. THE OCCURRENCE OF CONTAMINANT ACCUMULATION IN LEAD PIPE SCALES FROM DOMESTIC DRINKING WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Previous work has shown that contaminants, such as Al, As and Ra, can accumulate in drinking water distribution system solids. The release of accumulated contaminants back into the water supply could result in elevated levels at consumers’ taps, and current monitoring practices d...

  14. The Occurrence of Contaminant Accumulation in Lead Pipe Scales from Domestic Drinking Water Distribution Systems-ABSTRACT

    EPA Science Inventory

    Previous work has shown that contaminants such as Al, As and Ra, can accumulate in drinking water distribution system solids. The release of accumulated contaminants back into the water supply could conceivably result in elevated levels at consumers’ taps. The current regulatory...

  15. Control of New Copper Corrosion in High-Alkalinity Drinking Water using Orthophosphate - article

    EPA Science Inventory

    Research and field experience have shown that high-alkalinity waters can be associated with elevated copper levels in drinking water. The objective of this study was to document the application of orthophosphate to the distribution system of a building with a copper problem asso...

  16. The biocide tributyltin reduces the accumulation of testosterone as fatty acid esters in the mud snail (Ilyanassa obsoleta).

    PubMed Central

    Gooding, Meredith P; Wilson, Vickie S; Folmar, Leroy C; Marcovich, Dragoslav T; LeBlanc, Gerald A

    2003-01-01

    Imposex, the development of male sex characteristics by female gonochoristic snails, has been documented globally and is causally associated with exposure to the ubiquitous environmental contaminant tributyltin (TBT). Elevated testosterone levels in snails also are associated with TBT, and direct exposure to testosterone has been shown to cause imposex. We discovered previously that the mud snail (Ilyanassa obsoleta)biotransforms and retains excess testosterone primarily as fatty acid esters. The purpose of this study was to determine whether TBT interferes with the esterification of testosterone, resulting in the elevated free (unesterified) testosterone levels associated with imposex. Exposure of snails to environmentally relevant concentrations of TBT (> or = 1.0 ng/L as tin) significantly increased the incidence of imposex. Total (free + esterified) testosterone levels in snails were not altered by TBT; however, free testosterone levels increased with increasing exposure concentration of TBT. TBT-exposed snails were given [14C

  17. Do elevated nutrients and organic carbon on Philippine reefs increase the prevalence of coral disease?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaczmarsky, L.; Richardson, L. L.

    2011-03-01

    Characterizations of Philippine coral diseases are very limited. The two most common, ulcerative white spot disease (UWS) and massive Porites growth anomalies (MPGA), target the genus Porites, a dominant reef-building genus. This is the first investigation in the Philippines to detect positive correlations between coral disease, nutrient levels, and organic carbon. A total of 5,843 Porites colonies were examined. Water and sediment samples were collected for analyses of nutrients (total nitrogen and phosphorus) and total organic carbon at 15 sites along a 40.5 km disease gradient, which was previously shown to positively correlate with human population levels. Results suggest that outbreaks of UWS and MPGAs are driven by elevated nutrient and organic carbon levels. Although the variables analyzed could be proxies for other causative agents (e.g., high sediment levels), the results provide quantitative evidence linking relatively higher coral disease prevalence to an anthropogenically impacted environment.

  18. Leptin Elevation as a Risk Factor for Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis Independent of Obesity Status.

    PubMed

    Halverson, Schuyler J; Warhoover, Tracy; Mencio, Gregory A; Lovejoy, Steven A; Martus, Jeffrey E; Schoenecker, Jonathan G

    2017-05-17

    Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is strongly associated with childhood obesity, yet the prevalence of obesity is orders of magnitude greater than the prevalence of SCFE. Therefore, it is hypothesized that obesity is not, by itself, a sufficient condition for SCFE, but rather one component of a multifactorial process requiring preexisting physeal pathology. Leptin elevation is seen to varying degrees in patients with obesity, and as leptin has been shown to cause physeal pathology similar to the changes seen in SCFE, we propose that leptin may be a factor distinguishing between patients with SCFE and equally obese children without hip abnormalities. Serum leptin levels were obtained from 40 patients with SCFE and 30 control patients with approximate body mass index (BMI) matching. BMI percentiles were calculated according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention population data by patient age and sex. Patients were compared by demographic characteristics, leptin levels, odds of leptin elevation, and odds of SCFE. The odds of developing SCFE was increased by an odds ratio of 4.9 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.31 to 18.48; p < 0.02) in patients with elevated leptin levels, regardless of obesity status, sex, and race. When grouping patients by their obesity status, non-obese patients with SCFE showed elevated median leptin levels at 5.8 ng/mL compared with non-obese controls at 1.7 ng/mL (p = 0.006). Similarly, obese patients with SCFE showed elevated median leptin levels at 17.9 ng/mL compared with equally obese controls at 10.5 ng/mL (p = 0.039). Serum leptin levels increased in association with obesity (p < 0.001), with an increase in leptin of 0.17 ng/mL (95% CI, 0.07 to 0.27 ng/mL) per BMI percentile point. To our knowledge, this study is the first to clinically demonstrate an association between elevated serum leptin levels and SCFE, regardless of BMI. This adds to existing literature suggesting that SCFE is a multifactorial process and that leptin levels may have profound physiological effects on the development of various disease states. Despite a strong association with adiposity, leptin levels vary between patients of equal BMI and may be a vital resource in prognostication of future obesity-related comorbidities. Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

  19. 1H-NMR METABOLOMICS ANALYIS OF ZEBRAFISH (DANIO RERIO) EXPOSED TO THE ENVIRONMENTALLY-RELEVANT EDC 17 ALPHA-ETHINYLESTRADIOL (EE2)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Elevated levels of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been reported in waterways worldwide and have been shown to affect numerous aspects of development, behavior, reproduction, and survival in various fish species. We have examined the effects of the synthetic steroid 1...

  20. Pharyngeal pumping inhibition and avoidance by acute exposure to high CO2 levels are both regulated by the BAG neurons via different molecular pathways

    PubMed Central

    Sharabi, Kfir; Charar, Chayki; Gruenbaum, Yosef

    2015-01-01

    Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a key molecule in many biological processes. Studies in humans, mice, D. melanogaster, C. elegans, unicellular organisms and plants have shed light on the molecular pathways activated by elevated levels of CO2. However, the mechanisms that organisms use to sense and respond to high CO2 levels remain largely unknown. Previous work has shown that C. elegans quickly avoid elevated CO2 levels using mechanisms that involve the BAG, ASE and AFD neurons via cGMP- and calcium- signaling pathways. Here, we discuss our recent finding that exposure of C. elegans to high CO2 levels leads to a very rapid cessation in the contraction of the pharynx muscles. Surprisingly, none of the tested CO2 avoidance mutants affected the rapid pumping inhibition response to elevated CO2 levels. A forward genetic screen identified that the hid-1-mediated pathway of dense core vesicle maturation regulates the pumping inhibition, probably through affecting neuropeptide secretion. Genetic studies and laser ablation experiments showed that the CO2 response of the pharyngeal muscle pumping is regulated by the BAG neurons, the same neurons that mediate CO2 avoidance. PMID:26430557

  1. Can germ cell neoplasia in situ be diagnosed by measuring serum levels of microRNA371a-3p?

    PubMed

    Radtke, A; Cremers, J-F; Kliesch, S; Riek, S; Junker, K; Mohamed, S A; Anheuser, P; Belge, G; Dieckmann, K-P

    2017-11-01

    Diagnosing germ cell neoplasia in situ (GCNis) can detect germ cell tumours (GCTs) at the pre-invasive stage. To date, testicular biopsy with the potential of surgical complications is the only way of safely diagnosing GCNis. Recently, microRNAs (miRs) 371-3, and miR 367 were shown to be valuable serum biomarkers of GCTs. We explored the usefulness of these candidate miRs as a marker for GCNis. 27 patients with GCNis and no concomitant GCT were enrolled. All patients underwent measuring serum levels of miR-371a-3p and miR-367-3p before treatment, 11 had repeat measurement after treatment, 2 also had testicular vein blood examinations. Serum levels were measured by quantitative PCR. In addition, four orchiectomy specimens of patients with GCT were examined immunohistochemically and by in situ hybridization (ISH) with a probe specific for miR-371a-3p to look for the presence of this miR in GCNis cells. The median serum level of miR-371a-3p was significantly higher in patients with GCNis than in controls, miR-367 levels were not elevated. Overall, 14 patients (51.9%) had elevated serum levels of miR-371a-3p. The highest levels were found in patients with bilateral GCNis. Levels in testicular vein serum were elevated in both of the cases. After treatment, all elevated levels dropped to normal. In two orchiectomy specimens, miR-371a-3p was detected by ISH in GCNis cells. Measuring miR-371a-3p serum levels can replace control biopsies after treatment of GCNis. In addition, the test can guide clinical decision making regarding the need of testicular biopsy in cases suspicious of GCNis.

  2. Eicosanoyl-5-hydroxytryptamide (EHT) prevents Alzheimer’s disease-related cognitive and electrophysiological impairments in mice exposed to elevated concentrations of oligomeric beta-amyloid

    PubMed Central

    Asam, Kesava; Staniszewski, Agnieszka; Zhang, Hong; Melideo, Scott L.; Mazzeo, Adolfo; Voronkov, Michael; Huber, Kristen L.; Pérez, Eduardo; Stock, Maxwell; Stock, Jeffry B.; Arancio, Ottavio

    2017-01-01

    Soluble forms of oligomeric beta-amyloid (Aβ) are thought to play a central role in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Transgenic manipulation of methylation of the serine/threonine protein phosphatase, PP2A, was recently shown to alter the sensitivity of mice to AD-related impairments resulting from acute exposure to elevated levels of Aβ. In addition, eicosanoyl-5-hydroxytryptamide (EHT), a naturally occurring component from coffee beans that modulates PP2A methylation, was shown to confer therapeutic benefits in rodent models of AD and Parkinson’s disease. Here, we tested the hypothesis that EHT protects animals from the pathological effects of exposure to elevated levels of soluble oligomeric Aβ. We treated mice with EHT-containing food at two different doses and assessed the sensitivity of these animals to Aβ-induced behavioral and electrophysiological impairments. We found that EHT administration protected animals from Aβ-induced cognitive impairments in both a radial-arm water maze and contextual fear conditioning task. We also found that both chronic and acute EHT administration prevented Aβ-induced impairments in long-term potentiation. These data add to the accumulating evidence suggesting that interventions with pharmacological agents, such as EHT, that target PP2A activity may be therapeutically beneficial for AD and other neurological conditions. PMID:29253878

  3. Elevated O-GlcNAcylation promotes colonic inflammation and tumorigenesis by modulating NF-κB signaling.

    PubMed

    Yang, Yong Ryoul; Kim, Dae Hyun; Seo, Young-Kyo; Park, Dohyun; Jang, Hyun-Jun; Choi, Soo Youn; Lee, Yong Hwa; Lee, Gyun Hui; Nakajima, Kazuki; Taniguchi, Naoyuki; Kim, Jung-Min; Choi, Eun-Jeong; Moon, Hyo Youl; Kim, Il Shin; Choi, Jang Hyun; Lee, Ho; Ryu, Sung Ho; Cocco, Lucio; Suh, Pann-Ghill

    2015-05-20

    O-GlcNAcylation is a reversible post-translational modification. O-GlcNAc addition and removal is catalyzed by O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA), respectively. More recent evidence indicates that regulation of O-GlcNAcylation is important for inflammatory diseases and tumorigenesis. In this study, we revealed that O-GlcNAcylation was increased in the colonic tissues of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis and azoxymethane (AOM)/DSS-induced colitis-associated cancer (CAC) animal models. Moreover, the O-GlcNAcylation level was elevated in human CAC tissues compared with matched normal counterparts. To investigate the functional role of O-GlcNAcylation in colitis, we used OGA heterozygote mice, which have an increased level of O-GlcNAcylation. OGA(+/-) mice have higher susceptibility to DSS-induced colitis than OGA(+/+) mice. OGA(+/-) mice exhibited a higher incidence of colon tumors than OGA(+/+) mice. In molecular studies, elevated O-GlcNAc levels were shown to enhance the activation of NF-κB signaling through increasing the binding of RelA/p65 to its target promoters. We also found that Thr-322 and Thr352 in the p65-O-GlcNAcylation sites are critical for p65 promoter binding. These results suggest that the elevated O-GlcNAcylation level in colonic tissues contributes to the development of colitis and CAC by disrupting regulation of NF-κB-dependent transcriptional activity.

  4. An experimental study of the influence of elevated buoyancy levels on flame spread rate over thermally thin cellulosic materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shang, P. C.; Altenkirch, R. A.; Eichhorn, R.

    1978-01-01

    The role of buoyancy on the flame spread rate over paper and its effect on extinction was studied by changing the gravity level and pressure. It was found that the flame spread rate decreases as the buoyancy induced flow increases. A method for correlating flame spread data using dimensionless parameters is presented. The Damkohler number is shown to be the dependent variable.

  5. Increased 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate During Normocapnic Hypobaric Hypoxia,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    Maintenance of normal plasma pH at high altitude (HA) by acetazolamide has been shown to prevent the HA-induced change in 2,3- diphosphoglycerate (DPG...had significant elevations in DPG above sea- level values after two days. Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentrations (MCHC) remained within normal...limits during the first two days, then decreased significantly below sea- level values in Group I (days 3-5) and Group II (days 4-5). Thus prevention of

  6. Early developmental gene regulation in Strongylocentrotus purpuratus embryos in response to elevated CO₂ seawater conditions.

    PubMed

    Hammond, LaTisha M; Hofmann, Gretchen E

    2012-07-15

    Ocean acidification, or the increased uptake of CO(2) by the ocean due to elevated atmospheric CO(2) concentrations, may variably impact marine early life history stages, as they may be especially susceptible to changes in ocean chemistry. Investigating the regulatory mechanisms of early development in an environmental context, or ecological development, will contribute to increased understanding of potential organismal responses to such rapid, large-scale environmental changes. We examined transcript-level responses to elevated seawater CO(2) during gastrulation and the initiation of spiculogenesis, two crucial developmental processes in the purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Embryos were reared at the current, accepted oceanic CO(2) concentration of 380 microatmospheres (μatm), and at the elevated levels of 1000 and 1350 μatm, simulating predictions for oceans and upwelling regions, respectively. The seven genes of interest comprised a subset of pathways in the primary mesenchyme cell gene regulatory network (PMC GRN) shown to be necessary for the regulation and execution of gastrulation and spiculogenesis. Of the seven genes, qPCR analysis indicated that elevated CO(2) concentrations only had a significant but subtle effect on two genes, one important for early embryo patterning, Wnt8, and the other an integral component in spiculogenesis and biomineralization, SM30b. Protein levels of another spicule matrix component, SM50, demonstrated significant variable responses to elevated CO(2). These data link the regulation of crucial early developmental processes with the environment that these embryos would be developing within, situating the study of organismal responses to ocean acidification in a developmental context.

  7. A practical tool for estimating subsurface LNAPL distributions and transmissivity using current and historical fluid levels in groundwater wells: Effects of entrapped and residual LNAPL

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lenhard, R. J.; Rayner, J. L.; Davis, G. B.

    2017-10-01

    A model is presented to account for elevation-dependent residual and entrapped LNAPL above and below, respectively, the water-saturated zone when predicting subsurface LNAPL specific volume (fluid volume per unit area) and transmissivity from current and historic fluid levels in wells. Physically-based free, residual, and entrapped LNAPL saturation distributions and LNAPL relative permeabilities are integrated over a vertical slice of the subsurface to yield the LNAPL specific volumes and transmissivity. The model accounts for effects of fluctuating water tables. Hypothetical predictions are given for different porous media (loamy sand and clay loam), fluid levels in wells, and historic water-table fluctuations. It is shown the elevation range from the LNAPL-water interface in a well to the upper elevation where the free LNAPL saturation approaches zero is the same for a given LNAPL thickness in a well regardless of porous media type. Further, the LNAPL transmissivity is largely dependent on current fluid levels in wells and not historic levels. Results from the model can aid developing successful LNAPL remediation strategies and improving the design and operation of remedial activities. Results of the model also can aid in accessing the LNAPL recovery technology endpoint, based on the predicted transmissivity.

  8. Fibrinogen is not elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Elevated plasma fibrinogen levels are a well known finding in acute infectious diseases, acute stroke and myocardial infarction. However its role in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of acute and chronic central (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) diseases is unclear. Findings We analyzed CSF and plasma fibrinogen levels together with routine parameters in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), acute inflammatory diseases of the CNS (bacterial and viral meningoencephalitis, BM and VM) and PNS (Guillain-Barré syndrome; GBS), as well as in non-inflammatory neurological controls (OND) in a total of 103 patients. Additionally, MS patients underwent cerebral MRI scans at time of lumbar puncture. CSF and plasma fibrinogen levels were significantly lower in patients with MS and OND patients as compared to patients with BM, VM and GBS. There was a close correlation between fibrinogen levels and albumin quotient (rho = 0.769, p < 0.001) which strongly suggests passive transfer of fibrinogen through the blood-CSF-barrier during acute inflammation. Hence, in MS, the prototype of chronic neuroinflammation, CSF fibrinogen levels were not elevated and could not be correlated to clinical and neuroradiological outcome parameters. Conclusions Although previous work has shown clear evidence of the involvement of fibrinogen in MS pathogenesis, this is not accompanied by increased fibrinogen in the CSF compartment. PMID:22029888

  9. USING 1H-NMR METABOLOMICS TO CHARACTERIZE ALTERED METABOLIC PROFILES IN ZEBRAFISH (DANIO RERIO) EXPOSED TO THE MODEL EDCS 17 ALPHA-ETHINYLESTRADIOL (EE2) AND FADROZOLE

    EPA Science Inventory

    Elevated levels of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been reported in waterways worldwide and have been shown to affect numerous aspects of development, behavior, reproduction, and survival in various fish species. We have examined the effects of the synthetic steroid 17...

  10. Effect of increased systemic concentrations of urea nitrogen in crossbred heifers on in vitro fertilization (IVF)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Elevated levels of dietary N and hence systemic concentrations of urea-N have been shown to have a deleterious effect on reproductive processes. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of feeding pubertal crossbred heifers diets with moderate (M-N; 64.8% corn silage, 30.0% alfalfa h...

  11. Brain stem activity changes associated with restored sympathetic drive following CPAP treatment in OSA subjects: a longitudinal investigation

    PubMed Central

    Lundblad, Linda C.; Fatouleh, Rania H.; McKenzie, David K.; Macefield, Vaughan G.

    2015-01-01

    Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with significantly elevated muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), leading to hypertension and increased cardiovascular morbidity. Although little is known about the mechanisms responsible for the sympathoexcitation, we have recently shown that the elevated MSNA in OSA is associated with altered neural processing in various brain stem sites, including the dorsolateral pons, rostral ventrolateral medulla, medullary raphe, and midbrain. Given the risk associated with elevated MSNA, we aimed to determine if treatment of OSA with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) would reduce the elevated MSNA and reverse the brain stem functional changes associated with the elevated MSNA. We performed concurrent recordings of MSNA and blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal intensity of the brain stem, using high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging, in 15 controls and 13 subjects with OSA, before and after 6 mo CPAP treatment. As expected, 6 mo of CPAP treatment significantly reduced MSNA in subjects with OSA, from 54 ± 4 to 23 ± 3 bursts/min and from 77 ± 7 to 36 ± 3 bursts/100 heart beats. Importantly, we found that MSNA-coupled changes in BOLD signal intensity within the dorsolateral pons, medullary raphe, and rostral ventrolateral medulla returned to control levels. That is, CPAP treatment completely reversed brain stem functional changes associated with elevated MSNA in untreated OSA subjects. These data highlight the effectiveness of CPAP treatment in reducing one of the most significant health issues associated with OSA, that is, elevated MSNA and its associated elevated morbidity. PMID:25995345

  12. Brain stem activity changes associated with restored sympathetic drive following CPAP treatment in OSA subjects: a longitudinal investigation.

    PubMed

    Lundblad, Linda C; Fatouleh, Rania H; McKenzie, David K; Macefield, Vaughan G; Henderson, Luke A

    2015-08-01

    Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with significantly elevated muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), leading to hypertension and increased cardiovascular morbidity. Although little is known about the mechanisms responsible for the sympathoexcitation, we have recently shown that the elevated MSNA in OSA is associated with altered neural processing in various brain stem sites, including the dorsolateral pons, rostral ventrolateral medulla, medullary raphe, and midbrain. Given the risk associated with elevated MSNA, we aimed to determine if treatment of OSA with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) would reduce the elevated MSNA and reverse the brain stem functional changes associated with the elevated MSNA. We performed concurrent recordings of MSNA and blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal intensity of the brain stem, using high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging, in 15 controls and 13 subjects with OSA, before and after 6 mo CPAP treatment. As expected, 6 mo of CPAP treatment significantly reduced MSNA in subjects with OSA, from 54 ± 4 to 23 ± 3 bursts/min and from 77 ± 7 to 36 ± 3 bursts/100 heart beats. Importantly, we found that MSNA-coupled changes in BOLD signal intensity within the dorsolateral pons, medullary raphe, and rostral ventrolateral medulla returned to control levels. That is, CPAP treatment completely reversed brain stem functional changes associated with elevated MSNA in untreated OSA subjects. These data highlight the effectiveness of CPAP treatment in reducing one of the most significant health issues associated with OSA, that is, elevated MSNA and its associated elevated morbidity. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

  13. Increased homocysteine levels impair reference memory and reduce cortical levels of acetylcholine in a mouse model of vascular cognitive impairment.

    PubMed

    Dam, Kevin; Füchtemeier, Martina; Farr, Tracy D; Boehm-Sturm, Philipp; Foddis, Marco; Dirnagl, Ulrich; Malysheva, Olga; Caudill, Marie A; Jadavji, Nafisa M

    2017-03-15

    Folates are B-vitamins that are vital for normal brain function. Deficiencies in folates either genetic (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, MTHFR) or dietary intake of folic acid result in elevated levels of homocysteine. Clinical studies have shown that elevated levels of homocysteine (Hcy) may be associated with the development of dementia, however this link remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of increased Hcy levels on a mouse model of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) produced by chronic hypoperfusion. Male and female Mthfr +/+ and Mthfr +/- mice were placed on either control (CD) or folic acid deficient (FADD) diets after which all animals underwent microcoil implantation around each common carotid artery or a sham procedure. Post-operatively animals were tested on the Morris water maze (MWM), y-maze, and rotarod. Animals had no motor impairments on the rotarod, y-maze, and could learn the location of the platform on the MWM. However, on day 8 of testing of MWM testing during the probe trial, Mthfr +/- FADD microcoil mice spent significantly less time in the target quadrant when compared to Mthfr +/- CD sham mice, suggesting impaired reference memory. All FADD mice had elevated levels of plasma homocysteine. MRI analysis revealed arterial remodeling was present in Mthfr +/- microcoil mice not Mthfr +/+ mice. Acetylcholine and related metabolites were reduced in cortical tissue because of microcoil implantation and elevated levels of homocysteine. Deficiencies in folate metabolism resulting in increased Hcy levels yield a metabolic profile that increases susceptibility to neurodegeneration in a mouse model of VCI. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Berberine-induced autophagic cell death by elevating GRP78 levels in cancer cells.

    PubMed

    La, Xiaoqin; Zhang, Lichao; Li, Zhuoyu; Yang, Peng; Wang, Yingying

    2017-03-28

    Berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid extracted from Coptidis Rhizoma, has been shown to induce cancer cell autophagic death. Glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78) is associated with stress-induced autophagy. However, the related mechanisms between berberine-induced cancer cell autophagy and GRP78 remain to be elucidated. Here, we report that berberine can induce autophagic cancer cell death by elevating levels of GRP78. These results further demonstrated that berberine enhanced GRP78 by suppression of ubiquitination / proteasomal degradation of GRP78 and activation of ATF6. Moreover, fluorescence spectrum assay revealed that berberine could bind to GRP78 and form complexes. Finally, co-IP analysis showed that the ability of GRP78 to bind to VPS34 was increased with berberine treatment. Taken together, our results suggest that berberine induces autophagic cancer cell death via enhancing GRP78 levels and the ability of GRP78 to bind to VPS34.

  15. Berberine-induced autophagic cell death by elevating GRP78 levels in cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    Li, Zhuoyu; Yang, Peng; Wang, Yingying

    2017-01-01

    Berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid extracted from Coptidis Rhizoma, has been shown to induce cancer cell autophagic death. Glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78) is associated with stress-induced autophagy. However, the related mechanisms between berberine-induced cancer cell autophagy and GRP78 remain to be elucidated. Here, we report that berberine can induce autophagic cancer cell death by elevating levels of GRP78. These results further demonstrated that berberine enhanced GRP78 by suppression of ubiquitination / proteasomal degradation of GRP78 and activation of ATF6. Moreover, fluorescence spectrum assay revealed that berberine could bind to GRP78 and form complexes. Finally, co-IP analysis showed that the ability of GRP78 to bind to VPS34 was increased with berberine treatment. Taken together, our results suggest that berberine induces autophagic cancer cell death via enhancing GRP78 levels and the ability of GRP78 to bind to VPS34. PMID:28157699

  16. The Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Short-Term Exercise Performance of U.S. Navy Seals

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1999-12-01

    among the heart, central nervous system, and testes (46). During intense muscle contraction , PCr has been shown to rapidly decline. The decline in...muscular levels of PCr have been associated with muscle contraction and fatigue, an elevated PCr level prior to exercise could be postulated to... muscle contraction . Ex. Sports Sei. Rev. 26: 1-30, 1998. 21. Greenhaff, P. L., K. Bodin, K. Soderlund, and E. Hultman. Effect of oral creatine

  17. Acute coronary syndrome vs nonspecific troponin elevation: clinical predictors and survival analysis.

    PubMed

    Alcalai, Ronny; Planer, David; Culhaoglu, Afsin; Osman, Aydin; Pollak, Arthur; Lotan, Chaim

    2007-02-12

    Although troponin is considered a specific marker for the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), recent studies have shown troponin elevation in a variety of nonischemic conditions. Our aim was to determine the predictors for the diagnosis of ACS in the presence of an abnormal troponin level. All patients with abnormal troponin T levels were analyzed. Demographic and clinical data were collected and death was recorded. The study group was divided into 2 subgroups: ACS vs nonthrombotic troponin elevation. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to define variables that predict the diagnosis of ACS. The positive predictive value (PPV) for ACS diagnosis was calculated, and a survival analysis was performed. During the study period, 615 patients had elevated troponin T levels. Only 326 patients (53%) received a main diagnosis of ACS, while 254 (41%) had nonthrombotic troponin elevation; for 35 patients (6%), the diagnosis was not conclusive. Positive predictors for the diagnosis of ACS were age between 40 and 70 years, history of hypertension or ischemic heart disease, normal renal function, and a troponin T level higher than 1.0 ng/mL. The overall PPV of troponin T for ACS diagnosis was only 56% (95% CI, 52%-60%). The PPV of troponin T level higher than 1.0 ng/mL in the presence of normal renal function was 90% but was as low as 27% for values of 0.1 to 1.0 ng/mL for elderly patients with renal failure. In-hospital and long-term survival rates were significantly better (P<.001) for patients with ACS. Nonspecific troponin elevation is a common finding among hospitalized patients and correlates with worse prognosis. The diagnosis of myocardial infarction should still mostly be based on the clinical presentation. The predictors and algorithm suggested in this study might increase the diagnostic accuracy of ACS and direct the appropriate treatment.

  18. Thyroid function tests in patients taking thyroid medication in Germany: Results from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP).

    PubMed

    Hannemann, Anke; Friedrich, Nele; Haring, Robin; Krebs, Alexander; Völzke, Henry; Alte, Dietrich; Nauck, Matthias; Kohlmann, Thomas; Schober, Hans-Christof; Hoffmann, Wolfgang; Wallaschofski, Henri

    2010-08-16

    Studies from iodine-sufficient areas have shown that a high proportion of patients taking medication for thyroid diseases have thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels outside the reference range. Next to patient compliance, inadequate dosing adjustment resulting in under- and over-treatment of thyroid disease is a major cause of poor therapy outcomes. Using thyroid function tests, we aim to measure the proportions of subjects, who are under- or over-treated with thyroid medication in a previously iodine-deficient area. Data from 266 subjects participating in the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) were analysed. All subjects were taking thyroid medication. Serum TSH levels were measured using immunochemiluminescent procedures. TSH levels of < 0.27 or > 2.15 mIU/L in subjects younger than 50 years and < 0.19 or > 2.09 mIU/L in subjects 50 years and older, were defined as decreased or elevated, according to the established reference range for the specific study area. Our analysis revealed that 56 of 190 (29.5%) subjects treated with thyroxine had TSH levels outside the reference range (10.0% elevated, 19.5% decreased). Of the 31 subjects taking antithyroid drugs, 12 (38.7%) had TSH levels outside the reference range (9.7% elevated, 29.0% decreased). These proportions were lower in the 45 subjects receiving iodine supplementation (2.2% elevated, 8.9% decreased). Among the 3,974 SHIP participants not taking thyroid medication, TSH levels outside the reference range (2.8% elevated, 5.9% decreased) were less frequent. In concordance with previous studies in iodine-sufficient areas, our results indicate that a considerable number of patients taking thyroid medication are either under- or over-treated. Improved monitoring of these patients' TSH levels, compared to the local reference range, is recommended.

  19. Is depression an inflammatory condition? A review of available evidence.

    PubMed

    Hashmi, Ali Madeeh; Butt, Zeeshan; Umair, Muhammad

    2013-07-01

    The current review examines the relationship between depression and the inflammatory immune response. Mood disorders are a significant cause of morbidity and the etiology of depression is still not clearly understood. Many studies have shown links between inflammatory cytokines and mood disorders, including elevated level of cytokines like tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha), Interleukins (IL-1,IL-6) and others. Raised levels of cytokines have been shown to increase depressive behaviour in animal models, while many anti-depressants reverse this behaviour alongside reducing the Central Nervous System (CNS) inflammatory response and reduction in the amounts of inflammatory cytokines. Cytokines reduce neurogenesis, Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and neuronal plasticity in the CNS, while many anti-depressants have been shown to reverse these processes. The considerations of anti-depressants as anti-inflammatory agents, and implication of other anti-inflammatory therapeutics for the treatment of depression are pointed out.

  20. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, fibrates and niacin as therapeutic options in the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia: a review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Ito, Matthew K

    2015-10-01

    Hypertriglyceridemia affects approximately 33% of the US population. Elevated triglyceride levels are independently associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, and severe hypertriglyceridemia is a risk factor for acute pancreatitis. Guidelines for the management of severe hypertriglyceridemia (≥5.6 mmol/L [≥500 mg/dL]) recommend immediate use of triglyceride-lowering agents; however, statins remain the first line of therapy for the management of mild to moderate hypertriglyceridemia (1.7-5.6 mmol/L [150-499 mg/dL]). Statins primarily target elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, but have also been shown to reduce mean triglyceride levels by up to 18% (or 43% in patients with triglyceride levels≥3.1 mmol/L [≥273 mg/dL]). However, individuals with hypertriglyceridemia may need additional reduction in triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and remnant particles to further reduce residual CVD risk. A number of guidelines recommend the addition of fibrates, niacin, or long-chain omega-3 fatty acids if elevated triglyceride or non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels persist despite the use of high-intensity statin therapy. This review evaluates the impact of fibrates, niacin, and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids on lipid profiles and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with hypertriglyceridemia. It also assesses the adverse effects and drug-drug interactions associated with these triglyceride-lowering agents, because although they have all been shown to effectively reduce triglyceride levels in patients with hypertriglyceridemia, they differ with regard to their associated benefit-risk profiles. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids may be a well-tolerated and effective alternative to fibrates and niacin, yet further large-scale clinical studies are required to evaluate their effects on cardiovascular outcomes and CVD risk reduction in patients with hypertriglyceridemia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. [Development of innovative methods of electromagnetic field evaluation for portable radio-station].

    PubMed

    Rubtsova, N B; Perov, S Iu; Bogacheva, E V; Kuster, N

    2013-01-01

    The results of portable radio-station "Radiy-301" electromagnetic fields (EMF) emission measurement and specific absorption rate data evaluation has shown that workers' exposure EMF levels may elevate hygienic norms and hereupon can be health risk factor. Possible way of portable radio-station EMF dosimetry enhancement by means of domestic and international approaches harmonization is considered.

  2. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Parents of Young Children with Developmental Delays: Implications for Parental Mental Health and Child Behavior Problems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Neece, Cameron L.

    2014-01-01

    Background: Parents of children with developmental delays (DD) typically report elevated levels of parental stress compared with parents of typically developing children. Children with DD are also at high risk for exhibiting significant behaviour problems. Parental stress has been shown to impact the development of these behaviour problems;…

  3. State of Louisiana - Highlighting low-lying areas derived from USGS Digital Elevation Data

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kosovich, John J.

    2008-01-01

    In support of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) disaster preparedness efforts, this map depicts a color shaded relief representation highlighting the State of Louisiana and depicts the surrounding areas using muted elevation colors. The first 30 feet of relief above mean sea level are displayed as brightly colored 5-foot elevation bands, which highlight low-elevation areas at a coarse spatial resolution. Areas below sea level typically are surrounded by levees or some other type of flood-control structures. Standard USGS National Elevation Dataset (NED) 1 arc-second (nominally 30-meter) digital elevation model (DEM) data are the basis for the map, which is designed to be used at a broad scale and for informational purposes only. The NED data are a mixture of data and were derived from the original 1:24,000-scale USGS topographic map bare-earth contours, which were converted into gridded quadrangle-based DEM tiles at a constant post spacing (grid cell size) of either 30 meters (data before the mid-1990s) or 10 meters (mid-1990s and later data). These individual-quadrangle DEMs were then converted to spherical coordinates (latitude/longitude decimal degrees) and edge-matched to ensure seamlessness. Approximately one-half of the area shown on this map has DEM source data at a 30-meter resolution, with the remaining half consisting of mostly 10-meter contour-derived DEM data and some small areas of higher-resolution LIght Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) data along parts of the coastline. Areas below sea level typically are surrounded by levees or some other type of flood-control structures. State and parish boundary, hydrography, city, and road layers were modified from USGS National Atlas data downloaded in 2003. The NED data were downloaded in 2007.

  4. Polyamines and Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Gilmour, Susan K.

    2007-01-01

    Elevated levels of polyamines have long been associated with skin tumorigenesis. Tightly regulated metabolism of polyamines is critical for cell survival and normal skin homeostasis, and these controls are dysregulated in skin tumorigenesis. A key enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is upregulated in skin tumors compared to normal skin. Use of transgenic mouse models has demonstrated that polyamines play an essential role in the early promotional phase of skin tumorigenesis. The formation of skin tumors in these transgenic mice is dependent upon polyamine biosynthesis, especially putrescine, since treatment with inhibitors of ODC activity blocks the formation of skin tumors and causes the rapid regression of existing tumors. Although the mechanism by which polyamines promote skin tumorigenesis are not well understood, elevated levels of polyamines have been shown to stimulate epidermal proliferation, alter keratinocyte differentiation status, increase neovascularization, and increase synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins in a manner similar to that seen in wound healing. It is becoming increasingly apparent that elevated polyamine levels activate not only epidermal cells but also underlying stromal cells in the skin to promote the development and progression of skin tumors. The inhibition of polyamine biosynthesis has potential to be an effective chemoprevention strategy for nonmelanoma skin cancer. PMID:17234230

  5. Insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus in transgenic mice expressing nuclear SREBP-1c in adipose tissue: model for congenital generalized lipodystrophy

    PubMed Central

    Shimomura, Iichiro; Hammer, Robert E.; Richardson, James A.; Ikemoto, Shinji; Bashmakov, Yuriy; Goldstein, Joseph L.; Brown, Michael S.

    1998-01-01

    Overexpression of the nuclear form of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (nSREBP-1c/ADD1) in cultured 3T3-L1 preadipocytes was shown previously to promote adipocyte differentiation. Here, we produced transgenic mice that overexpress nSREBP-1c in adipose tissue under the control of the adipocyte-specific aP2 enhancer/promoter. A syndrome with the following features was observed: (1) Disordered differentiation of adipose tissue. White fat failed to differentiate fully, and the size of white fat depots was markedly decreased. Brown fat was hypertrophic and contained fat-laden cells resembling immature white fat. Levels of mRNA encoding adipocyte differentiation markers (C/EBPα, PPARγ, adipsin, leptin, UCP1) were reduced, but levels of Pref-1 and TNFα were increased. (2) Marked insulin resistance with 60-fold elevation in plasma insulin. (3) Diabetes mellitus with elevated blood glucose (>300 mg/dl) that failed to decline when insulin was injected. (4) Fatty liver from birth and elevated plasma triglyceride levels later in life. These mice exhibit many of the features of congenital generalized lipodystrophy (CGL), an autosomal recessive disorder in humans. PMID:9784493

  6. The metal tolerance profile of Thlaspi goesingense is mimicked in Arabidopsis thaliana heterologously expressing serine acetyl-transferase.

    PubMed

    Freeman, John L; Salt, David E

    2007-11-28

    The Ni hyperaccumulator Thlaspi goesingense is tolerant to Ni congruent with Zn, congruent with Co and slightly resistant to > Cd. We previously observed that elevated glutathione, driven by constitutive activation of serine acetyltransferase (SAT), plays a role in the Ni tolerance of T. goesingense. Here we show that the elevated shoot concentration of glutathione, previously shown to cause elevated Ni tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana heterologously expressing T. goesingense mitochondrial serine acetyltransferase (SATm), also causes tolerance to Co and Zn while slightly enhancing resistance to Cd. The level of tolerance afforded to each metal is ranked Ni congruent with Co, > Zn > Cd. The Ni congruent with Co, > Zn tolerances are positively correlated with both the accumulation of glutathione (GSH) and the ability to resist the oxidative damage induced by these different metals. Based on the relative concentrations of each metal used a relatively low level of resistance to Cd was observed in both T. goesingense and TgSATm expressing lines and Cd resistance was least correlated to GSH accumulation. Such data supports the conclusion that elevated glutathione levels, driven by constitutively enhanced SAT activity in the hyperaccumulator T. goesingense, plays an important role in the Ni, Co and Zn tolerance of this and other Thlaspi species. The hyper-activation of S assimilation through SAT is an excellent strategy for engineering enhanced metal tolerance in transgenic plants potentially used for phytoremediation.

  7. The metal tolerance profile of Thlaspi goesingense is mimicked in Arabidopsis thaliana heterologously expressing serine acetyl-transferase

    PubMed Central

    Freeman, John L; Salt, David E

    2007-01-01

    Background The Ni hyperaccumulator Thlaspi goesingense is tolerant to Ni ≅ Zn, ≅ Co and slightly resistant to > Cd. We previously observed that elevated glutathione, driven by constitutive activation of serine acetyltransferase (SAT), plays a role in the Ni tolerance of T. goesingense. Results Here we show that the elevated shoot concentration of glutathione, previously shown to cause elevated Ni tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana heterologously expressing T. goesingense mitochondrial serine acetyltransferase (SATm), also causes tolerance to Co and Zn while slightly enhancing resistance to Cd. The level of tolerance afforded to each metal is ranked Ni ≅ Co, > Zn > Cd. The Ni ≅ Co, > Zn tolerances are positively correlated with both the accumulation of glutathione (GSH) and the ability to resist the oxidative damage induced by these different metals. Based on the relative concentrations of each metal used a relatively low level of resistance to Cd was observed in both T. goesingense and TgSATm expressing lines and Cd resistance was least correlated to GSH accumulation. Conclusion Such data supports the conclusion that elevated glutathione levels, driven by constitutively enhanced SAT activity in the hyperaccumulator T. goesingense, plays an important role in the Ni, Co and Zn tolerance of this and other Thlaspi species. The hyper-activation of S assimilation through SAT is an excellent strategy for engineering enhanced metal tolerance in transgenic plants potentially used for phytoremediation. PMID:18045473

  8. Vitamin D3-induced hypercalcemia increases carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity through elevated oxidative stress in mice

    PubMed Central

    Usuda, Haruki; Miura, Nobuhiko; Fukuishi, Nobuyuki; Nonogaki, Tsunemasa; Onosaka, Satomi

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine whether calcium potentiates acute carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) -induced toxicity. Elevated calcium levels were induced in mice by pre-treatment with cholecalciferol (vitamin D3; V.D3), a compound that has previously been shown to induce hypercalcemia in human and animal models. As seen previously, mice injected with CCl4 exhibited increased plasma levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and creatinine; transient body weight loss; and increased lipid peroxidation along with decreased total antioxidant power, glutathione, ATP, and NADPH. Pre-treatment of these animals with V.D3 caused further elevation of the values of these liver functional markers without altering kidney functional markers; continued weight loss; a lower lethal threshold dose of CCl4; and enhanced effects on lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant power. In contrast, exposure to V.D3 alone had no effect on plasma markers of liver or kidney damage or on total antioxidant power or lipid peroxidation. The potentiating effect of V.D3 was positively correlated with elevation of hepatic calcium levels. Furthermore, direct injection of CaCl2 also enhanced CCl4-induced hepatic injury. Since CaCl2 induced hypercalcemia transiently (within 3 h of injection), our results suggest that calcium enhances the CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity at an early stage via potentiation of oxidative stress. PMID:28448545

  9. Soluble CD40L Is a Useful Marker to Predict Future Strokes in Patients With Minor Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack.

    PubMed

    Li, Jiejie; Wang, Yilong; Lin, Jinxi; Wang, David; Wang, Anxin; Zhao, Xingquan; Liu, Liping; Wang, Chunxue; Wang, Yongjun

    2015-07-01

    Elevated soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) was shown to be related to cardiovascular events, but the role of sCD40L in predicting recurrent stroke remains unclear. Baseline sCD40L levels were measured in 3044 consecutive patients with acute minor stroke and transient ischemic attack, who had previously been enrolled in the Clopidogrel in High-Risk Patients With Acute Nondisabling Cerebrovascular Events (CHANCE) trial. Cox proportional-hazards model was used to assess the association of sCD40L with recurrent stroke. Patients in the top tertile of sCD40L levels had increased risk of recurrent stroke comparing with those in the bottom tertile, after adjusted for conventional confounding factors (hazard ratio, 1.49; 95% confidence interval, 1.11-2.00; P=0.008). The patients with elevated levels of both sCD40L and high-sensitive C-reactive protein also had increased risk of recurrent stroke (hazard ratio, 1.81; 95% confidence interval, 1.23-2.68; P=0.003). Elevated sCD40L levels independently predict recurrent stroke in patients with minor stroke and transient ischemic attack. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00979589. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

  10. Detection of HOCl-mediated protein oxidation products in the extracellular matrix of human atherosclerotic plaques.

    PubMed Central

    Woods, Alan A; Linton, Stuart M; Davies, Michael J

    2003-01-01

    Oxidation is believed to play a role in atherosclerosis. Oxidized lipids, sterols and proteins have been detected in early, intermediate and advanced human lesions at elevated levels. The spectrum of oxidized side-chain products detected on proteins from homogenates of advanced human lesions has been interpreted in terms of the occurrence of two oxidative mechanisms, one involving oxygen-derived radicals catalysed by trace transition metal ions, and a second involving chlorinating species (HOCl or Cl2), generated by the haem enzyme myeloperoxidase (MPO). As MPO is released extracellularly by activated monocytes (and possibly macrophages) and is a highly basic protein, it would be expected to associate with polyanions such as the glycosaminoglycans of the extracellular matrix, and might result in damage being localized at such sites. In this study proteins extracted from extracellular matrix material obtained from advanced human atherosclerotic lesions are shown to contain elevated levels of oxidized amino acids [3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA), di-tyrosine, 2-hydroxyphenylalanine ( o-Tyr)] when compared with healthy (human and pig) arterial tissue. These matrix-derived materials account for 83-96% of the total oxidized protein side-chain products detected in these plaques. Oxidation of matrix components extracted from healthy artery tissue, and model proteins, with reagent HOCl is shown to give rise to a similar pattern of products to those detected in advanced human lesions. The detection of elevated levels of DOPA and o-Tyr, which have been previously attributed to the occurrence of oxygen-radical-mediated reactions, by HOCl treatment, suggests an alternative route to the formation of these materials in plaques. This is believed to involve the formation and subsequent decomposition of protein chloramines. PMID:12456264

  11. Increased SHP-1 Protein Expression by High Glucose Levels Reduces Nephrin Phosphorylation in Podocytes*

    PubMed Central

    Denhez, Benoit; Lizotte, Farah; Guimond, Marie-Odile; Jones, Nina; Takano, Tomoko; Geraldes, Pedro

    2015-01-01

    Nephrin, a critical podocyte membrane component that is reduced in diabetic nephropathy, has been shown to activate phosphotyrosine signaling pathways in human podocytes. Nephrin signaling is important to reduce cell death induced by apoptotic stimuli. We have shown previously that high glucose level exposure and diabetes increased the expression of SHP-1, causing podocyte apoptosis. SHP-1 possesses two Src homology 2 domains that serve as docking elements to dephosphorylate tyrosine residues of target proteins. However, it remains unknown whether SHP-1 interacts with nephrin and whether its elevated expression affects the nephrin phosphorylation state in diabetes. Here we show that human podocytes exposed to high glucose levels exhibited elevated expression of SHP-1, which was associated with nephrin. Coexpression of nephrin-CD16 and SHP-1 reduced nephrin tyrosine phosphorylation in transfected human embryonic kidney 293 cells. A single tyrosine-to-phenylalanine mutation revealed that rat nephrin Tyr1127 and Tyr1152 are required to allow SHP-1 interaction with nephrin. Overexpression of dominant negative SHP-1 in human podocytes prevented high glucose-induced reduction of nephrin phosphorylation. In vivo, immunoblot analysis demonstrated that nephrin expression and phosphorylation were decreased in glomeruli of type 1 diabetic Akita mice (Ins2+/C96Y) compared with control littermate mice (Ins2+/+), and this was associated with elevated SHP-1 and cleaved caspase-3 expression. Furthermore, immunofluorescence analysis indicated increased colocalization of SHP-1 with nephrin in diabetic mice compared with control littermates. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that high glucose exposure increases SHP-1 interaction with nephrin, causing decreased nephrin phosphorylation, which may, in turn, contribute to diabetic nephropathy. PMID:25404734

  12. Seasonal Sea-Level Variations in San Francisco Bay in Response to Atmospheric Forcing, 1980

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wang, Jingyuan; Cheng, R.T.; Smith, P.C.

    1997-01-01

    The seasonal response of sea level in San Francisco Bay (SFB) to atmospheric forcing during 1980 is investigated. The relations between sea-level data from the Northern Reach, Central Bay and South Bay, and forcing by local wind stresses, sea level pressure (SLP), runoff and the large scale sea level pressure field are examined in detail. The analyses show that the sea-level elevations and slopes respond to the along-shore wind stress T(V) at most times of the year, and to the cross-shore wind stress T(N) during two transition periods in spring and autumn. River runoff raises the sea-level elevation during winter. It is shown that winter precipitation in the SFB area is mainly attributed to the atmospheric circulation associated with the Alcutian Low, which transports the warm, moist air into the Bay area. A multiple linear regression model is employed to estimate the independent contributions of barometric pressure and wind stress to adjusted sea level. These calculations have a simple dynamical interpretation which confirms the importance of along-shore wind to both sea level and north-south slope within the Bay.

  13. Water resources data for Pennsylvania, water year 1993. Volume 2. Susquehanna and Potomac river basins. Water-data report (Annual), 1 October 1992-30 September 1993

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

    Durlin, R.R.; Schaffstall, W.P.

    1994-01-01

    Water resources data for the 1993 water year for Pennsylvania consist of records of discharge and water quality of streams; contents and elevations of lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality of ground-water wells. The report, Volume 2, includes records from the Susquehanna and Potomac River Basins. Specifically, Volume 2 contains (1) discharge records for 97 continuous-record streamflow-gaging stations and 39 partial-record stations; (2) elevation and contents records for 13 lakes and reservoirs; and (3) water-level records for 25 observation wells. The location of these sites is shown in figures 6-8. Additional waste data collected at various sitesmore » not involved in the systematic data-collection program are also presented.« less

  14. Serum elevation of B lymphocyte stimulator does not increase regulatory B cells in glioblastoma patients undergoing immunotherapy.

    PubMed

    Saraswathula, Anirudh; Reap, Elizabeth A; Choi, Bryan D; Schmittling, Robert J; Norberg, Pamela K; Sayour, Elias J; Herndon, James E; Healy, Patrick; Congdon, Kendra L; Archer, Gerald E; Sanchez-Perez, Luis; Sampson, John H

    2016-02-01

    Regulatory B cells that secrete IL-10 (IL-10(+) Bregs) represent a suppressive subset of the B cell compartment with prominent anti-inflammatory capacity, capable of suppressing cellular and humoral responses to cancer and vaccines. B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) is a key regulatory molecule in IL-10(+) Breg biology with tightly controlled serum levels. However, BLyS levels can be drastically altered upon chemotherapeutic intervention. We have previously shown that serum BLyS levels are elevated, and directly associated, with increased antigen-specific antibody titers in patients with glioblastoma (GBM) undergoing lymphodepletive temozolomide chemotherapy and vaccination. In this study, we examined corresponding IL-10(+) Breg responses within this patient population and demonstrate that the IL-10(+) Breg compartment remains constant before and after administration of the vaccine, despite elevated BLyS levels in circulation. IL-10(+) Breg frequencies were not associated with serum BLyS levels, and ex vivo stimulation with a physiologically relevant concentration of BLyS did not increase IL-10(+) Breg frequency. However, BLyS stimulation did increase the frequency of the overall B cell compartment and promoted B cell proliferation upon B cell receptor engagement. Therefore, using BLyS as an adjuvant with therapeutic peptide vaccination could promote humoral immunity with no increase in immunosuppressive IL-10(+) Bregs. These results have implications for modulating humoral responses in human peptide vaccine trials in patients with GBM.

  15. A practical tool for estimating subsurface LNAPL distributions and transmissivity using current and historical fluid levels in groundwater wells: Effects of entrapped and residual LNAPL.

    PubMed

    Lenhard, R J; Rayner, J L; Davis, G B

    2017-10-01

    A model is presented to account for elevation-dependent residual and entrapped LNAPL above and below, respectively, the water-saturated zone when predicting subsurface LNAPL specific volume (fluid volume per unit area) and transmissivity from current and historic fluid levels in wells. Physically-based free, residual, and entrapped LNAPL saturation distributions and LNAPL relative permeabilities are integrated over a vertical slice of the subsurface to yield the LNAPL specific volumes and transmissivity. The model accounts for effects of fluctuating water tables. Hypothetical predictions are given for different porous media (loamy sand and clay loam), fluid levels in wells, and historic water-table fluctuations. It is shown the elevation range from the LNAPL-water interface in a well to the upper elevation where the free LNAPL saturation approaches zero is the same for a given LNAPL thickness in a well regardless of porous media type. Further, the LNAPL transmissivity is largely dependent on current fluid levels in wells and not historic levels. Results from the model can aid developing successful LNAPL remediation strategies and improving the design and operation of remedial activities. Results of the model also can aid in accessing the LNAPL recovery technology endpoint, based on the predicted transmissivity. Copyright © 2017 Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation - Copyright 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Characterization of stress-induced suppression of long-term potentiation in the hippocampal CA1 field of freely moving rats.

    PubMed

    Hirata, Riki; Togashi, Hiroko; Matsumoto, Machiko; Yamaguchi, Taku; Izumi, Takeshi; Yoshioka, Mitsuhiro

    2008-08-21

    Several lines of evidence have shown that exposure to stress impairs long-term potentiation (LTP) in the CA1 field of the hippocampus, but the detailed mechanisms for this effect remain to be clarified. The present study elucidated the synaptic mechanism of stress-induced LTP suppression in conscious, freely moving rats using electrophysiological approaches. Open field stress (i.e., novel environment stress) and elevated platform stress (i.e., uncontrollable stress) were employed. Basal synaptic transmission was significantly reduced during exposure to elevated platform stress but not during exposure to open field stress. LTP induction was blocked by elevated platform stress but not influenced by open field stress. Significant increases in serum corticosterone levels were observed in the elevated platform stress group compared with the open field stress group. Furthermore, LTP suppression induced by elevated platform stress was prevented by pretreatment with an anxiolytic drug diazepam (1 mg/kg, i.p.). These results suggest that stress-induced LTP suppression depends on the relative intensity of the stressor. The inhibitory synaptic response induced by an intense psychological stress, such as elevated platform stress, may be attributable to LTP impairment in the CA1 field of the hippocampus.

  17. 9. WEST ELEVATION OF EAST WING. SHOWN FROM LEFT TO ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    9. WEST ELEVATION OF EAST WING. SHOWN FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: CISTERN TOWER, BOILER CHIMNEY AND LARGE CHIMNEYS FROM BISCUIT KILNS 4 & 5. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

  18. Cooling systems for ultra-high temperature turbines.

    PubMed

    Yoshida, T

    2001-05-01

    This paper describes an introduction of research and development activities on steam cooling in gas turbines at elevated temperature of 1500 C and 1700 C level, partially including those on water cooling. Descriptions of a new cooling system that employs heat pipes are also made. From the view point of heat transfer, its promising applicability is shown with experimental data and engine performance numerical evaluation.

  19. Effect of Plastic Deformation on the Structure and Properties of Alloy IMV7-1 of the Mg - Y - Gd - Zr System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rokhlin, L. L.; Dobatkina, T. V.; Luk'yanova, E. A.; Korol'kova, I. G.; Choporov, V. F.

    2016-07-01

    The microstructure and strength properties of hot-pressed alloy IMV7-1 of the Mg - Y - Gd - Zr system are studied after additional cold and hot rolling deformation. It is shown that the strength properties of the pressed alloy can be elevated by cold deformation at an admissible level of ductility.

  20. The Academic and Functional Academic Skills of Youth Who Are at Risk for Language Impairment in Residential Care

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hagaman, Jessica L.; Trout, Alexandra L.; DeSalvo, Cathy; Gehringer, Robert; Epstein, Michael H.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: Undiagnosed language impairment (LI) for youth in residential care is a concern as similar populations have shown elevated levels of language delays. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to identify the percentage of youth in residential care who are at risk for LI and to compare the demographic, academic achievement, and functional…

  1. BACE1 elevation engendered by GGA3 deletion increases β-amyloid pathology in association with APP elevation and decreased CHL1 processing in 5XFAD mice.

    PubMed

    Kim, WonHee; Ma, Liang; Lomoio, Selene; Willen, Rachel; Lombardo, Sylvia; Dong, Jinghui; Haydon, Philip G; Tesco, Giuseppina

    2018-02-02

    β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the production of amyloid beta (Aβ), the toxic peptide that accumulates in the brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Our previous studies have shown that the clathrin adaptor Golgi-localized γ-ear-containing ARF binding protein 3 (GGA3) plays a key role in the trafficking of BACE1 to lysosomes, where it is normally degraded. GGA3 depletion results in BACE1 stabilization both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, levels of GGA3 are reduced and inversely related to BACE1 levels in post-mortem brains of AD patients. In order to assess the effect of GGA3 deletion on AD-like phenotypes, we crossed GGA3 -/- mice with 5XFAD mice. BACE1-mediated processing of APP and the cell adhesion molecule L1 like protein (CHL1) was measured as well as levels of Aβ42 and amyloid burden. In 5XFAD mice, we found that hippocampal and cortical levels of GGA3 decreased while BACE1 levels increased with age, similar to what is observed in human AD brains. GGA3 deletion prevented age-dependent elevation of BACE1 in GGA3KO;5XFAD mice. We also found that GGA3 deletion resulted in increased hippocampal levels of Aβ42 and amyloid burden in 5XFAD mice at 12 months of age. While levels of BACE1 did not change with age and gender in GGAKO;5XFAD mice, amyloid precursor protein (APP) levels increased with age and were higher in female mice. Moreover, elevation of APP was associated with a decreased BACE1-mediated processing of CHL1 not only in 12 months old 5XFAD mice but also in human brains from subjects affected by Down syndrome, most likely due to substrate competition. This study demonstrates that GGA3 depletion is a leading candidate mechanism underlying elevation of BACE1 in AD. Furthermore, our findings suggest that BACE1 inhibition could exacerbate mechanism-based side effects in conditions associated with APP elevation (e.g. Down syndrome) owing to impairment of BACE1-mediated processing of CHL1. Therefore, therapeutic approaches aimed to restore GGA3 function and to prevent the down stream effects of its depletion (e.g. BACE1 elevation) represent an attractive alternative to BACE inhibition for the prevention/treatment of AD.

  2. The Role of IL-17 in Vitiligo: A Review

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Rasnik K.; Lee, Kristina M.; Vujkovic-Cvijin, Ivan; Ucmak, Derya; Farahnik, Benjamin; Abrouk, Michael; Nakamura, Mio; Zhu, Tian Hao; Bhutani, Tina; Wei, Maria; Liao, Wilson

    2016-01-01

    IL-17 is involved in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases, however its role in vitiligo has not been well defined. Emerging human and mouse studies have demonstrated that systemic, tissue, and cellular levels of IL-17 are elevated in vitiligo. Many studies have also shown significant positive correlations between these levels and disease activity, extent, and severity. Treatments that improve vitiligo, such as ultraviolet B phototherapy, also modulate IL-17 levels. This review synthesizes our current understanding of how IL-17 may influence the pathogenesis of autoimmune vitiligo at the molecular level. This has implications for defining new vitiligo biomarkers and treatments. PMID:26804758

  3. Elevated systemic galectin-1 levels characterize HELLP syndrome.

    PubMed

    Schnabel, Annegret; Blois, Sandra M; Meint, Peter; Freitag, Nancy; Ernst, Wolfgang; Barrientos, Gabriela; Conrad, Melanie L; Rose, Matthias; Seelbach-Göbel, Birgit

    2016-04-01

    Galectin-1 (gal-1), a member of a family of conserved β-galactoside-binding proteins, has been shown to exert a key role during gestation. Though gal-1 is expressed at higher levels in the placenta from HELLP patients, it is still poorly understood whether systemic gal-1 levels also differ in HELLP patients. In the present study, we evaluated the systemic expression of gal-1, together with the angiogenic factors, placental growth factor (PlGF) and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) in conjunction with HELLP syndrome severity. Systemic levels of gal-1 and sFlt-1 were elevated in patients with both early- and late-onset HELLP syndrome as compared to healthy controls. In contrast, peripheral PlGF levels were decreased in early- and late-onset HELLP. A positive correlation between systemic gal-1 levels and sFlt-1/PlGF ratios was found in early onset HELLP patients. Our results show that HELLP syndrome is associated with increased circulating levels of gal-1; integrating systemic gal-1 measurements into the diagnostic analyses of pregnant women may provide more effective prediction of HELLP syndrome development. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Testosterone-Fatty Acid esterification: a unique target for the endocrine toxicity of tributyltin to gastropods.

    PubMed

    Leblanc, Gerald A; Gooding, Meredith P; Sternberg, Robin M

    2005-01-01

    Over the past thirty years, a global occurrence of sexual aberration has occurred whereby females among populations of prosobranch snails exhibit male sex characteristics. This condition, called imposex, has been causally associated with exposure to the biocide tributyltin. Tributyltin-exposed, imposex snails typically have elevated levels of testosterone which have led to the postulate that this endocrine dysfunction is responsible for imposex. This overview describes recent evidence that supports this postulate. Gastropods maintain circulating testosterone levels and administration of testosterone to females or castrates stimulates male sex differentiation in several snail species. Studies in the mud snail (Ilyanassa obsoleta) have shown that gastropods utilize a unique strategy for regulating free testosterone levels. Excess testosterone is converted to fatty acid esters by the action of a testosterone-inducible, high capacity/low affinity enzyme, acyl-CoA:testosterone acyl transferase, and stored within the organisms. Free testosterone levels are regulated during the reproductive cycle apparently due to changes in esterification/desterification suggesting that testosterone functions in the reproductive cycle of the organisms. Testosterone esterification provides a unique target in the testosterone regulatory machinery of snails that is altered by tributyltin. Indeed, imposex and free testosterone levels were elevated in field collected snails containing high tin levels, while testosterone-fatty acid ester pools were reduced in these organisms. These observations indicate that tributyltin elevates free testosterone by reducing the retention of testosterone as fatty acid-esters. This endocrine effect of tributyltin may be responsible for imposex.

  5. Comparison of immunoreactive serum trypsinogen and lipase in Cystic Fibrosis

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

    Lloyd-Still, J.D.; Weiss, S.; Wessel, H.

    1984-01-01

    The incidence of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is 1 in 2,000. Early detection and treatment of CF may necessitate newborn screening with a reliable and cost-effective test. Serum immunoreactive trypsinogen (IRT) an enzyme produced by the pancreas, is detectable by radioimmunoassay (RIA) techniques. Recently, it has been shown that IRT is elevated in CF infants for the first few months of life and levels become subnormal as pancreatic insufficiency progresses. Other enzymes produced by the pancreas, such as lipase, are also elevated during this time. The author's earlier work confirmed previous reports of elevated IRT levels in CF infants. The developmentmore » of a new RIA for lipase (nuclipase) has enabled comparison of these 2 pancreatic enzymes in C.F. Serum IRT and lipase determinations were performed on 2 groups of CF patients; infants under 1 year of age, and children between 1 and 18 years of age. Control populations of the same age groups were included. The results showed that both trypsin (161 +- 92 ng/ml, range 20 to 400) and lipase (167 +- 151 ng/ml, range 29 to 500) are elevated in CF in the majority of infants. Control infants had values of IRT ranging from 20 to 29.5 ng/ml and lipase values ranging from 23 to 34 ng/ml. IRT becomes subnormal in most CF patients by 8 years of age as pancreatic function insufficiency increases. Lipase levels and IRT levels correlate well in infancy, but IRT is a more sensitive indicator of pancreatic insufficiency in older patients with CF.« less

  6. Disruption of the G1/S Transition in Human Papillomavirus Type 16 E7-Expressing Human Cells Is Associated with Altered Regulation of Cyclin E

    PubMed Central

    Martin, Larry G.; Demers, G. William; Galloway, Denise A.

    1998-01-01

    The development of neoplasia frequently involves inactivation of the p53 and retinoblastoma (Rb) tumor suppressor pathways and disruption of cell cycle checkpoints that monitor the integrity of replication and cell division. The human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) oncoproteins, E6 and E7, have been shown to bind p53 and Rb, respectively. To further delineate the mechanisms by which E6 and E7 affect cell cycle control, we examined various aspects of the cell cycle machinery. The low-risk HPV-6 E6 and E7 proteins did not cause any significant change in the levels of cell cycle proteins analyzed. HPV-16 E6 resulted in very low levels of p53 and p21 and globally elevated cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) activity. In contrast, HPV-16 E7 had a profound effect on several aspects of the cell cycle machinery. A number of cyclins and CDKs were elevated, and despite the elevation of the levels of at least two CDK inhibitors, p21 and p16, CDK activity was globally increased. Most strikingly, cyclin E expression was deregulated both transcriptionally and posttranscriptionally and persisted at high levels in S and G2/M. Transit through G1 was shortened by the premature activation of cyclin E-associated kinase activity. Elevation of cyclin E levels required both the CR1 and CR2 domains of E7. These data suggest that cyclin E may be a critical target of HPV-16 E7 in the disruption of G1/S cell cycle progression and that the ability of E7 to regulate cyclin E involves activities in addition to the release of E2F. PMID:9444990

  7. Evaluation of Short-Term Changes in Serum Creatinine Level as a Meaningful End Point in Randomized Clinical Trials

    PubMed Central

    Zabetian, Azadeh; Ferket, Bart S.; Zhou, Jing; Testani, Jeffrey M.; Garg, Amit X.; Parikh, Chirag R.

    2016-01-01

    Observational studies have shown that acute change in kidney function (specifically, AKI) is a strong risk factor for poor outcomes. Thus, the outcome of acute change in serum creatinine level, regardless of underlying biology or etiology, is frequently used in clinical trials as both efficacy and safety end points. We performed a meta-analysis of clinical trials to quantify the relationship between positive or negative short–term effects of interventions on change in serum creatinine level and more meaningful clinical outcomes. After a thorough literature search, we included 14 randomized trials of interventions that altered risk for an acute increase in serum creatinine level and had reported between–group differences in CKD and/or mortality rate ≥3 months after randomization. Seven trials assessed interventions that, compared with placebo, increased risk of acute elevation in serum creatinine level (pooled relative risk, 1.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.22 to 1.89), and seven trials assessed interventions that, compared with placebo, reduced risk of acute elevation in serum creatinine level (pooled relative risk, 0.57; 95% confidence interval, 0.44 to 0.74). However, pooled risks for CKD and mortality associated with interventions did not differ from those with placebo in either group. In conclusion, several interventions that affect risk of acute, mild to moderate, often temporary elevation in serum creatinine level in placebo–controlled randomized trials showed no appreciable effect on CKD or mortality months later, raising questions about the value of using small to moderate changes in serum creatinine level as end points in clinical trials. PMID:26712525

  8. Gain degradation and amplitude scintillation due to tropospheric turbulence

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Theobold, D. M.; Hodge, D. B.

    1978-01-01

    It is shown that a simple physical model is adequate for the prediction of the long term statistics of both the reduced signal levels and increased peak-to-peak fluctuations. The model is based on conventional atmospheric turbulence theory and incorporates both amplitude and angle of arrival fluctuations. This model predicts the average variance of signals observed under clear air conditions at low elevation angles on earth-space paths at 2, 7.3, 20 and 30 GHz. Design curves based on this model for gain degradation, realizable gain, amplitude fluctuation as a function of antenna aperture size, frequency, and either terrestrial path length or earth-space path elevation angle are presented.

  9. Elevation of Il6 is associated with disturbed let-7 biogenesis in a genetic model of depression

    PubMed Central

    Wei, Y B; Liu, J J; Villaescusa, J C; Åberg, E; Brené, S; Wegener, G; Mathé, A A; Lavebratt, C

    2016-01-01

    Elevation of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 has been implicated in depression; however, the mechanisms remain elusive. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that inhibit gene expression post-transcriptionally. The lethal-7 (let-7) miRNA family was suggested to be involved in the inflammation process and IL-6 was shown to be one of its targets. In the present study, we report elevation of Il6 in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of a genetic rat model of depression, the Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) compared to the control Flinders Resistant Line. This elevation was associated with an overexpression of LIN28B and downregulation of let-7 miRNAs, the former an RNA-binding protein that selectively represses let-7 synthesis. Also DROSHA, a key enzyme in miRNA biogenesis was downregulated in FSL. Running was previously shown to have an antidepressant-like effect in the FSL rat. We found that running reduced Il6 levels and selectively increased let-7i and miR-98 expression in the PFC of FSL, although there were no differences in LIN28B and DROSHA expression. Pri-let-7i was upregulated in the running FSL group, which associated with increased histone H4 acetylation. In conclusion, the disturbance of let-7 family biogenesis may underlie increased proinflammatory markers in the depressed FSL rats while physical activity could reduce their expression, possibly through regulating primary miRNA expression via epigenetic mechanisms. PMID:27529677

  10. Elevation of Il6 is associated with disturbed let-7 biogenesis in a genetic model of depression.

    PubMed

    Wei, Y B; Liu, J J; Villaescusa, J C; Åberg, E; Brené, S; Wegener, G; Mathé, A A; Lavebratt, C

    2016-08-16

    Elevation of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 has been implicated in depression; however, the mechanisms remain elusive. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that inhibit gene expression post-transcriptionally. The lethal-7 (let-7) miRNA family was suggested to be involved in the inflammation process and IL-6 was shown to be one of its targets. In the present study, we report elevation of Il6 in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of a genetic rat model of depression, the Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) compared to the control Flinders Resistant Line. This elevation was associated with an overexpression of LIN28B and downregulation of let-7 miRNAs, the former an RNA-binding protein that selectively represses let-7 synthesis. Also DROSHA, a key enzyme in miRNA biogenesis was downregulated in FSL. Running was previously shown to have an antidepressant-like effect in the FSL rat. We found that running reduced Il6 levels and selectively increased let-7i and miR-98 expression in the PFC of FSL, although there were no differences in LIN28B and DROSHA expression. Pri-let-7i was upregulated in the running FSL group, which associated with increased histone H4 acetylation. In conclusion, the disturbance of let-7 family biogenesis may underlie increased proinflammatory markers in the depressed FSL rats while physical activity could reduce their expression, possibly through regulating primary miRNA expression via epigenetic mechanisms.

  11. Role of interleukin-6 as an early marker of fat embolism syndrome: a clinical study.

    PubMed

    Prakash, Shiva; Sen, Ramesh Kumar; Tripathy, Sujit Kumar; Sen, Indu Mohini; Sharma, R R; Sharma, Sadhna

    2013-07-01

    A few animal studies have shown that IL-6 can serve as an early marker of fat embolism syndrome. The degree to which this is true in human trauma victims is unknown. In this clinical study, we sought to determine (1) whether elevated serum IL-6 levels at 6, 12, and 24 hours in patients with skeletal trauma were associated with the development of fat embolism syndrome (FES) within 72 hours after injury, and (2) at what time after trauma peak IL-6 levels are observed. Forty-eight patients between 16 and 40 years old who presented to our tertiary trauma center within 6 hours of injury with long bone and/or pelvic fractures were included in this study. Serum IL-6 levels were measured at 6, 12, and 24 hours after injury. The patients were observed clinically and monitored for 72 hours for development of FES symptoms. Gurd's criteria were used to diagnose FES. Elevated serum IL-6 levels 12 hours after trauma correlated with an increased likelihood of having FES develop; no significant relationship was observed between IL-6 levels at 6 or 24 hours and the development of FES. Patients with FES had a mean IL-6 level of 131 pg/mL, whereas those without FES had a mean IL-6 level of 72 pg/mL. Peak IL-6 levels were observed at 12 hours. An elevated serum IL-6 level may be useful as an early marker of FES in patients with isolated skeletal trauma. Level II, diagnostic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

  12. Mississippi Delta, Radar Image with Colored Height

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2005-08-29

    The geography of the New Orleans and Mississippi delta region is well shown in this radar image from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. In this image, bright areas show regions of high radar reflectivity, such as from urban areas, and elevations have been coded in color using height data also from the mission. Dark green colors indicate low elevations, rising through yellow and tan, to white at the highest elevations. New Orleans is situated along the southern shore of Lake Pontchartrain, the large, roughly circular lake near the center of the image. The line spanning the lake is the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, the world's longest over water highway bridge. Major portions of the city of New Orleans are below sea level, and although it is protected by levees and sea walls, flooding during storm surges associated with major hurricanes is a significant concern. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA04175

  13. Role of TGR-B1-Mediated Down Regulation of NF-kB/Rel Activity During Growth Arrest of Breast Cancer Cells

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2001-05-01

    gallate ( EGCG ), which has been shown to inhibit the induction of NF-KB and growth of breast cancer cell lines in vitro. EGCG reduced NF-KB levels in the...demonstrated activation of NF-KB is induced upon over-expression of Her-2/neu. Thus, studies were initiated with green tea pholyphenol, epigallocatechin -3...NF639 cell line derived from an MMTV-Her-2/neu mouse tumor. NF639 clonal isolates resistant to EGCG appear to display elevated levels of NF-KB. Overall

  14. Witnesses' memory for events and faces under elevated levels of intoxication.

    PubMed

    Altman, Christopher M; Schreiber Compo, Nadja; McQuiston, Dawn; Hagsand, Angelica V; Cervera, Jiselle

    2018-08-01

    Research on alcohol and witness memory has burgeoned over the last decade. However, most studies have tested participants at relatively low breath alcohol concentration (BAC) levels, unrepresentative of those encountered by officers in the field. To examine how higher intoxication levels might impair witness memory for events and faces, the current research tested participants' ability to recall a mock crime at elevated BAC levels (>.08%). The BAC levels of bar patrons (N = 138) were recorded before witnessing a video-taped mock crime. Participants were then interviewed using free recall and cued questions and shown a six-person target-present or target-absent lineup. Results show that alcohol negatively affected both the quantity and quality of recall. Regardless of question format, alcohol also reduced the percentage of accurate information elicited from witnesses; however, only cued questions increased the percentage of inaccurate information reported. Intoxication had no effect on identification accuracy. These findings suggest that the encoding and storage systems for faces and events may be impacted differently by alcohol. Our results also highlight the importance of including higher BAC levels when examining the effects of alcohol on witness memory.

