A factor produced by plerocercoids of the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides is similar to human growthhormone (hGH) in that it stimulates body growth, binds to hGH receptors, cross-reacts with anti-hGH antibodies, and has lactogenic and insulin-like activities. The purpose of this study was to determine whether plerocercoid growth factor (PGF) is similar to hGH in expressing diabetogenic activity in the genetically obese (ob/ob) mouse. To determine an effective dose for use in the obese mice, the ability of daily injections of PGF to stimulate growth of phenotypically normal mice of the same strain was assessed in a 10-day weight gain assay. Injections of PGF stimulated a dose-dependent weight gain (r = 0.83) and 25 ng eq/day of PGF stimulated a response not significantly different from that produced by 100 micrograms of bovine growth ...
Both deficiency and excess of growthhormone (GH) are associated with increased mortality and morbidity. GH replacement in otherwise healthy subjects leads to complications, whereas individuals with...Full Text Available
Growthhormone (GH) has an important role in the regulation of hepatic LDL receptor expression and plasma lipoprotein levels. This investigation was undertaken to evaluate if these effects of GH on...Full Text Available
Rat somatotropin (growthhormone) was labelled biosynthetically by incubating anterior pituitary lobes with radioactive amino acids for 24 h in a simple buffered salts medium containing glucose. The...Full Text Available
Insect growth regulators (IGRs) of the juvenile hormone type alter physiological processes essential to insect development and appear to act specifically on insects. Three natural juvenile hormones...Full Text Available
After baseline studies, 21 patients with osteoporosis were treated with human parathyroid hormone fragment (PTH 1-34) given as once-daily subcutaneous injections for 6-24 months. The dose used did not...Full Text Available
Thyroid hormone is a critical regulator of growth, development and metabolism in virtually all tissues, and altered thyroid status affects many organs and systems. Although for many years testis...Full Text Available
Whether the lusitropic potential of short-term exercise in aged rats is linked to an augmentation in the growthhormone/insulin-like growth factor-1 (GH/IGF-1) axis and an alteration in the...Full Text Available
... growthhormone-like factor from plerocercoids of the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides is a multifunctional protein. In Parasites and pathogens: ... ...
Norepinephrine stimulates the growth of a range of bacterial species in nutritionally poor SAPI minimal salts medium containing 30% serum. Addition of size-fractionated serum components to SAPI...Full Text Available
Many growth factors and hormones modulate the reproductive status in mammals. Among these, insulin and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) regulate the development of gonadal tissues. SH2-B has been...Full Text Available
In the CNS, there are widespread and diverse interactions between growth factors and estrogen. Here we examine the interactions of estrogen and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), two...Full Text Available
The discovery of a specific high-affinity growthhormone (GH) binding protein (GH-BP) in plasma adds complexity to the dynamics of GH secretion and clearance. Intuitive predictions are that such a protein...Full Text Available
Postresection villus hyperplasia is a major compensatory mechanism in the short-bowel patient. Substances capable of augmenting postresection mucosal hyperplasia could have therapeutic implications. Human growthhormone (hGH) and human growthhormone releasing factor (hGHRF) stimulate growth of the gastrointestinal tract; however, the diabetogenic actions of growthhormone limit its usefulness in clinical practice. Plerocercoid larvae of the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides produce an analog of hGH void of diabetogenic side effects. We assessed effects of plerocercoid growth factor (PGF) on mucosal adaptation following 70% proximal jejunoileal resection in young rats. Mucosal weight, DNA, protein, and total sucrase activity per centimeter of bowel were increased in resected PGF-treated animals compared to resected ...
Serum growthhormone (GH) was suppressed in female rats bearing mammary tumors induced by 7, 12, dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) or N-nitrosomethylurea(NMU). Serum GH was suppressed due to treatment with a human GH analog produced by the plerocercoid stage of the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides. Rats treated with plerocercoid growth factor (PGF) via plerocercoid infection had accelerated growth rates despite marked reductions in GH levels. Approximately two-thirds of the mammary tumors induced by either DMBA or NMU regressed during three weeks of exposure to PGF while most of the control tumors continued to grow. The data support an important regulatory role for GH in growth of mammary tumors in rats. PMID:3019224
BackgroundThe lactogenic hormones prolactin (PRL) and placental lactogens (PL) play central roles in reproduction and mammary development. Their actions are mediated via binding...Full Text Available
Our increasing capabilities for quantitative hormone analysis and automated high resolution growth studies have allowed a reassessment of the classical Cholodny-Went hypothesis of gravitropism. According...Full Text Available
A Staphylococcus strain was inoculated on the top and cut surfaces of freshly baked Southern custard pies which were then packaged in a pasteboard carton and held at 30 C. Daily plate...Full Text Available
The mammalian circadian timing system is organized into hierarchical structures with a central clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and subsidiary peripheral oscillators. After the discovery of the local clockwork in peripheral organs and tissues, which have a molecular makeup similar to the central pacemaker SCN, uncovering the roles of the peripheral clock in the rhythmic physiology has been an emerging goal in chronobiology. Glucocorticoid (GC) is a multifunctional adrenal steroid hormone that shows a robust circadian rhythm. The daily GC rhythm has long been thought to be governed by the SCN via the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal neuroendocrine axis. Recent findings, however, indicate that multiple regulatory mechanisms, including the adrenal intrinsic mechanism by the peripheral...
C14, C15, and C16 alkyl nitriles, and C16 and C18 alkyl acetylenes at 10 to 105 micromolar concentrations promote the growth of stem sections from...Full Text Available
Abstract Mammalian teeth exhibit incremental structures representing successive forming fronts of enamel at varying time scales, including a short daily increment called a cross striation and a long period called a stria of Retzius, the latter of which, in humans, occurs on average every 8-9 days. The number of daily increments between striae is called the repeat interval, which is the same period as that required to form one increment of bone, i.e. the lamella, the fundamental - if not archetypal - unit of bone. Lamellae of known formation time nevertheless vary in width, and thus their measures provide time-calibrated growth rate variability. We measured growth rate variability for as many as 6 years of continuously forming primary incremental lamellar bone from midshaft femur histologic...
Replication-defective vectors derived from reticuloendotheliosis virus were used to transduce exogenous genes into early somatic stem cells of the chicken embryo. One of these vectors transduced and expressed the chicken growthhormone coding sequence. The helper cell line, C3, was used to generate stocks of vector containing about 10/sup 4/ transducing units per ml. Injection of 5- to 20-..mu..l volumes of vector directly beneath the blastoderm of unincubated chicken embryos led to infection of somatic stem cells. Infected embryos and adults contained unrearranged integrated proviral DNAs. Embryos expressed the transduced chicken growthhormone gene and contained high levels of serum growthhormone. Blood, brain, muscle, testis, and semen contained from individuals injected as embryos contained vector DNA. Replication-defective vectors of the ...
Plerocercoids of the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides produce a substance that stimulates growth of experimental hosts. We report purification of plerocercoid growth factor (PGF) to homogeneity by a process involving isolation and solubilization of plerocercoid membranes, isoelectric point selection by chromatofocusing chromatography or preparative isoelectric focusing, and anion-exchange chromatography. A radioreceptor assay (RRA) for human growthhormone (hGH) was used to detect PGF and purity of the 27.5-kDa protein was judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Proteolytic activity was detected in the 27.5-kDa protein by gelatin substrate PAGE. Characterization of PGF as a neutral cysteine proteinase was based on substrate and inhibitor specificities and dependence on pH and thiol-containing reagents. The association of hGH agonist and proteinase activities was ...
The endogenous levels of several plant growth substances (indole acetic acid, IAA; abscisic acid, ABA; zeatin, Z; zeatin riboside, [9R]Z; isopentenyladenine, iP; and isopentenyladenosine, [9R]iP were...Full Text Available
Urine is a potential source of diagnostic biomarkers for detection of diseases, and is a very attractive means of non-invasive biospecimen collection. Nonetheless, proteomic measurement in urine...Full Text Available
The effects of oral administration of aqueous extract of Bulbine natalensis Baker stem at daily doses of 25, 50, and 100mg/kg body weight on the reproductive function of Wistar rats were evaluated. The indices of mating and fertility success as well as quantal frequency increased after 7 days of treatment in all the dose groups except the 100mg/kg body weight group. The number of litters was not statistically different (P>0.05) from the control. Whereas the absolute weights of the epididymis, seminal vesicle, and prostate were not affected, that of the testes was significantly increased. The epididymal sperm count, motility, morphology, and viscosity were not different from the control after 7 days of treatment. The male rat serum testosterone, progesterone, luteinizing hormone, and follic...
Rationale Hypothalamic?pituitary?adrenal axis dysregulation predicts poor clinical and biochemical response to antidepressants. Antiglucocorticoids have therapeutic benefits but most have a troublesome adverse event profile. Aspects of neuropsychological performance, notably working memory, are susceptible to corticosteroid modulation and are impaired in depression. Aspirin has been shown to attenuate the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol response to physiological challenge suggesting its potential to act as an augmenting agent in depression. Objectives To examine the effect of sub-acute (300?mg daily for 7?days) aspirin pre-treatment on the cortisol awakening response and the effect of acute (600?mg) and sub-acute aspirin on the neuroendocrine and neuropsychological response...
The liver is a primary target of growthhormone (GH). GH signals are mediated by the transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5). Here, we focus on recent discoveries about the role of GH-STAT5 signaling in hepatic physiology and pathophysiology. We discuss roles of the GH-STAT5 axis in body growth, lipid metabolism, and the cell cycle pertaining to hepatosteatosis, fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Finally, we discuss recent discoveries about the role of GH-STAT5 in sex-specific gene expression and bile acid, steroid, and drug metabolism.
Although thee are descriptions of a range of radioimmunoassays for human prolactin in various biological fluids, only one of these is an homologous assay using human prolactin as the reference standard and tracer as well and an anti-human prolactin antiserum (Sinha, Y.N., Selby, F.W.; Lewis, U.; and Vanderlaan, W.P., 1973, J. Clin. Endocr., Vol. 36, 509). A homologous radioimmunoassay using human putuitary prolactin has been developed. The separation method is based on the double antibody solid phase system. Cross reactivity with human growthhormone (GH), placental lactogen (HPL), the pituitary protein hormones and prolactins of various species were studied as were values found in normal subjects in basal conditions and after a TRH injection. (author).
Pots used for experiments conducted on plants grown in them create rooting environments that are affected by limited soil volume, which can affect various physiological processes, including transpiration, and plant growth. However, the applicability of results from pot experiments to the field has received limited attention. The objective of this study was to compare the growth and transpiration of maize (Zea mays L.) and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) when grown in pots and field plots under various constant water deficits. The experiments were conducted under similar environmental conditions for both pots and plots. Transpirational responses at both transient (RTTr) and daily (RDTr) time scales to a decreasing fraction of available soil water (FASW) were analyzed. For a comparable F...
Selenium and iodine are trace elements that play an important role in health of man and animals. Concerning supply of both elements it is important to meet nutritional needs. According to discoveries selenium is a part of an active group of glutathione peroxidase enzyme. It prevents necrotic changes in liver, muscle dystrophy and has impact on growth. Extensive studies on content of selenium in plant and animal origin products were started in the beginning of the seventies in Western Europe (Frankenberger, et al., 1998). The aim of our work was to determine selenium and iodine content in total diets of Slovene military. Slovene military nutrition is based on its own nutritional standards, which determine 200 #mu#g of iodine and 50 #mu#g of selenium in daily diet (Rep. Slovenija Ministrstvo za Obrambo, 1994). To determine if the amounts of both elements meet the standards we have analysed 20 total daily diets from four ...
In transfusion-dependent {beta}-thalassemia major, increased iron deposition in the pituitary gland has a cytotoxic effect leading mainly to hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Our purpose was to assess in these patients the height of the pituitary gland and to evaluate whether it represents a marker of pituitary gland function. In 29 patients with {beta}-thalassemia major and 35 age- and gender-matched controls the pituitary gland height was evaluated in a midline sagittal scan using a spin echo T1-weighted (500/20 TR/TE) sequence. In all patients, an extensive endocrine evaluation was performed, including measurements of spontaneous and stimulated levels of gonadotropins, thyroid hormones, growthhormone, insulin-like growth factor, and adrenal hormones. The pituitary gland height was lower in thalassemic patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (n=15) (mean 3.48; SD 0.46) than in ...
Somatogenic hormones play an important role in regulation of receptors for prolactin (PRL) and estrogen. Plerocercoids of the tapeworm, S. mansonoides produce a factor which mimics some, but not all of the actions reported for GH. Intact female rats were subjected to a constant infusion of plerocercoid growth factor (PGF) via a subcutaneous infection for two weeks to determine if PGF influences receptors for PRL, GH or estradiol. The rate of weight gain in the PGF-treated rats was accelerated in spite of a marked reduction in serum GH. Partially-purified PGF specifically displaced [125I]hGH from rat liver receptors but microsomes prepared from rats treated with PGF specifically bound significantly less [125I]hGH than microsomes from control rats. The reduction in [125I]hGH binding was not due to occupancy or to a change in affinity but to a suppression in receptor concentration. Scatchard analysis of [3H]estradiol binding in rat liver cytosols ...
To examine whether the neuroendocrine hormone norepinephrine may influence the production of the Shiga-like toxins (SLTs), several Escherichia coli O157:H7 clinical isolates were grown in the presence or absence of norepinephrine. An in vitro culture system consisting of low (<1500 colony-forming units/ml) initial concentrations of inocula into a serum-based medium was used to more closely approximate in vivo conditions. The growth of all isolates was increased several logs in the presence of norepinephrine, as compared with the growth in controls, during a 24-hour growth period. Controls included additional dextrose as well as the use of the norepinephrine metabolite normetanephrine, which contains one more methyl group than norepinephrine and hence would serve as a better energy source for growth if the effect were solely nutritionally mediated. During the 24 hours of ...
Cellular actions of thyroid hormone may be initiated within the cell nucleus, at the plasma membrane, in cytoplasm, and at the mitochondrion. Thyroid hormone nuclear receptors (TRs) mediate the biological...Full Text Available
Norepinephrine stimulates the growth of a range of bacterial species in nutritionally poor SAPI minimal salts medium containing 30% serum. Addition of size-fractionated serum components to SAPI medium indicated that transferrin was required for norepinephrine stimulation of growth of Escherichia coli. Since bacteriostasis by serum is primarily due to the iron-withholding capacity of transferrin, we considered the possibility that norepinephrine can overcome this effect by supplying transferrin-bound iron for growth. Incubation with concentrations of norepinephrine that stimulated bacterial growth in serum-SAPI medium resulted in loss of bound iron from iron-saturated transferrin, as indicated by the appearance of monoferric and apo- isoforms upon electrophoresis in denaturing gels. Norepinephrine also caused the loss of iron from lactoferrin. The pharmacologically inactive metabolite norepinephrine ...
The plerocercoid stage of the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides produces a functional analog of human growthhormone (hGH). Among the similarities between plerocercoid growth factor (PGF) and hGH is competition for the same receptors on rabbit liver membranes. To take advantage of this characteristic in a purification scheme for PGF, rabbit liver microsomes were solubilized in Triton X-100 and the hGH receptors were purified over an hGH affinity column. The purified receptors from six rabbit livers were coupled to Affi-Gel-10 to create a receptor affinity column which was used to purify PGF. Chromatography of crude PGF over the receptor column resulted in a 1044 fold increase in specific activity. SDS-PAGE in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol showed that the affinity-purified PGF contained three protein bands with apparent Mrs of 27.5 K, 22 K, and 16.7 K. Injections of the partially-purified PGF into hypophysectomized rats ...
Gonadal, adrenal, and thyroid hormones affect the brain directly, and the sensitivity to hormones begins in embryonic life with the appearance of hormone receptor sites in discrete populations of neurons....Full Text Available
Plants require solar radiation for photosynthesis and their growth is directly related to the amount received, assuming that other environmental parameters are not limiting. Therefore, precise estimation of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is necessary to enhance overall accuracies of plant growth models. This study aimed to explore the PAR radiant flux in the San Francisco Bay Area of northern California. During the growing season (March through August) for 2?years 2007?2008, the on-site magnitudes of photosynthetic photon flux densities (PPFD) were investigated and then processed at both the hourly and daily time scales. Combined with global solar radiation (R S) and simulated extraterrestrial solar radiation, five PAR-related values were developed, i.e., flux density-based PAR ...
Abstract A 3-month, open-label, single-center study was conducted to determine whether a uniquely formulated and physiologically balanced topical treatment serum containing multiple growth factors, cytokines, peptides, antioxidants and depigmenting agents could improve the visible signs of facial photodamage. Thirty-seven females, aged 32-55 years, with mild to severe, fine and coarse peri-ocular wrinkles were enrolled and completed the study. Subjects applied the treatment serum to the face twice daily for 3 months in conjunction with a basic skincare regimen. Clinical evaluations of photodamage were performed at baseline and months 1, 2 and 3. Cutometer measurements and subject self-assessment questionnaires were also conducted during the study. Clinical evaluations showed statistically ...
Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) have been shown to stimulate bone resorption in vitro. We have now investigated whether these cytokines also cause a similar action when administered in vivo. This was made possible by the adaptation of a newly developed technique that enables the continual assessment of bone resorption in vivo in mice by measuring urinary excretion of {sup 3}H from ({sup 3}H)tetracycline-prelabeled animals. Experiments using maneuvers known to influence bone resorption, such as a change in dietary calcium or administration of parathyroid hormone or dichloromethylenebisphosphonate, indicate that the technique is reliable and sensitive in mice. Daily intravenous administration of either recombinant human or recombinant murine TNF-alpha, as well as subcutaneous administration of recombinant human IL-1 alpha, were found to stimulate bone resorption in a dose-dependent manner. The effect was maximal ...
Metabolic profile is an important biological marker of neoplastic processes not only in the tumor itself but also in the host organism. The neuro-hormone melatonin has been implicated in the experiments as an oncostatic agent. Female Wistar:Han SPF rats (Velaz, Prague, Czech Republic) were irradiated continuously for 15 days using a daily gamma rays dose of 96 mGy. At the end of exposure one group of rats was administered 5 mg/kg b.w. of dimethylbenz/a/anthracene (DMBA) intragastrically. During the period of exposure to ionizing radiation a part of the animals was supplied with melatonin (M) at a concentration of 20 #mu#l/ml in drinking water. Selected parameters of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism and levels of selected hormones were determined 2, 30 and 100 days post-irradiation. The irradiation itself caused only small changes in tissue lipids. The application of a single low dose (subthreshold from the point of view of ...
Cell suspension cultures were initiated separately from leaf and nodal/internodal calluses for the study of influence of hormones and medium components on biomass growth and expression of dipyranocoumarins. Highest 6.2 times biomass was enhanced in suspension cultures of nodal/internodal callus supplemented with threefold total sulphate. Picloram 8.28mM along with BAP 8.88mM enhanced 295.05 times inophyllum A in suspension cultures of leaf callus whereas IBA 14.70mM along with BAP 4.44mM in suspension cultures of leaf callus enhanced 1065 times inophyllum B. IBA 4.90mM alone in suspension cultures of nodal/internodal callus enhanced maximum 616 times inophyllum C. Only IBA 9.80mM in suspension cultures of leaf callus enhanced 23.22 times inophyllum P. Variation in nitrate and sulphate had ...
High molecular weight DNA from pleroceroid larvae of the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides was purified from isolated nuclei by conventional techniques. The DNA so isolated has a melting temperature (Tm) of 87 degrees C and a guanine plus cytosine (G/C) content of 44%. 5-Methyl cytosine could not be detected in plerocercoid DNA by HPLC analysis of DNA hydrolysates, by radiolabeling 5'-termini of MspI digests with polynucleotide kinase, or by comparing restriction patterns generated by MspI and HpaII. Renaturation kinetics demonstrated that the genome of S. mansonoides contains repetitive as well as single copy sequences and has a genome size estimated at approx. 1.6 X 10(9) bp. Hybridization was carried out between plerocercoid DNA and cDNAs for human beta-actin, alpha-tubulin and growthhormone (hGH). Rationale for this analysis was based on known homologies among actin and tubulin genes in numerous species and on apparent similarities between ...
An analogue of hGH isolated from plerocercoids of the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides displaces ["1"2"5I]hGH from its receptors in rabbit, rat, and hamster liver membranes. Biologically, plerocercoid growth factor (PGF) is more similar to hGH than to other mammalian GH's but has not been shown to bond human cells. Receptors specific for hGH have been described on cultured human lymphocytes (IM-9). In this study, the authors compared the binding of PGF and hGH in IM-9 cells and in rabbit hepatic membranes. IM-9 lymphocytes (12 x 10"6 cells/tube) were incubated with ["1"2"5I]hGH and increasing concentrations of hGH (ng/ml) or PGF (serial dilutions) for 90 min at 30"0 C. Specific binding (B_0 - NSB) was determined for each dose of hGH or PGF and the binding curves were analyzed by logit-log regression. The results show that PGF displaced ["1"2"5I]hGH from human cells in a dose dependent manner (r = 0.98). Based on the IM-9 assay, 1 ml of the PGF had an activity ...
Cytoreductive conditioning regimes designed to allow for successful allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) paradoxically are also detrimental to recovery of the immune system in general but lymphopoiesis in particular. Post-transplant immune depletion is particularly striking within the T cell compartment which is exquisitely sensitive to negative regulation, evidenced by the profound decline in thymic function with age. As a consequence, regeneration of the immune system remains a significant unmet clinical need. Over the past decade studies have revealed several promising therapeutic strategies to address ineffective lymphopoiesis and post-transplant immune deficiency. These include the use of cytokines such as IL-7, IL-12 and IL-15; growth factors and hormones li...
Using the peptide hormone glucagon and Ab(1-40) as model systems, we have sought to elucidate the mechanisms by which fibrils grow and multiply. We here present real-time observations of growing fibrils at a single-fibril level. Growing from preformed seeds, glucagon fibrils were able to generate new fibril ends by continuously branching into new fibrils. To our knowledge, this is the first time amyloid fibril branching has been observed in real-time. Glucagon fibrils formed by branching always grew in the forward direction of the parent fibril with a preferred angle of 35-40degree. Furthermore, branching never occurred at the tip of the parent fibril. In contrast, in a previous study by some of us, Ab(1-40) fibrils grew exclusively by elongation of preformed seeds. Fibrillation kinetics i...
It has been proposed that the gastrointestinal tract environment containing high levels of neuroendocrine hormones is important for gut-derived Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. In this study, we report that the hormone norepinephrine increases P. aeruginosa PA14 growth, virulence factor production, invasion of HCT-8 epithelial cells, and swimming motility in a concentration-dependent manner. Transcriptome analysis of P. aeruginosa exposed to 500 microM, but not 50 microM, norepinephrine for 7 h showed that genes involved in the regulation of the virulence determinants pyocyanin, elastase, and the Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS, 2-heptyl-3-hydroxy-4-quinolone) were upregulated. The production of rhamnolipids, which are also important in P. aeruginosa infections, was not significantly altered in suspension cultures upon exposure to 500 microM norepinephrine but decreased on semisolid surfaces. Swarming motility, a ...
The effect of mean daily air temperature (MDT) on flowering rate (the reciprocal of days to flower) was quantified for 18 species of annual bedding plants. Plants were grown in environmental growth chambers at constant air temperature set points of 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 25, or 30^oC and under an irradiance of 160-180mmolm^-^2s^-^1, with a 16-h photoperiod. Nonlinear mathematical equations were developed to predict the effect of MDT on flowering rate and to estimate the base, optimum, and maximum temperatures (Tmin, Topt, and Tmax), which are the temperatures at which flowering rates are zero (low temperature), maximal, and zero once again (high temperature), respectively. The estimated Tmin varied among species and ranged from 1.1^oC in French marigold (Tagetes patula L.) to 9.9^oC in angelonia ...
Experiments were carried out to test the hypothesis that instantaneous daily rates of egg-larval mortality of Pacific herring were higher at two oil-exposed sites than at two other sites not so exposed. Results showed that egg-larval mortality was twice as great in the oil-exposed areas as in the two non-oiled areas. Larval growth rates were also severely affected; they were about half of those measured in populations from other areas of the north Pacific Ocean. A cautionary note was introduced to the effect that the differences in the egg-larval mortality between oiled and control sites may have been influenced by differences in egg dessication, predation, and wave scouring, hence these results should not be construed as conclusive evidence of oil spill damage. 40 refs., 6 figs.