  15. Elevated glucose levels in early puerperium, and association with high cortisol levels during parturition.

    PubMed

    Risberg, Anitha; Sjöquist, Mats; Wedenberg, Kaj; Larsson, Anders

    2016-07-01

    Background Gestational diabetes is one of the commonest metabolic problems associated with pregnancy and an accurate diagnosis is critical for the care. Research has shown that pregnant women have high levels of cortisol during the last stage of parturition. As cortisol is a diabetogenic hormone causing increased glucose levels, we wanted to study the association between cortisol and glucose levels during parturition. Materials and methods Glucose and cortisol were analyzed during parturition in 50 females divided according to slow (n = 11) and normal labors (n = 39). Blood samples were analyzed three times during the parturition and four times in the first day after delivery. Glucose levels were also measured once in each trimester. Results In the normal group, the glucose concentration increased from 6.2 (IQR 5.6-8.0) mmol/L in the latency phase to 11.6 (10.0-13.3) mmol/L at aftercare (p < 0.05). After parturition the glucose concentrations decreased gradually. There were significant Spearman rank correlations between glucose and cortisol values. Conclusions The changes associated with birth cause significant elevations of cortisol and glucose around parturition.

  16. Suicide by occupation: systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Milner, Allison; Spittal, Matthew J; Pirkis, Jane; LaMontagne, Anthony D

    2013-12-01

    Previous research has shown that those employed in certain occupations, such as doctors and farmers, have an elevated risk of suicide, yet little research has sought to synthesise these findings across working-age populations. To summarise published research in this area through systematic review and meta-analysis. Random effects meta-analyses were used to calculate a pooled risk of suicide across occupational skill-level groups. Thirty-four studies were included in the meta-analysis. Elementary professions (e.g. labourers and cleaners) were at elevated risk compared with the working-age population (rate ratio (RR) = 1.84, 95% CI 1.46-2.33), followed by machine operators and deck crew (RR = 1.78, 95% CI 1.22-2.60) and agricultural workers (RR = 1.64, 95% CI 1.19-2.28). Results suggested a stepwise gradient in risk, with the lowest skilled occupations being at greater risk of suicide than the highest skill-level group. This is the first comprehensive meta-analytical review of suicide and occupation. There is a need for future studies to investigate explanations for the observed skill-level differences, particularly in people employed in lower skill-level groups.

  17. 83. WEST ELEVATION OF EAST WING. SHOWN FROM LEFT TO ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    83. WEST ELEVATION OF EAST WING. SHOWN FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: CISTERN TOWER, BOILER CHIMNEY AND LARGE CHIMNEYS FROM BISCUIT KILNS 4 & 5. SAME VIEW AS PA-107-9. - Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Southwest side of State Route 313 (Swamp Road), Northwest of East Court Street, Doylestown, Bucks County, PA

  18. Postglacial history of alpine vegetation, fire, and climate from Laguna de Río Seco, Sierra Nevada, southern Spain

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anderson, R. S.; Jiménez-Moreno, G.; Carrión, J. S.; Pérez-Martínez, C.

    2011-06-01

    The Sierra Nevada of southern Spain is a landscape with a rich biological and cultural heritage. The range was extensively glaciated during the late Pleistocene. However, the postglacial paleoecologic history of the highest range in southern Europe is nearly completely unknown. Here we use sediments from a small lake above present treeline - Laguna de Río Seco at 3020 m elevation - in a paleoecological study documenting over 11,500 calendar years of vegetation, fire and climate change, addressing ecological and paleoclimatic issues unique to this area through comparison with regional paleoecological sequences. The early record is dominated by Pinus pollen, with Betula, deciduous Quercus, and grasses, with an understory of shrubs. It is unlikely that pine trees grew around the lake, and fire was relatively unimportant at this site during this period. Aquatic microfossils indicate that the wettest conditions and highest lake levels at Laguna de Río Seco occurred before 7800 cal yr BP. This is in contrast to lower elevation sites, where wettest conditions occurred after ca 7800. Greater differences in early Holocene seasonal insolation may have translated to greater snowpack and subsequently higher lake levels at higher elevations, but not necessarily at lower elevations, where higher evaporation rates prevailed. With declining seasonality after ca 8000 cal yr BP, but continuing summer precipitation, lake levels at the highest elevation site remained high, but lake levels at lower elevation sites increased as evaporation rates declined. Drier conditions commenced regionally after ca 5700 cal yr BP, shown at Laguna de Río Seco by declines in wetland pollen, and increases in high elevation steppe shrubs common today ( Juniperus, Artemisia, and others). The disappearance or decline of mesophytes, such as Betula from ca 4000 cal yr BP is part of a regional depletion in Mediterranean Spain and elsewhere in Europe from the mid to late Holocene. On the other hand, Castanea sativa increased in Laguna de Río Seco record after ca 4000 cal yr BP, and especially in post-Roman times, probably due to arboriculture. Though not as important at high than at low elevations, fire occurrence was elevated, particularly after ca 3700 years ago, in response to regional human population expansion. The local and regional impact of humans increased substantially after ca 2700 years ago, with the loss of Pinus forest within the mountain range, increases in evidence of pasturing herbivores around the lake, and Olea cultivation at lower elevations. Though human impact was not as extensive at high elevation as at lower elevation sites in southern Iberia, this record confirms that even remote sites were not free of direct human influence during the Holocene.

  19. Sensitivity towards elevated pCO2 in great scallop (Pecten maximus Lamarck) embryos and fed larvae

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Andersen, Sissel; Grefsrud, Ellen S.; Harboe, Torstein

    2017-02-01

    The increasing amount of dissolved anthropogenic CO2 has caused a drop in pH values in the open ocean known as ocean acidification. This change in seawater carbonate chemistry has been shown to have a negative effect on a number of marine organisms. Early life stages are the most vulnerable, and especially the organisms that produce calcified structures in the phylum Mollusca. Few studies have looked at effects on scallops, and this is the first study presented including fed larvae of the great scallop (Pecten maximus) followed until day 14 post-fertilization. Fertilized eggs from unexposed parents were exposed to three levels of pCO2 using four replicate units: 465 (ambient), 768 and 1294 µatm, corresponding to pHNIST of 7.94, 7.75 (-0.19 units) and 7.54 (-0.40 units), respectively. All of the observed parameters were negatively affected by elevated pCO2: survival, larval development, shell growth and normal shell development. The latter was observed to be affected only 2 days after fertilization. Negative effects on the fed larvae at day 7 were similar to what was shown earlier for unfed P. maximus larvae. Growth rate in the group at 768 µatm seemed to decline after day 7, indicating that the ability to overcome the environmental change at moderately elevated pCO2 was lost over time. The present study shows that food availability does not decrease the sensitivity to elevated pCO2 in P. maximus larvae. Unless genetic adaptation and acclimatization counteract the negative effects of long term elevated pCO2, recruitment in populations of P. maximus will most likely be negatively affected by the projected drop of 0.06-0.32 units in pH within year 2100.

  20. A Comparison of Positive Outcome Expectancies: A Review of the Theories of M. F. Scheier, C. S. Carver, M. E. P. Seligman, and C. R. Snyder.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bird, William A.

    Research has shown that optimistic and pessimistic outcome expectancy evaluations are associated with adaptive and maladaptive levels of psychological functioning, physical wellness, and health recovery issues. The research of M. F. Scheier, C. S. Carver, M. E. P. Seligman, and C. R. Snyder supports the hypothesis that elevated optimism or…

  1. Low Level Chemical Toxicity: Relevance to Chemical Agent Defense

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-07-01

    elevation in stress hormones in the blood serum. Electron microscropy indicated no damage to cochlear tissues of the ear (not shown). At the...neural activity occurring primarily in the cochlear nucleus of the brainstem auditory pathway. Peak II is usually the last major peak to disappear...IV). Peak II is generally the strongest peak and is regarded as a putative indicator of neural activity occurring primarily in the cochlear nucleus

  2. Serum BAFF levels, Methypredsinolone therapy, Epstein-Barr Virus and Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in Multiple Sclerosis patients.

    PubMed

    Mameli, Giuseppe; Cocco, Eleonora; Frau, Jessica; Arru, Giannina; Caggiu, Elisa; Marrosu, Maria Giovanna; Sechi, Leonardo A

    2016-07-07

    Elevated B lymphocyte activating factor BAFF levels have been reported in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients; moreover, disease-modifying treatments (DMT) have shown to influence blood BAFF levels in MS patients, although the significance of these changes is still controversial. In addition, BAFF levels were reported increased during infectious diseases. In our study, we wanted to investigate on the serum BAFF concentrations correlated to the antibody response against Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and their human homologous epitopes in MS and in patients affected with other neurological diseases (OND), divided in Inflammatory Neurological Diseases (IND), Non Inflammatory Neurological Diseases (NIND) and Undetermined Neurological Diseases (UND), in comparison to healthy controls (HCs). Our results confirmed a statistically significant high BAFF levels in MS and IND patients in comparison to HCs but not NIND and UND patients. Interestingly, BAFF levels were inversely proportional to antibodies level against EBV and MAP peptides and the BAFF levels significantly decreased in MS patients after methylprednisolone therapy. These results implicate that lower circulating BAFF concentrations were present in MS patients with humoral response against MAP and EBV. In conclusion MS patients with no IgGs against EBV and MAP may support the hypothesis that elevated blood BAFF levels could be associated with a more stable disease.

  3. Gulf of Mexico region - Highlighting low-lying areas derived from USGS Digital Elevation Data

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kosovich, John J.

    2008-01-01

    In support of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) disaster preparedness efforts, this map depicts a color shaded relief representation of the area surrounding the Gulf of Mexico. The first 30 feet of relief above mean sea level are displayed as brightly colored 5-foot elevation bands, which highlight low-elevation areas at a coarse spatial resolution. Standard USGS National Elevation Dataset (NED) 1 arc-second (nominally 30-meter) digital elevation model (DEM) data are the basis for the map, which is designed to be used at a broad scale and for informational purposes only. The NED data were derived from the original 1:24,000-scale USGS topographic map bare-earth contours, which were converted into gridded quadrangle-based DEM tiles at a constant post spacing (grid cell size) of either 30 meters (data before the mid-1990s data) or 10 meters (mid-1990s and later data). These individual-quadrangle DEMs were then converted to spherical coordinates (latitude/longitude decimal degrees) and edge-matched to ensure seamlessness. Approximately one-half of the area shown on this map has DEM source data at a 30-meter resolution, with the remaining half consisting of 10-meter contour-derived DEM data or higher-resolution LIDAR data. Areas below sea level typically are surrounded by levees or some other type of flood-control structures. State and county boundary, hydrography, city, and road layers were modified from USGS National Atlas data downloaded in 2003. The NED data were downloaded in 2005.

  4. Influences of sediment redistribution on sea-level changes along the U.S. Atlantic margin since the mid-Pliocene

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Q.; Ferrier, K.; Austermann, J.; Mitrovica, J. X.

    2017-12-01

    The Orangeburg Scarp is a paleo-shoreline formed along the southeastern U.S. Atlantic coast during the mid-Pliocene warm period (MPWP; 3.3 - 2.9 Ma). The MPWP is a time of interest because it is often cited as an analog for modern climate and thus an important target for understanding sea-level responses to climate change. The present Orangeburg Scarp exhibits 40-meter variations in elevation along its length, implying that it has been warped since its formation, which complicates efforts to infer global ice volume at the MPWP. Previous studies have shown that the effects of glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) and dynamic topography (DT) on sea level can explain a significant fraction of the observed variability in elevation along the Orangeburg Scarp. Here we build on these studies by using a gravitationally self-consistent ice age sea-level model to compute the effects of sediment loading and unloading on paleo-shoreline elevation since the mid-Pliocene. To constrain the sediment loading history in this region, we present a new compilation of erosion and deposition rates along the U.S. Atlantic margin, from which we generate a range of sediment redistribution scenarios since the MPWP. We simultaneously drive the sea-level model with these sediment redistribution histories and existing ice and dynamic topography histories. Our results show that sediment loading and unloading is capable of warping the elevation of this paleo-shoreline by 20 meters since its formation, similar in magnitude to the contributions from GIA and DT over the same time period. These results demonstrate that sediment redistribution can induce significant perturbations in sea-level markers from the MPWP, and thus accounting for its influence will improve reconstructions of sea level and global ice volume during the MPWP and perhaps other periods of relative ice age warmth.

  5. Elevated soluble MUC1 levels and decreased anti-MUC1 antibody levels in patients with multiple myeloma.

    PubMed

    Treon, S P; Maimonis, P; Bua, D; Young, G; Raje, N; Mollick, J; Chauhan, D; Tai, Y T; Hideshima, T; Shima, Y; Hilgers, J; von Mensdorff-Pouilly, S; Belch, A R; Pilarski, L M; Anderson, K C

    2000-11-01

    Soluble MUC1 (sMUC1) levels are elevated in many MUC1(+) cancers. We and others have shown that MUC1 is expressed on multiple myeloma (MM) plasma cells and B cells. In this study, we measured sMUC1 levels in bone marrow (BM) plasma from 71 MM patients and 21 healthy donors (HDs), and in peripheral blood (PB) plasma from 42 MM patients and 13 HDs using an immunoassay that detects the CA27.29 epitope of MUC1. sMUC1 levels were found to be significantly greater (mean 31.76 U/mL, range 5.69 to 142.48 U/mL) in MM patient BM plasma versus HD BM plasma (mean 9.68 U/mL, range 0.65 to 39.83 U/mL) (P <. 001). Importantly, BM plasma sMUC1 levels were related to tumor burden because sMUC1 levels were significantly higher for MM patients with active disease (34.62 U/mL, range 5.69 to 142.48 U/mL) versus MM patients with minimal residual disease (16.16 U/mL, range 5.7 to 56.68 U/mL) (P =.0026). sMUC1 levels were also elevated in the PB plasma of MM patients (32.79 U/mL, range 4.15 to 148.84 U/mL) versus HDs (18.47 U/mL, range 8.84 to 42.49) (P =.0052). Lastly, circulating immunglobulin M (IgM) and IgG antibodies to MUC1 were measured in 114 MM patients and 31 HDs, because natural antibodies to MUC1 have been detected in patients with other MUC1-bearing malignancies. These studies demonstrated lower levels of circulating IgM (P <.001) and IgG (P =.078) antibodies to MUC1 in MM patients compared with HDs. Our data therefore show that in MM patients, sMUC1 levels are elevated and correlate with disease burden, whereas anti-MUC1 antibody levels are decreased.

  6. The role of IL-17 in vitiligo: A review.

    PubMed

    Singh, Rasnik K; Lee, Kristina M; Vujkovic-Cvijin, Ivan; Ucmak, Derya; Farahnik, Benjamin; Abrouk, Michael; Nakamura, Mio; Zhu, Tian Hao; Bhutani, Tina; Wei, Maria; Liao, Wilson

    2016-04-01

    IL-17 is involved in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases; however its role in vitiligo has not been well defined. Emerging human and mouse studies have demonstrated that systemic, tissue, and cellular levels of IL-17 are elevated in vitiligo. Many studies have also shown significant positive correlations between these levels and disease activity, extent, and severity. Treatments that improve vitiligo, such as ultraviolet B phototherapy, also modulate IL-17 levels. This review synthesizes our current understanding of how IL-17 may influence the pathogenesis of autoimmune vitiligo at the molecular level. This has implications for defining new vitiligo biomarkers and treatments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Nuclear microscopy in Parkinson's disease

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Watt, F.; Lee, T.; Thong, P. S. P.; Tang, S. M.

    1995-09-01

    Rats have been subjected to unilateral lesioning with the selective neurotoxin 6-OHDA in order to induce Parkinsonism. Analysis using the NUS Nuclear Microscope facility have shown that iron levels are raised by an average of 26% in the lesioned subtantia nigra region of the brain compared with the non-lesioned side. In addition the background tissue level of iron is also elevated by 31% in the lesioned side, indicating that there is a general increase in iron levels as a result of the lesioning. This result is consistent with the other observations that other diseases of the brain are frequently associated with altered iron levels (eg. progressive nuclear palsy, multiple system atrophy, Alzheimers disease, multiple sclerosis).

  8. [The balance of markers of regulation vascular tone and fibrinogen in the prognosis of hemorrhagic transformation and fatal outcome in the acute period of ischemic stroke].

    PubMed

    Liang, O V; Kochetov, A G; Arkhipkin, A A; Novozhenova, Iu V; Shamalov, N A; Ramazanov, G R; Chuĭko, M R; Ogurtsov, P P; Skvortsova, V I

    2012-01-01

    The markers of regulation vascular tone, such as rennin, endothelin-1, and C-type natriuretic peptide, are of great value for prognosis of hemorrhagic transformation and fatal outcome of ischemic stroke. A change in the vascular tone in case of hemorrhagic transformation at the affected site precedes activation of the coagulation component of hemostasis as a mechanism preventing blood loss and increasing fibrinogen level. This work was aimed to study the balance of the above markers and fibrinogen in the prognosis of hemorrhagic transformation and fatal outcome in the acute period of ischemic stroke. It included 62 patients receiving no thrombolytic therapy. It was shown that symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation was associated with elevated rennin levels without a marked fall in the level of C-type natriuretic peptide and asymptomatic hemorrhagic transformation with elevated endothelin-1 levels and decreased concentration of natriuretic peptide. Fibrinogen level on day 4 of the observation proved to be a reliable predictor of negative prognosis. Asymptomatic hemorrhagic transformation without fatal outcome was associated with systemic and local vasoconstriction and inhibition of local vasodilation. Symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation with the fatal outcome was accompanied by dysregulation of vascular tone in the form of activation of systemic and local vasoconstriction, insufficient inhibition of local vasodilation and compensatory reaction in the form of activation of hemostatic mechanisms manifest as elevated fibrinogen levels on day 4. The lethal outcome without hemorrhagic transformation was associated with systemic vasoconstriction, activation of local vasodilation and vasoconstriction leading to local "biochemical paralysis" of vascular tone regulation.

  9. Profile surveys along Henrys Fork, Idaho, and Logan River and Blacksmith Fork, Utah

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Herron, William Harrison

    1916-01-01

    In order to determine the location of undeveloped water powers the United States Geological Survey has from time to time, alone and in cooperation with State organizations, made surveys and profiles of some of the rivers of the United States that are adapted to the development of power by low or medium heads of 20 to 100 feet.The surveys are made by means of plane table and stadia. Elevations are based on heights derived from primary or precise levels of the United States Geological Survey. The maps/are made in the field, and show not only the outlines of the river banks, the islands, the positions of rapids/falls, shoals, and existing dams, and the crossings of all ferries and roads, but the contours of banks to an elevation high enough to indicate the possibility of using the stream. The elevations of the various bench marks left are noted on the field sheets in their proper positions. The figures given with the gaging stations shown on the maps indicate the elevation of the zero of the gage.

  10. Analysis of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs) after cardiovascular surgery as a marker of oxidative stress.

    PubMed

    Kanaoka, Yuji; Inagaki, Ei-ichirou; Hamanaka, Souhei; Masaki, Hisao; Tanemoto, Kazuo

    2010-10-01

    The transient systemic low perfusion that occurs during cardiovascular surgery leads to oxidative stress and the production of free radicals. A systemic increase of various markers of oxidative stress has been shown to occur during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). However, these markers have not been adequately evaluated because they seem to be reactive and short-lived. Here, oxidative stress was measured using the free radical analytical system (FRAS 4) assessing the derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) and biological antioxidant potential (BAP). Blood samples were taken from 21 patients undergoing elective cardiovascular surgery. CPB was used in 15 patients, and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) surgery without CPB was performed in 6. Measurements of d-ROMs and BAP were taken before surgery, 1 day, 1 week, and 2 weeks after surgery, and oxidative stress was evaluated. The d-ROM level increased gradually after cardiovascular surgery up to 2 weeks. Over time, the d-ROM level after surgery involving CPB became higher than that after AAA surgery. This difference reached statistical significance at 1 week and lasted to 2 weeks. The prolongation of CPB was prone to elevate the d-ROM level whereas the duration of the aortic clamp in AAA surgery had no relation to the d-ROM level. The BAP was also elevated after surgery, and was positively correlated with the level of d-ROMs. In this study, patients who underwent cardiovascular surgery involving CPB had significant oxidative damage. The production of ROMs was shown to depend on the duration of CPB. Damage can be reduced if CPB is avoided. When CPB must be used, shortening the CPB time may be effective in reducing oxidative stress.

  11. Sea-level history and tectonic uplift during the last-interglacial period (LIG): Inferred from the Bab al-Mandab coral reef terraces, southern Red Sea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Al-Mikhlafi, Ahmed Saif; Edwards, Lawrence R.; Cheng, Hai

    2018-02-01

    Results of U-series dating of late Pleistocene raised coral reef terraces from the Bab al-Mandab area, define two distinct groups: (1) well-preserved aragonitic fossil corals recorded from the Al-Hajaja terrace (Tr3) yield ages for last-interglacial period (LIG); and (2) calcitic fossil corals recovered from Perim Island terrace (Tr1) show varying degrees of U-series open system behavior and yield coral assemblage ages of LIG and older ages. Fossil corals from Tr1 are recrystallized corals, have anomalously high initial δ234U ranged from (152 ± 2‰ to 287 ± 7‰), corresponding to ages of ∼120 ka and ∼406 ka, respectively. Applying age reliability criteria on the current data suggest majority of the ages cannot be considered reliable and all are suspected for open system behavior associated with U loss/addition that significantly affects the 230Th/U ages. The diagenesis shown by these corals occurred probably due to extensive interaction of fossil corals with freshwater during the wet periods prevailed in southern Arabia coeval with the African monsoon, which led to U loss. Post-depositional U loss suggest (230Th/238U) increase, which shift the U-Th ages to unexpectedly higher levels as it is shown here. Measured elevation at the Al-Hajaja terrace (Tr3) is ∼4 ± 2 m above present sea level (apsl) consistent with eustatic sea level changes and indicates that the Bab al-Mandab area is stable at least since the LIG period. The Perim Island terrace (Tr1) is at elevation of 7 ± 2 m apsl; its reef yields diageneticaly-altered corals of multiple ages and cannot be used for sea level reconstructions.

  12. Evaluation of Short-Term Changes in Serum Creatinine Level as a Meaningful End Point in Randomized Clinical Trials.

    PubMed

    Coca, Steven G; Zabetian, Azadeh; Ferket, Bart S; Zhou, Jing; Testani, Jeffrey M; Garg, Amit X; Parikh, Chirag R

    2016-08-01

    Observational studies have shown that acute change in kidney function (specifically, AKI) is a strong risk factor for poor outcomes. Thus, the outcome of acute change in serum creatinine level, regardless of underlying biology or etiology, is frequently used in clinical trials as both efficacy and safety end points. We performed a meta-analysis of clinical trials to quantify the relationship between positive or negative short-term effects of interventions on change in serum creatinine level and more meaningful clinical outcomes. After a thorough literature search, we included 14 randomized trials of interventions that altered risk for an acute increase in serum creatinine level and had reported between-group differences in CKD and/or mortality rate ≥3 months after randomization. Seven trials assessed interventions that, compared with placebo, increased risk of acute elevation in serum creatinine level (pooled relative risk, 1.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.22 to 1.89), and seven trials assessed interventions that, compared with placebo, reduced risk of acute elevation in serum creatinine level (pooled relative risk, 0.57; 95% confidence interval, 0.44 to 0.74). However, pooled risks for CKD and mortality associated with interventions did not differ from those with placebo in either group. In conclusion, several interventions that affect risk of acute, mild to moderate, often temporary elevation in serum creatinine level in placebo-controlled randomized trials showed no appreciable effect on CKD or mortality months later, raising questions about the value of using small to moderate changes in serum creatinine level as end points in clinical trials. Copyright © 2016 by the American Society of Nephrology.

  13. Factor VIII levels and the risk of pre-eclampsia, HELLP syndrome, pregnancy related hypertension and severe intrauterine growth retardation.

    PubMed

    Witsenburg, C P J; Rosendaal, F R; Middeldorp, J M; Van der Meer, F J M; Scherjon, S A

    2005-01-01

    Recently, acquired as well as genetic prothrombotic factors are associated with thrombotic events. These factors have also been related to conditions of uteroplacental insufficiency such as pre-eclampsia, HELLP syndrome and severe intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). The aim of this study was to determine whether elevated factor VIII levels are associated with uteroplacental insufficiency, in particular pre-eclampsia, HELLP syndrome or pregnancy-induced hypertension and intrauterine growth retardation. Plasma samples of 75 women with a history of pregnancy complicated by pre-eclampsia, HELLP syndrome, pregnancy induced hypertension or intrauterine growth restriction were tested for factor VIII:C (FVIII:C) levels at a minimum of 10 weeks post-partum. Laboratory results were compared to factor VIII:C levels found in a healthy control group of 272 women. Mean factor VIII:C levels were similar at 123 IU/dl in both the patient group and the controls. In a logistic regression model, after adjusting for age and blood group, no effect of factor VIII:C levels on the risk of pregnancy complications was observed, with the exception of IUGR with (OR 2.9, CI 1.0-8.7) or without hypertension (OR 2.0, CI 0.7-6.4). If the elevated level of factor VIII would be the sole factor responsible for the increased risk observed, one would expect to find an effect of blood group on risk as well (blood group being an important determinant of FVIII:C). While no such effect could be shown a causal relationship between elevated levels of factor VIII and conditions of uteroplacental insufficiency such as pre-eclampsia, HELLP syndrome, pregnancy-induced hypertension and IUGR is not very likely.

  14. Serum C-reactive protein and white blood cell count in morbidly obese surgical patients.

    PubMed

    Chen, Sheng-Bin; Lee, Yi-Chih; Ser, Kong-Han; Chen, Jung-Chien; Chen, Shu Chung; Hsieh, Hsing-Fang; Lee, Wei-Jei

    2009-04-01

    Obesity has been widely recognized as a chronic inflammatory condition and associated with elevated inflammatory indicators including C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell count (WBC). Recent studies have shown elevated CRP or WBC is a significant risk factor for cardiac events and stroke but the clinical significance of CRP and WBC has not been clearly studied in morbidly obese patients. This study is aimed at the clinical significance of WBC and CRP in morbidly obese patients and the change after bariatric surgery. The study was a prospectively controlled clinical study. From December 1, 2001 to January 31, 2006, of 640 (442 females and 198 males) consecutive morbid obese patients enrolled in a surgically supervised weight loss program with at least 1 year's follow-up were examined. Of the patients, 476 (74.4%) had elevated CRP and 100 (15.6%) had elevated WBC at preoperative study. CRP and WBC were significantly related and both increased with increasing body mass index (BMI). CRP is also increased with increasing waist, glucose level, hemoglobin, albumin, Ca, insulin, C-peptide, and metabolic syndrome while WBC is increased with metabolic syndrome but decreased with increasing age. Multivariate analysis confirmed fasting glucose level and hemoglobin are independent predictors of the elevation of CRP while age is the only independent predictor for elevated WBC. Both WBC and CRP levels decreased rapidly after obesity surgery. These improvements resulted in a 69.8% reduction of CRP and 26.4% reduction of WBC 1 year after surgery. Although individuals who underwent laparoscopic gastric bypass lost significantly more weight (36.8 +/- 11.7 kg vs. 17.3 +/- 10.8 kg; p = 0.000) and achieved a lower BMI (27.8 +/- 4.6 vs. 35.0 +/- 5.5; p = 0.000) than individuals who underwent laparoscopic gastric banding, there was no difference in the resolution of elevated CRP 1 year after surgery (95.9% vs. 84.5%; p = 0.169) and WBC (99.4% vs. 98.3%; p = 0.323). Both baseline WBC and CRP are elevated in morbid obese patients but CRP has a better clinical significance. Significant weight reduction 1 year after surgery markedly reduced CRP and WBC with a resolution rate of 93.9% and 98.2% separately. Obesity surgery performed by laparoscopic surgery is recommended for obese patients with elevated CRP or WBC.

  15. C-type natriuretic peptide plasma levels are elevated in subjects with achondroplasia, hypochondroplasia, and thanatophoric dysplasia.

    PubMed

    Olney, Robert C; Prickett, Timothy C R; Espiner, Eric A; Mackenzie, William G; Duker, Angela L; Ditro, Colleen; Zabel, Bernhard; Hasegawa, Tomonobu; Kitoh, Hiroshi; Aylsworth, Arthur S; Bober, Michael B

    2015-02-01

    C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) is a crucial regulator of endochondral bone growth. In a previous report of a child with acromesomelic dysplasia, Maroteaux type (AMDM), caused by loss-of-function of the CNP receptor (natriuretic peptide receptor-B [NPR-B]), plasma levels of CNP were elevated. In vitro studies have shown that activation of the MAPK kinase (MEK)/ERK MAPK pathway causes functional inhibition of NPR-B. Achondroplasia, hypochondroplasia, and thanatophoric dysplasia are syndromes of short-limbed dwarfism caused by activating mutations of fibroblast growth factor receptor-3, which result in overactivation of the MEK/ERK MAPK pathway. The purpose of this study was to determine whether these syndromes exhibit evidence of CNP resistance as reflected by increases in plasma CNP and its amino-terminal propeptide (NTproCNP). This was a prospective, observational study. Participants were 63 children and 20 adults with achondroplasia, 6 children with hypochondroplasia, 2 children with thanatophoric dysplasia, and 4 children and 1 adult with AMDM. Plasma levels of CNP and NTproCNP were higher in children with achondroplasia with CNP SD scores (SDSs) of 1.0 (0.3-1.4) (median [interquartile range]) and NTproCNP SDSs of 1.4 (0.4-1.8; P < .0005). NTproCNP levels correlated with height velocity. Levels were also elevated in adults with achondroplasia (CNP SDSs of 1.5 [0.7-2.1] and NTproCNP SDSs of 0.5 [0.1-1.0], P < .005). In children with hypochondroplasia, CNP SDSs were 1.3 (0.7-1.5) (P = .08) and NTproCNP SDSs were 1.9 (1.8-2.3) (P < .05). In children with AMDM, CNP SDSs were 1.6 (1.4-3.3) and NTproCNP SDSs were 4.2 (2.7-6.2) (P < .01). In these skeletal dysplasias, elevated plasma levels of proCNP products suggest the presence of tissue resistance to CNP.

  16. Cardiac hypertrophy elevates serum levels of fibroblast growth factor 23.

    PubMed

    Matsui, Isao; Oka, Tatsufumi; Kusunoki, Yasuo; Mori, Daisuke; Hashimoto, Nobuhiro; Matsumoto, Ayumi; Shimada, Karin; Yamaguchi, Satoshi; Kubota, Keiichi; Yonemoto, Sayoko; Higo, Tomoaki; Sakaguchi, Yusuke; Takabatake, Yoshitsugu; Hamano, Takayuki; Isaka, Yoshitaka

    2018-05-08

    Several experimental studies have shown that fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) induces left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). However, the opposite directional relationship, namely a potential effect of LVH on FGF23, remains uncertain. Here we evaluated the effects of LVH on FGF23 using cardiomyocyte-specific calcineurin A transgenic mice. At six weeks, these mice showed severe LVH, with elevated levels of serum intact FGF23. FGF23 levels were elevated in cardiomyocytes, but not osteocytes, of the transgenic animals. Moreover, transverse aortic constriction also upregulated myocardial FGF23 expression in wild type mice. The promoter region of the FGF23 gene contains two putative nuclear factors of activated T cells (NFAT)-binding sites, with NFAT1 activating the promoter in a proximal NFAT-binding site dependent manner. Neither serum, urinary, or fractional excretion values of calcium and phosphate nor serum levels of 1,25(OH) 2 vitamin D were different between wild type and transgenic mice. Moreover, the renal expression of FGF receptors and α-Klotho was comparable. However, plasma levels of antidiuretic hormone were significantly increased in the transgenic mice, and aquaporin-2 immunohistochemical staining was mainly positive in the apical membrane of the collecting duct, compared to a primarily cytoplasmic staining in wild type mice. Real-time PCR analyses of kidney CYP27B1 and CYP24A1 expression in wild type mice showed that exogenous antidiuretic hormone blocked FGF23's actions on these vitamin D activating or inactivating enzymes. Finally, the renal resistance of transgenic mice to FGF23 was partly overcome by tolvaptan. Thus, LVH in transgenic mice is associated with an increase in myocardial and serum intact FGF23, with the kidneys being protected against FGF23 excess by elevated antidiuretic hormone levels. Copyright © 2018 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Extraction of lidar-based dune-crest elevations for use in examining the vulnerability of beaches to inundation during hurricanes

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stockdon, H.F.; Doran, K.S.; Sallenger, A.H.

    2009-01-01

    The morphology of coastal sand dunes plays an important role in determining how a beach will respond to a hurricane. Accurate measurements of dune height and position are essential for assessing the vulnerability of beaches to extreme coastal change during future landfalls. Lidar topographic surveys provide rapid, accurate, high-resolution datasets for identifying the location, position, and morphology of coastal sand dunes over large stretches of coast. An algorithm has been developed for identification of the crest of the most seaward sand dune that defines the landward limit of the beach system. Based on changes in beach slope along cross-shore transects of lidar data, dune elevation and location can automatically be extracted every few meters along the coastline. Dune elevations in conjunction with storm-induced water levels can be used to predict the type of coastal response (e.g., beach erosion, dune erosion, overwash, or inundation) that may be expected during hurricane landfall. The vulnerability of the beach system at Fire Island National Seashore in New York to the most extreme of these changes, inundation, is assessed by comparing lidar-derived dune elevations to modeled wave setup and storm surge height. The vulnerability of the beach system to inundation during landfall of a Category 3 hurricane is shown to be spatially variable because of longshore variations in dune height (mean elevation 5.44 m, standard deviation 1.32 m). Hurricane-induced mean water levels exceed dune elevations along 70 of the coastal park, making these locations more vulnerable to inundation during a Category 3 storm. ?? 2009 Coastal Education and Research Foundation.

  18. Water-level data from wells and test holes through 1991 and potentiometric contours as of 1991 for Yucca Flat, Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hale, Glenn S.; Trudeau, Douglas A.; Savard, Charles S.

    1995-01-01

    The underground nuclear-testing program of the U.S. Department of Energy takes place at the Nevada Test Site, about 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nev. Water levels in Yucca Flat may be affected by underground nuclear testing. The purpose of this map report is to present water-level data collected from wells and test holes through December 1991, and to present potentiometric contours representing 1991 water-table conditions in Yucca Flat. Water-level data from 91 sites are shown on the map and include information from 54 sites shown on a 1983 map. Water levels ranged from 519.5 to 2,162.9-feet below land surface. Potentiometric contours are drawn from water-level data to represent the altitude of the water table. Water-level altitudes ranged from about 2,377 ft to 2,770 ft above sea level in the central part of Yucca Flat and from about 4,060 ft to 2,503 ft above sea level in the western and northern parts of Yucca Flat. The water-level data were contoured considering the hydrologic setting, including the concept that water levels within the Cenozoic hydrologic units in the central part of the study area are elevated with respect to water levels in the adjacent and underlying Paleozoic hydrologic units. The most notable feature in the central part of the area is the presence of four ground-water mounds not shown on the 1983 map.

  19. Type XVIII collagen degradation products in acute lung injury

    PubMed Central

    Perkins, Gavin D; Nathani, Nazim; Richter, Alex G; Park, Daniel; Shyamsundar, Murali; Heljasvaara, Ritva; Pihlajaniemi, Taina; Manji, Mav; Tunnicliffe, W; McAuley, Danny; Gao, Fang; Thickett, David R

    2009-01-01

    Introduction In acute lung injury, repair of the damaged alveolar-capillary barrier is an essential part of recovery. Endostatin is a 20 to 28 kDa proteolytic fragment of the basement membrane collagen XVIII, which has been shown to inhibit angiogenesis via action on endothelial cells. We hypothesised that endostatin may have a role in inhibiting lung repair in patients with lung injury. The aims of the study were to determine if endostatin is elevated in the plasma/bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of patients with acute lung injury and ascertain whether the levels reflect the severity of injury and alveolar inflammation, and to assess if endostatin changes occur early after the injurious lung stimuli of one lung ventilation and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. Methods Endostatin was measured by ELISA and western blotting. Results Endostatin is elevated within the plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of patients with acute lung injury. Lavage endostatin reflected the degree of alveolar neutrophilia and the extent of the loss of protein selectivity of the alveolar-capillary barrier. Plasma levels of endostatin correlated with the severity of physiological derangement. Western blotting confirmed elevated type XVIII collagen precursor levels in the plasma and lavage and multiple endostatin-like fragments in the lavage of patients. One lung ventilation and LPS challenge rapidly induce increases in lung endostatin levels. Conclusions Endostatin may adversely affect both alveolar barrier endothelial and epithelial cells, so its presence within both the circulation and the lung may have a pathophysiological role in acute lung injury that warrants further evaluation. PMID:19358707

  20. An in vivo study of Cdh1/APC in breast cancer formation

    PubMed Central

    Fujita, Takeo; Liu, Weijun; Doihara, Hiroyoshi; Wan, Yong

    2017-01-01

    Dysregulation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) has been implicated in several types of tumorigenesis. Our previous studies have shown the potential role of Cdh1/APC in regulating tumor formation via governing the Skp2-p27-cyclinE/CDK2 axis. In this work, we utilized a xenograft mouse breast cancer model to identify the mechanism by which Cdh1/APC potentially suppresses tumor growth in vivo. Here, we report that depletion of Cdh1 results in a significant enhancement of the breast tumor proliferation, while elevated Cdh1 leads to suppression of breast tumor growth. Analysis of breast tissue arrays has indicated that higher levels of Cdh1 are associated with normal breast epithelial tissues whereas lower Skp2 expression and elevated p27 levels are detected. Conversely, the percentage of breast cancer tissues stained positive for Cdh1 and p27 are significantly lower with higher Skp2 levels. Thus, the E3 ligase, Cdh1/APC, may inhibit breast tumor growth via regulating Skp2-p27 mediated cell cycle progression. PMID:19350629

  1. Febuxostat for the treatment of gout.

    PubMed

    Bridgeman, Mary Barna; Chavez, Benjamin

    2015-02-01

    Gout is a rheumatologic condition associated with elevated serum uric acid levels and deposition of monosodium urate crystals in joints and soft tissues. The xanthine oxidase inhibitor, allopurinol, has historically been the principle agent utilized for reducing elevated uric acid levels and treating underlying cause of gout symptoms; the availability of febuxostat, a newer non-purine selective xanthine oxidase inhibitor, represents an alternative therapy for those patients with contraindications or intolerance to allopurinol. This article reviews the published literature on the pharmacologic characteristics and clinical safety and efficacy data on the use of febuxostat in the treatment of gout. A literature search of MEDLINE and MEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations Databases (1996-November 2014) was conducted utilizing the key words 'febuxostat', 'allopurinol', and 'gout'. All published articles regarding febuxostat were evaluated. References of selected articles, data from poster presentations, and abstract publications were additionally reviewed. Febuxostat has shown benefit with respect to symptomatic relief and uric acid level reduction. The safety profile of this agent makes it an ideal alternative in those patients with contraindications to or who are intolerant of allopurinol.

  2. Dynamics of the Ili delta with consideration of fluctuations of the level of Lake Balkhash

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

    Abdrasilov, S.A.; Tulebaeva, K.A.

    1995-02-01

    This article examines the dynamics of the Ili delta region of Russia, with consideration of the fluctuations of the level of Lake Balkhash. Level fluctuations over a period of approximately 700 years are reviewed, and numerical data is presented. It is shown that the dynamics of the delta region affect both the amplitude and duration of the cycle of fluctuations of the lake level. In particular, the phase of the delta cycle that started cuts off the peak of the maximum ordinate of the level at the end of the tranasgressive period reduces still more the minimum elevations of themore » lake level at the end of the regressive period. It also accelerates the time of occurence of individual phases of the intrasecular cycle.« less

  3. Receptor modeling of a natural gas processing odor source in a rural setting

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

    Dattner, S.; Pendleton, D.; Ross, O.

    1985-01-01

    The use of continuous pollutant monitoring instruments and meteorological instruments has been shown to be useful in identifying the probable sources of elevated levels of gaseous sulfur compounds even when those levels were, significantly below health effect levels or odor threshold, or both. When the elevated concentrations were compared to complaint diaries, significant agreement could be seen. This agreement helped to establish the probable source of the odors. Once the odor sources could be accurately identified, remedial action could be taken to control them. The biggest problem that the TACB encountered was convincing the complainants to keep an odor complaintmore » diary. Two combined actions are being considered to aleviate this difficulty. First, produce a standardized odor complaint diary. This document will have space for all the pertinent information needed. The standardized form may encourage the complainants to complete them, since the complainant won't have to guess what to report. The form should include space for the following information: Date, time, and duration of odor problem; Nature of odor; Associated meteorology; Times when the complainant was not home. Second, encourage the complainants to complete the diary. The complainant has to be convinced that the information reported in the diary is vital to establishing a link between odors and elevated pollutant concentrations. The agency may need to require formally that a diary be kept as a condition to conduct monitoring.« less

  4. Elevated immunoglobulin levels in the cerebrospinal fluid from lupus-prone mice

    PubMed Central

    Sidor, Michelle M.; Sakic, Boris; Malinowski, Paul M.; Ballok, David A.; Oleschuk, Curtis J.; Macri, Joseph

    2006-01-01

    The systemic autoimmune disease lupus erythematosus (SLE) is frequently accompanied by neuropsychiatric manifestations and brain lesions of unknown etiology. The MRL-lpr mice show behavioral dysfunction concurrent with progression of a lupus-like disease, thus providing a valuable model in understanding the pathogenesis of autoimmunity-induced CNS damage. Profound neurodegeneration in the limbic system of MRL-lpr mice is associated with cytotoxicity of their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to mature and immature neurons. We have recently shown that IgG-rich CSF fraction largely accounts for this effect. The present study examines IgG levels in serum and CSF, as well as the permeability of the blood–brain barrier in mice that differ in immune status, age, and brain morphology. In comparison to young MRL-lpr mice and age-matched congenic controls, a significant elevation of IgG and albumin levels were detected in the CSF of aged autoimmune MRL-lpr mice. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF MS confirmed elevation in IgG heavy and Ig light chain isoforms in the CSF. Increased permeability of the blood–brain barrier correlated with neurodegeneration (as revealed by Fluoro Jade B staining) in periventricular areas. Although the source and specificity of neuropathogenic antibodies remain to be determined, these results support the hypothesis that a breached blood–brain barrier and IgG molecules are involved in the etiology of CNS damage during SLE-like disease. PMID:15972238

  5. Association of serum homocysteine with major depressive disorder: results from a large population-based study.

    PubMed

    Nabi, Hermann; Bochud, Murielle; Glaus, Jennifer; Lasserre, Aurélie M; Waeber, Gérard; Vollenweider, Peter; Preisig, Martin

    2013-10-01

    Studies on the association between homocysteine levels and depression have shown conflicting results. To examine the association between serum total homocysteine (tHcy) levels and major depressive disorder (MDD) in a large community sample with an extended age range. A total of 3392 men and women aged 35-66 years participating in the CoLaus study and its psychiatric arm (PsyCoLaus) were included in the analyses. High tHcy measured from fasting blood samples was defined as a concentration ≥15μmol/L. MDD was assessed using the semi-structured Diagnostic Interview for Genetics Studies. In multivariate analyses, elevated tHcy levels were associated with greater odds of meeting the diagnostic criteria for lifetime MDD among men (OR=1.71; 95% CI, 1.18-2.50). This was particularly the case for remitted MDD. Among women, there was no significant association between tHcy levels and MDD and the association tended to be in the opposite direction (OR=0.61; 95% CI, 0.34-1.08). In this large population-based study, elevated tHcy concentrations are associated with lifetime MDD and particularly with remitted MDD among men. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Inhibitory effects and underlying mechanism of 7-hydroxyflavone phosphate ester in HeLa cells.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Ting; Du, Jiang; Liu, Liguo; Chen, Xiaolan; Yang, Fang; Jin, Qi

    2012-01-01

    Chrysin and its phosphate ester have previously been shown to inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in Hela cells; however, the underlying mechanism remains to be characterized. In the present study, we therefore synthesized diethyl flavon-7-yl phosphate (FP, C(19)H(19)O(6)P) by a simplified Atheron-Todd reaction, and explored its anti-tumor characteristics and mechanisms. Cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and apoptosis were measured by MTS, flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling techniques, respectively in human cervical cancer HeLa cells treated with 7-hydroxyflavone (HF) and FP. p21, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and cAMP levels in Hela cells were analyzed by western blot and radioimmunoassay. Both HF and FP inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in HeLa cells via induction of PCNA/p21 expression, cleaved caspase-3/poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-1, elevation of cAMP levels, and cell cycle arrest with accumulation of cells in the G0/G1 fraction. The effects of FP were more potent than those of HF. The interactions of FP with Ca(2+)-calmodulin (CaM) and Ca(2+)-CaM-phosphodiesterase (PDE)1 were explored by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry and fluorescence spectra. FP, but not HF, formed non-covalent complexes with Ca(2+)-CaM-PDE1, indicating that FP is an inhibitor of PDE1, and resulting in elevated cellular cAMP levels. It is possible that the elevated cAMP levels inhibit growth and induce apoptosis in Hela cells through induction of p21 and cleaved caspase-3/PARP-1 expression, and causing down-regulation of PCNA and cell cycle arrest with accumulation of cells in the G0/G1 and G2/M fractions. In conclusion, FP was shown to be a Ca(2+)-CaM-PDE inhibitor, which might account for its underlying anti-cancer mechanism in HeLa cells. These observations clearly demonstrate the special roles of phosphorylated flavonoids in biological processes, and suggest that FP might represent a potential new drug for the therapy of human cervical carcinoma.

  7. Inhibitory Effects and Underlying Mechanism of 7-Hydroxyflavone Phosphate Ester in HeLa Cells

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Liguo; Chen, Xiaolan; Yang, Fang; Jin, Qi

    2012-01-01

    Chrysin and its phosphate ester have previously been shown to inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in Hela cells; however, the underlying mechanism remains to be characterized. In the present study, we therefore synthesized diethyl flavon-7-yl phosphate (FP, C19H19O6P) by a simplified Atheron-Todd reaction, and explored its anti-tumor characteristics and mechanisms. Cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and apoptosis were measured by MTS, flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling techniques, respectively in human cervical cancer HeLa cells treated with 7-hydroxyflavone (HF) and FP. p21, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and cAMP levels in Hela cells were analyzed by western blot and radioimmunoassay. Both HF and FP inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in HeLa cells via induction of PCNA/p21 expression, cleaved caspase-3/poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-1, elevation of cAMP levels, and cell cycle arrest with accumulation of cells in the G0/G1 fraction. The effects of FP were more potent than those of HF. The interactions of FP with Ca2+-calmodulin (CaM) and Ca2+-CaM-phosphodiesterase (PDE)1 were explored by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry and fluorescence spectra. FP, but not HF, formed non-covalent complexes with Ca2+-CaM-PDE1, indicating that FP is an inhibitor of PDE1, and resulting in elevated cellular cAMP levels. It is possible that the elevated cAMP levels inhibit growth and induce apoptosis in Hela cells through induction of p21 and cleaved caspase-3/PARP-1 expression, and causing down-regulation of PCNA and cell cycle arrest with accumulation of cells in the G0/G1 and G2/M fractions. In conclusion, FP was shown to be a Ca2+-CaM-PDE inhibitor, which might account for its underlying anti-cancer mechanism in HeLa cells. These observations clearly demonstrate the special roles of phosphorylated flavonoids in biological processes, and suggest that FP might represent a potential new drug for the therapy of human cervical carcinoma. PMID:22574207

  8. Astaxanthin attenuates glutamate-induced apoptosis via inhibition of calcium influx and endoplasmic reticulum stress.

    PubMed

    Lin, Xiaotong; Zhao, Yan; Li, Shanhe

    2017-07-05

    Astaxanthin (AST) is a carotenoid that has been shown to have neuroprotective effects. In this study, it was found that AST significantly inhibited glutamate-induced loss of cell viability and apoptosis. AST pretreatment attenuated glutamate-induced activation of caspase-3, reduction of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, and increase of pro-apoptotic protein Bak. In addition, AST pretreatment suppressed the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species. AST treatment also prevented glutamate-induced increase of the level of activated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), which has been shown to promote apoptotic events. Furthermore, AST treatment greatly reduced the elevation of intracellular calcium level induced by glutamate and inhibited the activity of calpain, a calcium-dependent protease that plays an important role in mediating apoptosis stimulated by calcium overload in cytoplasm. Both oxidative stress and calcium overload can lead to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP) is a bZIP transcription factor that can be activated by ER stress and promotes apoptosis. Here we found that AST attenuated glutamate-induced elevation of CHOP and ER chaperone glucose-regulated protein (GRP78). Overall, these results suggested that AST might protect cells against glutamate-induced apoptosis through maintaining redox balance and inhibiting glutamate-induced calcium influx and ER stress. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Alterations in benzo(A)pyrene metabolism and in vivo binding to hepatic DNA in rats red diets containing menhaden oil

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

    Wade, A.E.; Dharwadkar, S.

    1987-01-01

    Polyunsaturated fatty acids of the omega-6 type have been shown to support the mixed function oxidases (MFO) responsible for carcinogen activation and to promote tumorigenesis in laboratory animals. The omega-3 fatty acids contained in menhaden oil (MO) have been shown to enhance MFO activity and increase the binding of Benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) metabolites to calf thymus DNA in an in vitro microsomal system. Rats fed two levels of MO (0.5% and 20%) for 11 days received a single i.p. dose of (/sup 3/H)B(a)P (5 m Ci/kg) dissolved in DMSO. At selected time intervals thereafter rats were killed, blood withdrawn, livers removedmore » and DNA extracted. Hepatic microsomes were recovered from control rats on each diet at the time of B(a)P administration to assess MFO activities. Binding of B(a)P to DNA was higher in rats fed the 20% MO diet suggesting an increased rate of B(a)P activation. Blood levels of B(a)P were elevated at 16 and 24 hours post B(a)P, however no differences in urine concentrations were observed. Elevations in concentration of cytochrome P-450, ethoxycoumarin dealkylase, and glutathione S-transferase suggest that omega-3 fatty acids of menhaden fish oil support MFO related reactions not unlike the omega-6 fatty acids.« less

  10. Neuropsychological assessment in prepubertal patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia: preliminary study.

    PubMed

    Somajni, F; Sovera, V; Albizzati, A; Russo, G; Peroni, P; Seragni, G; Lenti, C

    2011-02-01

    Individuals with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) provide a test population for the theory that elevated testosterone levels alter pre-/perinatal brain development. Seven prepuberal girls with CAH and seven matched controls has been submitted to a neuropsychological evaluation. We measured abilities where gender differences repeatedly has been observed or that had earlier shown differences between CAH subjects and controls. The following cognitive functions were tested: general intelligence, attention, verbal and non-verbal abilities, cerebral dominance for verbal and non-verbal material, frontal functions, peripheral dominance and motor fluency. Since several animal studies shown hippocampal morphological changes induced by prolonged hydrocortisone exposure, we also investigated memory functions. No differences were recorded between two groups on those abilities that are not sexually dimorphic. The mean general intelligence level of the patients was significantly lower than the controls', in agreement with previous studies. The verbal and non-verbal tasks revealed an age-related male-like pattern (i.e., verbal disadvantage) and an inversion of the hemispheric dominances. The latter observation was supported by a right-to-left shift of the peripheral dominances. The patients memory performances were all inferior to the controls'. The results are discussed in the light of possible hormonal influences. Our main findings support the hypothesis that elevated pre-/perinatal androgen exposure can influence some cognitive pattern of specific sexual dimorphic abilities in prepubertal subjects.

  11. Sulfite Oxidase Activity Is Essential for Normal Sulfur, Nitrogen and Carbon Metabolism in Tomato Leaves

    PubMed Central

    Brychkova, Galina; Yarmolinsky, Dmitry; Batushansky, Albert; Grishkevich, Vladislav; Khozin-Goldberg, Inna; Fait, Aaron; Amir, Rachel; Fluhr, Robert; Sagi, Moshe

    2015-01-01

    Plant sulfite oxidase [SO; E.C.1.8.3.1] has been shown to be a key player in protecting plants against exogenous toxic sulfite. Recently we showed that SO activity is essential to cope with rising dark-induced endogenous sulfite levels in tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum/Solanum lycopersicum Mill. cv. Rheinlands Ruhm). Here we uncover the ramifications of SO impairment on carbon, nitrogen and sulfur (S) metabolites. Current analysis of the wild-type and SO-impaired plants revealed that under controlled conditions, the imbalanced sulfite level resulting from SO impairment conferred a metabolic shift towards elevated reduced S-compounds, namely sulfide, S-amino acids (S-AA), Co-A and acetyl-CoA, followed by non-S-AA, nitrogen and carbon metabolite enhancement, including polar lipids. Exposing plants to dark-induced carbon starvation resulted in a higher degradation of S-compounds, total AA, carbohydrates, polar lipids and total RNA in the mutant plants. Significantly, a failure to balance the carbon backbones was evident in the mutants, indicated by an increase in tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) cycle intermediates, whereas a decrease was shown in stressed wild-type plants. These results indicate that the role of SO is not limited to a rescue reaction under elevated sulfite, but SO is a key player in maintaining optimal carbon, nitrogen and sulfur metabolism in tomato plants. PMID:27135342

  12. Pediatric Blood Pressure and Adult Preclinical Markers of Cardiovascular Disease

    PubMed Central

    Magnussen, Costan G.; Smith, Kylie J.

    2016-01-01

    A high blood pressure level in adults is considered the single most important modifiable risk factor for global disease burden, especially those of cardiovascular (CV) origin such as stroke and ischemic heart disease. Because blood pressure levels have been shown to persist from childhood to adulthood, elevations in pediatric levels have been hypothesized to lead to increased CV burden in adulthood and, as such, might provide a window in the life course where primordial and primary prevention could be focused. In the absence of substantive data directly linking childhood blood pressure levels to overt adult CV disease, this review outlines the available literature that examines the association between pediatric blood pressure and adult preclinical markers of CV disease. PMID:27168729

  13. New Orleans Topography, Radar Image with Colored Height

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2005-08-29

    The city of New Orleans, situated on the southern shore of Lake Pontchartrain, is shown in this radar image from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). In this image bright areas show regions of high radar reflectivity, such as from urban areas, and elevations have been coded in color using height data also from the SRTM mission. Dark green colors indicate low elevations, rising through yellow and tan, to white at the highest elevations. New Orleans is near the center of this scene, between the lake and the Mississippi River. The line spanning the lake is the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, the world’s longest overwater highway bridge. Major portions of the city of New Orleans are actually below sea level, and although it is protected by levees and sea walls that are designed to protect against storm surges of 18 to 20 feet, flooding during storm surges associated with major hurricanes is a significant concern. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA04174

  14. A review of slow-release fluoride devices.

    PubMed

    Toumba, K J; Al-Ibrahim, N S; Curzon, M E J

    2009-09-01

    Fluoride has been used to combat dental caries using a number of different clinical approaches. An exciting relatively new development is fluoride slow-releasing devices that consistently elevate intra-oral fluoride levels of plaque and saliva for prolonged periods of up to two years. The literature on the use of slow-releasing fluoride devices in dentistry were reviewed. A Medline search on key words was carried out. All papers in English were individually reviewed. Slow-releasing fluoride devices have been shown to be effective in elevating salivary fluoride levels in both animals and human studies and to enhance the remineralisation of dental enamel. They have been demonstrated to be safe to use and without the risk of fluoride toxicity. A double blind randomised clinical trial demonstrated 76% fewer new carious surface increment in high caries-risk children after two years. These devices have a number of potential uses in dentistry and in particular have great potential for caries prevention of non-compliant high caries-risk groups.

  15. Characterization of women with elevated antimüllerian hormone levels (AMH): correlation of AMH with polycystic ovarian syndrome phenotypes and assisted reproductive technology outcomes.

    PubMed

    Tal, Reshef; Seifer, David B; Khanimov, Moisey; Malter, Henry E; Grazi, Richard V; Leader, Ben

    2014-07-01

    Serum Antimüllerian hormone (AMH) levels are elevated in polycystic ovarian syndrome and have been shown to be useful in its diagnosis. However, the clinical significance of extremely high AMH levels is understudied. We aimed to characterize a population of women with elevated AMH (>5 ng/mL). This was a retrospective cohort study of 134 women presenting to our fertility clinic for infertility evaluation and treatment who were found to have random serum AMH over 5 ng/mL. Women were divided into 3 groups according to AMH: 5-10 ng/mL, >10-14 ng/mL, and >14 ng/mL. Endocrine characteristics, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) phenotypes, fertilization rate, implantation rate, clinical pregnancy, and multiple pregnancy rates were compared between groups. AMH ranged between 5 to 48 ng/mL. Greater than 97% of women with ultrahigh AMH (>10 ng/mL) had PCOS. In addition, women with AMH >10 ng/mL had greater prevalence of polycystic ovarian morphology and oligoamenorrhea than women with AMH 5-10 ng/mL. Moreover, serum AMH correlated positively with luteinizing hormone, total testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. Furthermore, AMH showed strong predictive ability for the presence of amenorrhea (area under the curve, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.80-0.92; P < .0001). Despite similar age and mean number of transferred embryos, women with AMH >10 ng/mL showed higher rates of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and clinical pregnancy rates compared with women with AMH 5-10 ng/mL. These data characterize a population of women with elevated AMH levels, demonstrating that the vast majority of women with AMH >10 ng/mL have PCOS. Increased AMH levels correlated with PCOS severity and are associated with greater ovarian stimulation and higher clinical pregnancy rates following assisted reproductive technology. Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Hypomorphic alleles reveal FCA-independent roles for FY in the regulation of FLOWERING LOCUS C.

    PubMed

    Feng, Wei; Jacob, Yannick; Veley, Kira M; Ding, Lei; Yu, Xuhong; Choe, Goh; Michaels, Scott D

    2011-03-01

    The autonomous floral promotion pathway plays a key role in the regulation of flowering in rapid-cycling Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) by providing constitutive repression of the floral inhibitor FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC). As a result, autonomous pathway mutants contain elevated levels of FLC and are late flowering. Winter annual Arabidopsis, in contrast, contain functional alleles of FRIGIDA (FRI), which acts epistatically to the autonomous pathway to up-regulate FLC and delay flowering. To further explore the relationship between FRI and the autonomous pathway, we placed autonomous pathway mutants in a FRI-containing background. Unexpectedly, we found that a hypomorphic allele of the autonomous pathway gene fy (fy null alleles are embryo lethal) displayed background-specific effects on FLC expression and flowering time; in a rapid-cycling background fy mutants contained elevated levels of FLC and were late flowering, whereas in a winter annual background fy decreased FLC levels and partially suppressed the late-flowering phenotype conferred by FRI. Because FY has been shown to have homology to polyadenylation factors, we examined polyadenylation site selection in FLC transcripts. In wild type, two polyadenylation sites were detected and used at similar levels. In fy mutant backgrounds, however, the ratio of products was shifted to favor the distally polyadenylated form. FY has previously been shown to physically interact with another member of the autonomous pathway, FCA. Interestingly, we found that fy can partially suppress FLC expression in an fca null background and promote proximal polyadenylation site selection usage in the absence of FCA. Taken together, these results indicate novel and FCA-independent roles for FY in the regulation of FLC.

  17. Hypomorphic Alleles Reveal FCA-Independent Roles for FY in the Regulation of FLOWERING LOCUS C1[C][W][OA

    PubMed Central

    Feng, Wei; Jacob, Yannick; Veley, Kira M.; Ding, Lei; Yu, Xuhong; Choe, Goh; Michaels, Scott D.

    2011-01-01

    The autonomous floral promotion pathway plays a key role in the regulation of flowering in rapid-cycling Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) by providing constitutive repression of the floral inhibitor FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC). As a result, autonomous pathway mutants contain elevated levels of FLC and are late flowering. Winter annual Arabidopsis, in contrast, contain functional alleles of FRIGIDA (FRI), which acts epistatically to the autonomous pathway to up-regulate FLC and delay flowering. To further explore the relationship between FRI and the autonomous pathway, we placed autonomous pathway mutants in a FRI-containing background. Unexpectedly, we found that a hypomorphic allele of the autonomous pathway gene fy (fy null alleles are embryo lethal) displayed background-specific effects on FLC expression and flowering time; in a rapid-cycling background fy mutants contained elevated levels of FLC and were late flowering, whereas in a winter annual background fy decreased FLC levels and partially suppressed the late-flowering phenotype conferred by FRI. Because FY has been shown to have homology to polyadenylation factors, we examined polyadenylation site selection in FLC transcripts. In wild type, two polyadenylation sites were detected and used at similar levels. In fy mutant backgrounds, however, the ratio of products was shifted to favor the distally polyadenylated form. FY has previously been shown to physically interact with another member of the autonomous pathway, FCA. Interestingly, we found that fy can partially suppress FLC expression in an fca null background and promote proximal polyadenylation site selection usage in the absence of FCA. Taken together, these results indicate novel and FCA-independent roles for FY in the regulation of FLC. PMID:21209277

  18. Postnatal handling does not normalize hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing factor mRNA levels in animals prenatally exposed to ethanol.

    PubMed

    Gabriel, Kara I; Glavas, Maria M; Ellis, Linda; Weinberg, Joanne

    2005-06-09

    Postnatal handling has been shown to attenuate some of the deficits in developmental outcome observed following prenatal ethanol exposure (E) although it appears to be ineffective at ameliorating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) hyperresponsiveness to stressors that has been observed in adult E animals. However, the effects of postnatal handling on central regulation of HPA activity in E animals, particularly with regard to alterations in steady-state hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) activity, have not been examined. In the present study, offspring from E, pair-fed (PF), and ad-libitum-fed control (C) groups were exposed to daily handling during the first 2 weeks of life (H) or were left entirely undisturbed until weaning (NH). Basal CRF and arginine vasopressin (AVP) mRNA in the parvocellular portion of the paraventricular nucleus (pPVN) of the hypothalamus were assessed at 90-110 days of age. Prenatal ethanol exposure resulted in elevated basal pPVN CRF mRNA levels compared to those in ad-libitum-fed controls. Handling altered CRF mRNA levels in a sex-specific and prenatal treatment-specific manner. Females showed no significant effects of handling. In contrast, handling decreased CRF mRNA levels in PF and C but not E males compared to their NH counterparts. There were no effects of prenatal ethanol or postnatal handling on AVP mRNA levels. These findings indicate that prenatal ethanol exposure results in elevated basal CRF mRNA levels in adulthood and that handling appears to be ineffective in normalizing those elevations, supporting the suggestion that altered basal HPA regulation in E animals may, at least in part, underlie their HPA hyperresponsiveness to stressors.

  19. NT-pro-BNP is an independent predictor of mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease.

    PubMed

    Svensson, M; Gorst-Rasmussen, A; Schmidt, E B; Jorgensen, K A; Christensen, J H

    2009-04-01

    Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have an increased mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD). N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) is an independent predictor of mortality in patients with ischemic heart disease and congestive heart failure. Previous data have shown markedly elevated levels of NT-pro-BNP in patients with ESRD, while the prognostic value of elevated levels of NT-pro-BNP in patients with ESRD is largely unknown. The aim of the present study was to examine if the level of NT-pro-BNP predicts mortality in patients with ERSD and CVD. We prospectively followed 206 patients with ESRD and documented CVD. Levels of NT-pro-BNP were measured at baseline, and patients were followed for 2 years or until they reached the predefined endpoint of all-cause mortality. During follow-up, the total mortality was 44% (90/206). Patients who died were followed for a median of 314 days (interquartile range 179 - 530). Using Cox regression analysis, age, female sex, systolic blood pressure, dialysis efficiency and plasma levels of NT-pro-BNP were independent prognostic risk factors of mortality. In receiver operating characteristic curve analysis a cut off value for NT-pro-BNP was determined. Patients with values of NT-pro-BNP above 12.200 pg/ml had a 3 times higher risk of death than patients below the cut-off value (HR 3.05 95% CI 1.96 - 4.77, p < 0.0001). In spite of generally elevated levels of NT-pro-BNP, NT-pro-BNP is still an independent predictor of mortality and might add prognostic information in patients with ESRD and documented CVD.

  20. Circulating microRNA 122 in the methionine and choline-deficient mouse model of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

    PubMed

    Clarke, John D; Sharapova, Tatiana; Lake, April D; Blomme, Eric; Maher, Jonathan; Cherrington, Nathan J

    2014-06-01

    Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a progressive form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and is a major cause of liver cirrhosis and hepatic failure. The methionine choline-deficient diet (MCD) is a frequently used hepatotoxicity animal model of NASH that induces hepatic transaminase (ALT, AST) elevations and hepatobiliary histological changes similar to those observed in human NASH. Liver-specific microRNA-122 (miR-122) has been shown as a key regulator of cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism in adult liver, and has recently been proposed as a sensitive and specific circulating biomarker of hepatic injury. The purpose of this study was to assess miR-122 serum levels in mice receiving an MCD diet for 0, 3, 7, 14, 28 and 56 days and compare the performance vs. routine clinical chemistry when benchmarked against the histopathological liver findings. MiR-122 levels were quantified in serum using RT-qPCR. Both miR-122 and ALT/AST levels were significantly elevated in serum at all timepoints. MiR-122 levels increased on average by 40-fold after 3 days of initiating the MCD diet, whereas ALT and AST changes were 4.8- and 3.3-fold, respectively. In general, miR-122 levels remained elevated across all time points, whereas the ALT/AST increases were less robust but correlated with the progressive severity of NASH as assessed by histopathology. In conclusion, serum levels of miR-122 can potentially be used as a sensitive biomarker for the early detection of hepatotoxicity and can aid in monitoring the extent of NAFLD-associated liver injury in mouse efficacy models. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  1. Vascular lesions in patient with Takayasu arteritis and massive elevated lipoprotein(a) levels. Residual involvement or premature aterosclerosis?

    PubMed

    Alarcón García, José Carlos; Rodríguez Suárez, Santiago; Muñiz Grijalvo, Ovidio; García Morillo, Salvador

    Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] is a lipoprotein defined by presenting a specific apolipoprotein, ApoA, linked to the ApoB-100 by different types of chemical bonds, including a disulfide bridge. Despite their atherogenic mechanism is not fully understood, its importance has been demonstrated in the development of premature aterosclerosis. Multiple studies have shown its role as a cardiovascular risk factor associated with heart disease and stroke. We report the case of a patient with a diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis in which a massive elevation of Lp(a) was detected. We emphasize its diagnostic and therapeutic implications. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Arteriosclerosis. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  2. Measuring historic water levels of Lake Balaton and tributary wetlands using georeferenced maps

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zlinszky, A.

    2009-04-01

    Lake Balaton is a large and relatively shallow lake located in western Hungary. The lake is joined by small wetlands on the north shore and larger water-filled valleys on the south separated by and elevated sand bar. These wetlands are assumed to have been connected with Lake Balaton before the water level was artificially lowered in 1893. No regular measurements of the water level of the lake or these wetlands were carried out before the draining of the lake. Most of the wetlands were completely isolated from the water system of the lake after the water level change as roads, railway and holiday homes were built. The low valleys of the southern shore still hold many fishponds, swamps and wet meadows, which are important sanctuaries for rare wetland species, and are often less disturbed than the lake, which is a popular holiday resort. Hydrologic restoration of these wetlands is only possible if accurate information exists on the original, natural state. The 1776 Krieger-map and the first military survey (1782-1785) are the most accurate known maps of the original state of the Lake Balaton area. These maps were surveyed using triangulation and leveling, and are accurate enough to be compared with the present-day situation. Some of the depicted buildings and landmarks still survive and can be used as control points for georeferencing and correcting these maps. Since the bathymetry of the lake and the topography of the surrounding countryside have hardly changed, existing digital elevation models of the present-day relief could be compared to these georeferenced maps. The elevation profile of the lake shore and wetland borders can be calculated by tracing these lines on a Digital Elevation Model. The shore area of Lake Balaton has been filled in and changed, so present-day land topography can not be used to estimate the water level from the elevation profile of the shore line. However, the Krieger-map also shows bathymetric contours, and previous studies have shown that the topography of the lake floor has not changed measurably in the last hundred years. The bathymetric contours of Lake Balaton depicted on the georeferenced Krieger-map were digitized and overlain on the present-day DEM of the lake floor. The elevation profile of these lines was used to calculate the original elevation of the water level of the lake with the accuracy of one meter. The height of the water table around the lake depends closely on the water level of the lake, but wetlands can retain water and thus sustain a higher water table in the tributary valleys than in the lake itself. In order to measure the elevation of the water table around the lake, the borders of the water-logged areas on the southern shore of the lake were also digitized from the sheets of the First Military Survey and traced on a DEM of the hills on the southern side of the lake. The elevation of the water level in these wetlands was calculated based on these profiles. The water level in some valleys adjoining the lake is significantly higher than the water level of the lake itself, which shows that the water balance of these wetlands was mostly independent of the fluctuation of the lake. Some other large wetlands have borders that are in the same elevation as the shores of the lake itself, which shows that these wetlands are in close connection with the lake. The mapping of these historic wetland properties provides a valuable guide for future habitat restoration efforts.

  3. Numerical investigation of the influence of elevated turbulence levels on the cooling effectiveness of an anti-vortex hole geometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Repko, Timothy William

    A novel film cooling hole geometry for use in gas turbine engines has been investigated numerically by solving the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes equations in a commercial CFD code (STAR-CCM+) with varying turbulence intensity and length scale using the k-o SST turbulence model. Both steady and unsteady results were considered in order to investigate the effects of freestream turbulence intensity and length scale on this novel anti-vortex hole (AVH) concept. The AVH geometry utilizes two side holes, one on each side of the main hole, to attempt to mitigate the vorticity from the jet from the main hole. The AVH concept has been shown by past research to provide a substantial improvement over conventional film cooling hole designs. Past research has been limited to low turbulence intensity and small length scales that are not representative of the turbulent flow exiting the combustor. Three turbulence intensities (Tu = 5, 10 and 20%) and three length scales normalized by the main cooling hole diameter (Λ x/dm = 1, 3, 6) were considered in this study for a total of nine turbulence conditions. The highest intensity, largest length scale turbulence case (Tu = 20, Λx/dm = 6) is considered most representative of engine conditions and was shown to have the best cooling performance. Results show that the turbulence in the hot gases exiting the combustor can aid in the film cooling for the AVH geometry at high blowing ratios (BR = 2.0), where the blowing ratio is essentially the ratio of the jet-to-mainstream mass flux ratios. Length scale was shown to have an insignificant effect on the cooling performance at low turbulence intensity and a moderate effect at higher turbulence intensities. The adiabatic film cooling effectiveness was shown to increase as the turbulence intensity was elevated. The convective heat transfer coefficient was also shown to increase at the turbulence intensity was elevated. An increase in the heat transfer coefficient is a deleterious effect and must be weighed against the improvements in the adiabatic cooling effectiveness. The net heat flux reduction (NHFR) is the parameter used to quantify the net benefit of film cooling. As a general trend, the NHFR was shown to increase with the turbulence intensity in all cases.

  4. Triglyceride level affecting shared susceptibility genes in metabolic syndrome and coronary artery disease.

    PubMed

    Kisfali, P; Polgár, N; Sáfrány, E; Sümegi, K; Melegh, B I; Bene, J; Wéber, A; Hetyésy, K; Melegh, B

    2010-01-01

    Metabolic syndrome is characterized primarily by abdominal obesity, high triglyceride- and low HDL cholesterol levels, elevated blood pressure, and increased fasting glucose levels, which are often associated with coronary heart diseases. Several factors, such as physical inactivity, age, and several endocrine and genetic factors can increase the risk of the development of the disease. Gathered evidence shows, that metabolic syndrome is not only a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but often both of them have the same shared susceptibility genes, as several genetic variants have shown a predisposition to both diseases. Due to the spread of robust genome wide association studies, the number of candidate genes in metabolic syndrome and coronary heart disease susceptibility increases very rapidly. From the growing spectrum of the genes influencing lipid metabolism (like the LPL; PPARA; APOE; APOAI/CIII/AIV genecluster and APOAS5), the current review focuses on shared susceptibility variants involved in triglyceride metabolism and consequently the effects on the circulating triglyceride levels. As the elevated levels of triglycerides can be associated with disease phenotypes, some of these SNPs can have susceptibility features in both metabolic syndrome and in coronary heart disease, thereby some of them can even represent a kind of susceptibility link between metabolic syndrome and coronary artery disease.

  5. Curcumin elevates sirtuin level but does not postpone in vitro senescence of human cells building the vasculature

    PubMed Central

    Grabowska, Wioleta; Suszek, Małgorzata; Wnuk, Maciej; Lewinska, Anna; Wasiak, Emilia; Sikora, Ewa; Bielak-Zmijewska, Anna

    2016-01-01

    It is believed that curcumin, a component of the turmeric that belongs to hormetins, possesses anti-aging propensity. This property of curcumin can be partially explained by its influence on the level of sirtuins. Previously, we have shown that relatively high (2.5-10 μM) doses of curcumin induce senescence of cancer cells and cells building the vasculature. In the present study we examined whether curcumin at low doses (0.1 and 1 μM) is able to delay cell senescence and upregulate the level of sirtuins in human cells building the vasculature, namely vascular smooth muscle (VSMC) and endothelial (EC) cells. To this end we used cells senescing in a replicative and premature manner. We showed that low doses of curcumin in case of VSMC neither postponed the replicative senescence nor protected from premature senescence induced by doxorubicin. Moreover, curcumin slightly accelerated replicative senescence of EC. Despite some fluctuations, a clear increasing tendency in the level of sirtuins was observed in curcumin-treated young, senescing or already senescent cells. Sirtuin activation could be caused by the activation of AMPK resulting from superoxide elevation and ATP reduction. Our results show that curcumin at low doses can increase the level of sirtuins without delaying senescence of VSMC. PMID:27034011

  6. Fisetin Lowers Methylglyoxal Dependent Protein Glycation and Limits the Complications of Diabetes

    PubMed Central

    Maher, Pamela; Dargusch, Richard; Ehren, Jennifer L.; Okada, Shinichi; Sharma, Kumar; Schubert, David

    2011-01-01

    The elevated glycation of macromolecules by the reactive dicarbonyl and α-oxoaldehyde methylglyoxal (MG) has been associated with diabetes and its complications. We have identified a rare flavone, fisetin, which increases the level and activity of glyoxalase 1, the enzyme required for the removal of MG, as well as the synthesis of its essential co-factor, glutathione. It is shown that fisetin reduces two major complications of diabetes in Akita mice, a model of type 1 diabetes. Although fisetin had no effect on the elevation of blood sugar, it reduced kidney hypertrophy and albuminuria and maintained normal levels of locomotion in the open field test. This correlated with a reduction in proteins glycated by MG in the blood, kidney and brain of fisetin-treated animals along with an increase in glyoxalase 1 enzyme activity and an elevation in the expression of the rate-limiting enzyme for the synthesis of glutathione, a co-factor for glyoxalase 1. The expression of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), serum amyloid A and serum C-reactive protein, markers of protein oxidation, glycation and inflammation, were also increased in diabetic Akita mice and reduced by fisetin. It is concluded that fisetin lowers the elevation of MG-protein glycation that is associated with diabetes and ameliorates multiple complications of the disease. Therefore, fisetin or a synthetic derivative may have potential therapeutic use for the treatment of diabetic complications. PMID:21738623

  7. Impact of elevated nitrate on sulfate-reducing bacteria: A comparative study of Desulfovibrio vulgaris

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

    He, Q.; He, Z.; Joyner, D.C.

    2010-07-15

    Sulfate-reducing bacteria have been extensively studied for their potential in heavy-metal bioremediation. However, the occurrence of elevated nitrate in contaminated environments has been shown to inhibit sulfate reduction activity. Although the inhibition has been suggested to result from the competition with nitrate-reducing bacteria, the possibility of direct inhibition of sulfate reducers by elevated nitrate needs to be explored. Using Desulfovibrio vulgaris as a model sulfate-reducing bacterium, functional genomics analysis reveals that osmotic stress contributed to growth inhibition by nitrate as shown by the upregulation of the glycine/betaine transporter genes and the relief of nitrate inhibition by osmoprotectants. The observation thatmore » significant growth inhibition was effected by 70 mM NaNO{sub 3} but not by 70 mM NaCl suggests the presence of inhibitory mechanisms in addition to osmotic stress. The differential expression of genes characteristic of nitrite stress responses, such as the hybrid cluster protein gene, under nitrate stress condition further indicates that nitrate stress response by D. vulgaris was linked to components of both osmotic and nitrite stress responses. The involvement of the oxidative stress response pathway, however, might be the result of a more general stress response. Given the low similarities between the response profiles to nitrate and other stresses, less-defined stress response pathways could also be important in nitrate stress, which might involve the shift in energy metabolism. The involvement of nitrite stress response upon exposure to nitrate may provide detoxification mechanisms for nitrite, which is inhibitory to sulfate-reducing bacteria, produced by microbial nitrate reduction as a metabolic intermediate and may enhance the survival of sulfate-reducing bacteria in environments with elevated nitrate level.« less

  8. Hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase-α deficiency leads to metabolic reprogramming in glycogen storage disease type Ia.

    PubMed

    Cho, Jun-Ho; Kim, Goo-Young; Mansfield, Brian C; Chou, Janice Y

    2018-04-15

    Glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD-Ia) is caused by a deficiency in glucose-6-phosphatase-α (G6Pase-α or G6PC), a key enzyme in endogenous glucose production. This autosomal recessive disorder is characterized by impaired glucose homeostasis and long-term complications of hepatocellular adenoma/carcinoma (HCA/HCC). We have shown that hepatic G6Pase-α deficiency-mediated steatosis leads to defective autophagy that is frequently associated with carcinogenesis. We now show that hepatic G6Pase-α deficiency also leads to enhancement of hepatic glycolysis and hexose monophosphate shunt (HMS) that can contribute to hepatocarcinogenesis. The enhanced hepatic glycolysis is reflected by increased lactate accumulation, increased expression of many glycolytic enzymes, and elevated expression of c-Myc that stimulates glycolysis. The increased HMS is reflected by increased glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity and elevated production of NADPH and the reduced glutathione. We have previously shown that restoration of hepatic G6Pase-α expression in G6Pase-α-deficient liver corrects metabolic abnormalities, normalizes autophagy, and prevents HCA/HCC development in GSD-Ia. We now show that restoration of hepatic G6Pase-α expression normalizes both glycolysis and HMS in GSD-Ia. Moreover, the HCA/HCC lesions in L-G6pc-/- mice exhibit elevated levels of hexokinase 2 (HK2) and the M2 isoform of pyruvate kinase (PKM2) which play an important role in aerobic glycolysis and cancer cell proliferation. Taken together, hepatic G6Pase-α deficiency causes metabolic reprogramming, leading to enhanced glycolysis and elevated HMS that along with impaired autophagy can contribute to HCA/HCC development in GSD-Ia. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  9. NO and H2O2 contribute to SO2 toxicity via Ca2+ signaling in Vicia faba guard cells.

    PubMed

    Yi, Min; Bai, Heli; Xue, Meizhao; Yi, Huilan

    2017-04-01

    NO and H 2 O 2 have been implicated as important signals in biotic and abiotic stress responses of plants to the environment. Previously, we have shown that SO 2 exposure increased the levels of NO and H 2 O 2 in plant cells. We hypothesize that, as signaling molecules, NO and H 2 O 2 mediate SO 2 -caused toxicity. In this paper, we show that SO 2 hydrates caused guard cell death in a concentration-dependent manner in the concentration range of 0.25 to 6 mmol L -1 , which was associated with elevation of intracellular NO, H 2 O 2 , and Ca 2+ levels in Vicia faba guard cells. NO donor SNP enhanced SO 2 toxicity, while NO scavenger c-PTIO and NO synthesis inhibitors L-NAME and tungstate significantly prevented SO 2 toxicity. ROS scavenger ascorbic acid (AsA) and catalase (CAT), Ca 2+ chelating agent EGTA, and Ca 2+ channel inhibitor LaCl 3 also markedly blocked SO 2 toxicity. In addition, both c-PTIO and AsA could completely block SO 2 -induced elevation of intracellular Ca 2+ level. Moreover, c-PTIO efficiently blocked SO 2 -induced H 2 O 2 elevation, and AsA significantly blocked SO 2 -induced NO elevation. These results indicate that extra NO and H 2 O 2 are produced and accumulated in SO 2 -treated guard cells, which further activate Ca 2+ signaling to mediate SO 2 toxicity. Our findings suggest that both NO and H 2 O 2 contribute to SO 2 toxicity via Ca 2+ signaling.

  10. Detection and reconstruction of solidification cracks - Laser ultrasonic measurements during the continuous casting process of aluminum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mitter, Thomas; Grün, Hubert; Roither, Jürgen; Betz, Andreas; Bozorgi, Salar; Reitinger, Bernhard; Burgholzer, Peter

    2014-05-01

    In the continuous casting process the avoidance and rapid detection of occurring solidification cracks in the slab is a crucial issue, in particular for the maintenance of a high quality level in further production processes. Due to the elevated temperatures of the slab surface a remote sensing non-destructive tool for quality inspection is required, which is also applicable for the harsh industrial environment. In this work the application of laser ultrasound (LUS) technique during the continuous casting process in industrial environment is shown. The proof of principle of the detection of the centered solidification cracks is shown by pulse-echo measurements with laser ultrasonic equipment for inline quality inspection. Preliminary examinations in the lab of different casted samples have shown the distinguishability of slabs with and without any solidification cracks. Furthermore the damping of the bulk wave has been used for the prediction of the dimension of the crack. With an adapted "synthetic aperture focusing technique" (SAFT) algorithm the image reconstruction of multiple measurements at different positions around the circumference has provided enough information for the estimation of the localization and extension of the centered solidification cracks. Subsequent first measurements using this laser ultrasonic setup during the continuous casting of aluminum were carried out and showed the proof of principle in an industrial environment with elevated temperatures, dust, cooling water and vibrations.

  11. A Theoretical Investigation of Longitudinal Stability of Airplanes with Free Controls Including Effect of Friction in Control System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Greenberg, Harry; Sternfield, Leonard

    1944-01-01

    The relation between the elevator hinge moment parameters and the control forces for changes in forward speed and in maneuvers is shown for several values of static stability and elevator mass balance. The stability of the short period oscillations is shown as a series of boundaries giving the limits of the stable regions in terms of the elevator hinge moment parameters. The effects of static stability, elevator moment of inertia, elevator mass unbalance, and airplane density are also considered. Dynamic instability is likely to occur if there is mass unbalance of the elevator control system combined with a small restoring tendency (high aerodynamic balance). This instability can be prevented by a rearrangement of the unbalancing weights which, however, involves an increase of the amount of weight necessary. It can also be prevented by the addition of viscous friction to the elevator control system provided the airplane center of gravity is not behind a certain critical position. For high values of the density parameter, which correspond to high altitudes of flight, the addition of moderate amounts of viscous friction may be destabilizing even when the airplane is statically stable. In this case, increasing the viscous friction makes the oscillation stable again. The condition in which viscous friction causes dynamic instability of a statically stable airplane is limited to a definite range of hinge moment parameters. It is shown that, when viscous friction causes increasing oscillations, solid friction will produce steady oscillations having an amplitude proportional to the amount of friction.

  12. Biogenic amines--a possible source for nicotine in mushrooms? A discussion of published literature data.

    PubMed

    Schindler, B K; Bruns, S; Lach, G

    2015-03-15

    Mushrooms have, repeatedly, been shown to contain nicotine. Speculation about the source of contamination has been widespread, however the source of nicotine remains unknown. Previous studies indicate that putrescine, an intermediate in nicotine biosynthesis, can be formed in mushrooms, which might be metabolised to form nicotine. Thus, endogenous formation may be a possible cause for elevated nicotine levels in mushrooms. We present evidence from the literature that may support this hypothesis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. An improved method for isolating viruses from asymptomatic carrier fish

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Amend, Donald F.; Pietsch, John P.

    1972-01-01

    This paper describes a method using elevated levels of penicillin, streptomycin, and nystatin instead of filters to control bacteria and mold contaminants in specimens processed for virus isolation. Filters were shown to significantly reduce the virus concentration. Virus and tissue cultures were not affected by this procedure. In field tests nearly three times more specimens were positive for virus with this method than with the widely used filter technique. Moreover, the cost of materials was less. This method is recommended for inspection and certification purposes.

  14. UV-Induced Triggering of a Biomechanical Initiation Switch Within Collagen Promotes Development of a Melanoma-Permissive Microenvironment in the Skin

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-11-01

    associated with basement membranes, these M21 melanoma tumors were co- stained for fibroblasts expressing fibroblast activation protein ( FAP ) and a well...characterized marker of blood vessels CD-31 (5,6). As shown in figure 7B below, elevated levels of FAP -expressing -tumor associated fibroblasts were...by staining with Mab D93 in frozen section of tumor tissue from each condition. B). Example of co-distribution of FAP expressing cancer associated

  15. 76 FR 17362 - Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier, Inc. Model DHC-8-400 Series Airplanes

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-03-29

    ... elevator power control units (PCUs) where the shaft (tailstock) swaged bearing liners had shown a higher... on the elevator power control units (PCUs) where the shaft (tailstock) swaged bearing liners had...-play check of the shaft swaged bearing installed in the elevator PCU tailstock end and replacement of...

  16. Increased Femoral Head Offset is Associated With Elevated Metal Ions in Asymptomatic Patients With Metal-on-Polyethylene Total Hip Arthroplasty.

    PubMed

    Martin, John R; Camp, Christopher L; Wyles, Cody C; Taunton, Michael J; Trousdale, Robert T; Lewallen, David G

    2016-12-01

    Predisposing factors for trunnionosis and elevated metal ion levels in metal-on-polyethylene (MOP) total hip arthroplasty (THA) are currently unknown. This retrospective cohort study enrolled 80 consecutive patients (43 males) with an asymptomatic MOP THA at 2- to 5-year follow-up and no other metal implants. Serum cobalt (Co) and chromium (Cr) levels were collected at the time of enrollment, and retrospective review was performed regarding demographic, implant, and surgical characteristics. Mean age at the time of surgery was 65.7 years (range 35.6-85.9 years), and mean postoperative follow-up was 28.7 months (range 24.4-58.9 months). Femoral head offset was the only evaluated factor shown to increase serum Co ion levels above baseline within the cohort. Mean difference in Co level for high and low offset implants was 0.58 ppb (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.05-1.11 ppb; P = .03). Mean difference in Cr level for high and low offset implants was 0.19 ppb (95% CI = -0.23 to 0.60 ppb; P = .37). Mean difference in Co level for small and large femoral heads was 0.20 ppb (95% CI = -0.41 to 0.81 ppb; P = .59). Mean difference in Cr level for small and large femoral heads was 0.28 ppb (95% CI = -0.18 to 0.74 ppb; P = .06). Age, gender, Harris Hip Score, and implant duration were not associated with changes in metal ion levels. Femoral head offset appears to be an important source of elevated metal ion levels in MOP THA. Further studies will be needed to understand if increasing femoral head offset is associated with subsequent adverse local tissue reactions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Elevated Concentrations of Serum Immunoglobulin Free Light Chains in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients in Relation to Disease Activity, Inflammatory Status, B Cell Activity and Epstein-Barr Virus Antibodies

    PubMed Central

    Draborg, Anette H.; Lydolph, Magnus C.; Westergaard, Marie; Olesen Larsen, Severin; Nielsen, Christoffer T.; Duus, Karen; Jacobsen, Søren; Houen, Gunnar

    2015-01-01

    Objective In this study, we examined the concentration of serum immunoglobulin free light chains (FLCs) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and investigated its association with various disease parameters in order to evaluate the role of FLCs as a potential biomarker in SLE. Furthermore, FLCs’ association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antibodies was examined. Methods Using a nephelometric assay, κFLC and λFLC concentrations were quantified in sera from 45 SLE patients and 40 healthy controls. SLE patients with renal insufficiency were excluded in order to preclude high concentrations of serum FLCs due to decreased clearance. Results Serum FLC concentrations were significantly elevated in SLE patients compared to healthy controls (p<0.0001) also after adjusting for Ig levels (p<0.0001). The concentration of serum FLCs correlated with a global disease activity (SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI)) score of the SLE patients (r = 0.399, p = 0.007). Furthermore, concentrations of FLCs correlated with titers of dsDNA antibodies (r = 0.383, p = 0.009), and FLC levels and SLEDAI scores correlated in the anti-dsDNA-positive SLE patients, but not in anti-dsDNA-negative SLE patients. Total immunoglobulin (IgG and IgA) concentrations correlated with FLC concentrations and elevated FLC levels were additionally shown to associate with the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein and also with complement consumption determined by low C4 in SLE patients. Collectively, results indicated that elevated serum FLCs reflects increased B cell activity in relation to inflammation. SLE patients had an increased seropositivity of EBV-directed antibodies that did not associate with elevated FLC concentrations. An explanation for this could be that serum FLC concentrations reflect the current EBV activity (reactivation) whereas EBV-directed antibodies reflect the extent of previous infection/reactivations. Conclusion SLE patients have elevated concentrations of serum FLCs that correlate with global disease activity scores and especially serologic markers for active disease. These findings are suggestive of circulating FLCs having potential as a new supplementary serologic biomarker in SLE. PMID:26402865

  18. Psychological stress is associated with altered levels of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in breast cancer patients.

    PubMed

    Mundy-Bosse, Bethany L; Thornton, Lisa M; Yang, Hae-Chung; Andersen, Barbara L; Carson, William E

    2011-01-01

    Our group has shown in a randomized clinical trial that psychological intervention to reduce stress in patients with stages II and III breast cancer led to enhanced immune function, fewer recurrences and improved overall survival. We hypothesized that patients with high levels of stress would have alterations in myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) compared to patients with lower stress. PBMC from 16 patients with high stress (n = 8) or with low stress (n = 8) after surgery as measured by the Impact of Event Scale (IES) questionnaire were evaluated for the presence of MDSC. Patients with higher IES scores had significantly elevated salivary cortisol levels (P = 0.013; 13 μg/dl vs. 9.74 μg/dl). Levels of IL-1Rα were also significantly elevated in the higher IES group (45.09 pg/ml vs. 97.16 pg/ml; P = 0.010). IP 10, G-CSF, and IL-6 were all higher in the high stress group although not to a significant degree. Flow cytometric analysis for CD33+/HLA-DR-neg/CD15+/CD11b+ MDSC revealed increased MDSC in patients with lower IES scores (P = 0.009). CD11b+/CD15+ cells constituted 9.4% of the CD33+/HLA DR-neg cell population in patients with high IES, vs. 27.3% in patients with low IES scores. Additional analyzes of the number of stressful events that affected the patients in addition to their cancer diagnosis revealed that this type of stress measure correlated with elevated levels of MDSC (P = 0.064). These data indicate the existence of a complex relationship between stress and immune function in breast cancer patients. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Psychological Stress is Associated with Altered Levels of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor cells in Breast Cancer Patients

    PubMed Central

    Mundy-Bosse, Bethany L.; Thornton, Lisa M.; Yang, Hae-Chung; Andersen, Barbara L.; Carson, William E.

    2011-01-01

    Our group has shown in a randomized clinical trial that psychological intervention to reduce stress in patients with stage II and III breast cancer led to enhanced immune function, fewer recurrences and improved overall survival. We hypothesized that patients with high levels of stress would have alterations in myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) compared to patients with lower stress. PBMC from 16 patients with high stress (n = 8) or with low stress (n = 8) after surgery as measured by the Impact of Event Scale (IES) questionnaire were evaluated for the presence of MDSC. Patients with higher IES scores had significantly elevated salivary cortisol levels (P = 0.013; 13 µg/dl vs. 9.74 µg/dl). Levels of IL-1Rα were also significantly elevated in the higher IES group (45.09 pg/mL vs. 97.16 pg/mL; P = 0.010). IP 10, G-CSF, and IL-6 were all higher in the high stress group although not to a significant degree. Flow cytometric analysis for CD33+/HLA-DR-neg/CD15+/CD11b+ MDSC revealed increased MDSC in patients with lower IES scores (P = 0.009). CD11b+/CD15+ cells constituted 9.4% of the CD33+/HLA DR-neg cell population in patients with high IES, versus 27.3% in patients with low IES scores. Additional analyses of the number of stressful events that affected the patients in addition to their cancer diagnosis revealed that this type of stress measure correlated with elevated levels of MDSC (P = .064). These data indicate the existence of a complex relationship between stress and immune function in breast cancer patients. PMID:21600570

  20. ANGPTL3 is part of the machinery causing dyslipidemia majorily via LPL inhibition in mastitis mice.

    PubMed

    Xiao, Hong-Bo; Wang, Ji-Ying; Sun, Zhi-Liang

    2017-12-01

    Previous investigations have shown that inflammation induces changes in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism, and increased expression of angiopoietin-like protein 3 (ANGPTL3) contributes to the development of dyslipidemia. Here we investigated whether there is a correlation between increased ANGPTL3 expression and dyslipidemia in mastitis mice. Thirty mice were divided into two groups: control group and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)-induced mastitis mice group. Changes in the levels of blood lipids [total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)]; activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO); concentrations of plasma inflammation biomarkers [interferon-γ (IFNγ), tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), and interleukin-1α (IL-1α)]; concentration of plasma ANGPTL3 protein; lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activities in postheparin plasma; expressions of hepatic N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 2 (GALNT2), hepatic ANGPTL3 and adipose LPL were determined. The major results indicated specific pathological mammary tissue changes, elevated MPO activity, reduced GALNT2 mRNA expression, elevated ANGPTL3 mRNA and protein expression and reduced LPL mRNA and protein expression. In plasma samples the S.aureus infused mice displayed elevated ANGPTL3 protein concentration, TG, TC and LDL-C levels, and reduced postheparin LPL activities and HDL-C level. The data suggests that ANGPTL3 is part of the machinery causing dyslipidemia majorily via LPL inhibition in mastitis mice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Influence of acute progressive hypoxia on cardiovascular variability in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats

    PubMed Central

    Sugimura, Mitsutaka; Hirose, Yohsuke; Hanamoto, Hiroshi; Okada, Kenji; Boku, Aiji; Morimoto, Yoshinari; Taki, Kunitaka; Niwa, Hitoshi

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of acute progressive hypoxia on cardiovascular variability and striatal dopamine (DA) levels in conscious, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). After preparation for measurement, the inspired oxygen concentration of rats was decreased to 10% within 5 min (descent stage), maintained at 10% for 10 min (fixed stage), and then elevated back to 20% over 5 min (recovery stage). The systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart rate (HR) variability at each stage was calculated to evaluate the autonomic nervous system response using the wavelet method. Striatal DA during each stage was measured using in vivo microdialysis. We found that SHR showed a more profound hemodynamic response to progressive hypoxia as compared to WKY. Cardiac parasympathetic activity in SHR was significantly inhibited by acute progressive hypoxia during all stages, as shown by the decrease in the high frequency band of HR variability (HR-HF), along with transient increase in sympathetic activity during the early hypoxic phase. This decrease in the HR-HF continued even when SBP was elevated. Striatal DA levels showed the transient similar elevation in both groups. These findings suggest that acute progressive hypoxic stress in SHR inhibits cardiac parasympathetic activity through reduction of baroreceptor reflex sensitivity, with potentially severe deleterious effects on circulation, in particular on HR and circulatory control. Furthermore, it is thought that the influence of acute progressive hypoxia on striatal DA levels is similar in SHR and WKY. PMID:18599365

  2. AMPA receptors control fear extinction through an Arc-dependent mechanism.

    PubMed

    Trent, Simon; Barnes, Philip; Hall, Jeremy; Thomas, Kerrie L

    2017-08-01

    Activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) supports fear memory through synaptic plasticity events requiring actin cytoskeleton rearrangements. We have previously shown that reducing hippocampal Arc levels through antisense knockdown leads to the premature extinction of contextual fear. Here we show that the AMPA receptor antagonist CNQX elevates hippocampal Arc levels during extinction and blocks extinction that can be rescued by reducing Arc. Increasing Arc levels with CNQX also overcomes the actin-destabilizing properties of cytochalasin D and promotes extinction. Therefore, extinction is dependent on AMPA-mediated reductions of Arc via a mechanism consistent with a role for Arc in stabilizing the actin cytoskeleton to constrain extinction. © 2017 Trent et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

  3. Chronic restraint stress after injury and shock is associated with persistent anemia despite prolonged elevation in erythropoietin levels.

    PubMed

    Bible, Letitia E; Pasupuleti, Latha V; Gore, Amy V; Sifri, Ziad C; Kannan, Kolenkode B; Mohr, Alicia M

    2015-07-01

    Following severe traumatic injury, critically ill patients have a prolonged hypercatacholamine state that is associated with bone marrow (BM) dysfunction and persistent anemia. However, current animal models of injury and shock result in a transient anemia. Daily restraint stress (chronic stress [CS]) has been shown to increase catecholamines. We hypothesize that adding CS following injury or injury and shock in rats will prolong the hypercatecholaminemia and prolong the initial anemia, despite elevated erythropoietin (EPO) levels. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 6-8 per group) underwent lung contusion (LC) or combined LC/hemorrhagic shock (LCHS) followed by 6 days of CS. CS consisted of a 2-hour restraint period interrupted with repositioning and alarms every 30 minutes. At 7 days, urine was assessed for norepinephrine (NE) levels, blood for EPO and hemoglobin (Hgb), and BM for erythroid progenitor growth. Animals undergoing LC or combined LCHS predictably recovered by Day 7; urine NE, EPO, and Hgb levels were normal. The addition of CS to LC and LCHS models was associated with a significant elevation in NE on Day 6. The addition of CS to LC led to a persistent 20% to 25% decrease in the growth of BM hematopoietic progenitor cells. These findings were further exaggerated when CS was added following LCHS, resulting in a 20%q to 40% reduction in BM erythroid progenitor colony growth and a 20% decrease in Hgb when compared with LCHS alone. Exposing injured animals to CS results in prolonged elevation of NE and EPO, which is associated with worsening BM erythroid function and persistent anemia. Chronic restraint stress following injury and shock provides a clinically relevant model to further evaluate persistent injury-associated anemia seen in critically ill trauma patients. Furthermore, alleviating CS after severe injury is a potential therapeutic target to improve BM dysfunction and anemia.

  4. Chronic Restraint Stress after Injury and Shock is Associated with Persistent Anemia despite Prolonged Elevation in Erythropoietin Levels

    PubMed Central

    Bible, Letitia E.; Pasupuleti, Latha V.; Gore, Amy V.; Sifri, Ziad C.; Kannan, Kolenkode B.; Mohr, Alicia M.

    2015-01-01

    Background Following severe traumatic injury, critically ill patients have a prolonged hypercatacholamine state that is associated with bone marrow (BM) dysfunction and persistent anemia. However, current animal models of injury and shock result in a transient anemia. Daily restraint stress (CS) has been shown to increase catecholamines. We hypothesize that adding CS following injury or injury and shock in rats will prolong the hypercatecholaminemia, and prolong the initial anemia, despite elevated erythropoietin levels. Methods Male Sprague-Dawley Rats (N=6–8/group) underwent lung contusion (LC) or combined lung contusion/hemorrhagic shock (LCHS) followed by six days of chronic stress (CS). CS consisted of a two hour restraint period interrupted with repositioning and alarms every 30 minutes. At seven days, urine was assessed for norepinephrine (NE) levels, blood for erythropoietin (EPO) and hemoglobin (Hgb), and BM for erythroid progenitor growth. Results Animals undergoing LC or combined LCHS predictably recovered by day seven; urine NE, EPO and Hgb levels were normal. The addition of CS to LC and LCHS models was associated with a significant elevation in NE on day six. The addition of CS to LC led to a persistent 20–25% decrease in the growth of BM HPCs. These findings were further exaggerated when CS was added following LCHS, resulting in a 20–40% reduction in BM erythroid progenitor colony growth and a 20% decrease in Hgb when compared to LCHS alone. Conclusions Exposing injured animals to CS results in prolonged elevation of norepinephrine and erythropoietin which is associated with worsening BM erythroid function and persistent anemia. Chronic restraint stress following injury and shock provides a clinically relevant model to further evaluate persistent injury-associated anemia seen in critically ill trauma patients. Furthermore, alleviating chronic stress after severe injury is a potential therapeutic target to improve BM dysfunction and anemia. PMID:26091320

  5. Effects of elevated carbon dioxide and temperature on locomotion and the repeatability of lateralization in a keystone marine mollusc.

    PubMed

    Domenici, Paolo; Torres, Rodrigo; Manríquez, Patricio H

    2017-02-15

    Recent work has shown that the behaviour of marine organisms can be affected by elevated P CO 2 , although little is known about the effect of multiple stressors. We therefore investigated the effect of elevated P CO 2  and temperature on locomotion and behaviour during prey searching in the marine gastropod Concholepas concholepas , a predator characteristic of the southeastern Pacific coast. Movement duration, decision time, route finding and lateralization were measured using a T-maze tank with a prey positioned behind a barrier. Four treatments, representing present day and near-future scenarios of ocean acidification and warming were used in rearing the individuals for 6 months. Regardless of the treatment, no significant differences were found in relative and absolute lateralization before and after exposure for 6 months. However, relative lateralization was not repeatable for animals tested after 6 months at elevated P CO 2  at both experimental temperatures, whereas it was repeatable in individuals kept at the present day level of P CO 2 We suggest that these effects may be related to a behavioural malfunction caused by elevated P CO 2 Movement duration, decision time and route finding were not repeatable. However, movement duration and decision time increased and route finding decreased in elevated P CO 2  (at 15°C), suggesting that elevated P CO 2  has negative effects on the locomotor and sensory performance of C. concholepas in the presence of a prey odour, thereby decreasing their ability to forage efficiently. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  6. Paralysis and pernicious anemia in a young woman.

    PubMed

    Matrana, Marc R; Gauthier, Carl; Lafaye, Kristina M

    2009-01-01

    Vitamin B12 is important for normal nervous system functioning, and deficiencies are associated with various neurological abnormalities. We present a case of an 18-year-old woman who presented with significant neurological sequelae, but only mild hematologic abnormalities and normal vitamin B12 levels. She was found to have a moderately increased mean corpuscular volume, a markedly elevated homocysteine level, and a greatly increased methylmalonic acid level. In symptomatic patients it is important for physicians to maintain a high index of suspicion for B12 deficiency despite normal serum levels. The measurement of MMA and homocysteine levels provides much more sensitive tests, but even these tests do not completely rule out a deficiency. Although, the traditional treatment for vitamin B12 deficiency has been intramuscular cobalamin injections, recent studies have shown that oral cobalamin may be as efficacious.

  7. Effect of increased pCO2 level on early shell development in great scallop (Pecten maximus Lamarck) larvae

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Andersen, S.; Grefsrud, E. S.; Harboe, T.

    2013-10-01

    As a result of high anthropogenic CO2 emissions, the concentration of CO2 in the oceans has increased, causing a decrease in pH, known as ocean acidification (OA). Numerous studies have shown negative effects on marine invertebrates, and also that the early life stages are the most sensitive to OA. We studied the effects of OA on embryos and unfed larvae of the great scallop (Pecten maximus Lamarck), at pCO2 levels of 469 (ambient), 807, 1164, and 1599 μatm until seven days after fertilization. To our knowledge, this is the first study on OA effects on larvae of this species. A drop in pCO2 level the first 12 h was observed in the elevated pCO2 groups due to a discontinuation in water flow to avoid escape of embryos. When the flow was restarted, pCO2 level stabilized and was significantly different between all groups. OA affected both survival and shell growth negatively after seven days. Survival was reduced from 45% in the ambient group to 12% in the highest pCO2 group. Shell length and height were reduced by 8 and 15%, respectively, when pCO2 increased from ambient to 1599 μatm. Development of normal hinges was negatively affected by elevated pCO2 levels in both trochophore larvae after two days and veliger larvae after seven days. After seven days, deformities in the shell hinge were more connected to elevated pCO2 levels than deformities in the shell edge. Embryos stained with calcein showed fluorescence in the newly formed shell area, indicating calcification of the shell at the early trochophore stage between one and two days after fertilization. Our results show that P. maximus embryos and early larvae may be negatively affected by elevated pCO2 levels within the range of what is projected towards year 2250, although the initial drop in pCO2 level may have overestimated the effect of the highest pCO2 levels. Future work should focus on long-term effects on this species from hatching, throughout the larval stages, and further into the juvenile and adult stages.

  8. Association of elevated blood pressure with low distress and good quality of life: results from the nationwide representative German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents.

    PubMed

    Berendes, Angela; Meyer, Thomas; Hulpke-Wette, Martin; Herrmann-Lingen, Christoph

    2013-05-01

    Quality of life is often impaired in patients with known hypertension, but it is less or not at all reduced in people unaware of their elevated blood pressure. Some studies have even shown less self-rated distress in adults with elevated blood pressure. In this substudy of the nationwide German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KIGGS), we addressed the question whether, also in adolescents, hypertensive blood pressure is linked to levels of distress and quality of life. Study participants aged 11 to 17 years (N = 7688) received standardized measurements of blood pressure, quality of life (using the Children's Quality of Life Questionnaire), and distress (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire). Elevated blood pressure was twice as frequent as expected, with 10.7% (n = 825) above published age-, sex- and height-adjusted 95th percentiles. Hypertensive participants were more likely to be obese and to report on adverse health behaviors, but they showed better academic success than did normotensive participants. Elevated blood pressure was significantly and positively associated with higher self- and parent-rated quality of life (for both, p ≤ .006), less hyperactivity (for both, p < .005), and lower parent-rated emotional (p < .001), conduct (p = .021), and overall problems (p = .001). Multiple regression analyses confirmed these findings. Our observation linking elevated blood pressure to better well-being and low distress can partly be explained by the absence of confounding physical comorbidity and the unawareness of being hypertensive. It also corresponds to earlier research suggesting a bidirectional relationship with repressed emotions leading to elevated blood pressure and, furthermore, elevated blood pressure serving as a potential stress buffer.

  9. Occurrence of contaminant accumulation in lead pipe scales from domestic drinking-water distribution systems.

    PubMed

    Schock, Michael R; Hyland, Robert N; Welch, Meghan M

    2008-06-15

    Previously, contaminants, such as AI, As, and Ra, have been shown to accumulate in drinking-water distribution system solids. Accumulated contaminants could be periodically released back into the water supply causing elevated levels at consumers taps, going undetected by most current regulatory monitoring practices and consequently constituting a hidden risk. The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence of over 40 major scale constituents, regulated metals, and other potential metallic inorganic contaminants in drinking-water distribution system Pb (lead) or Pb-lined service lines. The primary method of analysis was inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy, following complete decomposition of scale material. Contaminants and scale constituents were categorized by their average concentrations, and many metals of potential health concern were found to occur at levels sufficient to result in elevated levels at the consumer's taps if they were to be mobilized. The data indicate distinctly nonconservative behavior for many inorganic contaminants in drinking-water distribution systems. This finding suggests an imminent need for further research into the transport and fate of contaminants throughout drinking-water distribution system pipes, as well as a re-evaluation of monitoring protocols in order to more accurately determine the scope and levels of potential consumer exposure.

  10. Posttraumatic responses to the July 22, 2011 Oslo Terror among Norwegian high school students.

    PubMed

    Nordanger, Dag Ø; Hysing, Mari; Posserud, Maj-Britt; Lundervold, Astri Johansen; Jakobsen, Reidar; Olff, Miranda; Stormark, Kjell Morten

    2013-12-01

    The July 22, 2011, Oslo Terror was defined as a national disaster. Former studies on terror attacks and mass shootings have shown elevated levels of posttraumatic complaints both in direct victims and in general populations. Little is known about how such extreme events in a generally safe society such as Norway would affect an adolescent population. This study examines posttraumatic stress reactions and changes in worldview in relationship to risk factors among 10,220 high school students using data from the ung@hordaland survey. One out of 5 respondents knew someone directly exposed, 55.7% experienced the events to some extent as threatening to their own or their close ones' lives, and 79.9% reported their worldview to be changed. For posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) DSM IV criteria, 0.8% reported substantial symptoms of reexperiencing (Criterion B), 4.9% of avoidance (Criterion C), and 1.1% of hyperarousal (Criterion D). Greater personal proximity to the events, higher levels of perceived life threat, and being a female or an immigrant predicted higher levels of PTSD symptom distress. Results indicate that the terror events made a deep impression on Norwegian adolescents, but without causing markedly elevated levels of PTSD symptomatology in the general young population. Copyright © 2013 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

  11. The Effects of Ibogaine on Uterine Smooth Muscle Contractions: Relation to the Activity of Antioxidant Enzymes.

    PubMed

    Oreščanin-Dušić, Zorana; Tatalović, Nikola; Vidonja-Uzelac, Teodora; Nestorov, Jelena; Nikolić-Kokić, Aleksandra; Mijušković, Ana; Spasić, Mihajlo; Paškulin, Roman; Bresjanac, Mara; Blagojević, Duško

    2018-01-01

    Ibogaine is an indole alkaloid originally extracted from the root bark of the African rainforest shrub Tabernanthe iboga . It has been explored as a treatment for substance abuse because it interrupts drug addiction and relieves withdrawal symptoms. However, it has been shown that ibogaine treatment leads to a sharp and transient fall in cellular ATP level followed by an increase of cellular respiration and ROS production. Since contractile tissues are sensitive to changes in the levels of ATP and ROS, here we investigated an ibogaine-mediated link between altered redox homeostasis and uterine contractile activity. We found that low concentrations of ibogaine stimulated contractile activity in spontaneously active uteri, but incremental increase of doses inhibited it. Inhibitory concentrations of ibogaine led to decreased SOD1 and elevated GSH-Px activity, but doses that completely inhibited contractions increased CAT activity. Western blot analyses showed that changes in enzyme activities were not due to elevated enzyme protein concentrations but posttranslational modifications. Changes in antioxidant enzyme activities point to a vast concentration-dependent increase in H 2 O 2 level. Knowing that extracellular ATP stimulates isolated uterus contractility, while H 2 O 2 has an inhibitory effect, this concentration-dependent stimulation/inhibition could be linked to ibogaine-related alterations in ATP level and redox homeostasis.

  12. The Effects of Ibogaine on Uterine Smooth Muscle Contractions: Relation to the Activity of Antioxidant Enzymes

    PubMed Central

    Paškulin, Roman

    2018-01-01

    Ibogaine is an indole alkaloid originally extracted from the root bark of the African rainforest shrub Tabernanthe iboga. It has been explored as a treatment for substance abuse because it interrupts drug addiction and relieves withdrawal symptoms. However, it has been shown that ibogaine treatment leads to a sharp and transient fall in cellular ATP level followed by an increase of cellular respiration and ROS production. Since contractile tissues are sensitive to changes in the levels of ATP and ROS, here we investigated an ibogaine-mediated link between altered redox homeostasis and uterine contractile activity. We found that low concentrations of ibogaine stimulated contractile activity in spontaneously active uteri, but incremental increase of doses inhibited it. Inhibitory concentrations of ibogaine led to decreased SOD1 and elevated GSH-Px activity, but doses that completely inhibited contractions increased CAT activity. Western blot analyses showed that changes in enzyme activities were not due to elevated enzyme protein concentrations but posttranslational modifications. Changes in antioxidant enzyme activities point to a vast concentration-dependent increase in H2O2 level. Knowing that extracellular ATP stimulates isolated uterus contractility, while H2O2 has an inhibitory effect, this concentration-dependent stimulation/inhibition could be linked to ibogaine-related alterations in ATP level and redox homeostasis. PMID:29599898

  13. Trans fatty acids exacerbate dextran sodium sulphate-induced colitis by promoting the up-regulation of macrophage-derived proinflammatory cytokines involved in T helper 17 cell polarization.

    PubMed

    Okada, Y; Tsuzuki, Y; Sato, H; Narimatsu, K; Hokari, R; Kurihara, C; Watanabe, C; Tomita, K; Komoto, S; Kawaguchi, A; Nagao, S; Miura, S

    2013-12-01

    Numerous reports have shown that a diet containing large amounts of trans fatty acids (TFAs) is a major risk factor for metabolic disorders. Although recent studies have shown that TFAs promote intestinal inflammation, the underlying mechanisms are unknown. In this study, we examined the effects of dietary fat containing TFAs on dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced colitis. C57 BL/6 mice were fed a diet containing 1·3% TFAs (mainly C16:1, C18:1, C18:2, C20:1, C20:2 and C22:1), and then colitis was induced with 1·5% DSS. Colonic damage was assessed, and the mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines and major regulators of T cell differentiation were measured. The TFA diet reduced survival and exacerbated histological damage in mice administered DSS compared with those fed a TFA-free diet. The TFA diet significantly elevated interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12p40, IL-23p19 and retinoic acid-related orphan receptor (ROR)γt mRNA levels in the colons of DSS-treated animals. Moreover, IL-17A mRNA levels were elevated significantly by the TFA diet, with or without DSS treatment. We also examined the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells and peritoneal macrophages. These cells were exposed to TFAs (linoelaidic acid or elaidic acid) with or without LPS and the mRNA levels of various cytokines were measured. IL-23p19 mRNA levels were increased significantly by TFAs in the absence of LPS. Cytokine expression was also higher in LPS-stimulated cells exposed to TFAs than in unexposed LPS-stimulated cells. Collectively, our results suggest that TFAs exacerbate colonic inflammation by promoting Th17 polarization and by up-regulating the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in the inflamed colonic mucosa. © 2013 British Society for Immunology.

  14. Growth, Yield, and Nutritional Responses of Chamber-Grown Sweet Potato to Elevated Carbon Dioxide Levels Expected Across the Next 200 Years

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Czeck, B. C.; Jahren, H.; Deenik, J. L.; Crow, S. E.; Schubert, B.; Stewart, M.

    2012-12-01

    Understanding the effects of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations on crops will be critical to assuring that sufficient food is available to the world's growing population. Previous work has shown that slightly elevated CO2 levels (CO2 = 550-700 ppm) increase the economic yield of most crops by ~33%, on average. The majority of these studies have focused on rice, wheat, and soybean; however, climate change is expected to have greatest impact on regions of the world that rely heavily on root crops, such as sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas). Sweet potato is cultivated in more than 100 developing countries; it is ranked seventh in world crop statistics and can produce more edible energy per hectare and per day than wheat, rice or cassava. In order to quantify the effect that rising CO2 levels will have on sweet potato, we grew a total of 64 sweet potato plants to maturity in large controlled growth chambers at ambient, 760, 1,140, and 1,520-ppm CO2 levels. At planting, initial measurements (of mass, length, and number of nodes) for each plant were recorded. Throughout the duration of the experiment (90 days) measurements (of stem length, and number of leaves) were recorded every 7 to 14 days. To ensure optimum growing conditions moisture content was monitored using soil tensiometers; temperature, relative humidity and CO2 concentrations were recorded every ten minutes. Half the plants were supplemented with an inorganic fertilizer and the other half with an organic fertilizer to test the effect of nutrient availability on biomass production under elevated CO2 levels. After 3 months of growth, we measured fresh and dry biomass of all above- and below-ground tissues. Results showed a substantial increase in both above- and below-ground biomass at elevated levels of CO2. For the organic treatment, a 43% increase in aboveground dry biomass at the highest CO2 concentration (1520ppm) was found; the inorganic treatment showed a 31% increase. The belowground response was appreciably greater, with a 61% increase in the organic treatment and 101% increase in the inorganic treatment. We conclude that the belowground response of root crops under elevated CO2 could have a significant impact on the food supply of developing countries as CO2 levels continue to rise. Ongoing work to quantify the nutritional status of both the leaves for animal feed and the tubers for human consumption will add insight into the quality of the enhanced biomass.

  15. Associations between basal cortisol levels and memory retrieval in healthy young individuals.

    PubMed

    Ackermann, Sandra; Hartmann, Francina; Papassotiropoulos, Andreas; de Quervain, Dominique J F; Rasch, Björn

    2013-11-01

    Cortisol is known to affect memory processes. On the one hand, stress-induced or pharmacologically induced elevations of cortisol levels enhance memory consolidation. On the other hand, such experimentally induced elevations of cortisol levels have been shown to impair memory retrieval. However, the effects of individual differences in basal cortisol levels on memory processes remain largely unknown. Here we tested whether individual differences in cortisol levels predict picture learning and recall in a large sample. A total of 1225 healthy young women and men viewed two different sets of emotional and neutral pictures on two consecutive days. Both sets were recalled after a short delay (10 min). On Day 2, the pictures seen on Day 1 were additionally recalled, resulting in a long-delay (20 hr) recall condition. Cortisol levels were measured three times on Days 1 and 2 via saliva samples before encoding, between encoding and recall as well as after recall testing. We show that stronger decreases in cortisol levels during retrieval testing were associated with better recall performance of pictures, regardless of emotional valence of the pictures or length of the retention interval (i.e., 10 min vs. 20 hr). In contrast, average cortisol levels during retrieval were not related to picture recall. Remarkably during encoding, individual differences in average cortisol levels as well as changes in cortisol did not predict memory recall. Our results support previous findings indicating that higher cortisol levels during retrieval testing hinders recall of episodic memories and extend this view onto interindividual changes in basal cortisol levels.

  16. Prostaglandin E(2) stimulates glutamate receptor-dependent astrocyte neuromodulation in cultured hippocampal cells.

    PubMed

    Sanzgiri, R P; Araque, A; Haydon, P G

    1999-11-05

    Recent Ca(2+) imaging studies in cell culture and in situ have shown that Ca(2+) elevations in astrocytes stimulate glutamate release and increase neuronal Ca(2+) levels, and that this astrocyte-neuron signaling can be stimulated by prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)). We investigated the electrophysiological consequences of the PGE(2)-mediated astrocyte-neuron signaling using whole-cell recordings on cultured rat hippocampal cells. Focal application of PGE(2) to astrocytes evoked a Ca(2+) elevation in the stimulated cell by mobilizing internal Ca(2+) stores, which further propagated as a Ca(2+) wave to neighboring astrocytes. Whole-cell recordings from neurons revealed that PGE(2) evoked a slow inward current in neurons adjacent to astrocytes. This neuronal response required the presence of an astrocyte Ca(2+) wave and was mediated through both N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and non-NMDA glutamate receptors. Taken together with previous studies, these data demonstrate that PGE(2)-evoked Ca(2+) elevations in astrocyte cause the release of glutamate which activates neuronal ionotropic receptors. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  17. Duration of rise in free fatty acids determines salicylate's effect on hepatic insulin sensitivity

    PubMed Central

    Pereira, Sandra; Yu, Wen Qin; Frigolet, María E; Beaudry, Jacqueline L; Shpilberg, Yaniv; Park, Edward; Dirlea, Cristina; Nyomba, B L Grégoire; Riddell, Michael C; Fantus, I George; Giacca, Adria

    2013-01-01

    We have shown in rats that sodium salicylate (SS), which inhibits IkBa kinase B (IKKB), prevents hepatic and peripheral insulin resistance caused by short-term (7 h) i.v. administration of Intralipid and heparin (IH). We wished to further determine whether this beneficial effect of SS persisted after prolonged (48 h) IH infusion, which better mimics the chronic free fatty acid (FFA) elevation of obesity. Hence, we performed hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamps with tritiated glucose methodology to determine hepatic and peripheral insulin sensitivity in rats infused with saline, IH, IH and SS, or SS alone. SS prevented peripheral insulin resistance (P<0.05) caused by prolonged plasma FFA elevation; however, it did not prevent hepatic insulin resistance. In skeletal muscle, protein levels of phospho-IkBa were augmented by prolonged IH administration and this was prevented by SS, suggesting that IH activates while SS prevents the activation of IKKB. Markers of IKKB activation, namely protein levels of phospho-IkBa and IkBa, indicated that IKKB is not activated in the liver after prolonged FFA elevation. Phosphorylation of serine 307 at insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1, which is a marker of proximal insulin resistance, was not altered by IH administration in the liver, suggesting that this is not a site of hepatic insulin resistance in the prolonged lipid infusion model. Our results suggest that the role of IKKB in fat-induced insulin resistance is time and tissue dependent and that hepatic insulin resistance induced by prolonged lipid elevation is not due to an IRS-1 serine 307 kinase. PMID:23328071

  18. Discrimination, Psychosocial Stress, and Health among Latin American Immigrants in Oregon

    PubMed Central

    McClure, Heather H.; Snodgrass, J. Josh; Martinez, Charles R.; Eddy, J. Mark; Jiménez, Roberto A.; Isiordia, Laura E.

    2009-01-01

    Chronic psychosocial stress related to discrimination has been shown to be associated with biological measures such as elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP), increased body fat, and higher fasting glucose levels. Few studies have examined this relationship in immigrant populations. The present study recruited a sample of 132 Oregon Latino immigrant adults in order to investigate the relationships between perceived discrimination and several health measures (blood pressure, body mass index [BMI], and fasting glucose). Results indicate that perceived discrimination stress predicted elevated SBP among men but not among women. Perceived discrimination was significantly higher among obese women than among women of normal BMI. The same pattern was not observed for men. Further, a strong trend relationship was detected: the higher women’s reported discrimination stress, the higher their fasting glucose levels. Again, this pattern was not observed for men. These results suggest that chronic psychosocial stress plays an important role in disease risk among Latin American immigrants, and that male and female immigrants may have distinctive physiological responses. If confirmed, these findings may have important clinical and public health implications for chronic disease prevention among Latinos. PMID:19844904

  19. Factors determining extreme brain natriuretic peptide elevation.

    PubMed

    Guglin, Maya; Hourani, Rayan; Pitta, Sridevi

    2007-01-01

    Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level is elevated in heart failure and reflects its severity. It is unknown why some patients have extremely high BNP levels. The authors retrospectively reviewed data on 179 consecutive patients whose BNP levels fell within one of several predetermined ranges: mild elevation, 500 to 1000 pg/mL (n=82); moderate elevation, 2000 to 3000 pg/mL (n=48); and high elevation, 4000 to 20,000 pg/mL (n=49). The statistical analysis was conducted with the unpaired t test and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Adjustments were made for age, sex, and serum creatinine level. Patients with moderate BNP elevation were more symptomatic and had more advanced structural and hemodynamic changes than did patients with lower BNP elevation. Characteristics of the high BNP level group did not differ from those of the moderate BNP level group. Serum creatinine level correlated with BNP level, but neither age nor sex did. High BNP level (4000-20,000 pg/mL) is determined more by renal dysfunction than by the severity of heart failure.

  20. [Analysis of the binding capacity of the benzodiazepine site of gabaa receptor in mice C57BL/6 and BALB/C pretreated with anxiolytics].

    PubMed

    Iarkova, M A

    2011-01-01

    The level of specific 3H-flunitrazepam binding in synaptosomal membranes of C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice brain underwent to the stress of different types has been studied. Mild stress (Elevated Plus Maze) was shown to induce the decrease of benzodiazepine binding in BALB/c mice only, while the strong one (Exposure to a predator) was revealed to cause this decrease in both strains. Behavioral effects of different non-benzodiazepine drugs possessing anxiolytic properties (Afobazol, Ladasten and Noopept) was accompanied with the normalization of the level of benzodiazepine reception, reduced by the stress of both modalities.

  1. Overproduction and nucleotide sequence of the respiratory D-lactate dehydrogenase of Escherichia coli.

    PubMed Central

    Rule, G S; Pratt, E A; Chin, C C; Wold, F; Ho, C

    1985-01-01

    Recombinant DNA plasmids containing the gene for the membrane-bound D-lactate dehydrogenase (D-LDH) of Escherichia coli linked to the promoter PL from lambda were constructed. After induction, the levels of D-LDH were elevated 300-fold over that of the wild type and amounted to 35% of the total cellular protein. The nucleotide sequence of the D-LDH gene was determined and shown to agree with the amino acid composition and the amino-terminal sequence of the purified enzyme. Removal of the amino-terminal formyl-Met from D-LDH was not inhibited in cells which contained these high levels of D-LDH. Images PMID:3882663

  2. Detection of increased choline compounds with proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy subsequent to malignant transformation of human prostatic epithelial cells.

    PubMed

    Ackerstaff, E; Pflug, B R; Nelson, J B; Bhujwalla, Z M

    2001-05-01

    In this study, a panel of normal human prostate cells (HPCs) and tumor cells derived from metastases were studied by (1)H NMR spectroscopy to determine whether the malignant transformation of HPCs results in the elevation of choline compounds. Although an elevated choline signal has been observed previously in clinical studies, the contribution of the different Cho compounds to this elevation, as well as their quantification, has not been established until now. Here we have shown that HPCs derived from metastases exhibit significantly higher phosphocholine as well as glycerophosphocholine levels compared with normal prostate epithelial and stromal cells. Thus the elevation of the choline peak observed clinically in prostate cancer is attributable to an alteration of phospholipid metabolism and not simply to increased cell density, doubling time, or other nonspecific effects. Androgen deprivation of the androgen receptor-positive cell lines resulted in a significant increase of choline compounds after chronic androgen deprivation of the LNCaP cell line and in a decrease of choline compounds after a more acute androgen deprivation of the LAPC-4 cell line. These data strongly support the use of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging to detect the presence of prostate cancer for diagnosis, to detect response subsequent to androgen ablation therapy, and to detect recurrence.

  3. Excess adenosine in murine penile erectile tissues contributes to priapism via A2B adenosine receptor signaling

    PubMed Central

    Mi, Tiejuan; Abbasi, Shahrzad; Zhang, Hong; Uray, Karen; Chunn, Janci L.; Xia, Ling Wei; Molina, Jose G.; Weisbrodt, Norman W.; Kellems, Rodney E.; Blackburn, Michael R.; Xia, Yang

    2008-01-01

    Priapism, abnormally prolonged penile erection in the absence of sexual excitation, is associated with ischemia-mediated erectile tissue damage and subsequent erectile dysfunction. It is common among males with sickle cell disease (SCD), and SCD transgenic mice are an accepted model of the disorder. Current strategies to manage priapism suffer from a poor fundamental understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the disorder. Here we report that mice lacking adenosine deaminase (ADA), an enzyme necessary for the breakdown of adenosine, displayed unexpected priapic activity. ADA enzyme therapy successfully corrected the priapic activity both in vivo and in vitro, suggesting that it was dependent on elevated adenosine levels. Further genetic and pharmacologic evidence demonstrated that A2B adenosine receptor–mediated (A2BR-mediated) cAMP and cGMP induction was required for elevated adenosine–induced prolonged penile erection. Finally, priapic activity in SCD transgenic mice was also caused by elevated adenosine levels and A2BR activation. Thus, we have shown that excessive adenosine accumulation in the penis contributes to priapism through increased A2BR signaling in both Ada–/– and SCD transgenic mice. These findings provide insight regarding the molecular basis of priapism and suggest that strategies to either reduce adenosine or block A2BR activation may prove beneficial in the treatment of this disorder. PMID:18340377

  4. Liver enzymes and histology in obese patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

    PubMed

    Kallwitz, Eric R; Herdegen, James; Madura, James; Jakate, Shriram; Cotler, Scott J

    2007-01-01

    Recent studies have shown an association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and elevated liver enzymes in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim of the current study was to compare biochemical and histologic findings in patients with NAFLD as a function of OSA status. Subjects consisted of 85 patients who had a sleep study followed by a liver biopsy performed at the time of obesity surgery. The diagnosis of OSA was based on an apnea hypopnea index of >/=15. Demographic and laboratory data were collected retrospectively. Liver biopsies were systematically evaluated for features of NAFLD including degree of steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. All but one patient had histologic evidence of NAFLD and 51% of the study population had OSA. A higher proportion of patients with OSA had elevated alanine aminotransferase levels (13/39) compared with those without OSA (3/34) (P=0.01). Only 19% of subjects had fibrosis on liver biopsy and still fewer (5%) had bridging fibrosis or cirrhosis. There was a trend toward a higher prevalence of OSA in patients with evidence of progressive liver disease, as indicated by inflammation plus fibrosis (11/15), compared with those with inflammation alone (22/48) (P=0.06). In obese patients with NAFLD, OSA was associated with elevated alanine aminotransferase levels and a trend toward histologic evidence of progressive liver disease.

  5. Prolonged fasting impairs neural reactivity to visual stimulation.

    PubMed

    Kohn, N; Wassenberg, A; Toygar, T; Kellermann, T; Weidenfeld, C; Berthold-Losleben, M; Chechko, N; Orfanos, S; Vocke, S; Laoutidis, Z G; Schneider, F; Karges, W; Habel, U

    2016-01-01

    Previous literature has shown that hypoglycemia influences the intensity of the BOLD signal. A similar but smaller effect may also be elicited by low normal blood glucose levels in healthy individuals. This may not only confound the BOLD signal measured in fMRI, but also more generally interact with cognitive processing, and thus indirectly influence fMRI results. Here we show in a placebo-controlled, crossover, double-blind study on 40 healthy subjects, that overnight fasting and low normal levels of glucose contrasted to an activated, elevated glucose condition have an impact on brain activation during basal visual stimulation. Additionally, functional connectivity of the visual cortex shows a strengthened association with higher-order attention-related brain areas in an elevated blood glucose condition compared to the fasting condition. In a fasting state visual brain areas show stronger coupling to the inferior temporal gyrus. Results demonstrate that prolonged overnight fasting leads to a diminished BOLD signal in higher-order occipital processing areas when compared to an elevated blood glucose condition. Additionally, functional connectivity patterns underscore the modulatory influence of fasting on visual brain networks. Patterns of brain activation and functional connectivity associated with a broad range of attentional processes are affected by maturation and aging and associated with psychiatric disease and intoxication. Thus, we conclude that prolonged fasting may decrease fMRI design sensitivity in any task involving attentional processes when fasting status or blood glucose is not controlled.

  6. Impairment of TrkB-PSD-95 Signaling in Angelman Syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Cao, Cong; Rioult-Pedotti, Mengia S.; Migani, Paolo; Yu, Crystal J.; Tiwari, Rakesh; Parang, Keykavous; Spaller, Mark R.; Goebel, Dennis J.; Marshall, John

    2013-01-01

    Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopment disorder characterized by severe cognitive impairment and a high rate of autism. AS is caused by disrupted neuronal expression of the maternally inherited Ube3A ubiquitin protein ligase, required for the proteasomal degradation of proteins implicated in synaptic plasticity, such as the activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated protein (Arc/Arg3.1). Mice deficient in maternal Ube3A express elevated levels of Arc in response to synaptic activity, which coincides with severely impaired long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus and deficits in learning behaviors. In this study, we sought to test whether elevated levels of Arc interfere with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) TrkB receptor signaling, which is known to be essential for both the induction and maintenance of LTP. We report that TrkB signaling in the AS mouse is defective, and show that reduction of Arc expression to control levels rescues the signaling deficits. Moreover, the association of the postsynaptic density protein PSD-95 with TrkB is critical for intact BDNF signaling, and elevated levels of Arc were found to impede PSD-95/TrkB association. In Ube3A deficient mice, the BDNF-induced recruitment of PSD-95, as well as PLCγ and Grb2-associated binder 1 (Gab1) with TrkB receptors was attenuated, resulting in reduced activation of PLCγ-α-calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and PI3K-Akt, but leaving the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) pathway intact. A bridged cyclic peptide (CN2097), shown by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies to uniquely bind the PDZ1 domain of PSD-95 with high affinity, decreased the interaction of Arc with PSD-95 to restore BDNF-induced TrkB/PSD-95 complex formation, signaling, and facilitate the induction of LTP in AS mice. We propose that the failure of TrkB receptor signaling at synapses in AS is directly linked to elevated levels of Arc associated with PSD-95 and PSD-95 PDZ-ligands may represent a promising approach to reverse cognitive dysfunction. PMID:23424281

  7. Impairment of TrkB-PSD-95 signaling in Angelman syndrome.

    PubMed

    Cao, Cong; Rioult-Pedotti, Mengia S; Migani, Paolo; Yu, Crystal J; Tiwari, Rakesh; Parang, Keykavous; Spaller, Mark R; Goebel, Dennis J; Marshall, John

    2013-01-01

    Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopment disorder characterized by severe cognitive impairment and a high rate of autism. AS is caused by disrupted neuronal expression of the maternally inherited Ube3A ubiquitin protein ligase, required for the proteasomal degradation of proteins implicated in synaptic plasticity, such as the activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated protein (Arc/Arg3.1). Mice deficient in maternal Ube3A express elevated levels of Arc in response to synaptic activity, which coincides with severely impaired long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus and deficits in learning behaviors. In this study, we sought to test whether elevated levels of Arc interfere with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) TrkB receptor signaling, which is known to be essential for both the induction and maintenance of LTP. We report that TrkB signaling in the AS mouse is defective, and show that reduction of Arc expression to control levels rescues the signaling deficits. Moreover, the association of the postsynaptic density protein PSD-95 with TrkB is critical for intact BDNF signaling, and elevated levels of Arc were found to impede PSD-95/TrkB association. In Ube3A deficient mice, the BDNF-induced recruitment of PSD-95, as well as PLCγ and Grb2-associated binder 1 (Gab1) with TrkB receptors was attenuated, resulting in reduced activation of PLCγ-α-calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and PI3K-Akt, but leaving the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) pathway intact. A bridged cyclic peptide (CN2097), shown by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies to uniquely bind the PDZ1 domain of PSD-95 with high affinity, decreased the interaction of Arc with PSD-95 to restore BDNF-induced TrkB/PSD-95 complex formation, signaling, and facilitate the induction of LTP in AS mice. We propose that the failure of TrkB receptor signaling at synapses in AS is directly linked to elevated levels of Arc associated with PSD-95 and PSD-95 PDZ-ligands may represent a promising approach to reverse cognitive dysfunction.

  8. Mean Cancer Mortality Rates in Low Versus High Elevation Counties in Texas

    PubMed Central

    Hart, John

    2010-01-01

    There is controversy as to whether low levels of radiation (i.e., < 5 rem) pose a health risk. This brief inquiry compares archived cancer mortality data in counties having relatively low (0–250 feet above sea level), medium (500–1000 feet above sea level), and high (3000+ feet above sea level) elevations also having corresponding greater natural background levels of radiation respectively. Cancer mortality was found to be lowest in the high elevation counties (mean = 58.2) followed by low elevation counties (67.5) and then medium elevation counties (70.4). Statistically significant differences were found between low –high elevations (p = 0.003), and medium – high elevations (p = 0.010), but not between low and medium elevations (p = 0.5). More rigorous research, with an accounting of confounding variables, is indicated. PMID:21191484

  9. High sensitive C-reactive protein and the risk of acute kidney injury among ST elevation myocardial infarction patients undergoing primary percutaneous intervention.

    PubMed

    Shacham, Yacov; Leshem-Rubinow, Eran; Steinvil, Arie; Keren, Gad; Roth, Arie; Arbel, Yaron

    2015-10-01

    Elevated periprocedural high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) was shown to be associated with an increased risk for acute kidney injury (AKI) in non-myocardial infarction (MI) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), however, no information to date is present regarding its predicting role for AKI in MI patients. We evaluated whether admission serum hs-CRP levels may predict risk of AKI among ST elevation MI (STEMI) patients undergoing primary PCI. Five hundred and sixty-two patients that were admitted with STEMI and treated with primary PCI were included in the study. Serum hs-CRP levels were determined from blood samples taken prior to PCI. Patients' medical records were reviewed for occurrence of AKI, in-hospital complications and 30 days mortality. Mean age was 62 ± 16 and 455 (80 %) were males. Patients were divided into two groups, according to their admission hs-CRP values: group 1: hs-CRP ≤9 mg/l (n = 394) and group 2: hs-CRP >9 mg/l (n = 168). Patients with hs-CRP >9 mg/l had significantly higher rate of AKI following PCI (17 vs. 6 %; p < 0.001), more in-hospital complications and higher30 -day mortality rate (11 vs. 1 %; p = 0.02). In a multivariable logistic regression model admission hs-CRP level >9 mg/l was an independent predictor for AKI (OR 2.7, 95 % CI: 1.39-5.29; p = 0.001) and a strong trend for 30 day mortality (OR 4.27, 95 % CI: 0.875-21.10; p = 0.07). Admission serum hs-CRP level >9 mg/l is an independent predictor for AKI following primary PCI in STEMI patients.

  10. Dietary silymarin supplementation promotes growth performance and improves lipid metabolism and health status in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) fed diets with elevated lipid levels.

    PubMed

    Xiao, Peizhen; Ji, Hong; Ye, Yuantu; Zhang, Baotong; Chen, Yongsheng; Tian, Jingjing; Liu, Pin; Chen, Liqiao; Du, Zhenyu

    2017-02-01

    This study was carried out to evaluate whether silymarin supplementation influences growth, lipid metabolism, and health status in grass carp fed elevated dietary lipid levels. The juvenile fish (27.43 ± 0.17 g/tail) were fed six isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets in a factorial design containing 0, 100, or 200 mg kg -1 silymarin (SM0, SM100, SM200) associated with either 4 or 8 % lipid level (low lipid, LL, and high lipid, HL, respectively) for 82 days. The results showed that both dietary silymarin supplementation and high lipid level significantly enhanced growth performance (WG, SGR), protein efficiency ratio, and feed utilization. Silymarin supplementation significantly reduced the VSI, hepatic lipid content, and the total bilirubin concentration in the serum. The gallbladdersomatic index displayed higher in the SM100 groups than SM200 groups. Serum total cholesterol content exhibited lower in the SM100 groups than SM0 groups. Meanwhile, significant interactions were shown for hepatic gene expression of HSL and CPT1 by two factors, and SM100 group had higher hepatic gene expression of HSL and CPT1 in fish fed with the HL diets. The SM100 groups up-regulated hepatic gene expressions of HMGCR and CYP7A1 compared with the SM0 groups. Silymarin supplementation notably reduced the elevated serum MDA content induced by HL treatments. Thus, silymarin supplementation markedly promoted growth and protein efficiency, suppressed lipid accumulation, and improved health status in grass carp fed with high-lipid diets, which might be associated with its enhancement of lipolysis and β-oxidation, antioxidant capacity.

  11. Studying neuroprotective effect of Atorvastatin as a small molecule drug on high glucose-induced neurotoxicity in undifferentiated PC12 cells: role of NADPH oxidase.

    PubMed

    Rayegan, Samira; Dehpour, Ahmad Reza; Sharifi, Ali Mohammad

    2017-02-01

    Overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by NADPH oxidase (NOX) activation has been considered the essential mechanism induced by hyperglycemia in various tissues. However, there is no comprehensive study on the role of NOXs in high glucose (HG)-induced toxic effect in neural tissues. Recently, a therapeutic strategy in oxidative related pathologies has been introduced by blocking the undesirable actions of NOX enzymes by small molecules. The protective roles of Statins in ameliorating oxidative stress by NOX inhibition have been shown in some tissues except neural. We hypothesized then, that different NOXs may have role in HG-induced neural cell injury. Furthermore, we postulate that Atorvastatin as a small molecule may modulate this NOXs activity to protect neural cells. Undifferentiated PC12 cells were treated with HG (140 mM/24 h) in the presence and absence of Atorvastatin (1 μM/96 h). The cell viability was measured by MTT assay and the gene and protein expressions profile of NOX (1-4) were determined by RT-PCR and western blotting, respectively. Levels of ROS and malondialdehyde (MDA) were also evaluated. Gene and protein expression levels of NOX (1-4) and consequently ROS and MDA levels were elevated in HG-treated PC12 cells. Atorvastatin could significantly decrease HG-induced NOXs, ROS and MDA elevation and improve impaired cell viability. It can be concluded that HG could elevate NOXs activity, ROS and MDA levels in neural tissues and Atorvastatin as a small molecule NOX inhibitor drug may prevent and delay diabetic complications, particularly neuropathy.

  12. Water resources data for Pennsylvania, water year 1996. Volume 2. Susquehanna and Potomac River basins. Water-data report (Annual), 1 October 1995-30 September 1996

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

    Durlin, R.R.; Schaffstall, W.P.

    1997-07-01

    This report, Volume, 2, contains (1) discharge records for 81 continuous-record streamflow-gaging stations, 16 partial-record stations, and 20 special study and miscellaneous streamflow sites; (2) elevation and contents records for 12 lakes and reservoirs; (3) water-quality records for 7 gaging stations and 46 ungaged stream sites; and (4) water-level records for 30 ground-water network observation wells. Site locations are shown in figures throughout the report.

  13. Laboratory Model 50 kW Hall Thruster

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Manzella, David; Jankovsky, Robert; Hofer, Richard

    2002-01-01

    A 0.46 meter diameter Hall thruster was fabricated and performance tested at powers up to 72 kilowatts. Thrusts up to 2.9 Newtons were measured. Discharge specific impulses ranged from 1750 to 3250 seconds with discharge efficiencies between 46 and 65 percent. Overall specific impulses ranged from 1550 to 3050 seconds with overall efficiencies between 40 and 57 percent. Performance data indicated significant fraction of multiple-charged ions during operation at elevated power levels. Cathode mass flow rate was shown to be a significant parameter with regard to thruster efficiency.

  14. USGS Maps

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    ,

    1994-01-01

    Most USGS topographic maps use brown contours to show the shape and elevation of the terrain. Elevations are usually shown in feet, but on some maps they are in meters. Contour intervals vary, depending mainly on the scale of the map and the type of terrain.

  15. Association of CA 15-3 and CEA with clinicopathological parameters in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Geng, Biao; Liang, Man-Man; Ye, Xiao-Bing; Zhao, Wen-Ying

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate the association of serum cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels with clinicopathological parameters in patients diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of 284 patients diagnosed with MBC between January, 2007 and December, 2012 who fulfilled the specified criteria and the association between the levels of the two tumor marker and clinicopathological parameters was analyzed. Of the 284 patients, elevated CA 15-3 and CEA levels at initial diagnosis of recurrence were identified in 163 (57.4%) and 97 (34.2%) patients, respectively. Elevated CA 15-3 and CEA levels were significantly associated with breast cancer molecular subtypes (P<0.001 and P=0.032, respectively). Cases with luminal subtypes exhibited a higher percentage of elevated CA 15-3 and CEA levels compared to non-luminal subtypes. Elevated CA 15-3 level was correlated with bone metastasis (P=0.017). However, elevation of CEA was observed regardless of the site of metastasis. Elevation of CA 15-3 was significantly more common in MBC with multiple metastatic sites compared to MBC with a single metastasis (P=0.001). However, the incidence of elevated CEA levels did not differ between patients with a single and those with multiple metastatic sites. In conclusion, elevated CA 15-3 and CEA levels at initial diagnosis of recurrence were found to be associated with breast cancer molecular subtypes, whereas an elevated CA 15-3 level was significantly correlated with bone metastasis and an elevated CEA level was observed regardless of metastatic site. The proportion of MBC cases with elevated CA 15-3 levels differed according to the number of metastatic sites.

  16. Recent developments in the Sandia Laboratories' sewage sludge irradiation program

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

    Sivinski, H.D.; Brandon, J.R.; Morris, M.E.

    1977-11-01

    Pathogen reduction studies have shown that a 1 Mrad treatment (or less at elevated temperatures) is very effective in eliminating pathogenic bacteria and viable parasite ova in liquid sludges. Heat is effective in reducing levels not only of pathogenic bacteria and Ascaris ova, but viruses as well. Ammonia has been shown to be virucidal to poliovirus and several other enteric viruses. Sludge processing costs are seen to be marginally competitive with heat treatment for liquid sludges and relatively economical for composted or dried sludges. Physical/chemical effects studies have shown that the effects of irradiation of sludges on dewatering properties aremore » not significant when compared to polymers, nor is the combined effect synergistic. Dried, irradiated undigested sludge has been shown to be of significant nutritional value when used as a feed supplement for sheep and cattle, as well as in agronomic uses. No significant harmful effects have been demonstrated in the feeding program thus far. Product enhancement studies are currently under way, including schemes for removing nitrogen from effluent streams for addition as ammonium salts to sludges.« less

  17. Elevated carboxyhemoglobin in a marine mammal, the northern elephant seal

    PubMed Central

    Tift, Michael S.; Ponganis, Paul J.; Crocker, Daniel E.