BackgroundThyroid hormones are important regulators of brain development. During critical periods of development, even transient disorders in thyroid hormone availability may lead...Full Text Available
The biosynthesis of insect juvenile hormone (JH) and its neuroendocrine control are attractive targets for chemical control of insect pests and vectors of disease. To facilitate the molecular...Full Text Available
The aim of this study was to determine the relationships of bone mineral density (BMD) and content (BMC) with insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) and estradiol in pubertal female athletes. The participants were 170 healthy adolescent girls (13?15?years) who participated in competitive extramural athletic programs, i.e., sports games (n?=?49), track sprinting (n?=?24), rhythmic gymnastics (n?=?23), swimming (n?=?24) and cross-country skiing (n?=?17). The control group (n?=?33) consisted of girls who took part only in compulsory physical education classes at school. The whole-body BMD and femoral neck and lumbar spine BMD and BMC were measured using DXA, and the volumetric BMD was calculated. Venous blood samples to determine the concentration of IGF-1, IGFB...
The acute effects of injections of the human growthhormone-like factor purified from plerocercoids of the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides on carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolisms were determined in intact rats. Male rats were injected ip with saline, insulin, or various doses of partially purified PGF. The rats injected with insulin had significantly reduced serum glucose concentrations but no dose of PGF caused a change in serum glucose levels. Insulin and PGF stimulated [14C]glucose and [14C]leucine oxidation to 14CO2 in adipose tissue and muscle and increased incorporation of both [14C]glucose carbons into lipids and [14C]leucine into protein in fat and muscle. The responses to PGF were dose-dependent and persisted after 3 hr of incubation in vitro. Injections of naloxone prior to injecting PGF to block the stress response did not prevent the stimulation of insulin-like responses by PGF. Therefore, PGF has intrinsic insulin-like ...
Iodine deficiency is a risk factor for the growth and development of up to 800 million people living in iodine deficient environments throughout the world. The effects on growth and development, called the iodine deficiency disorders (IDD), comprise goiter, stillbirths and miscarriages, neonatal and juvenile thyroid deficiency, dwarfism, mental defects, deaf mutism, and spastic weakness and paralysis, as well as lesser degrees of loss of physical and mental function. All these effects are due to inadequate thyroid hormone production because iodine is an essential constituent of the thyroid hormone. In the West, IDD has been largely eliminated by the addition of iodine to the diet through iodized salt or through changes in food distribution and technology. IDD still persists in certain areas of Europe where these dietary changes have not occurred. In the Third World, IDD is a major problem in many ...
Because every cell within the body has the same genetic information, a significant problem in biology is to understand how cells within a tissue express genes selectively. A sophisticated network of physical and biochemical signals converge in a highly orchestrated manner to bring about the exquisite regulation that governs gene expression in diverse tissues. Thus, the ultimate decision of a cell to proliferate, express tissue-specific genes, or apoptose must be a coordinated response to its adhesive, growth factor, and hormonal milieu. The unifying hypothesis examined in this overview is that the unit of function in higher organisms is neither the genome nor the cell alone but the complex, three-dimensional tissue. This is because there are bidirectional connections between the components of the cellular microenvironment (growth factors, hormones, and extracellular matrix) and the nucl2048 These ...
The molar of guinea pigs was irradiated with /sup 60/Co-..gamma.. ray for daily observations of the manifestation of disturbed tooth formation by microradiography and the time registration by tetracycline-labelling. Irradiation first injured young blast cells of the dentin in the growth phase, dental pulp cells, and cells of the enamel. The portion composed of injured cells formed a depressed ''constriction'' from the dental pulp side toward the border between the enamel and dentin. The cells of the enamel injured by irradiation in the growth phase later formed a very thin irregular stroma. In contrast, cells in the differentiation or subsequent phase at the time of irradiation and cells probably having started to grow after irradiation proceeded with formation of a normal stroma and calcification. No uniform relation was obtained between the histological staining of the organic stroma of ...
We carried out a feeding study in rats aimed at extending our aboservations of contaminant-induced immunosuppression in harbour seals. Two herring batches were freeze-dried, supplemented and fed to female adult PVG rats for a period of 4 1/2 months. Daily contaminant intakes of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) toxic equivalents (TEQ) were estimated to be 0.3 ng/kg body weight and 1.6 ng/kg in the Atlantic and Baltic groups, respectively. At the end of the feeding experiment, no contaminant-related changes in spleen CD{sub 4}{sup +}/CD{sub 8}{sup +} cellularity, natural killer cell activity, or mitogen-induced proliferative responses of thymus or spleen cells could be detected. However, total thymocyte numbers and thymus CD{sub 4}{sup +}/CD{sub 8}{sup +} ratios were reduced in the Baltic group. A novel model was established to assess the specific T-cell response to rat cytomegalovirus (RCMV). When applied to the feeding study, no differences between the ...
We conducted a retrospective review of the North American Renal Transplant Cooperative Study (NAPRTCS) Registry transplant and dialysis arms to assess anemia and growth patterns in children who returned to dialysis after a failed renal transplant from January 1, 1992 to February 3, 2004. Of the 1807 potential study subjects, 1451 had transplant removal data (TxIn vs. TxOut) available for analysis. Four hundred and twenty-one of 1451 patients (29%) had a transplant nephrectomy at the time of entry into the NAPRTCS Registry Dialysis arm. Anemia rates steadily decreased from 72.2% at 30 days after dialysis initiation to 59.5% at 12 months after dialysis initiation. Factors associated with anemia at 30 days after dialysis initiation included hemodialysis, lack of Epo use, and patients who comprised earlier study era cohorts. At one yr after return to dialysis, earlier study cohort era was the only factor associated with anemia status. Patients did not demonstrate ...
High salinity is one of the main factors limiting cotton growth and productivity. The genes that regulate salt stress in TM-1 upland cotton were monitored using microarray and real-time PCR (RT-PCR) with samples taken from roots. Microarray analysis showed that 1503 probe sets were up-regulated and 1490 probe sets were down-regulated in plants exposed for 3h to 100mM NaCl, and RT-PCR analysis validated 42 relevant/related genes. The distribution of enriched gene ontology terms showed such important processes as the response to water stress and pathways of hormone metabolism and signal transduction were induced by the NaCl treatment. Some key regulatory gene families involved in abiotic and biotic sources of stress such as WRKY, ERF, and JAZ were differentially expressed. Our transcriptome analysis might provide some useful insights into salt-mediated signal transduction pathways in cotton and offer a number of candidate genes as potential ...
In this study, Reactive Red, Remazol Blue, and Reactive Black B removal capacities of Synechocystis sp. and Phormidium sp. were investigated. The microorganisms were cultivated in 100ml BG 11 medium and incubated at 30^oC under continuous illumination (12.5wm^-^2 (2400lx)) for 20 days in plant growth chamber. Trials were carried out at pH 9.5 for Reactive Red, pH 8.5 for Remazol Blue and Reactive Black B removal in media without and with triacontanol (TRIA). Removal capacities of Synechocystis sp. and Phormidium sp. were found higher in media containing TRIA. So that, Synechocystis sp. and Phormidium sp. removed Reactive Red with 25.7% and 35.4%, Remazol Blue with 37.5% and 25.5%, and Reactive Black B with 29.2% and 28.3% yield at 25mgl^-^1 dye concentrations, respectively. There is no rep...
We examined whether or not BMD or bone markers were useful for assessing the risk of vertebral fractures in 248 Japanese men with type 2 diabetes. We analyzed the relationships between bone markers (osteocalcin [OC], bone-specific alkaline phosphatase [BAP], urinary N-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type-I collagen) or BMD and HbA1c, urinary C-peptide, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), parathyroid hormone, 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D, and the presence of prevalent vertebral fractures. Multiple regression analysis adjusted for age, body height, weight, duration of diabetes, and serum creatinine showed that serum OC and OC/BAP ratio were correlated negatively with HbA1c (P?P?P?0.05). This association was still significant after additional adjustment for lumbar or femoral neck BMD. Our res...
Aminocyclopropane 1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase, a pyridoxal phosphate utilizing enzyme, catalyzes the conversion of S-adenosylmethionine to ACC, the rate limiting step in the biosynthesis of the plant hormone, ethylene. Ethylene, besides being involved in normal plant growth processes, is also produced in response to stress, e.g. wounding, pathogen infection, etc. The authors report the partial purification (400 fold) of ACC synthase from wounded pink tomato pericarp by classical techniques including ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion exchange and phenyl sepharose chromatography. Further purification results in a decrease in specific activity apparently due to the instability of the enzyme and the low levels present in plant tissue. Radiolabeling of a pyridoxal phosphate-utilizing protein in the ACC synthase enriched fraction was achieved. Evidence that this radiolabeled protein is ACC synthase will be presented. Amino acid sequence ...
Eight patients who had received megavoltage therapy for Cushings' disease 5-12 years previously have been reviewed. The long term response to this therapy was assessed with respect to efficacy of treatment in inducing continued remission and disturbance of hypothalamic-pituitary function. One patient showed clear evidence of relapse of Cushings' disease. One patient had unequivocal hypopituitarism. Basal levels of growthhormone (GH), TSH, LH, and FSH were not statistically different from controls, but provocative testing revealed significant abnormalities of response of cortisol/ACTH, GH, prolactin and LH. Six out of eight patients had absent diurnal cortisol variation and five patients had elevated serum prolactin levels. Thus, in this group of patients normal pituitary-adrenal function has not been satisfactorily restored. It is clear that significant disturbances of hypothalamic-pituitary function follow megavoltage therapy and these may ...
Eight patients who had received megavoltage therapy for Cushings' disease 5-12 years previously have been reviewed. The long term response to this therapy was assessed with respect to efficacy of treatment in inducing continued remission and disturbance of hypothalamic-pituitary function. One patient showed clear evidence of relapse of Cushings' disease. One patient had unequivocal hypopituitarism. Basal levels of growthhormone (GH), TSH, LH, and FSH were not statistically different from controls, but provocative testing revealed significant abnormalities of response of cortisol/ACTH, GH, prolactin and LH. Six out of eight patients had absent diurnal cortisol variation and five patients had elevated serum prolactin levels. Thus, in this group of patients normal pituitary-adrenal function has not been satisfactorily restored. It is clear that significant disturbances of hypothalamic-pituitary function follow megavoltage ...
Eight patients, one male and seven females, with no pre-existing hypothalamic-pituitary disease, who developed symptoms of hypopituitarism following cranial irradiation for nasopharyngeal carcinoma were studied 5 years or more after radiotherapy. All were GH deficient. Four of the patients with no GH response during insulin tolerance tests (ITT) showed increased GH in response to synthetic human growthhormone releasing factor (GRF-44). Four patients had impaired cortisol responses to ITT, and gradual but diminished cortisol responses to ovine corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF-41). There was no significant difference between mean peak increments in response to ITT and those in response to CRF-41. TSH responses to TRH were delayed in five and absent in two patients; four of these had low free T4 index. Prolactin was raised in all seven women and increased further in response to TRH. Two patients had impaired gonadotrophin responses to LHRH. ...
The metabolic actions of GH can be divided into acute (insulin-like) and chronic (lipolytic/anti-insulin). The insulin-like actions of GH are most readily elicited in GH-deficient animals as GH induces resistance to its own insulin-like action. Like GH, PGF stimulates growth and cross-reacts with anti-hGH antibodies. Independent experiments were conducted comparing the direct actions of PGF to insulin or hGH in vitro. Insulin-like effects were determined by the ability of PGF, insulin or hGH to stimulate (U-/sup 14/C)glucose metabolism in epidydimal fat pads from normal rats and by inhibition of epinephrine-stimulated lipolysis. Direct stimulation of lipolysis was used as anti-insulin activity. To determine if PGF competes for insulin or GH receptors, adipocytes (3 x 10/sup 5/ cells/ml) were incubated with either (/sup 125/I)insulin or (/sup 125/I)hGH +/- PGF, +/- insulin or +/- hGH. PGF stimulated glucose oxidation and /sup 14/C-incorporation into lipids. Insulin, ...
The metabolic actions of GH can be divided into acute (insulin-like) and chronic (lipolytic/anti-insulin). The insulin-like actions of GH are most readily elicited in GH-deficient animals as GH induces resistance to its own insulin-like action. Like GH, PGF stimulates growth and cross-reacts with anti-hGH antibodies. Independent experiments were conducted comparing the direct actions of PGF to insulin or hGH in vitro. Insulin-like effects were determined by the ability of PGF, insulin or hGH to stimulate [U-"1"4C]glucose metabolism in epidydimal fat pads from normal rats and by inhibition of epinephrine-stimulated lipolysis. Direct stimulation of lipolysis was used as anti-insulin activity. To determine if PGF competes for insulin or GH receptors, adipocytes (3 x 10"5 cells/ml) were incubated with either ["1"2"5I]insulin or ["1"2"5I]hGH +/- PGF, +/- insulin or +/- hGH. PGF stimulated glucose oxidation and "1"4C-incorporation into lipids. Insulin, hGH and PGF ...
Erectile dysfunction following radical prostatectomy remains a frequent problem despite the development of nerve-sparing techniques. This erectile dysfunction is believed to be neurogenic, enhanced by hypoxia-induced structural changes which result in additional veno-occlusive dysfunction. Recently, daily use of intracavernous vasoactive substances and oral use of PDE5-inhibitors have been clinically studied for treatment of postprostatectomy erectile dysfunction. Since these studies showed benefits of "penile rehabilitation therapy," these effects have been studied in a preclinical setting. We reviewed experimental literature on erectile tissue preserving and neuroregenerative treatment strategies, and found that preservation of the erectile tissue by the use of intracavernous nitric oxide donors or vasoactive substances, oral PDE5-inhibitors, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy improved erectile function by antifibrotic effects and preservation of smooth muscle. ...
Few studies have examined the association between sex hormone serum levels, erectile function, and sex drive. Using data from the Olmsted County Study of Urinary Symptoms and Health Status among...Full Text Available
To investigate the role of thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) and albumin in the availability of thyroid hormones to peripheral tissues, comprehensive kinetic studies of thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine...Full Text Available
Feedback controls of estrogen in LHRH-1 neurons play a pivotal role in reproductive function. However, the mechanism of estrogen action in LHRH-1 neurons is still unclear. In the present study, the...Full Text Available
The parathyroid hormone receptor (PTHR) is a class B G protein-coupled receptor that plays critical roles in bone and mineral ion metabolism. Ligand binding to the PTHR involves interactions to both...Full Text Available
The high-yield, stereoselective conversion of geraniol (3,7-dimethyl-trans-2,6-octadien-1-ol) to the insect juvenile hormone, methyl 12,14-dihomojuvenate (methyl cis-10-epoxy-3,11-dimethyl-7-ethyl-trans,...Full Text Available
Because many diseases of the Western Hemisphere are hormone-dependent cancers, we have postulated that the Western diet, compared to a vegetarian or semivegetarian diet, may alter hormone production,...Full Text Available
IntroductionIn the last few years, various studies have underlined a correlation between thyroid function and male sexual function, hypothesizing a direct action of thyroid hormones...Full Text Available
Human skin is a local source of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and expresses CRH and CRH receptors (CRH-R) at mRNA and protein levels. Epidermal melanocytes respond to CRH by induction...Full Text Available
The plasma metabolic clearance of biologically active luteinizing hormone (bioactive LH) was studied using the rat interstitial cell testosterone (RICT) bioassay in six hypogonadotropic men after single...Full Text Available
Path analysis was used to determine the interrelationships between postpartum administration of gonadotrophin releasing hormone and cloprostenol and the occurrence of reproductive disease and reproductive...Full Text Available
Exploring the possibility of enhancing the properties of baculoviruses as biological control agents of insect pests, we tested the effect of expressing an insect gene (jhe) encoding juvenile hormone...Full Text Available
Juvenile hormone analog (JHA) insecticides are relatively nontoxic to vertebrates and offer effective control of certain insect pests. Recent reports of resistance in whiteflies and mosquitoes demonstrate...Full Text Available
Two male patients with congenital cleft lip and palate first seen at ages 10.2 and 21.5 years presented with typical signs of hypothalamic-interior pituitary hormone deficiencies. They were found to...Full Text Available
The comparative analysis of plant hormones was undertaken on a 1-naphthaleneacetic acid tolerant mutant and normal tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv Xanthi) plantlets. The mutant plantlet...Full Text Available
IntroductionThe objective of this study was to examine age-, hormone-, and sex-dependent differences to the behavioral effects of nicotine using place-conditioning...Full Text Available
The effects of gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) on the reproductive performance of dairy cows with retained placenta were studied. Three hundred and seventy-eight cows diagnosed as having retained...Full Text Available
A pigment-dispersing hormone (PDH) from eyestalks of the fiddler crab Uca pugilator has been purified by gel filtration, ion-exchange chromatography, partition chromatography, and reversed-phase...Full Text Available
In most insect species, juvenile hormones regulate critical physiological processes such as metamorphosis and reproduction. In insects, these sesquiterpenoids are synthesized by retrocerebral endocrine...Full Text Available
BackgroundAntibodies against gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and gastrointestinal dysmotility have been found after treatment with GnRH analogues. The aim of this study was...Full Text Available
To study the effect of agonist on the TRH (thyrotrophin-releasing hormone) receptor protein, an epitope-tagged receptor was stably expressed in HEK-293 cells (human embryonic kidney 293 cells) and receptor...Full Text Available
IntroductionVarious multigene predictors of breast cancer clinical outcome have been commercialized, but proved to be prognostic only for hormone receptor (HR) subsets overexpressing...Full Text Available
Feb 11, 1997 ... Dr. Baldwin's research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of skeletal and cardiac muscle adaptations to hormonal and activity ...
Hormone levels were examined in the venous blood in 54 men suffering from stage 2 alcoholism and in 30 normal subjects, using a radioimmunochemical assay. The alcoholics were found to have a statistically significant increase in prolactin and a decrease in testosterone. A definite ratio in the secretion of these hormones differing from that in the control group was elucidated. This ratio (prolactin-testosterone index) is proposed as a diagnostic test of alcoholism. PMID:6441404
In the treatment of prostatic cancer using a newly proposed intermittent multiportal therapy (DIMT), acute reactions, change in tumor marker levels, and complications more than 6 months after treatment were evaluated. From June 1989 to September 1990, 26 patients with prostatic cancer (stage A2, 3 patients; B, 9; C, 2; D, 10; recurrence, 2) were treated. Fifteen patients were followed up for more than one year, with a mean period of 11.6 months. The treatment schedule is 52.5 Gy in 16 fractions in 4 weeks for radical treatment, and 30.0 Gy in 8 fractions in 2 weeks for palliative treatment. The 360 degree rotation about the patient was divided into 16 fractions, and 2 opposing fractions were used in one day as parallel opposed portals to treat the target volume. The fractions were serially treated one per day, so that 8 treatment days produced a total dose of distribution similar to that for conventional conformational therapy. The size of the irradiation field varied from 6 x 6 cm to ...
BackgroundThe objective of this study was to develop and validate a daily electronic Endometriosis Pain and Bleeding Diary (EPBD) for assessing treatment-related changes in endometriosis...Full Text Available
The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between weather and outdoor physical activity (PA). An online weather source was used to obtain daily max temperature [DMT], precipitation, and...Full Text Available
Adaptive radiation therapy (ART) is the incorporation of daily images in the radiotherapy treatment process so that the treatment plan can be evaluated and modified to maximize the amount of radiation...Full Text Available
ObjectivesThe objectives of this study were to describe the levels of daily spiritual experiences in community-dwelling older adults, to compare levels of spiritual...Full Text Available
Laron syndrome (LS) is an autosomal recessively inherited condition characterized by insensitivity to endogenous and exogenous GH. Affected individuals have severe episodes and other characteristic features. GH receptor gene mutations are present in all affected individuals in whom molecular studies have been reported. The GH receptor is a plasma membrane-spanning protein in which the extracellular domain binds circulating GH and the intracellular domain interacts with the JAK-2 kinase and possibly other intracellular signaling molecules. GH receptor dimerization occurs on GH binding and is thought to be required for normal signal transduction. We have studied the GH receptor genes of four unrelated individuals affected with LS from the United States, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and India. We have identified four different missense mutations that alter consecutive amino acids 152 to 155 in or near the dimerization domain of the GH receptor. One of these mutations, D152H, has been reported ...
A factor produced by the plerocercoid stage of S. mansonoides mimics some, but not all, of the actions reported for hGH. The biological actions of plerocercoid growth factor (PGF) suggest structural similarity to human GH (hGH). Plerocercoid membranes were solubilized, and PGF was purified more than 1000-fold by hGH receptor affinity chromatography. The ability of purified PGF to displace [125I]hGH from monoclonal antibodies specific for four distinct nonoverlapping antigenic determinants of hGH and from an anti-hGH polyclonal antibody was tested in liquid phase RIA. All of the hGH antibodies cross-reacted with PGF, with potencies ranging from more than 60% to less than 1% that of the hGH standard. Of the four major epitopes of hGH defined by the monoclonal antibodies used in this study, only one is not represented to a significant extent in PGF. The epitope of hGH that is only marginally present in PGF is highly conformationally dependent, and a minor difference ...
Purpose: Radiotherapy (RT) has been the predominant local treatment for Ewing's sarcoma of bone at the University of Florida. Twice-daily hyperfractionated RT was initiated in 1982 to improve local control and functional outcome. This retrospective review compares the results of once-daily vs. twice-daily RT in patients with primary Ewing's sarcoma of an extremity, with emphasis on functional outcome. Methods and Materials: Between June 1971 and January 1990, 37 patients were treated at the University of Florida for nonmetastatic Ewing's sarcoma of bone with a primary lesion in an extremity. Three patients underwent amputation. Of 34 patients treated with RT, 31 had RT alone and 3 had a combination of RT and local excision. Before 1982, 14 patients received once-daily RT; since 1982, 17 patients have received twice-daily RT. Doses of once-daily RT varied from 47 ...
The important role of thyroid hormones in growth and development, maintenance of body temperature, digestion, cardiac function, and normal brain development can be disrupted by environmental contaminants like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). Polychlorinated biphenyls are environmental contaminants that are widespread, persistent, lipophilic, and bioaccumulate through food webs, concentrating in adipose tissue. Placental and lactational PCB exposure of offspring causes metabolic and endocrine disruptions including hypothyroxinemia, spatial learning and memory deficits, neurochemical and neurobehavioral alterations, and reproductive problems. Previous studies in our lab using the individual congeners PCB 47 (2,2',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl, ortho-substituted) and PCB 77 (3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl, non-ortho-substituted) have demonstrated alterations in thyroid hormone levels, alterations in brain choline acetyltransferase ...
The aim of the present study was to test a mathematical model of the biochemical processes in the parathyroid glands responsible for the secretion of parathyroid hormone resulting from extracellular calcium reduction. A double exponential curve described the parathyroid hormone secretion induced by rapid lowering of blood-ionized calcium in humans with normal as well as abnormal parathyroid tissue. Our data show that it was possible to establish a simple mathematical model of the parathyroid hormone response to blood-ionized calcium lowering, sufficient to fit experimental data obtained from patients with abnormal and normal parathyroid tissue. The fitted parameters showed no significant differences between patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and controls. In primary hyperparathyroidism, the parathyroid hormone production and steady-state transport across the cell membrane were increased, ...
The performance of five well-known photosynthesis-light equations is compared by presenting a wide range of solutions in the form of dimensionless nomographs for the case where photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) reduces exponentially down the water column and is distributed sinusoidally through the photoperiod. These provide a simple means of calculating daily photosynthesis at any depth (e.g. at a benthic layer), or through a water column, avoiding the need to perform complex integrations. An examination is made of the accuracy of common approximate methods for calculating daily photosynthesis, assuming constant PAR. For optically deep water a modification is proposed to Talling's planimetric solution, to enable daily photosynthesis to be calculated more accurately, yet simply, over the whole range of possible PAR values. The errors induced by approximating the daily PAR distribution ...
Sex steroids and thyroid hormones play a key role in the development of the central nervous system. The critical role of these hormonal systems may explain the sensitivity of the hypothalamus, the cerebral cortex, and the hippocampus to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC). This review examines the evidence for endocrine disruption of glial-neuronal functions in the hypothalamus, hippocampus, and cerebral cortex. Focus was placed on two well-studied EDC, the insecticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). DDT is involved in neuroendocrine disruption of the reproductive axis, whereas polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) interact with both the thyroid hormone- and sex steroid-dependent systems and disturb the neuroendocrine control of reproduction and develo...