    2014-01-01

    Low concentrations of endogenous carbon monoxide (CO), generated primarily through degradation of heme from heme-proteins, have been shown to maintain physiological function of organs and to exert cytoprotective effects. However, high concentrations of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb), formed by CO binding to hemoglobin, potentially prevent adequate O2 delivery to tissues by lowering arterial O2 content. Elevated heme-protein concentrations, as found in marine mammals, are likely associated with greater heme degradation, more endogenous CO production and, consequently, elevated COHb concentrations. Therefore, we measured COHb in elephant seals, a species with large blood volumes and elevated hemoglobin and myoglobin concentrations. The levels of COHb were positively related to the total hemoglobin concentration. The maximum COHb value was 10.4% of total hemoglobin concentration. The mean (±s.e.m.) value in adult seals was 8.7±0.3% (N=6), while juveniles and pups (with lower heme-protein contents) had lower mean COHb values of 7.6±0.2% and 7.1±0.3%, respectively (N=9 and N=9, respectively). Serial samples over several hours revealed little to no fluctuation in COHb values. This consistent elevation in COHb suggests that the magnitude and/or rate of heme-protein turnover is much higher than in terrestrial mammals. The maximum COHb values from this study decrease total body O2 stores by 7%, thereby reducing the calculated aerobic dive limit for this species. However, the constant presence of elevated CO in blood may also protect against potential ischemia–reperfusion injury associated with the extreme breath-holds of elephant seals. We suggest the elephant seal represents an ideal model for understanding the potential cytoprotective effects, mechanisms of action and evolutionary adaptation associated with chronically elevated concentrations of endogenously produced CO. PMID:24829326

  18. Elevated carboxyhemoglobin in a marine mammal, the northern elephant seal.

    PubMed

    Tift, Michael S; Ponganis, Paul J; Crocker, Daniel E

    2014-05-15

    Low concentrations of endogenous carbon monoxide (CO), generated primarily through degradation of heme from heme-proteins, have been shown to maintain physiological function of organs and to exert cytoprotective effects. However, high concentrations of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb), formed by CO binding to hemoglobin, potentially prevent adequate O2 delivery to tissues by lowering arterial O2 content. Elevated heme-protein concentrations, as found in marine mammals, are likely associated with greater heme degradation, more endogenous CO production and, consequently, elevated COHb concentrations. Therefore, we measured COHb in elephant seals, a species with large blood volumes and elevated hemoglobin and myoglobin concentrations. The levels of COHb were positively related to the total hemoglobin concentration. The maximum COHb value was 10.4% of total hemoglobin concentration. The mean (± s.e.m.) value in adult seals was 8.7 ± 0.3% (N=6), while juveniles and pups (with lower heme-protein contents) had lower mean COHb values of 7.6 ± 0.2% and 7.1 ± 0.3%, respectively (N=9 and N=9, respectively). Serial samples over several hours revealed little to no fluctuation in COHb values. This consistent elevation in COHb suggests that the magnitude and/or rate of heme-protein turnover is much higher than in terrestrial mammals. The maximum COHb values from this study decrease total body O2 stores by 7%, thereby reducing the calculated aerobic dive limit for this species. However, the constant presence of elevated CO in blood may also protect against potential ischemia-reperfusion injury associated with the extreme breath-holds of elephant seals. We suggest the elephant seal represents an ideal model for understanding the potential cytoprotective effects, mechanisms of action and evolutionary adaptation associated with chronically elevated concentrations of endogenously produced CO. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  19. Changes in host-parasitoid food web structure with elevation.

    PubMed

    Maunsell, Sarah C; Kitching, Roger L; Burwell, Chris J; Morris, Rebecca J

    2015-03-01

    Gradients in elevation are increasingly used to investigate how species respond to changes in local climatic conditions. Whilst many studies have shown elevational patterns in species richness and turnover, little is known about how food web structure is affected by elevation. Contrasting responses of predator and prey species to elevation may lead to changes in food web structure. We investigated how the quantitative structure of a herbivore-parasitoid food web changes with elevation in an Australian subtropical rain forest. On four occasions, spread over 1 year, we hand-collected leaf miners at twelve sites, along three elevational gradients (between 493 m and 1159 m a.s.l). A total of 5030 insects, including 603 parasitoids, were reared, and summary food webs were created for each site. We also carried out a replicated manipulative experiment by translocating an abundant leaf-mining weevil Platynotocis sp., which largely escaped parasitism at high elevations (≥ 900 m a.s.l.), to lower, warmer elevations, to test if it would experience higher parasitism pressure. We found strong evidence that the environmental change that occurs with increasing elevation affects food web structure. Quantitative measures of generality, vulnerability and interaction evenness decreased significantly with increasing elevation (and decreasing temperature), whilst elevation did not have a significant effect on connectance. Mined plant composition also had a significant effect on generality and vulnerability, but not on interaction evenness. Several relatively abundant species of leaf miner appeared to escape parasitism at higher elevations, but contrary to our prediction, Platynotocis sp. did not experience greater levels of parasitism when translocated to lower elevations. Our study indicates that leaf-mining herbivores and their parasitoids respond differently to environmental conditions imposed by elevation, thus producing structural changes in their food webs. Increasing temperatures and changes in vegetation communities that are likely to result from climate change may have a restructuring effect on host-parasitoid food webs. Our translocation experiment, however, indicated that leaf miners currently escaping parasitism at high elevations may not automatically experience higher parasitism under warmer conditions and future changes in food web structure may depend on the ability of parasitoids to adapt to novel hosts. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2014 British Ecological Society.

  20. A new method of applying a controlled soil water stress, and its effect on the growth of cotton and soybean seedlings at ambient and elevated carbon dioxide

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    While numerous studies have shown that elevated carbon dioxide can delay soil water depletion by causing partial stomatal closure, few studies have compared responses of plant growth to the same soil water deficits imposed at ambient and elevated carbon dioxide. We applied a vacuum to ceramic cups ...

  1. 7. (Second sheet of a twosheet set entitled 'Kongensgade 5154') ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    7. (Second sheet of a two-sheet set entitled 'Kongensgade 51-54') KONGENSGADE (FRONT) ELEVATIONS OF KONGENSGADE 53 (only part of this elevation shown, for full elevation overlap with complementary photograph VI-50-6), & KONGENSGADE 54 (LEFT TO RIGHT) - King Street Area Study, Kongensgade 5-18, 36, 37B, 51-58 (Houses), 5-18, 36-37B, 51-58 King Street, Frederiksted, St. Croix, VI

  2. Cystatin C a marker for renal function after exercise.

    PubMed

    Mingels, A; Jacobs, L; Kleijnen, V; Wodzig, W; Dieijen-Visser, M van

    2009-09-01

    Renal impairment is common during and after severe exercise. In clinical practice, renal function is evaluated using serum creatinine, urine parameters, and equations to estimate the Glomular Filtration Rate (GFR). However, creatinine levels may be biased by skeletal muscle damage and the GFR equations, requiring age, gender and body weight, are shown to be inadequate in normals. In the present study, we show that serum cystatin C and creatinine concentrations were elevated after marathon running in 26% and 46% of the 70 recreational male runners, respectively, possibly because of reduction in renal blood flow. The mean cystatin C increase was twice as low as compared to creatinine (21% and 41%, respectively), suggesting that cystatin C is indeed less biased by muscle damage. Future research has to reveal whether training diminishes the elevation in renal markers. Overall, cystatin C seems a more reliable method to establish renal function during and after extensive exercise. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart.

  3. Transcranial laser stimulation as neuroenhancement for attention bias modification in adults with elevated depression symptoms

    PubMed Central

    Disner, Seth G.; Beevers, Christopher G.; Gonzalez-Lima, Francisco

    2016-01-01

    Background Low-level light therapy (LLLT) with transcranial laser is a non-invasive form of neuroenhancement shown to regulate neuronal metabolism and cognition. Attention bias modification (ABM) is a cognitive intervention designed to improve depression by decreasing negative attentional bias, but to date its efficacy has been inconclusive. Adjunctive neuroenhancement to augment clinical effectiveness has shown promise, particularly for individuals who respond positively to the primary intervention. Objective/Hypothesis This randomized, sham-controlled proof-of-principle study is the first to test the hypothesis that augmentative LLLT will improve the effects of ABM among adults with elevated symptoms of depression. Methods Fifty-one adult participants with elevated symptoms of depression received ABM before and after laser stimulation and were randomized to one of three conditions: right forehead, left forehead, or sham. Participants repeated LLLT two days later and were assessed for depression symptoms one and two weeks later. Results A significant three-way interaction between LLLT condition, ABM response, and time indicated that right LLLT led to greater symptom improvement among participants whose attention was responsive to ABM (i.e., attention was directed away from negative stimuli). Minimal change in depression was observed in the left and sham LLLT. Conclusions The beneficial effects of ABM on depression symptoms may be enhanced when paired with adjunctive interventions such as right prefrontal LLLT; however, cognitive response to ABM likely moderates the impact of neuroenhancement. The results suggest that larger clinical trials examining the efficacy of using photoneuromodulation to augment cognitive training are warranted. PMID:27267860

  4. The influence of phosphate, calcium and magnesium on matrix Gla-protein and vascular calcification: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Houben, E; Neradova, A; Schurgers, L J; Vervloet, Marc

    2016-01-01

    Vitamin K-dependent matrix Gla protein (MGP) is a key inhibitor of vascular calcification (VC). MGP is synthesized by chondrocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and the absence or inactivity of MGP results in excessive calcification of both growth plate and vasculature. Apart from its vitamin K dependency little is known about other factors that influence MGP metabolism. Phosphate, calcium and magnesium are involved in bone mineralization and play an important role in VC. In this review we provide a summary of the effect of phosphate, calcium, and magnesium on MGP metabolism. Elevated phosphate and calcium levels promote VC, in part by increasing the release of matrix vesicles (MV) that under the influence of calcium and phosphate become calcification competent. Phosphate and calcium simultaneously induce an upregulation of MGP protein and gene expression, which possibly inhibits calcification. Elevated phosphate levels did not change MGP protein levels in MV. On the contrary, elevated calcium concentrations caused a decrease of MGPloading in MV, which might in part explainthe calcifying effects of MV. Magnesium is a known inhibitor of VC. However, magnesium has been shown to have an inhibitory effect on MGP synthesis induced through downregulation of the calcium-sensing receptor and hereby causing a decrease in calcium induced MGP upregulation. There might also be stimulatory effect of magnesium on MGP in which the TRPM7 channel is involved. In conclusion there is a clear interaction between MGP and phosphate, calcium and magnesium. The upregulation of MGP by phosphate and calcium might be a cellular response that possibly results in the mitigation of VC.

  5. The effects of administration of monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors on rat striatal neurone responses to dopamine.

    PubMed Central

    Berry, M D; Scarr, E; Zhu, M Y; Paterson, I A; Juorio, A V

    1994-01-01

    1. (-)-Deprenyl has been shown to potentiate rat striatal neurone responses to dopamine agonists at doses not altering dopamine metabolism. Since there are a number of effects of (-)-deprenyl which could result in this phenomenon, we have investigated the effects of MDL 72,145 and Ro 19-6327, whose only common effect with (-)-deprenyl is an inhibition of monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B), on rat striatal neurone responses to dopamine and on striatal dopamine metabolism. 2. Using in vivo electrophysiology, i.p. injection of either MDL 72,145 or Ro 19-6327 was found to produce a dose-dependent potentiation of striatal neurone responses to dopamine but not gamma-aminobutyric acid. 3. Neurochemical investigations revealed that this occurred at doses (0.25-1 mg kg-1) which, while not affecting levels of dopamine or its metabolites, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid or homovanillic acid, did cause a significant, dose-dependent, elevation in striatal levels of the putative neuromodulator, 2-phenylethylamine (PE). 4. Inhibition of PE synthesis by i.p. injection of the aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase inhibitor, NSD 1015, produced a reversal of the effects of MDL 72,145 and Ro 19-6327. 5. Neurochemical analysis revealed this to occur at a dose of NSD 1015 (10 mg kg-1) selective for reduction of elevated PE levels. 6. These results suggest that PE can act as a neuromodulator of dopaminergic responses and that MAO-B inhibitors may potentiate neuronal responses to dopamine via the indirect mechanism of elevation of PE following MAO-B inhibition. PMID:7889269

  6. A Theoretical Investigation of Longitudinal Stability of Airplane with Free Controls Including Effect of Friction in Control System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Greenberg, Harry; Sternfield, Leonard

    1944-01-01

    The relation between the elevator hinge-moment parameters and the control-forces for changes in forward speed and in maneuvers is shown for several values of static stability and elevator mass balance.

  7. Regular aerobic exercise correlates with reduced anxiety and incresed levels of irisin in brain and white adipose tissue.

    PubMed

    Uysal, Nazan; Yuksel, Oguz; Kizildag, Servet; Yuce, Zeynep; Gumus, Hikmet; Karakilic, Aslı; Guvendi, Guven; Koc, Basar; Kandis, Sevim; Ates, Mehmet

    2018-05-29

    We have recently shown that regular voluntary aerobic exercised rats have low levels of anxiety. Irisin is an exercise-induced myokine that is produced by many tissues; and the role it plays in anxiolytic behavior is unknown. In this study we aimed to investigate the correlation between anxiety like behavior and irisin levels following regular voluntary aerobic exercise in male mice. We've have shown that anxiety levels decreased in exercised mice, while irisin levels increased in the brain, brown adipose tissue, white adipose tissue, kidney, and pancreas tissues. No significant difference of irisin levels in the liver, muscle and serum were detected in the exercise group, when compared to controls. In addition, there was a strong positive correlation between brain irisin levels and activity in middle area of open field test and in the open arms of elevated plus maze test; both which are indicators of low anxiety levels. Our results suggest that decrease in anxiolytic behavior due to regular voluntary exercise may be associated with locally produced brain irisin. White adipose tissue irisin levels also correlated very strongly with low anxiety. However, no serum irisin increase was detected, ruling out the possibility of increased peripheral irisin levels affecting the brain via the bloodstream. Further research is necessary to explain the mechanisms of which peripheral and central irisin effects anxiety and the brain region affected. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. The effectiveness of fermented turmeric powder in subjects with elevated alanine transaminase levels: a randomised controlled study.

    PubMed

    Kim, Sang-Wook; Ha, Ki-Chan; Choi, Eun-Kyung; Jung, Su-Young; Kim, Min-Gul; Kwon, Dae-Young; Yang, Hye-Jung; Kim, Min-Jung; Kang, Hee-Joo; Back, Hyang-Im; Kim, Sun-Young; Park, Soo-Hyun; Baek, Hum-Young; Kim, Yong-Jae; Lee, Joon-Yeol; Chae, Soo-Wan

    2013-03-08

    Previous animal studies have shown that Curcuma longa (turmeric) improves liver function. Turmeric may thus be a promising ingredient in functional foods aimed at improving liver function. The purpose of the study is to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of fermented turmeric powder (FTP) on liver function in subjects with elevated alanine transaminase (ALT) levels. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted between November 2010 and April 2012 at the clinical trial center for functional foods of the Chonbuk National University Hospital. The trial included 60 subjects, 20 years old and above, who were diagnosed mild to moderate elevated ALT levels between 40 IU/L and 200 IU/L. Sixty subjects were randomised to receive FTP 3.0 g per day or placebo 3.0 g per day for 12 weeks. The treatment group received two capsules of FTP three times a day after meals, for 12 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was change in the ALT levels in the two groups. The secondary efficacy endpoints included its effect on aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), total bilirubin (TB), and lipid profiles. Safety was assessed throughout the study using ongoing laboratory tests. Adverse events (AEs) were also recorded. Sixty subjects were randomised in the study (30 into the FTP group, 30 into the placebo group), and among them, twelve subjects were excluded from the analysis for protocol violation, adverse events or consent withdrawal. The two groups did not differ in baseline characteristics. After 12 weeks of treatment, 48 subjects were evaluated. Of the 48 subjects, 26 randomly received FTP capsules and 22 received placebo. The FTP group showed a significant reduction in ALT levels after 12 weeks of treatment compared with the placebo group (p = 0.019). There was also observed that the serum AST levels were significantly reduce in the FTP group than placebo group (p = 0.02). The GGT levels showed a tendency to decrease, while the serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), TB, and lipids levels were not modified. There were no reported severe AEs during this study, or abnormalities observed on blood glucose, total protein, albumin, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine levels. The data of this trial indicate that FTP is effective and safe, generally well-tolerated without severe AEs, in the treatment of subjects with elevated ALT levels over a 12 weeks period. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01634256

  9. The effectiveness of fermented turmeric powder in subjects with elevated alanine transaminase levels: a randomised controlled study

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Previous animal studies have shown that Curcuma longa (turmeric) improves liver function. Turmeric may thus be a promising ingredient in functional foods aimed at improving liver function. The purpose of the study is to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of fermented turmeric powder (FTP) on liver function in subjects with elevated alanine transaminase (ALT) levels. Methods A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted between November 2010 and April 2012 at the clinical trial center for functional foods of the Chonbuk National University Hospital. The trial included 60 subjects, 20 years old and above, who were diagnosed mild to moderate elevated ALT levels between 40 IU/L and 200 IU/L. Sixty subjects were randomised to receive FTP 3.0 g per day or placebo 3.0 g per day for 12 weeks. The treatment group received two capsules of FTP three times a day after meals, for 12 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was change in the ALT levels in the two groups. The secondary efficacy endpoints included its effect on aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), total bilirubin (TB), and lipid profiles. Safety was assessed throughout the study using ongoing laboratory tests. Adverse events (AEs) were also recorded. Results Sixty subjects were randomised in the study (30 into the FTP group, 30 into the placebo group), and among them, twelve subjects were excluded from the analysis for protocol violation, adverse events or consent withdrawal. The two groups did not differ in baseline characteristics. After 12 weeks of treatment, 48 subjects were evaluated. Of the 48 subjects, 26 randomly received FTP capsules and 22 received placebo. The FTP group showed a significant reduction in ALT levels after 12 weeks of treatment compared with the placebo group (p = 0.019). There was also observed that the serum AST levels were significantly reduce in the FTP group than placebo group (p = 0.02). The GGT levels showed a tendency to decrease, while the serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), TB, and lipids levels were not modified. There were no reported severe AEs during this study, or abnormalities observed on blood glucose, total protein, albumin, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine levels. Conclusion The data of this trial indicate that FTP is effective and safe, generally well-tolerated without severe AEs, in the treatment of subjects with elevated ALT levels over a 12 weeks period. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: http://NCT01634256 PMID:23497020

  10. Responses of beech and spruce foliage to elevated carbon dioxide, increased nitrogen deposition and soil type

    PubMed Central

    Günthardt-Goerg, Madeleine Silvia; Vollenweider, Pierre

    2015-01-01

    Although enhanced carbon fixation by forest trees may contribute significantly to mitigating an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), capacities for this vary greatly among different tree species and locations. This study compared reactions in the foliage of a deciduous and a coniferous tree species (important central European trees, beech and spruce) to an elevated supply of CO2 and evaluated the importance of the soil type and increased nitrogen deposition on foliar nutrient concentrations and cellular stress reactions. During a period of 4 years, beech (represented by trees from four different regions) and spruce saplings (eight regions), planted together on either acidic or calcareous forest soil in the experimental model ecosystem chambers, were exposed to single and combined treatments consisting of elevated carbon dioxide (+CO2, 590 versus 374 μL L−1) and elevated wet nitrogen deposition (+ND, 50 versus 5 kg ha−1 a−1). Leaf size and foliage mass of spruce were increased by +CO2 on both soil types, but those of beech by +ND on the calcareous soil only. The magnitude of the effects varied among the tree origins in both species. Moreover, the concentration of secondary compounds (proanthocyanidins) and the leaf mass per area, as a consequence of cell wall thickening, were also increased and formed important carbon sinks within the foliage. Although the species elemental concentrations differed in their response to CO2 fertilization, the +CO2 treatment effect was weakened by an acceleration of cell senescence in both species, as shown by a decrease in photosynthetic pigment and nitrogen concentration, discolouration and stress symptoms at the cell level; the latter were stronger in beech than spruce. Hence, young trees belonging to a species with different ecological niches can show contrasting responses in their foliage size, but similar responses at the cell level, upon exposure to elevated levels of CO2. The soil type and its nutrient supply largely determined the fertilization gain, especially in the case of beech trees with a narrow ecological amplitude. PMID:26092041

  11. Remote sensing approach for hydrologic assessments of complex lake systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bhang, Kon Joon

    Lake studies play an important role in understanding water management, ecology, climatology, etc. because most of earth processes are strongly related to water dynamics. Because the studies have only used on-site gage readings, it is almost impossible to access individual lakes and to evaluate regional scale hydrology as a whole system. Especially in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North America has millions of potholes and lakes. Measuring lake levels in this region is one of the critical issues in hydrology or other related sciences and applications. The remote sensing approach with the Geographic Information System (GIS) technique could be used to overcome the difficulty associated with on-site measurements. In this study, the SRTM data was used as a main topographic dataset because the dataset provides accurate and consistent elevation data on a worldwide basis. The first chapter introduced the whole idea of this study. In the second chapter, the elevation values of the C-band SRTM 30-meter DEM were compared with point-wise elevations from the Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) laser altimetry for Otter Tail County, MN. The accuracy of SRTM DEM was measured as a function of land cover and geomorphologic characteristics. The typical mean vertical difference between the SRTM DEM and ICESat elevations in this study was determined for each classified land use type and the data properties were investigated. Also, the feasibility of using SRTM data for hydrologic applications, especially in a region of low relief exemplified by the Otter Tail basin in Minnesota, was examined in Chapter 3. For measuring lake levels, several lake-level estimation techniques using image processing and feature detection were tested with the Landsat imagery and SRTM data and the efficiency of the techniques were evaluated in Chapter 4. Lastly, the power law distribution of lake was simulated in Chapter 5. For the simulation, one-dimensional fractal landscapes were generated and precipitation and evaporation processes were added to the simulation algorithm to observe the effect of natural processes in lake formation. The simulation result for lake distribution was compared with real measurements and the lake distribution following the power law (linear scaling in logarithmic scale) distribution was shown.

  12. 6. (First sheet of a twosheet set entitled 'Kongensgade 5154') ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    6. (First sheet of a two-sheet set entitled 'Kongensgade 51-54') KONGENSGADE (FRONT) ELEVATIONS OF KONGENSGADE 51, 52 & 53 (only part of Kongensgade 53 elevation shown, for full elevation overlap with complementary photograph VI-50-7) (LEFT TO RIGHT) - King Street Area Study, Kongensgade 5-18, 36, 37B, 51-58 (Houses), 5-18, 36-37B, 51-58 King Street, Frederiksted, St. Croix, VI

  13. A STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF ELEVATED TEMPERATURES ON THE GROWTH AND INHERITANCE OF SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE (thesis)

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

    Sherman, F

    1958-11-01

    A comparative study was made of the growth of yeast in various media at the optimum temperature (30 ) and at supraoptimum temperatures. It was found that at elevated temperatures there is a decrease in the ability of yeast to grow, which may be alleviated by increasing the percentage of yeast extract in the medium, adding oleic acid to the medium, or using an inoculum of cells that have previously been grown at the elevated temperature. Because of these findings, it is believed that growth at elevated temperatures results in an increased nutrient requirement which may be eliminated by inducedmore » adaptation. When yeasts were grown at elevated temperatures or exposed for a short time to lethal temperatures it was found that there was a great increase in the fraction of respiratory-deficient mutants (petites). It was shown that the increase of mutants did not arise because of selection, but that the elevated temperatures actually induced the mutation. From the results of various genetic analyses it is shown that these respiratorydeficient mutants are very similar, if not identical. to vegetative petites occurring spontaneously or induced by acriflavine. The kinetics of this mutation is discussed, with possible theoretical interpretations. (auth)« less

  14. α2-adrenergic blockade mimics the enhancing effect of chronic stress on breast cancer progression

    PubMed Central

    Lamkin, Donald M.; Sung, Ha Yeon; Yang, Gyu Sik; David, John M.; Ma, Jeffrey C.Y.; Cole, Steve W.; Sloan, Erica K.

    2014-01-01

    Experimental studies in preclinical mouse models of breast cancer have shown that chronic restraint stress can enhance disease progression by increasing catecholamine levels and subsequent signaling of β-adrenergic receptors. Catecholamines also signal α-adrenergic receptors, and greater α-adrenergic signaling has been shown to promote breast cancer in vitro and in vivo. However, antagonism of α-adrenergic receptors can result in elevated catecholamine levels, which may increase β-adrenergic signaling, because pre-synaptic α2-adrenergic receptors mediate an autoinhibition of sympathetic transmission. Given these findings, we examined the effect of α-adrenergic blockade on breast cancer progression under non-stress and stress conditions (chronic restraint) in an orthotopic mouse model with MDA-MB-231HM cells. Chronic restraint increased primary tumor growth and metastasis to distant tissues as expected, and non-selective α-adrenergic blockade by phentolamine significantly inhibited those effects. However, under non-stress conditions, phentolamine increased primary tumor size and distant metastasis. Sympatho-neural gene expression for catecholamine biosynthesis enzymes was elevated by phentolamine under non-stress conditions, and the non-selective β-blocker propranolol inhibited the effect of phentolamine on breast cancer progression. Selective α2-adrenergic blockade by efaroxan also increased primary tumor size and distant metastasis under non-stress conditions, but selective α1-adrenergic blockade by prazosin did not. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that α2-adrenergic signaling can act through an autoreceptor mechanism to inhibit sympathetic catecholamine release and, thus, modulate established effects of β-adrenergic signaling on tumor progression-relevant biology. PMID:25462899

  15. Arsenic occurrence, mobility, and retardation in sandstone and dolomite formations of the Fox River Valley, Eastern Wisconsin.

    PubMed

    Thornburg, Katie; Sahai, Nita

    2004-10-01

    Elevated levels of groundwater arsenic (approximately 100 microg L(-1) = 1.3 x 10(-6) M) are found in the Fox River Valley, eastern Wisconsin. The goals of this study were to identifythe sources of As contamination and to determine the reactions responsible for As mobilization and retardation in areas lacking a discrete zone of As-enriched sulfides, shown previouslyto cause elevated arsenic in groundwater. Detailed mineralogical and chemical analyses were conducted on samples from the Sinnipee Group dolomite and St. Peter sandstone in eastern Wisconsin. Solution chemistry was monitored in batch reactions of dolomite, quartz, and sulfide mineral fractions with a 0.01 M CsCl solution at pH 7 for 3 weeks in air. Results indicate that arsenic is present in isomorphous substitution with pyrite/marcasite (FeS2), which occurs as disseminated veins, grains, and nodules in the dolomite and sandstone. The released As subsequently sorbs on the ferric oxyhydroxides formed or coprecipitates in a scorodite-like phase. Significantly, oxidative dissolution of the disseminated As-rich FeS2 grains and nodules is sufficient to explain the elevated As levels observed in eastern Wisconsin groundwater. Although complete uptake of As is observed in the batch experiments, persistent elevated As levels with spatial and temporal variations in regional groundwaters are attributed to differences in the type of sulfide occurrence (discrete horizon vs dispersed grains, veins, and nodules), variations in the dissolved oxygen content of the groundwater, and variable (limited) buildup of reacted surface layers on sulfide grains in the natural flow-through system. Discrete nanoparticulate As phases, As surface precipitates on sulfides, and sorbed As on dolomite and quartz are eliminated as major sources, and sorption of arsenic on dolomite and quartz is deemed less important than association with ferric oxyhydroxides for retardation in the regional system.

  16. Relaxin augments the inflammatory IL6 response in the choriodecidua

    PubMed Central

    JS, Horton; SY, Yamamoto; GD, Bryant-Greenwood

    2012-01-01

    Intrauterine infection frequently leads to preterm birth (PTB), with the pathophysiology involving activation of the innate immune system and its associated inflammatory response. The choriodecidua produces relaxin (RLN) and elevated levels are associated with preterm premature rupture of the fetal membranes. However, it is not increased in bacterially-mediated PTB, but may act as an endogenous sterile inflammatory mediator. Elevated systemic RLN levels from the corpus luteum are also associated with PTB, but the mechanism is unknown. In clinical obstetrics, intrauterine inflammation or infection can coexist with elevated RLN. Therefore, in this study, we further characterized the effects of RLN alone or together with an inflammatory mediator on the production of IL1B, CSF2 (GM-CSF), IL6, IL8 and TNF, from chorionic cytotrophoblasts (CyT), decidual fibroblasts (DF) and stromal cells (DSC), using interleukin-1 beta (IL1B) to mimic sterile inflammation or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for bacterial infection. Endogenous differences between the cells showed that the CyT expressed more and the RXFP1, its receptor RXFP1 splice variant D. CyT also showed the most robust cAMP response to RLN with increased IL6 secreted after 4 h, preceded by increased transcription at 1 h, likely due to activation of RXFP1 and cAMP. When all cell types were treated with IL1B and RLN, RLN augmented secretion of IL6 and IL8 from CyT and DF, but not DSC. Similarly, RLN augmented LPS-induced IL6 secretion from CyT and DF. Despite the structural similarity between TLR4 and RXFP1, blocking TLR4 in CyT had no effect on RLN-induced IL6 secretion, suggesting specific activation of RXFP1. Thus, we have shown that in the presence of a low level of intrauterine inflammation/infection, elevated RLN could act on the CyT and DF to augment the inflammatory response, contributing to the pathophysiology of PTB. PMID:22386961

  17. Elevated interleukin 6 is induced by prostaglandin E2 in a murine model of inflammation: possible role of cyclooxygenase-2.

    PubMed Central

    Hinson, R M; Williams, J A; Shacter, E

    1996-01-01

    Injection of mineral oils such as pristane into the peritoneal cavities of BALB/c mice results in a chronic peritonitis associated with high tissue levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6). Here we show that increased prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis causes induction of IL-6 and that expression of an inducible cyclooxygenase, Cox-2, may mediate this process. Levels of both PGE2 and IL-6 are elevated in inflammatory exudates from pristane-treated mice compared with lavage samples from untreated mice. The Cox-2 gene is induced in the peritoneal macrophage fraction isolated from the mice. A cause and effect relationship between increased macrophage PGE2 and IL-6 production is shown in vitro. When peritoneal macrophages are activated with an inflammatory stimulus (polymerized albumin), the Cox-2 gene is induced and secretion of PGE2 and IL-6 increases, with elevated PGE2 appearing before IL-6. Cotreatment with 1 microM indomethacin inhibits PGE2 production by the cells and reduces the induction of IL-6 mRNA but has no effect on Cox-2 mRNA, consistent with the fact that the drug inhibits catalytic activity of the cyclooxygenase but does not affect expression of the gene. Addition of exogenous PGE2 to macrophages induces IL-6 protein and mRNA synthesis, indicating that the eicosanoid stimulates IL-6 production at the level of gene expression. PGE2-stimulated IL-6 production is unaffected by addition of indomethacin. Taken together with the earlier finding that indomethacin diminishes the elevation of IL-6 in pristane-treated mice, the results show that PGE2 can induce IL-6 production in vivo and implicate expression of the Cox-2 gene in the regulation of this cytokine. Images Fig. 2 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 8 PMID:8643498

  18. Genes in the GABA pathway increase in the lateral thalamus of Sprague Dawley rats during the proestrus/estrus phase

    PubMed Central

    Umorin, Mikhail; Stinson, Crystal; Bellinger, Larry L.; Kramer, Phillip

    2015-01-01

    Pain can vary over the estrous cycle as a result of changes in estradiol concentration but the mechanism causing this variation is unclear. Because the thalamus is important in pain control, gene expression in the lateral thalamus (ventral posteromedial, ventral posterolateral, reticular thalamic nuclei) was screened at different phases of the estrous cycle. Gene expression changes in Sprague-Dawley rats were further analyzed by real-time PCR and ELISA and plasma estradiol levels were measured by RIAs at different phases of the estrous cycle. Our results indicated that both the RNA and protein expression of glutamate decarboxylase 1 and 2 (GAD1, GAD2), GABA(A) receptor-associated protein like 1 (GABARAPL1) and vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT) significantly increased in the lateral thalamus when plasma estradiol levels were elevated. Estradiol levels were elevated during the proestrus and estrus phases of the estrous cycle. Estrogen receptor α (ERα) was observed to be co-localized in thalamic cells and thalamic infusion of an ERα antagonist significantly reduced GAD1 and VGAT transcript. GAD1, GAD2 GABARAPL1 and VGAT have been shown to effect neuronal responses suggesting that modulation of pain during the estrous cycle can be dependent, in part, through estradiol induced changes in thalamic gene expression. PMID:26388520

  19. Metabolic effects of physiological levels of caffeine in myotubes.

    PubMed

    Schnuck, Jamie K; Gould, Lacey M; Parry, Hailey A; Johnson, Michele A; Gannon, Nicholas P; Sunderland, Kyle L; Vaughan, Roger A

    2018-02-01

    Caffeine has been shown to stimulate multiple major regulators of cell energetics including AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). Additionally, caffeine induces peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α) and mitochondrial biogenesis. While caffeine enhances oxidative metabolism, experimental concentrations often exceed physiologically attainable concentrations through diet. This work measured the effects of low-level caffeine on cellular metabolism and gene expression in myotubes, as well as the dependence of caffeine's effects on the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor beta/delta (PPARβ/δ). C2C12 myotubes were treated with various doses of caffeine for up to 24 h. Gene and protein expression were measured via qRT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. Cellular metabolism was determined via oxygen consumption and extracellular acidification rate. Caffeine significantly induced regulators of mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative metabolism. Mitochondrial staining was suppressed in PPARβ/δ-inhibited cells which was rescued by concurrent caffeine treatment. Caffeine-treated cells also displayed elevated peak oxidative metabolism which was partially abolished following PPARβ/δ inhibition. Similar to past observations, glucose uptake and GLUT4 content were elevated in caffeine-treated cells, however, glycolytic metabolism was unaltered following caffeine treatment. Physiological levels of caffeine appear to enhance cell metabolism through mechanisms partially dependent on PPARβ/δ.

  20. A Semi-Implicit, Three-Dimensional Model for Estuarine Circulation

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Smith, Peter E.

    2006-01-01

    A semi-implicit, finite-difference method for the numerical solution of the three-dimensional equations for circulation in estuaries is presented and tested. The method uses a three-time-level, leapfrog-trapezoidal scheme that is essentially second-order accurate in the spatial and temporal numerical approximations. The three-time-level scheme is shown to be preferred over a two-time-level scheme, especially for problems with strong nonlinearities. The stability of the semi-implicit scheme is free from any time-step limitation related to the terms describing vertical diffusion and the propagation of the surface gravity waves. The scheme does not rely on any form of vertical/horizontal mode-splitting to treat the vertical diffusion implicitly. At each time step, the numerical method uses a double-sweep method to transform a large number of small tridiagonal equation systems and then uses the preconditioned conjugate-gradient method to solve a single, large, five-diagonal equation system for the water surface elevation. The governing equations for the multi-level scheme are prepared in a conservative form by integrating them over the height of each horizontal layer. The layer-integrated volumetric transports replace velocities as the dependent variables so that the depth-integrated continuity equation that is used in the solution for the water surface elevation is linear. Volumetric transports are computed explicitly from the momentum equations. The resulting method is mass conservative, efficient, and numerically accurate.

  1. Trace elements in two odontocete species (Kogia breviceps and Globicephala macrorhynchus) stranded in New Caledonia (South Pacific).

    PubMed

    Bustamante, P; Garrigue, C; Breau, L; Caurant, F; Dabin, W; Greaves, J; Dodemont, R

    2003-01-01

    Liver, muscle and blubber tissues of two short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) and two pygmy sperm whales(Kogia breviceps) stranded on the coast of New Caledonia have been analysed for 12 trace elements (Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu. Fe, organic and total Hg, Mn, Ni, Se, V, and Zn). Liver was shown to be the most important accumulating organ for Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, Se, and Zn in both species, G. macrorhynchus having the highest Cd, Hg, Se and Zn levels. In this species, concentrations of total Hg are particularly elevated, reaching up to 1452 microg g(-1) dry wt. Only a very low percentage of the total Hg was organic. In both species,the levels of Hg are directly related to Se in liver. Thus, a molar ratio of Hg:Se close to 1.0 was found for all specimens, except for the youngest K. breviceps. Our results suggest that G. macrorhynchus have a physiology promoting the accumulation of high levels of naturally occurring toxic elements. Furthermore, concentrations of Ni, Cr and Co are close to or below the detection limit in the liver and muscles of all specimens. This suggests that mining activity in New Caledonia, which typically elevates the levels of these contaminants in the marine environment, does not seem to be a significant source of contamination for these pelagic marine mammals.

  2. Elevated levels of triglyceride and triglyceride-rich lipoprotein triglyceride induced by a high-carbohydrate diet is associated with polymorphisms of APOA5-1131T>C and APOC3-482C>T in Chinese healthy young adults.

    PubMed

    Lin, Jia; Fang, Ding Zhi; Du, Juan; Shigdar, Sarah; Xiao, Li Ying; Zhou, Xue Dong; Duan, Wei

    2011-01-01

    Changes in lipid profiles have been shown to be associated with diet and apolipoprotein (APO) polymorphisms. Therefore, 2 polymorphisms, i.e. APOA5-1131T>C and APOC3-482C>T, and serum lipids were examined in a Chinese healthy young population with high-carbohydrate/low-fat (HC/LF) diet intervention. After a wash-out diet for 7 days, 56 young adults (22.89 ± 1.80 years) received the HC/LF diet for 6 days. Body mass index (BMI) and fasting serum lipid profiles at baseline, after the wash-out diet, and after the HC/LF diet were measured. APOA5-1131C carriers had higher triglyceride (TG) and TG-rich lipoprotein TG (TRL-TG) levels at baseline and after the HC/LF diet, though this mainly corresponded to the female cohort. APOC3-482T carriers had higher TRL-TG levels following the wash-out and HC/LF diets, but these were not directly attributable to a single gender. Both polymorphisms may play an important role in the elevated TG and TRL-TG levels induced by the HC/LF diet, especially in females, thus indicating a potential dietary prevention of coronary heart disease in this Chinese cohort. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  3. Urinary fibronectin levels in patients treated with intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin for superficial bladder cancer.

    PubMed

    Danişman, A; Bulut, K; Kukul, E; Ozen, I; Sevük, M

    2000-01-01

    Intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has been shown to be an effective treatment for superficial transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder, but the precise mechanism of action of BCG remains poorly understood. Fibronectin (FN), an important component of the extracellular matrix, has been found to play a role in BCG therapy. Some studies have shown that the soluble form of FN can compete efficiently with the matrix form of binding to the specific receptors on the bacteria and could consequently diminish the effect of BCG treatment. To evaluate a possible correlation between the urinary levels of FN and the efficacy of BCG therapy, we determined prospectively the urinary FN levels in 38 patients with TCC of the bladder and in 25 control subjects without malignancy matched for age and sex. All TCC patients were treated with transurethral tumor resection plus 6 weekly intravesical BCG instillations. After an average follow-up of 30 months, 8 patients (21.1%) had recurrent tumors, while 30 (78.9%) were free of tumor after intravesical BCG therapy. Urinary levels of FN in cancer patients have been shown to be significantly higher than controls (p < 0.001). These elevated levels were not decreased significantly after the operation (p > 0. 05). It was also found that the mean urinary FN levels were not statistically significant between patients with recurrence and complete remission. The data suggest that BCG-bladder tumor cell binding is not influenced by soluble fibronectin and urinary FN may not be a ideal marker for selecting patients to BCG therapy. Copyright 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel

  4. GABA receptors in the region of the dorsomedial hypothalamus of rats regulate anxiety in the elevated plus-maze test. II. Physiological measures.

    PubMed

    Shekhar, A; Sims, L S; Bowsher, R R

    1993-11-05

    In the previous report, we had shown that blockade and enhancement of GABAA receptors in the DMH of rats increased or decreased the level of anxiety, respectively, as measured by the elevated plus-maze test. The present study was conducted to assess the effects of enhancing GABAA neurotransmission in the DMH of rats on the physiological concomitants of anxiety such as increases in heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP) and plasma norepinephrine (NE) levels while the animals were placed on the elevated plus-maze. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were equipped with arterial and venous catheters and stereotaxically implanted with microinjection cannulae in the cardiostimulatory region of the DMH where injection of bicuculline methiodide (BMI) elicited increases in heart rate under anesthesia. After recovery, rats were injected with either saline or the GABAA agonist muscimol and their HR, BP and plasma NE responses were measured when confined in the open or the closed arm of the elevated plus-maze. Injection of muscimol into the DMH reduced the increases seen in HR, BP and plasma NE when the rats were confined to either the closed or the open arms in addition to decreasing 'anxiety' in the plus-maze. Injection of muscimol into the areas of the hypothalamus surrounding the DMH did not significantly affect the changes in HR, BP and plasma NE in the plus-maze. Blocking the changes in HR and BP elicited by microinjecting GABAergic drugs into the DMH of rats, with systemic injections of a combination of atropine and the beta-blocker atenolol, did not block the behavioral effects of the GABAergic drugs in the plus-maze test.

  5. Elevated circulating IGF-I promotes mammary gland development and proliferation.

    PubMed

    Cannata, Dara; Lann, Danielle; Wu, Yingjie; Elis, Sebastien; Sun, Hui; Yakar, Shoshana; Lazzarino, Deborah A; Wood, Teresa L; Leroith, Derek

    2010-12-01

    Animal studies have shown that IGF-I is essential for mammary gland development. Previous studies have suggested that local IGF-I rather than circulating IGF-I is the major mediator of mammary gland development. In the present study we used the hepatic IGF-I transgenic (HIT) and IGF-I knockout/HIT (KO-HIT) mouse models to examine the effects of enhanced circulating IGF-I on mammary development in the presence and absence of local IGF-I. HIT mice express the rat IGF-I transgene under the transthyretin promoter in the liver and have elevated circulating IGF-I and normal tissue IGF-I levels. The KO-HIT mice have no tissue IGF-I and increased circulating IGF-I. Analysis of mammary gland development reveals a greater degree of complexity in HIT mice as compared to control and KO-HIT mice, which demonstrate similar degrees of mammary gland complexity. Immunohistochemical evaluation of glands of HIT mice also suggests an enhanced degree of proliferation of the mammary gland, whereas KO-HIT mice exhibit mammary gland proliferation similar to control mice. In addition, HIT mice have a higher percentage of proliferating myoepithelial and luminal cells than control mice, whereas KO-HIT mice have an equivalent percentage of proliferating myoepithelial and luminal cells as control mice. Thus, our findings show that elevated circulating IGF-I levels are sufficient to promote normal pubertal mammary epithelial development. However, HIT mice demonstrate more pronounced mammary gland development when compared to control and KO-HIT mice. This suggests that both local and endocrine IGF-I play roles in mammary gland development and that elevated circulating IGF-I accelerates mammary epithelial proliferation.

  6. Damage development in titanium metal matrix composites subjected to cyclic loading

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Johnson, W. S.

    1992-01-01

    Several layups of SCS-6/Ti-15-3 composites were investigated. Fatigue tests were conducted and analyzed for both notched and unnotched specimens at room temperature and elevated temperatures. Thermo-mechanical fatigue results were analyzed. Test results indicated that the stress in the 0 degree fibers is the controlling factor in fatigue life. The static and fatigue strength of these materials is shown to be strongly dependent on the level of residual stresses and the fiber/matrix interfacial strength. Fatigue tests of notched specimens showed that cracks can initiate and grow many fiber spacings in the matrix materials without breaking fibers. Fiber bridging models were applied to characterize the crack growth behavior. The matrix cracks are shown to significantly reduce the residual strength of notched composites. The notch strength of these composites was accurately predicted using a micromechanics based methodology.

  7. Damage development in titanium metal-matrix composites subjected to cyclic loading

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Johnson, W. S.

    1993-01-01

    Several layups of SCS-6/Ti-15-3 composites were investigated. Fatigue tests were conducted and analyzed for both notched and unnotched specimens at room temperature and elevated temperatures. Thermo-mechanical fatigue results were analyzed. Test results indicated that the stress in the 0 degree fibers is the controlling factor in fatigue life. The static and fatigue strength of these materials is shown to be strongly dependent on the level of residual stresses and the fiber/matrix interfacial strength. Fatigue tests of notched specimens showed that cracks can initiate and grow many fiber spacings in the matrix materials without breaking fibers. Fiber bridging models were applied to characterize the crack growth behavior. The matrix cracks are shown to significantly reduce the residual strength of notched composites. The notch strength of these composites was accurately predicted using a micromechanics based methodology.

  8. Effects of Magnesium on the Phosphate Toxicity in Chronic Kidney Disease: Time for Intervention Studies.

    PubMed

    Sakaguchi, Yusuke; Hamano, Takayuki; Isaka, Yoshitaka

    2017-02-06

    Magnesium, an essential mineral for human health, plays a pivotal role in the cardiovascular system. Epidemiological studies in the general population have found an association between lower dietary magnesium intake and an elevated risk of cardiovascular events. In addition, magnesium supplementation was shown to improve blood pressure control, insulin sensitivity, and endothelial function. The relationship between magnesium and cardiovascular prognosis among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been increasingly investigated as it is becoming evident that magnesium can inhibit vascular calcification, a prominent risk of cardiovascular events, which commonly occurs in CKD patients. Cohort studies in patients receiving dialysis have shown a lower serum magnesium level as a significant risk for cardiovascular mortality. Interestingly, the cardiovascular mortality risk associated with hyperphosphatemia is alleviated among those with high serum magnesium levels, consistent with in vitro evidence that magnesium inhibits high-phosphate induced calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells. Furthermore, a harmful effect of high phosphate on the progression of CKD is also attenuated among those with high serum magnesium levels. The potential usefulness of magnesium as a remedy for phosphate toxicity should be further explored by future intervention studies.

  9. Effects of Magnesium on the Phosphate Toxicity in Chronic Kidney Disease: Time for Intervention Studies

    PubMed Central

    Sakaguchi, Yusuke; Hamano, Takayuki; Isaka, Yoshitaka

    2017-01-01

    Magnesium, an essential mineral for human health, plays a pivotal role in the cardiovascular system. Epidemiological studies in the general population have found an association between lower dietary magnesium intake and an elevated risk of cardiovascular events. In addition, magnesium supplementation was shown to improve blood pressure control, insulin sensitivity, and endothelial function. The relationship between magnesium and cardiovascular prognosis among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been increasingly investigated as it is becoming evident that magnesium can inhibit vascular calcification, a prominent risk of cardiovascular events, which commonly occurs in CKD patients. Cohort studies in patients receiving dialysis have shown a lower serum magnesium level as a significant risk for cardiovascular mortality. Interestingly, the cardiovascular mortality risk associated with hyperphosphatemia is alleviated among those with high serum magnesium levels, consistent with in vitro evidence that magnesium inhibits high-phosphate induced calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells. Furthermore, a harmful effect of high phosphate on the progression of CKD is also attenuated among those with high serum magnesium levels. The potential usefulness of magnesium as a remedy for phosphate toxicity should be further explored by future intervention studies. PMID:28178182

  10. Effects of experimentally sustained elevated testosterone on incubation behaviour and reproductive success in female great tits (Parus major).

    PubMed

    de Jong, Berber; Lens, Luc; Amininasab, Seyed Mehdi; van Oers, Kees; Darras, Veerle M; Eens, Marcel; Pinxten, Rianne; Komdeur, Jan; Groothuis, Ton G G

    2016-05-01

    In many seasonally breeding birds, female and male testosterone (T) levels peak at the start of the breeding season, coinciding with pair bonding and nesting activities. Shortly after the onset of egg laying, T levels slowly decline to baseline levels in both sexes, but more rapidly so in females. During this period, T in males may still function to facilitate territorial behaviour, mate guarding and extra pair copulations, either via short lasting peaks or elevated basal levels of the hormone. In some species, however, males become insensitive to increased T after the onset of egg laying. It has been postulated that in these species bi-parental care is essential for offspring survival, as T is known to inhibit paternal care. However, only very few studies have analysed this for females. As females are heavily involved in parental care, they too might become insensitive to T after egg laying. Alternatively, because territorial defence, mate guarding and extra pair copulations are expected to be less important for females than for males, they may not have had the need to evolve a mechanism to become insensitive to T during the period of maternal care, because their natural T levels are never elevated during this part of the breeding season anyway. We tested these alternative hypotheses in female great tits (Parus major). Male great tits have previously been shown to be insensitive to T after egg laying with regard to nestling feeding behaviour (but not song rate). When females had started nest building, we experimentally elevated their T levels up to the nestling feeding phase, and measured incubation behaviour (only females incubate) and reproductive success. T did not significantly affect nest building or egg laying behaviour, although egg laying tended to be delayed in T females. Females with experimentally enhanced T maintained lower temperature during incubation but did not spend less time incubating. This might explain the reduced hatching success of their eggs, smaller brood size and lower number of fledglings we found in this study. As in this species T-dependent behaviour by females during the phase of parental care is not needed, the results support the hypothesis that in this species the need for selection in favour of T-insensitivity did not occur. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. The effect of positive air ions on reproduction and growth in laboratory rats

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hinsull, S. M.; Head, E. L.

    1986-03-01

    The aim of the present investigation was to determine the growth rates, reproductive success and early mortality of laboratory rats maintained at 10,000 positive ions/ml over two generations. These findings were compared with those from animals maintained at ambient ion levels. The present work indicates that positive ions do not have any adverse effects on the reproductive capabilities or the growth of laboratory rats. In contrast it is shown that exposure to elevated levels of positive ions promotes overall growth, particularly in male rats. This action of positive ions increases with each successive generation exposed to the ions. It is suggested that the growth promoting effect of positive ions may be mediated via some modulation of the endocrine system.

  12. [Nonspecific adaptation reactions and immunological status in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus].

    PubMed

    Beliakova, N A; Mikhaĭlova, D G; Egorova, E N; Gogina, E D; Gorshkova, M A

    2010-03-01

    The clinical laboratory study of 75 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) has shown that most of them have elevated immunoglobulin A and G levels, the diminished activity of neutrophiles, and higher C-reactive protein and 30% of the patients show non-physiological adaptation reactions: reactivation and stress. During these reactions, there are the most pronounced changes in the immunological status and in the level of acute phase protein. The rate of nonphysiological reactions increases, immunity deteriorates, and the activity of an inflammatory process is enhanced with the longer duration of T2D, grades 2 and 3 arterial hypertension, micro- and macroangiopathies, as well as with more evident hyperglycemia and triglyceridemia.

  13. A comparison of two global datasets of extreme sea levels and resulting flood exposure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Muis, Sanne; Verlaan, Martin; Nicholls, Robert J.; Brown, Sally; Hinkel, Jochen; Lincke, Daniel; Vafeidis, Athanasios T.; Scussolini, Paolo; Winsemius, Hessel C.; Ward, Philip J.

    2017-04-01

    Estimating the current risk of coastal flooding requires adequate information on extreme sea levels. For over a decade, the only global data available was the DINAS-COAST Extreme Sea Levels (DCESL) dataset, which applies a static approximation to estimate extreme sea levels. Recently, a dynamically derived dataset was developed: the Global Tide and Surge Reanalysis (GTSR) dataset. Here, we compare the two datasets. The differences between DCESL and GTSR are generally larger than the confidence intervals of GTSR. Compared to observed extremes, DCESL generally overestimates extremes with a mean bias of 0.6 m. With a mean bias of -0.2 m GTSR generally underestimates extremes, particularly in the tropics. The Dynamic Interactive Vulnerability Assessment model is applied to calculate the present-day flood exposure in terms of the land area and the population below the 1 in 100-year sea levels. Global exposed population is 28% lower when based on GTSR instead of DCESL. Considering the limited data available at the time, DCESL provides a good estimate of the spatial variation in extremes around the world. However, GTSR allows for an improved assessment of the impacts of coastal floods, including confidence bounds. We further improve the assessment of coastal impacts by correcting for the conflicting vertical datum of sea-level extremes and land elevation, which has not been accounted for in previous global assessments. Converting the extreme sea levels to the same vertical reference used for the elevation data is shown to be a critical step resulting in 39-59% higher estimate of population exposure.

  14. The Impact of Educational Attainment on Observed Race/Ethnic Disparities in Inflammatory Risk in the 2001–2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

    PubMed Central

    Dinwiddie, Gniesha Y.; Zambrana, Ruth E.; Doamekpor, Lauren A.; Lopez, Lenny

    2015-01-01

    Inflammation has shown to be an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and growing evidence suggests Non-Hispanic Blacks (NHBs) and certain Hispanic subgroups have higher inflammation burden compared to Non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs). Socioeconomic status (SES) is a hypothesized pathway that may account for the higher inflammation burden for race/ethnic groups yet little is known about the biological processes by which SES “gets under the skin” to affect health and whether income and education have similar or distinct influences on elevated inflammation levels. The current study examines SES (income and education) associations with multiple levels of C-Reactive Protein (CRP), an important biomarker of inflammation, in a sample of 13,362 NHWs, 7696 NHBs and 4545 Mexican Americans (MAs) in the United States from the 2001 to 2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. After adjusting for age, sex, and statin use, NHBs and MAs had higher intermediate and high CRP levels compared to NHWs. Income lessened the magnitude of the association for both race/ethnic groups. The greater intermediate and high CRP burden for NHBs and MAs was strongly explained by educational attainment. MAs were more vulnerable to high CRP levels for the lowest (i.e., less than nine years) and post high school (i.e., associates degree) educational levels. After additional adjustment for smoking, heavy drinking, high waist circumference, high blood pressure, diabetes and statin use, the strength of the association between race/ethnicity and inflammation was reduced for NHBs with elevated intermediate (RR = 1.31; p ≤ 0.001) and high CRP levels (RR = 1.14; p ≤ 0.001) compared to NHWs but the effect attenuated for MAs for both intermediate (RR = 0.74; p ≤ 0.001) and high CRP levels (RR = 0.38; p ≤ 0.001). These findings suggest educational attainment is a powerful predictor of elevated CRP levels in race/ethnic populations and challenges studies to move beyond examining income as a better predictor in the SES-inflammation pathway. PMID:26703686

  15. The Impact of Educational Attainment on Observed Race/Ethnic Disparities in Inflammatory Risk in the 2001-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

    PubMed

    Dinwiddie, Gniesha Y; Zambrana, Ruth E; Doamekpor, Lauren A; Lopez, Lenny

    2015-12-22

    Inflammation has shown to be an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and growing evidence suggests Non-Hispanic Blacks (NHBs) and certain Hispanic subgroups have higher inflammation burden compared to Non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs). Socioeconomic status (SES) is a hypothesized pathway that may account for the higher inflammation burden for race/ethnic groups yet little is known about the biological processes by which SES "gets under the skin" to affect health and whether income and education have similar or distinct influences on elevated inflammation levels. The current study examines SES (income and education) associations with multiple levels of C-Reactive Protein (CRP), an important biomarker of inflammation, in a sample of 13,362 NHWs, 7696 NHBs and 4545 Mexican Americans (MAs) in the United States from the 2001 to 2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. After adjusting for age, sex, and statin use, NHBs and MAs had higher intermediate and high CRP levels compared to NHWs. Income lessened the magnitude of the association for both race/ethnic groups. The greater intermediate and high CRP burden for NHBs and MAs was strongly explained by educational attainment. MAs were more vulnerable to high CRP levels for the lowest (i.e., less than nine years) and post high school (i.e., associates degree) educational levels. After additional adjustment for smoking, heavy drinking, high waist circumference, high blood pressure, diabetes and statin use, the strength of the association between race/ethnicity and inflammation was reduced for NHBs with elevated intermediate (RR = 1.31; p ≤ 0.001) and high CRP levels (RR = 1.14; p ≤ 0.001) compared to NHWs but the effect attenuated for MAs for both intermediate (RR = 0.74; p ≤ 0.001) and high CRP levels (RR = 0.38; p ≤ 0.001). These findings suggest educational attainment is a powerful predictor of elevated CRP levels in race/ethnic populations and challenges studies to move beyond examining income as a better predictor in the SES-inflammation pathway.

  16. Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Small T Antigen Promotes Pro-Glycolytic Metabolic Perturbations Required for Transformation

    PubMed Central

    Keibler, Mark A.; Park, Donglim Esther; Molla, Vadim; Cheng, Jingwei; Stephanopoulos, Gregory

    2016-01-01

    Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is an etiological agent of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a highly aggressive skin cancer. The MCPyV small tumor antigen (ST) is required for maintenance of MCC and can transform normal cells. To gain insight into cellular perturbations induced by MCPyV ST, we performed transcriptome analysis of normal human fibroblasts with inducible expression of ST. MCPyV ST dynamically alters the cellular transcriptome with increased levels of glycolytic genes, including the monocarboxylate lactate transporter SLC16A1 (MCT1). Extracellular flux analysis revealed increased lactate export reflecting elevated aerobic glycolysis in ST expressing cells. Inhibition of MCT1 activity suppressed the growth of MCC cell lines and impaired MCPyV-dependent transformation of IMR90 cells. Both NF-κB and MYC have been shown to regulate MCT1 expression. While MYC was required for MCT1 induction, MCPyV-induced MCT1 levels decreased following knockdown of the NF-κB subunit RelA, supporting a synergistic activity between MCPyV and MYC in regulating MCT1 levels. Several MCC lines had high levels of MYCL and MYCN but not MYC. Increased levels of MYCL was more effective than MYC or MYCN in increasing extracellular acidification in MCC cells. Our results demonstrate the effects of MCPyV ST on the cellular transcriptome and reveal that transformation is dependent, at least in part, on elevated aerobic glycolysis. PMID:27880818

  17. Salivary testosterone levels in men at a U.S. sex club.

    PubMed

    Escasa, Michelle J; Casey, Jacqueline F; Gray, Peter B

    2011-10-01

    Vertebrate males commonly experience elevations in testosterone levels in response to sexual stimuli, such as presentation of a novel mating partner. Some previous human studies have shown that watching erotic movies increases testosterone levels in males although studies measuring testosterone changes during actual sexual intercourse or masturbation have yielded mixed results. Small sample sizes, "unnatural" lab-based settings, and invasive techniques may help account for mixed human findings. Here, we investigated salivary testosterone levels in men watching (n = 26) versus participating (n = 18) in sexual activity at a large U.S. sex club. The present study entailed minimally invasive sample collection (measuring testosterone in saliva), a naturalistic setting, and a larger number of subjects than previous work to test three hypotheses related to men's testosterone responses to sexual stimuli. Subjects averaged 40 years of age and participated between 11:00 pm and 2:10 am. Consistent with expectations, results revealed that testosterone levels increased 36% among men during a visit to the sex club, with the magnitude of testosterone change significantly greater among participants (72%) compared with observers (11%). Contrary to expectation, men's testosterone changes were unrelated to their age. These findings were generally consistent with vertebrate studies indicating elevated male testosterone in response to sexual stimuli, but also point out the importance of study context since participation in sexual behavior had a stronger effect on testosterone increases in this study but unlike some previous human lab-based studies.

  18. Glucocorticoids mediate stress-induced impairment of retrieval of stimulus-response memory.

    PubMed

    Atsak, Piray; Guenzel, Friederike M; Kantar-Gok, Deniz; Zalachoras, Ioannis; Yargicoglu, Piraye; Meijer, Onno C; Quirarte, Gina L; Wolf, Oliver T; Schwabe, Lars; Roozendaal, Benno

    2016-05-01

    Acute stress and elevated glucocorticoid hormone levels are well known to impair the retrieval of hippocampus-dependent 'declarative' memory. Recent findings suggest that stress might also impair the retrieval of non-hippocampal memories. In particular, stress shortly before retention testing was shown to impair the retrieval of striatal stimulus-response associations in humans. However, the mechanism underlying this stress-induced retrieval impairment of non-hippocampal stimulus-response memory remains elusive. In the present study, we investigated whether an acute elevation in glucocorticoid levels mediates the impairing effects of stress on retrieval of stimulus-response memory. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained on a stimulus-response task in an eight-arm radial maze until they learned to associate a stimulus, i.e., cue, with a food reward in one of the arms. Twenty-four hours after successful acquisition, they received a systemic injection of vehicle, corticosterone (1mg/kg), the corticosterone-synthesis inhibitor metyrapone (35mg/kg) or were left untreated 1h before retention testing. We found that the corticosterone injection impaired the retrieval of stimulus-response memory. We further found that the systemic injection procedure per se was stressful as the vehicle administration also increased plasma corticosterone levels and impaired the retrieval of stimulus-response memory. However, memory retrieval was not impaired when rats were tested 2min after the systemic vehicle injection, before any stress-induced elevation in corticosterone levels had occurred. Moreover, metyrapone treatment blocked the effect of injection stress on both plasma corticosterone levels and memory retrieval impairment, indicating that the endogenous corticosterone response mediates the stress-induced memory retrieval impairment. None of the treatments affected rats' locomotor activity or motivation to search for the food reward within the maze. These findings show that stress may affect memory processes beyond the hippocampus and that these stress effects are due to the action of glucocorticoids. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Implications for glycine receptors and astrocytes in ethanol-induced elevation of dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens.

    PubMed

    Adermark, Louise; Clarke, Rhona B C; Olsson, Torsten; Hansson, Elisabeth; Söderpalm, Bo; Ericson, Mia

    2011-01-01

    Elevated dopamine levels are believed to contribute to the rewarding sensation of ethanol (EtOH), and previous research has shown that strychnine-sensitive glycine receptors in the nucleus accumbens (nAc) are involved in regulating dopamine release and in mediating the reinforcing effects of EtOH. Furthermore, the osmoregulator taurine, which is released from astrocytes treated with EtOH, can act as an endogenous ligand for the glycine receptor, and increase extracellular dopamine levels. The aim of this study was to address if EtOH-induced swelling of astrocytes could contribute to elevated dopamine levels by increasing the extracellular concentration of taurine. Cell swelling was estimated by optical sectioning of fluorescently labeled astrocytes in primary cultures from rat, and showed that EtOH (25-150 mM) increased astrocyte cell volumes in a concentration- and ion-dependent manner. The EtOH-induced cell swelling was inhibited in cultures treated with the Na(+) /K(+) /2Cl⁻ cotransporter blocker furosemide (1 mM), Na(+) /K(+) -ATPase inhibitor ouabain (0.1 mM), potassium channel inhibitor BaCl₂ (50 µM) and in cultures containing low extracellular sodium concentration (3 mM). In vivo microdialysis performed in the nAc of awake and freely moving rats showed that local treatment with EtOH enhanced the concentrations of dopamine and taurine in the microdialysate, while glycine and β-alanine levels were not significantly modulated. EtOH-induced dopamine release was antagonized by local treatment with the glycine receptor antagonist strychnine (20 µM) or furosemide (100 µM or 1 mM). Furosemide also prevented EtOH-induced taurine release in the nAc. In conclusion, our data suggest that extracellular concentrations of dopamine and taurine are interconnected and that swelling of astrocytes contributes to the acute rewarding sensation of EtOH. © 2010 The Authors, Addiction Biology © 2010 Society for the Study of Addiction.

  20. Prolactin-derived vasoinhibins increase anxiety- and depression-related behaviors.

    PubMed

    Zamorano, Miriam; Ledesma-Colunga, Maria G; Adán, Norma; Vera-Massieu, Camila; Lemini, Maria; Méndez, Isabel; Moreno-Carranza, Bibiana; Neumann, Inga D; Thebault, Stéphanie; Martínez de la Escalera, Gonzalo; Torner, Luz; Clapp, Carmen

    2014-06-01

    The hormone prolactin (PRL) regulates neuroendocrine and emotional stress responses. It is found in the hypothalamus, where the protein is partially cleaved to vasoinhibins, a family of N-terminal antiangiogenic PRL fragments ranging from 14 to 18kDa molecular masses, with unknown effects on the stress response. Here, we show that the intracerebroventricular administration of a recombinant vasoinhibin, containing the first 123 amino acids of human PRL that correspond to a 14kDa PRL, exerts anxiogenic and depressive-like effects detected in the elevated plus-maze, the open field, and the forced swimming tests. To investigate whether stressor exposure affects the generation of vasoinhibins in the hypothalamus, the concentrations of PRL mRNA, PRL, and vasoinhibins were evaluated in hypothalamic extracts of virgin female rats immobilized for 30min at different time points after stress onset. The hypothalamic levels of PRL mRNA and protein were higher at 60min but declined at 360min to levels seen in non-stressed animals. The elevation of hypothalamic PRL did not correlate with the stress-induced increase in circulating PRL levels, nor was it modified by blocking adenohypophyseal PRL secretion with bromocriptine. A vasoinhibin having an electrophoretic migration rate corresponding to 17kDa was detected in the hypothalamus. Despite the elevation in hypothalamic PRL, the levels of this hypothalamic vasoinhibin were similar in stressed and non-stressed rats. Stress reduced the rate of cleavage of PRL to this vasoinhibin as shown by the incubation of recombinant PRL with hypothalamic extracts from stressed rats. These results suggest that vasoinhibins are potent anxiogenic and depressive factors and that stress increases PRL levels in the hypothalamus partly by reducing its conversion to vasoinhibins. The reciprocal interplay between PRL and vasoinhibins may represent an effective mechanism to regulate anxiety and depression. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Water Storage Changes using Floodplain Bathymetry from InSAR and satellite altimetry in the Congo River Basin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yuan, T.; Lee, H.; Jung, H. C.; Beighley, E.; Alsdorf, D. E.

    2016-12-01

    Extensive wetlands and swamps expand along the Congo River and its tributaries. These wetlands store water and attenuate flood wave during high water season. Substantial dissolved and solid substances are also transported with the water flux, influencing geochemical environment and biogeochemistry processes both in the wetlands and the river. To understand the role of the wetlands in partitioning the surface water and the accompanied material movement, water storage change is one of the most fundamental observations. The water flow through the wetlands is complex, affected by topography, vegetation resistance, and hydraulic variations. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) has been successfully used to map relative water level changes in the vegetated wetlands with high spatial resolution. By examining interferograms generated from ALOS PALSAR along the middle reach of the Congo River floodplain, we found greater water level changes near the Congo mainstem. Integrated analysis of InSAR and Envisat altimetry data has shown that proximal floodplain with higher water level change has lower elevation during dry season. This indicates that the spatial variation of water level change in the Congo floodplain is mostly controlled by floodplain bathymetry. A method based on water level and bathymetry model is proposed to estimate water storage change. The bathymetry model is composed of (1) elevation at the intersection of the floodplain and the river and (2) floodplain bathymetry slope. We first constructed the floodplain bathymetry by selecting an Envisat altimetry profile during low water season to estimate elevation at the intersection of the floodplain and the river. Floodplain bathymetry slope was estimated using InSAR measurements. It is expected that our new method can estimate water storage change with higher temporal resolution corresponding to altimeter's repeat cycle. In addition, given the multi-decadal archive of satellite altimetry measurements, our method suggests a way to estimate interannual water storage change over a long time span in Congo.

  2. Lead poisoning in United States-bound refugee children: Thailand-Burma border, 2009.

    PubMed

    Mitchell, Tarissa; Jentes, Emily; Ortega, Luis; Scalia Sucosky, Marissa; Jefferies, Taran; Bajcevic, Predrag; Parr, Valentina; Jones, Warren; Brown, Mary Jean; Painter, John

    2012-02-01

    Elevated blood lead levels lead to permanent neurocognitive sequelae in children. Resettled refugee children in the United States are considered at high risk for elevated blood lead levels, but the prevalence of and risk factors for elevated blood lead levels before resettlement have not been described. Blood samples from children aged 6 months to 14 years from refugee camps in Thailand were tested for lead and hemoglobin. Sixty-seven children with elevated blood lead levels (venous ≥10 µg/dL) or undetectable (capillary <3.3 µg/dL) blood lead levels participated in a case-control study. Of 642 children, 33 (5.1%) had elevated blood lead levels. Children aged <2 years had the highest prevalence (14.5%). Among children aged <2 years included in a case-control study, elevated blood lead levels risk factors included hemoglobin <10 g/dL, exposure to car batteries, and taking traditional medicines. The prevalence of elevated blood lead levels among tested US-bound Burmese refugee children was higher than the current US prevalence, and was especially high among children <2 years old. Refugee children may arrive in the United States with elevated blood lead levels. A population-specific understanding of preexisting lead exposures can enhance postarrival lead-poisoning prevention efforts, based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for resettled refugee children, and can lead to remediation efforts overseas.

  3. Lung-clearance mechanisms following inhalation of acid sulfates

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

    Wolff, R.K.; Muggenburg, B.A.; Silbaugh, S.A.

    1982-08-01

    These studies have indicated that acute exposures (1-6 hrs) to sulfuric acid at levels of 0.5 to 1.0 mg/m/sup 3/ can produce impairments in mucous clearance. The impairments can last for up to a week following a 1 hr exposure. These effects and studies by others suggest that high sulfate levels in polluted conditions may be one factor in observed increases of hospital visits for respiratory problems. Long term exposures to elevated levels of sulfates resulting in decreases of clearance could also be an initiating factor in producing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These studies have also shown that itmore » is the larger size fraction (0.6 to 1.0 ..mu..m) of sulfuric acid mist in the urban aerosol which is predominantly responsible for at least the acute effects.« less

  4. Phosphate toxicity and vascular mineralization.

    PubMed

    Razzaque, Mohammed S

    2013-01-01

    Vascular calcification or mineralization is a major complication seen in patients with advanced stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD), and it is associated with markedly increased morbidity and mortality. Most of the CKD-related vascular mineralization is attributable to abnormal mineral ion metabolism. Elevated serum calcium and phosphate levels, along with increased calcium-phosphorus byproduct, and the use of active vitamin D metabolites are thought to be the predisposing factors for developing vascular mineralization in patients with CKD. Recent experimental studies have shown that vascular mineralization can be suppressed by reducing serum phosphate levels, even in the presence of extremely high serum calcium and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels, indicating that reducing 'phosphate toxicity' should be the important therapeutic priority in CKD patients for minimizing the risk of developing vascular mineralization and the disease progression. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  5. The Regulatory Mechanisms of Tumor Suppressor P16INK4A and Relevance to Cancer†

    PubMed Central

    Li, Junan; Poi, Ming Jye; Tsai, Ming-Daw

    2011-01-01

    P16INK4A (also known as P16 and MTS1), a protein consisting exclusively of four ankyrin repeats, is recognized as a tumor suppressor mainly due to the prevalence of genetic inactivation of the p16INK4A (or CDKN2A) gene in virtually all types of human cancers. However, it has also been shown that elevated expression (up-regulation) of P16 is involved in cellular senescence, aging, and cancer progression, indicating that the regulation of P16 is critical for its function. Here, we discuss the regulatory mechanisms of P16 function at the DNA level, the transcription level, and the posttranscriptional level, as well as their implications in the structure-function relationship of P16 and in human cancers. PMID:21619050

  6. Increasing sugar transport to improve soybean response to elevated [CO2

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Elevated atmospheric [CO2] causes a direct increase in instantaneous photosynthesis and sugar production in C3 plants, leading to a yield increase which is promising to meet future food demand. However, previous studies have shown that soybean yield does not increase as much as predicted under eleva...

  7. 76 FR 50405 - Airworthiness Directives; SOCATA Airplanes

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-15

    ... elevator trim tab actuator jamming once the trim tab arrived to stop. The investigations conducted by the trim tab actuator manufacturer have shown that there was a discrepancy with PRECILEC manufacturing process of elevator trim tab actuator which caused this event. It has been determined as well that this...

  8. Genomic Instability Associated with p53 Knockdown in the Generation of Huntington’s Disease Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

    PubMed Central

    Tidball, Andrew M.; Neely, M. Diana; Chamberlin, Reed; Aboud, Asad A.; Kumar, Kevin K.; Han, Bingying; Bryan, Miles R.; Aschner, Michael; Ess, Kevin C.; Bowman, Aaron B.