The function of the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal system has been studied in 118 males with different stages of alcoholism. Comparison with the control group has shown decreased levels of interstitial cell stimulating hormone (ICSH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone, and elevated concentrations of prolactin (Prl). Differences in the parameters of hormonal activity expressed in a varying degree of a decrease in FSH, ICSH, and testosterone, and a Prl elevation are related to change in mutual regulatory influences between the gonads and hypothalamo-pituitary complex. The most informative parameters were concentrations of Prl and testosterone (considering elevation in the former and reduction in the latter hormone) and the ratio of their concentrations. Difference of these parameters in each group (corresponding to the stages of alcoholism) may be used as an additional diagnostic ...
ContextCorticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), through the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis and other brain stress systems, is involved in the emotional dysregulation...Full Text Available
Hypocalcemia in the hypomagnesemic state in man is usually attributed to refractoriness of end-organs to the calcemic action of parathyroid hormone. We studied the responsiveness of end-organs to bovine...Full Text Available
The steroidal regulation of vertebrate neuroanatomy and neurophysiology includes a seemingly unending list of brain areas, cellular structures and behaviors modulated by these hormones. Estrogens,...Full Text Available
The objective of this work was to compare seasonal variations of reproduction physiology of the ragworm Nereis diversicolor -a key species in estuarine ecosystems-originating from a clean (Authie) and multi-polluted (Seine) estuaries. A particular attention was carried out in female worms, on relationships between sexual maturity stages, energy reserves (glycogen and lipids) and steroid hormone levels (progesterone, 17b-estradiol, and testosterone). Sexual maturity index (SMI), energy reserves and steroid hormones are clearly influenced by season in worms from both sites. Depleted steroid hormone levels were depicted in specimens exhibiting high sexual maturity stage and energy reserves. Intersite analysis has revealed all over the sampling period:-a sexual precocity in worms from Seine,-g...
BackgroundWhereas there is increasing evidence that loss of expression and/or function of the thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) could result in a selective advantage for tumor development,...Full Text Available
All treatments for obesity, including dietary restriction of carbohydrates, have a goal of reducing the storage of fat in adipocytes. The chief enzyme responsible for the mobilization of FFA from adipose...Full Text Available
PASTICCINO (PAS) genes are required for coordinated cell division and differentiation during plant development. In loss-of-function pas mutants,...Full Text Available
A sustained increase in pulsatile release of gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) from the hypothalamus is an essential, final event that defines the initiation of mammalian puberty. This...Full Text Available
A growing number of environmental toxicants found in pesticides, herbicides, and industrial solvents are believed to have deleterious effects on development by disrupting hormone-sensitive processes....Full Text Available
AIM: To evaluate the effects of ginger on gastric motility and emptying, abdominal symptoms, and hormones that influence motility in dyspepsia.METHODS: Eleven patients with functional dyspepsia...Full Text Available
New comparative tests on two different types of solar collectors are presented in this paper. A standard glazed flat plate collector and an evacuated tube collector are installed in parallel and tested at the same working conditions; the evacuated collector is a direct flow through type with external compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) reflectors. Efficiency in steady-state and quasi-dynamic conditions is measured following the standard and it is compared with the input/output curves measured for the whole day. The first purpose of the present work is the comparison of results in steady-state and quasi-dynamic test methods both for flat plate and evacuated tube collectors. Besides this, the objective is to characterize and to compare the daily energy performance of these two types of collectors. An effective mean for describing and analyzing the daily performance is the so called input/output diagram, in which the collected solar energy is ...
We explore a possibility that the daily sea-level pressure (SLP) over South Korea responds to the high-speed solar wind event. This is of interest in two aspects: First, if there is a statistical association this can be another piece of evidence showing that various meteorological observables indeed respond to variations in the interplanetary environment. Second, this can be a very crucial observational constraint since most models proposed so far are expected to preferentially work in higher latitude regions than the low latitude region studied here. We have examined daily solar wind speed ${\\rm V}$, daily SLP difference ${\\rm \\Delta SLP}$, and daily ${\\rm \\log(BV^{2})}$ using the superposed epoch analysis in which the key date is set such that the daily solar wind speed exceeds 800 ${\\rm kms^{-1}}$. We find that the daily ${\\rm \\Delta SLP}$ averaged ...
Glycyrrhiza glabra root is one of the common traditional Chinese medicines and used as flavoring and sweetening agents for tobaccos, chewing gums, candies, toothpaste and beverages. While glycyrrhizin is one of the main components in the extract of G. glabra root and has been characterized, the other components have not been well characterized. The mechanism of growth activation of breast cancer MCF-7 cells, including the activation of Erk1/2 and Akt, and the transcriptional regulation of estrogen-responsive genes, was examined by means of sulforhodamine B, luciferase reporter gene, real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting assays after the induction of the cells with the extract of G. glabra root. The extract has similar activity to that induced by 17beta-estradiol (E(2)), although glycyrrhizin did not show such an activity. Moreover, the estrogen receptor alpha-dependent neurite outgrowth induced by the extract was similar to that by E(2), whereas glycyrrhizin had no ...
BackgroundCharacterizing and comparing the determinant of cotinine concentrations in different populations should facilitate a better understanding of smoking patterns and addiction....Full Text Available
Questionnaires and twice daily peak expiratory flow measurements were used to evaluate the effects of the menstrual cycle in asthmatic women. Forty per cent of women reported premenstrual deterioration...Full Text Available
Because the proportion of Hispanic patients is increasing rapidly, most physicians are now coming into daily contact with Hispanics. In addition to obvious difficulty with oral communication, Hispanics...Full Text Available
Nov 5, 2010 ... PEM. The Particle Environment Monitor measures the type, amount, energy, ... info, Daily PEM HEPS and MEPS data at the original sensor ...
Tree swallows were used to evaluate movement and potential impacts of contaminants from sediments in Newton Creek (diesel range organics: DROs) and Sheboygan River (PCBs), tributaries to Lake Superior and Lake Michigan, respectively. Contaminated sites occurred along the course of each river, while reference sites were located upstream or on a nearby river. Productivity was monitored and eggs, day 1 nestlings, and day 12 nestlings were collected from each nest. Whole body or egg homogenates were analyzed for PCBs or DROs. EROD activity in livers from day 12 nestlings is being determined for both PCB and DRO exposures. In the Newton Creek study, hatching success was similar for DRO and reference sites. DROs were detected in gastrointestinal tracts of 1 nestling from the reference and 1 from the contaminated site. DROs were not detected in any egg samples. In the Sheboygan River study, hatching success rates differed between 1 reference and 1 contaminated river segment. PCB ...
Maximum metal loss rate of Alloy 800 coupons was about 0.5 mil/year and occurred at the maximum temperature of 600/sup 0/C. Significantly greater oxide penetration into the alloy occurred in unabraded as-received tubing. Since the corrosion rate of unabraded tubing was less temperature sensitive than polished coupons, and attained a maximum value at temperatures in the range of 550 to 565/sup 0/C, a value of 1 mil/year should be used as the corrosion rate for design purposes. Because daily thermal cycling is inherent in solar central receiver operation, oxidation and chromium depletion rates can be expected to increase if surface oxide layers spall. The oxide layers formed on Alloy 800 appeared to be adherent, and adherence will benefit further from growth-derived compressive stresses in oxide layers on the salt-exposed inner diameter of receiver tubes. Since the lower duty factor in diurnal solar service may offset the accelerated metal loss ...
The relationships between severity of iron deficiency anemia, response to iron treatment, respiratory and gastrointestinal illness and weight changes were assessed before (T1) and after (T2) iron therapy. Seventy-five pre-school children from rural Guatemala received daily oral iron (ferrous sulfate 5 mg/kg/day) for eleven weeks, and were classified into one of three groups: (1) severe iron deficient (Hgb < 9.25 g/dl at T1 and > 1g/dl Hgb response (T2-T1) to Fe Rx; (2) moderately iron deficient (Hgb 9.25 g/dl to 11.5 g/dl and T2-T1 > 1g/dl); (3) normal controls (Hgb > 11.5 g/dl and T2-T1 < 1g/dl). When both severely and moderately anemic children were pooled together, there was a statistical significant difference between the number of days ill with gastrointestinal symptoms of these children and those in the control group. Children with T1 Hgb > 11.5 had more days ill than those classified as severely or moderately anemic. There was no other ...
Before large-scale anthropogenetic emissions the environmental factors have been rather stable for thousands of years, varying yearly, seasonally and daily in rather regular manners around some mean values. In this century the emissions of CO{sub 2}, sulphur and nitrogen from society to atmosphere are changing both atmospheric and soil environment at rates not experienced before. The fluxes to soil affect the contents of plant available nutrients and solubility of toxic compounds in the forest soil. Additionally, the chemical state of soil environment is coupled to tree growth, litter production and nutrient uptake as well as to the activity of biological organisms in soil, which decompose litter and release nutrients from it. Trees have developed effective regulation systems to cope with the environment during the evolution. The resulting acclimations improve the functioning of the trees if the environmental factors remain within their range ...
The biological actions of juvenile hormones are well studied; they regulate almost all aspects of an insect’s life. However, the molecular actions of these hormones are not well understood....Full Text Available
Performance and hormones were determined in eight middle- and nine long-distance runners after an increase in training volume (ITV, February 1989) or intensity (ITI, February 1990). Seven runners participated...Full Text Available
The synthesis of (/sup 14/C)-10,11-Epoxy-(2E,6E)-farnesyl diazoacetate in one vessel, starting from (/sup 14/C)-glyoxylic acid, is described. This compound is useful as a potential photoaffinity labeling agent for juvenile hormone binding sites.
OBJECTIVE: To present recent evidence on the use of ovarian hormone therapy (OHT) for osteoporosis and outline safe and effective regimens. OPTIONS: Estrogen alone, estrogen and progestins, progestins...Full Text Available
Subchronic exposure to pharmacological levels of estrogenic compounds, including 17 beta-estradiol, diethylstilbestrol, and alpha-dienestrol, significantly increased the mortality of B6C3F1 female mice...Full Text Available
We have previously shown that lymphocyte β2-adrenoceptors (AR) are under cyclical control of sex-steroid hormones with greater receptor density during the luteal phase of the menstrual...Full Text Available
Previous studies demonstrated that perinatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a major class of brominated flame retardants, may affect thyroid hormone (TH) concentrations by inducing...Full Text Available
Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is used clinically in osteoporotic patients to increase bone mass by enhancing bone formation. PTH therapy is not uniformly effective at all skeletal sites and “lifestyle”...Full Text Available
Gonadotropin–releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons are the central regulators of reproduction. GABAergic transmission plays a critical role in pubertal activation of pulsatile GnRH secretion....Full Text Available
Gel filtration of human erythrocyte (RBC) lysate incubated with labeled thyroxine (Tu) or triiodothyronine (Tt) revealed co-elution of a major iodothyronine-binding fraction (R-2) and hemoglobin. Solutions of purified human hemoglobin and Tt also showed co-elution of hormone and hemoglobin. Because hematin and protoporphyrin were shown to bind labeled Tt, the oxygen-binding site on hemoglobin was excluded as the site of iodothyronine-hemoglobin interaction. Analysis of hormone binding by heme and globin moieties showed Tt binding to be limited to the heme fraction. Addition of excess unlabeled Tt to hemoglobin or heme incubated with labeled Tt indicated 75% to 90% of hormone binding was poorly dissociable. These observations suggested that the presence of hemoglobin in RBC lysate or in serum could influence the measurement of Tu and Tt by specific radioimmunoassay (RIA). Subsequent studies of the addition to serum of human ...
Pulsatile hormone secretion is observed in almost every hormonal system. The frequency of episodic hormone release ranges from approximately 10 to 100 pulses in 24 hours. This temporal mode of secretion is an important feature of intercellular information transfer in addition to a dose-response dependent regulation. It has been demonstrated in a number of experiments that changes in the temporal pattern of pulsatile hormone secretion specifically regulate cellular and organ function and structure. Recent evidence links osteoporosis, a disease characterized by loss of bone mass and structure, to changes in the dynamics of pulsatile parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion. In our study we applied nonlinear and linear time series prediction to characterize the secretory dynamics of PTH in both healthy human subjects and patients with osteoporosis. Osteoporotic patients appear to lack ...
Radioimmunochemical assay was used to study the hypophyseal and peripheral hormones activity in 60 patients with chronic alcoholism, stage II. A correlation has been established between the patient's age and prolactin and FSH concentrations, as well as between the duration of the recent hard drinking and the concentrations of prolactin, testosterone, FSH and interstitial cell stimulating hormone. It has been shown that the manifestation of the alcoholic abstinent syndrome depended on the prolactin concentration. The test sensitivity estimated by the prolactin level rise and the testosterone level reduction reached 92.3%. The specificity of the changes detected comprised 25%. A conclusion has been made that the disorders noted in the patients with chronic alcoholic intoxication can be used as an objective test in the alcoholism diagnosis. PMID:3936321
Clinical and hormonal indices of androgenic activity were compared in 118 males chronically intoxicated with alcohol. The population was divided into two groups with respect to their clinical and hormonal androgenic indices: 76 patients with (Group 1), and 46 patients without (Group 2) androgenic insufficiency. Distinct signs and syndromes of alcohol addiction were shown to correlate with the extent of cross-regulation impairment within hypothalamo-hypophyseo-gonadal system. This was particularly derived from comparison of clinical picture of chronic alcohol intoxication and hormone activity in the groups. Conventional therapy failed to restore the neuroendocrine indices that was apparently due to inhibition of cross-regulation links in the hypothalamo-hypophyseo-gonadal system at several stages of alcohol addiction. PMID:3223149
Males and females display differences in physiology, behaviour and susceptibility to many diseases. Genome-wide transcription profiling studies have uncovered large-scale sex differences in autosomal gene expression in somatic tissues that are thought to underlie such 'sexual dimorphisms'. Because males and females differ genetically mainly in their sex chromosome complement, most sex differences can be traced back to the X and Y chromosomes. Although sex hormones are usually considered the main architects of sexual dimorphisms, recent studies have demonstrated that sex chromosomes can also induce sex differences in somatic gene expression in the absence of hormonal differences. The recent discovery of epigenetic sex differences that are not hormone-induced brings us closer to understandin...
Objectives: Evaluate the effect of diet, physical exercise, and a daily oral intake of a soy isoflavones extract (Fisiogen) contained 200mg of Glycine max, which corresponded to 80mg of isoflavone (60.8mg of genistein, 16mg of daidzein and 3.2mg of glicitein) on leptin and other adipokines plasma levels in healthy obese postmenopausal women. Methods: A multicentric randomized longitudinal prospective cohort study was conducted in a sample of 87 healthy obese postmenopausal women. Patients were randomly assigned to a 1200kcal diet and exercise group (control group) or a group of 1200kcal diet, exercise, and daily oral intake of daily oral intake of a soy isoflavones extract (Fisiogen) contained 200mg of Glycine max, which corresponded to 80mg of isoflavone (60.8mg of genistein, 16mg of daid...
Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn were determined in birch leaves (Folium Betulae), dandelion roots (Radix Taraxacae), hawthorn blossom (Inflorescentia Crataegi) and their infusions by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) after microwave digestion of plant samples. Infusions were made from herbs according to prescription for patients, provided by the producer of medicine on the package. The results obtained were compared with daily requirements for each element. Results show high content of cadmium in the medicinal plants analyzed. The highest level in infusions was observed for Ni and Zn (over 90% of the total element concentration for Ni and in most cases over 50% for Zn), and the lowest for Cd and Pb. The calculated daily intake of majority of the analyzed elements was very low (under 1% of daily requirements)
This study focuses on comparing reports of nicotine withdrawal, craving, and depressive symptoms obtained using an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system and several questionnaires. As part of a smoking cessation trial, daily reports of withdrawal, craving, and negative mood were collected using an IVR system for 7 days after participants attempted to quit smoking, and several pencil and paper questionnaires (i.e., the Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale, the Questionnaire on Smoking Urges, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression) were completed a week after the target quit date. The sample was composed of 378 daily smokers. Moderate to high correlations were found between the research questionnaires obtained at the end of the week and the corresponding daily IVR reports of ...
In X-linked nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) the urine of male patients is not concentrated after the administration of the antidiuretic hormone arginine-vasopressin. This disease is due to mutations...Full Text Available
Glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) is a nutrient-regulated intestinotrophic hormone derived from proglucagon in the distal intestine. Enteral nutrients (EN) potentiate the action of GLP-2 to reverse parenteral...Full Text Available
Pituitary Fshb concentrations increase markedly and selectively beginning on Postnatal Day 20 in the male rat. To evaluate the factors potentially responsible for this rise...Full Text Available
The actions of nicotine, hexamethonium, and ethanol on the hypothalamo-hypophysial system have been investigated in the rat. The antidiuretic action of nicotine was not inhibited by ethanol, nor by...Full Text Available
Interkingdom signaling is established in the gastrointestinal tract in that human hormones trigger responses in bacteria; here, we show that the corollary is true, that a specific bacterial signal,...Full Text Available
The ability to respond to stress is at the core of an organism's survival. The hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine play a central role in stress responses in mammals, which require the synchronized...Full Text Available
The plant hormone cytokinin is perceived by membrane-located sensor histidine kinases. Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) possesses three cytokinin receptors: ARABIDOPSIS HISTIDINE...Full Text Available
The development of central neuropathic pain varies among patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). The factors contributing to the development and perpetuation of segmental pain (at-level allodynia)...Full Text Available
Nuclear hormone receptors comprise a characteristic family of transcription factors found in vertebrates, insects and nematodes. Here we show by cDNA and gene cloning that a Cnidarian, Tripedalia...Full Text Available
There is increasing evidence that receptor-mediated events impact one or more stages responsible for tumor development in experimental animals and humans. Although many chemicals and endogenous hormones...Full Text Available
Auxin-induced pea (Pisum sativum) stem section elongation is enhanced at levels of 3 to 40 micromolar by six new classes of alkane derivatives additional to those described earlier,...Full Text Available
Hypothyroidism and thyrotoxicosis are each associated with an increased risk of fracture. Although thyroxine (T4) is the predominant circulating thyroid hormone, target cell responses are determined...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe zebrafish is recognized as a versatile cancer and drug screening model. However, it is not known whether the estrogen-responsive genes and signaling pathways that are...Full Text Available
The X-ray crystallographic structural determinations of synthetic estrogens and antiestrogens provide reliable information on the global minimum energy conformation of these molecules or a local minimum...Full Text Available
[alpha]-Melanocyte stimulating hormone ([alpha]-MSH), a hormone originally named for its ability to regulate pigmentation of melanocytes, is a 13-amino-acid post-translational product of the pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) gene. [alpha]-MSH and the other products of POMC processing, which share the core heptapeptide amino acid sequence Met-Glu (Gly)-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly (Asp), the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), [beta]-MSH, and [gamma]-MSH, are collectively referred to as melanocortins. While best known for their effects on the melanocyte (pigmentation) and adrenal cortical cells (steroidogenesis), melanocortins have been postulated to function in diverse activities, including enhancement of learning and memory, control of the cardiovascular system, analgesia, thermoregulation, immunomodulation, parturition, and neurotrophism. To identify the chromosomal band encoding the human melanocortin-1 receptor gene, 1 [mu]g of an ...
Acylation stimulating protein (ASP, C3adesArg) is an adipose tissue derived hormone that stimulates triglyceride (TG) synthesis. ASP stimulates lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity by relieving feedback...Full Text Available
Hormone potency depends on receptor availability, regulated via gene expression and receptor trafficking. To ascertain how central leptin receptors are regulated, the effects of leptin challenge, high-fat...Full Text Available
Disorders of the adrenal gland are rare and complex, with many potential pitfalls in their management. An understanding of embryology, anatomy, physiology and biochemistry is crucial. Surgical treatment may be required for syndromes of hormonal excess and/or suspicion of neoplasia.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) results from insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction, in the setting of hyperglucagonemia. Glucagon is a 29 amino acid peptide hormone, which is secreted from...Full Text Available
A series of N-alkylamide epoxides have shown considerable selective activity against insects. The N-ethyl and 7,11-dichloro-N-ethyl derivatives showed particularly pronounced activity, and this paper...Full Text Available
External application of auxin and cytokinin is required for the formation of flower buds on thin-layer tissue explants of Nicotiana tabacum cv Samsun. Interaction between both plant...Full Text Available
In addition to regulating acid secretion, the gastric antral hormone gastrin regulates several important cellular processes in the gastric epithelium including proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion,...Full Text Available
Membranous dysmenorrhea is an unusual clinical entity. It is characterized by the expulsion of huge fragments of endometrium during the menses, favored by hormonal abnormality or drug intake. This report describes a case with clinical, US, and MRI findings before the expulsion. Differential diagnoses are discussed. (orig.)
Auxin modulates diverse plant developmental pathways through direct transcriptional regulation and cooperative signaling with other plant hormones. Genetic and biochemical approaches have clarified...Full Text Available
BACKGROUND: Mitochondrial changes have been described in muscle tissue in acquired hypothyroidism. Among the molecular mechanisms by which thyroid hormones regulate expression of nuclear genes encoding...Full Text Available
Background:Increasing evidence shows the importance of young age, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) status, and HER-2 expression in patients with breast cancers.Patients...Full Text Available
Animals in a variety of taxa discriminate between a greater quantity and a lesser quantity of the same object, an ability that is referred to as relative numerousness judgment. For example,...Full Text Available
BackgroundEarly exposure to ovarian hormones is considered to increase breast cancer incidence. The age at which the ovaries become functional is thus important.Full Text Available
Changes in RNA synthesis in liver nuclei were observed at different ages and after hypophysectomy and hormone replacement in female Sprague-Dawley rats. As determined by the incorporation of [3H]UMP...Full Text Available
BackgroundRed ripe tomatoes are the result of numerous physiological changes controlled by hormonal and developmental signals, causing maturation or differentiation of various fruit...Full Text Available
SummaryHuman skin expresses elements of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis including pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), the CRH receptor-1...Full Text Available
Cytokinins are hormones that regulate cell division and development. As a result of a lack of specific mutants and biochemical tools, it has not been possible to study the consequences of cytokinin...Full Text Available
BackgroundSteroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein related lipid transfer (START) domains are small globular modules that form a cavity where lipids and lipid hormones bind....Full Text Available
Phosphorus is an essential mineral that maintains cellular energy and mineralizes the skeleton. Because complex actions of ion transporters and regulatory hormones regulate serum phosphorus concentrations,...Full Text Available
Mechanisms regulating sexual differentiation of the zebra finch song system appear to include both genetic and hormonal factors. Sorting Nexin 2 (SNX2), which is involved in trafficking proteins...Full Text Available
After emergence, adult flies and other insects select a suitable perch and expand their wings. Wing expansion is governed by the hormone bursicon and can be delayed under adverse environmental...Full Text Available
BackgroundLevels of brominated flame retardants are increasing in U.S. populations, yet little data are available on body burdens of these and other persistent hormonally-active...Full Text Available
Arabidopsis thaliana SUPERMAN (SUP) plays an important role during flower development by maintaining the boundary between stamens and carpels in the inner two whorls....Full Text Available
BackgroundMale infertility is a common cause of reproductive failure in humans. In mice, targeted deletions of the genes coding for FKBP6 or FKBP52, members of the FK506 binding...Full Text Available
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are ligand-activated transcription factors belonging to the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily. Their discovery in the 1990s provided insights...Full Text Available
A potent link to dairy seems to exist for three hormone-responsive glands. Acne, breast cancer and prostate cancer have all been linked epidemiologically to dairy intake. Although mechanisms postulated...Full Text Available
A cDNA encoding a cytochrome P450 enzyme was isolated from a cDNA library of the corpora allata (CA) from reproductively active Diploptera punctata cockroaches. This P450 from the endocrine...Full Text Available
Traditional approaches to the study of hormones and cognition have been primarily observational or correlational in nature. Because this work does not permit causal relationships to be identified,...Full Text Available
T-type calcium channels are responsible for generating low-threshold spikes that facilitate burst firing and neurotransmitter release in neurons. GnRH neurons exhibit burst firing, but the underlying...Full Text Available
BACKGROUND: The aetiologies of glioma and meningioma tumors are largely unknown. Although reproductive hormones are thought to influence the risk of these tumors, epidemiologic data are not supportive of this hypothesis; however, few cohort studies have published on this topic. We examined the relation between reproductive factors and risk of glioma and meningioma among women in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).METHODS: After a mean of 8.4 years of follow-up, 193 glioma and 194 meningioma were identified among 276,212 women. Information on reproductive factors and hormone use was collected at baseline. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to determine hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: No associations were observed between glioma or meningioma risk and reproductive factors, including age at menarche, parity, age at first birth, menopausal status, and age at menopause. A ...
BackgroundFinasteride, a 5 alpha reductase inhibitor, is an established treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia. The recommended dosage is 5 mg a day, however case reports have...Full Text Available
Asymptomatic alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevations have been detected with acetaminophen use at the maximum daily dose of 4 grams/day (g/d) for more than 3 consecutive days in subjects with...Full Text Available
The Meteorological Service of Canada has made weather datasets available in real-time on the Internet, for use by those with an interest in solar applications. Ensemble weather models can be used to produce medium range forecasts of weather events and to predict the likely available kilowatt-hours (kWhrs) of solar energy. As such, solar sites can maximize their harvest and use of solar energy. This presentation highlighted several different types of renewable energy forecasts obtained from weather models, including forecasts of expected kWhrs from solar panels and wind turbines, daily forecasts of expected solar heated water volumes and forecasts of water collection potential from impending precipitation events. The value of renewable energy forecasts in helping the solar energy sector monitor daily energy loads as well as daily and weekly solar energy supply was emphasized. It was suggested that renewable energy forecasts ...
PurposeAuto-propagation of anatomical region-of-interests (ROIs) from the planning CT to daily CT is an essential step in image-guided adaptive radiotherapy. The...Full Text Available
1. The LD50 of iodomethane orally administered to rats is 76mg./kg. body wt. but repeated daily doses of 30–50mg./kg. body wt. are without effect. 2. Oral doses of iodomethane to...Full Text Available
Available in vitro and animal studies have shown cancer protective effects of tea polyphenols. Recent study suggests a greater protective effect of green tea intake on breast cancer...Full Text Available
A publication on Norwegian gas and gas export. The content is wide spread from use of gas in daily life via sub sea pipeline repair systems to an overview over tomorrows gas fields. (AG)
Objective: To investigate the efficacy, safety, and clinical benefit of a once-daily formulation of trazodone (Trazodone Contramid® OAD) in the treatment of major depressive...Full Text Available
... were given daily i.p. injections of either sesame oil (2.5 ml/kg, vehicle control) or VCD dissolved in sesame oil (80 mg/kg, 0.57 mmol/kg) for ... ...
Several drugs are available for the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis. This may, in daily practice, confuse the clinician. This manuscript offers an evidence-based update of previous treatment...Full Text Available
To make the doubly labelled water method for determining energy expenditure more applicable in a free-living population, collection of a single daily urine or breath sample would have advantages compared to a 24-hr urine collection. Coward et al. reported the use of a single daily urine sample. In the previously described study, a single urine collection and a fasting morning breath sample were collected from four men during two 21-day periods (fall, F, spring, S) while maintaining their body wts. on controlled diets (20% calories from protein, 40% from fat, 60% from CHO [F]; 20% protein, 20% fat, 60% CHO [S]). Urine and breath samples were analyzed to determine disappearance rates of D and "1"8O for up to 21 days. Values were compared with metabolizable energy intake levels (EI), with or without corrections for estimated changes in body composition assessed by several methods. Preliminary evaluations suggest that the single ...
Choice procedures have indicated that the relative reinforcing effectiveness of opioid drugs increases during opioid withdrawal. The demand curve, an absolute measure of reinforcer value, has not been...Full Text Available
Molecular life science is one of the fastest-growing fields of scientific and technical innovation, and biotechnology has profound effects on many aspects of daily life—often with deep, ethical...Full Text Available
Cimetidine 1 g daily is often continued for a fixed period beyond the time of healing of duodenal ulcer on the assumption that it might reduce the subsequent relapse rate. To test this, 194 patients...Full Text Available
BackgroundThere is need for a cognitive test battery that can be easily used in clinical practice to detect or monitor cognitive performance in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS)....Full Text Available
Premature circuit clotting is a major problem in daily practice of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), increasing blood loss, workload, and costs. Early clotting is related to bioincompatibility,...Full Text Available
Diel variations in rates of C export, sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS) and sucrose synthase (SS) activity, and C reserves were investigated in Zostera marina L. (eelgrass) to elucidate the environmental...Full Text Available
Summary Purpose BMS-275183 is an oral C-4 methyl carbonate analogue of paclitaxel that has the same mechanism of action, stabilization of tubulin polymerization. The present study was designed to: (i) assess the safety and tolerability of BMS-275183, and (ii) determine a suitable Phase II dose of BMS-275183 when given on a continuous daily schedule to patients with advanced solid tumor(s). Methods This was a multi-institutional, open-label, Phase I, single-arm dose escalation study in which cohorts of eligible patients with advanced malignancies were treated with BMS-275183 orally on a continuous daily schedule. The starting dose level was 6?mg/m2/day administered once daily. Cohorts of 3 patients were treated at each dose level provided no dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) were observed. Ea...
Selective phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5Is) have revolutionized the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) in men. As an on-demand treatment, PDE5Is have excellent efficacy and safety in...Full Text Available
The extracellular domain of human fibroblast growth factor receptor (XC-FGF-R) was expressed in Escherichia coli. The protein was purified to homogeneity and the interaction with basic fibroblast growth...Full Text Available
Results of monitoring milk and tap water in New York City are presented. The New York City sample is a monthly composite of pasteurized milk purchased daily at retail stores. The monthly "9"0Sr to calcium ratios for New York City since the inception of the sampling program in 1954 are presented. Samples of New York City tap water are taken daily, so that by the end of the month, approximately 100 liters have been collected. The available cesium-137 data expressed as the "1"3"7Cs to "9"0Sr ratio are also given.
Non-linear autoregressive Markov regime-switching models are intuitive. Time-series approaches for the modelling of electricity spot prices are frequently proposed. In this paper, such models are compared with an ordinary linear autoregressive model with regard to their forecast performances. The study is carried out using German daily spot-prices from the European Energy Exchange in Leipzig. Four non-linear models are used for the forecast study. The results of the study suggest that Markov regime-switching models provide better forecasts than linear models. (author)
Non-linear autoregressive Markov regime-switching models are intuitive. Time-series approaches for the modelling of electricity spot prices are frequently proposed. In this paper, such models are compared with an ordinary linear autoregressive model with regard to their forecast performances. The study is carried out using German daily spot-prices from the European Energy Exchange in Leipzig. Four non-linear models are used for the forecast study. The results of the study suggest that Markov regime-switching models provide better forecasts than linear models. (author)
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and the Department of Energy-National Energy Technologies Laboratory (DOE-NETL) are evaluating and demonstrating integration of terrestrial carbon sequestration techniques at a coal-fired electric power plant through the use of Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) system gypsum as a soil amendment and mulch, and coal fly ash pond process water for periodic irrigation. From January to March 2002, the Project Team initiated the construction of a 40 ha Carbon Capture and Water Emissions Treatment System (CCWESTRS) near TVA's Paradise Fossil Plant on marginally reclaimed surface coal mine lands in Kentucky. The CCWESTRS is growing commercial grade trees and cover crops and is expected to sequester 1.5-2.0 MT/ha carbon per year over a 20-year period. The concept could be used to meet a portion of the timber industry's needs while simultaneously sequestering carbon in lands which would otherwise ...
Perinatal exposure to cadmium (Cd) or methylmercury (MeHg) results in impaired neurodevelopment. Thyroid hormone is essential for normal brain development. However, the issue whether Cd or MeHg, especially at low doses, interrupts thyroid hormone action remains to be investigated. In the present study, effects of perinatal exposure to low levels of Cd or MeHg on thyroid hormone metabolism were examined using metallothionein I and II (MT-I/II) null or wild-type neonatal mice. Dams were exposed to 10 mg/L water of Cd or 5 mg/kg chow of MeHg from gestational day 0 to post-natal day 10 (PND 10). Sera, livers and brains were collected from neonates on PND 10. Iodothyronine deiodinase activities and serum thyroxine (T4) concentrations were measured. MeHg exposure failed to induce changes in serum T4 levels and liver type 1 deiodinase (D1) and brain type 2 deiodinase (D2) activities regardless of the MT genotype. However, exposure ...
Purpose: Hormonal stimulation can induce background enhancement (BE) in MR mammography (MRM). This fact has been assumed to decrease the accuracy of MRM. Consequently, this report investigates: 1. The prevalence of BE in postmenopausal vs. premenopausal women in correlation to hormonal cycle phase (CP). 2. The impact of hormonal status (HS) and BE on diagnostic accuracy. Materials and Methods: Consecutive patients over 22 months with complete HS information (week of CP or postmenopausal) were included in this prospective investigation. Exclusion criteria were any hormonal therapy, hysterectomy as well as cancer proven by biopsy. The standard of reference was histopathology. All MRM scans were acquired using the same protocol (1.5 T, dynamic T 1w GRE after 0.1 mmol/kg bw Gd-DTPA i. v.). Two radiologists rated all examinations in consensus according to BI-RADS. BE was defined as: 0 = missing, 1 = ...
Purpose/Objective. Daily Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in room imaging is used to determine tumour shrinkage during a full radiotherapy (RT) course. In addition, relative interfractional tumour and lymph node motion is determined for each RT fraction. Material and methods. From November 2009 to March 2010, 20 consecutive lung cancer patients (14 NSCLC, 6 SCLC) were followed with daily CBCT during RT. The gross tumour volume for lung tumour (GTV-t) was visible in all daily CBCT scans and was delineated at the beginning, at the tenth and the 20th fraction, and at the end of treatment. Whenever visible, the gross tumour volume for lymph nodes (GTV-n) was also delineated. The GTV-t and GTV-n volumes were determined. All patients were setup according to an online bony anatomy match. Retrospectively, matching based on the internal target volume (ITV), the GTV-t or the GTV-n was performed. Results. In eight patients, we ...
By improving the currently used lactoperoxidase method, we were able to obtain radioiodinated chicken luteinizing hormone (LH) that shows high specific binding and low nonspecific binding to a crude plasma membrane fraction of testicular cells of the domestic fowl and the Japanese quail, and to the ovarian granulosa cells of the Japanese quail. The change we made from the original method consisted of (1) using chicken LH for radioiodination that was not only highly purified but also retained a high receptor binding potency; (2) controlling the level of incorporation of radioiodine into chicken LH molecules by employing a short reaction time and low temperature; and (3) fractionating radioiodinated chicken LH further by gel filtration using high-performance liquid chromatography. Specific radioactivity of the final {sup 125}I-labeled chicken LH preparation was 14 microCi/micrograms. When specific binding was 12-16%, nonspecific binding was as low as 2-4% in the ...
This study investigated the roles of testosterone and prolactin in seasonal changes in the attractiveness of odors of male meadow voles to long-photoperiod females. Prolactin was reduced in long-photoperiod males by treatment with bromocryptine (Experiment 1) and increased in short-photoperiod males by replacement with ovine prolactin (Experiment 2). Testosterone was manipulated by castration and testosterone replacement. During long photoperiods, the attractiveness of the odor produced by male meadow voles depends on the circulating titers of both prolactin and testosterone. Males with high titers of both hormones produced scents that were highly attractive to females; those with low titers of both hormones produced unattractive scents. When the concentration of one hormone was high and the other low, long-photoperiod males produced scents of intermediate attractiveness. During short photoperiods, the attractiveness of the ...
Comparisons were made between various LH and FSH radioimmunoassays currently being used to measure avian hormones. The two LH assays were the homologous chicken system of Follett et al. (1972) and the turkey assay of Burke et al. (1979). These assays were also used in heterologous arrangement by interchanging the iodinated LH fractions and antisera. Five FSH assays were analyzed: two homologous chicken systems (Scanes et al., 1977; Sakai and Ishii, 1980) an assay based on mammalian materials (rat FSH and anti-ovine FSH antiserum, and one using labelled turkey FSH (Burke et al., 1979) with an anti-chicken FSH antiserum. The potencies of purified chicken and turkey gonadotrophin preparations and of a range of plasma samples from Japanese quail were measured in each assay. The two LH systems showed some degree of species specificity, such that chicken LH was more active than turkey LH in the chicken assay, whereas the reverse was true in the turkey LH assay. The ...
The effects of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) on guanylate cyclase activity and cyclic GMP accumulation were examined, since these hormones appear to be intimately associated with blood pressure and intravascular volume homeostasis. ANP was found to increase cyclic GMP accumulation in ten cell culture systems, which were derived from blood vessels, adrenal cortex, kidney, lung, testes and mammary gland. ANP receptors were characterized in intact cultured cells using {sup 125}I-ANP{sub 8-33}. Specific {sup 125}I-ANP binding was saturable and of high affinity. Scratchard analysis of the binding data for all cell types exhibited a straight line, indicating that these cells possessed a single class of binding sites. Despite the presence of linear Scatchard plots, these studies demonstrated that cultured cells possess two functionally and physically distinct ANP-binding sites. Most of the ANP-binding sites in cultured cells have a ...
PurposeWe investigated the efficacy and safety of degarelix treatment and the effects of switching from leuprolide to degarelix in an ongoing extension study with a median 27.5-month followup of a pivotal 1-year prostate cancer trial. Materials and MethodsPatients who completed a 1-year pivotal phase III trial continued on the same monthly degarelix maintenance dose (160 or 80 mg in 125 each), or were re-randomized from leuprolide 7.5 mg to degarelix 240/80 mg (69) or 240/160 mg (65). Data are shown on the approved degarelix 240/80 mg dose. The primary end point was safety/tolerability and the secondary end points were testosterone, prostate specific antigen, luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone responses, and prostate specific antigen failure and progression-free survival....
BACKGROUNDLifestyle modifications are successfully employed to treat obese and overweight women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The aims of the current pilot study were (i) to compare the efficacy on reproductive functions of a structured exercise training (SET) programme with a diet programme in obese PCOS patients and (ii) to study their clinical, hormonal and metabolic effects to elucidate potentially different mechanisms of action.METHODSForty obese PCOS patients with anovulatory infertility underwent a SET programme (SET group, n = 20) and a hypocaloric hyperproteic diet (diet group, n = 20). Clinical, hormonal and metabolic data were assessed at baseline, and at 12- and 24-week follow-ups. Primary endpoint was cumulative pregnancy rate.RESULTSThe two groups had similar demogra...
Severe affective and behavioral dysregulation, labeled as severe mood dysregulation (SMD), is a widely spread phenomenon among adolescent psychiatric patients. This phenotype constitutes severe impairment across multiple settings, including various symptoms, such as non-episodic anger, mood instability, and hyperarousal. Moreover, SMD patients often show depression and reduced need for sleep. Despite a lifetime prevalence of 3.3%, systematic research is still scarce, and treatments that have been established do not account for the range of symptoms present in SMD. Considering the circadian dysfunctions, two hormones, melatonin and cortisol, are essential. When these hormones are dysregulated, the circadian rhythm gets out of synchrony. Since evidence is emerging showing that the worse the ...
Male meadow voles housed in a long photoperiod (14 h light/day, LP) preferred female to male odors, whereas males maintained in a short photoperiod (10 h light/day, SP) did not display preferences for odors of either sex. These odor-preference patterns matched those of free-living males during spring and autumn, respectively. The preference of LP male voles for female over male odors was eliminated by gonadectomy and reinstated by treatment with testosterone. In SP males, although gonadectomy did not affect odor choices, a preference for female odors was induced by testosterone treatment. Treatment with estradiol did not alter odor preferences of LP or SP males. In conjunction with previous result, the present findings suggest that hormonal responsiveness of neural substrates that control odor preferences are sexually dimorphic and may reflect sex differences in reproductive strategies. PMID:1615048
SummaryPurposeWomen with epilepsy have increased frequency of reproductive health problems compared to women without epilepsy. In puberty, reproductive hormonal changes during sexual maturation may affect epilepsy and induce the debut of seizures as indicated in some studies. On the other hand, epileptic activity affects sex hormone function, which may induce alterations in pubertal endocrine maturation and thereby menarche age. We wanted to investigate the relation between epilepsy and menarche age in a larger population of female epilepsy patients.MethodsA retrospective, questionnaire study of a cohort of 265 female outpatients from three Norwegian hospitals and 142 controls, aged 18-45 years was conducted. Parameters regarding epilepsy and reproductive health issues were registered. Per...
Precocious puberty is a significant child health problem, especially in girls, because 95% of cases are idiopathic. Our earlier studies demonstrated that low-dose levels of manganese (Mn) caused precocious puberty via stimulating the secretion of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH). Because glial-neuronal communications are important for the activation of LHRH secretion at puberty, we investigated the effects of prepubertal Mn exposure on specific glial-derived puberty-related genes known to affect neuronal LHRH release. Animals were supplemented with MnCl2 (10 mg/kg) or saline by gastric gavage from day 12 until day 22 or day 29, then decapitated, and brains removed. The site of LHRH release is the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH), and tissues from this area were analyzed by real-...
Gonadal hormones modulate neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus differentially in male and female adult rodents. Neurogenesis is comprised of at least two components: cell proliferation (the production of new cells) and cell survival (the number of new neurons that survive to maturity). Previous studies have found sex differences in the level of cell proliferation in the dentate gyrus only when comparing females in a high estrogen state to males. This review focuses on the effects of acute and chronic levels of estrogens or androgens on hippocampal neurogenesis in the adult male and female rodent. Evidence is also reviewed for the co-localization of androgen receptors and estrogen receptors (ER) with markers for cell proliferation or immature new cell survival. Briefly, evidence suggests that ...
Measuring HPA axis activity is the standard approach to the study of stress and welfare in farm animals. Although the reference technique is the use of blood plasma to measure glucocorticoid hormones (cortisol or corticosterone), several alternative methods such as the measurement of corticosteroids in saliva, urine or faeces have been developed to overcome the stress induced by blood sampling itself. In chronic stress situations, as is frequently the case in studies about farm animal welfare, hormonal secretions are usually unchanged but dynamic testing allows the demonstration of functional changes at several levels of the system, including the sensitization of the adrenal cortex to ACTH and the resistance of the axis to feedback inhibition by corticosteroids (dexamethasone suppression t...
The objective of this study was to determine the effects of partially substituting cottonseed cake with graded levels of baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) seed cake (BSC) on milk yield and quality in Guernsey cows. Sixteen cows in mid-lactation and in their third parity were allocated to diets containing 0% (control), 5%, 10%, and 15% BSC in a completely randomized design. Each cow was given a daily feed ration of 6?kg and a basal diet of soya bean stover ad libitum. There were no differences in daily feed intake (P?>?0.05), but basal intake differed among all treatment groups with cows on the control diet having the highest intake (30???0.34?kg/day). Mean daily milk yield differed (P?P?P?P?P?>?0.05). These results indicate that BSC can substitute soya bean cake in dairy diets, but milk produ...
Target of rapamycin (TOR) kinases control cell growth through two functionally distinct multiprotein complexes. TOR complex 1 (TORC1) controls temporal cell growth and is sensitive to rapamycin, whereas...Full Text Available
Growth of the malolactic bacterium Leuconostoc oenos was improved with respect to both the specific growth rate and the biomass yield during the fermentation of glucose-malate mixtures as compared with...Full Text Available
Mice homozygous for the recessive gene achondroplasia (cn) aged 16 and 17 days and some homozygotes aged 22-34 days have disruptions in the growth of the proximal tibial growth plate which are due solely...Full Text Available
Background and AimsSecondary growth via successive cambia has been intriguing researchers for decades. Insight into the mechanism of growth layer formation is, however, limited to...Full Text Available
New York City data indicate that seasonal and annual variations in dispersion-normalized air pollutant concentrations appear to accurately reflect changes in source emission patterns. The normalized concentrations make it possible to observe the impact of regulatory changes on ambient air quality without these impacts being obscured by meteorological fluctuations. It is found that numerical modeling techniques and regression analysis can be powerful tools for extracting information from large sets of air quality data. The use of differential, as opposed to absolute, pollutant concentration values will reduce artifact correlations caused by seasonal, weekly, or daily meteorological fluctuations and will permit more accurate estimation of the regression coefficients. This technique was successfully applied to a set of daily pollution measurements whose absolute concentrations were found not to yield a statistically significant fit by multiple ...
New York City data indicate that seasonal and annual variations in dispersion-normalized air pollutant concentrations appear to accurately reflect changes in source emission patterns. The normalized concentrations make it possible to observe the impact of regulatory changes on ambient air quality without these impacts being obscured by meteorological fluctuations. It is found that numerical modeling techniques and regression analysis can be powerful tools for extracting information from large sets of air quality data. The use of differential, as opposed to absolute, pollutant concentration values will reduce artifact correlations caused by seasonal, weekly, or daily meteorological fluctuations and will permit more accurate estimation of the regression coefficients. This technique was successfully applied to a set of daily pollution measurements whose absolute concentrations were found not to yield a statistically significant fit by multiple ...
Contents include: index for 1970-1980; January 1981 data -- alert periods, daily solar indices, solar flares, solar radio emission, coronal holes, inferred interplanetary magnetic field polarities, mean solar magnetic field, spacecraft observations, December 1980 data -- daily solar-activity centers, sudden ionospheric disturbances, spacecraft observations, solar radio emission, cosmic rays, geomagnetic indices, radio-propagation indices; late data -- solar radio emission November, December 1980, spacecraft observations November 1980, cosmic rays, Huancayo Oct 1980 -- climax, alert, Deep River Nov 1980.
Summary Objective- To evaluate the role of prophylactic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (co-trimoxazole) antibacterial prophylaxis in reducing morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected post-natal women in southern Africa. Methods- Double-blind placebo-controlled trial. HIV-infected women with WHO stage 2 or 3 HIV disease who had recently delivered in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia were randomised to receive daily co-trimoxazole (cotox) or matched placebo daily for the duration of the trial. Participants were followed up for a minimum of 1-year. Primary outcome measures were mortality from any cause or hospital admission and serious adverse events. Results- Of 600 women randomised, follow-up information was available from 355 (18...
Analysis of Sr-90 in milk and tap water has been conducted in New York City since 1954. The milk sample analyzed is a monthly composite of pasteurized milk purchased daily at retail stores. The monthly Sr-90 to calcium ratios for New York City since the inception of the sampling progam in 1954 through 1981 are tabulated. Samples of New York City tap water are taken daily so that by the end of the month, approximately 100 liters have been collected. Data on Sr-90 since the inception of the program are presented. The available Cs-137 data expressed as the Cs-137 to Sr-90 ratio are given. A graphical presentation of the New York City Sr-90 data is also shown.
Objectives To delineate the safety and tolerability profile of methylphenidate and atomoxetine in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) monitored for more than 1?year. Design A cohort study analyzing data from the national ADHD register on patients from the Lombardy Region treated with MPH or atomoxetine. Participants A total of 229 children (median age 11?years, range 6?17), enrolled in 15 regional centers between June 2007 and May 2010. Results The prevalence rate of pharmacological treatment for ADHD was 0.23%, whereas the estimated ADHD prevalence in the population was 0.95%. In total, 73.8% of patients had been treated with atomoxetine (10?90?mg daily) or MPH (10?75?mg daily); 22% of patients also received an additional psychotropic drug. Of the...
Even if there have been efforts to validate remote-sensing-based energy balance models, which provide evapotranspiration (ET) maps over a large spatial scale, few studies have been conducted to validate their performance in Korea. In this study, surface energy balance fluxes including ET were estimated and inter-compared with two different models using the Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper (TM) image over a watershed scale in Korea. While there were larger spatial discrepancies for net radiation, soil heat and sensible heat fluxes on a pixel-by-pixel basis between the two models, relatively smaller spatial discrepancies for the latent heat flux and daily ET were detected. The spatial discrepancies for the daily ET were larger in low topography and dense vegetation ranges. Despite the different par...
The biological half-life of "1"3"7Cs in the total body of human subjects was determined in 23 individuals of Japanese male adult in their normal works by measuring amount of "1"3"7Cs in both their total body and daily urine in the same period. For the group, the value was determined by averaging the half-lives for individuals, by comparing the mean body burden and the mean daily urinary excretion, or by applying a curve fitting method to the body burden estimate. The biological half-life averaged 86 days, ranging from 50 to 161 days. The averages of the biological half-lives for the group were 83, 87 and 82 days in the different periods of observation. By the curve fitting method, 85 days was found for the group. The biological half-life for the individuals depended on both body weight and age, to a lesser extent, of the subjects. (author).