    2016-01-01

    Alterations in DNA damage response and repair have been observed in Huntington’s disease (HD). We generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) from primary dermal fibroblasts of 5 patients with HD and 5 control subjects. A significant fraction of the HD iPSC lines had genomic abnormalities as assessed by karyotype analysis, while none of our control lines had detectable genomic abnormalities. We demonstrate a statistically significant increase in genomic instability in HD cells during reprogramming. We also report a significant association with repeat length and severity of this instability. Our karyotypically normal HD iPSCs also have elevated ATM-p53 signaling as shown by elevated levels of phosphorylated p53 and H2AX, indicating either elevated DNA damage or hypersensitive DNA damage signaling in HD iPSCs. Thus, increased DNA damage responses in the HD genotype is coincidental with the observed chromosomal aberrations. We conclude that the disease causing mutation in HD increases the propensity of chromosomal instability relative to control fibroblasts specifically during reprogramming to a pluripotent state by a commonly used episomal-based method that includes p53 knockdown. PMID:26982737

  9. The Effect of Curing Temperature on the Properties of Cement Pastes Modified with TiO2 Nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Pimenta Teixeira, Karine; Perdigão Rocha, Isadora; De Sá Carneiro, Leticia; Flores, Jessica; Dauer, Edward A.; Ghahremaninezhad, Ali

    2016-01-01

    This paper investigates the effect of curing temperature on the hydration, microstructure, compressive strength, and transport of cement pastes modified with TiO2 nanoparticles. These characteristics of cement pastes were studied using non-evaporable water content measurement, X-ray diffraction (XRD), compressive strength test, electrical resistivity and porosity measurements, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was shown that temperature enhanced the early hydration. The cement pastes cured at elevated temperatures generally showed an increase in compressive strength at an early age compared to the cement paste cured at room temperature, but the strength gain decreased at later ages. The electrical resistivity of the cement pastes cured at elevated temperatures was found to decrease more noticeably at late ages compared to that of the room temperature cured cement paste. SEM examination indicated that hydration product was more uniformly distributed in the microstructure of the cement paste cured at room temperature compared to the cement pastes cured at elevated temperatures. It was observed that high temperature curing decreased the compressive strength and electrical resistivity of the cement pastes at late ages in a more pronounced manner when higher levels of TiO2 nanoparticles were added. PMID:28774073

  10. Effects of Eucommia leaf extracts on autonomic nerves, body temperature, lipolysis, food intake, and body weight.

    PubMed

    Horii, Yuko; Tanida, Mamoru; Shen, Jiao; Hirata, Tetsuya; Kawamura, Naomi; Wada, Atsunori; Nagai, Katsuya

    2010-08-02

    Eucommia ulmoides Oliver leaf extracts (ELE) have been shown to exert a hypolipidemic effect in hamsters. Therefore, it was hypothesized that ELE might affect lipid metabolism via changes in autonomic nerve activities and causes changes in thermogenesis and body weight. We examined this hypothesis, and found that intraduodenal (ID) injection of ELE elevated epididymal white adipose tissue sympathetic nerve activity (WAT-SNA) and interscapular brown adipose tissue sympathetic nerve activity (BAT-SNA) in urethane-anesthetized rats and elevated the plasma concentration of free fatty acids (FFA) (a marker of lipolysis) and body temperature (BT) (a marker of thermogenesis) in conscious rats. Furthermore, it was observed that ID administration of ELE decreased gastric vagal nerve activity (GVNA) in urethane-anesthetized rats, and that ELE given as food reduced food intake, body and abdominal adipose tissue weights and decreased plasma triglyceride level. These findings suggest that ELE stimulates lipolysis and thermogenesis through elevations in WAT-SNA and BAT-SNA, respectively, suppresses appetite by inhibiting the activities of the parasympathetic nerves innervating the gastrointestinal tract, including GVNA, and decreases the amount of abdominal fat and body weight via these changes. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. The effects of nitric oxide in settlement and adhesion of zoospores of the green alga Ulva.

    PubMed

    Thompson, Stephanie E M; Callow, Maureen E; Callow, James A

    2010-01-01

    Previous studies have shown that elevated nitric oxide (NO) reduces adhesion in diatom, bacterial and animal cells. This article reports experiments designed to investigate whether elevated NO reduces the adhesion of zoospores of the green alga Ulva, an important fouling species. Surface-normalised values of NO were measured using the fluorescent indicator DAF-FM DA and parallel hydrodynamic measurements of adhesion strength were made. Elevated levels of NO caused by the addition of the exogenous NO donor SNAP reduced spore settlement by 20% and resulted in lower adhesion strength. Addition of the NO scavenger cPTIO abolished the effects of SNAP on adhesion. The strength of attachment and NO production by spores in response to four coatings (Silastic T2; Intersleek 700; Intersleek 900 and polyurethane) shows that reduced adhesion is correlated with an increase in NO production. It is proposed that in spores of Ulva, NO is used as an intracellular signalling molecule to detect how conducive a surface is for settlement and adhesion. The effect of NO on the adhesion of a range of organisms suggests that NO-releasing coatings could have the potential to control fouling.

  12. Benzene metabolite levels in blood and bone marrow of B6C3F{sub 1} mice after low-level exposure

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

    Bechtold, W.E.; Strunk, M.R.; Thornton-Manning, J.R.

    1995-12-01

    Studies at the Inhalation Toxicology Research Institute (ITRI) have explored the species-specific uptake and metabolism of benzene. Results have shown that metabolism is dependent on both dose and route of administration. Of particular interest were shifts in the major metabolic pathways as a function of exposure concentration. In these studies, B6C3F{sub 1} mice were exposed to increasing levels of benzene by either gavage or inhalation. As benzene internal dose increased, the relative amounts of muconic acid and hydroquinone decreased. In contrast, the relative amount of catechol increased with increasing exposure. These results show that the relative levels of toxic metabolitesmore » are a function of exposure level. Based on these results and assuming a linear relationship between exposure concentration and levels of bone marrow metabolites, it would be difficult to detect an elevation of any phenolic metabolites above background after occupational exposures to the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit of 1 ppm benzene.« less

  13. Elevated Serum PSA is Associated With Human Herpesvirus 8 Infection and Increased Circulating Cytokine Levels in Men From Tobago.

    PubMed

    Henning, Jill D; Karamchandani, Jaideep M; Bonachea, Luis A; Bunker, Clareann H; Patrick, Alan L; Jenkins, Frank J

    2017-05-01

    Serum-prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels have been used for many years as a biomarker for prostate cancer. This usage is under scrutiny due to the fact that elevated PSA levels can be caused by other conditions such as benign prostatic hyperplasia and infections of or injury to the prostate. As a result, the identification of specific pathogens capable of increasing serum levels of PSA is important. A potential candidate responsible for elevated PSA is human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8). We have reported previously that HHV-8 is capable of infecting and establishing a latent infection in the prostate. In this current study we test the hypothesis that HHV-8 infection is associated with elevated PSA levels. Circulating cytokine levels between men with elevated PSA and controls are also compared. HHV-8 serostatus was determined among men with elevated serum PSA (≥4 ng/ml; n = 168, no prostate cancer on biopsy) and age-matched controls (PSA <4 ng/ml; n = 234), Circulating cytokine levels were determined among a subset of each group (116 with elevated PSA and 85 controls). Men with an elevated serum PSA were significantly more likely to be HHV-8 seropositive (42.9%) than the age-matched cancer-free men (22.2%; OR 2.51; 95%CI 1.48-4.29, P = 00001). Comparison of circulating cytokine levels between men with elevated serum PSA and controls indicated that elevated serum PSA is associated with a pro-inflammatory response with a mixed Th1/Th2 response while HHV-8 infection was associated with significantly higher levels of IL12p70, IL-10, and IL-13 indicating a Th2 immune response. We found a significant association between HHV-8 infection and increased levels of serum PSA. In an age of patient-centered medicine, men with an elevated serum PSA should be considered for HHV-8 serology testing to determine if HHV-8 is responsible for the elevated PSA. Prostate 77: 617-624, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Blood electrolytes and exercise in relation to temperature regulation in man

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Greenleaf, J. E.

    1973-01-01

    Current knowledge and theories about the relation of blood electrolytes and exercise to thermoregulation in man are reviewed. It is shown that the elevation of body temperature during physical exercise is a regulated process and is not due to a failure of the heat dissipating mechanisms. Core and skin temperatures do not provide sufficient information to account for the control of sweating during exercise. Evidence is presented that suggests an association between equilibrium levels of rectal temperature and the osmotic concentration of the blood with essentially no influence of variations in plasma volume.

  15. Silybum marianum (milk thistle) in the management and prevention of hepatotoxicity in a patient undergoing reinduction therapy for acute myelogenous leukemia.

    PubMed

    McBride, Ali; Augustin, Kristan M; Nobbe, Julie; Westervelt, Peter

    2012-09-01

    Hepatotoxicity has been observed with several chemotherapy agents and combination regimens. Conventional treatment methods often include supportive care or observation. We report a case of a patient with noted transaminitis presumed secondary to chemotherapy, which did not resolve with supportive care but was shown to respond to milk thistle. The patient had an immediate decrease in liver function tests and showed decreased elevation in levels upon treatment with subsequent chemotherapy regimens. This case demonstrates the potential efficacy of milk thistle as a unique hepatoprotective agent.

  16. Cks1 Is Required for Tumor Cell Proliferation but Not Sufficient to Induce Hematopoietic Malignancies

    PubMed Central

    Kratzat, Susanne; Nikolova, Viktoriya; Miething, Cornelius; Hoellein, Alexander; Schoeffmann, Stephanie; Gorka, Oliver; Pietschmann, Elke; Illert, Anna-Lena; Ruland, Jürgen; Peschel, Christian; Nilsson, Jonas; Duyster, Justus; Keller, Ulrich

    2012-01-01

    The Cks1 component of the SCFSkp2 complex is necessary for p27Kip1 ubiquitylation and degradation. Cks1 expression is elevated in various B cell malignancies including Burkitt lymphoma and multiple myeloma. We have previously shown that loss of Cks1 results in elevated p27Kip1 levels and delayed tumor development in a mouse model of Myc-induced B cell lymphoma. Surprisingly, loss of Skp2 in the same mouse model also resulted in elevated p27Kip1 levels but exhibited no impact on tumor onset. This raises the possibility that Cks1 could have other oncogenic activities than suppressing p27Kip1. To challenge this notion we have targeted overexpression of Cks1 to B cells using a conditional retroviral bone marrow transduction-transplantation system. Despite potent ectopic overexpression, Cks1 was unable to promote B cell hyperproliferation or B cell malignancies, indicating that Cks1 is not oncogenic when overexpressed in B cells. Since Skp2 overexpression can drive T-cell tumorigenesis or other cancers we also widened the quest for oncogenic activity of Cks1 by ubiquitously expressing Cks1 in hematopoetic progenitors. At variance with c-Myc overexpression, which caused acute myeloid leukemia, Cks1 overexpression did not induce myeloproliferation or leukemia. Therefore, despite being associated with a poor prognosis in various malignancies, sole Cks1 expression is insufficient to induce lymphoma or a myeloproliferative disease in vivo. PMID:22624029

  17. Putative Role of Serum Amyloid-A and Proinflammatory Cytokines as Biomarkers for Behcet's Disease

    PubMed Central

    Lopalco, Giuseppe; Lucherini, Orso Maria; Vitale, Antonio; Talarico, Rosaria; Lopalco, Antonio; Galeazzi, Mauro; Lapadula, Giovanni; Cantarini, Luca; Iannone, Florenzo

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Behcet's disease (BD) is a multisystemic disorder of unknown etiology characterized by relapsing oral–genital ulcers, uveitis, and involvement of vascular, gastrointestinal, neurological, and musculoskeletal system. Although disease pathogenesis is still unclear, both innate and adaptive immunity have shown to play a pivotal role, and multiple proinflammatory cytokines seem to be involved in different pathogenic pathways that eventually lead to tissue damage. The aims of our study were to evaluate serum cytokines levels of IL-8, IL-18, IFN-α2a, IL-6, IFN-γ, CXCL10, CXCL11, CXCL9, and SAA levels in patients with BD, in comparison to healthy controls (HC), and to correlate their levels to disease activity. We included 78 serum samples obtained from 58 BD patients and analyzed a set of proinflammatory cytokines including IL-8, IL-18, IFN-α2a, IL-6, IFN-γ, CXCL10, CXCL11, and CXCL9 by multiplex bead analysis as well as SAA by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Compared to HC, BD patients showed elevated cytokine levels of IL-8, IL-18, IFN-α2a, and IL-6, and low levels of CXCL11. BD patients with SAA serum levels >20 mg/L showed higher levels of proinflammatory markers than HC or group with SAA ≤20 mg/L. IL-18, IFN-α2a, and IL-6 were higher in BD group with SAA >20 mg/L than HC, while IL-8 and CXCL9 levels were higher than in patients with SAA ≤20 mg/L and HC. Active BD patients with SAA >20 mg/L exhibited elevated levels of inflammatory mediators, suggesting that may exist a relationship between SAA and proinflammatory cytokines in the intricate scenario of BD pathogenesis. PMID:26496336

  18. Serum TK levels in CLL identify Binet stage A patients within biologically defined prognostic subgroups most likely to undergo disease progression.

    PubMed

    Matthews, Christine; Catherwood, Mark A; Morris, T C M; Kettle, Paul J; Drake, Mary B; Gilmore, William S; Alexander, H Denis

    2006-10-01

    Serum thymidine kinase (TK) levels have been shown to be correlated with survival in many malignancies, including chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). This study was designed to investigate associations between TK levels and other prognostic markers, in newly and previously diagnosed Binet stage A patients. Furthermore, the use of serum TK measurement to identify subcategories of disease within those defined by IgV(H) mutational status, gene usage and chromosomal aberrations was investigated. Ninety-one CLL patients were enrolled. Serum TK levels were measured using a radioenzyme assay. IgV(H) mutational status and V(H) gene usage were determined using BIOMED-2 primers and protocol. Recurring chromosomal abnormalities were detected by interphase fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH). Flow cytometry and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) determined CD38 and Zap-70 expression, respectively. Significantly higher serum TK levels were found in IgV(H) unmutated, compared with IgV(H) mutated, patients (P < 0.001). Elevated TK levels were also found in patients with CD38 and Zap-70 positivity (P = 0.004, P < 0.001, respectively), short lymphocyte doubling time (LDT) (P = 0.044) and poor or intermediate prognosis chromosomal aberrations (P < 0.001). A TK level of >8.5 U/L best identified patients with progressive disease. Elevated TK levels could identify patients categorised, at diagnosis, into good prognosis subgroups by the various biological markers (mutated IgV(H), good prognosis chromosomal aberrations, Zap-70(-) and CD38(-)) who subsequently showed disease progression. Additionally, patients with V(H)3-21 gene usage showed high TK levels, irrespective of mutational status, and serum TK measurement retained predictive power as disease progressed in all subcategories studied.

  19. Relationship of Inhaled Corticosteroid Adherence to Asthma Exacerbations in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Asthma.

    PubMed

    Papi, Alberto; Ryan, Dermot; Soriano, Joan B; Chrystyn, Henry; Bjermer, Leif; Rodríguez-Roisin, Roberto; Dolovich, Myrna B; Harris, Mark; Wood, Lucy; Batsiou, Maria; Thornhill, Susannah I; Price, David B

    2018-04-05

    Patients with asthma and elevated blood eosinophils are at increased risk of severe exacerbations. Management of these patients should consider nonadherence to inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy as a factor for increased exacerbation risk. The objective of this study was to investigate whether poor adherence to ICS therapy explains the occurrence of asthma exacerbations in patients with elevated blood eosinophil levels. This historical cohort study identified patients within the Optimum Patient Care Research Database, aged 18 years or more, at Global Initiative for Asthma step 3 or 4, with 2 or more ICS prescriptions during the year before the clinical review. Patient characteristics and adherence (based on prescription refills and patient self-report) for ICS therapy were analyzed for those with elevated (>400 cells/μL) or normal (≤400 cells/μL) blood eosinophils. We studied 7195 patients (66% female, mean age 60 years) with median eosinophil count of 200 cells/μL and found 81% to be not fully adherent to ICS therapy. A total of 1031 patients (14%) had elevated blood eosinophil counts (58% female, mean age 60 years), 83% of whom were not fully adherent to ICS. An increased proportion of adherent patients in the elevated blood eosinophil group had 2 or more exacerbations (14.0% vs 7.2%; P = .003) and uncontrolled asthma (73% vs 60.8%; P = .004) as compared with non-fully adherent patients. Approximately 1 in 7 patients had elevated eosinophils. Adherence to ICS therapy was not associated with decreased exacerbations for these patients. Additional therapy should be considered for these patients, such as biologics, which have been previously shown to improve control in severe uncontrolled eosinophilic asthma. Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Design and optimization of aspartate N-acetyltransferase inhibitors for the potential treatment of Canavan disease.

    PubMed

    Thangavelu, Bharani; Mutthamsetty, Vinay; Wang, Qinzhe; Viola, Ronald E

    2017-02-01

    Canavan disease is a fatal neurological disorder caused by defects in the metabolism of N-acetyl-l-aspartate (NAA). Recent work has shown that the devastating symptoms of this disorder are correlated with the elevated levels of NAA observed in these patients, caused as a consequence of the inability of mutated forms of aspartoacylase to adequately catalyze its breakdown. The membrane-associated enzyme responsible for the synthesis of NAA, aspartate N-acetyltransferase (ANAT), has recently been purified and examined (Wang et al., Prot Expr Purif. 2016;119:11). With the availability, for the first time, of a stable and soluble form of ANAT we can now report the identification of initial inhibitors against this biosynthetic enzyme, obtained from the screening of several focused compound libraries. Two core structures of these moderate binding compounds have subsequently been optimized, with the most potent inhibitors in these series possessing sub-micromolar inhibition constants (K i values) against ANAT. Slowing the production of NAA via the inhibition of ANAT will lower the elevated levels of this metabolite and can potentially serve as a treatment option to moderate the symptoms of Canavan disease. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Galectin-1 Protein Therapy Prevents Pathology and Improves Muscle Function in the mdx Mouse Model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

    PubMed

    Van Ry, Pam M; Wuebbles, Ryan D; Key, Megan; Burkin, Dean J

    2015-08-01

    Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a fatal neuromuscular disease caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene, leading to the loss of a critical component of the sarcolemmal dystrophin glycoprotein complex. Galectin-1 is a small 14 kDa protein normally found in skeletal muscle and has been shown to be a modifier of immune response, muscle repair, and apoptosis. Galectin-1 levels are elevated in the muscle of mouse and dog models of DMD. Together, these findings led us to hypothesize that Galectin-1 may serve as a modifier of disease progression in DMD. To test this hypothesis, recombinant mouse Galectin-1 was produced and used to treat myogenic cells and the mdx mouse model of DMD. Here we show that intramuscular and intraperitoneal injections of Galectin-1 into mdx mice prevented pathology and improved muscle function in skeletal muscle. These improvements were a result of enhanced sarcolemmal stability mediated by elevated utrophin and α7β1 integrin protein levels. Together our results demonstrate for the first time that Galectin-1 may serve as an exciting new protein therapeutic for the treatment of DMD.

  2. Methylglyoxal Induces Changes in the Glyoxalase System and Impairs Glutamate Uptake Activity in Primary Astrocytes

    PubMed Central

    Galland, Fabiana; Lirio, Franciane; de Souza, Daniela Fraga; Da Ré, Carollina; Pacheco, Rafaela Ferreira; Vizuete, Adriana Fernanda; Quincozes-Santos, André; Leite, Marina Concli; Gonçalves, Carlos-Alberto

    2017-01-01

    The impairment of astrocyte functions is associated with diabetes mellitus and other neurodegenerative diseases. Astrocytes have been proposed to be essential cells for neuroprotection against elevated levels of methylglyoxal (MG), a highly reactive aldehyde derived from the glycolytic pathway. MG exposure impairs primary astrocyte viability, as evaluated by different assays, and these cells respond to MG elevation by increasing glyoxalase 1 activity and glutathione levels, which improve cell viability and survival. However, C6 glioma cells have shown strong signs of resistance against MG, without significant changes in the glyoxalase system. Results for aminoguanidine coincubation support the idea that MG toxicity is mediated by glycation. We found a significant decrease in glutamate uptake by astrocytes, without changes in the expression of the major transporters. Carbenoxolone, a nonspecific inhibitor of gap junctions, prevented the cytotoxicity induced by MG in astrocyte cultures. Thus, our data reinforce the idea that astrocyte viability depends on gap junctions and that the impairment induced by MG involves glutamate excitotoxicity. The astrocyte susceptibility to MG emphasizes the importance of this compound in neurodegenerative diseases, where the neuronal damage induced by MG may be aggravated by the commitment of the cells charged with MG clearance. PMID:28685011

  3. Methylglyoxal Induces Changes in the Glyoxalase System and Impairs Glutamate Uptake Activity in Primary Astrocytes.

    PubMed

    Hansen, Fernanda; Galland, Fabiana; Lirio, Franciane; de Souza, Daniela Fraga; Da Ré, Carollina; Pacheco, Rafaela Ferreira; Vizuete, Adriana Fernanda; Quincozes-Santos, André; Leite, Marina Concli; Gonçalves, Carlos-Alberto

    2017-01-01

    The impairment of astrocyte functions is associated with diabetes mellitus and other neurodegenerative diseases. Astrocytes have been proposed to be essential cells for neuroprotection against elevated levels of methylglyoxal (MG), a highly reactive aldehyde derived from the glycolytic pathway. MG exposure impairs primary astrocyte viability, as evaluated by different assays, and these cells respond to MG elevation by increasing glyoxalase 1 activity and glutathione levels, which improve cell viability and survival. However, C6 glioma cells have shown strong signs of resistance against MG, without significant changes in the glyoxalase system. Results for aminoguanidine coincubation support the idea that MG toxicity is mediated by glycation. We found a significant decrease in glutamate uptake by astrocytes, without changes in the expression of the major transporters. Carbenoxolone, a nonspecific inhibitor of gap junctions, prevented the cytotoxicity induced by MG in astrocyte cultures. Thus, our data reinforce the idea that astrocyte viability depends on gap junctions and that the impairment induced by MG involves glutamate excitotoxicity. The astrocyte susceptibility to MG emphasizes the importance of this compound in neurodegenerative diseases, where the neuronal damage induced by MG may be aggravated by the commitment of the cells charged with MG clearance.

  4. Exogenous contamination of uranium in human scalp hair.

    PubMed

    Muikku, Maarit; Heikkinen, Tarja

    2012-06-01

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

  5. A pilot study: subclinical hypothyroidism and free thyroid hormone measurement by immunoassay and mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Gounden, Verena; Jonklaas, Jacqueline; Soldin, Steven J

    2014-03-20

    The diagnosis of subclinical hypothyroidism is defined as the presence of an elevated thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) with a normal free thyroxine (FT4) level. The commonly used direct analogue immunoassays for the measurement of FT4 have been shown to have poor performance at the upper and lower limits of the FT4 reference interval. The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the percentage of individuals classified as having subclinical hypothyroidism with a standard immunoassay, that actually have low free thyroid hormone levels by mass spectrometry measurements. Outpatient samples with elevated TSH values and normal FT4 concentrations as per standard immunoassay methods were collected. FT4 and free triiodothyronine (FT3) analyses were performed on these samples using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Sixty five percent (n=26) of patients (n=40) had (LC-MS/MS) FT4 or FT3 or both FT4 and FT3 values below mass spectrometry reference limits. Our findings indicate that the direct analogue immunoassay method for FT4 measurement results in a significant proportion of patients being misclassified as having subclinical hypothyroidism. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  6. Polycythemia, capillary rarefaction, and focal glomerulosclerosis in two adolescents born extremely low birth weight and premature.

    PubMed

    Asada, Nariaki; Tsukahara, Takanori; Furuhata, Megumi; Matsuoka, Daisuke; Noda, Shunsuke; Naganuma, Kuniaki; Hashiguchi, Akinori; Awazu, Midori

    2017-07-01

    Low birthweight infants have a reduced number of nephrons and are at high risk of chronic kidney disease. Preterm birth and/or intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) may also affect peritubular capillary development, as has been shown in other organs. We report two patients with a history of preterm birth and extremely low birthweight who showed polycythemia and renal capillary rarefaction. Patient 1 and 2, born at 25 weeks of gestation with a birthweight of 728 and 466 g, showed mild proteinuria at age 8 and 6 years, respectively. In addition to increasing proteinuria, hemoglobin levels became elevated towards adolescence and their serum erythropoietin (EPO) was high despite polycythemia. Light microscopic examination of renal biopsy specimens showed glomerular hypertrophy, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, and only mild tubulointerstitial fibrosis. A decrease in the immunohistochemical staining of CD31 and CD34 endothelial cells in renal biopsy specimens was consistent with peritubular capillary rarefaction. Since kidney function was almost normal and fibrosis was not severe, we consider that the capillary rarefaction and polycythemia associated with elevated EPO levels were largely attributable to preterm birth and/or IUGR.

  7. Cushing disease as possible cause of persistent growth failure despite growth hormone therapy in a small for gestational age male.

    PubMed

    Heneghan, MaryKathleen; Alemzadeh, Ramin

    2011-12-01

    Growth hormone (GH) therapy in children with small for gestational age (SGA) has been shown to be of significant therapeutic benefit. We report the case of an 11-year-old Caucasian male who developed early adrenarche, hypertension and insulin resistance on GH therapy for SGA and profound short stature (ht -5 SD). This patient demonstrated a poor response to GH therapy and developed physical and biochemical findings of insulin resistance responsive to metformin therapy. He remained hypertensive, however, and continued to have elevated serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels. Urinary free cortisol excretion was subsequently found to be elevated. The diagnosis of Cushing's disease was confirmed with inferior petrosal sinus sampling and pituitary MRI. The patient underwent partial adenohypophysectomy with resulting normalization of plasma cortisol levels and associated symptoms. Our patient's diagnosis of Cushing's disease was complicated by his past history of poor growth since birth and history of SGA. The signs of Cushing's disease did not overtly appear until GH therapy was initiated to help treat severe short stature. It is possible that the metabolic effects of GH therapy unmasked the presence of underlying Cushing's disease.

  8. Calcium glycerophosphate and caries: a review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Lynch, R J M

    2004-01-01

    To review studies in the dental literature regarding the anti-caries mode of action of glycerophosphate with special reference to calcium glycerophosphate. The cariostatic properties of calcium glycerophosphate have been demonstrated during numerous in vivo and in vitro studies. Several mechanisms have been suggested and these include plaque-pH buffering, elevation of plaque calcium and phosphate levels and direct interaction with dental mineral. There is credible evidence that calcium glycerophosphate has the potential to reduce the progression of caries via all of these mechanisms if it is applied frequently and at a sufficiently high concentration. Reduction of plaque mass has also been proposed as a cariostatic mechanism but this seems less likely. Animal studies have shown that the calcium glycerophosphate/sodium monofluorophosphate system can have a greater anti-caries effect than sodium monofluorophosphate alone and this was subsequently confirmed in a caries clinical trial. We conclude that elevation of calcium levels in plaque is the most likely explanation and that any means of enhancing this effect has significant promise as a means to further increase in anti-caries potential of the calcium glycerophosphate/sodium monofluorophosphate system compared to sodium monofluorophosphate alone.

  9. Keratoconus: an inflammatory disorder?

    PubMed Central

    Galvis, V; Sherwin, T; Tello, A; Merayo, J; Barrera, R; Acera, A

    2015-01-01

    Keratoconus has been classically defined as a progressive, non-inflammatory condition, which produces a thinning and steepening of the cornea. Its pathophysiological mechanisms have been investigated for a long time. Both genetic and environmental factors have been associated with the disease. Recent studies have shown a significant role of proteolytic enzymes, cytokines, and free radicals; therefore, although keratoconus does not meet all the classic criteria for an inflammatory disease, the lack of inflammation has been questioned. The majority of studies in the tears of patients with keratoconus have found increased levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9. Eye rubbing, a proven risk factor for keratoconus, has been also shown recently to increase the tear levels of MMP-13, IL-6, and TNF-α. In the tear fluid of patients with ocular rosacea, IL-1α and MMP-9 have been reported to be significantly elevated, and cases of inferior corneal thinning, resembling keratoconus, have been reported. We performed a literature review of published biochemical changes in keratoconus that would support that this could be, at least in part, an inflammatory condition. PMID:25931166

  10. A multi-level strategy for anticipating future glacier lake formation and associated hazard potentials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Frey, H.; Haeberli, W.; Linsbauer, A.; Huggel, C.; Paul, F.

    2010-02-01

    In the course of glacier retreat, new glacier lakes can develop. As such lakes can be a source of natural hazards, strategies for predicting future glacier lake formation are important for an early planning of safety measures. In this article, a multi-level strategy for the identification of overdeepened parts of the glacier beds and, hence, sites with potential future lake formation, is presented. At the first two of the four levels of this strategy, glacier bed overdeepenings are estimated qualitatively and over large regions based on a digital elevation model (DEM) and digital glacier outlines. On level 3, more detailed and laborious models are applied for modeling the glacier bed topography over smaller regions; and on level 4, special situations must be investigated in-situ with detailed measurements such as geophysical soundings. The approaches of the strategy are validated using historical data from Trift Glacier, where a lake formed over the past decade. Scenarios of future glacier lakes are shown for the two test regions Aletsch and Bernina in the Swiss Alps. In the Bernina region, potential future lake outbursts are modeled, using a GIS-based hydrological flow routing model. As shown by a corresponding test, the ASTER GDEM and the SRTM DEM are both suitable to be used within the proposed strategy. Application of this strategy in other mountain regions of the world is therefore possible as well.

  11. Threat affects risk preferences in movement decision making

    PubMed Central

    O'Brien, Megan K.; Ahmed, Alaa A.

    2015-01-01

    Emotional states such as sadness, anger, and threat have been shown to play a critical role in decision-making processes. Here we addressed the question of whether risk preferences are influenced by postural threat and whether this influence generalizes across motor tasks. We examined risk attitudes in the context of arm-reaching (ARM) and whole-body (WB) leaning movements, expecting that increased postural threat would lead to proportionally similar changes in risk-sensitivity for each motor task. Healthy young adults were shown a series of two-alternative forced-choice lotteries, where they were asked to choose between a riskier lottery and a safer lottery on each trial. Our lotteries consisted of different monetary rewards and target sizes. Subjects performed each choice task at ground level and atop an elevated platform. In the presence of this postural threat, increased physiological arousal was correlated with decreased movement variability. To determine risk-sensitivity, we quantified the frequency with which a subject chose the riskier lottery and fit lottery responses to a choice model based on cumulative prospect theory (CPT). Subjects exhibited idiosyncratic changes in risk-sensitivity between motor tasks and between elevations. However, we found that overweighting of small probabilities increased with postural threat in the WB task, indicating a more cautious, risk-averse strategy is ascribed to the possibility of a fall. Subjects were also more risk-seeking in the WB movements than in ARM at low elevation; this behavior does not seem to derive from consistent distortions in utility or probability representations but may be explained by subjects' inaccurate estimation of their own motor variability. Overall, our findings suggest that implicit threat can modify risk attitudes in the motor domain, and the threat may induce risk-aversion in salient movement tasks. PMID:26106311

  12. Threat affects risk preferences in movement decision making.

    PubMed

    O'Brien, Megan K; Ahmed, Alaa A

    2015-01-01

    Emotional states such as sadness, anger, and threat have been shown to play a critical role in decision-making processes. Here we addressed the question of whether risk preferences are influenced by postural threat and whether this influence generalizes across motor tasks. We examined risk attitudes in the context of arm-reaching (ARM) and whole-body (WB) leaning movements, expecting that increased postural threat would lead to proportionally similar changes in risk-sensitivity for each motor task. Healthy young adults were shown a series of two-alternative forced-choice lotteries, where they were asked to choose between a riskier lottery and a safer lottery on each trial. Our lotteries consisted of different monetary rewards and target sizes. Subjects performed each choice task at ground level and atop an elevated platform. In the presence of this postural threat, increased physiological arousal was correlated with decreased movement variability. To determine risk-sensitivity, we quantified the frequency with which a subject chose the riskier lottery and fit lottery responses to a choice model based on cumulative prospect theory (CPT). Subjects exhibited idiosyncratic changes in risk-sensitivity between motor tasks and between elevations. However, we found that overweighting of small probabilities increased with postural threat in the WB task, indicating a more cautious, risk-averse strategy is ascribed to the possibility of a fall. Subjects were also more risk-seeking in the WB movements than in ARM at low elevation; this behavior does not seem to derive from consistent distortions in utility or probability representations but may be explained by subjects' inaccurate estimation of their own motor variability. Overall, our findings suggest that implicit threat can modify risk attitudes in the motor domain, and the threat may induce risk-aversion in salient movement tasks.

  13. Glutathione redox regulates airway hyperresponsiveness and airway inflammation in mice.

    PubMed

    Koike, Yoko; Hisada, Takeshi; Utsugi, Mitsuyoshi; Ishizuka, Tamotsu; Shimizu, Yasuo; Ono, Akihiro; Murata, Yukie; Hamuro, Junji; Mori, Masatomo; Dobashi, Kunio

    2007-09-01

    Glutathione is the major intracellular redox buffer. We have shown that glutathione redox status, which is the balance between intracellular reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione, in antigen-presenting cells (APC) regulates the helper T cell type 1 (Th1)/Th2 balance due to the production of IL-12. Bronchial asthma is a typical Th2 disease. Th2 cells and Th2 cytokines are characteristic of asthma and trigger off an inflammation. Accordingly, we studied the effects of the intracellular glutathione redox status on airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and allergen-induced airway inflammation in a mouse model of asthma. We used gamma-Glutamylcysteinylethyl ester (gamma-GCE), which is a membrane-permeating GSH precursor, to elevate the intracellular GSH level and GSH/GSSG ratio of mice. In vitro, gamma-GCE pretreatment of human monocytic THP-1 cells elevated the GSH/GSSG ratio and enhanced IL-12(p70) production induced by LPS. In the mouse asthma model, intraperitoneal injection of gamma-GCE elevated the GSH/GSSG ratio of lung tissue and reduced AHR. gamma-GCE reduced levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and the chemokines eotaxin and RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, whereas it enhanced the production of IL-12 and IFN-gamma. Histologically, gamma-GCE suppressed eosinophils infiltration. Interestingly, we also found that gamma-GCE directly inhibited chemokine-induced eosinophil chemotaxis without affecting eotaxin receptor chemokine receptor 3 (CCR3) expressions. Taken together, these findings suggest that changing glutathione redox balance, increase in GSH level, and the GSH/GSSG ratio by gamma-GCE, ameliorate bronchial asthma by altering the Th1/Th2 imbalance through IL-12 production from APC and suppressing chemokine production and eosinophil migration itself.

  14. Antacids and dietary supplements with an influence on the gastric pH increase the risk for food sensitization

    PubMed Central

    Pali-Schöll, I.; Herzog, R.; Wallmann, J.; Szalai, K.; Brunner, R.; Lukschal, A.; Karagiannis, P.; Diesner, S. C.; Jensen-Jarolim, E.

    2010-01-01

    Summary Background Elevation of the gastric pH increases the risk for sensitization against food allergens by hindering protein breakdown. This can be caused by acid-suppressing medication like sucralphate, H2-receptor blockers and proton pump inhibitors, as shown in recent murine experimental and human observational studies. Objective The aim of the present study was to assess the sensitization capacity of the dietary supplement base powder and of over-the-counter antacids. Methods Changes of the pH as well as of protein digestion due to base powder or antacids were measured in vitro. To examine the in vivo influence, BALB/c mice were fed codfish extract with one of the acid-suppressing substances. Read-out of antibody levels in the sera, of cytokine levels of stimulated splenocytes and of intradermal skin tests was performed. Results The pH of hydrochloric acid was substantially increased in vitro by base powder as well as antacids in a time- and dose-dependent manner. This elevation hindered the digestion of codfish proteins in vitro. A significant increase in codfish-specific IgE antibodies was found in the groups fed codfish combined with Rennie® Antacidum or with base powder; the latter also showed significantly elevated IgG1 and IgG2a levels. The induction of an anaphylactic immune response was proven by positive results in intradermal skin tests. Conclusions Antacids and dietary supplements influencing the gastric pH increase the risk for sensitization against allergenic food proteins. As these substances are commonly used in the general population without consulting a physician, our data may have a major practical and clinical impact. PMID:20214670

  15. A molecular survey of S. mutans and P. gingivalis oral microbial burden in human saliva using Relative Endpoint Polymerase Chain Reaction (RE-PCR) within the population of a Nevada dental school revealed disparities among minorities

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background The University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine recently opened an orthodontic treatment clinic to address the needs of the racially and ethnically diverse population of Southern Nevada, primarily focusing on the treatment and care of low-income and minority patients. Although orthodontic treatment and therapy has been shown to induce changes in the oral cavity, much of this evidence was collected from traditional White, teenage orthodontic clinic populations. The primary goal of this study was to describe the microbial burden of the cariogenic and periodontal pathogens, Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis within the UNLV-SDM patient population. Methods Representative saliva samples were collected from healthy adult patients for DNA isolation. Relative endpoint polymerase chain reaction (RE-PCR) was performed to ascertain the presence and relative microbial burden of these oral pathogens. Results Nearly one quarter (13/56) or 23.3% of these patients had elevated levels of S. mutans, while (10/56) and 17.8% of these samples were found to have elevated levels of P. gingivalis, - with (90%) of P. gingivalis-positive samples from minority patients (X2 = 17.921, d.f. = 1; p < 0.0001). Conclusions These findings of elevated P. gingivalis levels, primarily among minority patients, may suggest underlying oral health practices contributing to adverse oral health conditions within this population. Oral health knowledge and practices among minority patients may be strongly influenced by other factors, including education and socioeconomic status, suggesting additional research may be needed to accurately determine the most appropriate standards for care and oral health education within this patient population. PMID:22925755

  16. Elevation of endogenous anandamide impairs LTP, learning, and memory through CB1 receptor signaling in mice.

    PubMed

    Basavarajappa, Balapal S; Nagre, Nagaraja N; Xie, Shan; Subbanna, Shivakumar

    2014-07-01

    In rodents, many exogenous and endogenous cannabinoids, such as anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonyl glycerol (2-AG), have been shown to play an important role in certain hippocampal memory processes. However, the mechanisms by which endogenous AEA regulate this processes are not well understood. Here the effects of AEA on long-term potentiation (LTP), hippocampal-dependent learning and memory tasks, pERK1/2, pCaMKIV, and pCREB signaling events in both cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) wild-type (WT) and knockout (KO) mice were assessed following administration of URB597, an inhibitor of the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). Acute administration of URB597 enhanced AEA levels without affecting the levels of 2-AG or CB1R in the hippocampus and neocortex as compared to vehicle. In hippocampal slices, URB597 impaired LTP in CB1R WT but not in KO littermates. URB597 impaired object recognition, spontaneous alternation and spatial memory in the Y-maze test in CB1R WT mice but not in KO mice. Furthermore, URB597 enhanced ERK phosphorylation in WT without affecting total ERK levels in WT or KO mice. URB597 impaired CaMKIV and CREB phosphorylation in WT but not in KO mice. CB1R KO mice have a lower pCaMKIV/CaMKIV ratio and higher pCREB/CREB ratio as compared to WT littermates. Our results indicate that pharmacologically elevated AEA impair LTP, learning and memory and inhibit CaMKIV and CREB phosphorylation, via the activation of CB1Rs. Collectively, these findings also suggest that pharmacological elevation of AEA beyond normal concentrations is also detrimental for the underlying physiological responses. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. Strain-dependent effects of prenatal maternal immune activation on anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in offspring.

    PubMed

    Babri, Shirin; Doosti, Mohammad-Hossein; Salari, Ali-Akbar

    2014-03-01

    There is converging evidence that prenatal maternal infection can increase the risk of occurrence of neuropsychiatric disorders like schizophrenia, autism, anxiety and depression in later life. Experimental studies have shown conflicting effects of prenatal maternal immune activation on anxiety-like behavior and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis development in offspring. We investigated the effects of maternal immune activation during pregnancy on anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in pregnant mice and their offspring to determine whether these effects are dependent on strain. NMRI and C57BL/6 pregnant mice were treated with either saline or lipopolysaccharide on gestational day 17 and then interleukin (IL)-6 and corticosterone (COR) levels; anxiety or depression in the pregnant mice and their offspring were evaluated. The results indicate that maternal inflammation increased the levels of COR and anxiety-like behavior in NMRI pregnant mice, but not in C57BL/6 dams. Our data also demonstrate that maternal inflammation elevated the levels of anxiety-and depression-like behaviors in NMRI offspring on the elevated plus-maze, elevated zero-maze, tail suspension test and forced swimming test respectively, but not in the open field and light-dark box. In addition, we did not find any significant change in anxiety- and depression-like behaviors of adult C57BL/6 offspring. Our findings suggest that prenatal maternal immune activation can alter the HPA axis activity, anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in a strain- and task-dependent manner in offspring and further comprehensive studies are needed to prove the causal relationship between the findings found here and to validate their relevance to neuropsychiatric disorders in humans. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Biphasic activation of nuclear factor-κB and expression of p65 and c-Rel following traumatic neuronal injury.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Huasheng; Zhang, Dingding; Li, Hua; Yan, Huiying; Zhang, Zihuan; Zhou, Chenhui; Chen, Qiang; Ye, Zhennan; Hang, Chunhua

    2018-06-01

    The transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) has been shown to function as a key regulator of cell death or survival in neuronal cells. Previous studies indicate that the biphasic activation of NF-κB occurs following experimental neonatal hypoxia-ischemia and subarachnoid hemorrhage. However, the comprehensive understanding of NF-κB activity following traumatic brain injury (TBI) is incomplete. In the current study, an in vitro model of TBI was designed to investigate the NF-κB activity and expression of p65 and c-Rel subunits following traumatic neuronal injury. Primary cultured neurons were assigned to control and transected groups. NF-κB activity was detected by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Western blotting and immunofluorescence were used to investigate the expression and distribution of p65 and c-Rel. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to assess the downstream genes of NF-κB. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) quantification and trypan blue staining were used to estimate the neuronal injury. Double peaks of elevated NF-κB activity were observed at 1 and 24 h following transection. The expression levels of downstream genes exhibited similar changes. The protein levels of p65 also presented double peaks while c-Rel was elevated significantly in the late stage. The results of the trypan blue staining and LDH leakage assays indicated there was no sustained neuronal injury during the late peak of NF-κB activity. In conclusion, biphasic activation of NF-κB is induced following experimental traumatic neuronal injury. The elevation of p65 and c-Rel levels at different time periods suggests that within a single neuron, NF-κB may participate in different pathophysiological processes.

  19. Myelodysplastic syndrome precedes the onset of remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome.

    PubMed

    Matsunaga, Takafumi; Izumi, Yasumori; Iwanaga, Nozomi; Kawahara, Chieko; Shigemitsu, Yoshika; Yoshida, Shinichiro; Kawakami, Atsushi; Ogawa, Daisuke; Migita, Kiyoshi

    2015-01-01

    Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome is characterized by symmetrical synovitis predominantly involving the wrists, and is associated with marked pitting edema of the dorsum of the hands. Although the etiology of RS3PE syndrome is still unknown, several putative associations with malignancies and hematological disorders have been reported. Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is characterized by infective hematopoiesis with possible transformation to leukemia; however, an association between RS3PE syndrome and MDS has been rarely reported. Here, we describe a 67-year-old man with MDS with refractory anemia who developed RS3PE syndrome 3 months after the diagnosis of MDS. The patient presented with polyarthritis with pitting edema at the dorsum of the hands, the elevated serum levels of C-reactive protein and a proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin-6, and the elevated plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VEGF has been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of RS3PE syndrome. Treatment with low doses of corticosteroids resulted in the regression of polyarthritis and pitting edema of the dorsum of the hands, as well as a reduction in the elevated levels of plasma VEGF. Partial resolution of refractory anemia was also observed with steroid therapy. In summary, RS3PE syndrome developed shortly after MDS was identified in this patient. The sequence of clinical events suggests that MDS-mediated immunological abnormalities including inflammatory cytokine induction may be responsible for the association between MDS and RS3PE syndrome. Patients with RS3PE syndrome should be screened for hematological disorders that promote proinflammatory mediators.

  20. Antihypertensive and cardioprotective effects of pumpkin seed oil.

    PubMed

    El-Mosallamy, Aliaa E M K; Sleem, Amany A; Abdel-Salam, Omar M E; Shaffie, Nermeen; Kenawy, Sanaa A

    2012-02-01

    Pumpkin seed oil is a natural product commonly used in folk medicine for treatment of prostatic hypertrophy. In the present study, the effects of treatment with pumpkin seed oil on hypertension induced by the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N(ω)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME) (50 mg /kg/day) in rats were studied and compared with those of the calcium channel blocker amlodipine. Pumpkin seed oil (40 or 100 mg/kg), amlodipine (0.9 mg/kg), or vehicle (control) was given once daily orally for 6 weeks. Arterial blood pressure (BP), heart rate, electrocardiogram (ECG) changes, levels of serum nitric oxide (NO) (the concentrations of nitrite/nitrate), plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), blood glutathione, and erythrocytic superoxide dismutase activity were measured. Histopathological examination of heart and aorta was conducted as well. L-NAME administration resulted in a significant increase in BP starting from the second week. Pumpkin seed oil or amlodipine treatment significantly reduced the elevation in BP by L-NAME and normalized the L-NAME-induced ECG changes-namely, prolongation of the RR interval, increased P wave duration, and ST elevation. Both treatments significantly decreased the elevated levels of MDA and reversed the decreased levels of NO metabolites to near normal values compared with the L-NAME-treated group. Amlodipine also significantly increased blood glutathione content compared with normal (but not L-NAME-treated) rats. Pumpkin seed oil as well as amlodipine treatment protected against pathological alterations in heart and aorta induced by L-NAME. In conclusion, this study has shown that pumpkin seed oil exhibits an antihypertensive and cardioprotective effects through a mechanism that may involve generation of NO.

  1. Type 3 Deiodinase Role on Central Thyroid Hormone Action Affects the Leptin-Melanocortin System and Circadian Activity

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Zhaofei; Martinez, M. Elena; St. Germain, Donald L.

    2017-01-01

    The role of thyroid hormones (THs) in the central regulation of energy balance is increasingly appreciated. Mice lacking the type 3 deiodinase (DIO3), which inactivates TH, have decreased circulating TH levels relative to control mice as a result of defects in the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis. However, we have shown that the TH status of the adult Dio3−/− brain is opposite that of the serum, exhibiting enhanced levels of TH action. Because the brain, particularly the hypothalamus, harbors important circuitries that regulate metabolism, we aimed to examine the energy balance phenotype of Dio3−/− mice and determine whether it is associated with hypothalamic abnormalities. Here we show that Dio3−/− mice of both sexes exhibit decreased adiposity, reduced brown and white adipocyte size, and enhanced fat loss in response to triiodothyronine (T3) treatment. They also exhibit increased TH action in the hypothalamus, with abnormal expression and T3 sensitivity of genes integral to the leptin-melanocortin system, including Agrp, Npy, Pomc, and Mc4r. The normal to elevated serum levels of leptin, and elevated and repressed expression of Agrp and Pomc, respectively, suggest a profile of leptin resistance. Interestingly, Dio3−/− mice also display elevated locomotor activity and increased energy expenditure. This occurs in association with expanded nighttime activity periods, suggesting a disrupted circadian rhythm. We conclude that DIO3-mediated regulation of TH action in the central nervous system influences multiple critical determinants of energy balance. Those influences may partially compensate each other, with the result likely contributing to the decreased adiposity observed in Dio3−/− mice. PMID:27911598

  2. Type 3 Deiodinase Role on Central Thyroid Hormone Action Affects the Leptin-Melanocortin System and Circadian Activity.

    PubMed

    Wu, Zhaofei; Martinez, M Elena; St Germain, Donald L; Hernandez, Arturo

    2017-02-01

    The role of thyroid hormones (THs) in the central regulation of energy balance is increasingly appreciated. Mice lacking the type 3 deiodinase (DIO3), which inactivates TH, have decreased circulating TH levels relative to control mice as a result of defects in the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis. However, we have shown that the TH status of the adult Dio3-/- brain is opposite that of the serum, exhibiting enhanced levels of TH action. Because the brain, particularly the hypothalamus, harbors important circuitries that regulate metabolism, we aimed to examine the energy balance phenotype of Dio3-/- mice and determine whether it is associated with hypothalamic abnormalities. Here we show that Dio3-/- mice of both sexes exhibit decreased adiposity, reduced brown and white adipocyte size, and enhanced fat loss in response to triiodothyronine (T3) treatment. They also exhibit increased TH action in the hypothalamus, with abnormal expression and T3 sensitivity of genes integral to the leptin-melanocortin system, including Agrp, Npy, Pomc, and Mc4r. The normal to elevated serum levels of leptin, and elevated and repressed expression of Agrp and Pomc, respectively, suggest a profile of leptin resistance. Interestingly, Dio3-/- mice also display elevated locomotor activity and increased energy expenditure. This occurs in association with expanded nighttime activity periods, suggesting a disrupted circadian rhythm. We conclude that DIO3-mediated regulation of TH action in the central nervous system influences multiple critical determinants of energy balance. Those influences may partially compensate each other, with the result likely contributing to the decreased adiposity observed in Dio3-/- mice. Copyright © 2017 by the Endocrine Society.

  3. [Clinical value of insulin resistance in fasting normoglycemia].

    PubMed

    Perova, N V; Ozerova, I N; Aleksandrovich, O V; Metel'skaia, V A; Shal'nova, S A

    2011-01-01

    Aim of the study was to clarify the question of the presence of manifestations of insulin resistance (IR) in fasting normoglycemia and to assess their association with risk of development and presence of clinically overt cardiovascular diseases (CVD) caused by atherosclerosis. We included into this study 1127 men and women older than 55 years with normal blood serum level of glucose in fasting state (<6.1 mmol/l) without diabetes mellitus selected from a random sample of Moscow inhabitants (n=1186). In participants selected for this study we determined risk factors, calculated indexes of IR (HOMA-IR) and functional capacity of pancreatic -cells (HOMA-%B) using fasting levels of glucose and insulin. The examined subsample was divided into quartiles according to values of HOMA-IR. It was shown that in the 4-th quartile HOMA-%B was substantially higher than in other quartiles. With this values of body mass index and waist circumference were also highest in the 4-th quartile. Fasting insulin level compared with glucose level contributed more to determination of values of indexes of both IR and functional capacity of pancreatic -cells. In the upper 4-th quartile signs of atherogenic dyslipidemia appearing as higher concentration of triglycerides and lowered concentration of high density lipoprotein cholesterol manifested to the greatest degree. At statistical analysis of probability of CVD with clinical manifestations it was shown that in the 4-th quartile of distribution of HOMA-IR (>2.7) values of odds ratio (OR) of development of arterial hypertension (AH), total CVD, angina pectoris, history of brain stroke were elevated. With that in the 3-rd quartile of distribution i.e. at HOMA-IR >1.9 there were higher ORs of development of AH, CVD, angina pectoris. Thus even in the range of normal fasting glucose concentrations in subjects older than 55 years we detected IR associated with elevated risk of development of atherosclerosis related CVD. For detection of IR it is appropriate to measure in blood serum not only concentration of glucose but also fasting insulin level with subsequent calculation of HOMA-IR and HOMA-%B indexes.

  4. Time course of salinity adaptation in a strongly euryhaline estuarine teleost, fundulus heteroclitus: A multivariable approach

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Marshall, W.S.; Emberley, T.R.; Singer, T.D.; Bryson, S.E.; McCormick, S.D.

    1999-01-01

    Freshwater-adapted killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) were transferred directly from soft fresh water to full-strength sea water for periods of 1h, 3h, 8h and 1, 2, 7, 14 and 30 days. Controls were transferred to fresh water for 24 h. Measured variables included: blood [Na+], osmolality, glucose and cortisol levels, basal and stimulated rates of ion transport and permeability of in vitro opercular epithelium, gill Na+/K+-ATPase and citrate synthase activity and chloride cell ultrastructure. These data were compared with previously published killifish cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (kfCFTR) expression in the gills measured over a similar time course. Plasma cortisol levels peaked at 1 h, coincident with a rise in plasma [Na+]. At 8 h after transfer to sea water, a time at which previous work has shown kfCFTR expression to be elevated, blood osmolality and [Na+] were high, and cortisol levels and opercular membrane short-circuit current (I(SC); a measure of Cl- secretion rate) were low. The 24h group, which showed the highest level of kfCFTR expression, had the highest plasma [Na+] and osmolality, elevated plasma cortisol levels, significantly lower opercular membrane resistance, an increased opercular membrane ion secretion rate and collapsed tubule inclusions in mitochondria-rich cells, but no change in gill Na+/K+-ATPase and citrate synthase activity or plasma glucose levels. Apparently, killifish have a rapid (<1h) cortisol response to salinity coupled to subsequent (8-48 h) expression of kfCFTR anion channel proteins in existing mitochondria-rich cells that convert transport from ion uptake to ion secretion.

  5. Association between Periodontopathogens and CRP Levels in Patients with Periodontitis in Serbia

    PubMed Central

    Pejcic, Ana; Kesic, Ljiljana; Milasin, Jelena

    2011-01-01

    Background and aims Recent epidemiological studies have shown that individuals with periodontitis have a significantly higher risk of developing coronary heart disease, which might be attributed to the complex microbiota in the dental plaque. Periodontopathogens have been reported as risk factors for cardiovascular disease. This study evaluated association of chronic periodontitis and periodontopathogens with CRP in systemically healthy Serbian adults. Materials and methods Serum C-reactive protein levels were measured in 24 patients with moderate periodontitis, 26 patients with severe periodontitis, and 25 periodontally healthy subjects. Periodontal health indicators included gingival bleeding on probing and periodontal disease status. Patients with moderate periodontitis had low attachment loss and pocket depths of <4 mm. Patients with severe periodontitis had high AL and pocket depth of >5 mm. The control group with healthy gingiva had gingival sulcus of <2 mm and no attachment loss. Presence of periodontopathogens in subgingival plaque samples was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction. Results The periodontal parameters and CRP levels were significantly higher in the patients with periodontitis. Patients who had both severe and moderate periodontitis had higher mean CRP levels. The percentage of subjects with elevated CRP leves of >5 mol/L was greater in the higher clinical AL group compared to the group with less attachment loss. Presence of periodontopathogens was also associated with elevated CRP levels and poor periodontal status. Conclusion PD and subgingival periodontopathogens are associated with increased CRP levels. These findings suggest that periodontal infection may contribute to systemic inflammatory burden in otherwise healthy individuals. PMID:23019501

  6. Wetland Accretion Rate Model of Ecosystem Resilience (WARMER) and its application to habitat sustainability for endangered species in the San Francisco Estuary

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Swanson, Kathleen M.; Drexler, Judith Z.; Schoellhamer, David H.; Thorne, Karen M.; Casazza, Michael L.; Overton, Cory T.; Callaway, John C.; Takekawa, John Y.

    2014-01-01

    Salt marsh faunas are constrained by specific habitat requirements for marsh elevation relative to sea level and tidal range. As sea level rises, changes in relative elevation of the marsh plain will have differing impacts on the availability of habitat for marsh obligate species. The Wetland Accretion Rate Model for Ecosystem Resilience (WARMER) is a 1-D model of elevation that incorporates both biological and physical processes of vertical marsh accretion. Here, we use WARMER to evaluate changes in marsh surface elevation and the impact of these elevation changes on marsh habitat for specific species of concern. Model results were compared to elevation-based habitat criteria developed for marsh vegetation, the endangered California clapper rail (Rallus longirostris obsoletus), and the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris) to determine the response of marsh habitat for each species to predicted >1-m sea-level rise by 2100. Feedback between vertical accretion mechanisms and elevation reduced the effect of initial elevation in the modeled scenarios. Elevation decreased nonlinearly with larger changes in elevation during the latter half of the century when the rate of sea-level rise increased. Model scenarios indicated that changes in elevation will degrade habitat quality within salt marshes in the San Francisco Estuary, and degradation will accelerate in the latter half of the century as the rate of sea-level rise accelerates. A sensitivity analysis of the model results showed that inorganic sediment accumulation and the rate of sea-level rise had the greatest influence over salt marsh sustainability.

  7. Elevated Blood Lead Levels in Children Associated With the Flint Drinking Water Crisis: A Spatial Analysis of Risk and Public Health Response.

    PubMed

    Hanna-Attisha, Mona; LaChance, Jenny; Sadler, Richard Casey; Champney Schnepp, Allison

    2016-02-01

    We analyzed differences in pediatric elevated blood lead level incidence before and after Flint, Michigan, introduced a more corrosive water source into an aging water system without adequate corrosion control. We reviewed blood lead levels for children younger than 5 years before (2013) and after (2015) water source change in Greater Flint, Michigan. We assessed the percentage of elevated blood lead levels in both time periods, and identified geographical locations through spatial analysis. Incidence of elevated blood lead levels increased from 2.4% to 4.9% (P < .05) after water source change, and neighborhoods with the highest water lead levels experienced a 6.6% increase. No significant change was seen outside the city. Geospatial analysis identified disadvantaged neighborhoods as having the greatest elevated blood lead level increases and informed response prioritization during the now-declared public health emergency. The percentage of children with elevated blood lead levels increased after water source change, particularly in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Water is a growing source of childhood lead exposure because of aging infrastructure.

  8. Elevated Blood Lead Levels in Children Associated With the Flint Drinking Water Crisis: A Spatial Analysis of Risk and Public Health Response

    PubMed Central

    LaChance, Jenny; Sadler, Richard Casey; Champney Schnepp, Allison

    2016-01-01

    Objectives. We analyzed differences in pediatric elevated blood lead level incidence before and after Flint, Michigan, introduced a more corrosive water source into an aging water system without adequate corrosion control. Methods. We reviewed blood lead levels for children younger than 5 years before (2013) and after (2015) water source change in Greater Flint, Michigan. We assessed the percentage of elevated blood lead levels in both time periods, and identified geographical locations through spatial analysis. Results. Incidence of elevated blood lead levels increased from 2.4% to 4.9% (P < .05) after water source change, and neighborhoods with the highest water lead levels experienced a 6.6% increase. No significant change was seen outside the city. Geospatial analysis identified disadvantaged neighborhoods as having the greatest elevated blood lead level increases and informed response prioritization during the now-declared public health emergency. Conclusions. The percentage of children with elevated blood lead levels increased after water source change, particularly in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Water is a growing source of childhood lead exposure because of aging infrastructure. PMID:26691115

  9. High serum IGF-1 levels are associated with pregnancy loss following frozen-thawed euploid embryo transfer cycles.

    PubMed

    Irani, Mohamad; Nasioudis, Dimitrios; Witkin, Steven S; Gunnala, Vinay; Spandorfer, Steven D

    2018-06-01

    An elevated level of insulin growth factor (IGF-1) in rat uterine fluid has been shown to exert detrimental effects of embryo development possibly leading to an increase in pregnancy loss. Interestingly, the administration of somatostatin to rats undergoing superovulation reduced IGF-1 levels in uterine luminal fluid and thus reversed its deleterious effects on embryo development and increased the number of normal embryos. Therefore, we investigated whether serum levels of IGF-1 correlate with the incidence of pregnancy loss following IVF. To account for aneuploidy and the effect of hormonal supplementation on serum IGF levels, we only included natural frozen-thawed euploid embryo transfer (N-FET) cycles. Sera collected in the follicular phase (cycle day 10) were tested for levels of IGF-1, IGF-2, and IGF-binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1) using quantitative ELISA. A total of 156 N-FET cycles were included: 120 resulted in a live birth whereas 36 led to a first trimester pregnancy loss. Women with a pregnancy loss had significantly higher serum IGF-1 levels compared to those who achieved a live birth (18.0 ± 1.1 vs. 14.6 ± 0.7 ng/mL, respectively). The two groups had comparable serum IGF-2 and IGFBP-1 levels. There was no significant difference in maternal age, body mass index, gravidity, parity, number of prior miscarriages, peak endometrial thickness, or infertility diagnosis between the two groups. In conclusion, women undergoing euploid blastocyst transfer with elevated serum IGF-1 concentrations may be at increased risk of pregnancy loss. This may constitute a novel molecular explanation of pregnancy loss of euploid conceptus. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  10. Increased Secreted Amyloid Precursor Protein-α (sAPPα) in Severe Autism: Proposal of a Specific, Anabolic Pathway and Putative Biomarker

    PubMed Central

    Sokol, Deborah K.; Lahiri, Debomoy K.

    2011-01-01

    Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in verbal communication, social interactions, and the presence of repetitive, stereotyped and compulsive behaviors. Excessive early brain growth is found commonly in some patients and may contribute to disease phenotype. Reports of increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and other neurotrophic-like factors in autistic neonates suggest that enhanced anabolic activity in CNS mediates this overgrowth effect. We have shown previously that in a subset of patients with severe autism and aggression, plasma levels of the secreted amyloid-β (Aβ) precursor protein-alpha form (sAPPα) were significantly elevated relative to controls and patients with mild-to-moderate autism. Here we further tested the hypothesis that levels of sAPPα and sAPPβ (proteolytic cleavage products of APP by α- and β-secretase, respectively) are deranged in autism and may contribute to an anabolic environment leading to brain overgrowth. We measured plasma levels of sAPPα, sAPPβ, Aβ peptides and BDNF by corresponding ELISA in a well characterized set of subjects. We included for analysis 18 control, 6 mild-to-moderate, and 15 severely autistic patient plasma samples. We have observed that sAPPα levels are increased and BDNF levels decreased in the plasma of patients with severe autism as compared to controls. Further, we show that Aβ1-40, Aβ1-42, and sAPPβ levels are significantly decreased in the plasma of patients with severe autism. These findings do not extend to patients with mild-to-moderate autism, providing a biochemical correlate of phenotypic severity. Taken together, this study provides evidence that sAPPα levels are generally elevated in severe autism and suggests that these patients may have aberrant non-amyloidogenic processing of APP. PMID:21731612

  11. Effect of plasma homocysteine level and urinary monomethylarsonic acid on the risk of arsenic-associated carotid atherosclerosis

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

    Wu, M.-M.; Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan; Chiou, H.-Y.

    2006-10-01

    Arsenic-contaminated well water has been shown to increase the risk of atherosclerosis. Because of involving S-adenosylmethionine, homocysteine may modify the risk by interfering with the biomethylation of ingested arsenic. In this study, we assessed the effect of plasma homocysteine level and urinary monomethylarsonic acid (MMA{sup V}) on the risk of atherosclerosis associated with arsenic. In total, 163 patients with carotid atherosclerosis and 163 controls were studied. Lifetime cumulative arsenic exposure from well water for study subjects was measured as index of arsenic exposure. Homocysteine level was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Proportion of MMA{sup V} (MMA%) was calculated bymore » dividing with total arsenic species in urine, including arsenite, arsenate, MMA{sup V}, and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA{sup V}). Results of multiple linear regression analysis show a positive correlation of plasma homocysteine levels to the cumulative arsenic exposure after controlling for atherosclerosis status and nutritional factors (P < 0.05). This correlation, however, did not change substantially the effect of arsenic exposure on the risk of atherosclerosis as analyzed in a subsequent logistic regression model. Logistic regression analyses also show that elevated plasma homocysteine levels did not confer an independent risk for developing atherosclerosis in the study population. However, the risk of having atherosclerosis was increased to 5.4-fold (95% CI, 2.0-15.0) for the study subjects with high MMA% ({>=}16.5%) and high homocysteine levels ({>=}12.7 {mu}mol/l) as compared to those with low MMA% (<9.9%) and low homocysteine levels (<12.7 {mu}mol/l). Elevated homocysteinemia may exacerbate the formation of atherosclerosis related to arsenic exposure in individuals with high levels of MMA% in urine.« less

  12. Small-scale topography modulates elevational α-, β- and γ-diversity of Andean leaf beetles.

    PubMed

    Thormann, Birthe; Ahrens, Dirk; Espinosa, Carlos Iván; Armijos, Diego Marín; Wagner, Thomas; Wägele, Johann W; Peters, Marcell K

    2018-05-01

    Elevational diversity gradients are typically studied without considering the complex small-scale topography of large mountains, which generates habitats of strongly different environmental conditions within the same elevational zones. Here we analyzed the importance of small-scale topography for elevational diversity patterns of hyperdiverse tropical leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). We compared patterns of elevational diversity and species composition of beetles in two types of forests (on mountain ridges and in valleys) and analyzed whether differences in the rate of species turnover among forest habitats lead to shifts in patterns of elevational diversity when scaling up from the local study site to the elevational belt level. We sampled beetle assemblages at 36 sites in the Podocarpus National Park, Ecuador, which were equally distributed over two forest habitats and three elevational levels. DNA barcoding and Poisson tree processes modelling were used to delimitate putative species. On average, local leaf beetle diversity showed a clear hump-shaped pattern. However, only diversity in forests on mountain ridges peaked at mid-elevation, while beetle diversity in valleys was similarly high at low- and mid-elevation and only declined at highest elevations. A higher turnover of species assemblages at lower than at mid-elevations caused a shift from a hump-shaped diversity pattern found at the local level to a low-elevation plateau pattern (with similar species numbers at low and mid-elevation) at the elevational belt level. Our study reveals an important role of small-scale topography and spatial scale for the inference on gradients of elevational species diversity.

  13. Effect of hinge-moment parameters on elevator stick forces in rapid maneuvers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jones, Robert T; Greenberg, Harry

    1944-01-01

    The importance of the stick force per unit normal acceleration as a criterion of longitudinal stability and the critical dependence of this gradient on elevator hinge-moment parameters have been shown in previous reports. The present report continues the investigation with special reference to transient effects for maneuvers of short duration.

  14. 46. Photocopy of scale drawing (from Station 'L' office files, ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    46. Photocopy of scale drawing (from Station 'L' office files, Portland, Oregon) Portland General Electric in house drawing, 1937 PIPING ARRANGEMENT OF BOILER #16 BUILDING LB SHOWN IN ELEVATION (LEFT), PLAN (TOP RIGHT) AND ELEVATION (BOTTOM RIGHT) - Portland General Electric Company, Station "L", 1841 Southeast Water Street, Portland, Multnomah County, OR

  15. FRONT, STREETSIDE ELEVATION OF RESIDENCE SHOWING LUSH VEGETATION AND LANDSCAPING. ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    FRONT, STREET-SIDE ELEVATION OF RESIDENCE SHOWING LUSH VEGETATION AND LANDSCAPING. SIDEWALK SHOWN IN FOREGROUND. VIEW FACING SOUTHWEST - Camp H.M. Smith and Navy Public Works Center Manana Title VII (Capehart) Housing, Three-Bedroom Single-Family Type 9, Birch Circle, Elm Drive, Elm Circle, and Date Drive, Pearl City, Honolulu County, HI

  16. 76 FR 30295 - Airworthiness Directives; SOCATA Model TBM 700 Airplanes

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-05-25

    ... case of elevator trim tab actuator jamming once the trim tab arrived to stop. The investigations conducted by the trim tab actuator manufacturer have shown that there was a discrepancy with PRECILEC manufacturing process of elevator trim tab actuator which caused this event. It has been determined as well that...

  17. Induction of metallothionein synthesis in transplanted murine tumors by X irradiation

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

    Kiyoshi, Shibuya; Masahiko Satoh; Yuzo, Watanabe

    1995-07-01

    Although recent studies have shown that radiation can induce metallothionein (MT) synthesis in normal tissues, the induction of tumor MT synthesis by irradiation has not been reported. We examined the accumulation of MT in the Meth-A tumor (mouse fibrosarcoma cells) transplanted into mice exposed to whole-body X irradiation. In the present study, the MT content in the tumor cells was increased by X irradiation in a dose-dependent manner. The MT level induced in the tumor cells by X irradiation was elevated not only after a single exposure but also after repeated exposures. Several studies have shown that MT is onemore » of the important cellular factors in resistance to various anti-cancer drugs and ionizing radiation. Thus our results suggest that the radiation-induced MT in the tumor cells may have to be taken into consideration when designing protocols for radio-and chemotherapy. 29 refs., 3 figs.« less

  18. Sunlight exposure: Do health benefits outweigh harm?

    PubMed

    Razzaque, Mohammed S

    2018-01-01

    Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin whose levels within the body are elevated following sunlight exposure. Numerous studies have shown that sunlight exposure can provide protection to a wide variety of diseases, ranging from different types of tumors to hypertension to type 1 diabetes to multiple sclerosis. Moreover, studies have shown that avoiding sunlight may influence the initiation and progression of some of these diseases. Avoidance of sunlight, coupled with the inclination towards consuming supplements, is becoming the primary choice to obtain vitamin D. The purpose of this article is to present evidences from published literature, to show that the expected benefits of vitamin D supplements are minimized by the potential risk of cardiovascular events and beyond. Since hypovitaminosis D status usually reflects reduced sunlight exposure, the obvious primary replacement should be safe sunlight exposure, and not exogenous supplements. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Derivation of Lake Areas and Elevations for the Mackenzie Basin Using Satellite Remote Sensing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Birkett, Charon; Kite, Geoff

    1997-01-01

    Modelling hydrological processes in large watersheds flowing to the Arctic ocean is one step towards larger-scale modelling of the global water and energy cycles. Models of the Mackenzie River Basin (Northern Canada) are currently available but omit explicit routing of river flows through the three main lakes - Athabasca, Great Slave Lake and Great Bear Lake (Kite et al, 1994). These lakes occupy an area of 65,000 sq km but little gauge information is available. The levels of the lakes are only measured at a few points on the circumferences and river flows are only measured downstream. The hydraulic relationships between level/discharge and level/area/volume are uncertain. It has been previously shown that satellite remote sensing can be utilised in providing measurements of both lake surface area using imaging techniques and lake level using radar altimetry (Birkett, 1994). Here, we explore the application of these techniques to derive the lake levels and areas for the Mackenzie Basin lakes.

  20. Mortality associated with bilirubin levels in insurance applicants.

    PubMed

    Fulks, Michael; Stout, Robert L; Dolan, Vera F

    2009-01-01

    Determine the relationship between bilirubin levels with and without other liver function test (LFT) elevations and relative mortality in life insurance applicants. By use of the Social Security Death Master File mortality was determined in 1,905,664 insurance applicants for whom blood samples were submitted to the Clinical Reference Laboratory. There were 50,174 deaths observed in this study population. Results were stratified by 3 age/sex groups: females, age <60; males, age <60; and all, age 60+. The median follow-up was 12 years. Relative mortality increased as bilirubin decreased below bilirubin levels seen for the middle 50% of the population. The known association of smoking with lower bilirubin values explained only part of the additional elevated risk at low bilirubin levels. In the absence of other LFT elevations, relative mortality remained unchanged as bilirubin increased beyond levels seen for the middle 50% of the population. When a bilirubin elevation was combined with other LFT elevations, mortality further increased only at the highest elevations of other LFTs, seen only in <2.5% of applicants. Isolated elevations of bilirubin in this healthy screening population were not associated with excess mortality but values below the midpoint were. Other investigations have suggested a cardiovascular cause may underlie the excess mortality associated with low bilirubin. In association with other LFT elevations, bilirubin elevation further increases the mortality risk only at the highest elevations of other LFTs.

  1. Factors Limiting SOS Expression in Log-Phase Cells of Escherichia coli

    PubMed Central

    Massoni, Shawn C.; Leeson, Michael C.; Long, Jarukit Edward; Gemme, Kristin; Mui, Alice

    2012-01-01

    In Escherichia coli, RecA–single-stranded DNA (RecA-ssDNA) filaments catalyze DNA repair, recombination, and induction of the SOS response. It has been shown that, while many (15 to 25%) log-phase cells have RecA filaments, few (about 1%) are induced for SOS. It is hypothesized that RecA's ability to induce SOS expression in log-phase cells is repressed because of the potentially detrimental effects of SOS mutagenesis. To test this, mutations were sought to produce a population where the number of cells with SOS expression more closely equaled the number of RecA filaments. Here, it is shown that deleting radA (important for resolution of recombination structures) and increasing recA transcription 2- to 3-fold with a recAo1403 operator mutation act independently to minimally satisfy this condition. This allows 24% of mutant cells to have elevated levels of SOS expression, a percentage similar to that of cells with RecA-green fluorescent protein (RecA-GFP) foci. In an xthA (exonuclease III gene) mutant where there are 3-fold more RecA loading events, recX (a destabilizer of RecA filaments) must be additionally deleted to achieve a population of cells where the percentage having elevated SOS expression (91%) nearly equals the percentage with at least one RecA-GFP focus (83%). It is proposed that, in the xthA mutant, there are three independent mechanisms that repress SOS expression in log-phase cells. These are the rapid processing of RecA filaments by RadA, maintaining the concentration of RecA below a critical level, and the destabilizing of RecA filaments by RecX. Only the first two mechanisms operate independently in a wild-type cell. PMID:22843848

  2. Factors limiting SOS expression in log-phase cells of Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Massoni, Shawn C; Leeson, Michael C; Long, Jarukit Edward; Gemme, Kristin; Mui, Alice; Sandler, Steven J

    2012-10-01

    In Escherichia coli, RecA-single-stranded DNA (RecA-ssDNA) filaments catalyze DNA repair, recombination, and induction of the SOS response. It has been shown that, while many (15 to 25%) log-phase cells have RecA filaments, few (about 1%) are induced for SOS. It is hypothesized that RecA's ability to induce SOS expression in log-phase cells is repressed because of the potentially detrimental effects of SOS mutagenesis. To test this, mutations were sought to produce a population where the number of cells with SOS expression more closely equaled the number of RecA filaments. Here, it is shown that deleting radA (important for resolution of recombination structures) and increasing recA transcription 2- to 3-fold with a recAo1403 operator mutation act independently to minimally satisfy this condition. This allows 24% of mutant cells to have elevated levels of SOS expression, a percentage similar to that of cells with RecA-green fluorescent protein (RecA-GFP) foci. In an xthA (exonuclease III gene) mutant where there are 3-fold more RecA loading events, recX (a destabilizer of RecA filaments) must be additionally deleted to achieve a population of cells where the percentage having elevated SOS expression (91%) nearly equals the percentage with at least one RecA-GFP focus (83%). It is proposed that, in the xthA mutant, there are three independent mechanisms that repress SOS expression in log-phase cells. These are the rapid processing of RecA filaments by RadA, maintaining the concentration of RecA below a critical level, and the destabilizing of RecA filaments by RecX. Only the first two mechanisms operate independently in a wild-type cell.

  3. Modeling tidal marsh distribution with sea-level rise: evaluating the role of vegetation, sediment, and upland habitat in marsh resiliency.

    PubMed

    Schile, Lisa M; Callaway, John C; Morris, James T; Stralberg, Diana; Parker, V Thomas; Kelly, Maggi

    2014-01-01

    Tidal marshes maintain elevation relative to sea level through accumulation of mineral and organic matter, yet this dynamic accumulation feedback mechanism has not been modeled widely in the context of accelerated sea-level rise. Uncertainties exist about tidal marsh resiliency to accelerated sea-level rise, reduced sediment supply, reduced plant productivity under increased inundation, and limited upland habitat for marsh migration. We examined marsh resiliency under these uncertainties using the Marsh Equilibrium Model, a mechanistic, elevation-based soil cohort model, using a rich data set of plant productivity and physical properties from sites across the estuarine salinity gradient. Four tidal marshes were chosen along this gradient: two islands and two with adjacent uplands. Varying century sea-level rise (52, 100, 165, 180 cm) and suspended sediment concentrations (100%, 50%, and 25% of current concentrations), we simulated marsh accretion across vegetated elevations for 100 years, applying the results to high spatial resolution digital elevation models to quantify potential changes in marsh distributions. At low rates of sea-level rise and mid-high sediment concentrations, all marshes maintained vegetated elevations indicative of mid/high marsh habitat. With century sea-level rise at 100 and 165 cm, marshes shifted to low marsh elevations; mid/high marsh elevations were found only in former uplands. At the highest century sea-level rise and lowest sediment concentrations, the island marshes became dominated by mudflat elevations. Under the same sediment concentrations, low salinity brackish marshes containing highly productive vegetation had slower elevation loss compared to more saline sites with lower productivity. A similar trend was documented when comparing against a marsh accretion model that did not model vegetation feedbacks. Elevation predictions using the Marsh Equilibrium Model highlight the importance of including vegetation responses to sea-level rise. These results also emphasize the importance of adjacent uplands for long-term marsh survival and incorporating such areas in conservation planning efforts.

  4. Application of Geographic Information System Methods to Identify Areas Yielding Water that will be Replaced by Water from the Colorado River in the Vidal and Chemehuevi Areas, California, and the Mohave Mesa Area, Arizona

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Spangler, Lawrence E.; Angeroth, Cory E.; Walton, Sarah J.

    2008-01-01

    Relations between the elevation of the static water level in wells and the elevation of the accounting surface within the Colorado River aquifer in the vicinity of Vidal, California, the Chemehuevi Indian Reservation, California, and on Mohave Mesa, Arizona, were used to determine which wells outside the flood plain of the Colorado River are presumed to yield water that will be replaced by water from the Colorado River. Wells that have a static water-level elevation equal to or below the elevation of the accounting surface are presumed to yield water that will be replaced by water from the Colorado River. Geographic Information System (GIS) interpolation tools were used to produce maps of areas where water levels are above, below, and near (within ? 0.84 foot) the accounting surface. Calculated water-level elevations and interpolated accounting-surface elevations were determined for 33 wells in the vicinity of Vidal, 16 wells in the Chemehuevi area, and 35 wells on Mohave Mesa. Water-level measurements generally were taken in the last 10 years with steel and electrical tapes accurate to within hundredths of a foot. A Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) was used to determine land-surface elevations to within an operational accuracy of ? 0.43 foot, resulting in calculated water-level elevations having a 95-percent confidence interval of ? 0.84 foot. In the Vidal area, differences in elevation between the accounting surface and measured water levels range from -2.7 feet below to as much as 17.6 feet above the accounting surface. Relative differences between the elevation of the water level and the elevation of the accounting surface decrease from west to east and from north to south. In the Chemehuevi area, differences in elevation range from -3.7 feet below to as much as 8.7 feet above the accounting surface, which is established at 449.6 feet in the vicinity of Lake Havasu. In all of the Mohave Mesa area, the water-level elevation is near or below the elevation of the accounting surface. Differences in elevation between water levels and the accounting surface range from -0.2 to -11.3 feet, with most values exceeding -7.0 feet. In general, the ArcGIS Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) Contour and Natural Neighbor tools reasonably represent areas where the elevation of water levels in wells is above, below, and near (within ? 0.84 foot) the elevation of the accounting surface in the Vidal and Chemehuevi study areas and accurately delineate areas around outlying wells and where anomalies exist. The TIN Contour tool provides a strict linear interpolation while the Natural Neighbor tool provides a smoothed interpolation. Using the default options in ArcGIS, the Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) and Spline tools also reasonably represent areas above, below, and near the accounting surface in the Vidal and Chemehuevi areas. However, spatial extent of and boundaries between areas above, below, and near the accounting surface vary among the GIS methods, which results largely from the fundamentally different mathematical approaches used by these tools. The limited number and spatial distribution of wells in comparison to the size of the areas, and the locations and relative differences in elevation between water levels and the accounting surface of wells with anomalous water levels also influence the contouring by each of these methods. Qualitatively, the Natural Neighbor tool appears to provide the best representation of the difference between water-level and accounting-surface elevations in the study areas, on the basis of available well data.

  5. Nitric oxide enhances development of lateral roots in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under elevated carbon dioxide.

    PubMed

    Wang, Huan; Xiao, Wendan; Niu, Yaofang; Jin, Chongwei; Chai, Rushan; Tang, Caixian; Zhang, Yongsong

    2013-01-01

    Elevated carbon dioxide (CO₂) has been shown to enhance the growth and development of plants, especially of roots. Amongst them, lateral roots play an important role in nutrient uptake, and thus alleviate the nutrient limitation to plant growth under elevated CO₂. This paper examined the mechanism underlying CO₂ elevation-induced lateral root formation in tomato. The endogenous nitric oxide (NO) in roots was detected by the specific probe 4-amino-5-methylamino-2',7'-difluorofluorescein diacetate (DAF-FM DA). We suggest that CO₂ elevation-induced NO accumulation was important for lateral root formation. Elevated CO₂ significantly increased the activity of nitric oxide synthase in roots, but not nitrate reductase activity. Moreover, the pharmacological evidence showed that nitric oxide synthase rather than nitrate reductase was responsible for CO₂ elevation-induced NO accumulation. Elevated CO₂ enhanced the activity of nitric oxide synthase and promoted production of NO, which was involved in lateral root formation in tomato under elevated CO₂.

  6. 32. DETAIL OF WALL SHOWN IN SD231. BEHIND WALL FRAMING ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    32. DETAIL OF WALL SHOWN IN SD-2-31. BEHIND WALL FRAMING IS SAMPLING ROOM WITH WOOD SAMPLING ELEVATOR. CRUSHED OXIDIZED ORE BIN ON LEFT (SOUTH). - Bald Mountain Gold Mill, Nevada Gulch at head of False Bottom Creek, Lead, Lawrence County, SD

  7. Association of Elevated High Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin T(hs-cTnT) Levels with Hemorrhagic Transformation and 3-Month Mortality in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients with Rheumatic Heart Disease in China

    PubMed Central

    Xiong, Yao; Liu, Bian; Hao, Zilong; Tao, Wendan; Liu, Ming

    2016-01-01

    Background and Objective Elevated levels of high sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) occur in a substantial proportion of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and can predict poor outcome and mortality after stroke. Whether elevated hs-cTnT levels can also predict hemorrhagic transformation (HT) or prognosis in AIS patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remains unclear. Methods Data from the Chengdu Stroke Registry on consecutive AIS patients with RHD admitted to West China Hospital within1 month of stroke onset from October 2011 to February 2014 were examined. Clinico-demographic characteristics, HT, functional outcomes and stroke recurrence were compared between patients with elevated hs-cTnT levels(≥14ng/L) and patients with normal hs-cTnT levels (<14ng/L). Results The final analysis involved 84 patients (31 males; mean age, 61.6±12.2years), of whom serum hs-cTnT levels were elevated in 58.3%. Renal impairment was independently associated with elevated hs-cTnT levels (OR 4.184, 95%CI 1.17 to 15.01, P = 0.028), and patients with elevated hs-cTnT levels were at significantly higher risk of HT, 3-month mortality and 3-month disability/mortality (all P≤0.029). After controlling for age, sex, hypertension, renal impairment and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score on admission, the risk of HT and 3-month mortality was, respectively, 4.0- and 5.5-fold higher in patients with elevated hs-cTnT levels than in patients with normal hs-cTnT levels. Conclusion Elevated hs-cTnT levels are independently associated with HT and 3-month mortality in AIS patients with RHD. These results with a small cohort should be verified and extended in large studies. PMID:26849554

  8. Association of Elevated High Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin T(hs-cTnT) Levels with Hemorrhagic Transformation and 3-Month Mortality in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients with Rheumatic Heart Disease in China.

    PubMed

    Liu, Junfeng; Wang, Deren; Xiong, Yao; Liu, Bian; Hao, Zilong; Tao, Wendan; Liu, Ming

    2016-01-01

    Elevated levels of high sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) occur in a substantial proportion of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and can predict poor outcome and mortality after stroke. Whether elevated hs-cTnT levels can also predict hemorrhagic transformation (HT) or prognosis in AIS patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remains unclear. Data from the Chengdu Stroke Registry on consecutive AIS patients with RHD admitted to West China Hospital within 1 month of stroke onset from October 2011 to February 2014 were examined. Clinico-demographic characteristics, HT, functional outcomes and stroke recurrence were compared between patients with elevated hs-cTnT levels (≥14 ng/L) and patients with normal hs-cTnT levels (<14 ng/L). The final analysis involved 84 patients (31 males; mean age, 61.6±12.2 years), of whom serum hs-cTnT levels were elevated in 58.3%. Renal impairment was independently associated with elevated hs-cTnT levels (OR 4.184, 95%CI 1.17 to 15.01, P = 0.028), and patients with elevated hs-cTnT levels were at significantly higher risk of HT, 3-month mortality and 3-month disability/mortality (all P≤0.029). After controlling for age, sex, hypertension, renal impairment and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score on admission, the risk of HT and 3-month mortality was, respectively, 4.0- and 5.5-fold higher in patients with elevated hs-cTnT levels than in patients with normal hs-cTnT levels. Elevated hs-cTnT levels are independently associated with HT and 3-month mortality in AIS patients with RHD. These results with a small cohort should be verified and extended in large studies.

  9. High prevalence of elevated blood lead levels in both rural and urban Iowa newborns: Spatial patterns and area-level covariates

    PubMed Central

    Zahrieh, David; Young, Sean G.; Oleson, Jacob; Ryckman, Kelli K.; Wels, Brian; Simmons, Donald L.; Saftlas, Audrey

    2017-01-01

    Lead in maternal blood can cross the placenta and result in elevated blood lead levels in newborns, potentially producing negative effects on neurocognitive function, particularly if combined with childhood lead exposure. Little research exists, however, into the burden of elevated blood lead levels in newborns, or the places and populations in which elevated lead levels are observed in newborns, particularly in rural settings. Using ~2300 dried bloods spots collected within 1–3 days of birth among Iowa newborns, linked with the area of mother’s residence at the time of birth, we examine the spatial patterns of elevated (>5 μg/dL) blood lead levels and the ecological-level predictors of elevated blood lead levels. We find that one in five newborns exceed the 5 μg/dL action level set by the US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). Bayesian spatial zero inflated regression indicates that elevated blood lead in newborns is associated with areas of increased pre-1940s housing and childbearing-age women with low educational status in both rural and urban settings. No differences in blood lead levels or the proportion of children exceeding 5 μg/dL are observed between urban and rural maternal residence, though a spatial cluster of elevated blood lead is observed in rural counties. These characteristics can guide the recommendation for testing of infants at well-baby appointments in places where risk factors are present, potentially leading to earlier initiation of case management. The findings also suggest that rural populations are at as great of risk of elevated blood lead levels as are urban populations. Analysis of newborn dried blood spots is an important tool for lead poisoning surveillance in newborns and can direct public health efforts towards specific places and populations where lead testing and case management will have the greatest impact. PMID:28520816

  10. Association of cardiac and vascular changes with ambient PM2.5 in diabetic individuals

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background and Objective Exposure to fine airborne particles (PM2.5) has been shown to be responsible for cardiovascular and hematological effects, especially in older people with cardiovascular disease. Some epidemiological studies suggest that individuals with diabetes may be a particularly susceptible population. This study examined effects of short-term exposures to ambient PM2.5 on markers of systemic inflammation, coagulation, autonomic control of heart rate, and repolarization in 22 adults (mean age: 61 years) with type 2 diabetes. Methods Each individual was studied for four consecutive days with daily assessments of plasma levels of blood markers. Cardiac rhythm and electrocardiographic parameters were examined at rest and with 24-hour ambulatory ECG monitors. PM2.5 and meteorological data were measured daily on the rooftop of the patient exam site. Data were analyzed with models adjusting for season, weekday, meteorology, and a random intercept. To identify susceptible subgroups, effect modification was analyzed by clinical characteristics associated with insulin resistance as well as with oxidative stress and by medication intake. Results Interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha showed a significant increase with a lag of two days (percent change of mean level: 20.2% with 95%-confidence interval [6.4; 34.1] and 13.1% [1.9; 24.4], respectively) in association with an increase of 10 μg/m3 in PM2.5. Obese participants as well as individuals with elevated glycosylated hemoglobin, lower adiponectin, higher ferritin or with glutathione S-transferase M1 null genotype showed higher IL-6 effects. Changes in repolarization were found immediately as well as up to four days after exposure in individuals without treatment with a beta-adrenergic receptor blocker. Conclusions Exposure to elevated levels of PM2.5 alters ventricular repolarization and thus may increase myocardial vulnerability to arrhythmias. Exposure to PM2.5 also increases systemic inflammation. Characteristics associated with insulin resistance or with oxidative stress were shown to enhance the association. PMID:20525188

  11. Elevated synovial fluid concentration of adenosine triphosphate in dogs with osteoarthritis or sodium urate-induced synovitis of the stifle.

    PubMed

    Torres, Bryan T; Jimenez, David A; Budsberg, Steven C

    2016-07-19

    Adenosine triphosphate has been shown to stimulate nociceptive nerve terminals in joints. Elevated synovial fluid adenosine triphosphate concentrations as well as a correlation between synovial fluid adenosine triphosphate concentrations and osteoarthritic knee pain has been demonstrated in humans, but not yet in dogs. This study documented elevated synovial fluid adenosine triphosphate concentrations in the stifles of dogs with secondary osteoarthritis and urate-induced synovitis, as compared to normal stifles.

  12. Creatine kinase elevation, lactacidemia, and metabolic myopathy in adult patients with diabetes mellitus.

    PubMed

    Frank, Marlies; Finsterer, Josef

    2012-01-01

    To determine the frequency of elevated creatine kinase (CK) levels among patients with diabetes mellitus and to determine how often elevated CK is attributable to primary myopathy. In this prospective study, we investigated how often CK, aspartate amino-transferase, alanine aminotransferase, and resting lactate were elevated among consecutive diabetic patients attending our clinic. Those with elevated CK values were offered a neurologic workup. Ninety-nine patients with diabetes mellitus, aged 19 to 87 years, were assessed between May 2008 and April 2010. Seven patients had type 1 diabetes and 92 patients had type 2 diabetes. CK, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and resting lactate were elevated in 19 of 99, 25 of 99, 22 of 99, and 24 of 98 patients, respectively. Eleven of 19 patients with increased CK were self-injecting insulin. Ten of 24 patients with elevated serum lactate took metformin. Seven of 19 patients with elevated CK consented to neurologic workup. Two of the 7 had elevated resting lactate. In all 7 patients, the findings from neurologic investigation were indicative of a metabolic defect and further diagnostic evaluation was recommended. In diabetic patients attending our clinic, elevated CK levels occur in one-fifth and lactacidemia occurs in one-quarter. Elevated CK levels are attributable to a primary metabolic myopathy in most cases. Elevated CK levels in the setting of diabetes mellitus require further neurologic evaluation.

  13. Driving performance and driver discomfort in an elevated and standard driving position during a driving simulation.

    PubMed

    Smith, Jordan; Mansfield, Neil; Gyi, Diane; Pagett, Mark; Bateman, Bob

    2015-07-01

    The primary purposes of a vehicle driver's seat, is to allow them to complete the driving task comfortably and safely. Within each class of vehicle (e.g. passenger, commercial, industrial, agricultural), there is an expected driving position to which a vehicle cabin is designed. This paper reports a study that compares two driving positions, in relation to Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs), in terms of driver performance and driver discomfort. In the 'elevated' driving position, the seat is higher than usually used in road vehicles; this is compared to a standard driving position replicating the layout for a commercially available vehicle. It is shown that for a sample of 12 drivers, the elevated position did not, in general, show more discomfort than the standard position over a 60 min driving simulation, although discomfort increased with duration. There were no adverse effects shown for emergency stop reaction time or for driver headway for the elevated posture compared to the standard posture. The only body part that showed greater discomfort for the elevated posture compared to the standard posture was the right ankle. A second experiment confirmed that for 12 subjects, a higher pedal stiffness eliminated the ankle discomfort problem. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

  14. Descriptions and characterizations of water-level data and groundwater flow for the Brewster Boulevard and Castle Hayne Aquifer Systems and the Tarawa Terrace Aquifer

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Faye, Robert E.; Jones, L. Elliott; Suárez-Soto, René J.

    2013-01-01

    This supplement of Chapter A (Supplement 3) summarizes results of analyses of groundwater-level data and describes corresponding elements of groundwater flow such as vertical hydraulic gradients useful for groundwater-flow model calibration. Field data as well as theoretical concepts indicate that potentiometric surfaces within the study area are shown to resemble to a large degree a subdued replica of surface topography. Consequently, precipitation that infiltrates to the water table flows laterally from highland to lowland areas and eventually discharges to streams such as Northeast and Wallace Creeks and New River. Vertically downward hydraulic gradients occur in highland areas resulting in the transfer of groundwater from shallow relatively unconfined aquifers to underlying confined or semi-confined aquifers. Conversely, in the vicinity of large streams such as Wallace and Frenchs Creeks, diffuse upward leakage occurs from underlying confined or semi-confined aquifers. Point water-level data indicating water-table altitudes, water-table altitudes estimated using a regression equation, and estimates of stream levels determined from a digital elevation model (DEM) and topographic maps were used to estimate a predevelopment water-table surface in the study area. Approximate flow lines along hydraulic gradients are shown on a predevelopment potentiometric surface map and extend from highland areas where potentiometric levels are greatest toward streams such as Wallace Creek and Northeast Creek. The distribution of potentiometric levels and corresponding groundwater-flow directions conform closely to related descriptions of the conceptual model.

  15. Short term response of insulin, glucose, growth hormone and corticosterone to acute vibration in rats.

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dolkas, C. B.; Leon, H. A.; Chackerian, M.

    1971-01-01

    Study carried out to obtain some notion of the initial phasing and interactive effects among some hormones known to be responsive to vibration stress. Sprague-Dawley derived rats were exposed to the acute effects of confinement and confinement with lateral (plus or minus G sub y) vibration. The coincident monitoring of glucose, insulin, growth hormone, and corticosterone plasma levels, during and immediately subsequent to exposure to brief low level vibration, exhibits the effects of inhibition of insulin release by epinephrine. The ability of insulin (IRI) to return rapidly to basal levels, from appreciably depressed levels during vibration, in the face of elevated levels of glucose is also shown. Corticosterone responds with almost equal rapidity, but in opposite phase to the IRI. The immuno-assayable growth hormone (IGH) dropped from a basal level of 32 ng/ml to 7.3 ng/ml immediately subsequent to vibration and remained at essentially that level throughout the experiment (60 min). Whether these levels represent a real fall in the rat or whether they merely follow the immuno-logically deficient form is still in question.

  16. Intrahippocampal infusion of the Ih blocker ZD7288 slows evoked theta rhythm and produces anxiolytic-like effects in the elevated plus maze.

    PubMed

    Yeung, Michelle; Dickson, Clayton T; Treit, Dallas

    2013-04-01

    Hippocampal theta rhythm has been associated with a number of behavioral processes, including learning and memory, spatial behavior, sensorimotor integration and affective responses. Suppression of hippocampal theta frequency has been shown to be a reliable neurophysiological signature of anxiolytic drug action in tests using known anxiolytic drugs (i.e., correlational evidence), but only one study to date (Yeung et al. (2012) Neuropharmacology 62:155-160) has shown that a drug with no known effect on either hippocampal theta or anxiety can in fact separately suppress hippocampal theta and anxiety in behavioral tests (i.e., prima facie evidence). Here, we attempt a further critical test of the hippocampal theta model by performing intrahippocampal administrations of the Ih blocker ZD7288, which is known to disrupt theta frequency subthreshold oscillations and resonance at the membrane level but is not known to have anxiolytic action. Intrahippocampal microinfusions of ZD7288 at high (15 µg), but not low (1 µg) doses slowed brainstem-evoked hippocampal theta responses in the urethane anesthetized rat, and more importantly, promoted anxiolytic action in freely behaving rats in the elevated plus maze. Taken together with our previous demonstration, these data provide converging, prima facie evidence of the validity of the theta suppression model. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. The dual FAAH/MAGL inhibitor JZL195 has enhanced effects on endocannabinoid transmission and motor behavior in rats as compared to those of the MAGL inhibitor JZL184

    PubMed Central

    Seillier, Alexandre; Aguilar, David Dominguez; Giuffrida, Andrea

    2014-01-01

    The biological actions of the endocannabinoids anandamide and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) are terminated by enzymatic hydrolysis of these lipids via fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH ) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), respectively. While several selective FAAH inhibitors have been developed and characterized in vitro and in vivo, none of the initial MAGL blockers have shown adequate potency and specificity for in vivo applications. More recently, a selective MAGL inhibitor, JZL184, has been shown to produce a long-lasting elevation of brain 2-AG, as well as cannabinoid-like behavioral responses in mice. However, its effectiveness in rats remains controversial. Indeed, although JZL184 can elicit behavioral responses that are mediated, at least in part, via activation of cannabinoid CB1 receptors, several reports indicate that this compound does not alter 2-AG levels in this species. In this study we compared the behavioral and neurochemical effects of JZL 184 with those of the dual FAAH/MAGL inhibitor JZL195, and showed that systemic administration of the former can selectively elevate brain 2-AG in rats and produce motor suppression through a CB1-independent mechanism. These findings indicate that, despite its lower potency against rat MAGL, JZL184 can be used to enhance 2-AG transmission and elicit behavioral responses in rodents. PMID:24911644

  18. Microbial C:P stoichiometry is shaped by redox conditions along an elevation gradient in humid tropical rainforests

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Y.; Gross, A.; Silver, W. L.

    2017-12-01

    Elemental stoichiometry of microorganisms is intimately related to ecosystem carbon and nutrient fluxes and is ultimately controlled by the chemical (plant tissue, soil, redox) and physical (temperature, moisture, aeration) environment. Previous meta-analyses have shown that the C:P ratio of soil microbial biomass exhibits significant variations among and within biomes. Little is known about the underlying causes of this variability. We examined soil microbial C:P ratios along an elevation gradient in the Luquillo Experimental Forest in Puerto Rico. We analyzed soils from mixed forest paired with monodominant palm forest every 100 m from 300 m to 1000 m a.s.l.. Mean annual precipitation increased with increasing elevation, resulting in stronger reducing conditions and accumulation of soil Fe(II) at higher elevations. The mean value and variability of soil microbial C:P ratios generally increased with increasing elevation except at 1000 m. At high elevations (600-900 m), the average value of microbial C:P ratio (108±10:1) was significantly higher than the global average ( 55:1). We also found that soil organic P increased with increasing elevation, suggesting that an inhibition of organic P mineralization, not decreased soil P availability, may cause the high microbial C:P ratio. The soil microbial C:P ratio was positively correlated with soil HCl-extractable Fe(II), suggesting that reducing conditions may be responsible for the elevational changes observed. In a follow-up experiment, soils from mixed forests at four elevation levels (300, 500, 700, and 1000 m) were incubated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions for two weeks. We found that anaerobic incubation consistently increased the soil microbial C:P ratio relative to the aerobic incubation. Overall, our results indicate that redox conditions can shift the elemental composition of microbial biomass. The high microbial C:P ratios induced under anoxic conditions may reflect inhibition of microbial P mineralization and/or immobilization under reducing conditions. These results will help us to better understand the patterns of nutrient cycling and microbial activity across macro-scale environmental gradients.

  19. Analysis of GOES imagery and digitized data for the SEV-UPS period, August 1979

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bowley, C. J.; Burke, H. H. K.; Barnes, J. C.

    1981-01-01

    In support of the Southeastern Virginia Urban Plume Study (SEV-UPS), GOES satellite imagery was analyzed for the month of August 1979. The analyzed GOES images provide an additional source of meteorological input useful in the evaluation of air quality data collected during the month long period of the SEV-UPS experiment. In addition to the imagery analysis, GOES digitized data were analyzed for the period of August 6 to 11, during which a regional haze pattern was detectable in the imagery. The results of the study indicate that the observed haze patterns correspond closely with areas shown in surface based measurements to have reduced visibilities and elevated pollution levels. Moreover, the results of the analysis of digitized data indicate that digital reflectance counts can be directly related to haze intensity both over land and ocean. The model results agree closely with the observed GOES digital reflectance counts, providing further indication that satellite remote sensing can be a useful tool for monitoring regional elevated pollution episodes.

  20. Stress- and sequence-dependent release into the culture medium of HIV-1 Nef produced in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    PubMed

    Macreadie, I G; Castelli, L A; Lucantoni, A; Azad, A A

    1995-09-11

    We have produced human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Nef (a myristylated 206-amino-acid protein) in Saccharomyces cerevisaie and shown that, while Nef is normally found as a predominantly intracellular protein, amounts up to 40 micrograms/ml of Nef are also released into the extracellular medium during stress. By electrophoretic (SDS-PAGE) analysis the extracellular Nef is indistinguishable from intracellular Nef. Conditions of stress that lead to the release of Nef include elevated levels of copper or magnesium ions or growth at elevated temperatures. This release appears to be dependent upon the N-terminal sequences of Nef, including the presence of a myristylation site. Our observations concerning Nef release in yeast suggest new ways in which the behaviour of Nef should be examined in order to gain further insights into the development of AIDS. If the release of Nef is important in the development of AIDS, our work reveals that Nef-associated symptoms may be reduced or delayed by reducing stresses, such as fevers.

  1. Rapid adaptation of the stimulatory effect of CO2 on brain norepinephrine metabolism.

    PubMed

    Stone, E A

    1983-12-01

    The present study examined the effects of exposure of rats to elevated environmental levels of CO2 on norepinephrine metabolism in the hypothalamus and other regions of the brain. In confirmation of previous findings by others CO2 at 10 or 15% was found to elevate both dopa accumulation after dopa decarboxylase inhibition and norepinephrine utilization after tyrosine hydroxylase inhibition. These effects however were found to be transient occurring only during the first 30 min of 2.5 h exposure. In this regard CO2 differs from another form of stress, restraint which produces a sustained 2.5 h increase of dopa accumulation and NE accumulation. Restraint was also more effective than CO2 in depleting endogenous stores of hypothalamic NE. The factor responsible for the adaptation of the catecholamine response to CO2 was not identified although it was shown not to be hypothermia and it was reversed by a 2 h CO2-free recovery period.

  2. New Mass-Conserving Bedrock Topography for Pine Island Glacier Impacts Simulated Decadal Rates of Mass Loss

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nias, I. J.; Cornford, S. L.; Payne, A. J.

    2018-04-01

    High-resolution ice flow modeling requires bedrock elevation and ice thickness data, consistent with one another and with modeled physics. Previous studies have shown that gridded ice thickness products that rely on standard interpolation techniques (such as Bedmap2) can be inconsistent with the conservation of mass, given observed velocity, surface elevation change, and surface mass balance, for example, near the grounding line of Pine Island Glacier, West Antarctica. Using the BISICLES ice flow model, we compare results of simulations using both Bedmap2 bedrock and thickness data, and a new interpolation method that respects mass conservation. We find that simulations using the new geometry result in higher sea level contribution than Bedmap2 and reveal decadal-scale trends in the ice stream dynamics. We test the impact of several sliding laws and find that it is at least as important to accurately represent the bedrock and initial ice thickness as the choice of sliding law.

  3. Effects of positive end-expiratory pressure on intracranial pressure in mechanically ventilated dogs under hyperbaric oxygenation.

    PubMed

    Sun, Qing; Wu, Di; Yu, Tao; Yang, Ying; Wei, Li; Lv, Fuxiang; Gao, Guangkai

    2014-01-01

    Mechanical ventilation with positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) has been advocated as an essential life support for critical patients. However, its side effect, which is demonstrated by an elevation of intracranial pressure (ICP) under normobaric (NBO2) conditions, is potentially detrimental to patients. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy, on the other hand, is frequently applied for the same group of patients, and its efficacy is shown by maintaining a higher PaO2 and a reduced ICP. Our study investigated the effect of HBO2 and NBO2 on ICP with or without PEEP ventilation on healthy dogs by comparing cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP) and concluded that the elevation of PEEP resulted in a significant increase of ICP (CSFP) under both conditions (p < 0.05). HBO2 leads to a lower ICP increase compared to the NBO2 group. Under the same level of PEEP, the joint use of PEEP and HBO2 is safe and highly practical in clinical medicine.

  4. Long-Term Mortality Consequences of Childhood Family Context in Liaoning, China, 1749-1909

    PubMed Central

    Campbell, Cameron Dougall; Lee, James Z

    2009-01-01

    We examine the effects on adult and old age mortality of childhood living arrangements and other aspects of family context in early life. We focus on features of family context that have already been shown to be associated with infant or child mortality in historical and developing country populations. We apply discrete-time event-history analysis to longitudinal, individual-level household register data for a rural population in northeast China from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Loss of a mother in childhood, a short preceding birth interval, and high maternal age were all associated with elevated mortality risks later in life. Such effects persist in a model with fixed effects that account for unobserved characteristics of the community and household. An important implication of these results is that in high mortality populations, features of early life family context that are associated with elevated infant and child mortality may also predict adverse mortality outcomes in adulthood. PMID:19278765

  5. High affinity hemoglobin and Parkinson's disease.

    PubMed

    Graham, Jeffrey; Hobson, Douglas; Ponnampalam, Arjuna

    2014-12-01

    Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) region of the midbrain. Oxidative damage in this region has been shown to play an important role in the pathogenesis of this disease. Human neurons have been discovered to contain hemoglobin, with an increased concentration seen in the neurons of the SN. High affinity hemoglobin is a clinical entity resulting from mutations that create a functional increase in the binding of hemoglobin to oxygen and an inability to efficiently unload it to tissues. This can result in a number of metabolic compensatory changes, including an elevation in circulating hemoglobin and an increase in the molecule 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG). Population based studies have revealed that patients with PD have elevated hemoglobin as well as 2,3-DPG levels. Based on these observations, we hypothesize that the oxidative damage seen in PD is related to an underlying high affinity hemoglobin subtype. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Biochemical changes in sweat following prolonged ischemia.

    PubMed

    Ferguson-Pell, M; Hagisawa, S

    1988-01-01

    Much emphasis has been placed on the measurement of physical parameters at the body support interface in order to detect and moderate conditions which could result in pressure damage to soft tissues. Major difficulties are encountered both in the design of instrumentation and interpretation of the data collected. Metabolic processes in sweat glands that control sweat secretion have been shown to be sensitive to applied pressure, producing sweating rate suppression and changes in sweat NaCl concentration. In this study, we have demonstrated the feasibility of measuring lactate concentration in sweat collected locally using an electrochemical stimulation technique (iontophoresis of pilocarpine nitrate). Elevated levels of sweat lactate concentration during local tissue indentation were detected in a group of able-bodied subjects. Upon removal of the indentor, however, levels of sweat lactate returned to normal.

  7. Folic acid deficiency induces premature hearing loss through mechanisms involving cochlear oxidative stress and impairment of homocysteine metabolism.

    PubMed

    Martínez-Vega, Raquel; Garrido, Francisco; Partearroyo, Teresa; Cediel, Rafael; Zeisel, Steven H; Martínez-Álvarez, Concepción; Varela-Moreiras, Gregorio; Varela-Nieto, Isabel; Pajares, María A

    2015-02-01

    Nutritional imbalance is emerging as a causative factor of hearing loss. Epidemiologic studies have linked hearing loss to elevated plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) and folate deficiency, and have shown that folate supplementation lowers tHcy levels potentially ameliorating age-related hearing loss. The purpose of this study was to address the impact of folate deficiency on hearing loss and to examine the underlying mechanisms. For this purpose, 2-mo-old C57BL/6J mice (Animalia Chordata Mus musculus) were randomly divided into 2 groups (n = 65 each) that were fed folate-deficient (FD) or standard diets for 8 wk. HPLC analysis demonstrated a 7-fold decline in serum folate and a 3-fold increase in tHcy levels. FD mice exhibited severe hearing loss measured by auditory brainstem recordings and TUNEL-positive-apoptotic cochlear cells. RT-quantitative PCR and Western blotting showed reduced levels of enzymes catalyzing homocysteine (Hcy) production and recycling, together with a 30% increase in protein homocysteinylation. Redox stress was demonstrated by decreased expression of catalase, glutathione peroxidase 4, and glutathione synthetase genes, increased levels of manganese superoxide dismutase, and NADPH oxidase-complex adaptor cytochrome b-245, α-polypeptide (p22phox) proteins, and elevated concentrations of glutathione species. Altogether, our findings demonstrate, for the first time, that the relationship between hyperhomocysteinemia induced by folate deficiency and premature hearing loss involves impairment of cochlear Hcy metabolism and associated oxidative stress. © FASEB.

  8. Impaired leptin expression and abnormal response to fasting in corticotropin-releasing hormone-deficient mice.

    PubMed

    Jeong, Kyeong-Hoon; Sakihara, Satoru; Widmaier, Eric P; Majzoub, Joseph A

    2004-07-01

    Leptin has been postulated to comprise part of an adipostat, whereby during states of excessive energy storage, elevated levels of the hormone prevent further weight gain by inhibiting appetite. A physiological role for leptin in this regard remains unclear because the presence of excessive food, and therefore the need to restrain overeating under natural conditions, is doubtful. We have previously shown that CRH-deficient (Crh(-/-)) mice have glucocorticoid insufficiency and lack the fasting-induced increase in glucocorticoid, a hormone important in stimulating leptin synthesis and secretion. We hypothesized that these mice might have low circulating leptin. Indeed, Crh(-/-) mice exhibited no diurnal variation of leptin, whereas normal littermates showed a clear rhythm, and their leptin levels were lower than their counterparts. A continuous peripheral CRH infusion to Crh(-/-) mice not only restored corticosterone levels, but it also increased leptin expression to normal. Surprisingly, 36 h of fasting elevated leptin levels in Crh(-/-) mice, rather than falling as in normal mice. This abnormal leptin change during fasting in Crh(-/-) mice was corrected by corticosterone replacement. Furthermore, Crh(-/-) mice lost less body weight during 24 h of fasting and ate less food during refeeding than normal littermates. Taken together, we conclude that glucocorticoid insufficiency in Crh(-/-) mice results in impaired leptin production as well as an abnormal increase in leptin during fasting, and propose that the fast-induced physiological reduction in leptin may play an important role to stimulate food intake during the recovery from fasting.

  9. Identification of "binge-prone" women: an experimentally and psychometrically validated cluster analysis in a college population.

    PubMed

    Beebe, D W; Holmbeck, G N; Albright, J S; Noga, K; DeCastro, B

    1995-01-01

    This study investigated the escape model of binge eating through a cluster analysis using standardized measures. A sample of 126 undergraduate women underwent a manipulation of their level of cognition and were asked to "taste-test" several flavors of ice cream. Questionnaire data from these women were entered into a cluster analysis. Two groups emerged: women in the "binge-prone" group were significantly more depressed, had lower self-esteem, had more chaotic and extreme eating patterns, and were more self-conscious than those in the control group. In validation work, binge-prone women were shown to report elevated levels of bulimic symptomatology and, when in the presence of a food they enjoyed, to respond to increases in level of cognition by eating more. These results were consistent with some, but not all, of the components of the escape model.

  10. [Influence of environmental noise on sleep quality and sleeping disorders-implications for health].

    PubMed

    Kohlhuber, M; Bolte, G

    2011-12-01

    Environmental noise is a well-known risk factor influencing sleep-wake behavior and sleep quality. Epidemiologic studies have shown that environmental noise is regarded as the most annoying environmental factor. Noise causes modifications in physiologic and mental functions and may result in health outcomes like elevated blood pressure and ischemic heart disease. Reactions to high sound levels during sleep are decreased sleep intensity, arousals, and increased stress hormone secretion. Effects of poor sleep quality are reduced cognitive performance, tiredness, and psychosomatic symptoms. Long-term consequences of recurrent sleep loss due to environmental noise may be heart disease and increased medication intake. Arousals occur especially due to single noise events and intermittent noise. Laboratory and field studies showed no habituation of physiologic parameters to high sound levels. Sleep is especially sensitive to noise; therefore, sound levels during nighttime should be much lower than during daytime.

  11. Cryosat-2 and Sentinel-3 tropospheric corrections: their evaluation over rivers and lakes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fernandes, Joana; Lázaro, Clara; Vieira, Telmo; Restano, Marco; Ambrózio, Américo; Benveniste, Jérôme

    2017-04-01

    In the scope of the Sentinel-3 Hydrologic Altimetry PrototypE (SHAPE) project, errors that presently affect the tropospheric corrections i.e. dry and wet tropospheric corrections (DTC and WTC, respectively) given in satellite altimetry products are evaluated over inland water regions. These errors arise because both corrections, function of altitude, are usually computed with respect to an incorrect altitude reference. Several regions of interest (ROI) where CryoSat-2 (CS-2) is operating in SAR/SAR-In modes were selected for this evaluation. In this study, results for Danube River, Amazon Basin, Vanern and Titicaca lakes, and Caspian Sea, using Level 1B CS-2 data, are shown. DTC and WTC have been compared to those derived from ECMWF Operational model and computed at different altitude references: i) ECMWF orography; ii) ACE2 (Altimeter Corrected Elevations 2) and GWD-LR (Global Width Database for Large Rivers) global digital elevation models; iii) mean lake level, derived from Envisat mission data, or river profile derived in the scope of SHAPE project by AlongTrack (ATK) using Jason-2 data. Whenever GNSS data are available in the ROI, a GNSS-derived WTC was also generated and used for comparison. Overall, results show that the tropospheric corrections present in CS-2 L1B products are provided at the level of ECMWF orography, which can depart from the mean lake level or river profile by hundreds of metres. Therefore, the use of the model orography originates errors in the corrections. To mitigate these errors, both DTC and WTC should be provided at the mean river profile/lake level. For example, for the Caspian Sea with a mean level of -27 m, the tropospheric corrections provided in CS-2 products were computed at mean sea level (zero level), leading therefore to a systematic error in the corrections. In case a mean lake level is not available, it can be easily determined from satellite altimetry. In the absence of a mean river profile, both mentioned DEM, considered better altimetric surfaces when compared to the ECMWF orography, can be used. When using the model orography, systematic errors up to 3-5 cm are found in the DTC for most of the selected regions, which can induce significant errors in e.g. the determination of mean river profiles or lake level time series. For the Danube River, larger DTC errors up to 10 cm, due to terrain characteristics, can appear. For the WTC, with higher spatial variability, model errors of magnitude 1-3 cm are expected over inland waters. In the Danube region, the comparison of GNSS- and ECMWF-derived WTC has shown that the error in the WTC computed at orography level can be up to 3 cm. WTC errors with this magnitude have been found for all ROI. Although globally small, these errors are systematic and must be corrected prior to the generation of CS-2 Level 2 products. Once computed at the mean profile and mean lake level, the results show that tropospheric corrections have accuracy better than 1 cm. This analysis is currently being extended to S3 data and the first results are shown.

  12. Overexpression of the Arabidopsis CBF3 Transcriptional Activator Mimics Multiple Biochemical Changes Associated with Cold Acclimation1

    PubMed Central

    Gilmour, Sarah J.; Sebolt, Audrey M.; Salazar, Maite P.; Everard, John D.; Thomashow, Michael F.

    2000-01-01

    We further investigated the role of the Arabidopsis CBF regulatory genes in cold acclimation, the process whereby certain plants increase in freezing tolerance upon exposure to low temperature. The CBF genes, which are rapidly induced in response to low temperature, encode transcriptional activators that control the expression of genes containing the C-repeat/dehydration responsive element DNA regulatory element in their promoters. Constitutive expression of either CBF1 or CBF3 (also known as DREB1b and DREB1a, respectively) in transgenic Arabidopsis plants has been shown to induce the expression of target COR (cold-regulated) genes and to enhance freezing tolerance in nonacclimated plants. Here we demonstrate that overexpression of CBF3 in Arabidopsis also increases the freezing tolerance of cold-acclimated plants. Moreover, we show that it results in multiple biochemical changes associated with cold acclimation: CBF3-expressing plants had elevated levels of proline (Pro) and total soluble sugars, including sucrose, raffinose, glucose, and fructose. Plants overexpressing CBF3 also had elevated P5CS transcript levels suggesting that the increase in Pro levels resulted, at least in part, from increased expression of the key Pro biosynthetic enzyme Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase. These results lead us to propose that CBF3 integrates the activation of multiple components of the cold acclimation response. PMID:11115899

  13. Elevated levels of placental growth factor represent an adaptive host response in sepsis.

    PubMed

    Yano, Kiichiro; Okada, Yoshiaki; Beldi, Guido; Shih, Shou-Ching; Bodyak, Natalya; Okada, Hitomi; Kang, Peter M; Luscinskas, William; Robson, Simon C; Carmeliet, Peter; Karumanchi, S Ananth; Aird, William C

    2008-10-27

    Recently, we demonstrated that circulating levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and placental growth factor (PlGF) are increased in sepsis (Yano, K., P.C. Liaw, J.M. Mullington, S.C. Shih, H. Okada, N. Bodyak, P.M. Kang, L. Toltl, B. Belikoff, J. Buras, et al. 2006. J. Exp. Med. 203:1447-1458). Moreover, enhanced VEGF/Flk-1 signaling was shown to contribute to sepsis morbidity and mortality. We tested the hypothesis that PlGF also contributes to sepsis outcome. In mouse models of endotoxemia and cecal ligation puncture, the genetic absence of PlGF or the systemic administration of neutralizing anti-PlGF antibodies resulted in higher mortality compared with wild-type or immunoglobulin G-injected controls, respectively. The increased mortality associated with genetic deficiency of PlGF was reversed by adenovirus (Ad)-mediated overexpression of PlGF. In the endotoxemia model, PlGF deficiency was associated with elevated circulating levels of VEGF, induction of VEGF expression in the liver, impaired cardiac function, and organ-specific accentuation of barrier dysfunction and inflammation. Mortality of endotoxemic PlGF-deficient mice was increased by Ad-mediated overexpression of VEGF and was blocked by expression of soluble Flt-1. Collectively, these data suggest that up-regulation of PlGF in sepsis is an adaptive host response that exerts its benefit, at least in part, by attenuating VEGF signaling.

  14. ALDH2 protects against stroke by clearing 4-HNE

    PubMed Central

    Guo, Jin-Min; Liu, Ai-Jun; Zang, Pu; Dong, Wen-Zhe; Ying, Li; Wang, Wei; Xu, Pu; Song, Xu-Rui; Cai, Jun; Zhang, She-Qing; Duan, Jun-Li; Mehta, Jawahar L; Su, Ding-Feng

    2013-01-01

    Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is a mitochondrial enzyme that metabolizes ethanol and toxic aldehydes such as 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE). Using an unbiased proteomic search, we identified ALDH2 deficiency in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR-SP) as compared with spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). We concluded the causative role of ALDH2 deficiency in neuronal injury as overexpression or activation of ALDH2 conferred neuroprotection by clearing 4-HNE in in vitro studies. Further, ALDH2-knockdown rats revealed the absence of neuroprotective effects of PKCε. Moderate ethanol administration that is known to exert protection against stroke was shown to enhance the detoxification of 4-HNE, and to protect against ischemic cerebral injury through the PKCε-ALDH2 pathway. In SHR-SP, serum 4-HNE level was persistently elevated and correlated inversely with the lifespan. The role of 4-HNE in stroke in humans was also suggested by persistent elevation of its plasma levels for at least 6 months after stroke. Lastly, we observed that 21 of 1 242 subjects followed for 8 years who developed stroke had higher initial plasma 4-HNE levels than those who did not develop stroke. These findings suggest that activation of the ALDH2 pathway may serve as a useful index in the identification of stroke-prone subjects, and the ALDH2 pathway may be a potential target of therapeutic intervention in stroke. PMID:23689279

  15. Data Validation Package August 2015 Groundwater Sampling at the Grand Junction, Colorado, Disposal Site October 2015

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

    Frazier, William; Baur, Gary

    Sampling Period: August 4, 2015. The 1998 Interim Long-Term Surveillance Plan for the Cheney Disposal Site Near Grand Junction, Colorado, requires annual monitoring to assess the performance of the disposal cell. Monitoring wells 0731, 0732, and 0733 were sampled as specified in the plan. Sampling and analyses were conducted in accordance with Sampling and Analysis Plan for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites (LMS/PRO/S04351, continually updated). The water level was measured at each sampled well. The water level in well 0733, located in the disposal cell, is lower than water levels in adjacent wells 0731 andmore » 0732, indicating a hydraulic gradient toward the disposal cell. Results from this sampling event were generally consistent with results from the past as shown in the attached concentration-versus-time graphs. There have been no large changes in contaminant concentration observed over the last several years with the following exception. The uranium concentration in well 0733 has been trending upward since 2003. High uranium concentrations are expected in this well because it is located in the disposal cell. The selenium concentrations observed in wells 0731 and 0732 are elevated when compared to the disposal cell 0733. Wells 0731 and 0732 are completed at the alluvium/Mancos contact; here, elevated selenium concentrations are expected due to contributions from the Mancos shale.« less

  16. Lead hazards for pregnant women and children: part 1: immigrants and the poor shoulder most of the burden of lead exposure in this country. Part 1 of a two-part article details how exposure happens, whom it affects, and the harm it can do.

    PubMed

    Cleveland, Lisa M; Minter, Monica L; Cobb, Kathleen A; Scott, Anthony A; German, Victor F

    2008-10-01

    Poor, urban, and immigrant populations are at far greater risk for lead exposure than are other groups in the United States. Children with even slightly elevated blood lead levels are at increased risk for significant neurobehavioral problems that can extend through adolescence. Research has shown that elevated blood lead levels in pregnant women, even those well below 10 micrograms per deciliter-the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's "level of concern"-can cause miscarriage, premature birth, low birth weight, and subsequent developmental delays in their children. Despite these well-established dangers, routine prenatal lead screening and lead education is not a standard of care. Part 1 of this two-part article presents a short case example of a pregnant mother with lead poisoning and describes the epidemiology of lead exposure in the United States, the main sources of lead exposure, and the effects of lead on the pregnant mother and the developing fetus and child. Prevention is crucial. Treatment options such as chelation must be used selectively and will not reverse damage once it's occurred. Part 2 will describe recommendations for screening, education, nutrition, reducing environmental exposures, and treatment.

  17. Adropin induction of lipoprotein lipase expression in tilapia hepatocytes.

    PubMed

    Lian, Anji; Wu, Keqiang; Liu, Tianqiang; Jiang, Nan; Jiang, Quan

    2016-01-01

    The peptide hormone adropin plays a role in energy homeostasis. However, biological actions of adropin in non-mammalian species are still lacking. Using tilapia as a model, we examined the role of adropin in lipoprotein lipase (LPL) regulation in hepatocytes. To this end, the structural identity of tilapia adropin was established by 5'/3'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The transcripts of tilapia adropin were ubiquitously expressed in various tissues with the highest levels in the liver and hypothalamus. The prolonged fasting could elevate tilapia hepatic adropin gene expression, whereas no effect of fasting was observed on hypothalamic adropin gene levels. In primary cultures of tilapia hepatocytes, synthetic adropin was effective in stimulating LPL release, cellular LPL content, and total LPL production. The increase in LPL production also occurred with parallel rises in LPL gene levels. In parallel experiments, adropin could elevate cAMP production and up-regulate protein kinase A (PKA) and PKC activities. Using a pharmacological approach, cAMP/PKA and PLC/inositol trisphosphate (IP3)/PKC cascades were shown to be involved in adropin-stimulated LPL gene expression. Parallel inhibition of p38MAPK and Erk1/2, however, were not effective in these regards. Our findings provide, for the first time, evidence that adropin could stimulate LPL gene expression via direct actions in tilapia hepatocytes through the activation of multiple signaling mechanisms. © 2016 Society for Endocrinology.

  18. Penguin chicks benefit from elevated yolk androgen levels under sibling competition.

    PubMed

    Poisbleau, Maud; Müller, Wendt; Carslake, David; Demongin, Laurent; Groothuis, Ton G G; Van Camp, Jeff; Eens, Marcel

    2012-01-01

    Crested penguins (genus Eudyptes) have a peculiar hatching pattern, with the first-laid egg (A-egg) hatching after the second-laid egg (B-egg) and chicks from A-eggs typically having a much lower survival probability. Maternal yolk androgens have been suggested to contribute to the competitive superiority of the B-chick in southern rockhopper penguins Eudyptes chrysocome, given their important role in mediating sibling competition in other species. We therefore increased the yolk androgen levels in freshly-laid eggs and examined the consequences for sibling competition--via effects on embryonic developmental times, chick growth and early survival. We placed one androgen-treated egg and one control egg into each foster nest, matching them for mass, laying date and laying order. The androgen treatment did not significantly affect embryonic developmental times or chick measurements at hatching. However, elevated yolk androgen levels benefitted chick growth in interaction with the number of siblings in a brood. Chicks from androgen-treated eggs had faster growth in the presence of a sibling than chicks from control eggs. Under these circumstances they also had a higher survival probability. Thus maternal androgens appear to reinforce the observed hatching pattern, facilitating brood reduction. This contrasts to most previous studies in other species where yolk androgens have been shown to compensate for the negative consequences of delayed hatching within the brood hierarchy.

  19. Effects of high CO2 levels on dynamic photosynthesis: carbon gain, mechanisms, and environmental interactions.

    PubMed

    Tomimatsu, Hajime; Tang, Yanhong

    2016-05-01

    Understanding the photosynthetic responses of terrestrial plants to environments with high levels of CO2 is essential to address the ecological effects of elevated atmospheric CO2. Most photosynthetic models used for global carbon issues are based on steady-state photosynthesis, whereby photosynthesis is measured under constant environmental conditions; however, terrestrial plant photosynthesis under natural conditions is highly dynamic, and photosynthetic rates change in response to rapid changes in environmental factors. To predict future contributions of photosynthesis to the global carbon cycle, it is necessary to understand the dynamic nature of photosynthesis in relation to high CO2 levels. In this review, we summarize the current body of knowledge on the photosynthetic response to changes in light intensity under experimentally elevated CO2 conditions. We found that short-term exposure to high CO2 enhances photosynthetic rate, reduces photosynthetic induction time, and reduces post-illumination CO2 burst, resulting in increased leaf carbon gain during dynamic photosynthesis. However, long-term exposure to high CO2 during plant growth has varying effects on dynamic photosynthesis. High levels of CO2 increase the carbon gain in photosynthetic induction in some species, but have no significant effects in other species. Some studies have shown that high CO2 levels reduce the biochemical limitation on RuBP regeneration and Rubisco activation during photosynthetic induction, whereas the effects of high levels of CO2 on stomatal conductance differ among species. Few studies have examined the influence of environmental factors on effects of high levels of CO2 on dynamic photosynthesis. We identified several knowledge gaps that should be addressed to aid future predictions of photosynthesis in high-CO2 environments.

  20. Metal ion levels in patients with stainless steel spinal instrumentation.

    PubMed

    McPhee, I Bruce; Swanson, Cheryl E

    2007-08-15

    Case-control study. To determine whether metal ion concentrations are elevated in patients with spinal instrumentation. Studies have shown that serum and urinary levels of component metal ions are abnormally elevated in patients with total joint arthroplasties. Little is known of metal ion release and concentrations in patients with spinal instrumentation. The study group consisted of patients who had undergone spinal instrumentation for various spinal disorders with a variety of stainless steel implants, 5 to 25 years previously. A group of volunteers without metal implants were controls. All subjects were tested for serum nickel, blood chromium, and random urine chromium/creatinine ratio estimation. The study group consisted of 32 patients with retained implants and 12 patients whose implants had been removed. There were 26 unmatched controls. There was no difference in serum nickel and blood chromium levels between all 3 groups. The mean urinary chromium/creatinine ratio for patients with implants and those with implants removed was significantly greater than controls (P < 0.001). The difference between study subgroups was not significant (P = 0.16). Of several patient and instrumentation variables, only the number of couplings approached significance for correlation with the urine chromium excretion (P = 0.07). Spinal implants do not raise the levels of serum nickel and blood chromium. There is evidence that metal ions are released from spinal implants and excreted in urine. The excretion of chromium in patients with spinal implants was significantly greater than normal controls although lower where the implants have been removed. The findings are consistent with low-grade release of ions from implants with rapid clearance, thus maintaining normal serum levels. Levels of metal ions in the body fluids probably do not reach a level that causes late side-effect; hence, routine removal of the implants cannot be recommended.

  1. Residential Proximity to Major Roadways Is Associated With Increased Levels of AC133+ Circulating Angiogenic Cells.

    PubMed

    DeJarnett, Natasha; Yeager, Ray; Conklin, Daniel J; Lee, Jongmin; O'Toole, Timothy E; McCracken, James; Abplanalp, Wes; Srivastava, Sanjay; Riggs, Daniel W; Hamzeh, Ihab; Wagner, Stephen; Chugh, Atul; DeFilippis, Andrew; Ciszewski, Tiffany; Wyatt, Brad; Becher, Carrie; Higdon, Deirdre; Ramos, Kenneth S; Tollerud, David J; Myers, John A; Rai, Shesh N; Shah, Jasmit; Zafar, Nagma; Krishnasamy, Sathya S; Prabhu, Sumanth D; Bhatnagar, Aruni

    2015-11-01

    Previous studies have shown that residential proximity to a roadway is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk. Yet, the nature of this association remains unclear, and its effect on individual cardiovascular disease risk factors has not been assessed. The objective of this study was to determine whether residential proximity to roadways influences systemic inflammation and the levels of circulating angiogenic cells. In a cross-sectional study, cardiovascular disease risk factors, blood levels of C-reactive protein, and 15 antigenically defined circulating angiogenic cell populations were measured in participants (n=316) with moderate-to-high cardiovascular disease risk. Attributes of roadways surrounding residential locations were assessed using geographic information systems. Associations between road proximity and cardiovascular indices were analyzed using generalized linear models. Close proximity (<50 m) to a major roadway was associated with lower income and higher rates of smoking but not C-reactive protein levels. After adjustment for potential confounders, the levels of circulating angiogenic cells in peripheral blood were significantly elevated in people living in close proximity to a major roadway (CD31(+)/AC133(+), AC133(+), CD34(+)/AC133(+), and CD34(+)/45(dim)/AC133(+) cells) and positively associated with road segment distance (CD31(+)/AC133(+), AC133(+), and CD34(+)/AC133(+) cells), traffic intensity (CD31(+)/AC133(+) and AC133(+) cells), and distance-weighted traffic intensity (CD31(+)/34(+)/45(+)/AC133(+) cells). Living close to a major roadway is associated with elevated levels of circulating cells positive for the early stem marker AC133(+). This may reflect an increased need for vascular repair. Levels of these cells in peripheral blood may be a sensitive index of cardiovascular injury because of residential proximity to roadways. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

  2. Elevated CO2 levels affects the concentrations of copper and cadmium in crops grown in soil contaminated with heavy metals under fully open-air field conditions.

    PubMed

    Guo, Hongyan; Zhu, Jianguo; Zhou, Hui; Sun, Yuanyuan; Yin, Ying; Pei, Daping; Ji, Rong; Wu, Jichun; Wang, Xiaorong

    2011-08-15

    Elevated CO(2) levels and the increase in heavy metals in soils through pollution are serious problems worldwide. Whether elevated CO(2) levels will affect plants grown in heavy-metal-polluted soil and thereby influence food quality and safety is not clear. Using a free-air CO(2) enrichment (FACE) system, we investigated the impacts of elevated atmospheric CO(2) on the concentrations of copper (Cu) or cadmium (Cd) in rice and wheat grown in soil with different concentrations of the metals in the soil. In the two-year study, elevated CO(2) levels led to lower Cu concentrations and higher Cd concentrations in shoots and grain of both rice and wheat grown in the respective contaminated soil. Elevated CO(2) levels slightly but significantly lowered the pH of the soil and led to changes in Cu and Cd fractionation in the soil. Our study indicates that elevated CO(2) alters the distribution of contaminant elements in soil and plants, thereby probably affecting food quality and safety.

  3. Elevation trends and shrink-swell response of wetland soils to flooding and drying

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cahoon, Donald R.; Perez, Brian C.; Segura, Bradley D.; Lynch, James C.

    2011-01-01

    Given the potential for a projected acceleration in sea-level rise to impact wetland sustainability over the next century, a better understanding is needed of climate-related drivers that influence the processes controlling wetland elevation. Changes in local hydrology and groundwater conditions can cause short-term perturbations to marsh elevation trends through shrink—swell of marsh soils. To better understand the magnitude of these perturbations and their impacts on marsh elevation trends, we measured vertical accretion and elevation dynamics in microtidal marshes in Texas and Louisiana during and after the extreme drought conditions that existed there from 1998 to 2000. In a Louisiana marsh, elevation was controlled by subsurface hydrologic fluxes occurring below the root zone but above the 4 m depth (i.e., the base of the surface elevation table benchmark) that were related to regional drought and local meteorological conditions, with marsh elevation tracking water level variations closely. In Texas, a rapid decline in marsh elevation was related to severe drought conditions, which lowered local groundwater levels. Unfragmented marshes experienced smaller water level drawdowns and more rapid marsh elevation recovery than fragmented marshes. It appears that extended drawdowns lead to increased substrate consolidation making it less resilient to respond to future favorable conditions. Overall, changes in water storage lead to rapid and large short-term impacts on marsh elevation that are as much as five times greater than the long-term elevation trend, indicating the importance of long-term, high-resolution elevation data sets to understand the prolonged effects of water deficits on marsh elevation change.

  4. The Interactive Effects of Elevated CO2 and Ozone on Leaf Thermotolerance in Field-Grown Glycine Max (Soybean)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Human activity is increasing atmospheric CO2, which is increasing both mean global temperatures and acute heat stress (heat waves). Laboratory studies have shown that elevated CO2 can increase tolerance of photosynthesis to acute heat stress in C3 plants. However, human-caused increases in ground-...

  5. The hepatic bile acid transporters Ntcp and Mrp2 are downregulated in experimental necrotizing enterocolitis.

    PubMed

    Cherrington, Nathan J; Estrada, Teresa E; Frisk, Harrison A; Canet, Mark J; Hardwick, Rhiannon N; Dvorak, Bohuslav; Lux, Katie; Halpern, Melissa D

    2013-01-01

    Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common gastrointestinal emergency of premature infants and is characterized by an extensive hemorrhagic inflammatory necrosis of the distal ileum and proximal colon. We have previously shown that, during the development of experimental NEC, the liver plays an important role in regulating inflammation in the ileum, and accumulation of ileal bile acids (BA) along with dysregulation of ileal BA transporters contributes to ileal damage. Given these findings, we speculated that hepatic BA transporters would also be altered in experimental NEC. Using both rat and mouse models of NEC, levels of Cyp7a1, Cyp27a1, and the hepatic BA transporters Bsep, Ntcp, Oatp2, Oatp4, Mrp2, and Mrp3 were investigated. In addition, levels of hepatic BA transporters were also determined when the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-18, which are both elevated in NEC, are neutralized during disease development. Ntcp and Mrp2 were decreased in NEC, but elevated ileal BA levels were not responsible for these reductions. However, neutralization of TNF-α normalized Ntcp, whereas removal of IL-18 normalized Mrp2 levels. These data show that the hepatic transporters Ntcp and Mrp2 are downregulated, whereas Cyp27a1 is increased in rodent models of NEC. Furthermore, increased levels of TNF-α and IL-18 in experimental NEC may play a role in the regulation of Ntcp and Mrp2, respectively. These data suggest the gut-liver axis should be considered when therapeutic modalities for NEC are developed.

  6. Crew Earth Observations over Bolivia taken during Expedition 12

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2005-11-03

    ISS012-E-06468 (3 Nov. 2005) --- A portion of Lake Poopo is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 12 crewmember on the International Space Station. Lake Poopo sits high in the Bolivian Andes, catching runoff from its larger neighbor to the north - Lake Titicaca (not shown) - by way of the Desaguadero River (muddy area at the north end of the lake). Because Lake Poopo is very high in elevation (roughly 3400 meters or 11,000 feet above sea level), very shallow (generally less than 3 meters or 9 feet), and the regional climate is very dry, small changes in precipitation in the surrounding basin have large impacts on the water levels and areal extent of Lake Poopo. When the lake fills during wet periods, Poopo drains from the south end into Salar de Coipasa (not shown). Water levels in Poopo are important because it is one of South America’s largest saline lakes, and a prime stop for migratory birds, including flamingoes. NASA managers have tasked the station crew to track such changes, which are related to regional weather patterns. Lake Poopo’s sensitivity to precipitation in the high Andes (possibly reflecting larger climate cycles) provides an excellent visual indicator of these trends.

  7. Crew Earth Observations over Bolivia taken during Expedition 12

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2005-11-03

    ISS012-E-06469 (3 Nov. 2005) --- A portion of Lake Poopo is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 12 crewmember on the International Space Station. Lake Poopo sits high in the Bolivian Andes, catching runoff from its larger neighbor to the north - Lake Titicaca (not shown) - by way of the Desaguadero River (muddy area at the north end of the lake). Because Lake Poopo is very high in elevation (roughly 3400 meters or 11,000 feet above sea level), very shallow (generally less than 3 meters or 9 feet), and the regional climate is very dry, small changes in precipitation in the surrounding basin have large impacts on the water levels and areal extent of Lake Poopo. When the lake fills during wet periods, Poopo drains from the south end into Salar de Coipasa (not shown). Water levels in Poopo are important because it is one of South America’s largest saline lakes, and a prime stop for migratory birds, including flamingoes. NASA managers have tasked the station crew to track such changes, which are related to regional weather patterns. Lake Poopo’s sensitivity to precipitation in the high Andes (possibly reflecting larger climate cycles) provides an excellent visual indicator of these trends.

  8. [Prevalence of Elevated Lipoprotein (a) Levels in Patients < 60 Years of Age with Retinal Vein Occlusion].

    PubMed

    Kuhli-Hattenbach, C; Hellstern, P; Miesbach, W; Kohnen, T; Hattenbach, L-O

    2018-01-01

    The potential impact of elevated Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] levels on retinal venous occlusive (RVO) diseases with regard to age and various risk factors has not been studied extensively. In a retrospective case-control study, thrombophilia data of 106 young patients (< 60 years at the time of the RVO or a previous thromboembolic event) with RVO and 76 healthy subjects were evaluated. Elevated Lp(a) plasma levels were significantly more prevalent among RVO patients (29.2 %) than among controls (9.2 %; p = 0.0009). Lp(a) levels were found to be significantly (p = 0.012) different between patients and controls. Moreover, we found that an unusual personal or family history of thromboembolism was a strong predictor of elevated Lp(a) (p = 0.03). We observed a significant correlation between elevated Lp(a) and other coagulation disorders (p = 0.005). Multivariate analysis showed that elevated lipoprotein(a) levels (OR: 3.5; p = 0.003) were an independent risk factor for the development of RVO. Elevated plasma levels of Lp(a) are associated with the development of RVO. Selective screening of young patients and subjects with a personal or family history of thromboembolism may be helpful in identifying RVO patients with elevated Lp(a). Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  9. Selenium and mercury have a synergistic negative effect on fish reproduction.

    PubMed

    Penglase, S; Hamre, K; Ellingsen, S

    2014-04-01

    Selenium (Se) can reduce the negative impacts of mercury (Hg) toxicity on growth and survival, but little is known about how these two elements interact in reproduction. In the following study we explored the effects of organic Hg and Se on the growth, survival and reproduction of female zebrafish (Danio rerio). Fish were fed one of four diets from 73 until 226 dpf in a 2 × 2 factorial design, using selenomethionine (SeMet) and methylmercury (MeHg) as the Se and Hg sources, respectively. Each diet contained Se at either requirement (0.7 mg Se/kg DM) or elevated levels (10 mg Se/kgDM), and Hg at either low (0.05 mg Hg/kg DM) or elevated (12 mg Hg/kg DM) levels. Between 151 and 206 dpf the female fish were pairwise crossed against untreated male fish and the mating success, fecundity, embryo survival, and subsequent overall reproductive success were measured. Elevated dietary Se reduced Hg levels in both the adult fish and their eggs. Elevated dietary Hg and Se increased egg Se levels to a greater extent than when dietary Se was elevated alone. At elevated maternal intake levels, egg concentrations of Se and Hg reflected the maternal dietary levels and not the body burdens of the adult fish. Elevated dietary Hg reduced the growth and survival of female fish, but these effects were largely prevented with elevated dietary Se. Elevated dietary Se alone did not affect fish growth or survival. Compared to other treatments, elevated dietary Hg alone increased both mating and overall reproductive success with <100 days of exposure, but decreased these parameters with >100 days exposure. Elevated dietary Se decreased fecundity, embryo survival, and overall reproductive success. The combination of elevated Se and Hg had a synergistic negative effect on all aspects of fish reproduction compared to those groups fed elevated levels of either Se or Hg. Overall the data demonstrate that while increased dietary Se may reduce adverse effects of Hg on the growth and survival in adult fish, it can negatively affect fish reproductive potential, and the effect on reproduction is enhanced in the presence of elevated Hg. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Serum biochemical markers in lung cancer.

    PubMed Central

    Burt, R. W.; Ratcliffe, J. G.; Stack, B. H.; Cuthbert, J.; Kennedy, R. S.; Corker, C. S.; Franchimont, P.; Spilg, W. G.; Stimson, W. H.

    1978-01-01

    The prevalence of elevated serum levels of 5 potential tumour-associated antigens was determined in patients with lung cancer sampled at the time of initial presentation, using age- and sex-matched patients with benign lung disease as controls. Elevated levels (greater than upper 95th centile of controls) were found as follows: carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), 17%; pregnancy-associated alpha-macroglobulin (PAM), 16%; casein 14%; human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) 6%; alpha-foetoprotein (AFP), 1.5%. The prevalence of elevated CEA levels (but not other markers) was higher in patients with evidence of extra-thoracic tumour spread (23%) mainly due to anaplastic tumours and adenocarcinomas. A degree of concordance of elevated marker levels occurred with CEA, HCG, casein and AFP, but there was a striking discordance of elevated CEA and PAM levels. Simultaneous assays of CEA and PAM will detect the majority of patients with elevations of any of the markers studied, and are likely to be the most useful biochemical markers in following the response of lung tumours to therapy. PMID:77672

  11. Developmental Effects Of A Municipal Wastewater Effluent On Two Generations Of The Fathead Minnow, Pimephales promelas

    EPA Science Inventory

    Municipal wastewater effluents have been shown to contain a variety of anthropogenic compounds, many of which are know to display estrogenic properties. While multiple laboratory studies have shown the effects of such compounds on an individual basis at elevated concentrations, ...

  12. Water resources data for Pennsylvania, water year 1995. Volume 2. Susquehanna and Potomac River basins. Water-data report (Annual), 1 October 1994-30 September 1995

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

    Durlin, R.R.; Schaffstall, W.P.

    1997-02-01

    This report, Volume, 2, includes record from the Susquehanna and Potomac River Basins. Specifically, it contains: (1) discharge records for 90 continuous-record streamflow-gaging stations and 41 partial-record stations; (2) elevation and contents record for 12 lakes and reservoirs; (3) water-quality records for 13 streamflow-gaging stations and 189 partial-record and project stations; and (4) water-level records for 25 network observation wells. Site locations are shown in figures throughout the report. Additional water data collected at various sites not involved in the systematic data-collection program are also presented.

  13. A rapid phospholipase A2 bioassay using 14C-oleate-labelled E. coli bacterias.

    PubMed

    Meyer, T; von Wichert, P; Weins, D

    1989-02-01

    Two methods of phospholipase A2 determination using 14C-labelled E. coli bacterias as substrate were compared. One method works with a filter membrane for separation of cleaved 14C-oleate from remaining phospholipids, the other uses the well-known thin-layer chromatography for lipid analysis. Some features of human serum phospholipase A2 regarding pH and Ca2+ dependency were investigated. Possible sources of errors were discussed. It was shown that either method can differentiate between normal and pathologically elevated phospholipase A2 levels, but that the filter method is superior in terms of sensitivity and workload.

  14. Serum uric acid level as a risk factor for acute kidney injury in hospitalized patients: a retrospective database analysis using the integrated medical information system at Kochi Medical School hospital.

    PubMed

    Otomo, Kazunori; Horino, Taro; Miki, Takeo; Kataoka, Hiromi; Hatakeyama, Yutaka; Matsumoto, Tatsuki; Hamada-Ode, Kazu; Shimamura, Yoshiko; Ogata, Koji; Inoue, Kosuke; Taniguchi, Yoshinori; Terada, Yoshio; Okuhara, Yoshiyasu

    2016-04-01

    Recent studies have shown that both low and high levels of serum uric acid (SUA) before cardiovascular surgery are independent risk factors for postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI). However, these studies were limited by their small sample sizes. Here, we investigated the association between SUA levels and AKI by performing a retrospective database analysis of almost 30 years of data from 81,770 hospitalized patients. Hospitalized patients aged ≥18 years were retrospectively enrolled. AKI was diagnosed according to the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes 2012 Clinical Practice Guideline (KDIGO) criteria. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the independent association between SUA levels and the incidence of AKI. SUA levels were treated as categorical variables because the relationship between SUA and the incidence of AKI has been suggested to be J-shaped or U-shaped. In addition to stratified SUA levels, we considered kidney function and related comorbidities, medications, and procedures performed prior to AKI onset as possible confounding risk factors. The final study cohort included 59,219 adult patients. Adjusted odds ratios of AKI incidence were higher in both the high- and low-SUA strata. Odds ratios tended to become larger in the higher range of SUA levels in women than in men. Additionally, this study showed that AKI risk was elevated in patients with SUA levels ≤7 mg/dL. An SUA level >7 mg/dL is considered the point of initiation of uric acid crystallization. SUA level could be an independent risk factor for AKI development in hospitalized patients. Additionally, our results might suggest that intervention to lower SUA levels is necessary, even in cases of moderate elevation that does not warrant hyperuricemia treatment. Results also showed that SUA levels that require attention are lower for women than for men.

  15. Fructo-oligosaccharide systemically diminished D-galactose-induced oxidative molecule damages in BALB/cJ mice.

    PubMed

    Hsia, Chien-Hsun; Wang, Cheng-Hsin; Kuo, Yi-Wen; Ho, Ying-Jui; Chen, Hsiao-Ling

    2012-06-01

    Subcutaneous (s.c.) D-galactose (DG) treatment has been shown to facilitate the development of biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease in C57BL/6J mice. The aim of the present study was to determine whether this treatment in young BALB/cJ mice, another mouse strain, enhanced oxidative stress to similar extents shown in older mice, and to further determine the effects of fructo-oligosaccharide (FO), a prebiotic fibre and vitamin E (antioxidant control) on the DG-induced oxidative damage of lipids, proteins and mitochondrial DNA, and erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activities. Mice (12 weeks of age, n 40) were divided into four groups: vehicle (s.c. saline)+control (modified rodent chow); DG (s.c. 1·2 g/kg body weight)+control; DG+FO (5 %, w/w); DG+vitamin E (α-tocopherol, 0·2 %). Then, the animals were killed after 52 d of treatment. Another natural ageing (NA) group without any injection was killed at 47 weeks of age, which served as an aged control. The results indicated that the DG treatment enhanced malonaldehyde dimethyl acetal (MDA) levels in the plasma, liver and cerebral cortex, and protein carbonyl levels in the liver and hippocampus to similar levels shown in the NA group. FO, similar to α-tocopherol, systemically normalised DG-induced elevations in the levels of MDA in the plasma, liver and cerebral cortex, protein carbonyls in the liver and hippocampus, hepatic mitochondrial 8-oxo-deoxyguanosine and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase activity. In conclusion, the s.c. DG treatment in younger BALB/cJ mice resembled the oxidative status in older mice. FO supplementation systemically prevented DG-induced oxidative stress, probably through its fermentation products and prebiotic effect.