Evidence for dietary/nutritional treatments of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) varies widely, from double-blind, placebo-controlled trials to anecdotal. In guiding patients, clinicians can apply the SECS versus RUDE rule: treatments that are Safe, Easy, Cheap, and Sensible (SECS) require less evidence than those that are Risky, Unrealistic, Difficult, or Expensive (RUDE). Two nutritional treatments appear worth general consideration: Recommended Daily Allowance/Reference Daily Intake multivitamin/mineral supplements as a pediatric health intervention not specific to ADHD and essential fatty acids, especially a mix of eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and ?-linolenic acid as an ADHD-specific intervention. Controlled studies support the elimination of artificial fo...
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and increases the morbidity and cost. Amiodarone reduces AF after CABG. Ranolazine, an antianginal agent, also prolongs atrial refractoriness and inhibits after depolarizations and triggered activity; effects that could decrease AF after CABG. The present study compared amiodarone versus ranolazine for the prevention of AF after CABG. A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing CABG at Aspirus Hospital from June 2008 to April 2010. The patients received either amiodarone (400 mg preoperatively followed by 200 mg twice daily for 10 to 14 days) or ranolazine (1,500 mg preoperatively followed by 1,000 mg twice daily for 10 to 14 days). The primary end point was any identified AF after CABG. A total of 393 ...
Simultaneous exposures of rats and hamsters to inhaled radon daughters, with and without uranium ore dust, were performed daily for five months. Pulmonary pathology developing in 6 to 13 mo after cessation of daily exposures included interstitial fibrosis, emphysema, epithelial hyperplasia, squamous metaplasia, and malignant neoplasia. Rats showed a greater variety and more severe response to these uranium mine inhalation exposures than did hamsters. Inhalation of radon daughters with uranium ore dust displayed the site of greatest damage, including squamous carcinoma, from the nasopharynx to the lungs. Sixty percent of the rats exposed to radon daughters with ore dust developed primary pulmonary carcinomas, providing an appropriate short-term experimental animal model for investigation of respiratory tract carcinogenesis in uranium miners.
Purpose Nonpoint sources (NPS) pollution has been an important cause for water quality impairment worldwide. To take the temporal variations of both NPS pollution and in-stream attenuation into consideration, an inverse modeling approach and the load duration curve (LDC) method were combined for variable nutrient total maximum daily load (TMDL) development. Methods Water quality and hydrological parameters were monitored monthly along the ChangLe River system in 2004?2008. The catchment NPS export load (EL) and TMDL for total nitrogen (TN) were estimated by the inverse format of an existing stream nutrient transport equation. The LDC method was used to describe the variability of EL, TMDL, requiring load (RLR) and percent (the ratio between the RLR and the EL, RPR) reduction, and then to s...
The growth and development of rice (Oryzae sativa) seedlings was shown to be regulated epigenetically by a fungal endophyte. In contrast to un-inoculated (nonsymbiotic) plants, endophyte...Full Text Available
To express growth-related changes in physiologic or other functions in forms usable for kinetic modeling, we are interested in identifying regular relationships that take the form of simple mathematical...Full Text Available
Insect growth regulators (IGRs) are a class of new chemicals that interfere with maturation and reproduction in insects. Proposed hypotheses on the biochemical mechanism of action are presented herein....Full Text Available
6-Mercaptopurine (6-MP) inhibits the growth of. Escherichia coli B. Growth inhibition is ... reversed by subculture of the cells in 6-mercaptopurine- ...
There is conflicting evidence about the effect of parental consanguinity on fetal growth. Previous studies have not always allowed for other factors that are known to affect birth weight, in particular,...Full Text Available
In the rat, some phthalates alter sexual differentiation at relatively low dosage levels by altering fetal Leydig cell development and hormone synthesis, thereby inducing abnormalities of the testis,...Full Text Available
To investigate mechanisms responsible for positive and negative transcriptional control, the authors have utilized two types of promoters that are diffferentially regulated by thyroid hormone (T{sub 3}) receptors. Promoters containing the palindromic T{sub 3} response element TCAGGTCA TGACCTGA are positively regulated by the T{sub 3} receptor after the administration of T{sub 3}, whereas otherwise identical promoters containing the estrogen response element TCAGGTCA CTG TGACCTGA can be regulated negatively; converse effects are observed with the estrogen receptor. They describe evidence that the transcriptional inhibitory effects of the T{sub 3} or estrogen receptors on the estrogen or T{sub 3} response elements, respectively, are imposed by amino acid sequences in the C'-terminal region that colocalize with dimerization and hormone-binding domains and that these sequences can transfer inhibitory functions to other classes of ...
γ-Radiation-induced tumors of Arabidopsis thaliana L. have been produced as a novel approach to isolation of genes that regulate plant development. Tumors excised from irradiated...Full Text Available
Administration of minocycline (MN), a tetracycline antibiotic, produces a black pigment in the thyroids of humans and several species of experimental animals and antithyroid effects in rodents. We have previously shown that these effects appear to be related to interactions of MN with thyroid peroxidase (TPO), the key enzyme in thyroid hormone synthesis. In the present study, the mechanisms for inhibition of TPO-catalyzed iodination and coupling reactions by MN were investigated. 37 refs., 7 figs., 3 tabs.
Resistance to thyroid hormone (RTH) is an autosomal dominant disease caused by mutations in the human thyroid receptor beta gene on chromosome 3. Individuals with RTH have an increased incidence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The purpose of this study was to search for developmental brain malformations associated with RTH. Forty-three subjects (20 affected males [AM], 23 affected females [AF]) with resistance to thyroid hormone and 32 unaffected first degree relatives (18 unaffected males [UM], 14 unaffected females [UF]) underwent MRI brain scans with a volumetric acquisition that provided 90 contiguous 2 mm thick sagittal images. Films of six contiguous images beginning at a standard sagittal position lateral to the insula were analyzed by an investigator who was blind with respect to subject characteristics. The presence of extra or missing gyri in the parietal bank of the Sylvian fissure (multimodal association cortex) ...
In many rodent species, such as Syrian hamsters, reproductive behavior requires neural integration of chemosensory information and steroid hormone cues. The medial amygdala processes both of...Full Text Available
Free-living male meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) emit odours that are attractive to females at the beginning, but not at the end, of the breeding season. The effect of gonadal hormones on female-attractant cues was examined in males born and reared in long (14 h light day-1) and short (10 h light day-1) photoperiods that simulate daylengths in the breeding and nonbreeding seasons, respectively. Gonadectomy affected the attractant properties of odours emitted by long photoperiod, but not short photoperiod, males. Long photoperiod females preferred odours of intact rather than those of gonadectomized long photoperiod males, and odours of gonadectomized long photoperiod males rather than those of intact short photoperiod males. Females did not show a preference between the odours of intact and castrated short photoperiod males. Gonadal hormone replacement in males affected female responses to the odours emitted by long photoperiod, but not ...
Nonthyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS) is a state of low serum 3,5,3′ triiodothyronine (T3) that occurs in chronically ill patients; the degree of reduction in T3 is associated...Full Text Available
The prototypic pituitary hormone prolactin (PRL) exerts a wide variety of bioregulatory effects in mammals and is also found in extrapituitary sites, including murine skin. Here, we show by reverse...Full Text Available
A case report of falsely elevated serum hormone values measured by radio-immunoassay (RIA) is described. The radio-immunoassays concerned have a first antibody raised in rabbits and mostly a separation technique based on a second antibody-solid phase system. The presence of heterophyle (anti-rabbit) antibodies in patients' serum is proved.
BackgroundEstrogen receptors alpha (ERα) and beta (ERβ) are transcription factors (TFs) that mediate estrogen signaling and define the hormone-responsive phenotype...Full Text Available
The low potency of many man-made estrogenic chemicals, so-called xenoestrogens, has been used to suggest that risks arising from exposure to individual chemicals are negligible. Another argument used...Full Text Available
Gadolinium (Gd) based contrast agents (GBCAs) in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used in daily clinical practice and appear safe in most patients; however, nephrogenic systemic fibrosis...Full Text Available
The effective half-life based on urine bioassay results of Wolsung NPP's worker was calculated. The effective half-life for tritiated water vapour obtained was 5 {approx} 9 days. In comparison to 10 days reported for ICRP-30, it is lower than the corresponding half-life for Reference Man. Also, the half-life was calculated based on intake amount of daily water. According to this result, the metabolism was reviewed.
Crop water demand in the Okanagan Basin was determined for 1961 to 1990, 2010 to 2039, 2040 to 2069, and 2070 to 2099. Daily station temperature data were spatially interpolated to a 1 x 1 km grid and adjusted for elevation. Daily precipitation data were estimated across four climatic regions. Output from three global climate models (GCM), CGCM2, CSIROMk2 and HadCM3 was used to create future daily climate. Daily potential evapo-transpiration (grass reference) was estimated from an empirical relationship between Bellani-plate atmometer readings, temperature and extra-terrestrial solar radiation, and then modified by crop coefficients for all crops except pasture. Depending on GCM, projected water demand increased by 12-20% (2010 to 2039), 24-38% (2040 to 2069) and 40-61% (2070 to 2099). Possible elevated CO{sub 2} effects on stomatal conductance which may reduce water demand were not accounted for. ...
Daily exposures of adult beagle dogs to inhaled radon daughters plus uranium ore dust, with and without concurrent cigarette smoking, for 2 to 5-1/2 yr have produced massive pulmonary fibrosis and severe emphysema. The cumulative exposure doses are similar to those associated with a 5-fold or greater increase in death rate of uranium miners due to chronic respiratory insufficiency, including pneumoconiosis, pulmonary fibrosis, and emphysema.
Assisted users with expired passwords Closed 233 NCICB Support Wizard Accounts Tickets Set up Resource Accounts for individual developers to control and track access on QA Application servers Maintained daily account synchronization between GForge project developers and CVS write access accounts Created FTP and SFTP user accounts for TCGA test, analysis datasets downloads and analysis datasets management.
In the present study 12 diets, each one consisting of a pool of seven day diets, composed by four meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack, adequate in energy and macro nutrients according to the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) recommendations, were elaborated and offered to a group of 12 men (19-42 years). The diets were collected by duplicate portion technique and dried by two different processes: freeze drying and 60 deg C ventilated oven drying. In the total, 24 diets were analyzed. The content of some minerals and trace elements (Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, Se and Zn) were determined by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. The validation of methodology was made by analysis of the reference materials Typical Diet (NIST SRM 1548"a), Orchard Leaves (NIST SRM 1541) and Peach Leaves (NIST SRM 1547). The results observed by two different drying processes used were statistically compared by test T of Student. It was possible to conclude that the concentration means ...
The levels of four different heavy metals [cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr) and copper (Cu)] were determined in various vegetables [leek (Allium ampeloprasum), sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), parsley (Petroselium cripsum), gardem cress (lepidium sativum) and tarragon (Artemisia dracuncullus)] cultivated around the Sanandaj city. (Author)
The levels of four different heavy metals [cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr) and copper (Cu)] were determined in various vegetables [leek (Allium ampeloprasum), sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), parsley (Petroselium cripsum), gardem cress (lepidium sativum) and tarragon (Artemisia dracuncullus)] cultivated around the Sanandaj city. (Author)
Rice, the world's major staple crop, is a poor source of essential micronutrients, including folates (vitamin B9). We report folate biofortification of rice seeds achieved by overexpressing two Arabidopsis thaliana genes of the pterin and para-aminobenzoate branches of the folate biosynthetic pathway from a single locus. We obtained a maximal enhancement as high as 100 times above wild type, with 100 g of polished raw grains containing up to four times the adult daily folate requirement.
Daily oral treatment with the cyclopentyl 2′-deoxyguanosine nucleoside BMS-200475 at doses ranging from 0.02 to 0.5 mg/kg of body weight for 1 to 3 months effectively reduced the level of woodchuck...Full Text Available
...Box Contains One Month Supply Dietary supplement with a premium patented formula of L-Arginine, Ginseng, Ginkgo plus 13 essential vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals to support male sexual function . ArginMax for Male Sexual Fitness is a patented combination of l-Arginine, Ginseng, Ginkgo, and 13 essential vitamins and ...
Daily exposures of adult beagle dogs to inhaled radon daughters and to uranium ore dust for 4-1/2 to 6 yr have produced respiratory tract carcinomas, at similar cumulative working level months (WLM) of exposures to those which induced carcinomas in uranium miners. Biological data from the beagle-dog experiments can therefore be used for prediction of carcinogenic risk under changing exposure conditions in future uranium miners.
The Bavarian Agency for Environmental Protection (LfU) is monitoring the air quality is several bavarian regions. The daily and monthly data of concentration ration of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, ozone and other pollutants are published in yearly reports, most often as diagrams with further statistica information.
The study was conducted to determine potential target organ toxicity and its reversibility in hamsters following twice daily oral doses of NSC-D629243 for 28 consecutive days. Male and female hamsters were administered NSC-D629243 dissolved in sesame oil ...
Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta isoforms (TGF-beta 1, -beta 2, and -beta 3) regulate cell growth and differentiation and have critical regulatory roles in the process of tissue repair and remodeling....Full Text Available
Single crystal cubic boron nitride (cBN) was heteroepitaxially grown on a seed crystal of diamond under static high pressure and high temperature at 5.5GPa and 1,600--1,700 C, respectively, for 10--100 hour. A temperature gradient method was employed for the crystal growth by using lithium boron nitride as a solvent. Initial growth feature of cBN crystal was found on the diamond seed surface after the growing time of 10 minutes. The nucleation sites of the crystals seem to be near the etch pits on the diamond surface which were introduced by the surface dissolution by the solvent for cBN growth. Two types of growth features, island and step growth were typically shown on the surface. It can be seen that grown crystal appearing as a (111) nitrogen face was exhibited with the step growth feature, while the (11n) face exhibited the island ...
Various chemical, physical, and mechanical methods to prevent unwanted deposition of mineral scale are described. The suitability of the different methods, which largely depends on the specific features and requirements of the system involved, is discussed. Special emphasis is placed upon the threshold treatment, where the growth process is retarded by the addition of trace amounts of growth inhibitors. Growth experiments have been performed on barium sulfate and calcium sulfate dihydrate seed crystals, suspended in a supersaturated solution with and without organic bisphosphonates as inhibitors. Two methods are selected for the analysis of the growth data. A degree of inhibition is defined to obtain a quantitative description of the influence of a growth inhibitor on the growth rate of the crystals. In addition the influence of the molecular structure of ...
Fatigue crack growth tests of three ferrite-pearlite steels with different size and spacing of pearlite particles, which were uniformly distributed in the ferrite matrix, were carried out to investigate the effect of microstructure on fatigue crack growth behavior in the Paris regime. The fatigue crack growth rates for the three materials did not coincide with each other, even when the crack growth curves were arranged by the effective stress intensity factor range. From in situ observations, crack tip stress shielding phenomena, such as interlocking and branching, were found on the crack wake, which enhanced fatigue crack growth resistance. A small size and spacing of pearlite particle seemed to induce small but frequent crack deflections, which resulted in crack closure phenomena. On the...
The relationship between plasma testosterone levels and locomotor activity in wild-caught sexually mature male meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) was assessed in the laboratory. Several aspects of locomotor activity were monitored for 1 h on two consecutive days using the automated Digiscan activity monitoring system. Plasma testosterone levels were determined immediately following the second day of activity monitoring. Significant Pearson correlations were obtained between plasma testosterone levels and total distance traveled [r(10) = 0.55, p < 0.05] and amount of time spent in movement [r(10) - 0.55, p < 0.05] on the second day. The wild voles showed a reduction in activity levels from the first to the second day of activity monitoring, which is indicative of habituation to a novel environment. This study provides direct evidence for a significant correlation between laboratory measures of behavioral activity and plasma testosterone levels in a wild-caught rodent. These ...
The authors discuss radioimmunoassays (RIAs) for eicosanoids widely used in the field of experimental, clinical and pharmacological research. The main drawback of RIAs is the possibility of low specificity. This was clearly demonstrated during the controversy on plasma levels of 6-keto-PGF_1 #alpha#, the stable hydrolysis product of PGI_2. When extensive purification including reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography (rp-HPLC) was performed prior to the RIA for 6-keto-PGF_1 #alpha# the levels were at least one order of magnitude less than previously claimed, and did not support the so-called circulating hormone hypothesis.
Organohalogen compounds such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) are global environmental pollutants and highly persistent, bioaccumulative chemicals that produce adverse effects in humans and wildlife. Because of the widespread use of these organohalogens in household items and consumer products, indoor contamination is a significant source of human exposure, especially for children. One significant concern with regard to health effects associated with exposure to organohalogens is endocrine disruption. Toxicological studies on organohalogen pollutants primarily focused on sex steroid and thyroid hormone actions, and findings have largely shaped the way one envisions their disruptive effects occurring. Organohalogens exert additional effects on oth...
The central nervous system (CNS), generally accepted to regulate energy homeostasis, has been implicated in the metabolic perturbations that either cause or are associated with obesity. Normally, the CNS receives hormonal, metabolic, and neuronal input to assure adequate energy levels and maintain stable energy homeostasis. Recent evidence also supports that the CNS uses these same inputs to regulate glucose homeostasis and this aspect of CNS regulation also becomes impaired in the face of dietary-induced obesity. This review focuses on the literature surrounding hypothalamic regulation of energy and glucose homeostasis and discusses how dysregulation of this system may contribute to obesity and T2DM.
The effects on reproductive functions of feeding adult rhesus monkeys on a diet of irradiated wheat flour and potato was investigated. Wheat flour and potatoes were exposed to 75 000 and 10 000 rad, respectively, of #gamma#-irradiation and then fed to the animals. Various parameters of reproductive function were compared with those of animals fed on unirradiated food. These were: external changes in the reproductive organs, menstrual cycle, vaginal cytology, assay of urinary hormones (oestrogens and pregnanediol), and post-mortem histopathological examination of the reproductive organs. At the end of 3 months, the experimental and control animals behaved similarly with regard to their reproductive functions. (author).
Triphenylmethylphosphonium (TPMP+) partitions into the mitochondrial and cytosolic compartments in the rat white adipocyte in a potential-dependent fashion. The relationship between (/sup 3/H)TPMP+ distribution, intracellular cAMP generation and lipolysis in response to hormones and cAMP-mimetic compounds was examined. Half-maximal (/sup 3/H)TPMP+ efflux and glycerol release were produced by 15 and 9 nM adrenocorticotropin, 170 and 110 nM 1-epinephrine, 70 and 27 microM isobutylmethylxanthine and 800 and 750 microM dibutyryl cAMP, respectively. Hormone-stimulated cAMP generation was also correlated with (/sup 3/H)TPMP+ efflux and lipolysis in terms of concentration dependency. In kinetic experiments, glycerol release and (/sup 3/H)TPMP+ efflux in response to adrenocorticotropin or cholera toxin proceeded over a similar time course, whereas an earlier rise in cAMP generation was detected. The depolarizing effect of lipolytic compounds was ...
Purpose: The results of therapy in 288 men with pathologic Stage C prostate cancer who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) were analyzed to determine the effects of adjuvant therapy. Methods and Materials: Twenty-seven of the 288 patients received preoperative neoadjuvant hormonal therapy (leuprolide acetate). Postoperatively, 60 patients received adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) to the prostate bed. Follow-up ranged from 3 to 83 months (median = 32 months). Freedom from failure (FFF) was defined as maintaining a serum PSA level of #<=# 0.3 ng/ml. Results: The FFF was 61% at 3 years and 45% at 5 years for the entire group. The FFF following RRP plus RT was 75% at 3 years and 57% at 5 years as compared to 56% at 3 years and 40% at 5 years for RRP without RT (p = 0.049). The FFF following RRP plus neoadjuvant hormonal therapy was 58% at 3 years and 40% at 5 years as compared to 60% at 3 years and 45% at 5 years following RRP without ...
Objective: The aim of this study was to compare symptoms and anterior segment tolerability with short-term (3-day) administration of once-daily timolol hemihydrate 0.5%, timolol maleate in sorbate 0.5%, and generic timolol maleate gel-forming solution 0.5% in the treatment of glaucoma and/or ocular hypertension. Methods: In this prospective, randomized, double-masked, active-controlled, 3-period crossover pilot study, eligible patients had primary open-angle, pigmentdispersion, or exfoliation glaucoma, and/or ocular hypertension in >=1 eye; had a best corrected visual acuity of 1.0 or better in each eye, as measured using the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) visual acuity testing chart; were receiving 1 glaucoma medication; and had an untreated intraocular pressure (IOP) ...
The trade-off which must be established between the various functions of pumped-storage plants is examined. A compromise between supply security and economic planning can be found only by coordinated planning of pumped-storage units and thermal generation plants. A model used by Electricite de France (EDF) to ensure optimized daily planning of thermal and pumped-storage units is described. The model, called the DEMETER model, ensures the optimization of the daily planning of thermal and pumped-storage plants. The model iterates between two levels: coordination where the prices of the generated energy and the operating reserve are determined to adjust generation to load and keep a sufficient reserve; and decomposition where the schedule of each unit is optimized on the basis of the above prices and taking into account local constraints such as unavailability, and minimum shut down time. The role of EDF is to supply customers with energy while ...
This paper presents a Benders decomposition approach to determine the optimal day-ahead power scheduling in a pool-organized power system, taking into account dispatch, network and security constraints. The study model considers the daily market and the technical constraints resolution as two different and consecutive processes. The daily market is solved in a first stage subject to economical criteria exclusively and then, the constraints solution algorithm is applied to this initial dispatch through the redispatching method. The Benders partitioning algorithm is applied to this constraints solution process to obtain an optimal secure power scheduling. The constraints solution includes a full AC network and security model to incorporate voltages magnitudes as they are a critical factor in some real power systems. The algorithm determines the active power committed to each generator so as to minimize the energy redispatch cost subject to ...
Locomotive engineers (train drivers) on irregular work schedules reported a general coffee consumption rate higher than that reported by a comparison sample of permanent shift factory workers. The present study examines the impact of this consumption on workday and non-workday sleep behaviour and mood ratings. Twenty-seven engineers and their spouses each completed daily logs for 30 consecutive days. Daily logs were then sorted into workday and non-workday categories. Workday sleep length was significantly shorter than non-workday sleep length for both engineers and spouses. For the engineers only, coffee consumption on workdays was higher than on non-workdays. This increased coffee consumption was correlated with longer sleep latency, increased negative mood, and decreased positive mood on both work and non-workdays. This was not true for spouses. These results may be related to a days-off carry-over effect of caffeine or a general consumption ...
Two studies were conducted to investigate the effects of nutrition and suckling patterns on the ovarian cyclicity of postpartum buffaloes. In Study 1, which was conducted on an institutional farm, two different diets were fed to 24 buffaloes during late gestation and postpartum period. Restricted (twice daily) suckling began on day 30 postpartum in half the animals on each diet. The body weight of both ad libitum suckled and twice daily suckled groups declined during the postpartum period, irrespective of the diet fed. Buffaloes subjected to restricted suckling lost less body weight and re-established ovarian cyclicity earlier than those suckled ad libitum. In Study 2, which was conducted under village conditions, temporary calf removal for 72 hours on days 91-93 postpartum in anoestrous buffaloes induced the re-establishment of ovarian cyclicity within 14 days. (author). 11 refs, 7 tabs.
This double-blind, multicenter, randomized placebo-controlled study evaluated the antihypertensive efficacy and safety of nebivolol, a selective beta1-adrenoreceptor blocker with vasodilating effects, in patients with mild to moderate hypertension (sitting diastolic blood pressure [SiDBP] > or =95 mm Hg and < or =109 mm Hg). A total of 909 patients were randomized to receive placebo or nebivolol 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, or 40 mg once daily for up to 84 days. The primary end point was the change in trough SiDBP from baseline to study end. Nebivolol significantly reduced trough SiDBP (8.0-11.2 mm Hg compared with 2.9 mm Hg with placebo; P<.001) and trough sitting systolic blood pressure (a 4.4-9.5-mm Hg decrease compared with a 2.2-mm Hg increase [corrected] with placebo; P< or =.002). The overall adverse event experience was similar in the nebivolol (46.1%) and placebo (40.7%) groups (P=.273). Once-daily nebivolol is an effective ...