  16. U.S. Geological Survey Subsidence Interest Group Conference : proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Galveston, Texas, November 27-29, 2001

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Prince, Keith R.; Galloway, Devin L.

    2003-01-01

    InSAR is a powerful technique that uses radar data acquired at different times to measure land-surface deformation, or displacement, over large areas at a high level of spatial detail and a high degree of measurement resolution. InSAR displacement maps (interferograms), in conjunction with other hydrogeologic data, have been used to determine aquifer-system characteristics for areas where surface deformation is the result of stress induced changes in the granular skeleton of the aquifer system. Interferograms and measurements of aquifer-system compaction from borehole extensometers, and ground-water levels in wells in Santa Clara Valley, California, have shown that land-surface changes caused by aquifer-system deformation for September 23, 1992-August 2, 1997, are elastic (reversible): During the summer when water levels are declining, the land surface subsides, and during the winter when water levels are recovering, the land surface uplifts, resulting in no net surface deformation. Interferograms used with fault maps of Santa Clara Valley and of Las Vegas Valley, Nevada, have shown that the extent of regional land-surface changes caused by aquifer-system deformation may be partially controlled by faults. Interferograms of Yucca Flat, Nevada, show subsidence associated with the recovery of elevated hydraulic heads caused by underground weapons testing at depths of more than 600 meters. For these selected case studies, continuing or renewed deformation of the aquifer system is coupled with pore-fluid-pressure changes. When applied stresses (water-level changes) can be measured accurately for periods that the interferograms show displacement, stress-strain relations, and thus bulk storage properties, can be evaluated. For areas where additional ground-water-level, land-surface-elevation, aquifer-system-compaction, or other environmental data are needed, the interferograms can be used as a guide for designing appropriate monitoring networks. Aquifer-system properties derived from stress-strain relations and identification of hidden faults, other structural or stratigraphic controls on deformation and ground-water flow, and other hydrogeologic boundaries in the flow system can be used to constrain numerical ground-water flow and subsidence simulations. Managing aquifer systems within optimal limits may be possible if regions susceptible to ground-water depletion and the accompanying land subsidence can be identified and characterized.

  17. High-Intensity Targeted Screening for Elevated Blood Lead Levels Among Children in 2 Inner-City Chicago Communities

    PubMed Central

    Dignam, Timothy A.; Evens, Anne; Eduardo, Eduard; Ramirez, Shokufeh M.; Caldwell, Kathleen L.; Kilpatrick, Nikki; Noonan, Gary P.; Flanders, W. Dana; Meyer, Pamela A.; McGeehin, Michael A.

    2004-01-01

    Objectives. We assessed the prevalence of elevated blood lead levels (≥ 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood), risk factors, and previous blood lead testing among children in 2 high-risk Chicago, Ill, communities. Methods. Through high-intensity targeted screening, blood lead levels were tested and risks were assessed among a representative sample of children aged 1 to 5 years who were at risk for lead exposure. Results. Of the 539 children who were tested, 27% had elevated blood lead levels, and 61% had never been tested previously. Elevated blood lead levels were associated with chipped exterior house paint. Conclusions. Most of the children who lived in these communities—where the prevalence for elevated blood lead levels among children was 12 times higher than the national prevalence—were not tested for lead poisoning. Our findings highlight the need for targeted community outreach that includes testing blood lead levels in accordance with the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendations. PMID:15514235

  18. Understanding Coastal Wetland Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise Enhanced Inundation Using Real-Time Stage Monitoring, LiDAR, and Monte Carlo Simulation in Everglades National Park

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cooper, H.; Zhang, C.

    2017-12-01

    Coastal wetlands are one of the most productive ecological systems in the world, providing critical habitat area and valuable ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration. However, due to their location in low lying areas, coastal wetlands are particularly vulnerable to sea-level rise (SLR). Everglades National Park (ENP) encompasses the southern-most portion of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, and is the largest subtropical wetland in the USA. Water depths have shown to have a significant relationship to vegetation community composition and organization while also playing a crucial role in vegetation health throughout the Everglades. Live plants play a vital role in maintaining soil structure (i.e. elevation), and decreases in vegetation health can cause peat collapse or wetland loss resulting in dramatic habitat, organic soil, and elevation loss posing concerns for Everglades management and restoration. One suspected mechanism for peat collapse is enhanced inundation due to SLR, thus mapping and modeling water depths is a critical component to understanding the potential impacts of future SLR. Previous research in the Everglades focused on a conventional Water Depth Model (WDM) approach where a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is subtracted from a Water Table Elevation Model (WTEM). In this study, the conventional WDM approach is extended to a more rigorous WDM technique so that the accuracy and precision of the underlying data may be considered. Monte Carlo simulation is used to propagate probability distributions through our SLR depth model using our Random Forest-based LiDAR DEM, Empirical Bayesian Kriging-based WTEMs, uncertainties in vertical datums, soil accretion projections, and regional sea-level rise projections. Water depth maps were produced for the wet and dry seasons in April and October, which successfully revealed the potential spatial and temporal water depth variations due to future SLR. It is concluded that a more rigorous WDM technique helps to increase the integrity of derived products used to support and guide coastal restoration managers and planners under the challenge of rising seas.

  19. Functional Characterization of Vasopressin Type 2 Receptor Substitutions (R137H/C/L) Leading to Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus and Nephrogenic Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuresis: Implications for TreatmentsS⃞

    PubMed Central

    Rochdi, Moulay D.; Vargas, Gabriel A.; Carpentier, Eric; Oligny-Longpré, Geneviève; Chen, Stanford; Kovoor, Abraham; Gitelman, Stephen E.; Rosenthal, Stephen M.; von Zastrow, Mark

    2010-01-01

    Substitution of arginine-137 of the vasopressin type 2 receptor (V2R) for histidine (R137H-V2R) leads to nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI), whereas substitution of the same residue to cysteine or leucine (R137C/L-V2R) causes the nephrogenic syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (NSIAD). These two diseases have opposite clinical outcomes. Still, the three mutant receptors were shown to share constitutive β-arrestin recruitment and endocytosis, resistance to vasopressin-stimulated cAMP production and mitogen-activated protein kinase activation, and compromised cell surface targeting, raising questions about the contribution of these phenomenons to the diseases and their potential treatments. Blocking endocytosis exacerbated the elevated basal cAMP levels promoted by R137C/L-V2R but not the cAMP production elicited by R137H-V2R, demonstrating that substitution of Arg137 to Cys/Leu, but not His, leads to constitutive V2R-stimulated cAMP accumulation that most likely underlies NSIAD. The constitutively elevated endocytosis of R137C/L-V2R attenuates the signaling and most likely reduces the severity of NSIAD, whereas the elevated endocytosis of R137H-V2R probably contributes to NDI. The constitutive signaling of R137C/L-V2R was not inhibited by treatment with the V2R inverse agonist satavaptan (SR121463). In contrast, owing to its pharmacological chaperone property, SR121463 increased the R137C/L-V2R maturation and cell surface targeting, leading to a further increase in basal cAMP production, thus disqualifying it as a potential treatment for patients with R137C/L-V2R-induced NSIAD. However, vasopressin was found to promote β-arrestin/AP-2-dependent internalization of R137H/C/L-V2R beyond their already elevated endocytosis levels, raising the possibility that vasopressin could have a therapeutic value for patients with R137C/L-V2R-induced NSIAD by reducing steady-state surface receptor levels, thus lowering basal cAMP production. PMID:20159941

  20. Functional characterization of vasopressin type 2 receptor substitutions (R137H/C/L) leading to nephrogenic diabetes insipidus and nephrogenic syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis: implications for treatments.

    PubMed

    Rochdi, Moulay D; Vargas, Gabriel A; Carpentier, Eric; Oligny-Longpré, Geneviève; Chen, Stanford; Kovoor, Abraham; Gitelman, Stephen E; Rosenthal, Stephen M; von Zastrow, Mark; Bouvier, Michel

    2010-05-01

    Substitution of arginine-137 of the vasopressin type 2 receptor (V2R) for histidine (R137H-V2R) leads to nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI), whereas substitution of the same residue to cysteine or leucine (R137C/L-V2R) causes the nephrogenic syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (NSIAD). These two diseases have opposite clinical outcomes. Still, the three mutant receptors were shown to share constitutive beta-arrestin recruitment and endocytosis, resistance to vasopressin-stimulated cAMP production and mitogen-activated protein kinase activation, and compromised cell surface targeting, raising questions about the contribution of these phenomenons to the diseases and their potential treatments. Blocking endocytosis exacerbated the elevated basal cAMP levels promoted by R137C/L-V2R but not the cAMP production elicited by R137H-V2R, demonstrating that substitution of Arg137 to Cys/Leu, but not His, leads to constitutive V2R-stimulated cAMP accumulation that most likely underlies NSIAD. The constitutively elevated endocytosis of R137C/L-V2R attenuates the signaling and most likely reduces the severity of NSIAD, whereas the elevated endocytosis of R137H-V2R probably contributes to NDI. The constitutive signaling of R137C/L-V2R was not inhibited by treatment with the V2R inverse agonist satavaptan (SR121463). In contrast, owing to its pharmacological chaperone property, SR121463 increased the R137C/L-V2R maturation and cell surface targeting, leading to a further increase in basal cAMP production, thus disqualifying it as a potential treatment for patients with R137C/L-V2R-induced NSIAD. However, vasopressin was found to promote beta-arrestin/AP-2-dependent internalization of R137H/C/L-V2R beyond their already elevated endocytosis levels, raising the possibility that vasopressin could have a therapeutic value for patients with R137C/L-V2R-induced NSIAD by reducing steady-state surface receptor levels, thus lowering basal cAMP production.

  1. Leucocytozoon Diversity and Possible Vectors in the Neotropical highlands of Colombia.

    PubMed

    Lotta, Ingrid A; Pacheco, M Andreína; Escalante, Ananias A; González, Angie D; Mantilla, Juan S; Moncada, Ligia I; Adler, Peter H; Matta, Nubia E

    2016-04-01

    Studies of the lowland avifauna in the Neotropical Region have shown a paucity of Leucocytozoon species. However, surveys conducted in the Colombian highlands revealed a great diversity of these parasites infecting resident birds. To further investigate the relationship between Leucocytozoon diversity, the potential vectors, and altitudinal distribution, birds from 41 families were sampled at low and high elevations in Colombia. Blood samples were screened by microscopy, and a fragment of cytochrome b was amplified from Leucocytozoon-positive samples. The complete mitochondrial genome was also obtained for each morphospecies of Leucocytozoon. Leucocytozoon species were detected in resident birds, with various degrees of host specificity, at elevations from 2,400 to 3,950 meters above sea level, where five new host-parasite associations were discovered. Phylogenetic analysis based on the cytochrome b fragment suggested that two nominal taxa, L. fringillinarum and L. majoris, are species complexes. Blood sources of Simuliidae revealed generalist-feeding habits that included avian and mammalian hosts. Molecular analysis of parasites in black flies indicated a close relationship with the parasites found in birds. Our investigation provides further evidence that the distribution and transmission of Leucocytozoon species in the Neotropics are influenced by elevation, with the highest prevalence between 2,400 and 3,200 m asl. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  2. Oxalate, inflammasome, and progression of kidney disease

    PubMed Central

    Ermer, Theresa; Eckardt, Kai-Uwe; Aronson, Peter S.; Knauf, Felix

    2016-01-01

    Purpose of review Oxalate is an end product of metabolism excreted via the kidney. Excess urinary oxalate, whether from primary or enteric hyperoxaluria, can lead to oxalate deposition in the kidney. Oxalate crystals are associated with renal inflammation, fibrosis and progressive renal failure. It has long been known that as glomerular filtration rate (GFR) becomes reduced in chronic kidney disease (CKD), there is striking elevation of plasma oxalate. Taken together, these findings raise the possibility that elevation of plasma oxalate in CKD may promote renal inflammation and more rapid progression of CKD independent of primary etiology. Recent findings The inflammasome has recently been identified to play a critical role in oxalate-induced renal inflammation. Oxalate crystals have been shown to activate the nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat inflammasome 3 (also known as NALP3, NLRP3 or cryopyrin), resulting in release of Interleukin-1β and macrophage infiltration. Deletion of inflammasome proteins in mice protects from oxalate-induced renal inflammation and progressive renal failure. Summary The findings reviewed in this article expand our understanding of the relevance of elevated plasma oxalate levels leading to inflammasome activation. We propose that inhibiting oxalate-induced inflammasome activation, or lowering plasma oxalate, may prevent or mitigate progressive renal damage in CKD, and warrants clinical trials. PMID:27191349

  3. Diel CO2 cycles reduce severity of behavioural abnormalities in coral reef fish under ocean acidification.

    PubMed

    Jarrold, Michael D; Humphrey, Craig; McCormick, Mark I; Munday, Philip L

    2017-08-31

    Elevated CO 2 levels associated with ocean acidification (OA) have been shown to alter behavioural responses in coral reef fishes. However, all studies to date have used stable pCO 2 treatments, not considering the substantial diel pCO 2 variation that occurs in shallow reef habitats. Here, we reared juvenile damselfish, Acanthochromis polyacanthus, and clownfish, Amphiprion percula, at stable and diel cycling pCO 2 treatments in two experiments. As expected, absolute lateralization of A. polyacanthus and response to predator cue of Am. percula were negatively affected in fish reared at stable, elevated pCO 2 in both experiments. However, diel pCO 2 fluctuations reduced the negative effects of OA on behaviour. Importantly, in experiment two, behavioural abnormalities that were present in fish reared at stable 750 µatm CO 2 were largely absent in fish reared at 750 ± 300 µatm CO 2 . Overall, we show that diel pCO 2 cycles can substantially reduce the severity of behavioural abnormalities caused by elevated CO 2 . Thus, past studies may have over-estimated the impacts of OA on the behavioural performance of coral reef fishes. Furthermore, our results suggest that diel pCO 2 cycles will delay the onset of behavioural abnormalities in natural populations.

  4. Distribution of boreal toad populations in relation to estimated UV-B dose in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hossack, B.R.; Diamond, S.A.; Corn, P.S.

    2006-01-01

    A recent increase in ultraviolet B radiation is one hypothesis advanced to explain suspected or documented declines of the boreal toad (Bufo boreas Baird and Girard, 1852) across much of the western USA, where some experiments have shown ambient UV-B can reduce embryo survival. We examined B. boreas occupancy relative to daily UV-B dose at 172 potential breeding sites in Glacier National Park, Montana, to assess whether UV-B limits the distribution of toads. Dose estimates were based on ground-level UV-B data and the effects of elevation, local topographic and vegetative features, and attenuation in the water column. We also examined temporal trends in surface UV-B and spring snowpack to determine whether populations are likely to have experienced increased UV-B exposure in recent decades. We found no support for the hypothesis that UV-B limits the distribution of populations in the park, even when we analyzed high-elevation ponds separately. Instead, toads were more likely to breed in water bodies with higher estimated UV-B doses. The lack of a detectable trend in surface UV-B since 1979, combined with earlier snow melt in the region and increasing forest density at high elevations, suggests B. boreas embryos and larvae likely have not experienced increased UV-B.

  5. Topical treatment with coenzyme Q10-containing formulas improves skin's Q10 level and provides antioxidative effects.

    PubMed

    Knott, Anja; Achterberg, Volker; Smuda, Christoph; Mielke, Heiko; Sperling, Gabi; Dunckelmann, Katja; Vogelsang, Alexandra; Krüger, Andrea; Schwengler, Helge; Behtash, Mojgan; Kristof, Sonja; Diekmann, Heike; Eisenberg, Tanya; Berroth, Andreas; Hildebrand, Janosch; Siegner, Ralf; Winnefeld, Marc; Teuber, Frank; Fey, Sven; Möbius, Janne; Retzer, Dana; Burkhardt, Thorsten; Lüttke, Juliane; Blatt, Thomas

    2015-01-01

    Ubiquinone (coenzyme Q10, Q10) represents an endogenously synthesized lipid-soluble antioxidant which is crucial for cellular energy production but is diminished with age and under the influence of external stress factors in human skin. Here, it is shown that topical Q10 treatment is beneficial with regard to effective Q10 replenishment, augmentation of cellular energy metabolism, and antioxidant effects. Application of Q10-containing formulas significantly increased the levels of this quinone on the skin surface. In the deeper layers of the epidermis the ubiquinone level was significantly augmented indicating effective supplementation. Concurrent elevation of ubiquinol levels suggested metabolic transformation of ubiquinone resulting from increased energy metabolism. Incubation of cultured human keratinocytes with Q10 concentrations equivalent to treated skin showed a significant augmentation of energy metabolism. Moreover, the results demonstrated that stressed skin benefits from the topical Q10 treatment by reduction of free radicals and an increase in antioxidant capacity. © 2015 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

  6. Effects of Elevated CO2 on Levels of Primary Metabolites and Transcripts of Genes Encoding Respiratory Enzymes and Their Diurnal Patterns in Arabidopsis thaliana: Possible Relationships with Respiratory Rates

    PubMed Central

    Watanabe, Chihiro K.; Sato, Shigeru; Yanagisawa, Shuichi; Uesono, Yukifumi; Terashima, Ichiro; Noguchi, Ko

    2014-01-01

    Elevated CO2 affects plant growth and photosynthesis, which results in changes in plant respiration. However, the mechanisms underlying the responses of plant respiration to elevated CO2 are poorly understood. In this study, we measured diurnal changes in the transcript levels of genes encoding respiratory enzymes, the maximal activities of the enzymes and primary metabolite levels in shoots of Arabidopsis thaliana grown under moderate or elevated CO2 conditions (390 or 780 parts per million by volume CO2, respectively). We examined the relationships between these changes and respiratory rates. Under elevated CO2, the transcript levels of several genes encoding respiratory enzymes increased at the end of the light period, but these increases did not result in changes in the maximal activities of the corresponding enzymes. The levels of some primary metabolites such as starch and sugar phosphates increased under elevated CO2, particularly at the end of the light period. The O2 uptake rate at the end of the dark period was higher under elevated CO2 than under moderate CO2, but higher under moderate CO2 than under elevated CO2 at the end of the light period. These results indicate that the changes in O2 uptake rates are not directly related to changes in maximal enzyme activities and primary metabolite levels. Instead, elevated CO2 may affect anabolic processes that consume respiratory ATP, thereby affecting O2 uptake rates. PMID:24319073

  7. A comparison of bat activity at low and high elevations in the Black Hills of western Washington

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Erickson, J.; Adams, Michael J.

    2003-01-01

    We examined the differences in activity patterns and community structure of bats between low (<150 m) and high ( ! 575 m) elevation sites in two habitats of the Capitol State Forest, Washington. Total bat activity averaged four times higher at low elevation sites than at high elevation sites. Feeding activity was almost 20 times higher at low elevation sites. However, the non-myotis group had similar activity levels at high and low elevation, whereas myotis group activity decreased at higher elevations. Different levels of activity between elevations could be the result of differences in insect availability, climatic conditions, and morphology of the bat species.

  8. Effects of protease activated receptor (PAR)2 blocking peptide on endothelin-1 levels in kidney tissues in endotoxemic rat mode.

    PubMed

    Jesmin, Subrina; Shimojo, Nobutake; Yamaguchi, Naoto; Mowa, Chishimba Nathan; Oki, Masami; Zaedi, Sohel; Sultana, Sayeeda Nusrat; Rahman, Arifur; Islam, Majedul; Sawamura, Atsushi; Gando, Satoshi; Kawano, Satoru; Miyauchi, Takashi; Mizutani, Taro

    2014-05-02

    Septic shock, the severe form of sepsis, is associated with development of progressive damage in multiple organs. Kidney can be injured and its functions altered by activation of coagulation, vasoactive-peptide and inflammatory processes in sepsis. Endothelin (ET)-1, a potent vasoconstrictor, is implicated in the pathogenesis of sepsis and its complications. Protease-activated receptors (PARs) are shown to play an important role in the interplay between inflammation and coagulation. We examined the time-dependent alterations of ET-1 and inflammatory cytokine, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in kidney tissue in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced septic rat model and the effects of PAR2 blocking peptide on the LPS-induced elevations of renal ET-1 and TNF-α levels. Male Wistar rats at 8 weeks of age were administered with either saline solution or LPS at different time points (1, 3, 6 and 10h). Additionally, we treated LPS-administered rats with PAR2 blocking peptide for 3h to assess whether blockade of PAR2 has a regulatory role on the ET-1 level in septic kidney. An increase in ET-1 peptide level was observed in kidney tissue after LPS administration time-dependently. Levels of renal TNF-α peaked (around 12-fold) at 1h of sepsis. Interestingly, PAR2 blocking peptide normalized the LPS-induced elevations of renal ET-1 and TNF-α levels. The present study reveals a distinct chronological expression of ET-1 and TNF-α in LPS-administered renal tissues and that blockade of PAR2 may play a crucial role in treating renal injury, via normalization of inflammation, coagulation and vaso-active peptide. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Pharmacological and clinical properties of calcimimetics: calcium receptor activators that afford an innovative approach to controlling hyperparathyroidism.

    PubMed

    Nagano, Nobuo

    2006-03-01

    Circulating levels of calcium ion (Ca2+) are maintained within a narrow physiological range mainly by the action of parathyroid hormone (PTH) secreted from parathyroid gland (PTG) cells. PTG cells can sense small fluctuations in plasma Ca2+ levels by virtue of a cell surface Ca2+ receptor (CaR) that belongs to the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR). Compounds that activate the CaR and inhibit PTH secretion are termed 'calcimimetics' because they mimic or potentiate the effects of extracellular Ca2+ on PTG cell function. Preclinical studies with NPS R-568, a first generation calcimimetic compound that acts as a positive allosteric modulator of the CaR, have demonstrated that oral administration decreases serum levels of PTH and calcium, with a leftward shift in the set-point for calcium-regulated PTH secretion in normal rats. NPS R-568 also suppresses the elevation of serum PTH levels and PTG hyperplasia and can improve bone mineral density (BMD) and strength in rats with chronic renal insufficiency (CRI). Clinical trials with cinacalcet hydrochloride (cinacalcet), a compound with an improved metabolic profile, have shown that long-term treatment continues to suppress the elevation of serum levels of calcium and PTH in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (1HPT). Furthermore, clinical trials in patients with uncontrolled secondary hyperparathyroidism (2HPT) have demonstrated that cinacalcet not only lowers serum PTH levels, but also the serum phosphorus and calcium x phosphorus product; these are a hallmark of an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality in dialysis patients with end-stage renal disease. Indeed, cinacalcet has already been approved for marketing in several countries. Calcimimetic compounds like cinacalcet have great potential as an innovative medical approach to manage 1HPT and 2HPT.

  10. Tenascin-C levels in synovial fluid are elevated after injury to the human and canine joint and correlate with markers of inflammation and matrix degradation.

    PubMed

    Chockalingam, P S; Glasson, S S; Lohmander, L S

    2013-02-01

    We have previously shown the capacity of tenascin-C (TN-C) to induce inflammatory mediators and matrix degradation in vitro in human articular cartilage. The objective of the present study was to follow TN-C release into knee synovial fluid after acute joint injury or in joint disease, and to correlate TN-C levels with markers of cartilage matrix degradation and inflammation. Human knee synovial fluid samples (n = 164) were from a cross-sectional convenience cohort. Diagnostic groups were knee healthy reference, knee anterior cruciate ligament rupture, with or without concomitant meniscus lesions, isolated knee meniscus injury, acute inflammatory arthritis (AIA) and knee osteoarthritis (OA). TN-C was measured in synovial fluid samples using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and results correlated to other cartilage markers. TN-C release was also monitored in joints of dogs that underwent knee instability surgery. Statistically significantly higher levels of TN-C compared to reference subjects were observed in the joint fluid of all human disease groups and in the dogs that underwent knee instability surgery. Statistically significant correlations were observed between the TN-C levels in the synovial fluid of the human patients and the levels of aggrecanase-dependent Ala-Arg-Gly-aggrecan (ARG-aggrecan) fragments and matrix metalloproteinases 1 and 3. We find highly elevated levels of TN-C in human knee joints after injury, AIA or OA that correlated with markers of cartilage degradation and inflammation. TN-C in synovial fluid may serve dual roles as a marker of joint damage and a stimulant of further joint degradation. Copyright © 2012 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Characterization of Microparticles after Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

    PubMed Central

    Freeman, Christopher M.; Quillin, Ralph C.; Wilson, Gregory C.; Nojima, Hiroyuki; Johnson, Bobby L.; Sutton, Jeffrey M.; Schuster, Rebecca M.; Blanchard, John; Edwards, Michael J.; Caldwell, Charles C.; Lentsch, Alex B.

    2014-01-01

    Background Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) is a well-studied model of liver injury and has demonstrated a biphasic injury followed by recovery and regeneration. Microparticles (MPs) are a developing field of study and these small membrane bound vesicles have been shown to have effector function in other physiologic and pathologic states. This study was designed to quantify the levels of MPs from various cell origins–platelets, neutrophils, and endolethial cells–following hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury. Methods A murine model was used with mice undergoing 90 minutes of partial hepatic ischemia followed by various times of reperfusion. Following reperfusion, plasma samples were taken and MPs of various cell origins were labeled and levels were measured using flow cytometry. Additionally, cell specific MPs were further assessed by Annexin V, which stains for the presence of phosphatidylserine, a cell surface marker linked to apoptosis. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance with subsequent Student-Newman-Keuls test with data presented as the mean and standard error of the mean. Results MPs from varying sources show an increase in circulating levels following hepatic I/R injury. However, the timing of the appearance of different MP subtypes differs for each cell type. Platelet and neutrophil-derived MP levels demonstrated an acute elevation following injury whereas endothelial-derived MP levels demonstrated a delayed elevation. Conclusion This is the first study to characterize circulating levels of cell-specific MPs after hepatic I/R injury and suggests that MPs derived from platelets and neutrophils serve as markers of inflammatory injury and may be active participants in this process. In contrast, MPs derived from endothelial cells increase after the injury response during the reparative phase and may be important in angiogenesis that occurs in the regenerating liver. PMID:24879335

  12. Map Design for Computer Processing: Literature Review and DMA Product Critique.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1985-01-01

    requirements can be separated contour lines (vegetation shown by iconic symbols) from user preference. versus extracting relief information using only con...tour lines (vegetation shown by tints); 0 extracting vegetation information using iconic sym- PERFORMANCE TESTING bols (relief shown by elevation...show another: trapolating the symbols on a white background) in tim- * in the case of point symbols, iconic forms where ing the performance of tasks

  13. Elevated CO2 enhances biological contributions to elevation change in coastal wetlands by offsetting stressors associated with sea-level rise

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cherry, J.A.; McKee, K.L.; Grace, J.B.

    2009-01-01

    1. Sea-level rise, one indirect consequence of increasing atmospheric CO2, poses a major challenge to long-term stability of coastal wetlands. An important question is whether direct effects of elevated CO 2 on the capacity of marsh plants to accrete organic material and to maintain surface elevations outweigh indirect negative effects of stressors associated with sea-level rise (salinity and flooding). 2. In this study, we used a mesocosm approach to examine potential direct and indirect effects of atmospheric CO2 concentration, salinity and flooding on elevation change in a brackish marsh community dominated by a C3 species, Schoenoplectus americanus, and a C4 grass, Spartina patens. This experimental design permitted identification of mechanisms and their role in controlling elevation change, and the development of models that can be tested in the field. 3. To test hypotheses related to CO2 and sea-level rise, we used conventional anova procedures in conjunction with structural equation modelling (SEM). SEM explained 78% of the variability in elevation change and showed the direct, positive effect of S. americanus production on elevation. The SEM indicated that C3 plant response was influenced by interactive effects between CO2 and salinity on plant growth, not a direct CO2 fertilization effect. Elevated CO2 ameliorated negative effects of salinity on S. americanus and enhanced biomass contribution to elevation. 4. The positive relationship between S. americanus production and elevation change can be explained by shoot-base expansion under elevated CO 2 conditions, which led to vertical soil displacement. While the response of this species may differ under other environmental conditions, shoot-base expansion and the general contribution of C3 plant production to elevation change may be an important mechanism contributing to soil expansion and elevation gain in other coastal wetlands. 5. Synthesis. Our results revealed previously unrecognized interactions and mechanisms contributing to marsh elevation change, including amelioration of salt stress by elevated CO2 and the importance of plant production and shoot-base expansion for elevation gain. Identification of biological processes contributing to elevation change is an important first step in developing comprehensive models that permit more accurate predictions of whether coastal marshes will persist with continued sea-level rise or become submerged. ?? 2008 The Authors.

  14. Is elevated creatinine a reliable marker for methanol toxicity in nitromethane-containing model fuel ingestions in children?

    PubMed

    Padmanabhan, Pradeep; Spiller, Henry A; Ross, Mitchell P; Bosse, George M

    2011-01-01

    In the absence of a rapid serum methanol level estimation, it is difficult to assess the risk from unintentional childhood ingestion of model fuels containing methanol and nitromethane (MFNM). Previous reports have documented false elevations of serum creatinine from the nitromethane in these fuels, suggesting its utility as a readily available marker of significant methanol ingestion. We performed a 2-year retrospective chart review of cases of ingestion of MFNM in children, with both a methanol level and measured creatinine level. Seven children, ages 19 months to 3 years, ingested MFNM. All seven children were seen in a hospital and had measured methanol and creatinine levels. All blood samples for methanol and creatinine were drawn within 3 hours of ingestion with methanol estimation delayed up to 24 hours. Creatinine ranged from 0.39 (0.034 mmol/l) to 10.7 mg/dl (0.95 mmol/l). All methanol levels were <10 mg/dl (0.31 mmol/l) or reported as negative. Fomepizole was initiated empirically in two patients due to delay in obtaining methanol analysis results. Transient elevations of creatinine occurred in five of the seven children. Blood urea nitrogen was within normal limits, and there was no history of renal impairment in these children, suggesting the elevated creatinine was mostly related to nitromethane ingestion. No child had a significantly elevated methanol level. Elevated creatinine level, as measured by Jaffe colorimetric method, is not a reliable marker for elevated methanol levels after unintentional ingestion of MFNM.

  15. Abundance and productivity of warbling vireos across an elevational gradient in the Sierra Nevada

    Treesearch

    Kathryn L. Purcell

    2006-01-01

    Recent studies have shown that Warbling Vireos (Vireo gilvus) are declining in California and that these trends are due to low reproductive success. Brood parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) has been implicated in the low productivity. I explored two hypotheses related to population dynamics of Warbling Vireos along an elevational gradient: (1)...

  16. Remote Sensing Observations of Advancing and Surging Tidewater Glaciers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McNabb, R. W.; Kääb, A.; Nuth, C.; Girod, L.; Truffer, M.; Fahnestock, M. A.

    2017-12-01

    Progress has been made in understanding the glaciological frontiers of tidewater glacier dynamics and surge dynamics, though many aspects of these topics are not well-understood. Advances in the processing of digital elevation models (DEMs) from ASTER imagery, as well as the increased availability and temporal density of satellite images such as Landsat and the Sentinel missions, provide an unprecedented wealth of satellite data over glaciers, providing new opportunities to learn about these topics. As one of the largest glaciated regions in the world outside of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, glaciers in Alaska and adjacent regions in Canada have been highlighted for their elevated contributions to global sea level rise, through both high levels of melt and frontal ablation/calving from a large number of tidewater glaciers. The region is also home to a number of surging glaciers. We focus on several tidewater glaciers in the region, including Turner, Tsaa, Harvard, and Meares Glaciers. Turner Glacier is a surge-type tidewater glacier with a surge period of approximately eight years, while Tsaa Glacier is a tidwewater glacier that has shown rapid swings in terminus position on the order of a year. Harvard and Meares Glaciers have been steadily advancing since at least the mid-20th century, in contrast with neighboring glaciers that are retreating. Using a combination of ASTER, Landsat, and Sentinel data, we present and examine high-resolution time series of elevation, velocity, and terminus position for these glaciers, as well as updated estimates of volume change and frontal ablation rates, including on sub-annual time scales. Preliminary investigations of elevation change on Turner Glacier show that changes are most pronounced in the lower reaches of the glacier, below a prominent icefall approximately 15km from the head of the glacier. On Harvard and Meares Glaciers, elevation changes in the upper reaches of both glaciers have been generally small or even negative, corroborating patterns of change seen in other studies, and casting doubt on the ability of these glaciers to sustain their advances. These observations, and others like them, provide key insights into tidewater glacier dynamics, enabling better understanding of these processes.

  17. Risk factors and consequences of maternal anaemia and elevated haemoglobin levels during pregnancy: a population-based prospective cohort study.

    PubMed

    Gaillard, Romy; Eilers, Paul H C; Yassine, Siham; Hofman, Albert; Steegers, Eric A P; Jaddoe, Vincent W V

    2014-05-01

    To determine sociodemographic and life style-related risk factors and trimester specific maternal, placental, and fetal consequences of maternal anaemia and elevated haemoglobin levels in pregnancy. In a population-based prospective cohort study of 7317 mothers, we measured haemoglobin levels in early pregnancy [gestational age median 14.4 weeks (inter-quartile-range 12.5-17.5)]. Anaemia (haemoglobin ≤11 g/dl) and elevated haemoglobin levels (haemoglobin ≥13.2 g/dl) were defined according to the WHO criteria. Maternal blood pressure, placental function and fetal growth were measured in each trimester. Data on gestational hypertensive disorders and birth outcomes was collected from hospitals. Older maternal age, higher body mass index, primiparity and European descent were associated with higher haemoglobin levels (P < 0.05). Elevated haemoglobin levels were associated with increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure throughout pregnancy (mean differences 5.1 mmHg, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.8, 6.5 and 4.1 mmHg, 95% CI 3.0, 5.2, respectively) and with a higher risk of third trimester uterine artery notching (RR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0, 1.7). As compared with maternal normal haemoglobin levels, not anaemia, but elevated haemoglobin levels were associated with fetal head circumference, length, and weight growth restriction from third trimester onwards (P < 0.05). Elevated haemoglobin levels were associated with increased risks of gestational hypertensive disorders (RR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1, 1.8) and adverse birth outcomes (RR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1, 1.7). In a low-risk population, various sociodemographic and life style factors affect haemoglobin levels during pregnancy. Elevated haemoglobin levels are associated with increased risks of maternal, placental, and fetal complications. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Elevation of CSF tumor necrosis factor alpha levels in new daily persistent headache and treatment refractory chronic migraine.

    PubMed

    Rozen, Todd; Swidan, Sahar Z

    2007-01-01

    To determine if patients with new daily persistent headache (NDPH) have elevated levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) in the CSF. NDPH is considered one of the most treatment resistant of all headache syndromes. This reflects a lack of understanding of its pathogenesis. As a certain percentage of NDPH patients have their headaches start after an infection, the possibility of a persistent state of systemic or CNS inflammation comes into question. TNF alpha is a proinflammatory cytokine involved in brain immune and inflammatory activities, as well as in pain initiation. The goal of this study was to look at TNF alpha levels in the CSF of NDPH patients, to determine if CNS inflammation may play some role in the pathogenesis of this condition. CSF TNF alpha levels were studied in 38 patients: 20 with NDPH and a control population of 16 patients with chronic migraine (CM), and 2 with post-traumatic headache (PT). CSF TNF alpha levels were elevated in 19 of 20 NDPH patients, 16 of 16 CM patients, and both PT patients. Serum TNF alpha levels were normal in most of the study subjects. An elevation of CSF TNF alpha levels was found in almost all NDPH patients and suggest a role for TNF alpha in the pathogenesis of this condition. Surprisingly, all CM and PT patients tested had elevated CSF TNF alpha levels. In most patients with elevated CSF levels, serum TNF alpha levels were normal. All of these syndromes may be manifestations of CNS inflammation. As most of the positive-tested patients showed minimal to no improvement during aggressive inpatient treatment, persistent elevation of CSF TNF alpha levels may be one of the causes of treatment refractory CDH.

  19. The molecular response of bone to growth hormone during skeletal unloading: regional differences

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bikle, D. D.; Harris, J.; Halloran, B. P.; Currier, P. A.; Tanner, S.; Morey-Holton, E.

    1995-01-01

    Hind limb elevation of the growing rat provides a good model for the skeletal changes that occur during space flight. In this model the bones of the forelimbs (normally loaded) are used as an internal control for the changes that occur in the unloaded bones of the hind limbs. Previous studies have shown that skeletal unloading of the hind limbs results in a transient reduction of bone formation in the tibia and femur, with no change in the humerus. This fall in bone formation is accompanied by a fall in serum osteocalcin (bone Gla protein, BGP) and bone BGP messenger RNA (mRNA) levels, but a rise in bone insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) protein and mRNA levels and resistance to the skeletal growth-promoting actions of IGF-I. To determine whether skeletal unloading also induced resistance to GH, we evaluated the response of the femur and humerus of sham and hypophysectomized rats, control and hind limb elevated, to GH (two doses), measuring mRNA levels of IGF-I, BGP, rat bone alkaline phosphatase (RAP), and alpha 1(1)-procollagen (coll). Hypophysectomy (HPX) decreased the mRNA levels of IGF-I, BGP, and coll in the femur, but was either less effective or had the opposite effect in the humerus. GH at the higher dose (500 micrograms/day) restored these mRNA levels to or above the sham control values in the femur, but generally had little or no effect on the humerus. RAP mRNA levels were increased by HPX, especially in the femur. The lower dose of GH (50 micrograms/day) inhibited this rise in RAP, whereas the higher dose raised the mRNA levels and resulted in the appearance of additional transcripts not seen in controls. As for the other mRNAs, RAP mRNA in the humerus was less affected by HPX or GH than that in the femur. Hind limb elevation led to an increase in IGF-I, coll, and RAP mRNAs and a reduction in BGP mRNA in the femur and either had no effect or potentiated the response of these mRNAs to GH. We conclude that GH stimulates a number of markers of bone formation by raising their mRNA levels, and that skeletal unloading does not block this response, but the response varies substantially from bone to bone.

  20. The role of elevated serum procalcitonin in neuroendocrine neoplasms of digestive system.

    PubMed

    Chen, Luohai; Zhang, Yu; Lin, Yuan; Deng, Langhui; Feng, Shiting; Chen, Minhu; Chen, Jie

    2017-12-01

    Elevated serum procalcitonin (PCT) was reported in patients with certain type of neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs). The aim of this study was to assess the role of elevated serum PCT in NENs from digestive system. Serum PCT and serum CgA level were measured in 155 patients with NENs from digestive system. Elevated serum PCT was found in 63 patients (40.6%). Grade 3 disease was a significant factor associated with elevated serum PCT (OR, 9.24; 95%CI, 3.04-28.08; P<0.001). Serum PCT level was significantly decreased after treatment both in patients with stable disease (P=0.003) and patients with partial remission (P=0.001). In these patients, serum PCT level significantly increased again at the time of progression disease (P=0.001). Elevated serum PCT was a significant factor of worse survival (HR, 2.86; 95%CI, 1.36-6.03; P=0.006). Compared with patients with normal serum PCT and CgA level, patients with either PCT or CgA elevated and patients with both PCT and CgA elevated had progressively worse survival. Additionally, PCT expression in tumor cells was found in 24.0% of patients but did not correlate with other clinicopathological factors, including serum PCT. Serum PCT is elevated in part of patients with NENs of digestive system, especially in patients with grade 3 disease. Serum PCT level can help evaluate treatment response and its elevation indicates poor prognosis. Combination of serum PCT and CgA can improve outcome prediction. Copyright © 2017 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Over-expressing the C3 photosynthesis cycle enzyme Sedoheptulose-1-7 Bisphosphatase improves photosynthetic carbon gain and yield under fully open air CO2 fumigation (FACE)

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Biochemical models predict that photosynthesis in C3 plants is most frequently limited by the slower of two processes, the maximum capacity of the enzyme Rubisco to carboxylate RuBP (Vc,max), or the regeneration of RuBP via electron transport (J). At current atmospheric [CO2] levels Rubisco is not saturated; consequently, elevating [CO2] increases the velocity of carboxylation and inhibits the competing oxygenation reaction which is also catalyzed by Rubisco. In the future, leaf photosynthesis (A) should be increasingly limited by RuBP regeneration, as [CO2] is predicted to exceed 550 ppm by 2050. The C3 cycle enzyme sedoheptulose-1,7 bisphosphatase (SBPase, EC 3.1.3.17) has been shown to exert strong metabolic control over RuBP regeneration at light saturation. Results We tested the hypothesis that tobacco transformed to overexpressing SBPase will exhibit greater stimulation of A than wild type (WT) tobacco when grown under field conditions at elevated [CO2] (585 ppm) under fully open air fumigation. Growth under elevated [CO2] stimulated instantaneous A and the diurnal photosynthetic integral (A') more in transformants than WT. There was evidence of photosynthetic acclimation to elevated [CO2] via downregulation of Vc,max in both WT and transformants. Nevertheless, greater carbon assimilation and electron transport rates (J and Jmax) for transformants led to greater yield increases than WT at elevated [CO2] compared to ambient grown plants. Conclusion These results provide proof of concept that increasing content and activity of a single photosynthesis enzyme can enhance carbon assimilation and yield of C3 crops grown at [CO2] expected by the middle of the 21st century. PMID:21884586

  2. A four-kallikrein panel for the prediction of repeat prostate biopsy: data from the European Randomized Study of Prostate Cancer screening in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

    PubMed

    Gupta, A; Roobol, M J; Savage, C J; Peltola, M; Pettersson, K; Scardino, P T; Vickers, A J; Schröder, F H; Lilja, H

    2010-08-24

    Most men with elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) do not have prostate cancer, leading to a large number of unnecessary biopsies. A statistical model based on a panel of four kallikreins has been shown to predict the outcome of a first prostate biopsy. In this study, we apply the model to an independent data set of men with previous negative biopsy but persistently elevated PSA. The study cohort consisted of 925 men with a previous negative prostate biopsy and elevated PSA (>or=3 ng ml(-1)), with 110 prostate cancers detected (12%). A previously published statistical model was applied, with recalibration to reflect the lower positive biopsy rates on rebiopsy. The full-kallikrein panel had higher discriminative accuracy than PSA and DRE alone, with area under the curve (AUC) improving from 0.58 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.52, 0.64) to 0.68 (95% CI: 0.62, 0.74), P<0.001, and high-grade cancer (Gleason >or=7) at biopsy with AUC improving from 0.76 (95% CI: 0.64, 0.89) to 0.87 (95% CI: 0.81, 0.94), P=0.003). Application of the panel to 1000 men with persistently elevated PSA after initial negative biopsy, at a 15% risk threshold would reduce the number of biopsies by 712; would miss (or delay) the diagnosis of 53 cancers, of which only 3 would be Gleason 7 and the rest Gleason 6 or less. Our data constitute an external validation of a previously published model. The four-kallikrein panel predicts the result of repeat prostate biopsy in men with elevated PSA while dramatically decreasing unnecessary biopsies.

  3. Aluminium concentrations in Swedish forest streams and co-variations with catchment characteristics.

    PubMed

    Löfgren, Stefan; Cory, Neil; Zetterberg, Therese

    2010-07-01

    The negative effects of elevated concentrations of inorganic aluminium on aquatic organisms are well documented. Acid deposition is often cited as a main driver behind the mobilisation and speciation of aluminium in soils and surface waters. In the study, we tested the hypothesis that sulphur deposition is the main driver for elevated concentrations of inorganic aluminium in 114 base poor, boreal Swedish streams. However, the deposition of anthropogenic sulphate has decreased substantially since it peaked in the 1970s, and at the current deposition levels, we hypothesise that local site parameters play an important role in determining vulnerability to elevated concentrations of inorganic aluminium in boreal stream waters. Presented here are the results of a principal components analysis of stream water chemistry, acid deposition data and local site variables, including forest composition and stem volume. It is shown that the concentrations of both organic and inorganic aluminium are not explained by either historical or current acid deposition, but are instead explained by a combination of local site characteristics. Sites with elevated concentrations of inorganic aluminium were characterised by small catchments (<500 ha) dominated by mature stands of Norway spruce with high stem volume. Using data from the Swedish National Forest Inventory the area of productive forest land in Sweden with a higher vulnerability for elevated inorganic aluminium concentrations in forests streams is approximately 1.5 million hectares or 7% of the total productive forest area; this is higher in the south of Sweden (10%) and lower in the north (2%). A better understanding of the effects of natural processes and forest management in controlling aquatic inorganic aluminium concentrations is therefore important in future discussions about measures against surface water acidification.

  4. A community-based epidemiological study of elevated serum alanine aminotransferase levels in Kinmen, Taiwan

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Chi-Ming; Tung, Tao-Hsin; Liu, Jorn-Hon; Chen, Victor Tze-Kai; Lin, Ching-Heng; Hsu, Chung-Te; Chou, Pesus

    2005-01-01

    AIM: To explore any gender-related differences in prevalence of and condition-associated factors related to an elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level amongst residents of Kinmen, Taiwan. METHODS: A total of 11 898 of a potential 20 112 regional residents aged 30 years or more completed a related questionnaire that was carried out by the Yang-Ming Crusade between 1991 and 1994 inclusively, with blood samples being collected by public nurses. The overall questionnaire response rate was 59.3% (52.4% for males and 66.0% for females). RESULTS: The prevalence of an elevated serum ALT level for this sub-population was found to be 7.2%, the prevalence revealing a statistically significant decrease with increasing population age (P<0.0001). Males exhibited a greater prevalence of elevated serum ALT level than did females (9.4% vs 5.3%, P<0.0001). Using multiple logistic regression analysis, in addition to male gender, a younger age, greater waist circumference, presence of type-2 diabetes and hyperuricemia were the significant factors associated with an elevated serum ALT level for both males and females. Gender-related differences as regards associated factors were also revealed. For males, obesity was significantly related to an elevated serum ALT level (OR = 1.28, 95%CI: 1.00-1.66) but this was not so for females (OR = 1.09, 95%CI: 0.84-1.42). Hypertriglyceridemia (OR = 1.80, 95%CI: 1.36-2.39) and hyperuricemia (OR = 1.61, 95%CI: 1.03-2.52) were significantly related to elevated serum ALT levels only for females. CONCLUSION: Several gender-related differences were noted pertaining to the prevalence of and relationship between obesity, hypertriglyceridemia and hyperuricemia and elevated serum ALT level in the present study. PMID:15786537

  5. Surface elevation dynamics in a regenerating mangrove forest at Homebush Bay, Australia

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rogers, K.; Saintilan, N.; Cahoon, D.

    2005-01-01

    Following the dieback of an interior portion of a mangrove forest at Homebush Bay, Australia, surface elevation tables and feldspar marker horizons were installed in the impacted, intermediate and control forest to measure vertical accretion, elevation change, and shallow subsidence. The objectives of the study were to determine current vertical accretion and elevation change rates as a guide to understanding mangrove dieback, ascertain the factors controlling surface elevation change, and investigate the sustainability of the mangrove forest under estimated sea-level rise conditions. The study demonstrates that the influences on surface dynamics are more complex than soil accretion and soil autocompaction alone. During strong vegetative regrowth in the impacted forest, surface elevation increase exceeded vertical accretion apparently as a result of belowground biomass production. In addition, surface elevation in all forest zones was correlated with total monthly rainfall during a severe El Ni?o event, highlighting the importance of rainfall to groundwater recharge and surface elevation. Surface elevation increase for all zones exceeded the 85-year sea level trend for Sydney Harbour. Since mean sea-level also decreased during the El Ni?o event, the decrease in surface elevation did not translate to an increase in inundation frequency or influence the sustainability of the mangrove forest. These findings indicate that subsurface soil processes such as organic matter accumulation and groundwater flux can significantly influence mangrove surface elevation, and contribute to the long-term sustainability of mangrove systems under a scenario of rising sea levels.

  6. Moderate psychosocial stress appears not to impair recall of words learned 4 weeks prior to stress exposure.

    PubMed

    Wolf, Oliver T; Schommer, Nicole C; Hellhammer, Dirk H; Reischies, Friedel M; Kirschbaum, Clemens

    2002-02-01

    Recent studies in humans have reported that recall of previously learned material is especially sensitive to the disruptive effects of pharmacologically induced cortisol elevations. Whether similar effects occur after exposure to psychosocial stress remains to be shown. Moreover it is unknown whether stress before or after the initial learning interacts with the later effects of repeated stress on delayed recall (e.g. state-dependent learning). Forty subjects participated in the present experiment. They learned a word list either one hour before or 10 min after exposure to a psychosocial laboratory stressor. Delayed recall was tested 4 weeks later, again either before or after stress. Salivary cortisol levels increased significantly in response to both stress exposures. Stress had no effects on the initial learning and also did not impair delayed recall. Moreover there was no evidence for state-dependent learning. The current data seem to be in conflict with previous studies demonstrating that delayed recall is especially sensitive to elevated cortisol levels. Several reasons for these discrepancies are discussed. Among them is the small sample size, the moderate cortisol increase in response to the second stress exposure but also the long recall delay, which might lead to memory traces less susceptible to stress.

  7. The ygeW encoded protein from Escherichia coli is a knotted ancestral catabolic transcarbamylase

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

    Li, Yongdong; Jin, Zhongmin; Yu, Xiaolin

    Purine degradation plays an essential role in nitrogen metabolism in most organisms. Uric acid is the final product of purine catabolism in humans, anthropoid apes, birds, uricotelic reptiles, and almost all insects. Elevated levels of uric acid in blood (hyperuricemia) cause human diseases such as gout, kidney stones, and renal failure. Although no enzyme has been identified that further degrades uric acid in humans, it can be oxidized to produce allantoin by free-radical attack. Indeed, elevated levels of allantoin are found in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, chronic lung disease, bacterial meningitis, and noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. In other mammals, some insectsmore » and gastropods, uric acid is enzymatically degraded to the more soluble allantoin through the sequential action of three enzymes: urate oxidase, 5-hydroxyisourate (HIU) hydrolase and 2-oxo-4-hydroxy-4-carboxy-5-ureidoimidazoline (OHCU) decarboxylase. Therefore, an elective treatment for acute hyperuricemia is the administration of urate oxidase. Many organisms, including plants, some fungi and several bacteria, are able to catabolize allantoin to release nitrogen, carbon, and energy. In Arabidopsis thaliana and Eschrichia coli, S-allantoin has recently been shown to be degraded to glycolate and urea by four enzymes: allantoinase, allantoate amidohydrolase, ureidoglycine aminohydrolase, and ureidoglycolate amidohydrolase.« less

  8. Systems analysis of sex differences reveals an immunosuppressive role for testosterone in the response to influenza vaccination

    PubMed Central

    Furman, David; Hejblum, Boris P.; Simon, Noah; Jojic, Vladimir; Dekker, Cornelia L.; Thiébaut, Rodolphe; Tibshirani, Robert J.; Davis, Mark M.

    2014-01-01

    Females have generally more robust immune responses than males for reasons that are not well-understood. Here we used a systems analysis to investigate these differences by analyzing the neutralizing antibody response to a trivalent inactivated seasonal influenza vaccine (TIV) and a large number of immune system components, including serum cytokines and chemokines, blood cell subset frequencies, genome-wide gene expression, and cellular responses to diverse in vitro stimuli, in 53 females and 34 males of different ages. We found elevated antibody responses to TIV and expression of inflammatory cytokines in the serum of females compared with males regardless of age. This inflammatory profile correlated with the levels of phosphorylated STAT3 proteins in monocytes but not with the serological response to the vaccine. In contrast, using a machine learning approach, we identified a cluster of genes involved in lipid biosynthesis and previously shown to be up-regulated by testosterone that correlated with poor virus-neutralizing activity in men. Moreover, men with elevated serum testosterone levels and associated gene signatures exhibited the lowest antibody responses to TIV. These results demonstrate a strong association between androgens and genes involved in lipid metabolism, suggesting that these could be important drivers of the differences in immune responses between males and females. PMID:24367114

  9. Zinc-Responsive Regulation of Alternative Ribosomal Protein Genes in Streptomyces coelicolor Involves Zur and σR▿ †

    PubMed Central

    Owen, Gillian A.; Pascoe, Ben; Kallifidas, Dimitris; Paget, Mark S. B.

    2007-01-01

    Streptomyces coelicolor contains paralogous versions of seven ribosomal proteins (S14, S18, L28, L31, L32, L33, and L36), which differ in their potential to bind structural zinc. The paralogues are termed C+ or C− on the basis of the presence or absence of putative cysteine ligands. Here, mutational studies suggest that the C− version of L31 can functionally replace its C+ paralogue only when expressed at an artificially elevated level. We show that the level of expression of four transcriptional units encoding C− proteins is elevated under conditions of zinc deprivation. Zur controls the expression of three transcriptional units (including rpmG2, rpmE2, rpmB2, rpsN2, rpmF2, and possibly rpsR2). Zur also controls the expression of the znuACB operon, which is predicted to encode a high-affinity zinc transport system. Surprisingly, the zinc-responsive control of the rpmG3-rpmJ2 operon is dictated by σR, a sigma factor that was previously shown to control the response to disulfide stress in S. coelicolor. The induction of σR activity during zinc limitation establishes an important link between thiol-disulfide metabolism and zinc homeostasis. PMID:17400736

  10. Zinc-responsive regulation of alternative ribosomal protein genes in Streptomyces coelicolor involves zur and sigmaR.

    PubMed

    Owen, Gillian A; Pascoe, Ben; Kallifidas, Dimitris; Paget, Mark S B

    2007-06-01

    Streptomyces coelicolor contains paralogous versions of seven ribosomal proteins (S14, S18, L28, L31, L32, L33, and L36), which differ in their potential to bind structural zinc. The paralogues are termed C(+) or C(-) on the basis of the presence or absence of putative cysteine ligands. Here, mutational studies suggest that the C(-) version of L31 can functionally replace its C(+) paralogue only when expressed at an artificially elevated level. We show that the level of expression of four transcriptional units encoding C(-) proteins is elevated under conditions of zinc deprivation. Zur controls the expression of three transcriptional units (including rpmG2, rpmE2, rpmB2, rpsN2, rpmF2, and possibly rpsR2). Zur also controls the expression of the znuACB operon, which is predicted to encode a high-affinity zinc transport system. Surprisingly, the zinc-responsive control of the rpmG3-rpmJ2 operon is dictated by sigma(R), a sigma factor that was previously shown to control the response to disulfide stress in S. coelicolor. The induction of sigma(R) activity during zinc limitation establishes an important link between thiol-disulfide metabolism and zinc homeostasis.

  11. 3D Sound Techniques for Sound Source Elevation in a Loudspeaker Listening Environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Yong Guk; Jo, Sungdong; Kim, Hong Kook; Jang, Sei-Jin; Lee, Seok-Pil

    In this paper, we propose several 3D sound techniques for sound source elevation in stereo loudspeaker listening environments. The proposed method integrates a head-related transfer function (HRTF) for sound positioning and early reflection for adding reverberant circumstance. In addition, spectral notch filtering and directional band boosting techniques are also included for increasing elevation perception capability. In order to evaluate the elevation performance of the proposed method, subjective listening tests are conducted using several kinds of sound sources such as white noise, sound effects, speech, and music samples. It is shown from the tests that the degrees of perceived elevation by the proposed method are around the 17º to 21º when the stereo loudspeakers are located on the horizontal plane.

  12. Leveling

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    1966-01-01

    Geodetic leveling by the U.S. Geological Survey provides a framework of accurate elevations for topographic mapping. Elevations are referred to the Sea Level Datum of 1929. Lines of leveling may be run either with automatic or with precise spirit levels, by either the center-wire or the three-wire method. For future use, the surveys are monumented with bench marks, using standard metal tablets or other marking devices. The elevations are adjusted by least squares or other suitable method and are published in lists of control.

  13. Interactive effects of climate change and eutrophication on the dinoflagellate-bearing benthic foraminifer Marginopora vertebralis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Uthicke, S.; Vogel, N.; Doyle, J.; Schmidt, C.; Humphrey, C.

    2012-06-01

    Elevated sea surface temperatures caused by global climate change and increased nutrient concentrations resulting from land runoff both are stressors for calcifying coral reef organisms. Here, we test the hypothesis that increased temperature leads to bleaching in dinoflagellate-bearing foraminifera similar to corals and that increased nutrients through runoff can exaggerate stress on the holobiont. In an experiment manipulating temperatures alone, we have shown that mortality of Marginopora vertebralis increased with temperatures. Most individuals died after 7 days at 34°C, ~5°C above current summer maxima. Survival at 37 days was >98% at 28°C. After 7 days of exposure to 31 or 32°C, photosynthesis of the endosymbionts was compromised, as indicated by several photophysiological parameters (effective quantum yield and apparent photosynthetic rate). In a flow-though experiment manipulating both temperature (three levels, 26, 29 and 31°C) and nitrate concentrations (3 levels, ~0.5, 1.0 and 1.4 μmol l-1 NO3 -), elevated temperature had a significant negative effect on most parameters measured. At 31°C, most photopigments (measured by UPLC) in the foraminifera were significantly reduced. The only pigment that increased was the photoprotective diatoxanthin. Several other parameters measured (maximum and effective quantum yield, O2 production in light, organic carbon contents) also significantly decreased with temperature. Optode-based respirometry demonstrated that the presence of symbionts at elevated temperatures represents a net carbon loss for the host. Growth rates of M. vertebralis and mortality at the end of the experiment were significantly affected by both temperature increase and nitrate addition. We conclude that these foraminifera bleach in a similar fashion to corals and that global sea surface temperature change and nitrate increases are stressors for these protists. Furthermore, this provides support for the hypothesis that management of local stressors elevates resilience of coral reefs to global stressors.

  14. Ohio River backwater flood-inundation maps for the Saline and Wabash Rivers in southern Illinois

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Murphy, Elizabeth A.; Sharpe, Jennifer B.; Soong, David T.

    2012-01-01

    Digital flood-inundation maps for the Saline and Wabash Rivers referenced to elevations on the Ohio River in southern Illinois were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The inundation maps, accessible through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/, depict estimates of the areal extent of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (gage heights) at the USGS streamgage at Ohio River at Old Shawneetown, Illinois-Kentucky (station number 03381700). Current gage height and flow conditions at this USGS streamgage may be obtained on the Internet at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?03381700. In addition, this streamgage is incorporated into the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system (http://water.weather.gov/ahps/) by the National Weather Service (NWS). The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often co-located at USGS streamgages. That NWS forecasted peak-stage information, also shown on the Ohio River at Old Shawneetown inundation Web site, may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, eight water-surface elevations were mapped at 5-foot (ft) intervals referenced to the streamgage datum ranging from just above the NWS Action Stage (31 ft) to above the maximum historical gage height (66 ft). The elevations of the water surfaces were compared to a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) by using a Geographic Information System (GIS) in order to delineate the area flooded at each water level. These maps, along with information on the Internet regarding current gage heights from USGS streamgages and forecasted stream stages from the NWS, provide emergency management personnel and residents with information that is critical for flood response activities such as evacuations and road closures, as well as for post-flood recovery efforts.

  15. Investigating the Relationship of Late Pleistocene Terrace Formation and Channel Dynamics within the Texas Gulf Coastal Plain

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ellis, T.; Hassenruck-Gudipati, H. J.; Mohrig, D. C.; Goudge, T. A.

    2016-12-01

    Terrace formation along coastal rivers is often assumed to be a direct result of punctuated sea-level fall. However, it has been experimentally shown that terraces commonly form under conditions of constant base level fall. In addition, it has been demonstrated that migrating channels in a bedrock system with steady state rock uplift can produce similar looking terraces. The lower Trinity River, in East Texas, is an ideal location to study allogenic (punctuated external forcing) versus autogenic terrace-building mechanisms using lidar measurements and OSL depositional age constraints (Gavin, 2005). To understand paleochannel influence on terrace construction, we measured channel characteristics for 27 preserved segments of paleochannels that are late Pleistocene in age and associated with 27 of 34 measured terraces along about 90 km of the modern river. There is no clear clustering of terrace elevation that might be tied to distinct sea level change events. Rather, the range of mean terrace elevations is indicative of a more constant system transformation. Based on lidar measurements, all paleochannels are larger than the modern channel, suggesting a wetter climate or larger watershed. Channel width measurements are used to quantify these changes in paleoflow discharge. Paleochannel width, radius of curvature and terrace slope measurements are used to characterize the movement of an incising channel. Based upon OSL terrace dates (Gavin, 2005), known global climate variations can be compared to discharge estimates and investigated as a predictor of terrace formation. If terrace formation occurred during distinct intervals of sea level fall, terraces with similar calculated paleoflow discharges are expected to plot along specific downstream elevation profiles. Assuming avulsion-driven terrace formation occurs at locations of higher channel sinuosity, the sinuosity of paleochannels on terraces is compared to the sinuosity of the modern river. Higher paleo-sinuosity would indicate preferential terrace formation at avulsion prone channel bends. Many factors may contribute to terrace formation during sea level fall and as such, we seek correlations between paleochannel morphology and terrace characteristics to distinguish between different terrace forming mechanisms.

  16. Increased plasma orexin-A levels in patients with insomnia disorder are not associated with prepro-orexin or orexin receptor gene polymorphisms.

    PubMed

    Tang, Shi; Huang, Weiwei; Lu, Shanshan; Lu, Lili; Li, Guohua; Chen, Xu; Liu, Xiaomin; Lv, Xin; Zhao, Zhangning; Duan, Ruisheng; Du, Yifeng; Tang, Jiyou

    2017-02-01

    Orexins, also known as hypocretins, play a regulatory role in the sleep-wake cycle by activating orexin receptors. Previous animal studies have shown that sleep deprivation can elevate orexinergic peptide levels. However, the relationship between insomnia disorder and orexin-A levels in humans has not been explored. In the current study, we examined plasma orexin-A levels in patients with insomnia disorder and in normal sleepers. We also studied the possible mechanisms underlying changes in orexin-A levels between the study groups; this included investigations of prepro-orexin and orexin receptor gene polymorphisms as well as exploration of other variables. We measured plasma orexin-A levels in 228 patients with insomnia disorder and 282 normal sleepers. The results indicated that the patients with insomnia disorder had significantly higher orexin-A levels than normal sleepers (63.42±37.56 vs. 54.84±23.95pg/ml). A positive relationship was detected between orexin-A level and age in patients with insomnia disorder. Orexin-A levels were elevated in relation to course of insomnia, as well as in relation to increased Insomnia Severity Index score. None of the evaluated prepro-orexin gene single nucleotide polymorphisms were informative between the two study populations. After sequencing all orexin receptor exons, one variation (rs2271933) in the OX1R gene and one variation (rs2653349) in the OX2R gene were found. However, no significant differences were found in either genotypic or allelic frequency distributions between the two study groups. It is suggested that the increased plasma orexin-A levels in patients with insomnia disorder are associated with the course and severity of insomnia, but not with prepro-orexin and orexin receptor gene polymorphisms. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Ground-water levels in Huron County, Michigan, March 1993 through December 1994

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sweat, M.J.

    1995-01-01

    In 1990, the U.S. Geological Survey completed a study of the hydrogeology of Huron County, Michigan. In 1993, Huron County and the USGS entered into an agreement to continue collecting water levels at selected wells throughout Huron County. As part of the agreement, the USGS provided training and instrumentation for County personnel to measure, on a quarterly basis, the depth to water below the land surface in selected wells. The program included the operation of continuous water-level recorders installed on four wells, in Bingham, Fairhaven, Grant and Lake townships (figure 1). County personnel make quarterly water-level measurements on 22 other wells (figure 1). Once each year, County personnel are accompanied by USGS personnel who provide a quality assurance/quality control check of all measurements being made.Two of the wells with recorders are completed in the Marshall aquifer (H5r and H25Ar), one is completed in the glacio-fluvial aquifer (H2r), and one is completed in the Saginaw aquifer (H9r). Hydrographs are presented for each of the four wells with water level recorders (figures 3, 4, 6, and 8). Hydrographs of quarterly water-level measurements and range of water levels during the period October, 1988 to January, 1990 (the original project period) are shown in figures 5, 7, 9, and 10 and quarterly water levels are presented in tables 1 through 4.Figure 2 shows the monthly-mean water-level elevation of Lake Huron, as measured at Harbor Beach and Essexville, and monthly-mean precipitation as recorded at Bad Axe, for the period October, 1988 through December, 1994. In general, Lake Huron water-level elevation were at or near record lows in late 1989, and near record highs in late 1993. Precipitation throughout the period was generally within the normal range.

  18. Factors Associated With Elevated Blood Lead Levels in Children.

    PubMed

    Chaudhary, Sakshi; Firdaus, Uzma; Ali, Syed Manazir; Mahdi, Abbas Ali

    2018-01-15

    To determine the prevalence and correlates of elevated blood lead level in children (6-144 months) of Aligarh. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted. Venous blood was obtained for lead estimation and a structured questionnaire was filled. A total of 260 children were enrolled. The prevalence of elevated blood lead level was 44.2%, seen mostly in children below 5 years of age. Old and deteriorating wall paints at home was found to be significantly associated with elevated levels. Lead-based house paints are potential source of lead exposure. Meticulous renovation and painting of the walls with safe paints is desirable.

  19. Elevated ground-level O(3) changes the diversity of anoxygenic purple phototrophic bacteria in paddy field.

    PubMed

    Feng, Youzhi; Lin, Xiangui; Yu, Yongchang; Zhu, Jianguo

    2011-11-01

    The knowledge of the impact of elevated ground-level O(3) below ground the agro-ecosystem is limited. A field experiment in China Ozone Free-Air Concentration Enrichment (FACE-O(3)) facility on a rice-wheat rotation system was carried out to investigate responses of anoxygenic phototrophic purple bacteria (AnPPB) to elevated ground-level O(3). AnPPB community structures and sizes in paddy soil were monitored by molecular approaches including PCR-DGGE and real-time quantitative PCR based upon the pufM gene on three typical rice growth stages. Repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) in combination with culture-reliant method was conducted to reveal changes in genotypic diversity. Elevated ground-level O(3) statistically reduce AnPPB abundance and percentage in total bacterial community in flooded rice soil via decreasing their genotypic diversity and metabolic versatility. Concomitantly, their community composition changed after rice anthesis stage under elevated ground-level O(3). Our results from AnPPB potential responses imply that continuously elevated ground-level O(3) in the future would eventually harm the health of paddy ecosystem through negative effect on soil microorganisms.

  20. Inside the covered hopper car loading dock at railroad level, ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    Inside the covered hopper car loading dock at railroad level, looking east from the 1945 elevator into the 1913 elevator, control for the railroad car puller in background - Stewart Company Grain Elevator, 16 West Carson Street, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA

  1. Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) but not insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) remains elevated in euthyroid TSH-suppressed Graves' disease.

    PubMed

    Wan Nazaimoon, W M; Khalid, B A

    1998-04-01

    Thyroid hormones have been shown to be involved in the regulation of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) expression. This is a cross-sectional study to look at the effects of thyroid hormone status on the circulating levels of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 in a group of 127 patients, aged 20-80 years, who were hyperthyroid, hypothyroid, rendered euthyroid and clinically euthyroid with normal free thyroxine (fT4), but suppressed thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. TSH was measured by the IMx (Abbott) ultrasensitive assay, while radioimmunoassays for total T3 and T4 were performed using kits from ICN, USA; fT4 and fT3 using kits from DPC USA; IGF-I and IGFBP-3 using kits from Nichols Institute Diagnostics B.V., Netherlands. Differences in the levels of IGF-I between the 4 groups of patients were significant only in the patients aged 20-40. Mean (+/-SEM) IGF-I levels of hypothyroid patients (169+/-19ng/ml) was significantly lower than hyperthyroid (315+/-26 ng/ml, p=0.003), euthyroid patients (241+/-19 ng/ml, p=0.002) and patients with suppressed TSH (308+/-29 ng/ml, p=0.02). The IGF-I levels of the hyperthyroid and suppressed TSH patients were, however, comparable to age-matched normal subjects (281+/-86 ng/ml). Although there was no difference in mean IGFBP-3 levels between the 4 groups of patients, the levels in the patients aged 20-40 with hyperthyroidism (3.7+/-0.9 microg/ml) and suppressed TSH (3.9+/-1.2 microg/ml) were significantly higher (p=0.02) than age-matched normal subjects (3.1+/-0.8 microg/ml). The IGF-I levels of the thyroid patients aged 20-40 showed significant negative correlation to TSH and positive correlations to the thyroid hormones. Hence, whilst low IGF-I is associated with hypothyroidism, high IGFBP-3 is associated with hyperthyroidism. Our finding that IGFBP-3 remained significantly elevated in patients with suppressed TSH but normalised fT4 and fT3 is important as it suggests a prolonged tissue effect of thyroid hormones on IFGBP-3. As such patients have been shown to have higher risk for atrial fibrillation, the significance and possible role of IGFBP-3 in these conditions should be further elucidated in future studies.

  2. space Radar Image of Long Valley, California

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-05-01

    An area near Long Valley, California, was mapped by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar aboard the space shuttle Endeavor on April 13, 1994, during the first flight of the radar instrument, and on October 4, 1994, during the second flight of the radar instrument. The orbital configurations of the two data sets were ideal for interferometric combination -- that is overlaying the data from one image onto a second image of the same area to create an elevation map and obtain estimates of topography. Once the topography is known, any radar-induced distortions can be removed and the radar data can be geometrically projected directly onto a standard map grid for use in a geographical information system. The 50 kilometer by 50 kilometer (31 miles by 31 miles) map shown here is entirely derived from SIR-C L-band radar (horizontally transmitted and received) results. The color shown in this image is produced from the interferometrically determined elevations, while the brightness is determined by the radar backscatter. The map is in Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates. Elevation contour lines are shown every 50 meters (164 feet). Crowley Lake is the dark feature near the south edge of the map. The Adobe Valley in the north and the Long Valley in the south are separated by the Glass Mountain Ridge, which runs through the center of the image. The height accuracy of the interferometrically derived digital elevation model is estimated to be 20 meters (66 feet) in this image. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA01749

  3. Light Levels, Refractive Development, and Myopia – a Speculative Review

    PubMed Central

    Norton, Thomas T.; Siegwart, John T.

    2013-01-01

    Recent epidemiological evidence in children indicates that time spent outdoors is protective against myopia. Studies in animal models (chick, macaque, tree shrew) have found that light levels (similar to being in the shade outdoors) that are mildly elevated compared to indoor levels, slow form-deprivation myopia and (in chick and tree shrew) lens-induced myopia. Normal chicks raised in low light levels (50 lux) with a circadian light on/off cycle often develop spontaneous myopia. We propose a model in which the ambient illuminance levels produce a continuum of effects on normal refractive development and the response to myopiagenic stimuli such that low light levels favor myopia development and elevated levels are protective. Among possible mechanisms, elevation of retinal dopamine activity seems the most likely. Inputs from intrinsically-photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) at elevated light levels may be involved, providing additional activation of retinal dopaminergic pathways. PMID:23680160

  4. A Double-Deck Elevator Group Supervisory Control System with Destination Floor Guidance System Using Genetic Network Programming

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Lu; Zhou, Jin; Mabu, Shingo; Hirasawa, Kotaro; Hu, Jinglu; Markon, Sandor

    The Elevator Group Supervisory Control Systems (EGSCS) are the control systems that systematically manage three or more elevators in order to efficiently transport the passengers in buildings. Double-deck elevators, where two elevators are connected with each other, serve passengers at two consecutive floors simultaneously. Double-deck Elevator systems (DDES) become more complex in their behavior than conventional single-deck elevator systems (SDES). Recently, Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology has been used in such complex systems. Genetic Network Programming (GNP), a graph-based evolutionary method, has been applied to EGSCS and its advantages are shown in some papers. GNP can obtain the strategy of a new hall call assignment to the optimal elevator when it performs crossover and mutation operations to judgment nodes and processing nodes. Meanwhile, Destination Floor Guidance System (DFGS) is installed in DDES, so that passengers can also input their destinations at elevator halls. In this paper, we have applied GNP to DDES and compared DFGS with normal systems. The waiting time and traveling time of DFGS are all improved because of getting more information from DFGS. The simulations showed the effectiveness of the double-deck elevators with DFGS in different building traffics.