AIM: To investigate the effects of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) on the differentiation of colonic lamina propria fibroblasts (CLPF) into myofibroblasts in vitro.METHODS:...Full Text Available
Background and AimsIn spatially heterogeneous environments, a trade-off between seedling survival and relative growth rate may promote the coexistence of plant species. In temperate...Full Text Available
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is an adverse pregnancy outcome associated with significant perinatal and paediatric morbidity and mortality, and an increased risk of chronic disease later in adult life....Full Text Available
The growth regulating factor CTGF/CCN-2 is an integral factor in growth and development, connective tissue maintenance, wound repair and cell cycle regulation. It has recently been reported that CTGF/CCN-2...Full Text Available
Objective. To determine relative influences of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preterm birth on risks of cardiovascular, renal, or metabolic dysfunction in adolescent...Full Text Available
SummaryThe Hippo tumor-suppressor pathway controls tissue growth in Drosophila and mammals by regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis. The Hippo pathway includes...Full Text Available
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-specific monoclonal antibodies predominantly inhibit colorectal cancer (CRC) growth by interfering with receptor signaling. Recent analyses have shown that patients...Full Text Available
If bone strength was the only requirement of skeleton, it could be achieved with bulk, but bone must also be light. During growth, bone modelling and remodelling optimize strength, by depositing bone...Full Text Available
Staphylococcus aureus preferentially catabolizes glucose, generating pyruvate, which is subsequently oxidized to acetate under aerobic growth conditions. Catabolite repression of the...Full Text Available
During embryonic development, cells are instructed which position to occupy, they interpret these cues as differentiation programmes, and expand these patterns by growth. Sonic hedgehog...Full Text Available
Recent histological studies suggest relatively rapid growth in dinosaurs. However, the timing of reproductive maturity (RM) in dinosaurs is poorly known because unambiguous indicators of RM are rare....Full Text Available
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase domain mutations hyperactivate the kinase and confer kinase addiction of the non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumor...Full Text Available
Binding of epidermal growth factor (EGF) to the EGF receptor (EGFR) initiates signal transduction, ultimately leading to altered gene expression. Ligand-activated EGFR is also rapidly internalized...Full Text Available
Minoxidil induces hair growth in male pattern baldness and prolongs the anagen phase. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has been reported to act synergistically with minoxidil in vivo:...Full Text Available
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) related therapies – mainly tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as erlotinib and gefitinib, but also monoclonal antibodies targeting EGFR, for example,...Full Text Available
BackgroundAlthough some previous studies have suggested that posttraumatic growth (PTG) is comprised of several factors with different properties, few have examined both the association...Full Text Available
BackgroundPolymorphisms in Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) gene may influence EGFR production and/or activity, thereby modulating susceptibility to lung...Full Text Available
Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is a potent moderator of soft tissue repair through induction of the inflammatory phase of repair and subsequent enhanced collagen deposition. We examined the effect...Full Text Available
Up-flow anaerobic attached-growth bioreactors filled with pre-treated coir fibres ...coir-fibre arranged in bottle-brush configuration bounded by a novel plastic binding technique ...-three anaerobic filter reactors in series -coir fibre as the bacteria growth media a sedimentation
The receptors for IGF-I (IGF-IR) and insulin (IR) have been implicated in physiological cardiac growth, but it is unknown whether IGF-IR or IR signaling are critically required. We generated mice with...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE: We studied 22 dogs to examine the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) alone, in comparison with omental or muscular wrapping on airway healing in a tracheal autotransplantation...Full Text Available
The effect of growth phase on expression of virulence-associated factors was studied by Northern hybridization in an M1T1 clinical isolate of Streptococcus pyogenes. Expression of M...Full Text Available
Bacteria have the ability to adapt to different growth conditions and to survive in various environments. They have also the capacity to enter into dormant states and some bacteria form spores when...Full Text Available
Growth of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar diacetylactis was observed on media with citrate as the only energy source. At pH 5.6, steady state was achieved in...Full Text Available
Various factors affecting the aggregation of Actinomyces naeslundii strain 12104 were studied. When the pH of glucose-supplemented growth medium fell below 5.5, the cells aggregated and formed microbial...Full Text Available
This study explored posttraumatic growth (PTG), positive change resulting from struggling with trauma, among 7- to 10-year-olds impacted by Hurricane Katrina. Analyses focused on child self-system...Full Text Available
The electrical parameters that affect young seedling growth were investigated. Voltages ranging from 5 to 40 volts were applied longitudinally along the mesocotyl region of 4-day old Zea mays...Full Text Available
... Gastrointestinal Tract On the Growth and Development of Hymenolepis DiminutaKerry L. Dwinell, Paul Bass, Gordon L. Telford, ... central (CNS) nervous systems in the development of Hymenolepis diminuta usi...
We studied the dynamics of microbial communities attached to model aggregates (4-mm-diameter agar spheres) and the component processes of colonization, detachment, growth, and grazing mortality. Agar...Full Text Available
To determine the relative importance of different metabolites of vitamin D in bone growth and development, weanling male rat pups suckled by vitamin D-deficient mothers were given either calcitriol...Full Text Available
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a critical role in normal development as well as retinal vasculature disease. During retinal vascularization, VEGF is most strongly expressed by not yet...Full Text Available
The Wind2H2 system is fully functional and continues to gather performance data. In this report, specifications of the Wind2H2 equipment (electrolyzers, compressor, hydrogen storage tanks, and the hydrogen fueled generator) are summarized. System operational experience and lessons learned are discussed. Valuable operational experience is shared through running, testing, daily operations, and troubleshooting the Wind2H2 system and equipment errors are being logged to help evaluate the reliability of the system.
This short article discusses the results of a market survey on ventilation systems for residential buildings and the role played by ventilation systems in our daily lives. Problems incurred as a result of insufficient ventilation conditions such as the formation of mould in dwellings whose windows have been replaced with better seals are discussed, for example. The negative image of air-conditioning and its causes are examined. The need for action in this area is stressed. Further findings of the study are presented, including a detailed review of current equipment and scenarios on how these systems can develop in the future. The extension of the study to cover the situation in further European countries is mentioned.
The effects of a timolol maleate gel-forming solution (TMGS) on intraocular pressure (IOP), blood pressure (BP), and pupil size (PS) were evaluated in normotensive dogs. TMGS was administered once daily to six normotensive beagle dogs. TMGS administration reduced IOP and PS. The hypotensive effect persisted for 24 hr after the administration. The mean reduction in IOP was 5.3 mm Hg (P<0.01). The changes in BP and PS were not significant. These results suggest that TMGS can potentially be used in the treatments of glaucoma and ocular hypertension in dogs. PMID:16820724
What makes teamwork tick?. Cooperation matters, in daily life and in complex applications. After all, many tasks need more than a single agent to be effectively performed. Therefore, teamwork rules!. Teams are social groups of agents dedicated to the fulfilment of particular persistent tasks. In modern multiagent environments, heterogeneous teams often consist of autonomous software agents, various types of robots and human beings. Teamwork in Multi-agent Systems: A Formal Approach explains teamwork rules in terms of agents' attitudes and their complex interplay. It provides the first comprehe
The solar powered electric vehicle race began in Arlington, Texas on June 20, 1993 and finished 7 days later in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Thirty four teams from Universities across the United States and Puerto Rico completed the race out of thirty six entries. The race demonstrated the viability of sunlight powered vehicles as the better average daily speeds were in excess of 50 miles an hour. Even in the rain, most average speeds were in excess of 15 miles an hour. Analyzed results, photographs, and project details are included. (GHH)
The objective of this work is a study for the application of a new technology that will be used in the engine management system in the vehicle; where the final consumer can opt for the inquiry performance or seeking an economy for the fuel consumption depending on its daily use and of the prices offered in the gas stations. Flexible Fuel is a technology in development for the automobile market that mixes the use of two fuels (gasoline and ethanol) and their mixtures in the internal combustion engine. (author)
We report a case of stress fracture of the clavicle associated with sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis. A 60-year-old man sustained a stress fracture of the right clavicle with no history of trauma. On radiography, hyperostosis of the anterior chest wall and ankylosis of the sternoclavicular joint were evident in addition to the fracture. Fracture healing was uneventful after 2.5 months. Ankylosis of the sternoclavicular joint may have caused increased stress at the midshaft of the clavicle by daily activity or minor trauma. Such a fracture is a rare complication of sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis. (orig.)
As the amount of urban and industrial wastes is increasing more and more, recycling is very necessary. Daily, there are many news about packing, even more since European Union is getting ready a Directive that will propose and will impose the reuse and recycling of the materials used to produce the packs. This Directive will be followed by different national laws of the countries members of EU. This paper describes the increasing use of aluminium for packing, and particularly its use for beverage cans, its characteristic and applications.
Radiotherapeutic results of the Ewing sarcoma of the long tubular bones in 140 pediatric patients aged 3-16 are analyzed with the respect to different methods of irradiation. Three-field irradiation, the fields being located at 120 deg to one another with daily irradiation of all three fields at a focal dose of 2 Gy, was found superior in treatment of primary neoplasm. It is stressed that the disease termination mainly depends on the efficiency of primary neoplasm treatment, as the neoplasm reccurence generally is followed by metastases. Radiation load is calculated for maximal irradiation area of soft tissues in children.
Control of human filarial infections currently depends on chemotherapeutic strategies predominantly directed at microfilariae. Doxycycline therapy in an extended daily dose regimen sterilizes and kills adult stages, but the utility of this drug for routine field use remains an issue of concern. No macrofilaricidal drugs with efficacy after one or two doses are available for use, delaying the achievement of the elimination or eradication of onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis. Moxidectin, a macrocyclic lactone, is currently in clinical trials for onchocerciasis. A few other drugs that have already been approved for use in veterinary practice or in human medicine for other indications are available for investigation. Early drug discovery pipelines are poorly populated and the process of ...
The Marine Technology Society 1994 conference was held in Washington, D.C., September 7-9, 1994. Titled Challenges and Opportunities in the Marine Environment, the conference offered a wide variety of presentations. State-of-the-art technology, government policies and regulations, and environmental concerns were addressed. Offshore mining, coastal zone management, marine engineering, oceanographic research, educational issues, and global climate change were also well represented in the presentations. The conference proceedings are organized around the daily sessions and roughly 70% of the papers are included.
This paper summarizes the investigation of horizontal direction drilling and the subsequent experimental installation of a natural gas network in a suburb of Paris, France. Three aspects of drilling were studied prior to implementation: (1) reliability of the technique and quality of pipelaying to ensure long-term supply main operation; (2) ability to assess the successfulness of the work by assessing preliminary conditions; and (3) economonic viability. Measurement of tensile stress on polyethylene pipe during pulling and comparative accelerated aging tests on scratched pipe were performed. In the implementation phase, 300 meters of pipe were laid daily, by using three machines simultaneously, at a cost comparable to that of conventional techniques.
With major D&D projects ongoing or being planned, and also with the daily management of radwaste from nuclear facilities, the potential role of transport packagings has often been overlooked: here will one rely essentially on drums, there several local waste processing units are built, elsewhere decommissioned facilities are cut in small bits to fit into small containers by far less efficient. The present paper proposes to illustrate how integrating a transport system from the start may influence operational choices of waste management.
Information security involves many branches of effort, including information assurance, host level security, physical security, and network security. Computer network security methods and implementations are given a top-down description to permit a medically focused audience to anchor this information to their daily practice. The depth of detail of network functionality and security measures, like that of the study of human anatomy, can be highly involved. Presented at the level of major gross anatomical systems, this paper will focus on network backbone implementation and perimeter defenses, then diagnostic tools, and finally the user practices (the human element). Physical security measures, though significant, have been defined as beyond the scope of this presentation.
SO/sub 2/ concentrations in the Stuttgart air have been measured continuously since 1965. The two measuring points were located at the bottom of the Stuttgart city basin and 900 m east on the side of one of the surrounding hills. Long-term curves of pollutant loads have been established in consideration of meteorological parameters, as well as curves showing the average daily, weekly, and yearly pollution. The information thus gained may help to plan air pollution abatement measures in city planning.
... Focuses on distillation and packed towers, and presents the methods and fundamentals of plant design along with supplemental mechanical and related data, nomographs, data charts and heuristics. AU$223.45 ex-GST Terms and Conditions CRC Handbook of Chemis... For almost a century this handbook has been updated annually, except for a few wartime years, and has served generations of engineers and scientists. Current daily price AU$209.09 ex-GST Terms and Conditions Perry's Chemical Engin... Was: $199.95 inc gst NOW: ...
This paper will discuss initial studies of thin-film GaAs grown by molecular-beam epitaxy for use in developing a thin-film GaAs solar cell. Photocurrent and photoluminescence intensity are related to the material morphology as a function of growth conditions. Growth temperature and V/III ratio have a dramatic effect on the photocurrent. However, it seems likely that even after optimizing such growth parameters, it will be necessary to provide substrates that can provide templates to enhance grain size from the start of thin-film growth. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}
To utilize solar energy effectively, a method has been developed by which daily clearness indexes can be estimated from phrase of general weather condition, and it has been examined at four places located at different typical climatic divisions in Japan. Successive results of extra-terrestrial solar insulation and measured solar insulation were illustrated at each place. It was found that the envelope of maximal value among measured values is in proportion to the extra-terrestrial solar insulation. Based on the basic clearness index and the meaning of term expressing general weather condition defined by the Meteorological Agency, the general weather condition was quantitated using the clearness index. This value was defined as weather index. Relationship between the measured clearness index at each place and the weather index was analyzed regressively. Correlation between the both was highly close, proportionally. Accordingly, the clearness index can be estimated ...
DescriptionAbstract of Research Proposal The root environment has a major effect on crop growth, both directly through the supply of water and nutrients to the shoot, and indirectly through root to shoot signalling. Better management of crop root systems through agronomic and genetic means has the potential to improve the efficiency of water and nutrient uptake, and limit root restrictions to crop growth. However, progress in this area is currently limited by the lack of sensors for in situ estimates of [continued...
We study the growth of colonies of the yeast Pichia membranaefaciens on agarose film. The growth conditions are controlled in a setup where nutrients are supplied through an agarose film suspended over a solution of nutrients. As the thickness of the agarose film is varied, the morphology of the front of the colony changes. The growth of the front is modeled by coupling it to a diffusive field of inhibitory metabolites. Qualitative agreement with experiments suggests that such a coupling is responsible for the observed instability of the front.
Roots of maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings continue to grow at low water potentials that cause complete inhibition of shoot growth. In this study, we have investigated the role of abscisic...Full Text Available
In order to better understand the molecular mechanisms of human hair growth control and to test hair growth-modulatory drugs, appropriate in vitro models are required. Here, we report the long-term...Full Text Available
Growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF-9), an oocyte-secreted member of the transforming growth factor β superfamily, progesterone receptor, cyclooxygenase 2 (Cox2; Ptgs2), and the EP2 prostaglandin...Full Text Available
The effect of WC particle size with the addition of VC as a grain growth inhibitor was investigated during the liquid phase sintering of WC-Co system. With increasing WC particle size at the same VC content, the effect of grain growth inhibition was increased. Also, with increasing the VC content, the grain shape of WC was changed from the faceted shape to the distorted shape, and the step density of the WC grain was increased. (orig.)
An interface-marker technique has been used to investigate the relative rates of diffusion of Si and of metal atoms during the growth of metal silicide films. The technique enables recognition of a reference plane in thin film diffusion using Rutherford backscattering, while minimizing any perturbation of the diffusion process. Examples are drawn from studies of the growth of silicides of W, Mo, Ta, Nb, Pd and Pt. (orig.).
Vermicompost preparations are increasingly used in agricultural practice. There is a possibility, that crop plants are sensitive to negative effect of vermicompost at early stages of development. The aim of the present study was to test the effects of vermicompost on seed germination and seedling growth of different vegetable crop species. Vermicompost substitution inhibited seed germination and seedling growth with almost linear decrease of growth with increasing concentration of vermicopost in the substrate. However, both leaf chlorophyll content and photochemical activity of photosynthesis increased in all crop species with the exception of pea seedlings. Vermicompost extract as a watering solution showed positive effect on growth of bean and pea seedlings. Germination response of vermi...
Young rats were given a single irradiation dose (0.5, 2, 5 or 8 Gy) to the left knee-joint. The right unexposed knee-joint served as control. The animals were decapitated 1.5, 3, 7, 14 or 30 days after the irradiation. Longitudinal bone growth in the tibial epiphysis was established using tetracycline as an intravital marker. During the first 1.5 days after irradiation with 5 and 8 Gy, the growth was slightly inhibited (6-7%). Maximum growth retardation (20%) was found 7 to 14 days after irradiation with 5 and 8 Gy. No consistent effect occurred after 0.5 and 2 Gy. Between 14 to 30 days following irradiation growth was normalized.
The power?time curves of mice splenic lymphocytes growth at 37??C affected by ginsenoside Rh2 were determined by microcalorimetry using a 3114/3236 TAM air bioactivity monitor with ampoule mode. Then, the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Rh2 on splenic lymphocytes growth was determined by serial dilution method. From factor analysis (FA) on six quantitative thermokinetic parameters from the power?time curves, the activity of Rh2 on splenic lymphocytes could be quickly evaluated by analyzing the changes in the two main parameters: growth rate constant k, and maximum heat-output power, P m. The results showed that Rh2 had strong inhibitory activity on splenic lymphocytes growth, and this inhibitory activity was strengthened with increasing concentration of Rh2 in the concentration r...
A novel technique is proposed for the growth of an InN film on a GaN/Al2O3(0001) template by radio-frequency plasma-excited molecular beam epitaxy (RF-MBE). The method involves 1) InN growth under an In-rich condition and 2) additional nitrogen radical irradiation after the InN growth under an In-rich condition. Excess In that appeared on the InN surface in the InN growth under an In-rich condition is transformed to InN by the additional nitrogen radical irradiation. The effective V/III ratio is easily controlled by monitoring the intensity in a reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) pattern. The growth of the InN film by repeating the InN growth under an In-rich condition and the additional nitrogen radical irradiation is also demonstrated. (copyright 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)
The thiazolidinedione (TZD) or glitazone class of peroxisome proliferator-activated-#gamma# (PPAR-#gamma#) ligands not only induce adipocyte differentiation and increase insulin sensitivity, but also exert growth inhibitory effects on several carcinoma cell lines in vitro as well as in vivo. In the current study the in vitro effect of four PPAR-#gamma# agonists (ciglitazone, pioglitazone, troglitazone, rosiglitazone) on the cell growth of seven human neuroblastoma cell lines (Kelly, LAN-1, LAN-5, LS, IMR-32, SK-N-SH, SH-SY5Y) was investigated. Growth rates were assessed by a colorimetric XTT-based assay kit. Expression of PPAR-#gamma# protein was examined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. All glitazones inhibited in vitro growth and viability of the human neuroblastoma cell lines in a dose-dependent manner showing considerable effects only at high concentrations (10 #mu#M and 100 ...
Macrocephaly was defined as a head measuring larger than 98th percentile. We have evaluated CT findings and head growth curves in 25 infants with large heads. Ten (40%) of 25 infants with large heads were normal developmentally and neurologically. Five (20%) of those were mentally retarded. The other 10 infants (40%) included hydrocephalus (4 cases), malformation syndrome (3 cases), brain tumor (1 case), metabolic disorder (1 case) and degenerative disorder (1 case). Their head growth curves were typed as (I), (II) and (III): Type (I) (excessive head growth curve to 2 SDs above normal); Type (II) (head growth curve gradually approached to 2 SDs above normal); Type (III) (head growth curve parallel to 2 SDs above normal). Ten of macrocephaly with normal psychomotor development were studied clinically and radiologically in details. They were all male. CT pictures of those showed ...
The human genome encodes 11 cysteine cathepsins belonging to the papain-like family of cysteine peptidases that are known predominantly as endo-lysosomal enzymes. However, it is now understood that the functions and activities of cysteine cathepsins are not limited to endo-lysosomal compartments, as they are also active in the peri- and extracellular space. The thyroid gland is an endocrine organ where such intra- and extracellular proteolytic activities are required to solubilize the prohormone thyroglobulin from its luminal, covalently cross-linked storage forms for subsequent processing into smaller protein fragments and thyroid hormone liberation. Cathepsin K has been identified as one of the cysteine cathepsins with a crucial role in thyroglobulin processing. However, cathepsin K has ...
Many advances have been carried out on the estrogens, GnRH and endocannabinoid system that have impact in the reproductive field. Indeed, estrogens, the generally accepted female hormones, have performed an unsuspected role in male sexual functions thanks to studies on non-mammalian vertebrates. Similarly, these animal models have provided important contributions to the identification of several GnRH ligand and receptor variants and their possible involvement in sexual behavior and gonadal function regulation. Moreover, the use of non-mammalian animal models has contributed to a better comprehension about the endocannabinoid system action in several mammalian reproductive events. We wish to highlight here how non-mammalian vertebrate animal model research contributes to advancements with i...
When labeled cAMP is incubated with isolated mitochondria from rat liver, it penetrates not only through the outer membrane of the mitochondria but also into the mitoplasts, where it is accumulated chiefly in the matrix. Damage to the mitochondrial membrane by freezing-thawing promotes not an influx but an efflux of cAMP out of the mitoplasts. A substantial part of the labeled nucleotide in all the investigated submitochondrial fractions was identified as intact cAMP by the method of thin-layer chromatography. The transport of cAMP into the mitochondria can explain the activation of their functions by the hormones that activate cytoplasmic adenylate cyclase and by extramitochondrial (cytosol) cAMP, as well as the presence of cAMP-dependent protein kinase and cAMP-phosphodiesterase in the mitochondria.
Abstract Background: Premature ovarian failure is diagnosed with a picture of amenorrhea, elevated follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and age under 40 years. Twenty percent (20%) of patients with premature ovarian failure have a concomitant autoimmune disease. Cases of premature ovarian failure associated with Sj?gren syndrome have been reported in the literature. Patient and method: We report a case of a 42-year-old white woman with Sj?gren syndrome and premature ovarian failure who underwent a reversal of her premature ovarian failure and restoration of normal menses using an elimination diet protocol. The patient was diagnosed with her rheumatological condition in 2005 and started on disease-modifying antirheumatoid drugs, which were taken intermittently due to a concern over medicatio...
The effect of sugar on plant metabolism, which is known to be similar to hormone-like signaling, was metabolomically studied using Melissa officinalis (lemon balm). The metabolite profiles of M. officinalis treated with sucrose were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and principal component analysis (PCA). A total of 64 metabolites from various chemical classes including alcohols, amines, amino acids, fatty acids, inorganic acids, organic acids, phosphates, and sugars were identified by GC-MS. Three groups treated with different sucrose concentrations were clearly separated by PCA of their metabolite profiles, indicating changes in the levels of many metabolites depending on the sucrose concentration. Metabolite profiling revealed that treatment with a higher sucrose ...
Male infertility, characterized by hypogonadism, decreased semen quality or ejaculatory dysfunction, accounts for approximately 20% of infertility cases. Obesity and metabolic dysfunction have been identified, among other causal factors, to contribute to male infertility. In the context of the Western world's `obesity epidemic', this article discusses three main biological mechanisms linking obesity to impaired male reproductive function: hypogonadism, testicular heat stress/hypoxia-induced apoptosis and endocrine disruption by `obesogens'. Among these, obesity-induced hypogonadism is undoubtedly the most clinically significant and is easily assessed. Rapidly expanding areas of research in this area include leptin modulation of kisspeptins and hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular hormone path...
Although the radioreceptor method is widely used for estrogen receptor assay in human tissue, it has several limitations and a number of alternative methods are being explored. An immunohistochemical method of estrogen receptor assay using a specific antibody to estradiol has been proposed as a suitable alternative. The present study was designed to evaluate the validity of this method in detecting true estrogen receptors in human tumor tissue. Using radioiodinated antibody to estrogen, we have demonstrated that the estrogen antibody can detect the estrogen when it is bound to 4S type receptor but is unable to bind to estrogen when the hormone is bound to 8S type receptor. Our observations suggest that the immunohistochemical method of detection of intracellular cytosolic receptor for estrogen is not a suitable alternative to the currently used radioreceptor method.
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is characterized by both a premature appearance of age-related phenotypes and multiple organ involvement, which affects skeletal and smooth muscle as well as the eye, heart, central nervous system, and endocrine system. Although erectile dysfunction (ED) is a frequent complaint in patients with DM1, it has not been investigated in great depth. Hypogonadism, which is reported to be one of the physical causes of ED in the general population, frequently occurs in DM1. We planned this case?control study to evaluate the relationship between hypogonadism, as defined by the sexual hormone profile (FSH, LH, testosterone (T) and prolactin) and ED, as assessed by means of an internationally validated self-administered questionnaire (IIEF). DM1 patients had significant...
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB) remains to be the most effective long-term treatment for obesity and its associated comorbidities, but the specific mechanisms involved remain elusive. Because RYGB patients appear to no longer be preoccupied with thoughts about food and are satisfied with much smaller meals and calorically dilute foods, brain reward mechanisms could be involved. Just as obesity can produce maladaptive alterations in reward functions, reversal of obesity by RYGB could normalize these changes or even further reset the food reward system through changes in gut hormone secretion, aversive conditioning and/or secondary effects of weight loss. Future studies with longitudinal assessments of reward behaviors and their underlying neural circuits before and after surgery wil...
'The overall objective of the basic research grant is to characterize the potential of common hydrocarbon contaminants in ecosystems to act as endocrine disruptors. The three major lines of research include (1) a biotechnology based screening system to identify potential hormone mimics and antagonists; (2) an animal screening system to identify biomarkers of endocrine effects. and (3) a literature review to identify compounds at a variety of DOE sites that need to be examined for endocrine disrupting effects. By relating results obtained from this research project to contamination problems at various DOE sites. CBR will provide data and information on endocrine disrupting contaminants to DOE for consideration in risk analyses for determining clean-up levels and priorities needed at the sites.'
To examine the hormonal regulation of the ATP-dependent Ca{sup 2+} pump in the kidneys, the ATP-dependent Ca{sup 2+} uptake by the basolateral membrane vesicles in the renal cortex was measured using radioactive calcium ({sup 45}Ca{sup 2+}) in rats with vitamin D deficiency or rats undergoing thyroparathyroidectomy. The V{sub max} of the Ca{sup 2+} pump activity was increased not only by administering calcitriol, but also by normalizing the serum calcium level in vitamin D-deficient rats. PTH suppressed the Ca{sup 2+} pump activity in normocalcemic vitamin D-deficient rats. Thyroparathyroidectomy did not affect the Ca{sup 2+} pump activity in the kidneys of normal rats. It was concluded that the ATP-dependent Ca{sup 2+} pump activity was depressed by secondary hyperparathyroidism in vitamin D-deficient rats. (author).
To examine the hormonal regulation of the ATP-dependent Ca"2"+ pump in the kidneys, the ATP-dependent Ca"2"+ uptake by the basolateral membrane vesicles in the renal cortex was measured using radioactive calcium ("4"5Ca"2"+) in rats with vitamin D deficiency or rats undergoing thyroparathyroidectomy. The V_m_a_x of the Ca"2"+ pump activity was increased not only by administering calcitriol, but also by normalizing the serum calcium level in vitamin D-deficient rats. PTH suppressed the Ca"2"+ pump activity in normocalcemic vitamin D-deficient rats. Thyroparathyroidectomy did not affect the Ca"2"+ pump activity in the kidneys of normal rats. It was concluded that the ATP-dependent Ca"2"+ pump activity was depressed by secondary hyperparathyroidism in vitamin D-deficient rats. (author).
To define the quantitative and qualitative effects of gossypol (GP) on deer (Cervus elaphus) semen, the animals were fed cottonseed (CS). Adult stags each received 350?g of CS for 109?days. Animals received 15?mg of gossypol per kilogram body weight per day. Quantitative and qualitative parameters of experimental ejaculates (n?=?182) were compared to ejaculates (n?=?571) of control animals (n?=?5) collected during three previous natural reproductive seasons. Ejaculate fractions were evaluated by classical methods used in domestic animals. In this paper, we show that mature male deer fed CS exhibited morphological changes and decreased motility of spermatozoa and abnormalities in spermatogenesis. Radioimmunoassay measured concentrations of various steroid hormones (T-testosterone, A4-andros...
In many species social behaviors are dependent on integration of chemosensory and hormonal cues. Many chemosensory stimuli are detected by the vomeronasal organ, which projects to many regions that contain steroid receptors, including the medial amygdala. In male hamsters, testosterone is known to acutely increase in response to chemosensory stimulation, and can facilitate sexual behavior by direct action within the medial amygdala. Conspecific stimuli activate the anterior (MeA) and posterior (MeP) medial amygdala, while heterospecific stimuli activate only MeA. Chemosensory stimuli with different social significance differentially activate the dorsal and ventral subdivisions of MeA and MeP. Therefore, it is likely that steroids differentially facilitate stimulation of the medial amygdala...
Glucose homeostasis requires the tight regulation of glucose utilization by liver, muscle and white or brown fat, and glucose production and release in the blood by liver. The major goal of maintaining glycemia at -5 mM is to ensure a sufficient flux of glucose to the brain, which depends mostly on this nutrient as a source of metabolic energy. This homeostatic process is controlled by hormones, mainly glucagon and insulin, and by autonomic nervous activities that control the metabolic state of liver, muscle and fat tissue but also the secretory activity of the endocrine pancreas. Activation or inhibition of the sympathetic or parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous systems are controlled by glucose-excited or glucose-inhibited neurons located at different anatomical sites, mainl...
Circadian rhythms affect several processes in the body physiology. This commentary revisits the topic of `metabolic basis of diseases' with a view to shed light on how cellular energy requirements feed-forward to a sequential signaling of hormonal response, blood glucose metabolism, antioxidant activities, and pathophysiology. Attempt is made to explain how diseases that may not appear to be closely related, such as bone metabolism and vasculopathy, have an increase in oxidative damage as a common underlying biochemistry. Importantly, this article identifies oxidative damage as an outcome of sleep disturbance and hypothesize that sleep complaint is not merely one of many resulting symptoms of PTSD, but a core feature that arise from trauma and gives rise to the stress biochemistry, which i...
Abstract. Objective: Lapatinib (Tykerb, GW572016), a potent inhibitor of the catalytic activities of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) (ErbB2), inhibits population growth of selected EGFR and HER2 overexpressing cell lines. Previous studies with a small number of cell lines suggest a correlation between overexpression of EGFR and/or HER2 and sensitivity to growth inhibition by lapatinib; however, the precise determinants of lapatinib selectivity for tumour and/or other cells remain unclear. Materials and methods: To clarify the determinants of its selectivity in cultured cells, lapatinib-induced cell population growth inhibition and relative EGFR and HER2 protein expression were quantified in 61 different human tumour cell lines fro...
This work is concentrated on growth, spectroscopy and laser performance of thulium-doped vanadate crystals. At the beginning the growth techniques are analyzed and then the matrix of vanadates crystal, its structure and physicochemical properties are explained together with the rare earth activators influence. Detailed spectroscopy of the thulium-doped vanadate crystals then follows. On the background of this theoretical analysis and state of the art of the subject the description of thulium vanadate lasers (especially Tm:YVO"4, Tm:GdVO"4, and Tm:LuVO"4) together with their generated output radiation characteristics are presented.
The solar energy industry experienced unprecedented growth in the eight years from 2000 to 2007, with explosive growth occurring in the latter half of this period. From 2004 to 2007, global private sector investment in solar energy increased by almost twenty-fold, marking a dramatic increase in the short span of four years. This paper examines the timing, magnitude, focus and location of various forms of investment in the solar energy sector. It analyzes their trends to provide an understanding of the growth of the solar industry during the past eight years and to identify emerging themes in this rapidly evolving industry.
The crack growth behavior and fracture toughness of two laminated metal composites (6090/SiC/25p laminated with 5182 and ultrahigh-carbon steel laminated with brass) have been studied in both ``crack arrester`` and ``crack divider`` orientations. The mechanisms of crack growth were analyzed and extrinsic toughening mechanisms were found to contribute significantly to the toughness. The influence of laminate architecture (layer thickness and component volume function), component material properties and residual stress on these mechanisms and the resulting crack growth resistance are discussed.
The inelastic scattering of the beam and the residual gas molecules in RHIC could represent one of the limitations on the beam life time and emittance growth. This report covers the dominant central nuclear collisions influence on the beam lifetime and transverse emittance growth. The cross sections for the beam-gas electron radiative captures are an order of magnitude smaller. The capture cross sections include the radiative and non-radiative capture, and the capture from the electron-positron pair creation from the 'vacuum capture'.
The paper presents a computer-aided analysis of the combined use of ventilation and structural heat capacity and insulation as a means of saving air-conditioning power in digital telephone exchanges. It is shown that such savings can be effected by increasing air change with outdoor cool air at night, and when feasible, also in daytime, through the air change unit, in a conventional airconditioning cycle. The total thermal time constant (TTTC) method of calculation used enables the evaluation of daily or seasonal heat-flow balance for a given indoor temperature, considering the tendency of the heat capacity of the building and of envelope components to flatten the fluctuations of this temperature.
Traffic characterization is an important means for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to adapt and to optimize their networks to the requirements of the customers. Most network measurements are performed in the backbone of these ISPs, showing both, residential and business Internet traffic. However, the traffic characteristics of business and home users differ significantly. Therefore, we have performed measurements of home users at a broadband wireless access service provider in order to reflect only home user traffic characteristics. In this paper, we present the results of these measurements, showing daily traffic fluctuations, flow statistics as well as application distributions. The results show a difference to backbone traffic characteristics. Furthermore, we observed a shift from web...
The specific goals of this research are to (1) determine daily and seasonal variability of seawater pCO{sub 2} partial pressure of CO{sub 2} and NO{sub 3} in Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB) waters; (2) estimate seasonal CO{sub 2} fluxes between the MAB shelf and the atmosphere; and (3) determine the primary controls of surface seawater pCO{sub 2} in this coastal system. During the first phase of the DOE-OMP (1992-1995) we developed the Submersible Autonomous Moored Instrument for CO{sub 2} (SAMI-CO{sub 2}) which is designed to measure seawater CO{sub 2} on ocean moorings for extended periods.
The need for alternative energy increases steadily???especially due to the climate change and the limited availability of fossil fuels. Geothermal power uses the intrinsic heat which is stored in the accessible part of the Earth???s crust. Its importance among the renewable energy resources originates from the almost unlimited energy supply of the Earth and its independence from external influences such as seasonal or even daily climatic variability. Nevertheless, there are risks which have to be assessed. From a mathematical point of view there are four building blocks of the characterization of deep geothermal systems: seismic exploration, gravimetry, modeling transport processes, and modeling the stress field. In particular, local depletion poses a significant risk during the industrial...
Introduction: Intractable ascites in neonates has a varied etiology; and often, the cause is idiopathic. The management usually consists of observation, diuretics, paracentesis, albumin replacements, and self correction. However, in some cases, the above treatment remains unsuccessful. Results: We present 2 cases of intractable ascites causing metabolic abnormalities, severe protein and immunoglobulin loss, and respiratory compromise. Although the use of peritoneovenous shunts for intractable ascites has been reported previously, our cases differ in both technique and patient size. Our first patient is an ex-28-week premature, 1.4-kg infant with intractable ascites for which a peritoneal drain was initially placed. After 3 weeks and putting out nearly 300 mL of ascitic fluid daily, we plac...
Blood kinetics and tissue distribution of 20, 80 and 110 nm silver nanoparticles were investigated in rats up to 16 days after intravenous administration once daily for 5 consecutive days. Following both single and repeated injection, silver nanoparticles disappeared rapidly from the blood and distributed to all organs evaluated (liver, lungs, spleen, brain, heart, kidneys and testes) regardless of size. The 20 nm particles distributed mainly to liver, followed by kidneys and spleen, whereas the larger particles distributed mainly to spleen followed by liver and lung. In the other organs evaluated, no major differences between the sizes were observed. Size-dependent tissue distribution suggests size-dependent toxicity and health risks. Repeated administration resulted in accumulation in li...
A large database (507 station-years) of daily suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentration and discharge data from 36 stations on river basins ranging from 600?km2 to 600,000?km2 in size (USA and Europe) was collected to assess the effects of SPM transport regime on bias and imprecision of flux estimates when using infrequent surveys and the discharge-weighted mean concentration method. By extracting individual SPM concentrations and corresponding discharge values from the database, sampling frequencies from 12 to 200 per year were simulated using Monte Carlo techniques. The resulting estimates of yearly SPM fluxes were compared to reference fluxes derived from the complete database. For each station and given frequency, bias was measured by the median of relative errors between estima...
Unlike the conventional automotive, modem railway trains are designed with non-openable windows; and a mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning (MVAC) system is installed in each train compartment for better indoor air quality as well as to provide a thermally comfortable environment. The ventilation rate is no doubt a critical element in the design of a MVAC system, especially in Hong Kong where the daily passenger load is extremely heavy. Earlier studies illustrated that carbon dioxide can be controlled at 1000 ppm by increasing the ventilation rate to 25.2 m{sup 3} h{sup -1}; however, it will also lead to an increase in energy consumption. In this paper, the electrical energy consumption at various ventilation rates was studied, and the cost of maintaining a low carbon dioxide level was estimated These provide solid information for the local railway companies to improve the air quality inside the train compartments. (author)
Individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) depend on technology to meet their daily needs and form relationships. Speech generating devices (SGDs) are integral components of communication systems. Reliability of SGDs is critical for effective use in everyday life. This study examined the reliability of new SGDs and found that mean time to first failure was 42.7 (SD = 41.2) weeks and at least 40% required repairs within the first year of use. The components that most frequently broke down were touch screens, wiring, main boards, batteries, memory cards, and AC adaptors. The costs of repairing SGDs were analyzed. The clinical implications of device breakdown are identified for key stakeholders, including clients, families, service providers, funding agencies, and ma...
ABSTRACT Aim The study aimed to test simultaneously our understanding of the effects of bupropion sustained-release (SR) treatment on putative mediators and our understanding of determinants of post-quit abstinence, including withdrawal distress, cigarette craving, positive affect and subjective reactions to cigarettes smoked during a lapse. The specificity of bupropion SR effects was also tested in exploratory analyses. Design Data from a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of bupropion SR were submitted to mediation analyses. Setting Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, Madison, WI, USA. Participants A total of 403 adult, daily smokers without contraindications to bupropion SR use. Intervention Participants were assigned randomly to receive a 9-week course of bupropion...
Although managing fisheries is complex, policymakers must make decisions daily that affect the future of aquatic resources. To make these decisions, they often combine a mental model with lessons learned from formal models such as computer models. While such computer models are frequently interpreted as predictors of the future, they are often more valuable when used as tools for learning about fisheries and options for management. This approach, looking at computer simulations as learning laboratories, is what this study is all about since its objective is to investigate by means of a microworld if policymakers in Belgian fisheries have the policy instruments at hand to align the real fisheries world with their often completely different desired fisheries worlds. This study illustrates ba...
The effects of exposure to sublethal levels of microwaves were studied. Young albino rats of both sexes were exposed for 60 days to 7.5-GHz microwaves (1.0-KHz square wave modulation, average power 0.6 mW/cm2) for 3 h daily. During and after microwave exposure several physiological parameters were measured in both control and exposed animals. It was found that the animals exposed to microwaves tended to eat and drink less and thus showed a smaller gain in body weight. Some of the hematological parameters and organ weights were also significantly different. It is proposed that a nonspecific stress response due to microwave exposure and mediated through the central nervous system is responsible for the observed physiological changes.
The treatment of chronic pain conditions continue to present a challenge to the medical field. Physical therapy treatment needs to approach the management of chronic pain differently than the approach used to resolve acute pain. Patients with chronic pain often have many factors that have perpetuated the pain condition. These factors, as well as pain itself, influence their ability to reactivate and perform functional daily activities. Physical therapists can begin to address some of the factors, including fear and deconditioning, by building confidence and body awareness in a self-care model including a slow graduated reactivation program. There is evidence that patients with chronic pain conditions have altered motor control that may be influencing reoccurrences and possible flares of pa...
Purpose The primary objective of this sub-study, undertaken as an extension to the previously reported phase-I study, was to explore the feasibility, tolerability and pharmacokinetics (PK) of belinostat when administered by the oral route. Preliminary pharmacodynamic (PD) studies were also performed to enable comparison of the biological effects of the oral and intravenous formulations. Patients and methods Oral belinostat was administered in a range of doses and schedules (once, twice or thrice daily), on either day 1 or days 1?5, of the second or a subsequent treatment cycle in 15 patients who were included in the phase-I trial of intravenous belinostat. Serial blood samples were collected for PK and PD (histone acetylation) analyses, and the results compared with corresponding analyses ...
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a disorder characterized by skin thickness and vasculopathy. The objective of the study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect and safety of the association of pentoxyphylline and vitamin E in SSc patients. Twelve SSc patients (American College of Rheumatology criteria) enrolled this 24-week open-label study. Patients received daily 800?mg of pentoxyphylline and 800?UI of vitamin E and were evaluated at 4-week interval. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change in Modified Rodnan Skin Score (MRSS) at week 24. Nine diffuse SSc patients treated 6?months with cyclophosphamide were used as a historical control group. The mean age of the treated group was 43.6?years, and ten of 12 (84%) patients were women. Their mean MRSS reduced from 25.7 to 18.7 (p?=?0.03) at 1...
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative joint disorder and a major cause of pain and disability. The hypothesis tested in this study was that the passion fruit peel extract (PFP), a flavonoid-rich dietary supplement, would reduce symptoms due to knee OA. Thirty-three OA patients were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with parallel-group design. Patients received either placebo or PFP pills (150 mg, daily) in a double-blinded fashion for 2 months. The OA clinical symptoms were evaluated monthly with Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index. In the PFP group, there was a significant improvement in total WOMAC score and WOMAC subscale score of physical function after 30 days and pain after 60 days. At 60 days, reductions o...
PURPOSE.- The study aims to clinically validate the defining characteristics (DCs) of the nursing diagnosis (ND) of Activity Intolerance for patients with ischemic heart disease and refractory angina. METHODS.- Cross-sectional study was used, involving 22 patients with ND of Activity Intolerance. The Fehring method was used to validate the ND. FINDINGS.- Most DCs presented reliability indexes between 0.5 and 0.79. Three DCs presented reliability indexes - 0.8. CONCLUSION.- All DCs were validated, and electrocardiographic changes indicating ischemia, verbal report of fatigue, and abnormal rate response to activity were considered as DC major. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE.- This study is relevant in daily nursing practice for guidance in establishing the care plan and describing the ass...
Accessible summary - -Children with a Nonverbal Learning Disability (NLD) resulting from shunted hydrocephalus and spina bifida face many difficulties not experienced by those with a language learning disability. - -As they grow older and more autonomy is expected, friendships became harder to sustain and daily life can be full of fear if the nonverbal learning disability is not identified and managed. - -This paper explains the theorised cause of nonverbal learning disability - damage to right hemisphere white matter or myelin. - -Damage is believed to cause problems with planning, organisation, time management, problem-solving, decision-making and friendships, and the mismatch with articulate speech and a good vocabulary causes a functional profile that is difficult for educationists or ...
This guide is intended to provide the necessary guidance to successfully manage the NAVMED Navy Occupational Health Information Management System (NOHIMS) at NAVMED sites and the NAVSEA Occupational Safety and Health Record Keeping System (OSHRKS) at NAVSEA sites. Outlines procedures to manage system operations, procedures to resolve hardware, software and communications problems, and procedures outside the realm of system operations that are required for a successful system. This guide is intended for the System and Functional Managers use. The System Manager is the individual designated to provide overall ADP management to the entire local configuration. Usually responsible for file backup, daily operations of the CPU, security, supplies, equipment, operating software and technical ADP guidance to the local functional users.
The consequences of exit, voice, loyalty, and neglect behavior were examined using retrospective questionnaires (Study 1) and 2 social interaction diary studies (Study 2). Exit and neglect were generally associated with more negative partner responses and reduced feelings of value and closeness, and were reported to be more harmful to the relationship. Voice was associated with more positive partner responses and greater value and intimacy, and was perceived to be most beneficial to the relationship. In contrast, loyalty was perceived to have the same detrimental consequences as destructive behaviors (Study 1) and did not predict more positive outcomes within daily interactions (Study 2). These results indicate that, despite good intentions, loyal intimates are often left feeling ignored a...
Local control of Ewing's sarcoma was analysed in a series of 67 patients treated by surgery and/or radiotherapy as well as combination chemotherapy. Radiotherapy was employed with or without surgery in 60 patients and produced an overall local control rate of 55%; complete excision of the primary lesion seemed to be beneficial. There was a marked variation in control rates depending on the site of the primary lesion: limb 85%, rib 53%, pelvis 31% and other sites 33%.Primary tumours greater than 10 cm in diameter were significantly less likely to be controlled. Using daily fractions of approximately 180 cGy, total doses in excess of 6000 cGy seem more likely to produce serious late morbidity amd may not increase the local control rate. No cases of second malignancy arising in irradiated tissue have been observed to date, but one patient developed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. (author).
A female employee was exposed to lead dust for 8 h daily from 4.5.1982 to 20.5.1982. During this time conception occurred (1st day of last menses 4.5.82). Acute symptoms of lead intoxication were not observed in this subject but were in other employees. Measurements of lead content were started after the end of exposure and continued for 6 months until normal values were obtained. Because of the half-life of nearly 20 days for lead elimination from blood the estimated body burden at the end of exposure was about 1200 ppb. The fetal tissue samples contained between 0.4 (brain) and 7.9 (liver) ..mu..g lead/g dry weight. The fetal lead was mainly stored in bone, blood and liver. From the results given a delayed elimination of fetal lead is suggested.
Short-duration measurements have been widely used to screen for exposures to elevated radon concentrations in individual houses or at state or regional levels. However, a number of factors, including spatial and temporal variability in radon concentrations, must be considered before comparison to concentration guidelines can be made. Daily variations in radon concentration can lead to inherent measurement uncertainties ranging from 20 to 100+ percent. Differences in radon concentration due to seasonal effects and/or sampling location are also variable, and do not appear to be regionally consistent. Winter/summer concentration ratios, for example, have been observed to vary by as much as a factor of 10 in basements and by a factor of 5 in first floors. In this paper the implications of these uncertainties on the use of short-term sampling for inferring long-term exposures are discussed.
Tests on the scrubbing column have led to the following results: Use of a scrubbing column with Raschig rings is only meaningful for the sedimentation of particles exceeding diameters of 0.5 ..mu..m; drops of diameter size 1.5 ..mu..m are formed in the column; more efficient drop precipitators in the column air flow ease the load on subsequent suspended material filters thereby contributing to a longer life of these filters even at higher sodium ion concentrations in the washing water; with distillate of an 8% rather than 0.8% salt solution a decontamination factor greater than 10 can be calculated since larger particles precipitate more readily. This only applies, however, under the condition that the washing water is renewed regularly, if necessary daily where higher aerosol concentrations are present. If not, the decontamination factor will be reduced through the salt-containing secondary aerosols from the washing water.
Tests on the scrubbing column have led to the following results: Use of a scrubbing column with Raschig rings is only meaningful for the sedimentation of particles exceeding diameters of 0.5 #mu#m; drops of diameter size 1.5 #mu#m are formed in the column; more efficient drop precipitators in the column air flow ease the load on subsequent suspended material filters thereby contributing to a longer life of these filters even at higher sodium ion concentrations in the washing water; with distillate of an 8% rather than 0.8% salt solution a decontamination factor greater than 10 can be calculated since larger particles precipitate more readily. This only applies, however, under the condition that the washing water is renewed regularly, if necessary daily where higher aerosol concentrations are present. If not, the decontamination factor will be reduced through the salt-containing secondary aerosols from the washing water. (orig.).
We investigate the intertemporal risk-return trade-off of foreign exchange (FX) rates for ten currencies quoted against the USD. For each currency, we use three risk measures simultaneously that pertain to that currency; its realized volatility, its realized skewness, and its value-at-risk. We apply monthly FX excess returns and risk measures calculated from daily observations. We find that there is a significant contemporaneous risk-return trade-off for the currencies under investigation. There is no evidence of noncontemporaneous risk-return trade-off. We pay special attention to the risk-return trade-off during the recent financial crisis.
Good performance in extended lactations of dairy cattle may have a beneficial effect on food costs, health, and fertility. Because data for extended lactation performance is scarce, lactation persistency has been suggested as a suitable selection criterion. Persistency phenotypes were calculated in several ways: P1 was yield relative to an approximate peak, P2 was the slope after peak production, and P3 was a measure derived to be phenotypically uncorrelated to yield and calculated as a function of linear regressions on test-day deviations of days in milk. Phenotypes P1, P2, and P3 were calculated for sires as solutions estimated from a random regression model fitted to milk yield. Because total milk yield, calculated as the sum of daily sire solutions, was correlated to P1 and P2 (r=0.30 ...