  5. 4th level of 1913 elevator indicating sacking scale, part of ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    4th level of 1913 elevator indicating sacking scale, part of the bagging system and nate to the sewing machine. Discharge spout for the grain bin to the left - Stewart Company Grain Elevator, 16 West Carson Street, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA

  6. 7. ENTRANCE VIEW OF ELEVATOR SHAFT AT GROUND LEVEL. VIEW ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    7. ENTRANCE VIEW OF ELEVATOR SHAFT AT GROUND LEVEL. VIEW SHOWS VERTICAL LADDER AND CAGE ALONG ELEVATOR SHAFT. - U.S. Naval Base, Pearl Harbor, Signal Tower, Corner of Seventh Street & Avenue D east of Drydock No. 1, Pearl City, Honolulu County, HI

  7. Association between alpha-fetoprotein and metabolic syndrome in a Chinese asymptomatic population: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yimin; Zhao, Ying; Feng, Linmin; Zhang, Jie; Zhang, Juanwen; Feng, Guofang

    2016-04-27

    Metabolic syndrome is closely associated with an increased risk for fatty liver disease morbidity and mortality. Recently, studies have reported that participants with fatty liver disease have higher serum alpha-fetoprotein levels than those without. We investigated the association between alpha-fetoprotein levels and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in a Chinese asymptomatic population. A cross-sectional study was performed with 7,755 participants who underwent individual health examinations. Clinical and anthropometric parameters were collected and serum alpha-fetoprotein levels and other clinical and laboratory parameters were measured. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations between alpha-fetoprotein and metabolic syndrome. Participants with metabolic syndrome had significantly higher (p < 0.001) alpha-fetoprotein levels than those without, though all alpha-fetoprotein levels were within the reference interval. The association between the components of metabolic syndrome (central obesity, elevated blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and elevated fasting plasma glucose) and alpha-fetoprotein levels was evaluated. Alpha-fetoprotein levels in the elevated triglycerides, reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and elevated fasting plasma glucose groups were significantly different (p=0.002, p < 0.001, p=0.020) compared with alpha-fetoprotein in the normal triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and fasting plasma glucose groups. Logistic regression analyses showed an association between alpha-fetoprotein levels and increased risk for metabolic syndrome, the presence of reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and elevated fasting plasma glucose, but not with obesity, elevated blood pressure, or triglycerides. These results suggest a significant association between alpha-fetoprotein and metabolic syndrome.

  8. Effects of acetic acid and arginine on pH elevation and growth of Bacillus licheniformis in an acidified cucumber juice medium

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Bacillus licheniformis has been shown to cause pH elevation in tomato products having an initial pH below 4.6 and metabiotic effects that can lead to the growth of pathogenic bacteria. Because of this, the organism poses a potential risk to acidified vegetable products; however, little is known abou...

  9. Enhanced litter input rather than changes in litter chemistry drive soil carbon and nitrogen cycles under elevated CO2: a microcosm study

    Treesearch

    Lingli Lui; John S. King; Fitzgerald L. Booker; Christian P. Giardina; H. Lee Allen; Shuijin Hu

    2009-01-01

    Elevated CO2 has been shown to stimulate plant productivity and change litter chemistry. These changes in substrate availability may then alter soil microbial processes and possibly lead to feedback effects on N availability. However, the strength of this feedback, and even its direction, remains unknown. Further, uncertainty remains whether...

  10. TV Watching and Computer Use in U.S. Youth Aged 12-15, 2012. NCHS Data Brief. Number 157

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herrick, Kirsten A.; Fakhouri, Tala H. I.; Carlson, Susan A.; Fulton, Janet E.

    2014-01-01

    Excessive screen-time behaviors, such as using a computer and watching TV, for more than 2 hours daily have been linked with elevated blood pressure, elevated serum cholesterol, and being overweight or obese among youth. Additionally, screen-time behavior established in adolescence has been shown to track into adulthood. The National Heart, Lung,…

  11. Antihypertensive treatment differentially affects vascular sphingolipid biology in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

    PubMed

    Spijkers, Léon J A; Janssen, Ben J A; Nelissen, Jelly; Meens, Merlijn J P M T; Wijesinghe, Dayanjan; Chalfant, Charles E; De Mey, Jo G R; Alewijnse, Astrid E; Peters, Stephan L M

    2011-01-01

    We have previously shown that essential hypertension in humans and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), is associated with increased levels of ceramide and marked alterations in sphingolipid biology. Pharmacological elevation of ceramide in isolated carotid arteries of SHR leads to vasoconstriction via a calcium-independent phospholipase A(2), cyclooxygenase-1 and thromboxane synthase-dependent release of thromboxane A(2). This phenomenon is almost absent in vessels from normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats. Here we investigated whether lowering of blood pressure can reverse elevated ceramide levels and reduce ceramide-mediated contractions in SHR. For this purpose SHR were treated for 4 weeks with the angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist losartan or the vasodilator hydralazine. Both drugs decreased blood pressure equally (SBP untreated SHR: 191±7 mmHg, losartan: 125±5 mmHg and hydralazine: 113±14 mmHg). The blood pressure lowering was associated with a 20-25% reduction in vascular ceramide levels and improved endothelial function of isolated carotid arteries in both groups. Interestingly, losartan, but not hydralazine treatment, markedly reduced sphingomyelinase-induced contractions. While both drugs lowered cyclooxygenase-1 expression, only losartan and not hydralazine, reduced the endothelial expression of calcium-independent phospholipase A(2). The latter finding may explain the effect of losartan treatment on sphingomyelinase-induced vascular contraction. In summary, this study corroborates the importance of sphingolipid biology in blood pressure control and specifically shows that blood pressure lowering reduces vascular ceramide levels in SHR and that losartan treatment, but not blood pressure lowering per se, reduces ceramide-mediated arterial contractions.

  12. Antihypertensive Treatment Differentially Affects Vascular Sphingolipid Biology in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

    PubMed Central

    Spijkers, Léon J. A.; Janssen, Ben J. A.; Nelissen, Jelly; Meens, Merlijn J. P. M. T.; Wijesinghe, Dayanjan; Chalfant, Charles E.; De Mey, Jo G. R.; Alewijnse, Astrid E.; Peters, Stephan L. M.

    2011-01-01

    Background We have previously shown that essential hypertension in humans and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), is associated with increased levels of ceramide and marked alterations in sphingolipid biology. Pharmacological elevation of ceramide in isolated carotid arteries of SHR leads to vasoconstriction via a calcium-independent phospholipase A2, cyclooxygenase-1 and thromboxane synthase-dependent release of thromboxane A2. This phenomenon is almost absent in vessels from normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats. Here we investigated whether lowering of blood pressure can reverse elevated ceramide levels and reduce ceramide-mediated contractions in SHR. Methods and Findings For this purpose SHR were treated for 4 weeks with the angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist losartan or the vasodilator hydralazine. Both drugs decreased blood pressure equally (SBP untreated SHR: 191±7 mmHg, losartan: 125±5 mmHg and hydralazine: 113±14 mmHg). The blood pressure lowering was associated with a 20–25% reduction in vascular ceramide levels and improved endothelial function of isolated carotid arteries in both groups. Interestingly, losartan, but not hydralazine treatment, markedly reduced sphingomyelinase-induced contractions. While both drugs lowered cyclooxygenase-1 expression, only losartan and not hydralazine, reduced the endothelial expression of calcium-independent phospholipase A2. The latter finding may explain the effect of losartan treatment on sphingomyelinase-induced vascular contraction. Conclusion In summary, this study corroborates the importance of sphingolipid biology in blood pressure control and specifically shows that blood pressure lowering reduces vascular ceramide levels in SHR and that losartan treatment, but not blood pressure lowering per se, reduces ceramide-mediated arterial contractions. PMID:22195025

  13. Arsenic contamination in the Kanker district of central-east India: geology and health effects.

    PubMed

    Pandey, P K; Sharma, R; Roy, M; Roy, S; Pandey, M

    2006-10-01

    This paper identifies newer areas of arsenic contamination in the District Kanker, which adjoins the District Rajnandgaon where high contamination has been reported earlier. A correlation with the mobile phase episodes of arsenic contamination has been identified, which further hinges on the complex geology of the area. Arsenic concentrations in both surface and groundwater, aquatic organisms (snail and water weeds) soil and vegetation of Kanker district and its adjoining area have been reported here. The region has been found to contain an elevated level of arsenic. All segments of the ecoysystem are contaminated with arsenic at varying degrees. The levels of arsenic vary constantly depending on the season and location. An analysis of groundwater from 89 locations in the Kanker district has shown high values of arsenic, iron and manganese (mean: 144, 914 and 371 microg L(-1), respectively). The surface water of the region shows elevated levels of arsenic, which is influenced by the geological mineralised zonation. The most prevalent species in the groundwater is As(III), whereas the surface water of the rivers shows a significant contamination with the As(V) species. The analysis shows a bio-concentration of the toxic metals arsenic, nickel, copper and chromium. Higher arsenic concentrations (groundwater concentrations greater than 50 microg L(-1)) are associated with sedimentary deposits derived from volcanic rocks, hence mineral leaching appears to be the source of arsenic contamination. Higher levels of arsenic and manganese in the Kanker district have been found to cause impacts on the flora and fauna. A case study of episodic arsenical diarrhoea is presented.

  14. Circulating cell-derived microparticles in patients with minimally symptomatic obstructive sleep apnoea.

    PubMed

    Ayers, L; Ferry, B; Craig, S; Nicoll, D; Stradling, J R; Kohler, M

    2009-03-01

    Moderate-severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) has been associated with several pro-atherogenic mechanisms and increased cardiovascular risk, but it is not known if minimally symptomatic OSA has similar effects. Circulating cell-derived microparticles have been shown to have pro-inflammatory, pro-coagulant and endothelial function-impairing effects, as well as to predict subclinical atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk. In 57 patients with minimally symptomatic OSA, and 15 closely matched control subjects without OSA, AnnexinV-positive, platelet-, leukocyte- and endothelial cell-derived microparticles were measured by flow cytometry. In patients with OSA, median (interquartile range) levels of AnnexinV-positive microparticles were significantly elevated compared with control subjects: 2,586 (1,566-3,964) microL(-1) versus 1,206 (474-2,501) microL(-1), respectively. Levels of platelet-derived and leukocyte-derived microparticles were also significantly higher in patients with OSA (2,267 (1,102-3,592) microL(-1) and 20 (14-31) microL(-1), respectively) compared with control subjects (925 (328-2,068) microL(-1) and 15 (5-23) microL(-1), respectively). Endothelial cell-derived microparticle levels were similar in patients with OSA compared with control subjects (13 (8-25) microL(-1) versus 11 (6-17) microL(-1)). In patients with minimally symptomatic obstructive sleep apnoea, levels of AnnexinV-positive, platelet- and leukocyte-derived microparticles are elevated when compared with closely matched control subjects without obstructive sleep apnoea. These findings suggest that these patients may be at increased cardiovascular risk, despite being minimally symptomatic.

  15. Gulf Coast, Shaded Relief and Colored Height

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2004-01-01

    [figure removed for brevity, see original site] [figure removed for brevity, see original site] Figure 1Figure 2

    The topography of the Gulf Coast states is well shown in this color-coded shaded relief map generated with data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. The image on the top (see Figure 1) is a standard view showing southern Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the panhandle of Florida. Green colors indicate low elevations, rising through yellow and tan, to white at the highest elevations.

    For the view on the bottom (see Figure 2), elevations below 10 meters (33 feet) above sea level have been colored light blue. These low coastal elevations are especially vulnerable to flooding associated with storm surges. Planners can use data like these to predict which areas are in the most danger and help develop mitigation plans in the event of particular flood events.

    Elevation data used in this image were acquired by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on Feb. 11, 2000. SRTM used the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. SRTM was designed to collect 3-D measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter (approximately 200-foot) mast, installed additional C-band and X-band antennas, and improved tracking and navigation devices. The mission is a cooperative project between NASA, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) of the U.S. Department of Defense and the German and Italian space agencies. It is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C.

    Location: 31 degrees north latitude, 88 degrees west longitude Orientation: North toward the top, Mercator projection Size: 702 by 433 kilometers (435 by 268 miles) Image Data: shaded and colored SRTM elevation model Date Acquired: February 2000

  16. Derive Arctic Sea-ice Freeboard and Thickness from NASA's LVIS Observations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yi, D.; Hofton, M. A.; Harbeck, J.; Cornejo, H.; Kurtz, N. T.

    2015-12-01

    The sea-ice freeboard and thickness are derived from the six sea-ice flights of NASA's IceBridge Land, Vegetation, and Ice Sensor (LVIS) over the Arctic from 2009 to 2013. The LVIS is an airborne scanning laser altimeter. It can operate at an altitude up to 10 km above the ground and produce a data swath up to 2 km wide with 20-m wide footprints. The laser output wavelength is 1064 nm and pulse repetition rate is 1000 Hz. The LVIS L2 geolocated surface elevation product and Level-1b waveform product (http://nsidc.org/data/ilvis2.html and http://nsidc.org/data/ilvis1b.html) at National Snow and Ice Data Center, USA (NSIDC) are used in this study. The elevations are referenced to a geoid with tides and dynamic atmospheric corrections applied. The LVIS waveforms were fitted with Gaussian curves to calculate pulse width, peak location, pulse amplitude, and signal baseline. For each waveform, the centroid, skewness, kurtosis, and pulse area were also calculated. The waveform parameters were calibrated based on laser off pointing angle and laser channels. Calibrated LVIS waveform parameters show a coherent response to variations in surface features along their ground tracks. These parameters, combined with elevation, can be used to identify leads, enabling the derivation of sea-ice freeboard and thickness without relying upon visual images. Preliminary results show that the elevations in some of the LVIS campaigns may vary with laser incident angle; this can introduce an elevation bias if not corrected. Further analysis of the LVIS data shown that the laser incident angle related elevation bias can be removed empirically. The sea-ice freeboard and thickness results from LVIS are compared with NASA's Airborne Topographic Mapper (ATM) for an April 20, 2010 flight, when both LVIS and ATM sensors were on the same aircraft and made coincidental measurements along repeat ground tracks.

  17. Estimating relative sea-level rise and submergence potential at a coastal wetland

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cahoon, Donald R.

    2015-01-01

    A tide gauge records a combined signal of the vertical change (positive or negative) in the level of both the sea and the land to which the gauge is affixed; or relative sea-level change, which is typically referred to as relative sea-level rise (RSLR). Complicating this situation, coastal wetlands exhibit dynamic surface elevation change (both positive and negative), as revealed by surface elevation table (SET) measurements, that is not recorded at tide gauges. Because the usefulness of RSLR is in the ability to tie the change in sea level to the local topography, it is important that RSLR be calculated at a wetland that reflects these local dynamic surface elevation changes in order to better estimate wetland submergence potential. A rationale is described for calculating wetland RSLR (RSLRwet) by subtracting the SET wetland elevation change from the tide gauge RSLR. The calculation is possible because the SET and tide gauge independently measure vertical land motion in different portions of the substrate. For 89 wetlands where RSLRwet was evaluated, wetland elevation change differed significantly from zero for 80 % of them, indicating that RSLRwet at these wetlands differed from the local tide gauge RSLR. When compared to tide gauge RSLR, about 39 % of wetlands experienced an elevation rate surplus and 58 % an elevation rate deficit (i.e., sea level becoming lower and higher, respectively, relative to the wetland surface). These proportions were consistent across saltmarsh, mangrove, and freshwater wetland types. Comparison of wetland elevation change and RSLR is confounded by high levels of temporal and spatial variability, and would be improved by co-locating tide gauge and SET stations near each other and obtaining long-term records for both.

  18. Prevalence of hepatitis A viral RNA and antibodies among Chinese blood donors.

    PubMed

    Sun, P; Su, N; Lin, F Z; Ma, L; Wang, H J; Rong, X; Dai, Y D; Li, J; Jian, Z W; Tang, L H; Xiao, W; Li, C Q

    2015-12-09

    Like other developing countries, China was reported to have a relatively high seroprevalence of anti-hepatitis A antibodies (anti-HAV). However, no studies have evaluated the prevalence of anti-HAV and HAV RNA among voluntary blood donors with or without elevated serum alanine transaminase (ALT) levels. Anti-HAV antibodies were detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction was carried out for detection of HAV RNA. In the current study, we analyzed a total of 450 serum samples with elevated ALT levels (≥40 U/L) and 278 serum samples with non-elevated ALT levels. Seroprevalence rates of anti-HAV were 51.6% in donors with elevated ALT and 41.4% in donors with non-elevated ALT; however, none of the samples was positive for HAV RNA. The results of our study showed lower seroprevalence rates of anti-HAV in blood donors (irrespective of ALT levels) than those in published data on Chinese populations. Although donors with elevated ALT had statistically higher prevalence rates of anti- HAV than did those with non-elevated ALT, none of the serum samples had detectable levels of the active virus. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the transmission of hepatitis A by blood transfusion will occur rarely.

  19. Accelerated warming at high elevations: a review of the current evidence and proposals for future research (Invited)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pepin, N. C.

    2013-12-01

    Arctic amplification, whereby enhanced warming is evident at high latitudes, is well accepted amongst the scientific community. Increased warming at high elevations is more controversial and is often given the more vague term 'elevational dependency'. The way in which different approaches (mountain surface data, radiosondes, satellite data and models) often yield different results is discussed, along with the differences between these approaches. Analyses of surface data differ in the stations chosen for comparison, the time period, elevational range, and methods of trend identification. An analysis of global datasets using over a thousand stations (GHCN, CRU) and defining change by the most common method of calculating the linear gradient of a best fit line (linear regression) shows no simple relationship between warming rate and elevation. There are however feedback mechanisms in the mountain environment (e.g. cryospheric change, water vapor and treelines) which, although they may enhance warming at certain elevations, are fairly poorly understood. Warming rates are also shown to be influenced by factors in the mountain environment other than elevation, including topography (aspect, slope, topographic exposure) as well as mean annual temperature, but the relative influences of such controls have yet to be disentangled from those that show a more simple elevationally-dependent signal. Mountain summits and exposed ridge sites are shown to show least variability in warming rates, rising up above a sea of noise. Radiosondes and satellite data are further removed from changes on the ground (surface temperatures) and studies using such data tend to be rather divorced from the mountain environment and need calibration/comparison with surface datasets. Reanalyses such as NCEP/NCAR and ERA, although having good spatial coverage, tend to suffer from the same problems. Following a discussion of differences between all these approaches, a plan to develop an integrated global approach to this issue will be discussed.

  20. Reconsidering Volcanic Ocean Island Hydrology: Recent Geophysical and Drilling Results

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thomas, D. M.; Pierce, H. A.; Lautze, N. C.

    2017-12-01

    Recent results of geophysical surveys and exploratory drilling in Hawaii have suggested that Hawaii's hydrogeology may be more complex than has been generally recognized. Instead of a more-or-less homogeneous pile of highly permeable eruptive basalts that are intermittently punctuated by volcanic dikes confined to calderas and rift zones, we are finding that dike compartmentalization is occurring outside of recognized rift zones, leading to significantly higher volumes of stored groundwater within the island. Analysis of recent geophysical surveys have shown local water table elevations that are substantially higher than can be accounted for by the high hydraulic conductivities of Hawaiian basalts. Recent diamond wireline drilling results have also shown that sub-horizontal variations in permeability, associated with significant changes in eruptive character (e.g. explosive vs effusive activity) are acting as significant perching and confining bodies over significant aerial extents and suggest that these features also contribute to increased storage of recharge. Not only is storage much higher than previously assumed, these features appear to impact subsurface groundwater flow in ways that are not accounted for in traditional methods of computing sustainable yields for near shore aquifers: where buried confining formations extend to depths well below sea level, higher elevation recharge is being intercepted and diverted to deep submarine groundwater discharge well below depths that are typically investigated or quantified. We will provide a summary of the recent geophysical survey results along with a revised conceptual model for groundwater circulation within volcanic ocean islands.

  1. 3D Color Digital Elevation Map of AFM Sample

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2008-01-01

    This color image is a three dimensional (3D) view of a digital elevation map of a sample collected by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander's Atomic Force Microscope (AFM).

    The image shows four round pits, only 5 microns in depth, that were micromachined into the silicon substrate, which is the background plane shown in red. This image has been processed to reflect the levelness of the substrate.

    A Martian particle only one micrometer, or one millionth of a meter, across is held in the upper left pit.

    The rounded particle shown at the highest magnification ever seen from another world is a particle of the dust that cloaks Mars. Such dust particles color the Martian sky pink, feed storms that regularly envelop the planet and produce Mars' distinctive red soil.

    The particle was part of a sample informally called 'Sorceress' delivered to the AFM on the 38th Martian day, or sol, of the mission (July 2, 2008). The AFM is part of Phoenix's microscopic station called MECA, or the Microscopy, Electrochemistry, and Conductivity Analyzer.

    The AFM was developed by a Swiss-led consortium, with Imperial College London producing the silicon substrate that holds sampled particles.

    The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.

  2. Clinical applications of exhaled nitric oxide for the diagnosis and management of asthma: a consensus report.

    PubMed

    Zitt, Myron

    2005-08-01

    Patients with asthma routinely exhibit elevated levels of fractionated exhaled nitric oxide (FE(NO)), and this observation has led to studies investigating FE(NO) as a potential marker of airway inflammation. FE(NO) has been shown to enhance the diagnosis of asthma, detect deterioration in control of patients with asthma, and monitor response to anti-inflammatory therapy. The aim of this work was to determine if FE(NO) measurement provides a noninvasive, well-tolerated, and standardized technique to monitor airway inflammation, and if it has the potential to complement standard asthma monitoring tools (eg, symptom diaries, control questionnaires, and pulmonary function testing) and to improve asthma control and patient outcomes. Thirteen experts in the diagnosis and treatment of asthma met to discuss the use of FE(NO) in the diagnosis and management of patients with asthma. Participants were selected by Aerocrine, a medical, technical company with headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, in consultation with their medical education partner Cadent Medical Communications located in Irving, Texas, to represent a diversity of specialists, including both clinicians and investigators, in the fields of allergy, immunology, and pulmonology. All participants were nominally compensated for their time to attend this closed scientific roundtable discussion. The meeting was supported by an educational grant from Aerocrine. This report represents the overall consensus reached by the participants on the clinical applicability of this technique. Our understanding of asthma has expanded so that investigators are now focusing on inflammation in addition to airway obstruction and hyper-reactivity. Whereas patient history, symptoms, and pulmonary function testing can assist in diagnosing asthma, they are not direct measures of the extent of airway inflammation. Elevated FE(NO) levels have been shown to reflect airway inflammation and to occur together with other conventional markers used to detect inflammation. Studies have confirmed increased levels of FE(NO) in both adults and children with asthma. In most studies, FE(NO) was found to be elevated 2- to 3-fold compared with normal controls. There are many determinants of FE(NO) levels, however, and factors other than inflammation must be considered when FE(NO) measurement is used to diagnose and monitor asthma. FE(NO) measurement alone is not sufficient for diagnosing or monitoring asthma, but it can be a valuable addition to current clinical tools. FE(NO) measurement is a noninvasive and reproducible test that is a surrogate measure of airway inflammation in patients with asthma. The test has demonstrated utility in diagnosing and managing asthma and in predicting response to therapy and, therefore, may be an important tool to incorporate into clinical care.

  3. Testosterone and Haemosporidian Parasites Along a Tropical Elevational Gradient in Rufous-Collared Sparrows (Zonotrichia capensis).

    PubMed

    Escallón, Camilo; Weinstein, Nicole M; Tallant, James A; Wojtenek, Winfried; Rodríguez-Saltos, Carlos A; Bonaccorso, Elisa; Moore, Ignacio T

    2016-10-01

    Elevation has been proposed as a dominant ecological variable shaping life history traits and subsequently their underlying hormonal mechanisms. In an earlier meta-analysis of tropical birds, elevation was positively related to testosterone levels. Furthermore, parasitism by avian haemosporidians should vary with elevation as environmental conditions affect vector abundance, and while testosterone is needed for breeding, it is hypothesized to be immunosuppressive and thus could exacerbate haemosporidian infection. Our objective in this study was to examine the relationships between elevation, testosterone levels, and parasitism by avian haemosporidians. We surveyed breeding male rufous-collared sparrows (Zonotrichia capensis) across a wide elevational range along the equator. We measured baseline testosterone levels, haemosporidian infection at four elevations spanning the species' natural range in the Ecuadorian Andes (600, 1500, 2100, 3300 m). Testosterone levels from breeding males were not related to elevation, but there was high intrapopulation variability. Testosterone levels were not related to the probability of parasitism, but our results from one population suggested that the likelihood of being infected by haemosporidian parasites was greater when in breeding condition. In conclusion, even though there is variation in life history strategies among the studied populations, wider divergence in seasonality and life history traits would probably be needed to detect an effect of elevation on testosterone if one exists. Additionally, our results show that variation in testosterone is not related to infection risk of haemosporidians, thus other factors that take a toll on energetic resources, such as reproduction, should be looked at more closely. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. 75 FR 31342 - Proposed Flood Elevation Determinations

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-03

    ... referenced ground [caret] Communities affected elevation Elevation in meters (MSL) Effective Modified... Level, rounded to the nearest 0.1 meter. ** BFEs to be changed include the listed downstream and... ground. [caret] Mean Sea Level, rounded to the nearest 0.1 meter. ** BFEs to be changed include the...

  5. Will fluctuations in salt marsh–mangrove dominance alter vulnerability of a subtropical wetland to sea‐level rise?

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mckee, Karen L.; Vervaeke, William

    2018-01-01

    To avoid submergence during sea-level rise, coastal wetlands build soil surfaces vertically through accumulation of inorganic sediment and organic matter. At climatic boundaries where mangroves are expanding and replacing salt marsh, wetland capacity to respond to sea-level rise may change. To compare how well mangroves and salt marshes accommodate sea-level rise, we conducted a manipulative field experiment in a subtropical plant community in the subsiding Mississippi River Delta. Experimental plots were established in spatially equivalent positions along creek banks in monospecific stands of Spartina alterniflora (smooth cordgrass) or Avicennia germinans (black mangrove) and in mixed stands containing both species. To examine the effect of disturbance on elevation dynamics, vegetation in half of the plots was subjected to freezing (mangrove) or wrack burial (salt marsh), which caused shoot mortality. Vertical soil development was monitored for 6 years with the surface elevation table-marker horizon system. Comparison of land movement with relative sea-level rise showed that this plant community was experiencing an elevation deficit (i.e., sea level was rising faster than the wetland was building vertically) and was relying on elevation capital (i.e., relative position in the tidal frame) to survive. Although Avicennia plots had more elevation capital, suggesting longer survival, than Spartina or mixed plots, vegetation type had no effect on rates of accretion, vertical movement in root and sub-root zones, or net elevation change. Thus, these salt marsh and mangrove assemblages were accreting sediment and building vertically at equivalent rates. Small-scale disturbance of the plant canopy also had no effect on elevation trajectories—contrary to work in peat-forming wetlands showing elevation responses to changes in plant productivity. The findings indicate that in this deltaic setting with strong physical influences controlling elevation (sediment accretion, subsidence), mangrove replacement of salt marsh, with or without disturbance, will not necessarily alter vulnerability to sea-level rise.

  6. Antioxidant-based therapies for angiotensin II-associated cardiovascular diseases

    PubMed Central

    Rosenbaugh, Erin G.; Savalia, Krupa K.; Manickam, Devika S.

    2013-01-01

    Cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension and heart failure, are associated with activation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and increased circulating and tissue levels of ANG II, a primary effector peptide of the RAS. Through its actions on various cell types and organ systems, ANG II contributes to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases by inducing cardiac and vascular hypertrophy, vasoconstriction, sodium and water reabsorption in kidneys, sympathoexcitation, and activation of the immune system. Cardiovascular research over the past 15–20 years has clearly implicated an important role for elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mediating these pathophysiological actions of ANG II. As such, the use of antioxidants, to reduce the elevated levels of ROS, as potential therapies for various ANG II-associated cardiovascular diseases has been intensely investigated. Although some antioxidant-based therapies have shown therapeutic impact in animal models of cardiovascular disease and in human patients, others have failed. In this review, we discuss the benefits and limitations of recent strategies, including gene therapy, dietary sources, low-molecular-weight free radical scavengers, polyethylene glycol conjugation, and nanomedicine-based technologies, which are designed to deliver antioxidants for the improved treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Although much work has been completed, additional research focusing on developing specific antioxidant molecules or proteins and identifying the ideal in vivo delivery system for such antioxidants is necessary before the use of antioxidant-based therapies for cardiovascular diseases become a clinical reality. PMID:23552499

  7. Bidirectional Control of Blood Flow by Astrocytes: A Role for Tissue Oxygen and Other Metabolic Factors.

    PubMed

    Gordon, Grant R J; Howarth, Clare; MacVicar, Brian A

    2016-01-01

    Altering cerebral blood flow through the control of cerebral vessel diameter is critical so that the delivery of molecules important for proper brain functioning is matched to the activity level of neurons. Although the close relationship of brain glia known as astrocytes with cerebral blood vessels has long been recognized, it is only recently that these cells have been demonstrated to translate information on the activity level and energy demands of neurons to the vasculature. In particular, astrocytes respond to elevations in extracellular glutamate as a consequence of synaptic transmission through the activation of group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors. These Gq-protein coupled receptors elevate intracellular calcium via IP3 signaling. A close examination of astrocyte endfeet calcium signals has been shown to cause either vasoconstriction or vasodilation. Common to both vasomotor responses is the generation of arachidonic acid in astrocytes by calcium sensitive phospholipase A2. Vasoconstriction ensues from the conversion of arachidonic acid to 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid, while vasodilation ensues from the production of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids or prostaglandins. Factors that determine whether constrictor or dilatory pathways predominate include brain oxygen, lactate, adenosine as well as nitric oxide. Changing the oxygen level itself leads to many downstream changes that facilitate the switch from vasoconstriction at high oxygen to vasodilation at low oxygen. These findings highlight the importance of astrocytes as sensors of neural activity and metabolism to coordinate the delivery of essential nutrients via the blood to the working cells.

  8. Sulforaphane induces Nrf2 and protects against CYP2E1-dependent binge alcohol-induced liver steatosis.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Richard; Lin, Jianjun; Wu, Defeng

    2014-01-01

    The mechanism(s) by which alcohol causes cell injury are still not clear but a major mechanism appears to be the role of lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress in alcohol toxicity. CYP2E1-generated ROS contributes to the ethanol-induced oxidant stress and inhibition of CYP2E1 activity decreases ethanol-induced fatty liver. The transcription factor Nrf2 regulates the expression of many cytoprotective enzymes which results in cellular protection against a variety of toxins. The current study was designed to evaluate the ability of sulforaphane, an activator of Nrf2, to blunt CYP2E1-dependent, ethanol-induced steatosis in vivo and in vitro. The sulforaphane treatment activated Nrf2, increased levels of the Nrf2 target heme oxygenase-1 and subsequently lowered oxidant stress as shown by the decline in lipid peroxidation and 3-nitrotyrosine protein adducts and an increase in GSH levels after the acute ethanol treatment. It decreased ethanol-elevated liver levels of triglycerides and cholesterol and Oil Red O staining. Similar results were found in vitro as addition of sulforaphane to HepG2 E47 cells, which express CYP2E1, elevated Nrf2 levels and decreased the accumulation of lipid in cells cultured with ethanol. Sulforaphane treatment had no effect on levels of or activity of CYP2E1. Sulforaphane proved to be an effective in vivo inhibitor of acute ethanol-induced fatty liver in mice. The possible amelioration of liver injury which occurs under these conditions by chemical activators of Nrf2 is of clinical relevance and worthy of further study. © 2013.

  9. Sulforaphane Induces Nrf2 and Protects Against CYP2E1-dependent Binge Alcohol –induced Liver Steatosis

    PubMed Central

    Zhou, Richard; Lin, Jianjun; Wu, Defeng

    2013-01-01

    Background The mechanism(s) by which alcohol causes cell injury are still not clear but a major mechanism appears to be the role of lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress in alcohol toxicity. CYP2E1-generated ROS contributes to the ethanol-induced oxidant stress and inhibition of CYP2E1 activity decreases ethanol-induced fatty liver. The transcription factor Nrf2 regulates the expression of many cytoprotective enzymes which results in cellular protection against a variety of toxins. Method The current study was designed to evaluate the ability of sulforaphane, an activator of Nrf2, to blunt CYP2E1-dependent, ethanol-induced steatosis in vivo and in vitro. Results The sulforaphane treatment activated Nrf2, increased levels of the Nrf2 target heme oxygenase -1 and subsequently lowered oxidant stress as shown by the decline in lipid peroxidation and 3-Nitrotyrosine protein adducts and an increase in GSH levels after the acute ethanol treatment. It decreased ethanol-elevated liver levels of triglycerides and cholesterol and Oil Red O staining. Similar results were found in vitro as addition of sulforaphane to HepG2 E47 cells, which express CYP2E1, elevated Nrf2 levels and decreased the accumulation of lipid in cells cultured with ethanol. Sulforaphane treatment had no effect on levels of or activity of CYP2E1. Conclusions Sulforaphane proved to be an effective in vivo inhibitor of acute ethanol–induced fatty liver in mice. General significance The possible amelioration of liver injury which occurs under these conditions by chemical activators of Nrf2 is of clinical relevance and worthy of further study. PMID:24060752

  10. Pancreas Oxygen Persufflation Increases ATP Levels as Shown by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

    PubMed Central

    Scott, W.E.; Weegman, B.P.; Ferrer-Fabrega, J.; Stein, S.A.; Anazawa, T.; Kirchner, V.A.; Rizzari, M.D.; Stone, J.; Matsumoto, S.; Hammer, B.E.; Balamurugan, A.N.; Kidder, L.S.; Suszynski, T.M.; Avgoustiniatos, E.S.; Stone, S.G.; Tempelman, L.A.; Sutherland, D.E.R.; Hering, B.J.; Papas, K.K.

    2010-01-01

    Background Islet transplantation is a promising treatment for type 1 diabetes. Due to a shortage of suitable human pancreata, high cost, and the large dose of islets presently required for long-term diabetes reversal; it is important to maximize viable islet yield. Traditional methods of pancreas preservation have been identified as suboptimal due to insufficient oxygenation. Enhanced oxygen delivery is a key area of improvement. In this paper, we explored improved oxygen delivery by persufflation (PSF), ie, vascular gas perfusion. Methods Human pancreata were obtained from brain-dead donors. Porcine pancreata were procured by en bloc viscerectomy from heparinized donation after cardiac death donors and were either preserved by either two-layer method (TLM) or PSF. Following procurement, organs were transported to a 1.5-T magnetic resonance (MR) system for 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to investigate their bioenergetic status by measuring the ratio of adenosine triphosphate to inorganic phosphate (ATP:Pi) and for assessing PSF homogeneity by MRI. Results Human and porcine pancreata can be effectively preserved by PSF. MRI showed that pancreatic tissue was homogeneously filled with gas. TLM can effectively raise ATP:Pi levels in rat pancreata but not in larger porcine pancreata. ATP:Pi levels were almost undetectable in porcine organs preserved with TLM. When human or porcine organs were preserved by PSF, ATP:Pi was elevated to levels similar to those observed in rat pancreata. Conclusion The methods developed for human and porcine pancreas PSF homogeneously deliver oxygen throughout the organ. This elevates ATP levels during preservation and may improve islet isolation outcomes while enabling the use of marginal donors, thus expanding the usable donor pool. PMID:20692395

  11. Genome-wide screen for modulation of hepatic apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) secretion.

    PubMed

    Miles, Rebecca R; Perry, William; Haas, Joseph V; Mosior, Marian K; N'Cho, Mathias; Wang, Jian W J; Yu, Peng; Calley, John; Yue, Yong; Carter, Quincy; Han, Bomie; Foxworthy, Patricia; Kowala, Mark C; Ryan, Timothy P; Solenberg, Patricia J; Michael, Laura F

    2013-03-01

    Control of plasma cholesterol levels is a major therapeutic strategy for management of coronary artery disease (CAD). Although reducing LDL cholesterol (LDL-c) levels decreases morbidity and mortality, this therapeutic intervention only translates into a 25-40% reduction in cardiovascular events. Epidemiological studies have shown that a high LDL-c level is not the only risk factor for CAD; low HDL cholesterol (HDL-c) is an independent risk factor for CAD. Apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) is the major protein component of HDL-c that mediates reverse cholesterol transport from tissues to the liver for excretion. Therefore, increasing ApoA-I levels is an attractive strategy for HDL-c elevation. Using genome-wide siRNA screening, targets that regulate hepatocyte ApoA-I secretion were identified through transfection of 21,789 siRNAs into hepatocytes whereby cell supernatants were assayed for ApoA-I. Approximately 800 genes were identified and triaged using a convergence of information, including genetic associations with HDL-c levels, tissue-specific gene expression, druggability assessments, and pathway analysis. Fifty-nine genes were selected for reconfirmation; 40 genes were confirmed. Here we describe the siRNA screening strategy, assay implementation and validation, data triaging, and example genes of interest. The genes of interest include known and novel genes encoding secreted enzymes, proteases, G-protein-coupled receptors, metabolic enzymes, ion transporters, and proteins of unknown function. Repression of farnesyltransferase (FNTA) by siRNA and the enzyme inhibitor manumycin A caused elevation of ApoA-I secretion from hepatocytes and from transgenic mice expressing hApoA-I and cholesterol ester transfer protein transgenes. In total, this work underscores the power of functional genetic assessment to identify new therapeutic targets.

  12. Reversal of cycloheximide-induced memory disruption by AIT-082 (Neotrofin) is modulated by, but not dependent on, adrenal hormones.

    PubMed

    Yan, Rongzi; Nguyen, Quang; Gonzaga, James; Johnson, Mai; Ritzmann, Ronald F; Taylor, Eve M

    2003-04-01

    AIT-082 (Neotrofin), a hypoxanthine derivative, has been shown to improve memory in both animals and humans. In animals, adrenal hormones modulate the efficacy of many memory-enhancing compounds, including piracetam and tacrine (Cognex). To investigate the role of adrenal hormones in the memory-enhancing action of AIT-082. Plasma levels of adrenal hormones (corticosterone and aldosterone) in mice were significantly reduced by surgical or chemical (aminoglutethimide) adrenalectomy or significantly elevated by oral administration of corticosterone. The effects of these hormone level manipulations on the memory-enhancing activity of AIT-082 and piracetam were evaluated using a cycloheximide-induced amnesia/passive avoidance model. As previously reported by others, the memory enhancing action of piracetam was abolished by adrenalectomy. In contrast, the memory enhancement by 60 mg/kg AIT-082 (IP) was unaffected. However, a sub-threshold dose of AIT-082 (0.1 mg/kg, IP) that did not improve memory in control animals did improve memory in adrenalectomized animals. These data suggested that, similar to piracetam and tacrine, the memory enhancing action of AIT-082 might be inhibited by high levels of adrenal hormones. As expected, corticosterone (30 and 100 mg/kg) inhibited the action of piracetam, however no dose up to 100 mg/kg corticosterone inhibited the activity of AIT-082. These data suggest that while AIT-082 function is not dependent on adrenal hormones, it is modulated by them. That memory enhancement by AIT-082 was not inhibited by high plasma corticosterone levels may have positive implications for its clinical utility, given that many Alzheimer's disease patients have elevated plasma cortisol levels.

  13. Randomised clinical trial of an intensive intervention in the primary care setting of patients with high plasma fibrinogen in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background We have studied the possible effects of an intensive lifestyle change program on plasma fibrinogen levels, in patients with no cardiovascular disease, with elevated levels of fibrinogen, normal cholesterol levels, and a moderate estimated risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and we have also analysed whether the effect on fibrinogen is independent of the effect on lipids. Results This clinical trial was controlled, unblinded and randomized, with parallel groups, done in 13 Basic Health Areas (BHA) in l'Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona) and Barcelona city. The study included 436 patients, aged between 35 and 75 years, with no cardiovascular disease, elevated levels of fibrinogen (> 300 mg/dl), cholesterol < 250 mg/dl, 218 of whom received a more intensive intervention consisting of advice on lifestyle and treatment. The follow-up frequency of the intervention group was every 2 months. The other 218 patients followed their standard care in the BHAs. Fibrinogen, plasma cholesterol and other clinical biochemistry parameters were assessed. The evaluation of the baseline characteristics of the patients showed that both groups were homogenous. Obesity and hypertension were the most prevalent risk factors. After 24 months of the study, statistically significant changes were seen between the adjusted means of the two groups, for the following parameters: fibrinogen, plasma cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and body mass index. Conclusion Intensive intervention to achieve lifestyle changes has shown to be effective in reducing some of the estimated CHD factors. However, the effect of intensive intervention on plasma fibrinogen levels did not correlate with the variations in cholesterol. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01089530 PMID:22381072

  14. Contrasting Decadal-Scale Changes in Elevation and ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Northeastern US salt marshes face multiple co-stressors, including accelerating rates of relative sea level rise (RSLR), elevated nutrient inputs, and low sediment supplies. In order to evaluate how marsh surface elevations respond to such factors, we used surface elevation tables (SETs) and surface elevation pins to measure changes in marsh surface elevation in two eastern Long Island Sound salt marshes, Barn Island and Mamacoke marshes. We compare marsh elevation change at these two systems with recent rates of RSLR and find evidence of differences between the two sites; Barn Island is maintaining its historic rate of elevation gain (2.3 ± 0.24 mm year−1 from 2003 to 2013) and is no longer keeping pace with RSLR, while Mamacoke shows evidence of a recent increase in rates (4.2 ± 0.52 mm year−1 from 1994 to 2014) to maintain its elevation relative to sea level. In addition to data on short-term elevation responses at these marshes, both sites have unusually long and detailed data on historic vegetation species composition extending back more than half a century. Over this study period, vegetation patterns track elevation change relative to sea levels, with the Barn Island plant community shifting towards those plants that are found at lower elevations and the Mamacoke vegetation patterns showing little change in plant composition. We hypothesize that the apparent contrasting trend in marsh elevation at the sites is due to differences in sediment a

  15. 75 FR 31368 - Proposed Flood Elevation Determinations

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-03

    ... referenced ground [caret] Communities affected elevation Elevation in meters (MSL) Effective Modified Santa.... Depth in feet above ground. [caret] Mean Sea Level, rounded to the nearest 0.1 meter. ** BFEs to be... Vertical Datum. Depth in feet above ground. [caret] Mean Sea Level, rounded to the nearest 0.1 meter...

  16. 77 FR 21476 - Final Flood Elevation Determinations

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-04-10

    ... Communities affected elevation above ground [caret] Elevation in meters (MSL) Modified Randolph County... Vertical Datum. Depth in feet above ground. [caret] Mean Sea Level, rounded to the nearest 0.1 meter.... [caret] Mean Sea Level, rounded to the nearest 0.1 meter. ADDRESSES City of Beebe Maps are available for...

  17. 77 FR 7540 - Final Flood Elevation Determinations

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-02-13

    ... Communities affected elevation above ground [caret] Elevation in meters (MSL) Modified Sebastian County... Level, rounded to the nearest 0.1 meter. ADDRESSES City of Fort Smith Maps are available for inspection.... [caret] Mean Sea Level, rounded to the nearest 0.1 meter. ADDRESSES City of Rolling Fork Maps are...

  18. MONOTERPENE LEVELS IN NEEDLES OF DOUGLAS-FIR EXPOSED TO ELEVATED CO2 AND TEMPERATURE

    EPA Science Inventory

    Levels of monoterpenes in current year needles of douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) seedlings were measured at the conclusion of four years of exposure to ambient or elevated CO2 (+ 179 mmol.mol-1), and ambient or elevated temperature (+ 3.5 C). Eleven monoterpen...

  19. Circulatory nucleosome levels are significantly increased in early and late-onset preeclampsia.

    PubMed

    Zhong, Xiao Yan; Gebhardt, Stefan; Hillermann, Renate; Tofa, Kashefa Carelse; Holzgreve, Wolfgang; Hahn, Sinuhe

    2005-08-01

    Elevations in circulatory DNA, as measured by real-time PCR, have been observed in pregnancies with manifest preeclampsia. Recent reports have indicated that circulatory nucleosome levels are elevated in the periphery of cancer patients. We have now examined whether circulatory nucleosome levels are similarly elevated in cases with preeclampsia. Maternal plasma samples were prepared from 17 cases with early onset preeclampsia (<34 weeks gestation) with 14 matched normotensive controls, as well as 15 cases late-onset preeclampsia (>34 weeks gestation) with 10 matched normotensive controls. Levels of circulatory nucleosomes were quantified by commercial ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay). The level of circulatory nucleosomes was significantly elevated in both study preeclampsia groups, compared to the matched normotensive control group (p = 0.000 and p = 0.001, respectively). Our data suggests that preeclampsia is associated with the elevated presence of circulatory nucleosomes, and that this phenomenon occurs in both early- and late-onset forms of the disorder. Copyright 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Bee (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) Diversity and Sampling Methodology in a Midwestern USA Deciduous Forest.

    PubMed

    McCravy, Kenneth W; Ruholl, Jared D

    2017-08-04

    Forests provide potentially important bee habitat, but little research has been done on forest bee diversity and the relative effectiveness of bee sampling methods in this environment. Bee diversity and sampling methodology were studied in an Illinois, USA upland oak-hickory forest using elevated and ground-level pan traps, malaise traps, and vane traps. 854 bees and 55 bee species were collected. Elevated pan traps collected the greatest number of bees (473), but ground-level pan traps collected greater species diversity (based on Simpson's diversity index) than did elevated pan traps. Elevated and ground-level pan traps collected the greatest bee species richness, with 43 and 39 species, respectively. An estimated sample size increase of over 18-fold would be required to approach minimum asymptotic richness using ground-level pan traps. Among pan trap colors/elevations, elevated yellow pan traps collected the greatest number of bees (266) but the lowest diversity. Malaise traps were relatively ineffective, collecting only 17 bees. Vane traps collected relatively low species richness (14 species), and Chao1 and abundance coverage estimators suggested that minimum asymptotic species richness was approached for that method. Bee species composition differed significantly between elevated pan traps, ground-level pan traps, and vane traps. Indicator species were significantly associated with each of these trap types, as well as with particular pan trap colors/elevations. These results indicate that Midwestern deciduous forests provide important bee habitat, and that the performance of common bee sampling methods varies substantially in this environment.

  1. Improving Emotional Face Perception in Autism with Diuretic Bumetanide: A Proof-of-Concept Behavioral and Functional Brain Imaging Pilot Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hadjikhani, Nouchine; Zürcher, Nicole R; Rogier, Ophelie; Ruest, Torsten; Hippolyte, Loyse; Ben-Ari, Yehezkel; Lemonnier, Eric

    2015-01-01

    Clinical observations have shown that GABA-acting benzodiazepines exert paradoxical excitatory effects in autism, suggesting elevated intracellular chloride (Cl-)[subscript i] and excitatory action of GABA. In a previous double-blind randomized study, we have shown that the diuretic NKCC1 chloride importer antagonist bumetanide, that decreases…

  2. Elevator ride comfort monitoring and evaluation using smartphones

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Yang; Sun, Xiaowei; Zhao, Xuefeng; Su, Wensheng

    2018-05-01

    With rapid urbanization, the demand for elevators is increasing, and their level of safety and ride comfort under vibrating conditions has also aroused interest. It is therefore essential to monitor the ride comfort level of elevators. The traditional method for such monitoring depends significantly on regular professional inspections, and requires expensive equipment and professional skill. With this regard, a new method for elevator ride comfort monitoring using a smartphone is demonstrated herein in detail. A variety of high-precision sensors are installed in a smartphone with strong data processing and telecommunication capabilities. A series of validation tests were designed and completed, and the international organization for standardization ISO2631-1997 was applied to evaluate the level of elevator ride comfort. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method is stable and reliable, its precision meets the engineering requirements, and the elevator ride comfort level can be accurately monitored under various situations. The method is very economical and convenient, and provides the possibility for the public to participate in elevator ride comfort monitoring. In addition, the method can both provide a wide range of data support and eliminate data errors to a certain extent.

  3. Dual roles for FY in the regulation of FLC

    PubMed Central

    Feng, Wei

    2011-01-01

    In Arabidopsis, the flowering decision is determined by multiple pathways that integrate information from both endogenous signals and environmental cues. The genes of the autonomous pathway promote flowering by suppressing the expression of the floral repressor FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC). Thus, autonomous-pathway mutants have elevated levels of FLC and are late flowering. Previous work has shown that two autonomous pathway proteins, FCA and FY, physically interact and this interaction is important in the repression of FLC. Recent work from our laboratory has shown that a hypomorphic allele of FY (fy-5) can cause earlier or later flowering, depending on the genetic background. These results suggest that FY has the potential to act as both an activator and a repressor of FLC. The FLC-activating activity of FY appears to be FCA-independent, as fy-5 causes earlier flowering in an fca-null background. Here we present a speculative model that reconciles these opposing phenotypes by proposing a dual role for FY in the regulation of flowering time. PMID:21633188

  4. Dual roles for FY in the regulation of FLC.

    PubMed

    Feng, Wei; Michaels, Scott D

    2011-05-01

    In Arabidopsis, the flowering decision is determined by multiple pathways that integrate information from both endogenous signals and environmental cues. The genes of the autonomous pathway promote flowering by suppressing the expression of the floral repressor FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC). Thus, autonomous-pathway mutants have elevated levels of FLC and are late flowering. Previous work has shown that two autonomous pathway proteins, FCA and FY, physically interact and this interaction is important in the repression of FLC. Recent work from our laboratory has shown that a hypomorphic allele of FY (fy-5) can cause earlier or later flowering, depending on the genetic background. These results suggest that FY has the potential to act as both an activator and a repressor of FLC. The FLC-activating activity of FY appears to be FCA-independent, as fy-5 causes earlier flowering in an fca-null background. Here we present a speculative model that reconciles these opposing phenotypes by proposing a dual role for FY in the regulation of flowering time.

  5. Induction of neutral endopeptidase (NEP) activity of SK-N-SH cells by natural compounds from green tea.

    PubMed

    Ayoub, Shereen; Melzig, Matthias F

    2006-04-01

    Deposition of amyloid beta-peptide as senile plaques in the brain is one of the neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease, which is the most prevalent progressive neurodegenerative disease leading to dementia. Neutral endopeptidase is one of the major beta-amyloid-degrading enzymes in the brain. To examine the influence of different polyphenols and other natural products from green tea extract (from Camellia sinensis, Theaceae), we used the neuroblastoma cell line SK-N-SH and studied the changes in the specific cellular neutral endopeptidase activity after long-term treatment with these substances. We have shown that caffeine leads to an increase in specific cellular neutral endopeptidase activity more than theophylline, theobromine or theanine. We have also shown that the combination of epicatechin, epigallocatechin and epigallocatechingallate with caffeine, theobromine or theophylline induced cellular neutral endopeptidase activity. It is suggested that the enhancement of cellular neutral endopeptidase activity by green tea extract and its natural products might be correlated with an elevated level of intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate.

  6. Elevated extracellular calcium increases expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2 gene via a calcium channel and ERK pathway in human dental pulp cells

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

    Tada, Hiroyuki; Nemoto, Eiji, E-mail: e-nemoto@umin.ac.jp; Kanaya, Sousuke

    Dental pulp cells, which have been shown to share phenotypical features with osteoblasts, are capable of differentiating into odontoblast-like cells and generating a dentin-like mineral structure. Elevated extracellular Ca{sup 2+}Ca{sub o}{sup 2+} has been implicated in osteogenesis by stimulating the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts; however, the role of Ca{sub o}{sup 2+} signaling in odontogenesis remains unclear. We found that elevated Ca{sub o}{sup 2+} increases bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 gene expression in human dental pulp cells. The increase was modulated not only at a transcriptional level but also at a post-transcriptional level, because treatment with Ca{sup 2+} increased the stabilitymore » of BMP-2 mRNA in the presence of actinomycin D, an inhibitor of transcription. A similar increase in BMP-2 mRNA level was observed in other human mesenchymal cells from oral tissue; periodontal ligament cells and gingival fibroblasts. However, the latter cells exhibited considerably lower expression of BMP-2 mRNA compared with dental pulp cells and periodontal ligament cells. The BMP-2 increase was markedly inhibited by pretreatment with an extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor, PD98059, and partially inhibited by the L-type Ca{sup 2+} channels inhibitor, nifedipine. However, pretreatment with nifedipine had no effect on ERK1/2 phosphorylation triggered by Ca{sup 2+}, suggesting that the Ca{sup 2+} influx from Ca{sup 2+} channels may operate independently of ERK signaling. Dental pulp cells do not express the transcript of Ca{sup 2+}-sensing receptors (CaSR) and only respond slightly to other cations such as Sr{sup 2+} and spermine, suggesting that dental pulp cells respond to Ca{sub o}{sup 2+} to increase BMP-2 mRNA expression in a manner different from CaSR and rather specific for Ca{sub o}{sup 2+} among cations.« less

  7. Rivastigmine Lowers Aβ and Increases sAPPα Levels, Which Parallel Elevated Synaptic Markers and Metabolic Activity in Degenerating Primary Rat Neurons

    PubMed Central

    Bailey, Jason A.; Ray, Balmiki; Greig, Nigel H.; Lahiri, Debomoy K.

    2011-01-01

    Overproduction of amyloid-β (Aβ) protein in the brain has been hypothesized as the primary toxic insult that, via numerous mechanisms, produces cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cholinesterase inhibition is a primary strategy for treatment of AD, and specific compounds of this class have previously been demonstrated to influence Aβ precursor protein (APP) processing and Aβ production. However, little information is available on the effects of rivastigmine, a dual acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitor, on APP processing. As this drug is currently used to treat AD, characterization of its various activities is important to optimize its clinical utility. We have previously shown that rivastigmine can preserve or enhance neuronal and synaptic terminal markers in degenerating primary embryonic cerebrocortical cultures. Given previous reports on the effects of APP and Aβ on synapses, regulation of APP processing represents a plausible mechanism for the synaptic effects of rivastigmine. To test this hypothesis, we treated degenerating primary cultures with rivastigmine and measured secreted APP (sAPP) and Aβ. Rivastigmine treatment increased metabolic activity in these cultured cells, and elevated APP secretion. Analysis of the two major forms of APP secreted by these cultures, attributed to neurons or glia based on molecular weight showed that rivastigmine treatment significantly increased neuronal relative to glial secreted APP. Furthermore, rivastigmine treatment increased α-secretase cleaved sAPPα and decreased Aβ secretion, suggesting a therapeutic mechanism wherein rivastigmine alters the relative activities of the secretase pathways. Assessment of sAPP levels in rodent CSF following once daily rivastigmine administration for 21 days confirmed that elevated levels of APP in cell culture translated in vivo. Taken together, rivastigmine treatment enhances neuronal sAPP and shifts APP processing toward the α-secretase pathway in degenerating neuronal cultures, which mirrors the trend of synaptic proteins, and metabolic activity. PMID:21799757

  8. Synaptic function is modulated by LRRK2 and glutamate release is increased in cortical neurons of G2019S LRRK2 knock-in mice.

    PubMed

    Beccano-Kelly, Dayne A; Kuhlmann, Naila; Tatarnikov, Igor; Volta, Mattia; Munsie, Lise N; Chou, Patrick; Cao, Li-Ping; Han, Heather; Tapia, Lucia; Farrer, Matthew J; Milnerwood, Austen J

    2014-01-01

    Mutations in Leucine-Rich Repeat Kinase-2 (LRRK2) result in familial Parkinson's disease and the G2019S mutation alone accounts for up to 30% in some ethnicities. Despite this, the function of LRRK2 is largely undetermined although evidence suggests roles in phosphorylation, protein interactions, autophagy and endocytosis. Emerging reports link loss of LRRK2 to altered synaptic transmission, but the effects of the G2019S mutation upon synaptic release in mammalian neurons are unknown. To assess wild type and mutant LRRK2 in established neuronal networks, we conducted immunocytochemical, electrophysiological and biochemical characterization of >3 week old cortical cultures of LRRK2 knock-out, wild-type overexpressing and G2019S knock-in mice. Synaptic release and synapse numbers were grossly normal in LRRK2 knock-out cells, but discretely reduced glutamatergic activity and reduced synaptic protein levels were observed. Conversely, synapse density was modestly but significantly increased in wild-type LRRK2 overexpressing cultures although event frequency was not. In knock-in cultures, glutamate release was markedly elevated, in the absence of any change to synapse density, indicating that physiological levels of G2019S LRRK2 elevate probability of release. Several pre-synaptic regulatory proteins shown by others to interact with LRRK2 were expressed at normal levels in knock-in cultures; however, synapsin 1 phosphorylation was significantly reduced. Thus, perturbations to the pre-synaptic release machinery and elevated synaptic transmission are early neuronal effects of LRRK2 G2019S. Furthermore, the comparison of knock-in and overexpressing cultures suggests that one copy of the G2019S mutation has a more pronounced effect than an ~3-fold increase in LRRK2 protein. Mutant-induced increases in transmission may convey additional stressors to neuronal physiology that may eventually contribute to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.

  9. Stimulatory effect of insulin on 5alpha-reductase type 1 (SRD5A1) expression through an Akt-dependent pathway in ovarian granulosa cells.

    PubMed

    Kayampilly, Pradeep P; Wanamaker, Brett L; Stewart, James A; Wagner, Carrie L; Menon, K M J

    2010-10-01

    Elevated levels of 5α-reduced androgens have been shown to be associated with hyperandrogenism and hyperinsulinemia, the leading causes of ovulatory dysfunction in women. 5α-Dihydrotestosterone reduces ovarian granulosa cell proliferation by inhibiting FSH-mediated mitogenic signaling pathways. The present study examined the effect of insulin on 5α-reductase, the enzyme that catalyses the conversion of androgens to their 5α-derivatives. Granulosa cells isolated from immature rat ovaries were cultured in serum-free, phenol red-free DMEM-F12 media and treated with different doses of insulin (0, 0.1, 1.0, and 10.0 μg/ml) for different time intervals up to 12 h. The expression of 5α-reductase type 1 mRNA, the predominant isoform found in granulosa cells, showed a significant (P<0.05) increase in response to the insulin treatment up to 12 h compared with control. The catalytic activity of 5α-reductase enzyme was also stimulated in a dose-depended manner (P<0.05). Inhibiting the Akt-dependent signaling pathway abolished the insulin-mediated increase in 5α-reductase mRNA expression, whereas inhibition of the ERK-dependent pathway had no effect. The dose-dependent increase in 5α-reductase mRNA expression as well as catalytic activity seen in response to insulin treatment was also demonstrated in the human granulosa cell line (KGN). In addition to increased mRNA expression, a dose-dependent increase in 5α-reductase protein expression in response to insulin was also seen in KGN cells, which corroborated well with that of mRNA expression. These results suggest that elevated levels of 5α-reduced androgens seen in hyperinsulinemic conditions might be explained on the basis of a stimulatory effect of insulin on 5α-reductase in granulosa cells. The elevated levels of these metabolites, in turn, might adversely affect growth and proliferation of granulosa cells, thereby impairing follicle growth and ovulation.

  10. 99mTc-EDDA/HYNIC-TOC and (18)F-FDG in thyroid cancer patients with negative (131)I whole-body scans.

    PubMed

    Gabriel, Michael; Froehlich, Franz; Decristoforo, Clemens; Ensinger, Christian; Donnemiller, Eveline; von Guggenberg, Elisabeth; Heute, Dirk; Moncayo, Roy

    2004-03-01

    Several studies have reported on the expression of somatostatin receptors in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the imaging abilities of a recently developed technetium-99m labelled somatostatin analogue, (99m)Tc-EDDA/HYNIC-TOC ((99m)Tc-TOC), in terms of precise localisation of disease. The study population comprised 54 patients (24 men, 30 women; age range 22-90 years) with histologically confirmed DTC who presented with recurrent or persistent disease as indicated by elevated Tg levels after initial treatment. All patients were negative on the iodine-131 post-therapy whole-body scans. Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ((18)F-FDG PET) was performed in a subgroup of 36 patients. The study population consisted of two groups: Group A ( n=22) comprised patients with disease recurrence as shown by elevated Tg levels but without detectable pathology. In group B ( n=32), pre-existing lesions were known. Among the 54 cases, SSTR scintigraphy was true positive in 33 (61.1%), true negative in 4 (7.4%) and false negative in 17 (31.5%) cases, which resulted in a sensitivity of 66%. A total of 138 tumour foci were localised in 33 patients. The fraction of true positive (99m)Tc-TOC findings was positively correlated ( P<0.01) with elevated Tg levels (higher than 30 ng/ml). Despite two false positive findings, analysis on a lesion basis demonstrated better diagnostic efficacy with (18)F-FDG PET ( P<0.001); however, it also revealed substantial agreement between the imaging techniques [Cohen's kappa of 0.62 (0.47-0.78)]. In conclusion, scintigraphy with (99m)Tc-TOC might be a promising tool for treatment planning; it is easy to perform and showed sufficient accuracy for localisation diagnostics in thyroid cancer patients with recurrent or metastatic disease.

  11. Neighborhood Screening in Communities Throughout the Nation for Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels

    PubMed Central

    Anderson, Dudley G.; Clark, John L.

    1974-01-01

    From the spring of 1971 to September 1973, neighborhood surveys were conducted in 58 communities throughout the nation to determine whether children with confirmed elevated blood lead levels could be identified. Another purpose of these screenings was to assist communities in identifying children with elevated blood lead levels and thereby demonstrate to community officials that such children do exist in communities screened. The children screened were not a random sample. In those communities where the initial elevated blood levels were confirmed all but seven had one or more children requiring followup and/or treatment. Of those children screened, black children had an elevated rate about three times as great as nonblack children. With few exceptions, the homes in the neighborhoods had at least one interior surface with sufficient quantities of lead paint to be dangerous if the paint were ingested. PMID:4831146

  12. Elevations in growth hormone and glucagon-like peptide-2 levels on admission are associated with increased mortality in trauma patients

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

    Rowan, Matthew P.; Beckman, Darrick J.; Rizzo, Julie A.

    Burn and trauma patients present a clinical challenge due to metabolic derangements and hypermetabolism that result in a prolonged catabolic state with impaired healing and secondary complications, including ventilator dependence. Previous work has shown that circulating levels of growth hormone (GH) are predictive of mortality in critically ill adults, but few studies have examined the prognostic potential of GH levels in adult trauma patients. Here, our objective is to investigate the utility of GH and other endocrine responses in the prediction of outcomes, we conducted a prospective, observational study of adult burn and trauma patients. We evaluated the serum concentrationmore » of GH, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), IGF binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3), and glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) weekly for up to 6 weeks in 36 adult burn and trauma patients admitted between 2010 and 2013. As a result, non-survivors had significantly higher levels of GH and GLP-2 on admission than survivors. This study demonstrates that GH has potential as a predictor of mortality in critically ill trauma and burn patients. Future studies will focus on not only the role of GH, but also GLP-2, which was shown to correlate with mortality in this study with a goal of offering early, targeted therapeutic interventions aimed at decreasing mortality in the critically injured. GH and GLP-2 may have clinical utility for outcome prediction in adult trauma patients.« less

  13. Elevations in growth hormone and glucagon-like peptide-2 levels on admission are associated with increased mortality in trauma patients

    DOE PAGES

    Rowan, Matthew P.; Beckman, Darrick J.; Rizzo, Julie A.; ...

    2016-10-04

    Burn and trauma patients present a clinical challenge due to metabolic derangements and hypermetabolism that result in a prolonged catabolic state with impaired healing and secondary complications, including ventilator dependence. Previous work has shown that circulating levels of growth hormone (GH) are predictive of mortality in critically ill adults, but few studies have examined the prognostic potential of GH levels in adult trauma patients. Here, our objective is to investigate the utility of GH and other endocrine responses in the prediction of outcomes, we conducted a prospective, observational study of adult burn and trauma patients. We evaluated the serum concentrationmore » of GH, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), IGF binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3), and glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) weekly for up to 6 weeks in 36 adult burn and trauma patients admitted between 2010 and 2013. As a result, non-survivors had significantly higher levels of GH and GLP-2 on admission than survivors. This study demonstrates that GH has potential as a predictor of mortality in critically ill trauma and burn patients. Future studies will focus on not only the role of GH, but also GLP-2, which was shown to correlate with mortality in this study with a goal of offering early, targeted therapeutic interventions aimed at decreasing mortality in the critically injured. GH and GLP-2 may have clinical utility for outcome prediction in adult trauma patients.« less

  14. iss012e20585

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2006-03-01

    ISS012-E-20585 (9 March 2006) --- A portion of Lake Poopo is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 12 crewmember on the International Space Station. Lake Poopo sits high in the Bolivian Andes, catching runoff from its larger neighbor to the north - Lake Titicaca (not shown) - by way of the Desaguadero River (muddy area at the north end of the lake). Because Lake Poopo is very high in elevation (roughly 3400 meters or 11,000 feet above sea level), very shallow (generally less than 3 meters or 9 feet), and the regional climate is very dry, small changes in precipitation in the surrounding basin have large impacts on the water levels and areal extent of Lake Poopo. When the lake fills during wet periods, Poopo drains from the south end into Salar de Coipasa (not shown). Water levels in Poopo are important because it is one of South America’s largest saline lakes, and a prime stop for migratory birds, including flamingoes. Last November, water levels had dropped, exposing large tracts of salt and mud flats. A wet and cool period between December and the end of February resulted in flooding of Poopo with muddy waters from the Desaguadero River. NASA managers have tasked the station crew to track such changes, which are related to regional weather patterns. Lake Poopo’s sensitivity to precipitation in the high Andes (possibly reflecting larger climate cycles) provides an excellent visual indicator of these trends.

  15. iss012e20586

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2006-03-09

    ISS012-E-20586 (9 March 2006) --- A portion of Lake Poopo is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 12 crewmember on the International Space Station. Lake Poopo sits high in the Bolivian Andes, catching runoff from its larger neighbor to the north - Lake Titicaca (not shown) - by way of the Desaguadero River (muddy area at the north end of the lake). Because Lake Poopo is very high in elevation (roughly 3400 meters or 11,000 feet above sea level), very shallow (generally less than 3 meters or 9 feet), and the regional climate is very dry, small changes in precipitation in the surrounding basin have large impacts on the water levels and areal extent of Lake Poopo. When the lake fills during wet periods, Poopo drains from the south end into Salar de Coipasa (not shown). Water levels in Poopo are important because it is one of South America’s largest saline lakes, and a prime stop for migratory birds, including flamingoes. Last November, water levels had dropped, exposing large tracts of salt and mud flats. A wet and cool period between December and the end of February resulted in flooding of Poopo with muddy waters from the Desaguadero River. NASA managers have tasked the station crew to track such changes, which are related to regional weather patterns. Lake Poopo’s sensitivity to precipitation in the high Andes (possibly reflecting larger climate cycles) provides an excellent visual indicator of these trends.

  16. Sound-localization experiments with barn owls in virtual space: influence of broadband interaural level different on head-turning behavior.

    PubMed

    Poganiatz, I; Wagner, H

    2001-04-01

    Interaural level differences play an important role for elevational sound localization in barn owls. The changes of this cue with sound location are complex and frequency dependent. We exploited the opportunities offered by the virtual space technique to investigate the behavioral relevance of the overall interaural level difference by fixing this parameter in virtual stimuli to a constant value or introducing additional broadband level differences to normal virtual stimuli. Frequency-specific monaural cues in the stimuli were not manipulated. We observed an influence of the broadband interaural level differences on elevational, but not on azimuthal sound localization. Since results obtained with our manipulations explained only part of the variance in elevational turning angle, we conclude that frequency-specific cues are also important. The behavioral consequences of changes of the overall interaural level difference in a virtual sound depended on the combined interaural time difference contained in the stimulus, indicating an indirect influence of temporal cues on elevational sound localization as well. Thus, elevational sound localization is influenced by a combination of many spatial cues including frequency-dependent and temporal features.

  17. Co-ingestion of methanol and nitromethane: using falsely elevated creatinine as indicator for methanol antidote use.

    PubMed

    Leonard, Charlene P; Akhtar, Javed

    2007-07-01

    To report a case of co-ingestion of methanol and nitromethane in a child in order to heighten the awareness of false elevation of serum creatinine from nitromethane ingestion. Case report. Pediatric intensive care unit. A 4-yr-old previously healthy girl ingested an unknown quantity of "Blue Thunder" model-engine fuel, which consisted of methanol and nitromethane. The patient was treated with fomepizole for methanol ingestion using elevated creatinine level as a reason for treatment. The patient was asymptomatic but her creatinine level increased ten-fold (from 0.4 mg/dL to 4 mg/dL) within 6 hrs. Blood urea nitrogen, anion gap, and osmolar gap remained within normal limits. When the serum creatinine level was measured with enzymatic method instead of Jaffe's method, a normal creatinine level was obtained. The falsely elevated creatinine level was due to nitromethane. The falsely elevated serum creatinine levels due to nitromethane ingestion can lead to unnecessary therapeutic interventions. We intend to heighten awareness of this potential misstep by reporting this case.

  18. Monitoring of Structural Components and Water Balance as AN Aid to Wetland Management Using Geospatial Techniques - a Case Study for Nalsarovar Lake, Gujarat

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Murthy, T. V. R.; Panigrahy, S.

    2011-09-01

    The hydrologic variability greatly influences the structural components of wetlands that have a great bearing on habitats for avifauna, aquatic fauna including fish etc. This paper highlights the results of a study carried out to derive changes in open-water and vegetation, and also water balance for Nalsarovar Lake, Gujarat. MODIS 8-day composite data for three consecutive years viz 2002/03, 2003/04 and 2004/05 were used to study the seasonal and inter annual dynamics of water regime in the lake. Digital elevation model derived using Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission data with interpolated bottom topography was used to generate elevation contours and compute water volume from water spread data. The reference data of 2002 (drought year) shows the maximum extent of wetland to be 8.06 km2 with emergent vegetation of recorded as 2.36 km2 and open-water as 5.70 km2. The rainfall has an impact on the preferred habitat availability for various species of avifauna and it is noted that emergent vegetation present in the lake completely dried up by summer 2002, a rainfall deficit year but revived again in the preceding year i.e. 2003 which was a good rainfall year with 46.68 km2 under emergent vegetation and 61.96 km2 under open-water. The 2002 being a drought year has shown very low reference storage (0.256 MCM), which has shown a gradual decrease in the storage to 0.00019 MCM in March 2003. The reference storage also registered a steep increase to 18.165 MCM in October 2003 and decreased 1.264 MCM in March 2004. From this study it is evident that water level of about 9 m elevation at the end of the rainy season is found to be optimal for maintaining various habitats that in turn support the avifauna for the rest of the lean period.

  19. Detection of antibodies to single-stranded DNA in naturally acquired and experimentally induced viral hepatitis

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

    Gust, I.D.; Feinstone, S.M.; Purcell, R.H.

    1980-01-01

    A sensitive ''Farr'' assay, utilizing /sup 125/I-labelled DNA was developed for detecting antibody to single-stranded DNA (anti-ssDNA). The test was shown to be specific and as sensitive as assays using /sup 14/C-labelled DNA, for the detection of antibody in patients with connective tissue diseases. Groups of sera from patients with naturally acquired viral hepatitis and experimentally infected chimpanzees were tested for anti-ssDNA by the /sup 125/I assay and by counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIEP). No consistent pattern was observed with either technique, indicating the elevated levels of this antibody are not as reliable markers of parenchymal liver damage as had been previously suggested.

  20. [HYPNOSIS IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY].

    PubMed

    Rabinerson, David; Yeoshua, Effi; Gabbay-Ben-Ziv, Rinat

    2015-05-01

    Hypnosis is an ancient method of treatment, in which an enhanced state of mind and elevated susceptibility for suggestion of the patient, are increased. Hypnosis is executed, either by a caregiver or by the person himself (after brief training). The use of hypnosis in alleviating labor pain has been studied as of the second half of the 20th century. In early studies, the use of hypnosis for this purpose has been proven quite effective. However, later studies, performed in randomized controlled trial terms, have shown controversial results. Other studies, in which the effect of hypnosis was tested in various aspects of both obstetrics and gynecology and with different levels of success, are elaborated on in this review.

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