This study has confirmed large seasonal and daily variations of Rn in soil gas, developed models for the effects of temperature and moisture on air-water Rn partition, inhibited Rn diffusion from wet soil into sparse large air-filled pores and effects of diffusion into bedrock, demonstrated that organic matter is a major host for 226Ra in soils and that organic-bound Ra largely determines the proportion of 222Rn emanated to pore space, shown that in contrast 220Rn is emanated mainly from 224Ra in Fe-oxides, detected significant disequilibrium between 226Ra and 238U in organic matter and in some recent glacial soils, demonstrated by computer models that air convection driven by temperature differences is expected in moderately permeable soils on hillsides.
This study has confirmed large seasonal and daily variations of Rn in soil gas, developed models for the effects of temperature and moisture on air-water Rn partition, inhibited Rn diffusion from wet soil into sparse large air-filled pores and effects of diffusion into bedrock, demonstrated that organic matter is a major host for 226Ra in soils and that organic-bound Ra largely determines the proportion of 222Rn emanated to pore space, shown that in contrast 220Rn is emanated mainly from 224Ra in Fe-oxides, detected significant disequilibrium between 226Ra and 238U in organic matter and in some recent glacial soils, demonstrated by computer models that air convection driven by temperature differences is expected in moderately permeable soils on hillsides.
Objective.The interest of dental research in metal-free restorations has been rising in the last 20 years following the introduction of innovative all-ceramic materials in the daily practice. In particular, high strength ceramics and related CAD/CAM techniques have widely increased the clinical indications of metal-free prostheses, showing more favourable mechanical characteristics compared to the early ceramic materials.The purpose of the present paper is providing a brief review on the all-ceramic dental materials, evaluating pros and cons in the light of the most recent scientific results and of the authors? clinical experience.Materials. A structured review of the literature was given on the basis of medical and engineering papers published in the last decades on the use of dental cera...
Passive microwave soil moisture datasets can be used as an input to provide an integrated assessment of climate variability as it relates to agricultural production. The objective of this research was to examine three passive microwave derived soil moisture datasets over multiple growing seasons in contrasting Canadian agricultural environments. Absolute and relative soil moisture was evaluated from two globally available datasets from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS (AMSR-E) sensor using different retrieval algorithms, as well as relative soil wetness at a weekly scale from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) sensor. At a daily scale, the Land Parameter Retrieval Model (LPRM) provides a better estimate of surface soil moisture conditions than the National Snow a...
This study evaluated the clinical efficacy of treatment with oral risedronate (17.5?mg once daily) for 8?weeks in 11 Japanese patients with Paget?s disease of bone (PDB). Risedronate suppressed the excessive bone turnover associated with PDB and improved several biochemical markers, including serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), serum bone-specific ALP (BALP), urinary deoxypyridinoline (DPD), and urinary cross-linked N-telopeptide of type 1 collagen (NTX). These markers began to decrease within about 2?weeks after the initiation of treatment in most patients, and the response persisted for up to 40?weeks after the cessation of treatment. Risedronate reduced pain by week 24 in most patients. According to quantitative bone scintigraphy, the lesion with the highest radioisotope (RI) uptake showe...
Ethnopharmacological relevance: Extracts of the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Labiatae) have been widely used to relieve fever related to bacterial infection and inflammatory diseases in traditional Korean medicine and have been reported to be effective in brain diseases. These experiments were conducted to examine the effects of oral administration of Scutellaria baicalensis extracts on the rescue of memory impairments induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion or chronic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) infusion. In addition, the underlying mechanisms of these effects were investigated. Materials and methods: In the first experiment, chronic cerebral hypoperfusion was induced in male Wister rats by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAo). Daily administration of Scutellaria b...
Summary A prospective and randomized trial design is of utmost interest when it comes to evaluating new developments in the management of cardiovascular medicine. By defining the primary end point and a profound related statistic new therapeutic options can be tested with an adequate number of patients. The course of the trial is supervised by a Clinical Events Committee and a Data and Safety Monitoring Board. Registries are promising tools for describing how the results of clinical trials are translated into daily practice. Their drawbacks include lack of control of the clinical endpoints and their uniform definition and lack of a control group. There are numerous examples from cardiology of the limited usefulness of data obtained from registry studies with their often unexpected results ...
This document includes the following topics: Background; Data Collection; Scope/Applicability of the Proposed Regulation; Description of the Industry; Industry Subcategorization; Pollutants of Concern for the Centralized Waste Treatment Industry; Pollutants Selected for Regulation; Wastewater Treatment Technologies; Regulatory Options Considered and Selected for Basis of Regulation; Long-Term Averages, Variability Factors, and Limitations and Standards; Cost of Treatment Technologies; Pollutant Loading and Removal Estimates; Non-Water Quality Impacts; Implementation; Analytical Methods and Baseline Values; List of Definitions; List of Acronyms; Appendix A--Pollutant Groups; Appendix B--Listing of Characerization Data From Non-Hazardous Oils Facilities; Appendix C--Listing of Daily Influent and Effluent Measuements; Appendix D--Facility-Specific Compliance Costs; Appendix E--Attachements to Chapter 10; and Appendix F--Listing of Pollutants of Concern and Cas ...
SummaryBackground Persistent Lyme Disease Symptoms (PLDS) have included fatigue, headaches, poor concentration and memory, lightheadedness, joint pain, and mood disturbances. Evidence-based guidelines committees disagree over the severity of PLDS. The 2004 International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) concluded that PLDS are severe. The 2006 Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) guidelines committee concluded that PLDS are nothing more than the "aches and pains of daily living" and an ad hoc International Lyme group concluded that PLDS are "symptoms common in persons who have never had Lyme disease." Hypothesis Clinical trials validate the severity of persistent Lyme disease symptoms. Evaluation of the Hypothesis There are 22 standardized instruments used to measure the...
This study evaluates the trends of meteorological and agrometeorological indices computed at different sites in the Region of Umbria (Central Italy). The indices were selected on the basis of whether they enable the evaluation of the potential effects of climatic changes on agricultural water requirements and management. The meteorological stations were preliminarily selected considering the length and entirety of the data series and a homogeneous spatial coverage of the region under study. The daily rainfall and minimum and maximum temperature data collected at the stations were elaborated to calculate meteorological and agrometeorological indices (for corn, widespread irrigated crop in Central Italy).The results of the analysis show that rainfall has decreased generally everywhere and th...
Excessive physical activity plays an important role in the progression of anorexia nervosa (AN) by accelerating weight loss during dietary restriction. To search for mechanisms underlying this trait, a panel of mouse chromosome substitution strains derived from C57BL/6J and A/J strains was exposed to a scheduled feeding paradigm and to voluntary running wheel (RW) access. Here, we showed that A/J chromosomes 4, 12 and 13 contribute to the development of a disrupted RW activity in response to daily restricted feeding. This pattern is characterized by intense RW activity during the habitual rest phase and leads to accelerated body weight loss. Regions on mouse chromosomes 4, 12 and 13 display homology with regions on human chromosomes linked with anxiety and obsessionality in AN cohorts. The...
Background: Chloroquine has in-vitro activity against influenza and could be an ideal candidate for worldwide prevention of influenza in the period between onset of a pandemic with a virulent influenza strain and the development and widespread dissemination of an effective vaccine. We aimed to assess the efficacy of such an intervention. Methods: In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done at a single centre in Singapore, we randomly assigned (1:1) healthy adults to receive chloroquine phosphate (500 mg/day for 1 week, then once a week to complete 12 weeks) or matching placebo by use of a computer-generated randomisation list. Participants filled an online symptom diary every week, supplemented by daily diaries and self-administered nasal swabs when unwell. Haemagglutin...
This report is a compilation of the Chalk Point surface weather and ambient atmospheric profile data for the second intensive test period, June 14-24, 1976. The atmospheric profiles were made using rawinsonde instrumentation. The compilation includes the 0700 EST daily weather chart, hourly surface observations from Chalk Point, Patuxent River Naval Test Center, MD and Andrews Air Force Base, MD. Temperature, relative humidity, dew point, wind speed and wind direction are presented in graphical profiles. All other data are presented in tabular form.
Proper balance control is a key aspect of acitivities of daily living. The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of body weight to predict balance stability. The balance stability of 59 male subjects with BMI ranging from 17.4 to 63.8kg/m2 was assessed using a force platform. The subjects were tested with and without vision. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to determine the independent effect of body weight, age, body height and foot length on balance stability (i.e., mean speed of the center of foot pressure). With vision, the stepwise multiple regression revealed that body weight accounted for 52% of the variance of balance stability. The addition of age contributed a further 3% to explain balance control. Without vision, body weight accounted for 54% of the...
The operation of pumped-storage plants (PSP) is based on the daily load variations of power demand. It performs power generation at peak load times during the day, and pumps water up into the reservoir during the off-peak times at night. In the Taipower system in Taiwan, there are two pumped storage plants with ten units. These had a total installed capacity of 2,602 MW or a 12 percent capacity at the end of 1995. The plants were able to reduce system generation costs and improve reliability. A Pumped-Storage Plant Benefit Analysis (PSPBA) program was established using the principle of economic dispatch in 1985. This paper explains the rules of the program, the analysis results of the past 10 years, and a a cost benefit evaluation. It was found that the advantages of PSP are not only in supplying the power for peak load, but also in decreasing the total fuel cost. 5 figs., 4 refs.
SummaryThis paper examines the sensitivity and uncertainty of evaporation estimates from Nasser Lake, south of Egypt using data collected at the floating station Raft, 2km upstream of the Aswan High Dam, and 12 evaporation models. Based on their approach the evaporation models were ranked in five classes, respectively the Bowen ratio energy budget (BREB) approach, three energy-aerodynamic based methods, a mass transfer method, two temperature and five solar radiation-temperature approaches. State dependent parameter models were used to estimate the sensitivity indices of the different evaporation estimation methods at daily and monthly frequencies. A drastic reduction in the cost of the sensitivity analysis was obtained when coupled with efficient sampling methods, producing quasi-Monte Ca...
An enriched culture 48, capable of adapting to the reservoir conditions and fermenting molasses to produce gas and acid, was used as an inoculum for bio- huff-`n`-puff tests at Fuyu oil area of Jilin oil field. The production well was injected with water containing 4-6% (v/v) molasses and inoculum, and then shut in. After 15-21 days, the well was placed back in operation. A total of 44 wells were treated, of which only two wells showed no effects. The daily oil production of treated wells increased by 33.3-733.3%. Up to the end of 1994, the oil production was increased by 204 tons per well on average. Results obtained from various types of production wells were discussed.
Determination of the radiocarbon (14C) content of airborne particulate matter yields insight into the proportion of the carbonaceous material derived from fossil and contemporary carbon sources. Daily samples of PM2.5 were collected by high-volume sampler at an urban background site in Birmingham, UK, and the fraction of 14C in both the total carbon, and in the organic and elemental carbon fractions, determined by two-stage combustion to CO2, graphitisation and quantification by accelerator mass spectrometry. OC and EC content was also determined by Sunset Analyzer. The mean fraction contemporary TC in the PM2.5 samples was 0.50 (range 0.27-0.66, n=26). There was no seasonality to the data, but there was a positive trend between fraction contemporary TC and magnitude of SOC/TC ratio and fo...
The paper describes, for the Hausa farmers of Gidan Jatau in northern Nigeria, the distinct ways in which they see and understand (a) their close and distant environment and (b) their bodies' anatomy and physiology. These ways result in 'another geography' - of both space and being - which, however, may no longer now have the resonance it had in the early 1970s when the author lived in Gidan Jatau for two years as a guest. At that time, the spiritual dimensions of daily life were deemed important to the health and prosperity of each person and to the farmstead as a whole. The argument is made that the urban-centred literature on the bori possession-cult neglects the ordinary, anonymous spirits of house and field. Any serious archaeology of the landscape will need insights into this 'altern...
The interscalenic block technique is widely used for ambulatory shoulder surgery despite a substantial number of failures and adverse effects. We prospectively evaluated satisfaction in 40 consecutive patients who underwent open Bankart repair under a single general anesthesic performed in an ambulatory care unit. The mean age of the patients was 23 years. There were 29 men and 11 women. Patients were evaluated postoperatively with a visual analog scale of pain (in the recovery room, at the time of discharge, and the day after and 1 week after surgery) via a home assessment questionnaire that included the following: effectiveness of oral pain medication, ability to perform activities of daily life, and overall satisfaction. One patient failed to be discharged because of a feeling of faintn...
Abstract Micronutrient deficiencies are a public health concern among young children in low-income countries, and novel strategies are needed to improve the nutritional status of children at risk. One promising approach is the use of lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS), which can be added to complementary food at the time of consumption. The optimal amount of zinc to include in LNS is uncertain, and concerns have been expressed about possible adverse effects of zinc on sensory characteristics of LNS. We conducted a series of acceptability studies of LNS containing either 0 or 10-mg of zinc per daily 20-g LNS dose among Burkinabe children 9-15 months old and their mothers. These acceptability studies included observations of children's consumption, maternal and child sensory reaction to ...
Summary Background Sorafenib is an oral multikinase inhibitor that blocks cell proliferation via the ERK pathway and angiogenesis via the VEGF pathway. This phase II trial was conducted to determine the efficacy and tolerability of sorafenib for the treatment of patients with metastatic urothelial cancer (UC) who had not had prior chemotherapy for advanced disease. Patients and Methods Seventeen chemo-na?ve UC patients with adequate performance status and organ function were treated with sorafenib 400?mg twice daily on a continuous basis until progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was objective tumor response rate as measured by RECIST criteria. Secondary endpoints included rate of prolonged stable disease (>3?months), time to progression, median and 1?yr survival and ...
Abstract Aims To determine, in the context of a trial in which counseling did not improve smoking cessation outcomes, whether this was due to a failure of the conceptual theory identifying treatment targets or the action theory specifying interventions. Design Data from a randomized clinical trial of smoking cessation counseling and bupropion SR were submitted to multi level modeling to test whether counseling influenced real time reports of cognitions, emotions and behaviors, and whether these targets predicted abstinence. Setting Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, Madison, WI. Participants A total of 403 adult, daily smokers without contraindications to bupropion SR use. Participants were assigned randomly to receive individual counseling or no counseling and a 9 week course o...
Triacontanol (TRIA) has been realized as a potent plant growth promoting substance for a number of agricultural and horticultural crops. Out of a large number of essential oil bearing plants, mint (Mentha arvensis L.) constitutes the most important source of therapeutic agents used in the alternative systems of medicine. The mint plant has marvelous medicinal properties. In view of enhancing growth, yield and quality of this medicinally important plant, a pot experiment was conducted according to simple randomized block design. The experiment was aimed at studying the effect of four concentrations of TRIA (10?0, 10?7, 10?6 and 10?5?M) on the performance of mint with regard to growth and other physiological attributes, crop yield and quality attributes and the yield and contents of active c...
The growth power-time curves of a strain of petroleum bacteria, B-2, in various kinds of cultures containing different kinds of carbon sources, glucose, n-tetradecane, n-hexadecane and n-octadecane, and different kinds of microemulsions have been determined by using a 2277 Thermal Activity Monitor. The curves showed a single peak for cultures containing a single carbon source, glucose, and two peaks for cultures containing two kinds of carbon sources, glucose and one of the n-alkanes. The first peak indicated that bacteria grew by consuming glucose and the second peak indicated that bacteria grew by consuming n-alkane. The curves were complex when the bacterium grows in a microemulsion culture. According to a kinetic equation of bacterial growth under limited conditions, the rate constants of bacterial growth were obtained. The results showed that the microemulsion culture was more appropriate to bacteria to grow on ...
We report the influence of a small quantity of Cl[sub 2], which enhanced the selectivity of silicon-selective epitaxial growth (Si-SEG) in UHV-CVD using Si[sub 2]H[sub 6], on both the epitaxial growth rate and the B-doping properties for each Si and Si[sub 1-x]Ge[sub x] film. The small quantity of Cl[sub 2] inhibited the Si, Ge and B incorporation, while the selectivity was enhanced. However, it was found, in the case of Si[sub 1-x]Ge[sub x]-SEG using Cl[sub 2], that the reduction ratio of both the growth rate and the B incorporation were smaller than those of Si-SEG with the selectivity still more enhanced. (orig.)
Axon outgrowth and guidance to the proper target requires the coordination of filamentous (F)-actin and microtubules (MTs), the dynamic cytoskeletal polymers that promote shape change and locomotion....Full Text Available
... After formation of the monolayer (usually in 48 hours), the growth medium was poured off, and the cells washed twice with a Henkes solution and ...
The ras oncogenes function by indirectly controlling expression of a subset of yet-undefined genes that are crucial for cell growth and differentiation. In a differential display strategy, numerous...Full Text Available
Photoautotrophic and mixotrophic growth of Lemna paucicostata Hegelm. 6746 (formerly Lemna perpusilla Torr. 6746) was investigated to establish standardized conditions...Full Text Available
This final report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) presents the results of studies made on the regulation of the growth of Legionella Pneumophila bacteria in biofilms and amoebae. In a first project, the formation of biofilms by Legionella Pneumophila bacteria was analysed in static and dynamic systems using a complex growth medium. Under static and dynamic clinical and environmental conditions, the adherence of the biofilms on polystyrene tissue was studied. This was also examined under dynamic flow conditions. In a second part of the project, the regulation of growth of Legionella Pneumophila in amoebae was examined in that changes were made to the genome of the bacteria. The importance of the work for the de-activation of Legionella Pneumophila bacteria in biofilms is noted in the conclusions of the report.
The trifluoroacetate metal-organic decomposition route to YBa_2Cu_3O_7 film growth was investigated in order to bring new insights in the growth mechanism and its dependence on processing conditions and critical current density. Precursor films were processed on LaAlO_3 substrates at different total pressure, oxygen partial pressure, water vapor partial pressure, and volume gas flow rate keeping the growth temperature at 740 "0C. The influence of these various experimental parameters on the film growth rate, which was evaluated by in situ electrical resistance measurements, was studied thoroughly. It was found that the growth rate is nearly independent of the oxygen pressure and proportional to the square root of the water pressure. Additionally, the growth rate increases with a decrease of the total pressure or an increase of the gas flow rate. An empirical ...
Single crystals of ytterbium tartrate trihydrate have been grown by gel method using silica and agar-agar gels as media of growth. The medium of growth influences the morphology of grown crystals, silica gel yielding single and polycrystalline in the form of spherulites whereas agar-agar gel leading to growth of single and twinned crystals. Materials grown as single crystals have been characterized by using optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), EDAX, XRD, FT-IR, CHN and thermogravimetric techniques. The stoichiometry of the grown single crystals is suggested to be Yb(C4H4O6) (C4H5O6).3H2O. The FT-IR spectrum shows the presence of singly as well as doubly ionized tartrate ligands. Results of thermal analysis indicate that the material is thermally stable up to a temperature of 200...
Growth mechanisms and thermal stability of ion-beam-induced epitaxial Pd/sub 2/Si films are investigated using Rutherford backscattering and channelling techniques. Epitaxial growth of Pd/sub 2/Si films was observed at room temperature by argon ion implantation into as-deposited Pd/Si(111) structures and furnace-annealed Pd/sub 2/Si(polycrystalline)/Pd/sub 2/Si(epitaxial)/Si(111) structures. Some additional experiments to check the growth mechanisms are also presented, in which the implantation energies, substrate orientations and dose rates were changed. Finally, the stability of the ion-beam-induced epitaxial Pd/sub 2/Si films on subsequent furnace annealing is studied.
Growth mechanisms and thermal stability of ion-beam-induced epitaxial Pd/sub 2/Si films are investigated using Rutherford backscattering and channelling techniques. Epitaxial growth of Pd/sub 2/Si films was observed at room temperature by argon ion implantation into as-deposited Pd/Si(111) structures and furnace-annealed Pd/sub 2/Si(polycrystalline)/Pd/sub 2/Si(epitaxial)/Si(111) structures. Some additional experiments to check the growth mechanisms are also presented, in which the implantation energies, substrate orientations and dose rates were changed. Finally, the stability of the ion-beam-induced epitaxial Pd/sub 2/Si films on subsequent furnace annealing is studied.
Nanoscale islands of Cu2O have been synthesized on single-crystal SrTiO3 (100) substrates using oxygen plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy (OPA-MBE). Island growth location has been controlled by using an ex-situ Ga+ focused ion beam (FIB) to modify the growth surface in discrete locations prior to island synthesis. Analysis of Cu2O dot growth on unmodified substrate regions revealed an evolution of dot size and array density. Atomic force microscopy studies show that certain FIB substrate modification and MBE growth condition combinations lead to directed self-assembly of islands. Islands initially formed in the FIB-generated surface topography and filled those features before nucleating on neighboring unmodified surface regions.
Nanoscale islands of Cu_2O have been synthesized on single-crystal SrTiO_3 (100) substrates using oxygen plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE). Island growth location has been controlled by using an ex situ Ga"+ focused ion beam (FIB) to modify the growth surface in discrete locations prior to island synthesis. The FIB modifications have generated surface topography with lateral dimensions of 150-200 nm. Ex situ atomic force microscopy study after island growth reveals that certain FIB substrate modification and MBE growth condition combinations lead to directed self-assembly of metal oxide islands at the edges of the FIB modified zones.
Nanoscale islands of Cu?O have been synthesized on single crystal SrTiO? (100) substrates using oxygen plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Island growth location has been controlled by using an ex-situ Ga? focused ion beam (FIB) to modify the growth surface in discrete locations prior to island sythesis. The FIB modifications have generated surface topography with lateral dimensions of 150-200 nm. Ex-situ AFM study after island growth reveals that certain FIB substrate modification and MBE growth condition combinations lead to directed self-assembly of metal oxide islands at the edges of the FIB modified zones.
Cell cultures were prepared from lung tumors occurring in beagles following exposure to inhaled plutonium. Morphologic and growth characteristics of two of these cell lines are described.
The authors present an investigation of structural changes occurring in bilayer stacks with crystalline columnar growth when one of the layers is substituted by layers known to grow amorphous. In Co/Cu multilayers the Co layers were substituted by CoZr layers of varying Zr content and layer thickness. Structural characterization was performed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). They show that the amorphization of the CoZr layers leading to a destruction of the columnar growth depends both on the Zr content and on the thickness of the CoZr layers. Additionally a change to textured growth with a normal to the substrate occurs with increasing Zr content. They explain their observations by a simple picture based on the hard sphere model.
From the beginning of the 90s the analysis of the relationships between economic growth and environmental pressures has been influenced by the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis or inverted-U shaped relationship between environmental pressure and per capita income. Following this hypothesis, once achieved certain income level, more economic growth is followed by environmental quality improvement. In this paper, we analyse and discuss the theories that support this hypothesis as well as the empirical evidence on this subject. Further on we analyse the relationship between per capita income and the main environmental pollutants for the case does not support the hypothesis. The empirical evidence shows that economic growth, by itself, does not entail a pollution reduction. (Author) 35 refs.
The growth of the Pd{sub 2}Si thin fllms on Si(111) substrates has been monitored by an {ital in} {ital situ} x-ray diffraction technique in vacuum and in helium atmosphere from 160 to 250 {degree}C. A familiar parabolic growth rate was found, confirming the diffusion-controlled film growth process. The activation energies were found to be 1.34 and 1.37 eV for the measurements performed in vacuum and helium environment, respectively. Stress relaxation in the growing Pd{sub 2}Si fllm was observed when the reaction temperature exceeds 200 {degree}C. The relaxed films showed a higher degree of texture as evidenced by the rocking curve measurements.
The growth of the Pd{sub 2}Si thin fllms on Si(111) substrates has been monitored by an {ital in} {ital situ} x-ray diffraction technique in vacuum and in helium atmosphere from 160 to 250 {degree}C. A familiar parabolic growth rate was found, confirming the diffusion-controlled film growth process. The activation energies were found to be 1.34 and 1.37 eV for the measurements performed in vacuum and helium environment, respectively. Stress relaxation in the growing Pd{sub 2}Si fllm was observed when the reaction temperature exceeds 200 {degree}C. The relaxed films showed a higher degree of texture as evidenced by the rocking curve measurements.
Large scale production of monoclonal antibodies has been accomplished using bioreactors with different length to diameter ratios, and diverse impeller and sparger designs. The differences in these physical attributes often result in dissimilar mass transfer, mechanical stresses due to turbulence and mixing inside the bioreactor that may lead to disparities in cell growth and antibody production. A rational analysis of impeller design parameters on cell growth, protein expression levels and subsequent antibody production is needed to understand such differences. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of Rushton turbine and marine impeller designs on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell growth and metabolism, and antibody production and quality. Experiments to evaluate mass transfer...
Gaseous Nitrogen Dewar apparatus developed by Dr. Alex McPherson of the University of California, Irvine for use aboard Mir and the International Space ...